vermont evergreens.

you know how i feel about simon pearce. everything they do is pretty darn perfect in my book. but i have to admit that my very favorite thing they make are their vermont evergreens. they are simply stunning, weather you have one or a million lined up on your mantle. (although to be honest, seeing a dozen lined up is breathtaking!) they are perfectly vermont and they add the perfect amount of holiday decor to any room....so perfect that when i got the email today, just seeing these beauties put me in the spirit!

also, check out this video of the brilliant craftsmen at work in their quechee shop. if you haven't stopped in there yet, it is a holiday season must do! how cool is this?

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comfort food thursday

does anyone have trouble making a recipe when you don't have a photo to look at? i certainly do. photos are so helpful in not only the process, but also in making your mouth water for the finished product. so i nearly died when i came across the site foodgawker, which helps organize recipes and food photography by subject, ingredient, etc! so you will NEVER have to make an imageless recipe again.

first on this list: this scrumptious bowl of chili. photo included.

black bean and chicken chili with butternut squash & swiss chard

what you need:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-1/2 cups chopped onions
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2-1/2 cups 1/2-inch pieces peeled butternut squash
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 3 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2-1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• 1 can Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles with juice
• 3 cups packed coarsely chopped Swiss chard leaves (about 1 bunch)

what you do:

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until tender and golden, about 7 to 9 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add squash; stir and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in chili powder and cumin. Stir in beans, broth and Rotel; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered until squash is tender, about 20-25 minutes. Turn off the heat. Stir in the chard and allow the heat of the mixture to wilt the chard so that it is tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and serve with toppings such as cheese, red onion, cilantro and crushed tortilla chips.

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a jog through shelburne farms

today my running friends and i went for a little morning jog. part of said run had us wander through the historic grounds at shelburne farms. i had heard the rumors, but let me tell you, it is every bit as magical as i expected. every inch (and mile) of it. even now during the sometimes less than magestic stick season.

so, even though i can take NO credit for these photos, they do a pretty lovely job of telling the story...

a special thanks goes out to my running friends for that extra bit of guilt that got me out there today and an even bigger thanks for enjoying the ride with me. xo

all photos via flickr.

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comfort food thursday: for mr. frederickson

the recipe choice for this comfort food thursday requires a bit of a backround, so let me fill you in a couple key insights:

1. i love soup. mr. frederickson loves soup. it gets cold in vermont. thus, hot, food in a bowl is our main source of sustainance from mid-october to mid-july.
2. i like to cook. mr. frederickson likes to eat. it is a good combo.
3. both mr. frederickson and i like to make the other person happy. i.e., there is a lot of this: "i don't know, honey, anything you want sounds good to me." and not a lot of "i don't like green beans, so please don't ever cook with them. but what i do love is that squash soup i bought the other day at price chopper..."

alright, so i guess you are probably catching on to the fact that there was a soup incident last night. and it lead to a bit of pouting on my part (sorry, honey!) but the aftermath and silver lining is that i have a new burning desire to make the best darn butternut squash & apple soup EVER. so, there price chopper, take that. you messed with the wrong chef.

so here it is folks, the recipe i am going to use in my first attempt at redemption. thanks to a very talented vermonter and food & wine contributing, jeremy silansky.

what you need:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 3/4 cup apple cider
• One 1 3/4-pound butternut squash—peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch dice (5 1/4 cups)
• 4 1/2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 McIntosh apple, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1/3 cup coarsely shredded smoked cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
• One-inch pieces of chives or thinly sliced sage leaves, for garnish

what you do:

• In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 8 minutes. Add the apple cider and cook until syrupy, about 3 minutes. Add the butternut squash and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until the squash is very tender, about 40 minutes.
• In a blender, puree the soup in batches. Return the soup to the saucepan and stir in the cream. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
• Heat a medium skillet. Add the butter and diced apple and cook over high heat until the apple is tender and golden around the edges, about 2 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Ladle the soup into warmed bowls; garnish with the smoked cheddar, sautéed apples and chives; serve.

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solving the wedding gift puzzle

i am loving this puzzling cutting board for a wedding gift idea. it also multitasks as an hors d'œuvre tray. cheese and crackers anyone?

plus, just think of all the clever little sayings that you could write on the card: you two fit together so well! so happy you found your missing piece. life is like a puzzle and you two are cut out to solve it together! ok, that's enough. sorry.

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tuesday shoesday: the oxford

my mom has been on the quest for the perfect pair of oxfords. so much so, that she has taken to just emailing links from around the web...no subject line, no text, just a link. i take this to mean that she wants some feedback. although, i have to admit, i have been less than helpful. for me, there is a very brief interlude between flip flop and boot season and that has long since passed.

but, in her honor (and to celebrate her birthday month) i feel it is important to give this classic and yet oh so trendy shoe a little love on this tuesdayshoesday. plus, she did all the work and online searching for me, and i will take advantage of any excuse to make a picture collage!

what do you think? any favorites? anyone else still pining for doc marteens to come back in style? (please, say yes or that was a major overshare on my part...)

1. anthropologie 2 . frye 3 & 4. j.crew 5. zara 6. free people 7. madewell

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november is...

november is one of those months here in vermont where it is sometimes hard to find the good. it is cold and damp and dark with no real light at the end of the tunnel...except that one glorious and gluttonous holiday we call thanksgiving. so, while i always love these "months of the year" posts, this one is certainly a favorite as it reminds me that there is always some goodness to be found no matter how dreary it might look outside your window. plus, if you know anyone with a november birthday (like i do) this seems especially fiting. xoxo

november can spell "cornucopia" backwards.
she teaches children to remember pilgrims and indians.
november likes to linger on the last chapter.
she is self reflective.
november has a campaign scrapbook.
she creates real connections.
november's voice can be heart by all people.
she gives with all her heart.
november turns departures into arrivals.
she listens. and reaches out.
november inherited the first recipe for pumpkin pie.
she is a historical fact.
november can hear winter's voice.
she moves with simple grace.
november always remembers to give thanks.
her wisdom is her intuition.
november loves to celebrate human qualities.
she dances holding hands.

{image via and who is november courtesy of a 2006 KOCO NY calendar}

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