Robb + Jessie Married & in the Badger State
Stocking Madness
It’s taken two years “planning” and one month of knitting to produce these:
I used this pattern. [I updated the original which was formatted in a manner that made it difficult to read].
It was my first time knitting with more than one color using the “stranding” technique (aka, knitting with two hands). Oh boy! How fun. You can see a difference between my first (on the right) and second (on the right) stockings. I have a tendency to knit tightly and discovered that this produces a very puckered looking stocking. The second is much looser. The same number of stitches was used in both stockings but the second is almost an inch wider! Robb is thrilled with his because his can hold more presents! Unfortunately, since I finished the second at 12:15 am on Christmas morning (!!) Santa didn’t fill either of our stockings this year. But maybe next year…
[The nifty stocking holders we picked up at St. Vinnny’s for $1 each!]
Homemade Pasta with Luz’s Arrabbiata Sauce
Spaghetti always remind me of the time when Robb and I met: high school. (It’s been 10 years, now!) Before our big meets, our cross country team would always have a spaghetti feed hosted by one of the runner’s parents. My parents have hosted these events many times in the years since my brother and I ran at Redmond High School. I actually grew very tired of spaghetti and red sauce. (A runner who doesn’t love pasta?! What is wrong with her?!) But last night, the meal was redeemed in our little kitchen.
As a wedding gift, my grandma gave me a treasured hand-me-down: a practically new Cuisinart food processor with a pasta making attachment. I think she used it once or twice since my grandpa gave it to her as a wedding gift 30 years ago. I admit, the pasta maker sat in our apartment for almost two years now, unused and taking up space. Lately everyone has been making their own pasta, so Robb and I felt the need to jump on the bandwagon. Thankfully it didn’t require spending any money.
Ruthie gave me her recipe for their egg-pasta and tips on how to check for the perfect consistency. The last time I made pasta, we had to use our hands… this time … the Cuisinart did all the work. I now know why Mario Batali always insists on making pasta on his show — it’s just that easy!
Ruthie’s Basic Egg Noodle Pasta
Makes: 1.25 lbs
Ingredients:
4 large eggs
17.5 oz (3.5 cups) sifted bread flour
1 tablespoon water - add to eggs
1 teaspoon saltMethod:
Break eggs and make sure they measure to 7/8 cup and add 1 teaspoon of water at a time. Mix together well.Sift flour and salt together and put into the food processor. Turn on and while the processor is running, gradually pour in egg mixture. The dough will begin to turn into particles which will “creep” up the sides of the bowl. When the dough begins to “fall” or collapse back into itself, the dough will be ready.
*This is where my recipe deviates from Ruthie’s*
With the food processor attachment (from 1982) (opposed to the Kitchen Aid attachment) you simply transfer the dough into the hopper where you will feed it into the extruder. (I will post photos of my awesome, vintage pasta maker at a later date.)
Once you have your pasta in the desired shape and consistency, lay it on a clean towel and dust it with semolina flour to prevent it from sticking together.
Fresh pasta only takes a few minutes to cook. But, to ensure they do not stick together and cook evenly, only add a handful at a time to the boiling water. Wait until the water has return to a boil before adding more.
My friend Luz gave me the recipe for her prize winning pasta (often referd to as her “husband-finding sauce” from her time she spent at L’Abri. I hope she wont mind me sharing it here, I have had so many people ask me for the recipe. It’s seriously amazing. And if you happen to be looking for a husband, maybe this will help lure in “the one.”
Luz’s Arrabbiata Sauce
Makes: 6 servings
Ingredients and Method:
Heat on medium-high 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large, deep skillet. Add 1 cup medium onion, diced and allow to soften (5 minutes) and then add 4 (or more) cloves garlic, minced. Cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).To the onion mixture, add in these more or less at the same time:
3 ounces red wine (Merlot is best)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil (or 1 teaspoon dry)
1 tablespoon crushed red pepper (or less if you can’t do spicy)
2 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon Itaian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 (14 oz cans) peeled, diced tomatoes (if you use whole canned tomatoes, smash them with a potato masher)Bring the sauce to a simmer until it reaches the desired consistency (I usually simmer for 15 minutes or so). Finish it off with as much chopped fresh parsley.
You can serve this over vegetables (like yellow squash and zucchini) and/or yummy pasta. Oh and it’s amazing with some crusty bread.
Robb and I were curious about the cost of fresh pasta vs the dried pasta we buy at the store:
1¢ …1 teaspoon salt
40¢… 4 large eggs
99¢… 17.5 oz bread flour
$1.40 / 1.25 pounds fresh pasta
Homemade Fresh Pasta = 23¢ / serving
A serving size of fresh pasta is 3 oz (about 6 servings from a recipe).
Store-bought Dried Pasta = 15¢ / serving
A serving size of dried pasta is 2 oz (about 8 servings from a box).
I don’t have these numbers yet:
Store-bought Fresh Pasta = ?¢ / serving
A serving size of fresh pasta is 3 oz (about ? servings from a box).
A Sweet Tradition
Nothing is better on a cold Christmas morning. Once a year, we treat ourselves to homemade cinnamon rolls. Well, really it’s twice a year. Since is is just the two of us, I save half of the unbaked rolls in the freezer to have on New Years morning. Maybe that will change once we have a family… or I will just make double the rolls!
I stumbled across Molly Wizenberg’s recipe for her cinnamon rolls while reading her blog in February 2008. I saved the recipe in my little folder anticipating our first Christmas morning last year. (Has it already been two years?!) We made those last year and boy, were they good! I thought I would share with you how we made them this year. Now, I haven’t altered it much, but I figure why keep directing you to other locations when you can just read it here (and now I can just read it off my site next year).
Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Glaze
by Molly Wizenberg
Dough:
Combine 1 cup milk and 3 tablespoons butter in glass measuring cup. Microwave on high until butter melts and mixture is just warmed (30 to 45 seconds). Pour into bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 large egg, 2 packets of rapid-rise yeast, and 1 tsp salt. Beat on low speed 3 minutes, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bowl. Add 2-1/2 cups flour. Beat on low until flour is absorbed and dough is sticky, scraping down sides of bowl. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls until dough begins to form ball and pulls away from sides of bowl. Affix the dough hook to the mixer and let it knead the dough for 8 minutes until it becomes smooth and elastic, adding more flour if sticky. Form into ball.
Lightly oil large bowl with nonstick spray. Transfer dough to bowl, turning to coat. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until doubled in volume, about 2 (or 3 hours if your house is chilly) hours.
Filling:
Mix 3/4 cup of brown sugar and 2 tablespoons cinnamon in medium bowl.
Punch down dough. Transfer to floured work surface. Roll out to 15x11-inch rectangle.
Spread 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room temperature butter over dough, leaving 1/2-inch border.
Sprinkle cinnamon sugar evenly over butter.
Starting at 1 long side, roll dough into log, pinching gently to keep it rolled up.
With seam side down, cut dough crosswise with thin sharp knife into 18 equal slices (each about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide) OR you can use the method I learned in 4th grade where you use a piece of dental floss (unflavored) to “tie” a loop around the roll and pinch off pieces:
Line two baking dishes with parchment paper (I like to use spring-form pans). Divide rolls between baking dishes, arranging cut side up. Typically, I store half of the rolls in a zip-lock container which is pop into the fridge and transfer to the fridge in the morning on New Years Eve so that the following day we can have freshly baked cinnamon rolls (yum).
Assuming you are making these the day before you want to cook these suckers, cover with plastic wrap and pop the pan into the fridge. The next morning (typically I wake up a few hours before we want to eat and preheat the oven to 375ºF an set the pan on top of the oven — then I crawl back into bed).
Cover baking dish with plastic wrap, then kitchen towel. Let dough rise in warm draft-free area until almost doubled in volume, 40 to 45 minutes.
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake rolls until tops are golden, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and invert immediately onto rack. Cool 10 minutes. Turn rolls right side up.
Glaze:
While the cinnamon rolls are baking, mix together 4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature), 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter (room temperature), and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a medium bowl with an electric mixer. Beat until smooth. Spread onto cinnamon rolls and serve warm (or at room temperature, if you’re into that kind of thing).
I kind of went overboard this year… but they are so yummy.
What are your traditions?
Simply having a wonderful Christmastime.
Dear Friends and Family,
From the land of heavy snow and freezing temperatures (no, not the North Pole) we wish you a very warm and Merry Christmas! We had a wonderful year and hope that this letter finds you well.
As per usual, 2009 marked many transitions. We found a new church home this year and have made many wonderful new friends. We also said goodbye to many of our friends who moved away from Madison. This past January we escaped the bitter cold Madison weather for some much needed thawing in San Diego. During spring we spent most of our time hard at work: Jessie learned almost everything about statistics while Robb spent his time grading assignments and teaching undergrads genetics. In June, Robb took his written prelim which he passed with flying colours! In July, Jessie travelled to Montréal, Quebec where she presented her research on cheese to an audience of dairy scientists. In August, we returned home to Seattle where we spent much needed time with our friends and families. Jessie went backpacking in Olympic National Forest with her dear friend and Robb took part in a good friend’s wedding. We also moved to a larger apartment in August. We are thrilled with our roomier home (Jessie is particularly happy with her full size oven). We do hope you can visit us some day!
Last weekend we went to the “slopes” where Jessie learned to ski on one of Wisconsin’s plethora of bunny hills. And in just a few short weeks, we will be celebrating our 2nd anniversary. We cannot believe it’s already been two years. Here is to many more!
As the snow continues to fall and the glow of our Christmas tree keeps us warm, may your and your loved ones have a blessed Christmas season and joyful New Years.
Much love,
Come, Thou Fount
Photo by Kristin Boyett from our wedding January 5, 2008
Our friend BoB Rudis has been on a quest this advent season to enlighten his readers by pulling away the veil and get back to the true meanings of many of our treasured Christmastime hymns. Today, as a special request, he taught us about one of my favourite hymns, Come, Thou Fount, which some of you might remember, we sang at our wedding. It was written by Robert Robinson, a Methodist pastor, in the 1700s. I encourage you to read BoB’s post. While it is a timeless song, its words are ever meaningful during the Advent season.
If you are not familiar with this tune, you can listen to Elysium’s version here:
“
You can follow along with the lyrics below:
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise his Name, I’m fixed upon it,
Name of Thy redeeming love.Sorrowing I shall be in spirit,
Till released from flesh and sin,
Yet from what I do inherit,
Here Thy praises I’ll begin;
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood;
How His kindness yet pursues me
Mortal tongue can never tell,
Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me
I cannot proclaim it well.O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.