Kathleen Rear

Link Love

Kathleen Rear

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February 15, 2015

Welcome to the Obliteration Room! This is what happens when you give thousands of kids stickers!

Also, see the video of this project as it’s happening.

Happy 10th Birthday YouTube!

Check out Christian Schallert’s teeny tiny apartment!

Jane Austen Zingers: The 15 Best Disses and One-Liners From ‘Pride and Prejudice’

Fictitious Dishes: An Album of Literature’s Most Memorable Meals.
“…an ingenious project by designer and writer Dinah Fried, who cooks, art-directs, and photographs meals from nearly two centuries of famous fiction. Each photograph is accompanied by the particular passage in which the recipe appeared, as well as a few quick and curious factlets about the respective author, novel, or food.”

Valentine Date Night In

Kathleen Rear

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February 13, 2015

Good luck getting a reservation this year!

Noisy, crowded, eight deep at the bar, doesn’t sound romantic at all.

You know what? Why not stay in?

Make him a deal, if he picks up take-out, you’ll run to the grocery and buy the bubbly.

Sounds perfect to me!

Chocolat Chaud

Kathleen Rear

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February 11, 2015

Are you ready for an ultimate treat? Something luscious and decadent? Something simple and easy to make?

Chocolat Chaud

3.5oz/100g Semi-sweet Chocolate
2 cups Half & Half or Whole Milk
1/2 cup Sweetened Whipped Cream

Finely chop the chocolate and set aside.
In a sauce pan, heat the half & half on low heat until steamy (do not boil!)
Take the pan off the heat.
Add the chopped chocolate and whisk to combine.
Pour into mugs and top with sweetened whipped cream.

Print this recipe? Click here-> Chocolat Chaud

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Kathleen Rear

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February 9, 2015

The Indian spices make this so tasty!

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Preheat oven to 375f/190c

One whole head of Cauliflower
Remove outer leaves and core. Keep the head intact.

For the Spice Rub:
1 tablespoon Curry Spice Mix
1 tablespoon Cumin
1 tablespoon Coriander
1 teaspoon Cardamom
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
Zest and juice of one Lime
1/4 cup Olive Oil

Mix all the ingredients and set aside.

Place the cauliflower in a roasting pan and brush over the spice rub.
Cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes.
Take the foil off and continue to roast for 15-20 more minutes or until a skewer or paring knife is easily inserted through to the middle.

To serve, cut into wedges with cut wedges of lime and plain yogurt.

Print this recipe? Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Baked Chicken Breasts

Kathleen Rear

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February 6, 2015

BSCB aka Bone-less Skin-less Chicken Breasts are surprisingly hard to cook. It’s hard to get the timings right. Too long, tough and inedible; pull them too soon raw in the middle. Big no no! I ran across this method in my search for dinner ideas and gave it a go. I love it! It’s so easy and quick.

Baked Chicken Breasts
3-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
3 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Butter
Salt & Pepper
Parchment Paper

Pre-heat the oven to 400f/200c

Spread the olive oil along the bottom of your baking pan.
Place your chicken in the oil and flip until well coated in the oil.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Coat one side of the parchment paper with the butter.
Place the parchment butter side down against the chicken in the pan.
Tuck the corners of the parchment into the pan.
Place in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes.

Check the temp with your digital thermometer at 20 minutes.
If the temp reads 160f/70c pull the chicken and allow it to rest for 5 or so minutes.
in that time the chicken temp will carry over and the temp will read 165f/75c
If cooking more than 3-4 pieces leave it in the oven and check the temp every 5 minutes until it reaches 160f/70c.

Serve with your favorite sauce over or slice and serve over salad greens.

Print this recipe? Click here! Baked Chicken Breasts

Please excuse the phone pics! My camera was still charging 🙂

Linguine with Mussels

Kathleen Rear

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February 2, 2015

I was skeptical when my meat manager at the grocery showed me these frozen from fresh mussels. I gave them a spin in this dish, and I’ve got to say, I really like them. You cook them just like fresh (live) mussels. Just as quick and easy too.

Linguine with Mussels
2 lbs. Frozen (keep frozen do not thaw) or Fresh Mussels
1 tablespoon Butter
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
4 oz. diced Pancetta
1/2 cup diced Sun-dried Tomatoes
1 cup White Wine (Pino Grigio)
Fresh Parsley for garnish
1 lb. box Linguine

(If using fresh mussels, inspect the shells and remove any “beards”, also discard any mussels that do not close when touched)

Prepare the linguine according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.

In a large pot with a lid, heat the butter and olive oil over medium high heat.
Add the pancetta and cook until crispy.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and the white wine.
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Add in the mussels and cover with the lid.
Cook the mussels for 8-10 minutes or until all the shells are open.
(if using fresh- discard any mussels that have not opened after cooking)

Serve over cooked linguine spooning a good amount of sauce and parsley over.

P.S. Not a sponsored post.

Print this recipe? Click here-> Linguine with Mussels

January Bookworm Part 2

Kathleen Rear

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January 30, 2015

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondo

A much recommended book by just about everyone I know. It’s a short book (only 124 pages) but packed with the how to of Marie Kondo’s (KonMari) method of de-cluttering your home. As a practicing minimalist, I smugly read about methods I’m already using, however, I was definitely surprised by the reason people de-clutter and then months later they’re back to where they started.
*Raises hand* Yep that’s me!
Read cautiously, severe tidy mania ensues after reading!

“The process of assessing how you feel about the things you own, identifying those that have fulfilled their purpose, expressing your gratitude, and bidding them farewell, is really about examining your inner self, a rite of passage to a new life.”

“people who can’t stay tidy can be categorized into just three types: the “can’t-throw-it-away” type, the “can’t-put-it-back” type, and the “first-two-combined” type.”

“the best way to choose what to keep and what to throw away is to take each item in one’s hand and ask: “Does this spark joy?” If it does, keep it. If not, dispose of it. This is not only the simplest but also the most accurate yardstick by which to judge.”

“I recommend you dispose of anything that does not fall into one of three categories: currently in use, needed for a limited period of time, or must be kept indefinitely.”

January Bookworm Part 1

Kathleen Rear

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January 30, 2015

Christmas stories in January? I’m always late reading the ones I pick in December, oh well.

Festive in Death by J.D. Robb
I love Eve Dallas and Delia Peabody.

“Just shut your mouth, you ignorant twat.”
“Aw, Dallas, he called me a twat. How come you get to be a bitch, but I only get to be a twat.”
“It’s the rank,” Eve told her. “You’ll make bitch one day.”
“Thanks. That means a lot to me.”

“Crap, is that Drunk Santa currently mooning passing traffic?”
“Wow, that’s some ugly ass he’s got there. It is Drunk Santa. Oh, please, do we have to stop? Think of the smell. Fear it.”
“We can’t leave that ugly ass hanging out on Ninth Avenue.” Resigned, Eve started to pull over, then spotted two hustling beat cops. Pitying them, she kept going.
“It’s a Christmas miracle,” Peabody said, reverently.”

My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

“Noel was her very best friend – even if she wasn’t his. Noel was her person.”
― Rainbow Rowell, My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

“Christmas Eve is my favorite… I think the anticipation is more fun than anything else. I kind of lost that. The idea that something – food, traditions, an arbitrary date on the calendar – can be special because we decide it should be. We make it special. Not just for ourselves, but for others.”
― Kiersten White, My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

“He says presents aren’t important, but I think they are – not because of how much they cost, but for the opportunity they provide to say I understand you.”
― David Levithan, My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories

Meet The Belsize Bovary

Kathleen Rear

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January 28, 2015

image by Mrs. Bovary

This month I would like you to meet Abigail, the Belsize Bovary.
Artist/Illustrator, Wife, Mother, and Sociopathic Hostess.
On her blog she tells it like it is about pregnancy, fashion and the complexities of mother/womanhood.

She’s giving away all our secrets.
She needs to be stopped.

But until she is, you should go over to the The Selfish Mother and Mr.Fox Magazine and see her features there as well.