Maddie Lisee

Real Food : Chili

2012-01-01T17:47:00.000-08:00

Made a pot of chili and compared it with the nutritional label of a can of chili, holy crapola, what a difference.

I quartered an onion and set in the bottom of my dutch oven (you can use a crock pot, same method). Set my 2lb roast on top and added cumin, dried chipotle pepper, paprika, kosher salt and black pepper. Poured in one beer (to braise beef you need liquid with some acid in it, beer, wine, broth, whatever) and one can of beef broth.

Cook on low heat for 2 hrs, add chopped (2 green peppers, 1 red pepper, 1 onion) and keep going. Looks like a big hot mess, but the magic will happen.

At the end you add 2 cans beans, several tablespoons of tomato paste (to thicken) and shred the beef with two forks and two karate chopping hands. Serve.

I added a scoop of sour cream and some fresh shredded cheddar (hand shredded from a block in the fridge, that stuff in bags is not really cheese).

So here's the kicker and nutrional values. Based on a 2 cup portion, my chili has slightly less calories but so much better in so many ways.

My calories: 474
Theirs: 574

My sodium: 550 (daily allowance is 2400)
Theirs: 2672

My carbs: 38g
Theirs: 62g

My total fat: 12.6 (daily allowance 65)
Theirs: 28

My protein: 52g (recommended at least 50 g/day)
Theirs: 28

So cooking it fresh and clean proves to up the protein, decreases the sodium, decreases the carbs, saves a few calories and give you a heavenly smell in your house and leftovers for days. My batch made 12 cups of delicious shredded beer braised beef chili.

Forget all the 'shrink your belly' bullcrap you see, the overnight way to do it is to cut the sodium that comes in pre-processed food. Less salt = less water retention where you don't want it. There are obviously better food options out there than chili, just trying to show that even chili can be done right.....yum.

My Chili is Too Hot!

2012-01-01T15:31:00.000-08:00

Did some interesting experiments tonight. Still on the "Real Food" mission, I made some homemade slow cooked braised chili, and it came out VERY SPICY! So to neutralize the spicy I attacked it from two angles. First, to lower the ph of the acids, (just need a pinch of baking soda). Secondly, to awaken another part of the tongue so as not to concentrate on the acids...sugar. I added 1/4 cup of pineapple orange juice and with that little bit of sugar competing for attention, the spice has been cut (at least to my own tongue's ability to perceive it). No, you can't taste the juice AT ALL.

So,...baking soda...sugar...done...delicious.

"Pancake Syrup" update

2012-01-01T15:23:00.000-08:00

Had to run to the grocery store today and wanted to check the syrups to see why my bizarre concoction tasted better than any grocery store syrup I've ever had.

My recipe as stated below was brown sugar, honey, water, orange/pineapple juice, butter and pinch of salt.

The ingredient list on every syrup I picked up said:
Corn Syrup, artificial flavors, followed by 4 chemical preservatives I can't explain, nitrites, benzoate sulpha bullcrap, and more. yuk, that's nasty baby. They all has the same stinkin' man made ingredients.

Not real food.

Real Food in 2012!

2012-01-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

Kevin got a kick lately trying to cook things from scratch that we take for granted, he's making bread, we made our own pasta, he made hot pretzels, even bagels.

So with all of the organic-driven-buy-local movements happenning, I'm adding my own twist: to make as much of our food as possible and limit processed-boxed-canned-frozen-sodium heavy-preservative-chemical ridden foods of convenience.

Started off 2012 with homemade pancakes and homemade syrup, easy and delicious! Here's the proof!

Pancakes were fluffy and thick, made with eggs, flour, baking soda, baking powder, milk, all real foods.

I didn't make a traditional maple syrup. Instead I put 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup orange juice, tbsp of honey and tbsp of butter in a saucepan. I was totally winging it. Brought it to a quick boil and ladled over the pancakes. OMG, better than any store bought syrup I've ever had and will keep in the fridge for 2 weeks! Just poured it into a baby bottle with a lid and stuck it in the fridge.

Hmmmmm...now what for lunch?

Day 5: Salmon with Alfredo and Asparagus

2011-04-13T06:26:00.000-07:00

After muffins for breakfast, turkey sandwiches for lunch, we had Baked Salmon for dinner.

I bought the pre-portioned frozen salmon and defrosted in the microwave for about 5 minutes.

Place in a baking dish with scattered asparagus, drizzle oil, salt and pepper, bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.

On the stove top, boil half box of pasta and drain. In hot pan melt tbsp butter, splash heavy cream, 1/2 cup crumbled parmesan and toss with pasta, salt pepper, Enjoy!

Dinner Day 4: Homemade Pizza

2011-04-11T18:23:00.000-07:00

Pizza dough is crazy easy to make, there are about 2 million recipes online but we just do some flour, some water, some yeast, some olive oil, some salt. We usually make a ton and freeze it in freezer bags by the double handful. Take a bag out of the freezer when you get up and by dinner its soft and yeasty goodness.

We spread out some pizza dough and used some flour to smush and spread by hand, lay a pam'd tin foil on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, we tore a bit of proscuitto, spinach, chopped sun dried tomatoes and fresh mozzerella, salt, pepper. Made a little foil tent over the pizza and into the oven for 20 minutes. Take off foil tent and let go another 10 minutes, eat, and enjoy (folding over into a sandwich is divine)

Restaurant cost: $28 + drinks + tip = $46
Takeout cost: don't even try, any kind of delivered 'fresh herbed oil option' is about 800 calories a piece
Our cost: $4.00
feeds 4-6 people
Calories: about 300 calories for a 4x6 piece

Breakfast/lunch day 4: every man for herself

2011-04-11T18:12:00.000-07:00

Breakfast: I had leftover frittata, Kevin had a bagel, Lizzie had a muffin

Lunch: Kevin made a turkey sandwich, Lizzie and I had mozzerella rosemary flatbread melts.

Dinner day 3: Filet Mignon w Mushrooms and Asparagus

2011-04-11T18:04:00.000-07:00

The whole point of this to eat well for $300 a month and tonight was a winner. I bought a pack of 4 12oz filets which I cut into 8 6oz servings.

Take 2 filet servings and sear both sides with some montreal seasoning (onion garlic, salt pepper) in a hot oiled pan ( tsp of bacon grease or butter will make all the difference).

Put into a small glass casserole dish in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes.

Sit down for 20 minutes.

Last 10 minutes, chop up 4-6 asparagus stalks in 1 inch pieces, 5 baby bellas coarsely chopped and put back into the 'sear pan' with a drizzle of oil.

Pull meat out of oven and pour meat drippings onto vegetables, set meat aside to rest and continue tossing veg. Just when tender, pour in a splash of heavy cream to cover bottom of pan and let it bowl like crazy for about 30 seconds (getting the water out, will leave a creamy sauce on the veg).

Have meat and veg, hubby said best he ever had!

Restaurant cost for 2: $72
Our cost: $10
Calories: approx 550 per serving
Cook time: 10 minutes on, 20 minutes off, 10 minutes on, serve.

Brunch Day 3: Savory Sunday Eggs

2011-04-10T08:40:00.000-07:00

This isn't technically a quiche since there is no pastry crust, but its delicious with a glass of juice and a cup of coffee to sip on and everything you need is already in the fridge.

In a saute pan, drizzle olive oil, toss in some sliced shallots or thinly sliced onions. When softened, throw in a couple of pieces of torn/shredded proscuitto, a few chopped baby bella mushrooms, couple handfuls of spinach/chard/or mixed greens, chop up a handful of the sun dried tomatoes and stir around the hot pan till all soft and glistening. Spoon into a PAM'd casserole dish and dot/crumble any ole cheese in there. My deli drawer has a graveyard of unmarked yummy hard cheeses in plastic baggies, I just grab one (I think this time it was a white cheddar?)

Mix 3 eggs with about 4 oz of the heavy cream and pour over the top, salt pepper and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

I used a 9x9 casserole dish for 4 servings.

Total time 50 minutes.
Total cost: under $3.00
Calories? hmmmm...I estimate 250 per serving.

Dinner day 2: Lobster tail with salad

2011-04-09T20:32:00.000-07:00

So this dinner was supposed to be a surf and turf, little lobster, beef filet, pasta and salad, but after our raunchy Mexican lunch it turned into a late supper of lobster and salad.

I wrapped the lobster tail (after slicing the underside) with 4 knobs of butter in tin foil and baked for about 20 minutes.

The gnarly came when trying to free the tail meat,..you gotta get inquisition on it. After playing nice and getting frustrated, I figured out that you've gotta separate the shell best you can with a thin blade, then flop it over and pry a fork down its backside and pull like a mo-fo and ....poof the magic lobster...it came free.

So here is our late light supper of lobster and salad (mixed greens, torn mozzerella, balsamic basil vinaigrette with croutons).

It was yummy.

total time: 30 minutes
calories: 320 per plate
restaurant cost: $72 for 3 servings
our cost: $18 for 3 servings

Breakfast Day 2: Mozzerella Bagels with Blackberries

2011-04-09T13:14:00.000-07:00

Well, the first hiccup in my planning, we got invited out to lunch so my ceviche salad went out the window, but I didn't want it to go to waste so I put some in a cup and went ahead with a smaller breakfast plan.

I forgot to buy cream cheese, so I drizzled a bagel half with olive oil and laid out a few mozzerella slivers, toasted and delicious, whoda thought that would work?? Handful of blackberries and we're done.

total time: 12 minutes

Note: the lemon spicy ceviche absolutely does not work for breakfast, would have been great over greens for lunch but we just couldn't stomach it at 8am. So I doubled down on the bagel and the ceviche went down the sink...sad face. Had it been tuna or fish, fine, but scallops in lemon just didn't work and should stay in the fridge until at least noon when you can face them with a more awake palate. Had I known it would be breakfast I would have used pineapple or orange juice instead of lemon, would have been delightful.

First dinner! Grilled Scallop Skewers with Proscuitto wrapped Asparagus

2011-04-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the idea, eat well, eat luscious, for little money, little time and I've done all the planning for you!

Lay a sheet of foil on a baking sheet and PAM it. Lay out 5-10 asparagus stalks per person depending on size, costco sells big-uns so 6 was perfect (snap off the woody end). Drizzle with olive oil. Take out about 3 pieces of proscuitto and tear into strips and bits, wrap around asparagus don't be tempted to salt it, no need. Set oven to 350 and set aside.

Dump scallops, drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper in bowl and toss. Slice a lemon thinly and half them. Skewer scallops and lemon slices and start grill or grill pan.

Stick asparagus in oven to roast, lay scallop skewers on grill pan and turn if starts to get too brown. both of these take less than 10 minutes to cook. When scallops are done, pull out asparagus and eat! Surprisingly filling.

3 adult servings
approx 350 calories per person
time from start to finish: about 15 minutes, I'm not even kidding.

I reserved 5 scallops to make an overnight ceviche for tomorrow's lunch, squeeze remaining lemon slices into chopped scallops, small glass bowl, add sliced tomatoes or roasted peppers or chilis, cover and put in fridge overnight.

The Italian factors into the Costco Challenge

2011-04-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

My daughter is half Italian, summers every other year in Rome, Venice, Florence, Lake Como, Sperlonga. She was raised with the four major food groups of bread/pasta, oil, cheese and whatever else you throw on top of it. She also needs a snack after school. So with the costco challenge I made sure she would have a tasty bit of roman zen every day to start her homework.

Rosemary Focaccia Mozzerella
Take one focaccia half, drizzle olive oil, slice 3 slivers of fresh mozzerella, bake for 7 minutes at 350.

Aromatic, cheesy, crispy delicious. 6" diameter, 120 calories.
Restaurant cost: $4
Our cost: 32 cents

3 Mouths, 30 days, $300...the Costco challenge

2011-04-08T11:58:00.000-07:00

With the cost of food through the roof, and Kroger raking me over for every $2.99 red pepper, I decided to take on a challenge. I have 3 mouths to feed, me, my dear hubby and my 17 yr old daughter, so three adult appetites. I actually have four, but my sweet baby girl only takes pediasure through a g-tube, so her budget is separate.

My friend turned me onto Costco last fall, but I couldn't figure out how to make it work for 3 people, I mean really, do I need a 5 gallon jug of mayonnaise? I really started to get comfortable with the meat section, they have gorgeous whole fish, and the produce is bountiful. But how to make it work for a smaller family, and still keep the frozen processed high sodium crap to a drop dead end of the line no go minimum?

So last month I stocked up meats and veg, I partitioned the meats into nightly servings in freezer bags, toss in a variety of vinaigrette, chipotle peppers, garlic, oils and you have a self marinating system...oriental chicken...mexican pork...italian steaks. Just take one out every night, let it thaw/marinate overnight, at dinner time toss it in a baking dish, 350 degrees for half hour, or sear in a hot pan, mix up some carb or veg or salad,...dinner....done.

So here we go for the next 30 days.
Here is the shopping list:

4 1lb filet mignons
8 lbs pork spareribs
1 lb scallops
1 lobster tail
1 pack fresh mozzerella
1 bag frozen individually portioned alaskan salmon (9 pcs)
12 ct bagels
1 6lb bag lemons
1 bag stir fry veg
1 double pack tortellini
1 bag asparagus
1 bag frozen sweet potato fries
1 bag foccacia flatbreads (about 20 bagel size pre-sliced rosemary flatbreads)
1 bag foccacia croutons
1 container blackberries
1 container baby portabellas
1 jar roasted red peppers
1 jar sundried tomatoes
1 frozen box of beef broccoli (for emergency dinner)
1 double pack prosciutto de parma
1 double pack herbed sliced sandwich turkey
1 half gallon heavy cream
1 container vine tomatoes
1 bottle balsamic basil vinaigrette
1 container mixed greens salad
16 sticks unsalted butter
24 pack vitamin water
35 pack diet green tea

cost $261.60

That leaves $$38.40 for some fresh herbs from Kroger, rosemary, basil, flat leaf parsley, one carton eggs plus a half gallon milk and juice each week. Yes, still have to hit the grocery store for a few items.

Add to this what was leftover from last month:
Still have 8 chicken breasts, 8 pork chops, and 2 lbs ground beef in the freezer. Plenty of olive oil, smashed garlic, granola bars, single chip packs, barbeque sauce, basmati rice, 3 boxes pasta, 1/3 of 20lb bag of potatoes, 6 onions, 2 loaves of wheat bread (in freezer) and 3 Healthy Choice frozen lunches.

Tools:
1 gas range that my husband bought me for christmas because he's AWESOME!
1 refridgerator w/ tiny freezer (Costco and tiny freezers don't mix but we're working it out)
1 Le Creuset covered 5 gallon pot that my sister bought me...because she's AWESOME!
1 All Clad covered 13" saute pan my dad/Milena bought me...because they're AWESOME!
2 All Clad saute pans
1 stove top grill pan from Mom, thanks mom!
4 Pampered Chef ceramic chef knives I bought from sweetie's teacher, Katie Gordon
set of 3 Pampered Chef non slide flexible cutting boards, thanks Katie!

these are all of my most used, most favorite items.

what else should you have on hand?
Kosher Salt
Black pepper
Montreal "Grill it" seasoning
nice assortment of oils, dried herbs (I collect herbs like others collect shoes)
wine, red and white, singles for cooking, bottles for drinking.

Tonight's dinner: Grilled skewered scallops/lemon slices with prosciutto wrapped roasted asparagus.

Recipe and pics to come!

Who the F&^K let that happen??!?!

2011-04-07T18:53:00.001-07:00

So I usually skip through most of the Idol shows, but something tonight caught not only my attention but my jaw dropping other worldy get me off this planet because this is just that bad kind of response...Iggy Pop was on the Idol results show. He's tanned, he's physical, he's blond toned and hair highlighted, but WTF?!?!?!?!?!?! On Idol? Iggy Pop??? Why not let the Ramones loose on stage to a crowd who has no idea who they are. Let's throw the Replacements up there, maybe a Smiths reunion to a crowd that doesn't give a shit. Goodbye Idol, I always kind of liked to check in on DVR to see if there was something I should see, some great unknown, but when you bastardize the greats, it's time to say goodbye.

Etsy Treasuries

2011-03-09T06:57:00.000-08:00

I've been fortunate to be picked for several treasuries lately and they always lead me to such pretty things that other artists are creating so I wanted to post some this morning. Stamped ribbon, want want want.

Authentically vintage? Can't say...do I care in this case? NO! Adorable!

Glorious wine charms, great for gift giving.

This is from a treasury inspired by The King's Speech, super!

This is one of my treasuried items, vintage pearly and rhinestone clip earring on modern copper filigree with a copper baby bee.

This stamped burlap comes ready to make into anything you like, I might just want to frame it.

Close your eyes and its Spring!

2011-03-09T06:32:00.000-08:00

I'm trying to power through my stash of vintage bits and baubles...oh what a mess it makes. I have a studio and a work table but honestly the only way for me to creat is to stack every bin and box around my like a snow fort and just start putting things together and let the piece evolve.

I look at the pristine and glorious work spaces in "Where Women Create" and snicker to myself. Working with found objects means you have to be able to see everything you have at once, all dumped in your lap at the same time.

How else could you put together a collage of elements?v Vintage costume jewelry, old brass stampings, old pearls and fresh modern florals, like they were made to live together.

The best part about this time of year is that while it may be dreary, rainy, cold, windy and chilly outside, on my coffee table its springtime. I've pulled out my collection of 1950's pastels and floral costume jewelry and its just like playing with candy.

These vintage enamel pins are crazy hot right now and I've finally got my hands on some, I've had a wicked cold for about 7 weeks, and I'm learning that if you feel crappy on the inside, throw on something sunny on the outside.

After filling wholesale orders and getting through the winter season I've been hard at work and listing items on etsy http://www.maddielisee.etsy.com/

New for spring? These are my new antique postage stamp glass charms, which I've added to antique watch chains with dainty charms and pendants. Also available at Sobo Style! http://www.sobostyle.blogspot.com/

BEEF WELLINGTON FOR 10

2010-06-17T18:50:00.000-07:00

So in keeping with my real food is good for you rant, here is exhibit A.
Beef Wellington for 10 (with extras for ovenside munching). Serve with salad.
Total cost $70, total time is 2 hrs ( a good half hour for the first part, then you let it rest, then you put it in the oven and cook, then you let it rest again...2 hrs from start to finish but most of that time you can just chill out)
Yes, $70 is a lot of money, but really, this would cost about $400 in a restaurant for 10 people. And...its fabulous...And...its delicious....And it will impress EVERYONE!
I bought 3 filets (about 3/4 to 1lb each) ... filet mignon cuts (here's the brunt of the whole cost, get it on sale and your cost will go down to about $40, choice works fine). That price includes a head of romaine, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, lb of mushrooms, 6-12 slices of proscuito and 3 cans of reduced fat crescent rolls.
The magic here is about the process. Dont cut corners, each step beautifully leads to the next.
First, finely chop (or blender the S**T out of) the mushrooms, stems and all. set aside.
Heat olive oil in a pan and sear the filet on both sides for a couple of minutes, throw it on a plate and set aside. (Get the pan hot, lightly salt the meat and sear on each side till you see no more than 1/8" of "cooked grey" creeping up the sides)
Dab up excess oil in the meaty brown pan and throw in the mushrooms, gotta cook all the water out (they become sponges to soak up all the meaty goodness in the oven)
While the mushrooms are cooking lay out 3 big sheets of clear wrap on the counter. Lay at least 2 (better for four) slices of proscuitto on each piece of wrap, you're making a bed of cured Italian heaven. Set a filet in the center of each. Slab filet with mustard (english is best, dijon is just as good, don't even throw that yellow hot dog stuff on here). What happens to the mustard in the cooking process is also part of the magic, don't know where it goes but it just disappears while tenderizing the meat.
Scoop dehydtrated brown mushroom sludge onto each.
now wrap it all up by piece in the plastic wrap nice and tight and put it in the fridge for at least 20 mins (hour is better). Think layers of the earth, the filet is the inner core, the mustard is thin layer of magma, the mushrooms are the shifting plates and the crust is the topsoil.
Seriously this isn't really hard, you will never taste better. The outcome is gorgeous so stay with me.
Sip wine. sip again.
Wax paper (or flour on counter), you're gonna have to lay out the crescent rolls from the can and kind of smush/roll it (old fashioned wood bread roller comes in handy) get it into three cohesive rectangular pieces, it wont be perfect, seams are inevitable. Get the flour out, you're gonna need it, just keep throwing flour at it and smush it with those gorgeous fingers, it all congeals in the oven so don't worry too much, just keep the thickness consistent. Look at my picture...seams and bulls**t everywhere before it went in the oven.
OK...THE MAGIC! Unwrap your gorgeous logs and lay 'em in the center of the dough. wrap it up like a present, trim unsightly edges and coat it with egg wash (egg yolks, takes about 2 for this, if you're not good at separating yolks, don't worry, will still come out great with the whole egg, yolks only = gorgeous brown crust). Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper (or sea salt, or table salt, whatever)
Oil a nice deep pan (this is what PAM is for), set pretty loaf inside and cover with foil. Cook at preheated 375 for 35 minutes for medium rare, 400 for 35 minutes for medium...don't even ask me about well done because that's a sin against the cow. Obviously if your cuts are thicker you might want to tack on a few minutes. A meat thermometer will tell you, pull that happy log out at about 145-150 degrees internal, it will keep cooking while resting.
Let rest for about 10 minutes, trim the bready ends off (and set aside because they are DELISH for nibbling!) and slice the loafs into 3-4 pieces each. Serve with salad and get ready for the drunken accolades.
Total intake is about 5 oz filet, 1.5 rolls, 2/3 proscuitto slice, mushrooms, lettuce, cherry tomatoes and cucumber, est calories per serving: if you slice loaves into 1" thirds = 700 total calories inc. salad...if you slice into thinner 3/4" fourths = 525 total calories for the whole meal, give or take salad dressing.
You will get laid for this. :)

New Booth Open!

2010-06-11T14:01:00.000-07:00

New Booth Open! Never say never...got the itch to paint some lil beauties and do some display, have fun! Broadway Antique Mall, Broadway in Lebanon, couple doors up from the Golden Lamb, booth 48-50. 10-5 Mon-Sat, 12-5 Sun. vintage wares, painted furniture, fun smalls, altered antique jewelry, fun bits!

SPRING ARTS MARKET AT SOBO STYLE!

2010-03-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

Had a great day at Sobo Style for the Spring Arts Market! Katie's shop looked fabulous, tons of new things for spring, great furniture pieces and super accessories. I debuted some new pieces and ideas including these pocketwatch collage necklaces...

I've also been playing with collage necklaces, aka 'statement necklaces' incorporating vintage pearls, baubles and costume jewelry...they were a big hit!

more statement pieces...

Katie does terrific staging and display...

Also sold at the arts market were these antique botanicals and natural prints...

And industrial lamp art....I wanted the one on the left SOOO bad. Just not sure dear husband would understand a $250 lamp made out of industrial piping...but I think its wicked delicious.

i wish I knew even ONE baby to buy these for...

Great crowd, great shop, wortha trip to Columbus.

www.sobostyle.blogspot.com

2009-11-28T09:10:00.000-08:00

Mark your calendars!! Lebanon's annual Christmas Festival and Horsedrawn Parade is Saturday Dec 5th!!

I'll be set up in Elemental Om Yoga Studio next to the Wine shop (across the street from my old shop on Mulberry) from 11am to 7pm.

2009-10-22T06:12:00.000-07:00

We had a GREAT day at Sobo Style's Fall Arts Market! Katie's shop is just divine and full of unique furniture, accessories, gifts and must-have's!

Katie was adorable in her fall couture...

We brought some fun "Halloween" themed jewelry utilizing antique cameos, clock faces, glass charms, potion bottles, antique chains and pearls and they were a big seller :)

Julie and I have been playing with antique hardware, escutcheons, backplates and bits of old metal of all shapes and sizes...

LOVE Julie's new bracelets using antique lace and vintage rhinestone buckles! (Had to get one of these for myself)...

It was way fun setting up our stuff in Sobo's space, Katie's shop is just full of fun staging pieces...

We'll be at the Xenia fairgrounds this Saturday the 24th of October from 9-5 for an antique and arts show, come see us!

2009-09-20T18:05:00.000-07:00

So my Trueblood season finale was last week and me and girls (Jen, Julie and Laura) sipped bloody martinis and I thought I'd post the recipe. Not my recipe, just one I tweaked a bit from online and I'd love to give credit to the originator but can't figure out who had this little bloody brainchild.

So first you mix up a bubbly witches brew of sugar in various forms...

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup corn syrup

1/2 cup water

and you boil it to within an inch of its life (a confectioners therm will tell you when you hit 325 degrees)...the problem is that you've got to watch the little demon every second because once you hit 325 you've got about 15 seconds until it turns into a burnt stinking smoking mess, so it hits 325 and you dribble some red food coloring in and it crackles and spits at you like the heathen that it is...you throw on your least flattering oven mitt and start dipping glasses like mad, then setting them on a REALLY fat cutting board. The effect is amazing, the taste is delicious. We served my own wicked martini which is a spin on french martinis:

slosh of vodka

slosh of sprite

splash of chambord

splash of pineapple juice

(add cranberry or more red food coloring for effect)

then serve and encourage all to lick the glass generously (you wont have to encourage very much, after a while they're all licking their glass enough to make their husbands green with envy). I also have tried red wine, and have to delightfully say that it doesn't alter the taste of the drink at all, just leaves a flirtatious glint of sugar on the lips after each sip.

It all comes off in the dishwasher after. If you don't have to worry about mess, try just junking it up to 250 degrees...leaves it very sticky and sweet like jam, rather than the hard candy route. And even if you burn it a bit it turns a luscious auburn color and tastes like caramel.

Have fun ladies! And wear protection! (oven mitts!)

Heather

I feel like Purple

2009-08-17T18:21:00.000-07:00

So I'm have my hair appointment with my buddy Di King, or Di, or Diane, or Diana, she seems to respond to all three...anyway I see her gorgeous streaks of pale lavender in her white blond hair and I think...ummmmmm.......so some might know that in college I was a bit of a punk rock girl, lots of fish net and army boots and black lace and yes...purple hair. So somehow I just said "you gotta gimme some of that" and three hours later I was walking out with irredescent deep purple streaks hidden in my locks. OK, so that's how I did it, subtle, like an accessory, hidden inside my hair, to be shown off if I choose to.

So of course my 16 yr old Lizzy sees it and is floored and wants color because she can't be shown up by her mom,. So I take her in for pink streaks and this completely unassuming teacher is there, sees my hair, sees her hair and goes for pink too! We're starting a revolution! Somewhere in Cincinnati a 40-something teacher is meeting her class next week with a huge streak of hot pink in her short blond otherwise mainstream locks. I'm not sure if my daughter was mortified that I talked someone into pink hair, or maybe secretely proud of her not-yet-uncool-old-lady-mom.

2009-07-06T08:31:00.000-07:00

Oh what a wet and wild day at Americana! After a rushed setup we waited for the crowds to gather post parade...boy...some people take their red white and blue outfits very seriously! Business picked up late morning and then the drizzle came...and then the rain came...and then the downpour came. We were stuck on Far Hills and in our little white tent, couldn't leave until 5pm when the streets opened up again. But...woo-hoo!!! Among the 300 vendors we took first place!! I'd like to thank the academy, my trusty needlenose pliers, my vast collection of adhesives, my daughter who can cut chain like a machine and my husband who pretends to overlook the heaps of vintage parts taking over the family room.

2009-06-22T15:58:00.001-07:00

I'm ANTIQUE WATCH OBSESSED! I bought the most delicious batch of antique watch parts and have had way too much fun figuring out how to use them all. I mean, there's something nostalgic about watch parts...before quartz...before digital...before having a time keeper on every appliance in our house. Even my own watch died last Decemeber and I never bought a new one because why do I need to know the time when my cell phone is always in my hand? So now gears become art, the intricacy of the mechanics, the beauty of the fonts and etchings and jewels.

Here's a combination of watch guts and my glass pendants using antique french papers...

And another view...

Here's a view of antique movements...

My watch/butterfly bracelet....

And of course we need cocktail rings too!!

Here we have watch movements embellished with vintage flowers and rhinestones turned into lovely bracelets...

Chandelier Earrings and Bodacious Bracelets

2009-06-03T11:21:00.000-07:00

Introducing my series of chandelier crystal earrings and I also wanted to show off the fun I had making bracelets with vintage pearls and sparkly bits, both huge sellers at my last couple of shows!

Antique Watch Goodies on their Way to Sobo Style!

2009-06-02T12:31:00.000-07:00

Ooooooooh...nothing like taking your aggressions out on a poor piece of metal with your hands and steel tipped tools, I just love figuring out how to DIS-assemble...almost as much fun as the RE-assemble.

Many thanks to Katie at Sobo Style for partaking of my goods, here's a sample of what Katie and I cooked up for her shop. Am I nuts or are old watch parts just crusty and oh so yummy.

2009-05-20T08:11:00.000-07:00

Second Sunday Waynesville Show! Forgot to post pics of the goodies!

Extravaganza!!

2009-05-14T09:02:00.001-07:00

Off to Springfield in the wee wee hours of the morning, driving an hour north with coffee in hand and trunks of vintage jewelry in the van. Setting up with my good friends Joe Kenz and Sandy Garrison of Rhubarb Reign. Booth 31, east side of the mercantile building, see you there!

2009-04-28T05:45:00.001-07:00

Would love for you to join us at my house this Sunday May 3rd from 2-5 at 859 Grandstone Ct, Lebanon 45036. We'll be displaying my hand-remade-from-vintage jewelry and some other goodies. I'll also be featuring the jewelry of Julie Crusenberry and Stephanie Day. Julie also works magic with vintage costume jewelry and Stephanie specializes in modern pieces. Have a cocktail and a treat and we'll all catch up. See you there!

2009-04-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

I've been playing with crystals! I've been working on 4 new series using vintage chandelier crystals, antique french papers and images, vintage ab rhinestones and watch parts, all on vintage silver chains. Check out my etsy store to see more!

2009-04-03T11:58:00.000-07:00

I know the weather is dreary, but spring is coming...yes it really is. I was inspired by the colors of spring this week and put a whole new host of etsy items online. Can you tell I had a little Marie Antoinette on the brain? As I was sitting there I kept thinking "MAN I wish it showed up on HBO this afternoon", like some random cosmic coincidence...to no avail. But the gods were still smiling at Encore who decided to throw "Dangerous Liasons" on instead. Woo-hoo! Even better!

Getting there

2009-04-01T06:14:00.001-07:00

Not sure where 'there' is but I think I'm getting there. The shop liquidation is almost complete and I can devote myself to what my husband is calling "Maddie Lisee 2.0" I've got a list of projects I'm working on in the studio, my problem now is that I want to work on everything at once! I'm like a kid in a candy shop, except for me its more like a sparkle addict in a rhinestone shop. But hey, I've got the price tags made :)

2009-02-25T11:19:00.000-08:00

OK!! Time to get blogging :) Since going to Saturday hours only at the shop it seems I'm busier than ever, going to auction, loading, unloading, painting, glueing, crafting, embellishing and now blogging! Sorry to everyone that wants me to go back to weekday hours but there just isn't any way. There is no street left in front of the shop, no parking, only cranes swinging, pavement crumbling and construction workers spitting. I'd like to do an evening event, details coming soon! However, for those who want to brave it on Saturdays, we are there from 10am to 6pm and they do clean up the street for the weekend, we haven't had any problems. I'm making a resolution to update photos on the blog and website often so check back!

Intro

2008-09-30T05:41:00.000-07:00

Oh, where to begin? I'm Heather and I've owned a popular vintage decoratives store in Lebanon, Ohio for the last 4+ years.