Moving my blog

I've decided to move my blog to wordpress. Having too many issues with my blogger app on my phone. Here's the link to my new site: choniclesofprincesshotflash.com.

It's kind of fitting with all the changes in my life that I start fresh with a new site. I hope to move all of my recipes over my new site but in the meantime I will be add a recipe page with links back to here. 

Hope you stop back for read. 

I'm becoming birder . . .

I'm up with the birds because of my cats. 4:00-4:30 and if they're nice 4:50. Since I'm up I been going for a walk as the sun is coming up and birds are waking up. Robins, Cardinals, Starlings and Finches mostly. But down by the river at the bottom of my hill, if I'm quiet enough there is a Great Blue Heron hanging out. I'm obsessed with him [I'm making an assumption as usually female birds aren't as pretty]. 



I wish I had better camera to get a shot of him. But here's a crappy shot from my iPhone through the railing of the bridge. He didn't know I was there. I happen to be quiet that morning. He make funny clucking sound. Not what I expected. I've seen another neighbor looking for him on the other side of the bridge. I keep looking for his nest in the trees. Maybe next time I'll get a better shot.

Life Changes

It's been a long while since my last post and I've been debating if I should continue Princess Hot Flash. 

Two and half months ago my life changed dramatically. My love of my life suddenly past away from a sudden heart attack. Since then I've been trying to get everything in order with his estate and my life. Or just back to a facsimile of normal. 

My energy level is very low, sleep is not my friend and my hot flashes have gotten worst (I figure that is due to stress) and all I really I would like to do is curl up into a ball and just sleep for a really long time. But I'm trying my best to beat that urge. Been walking and doing hot yoga as well a catching up will every British murder mystery series on Prime/Netflix. 

Ollie and Orange have been my best companions. Running about and making a mess of all the paperwork I've been sorting through.

I'll try and post when I can. I don't have my passion to bake or jam or cook at the moment.  I don't have my favorite taster anymore. I do have recipes in the queue and hope to make something soon. When I do I'm sure I'll post some pictures for you. 

Been walking when I can. Mostly around the neighborhood or on the JC waterfront. Here's one from a cooler day on by the Hoboken terminal. Love how the remnants of old pier looks in the water. 

morning walks: week of 11.06.16

Starting fresh. Hope to be posting more.

This week's morning walk.

11.07.16: first day after the time change. Sun was up about the building in downtown NYC.

11.08.16 Election Day walk around the neighborhood after I voted



Ended my walk in my back yard at my garden. Too bad I put the pumpkin in too late. Got a bunch a flowers. Oh well, next year.


11.09.16 Gloomy Day


11.10.16 Beautiful morning

What I've been doing--part 1

Got a little busy this spring. Here's  some highlights of what I've been doing. Here's a link to the Spring 2016 album on flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/princesshotflash/albums/72157670307956684

Morning walks

manhattan from the jersey city waterfront

all fogged in

sunrise over lower Manhattan

Cooking

my new presssure cooker

Middlesex County Best of the Best

It's time to vote for Middlesex County Best of the Best Readers Choice contest. 

Please consider voting for Cafe Bua in the Home News Tribune Best of the Best Readers Choice Contest 2016 Middlesex County. Categories to consider for us: 

• Asian Cuisine
• Brunch
• Burger
• BYOB
• Casual Dining
• Dine
• Family Friendly
• Seafood. 

We appreciate all your votes and support for our restaurant.

Here's the link below to the voting:
http://app.secondstreetapp.com/l/HNT-Middlesex-Best-of-the-…

I braved the heatwave

I can't believe I been away so long. Just my crazy life taking over. Thought I'd start out slow with a quick post from my morning walk. Should have gone out earlier than I did. But got in 1/2 hour before I melted.

Commuter Projects 2015

Started commuting to Hoboken last February, set a goal of 12 projects by the end of the year. I post about setting that goal here. Here's the final count and just a quick run down of what I knitted and crochet this year.

Around 19+ project finished this year. Many made on the train/bus. I thought I documented all my finished projects but . . . But not too shabby for a year and all from my stash. Still knitting my stash away. Maybe next year it will all be gone?

Project 1: Linoleum dishcloth by Kay Gardiner x 2

many end to be woven in

Project 3: Seed Stitch Pouch

Finishing: hand stitching zipper in

Project 4–6: Set of 6 Crochet Buttons x 3

brunt orange buttons

Project 7: Crazy Yarn Log Cabin Throw

ends need to be woven in

Project 8–11: Market bag x 4

cotton scraps makes for fun market bag

Project 12–13: crocheted tiaras x 2

Princesses with their new tiaras

Project 14: crocheted basket

new basket, new cat

Project 15: lacy cowl

nice lightweight for the spring

Project 16–17: Graham hat for donations

for donation to Operation Gratitude

Project 18: Earflap hat for WG
This came out great. No picture. Thinking of making another hat in this pattern but need to find yarn in my stash.

Project 19: Eggplant for Ollie

Ollie and eggplant

I know there are a couple of other projects that I can't remember. But this is all I can remember. This is why my wrist hurt so much.

The Big Storm

Got around 24". Shoveled twice on the day of and one long 3 1/2 hour session on the day after. I love snow and it was quite beautiful to me. Went for two walks--one in the neighborhood then one in the woods with WG. Here's a couple of my favorite shots from the storm. Made up an album on flickr of the photos if you want to see more https://flic.kr/s/aHsktZUXkY

my favorite shot from the river

geese in the river

our house

knee deep

whiteout

playing in the woods

6:30 in the morning the day after, time to dig

Happy New Year!

I'm late, I'm late! This post has been sitting around for at least a couple of weeks. But do want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!

Been running behind since the week of Christmas.  I had dreams of beautiful bags of cookies and jars of jam as holiday gift but that didn't happen this year. After many jars of jam [some for gift most for the restaurant] and last minute catering order for brownies, cookies and lemon bars, things just didn't turn out how I picture it would be. 

Slow Cooker Blackberry Vanilla Jam that was suppose to be a gift

And of course, this spiraled into my dreams of our New Year's eve meal. I really wanted to make a great meal starting with a beautiful hot bowl of ozoni made with homemade dashi. But all the new year's cleaning wiped me out and this stupid cold started brewing . . .

dashi and kombu maki ingredients

So I ended up in bed, cold [I'm never cold], with too much clothes on, getting suck into watching the Lord of the Rings trilogy and stayed up to Midnight to finish it. [happy new year! shhh! WG is sleeping--the restaurant is open on New Year's Day]
My New Year's eve meal turned into New Year's day early dinner of Kombu Maki and rice with Ozoni to finish the night when WG got home from the restaurant. It tasted delicious even a day later. I love the Ozoni with homemade dashi--totally worth making. Got a little fancy with the carrot. I eve had time to whip up some dessert a new favorite Cannoli Pound cake from smittenkitchen.com. 

Ozoni with homemade dashi

My new favorite--Cannoli Pound Cake

Not bad for a person with a cold, I even made kimpira on the 2nd with the leftover burdock/gobo.

Kimpira right out of the pan

Hope you have happy and healthy New Year! 

Too much to do!

I guess I fooled myself in thinking I was almost done with my holiday making. Ha ha ha! I'm not even half way done. Oh well! I guess I got to get myself going.

First up last night, roasted persimmon jam. 

Read about a dessert with roasted persimmons and thought I'd try this out. Roasted persimmons right out of the oven to be food milled. Then in to thre pot with sugar, water and organic lemon juice (lemon from my sister's house). And cook till thick and sweet. I got 4 half pints 4 4oz jars.

Next up mandarin pineapple. More jam to come. I need more bottles. Aargh! 

random links: december 2015 • part 2

Found a few more links that I wanted to share.

Graham hats I knitted for donation for #operationgratitude

-here's the link to the pattern for the Graham by Jennifer Adams. Easy and quick
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/graham-2

-looking to for a cozy hat to knit up for you or to donate via seamenschurch.org

http://seamenschurch.org/sites/default/files/sci-1898-hat-kristine-byrnes-web-w-schematic.pdf

-baking powder and baking soda what it does to your cookies via serious eats

http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/12/cookie-science-baking-powder.html

http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/12/cookie-science-how-baking-soda-works.html

-The Oh Hellos--nice watch or listen to start your day via tiny desk concerts

http://www.npr.org/event/music/458774632/the-oh-hellos-tiny-desk-concert

-cute knitting for hood/scarf for kids via amirisu

http://amirisu.blogspot.jp/2014/12/free-pattern-from-amirisu-pixie-scarf.html

Jamming, jamming and more jamming

My first batch Kiwi Apple--2 pints for the restaurant and 2 half pint for holiday gifts.

Next up, Mandarin Marmalade. Big batch cooking up on the stove. Hope to get 2 pints for the restaurant and 4 4oz jars for gifts.

Hopefully I'll end today with Cranberry Apple. Trying out this recipe from Food in Jars for the first time. Using golden delicious. Here's the link if you want try out for yourself: http://foodinjars.com/2009/11/gift-in-a-jar-apple-cranberry-jam/

Starting my Saturday

UPDATE: Hat all done, just need to trim the ends, make the tag and pack up it up send off https://opgrat.wordpress.com/. The pattern was great pattern, really fast. Forgot to put the link to this pattern, here it is: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/graham-2. Hope to finish another so I have 2 to send off. Will post the finish product a little later.

With a cup a coffee and knitting in bed. Knitting a hat to donate for my volunteer time for work. They been pushing the volunteer effort, and I decide to sign up knitting for the troops. I'm still going through my stash and thank goodness I had colors specified.

Pattern: GRAHAM

By: Jennifer Adams

This is stretchy slouchy hat good for many different types of people. I already frogged the whole thing missed a whole entire section. Hope to be done by this weekend so I can send it off this week. More pics of finished piece.

random links: dec 2015

1 of 2 pumpkin pies with roasted kabocha

Had a little bit of time so I decide to put this together early. Still on food theme.

-video about ugly food and food waste via swiss miss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi4iSrdlOXk&feature=player_embedded

-love the peg boards--I need to do this via Joy the Baker

http://www.thekitchn.com/5-things-we-can-learn-from-julia-childs-kitchen-kitchen-design-lessons-218372

-this sounds delicous via the Kitchn

http://www.thekitchn.com/this-cauliflower-falafel-with-beet-dip-is-a-total-win-226205

-a jammy holiday gift via food in jars

http://dinnerwithjulie.com/2015/11/08/butter-crackers/

-something go with the jammy gift via food in jars

http://dinnerwithjulie.com/2015/11/08/butter-crackers/

Random Links: November 2015

Decide this month's links would be about food, since the holidays are coming fast and furious. Working on a variation on the Lots of Banana Cake recipe from Dorie Greenspan. Adding lilikoi to the cake. It brighten up the flavor but I think it needs more lilikoi and maybe lilikoi curd between the layers. Will post the alterations when I've got it right.

Frosted!

Sliced! Yum!

-going to try this new pie technique from Serious Eats

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/07/easy-pie-dough-recipe.html

-want to make your own pumpkin puree. I use the kabocha pumpkin after hear this story from Last Chance Food on NPR during my long commutes to work. Kabocha pumpkin have the very smooth texture and are sweeter than sugar pumpkins. I use the green ones but I've seen the orange ones, but haven't tried them yet. Here's the link to the story from Last Chance Food. And a link from Smitten Kitchen on how to make your own puree. 

http://www.wnyc.org/story/251330-last-chance-foods-use-kabocha-pumpkin-pie-and-kick-canned-stuff/

http://smittenkitchen.com/tips/2012/10/05/how-to-make-your-own-pumpkin-puree/

-with the pie crust I want to make a version of this pie from the kitchn

http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-deepdish-pumpkin-meringue-pie-recipes-from-the-kitchn-212903

-Looking for a great cake for a party during the holidays. This sweet potato cake from Smitten Kitchen is yummy. I used vanilla buttercream instead of the marshmallow frosting because I was taking it to work. Looking for a reason to make this with the marshmallow frosting.

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/11/sweet-potato-cake-with-marshmallow-frosting/

-haven't tried this but it is on the lineup of cakes to try. from Lottie + Doof
http://www.lottieanddoof.com/2015/11/scalded-and-malted-milk-cake/

-another one in the lineup, guava chiffon cake. from Guava Rose
http://www.guavarose.com/2013/12/guava-chiffon-cake/

One and Only Zinnia

what a beauty

Now that it's November, my one and only zinnia decided to bloom. I guess they weren't a total wash out. It is so beautiful. 

Next year, I hope to remember to plant the seeds early, to get a bunch of these or at least 2. 

Morning Walks

from Jersey City water front

I really started my morning walks when I switched from taking the train to bus to work. Beside being half the price of my train ride, now I get out a stop before my stop and I walk along the water front of Jersey City and Hoboken. It is a great way to start your day. One of the best idea I've had in a long time.

I'm trying to keep the walking up on my work from home days. But it's hard with Ollie the cat cuddling on my lap with my morning cup of coffee. I think I have to do as soon as WG leaves the house so I can put in more distance. I realized that these morning walks really gives me energy and put me in a better mood. 

And I started using the charity mile and donate a photo app to raise money for charities on my walks. I'm trying to take a at least one picture per walk and I've donating one of these photo to the app. 

Been posting the photos on FB and I've also made an album on flickr of the pictures of my walks. Here's that link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/princesshotflash/albums/72157660455331431. Will continuing to add pictures as I continue my walks. Maybe one day I'll even take a picture of myself on one of these walk. Maybe. . .