Walker Art Center - Graphic Design Exhibit

TV show posters in back wall are a reminder of how simple design can be.
They can be purchased here.

 There was equipment to make your own poster.

 So we did.  The lady with the cool braid made one too.

Who was this chair designed for?

Inked art should read "too".

 I don't like posters that tell you what to do, or remind you of our crappy economy. But i do like the color and they remind me of how much i like white frames on white walls.

Liked this info graphic so much that i had to overlook how out of focus it is.

As much as i liked the voting aspect of this part of the show,
i've seen all of these before/afters on brand new blog.

by bob barton. of course i like anything hand drawn.
and drawn badly in a good kind of way.

 like how i positioned the relections of the overhead lights on this cover?

i appreciate how much work went into this cover that the average person would dismiss in one brief glance. note to self: where are my old spy magazines? Guess i can skip the spider-filled crawl space. You can find them here.

 lizzy this is for you. a blinged out cover but of course only released in england:

 i can only image how many years it took to die cut this book:

The wallpaper as i exited the show just made me smile in an IKEA kind of way.

Drawer Safety (FIFMNoodle)

BH&G's Almond Icebox Rounds Review

I spied this cookie on pinterest and had to try it.

From the Better Homes & Gardens website, it's called Almond Icebox Rounds. You can get the recipe here. First you mix up the dough. 

I used Trader Joe's Just Almond Meal instead of "3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted and chopped". I did not toast the almond meal.

The dough tasted devine!

Plop half of dough on plastic wrap.

Form a log by rolling it back and forth in the plastic wrap. Then coat with sliced almonds and chill.

Slice and bake. They don't spread out much so you can fit all of them on 2 cookie sheets. There is no egg or leaveners in the recipe.

I swept stray almonds "under the cookies".

This recipe is definitely a KEEPER. Freezes well, too.

Pepperoni-Pesto Popovers

I have written many posts about the 44th Pillsbury Bake-off® contest, but not one about how to make my winning treat, Pepperoni-Pesto Popovers. People ask if I still make them now that the Bake-off® contest is over. The answer is "yes! I still do!" 

Click here for the recipe.

Here's how: oven to 375˚. Brush popover pan with olive oil. 

Sprinkle with semolina flour (for a crispy crust).

Pop open the Pillsbury crescent rolls. Unroll onto a clean countertop and smash seams shut (or use seamless dough sheet). Sprinkle on garlic salt. Spread with pesto. Add pepperoni slices.

Add a handful of mozzerella and some parmesan cheese.

Slice into six pieces with a pizza cutter (one long horizontal cut and 2 vertical cuts).

Roll each section up to make a long roll.

Fold the long roll in half (like you are making a letter V) and place in the oiled popover cup. No need to be perfect. I like the messier look and if cheese oozes out it makes for an even better tasting crust. Bake 18-20 minutes on 375˚.

I like that they are all different and seem to have their own personalities.

no year's resolution

Xmas Wish Blisst 2011

Last year's xmas list was BIG.

Here's what I ended up with:

1. Shampure in the giant pump bottles. Check. Used 1/2 of it in one year. Great gift.

2. White hangers. Great, but by mother's day I decided to switch to the black huggable hangers, which are better because your clothes don't slide off of them.

3. Make-up mirror. Well that was just plain frightening. Back to the store it went.

4. Gift card: Always the right size. Did not find a new coat until a couple of weeks ago at Nordstrom Rack:

But what about this year? Funny that the same items are back on the list, like boots and hangers. I wanted a back rub last year, but it didn't make the list.

Sure, anyone can clip a list to the fridge.

How can I top last year's 5 foot list?

Guess I needed to THINK SMALL.

Pretzel Graffiti

Trader Joe's has pretzel rolls, but I thought "that's something that you want to eat fresh out of the oven". I found a recipe from my friends at Cook's Illustrated. Love it when I have EVERYTHING I NEED and don't have to go to the store.

I had Pillsbury BREAD flour in my cupboard. I keep COSTCO's yeast sealed in the fridge. This is a least a year old and still works (or so I thought). A steal at only 3 bucks.

 Measure, mix and knead in the stand mixer. So easy.

  Dough is very dense and heavy. 

That dough ball was just asking for that. BTW, that's Jilly's face.

 First rise took a long time, 2 hours.

  Maybe the yeast is loosing it's luster. Another one hour rise.

Then time to shape. I pulled it into 2 long logs. Directions said to cut into equal pieces.

It was impossible to stretch those little balls into 20 inch long strips so I got out the pizza cutter and went to work.

Create pretzel balls by pulling dough from the top around to the bottom side to create a nice round shape. Twist to secure. 

 The secret to the dark brown crust is boiling briefly in baking soda.

 Drain on paper towels, cut star shapes into the rolls, salt and bake.

Mmmmmmm. Even better brushed with butter. This silicone basting brush is from IKEA.

Homemade pretzels just might replace popovers on xmas eve this year!