Sweet Little Sasquatch

Postcards from Port Townsend, WA

2011-08-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it's nice just to get away for a while.

Even if there's nothing really that big to get away from.

Know what I mean?

This year, we went to Port Townsend, Washington for vacation with the family. It was gorgeous, with sunny skies and cool, sea air.

We even saw seals.

This, of course, is not a seal. This is my beautiful niece who's thinking something quite important I'm sure.

Here is T. eating fresh loganberry pie from a sweet shop on Whidbey Island. The big red barn he's standing in front of was huge, with vintage wine barrels in front filled with fragrant summer flowers.

See this lazy dog? This is Timber, he's exhausted from running into the ocean. He would jump into the water like a freight train and splash around like a puppy. The whole scene caused instant smiles.

Now we're back in Portland, happy as ever and busy with all life has to give.

Toasted Coconut and Blackberry Crisp Milkshakes

2011-07-28T10:01:00.000-07:00

Today, we are two. Hooray!

Isn't it fun?

For a day like today, we need milkshakes to celebrate.

It's because I like you so much.

THANK YOU for enjoying this blog as much as I do. For your comments, your feedback, and your giggles.

THANK YOU for checking in, having fun, and creating a community of nerdy, food loving, poem writing, and photograph clicking folks from around the world.

THANK YOU to new readers, and readers who have supported me from the beginning. We've come a long way, and it keeps getting better.

FINALLY, dessert.

These little milkshakes taste like berry pie. They're made with toasted coconut, fresh marionberries, cinnamon, and walnuts. Simple, delicious, and vegan friendly.

Enjoy!

Toasted Coconut and Blackberry Crisp Milkshakes

serves two or one very thirsty friend

1 cup coconut, non-dairy ice cream (I use Luna and Larry's)

3/4 cup almond milk

1/2 cup fresh or frozen marionberries or blackberries

4 Tbl. unsweetened, toasted coconut

2 Tbl. toasted walnuts

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

tiny pinch of salt *optional

Toast the walnuts and coconut in a 350°F oven, or in a skillet on the stovetop until fragrant and golden. Remove from heat and place into blender or Vitamix. Add the remaining ingredients and blend thoroughly until all the walnuts and coconut are smooth and fully incorporated. Pour into 1/2 pint mason jars and serve with blackberries on top.

Birthday Sneak Peek

2011-07-25T14:22:00.000-07:00

This little blog has a birthday coming up!

Let's make something delicious.

Here, have a cupcake to tide you over...

Remember last year, when we made chocolate zucchini cupcakes with mocha frosting? Well, that was just for turning one. In just a few days Sweet Little Sasquatch turns two, and you of course, are invited. Stop by on Thursday, won't you?

It's going to be delicious. Promise.

Tofu Egg Salad

2011-07-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

I made this tofu salad because I was hungry.

Not shocking, I know, but it had been a long day and I was somewhere between nuclear-fallout grouchy and completely delirious.

You ever been there?

Farmers markets are in full swing, chickens are getting bigger and bigger, and my cat has somehow become even more insane than usual.

Don't let him fool you. He's got crazy on the brain.

He even has the dog in check. A 70 pound dog, right in the palm of his little, furry paw. Not cool.

Who raised him anyway?

Oh.

Here's another confession: I made this vegan version of egg salad in about 10 minutes and I ate it all up on a bed of greens.

Hunger beast? Tamed.

One of the things I like most about it, aside from the speed, is the versatility of ingredients. I added fresh cucumbers, garlic scapes, and garden parsley, but you can use whatever is in season. It's cool. You're the boss.

You've seen these, right?

Garlic scapes are the edible and delicious tops of growing garlic bulbs. It's okay to cut them off and eat them, in fact, I've heard it makes the garlic mature more quickly with more flavor. True.

Tofu Egg Salad with Garlic Scapes

Serves 2-4

8oz. firm tofu, drained

1/3 cup Vegenaise, or other vegan substitute

1 Tbl. whole grain dijon mustard

2 medium curls of garlic scapes or 1 large stalk of green garlic or green onions, very finely chopped

1 Tbl. finely chopped parsley

2 tsp. spicy/sweet mustard* optional

1/4 cup sliced cucumbers for the top

salt and pepper to taste

Drain the tofu and crumble into a medium size bowl. Add Vegenaise, whole grain mustard and sweet mustard (if using), and mix gently until combined. Add the garlic scapes or green garlic in two batches, tasting after the first addition. Stir in parsley, and add salt and pepper to taste. Top with fresh, sliced cucumbers or torn basil leaves.

Once made, you can serve this salad on toast, in lettuce or endive leaves as a quick app., or on a bed of greens.

Oatmeal Raspberry Bars

2011-07-11T17:07:00.000-07:00

You and I have known each other for a while now, huh?

So I really don't need to remind you of my 'lemons into lemonade' philosophy, right? Good. I knew I liked you...

These raspberry bars are for a little lemonade maker named, Lilah.

::Hi Lilah!::

Lilah can't read yet, she's too little. So someone's gonna' have to read that to her, k?

I hope she likes raspberries...

I picked these sweet little berries from the garden this morning, just before it started to warm up. I've had berries on the brain lately, and for good reason. Every year, like clockwork, the beginning of July is the start of raspberry season here in Portland. Last year, I had so many berries they were hard to keep up with.

Remember those ginger raspberry scones?

Mmmm...

I even wrote an article all about raspberries for the Portland Farmers Market just last week.

Berry brain I tell ya'.

For these bars, you will need about 3/4 cup of raspberry jam. I didn't have any this morning so I just combined a little sugar (about 3/4 cup), 2 cups of raspberries, and a whole lotta' love into a saucepan and simmered it down until thick (10 min.). Really. You can do it too.

I also added whole oats, and whole wheat flour to the recipe to give the dessert some character, health, and a mild, nutty flavor. Enjoy!

Oatmeal Raspberry Bars

adapted from Deborah Madison's Jam Bars

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup whole oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 farm-fresh egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. cardamom

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 cup raspberry jam

3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F, and butter a 2 quart baking dish. Set aside. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Once combined, add the egg and vanilla until smooth and well mixed.

In a medium sized bowl, combine all dry ingredients except the walnuts (if using). Gradually, add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and mix at a medium speed until a nice dough forms. Once combined, remove about 3/4 cup of the dough and set aside. Take the rest of the dough and press it down evenly into the buttered baking dish. Smooth out the top, and add the jam in an even layer to the top of the dough.

If using walnuts, add the chopped walnuts to the reserved dough until combined. Drop this dough mixture on top the jam in bits until all of the reserved dough has been used. Bake in the center rack of a 350°F oven for approximately 40 minutes, or until the top of the bars turn slightly golden. Allow to cool before cutting into squares.

Strawberry Pop!

2011-06-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Have you ever heard it?

It's the sound strawberries make when you take them off the plant.

Pop!

Like the sound of a suction cup un-suctioning.

Does that make sense?

::sigh::

It's adorable anyway.

As adorable as fluffly little chickens?

Well...

Here.

Have a berry or two. Maybe even three or four, I won't tell. And while you're noshing away on these sweet, little, summer berries I'll be here, workin' away. And when things get overwhelming, I'll just wander on over and steal a berry or two myself.

And if things get really crazy, I may even cook these berries down with some sugar, cool it, and pour it into some soda water for homemade, summer strawberry pop.

Delicious.

Summer!

2011-06-22T16:14:00.000-07:00

Also known as, crisp season.

Not the crisp that is just another word for cold, nuh-uh, I've had it with the cold.

I'm talking about the one that bubbles up in your oven and makes the whole house smell like summer afternoon; like the only place you have to go is outside to pick fresh basil and tomatoes. The kind of smell that makes you a good person for just thinking about bringing a warm rhubarb crisp over to your friend's house because you know she would love the surprise.

But you don't because it's too darn good to leave the house.

You know that smell?

(interruption: I really did think about bringing it over, but, you know...)

Well.

Portland has been nice. It's been a while since I've been in this blog space, and I'm sorry if I haven't been visiting your spaces either, please forgive me? Here... have a piece of this rhubarb crisp with chocolate cherry ice cream. Friends again?

Ahem.

The other day I received two batches of fresh garden rhubarb from a good friend. This is the first year I've planted it myself, so I can't yet harvest the stalks (did you know that? True! Another fun fact: you can't eat rhubarb leaves, they are toxic. Double true!).

Even though rhubarb is really a spring treat, it goes pretty strong here in urban gardens through late June and early July. This means more time for rhubarb jam, rhubarb pie, and of course, rhubarb crisp.

The crisp is a breeze to make, and is made even more adorable when served in a mason jar with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream right on top.

Do it.

Summer Rhubarb Crisp

For the Topping

1 generous cup whole oats

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour (I like a combo. of whole wheat and all purpose)

1 tsp cinnamon

2 pinches of salt

5-6 tbl. cold, unsalted butter

Whisk together all ingredients except the butter in a medium size bowl. Cut the cold butter into small pieces, and using clean hands, mix together until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Set aside.

For the Crisp

4 cups chopped rhubarb, cut into 1/2in half-moons, about 5 large stalks

1/2 cup sugar + 2 Tbl. brown sugar

2 Tbl. coconut flour*

pinch of salt

*Coconut flour is a new favorite of mine. It's healthy, full of fiber, and thickens this crisp up nicely without the use of cornstarch. Feel free to sub the coconut flour for all-purpose flour, no problem.

Preheat the oven to 375°F, and butter a 2 quart baking dish.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl until the rhubarb is evenly coated with flour and sugar. Pour the rhubarb mixture into the baking dish and spread it evenly. Cover with the topping and bake until the juices start to bubble up, about 40 minutes. You may want to set the crisp on top of an aluminum-covered baking dish to catch bubbling-over goodness.

Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 10 minutes before diving in.

The Weekend

2011-05-24T21:55:00.000-07:00

You know what I love more than Mondays?

Sundays.

And Saturday's too. I guess that goes without saying for most people, but... I kinda' had to get that out.

Waaaayyyy out. Because lately, I've been feeling like I need just one more day during the weekend.

That's not asking too much, is it?

I spent a good part of this past weekend outdoors. Saturday, T. and I met some friends at Naomi's for a crafty springtime celebration.

There were goats there.

Chickens too. Adorable ones, that were even bigger than my little gals that seem to be growing like crazy.

Who knew those little chicks could make so much noise. It's like living with little baby howler monkeys.

Except fluffier.

I also had a chance to get to farmers market this weekend and found the most adorable little baby beets. They were the color of easter eggs and tasted sweet and earthy. I roasted 'em up, tossed them with olive oil and lemon juice, and made them into a springtime panzanella salad with day old bread, spicy micro greens, hazelnuts, and goat cheese.

Delish.

This coming weekend, I'll be making a cake.

I haven't decided which one yet, but it's for a birthday. My father-in-law's birthday. He's a pretty cool guy, so it's gotta be good. I'm thinking something with chocolate, just for kicks.

But we'll see...

And this time, I get that extra day, making it 1...2...3 days off in a row.

Oh, the possibilities.

For All The Mamas...

2011-05-08T10:59:00.000-07:00

If I lived close to my mom, I would have made her this french toast for Mother's Day.

But sadly, I live far away. And if I were to make it and send it to her in the mail, I somehow don't think it would be the same.

::sigh::

I'm a lucky girl though, I not only have a great mom, but I have a pretty amazing step-mom too.

I also have the world's greatest mother-in-law (remember the Vita-Mix? Yeah, that was her...), a grandmother who uses Facebook, and a series of other strong, beautiful, independent women who I can count on in times of need.

Think of this french toast as my way of saying, thanks.

Thanks a million for all of your support, your love, and your conversations over cups of hot coffee.

And wine...

I love ya'. And if I ever get a chance to become a mama myself, I hope I will be a combination of each and every one of you, wrapped together in a big, home-sweet-home style hug that only moms can give.

Happy Mother's Day- XOXO

Hello, Ladies...

2011-05-01T09:01:00.000-07:00

I know people don't like to be forced to look at pictures of other people's: kids, cats, dogs, babies...

So I apologize.

But, really...

Aren't they just amazing?

Here, each of the girls is about two days old. We have five chicks total, all with sweet, little, fluffy feathers.

They finally have names too. The one that's looking at the camera right up there, that's Eclair, she looks like a little cream puff.

The rest of the ladies have been camera shy, but trust me, they're equally adorable.

You'll see.

And they'll be big before you know it. Soon I'll be saying, "They're Huge!"

But for now, they're just focused on getting their tail feathers.

And I'm focused the spring. Rhubarb jam, here I come.

Milk and Cookies

2011-04-16T09:39:00.000-07:00

These are because I like you so much.

And because it's really April. Rainy, chilly, and hopeful April.

We're almost in the middle of it already. I know this because it's still all wet outside, the daffodils are beginning to subside, and the seeds I planted weeks ago are finally starting to show themselves.

It's a beautiful thing.

Oh!

And the chicks are here too. I can't wait to show you.

They're ah-DOR-able! (But they still need names).

So in celebration of all things fresh and new, I think you should make yourself some cookies. And not just any ol' cookies, try some you have never made before, like cowgirl cookies or good old fashioned peanut butter. You can eat 'em up with a glass of almond milk or give them away to people you love.

Whateves. You can do whatever you want- it's springtime after all.

But I'm a busy girl. There are little baby chicks that need some love and attention, soil that needs planting, and problems to solve. Without a doubt- this is go time.

A happy, too busy for words, the train is leaving the station- go time.

Made better with 350° of heat, and a cup full of sugar.

April, I'm ready for ya'.

It Sprung

2011-03-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

It's finally here.

And though the sun may refuse to come out for a while, the Portland world doesn't seem to care. Cherry trees are in full bloom, daffodils are trumpeting their way through the neighborhood, farmers markets are open, and I am happily here in my kitchen.

Oh, Spring. What you do to me...

Sunday Morning

2011-03-14T22:02:00.000-07:00

You may be thinking that all I do on the weekends is make things for breakfast.

That's SO not true.

Well...

Let's take a step back for a minute and look at the bigger picture.

I happen to have one of those jobs that prevents me from being home during the most gorgeous hours of natural sunlight, the kind of light that makes you sing with geeky, photo-journalism glee. You know what I'm talking about, right?

So when I am home, and the light out there is just right, I can't help but take a picture or two of what's been going on in this tiny yellow kitchen of mine-- and that's usually during the weekend.

During those sweet, Sunday morning hours that you wish would go on forever, with endless pots of coffee, and warm, fuzzy socks.

Sunday morning means time for me and T.

So I bake.

I bake because when I am wrist deep in flour, sugar, and eggs, I can't really think about anything else. And if I do, well...

Sugar burns.

Instead, I think about the people I am cooking for.

And about how darn yummy it's all going to be when it comes out of the oven.

I think about things that make me happy, things I've been wanting to think about for a while, but have been too busy to spend time on. When I bake, I plan my future life.

Really.

And when it all comes out of the oven, and the whole house smells like vanilla, hope, and cinnamon, I know it's going to be a good day.

With too much coffee, a messy yellow kitchen, and sugar that hasn't been burnt.

Peanut Butter Cookies and Secrets

2011-03-07T22:04:00.000-08:00

There are a few things in life that I secretly love, but hate to admit.

We'll start innocently:

1. Batter whisks from cakes and cookie dough. I would lick them clean every time if no one was watching and/or I wouldn't get caught later.

2. The Vampire Academy book series. Teen vampire angst made perfect for adult mindless reading and book clubs.

3. The Royal Wedding. Kate Middleton, what will you wear?!

Then, there are cookies.

Peanut butter cookies sprinkled with sugar.

I'm not quite sure where the trepidation starts, but I think it's inherent in making anything with peanut butter.

I've tried to deny it, but I love the stuff.

Peanut butter cookies take me back to a time when the only thing I had to worry about was if I would make it out to the playground in time to get on a big-kid swing, and not one of those swings with the bottom basket and leg holes.

Those were for babies.

But these cookies are not for babies. These cookies are for people who love to have secret indulgences like cake batter and royal weddings.

Delicious.

I found the recipe for these cookies on one of my favorite blogs, A Chow Life. They are the perfect combination of sweetness and saltiness AND they come with early childhood nostalgia. You should make them the next time you are feeling overwhelmed with adult stuff like work and responsibilities. They'll make your adult-day feel a little more happy and relaxed. Promise.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes 4-5 dozen

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1 cup of room temperature, unsalted butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 large, organic eggs

Preheat oven to 365°F and lay out two cookie sheets with parchment paper- set aside. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium size bowl until well combined. Using a stand mixer or electric mixer, beat the peanut butter, unsalted butter, and sugars together in a large bowl. In a separate small bowl, gently mix the eggs until beaten and add them to the sugar and butter mixture followed by the vanilla. When the butter and sugar mixture is well combined, begin to add the flour mixture on a low speed in 1/2 cup increments until fully incorporated. Be careful not to over-mix.

Using a spoon, scoop out 2-3 teaspoons of cookie dough and roll into a small ball. Place these cookie dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Once your sheets are full, score the tops of the cookies with the back of a fork by gently pressing down on the top in a criss-cross pattern. Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies are well set and not-so-shiny, and the bottoms are just starting to brown. When out of the oven, leave the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for about 5-7 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. You can even sprinkle them with sugar for added sassiness.

Snow Day with Banana Pancakes

2011-02-28T20:16:00.000-08:00

The other day, I had a snow day.

I totally slept in.

Not only that, but I made banana pancakes for breakfast, and I ate them all up with, like, five cups of coffee in my warm, snow day belly.

It was awesome.

The photo above makes it look like there's a big piece of butter underneath the mapley banana slice, it's not, it's more banana. Promise. I don't eat butter by the spoonful you know, geeeez...

Okay, I confess.

I would eat butter by the spoonful if it was melted down with some sugar and cooked on the stovetop until it got good and thick and turned into caramel.

True.

And while I'm in the confessing mood, I think it's time you know the following things about me:

1. This September, I'm going to turn thirty. Amazing.

2. I'm totally afraid of spiders even though I want to say I'm not.

3. I didn't even make these snow-day pancakes from scratch. I cheated using a gluten-free pancake mix from Bob's Red Mill that I had left over from brunch with a gluten-free friend. So quick and so good.

Whatever. You should do the same thing, these hot cakes were de-lish-us.

Just put some cinnamon in the pancake batter, slice up some bananas, and when they're all cooked up, smother 'em all in maple syrup. If you want to make them on your own, good for you, follow this recipe.

This could be the perfect Sunday morning ritual-- Banana pancakes, coffee, and a trashy vampire novel for book club with girlfriends.

Life is delicious, isn't it?

Oatmeal for Molly

2011-02-21T12:21:00.000-08:00

Sometimes plans change.

Last Friday, a mechanical error on a flight from Washington, combined with delay after delay until cancellation, left me visitor-less for the weekend.

So bummed.

And yet, it's just another example of needing to take those darn sour lemons and turn them into something more palatable.

Like warm oatmeal.

Not lemon oatmeal, that was a metaphor- the whole lemon thing. You got that right? Aaanyway...

We're makin' oatmeal. And the reason we're making it is because sometimes, when life does things you just don't understand, it's better to just get it out and make something warm for your belly.

This is where the oatmeal comes in.

This oatmeal was created by my good friend's mom while we were nursing wine bellies back to health after a night of celebration on Washington's western coast. We watched ships go by through tall glass windows on a stormy morning, and the whole house smelled like coffee, toast, and sand. We ate this oatmeal with love in our hearts for family, food, and friendships.

Instant love.

I hope this oatmeal makes you feel warm, cozy, and full of love- no matter where you are.

Cranberry Oatmeal with Ginger and Walnuts

3/4 cup quick oats (or do like I do and pulse whole oats in a blender until chopped)

1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 Tbl. chopped walnuts or pecans

2 Tbl. dried cranberries

1 1/2 Tbl. pure maple syrup or brown sugar

pinch of salt

Boil water in a tea kettle or stovetop. Combine the oats, ginger, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add the chopped walnuts and cranberries. Pour the boiling water over the oatmeal and let it sit for about a minute. The amount of water you use is up to you, I prefer a thicker oatmeal, but you can certainly thin it out with more water or almond milk as you like. Stir with a spoon until oats are soft, then add the sweetener to taste.

Vegan Chocolate Truffles- Made With Love

2011-02-14T06:48:00.000-08:00

It's Valentine's Day.

Which should really be named, 'Chocolate by the spoonful' day if you ask me.

But no one did.

::sigh::

You want to know what makes a spoonful of chocolate even better?

When you roll it in more chocolate, then put it in a tiny golden foil.

Yeah, you can do that- it's totally legal.

Or you could roll it in salted almonds that you crushed into bits, that would be good too.

You could even take that chocolate and drop it in toasted coconut for kicks too, no one will complain.

And if they do, well...

Why are you giving them any?

You can make 'em any way you like, just be sure you are making plenty. People have a tendency to get a little greedy when it comes to delicious things wrapped in pure gold! (foil... ahem...)

Happy Valentine's Day to everybody out there. May your heart be filled with hugs, and your belly filled with chocolate and laughter.

Vegan Chocolate Truffles

makes appx. 36 standard-size truffles

8 oz. high quality dark chocolate, 70% or higher

5 oz. almond or soy cream

1/2 tsp vanilla extract*

Garnish of choice- crushed salted almonds, cocoa powder, toasted coconut, pistachios, powdered sugar, etc.

*You can use almond extract, bourbon, or coconut extract for a variety of truffle flavors.

**You can also make traditional, non-vegan truffles by using cow's milk cream instead of the almond or soy.

Roughly chop the chocolate into small pieces, put into a bowl and set aside. Line a baking dish or rimmed cookie sheet with a piece of parchment and set it aside as well. Create a double boiler to melt down the chocolate by either using an actual double boiler (lucky!) or arranging a smaller pot on top of a large one filled with boiling water. (If you're not sure what on earth I'm talking about, check it out here.) Add the chocolate to the top pan, and begin to stir until completely melted. Add extracts now as chocolate is beginning to melt.

In a small saucepan, bring the soy creamer to a gentle boil, stir to prevent scorching. When lightly boiling, remove from heat and let it sit for just less than 1 minute. Add a few spoonfuls of the melted chocolate, and using a wooden spoon, stir in to incorporate. Add the rest of the chocolate, and gently stir until silky smooth. Be careful to avoid incorporating air bubbles into the chocolate ganache.

Pour the chocolate ganache into your baking dish or rimmed cookie sheet, and chill for about 1 hour, up to 4 hours.

Prep your garnish ingredients in small bowls, and when ganache is sufficiently chilled, roll spoonfulls of ganache into tiny balls. You can use well washed, clean hands to roll out the truffles, or a melon-baller. Roll the chocolate truffles in the garnishes, and set into the foil cups. Chocolate truffles will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week.

Homemade Granola Bars

2011-02-07T21:07:00.000-08:00

These granola bars are for you.

I made these for you because they are so dog-gone good, you just have to have them.

And they're healthy.

And they're not from a box, from some company in a place that you've never heard of.

You can pronounce all of the ingredients.

For real.

I also made these for you because I've been so bad about posting, it's horrible. I could list out all the reasons why, but the only one that's really interesting is my recent article for the Portland Farmers Market which kept me quite busy.

So I'm sucking up, and hope it works.

You can make these delicious treats in about 30 minutes, start to finish. You can even wrap them up individually and store them in cool little glass jar so you can see your craftiness every time you go in the kitchen.

You're so good.

You will want to chop up some of these oats in a blender or food processor before combining them into the rest of the ingredients. I use a Vitamix blender that I got from my in-laws for Christmas (Best. In-Laws. EVER.), but you can go ahead and use whatever you've got. The oats don't mind.

Homemade Granola Bars

2/3 cup dry roasted, salted almonds

1/4 cup honey

3/4 cup juicy dates, Medjool or Barhi

1 tsp cinnamon

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cup dried fruit (cranberries, cherries, or raisins)

Lay a piece of parchment on a cookie sheet or baking dish that will fit in your freezer and set it aside. Starting in 1/2 cup batches, pulse the oats in a blender or food processor until just broken up. Do this until all 2 1/2 cups are chopped and resemble a course meal, set aside.

Roughly chop up the almonds and dates and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the oats and cinnamon. Using freshly washed and cleaned hands, add the honey and dates to the oats and combine using your hands until good and sticky. Once combined, add the dried fruit and almonds and transfer to the parchment. Using your still-clean hands, press the sticky oat mixture into the parchment into an 8" x 12" rectangle, about 1/2" thick. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for about 15 minutes. Remove from the freezer and transfer to a cutting board. Cut bars into evenly sized sections, about 1" wide and 3" long. Wrap in plastic wrap to store.

Favorite Breakfast Muesli

2011-01-24T21:12:00.000-08:00

I love mornings.

Even on the weekends you can find me up and at 'em, ready to start the day with excitement.

For those of you grinding your teeth at the thought of it, don't worry, being a morning person has plenty of downsides besides looking obnoxiously happy at the ungodly hours of sunrise.

For one, most other people I know aren't even up when I'm ready for a cup of coffee and a good chat. And secondly, getting up earlier means I can't stay up late to save my life. My Cinderella hour is usually just about midnight at which point I head straight to bed, or fall asleep on the unsuspecting person standing next to me.

I'd just prefer to go to bed and save myself the embarrassment.

But whether you're a morning person or not, this yummy breakfast will give even the wildest night owl a happy way start to the day. It's my favorite breakfast, with a cup of hot coffee, and a fresh piece of toasted bread with jam.

Simple, healthy, and delicious.

Make it the next time you have to get up a bit earlier than usual. It will give you something to look forward to when the rest of the world is sleeping away.

Favorite Breakfast Muesli

1 cup of plain, organic yogurt

1/4-1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 apple, diced

1/3 cup uncooked whole oats

small handful walnuts, roughly chopped

small handful raisins

1 tbl +1 tsp local honey

Combine the yogurt, cinnamon, and teaspoon of honey in a small bowl. Sprinkle the oats, chopped walnuts, apples, and raisins over the top of the yogurt. Drizzle the yogurt mixture with the remaining tablespoon of honey and eat it up. Best served with a slice of whole grain bread and a cup of dark, freshly brewed coffee.

Chocolate and Campfires

2011-01-18T21:28:00.000-08:00

Portland has had a warm spell.

The kind of winter warmth that tempts you to go outside and pretend like it is springtime.

It made me think of eating fresh peas from the garden, or blushing red strawberries swimming in fresh white cream.

Gorgeous.

T and I even had a late night campfire outside where we sat, giggled, and ate warm chocolate pudding cake out of mason jars.

Really.

And, oh-how-I've-missed you...

I've been dying to tell you about all the things going on here: super-cold icy weather bringing tiny hail bouncing off of my windows, a good friend becoming a first-time mom to a beautiful baby girl, summer berries taken from the frost and turned into blackberry crisps, RAIN, good books and good friends, sugar cookie milkshakes, a niece that cheers, "Antie!" when I pick her up to play, an out-of-commission laptop, fresh eggs with yolks so orange they looked like little suns, and finally, the unexpected warm spell in the middle of January that just happened to go perfectly well with molten chocolate cake and a campfire.

All in all, life has been pretty good here in Portland. How about you?

Lettuce Drama and New Year Wishes

2010-12-31T13:22:00.000-08:00

I once had a neighbor who cut off the tops of my blossoming artichokes, and stole an entire head of lettuce from my humble apartment garden.

It was horrible.

I even saw her do it in broad daylight wearing a tacky sarong and flip-flops. I wasn't wearing the sarong, she was. You got that right? Aaannyway...

I thought I was going to lose it. And in a way, I kinda wish I did. I'm such an even-keeled person most of the time that I've sort of been waiting for the moment when I let loose and tell someone what I really think of their lettuce-poaching.

But I didn't.

I think my response went a little something like, "Hi there, I can see you took a head of lettuce from my garden. Next time, I really would prefer you just take the leaves you need rather than cutting off the whole head, that way there is more for everyone."

Really, I think that's what actually came out of my mouth.

Pushover.

So it kinda' makes me giggle thinking about that little garden I had years ago, and how I tried so hard to get something, anything, to grow in that lifeless dirt. I spent dozens of hours out there tilling up the earth, feeding it new soil, and planting seeds. I was so proud of that little tiny piece of concrete-infused land.

As I look forward to 2011, I get to plan out a real, life-size garden. I can't wait to look through past garden notes and photos, rummage though seeds I saved from previous years, and remember all the fresh food that came from the dirt in my own back yard.

Whether you find it in empty garden spaces, homemade wine, or a summer berry crisp in the middle of winter from the berries you grew and squirreled away just for this frosty occasion, I wish all of you the greatest hope and joy for the new year ahead.

xoxo

Hope, Trains, and Apple Pie

2010-12-28T21:21:00.000-08:00

Don't you love this time of year?

When you're all bundled up and full of hope, chugging into January like the Little Engine That Could, I think I can, I think I can...

Don't 'cha?

Without embarrassing myself too much, I'll tell you about a little conversation I had with my husband the other day. We were talking about homesteading, about doing it all ourselves, and about how someday, if we're really lucky, we'll have our own little piece of property in the country somewhere. We will have a garden big enough to feed our friends and family, benches in the sunshine, and a sweet outdoor kitchen with spaces in the open-frame walls for dozens of mason jars.

I will have polka-dot curtains.

It'll be perfect.

So as the new year approaches, I will be thinking of the dreams I hold, and convincing myself that they will someday become a reality. In 2011, I will make dozens of pies, and give them away to friends I want to keep forever. I will anxiously await the days until fresh rhubarb comes bursting out from springtime gardens, and grow, pick, and simmer the summer months away into preserving oblivion.

It will really be, perfect.

Until then, I will continue to dream away like a tiny little steam engine, chugging along with a head full of determination, and a heart full of hope.

Happy New Year everyone!

xoxo

Christmas Countdown

2010-12-12T22:36:00.000-08:00

The tree is decorated, and I couldn't be more excited.

Actually, the tree has been decorated for a while now, I've just been too shy to tell you about it. Sad, but true.

I'm one of those people who really likes Christmastime. The family, the friends, the food- I like it all. I even like to see Santa at the mall making a TON of money off of pictures with little kids. Really, it makes me smile. And if I didn't think it was completely inappropriate, you would probably see me in line to getting my picture taken too. I might even bring him cupcakes to make positively sure I am on the nice list.

Bribery at its best.

And yet, I feel weird about it. Guilty even. Not the bribery with cupcakes thing, but the whole Christmastime, hoopla thing. I feel like something in me should embrace the spirit of Holden Caulfield and call everybody out there a phony.

But I won't.

What I will do, is make dozens of cookies to give away to the people I love. I will finally give away all of those jars of peach and vanilla bean jam I made over the summertime, using the peaches I picked with my own two hands. I will cross my fingers and pray for snow while simultaneously hoping for good weather for traveling friends. I will drink hot chocolate for no reason and sleep in on the weekend.

I will make a pie.

Or two.

And if the sun decides to shine without a drop of rain in the sky, I just might ride my bike around in the middle of December.

What are you going to do?

Rainy Day Granola

2010-12-05T21:52:00.000-08:00

I've been watching my wallet lately...

More like stalking it.

You know that girl in line at the grocery store analyzing her receipt when you just want to buy some dog-gone juice and get outta' there? It was probably me. I'm totally sorry.

But I won't be like this forever, I swear. It's just that some unexpected things have come up recently (broke-down car, broken towel rack, no heat in the house in December...) which has left my rainy-day fund a bit more needy than usual.

So I found myself scrounging around the cupboards trying to make something out of nothing, when I came across raw walnuts, pecans, oats, and a handful of raisins. I felt like a squirrel.

I don't know if you have ever made granola before, but if you haven't you should. It's simple to do, and as it's baking it makes your whole house smell like warm oatmeal cookies. Not too bad.

You can also use it as an excuse to clean out your pantry. This batch has walnuts, pecans, raisins, and dried cranberries, though in the past I've made it with coconut, almonds, and candied ginger. Just scoop up all of those nearly-empty bulk bags and add them to the mix. Go ahead, I dare ya'.

And as your batch of yummy homemade granola comes out of the oven, you can be so proud of yourself and your DIY attitude.

You could even pack it up in a pretty little mason jar and give it away to friends and family. And when they tell you how clever and creative you are, just smile and say thank you. There's no need to say how easy your adventures in granola were. Don't you worry, I won't say a thing.

Granola with Nutmeg and Cinnamon

a recipe adapted from Deborah Madison

6 cups whole oats

1 cup chopped nuts (I used 1/2 walnuts, 1/2 pecans)

1 cup oat bran

1 tsp. nutmeg

3 tsp. cinnamon

salt (to taste, about 1/2 tsp)

1 cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries)

1/2 cup safflower oil

1/3 cup honey*

1/2 cup loose brown sugar* (not packed)

*If you wanted to omit the brown sugar feel free, just use a total of about 3/4 cup liquid sweetener, ex.- agave nectar or maple syrup)

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment and set aside. Combine the first six ingredients and mix well. Add the oil and sweeteners and stir to coat the oats. Spread the granola on the baking sheets and bake with intermittent stirring until golden in color. I set the timer for 15 minutes, stir up the granola, and rotate the sheets. Overall, the granola will bake for about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the dried fruit. The granola will get nice and crunchy as it cools. Let cool completely before storing in an air-tight container.

Banana Pecan Pancakes

2010-11-22T22:40:00.000-08:00

For real.

You know when you wake up in a panic of sorts thinking that you slept in and it turns out it's Saturday?

Isn't that awesome?

Next time that happens, you should reward yourself for your dedication to whatever it is you were going to do and make these pancakes.

And then, when you realize that you don't have any maple syrup in the house because you were too cheap to buy the real stuff, you should shake some powdered sugar over the top and serve them with blueberry jam.

Because you're just that cool...

Banana Pecan Pancakes

adapted from Vegan with a Vengence by Isa Moskowitz

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice (optional)
1 cup well mashed, very ripe banana (should be dark brown or black)
1 1/2 cups of almond or soy milk plus 1 teaspoon vinegar
1 Tbl. canola oil
1 Tbl. brown sugar or vanilla sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

  Sift together the first five ingredients until well incorporated and set aside.
  Using clean hands or a fork, mash the banana into a medium size bowl. Add the almond milk plus vinegar, oil, sugar, and vanilla to the mashed banana. Stir together until combined. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, stirring only enough to incorporate the wet ingredients with the dry. You do not want to over-mix or the cakes will be flat and not fluffy.
  Heat a cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Using a paper towel or silicon brush, gently brush the pan with canola oil or spray. You will know when your griddle is ready by dropping a tiny bit of water in the pan and seeing it dance on the surface. Pour the batter into the griddle to form 2-3 inch pancakes. Cook on one side until bubbles start to appear on the top of the pancakes, and the shine of the fresh batter gets a bit more dull, about 2 minutes. Flip, and let cook completely for about 1-2 minutes more. You can keep prepared cupcakes in a 200 degree oven until they are ready to be served. Serve these little cakes with fresh blueberry jam and powdered sugar.

Vegan Chai Cupcakes

2010-11-15T21:00:00.000-08:00

Can I tell you a secret?

I love to make cupcakes.

Oh yeah, and eat them too.

Tiny cakes, tiny frostings, maybe some rainbow sprinkles? Perfection.

Have you ever woken up early in the morning and wished that you could suppress your health consciousness for just a few hours to make cupcakes for breakfast?

No?

Oh, well...

Ahem...

Ehh-ne-way...

It's always been a philosophy of mine to try and turn lemons into lemonade. So when our car broke down 90 miles outside of Portland last weekend (dang), and it took us about 15 hours (okay... 7 hours... but it felt like 15) to get home after that, there was plenty of lemonade to be made.

And all it needed was a little bit of sugar and spice.

We were limping back to Portland, hungry and grouchy for dinner, and you know what seemed to appear out of nowhere?

A giant neon sign for a cafe and coffee.

Perfect.

So we pulled over, went in, and ordered dinner.

And for dessert? Vegan chai cupcakes with cinnamon frosting.

For real.

So we ate them all up. And when I got home that weekend, I made my own version. They were so dog-gone good I almost ate them for breakfast. I think I could justify it too, because these little darlins' are made with black tea for an extra spicy kick.

So good.

Vegan Chai Cupcakes with Cinnamon Frosting

makes a dozen

For the Cake:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 generous tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. freshly ground clove

1/2 tsp. powdered ginger

3/4 cup of soy milk with 1 tsp. apple cider vinegar added

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbl. canola oil

1/2 cup of strong black tea (I used two tea bags)

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°. Line your cupcake tin with paper liners and set aside. Pour the soy milk into a large bowl and add the teaspoon of vinegar to the milk. This thickens up the milk to become more like a buttermilk (good trick!) set this aside.

Combine all the dry ingredients, except the brown sugar, in a medium-size bowl and whisk to combine. In your soy milk bowl, add the sugar, canola oil, tea, and vanilla. Whisk this together until well combined too. Fold the wet ingredients to the dry being careful not to over mix. Fill the cupcake liners about 2/3 full and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting (at least an hour).

For the Frosting:

1/2 cup cold, non-dairy (and non-hydrogenated!) margarine

1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

1 Tbl. cold soy milk

1/4-1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Using a hand held mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, whip the margarine until pliable, about 30 seconds. Add the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, alternating with a liquid, e.g. -sugar-vanilla-sugar-milk-sugar. This will ensure no lumps and a smooth, fluffy frosting. Mix at a high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add more sugar or milk to get the consistency you prefer. Frost those darling little cupcakes as soon as they are all cooled off. Enjoy.

Making Vanilla Sugar

2010-11-09T21:46:00.000-08:00

It's so simple.

And I used to never buy them.

Really, I thought they were too expensive. Somehow, I had it in my head that a single vanilla bean would cost me upwards of fifteen dollars.

Until I bought one for less than two.

And my whole baking life changed.

The first recipe I made using a whole vanilla bean was tapioca pudding from David Lebovitz's book, Ready for Dessert. The pudding turned out deliciously, and the flecks of dark brown vanilla bean against the creamy white tapioca made it pretty as a picture.

Pretty enough to eat.

And when the puddin' was all cooked up, I was left only with a sticky saucepan and an empty vanilla bean pod.

Usually, when you cook with whole vanilla, you scrape out the tiny seeds and discard the empty pod. But why throw it away when it still smells oh-so-delicious? Just take the used bean, rinse it off, and put it into a jar of plain sugar. The sugar will absorb the yummy smell of the fresh vanilla so you can enjoy it over and over again. You can use your newly made vanilla sugar wherever you would normally use traditional sugar for a sweet-warm kick.

Then you can smile to yourself, and celebrate your sweet simplicity.

Late October Artichokes

2010-11-01T20:24:00.000-07:00

Oh, October.

You were so dog-gone good to me.

You gave me sunny days...

Pumpkin carving...

And artichokes...

Big, purple, Italian artichokes with hearts as big as my fist.

And they just keep coming.

Recently, I wrote an article about artichokes for the Portland Farmers Market Blog and Newsletter. Ever since then, my head has been in the artichoke clouds thinking about how to cook up these gorgeous little beauties a bit differently for the end of the season.

It'll come to me soon, I'm sure.

But I just can't break myself from the near perfection of just steaming them up the way I always have. So sweet, so good.

And I'll have no shame about my lack of creativity. No ma'am. Just me, the steamer, and a giant, purple artichoke. It'll be great.

Near perfection.

Don't you think?

Gingerbread Cake Bliss

2010-10-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the only way to fully accept change is to embrace it with open arms and not look back.

To jump right in...

Not just jump, but dive.

A big summersault-y swan dive.

Right into fall...

Not that I don't love every apple-eating, puddle splashing, chanterelle hunting second, but it's that bittersweet goodbye to summer that just gets me every time.

And when I realize that I can't prevent the seasons from changing no matter how many tantrums I throw, I suck it up and bake myself a cake.

A perfect autumn cake.

Sweetened with warm, local honey and applesauce to make it extra fall-ish.

It makes me forget what I was trying to hold on to when the days started to get a bit shorter.

Leaving me at the end of the day to ask, summer who?

Fall Gingerbread Cake

Makes one 9" cake round.

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup of honey (preferably local)

1/2 cup of molasses

3/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup sugar

1/4-1/3 cup finely chopped candied ginger

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. allspice

**If you like a more spicy gingerbread, feel free to add 1/2 tsp. of powdered ginger and an additional 1/2 tsp. of each the cinnamon and allspice.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9" cake round with butter or oil and dust with flour, set aside. In a small saucepan, melt and "brown" the butter. Browning the butter is a simple trick you can do for extra warmth in a recipe. Just melt the butter in a saucepan and let it cook down until it starts bubbling and getting little brown spots at the bottom of the pan. Turn off the heat and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon stirring the brown bits. Remove from heat and let cool (read: not hot, "warm" okay).

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the honey, molasses, applesauce, and melted brown butter. Using an electric mixer to combine, add sugar and candied ginger, followed lastly by the two eggs. Set aside.

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the last five ingredients until combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, using either and electric mixer or wooden spoon. Mix until all of the ingredients are well combined. Pour your batter into the prepared cake round and bake in the top third of the oven for approximately 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Let the cake cool for about an hour prior to serving.

Tomato Red

2010-10-09T13:06:00.000-07:00

Oh, I've missed you!

I know it's been too long. And really, I was worried this was going to happen.

Fall has a tendency to be a crazy time for me. It's like all of a sudden my simple little world gets flipped upside down with the harvest of the apples. As if one minute I'm in the middle of September, and the next thing I know I am turning the calendar page to October thinking to myself, 'did I just miss something?' Do you ever feel like that?

But I've been thinking of you. I've been wondering about how you've been, how those apple cakes have turned out, and wondering if your tomatoes ever got ripe. And while I know I haven't been good about posting here or on your blogs, I haven't forgotten about you. I was just a busy, busy, bee.

And with all of this busyness, life is good! The sun has spent more time here in Portland and even gave us some warm days to run around and get the garden prepped for the fall. I trimmed back all of the raspberries and harvested the last of the zucchini and purple beans. The tomatoes did finally turn here and I have quite a few stored up for a giant pasta feed. A friend of mine even gave me a loaf of pumpkin bread he made and told me to eat it with tomato soup. The thought of those two things together just makes my tummy rumble.

Today, the rain started to fall and we've had a fire in the fireplace all morning. Pumpkin pancakes were followed by cups and cups of dark coffee and giggles with friends. The pace seemed to slow down just long enough to enjoy every minute. I may even make the time today to paint my nails.

Tomato Red.

I hope the fall has been treating you all well so far, and that your kitchens are filled with life, laughter, and love. And until my next post, I hope you bake a batch of fresh cookies and revel in the fall-time atmosphere, rain drops and all.

Apples, Alpacas, and Pears, Oh My!

2010-09-19T22:06:00.000-07:00

Well hello handsome...

Today T. and I went for a little road trip to Kiyokawa Orchards in Parkdale, Oregon. We saw the most amazing things...

Apples dripping wet from a fresh, late-summer rain. They made the trees look like they were going to just topple over with blushing, sweet fruit.

Kiyokawa was having an apple and pear dessert tasting all weekend, and for five measly little dollars you got an entire plate full of crisps, cakes, and crumbles made from their orchard's fruit.

On the drive there, we stopped to hunt some early chanterelles but left empty handed. We did however, find a pretty little bubbling spring...

And a V-dub hubcap we hoped wasn't an ominous sign. (Don't worry, it wasn't.)

Leaving the orchards, we saw the most beautiful rainbow that seemed to end in the heart of old, wooden fruit crates. We couldn't help but sit and stare at it for a while, thinking of how nice our humble rainy day had been.

To top it all off, we even found some late-harvest strawberries to give us one last memory of sun-filled summertime. A happy ending to a beautiful, Northwest summer. Cheers!

Birthdays and Caramel Cake updated!

2010-09-12T20:02:00.000-07:00

Last week I turned 29.

It's pretty amazing to think about, but it's true.

And it's only now, now, that I'm beginning to get comfortable in my own skin.

It makes me wonder what I've been worrying about this whole time...

This year, I had one of the best birthdays I have ever had.

T. and I drove out to Sauvie Island with some friends and listened to a bluegrass band play at the farm where we got married. There were hundreds of people there picnicking with fresh, local food. There were even some rogue chickens running around in the mix of it all, heads held high waiting for some unsuspecting soul to drop their dinner.

It was perfect.

And I got to pretend it was all happening just for me (though really, it wasn't).

See that picture right above? That was the sky on the night on my birthday. Pink and blue with not a drop of rain to be seen. How lucky is that?

The zinnias were in full bloom and for only a few dollars you could leave the farm with arms full of them. We ate roasted corn on the cob, farmhouse cole slaw, and local figs for dinner.

So simple, so sweet.

And like most Cinderella stories, you would think that all that goodness would have come to an end as soon as midnight struck.

But it didn't.

There was more.

There was cake.

A cake I have been waiting all summer to make and scoured recipe book after recipe book to find.

Until I did.

And it was like magic.

This summer, I read a book called The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I had heard about the novel for months from both friends and family, but didn't get a chance to read it until this past June. If you haven't heard of it, I won't spoil it for you other than to say that it's a nice read with a hopeful message. And in the mix of all of the hope and heartache, there is cake.

Caramel Cake.

As soon as I read about it I began to look for a recipe. I found a few that just didn't look right, too inauthentic, or not Southern enough. I needed a recipe I could imagine cooking in a big open kitchen in the middle of the summertime with the screen door open, keeping out the fireflies. I would eat this cake on a big wrap-around porch with a mason jar full of blackberry wine. I became happily obsessed.

After a month or two of looking for an authentic recipe I came across an archived video of Dr. Maya Angelou cooking with Martha Stewart. And you know what they were making? Caramel cake. With a recipe from Maya Angelou's grandmother. And you know what makes the story even better? The recipe is in Maya Angelou's cookbook, hallelujah!. So later that day I went out and found it.

And I made it for my birthday.

It was so good, it made my friend Josh giggle so much he could barely eat. But somehow, we managed.

So I thought you all might enjoy it too. And if you get a chance to read either book, The Help or hallelujah!, you will find that in both contexts this cake has a much more profound back-story than the one that I shared with you here. But like most recipes that come across our kitchens, it's not the recipe itself that contains the soul, it's the love and care of it's maker that creates the story.

Caramel Cake with Fleur De Sel and Brown Butter Frosting

recipe adapted from hallelujah! by Dr. Maya Angelou

Caramel Cake

8 Tbl. butter (1 stick)

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup caramel syrup (make ahead, recipe included)

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup milk

2 organic eggs

caramel frosting (recipe included)

Caramel Syrup

1 cup sugar

1 cup boiling water

*Warm sugar in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir continuously until completely melted down into a brown liquid. When little bubbles appear over the surface of the sugar, remove from heat. With hands in oven mitts (really...) slowly pour in the boiling water to the sugar and stir constantly until mixed. Set aside and let cool.

Caramel (Brown Butter) Frosting (I double this to frost the whole cake- oh the scandal!)

6 Tbl. butter

1/2 lb. powdered sugar

4 Tbl. heavy cream

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp + about 5 pinches, fleur de sel

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook the butter down into a liquid form and continue to leave on heat until fragrant and bubbly. Stir the melted butter with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom of the saucepan. After a minute or so of stirring and bubbling, the butter will begin to brown at the bottom- keep going! Let the butter brown for about 15-20 seconds, or until you begin to really smell something delicious going on. Remove from heat, and scrape all the little brown bits from the bottom. pour melted butter into a bowl to chill to room temperature.
Place all ingredients except cream and fleur de sel, into a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When well mixed, gradually add the cream to the desired consistency. Add the 1/4 tsp. of fleur de sel and mix well. I like my frosting to be somewhat thick to hold shape, but thin enough so it moves about a little as I frost.

For the cake:

Begin by making the caramel syrup. You will only need 1/4 cup of this syrup for the cake, so save the rest for later use (ice cream, pancakes, another cake...). Preheat oven to 375° and grease two 8"in cake rounds. Grease the bottom of the round, lay a cut piece of parchment in the base, and grease the parchment too.

Using a stand mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat butter and 1 cup of sugar, and gradually add the 1/4 cup of cooled syrup. Beat until light and fluffy.

In a separate medium size bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together until well combined. Add these whisked ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture, alternating with the milk.

Using a hand mixer and another medium size bowl, beat the eggs until foamy, about 1 minute. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and beat again until well incorporated and foamy. Using a wooden spoon, gently mix this egg mixture into the cake batter. Divide complete batter into the two prepared cake pans and bake at 375° for about 25 minutes. Make the frosting while you wait.

Remove cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool. You will know the cake is ready when you gently press into the center of it and it springs back at you. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

Place a dollop of frosting into the center of a serving plate to hold the bottom layer of cake to the plate. Invert the cake onto the plate and frost with about 1/3rd of the frosting. Sprinkle with two pinches of fleur de sel. Place the other later of cake on top of the first, and frost the entire cake with the remaining brown butter frosting. Sprinkle with three pinches of fleur de sel and admire your hard work. If you like, you can pour some of the remaining caramel syrup on top. Happy baking!

Late Summer Peach Picking

2010-08-30T22:32:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, we had a rainy summer afternoon.

So a friend and I decided to go peach picking at a local farm.

The weather was perfect for a stroll through the peach trees, ducking rosy fruit around every corner.

And avoiding all eye contact with the grumpy locals...

He actually wasn't even that grumpy, its the shot that makes him looks like that...

It's not you, it's me. Really...

The zinnias were in full bloom with big, colorful heads open to the sun, no wait...clouds...oh. Sun, it's sunny again...

The ladies (and gentlemen...) were showing off their gorgeous plumage and best struts around the hen house. It was amazing to watch a real pecking order come to life, like an old episode of MTV's Real World.

The day closed with fully grey skies and colorful flowers that popped out of the soft background- so gorgeous.

We left with farm with over 25 pounds of peaches, fresh corn, and a flat full of juicy blackberries. Life has been good here, but busy. I had a new article published on the Portland Farmers Market blog about the wonderful burden of too much zucchini (I hope you like it!) and have been canning like crazy. Do you ever feel like you're going a mile a minute but still somehow not moving fast enough?

It can be fun.

But we'll see how I feel in the morning :)

Rustic Lemon-Blackberry Galettes

2010-08-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

When I was little, the only pie I would eat was pumpkin.

Berries don't really grow in the desert and cactus pie was not something I ever really thought about. Hmmm...

I was convinced that a pie was something that could only make an appearance during the holiday season, and because of that, I had little exposure to the joys of baked, bubbling fruit. In fact, for years I thought I hated pies in general.

Lame.

During Thanksgiving time, I can remember swinging the door open into my grandmother's kitchen and examining the holiday dessert table. Every year someone would bring one of three types of pie: pecan, mincemeat, or pumpkin. And every year, of those three pies, I would only eat in the inside of the pumpkin. In true Goldilocks fashion I gave each pie my unsolicited opinion: Pecan? Too sweet, Mincemeat? Too strange, and Pumpkin? Just right...

A lot has changed since then...

When you make a conscious decision to take your food life into your own hands, you begin to feel liberated. If you've ever made a jar of jam, baked a cake, or grown your own veggies before, you know what I mean. And there's something about baking a pie in-particular that is so dog-gone nostalgic...

These galettes were made with left-over pie crust from a blueberry pie I made earlier in the summer. Instead of throwing the extra dough away, I wrapped it in plastic-wrap and put it in the freezer for later use.

When I knew I was going to use it, excuse me, when I knew I had to use these blackberries soon or they would go bad, I put the frozen pie crust in the refrigerator to soften up a bit, a few hours. Then I rolled it out into little imperfect circles, and filled it with blackberries, lemon zest and sugar.

The end result were these rustic looking lemon-blackberry galettes. Sweet and simple.

Lemon-Blackberry Galettes

A happily inexact recipe for leftover berries and pie crust

**Because I used left-over pie crust and extra berries, I had to be creative with the berry-filling measurements. Basically, you want a few cups of berries to a few tablespoons of sugar, and the zest from 1/2 of a medium size lemon. If you want to make these from scratch, you can use the pie crust recipe from the early summer's cherry pie, but you will only need about 1/2 of the dough. You can freeze the extra, or just make a half-batch, either way will be great. For this recipe you will need: blackberries, lemon zest, sugar, pie crust, and about 1 Tbl. of milk or cream for the top.

Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.

In a large bowl, combine your berries, sugar and lemon-zest. The ratio I find to be the best is about 2 cups of whole berries to 2 Tbl. sugar and the zest from 1/2 of a medium size lemon, but you do what tastes right to you. Combine these ingredients and set aside.

On a lightly floured surface roll pieces of your pie crust into 6"in imperfect circles. Move your crust onto the baking sheet to fill. Spoon the blackberry filling into the center of each crust, about 2 heaping spoonfulls on each one. Fold the sides up over the filling leaving a little window in the middle. Repeat with the other galettes.

Brush the folded galettes with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a 400°F oven for about 25 minutes, or until the middles are bubbly and the tops are golden in color. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

On Zucchini Bread

2010-08-18T14:12:00.000-07:00

You know that feeling you get when things just feel, right?

And when you get that feeling, you might think to yourself, 'this feels so right! What the heck have I been doing this whole time?'

Do you ever get like that?

This zucchini bread is a little like that right feeling. Warm and hearty with a kick of spice and summer goodness baked right in, you should start your day with it. Really. It's like a guarantee something good is going to happen...

Because my zucchinis are ready toward the end of summertime, this bread always reminds me of fall and a brand new start. That's why it's so great in the mornings, with some black tea or coffee, or it would be good in the afternoon as a mid-afternoon pick-me-up. Oh! Or at brunch! It would be perfect at brunch! Don't you think?

Sometimes zucchini bread can be too sweet and cake-like, but this is not one of those breads. This zucchini bread is made with a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour to give it a yummy, hearty base that's not too heavy.

I used to make this bread with walnuts, but ran out this morning, so I used pecans instead. Both are good, but I think I'll choose to use pecans from now on.

I had left over topping from my berry crisp, so I put that on top of the batter before baking. It's a great thing to do if you have any extra, and if you don't have crisp-top on hand, it's very simple to make and worth the extra step. You can omit it altogether if you wish, but maybe sprinkle some sugar-in-the-raw on top before you bake it for a nice, shimmery top. Happy Baking!

Late Summer Zucchini Bread

adapted from Mollie Katzen's Enchanted Broccoli Forest

2 cups of grated, packed zucchini

5 Tbl. vegetable oil

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 eggs (preferably organic)

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/2-3/4 cup roughly chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

For the Top

3/4- 1 cup crisp topping or 2-3 Tbl. raw sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F and butter or oil your baking pan. Bake this bread in your standard loaf pan with the oven rack set in the top third of the oven.

Place grated zucchini in a clean kitchen towel and gently squeeze out the excess moisture and set aside. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat together the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined and smooth. In a medium size bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Alternating with the zucchini, add the dry ingredients to the sugar and egg mixture. Combine until all ingredients are well mixed. Fold in the nuts if you are choosing to use them. Pour batter into your prepared dish and top with the crisp mixture or raw sugar. Bake at 350°F for about 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let rest until cool.

Put 'Em Up at Powell's!

2010-08-15T16:40:00.000-07:00

This is a quickie, but I thought you might like to know!

I've been canning a lot lately, almost too much. (Okay, that's not what you might want to know, but read on...)

As soon as I successfully canned one thing and realized that I didn't poison my loved ones with a bad case of the "Big B" (botulism...!), I've been addicted. I even found myself thinking the other day, I wonder if I could can this hummus?

Don't worry, I stopped myself.

Of course, all that canning means I've been eating a lot of jam too, mostly blueberry...

Remember in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory when all the kids were getting the tour, and Violet actually turned into a blueberry and had to get sent to the juicer to squeeze her out? Do you think that could happen to me?

I hope not...

One of the books that really made canning an attainable feat for me was this book, Put 'Em Up, by Sherri Brooks Vinton. The book is simple, organized, and full of color and great recipes. And guess what? She's giving a book talk tomorrow night at Powell's, Cedar Hills Crossing. For real! I'm going to be there with bells on, well, maybe not with real bells, but I'll be happy to be there. Want to go to? You can! Because it's free! How fun is that?

Oh! You want more? You can read the canning article I wrote for the Portland Farmer's Market right here!

See you at Powell's!

Summer Shoulds and Peach Berry Crisp Update!

2010-08-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe we've hit midsummer.

Almost late summer.

Of all the seasons of the year, summer travels the fastest. And I'm left to wonder, did I do everything I wanted to? Not that the summer is over yet...

Because it's not.

But because I don't want to miss one barbecue-scented afternoon. Not one garage sale weekend or farmer's market bounty. I don't want to miss one 8:30pm sunset, because in just a few glorious weeks we'll have the comfort of fall, with apples and rain, puddles and boots, and whole new year ahead of us.

That's exciting, don't you think?

Though I didn't finish my entire summer reading list (darn it!), I did finish a few good reads including The Help, and a certain vampire book I'm too embarrassed to wholeheartedly admit to. It's not even Twilight, it's worse...

And I totally loved it.

I baked pies from scratch and picked berries 'till my fingertips were stained purple with juice.

I grew a beautiful garden and nursed along plants that I thought wouldn't make it.

But they did.

I wrote articles for the Portland Farmers Market, celebrated the blog's 1st birthday, and went hiking to a hidden lake.

I also spent the better part of an afternoon on the phone with my cell phone provider, accidentally used baking soda instead of baking powder in a strawberry shortcake recipe that I served to about a dozen close friends (metallic!), and fretted over things I can not control. But those little hiccups in an otherwise bountiful season didn't slow me down, no ma'am.

And that's what counts.

So every year at just about this time, I think about what I set out to do and what I've accomplished. Which in reality loosely translates to, did I ever make that summer fruit crisp?

Why yes, yes I did.

I did it this morning actually with freshly picked peaches and berries.

Summer crisps are pretty simple to make, and aside from the fruit, require only basic pantry items. There are countless, great recipes for crisps out there, and I've had many that were made without a recipe at all. The one I use as a guide is a Deborah Madison recipe (shocking, I know), but a friend of mine recently made one with an oatmeal cookie crust from Enchanted Broccoli Forest that was pretty darn good.

When making a crisp, the most important ingredient is the fruit. You want to have seasonal fruit at its peak. For this crisp, I used peaches, blueberries, and marionberries. Though you can use just about anything that looks good and ripe.

I also like to fill the baking dish right to the top with fruit and then put on the crumble. If my husband had it his way, the crisp would be about fifty-fifty, fruit to crumble. Do it however you like, just make sure that sometime this summer, you make one. You really won't regret it.

Seasonal Fruit Crumble

Adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone- Deborah Madison

4 cups ripe peaches, pitted and peeled

1 cup marionberries*

1 cup blueberries* if you froze these earlier in the year, just add them, no need to defrost.

2 - 21/2 Tbl. all purpose flour

1/2- 3/4 cup sugar (more tart fruit, more sugar)

Crumb Topping

5 Tbl. unsalted, chilled butter**

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

pinch of salt

2 pinches ground nutmeg

*A good rule for a crumble topping is to have just about equal parts sugar and flour, a little less oats, a pinch of salt, with a dash of spice either nutmeg, cinnamon, or even clove for winter.

** For a vegan version, you can use a non-dairy margarine or even a nutty oil, just make sure the oil is heat safe.

Preheat oven to 375°F and butter a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Cut the fruit into same size pieces, about 1/2"in. each. Place into a large bowl and set aside.

Make the topping by cutting the butter into about 1/2"in. pieces. Using clean hands, crumble all ingredients into a medium size bowl. Work all of the ingredients together until it looks like a crumbly meal. Set aside.

Sprinkle the sugar and flour over the fruit and gently mix together. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared baking dish and gently press down. Add the topping to the top of the dish until you're satisfied (my husband would probably add it all, I like to save some for the top of zucchini bread). Bake at 375°F until the fruit is bubbling and the top of the crisp is nice and browned, about 40 minutes. Remember to place a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment under the crisp to catch all the bubbling goodness. Serve with vanilla bean ice cream.

Home Sweet Home

2010-08-09T20:23:00.000-07:00

We just got back from camping.

So tired.

And dirty.

You would think I rolled in sap and pine needles just for kicks.

But I didn't.

I did hike to a waterfall.

And got my feet wet in an icy river.

We made pancakes for breakfast with blueberries I picked with my own hands.

And they were good.

So in the end it was worth it.

Being so tired.

And dirty.

Primitive Potatoes

2010-08-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

Have I told you how much I really love eating outside?

Sorry to be repetitive, but I can't get over it.

Picnics, barbecues, summertime...

I just can't get enough.

That's kinda how I feel about these grilled potatoes.

I liked them so much, I made them again the very next day.

In the middle of the day.

When it was, like, 90°F degrees out.

There are so many good things about these potatoes I feel like I need to make a list. That's what people like me do when we like things, we make lists...

1. These potatoes are simple, you only use 3 ingredients, including the 'taters.

2. They are beautifully, wonderfully, healthy.

3. They kinda taste like JoJos from a roadside diner.

4. You can share them with your friends and they'll think they're great too. That's really the best part...

Potatoes sometimes get a bad rap with all their starchy behavior, but these potatoes are different. Reformed even. If you haven't tried grilling potatoes already, you might want to give it a shot. I can't wait to try these in the fall with sweet potatoes. Yum.

Outdoor Grilled Potatoes

Serves 4-6

2-3lbs small red or yukon gold potatoes, washed and scrubbed

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3+ tbl. sea salt (mostly for boiling water)

*If you have a charcoal grill like I do, you may want to start the coals as the potatoes are cooking, if you use gas, you can probably start the grill during the last 5 minutes or so of potato boiling time.

Begin by washing and scrubbing your potatoes under cold water. Cut off any discoloration, but leave the skins in tact. Slice the potatoes lengthwise into 1/2" slices and place into a large pot. Once all of your potatoes are sliced, cover them with cold water and set on the stovetop to boil. Add a generous amount of salt, about 2 tablespoons. Cook over medium-high heat and boil until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork, about 20 minutes. Carefully, remove the pot from heat and run potatoes under cold water. You can keep the cooked potatoes in a bath of cool/cold water until the grill is ready to go.

Once potatoes are cooked and your grill is ready, remove the potatoes from the cold water. Pour your olive oil into a small bowl and set aside. Get out a large pyrex or baking sheet to lay the cooked potatoes on. It's okay if they overlap a bit, but try not to stack them up.

Using clean hands, dip the potato slices into the olive oil to coat and lay on the baking sheet. You could use a silicon brush for this, but why bother when you have an excuse to get your hands dirty, huh? Repeat this dipping process until all of the potatoes have a thin coat of olive oil on them. Sprinkle with remaining salt.

Grill potatoes, flat side down for about 7 minutes on each side. Just place the potatoes on the grill and leave 'em alone. You don't have to mess with them too much, they'll be just fine. You want your end product to have nice grill marks, and a deep golden, almost charred color. Taylor and I got distracted last time we made them and they burned a bit. You know what? They were still delicious.

Sprinkle with salt and serve, nice and hot, with malt vinegar, hot sauce, or spicy mustard.

My Favorite Mistake

2010-08-01T10:57:00.000-07:00

I just had to say that.

I totally stole the line from that old Sheryl Crow song. Remember that?

Anyway...

I digressed before I even got started, is that possible?

::sigh::

I have heard that some of the things I use all the time were actually created by mistake. Sticky notes what would I do without you?!

The mistake, or rather accident, that happened in my kitchen the other day looks just like this...

Can you believe it?

Here's the story: About a week ago, my friend and I spent a lovely summer afternoon picking blueberries at a local farm. We each left with about 10 pounds of berries a piece, and cheerfully went home thinking of all the yummy things we would make. First on the list? Blueberry pie...

Any predictions yet?

So we spent the next afternoon making a super yummy crust and sugaring the berries for the pie filling. We ended up putting nearly 6 cups of fresh berries in the pie with a little lemon juice, sugar, and some cornstarch. In retrospect, I think we could have just used flour, but hey, with 6 cups of fresh farm-picked berries you can't really go wrong.

Roll out the dough.

Lay it in the pie dish.

Fill it with berries and lemon.

Roll out more dough.

Slice it for lattice.

Lattice, layer, laugh.

Time to bake.

Open up the cupboard for some aluminum foil to cover a cookie sheet to catch dripping blueberry pie juice.

I'm out. Darn.

I'll just use parchment.

We baked the pie and waited for the blueberry filling to bubble up and get all juicy, about 45 minutes. I took the pie out and looked at our beautiful creation.

Nice.

Then we ate it all up.

Later, when I was cleaning up, I noticed the beautiful, spilled-over blueberry pie juice on the parchment. It candied up, cooled, and looked so pretty. The best part is it peeled right off and tasted like creme brulee.

So I put it on a bowl of vanilla bean ice cream.

And it was paper thin.

It was really so pretty and delicate I took it on a twilight photo shoot. Remember me? The girl walking through the neighborhood with a bowl of vanilla ice cream in my hand, oohing and aahhing at my beautiful accident? Oh yes, how could you forget...

All because I ran out of foil and had to use parchment. The candied blueberry goodness peeled right off the parchment, if it was on foil, it would have stuck...

I'm so glad it didn't.

Happy Birthday Sweet Little Sasquatch!

2010-07-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

Today, we are 1. Hooray!

I have been thinking about this post for a long time, and somehow now that it's here, I'm drawing a blank from general excitement. It's like meeting someone you've always wanted to meet, getting up the courage to say something brilliant, and just sputtering, "...uh hey, you-uh, I think you're a good writer."
Dang.

But today is a day of celebration! I even made a cake. Cupcakes actually, (this is only the first birthday you know) Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with my grandmother's mocha frosting. The whole project was a celebration of firsts really, the zucchini was the first one from my garden this season, and the frosting was a more whole-foods based adaptation of the original. We've come a long way baby...

Because it's a birthday, I have a few gifts of appreciation to give:

To everyone who reads this little blog, THANK YOU. You are what continues to inspire me to write, bake, and giggle at mistakes. Thank you from the bottom of my little Portland heart.

THANK YOU for your comments and stories. I can't tell you how good it feels to get a comment on a post from someone who really enjoyed it. I get a little burst of excitement every time I get one, is that weird? Maybe...

THANK YOU to the people who follow this blog. It makes me feel so nice to know that you are there.

To my family, friends, and my gorgeous husband Taylor, THANK YOU. For your support, your recipe sharing, and taste testing. Thank you for eating dozens of cookies, waiting for dinner until I'm finished photographing it, and for eating all of the strawberry shortcakes I make with baking soda instead of baking powder that tasted like licking the back of a metal spoon. Oops and Thank You.

This blog started out as a way for me to share food stories and catalog recipes with close friends and family. It was a way for me to organize, and more importantly share all of the recipes I have gathered throughout the years in one place. I am so flattered that even one person other than my amazing mom reads what I write, and enjoys it.

So where is your gift you ask? A gift for the amazing community of people who read this little blog? It's coming, in recipe form, in just a few minutes. So hold your horses, there are other cool things to tell you about.

First Birthday Updates: There are some cool new tools coming at 'ya from Sweet Little Sasquatch! Here are just a few:

New Buttons! At the bottom of each post I have put a few buttons for you to easily share information. If you like a recipe you can now easily email it to yourself. Recipe for cowgirl cookies? No problem, just email it.

Recipe Archive! Okay, so I preemptively added this one about two weeks ago, but it's still so exciting! If you are looking for something specific, just click on the 'Make It' link to the right and you can find all of the blog's recipes archived. Coming soon? Vegan and Vegetarian tagging- exciting!

Bio Page and FAQ! Not satisfied with the author's bio? Me neither- so expect to see a more improved version here in the next couple of days. Curious about the photos or my camera? I'll tell you all about it...

I know I've already said it many times, and if you made it this far into my grateful ramblings you deserve this more than ever, THANK YOU for making me feel so darn special. I think you're pretty special yourself.

And now, without further ado, bring on the chocolate...

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes with Mocha Frosting

cake recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

makes about 24 traditional size cupcakes

2 1/4 cups sifted organic flour
1/2 cup sifted, unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 1/4 cups grated, unpeeled zucchini (one large garden zucchini, or multiple little guys)
3/4 cup chopped dark chocolate (I like to use 70% cocoa or higher)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat your oven to 325°F and line your muffin tins with cupcake liners. Combine the first four ingredients into a medium size bowl by sifting them together. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the sugar, butter, and oil together until well incorporated. Add the eggs, one at a time until well combined. Mix in the vanilla, and add the flour and buttermilk to sugar mixture in about 3 batches. Buttermilk, flour, buttermilk, flour, and so on.
Once all mixed in, add the grated zucchini, chopped chocolate, and walnuts. Mix well, but be careful not to over mix. Read: mix it together, but don't whip it around forever.
Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake liners and fill about 2/3 full. Remember, this recipe makes 24 cupcakes, so you will have another batch of batter to use after this first one. Bake on the middle rack of a preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes. The cupcakes will take a bit longer than you expect because of the low heat. Once cooked thoroughly through (when an inserted toothpick comes out clean), remove from the oven and let cool in the muffin tins for about 10 minutes. Then you can take them out of the tins and let cool completely before frosting.

Grandma's Mocha Frosting

*My Grandmother used to make this frosting for an incredibly dense date cake when I was a kid. I remember licking all the frosting off and leaving the cake for someone else to eat. No one did of course because it was all kid-licked, but the frosting was too good to be left alone. The original recipe calls for a combination of equal parts margarine and butter. I prefer to use only butter as margarine is heavily processed, but it may yield a nice product. Try it out for yourself and let me know, will ya'?

1 stick of cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
appx. 3 cups of organic powdered sugar*- keep the bag nearby in case you need more or less
2 Tbl. cold coffee or espresso
1 - 1 1/2 Tbl. unsweetened cocoa powder
pinch of salt

Using an electric mixer set to low, beat the butter alone for about 10-20 seconds. Gradually add the powdered sugar in batches, about 1/2 cup at a time. Scrape the bowl down as needed. After about a cup of the sugar is added, add 1 Tbl. of the cocoa powder and espresso. Keep the mixer going as you add ingredients and raise it to about medium speed. Add more sugar and a pinch of salt. Let the mixture beat on medium speed for about 3 minutes. Add the rest of the espresso or coffee and beat 30 seconds more. Your frosting should be fluffy and pale in color. Give it a taste and see how you like it. Flavor is everything here. The key to this frosting, and many others, is to beat it longer than you think is necessary. After about a minute, you could be thinking, 'this looks like frosting', but don't stop. The more you beat it the fluffier it gets. And fluffy is good.

West Coast Trippin'

2010-07-26T23:06:00.000-07:00

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind. I know I alluded to it in my previous post, but I was so dang busy that I didn't even have time to tell you all about my adventures in the great state of California.
People from Oregon may have just cringed at the use of the phrase "great state" when referring to California, for that, I forgive you. When I first moved here years ago, people would politely try to hide their disappointment when I told them where I was from. You see the thing is, many Oregon natives have been put off by some of California's finest. The people of Oregon stay in Oregon because it's green, people are overly friendly, and the pace is just
s l o w e r....

But California is where I grew up and I love it there. So all of the over-protective Oregonians out there can be confident that no matter how many Californians come up to our gorgeous state, we Oregonians will still smile too big, laugh too loud, and pump everyone else's gas for them because that's just how we are. After all, we are a peaceful bunch when it comes right down to it.

So T. and I headed down to California to do a few things: Attend a family reunion (really fun!), go to Lake Tahoe (for real!), go on a super-fun road trip (so. much. driving...), celebrate our anniversary (I got tickets to go see Rodrigo y Gabriella!) and spend quality time with family (including the beautiful baby girl!).

On the way to the reunion we stopped at a market on the side of the road. There was a woman sitting on top of a giant hill of whole corn cobs, shucking away. She was so regal just perched up on top of that mountain of summer veggies. We purchased peaches, white and golden, and ate three of them before even getting back on the road.

When we all said our goodbyes after the reunion, T. and I headed up to Lake Tahoe. It was my first time going and we had a fantastic time. The night we arrived we went to a bluegrass concert and saw the band Hot Buttered Rum. They put on an awesome show and had everybody dancing. People couldn't help but take off their shoes and boogie on down.

The guy playing guitar in the blue stripey shirt also played the flute. I had never heard someone rock so hard on a little, silver flute.

There must have been hundreds of people there, with over half of them dancing on naked feet.

T. and I went for a bike ride along the river on these old cruisers. Mine was sparkley red and just need some streamers to be complete.

Later in the week we went up to High Camp, Squaw Valley, around 8,000 feet. The views were incredible and there was still some snow at the top. T. said he made this patch of snow for me before we got there, he was joking obviously, but I still thought it was sweet. Do you see it? Right there in the middle?

At the top of High Camp there's a huge ice rink. It was totally empty when we got there and skating was only $5.00. It didn't take much convincing to get all four of us to lace up and hit the ice. It had been at least 15 years since I had last gone skating. I proudly stayed upright the whole time, and even tried to skate backwards. It didn't work, but I did pretend like I was in the movie Cutting Edge, skating for fame and fortune.

The baby girl didn't hit the ice, but she loved being up on the mountain so high. The light blue glow in the background of this shot is actually Lake Tahoe, it's huge.

On the way back home we stopped at a few wineries in Oregon's Applegate Valley. This one was a happy surprise.

The walnut tree outside of the vineyard had this abandoned birdhouse still hanging on. I thought it was so neat just hanging out there, waiting for company.

Overall, the whole trip was relaxing and re-calibrating. It was so nice to get away for a bit and revisit my priorities. I am glad and grateful, however, to be happily home. I look forward to catching up with you. Oh, yeah- be sure to check in on Wednesday, it's a big day for this Sweet Little Sasquatch.

A Big, Giant, Lake.

2010-07-20T16:32:00.000-07:00

I'm taking a break from beautiful Portland, Oregon to visit some family.

I think it's good to leave your home every now and then and take a little vacation with people you love.

We all decided to go to a big, giant, lake.

Perfect.

Here, we have:

Warm sunshine.

Green grass and hiking trails.

Mosquitos.

Summer books to finish.

... And the most beautiful baby girl to play with...

I can't wait to tell you all about it in just a few days.

Until then, I hope you all are enjoying your summertime, and get a well deserved vacation sometime soon.

Summer Afternoon Picnics

2010-07-15T17:06:00.000-07:00

The other day I decided to go on a picnic.
And for those of you that didn't already know, picnics are just about one of my favorite things in the whole wide world. For me, they represent simplicity at its best. Just friends, just a blanket, just food. Nothing more.
As a child I didn't really go on picnics that often, though we did go camping. And if you look at it in the right light, camping can be just like one huge traveling picnic with the bonus of a campfire and starry nights. So I was never deprived of support for outdoor eating habits.

As an adult I am lucky to have a supportive husband who enjoys my picnic habits. Especially when there is food at stake.

We ate a light dinner of cherry apricot salad and talked about summertime. How nice it is to be outside, and how we are so relieved it finally stopped raining.

T. opened a card that I made for a little 'ol anniversary that's coming up.

We got to watch the sunset come through the trees. It looked like someone was shining a bright light right at the center of my lens. I couldn't believe it.

And just as the sun was going down, we ate cake. A pistachio apricot cake from Molly Wizenberg's book, A Homemade Life. The cake was great, but the fresh brandied whipped cream nearly made me weep. There are few things in this world that can make a great cake better, and this is one of those things. The recipe is simple, and you probably know how to whip up some cream on your own, but the one trick I have found that makes a huge difference is having an icy-cold bowl and whisk as you begin.

Fresh Brandied Whipped Cream with Vanilla Sugar

3/4 cup organic heavy whipping cream

1-2 tsp. brandy

1/4 cup vanilla sugar (sugar that has been stored in a jar with a spent vanilla bean) or regular sugar

Ice cold mixing bowl and whisk attachment or hand mixers

Put the mixing bowl and mixers in the freezer at least 20 minutes before you begin to whip your cream. Once icy cool, pour the whipping cream into the chilled bowl and begin to whip at a high speed. Add the brandy and let whip for about 20 seconds. Gradually, as the mixer is still workin', add the sugar a bit at a time until fully incorporated. Continue to whip at a high speed until the cream has nice stiff peaks. Taste for flavor, and serve immediately. You can also store this in the refrigerator in a airtight container for up to 3 days.

Relentless Optimism and Cherry Pie

2010-07-12T15:34:00.000-07:00

I used to be a pessimist. Hard for me to believe now, but it's true.

In fact, I was such a pessimist I called myself a "realist". Oh clever, cynical me.

I remember thinking to myself, if I plan for the worst and it turns out to be better, that's great, and if it doesn't go well, at least I was right. I had a solid plan to never be disappointed again!

It feels icky now, remembering me like that.

It's hard to pinpoint when exactly I fell out of my little storm-cloud but it happened, and I'm pretty sure it was about 7 years ago. Just about the time I moved to Portland and met my future husband. All I know is that it didn't happen overnight, and that sometimes, if I fall asleep at the wheel of optimism, that persistent cloud of negativity tries to come creeping back in. When this happens, you can find me at home, hosting pity party for one with no balloons, no streamers, and an army of coulda's, shoulda's, and woulda's.

But they don't last long.

And the pessimism never really did anything for me anyway, so I really don't miss its company. Even if I did get some juicy teen-angst poetry out of the deal.

But for those insistent, cloudy day thinkers, this pie is for you. If I could guarantee a smile from one bite of this pie I would, but there are rules against that sort of thing so you're going to have to trust me. Make this pie, eat this pie, and you will be happy. I promise.

I came across this recipe on Epicurious when doing a search for sour cherry recipes. I had just recently purchased 2 lbs. of sour cherries from Maryhill Orchards with the intention of making a cherry brandy, but this pie just looked too good. I'm such a sucker.

Oh, and I suppose I should apologize for not having more pictures of this pie all cut up pretty with vanilla ice cream, but we ate it all too quickly. I assure you, it was gorgeous- Scout's Honor.

Sour Cherry Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream

via Epicurious

Crust

2 1/2 cups flour

1 Tbl sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

1 cup (2 sticks) of chilled, unsalted butter

5 Tbl. ice water- make a little extra just in case

Filling

1 cup + 1 Tbl sugar

4 Tbl. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

2 lbs appx. 5 cups of pitted sour cherries

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 tbl. chilled, unsalted butter (for dotting)

1 Tbl. milk (you'll have some left over)

Real Vanilla ice cream

The Crust

Begin by making your crust. If you can, start with completely chilled ingredients, including the bowl you plan on mixing in. If not, no big deal- it will still turn out great. Prepare the ice water and set aside. In a large cool bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Cut up the cold butter into 1/2" inch pieces, and using clean hands, mix into the flour mixture until it looks like a course meal with pea sized pieces of butter floating about. (This, by the way, was the time that I started to fall in love with this pie. Two sticks of butter in the crust. Not a typo.) Once mixed, add 1 Tbl. of your ice water into the mixture at a time, stop at about 3 and begin to mix with a fork. You will know you have enough water when you pinch the flour mixture with your fingers and it stays together, for me this happened after 5 Tbl. of icy cool water. Gather the dough together into two equal sized pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and flatten into a disk. Wrap each disk separately in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. You want the dough to be firm to the touch before you take it out to use.

Chill Time

While your crust is chilling, why not use this time wisely? Take out your cherries and begin to pit 'em. If you are saavy enough to have a cherry pitter, congratulations, but if you are like the rest of us, you're going to have to use your hands. I started to pit these cherries all pretty with a pairing knife, but really had more success with clean hands. Either way, pit two pounds of cherries and set aside for the filling.

The Filling

Preheat oven to 425˚F. In a medium size bowl, combine the sugar, salt, and cornstarch and whisk together. Add the cherries, lemon juice, and vanilla, mix well to combine, and set aside.

Unwrap one dough disk from the fridge and set it on a lightly floured surface. Roll the disk out to be about 12" in diameter. TIP: do NOT overwork the dough, just go with it. If the circle isn't perfect, that's fine, we'll fix it later. Just don't keep handling it- nobody likes that. Using a bench scraper or spatula, or just your hands, lift the rolled out dough and lay into a 9" pie pan leaving 1/2" overhang.

Unwrap second disk, roll out to a 12" circle, and cut 3/4" strips for your lattice pieces. Pour the cherry mixture into the prepared pie dish with the bottom crust, and spread evenly leaving a slight mound in the center of the pie. Dot with the remaining 2 Tbl. of butter. Layer the top crust pieces on top of the pie in lattice form, and let the top crust overhang about 1/2". If there is left over pie crust that's great, you can freeze it or refrigerate it for later. Now pinch the edges of the pie crust together starting with the bottom crust pieces being rolled and pinched into the top. If there is more than 1/2" overhang, just pinch it off and add to your scrap pieces. Brush the top of the pie (not the crusty sides) with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Once ready, set the pie on a lined baking sheet and bake in the hot oven for about 15 minutes at 425˚F. After 15 minutes, turn the temperature down to 375˚F and let bake for another 60 minutes. You will know your pie is ready when the top is nice and golden brown, and the cherries are bubbling up on the inside of the pie. If the top of the crust is getting too brown, just tent it with foil and let it continue to bake. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely before serving (torture, I know). Cut into wedges and serve with vanilla ice cream.

Oh! I almost forgot! There is a cool new feature on the right side of this blog. It's a recipe archive of all of the yummy things we have cooked together! Please let me know if you like it!

Picking Raspberries and Universal Interventions

2010-07-08T19:55:00.000-07:00

It's amazing what the universe hands you when you are thinking of something.

Years ago, when I first moved to Portland I had friends that insisted I go "berry picking". Now most people in Oregon and throughout the great Northwest know exactly what that is. In fact, I've since been told, most people in the midwest, the East Coast, France and Timbuktu know what it means to go berry picking. But for those of you who grew up sheltered from the farm life, or who have simply never gone, let me tell you all about it.

The objective is pretty straightforward- pick as many berries as you can carry so you can either eat them, freeze them, or make them into jam or pie. Berries can last a long time when you put a little bit of effort into preserving their sweet and delicate nature.

What they don't tell you, is that berry picking can get very warm, hot even, and you will be tempted to eat your body weight in berries before the day is through. I made this mistake the first time I went and had berry belly for the rest of the day. Despite the uncontrollable blueberry gluttony however, my first time was fun and memorable and I've been a "U-Pick'r" ever since- even in my own backyard.

Now this is when the universe comes into play...

Yesterday, I was at home in my own little world thinking of what I would do with all of these delicious looking berries when I was reminded of a good friend who I haven't seen in a while. I was thinking of how we used to go berry picking in the summer and how much fun it would be to go this year with her little baby boy. The little guy is almost two years old now and is in the "No!" stage when he really means "yes". Ahh... toddlers.

So about an hour later, just as the sun was high and mighty, my phone rings. It's her, and she wants to know if I was interested in doing some berry picking.

'Weird' I thought, and headed for the door.

Isn't it amazing how that happens?

Rainy Summer Morning

2010-07-03T09:22:00.000-07:00

I woke up to warm rain outside my window this morning. It was gently tapping the leaves of the maple tree making the water bead down in long, steady streams.

Taylor and I have family visiting from out of town who have been on their own schedule for a while, checking out colleges in the area and visiting sushi-go-rounds. They left early this morning for a few hours leaving Taylor and I the house to ourselves.

"What do you want to do?"

"It's all cozy outside"

"Let's build a fire"

So we did.

Taylor went outside to gather the wood while I stayed in thinking of the pint of raspberries I picked just the day before. Our garden is looking good and is already giving us sugar snap peas, raspberries, cilantro, and spinach.

There are these little beetle bugs that like to live in the raspberry bushes. They are helpful bugs but still give me the creeps every now and then. When I was picking yesterday I put my hand on a berry, pulled the fruit from the stalk, and came out with a berry and bug in my hand. It startled me so much that I shook my hand like it was on fire sending the berry and the bug flying through the air. I felt so bad for overreacting that I went on a hunt for the little guy after the "incident". I think I found him too- but it could have been his brother for all I know.

I decided to make raspberry scones with the fresh berries to go with the rainy day and warm fire. Deborah Madison's Ginger Cream scones make a great base recipe for your go-to yummy morning treat.

When the scones came out of the oven warm and sweet I piled them on to a plate and poured some coffee. I even gave some to T. for brownie points.

Warm Ginger and Raspberry Scones

Adapted from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone (called Ginger Cream Scones)

1/2 -1 cup candied ginger, chopped

2 cups flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tbl. sugar plus more for the top

1/2 tsp salt

4 tbl. cold, unsalted butter

2 eggs

1/2 cup plus 1 tbl. cream

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup dry, room temp. raspberries* optional

If you decide to use the raspberries, cut the cream down to about 1/3 cup to make sure yours scones are not too wet.

Preheat oven to 425˚F and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Chop ginger into raisin size pieces and toss with 1 tbl. four, set aside. Mix the rest of your flour with sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like a crumbly meal. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the eggs, 1/2 cup cream and vanilla making sure the eggs are all mixed up. Once combined, pour the chopped ginger into the flour mixture, give a few stirs, and then add the wet ingredients along with the raspberries. Using a spatula, mix the dough together by folding it along the sides. Be careful not to crush the berries.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it a few times to incorporate, about 5-10 folds. Pat this dough into a circle about 3-4 cm thick. Slice it into triangular wedges and arrange on the prepared cookie sheet.

Brush the top of the dough with the remaining cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake until the tops are golden, about 15-20 minutes. These scones are best served nice and warm.

Fly By June

2010-06-29T10:26:00.000-07:00

It's been a long time since I've posted. Oh, how I missed you!

It's amazing what not having a computer can do to you. At first, it was helpless abandon, "I need to check the weather!", " What is someone from work emails me?!", "I want to write on my blog!"

Then I fell into more of a relaxed, 'I don't need you anyway' attitude, which involved silencing my cell phone and taking a cozy nap. Fortunately, I awoke from both of these extremes to find a happy medium (along with a new battery from Apple).

The climate in Portland has been nice although I was gone for a while visiting family. The rain seems to have stopped leaving the sun to provide well needed light and warmth for raspberries in the garden. Which, by the way, are in full production mode with sweet and tart berry goodness. Lavender, marigolds, hydrangeas, and roses are blooming all around providing color and pollination for the bees. Dahlias are on the way and early callas are here from the farmer's market. I love how romantic these flowers look without being flashy. They are kind of like the Grace Kelly of the flower world.

I took a few pictures on a drive the other day with Taylor and Timber. The sun was shining bright and Timber was sticking his head out the window soaking it all in. I love how his eyes are closed in this picture like he's thinking to himself, 'this is the life'.

I found a darling little pink bike as I was walking. It looked like it just needed streamers on the handlebars and a picnic in the basket. What a perfect summer afternoon that would be.

I found some sorrel at the market and made a roasted carrot and sorrel salad with goat cheese. it was deliciously lemony and sweet.

The radishes were put into this yummy sandwich with greens from the garden. Cut fairly thin and topped with fleur de sel, radishes are a spicy treat to a fresh sandwich. I plan on making these again soon and bringing them on a picnic with some fresh berries, homemade pickles from my new book (not MY new book, but a new book I love), and nutella brownies. Yum.

Snap Pea Motif

2010-06-13T22:37:00.000-07:00

For this post you'll need to use your imagination.

No, this isn't an exercise in technological rebellion. There will be no burning of metaphorical bras here. It's just that I thought we could get back to our roots of writing, a simple post with just you, me, and the words on the screen. Bye-Bye photography- Hello simplicity!

That, and, my laptop is down.

Real down. So down that I can't even turn it on.

So I'm borrowing one from a friend just so I can tell you all about the exciting things that have been happening around here. Here's a Top 5 to fill you in:

1. The sun came out in Portland.

2. Kermit green sugar snap peas are everywhere, I almost can't escape them.

3. Slugs have been eating my holy basil, making me say things that are less than holy.

4. Summer will officially be here in 1 week.

5. Early berry season is underway.

Everyone needs something to get excited about don't they?
The pea situation started about three weeks ago when most farmers had pints of sugar snap peas at the market for about $2.00. I have a tendency to buy snap peas with good intentions and not do much with them. I think it's a shame to cook them down considering the fun is really in the 'snap!' of the bite, but a girl can only eat so many raw before getting bored.

The weeks that followed came with moments of strength and weakness. I gave in to the peas only once and purchased a pint for eating raw. Then just yesterday, at my morning shift at the market, one of my booth-mates brought out a bag full of... wait for it... sugar snap peas. We giggled and ate them up right on the spot.

When I got home, I put down my bag and flowers, went out to the garden to look things over, and there they were, hanging from the vine like little green summertime icicles ready for the picking. I began to think there must be some philosophical message in the pea motif that I was missing.

Message or not, summer is almost here.

My sloshy bones are beginning to dry out and I went to work the other day without a sweater- the scandal! I am beginning to see the light at the end of this rainy tunnel- and it's there in the distance waiting for me with SPF 50 and a glass of lemonade. Next week, when we mark our calendars on the longest day of the year I hope you find me, somewhere in the sun, thinking of philosophy and munching on a pint of sugar snap peas for pleasure.

The Simple Things

2010-06-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

I feel like my life recently has been busy.

::wake up:: hit snooze:: nine minutes more:: repeat::

I get ready for work. I'm there.

::problem solve:: assist:: instruct::

Repeat.

The routines in life can be the glue that holds my day together. Floss, brush, gently pat my eyes with makeup remover and wash my face. It's like sealing an envelope and sending the day away with memories, love, and lessons learned in-tact.

It's also the simple things in life, like these routines, that give me the most pleasure.

These eggs are just that, perfectly simple.

A fresh baguette, eggs, olive oil, and some rosemary is all you need.

Rosemary Eggs and Toast

2 eggs

3 tbl. olive oil

1 baguette

handful of fresh rosemary (about 2 sprigs)

sea salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet until the oil seems to be dancing about on the pan. Add a handful of fresh rosemary and saute until fragrant and beginning to brown, about 2-3 minutes. Slice the baguette lengthwise down the middle so you have a top and bottom. Remove the rosemary from the pan, and press the bread cut-side down into the hot oil. If some of the rosemary is left in the oil that's fine. Cook the bread in the oil until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Take the bread out and place on plates. Cook the eggs in the remaining oil just the way you like 'em. If there is no oil left in the pan, go ahead and add a tablespoon or two until the bottom is very lightly coated. I prefer these eggs sunny side up, a little over easy. Once eggs are cooked through, place them on top of the toasted bread, sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, and enjoy.

Cheers to the simple things in life!

3 Day Weekend

2010-05-31T21:07:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder who decided we had to work five days a week with only 2 days off to really enjoy ourselves.

I'm curious if somehow the 'decider' accidentally mixed up the "work" and "play" numbers when signing on the dotted line, and when it was all over they thought to themselves, 'damn, I'm going to regret that one.'

It's okay whoever you are, I forgive you.

Especially when we have 3 day weekends as good as this past one I spent with friends in Oregon wine country.

Our day began with hot coffee, sweet cinnamon sugar popovers, and a flimsy map with a few penciled-in notes hastily scratched into it. Argyle, Monks Gate, and Cana's Feast were a must, with others starred and scribbled as recommendations from friends and family. Above is a photo of a beautiful barn at Monks Gate Vineyard.

There were miles and miles of grapes, mostly pinot noir as this specific variety grows so well here in the Pacific Northwest. Most all vineyards were in full production mode with buds popping and vines getting placed. The photo above was taken at Erath vineyards, a notoriously delicious and popular winery located in Dundee, Oregon. The view from the winery was amazingly beautiful, with grapes as far as you could see.

Meet Airee, the handsome ambassador of Monks Gate winery in Carlton, Oregon.

Monks Gate is sweetly nestled in a valley of the Willamette that is truly off the beaten path. Typically, it's open by appointment only but this weekend the barn doors swung open to all who wanted to wander on by. It was here that we found the best Pinot Noir of the day, the friendliest people, and the most beautiful farm house.

This barn was so big I thought it would just eat me up.

We ended the day in much the same way as we started, with dear friends and an appreciation of all the Pacific Northwest has to offer. I hope you all were able to enjoy your own space with friends, laughter, and love, no matter where you were- 3 day break or not.

Rainy Days and Oregan-Oh!

2010-05-25T21:12:00.000-07:00

It was raining today like mid-November. Didn't anyone tell mother nature it's almost June?

Portland has been wet for nearly two weeks straight. Really. I have so much rain in my skin and bones that I slosh with every step.

At least I have a cute umbrella.

There are some upsides to our drippy weather though: Rain now will make the summer feel even better when it gets here, and it's already making parts of my garden grow like tiny sponge dinosaurs. My hydrangea this year is larger than life, sunflowers are already a foot tall, and I can see my scrawny little sweet peas reaching out for an ever elusive sunshine. But the gem that is really loving the rain more than anything these days is a batch of wild oregano that is currently overflowing out of an old wine barrel, leaving me with an interesting question: What does one do with so much fresh oregano?

Okay, I'll rephrase that, ahem, what do I do with so much dog-gone delicious oregano? Do you have any good recipes or ideas to share? Let me know!

Polyanna Infomercial and Spinach Salad

2010-05-23T16:18:00.000-07:00

It seems like everywhere I go people are talking about food.

On the bus yesterday I overheard a conversation about the glory of planter boxes and the sins of store-bought tomatoes. The discussion started off as a simple one, with one man noting that he only has room for one planter box outside of his apartment, but that he is determined to plant anyway. I got the impression he was talking to a total stranger, a man who passionately agreed and complained about the "crap" you have to buy in the stores. The apartment planter noted that there is an entire generation of kids growing up who have probably never had a home-grown tomato in their lives before, and how that thought made him sad.

Me too, I thought.

The local food movement has a reputation for being elitist, and the $7.00 farmer's market eggs are a pretty good indication of why that is. Who can spend that much money on eggs when there are bills to pay and responsibilities carry out?

"Not I," said the fly.

But local foods don't have to be $7.00 egg worthy. Eating healthy, local food starts in your own backyard, deck, or planter-box meets old industrial-tub filled with soil and seeds. And at the risk of sounding like a Polyanna infomercial: If we start small, focusing on just one small thing at a time, we can create positive change. This, I know.

So go ahead and get your hands dirty. Start with some lettuce seeds that will give you nice summer greens in less than a month. And when you have your delicious prize waiting for you when you get home, you can make this simple salad and smile all the way to the bottom of the bowl.

Small Batch Spinach Salad

serves 2-4

1 bunch fresh spinach, appx. 4 cups

1/2 cup raw or toasted walnuts (preference)

1/3 cup gorgonzola or bleu cheese

5 Tbl extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbl red wine vinegar

2 tsp prepared whole-grain mustard

handful of dried cherries (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

Combine olive oil, red wine vinegar and mustard in a small bowl, whisk to combine. Taste for flavor and add salt and pepper to your liking. If you like a sweeter dressing, add a splash of agave nectar to dressing, whisk, and set aside.

Wash and dry spinach leaves and place in a large bowl. Pour a few tablespoons of the dressing over the spinach leaves, using kitchen tongs to toss and coat. Add more dressing to taste, but not so much that the leaves looks soggy. You want to coat all the leaves so they have a nice, shiny- fresh look to them. Plate the spinach in small batches and add the nuts, cheese, and cherries. If you don't have dried cherries, consider adding pears or apples for a sweet change in flavor and texture.

Garden Greens

2010-05-18T21:02:00.000-07:00

Here's what a few sunny days, a handful of seeds, and some lovely Oregon weather can do.

It's been busy here, but life is all good. More updates and love soon.

Have a great week!

Baking Rituals

2010-05-13T21:33:00.000-07:00

When I was in high school my best friend and I would knock on the windshield when driving through a yellow light for luck. As the light turned from green to yellow we would knock twice without even looking at each other. Neither one of us knows where this tradition came from, but when we were together recently she did it again without thinking. Sometimes old habits really do die hard.

My kitchen routines can be just as mindless as the knocking habit. Usually it looks something like this: I walk in, look at the counters to determine if I can actually cook anything right then, or if I have to wait, curse in a moment of weakness, and start the dishes from the night before. I have a tendency to be a bit OCD about a clean kitchen. It's virtually impossible for me to cook something in my tiny kitchen if there is a mess in there. This habit has caused plenty of problems for me by the way, not the least of which is my own ravenous hunger after insisting to clean the countertops only to mess them up again. I'm okay with this particular problem though, especially if it leads to this delicious banana bread with dark chocolate and candied ginger.

I first read about this recipe in A Homemade Life, by Molly Wizenberg. I went to go see Molly speak at the University of Washington a few weeks ago and was so pleased to see her share her stories in person. I could go into the details of my embarrassment when I decided to join the meet and greet line, but I'll spare you the gory details. For those people who really like hearing about these things though, the Readers Digest version looked something like this: Go to the reading, make an awkward introduction that made me sound like a stalker: "I've been to your blog, I left a comment, I write too- we both like food, uh...". She smiled politely and I walked away, totally kicking myself for being so tongue tied. It gets worse, but that's a whole other blog post all together.

So, I hope this banana bread leaves you tongue tied too, but in a good way. This recipe is just an adaptation of the one published in Molly's book, this is just the way I prefer it. Let me know if you get a chance to read A Homemade Life or try this recipe out. I'm curious what you think.

Banana Bread with Dark Chocolate and Candied Ginger

adapted from A Homemade Life- Molly Wizenberg

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

5 Tbl. canola oil

1 cup chopped dark chocolate, or dark chocolate chips

1/3 cup chopped crystalized ginger*

2 large organic eggs

3 ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup whole milk yogurt, you can use lowfat for a "healthier" version, but this is bread with chocolate- save your health food for something delicious on its own.

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

* I use the Trader Joe's crystalized ginger, it's intense but very good. Tip- chop it into large chunks and drop the chopped pieces in about 2 Tbl. of sugar. Coat the sticky sides with sugar by tossing them with your fingers. Once coated, bring back to the cutting board and resume chopping into small pieces. This way, they don't stick together and you can chop them more easily without stickiness. You will also have some gingery sugar left over to sprinkle on top of the banana bread.

Preheat your oven to 350˚F and set the baking rack in the middle of the oven. Butter a 9" by 5" loaf pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda and mix with a whisk until well combined. Add the chocolate and ginger and set aside.

Using a medium bowl, combine the eggs, yogurt, canola oil and vanilla. Use a whisk to mix well (the same whisk you used earlier is fine) making sure the eggs are all broken up. Once combined, channel your inner child by using freshly washed hands (with soap!) to squish and mash up the ripe bananas into the wet mixture- squish the banana, not the whole mixture. Whisk this again to get it all together.

Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until just combined, do not overmix. You should see the lumps of banana, but all of your flour should be well incorporated. Using a spatula, pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Shake the pan from side to side to settle the batter. If you have ginger sugar left from the tip above, sprinkle that on top of the bread. You can also use about a teaspoon of regular sugar to sprinkle on top for shine.

Bake for about 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The top of the bread will crack and be nice and golden in color. If you think it gets too dark, you can tent the loaf with foil while baking.

Let the bread cool for a bit, torture I know, but after about 20 minutes of cooling time you can unabashedly eat it up. Enjoy!

I've Had A Day!

2010-05-10T20:31:00.001-07:00

Recently, I had one of those days.

The type of day that my sweet 'ol grandma would have referred to as "a day", like, "I've had a day!", instead of saying something insulting about the person or thing who may have made it a challenge. This is the same grandma who would say things like, "well isn't it a blessing..." when something would really go wrong like, "well isn't it a blessing we learned this now and not later?" Since her passing, I have learned to channel my inner Evelyn, and when life handed me lemons last week, I rolled up my sleeves and made lemon cake, and I think I'm a better person for it.

The lemon cake recipe came from Molly Wizenberg's book, A Homemade Life, and has the sexy title of "French Style Yogurt Cake with Lemon", c'est si bon. Really, it was love at first bite, love again after the second, and by the third bite we were on our way to Vegas to make it official.

Making the cake made me immensely happy, the kind of happy that becomes contagious after one giggle. Maybe it was the lemon when the skies were grey, or the sweet/tart combination that made my mouth burst with smiles, but after making something nice and sharing it with loved ones, my day was more than just a day.

And would you guess what happened next? I had my very first piece published on the Portland Farmer's Market blog! Check it out here! I hope you like it! And if you want to make the delicious lemon cake soon and can't get a copy of Molly's book, here's the link to the recipe. Enjoy!

Market Watch: Raab-a-licious

2010-05-06T20:44:00.000-07:00

Eating flowers, no matter how tiny, makes me feel like a princess.

Enter broccoli raab, or rapini: The long stems and tightly clustered blossoms that crown this spring green are not only adorable, but destined for fame in your kitchen with the right pairing, and now is the time to get it.

You can find raab at most farmer's markets this time of year. Raab, also commonly called rapini, is a member of the brassica family along with mustard greens and cabbage. Raab is widely consumed in southern Italy and Portugal, and is filled with vitamins A, C, and K. It has a pleasantly bitter taste and loves to be paired with spicy, red-hot foods. Sound like a dream date yet?

I like to prepare raab by first submerging it in boiling water and then cooking it in cast iron with olive oil and red pepper flakes. I first read about this technique from Deborah Madison and have used a version of the original ever since.

Garlic Rubbed Crostini with Sauteed Broccoli Raab

1 French style baguette

1 bunch of broccoli raab

2 Tbl. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 pinch red pepper flakes

3 cloves of fresh garlic

juice of 1/2 lemon (optional)

Salt to taste

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. While waiting for the water to boil, chop the raab into 1-2" sections, lengthwise. When water is boiling, add the chopped raab and let cook until bright green and tender, about 7 minutes.

When raab is cooking, heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Chop 2 cloves of garlic into small pieces and add it to the skillet along with the olive oil. Cook the garlic until fragrant and beginning to turn golden. Add tender raab and red pepper flakes and cook over medium heat until flavors are well melded, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Slice the baguette into small rounds, about 1/4"-1/2" thick. Lightly toast until barely golden and set on a plate for serving. Slice one end off of your last garlic clove and rub it gently on the top of each piece of toasted bread. Top the toasted baguette rounds with the cooked raab, about 2 tbl. of raab per slice of bread. Once all of your toasts are covered with raab, lightly salt and dress with a small squeeze of lemon.

The Big-Kid Table

2010-05-02T09:07:00.000-07:00

For a few years now, my dad has been telling me about a recipe for saltine toffee that my amazing, lemons-into-lemonade cousin makes during the holidays. It's not often that I get to see her, we live pretty far away, but I've always been curious about how a singe toffee recipe can have my dad so tightly wound in its almond-brittle grasp. But since it was made by Kimmy, I knew it had to be good.

I went down to see everyone this past holiday season and was excited to do some cooking and enthusiastic eating. I was especially excited because I knew our entire extended family was going over to Kimmy's house for dinner, and that meant we were guaranteed a fantastic meal. If not cooked by Kim herself, but by my auntie and her other daughter who at times, could teach Julia Child a thing or two in the kitchen. When the made-from-scratch, hand-rolled cannoli drenched in roasted tomatoes came out that night only to be followed by a tiramisu that could make you weep with gratitude, I was already satisfied. That is until Kimmy said she was going to make toffee in the morning, and wanted to know if I would like to come over and make it with her; and that's when it happened- I was officially offered a place at the big-kid table.

This recipe was originally found by my Aunt Joy in Food and Wine a few years ago and has since been made for just about any occasion. I revisited this recipe just this past weekend, when one of my good friends requested it for his birthday. I was flattered when he asked me to make something, and even more excited to revisit old memories and share them with friends here. The recipe makes about 2 1/2 lbs. of toffee, more than any reasonable person could consume themselves (ahem), but it freezes well, sealed in a heavy-duty freezer bag. The recipe also has corn syrup in it, which I am naturally adverse to, but it really aids in the candy-making process and if you're choosing to indulge responsibly, you'll be just fine. You also need a candy thermometer to really get this right.

Saltine Toffee with Chocolate and Almonds

adapted from Food and Wine

1 1/4 cup toasted, sliced almonds

Appx. 60 saltine crackers (two sleeves)

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 sticks (3/4 pound) unsalted butter (Kim prefers salted, I like unsalted)

2 pinches of kosher salt*-You do not need this if you are using salted butter

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 - 1 1/2 bags of semi-sweet chocolate chips

If your almonds are not toasted already, toast them in a 350˚F oven for 5-7 minutes, until lightly golden. You can also do this on the stove top in a cast iron skillet.

Line a baking sheet, ideally a 12-by-17 inch rimmed baking sheet, with parchment paper. Lightly butter under the parchment paper to help it stick to the pan, and then butter the top so the toffee can easily release when fully cooled. Line the saltines on the buttered parchment in rows, if they overlap a bit that's fine, just try and make sure there are few gaps.

In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, salt*, butter (I like to cut it into smaller pieces, about 1/2"-1") and corn syrup and cook over medium heat until the sugar is melted. If sugar crystals develop on the side of the pan, use a moistened pastry/silicone brush to bring them back down. Cook the mixture, without stirring, over medium heat until it starts to brown around the edges. This takes about 7 minutes on my stovetop. Insert a candy thermometer into the syrup and now stirring with a wooden spoon, combine until a honey-colored caramel forms and the temperature is about 300˚F. The stirring at this point helps move the heat around, so don't be shy. If you overcook the toffee and it gets too hot and dark, it will be okay, just call it Creme Brulee toffee and play it off with style.

Slowly pour the caramel over the crackers smoothing with a silicone spatula until all the crackers are covered. Wait about a minute for the caramel to set and then pour the chocolate chips over the top. Let them sit for a minute, using the heat from from caramel to melt the chocolate. Using another silicone spatula or knife, gently spread the chocolate over the top of the toffee until the whole baking sheet is covered. Finally, top with the toasted almonds and take a deep breath. All you need to do now is put this in the freezer and wait for 15 minutes. If you don't have a freezer that will hold a baking sheet this large (like me) then clear some room in the fridge and let the toffee cool in there for about 45 minutes to an hour.

When chilled, take the toffee off of the parchment and break it into pieces for storage or immediate give-it-to-me-now consumption. Enjoy!

Thoughts on Food

2010-04-27T21:34:00.000-07:00

Recently, I've been doing a lot of thinking about food. Maybe more than usual.

Where it comes from, how far it travels, and who grows it. I think about what my commitment to local foods can really be when I'm watching every dollar. I also think about, and maybe it's the sadist in me, all those people in the world who don't think about the dilemmas of buying bananas. Good for you? Yes! Organic, Yes! Traveled across countries and state borders just to get into my smoothies? well... yes.

Thanks, brain.

So here I am at Trader Joe's and I'm feeling quite chatty. It's the weekend, and I've had a good one. One of my dearest friends got married, the sun came out again, and I spent a good deal of time on Sunday in the kitchen baking delicious treats for people I love. And, as I mentioned before, it's Sunday- and there ain't nothin' wrong with that.

So I'm walking through the aisles of Trader Joe's and I go to grab some olive oil. They import a great one from Italy, the President's Reserve, that's pretty inexpensive and has a rich flavor that lends itself nicely to both salads and sautéing. With me in the aisle is a petite, older woman looking over bottle after bottle of fruity, green, and golden olive oils. She looks confused, and feeling chatty, I did what I thought I would never do to someone: I opened my big 'ol mouth and put in my two cents.

"I can see you are looking for olive oil, the President's Reserve is great," I said, knowing full well that I really shouldn't be giving complete strangers advice on their purchases.

"Thanks, but I'm looking for one from this country," she responded confidently, with the 'this country' coming out like sharp little olive oil drenched tacks.

"yeah," I reply. (smile, turn, and wince).

Touché.

I felt irritated. At myself for piping in, at her for being sassy, and at the whole system that makes it so that Olive Oil from halfway across the world is cheaper than olive oil from across the Oregon border.

But you know what? I couldn't get down, and can't get down about the perils of our purchases. It seems to me that as long as we're doing everything we can within the constrains of our wallets, families, and time, we're doing a good job. It's a beautiful thing when every weekend I'm at market people ask me when certain fruits will be in season and how they can learn more about their local foods. I love talking about rhubarb, peas, and peaches. And more than that, I love knowing that we're all trying our best to learn about our impact on this planet, one local strawberry at a time.

Market Watch

2010-04-22T20:47:00.000-07:00

No matter where you are, there will be plenty of things to celebrate at market this week:

Fresh Green Lettuce: Salads really are good for you. I remember growing up there was a trend of making all things "fat free". I have memories of people eating iceburg lettuce salads with "fat free Italian dressing" made from goodness-knows-what, and feeling pretty dog-gone good about themselves. What a shame.

Salads should be made from beautiful greens, speckled and streaked with gorgeous color. The greens you will find at market this weekend will be early varieties, more sweet than the fall versions and not yet too spicy. Combine these greens with a fruity olive oil, dijon, and red wine vinegar for a simple, sweet dressing. Delicious all around.

Spring Onions- These skinny-minis are sweet and tasty, and this is the only time of year you can get 'em. These onions can be enjoyed chopped in salads, sauteed like leeks, or grilled up over a charcoal bar-b-que. Grill these onions just like you would asparagus and you won't be disappointed.

Huckleberry Hand Pies- Really.

I tried to get a picture, but Taylor ate the darn thing before I could get the lens cap off. This actually would have been my "spare change" purchase for the week, but just the sheer speed with which this delicious cousin-to-the-real-pie disappeared, I knew it had to make the cut. I know not all of you have huckleberries in season where you are, but I'm sure, any kind of sweet treat will do. Tell me the favorite in your region just for kicks!

Happy market everyone!

Life is Good

2010-04-20T21:37:00.000-07:00

Here's a smile just for you-

Sometimes, it's nice to get outside for a breather.

Especially with the ones you love.

Enjoy your day everyone!

-nicolette.

Recipe Sunday- Grilled Spring Asparagus

2010-04-18T21:03:00.001-07:00

It was 70˚F today in Portland, Oregon.

Hallelujah!

You can add grilling fresh veggies to the list of reasons to be outside today (as if we needed more!). When vegetables are grilled, there is an almost instantaneous caramelization of their natural sugars. Even better? All you need is some olive oil, salt and pepper, and (an optional) squeeze of fresh Meyer lemon for instant success.
Grilled Spring Asparagus

serves 4-6

2 lbs fresh asparagus (the skinnier, the better)

3 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil

3 pinches of kosher salt

freshly ground pepper

1/2 Meyer lemon (optional)

Prep your grill for use. You want the heat to be about 500˚F (260˚C), or hot enough for you to only be able to hold your hand above the coals for about 3 seconds.

Rinse and pat dry the asparagus. Trim about 3 cm. off the ends of the asparagus and save for later use (veggie stock, soups, etc.). In a large baking dish, arrange the asparagus evenly to cover the bottom of the dish, and pour the olive oil over the top. Roll the asparagus in the olive oil to fully coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside until the grill is ready.

When the grill is hot, place the asparagus on the grill parallel to the grill lines. You want the charred lines to be visible on the asparagus when you are finished grilling. Let grill on each side for about 7 minutes, or until tender. Squeeze the lemon over the asparagus about 1-2 minutes before you take the asparagus off. Add a dash of salt and pepper before serving.

The veggies in the background of this picture are spring onions and green garlic. These two delicious spring treats can be prepared in much the same way as the asparagus, they just need a bit more time on the grill.

Happy Grilling!

Market Watch Thursday

2010-04-15T21:05:00.000-07:00

Sweet Little Sasquatch has a new feature!

Introducing, "Market Watch" a Thursday post focused on a few peak season specialties you shouldn't leave the Farmer's Market, or local grocery store without. Items listed in the Market Watch have some serious competition, so please, when you see them all at the market, be sure to give some extra props to the winners.

Here are three essentials you shouldn't miss this week, no matter where you are:

#1- Fresh, Leafy Spinach- Loaded with vitamins and minerals, spinach is coming into season by storm. Spinach is not only a good source of iron, but it also contains tons of antioxidants, vitamin C, vitamin A, and calcium.

Uses: You can steam it, boil it, or just eat it raw. Add it to a wrap with a whole grain tortilla and some tempeh, toss it with pasta, or add it to a simple salad for more nutrients. Just be sure to wash it thoroughly first. Dirt has a tendency to stick to the thick leaves pretty well, and there's nothing worse than a sandy crunch while chewin'.

#2- Market Fresh Rhubarb- Yup, I just can't get enough. Rhubarb is loaded with fiber and vitamin C, some studies even show the benefits of rhubarb for increasing metabolism and digestion. Rhubarb definitely makes the cut again, not only for its good looks, but for the simple, tangy flavor it provides. Rhubarb won't be around for long, so grab it while it's here.

Uses: Rhubarb Jam, cakes, tarts, and custards. Be creative, you won't be disappointed.

#3 Veggie Starts- These little starts really depend on location, but most everyone on the west coast has the green light for: lettuce, arugula, chard, green onions, spinach, and strawberries. Some advice: No matter how bad you want those tomato or basil starts, if you live over the Oregon border, and even down to Northern California, do not plant those tomato starts outside yet. They are adorable, and yes, I'm entering the final stages of tomato withdrawl too, but soil temperatures here in the Pacific Northwest are still a bit too chilly for our gorgeous fruitable friends. What to plant instead? I'd go for the arugula- if you get it from a start, in 2-3 weeks you'll have plenty for a spicy salad.

Spare Change- If you have a little $ left over, buy the tulips. The varieties on the left side of this photo are called, "parrot tulips" and are recognizable by their variegated petals- so pretty. Tulips will be here for a few more weeks, but they are truly a symbol of springtime. If you know someone who needs some cheering up or a reminder that you love 'em- tulips are the way to go.

Happy Market Everyone!

The 2010 TED Prize

2010-04-13T20:37:00.000-07:00

If you haven't ever heard of TED or the TED Prize, don't feel bad.

I came across this video when I was reading my friend Julie's blog and was immediately drawn in. TED, which stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, is a non-profit organization devoted to "Ideas Worth Spreading". All media, including talks, videos, and blogs on the TED site are all free to watch, share, and enjoy.

Annually, TED recognizes an exceptional individual with an award of $100,000, and more importantly, the granting of "One Wish To Change The World". This wish is prepared by the prize recipient and presented at TED's annual conference in hopes of turning dreams into reality. This year, TED Prize recipient and award winning chef and author, Jamie Oliver had this wish:

“I wish for your help to create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again and empower people everywhere to fight obesity.”

If we can all thoughtfully hear this wish, and consciously move throughout our daily lives with health and sustainability in mind, I believe we truly can make a difference. This consciousness is exactly what you do when you shop for local food, visit farmer's markets, and realize that the food you buy truly matters.

The video posted here is Jamie Oliver's TED Prize reception. It makes you think about what can really happen with an idea, unwavering determination, and the power of positivity. Enjoy this call to action.

Recipe Sunday- Sweet Rhubarb Jam

2010-04-11T20:59:00.000-07:00

The farmer's market on Saturday was beautiful. Asparagus was popping up all over, peeking out of vendor's stalls and crates with feather-like purple and green tips. Baskets seemed to be overflowing with seriously sweet and plentiful spring greens, baby lettuces, and spinach.

This week, despite all of the worthy competition, the score of the day was this gorgeous fruit-able with a cherry red complexion, rhubarb.

I call it a 'fruit-able' because while it's a vegetable by nature, rhubarb is mostly used in tarts, pies, and crisps. Originally found in Northern Asia, rhubarb is a member of the buckwheat family and is actually related to garden sorrel, the deliciously-lemony garden green. While the stalks of rhubarb are prized for their pink color and versatility, the leaves of the rhubarb plant are quite toxic and should not be consumed.

I first made this jam a few years ago when I was unsure what to do with the rhubarb I purchased at market earlier in the day. I don't know if any of you are strange enough to purchase fruits or vegetables having no idea what to do with them, but if you fit that description, please know you are in good company.

Anyway.

I purchased the rhubarb because it was one of the most beautiful vegetables I had ever seen; raspberry colored stalks with hints of lime green shooting through to its leaves. I was making a lot of jam at the time, so I gathered up my prize of the day and started experimenting. The results were tangy, sweet, and irresistible and I've been making it every year since. I hope you enjoy it too.

When cooking, you will want all of your rhubarb pieces to be relatively similar in size.

The color of the final product is a sweet pink with a rosey hue. Absolutely irresistible when served with whipped cream or a tart goat cheese.

Rhubarb Jam

Makes two pints (standard jelly jars), but can be easily halved or doubled.

6 cups (2.5 lbs or 1.1 kilos) of sliced rhubarb

1 1/4 cups sugar (280 ml.)

1 lemon, preferably Meyer

1 pinch of salt

Wash and slice the rhubarb into 1 cm. half moons. If you have rhubarb that is more thick than your thumb, you can slice it in half down the middle, and then again widthwise to create smaller, uniform sized pieces.

In a medium sized saucepan, add the rhubarb slices and cook over medium to high heat for about 1 minute. Add the sugar and stir until most of the sugar is getting melty and coats the rhubarb. While occasionally stirring, let the mixture cook down and get nice and bubbly, for about 7-10 minutes. When the rhubarb starts to really bubble up, turn the heat to low and continue to stir while the mixture thickens. Slice the lemon in half and discard all visible seeds. Squeeze the juice from the half lemon into the cooking jam and add your pinch of salt. Continue to cook down over low heat until the jam begins to get thick and syrupy, about 15-20 minutes more. You will know when your jam is ready when it begins to get fairly thick, but still slides off of your stirring spoon.

Remove from heat and let cool in the saucepan for 10 minutes. Stir the jam, and place it into your storage jars. If you are making this jam as preserves, follow the proper sterilization steps as recommend to you in your canning guide. If you are making this jam to enjoy now or sometime soon, simply store in a clean, airtight container until use.

Congratulations! We Have A Winner!

2010-04-10T16:19:00.001-07:00

And the Winner is...!

Congratulations to comment 'number 5'- MaryJo! You are officially the happy winner of two new Le Creuset baking dishes! Please send me an email with your contact information and the new baking dishes will be sent your way. Thanks also to CSN stores for sponsoring this delightful giveaway.

To everyone out there who reads this blog and leaves me thoughtful comments...

You all deserve a delicious meal filled with locally grown goods.

Happy Weekend Everyone!

The Last Day To Enter!

2010-04-09T07:16:00.000-07:00

Today is the very last day to enter the GIVEAWAY!

Thanks to everyone for entering. All comments posted by MIDNIGHT TONIGHT (Pacific) will be entered into the drawing for the Le Creuset baking dishes. The winner will be posted on this site on Saturday, April 10th. Good Luck!

Good Reads, Library Fines, and a Giveaway Update

2010-04-07T06:10:00.000-07:00

GIVEAWAY UPDATE!

There are only 3 days left in the giveaway!

Thanks so much for your comments and participation- If you haven't yet entered, click here and leave a comment. Good Luck!

In other news: I have a $7.00 library fine.

As punishment by public humiliation, my standard issued, old-fashioned dress with a giant 'F' on it is in the mail so the world can see my shame.

Fine.

I just tell myself that this is how our library system gets their donations, and people like me who insist on delaying the return of their beautiful books actually help libraries get more and more money. Lemons into lemonade right?

The reason for my overdue books is simple: I just can't cook all of the recipes I want to try out in time.

If you haven't spent time going through your public library's cookbook section, you're missing out. Library cookbooks are a real treasure, old, tattered, and used. Some are even brand new releases that you get to test-drive before you buy it in hard cover. I once found a southern cooking recipe book written by Loretta Lynn that included a recipe for cooked-up possum.

No kidding.

My library searches make me wonder what books other people are cooking from, what are they making. Are there treasures hidden in the shelves that I have run my finger over repeatedly and have never checked out? What books are your favorites?

Recently, I have been trying to find unique, useful cookbooks that I can open anytime and find something fresh and delicious to make. Here are 3 of my favorites right now:

Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone- Deborah Madison

Delicious, well written, and full of stories of food, everything I have made from this book has been reliable and consistent. The challah, of course, poppyseed cake, gratins, gallettes, and soups have all turned out deliciously. This is my go-to book for dinners, parties, and days I need to be inspired.

The Great Chocolate Book- David Lebovitz

Lebovitz, who now lives and works in Paris, published this delicious collection of chocolate recipes from influential bakers and chocolatiers around the world. Well written and easy to follow, this skinny little book is a new favorite.

Moosewood Cooks at Home- Mollie Katzen

This cookbook falls into the category of 'healthy, fast, and easy'. Katzen uses basic ingredients to create tasty, quick recipes for the home cook. Try the kasha with apricots- yum.

Happy Wednesday Everyone!

Little Orphan Easter Brunch

2010-04-05T06:17:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we were lucky enough to host a pot-luck Easter brunch for who my friend Erin deemed, 'Easter Orphans'; those of us whose extended families are too far away for hugs and celebrations. Friends, neighbors, friends-of-friends, and foodies all came over with arms brimming full of springtime bliss.

Sure, we missed our families...

but somehow, we survived.

And I'm pretty sure this poppyseed cake from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, had something to do with it. Along with the apples and baked brie, fresh fruit, olive breads, salads with kale, carrots, and cabbage, wheat berry salad, local cheeses and honey.

This beautiful set was brought over by one of my longest-time friends who recently moved to the Pacific Northwest. She presented artisan cheeses and honey on this circular wooden board that becomes contained by placing an almost apothecarian glass dome right on top. It was gorgeous. She also wrote out the names of the cheeses and their origins so we could see what we were enjoying.
Tulips from the garden added gorgeous color to compliment the fresh food.

I made two loaves of challah and served it with rhubarb jam, quite possibly my favorite jam on earth. Later, we spread creamy white chevre (goat's milk cheese) on the slices of challah and topped them with jam- perfect!

Then finally, with belly full of food and a heart filled with love, I called it a day.

A Popover Confession...

2010-04-01T20:58:00.000-07:00

Recently, my good friends purchased their first home and I thought, 'I should make them something'.

So I did.

And then my husband and I ate them all...

Except for two, which I gave to the happy homeowners for good measure.

These gorgeous little popovers came from a combination of two recipes: Saidie Heatter's Popovers from, Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts, and David Lebovitz's Sugar Crusted Popovers.

Both of these recipes make me oh-so-happy. The perfect thing to write about for T he Giveaway! There is one week left to leave a comment in the "Oh, The Happiness" post, and win two Le Creuset baking dishes! Thanks to everyone for your sweet and thoughtful comments. Sweet Little Sasquatch wouldn't be the same without your questions, comments, and loving support!

But this is no time to get all mushy... there are popovers at stake! Back to the recipe!

Needless to say, with recipes coming from such amazing authors, these darling little popovers came out great. Slightly crisp on the outside and delightfully soft on the inside, they are a delight to eat with a cup of hot coffee. The classic sunken middle can still be achieved even without a popover pan, just use a muffin tin and fill about 2/3rds full to get the distinguishing, sunken-in-the-middle look with beautiful results.

The key to these popovers is to watch them closely while in the oven. Popovers should be a deep, golden brown before removing them from the oven, don't settle on a whimpy 'ol tan for these babies, you need a golden brown... like a toasted marshmallow.

Sweet Little Popovers

Adapted from David Lebovitz and Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts

Popovers:

2 Tbl. melted, unsalted butter, cooled

1 cup almond milk (any low-fat milk will do)

3 organic eggs

2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. sea salt

1 cup organic flour

Sugar crust:

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2/3 cup organic sugar

1/8 - 1/4 cup unsalted, melted butter. You will brush this over the finished popovers before dredging in sugar.

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. If you have a popover pan, (who does?) grease it up without apology, if you only have a muffin tin, that's fine. Grease it up in every nook and cranny, these popovers will stick if you don't tell them who's boss from the beginning.

2. In a standard blender, blend the eggs, almond milk, sugar, butter, and salt until well combined. Gradually add the flour until well incorporated and smooth. You don't want to have any flour puffs left over in the batter.

3. Pour the batter into the prepared popover or muffin tins. Remember, this recipe makes about 9 popovers so fill each tin about 2/3rds full. If you get 10 treats out of the mix, that's fine.

4. Bake at 400˚F for about 30-35 minutes until each little puff is golden brown, remember, like a toasted marshmallow.

5. Take the popovers out of the oven and let rest in the tins for at least 10 minutes. After ten minutes has passed, nudge the popovers from their pans and put them on a rack to cool. You may need some help from a knife to get them out of their tins, this is fine, but be sure to try not to cut into the treats themselves.

6. Finally, mix the cinnamon and sugar together in a large bowl. Brush each cooled popover with melted butter and dredge each puff in the cinnamon/sugar mix. Once covered, set aside to smile, admire, and finally, enjoy. Delish!

It's a Giveaway! Oh, The Happiness!

2010-03-30T06:06:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since we last talked...

Here's what I have been up to:

I took a trip to Portland's gorgeous, sister-to-the-North, Seattle...
Went to a book talk at the University of Washington by a certain, recently published author and blogger (more on this later!)...
Visited a chocolate factory, where I tasted, ahem, frolicked in, deliciously dark organic and free trade chocolates...
Read a season's worth of back issues from Sunset Magazine inspiring me to look at lovely home bars for year-round entertaining...
And finally, but most excitingly(!), I was contacted by Jamie from CSN stores who is sponsoring a fantastic giveaway to one lucky reader of this blog! It could be you!

So, I went to the CSN online store to find something sweet and useful, but was distracted by all they had to offer. Cookware, bakeware, gadgets and glasses, I searched through hundreds of products with springtime in mind. Thanks to the Farmer's Market we are able to prepare more fresh foods during this season of rain and flowers, but it's important to still keep your arsenal of bakeware ready for gratins, soufflés, and warm berry cobblers. It is in this spirit that I offer you two Le Creuset baking dishes (the large, 9" and the smaller, 5") in 'Kiwi', a perfect color match for a marionberry cobbler.

Not too bad, huh? I didn't think so either.

I first came across this color when my husband and I were registering for our wedding. I thought only Julia Child and other famous food-lovers could own a piece of Le Creuset without breaking the bank. So, naturally, we registered for our first piece, a kiwi colored tea pot. And you know what? We got it. Ahh, love.

I hope this little set makes you as happy as a sprinkle on a cupcake.

Now do you want to know how to win?

Just leave a comment on this blog post about something that makes you happy. Your dog, a recipe, a walk in sun... no matter what it is, leave it here. You also need to include your email address so I can contact the lucky winner! All comments will be numbered and chosen at random through Random.org.

Never left a comment before? No problem, it's totally easy, send me an email at sweetlittlesasquatch@gmail.com and I will walk you through.

Have fun thinking of your happy thoughts! The winner will be chosen on Friday, April 9th. Good luck!

Grilling Season

2010-03-24T08:19:00.000-07:00

You wanna' piece of me? Huh!?

Yes, folks, grilling season is officially open.

And this veggie burger is lookin' for a fight.

Some people have labored to create a made-from-scratch veggie burger that is delicious and grill ready. Some people also spend their days designing aerospace rockets that can fly monkeys to the moon. I do not fall into either category of impossible tasks.

I take that back.

I have tried to design a rocket with my dad when I was little, but it mostly involved baking soda, vinegar, a pop bottle, and a summer afternoon.

Mission Accomplished.

While the veggie burger is not impossible to make for an indoor cookfest where you can gently turn them over, bake them, or otherwise baby that patty into submission; the grill-ready, toss-it-on-with-everything-else burger is harder to manage. I have nearly shed tears over creating a beautiful burger only to have it fall apart on the grill. C'est la vie.

So, when the sunshine and outdoor grills are calling my name, I stick to the boxed burgers. Some are good, and some are terrible (I'm thinking of one that rhymes with "mocha" here...). Lately, I have been using veggie burgers from Trader Joe's and have not been disappointed. But, like most things, perfection is all in the details: what you put on that burger will keep you satisfied or hungering for more.

One of the tastiest burgers I have had was at Native Foods in California. Their burgers are made from scratch ::sigh:: but also come topped with yummy treats like carrot, and avocado. Here are some regional ideas for your next grilling session.

Tough Gal Veggie Burgers

Tip: When grilling veggie burgers be sure to lightly brush them with olive oil before they get on the grill. This way, they won't stick to the grill itself and the only tears you will shed will be from joy. Also, be sure to have standard condiments ready for folks to use, ketchup, dijon, and veganaise are a must for these babies.

Sasquatch: Shredded carrot, Walla Walla onion, and spring greens

Emerald City: Sauteed chanterelles, roasted peppers, and spicy arugula

Golden State: Avocado, shredded carrot, sunflower sprouts, and tomato

Serve your burgers with a side salad of greens, lentils, or even a caprese when the season is right. It's best to pair a grilled food with something fresh and light, like a salad or fresh fruit. The days of burgers-and-fries are gone! Your health will thank you later.

Opening Day! Hooray!

2010-03-21T22:16:00.000-07:00

It's here, It's here!

Opening Day of the Portland Farmer's Market!

Not only was Saturday the first day of Spring, but it was also one of the most exciting days of the foodie calendar- opening day of the Portland Farmer's Market.

It was also the birthday of a dear friend of mine, who happens to be the most "springy" person I have ever met. In honor of both birthdays and springtime, I spent all of sunny Saturday, yes you heard me, SUNNY Saturday, in, well, the sun. And enjoying all that Portland has to offer.

Including every photo op I could get.

There were hundreds of people at the market on Saturday, fighting for early spring greens, greenhouse freesia, artisan cheeses, breads, and chocolate. One of my favorite chocolatiers, Alma Chocolates, was there showing off their gilded goods.

The chocolates really are gilded in gold which never ceases to amaze me. I also happen to love Mexican style arts, so the sacred heart and Mother Mary shapes lure me in every time.

There were baskets full of gorgeous produce and inspiring color all around.

Some of the most beautiful produce of the day was early spring chard I found at a vendor that was also selling cippolini onions (my favorite). I purchased a pint in hopes of making savory galettes for supper. Yum.

As I was wandering about the market with veggies on the brain I came across these darling shirts emblazoned with local food philosophy. A wonderful end to a wonderful day. Happy Spring everyone!

Makin' Whoopie... Pies.

2010-03-18T20:42:00.000-07:00

Prior to making them, I don't even think I ever tasted a 'whoopie pie'.

Only a true, cold hearted soul could resist the fluffy white centers, the chocolatey cake like outsides, and of course... the adorable name.

I, for one, am not that person.

I made these darling little pies for a co-worker's wedding shower. She decided to have a "Coffee and Desserts" celebration and we were all responsible to bring something tasty. She recently went vegan so I knew I had to pull out all the stops to convince the skeptical that yes, vegans eat more than soybeans.

The first thing I did was adapt a favorite cupcake recipe to be a bit more liquidy than usual. The goal was to have something more like a thin pancake batter to pipe out onto cookie sheets for baking. I piped about 2 Tbl. of batter into a circle on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Once settled, I placed the cookie sheets into the oven for about 10 minutes, pulled them out when set, and let them cool on a rack.

When the cake circles were set and cool, I peeled them off of the parchment and used a cookie cutter to make them into these adorable heart shapes. I filled them with a delish fluffy white frosting, sandwiched them, and voila! Beautiful whoopie pies for all!

Fluffy White (go for a jog later) Frosting

makes about 2 cups

1/2 cup organic vegan shortening

1/2 cup organic margarine

3 cups organic powdered sugar

1/2-1tsp coconut extract (you really won't get a coconut flavor, you'll see!)

1/2 tsp. alcohol-free vanilla (SO worth it)

With an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the margarine and shortening together until combined. Add the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until thick and smooth. Once all the sugar has been added, add the liquid extracts. Combine until fluffy, and then mix for about 2 minutes more. The secret to amazingly fluffy and delicious frosting is to mix, mix, mix. Mix until you think it's ready to go and mix some more, no kidding. It won't get over worked or flat, only shiny and delicious.

You can use this frosting on cakes, cupcakes, or even on winter sugar cookies. But remember, just because it's "vegan" doesn't make it good for you, so be good and walk these naughty little bites over to a friend's house and share. That's what this life is all about.

Kitchen Reads

2010-03-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

My husband asked me the other day, "Do you think you can have too many cookbooks?"

"No." I replied, "Why?"

"I just don't know where we're gonna put them all..."

I may have an addiction.

The book in the photo is actually a fantastic book written by Maida Heatter called, "Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts". The original print date is from 1974 and this copy was hidden away among the "Closed Stacks" at our local library; I had to put it on special order- How cool is that!?

Everything I have made so far has been delish and makes me want to drop everything to make cakes all day just to give them away. Not a bad idea huh?

Oh No! Snow!

2010-03-08T20:47:00.000-08:00

Really?! In March!

That's right folks, we had a winter storm come in this afternoon. Tiny pebbles of hail were hitting my windows, teasing me through the glass like a kid with his hand up to his nose going, "neener, neener, nee-ner". A stark reminder that we still live in Portland, and no, you can't plant your basil yet.

::Sigh::

-Love to all on this winter day-

Birthday Celebrations

2010-03-05T18:57:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I was invited to celebrate a good friend's birthday.

We had quite the evening.

Everyone was asked to bring something the birthday girl loves. I decided on something simple: cupcakes. And not just any cupcakes, but her favorite, vegan chocolate cupcakes, with baker's choice frosting- my favorite.

Knowing my friends, I knew one would need to be chocolate on chocolate, so I made a 70% dark chocolate ganache frosting with sprinkles. The second variety I made was a toasted coconut buttercream with small-batch toasted coconut. Both turned out deliciously, but in the end, the coconut won my heart. Not so local, but unless she wanted Portland sweet potato frosting (hmm...) I had to use what was in the pantry. The end result was sweet, warm, and 100% vegan. If you can't go local all the time, I sure don't mind my exceptions in the form of vegan, coconut cupcakes.

Sweet Little Sasquatch

Postcards from Port Townsend, WA

Toasted Coconut and Blackberry Crisp Milkshakes

Birthday Sneak Peek

Tofu Egg Salad

Oatmeal Raspberry Bars

Strawberry Pop!

Summer!

The Weekend

For All The Mamas...

Hello, Ladies...

Milk and Cookies

It Sprung

Sunday Morning

Peanut Butter Cookies and Secrets

Snow Day with Banana Pancakes

Oatmeal for Molly

Vegan Chocolate Truffles- Made With Love

Homemade Granola Bars

Favorite Breakfast Muesli

Chocolate and Campfires

Lettuce Drama and New Year Wishes

Hope, Trains, and Apple Pie

Christmas Countdown

Rainy Day Granola

Banana Pecan Pancakes

Vegan Chai Cupcakes

Making Vanilla Sugar

Late October Artichokes

Gingerbread Cake Bliss

Tomato Red

Apples, Alpacas, and Pears, Oh My!

Birthdays and Caramel Cake *updated!*

Late Summer Peach Picking

Rustic Lemon-Blackberry Galettes

On Zucchini Bread

Put 'Em Up at Powell's!

Summer Shoulds and Peach Berry Crisp *Update!*

Home Sweet Home

Primitive Potatoes

My Favorite Mistake

Happy Birthday Sweet Little Sasquatch!

West Coast Trippin'

A Big, Giant, Lake.

Summer Afternoon Picnics

Relentless Optimism and Cherry Pie

Picking Raspberries and Universal Interventions

Rainy Summer Morning

Fly By June

Snap Pea Motif

The Simple Things

3 Day Weekend

Rainy Days and Oregan-Oh!

Polyanna Infomercial and Spinach Salad

Garden Greens

Baking Rituals

I've Had A Day!

Market Watch: Raab-a-licious

The Big-Kid Table

Thoughts on Food

Market Watch

Life is Good

Recipe Sunday- Grilled Spring Asparagus

Market Watch Thursday

The 2010 TED Prize

Recipe Sunday- Sweet Rhubarb Jam

Congratulations! We Have A Winner!

The Last Day To Enter!

Good Reads, Library Fines, and a Giveaway Update

Little Orphan Easter Brunch

A Popover Confession...

It's a Giveaway! Oh, The Happiness!

Grilling Season

Opening Day! Hooray!

Makin' Whoopie... Pies.

Kitchen Reads

Oh No! Snow!

Birthday Celebrations

Birthdays and Caramel Cake updated!

Summer Shoulds and Peach Berry Crisp Update!