homemade hot chocolate

homemade hot chocolate, originally uploaded by iamchanelle.

i must say, a mug of creamy homemade hot chocolate topped with fluffy marshmallows really makes the holidays special for me.  hey, i am easily pleased.

i’ve been making and enjoying this very same recipe since i was a kid. we used to read it right off the cocoa power tin. yes – tin. you know, way back in the day they packaged stuff in tins and we all rode dinosaurs to work. *sigh*  it seems that life is moving at lightning speed these days, no?  the Christmas season is such a lovely time to slow down and remember sweet times, and take the time to create new memories.

every Christmas Eve i would get into my favourite flannel pajamas and help my mom whisk the cocoa powder, sugar and milk together until it was rich and frothy, slice tangerines for the mulled apple cider, drop cookies onto cookie sheets and pop the corn for homemade caramel corn. Nat King Cole would be crooning from the record player, christmas lights would be softly twinkling and all was right with the world.

it’s because of the hot chocolate. pretty sure.

here’s the very simple recipe i follow.
don’t forget the marshmallows.

what’s your favourite holiday treat or tradition?
isn’t Christmas just the loveliest time?

love,
chanelle

a veggie cooking night adventure

i just had the most fun cooking adventure tonight with an awesome friend of mine.

we have dubbed it our first annual [monthly? bi-monthly?  something?  bueller?] veggie cooking night, since both of us are vegetarians, and we both want to branch out and cook more AND cook more together, yay!

so tonight we settled on a thai food theme.

so, so glad we did.

YUM.

i have fond memories of a Thai place i visited with some other lovely friends in San Francisco about a year ago, and some deeeelicious corn fritters we enjoyed there.  omg.  they were off the hook tasty.
so i found a similar recipe for this evening, and also decided to make some pad thai.  also decided to experiment with a drink that rhymes with schmodka. heehee. i thought lemongrass, limes and ginger would go really well together with aforementioned “schmodka”.

so, here is a photographic summary of our adventures [with more pics [and recipes] to come later]:

i made coconut sorbet ahead of time, but would you believe we were so full from dinner we could not…i cannot even say it without wincing….we could not eat….dessert.
*gasp*

seriously. so full.

i cannot wait to share all the recipes with you later, but for now, i need to go to sleep and dream pad thai dreams.

hope you are all happy and well and not quite so uncomfortably full as i am.

love,
chanelle

holy wow

you guys.

i cannot believe this.

but i made it to the TOP FIVE BEST FLICKR PHOTOGRAPHER FINALISTS in Mashable’s 2009 Open Web Awards competition.

i am SO EXCITED!!!!!

many thanks for all the nominations that got me this far. i am humbled.
if you can, toss a vote my way by clicking the icon above [you can even vote once a day until december 13th, woot!] to see how much farther i can go in this competition!
i would be much obliged.

<3

i love living life through the lens of my camera.

and you all make it SO much sweeter for me.

xo

love,
chanelle

i cleaned my kitchen today

i cleaned my kitchen, originally uploaded by iamchanelle.

this has been a particularly rough season for my little family and i – we have had illness come and go these past couple weeks and general discouragement settle in like an unwanted layer of dust over our home.

this morning, i woke up and decided that i cannot let my circumstances determine my happiness any longer. i have been too caught up in the everyday grind that i kinda forgot to look Up.

i thought a good start would be to address my attitude toward the little things first.

such as the dirty dishes.

and how much i dislike washing said dirty dishes

every.

single.

day.

ugh.

ANYWAY.

i tweeted about my little attitude shift earlier this morning:

“i have decided to be thankful for these dirty dishes. they represent the family i have to cook for, & the food on our table every day.”

and then proceeded to rock out to some Led Zeppelin and get my kitchen in order.

and what do you know.   i actually had fun.

i then rewarded myself with a hot cup of french press and a sit down.

but then i had to get up for some more shots. because…well, because.

and things are looking just a bit brighter.

but now i need to go do some laundry.

wish me luck.

i hope you have found something to be thankful for in your life today. even the little things make a big difference.

love,

chanelle

let’s-see-what-is-in-the-veg-bin-and-pantry-and-throw-it-all-together-veg-soup

ok, so really, can you go wrong with soup?
delicious veggies or potatoes or pasta or beans (or meat if you are so inclined) + broth + seasoning = instant comfort!

this soup is one of those, “let’s see what i have in the vegetable bin and pantry, throw it all together in a giant pot and see how it turns out” kind of soups. aka: the best kind.

so as i rummaged for this particular let’s-see-what-is-in-the-veg-bin-and-pantry-and-throw-it-all-together-soup (yes, that’s the official title for the recipe now) (isn’t it delightfully annoying?) (ANYWAY), i found some carrots, celery, onion and zucchini and started with that. ok. looking like a vegetable soup is in the works here.

hmmm, what about adding a can of fire roasted diced tomatoes?
ok.

and some frozen corn?
got just a handful left, yesssss!

then veg broth?
check.

then some italian seasoning?
got it.

and then…
cream cheese?
yep.

also?
how about some dill?
oh yes.

i told you it was a throw everything in the pot kind of a soup!
the best kind.
as i may have mentioned before.

i was a little nervous about the addition of dill, though it was just a small amount…and the cream cheese was a bold move.
a bold, GOOD MOVE.

i served this soup to my family for dinner, and my carnivorous [aka: he would only eat meat and potatoes every day for the rest of his life if i let him but i don't] huzband had SECONDS. and nearly licked his bowl. and said it’s the best soup he’s ever had.

OH YES PEOPLE, i WIN AT LIFE.

so here you go. the recipe. so you too, can win at life.

“let’s-see-what-is-in-the-veg-bin-and-pantry-and-throw-it-all-together-veg-soup”

olive oil
1 white or yellow onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, [preferably toward the center of the bunch so they're sweet] thinly sliced
5 slender carrots, peeled and thinly sliced. but not too thin. like 1/8th inch thin.
*a few cloves of crushed garlic would have been soooo good here. but i was out. *pout*
2 zucchini, quartered and sliced, not too thin
28 oz can of fire roasted diced tomatoes [i love the Muir Glen Brand, so delicious]
about 1 cup frozen corn

4 ounces cream cheese
6 cups veg broth [or 4 cups broth + 2 cups water] [which is what i did]
1 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dill
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper, about 20 turns
couple dashes red chile pepper. or more. or not. whatever.

1/2 cup Acini di Pepe pasta, optional. but more fun. just sayin’.

in a giant soup pot, sauté the onion, celery and carrots over medium heat until crisp-tender*.
*basically, when you can stick a fork through the carrot pieces easily but they are still firm when you have a taste. after you cool it off for a sec, of course. because…ouch. no mushy vegetables, ok? ew.

ANYWAY

add the zucchini for the last couple minutes of sautéeing, then throw in the corn. add the salt and pepper over top.
cut the cream cheese into small cubes and toss all over the pot. stir until melted.
add the can of tomatoes, broth [and water if you don't have enough broth]
and the seasonings.

and now the fun part!
toss in the 1/2 cup of those tiny cute little pasta beady lookin’ things right into the soup pot! yeah! just do it!
it’s like magic.
turn the heat down just a bit, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or so.
remove the lid and give a stir here and there.
unless you have telepathic stirring abilities, then leave the lid on. and call me.

serve with fresh parmesan over top and your favourite crackers or bread on the side.

and totally add other stuff of your own! just remember to add more broth if you increase the other ingredient amounts.
hope you enjoy.

much love,
chanelle

delicious kindness

delicious kindness, originally uploaded by iamchanelle.

my morning did not go at all as i had planned (not to mention all the kids are home sick and i still don’t feel 100% either AND i have SO MUCH WORK TO DO OMG and this is so NOT the day to NOT HAVE COFFEE).

shortly after sending out my little tweet (aka: COMPLAINING and WHINING and being a BRAT), my doorbell rings, and what do i find? a HOMEMADE caramel latte at my doorstep, left by my lovely friend J.

and i? am undone.
kindness never ceases to blow me away.
especially when it takes such a DELICIOUS form.

*sip*

thank you, j. <3

Mashable.com Open Web Awards of Awesomeness

WOAH! i have apparently been nominated for best Flickr Photographer in Mashable.com’s open web awards!
O_O
This is the first round of nominating to get people into the finals. And apparently, I am on the leader board, according to this article.

Could you take a moment to click the link below and throw in a nomination for me?
[you need to log in, and then at the very top it says:Nominate "Chanelle Richardson" for "Best Flickr Photographer". make sure those fields are correct, and click :"Submit".]

I am humbled and excited to be a part of something like this.

love,
chanelle

pumpkin spice latte

pumpkin spice latte, originally uploaded by iamchanelle.

made my own pumpkin spice latte this morning, thanks to this recipe. nom.
yay Autumn!!!

sur la table

sur la table, originally uploaded by iamchanelle.

[this is my nightstand.]

sometimes, it’s good to stop. to rest. to enjoy the lovely Autumn light streaming in through your window.

to read a book.
drink some tea.

to turn off all the noise, and thoughts, the tasks and just…
be.

sorry for the quiet around here, but i’ve needed it.
be back to baking and posting soon!

hope you are all happy and well.
peace.

love,
chanelle

simple things

simple things, originally uploaded by iamchanelle.

i have found the simplest things in life bring the greatest satisfaction.

this morning, i enjoyed an egg sunny side up with lots of freshly cracked black pepper, whole wheat toast with sweet cream butter, french press, an open window to usher in the beginnings of Autumn and some time with my guitar.

*happy contented sigh*

i hope you find something simple and lovely to enjoy today. you deserve it.

love,
chanelle

p.s. – my method for eggs sunny side up:

heat a pat of butter in a small skillet over medium high heat.  when sizzling, crack an egg into the pan.  cook for a minute or so until the white solidifies.  toss some kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper over top, and cover with a lid.  fry about 2-3 minutes more until the yolk *just* begins to solidify around the edges, but is “wobbly” in the center.  remove immediately and enjoy.