by Christine | Life, Observations
Sometimes the weather gets crazy. Like last week, when it was a bajillion degrees in So Cal. (Okay, in the 90s, but still.) Or this week, when the high will be below 70, even in the valleys. (WTF?) Whether it’s hot or cold, when I know the family will be together (a rarity lately), I tend to gravitate to comfort food. Below are two of my new comfort food favorites.
Photo from delectablz.com
My go-to comfort food tends to be some sort of roasted chicken. And I found a terrific recipe at delectablz – Roast Chicken on French Bread one day, when I was feeling the need to do something special for the family but, you know, not work TOO hard.
Well, yum! This recipe has you using a whole chicken that you butterfly, but I’ve also made it using chicken thighs and trust me, it tastes just as yummy. One of the stars of this dish is the caramelized onions that go on top of the sliced French bread. The chicken goes on top of that, and when it comes out of the oven (smelling marvelous, I might add), the bottom layer becomes nice and rich and a tad gooey. SO good. With this dish, I put a Pinot Noir with it – the richness and gooeyness of the bottom layer demanded a red wine. (Don’t make this dish off my description. Truly, I’m leaving stuff out, so you need to check out the recipe!)
Once you’ve made the Roast Chicken on French Bread recipe, you need to try another one – Roast Chicken Thighs on a Bed of Potatoes. A Simply Recipes recipe (I love that place, and get a lot of my recipes from there.) This is a totally delish dish. Chicken thighs tend to be my go-to part of the bird – not too big (as breasts can be), and definitely on the less expensive side, but with more meat than drumsticks (which are great when you have little kids to feed – they love eating with their fingers). The first time I made this recipe, I didn’t have shallots, so I didn’t use any onions, and it was still fabulous.
This recipe also sends wonderful, yummy smells all through the house as it cooks – the
Simply Recipes photo
garlic tucked in between the chicken thighs add a great taste, too. THIS is the recipe that I made a couple of weeks ago and, since the hubs was going to be late for dinner, I made a plate for him to warm up. He later told me it was the single most wonderful meal he’s ever had in his life, lol! (I think he was just tired and appreciated being remembered.) With this dish, and the one below, I paired a lovely Chardonnay with it and was very pleased.
Then, of course, when you want to recreate the recipes but can’t find them, you do what I did last night – you mix the two. I had potatoes, and onions, and even French bread, but I didn’t remember what else went on the French bread recipe, and I couldn’t find my printed copy, AND I couldn’t find it when I googled it! So I caramelized the yellow onions (completely forgetting, once again, the shallots) and put them on top of the potatoes, and then the chicken and garlic – and voila, a fabulous and new dish!
So do check out delectablz and Simply Recipes, and let me know what you think.
)O(
What are some of your go-to comfort food recipes? I’m always on the lookout for something new!
by Christine | Life, Observations
When I need my mind refreshed before diving back into working on a novel, I like to “see” through a camera lens. Somehow, it changes my internal focus.
On Saturday, Tom and I went on a hike. It was a beautiful, cool morning, and not many people were on the trail. I had my camera with me, because I find I hike better when my mind is distracted.
Isn’t this a lovely path? Not too steep, not too straight, lovely curves with oak trees guarding it. I like to think even hobbits would be tempted to walk on this path.
But what I found my eye drawn to were the smallest of flowers, no bigger than my pinkie fingernail.
Another dainty flower…
And yet two more – while I was focusing on the yellow, take a look at the pink one in the background.
But what took my breath away was this beautiful guy. The biggest Coyote I can remember seeing, he owned the landscape. I was lucky to capture his photo – he obligingly posed a couple of times, staring at us across a huge meadow before running along. This is an extreme closeup, plus I cropped the photo even closer.
Isn’t he gorgeous? The best part about this hike is it’s not difficult to get to, at all. Give me a hat, sunscreen, some water and my camera, and I’m ready to go. It was a lovely, refreshing time that helped clear the cobwebs and steady my brain for the creative work to come.
)O(
How do you clear your mind for a creative challenge? I’d love to know!
by Christine | Life
Caught between children not yet gone from the nest and an aging parent who wants his child. Neither lay blame (or even think to do so), but the guilt is there, waiting to pounce in a weak moment. Plus the marriage.
The push-pull of need and the balancing act that is required take its toll. And in a totally unrelated yet totally related way, I miss my mom.
I so wish we all lived together, in one house. Grandparent, children, grandchildren.
But that would undoubtedly bring its own heartaches.
So I take a deep breath and think on my blessings.
All will be well, and all things will be well.
)O(
by Christine | Life
February is Festival Month at my house. We kick it off on Valentine’s Day for obvious reasons; then it’s my birthday (17), wedding anniversary (23), and hubby’s birthday (26). We try to get in a vacation somewhere during this two-week span, in part because prices tend to be cheaper when you’re talking travel.
Four years ago, we came up to Cambria for a week. Rented a sweet little artist’s cottage for much less than it would cost to stay in a hotel, and we made it our base of operations as we explored the coastal areas (Morro Bay to the south and beachy areas to the north) and Paso Robles wine country. So obviously it was time to come back. One of the things we love to do is take photos, so sit back and enjoy!
Morning, 2-15-2014 – Marina Terrace, Cambria
Fabulous place to sit and watch the sea. A great spot to rest during the long Fiscalini Ranch walk.
Sea anemone happy in water. 2-15-14
Waiting for the tide to come in.
Crane! And seaweed. Lots and lots of it. 2-15-14
Moonset at Sunrise, 2-16-14
The above is one of my favorite shots ever. Tom had woken up around 6am and was racing to get his clothes on and find his camera. I stumbled after him, even sacrificing having my first cup of coffee to get to the ocean on time. We barely made it.
Sunrise through the trees. The sky was just starting to turn pink.
But the hassle was so worth it. This is part of the Lampton preserve, all fenced off. Also in the Marina Terrace section of town.
After breakfast, we headed north up Highway 1 to Piedras Blancas, a beach that is also an Elephant Seal preserve. December to March is when they come to this beach, give birth, and start the mating rituals all over again. They are noisy, sweet, funny and aggressive animals and always worth an hour or two. Or three.
A female elephant seal, scratching her chin.
These animals are amazing.
It’s almost always naptime. 2-16-14
It was time to head back toward Cambria, but the ocean sparkled so that we stopped a couple times to take photos.
Bird rock. Because birds. 2-16-14
And then to add to the animal theme…zebras. Yes, zebras.
These zebras are on the Hearst Castle property, and my bet is they are a part of the original menagerie Hearst had kept.
And Hearst Castle…from a distance.
Hearst Castle, as seen from Highway 1. Zebras are off to my right. 2-16-14
It was a lovely day. We went back into town, shopped a bit, had lunch at Robin’s (YUMMY!), went home and napped. Then it was almost sunset, and we had to hit the beach again.
Sunset, 2-16-14
So far this weekend has been magical. Today is my birthday, and we’ll have a slow transition from vacation to home (and taxes). This was the break I needed! If you get the chance, come to Cambria. You won’t regret it.
)O(
So, what is one of your favorite, close-to-you and relatively inexpensive vacation spots?
by Christine | Life, Observations
San Diego
I visited my dad on Saturday. Our visits tend to be short – not because we run out of things to say to each other (two writers talking? Never short of words!) but rather that he gets tired and I’m way sensitive to it, even when he’d rather I wasn’t. At 84, though, he’s allowed to get tired.
We did the usual things. Took a garden tour and liberated several Meyer lemons from his famous tree, and also got quite a few white grapefruit. I had printed a couple family photos, so I helped him put those into frames. And then came picture time.
late 1800’s photo album
My Great Grandma Mary Eva (Meva) Burritt Jones Cunningham and Walter Jones, her first son by her first husband. Up in the corner is Sanford Jones, her first husband.
He’s been having me go through boxes of photos, to see what I’d like to keep. I found several, and then I found the big box. Full of one book and several journals. My Grandmother Hazel’s journals. That just added to all the memories I’d collected that day.
My Aunt Amy Zedicher Whitmore, me, and Grandma Hazel Zedicher Cunningham. Amy and Hazel were sisters. 1988, Los Angeles, CA
With total permission, I lugged the box to my car and panted, doing so. (I’d added my photos from the batch I’d gone through earlier.) So many photos. So many memories.
Then I came across some photos of Scott. Here are two of my favorites.
Scott Cunningham, at the piano – 1975 or 1976 – not sure (photo undated). Sorry it’s blurry – it’s a photo of a photo. =(
And this one…
Scott and me, when I’m about 5 or 6 months pregnant = May or June, 1990
Carrying the box to my car, I strained under the load. It was a long, old fashioned cardboard file box, and it was full. My dad hovered as I carried it.
“You okay? You don’t need help? Looks heavy,” he said.
I smiled at him. “Memories carry weight,” I answered.
He nodded. “There must be at least fifty years of memories in there.” He was referring to his mother’s daily journals, I know. In those, she poured out everything but in such sparing details, which is a blog post for another day.
But as I loaded the box in the car, I noticed he stood a little taller. “You’re officially the family historian,” he said to me.
And it looked like a bit of weight had come off his shoulders.
Happy to help, Daddy. Any time.
Dad’s first computer, a Trash 80 (TRS 80) 1983. He was definitely an early adopter.
Happy Monday, my friends. What memories do you carry, that have more weight than maybe you want?
)O(
by Christine | Back to the Barre, Life
It’s a slow journey. This month started out well – the first two weeks, I only took Monday off. The next two weeks were intermittent – sickness in the house. Nothing major for me except weariness and a determination to sleep as long as I could. Difficult when I need to get up and out the door by 6 in order to get my workout in (AND breakfast, AND shower/dress) before I had to leave for work.
Difficult, also, when I’m changing my eating habits. Trying to eat before seven at night (difficult when there are times I don’t get home until seven). Cutting out sugar (this was surprisingly easy – yes, even the alcohol, though I make allowances now and then). Cutting out dairy (not so easy) and wheat for a couple of weeks (this was interesting – I don’t miss it, but I realize now how much I reach for the pasta when I don’t know what else to make for dinner). Oh yeah, and getting at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
I’m hoping I’ll look like this again soon.
Christine, at the “new” house in 1985. Photo by Tom Ashworth
But I’m pretty sure I’ll never look like this again. (See second photo, below. I can’t get the formatting right, sigh…)
Christine Ashworth, publicity still, 1978 – Photo by Chet Cunningham
I loved this tutu, though for the life of me I can’t remember which ballet this was from…this photo is from a shoot that my dad did for me, with California Ballet Company costumes and backdrop. I was bound and determined to audition for companies across the country, and in New Haven, Connecticut, I got my chance. I like to think this is one of the photos that helped me get my audition.
So, this journey I’m on is a see-saw. Back and forth, back and forth. But I’m happy to say I’m sleeping better, feeling better when I wake in the morning, and I’m slowly losing the pounds. I’m determined to go out of this life (years and years from now, mind you) still standing on my own two feet, dressing myself, caring for myself and my family. Not dependent on anyone but those I love, and them only for love and laughter, friendship and squishy hugs.
How’s your journey going?
)O(
