Brenda's Roasted Chicken Recipe

I don't have photos for this (it's in the oven now), but here's my New Year's gift to you all: my famous (in my mind) roasted chicken recipe!

But first! Don't forget to enter my gift certificate giveaway! Nearly six more hours to midnight here on the West Coast!

Ingredients

• One whole chicken, washed, patted dry
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Garlic cloves, smashed (skins still on is fine, as many as you like garlic)
• One lemon, washed and cut in half or quarters
• Dried tarragon, at least a tablespoon (I love tarragon, so I use it much more liberally)
• Fennel seed, same as tarragon
• Poultry seasoning (I use the Montreal Chicken low sodium seasoning from Safeway)
• Fresh cracked pepper
• Garlic powder (I love garlic!)

Steps

• Turn oven on, 375 degrees F, let preheat
• Oil a roasting pan large enough to fit your chicken
  
• Put your chicken in the pan, drizzle with olive oil, then rub the oil around the entire chicken, working your fingers under the skin to loosen it, then rub oil in and around the
  
• Give the cavity a good douse with seasoning, then tarragon (crumble it first), fennel, and cracked pepper
• Stuff the cavity with garlic cloves and lemons
• flesh directly (this is starting to sound like a horror film, isn't it?)
• Liberally sprinkle poultry seasoning, then rub it in the skin (underneath too!) and under the skin so that the meat also gets directly seasoned
• Work tarragon, fennel and pepper under the skin, then give it a good rub into the skin, with a final sprinkle of garlic powder and add poultry seasoning if needed
• Don't cover it, just put in the oven
• Now, I cook it for an hour, because my oven is really off, but I start checking it at 45 minutes - you know it's done when the leg readily loosens from the body (again, horror film) - but check throughout and baste as needed
• When it is done, let it cool, then enjoy! This is wonderful with crusty homemade bread and a really good leafy green salad (arugula, yummmmm)
  

Part of what's great is the wonderful fennel/tarragon aroma that will fill your house. If you bake some bread the same day, I guarantee swoons of gastronomic pleasure all around. :)

Home!!!

And I didn't take a single photo. I'm amazing.

I had a wonderful holiday and hope you all did, too! I have lots of new goodies that will be appearing in the shop this week. Lots of new ideas. Best of all, another week off!

But right now, the girls are demanding my attention after a five day absence. That is, after attending to their other needs (food, water, litter, presenting myself and belongings to lengthy inspection, etc.).

Over the river and through the woods

First, a reminder to enter the giveaway!

I'll be heading out to my folks' later today (yep, it's the wee hours of Christmas Eve as I type) -- the annual Christmas pilgrimage. I'm TIRED. And sore from cleaning (so why is my house still a disaster?) But I have a few more packages to wrap. And laundry's still running. Let's not even talk about my lack of packing.

I'll be away for the rest of the week! Good news -- my folks have high speed internet access! So mid-trip photos may be forthcoming. My brains usually fall out of my head once I see them, and I totally forget to take photos. Let's hope my brains stay where they belong this trip.

The shop is somewhat depleted, thanks to many of you for taking advantage of holiday and newsletter specials! I'll have lots and lots of new goodies to add to the shop on my return, never fear!

Well, my girls are curled up cheek to cheek (for real, I sure wish my camera battery wasn't charging!) and I really really want to get some sleep tonight, so happy holidays to all of you, with my very best wishes! Eat all you can, because that's what New Year's resolutions are for! :)

Phydeaux Phreebies!

(Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Time for a Phydeaux giveaway! In addition to working on orders, I'm also working on brand new, never before seen scarves, cowls, neckwarmers for Winter! Even though Christmas is very nearly over, today is the Winter Solstice, shortest day of the year, and it's darn cold where I live to show it. That means a good three months of knit accessories weather. :)

So here's the contest (and I'll do these more regularly now)! Tell me in a couple of sentences (more if you need it) what you'd love to see me do next. Maybe you're dying for a particular color? Or fiber? Or special pattern? This is your chance to think up your dream Phydeaux Designs creation!

The winner will be selected via random # generation on January 1, New Year's day. But you could ALL be winners -- if I like your idea, I just may knit it (and give you credit, of course).

As usual, spread the word! You'll get additional entries for referred entries: your blog (include link please), your friends and family who enter (they need to tell me that you referred them), or other venue/means (and let me know what that is?). And, as usual, additional entry for those who are newsletter subscribers (or new subscribers), or if a new subscriber lets me know that you referred them!

Additional entries for:

1. Current newsletter subscribers
2. New newsletter subscribers
3. If you referred a new newsletter subscriber (but they have to let me know in the comments below)
4. Referred entries (but they have to let me know in the comments below)
5. Blog or other site/venue announcement
   

Please please include your name and either email address or Etsy shop, so that I know how to get in touch with you!

What's the prize? A $30 Phydeaux gift certificate that will include free shipping. That's enough for a soft neckwarmer!

You have until New Year's Eve, 11:59 pm. Be creative! But note that I'm thinking about original ideas, not replicating something that someone else has already made. :)

Have fun! Can't wait to read what folks come up with!

Giveaways tomorrow ... really!

Sorry, all, I had a last minute rush of holiday order completion/shipping yesterday and this morning. In fact, I finished my last two holiday orders this morning at 3am.

So I'm a teensy bit wiped out today. I didn't do much with my shop today, though I have unlisted several items that I'm keeping for myself. :p It was a much needed break. I did work on new orders, also. And just started something new. I'm looking forward to lots of new Winter designs and colors.

Tomorrow! I'll post about a giveaway tomorrow.

Back to giveaways again!

I'm nearing the end of my huge Christmas knitting queue, so feel reasonably safe (hope them's not famous last words) to start up a new Phydeaux giveaway!

And I'll tell you all about it tomorrow.

This is just a little teaser -- I need to go to sleep -- tomorrow's my last day at work, then two weeks off!!!

Me me me meeeee

Woke up to being on the front page of Etsy (along with some other very talented folks), which you can see here.

Then in the midst of running around like a chicken with my head cut off today (including picking up Sprinkles cupcakes for a surprise birthday celebration at work), was delighted to see that PearsonMaron's Etsy feature about shopping locally in California included my face and blurb! (Now you get all the photos last week, in case you were confused, since I normally avoid face time with the camera...)

And now, thanks to June over at June Shin Designs, I've been "tagged" with a new questionnaire that looks like a lot of fun! Here we go ...

10 years ago I had recently started my new job at my current place of work, after 15 years working in a hospital. This was going to be a one year gig to make money before the final push to go to med school. Well, I did stay at med school (where I work now) ... just not as a doctor!

8 years ago I was preparing to go back to school to finish my undergrad degree (yep, my bachelors took me a LOOOOONG time) -- excited and a little nervous!!! It took me a couple more years than originally planned, but I do now have a degree in Organizational Behavior and Management.

6 years ago Hmmmm ... December 2002? I had recently moved from my home of more than 10 years to an apartment in San Jose with my elderly kitty (Sassy, who I still miss!), with my first Christmas tree in years and years! 'Twas fun!

2 years ago I was recently moved back to my beloved Saratoga. I was a graduate school dropout :) and happy to be one. Starting to consider next steps in my professional life (ultimately culminating in my new job at Stanford last year). And increasingly yearning to get back to my creative roots.

5 yummy things
Oh boy, so many yummy things! But my top five?

1. Vietnamese, particularly Shaken (or Shaking) Beef -- delicious!
   
2. Spumoni ice cream!
   
3. Arugula! In just about everything. Yum!
4. Roasted acorn squash with parmesan, a little butter, a smidge of garlic, and lots of fresh grated nutmeg. Oh man. Good eating.
5. Hawaiian (Canadian bacon and pineapple) pizza -- yum yum yum.
6. (honestly, have to throw Taco Bell in here somewhere ... the only fast food that I am not so secretly loving, though I don't eat it that often)

5 places I would like to escape to

1. Ireland
2. Alaska
3. Hawaii (never been!)
4. Grand Canyon (same!)
5. France (particularly Normandy -- want to see the stomping grounds of my long long long ago ancestors)

5 things I would never wear

1. Skinny jeans -- did it in the 80's -- once was enough
2. Super low rider anything
   
3. Camouflage anything
   
4. Real fur
5. Gangstah wear

5 fave TV shows (this changes all the time ...)

1. Chuck
2. Project Runway
   
3. Lost
4. Dr. Who and Torchwood (I'm cheating and combining them)
   
5. Bones

5 things I enjoy doing

1. Sleeping (yeah!!!)
2. Knitting (good thing!)
3. Working in the yard (gardening or just good old fashioned labor)
4. Working on family history
5. Cooking!!!

5 favorite toys

1. Nintendo DS (castlevania and legend of zelda videogames)
2. Playstation Portable (castlevania symphony of the night)
3. Digital camera
4. Laptop(s)
5. All of my knitting, crocheting, sewing, art supplies

5 people I'm tagging (forgive me and you're not required to participate!)

1. Kris and Rich
2. Kateri
3. Lauren
4. Nicole
5. Celeste
   

A new look for Phydeaux

Bear with me! I got an itch this morning and am in the midst of completely overhauling my blog. I pooped out in the midst of reloading all of my links, but I'll get everyone/thing back in place ASAP.

Stay warm! We're moving into below freezing temps this week in the Bay Area!

p.s., 3:30pm, went back to my nice clean black background ... but am still getting the hang of all these widgets and such.

TWO WEEKS (but who's counting?)

Oy! Christmas is in two weeks! Rather than stress, I'll share a few cool gift ideas with you!















Some of us immediately recognize these little guys and others of us are saying, "huh?" right about now. For the former, Zelda rules! For the latter, Legend of Zelda is a very popular videogame, and Pixel Party at Etsy has created cute and clever jewelry and assorted sundries based on the videogames of past (the pixelated games ... get it? pixel party?). p.s., my favorite all time videogames are in the Zelda series, and Kris, yes, even more favorite than Castlevania :)
















Isn't this perfect for your kids' teacher(s)? Red Bess Bonney (Etsy), handbeaded this beautiful apple paperweight!!! I think it's really lovely and is also perfect for a nutritionist, grocer, farmer, apple grower, vegetarian, or ... just an apple lover! Even better, everything in her shop is 15% off through the end of December (discounts already marked down).















Finally (for today), I looooove these incredible earrings by Freya at Tiger Burning Bright at Etsy. Well, I love everything that Freya creates, but for many of us in a challenging economy, these are in the right price range! She's a California girl living in the wilds of Scotland, so send her some love and check out her offerings.

Good luck to all of you with your Christmas preparations!

Baz Biz on Indie Fixx!

Indie Fixx may very well be my favorite indie design blog (though I have many). Lots of great ideas, tutorials, recipes, guest bloggers, etc.

Today, you can read my very own article about Bazaar Bizarre on Indie Fixx! I hope you'll check it out, maybe leave a comment, and visit the shops!

This particular photo is where I vended with my three San Francisco/Bay Area Etsy street team members, left to right, Casey (khaoscats), Caitlin (ckuhwald), and Lynae (panopoly). I'll share with you later this week my incredible print and seriously beautiful cards from Caitlin. A great group of very talented artists -- I was glad to get to know them!

The nerve!

Well, I know it's Winter when my body says "I'm shutting down for awhile." This year, it's saying it a little more loudly than usual.

Part of the fun of lupus (and I do want to raise a little lupus awareness through my little blog), at least for my lupus, is exacerbation of symptoms during changes of weather, particularly to Winter. I have Reynaud's Syndrome, not uncommon for those with autoimmune disease, which turns my fingers and toes blue (literally! it's kind of cool!). Of course, blue extremities isn't really cool -- in fact, it's not a good thing at all -- so I have to keep them toasty warm, and am used to hot soaks and quick massages when I don't do such a great job of that.

To make it a little more complicated, I also have peripheral neuropathy, also not uncommon for those with autoimmune disease, and I would give up eating chocolate, I think, if it meant I could be cured of this one. Your nerve cells are lined with sheaths that help control/manage the impulses travelling from nerve to nerve. My immune system has attacked those sheaths in my extremities (largely feet and toes, but also hands), so that the impulses are wonky, creating a sort of madness in my feet: burning, iciness, numbness, excruciating stabs of pain, itchiness, crawling sensations, etc. And all of the above can occur in the space of minutes, and gets a lot worse at night. Drives me absolutely bonkers. What does one do? I wear nice thick warm socks (which I need to put on right now, looking at my slightly blue toes). I spend time before going to sleep massaging my feet with lots of really great foot creams, then covering with very comfie socks. And I take a wonder drug, without which I don't sleep at all, and I have difficulty walking during the day.

But why stop there? Now, with this diabetes business (which I'm addressing more severely right now), the neuropathy is worse (you've probably heard of diabetic neuropathy, or at least know that diabetics have to be very careful with their feet and toes). The diabetes makes the neuropathy worse, and affects all major organs, which creates increased risk for lupus affecting major organs. Ironically, the lupus can make the effects of diabetes worse, so this is just a viscious cycle.

I kind of had to write that out to understand what's going on.

Explains the nonhealing toe.

Explains my bone-deep utter fatigue.

Explains the constant ache in my bones.

Explains the increasing dizzy spells and the mental fog.

Explains the chest and joint pain and the bright red rash on my cheeks.

These are all the symptoms that I started out with when I began this lupus adventure, and they re-emerge periodically to remind me to slow down.

Doesn't explain why I beat myself up for not being able to handle everything going on right now ... but I'm trying to learn to not be so hard on myself. Maybe that will be my New Year's resolution. :)

So, I'm doing what I can do. I'm working on orders, working on work, trying trying trying to rest and not overdo it. I'm off to the doctor shortly, fingers crossed. Boy, I sure wish I had a hot tub -- that would be wonderful to soak in every night! (might have to go check Craigslist on that!)

I'm not dying. Today, anyway. I hope. I'd really like to die in my old old age, while sleeping, with a gentle smile on my face, so bear with me as I slow down for a bit to help accomplish that goal.

Shutterbug

If only I were as photogenic as my kids. At least I look pretty good in a photo with Fiona (Miss Congeniality). Molly, on the other hand, won't allow that sort of nonsense. I had to contort myself over and around one of their cat perches to fool her into approaching the camera lens.

I suspect that in reality, she fooled me into contorting over and around ... I sometimes think they stay up at night to plot these things.

New wonders from Etsy

25 days of Christmas sale

I'm still recuperating from Bazaar Bizarre, but wanted to share with those of you who don't know, that Phydeaux Designs is offering a special every day this month right up to Christmas Day! That day's special is in my shop announcement and is good until the time that I replace it with the next day's new special. At some point, everything will have been on some kind of special.



















So check back and check often! A new special sale every single day! Better yet, I don't have them planned out at all -- so it's even a surprise to me. :)
















TWENTY ONE DAYS and a couple of hours left! Wow. I am beyond swamped with orders, to the point that I considered a one day shop close to catch up! But I've got a handle on things as of this moment, and am just plugging away on orders.