I am keeping this short but sweet. Blackberries are in full swing and I need to take my girls for a walk. Well, this means a little of both. I will pick blackberries along the trail and the girls will walk along. Hannah will carry the backpack so I can put my containers and be hands free.
I wanted everyone to know that I made boiled peanuts yesterday, which are a huge success I think. In fact I might be forced to make more. I, of course, have to sample along the way to make sure the flavor is just right. I also made a simple yet delicious hash of sorts Fresh potatoes (an incredibly easy crop to grow mind you) with red and green peppers, onion, chopped garlic, salt and pepper and topped with feta cheese. Yep bake it in the oven and once the potatoes are cooked you are done. So easy and so good. I added just a little Rosemary to the equation for good measure.
OK off to walk the dogs and pick blackberries. Look for highlights, I have no idea what I am going to do with them other then make a fine sauce to put over my ice cream. I have friends making jam for me, so that option is out. Yum Yum. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Happy cooking folks!!
This is my story through cooking. I am going to make most things from local food I gather, hunt, catch, or buy. Yes yes I will stray, but for the most part some ingredient will be from this area. And I will try to save you money too.
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Friday, September 21, 2012
Chicken It's Not What's for Dinner
Hello all. What a crazy busy week I have had. To reward myself I am taking the girls (my two dogs) and going on a weekend camping trip. That means no blog. Tell you what though I will try to make something truly amazing in my dutch oven. Got to hone my skills I am up for a competition next year. Oh, you want to know what made this week so busy. Well, we had our first annual Sequim Balloon Festival. Yep the hot air was here. I am a crew member now, so any other spare time I might actually have I will be crewing. It is amazing and the wonderful people you meet. Wow! Speaking of people, I want to get delve more into that subject because I am thinking of trying a pay it forward kind of thing with food and I want to run it by my fans. There are some of you right? I have been blessed with some of the most devoted friends I could ever ask for. Kindness and giving go a long way I think, and I need to do more of it. Actually, I think we all do. A little item goes a long way, just remember that. Don't get me wrong I am soooo guilty of being mean at times. I am slowly learning to just walk away, vent in my own personal way and avoid those folks when they turn up in my life again. But there are those out there who work hard, help when they can and are unfortunately eeking out a living. Mind you I am not rich, but I am rich with food and good friends who would help me at the drop of the hat. My neighbor is completely home bound, what kind of life is that. I admit I don't see much of her, but I fully intend to make her a very nice meal and deliver it to her. So here is my plan. Eventually, I will set up a special fund for donations and for every $20 dollars received I will make a meal and deliver it to a selected person. Yes it is in this area, but who knows perhaps if anybody else is interested in doing this I might just add on. Are you all game? I say $20 only because that would make say a few days worth of food. I am not targeting just the folks struggling, although I do have some on my list, but those who are being generous and doing good for others as well. So there you go. I am off to make another wonderful creation. Happy Cooking!!!
CC Shrimp Scampi
4 or 5 cloves of garlic
1/2 shallot
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon taragon
1 cup white wine
Pasta of choice
CC Shrimp Scampi
4 or 5 cloves of garlic
1/2 shallot
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon taragon
1 cup white wine
Pasta of choice
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Visitors
I haven't forgotten the blog, but I actually have had a good friend from Australia visiting me. I have been cooking, cleaning and riding on the back of a bike every night. It was grand fun, and thus I have been slacking a bit on my blog. Yikes!!!! So here we are back to it once again.
I had a bit of a mishap, a major meltdown and mostly a learning experience the other day. The mishap was I was hiking and I lost my keys. I had my girls with me and I was messing around. I got into the stinging nettles and amid my silent cursing at myself and the nettles I bumped into a tree. My key slipped out of my pocket unbeknownst to me so when I got back to the car, no keys. The sick feeling starting sinking in as I rampaged through my pockets and turned up nothing. So I proceeded to go back out on the trail and hunt. 4 miles later no dice. Once more out and about halfway it was getting dark. So I am searching along the trail with my cell phone light as my flashlight. Nope no luck. I have a spare so I can at least get home. So I went back to the car in the dark to find the spare. They aren't there either. After all these years it has fallen off. I am in full on meltdown mode now because it is late, I have to walk home now in the dark and I have no one to call to come pick me up. I have to leave my purse, my car, my camera locked in the car unattended. So I call my family and Drew crying because I am mad at myself for being so silly. Long story short I ended the night having my car towed to the house by my new wonderful friends at Evergreen Towing. The guy was so nice and patient with me at midnight. I was in bed fast asleep at 1 in the morning and up with a dog in tow for another round of searching at 6:30. Needless to say Saturday I was exhausted, but I had my keys!!!!!
So you ask what did I learn. I learned that you need to keep checking on that spare set of keys, which once I get another one made I will do. I also learned that I can handle anything even amid a meltdown. I am an independent woman and while life throws curve balls for me I somehow manage to pick myself up and keep on going. The most important thing, sometimes we do have to rely on others to help us out no matter how embarrassing the situation. Sometimes it will be our turn for help and other times we will return the favor by helping someone else. Remember that. We need more kindness in this world, and it is little things that can make a big difference. That tow truck driver was my hero for the night, and while he probably laughed in the truck at my misfortune he never once got upset with me and went out of his way to make sure that I could get reconnected with a key (if I had to have new ones made).
I am making true garden stir fry tonight so harvest away my friends.
Garden Goodness Stirfry
1 Kohlrabi slightly cooked
Snap peas - any desired amount
2 stalks Celery
1 Red pepper
Scallions (or onion or chives)
4 Cloves of Garlic
Radish pods - any desired amount again
2 drops Sesame Oil
4 drops Soy sauce
1 slice of ginger diced up
Quinoa
I added all the hard veges first like the Kohlrabi and celery with a little olive oil for a quick saute. I then added my peas and radish pods garlic, scallions for their saute. It is Quinoa time, cook as instructed. I use a chicken broth base just to give it a little flavor. Meanwhile I am just letting my saute cook a little bit at the lowest setting your stove will allow. I add all the other ingredients, plus anything else you might want after all it is stir fry. Quinoa is done so add that to your veges and flash heat for about 1 minute. Serve with a big helping of YummmmO and I made some roasted garlic bread and salmon. I will share that special salmon dish with you tomorrow.
I had a bit of a mishap, a major meltdown and mostly a learning experience the other day. The mishap was I was hiking and I lost my keys. I had my girls with me and I was messing around. I got into the stinging nettles and amid my silent cursing at myself and the nettles I bumped into a tree. My key slipped out of my pocket unbeknownst to me so when I got back to the car, no keys. The sick feeling starting sinking in as I rampaged through my pockets and turned up nothing. So I proceeded to go back out on the trail and hunt. 4 miles later no dice. Once more out and about halfway it was getting dark. So I am searching along the trail with my cell phone light as my flashlight. Nope no luck. I have a spare so I can at least get home. So I went back to the car in the dark to find the spare. They aren't there either. After all these years it has fallen off. I am in full on meltdown mode now because it is late, I have to walk home now in the dark and I have no one to call to come pick me up. I have to leave my purse, my car, my camera locked in the car unattended. So I call my family and Drew crying because I am mad at myself for being so silly. Long story short I ended the night having my car towed to the house by my new wonderful friends at Evergreen Towing. The guy was so nice and patient with me at midnight. I was in bed fast asleep at 1 in the morning and up with a dog in tow for another round of searching at 6:30. Needless to say Saturday I was exhausted, but I had my keys!!!!!
So you ask what did I learn. I learned that you need to keep checking on that spare set of keys, which once I get another one made I will do. I also learned that I can handle anything even amid a meltdown. I am an independent woman and while life throws curve balls for me I somehow manage to pick myself up and keep on going. The most important thing, sometimes we do have to rely on others to help us out no matter how embarrassing the situation. Sometimes it will be our turn for help and other times we will return the favor by helping someone else. Remember that. We need more kindness in this world, and it is little things that can make a big difference. That tow truck driver was my hero for the night, and while he probably laughed in the truck at my misfortune he never once got upset with me and went out of his way to make sure that I could get reconnected with a key (if I had to have new ones made).
I am making true garden stir fry tonight so harvest away my friends.
Garden Goodness Stirfry
1 Kohlrabi slightly cooked
Snap peas - any desired amount
2 stalks Celery
1 Red pepper
Scallions (or onion or chives)
4 Cloves of Garlic
Radish pods - any desired amount again
2 drops Sesame Oil
4 drops Soy sauce
1 slice of ginger diced up
Quinoa
I added all the hard veges first like the Kohlrabi and celery with a little olive oil for a quick saute. I then added my peas and radish pods garlic, scallions for their saute. It is Quinoa time, cook as instructed. I use a chicken broth base just to give it a little flavor. Meanwhile I am just letting my saute cook a little bit at the lowest setting your stove will allow. I add all the other ingredients, plus anything else you might want after all it is stir fry. Quinoa is done so add that to your veges and flash heat for about 1 minute. Serve with a big helping of YummmmO and I made some roasted garlic bread and salmon. I will share that special salmon dish with you tomorrow.
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