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.

Insomnia, Full Moons, and Flannel Quilts

Sometimes do you wake up, completely awake, like you’ve slept all night, only to figure out that it’s in the middle of the night?  I do this often. Often enough so that seeing the clock registering 3:05 a.m. didn’t surprise me. Nor did it dismay me as I knew I didn’t have to work today, so if I got tired later I’d just go back to sleep.

          There was no outstanding reason behind the insomnia this time. No stomach upset; my brain wasn’t going around like a whirling dervish with things to do at work or at home; I wasn’t hungry; I wasn’t even hurting too much—at least not enough that that could be the culprit. Maybe it was the moon. I’m not kidding you. There is a full moon out there that had the back yard lit up like mid-day when I looked out, and my insomnia is worse during the full moon periods.          

still love horses and this one loves apples

               I remember when I was a young teenager in Cornville and there were moons like this in the summer. A few times, when I was spending the night with my friend Vickie, we went out in a big pack and walked the hills where the moon would reflect on the white caliche cliffs and make it so bright it was truly like walking during the day. There were always any number of kids, boys and girls, at Vickie’s house during the summer—her mom Martha treated us all like her own, there was a swimming pool, horses to ride, cows to milk, ping pong tables inside when it was too hot, books to read, Nana to wonder what she was going to come up with next (we just thought her to be eccentric as Alzheimers was not something that had a name at that time) and a rooster who liked to chase tennis shoes that we’d throw into the yard, where he’d run to them, and hump ‘em (we always said we were going to be overrun with roosters in tennis shoes or tennis shoes made of feathers), and an atmosphere of freedom and fun that wasn’t especially prevalent in other homes.

           And if you had questions, you weren’t embarrassed or afraid to ask them and they’d usually get answered too. Sometimes Bill, her dad, would give us outrageous answers, or roll his eyes and mutter about having no brains, but most of the time, the atmosphere and treatment were fair and loving. In fact, even when we were asking questions because we were dumber than bags of dirt, it was fair treatment! So tonight when I saw that bright moon, it brought back the memories of fun and outrageousness that were part of my childhood.

          Being wide awake, I decided not to waste the time. I got up and put on my fleece pullover over my nightgown and my hubby’s slippers to keep warm (great outfit—Vogue would be here with cameras for this innovative style if only they knew—Adele would have nothing on me). First I did up the dishes that were left from dinner, being too lazy to do them at that time. Then having just read about Overnight Oatmeal, decided to do it. The crock pot was washed and ready to go, so I put it together. Since I didn’t have all night to let it cook, I turned it on high to just get it going and went about my business.

1st 3 rows of flannel quilt

the studio with quilt in progress

          That business was quilting. I went into the work shop and finished putting together the last four quilt strips. I am doing an all flannel quilt. The top is different flannel plaids from shirts to pajamas, that I have gotten from my own stash, my hubby’s shirts, thrift shops, and donations. Then I am using red flannel strips to pull it all together. Not sure of the backing nor binding yet, but I’ll figure it out once I see the top finished. After a couple of hours, had to quit as my neck was hurting, but have all the blocks sewn together, and three of the seven block strips sewn together. Will work on the other four later today, and hope to have the top completed before Blue Bloods comes on at 9:00 p.m. tonight. It won’t be perfect or show quality as using recycled materials doesn’t always come down to perfection, but it’s very satisfying knowing you’re reused and recycled fabric that may have just gone to waste or the landfill. Plus I know it’s going to be warm and soft and will feel great on cold winter nights.

          Speaking of cold winter nights, I’m VERY tired of winter. For a few days the temps rose and it was beautiful and I was so hoping for a continuance. I knew it was pure folly on my part---it’s only the beginning of March. But I’m exceptionally tired of winter this year. So when I looked out the window Wednesday afternoon and snow was drifting down and blowing around in a dance like demented fairies, I was not happy. It’s not pretty any more, and I want sun and warmth now.  Tuesday there were 55 mph winds, and I swear they were blowing in straight from the Arctic Circle. It was frigid!  Same with last Friday. Roy and I were out doing the weekly shopping and every time I’d come out of a shop or store it would take my breath away. So to say I  not in a great mood about the cold is a real understatement. There is hope for some warm up over this weekend. And I cannot cross my fingers enough.

          If it does warm up, there are some garden beds which need attention. I must water the garlic I planted 2 weeks ago, and give the strawberries, roses, and marigolds that are coming up a drink too. But mainly need to pull the weeds and grasses out of the beds and rake out the straw, so I can get the yellow and red onions planted…one bed of each.  Beets and carrots should go in too, but will wait until back from Palm Springs for them.

          March and April are lining up to be darn hectic, so this is about the last free time I’ll have for myself until the first of May. Maybe that’s the underlying cause of the middle of the night wake up---finding time for myself to commune with me, a new recipe, and my sewing machine. There couldn’t be any better reasons in my book. 

          So whip up a pot of Overnight Oatmeal for your family, or for company (great way to serve a warm delicious breakfast without having to get up 2 hours ahead of everyone), and start your day with a warm full tummy. 

             

            OVERNIGHT OATMEAL

Makes 6 servings

OATMEAL:

3 c milk                 
1 ½ c steel cut oats                 
½ c. dark brown sugar    
¾ t. salt

TOPPING:

2 apples, cored and diced      
2 T dark brown sugar              
3 T dried cranberries or raisins

3 T chopped walnuts

Oatmeal:  Coat a slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Combine milk, 3 c water, oats, ¼ c. brown sugar, and salt in slow cooker. Cover and cook overnight on LOW for 9 ½ to 10 hours.  Uncover and stir in remaining ¼ c. brown sugar. Re-cover, and turn off heat.


Topping:  Coat a large nonstick skillet with nonstick cooking spray and place over medium heat. Add apples and cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add brown sugar, 1 T water and dried cranberries. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in nuts.

     Stir oatmeal in slow cooker until smooth. Spoon about a cup into a bowl and add a few tablespoons of the topping. Serve warm

You can also cook the apple mixture the day before, seal in a microwave proof container, and then heat up the next morning just before serving the oatmeal. Great way to feed guests in a hurry without making a kitchen mess and without having to get up 2 hours early!!!  Serving size ½ cup.

It's Been Awhile----

     I know, it's been awhile, but well, life gets in the way.  The stacked cervical fusion surgery went well, recovery was 2 months, and although the debilitating pain in my left arm was gone almost immediately, there is some residual numbness in my left thumb and index fingers, and a gnawing and reoccurring pain in my right shoulder/neck area...mostly after being on the computer for any length of time. Since that's what I do at work, it's difficult to get away from it, so tried curbing my time on the computer at home. But it still hurts, so what the heck, I'm back!!

     Friday I did the shopping list, coupon clipping, and then off to the stores. Albertson's for butter, Safeway for milk, rolls, soup, then Fry's. Took a little break and went to Method Coffee to have a cup and see our wonderful sweet girl Kaileena (not our child really but an adoring young woman filled with life, love, talent--artist and musician--and whom we love) and then on to Fry's #2 for 4 more chickens...limit of 2 per customer so enlisted Roy's help and went to both Fry's stores in order to procure 8 chickens. At 77 cents a pound, it was too good a deal not to stock up the freezer a bit. 

     Then back home to unpack the truck and put away the bounty and get moving on all those chickens.  Put one in the oven to roast---Roy's favorite Greek Chicken and all you need to do is after washing the chicken good inside and out (no soap folks, just water), liberally apply Cavendar's Greek Seasoning spice mix, along with liberal amounts of lemon pepper inside and out and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 1/2 hours. Then it was on to cutting apart the remaining chickens for a bounty of wings, drumsticks, boneless and bone in chicken breast pieces, and a stock pot filled with backs to be cooked and made into soup stock and meat to be pulled from the bones after cooking and kept for soup. And for 77 cents a pound that is an amazing deal. Boneless skinless chicken breasts were being sold right next to the whole fyers for $3.46 a pound!!!

     So as I was beginning the 4th chicken cutting off a leg segment, the damn knife came around and hit me in the bird finger knuckle of my left hand. Wasn't deep because stopped at the knuckle bone, but boy was it a bleeder!  Could not get the bleeding stopped to save my soul.  Took 1/2 hour off to see if would calm down, checked it out again as still bleeding, but made a command decision that it really wasn't a candidate for stitches and ruled out the ER despite Roy's objections. However, needed to finish up the chickens so had to figure out how to stop the bleeding and/or keep the chicken juices out of the wound and keep my blood off the chicken. Even after steri-strips and band aids, it continued to bleed so had Roy get the food handler gloves out of the car. We affectionately call them pooh pooh gloves and use them to take with us whenever we take Guayo for a walk--for obvious reasons!

     I managed to use 10 of the gloves as the bleeding was not stopped by the strips nor the band aids, but did get the chickens cut up, into zipl bags, labeled and into the freezer. Then washed it up again, put clean tight steri-strips on it along with a big gauze bandage and paper tape to finally stop the bleeding.  Nothing but action around here!!!

     Today my friend Carly came over and we went thrift shopping. Went to our favorite thrift shop, the Yavapai Humane Society thrift shop and it was 50% off day!!! Since they are always very reasonable on their items, and they get great items into the shop on a regular basis, the 50% off days are amazing. Last time we went, the Amelda Marcos of big footed women had brought in 100+ pairs of shoes, most of which were never worn and still in the boxes. They were designer labels...Propeet, Mafistos, Clarks, Birkenstock--and I could not believe my luck at having accidentally dropped in when size 10 shoes were everywhere and it was 50% off day.  I came home with a pair of slippers, a pair of boots, 2 pair of summer shoes and 2 pair of winter shoes for a total of $69.  That is less than one pair of my usual good sturdy shoes (aka old women shoes as cannot wear heels any longer as the orthotics look funny in them) and I had just told my hubby it was about time to put out the $$ for a new pair of shoes. He could not believe my luck and wanted to know if there weren't more I should go back and purchase. How's that for a great hubby!!!

     Today I bought a pair of slacks for work--however after getting them home found them to be too big so maybe my sister will be the recipient of a new pair of slacks.  I also bought a beautiful long skirt in a turquoise/white/camel Indian print that fits perfectly and matches a turquoise sweater I have, and hope I will find other items with which to wear it; 4 pieces of fabrics for putting in my quilting stash; 4 coffee mugs to take to school as I do not wish to have my chai in disposable styrofoam cups any longer; a miter saw & metal miter box for ROy--hopefully to be used soon to finish the trim in the master bedroom; 3 1-quart canning jars which I can use with a hopefully abundant harvest for this summer;'s garden; 10 greeting cards; a bag of bird feathers for crafting; and a beautiful hand-knit blue fuzzy scarf; all for $15.  Such a deal!!  And the money goes to help all the sweet dogs and cats at the Humane Society. I would love to volunteer at the shelter if I could, but it ends with my either bringing home more pups or crying, and so Roy has against his usual low-key demeanor, to forbid me to go there.  So supporting the thrift shop is my way of helping them out.

     The rest of the day will be spent with watching a Jesse Stone movie (I love Tom Selleck), balancing my bank book, updating the budget expenditures for February and the first 2 days of March, and working on the flannel quilt top so as to finish it this weekend. That way I can start a new one! We'll be having yummy delicious bbq country style ribs (see jmy recipes for Rib Rub and Mom's Spicy BBQ Sauce), a bit of coleslaw (my secret--put some tarragon into the milk/sugar/rice vinegar/sugar mixture for the dressing along with a few poppy seeds...really sets it off), and a slice of homemade bread.  This is the easiest and most delicious bread recipe I've found. Yes it IS white bread, but not Wonder Bread!  And sometimes when Roy cooks too much of his 9 grain cereal in the morning, we put it into the refrigerator and then I use about 1/2 cup in the dough. SO chewy and good.  Gramma's Country White Bread is fantastic and the entire family will love it. I've included the recipe below.

     Have a great weekend, and I will try NOT to let life get so much in the way in the future!

Gramma’s Country White Bread 

Makes 2 loaves

·                        2 packages active dry yeast

·                        2 cups warm water

·                        1/2 cup honey

·                        1 tablespoon salt

·                        2 eggs (beaten)

·                        1/4 cup olive oil or melted butter

·                        5 1/2 - 6 cups bread flour

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add honey, salt, eggs, oil and 3 cups of bread flour. mix till smooth. Add in remaining flour to form a soft sticky dough. Place on a lightly floured surface. Knead dough for 10 minutes. till smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap till double in bulk. Punch down dough and divide into two loaves. Place into two med. greased loaf pans. Cover and allow to rise till double. Bake in a pre-heated 375F oven for 25-30 minute. Cool on a wire rack.

Looking Toward the New Year--Healthy, Happy, Fully Engaged

The dash and madness of Christmas are over, and now the practical side of beginning a new year fills my mind---saving money, cleaning house, making to do lists, tightening the budget, and getting those taxes together. Also on the list of things to do, I have begun removing decorations, washing linens, etc.  Plus unpacking and washing up clothes from the trip. Having Christmas at Huntington Beach with son Jason & family was great. Lots of laughing and fun with the boys, now 16 and 12, and with Jason, Jenn & Ruth.  And the beach was fabulous. With blue skies and 70 degree temps, nothing could have been better.  Dog Beach was again a hit with Guayo and with us…so much fun with balls and Frisbees and shells and people. I certainly wanted to stay a couple more days and get more beach time, but alas Roy was up to going home and sleeping in his own bed instead of the blow up Aero-bed. Sigh!!!  


Could have used another lobster taco, margarita, and shot of Butterscotch schnapps at Baja Sharkies...but I think we need to take the truck next time so I can get into it after the drinks, as it took some time to get into the jeep what with the diminished capacity and short legs!!  But hey, was certainly a good laugh for all of us.

So while in CA I picked up a California issue of Sunset magazine. Sunset is one of my favorite magazines as it has cooking, gardening, travel, and crafting items all rolled up into one magazine, and it's set for where you live in the West, with the issues geared toward California, SW, NW, and Mountain zones.  It is the January issue, so focus was on the new year...better health, new hobbies, better eating, new places to check out, trends, etc.  One segment in the issue was “Craving Greens” and was a fabulous article on different greens such as collard, kale, arugula, radicchio, spinach, escarole, endive, mustard greens, and nettle. These vegetables are powerhouses of nutrition, and we should all be adding them to our diets to fortify our immune systems and our health.  Along with the article on the tastes, textures, and HUGE amount of great nutrition in all of these greens, were of course recipes. I picked the Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup recipe for my first foray, as I had both in the house--and I have vowed that I will lower my food bills and thus put more money in savings, by using the extensive amount of food in my pantry (all that gardening and canning this summer), and from the freezer. I’ve made a couple of revisions to the recipe, (such as substituting Udi’s Gluten Free Bread for the Ciabatta in the recipe, for myself and all you GF people out there)…and it is by far one of the tastiest soups I’ve had in a long time. Great tastes, succulent texture, and robustness. While I was at it, I also cooked a pot of black eyed peas with ham and collard greens for New Years Eve…black eyed peas bring good luck for the new year…and will serve them to friends Darla and Jeff and Carlinda who will join us for an at-home down key celebration of the new year here at home with baked ham, latkes (potato & sweet potato) served with goat cheese and applesauce, and some sparkling cider. And our traditional fare...pickled herring to toast in the new year. Yup, Swedes!

So, here is the recipe that I have revised for Tuscan Kale & White Bean Soup.  Enjoy, have a wonderful New Year celebration, but make sure it’s safe and sane, and bring in the new year with gusto.  Remember the good times from the previous year; and think seriously about what you will bring to the coming year. How you will get healthier, happier, and help others; what you can do to make the changes you'd like to see in the world; makes plans to change your life...where you live, how you live, etc.; how you can make the lives of not only those you love but those you don't even know, better; learn more about your neighbors and your community; …these are the keys to being a truly engaged human being on this planet. Engage folks, engage! Your life will be fuller and more fabulous than ever. 

TUSCAN KALE AND WHITE BEAN SOUP
(Gluten Free Version)

1 c. dried white beans                                               2 qt chicken broth/stock

10 garlic cloves, diced                                                10 fresh sage leaves, or 12 dried whole

½ t. red chile flakes                                                    ½ t. kosher salt

2 bunches kale, steams and course ribs removed and chopped. (Tuscan kale preferred but any fresh kale will be okay)                                                        6 oz day old bread, crusts removed

½ c. Persian Lime olive oil                                         4 anchovy filets, finely chopped

1 T chopped fresh rosemary leaves or 2 t. dried rosemary

½ t. fresh ground pepper     

1.  Soak beans in a bowl of water to cover at least 4 hours, or overnight. Drain. Put in a 5-6 qt. pot and add broth and 6 cloves of garlic, the same and ¼ t. chile flakes. Bring to a  boil, then reduce and simmer until tender, 45 to 90 minutes. (You can also do quick cook method by bringing the beans to a hard boil, turn off the heat, cover and let sit for 1 hour. Drain and then follow directions). Add salt during last 15 minutes of cooking. Adding at the beginning will make the beans tough and take longer to cook.

2.  Fill another large pot about ¾ full of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Submerge kale and boil gently until tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain and leave in colander while doing next step.

3.  Heat 1/3 c. Persian Lime Olive Oil (any good flavorful extra virgin olive oil will work, but this really brought out a great flavor) over medium heat in the pot used for boiling the kale. Put in remaining 4 cloves of chopped garlic and remaining ¼ t. chile flakes, along with the rosemary; sauté until garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add anchovies and cooked kale, making sure all well incorporated. Stir and cook a few more minutes.  Stir in the beans and their liquid.  Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 more minutes. Remove from heat.

4.  Stir bread into soup (use Udi’s or any other brand of gluten free bread instead of a 6 oz. ciabatta if you have an issue with gluten…I found this works just fine).  Add pepper and taste for salt; adjust as needed. Stir well. Cover and let stand until bread is very soft, 20 minutes to 1 hour.

5.  Reheat soup over medium heat, stirring to break up bread completely, which will thicken the soup and give it a thick succulent quality. Add more broth if too thick for your taste. Ladle into bowls and serve with some crusty bread. You can also sprinkle some pecorino cheese on top, and then drizzle with a little oil. Just remember, they will add calories and fat, and I didn’t feel it was really needed.  You can also adjust the amount of chile flakes if you feel it too spicy, but I’m a big woos and didn’t feel it was hot at all. 

PALTRY PURPLE PERUVIAN POTATO PICKINGS

Tonight after work, Roy and I collapsed the container of potatoes to find…..a few small purple Peruvian potatoes. Wasn’t the fabulous crop I’d envisioned as I planted the little seed potatoes into the container and then covered the growth each time it was 2" tall per the instructions, but that’s gardening. It’s a lesson in patience, and in the end with being satisfied what is given at the end.  The gardens this year were basically experiments, so next year we can do better---plant items that do well, do plantings in shade/sun in order to better facilitate the growth of crops, and decide what we do and what we don’t think deserves spending big $$ on water to grow.  These items will NOT be on the replant list--not efficient use of water, too small a crop, plus the taste was bitter and unpleasant.

For a girl that grew up in Cornville, gardening is new to me—not completely new, but mostly new. Not knowing about gardening, but doing it. It was my Mom that was the gardener. Roses, corn, watermelon, cantaloupes, squash, even peanuts…she had a garden most of the time I was growing up. And it always worked.  I never understood why she would work so hard and put in so many hours on such a boring past time. But now I understand…not boring, relaxing; not boring, fulfilling; not boring…well, you understand. I get such satisfaction learning things I need to learn, watching things come to fruition and produce, smelling the aroma of basil when watering the plants, realizing patience is a great virtue and I need to take it to heart, taking items grown by my own two hands and preserving them or making them into organic delicious meals for me and my husband and family and friends…it is inspiring and brings such a smile to my face just standing around wetting their little limbs and roots.

So the harvest tonight consisted of 8 turnips (more in the garden but too small yet so hope they keep growing), 6 tomatoes, a handful of green beans that were missed last night, onions and garlic, and the purple Peruvian potatoes. Maybe it’s the purple thing that’s hanging me up in the garden---purple top turnips and purple Peruvian potatoes were not winners this year.  

Although the tomato crop has been less than stellar, I was able to use up a small bunch of them in an impromptu Cream of Tomato Basil Soup.  Although there is no formal recipe, I have shared the basics with you below.

This season has yielded lots of herbs that I’ve been drying, sharing, and saving. Tomorrow I’ll harvest more oregano, thyme, basil and pineapple sage to put on the dehydrator, along with lemon balm, rosemary, sorrel, boxwood basil, and thai basil. It will be wonderful using my own herbs all winter, knowing I grew them, they are clean, organic, and not irradiated and are going to be used in fabulous dishes for the delight of my family and friends, showing them how much I care about them. Then on to the greens—spinach, Rouge d’Hivre lettuce, Asian greens, Swiss and rainbow chards. They’ll be used in salads, and processed…frozen or canned…and also enjoyed during the long cold winter months.  I love gardening!

Cream of Tomato Basil Soup.  I filled a 4 qt saucepan with whole tomatoes (no need to peel or seed), 3 cloves of garlic, and 1/2 c of water. Covered, they broke down and I let them cook until very well done. They were then put through a sieve, removing all he peels and seeds making sure to push all the pulp through the sieve to keep as much as possible for the soup.  Added a sprig of fresh basil (be careful, too much can be overwhelming), and let simmer until thickened. Add white pepper and sea salt to taste. Remove the basil, and add 1 c of cream and re-taste, seasoning as needed. Serve hot or refrigerate and reheat when time to enjoy,

Bo is here!

Friday, our friend Tom Willette came to set up his jewelry booth on courthouse square. Because his sweetheart, Fanny, is not doing so well with her health, he didn't bring the trailer, and will instead stay with us through Sunday night.  I have readied the spare room/craft-work room as a 2nd bedroom for Bo's arrival, so made the hide a bed up for Tom.  He's always welcome....that's how it works at Spiaggia nel Massi--open door for friends and family. Made his favorite bacon wrapped shrimp for appetizers and Thai Yellow Curry with vegetables and chicken with jasmine rice for the main course.  And on Saturday he treated us to dinner at LaBruzza's, a mom n pop Italian restaurant, presided over by owner Gabe who is such a sweetheart, and serving well made good tasting Italian food with fabulous serve. A little place, always packed to the rafters, great proportions, red & white checked table cloths, where there is not liquor license but you're free to bring in your wine with you.  And spumoni and tiramisu that brings tears to your eyes!!  I had Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions on pasta.....corn pasta for my wheat allergy. It was delish!  Roy of course had spaghetti with spicy meat sauce and Tom had the Chicken Parmesan....plenty left over for Sunday's dinner too.

On Sunday we picked up our cousin Bo Runesson in Phoenix. He flew in from Sweden via London. It's been over 2 years since we've been together and in that time things have changed, but never the wonderful love we have for each other. Lisbeth, his dear wife, passed away over a year ago, and it doesn't seem quite right now seeing her pixie face, fabulous smile and great sparkling blue eyes. There have been a few tears, but not main, and it is so fabulous having him here again with his grand personality and perpetual sense of humor.  Bo came out of customs an hour after his flight came in, we sat and had a coffee and some water, and then went to the car. Upon exiting through the doors to the parking garage, the full 113 degree temp hit Bo and he was astounded. We told him when we arrived is was 46C. He couldn't believe it.  The sun was setting and it was still 43C, and he told us he had never been in such hot temperatures in all his life.  Welcome to Phoenix!!  He asked why people would life there....and we told him that was our question a lot. But due to the job market, maybe health care, maybe just personal preference for baking out your brain, over 4 million people did so on a daily basis.  It was 23C when we arrived home in Prescott at 9:15pm, and made us feel so happy to be living here rather than in the valley.

Monday was Labor Day, so we took Bo downtown to courthouse square. He was able to see all of the booths of arts and crafts, hear some music and we went to Tom's booth and visited and spelled him a bit. We had lunch in the park....gyros and sweet lemon mint tea from St. George Greek Orthodox Church's booth, and samosas from Priscilla Finney a local woman making samosas from Kenya....potato, vegetable, chicken, beef, and mung bean. So delicious that I went ahead and ate some even though I knew the flour/wheat in the wrappings would give me a stomach ache. Small price to pay for such a delectable taste!  And Priscilla and Dean, husband and wife who run the booth, were delightful and I'm so glad they are in Prescott.  I will buy more to make sure their business is a success. Guayo had a great time talking to and playing with dozens of dogs...except for the damn little poodle that attacked him. Put him on edge a bit after that. He just doesn't get it...he looks at me like "Why did he do that Mom?"   Guayo is such a sweet loving guy he just doesn't get the aggressive stuff.

We left the square, and went to Whiskey Row where Bo purchased a gorgeous black western shirt with silver designs embroidered on front and back, and a bull whip. Hmmmmm.....he says the bank is having a party with The Wild West as the theme, and he already has a hat so had to complete the outfit.  Still questioning him on the bull whip though! :-)

Then on to True Value, where we were able to find the correct adaptor for his razor and his cell phone charger. We had the ones to adapt US appliances to European plugs, but not the opposite.  Another successful endeavor, followed by a quick stop at Walmart for some cold beer.  

After the shopping was over, it was home for the boys to take a rest. Bo, Roy & Guayo took naps, while I readied the kitchen for dinner. Jeff & Darla Holtke were coming over, along with our neighbor John Proffer and Carly.  Carly called and cancelled due to the weather kicking her pants...arthritis, fracture in her pelvis, and fibromyalgia were all acting up with the storm coming in so she decided best to stay home. 

I had prepared the ribs with my Mayan Rub, and had put them in the oven at 12:30p.m. on 270 degrees, completely wrapped in foil. They were cooking nicely.  So I cleaned the fresh corn on the cob and wrapped it in aluminum foil after putting on butter that I'd mixed in cilantro, chili powder, and lime zest.  Then sliced a loaf of Puglisi bread and spread each thick slice with garlic parsley butter and wrapped the entire loaf in aluminum foil.  I sliced up plums, apples, pears, bananas, oranges, and strawberries which I finished with spicy pear yogurt with avocado honey and mint mixed in, and for dessert, I made ice cream sandwiches. Not regular ones, but peanut butter cookies filled with the Fry's brand of Denalie Extreme Maximum Fudge Moose Tracks. OMG, that stuff is like chocolate heroine.....absolutely takes you to heaven and is completely addictive!!   So dinner was ready to be put in the oven at various times and ready for everyone to arrive. 

      And just before everyone's arrival at 5:30p.m. the monsoon blessed us with a fabulous rain storm--some lightening and thunder, and buckets of rain. The hot humid temps of the day were gone, and in their place moist cool breeze and the smell of freshly washed trees and bushes. Nothing is better than a good rain to make everything fresh.  

After a fabulous dinner with great conversation, laughter, and a quick clean up thanks to many hands participating, we retired to the front porch to talk and enjoy the weather. Everything split up about 8:00 p.m. as it was a work day for everyone but the Carlson/Runesson group on the next day.  So the 3 of us went down to Coyote Joe's to listen to Kaileena. It was open mic night, and after the packed house of Labor Day weekend in downtown Prescott, the streets were wet and deserted and seemed like the middle of the night. We were glad we went as there weren't many people there, and Kaileena was finally able to purchase a new guitar. She was great as usual, loved our being there, and I had taken her some ribs, pesto, garlic bread, and corn on the cob, so she was jazzed.  The patio where she was playing, doesn't have a roof, so we sat over on the side with her mom Gail under one of the little cabana roof areas where the stools weren't quite so wet. Stayed for about 1 1/2 hours, introduced everyone to Bo, then homeward bound for some well deserved sleep and rest. What a great Labor Day we all day. 

MAYAN BBQ RUB

Try this on a boneless pork tenderloin, or a whole butterflied chicken. Magnificent!

¼ c. whole coffee beans

½ t. red pepper flakes

Grind together in coffee grinder or food processor until powdery fine.  Pour into a bowl and add:

2 T. cocoa powder

1 T. chili powder

2 t. garlic powder

2 t. Brown Sugar Twin

2 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

½ t. smokehouse black pepper

Mix together to incorporate all ingredients evenly. Dampen meat, and rub liberally on all sides…for whole chicken do inside and outside, on skin and under skin.

For ribs---place 2 racks of ribs, cut in half, in large pan that has been lined with aluminum foil.  Generously sprinkle both sides with rub, rubbing into meat.  Cover with another piece of foil and crimp edges together to seal. Place in 250F degree oven for 4-6 hours, or until tender. Remove cover, raise temperature to 375F degrees. At this point I put a VERY small amount (maybe 1 Tablespoon per rack) of hickory smoked bbq sauce on the meat.  Put back in the oven only partially covered to bake another 35 minutes or until the sauce is baked into the meat.

For Chicken---Place whole chicken in medium sized pan. Cover with aluminum foil and cook on med/low heat for 1 hour. Uncover and cook another 30 minutes or until outside of meat is crispy and inside is done to your preference. Let stand for 5 minutes, then slice. 

21st Birthday--Can You Remember Yours?

Do you remember your 21^st birthday?  I sure don’t. I think it probably wasn’t too celebratory. I can’t remember, but I was either leaving or had left my marriage and was getting or had gotten my divorce, had a year and a half old baby and was freaking out trying to figure out what to do with the rest of my life and his.  Thankfully it all worked out…thanks to family and friends. But I don’t remember that birthday in any way shape or form.

But our wonderful young friend Kaileena probably won’t be forgetting her 21^st for awhile.  Her mom threw her a birthday bash that was fabulous, and we were lucky enough to be invited and be a part of it. Friends and family regaled her in good wishes, laughter, good food, and memories.  A fabulous “This is your life” montage of photos was put together by Gail too and was so much fun to see this amazing young lady’s life progression. 

And lest you think I’m exaggerating, I’m not. Kaileena IS an amazing young woman. She is articulate, fun, deep thinking, and her own person. Beautiful, talented—an artistic, musician, song writer, and lover of life. We feel so privileged to have her in our lives and love her dearly, and have that love returned in kind.

Besides having a great time celebrating her LEGAL birthday (now I can buy her a beer legally), we met an array of fabulous new people, plus reconnected with some old friends too. Gail has a number of remarkable women friends that is was such a pleasure getting to know. I’m hoping we can all connect again and get to know each other better and I can become a part of their lives also. They are literate, opinionated, fun, and come from everywhere—from Brooklyn to France—and it is a group full of vitality and joy and spirituality. So much fun.

Everyone of course brought fabulous food. I have been requested to share the Banana Bread Pudding with Warm Whiskey Sauce and the Blueberry Mango Couscous Salad recipes that I brought, so here they are….along with some great photos from the party.

Enjoy the next 121 years of your life with as much joy, gusto, and joie de vivre as you have this first 21 Kaileena, and know how much we all love you!!!