99% Invisible

I am so inspired!​

​This has become one of my all time favorite podcasts provided by PUBradio on the west coast.  99% Invisible is a tiny radio show about design by Roman Mars

I am in love!  This podcast is quick moving with a music and sound bed that helps push the show forward.  They range anywhere from about 15 minutes to 20.  They are quick, but so good.  Don't be surprised if you get sucked in from the beginning.  I am inspired.  LX has been a joy to co-produce and I am getting the itch to push it forward, get more inventive, let my creativity flow.  I love Cincinnati - I love my family here in Cincinnati and shows like this just inspire me to poster that energy, that emotion more creatively. ​

​I'm inspired.  How about you?

What inspires you to move forward creatively?​

​Like 99% Invisible?  Feel free to become an invisibler, invisiblist, or 99%-er, whatever term  you would like - by adding a number to their kickstarter:

Cincinnati Parks

...and recreation.  The recreation part is very important.  Because these aren't  just wonderful green spaces for wee ones to run, but playgrounds, for everyone - from Sawyer Point's handicap accessible ramps to Washington Park's sprayground.  Cincinnati is doing a great job of giving parents a place to hang out with their kids that inspires imagination and perpetuates laughter.​

​ready, set... Go!

(special thanks to the Ridges - you are part of what makes music in Ohio so awesome!  The video is accompanied by the Ridges tune - Invented Love)​

We Love Cincinnati Parks from Chelsea VandeDrink on Vimeo

Squarespace!

I am now an SS user, at least I think that's the lingo I should be using.  I used the trial for about 5 days, roughed it through customizing my blog template, redirecting my domain - the whole kit and caboodle.  I was really hesitant to do the switch though.  Honestly - but after some really stellar 24/7 customer support and finally taking a look at the finished project, well - I couldn't say no.  ​

​I am now linked to all my social networks, including vimeo and dropbox.  I am excited to see where blogging will take me now!  For all those other bloggers out there - the cost is worth not having the headache of 'how am I going to import that into my blog?' or 'how come my code isn't working' or even 'who can I ask to fix this?!?'.  It's all right there.  

I dig my new digs - what do you think?​

WHAT TO DO WITH BROCCOLETTE?!

I mean really - Broccolette?! My auto-spell check doesn't even register the vegetable. I have used this veggie in place of both greens (believe it or not) and the obvious - broccoli. But this time, I wanted it to stand alone, well sort of.

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​I was inspired by a recipe I had found for snow peas (which I loathe!) and thought it even better for one of my favorite veggie sisters. Low and behold - it worked! Plus - I never miss a chance to enjoy the aroma of fresh garlic and ginger!

Broccolette with garlic-ginger sauce

Ingredients:

2-3 tablespoons olive oil

1 bunch Broccolette (trim very tips - I cook the stems...it's where a lot of the flavor is at! You can even leave some of the healthier leaves on...)

Thumb size piece ginger, peeled and diced

2 large cloves garlic, diced

1 tablespoon soy sauce (low sodium in our case)

1 teaspoon honey

salt/pepper (I rolled with white pepper to compliment the asian flavors) to taste

Add 1-2 tablespoons olive oil into a large skillet (I made the mistake of using a medium sauce pan - which is fine, but you will have to cut the broccolette into halves to fit...no biggie) over medium heat. Add the broccolette and salt and pepper to taste. Cover the skillet and let cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally (cover to retain some of the water in the broccolette - you are almost steaming at this point). Add chopped ginger and garlic and remaining tablespoon olive oil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and stir occasionally for another 4-5 minutes. Depending on how crisp you like your broccolette, depends on how long you cook at this stage. I needed ours to be a little softer for the wee one (who loved it by the way...). This is a pretty self-explanatory saute situation, but none the less - very tasty! Enjoy! 

COLD DAY = BROCCOLI CHEDDAR SOUP AND BISCUITS

Today was a good day, but also a sad day. I had a wonderful, quick weekend with my family from the Lou and as they departed (sad)?, I am pretty sure the temperature dropped a million degrees (even sadder)- and I was quick for comforting. So calls a hot bowl of Broccoli Cheddar soup and some simple dinner Biscuits gone healthy. Enjoy!

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:

1c chopped celery

1c chopped carrot

4c broccoli florets (chopped to your preference) 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 tbsp butter

5 tbsp all-purpose flour

3c vegetable broth

1c whole milk

1c mild cheddar cheese

Melt butter in a pot over medium heat and add garlic and onion. Cook until the onion is just translucent, 8-10 minutes. Then add flour and mix into a paste, be careful not to brown mixture. Combine milk and vegetable broth in a large mixing cup/bowl. Add about a cup of liquid mixture at time being sure to stir well between pours. You may want to turn down the heat to med-low for this step. Once all the liquid is incorporated add cheese and stir until completely melted. Then add vegetables and bring to a slow boil for 20-30 minutes until vegetables are tender, stirring intermittently. Salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Biscuits

Ingredients:

2c all-purpose flour (in my case 1c all purpose, 1/2c whole-wheat) 4 tbsp wheat germ (optional)

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

5 tbsp butter, chilled and cut into cubes

7/8-1c greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine all dry ingredients into a bowl, then add butter and cut into dry mixture until it crumbles. You may have small pea-size lumps. You can cut this with either a fork or hand dough blender (cutter), but I am cheat and make these so often I use my food processor with the dough blade and pulse until incorporated. Then add greek yogurt. Pulse until the dough pulls together. Depending on the dough and method it could either ball up into one single dough ball or several little balls. Dump out onto a floured surface and knead 7-10 times Roll out to about 3/8" thickness and then cut into about 2" rounds.

Line cooking sheets with parchment paper and place biscuits spaced about 1/4"-1/2" apart. I top ours with a little bit of honey - have fun with it! Bake for 5-

7 minutes (mine take exactly 7, but depends on the oven) and enjoy! Great for dipping.