The HoneyFitzFactory

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Location: Decatur, GA, United States

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

I've been Neglectful!

I am so very sorry it has been so long since I have posted anything. I have been caught up in a whirlwind of activity including President Obama's inauguration, moving offices at work, oh excuses excuses.

I am really excited about some of the new pieces that I finished recently. I have discovered copper, which makes for a unique alternative to silver or gold or brass! I'll post a picture of one of my favorites right now- Ras Malai. I named it after a delicious Indian Dessert because the taste of cardamom (spice) would be the color of cooper if it were a color... does that make sense?

Ras Malai is actually cheese- I know, don't get grossed out. It is sweet and in a sweet and spiced cream. I thought the same thing you are probably thinking (ewwww)- but it is soooo yummy I promise. So remember- minds work best when open!!! I'll post the recipe below.

On another note- I had a bad experience over the last month or so as I encountered bigotry and hate in the most obvious way for the first time in my life. I have had the blessing (or has it really been a blessing?) to go through life without dealing with hate and bigotry to my face. Because I don't look "different" people assume things about me and the way I live my life. Sorry for the ramble, but I felt like you needed some context for the rest of the story.

After Christmas this year, I had a really strong pull to get closer to God and was very driven to find a church home for both me, especially my son and our family as a whole. I was raised Southern Baptist and was never comfortable in that faith. I went to Catholic Mass with my grandmother both as a young girl and then as a young adult and always felt as though I belonged most there. Carrie's family is also Catholic, so when I began to think about my responsibility as a parent to Cooper, raising him in the Catholic faith was my obvious answer- and one that I felt very strongly about.

I visited a quaint Catholic Church while staying at Joan and Bill's (Cooper's Neena and Pop Pop and Carrie's parents). It was such a wonderful experience for me that I thought I would inquire about joining, taking Adult Initiation classes and getting Cooper baptized there. Carries parents had registered with the church- so I thought it would be a great way to visit and have dinner with Carrie's folks every week and be part of a wonderful parish.

Joan and Bill (who I adore and treat me like a daughter) inquired with the church about Cooper's baptism, and in the meantime I had contacted the person in charge of Religious Education about starting classes and attended a class. The priest responded to Bill and wanted to meet Carrie and I- so I took the opportunity to be truthful about who we were and how we got to this place spiritually. The response from the priest was one of the most awful things! He said that he would not baptize Cooper, and that I could not return to classes anymore! He was kind enough to offer resources and website for conversion of homosexuals and encouraged us to make the choice to change,

Now- regardless of your views about religion, same sex relationships or whatever- the point of my post is to discuss my hurt, rejection and humiliation. This is my blog- and here I can talk about anything I want. If you don't like it- please blog about it on your page not mine. If you leave a derogatory comment I will delete it and block future comments :)

So- back to the story. Although hurt (and embarrassed because I had shared my faith journey with many people) I don't give up easily so I went at it again trying to find a church home. I found the Catholic Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. It is a Roman Catholic Church- with the most welcoming, loving Priest- Father Henry Gracz. Cooper is being given the Sacrament of Welcome this Saturday. Father Gracz said he would be honored to baptize Cooper- and has accepted and welcomed our family as we are wthout any suggestion of or expectation that we change who we are. I am so happy and cannot wait for his special day. The Catholic Shrine website is www.catholicshrineatlanta.org (sorry my hyperlink isn't working)

So- there is my life during my blog world absence. I'll include pics of the jewlery and the Ras Malai recipe below.


Ras Malai

Ingredients
2 pounds ricotta cheese
2 quarts light cream
2 cups sugar
5 each cardamom pods
1 each bay leaf
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspooon rosewater to taste (optional)

Directions
Mix 1 1/2 cups of sugar with the Ricotta cheese and bake it in a 400 F oven for about 75 minutes in a flat dish covered with aluminum foil. The cheese should have hardened and turned a pale brown.

Thicken the half and half by simmering over low heat for a long time. This is best done in a microwave; if a microwave is not available, do it over low heat and stir frequently. Thicken until the volume drops to around half of the original volume.

Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar, cardamom pods, bay leaf, vanilla and rose water (and any other flavoring that you may want) to the Half and Half. Heat for a few minutes.

After the cheese has been baked, cut it into 1 inch squares and add to the hot thickened half and half. Cool for a few hours in the fridge.




Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Merry Christmas Cooper!

Although this is Cooper's second Christmas technically- it felt like his first. He was so cute and had so much fun! He literally played with every single toy (and box and paper) that he was given. It made Christmas morning several hours long. Before I knew it it was 1:00 pm!

We celebrated with my family when we went home for the big party for my grandfather- but we did skype with Naunie and Papa T Christmas morning to open presents together.

Neena and Pop Pop came down for a Nantucket Christmas on Christmas Eve. We had Snow Crab, corn on the cob and red potatoes. For desert, we had Eggnog and German Chocolate Cake. We also went to mass on Christmas Eve. WE spent Christmas Day at Neena and Pop Pop's house and we had a great time. Below are a few pics from the festivities.






Yummy Crock Pot Celebration!

Carrie turned 35 on December 18th, and to celebrate I cooked for her and baked her a cake. I made a Crock-Pot recipe and it was a big hit with Carrie. It is called Chipotle Lime Chicken and Jamaican Peas. It's a little misleading because the "peas" are actually kidney beans and they are mixed in a rice dish cooked in coconut milk. The rice was my favorite part of the meal. You garnish it all with sliced avocado and cilantro. I'll include the recipe- ENJOY and let me know if you make it and if it is a success for you and yours :)

I also baked her a cake this year complete with her favorite "Funfetti" icing. We had a great evening. Carrie is forever misplacing her keys (and phone and wallet and...) so I bought her a wireless key finder from Brookstone. It is so cool. You attach the litle fob on your keys- and then just hit the button on the base and your keys beep!

Chipotle Lime Chicken and Jamaican Peas

Ingredients
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
4 pounds skinless chicken thighs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce with 1 teaspoon sauce from can
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 avocado, diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges, for garnish
Directions
Arrange onion, celery and carrots in bottom of slow cooker. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper and arrange over vegetables.

In a medium bowl, whisk together tomato sauce, lime juice, chipotle chiles with sauce, and garlic. Pour mixture over chicken.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Serve half of the thighs with this meal (topped with diced avocado and cilantro and garnished with lime wedges) and reserve remaining thighs for another meal.

Jamaican Rice and Peas:
2 cups instant white rice
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1 cup water
1 (15-ounce) can red beans, drained
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/4 cup chopped scallions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, beans, thyme, and lime zest. Set pan over high heat and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 minutes, until liquid is absorbed. Fold in scallions and season to taste with salt and pepper.


Sunday, December 28, 2008

ETSY SALE!!

Hello! I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday! I am going to come back very soon with many wonderful pics of our Christmas with Cooper- but right now I just wanted to make a quick announcement. I am having a Buy ONE GET ONE FREE SALE in my Etsy shop. Shipping is FREE too- but just until 12/31. Please come by- and tell all of your friends. This is to make room for my new pieces for 2009. HURRY- I only have 11 pieces left :) Happy Shopping



Saturday, December 20, 2008

White Christmas


(I just love this sign from Etsy!!!)



Mom and Papa T



Mom's Farm

I grew up in West Virginia and one of the things I miss the most is having at least the possibility of a white Christmas. If we get a few flurries here we are lucky. These pics are of the most recent snow at my mom's farm.

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

My Secret Santa!

Thank you Marlene for my wonderful soaps! I adore lavendar, patchoulli and holiday scents. How did you know that? Also, thank you Kori for allowing me to participate in the Secret Santa- I had a great time!

Sunday, December 7, 2008

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Last year, we received the most wonderful Christmas gift ever- Cooper. At that time, Carrie had our house completely gutted and I was relegated with Cooper to the back bedroom suite where we slept, ate, washed bottles and lived while Carrie feverishly tried to finish the house. Although I love the house now- it was very stressful and we didn't get to decorate for Christmas! We had no tree, no stockings and I missed celebrating the season terribly. This year- we had a great time picking out our tree and hanging our beautiful stockings made my "grandma Susie". Susie Soler has an etsy shop and she hand-quilted our stockings for us. Each stocking captures our personality, and includes a pocket with a hand written note from Susie to each of us. We will continue the tradition in the years to come leaving letters to each other and to Cooper from Santa.

I had a week off for the first time in my working life, and I had such a great time decorating and getting into the Christmas spirit. I was able to take a day trip to my dear friend Audrey's house and we baked all day. We made double chocolate biscotti, homemade butter toffee and almond shortbread cookies. I'll include a couple of recipes below.

I'm also posting pics of Christmas time around our home. Happy Holidays!


Double Chocolate Biscotti

Ingredients
6.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate minichips
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
Cooking spray
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through salt) in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Combine vanilla, eggs, and egg white in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to egg mixture; stir until well blended. Divide dough in half. Turn dough out onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. With floured hands, shape each dough half into a 12-inch-long roll; pat to 1/2-inch thickness.

3. Bake at 350° for 22 minutes. Remove rolls from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut each roll diagonally into 18 (1/2-inch) slices. Carefully stand slices upright on baking sheet. Bake biscotti an additional 15 minutes or until almost firm (biscotti will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove biscotti from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack.