life: easter snapshots

Over the weekend, Tony and I hosted my family at our house for Easter weekend. Having holidays at our house -- how's that for being a real grownup? The family also came last year for Easter, so Easter in D.C. is becoming a real tradition. My parents came down from Ohio with my Grandma Mary, and my Uncle Mike drove down from Pittsburgh. When Tony and I told friends of ours about the weekend plans, they seemed really shocked that we'd want to spend so much time in such close quarters with our family. But I'm lucky to have a great family that I actually want to spend time with. Close quarters = cozy in situations like that.

In preparation for their visit, Tony and I gave our house a thorough cleaning. I'd say there are five levels of tidiness in our house:

1. Just Tony and me, day-to-day.
2. Guests come over for dinner.
3. Guests spend the night.
4. New York Times comes to photograph your house for the Sunday magazine.
5. Grandma Mary comes to visit.

Actually, Grandma coming to visit was a good excuse to give the whole house a good spring cleaning. I estimate Tony and I could reconstitute approximately 2.5 cats from all of the cat hair that we cleaned up from Victor's hiding places, particularly under the bed.

Tony and my dad spent about a day and a half working in the backyard on the next phase of our backyard makeover project, building a raised garden bed. I still have to take more photos of the finished product, so stay tuned for a separate post on that.

My mom and I collaborated on Easter dinner, which turned out very well. She was in charge of the ham and kielbasa. I made some pierogies earlier in the week and cooked them for dinner. And I whipped up some of my famous scalloped potatoes, green beans, and hard boiled eggs.

Here we all are, about to dig in. Well, except for Tony, who is taking the photo.

My Easter basket from Uncle Mike included these cute little guys, who served as a nice centerpiece on a table crammed full of food.

And then Tony had fun trying to eat the bunnies with an alligator candy dispenser from his Easter basket. 

Moving on to dessert. This is a 3-D bunny cake, an edible work of art by my mom.

She found an antique mold at a thrift store and baked a lemon pound cake in it. She made the frosting textured like bunny fur, gave the little guy pink ears and a nose, put it on a bed of green coconut grass and added some flowers. Oh, and how about those eyes!

And then we devoured that guy. The aftermath:

 And after dinner was the second annual Easter egg hunt in my backyard in which Tony and I hid the eggs and let Mom, Dad, Grandma and Uncle Mike hunt for them.

If you thought watching children hunt for eggs is entertaining, you have to see four grown ass adults push each other out of the way when they've been told one of the eggs contains a Macys gift card.

See? That's my dad pushing his wife out of the way in pursuit of an Easter egg.

Mom had the height advantage over Grandma:

Oh, and one of the eggs contained a certificate for one free hug from Tony. Dad won. I have no idea why he's wearing a particle mask on his head, but it's cute otherwise.

Happy Easter!

decor: santa brought me a typewriter

Tony and I are back in D.C. after spending Christmas in Ohio, which involved so. many. cookies. And loads of good family time. The highlight of the weekend was playing with the Lionel train set my dad has had since he was a kid. When Stephanie and I were growing up, he'd get it out, but it'd been a long time since he'd it set up. This year, my dad and brother-in-law dug it out and set it up in the basement, making a whole town, which they're calling Trainville. Here's Tony enjoying the fruit of their labors.

Cute conductor hat FTW.

Fun also was had shooting off model rockets. Last year, Tony and I got my dad a model rocket launch kit for Christmas. The two of them put it all together, and we went out to a field to shoot it off, but it disappeared into the heavens on its inaugural launch.

We tried again this year. We went back to the hobby store, and Tony, Ian and Dad each got their own rocket.

We shot them off in the middle of nowhere this year, and I'm happy to report there was only one casualty. One failed parachute put an end to my dad's rocket.

<3

As you may have been able to tell from this blog, I was very good this year. Santa clearly realized this because he left all kinds of goodies under the tree. Including this beautiful old typewriter. Santa must be a rowhouse home reader, haha.

I have the old girl parked in my dining room, on top of the white dresser.

And it works! Tony and I are using it to leave messages to each other. (Awwww.)

That deep dish reference, by the way, is a reference to our pizza dinner last night. So good. Recipe coming soon!

Merry Christmas! And Happy New Year!

decor: christmas decorations

Want to see some of the Christmas decorations in my house? I didn't go overboard this year, but there's definitely some holiday cheer in the Tony-Jessi household.

I'll start with my favorite: this vintage plastic Santa, who is strategically placed by the fireplace, as if he just came down the chimney. Stole it from my mom's basement last year, haha.

And then there's this vintage plastic Snowman lamp.

I bought these carolers at a flea market this year, and they're hanging out on the table by my front door

These cute little salt and pepper shakers were a Christmas gift from my mom.

And of course we have a tree, which is of the fake variety. Most of the ornaments are from when Tony and I were kids; now that we're all growed up, we've gotten them from our parents' houses over the past few years. There's a "J" on this little guy's right foot and a "1989" on the other.

And there's a "1987" on the back of Tony's train.

Merry Christmas!

recipe: chocolate olive oil cake

Tony and I had a very festive weekend. Sunday we had Christmas brunch with Mike, Jen and Jamie -- and Saturday we celebrated with Camille and Matt. Even Victor got in on the gifts. And as you can see, he has been a very good kitty this year. Camille and Matt brought him a fish made of sparkles and feathers that he's been carrying around the house ever since.

For dessert on Saturday night, I made a chocolate olive oil cake with vanilla frosting. 

This is my go-to chocolate cake. Also, I think some kind of magic happens in this recipe with baking soda and vinegar to make the cake rise. You don't need eggs or dairy for this cake, so you can make it completely with ingredients in your pantry.

Chocolate Olive Oil Cake

• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in a stand mixer bowl.

In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, and mix until no lumps remain.

Grease and flour two 8-inch round pans or a 9-by-13-inch pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40-43 minutes in the round pans for 40 minutes in the large pan. Cake is done when a toothpick comes out clean.

Once cake pans are cool to the touch, turn out the cakes and let cool completely on a wire rack.

If making a two-layer cake, use a bread knife to cut the top of off one of the layers. 

Frost with the vanilla frosting recipe below. Stick sheets of parchment paper under the cake while you're frosting it, so the plate is tidy after you remove your parchment paper.

Vanilla Frosting (for a two-layer cake)

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• up to 3 tablespoons milk

Combine powdered sugar, butter and vanilla in a stand mixer bowl. Add milk, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until frosting is a spreadable consistency.

recipe: gingerbread cake

Sunday afternoon, Mike, Jen and Jamie came over for an early Christmas brunch. For the past few years, we've gotten together before Christmas to celebrate the holiday and trade gifts, and I really look forward to it.

And this year we got some live music, provided by the guitar-wielding Jamie.

And here I put this blog post on pause to talk to you about that mirror above my couch.

Since Tony and I moved into our house, I've been stumped about what to hang over the couch. For a long time, the wall was empty. Then I painted a huge painting of birds on a wire, but I got tired of it. Then I put together a gallery wall, but it was too chaotic for me. And then I found this antique mirror at an antique mall in Ohio this fall for $22! (The same store where I scored my fancy elephant.) It was painted pink to be shabby chic, so I just needed a jar of gold paint. (I used the same paint for my gold eagle over the mantel.) The mirror is heavy, so I bought mirror-hanging hardware from Home Depot with a self-drilling screw to ensure the bracket doesn't pull away from the drywall. And the verdict is: I love my mirror. It's just the right size for the wall space, and it gives the room another dimension and really does make it feel bigger.

Oh, and here is a random mirror-cleaning tip from my mom. You've seen old mirrors with black smudges on them. Apparently that's from moisture getting behind the frame. So when you clean your mirrors, squirt the Windex directly onto your rag and not onto the mirror, so extra moisture doesn't get back there. The More You Know.

Anyway, back to gingerbread cake. I served gingerbread cake for dessert Sunday. If you're still undecided about a dessert to serve for Christmas, let me suggest gingerbread cake with whipped cream. It's seasonally appropriate and delicious. It tastes like Christmas.

Behold, this beautiful cake (with the aftermath of wrapping paper in the background).

The nice folks of America's Test Kitchen did it again. The ingredients seem weird (stout beer, pepper), but it all works together.

Gingerbread Cake

Via America's Test Kitchen

• 3/4 cup stout beer
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2/3 cup molasses
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
• whipped cream for serving

In a small saucepan, bring stout to a boil. (Beer from your home state is optional.)

Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. When foaming subsides, stir in molasses, brown sugar and sugar.

In a stand mixer bowl, combine flour, ground ginger, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pepper.

Transfer stout mixture to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, oil and fresh ginger.

Whisk wet mixture into flour mixture in thirds, mixing until completely smooth after each addition.

Grease and flour a pan. The recipe calls for an 8-inch square pan. I didn't have that, so I used a 9-inch round pan, which I figured had the same area as the square pan. (Area of square pan: 8 x 8 = 64. Area of round pan: 3.14 x 4.5 x 4.5 = 63.6. Thank you, Math.)

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Tap against the counter a few times.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. (Original recipe said 35 to 45 minutes.) Don't open the oven door during baking. Cake will be done when toothpick comes out clean.

Serve with whipped cream.

recipe: butternut squash risotto

I mentioned last week that our vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner was butternut squash risotto, cornmeal spoon bread, green beans with toasted almonds, cranberry sauce and caramel pecan pie. I've already posted the pie recipe, and I decided the spoon bread wasn't good enough to recommend to y'all. But I will endorse the risotto. And since it's almost December, if you're gonna make it, you better make it soon, while it's still fall.

I'm posting this recipe toward the end of the week in case you're looking for something to make over the weekend. This risotto is great, but it's kind of involved, so it's better to make when you have some time on your hands. Not exactly a weeknight-friendly meal.

Butternut Squash Risotto

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen

• 1 medium butternut squash
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup water
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 1/2 cups minced onions (about 2 small onions) 
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic (about 2 medium cloves) 
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Peel the butternut squash. Remove the fibers and seeds and set aside. (An ice cream scoop works well for this.) Cut squash into 1/2-inch cubes for a total of 3 1/2 cups. Reserve any remaining squash with the fibers and seeds.

Heat olive oil in a skillet. Add squash in an even layer and cook without stirring for 5 minutes until squash is golden brown. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender and brown. Transfer squash to a bowl, cover with foil, and set aside.

Return empty skillet to medium heat, add squash fibers, seeds and leftover diced squash. Cook 4 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to large saucepan. Add broth and water. Cover sauce pan and bring mixture to a simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a light simmer.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook 5 minutes until onions are soft.

Add rice to the skillet and cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until grains are translucent around the edges. Add wine and cook 5 minutes, stir frequently, until liquid is fully absorbed.

Strain broth through fine mesh strainer into a medium bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Throw the solids away.

Return strained broth to sauce pan, cover, and set over low heat to keep hot.

When wine is fully absorbed, add 3 cups broth and 1/2 of the reserved squash to rice. Simmer about 12 minutes, stirring every 3 to 4 minutes until liquid is absorbed and pan is almost dry. 

Stir in 1/2 cup broth and cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly until absorbed. Repeat with additional broth until rice is cooked through but grains are somewhat firm at center.

Off heat, stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter, cheese, sage and nutmeg. Gently fold in remaining reserved squashed. If desired, add up to 1/4 cup more broth to loosen texture of risotto.

Serves like 20. Or seems like it. Let's say it serves 8. We had risotto coming out of our ears for days.

Sidenote: I divided the risotto in half and only added cheese to Tony's half to keep mine dairy-free. He tasted both and said they tasted exactly the same.

P.S. As you can see, we are a Canned Cranberry Sauce Family. I know there are some Homemade Cranberry Sauce Families out there, and there's no judgement over here. We can coexist despite our fundamental differences. No shame.

recipe: caramel pecan pie

Hello, pie!

Tony and I had a really relaxing holiday, just the two of us this year. We spent the day cooking together and eating together and otherwise relaxing together. (The rest of the weekend was a different story -- we stayed busy doing a whole bunch of projects around the house.)

For Thanksgiving, I mentioned I'd be making a caramel pecan pie. I got the recipe from my mom, and it turned out to be fantastic.

The recipe calls for 36 caramels, so it's super, super, super rich. If you have a sweet tooth, this recipe is for you. 

Caramel Pecan Pie

• 1 unbaked pie crust
• 36 caramels
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves 

First of all, I got this recipe from my mom, which means I used my grandma's pie crust recipe. Which is a family secret, so I can't put it on the Internet. Sorry. But check out a similar recipe from America's Test Kitchen here. (But only make half of the recipe because this pie has a bottom and not a top.)

Place caramels in the freezer for a few minutes, which will make them easier to unwrap. (Unwrapping was Sous Chef Tony's job.)

In a sauce pan, combine caramels, butter and milk. (As a sidenote, I almost exclusively use soy milk in my recipes because that's what we buy at the grocery store, and soy milk and cow's milk work nearly identically in most recipes.)

Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth.

When mixture becomes smooth, take off heat and set aside.

In a separate bowl, beat together sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. (I used my handheld egg beater, which is perfect for little jobs like this.)

Mix in melted caramel mixture. Stir in pecans.

Pour into unbaked crust. Cover with a pie crust shield.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove crust shield and bake 5 minutes more. As the pie cools, it will firm up.

decor: now christmas starts

I didn't want to say anything until Thanksgiving had passed, but now that it's officially Christmas season, I feel comfortable telling you that I've had this cute little bastard in my bathroom for weeks.

Two bucks at Bed Bath and Beyond. Love him.

This weekend, the rest of our Christmas decorations are coming out, and our halls are going to get decked!

life: meet my turkey

Say hello to our Thanksgiving turkey!

PSYCH! That's a butternut squash.

Tony and I are on our own this year for Thanksgiving. Work schedules are keeping us in D.C. for the holiday instead of in Ohio with our family. And since I'm the one cooking Thanksgiving dinner, ain't no turkey on the menu.

Today we'll be having butternut squash risotto, cornmeal spoon bread, almond green beans, cranberry sauce, caramel pecan pie, and egg nog. Most of these are new recipes for me, and I'll post the keepers on the blog. (I have particularly high hopes for the cornmeal spoon bread and the caramel pecan pie.)

But damn do I miss my family today. I miss my spot at the kids' table. I miss the inevitable conversation about Cleveland news personality Wilma Smith. (I don't know why they always must talk about her. But they do. Every Thanksgiving. For decades.)

But I have Tony and the cat and a beautiful house, and for that I am grateful. We are happy and in love and have several episodes of Downton Abbey to enjoy today.

And we will have a little bit of Ohio in our home today. Tony's family has a tradition to do a craft together every Thanksgiving, and we got a package in the mail yesterday from his aunt with the supplies we'll need to do our craft from afar. It was sweet of her.

Happy Thanksgiving, world.

recipe: roasted pumpkin seeds

My friend Valerie -- who grew up down the street from me in Ohio and by sheer coincidence now lives down the street from me in D.C. -- came over last Sunday for an evening of pumpkin carving and a seasonally appropriate dinner. (I made minestrone soup in the crock pot and and homemade pull-apart rolls -- recipes coming soon!)

Valerie and I each carved pretty awesome pumpkin faces. Tony also carved a pumpkin. But I can't think of a nice way to describe it with words. Pictures are at the end of this post.

And after we finished carving the pumpkins, we ended up with a boatload of pumpkin seeds, which means ... roasted pumpkin seeds!

(Sidenote! I have a thing for vintage Pyrex bowls. And this Amish pattern is probably my favorite pattern of them all.)

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

• Pumpkin seeds
• Salt

After scooping the seeds from your pumpkin, wash away all of the pumpkin guts.

Place pumpkin seeds on cookie sheets. Sprinkle with salt and toss with a rubber spatula to coat. Ensure seeds are in a single layer

Bake at 275 degrees for 40 minutes or until seeds are dried out, stirring once.

<3

Now, and I know you're dying to see what our carved pumpkins look like. 

Ta-da!

And I know you're thinking, wtf is wrong with that pumpkin closest to the camera? Yeah, that was Tony's pumpkin.

Valerie's cute Nightmare Before Christmas pumpkin is in the middle, and mine is on the end. (Pumpkin carving tip, courtesy of Valerie -- rub vaseline on the exposed areas of the pumpkin to hold off the rot.)

Here's a close-up of my pumpkin:

That face, by the way, is kind of my signature thing. Triangle eyes, triangle nose, big grin with a few teeth.

Observe, Halloween 2011:

Halloween 2006:

Halloween 2005 (with what appears to be a bonus Harry Potter-inspired scar):

Hey, if you find a good thing, stick with it.

<3

So I have the pumpkins on the porch. The inside of my house isn't quite so festive, but I do have a few Halloween decorations. My favorite: these small vintage jack-o-lanterns. My mom bought a box of them at a flea market for $1, and she gave me three, which I have in my living room, dining room and kitchen.

And on my dining room table, I have a pile of gourds. I tried setting them out in a bowl for a centerpiece, but I didn't like how they looked, so I just put them in a pile, and I kinda dig it.

So now we're all set for Halloween! Except for the candy for the trick-or-treaters. That has to be a last-minute purchase because chocolate doesn't last in this house for too long.