I'm trying to tidy my desktops – both the one that sits on my computer and the one that my computer sits on.

Never an easy task.

The puppies have been taking all of my time lately, and things have rather piled up.

The vet cleared Bonnie for serious play this morning and I can now throw them outside without supervision.

Naturally, they spent the rest of the day napping at my feet – for the first time in weeks.

Back to my project:

First, thanks to my drapery debacle, I was a featured blog on a site called Be@Home.

It’s a rather fun site covering everything from furniture to food; cooking techniques to decorating techniques.  They were obviously intrigued by my sewing skills.

Second, I’ve had a few people offer (?) to do guests posts – I’ll post one of them tomorrow (now that I’ve found it).

Third, a question: Do you make notes when you cook?  If you have a food blog, chances are you take photos.  Do you carefully write down every step as you chop and stir, then later that same day or first thing the next morning, upload the photos, edit them and match them to the recipe?

Or do you do what I do: Upload the photos when I gt a chance or once a week, whichever comes more frequently, then look at my undecipherable notes and wish I wrote better.

A typical recipe looks like this – written on a post-it note:

chik
much
onion
gralic
feta
T cumin
T pap
pars
1/2 c wh

This was a recipe for chicken breasts with mushrooms and feta cheese.  It was seasoned with cumin and paprika, then simmered in white wine.  When I looked at the photo I realized I had also added some capers and served it all over rice.

Naturally, I don't have to write everything down because I'll remember.

Naturally.

In my defense, I'm normally rather busy cooking, and then mon mari and I are rather busy eating.

I have a rather large stack of post-it notes to go through this evening.

(spellcheck is having fun with my notes….)

In the meantime, here's some fun with phyllo – and a recipe I did write down. 

Mushroom Strudel

3oz (90gr) mushrooms, chopped
3 shallots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup red wine
1 tsp Dijon-style mustard
1 tbs creme fraiche
1 tbs olive oil
2 tbs Parmesan cheese
more olive oil

Sauté mushrooms, shallots, and garlic until well-browned.  Add Worcestershire sauce, red wine and simmer until reduced almost completely.  Add mustard, creme fraiche and stir well. 
Remove 1 sheet of pastry and cover the rest. Lay the sheet out flat and brush all over with olive oil, starting with the edges (they dry out fastest) and working in. Sprinkle Parmesan evenly, then lay the second sheet on top.  Brush with olive oil.
Spoon the mushrooms about 2" (5cm) from the narrower edge. Roll the end over the top and continue rolling it up, like a jelly roll. Carefully lift or roll onto a lightly oiled baking sheet. Brush the top with olive oil and bake at 400F (200C) for 12 – 15 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. 
When done, remove to a cutting board. Cut in large slices and serve, with a simple Tomato Sauce.

Tomato Sauce

1 cup whole tomatoes, puréed
2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil

Sauté garlic in olive oil until tender.  Add remaining ingredients and heat through.