The French Onion Soup that went with the Pork Roast!

I used Swiss Cheese and Smoked Gouda Cheese and a Cab Red wine instead of Sherry and a dash of Worchestershire Sauce and a couple of beef bouillon cubes - made it richer.  So delicious!!!!

Oh So Good French Onion Soup

Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

Prep Time:

10 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

25 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 6 medium onions, thinly sliced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, picked and chopped or poultry seasoning
• 1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• 6 cups beef stock
• 4 thick slices crusty bread, toasted
• 2 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere or Swiss cheese

Directions

Heat a deep pot over medium to medium high heat. Work next to the stove to slice onions. Add oil and butter to the pot. Add onions to the pot as you slice them. When all the onions are in the pot, season with salt and pepper and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme. Cook onions 15 to 18 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender, sweet and caramel colored. Add bay leaf and sherry to the pot and deglaze the pan drippings. Add 6 cups stock and cover pot to bring soup up to a quick boil.

Arrange 4 small, deep soup bowls or crocks on a cookie sheet. Preheat broiler to high. Once soup reaches a boil, ladle it into bowls. Float toasted crusty bread on soup and cover each bowl with a mound of cheese. Sprinkle remaining fresh thyme on cheese and place cookie sheet with soup bowls on it under hot broiler until cheese melts and bubbles.

Wonderful Autumn Meal!

Pork Roast with Apples and Caramalized Onions

First Caramalized onions:

Caramalized Onions
Two large sweet onions, sliced thin
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp brown sugar
generous salt & pepper
Two Tbsp Olive Oil, two tbsp. Butter
Saute the onions, garlic, brown sugar, S&P in the oil and butter until the onions are rich and golden, at least 30", stirring constantly. 

Found this part on this great cooking site:  http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/

Pork Roast with Apples:

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 whole Pork Shoulder Roast (also Called Pork Butt)
Salt And Pepper, to taste
4 cups Apple Juice
1 cup Beef Stock
3 whole Apples, Cored And Cut Into Wedges
3 whole Medium Onions, Sliced
1 whole Bay Leaf

Wild Rice
2-1/2 cups Wild Rice
4 cups Water
3 cups Chicken Stock
1/2 stick 4 Tablespoons Butter
1/2 cup Chopped Pecans
Preparation Instructions

OPTIONAL: Saute onions until brown. (Or you may just add them raw to the roast.)
To make the pork roast, heat olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Salt and pepper pork roast, then sear on all sides to give it some color. Reduce heat to low. Add apple juice, apple slices, onions, and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 3 hours. (Or you may place in a 300 degree oven if you prefer.)
Toward the end of the cooking time, make the rice: melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add pecans and saute for a couple of minutes. Add wild rice and liquid, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until all liquid is cooked out.
When the roast is done, remove the roast, apples, and onions to a platter. Raise heat to medium-high (to high) and boil liquid, reducing it until thick and rich.
Spoon thick sauce over the roast, then cut the roast into slices. Serve with apples, onions, and wild rice.
(Note: add fresh thyme or rosemary to the roast before cooking if you have it on hand!)

A Traveling Life!

Whewhhhhhh..... That was a fast summer!  I just got back from an intense and amazing workshop in Maine and realized I was totally exhausted.  I started tracking my summer miles this year starting with May in Austin, TX to see Marco's boys.  Next was Los Angeles to see my daughter with my other daughter and two of my grandchildren, home for a few weeks and off to shows in Sun Valley, Jackson and finally Maine - all the while painting away.  No wonder I'm tired!!! I didn't even really get to enjoy my garden the way I usually do - well, maybe this is more usual than I give it credit for.  The workshop was so inspiring I can't wait to get back to the easel again :)

For anyone that has ever been interested in taking the workshop from T. A. Lawson, I'll tell you it was the most intense and inspiring week that I can remember in all of my art career!  He is an incredible artist and equally as incredible a teacher - not for the Sunday painter - for those truly looking for their voice and willing to work hard for it.  He and his entire family, especially his beautiful and accomplished writer/wife Dorie,  give generously of their time and efforts to all. He took us to wonderful locations to paint and opened his farm to us on the last day to paint horses, sheep, chickens, dogs, barns, and a plethora of beautiful Maine coastal and tree-filled landscapes.  I cannot even put to words the experience of all I learned - hopefully it will show in my next body of work.  And did I mention new friends?  I stayed in a three bedroom late Captains house right on the shore of Rockport with Lori and two new best friends, Jerolyn Dirks and Nancy Becker.  We stayed up late every night talking art, rehashing the lessons of the day and other art business and looking at art history on the internet.  Needless to say, we were all the best of friends by the time the week was over.  Now we'll Skype while we work to stay in touch.  

So back to work I go.  Color charts are coming (linen on the way via UPS) and sketchbooks in hand.  I came back with the attitude of "from this day forward".  I'm trying a new way of working, a new routine to see what changes come about in my work.  I do feel like I was already heading in that direction, my priorities not necessarily based on technical proficiency - more on the heart and attachment.  Who knows, maybe it will come through and maybe I'll come short of my expectations but I will try, try, try again!  This little engine will keep going :)  Maybe a more mature composition and more mature color choice are on their way!

For all of my artist friends!

For all my artist friends! Please check these out....my framer and friend Tony Schleich from Rocky Mountain Frames of Utah. The Capitol moulding is on sale now for 40% off. His finishes are beautiful, the mouldings are unique and he will even create a moulding for you, reliable and a great value!
http://rockymountainframes.com/portfolio/capitol-5-mg/
801-628-4245

It's about time!

It's been awhile (and a show) since I sat down and blogged.  I thought I might catch up on the adventures of the last few weeks!
Marco and I took the watercolors to Sausalito last week.  It's been quite some time since I had done an art festival and I was pretty anxious, but so proud of the work I was bringing down.  I worked night and day for over a month to get them together.  If you remember, I was really changing directions with the oils, going more abstract and much more painterly than previous work.  Going back to watercolors has the tendency to ground me, bring me back to center and I think they did again this time - though I can't wait to jump back in that direction again.  Tony from Rocky Mountain Frames designed and hand-crafted the most beautiful Arts and Craft period frame for me.  It was simple and elegant and the reviews were excellent!  I even replicated a Percy Gray-style frame, hinged into a triptych and it was so beautiful.  Be sure and look up his frames, his workmanship!  He will develop a frame style specifically for your work or from his choice of his designs.  rockymountainframes.com.  I'm loving his floated frames these days :)
We had all day to set up the booth on Thursday - funny, it took all day!  Seems like the more time you have, the more time you take.  We have such a great time together though that I enjoyed every minute of it.  The setup at Sausalito is quite organized, very well run.  They treat their artists so well and the volunteers are AMAZING!  Here is a pic of the booth....

The show started on Friday evening.  I had no idea it was going to be such an elegant affair!  Black tie and formals.  A few collectors wandering, but most were there for the gala.  Saturday morning at 9am was when the crowds started showing up.  The music acts were great - a little bit of something for everything (Hermans Hermits and The Fix).  I took a break and went over to the stage to see a few minutes of almost all of the bands.  And did I tell you about the margaritas?  Yummy!  

There was some amazing art at the show - love the work of my friend Aaron Bushnell, Santiago Michalek (and his beautiful wife), Brian Blackham - all Utah artists, Richard Hall and a few more celebration artists and so many more talented artists.  I only wish I had more time to really spend time looking at the art, but there were so many people there I didn't spend much time out of the booth.  

One of our favorite parts of the trip was a great little retro restaurant called Marin Joe's.  Food was EXCELLENT, the service was even better.  Our waiter Seth, made sure we tried the best on the menu and we appreciated his advice!  What a cool place - I recommend it highly.  Oh, and a coffee shop right in Sausalito very close to the festival - can't recall the name, but it was the best coffee in California!  We went back three times :)  We even eventually got used to the not-so-elegant hotel we stayed in, sans the night with the police and the girl that jumped out of the window :)  

It's good to be home and I'm looking forward to the Western Visions Show in Jackson,WY and the KAWA women's paintout this week.  And then on to the workshop with T. A. Lawson in Maine.....

Will keep you posted - going to be an amazing month!!!!

Back to my first love....WATERCOLORS!

Check out the link to an American Artist Watercolor article written a few years back.  It describes my approach and technique as well as motivation for the work!


http://www.artistdaily.com/blogs/watercolor/archive/2008/06/06/shanna-kunz-tonalism-and-contemporary-design-in-watercolor.aspx

Texas Slow Cooked Brisket

So it's been a REALLY long time since I posted a recipe, but I'm cooking again.  My favorite thing to do after a show is over (I still am painting for another show, but I MUST cook).  I have not tried this recipe and if it's a disaster I'll let you know.  It's supposed to be the closest to Rudy's brisket so we'll see!

Texas Slow-Cooked BBQ Brisket 

After you've given this brisket a quick sear on the grill, the oven does all the work. Sighs of pleasure usually accompany the first bites of this meltingly tender, juicy, slightly smoky beef. Serve it with or without a barbecue sauce. Leftovers, if there are any, make fine Texas-style hash studded with red and green peppers and potatoes or barbecue sandwiches.

2 supermarket briskets at 4 or 5 pounds each or a custom-cut "double brisket," 8 or 9 pounds, trimmed of excessive fat

Marinade (Quantities are generous. Halve the recipe if total brisket weight is less than 6 pounds):

1 cup Worcestershire sauce

1 cup red wine

1 can (14 ounces) beef broth

Few drops liquid smoke seasoning (if you wish to enhance the natural smoke and are not using a smoky barbecue sauce)

Juice from 2 limes

4 tablespoons brown sugar

1/4 cup chopped parsley

6 green onions, white and green parts, chopped

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

4 cloves garlic, chopped

2 serrano chiles, stemmed and halved

1/4 cup barbecue sauce, such as Bulls Eye or a homemade sauce, recipe follows (optional)

For finishing:

Oil for searing

2 tablespoons barbecue sauce such as Bulls Eye or a homemade sauce

2 tablespoons butter at room temperature

Salt

Pepper

Tender greens or watercress and red-leaf lettuce for garnish

Three days ahead of time, put the brisket, fat side up, in a large pan at least 2 inches deep or a heavy-duty plastic bag. Combine the marinade ingredients and pour over the brisket. Cover or seal tightly and marinate for 30 to 36 hours.

Preheat an outdoor grill. Remove the brisket from the marinade (reserve marinade) and rub with oil. Sear on the grill, fat side down, for 8 to 10 minutes. Turn and sear the opposite side for 8 to 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Lay out several overlapping sheets of heavy aluminum foil large enough to enclose the brisket completely. If you are using two briskets, lay one on top of the other. Pour about 1/2 cup of the marinade over the meat, then wrap securely in foil. Refrigerate the remaining marinade for another use within a week or freeze for longer storage. Put the brisket(s) in a roasting pan and place in the center of the oven. Roast, undisturbed, for 8 hours.

After 8 hours, remove the brisket. Let it stand 10 minutes, then pour off and reserve the juices. Cover the brisket lightly with foil to keep it warm. You may not wish to use all the juice. If you want a real barbecue sauce taste, stir in 1/4 cup barbecue sauce to taste and cook a few minutes more. If you prefer the natural juices to dominate, add 1/2 cup of reserved marinade to the juices and boil 10 to 20 minutes to reduce and thicken. Then whisk in the 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce and 2 tablespoons soft butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Slice brisket diagonally across the grain about 1/3-inch thick. Arrange slices overlapping on a warm platter, with garnish of greens around edge. Moisten with juices. Pass additional juices. A 10-pound brisket, or two smaller ones totaling 10 pounds, serves about 16.

Rudy’s

makes about 2 cups

• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (2 lemons)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp course black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot.  Simmer until slightly reduced.

Home Sweet Home!

What a great week in Sun Valley!  We painted at Trail Creek on Wednesday and Lake Creek on Thursday.  Friday was spent painting in the gallery and then a question/answer and demo with Lori McNee for a luncheon followed by the reception.  What a great time as usual!  This plein air event is so popular and has been for years.  We get to know the regulars that fly in from everywhere for this show, as well as the locals that have come to expect it the first week of August.  We never run out of beautiful places to paint and wonderful people to meet.  Especially nice this year was visiting with four different couples that had found me in Arizona and then came to see me in Sun Valley (Dee and Priscilla - thank you so very much for coming).  I feel honored that my work would touch someone enough for them to look for me in other places :)  And I cannot say enough wonderful things about my dear friends The Ulbrichs - without them, my painting and career would not be the same.  Amazing friends and clients and I am truly, thoroughly grateful!  Here are some highlights and paintings of the trip....

New Frames!

I thought I'd show you all the new frames that Tony from Rocky Mountain Frames designed for my more abstract work.  I'm so excited about them - what an amazing frame for a great value!  I can't wait to see how they are received next week.  As soon as Tony's website is back in action again, I'll put a link on for anyone interested in looking for something special.  In the meantime, his phone number is 801-628-4245.

My Favorite Event of the Year!

Chartreuse

This painting is from a trip through Wisdom, Montana years ago.  The simple shapes and strong planes fit right into my abstract series while hopefully retaining my voice from the past.  I know it is green, but the lovely spring tones are what grabbed my attention in the first place, so green it is!

Back to the Abstracts!

Lotus Song

Another in the Water Lillies Series

Work in Progress!

This is called Lillies in Bloom, a 30x48 oil on canvas in my lily pad series.  It has changed much today and maybe again tomorrow, but I am happy with the direction at the moment :)  I have high hopes for this series which can lead to disappointment, but I'll keep plugging away....

Back to the abstracts!

Reworks!

If, by chance, a painting comes back to me after exhibiting in a gallery for a period of time, I will often reevaluate the work according to my abilities now compared to then.  If I feel like I can add to them or change them in some way that will preserve the idea of the piece, but improve the technique or idea, I will do a rework before it goes back out again.  These are three pieces that I have done this with.  With each of these three, I pushed the light a bit further.  The contrast has been increased in subtle ways making the light in them appear brighter, stronger.  They are all three pieces I have really been proud of and I like them even better in this state.

Duck Creek Aspens, 30x20 oil on canvas

Illuminate, 24x30 oil on canvas

Last Light, 40x30 oil on canvas

Island Park Abstract Landscape

This is a 14x14 oil on board piece called Island Park.  Anyone out west knows that Island Park is just west of West Yellowstone.  For such a peaceful place, there is so much volcanic activity going on - almost as much as Yellowstone.  The landscape and wildlife are very similar without the thousands of tourists!

In the spirit of Monet

Here is a little study I quickly painted today of a lily pond out at the Ogden Nature Center a few years back.  I am honored to be asked to do the poster painting and donated original for the yearly fundraiser for the Center.  This is a beautiful nature center, educational and a little preserve in the middle of city limits.  This study will eventually lend itself to a 20x30 of the same image.  I wanted this one to have spontenaity, abstractness and a freshness of color.  What do you think?

All in a days work!

Boy, it's been a busy day!  I've deconstructed a barn, built it back up, removed a mountain and replowed a field :)  All in a days work for a painter - and still not done yet!  I'm trying to apply my new process to an old painting I wasn't exactly thrilled with.  I know it looks better than it did, but it's going to look even better by the time I am done.  Problem solving.......it's a heck-of-a-job!

A Beautiful Day!

This little 9x12 linen on panel piece was finished up at Pineview Reservoir en plein air!  I got together with my painting gang for our first day out this spring.  As I have been telling you, my paintings are in transition right now.  I'm really playing with heavier paint, more palette knife, a more abstract process.  This was my chance to apply all my new tools to some field studies.  This is a little quiet piece, but I love the repetition of planes and the play of warms and cools.  I hope you enjoy looking at it as much as I enjoyed painting it :)

Early Spring

This is a piece that is a contemporary approach to one of my all-time favorite painters - Dwight Tryon, from the early 1900's.  The landscape is from a trip to Virginia and a theme I have explored from a tonal point of view many times over.  I am working almost exclusively with palette knives and using paint in a way I have never applied before.  My goal is to work very spontaneously, making quick decisions once the painting starts.  I've been doing thumbnails first to fine tune the composition, deciding on a basic palette and them diving in.  Rather than overwork, I'm trying to allow the spirit of the piece to come through and leave it be.  That might be the biggest challenge, as I've been knows to rework a painting a dozen times.  Like I stated previously, I have no idea where this is going to take me, but the process is keeping me excited and passionate!

What a Journey!

Ok, so maybe this is a bit more edgy than I am completely comfortable with, but it's a journey right?  And what   a journey it is becoming!  I am having such an adventure, playing with edges, line - paint.  I have no idea where this will all take me, but it certainly is keeping me on the edge of my seat.  I call this one "Edges" - right???  Any feedback would be certainly welcome - so far the feedback on these more abstracted landscapes has been positive and that keeps me strong and moving forward.  My mother used to say to me "We shall see what we shall see..."

Today's Painting

Summer Lace, 12x12 oil on panel

Snoqualmie Blues

Snoqualmie Blues, 8x12 oil on panel

Painting A Day Works

I just finished another of the small abstract landscapes and am having such an exciting time liberating my style, I've decided to keep it up for a month straight and see where the road leads me!  I'm working primarily with a palette knife and I must say that I have been influenced by the phone application "Instagram" and the photography that I have taken and adapted with filters.  I have always loved doing my photography and even considered showing it before, but it was always saved for my work. This process is just another step to the separation of abstraction.  Who knows where it will lead, but I'm getting down to the studio a little earlier, staying a little later and getting excited in a way that feels really great!
I hope you enjoy!

Primary Colors, 9x12

New Abstract Landscapes

Winter Sunlight

This was a painting with the emphasis on high key, change of color temperature without drastic value changes. LOVE winter aspen! Just a small 20x16, but has a very light hearted feeling to it.

The Watcher

This is an ever-evolving painting of deciduous trees with strong sunlight and warms and cools.

The square format has been a challenge of shape placement and still keeping it minimal. The painting source comes from the inlands of New Jersey - love the humid sky!

Small Works

I will be doing quite a few small works in the next upcoming month, picking one from the group for the Western Visions Show at the Jackson Wildlife Museum. The rest will be available through my studio, this blog and the website! Most will range in size from 8x10 through 11x14, a very affordable price point and most times the sources for much larger (expensive) paintings. Here are a few from the last two days!

Also, more news......I was juried into the Saulsalito Art Festival in California with my watercolors. I can't tell you how very excited I am for this! I started my career in watercolors and after ten years of primarily oils, I am very enthusiastic about redefining my career in my first love. It will be so interesting to see how the oils have affected transitions in my watercolors! Stay tuned.....

Legacy Gallery Salon of Fine Art

Here is the piece submitted and accepted into the Salon. It's quite different from my norm, but months ago as I was passing through the Vermillion Cliffs, I made an oath to myself that I would do a series. The passing storm was magnificent, the light shining from the heavy clouds illuminated the cliffs. Well, this is the first of the coming series. A little more color than I had expected, but dramatic nonetheless. Stay tuned for more work!

Eccles Art Auction Pieces

Here are a couple of pieces submitted for the Eccles Art Auction, held March 3, 2012 in Ogden Utah. The Auction is a great event that benefits the many classes, exhibits and collections that are presented to the public, as well as preserve the historical building and landmark! Please support our local community by attending, donating and/or buying art from many local artists willing to donate their valuable time and paintings! Here is the link - http://www.ogden4arts.org/ for more information.

Seared Flat Iron Steak, caramelized onions with Balsamic Reduction

This recipe was a little of one, a little of another and a few other things thrown together, so I need to write it down before I forget! If you are in the mood for beef, this is now on my favorites list!

Caramalized Onions

Two large sweet onions, sliced thin

1 tbsp minced garlic

1 tbsp brown sugar

generous salt & pepper

Two Tbsp Olive Oil, two tbsp. Butter

Saute the onions, garlic, brown sugar, S&P in the oil and butter until the onions are rich and golden, at least 30", stirring constantly. The drippings will be used for the reduction.

Flat Iron Steak

Rub with Olive Oil and coat with Montreal Steak Seasoning and let stand while onions are cooking.

Balasamic Reduction

Remove onions from saute pan with slotted spoon, leaving all the drippings and little burnt pieces. Keep the onions warm. Add 1 Cup dark red wine and 1/2 C Balsamic Vinegar, 1 tsp. sugar, generous Salt and Pepper. Cook until sauce reduces to about 1/3 Cup. While cooking, put steak on the grill and sear both sides on very high heat, keeping center medium rare. Slice thinly against the grain of meet, pouring the dripping from the steak into the Balsamic Reduction.

Place 3-5 thin slices of beef on plate, top with Caramalized onions and then drizzle the Reduction over the combination - YUMMY!

I accompanied the beef with Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Roasted Carrots and Leeks with Pesto as my side dishes.

Served it with a nice Merlot and a candle on the table!