I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and am still a fan of Cincinnati chili. It’s not as spicy but has complex flavors including chocolate. It’s served over spaghetti. This is One Way, topped with oyster crackers.
How did it come out? It’s delicious. My husband could not tell the difference between plant based and real meat. I had to change the way I cook it and added more spice. I will make it again and am thrilled to share it with you!
2-WAY CINCINNATI CHILI
1 1/2 lb Beyond Meat
2 T olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
cup chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 1/2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon dried whole marjoram
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 T cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2- 14½-ounce) cans no-salt-added
whole tomatoes, undrained and
chopped
Sugar to taste
4½ cups hot cooked spaghetti,
cooked without salt or fat
36 oyster crackers
In small frying or sauté pan, cook Beyond Meat, breaking up into chunks. Set aside.
Coat a Dutch oven with
2 T olive oil; place over medium-high heat until
hot. Add 2 cups onion and bell peppers, cook until onions brown. Add garlic and stir 2 minutes. Add Beyong Meat from sauté pan. Add ground cinnamon. and next 8 ingredients; cook 1 minute.
Add salt, pepper, and tomatoes; simmer,
uncovered,20 minutes. Add sugar if the taste is bitter- 1 t at a time, to taste.
To serve, arrange spaghetti on individ-
ual serving plates or deep bowl. Spoon chili over spaghetti; top with crackers.
Yield: 6 cups
]]>I make large batches of this applesauce several times a year, and each one disappears like a video on fast forward. It's simple, and you absolutely can't really mess it up.It's also very healthy. You can make it without the Grand Marnier, and use coconut sugar to make it paleo style. It's still good! The one essential is high quality apples. Organic apples are almost always more intense in flavor, and worth the splurge. I use a hand held blender stick but you can get great results in a food processor, making some batches very smooth and some slightly chunky, then mixing the 2. This gives a nice rustic texture. When using the blender stick, push the apple chunks towards the blade and be careful not to puree into a single baby food consistency. It tastes best when there are some chunks of apple, although no larger than pea size.
Ingredients:
6 sweet apples
3 tart apples
1t cinnamon
3/4 C sugar
1/4 C Grand Marnier
2 C apple juice or apple cider
2 T butter
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Peel and core apples, then cut into small chunks (about 1/2 " D) Put in a large 9 cup microwave safe bowl. My large flower bowls or large Arabesque bowls are the perfect size. Add cinnamon and sugar; stir to coat. Add Grand Marnier, apple juice, and butter cut into pats.
Microwave on Hi for 10 min. Remove and stir. If apples seem dry, add a bit more juice. Microwave another 10 minutes. Blend with a hand held stick blender or in batches in a food processor. Be sure to leave slightly chunky. Serve warm or cool.
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A fan is someone who derives great pleasure from what you do or make. They see and seek to understand the smallest details of what goes into your process and design. They watch the evolution of your work with enthusiasm.
If you mention on social media that you are having a bad day, fans will console you with real feeling. If you are having a good day, they will celebrate with you. Nothing surprised me greater when I first started out than to see an actual fan base emerge. Studio artisans are, by nature, introverted souls who lead lives filled with great internal pleasure but sparse external flamboyance. We tend to think, "there's not a lot to see here, folks", even though that's not actually true.
As you may recall, I alternate my reclusive quiet with audiobooks. My current fav is outside my usual genre. It's in Sci Fi and Fantasy, titled Ready Player One. It's great fun, and exceptionally well written, but what essentially grabbed me is how it articulates perfectly what is means to be a fan.
Like the book's protagonist, I grew up in an unstable and neglectful home. In the 50's, there were no video games, no internet, and much less access to movies and shows, but we did have books, art museums, some notable filmmakers. And by my teens, the bands of the sixties! The best bands of any generation before or after. My home life was a mere backdrop for my real life, which was rich in female heroines struggling to assert our own power, creatives breaking the mold of conformity, and artworks that challenged minds and kindled passions.
Fans are blessed with the ability to transcend one's singular and individual circumstances. We are nurtured and fed by authors and artists and musicians as much as from our families and friends. A buyer wants a well made, functional, attractive piece of pottery, as a gift or a splurge for oneself. Sometimes that buyer feels the exquisite balance, notices the well placed foot rim, or the astonishing smile of a hand formed owl, and a fan is born. That is who I am working for.
If you are a fan, I get you! Me, too.
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These listings will be stocked Tues, 9/27 @ 7pm EST
Also watch for the Just Listed pieces;:noodle bowls, mugs,Birds Nest casserole, small poppies, large nesting bowl set, Arabesque nesting bowl set in Turquoise.
]]>I'm trying something new. This is a preview of the new work for you to see before it goes live. Remember that you must check out to complete a sale. Just putting something in a cart won't hold it, so make your selections quickly!
These will be available here when the Restock opens Wed. Hope you can make it!
]]>Look for new Arabesque bowls and poppies in 2 sizes.Enjoy!
]]>Here are tonight's Just Listed offerings
Hope you find something you like! In progress are poppy bowls, Arabesque bowls, and mugs.
Hope you are finding a way to stay cool this summer. And eating the bounty from a good garden or farmers market.
]]>Here is the just listed stash!
I may not be around much for a week but you know I'll be back to the studio ASAP. It's where I live and love the most!
]]>Here are the other New Listings this week.
If you've followed my health saga, you know my surgery was postponed until May 16th, allowing me to complete another last 2 kiln loads. I have very good doctors and expect to be completely fine once I recoup, and am optimistic about having much better health.
I am not following the ancestral diet, which allows me to lose the weight that has contributed to my health issues. It's easy and delicious, so you may find future recipes here soon!
Thanks so much for following my creative and health journey. It is a great privilege to share my life with you.
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Enjoy!
Hope the new growth in nature is inspiring you to plan big, play full out, let new ideas sprout and bloom!
]]>If you have a passion, it is in your thoughts just below the surface most of the time. That's where this new mug shape incubated and evolved. It's not a drastic departure from my old shape. But I like how the surface provided for glaze flow is longer and sleeker.
You can check it out with my other new listings here.
Coming next week: poppy bowls, more mugs, noodle bowls.
Enjoy your spring! Hope the new life bursting forth encourages you to let your inner dreams and wishes emerge!
]]>Hope you are able to scoop up something you've been waiting for!
Hope you are able to get out and see some of spring's budding trees, and feel that warm air on your face.
I've been able to work more this week, and am treating myself to playing and experimenting. look for some very organic shapes in vases if you follow me on Instagram. I also have prototype bowls. It's my best therapy. No matter how ill I am, when I'm able to be in my studio and get in that flow of work, I forget the pain. It just drops away. Be sure to find those activities that can bring you that type of solace. It will be the best gift you can ever receive.
]]>My health is improving but I will most likely require surgery shortly, so I can't take custom orders for the next 2 months at least. I will work as I am able and list new works, so please, scoop up what you want or need as it's available. Hope you are enjoying the gorgeous spring air and flowers. It's such a carefree time of year outside here in Asheville. Although I haven't been able to go out much, just walking in my garden is adventure enough to keep my spirits up.
]]>I will need some time to rest and rejuvenate, so I am temporarily stopping custom orders. I will continue to list new pieces as I can make them, and will fill all current orders. Thanks for your patience!
]]>I'm close to full up on custom orders, so please order now if you need something not in stock. I will need to shut off that option for a month or so in about a week.
Thanks so much for your patience and support! You guys are my Valentines, every day, every month! Hope you have some projects going on to excite your creative soul.
]]>I will need to close dinnerware orders again soon, so if you are interested, and can't wait, now's the time. In progress are large flower bowls and Arabesque bowls, plus mugs. I know they've all been out of stock a long time. I'm playing catch up as quickly as I can.
I do hope you enjoy snow just a little bit! I really love it. Our last snow here was so fluffy and came down in giant flakes. Plus, it melted in a few days. That's one thing I enjoy about Asheville. We get all kinds of weather but nothing lasts too long.
]]>In progress are noodle bowls, large flower and Arabesque bowls, and mugs.
Hope your new year brings you some quiet time after the holiday parties. I'm reading more on these cold dark evenings, and also working on an Ebook! Stay tuned for details of that.
]]>Thanks to a back to back firing of exceptional pottery, I have some truly spectacular gift choices if you are looking. They will all be shipped for scheduled delivery before Christmas in the continental US.
I will have just 1 more kiln load before the holiday cutoff for shipping, ready on Wed 12/17. It is packed with custom orders so there won't be a lot of open stock.
Thank you all ever so much for your support and purchases! It is my first holiday season since breaking up with Etsy, and it's been better than ever. I'm very happy, and extremely grateful to you. If you have not yet heard today that you are appreciated, let me be the first. To buy from artisans is to preserve the values of skilled labor, satisfying work, quality products, eco friendly production, and fair wages. Thank you for being a part of the Handmade Movement!
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We gather foraged greens from the garden and yard. Some things, like pine coned, seed pods, and leaves are spray painted in metallic gold.
Next we add lots of candles and pottery. I always use my tree vases as candlesticks!
We create an organic flowing table runner down the center with greens, metallics, and candles. It feels so warm and welcoming! Having neutral table linens lets the center come alive. This year we added painted animals- another fun family project I'll share at a later time.
However you celebrate, and whatever you celebrate, I hope that light, and beauty, and deep joy find their way into your gatherings.
]]>All in stock pieces will arrive to the continental US if ordered by 12/15, and East Coast US by 12/21. I am fast tracking all custom orders but cannot promise delivery exactly on time. If its ok to have a gift arrive a few days late, go ahead and to order. I'll try to make it happen on time, and, if not, ASAP.
Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate! May miracles happen in your life in the most improbable and yearned for ways.
]]>Arabesque bowls, casseroles, poppy bowls, faceted mugs, flowers bowls, all premium quality! It's as if Christmas came early as I opened the kiln and removed one flawless beauty after another.
It is not too late to custom order for Christmas delivery but if the mail slows down or storms hit your gifts might arrive later than you'd like. But I'm shipping every other day so you are sure to get piecesw that are in stock delivered on time in the continental US if ordered this week. Hope you find The Perfect Thing!
I hope you are taking time for things that uplift and inspire you. The news has been harsh and full of pain. While it is important to stay informed it is also important to keep your heart and mind engaged in messages of peace, safety, and beauty. Sometimes, for me, all it takes is a cuddle session with my cat, a short text with my daughter, a joke shared with my husband, a fun workshop with a friend. Whatever floats your boat, as my mom used to say! You deserve all the good things, even if your heart is aching with the brokenness in our world.
]]>Have you tired of the price games yet? It goes like this- manufacture merchandise in oppressive environmental and inhumane conditions, mark up 500%, then "discount" 50%. Next year, pile it into landfills and repeat with new merchandise, new deals. It doesn't fit how I live, nor what I value.
How about buying something made with integrity that will last for generations to come, made in home studios by people with passion and joy? How about letting artisans thrive by eliminating stock options and CEO salaries from the pricing structure? And, here's an idea, make the price the same everyday, for everyone.
The down side of this is that artisans, like myself, sell out when demand is high. We can't always fill your need for impulse purchasing. The upside is that what you get is unique, rare, personal. Perhaps just like the people on your gift list. Perhaps just like you.
I am introducing a new series of small poppy bowls today. You can see them here. As always, new pieces are priced at introductory rates, and rise with popularity and demand. So, in the final analysis, you can get a good deal here! Not because the price was outrageously inflated yesterday, but because it will hold value and rise in price tomorrow. (Not literally tomorrow! Just somewhere down the road.)
So, welcome Shop Small Saturday! I love this movement so much I've extended it to 365 days a year, in both my sales here and my purchases for our family. Hope you find small treasures in all sizes this season. Thanks for reading, for caring, for being you.
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Are you in love with the poppies and leaves, or is it just me?
Watch for a Black Friday Flash Sale, and new cheese boards to be listed in limited quantities on Shop Small Saturday.
Hope you are ready for a wonderful holiday season. My heart is full, as friends and family are coming. I love setting a table for an epic meal, and then lingering to talk long into the evening. Nothing better than that.
]]>Serves 4-6
Chop up 1 1/2 cups onions and mince 1 large garlic clove. In a dutch oven or large soup pot, melt 2 T butter and saute the onions and garlic until translucent. Meanwhile, chop 2 large potatoes, skins on, and 1 large carrot, skin on. Add to the pot and saute 10 min longer. Add 3 C vegetable stock and 1 t dried dill. Simmer until the potatoes are tender.
With an immersion blender, or food processor in batches, puree the veggies, adding 4 oz cream cheese and 1 C milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Gently reheat, then stir in 1 c grated sharp cheddar cheese.
Be sure to make enough so everyone can have seconds, especially adults, who sometimes think potato soup should be a watery pale broth with bland vegetable chunks, and forget that it is divine when creamy and cheesy!
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Here are all the new pieces I've just restocked:
http://www.leewolfepottery.com/collections/just-listed
I'm working extra hard to get the most I can in stock before the holidays, but, you know, things will sell out. Please shop early to get the gifts you really want.
It's getting cool here! We are out hiking at midday, collars turned up, noticing the last clinging leaves. And then back home to bake something fragrant. Hope you enjoy the changing weather.
]]>Here's a little sumpin I have in progress- mini poppy bowls! I want to glaze them in every color and make them available at a super low price for my Instagram followers, and blog readers. They should be ready in about 10 days. They are great as ring holders, dipping sauce bowls, prep bowls, or just cuz.
Hope you have a project that's fun to work on. It makes me so happy to create.
]]>I served my rustic apple tart to guests last night and a real chef complimented this pie crust. "What's in this?" he asked, wondering how I could get it so tender and flaky. "Well", I said, "It's a special kind of lard I get from a guy at the Farmer's Market.." Leaf lard!" he exclaimed. And he is right. If you can get your hands on this stuff, your pies will be over the moon amazing. If you can't, use any shortening as a substitute and it will still be better than any pie crust you generally eat.
So where do you get leaf lard? It has something to do with pigs, so not vegan friendly. Ask at the meat counter of health food stores, or, if you live in a foodie center of the world, like Asheville, where folks are raising organic, cruelty free meat, at a farmer's market. Frankly, I would not want something from the innards of any pig raised and butchered by Big Agriculture. But that's just me. Anyway, someone is undoubtedly selling it online somewhere.
The original recipe is my grandma's. She grew up in an Indiana farm culture. They were not skinny people but they cooked some of the best food I've ever tasted!
Nana Jeffries' Flour Paste Pie Crust
makes 1 crust, top and lattice for 9" pie
Sift 2 C all purpose organic flour with 1 t salt. Measure out 1/3 cup of this and place in a smallish bowl with 1/3 c water. Stir to make a smooth paste.
Cut into the flour mixture in the first bowl 1/3 c cold butter and 1/3 c leaf lard (shortening will substitute). Use a pastry blender to work the mixture together until it resembles small peas.
Stir the flour paste into your dough and then work gently with your hands until it forms a ball. Leave some pea sized clumps of lard and butter. These will flatten out and form the flaky layers as you roll the crust out.
Use a floured rolling pin and roll the crust into a circle on a floured surface. Coax your dough from the center outward.
If you aren't able to get it into the pie plate whole, you can repair cracks by gentling overlapping using water as a glue.
Fllow instructions for any pie filling, and enjoy!
The Modern Lace platter is for sale here.
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