Mighty Girl on her menu planning. I’ve been trying to get a handle on having good food ready to go around this lately, so far it involves making things to keep in the freezer.

Erica Mulherin on her current sources for recipes.

The best way to reheat a chicken, the roasted chickens from our local natural market come refrigerated. We resort to roasted chickens about once a week.

Jejune has trouble finding Dutch-process cocoa lately, and so have I. An episode of America’s Test Kitchen recently rated Hershey Dutch Process cocoa high in a taste test but I cannot find it anywhere. I know I saw some around last December. update: Annie (thanks Annie!) commented to let me know Hershey’s replaced their Dutched cocoa with Special Dark, which Cook’s Illustrated reports does not taste as good. Droste was CI’s pick for dutch cocoa available in grocery stores.

These pink shortbread cookies made by Jek In The Box are charming.

Amusing footage from a video camera going around the conveyer belt at a Tokyo sushi bar, all the way back into the kitchen too. Via Serious Eats.

A Cabbage Salad (mis)Named Cole Slaw at Seattest.

Omigosh, Dori Greenspan has a blog, and she likes the Furi knife sharpener which is good news because I’m desperately in need of something to sharpen my knives.

Must make: Chocolate and peanut granola from Nigella Feasts.

We recently borrowed two ladders (the first wasn’t quite tall enough) and in doing so got a quick education in what size we might need for our house and what kind we might buy if we find we need one often enough. The one we liked best was a 21-foot aluminum Gorilla Ladder (thank you Maggi and Jeff). I’d seen a recommendation for the 13 foot Gorilla ladder on Cool Tools ages ago, so I was unreasonably excited to get to try one out.

It allowed us to comfortably wire a pendant lamp into a 13 foot ceiling over a stairwell while using the ladder in the A-frame configuration. The Gorilla Ladder felt sturdier than the ladder we had to compare it to, it was easy to change configurations and see if it was locked into position, and I’d be comfortable using it to climb up to our gutters. And, it folds up small enough to fit into our very tiny backyard shed to be stored. It’s definitely the brand we would go with should we decide we need to have a ladder. (I’d say something about the amount of stuff homeowners suddenly find themselves needing to purchase, but it’s just too sad to go on about here.)

[note: I usually keep a list of what I’ve been up to in the side bar, over there to the right, however enough people leave comments about what’s there that I’ve decided to move them to the main posts. I have archived past weeks since I rather like having the record of things.]

loving:
Online Communities Poster from xkcd
This will hang on the wall of the room we call the office, but can more accurately be described as the Internet Room.

eating:
Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Calzones
Recipe from Baking Illustrated, and I’m attempting to figure out the best way to cook them after freezing. Yes, the same calzones that were the scene of me burning the bejeezus out of my thumb.

finding useful:
blue paint tape corners
Painting the trim around many small windows? Me too. This saved me a lot of fussiness.

reading:
Heat: An Amateur’s Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany
Fascinating and funny.

sneaking spoonfuls of:
Ben & Jerry’s Karamel Sutra ice cream
Mmmm.

We spent our long weekend painting and repainting some doors. Here are some things I learned.

– If your door has a lot of small mullioned windows, these blue painters tape corners will save you a lot of fiddling.

– An angled 1″ brush and a little foam roller and tray kit (labeled trim rollers) will be all you need for a door if it’s got lots of molding.

– A quart of paint will be just fine for two coats of both sides of a door.

– Painting a door is a whole lot easier than painting a wall, and I’m not afraid to do it over again. This might lead to a lot of colorful doors in our house.

Of course I couldn’t escape the project without a little bit of drama. [Read more →]

A mean chocolate chip cookie at Megnut. Mean = mean.

Reusable ice cream cones, they don’t seem very practical, unless you have a very long tongue, but they’re cheerful looking. At Baking Bites.

Hi-Hat Cupcakes at Martha Stewart.

Delicious looking Oreo like homemade cookies (fauxreos?), at Smitten Kitchen.

Comparing Riedel Vinium and Riedel Vivant (the ones you can get at Target), at The Kitchen.

Tikka-Masala Makin’ at Posie Gets Cozy.

Pom pom decorations made using the Martha Stewart instructions, I love the color. They are the same as the ones being sold in the Martha Stewart Crafts selection at Michael’s. I’ve been wanting to go see the MS Crafts, but the nearest Michael’s is too far to make it a quick trip. At Shim and Sons.

Weekly online crochet course, at Craft.

If you want to learn to make your own yarn, Yarn School at The Harveyville Project sounds perfect.

Using bacon grease to make soap at Chow.

Sew Useful – Etsy and Instructables are pairing up to create a contest around things that make life easier. Via Bleu Arts.

Poutine is on the menu at the Steelhead Diner, at Seattlest.

Latin markets in Seattle, for the Mexican Coca-cola search. Though, if you haven’t heard, Costco is selling Mexican Coke now.

Oregon coast trip at Seattlest.

I Heart Fabric recommends the Lucious Skin Spa on Phinney, and offers 20% off coupons in her store, The Frock Shop (which is well worth a visit even without the promise of coupons).

Seattlest on bad times at Seattle libraries. That’s nothing, I once has a Wallingford branch librarian be so inexpicably nasty (how DARE I want to check a book out!) to both the little old lady in front of me and myself that I cried on my walk home. Then I started going to a different library and avoiding Seattle librarians whenever I can, as they continue to prove themselves a very unhappy group of people. Why?

Wow Dishwasher Pete has a book, titled neatly enough, Dishwasher: One Man’s Quest to Wash Dishes in All Fifty States. I think I have a few issues of his Dishwasher zine around here somewhere. If you don’t know who Dishwasher Pete is you can read about him in this Wikipedia entry: Dishwasher Pete. I’m most familiar with the stories he has done on This American Life, my favorite is about his (non) appearance on David Letterman.

Tomorrow night, Tuesday, May 22nd at 7 p.m., Clotilde Dusoulier will be at the University Book Store in Seattle with her book Chocolate and Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen. I’ve been reading her blog, Chocolate & Zucchini, for ages now and I’m excited to get her book, I’m certain the recipes will be perfection.

New Marimekko fabrics, at Charles & Marie.

Where can I find these planters? at AT:NYC.

FiberFloor by Tarkett that simply lays over existing hard floor surfaces, perfect for renters. AT:NYC.

Do anti-fatigue kitchen mats work? at Shelteriffic. I remember that mats like this were required by OSHA when I worked in costume shops (you mostly work standing at the work table).

Painting next to exposed brick, I like the lime green in the last picture. AT:NYC.

Apartment Therapy’s Home Tech Finalist #1, I love the set up they have created here, it’s very close to what I pictured needing for our own cramped television watching area. AT:Home Tech.

Rainbow wall shelves, at AT:LA. Seems easy enough to recreate as well.

Call 811 before you dig, at Modern Roost. I’ll need to remember this for when we go to plant that tree.

Droog Peep wallpaper, at AT:SF. This is so amazing and strange.

Magically Magnetic for all sorts of magnet things. AT:NY.

About Homasote fiberboard, I didn’t know it is a green material. At AT:NY.

Hanging bare bulbs prettily at AT:NYC. We are (still) planning something like this, soonish.

Z-Box, a private bedroom for your ginormous ultra cool loft. AT:NYC.

A $1400 Ikea kitchen makeover, I so hope to lose my stuck-in-the-80s kitchen cabinets and not-good-for-coffee-making white formica counters in a few years. AT:SF.

A good mop at Modern Roost.

Ikea BestA storage is really tall. Want your own library ladder? At Product Dose.

Poison free ant and roach spray, at Cool Tools.

eating:
Panda black licorice

trying:
XXL mascara

watching:
28 Weeks Later

needing:
new waffle iron

playing:
the Submachine games

Pop up greeting, at Oh Joy.

Invisible Ink, at Cool Hunting.

The Tord Boontje Book at Happy Mundane.

She’s A Betty on heeled shoe inserts, including Foot Petals and Insolia.

Glass cling labels, like wine glass charms that don’t require a stem. At Imbibe.

Four jeans styles reviewed at SundryBuzz. I used to like the Levi 515s, but I have been preferring Calvin Klein Flare jeans for everyday wear. They come in different lengths, including my short-girl 30″ inseams, are stretchy enough without being clingy, and the dark wash is rather nice.

Angela Adams Sunbrella fabric at AT:LA.

Cute robot iron-on transfers by Mod Dots Shop, at Craft.

I have previously declared my love for Anthelios SX sunscreen on this site. However, since it’s expensive and not something I can just pick up at the store* I tried something that both Ugly Green Chair and Mighty Goods recommended, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-touch Sunblock, SPF 55.

I tried some dry-touch sunblock when Neutrogena started coming out with them, years ago I think. At that time they were scented with orange oil and the sunblock burned on my skin and turned my face a nasty beet red, so I hope it’s understandable that I was hesitant to try it again. Happily, the scent has changed and it doesn’t irritate my skin.

The sunblock does feel sheer on my skin, it isn’t greasy and seems to keep a matte finish. And, thankfully, it does not make me break out. I’m very pleased. It doesn’t hurt that I see it popping up on all sorts of recommendation lists, including InStyle and Real Simple.

* Anthelios SX is only available at CVS drug stores, and we don’t have any in Washington state. I realize that I could, of course, buy Anthelios online but I’ll be honest and say I know I’m too lazy to keep up with it.

If you’re headed to the Maker Faire next weekend there are a few things you might like to check out.

Lotta Jansdotter will be on the main stage on Saturday, and afterwards she’ll be signing her book Simple Sewing at the Chronicle Books booth.

Shannon Okey and Cecily Kim will be holding workshops at the Lion Brand Booth. (Has anybody tried the new Cotton-Ease yarn? Do you like it?)

Fred Flare will have a booth at the Bazaar Bizarre inside the Maker Faire.

Craft will have several areas including a corner where you can hang out, two demo areas, and a booth.

Much more information, schedules and times can be found at Craft.

added:
– Susan Beal will be holding two jewelry making workshops and she’ll also be selling small kits of beads and jewelry findings with instructions.

– Bonnie Burton will be holding a few workshops on how to make your own Yoda doll (adorable).

– Seek out the Glamscience booth, Daria will be have these amazingly sparkly belt buckles for sale, along with droolworthy glitter jewelry.

Fried avacados with fruit salsa, at The Kitchen.

Baked eggs with spinach and mushrooms at Smitten Kitchen.

How to wine and dine your friends and neighbors at Food and Paper.

Make your own soup dumplings at Serious Eats.

Broccoli and feta pasta salad at The Kitchen.

Scientific American on exactly why ice cubes get spikes, via The Food Section

Han Solo in carbonite chocolate bar at Instructables.

Ruth Reichl’s ultimate chocolate ice cream at Serious Eats.