beach collecting

We spent the past week, camping at the beach.  We couldn't stop wandering the lovely white sand beaches and of course.....collecting!

photos and words by kristen bach

musella gin

while driving through forsyth, georgia i spotted this treasure.  the gin was no longer being used but was a lovely building as is.  enjoy!  it always is good to keep your eyes peeled for beauties like these!

photos and words by kristen bach

burnt wall

photo by kristen bach

making simple soap

a few years ago i purchased some soap base so i could make my own soap.  i know this might be cheating a little bit and isn't really making soap from scratch but it is what my life has time for these days.  i love filling my house with warming smells and we get a months worth of soap out of each batch and some to give friends and neighbors. 

this weekend i made some of my favorite blend and is one that i make most often.  All you need is a soap base, lavender oil, patchouli oil, and some dried lavender flowers.  it's such a simple way to have good soap all of the time.

the wanderer blend soap

2 pound block of soap base, I purchase mine here  (there are many varieties, try them out and find your fav)

1 1/2 teaspoon of lavender oil

1/2 teaspoon patchouli oil

1 teaspoon dried lavender, optional

>>>>

-In a double broiler, melt your soap base, it may take 20-30 minutes

-when base is completely melted, add oils and stir until mixed

-pour your mixture into a soap mold, I use a simple rectangular bar mold

-sprinkle dried blooms

-wait a few hours or overnight to cut your bars

recipe and photos by kristen bach

a stone beauty

once a focal point to this tiny town, the remains of this stone building now sit still. covered in a patina of vines, moss, and lichen it's mysterious bones leaves passersby like myself in wonderment.

dinner prep

photo by kristen bach

winter bounty bowl

around our house we call these bounty bowls.  what's a bounty bowl?  it's a mix of seasonal vegetables all cooked up (or sometimes raw), a protein, then layered into a bowl with a sauce of some sort. to me this is the most ideal and satisfying comfort meals.  and quite lovely i might add. 

this winter bounty bowl was composed of charred kale, roasted brussel sprouts with raisins, roasted sweet potatoes, and black lentils.  the sauce i made is one from a cookbook called "go dairy free".  i have been making this sauce for years and putting it on top of rice, noodles, salads.....and more~

magic sauce (a variation from a recipe out of the "go dairy free" cookbook)

-in a food processor or blender, add: 1/3 cup tahini, 3 cloves garlic, 1 handful of parsley, a dash of salt and pepper, juice of 2 lemons, and 1/3-1/2 cup water.  you can also add fresh cilantro if you have some on hand.

-blend until mixed adding more water if necessary.  the texture should be smooth like gravy.

-serve atop salads, mashed potatoes, vegetables, noodles, or rice. 

photo by kristen bach

a heart

photo by kristen bach

handmade valentines

we have been working on our valentines all week.  adding layer by layer..... day by day.  it's always a fun time to bust out the glitter, paint,  tape, gather some natural ingredients and start an assembly line of making.  happy valentines and happy making!

photos and words by kristen bach

floria yancey

photo by kristen bach

my little beauty hunter

when we started beauty everyday, my husband and i explored the south together. nearly every weekend we would hop in the car and head to the country or a place we had never been, and we always seemed to find some beauty.  six years later we are still exploring now with our 5 year old adventure lover in tow. 

thankfully our daughter enjoys it just as much as us and has always had an interest in the camera.  this past christmas she got an instant film camera and has been taking it with her wherever she goes. it's been quite magical watching her sparkle with excitement when she takes each picture and studying it as it develops. 

photos and words by kristen bach

wavy bark

photo by kristen bach

charred onion and radish dip

i'm not one for watching football but my family is.  every year my folks throw a little gathering for the superbowl and my mom asked me to bring something over to snack on. 

i made a charred onion and radish dip.  it's almost in the family of spinach and artichoke dip....a warm and comforting winter app that can be served with crackers, bread, or tortilla chips. 

-coat a baking sheet with olive oil

-thinly slice 2 onions and carefully arrange on your baking sheet

-brush tops of onions with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt

-broil in oven until tops start to blacken, remove from oven

-in a bowl, combine 2 Tbsp mayo, 2 Tbsp cream cheese, 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack (if you would like some spice) or swiss cheese

-stir in your onions and 4 radishes sliced like matchsticks

-stir all ingredients together and spoon into a oven safe bowl or small baking dish

-sprinkle with some more shredded cheese and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes

photo and recipe by kristen bach

insect hotel

photo by kristen bach

lemon cardamon cream pie

everybody loves a cream pie right? we had family visiting from boston the other day so i whipped up a southern cream pie with some florida lemons.  

it's an easy one to make and eat!

-pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees to pre bake your crust.  you can make your own or use a store bought one, hopefully your crust will look prettier than mine!  When your 9 inch crust is ready to bake, bake for about 9-11 minutes or until the crust begins to brown.  if your crust bubbles while baking, poke with a fork to let the air out.  

-to make the custard use a medium sized sauce pan.  add 1/4 cup corn starch, 3/4 cup unrefined sugar, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/4 tsp cardamon.... and stir until combined.  

-in a small bowl beat 3 egg yolks and 2 1/2 cup whole milk, and the zest from 3 lemons. when mixed pour into the sauce with your dry ingredients

-on medium heat, whisk your custard until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes

-remove from heat and add 2 Tbsp of unsalted butter, and the juice from 3 lemons.  Stir into custard

-put in a bowl and chill until you are ready to assemble pie

-while custard is cooling, make your whipped cream.  in a large bowl pour 1 1/2 pints of organic heavy whipping cream and whip with an electric mixer or hand held immersion blender.  When it begins to thicken, add 3 Tbsp maple syrup and 1 Tbsp vanilla.  mix until thickened.  be mindful to not over-beat or it will begin to separate and turn to butter.  

-when your custard and pie shell are cooled you can assemble pie. carefully spoon a layer of custard into the shell and then spoon your whipped cream

-return to your refrigerator and chill until ready to serve.  i put some zest and cardamon on top just before serving but that is optional.  

-enjoy!

recipe and photo by kristen bach

candied kumquats

being so close to florida, we get a lot of fresh citrus throughout the winter.  i love making candied kumquats and snacking on them and using them on a variety of desserts. 

candied kumquats

1 cup water
1 cup raw sugar
1 pint kumquats, thinly sliced
sea salt
cardamon
raw sugar for sprinkling

directions:
-in a large frying pan, boil 1 cup water and add the 1 cup sugar- stir until dissolved, simmer
-add a layer of the thinly sliced kumquats to the simple syrup mixture
-simmer for 5-6 minutes, making sure not to burn
-lightly sprinkle some sea salt and cardamon over the kumquats
-using metal tongs, turn the kumquats and simmer for another 5-6 minutes
-cover a wire rack covered in parchment paper
-remove the kumquats from the heat, one by one and place a single layer on the parchment paper.
-let cool and dry for 1 hour and sprinkle with sugar!

photos and recipe by kristen bach

dew + grass

photo by kristen bach

sage colored wood

photo by kristen bach