food

Weekend Meanderings- Cozy Kitchen Lamps, Chanel Inspired Jackets, and the Best Hummus

November 4, 2022 By kimwheeler 31 Comments

On this Weekend Meanderings…cozy kitchen lamps for the dark months, the best hummus to make, a Thanksgiving guide book, Chanel style jackets, and Carmel homes to dream about..

How has your week been? With Halloween done, some people are already thinking about the holidays. I’m not quite there, but Max and I got our Thanksgiving book out and checked on what we cooked last year, and put our turkey order in and made a preliminary menu..

About December…I am not sure I am ready! I just want to enjoy November. Is everything rushed or am I just being lame and waiting too long to plan for the holidays? Maybe with our artificial stop at Thanksgiving that other countries don’t have, we are at a disadvantage and could be prepping and enjoying more of the holiday season? I am conflicted, which adds to my perennial procrastination and living on the edge as Max says I do.. Sounds cooler when you’re younger!

Foraging for decor..

Have you been foraging the yard for home decor? I trimmed my olive trees in the front and brought in a bunch of the branches in. I am loving this look for November with a few little pumpkins until Thanksgiving..I also do this closer to the holidays with branches with berries and conifers.

Go check out your yard for ideas!

Other November happenings…

Kitchen Counter Lamps

The dark season is upon us, a week or so ago, I realized the kitchen is especially dark in the mornings.. It’s that time of year when I put a counter lamp back up..

I don’t know about you, but I’m not a big fan of overhead can lights. We have a thousand as they are mandated in new homes and renovations. That doesn’t mean I use them. I like pretending my home is like a cozy inn, or a pub.. I reject the surgery center lighting! I’ve used it to look for lost items and clip the cat’s claws..and that is about it. I use some caps near the sink to wash dishes.

Anyone can use a little lamp on the counter, and I’ve gotten them for both of my son’s kitchens. It’s nice to wake up and switch on a soft little lamp while you greet the morning and make your first cup. ( Note look for lower wattages on these, not some bright LED, which defeats the purpose.) After the kitchen is cleaned up after dinner, I switch off the pendants and click on the lamp..It sort of signals the relax portion of the evening when we read our watch a show.

If you don’t have a kitchen lamp, I recommend a smaller size lamp, away from water if you can. A corner under a cabinet for the perfect spot..Here’s a few that stood out to me.. Links in photos..

The cute Como lamp with a scalloped raffia shade is darling for under a cabinet, in white, chartreuse and three other colors, this Faris Ceramic lamp is a bit bigger, the Carmen Lamp is smaller and comes in a lovely white grey or white glass that looks like stone. I love this Anthro Rattan lamp with a cool shape and also love this little one from Target.

If you are worried about hiding the cord, or have a very small spot like near the sink, consider a cordless version..They are quite popular now and you can see them at charming restaurants and bars.. Options are here from from Amazon, in a cute wood, and here in a white/wood look. These are great for outdoors as well, or place a couple in the center of a dining table for warm feel.

Sam Sifton’s Thanksgiving

If you are just taking over the Thanksgiving duties, or need to some inspiration, I recommend Sam Sifton’s Thanksgiving. This treasure is filled with great stories and recipes and even room for notes, so you can look back on what worked or didn’t. No matter what you think, you WON’T remember the details of previous years meal! Max always say, oh so glad you wrote notes afterwards.

Sam is the founder of the NYTimes cooking and this book goes from planning- up to how to clean up right. As someone in comments sad, ‘this is not the meal for innovation’, and I could not agree more. Not that these menus don’t have any cool variations, but Americans generally want the classic meal. We do our variations on green beans and the mashed potatoes and pies, but we try to keep it to the crowd pleasers and this book will inspire you as well as be enjoyable to read.

Easy Hummus

Max and I have been getting into a routine with our meals and the empty nesting thing. In an effort to eat better, we have been getting a bunch of veg -mainly carrots, celery and peppers, and cut them all up on Sunday and store them in containers for easy grabbing.

I have started making my own hummus to go with it, and we have snacks all week this way. I’ve experimented with different hummus recipes and this one from Love and Lemons is a hit. It is light and flavorful and is super addicting.

This is mine above, from Halloween night.

I make this in my Cuisinart, but you can use a blender too. I like that this calls for canned chickpeas and I find the Italian brands to be the best. I top mine with a drizzle of good olive oil and toasted pumpkin seeds and a bit of paprika. I also like a little extra fresh lemon juice in the place of one of the teaspoons of water. You add water at the end so take your time to make it fluffy, but not too watery. Once you get the hang of this, you’ll never go back to store bought!

Chanel Style Jackets at J.Crew

I’ve been jacket obsessed this season, and the Chanel look jackets are all over now and I adore them. I really like them dressed down in a modern way with denim. Throwaway chic if you will..

The Chanel style jacket is always collarless, sometimes with pockets, and often short, but some can be long. Tweeds are the traditional fabric they come in..I found that J.Crew has a lot to offer in this category and I thought I’d share. Other good places to look are your local consignment.

They call their version of this jacket ‘The Lady Jacket’ and they have offerings in quilted leather, in denim, in a black (and pink) boucle, and knit red (also cream and grey). All so cute!

There is also this casual puffer version and more… All their Lady Jackets are on this page. I also saw a lovely quilted faux leather version in Plus size.

California Homes of the Week for Sale..

There’s less homes on the market now, but I found this great Carmel thatched home that’s walking distance to the beach, and trails. Just as soon as I picked it, I saw it was pending!

I knew the price was pretty good for beach proximity, updated kitchen and baths, and it has a sunny location. It’s cute so I’m sharing it anyway. I LOVE this place and the size and proximity to Carmel River Beach.

If you want something more under the radar, check out this Big Sur cottage with it’s own potter’s studio nestled in the forest…

Speaking of California homes, have you seen this Mid-Century Gingerbread House at World Market? I have to admit it’s pretty cute.

This was also Signature Style week with Cindy and Sarah and our topic was, ‘Does Your Home Reflect Your Personal Style? It was fun to think about and you can read it here.

On that post, I got a few questions about my home pieces and my kitchen runner. I noticed along with other rugs at Serena & Lily, my runner is on sale and also another I love -the runner version of my Alamere rug I have in the dining room…

Juliet, Annie, Cindy, Mary Ann, and Sherri Silver all did an autumn progressive party themed post with so many great ideas. You can start at Juliet’s who did the Apple Cider Aperol Spritz cocktail..Doesn’t that sound perfect? I think it will be our Thanksgiving drink.

VOTE!

This next week’s election is so important. I hope you all will vote and help those in your family – the younger ones especially, get to the polls. I also think it’s kind to check with older neighbors who might need a ride or help filling out their ballots. I made sure both my sons did their ballots this year, even though they are distracted and busy. We need those young people more than ever, so please engage and encourage them. In 2020, half of all young people 18-24 voted, a marked increase from previous years, so it’s improving.

It’s great to sit down with the younger people and talk about the options. If you don’t know what to vote on something, it’s okay to leave it blank. My sons did not know that..

If you live in California, you can register to vote up until election day! You can even walk into the polling place the last hour if that is what you need to do. They will give you a provisional ballot, that they will verify later. I love that. Everyone can get their vote in ! I sent ours via the mail and already got a confirmation it was counted last week.

That is my weekend meanderings for this week.. Please check out Elizabeth and Juliet’s blogs to see what good things they are sharing…

MAKE MINE A SPRITZER

PINECONES AND ACORNS

Thank you for being here and I hope your weekend is great!

Kim

On last week’s meanderings, ideas for persimmon season, autumn napkins, two fall casual outfits, and a untouched 1973 Aptos home for sale that’s a gem..

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‘Eating Rome’ a Fantastic Trip Through the Eternal City

April 24, 2015 By kimwheeler 16 Comments

Life has been crazy busy, more than I can even share in one post, but this week I had to make time for a book I promised I would review. I began this lovely book on vacation and finished this week. It was a wonderful escape, engrossing and transporting which I really need right now.

The book is Eating Rome by Elizabeth Minchilli, and it’s a memoir/cookbook/guidebook to Rome. I knew of Elizabeth through her beautiful blog so I immediately accepted the offer to read and share this book. I have been to Italy and Rome was undeniably my favorite. Something about walking among the ruins, the vespas, fountains and beautiful Italians- the whole mix is so glamorous and magical. Given a chance to relive it just a little sounded fun and it was!

Elizabeth, an American, grew up much like myself in the 60s and 70s, but in Saint Louis. She came home from camp in 1972, to find her parents planning to move the family to Italy. Thus began a unique adventure and a lifelong passion for Italy. After her family moved back home to states, she later did graduate studies in Florence and eventually fell in love with an Italian and moved to Rome where she lives today. There she and raised two daughters, and began her blog of Italian life and food.

Her style of writing is so enjoyable. I loved Elizabeth’s personal stories of food and experiences that guide you through the chapters. In this book you’ll learn how to order coffee like a Roman, and yes there is a proper way to! We also learn how Italians eat cookies for breakfast, pasta everyday and full fat everything and yet are not overweight.

I especially loved the chapter on artichokes! Being a Californian I didn’t know there were so many ways to enjoy them. Friend and breaded artichokes are on my list of things to try next.

You learn a lot of food and Italian life here too like Roman children are introduced to mini versions of regular adult foods and are not given the mushy bland things American babies get. Italians also consider vegetables one of the main parts of the meal and meats are used a a flavoring much of the time, and not a course in itself. That said they also eat offals which are internal meats, in sandwiches and other foods.

The recipes are sprinkled throughout the book, but with detailed instructions for making this simple food taste fabulous. There are tips on stocking a pantry, shopping for pasta-fresh vs. dried, and many wonderful cooking tips and secrets shared here. Let me just say this is not a book to read while hungry. I found myself craving everything and so far have made two of the pasta dishes which I will now add to my regular repertoire…

My photo here and below.

For a lunch I made the Italian version of buttered noodles, pasta con burro, which every Roman child grows up eating. The secret to making a rich sauce is adding in the reserved pasta water and unsalted butter. It was the best buttered noodles I have ever had.

This week I made my family cacao e pepe, or a Roman version of mac n’ cheese with pecorino cheese. A huge hit and I added arugula and tomatoes which made it seem a little bit healthier, though no less delicious.

At the end of each chapter is a guide to Rome’s best, from coffee spots to bakeries, trattorias and even the rooftop cafes! The photos are gorgeous and had me planning and dreaming about another trip to Italy as well as trying to recreate that simple elegance here at home.

A few of the gorgeous photos in the book.

I have never read any of my cookbooks cover to cover, but this I did. If you have a love of Italy, good food and want to take in a little more la dolce vita, you will love Elizabeth’s book. Check out her blog too for inspiration and restaurant recommendation, and general loveliness! Elizabeth also conducts day tours as well as a week in Rome trips, which are found on the blog.

Ciao!

Kim

Please pop over a visit the fun Lifestyle Linkup I am joining today with Jennifer at A Well Styled Life and Heather Of StyleMindChic! Lot’s of inspiration there today!

photos via Eating Rome and also Northerncalstyle

Labor Day Dishes to Share- Asian Noodles & Appetizers

August 31, 2013 By kimwheeler No Comments

Happy Labor Day Weekend! The official end of the American summer is here. It seems everyone has deserted town for that last three day getaway before fall. We love staying in town on those weekends and enjoying the extra time for gatherings with friends and family.

Thank you Jen for this fab plate!

I’m not a big entertainer, but I have found having a small repetoire of go to dishes takes the stress out of it. If I am hosting here or bringing a dish to a party I usually do an appetizer plate with olives, herbed salami, honeyed goat cheese, rosemary crackers, and grapes or figs, depending on what’s in season. I’m all about it being pretty and I have a beautiful plate from my friend Jen that I love to use for this. I also like tiny ramekins to hold the items and cute cheese knives.

One of my best go to side dishes for get togethers is an Asian noodle salad. I have been meaning to share this for a while per a few requests. This is my Aunt Wendy’s recipe and she and my grandmother love entertaining big groups. Some of her and grandmother’s recipes serve 100! No one goes away hungry from a Fleming gathering! Everyone loves this and even my friends call this Aunt Wendy’s noodles.

The great thing about this salad is it’s easily doubled and tripled. I keep the ingredients on hand most of the time. The only thing fresh it needs is cilantro. In it’s basic form it feeds up to 10. Wonderful to bring to a big gathering if you double it. I thought this would be a good one for Labor Day should you need a dish to bring along…

Asian Noodle Salad

1/2 C cooking oil (I use canola or any basic oil.)

6 T sesame oil (Try to get toasted if you can.)

1/2- 1 tsp. crushed red pepper

Stir these 3 items over medium heat for a minute or so. Off the heat and add:

6 T honey

1/4 C soy sauce

2 tsp. salt

Put mixture aside. Cook 1 pound angel hair pasta, drain, toss with oil mixture. Ideally, let refrigerate overnight or cool for a while then add just before serving:

1/2 C chopped peanuts

1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro leaves

2 T toasted sesame seeds

This dish can be changed to your tastes. My aunt also adds green onions and about a teaspoon more of pepper than I do which makes it a lot spicier.

I guarantee you will have a lot of fans for this dish!

Wherever you are, I wish you a beautiful last summer weekend!

Thanks for reading!

Kim

Thanks Aunt Wendy for the recipe! xxoo

Getting Your Pumpkin On…

October 22, 2012 By kimwheeler No Comments

I love holidays and this is my most favorite part of the year. Darn October seems to be so busy and I’m trying to squeeze in all the good stuff! I’ve collected some fun links and images on my I love Fall Pinterest board. I thought I’d share a few here! If your not into carving pumpkins, there’s still a lot of festive options…

Etched glass pumpkins at Pottery Barn

What about painting your address ?

You could always add some fabulous pumpkin toned bracelets… Gorgeous dress!

Baked Pumpkin French toast anyone? Recipe here

I’ve always adored monograms. On a pumpkin it’s darling for a stoop or table.

How cute and easy is this place card?

Love green pumpkins, dark pots. You could add acorns, pinecones or whatever drops in your yard.

jcrew.com ‘Nuff said?

How about this for your Halloween buffet?

Better Homes and Gardens

Me too!

A little paint and you’ve got a theme going. Silver or mercury glass paint would be fabulous.

I love how she did the foliage and striped variety pumpkins here.

If your not into pumpkins how about a persimmon sweater with plaid? Love this.

via cardiganway.com

You can recreate this faux-bois look with a sharpy.

This blue-cheese ricotta dip and snack mix below are both at BHG.com

Check out these sparkle pumpkins my neighbor Kim made. Brush with glue and shake glitter over. Aren’t they cool? A quick and fun project!

Now go grab some fun!! There’s only a few days left of October!

Kim

Images unless noted found via my Pinterest boards.

Loving November!

November 1, 2011 By kimwheeler No Comments

Pumpkins carved during our streets’ annual pumpkin carving get-together.

Last night was the warmest Halloween I have ever experienced in my past 40 plus years here in Northern California. It was absolutely gorgeous and after sharing some pre-trick-or-treat chili with friends, we headed out to enjoy the neighborhood. Grabbing our glasses of red wine we had to dash to chase the kids and chat with the neighbors. I especially loved seeing all the older people who still decorate and enjoy the kids. We are grateful to have a neighborhood with lots of them. With the balmy weather, (we were just in T-shirts), and the local wine in hand, it felt very decadent and we were saying how lucky we are to live here.

Couldn’t resist posting this pic of the neighborhood kids with their creations.

This news flash…it’s November!! One of my very favorite months and not just because my Dad and my oldest son have birthdays. November is filled with LOTS of school holidays and I love that! Things seems to slow down a bit after hectic October. I can’t say I’m not happy to get the webs off if you know what I mean…

So welcome to my kitchen! In honor of November, a bit of cookery for you. Though you might be in sugar shock right now, (maybe I should have rescheduled this post), here’s my newest, most favorite version of chocolate chip cookies yet. I found this recipe in an old kid’s cookbook with my youngest son. In their version, you melt the butter and refrigerate. Because I didn’t really read the directions, (a bit of a bad habit according to my husband), I made it the usual way without the frig or melting and they were awesome. To me, the best cookies are crunchy a bit on the outside and gooey inside.

Here’s a few pictures and as you can see I had assistants. Not sure how much help they really were…!

“Cleaning” up for me. 🙂

Walnuts are my favorite and of course California ones are superior!

The only chips I use now. Guittard also happens to be a California company. Love them.

Very important in baking- do not over beat the dough once the flour is added or you’ll end up with tough cookies.

Large drops…we’re talking golf ball size folks.

They look a bit browned, but are chewy inside.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
1/2 C. Butter
1 egg
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 1/8 C. flour
1/4 t. salt
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 bag of chocolate chips
1/2 C. walnuts (optional)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter, sugars, vanilla and egg in mixer. Mix until fluffy. In a separate bowl sift together flour and remaining dry ingredients. Add flour mixture to bowl and mix until blended. Do not beat. Add chip and nuts as desired. Drop heaping spoonfuls onto cookie sheet and bake until just browning, 9-11 minutes.

It’s comfort food people! Get ready a chill is in the air today and I’m a bit excited!

On a glad to be done with October note, I’m on my third Almond Joy for the day! Not good. Got to get the Halloween candy out of here quick! AAAHHH! There’s a reason I buy the kind I don’t like. Darn Trick-or-Treat bags.

Not bathing suit ready yet..

March 19, 2011 By kimwheeler No Comments

My yummy Croque Monsieur and tea at Fleur de Cocoa.

Here in Bay Area, we’ve had a lot of beautiful days lately, so I don’t mind the rainy ones. It was extremely blustery today and our little court felt like Windy Corner. Trees were bending all over and the big Sequoia in my front yard was dangerously close to sending a branch through our front window.

I love hunkering down on these days. There are cats that need cuddling up to, tea to be savored and reading to be done, all while I watch the storm from my cozy couch. I blew off the gym, but I know warm weather is coming and I’ll be outside all the time soon.

A bright spot in this stormy day was that I got to enjoy lunch with the hubby. He’s off before he starts a new job and we squeezed a quick jaunt to my favorite little lunch place. Fleur de Cocoa. If you ever get to Los Gatos, it’s a small bit of France. They’re famous for their chocolate, but I love the Croque Monsieurs and the French onion soup is divine. It brought me back to Paris and the small cafes you squeeze into to duck out of the rain.

As you can imagine, this was not a low-fat day. We started out with bagels, the lunch and now husband is happily making beignets for the men of the house. The three of them were thick as thieves munching away on the doughy goodness as they watched the mindless Wipe-Out on the tube. They were full of snacky happiness, but I had to exit the room. The smell of grease and the show was too much. Somehow, watching Wipe-out makes me feel like I’m wasting what time I have on this planet! Ah, to be a man… It’s the little things that make ’em happy.