tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45662441101724602672024-02-07T00:46:12.402-08:00Kitchen DwellerI love kitchens and all the magic that happens within them. This is my attempt to capture a few of the magic moments that occur within the heart of our home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-55695871918706958252019-04-07T16:48:00.000-07:002019-04-07T16:48:44.829-07:00Soup Sundays...Recently I wrote about making soup each weekend for our friend Bob who is in his last days on this earth. It is hard to really put words to the humble honor I feel each Saturday as I plan and prepare soup to share with him the next day. It has become a bit of a rhythm, an anchor to my weekends and will forever remain in my heart as an act of remembrance for him each spring. I have found inspiration in Janet Reich Elsbach's book <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjLi-aS0bzhAhUCoZ4KHe03BfwQFjADegQIBRAB&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goodreads.com%2Fbook%2Fshow%2F41002613-extra-helping&usg=AOvVaw0sqoUSzBzg6TFNGjOCLEiU">Extra Helping</a> and thought it might be nice to share with you all the various recipes I have made for him thus far. Each week I add a topping or two for the soups like shredded parmesan cheese or some roasted veg for the side along with some homemade biscuits or bread. I try to tuck in a jar of something as well like canned peaches from last summer or some jam to top the biscuits with. Here is my currant favorite <a href="https://www.livewellbakeoften.com/easy-buttermilk-biscuits/">biscuit recipe</a>. The opportunity each week to think about what I would like to share with Bob, to check in on him and see how he is faring between our meetings at mass and the act of making something of sustainable for someone has been central for me throughout this spring and lenten season. Each week in mass, I catch myself watching Bob as he sits in the front pew seemingly fully captivated by the incredible music of the gospel choir. Many of those songs had already held special meaning for me but are taking on a whole new life as I see him singing along. <br />
<br />
<b><i>March 3, 2019 ~ Sausage and Veg Soup</i></b><br />
This was definitely a wing it, kitchen sink type soup. I started with sautéing onions and adding veggies like carrots, celery, and yam. I let this all soften a bit and added some turkey sausage and chicken broth. I think I even tossed in some white beans just to add a bit of heft for this man that is getting leaner by the day and needs every ounce of added calorie for strength. This is a typical soup we eat all winter long around here. After learning that the "chunky" nature of this soup might be a bit difficult for Bob to get down (throat cancer you are a bitch) you will see I have moved onto softer and puree style soups for him henceforth.<br />
<br />
<b><i>March 10, 2019 ~ New England Bob's Barnacle Bisque</i></b><br />
<a href="https://kitchendweller.blogspot.com/2019/03/new-england-bobs-barnacle-bisque.html">See the last post </a>for full details on this soup, but suffice it to say you can see I need to enlist Bob to create names for all of my made up soups. I love the flair he named this one with.<br />
<br />
<b><i>March 17, 2019 ~ Irish Carrot and Potato Puree </i></b><br />
Today was St Patrick's Day so I went with the theme and shared with Bob how when my girls were very young we were treated with a trip to Ireland with my family. As I was on one of my very first ever international trips AND I was traveling with a 6 year old and 1 1/2 year old, I remember very little of the vacation other than how in love I was with the incredible vegetable puree soups I feasted on most days. I was a strict vegetarian back in those days so no Guinness Stew for me. Sharing a bit of the back story on what I included or why with Bob has become part of my routine.<br />
<br />
<b><i>March 24, 2019 ~ Chicken Congee</i></b><br />
I landed on this choice for two reasons; Bob has started passing items on to me when I deliver the soup on to him each Sunday, notably the book The Art of Eating my MFK Fisher, some beautiful prayer cards, a few pieces of his china dishes and some pantry items like olive oil, rice, couscous and honey. I had also recently landed on the book Extra Helping and when I spotted the Congee recipe I knew I would use the rice he passed on to make chicken and mushroom congee for him.<br />
<br />
<b><i>March 31, 2019 ~ Red Lentil and Veg</i></b><br />
This soup is another standard in our rotation at home, which though simple, felt so right to share. I like the idea of sharing a meal with him that we eat on a very regular basis, I am not a fancy cook. This soup is very similar to the sausage and veg soup but using red lentils rather than meat and adding a jar of canned tomatoes.<br />
<br />
<b><i>April 7, 2019 ~ Butternut Squash Soup</i></b><br />
Bob has commented online recently how he is really battling nausea lately and so I am hoping a smooth soft butternut squash puree will fit the bill this week. This recipe is another standard of ours that comes from the Seattle Junior League cookbook, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Simply-Classic-Junior-Seattle-Hardcover/dp/B00VBHEEEY/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QX4EMGD4MQYHSYPQ14R8">Simply Classic</a>. This soup, I swear will turn even the biggest squash hater around into a lover.<br />
<br />
Sadly, today when delivering a fresh batch of soup, applesauce, fresh eggs and bread to Bob he informed me this would be the last week for our little exchange. He is barely able to take in food at this point due to extreme pain and keeping anything down with the strong nausea is increasingly rare. He has lost so much weight, he's trying to hold onto his currant 130 pounds to make it to his Celebration of Life gathering next month. If you are the prayerful kind, send one his way please... for peace of heart and comfort of body. Thank you.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-89173652691517401322019-03-11T08:38:00.000-07:002019-03-11T08:38:02.954-07:00New England Bob's Barnacle BisqueWhat do you do when someone you know is dying? <br />
<i>There really will be a kitchen story here, stick with me please...</i><br />
<br />
Some 25 years ago when my husband and I began going to the church I had grown up in, we met Bob, Uncle Bob as many referred to him. Bob is one of those people that just draws the world to him. He is impossibly tall, pastoral is ways that I continue to stand in awe of (we Catholics are still figuring out that lay people can be incredible ministers without the trappings of titles), and always ready with a smile and a wry observation to share. Bob, was a leader in our church in spite of himself and in ways that one could not likely find in any other Catholic setting. Early on, he played a very key role in one of the most devastating times a young couple could ever encounter. Bob offered himself to us in profound ways that I am still unpacking and will forever look back on with deep gratitude and appreciation. Skip ahead a few years and Bob was no longer a regular presence in our community, I don't even really know how or why. It could have been a slow departure, a rift with leadership, or something in his own life pulling in a new direction. Well, slide to present day and Bob is back... for a while at least. Some time ago a cancer diagnosis came; illness, treatments, symptoms, and the rollercoaster of feeling better and worse. In this time Bob resurfaced at our church and brought with him some familiar faces of days past, he always did travel with an entourage. Now, months in, Bob has made the choice to forgo treatments and live out his remaining days on his own terms. <br />
<br />
So what do you do when someone you know is dying? I mean this is really happening, there are no positive thoughts, prayers or well-wishes that are going to chance this reality. Bob is about to die. I have not been in this place, of sitting in the presence of someone that is facing the imminent return to their maker since that time many years ago when Bob sat with us. Full circle moment here. So I reached out and told him how much he has meant to my husband and myself and offered the only thing I could think of... Can I bring you a soup supper each week? Cooking for people is my go to way of sharing a bit of kindness and love with them. So now we are a few weeks in, we have a lovely weekly dance of trading the empty half gallon jar for one filled with a freshly made soup and some biscuits or corn bread for dipping. Bob refers to this as my lenten journey.<br />
<br />
In trying to think about soups that will go down easy for one dealing with throat cancer, as well as something sustaining to help keep a bit of meat on his increasingly lean body, I went with a chowder with corn and smoked salmon this last week. I consulted a few recipes for some framework but as usual I kinda winged it and crossed my fingers. Each week as I am making soup for Bob, I feel such a sense of humble honor to be able to do something, anything that might be of help or support to him. I am thankful for the opportunity to reconnect with this man who has been a pillar of our community, who even in these final days is finding ways to minister to and lift up those around him. Bob sent me a message last night after sampling the week's soup supper offering and told me that I had not made a chowder but in fact a New England Bisque (I honestly have no idea what the difference is, but will dig into that research eventually), and Bob named my creation -- New England Bob's Barnacle Bisque. Typically I am really a throw it together and call it good kinda cook, but this time I am going to create a real recipe for this dish and add it to our annual lenten rotation. As a reminder of the man who gave it a name, the man who will forever dwell in our hearts as a welcomer, a challenger, and a giver.<br />
<br />
<b><u>New England Bob's Barnacle Bisque</u></b><br />
<br />
Ingredients<br />
<br />
2 tbsp butter<br />
1 small yellow onion, diced<br />
2 large carrots, diced<br />
3 yellow potatoes, cubed<br />
2 cups sweet corn kernels (fresh or frozen)<br />
1 1/2 cups smoked salmon, shredded<br />
1 tsp dried thyme<br />
1 tsp smoked paprika<br />
1 - 2 tsp salt (to taste)<br />
1 tsp fresh ground back pepper<br />
2 cloves garlic chopped fine<br />
1/4 cup flour<br />
6 cups water<br />
1 cup half and half<br />
<br />
Process<br />
<br />
Sauté onion in butter until just beginning to go translucent then add the carrots. Continue to sauté these until carrots begin to soften then add the potatoes. Once potatoes begin to cook through add the garlic, corn, thyme, paprika, salt and pepper. Once this all gets going add the flour, and mix. If it feels too dry add a small pat of more butter. You want to cook the flour and spices with the veggies for a few minutes then add the water. Turn your burner to a med low now and cook until the potatoes and carrots are soft, about 15 - 20 minutes. Now you should have a very chowder looking situation going on, add the smoked salmon and the half and half and stir through and let the heat permeate the bisque. I made this the day before gifting a half gallon and we were left with enough for 3 for dinner. Serve with corn bread or buttermilk biscuits. Enjoy and think of Bob!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-82194731485249724772018-11-28T12:24:00.000-08:002018-11-28T12:24:03.770-08:00Let's Talk Feast Foods...Do you have must make recipes for holidays? Foods that if they weren't part of your gathering it just would not be the same? Foods you just have to make, whether anyone else eats them or not? Do you potluck your holiday feasts or does one person do the majority of the food prep? I adore hearing all about other folks holiday traditions when it comes to food. Just yesterday I learned of two different families traditions that include Friday Pie-Day and a communal scavenger hunt. I love these ideas and am gleefully working on figuring out how to work these in to our traditions in the future. I mean Friday Pie-Day??? Seriously, this needs to become a phenomenon! The woman I heard about this from told me she makes six pies of all sorts for Thanksgiving with the explicit intention of enough leftovers for many days of pie-for-breakfast for her and her kiddos to enjoy as well as a few extra pies for Friday Pie-Day. They use the turkey leftovers to make turkey pot pie and have friends over for game night with loads of pie, sign me up. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBv1sV7_OMFczVUbP5lc6eiR90gBv8Rz6LcGKRka62U9YBb65CNhGTDsj_fzuAumVePIQ7gsUkurnpEHNtmkzpBo-oJoEGVS0cILA7L56pOgc05Y2K9e1c9rjMVmyQHWKTPryirZXPwvV/s1600/IMG_1767.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBv1sV7_OMFczVUbP5lc6eiR90gBv8Rz6LcGKRka62U9YBb65CNhGTDsj_fzuAumVePIQ7gsUkurnpEHNtmkzpBo-oJoEGVS0cILA7L56pOgc05Y2K9e1c9rjMVmyQHWKTPryirZXPwvV/s320/IMG_1767.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3haa7MbM2qwbTF3Z2KTIY9Yi4cyAnESvlBNacoNB6-IOHEYJfVf-09VlsX7oqlALulei0tWLM3MXfjFDABEk7f6ato-gNBdO-7r0yxzULUqRSDx4FweC4zRn2pH7omvG1RfED_OsyLsN/s1600/IMG_1768.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP3haa7MbM2qwbTF3Z2KTIY9Yi4cyAnESvlBNacoNB6-IOHEYJfVf-09VlsX7oqlALulei0tWLM3MXfjFDABEk7f6ato-gNBdO-7r0yxzULUqRSDx4FweC4zRn2pH7omvG1RfED_OsyLsN/s320/IMG_1768.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9vPDjzQJ4EQOFmnRDQ8wko-1Tio9xuW-VpDQ_yeKvEIordI2cQk79vK-aYuU1OepeUD8mf5HAXtATyobYuEWjAZVEqeHCY6CSZq7MZJbBEK2_P9ltJ5ZHkPGuzpfDcVqrVNXDgkN9teM/s1600/IMG_1791.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF9vPDjzQJ4EQOFmnRDQ8wko-1Tio9xuW-VpDQ_yeKvEIordI2cQk79vK-aYuU1OepeUD8mf5HAXtATyobYuEWjAZVEqeHCY6CSZq7MZJbBEK2_P9ltJ5ZHkPGuzpfDcVqrVNXDgkN9teM/s320/IMG_1791.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
For me I love to make fresh cranberry sauce, this year I found a <a href="https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/cran-citrus-chutney-recipe-2104073">game changing recipe</a> that I do believe will become the keeper from here on out, it is like a cranberry sauce meets marmalade meets cocktail. The red wine gives such a depth of flavor and cuts the tart of the berry just right. We held some back from what we took over to my in-laws house just to be sure we had enough for home leftovers. I also am often put on veg side dish duty for our family gatherings as I love coming up with tasty ways of sharing vegetables with others. This year there were specific requests for waldorf salad and layered pea salad. Leading up to Thanksgiving my youngest and I made candied yams to take to a friends-giving event at her school. I discovered that when one reheats candied yams the marshmallows pretty much melt away, so we turned the leftover sweet yams into a new favorite meal by adding them to some big delicious sautéed brussel sprouts and chopped bacon for an amazing day-before-thankgsiving-eat-lots-of-veggies dinner here at home. My husband and I even enjoyed this for breakfast the day after with some leftover wild rice and a friend egg on top while our girls where off taking in all the Black Friday fun. I am still thinking of that delish combo and hoping to recreate it soon and often. This year I also experimented on a whim with a wild rice and sun choke dish that I really loved. This started with sautéed leeks and sun chokes then added wild rice, pine nuts and dried cherries. No recipe to share, but I do hope you will try combining these ingredients on your own, the nutty flavor of the chokes and the rice made me very happy next to the turkey. We even used leftover rice in soup the following day, repurposing leftovers makes me ridiculously happy.<br />
<br />
I would love to hear about your favorite holiday foods to make and share as well as your family traditions, so please share them in the comments below, let's have a virtual feast together.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-24926897749064338432018-11-25T19:52:00.000-08:002018-11-25T19:52:22.389-08:00Goat Love...So, after milking goats at a neighbor's house for 7 years now, I finally warmed my family up to the idea that we could raise our own goats too. We have officially taken the leap from casual gardeners and chicken raisers to dipping our toes into the world of urban homesteading. We now have two beautiful Lamancha doelings, Maizy-Ann and Tula who totally have us smitten. I am finding all sorts of reasons to stay close to home these days, as I could sit and visit with them all day long. Looking out the kitchen windows to the chickens and goats grazing about the awesome pen my husband spent the better part of the summer building, brings a ridiculous amount of joy to my heart. A side benefit that I wasn't fully prepared for has been the way they have brought so many friends, neighbors and even strangers into our yard, everyone loves a good visit with these girls and they are beyond happy for the raisins and treats being shared. We are loving all the visits as well, it is so much fun when a neighbor stops by with a bouquet of bay leaf branches for our kitchen and a pocket full of saltine crackers for these sweet girls, or when we get a last minute call from a friend in the south end asking if now is an ok time for a meet and greet, and all those that I have heard love to stop in when we are off at work and share smiles and raisins with these two. Thank you all for sharing in this new journey with us! I am dreaming of yogurt, ice cream, cheese making, and learning the ins and outs of making our own soaps once these girls are old enough to breed and become milk producers, but until then I am happy to settle for sharing the last of our garden's kale and chard in exchange for the affections of these little ladies.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8B2TQ4-qF90O8NexGam-Fi30m_fy2Efcea2cbZy1nZrmj7ePI81aKfiXmdh7aEgMxrZ0SMebZujLXicnHJtN_oiMEWqvX5OawmKlu0A0DUItiyB1R85w1JwTmvUEYt1YzZLZ3lsmXnfM/s1600/IMG_1525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu8B2TQ4-qF90O8NexGam-Fi30m_fy2Efcea2cbZy1nZrmj7ePI81aKfiXmdh7aEgMxrZ0SMebZujLXicnHJtN_oiMEWqvX5OawmKlu0A0DUItiyB1R85w1JwTmvUEYt1YzZLZ3lsmXnfM/s320/IMG_1525.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGo0Ee8UQkuBq77p31e_Fr_uN1PLREhwci8ZJoOo9ZWZBiqNxh6GrJhcDwFGkNFcRNhKc9Ij86auK8Vp6eL_eWvLXZFEoAcjMnEqOhl3XegdIL1-ajB8gX0LC3PU1sjjQy3w7W_gNuQtky/s1600/IMG_1510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGo0Ee8UQkuBq77p31e_Fr_uN1PLREhwci8ZJoOo9ZWZBiqNxh6GrJhcDwFGkNFcRNhKc9Ij86auK8Vp6eL_eWvLXZFEoAcjMnEqOhl3XegdIL1-ajB8gX0LC3PU1sjjQy3w7W_gNuQtky/s320/IMG_1510.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-4gn5DIsnjTzisfhAR1PiLb2ZSbSg1KkMavXcBMSYoeCTmuXspR1zJWg37VAFWqRgrLV_6Bl1fOiHG-ucz0lSkXL8cmsl7q5X34vWSQ0Fa1ek9qWzePV4VBObaW0NbD8lNwRvFV5zO69/s1600/IMG_1701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6-4gn5DIsnjTzisfhAR1PiLb2ZSbSg1KkMavXcBMSYoeCTmuXspR1zJWg37VAFWqRgrLV_6Bl1fOiHG-ucz0lSkXL8cmsl7q5X34vWSQ0Fa1ek9qWzePV4VBObaW0NbD8lNwRvFV5zO69/s320/IMG_1701.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-59811805638585982422018-10-29T11:18:00.000-07:002018-10-29T11:18:56.575-07:00Where have I been???Oh my, how many post ideas have I started and abandon over the last many months? Truth be told, more than I care to admit, but here we are deep in the days of mid fall in the Pacific Northwest. I do love so much about this time of year, the cool and crisp air, the deep appreciation for every ounce of blue sky and sunshine that shows up, all things orange like squash and satsumas, vibrant and crisp leaves piling up along the walkways of my morning walks, and particularly the feeling of wanting to settle in for the impending winter. Now that I am rooted in working life as well, my days off are something I am learning to really treasure and put to good use. So today, after a quick trip to the dog park I am home and in the kitchen prepping several things that have been piling up for a bit now. I had some extra milking shifts recently so there was a bit of a milk stockpile which I am turning into ricotta for an upcoming lasagna dinner, a bag of tomatoes from my in-laws garden which are being oven dried for soups and sauces in coming weeks, sprouts in various stages waiting for some love and the not so glamorous but oh so needed cleaning out of the fridge. There were just a few too many last little bits of leftovers that have sat ignored and needed to go to the chickens before they become science experiments. I do so love sending my compost out to the ladies knowing they will be transformed into lovely eggs for us very soon. I could spend an entire day finding ways of keeping myself busy in the kitchen; maybe baking something for friends or family, prepping for the week's lunches and dinners, making some staple item like ricotta/yogurt/granola/kombucha etc, or just chilling on the window bench with a cookbook doing a bit of meal planning. Here is a peek into my prepping today...<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItTaotVZ30vlp7sIWLG4BJyPnYEIbnZtix1jf8Yhyphenhyphen-OFOqNOYwGjrZI3ToEJe2ZlL4uMDoG7wclDXpE5WTnd0-jqRyH-MLHFVRMiyvvQO9f8FVnF9HiF_Zr4VpxmbeKRlwvbOohktlzZM/s1600/IMG_1657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItTaotVZ30vlp7sIWLG4BJyPnYEIbnZtix1jf8Yhyphenhyphen-OFOqNOYwGjrZI3ToEJe2ZlL4uMDoG7wclDXpE5WTnd0-jqRyH-MLHFVRMiyvvQO9f8FVnF9HiF_Zr4VpxmbeKRlwvbOohktlzZM/s320/IMG_1657.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJfS7HGtwJVeEuxE9yp528_fWT7JUUlRMTAkIS7ZKpheC8b1MTDdqhQiAnjaAEkSUNJG6Bgsm-17ug5joT-ZEqCn1TDAXZGfRPaEQCS2mPODmQ0CLs5IorBrvmHQD9prvjclTn-2QdrK7/s1600/IMG_1649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlJfS7HGtwJVeEuxE9yp528_fWT7JUUlRMTAkIS7ZKpheC8b1MTDdqhQiAnjaAEkSUNJG6Bgsm-17ug5joT-ZEqCn1TDAXZGfRPaEQCS2mPODmQ0CLs5IorBrvmHQD9prvjclTn-2QdrK7/s320/IMG_1649.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XuYn5sz5XFPRqXOKfwoVq5YaoIl7gwI85M4ZNAUImlYlfT0jYaife5MtPqqUVasbrexiTXA4K-vqi4zwi_u6VFnhuLs7R7JSk2bWTBhUsJ8UpMHkez8ytjBAVBN_r1C8sNzN_rW4IXfB/s1600/IMG_1654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XuYn5sz5XFPRqXOKfwoVq5YaoIl7gwI85M4ZNAUImlYlfT0jYaife5MtPqqUVasbrexiTXA4K-vqi4zwi_u6VFnhuLs7R7JSk2bWTBhUsJ8UpMHkez8ytjBAVBN_r1C8sNzN_rW4IXfB/s320/IMG_1654.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7GjizvvovAoiyOmJ562ay5ObIfu8gnexydIQMOIpU3Of3Ahg1AHrmUZxYD7HDEciKZVK_opEAyp_zg_CKD6_MzAoBzeaDswgzxPiUvH6PoBXBCMT_JkSlUfEohY0JylR5VtjEuRfeN3s/s1600/IMG_1668.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7GjizvvovAoiyOmJ562ay5ObIfu8gnexydIQMOIpU3Of3Ahg1AHrmUZxYD7HDEciKZVK_opEAyp_zg_CKD6_MzAoBzeaDswgzxPiUvH6PoBXBCMT_JkSlUfEohY0JylR5VtjEuRfeN3s/s320/IMG_1668.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnpBePeNnvwfwxdbcNGPP5SDfDMib_PTkcjYKjRWb6B2xruyaS4AauP3Gs54VXYKS5YZ4aCdRcjLQko08XP1HzBJiv8i2jp-eM1q0cAptzz9IQJQF_uElBO2v3YR-W5qc9_rVbhxlhe5v/s1600/IMG_1661.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWnpBePeNnvwfwxdbcNGPP5SDfDMib_PTkcjYKjRWb6B2xruyaS4AauP3Gs54VXYKS5YZ4aCdRcjLQko08XP1HzBJiv8i2jp-eM1q0cAptzz9IQJQF_uElBO2v3YR-W5qc9_rVbhxlhe5v/s320/IMG_1661.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
To make ricotta I follow the directions from <a href="https://smittenkitchen.com/2011/06/rich-homemade-ricotta/">Smitten Kitchen</a>, heating the milk slowly and adding salt and lemon juice, letting it sit, then straining. This is my first go around making sprouts, I started with alfalfa and broccoli and just today am starting a salad mix for the next batch, the strainer lids make it so easy. And last, I am simply leaving the cut tomatoes in a low temp oven for many hours to dry them out, I have done this in the past and it seems to work really well, once they are dry to my liking I just put them in a jar and store in the fridge. None of this is monumental or earth shattering stuff but there is a odd joy and satisfaction I feel when putting things to use and minimizing the waste going to the landfill. Happy Monday all, I hope your week brings you some joy and satisfaction as well!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-66407736010704714022016-11-11T17:40:00.000-08:002016-11-11T17:40:08.325-08:00Lessons From The Bee Hive...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJ_8o2o1WOZZPWVRnRCaAQ-olqLdq8G7sdsHZthhQNpJHp1MdLth1nxzMEoTQBemLkpd0eFf_Z_toOqOy8DAYldngbYg9XHOdwdWgEhIgMJSqg-gmG4cOXhXv6FrTJD_Z2Rd9-odfEfn8/s1600/IMG_5266.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkJ_8o2o1WOZZPWVRnRCaAQ-olqLdq8G7sdsHZthhQNpJHp1MdLth1nxzMEoTQBemLkpd0eFf_Z_toOqOy8DAYldngbYg9XHOdwdWgEhIgMJSqg-gmG4cOXhXv6FrTJD_Z2Rd9-odfEfn8/s640/IMG_5266.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZYFZSqeG792xX4IguJ7IlPeHjHkvm6CZsm2PsVRShR0jX6quXD87A7qzv3eH7K9F9CGZFgivJZc86w0eIuydOZFHhn0qFFwAJR0NJSI2lWvSPG-B4suS01pd4c0BOVxHcUlVn9XKa3UH/s1600/IMG_5268.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-ZYFZSqeG792xX4IguJ7IlPeHjHkvm6CZsm2PsVRShR0jX6quXD87A7qzv3eH7K9F9CGZFgivJZc86w0eIuydOZFHhn0qFFwAJR0NJSI2lWvSPG-B4suS01pd4c0BOVxHcUlVn9XKa3UH/s640/IMG_5268.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
<br />
A couple weeks ago I had the opportunity to addend a local beekeepers association meeting and it totally got me re-energized on beekeeping. I have dabbled in backyard beekeeping for a few years now with mixed success, but a couple years ago at the urging of my most awesome badass beekeeper mentor friend I cleanup up a long abandoned hive and added a captured swarm to it. I have tentatively and inconsistently tended the hive since then. I was a bit lazy, very unsure of myself, and confident the bees knew what they were doing and didn't really need much from me. Fast forward to this meeting last month, and my confidence, energy and enthusiasm is bubbling over. My badass mentor came over the other day to go over hive inspection with me and we found a thriving, happy and very full hive and I was encouraged to grab just a couple frames out to taste MY VERY OWN HONEY! <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpUBM1ugIjGE2shqPtkKPT7oIVHevEYbEz0xph6a6OI8VXdeiU2WaIM4rO7ylnh2OoYDrrTrQMMDpBdnd5QiOf-kOxogRFZKKoEwH-Z0YNM_bG41ZwKJ5AB63ubBHP3rj_x5wS8HPehCW/s1600/IMG_3874.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTpUBM1ugIjGE2shqPtkKPT7oIVHevEYbEz0xph6a6OI8VXdeiU2WaIM4rO7ylnh2OoYDrrTrQMMDpBdnd5QiOf-kOxogRFZKKoEwH-Z0YNM_bG41ZwKJ5AB63ubBHP3rj_x5wS8HPehCW/s640/IMG_3874.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Can I just tell you, that it was sweet, flowery, fruity and absolutely delicious... my first honey harvest. I have found myself more than once this past week, wandering out to the back yard to just watch these incredible creatures hard at work. Watching them fly in, legs loaded fat and heavy with pollen in preparation for a long and dark winter. Watching them band together to protect each other and keep the hive free of predators. Watching the dances they do to share vital information with one another. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgcplcrPRjI-XGAt0MRYFdFGTygokIsnzD7lPHHK05-wdUiG40n4zgZfQMD5CMb79gtyVb3wrhTjpH9FA4Ounzk2cepVTgYLrzT3pBnJp0KgTuRDQMLfy3zMcVPAOwKmNjExahUKbWb5j/s1600/IMG_5274.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmgcplcrPRjI-XGAt0MRYFdFGTygokIsnzD7lPHHK05-wdUiG40n4zgZfQMD5CMb79gtyVb3wrhTjpH9FA4Ounzk2cepVTgYLrzT3pBnJp0KgTuRDQMLfy3zMcVPAOwKmNjExahUKbWb5j/s640/IMG_5274.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQe1ZfnLea9mI8ZJFPS0xWyDldyPY9vrV1iPtijNjnu1EQ-x_Kp09m63f6G2fNJiV4XfJxZDVHQPaLCvxxGxJTn5ATL6URNqs35MPcbOOwOspUbeb_vAviIyDHrDoMBTkvl7qUm41ZRq5X/s1600/IMG_3882.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQe1ZfnLea9mI8ZJFPS0xWyDldyPY9vrV1iPtijNjnu1EQ-x_Kp09m63f6G2fNJiV4XfJxZDVHQPaLCvxxGxJTn5ATL6URNqs35MPcbOOwOspUbeb_vAviIyDHrDoMBTkvl7qUm41ZRq5X/s640/IMG_3882.JPG" width="480" /></a><br />
<br />
Feeling the hum in my chest of their hard working wings. Smelling that lovely bees wax once you get within just a few feet of their domicile. I can also tell you that my mind floated to all sorts of metaphors, how we really do need to look out and take care of each other, that we cannot go it alone in this world no mater how skilled or prepared we think we are there is always going to be a day we need our hive to feed us, to protect us, to nurture our littles, to share ideas and information with, and really to love us. My children have a teacher that teaches all the children in her 8th grade class the following call and response... "What's my job? To love us. What's Mr _______ job? To love us. What's Mrs. ______ job? To love us. What's your parents job? To love us. What's your job? To love each other." I deeply admire folks who work with children who can impart in their unique way this notion of loving and looking out for one another. So now, I'm going to keep a closer eye on my hive (human and bee), look out for and love on others at every opportunity, start going to beekeeper meetings, because in so many ways (literally and figuratively) the bees are our future and I want to learn and prepare as much as I can so that a sweet future it will be.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVOy8_Lr7EBZBYwh036by_VgIICS5de3V3PDK86gIfGzn9o3-a78PUqi81GwNnuELwaDkFAYhoCHbWlGGVgQjvhySbR-rVq1gMxldkOioQ_C1jE5d-Lus7ocSlZWoCfcWJ7LFyOilMif-/s1600/IMG_3891.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVVOy8_Lr7EBZBYwh036by_VgIICS5de3V3PDK86gIfGzn9o3-a78PUqi81GwNnuELwaDkFAYhoCHbWlGGVgQjvhySbR-rVq1gMxldkOioQ_C1jE5d-Lus7ocSlZWoCfcWJ7LFyOilMif-/s640/IMG_3891.JPG" width="640" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-57048561273421557652016-03-09T11:50:00.001-08:002016-03-09T11:50:05.808-08:00I Can't Stop Canning...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5OKMIkGnuQPQ8iCUsJ_DWmd9U49R3h_Pxoq8S_QnpYZGT871mcGoZUbTtlfY5BEIjvgj1HTLMqzW5xctmYG-OzPRsLfqmXC7KnvbBTqYhFCcCNMObLqOw2hje47ziBlJJj15RVjVkVUk2/s1600/IMG_0871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5OKMIkGnuQPQ8iCUsJ_DWmd9U49R3h_Pxoq8S_QnpYZGT871mcGoZUbTtlfY5BEIjvgj1HTLMqzW5xctmYG-OzPRsLfqmXC7KnvbBTqYhFCcCNMObLqOw2hje47ziBlJJj15RVjVkVUk2/s320/IMG_0871.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbguq5PBYqwdNnHwIKWVf_6M8-1juBZnmQG0HQ-ApTEYm9xp3Mp07ujyyBsNpmICJ4g_SColEIXDz3IMTymIvLLNn4dCy_285O2EjxRkOawulxRzxUCGu0MRyAo_N7iMTqJepd5Yk_eF9a/s1600/IMG_0868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbguq5PBYqwdNnHwIKWVf_6M8-1juBZnmQG0HQ-ApTEYm9xp3Mp07ujyyBsNpmICJ4g_SColEIXDz3IMTymIvLLNn4dCy_285O2EjxRkOawulxRzxUCGu0MRyAo_N7iMTqJepd5Yk_eF9a/s320/IMG_0868.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CPxFuCYWhvhbUpAvGY91yeXCRj8iRrhmA16wGJ-XWh6xW50_pAGqVdJn2Sc0LX1qAvbwxLzy5io6h4cAn1kgtXLXVdH3uWU2R1z4dPlMV0xGt8tuvRKKeehHOM7ESavnLYsGBpT2PlXf/s1600/IMG_0863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4CPxFuCYWhvhbUpAvGY91yeXCRj8iRrhmA16wGJ-XWh6xW50_pAGqVdJn2Sc0LX1qAvbwxLzy5io6h4cAn1kgtXLXVdH3uWU2R1z4dPlMV0xGt8tuvRKKeehHOM7ESavnLYsGBpT2PlXf/s320/IMG_0863.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRFZCaIWHOie1xZ_XzLOM11xMmmVL9xPrI4LpBeWceLfe3UY5LdjmBluQnmfxyPRA6NdYesAeOydsH_O7f4v1Xv3sErbjj75NYeIAE-95m65mblLThYqFPCwEX401hYrccCIs3ouMY0Ee/s1600/IMG_0846.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwRFZCaIWHOie1xZ_XzLOM11xMmmVL9xPrI4LpBeWceLfe3UY5LdjmBluQnmfxyPRA6NdYesAeOydsH_O7f4v1Xv3sErbjj75NYeIAE-95m65mblLThYqFPCwEX401hYrccCIs3ouMY0Ee/s320/IMG_0846.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBM6w4kip7ONwi-iJd9HIh0JIbQAcQ0yXltVgcqW2FLNODGXy1wPzKJDLoWY-u971odSHIfAtJoYIT-33tqjI9bzj4xGSwn9qD43SFNKoe6g6oTXQ8LmaZt0p7vcWV8Qcx6zCRj74wGO_/s1600/IMG_0842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixBM6w4kip7ONwi-iJd9HIh0JIbQAcQ0yXltVgcqW2FLNODGXy1wPzKJDLoWY-u971odSHIfAtJoYIT-33tqjI9bzj4xGSwn9qD43SFNKoe6g6oTXQ8LmaZt0p7vcWV8Qcx6zCRj74wGO_/s320/IMG_0842.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<i>So let me start my saying this is totally unpaid and unsolicited praises for the book that got me hooked on food preservation. Upon discovering this website and book I have become a total food preservation addict, I'm always looking for new and interesting ways to pickle, can and preserve what's in season at any given time. Here are a few of the things I have been busy making of late...</i><br />
<br />
All this lovely winter citrus has me loving things like <a href="http://foodinjars.com/2014/03/honey-sweetened-meyer-lemon-curd/">honey and lemon curd</a> as well as marmalade made with Cara Cara oranges and ginger. Though I have made enough curd over that last few years to feel pretty confident on that front, marmalade is a new one for me so there has been a bit of a learning curve. My first batch was so very tasty but I fear I cooked it too long and it was rather stiff, I almost recalled the few jars I had given away out of sheer mortification but was quickly assured that the taste was much more memorable than the difficult spreading. So I tried again, decreasing my cooking time and it is just on the side of too soft. So, here's to hoping the third time is the charm! I used a recipe from the <a href="http://foodinjars.com/the-cookbook/">Food In Jars</a> (my most loved and used cookbook), it pretty much mirrors<a href="http://foodinjars.com/2010/02/three-citrus-marmalade-recipe/"> this online version</a> with the addition of 1 cup of ginger juice and substitution of Cara Cara oranges for the citrus. Though it took a bit of work to make the ginger juice, the addition of it in this preserve is totally worth every bit of effort! Make the time to peal, chop and strain all that ginger for this recipe.<br />
I have also been dabbling in pickling, ANYTHING I CAN GET MY HANDS ON... My most recent experiment has been <a href="http://foodinjars.com/2010/03/can-jam-sweet-and-sour-pickled-red-onions/">pickling red onions</a>, and oh gosh I am hooked. So far I have loved them straight from the jar, topping hearty green salads, and over eggs, but I imagine slathering these over a fancy grilled cheese sammie for a little punch of something extra would be quite fabulous. <br />
<br />
On a side note, my thoughts and prayers are with all those impacted by the explosion in North Seattle early this morning. That this happened in the middle of the night is something many are thankful for, this is a very busy area and I don't even want to think about what the scene would have been just a few hours earlier or later in the day. These businesses are neighborhood staples and will be dearly missed, I am sure I am not alone in the hope that rebuilding is swift and we will be popping back in for coffee and gyros very very soon! <br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-73800757216162793882016-03-03T09:11:00.001-08:002016-03-03T09:37:08.690-08:00Breakfast For Dinner Taken To A Whole New Level<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilva_59_mcrBHgA3xa5053PWG8v-5SWvuQA3dIpt0w3F-L6ZC4pXtpcPBfBt3Hq0H1i0cCbyyhLhRacQa4NhTmpmr8nv4mwkhJHIUBNsVwEh1hF2GBJVA0txBiDeKFfiB68HiM-JWrlomV/s1600/IMG_0917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilva_59_mcrBHgA3xa5053PWG8v-5SWvuQA3dIpt0w3F-L6ZC4pXtpcPBfBt3Hq0H1i0cCbyyhLhRacQa4NhTmpmr8nv4mwkhJHIUBNsVwEh1hF2GBJVA0txBiDeKFfiB68HiM-JWrlomV/s320/IMG_0917.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3t7y0EWDmEvQlOXRO97ScJdd8WwFbt65KSe4ujGvn36MBG-vuTYE51FhuUUWsXoGS1_4dm-c0L632cgJxr8A1-4wxbEeKtVCf3wHBnT21k9oUoYPWQFc-WPfuxDWOz6Nwt74dZ_EaS4DS/s1600/IMG_0925.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3t7y0EWDmEvQlOXRO97ScJdd8WwFbt65KSe4ujGvn36MBG-vuTYE51FhuUUWsXoGS1_4dm-c0L632cgJxr8A1-4wxbEeKtVCf3wHBnT21k9oUoYPWQFc-WPfuxDWOz6Nwt74dZ_EaS4DS/s320/IMG_0925.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
It all started when I spotted<a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2016/02/roasted-yams-and-chickpeas-with-yogurt/"> this pos</a>t on the Smitten Kitchen Blog for a dreamy looking yam dish with chickpeas and a limey yogurt drizzle. We love yams in this family but i've never really fancied them up, its always straight baked yams either on their own or added to another dish like black bean and yam tacos. Last night I was feeling so uninspired for dinner, throughout the day the thought would flash "what am I going to make for dinner tonight?", and I came up blank every time. Then I remembered a <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">Smitten Kitchen</a> post recently for what promised to be a tasty twist to our standard baked yam. And, to boot I had all ingredients on hand, it was meant to be! Though I think we would all have been happy to just totally gorge on the yams alone, the mom in me knew I needed to round it out a bit so I scrambled up some fresh eggs with the ricotta I had just made with the weekend's goat milk and tossed together a big green salad. This was declared by all "A KEEPER". In fact my oldest shared that this is the meal she wants to come home to from college. So if you are looking for inspiration, give this one a go, it is fairly quick to throw together, requires pretty basic fridge and pantry ingredients, and well worth every bit of effort. This is a breakfast-for-dinner game changer in my mind. Enjoy!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwR3SOQ3uZGza2416-Mzj4Ux-8Wxfc111huZQKLZwyAVGwvun2hhNaK5CW1sMHJqAQUcI69q6ld2f3fCQ1jCf052IFty9Pi9rn43_fOoBHsdv3x-RGuoEnqZsOJQqc1WgmTMBi46eEXoZh/s1600/IMG_0907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwR3SOQ3uZGza2416-Mzj4Ux-8Wxfc111huZQKLZwyAVGwvun2hhNaK5CW1sMHJqAQUcI69q6ld2f3fCQ1jCf052IFty9Pi9rn43_fOoBHsdv3x-RGuoEnqZsOJQqc1WgmTMBi46eEXoZh/s320/IMG_0907.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ksnTWj2jRTlEkH-gVZITsTB0AFJuerNICDNlDf6vvKpNrfTtw-PqLfb4MqxcbrKIZSqqejcC8jSTmsAANC5BIWw1gtNBP1nDa-2u-5-KpefyFmuq8jnLysjiB8G4mAz1n7WCyVus7ddU/s1600/IMG_0927.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ksnTWj2jRTlEkH-gVZITsTB0AFJuerNICDNlDf6vvKpNrfTtw-PqLfb4MqxcbrKIZSqqejcC8jSTmsAANC5BIWw1gtNBP1nDa-2u-5-KpefyFmuq8jnLysjiB8G4mAz1n7WCyVus7ddU/s320/IMG_0927.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-31607028430151260332015-12-06T21:41:00.001-08:002015-12-06T21:41:56.416-08:00I Really Am Still Here...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMHgzdDCQBKtyylJbV4ElEhgmjlZaTzf1YD4qMpQrp2oHtVIqn7hgoAUd4ojx-dmEmYiiuU5TqFY8fr7pyGOQjV_bpLtA1D0yqvrTGyRzojicOFjWN_AM4Gnwdu16uTb3PNOJy1RIFXCt/s1600/IMG_9409.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghMHgzdDCQBKtyylJbV4ElEhgmjlZaTzf1YD4qMpQrp2oHtVIqn7hgoAUd4ojx-dmEmYiiuU5TqFY8fr7pyGOQjV_bpLtA1D0yqvrTGyRzojicOFjWN_AM4Gnwdu16uTb3PNOJy1RIFXCt/s400/IMG_9409.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1611vgcJjecq7vRDbophHjhSpE95rkZKwvsEF1ZyEvXRH8JTPMHsVW1_rwToFuNsZYyCxiaYQeZQT-g02aKpwVy7I3EkgaIjkrSB_zbTCHfA45sEkqtWeFbeipT5nth8PG4JsnRd-QdLb/s1600/IMG_9403.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1611vgcJjecq7vRDbophHjhSpE95rkZKwvsEF1ZyEvXRH8JTPMHsVW1_rwToFuNsZYyCxiaYQeZQT-g02aKpwVy7I3EkgaIjkrSB_zbTCHfA45sEkqtWeFbeipT5nth8PG4JsnRd-QdLb/s400/IMG_9403.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw55Hjb3zGjG6oWSUdrIm_bnAX_fEKSPGjqIrcW65woSgMCzhw1ek8HkpVxWmjOSFnIghGo-UqftfwCsi-El5NNO5eTHtNi_w1X1DCRWZUL3iXot3-ySeOtppCXi_LtRLBWZmZrCPPCbNk/s1600/IMG_0257.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw55Hjb3zGjG6oWSUdrIm_bnAX_fEKSPGjqIrcW65woSgMCzhw1ek8HkpVxWmjOSFnIghGo-UqftfwCsi-El5NNO5eTHtNi_w1X1DCRWZUL3iXot3-ySeOtppCXi_LtRLBWZmZrCPPCbNk/s400/IMG_0257.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBB3FbDqgf3BhlCcE0c5aYHagNvJwV-ExPmI_VLt2OyMkQGmG8SmIfJuCCf24YjeESq5YNK5QK0oYAsd4wthYi2Jz-9RTFRm1EHaLjrVge2Gv6kEcq_HXs2zFTILumPLYdqLZCjrkTuUa/s1600/IMG_0233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBBB3FbDqgf3BhlCcE0c5aYHagNvJwV-ExPmI_VLt2OyMkQGmG8SmIfJuCCf24YjeESq5YNK5QK0oYAsd4wthYi2Jz-9RTFRm1EHaLjrVge2Gv6kEcq_HXs2zFTILumPLYdqLZCjrkTuUa/s400/IMG_0233.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjou7aP9abDLt2RY6ohJOHrnyhSOdehIr0nNoRyCpPCSzrxyQnJ4R8uRScyUiSx6fHJdlCEiXRXkEzyPFz82w7j-S6663Bxm5Jm_DrgNjc5gWrmIO2i954VU4fdKOo07tIX1C88ricp79Cx/s1600/IMG_0306.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjou7aP9abDLt2RY6ohJOHrnyhSOdehIr0nNoRyCpPCSzrxyQnJ4R8uRScyUiSx6fHJdlCEiXRXkEzyPFz82w7j-S6663Bxm5Jm_DrgNjc5gWrmIO2i954VU4fdKOo07tIX1C88ricp79Cx/s400/IMG_0306.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_1063424660"></span><span id="goog_1063424661"></span><br />
Oh my goodness, I cannot believe it has been since June that I have written a proper post! I could get into all the "life" reasons for this but the god's honest truth of it is, like so much else, out of sight out of mind. So, this is me, setting my sights back on this space. I have missed it, I have often had the thought "I need to write about this..." but one thing or another got in the way and it just didn't happen. <br />
<br />
The quick round up of what's been going on in the kitchen of late...<br />
<br />
* I am loving these two sweet new cookbooks I scored recently by volunteering at <a href="https://www.booklarder.com/">The Book Larder</a><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0g7H1l0bnF_MFp8E8v2TYCOMWwv7HIqX1PWX6rqwrb4M6MpO0_vXsJFmVCRd7JpQ9iJDF5CZ712VALgfyccqTE_zH176IEcBUr3t42cUXoZkXzMcjBiB3xIQHfp08dumhkJuXCegNQ9M/s1600/9780385346153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjy0g7H1l0bnF_MFp8E8v2TYCOMWwv7HIqX1PWX6rqwrb4M6MpO0_vXsJFmVCRd7JpQ9iJDF5CZ712VALgfyccqTE_zH176IEcBUr3t42cUXoZkXzMcjBiB3xIQHfp08dumhkJuXCegNQ9M/s320/9780385346153.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cHzixn6WblNM9G9NwOIaH2PG9GPq3c9aQZ8ww4KMYd7dMrP6CcapYKb3Lw_kPOkutbrWZfja8UTJVAEHkeb9Y0UX7nj7nxY0bsfIGjMDxAmEN0yQj_oCKfDC49C4LdA-U0YpvpvJphdh/s1600/51K8Ves5blL._SX443_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-cHzixn6WblNM9G9NwOIaH2PG9GPq3c9aQZ8ww4KMYd7dMrP6CcapYKb3Lw_kPOkutbrWZfja8UTJVAEHkeb9Y0UX7nj7nxY0bsfIGjMDxAmEN0yQj_oCKfDC49C4LdA-U0YpvpvJphdh/s320/51K8Ves5blL._SX443_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="284" /></a></div>
<br />
* This c<a href="http://foodinjars.com/2010/12/december-can-jam-cranberry-marmalade-with-dried-apricots/">ranberry chutney</a> is finding its way into many a snack in these parts. Cheese and crackers, well add some cranberry chutney and your mouth with be oh-so happy<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmxZWM7hzaGusR4uT8a39u1MufAlMKcCVKDamPL24bJyfF608mHPB4x0fa5YfDpUiiy8eCB5xr38uVzD3X3cVne5wJkKQCyi6lEknsmTImlOkb1j5Hpo6X_zfIEZumksVpwMR5la9ZoGB/s1600/IMG_0298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDmxZWM7hzaGusR4uT8a39u1MufAlMKcCVKDamPL24bJyfF608mHPB4x0fa5YfDpUiiy8eCB5xr38uVzD3X3cVne5wJkKQCyi6lEknsmTImlOkb1j5Hpo6X_zfIEZumksVpwMR5la9ZoGB/s400/IMG_0298.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
* I got my first ever "help desk" request last weekend when the following text came through...<br />
<messagebody aria-label="Dear kitchen dweller, chutney ready to put into jars but not sure in the sterile procedure! Love Nick... One of 2 microbiologists in the family. Please help." role="text" style="background-color: #e5e5ea; display: -webkit-flex; flex: 0 1 auto; font-family: Times; line-height: normal; padding: 5px 10px 4px 15px;" title="11/29/15, 6:45:07 PM"><messagetextcontainer style="direction: ltr !important; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" text-direction="ltr"><span style="font-family: "helveticaneue"; font-size: 13px !important; text-shadow: none !important;">Dear kitchen dweller, chutney ready to put into jars but not sure in the sterile procedure! Love Nick... One of 2 microbiologists in the family. Please help.</span></messagetextcontainer></messagebody>This made my day and was made even better by receiving a jar of said chutney a few days later<br />
<br />
* I successfully packed snacks for a road trip to and from Utah which had my friend and myself eating out exactly ONCE the entire time while on the road. But that one meal out at the Buffalo Chip Cafe for breakfast was so worth it. I do love a road trip and good snacks along the way<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwb81c91dfq1UMps-EJQfdiMrlhixsaxMvgWFDAXKsrlquxBSjgKjy4gFooqBdBGOYMV8ASW-DtV4mY7UZ1g7uuTxcsZ910wKgsEC2HE9O5hnVdfYintGKO3rUz-6hectPo_CAPesLOp-D/s1600/IMG_9283.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwb81c91dfq1UMps-EJQfdiMrlhixsaxMvgWFDAXKsrlquxBSjgKjy4gFooqBdBGOYMV8ASW-DtV4mY7UZ1g7uuTxcsZ910wKgsEC2HE9O5hnVdfYintGKO3rUz-6hectPo_CAPesLOp-D/s400/IMG_9283.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
* Pickled pears... sure and thank you! When your friend offers you the bounty from her asian pear tree, resistance is futile folks<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76A1P64hv49JZP7i0MfCFT0QXgMLrd1jjRi77fxEGlyS-KmYND6PWNpBz790kGEfqRLpgpzEb5g1xXtJjYlVgSaCskQQ6-mwNJ6pqB6XSS5hobSd8nYb8mf5ZL83lh6L7DQjBX2vQ44Q0/s1600/IMG_9124.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh76A1P64hv49JZP7i0MfCFT0QXgMLrd1jjRi77fxEGlyS-KmYND6PWNpBz790kGEfqRLpgpzEb5g1xXtJjYlVgSaCskQQ6-mwNJ6pqB6XSS5hobSd8nYb8mf5ZL83lh6L7DQjBX2vQ44Q0/s400/IMG_9124.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<br />
* There was one marathon prep session for our annual church bake sale, in which our wee little community raised nearly $1,000<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcufyRVnWvK2xdG74UZUbRoOkH1JpJ2WUzUWlmUv4E92xi2s7z16wdJpfUMVO9nrIF1rZGI1mltCyroHxORiTpA_M3qB297ZiQ3ZvzPbV8x26Yp3mkl_BkqpCSkBkVT9j4gCX9qnPvVH6d/s1600/IMG_0119.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcufyRVnWvK2xdG74UZUbRoOkH1JpJ2WUzUWlmUv4E92xi2s7z16wdJpfUMVO9nrIF1rZGI1mltCyroHxORiTpA_M3qB297ZiQ3ZvzPbV8x26Yp3mkl_BkqpCSkBkVT9j4gCX9qnPvVH6d/s400/IMG_0119.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhMJO41CaqWhgMPwG4U5BbQW_Kkt-IGhmbm4Wo6bEO0iidu5VB8AhRtOHYQThrzB5kxxe_qX9xN3ZbxwTR-Ylkk8jaHE_ijLcTNM1SuZ9AayvdibHbI4ebu3G9dE4esNnwHrGl2nDnDG8/s1600/IMG_0109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfhMJO41CaqWhgMPwG4U5BbQW_Kkt-IGhmbm4Wo6bEO0iidu5VB8AhRtOHYQThrzB5kxxe_qX9xN3ZbxwTR-Ylkk8jaHE_ijLcTNM1SuZ9AayvdibHbI4ebu3G9dE4esNnwHrGl2nDnDG8/s400/IMG_0109.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
* The last of my summer tomatillos have been enjoyed as salsa verde<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ok9GPaYpF0qGiP8ATgg95ePu-cpYZl08AkucUz2UG6rbwNTvNbnxwKHGku29mSijfgW2dRA76umlfIACBtjHAs7mZctVstMnf6rF3AX0Jlb1wq6Ft_ILFl3a6aip9GptTkXoCXPvr95l/s1600/IMG_0134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ok9GPaYpF0qGiP8ATgg95ePu-cpYZl08AkucUz2UG6rbwNTvNbnxwKHGku29mSijfgW2dRA76umlfIACBtjHAs7mZctVstMnf6rF3AX0Jlb1wq6Ft_ILFl3a6aip9GptTkXoCXPvr95l/s640/IMG_0134.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
* Fermentation abounds, <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-homemade-sauerkraut-in-a-mason-jar-193124">kraut </a>and this delish <a href="http://www.nwedible.com/miso-sesame-kale-sauerkraut/">asian-ish fermented salad</a><br />
<br />
* I am totally drooling over vintage cooling racks like <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/247436044/antique-rare-french-bakery-long?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=vintage&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=cooling%20racks&ref=sc_gallery_2&plkey=c8dfc57660ed3b2b914ed5138f923055a6e6186c:247436044">this</a> and <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/228921111/two-antique-french-cooling-racks-for?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=vintage&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=cooling%20racks&ref=sr_gallery_5">these</a><br />
<br />
I have truly missed this space and look forward to sharing some more kitchen adventures with you all very soon! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-39246817304151859382015-06-22T13:20:00.000-07:002015-06-22T13:20:22.316-07:00Summer Favorites... (so far)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRhqbhyeTWIIss3aJ1UoCitf5fmzwGyL1nU59PPx2WxSFzmpSZizD8TrEFQaCW-FbvqdbmOQUUnJnJ6WY2S8cMh69xXv2WH1E8pDyLNSkJlN4Pve7wP8qIyuXRrhPwT-gXXLIAbyh5uS6/s1600/FullSizeRender-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkRhqbhyeTWIIss3aJ1UoCitf5fmzwGyL1nU59PPx2WxSFzmpSZizD8TrEFQaCW-FbvqdbmOQUUnJnJ6WY2S8cMh69xXv2WH1E8pDyLNSkJlN4Pve7wP8qIyuXRrhPwT-gXXLIAbyh5uS6/s320/FullSizeRender-3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOymeez8T70C4jdSqgzNDUs9n9W2UK1NKFT0JxQ8zLodOWCnQ6esfx3rUMt3GkpZjFbBHo4inHGjkYbqoPWeie5FwwuGSw3szUx9viVDM5Z3yyKbHMONMuik6yg1-qCdJHFasT2v3usfIp/s1600/IMG_8190.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOymeez8T70C4jdSqgzNDUs9n9W2UK1NKFT0JxQ8zLodOWCnQ6esfx3rUMt3GkpZjFbBHo4inHGjkYbqoPWeie5FwwuGSw3szUx9viVDM5Z3yyKbHMONMuik6yg1-qCdJHFasT2v3usfIp/s320/IMG_8190.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4ywPFGSOMQ44ZoWZ93eggYFTfnMcM2F2J09gazvTXPkLw3jyRQr3bJ8THhyphenhyphenTqy7QJGYa0QXetRS1MK9vtDACx05w4O4FI7mm4v9SW2B0JIJtDLpjhY4bm5J0eIh0paK3Q4N5Ts2wefWW/s1600/IMG_8194.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu4ywPFGSOMQ44ZoWZ93eggYFTfnMcM2F2J09gazvTXPkLw3jyRQr3bJ8THhyphenhyphenTqy7QJGYa0QXetRS1MK9vtDACx05w4O4FI7mm4v9SW2B0JIJtDLpjhY4bm5J0eIh0paK3Q4N5Ts2wefWW/s320/IMG_8194.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhThc97spMopttlgERr0DKDIDZkQtwN2UJERG7Mnw2VVj4JErHI1CDoZeZtgZKcRo7LqUgXvJmy4pg6nsRxbWtkFv6bHgn3p-cA_JFCjN92ucJ7uihMKXUfdRHOVVSUqSFpUlnS-K6G07w/s1600/IMG_8247.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhThc97spMopttlgERr0DKDIDZkQtwN2UJERG7Mnw2VVj4JErHI1CDoZeZtgZKcRo7LqUgXvJmy4pg6nsRxbWtkFv6bHgn3p-cA_JFCjN92ucJ7uihMKXUfdRHOVVSUqSFpUlnS-K6G07w/s320/IMG_8247.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
One week into the official start of summer, (aka everyone is out of school), and here are some observations thus far...<br />
<br />
* I was crazy to think my family could or would give up on all electronics cold turkey. But there have been some pretty extreme (by typical American standards) limits put into place with very little push back and I am beyond happy and delighted with that! The two biggies being no electronics in bedrooms (at all, period or yes I will just shut off the wifi...) and no screens until your "list" is complete for the day. Lists are a combo of chores and boredom buster activities, see below...<br />
<br />
* Cooking early in the morning as to avoid the afternoon heat is totally where it is at. This has us eating many cold style meals but no one is complaining. Some of our favorites so far have been; this <a href="http://acommonconnoisseur.com/2015/05/18/cherry-and-walnut-quinoa-salad-with-honey-dijon-vinaigrette/">Quinoa Salad</a>, homemade <a href="http://www.acouplecooks.com/2014/06/authentic-tzatziki-greek-yogurt-cucumber-dip/">Tzatziki Dip</a> with pita and veggies, our favorite <a href="http://www.fullcircle.com/goodfoodlife/2012/04/11/video-gingered-apple-and-baby-bok-choy-slaw-recipe/">Bok Choy Slaw</a>, curried chicken salad sided with green salad and sourdough bread, and a basic antipasto style meal with cheese, cold cuts, fresh veggies and corn on the cob.<br />
<br />
* If I add 30 minutes each of reading, physical activity, creative pursuits and sunshine to the daily chore list I will be amazed what my girls come up with (reading both Steven King and Shakespeare, sewing, pompom making, baking, tons of biking, volleyball and basketball, and loads of general happiness).<br />
<br />
* We may well eat our weight in popsicles (for breakfast, why not???), corn on the cob and watermelon by summer's end. More on our favorite popsicle recipes soon.<br />
<br />
* Visits to the library has renewed interest around these parts, (free books, cd's and movies -- what's not to love).<br />
<br />
* I will happily make exceptions to my "no cooking in a hot kitchen" rule for corn on the cob and canning.<br />
<br />
I hope everyone out there is finding their own fun this summer, I'd love to hear what all you have going on as well. Take care and enjoy this lovely sunshine we are basking in these days.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-11965669153317985622015-06-13T10:29:00.000-07:002015-06-13T10:29:44.040-07:00My Favorite Time Of Year...<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1H2ZJ4-WzzNUNW7zCbQUCoxJ1fXyPCtU2C-FQuIB7RAzPfCzHjxTHj3YS0xQ2ntR5vLR3Yi4XEN8jvLFJZi2bg8wPYkqCCuTz9cCNaZXSeHPsdmKJIPDurCM01a05-1Sr_vo7Ya4AOko/s1600/IMG_8259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1H2ZJ4-WzzNUNW7zCbQUCoxJ1fXyPCtU2C-FQuIB7RAzPfCzHjxTHj3YS0xQ2ntR5vLR3Yi4XEN8jvLFJZi2bg8wPYkqCCuTz9cCNaZXSeHPsdmKJIPDurCM01a05-1Sr_vo7Ya4AOko/s320/IMG_8259.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7cgev3Qkl67_IccxeAK_jadHvfXrqZ11xJZaKxros-YFhElsSJcV0o4xPWCbKSD0mqOq31DDqHHT7I3FgZ5nbUTU3FR4u37YT5qJobZrMTvE10vbJ9lO-nB4IMTPjigfMk2pAlDqX1ak/s1600/IMG_8256.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU7cgev3Qkl67_IccxeAK_jadHvfXrqZ11xJZaKxros-YFhElsSJcV0o4xPWCbKSD0mqOq31DDqHHT7I3FgZ5nbUTU3FR4u37YT5qJobZrMTvE10vbJ9lO-nB4IMTPjigfMk2pAlDqX1ak/s320/IMG_8256.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyoJr0lIY245tUID6UeLtBuBNaXLWaW0ClHH9sk-zms6s2gdHpVXCWFnIQW65NsV8bwAvIjT5kDoBoS63D3eRaFZfuNFUp9bGdsPROLp_y0VMSyCA7HxWT0SpPiOzGhBC_9I4IKcUtBRf/s1600/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuyoJr0lIY245tUID6UeLtBuBNaXLWaW0ClHH9sk-zms6s2gdHpVXCWFnIQW65NsV8bwAvIjT5kDoBoS63D3eRaFZfuNFUp9bGdsPROLp_y0VMSyCA7HxWT0SpPiOzGhBC_9I4IKcUtBRf/s320/FullSizeRender-2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPgrG6n8KxvJxNju0QziCmr1VhdG8Atk5UV4fLqzXlskXO2EiOD7M-zB0ErNdylO7Jmbfe5OfBhPXk6DALH0PAtLL4DvKMsA6isLYrI3_sg7tB4_2NkAZKp9xH7JaRhZ3mhfAxPYTHHX7/s1600/IMG_8262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQPgrG6n8KxvJxNju0QziCmr1VhdG8Atk5UV4fLqzXlskXO2EiOD7M-zB0ErNdylO7Jmbfe5OfBhPXk6DALH0PAtLL4DvKMsA6isLYrI3_sg7tB4_2NkAZKp9xH7JaRhZ3mhfAxPYTHHX7/s320/IMG_8262.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
Yes, it has begun... I bought my first box of fruit this season and I am deep in dreams of Boozy Cherries, Sweet Cherry Butter and Cherry Chutney. This time of year the <a href="http://foodinjars.com/">Food in Jars Books and website</a> are like my Bible. The books are dog eared, laying on my coffee table or bed side table when not in use on the kitchen counter. They are stained and marked with evidence of my past efforts. If I can figure out a way to can it, freeze it, or other wise preserve it, I will. It has become a bit of an obsession for me. I think about one of our favorite book series from when my children were little, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/George-Martha-James-Marshall/dp/0395199727">George and Martha</a>. Martha can't stop making split pea soup, and I can't stop canning. The fruits of summer are such a treat and the thought of finding ways to enjoy them year round is absolute inspiration for me. A recent Face Book post on <a href="http://www.nwedible.com/">Northwest Edible Life</a> was my kick start. That, and the fact that one of my favorite summer fruit sources started offering cherries. So yesterday, I found myself watching the clock for that little 1/2 hour window of time where I could pick up my first box of the summer from <a href="https://valicofffarms.com/store/default.aspx">Valicoff Farms</a>. Oh why did I only get one box? I have so many things I'd like to try with these lovely cherries, including this amazing sounding salad. Well, the saner side of myself forced restraint as to not overwhelm myself or my family. I will surely be picking up another box or two next week as I am sure by the end of the weekend we will have blown through this first and lonely box. For now, I'm off in search of gluten free bourbon to make a batch of boozy cherries.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-31454200692607996152015-04-14T20:37:00.002-07:002015-04-14T20:37:50.044-07:00A Pantry Meal...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2D_-ffEMmuL64t_MFOV2r3FlSgS0VKar7U3PB817hNhn7glu23YWy7TpSfSQDYSXR6H0RxGRL3LrsRMxfb-u0DQzjagkGf52ZoRW4qyMO1v8FGnzt079u7xljNovlMO4wo1K4uE0U0Pgw/s1600/IMG_7657.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2D_-ffEMmuL64t_MFOV2r3FlSgS0VKar7U3PB817hNhn7glu23YWy7TpSfSQDYSXR6H0RxGRL3LrsRMxfb-u0DQzjagkGf52ZoRW4qyMO1v8FGnzt079u7xljNovlMO4wo1K4uE0U0Pgw/s1600/IMG_7657.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1xL_HUEhC-wnrNY3eAKvHohoUvXbXgHwk0ndiPUpZBmBYrdF7Jm0pZVgdoxto2WRAZrnqit4z3CVwUjHjn0QYpFdQWDP6jsFlESttZoHZ0M_fDsIMvQTPG-2OboBCiseCbUCiunsSXGM/s1600/IMG_7677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1xL_HUEhC-wnrNY3eAKvHohoUvXbXgHwk0ndiPUpZBmBYrdF7Jm0pZVgdoxto2WRAZrnqit4z3CVwUjHjn0QYpFdQWDP6jsFlESttZoHZ0M_fDsIMvQTPG-2OboBCiseCbUCiunsSXGM/s1600/IMG_7677.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
When friends are coming over I always have the best of intensions to cook up a storm for their pleasure. Well lets face it... the cooking part really is my pleasure as well. Feeding those around me is my way of showing care and concern for them as well as some hospitality. It is also my creative outlet, I love to try new things. I am that person that will attempt something new and unfamiliar for the first time when guests are coming over, so far I've been pretty lucky with this. I am also increasingly more flexible and willing to go with the flow as I get older. So recently we had a group of friends coming for dinner and it was the end of a busy week as well as a particularly grey and rainy day. I had planned to head to the grocery to shop for a lovely meal to share with our friends, but as the day wore on I lost steam and could not steal myself to head out into the cold. So I raided the pantry and freezer to come up with a fitting meal. The following is what I came up with... roasted red pepper and tomato bisque with basil (made the hours of roasting and freezing summer's tomato crop so worth it), open-faced tuna melts (because I had to stretch the bread supply), and a simple salad. I did whip up a <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/flourless-chocolate-cake-14478">flourless chocolate cake</a>, because now that I wasn't schlepping to the grocery store I had more time to bake. I loved that I was able to make this all happen with what I had on hand, and more over that it was likely just as pleasing to my friends as my more "formal" planned meal. Because really, no matter what I cook, the enjoyment of any gathering is really about the company more than what is served. <br />
<br />
**over the summer I had cases of tomatoes that I processed in a variety of different ways, the soup came from a batch that I had simply cut in half and roasted with red peppers coated in extra virgin olive oil then pureed and froze. I simply reheated the puree adding some cashew cream, salt, pepper and fresh basil leaves. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-24197607464851473192015-03-18T20:06:00.001-07:002015-03-19T11:02:44.124-07:00The Scramble...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYorIEI8qbqJDTnaJP0CIxjGNtfJKtxDCrSDJfb73_fcsWWsi__NQ44yQFXqXaARAMPw5pMaDbdQsG6zRN0T91LYsSHExgndkpqz1LG72_PiqqqDik4A2bLeUNFNe1jfzJJFYRoW7jplOE/s1600/IMG_1645.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYorIEI8qbqJDTnaJP0CIxjGNtfJKtxDCrSDJfb73_fcsWWsi__NQ44yQFXqXaARAMPw5pMaDbdQsG6zRN0T91LYsSHExgndkpqz1LG72_PiqqqDik4A2bLeUNFNe1jfzJJFYRoW7jplOE/s1600/IMG_1645.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
I have a friend who regularly posts on Facebook pictures of the most amazing looking scrambles she makes herself for a late breakfast once the kiddos are off to school. Seriously, every picture gets my mouth watering and sends me into a Pavlovian state of hunger. She has totally inspired me to amp up my breakfast and lunch game when I am at home. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoucbO6IXPHgjN4Y05DZNLZmwiWsCC3cIXngRZaJEerqZsLrNcljY3-yIN8pinPxKQn2vQEP9Yda7cIqx8-GE31NK0lhoiCmQM2SAAWWeZnqRSOPQyZyCgAFEGgOHyC7ZVx5zrhUNr7k0s/s1600/IMG_5822.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoucbO6IXPHgjN4Y05DZNLZmwiWsCC3cIXngRZaJEerqZsLrNcljY3-yIN8pinPxKQn2vQEP9Yda7cIqx8-GE31NK0lhoiCmQM2SAAWWeZnqRSOPQyZyCgAFEGgOHyC7ZVx5zrhUNr7k0s/s1600/IMG_5822.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqgqvWRMUjvchy8kDIJMTvffqKgQrGWh90VTBLdmTnm-bPN96_JzWUKPGJK7Gx5Rxbe93JWf6DUz8WOlIY6sZ4eDzzU8VybtgYkUR-7OvgJFTnrHw2TL0H1GnmLzBeOwlMALlZj62oxUu8/s1600/IMG_5003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqgqvWRMUjvchy8kDIJMTvffqKgQrGWh90VTBLdmTnm-bPN96_JzWUKPGJK7Gx5Rxbe93JWf6DUz8WOlIY6sZ4eDzzU8VybtgYkUR-7OvgJFTnrHw2TL0H1GnmLzBeOwlMALlZj62oxUu8/s1600/IMG_5003.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
We have these lovely ladies who lay for us nearly every day, and I often have bits and pieces of leftovers that will not stretch to feed a family of four a second time around. Put them together and it is usually pretty wonderful. Today, my oldest had brought home some leftovers from a meal out with her fabulous aunties, a roasted veggie mix of squash and brussel sprouts, lentils and chickpeas. I tossed the lot of it in a pan to heat up, scrambled a couple eggs and topped it all off with a bit of siracha, that is my kind of meal! This has come to be my favorite go-to, not just as meal for one (sauté leftover cooked veggies and/or meat and serve topped with an egg cooked your favorite way) but its also a great way to stretch a quick family meal as well.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_U-Eu2U5WFs95wYFUvfDnYjjpzwpG3ksVcjLJAW3rvRvQRNYvJ2uxOXdMNBUAey94iUyMu7lQudU8906pDdcRLUr3qjFoOVjAKDhvkfa7uxzXI-WHE26CccbucB-9hf_CnhN5IpjHxWBF/s1600/IMG_5465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_U-Eu2U5WFs95wYFUvfDnYjjpzwpG3ksVcjLJAW3rvRvQRNYvJ2uxOXdMNBUAey94iUyMu7lQudU8906pDdcRLUr3qjFoOVjAKDhvkfa7uxzXI-WHE26CccbucB-9hf_CnhN5IpjHxWBF/s1600/IMG_5465.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
We started raising chickens a few years ago (something I encourage everyone interested to try, I mean there is nothing like eggs from your own back yard -- really) and have loved watching these ladies grow from day old chicks to the more mature bunch that they now are. In the years we've had chickens we have counted ourselves very lucky to not have lost a single one... until now. We lost our sweet little Daisy a couple weeks ago, and even just today I was telling my oldest how strange it is to arrive home and not see her big waddling white and black self running to great me. She was the smallest chick when we started, we really didn't expect her to survive as she always seemed to be in utter distress, but she grew to be on of the biggest of our flock and a true personality. We miss you Daisy...</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42iATyZcmsSwoB3XZKtaHDSm0iIQGGAhoTCkx0UfraY0qzM_-3XhE1D0c_vIIKYaODNjkm1wwqeL3LwCbTAt7dUYJ_eOdbDtKD1UZBwzIIVskP83Wl8hNzdf0vkrWUG_LxLH9rUGZHkTb/s1600/IMG_0165.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42iATyZcmsSwoB3XZKtaHDSm0iIQGGAhoTCkx0UfraY0qzM_-3XhE1D0c_vIIKYaODNjkm1wwqeL3LwCbTAt7dUYJ_eOdbDtKD1UZBwzIIVskP83Wl8hNzdf0vkrWUG_LxLH9rUGZHkTb/s1600/IMG_0165.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-12786340620294074152015-03-10T11:19:00.000-07:002015-03-10T11:19:42.148-07:00Keeping It Simple and Ritual...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNV8nS-IL1WlT3LBbDSPJX21C53oUgoK14Eh-5gCX6KAlj6373GQxBJRrgEiOkiqtpTzHsQotMrg_ZgZJM4QdCdTM6JOP1CoR4LIJvEVKMzFkHUgtCfoM8iapPz_0dwoFjD-yZmkSg_Pyx/s1600/IMG_7017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNV8nS-IL1WlT3LBbDSPJX21C53oUgoK14Eh-5gCX6KAlj6373GQxBJRrgEiOkiqtpTzHsQotMrg_ZgZJM4QdCdTM6JOP1CoR4LIJvEVKMzFkHUgtCfoM8iapPz_0dwoFjD-yZmkSg_Pyx/s1600/IMG_7017.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4um5dZxkyBjdcfEQ3bnQ4dRTa904EB3DpbO3Z0GyGsCdaMpftoVic7h3kjcQMK49nZX99JyPMeC3KXGFPkdFQ9vCnkX3eVVpomQGZWwZv6sem0ke6zVFHt4e4JC8ZQc6UeAh3IYIFLpC/s1600/IMG_7351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy4um5dZxkyBjdcfEQ3bnQ4dRTa904EB3DpbO3Z0GyGsCdaMpftoVic7h3kjcQMK49nZX99JyPMeC3KXGFPkdFQ9vCnkX3eVVpomQGZWwZv6sem0ke6zVFHt4e4JC8ZQc6UeAh3IYIFLpC/s1600/IMG_7351.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshba9igM4x3Zi331TtZsIqmpxJyPyNH2bxvYAuX_GxsODqqygqriZLq7wjXUe5807Tr4wXUadFkiu2ooqaAl0zYYOMmoY03T6ty3KAnFVNxry_tMJu1u6Sx0if03jB6ykd54i45pW5etH/s1600/IMG_6758.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhshba9igM4x3Zi331TtZsIqmpxJyPyNH2bxvYAuX_GxsODqqygqriZLq7wjXUe5807Tr4wXUadFkiu2ooqaAl0zYYOMmoY03T6ty3KAnFVNxry_tMJu1u6Sx0if03jB6ykd54i45pW5etH/s1600/IMG_6758.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Last year for Lent our family chose to follow suit with <a href="http://kitchendweller.blogspot.com/2014/04/what-i-am-eating.html">this idea</a>, and ate only beans and rice for dinner on weeknights. We took weekends off, because we are only human after all. Though it was a bit of an adjustment at first, I came to absolutely love the simplicity of this little ritual: beyond the fact that it streamlined grocery shopping and meal planning, there was something so striking about sitting down together night after night to a meal of just beans, rice and a simple salad. And day after day as I prepared those beans and rice I thought and marveled at how much for granted I had come to take the absolute abundance we live in today. I can walk down the isles of my local market and find such a vast variety of options, even just within the beans and rice selections. So many options are really just at my finger tips every day, I am finding it to be a real distraction for the way I want to live my life and the way I would like to see my family living. I really am a simple girl at heart, give me those I love and some space outside (well ok and a nice cup of coffee too) and I could be very happy. I could ramble on and on about this all, and if you'd like to join me for a coffee sometime soon we could commiserate together. <br />
<br />
Fast forward to the current Lenten season, though we are not doing beans and rice this year (I found my systems just cannot take all that grain), we have settled in to some mealtime rituals. This year we are gathering with a few folks on Friday evenings for some thoughtful reflection and sharing over a soup supper. Soup is a staple around here, we all love it and never tire of many of our tried and true favorites. And there is something so lovely about gathering with friends around that steaming pot, watching ladleful after ladleful being served to all those gathered young and old alike. As is our tradition we abstain from meat on Fridays in Lent so all of these are either vegetarian or contain fish. Here is a rundown of our soup suppers so far this season...<br />
<br />
Week One we had <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/brazilian-shrimp-soup">Brazilian Coconut Soup with tofu</a><br />
Week Two we had <a href="http://www.theppk.com/2013/03/black-bean-quinoa-soup/">Black Bean and Quinoa Chili</a><br />
Week Three we had <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/smoked-salmon-chowder-240816">Smoked Salmon Chowder</a><br />
<br />
The other ritual I have come to really appreciate, though honestly it began long before Lent and will (I hope) continue on for years to come, is the big Sunday morning breakfast. As is likely in many households with teenagers, my husband and I are generally the first to wake on weekends. We have sort of settled into this big breakfast slowly over time, I am usually out the door pretty early for my milking rotation with the neighborhood goats and he us up caring for our own animals. By the time I return, eggs and bacon on well on their way and I start the pancakes or waffles and get all the various toppings and sides out (we do love our toppings in this house). I always try to pick up a Sunday newspaper on my way home from the goats as well as a round of coffee and or juice for the family. About this time the kiddos start to wander downstairs, sip their morning drink of choice and peruse their favorite section of the paper; comics are a must, Suduko and horoscopes are always fun, and checking out the travel section while fantasizing of future trips makes everyone happy. I love that we are all gathered in the same space, comfy and cozy, sharing stories from the week or interesting bits from the newspaper, and enjoying a meal made by shared hands and love. <br />
<br />
These two rituals make my weekend feel complete, week after week. I'd love to hear about your rituals, what makes your week?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-31397813678705493282015-02-24T09:22:00.000-08:002015-02-24T09:22:02.096-08:00(Almost) Daily Ritual...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Uj6aEeyqpO0xgJxD9eGJJ1Q7tlEPKUGFmErBxqHDBX1IOvMLv4dfVe4T_0Z4zoQ1akxfXZWuL6yLkJrtbyNBs6Q0G4gBg4wwu86IpbOW-_iEudsu5jR_rY_c9yp0LhOA6rSqH702qeqc/s1600/IMG_7588.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5Uj6aEeyqpO0xgJxD9eGJJ1Q7tlEPKUGFmErBxqHDBX1IOvMLv4dfVe4T_0Z4zoQ1akxfXZWuL6yLkJrtbyNBs6Q0G4gBg4wwu86IpbOW-_iEudsu5jR_rY_c9yp0LhOA6rSqH702qeqc/s1600/IMG_7588.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
I occasionally go through phases where I drop coffee from my nearly daily level of consumption. But for many reasons I always come back to it; I really love the flavor of a good cup of coffee and it really is often a social outlet as well, either as a quick post school drop off checking in with friends or a chance to linger and really catch up with someone. But there is something about a quiet cup at home that I love too, the waiting for the kettle to boil, the smell of the grounds as they are being scooped into the filter, and that first sip as you settle down to enjoy this freshly brewed cup are among favored moments of the day. Oh, and that jar back there, yep that is fresh, milked-myself-two-days-ago goats milk. No better coffee creamer out there in my humble opinion. <br />
<br />
A friend recently gifted me with this handy coffee making tool. Do you call it a filter? I am not even sure what it is called, but I LOVE it! It is perfect for making just one cup (well OK maybe I have been known to run more water through that used filter for a second cup on occasion, kinda like reusing a tea bag right?). What I really love about my new coffee tool is that without fail, every single cup of coffee I enjoy made with it, is even better because it always brings my friend to mind. Thank you Lisa!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-14821616553969120552015-02-17T20:30:00.001-08:002015-02-17T20:30:29.525-08:00Another Birthday Means More Kitchen Creations...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFKEjWwrGrAJPFTpvJrfgEM26ZJpHUJugmHzfxj-lYqsMkCCVwpDHSPmnaKcs6XBf5oqqNRBTH6AT0a4q0OR0SquFaOQ5csAisajg21EtXuae5xeZ3uaKtC-psSgYej0oWwGeCdq5yRaM/s1600/IMG_7558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFKEjWwrGrAJPFTpvJrfgEM26ZJpHUJugmHzfxj-lYqsMkCCVwpDHSPmnaKcs6XBf5oqqNRBTH6AT0a4q0OR0SquFaOQ5csAisajg21EtXuae5xeZ3uaKtC-psSgYej0oWwGeCdq5yRaM/s1600/IMG_7558.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFTqJGsRbf5JoknjeMNHI4wHcI660ATWuuKlZD_i3JlZDmjXMhsK8PxLdFYMmQkXc3QjS0YDwhJ3wStDT-YFqWqO_oRk5DA2fcJyNsOgaHYrSc8ttOE7eiwk47sdjXhOyfHgxb1djQwWH/s1600/IMG_7567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFTqJGsRbf5JoknjeMNHI4wHcI660ATWuuKlZD_i3JlZDmjXMhsK8PxLdFYMmQkXc3QjS0YDwhJ3wStDT-YFqWqO_oRk5DA2fcJyNsOgaHYrSc8ttOE7eiwk47sdjXhOyfHgxb1djQwWH/s1600/IMG_7567.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
OK, so I think I'm kind of on a roll with all these winter birthdays and truthfully I am loving it. This time around, I made a couple batches of <a href="http://www.foodrepublic.com/2014/02/22/dark-chocolate-hazelnut-spread-recipe">Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Spread.</a> I may have had to do some quality control sampling along the way, I mean who can refuse roasted hazelnuts blended with <a href="https://www.penzeys.com/">Penzy's Dutch Cocoa Powder</a>, ooohhhhhh YUM. I got so carried away with the making I totally spaced the photographing, so here are just a couple pics from the beginning and the end. I really hope anyone who enjoys Nutella will give this a try, it takes the spread to a whole new level.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-10453936744419006722015-02-06T16:01:00.000-08:002015-02-06T16:01:15.081-08:00Thank Goodness For Birthdays...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37cTHgpAkLEUGmDb66aIS0UbrqlNzQuw7oV_uMkiay0Lya5zwQDt0wJiI4ab4_W7fU7D54dqGPRYVaIaksoiKDeBdyDZFSZvVGqb_l_wU2n6PLd_Mf4NXSXYNoewSa3j7O4YWwdawIk9u/s1600/IMG_7430.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg37cTHgpAkLEUGmDb66aIS0UbrqlNzQuw7oV_uMkiay0Lya5zwQDt0wJiI4ab4_W7fU7D54dqGPRYVaIaksoiKDeBdyDZFSZvVGqb_l_wU2n6PLd_Mf4NXSXYNoewSa3j7O4YWwdawIk9u/s1600/IMG_7430.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHjQ4ObozC-KyAKlPY6znAuOLjt3wVlSSZopGo7P7I-sYjX1pqp2SkZjVoEy9dGm6ep9tBuA3XaJEn1gXlKknrjLcSJsQ739m12JQB7skkI6S-jFZoYDb_-Bfy5wlqZLZXSNWuEMlAbKW/s1600/IMG_7427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbHjQ4ObozC-KyAKlPY6znAuOLjt3wVlSSZopGo7P7I-sYjX1pqp2SkZjVoEy9dGm6ep9tBuA3XaJEn1gXlKknrjLcSJsQ739m12JQB7skkI6S-jFZoYDb_-Bfy5wlqZLZXSNWuEMlAbKW/s1600/IMG_7427.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JtO6i2v_ercna-6G1Z2AhiEv95dABPK0yjBYnyrmV6aUTsIR7Tf1g_X8zXFGfPXsh3rcKSS1CPUIShqrl4pD12DMdwDW8oXdhZX61KJY7mnOyVukuE5O1-Wp97eG__aLV2JWyAXLn0PZ/s1600/IMG_7439.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1JtO6i2v_ercna-6G1Z2AhiEv95dABPK0yjBYnyrmV6aUTsIR7Tf1g_X8zXFGfPXsh3rcKSS1CPUIShqrl4pD12DMdwDW8oXdhZX61KJY7mnOyVukuE5O1-Wp97eG__aLV2JWyAXLn0PZ/s1600/IMG_7439.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
So it seems that Birthdays are my mojo in the kitchen of late. I took the time to get busy making a special treat as a belated gift for a friend the other day, I am so hoping she supports my "better late than never" theory. We were about out of our last jar of curd (a favorite of my youngest to top pancakes with) and I know my friend loves curd as much as we do here. Up until last year, lemon was the only flavor of curd I had ever tried, it honestly never even occurred to me that there were even other kinds. Last year I happened upon a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Food-Jars-Preserving-Batches-Year-Round/dp/0762441437/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1423266752&sr=8-1&keywords=food+in+jars">orange vanilla curd recipe</a> from my trusty advisor to all things jarred and it is now my absolute favorite. It has a bit of a softer flavor than lemon and the addition of vanilla beans takes it to a whole new level of delicious! It is well worth the time to make a batch or two for yourself, we love it on pancakes but I also like to mix it into yogurt with nuts or granola and fruit. I imagine smeared on a nice thick slice of your favorite toasted bread it would be heavenly. Though my recipe sites a fairly quick cooking time, it has never worked that way for me, generally I need to give a solid hour of time standing and string at the stove, but really please don't let that stop you from trying this out. I promise you it will be well worth your time. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-66891902067805407972015-02-02T19:35:00.001-08:002015-02-02T19:35:48.587-08:00More Cake...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-53x67pEIOK-H-Y26XiK0nn7VlTuk2Ju9yPfxyR94iAwW-Odrmeiwdj1wZ4pUgfKkAWjL4C0bvJWpgWU7e3mhqqui3t1XvobVcDTwYhzy_rebzEW2GPJIEeVK6CNYyfUdxaJJS5EuWC4v/s1600/IMG_7404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-53x67pEIOK-H-Y26XiK0nn7VlTuk2Ju9yPfxyR94iAwW-Odrmeiwdj1wZ4pUgfKkAWjL4C0bvJWpgWU7e3mhqqui3t1XvobVcDTwYhzy_rebzEW2GPJIEeVK6CNYyfUdxaJJS5EuWC4v/s1600/IMG_7404.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
This winter has found me feeling a bit blah in the cooking department for some reason. But I'm trying to shake it off and today I found myself itching to bake a cake. It helped that there was a special someone celebrating a birthday today, and I really wanted to make something homemade for this celebration. After a quick look through the pantry, a little help from Google and knowing that chocolate would be a choice ingredient for this Birthday Celebrant I landed on this <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Cake-367670">gluten free chocolate cake made with almond flour</a>. I also had a bit of marshmallow fluff on hand from holiday fudge baking so I did some searching for a <a href="http://lilluna.com/easy-marshmallow-frosting/">marshmallow frosting</a>. And well, I think I have hit on a new birthday favorite! If you really wanted to get fancy you could top the cake with some graham cracker crumbs and call it a s'more cake. The cake was a crowd pleaser and came together fairly simply and with ingredients (minus the marshmallow fluff) that we always have on hand. I love it when things come together so simply and deliciously. I'd love to hear what other folks do to get out of the winter slump when it comes to cooking, do you just let your self roll with it -- sure that it will pass or do you try to jumpstart things in some way to get back on track? I feel I've been "rolling with it" a bit too long and am hopeful that this cake will serve as a bit of a jump start. I don't know what tomorrow has in store but I am hoping to find myself back in the kitchen letting some creative juices flow.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-66612824239689146882014-11-13T16:44:00.002-08:002014-11-13T16:44:33.529-08:00Another Cake...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyimHdlOWhJtZEow4vIwkSNxFgtmlye3clhEUql7ttSrawjw06FLZ-9N9olzmvSHRMr_4xx86XuxMAliPOHwB6f0bfkirBXkzP7pzx9SODeR4zF3ilzZ0zdCAyFVXLlDFRRmbuEFxU5C7l/s1600/IMG_7075.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyimHdlOWhJtZEow4vIwkSNxFgtmlye3clhEUql7ttSrawjw06FLZ-9N9olzmvSHRMr_4xx86XuxMAliPOHwB6f0bfkirBXkzP7pzx9SODeR4zF3ilzZ0zdCAyFVXLlDFRRmbuEFxU5C7l/s320/IMG_7075.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIy7ExtqvtDTO6t3ihZGz8DK8YEul8WYWOSFS-K0kGdznVfEJD_ycJai2oQmElviR6lm_Ct-JDY-wfT81FHiMMLfr0El66G_1TdthiOBC5EAYm3nHROmqVzbVKhZn59A9kxLpez3uDd4k/s1600/IMG_7097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtIy7ExtqvtDTO6t3ihZGz8DK8YEul8WYWOSFS-K0kGdznVfEJD_ycJai2oQmElviR6lm_Ct-JDY-wfT81FHiMMLfr0El66G_1TdthiOBC5EAYm3nHROmqVzbVKhZn59A9kxLpez3uDd4k/s320/IMG_7097.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
One of my most favorite ways to spend time is cooking along side a friend, especially in fancy-dancy kitchens. Yesterday I got such a chance and pounced (maybe even inviting myself over), to bake with a friend who is an amazing baker. Not only does she consistently wow us all with her delicious confections, she is fearless about tackling new and seemingly complicated recipes. A while back I had posted <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2013/03/chocolate-hazelnut-macaroon-torte/">this torte recipe</a> from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">Smitten Kitchen</a> but have been totally intimidated to try the whole meringue thing, but not this friend. She jumped on it and has made the torte several times all the while raving about it and extolling its amazingness. Earlier in the week she mentioned that she was planning on making said dessert for an upcoming school event and I jumped right in and invited myself over to watch and learn from this master baker. She upped the anti on me, informing me that I would not simply watch and learn but I'd bake right along side her and make one for myself. So I packed up my eggs, cream, chocolate, vanilla, sugar and hazelnuts and headed for her lovely kitchen. We baked, she instructed, we chatted and had a generally great time. It was a great way to spend a particularly cold Northwest afternoon, thank you very much. What I most love about this dessert is; that it is naturally gluten free so no experimenting with flour mixtures, it combines two of my most favorite flavors (chocolate and hazelnut), and it is a show stopper. If you are looking for a dessert to wow a crowd yet is really fairly quick and simple to pull off, this will be your new BFF. I hope you will not be like me and let intimidation get in the way, do yourself a favor and head to the kitchen this weekend to make this delicious treat.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-29081785414052749842014-10-13T12:55:00.000-07:002014-10-13T12:55:21.782-07:00Mindful Monday...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWcpDhYK_GtKnBIGFSnTpVbFnfUQRkuUQSWuV8_Arx7cNErQKtdaJdzCBaKnCZImjFYq1ePMBgOymnWxA0ly_BqtaH6VwFejS4iI390KVNwuOl_rdpM39toLLcet35GZahJmMoAvcIGSo/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLWcpDhYK_GtKnBIGFSnTpVbFnfUQRkuUQSWuV8_Arx7cNErQKtdaJdzCBaKnCZImjFYq1ePMBgOymnWxA0ly_BqtaH6VwFejS4iI390KVNwuOl_rdpM39toLLcet35GZahJmMoAvcIGSo/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size14" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size14" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size14" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"><b><i>Wild Geese</i></b></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size18" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 24px;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You do not have to be good.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You do not have to walk on your knees</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You only have to let the soft animal of your body</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">love what it loves.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Meanwhile the world goes on.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">are moving across the landscapes, </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">over the prairies and the deep trees,</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">the mountains and the rivers.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">are heading home again.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Whoever you are, no matter how lonely, </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">the world offers itself to your imagination,</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">over and over announcing your place </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">in the family of things.</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">from </span><span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><i>Dream Work</i></span><span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> by Mary Oliver </span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">published by Atlantic Monthly Press</span></div>
<div align="left">
<span class="size12" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">© Mary Oliver</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-38075143919858095322014-09-29T12:14:00.000-07:002014-09-29T12:14:46.366-07:00Fermenting...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQERJZKl813zmt2s2ILW3OzJdjVBNvXtWy6aDGGxzqVFw0aJu6sqB-CeIGWIAvEXdOzRdzgB5pZnUTY2WLs6Mu5xxgJLSrN6okyNoyTYxuWwOIP-POxd31OEtTVLNQ72YcmGCxFL4kYmm/s1600/IMG_5504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvQERJZKl813zmt2s2ILW3OzJdjVBNvXtWy6aDGGxzqVFw0aJu6sqB-CeIGWIAvEXdOzRdzgB5pZnUTY2WLs6Mu5xxgJLSrN6okyNoyTYxuWwOIP-POxd31OEtTVLNQ72YcmGCxFL4kYmm/s1600/IMG_5504.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqQ6OvqPhplJvnv7DeOMntM4N4Ed-ztVGt5saSmdhOXBeoT4yYPqLhzhyRZdLvUc_UwCrhcb72FwrKNuwwhmWmUda4gWERTqRSAOUj-gVeAP2WzyFXJoGqUZ8TliAvI4_J8KL9ylIWQVM/s1600/IMG_5388.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizqQ6OvqPhplJvnv7DeOMntM4N4Ed-ztVGt5saSmdhOXBeoT4yYPqLhzhyRZdLvUc_UwCrhcb72FwrKNuwwhmWmUda4gWERTqRSAOUj-gVeAP2WzyFXJoGqUZ8TliAvI4_J8KL9ylIWQVM/s1600/IMG_5388.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCpBJtA-mn4SmnF7Tz8k4SVx9gIXgcW3waXhNBWZoLTYBCdoant291qmha7dDhAJxzw4-nAGdgE0szJnhJQEFQXG2N2HfePdeijaHXFuj1rDgrG4HEcf7LQ0MunCi-SdErcSahUmsxgdj/s1600/IMG_6753.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCpBJtA-mn4SmnF7Tz8k4SVx9gIXgcW3waXhNBWZoLTYBCdoant291qmha7dDhAJxzw4-nAGdgE0szJnhJQEFQXG2N2HfePdeijaHXFuj1rDgrG4HEcf7LQ0MunCi-SdErcSahUmsxgdj/s1600/IMG_6753.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vnntH8ukGxu5SHQiXxyOa1FqmKxF-lT6Y1dxm_clRb5Px1S7cS8os7xnJpXcQ7TEr7F5LcO5KU8_PuZmddpza1sm16A0VhoorrqvNHfrVt48Zv0t9knWOsxuic4OifISRVPFr5bCC1DT/s1600/IMG_6749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6vnntH8ukGxu5SHQiXxyOa1FqmKxF-lT6Y1dxm_clRb5Px1S7cS8os7xnJpXcQ7TEr7F5LcO5KU8_PuZmddpza1sm16A0VhoorrqvNHfrVt48Zv0t9knWOsxuic4OifISRVPFr5bCC1DT/s1600/IMG_6749.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbsSrtxkrYK6RzTaI6qUSJ_OpQ3mWcFfGi9hQxysXfyd_n8A_3V_lW9uhX2LpEB8_HHPRGvKIFchxYYOusv1diR_MN8rj08iAeG-GIAD_aY69DUkMnzfNMVe9-F2iGwSCBGHhrJGQgAoj/s1600/IMG_6752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAbsSrtxkrYK6RzTaI6qUSJ_OpQ3mWcFfGi9hQxysXfyd_n8A_3V_lW9uhX2LpEB8_HHPRGvKIFchxYYOusv1diR_MN8rj08iAeG-GIAD_aY69DUkMnzfNMVe9-F2iGwSCBGHhrJGQgAoj/s1600/IMG_6752.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Are you on the fermenting bandwagon yet? I'm trying to hitch a ride myself, but still very much in the early learning stages. I figure that it can't hurt, and within safe reason I love anytime I can present and prepare food for friends and family that has been minimally handled/processed. So I am dipping my toe into the world of making my own fermented foods. So far my two attempts have been kombucha and lacto fermented salsa. <br />
<br />
A year or so ago I started buying those bottled kombucha drinks at the local natural food coop, and I was quickly hooked. Those babies are expensive though and so I began researching how to make my own. About that time I connected with a friend of a friend who had recently started experimenting with making her own kombucha and was willing to share some scoby and teach me the basics. So after an afternoon spent sampling her variations and gleaning as much as I could from her experience I took home a couple scobys and set out to ferment my own kombucha. I love <a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-kombucha-tea-at-home-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-173858">this tutorial</a> on brewing your own. Once the tea was ready, I am finding that 7-10 days is a good amount of time for fermentation in our home (though with cooler temps settling in that may begin to stretch longer), it's time to flavor your tea. Over the summer we used seasonal fruits, mostly berries, along with lemon and ginger to flavor our tea but now that fall is kicking in I'm thinking a pear/ginger combo sounds really great. Have you tried making kombucha? If so what are your favorite flavor add in's?<br />
<br />
My second foray into the world of fermenting has been lacto fermented salsa. We love salsa in this house and during the summer months when tomatoes are at their best we make and consume a lot of it. That and my obsession with buying produce by the box led me to my first attempt at fermented salsa. I had an abundance of tomatoes both from the garden and supplemental purchases and was looking for something new to try in the way of food preservation. I stumbled on this <a href="http://www.nourishingdays.com/2011/08/how-i-make-lacto-fermented-salsa/">blog post</a> about fermented salsa and made quick work of transforming the remains of my tomatoes into several quarts of the best salsa I've ever tasted. Not only is it super tasty, it is really fairly quick and easy to make. A few rough chops, some blitzing in the food processor and a few days on the counter and you are good to go. And no cooking folks! No standing over a hot stove water bath canning salsa in 100 degree temps. From what I've read you can hold fermented salsa in the fridge for fairly lengthy periods, likely longer than you will need because if you like salsa you will eat your way through your jars very fast. The inner hoarder in me wants to make enough to last us well into and hopefully through winter so I dug a bit deeper and found that you can freeze this salsa with decent results. I've got a tester quart in the freezer and another gallon plus working it's magic on my counter at this very moment. Once we crack open the frozen jar I will report back but I do have high hopes. I took a jar of this along on a weekend trip with friends and it got a raving thumbs up, even by my onion and pepper hating friend. I was even able to successfully use it as a bribe for a teen friend of ours, its really that good. I hope you try for yourself, I'd love to hear what you think.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-22448979785789875102014-09-19T10:58:00.001-07:002014-09-19T10:58:12.735-07:00Cake...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnsBOyN8_a-i6GPMtASIpgHHx-CuG6W4s2g3AyNOece_NTsrZZeAa34tTkHlxLkhdYLxHXFYSkZcJyWGVQ2HnUL-S5NFR3aHBmkSwY2N8EGMQXNYpv19OAsqESuHBRWeFLtwK3YwtVBz3/s1600/IMG_6659.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsnsBOyN8_a-i6GPMtASIpgHHx-CuG6W4s2g3AyNOece_NTsrZZeAa34tTkHlxLkhdYLxHXFYSkZcJyWGVQ2HnUL-S5NFR3aHBmkSwY2N8EGMQXNYpv19OAsqESuHBRWeFLtwK3YwtVBz3/s1600/IMG_6659.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftV5l5zKqLC19uzM4wTyOQ665cTUmNCm0LgfZZLcbPVjSSWzXbJ-CysOB1lbWecErq0PONcUduWVGQyyCtDFQTEbwFATHXy8EiHeVx6E6Cz3uhvVFaXowMvSlfNPXZs31T5gO2ePY8aLx/s1600/photo-72.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhftV5l5zKqLC19uzM4wTyOQ665cTUmNCm0LgfZZLcbPVjSSWzXbJ-CysOB1lbWecErq0PONcUduWVGQyyCtDFQTEbwFATHXy8EiHeVx6E6Cz3uhvVFaXowMvSlfNPXZs31T5gO2ePY8aLx/s1600/photo-72.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkAt0YH3HPaxTl9RoxsjHdM-G-bmrhmnBQdTyfx_4_tIxnbvLrThVeqtzXDV-uH5EPQt5W9CVQOSzkTjdEZt5nXRNeIz86Bx3DJBu25nJif67DEcdEshb-_6g83oSFd30zzv3QeYS-w8O/s1600/photo-71.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWkAt0YH3HPaxTl9RoxsjHdM-G-bmrhmnBQdTyfx_4_tIxnbvLrThVeqtzXDV-uH5EPQt5W9CVQOSzkTjdEZt5nXRNeIz86Bx3DJBu25nJif67DEcdEshb-_6g83oSFd30zzv3QeYS-w8O/s1600/photo-71.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
On the first day back to school this year I had a little celebratory coffee and brunch gathering with a few friends. I knew I would keep it fairly simple yet wanted to bake a couple sweets to share with the ladies. I also had the remains of a box of pears (ordered the week prior) that were calling to get used up, so in a search of the internet airwaves I found this recipe for a<a href="http://www.agirldefloured.com/2013/09/16/gluten-free-french-apple-cake/"> French Apple Cake</a> that I thought could work well with my quickly ripening pears. In fact the original recipe has one softening up crisp apples, so substituting nicely ripened soft pears seemed a perfect tweak. I also wanted to make the recipe dairy free so I used coconut oil and milk in the recipe, and oh was that a winning call. I had never made this cake before but am always excited to try out a new recipe on friends, though I could not have anticipated the absolute wonder of this cake. Nearly everyone at the table tried it, even those who typically stay away from sweets and such, and I can honestly say that nothing else I have ever made for anyone has ever gotten quite the response this cake did. There were seconds and thirds had, and many requests to share the recipe. That simple rustic little cake in the photos above has caused quite the stir. So naturally I made it again, I had to see if it was just beginners luck or some sort of fluke after all, for a dinner gathering with friends last weekend and I am happy to say that it wasn't a fluke at all. This cake is amazing! It has a slight custard quality to it and is loaded with layer after layer of fruit. I hope that you try it and enjoy it as much as we have been.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-90152950100540743442014-09-18T11:39:00.002-07:002014-09-18T11:39:57.493-07:00Summer In Review...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IJH334qocJPt0F3hdoVK0uWzC6nVYL1dpohV4Iv3RPug0BzRtpb0pxA4YLfqNoXRHWfGzZqqtR_k5vtHxlfDYQleABEEVEAdG5WlDpEQYSLqBN_hwoiw0dwf-_NtE6ALXdTYdWpOPFPr/s1600/IMG_6012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_IJH334qocJPt0F3hdoVK0uWzC6nVYL1dpohV4Iv3RPug0BzRtpb0pxA4YLfqNoXRHWfGzZqqtR_k5vtHxlfDYQleABEEVEAdG5WlDpEQYSLqBN_hwoiw0dwf-_NtE6ALXdTYdWpOPFPr/s1600/IMG_6012.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdte9quEbFxzxwd_Z_hgt6r17OBQu5Y8PKeENnMtUpSOHb6RoY9RjL1CId1wGeGJTom4l7JUsN_I8kOv5OIdtn_C1VrKqoJduvc71F_3gjzElOhiLQ61Nxg4kEi481ltvxnCzqxYXHSum/s1600/IMG_5703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWdte9quEbFxzxwd_Z_hgt6r17OBQu5Y8PKeENnMtUpSOHb6RoY9RjL1CId1wGeGJTom4l7JUsN_I8kOv5OIdtn_C1VrKqoJduvc71F_3gjzElOhiLQ61Nxg4kEi481ltvxnCzqxYXHSum/s1600/IMG_5703.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ocn6r_0LPoXfzxrXpOMTF8AWXxH2NWqaSGc7P_sLlNTPS-OJydSITLc7K50koy4AsZ-M21oD8X65JZKH19S17fXuehTnwI7xXLHed6fB9RjfSL0d0MHJZSWmXwzuGuyr3efjcXUSVoni/s1600/IMG_6699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4Ocn6r_0LPoXfzxrXpOMTF8AWXxH2NWqaSGc7P_sLlNTPS-OJydSITLc7K50koy4AsZ-M21oD8X65JZKH19S17fXuehTnwI7xXLHed6fB9RjfSL0d0MHJZSWmXwzuGuyr3efjcXUSVoni/s1600/IMG_6699.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJ0Og37v6__qgU27lKlk-cd74NDu2f30XpiVs8AxrQmuBqkzHoiHbh7vjb6uTGhtiXc2EZjxY5Qof-vhxPNTVO2f2lusfT6kjG8rp3y7ZVp3iOpdckHIOpNn4vYorqMJ-_d6nmso7u9-Q/s1600/IMG_6195.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJ0Og37v6__qgU27lKlk-cd74NDu2f30XpiVs8AxrQmuBqkzHoiHbh7vjb6uTGhtiXc2EZjxY5Qof-vhxPNTVO2f2lusfT6kjG8rp3y7ZVp3iOpdckHIOpNn4vYorqMJ-_d6nmso7u9-Q/s1600/IMG_6195.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeY4OLIPvqE7dK4Y0f-vIhIELRImSdVa9lyqND41P3bFE3egKnJGb0DVSk7QRUbGjWfhjhux2wqMELWecwd_8lmI7dzyFoPWvqxoC0WJKFBm7G01-fF0vUkddRVV9d7FBReRfwqXKM4tQ/s1600/IMG_6069.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmeY4OLIPvqE7dK4Y0f-vIhIELRImSdVa9lyqND41P3bFE3egKnJGb0DVSk7QRUbGjWfhjhux2wqMELWecwd_8lmI7dzyFoPWvqxoC0WJKFBm7G01-fF0vUkddRVV9d7FBReRfwqXKM4tQ/s1600/IMG_6069.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz47ad4LzjiFbF3hF8gyFPXGSKRlFcIs409PUUWmgADNs5y3qBwab5mNK2_bBPHkFXel2rIzlE7mdnbE_ZSu1qtYUD9WBudzodT1lJFL52Qp1OZEMjdQ0UeWumR8khzmdVKiMTbG9oByiV/s1600/IMG_6225.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz47ad4LzjiFbF3hF8gyFPXGSKRlFcIs409PUUWmgADNs5y3qBwab5mNK2_bBPHkFXel2rIzlE7mdnbE_ZSu1qtYUD9WBudzodT1lJFL52Qp1OZEMjdQ0UeWumR8khzmdVKiMTbG9oByiV/s1600/IMG_6225.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9JzburIgQkHHBEaEQkWZMEbtN-4aeFx2IukTX23ptx96LQie674rRN5oUulfJmJWXEu2_FLVq8Xqygtlw1RkHtJ9eyoEA4Gmzsy9usFQiX7s_dMG7Frtk8-40MoRjeP6LVN2DdKzsKSO/s1600/IMG_6575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9JzburIgQkHHBEaEQkWZMEbtN-4aeFx2IukTX23ptx96LQie674rRN5oUulfJmJWXEu2_FLVq8Xqygtlw1RkHtJ9eyoEA4Gmzsy9usFQiX7s_dMG7Frtk8-40MoRjeP6LVN2DdKzsKSO/s1600/IMG_6575.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Phew, where did the time go? The kids are back to school, I can feel that our mornings and evenings have cooled off considerably, the leaves are already starting to shift from vibrant green to lovely shades of orange, and soup is once again making a regular appearance on our dinner table. I guess I have to reluctantly admit to myself that summer is over, I mean even the calendar is trying to give me the hint with the solstice date looming. <br />
<br />
It really does not seem real to me that our summer is now just a mere memory. We had such a great time with friends and family, both near and far from home, adventuring and chilling out together on beaches, in canoes and kayaks, in swimming pools, hiking trails, riding bikes, seeing new parts of the country and revisiting some of our favorite local spots. We also had a good amount of time at home just hanging out, which gave me time to indulge a favorite summer pastime... canning and preserving summer's beautiful bounty. We've got enough jam, salsa and chutney to carry us through the year with just enough to share here and there. I also got busy with lots of freezing of peaches and berries for <a href="http://kitchendweller.blogspot.com/2014/05/lets-talk-about-smoothies.html">smoothies</a> and to top pancakes. Then there were the tomatoes... I made a lot of tomato sauce (I will share my new favorite method for preserving tomatoes soon) that is stocked up in our freezer for soups and sauces, as well as several quarts of slow roasted tomatoes. I get so excited looking at my freezer stocked with loads of treasure saved for the winter, but at the same time a bit anxious at the thought of a lengthy power outage. But let's not dwell on that. <br />
<br />
My go-to reference for all things canned is the Food In Jars <a href="http://foodinjars.com/">website</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Food-Jars-Preserving-Batches-Year-Round-ebook/dp/B007ZDDGS8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1411064395&sr=8-1&keywords=food+in+jars">cookbook</a>. I love Marisa's creative combinations and the smaller portions makes whipping up a batch or two at a time way more manageable for me. This year we stuck with the standards -- raspberry jam, rosemary/apricot jam, peach salsa and pear/walnut conserve (equally good on toast or over your favorite soft or blue cheese) but added a few new items to the the mix as well including blackberry/sage jam, ginger pear jam (so amazing mixed into morning oatmeal!), and peach chutney. I find those stacks of jars gleaming deep purple to vibrant raspberry red and even the pale creamy color of pear to be so simply beautiful on my shelf right now.<br />
<br />
Just as I morn the move away from our summer adventures and lazy days I do also welcome the return to routine that comes with those misty morning walks to school and evenings that find us all home scattered throughout the house. <br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-17832966721295940932014-09-15T10:07:00.000-07:002014-09-15T10:07:45.738-07:00Mindful Monday...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitaK6XZ8HznXthJYu5KHMVNEdSZ8APVtnSEKj_ZdzDYW7OJhMFmb6CTLliIvzwqEXwUvu6vuOmOIpfTIt_Cgh1K3BWRdtN9euIExqZF0tk0U3_yk4dYGHSU5AvjDvtLbCYI48a3a_tfwy/s1600/IMG_6228.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitaK6XZ8HznXthJYu5KHMVNEdSZ8APVtnSEKj_ZdzDYW7OJhMFmb6CTLliIvzwqEXwUvu6vuOmOIpfTIt_Cgh1K3BWRdtN9euIExqZF0tk0U3_yk4dYGHSU5AvjDvtLbCYI48a3a_tfwy/s1600/IMG_6228.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/67560847">Why I Ride</a><br />
I've been out on my bike much more lately and loving the time sailing through the curves and straights of local streets and trails while feeling the incredible Northwest sunshine beaming down on me. So today I wanted to share this poem accompanied with a short video promoting bike riding, follow the link above and enjoy...<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566244110172460267.post-64035014860023436152014-07-24T08:21:00.000-07:002014-07-24T08:21:02.007-07:00Summer Salad Roundup...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-FlWjmM9uIqJptb9mseSjJHoF-TiZUVF4r2Hgb9bpRfCzqTcgFlsRTB1UkoB15MZktTx1lCXS4ZXF2xvdWVUcxE_uI0jh1B09JbGSecEfI1jLs0ZsCWfQQaVMfYM3dtHg0mHd4A6ahfs/s1600/IMG_3897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF-FlWjmM9uIqJptb9mseSjJHoF-TiZUVF4r2Hgb9bpRfCzqTcgFlsRTB1UkoB15MZktTx1lCXS4ZXF2xvdWVUcxE_uI0jh1B09JbGSecEfI1jLs0ZsCWfQQaVMfYM3dtHg0mHd4A6ahfs/s1600/IMG_3897.JPG" height="640" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgph2NXMG7NizoKsNXdNwInNQUrGiXUqIyhyphenhyphenvWqe8x57FHMwyERtHE9b4iZ7Qux0X-oMaWFT72kKuRWjsoTzP3KlE5w2NdyGdhqGYKZwHLd__EzGTBHtzuNJAdP_Xfhxf019fUsXMhwBRWD/s1600/IMG_4466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgph2NXMG7NizoKsNXdNwInNQUrGiXUqIyhyphenhyphenvWqe8x57FHMwyERtHE9b4iZ7Qux0X-oMaWFT72kKuRWjsoTzP3KlE5w2NdyGdhqGYKZwHLd__EzGTBHtzuNJAdP_Xfhxf019fUsXMhwBRWD/s1600/IMG_4466.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1QRPTZ328rxWX6MDzAm1GxzdQuu19JvCIqyjmaV4NAzGYx8rkjqWj6aahBQ2J16iU5T6EflIhVcFtlVzhH3tbfJ2STHDfm2SaJZgkM798cptU_5F87C9l-v6_t2QMKv_EjwTDu1bvArf/s1600/IMG_4810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM1QRPTZ328rxWX6MDzAm1GxzdQuu19JvCIqyjmaV4NAzGYx8rkjqWj6aahBQ2J16iU5T6EflIhVcFtlVzhH3tbfJ2STHDfm2SaJZgkM798cptU_5F87C9l-v6_t2QMKv_EjwTDu1bvArf/s1600/IMG_4810.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAyxIDqE6L4UBYyTRFmRB-0Yh02hE4IXsSb5F1VISrJEFjm5mreG5CLNG0KIld8gEmTf4OKHl1_DdiaaPChRiZMnF_xP1DeAkU3M3jYtkpKNIuNn_NoGAbHggJUKPSFDCf14dv5x87KTum/s1600/IMG_5372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAyxIDqE6L4UBYyTRFmRB-0Yh02hE4IXsSb5F1VISrJEFjm5mreG5CLNG0KIld8gEmTf4OKHl1_DdiaaPChRiZMnF_xP1DeAkU3M3jYtkpKNIuNn_NoGAbHggJUKPSFDCf14dv5x87KTum/s1600/IMG_5372.jpg" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Who wants to spend time at the stove when it's hot outside and there are so many fun things to get busy with? Come summer, I happily take a bit of a step back from the typical dinner fare we know and love throughout the rest of the year and cook more "picnic" style around here. Healthy and filling salads become a go-to for me, as I'd much rather eek out more time at the beach with the girls, go on a picnic to any of the array of summer movies and outdoor concerts in the area, have fun out on our bikes, or let myself get totally engrossed in a great book. I especially love it when a salad is hearty enough to stand up over night in the refridgerator - we are not afraid of leftovers around here. Here's a sneak peak at my summer salad line up; variations on a Cobb Salad, must try this <a href="http://feedly.com/#subscription%2Ffeed%2Fhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.loveandlemons.com%2Ffeed%2F">Mango and Red Pepper Salad</a>, this <a href="http://www.fullcircle.com/goodfoodlife/2012/04/11/video-gingered-apple-and-baby-bok-choy-slaw-recipe/">Bok Choy Slaw</a>, any sort of cold Rice Noodle Salad with a ginger dressing and slivered veggies, this <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/shaved-fennel-salad-recipe.html">Fennel Salad</a> is calling me to try out, as is this simple <a href="http://www.inpraiseofleftovers.com/blog/2014/7/3/orondo-ruby-bliss.html">Green Salad With Cherries</a>, this <a href="http://kitchendweller.blogspot.com/2014/04/lunch-made-bit-easier.html">Quinoa Salad</a> is a favorite, a simple green salad loaded with nuts, beans or chicken, and all those little bits of veg needing to get used up, salsa (can we call salsa a salad?), and this <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/coconut-corn-salad-recipe.html">Corn Salad</a> looks like it would be a perfect picnic salad along side some sliced meats and cheese. Last night we feasted on a cold rotisserie chicken, spinach topped with this <a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/pcc-perfect-protein-salad-366226">Garbanzo Salad</a>, and some left over chips and salsa (my oldest is our in-house salsa maker and we happily reap the benefits of such). <br />
<br />
Yesterday my youngest came up with a new creation for lunch that I am sure will make a repeat visit as she happily exclaimed she'd take it to school for lunch any time. She sautéed up a sliced zucchini in olive oil then added some chopped up roasted red pepper, a few cherry tomatoes from the garden and bits of leftover chicken, then she topped it with a few shavings of parmesan cheese. Even my mostly vegetarian daughter enjoyed it. We ate it warm as is, but I think it could be great cold with your favorite pasta as a salad or atop some fresh summer greens. What I really loved about it was that she took a recipe of interest and shifted it to suit what we had on hand and our own personal tastes. As a parent, one of my personal goals has always been to build a sense of competency in my girls around preparing good food for themselves. I want them to have the ability to walk into the kitchen, scope the scene and make something tasty and relatively healthful for themselves. I think we are on our way as the oldest has become my go-to condiment maker (salsa, pesto, guacamole etc...) and has really started developing an interest in baking and now the younger one is building confidence and skills too, she did not shy away from the huge knife I handed her to chop veggies and meat with yesterday. Though I can't lie, I'd be tickled pink if they found the joy and sense of creative outlet in the kitchen that I do, mostly I want them to be able to feed themselves and those around them well without a box of this or that or a phone to call for delivery.<br />
<br />
Well, back to those summer salads, do you change up your typical dinner routines this time of year too? If so what are your favorite summer salads? I'd love to hear what you all are living off this summer, I am sure there are so many possibilities that I haven't even thought of yet.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1