Tracy Porter Blog… be inspired!

I admit I’m a bit of a magpie, so I’m already passing along these tendencies to my children! So you can imagine they like creating vignettes as much as I do!! The boys love to create paint by numbers… and I’ll admit I have such a weakness for them myself… they all collect snow globes of various shapes, sizes, and themes! Grandma Nettie bought them the framed butterflies… (now they catch their own on our farm and even try their hand at the framing and labeling). I always frame their artwork, truly it is my favorite… and not only do these get proudly hung in “their own” spaces… but as you know, I hang them amidst all of our other walls and vignettes as well… (Remember, it’s your house… it’s about YOU and your family!!!) Plus it’s cool and quirky and not overly serious as “decorating” can be for people sometimes!!

As the boys have gotten older, they’ve definitely had their own ideas about what else they would like to include… Lego’s, army men, dinosaurs, etc… Some have even spilled out into my other vignettes throughout the house. I lovingly embrace it all… For me, it’s a constant reminder of their precious little souls – who will all too soon be fully grown!!

My mom has made this shortcake since I was a kid. She has veered off this path now and again over the years, but we all keep steering her back to this one! I have now adopted it for my own family… It’s the perfect texture to soak up all that luscious berry juice!



THE SHORTCAKE (makes one 9″ cake):
2 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
4 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup butter (cold)
1/4 cup shortening
1/3 cup milk
1 egg beaten
1 Tbsp. grated orange or lemon rind

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and grated rind. Add in shortening and cold butter using a pastry cutter or two forks. Blend together until the mixture has a cornmeal like texture. Add in the egg and milk; mix only until the dough comes together. (Don’t over handle these, as it will ruin their texture and they will become too hard.)

You have basically two choices now: you can grease a 9″ pan and pat this dough in, then you can cut into nice wedges once it’s done baking. Or… you can form it (gently) into biscuits, whichever size pleases you. Several mini ones or a handful of nice large ones. Either way I like to brush them with some cream or milk then sprinkle sugar on the tops (just a light dusting will do). This will give them nice color and taste. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

Hint: I always prefer to open the shortcake up (meaning cut it horizontally once it’s baked) so it can have ultimate soak-up-the-juice powers!

THE STRAWBERRIES
6 cups fresh strawberries
Sugar to taste

The strawberries that you use should be divided into two parts. Half of them should be sliced and then left alone. The second half should be smashed. (Just get in there and do it by hand, don’t be wimpy here. Just gush them between your fingers – or let a child help.) Then add sugar to taste. Start slowly with it… maybe a 1/4 cup at a time. You may need to add an entire cup. If they are winter strawberries you will. In the summer I doubt it. Mix the cut and the gushed ones together. Serve with an abundance of freshly whipped cream. (Is there ever enough?? Not for me!!)

p.s. This makes an awesome breakfast as well!!

* Keep a list of movies you’ve watched (or books that you’ve read) in the past year? Perhaps you’ll find one you want to peruse again… Or, if you find your list is rather short… what a great excuse (reminder) to find a little time to indulge yourself!

* Try something new on the menu each time you visit a favorite restaurant? And then encourage your children to do the same?

* Bookmark all of your favorite shopping sites, blogs, and other online sources of inspiration so you can visit them at a moment’s notice?

* Enjoy little guilty pleasures? Like watching E!’s The Soup… Host Joel McHale is so wickedly amusing… and with TiVo… we can buzz thru it in 20 minutes!!

* Treat yourself to that new cologne you’ve been dying to try? I love anything spicy or citrusy… Jo Malone’s Amber & Lavender or Lime Basil & Mandarin are two of my all-time faves…

* Keep a checklist of cities you want to travel to someday – and then start crossing them off, one by one?

* Read Daily Candy? Hip, eclectic, fresh… Just like you!!

“If… poses hundreds of questions ranging from practical to maddening, moral to hilarious–which, if read alone, inspire self-exploration; if shared, spark fascinating discussions at gatherings, dinner parties, or meetings.”

Below is just a sampling of questions to tease and inspire you… Cheers!!

* If you could have any view in the world visible from your bed, what would it be?
* If you had to name the most important ingredient of human beauty, what would you say it is?
* If you could suddenly find out that one work of fiction was actually true, what book would you select?
* If you could have back one article of clothing you gave or threw away, what would you want it to be?
* If you could name the sexiest words anyone could say to you, what would they be?

p.s. There’s also a great kids’ version by Bret Nicholaus & Paul Lowrie called KidChat… We keep this book near our dining table so we can play this with our boys during dinner. They absolutely adore it… and so do we! Here are a couple of excerpts…

* If something could fall from the sky besides rain or snow, what would it be? (Example: jelly beans)
* If you could be shrunk down to one inch tall for a day, what do you think would be the most exciting place to explore?