More Vertigo

Side 1

Side 2

Side 1

Side 2

Other pottery pieces from this spring

It's been a busy spring/early summer and I finally got a chance to catch up on this blog.  Think I carved stamps to make the cars, trains and planes this winter.  My husband drew the plane for me to trace. 

Vertigo side 1

Vertigo side 2

Totem Exchange

 I had the pleasure of participating in a totem exchange with 8 other wonderful clay artists!  It entailed making 9 pieces of art with 1/2-inch holes on the top and bottom in order to thread onto a piece of re-bar.  Some of us threw our pieces on the wheel, while others hand-built them.  Sign-up ended March 1st, and we had until the end of May to finish them.  It was a fun and freeing project for me because it didn't matter if they looked the same at all!  Then we had a party in June and exchanged them.  What a great excuse for a party!

Jan's owls--She came up with the project!

Bisque-fired totems by Gina

Bisque-fired turtles

Jill's turtles still in the kiln!

Kiln opening is like Christmas Day, you never know if you're going to get a potholder or a new car!

My vertigo pieces

Brenda's totems

In their intended location!

The artists minus Barb in order
!

Cars and faces

How to make a stopperless shaker

I'm going to quickly post this before I get distracted again and never post this. 

Forbidden Rice

I was at a health food store a couple of weeks ago and happened to spot Forbidden Rice in one of the bulk bins.  What is it about those bins that makes me want to buy a little of everything I see? What is forbidden rice, you ask?  It's that black/purple stuff along with the carrots, celery, onions, mushrooms, and navy beans.  According to legend, only the Emperors of China could partake in such substance to enrich health and longevity (taken straight from the link above). 

Apparently I'm the only one in our house with a royal palate.  Oh well, more for me!

Pottery

Heritage Food: Hulobzi, Halupsy, Pigs in a Blanket, or Cabbage Rolls

My mom used to make Pigs in a Blanket.  Sometimes her German would come out, and she would say Halupzi, just like when she would say they used to "schlegga the bones", which meant "lick/suck the bones" of the chicken when growing up.  She would also make a messier version in which the "bed wasn't made" where everything was mixed together and not tidy.

This recipe is from my aunt's recipe book on my dad's side.  It was my grandma's recipe.  She died when I was 3, and I don't remember her.  I also found another recipe for them in another cookbook that added raisins.  Weird. 

Hulobzi

For cabbage rolls:

1 head cabbage                  2 c. cooked rice
1 small onion, chopped     1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. lean pork                1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper

For topping:

2 T. brown sugar
1 c. water
1 c. catsup
1 c. tomato soup 

Remove outer, wilted cabbage leaves and core.  Place cabbage in large pot of boiling water; simmer gently for 10 minutes.  Remove, drain.  Gently pull off leaves; set aside.  Mix meat, onion, rice, salt, and pepper until it holds together well.  Place a tablespoon of rice mixture on a cabbage leaf and wrap.  Place in a greased casserole.  Combine topping ingredients and pour over rolls.  Bake at 300 degrees for 2 hours. 

p.s.  Do you say catsup or ketchup?  I like ketchup better.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies

For a couple of years, I've been on the lookout for good non-box/mix brownies.  Here is my own recipe I created by tweaking other recipes and swapping out the oil for pumpkin.    The brownies are a little hard to cut, but I love them!  If you heat the cocoa powder (usually with water) before adding, it's supposed to let the cocoa "bloom".  That's why I decided to heat the pumpkin.  Next time I'm going to add amaretto. 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies

1 c. canned pumpkin puree
1 t. instant espresso
2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. vanilla
1 t. cinnamon
1 c. chocolate chips

Heat pumpkin in the microwave (3 minutes maybe) in a medium bowl.  Add instant espresso and cocoa powder to the pumpkin and mix well and set aside.  Mix sugar, flour, salt, baking powder and cinnamon together in a larger bowl.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Gradually add pumpkin mixture and then chocolate chips.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.