Sometimes, or rather, most often times (for me anyway) what you plan on doing isn't what you actually end up doing. This seems to be a constant for the crafts I make with much love for the people that I love. For me, the main takeaway here is the love. So, even though I didn't make the Nyc subway inspired dish ware; and even though the alternate craft of these salt and pepper shakers do not look like the star dust/moon dust galaxy creations I was hoping for; they were made with much love for my older brother Steve.

Steve - May is food always be well seasoned, his home decor be the grooviest of galaxy themed, and his life be the joyest of the joyed (that last one is a little rough, but you get the sentiment)! See below for brief instructions followed by a photo essay of the process. Turns out the photos came out way cooler than the product 📸

p.s. My brother and I share the same initials (sp); which is what inspired the idea of salt and pepper shakers and the title of this post.

Supplies:

Salt & Pepper shakers
glass paint (I bought a set for 50% off at Michael's - there was a reason it was on sale)
paint brushes
a clean work space 🚀

Instructions:

1. Sterilize and/ or wash the shakers. Make sure they are completely dry prior to crafting

2. Using a brush, Paint 🎨 the shakers white and black, respectively, to set the mood. I used white pearl for the salt shaker and charcoal black for the pepper shaker.

3. To create the illusion of "galaxy clouds", take a glitter ✨ paint and with swirling motions brush clouds around shaker. I used hologram shimmer for this magical step.

4. Star dust and moon dust time! ⭐️ 🌙 using the point on the end of the brush, dip into paint and lightly tap against shaker. You can create different sized points depending on how hard you tap or how much paint you collect. For bothe the salt and the pepper I started with a white (cameo white) and accented with different colors. The options are limitless!

5. Let dry and wash again prior to use. Hope you enjoy! 😊 see below for some fun photos of a wonderful and relaxing Sunday morning craft.

Getting ready to craft! Shakers and glass paint set from Michael's

I really loved how the paints were packaged for the set. Great color story!

Trying to be neat for the first step. Somehow that never works out for me

Progress shot. Made a few extra, because why not!

If only I had focused more on the actual craft than the photos?

s+p shakers covered in light layers of black and white paint. It is a subtle difference, but I like it

skipping over the glitter clouds and going right into the dust dots

but first, and image of the drying glitter clouds up close

valley of the s+p shakers, orbiting around each other

The most awesome thing about growing up with Steve is having another person to witness the world with. And shit, we sure have witnessed a lot. Growing up in Queens as a Czech immigrant (my brother) and a child of Czech immigrants (me), the contrast between the local American Irish/Italian townie mentality with a Disney PTA mom lacquer and the beer guzzling, constantly debating, middle earth beard clad dads, moms who invented norm core, political Czech immigrants could not have been clearer. My brother and I lived in a world where most people either couldn't spell Czechoslovakia (to be honest, who can?), didn't know it existed, or confused it with another country (I was often taunted with being "hungry" because I was from Hungary - both untrue). But this story isn't new; just look to the story of any other immigrant (or child of) and you will read the same arc. In fact, Queens is filled with these stories; we just happened to live two neighborhoods away. Similar to many other immigrants, food is both the loving foundation of family memories and the source of much embarrassment during recess at the handball court (damn, did my brother and I love those concrete walls). If memory serves correct, goulash, řízek (scnitzel), and smažený sýr (fried cheese) was the way to my brothers second heart (the stomach). As mentioned in my love letter to my awesome brother, Steve, I am going to do the selfish little sister thing and make MY favorite of the three.

There isn't much to say about smažený sýr, other than it is delicious. Trust me, the proof is in the fried cheese. Typically served with some form of potato and tarter sauce, this recipe gives it a ~slightly~ healthier twist with smaller portions, the addition of a crinkle cut "funfetti" inspired salad, and a yogurt based tarter sauce. I hope you enjoy! Dobrou chuť!

Serves 3 - 4 people

*If serving for a dinner (or dinner party!), tartar sauce can be made a day ahead. Prep salad + smažený sýr a few hours or night before. Dress salad in lemon/oil dressing and fry cheese right before serving. Eat right away!

Ingredients:

for the smažený sýr:

.5 lbs of Edam Cheese
.5 cups unbleached flour
.5 cups breadcrumbs, plain
2 eggs
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp tarragon
1 tsp garlic powder
s+p
Vegetable Oil (or any oil with high smoke point)

for the salad:

1/4 medium red cabbage
1 cucumber
1 orange bell pepper
lemon zest + juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
s+p

for the tartar sauce:

6 oz. greek yogurt
1/2 white onion, minced
10 cornichons (or 1 pickle), minced
2 tbsp pickle juice
1 tsp whole grain dijon mustard
.5 tspworcestershire sauce
lemon zest + juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp dried parsley
s+p
optional - pickled pearl onion

Instructions:

Crinkle Cut Funfetti Salad

Wash and dry all produce (except red cabbage)
Quarter the red cabbage. Save 3/4 in plastic bag and refrigerate. Remove core of red cabbage. Wash and dry remaining quarter.
Using the crinkle cut blade and 1/4" thickness on mandoline. Slice red cabbage. You will get a lovely mixture of smaller shreds with long crinkle cuts!
Quarter washed cucumber. Using the same mandoline settings as the red cabbage, slice cucumber into ruffles slices.
Quarter orange pepper into strips and repeat slicing as cucumber.
Combine lemon zest, juice of 1 lemon, olive oil, and s+p.
Toss with cabbage, cucumber, pepper salad and let rest.

**Be sure to be extra careful when using mandoline slicer. Use guards!

Yogurt Tartar Sauce

Measure 6 oz. of greek yogurt and place in mixing bowl (or just use a 5.3 ounce package - whatever floats your boat).
Finely mince 1/2 white onion.
Finely mince 10 cornichons. If jar comes with pickled pearl onion, mince one as well.
Mix yogurt, onions, cornichons, and pearl onion.
Add zest and juice of lemon, .5 tsp worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp pickle juice, 1 tbsp dried parsley, 1 tsp whole grain dijon mustard, and s+p. Mix.
Refrigerate for 1 hour prior to serving.

Don't forget to sculpt a yogurt flower for yourself

Smažený Sýr

Cut .5 lbs of Edam cheese into two 1/2" slices and then quarter each slice. First cut will help peel red wax off.
In a plate or bowl, combine .5 cup of flour and s+p.
In bowl, whisk together 2 eggs and 1 tsp worcestershire sauce. Sometimes I like to add a splash of milk to thin out mixture.
In a plate or bowl, combine .5 cups of breadcrumbs, 1 tbsp each of dried parsley and paprika, 1 tsp each of celery salt, tarragon, and garlic powder, and s+p. You can also buy seasoned bread crumbs, or adjust seasoning to your preference.
Bread cheese by drenching in flour, then egg, and finally breadcrumbs. Make sure cheese is fully sealed to prevent oozing delicious cheese. For extra crispy cheese, breadby drenching in flour, then egg, then flour and egg again followed by breadcrumbs. Refrigerate for a few minutes to set. Make sure to take out of fridge 5 minutes prior to frying.
Preheat oil with a high smoke point (I used vegetable oil). I use then end of a wooden spoon to check temperature. If bubbles form around stick end when placed in oil, it is good to go.
Place breaded cheese into oil, fry 1 minute on each side to prevent cheese ooze. Place onto paper napkin to absorb excess oil and sprinkle with s+p.
Serve immediately. Dip into tartar sauce for maximum flavor enjoyment. Cry tears of joy.

*silently prays to  not drop equipment into pan of frying oil. Photo totally worth it - ish — *silently prays to not drop equipment into pan of frying oil. Photo totally worth it - ish

Tartar sauce is the magic and heart of this dish