Scientist in the kitchen - AGAIN?

What can I say? I dream recipes; have recipe epiphanies you might say. Two of my main mad kitchen scientist interests are recipes using seasonal ingredients and recipes for combined gluten free and vegan treats. I have notebooks everywhere. In addition to my computer, my office provides containment for lots of multi-colored pens and eraserless pencils, and hither, thither and yon are the numerous spiral bound little books with my scribblings.

During my experiments, a book of scribbles is always closeby. I can remember a new recipe for about one hour before it starts drifting away, so I write, sometimes forgetting to give the recipe a name. As you can imagine, this lack or description on my part can be mighty perplexing later when I’m trying to figure out what exactly I was thinking when I wrote those copious notes.

Anyway, I’m getting better. This gluten-free vegan recipe came to me yesterday, and it’s already documented in my computer. And here it is for you, on my blog.

Even if you don’t normally concede to eating these sort of specialty baked goods, you ought to give these a try. They’re easy to make and positively addictive. Believe me, I know what I’m talking about. Like sirens, they’re singing my name from the kitchen as I type. I keep reminding myself that they do indeed have some food value. Tell yourself the same thing. Enjoy!

Mexican Cocoa Tea Cakes
(Vegan and Gluten-free)

Line one large or two regular sized cookie sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350° F. Set oven rack to center position.

½ cup organic vegan/gluten free margarine (made for baking*) at room temperature
4 liquid ounces real maple syrup

2 cups blanched almond flour (Bob’s Red Mill)
2/3 cup brown rice flour ( “ “ “ )
1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon gluten free baking powder

1 Tablespoon strong coffee (mix ¼ t. espresso powder with 1 T. warm water, if desired)
½ teaspoon cider vinegar
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

About ½ – ¾ cup mini vegan/gluten free semi-sweet chocolate chips
Confectioners sugar (vegan)

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the margarine and maple syrup until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the margarine mixture and beat until well combined. Combine the coffee (or espresso/water mix), vinegar and vanilla. Pour over the beaten mixture in bowl. Beat well, about 1-2 minutes.

Using a 1 ½ Tablespoon releasing scoop, scoop level balls of dough onto prepared cookie sheet, placing ½ inch apart.** With the back of a ½ inch round measuring spoon or your thumb, press a dent into middle of each dough ball. Deposit 8-10 mini chips in each dent. Carefully cover the chocolate chips with dough by pressing the dough, with your fingers, around and over them and smoothing out the top so the chocolate doesn’t leak. The cookies will now be flattened into ½ inch high disks.

If using two cookie sheets, bake only one at a time on center rack. Bake 12-15 minutes in preheated oven. Don’t handle these while hot or they’ll fall apart. Let cool on the cookie sheet set on a cooling rack until cookies are almost cool.

When the cookies are almost cool, roll them generously in powdered sugar. Set back on parchment lined pan to cool completely. If you like, roll them in more powdered sugar before storing. Pack in a container with lid. Makes around 2 dozen

*Read label for uses. Some are meant for “baking” and some are not.
** If you don’t have a scoop, use rounded Tablespoons of dough. But the scoop is easier and faster.

Volunteer Community Service

Community means different things to different people. But most would agree that their own community starts where they hang their hat. With that premise in mind, you can envision your neighborhood surrounding you in an ever increasing circle as it expands away from that proverbial hat.  After awhile that circle is no longer in your own community.  It’s somewhere else, perhaps in another hemisphere.

Most of us want to support that place we call home, our neighborhood, our school, our state.  So, why do so many folks spend their food money in other countries? Oh yes they do.

Simply put, when you purchase Chilean grapes, Argentinian garlic, Australian oranges, New Zealand lamb and Mexican tomatoes, you’re letting your preferences be known through your wallet.  And that imported food keeps on coming, pretending to be fresh, leaving giant carbon footprints and devastating local farms. With farmers leaving the land at a rate of over 300 per week, less food is produced where we live. Based on that scenario, the future could be grim.

So please remember that buying, cooking and eating food that’s grown close to home supports your local economy in larger ways. Farmers spend most of their money near their farms.The more they have to spend, the better it is for local  businesses and for you. When your produce, meat and dairy come from another hemisphere, your community suffers.

Without ever volunteering for anything, you can eat well and provide community service. Just read labels, ask where that orange or asparagus was grown, join a CSA (community supported agriculture) for a share of the local harvest, and support local businesses – especially when they do the same.

For lots more information, visit The Sustainable Table , American Farmland Trust, Friends of Family Farmers, Slow Food USA,  or Slow Food International. They're all great places to learn more about this important topic.

Eat fresh,

Judi

Shine Your Light On Me . . . pretty please

Having been too damned busy digging out of mulch mountain to think of it, I neglected to take digital pics of my most recent gardening fiasco. (Please check out my last article “Queen Of The (mulch) Hill” for background.) So, when friends asked “did you take pictures?” I was left somewhat speechless. Sure, after all that talk and writing and – YES – whining, it would’ve been fitting to show the real deal. And pictures of my granddaughter, Trillium, are always charming. But at the time, I was shoveling too fast to think about such things.

While shoveling as though my life depended on it, I thought  (read more on my blog)

Queen Of The (mulch) Hill

I recently published a blog of my own, and hope to lure readers there, although I'll still be doing some posting on pnn, as well. This (my first) article was posted there today. A variety of recipes, gardening info., shopping advice, perspective and all around "living in my world" posts will be there soon. Hope you'll check it out.

Now that my three-year-old granddaughter, Trillium, is a “big girl” (at least according to her) she spends a full day with me nearly every week. Her dad brings her over with all her accoutrements. He leaves, and we hang out and do our “girlfriend” party thing. The scenario changes with each visit. Heaven forbid that our time together should become boring.

Last week, the plan was to take her shopping for summer sandals, buy the Chutes and Ladders game, hang out in the toy department for an interminable period of time, then eat lunch at a restaurant and head back to my house. She was excited about getting back for a round of (you guessed it) Chutes and Ladders.

Meanwhile, the day before, I ordered mulch for my ever-expanding garden. They asked “how much”, (for the rest of the story click here)

Enjoy Your Own Party

Be easy on yourself! When planning a party, organize your time and choose foods that require simple preparation. Keep the following tips in mind, and you'll be able to enjoy the celebration along with your guests.

1. Think “variety of flavor.” Everything shouldn’t taste the same. No matter how much you love curry or garlic, the food will be boring if everything tastes like curry or garlic.
2. Offer foods with different textures, particularly if they're being served together. A creamy dip goes well with crunchy dippers like raw vegetables, mini breadsticks or crisply toasted slices of French bread.
3. Serve both light foods and some richer foods, and pair them together when possible. Celery stuffed with a buttery pate’ or hollowed out cherry tomatoes filled with a dab of whipped cream cheese and a smoked oyster are good examples.
4. Arrange foods appealingly. Garnish single-colored foods with bright accents such as chopped green onions, olives, parsley, tomato slices or wedges, lemon slices, chili powder or smoked paprika. Consider not only the attractiveness of each party treat, but how it's displayed on the party table as well. When arranging food on the table, make sure the colors and textures complement each other.
5. To avoid traffic jams, allow room on all sides of the food table for guests to eat and mingle. Provide food that can be eaten with minimal effort if guests will be standing or balancing plates on their laps.
6. Most importantly, choose food you can prepare in advance as much as possible. And don't experiment with new recipes - you'll be sorry. If you're relaxed and available when your guests begin arriving, you’ll all be happy and your party is bound to be a success.

Note:

Day before party - pick up everything that's lying around and put it away: magazines, shoes, newspapers, coffee cups need to find a home out of view.

Morning of party - Before you clean, sweep, polish or wash anything in your home, first wash, prep, chop, bake your party fare to the extent that it's feasible. Clear your serving area, and arrange plates, spoons, napkins, bowls, etc. on the table. Then do your cleaning, if you like, to the extent that is reasonable. Don't kill yourself; it'll just get dirty from the party. After you clean and refresh yourself, you can finish up  your food preparation, take a deep breath, relax and sip that cocktail, tea or prosecco that you so richly deserve.

Oh, and be sure to buy local and eat seasonal. It's sustainable. Every week over 300 farmers leave the land. Remember, No Farms ~ No Food.

Party Hearty,

Judi

Not seasonal, not healthy, just love

Not seasonal, not healthy, just love

For Valentine’s Day, I decided to give my dear husband (of almost 21 years) something he’d enjoy, use, and not fret over the money I spent on an item he felt was useless and frivolous.

Enters - - - Chocolate, yummy rich, creamy, biting, sweet and wickedly healthy stuff that it is. Heavenly! He had only one choice to make. The man hates too many “choice” questions; do you want mayonnaise or mustard? Pickles? Wine? White or red? I don’t even ask about broccoli.  But the prospect of a large, endorphin packed sensual treat, available (almost) entirely for him, gave the guy joy.

Back to “choice”, his one choice was limited to flavor of butter-cream. He chose maraschino. I would have chosen rum, another option I gave him, but it wasn’t MY cake. I suspect he liked the idea of that Valentine pinkness on his love cake – chocolate to its depths, and blushingly swirled, with simple affection and minimal effort. He’d never admit that he wanted pink on his cake, but I know better. Hope your love day was as sweet and blissful as ours. I got flowers, beautiful and non-fattening.

P.S. Washington State (a “homegrown” area in my book) produces the most maraschino cherries in the USA. I won’t ever claim that maraschinos are healthy or contribute to nutrition in any way. But, heaven help me, I love them.

Savor your treats,

Judi

Light & Sustainable -5

I know - I know, I've been lax in getting these articles written. Sometimes life just steps in and takes us in other directions. But I'm back to share more seasonal cooking.

Not only have we been eating seasonal meals for dinner - but breakfast, lunch and snacks too, so I'm becoming quite a whiz at taking food photos. Never could take a decent picture before, but my handy dandy Olympus digital camera has become a great tool. I'd love to put together a composite of food pics, and may do so soon. They're so colorful and tasty looking.

I love breakfast and Rod is happy to sit down to any homemade meal as long as it's tasty. He'd prefer meat of some sort at every meal, but that's never going to happen, so he settles.

Probably, most of you have heard of Bob's Red Mill here in Portland. They have a brown rice farina cereal which I love.  It's soothing and delicious, but best of all the cooked cereal is the main ingredient for Bob's recipe for Brown Rice Pancakes. They are our favorites, and we've tried a lot of pancakes, me being a pancake addict and all.

On this occasion, I cooked up some of the tasty flapjacks and served them with roasted Oregon apples and cranberries that were seasoned with a bit of maple syrup, butter and cinnamon. These provide a healthy, delicious and seasonal way to start the day.

Happy eating, Judi

Nurturing Young Cooks

Cooking is such a basic skill; you'd think everyone would have the ability to prepare something, if for no other reason than mere sustenance. Yet, so many people (including my husband) were never given the opportunity to test their kitchen prowess. It appears that some weren't even taught how to find an item in the refrigerator. Clearly, staring vacantly at the stocked refrigerator shelves won't make the mayonnaise or milk pop out at you. Mind melding with the salami doesn't work either. It just shouldn't be so difficult to find one's way around the kitchen.

My first fond kitchen memory had me sitting at the gray and white marble patterned kitchen table on a cushy, red, grommeted chair while playing with raw pie dough. Mom was making some sort of pastry from scratch (something she rarely did later on) and I was given a small metal pastry wheel with which to decoratively cut dough strips and pretend I was a real cook. Once she'd put her own creation into the oven, she helped me roll out my dough. I spread it with butter then sprinkled on lots of sugar and cinnamon. In those days, I really didn't care for sugar and cinnamon pastries. Jam would have been my preference, but I didn't complain. Just having the opportunity to be Mommy's baking helper was enough for me. I gasp to think about how much I played with that dough before finally handing it over to be popped in the oven. I was so proud and delighted at the childishly messy but delicious results.

From then on, I so loved baking that Daddy bought me the tiny mixes and pans that would eventually be used in the "Easy Bake Oven". Mom helped me bake them in her big oven. Making those little cakes was like waking up on Christmas morning for me every time I had the chance to be a baker.

About eight years ago, my grown son bought me a used Easy Bake Oven. I was delighted, but set it aside and never used it. That is, I never used it until my little angel Trillium asked to help me. Her Daddy bought us some tiny mixes, and we tried out the little oven for the first time - together.

Now, when we have some time together she wants to bake. She's a natural and is thrilled to stir the soup, frost some brownies or make her own Easy Bake cakes and cookies.

Baking and cooking with loving adults is a nurturing learning experience for small children. Being given the opportunity to try their little hands at something so grown up and new can foster self esteem that will carry them through and provide the courage to, yet again, attempt new skills and experiences. Cook with your kids; they’ll never forget.

Light & Sustainable - 3

Needing a break, I opted for a homemade soup meal.  It was a vegetarian night (my husband grimaced) and I wanted to make it light. Dry beans, local veggies, vegetarian broth and dry sherry made a tasty simple soup. On a cold winter night, there’s nothing like a steaming bowl of soup. We enjoyed this with some crusty bread and butter.

Local ingredients used: Pacific brand organic vegetable broth, local organic carrots, onions, turnips, parsley and beans, Grand Central Bakery bread and Tillamook butter. For dessert we enjoyed some delicious nonfat Umpqua frozen yogurt from Washington.

Light & Sustainable - Day 2

After all that shopping and thinking I did over shopping and cooking our light and sustainable Sunday meal, Monday was pretty darned easy. It was a poultry night and skinless boneless free range Washington state chicken breast was on the menu. In addition, we had a delicious side dish that my friend Jacki told me she makes. Now she isn’t a cook by any means, but her suggestion for alternating slices of sweet potatoes and apples got my attention.

I decided to use northern California garnet yams, peeled and thickly sliced, then alternated in a 9” x 13” glass baking dish with three types of peeled Oregon apple slices. I use one or two more apples than yams because I love them. Next, I melted ¼ cup of Tillamook unsalted butter in ½ cup local honey from Boring Oregon, drizzled that over all, sprinkled with sea salt, fresh pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon. Then for some healthy homegrown crunch added ½ cup of chopped walnuts. It baked, covered at 375 F. for around 40 minutes.

I cut the skinless chicken breast into strips and seasoned them with two tablespoons of Napoleon extra light olive oil, organic garlic powder and poultry seasoning, fresh pepper and lots of Beaver brand coarse deli mustard. Sprinkled the tops with paprika and baked them for twenty minutes. It was spicy and moist.

That’s it, a nicely balanced meal that we both enjoyed. No frills here, just good, simple food without the extra chemical ingredients common to many packaged foods. I’ve attached a picture of the yam and apple dish because it’s something lots of you will enjoy. It’s so good. If by chance you live in a maple syrup area, try that instead of the honey.

Eat local,

Judi

Light & Sustainable Day 1 – Oye!

Juggling resolutions can be tough. In my case it's taking a good deal of will power and creativity. In addition, I've been scouting around for lots of local brands, chatting with store managers and coming up with winter meals that my husband and I can both eat without crying and pushing our plates aside. Oh, and did I mention that the meals have to be “light” as well?

Having made a commitment to myself to be an almost thoroughly homegrown cook, choosing indigenous, seasonal and local ingredients for my meals and cooking experiments, I suddenly faced a conundrum. Sustainability was just one of my food resolutions. Cutting back on fattening yet delightful gourmet treats like chocolate layer cake, cheeses, cream, rich sauces, white bread and all matter of fat making options was another important resolution. That’s my excuse for not writing sooner about my seasonal meals (starting Sunday) as promised. I had a lot of thinking to do.

Faced with a twofold cooking and shopping dilemma, I set out to do my best, start cooking and lose ten pounds by my birthday on the first day of spring.

Saturday was spent shopping, and Sunday was set for a vegan comfort meal. My husband’s not much of a happy camper when it comes to any sort of vegetarian meal, but the deal is that we alternate: vegan, poultry, vegetarian and seafood on the days I so generously consent to make a meal.

Now, I need to catch up on the dinners we enjoyed both Sunday and Monday. Sunday was a vegan day. Vegan meals, not being hubby’s faves, must be extra tasty and hearty during the cold weather.  I decided on marinated pan-fried tofu, parslied Oregon mashed potatoes and carrots and sautéed Oregon brown onion and baby crimini mushrooms. All of my main ingredients were homegrown.

Ota firm tofu, which is made in Portland, was my choice. No funny stuff in this tofu. It’s delicious with a nice texture. I cut it into manageable pieces, then marinated it for a few hours in Bragg’s amino acids (a great product although not from the northwest), garlic, mirin cooking wine, fresh homegrown thyme and pepper. Then I squeezed out the excess moisture, dredged it in cornstarch and pan-fried it to a golden brown in a little Napoleon extra virgin olive oil. 

I sliced the onion into thin rings, cleaned the tiny baby mushrooms, added kosher salt and fresh pepper, and fried them in a little more oil until tender and richly browned.

The mashed veggies were prepared as normal with a heaping tablespoon of salt in the water. When done, I drained, then mashed them with some pepper and added cooking water to thin to a fluffy consistency. To finish the dish, I tossed in a lot of homegrown Italian parsley - still alive in my yard from the summer. The meal was delicious. The tofu was nice and crunchy, the potatoes creamy, and extra healthy with all that vitamin rich parsley. The onions and mushrooms served as a rich but low fat accompaniment. My hubby raved about the meal.

I don’t want to bore you so I’ll include a picture of the plated meal, and write you about Monday’s low fat – homegrown meal tomorrow. Tonight we’re having leftovers. I need a break.

Eat well,

Judi

Buying Local, Baking With Your Kids & Bob's Red Mill

I buy all my flours and most of my dry beans from Bob's Red Mill in Milwaukee Oregon. People from all over the world visit Bob's while in Portland. And if you've been there, you know why.

The Celebratory Tree

The celebratory tree we refer to as a Christmas tree, was originally a Pagan tradition  and symbol of life. After lots of tree burning and turmoil, it was eventually improvised to become a symbol of Christianity.

Referring back to the origin of tree celebration, they were never cut down to decorate great rooms or cabins or huts. The rituals celebrated nature and all it provided. Cutting down trees was punishable by death. Pagans believed that the trees had souls and that spirits resided in each tree. Destroying trees would leave the spirits homeless.  

Anyone caught committing the heinous act of chopping down a tree was disemboweled and tied to the tree with their own entrails. Yikes! Those Pagans were serious about their beliefs, just as people of religion are today. Mess with their religious icons and they'd mess with you.

As you probably know, Christians burned hundreds to thousands of trees, hoping to put a stop to the Pagan tree worship, lure them away from their Pagan ways and draw them to the Church. It didn't work. Neither did the Easter egg fiasco, but that's another story.

Eventually, some very wise Christians decided to do the easiest thing possible, stop fighting and start joining. They adopted the tree custom as part of the Christmas celebration.

With their customs and icons in tact, the Pagans slowly found their way to the Church, as the Christians started decorating trees of their own. Suddenly, they all had something in common.

A fitting topper for a live tree would be a live bird, I think. Being, something of a crow myself, and lover of all things glittery and colorful, I've settled for a fiber optic tree that displays a palette of vibrant and ever changing color and continual movement of light. It's pretty trippy and very soothing to the crow in me. And it never dies. No fear of reprisals here.  Good thing the Pagans stopped disemboweling tree choppers or there'd be a lot of people tied to trees even today.

Happy Happy to all and to all a good night.

Judi

What is Authenticity?

Authenticity

Definition – genuineness, legitimacy, validity, realism, faithfulness, dependability.

But what do we mean by all that?

Recently, I’ve become intuitively aware of what authenticity means to me and for me. For authenticity is often hard to find – within us and in our dealings with others.

I'm working on my own authenticity everyday to improve how I live my life and treat others. I've become more attuned to what it means in relationships,

having witnessed amazing acts of authenticity among my friends and family and sometimes sadly observed a huge lacking.

It’s been something of an epiphany really, to  acknowledge the far-reaching meaning of the word. How does one remain true to oneself and real in one’s relationships?

My conclusions regarding authenticity in all relationships whether new or old, strong or weak, romantic or platonic, tentative or lasting, friend or family, are based on my worldview and experience. You may not agree. And that’s okay too.

We are showing authenticity when:

1. Risking a friend’s displeasure by offering them unsolicited “constructive” criticism, our input is for no other reason than to help them because we care about them.

2. Hearing knowledgeable advice on our big project or important decision, we truly listen with an open mind and humility.

3. In disagreement, we are able to step off our original position with grace, and try to understand and respect another’s feelings and point of view.

4. We are able to openly admit culpability to ourselves and to the people in our lives whom we’ve hurt, overlooked, ignored, undermined, compromised, embarrassed or betrayed.

5. Listening with care to a friend in need– without bringing ourselves into the mix – we proceed to help in any way we can, without expectation of anything in return except the same thoughtful support.

6. Witnessing injustice, we speak our minds and become involved to bring about its end.

7. Meeting people or being placed in new situations, we open our hearts and minds without false pride, judgment or negativity, but never lose sight of who we are.

8. Starting from a positive intention, we say what we need to say, ask for what we need, and do what needs to be done without manipulation or resentment.

9. Realizing that we are not the center of the universe except in our own minds, we openly acknowledge that each of us is the most important person in our own world.

What do you think about my insights? How authentic are you?

Food for thought.

Judi

Seasonal & Sustainable Food

Hello again,

For the last month or so, I've been missing in action, working on my website. Now it's been launched. YAY! I have a cyber business, and you're invited to visit.

I teach seasonal cooking classes, facilitate team building workshops and theme parties, work as a personal chef and bake for special diets and everyone else. I'm pretty proud of it because  I did it all myself - with some helpful advice from my sister, "The Tight Gourmet" on pnn.

My business is Portland Home Cooking, and it focuses on eating seasonally within your view and buying within your community.

In this case, community starts where you hang your hat and surrounds you in an increasingly larger circle. As the circle gets bigger and bigger and farther away from that proverbial hat, the area within that circle gets larger and further away from you and your community. Get it?

Simply said, (I do get a bit obtuse at times) buying from local farms, ranches, processors, and basic local commerce is good for all of us. Not only can you look the producer in the eye, if you like, probably making them more accountable, but your food will be fresher and in season at it's peak - where you live. Buying, cooking and eating local also supports your local economy, so it keeps money close by and local farms and businesses alive.

Right now local grocery stores are stocking asparagus, in Portland Oregon, where I live.  There are also plump navel oranges. The asparagus traveled here from Argentina and the oranges came from Australia. How much fossil fuel does that use and just how long ago was that produce picked? Were the workers paid fairly? Where does your food come from? How was it handled? If you eat meat, eggs or dairy, how were the animals treated and what did they eat?

Lots of questions, I know, but worth some thought and research. For lots more information, visit The Sustainable Table web site. It's a great place to learn.

This month, I'm eating Oregon apples, squash, fennel and pears - to name a few local options. Yum!

Please, please check out www.portlandhomecooking.com and let me know what you think.

And eat well,

Judi

Harvesting My Little Crop

Hello Again.

Pumpkin seeds found their way into every corner of my various garden spots this year. Having never planted them before, I thought the little sugar pumpkins would be my best choice since they're so good for cooking - the thing that I do. The vines had wilted and all ten of the orange globes waiting to be picked seemed to call my name, "Judi, don't let us go rotten sitting here all winter, like you sometimes do when you forget about your seedlings". So, I baked several, pureed the meat, and bagged most of it for the freezer and my favorite pie.

Some of the seeds were put aside to dry for next year's planting, and the rest, I roasted. But first I checked out a couple of pumpkin seed roasting recipes, as mine never seemed to be edible, if you know what I mean: burnt, boring, mushy, hard, etc.  This time they were great, which tells me that you can't always fly by the seat of your pants. In other words - paying attention to recipes that others have tried successfully is often a good idea.

My wonderful buddy, Jacki, brought over some tasty red wine and a copy of the old 60's movie starring Terence Stamp, "The Collector". It was a bit creepy, but well acted and unique. I've been told that the nurse in the last scene of the movie resembled me at that age, and I believe it's true. She was awesomely cute, I might add. Okay, so sometimes I lack humility; sorry about that.

While watching the movie, Jacki, Rod and I ate those yummy pumpkin seeds and popcorn along with our wine. I threw together a simple apple crisp for dessert and used some of my fresh pumpkin puree for a lighter version of Cream of Pumpkin Soup. What a relaxing evening. The soup was comforting and delicious, if I must say so myself. Plus, it's actually good for you.

If you'd like to make some humble pumpkin soup (without using cream) try the recipe on my recipe page. You may use canned pumpkin if you don't have fresh, and how easy is that? We ate it all so fast that I forgot to take pics this time.

Hope your weekend has been as good as mine.

Gotta go wrap birthday presents and take them to my sister, Jill. She's older today than she was yesterday. That's all I'll say about that.

It's sunny outside. ;o)

Judi

Communing With Nature

On Wednesday, Rod (my one and only) and I went to Beverly Beach State Park in Newport Oregon, and stayed overnight in a yurt. We've stayed at a couple of dozen places at the various Oregon Beaches, including many yurts. We love the Oregon coast, even when it's bleak and drizzly outside and waterproof coats are almost mandatory. On those occasions, we huddle together in places like Depot Bay, water dripping off the brims of our protective baseball caps, and just watch the whales spouting. It's amazing, refreshing, and somewhat spiritual. The very experience brings us closer.

Until Wednesday, we've always taken propane cookers, a grill, pots, pans and sundry cooking tools. We'd take all our food and buy seafood there to prepare at our site. Fun, but a lot of work. A bit tedious but an attempt to reach back to the earth and rough it, so to speak.

This time we took a few tasty snacks, some ground coffee, a little electric coffeepot that belonged to Rod's parents, bottled water and wine. Just the necessities, in our world. And this time we didn't cook or have to keep a fire going in the fire pit so we'd have hot water to wash dishes. There weren't any dishes.

This time we had dinner at a lovely restaurant named Panache and breakfast at a long time Newport favorite, The Whale's Tale. Our yurt was cozy and comfortable. We walked on the beach combing for shells, and sat by the fire talking about childhood events. We shared our happiness at the pleasant turn of weather while sipping pinot gris.  

We didn't miss that earthiness or roughing it at all. All we missed was a convenient restroom. So, trudging together under the light of the moon, flashlight in tow, we toddled off to the restroom in the middle of the night and communed with nature.

Be Happy,

Judi

Last Vestiges of Summer

Hi. Have you been to the Farmers Market lately?

Last Sunday, my friend Linda and I took a drive over to the Milwaukee (Milwaukee, Oregon that is) Farmers Market to stock up on produce and mingle with the crowd. It was a sunny morning, requiring sunglasses, but there was a cool breeze that put winter into our minds.

Farmers markets are such a briefly enjoyed commodity around here that it's almost sacreligious for home chefs and aspiring cooks to miss them at the end of the season. These are the days when we're still smiling at the sun, but counting the days until the months of drizzle arrive.

Musicians played and sang, hats turned over to collect dollars and cents from the crowd. Folks sat at tables chomping on everything from German sausages to cinnamon rolls to asparagus tamales. People talked about bees and honey, gardening, painting the house and tomorrow's weather. Kids and dogs scampered around tethered, one way or another, to their respective keepers. It was great.

Anyway, I loaded up on new onions, peppers, green beans, tomatoes, and honey before discovering some excellent peaches and the very last Oregon berries of the season. "These are the last berries we'll be bringing this year", said the farm lady. "This is it". Passing on the raspberries, I got a quart of blueberries. Believe me when I tell you that I didn't need any blueberries. Earlier this summer, I went picking and have about 15 pounds of the tasty gems in my freezer. But they're frozen, and I wanted the last vestiges of summer - fresh blueberries.  Aaah!

Upon arriving home, I went to work creating a recipe to honor the late great  blueberries in my possession. The resulting Honey Yogurt Brunch Cake would get most anyone to the breakfast table. It was a big hit with my aerobics class, hubby Rod, and friend Annette, all people of highly distinguised taste. Really!! LOL.

Eat well.

Judi

Green Baseball Bats

Are you buried in green baseball bats? Have you been zuked?  Check out my "Recipe" page to find an awesome, fluffy, healthy recipe to cure your woes, and put an end to your compulsion to bake more zucchini bread - yet again.

Comfort Food?

On the "Food For Thought" page, you'll find an article about comfort foods. What are your favorites? Please check it out and let me know your secret longings (for food, that is).

Delicious Autumn Breakfast

Aaah, Autumn. Not too hot, not too cold, I love it - and not just for the weather. One reason is definitely the increasingly prolific little fig tree I planted outside a living room windows four years ago. It was just a little stick of a tree then and we carefully tucked into the ground, crossing our fingers. Each year has provided us with more and more figs as the beauteous tree reaches for the sky.

Yesterday while accomplishing a little garden clean up, I discovered lots of ripe, juicy figs, and made a Fig Almond Galette. It looks awesome, and tastes as good as it looks.

If any of you have access to fresh figs at home or through a friend or neighbor, you'll want to put them to good use. If you're not that lucky, you can now find figs at a reasonable price in the grocery stores and farmers market at this time of year - if they grow in your area. The attached picture says it all.

The original recipe is on the Foodnetwork courtesy of Giada De Laurentis, 2008. I adapted it to decrease the fat and add more fiber. Decreased guilt is a good thing (as Martha might say).

If you want to try making this easy recipe, check out my recipe page and see the whole galette in all it's glory.

Enjoy the harvest,

Judi

Turn In My Path

After a recent relevation, I decided to start a business teaching cooking classes in my home, facilitating cooking parties and working as a personal chef in the homes of clients. The Program Director at my local community center recently asked me to teach classes there, as well. So that will be starting in January.

Meanwhile, I'm working on my web site and this cool blog, and developing all my own recipes. The web site is coming along much better than I expected, and will hopefully be published by November 1, 2009.  And I'm excited about this new turn in my path.