Just Add Chocolate for a Rapid Disappearing Act!

Oh, wow, the Farmers' Market was not a very fun experience for me this morning. My children LOVED it, however; they have an incredibly difficult time not touching all the gorgeous produce, and trying to eat everything in sight too. It was mildly stressful trying to shop, handing over money, and attempting to keep them from emptying the various sample baskets. I even walked away from the berry booth without my blackberries (I remembered just a minute later, thankfully, and was able to retrieve them)!

That said, you'd think they either ate breakfast really early or that they didn't eat much at all. My children like to make people think I don't feed them. This morning I made a batch of Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins and a huge pile of scrambled eggs, ready to eat at 8 AM. I had much more batter than the standard twelve, so I placed liners in ramekins and baked two more that way. Good thing, because my son ate three and my daughter ate two. That's amazing, considering they were heavy enough that I was feeling very full after two and my kids usually eat half of what they consumed. So I was rather shocked that they were still able to attack the sample baskets with relish. (And a note on my parenting: I try to teach them about the rule of ONE, and we talk about it often. They sometimes take advantage of me when I'm distracted.)

Anyway, back to the muffins. I used organic spelt flour instead of whole wheat this time. I try to incorporate many different whole grains into our diet for variety, and spelt is no exception. It's a close cousin to wheat, although it has a bolder flavor, in my opinion. I used agave nectar to sweeten them, and tossed in just a small handful of chocolate chips to appeal to the kiddos. The chocolate complemented the spelt surprisingly well, masking the boldness, and was probably why my children ate so many (even though each muffin had maybe two chips total). We were lucky enough to have picked a basket of raspberries from the garden last night to add the final touch.

Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins

1 cup whole spelt flour (or whole wheat pastry flour)

1 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips (or more, if desired)

1/2 cup agave nectar, or honey

1/4 cup canola oil

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 pint fresh raspberries (or 1 1/2 cups frozen berries, NOT thawed)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray, or line with muffin liners. (You may need an additional 2-3 ramekins, well greased or lined with muffin papers, depending on how much chocolate and fruit you add).

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips.

In a 2 cup glass measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, agave, egg, and vanilla. Pour all at once into the flour mixture and stir lightly to combine (don't overmix or the muffins will be tough). When a few traces of flour still remain, gently fold in the raspberries. Fill muffin cups almost to the top with batter (a little over 3/4 full).

Bake about 20 minutes, until browned and the tops spring back when lightly touched. Keep in mind that spelt flour gets a little darker than whole wheat. Let cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. (If you leave them in the pans they'll continue to cook and will steam the outside of the muffin, making them tough.)

Makes 12-15 muffins.

Cheese"cake" For Breakfast!

A few months ago, in June, when my husband and I were privileged to stay at the Elk Cove Inn in Elk, CA for our anniversary, I was blessed with a take-home gift of the inn's most requested recipes. Every morning we had an amazing breakfast buffet, mostly made from scratch, and one of the dishes we were able to sample was a Morning Pie, made from cottage cheese. It was delicious.

When I made their recipe, my version turned out differently. The spices were heavier (I do use Penzey's, so that's probably why), the cottage cheese curds were larger and gave it a tweedier texture (surely they don't have access to the Umpqua brand that I used), and I had a hard time adding as much sugar as they did, so I reduced it. It tasted OK, but I knew with a little bit of tinkering I could make this breakfast dish healthier and with better texture too.

My version uses homemade ricotta, agave syrup, less spices, and more citrus flavor. It's like a morning cheesecake, and served with a pile of fresh or canned fruit (spirited canned cherries were divine), it's a wonderful start to the day! Because citrus is out of season and I have a hard time buying oranges from Australia, I used my dry zest from Penzey's. Feel free to use fresh, if you like (double the amount in the recipe for fresh zest), and be sure to drain the ricotta very well.

Morning Cheese Pie

1 recipe homemade Whole Milk Ricotta cheese (unsalted)

3 large eggs

1/2 cup agave syrup, or honey

2 tbsp all purpose flour

1 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate

1 tsp dried orange zest

1 tsp dried lemon zest

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

few drops lemon oil (1/8 tsp), optional

fruit for topping (orange segments, berries, pitted cherries, canned varieties in light syrup, etc.)

Place the freshly made ricotta in a strainer and let drain 12 hours (or overnight), covered in the fridge. Discard the whey (or save it and add it to a smoothie, acid-loving plants, or chicken feed). You should have about 2 1/2 cups drained ricotta.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10" ceramic or glass pie plate.

Beat the ricotta with an electric mixer just to break up any lumps. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat to thoroughly combine. Pour into pie plate. Bake about 50 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. It will be very puffy, but as it cools it will shrink back down! Cool on a wire rack.

If you can't wait to chill the pie, cool it completely, then slice and serve. It's better ice-cold, though; I make it the evening before, chill overnight, and serve the following morning topped with fruit.

This pie should yield 10 servings. Without the fruit topping, I estimate the following nutrition facts, per serving: 177 calories, 9 grams fat, 8.5 grams protein. That translates to it being much healthier than cheesecake desserts and a good start to the day as part of a balanced breakfast. It could be lower in fat, of course, if you use the original lowfat cottage cheese or a lowfat ricotta, but keep in mind the creaminess and texture will be affected, and if you purchase store-bought products you'll have preservatives and other additives to contend with. This is my favorite version by far!

S'more, Please!

I must have marshmallows on my mind. Last night I had an idea pop into my head, and I knew I'd be baking cupcakes in the morning. As an added bonus, my children are both in VBS (Vacation Bible School) every morning this week, so I have (almost) complete freedom for a few hours!

My idea started while I was thinking of baking my Chocolate Caramel Crinkle cookies with the caramel centers. I stumbled upon a salted caramel shop in Talent yesterday, Sweet, and couldn't resist buying a package of their chews. Naturally, I wanted to do something with them! But then my thoughts switched to chocolate cupcakes with a gooey salty caramel center. Yummmm. Of course, what to frost with? I wanted a toasted marshmallow topping, like s'mores, only a little more gooey but still firm enough to set up. Instead of using a 7 minute (aka White Mountain) frosting with egg whites or a meringue buttercream, I thought I'd go for a marshmallow recipe with less gelatin in it. After tinkering a bit, I had success!

If I make these again, I probably won't add the caramel to the center of the chocolate cake batter. It didn't get gooey, it sank to the bottom, and while it tasted divine, the cupcake didn't need the extra flavor to take away from the marshmallow frosting. To decorate the tops I used a small strainer to sift powdered sugar over the gooey marshmallow, as I do when I make regular ones from scratch. Some I dusted with cocoa powder and some I took my kitchen torch to, being careful to avoid catching the paper liners on fire. Each cupcake got a chunk of New Morning Graham crackers to finish it off.

S'more-Style Cupcakes

12 standard chocolate cupcakes (1/2 batch cake recipe, baked about 20-25 min)

1-2 graham crackers, broken into small squares

1 1/2 tsp unsweetened gelatin, such as Knox

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup agave syrup*

pinch sea salt

1/2 vanilla bean, or 1/2-1 tsp vanilla extract, or a combination, to taste

powdered sugar

natural cocoa powder

After the cupcakes have cooled completely, begin to make the marshmallow topping. Place 1/4 cup water in the bowl of a mixer with the whisk attached. Sprinkle gelatin over the water and set aside to bloom.

In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup water, sugar, agave, and salt. Stir until combined. Bring to a boil and cook without stirring until mixture reaches 244 degrees on a candy thermometer. Immediately remove from heat. Turn mixer on lowest speed. Drizzle the sugar syrup into the gelatin while machine is running. Increase speed to high. When it starts to turn white, add the vanilla extract (or scrape the vanilla bean, reserve the pod, and add the seeds only to the marshmallow mixture). Continue to whip on the highest setting until extremely thick, bright white, and glossy (7-10 minutes total).

Dollop a generous amount of marshmallow onto each cupcake. Using a small strainer, sift a little powdered sugar over each top. Add a graham cracker piece by pressing firmly in (don't wait too long or it won't go into the marshmallow). If using cocoa powder, lightly dust tops using the strainer. If toasting the marshmallow, wait at least half an hour to allow the goo to set up. Use a kitchen torch on a low setting to toast the marshmallow.

If you have a little extra topping, use a spoon to drop it in heaps on a piece of wax paper. Dust liberally with powdered sugar and set aside for a day or so to firm up if you can wait that long).

*Agave syrup is available in the natural foods section of the grocery store. I like to use it in place of corn syrup because it's less processed. Corn syrup can be substituted, of course, as can honey. Beware when using honey, though. It imparts a strong flavor on finished marshmallow (my husband say if he wants to eat a flower he'll go to a field, so I'm banned from making tasty honey marshmallows!), and it tends to boil over. Keep a close watch on the pot as it's boiling! I've never had an issue with corn syrup or agave-based syrups boiling over, however. Honey also takes about twice as long to reach the desired temperature as the other options.

Thinking Outside of the Cereal Box

Our family has cereal once, maybe twice per week, and it's saved for mornings when we're out of baked leftovers, I feel lazy, or things are too hectic to do much of anything else. We alternate between muffins, scones, toast (with cinnamon sugar or jam), oatmeal, and occasionally throw in a cinnamon roll, sweetened polenta, a store-bought English muffin, or bagels. I always serve protein alongside, in the form of eggs, yogurt, or cottage cheese, and rarely, bacon or sausage. Fruit makes an appearance also, usually in the form of a small glass of juice, but often as a smoothie or a handful of berries.

Even though we mix things up quite a bit, as you can see, I still get bored at times and need to come up with something different to serve. Today, thinking along the lines of rice pudding, I made some whole wheat couscous for breakfast. Couscous? For breakfast?! Well, just think about it.... It's quick, easy, healthy, and can be mixed with about anything to change it up. I found a small can of coconut milk in the pantry and added water to make up the amount of liquid I needed. With a touch of honey, an assortment of fresh locally grown berries, and a sprinkle of toasted coconut we were in business! And it only took about 10 minutes, tops, from start to finish.

Naturally, a person could omit the coconut milk and use just water. A scoop of Greek yogurt could be placed on top for creaminess. Couscous would also be a fabulous breakfast while backpacking or car camping; it's lightweight, requires little preparation, and you could bring dried fruits and nuts to sprinkle on top (or, if you're lucky, find some wild berries trail side).

As you can see, there are lots of possibilities when thinking about having couscous for breakfast! My recipe for today's breakfast follows, but feel free to use what you have on hand and get creative.

Toasted Coconut Couscous with Fresh Berries

You may substitute a 14 oz can of light coconut milk for the small regular one; just adjust the liquids as necessary to equal 1 1/2 cups.

6 oz coconut milk

1 cup whole wheat couscous

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut shreds

1 tbsp honey, or to taste

assorted fresh berries (I used logan, marion, red and golden raspberries, and blueberries)

Place the coconut milk in a 2-cup glass measuring cup. Add enough water to equal 1 1/2 cups total liquid. Pour into small saucepan and add honey. Bring to a light simmer (but do not boil). Remove from heat and stir in couscous. Cover and let stand until all the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the coconut shreds in a skillet over medium heat, shaking to brown evenly.

To serve, fluff the couscous with a fork, adding a little milk if needed to get the consistency you desire. Divide between four cereal bowls. Top with berries and toasted coconut. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Freshly "Baked" Breadsticks

It's a smokin' 93 degrees outside right now, and not much cooler than that in my house. This kind of heat isn't exactly conducive to cooking, let alone turning on the oven to bake!

I wanted some breadsticks to go with our dinner, but our local bakery is closed on Saturdays. That meant it was up to me if I wanted fresh bread. I have mentioned grilled flatbreads, biscuits, etcetera before, and I figured I could probably pull off some breadsticks too. In fact, it's easy to make breadsticks over the fire when you're camping, which I learned through Girl Scouts (using packaged refrigerator biscuit dough on a roasting stick). I placed them on a pizza pan, slid onto the preheated grill, reduced the heat, and waited. A few minutes later I had lightly browned, crispy breadsticks (and only half of one got a little overdone)! This is a very quick yeast recipe, and can be on the table less than 1 1/2 hours after starting! Let the dough rise while you prepare the rest of the meal, then throw it on the grill while the meat rests.

Grilled Garlicky Breadsticks
I like to make garlic scape butter and keep it in small chunks in the freezer, which is what I used for these. It gives the dough some lovely green specks and awesome bright flavor. Puree the scapes in a food processor, stir in some softened butter, then chill until needed. Use 3 tbsp, melted, in place of the garlic and oil (or butter).

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour*
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1 cup very warm water
1 tsp honey or sugar
2 tbsp olive oil or melted butter
1-2 garlic scapes, minced, or 2-3 garlic cloves, minced

Combine the yeast, water, and sugar (or honey) in a glass measuring cup. Stir to combine, then let sit for 5 minutes, or until foamy.

Meanwhile, measure out the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl. Pour in the melted butter or oil and add the garlic. Pour in the activated yeast mixture. Stir, mix, and knead by hand or by machine until you have a dough that's soft and smooth. Cover and let rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes.

Lightly grease an uninsulated cookie sheet (I use a perforated pizza pan). Divide the dough into 8 or 10 balls and roll into snakes (keep in mind they'll double in thickness). Place on the sheet. Rise 15-20 minutes.

While the dough is on its final rise, preheat the BBQ to high. Slide the pan onto the grill, cover, and reduce heat to medium. Grill about 10 minutes, until lightly browned.

Breadsticks will be crispy. If you like a more satiny crust, brush with a little melted butter. Cool on a wire rack.

*We are so used to whole wheat flour that I now use a higher ratio. If you're as hardcore as we are, this recipe will work beautifully with 2 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup all purpose.

Bite-Sized Treats

A good lemon mousse is a favorite for many, and it's a refreshing summer dessert all by itself, or adorned with some fresh berries. To dress it up, you can bake up a batch of meringue shells or small pastry shells, either in standard or mini muffin tins, and use the sweet, creamy mixture to fill them for a more fancy dessert. Mini tart shells are easy to make, if you have a 24-cup mini muffin tin and a little time. You can use a basic pie pastry or a cookie crust, but it needs to be sturdy enough to not crumble to pieces when pried out with a knife. The tartlets shown are a buttery cookie crust (every one stayed intact when removed), lemon curd folded with whipped cream, and a fresh juicy Oregon raspberry. Large piping tips can be found at Michaels or any cake decorating supply store; get the biggest you can find, or just use a teaspoon and dollop it in the baked shells.

Lemon Mousse Tartlets

The mousse can also be used as a delicious cake filling, especially when dotted with fresh raspberries.

1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup, plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2-3 tbsp canola oil

3/4 cup prepared lemon curd*

1/2 cup cold whipping cream

2 tbsp powdered sugar

24 fresh raspberries (or blueberries, strawberries, springs of fresh mint, or strips of candied lemon peel)

Beat together the butter and sugar until a smooth paste forms. Beat in the flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Drizzle oil over, adding more as necessary, until dough just begins to cling and hold when pressed together.

Divide between 24 mini muffin cups (or 12 standard size), rolling into balls the size of small walnuts. Use a tart press (a wooden dowel-like tool) or your fingers to press the dough evenly across the bottoms and up the sides of each cup. Place in the refigerator to chill while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bake 10-12 minutes, or until just lightly browned around the edges. The dough may puff up, but you can easily press it back down using the tart press (or by wearing clean rubber gloves to protect your fingers). Cool completely in the pan. Remove by gently sliding a knife between the edge of the pastry and the tin; each should pop out easily.

Whip the cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the lemon curd. Pipe or dollop into each tartlet and garnish as desired. This treat will hold for a few hours in the fridge, if necessary.

Makes 24 bite-sized tartlets.

*To make Lemon Curd from scratch: Stir together 1/2 cup sugar and 1-2 tbsp corn starch (depending on how thick you want it to be, more for a cake filling, less to fold into whipped cream) in a saucepan. Add 3 beaten egg yolks, 1/3 cup water, 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, and 1 tsp lemon zest. Whisk well, then heat over medium until thickened and bubbly. Strain immediately, cover with plastic, and chill until needed.

Absolutely Homemade S'Mores

Just in time for summer camping trips, everyone seems to have their grocery carts stocked with Hershey's bars, graham crackers, and Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows. I can't believe I used to be able to sit and roast marshmallows for hours when I was a teenager, eating almost half a bag! Ugh. The thought now almost makes me sick to my stomach, thinking of such a sugar overload. (Please don't tell my kids that classified information!!) A few years ago I figured out how to make my own marshmallows. The store bought ones sometimes taste rather stale, and they have added artificial flavors and colorings. The graham crackers have all sorts of interesting ingredients as well; including preservatives and partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, which has made this pantry staple a big no-no in our house. Not to mention that the typical s'more, with a big hunk of chocolate bar in the middle never melts completely before the marshmallow solidifies and gets cool. What to do?

In the natural foods aisle of the grocery store I found New Morning Grahams, which are all-natural. I paint these crackers with melted high quality dark chocolate (use your favorite brand), let them set up, and then, if I'm feeling creative, I'll pipe something cute with melted white chocolate in a pastry bag. Then, when you place a gooey, caramelized marshmallow between two pieces...well, the chocolate melts perfectly, covering both sides of the fluff, and is divine. Making your own marshmallows is a breeze, if you have a high speed stand mixer, a candy thermometer, and the foresight to make them two or three days ahead of time. Many recipes are available online; I prefer one that uses gelatin (not egg whites).

If this just looks too tasty, but you don't have time to make this lovely treat, leave a comment at the bottom and we can discuss delivery and cost later (sorry, no shipping for meltables right now, though, with the heat wave we're experiencing).

Chicken Lollipops

Children love almost anything if you call it a lollipop or popsicle, and the beautiful thing about that is just about anything can become stick food if you want it to be! I have used 4-inch cocktail toothpicks, small, medium, and large bamboo skewers, and hefty metal kabob forks (in both straight and circular shapes), and every time, no matter what's on them, they're a hit. Tonight I made Chicken Lollipops just by marinating breast strips in my favorite teriyaki sauce (see below for the recipe), threading them onto water-soaked, foil-wrapped wooden skewers, and grilling until done (you can also bake them at 425 degrees about 15 minutes).

Some other ideas for skewered foods include:
~Fresh Fruit Kabobs (alternate chunks of your favorite fruits)
~Caprese Shooters (a cherry tomato, a chunk or ball of fresh mozzarella, and a leaf of fresh basil)
~Grilled Veggie Skewers (alternate chunks of assorted veggies and brush with your favorite dressing or sauce and grill)
~Watermelon Popsicles (place a large chunk of seedless watermelon on a popsicle stick and freeze)

A few years ago, I was looking for a really good teriyaki sauce. I tried every commercial variety and came close a few times, but each one seemed to lack something (and was super salty to compensate). I started to experiment with my own, and through much research and trial and error, I came up with the following recipe. It's fabulous on chicken, beef, pork tenderloin, or veggies, and the recipe yields enough for at least two dinners. I like to marinate the meat for several hours, occasionally overnight, and I'll baste the veggies with the teriyaki sauce while they're grilling. For food safety concerns, discard any leftover marinade after soaking meat in it and use some fresh that you've set aside to brush the food that's cooking (or already cooked).

Teriyaki Sauce

Bring 2/3 cup mirin to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. (Mirin can be found by the soy sauce in the Asian Foods section.)

Add:
1 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
5 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/3 cup sugar
7 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
dash red pepper flakes
black pepper, to taste

Simmer 5 minutes. Store sauce in a glass jar in the refrigerator; stir or shake before using.

Variations and additions:
~Sometimes I'll add in a few tbsp of sesame seeds
~I like a thicker teriyaki sauce at times, so I'll add some cornstarch. To do this without lumps, add it before you add the soy sauce and other ingredients by mixing one or two tablespoons with a little of the soy sauce. Stir in the remainder of the 1 cup soy sauce, and proceed, simmering just until it coats the back of a spoon and appears less runny and slightly "thicker." (But you don't want a teriyaki gel, so don't add more! Yuck.)
~Add a pinch of grated orange zest, if desired, for a fruity flavor
~Try substituting 1/3 cup frozen pineapple juice concentrate for the sugar

Homemade Crackers for Snacking

Beware, the following recipe is extremely addictive! I have to stay out of my kitchen so I don't keep eating these crispy little sweet crackers. At first I was really frustrated with the dough, because I was attempting to make animal crackers with my children. Once I figured out how to best cut these, it was a breeze and I saved so much time. You may, of course, attempt to use cutters as well, but the process goes very slowly and is extremely time consuming.

Imagine two children goofing off, tossing flour, cutting the animals you've already cut out into a few extra pieces (who needs a head anyway?!), and then performing what I like to call the "grab and stuff." You know, that's where most of the dough goes into a mouth instead of on the baking sheet. I only made one sheet of animal shapes, and then I was contemplating tossing the remainder of the dough just to avoid having to do more! Surely no cracker is worth that kind of effort, right?! But then that first sheet came out of the oven, perfectly browned, smelling delicious, and having a crisp-tender snap to them, and I knew I had a winner. These have such an intriguing nutty, rich flavor that it's hard to stop eating them once you have a taste!

Coconut-Almond Snacking Crackers

1 cup whole wheat PASTRY flour

1/4 cup almond meal (coarsely ground almond flour available in the natural foods baking section)

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/4 cup softened butter

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt

pinch nutmeg

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

scant 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 egg

Place the coconut flakes in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the flour, almond meal, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg.

In a second bowl, cream the butter and sugar using a hand mixer. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. Stir into the dry ingredients, lightly kneading if needed to form a ball. Wrap tightly and chill for 1 hour (this allows the whole grains to relax and absorb the liquid, as well as making it easier to roll out).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in half, cover one dough ball and set aside. Place the other ball on a piece of parchment paper or a silpat sheet. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out very thinly, about 1/8-inch thickness, into a large rectangle. (If you go thicker they will be more cookie like and have less of a cracker snap.) Trim edges, if desired. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar and press in lightly. Using a pizza cutter, slice dough into long vertical strips, then slice horizontally to form squares. Don't worry about them spreading together; they will be fine (and if they do, just separate them while warm with a knife or the pizza cutter again)!

Bake about 8-10 minutes, or until lightly browned, on the parchment (or silpat). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely and repeat with the remaining dough. (You may reuse the parchment sheet, but be sure to brush off any crumbs and to remove it from the hot baking sheet before rolling the dough out on it.)

Eat Locally (as much as possible)

I have an addiction, and I am finally admitting it! I have an almost unhealthy fetish for farmers' markets...probably due to the fact that ours is so small and I'm always in awe whenever I go to another town's. Every vacation, every chance I get to explore a community market, I am always researching and planning out a way to stop in, even if only for a few minutes. It's such a good way to get to know the locals and get a taste, literally, of what the area is like. Not to mention that almost every other area's growing season is much longer than ours and there are dozens of tasty offerings waiting to be purchased!

Today I hurriedly cleaned up our breakfast dishes, started the laundry, and scurried out the door to spend the day in Ashland, sans kiddos. I had birthday money to spend, and I needed some time to shop for clothes (I'm always doing that for children, but never for myself, and my stuff is starting to take on the appearance of rags...). By starting my day in Ashland I was able to check out their Tuesday Growers' Market and take advantage of a leisurely stroll conducive to meal strategizing and planning. Most people might not think it's special or out of the ordinary to find the treats I stumbled upon, but when you're coming from an area that has three, maybe four, veggie booths at our local market...well, I get pretty excited. I bought chanterelles and morels. And they were FRESH!! I tried handmade goat cheese at not only one, but three different booths, and the Rogue Creamery was there as well (with samples of just about everything they make). All natural, locally made buffalo salami, homemade pastas, big juicy marionberries, garden fresh fennel bulbs, piping hot tamales with homemade salsa, strawberry limeade, pastured chicken...the list goes on and on! I could've spent a fortune, but the small cooler in my car limited what I was able to buy.

Farmers' markets are crucial to any town, and it's so important to support them. Every week I show up for ours and try to support as many people as I can, and it makes for a great family outing. If you haven't checked out yours, be sure to go at least once! Who knows...you might become as addicted as I am! It's so fun to meet the people growing your food and to learn about how they do their work. Kids ask questions and people are held accountable for what they produce. The quality is much higher than the grocery stores, and most of the time to prices are comparable to a regular shopping trip. I am constantly reminding myself of this fact, even though it seems like I'm dropping so much cash all at once. The thing is, I buy the same amount in the grocery store, but it's paid for with plastic and I don't have to count out nickels and dimes. It's an illusion that it costs more because the money is actually in your hand.

Anyway, I had a very nice, quiet day to myself and was able to find several nice outfits and have a fun time doing so, not being rushed or having to adhere to a schedule. As soon as I came home we quickly whipped up an amazing dinner and let the family chaos start again ("Sit down! Behave!" "Don't interrupt!" etc, etc, etc.).

By the way, I didn't take pictures because it was such a rush to get things on the table tonight, but I have to mention what it was that we had for dinner. Last night I grilled corn on the cob, and I saved two ears, shaving the kernels off for tonight. I mashed some black beans and mixed the kernels in along with cotija cheese, a touch of sour cream to bind the mixture, ground black pepper, cilantro, green onions, and a few slices of crispy, crumbled bacon. Then I stuffed that mixture into poblano peppers from our farmers' market, replaced the caps, and grilled them until the centers were hot and bubbly and the skins were blistered. Served with red quinoa, organic Sugar Baby watermelon, and a green salad, it was a delicious, quick, and easy end to a delightful day!

BBQ...Oven?

Ahhh, summer! The few weeks of the year when it's so hot that only cool salads, icy drinks, and barbecued dinners sound good have finally arrived. We have been grilling nightly to escape turning on the range and/or oven inside. When I'm in the kitchen during the hottest part of the day it's usually with the lights off, except for the one over the sink, just to save a few degrees there also. While it's so fun to get warm and cozy, cooking up hearty soups and stews in the fall and winter months, it's just as invigorating and refreshing to be able to stand outside, on the warm, breezy patio grilling anything and everything during the summer months.

I employ you to try grilling whatever you possibly can. I like to think of our BBQ as a type of oven, and while I have a hard time keeping the temperature static, with a little patience and attention we can still have our favorite dishes for dinner (or breakfast or lunch), and they get that delicious smoky flavor too! My husband grilled his turkey bacon the other morning, I grill fruit occasionally (served with ice cream it makes for a heavenly dessert), and we both toss veggies and various meats and fish on as well. I have the hardest time giving up freshly baked bread in the summer, and so I have branched out, grilling pizzas, flatbreads, pita, and even biscuits (which were divine with fresh blackberry jam).

Tonight I picked up some ears of organic sweet corn to roast alongside halibut fillets. I was having a hard time deciding how to prepare the fish...maybe chopping up a variety of herbs, maybe smoking it for a little bit first...when I spotted the homemade croutons in the pantry and had an inspiration. I ended up breading the fillets, "baking" them on the grill, and topping with a medley of cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, scallions, and garlic. Dinner was absolutely heavenly, and it spoke of the quintessential summer grilling experience.

Breaded Halibut Fillets with Simple Bruschetta

1-1 1/4 lbs halibut fillets, cut into serving portions

3/4 cup whole wheat crouton crumbs*

3 tbsp freshly grated parmesan cheese

good quality olive oil

1 cup assorted cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped scallions (green onions)

1 clove garlic, minced

a few leaves of fresh basil, slivered

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat the grill on high. Stir together the crouton crumbs and parmesan cheese in a shallow dish. Brush the halibut fillets with olive oil, then dip each piece in the crumbs to coat, pressing more on top if needed. Place on a large piece of foil.

Place the foil, with the fish fillets, on the grill (put the ears of corn on now too, if you're serving them alongside, and turn occasionally). Cover and cook until fish flakes easily, about 15 minutes, depending on how high the heat is and how big the pieces are (try to keep it around 450 degrees, if your grill has a thermostat).

Meanwhile, quarter any large cherry tomatoes and cut the small ones in half. Place in a medium sized bowl with the scallions, garlic, and basil. Add salt and pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil, to taste.

To serve, place one fillet on each plate and top with the bruschetta. Serves 4.

*To make crouton crumbs, simply place croutons in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely ground. My son helps me make homemade croutons, which are a favorite healthy snack and a nice salad topping to keep on hand. I like the airiness of a whole wheat or multigrain sourdough from a local bakery, and I usually purchase a day old loaf when I'm planning on making these. We cut it into cubes and toss with a drizzle of olive oil, a little melted butter (not much, just enough to help the herbs stick), garlic powder, kosher salt, and a little Italian seasoning. We then spread the cubes on a baking sheet and bake until crisp and golden, stirring occasionally (about 15 minutes at 350 degrees, depending on how large the cubes are, of course). Cool completely in the pan. Store in a plastic bag or container until needed.

Farmers' Market Surprise

There is a small local farm on the outskirts of town that either partners with or also owns a much larger operation down by Redding, CA. They had a stand at the Farmers' Market yesterday morning and happened to be selling flats of big, juicy, slightly tart blackberries. I cannot remember the last time I had the opportunity to make blackberry jam, and I quickly wrote out a check to the man in charge. I spent the 90-plus degree afternoon canning and sweating, but I have some very tasty jam to show for that effort!

This morning I set aside about 2 1/2 pints of berries and froze the rest for later use. My children decided to sleep in, so before breakfast I quickly made a pie crust, tossed the blackberries with a spritz of lime juice, some sugar and tapioca flour, and was able to throw it in the oven before they stumbled into the kitchen. My oven was turned off before 9 AM, and my kitchen had a chance to cool off before the heat of the day set in.

I had originally pictured a blackberry cobbler, but it's such a hot, comforting winter treat that I couldn't bring myself to assemble one. Instead, I made a whole grain pie crust, one that's light and flaky, lower in fat than usual pastries, and makes for a more rustic pairing with the berries. I added a splash of lime juice to the blackberry filling and sprinkled large granules of lime sugar over the egg wash on the crust. Of course, you don't have to add the lime flavors, and this crust is also a perfect match for raspberries or blueberries.

Rustic Blackberry Pie

2 1/2 pints fresh blackberries, rinsed

1/2 cup sugar

4 tbsp flour or corn starch (or tapioca flour)

approx 2 tsp lime juice, optional

3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tbsp stone-ground cornmeal

2 tbsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

4 tbsp cold butter
1/4 cup ice water, plus more

1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar

1 egg yolk

In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole wheat pastry flour, all purpose flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Cut in the butter until coarse crumbs appear. In a smaller bowl, stir together the yolk, water, and lemon juice. Pour into the dry mixture and toss to combine, slowly adding more ice water as needed until dough comes together (but is not sticky). You can also use the pulse setting on a food processor; just don't over mix the dough.

Roll out into a large, thin circle. Place your greased 9 or 10-inch pie plate upside down over the circle and, using it as a guide, cut the dough 2-2 1/2 inches from the edge of the pie plate (this allows for over hang). Remove pie plate. Gently transfer dough to pie plate, fold edges under, and crimp. Place in the freezer while you preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Toss together blackberries, flour (or tapioca flour or corn starch), sugar, and lime juice, if using. Place in chilled crust. You may use a small cookie cutter to cut designs out of the dough scraps and decorate the top if you like.

Lightly beat 1 egg (or you may use a little milk instead) and brush the exposed crust with it. Sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake about 50 minutes, or until bubbly and crust is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Children's Sleepover Breakfast

My nephews, who are 8 and 10 years old, stayed over the other night for a sleepover. I wanted to make something special that was kid-friendly and seemed like a junk-laden treat (but it also had to be healthy). I made Faux Waffle Sundaes. Now, regular waffle sundaes would be full of fat and sugar, but I used my whole grain recipe for Overnight Waffles, froze homemade vanilla yogurt in my ice cream freezer, and offered fresh blueberry sauce, chopped, toasted walnuts, sliced almonds, chocolate sprinkles, whipped, sweetened creme fraiche (leftover from my birthday cake), and all-natural Marachino cherries (an Oregon product, available at Whole Foods) for topping options. The kids LOVED their breakfast, and it was really easy for me too!

To make ahead, I mixed up and refrigerated the waffle batter overnight. The next morning all I had to do was stir and bake on a heated waffle iron! The blueberry sauce (blueberries and a little agave) can be made up to two days in advance, and I used leftover whipped creme fraiche. Freshly whipped cream is fast and easy, however, quickly done in the time it takes to bake one waffle. I set out the other toppings in little bowls the night before as well. Each child was able to decorate his own waffle sundae as he liked, and they were a huge hit! ("Ice cream" does that, I suppose.)

For the frozen yogurt, I used my own homemade lightly sweetened vanilla yogurt. I poured the container into my ice cream freezer and it was ready in about ten minutes. Store bought will work just fine, of course, just check the sugar level before buying (or buy plain and sweeten to taste). Frozen store-bought yogurt is more of a dessert. It's not regulated like the fresh stuff in the dairy case, and it may or may not have live and active cultures (if it does, it will have a label saying so). While the fresh varieties are pure yogurt, the frozen ones might be 100% also (rarely), or they could be less than 30%!

I Made My Own Birthday Cake...

Even my six-year-old thought it was weird that I was making my own cake. OK, I suppose it is certainly not traditional, but I enjoy doing this kind of thing, I had a specific idea of what I wanted to share with my family, and it's just too good to not have the excuse to make it one last time before strawberry season is up (although, it's just starting for us locally!). So I made the Strawberry Chantilly Cream Cake again, with the King Arthur White Cake recipe, divided into four layers, each of which was spread with whipped creme fraiche and sliced berries from my friend's organic local farm, and then the whole thing was slathered with a Cream Cheese Icing. Sooo tasty!

*A quick note on the Cream Cheese Icing, though.... I have tried two varieties found in the Natural Foods section now, and they react differently than the usual Philadelphia or Western Family brands. When I made my regular recipe that uses 1 lb of cream cheese and 1 stick butter, I used Nancy's (because it is just cultured cream) and it was almost runny. I had to use a lot more powdered sugar to get the right consistency (and it tasted slightly different too). For this cake I used 8 oz (1 brick) of Organic Valley, which has a few "natural" stabilizers in it, 1 stick of butter, 1 tsp vanilla, and about 3 cups of powdered sugar. It's a bit more sweet than the original, but was easy to work with and everyone thought it tasted great!

BBQ Time!

I really enjoy entertaining, but it's so much work that we only have people over occasionally. The process starts about a week in advance, with me planning my menu and getting input from my family. Then shopping, of course, and the day before (at least) I am busy in the kitchen, trying to get as much stuff premade as possible. That way, on the day of the get together or party, I can (hopefully) have time to relax a bit. Of course, that's usually wishful thinking since there's always last minute things to get ready and cleaning to do.

Most people buy everything already done at the store, and when I'm in the midst of making a million things from scratch I totally see why! It's very tempting to go buy a few bottles of dressings and mustards instead of spending the extra time to make each one separately, or pick up a box of cookies, or buy premade buns, or whatever.... I justify what I do because of the care and effort put into it. It tastes better. Much of the time it costs a lot less to make it myself, and it's healthier too! But mostly, if I'm having you over for a meal it's because I care about you and I want to show you that with what I do best: Food! I'm not doing it to show off or strut my stuff; I'm doing it because that's what I know how to (and want to) do. I feel that if I make enough variety then everyone should be happy with at least one thing! (The hope, also, is that you'll want to come back for more at a later date.) So, that brings me to tomorrow. The Fourth of July barbecue....

Today I'm making as much in advance as I can, yet again, because we're starting the barbecue early. Kids will come over and swim, drinks will be served, appetizers out, and the rotisserie on the grill going slowly. Fun!

Here's our menu:

-Rotisserie Ham (from our local piggy we bought last fall)

-Kaiser Rolls

-Various sauces, incl: BBQ sauce from our local BBQ shack (why try to compete?!), homemade honey mustard, homemade regular mustard

-A HUGE Tossed Salad, with all the yummy things growing now (arugula, kale, butter lettuce, romaine, spinach, garden carrots, scallions), plus roasted corn kernels, bacon pieces, homemade croutons, and a homemade blue cheese dressing

-Molded Fruit Salad (Apple Cherry Juice Gelatin, cherries, blueberries, and Oregon strawberries) with whipped, sweetened creme fraiche

-Baked Beans, brought by our lovely friends

-Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Poppers, brought by those same great friends

-Assorted Chips and Homemade Dips

-Star Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

-Natural sodas and tons of local microbrews, in our trusty patio fridge

-Minted Strawberry Lemonade

HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!

Menu Inspiration

For any of us locals, there are few decent options to eat out at. The best restaurant that we did have, Bel Tramonto, ended up being hit hard by the economy and the local clientele couldn't support them. They did, however, leave a lasting imprint on our cuisine, and the chef has opened another, less expensive Italian restaurant where people can order some of their favorite dishes from Bel. One of those is the Lobster Truffle Mac and Cheese. It is very tasty, but it's super salty, very rich and creamy, and I'm sure it's something that has "heart attack" written all over it!

I do this thing with menus and restaurant specials. I memorize them and try to come up with my own version. Most of the time it works out, leaving a flavorful, less expensive (and healthier) impression on my family. Plus, I don't have to brave the restaurant scene with two little kids! I don't want to give you the idea that this dish is diet friendly or super healthy, because it's not! But, it can be viewed as a treat (as any real macaroni and cheese should be), and would be a great way to impress some company for a dinner party. My version is much lighter than a restaurant's, I'm sure! (Restaurants use cream, at least twice the butter, tons of salt, etc.)

Truffled Lobster Mac and Cheese

1 slice whole wheat bread

1 tbsp parsley

1 tbsp butter, melted

10 oz uncooked lobster tails (I used two 5oz)

1 1/2 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

1 1/2 tbsp white wine

3 cups milk (lowfat works fine)

1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese

2 1/4 cups shredded Gouda cheese

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

pinch cayenne
salt, optional, to taste (I find that the cheese has enough for us, but do as you like)

ground white pepper, 1/2 tsp or to taste

12 oz pasta (I used Tinkyada brown rice fusilli pasta)

White Truffle Oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place the piece of bread in a food processor. Pulse until you have crumbs. Add the parsley; pulse to combine. Pour the butter over in a thin stream; pulse again. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of salted water to boiling. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and pour into a large casserole or 13x9 inch pan.

Cut down the lobster tails with kitchen shears. Peel the meat away from the shell. Chop. Heat about 1 tbsp olive oil over med-high heat. Saute lobster pieces until cooked through, just a few minutes. Set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Stir in flour. Slowly pour in milk and wine, whisking while adding, until smooth. Cook, stirring constantly until slightly thickened and bubbly, about 10 minutes. Add cheeses, nutmeg, cayenne, pepper, and salt, if using (taste first). Cook just a few minutes more, until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat.

Stir cooked lobster pieces into the cheese sauce. Pour over noodles and fold gently to coat. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake 20-25 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are browned and cheese is bubbling. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Drizzle each serving lightly with truffle oil. Enjoy!

Serves 6-8

Not Your Typical Jello!

I cannot take credit for this recipe. It hails from the Eating Well collection, and is an annual family favorite. Oregon berries do it the most justice, of course, but the organic California ones can be a decent substitute as well. It's easy to make, refreshing, and is a healthy dessert. This jelled treat consists of strawberries, sour cream, sugar, vanilla, and gelatin. You can find the recipe here!