...jane and barbara...

Remember this?

Although Jane and I are still in the process of becoming well acquainted, I was contacted by Barbara, who very well may be Jane's best friend.

Barbara sent me an email asking me if I would be willing to make a copy of a cookie recipe for her. Well duh, of course I would! As a cookie lover myself, saying no wasn't an option. As we started emailing, it became clear to me how sentimental and important this recipe was to her and her family.

Although she grew up eating Jane Christopher cuisine, there was one particular recipe that she was ready to have back in her possession. Section 7, Oatmeal Cookie Mix Cookies.

This recipe is a family favorite. Barbara's mother, Edith, used to make cookies every Thursday for Barbara and her three siblings, (LOVE that!!), and it was a good day when these cookies filled the jar.

Edith originally purchased the box in the 1950's at a Weingarten's grocery store in Bayton, TX. Every week, Weingarten's would sell another section of the recipe's for the box, and Jane Christopher also published a recipe weekly in the Houston Post.

Somewhere along the road, oatmeal cookie mix cookies went missing...and they've been looking for it ever since! The Houston Post is no longer in print, and google is pretty sparse in Jane Christopher hits. (In fact, my blog is the top hit for the recipe file...) What I LOVE, is that Barbara's mom is the one who found my blog and post on Jane Christopher. Way to go Edith! :)

From left: Dad (Jack), Barbara, Martha (sister), Lynn (sister), and Mark (brother).

Mom (Edith) in front.

This is what a well used recipe file SHOULD look like! :)

It turns out, the Jane Christopher Recipe File is something of a classic, even holding a spot in the Americana section of the Library of Congress. Boo Yah!

It was such a pleasure emailing with Barbara, and I'm so glad I was able to have a small part in reuniting her with her favorite cookie recipe! And lest you readers think these cookies are just going to be made for her family, you are wrong! The first thing Barbara said to me was "I work for a chemical company in Houston (sit at a computer processing railcars-no outdoor work!) and I can't wait to make these for the always hungry railcar loaders who work very hard all day in the south Texas heat and humidity." Have fun re-filling that cookie jar Barbara!

Here's to happy tummies!

p.s. if anyone else decides to make these cookies, let me know how they are!! They are in my kitchen's immediate future for sure!

...Attention Barbara in Texas...

Hi Barbara!

I'm so glad someone else knows about the Jane Christopher recipe box, and has actually used many of the recipes! I'm still exploring myself, so I'm excited to hear about which ones were your favorites.

I would be happy to make you copies of some of the recipes, but the only problem is...I don't have any contact information from you!

Please feel free to email me at

sarahcsheets@gmail.com

and I'll start copying those recipes!!

Looking forward to hearing back from you!

Sea-Tac!

First of all...did you know that SeaTac is an actual CITY? It's not just the name of an airport. That was my "eureka" moment of the vacay.

Yes! I was in Seattle last weekend...visiting my BFFFFFFFFFFsssss. I'm so glad I have friends that live in such a nifty city. Seattle is one of my favorites. In fact, I tried to convince Tim to apply to several grad schools in the Northwest; to no avail.

Michelle, Maddie, Amanda, Emme, Annie, and myself tromped all around the city. We squeezed so many activities in such a small amount of time, that I can't even remember all of them. Thankfully, Maddie has already documented our activities in writing. Also thankfully, I have no qualms about straight up plagiarizing both our activities list, as well as the following pictures which came from Maddie's camera. :)

Toulouse Petite late night happy hour straight from the airport • Wild Mountain Cafe for brunch • Green Lake walk • Pike Place Market for tea and donuts • Espresso, often • Ballard Ave. shops • Bastille for pre-dinner cocktails • Tarasco for beer and pool while waiting for dinner • Delancey for wood-fire pizza and wine • maybe back to Tarasco for karaoke, where we made K. Perry proud • Molly Moon's for a couple of pints (of ice cream) • lots of Nyquil • Emmer & Rye for brunch • Gas Works Park • University Village for Starbucks and shopping • take-out Thai food and Step Up 3 • Portage Bay Cafe for brunch • Golden Gardens • ...and back to Sea-Tac for a sad goodbye...

Gasworks Park

It was exceedingly windy here. Thankfully we were at times distracted by a group of men and women all clad in short red dresses and skirts. We thought it might perhaps be a Valentines celebration; but it was quite the contrary. From what I understand, the group is Seattle's own Hash House Harriers; a drinking/running club. Should you care to learn more--or for those living in Seattle--should you care the join : here's more info.

In front of the Public Market, although our kind photographer missed the sign slightly...

Maddie. She drinks espresso now. Which is awesome.

Appetizer Success!

Well, Maddie and Amanda really came through for me during my appetizer dilemma. There were the only two to send suggestions; and so of course I made BOTH of them. They were big hits; or so I was told.

Appetizer One: Maddie's suggestion of Gorgonzola, Pear, and Honey Balsamic Galette.

I was initially concerned because I didn't have a baking stone; but it turns out that a cookie sheet is perfectly sufficient. Tim was exceedingly helpful; and did both the walnut toasting, as well as honey balsamic glazing post cooking. I decided to double the recipe because I didn't think one nine-incher would be enough for 18 people.

The problem was we had about 2 hours to complete the entire process; and each galette took about an hour to bake. (And we had the other app to make; and I had a haircut thrown in the mix...just to make it a bit more challenging for us.) But we did it!!

Success!

I didn't actually try it because I don't like gorgonzola, but other people seemed to enjoy their nomming.

Appetizer Two: Amanda's suggestion of Pesto, Feta, Sun-Dried Tomato, and Pine-Nut Spread. As far as I know, she created the recipe. Let me just say...crowd pleaser.

Four simple ingredients; super easy to make. I toasted the pine-nuts, and then basically mixed in equal proportions the feta, pesto, and sun-dried tomato's. I buttered and toasted some baguettes, and we were set to go!

Unfortunately, at this time we were running a bit behind, and I wasn't able to get a picture of the finished product. But use your imagination, of better yet, make it yourself. It's delicious.

Thanks again!!

I need help

I have been enlisted to make an appetizer for our annual Christmas dinner with our family friends. This is the first year that I have been required to bring anything to the dinner besides my merry self, and I'm beginning to feel the pressure.

I need something with pizzaz and flourish. An appetizer that says, "Yes...Sarah made me; and I'm still going to taste delicious even if she did stray from the recipe." I need a WOW factor.

I've done some basic researching in order to gear myself up for this event, and I feel like I'm coming up cold. I'm trying to steer clear of the bruschetta, cheese and cracker, chips and dip sorts of appetizers and really go for a BANG ba da BOOM situation. Any suggestions?!?

No...I probably won't be making these wine-poached pears. But aren't they pretty!?

Six Layers

Go big or go home.

Happy Birthday Spencer!

my husband is out of town.....

Tim has been enjoying life in Montrose, Colorado this week. All week. The entire week long he's been gone and I've been on my own. I miss him.

To try and take my mind off of being along allll day long (and can I also mention unemployed? There is only so much job searching one can do in a day before you start to go crazy) I've been doing things that Tim probably would have advised me against if he were here.

Examples.

I went and bought several autumnal candles. I just love them. Tim chastises me for always having candles burning in the apartment, so while he's been gone I've created an inferno of candle flames!!

Tofu. Tim hates it, I love it. Tim is typically a pretty good sport about eating whatever I cook him--I've forced him to eat brussel sprouts, all sorts of squashes, beef-less beef (a mistake), and a myriad of other strange things. Since he's gone I thought it was a perfect time to eat some bean curd. So tonight I consumed an entire dinner made of nothing BUT tofu. Somehow I think Tim is probably OK with missing out on tonight's meal...

I've also really been into quinoa lately too. I don't really know what it is, but I made it for lunch.

I broke out my guitar tonight for the first time in awhile...yikes. After spending awhile tuning that baby, I proceeded to make my fingers bleed as I attempted to play recognizable music and songs. It's probably a good thing Tim wasn't here to witness (or hear) me play.

Finally, I got a dog. I've been wanting one for a really long time, so I just went out today and got this REALLY cute yellow lab. His name is Maurice.

Just kidding.

Happy Halloween!

It's Halloween. I was planning on eating an entire diet of candy today. This including my main showing of a candy dinner followed by a candy dessert. Tim was ready to take on this challenge with me...but we lost gusto around breakfast time when candy just didn't sound like the best way to kick off our day.

This presented slight problems as we have very little food in our house. We desperately need to go to the grocery. However, as I was perusing through the cabinets around dinner time, I discovered the necessary ingredients to make Pumpkin Ravioli! It seemed like a Halloweeny meal, so we went for it!

The following pictures are of marginal quality....I'm hankering for a nice new camera. We shall see.

Pumpkin being shtuffed in the ravioli shell!

The plated, finished product.

An over-exposed picture of the inside pumpkin situation.

Now, to sit and wait for trick-or-treaters! I'm bemoaning the fact that we live in an apartment complex with a gate out front. I'm guessing we get a total of ZERO Halloween cuties dressed up in cool costumes and demanding sugary goods. :(

Nomming!

My parents came home today. Being the wonderful, incredibly thoughtful daughter that I am, I decided to have a dinner prepared for the weary travelers.

The menu: Turkey Chili for the main course with an Apple and Cranberry Crisp for dessert. Of course I'll be pairing this with a nice fresh salad, and a California Red Table Wine that my Dad picked up. It's pretty much the best wine ever...pictures below.

Cranberries for the crisp. Tis the season!

The crisp getting ready for the oven!

So my dad came home with a bottle of wine to have for dinner. He picked it out especially for me. It's most definitely the best bottle I've seen in a long time.... :)

For anyone who doesn't know, I happen to be the middle child in my family. Of course, this is something I bring up everytime I have an argument with either my parents or siblings just in case I get pity points for being the token middle child. I never do.

I love the label on this bottle, however for our family it needed to be changed just a smidge.

Abbey, Sarah, and Spencer.

I tried to make the woman on stage right into a man so as to represent my brother Spencer, but my drawing skillz were not quite up to snuff.

I would recommend Middle Sister Rebel Red!! :)

Hot Dogs and Beans...But Different!

Yes. Last night Jane called for Hot Dogs and Beans...But Different.

How is it different? Who could say? I didn't grow up with hot dogs and beans, thankfully. In fact, I could probably go the rest of my life without eating them again and be a completely happy camper. Unless I'm camping, in which case hot dogs and beans might be just the ticket.

This meal was really a gold star for Josh, however, as the man has a mild obsession with hot dogs.

The finished product = not aesthetic. Seriously though, how can you make hot dogs and beans look good? Trying hard to not stray too far from the integrity of Jane's recipe, I managed to make this meal a bit healthier by using Hebrew National All Beef Hot Doggies, and Vegetarian Baked Beans. I also cooked a side-dish of red potato's and brussel sprouts, to additionally health things up a smidge.

It tasted pretty good. Not sure if it beats the Hamburger Bean Ring, but you be the judge.

If you click on the picture, it gets huge. You may note the additional recipe of the Meat Shortcake. This one we decided to nix on account of concerns for our arteries.

There you have it. Hot Dogs and Beans - But Different.

Real Housewife of Denver, CO

Doesn't pot roast just sound like the most domestic meal to make...ever? Well, being the wife that I am, I decided to make a Roast for dinner last night. Of course, it was also a perfect opportunity to try out my new cast iron slow cooker, complements of jailbird Martha Stewart, and her ingenious team of ever creative folks.

The Roast was smooth sailing. I decided to cook it in the oven rather than on the stove, thus shortening the six hours of cooking to a mere three. I did some chopping, slicing, dicing, (throwing in some potato's for good measure), stuck that Roast in the oven for a few hours and went on with my life.

Martha Stewart Cast Iron Slow Cooker

The Roast, pre-cooked

When I got back from running the mile high loop in City Park (it's so awesome that we live two blocks away from this!!), the Roast was beginning to smell delish. Tim treated me to a delightful appetizer of bruschetta, green grapes and vino; which brought us right up to exiting time for the Roasty Roast.

The Roast, directly after oven removal

After removing the Pot Roast from the oven, I was quite pleased that I had pulled this recipe off without a hitch! My typical M.O. usually necessitates one or two mistakes, potentially disastrous. Enter next image.

The Roast after meat removal.

Woops. Looks like I forgot to remove that wierd thingy that goes under raw meat before cooking. So whatever the deuce that is got slow cooked right along with everything else. Ergo I could only assume that any potential bacteria was nixed in the slow cook process taking place in 350 degree temperatures. No big deal. Tim and I simply disposed of the unknown, and carried on.

The Roast, sans meat.

The plated Roast.

Regardless of the slight mishap, the meal was great! I think next time I'll use beef broth, rather than water to give the gravy a bit more umph. Other than that, a winner!!

Sarah/Jane Project

Some time ago I stumbled on an estate sale where everything was extremely overpriced. Estate sales are such an enigma to me. They are either amazingly cheap or ridiculously expensive. This particular sale was definitely the latter. However, my thriftiness and thorough searching skills lent me to a fabulous find!! In the kitchen, under piles of old pots and pans, I discovered "The Jane Christopher Recipe File - A Collection of Tested Favorites from Families, Friends, and Neighbors, and Famous Chefs."

A quick glance through the contents told me that is was definitely worth the price-tag. Fifty cents cheaper, I walked out of that estate sale feeling pretty saucy (and that's NOT on account of about 50 sauce recipes included in the box).

I knew this was quite the find, but I wasn't quite sure how I should go about harnessing the power that I now possessed in the Jane Christopher Recipe File. As Tim and I were perusing the contents over our first meal in our new apartment, I was struck with an idea I can only attribute to my creative genius (And probably a smidgeon of credit goes to my predecessor Julie Powell, creator of the Julie/Julia Project. I can only hope they make a movie about meeeee!!)

Tim and I are embarking on the Sarah/Jane Project. The project is as follows. Each week, we will blindly and randomly choose a recipe from the file box, with a promise to make whatever treasure the card holds for us. When that specific meal is served, we will then choose another meal for the next week.

The Julie/Julia style was to cook through the entire Julia Child Cookbook in a year. I make no such promise to get through this file in a year, or even ten years. First of all, consider the finances necessary to make a new recipe daily; especially considering some of the meats Jane and I will be dealing with. Example: Braunschweiger. Yes, I had to look it up too. (Did I mention this file box was copywritten in 1955? Because that's pretty vital information for you to understand what the heck kind of meals we'll be cooking. ) Also, the leftover situation would be pure insanity! And finally, Tim and I want to freedom to take off at a moments notice to do something spontaneous, without having Jane Christopher hold us back!

Our first recipe was picked by Tim. Hamburger Bean Ring! Are you excited yet? Because WE WERE!! In my opinion, there's nothing more appetizing than a ring of meat!! Actually, I was really just excited to put my new casserole pan to use.

My recipe card: note 1955 copyright in lower left corner.

Alas. I failed to take a picture of the initial meat ring, but you can just see it peaking out at the top right corner of the picture.

The Bean Ring...Complete!

Happy and brave diners.

All in all, I would consider the initial installment of the Sarah/Jane project to be a roaring success. The food was genuinely enjoyed...and without cutting too many of Jane's corners, I tried to make the meal as healthy as a 50's dinner can be.

Next week..... "Hot Dogs and Beans...But Different!" (complements of one, Josh Davis).