Sweet Athena

Oregon, my Oregon

2012-02-16T14:31:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, Jess told me how she wanted to spruce up her apartment with bit of color. So, shazam! I painted her a colorful, geometric representation of our lovely state, Oregon. I was inspired by our newest Pinterest board. I hope she likes it!

Linz

Chalkboard Paint Hearts

2012-02-11T20:49:00.000-08:00

As we know from last year, I am in love with creating Valentine's Day cards that involve found objects from my house. This year was no exception and I used my new favorite craft obsession, chalkboard paint. Chalkboard paint cards are not the most durable cards to make, but I do appreciate the effect they create in the moment. At first I cut out hearts out of card stock and painted them. I realized this created a bit of a mess on the other side, where I wanted to write a message. I therefore painted an oversized square on the paper, let it dry and then cut out the heart. This created a much cleaner look. Then it is time to chalk it up. Just about the easiest Valentine's I have ever made.

Looking for other cute and easy ideas? Check out this card I received in the mail from a friend. She took an old handkerchief, folded it like a card, added fancy card stock to the bottom half and embroidered little x's along each corner to attach it. I also love that all the note said was, "i love you!" What more does a love note need to say.

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Red Wine Chocolate Truffles

2012-02-10T20:10:00.001-08:00

Just in time for that well known lovey-dovey holiday, Linz and I wanted to share with you a chocolate treat we made featuring red wine. If you are not from the Pacific Northwest than you might not know that wine is a specialty of Oregon and we have some amazing vineyards in the region.

We decided to go with a recipe from Sprinkle Bakes to make Red Wine Chocolate Truffles. This is a dessert meant to be made for someone you love as it is on the more labor intensive side. When we first saw the recipe, it called for ice cube trays shaped like hearts. We were excited because I happened to have star shaped ice cube trays from the space themed party I threw last summer. Yet, we learned that A) chocolate shaped treats from a flexible mold are very difficult to pop out and B) star-shaped chocolates are about as difficult a shape as you could choose to work with. Hence the tasty, but ugly look of our first batch:

For our second round we were much more successful using mini cupcake trays, which we first lined with cupcake paper.

Ingredients:

For Outside Mold:

2 bags dark chocolate meltable wafers

For Ganache:

9 oz dark chocolate

1/2 cup heavy cream

5 tbsp dry red wine

Directions:

Heat chocolate wafers in batches as you need them. We used our clean fingers, but you could also you a cooking paint brush to add chocolate to the bottom and sides of the cupcake trays. Let sit in freezer until harden, about 20 minutes. Check that all sides and the bottom are fully covered, if not repeat process until done. To make the ganache, heat heavy cream until it begins to boil. Pour over chopped chocolate in a separate bowl. Stir until melted and add red wine. Add ganache to hardened chocolates, making sure not to fill to the top. Place back in freezer for about 20 minutes. Add top layer of meltable chocolate to candies and freeze again, until hard. The candies should come right out of the cupcake trays and easily off of the liners. To decorate we painted the truffles with a mixture of vodka and edible shimmer.

~Jess and Linz

Oregon!

2012-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:00

Check out our Portland/Oregon-themed Pinterest board. It's quite lovely.

Sew & Tell: Lengthen a Dress with Lace

2012-02-08T20:24:00.000-08:00

When I was in Vegas this last Fall I bought and wore this cute number from H & M. As we all know, you can get away with a lot in Sin City. Upon my return I decided my dress was too short for everyday use and I needed to add a little length to the bottom.

Materials Needed:
-dress or skirt you want to lengthen
-sewing machine and matching thread
-pins
-lace or ribbon
I happen to have some vintage lace a friend gave me and I decided to add both of them to the dress. Lace can be a bit see through and might defeat the purpose of adding length to your dress, but by stacking on on top of the other I was able to add get the look I wanted with less sheerness to it.

I took the lace and laid them on top of each face side down and pinned them together, making it easier to add them to the hem of the skirt.

Step 1: Turn the garment inside out and starting on the front of the dress to the side start pinning the lace to hem of the skirt, leave about an inch of extra lace hanging loose before you start to pin. The lace should be facing down down, just as the skirt is inside out itself.

Step 2: To finish off the edges I decided to create a little peek-a-boo look off to the side of the skirt. Fold the lace over two times on each end. You can then sew on this part like the rest of the skirt. It clearly shows where the lace ends and starts, but creates a fun detail. The first photo below is how I sewed and the second shows the final look.

Step 3: For the rest of the lace, sew right below the hem line with matching thread creating a second tread line below the first that blends perfectly.

Step 3: Sew right below the hem line with matching thread creating a second tread line below the first that blends perfectly.

While it may still be winter in Oregon, I enjoyed my "new" dress while in Mexico this last December. Plus with these crisp, sunny days around here, I'm ready to rock this dress with some tights and a sweater. Do you have any dresses or skirts you want to vamp up for the coming Spring?

~Jess

Another Hand-Stitched Card

2012-02-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

Inspired by Jess' awesome array of hand-stitched cards and motivated by my newfound love of embroidery, I recently tried my hand at making my very own card. January and February are bursting with celebrations for my family, and my wedding anniversary is one of them. This card was made for my math-loving husband, Dale. It's a simple equation.

I didn't take the time to look at the tutorial from Leigh-Ann that Jess pointed to, but jumped right in and tried it out myself. (I probably could have benefited from LA's tips...the tutorial is lovely.) Above are two shots of the card: one in progress, and one completed in all of its mathy glory.

It was well-recieved and expressed my feelings so much better than a store-bought card could have. : )

~Linz

Banana Cake, Chalkboard Coasters and Birthday Fun!

2012-02-04T16:24:00.001-08:00

I've come to love doing a special post just for Linz on her birthday. This year I decided to experiment with both a new cake recipe and a craft. For the cake I made a "To Die For" Banana Cake from Butter Yum. This proved be an interesting recipe as the cake is only slightly sweeter than banana bread would be, yet the frosting is some of the sweetest frosting I have ever had. The cake would be a handy recipe to have on hand to make for someone that was not in love with dessert (not sure who those people are). I thought the frosting was a nice pairing, but would pick a less intense variety if I was making this for the purpose of a toned down baked good. The other nice part of this recipe is the density. The banana creates a moist cake that holds well with time.

For the craft, I made Linz chalkboard paint coasters. It should be stated now and accepted by all that I am currently in love with chalkboard paint and am obsessed with painting everything with it. My parents re-modeled their bathroom recently and I was excited to take the excess tile pieces. I used the water saw(!) to cut the tile into the sizes I wanted and then painted them with chalkboard paint. I used felt circles to attach to the bottom, so as not to scratch any coffee tables.

The thing I really like about this idea is the variety it offers. Tired of your coasters? Add a new picture. Having a themed party? Add the extra detail to the coasters. Want to know what your friends really want to say when they have had one too many drinks? Give them the chalk and a blank coaster.

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Broiled Grapefruit

2012-02-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

I am an unabashed lover of breakfast, as you probably know already. While I love making breakfast foods at home, my favorite weekend activity is going out to brunch. My very favorite location in a city bursting with many, many delicious brunch spots is the Daily Cafe in Portland (the Pearl location).

The menu changes regularly and is beautifully seasonal and fresh. On Sundays, the Daily Cafe offers a prixe fixe three-course brunch. I am not lying.

When I brunched there recently, I saw an intriguing dish on the appetizer menu: a broiled grapefruit. It was glazed in a molasses-type syrup, which complemented that tart pop of the citrus very well. It was so incredibly good, that I had to try to make my own version. It's probably a lot more simple than the one you can enjoy at the Daily Cafe, but it's a fun alternative to the typical grapefruit routine.

Simple Broiled Grapefruit

One half of a grapefruit
1/2 tsp butter
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp honey or molasses

Place the grapefruit half, face-up in a ramekin or oven-safe bowl. Cut the butter into small slivers and spread across the face of the fruit. Sprinkle on sugar and drizzle with the honey/molasses. Cook under a broiler on high until the sugar caramelizes. Let cool a bit and enjoy.

~Linz

Craft Cravings

2012-02-02T10:29:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I get an urge to keep my hands busy, and I've been finding lately that nothing satisfies that craving like embroidery. There's something very satisfying about doodling with needle, thread, and fabric. A few of my most recent creations are above--made during a stay-in movie night last weekend. I love how adding layers of thread transforms and manipulates what is below.

I'm pretty new to this craft, but I'm a bit addicted. Plus, I like how it produces cute little pieces of art that I can hang around the apartment.

Which kind of craft craving is digging its claws into you lately?

Sweet Athena Freebie! February Background

2012-02-01T07:20:00.000-08:00

1680 x 1050 /1440 x 900/1280 x 1024/1024 x 768/iphone/phone

It's that time again! A new month means you can now fancy up your computer with some Feb-tastic wallpaper.

I was tempted at first to go all out pink and pink and hearts and pink, but I resisted. You are welcome. I quite like the odd romance of this color combo and typeface. And now I can pull out the pink and pink and pink for another month!

Have a lovely one.

Linz

Foodie Saturday: Wild Mushroom and Butternut Squash Bread Pudding

2012-01-21T20:42:00.000-08:00

With the theme of Oregon currently on my mind I have been attempting to try out some dishes which feature food grown in Oregon. This wild mushroom and butternut squash bread pudding works wonderfully as a main dish or side dish to a larger meal. I came across this recipe from Sunset Magazine, November 2011, I knew I would love the combination of leeks, butternut squash and mushrooms. Some of my favorite vegetables in one creamy, cheesy dish.

Ingredients

3 cups cubed butternut squash, cut into 3/4-in chunks

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1.5 tsp. kosher salt, divided

1 tsp. pepper, divided

4 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided

3 leeks, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced and rinsed well

2 garlic cloves, mined

3/4 lb. mixed wild mushrooms, sliced

1 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves

6 cups cubed rustic white bread, cut into 1-in cubes, lightly toasted

3 cups half-and-half

4 large eggs

1 tbsp. flour

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1 cup shredded gruyere cheese

1) Preheat oven to 375. Heap squash on rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with oil and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Bake, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden brown, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

2) Melt 2 tbsp. butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add leeks with 1/4 tsp. salt; cook until softened. Add garlic, cook 2 minutes, and add mixture to squash.

3) Melt remaining 2 tbsp. butter in same pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until mushrooms have released their liquid and are beginning to brown, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in thyme.

4) Add mushrooms to squash-leek mixture. Stir in bread; scoop into a buttered 9-in by 13-in. baking dish.

5) Whisk together half-and-half, eggs, remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper, the flour, and parmesan in a medium bowl. Pour custard over bread mixture and let stand 10 minutes. Top with gruyere, then bake, uncovered, until cheese is melted and beginning to brown and custard is just set, 30 to 35 minutes.

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Sucre a la Creme

2012-01-13T12:18:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite daily traditions is to watch the Today Show every morning. It's a bit zany, but I love it. It was always on in the morning when I was younger and getting ready for school. I loved watching Katie Couric and Matt Lauer while downing a bowl of cereal. Now, I enjoy watching Savannah's adorable struggling through cooking segments, Ann (from Oregon!) making her mark as a lead anchor, and all of the necessary--and not-so-necessary--"news." This week, Today has been celebrating its 60th birthday. So, happy birthday, Today!

To celebrate, I'm featuring a candy recipe I saw featured early in December on Today from Chuck Hughes. Being a fan of fudge, I knew I had to try making Sucre a la Creme, a French-Canadian fudge-like candy. It has no chocolate, but is packed with maple flavor. It is scrumptious.

To make it a bit more "Oregon"-like for our season's theme, Jess and I substituted Oregon hazelnuts in for the pecans the recipe called for.

Chuck Hughes' Sucre a la Creme with Maldon Salt and Pecans (as presented on the Today Show)

Oil, for greasing pan
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup 35-percent cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon butter
Pinch salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and roughly chopped, for garnish
Maldon salt, for garnish

Preparation

Line an 8-inch (20-cm) square pan with plastic wrap and lightly oil. In a saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cream, sugar, maple syrup, butter and salt and bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to dissolve the sugar. Attach a candy thermometer in the center of the pan and simmer over medium heat without stirring until the thermometer reads 237 degrees F (114 degrees C). Add the vanilla extract without stirring. Place the pan in a cold water bath. Cool, without stirring, until the thermometer reads 113 degrees F (45 degrees C), about 20 minutes.

Remove the pan from the water bath. Using an electric mixer or a wooden spoon, stir vigorously until the mixture begins to lighten in color and become creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Please note that if you whip too much, the sugar and cream mixture will harden before you have time to pour it into the pan.
Pour immediately into the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. Garnish with crushed toasted pecans and Maldon salt. Cover with plastic wrap. Let cool for about 1 hour at room temperature or 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Remove from the pan and remove from the plastic wrap. Cut into squares. Store in an airtight container.

Our notes: Like I said above, we used hazelnuts instead of pecans. They were a bit harder than pecans would have been, but the toasted flavor was great with the sweetness of the candy. Also, we didn't have Maldon salt, so used sea salt flakes instead. The resulting candy was incredibly sweet and decadent, but delicious. I suggest cutting in very small squares to avoid a sugar overload.

Happy Friday!
Linz

Foodie Friday: Dijon-Braised Brussels Sprouts

2012-01-06T17:48:00.000-08:00

Happy 2012!

Sorry for the absence on the blog in December, I was running around, busy with all the typical holiday business, with some extra added stress and fun thrown in there. Making for one of the busiest months of my life. I'm ready to jump back into things around here with a brussels sprouts side dish from Smitten Kitchen. Brussels sprouts and I have a funny relationship. One of my clients and I have a banter which involves us both talking about how much we don't like brussels sprouts and how "nobody wants to eat them". Yet, I think we both actually really like them. Even if you are not a fan of brussels sprouts, this just may be the dish to convert you. Sauteed shallots, a little white wine and some yummy dijon mustard pull the whole thing together nicely.

~Jess

Sweet Athena Freebie! January Background

2012-01-02T16:22:00.000-08:00

1680 x 1050 /1440 x 900/1280 x 1024/1024 x 768/iphone/phone

New year, new month, new wallpaper for your computer. Happy 2012!

I've revamped the wallpaper sizes, so hopefully everyone can find a good fit now. I was being kind of selfish by catering only to iPhone users, so I'm also including a new phone wallpaper option, sized 240 x 320 pixels. This should fit a good number of other smartphones.

Wishing you the best for the new year,

Linz

Foodie Friday: Puff Pastry Appetizers

2011-12-30T11:20:00.000-08:00

With New Year's Eve being tomorrow, I figured it would be appropriate to share a new favorite appetizer recipe: Cooking Light's Tomato-Baby Bell Pepper Tartlets. These little beauties are made with a few basic ingredients, but look impressive. Don't fear the puff pastry!

The key to having these puff up is scoring the puff pastry. To me, it looked like I was cutting saltine crackers into each square of the dough.
While this recipe is delightful, the puff pastry base opens up a number of possibilities for toppings that roast or melt well.

Cooking Light's Tomato-Baby Bell Pepper Tartlets
By Ann Taylor Pittman
Ingredients

1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough, thawed
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise
1 small garlic clove, minced
8 grape tomatoes, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
3 baby bell peppers, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rings
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (which I left off)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
Unfold dough; place on a work surface lightly dusted with flour. Roll gently into a 10 x 9inch rectangle. [I used Pepperidge Farm's Puff Pastry, which happened to be the perfect size out of the box.] Cut dough into 20 (2 1/4 x 2inch) rectangles. Score each rectangle about 1/8-inch from edge. Prick each dough piece liberally with a fork. Arrange dough pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; chill 10 minutes.
Combine cheese, mayonnaise, and garlic, stirring well. Spread a scant 1/2 teaspoon cheese mixture over each dough piece. Top each tartlet with about 2 tomato slices and 2 bell pepper rings. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until dough is lightly browned. Remove from oven, and sprinkle evenly with thyme.

Happy New Year!

Foodie Friday: Learning Swedish

2011-12-09T12:18:00.000-08:00

Dale's grandma and her husband hold a sausage-making party every year. I am a lover of all kinds of parties, but I have to admit that this was my very first venture into sausage-making. Turns out that it's quite fun!

Based on an old Swedish family recipe, we made Potatis Korv--which means "potato sausage." (You can check out a similar recipe here; the main difference that I noticed was that ours involved adding a mix of spices, including ground cloves.)

After starting the sausage-making process, I started to understand why a "party" was necessary...there were so many tasks: peeling potatoes, parboiling potatoes, chopping onions, running potatoes through a grinder, and lots and LOTS of mixing the meat, potatoes, onions, and spices by hand.

Next, we used an antique sausage stuffer to fill the casings, tying each one-pound sausage off with strings on both ends. It took us a while to get a feel for how fast each sausage should be filled, but settled into a nice production line after the first few sausages.

At the end of the night, were rewarded with a potatis korv and rotmos dinner. With lingonberry jam on the side, of course.

Rotmos is a nice alternative to traditional mashed potatoes. While I don't have D's grandma's recipe, you can recreate it by boiling and mashing together rutabagas, carrots, and potatoes. I don't think a little butter or cream would hurt, but you could always check out this page a more detailed recipe for rotmos.

In learning more about Swedish food, I kept running across this Swedish proverb: “Fear less, hope more; Eat less, chew more; Whine less, breathe more; Talk less, say more; Love more, and all good things will be yours." As we approach the holidays, these tips seem to be particularly nice ones to keep in mind. However, if hoping, chewing, breathing, saying, and loving doesn't make you happier, I suggest checking out some Awkward Family Photos. They always bring a smile to my face.

Happy Friday!

Lindsey

Sweet Athena Freebie! December Background

2011-12-07T11:54:00.000-08:00

1024 x 768 / 1280 x 800 / 1440 x 900 / 1920 x 1200 / iPhone

Full of jewel tones, December's freebie background is free for you to fancy up your desktop. Just click one of the links above to enjoy.

Ya'll can thank Jess for such a beautiful photo of Dale Chihuly's artwork at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. I think it's perfect for the holidays.

~ Linz
P.S. I finally finished my fall quarter grad classes! I hope to be around Sweet Athena a bit more in the coming weeks. Looking forward to it!

Sew & Tell: Altering a Knit Sweater

2011-12-04T15:24:00.000-08:00

I have this sweater I love, but it is a bit too baggy and loose for my liking. I found a great tutorial from Making This Home who had Portlander Suzannah of Adventures in Dress Making as a guest blogger.

By just turning the sweater inside out and sewing in a little a bit, I was able to get the results I wanted. One of the simplest solutions I have had to an ill fitted piece of garment.

I also felt like the ribbing on my sleeves were too baggy, so I turned them inside out and used the same technique on the bottom part. As you can see from the picture above to the one below, it really did make a difference.

Of course to model my new sweater I needed to smile and wave for the camera. Photo taken courtesy of my new roommate, Amy!

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Veggie Packed Soup

2011-12-02T06:00:00.000-08:00

I have come to realize through these Foodie Friday posts that Linz and I might have a borderline obsession with soup. We might just need to start a weekly post like 'Sunday Soups' to fill all the soup recipes we do around here?!?! While I am kidding about going that far, I am in fact doing yet another post on soup. This one is from a (mostly) fashion blogger, JenLovesKev and I could not help share it because it is so easy and healthy! I tried it out because Jen is a marathon runner, vegetarian and she talked about eating this soup for her lunches while training. I made a big batch one Sunday while training for my own half marathon and it really was an awesome meal to have around.

Ingredients:

1 Container Vegetable Stock
Large Container-V8 Juice
Small Red Potatoes-quatered
1 can Chickpeas
1 can Kidney Beans
1 can Navy Beans
3 Orange Bell Peppers-chopped
5 Ribs Celery-chopped
5 Carrots-chopped
1 Bunch Broccoli-chopped
1 Bunch Kale-chopped
1 cup Peas
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Oregano
Salt and Pepper to taste

The great thing about this recipe is that it is very easy to cater it to your taste. The first time I made it I found one bell pepper to not be enough and I did not use the whole bunch of kale I bought, even though I later realized it would have worked well to have more kale. So, add a little bit more of what you like and skip what you do not.

Simmer vegetable stock, V8 juice with potatoes until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue to cook until vegetables which your preferred tender/crisp status. You may want to wait on adding all of the vegetable stock and V8 until after you have added the other ingredients so as to see how liquidy you would like to make your soup.

Happy slurping,

Jess

She Flies with Her Own Wings

2011-12-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Do you know your state motto? I was unaware until recently that Oregon's motto was 'She Flies with Her Own Wings' otherwise known to many Portlanders as 'Put A Bird On It'. Linz and I plan to take the next 3 months to dive a little deeper into learning about our beloved (adopted) state. With Oregon as our seasonal theme we are excited to cook with our favorite local ingredients, make crafts figuratively and literally about the state and infuse these next 12 weeks with good ole fashion Northwest values (read: sustainability).

Do you like posing in front of state signs? My college roommates and I take the art of being silly with state signs to a new level. We have spent many awesome hours (yes hours) having photo shoots in front of state signs.

~Jess & Linz

Craft Round Up: Retro Crafts

2011-11-30T06:00:00.000-08:00

As we hit the last day of our season of vintage, it is time for another round up of all the lovely craft projects we did not have time to try, but still admired.

Wild Olive teaches us a simple way to turn a vintage spool into a necklace.

I always forget that table runners are a cute way to add style to your dinner. This collection of discarded photos made into a table runner seems like a good way to start. As seen on Oh So Beautiful Paper.

Here's a tutorial from Burda Style on how to add cording or piping to your outfits. Maybe I should add this to my next Sew & Tell outfit?!

Even with a series on embroidery there is of course more tutorials to try! This hand dish towel has great detail, but looks very simple to make from Serendipity Handmade.

Of all my kitchen supplies I own, treat stands is not one of them. These tiny treat stands from Craftzine might be just what I need for the next Foodie Friday.

~Jess

Foodie Saturday: Mulled Wine

2011-11-26T10:41:00.000-08:00

First, a couple of answers:

Yes, Thanksgiving festivities distracted me from posting Foodie Friday on Friday.

No, it wasn't because I was partaking in Black Friday shopping. : )

Now a question:

How was your Thanksgiving?

I hope you had a good one. I know I did, as evidenced by my lack of attention to all things Internet. It was nice to see family, eat decadently, and avoid homework. To celebrate this change in pace, I created my very first batch of mulled wine.

As I learned from my research, there are many ways to go about this warm and wintery beverage. I listed the spices I used below, but feel free to customize based on your own preferences. I also added a bit of liquor to punch things up. Completely optional, but quite delicious. Next time, I might go with an orange liquor.

Mulled Wine (a cozy beverage to enjoy with friends and family)

1 bottle of red wine
1/2 cup sugar
zest of 1 orange
1 cinnamon stick
5 allspice berries
5 cloves
dash of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
2 Tbsp. liquor (optional; I used anise-flavored liquor)

Combine all ingredients in a small pot over medium-high heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Let it just get to a boil, then turn the heat down to low and cook for about 30 minutes. Serve warm.

Happy Post-Thanksgiving!

Linz

Foodie Friday: Apple Pie Cookies (Sorta)

2011-11-18T19:37:00.000-08:00

I was thinking the week before Thanksgiving was the prefect timing to do a post on apple pie cookies. Pie for me goes under the classic dish category and I thought it would be fun to focus on something that many people have on their mind with the upcoming Holiday (in less than a week!). It is therefore just a coincidence that Linz confesses last week on Foodie Friday that she does not care for crust that much and then I have my next Foodie Friday be all about the crust. I guess that's the bonus of Sweet Athena, two opinions for the price of one. So for all of you out there that gasped (as I did, seriously, didn't know that one about her) when Linz said crust wasn't her thing, this post is for you.

I like these apple pie cookies from Smitten Kitten for two reasons. It is a fun playful take on the classic (with built in portion control) and her information on making crust is A-MAZING! I love to bake over cooking and I think all great bakers should know how to really make a crust. It is an art form. I consider myself still an amateur, but lucky enough to be trained by one of the greats (my grandmother). If you are looking to sharpen up your crust skills, Smitten Kitten is a great place to start with tips not just in this last recipe, but also on rolling and mastering the buttery flaky crust.

Having raved about this recipe, I must say I kind of screwed it up and ended up with mini apple pies. Do not get me wrong, they were quite tasty, just not "cookies". I did two things differently, which if ever I wanted mini apple pies again, I would follow. First I made my dough disc bigger, and the bottom one was a bigger ratio than the top compared to the other recipe. This made it so that the fork pressed look did not really work, but pinching the sides made it look great. I also cut my apples into thin slice pieces and mixed them in the sugary mixture ahead of time. This last one I think is really just a style preference.

The verdict is that I think this would be clever little addition to a Thanksgiving dessert table. Especially if you are a guest asked to bring some sides. It may be slightly more time consuming, but worth it.

~Jess

Book Review: My Mom, Style Icon by Piper Weiss

2011-11-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

November's Book Review is about a blog turned book called, 'My Mom, Style Icon'. I thought it was perfect for this season of vintage. The book is a collection of submissions of daughters' favorite photos of their mothers and the outfits they loved to wear. I think the tag line says it all, "Moms-their style was born before we were."

In the spirit of the book I decided to do a submission for the blog, My Mom, Style Icon AND my mom did a submission of her mother! Can you tell I'm excited to get my mom involved?!

Mom: Jean Fox

Daughter: Jessica Fox

Era: Early 80's (pre-me!)

I picked this outfit to feature because my mom looks so cute and put together. I love how the shoes match the purse, it's simple yet stylish. I would wear this outfit today.

Here are a few extra photos from this time period. Check out the red earrings matching the red tights, matches that laugh perfectly. Of course I'm in love with the fact that my mom wore ballet flats on her wedding day.

Now my mom's submission:

Mom: Margaret Ryan Knowlton
Daughter: Jean Fox
Era: 1940's

"She always wore dresses or skirts and her hair was done up. It wasn't until the 60's that she started to wear pants. She never left the house without doing her hair and makeup. She had a classic look."

I could not help also add this cute photo of my grandparents. Polka dot dress and bows on the shoes, what's not to love!
~Jess

Lace Necklaces

2011-11-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

I have been admiring these type of lace necklaces for a while and finally figured out how to make a few of my own. I was actually able to pool my knowledge from a few other craft projects to help me figure out what I wanted.

I first tried to cut out designs from vintage lace that I had around (as seen in decorating a throw pillow). I cut out a few pieces and soaked them in starch, which I learn is a helpful technique from my jean wreath tutorial. But the lace was still too flimsy and did not have the look I was going for. That is when I remembered buying lace cutouts at a fabric store for t-shirt reconstruction week last Fall. And then it all came together.

Supplies Needed:
-Lace Cutouts (I used cutouts from a fabric store in the bridal section. You will want to find pieces with a bit more structure to them.)
-Starch
-Necklaces clasps
-Jewelry tools (such as pilers and cutters)
-Tea bags (optional)
For bead necklace: beads, bead wire, bottom clamp bead tips
For chain necklace: jewelry chain, jumper rings

How to Make Lace Necklaces:
1) Step one is optional: If you would like to give your lace a more vintage feel (as I did for the chain necklace), soak it in a bowl of hot water with a few tea bags (I used 3). Let it sit out to dry.
2) Soak lace in a bowl of starch. Let it sit out to dry.

For bead necklace:

1) String bead wire through end of lace and string beads along each side to desired length. Repeat on the other side.
2) Tie bead wire in a knot at the end of the beads. Attach bottom clamp bead tips.
3) Attach necklace clasps.

For chain necklace:
1) Attach jewelry chain at desired length to jumper ring. Attach jumper ring to end of lace. Repeat on the other side.
2) Add extra beads or charms hanging from the side if you so desire.

I found I liked it best having one side of the necklace longer than the other so the lace can hang at an angle. For the beaded necklace I made it uneven on purpose. For the chain, I was able to keep them the same length, but can place the clasp anywhere along the chain, making it more versatile.

~Jess

Produce Tree

2011-11-13T13:58:00.000-08:00

Almost a year ago Linz and I were in a Christmas store with friends admiring all the lovely decorations. We were noticing how many of the Christmas trees had themes to them, all one color, ballerina(!), fishing, and so on. Linz said she would love a tree that was all produce themed. I, of course, could not get this idea out of my head and have finally completed a little produce tree.

Making it was very simple. I used felt, embroidery floss, and stuffing to give each piece a little curve. I then used embroidery floss to hang each one.

Here are the fruit and veggies I made for the tree: watermelon, blueberry, strawberry, orange, pear, banana, grapes, cherries, grapefruit, potato, eggplant, radish, green peas, corn and a carrot.

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Chicken Not Pie

2011-11-11T09:05:00.000-08:00

With the days getting colder, I found myself fantasizing last weekend about chicken pot pie. For me, this dish is the epitome of comfort foods: it's rich, creamy, and warms you up inside and out. The only thing I don't like about c.p.p. is the crust. I'm a bit afraid to admit this in public, but I am not a crust person. Sweet or savory, I usually just eat this inside of pies.

That is why I knew Mark Bittman's Chicken Not Pie was a recipe perfect for me. Plus, it is packed full of veggies (including leeks, which are awesome.) I found it in Bittman's lovely book Food Matters, but you can actually see Bittman make it himself on the Today show. I also love the Today show. : )

Mark Bittman's Chicken Not Pie (from Food Matters)

Makes 4 servings

1/4 cup olive oil
2 leeks, washed well and diced, including some of the green part
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dry white wine or water
1 cup vegetable stock or more water
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or tarragon leaves or a good pinch dried thyme or tarragon
2 boneless chicken breasts (1 whole breast, split in half), or 4 whole chicken tenderloins
2 or 3 large all-purpose potatoes (like redskin or Yukon Gold), peeled if you like and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium carrots or parsnips, cut into coins
1/2 pound sugar snap peas or snow peas, trimmed and strings removed if necessary; or 1 cup shell peas (frozen are fine)
1/2 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

1. Put half of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the leeks, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, stock, and herb; bring to a boil, and let bubble for a minute or two.

2. Add the chicken, turn the heat down to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the meat is barely cooked through, 5 or 6 minutes. Remove the chicken.
3. Add the potatoes and bring to a boil; reduce the heat so the liquid bubbles enthusiastically; and cook until the potatoes are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the carrots or parsnips and cook for another couple of minutes. By now the liquid should be thickening; if not, turn the heat up and cook another couple of minutes, stirring to prevent the vegetables from sticking. Add the remaining oil gradually, stirring vigorously with the back of a spoon as you do so.
4. Add the peas and asparagus to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are brightly colored and just tender, about 3 minutes. Chop or slice the chicken and return it to the pot, along with any juices that have accumulated and the lemon juice. When warmed through, taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve in shallow bowls, garnished with the parsley.

~Linz

Mod Podge Photo Collage Tray

2011-11-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

While in this theme of all things retro I cannot help but associate crafts that relate to my family. I love that vintage items are often things my parents or grandparents grew up with. It's a way to connect with family members from a part of their life when I was not around.

One of the cool things about my mother is that she grew up with four sisters (and four brothers for that matter) and her mother also grew up with four sisters. Having no sisters myself I find the dynamic of having four sisters and then having five daughters of your own to be very interesting. I therefore decided to raid my mother's photo collection to find photographs of my grandmother with her sisters growing up (mostly in their 20's) and then photos of her with my mom and her sisters. I included photos of the men in their lives (my mom's uncles, father and brothers), but I liked the idea of keeping the focus on this unique family dynamic of women.

I scanned all of the photos and enlarged some, while shrinking others and printed them out on computer paper. I would be repeating the photos in the project and I wanted to have diverse sizes to fit in all the places I would need.

I found this wood tray at a thrift store and thought it would be perfect for mod podging.

I first laid out everything on the center to get a general idea of where I wanted to place the photos. I then sprayed the tray with adhesive spray. Try to get as much of the tray as possible as you can only spray it once (if you missed a corner you need to use mod podge as you do not want any adhesive spray to get on the surface of any photo). The photos are some what forgiving if you misplace the photo when you lay it down. Once you have found the spot for a photos you need to press it down and make sure there are no bubbles in it.

If you are mod podging anything with a round surface try to as many photos as possible to hang over the edge on the first around of spray adhesive, as it is easier and looks cleaner to fold photos over the top to the bottom then fold photos over from the bottom to the top.

After you have added photos to the front, repeat on the back. I found it best to mostly use photos you used on the front, but in different sizes so as to create an interesting back, but one that was not more intriguing than the top. It also gives it a bit of a wallpaper effect by using the same photos, which I enjoyed.

Once you have done the top and bottom of the tray it is time to fill in the sides of the tray where the photos did not overlap. For this you will use only mod podge by putting it where on the tray you want to place the photo and then on top of the photo itself once you have put it down. Do not worry about making a mess or getting mod podge on other photos, the entire thing will be covered in a couple of layers of mod podge. Just go for it.

The next step is of course to cover the entire tray with mod podge. Wiping it all over the front, letting it dry and then the same on the back.

Go through the entire process again, but this time with a high gloss finish spray.

Volia! You have a lovely fruit tray to remind you of your family connections.

~Jess

Hand Stitched Cards

2011-11-06T16:43:00.000-08:00

While figuring out what crafts I wanted to try out for our retro theme I realized I was being pulled towards making things that involved embroidery floss. Seeing my theme within a theme I've decided Sundays around here for the month of November would involve a craft with embroidery floss.

The first up is a simple and clever way to give your letters a bit more personal touch. Blogger Leigh-Ann from Freckled Nest has a great tutorial on how to hand stitch saying and designs onto cards.

I started simple with this 'hello' card.

I then tried a longer saying, 'hey there!'. I would make this a little bigger next time as I worry the e's and r's are a bit tough to read.

With each card I started to add a bit more. Here I wrote, 'Happy Fall' and a design.

My favorite is by far this robot picture. It was just as easy as writing out letters and clearly shows your own imagination is all that limits you in making cards like this.

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Lentil Loaf

2011-11-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

I do not talk often about the fact that I am a vegetarian here on the blog, but it is an important part of my life. I hope the food posts around here feel like a feature on tasty food and not an alternative thing to eat if you do not eat meat. I find when you focus on vegetarian eating with a constant attempt to replace meat with an "alternative" the results tend to be quite boring, a let down and why in the first place am I trying to make an imitation to something I did not want to eat in the first place. Hence the lack of fake meat product posts around here.

Having explained all that, I could not resist doing a Lentil "Meat" Loaf Foodie Friday for our retro theme. For starters meat loaf screams blast from the past food to me and secondly I never ate meat loaf growing up and am not really sure what it should taste like. Therefore lentil loaf to me is just a yummy way to cook lentils (which I love!) and an excuse to slather BBQ sauce on something (another love of mine!).

I very loosely used a recipe from Epicurious, it was kind of like a guide and I really did my own thing when making this dish.
Ingredients:
1 cup dried lentils
2 cups water
1 onion- diced
9 cloves garlic- minced
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. rosemary
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. sage
1 Tbl. basil
1 Tbl. red chili pepper flakes (optional)
1 small can tomato sauce
1 Tbl. mustard (optional)
1 egg
2 ribs celery-diced small
About 1 cup mushrooms-diced small
1 cup quick oats
salt and pepper (to taste)
olive oil

Clean lentils. In pan add lentils, water, onion and 3 of the cloves of garlic mined, bay leaf, cumin, salt and pepper. Bring ingredients to a boil, cover and simmer for 25 minutes. Drain any extra water, throw away bay leaf and mash everything together (with a potato masher or even a fork works).

Add diced celery to a pan with a little olive oil and cook a bit before adding mushrooms and the other 6 cloves of garlic. Once the mushrooms start to turn brown add all remaining spices.

Mix together lentil mixture with celery and mushroom saute. Add mustard if you so desire. Mix in oatmeal, egg and half of the tomato sauce. Add to an oven safe baking dish and spread with the remaining tomato sauce. Cook for about 50 minutes. Allow to cool a bit before serving. Slather with BBQ sauce or ketchup, if one is in to that sort of thing.

Green beans, mashed potatoes and a glass of milk seemed like the perfect combination.

~Jess

Sweet Athena Freebie! November Background

2011-11-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

1024 x 768 / 1280 x 800 / 1440 x 900 / 1920 x 1200 / iPhone

Free for you to fancy up your own desktop, November's monthly wallpaper is now available. Enjoy!

~ Linz

Book Review: Vintage Jewelry Design by Caroline Cox

2011-10-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

This season seemed like the perfect time to add a new monthly series where we review craft, cook (or whatever else moves us at the moment) books. In preparation for this new series I checked out a couple of vintage craft books from the library and also on a bit of a whim, 'Vintage Jewelry Design' by Caroline Cox.

Halloween day may appear to be an odd pairing for a review of a Jewelry book, but I figured that many of you had recently hit up your local thrift stores looking for just the right accessories for your costumes and this type of shopping would be on people's minds. This book is just the kind of reference guide that could be helpful in finding the pieces for the era you are going for.

Picture from page 67 with the caption,
"A carved red Bakelite dress clip of 1931 shows how
naturalistic forms were simplified in this era
to echo the fluid minimalism of the 1930's fashion silhouette."

I have been pleasantly surprised by how interesting this book is (a girl and I even been became buds on the max over this book!). First it has an amazing amount of well done photos of different jewelry from the 20th Century. Maybe that seems like an obvious statement, but this book really does balance information with photos well. The focus is on a wide variety of photographs and packs in as many types of pieces as possible. It is informative with plenty of knowledge, but still keeping the focus on all the pretty pictures of pieces from the last 100 years.

It is also an inspiration to anyone looking to make their own jewelry as is gives you a timeline and understanding of the history of jewelry over the last century.

The thing though that really surprised me about checking out this book was my realization about just how many vintage pieces I have (I understand mine are knock offs made during that time and not the mostly costly ones in the book). Still, I have a lot of brooches from my Grandmother and it was really cool to see multiple pieces in the book and realize I own a version of that too.

Here is a picture from the book with my own brooch from Linz next to it.
Not the same, but you can see the similar style.
The picture from page 91 is a 1940's brooch

I also love how this book adds in artwork and pictures of the models wearing the pieces of the time. Giving even more context to the style being discussed.

I recommend checking out this book to anyone looking to gain a little bit more knowledge about all the vintage pieces they own and adore looking at. It is nice to look through the book, see what you like and understand your own style a little better. Cox also has a book called 'Vintage Shoes' which I have not looked through, but imagine it would be a just as exciting for anyone interested in accessorizing their feet from the last century.

~Jess

Fabric Bowls

2011-10-30T11:27:00.000-07:00

When I saw a tutorial from Prudent Baby on how to make Scrap-busting Fabric Bowls I thought it was the perfect craft project to try over here on Sweet Athena for our retro theme.

I gathered my supplies:

Fabric cut into 1" strips

1/2" piping cord

Crochet Hook

And got to work.

Here's what I learned along the way:

When cutting the fabric into 1" strips don't worry about the extra threads, that's half the charm.

I had trouble finding piping cord, but rope works just as well.
Look for rope that is smooth and flexible.
Sizes help to create a desired look, but I would not go smaller than 1/4" (the size I used).

Have fun mixing and matching colors.
Some of my bowls had two patterns of fabrics, while others had 5.
Here are the four bowls I made:

Starting the bowl is the hardest part. I changed my style slightly from the original tutorial so that I wrapped the fabric around the first loop fully (as seen above). I was finding it impossible to get a tight center without doing this. This part might take a few tries. Keep at it and if you don't like the look of it, just re-do it until you have what your looking for.

Each of my bowls was better than the last.
I think this is because I figured out how to wrap each one better.
Makes sure to fully overlap the last fabric or it will poke out.
Also pull as tightly as you can when joining the two pieces of rope
and do this as often as possible. This creates a sturdy bowl.

The great thing about these bowls is that you can decide what size and depth you would like each bowl depending on its purpose. Once you have the diameter you want on the bottom just start bringing the rope up as you wrap it.

Perfect for storing all your odds and ends. ~Jess

Foodie Friday: French Toast & Berry Pears

2011-10-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

I love breakfast foods, especially the ones that are usually reserved for the weekends. However, when Dale gave me the idea of making French toast this morning, I dismissed him. "French toast is for the weekend," I said. But then I remembered how little time French toast takes to make. And I saw the pears sitting on our counter...

So, here I am, with a delicious breakfast to celebrate Friday!

French Toast & Berry Pears
(Single serving)
Toast ingredients:

Bread (I used 2 thick slices of leftover French bread)
2 eggs
1 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp of vanilla
Dashes of your favorite spices; I used cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom

Fruit topping ingredients:

1 pear, sliced
1.5 tsp butter
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 scoop of berry jam
1 tsp lemon juice

Beat your eggs and mix in the milk, vanilla and spices. Start soaking your bread slices. Flip after a few minutes so the other side can soak the goodness up.
Heat your butter in a small saucepan until melted. Add your brown sugar and still until it bubbles. Add the pear, jam and lemon juice. Cook until pears are soft, and remove from heat.
Heat a bit of butter in a frying pan and cook the bread until golden brown.
To serve, scoop the fruit over the bread. I added a dollop of Greek yogurt on top...along with a touch of maple syrup.
Enjoy as you would on a weekend!

Craft Round Up: Vintage Fall Decorations

2011-10-25T21:41:00.000-07:00

Halloween is less than a week away and I thought I would share some of my favorite vintage inspired Halloween and Fall craft projects.

These candy corn vases from The Swell Life look like a Halloween version of Milk Glass.

I'm in love with these yarn gourds by Two Shades of Pink.

Does anyone else associate mod podge crafts with the 70's? Random Thoughts of a Supermom took that classic crafting tool to create these cute pumpkins.

As we learned from Linz a couple of weeks ago Jello Molds are in when re-creating retro food. Check out KitchenDaily for a tutorial of a candy corn version.

This spider web created from a doily and black embroidery hoop makes an easy wall hanging to make from Rusty Rooster Vintage.

I suppose this burlap tray could be used at any season, but I think it looks perfect for the Fall. Head over to Crafting A Green World to find out how to make your own.

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Adventures in Homemade Ice Cream Making

2011-10-21T21:06:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned on Monday I felt like I have not been around the blog much lately.

For this I seek to put the blame on one object.

Yep, this ice cream maker is the culprit. You see, my grandparents gave me their ice cream maker a few months back and my intention was to try making some tasty ice cream, take a few photos and blog about it for one Foodie Friday.

I started out with your basic strawberry ice cream recipe from ice-cream-recipes.com, unsure of what to expect. With my roommate Alex as my helpful sidekick in this endeavor, we got cooking. From this first batch I discovered if you are going to use frozen fruit you must let it thaw to room temperature. This may seem like an obvious fact, but when you are excited to get going, mostly thawed and mashed seem like they will do. I think it gave the fruit a bit of an icy taste at times. We did however enjoy the ice cream so much we consumed all of it before I got around to photographing it. There is of course only one solution to this problem, more ice cream making.

For our next attempt I decided I needed to get a bit more elaborate and went with a Cherry Ice Cream recipe, but instead of chunks of chocolate I went for bits of homemade brownies. This round was also gobbled up. Yet, I was left a bit unsatisfied. I mistakenly made a large pan of brownies when I should have used a smaller pan to make a thicker batch. Something was also a bit off with the consistency.

More experimentation was needed!

After our whirl with Cherry Brownie Ice Cream, it was decided to stick to a chunky ice cream theme. Which lead us to try Cookie Dough Ice Cream. The recipe was from Fashionably Foodie and the reason I decided to try it was because it was more of a custard based. The recipe also talked about the dangers of raw egg in the cookie dough, which I never worry about, but thought, hey, maybe I should. I therefore made the cookie dough without egg and it turned out a bit funny. It was not gelling together, so I added more milk, which was of course too much. I added more flour, but it was still off, so I beat it longer and it became fluffier than I had ever seen cookie dough get. At this point I gave up and added it to the ice cream. BEST. MOVE. EVER. Oh and the fact that the recipe calls for half the cookie dough into the mix, but I added it all. This was not your chunky cookie dough ice cream, but every bite had cookie dough love screaming on your taste buds. Another key factor to this success was using dark chocolate chunks in the cookie dough instead of your standard little chocolate chips. Sometimes, it is all about the little things. If you ever decide to make cookie dough ice cream I would recommend making a light over mixed batch of cookie dough which infuses into the ice cream.

Have you guessed the next point in our tale? A chocolate based ice cream of course! Chocolate Fudge Swirl Peanut Butter Ice Cream to be exact. Using a recipe from Brown Eyed Baker it was time to dive into the world of chocolate. This one has had the smoothest texture of all the ice creams I have tried thus far. Once again your two heroes had to take the serious business of ice cream making one step further by making another batch of cookies for the ultimate cookie ice cream sandwich. Which of course lead me to a new realization this week.

I could not only be making ice cream flavors I wanted for their sake alone, but now my baked goods could be accompanied by the exact ice cream flavor I wanted. Oh the madness! So earlier this week I made Pear Upside Down Cake using a maple topping on the cake. What better ice cream to pair it with than Maple Pecan?!?! I used a recipe from Chocolate and Zucchini and I think it turned out well. When I asked Alex if he had any thoughts on the latest ice cream, he stated, "yeah, I wish I had more." So there you have it, I'll be doubling the batches from now on.

~Jess

Mmmmm Monday: Pear Upside Down Cake

2011-10-17T20:05:00.000-07:00

Hello Lovelies! I cannot believe how long I have been absent from Sweet Athena, I have missed this place. About a year ago when Linz and I started Foodie Friday, we debated between doing our weekly food posts as 'Foodie Friday' or 'Mmmmm Monday'. You all know which was our favorite, but as a token of peace for my silence in the blog world I am offering up a bonus food post to get your week started.

When I think about retro dessert, Pineapple Upside Down Cake definitely comes to mind. Did you know there is a website that gives time lines and histories of different foods? It is intense. I do like that there is an entire section devoted to cake! And of course within that, a history of PUDC. Sounds like its origins are a little bit of a mystery, but was the bees knees in the 20's.

While I have had Pineapple Upside Down Cake before and enjoyed it, making a seasonal version of the cake sounded more appealing. It is amazing just how many types of fruit-y upside down cakes are out there. I settled on trying a pear recipe from the New York Times.

It ended up being better than I expected. I have not had PUDC since I was a child, but this was so much tastier! Seriously, if you are looking for a yummy, easy, seasonal dish, this recipe here is your friend. Or just stop by my place and I'll cut you a slice. I think the thing that made this dish work was the combination of pears and real maple syrup. It created a dense, moist cake with a sweeeeeet topping. Oh yeah, and I added a scoop of homemade ice cream. Curious about that? Tune in Friday for our regularly scheduled program.

~Jess

Sweet Athena Freebie! October Background

2011-10-06T13:43:00.000-07:00

1024 x 768 / 1280 x 800 / 1440 x 900 / 1920 x 1200 / iPhone

Flying in a little late, here is October's free desktop wallpaper (for personal use only, of course.) A bit dark and spooky, I think it fits this month quite nicely.

Personally, October is proving to be a busy month for me. Full-time work and full-time grad school leave little time to make delicious meals, try new crafts, or even see the people I love so much. With that in mind, I'm sorry to say that my contributions to Sweet Athena might be a little more infrequent in the near future. But don't worry; I'll poke in to say, "hi" every week or two, if only just to keep myself sane/balanced!

~ Linz

Foodie Friday: Jello Molds!

2011-09-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

This retro-themed season means that we get to try out some crazy things. Making the top of my list of kooky projects has been to attempt a good old jello mold. I'm not sure I have ever really had a real jello mold, but I do remember being fascinated by the beautiful copper molds on my grandma's kitchen wall when I was little. The fish was my favorite.

When Dale came home with a small copper mold from his grandmother, I knew it was time to take the leap into the jello world. After doing some research and finding some spectacular inspiration (check out The Jello Mold Mistress of Brooklyn to be amazed), I dove in with true Lindsey style by improvising the whole thing.

I went with a piña colada concoction. I won't reprint the proportions that I used, as I ended up using way to much gelatin, but the ingredients included Knox gelatin, water, pineapple juice, pineapple chunks, sweetened condensed milk, and coconut rum. As you can see from the photos, the milk gelatin ended up sinking to the bottom, hiding the pineapple section (which I colored pink for fun.)

Because my copper mold was so small, I also used a flat bowl as a secondary mold. I think it turned out looking pretty awesome:

Like I said, I used too much gelatin to make eating the fruit part of the jello pleasurable. The milk portions, however, remained quite creamy and piña colada-like. I am clearly a newbie to this process, but I'm looking forward to trying out some more molds. They just look so crazy and colorful!

~Linz

Foodie Friday: Carrot Apple Ginger Soup

2011-09-16T13:08:00.000-07:00

Soup season is back and I am pumped! To celebrate, I created a special recipe with ingredients on hand. While I have tasted soups featuring carrots, apples, and ginger previously, this soup also includes a kick of spice to complement the sweetness of the primary ingredients. Enjoy!

Carrot Apple Ginger Soup

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. butter
1 shallot, diced
1 scallion, diced
1/2 hot chili, seeded and diced (this is optional, but recommended)
4 cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
1 Tbsp. finely diced fresh ginger
14 oz. grated carrot
2 medium apples, grated
1.5 tsp salt
2 cups milk (I used coconut milk for some sweetness)
Dash of ground cinnamon
Dash of ground cardamom
Dash of ground gloves

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot on medium-high heat. Add the shallot, scallion and chili and sauté for about two minutes to soften.
Add the broth and water. Stir in the fresh ginger.
Add the shredded carrots and apple, stir. Add salt. Cook on medium to medium until vegetables are very tender (about 40 minutes), stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Stir in milk. Using your preferred blending method, blend the soup until it is smooth. (I love my immersion blender for this because it doesn't require transferring the soup from the pot.)
Return soup to heat until warm. Serve and garnish with a drop of plain greek yogurt.

Happy Weekend.

Linz

Falling back in time

2011-09-09T18:15:00.000-07:00

Oh no! We seem to have hit some kind of time warp, pulling us into the past.

It looks like we'll be stuck here for a while...probably the next three months. Gosh, I guess we'll just have to make the best of it!

Inspired by our new state of mind, Sweet Athena is going retro for the fall season. We'll try out kitschy crafts, look back at near-and-dear style icons, and have fun with recipes of days gone by (Jello molds, anyone?) Stay tuned to see what happens!

~Linz & Jess

Craft Round Up: Nature Theme

2011-09-04T07:15:00.000-07:00

Linz and I are pumped to tell you about another(!) series we are adding to Sweet Athena. It seems no matter how many crafts we try and create each season, there is always more to take on. That is why the last post of each season we are going to share with you some tutorials we have not had the chance to try, but enjoy.

Floral and plant hairpieces seem like an inevitable nature craft. This one utilizes my love for felt.

Four Leaf Clover Headband by Dollar Store Crafts

Rocks are a part of nature we did not really explore this season, yet I am very much in love with this necklace and plan on trying to make it soon.

Geometric Necklace by Dismount Creative

Another cute craft using clay.

Floral Stamped Clay Bangles by Paper, Plate and Plane

I really cannot decide if I like the gold acorns or the felt ones more. They both hold their own charm (oh, that was so not meant to be a pun).

Gilded Acorn Charms by Design Sponge

Felted Acorn Ornaments by Crafting A Green World

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Crema

2011-09-02T07:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a new type of dish pops out at you and you just have to try it. That is the way I felt about crema after reading an article about it in The Oregonian. Sauteed onions, walnuts, a new type of pesto, it all sounded so tasty and fun. Which is exactly what crema turned out to be.

Ingredients for Crema:
-1 1/2 cups walnuts
-1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-verigin olive oil
-2 yellow onions
-salt (to taste)
-chili pepper flakes (optional, but adds a great extra layer of flavor, to taste)

Instructions:
Bring pot of salt water to boil, Add walnuts and blanch for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender in middle. Drain walnuts, reserving 1/4 cooking liquid. Set aside separately. In a saute pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt to saute until golden and tender. Remove from heat. In food processor, combine onion, walnuts and reserved liquid; process until creamy; gradually adding olive oil as needed and seasoning to taste. Crema should have the consistency of hummus (I enjoyed mine a little nuttier).

My first try with Crema was as a pasta sauce. I mixed together roasted asparagus, roasted cherry tomatoes along with the pasta and crema sauce. It is up to you how much sauce you want to add to the pasta, depending on how creamy you like your pasta to be.

The fun with crema doesn't stop there! I also trued this Pear and Walnut Crema Tart from Darjeeling Dreams. I highly recommend this recipe for a Fall meal. Crema is turning out to be quite the versatile sauce.

~Jess

Sweet Athena Freebie! September Background

2011-09-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

1024 x 768 / 1280 x 800 / 1440 x 900 / 1920 x 1200 / iPhone

Drawing inspiration from a recent garage sale find, here is September's free-for-personal-use desktop wallpaper! Though the piece of inspiration needs a little love (and cleaning up), I love it's style.

More than just wallpaper for your computer, this design might just be a hint at our next seasonal theme...I guess you'll have to check back after the holiday weekend to find out. ; )

~ Linz

Sew & Tell: Throw Pillows

2011-08-31T19:14:00.000-07:00

This Sew and Tell session is all about my recent decision that I needed to give our couch pillows a makeover. This was my first time making pillow cases and it really is an easy and inexpensive project. I used the same pillows cushions I was already using for the couch and left over fabric from other projects.

Since I was going to make three different pillow cases, I decided to try three different tutorials. The first pillow I made was based on directions from Vintage Revivals. This pillow case was very easy to make, although I did decide it was too big when I first stuffed my pillow. That's the nice thing about this project, it was easy to take off, put it inside out and re-sew along the seams about 1/4" closer in to give the whole thing a more snug fit.

Here is the first pillow with store bought.

The second pillow case was a very similar envelope design from Sparkle Power. This pillow I found be even easier than the first to make and even more versatile. This is because you are using three separate pieces of fabric and can a cute mix and match look. If you use the same fabric for the entire pillow (like I did) then both pillows have about the same look when they are finish, just different ways to get there.

For the third pillow I went back to the same tutorial from Sparkle Power, but was inspired by Adventures in Dress making to add some lace and ribbon.

All in all a very easy afternoon project. There are of course lots of other pillow tutorials waiting to be tried. I thought some of these would fun in the future.

Pressor Foot's Pleated Pillow

Adventures in Dress Making's Antro Orimono Pillow

Strictly Simply Style's Cashmere Pillow

Doesn't all this pillow talk make you want to curl up on the couch with a good book?!

~Jess

Fusing Glass

2011-08-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

I was recently lucky enough to take an afternoon art class with one of my favorite artists, my dad! He signed us up to take an 'Intro to Fusing' class at Aquila Glass. I honestly knew very little about this type of art before enrolling. The basic concept is simple, it involves taking pieces of certain types of glass and putting them together to form a larger design that is merged into one under a kiln. It might be easiest to show you what we worked on.

Before Kiln, My Dad's:

After Kiln, My Dad's:

Before Kiln, Mine:

After Kiln, Mine:

Here is my nature piece, a sunset and a wave:

All of our work together:

Me gluing on the final pieces of my project before sending it off to meld together.

After taking this class I have been more aware of this art form around me. Here are some fun Etsy items for sale that used glass fusion as a technique.

artglassfusion - Pony Tail Holder

AkashatonDesign - Four Seasons Coral Tray

UneekGlassFusions - Cabinet Knob

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Roasted Edamame Salad

2011-08-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

The sun is out and I'm excited to spend my time basking in its rays. Which means it is also that time of year to put a little less effort into standing over a hot stove. Today's Foodie Friday is a simple, healthy and tasty dish, that could be a great addition to any potluck, a side dish at dinner or I've been enjoying it for lunch. I do believe this is one of our first recipes on Sweet Athena from the Food Network. I kept mostly to the original Roasted Edamame Salad recipe by Alton Brown, just adding in chili pepper flakes to add a nice bite to a cold salad.

Enjoy,

~Jess

Blue Jean Wreath

2011-08-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

I love wreaths. This is in large part due to the fact that you can take any number of objects attach them in a circle form, et volia, you have a wreath!

Which is why I think wreaths are the perfect opportunity to take otherwise useless things and turn them into decorative greetings for your door. I saw a tutorial at Spin Cushion on how to take leftover tweed and use it to create a festive Christmas wreath. Using that as my inspiration, I took an old pair of jeans that had holes in a most awkward spot to create this wreath.

To make the wreath I drew a template of a leaf and then traced the leaf all over the jeans and cut them out. I then soaked each leaf in starch and laid them out to dry on parchment paper.

While drying the leaves I took a foam wreath from a craft store and covered it with white cotton fabric to use as the base to attach the jean leaves. To attach the leaves I first tried folding each leaf at the base to create more of a fuller look, but with the thickness of the jean material, I did not like the look of it. Instead I sewed the corner of each leaf to the wreath and repeated the process, overlapping the material as I went.

To finish off the look I added a few felt flowers, which I hot glued on. I used a tutorial from Little Things Bring Smiles to make the flowers.

~Jess

Family Tree

2011-08-20T15:18:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting to make a family tree for sometime now. Something that visually showed a connection to my ancestry. Martha Stewart has the best collection of tutorials on ways you can make and display your lineage.

I was inspired to try something like the Hand-Lettered Family Tree tutorial. This project ended up being as easy as they come. I broke down my knowledge of my family heritage into four parts, representing my four grandparents and wrote out the lineage as far back as I knew. I was then able to get an idea of how to best form the tree. I had a great deal more knowledge of both of my grandmothers' family histories, so I placed them in the center of the tree to add a fuller look. I started at the base by writing my name and my brothers in pencil. I then wrote out the different names of family members creating the branches. I thought I would keep needing to re-do the tree to get just the right look, but actually this was my first attempt. It all came together organically. I was then able to trace over the pencil with a black gel pen and erase the few pencil marks.

I then framed the picture and decide it would go well amongst other nature scenes in the living room. I like that from farther away you may not even realize that the tree is formed in words. Yet, upon closer inspection it is easy to see and understand my lineage.

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

2011-08-19T07:00:00.000-07:00

I would like to say that I plan all of my meals ahead of time, giving careful thought to what is best for me to eat, and then spending time meditating over my chopping, simmering, and plating. Most nights, however, I start thinking about dinner about fifteen minutes before I eat it.

This meal was not one of my routine dinners. While it was tremendously easy to make, it did take a bit of forethought and a good amount of time. Three hours, to be exact. However, those three hours mostly involved me lounging on a couch, watching Mad Men, and enjoying the scents of roasted garlic and herbs as they filled the room. It pretty much a perfect Sunday.

Slow-roasting tomatoes is one of those tricks that involve low effort for high reward. It's also one of those techniques I always kick myself for forgetting. I've only made them twice, but I vow to whip them out more often.

I simply took a batch of tomatoes (a mix of splendid ones from a friend's garden and two supermarket orbs that had been sitting on my counter for a week), doused them in rosemary and a couple of splashes of olive oil, added a couple of cloves of garlic, and put them in the oven at 200 degrees F for about 2.5 hours. I drew guidance from Smitten Kitchen's beautiful post, and next time, I will follow Deb's tip about lining the pan with parchment paper to avoid the crispy blackness at the bottom.

To make my tomatoes into a complete meal, I simply cooked some pasta, made a quick sauce with cream, parmesan, and butter, and added some shredded fresh basil on top. So, SO good. ~ Linz

Sew & Tell: Hemming a Skirt

2011-08-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

I recently hemmed my first skirt! If there was any confusion about my knowledge and level of sewing, I think this post should make it all clear. Sew & Tell is all about Linz and I learning to sew. I am by no means a skilled seamstress and my hope is that these posts will be helpful and inspiring for people out there also swimming their way through the ocean of fabric, needles and patterns. I'm starting out with the basics (hemming a skirt) and moving on from there. It is also my desire that these posts create a dialogue, if you have a better technique or idea, please share! I'm here to learn.

On to my shortened skirt. It turned out not to be quite the easy breezy project I thought it would be, owing to my own lack of direction on the the whole affair. I had this cute green skirt that I was feeling was at an awkward length of right below the knee. About 6 months ago I was hanging out with my cousin having one of our "sewing sessions" (read: cooking dinner together, drinking wine, bringing out our sewing machines, but forgetting to sew and just chatting). Instead of looking into how to hem a skirt, I literally just started cutting off fabric at the bottom, no measuring (or thinking about it for that matter). I quickly saw what a bad idea this was, stashed the skirt and ignored the issue until this week.

To hem the skirt I turned to the basic, but helpful eHow tutorial. Seeing as measuring was what I had lacked before, I then discovered that yes, changing the length of your cotton skirt is as easy as people say it is, so long as you put in a little effort on following a few directions.

Oh, you know, this is how I hang out in my living room:

Now let's talk about this picture for one minute. I'm still trying to figure out the pace of the Sew & Tell series and my lack of posting on it for a couple of weeks was due to my own nervousness about actually having anything to say on sewing. Clearly I have decided to forge on, but have come across a new dilemma. I'm uncertain how I want to photograph pictures of the final product, especially when said product involves me wearing it.

So, this is what I think is funny. I decided to experiment with a few posed pictures of me in the skirt and I'm looking through them and I realized I was actually walking around my living room waving at the camera. Pretty ridicules. But last time I checked, that's the way we like it around here.

~Jess

Crafting Outdoors

2011-08-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

When thinking about combining nature and crafting together for this season my mind jumped to all the ways you could add nature to different projects. I saw imagines of animals, plants and scenery incorporated into varies experiments I had in mind. Yet, crafting and nature go two ways, why not add a little of your creation to Mother Earth. Living in an urban area is the perfect place to add a little creative fun to your outdoor world. While walking the dog around the neighbor I noticed ways in which people have added their own touch to the streets.

One of my favorite outdoor crafters is Color Me Katie. Have you seen her work, it is full of whimsy and magic!

How cute is she!? What artists do you love that use the outdoors as their canvas?

I sign off with a picture of a sculpture of a Corgi in a yard that I often see on my way to the grocery store. A little ode to Linz's dog Oliver.

~Jess

Sprucing Up Furniture

2011-08-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

One of my goals for this past year was to take an ugly piece of furniture and transform it into something with a bit more charm. As I mentioned yesterday, my new apartment could use some extra decoration TLC, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity.

I started with this gem from the a thrift store for about $8. Our living room was in need of an end table to hold all of our lovely odds and of course ends.

To start, I lightly sanded the entire thing and wiped it down to remove all the dust and dirt. I then sprayed the entire piece with a primer. I was expecting this part and painting to be a problem as there are lots of angles and cuts outs. It turned out to be quite simple to maneuver around and the worry was all for not.

My next step was to paint the end table. I used left over paint I had from painting a room at my parent's house, as it was a neutral color, which I thought would work well and the ever convenient price of free.

The real fun in the whole project was adding a design. I knew I wanted to add only a few extras, so I was able to go to a home painting store and buy just what I needed in the sample section. I bought three different small bottles of paint for only $2 a piece.

I painted a vine type design on opposite sides of the stand, along with the same design on two rows on the top.

I'm really happy with the end results. I feel like I accomplished all of my goals with this project:

1) Tried my hand at transforming a piece of furniture

2) Did not spend a significant amount of money. About $15 total for the table and supplies

3) Functional addition to the living room

~Jess

Painted Tree

2011-08-14T14:07:00.000-07:00

It feels like it has been awhile since I have written a nature post around here. This is not from lack of crafting, I suppose I have just been too lost in creating and neglecting the sharing side. So, if no one minds I'll be taking these last few weeks of August to catch up on what I have been working on.

I figured the best way to start this return, was sharing about my afternoon of feeling like a kid again. I live in a funky little apartment at the moment, and decorating it has been a bit of a challenge. The main reason being I do not plan to live here long, so investing in decorations feel pricey, but I still want my place to feel homey.

For example, I have a front window, which is bubbled, so it lets in some light, but no one can see in or out, and it was feeling lackluster. Linz suggested I paint the window, adding a little fun to an otherwise boring corner of the room.

It really was one of the easiest projects I have ever done. I bought some kid's water soluble paint at a dollar store and went to work, adding. I liked that with this project I was able to channel my inner child and do something silly (and a little naughty, painting a window!). An easy and cheap solution to an otherwise dull space.

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Eggs Benedict

2011-08-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Brunch around Portland can be a big deal, like plan your weekend around it big deal. My personal go to item to judge a brunch place on, is Eggs Benedict. It is over the top rich, so it feels like a treat when eating out, it's difficult to make, so it feels a bit risky when ordering it and it typically has meat in it, so it is interesting to see what kind of vegetarian alternatives are paired with the recipe. My favorite place for Eggs Benedict in Portland is currently the Country Cat. They make it with an extra lemony sweetness to the dish that makes me swoon.

While Portlanders love flocking to restaurants on the weekend for bite to eat, staying in and whipping up your own concoction can be just as entertaining and tasty. This past weekend I tackled none other than my favorite breakfast dish.

I started with making homemade English Muffins, because really, if I going to do this, I might as well really do this. This was my first time making English Muffins and it will not be my last. They are seriously one of the easiest baked goods I have ever made. I used the recipe from Tasty Kitchen and it is as simple as Georgia presents it to be. I was surprised to see just how many English Muffins I made, 30 in total! They ended up being a little smaller than I was expecting, but were a great snack with jam or nutella all weekend long. If I were to make them again I think I would experiment with making them larger. Sunday morning I made breakfast eggs sandwiches with the English Muffins and they were tasty, but more like mini breakfast sandwiches.

Once I finished baking I moved on to the sauce. I checked out a few recipes before starting as honestly the process of making Hollandaise Sauce intimidated me. I decided to go with what I hoped would be a tried and true source, eggsbenedictrecipe.org, a site devoted an entirely to teaching people to master this recipe.

Here is where I think I would change what I did for next time. I decide to first make the sauce as I was worried the most about it. Even though there was a very helpful video about poaching eggs (also something I had never done before) explaining that you can poach the eggs, put them in cold water and then back in warm water when ready to serve. This is what I should have done, poached the eggs, let it set in cold water and made the sauce.

Instead, I made the sauce and it looked beautiful! Then I started in on making the eggs and turned my back on that sauce for what felt like a moment and it congealed a bit and I never did get the sauce back to its lovely creamy look. It tasted good, but not as good and I had an annoying internal debate about re-making the entire sauce to get it "just right" versus the fact that I just should not waste food. Not wasting food won out and my pictures and taste buds suffered slightly for it, all in all the right decision, that's what next times are for.

Instead of the traditional ham, I decided on the simple, but yummy slice of tomato and avocado. Oh, a side of roasted potatoes.

~Jess

Foodie Friday: A Gold Star

2011-08-05T09:54:00.000-07:00

It is August, which means it is Crazy Training/Crunch Time at my job. It happens every year, and yet I am still surprised by how much energy, effort, and thought is required for this special month. I work with college students, which means that lots of fun is part this time, as well. As intense as August is, it makes me love my job even more.

Today I am presenting a training session and I wanted to make something special as a prize for a little quiz competition. What could be better than a gold star? So I set out to make big Rice Krispies treat gold star for the winning team.

I always forget how easy cereal treats are to make. Three ingredients, then done. I started out by making a simple batch of treats and pressing them down in the pan. I then drew out a star template on wax paper. I placed it on top of the treats, then cut around the paper.

Next, I pressed down the edges to round out the corners. I was going for a Mario Bros. Super Star-type shape. I just added some sprinkles, and bam! Done. (Oliver seemed to be a big fan of this one.)

~Linz

Sweet Athena Freebie! August Background

2011-08-01T11:18:00.000-07:00

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“In summer, the song sings itself.”-William Carlos Williams

~ Linz

Foodie Friday: Banana Ice Cream

2011-07-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

Crafty Mariko first told me about a certain phenomenon sweeping the

world (okay, maybe just some kitchens). It starts with a frozen banana and actually that's all there is too it. The Kitchn explains that all you need is a frozen banana popped into a food processor. From there you blend and blend until the banana actually becomes the consistency of ice cream. Sometimes it's nice to think of life as simple and happy, banana ice cream represents just that.

Sprinkled with mini chocolate chips seems like a given.

~Jess

Sew & Tell: Hello Lover

2011-07-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

When I was in college, I loved watching 'Sex and the City' with my friends. I remember one episode where Carrie saw a pair of shoes (as shown above) and declared, "Hello Lover". Well, I'm ready to re-purpose my own shoes and fall in love.

Here is the pair of shoes I have had forever, they are nice, but quietly waiting for a makeover.

I took black ribbon and sewed two pieces together. I'm sure wider ribbon would have worked, but one of the great things about this project was that I was able to make it all with left over craft supplies I already had.

Here is the ribbon I used. I took one strip at a time and sewed it across the plain black double ribbon and layer the next ribbon beneath the last one. I then sewed the end of each side to the top and bottom of the shoe straps.

A little summer fun to a pair of black heels. Next week I promise Sew & Tell will not involve pictures of my feet.

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Gone Camping

2011-07-22T07:15:00.000-07:00

Dale and I are packing up the car today to head for a warmer location. Don't get me wrong, our side of Oregon is nice right now, but I'm excited to take advantage of the sunny weather where we are going camping. It's going to be a nice way to relax before work becomes hectic in August, as it always does.

In an effort to eat somewhat healthy while camping, we've put some extra effort into planning and preparing our food for the trip. (Really, he is putting that extra effort in while I've been working. Dale is awesome.) We purchased a bunch of snacking and lunching vegetables and fruits, which he cut up. He also made baked beans, pasta salad, and apple-bran breakfast muffins. It's a little hard for me to get away from the idea that camping is an awesome excuse to purchase and chow down on packaged foods like chips, candy, granola bars, etc., however, putting in the time now to make healthy choices later will help!

I haven't tried them yet, but I'm excited about the baked beans recipe. It utilizes both black and cannellini beans, and includes the gem of the baked beans world: bacon. This recipe also adds a touch of smoke, which I'm sure will be delicious.

Smoky Baked Beans

2 Tbsp molasses
2 Tbsp ketchup
1 cup(s) onion(s)
1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s)
1/2 cup(s) roasted red peppers
1 Tbsp canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
15 1/2 oz canned black beans
15 1/2 oz canned cannellini beans
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 slice(s) uncooked bacon
1/2 tsp liquid smoke

What is your favorite camping food? How do you keep things healthy while packing your cooler? I'm always up for ideas.

~Linz

Foodie Friday: Croissants

2011-07-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

I finally tried making croissants. I have a memory of being about 16 and having the day off from school and hanging out at my Grandma's house watching Martha Stewart with her one morning. We would often watch Martha together, if I had time at 11am on a weekday. On this day, Martha showed us how to make the French delicacy, croissants. That day as my Grandma and I ohhh and ahhhed over the pastry and just how much butter goes into them, I knew I one day would try and bake them. Flash forward 10 years and I am happy to say I have learned about the process first hand. As you can tell from the photos, they are not the prettiest things you have ever seen (I might have even burnt a few). Yet, I feel successful in this process as I come bearing tips for any first time croissant maker.

-First, decide why you are making them and how much time you have. The best scenario I can think of as to why you would make croissants; is if you have weekend guest coming Sunday morning or late Saturday night. You then have all day Saturday to make the croissants and then when your guest wake up Sunday morning you can pretend you whipped them up yesterday afternoon. The truth is you really do need all day Saturday, not because the work is time consuming, but there are a lot of steps that require about 15 minutes of work and then 2 hours of refrigeration and then repeat. Or, you can do as I did and work on them for three nights in a row. Yep, there are two steps where you can refrigerator for a couple of hours or overnight.

-Second, decide which recipe to use. I chose Martha Stewart's recipe for obvious reasons. While I liked this recipe, I think a first time baker needs to have visuals. I found Cook Show's video helpful.

-While croissants are time consuming they are also forgiving in the baking process. Don't be afraid about making them because you worry about how much time you are putting in verses the likely hood they will be worth eating. While they will take up your time, they will also be gobbled up when you finish them.

-If you are worried about the risk of them not turning out, add chocolate to the middle. Some of my croissants were in the oven a little too long and chocolate seriously made it all better.

I hope this encourages some of you to try baking croissants!

~Jess

Sew & Tell: Socks with Flare

2011-07-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Can you tell I am writing this post and watching 'Office Space'? The first Sew & Tell post was all about an outfit I created for my sparkly bowling birthday party (I feel like I turned 6, instead of 26, saying that was what I did for my birthday!). Anyways, for this party I also created favors for all the ladies. I made each one sparkly socks. I bought silver and gold ribbon, along with plain white socks and sewed the ribbon to the edge of each sock. I made sure to stretch each sock edge very straight so that when I had finished sewing, there was more curve on the edge of each fold.

The ribbon I used.

The finished product.

The ladies modeling the socks!

The lace I used.

The finished product.

I really liked the look of them, but do not actually wear sparkle socks that often. I therefore decided to try the same technique with lacy ribbon. When sewing on the lace to socks, it is easiest to turn the sock inside out and sew the lace so it is facing out from the sock (as the top photo shows).

It was fun to play dress up with the socks and show off different shoes to wear them with!

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Crispy Seltzer Waffles

2011-07-08T07:00:00.000-07:00

One of my all time favorite kitchen supplies of the moment is my Soda Stream. This beauty creates sparkling water whenever my heart desires. For some I could see how this would seem like a silly contraption to have in their kitchen, for others I'm sure you see the convenience. Then there are the extremist like me, who not only love the carbonated goodness of the water, but try and think of ways to incorporate sparkling water into not only drink recipes, but food recipes as well.

Which is how I ended up trying Crispy Seltzer Waffles by The Wicked Whisk. These waffles are easy to make and not just about the novelty of adding seltzer water, I think the carbonation really does add a nice crispness to the outside of the waffle.

Crispy Seltzer Waffles

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbls sugar
2 tsp baking powder
4 tbls unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups seltzer or club soda

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add butter, eggs and carbonated water and whisk until smooth. Cook waffles according to your manufacturer's instructions.

The Vegan Feast Kitchen also does what looks like tasty version of these waffles for vegans.

Strawberries and Waffles, YUM!

~Jess

Sew & Tell: Getting Started with Some Bling

2011-07-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

Sweet Athena is excited to announce we are starting a new series, if the title has not given it away, 'Sew & Tell' will be based on our experiences learning to sew. Much like the adventures of Foodie Friday we are looking forward to sharing with you what we are learning, creating, and screwing up through our sewing projects.

I should mention at this point that I have lofty goals when it comes to sewing. The big dream in the sky is to buy cheap, overlooked thrift store clothes and create them into pieces I love. There is one woman out there doing just that. Marisa from New Dress a Day took a pledge to only buy used clothing for one year with $365 dollars and to create 365 items. While that year is over, her blog is so much fun to check out. There are many cute and inspiring looks.

I had my first experiment into the world of re-purposing a dress last December for my birthday. For my birthday it was a sparkly bowling party (because what else would you do when you turn 26?).

Here is the dress my grandmother had recently given me, it had sparkle, but not the style I was looking for.

I removed the shoulder pads, along with the collar to be used as ties on each side of the dress.

I cut down the center of the dress and then re-sewed each side.

The pictures are not the best for showing off the dress, but if you can tell I created a sweetheart cut for my top by cutting it down the center and tying off each side with extra fabric. I also shortened the length of the bottom. I would typically not wear this dress with a gold sash, but really can you have too much sparkle when you are bowling?

Don't my friends look so cute in their outfits!

~Jess

Sweet Athena Freebie! July Background

2011-07-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

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July puts me in a festive mood, so I've created a colorful calendar to celebrate it! (As you can tell, I'm also a little smitten with the swirls from last month's wallpaper.) Free for personal use, just follow the links above to add some whimsy to your own computer.

~ Linz

Foodie Friday: Mushroom Hash with Ginger-Citrus Sauce

2011-07-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite dinner recipes is Cooking Light's Crunchy Shrimp with Toasted Couscous and Ginger-Orange Sauce. It takes some time, but the resulting flavors are so bright and unlike most of what I eat that the effort is worth it. Today, I experimented a bit and brought those same zesty tastes to the best part of the day: the morning. The result? A crazily flavorful breakfast dish packed full of produce.

What really sets this dish apart is the sauce. Everything else is pretty simple: start with a base of arugula, add sauté mushrooms and waxy potatoes, and then place a poached egg on top. I adapted the sauce from the recipe mentioned above.

Ginger-Orange Sauce:

1 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons broth
1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Bring the orange juice to a boil and let it cook down to about 1/4 cup, which will take about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't boil over. When it's done, remove from heat. Once the juice is cool, add the rest of the ingredients and stir together.

Tip: This sauce packs a punch in all kinds of ways: sweet, spicy, and sour. If you are after something more subtle, I suggest slightly reducing the amounts of ginger, lime juice, cumin and red pepper you use. It's easy to adjust this sauce to taste, so feel free to play around!Top with a tablespoon of chopped scallions and enjoy!

-Linz

P.S. Check back tomorrow for July's desktop wallpaper!

While this season is all about nature, I think I would like to take a trip with you all out a little further into the universe. Let's talk about a NASA party I recently had for one of my friends and fellow bloggers, Nisha. The inspiration came via Life Frosting's Astronaut in Training party that she threw for her son. In general I'm a fan of taking kid themed parties and utilizing them for a group of adults. That's why I thought Solar System cupcakes would be fun.

This is certainly not to scale, but there you have it, the Sun all the way to Pluto (yep, I decided Pluto was a planet for this birthday celebration) with lots of little stars and comets mixed in. This turned out to be one of the easiest desserts to make. With a nice set of food coloring it was easy to create to a colorful and playful Solar System. I essentially worked with the frosting the same way I would have mixed water color. Silver tissue paper from the dollar store worked nicely as a tablecloth and background.

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Avocado Pasta

2011-06-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Summer is here, and quick, easy meals always seem to follow. I was intrigued by Oh She Glows, 15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta . It offered to be fast and healthy, but what about flavor? Avocado as a pasta sauce?

It ended up being quite tasty. A little different than one typically expects from their pasta sauce, but it delivers on its promise. I think the sauce is best with extra garlic, and also chili pepper flakes to taste.

Foodie Friday: Stawberry Pavlovas

2011-06-17T07:41:00.000-07:00

This week's farmer's market provided me with one of the best gifts of the season: fresh Oregon strawberries. We took home two varieties, including Hoods, which are at the same time hilariously shaped and incredibly delicious. I never considered that the phrase "melt in your mouth" could apply to fruit, but it does with these little gems.

With a half flat of berries in our kitchen, my brain started racing through all of the possible things we could make. Immediately, pavlovas came to mind. I've never made one (nor had one), but I've been smitten with photos of the sugary clouds, holding toppings like berries and curds and other dreams.

Using a recipe from pastry chef Shuna Fish Lydon, I was happy to find that I had all necessary ingredients on hand, which is to say that I had egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and corn starch. I also had cream of tartar, which she lists has being optional. Because I have it and love to use it, I added in a bit of rose water along with the vanilla.

Being my first attempt at pavlovas, I believe they turned out rather well. They did incur some cracks and I think I made them a little too large and close together. Once they were on a plate and topped with fresh strawberries melted with some sugar, however, they were just delicious.

~Linz

Asparagus Cake

2011-06-15T09:47:00.000-07:00

From the moment I first spied Rosie's breathtaking Asparagus Cake over at Sweetapolita, I knew I would try to make one myself. I only needed an excuse to make an asparagus cake. As you read yesterday, our recent garden-themed birthday party was the perfect opportunity.

Having only worked with fondant one time (four years ago), I knew that I would have to approach the project by not taking myself too seriously. Fondant is kind of like play-dough, right? So, I bought a big bin of fondant and started playing around.

To make each spear, I started by rolling a ball of fondant, about one-inch in diameter. Next, I rolled it into a skinny cylinder.

To get the leaves of the asparagus, I used a small paring knife. I made a few slices into the sides of the spear for lower leaves, and then made several "V" shapes at the top. I found that putting smaller and smaller cuts at the very top of the spear gave a more authentic appearance to the bud. Because even my small cake required what seemed like a million asparagus spears, shaping all of the spears was easily the most time-consuming aspect of this cake. I learned quickly not to work the fondant too much, or it would get sticky. Dusting on some corn starch helped bring it back to a workable consistency if this did happen.

Because I knew the asparagus would require some height, I made a four-layer carrot cake, six inches in diameter. Once I iced it with green buttercream frosting, it was ready to be asparagus-ed. I found that the spears stuck to the cake better if I painted one side of them with some light corn syrup before attaching them.

For the top of the cake, I attached a bunch of mini asparagus spears. For the final touch, I painted on three shades of food color dust: a lime green, a dark green, and red. This made each spear unique and definitely gave the asparagus a more natural appearance.

While this cake took a lot of time, it was a blast to make and to show off. While it didn't quite capture the elegance and delicacy of Sweetapolita's cake, I liked how bright and almost cartoon-like my cake turned out. I consider this to have been a very successful experiment!

~Linz

A Garden Party

2011-06-14T07:15:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, we celebrated a friend's birthday with a theme that fits her well. She has a love for gardening that I can only equate to my brothers' shared childhood love of videogames. Or maybe my combined love of Hanson, cheese, and So You Think You Can Dance. Her passion can absorb her for an entire weekend at a time. Unlike videogames (or cheese), however, her vision for her hobby builds something amazing each year. She has the most beautiful garden and yard I've ever seen a real person cultivate and it was precisely this location that inspired our choice of the party's theme. Lucky for us, it was also the location of our little shindig.

Not much is better than fresh, soft grass under your bare feet.

Gorgeous blossoms were everywhere we looked.

We knew that it was time to party! (It was also time to throw feathers around so the birds can make their nests with soft things!)

Beautiful colors, stunning shapes.

A garden party requires a vegetable cake, right? More on this tomorrow...

~Linz

Foodie Friday: Orange and Ricotta Pound Cake

2011-06-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week's Foodie Friday is brought to you by a new favorite cooking blog of mine, Chocolate Shavings. While this Orange and Ricotta Pound Cake does not actually have chocolate in it, it's still worth your time to make. The only change to the recipe I made was to exchange the Grand Marnier for Orange Triple Sec, due to lack of the first on hand. A lovely summer evening treat!

~Jess

Fern About Town

2011-06-09T20:12:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday when I posted those pictures of Linz and I with twigs in our hair, Linz made the joke that every post for the next three months would be about us putting leaves in our hair, to which I responded, I'm okay with that.

Happy Hour at Departure with friends, such a pretty view on a sunny day!

Linz then generously presented me with a cute fern headband to wear the next evening when we met up with friends for happy hour. Inspired by this fashion post by Calivintage. All she had to do was hot glue a piece of fake fern to a headband. It has become my new favorite accessory as I wore to Friday night happy hour, a wedding and then a punk bar last weekend.

Photo shoot and side view of my new headband!

Dale and Linz enjoying the sun too!

Different angle of the headband.

We were pleased to discover the world in flowers from our view at the top of the bar!

~Jess

Foodie Friday: Spicy Grilled Corn with Cotija

2011-06-03T09:56:00.000-07:00

I've been seeing pictures of this kind of corn for a while, so I had to give it a try. I knew I'd love it because it gets rolled in cheese. We love cheese. Only requiring five ingredients and six steps, it was an easy addition to the grilled fish and vegetables we threw together this week.

Spicy Grilled Corn with Cotija

2 ears of corn, shucked
2 Tbsp. plain greek yogurt (you could sub in a mixture of butter, mayonnaise or cream cheese, I suppose)
2 - 4 oz crumbled cotija cheese
Ground chili powder and cayenne pepper to taste
1 lime

Directions:

Boil corn a few minutes until cooked, but still crisp
Grill corn to get it slightly blackened
Brush each ear with yogurt
Roll each ear in the crumbled cheese
Sprinkle with ground pepper mixture
Squeeze lime juice over each ear

Eat up! (The typewriter eating method is optional.)

~ Linz

New Season, New Theme

2011-06-02T06:57:00.000-07:00

Did Linz' new wallpaper background help you discover the new season here at Sweet Athena? What about this picture?

Well, if you need another hint, I'll let you know Linz and I are ready to get down and dirty with Mother Earth. While we may not have the summer breaks like we use to, that will not stop the two of us from getting silly and feeling like a kid again. We are looking to our first playground, nature to inspire us in our crafting, cooking and creating.

~Jess

Sweet Athena Freebie! June Background

2011-06-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

1024 x 768 / 1280 x 800 / 1440 x 900 / 1920 x 1200 / iPhone

Back again to welcome us all to a new month is Sweet Athena's desktop wallpaper (free for personal use!) June is big. It not only marks the beginning of the first "real" summer month, but also the start of another thematic season here at the blog. We're going to make you wait just a little bit more for that announcement, but I promise it is coming very, very soon. Perhaps June's wallpaper is a hint at what our next theme might be...

~ Linz

Foodie Friday: Avocado-Lime Cream

2011-05-20T13:48:00.000-07:00

For a fresh addition to your next batch of tacos, try this Avocado-Lime Cream. It's part of a quick and zesty recipe for Ancho Chicken Tacos with Cilantro Slaw in the May issue of Cooking Light.

This sauce is incredibly easy. Simply blend the following ingredients together:

1 T lime juice
1/4 cup sour cream (I used plain Greek yogurt instead, and it was great)
2 T milk
1/2 ripe avocado

This recipe was perfect for one of the sunny evenings we've been lucky to have this week. Ah, summer and fresh meals and warm weather! I love it. I even think the Avocado-Lime Cream would be a delicious chip and veggie dip for one of those upcoming summer parties...

Summer, summer, summer. I'm a bit obsessed. Can you tell?

~Linz

Foodie Friday: Olive Oil Crepes with Leeks and Eggs

2011-05-13T13:00:00.000-07:00

If you have not noticed my Foodie Friday posts have been very baked goods focused as of late. While part of that is due to my love of all things sweet (I'm baking my favorite cake at this very moment), the other part is that I have been feeling a little dinner uninspired. In an effort to break this habit I have turned to two of my favorite ladies, Big Girls, Small Kitchen. Besides their awesome blog, they also have a series over at Serious Eats, Eat for Eight Bucks.

Here I discovered Olive Oil Crepes with Leeks and Eggs. This recipe was just what I needed. Quick, cheap, and while simple, it still a challenged me in the kitchen. I have made crepes before, but it is not something I have perfected, so I was happy to work on that skill. I also seem to forget how much I like leeks until I am asked to cook with them. I found this tutorial helpful for cleaning leeks properly.

Jess

Foodie Friday: The Brew

2011-05-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

Hey there ladies and gents,

Dale here, you all may know me as Lindsey's husband. I'm here to talk about one of my favorite foods, beer. Recently I've joined the many individuals in the Portland area who brew their own beer. I became interested in the intricacies of brewing last year and received my very own equipment for Christmas. By day I am a math teacher, and brewing appeals to the mathematician side of me in many ways. I love that the basic formula of water, malt, hops, and yeast can be tweaked in myriad ways resulting in so many delicious brews.

I brewed my first beer in January, a brown porter, and it turned out fantastic! Before this beer I was certainly overwhelmed by the brewing process, worried that I would mess up at some point along the way and end up with a product that no one would drink. As it turns out there are many things that could go wrong, but with a little attention to detail and a plan to follow brewing is a really fun and creative process.

Most recently I decided to recreate my favorite type of beer, a Belgian Wit. Hoegaarden is my favorite Belgian Wit, partially due to it's funny name. As a homage to this beer I created my brew, "Who you callin' Hoe(gaarden)?" Yes, I am pretty proud of the title. This beer allowed me to take a new step in my evolution as a home brewer. I used the traditional ingredients as usual, but for the first time added Orange Blossom Honey, orange and coriander. It was a real treat for me to get to see where these flavor notes come from in a beer I have enjoyed for so long.

Now I have to face the hardest part of brewing for me, the weeks of waiting until the beer is ready to drink. I hope I may have planted a seed in some of your minds that leads to pursuing the enjoying art of beer making. Until next time, bottoms up!

Sweet Athena

Oregon, my Oregon

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1. Put half of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the leeks, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, stock, and herb; bring to a boil, and let bubble for a minute or two.

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You Are Here

Foodie Friday: Avocado Pasta

Foodie Friday: Stawberry Pavlovas

Asparagus Cake

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Foodie Friday: Orange and Ricotta Pound Cake

Fern About Town

Foodie Friday: Spicy Grilled Corn with Cotija

New Season, New Theme

Sweet Athena Freebie! June Background

Foodie Friday: Avocado-Lime Cream