what jen does

Life, home, and a little travel

Author: JEF

  • brown butter apple clafoutis
    recipes

    brown butter apple clafoutis

    Good things happened yesterday and less good things happened as well. The good things were delivering hot sauce to friends, walks in the “country”, reading on a bench in the sun … and making this dessert (and eating it for dinner). The less good things? I think my allergies are back. My throat is itchy,…

  • escaping to the farm in the fall
    travel

    escaping to the farm in the fall

    I watch the news each morning before I go to work. And each day this past week, those ridiculously cheerful weather people told me how amazing the weekend was going to be. It was like they were advance shaming me for just reading magazines by the harbor. So, I was borderline determined to savor the…

  • embracing the weekend

    embracing the weekend

    This weekend was a little bit of everything. It was boating, birthdays, cooking, wandering, running, and picnicking. There was no cleaning, organizing, or de-cluttering. Sunday alone, I had pork FIVE ways. Yes, five. That is what type of weekend I had. The past two years over Columbus Day I’ve run away to Vermont (here, here,…

  • recipes

    Baked Eggplant Parmesan Rigatoni

    A few weeks ago I was home and scavenging in my Dad’s garden for produce. I ended up coming home to the North End with a whole pile of jalapeños, assorted other hot peppers, the rest of my favorite tomatoes… and a solo eggplant. I never turn down fresh produce. Especially if it’s free… or…

  • Homemade San Marzano Sauce
    recipes

    Homemade San Marzano Sauce

    It’s officially the end of garden fresh veggies. As of last night I have finally cooked or eaten, all of the hot peppers, tomatoes, and the lone eggplant that were produced from my fire escape or my Dad’s suburban oasis. Earlier this week, I plucked what I think will be the final tomatoes from the…

  • Homemade Hot Sauce
    recipes

    Homemade Hot Sauce

    I’m not one for spicy foods normally. It’s like self-inflicting pain that I’m just not normally one to be a part of. I’ve gotten more accepting of “hot salsas” but the idea of spicy Indian food or the equivalent isn’t exactly in my “taste palate wheel house”. Is a “taste palate wheel house” a thing?…

  • 600

    600

    Lately I’ve been having wistful dreams of going back to Italy. When I think about the days I spent wandering towns and taking pictures of doors and old people …. I wish that was going to be tomorrow. Going to Italy was an amazing and relatively spontaneous trip of a lifetime. I love everything about…

  • tomato pancetta basil quiche
    recipes

    tomato pancetta basil quiche

    I’m getting tired of tomatoes. It pains me to even admit it. I’ve waxed on and on about how much I love them at times… but I’m getting tired of cooking them. I don’t want any more caprese salads. I guess that means it is really Fall. I want my mozzarella melted in my lasagna…

  • it’s fall?

    it’s fall?

    I think normally people go through this cleaning phase in their life when it is Spring. It’s probably why they call it Spring Cleaning. I don’t think I’m afflicted with this guilt complex but I do seem to be suffering from “Fall Cleaning”. I have this incredible desire to purge my life and my apartment…

  • Life Lately

    Life Lately

    So it appears it is now Fall. About 3 months ago, I bought tissues from CVS. My qualifications were that they be on sale and not terrible. Several days later, I realized that I had inadvertently purchased the tissues that were infused with Vick’s vapor rub. It was a terrible mistake… until today. I am…