Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage

Continuing on with my valiant effort to use up all my fresh herbs while summer is still summer, I bring you one of my most favorite, easiest, most crowd-pleasing dishes ever. There is something a dish with the words "browned butter" in the title that just makes you feel warm and fuzzy all over. Well, it works for me, anyway. Browned butter is exactly what it sounds like: butter that has been melted and simmered over low heat until it starts to turn slightly, well, brown. And with that browning it takes on a bit of a nutty taste that is rich and wonderful.

So this sauce calls not only for fabulous brown butter, but also for a generous amount of this:

That would be the acres and acres of sage in my back yard. Okay, it is only a wooden barrel-ful of sage, but this stuff is tenacious, and it needs to be dealt with. And one of the most satisfying ways is with this scrumptious recipe. Start by boiling up your favorite ravioli - I like the nice big round cheese kind. While the ravioli is cooking, you melt some butter in your favorite skillet and add some chopped shallots, stirring them around until they soften. Then toss in those fresh sage leaves and cook them until they just start getting crispy. All of this is going to take about 5 minutes, and by now the butter will be getting just a little brown. Add a little salt and pepper and pour the whole thing over your cooked ravioli. Last but not least toss very gently with some grated Parmesan cheese, and there you are! The entire process took you about 15 minutes, and you are in ravioli heaven.

More herb-using strategies to come in the next post.

Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage, adapted from Real Simple

1 package cheese ravioli

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 medium shallots, sliced thinly

20 fresh sage leaves

Salt and fresh ground pepper

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook ravioli according to package directions.

2. Heat butter in a skillet over medium low heat until it foams. Add shallots and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the sage and cook until leaves turn slightly crisp, another 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Add cooked ravioli to the skillet and toss gently. Add 1/3 cup parmesan and toss gently again. Divide among dishes and top with remaining parmesan and another grinding of fresh pepper.

Click here for printable recipe

Halloween costume inspiration: Heroes...

With only two more months to go until Halloween, it's never too early to start preparing your costume, whether it be researching ideas or actually making your own fantastic outfit.

Here are just a few ideas from the world of fantasy and comic book superhero movies to inspire you this year.

Wolverine

All you need are some fake claws, facial hair, white vest and jeans to rock Hugh Jackman's Wolverine look, like this Madame Tussauds waxwork of the Canadian mutant. Maybe impressive muscles would be advantageous too.

Iron Man

Continuing the Marvel Comics theme, let the Iron Man suit worn by Robert Downey Jr. in the first movie inspire you, or go for the latest high-tech look from the sequel.

The Incredible Hulk

If you want a simple costume, what about some ripped jeans and some green body paint to make you look like the rampaging Hulk? You could even paint your six-pack on.

Batman

If you're a DC Comics fan, maybe you'll be inspired by Batman's costume from The Dark Knight.

Silk Spectre II

And if you're a Watchmen fan, there's lots of amazing looks to choose from, including this super-sexy Silk Spectre II outfit.

Nite Owl II

The Comedian

Ozymandius

Rorschach

Fan-favourite Rorschach is probably one of the easiest Watchmen looks to achieve with his trench-coat, scarf, hat and even mask, easy to replicate.

Aang The Last Airbender

From comic book heroes to magical martial arts heroes, you may be inspired to go as the robed Aang from The Last Airbender.

Dastan Prince of Persia

Another hero, this time making the leap from videogames to the big screen was Jake Gyllenhaal as Dastan, The Prince of Persia. You'll also find costume ideas for Gemma Arterton's Princess Tamina.

Prince Caspian

Or be inspired by another armoured Prince, from The Chronicles of Narnia, Prince Caspian.

Gladiator

Can you get any more heroic than Russell Crowe as Roman Gladiator 'Maximus Decimus Meridius'.

The Mad Hatter

I think Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter will be a popular choice this Halloween, or if you're looking for a heroine's outfit, what about the titular Alice in Wonderland.

Alice in Wonderland

If you're looking for more of an action-hero outfit, what about super-silent ninja Snake Eyes from G.I. Joe?

Snake Eyes

Here are two options, either his signature black outfit or go all white in his Arctic look. Be sure to check out the other G.I. Joe costumes here at Hollywood Movie Costumes and Props.

Finally here are a selection of costumes, store-bought and homemade from West Hollywood's Annual Halloween Carnaval.

West Hollywood's Halloween superheroes 2008

In 2008 I was Spider-man and was joined by the likes of Batman, Flash, Captain America, Supergirl, Wolverine and Batgirl.

West Hollywood's Halloween superheroes 2009

Last year my partner and I were the Dynamic Duo, Batman and Robin (I was the Boy Wonder). We bought the padded muscle versions and accessorised with gloves, belts and glow-sticks.

Amongst our fellow assemblage of heroes were Thor, The Thing, Psylocke, Silver Surfer, Iron Fist, Ghost Rider, Phoenix, Superman, Wonder Woman, Captain America, Rorschach, Catwoman and lots and lots of Batmen and Robins (in all the different versions of the costumes).

I wonder what everyone will be wearing this year.

Come back soon for more Halloween costume ideas, including 'Villains and Monsters' and 'Cowboys and Aliens'.

Lillian Tweets!

Follow Lillian Alling on Twitter as she makes her journey from the shores of Ellis Island to the mountain peaks of Telegraph Hill. Lillian will be tweeting her thoughts and observations as she makes the perilous trek across North America in search of a man named Jozéf.

What was she thinking? How did she feel? Was she scared? Who does she encounter?

Follow along to find out!

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

I heard that you are scrapping the under 30 pricing next year. Is this true?

Absolutely not. We will have the Get O.U.T.! (Get Opera Under Thirty) program available for opera fans aged 18-29 for the upcoming season. Stay tuned.

Ask me anything

~ Ling Chan, Social Media Manager

Possible DIY Project

I love love love Anthropologie, but sometimes I flip through their catalogue and am completely shocked by the prices. Take this pretty darn awesome easel -

And for cool $2,100.00 it can be yours. . . INSANE!! What makes it even more crazy is that for under $150.00 you can make your own version -

All you need is a H-frame easel like the one above from Dick Blick and some paint. . . take said easel outside (or somewhere else that you don't mind paint splattering), attack it with a bunch of different paints until you like how it looks, let it dry, and then haul it back inside and use it to display your favorite piece of art. . .

emmys opening sketch.

emmys opening sketch with jimmy falon. with a few of my favorite people.

emmys opening sketch.

emmys opening sketch with jimmy falon. with a few of my favorite people.

Operabot 2.0 Animation Contest

Illustration by Roy Husada

Operabot 2.0 animation contest is almost here.

Sponsored by:

John Murrell on Lillian Alling

"Lillian Alling is a story of a journey, right across the phenomenal breadth of the North American landscape and beyond. Somehow our words and music will have to convey the madness but also the majesty of one woman's dream of walking home to Russia." - John Murrell, Librettist

Distraction

You all may have noticed that I've been a bit off the last week or so. . . I've been a bit distracted by a personal project. . . but I promise, once my side project comes to a close I will turn my attention back to my beloved Laurendy Home. . .

Why?

A baseball bat pepper grinder. . . this is the kind of thing a girlfriend buys her boyfriend because it's manly, and he doesn't know what it is. . .

Rosemary Skewers

Yes, it is almost September (how is that POSSIBLE??) and as you know from some of my earlier posts, I am in major "use it or lose it" mode with my beloved barrels of herbs that live right outside my kitchen door.  Their days are numbered, and so I am pulling out all my recipes that involve fresh herbs so that I can have another few weeks of herb extravaganza before things start getting chilly out there.  And in case you want to join me, all my posts this week are going to feature some kind of wonderful herb or another, starting with these rosemary skewers.

I have to admit, it took me a while to warm up to rosemary.  For the longest time I only knew about dried rosemary in the jar - those sharp little needles that could be used as miniature weapons in a pinch.  But somewhere along the line I discovered soft, fragrant fresh rosemary, and a light dawned.  Now I grow it in one of the whiskey barrels outside my back door, and this summer it just went crazy..I have a TON of it.



So I took the opportunity to try out a recipe I found on the always fabulous Pioneer Woman site.  Sometimes on a Friday evening the Southern husband and I will skip actual dinner and just have some kind of interesting appetizer-type food for supper, and this fit the bill perfectly.  You take stems of rosemary - and for obvious reasons these need to be sturdy stems (which they usually are).  Strip off the leaves except for a couple of inches on the top.  Then all you have left to do is skewer whatever you like on to these gorgeous smelling skewers.  I used fresh mozzarella, grilled marinated artichoke hearts and pieces of genoa salami that had been folded in quarters.  The original recipe called for olives as well.  You could really used any kind of cheese you like,  you could try sun-dried tomatoes, pieces of folded ham...you get the idea.

Some rosemary skewers, the setting sun, and sitting outside with your honey on a Friday evening -- does it get any better?

Rosemary Skewers,  from The Pioneer Woman

• Rosemary sprigs, leaved stripped except for the top 2 inches
• Cubes of fresh mozzarella
• Marinated artichoke hearts
• Genoa salami, sliced thin and folded
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• Salt and fresh ground pepper
• Ground thyme

1. Thread the cheese, artichoke hearts and salami on to the rosemary skewers in any order or amount you like.

2. Mix the olive oil, vinegar and spices until thoroughly combined and then brush onto the skewers.  Arrange on a plate and enjoy!

Click here for printable recipe

Pageturning for Inspiration: Inspiring Decorating Magazines

It's one of my favorite moments of a day... Where, coffee in hand, I perch myself in my cheerful vintage-French-style sitting room on a smushy sofa and leaf through a decorating magazine, waiting to see what fragrant, time-past worlds we'll find ourselves in this time.

To be honest, I don't have much more I can decorate here at Waterhouse. But going through the pages of places I haven't been and homes I won't get a chance to infiltrate in person, I savor other folks' visions and get ideas for a hundred houses more.

So I was wondering, what brings you all inspiration?

Romantic Country, Victorian Country Decorating, Old Home Interiors, Flea Market Style, Country Living, Cottage Living and a number of others have given me ideas that led to the rooms that make my own home.
I still read, and leaf, and wonder at wallpapers... and marvel at mantles...
I still hoard these ideas in little cubbyholes, wondering whether someday, these ideas will see the light of day for me in some unexpected way.
And I find myself wondering, do we ever stop decorating the homes in our mind? Planning the rooms that aren't ours, but could be... could be someone's... somewhere... someday?

My friend Scoobie laughs, because as I thrift, I spy things that aren't for me, but which I hope will find a happy home with someone else... A fine place on the wall. A noble nod above the newell post. I don't need them. But I can't help but think: someone, somewhere does.
All of those marvelous "Wouldn't it be beautiful if's?" out there. If you had a theme...? If you tried this or that...? If you only could afford...? If you happened to find...?

All the many, many combinations of what makes our worlds homey, or happy, or just simply "ours."

All of them came from that first spark of decorative inspiration.

So tell me-- what sparks your decorative imagination?

Pageturning for Inspiration: Inspiring Decorating Magazines

It's one of my favorite moments of a day... Where, coffee in hand, I perch myself in my cheerful vintage-French-style sitting room on a smushy sofa and leaf through a decorating magazine, waiting to see what fragrant, time-past worlds we'll find ourselves in this time.

To be honest, I don't have much more I can decorate here at Waterhouse. But going through the pages of places I haven't been and homes I won't get a chance to infiltrate in person, I savor other folks' visions and get ideas for a hundred houses more.

So I was wondering, what brings you all inspiration?

Romantic Country, Victorian Country Decorating, Old Home Interiors, Flea Market Style, Country Living, Cottage Living and a number of others have given me ideas that led to the rooms that make my own home.
I still read, and leaf, and wonder at wallpapers... and marvel at mantles...
I still hoard these ideas in little cubbyholes, wondering whether someday, these ideas will see the light of day for me in some unexpected way.
And I find myself wondering, do we ever stop decorating the homes in our mind? Planning the rooms that aren't ours, but could be... could be someone's... somewhere... someday?

My friend Scoobie laughs, because as I thrift, I spy things that aren't for me, but which I hope will find a happy home with someone else... A fine place on the wall. A noble nod above the newell post. I don't need them. But I can't help but think: someone, somewhere does.
All of those marvelous "Wouldn't it be beautiful if's?" out there. If you had a theme...? If you tried this or that...? If you only could afford...? If you happened to find...?

All the many, many combinations of what makes our worlds homey, or happy, or just simply "ours."

All of them came from that first spark of decorative inspiration.

So tell me-- what sparks your decorative imagination?

Adding layers to life

Heather and Jessica edited with lightroom and enhanced with layers

Still on my quest to edit all my sisters wedding photographs, hopefully soon I shall be finished. Luckily she loves me and knows I can still lock her in a cupboard if she annoys me about it. To be fair, she hasn't moaned once about it and has loved the ones I have shown her so far. I just want them to be edited to the best of my abilities and for her to have some lovely photographic memories.
It is a steep steep learning curve, not only taking the photographs, but also the editing. I keep adding new things to my box of tricks, which of course adds on more work, but it is still fun! There is so much to learn and once you make the dreaded mistake of looking at other people photographs, you are doomed.

Heather on the way to the church, edited in lightroom and enhanced with layers

At the moment I am using Lightroom 3 to edit the photographs and then using Picnik.com to add some finsishing touches.
Lightroom Trick - Look into the world of presets! Magical stuff that creates all sorts of cool effects that you can then further tweak.
Picnik.com Trick - If you are premium user you can add 'Layers/textures'. You can also do this using other programs, but I can only do it using Picnik for now!

Wedding Car edited using Lightroom and enhanced with presets

Next time I update the blog about the wedding photography, hopefully I will have bloody finished, but probably not. Let me know what you think and if you have any favourite photograph editing tricks or tips be sure to let me know them.