my mom sent over a picture that took my breath away, with [...]]]> you never expect to get that call or text, whether it’s middle of the day or middle of the night. for me, it was as i was waiting at a bus stop to go to work for the evening.

my mom sent over a picture that took my breath away, with “everyone is ok” at the beginning.

on friday, my parents and 3 of our sweet nieces and nephews were headed to our family cabin…my parents in years past have gifted me and my siblings ‘house swaps’…where they take the little kids to our cabin for fun grandma/grandpa time (or in our case, dogsitting), while the married couple gets a few day retreat at the house.

on their way in treacherous conditions on just a two lane highway, they watched the car in front of them lose control, spinning into the middle, with a semi coming from the other direction…unable to avoid what lie ahead of him, the semi hit the car, putting him right in the direction of my parents, who were sitting ducks unable to move. thankfully by that time he was going maybe 15-20 miles per hour, but due the lack of control and weight of his rig he still careened into their van.

i can’t imagine the thought of seeing it coming, not able to do anything, and know about the precious cargo in the backseats. i am not surprised when my mom told me even the next day that she still sees the semi when she closes her eyes. after a very long day and night being stuck in this random town (because their wreck ended up causing tons of other accidents completely closing the entire highway for miles), they experienced people’s kindness and selflessness and eventually made it back home.

i have no eloquent verse to apply to this…all i can say on this monday morning, is that i am still thankful, as is the rest of our family. thankful that none of our ‘what-ifs’ were answered. thankful that no one was going any faster than they were. thankful that there were no cars behind them to make it worse. thankful that the other drivers were safe as well. thankful that the kids (ages 10 and under) although scared at moments, stepped away un-traumitized and hugged their parents again the next day.

it’s always so easy to take every breath for granted in any situation…we don’t know if god has promised us tomorrow. or even the rest of today. are you thankful for this moment…and are you living it like you ought to?

about two or three years ago, we seriously transitioned to making gifts versus buying for christmas. one we were broke, and two, we were on the cusp of wil’s cuilnary education. on the brink of starting to think [...]]]> is it too early to start thinking about christmas gifts?

about two or three years ago, we seriously transitioned to making gifts versus buying for christmas. one we were broke, and two, we were on the cusp of wil’s cuilnary education. on the brink of starting to think about food differently…especially when it comes to making something yourself rather than buying a premade product.

plus, everyone loves something you created with your hands and heart.

now i promise, i’m not as on top of it as you may suspect. i know it’s only october, but beyond what i am posting today, i honestly haven’t thought about what else we’re doing, and probably won’t till about december 15th. things just kind of lined up…some cute jars on sale, herb plants that had to be harvested before the frost comes, and a free afternoon.

one year we infused our own olive oils, and i neglected to write about it, as i think i didn’t want to spoil the surprise for our family members (being the majority of my readers). this year, i’ll share one of the gifts i’ve already made, because i think by now, our siblings and parents now that we usually plan on treating them to some homemade kitchen concoctions.

both items are uber simple and will create a little flair for your next meal, so don’t feel like you have to be making a big batch for someone else to enjoy these for yourself.

infused oils

this can be done with a cold or hot method, and while the cold method is easy, is does take more time…the hot method realistically could be done the night you are cooking dinner.

heat oil on the stove, maintaining about 100 degrees…you aren’t cooking the herb, just warming it. place your favorite herbs or spices (cleaned, but no need to chop or pick leaves) in the oil, and keep at 100 degrees for the next few minutes…maybe 5-10. the longer the herb stays in there, the stronger the infusion is, so don’t take it out too soon! we did 3 kinds- lavender, rosemary and chipotle pepper.

an option here is to then throw it all in the blender to get an even better emulsion of oil & herb, but you can skip this and just have a cleaner, lighter infusion.

pour the oil through a few layers of cheesecloth into your bottle or container. some sediment may pass through, and can just settle on the bottom. store in a cool dark place; if you don’t think you’ll use it quickly enough, keep in the fridge. if you keep it in the fridge, just remember to take it out before you plan to use it just as the oil will harden a bit in the cold.

that’s it! enjoy cooking with the oil or even in salad dressings. be adventurous with what herb you do, but i don’t recommend garlic…homemade garlic oil presents a huge risk of botulism, due to the spores in the garlic and not having the equipment to eliminate those risks.

sage & rosemary salt rub

lots of sage
lots of rosemary
few garlic cloves
sea or kosher salt

clean herbs and pick off all the leaves from the stems. throw everything in a food processor, and give it a whirl till fully chopped. keep smelling it and if it smells like too much of one thing, add the alternate to balance out the flavors till you are satisified. but honestly, it will be good with any proportions of the herbs.

you’ll need more salt than you probably think…almost 1 part salt to 1 part everything else. remember, this is a salt herb rub and it helps draw the moisture out of the herbs as it dries. plus you’ll be in control of how much you use when the time comes.

once all processed, spread out on a cookie sheet and let fully dry for about 2 or 3 days (i left mine on top of the fridge, and just mixed and shook it once or twice each day). then throw in an airtight container and enjoy on meats, fish, or on potatoes. since it is dried herbs, it will last a long time in your spice cabinet!

it’s officially october, and it’s time to get out your pumpkins, gourds and fall decorations! wil and i were admiring the huge crates of white, cinderella and warted pumpkins that were out at trader joe’s last night. as much as fall is my favorite, i actually [...]]]> mmm, the flavors of fall.

it’s officially october, and it’s time to get out your pumpkins, gourds and fall decorations! wil and i were admiring the huge crates of white, cinderella and warted pumpkins that were out at trader joe’s last night. as much as fall is my favorite, i actually am seriously lacking in any autumn decorations.

so instead, we just make sure we eat lots of fall foods at their best. apples, pears, and butternut squash to name a few.

while in central oregon earlier this week, wil cooked a big meal for our family. i think at this point it’s on the docket any time he visits home…his mom lets him go wild in the gourmet grocery, and he comes up with a luxurious feast for all of us to share. it allows him to use his creative side and dabble in small scale catering, the parents to feel budding pride at his amazing skills, and for the rest of us to eat really good food.

the evening was set with 8 of us in attendance, enjoying one another’s company from the get go…we are beyond lucky that the friendship between our parents is strong. there is no stereotypical ‘in-laws’ conflict, as their friendship began as long ago as wil’s & mine. i think their relationship definitely helped shaped ours, as our families joined together for events, vacationing, and home groups. how blessed are we?!

so to say the least, the night was relaxed and jovial as wil and i worked side by side in the kitchen.

but the food, you say? i may be partial to my husband’s cooking, but it was the perfect transition into fall cooking. glamorous, maybe a little, but also hearty, yet light (if that’s possible). and a number of the ingredients & wine happened to be locally sourced, which made the meal feel even more special and ‘oregon’.

- – -

[ first course ]

freshly made mozzarella with prosciutto and fried fennel with a tarragon vinaigrette drizzle

[ second course ]

radicchio & arugula greens tossed with pistachios, roasted butternut squash and a pistachio vinaigrette, atop a black pepper chevre cream

[ main course ]

roasted pheasant with apples and turnips, aside braised leeks

[ dessert ]

pear crumb bars with pumpkin ice cream and a creme fraiche whipped cream (i was enjoying dinner so much at this point, i stopped taking pictures, so i missed this)

- – -

while i do love to bake, i was wil’s sous chef for the night, and we just didn’t have time to make the dessert as well. his mom made it up and it was perfect! to see the rest of the pictures, visit the set here.

every time we visit home it gets a little bit harder to leave. there are a lot of appealing things about bend, but we also love portland so much! who knows what god has in store for us. either way, i know there will be many more dinners like these.

ok, raiding her cabinets was not my motive, but just a perk after we were sitting at [...]]]> this weekend allowed me to be in my hometown, stay with my parents, visit a dear friend and also see my grandparents for lunch and to raid my grandma’s cabinets.

ok, raiding her cabinets was not my motive, but just a perk after we were sitting at her house! my grandma (nana) is very encouraging to my sewing, and while i don’t get to see her a ton, she is supportive and eager to see what i am doing. she has sewn since she was seven and even my sewing machine is a vintage elna that was her mother’s. without me realizing it, i picked up a hobby that runs strong in my blood! there’s a domestic creativity that has been carried down through my mom, her mom, and even her mom…women who can cook, decorate, sew and even do unique things like decorate wedding cakes, work with flowers, and even make incredibly detailed and delicate girl figurines out of porcelain dipped laces and fabrics.

after coming back from lunch we stepped into her craft room and first got distracted by boxes of kitchen stuff that came out of their camping trailer that they are selling. she freely gave away anything as it would soon be going to a garage sale so wil and i lucked out on gaining a few more things for our trailer. it soon transitioned to her fabrics and notions, and before i knew it she was just handing me tubs of scraps, many that were adorable vintage floral prints. she opened her closet doors and revealed bins of trims, buttons, lace acquired over the years. my mom came across the lace from the blouse she made and wore on her first date with my dad over 26 years ago! i loved finding an unopened package of buttons from 1976.

that little afternoon will stick in my memory and she ended the day with an offer for whenever i need anything to come back. it got my little brain going and now i am just trying to think of what i could make with all these special treasures! i cherish my grandma’s generosity in the fact that she just wants to gift and help me along the way. with each fabric i pull out of there, or each trim and button i look through, i can wonder how she used them first and continue on her legacy within our family.