Mac & Cheese with Roasted Cauliflower and Leeks

So 2014 has started very rough in my family. My mom is sick in the hospital with pneumonia, my beloved dog Mose was diagnosed with inoperable cancer and I have had that deep-in-your-chest cough for 2 weeks. Not good. Between bouts of coughing, crying jags and sleepless nights I find myself doing what I always do during times of stress...Cooking. And, right now, comfort food is all I want to think about. Mac & Cheese, here I come.

My favorite memories revolve around conversations at the dinner table.  Growing up we had a family dinner every night. My mom cooked massive homemade dinners, we sat at the dining room table and talked about our day. There is still nothing better to me than family or friends eating, talking and laughing together. And, during the tough times, this feeling of normalcy is just what I need.

This recipe is adapted from the January 2013 edition of Bon Appetit Magazine. They share a recipe for "No-Boil Mac and Cheese". Brilliant really in that the uncooked pasta is covered with the cheese sauce and then baked in the oven. Really easy and delicious. I copied the technique exactly so all credit goes to them, but I lightened it up a bit and added roasted cauliflower and sauteed leeks for flavor and whole wheat pasta and panko for the health benefits. Wonderful as a main dish with a green salad or the perfect side dish to roasted salmon or chicken.  Try this recipe...comfort food at its best. Enjoy!

Mac & Cheese with Roasted Cauliflower and Leeks
adapted from Bon Appetit, January 2013
(serves 4)
1 head cauliflower, separated into florets then cut into quarters
extra virgin olive oil
1 leek, cleaned and chopped, white and light green parts
1/8 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups coconut milk (from dairy case not canned)
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 lb whole wheat pasta, I like chiocciole shape but shells or elbow macaroni works well too
1 1/2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 tsp dried red pepper flakes
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup whole wheat panko
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Place cauliflower on prepared sheet, drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil and a large pinch each salt and pepper. Using your hands, turn cauliflower in oil until covered. Roast in preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until beginning to brown and caramelize. Remove from oven and set aside. Do not turn off oven.

Add 2 tbsp olive oil to large saucepan over medium high heat. Add leeks and saute for 4 minutes until beginning to soften. Add flour and whisk for 1 minute. Whisk in the coconut milk and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Stir in red pepper flakes, 2 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. Remove from heat.

Add pasta to rimmed, deep dish pie plate. Add roasted cauliflower and 1 cup cheese and stir to combine. Pour sauce over pasta mixture ensuring pasta is totally submerged. Do not stir. Cover tightly with foil and bake until pasta is almost tender, about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in saucepan used to make sauce, add 2 tbsp olive oil. Add garlic and panko and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. 

Remove dish from oven. Remove foil and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and then panko mixture. Add back to oven and bake for 10-15 minutes longer. Pasta should be "al dente", cheese bubbling and panko topping golden brown. Let sit for 5 minutes, then serve.

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It is "Mac & Cheese" week at Food Network's Comfort Food Feast. Check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends.  Have a favorite mac & cheese recipe of your own? Please share in the comments section of this post.  

Feed Me Phoebe: Jalapeno-Scallion Mac n Cheese
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Triple Cheese Chicken Pasta Bake
Dishing With Divya: Baked Mediterranean Macaroni and Cheese
Weelicious: Green Mac and Cheese
The Heritage Cook: Gluten-Free Mac and Cheese
Taste With The Eyes: Macaroni and Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Gravy
Red or Green: Mac & Cheese with Tuna and Green Chiles
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Mac & Cheese with Roasted Cauliflower and Leeks
Virtually Homemade: Ham and Cheese Mac and Cheese Bites
Domesticate Me: Skinny Mac with Cauliflower Cheese Sauce and Chicken Sausage
The Sensitive Epicure: Cauliflower 'n Cheese (Gluten-Free)
Devour: Mix-Ins for Macaroni and Cheese
From My Corner of Saratoga: Queso Mac and Cheese
FN Dish: 10 Ways to Make Mac and Cheese

best,

diane
napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?
california girl in taos
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I have started sharing my Taos experiences on my newest blog "California Girl in Taos". Please visit and let me know what you think.

if it's not one thing...oh and a recipe for potato salad?

how's that for a title? but it totally relates to this post. it is friday...the start of the memorial day holiday weekend....and i am frantically cancelling all of our plans. you see...we started a "three week, tops" landscaping remodel 4 weeks ago...stop!...those of you familiar with remodeling projects already know where this story is going...right? we have completed a lot of restoring/remodeling projects since we purchased our farmhouse 6 years ago...and we live by the mantra..."double the time/double the cost" of whatever we are quoted in a contractor's bid....but this time i really thought it was going to be different....and, since i thought i had a week to spare...planned a bunch of get-togethers for the three day weekend...when we purchased our home it came with a pool. surprisingly, because i am originally from southern california, i had never coveted a pool...i was always more of a beach girl...i mean, sure...a wonderful vacation at a posh resort lounging by the pool is one thing...but owning one? was never a goal. but, as i said..the pool was already here and after the first HOT napa summer i quickly appreciated the benefit of jumping in whenever i wanted...and swimming laps beats the gym any day! but the real pool lover in the family is mose, my golden retriever. he pretty much spends the summer sitting on the steps of the pool..and taking a few laps periodically throughout the day...the pool area design was not lovely...and it was always a goal to redo...but the priorities were the inside of the house...and the front and side yards...

mose and allie

fast forward to last summer...the white picket fencing surrounding the pool area was so old and rotted out that the fence started falling down...this is the fence that protects the pool area from the street...and is there for security and privacy. a couple of times when mose would jump on the fence sections actually fell down. we did some quick repairs but knew it would not last another year...so...this year became the "let's redo the pool fence and decking" project.

my husband peter and i collaborate really well regarding home and garden design...and our first set of ideas were presented to the contractor only to receive a bid that was higher than the net worth of some small countries!! o.k., so those plans were scrapped...not in the budget!! but my life keeps proving that problems really do lead to opportunities...because our revised plans ended up being simpler and more beautiful....eco-friendly...and better suited to our not-grand farmhouse.

so we started the project...and the first two weeks went amazingly well...so well that i continued with my plans for this weekend...pretty much a bunch of people coming over every day...swimming, drinking the limoncello, cooking, barbecuing, talking, laughing, dancing....you know, the perfect parties we always imagine hosting...but...delays, delays, delays....some unexpected like finding wood rot in some of the fencing that was staying....some, contractor's error in accurately project scoping...and some our fault because...like many projects...once you see the demo'd space you think of additional items to add. (contractors love this because it equals "materials and labor" costs above the estimate)...and then...once the pool was drained to do the decking, we realized it needed to be replastered....and on and on and on...my twitter friend the food geek (i am not being mean..that is his twitter name) sent me the following tweet when i was complaining about this yesterday "You've just run across Hofstadter's Law. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofstadter" ...pretty funny...

now...our "three week project" looks like it will take about 2 months to complete...ha! but i decided to look at all the positives...

1. when it is finished it will be amazing!

2. i am incredibly fortunate to be able to complete a remodel in the first place

3. i am grateful to all the construction workers who are doing a beautiful job..and working really hard.

4. my friend david... the furniture designer for my company...and i are collaborating on a collection of home and garden items...furniture and accessories, crafted from the old white picket fencing...reuse, recycle, repurpose, reimagine!!!

5. because i need to replant a portion of my herb garden, i have the opportunity to experiment with many new herbs...and..since our our bath and body collection is inspired from our farmhouse garden...this gives me an opportunity to expand our product offering while staying authentic to the brand...

o.k...so to ensure this post is not the longest story in history... i have told you many times that being "pithy" is not one of my strengths...i will end the remodel story for now...and provide updates during the balance of construction....but at least now you have the background...and for those of you who have emailed me asking why i haven't been writing much...now you know...even now the sound of the compressor is ringing in my ears...the non-stop buzzing noise it makes drives me batty...but, again i digress...

i decided to experiment with a new potato salad recipe last week (when i was still naive enough to think the holiday parties would occur). i was creating in my mind a recipe that would incorporate the ingredients in a salade niçoise...minus the tuna...and instead become a potato salad. but, in another instance of the "best laid plans" saga, when i was at the farmer's market i pointed at string beans only to find...once i got home...that they bagged up pea pods...so the theme of this post seems to be how problems lead to creative solutions...because i adapted and made an easy breezy potato and peas salad in a honey mustard vinaigrette that we fell in love with...

currently, my entire yard looks like a disaster zone...the pool, deck and back porch...torn up. all the furniture, pots, accessories, construction equipment and supplies are spread out in the side yard and on the front and side porch...the sawdust, concrete and plaster dust seems to permeate the house...no matter how often i dust and sweep...and so the parties have been postponed....keep your fingers crossed that 4th of july can be the new dates....but, until then we have to eat....so potato salad for two?napa farmhouse potato salad

4 medium red skinned potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)

1/2 lb fresh pea pods, washed

3 green onions, chopped

1/4 c diced red onion

18 kalamata olives, pitted

grey salt

freshly cracked black pepper

honey mustard vinaigrette

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp stone ground mustard

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

grey salt

freshly cracked black pepper

cut potatoes into 2 inch pieces. place in a med saucepan add add water to cover by about 2 inches. add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer until fork tender...12-15 minutes....begin checking at 10 minutes and ensure you do not overcook. add pea pods to the potatoes after the first 10-12 minutes...fresh peas only need a minute or two in the simmering water to cook. i like them al dente...not mushy. when the potatoes are done, drain into a colander and set aside. remove the pea pods, shell and add to a large bowl. add the potatoes, green onions, red onions and olives.

make the vinaigrette by adding the vinegar, honey, mustard and olive oil to a mason jar. screw on lid and shake vigorously until thoroughly combined. add salt and pepper to taste.

add a couple of tablespoons of the dressing to the potato salad mixture while the potatoes are still warm and stir gently to combine (you will have extra dressing...delicious on green salads and coleslaw). taste and add additional salt and pepper as needed. you may need to add a bit more dressing because the potatoes will soak up some of the vinaigrette. add enough to ensure the salad is moist...but not so much that it becomes soggy....but , this part is totally your call...

serve warm, room temperature or cold...

hope your holiday weekend is restful, relaxing and a respite from the daily grind...and please take some time to honor those who gave their lives for our country....the true meaning of the holiday...

"...gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime....let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation's gratitude,--the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan." --General John Logan, General Order No. 11, 5 May 1868

and...if you have a moment...please share your remodeling horror stories...misery loves company...and just to keep the post theme going...your favorite potato salad recipe!

mose as a puppy

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

will you help celebrate the napa farmhouse 1885 first anniversary? there is meyer lemon cake!

o.k...there is cake...but you have to make it. the recipe is listed at the end of this post.... today is valentine's day (happy v-day everyone)...but it is also the one year anniversary of this blog. sounds cliche, but i really cannot believe how quickly the time has passed. when i first started blogging i did not have a clear purpose...i just started telling stories about my post-corporate life. as the time passed, the emphasis focused on cooking and eating...using the best possible quality ingredients...and not messing them up with overly complicated recipes...broken record, i know...but my motto "the ingredients really do make the difference" is the theme for this blog...

what i did not expect was the many comments, emails, suggestions, ideas and tips that would come from readers...nor the many regular visitors who have provided tons of support for both my blog and my new business. i think these connections have been the greatest benefit of this process...also, since i love to ramble on, this gives me an outlet so i do not bore my family and friends to death hearing my stories over and over...

while each blog post has been meaningful to me...certain posts have resonated more than others with readers...and have showed up countless times in internet searches...i thought i would celebrate my one year anniversary with a recap of the most requested posts...all in one place for future readers...

hands down, the number one search has been about fresh figs...and my post do you like fresh figs? is read daily. the questions range from "what do i do with figs?" to "do you peel figs?" to "what do figs taste like?" and there are frequent requests for recipes using figs. i have listed a few additional fig recipes in other posts and, since my tree fruits twice each year, plan to write many more stories about figs...there seems to be a major interest in this topic.

a very close second in terms of popularity is my post about popcorn and olive oil...creatively called :) popcorn and olive oil? ....this story gets numerous hits every day with people asking the question..."can you use olive oil when popping popcorn?" the simple answer is yes...but the story was about my family's tradition of drizzling extra virgin olive oil on popcorn...instead of butter...and sprinkling the best grey salt you can find over it all. easy, quick and delicious...and everyone goes nuts over this when i serve at parties...i told the story of making this for the napa valley wine auction a few years ago...was a hit...and the company i represented "stole" the idea and now packages the ingredients as a gift set...wow, what a complement!!...try this "recipe"...the secret (as always) is the ingredients...fresh organic popcorn, best quality extra virgin olive oil for drizzling, a good evoo for the popping...and really good grey sea salt as the final touch...

i had such fun last summer participating in the martha stewart, everyday food food fest. my friend deb...who was an edf editor, but has since been promoted to executive editor of martha stewart living magazine (congrats deb!!)...started an 8 week blog-a thon focusing on a different summer fruit or vegetable each week. i had a blast with each post...and the recipes for pears, so what do you do with 30 pounds of pears? , for winter squash, is it time for winter squash yet? and, of course, for tomatoes, is it tomato fest time yet? are requested every day.

i think the concept of making soft boiled eggs is intimidating for many people...i wrote a story last fall that was really about my newly discovered love of writing...but my realization that my style...which is a very basic form of story telling...is a far cry from truly brilliant writers...and i used the author toni morrison as an example. i thought it would be fun to compare and contrast styles...so i took a classic passage from one of my favorite books...song of solomon...and listed my recipe for soft boiled eggs...then toni's. i expected numerous comments regarding the writing ...what i got...and still do daily...are requests for instructions as to techniques for soft boiling eggs...try the egg recipe...more importantly...enjoy toni morrison's beautiful words in soft boiled eggs, anyone?

i could go on and on...talking about recipes for persimmons, or recapping my 30 day thanksgiving series (thanks to all the guest bloggers)...or showing all the photos of mose that have been requested by readers( you will see him peeking at the lemon cake in a few photos today)...but this post would be longer than the preceding 70 posts together (70!!) unless i stop now...

if you are a new reader...welcome..and if you go back to the first few posts you will hear more about my story... for regular readers please keep the comments and emails coming...i so enjoy meeting all of you.

but i promised cake...so to help celebrate this anniversary, i am posting my new meyer lemon cake recipe. i have been making this cake for years, but it is "new" because i made this one with agave nectar...i have been experimenting with agave nectar a lot lately...love it as a substitute for white sugar...and will write about it soon..in the interim..enjoy this very, very intensely lemony cake....my anniversary gift to you...

meyer lemon cake

1/2 c fresh meyer lemon juice

3/4 cup agave nectar

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

3 eggs, room temperature, separated

1 tbsp finely chopped meyer lemon zest

1 2/3 c unbleached flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

preheat oven to 325 degrees. lightly oil(i use olive oil) and flour a 9-5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

add the lemon juice, agave nectar, olive oil, egg yolks and lemon zest to a medium mixing bowl and stir together. in a larger mixing bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. in a third bowl, beat the egg whites until you get soft peaks. stir the lemon juice mixture into the dry mixture just until all ingredients are incorporated..do not over mix. gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter until thoroughly combined. pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

bake until tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean..approx 45 minutes. cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes...then turn out of pan and place on wire rack. place lemon slices on top of cake and drizzle with glaze. keep on rack until completely cool. (note, i add a plate under the rack to catch glaze drippings)

meyer lemon glaze
1 meyer lemon, thinly sliced

1/2 agave nectar

1/4 c fresh meyer lemon juice (about 2 med lemons)

place all ingredients in small saucepan. cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, 10-12 minutes or until mixture has thickened slightly. cool about 10 minutes before using

enjoy!...and let me know if you try the cake...

best,

diane

diane padoven

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

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have you been tagged?

i have..by one of my favorite blogs...casalba news.
now i originally had no idea what this meant..but apparently, if a blogger is "tagged" they need to give six details about themselves.. link back to the original site.... and tag six more people...this presents a problem because..a.) believe it or not, i am a pretty private person..and b.) the parts of my life i feel comfortable sharing have been broadcast in this blog for the past 9 months..but i try to be a good sport so..here goes...

1. i have two sisters who, in addition to being relatives, are my best friends in the world...could not imagine getting through this journey we call "life" without them.

2. i have written many times about my amazing husband, the love of my life dog, mose, my parents and grandparents...but need to add that my family..the entire group of aunts, uncles, cousins, etc..are terrific..we are family..but also, good friends..we really like each other..i am so appreciate of everyone..cause i know how rare this is...

3. i love sports..life long lakers fan...sf forty niners and oakland raiders fan..and a massive sf giants fan because... in my teens i fell OUT of love with the dodgers..and the only way to get back at them was to fall IN love with the giants....(for non-sports fans..i promise this makes sense...)

4. you know i love to cook..no surprise...but.. it must be said....i am addicted to quality ingredients...the best extra virgin olive oils...vinegars...mustards...sea salts..seasonings..condiments..artisan breads...cheese...organic herbs and produce...etc...would forgo new shoes and most clothing if necessary to afford these ingredients...

5. i love to read..and promised myself that when i left my corporate life i would read/reread all the classics...started..but i must admit my guilty pleasure is murder mysteries and courtroom drama novels...shush..don't tell.

6. i would rather have a few really good and true friends than a lot of superficial relationships...those people who want to be your friend based on what they can get..users...people who take..but cannot give...and now that i have my own company, i can associate with honest, kind and ethical colleagues...without exception...you can't do that when you work for someone else...big, big benefit to the self employed thing......

o.k. there you go.. 6 things you did not know about me before... now let me tell you more about the casalba news site....i wrote a blog story last june called..do you like fresh figs?.. it has been one of the most popular posts at napa farmhouse 1885™. i received a wonderful comment from casalba complimenting me on the recipes from that story...i clicked back to review their blog..and promptly fell in love... the 7 th thing about me is that i love italy..have been fortunate enough to have traveled there many times..and love "everything italian"..the food, wine, architecture, people, culture..lifestyle..topography..etc...this blog is lovely..and all about italy... sally, the author, describes her blog this way...

"We are an Anglo-Italian couple who live in Le Marche, (central) Italy.
This the Casalba Newsletter on our life in Le Marche: the regional cuisine, the local produce, the people and their customs.
This isn’t a food blog or a personal blog. It’s a simple Casalba blog on what you might expect to see, eat and do if you visit this region."

an unexpected benefit of writing my blog is the ability to "meet" people from all over the world..through their comments, emails, and discovering their blogs...for today's thanksgiving memories post, i get to give thanks to one of my favorite new blog friends..sally..and thank her for her encouragement, feedback and comments...they mean a lot....and to urge you to read her blog..it is beautiful...
sally comments on many of my posts....on halloween, i stated that i refused to dress my 115 pound golden retriever, mose, in a costume..she agreed, but said she needed to add a festive scarf to her dog, byron, so he would be safe during hunting season...i asked for a photo..and voila!! i had to share it with all of you for this story!! thank you sally...
"OK I'm wearing your silly scarf! Now, when are we going???" (Byron...the dog)


now for the 6 other sites to tag:
* the nest..because i love their art, their shop, and their commitment to giving back to the artist community...
* aficionada...a new friend..and a wonderful writer..this is a transplant from arkansas, now living in the napa valley..stories about terrific food and wine..and the people who make it happen...
* beekman 1802...you might know dr brent ridge from martha stewart's magazine, or from her show...he also spends his weekends and holidays in a beautiful restored mansion up the hudson river from manhattan...his blog chronicles his life and experiences in this amazing place...plus we are fans of each other's blogs and twitter stories...
* safari west..because this is one of my all time favorite not-for-profit organizations
* folia design..a new friend..and very cool designer in the napa valley..check out her blog..check out her work!!
* everyday food..dinner tonight..the editors of this magazine and blog are the coolest people ever..especially deb...check it out...
best to all..and happy thanksgiving month!!

best,
diane

napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style"™

follow me on twitter

does your dog celebrate thanksgiving?

happy halloween everyone!! i was sitting in my kitchen this morning trying to pick a thanksgiving memory to post as part of our thirty day thanksgiving memories series...i kept looking out the window and getting distracted by people passing by dressed up in halloween costumes...and noticed many were walking their dogs..also dressed in costumes. do you dress up your pets? i just cannot..not my dog...maybe a small dog..but, c'mon..a 115 lb golden retriever? i would not do that to him..(plus, i don't think i could find a costume that big). regular readers know that i often mention mose in my stories..after all, he is a big part of our family..see why mose?? ...many comments and emails from readers are directed to him..he is the most popular member of the family.i started thinking about people and their pets..and how many people ensure their dogs celebrate holidays along with their human family members. halloween costumes, christmas gifts, birthday parties..maybe we have all gone crazy..but i do not care (mose always gets a christmas and birthday gift!!)...this reflection reminded me of thanksgiving 2007. i told you in my last post about celebrating the holiday at a restaurant for the first time. i failed to mention the name of the restaurant..celadon in napa..one of my favorites here... celadon has terrific food, a really good wine list and beautiful design. we often sit on the patio..they have a massive outdoor fireplace..and enjoy their "global comfort food". if you visit napa, i recommend a visit...but let me tell you a story...as i said, we went last year for thanksgiving dinner. my last post..thanksgiving and pasta..gives the details...when we finished eating, my husband..yes my husband..mentioned that he felt bad that mosey would not get any turkey. he even went so far as to ask the waiter if he could buy a portion to take home...note...if you knew peter you would understand how great a departure this is from his "before mose" style. the waiter came back with a big take-home package of turkey..and announced it was "on the house"..and wished us a happy thanksgiving..how great is that? terrific food, great service..and above and beyond acts of doing what it takes to satisfy their customers...a true thanksgiving story...and a happy memory i really needed that day...

the patio at celadon

do your pets participate in holiday celebrations?..please tell me how in the comments section of this post.. and...again.. happy thanksgiving!!

i want to take a minute to thank all of you who commented or sent me a personal email in response to my last post...your kind words..support..and heartfelt thoughts about my aunt were so amazing...they meant a lot...you guys are so terrific...i thought i would thank you by posting another favorite wild mushroom pasta recipe...one of my favorites..enjoy!

wild mushroom pappardelle "bolognese"

3/4 oz. dried mushrooms (i use a mixed wild blend)

3/4 cup boiling hot water

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

1 carrot

1/2 white onion

2 shallots

1 cloves garlic

2 portobello mushrooms

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

3 tbsp tomato paste

1/2 c dry red wine

1 lb dried pappardelle

1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano

soak mushrooms in hot water for 10 minutes. pour mushrooms through a strainer, reserve liquid. chop mushrooms (large dice). set aside.

heat olive oil in large skillet over med heat. finely chop all remaining vegetables and add to pan. add salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. saute until vegetables are very tender (stirring occasionally. (10-12 minutes) stir in mushrooms and tomato paste to pan and cook for 1 minute. add wine and reserved mushroom soaking liquid and cook until liquid is reduced by half. meanwhile, cook pasta in a large, well salted pot of boiling water and cook until al dente. drain and add to bolognese sauce. stir well. if needed, add up to 1 cup of water from pasta pot for a saucier dish. add 1/2 cup cheese to pan and stir well to allow cheese to melt. serve immediately. use remaining cheese for serving.

celadon

500 main street,

suite g

napa, ca 94559

best,
diane

napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style"™

follow me on twitter

am i an "experienced" blogger??

when i started blogging earlier this year, i had absolutely no idea what i was doing. i knew i wanted to write about my post corporate life, but website design, hosting, html code etc were foreign concepts...i am by no means a "techie". i did a bit of research and found out there were a number of blog hosting companies that allowed a sort of "plug and play" concept. i actually launched the blog in an afternoon..

i wrote my first story..an overview of my life and reason for the blog...and really thought it would just be read by family and close friends..i was shocked when i started getting comments from complete strangers. the first few comments were terrific..warm, friendly and complimentary... i also received a number of direct emails asking for additional details about my life, my experiences and especially questions about living in the napa valley. i kept writing and found i really enjoyed telling stories..and emphasizing the important things in my life..family, friends, "giving back", cooking, gardening and my journey with starting a small business. i also write about my dog, mose, and he is by far the most popular subject..people all over the world comment or email me about my golden retriever..the happiest dog that ever lived...

i began to research everything possible about blogging..how to promote, market, link, and share my blog. i discovered a ton of helpful sites that provided tips, help and advice. i began to explore social networking sites in earnest..and have met many fellow bloggers.. the professional ones who do this for a living..and, without fail, have found this community to be selfless in their willingness to teach a "newbie" the ropes. i learned a lot..but spent a ton of time with my research. throughout my learning process i kept wishing there was someone or someplace that i could get tips, advice, feedback and be able to ask questions..a one stop resource..it would have made the first 6 months of blogging so much easier.

my twitter friend kristen at dine & dish has started a terrific program to help new bloggers..i so wish i knew her when i started...she matches up experienced bloggers with people just starting out so that they have a mentor to coach them during their first three months. kristen asked a bunch of us if we would be willing to help. i laughingly volunteered..would not consider myself "experienced"..but kristen took me seriously and paired me up with a very nice person named sarah. she just started blogging..her site is sarah's sweet somethings..and i have the pleasure of acting as her mentor...but i think true mentorship is a two way benefit..i suspect i will learn as much from sarah as she will from me..i envision this exercise as being more about brainstorming sessions than anything else...having someone who will listen to your ideas and goals..and then asking the proper questions so you can figure out the answer yourself...

so here goes...a three month mentorship. i am really looking forward to this..and i will post updates to my blog regarding what we learn. i would love to have all of you help us out...if you have a blog now, please share any learnings, tips or experiences you have had...if you don't currently blog..but have always wanted to..what questions would you like answered to help you get started? please share your thoughts, ideas, suggestions or feedback in the comments section of this post...and thanks in advance for helping us out.

best,
diane
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style"™

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whoops...feral or domestic kittens?

so here is a story parents, grandparents and aunts/uncles will appreciate..and perhaps provide some advice...my stepson, peter's son eric, got married two weeks ago in colorado. we went..had a terrific time..and brought my 10 yr old step-granddaughter allie back to napa with us the day after the wedding. the plan was to have her stay with us for 10 days while her dad and new stepmom were on their honeymoon. (o.k...no more "steps" used in this story..everyone is family). we stayed in a hotel the night of the wedding..left really early the next morning for the airport...of course had mechanical problems with the plane resulting in a 4 hour delay (thank you, united) drove from the airport to napa..went out to dinner cause by then it was 6:30 p.m....and...finally...made it home.

allie loves napa, and our home, so as soon as we walked in the house and put down our luggage she immediately went out the back door...ran through the yard and, of course, spotted a cat sitting in the rose garden. btw...mose was at a dog "resort" while we were away so i guess the cat felt comfortable making herself at home. i will tell you more about mose's luxury spa vacation later...he really is a spoiled dog!! anyway, allie ran over to see the cat...the cat ran under the porch...allie followed...only to see the cat poking her head out staring at allie. just as i got close enough to warn her about making sure this was a friendly cat a kitten popped his head out next to the cat.  before i could react 3 additional kittens also popped out next to mom. uh oh...can you feel it? 10 yr old girl and 4 kittens?? yikes.  within 5 minutes they were named!!! lucky, cleo, mumu and fluffy. before the night was through she was begging to take one back to colorado....and ensure we found homes for the rest. now we were really in a bind..cause mose was coming home the next day and 1 dog, 1 cat and 4 kittens in our yard was not a mix that was going to work out. we needed some help.

the next morning, peter and allie left to go pick up mose. i went to the gym. upon my return, i was met at the door by a sobbing allie. apparently, mose came home and started barking his head off. big surprise.  the cats went deeper under the house and allie was afraid mose would hurt them.  he wouldn't because he is just a big goofball.  i was actually more worried about what the cat would do to him while protecting her babies. i calmed allie down, phoned the napa humane society and pretty much said HELP!! they told me that we needed to determine whether or not the cat was feral or domesticated. a domesticated cat and her kittens could be trapped and brought to them for adoption..chances would be pretty good because the kittens looked to be about 6 weeks old..and honestly they were cute!...but if the cat was feral, they could not help us and suggested a non-profit group in the area that places feral cats with farmers and vintners to help with the rodent population.

o.k. folks..getting the picture?..10 yr old girl wanting kittens, husband not going for the "trapping the cat and checking to see if feral approach" and golden retriever not accepting animals under the porch...loads of action at the napa farmhouse!! so here is the current state of affairs...the cat/kittens seem to have disappeared! either they are so far under the house, and only come out at night, that we cannot find them..or.. the mom cat has relocated her family somewhere safe..good for mose..but not good for the cat population..i was hoping to at least be able to spay/neuter them..so i would really appreciate your thoughts, ideas and/or suggestions regarding this situation. what should we do? i can not believe this cat had the babies under my porch and they lived there for 6 weeks without us knowing. i suspect the cat moved her kittens in while we were in colorado thinking it was a nice, quiet, safe place.. it this possible?

what do you all think? one thing though..life is never boring at napa farmhouse 1885!!! please post your ideas in the comments section of the blog..or feel free to email me..

best!

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

gardening or meditation?

today was a perfect day..one of those days where....right in the middle of the day..i realized how happy and grateful i am to be "retired." why the quotes? retired is a funny word to describe my life. remember in one of my first posts i told you that after 25 years in corporate life i decided to take early, early retirement? i smile because it is not as if i get retirement benefits..i was too young to qualify when i stopped working. but my husband and i invested, saved and realized that we had enough to live on..now we certainly are not rich..but we just did not require more "stuff" and would rather be together than keep working to climb the corporate ladder..we just could not see the pay-off for us..and for our life. the funny thing is i am now starting my own very small business..just cause i want to...but this is totally different. for one thing..i am the boss..can i tell you how cool it is to say that? no one but no one can tell me what i should be doing..what i should be thinking...how i should behave..etc. all the "coaching" and "performance reviews" corporate life brings..yuck! and i can set the vision and mission and product assortment exactly the way i see it in my mind.."my brand"...now, on the other hand..my company is based in my kitchen...i have not yet opened the on-line store so no revenue..and i have no "people" so i do it all myself..but i am having a ball. i plan to write about starting a small business in another post..wow! what an education. how many of you work from home..or have started your own small business? what works for you? what doesn't?

but today's post is about taking the time to appreciate simply being at home..living life. i have been working hard the past month operating in "start up" mode for the business. ..but i am able to go to the gym in the middle of the day 3-4 times per week to ensure i take a break...i am able to cook dinner every night. now i love cooking so this is really cool..if you do not enjoy cooking this may not sound so wonderful...i can have a meeting with my business partner, (my husband, peter), in my pajamas drinking coffee, and i can take mose for walks throughout the day..he is the company's director of security so they are business walks :).. today i decided to take the afternoon and work in the garden. my roses needed pruning, it was 75 degrees and i said.."what the heck"..that was the whole point of retiring..finally being able to do what i wanted to do..when i wanted to do it. our farmhouse has a small rose garden in the front of the house and a few rose bushes spread around the side and back. there are 25 total..not a ton..but for a girl that lived in a san francisco flat for 15 years without a yard..it is enough. spring in napa can be tricky..there are always a few really warm days in january and february, so the roses are pretty well leafed out in march. march and april have a number of rainy days, a number of foggy days, some warm to hot days and cool..sometimes freezing nights. so the roses sometimes get really whacked out (love my gardening term?) they start blooming early..and frequently develop black spot and rust...o.k...if you do not garden i know i am probably losing you with this post..but hang with me for just a bit...back to the roses...
so, to avoid the rose diseases, it is important to keep them pruned enough to allow sunlight to hit all the leaves..at least this works for me. i noticed this morning that they were a bit overgrown and needed pruning and decided this afternoon was a perfect opportunity. i started pruning, mose sat next to me and moved each time i moved to a different bush..and before i realized it..4 hours had passed. you know what, i felt fantastic..relaxed, pleasantly tired, and really happy. i had been concentrating on the pruning..ensuring each cut was the correct cut..and just kinda zoned out. the roses looked great, i had come up with a number of ideas for the business, and i felt really good. i realized that this was one of the first times i had experienced gardening without a predetermined time frame. prior to retiring my life looked like this.... leave napa early monday morning and drive to my office in san francisco. stay in the city, away from my family, monday-wednesday night, work thursday until really late and then drive back to napa... work from napa on friday. this happened on the rare weeks that i did not fly out on monday morning on a business trip and return friday night. that meant that something like gardening had to be completed on the weekends..along with everything else..so i always was on a schedule..even on the weekends. i enjoyed gardening, but felt the pressure to "just get it done". today..no pressure.. i only finished half the roses but..no worries..i can finish tomorrow..or saturday..or whenever i want. i have never, ever been able to live this way. it just felt right to acknowledge how grateful i am for being able to enjoy everyday things like cooking, gardening, exercise, walking the dog..living a real life... and to commit even more to ensuring there is adequate time in my life to give back..and give thanks..for my life, my family, my friends, my faith...

what are you grateful for?

best,

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style™"

oh..and if you have tips for organic rose care ..please share.....

have you read good dog. stay?

the book written by anna quindlen? i heard about this book last year ago..wanted to read it..but kept putting if off. i knew the subject matter was the author's experience with losing her dog and i just was not ready for the emotional reaction i knew i would have. i have told you before..many times..how much i love mosey. my question for today is...how much do you love your dog? (or pet if you have another kind of animal)
i always assumed that i would love my dog..but i never knew just how much...i must admit..i have become one of those dog people!!?? i talk about mose as if he is my son...i worry about him..obsess about real and imagined illnesses. i was talking to a friend the other day..she also is a dog lover...and we both admitted that we even hesitate to go on vacations when our dogs cannot go with us...we miss them too much. have i really gone over the edge? (mose is now a 115 lb golden and at least i never dress him up!!)
anyway, i saw the book Good Dog. Stay. in the library last week and checked it out...last night was the perfect night for me to read the book...i have had a bit of a rough patch the past few months..a beloved relative passed away, my family is still grieving, and..someone that i thought was a good and true friend was just using me and this has hurt me deeply. i figured it was time to let out some emotions, read the book..and have a good cry. the section when the dog needs to be put down will get to you...tough to read..and i did have my emotional good cry... but the author ends the book with observations of what she learned from her dog and i found this passage very inspirational..
"and that's what i learned from watching beau over his lifetime: to roll with the punches (if not in carrion), to take things as they come, to measure myself not in terms of the past or the future but of the present, to raise my nose in the air from time to time and, at least metaphorically, holler, "i smell bacon". i'm not what i once was, and neither, by the end, was he........sometimes an old dog teaches you new tricks"

as the commercial says.."dogs rule" please add your comments regarding your thoughts and stories of the love you have for your dogs...pictures too...

best,

napa farmhouse 1885

what is homeward bound?

o.k. so now you know how much i love my dog. i really wanted to experience raising a puppy and mose allowed me to fulfill this dream...loads of training, loads of time, loads of work and i loved every minute..well almost every minute. (also, to be fair, i was working a lot and peter spent every day with him..i had nights and weekend duty when i was not traveling) i hope mose is with us for a long, long time but..when the time comes for another dog..and i will always have a dog..cannot imagine life without one...i will opt for a rescue dog. call me naive, but i never really realized until recently that people were cruel to dogs..that people adopted dogs..got tired of the work and then just abandoned them. that people hurt dogs on purpose..that people actually enjoyed watching dogs fight each other to their deaths. i do not know anyone who does this..who are these horrible people?? how can they be human beings? and yes, i can and will pass judgement...people who hurt other people and/or animals have no souls...all pets are terrific and i adored my cat but there is something about a dog. mose looks at me with those massive, expressive brown eyes and i melt every time.

i discovered a fantastic golden retriever rescue non-profit called homeward bound. they are located in northern california and they believe in the importance of rescuing all goldens..old, sick, disabled as well as young and healthy. they never turn away a dog and never, ever put the dog down unless they absolutely have to for health reasons. this is their mission statement:

Homeward Bound's Mission
Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue & Sanctuary, Inc. is a non-profit volunteer organization with the mission of securing safe, loving homes for displaced or homeless Golden Retrievers. We receive Golden Retrievers from owners who can no longer care for them because of changing circumstances in their lives. We maintain close working relationships with animal shelters in Sacramento, Sutter, Placer, El Dorado and surrounding counties to ensure that Goldens are relinquished to us prior to being euthanized. We also rescue Golden Retrievers found wandering the streets or reported to us by concerned neighbors. We rescue Goldens of all ages, and even mixed Goldens on occasion.Each rescued Golden immediately receives a thorough exam at one of our participating veterinary hospitals. All of our Goldens will be spayed or neutered before an adoption can occur, and all shots are brought up to date and each Golden is tested for heartworm. We rescue the sick and injured Goldens as well as the healthy ones. Some of these Goldens will have significant health issues and it is our responsibility to provide them with expert veterinary care prior to offering them for adoption.Homeward Bound is not affiliated with any breed club. Consequently, we will be able to rescue Golden "mixes" when special circumstances arise. We have the capability to rescue a Golden even though it may not be carrying AKC papers in its luggage.

check out their website at http://www.homewardboundgoldens.org/ there is a section of stories about the dogs currently up for adoption. i challenge you to read their stories without crying..i never can...

there are many of these type of rescue organizations throughout the country for all types of breeds. i encourage you to support them and to speak out for animal rights..no human has the right or authority to inflict pain or suffering on any animal.
thank you,
napafarmhouse1885™

"live a green life of style"™

Why Mose??

so i told you in an earlier post that i lived with my husband and massive dog. the husband's name is peter..the dog's name is mose. (or mo, mosey,posey etc.)..how come people make up weird nicknames for their pets?? mose is a 115 pound golden retriever..who knew they could get that big..he is not fat just massive!!

anyway, we live on a corner lot across the street from the napa river in napa, ca.. there are a number of bed and breakfasts in my neighborhood and everyone has a dog. our street is well traveled with people walking, biking, jogging and many have their dogs with them. our house has a front and side yard and is completely fenced with the obligatory white picket fence...i told you it was an victorian farmhouse right? mose is the mayor of the neighborhood. he is the happiest dog who ever lived and loves people more than anything..even more than treats which is saying something. strangers are always petting him through the fence and..because they look at his tags..all know his name. he is way more popular than peter or myself. all day long i hear people exclaiming "MOSE!!!" as he leaps through the air with joy. because of this i am constantly asked how he got the name mose..which of course as you start to get to know me..leads to a story..here goes..



peter and i have been married for 25 years... freaks me out everytime i say that..not because of the marriage..very happy thank you very much...but because i am actually old enough to be married that long. anyway, we got a cat..her name was lucky... the month we got married..she was terrific..more on that in another post... and lived to age 20. when she died my husband and i mourned for months and we decided we could not get another cat..felt too disloyal. i had always wanted a dog but our lifestyle..my constant travel, peter's work hours and the fact that at the time we lived in a flat in san francisco...made it impossible. when lucky died we decided to give it a try..peter was consulting and working from home so we thought we could make it work. who knew that 6 months later we would buy our napa farmhouse..we didn't...... we researched dogs that would be best suited for our environment..the only non-negotiable was that we both loved big dogs. all the research showed that goldens were best suited for us..and they were already my favorite breed. we wanted a puppy (one time only) and found a number of breeders in the bay area. i phoned one guy who said he had 6 week old puppies..3 females and one male. we had decided to get a female thinking they would be smaller and calmer..better for a flat with a small shared yard. we both love music..especially the blues..and decided to name our puppy lucinda... after the musician lucinda williams..and call her lucy for short. we decided to drive out to visit this breeder just to check it out as we completed our research...now if you knew my husband you would know that he is not the lecturer type..but in this case the1 hour drive to the breeder was interminable. peter lectured me the entire time saying over and over that we were just looking..not to fall in love with the first puppy i saw...we needed to set up our house first..etc..over and over and over. i truly was still in research mode so the constant chattering took it's toll. we pulled up in front of the breeder's home where he had a big open air pen in the doorway. three adorable goldens were standing up looking at us..the cutest thing i had ever seen..or so i thought. we parked and started walking up the driveway. all of a sudden..over the backs of the three female puppies..appeared another golden..this one with a massive head and massive paws. this was the male..his body was about the size of his 3 sisters..but oh that head..those paws... peter took one look, glanced at me and said. "let's take that one"..all remnants of lecture gone. i must admit..this truly was the cutest thing i had seen and i, too..fell instantly in love.



well we did get that one..the breeder told us he would be big..probably 90 pounds. at 4 1/2 years of age he is 115 lbs without an ounce of fat so who knows how big he will get?

so.. at long last.. the name thing. lucinda was obviously out so we needed something new..something male. the breeder would not let us take him home for another week so we went home, looked through our cd collection and tried to find a blondish blues singer that we liked. settled on mose allison which seemed appropriate. and mose it is....



much more on mose in future posts.

best,

napafarmhouse1885