What the?

That's what I said the first time I had these:

What are those? They are Yorkshire puddings. Yorkshire what? Yeah, I said that too. Don't the Brits call desserts puddings? Yes. So is that dessert? No, it's not. It's savory as those Brits would say.

Oh, and savory it is. So delicious. And so easy to make! I asked Thomas why we don't make Yorkshire puddings more often, not that his answer matters because I'm going to making these more often now that I have the recipe down pat. It's so simple, just a basic ratio of eggs, flour and milk. In a measuring jug break eggs, measure and tip into a mixing bowl. Measure the same amount of flour and add it to the eggs. Measure half the amount of milk, add water to match and add that mixture to the eggs and flour. Whisk to combine. Heat muffin tins in a 425˚F oven with either pan drippings or oil. Fill tins halfway and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Douse in gravy. Savor, eat and enjoy.

And what happens when you cook a beef roast? Here's a peek behind the scenes:

Merry Christmas

I hope Santa brings you just what you want!

Letters on the hillside

Last week I took a day off and toured the Los Angeles County Art Museum. I went by myself and I really enjoyed wandering quietly through the halls. It gave me more time to ponder what a piece meant to me and decide what I wanted to take away from the whole experience. Because art is about the experience, right?

And the experience starts outside. The five museum buildings sit proudly along palm-tree-lined Wilshire Boulevard.

A permanent installation of streetlamps, by Chris Burden, is fun to wander through.

And I loved the gridded sculpture garden filled with Rodin and palm trees.

Oh, and the view. If you squint your eyes and look at the mountain just to the right of center, see that white bar? That's the Hollywood Sign.

It's so fun to see in person. It's a looming landmark that you look for from all over the city, like the Eiffel Tower or the Emmaus Triangle. You can see a larger image here that shows the sign more clearly.

While inside the museum my favorite exhibit was New Topographics, a collection of photographs mostly from the 1970s that showed man-made landscapes. The images showed homes and power lines and everyday built objects. The artists did not shy away from the effect man as a whole is having on the environment. Instead of taking Ansel Adams like portraits of serenity, these photographers showed where we live and images of our everyday life. If you are in LA in the next week or so the LACMA is worth a stop.

Charming, handsome and hilarious

As a birthday treat I was going to write a long blog post about why I love my husband. Then I thought maybe I'd make a list with one reason I love him for each year he has been alive. But I didn't think he would like either of those ideas because he doesn't like me to say too much about him on my blog. So what I will say is that I think he's the best. He makes me laugh everyday, he is an amazing cook, a provider, and my best friend. He always does what I ask him to do but not without his own flair added in to the equation. Take for example, last night's birthday photo session. First:

He tells me his granddad taught him this rule: When your wife asks you to do something always say no to maintain your manliness, then do what she asked. Second:

So life with this man is always an adventure and I love it. And I'm happy to get to celebrate another year of his life with him. Happy Birthday Thomas.

The good with the bad

It's been raining and raining some more here in California which means puppies with damp coats and muddy paws.

But it also means my garden will be in full bloom by Christmas.