FALL IS COMING BUT STILL A FEW MORE MEALS AVAILABLE JUST OUTSIDE THE BACK DOOR.

fresh green beans with herbed cheese sauce, composed salad from garden cuttings

            The first day of October, and while the garden is waning, it is not defunct. After trimming back over-grown zinnias, cutting oregano and drying it, picking yet more tomatoes, and moving pots away from the end of the garden where the septic construction is going on, and then taking a nap (still fighting the bronchitis), it was time to make Roy dinner.

       So since he was going to have leftover pasta and sauce (yes the sauce was homemade a couple days ago, but leftover no less), I decided to make sure the rest of the meal was fresh. It is so satisfying to be able to go out the back door, and within a couple minutes have two beautiful fresh side dishes to serve your family.

       I cut a handful or two of baby arugula, some basil leaves, and fresh parsley--also a couple handfuls of cherry tomatoes (which are still going crazy), and a big handful of green beans.  After blanching the green beans, I put a dollop of dip/sauce made from cream cheese, goat cheese, mayo, sour cream, dill, onion, garlic and cucumber on top of the hot beans and stirred it into them.  Washed up the greens and tore them into small pieces, and topped with grated carrot, tomato halves, some raspberry vinaigrette and a bit of cottage cheese with a sprinkle of lavender pepper. Roy approved of all whole-heartedly and that is my best and most critical reviewer. 

       Even though the fall is coming on and the garden is waning, there will be a couple more weeks where harvesting fresh items and turning them into wholesome, organic, GMO free side dishes still comes just a few steps out my back door and without having to spend a dime at the grocery store.  Makes me smile.

Sourdough…Bubbles and Boisterous Flavor

          I am on a quest to make a sourdough starter (or two or three) that works, that is easily fed and maintained, and that makes fabulous chewy crunchy-crusted bread that I can once more enjoy. This jar full of bubbly strange-looking goo, is my new starter. I began it 62 hours ago, and it is now going into the refrigerator until I can use it to make bread. I’d do that tonight, but bronchitis and laryngitis from the coughing has taken over and there is no way I am doing much of anything other than barking like a seal, trying to breathe, drinking hot tea to soothe my throat, and taking antibiotics and cough syrup.  My friend Kelly suggested warm bourbon, lemon juice and honey…I believe I may be taking her up on that advice.

          The reason I began this quest? I have problems digesting wheat. It took years to diagnose the problems I was having as this particular problem. But once diagnosed, then came the hard part---finding wonderful foods, especially bread and pasta, that were gluten/wheat free. Most gluten free breads are so dry they suck the saliva out of your mouth and are so tasteless you might as well eat sawdust.  While I found a pretty good gluten free bread recipe, it has tons of ingredients, and while it makes delicious toast, it’s heavy and breaks up when you try to make a sandwich. So the quest continues.

          Recently hubby Roy read an article about an artisanal bread maker in Santa Monica CA, Jack Bezian, who contends it is NOT gluten that’s the problem, but fast acting yeast. When fast acting yeast was made available to the public commercially 50 years ago, that began the rise of gluten intolerance.  At least that’s Jack’s contention.  And from all of the people who buy his bread and eat it on a regular basis (even people with celiac disease) with no problems, I felt it was certainly worth a try, because I so miss the taste of fabulous, chewy, crunchy bread the most.

          I found out that Jack has been baking traditional sourdough bread since 1966.  NOT the stuff you get from the grocery store, but made from a LIVING sourdough starter. Sourdough starter is the traditional way of making bread. It’s how everyone used to make bread prior to the commercialization of yeast.   Most modern bread is made with baker’s yeast. There are many advantages to eating naturally fermented bread instead of modern bread made with yeast. While it may But it’s not only the starter, but a slow rising and lots of kneading that helps break down the gluten in the bread, and thus make it more easily digestible.

          So I did a little searching on the internet and came across an article for a sourdough starter and came across the 1847 Oregon Trail Sourdough starter.  This starter and the sale of the dried starter began by a man named Carl Griffith.  If you go to http://carlsfriends.net/source.html you can read about the beginnings of this starter, why it is FREE (yup you got it right), who Carl Griffith was, and print out recipes and support documents. You see the Oregon Trail Starter foundation is staffed by volunteers and to receive the starter you send a self addressed stamped envelope with your address and receive your starter with instructions.  I did this two weeks ago, and my starter is now working and waiting in the frig for me to make my first loaf of bread.

          If you cannot find the web site, please email me and I’ll get the information to you. As soon as I make the bread, I will send photos and report on the results. I LOVE sourdough bread, and it’s anywhere close to the deliciousness of San Francisco sourdough, if it bakes with a crispy crunchy crust, and if it doesn't annihilate my stomach I will be the happiest camper on the earth and be making lots of sourdough starters. And YOU will be the recipient of this information and recipes!  Keep your fingers crossed and keep watching for updates.

Joe Bonamassa and Roy's Birthday With Great Friends

         Last night PBS Channel 8 aired the New York concert by Joe Bonamassa. I had invited a few friends over to watch, and as a little celebration for Roy's birthday the next day. Big guy turned 73...wow, that's amazing. Oh well, better older than not, eh???
        So in preparation for some great music, laughter, and fun with friends, I wanted to prepare things that were easy to eat and scrumptious. I think I came up with a great selection!
        First, I  Stuffed Mushrooms with a combination of goat cheese, Herbs de Provence, chives, and the finely chopped stems from the mushrooms. Delicious! 
         Next, I took the small red, yellow and orange sweet peppers and stuffed them with stuffing for Stuffed Bell Peppers. Little and in their own shell, they were great with a little marinara sauce on top. Made extra and will put extra sauce and the little delights over fettuccini for dinner tomorrow night! 
        So then I wanted something delicious, and international.  Ah ha....Bolani and Samosas came to mind!  For the samosas I used wonton skins, large ones cut in half to form little strips. I made different fillings:  mushroom, green onion, garlic, onion; sambal beef--ground beef with Panch Phoran, onion, garlic, sambal powder, grated carrot; and chicken samosas with small diced cooked chicken breast, avocado, salsa, and extra chili flakes for a bite. 
       Bolani is a new one for me and it was fabulous. An Afghanistan dish, but somewhat like Roti or other stuffed breads served around the world, it is comfort food on steroids!  I love stuffed breads, even though I'm gluten intolerant I sometimes eat it and suffer....it's good enough to suffer for and these two versions are nothing short of phenomenal!!  And served with a little yogurt with crushed mint and grated cucumber in it takes it to an entirely new deliciousness.

Panch Phoran

1 T. Cumin Seeds

1T. fennel seeds

1 T. Nigella Seeds (find on the internet)

1 T. Fenugreek Seeds (also internet is the easiest place to find)

1 T. black or brown mustard seeds

Mix together and store in air tight container.

 

Potato and Scallion Bolani

Ingredients:

Dough:

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup water room temperature

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. olive oil

Stuffing:

1 lb. russet potatoes (about 2 medium-size potatoes)

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

1/2 cup finely chopped Scallions white and green parts

¼ cup plus 2 tbsp. olive oil

1 ½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

Instructions: Mix the flour & salt in a bowl.  Add the water & teaspoon of oil & mix the dough together, kneading it a little until it forms a ball.  If the dough is too dry, add little more water. Once the dough is formed, knead it for 10 minutes on a lightly floured cutting board.  Put the dough back in the bowl, cover with a cloth & let it rest for one hour.

In the meantime, boil the potatoes until soft in the center when pierced with a small knife.  Remove from the water & when cool, slip the skins off the potatoes.  Put the potatoes, cilantro, scallions, 2 tbsp. of the olive oil, salt & pepper in a bowl & mash together with your hands or a potato masher until thoroughly combined.  Some lumps are ok.

(Okay, here’s where I upped the ante on this recipe---put some oil and Panch Phoran (Benagali Five Spice) into a skillet. Heat until the seeds begin to pop, then add the potatoes and other ingredients. When mixed well, add turmeric to taste and color…it’s a wonderful warm succulent spice that adds so much to the potatoes. Recipe for Panch Phoran is in the index here.)

Take a small amount of dough the size of a small apple & roll into a smooth ball.  Spread some flour on the wood board & roll out the dough using a rolling pin.  Continue to flatten the dough until it takes a round shape, as thin as a tortilla, & about 10-12 inches across. Spread ¼ cup of potato mixture on one side of the dough, leaving a 1/4 inch border around the rim.  Fold the other half over & press the dough together with your finger to form a seal.

Heat the remaining ¼ cup of oil in a medium-size sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Brown the Bolani, two at a time, until golden on both sides.  The Bolani should sizzle when they hit the pan.   Lay cooked Bolani on a paper towel. Add more oil to your pan if your oil starts to reduce. Can be kept warm in the oven, covered with foil.

To keep down the fat content, instead of frying, brush with a small amount of oil and bake in 400 degree over for 10-15 minutes, watching for perfect brown crunchy crust. Cut into pie-shaped pieces and service with chutneys for dipping.

Or try this delicious variation…any yellow winter squash can be used, not just pumpkin.

Pumpkin Bolani

For the pumpkin filling
1/2 of a 15oz can of pumpkin purée
1/2 tsp salt
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
2 Tbsp finely diced onion
1/4 tsp (I used 1/2 tsp) minced Jalapeño or Serrano Chili pepper
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp ground coriander

¼ t. grated nutmeg
Fresh ground black pepper

1. Make the dough the same as in the first recipe. Complete and let rest.

2. In the meantime, prepare your ingredients for the pumpkin filling. Mix together all of the ingredients either in a bowl, or in a food processor to ensure that they are fully blended.

3. Once the dough has rested for an hour, prepare per instructions for Potato Scallion Bolani. Flour a large, wooden cutting board and roll out the dough into a flat disc with a rolling pin. It should be about 10 inches in diameter and as thin as you can make it. Spread 2-3 Tbsp of the pumpkin mixture on one half of the dough circle, leaving a small border around the edge and the other half empty. Fold over the dough and press it together to form a seal. Repeat for the remaining 3 balls.

4. Heat about ¼ cup of oil in a 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Make sure that the pan is just hot enough so that the bolani will sizzle when it hits the pan. Brown the bolani about 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. They can either be served immediately, or for a party, you can slice them into appetizer slices and serve them a little warmer than room temperature.

PEACEFUL TRANQUIL GARDEN SUNDAY

            It’s a beautiful day. No new gopher kickouts in the rose garden or surrounding areas. Maybe there was just one. Doubtful, but hey, maybe the God of Rodents has decided I’ve been plagued enough and just let there be one rogue gopher to deal with this time.

Second, it’s a beautiful day. The garden is quiet this morning, except for the song of hundreds of birds.  There are 3 giant Monarch butterflies sharing the zinnias with two adorable humming birds. The Mama and Baby quail were there too…the babies now big enough to fly over the fence and into the rocks when they feel threatened. And a myriad of big and baby lizards run and hop through the rocks and gardens at will, while Guayo is nowhere in site to chase them.

The pumpkins are ripening (although a few have squirrel chompings on them), there are many eggplants that just need another week to be of ample size to harvest (again, IF the squirrels don’t annihilate them first), I harvested another handful of Sweet 100 Cherry Tomatoes  (a daily occurrence now), and harvested half of the red onion crop and they are beautiful. Only two yellow onions…they just aren’t doing as well I’m afraid. And the garlic…none existent this year. I also harvested a basket full of basil and made almond basil pesto and put it in the freezer…14 cups of it.  I’m so happy….I love pesto, and when we used the last bag from last year out of the freezer in April, and a few of the plants weren’t looking so good now, I thought I would not be able to get enough put away for the winter. But the 4 plants that are doing great, and more than completing my 30 bag goal.

The sorrel still needs to be harvested along with the parsley, and then I will put more Sorrel Pesto in the freezer…a wonderful alternative from basil pesto that tastes fabulous on fish due to the citrusy flavor of the sorrel.

So while I watered, harvested, listened to the birds, watched the birds, hummers, and butterflies in my lovely garden, I felt a peace and contentment that is always short-lived in my life. But it was definitely there for at least 30 minutes today.

RODENT REVENGE AND GRILLING DELICIOUSNESS

 I did it!!!  After a summer of being plagued with squirrels eating the garden, the gophers decided to start on the front yard…my rose garden.  Rodent demolition!  So after 2 weeks of trying to flood them out, running water down the holes for hours with nary a little rodent nose poking up, and only managing to raise the water bill and burn my neck in the sun and get a headache from the heat (in case I haven’t informed you, it’s been HOT AND HUMID), I went to the True Value Hardware store and purchased 2 gopher traps and 5 Big Giant gopher hole bombs. I was determined.

Upon arriving home with the weapons of mass destruction, I read the directions. First and foremost, you must find the runs. Oh yeah, that’s easy…NOT!  So I dug and probed, and probed and dug….then got the hose. I filled the bermmed rose garden area with water until WHOOSH, the holes where the gopher had back filled previously used holes, opened up and water ran in. Stupendous….now I could see where they were and which way the tunnels ran.

Then I went to the wells around the nectarine tree and did the same. Three opened up. Then last I went to the climber on the arbor. As I stood there filling up the well, one hole opened up and began taking water. An instant later, Mr. Gopher stuck himself out of a hole on the other side of the well, soaking wet  and looking miserable. He slowly trundled out of the hole, while I yelled for Roy to get  the shovel. Being Roy and only having one speed, too slow, I dropped the hose, grabbed the shovel and chased the vile critter to where he stopped under the plum tree. As I got close, he turned around and looked at me with his beady eyes and big bucky teeth and…..whack. Right on the head!  Second whack, and he was a goner. Just like playing Whack a Mole….and I won!!!!

I know, it sounds vicious and cruel, but he had already eaten dead two roses, numerous snap dragons and mums, and perforated my side yard like Swiss cheese, and was working on my 2 year old healthy beautiful nectarine tree.  I love nectarines and home to have bumper crops in the future. He had to go, and this was pretty quick and humane, which I understand that sometimes the traps are not. 

So, strike 1 against the rodents. Now if I could just sharpen my aim and get those damn squirrels I would feel completely vindicated!!!

The rest of the day was spent with Roy and Carly, talking, resting, relaxing, and grilling. The grilling was delicious!  Rib Eye Steaks with Montreal Seasoning, Yellow Crookneck Squash and Zucchini sliced into large slices and marinated in Sun-dried Tomato Vinaigrette and grilled, Fresh Pineapple Slices sprinkled with cinnamon and grilled, and the best were the Shrimp Drizzled with Persian Lime Olive Oil and grilled in their shells. They were fabulous!!!  No formal recipes here, just delicious easy grilling fare spiced to perfection and eaten mostly with the sounds of “ooooh” and “yummmm”, and “ahhhhh”.  Remember, use those spices, marinades and especially deliciously flavored olive oils for all your grilling this summer and keep things simple and delicious.  The Persian Lime Olive Oil, along with others (the 18 Year Old is fabulous) and all kinds of delicious balsamic vinegars, can be ordered on line from Olive U in Prescott at http://oliveunaturally.com/

The Joy of Modern Convenience?

Do you ever ponder the why of modern conveniences?  Last night I noticed that my oven was disgustingly dirty, as in huge drips and run overs from lots of cooking caked on the bottom plate. So, after working hard all day on the yards, planting a couple of new flowers and vege items (cucumbers & parsley) cleaning the floors and picking up the house, dusting, cooking, painting the beautiful wooden plant tutors Roy made (future post will have photos), etc. I decided I would do the self-clean option on the oven and let it run in the cooler temps of the night. Then in the morning I could get up, wipe out the ashes, and bake a batch of Banana Chocolate Cupcakes before going to work so they would be ready to frost when I got home.

          So I went into the kitchen, hit the “clean” button, set it for start, turned on the exhaust fan to help with fumes, and went into the bedroom and crawled in. Roy was reading so I told him not to get alarmed if he smelled something cooking/burning, that I was cleaning the oven. I joked that if it was too dirty the smoke alarms might go off, and settled my tired aching body back on my pillows.

          Okay, so suddenly my joke became reality. The smoke alarm in the living room went off putting everyone into action mode, Guayo included.  Turned on the lights and the entire house was filled with smoke. What a mess!  Once I canceled the clean option from the stove and got it to stop, we had to open all the doors and windows, turn on fans, exhaust fan in the front bathroom, and Roy had to disable the smoke alarm (he doesn’t need a ladder/step stool to reach it…I do!). What started out as a good thing, a modern convenience for the tedium of stinky oven cleaner, tons of scrubbing, and the ruination of finger nails and hand skin, has become a complete pain. I was going to say disaster, but after having 2 kitchen fires in two different homes, I realized that was too strong a word for just a little smoke.  But so much for the “clean it while you sleep” thought.

          So this morning at 5:00 a.m. I woke up and decided to get busy before going to work. I got up and dismantled the stove. Unscrewed the bottom plate and put it and the racks into the bathtub with laundry detergent (grease cutting) and Borax and lots of HOT water. Then went out and scrubbed the bottom of the oven underneath the main bottom plate which was soaking, scrubbed the inside of the door, and scrubbed the top and all the burner racks and flame disbursement plates.  Now realize all of this was done at 5:00 a.m. as I have to work today!  Therefore, the soaking racks and bottom plate of the oven are Roy’s chore for this morning. 

          After all the oven/stove scrubbing, I got ready for work and we had to be at Bountiful Baskets pickup at 7:00 a.m.  So we picked up (yum….pineapple, bananas, plums, apricots, mushrooms, romaine, potatoes, spaghetti squash and lots of other items, plus my bonus box of blueberries!), then went to Starbucks as still too early to go to work.  Drank our drinks, talked about a book Roy and I are reading, Shantaram (thanks nephew Gregory for recommending it to us…it’s great!), and about items for the day and what’s up for the rest of the weekend, and then he took me to work.  He will return home, dispatch the veges/fruits, finish scrubbing the stove parts and reassemble all, and I will go home to an oven ready for baking those yummy Banana Chocolate Cupcakes.  They are SO moist and yummy and with Chocolate Ganache frosting a hit with everyone whom I’ve ever shared them. Check out the recipe below.

So at 11:30 I will leave work and go home and bake the cupcakes and let them cool. I have the potato salad made, pre-baked the bbq chicken and ribs so they’re ready to throw on the grill, made the Dilly Bread Rolls, so with dessert made, I’m ready to go. Oh except for cleaning the grill. Thank goodness it is not a modern self-cleaning device….just some scrubbing and it will be ready to go! 

Banana Chocolate Cupcakes

CUPCAKES:

1 c. sugar

1 c. flour

1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch processed makes them richer but regular works too)

¾ t. baking powder

¼ t. salt

1 large egg

½ c. mashed ripe bananas (about 1 medium sized banana)

½ c. warm water

¼ c. milk

¼ c. canola, coconut oil (melted), or rice bran oil

¾ t. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in the center of the oven. Line 12 regular-sized muffin cups with paper liners or spray each cup with a non stick vegetable spray.

In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another large bowl, whisk together the egg, mashed banana, water, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir, or whisk, until combined. (The batter is quite thin.)

Pour or scoop the batter into the muffin cups, about 3/4 full, and bake for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cupcake comes out clean. 

Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack. Remove ganache from refrigerator at this time. Once cupcakes are completely cooled, dip tops into ganache letting excess drip back into pan. Sit on rack set inside of a cookie sheet to catch the drips. Put all in refrigerator to set up.

GANACHE FOR FROSTING

13 oz heavy cream

12 oz bittersweet chocolate (I use a bag of chocolate chips)

DIRECTIONS: 

Bring the cream to a light boil in a heavy saucepan taking care not to scorch it. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the chocolate chips. Continue to stir until all are melted and you have a smooth consistency. Set aside until cool…do not try to taste and it cannot be touched until it sets.  Once set, but into the refrigerator until you’re ready to use.

Herbs, Spices and Other Tasty Items

             I am having my doubts about my garden this year due to the invasion of squirrels who have voracious appetites. My beets are completely gone, the green beans are decimated, the sorrel was nibbled away to stems, and I’m just waiting to see what they will attack next. Last year they ate every bell pepper plant I put in the ground, but they are much worse this year. I’ve tried cayenne, fake owls (oh yeah, that worked…they ate the plants right under the owl’s tail feathers!!),  pungent garlic/onion/cayenne spray, etc., nothing seems to work. I have, however, just borrowed a pellet rifle fro a friend and hope to rid myself of the vermin this weekend.  Squirrel stew anyone??  J

            The upside is that they don’t seem to be interested in my herbs thank goodness.  I have thyme, oregano, lemon balm, rosemary, dill, fennel, basil, onions and garlic all growing like weeds and no one/thing seems to be interested in eating them.  This is a good thing.  I will harvest bunches on Friday night and sell them at the corner on Saturday morning, plus will be putting bunches on the dehydrators this weekend.  I keep myself well supplied with fresh herbs during the summer and dried herbs all winter long, plus share with friends and family. Son Erik and wife Debbie moved to New Mexico last year, and when we went to visit, I took them every dried herb I had in the cupboard to stock up their new home and Erik, the cook guy, was so pleased. So when I get a new batch done, will be sending some along.

            Herbs are so fabulous for adding zip and zing to dishes and they help boost flavor when you are watching the sodium/salt content in your food making dishes less bland and more palatable.  I love fresh sorrel, basil, thyme, and fennel in salads. I also enjoy going out and picking fresh herbs and bringing them in to use I recipes…fresh oregano and tomatoes put into piping hot cooked pasta and drizzled with a little olive oil, fresh cracked pepper, and parmesan is a fabulous quick, filling, easy, and budget friendly recipe and everyone loves it.

            One of the favorite recipes using herbs in our house is Dilly Bread.  It uses dill seed and cottage cheese for a unique and very pleasing taste.  It’s easy to make, I’ve never had it fail, slices nicely for sandwiches, and can be served in chunks with a stick of soft butter to go with bread and salads to round them out and make a great meal. I have not perfected a gluten free recipe yet, but am working on it and will post as soon as I get it up to standard.

            So enjoy those fresh herbs of summer, and bake up some of this fresh and tasty bread to enjoy with salads and soups of the season….really good with the Chilled Cucumber Avocado Soup recipe posted a couple days ago!

DILLY BREAD

¼ c. warm water                               1 dry yeast package                        1 T. sugar

1 c. cottage cheese                          2 T chopped onion                          2 T. melted butter

1 egg                                                1 t. salt                                            2 ¼ c. flour

¼ c. wheat germ                               1 T  dill seed

1 egg   1 T. water

 Pour water into blender stirring in yeast and sugar. Let stand 5 minutes. Blend 10 seconds. Add cottage cheese, onion, butter, egg & salt. Mix 10 seconds.  Combine flour, wheat germ & dill in large bowl. Pour in liquid from blender. Stir with wooden spoon until pulls from sides. Grease large bowl. Place dough on floured board and knead then put into greased bowl. Let rise until double. Grease 2 loaf pans…punch down dough and divide in half. Shape and place in pans. Let double.  Preheat oven to 350…mix egg and water and brush on loaves. Bake until brown about 35-40 minutes.

Things Are Not Always What They Look Like

    

A small indiscriminate bush in front of our porch, right?  No big deal, nothing amazing or fantastic about it. They’re everywhere. But don’t let your eyes fool you. There IS something fantastic there.  A miracle.  Actually several very small, tiny, miracles and it’s right here in our front yard. 

            There is a nest in there, lovingly and faithfully protected and cared for by a beautiful mother Tohe. Two weeks ago I found it with 4 eggs in it, and today, there are now quadruplet baby tohe birdies lying in their warm home, eyes still closed and only a bit of fuzz on their little naked bodies.  A miracle.

           

It always amazes me, the miracle of birth. Not just of birdies, but of all creatures, especially humans. How does that happen? How do 2 cells join, multiply, divide, change, and become skin, bones, hair, lungs, kidneys, hearts, brains….how do they know what to become?  I am not shocked when a child is born with some affliction. I wonder why it doesn’t happen all of the time. How do we that are blessed with perfectly formed and beautifully normal children ever get that? It is truly the miracle of birth, and should be viewed as such with each and every baby that comes to this planet.

Summer is Just Around The Corner and The Temps Are Rising

June 8, 2012

Summer is here, the temps are rising, and in Arizona it’s hot hot hot and dry dry  dry!!  The last thing you want to think about is heating up the kitchen cooking dinner.  Plus, with the sun and warm weather, weekends take on lots of activities and by the time everyone settles in at home to eat, appetites may not be as big as during the cold winter days.

My solution---a delicious bowl of cold soup with some fabulous chewy artisanal bread slices slathered with butter.  The cold soups that come to mind are Vichyssoise or Gazpacho, both delicious, but I think a bit over done.  So when I came across this recipe it sounded light, fresh, and easy…a home run in my summertime home!

Chilled Cucumber Avocado Soup takes no cooking. It is a delicious “raw food” soup that is easy, refreshing and quite delicious.  The cool tang of the cucumbers and lime juice is made rich and given a certain bulk by adding the avocado, making it satisfying yet light.  Spice it up with some Tajin spice (found in Hispanic markets, or substitute a bit of cayenne) and a bit of cilantro…DELICIOUS!!

CHILLED CUCUMBER AVOCADO SOUP

4 Servings

3 large to medium cucumbers roughly chopped

(I prefer English or “hot house” cucumbers, but if you get regular cucumbers from your supermarket be sure to peel them to rid them of the bitterness from the waxed outside)

2 large avocados, peeled and cut into chunks

¼ c. fresh squeezed lime juice (about 3 large limes)

1 c. water

1-2 teaspoons salt (use one then after blending taste and add more as needed)

1 teaspoon black pepper

¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro

½ teaspoon Tajin or cayenne…or to taste

Place all ingredients in the blender and process until smooth.  Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and cayenne to your taste. 

Transfer to a large bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. 

Ladle into chilled bowls for individual servings and garnish with fresh chopped tomatoes and cilantro.

Spring Is Here!!!

Gurney's catalog completes the spring theme!!



Even the Kindle is in bloom!

Spring is here!  Even though we had 14” of now 1 ½ weeks ago, and it WILL probably freeze/snow at least once more before it’s over, today I felt spring for the first time. And because of it, when I got home from work, I planted 4 rows of Chioggia beets, 2 rows of Detroit Red beets,  2 rows of yellow onions (in between the rows of beets to protect them from bugs), along with more garlic in the garlic bed from last year, and a small batch of spinach in the bed where the Rainbow Chard, Swiss Chard, and Collard Greens have returned without further planting.  Right now the 35 gallons of rain water left in our 55 gallon drum from the snow storm is watering in the new garlic plants as we are trying to drain it so we can make the stand higher so it will run better into our elevated/raised garden beds.

Not only did I feel it, I saw it.  Sunday Darla and Jeff stopped by to see our Lil Guy Teardrop trailer we purchased for the Retirement Road  Trip. While here we took a little garden look-see as not nearly in its glory yet, but the garlic and red onions I planted 2 weeks ago are up; mums have come back; Chinese Greens, thyme, rosemary, lemon balm, tarragon, and oregano, spearmint, and French sorrel made it through the winter; and while pulling weeds out of the little triangular bed at the end of the garden---ASPARAGUS! There they were, hiding among the weed growth, poking their heads through the ground growing long and tall on their slender little stems. Having planted them last year, not seen any evidence they were growing, and having dug out at least 80% of them to plant peppers and cilantro, I was overjoyed to see them. I will be VERY careful and put more roots in the bed, but Darla says they will divide and multiply, so to be patient.

So tonight I took our 7 spears along with a handful received in our Bountiful Basket 2 weeks ago (and still fresh!) and lightly bathed them in roasted garlic & cilantro olive oil, some lemon pepper, and a scant grinding of pink Hawaiian salt.  There is nothing more fabulous, more spring time, than Roasted Asparagus!  Put together with some sea salt & roasted garlic mahi mahi (fresh frozen from Costo with a tiny bit of Tony Charcheur’s Louisianna season sprinkled on it), fresh cherry tomatoes halved and sprinkled with dill and feta, and Rice Pilaf--saute celery, onion, fresh green beans diced into small pieces, and pumpkin seeds until celery and onion are limp. Add cooked rice, some salt & pepper and lemon juice adn stir well to incorporate. I sometimes put in some Lemon Pepper also...great addition. This turned out to be a delicious and beautiful dinner for the Roy Boy.  He just finished and is filled with nothing but praise for the entire meal…makes me so happy when I get great reviews!

While planting, I also poured a packet of cosmos into a planter, transplanted a lonely mum into a large pot with 2 others, and cleaned out the two pots of columbine which are returning, planted some radishes in one of the window boxes on the front rails, and delphinium and marigolds in another.  The rhubarb (5 plants) are all growing their tyrannosaurus sized leaves, the little daffodils and hyacinths have shown their colorful little faces, and the apple tree is about to burst into it’s gorgeous pink & white blossoms. Soon it will be time to put in lots of basil, a few tomatoes, bush beans, pumpkins, delicate squash, sweet baby squash, cucumbers,  and perennial flowers for joy. Life is abundant in Prescott—and life is good!

Meat Pies and Chai--Another Wednesday of Cooking

Even after getting off work early instead of late, getting things done I wanted to do was not in the cards.  Upon arriving home, we had company. After the company, I put together the shopping list of free or almost free items from Practical Saver, pulled the coupons and ran around getting the items. Also went to Honeyman’s and purchased spices to make chai. I love Honeyman’s!  It’s a great place for honey, nuts, dried fruits, natural ingredients, teas, and spices. Prices are so much better than on the net…Penzey’s or Spices Etc….and if they don’t have something, they’ll order it for you!  So after those errands, I came home, made Roy dinner and then instead of sewing on my quilts, I cooked. Better therapy to calm me down than quilting!

Iris’ Chai recipe comes from my good friend Iris in Santa Cruz. It’s delicious, makes 4 quarts, and I put them into bottles and they go into the refrigerator. When I want some, I pull out a bottle, pour it into a cup, add stevia or honey and milk or soy milk, and a big shake of pure powdered vanilla (you do not want to use liquid vanilla—the alcohol in it tastes nasty!), stir it up and then either pour it over a glass filled with ice, or heat it up via saucepan or microwave. Delicious!  And SO much cheaper than buying it at a coffee shop!

          Then I proceeded to make 6 Sfiha, with a little variation in the crust. The Sfiha recipe is from a marvelous cookbook I received from my friends Terri & Paul for Christmas last year called The World of Street Food.  So many wonderful recipes, but this one is from the section on Middle Eastern recipes. Sfiha are meat pies from the Middle Eastern countries of Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, etc. Meat pies of all kinds are found in every culture in the world—Samosas, Pasties, Dumplings—all flavorful, inexpensive, and easy to shove down your pie hole while you work!  To make it easier, you can use pie crust mix or pre-made purchased from your market. I, however, decided to use a recipe from Beef Patties recipe I had from the Queen, Martha Stewart, as it had curry in it and I thought it would be exceptional with the savory meat filling. Either way, they are delicious!

Sfiha

¾ lb frozen pastry, thawed  (can also use a box mix)

1 lb ground lamb

1 onion, finely diced

1/3 c pine nuts (I substituted cashews…awesome!)

½ t. cinnamon

½ t. allspice

3 tomatoes, diced (I used diced petite canned tomates drained of their juice)

3 T lemon juice

Oil

Salt & pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat oil in a large skillet. When hot, put in the lamb and cook until crumbly and brown. Add the onion and sauté until wilted then add nuts, spices and seasonings. Stir and cook for 1 minute.

Add tomatoes and stir well. Cover the pan, reduce the heat and cook for 10 minutes or until tomato is soft and incorporated. Remove from heat and pour in enough lemon juice to make a moist mixture. Set aside to cool.

Roll out the dough to ¼ inch thickness. Cut circles of approximately 3 inches across. (For quicker assembly, make larger and then once cooked, cut in half to serve). Place the rounds under a cloth to cover.

Take a circle of dough, spread on a spoonful of the meat on one side. Fold over (or put another circle on top using more filling inside) and close the edges by pressing with a fork. Using some egg wash helps to hold the edges together.

Put on lightly oiled baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until crust is golden. Serve hot with fresh lemon and/or yogurt sauce.

ALTERNATE PASTRY/CRUST RECIPE

2 ½ cups flour

½ t salt

¼ t baking powder

2 T curry powder (Madras is always my preference)

½ c. butter (1 stick)

¾ c. ice cold water

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder & curry powder in large bowl (or use food processor with chopping blade). Cut the butter into small pieces, add to the bowl, and work into the flour mixture with your fingers, rubbing together flour & butter until it resembles very course cornmeal.  Add the water and mix until just together. Remove with floured hands and squeeze the dough until it forms a ball. Knead it once or twice just to combine—the less kneading the better.  Spread the dough into 2 pieces, flattening each into a thick pancake. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 15 minutes (will keep refrigerated for 5 days—remove from refrigerator a few minutes before using). Roll out per instructions above.

IRIS' CHAI RECIPE

4 quarts water                                   5 cinnamon sticks                  5 star anise, whole
3 T. whole black pepper corns          1 t. whole allspice                  1 t. dried orange peel
1 t. corriander seed                           1 T. cloves, whole                 2 t. whole cardamom pods
1 t. fennel seed                                  3 T dried ginger (or fresh cut into small dice, or 5 pieces chrystalized)
1/3 cup black tea

Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Add all ingredients except the black tea. Cover and simmer for 20-40 minutes depending on how strong you want it. Turn off heat and add tea. Brew for 2-4 minutes...no longer or else it may start to taste bitter.  Strain all solids out of liquid and pour into bottles.   Pour into cup or glass, add honey (or other sweetner to your liking) and vanilla soy milk, or milk and a teaspoon of pure vanilla powder. Heat if hot tea is preferred, or pour over a glass of ice for iced chai.

Bountiful Basket Saturday

I dislike working on Saturdays, but alas, until I find a replacement (impossible) for our dear Kelly at work, that’s my plight.  I am so grateful to have had her helping me for the past 6 months, especially during my surgery and recovery. Because of her I was able to take my recovery easy and not fret about what was NOT getting done or being taken care of at work. I knew students and inquiries were all being given the best of care, and any problems that arose she would solve. It was a God send and I am so happy that  now she has a full time benefitted job that will use her skills and degree more profitably for her. I however will miss her.

But I have to say with all candor, this Saturday was not too bad, and even included a trip to pick up fresh produce from Bountiful Baskets prior to going in to work. Do you know about Bountiful Baskets? It’s fabulous…you place your order on-line on Monday or Tuesday, you receive a basket of fruit and a basket of vegetables (whatever is there, you do not get to choose) for $15.00 plus $1.50 handling. You pay for it over the internet with your Visa/MC, and then on Saturday, pick up your basket. Now this is available in many states, so check the web site at bountifulbaskets.org.  it is a volunteer effort and there is not a week that goes by that I feel we do not get more than our money’s worth. Plus you get a variety of fruits and vegetables not of your choosing, so you get to try and use them in your weekly meals, thus adding more fruits and veges to your diet…this is a good thing!

 Although I felt it a little short in the vegetable department this week (romaine lettuce, asparagus, spring onions, cherry tomatoes, green beans), it truly was bountiful in the fruit department—fresh pineapple, casaba melon, pineapple, bananas, oranges, apples…yum!  But best of all, in the vege department was a big head of cauliflower. I am so thrilled to receive cauliflower since finding an amazing delicious outstanding recipe in Mary Jane’s Farm (a great magazine on country living, organic gardening, home lifestyle, etc.) a few months ago.  It is for Curried-Cashew Cauliflower and we love it!  It’s simple, healthy, nutritious, and delicious—what more can you ask.  And for all my vegetarian friends, it’s perfect for you too!

Curried-Cashew Cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, cut into large florets

½ cup organic cashew butter  (if you can’t find this, which is the problem I’m having, just use ½ c. of raw cashews and some extra olive oil, blending together in the blender and adding more olive oil until you get the consistency of creamy peanut butter)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons curry powder (I use Madras Curry Powder as has the taste and flavor I love)

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

½ c. cashews…raw or roasted…roughly chopped

Preheat the broiler. The rack should be in the top portion of the oven so the cauliflower is about 3-4 inches away from the heat while cooking.  Mix together the cashew butter, curry powder, olive oil and salt. Toss the cauliflower in the mixture, add the chopped cashews and mix again (I use my hands, works great). Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Roast the cauliflower under the broiler for 8-10 minutes, until just tender when pierced and golden brown with some crunchiness on the edges. Check halfway through and flip with a spatula if necessary. Remove from the over and serve immediately. Serves 6 as a side dish.