A NIGHT OF APPLES and HONEY

"The ZUCKER GIRLS OUT DID THEMSELVES ". The duo of BZ & JORDAN, chefs for the family & friends evening dinner party to usher in the new year, were very pleased with the success of their endeavors. Kudos to their fabulous contributors Laney & Beansie. Menu for the evening:
Naturally an opening blessing over the wine, challah, honey & apples
We started with: grilled kale, ricotta & plum salad served with crostini of grilled tuna nicoise oozing with baby pear tomatoes from the local farmers market.
Next course was lamb & figs with honey & rosemary (plucked fresh from Jordan's garden) served with corn pudding that included pancetta & chanterelles. Poor B'wana we forgot the signature dish of Brussels sprouts with garlic & ginger in the fridge ( thanks for all that hard work bwana)
D sert was amazing! Apple cinnamon rice pudding pops, b
Beansie's zucchini apple bread & ( it ain't LA without it) Suzicakes red velvet( oops my hips just enlarged just by the thought of it) Cake
Of course lots of wine, laughter & good cheer was had by all

PEACHES AND KALE

 LAST SUMMER THE HIT DINNER AT MY HOUSE WAS A PEACH AND KALE PIZZA......I  KNOW, I KNOW  SOME WILL SAY YUCK,  BUT TRUTH BE TOLD THE COMBO WAS A TERRIFIC WINNER.  THE SWEETNESS OF THE JUICY RIPE PEACHES AND THE BITTERNESS OF THE FRESH BABY KALE WALTZED IN YOUR MOUTH AND TURNED INTO A CHA CHA WITH THE MELTED MOZZARELLA AND CRISPINESS OF THE BARBECUED CHARRED CRUST.  OK ENOUGH OF MY INSPIRATION.. IT WAS TOO DAMN HOT FOR PIZZA SO I DEVELOPED THE FLAVORS INTO A FISH DINNER.
 BLACK COD WITH PEACHES AND KALE
 2 6OZ BLACK COD FILLET ( YES YOU CAN USE ANOTHER FISH)
1 ONION CHOPPED ( SEE PHOTOS FOR EASY TECHNIQUE
I PEACH CUT INTO 12THS
1 BUNCH OF KALE, WASHED AND CUT INTO STRIPS
SALT & PEPPER
1/4 C OLIVE OIL
2T SAFFLOWER OIL OR ANY VERY MILD TASTING OIL
2T BALSAMIC VINEGAR

PRE HEAT OVEN TO 500 DEGREES ( AT LEAST 10 MINUTES BEFORE COOKING)

WHILE WAITING FOR THE OVEN TO HEAT UP, PEEL THE PAPER SKIN OF THE ONION AND CUT OF THE BLOOM END NOT THE ROOT END SHOWN IN THIS PICTURE

IN A LIPPED COOKIE SHEET LINED WITH TIN FOIL ADD 1 TO 2 T OLIVE OIL,  ADD CLEAN FISH FILLETS AND DRAG BOTH SIDES IN OIL TO COAT, PLACE ON TIN SKIN SIDE DOWN.  SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER

                                           

WITH A SHARP KNIFE ( KEY WORD IS SHARP) I  USED A PAIRING KNIFE  CUT "WEDGES"  STARTING FROM THE STEM END DOWN TO THE ROOT END ALL THE WAY AROUND THE ONION

TURN THE ONION ON IT'S SIDE, AND WITH A CHEFS KNIFE ( LARGER KNIFE)  STARTING FROM THE STEM END, SLICE DOWN

VOILA! YOUR ONION IS IN SMALL BITS READY TO USE
IN A LARGE SAUTE PAN ( I  LOVE CAST IRON, IT'S INEXPENSIVE, AND HEATS EVENLY AND QUICKLY)  HEAT 2T OLIVE OIL, ADD ONIONS, SEASON WITH SALT & PEPPER AND SAUTE UNTIL WILTED ( ABOUT TWO OR THREE MINUTES) NOW ADD PREPARED COOK SHEET TO OVEN TO COOK FISH

IN A COLANDER  WASH KALE,  SHAKE EXCESS WATER OUT AND ADD TO COOKED ONIONS.  SEASON WITH SALT & PEPPER

I USE TWO WOODEN SPOONS, SPATULAS WORK WELL ALSO  TOSS, TOSS, TOSS TOSS UNTIL KALE IS COOKED BUT STILL BRIGHT GREEN ( ABOUT TO OR THREE MINUTES ON MEDIUM FLAME) TURN HEAT OFF

IN ANOTHER SAUTE PAN ADD 2T SAFFLOWER OIL AND HEAT.  ADD PEACHES IN ONE LAYER, SEASON WITH SALT & PEPPER AND SAUTE ABOUT 2 MINUTES EACH SIDE  SO THAT THEY CARAMELIZE A BIT ( TURN GOLDEN ON EDGES ( SEE FINISHED PHOTO)  ADD ONE TO TWO TABLESPOONS BALSAMIC VINEGAR AND  COOK AN ADDITION MINUTE OR TWO  ( UNTIL VINEGAR BUBBLES) TURN OFF HEAT NOT TO BURN

REMOVE FISH FROM OVEN IT SHOULD LOOK FLAKY, YET MOIST.  THIS WAS COOKED 7 MINUTES.  IT WILL DEPEND ON THE THICKNESS OF YOUR FILLET FOR COOKING TIME (BETWEEN 7 & 10 MINUTES AVERAGE) DO NOT OVER COOK.... CHECK AT ONE TO TWO MINUTE INTERVALS 

PLATING THE DINNER,  WITH TONGS ADD THE COOKED KALE TO THE CENTER OF YOUR DISH, TOP WITH  A FISH FILLET, GARNISH WITH THE PEACHES.... FRESH CHOPPED PARSLEY WOULD HAVE BEEN MY FINAL EMBELLISHMENT ( DANG I DIDN'T HAVE IT IN THE HOUSE)

ANOTHER VIEW OF THE DINNER, YOU COULD ADD A SMALL AMOUT OF CUBED MOZZARELLA TO THE TOP ALSO

NOT ONLY, MOUTH WATERING, BUT SUPER FAST AND GREAT FOR YOU ( DON'T TELL THE KIDS) 

 HOPE YOU ENJOYED, UNTIL NEXT TIME HUGS

A NIGHT WITH SETH APTER

LITTLE BIRD CREATIONS DID IT AGAIN! A FRIDAY NITE WITH SETH APTER TEXT TILING! YES IT'S A PLAY ON WORDS..... AND PLAY WE  DID.... SUCH FUN WAS HAD BY ALL!

THE FABULOUS INSTRUCTOR SETH APTER

 TECHNIQUE #1 SLAP ON THE PAINT! 

KATHI & MRS POM ALL SMILES FOR THEIR MUG SHOT

A CLASS FULL OF BUSY BUSY BEES PAINTING UP A STORM

A SWEET VIOLET ( ONE OF THE FAB LADIES FROM INK PAD) WITH LAYER ONE ALL DONE 

MORE FUN FROM THE WORKER BEES

DON'T FORGET THE SIDE PANELS LADIES

I THINK I GOT A PICTURE OF EVERYONE IN CLASS,  PLEASE IDENTIFY FOR ME. MANY THANKS

SETH EXPLAINING THE PROCESS

SANDI WORKING HARD ON HER EDGES

GOTCH YA MICHELLE!

LAYER TWO WITH PAPER TOWELS

TEXTURER WITH GESSO

MORE WORDS OF WISDOM FROM OUR GURU

BZ'S FINISHED PIECE #1

BZ'S FINISHED PIECE #2

SWEET SANDI'S FINISHED PIECE

HAPPY CAMPER, TRYING TO BE THE TEACHERS PET

GROUP PHOTO! IT WAS SUCH A SUCCESSFUL CLASS EVERYONE IS SMILE. PLEASE JOIN THE FUN NEXT LITTLE BIRD CREATION HAS A CLASS.... CHECK THEM OUT ON MEETUP

THE BEE BOOK

INGRID DIJKER WAS COMING  TO NYC TO TEACH HER FABULOUS WORKSHOPS AT LITTLE BIRD CREATIONS STUDIO......MY HEART DID FLIP FLOPS OF HAPPINESS 'CAUSE I WAS SO FORTUNATE TO MEET HER LAST YEAR AT ART UNRAVELED IN PHOENIX AZ.  I LOVED JOURNALING WITH HER
 LITTLE BIRD IS THE BRAINCHILD OF MICHELLE LUXENBURG  A WONDERFUL, COZY STUDIO IN MANHATTAN.  IF YOU HAVEN'T TAKEN A CLASS AT HER STUDIO ......WAIT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

THE TABLES WERE SO BEE U TEA FULLY INVITING

MICHELLE AND SANDI PAINTING THE EDGES OF THEIR COVERS

SALLIANNE BEE JEWLED FOR THE OCCASION 

CHI AND BEA WORKING ON THEIR COVER STORIES

FRANCINE BEEZY WORKING NEXT TO MIZ BEE

BEEOUNTFUL INSTRUCTION FROM INGRID

GLUEING TECHNIQUE 

CHAIN BINDING, LACE FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM OF  THE PAGE

OPEN THE "LOOP" ON THE TOP OF THE PAGE TO LOOK LIKE A BUTTERFLY, THREAD THE WAXED STRING THROUGH THE CENTER AND GENTLY PULL TIGHT.... VOILA.... YOU GOT ONE PAGE CHAINED

MICHELLE CHECKING OUT ALL THE DELIGHTFUL  IMAGES THAT INGRID PREPARED FOR US

SANDI GETTING SOME EXTRA INSTRUCTION FROM INGRID

A SWEET BEE IN ALL HER GLORY

STEPHANIE IS ALL SMILES WHILE WEAVING HER BINDING

THE FINAL STEPS IN BINDING THE BEE BOOK

AFTER THE LAST CHAIN ON THE FRONT COVER BRING THE CORD BACK TO THE FRONT INSIDE COVER (ONE STRAND ON EACH SIDE OF THE BINDING AND KNOT

REPEAT ON THE FRONT AND GET READY TO ADD YOUR BEADS.... YEAH YOUR BOOK IS BOUND!

INSIDE PAGE OF INGRID'S BOOK

BEE U TEA FUL IMAGE THAT WE ALL RECEIVED IN OUR KITS

A HONEY OF A QUOTE 

ALL BEE'S SHOULD REMEMBER THIS

BZ & FRANCINE 

MIZ BEE & OUR QUEEN BEE

MICHELLE AND INGRID

BZ & QUEEN BEE INGRID.... A PHOTO FOR MY BOOK

WORKER BEES SWARMING FOR A PHOTO

BZ AND SALLIANNE BUZZING 

IT TRULY WAS A HONEY OF A DAY AND CLASS,  CAN'T WAIT FOR ANOTHER....THIS WORKER BEE GOTS TO GO WORK ON HER BEE BOOK.... BUZZING TILL NEXT TIME