Beautiful Disaster

We're movin on up . . .

2010-05-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

Under the advice of the great, all knowing Gabrielle, I am now moving my "cooking" blogging (or let's be realistic, and say the majority of my cooking blogging) over to my Jacob's Kitchen site. I am hoping that this will motivate me to resume using this space to actually write, just like I did way back in the olden days... imagine that. So check in on my cooking progress over there from time to time.

Lately, I have gotten a lot (and I do mean A LOT) of joy from making and photographing food (as you have probably noticed). And since the discovery of the "macro" setting on my camera... well let's just say, the world will never again be the same. There is just something so concrete and tangible, but also sort of magical, about making something so temporal, and being able to capture it and make it into something lasting. The food itself does most all of the work. I just point and click. And while I totally understand that I am the lowest form of amateur photographer, I don't know why, but taking pictures of food is making me super happy these days. So I am spending a good portion of my free time testing some new recipes, and trying to capture them on film. And for now, that is just about as good as it gets.

Lentil Soup (a.k.a. Jacob's Lentil Mash)

2010-05-24T15:54:00.000-07:00

A hearty and healthy mix of lentils, broccoli, cauliflower, okra, zucchini, tomatoes, celery, onions, garlic, spinach, chicken stock, and Indian spices (curry powder, garam masala, cumin, mustard, and fennel seeds...and a little pimentón, just for fun)

Grape and Rosemary Focaccia

2010-05-24T13:46:00.001-07:00

Please Sir, can I have S'more. . .

2010-05-21T14:55:00.000-07:00

S'more Brownies

Vegetarian Sandwich

2010-05-14T10:04:00.000-07:00

Blueberry Muffins

2010-05-10T14:34:00.001-07:00

Chewy Coconut Macadamia Nut Bars

2010-05-07T17:14:00.000-07:00

Sandwiches

2010-05-07T10:36:00.000-07:00

Ham and Cheese

Roast Beef and Cheese (on wheat)

Roast Turkey and Cheese

Chicken Salad
(with fuji apples, grapes, celery, slivered almonds and tarragon)

Granola Bars

2010-05-02T14:17:00.001-07:00

Oatmeal Raisin Pecan Cookies

2010-05-01T18:21:00.001-07:00

Crumb Cake

2010-04-30T12:56:00.001-07:00

Cheese Danish

2010-04-29T13:59:00.000-07:00

Sticky Buns

2010-04-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

Orange Marmalicious

2010-04-26T14:21:00.000-07:00

Irish Soda Bread

2010-04-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

Carrot Cake

2010-04-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

Eggstatic

2010-04-03T14:45:00.000-07:00

(Gabrielle's glamorous Martha Stewart Tree)

Sector 9 Update

2010-04-02T11:04:00.001-07:00

My curtains are finally done! They add some drama and luxury to the room. I have had that bolt of fabric in the back of my closet for four years now (I bought the whole bolt on super sale for $13 at a going out of business sale, and knew that i would some day put it to good use). It is so nice to see them up and my room feeling a little more complete. Sigh. Oh curtains... why you so good to me? Now I just have to find some tie backs that I actually like, and all will be fabulous with the world! (note: the flash on my jenk camera makes them look a little more golden and less a rich emerald green, but you get the idea...jeez.)

Sector 9

2010-02-14T17:11:00.001-08:00

When we first got our house, my bedroom was little more than a graffiti riddled, primer gray, skate park of a disaster area, which we lovingly referred to as "Sector 9" (which had been inexplicably spray painted on the wall by the previous owner). Slowly but surely we have moved through the house, room by room, and revamped this fixer upper, and Sector 9 finally got its turn. Here are some of the before and after pictures. Granted, it is still a work in design process, and my curtains still need to be sewn (though I have all of the fabric and trim for them) and I need to purchase a few more accessories, but you get the general idea.

Fun-due!

2010-02-11T01:17:00.001-08:00

Cheese fondue (made with Gruyere and Emmentaler) served with: smoked sausage, meatballs, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, grape tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese ravioli, sliced apples, bell pepper, sour dough bread, and pretzels.

Chocolate Fondue served with pound cake, pineapple, sliced banana, apples, strawberries, gummy bears (you know, for fun), and pretzels.

I had never actually made fondue before this evening, but decided it would be fun to try out a couple of recipes, since we do have the pots laying around after all. I went ahead and tried Tyler Florences' cheese fondue recipe ( substituting brandy for the kirsh, and adding more nutmeg, a little more lemon juice, and a dash each of cayenne and black pepper after tasting it and feeling it was a little on the bland side.) Overall it was delicious. I mean, come on, a big pot of melted Gruyere? How bad can that be. In the future I might choose a better melting cheese to pair with the Gruyere. While they did both melt into the wine beautifully, the ending mouth feel wasn't quite as unctious as I feel like it could/should/ought to have been. For the Chocolate fondue I used Ina's Chocolate Orange fondue recipe sans the orange, and with the addition of vanilla. Aside from being fool proof (as all of her recipes tend to be) it was rich, thick, creamy and delicious. All in all fondue seems like a fun, easy, casual way to eat and to entertain, it comes together quickly, and I love the informal earthiness of gathering around the table and digging in. But just because it is informal doesn't mean it can't be beautiful. I love the look of a big white platter here with big blocks of color. And really whatever you have on hand works well, since, after all, what wouldn't be improved by being dunked in a pot of molten cheese?

Chinese Chicken Salad

2010-01-20T23:49:00.000-08:00

Romaine lettuce, shredded cabbage, red and yellow bell peppers, sugar snap peas, scallions, Mandarin oranges, sliced almonds, grilled chicken, and fried won-ton strips with a sesame ginger dressing.

Better late than never: A quiet little Christmas. . .

2010-01-19T12:48:00.001-08:00

Sweet little holiday nibbles. . .

2009-12-09T15:11:00.000-08:00

Lemon Curd Tartlets

Ginger Cookies

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Truffles
(rolled in candy cane)

Pecan Bars

[These are served alongside cream puffs filled with pumpkin mousse (not pictured) ]

Picture it. . .Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-28T17:17:00.000-08:00

My chihuahua has a first name it's O-S-C-A-R. . .

2009-11-03T13:10:00.000-08:00

A very hawt Hot Dog!!

Trick or Treat

2009-10-30T15:02:00.001-07:00

Some ghoulish Halloween treats for big and little monsters alike.

Plum Almond Crumble

2009-09-11T16:15:00.001-07:00

The flavor of Italian prune plums is enhanced with the addition of brown sugar, amarretto, cassis, and a pinch of nutmeg, and topped with a delicious oatmeal-almond crumble.

Classic Tiramisù

2009-09-08T18:52:00.000-07:00

Espresso and rum soaked Savoiardi layered together with a Kahlua and rum scented mascarpone cream, topped off with cocoa powder and shaved dark chocolate.

the UNfair results are in: Oh the shame. . .

2009-08-28T14:37:00.000-07:00

So the results of the 2009 Oregon State Fair are in. . .

This year I entered/placed:

Blueberry Jam- 1st place

Lemon Pound Cake - 1st Place

Ginger Cookies - 2nd Place

Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti - 2nd Place

Blueberry Lemon Scones - 3rd place (WTF???)

Buttermilk Biscuits - 3rd Place (WTF??? are you kidding me???)

Toasted Coconut Marshmallows - 3rd Place

Pecan Pie - 3rd Place (the crust was all messed up, so I feel lucky to have placed at all)

Mixed Nut Bars - Didn't Place at all (bwah?)

Banana Nut Muffins - Didn't Place at all (seriously, am I being punked???)

So, naturally, I feel embarrassed and humiliated, and just want to go spend the rest of the afternoon in bed. But I will be fine. What do they know anyway??? Ultimately I do wish some of them would have placed higher (namely the SCONES, biscuits, and mixed nut bars), but with the nearly ten thousand entries that the home arts division received this year, I guess it is still pretty flattering to have placed eight out of my ten entries.

Pecan Pie

2009-08-22T16:06:00.001-07:00

A homemade cream cheese pie crust filled with all of the flavors of my delicious Pecan Bars morphed into a pie. Now if only I could eat pecans. . .

Plum Cake Tatin

2009-08-22T12:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we picked some Italian prune plums, and this morning I was inspired to whip up a little something with them. I decided on this simple upside down plum cake, a take on the classic apple tarte Tatin (named after the Tatin sisters who originally created the dish at their hotel in Lamotte-Beuvron, France in the late nineteenth century).

A Total Nut Job

2009-08-20T09:22:00.000-07:00

A variation of my classic (blue ribbon winning) Pecan Bars
with Hazelnuts, Pecans, Almonds, and Macadamia Nuts

Thyme for an Update!!!

2009-08-13T13:03:00.000-07:00

Well, after 12 short weeks coming all the way from seeds, our small attempt at gardening this year has turned out quite well. I am a proud papa. The chives have flourished, and we snip off hand fulls at a time to use several times a week. The dill, unfortunately, has come and gone to seed already but it came up plentifully, and lived a good life. And my little babies (the thyme and sage) have been nursed along from tiny seedlings. . . and while we were all melting in the recent heat wave, they could not have been happier.

You'll remember the sage/thyme seven weeks ago:

And look at them now...all grown up (wipes tear from eye):

Toasted Coconut Marshmallows

2009-08-03T21:07:00.001-07:00

Blueberry-Ginger-Lemon Scones

2009-07-25T10:34:00.000-07:00

Fresh blueberries and crystallized ginger set these scones apart. Moist, cakey, spicy and sweet, with a lovely contrasting tartness from the lemon glaze. Delicious!

Pasta alla Carbonara

2009-07-21T22:06:00.000-07:00

On those nights when we need dinner in a flash, and it seems that we have no food in the house, I can always turn to this simple, rich, delicious stand by (as I typically always have these ingredients on hand, whether in the pantry, fridge, or freezer). It cooks up in a matter of minutes, and, while delicious on its own, it can be made a million different ways. Throw in some mushrooms, or chicken, or shrimp... whatever you have on hand, and dinner is on the table in no time.

6 slices of bacon, cut into 1/4 inch strips
1 pound of pasta (spaghetti, linguine, fettuccine, vermicelli, and bucatini are all good choices, but really any pasta will work)
8 eggs
Heavy cream (or half 'n half, or whole milk...whatever you have on hand)
1 cup grated Parmesan
Freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
Dash of chipotle powder
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Chopped fresh Parsley (optional)

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over medium heat.

Add about 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until it starts to color and become crisp. Turn off the heat and set aside.

Drop the pasta into the salted boiling water and cook it 1 minute less than whatever it says on the package. Bite the pasta to check the consistency.

While the pasta is cooking, crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the Parmesan, a splash of cream, the garlic, nutmeg, chipotle powder, and season with salt (keeping in mind that the cheese and bacon are both salty). Whisk vigorously until it becomes a homogeneous mixture. Season generously with black pepper (like a lot... as black pepper is a key flavor in classic carbonara) .

When the pasta is just about done, return the pan with the bacon to medium heat. Strain the pasta (reserving a cup of the coking water). Toss or stir the pasta into the bacon to coat the pasta with the remaining fat in the skillet. Vigorously stir the egg mixture into the pasta. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly until the egg mixture thickens and looks like a cream sauce, adding some of the cooking liquid if it becomes too thick. Toss in a handful of chopped parsley, and serve with a little extra sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Enjoy!

"Oh hot damn! This is my jam. . ."

2009-07-15T16:33:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we went blueberry picking (I mean "$1.00 you-pick blueberries" are there any more beautiful words in the English language?) and came home with a little over twenty pounds. It really is the most charming activity. It just seems so wholesome, and is also somehow kind of zen. Whenever we go, however, I always find myself humming the Gummie Bears theme song which gets stuck in my head (as the bushes and the activity itself just conjure images of gummie berry bushes in my mind... lord knows why) So there I am happily picking away singing to myself as my fellow pickers look on in amusement ("Dashing and daring, Courageous and caring, Faithful and friendly, With stories to share. All through the forest, They sing out in chorus, Marching along, As their song fills the air...").

We intend on going back next week, right around the peak of the season to hand pluck some more with which to fill up our freezer. I braved the heat today, and stood over the stove stirring my cauldron of bubbling blueberry sugar, and was able to get through several batches of Blueberry Jam (my first batch of jam this year). So it officially feels like summer.

Hooray for jam!

Cream Puffs

2009-07-11T00:05:00.000-07:00

Pate Choux is one of the best, fabulous food fake outs. It is kind of elegant, but deceptively simple to make (so don't be intimidated), and once you master it, variations of this same basic recipe can be used to make cream puffs, cheese puffs, profiteroles, and éclairs. Super simple, and a very affordable way to wow your guests.

Pate Choux:
1 cup milk
1/4 pound butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 eggs

Cream Filling:
1 cup cold heavy cream
1/4 cup whipped cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and the seeds from half of a vanilla bean)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Heat the milk and butter over medium heat until scalded. When the butter is melted, add the flour all at once and beat it with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together and forms a dough (it will look essentially like mashed potatoes). Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 2-3 minutes, until the flour begins to coat the bottom of the pan. Dump the hot mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the eggs and pulse until the eggs are incorporated into the dough and the mixture is thick.

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe one inch mounds onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. You should have about 35 puffs. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff (so it won't burn during baking). Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned, then turn off the oven and allow them to sit for another 10 minutes, until they sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Make a small slit in the bottom of each puff to allow the steam to escape, and cool upside down on a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, whip the heavy cream and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on high speed until soft peaks form, add the sugar and vanilla, and continue beating on high until the mixture is stiff, but not dry. Spoon the cream mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a small star tip, and fill the cooled puffs, using the steam vent you created on the bottom. Refrigerate the puffs until you are ready to serve. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar, and enjoy!

Easy Barbecued Ribs

2009-07-08T20:39:00.000-07:00

Here is my simple and fool proof method for cooking delicious, tender, fall off the bone ribs at home. Smoky, spicy, sticky, and sweet, these mahogany beauties will be sure to wow all of your guests at your next back yard barbecue. The recipe is very simple (in a very semi-homemade sort of way) with lots of help from the store, for which I offer no apologies.

4 racks of Pork Spareribs
3 packets of a BBQ Marinade (I use McCormick Grill Mate Mesquite)
2 cans/bottles of beer
1 cup apple juice
2 Tablespoons minced fresh garlic
Your favorite bottled BBQ Sauce
Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Pure Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Pimenton (Spanish, smoked Paprika)
a healthy dash of Chipotle Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
Liquid Smoke

In a large roasting pan with the rack removed, combine the beer, apple juice, marinade packets, garlic, and 1/3 cup bbq sauce. Add the ribs, turning to coat each rack in the liquid. Cover with aluminum foil, and marinate in the refrigerator over night or for up to three days, turning periodically to ensure even marination.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Remove ribs from the roasting pan, replace the roasting rack (leaving the marinating liquid in the bottom of the pan), and arrange the ribs on the rack in an even layer. Tent with aluminum foil, and bake for 10 to 12 hours, removing the foil half way through cooking, and basting with the pan juices every hour or so.

Meanwhile, combine 2-3 cups of bbq sauce, a splash of liquid smoke, a dollop of dijon mustard, the vinegar, maple syrup, chili powder, pimenton, and chipotle powder, and set aside.

Preheat your outside grill to medium-low heat (whether using gas or charcoal). Place baked rib racks onto the heated grill and slather with the doctored bbq sauce on both sides repeatedly, turning three or four times, for about 25-30 minutes, or until the ribs are nicely caramelized, and the sauce is thick and sticky. Remove from the grill, allow the meat to rest for 10 minutes, slice, and enjoy!

Beat the Heat: Frozen Key Lime Pie

2009-07-03T22:32:00.000-07:00

Crust:
10 graham crackers (usually about one package)
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup sliced almonds
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:
6 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons grated lime zest
3/4 cup freshly squeezed key lime juice (or you can substitute regular lime juice if you cannot find key limes)

Decoration:
1 cup cold heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Thin lime slices/wedges

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

For the crust, combine the graham crackers, sugar, and almonds in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until you have fine crumbs. Drizzle in the melted butter, and process until it comes together. Press into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is fragrant and golden brown. Set aside, and allow to cool completely.

For the filling, beat the egg yolks and sugar on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for 5 minutes, until very thick. With the mixer on medium speed, add the condensed milk, lime zest, and lime juice. Pour into the baked pie shell and freeze.

For the decoration, beat the heavy cream on high speed in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until firm. Spoon or pipe decoratively onto the pie and decorate with lime. Freeze for several hours or overnight.

Enjoy!

The Ultimate Ginger Cookies

2009-06-30T16:20:00.000-07:00

Crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside, the spices in these cookies kind of hit you in waves, none overpowering the others, with a distinct, almost smoky hit of molasses, and then it finishes off with the slightest heat from the chunks of crystallized ginger. And the way the house smells when they are baking. . .sigh. . .I am telling you, they will make you sass yo mama!

[Long ago in a land far far away, a dear (and beautiful) friend of mine and I used to make tea and socialize every week. All these many years later, how I long to return to that simpler time, there with her, sipping tea on the couch. I took this picture today as my "Tea for Tuesday" cyber shout out tribute to her. Cheers!]

Sunday, Sunday. . .So good to me

2009-06-28T23:02:00.000-07:00

After sleeping in, and waking up without an alarm, Bentley and I spent the morning in our pjs leisurely reading the Sunday paper, and luxuriating over a delicious breakfast of banana pancakes. After a short but decadent nap (to sleep off our pancake induced coma), we spent the afternoon at Bed Bath and Beyond buying new Calphalon non-stick skillets (10, 12, and 14 inch), which I have been wanting/needing to do for quite some time (as all non-stick pans really should be replaced semi annually with heavy use, for a number of good reasons).

We picked (which is to say stole) rainier cherries from an industrial complex, and took a languid stroll down by the train tracks collecting bouquets of wild daisies, California poppies, and the ubiquitous sweet pea, and checking on some wild Italian prune plums, which are not quite ripe yet. It was perfectly charming, very little house on the prairie (you know, if they were to have had an urban agricultural crime special).

We topped off our day, with a delicious dinner of spicy panang and massaman Thai curry, and by watching Revolutionary Road. Toward the end of the movie we started smelling smoke, and looked out our back windows to see huge plumes of smoke, and realized with equal parts horror and fascination that a house just around the corner was on fire. We gathered with the rest of our neighborhood onlookers, and commiserated over the tragedy of the situation. Fire is scary. Period. It was good to know, however, that there was swift response from both our little community and the emergency personnel. It is nice to see that even in this disconnected world that we live in, that neighbors, whom you may not even know, are still looking out for one another. And in that strange kind of boy are we thankful for all that we have sort of way it was the perfect end to an essentially perfect Sunday.

Banana Pancakes

2009-06-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

2 cups all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
Sliced Bananas

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a large bowl.

Lightly beat the eggs with the buttermilk, milk and melted butter.

Just before you are ready to make the pancakes, add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients all at once, stirring just long enough to blend (the batter should be slightly lumpy).

Pour 1/3-1/2 cup of the batter onto a hot buttered griddle (over medium heat, or heated to 375 degrees if using an electric griddle), and sprinkle with sliced bananas.

When bubbles appear on the surface of the pancakes, they just begin to burst, and the undersides are lightly browned, turn and cook for about 2 minutes longer, until lightly browned on the bottom.

Serve immediately with extra sliced bananas, a sprinkling of powdered sugar, and pure maple syrup (grade A dark or medium amber).

Enjoy!

Jacob's Simple Citrus Sangria

2009-06-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

2 bottles red wine (two buck chuck is perfectly acceptable)
1 cup sugar (or to taste)
approximately 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
the juice of one lemon
the juice of two oranges
one lemon sliced
one lime sliced
one orange sliced
approximately 4 cups of Squirt, chilled

Combine the wine, sugar, and citrus juices in a pitcher, and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the sliced fruit, and chill. Add the Squirt right before serving, to add a little bit of fizz.

(You can kick up the party even further by adding a healthy splash of brandy, Cointreau, or lemon flavored vodka)

Cheers!

Biding my thyme. . .

2009-06-20T12:25:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, we decided to plant a little herb garden in planters on our back deck (small enough to be taken indoors for winter, but large enough to yield a nice crop). We planted basil, chives, dill, mint, rosemary, sage, and thyme. We started them all from seeds, which was probably our first mistake (I knew it even at the time, I am not going to lie), and they have been taking their precious time in growing, and I have never been one for patience. Granted, it is mostly my own fault. I have never had what might be described as a green thumb. I usually either accidentally neglect plants entirely until they inevitably just commit suicide and whither in the sun, or, on the flip side, I end up loving them too much, investing all of my hopes and dreams into them, which translates into over watering, as I drown whatever life is left inside of them with my affection. It's a difficult balance, especially here in Oregon, where it will inevitably rain just after I have watered. This last week, I think precisely because we have cut back on our Chinese water torture (er...watering), the plants are finally beginning to show some small will to live. So I am biting my lip, and going against all of my loving instincts, in the hope that they will slowly begin to thrive despite me. And with any luck, we will soon be hacking them to bits and eating them. (So, I guess, as it turns out, the moral is, at my house, as far as herbs go, all roads lead to death.)

happy little chives

mmm... lookin' dill-icious

just give it some thyme

sad little sage

Jacob's CakeCups

2009-06-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

I threw together some cupcakes for the lovely Darbie, who is hosting a wedding shower for a friend of hers. I tried to stay in the color theme (which is to say, the brides chosen colors...see below), and think that, while I am clearly not a Benjamin Moore paint matching, color expert, I think it still reads as her palette. They are not super fancy, but I think they look kind of sweet.

Coo-Coo for Coconut Macaroons

2009-06-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

Life is just a bowl of. . .Cherry Clafouti

2009-06-16T15:31:00.000-07:00

Cherry Clafouti

2 tbsp softened butter
1 ¼ cups half and half
2/3 cup all-purpose white flour
3 large eggs
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups cherries, pitted
confectioners’ sugar for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°.

Grease six shallow ramekins, or one 9-inch baking dish with about half of the butter and set aside. Pit your cherries.

Put the half and half, flour, eggs, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, lemon juice, and salt into the blender. Blend on high, stopping once or twice, if necessary, to scrape any flour clinging to the sides.

Pour about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of batter into the prepared pan. Bake the thin layer of batter for approximately 3 to 5 minutes until the batter just begins to set. Remove from the oven and arrange the pitted cherries on the semi-cooked batter. Cover the cherries with the rest of the batter and dot with the remaining butter. Return the clafoutis to the oven for 35-40 minutes. Until puffed and lightly golden brown. Serve warm.

Clafoutis are the perfect, simple, rustic summer time dessert, but are also great for breakfast. They can be made with a variety of fruits (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, apricots, peaches, apples, pears, etc., or even a mixture of fruits...though you may want to vary the amount of sugar you use based on how sweet your fruit is). I, for example, had some left over plums from yesterday's tart and some extra batter so I went ahead and whipped up a plum clafouti as well.

What's for dinner?

2009-06-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

Lemon-Herb Roasted Pork Loin

Garlic-Rosemary Roasted New Potatoes and Pearl Onions

Parmesan Roasted Asparagus

Plum Tart

Going Native

2009-06-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

There has been some sort of paradigm shift in our house lately. I am not entirely sure if it is just that we are catching up with the times and finally doing the socially responsible thing for our planet and community, or if we have finally transitioned from lazy ego-centric Californians to eco-centric, earth muffin Oregonians. In either case, after getting our composter two months ago there has been a drastic change around here. Taking the time to collect all of our kitchen waste motivated us to also become hyper vigilant about our recycling. Whereas I was once too lazy to even rinse out my tin cans or plastic bottles and instead simply opted to throw them in the garbage, I now find myself digging in the trash after people, and picking out all of the recyclables, washing them all out by hand, and sorting them accordingly. It is somehow extremely gratifying to me, this new shift in thinking about what we consume. We now almost exclusively use reusable grocery bags (and recycle the few paper and plastic bags that we do end up using) and have been cutting back in every way that we can to prevent food waste (thank you Debbie Meyer Green Bags!), and the over producing of trash. Two months ago we were taking an overflowing garbage can (the largest of three sizes offered by our county) to the curb once a week, which we often had to stomp on the top of to force all of it to fit. We have now downsized our garbage output by three fourths, and are rolling a nearly empty can to the curb for pick up every Sunday. In fact, we are now considering downgrading to the smallest garbage can offered by our county, saving money, while we are doing our own small part to preserve the planet. It is amazing to me that a few extra seconds here and there can make this large of an impact on just our one little household. Imagine if we all were able to cut back this much. For the first time I guess the difference seems tangible, that recycling really can drastically cut back on the amount of our waste, that we as individuals really can make a difference. I challenge you all to join us, to use less, recycle more, and invest the few minutes it takes here and there to responsibly manage your own household waste. It really does feel great, you'll see!

Happiness is: A house full of flowers

2009-06-08T13:56:00.001-07:00

Monday's Makings

2009-06-01T11:12:00.000-07:00

Garden Salad

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Fruit Salad

Sandwiches for the finicky kidlets

Garlic/Cheddar/Chive Biscuits

Simple "Tupperware" Storage Solutions

2009-05-26T23:23:00.000-07:00

Someone on MoxieClean asked about solutions for cluttered Tupperware storage, which I think is a problem for all of us. Here was my response, in which I describe how I have come to solve this problem in my own kitchen:

Well I too can feel your pain. Long have I suffered with disheveled cabinets and/or overflowing Tupperware drawers. But no more. I finally had to simply make the choice and let everything I had go. Just let it go. My simple solution had been in front of me the whole time, with my dear friend Ina (who lives on TV). At Smart n' Final (or the Cash n' Carry for the Oregonians) they sell cylindrical, plastic deli containers. They have varying grades of thickness, and I prefer their thickest (with the brand name "Newspring") I purchase the 8oz, 16oz, and 32oz sizes, and stack them all in our deepest drawer (or cabinet). They are very inexpensive and come in quantity (it might be a 15 dollar investment to start) and best of all, they all use the EXACT SAME LID. So I have four neat and orderly stacks (small, medium, large, and lids). No more searching or fumbling. No muss. No fuss. The good news too, is that because they are so inexpensive, I don't give a second thought to sending left overs home with friends in them, or running the risk of accidentally leaving them somewhere. I use them in the fridge and the freezer, and they are dishwasher safe, and can be used again and again and again. They have been a godsend for me and my cabinets. And hey, if it is good enough for Ina, it is good enough for me. =)

For those of you who asked for it, here is a picture of our "Tupperware" (and kitchen towel) drawer. Hope this helps! =)

Pups, Pals, and Peonies

2009-05-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

Look who made a friend

Kitchen Cabinets: The continuing saga

2009-05-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

My MoxieClean kitchen spring cleaning marches on... Here are some more of my cabinets that I was able to get around to today. Luckily the sheer mortification that I feel in presenting the before shots to you has been momentarily tempered by my pride in having been able to redo all of them...so I am putting my shame aside for a moment to bask in my own cleaning glory. While our home may be a clutter free, "sparkling showroom" (as some have called it), just behind our cabinet doors was our dirty little, shamefully cluttered secret.

I forgot to take a before picture of this one, needless to say it was much worse than this.

Spring cleaning, Moxie Style

2009-05-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

With a little encouragement from MoxieClean, spring cleaning is well underway here at my house. Yesterday's mission was cleaning out the dreaded over stocked, shamefully unorganized kitchen cabinets. I took everything out, scrubbed the cabinets down, disinfected, weeded out some unused items, consolidated packaging, found some more logical homes for some things, organized everything, and put it all back in. Fwew! It feels so much better. I was only able to get to all of our upper cabinets yesterday and hope to tackle all of the bottom cabinets soon as well.

This photo begs the question, does one really need a coffee pot, French press, and a stove top espresso maker? Really? Apparently, in our kitchen, the answer, for some reason, is yes.

Mondays with MoxieClean

2009-05-11T16:33:00.000-07:00

My clean freak friend has started a new cleaning blog, and today's challenge for me was to work little by little towards cleaning out our pantry (which I have recently been complaining about). So begrudgingly, I decided to clear off and reorganize two of the seven shelves, thinking that it would be my week long project. After doing so, however, I felt so motivated and inspired that I just went ahead and redid the whole damn thing. Hooray! Thank you MoxieClean!

My shameful pantry before

Nice and organized!

Join the MoxieClean revolution today!!!

Thai Style Mango and Sticky Rice

2009-05-10T01:11:00.000-07:00

1 cup short grain "sticky" rice
1 can coconut milk
6 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
pinch of nutmeg
1 ripe mango, peeled, seeded, and sliced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Cook rice according to package instructions. Meanwhile, bring coconut milk to a simmer, stirring constantly. Add the sugar, salt, and nutmeg, and continue simmering 3-5 minutes until thickened. When the rice is cooked, add 3/4 cup of the coconut mixture, stir to combine, and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve mango on top of the warm rice, spoon over the coconut sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy.

Get 'Cho Clean On

2009-05-09T13:40:00.000-07:00

My perfect, modern music mix to clean your house to.
It'll make you feel so dirty, you'll just have to clean!
Is this a gay dance party in here?
Nope. . . just cleaning day.

Get 'Cho Clean On

Come over to the dark side, you know you want to. . .

"I cook like Betty Crocker, and I look like. . ."

2009-05-08T12:21:00.000-07:00

I started off the morning yesterday with my usual household tasks and by cutting lilac from our tree in the back yard. They are just so beautiful, and so fragrant that I simply cannot resist hacking the yard to bits and filling the house with them.

A little while later, Gabrielle called from her work asking if I would be able to throw together a business meeting dinner for twenty five people by 4:30pm. I agreed, somewhat begrudgingly, and we came up with a simple menu, and I ran to the store and got cooking. I usually ask for at least 24 hours advanced notice for any order, so was a little concerned about the time crunch. But I put my mind to the task and in under five hours I received the order, shopped at two stores for the ingredients, mixed up and baked off three dozen chocolate chip cookies, sliced up a couple of loaves of bakery French bread and put some whipped butter in a large white ramekin, made and assembled three large salads, packaged everything up, did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen, and delivered it all to her work. Just like freakin' Donna Reed! (Pats self on back)

Grilled Chicken Caesar
grilled chicken, tomatoes, cucumber, shredded Parmesan cheese, and croutons with a creamy homemade Caesar dressing
Greek Salad
tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, kalamata olives, raisins, feta cheese, with a tangy red wine vinaigrette
Pasta Pesto and Peas
farfalle and rotini pasta, pine nuts, peas, Parmesan cheese, in a creamy lemony basil pesto dressing

Easy Homemade Granola

2009-05-03T12:57:00.000-07:00

4 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
2 cups sliced almonds
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
a dash each of cinnamon and nutmeg
3 cups of one or more of the dried fruit(s) of you choice (raisins, blueberries, cranberries, cherries, figs, strawberries, apricots, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350.

In a large mixing bowl, combine everything but the dried fruit, and mix until evenly coated. Spread out onto a half sheet pan and bake for approximately 45 minutes, stirring every ten minutes, until evenly golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool, stirring occasionally. Add dried fruit, and enjoy.

Stored in an airtight container at room temperature the granola will last for up to 3 months.

Great on its own, as cereal, or over yogurt or ice cream. Or try pouring steamed (or scalded) milk over a bowl of the granola, for a delicious, satisfying hot breakfast.

Makes 12 cups.

Happy eating!

It must be spring!

2009-04-20T12:35:00.000-07:00

a little tip toe through the tulips. . .

2009-04-10T14:44:00.001-07:00

Grandma Iris

2009-04-09T10:54:00.001-07:00

My grandmother Iris June Bates, or Grandma I as we always called her, died last month. She hadn't been herself for quite some time, her mind so ravaged by dementia, and it was difficult to say goodbye to someone whom, for all intents and purposes, had left a long time ago.

Grandma I was a part of our daily lives growing up, like a third parent. She was the one who taught me how to make bread, frost cakes, and to flip pancakes (though she always called them hotcakes or flapjacks). She was always there, never afraid to be silly, the kind of grandmother who made childhood fun.

She dropped out of high school when she was only sixteen years old and married my grandfather, who had just gotten out of the navy, and they moved to Idaho and opened their own restaurant, which was attached to a casino. The dinners called her "little Betty" and she was famous for her pies. She was an artist. She kept a stained glass studio in her basement, could sketch or draw anything off the top of her head with the best of them, and was a talented seamstress who often didn't even require patterns.

Back in the day everyone says that she was the party girl of the family, the house where everyone gathered, the one always up for a good time. Her's was the door you knew you could come knock on at 2:00 am after you finished up at the bars, because she would likely still be awake, and if not you could be sure that she would happily get out of bed, make you something to eat, and pour you a nightcap.

When I was 8 years old, I was in a production of Bye Bye Birdie through the high school's summer theatre program. One weekend they hosted a fund raising carnival and dessert auction, and asked that each of us bring something in to be auctioned off. The winner of the auction, which is to say the owner of the dessert which sold for the largest amount of money, we were told, would win a t-shirt (the cost of which was probably like $5, but I didn't care... I wanted that damn t-shirt!). In my mind, winning that t-shirt was no small deal, my entire future life's happiness lay in the balance. They gave us several weeks notice, of course, but I dismissed it, and in classic Jacob style waited to the very last minute, until in a panic the night before the auction I asked Grandma I if she could make and decorate me a cake for tomorrow, explaining to her the importance of my winning that t-shirt. Everyone else had looked at me with the (perhaps appropriately) incredulous look of "it's just a t-shirt, calm down," but Grandma I didn't think it was silly, she understood completely. Now, even today, if someone were to order an elaborate cake from me with only twelve hours notice I might laugh in their face, but not her. She simply smiled, offered no complaint, and asked me what flavor of cake I wanted. "Chocolate. Definitely chocolate." "Then chocolate it is!"

The next morning we came to collect the cake. Not only had she made a perfect yellow school bus with the words "Lincoln Summer Theatre" piped on the side of it, the faces of excited little children hanging out of the windows, but she had taken a box, covered it inside and out with decorative contact paper, and affixed a large corresponding silk ribbon around it, with a large, perfect bow on top. The box still opened, but it looked like a giant, beautifully wrapped present. Later, at the auction, there was not a single homemade dessert to be found, as everyone else had just brought in grocery store cakes and pies, and the bidding for their wares had climbed all the way up to $13. I was up (I was asked to auction my cake off myself...which should have told me something about its quality) I nervously stood before the large crowd holding the box, just hoping, praying that there would be someone out there willing to pay a whopping $14 for the cake. I, sheepishly, explained that the cake was homemade, and opened the lid to show them. People gasped, they literally gasped. The cake didn't sell for $14 that day. It sold for $65. And I got my silly little t-shirt. Grandma I simply regarded it as a promise fulfilled.

I had the privilege of caring for her for two years before she finally moved into a nursing home, so not only was I around to hear all of her stories, but I was able to return to her some of the same loving care and support that she had given to all of us for so many years.

I love you Grandma. You will be missed.

Tom Yum Gai

2009-03-18T14:43:00.000-07:00

Thai style Hot and Sour soup

Combine in a large pot:
4 quarts chicken stock
1 vegetable bouillon cube
1 stalk lemon grass (finally chopped)
8 Kaffir lime leaves (finally chopped) (I found mine online)
6 Cloves garlic (minced)
8 dried red chillies
the stems from one bunch of cilantro

-Bring to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer (covered) for 20 minutes.
-Add 10 slices of ginger (each about 1/4 inch thick) and simmer for another 20 minutes.
-Strain the broth, and return liquid to the pan.
-Add:
3/4 cup Fish Sauce (mmm. . .fish sauce!)
1/2 cup Lime Juice
2/3 cup Sugar (I use granulated splenda so it may be a little less real sugar)
3 tsp Garlic Chili Paste (or to taste)
1 bunch of Cilantro (whole leaves)
2 large onions sliced
1 Large can diced tomatoes (liquid included)
2 cups snow peas (cut in half)
1 can bamboo shoots
2 Red bell peppers chopped
2 cups mushrooms (I used a gourmet dried mushroom blend from costco, 'cause that's what we had on hand)

[feel free to substitute any vegetables you have around]

-Simmer on low for 15 minutes.
- Add 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced. Turn off heat, cover, and allow the chicken to poach for 5 minutes.
-Serve hot, garnished with fresh cilantro and sliced green onions.

Enjoy!

There's a new world coming: Be the change

2009-01-19T19:20:00.000-08:00

"There's a New World Coming
And it's just around the bend
There's a new world coming
This one's coming to an end

There's a new voice calling
You can hear it if you try
And it's growing stronger
With each day that passes by

There's a brand new morning
Rising clear and sweet and free
There's a new day dawning
That belongs to you and me

Yes a new world's coming
The one we've had visions of
Coming in peace, coming in joy, coming in love"

-Cass Elliot

There is a new world coming. A new world policy based in hope instead of fear. And just as previous generations were defined by activism, ours must now be defined by service. We must stand up together and BE the change we seek.

I pledge to stay informed. I pledge to spend my energy lifting people up instead of tearing them down. I pledge to reach out and volunteer my time to help hungry people in my community. I pledge to be healthy. I pledge to smile more. I pledge to only use reusable grocery bags. I pledge to show more gratitude for the many wonderful things and amazing people in my life. I pledge to BE the change.

We are all in this together. Good luck, Mr. President.

Clemlet's Cupcakes

2009-01-17T23:33:00.000-08:00

Cellophane packages tied up with string, these are a few of my favorite things. . .

2008-12-23T11:32:00.000-08:00

Carcicles

2008-12-21T13:45:00.000-08:00

Jack Frost nipping at my butt. . .

2008-12-21T09:15:00.000-08:00

(Note: a large branch of one of our trees snapped under the weight of the ice)

After falling last week on the slippery, wet deck out back while grilling my chicken satay for the cookie party, I have been walking around very trepidatiously. It has been about eight years since I have fully fallen on my ass, and it was as shocking as it was painful. So whereas two weeks ago I walked through the world with the sure footing of a giant, I am now forced to check and recheck each foot hold as if each step toward my car (or the bathroom) was all that kept me from dangling from life's wintery summit. I say this so you may appropriately understand the caution I exercised this morning as I walked out onto the front porch to take pictures of the crystal ice world that was once our front yard. I pressed open the screen, and with the camera in one hand and my weariness in the other, I set out to take pictures of the elusive(and ever so beautiful) icicles, which have formed along our rain gutters overnight. No sooner had my first step made contact with the ground than I was lying spread eagle in nearly the full splits, my ass and one foot outside on the ice, and the other foot underneath and behind me inside the house. As the cold icy wetness seeped through the seat of my pants, I pondered how I would even be physically able to get up from this horribly painful contortion. I calmly took a breath and snapped a few pictures from my circus pose, before turning off the camera and tossing it to safety inside. I then, having sublimated my humiliation, through a process I do not even wish to describe, flopped around on the icy ground for several minutes, until finally I was forced to just shimmy onto my stomach and army crawl it back into the house before getting up. So here I sit, cold, wet, and sore, still no closer to capturing my beloved icicles on film.

A humble holiday spread with coffee. . .

2008-12-21T00:45:00.001-08:00

Almond Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Cranberry-Orange, Lemon, Maple-Oat, and Pumpkin Scones

Santa baby. . .

2008-12-20T23:43:00.000-08:00

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow. . .

2008-12-15T00:57:00.001-08:00

Cookie Exchange

2008-12-14T02:38:00.000-08:00

Pesto Pasta Salad

2008-12-01T19:44:00.000-08:00

gobble gobble. . .

2008-11-28T11:10:00.000-08:00

Our newly remodeled bathroom

Freshly painted "bonus room"

A couple of rushed, blurry pics just before dinner. . .

A fancy table for Hannah and Clemlette. Just their size.

Damn that tryptophan!

Twas the night before Thanksgiving and all through the house. . .

2008-11-26T19:56:00.000-08:00

Down by the sea. . .

2008-11-16T11:11:00.000-08:00

Jacob's Signature Salad

2008-11-10T12:40:00.001-08:00

Fuji Apples,
Dried Cranberries,
Glazed Walnuts,
Crumbled Blue Cheese,
on a bed of baby greens, served with
Jacob's Creamy Balsamic Blue Cheese Dressing

white chocolate macadamia nut

2008-11-10T11:14:00.000-08:00

Sugar and spice and everything nice and organized!!

2008-11-10T10:01:00.000-08:00

For years I have been searching for the ultimate herb/spice organizational system. At the store each system seemed too expensive, or too ugly, or too impractical. I have acquiesced instead to a big cabinet full of clutter and choas above the stove, where any number of jars might fall on top of your head should you dare move anything on your search to find what you are looking for. No more. Last night I stayed up into to wee hours of the morning organizing and labeling all of our herbs and spices (thanks to Gab's handy dandy label maker). And now they stand, a thing of beauty, alphabetized in their shiny little jars. Sigh. It really is a dream come true.

Happy, Happy Birthday Bentley!!!

2008-11-08T11:20:00.000-08:00

Who dat goooood birthday boy?

Mmmmmmmmmm. . . frosting.

My tiny little boy turned two yesterday. I cannot believe he is growing up so fast, hardly a puppy at all any more. He has been with me now for one year eight months, and I cannot even begin to imagine my life without him. He is a little love bug. A little bug of love.

He would like to thank all of you who took the time to email, text, and call in your happy birthday wishes. He felt like a special, special boy.

Spicy Hummus

2008-11-04T15:39:00.000-08:00

Road Testing

2008-10-28T15:12:00.000-07:00

Here it is not even Halloween and I find myself busying myself in the kitchen humming Christmas carols. I'm getting ready for the holidays already, testing some holiday cookie recipes, just to expand my repertoire, and looking for that perfect cookie for our cookie exchange party. (yes, I am THAT ridiculous) I want something quintessentially holiday-ish, and I have been thinking of maybe a double chocolate candy cane biscotti, a pumpkin cream sandwiched between two perfect gingersnaps, classic gingerbread men, and today, the newest endeavor, fruitcake cookies. Which one will win??? Who knows... but the house sure does smell good.

Update: So the reviews for these cookies were mixed. Jen literally spit hers out, and described them as "tasting like poison". . .and while everyone seemed to like them, no one seemed blown away by them. I myself, thought they were quite good. They do actually taste like fruitcake (which could be part of the problem, seeing as most people do not actually care for fruitcake). I would therefore give this test three out of five stars. So the search continues. . .

Preserving a piece of the magic. . .

2008-10-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

I learned this morning just how easy it is to preserve your own autumn leaves. The leaves in our yard have just been so beautiful, and I would love to incorporate some of them into my floral arrangements and center pieces at thanksgiving, but know that the leaves themselves will not last that long without some sort of preservation. There are several methods you can use, each of which will result in slightly different outcomes. I chose to use glycerin, as it produces a much more pliable end result (not dry and crunchy) and the preserved leaves themselves will last for years (rather than weeks). Now liquid glycerin is not as easy to come by these days as it once was, so it may involve some searching, and you will have much better luck scouring pharmacies (near the band-aids or hand lotion) rather than craft stores (though they often have small containers in the cake decorating section).

All you do then is cut some branches off of your trees (I chose Japanese Maple, and I especially like the variegated branches that still have some green leaves mixed in with the yellow, orange and red) and put them into a large vase of warm water, and let them drink up for a couple of hours. In the mean time bring one part liquid glycerin to two parts water to a boil on your stove top, and let the mixture cool to room temperature. Take your branches and hammer the ends to break them up, which will allow for greater absorption, and then transfer them into vases filled with the cooled glycerin/water solution. Now the only thing left to do is wait. It will take between two and five days for the leaves to drink in enough glycerin to preserve themselves. You will know when they are done when the water begins to bead on the leaves. You then need only take them out of the vases and hang them upside down for a day or two to dry. And voila! Beautiful, natural, inexpensive seasonal home decor. It's as simple as that.

Jacob's Flavors of Fall

2008-10-19T14:47:00.000-07:00

Anyone who knows me knows that Autumn is my favorite time of year. And on days like this, when the leaves have begun to turn and there is a nip in the air, my heart longs for a certain kind of comfort food. Food that is warm and rich, and satisfying. Flavors and aromas that wrap themselves around you like a fuzzy blanket for your soul.

I took some apples off of our tree in the back yard, some deliciously fragrant bosk pears, the zest and juice of a couple of lemons and oranges, a handful of dried cranberries, sugar, flour, and a dash of cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg and mixed them all up and tossed them into a buttered baking dish.

I then mixed up some cold butter, flour, white and brown sugar, old fashioned oats, a dash of salt, and a pinch of cinnamon in my stand mixer until crumbly, and topped the fruit with it. I put it on a baking sheet, popped it in a preheated 350 degree oven and baked until golden brown and bubbly (about an hour). It is THE BEST air freshener in the world. It smells like happiness, mixed with joy, with just a drop of sunshine. And in no time at all you have Jacob's Flavors of Fall: Pear-Apple-Cranberry Crumble. All it needs now is a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and a spoon.

Weekend Warriors

2008-10-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

For the last couple of weeks we have been remodeling our bathroom, which is to say, stripping it down to its studs and starting from scratch. The state of the bathroom before (the biggest area which made this house a "fixer upper") is best left un-described, needless to say it was a shamefully, wretched, cesspool of misery. But you know, whatever.

We, being simple and naive, believed that this task could actually be accomplished in a long weekend, knowing that this would render us without a functional shower (as the master bath is also in shambles and came unfinished). It, of course, has taken quite a bit longer than that, and is still not finished (though thankfully we now have a working shower, toilet, and sink, just like the queen of england). I was prepared for some hard work and long days, but what I had somehow not prepared myself for was the filth and the utter chaos it would bring into our lives. I awoke on the third morning of the remodel, for example, to our entire house having been blanketed in a thick layer of white silica dust, from the drywall/mud sanding. And unless you have ever had to deal with this kind of dust specifically, you cannot know the sheer magnitude of the cleanup required, when every single surface, in every single room, from floor to ceiling has been coated. Needless to say, it has been like a small sanitarium around here. Population: me.

Luckily the mess has been cleaned up and our lives have returned to normal(though, like glitter after Halloween, I have a feeling that this dust will mysteriously never really be gone, that we will in fact be cleaning it up for years to come). My thanks to my friends who extended their hearts and their showering facilities to me during this trying and smelly time. And to both of my readers who suffered during my radio silence.

Let them eat. . .

2008-09-25T16:36:00.001-07:00

Chocolate-Orange Cake

Cinnamon Biscuits

2008-09-15T01:03:00.000-07:00

I had never even heard of making cinnamon rolls out of biscuit dough until recently, and apparently I was the very last person on Earth to find out about it. I clearly did not get the memo that this was being done in kitchens around the world, and has been for quite some time. But as if by some act of divine providence, this past week it seems that the whole world has been unable to stop talking about cinnamon biscuits, and so I finally received the message. I have more than one hundred fifty cook books, and have watched thousands of hours of cooking shows in my days, so it isn't all that often that I read or hear about something that I have never even heard of before. So, it goes without saying that the idea excited me, and I hopped on the band wagon full steam ahead, and without missing a beat I pulled out my pastry cutter, and whipped myself up a batch. I didn't follow a recipe, I mean, after all, I have made both biscuits and cinnamon rolls too many times to count, so really, how difficult could combining the two concepts be?

I started with my (ahem, award winning) biscuit recipe, cut the salt a bit, and substituted Bulgarian buttermilk for its lower fat American cousin. I patted the dough out thin and spread it with a standard mixture of butter, sugar, and cinnamon, and rolled it up and sliced it just as I would with any other cinnamon roll. The great thing about not using yeast is not having to wait for rising time, and very little kneading is required, so they mix up in a flash and can go directly into the oven. I baked them separately on a parchment lined baking sheet like I would for any biscuit or scone, and not together, grouped in a pan, as one might be tempted to do. Is there anything better than the smell of baking cinnamon rolls? I mean really? It is heaven. And of course, a cream cheese glaze never hurt anything.

The results of this experiment were quite good. The flavor was very little different than that of traditional cinnamon rolls. The texture was very scone like, almost cakey, and not feathery like its yeasty counterpart. Unlike the yeast based, these I thought were much better at room temperature (and day old) than they were hot out of the oven. (This isn't surprising to me, as my scones, I feel, are often better, in terms of texture, the following day. This makes them especially nice for entertaining, as they can be made in advance. Not unlike roasted or seared meats, I think scones and biscuits often require time to allow their internal moister to redistribute.)

All in all it was a success. Cinnamon Biscuits: as delicious as cinnamon rolls, without the prep time. Perfect for a special breakfast treat, anytime.

Asian Noodle Salad

2008-09-14T17:49:00.000-07:00

Cocktail Party: in 30 minutes or less

2008-09-07T01:22:00.001-07:00

Chicken Satay with a Sesame Peanut Dipping Sauce

Grilled Shrimp with a Spicy Chimichurri

Dill-icious Dip

For my sister's birthday we decided to go low key and have a few friends over for cake and cocktails, but wanted to have a couple of nibbley things to munch on as well. It was already late in the afternoon, so I looked in the fridge and the pantry trying to come up with something to make. I pulled out some shrimp and boneless skinless chicken thighs from the freezer ('cause that's what we had on hand), and put the chicken in the microwave to defrost, and defrosted the shrimp in a colander in the sink under cold water. After pealing the shrimp, I whipped up a chimichurri (parsley, cilantro, lime juice, lime zest, garlic, cumin, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper) in the blender and set it aside. I hadn't ever made Satay before this evening, and didn't really have a recipe, so I threw all caution to the wind and took my cleaned blender and tossed in some peanut butter, rice wine vinegar, toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, a little cilantro, a little sugar, salt and pepper, and blended. Yum! I took half of this mixture and poured it over my cut up chicken, and reserved the other half for dipping. I preheated my broiler, and my Cuisinart counter top grill, and in another ten minutes time I had two finished dishes ready for plating. Luckily for me we had some previously made Dill dip in the fridge, so I sliced up some bell peppers, and some of Brandy's home grown, garden fresh cucumbers, and voila! We shook up some pomegranate martinis, rimmed our glasses with sugar, and we were ready for a party.

Caution: Stiff Jam

2008-09-04T10:17:00.000-07:00

I went to the fairgrounds to collect my ribbons yesterday, and received them all as expected. What I wasn't expecting, however, was that they would give me all of my cards, with some of the judges comments on the back of them. Writing on the back of the cards seems to be a judges prerogative, so some of them had comments and some of them didn't. But certainly all of it is good to know for the future.

My blueberry jam was not opened and disqualified because of "poor fill." (um, really? I don't even know what that means.) My apricot jam (which placed 3rd) was marked down as being "too stiff." (I mean haven't we all said at one point or another "gosh this jam is so delicious but it is SO STIFF I nearly broke my knife in half trying to get it out of the jar., I think I broke a tooth!" lol, I think that is hysterical.) In regards to my buttermilk biscuits (which placed 2nd) the judge commented "Tastes a little sweet. Nice color. A little on the big side." I personally think they have the perfect balance of salty and sweet, but to each his own. And having cut them with a standard sized biscuit cutter, size seems a strange thing to be marked down for, especially considering how small and disgusting the first place winner's biscuits looked at the fair (all crumbly, and gray), but you know, whatever. My rolls say "Nicely shaped. Perfectly brown. Very under baked." And having eaten the remainder of that batch myself, the rolls were no where near under baked, so don't even get me started on that one. Perhaps they enjoy a more crusty bread, that's fine. The BOC winning scones say simply "super moist. love the ingredients. perfectly browned." And the rest of the cards are blank.

I would have liked comments on the brownies too (the winning brownies had walnuts in them, which I don't include because of my being allergic to them, and I wonder if this played into mine not placing higher), but I will take what I can get. All of the feedback is good to know for the future. I think I will win next year's biscuits if I (begrudgingly) cut the sugar and the size a bit. And if only I could find a way to loosen up my cement jam. I think I will also be entering the gift basket and table setting competitions next year, just for fun (and because all of the entries this year were very sad looking and no where near award earning, so the playing field seems pretty clear for an easy win). And I will be entering many more items in the future. I will have that grand prize, so help me god, and I don't care how many old ladies I have to trample over to get to it!

While you were sleeping. . .

2008-08-31T02:54:00.001-07:00

I have a friend who comes over to my house once or twice a week, for cocktails, laughter, television, or whatever. We love having her here, she is great, we always manage to have a good time even when we are just sitting around doing nothing. The problem is that this friend, who shall remain nameless (ahem-Gabrielle), always falls asleep. Without fail she will inevitably fall into a deep coma and slump over in her chair mid-evening, be it mid-Project Runway or mid-sentence. And no matter how much she may try to deny it, or how many jokes we might make about it, when she walks in the door, we all know that at some point in the night she will most assuredly be napping. Right now, for example, she is sleeping in the other room, curled up on the sofa with a comfy blanket and a tiny little chihuahua. She has been there for more than three hours now. But I can't really begrudge her that, after all, we are all sleep deprived, and sometimes, let's face it, you have to sleep it off before you can safely drive home.

The good news about Gabrielle's I.N.C. (Inconsiderate Narcoleptic Comas) is that usually, had she gotten up and said "well I'm tired, I'm going home," I would have wished her a safe trip, and proceeded to laze about watching bad TV until sleep finally came MY way. But instead, since she is here, I become strangely enlivened and motivated to get stuff done. Like her unused potential energy is somehow magically transmuted into my kinetic energy through her sleep.

Instead of sitting around on my ass doing nothing, for example, in the last three hours of her blissful sleeping, I have watched a movie that needs to be returned tomorrow (Prom Night. . .dumb I know, but I find most horror movies to be pretty watchable, there I have said it. Stop judging me!), unloaded and loaded the dish washer, washed and dried a load of laundry, wiped down the counters, written three emails, read all my favorite blogs, made a grocery list, pulled out dinner for tomorrow night from the freezer, flipped through this month's W and Harper's Bazaar, and written this blog entry.

So basically what it all boils down to is this: if all of you could just come to my house and nap in shifts, there is no telling what other wonderful things I might be able to accomplish. After a week I would no doubt have single handedly solved our nation's health care crisis, our dependence on foreign oil, and safely pulled our troops out of Iraq, all while intermittently baking untold numbers of award winning treats. Nap your way to world peace. It's win win.

Correction

2008-08-27T15:17:00.000-07:00

I have just learned that in addition to winning the 1st Place Blue ribbon, my Cranberry-Orange Scones were also awarded Best of Class.

Meaning that of all of the 18 lots in the quick breads category (scones, biscuits, all of the muffins, banana, zucchini, and pumpkin breads, coffee cakes, corn breads, ginger breads, doughnuts, etc.) that received blue ribbons, mine was the BEST OF THEM ALL!!!!!

(pats self on back)

May I have a drum roll please. . .

2008-08-22T13:01:00.000-07:00

And the winner is. . .

ME!!!!!

The state fair results are in, and while I didn't place in everything I turned in (most notably and unjustly not for Grandma Browning's rolls, I mean come on? Really?) I did place in a couple of them. The results are as follows (keeping in mind that this is my first time at the fair, and I only turned in ten items):

Cranberry-Orange Scones - 1st place
(that's right bitches, THE BEST in Oregon)

Cranberry-Almond Biscotti - 1st Place

Pecan Bars - 1st Place

Buttermilk Biscuits - 2nd Place

Triple Chocolate Brownies - 3rd Place

Apricot Jam - 3rd Place

So as it turns out, the boy CAN cook. Who knew?

First the Oregon State Fair, next THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!

Too tired to try

2008-08-20T22:17:00.000-07:00

I just kind of threw these platters together, without my usual attention to detail, and eye for presentation. But my sister, who is bringing these into her office for a meeting tomorrow, doesn't care quite as much about presentation as I do. And since I am so tired tonight, instead of stunning, I figured I could get away with slapdash. If I had more energy I would have liked to have more artfully arranged the items, thrown in some grapes, or strawberries for color, and offset the platters with lemon or hydrangea leaves (lovingly stolen from the yards of friends). But, you know, coulda, shoulda, woulda.

For your consideration...

2008-08-19T17:52:00.000-07:00

So it is official. I have turned in all of my entries for the Oregon State fair.

My entry included 1 jar each of Apricot and Blueberry jam and six of each of the following:
Grandma Browning's Rolls, Buttermilk Biscuits, Cranberry-Orange Scones, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies, Cranberry-Almond Biscotti, Triple Chocolate Brownies, and Pecan Bars.

It is now out of my hands. It's all in good fun. If I don't place in any category, I will, of course, be humiliated, and be forced to question my entire self worth as a human being, but you know, whatever.

Breaking Bread

2008-08-19T15:34:00.000-07:00

Grandma Browning's Rolls

I know surprisingly little about my great great grandmother, Sophronia Louise Browning. Family folk lore paints the picture of her being a strong minded, strong willed woman, being at times inflexible, uncompromising, manipulative, and even vicious. But what I do know, what I have always known, is that these are Grandma Browning's rolls. Ever since I was a small child, that is what they have been called. Never dinner or yeast rolls, never simply bread, her name was always attached to this dough, like the recipe itself was consubstantial with her very being. For all I know she too learned this recipe from her grandmother, there is no telling how far it goes back. Maybe the Snow family brought it here with them from Europe on the Mayflower itself. There is no way of knowing. But what there is to know, is that there has never been a holiday dinner or important family gathering in the last one hundred fifty years which did not include these light, feathery rolls.

My grandmother Iris (or Grandma I, as we have always called her) would use this dough for everything. It was her all purpose dough. Cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, pizza crust, dough nuts, loaves of bread, bagels, anything was possible, nothing was out of the reach of its magic. About eight or ten years ago, when her health began to fail and she was no longer able to make the rolls for our gatherings, she passed the torch on to me, as it had been passed to her, and I have been making them for our family ever since. I, of course, have put my own modern spin on the recipe, as she no doubt did hers. In this way, it is a collection of all of us. All of our secrets, our tricks, our special touches, our memories, our happiness, our holidays.

My Kitchen Aid mixer now makes easy work of the kneading process. But as a child, standing on a stool, my hands on her cutting board, squishing the dough between my tiny fingers, I remember Grandma I smiling down at me, telling me that this was special bread, that this bread had to be kneaded for twenty-five minutes. No more. No less. And to this day, whether in the mixer, or by hand, I ensure that it kneads for exactly that long.

We don't have inheritances in my family. We don't have trust funds, war bonds, stock market portfolios, or priceless antique furniture to leave behind. But we do have this dough: our own little yeasty legacy. This dough that has spanned at least five generations. This dough that has been with us all along. Delicious.

Painfully Chocolate Brownies

2008-08-18T22:13:00.000-07:00

These brownies are my triple chocolate death threat. Rivers of melted chocolate, butter, eggs, chocolate chunks, and coffee, are held together with the smallest amount of flour allowable by law. These chocolaty treats fall somewhere between fudge and "f*ck you these are good."

Pe-Can't

2008-08-18T21:46:00.000-07:00

The amazing, the delicious, the irresistible Pecan Bars of happiness.

While I was granted the ability to produce these magical confections, unfortunately, (through some horribly evil, cosmic, voodoo curse) I am allergic to pecans. I cannot, I must not give in to their siren song, no matter how delicious they may look, no matter how good they might smell.

Oh Satan, why are your evil nuts so temptingly delicious?