Melissa

Guest Artist ~ Michelle Hooker

Drawing by Michelle Hooker medium: markers I purchased these little panels from my cousin, Michelle, a few months ago. She has some of her artwork displayed on her facebook page and I knew immediately that I wanted these pieces. Her artwork, I believe, reflects her gentle, strong spirit and I love that every time I…

almond cake & cloudberries

photograph by Melissa Placzek I’m in the process of refining all of my pictures and developing my photography style. My husband is teaching me the mysteries of photo shop and I am smitten with the effects and embellishments this program offers. It’s exciting to get closer to some final photos I can include in my…

Sisu Designs in Ely Minnesota by Mary Parks

I would like to welcome the talented Mary Parks of Skrapyram back to ChinDeep. This is a fantastic article. Enjoy. When Scott and I first moved to Ely, it was the dead of winter  – January 2006.  We were living in a little rented house out on the highway, didn’t have jobs, and didn’t know…

pork chops with apples & kraut

Another easy Dutch oven meal for you and your family to enjoy… ~pork chops with apples & kraut~ 8 pork chops 3 Tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup white wine 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 medium onions, peeled, sliced 1 large clove garlic, minced 4 large carrots, cut into sticks 2…

The Mysteries of Tea ~ Irish Breakfast

:: Tea of the Week :: Irish Breakfast Irish Breakfast, much like English Breakfast, is a hearty blend of black teas from Sri Lanka and India. It’s the perfect accompaniment to a savory morning meal, or a high tea in the afternoon. On St. Patrick’s day I made a pot of Irish Breakfast tea to…

Strawberry Cookies

illustration and photograph by Melissa Placzek ~Nancy’s Strawberry Cookies~ “On a strawberry sundae of a day, all daisies and June sun…” ~John Vinocur This is my friend Nancy’s recipe. These little cookies are adorable on a tea tray for a garden party or for a children’s tea. 6 oz. packaged strawberry Jell-o powder 1 cup…

gruyere & onion brunch pie

photograph by Melissa Placzek Good morning! This is a foolproof quiche that tastes yummy and is easy to prepare. Dress it up however you like. Add mushrooms, or diced ham or bacon. I’ve done a combination of fresh sage, apples and sausage before and it tasted delicious! For a richer brunch pie, substitute half and…

Six Senses Saturday

~Tasting~ Bistro Scrambled Eggs & Asparagus ~Smelling~ another loaf of no-knead bread baking ~Hearing~ Agnes Obel sing this and this ~Seeing~ paints, paper, and pens ~Feeling~ inspired ~Knowing~ “You can stand tall without standing on someone.  You can be a victor without having victims.” ~Harriet Woods Have a beautiful day! ~Melissa