Blog

  • Studio window

    Studio window

    I have a bunch of birds that hang out in the trees outside my studio window. I got my good camera geared up with a zoom lens and I try to take photos when I see them. Still getting used to the camera, so expect improvements over time. Here’s the latest:

  • Chicken Picatta with Asparagus

    This recipe is easy and quick, and a good way to feed a pile of people.

    Ingredients

    • 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast
    • 1 bunch asparagus
    • 1 lb. penne pasta
    • 1 cup flour
    • 1 tbsp. black pepper
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 1 lemon, juiced
    • 2 tbsp. capers
    • 1 cup white wine
    • 1 cup chicken stock
    • 1 stick butter (8 tbsp.)
    • 1 tbsp. olive oil
    • 1 onion or 2 shallots diced
    • Grated parmesan cheese to taste

    Directions

    1. Fill a large pot halfway up with water. Add salt to taste. Cover and bring to a boil. Add penne and cook al dente.
    2. Cut or break off tough ends of asparagus. Cut into angled slices, 3 or 4 per stalk, so they are shaped like the penne.
    3. Dice up the onion.
    4. Cut the chicken breast into thin, flat pieces. Try to cut crossways as many times as you can to get wide, long but thin slices. I can usually get at least five from each breast. It helps if the chicken is partially frozen.
    5. Add 1/2 cup flour, salt and pepper to a large bowl and stir.
    6. Dredge chicken slices in flour mixture until coated.
    7. In a large pan, turn to medium-high and add olive oil. Once that’s hot, swirl in 2 tbsp. butter.
    8. When butter is melted, add chicken slices in a single layer, covering the entire surface of the pan.
    9. Brown for 3-4 minutes, turn and repeat.
    10. Set aside browned slices and repeat until all chicken has been nicely browned.
    11. Add 2 tbsp. butter to pan. Add onions/shallots and saute until soft. The pan should be really hot.
    12. Pour in white wine to deglaze pan, scraping browned bits up.
    13. Add the chicken broth and remaining butter.
    14. Whisk in remaining flour. Add water/wine/butter/broth to build up a nice sauce.
    15. Stir in the chicken, asparagus, and capers. Whisk remaining flour into chicken broth and remaining flour. Cover and turn heat to low.
    16. Check occasionally. It’s done when the asparagus is bright, green and tender.
    17. Serve with grated parm. I like red pepper flakes as well.

  • A theme for artists

    WordPress is great place for writers. But what about for artists? Are your needs fulfilled by the built in tools WP provides, or do you rely on plugins to present your images the way you want them to look?

    Is there a theme that works best for you, or does it lack certain features? Are you concerned about your images being copied or reused in some way without your consent?

    Do you prefer to present your images on your site or on social media? What are the pros and cons of either approach?

    These are some of the questions I’m hoping to answer over the next few months as I build a theme optimized for artists, and other folks for whom presenting their images online is the primary purpose for having a site.

  • Nancys day

    she got braces and read her book to the class. She got no feedback. One book was depressing… Fred has problems.

  • Logos

    I’ve given up asking clients for logos before just checking for them at from brandsoftheworld.com. I can’t fathom why every company’s logo ends up as a jpeg.

  • WordPress

    So I spent the night getting the basics down of wordpress theme customization and as I figured it is easy, but there were a few hurdles. It was definitely easier than Drupal, and I think this will be my focus of study for a while…

  • The extra icons

    The extra icons

    I did a ton of icons for the project icon contest, here’s a chart of ones that didn’t make the cut:

    the losers
    the losers