BellingHome

New England Clam and Corn Chowder with Herbs

2012-01-23T20:00:00.000-08:00

Don has been commenting for a while that he wanted to find a good clam chowder recipe. Finally decided to try one tonight and it is a keeper. So tasty, easy to make, and economical too. We used whole milk like the recipe called for. Next time will try 2% and see if there's any significant difference. Click here for the full recipe from Epicurious: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/New-England-Clam-and-Corn-Chowder-with-Herbs-350962.

Baked Huevos Rancheros

2012-01-17T18:46:00.000-08:00

I recently ordered a subscription for Food & Wine magazine to support a youth's school fundraiser. Tonight Don made this incredible dish. A play on traditional Huevos Rancheros, it substitutes tortilla chips for tortillas, and eggs are baked in the oven until lightly set. Lots of good healthy veggies in this one and delicious taste. This one's going in the regular rotation. Click on the link for the full recipe: Baked Huevos Rancheros.

Crockpot Turkey Tenderloin

2012-01-16T20:10:00.000-08:00

Recipe recommended by my sister. Can't wait to try it!

Crockpot Turkey Tenderloin

Crockpot Glazed Turkey Tenderloin

2 turkey tenderloins
2 sweet potatoes, cut into quarters
1 cup baby carrots
1 Sweet onion diced
1 15-oz can chicken broth
1/2 cup apricot preserves

1. Put sweet potatoes, carrots, and onion into crockpot.

2. Place turkey tenderloin on top, pouring chicken broth over it all and topping the turkey with the preserves.

3. Cook for either 5 hours on high, or for 1 hour on high and 7 hours on low.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

2012-01-16T17:57:00.000-08:00

As our family grows and time and energy are going to be in higher and higher demand, I'm on the search for simple, nourishing, low maintenance dinners. It doesn't get any easier than this pulled pork recipe I just tried out today.

Ingredients:
1 Frozen Pork Roast
1 Can Rootbeer
1 Bottle Barbecue Sauce
Hawaiian Rolls
Dill Pickles for Garnish (optional)

All you do is put the FROZEN roast in the crockpot and add one can of rootbeer. You can play with the cooking times. I cooked it on high for 4 hours and low for another 5 hours. Pork is done when you can shred it easily with a fork. Drain the rootbeer and return the pork to the crockpot. Shred with two forks. Add barbecue sauce and stir to incorporate. Heat until warmed through. Serve on Hawaiian rolls with dill pickles if desired.

Don's Balls (Meatballs that is)

2012-01-02T20:28:00.000-08:00

I've always thought meatballs were fairly boring. Hamburger, egg, onion and crackers. Bland. Well not these!

Ingredients:
2lbs ground Italian Sausage
2lbs ground Breakfast Sausage
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1 full row of Ritz crackers
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp sage

You can adjust the seasonings to taste. These are guesses, I didn't really measure them.

Mix together, and ball up! I went with larger than a golf ball, like maybe a racket ball.

I baked them at 400F for 15 min, then flipped them and baked them for another 15 min. DE-Lish!

Christmas Haggis

2011-12-13T11:49:00.000-08:00

You can bet this is Don posting this one.

I've been meaning to cook a haggis that wasn't so damn gross to cook. I made one before I was married, and it was a pretty awful process. I actually got part of a stomach bag to cook the damned thing in. The process of cleaning it and cooking the actual haggis smelled revolting. But I've really enjoyed haggis when I was over in Scotland, and I think I can do it. So I decided to try looking for a crock pot recipe.

And I found one!

What I keep forgetting is that people still may not like it, and so when I futz with the proportions I know I'm only making more for myself, and like any leftovers, that's going to get old. So rather than posting exactly what I did, I'll post what I'd recommend.

Ingredients:

1lb Ground Lamb

1/2lb Lamb Kidney (found at local Food Co-Op)

1 Lamb Heart (found at local Food Co-Op)

1 large red onion, coarsely chopped. (You can use yellow instead if you like)

1-1/2 cups steel cut oats

pinch to 1/4 tsp each of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice or cloves

1/2 tsp of cayenne pepper (or more to taste)

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp kosher salt

1 egg (beaten)

1 cup broth (I used organic beef broth)

1/4 cup Scotch Whisky (doesn't have to be good scotch. I used two tiny bottles of Johnny Walker Black)

Directions:

Boil the kidney and the heart until cooked through. Drain and wash off with cold water. Then mince. I used the meat grinder attachment on a kitchenaid. It's important to grind the heart and kidney to mix well with the ground lamb.

Mix all ingredients except broth and scotch in a large mixing bowl like you would prepare a meatloaf. Shape with your hands into a roundish haggis loaf. Transfer to your crockpot and finish forming. Add broth.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. Midway into it, add scotch. Beware of overcooking and drying it out.

Serve with Neeps & Tatties, which is mashed potatoes and mashed parsnips. Basically make your mashed parsnips the same exact way you make your mashed potatoes. Add a little bit of ground ginger to the Neeps if you like, and a little nutmeg to the Tatties. You can even combine the Neeps & Tatties to form Clapshot.Which I did. Then layered in shredded Tillamook Cheddar and Dubliner cheese, then baked it. Add a heavy dose of chives and butter.

Now, what to do with leftovers?

HAGGIS BURGERS! Not kidding, they do this in Glasgow. I might add a little Siracha sauce to kick it up. Maybe some goat cheese, dijon, etc.

Also, for a delicious vegetarian haggis (well almost vegetarian, contains egg), check out this recipe. We made it. Very nutty goodness.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/vegetarian-haggis/detail.aspx

Mozzarella and Cherry Tomato Skewers

2011-11-20T18:42:00.000-08:00

Mozzarella Balls packed in Water
Small Carton Cherry Tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Tuscan Herb Olive Oil
1 Tablespoon Traditional Aged Balsamic
1/2 teaspoon dried basil

Wisk together oil, vinegar and herbs. Toss the tomatoes and mozarella balls together in the vinaigrette. Thread onto skewers and serve.

Tortellini with Brussel Sprouts & Sundried Tomatoes

2011-11-20T18:29:00.000-08:00

1 Package Tortellini
1 Bunch Brussel Sprouts, Halved
Sundried Tomatoes cut in strips
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
Salt & Pepper to Taste
1-2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Prosciutto (Optional)

Bring large pot of water to a boil. Add Brussel Sprouts and Tortellini and cook until al dente. Drain. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add tortellini mixture, sundried tomatoes, Prosciutto, parmesan, salt & pepper. Saute a few minutes until cheese melts. Serve immediately.

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

2011-09-24T15:56:00.001-07:00

Just tried my first batch ever at making my own ranch dressing. I played around with some of the ingredients and this is what I arrived at for a base recipe. But I look forward to future concoctions with whatever fresh herbs I happen to have on hand. If this turns out to be a hit, eventually I'll need to learn how to make my own mayonnaise, buttermilk, and sour cream too. Then I can really call it homemade.

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

1 1/4 Cups Tillamook Sour Cream
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Juice of one small squeezed lemon
1 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
Dash of cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 garlic clove finely minced

Combine all ingredients with a whisk. Store in a glass jar in the fridge. Should keep for a couple of weeks.

This makes a pretty thick dressing. You can thin it out more by adding extra buttermilk if you prefer.

Coconut Rice with Beef Stir Fry

2011-09-10T18:59:00.000-07:00

Coconut Rice with Beef Stir-Fry

Ingredients

Rice:
1 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of ground red pepper
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
1 cup uncooked jasmine rice
Stir-fry:
1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, divided
1 (1-pound) flank steak, trimmed and thinly sliced across the grain
1 cup vertically sliced onion
1 cup red bell pepper strips
3 cups sliced bok choy
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce (such as Lee Kum Kee)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 lime wedges

To prepare rice, bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in rice. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.

To prepare stir-fry, heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of beef; stir-fry 4 minutes or until done. Remove from pan; cover and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining oil and beef.

Add onion and bell pepper to pan; stir-fry 5 minutes. Add bok choy; stir-fry 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add beef, cilantro, chili garlic sauce, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and black pepper; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve with rice and lime wedges.

Oven Baked Pancake with Homemade Raspberry Sauce

2011-09-10T11:31:00.000-07:00

Don't be alarmed by the gourmet souffle looking thing. This recipe is easier, that's right easier, than making regular pancakes. The oven does all the work for you. And the raspberry sauce was the perfect accompaniment for this oven baked pancake. But it could easily go with other things as well. It would be a nice treat over some grilled chicken breast, serve over vanilla ice cream, or stir a spoonful of the leftover sauce into plain or vanilla yogurt for instant organic raspberry yogurt.

Oven Baked Pancake with Homemade Raspberry Sauce

Click the link for the basic inspiration recipe. Or try my variation below for the raspberry sauce.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons butter
3 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
12 ounces frozen organic raspberries from Trader Joes
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar (optional)

Preparation

Place frozen raspberries in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat and simmer about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. When the raspberries have cooked down to a soupy liquid remove from heat. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Use a spoon or spatula to press the raspberries into the strainer to get as much juice out as possible. Stir in 2 tablespoons of sugar. Pour into a gravy boat or other creamer cup for serving.
Melt butter in a 10-inch ovenproof frying pan over low heat. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl or blender, beat or whirl eggs until light and pale. Beat or blend in milk, vanilla, flour, sugar, and salt.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in a 425° oven until pancake is puffed and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve immediately with raspberry sauce. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

This Week's Recipes

2011-09-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

It's 9:00 a.m. on Saturday morning and I've already completed the meal planning and grocery shopping for the week. Yay! Felt great to be out in the stores while they were well stocked and less crowded than the typical weekend rush. I'm hoping to start a new routine of making Saturday mornings my grocery shopping and meal prep time. I'm intending to post my weekly recipe list if you care to follow along and will share the results throughout the week. Saturday morning I will also try to prep the meals that can be cooked ahead of time (such as soups, marinades, and baked goods) and portioned off in servings and stored for later in the week to quickly grab for lunches on the go or busy nights with meetings, etc.

Mexican Black Bean Sausage Chili
Ravioli with Sauteed Zucchini
Spiced Cider and Maple Marinade (with Chicken Breasts)
Mixed Fresh Fruit Cobbler
Curried Chicken Corn Chowder
Baked Sunday Pancake with Raspberry Sauce
Super Sloppy Joe Sandwiches
Arugula and Walnut Salad
Coconut Rice with Beef Stir-Fry
Deviled Eggs
Rise and Shine Oatmeal

Mixed Fresh Fruit Cobbler

2011-09-09T21:41:00.000-07:00

Here is another recipe to add to my new basic recipes series. The concept of the basic recipes series is to come up with good staple recipes that can be easily mixed and matched and swapped out for whatever fresh seasonal ingredients you happen to have on hand. This is a must for anyone who is trying to eat locally or seasonally.

Mixed Fresh Fruit Cobbler

Cobbler Filling
6 cups mixed fresh baking fruits or berries (peeled and copped) - such as apples, pears, peaches, blackberries, raspberries, rhubarb, etc. (I used blackberries and golden delicious apples this time)
1/2 cup sugar
Juice and zest of one small lemon
1 1/2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Crumb Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a greased 9x9 baking dish, stirring to incorporate.

In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients (flour through butter) with a fork until incorporated and crumbly. Spread evenly over fruit mixture.

Bake at 350 for 40 to 45 minutes.

Friday Night BBQ

2011-08-26T22:28:00.000-07:00

We have an entire weekend of awesome home cooking planned. Kicked it off tonight with grilled seasoned skirt steak in a cilantro almond pesto and grilled eggplant and patty pan squash with a simple mint balsamic vinaigrette. Jessica Hazelton also came over to help with the prep and consumption of this fantastic meal. The pesto is a must try. You can find the steak recipe here: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/flank-steak-with-cilantro-almond-pesto-10000000614032/.

For the side dish we just sliced and grilled the veggies (eggplant, patty pan squash, and sweet onion) with a little bit of olive oil and salt. Then made a quick simple vinaigrette with fresh chopped mint, lavendar balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Drizzle over veggies and serve. Yum!

Stay tuned for more new recipes throughout the weekend.

Faith Based Advocacy

2011-08-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

I have the privilege of sitting on my church's Stewardship Committee. Our mission is to help deepen people's understanding of stewardship and lead them towards growth in faith and life through stewardship activities. Each month we have a different stewardship theme that we focus on. This month the theme was Faith Based Advocacy. Here is an article I wrote for the Church Newsletter that I thought I would share.

Advocacy is the act of speaking on the behalf of or in support of another person, place, or thing. Perhaps some of our earliest experiences in life with this concept might have been standing up to a bully and advocating on behalf of another child who was being picked on at school. Whether we directly faced the opponent, or ran to tell an adult, we were suddenly aware of three things: (1) This was a situation of injustice, (2) we did not like to see the other person suffer, and (3) the situation could only persist if we allowed it to. While the child targeted by the bullying may have felt too scared to do anything about it, we suddenly learned that we had this powerful thing called a voice where we could stand up on the other’s behalf and relieve their suffering.

In the adult world, we think most commonly of advocacy in terms of public policy. From a Stewardship framework, we ask the question, ‘How can Government best utilize our civic time, talents, and treasures to serve God’s purposes?’ In Dr. Karen Bloomquist’s series on “Faith Based Advocacy” which took place at Faith over the last several weeks, we talked a lot about how to advocate for public policy which brings relief to those who are the most vulnerable in society. This can include not only the poor and the marginalized, but also Creation itself. The vulnerable segments of our society, in their daily efforts to survive, may not have the autonomy or the resources to rise up out of their own cycles of poverty, abuse, or exploitation. It requires the strong voices of many, and particularly those of Christians, to bring these issues before our public policy leaders and seek a more fair, equitable and responsible distribution of our civic resources to protect those who are most vulnerable. This is our mandate as Christians, for Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me” (Matthew 25:45).

As Christians, we strive for public policy that is not dictated by partisanship but rooted in faith. In these efforts, the Social Policy Statement adopted by the ELCA in 1999, called “Sufficient, Sustainable, Livelihood for All,” can be our guide (http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Social-Statements/Economic-Life.aspx). For All indicates the scope of God’s concern, which is all inclusive and includes the poor and vulnerable. There are no prequalification requirements to be a child of God. We are all loved unconditionally. Livelihood designates the means by which our life is sustained. Whether it is through paid jobs, self employment, business ownership, accumulated wealth, family support, or government assistance, livelihood is that which gives us access to what is needed to thrive. Sufficiency implies adequate access to resources that enable people to meet their basic needs including nutrition, clothing, housing, healthcare, personal development, and participation in the community with dignity. The key word is adequate and causes us to ask serious questions about our tendencies as individuals and as a society to over consume. And Sustainability is the capacity of natural and social systems to survive together over the long term. While the first three issues deal with people, sustainability reminds us that what is good for humanity always must be tempered with, informed by, and held in tension with what is good for Creation.

“Sufficient, Sustainable, Livelihood for All,” is a Christian faith based economic ethic that can guide us in the difficult decisions we face as individuals, churches, and civic communities about how to manage our time, talents, and treasures. It can lead us toward a vision and embodiment of what government was meant to be -- an economic agency where individuals make sacrifices to support the common good, rather than a mechanism for protecting and promoting individual interest groups. Moreover, “Sufficient, Sustainable, Livelihood for All,” is a statement of faith. It reminds us in times of uncertainty that God does provide for us and Creation does bear all of the things that are needed to meet our basic human needs if only we are to live sustainably and for the good of all. When Christians come together to advocate for the vulnerable, public policy can be one way in which God’s will for the good of all Creation is carried out.

To read more of the ELCA's Social Statement on "Sufficient, Sustainable, Livelihood for All," visit the ELCA website at: (http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Social-Statements/Economic-Life.aspx).

Also, consider reading and signing this ecumenical statement to appeal to our national leaders in the face of budget challenges not to cut those programs which are basic to the survival of the poor and vulnerable in our society: http://www.circleofprotection.us/pdf/Circle-of-Protection-Statement.pdf.

Garden Delight Brown Rice Casserole

2011-08-15T21:57:00.000-07:00

Well it looks like I need to change the date on my camera!

The life organizing, finance crunching, meal planning, cooking bug has crept back in on me. It's rooted in concepts way to vast to explore in one one blog, particularly when I have limited myself to 10 minutes to spend on the computer before I go to bed (part of that whole organizing thing). But lets just say for now, that out of an interesting convergence of spiritual issues, ethical consciousness, healthy endeavors, and family matters have all come together to form this exciting new cocktail: The Garden Delight Brown Rice Casserole (pictured above).

You know me and meal planning. I love to hunt for recipes, pick them out, try new things, plan ahead. I have trouble making dinner on the fly or even going to the grocery store before I know what I'm getting. And that's where I'm trying to grow myself right now. I'm currently on the hunt for good base recipes that I can go to at any time where I can draw from an economical source of staples I usually have on hand, but swap out the revolving door of fresh ingredients I have coming through my kitchen by Dandelion Organic Deliveries to create fun new flavor combinations. Garden Delight Brown Rice Casserole is my first attempt and a successful one at that for such a base recipe. It's called "Garden Delight" because you can use whatever seasonal or sale vegetables you happen to have on hand and the possibilities are as wide as you can imagine. See recipe below, and if you want to be a good sport, send me you're ideas for veggie combos you feel inspired to try.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups uncooked brown rice (you could also try white, jasmine, wild rice or even barley)
2 cups water
2 cups broth (chicken, beef, or veggie - I used homemade chicken stock)
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups onion, diced
6 to 12 cups of fresh chopped veggies (I used crookneck summer squash, pattipan squash and diced carrot because that's what I had on hand)
Salt & Pepper
Fresh herbs or dried herbs (your choice here too, I used fresh basil leaves)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used medium tillamook cheddar, you could also try swiss, gruyere, jalapeno jack, mozzarella)
4 eggs lightly beaten
3/4 cup Parmesan (Romano or Dubliner would be great options)
3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bring water and broth to a boil in a medium sauce pan. Add rice. Lower to a simmer. Cover and cook until rice is done.

Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large frying pan over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and saute 5 minutes until onions are translucent. Add additional vegetables, salt and pepper to taste, and saute until crisp tender. Remove from heat.

In large mixing bowl, combine rice, vegetables, 2 cups shredded cheese, and egg mixture. Stir to combine all ingredients. Pour into lightly greased glass baking dish. Spread mixture out evenly. Sprinkle evenly with 3/4 cup remaining cheese and bread crumbs. Dot with butter (this will help create a nice golden crunchy top).

Bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Casserole is done when the top is golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before serving.

Ruminating

2011-08-15T08:19:00.000-07:00

I'm thinking about getting back into blogging more. Lots of thoughts buzzing around in my head. Lots of interests, goals, values swimming around that need to be channeled. So why not a quick blog to blog about blogging. This concludes your teaser. More to follow.

Just Do It

2011-02-15T22:57:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday in church our guest preacher passed on a great idea during the sermon that someone had shared with him. A friend had suggested that this year, instead of setting specific new years resolutions, she was just going to pick a single word or phrase to focus on to lead her throughout the year. I guess it's a bit like having a theme, or a mantra that becomes the daily prayer on which you center or life. It's a wonderful idea and faith concept. From a Christian standpoint, there are so many words you could choose like "kindness," or "humility," or "gratitude." Or any number of phrases would be so profound like, "leap of faith," or "Go in peace, serve the Lord," or "Love one another, as God has loved you." It's really a very genious concept, that instead of setting a goal for your new years resolution, to make your focus be an idea. From that idea will spring forth all of your motivations, goals, and execution. It's really very powerful.

I grasped on to this idea immediately and began thinking if there was a word or phrase that would be a good focus for me. I'll be honest that in this exercise, my focus was not so Christocentric but actually leaned toward my struggle with goal setting and motivation in the classic areas of diet and exercise. Plus, I've noticed in the last couple of weeks that the winter is getting the best from me and I am starting to suffer from cabin fever which is has the tendency to spiral into complacency, boredom, and restlessness.

So I was doing some research on line tonight and looking up motivational quotes. I think I found my mantra. It seems right and perfect, and a very good challenge for me. It's a bit classic and overly simple and to the point which is what I need. It's the old Nike slogan: "Just Do It." It speaks to me in so many ways. Not the least of which is the fact that the empire which coined this phrase was born out of my hometown, Eugene, OR. But to me, this is a phrase that could truly transform my life. I'm a classic type A thinker and planner and need to have everything perfectly set up to be successful. I spend more time planning to workout, than I do actually working out. If the kitchen isn't clean, I can't make dinner. If I don't have a meal plan for the week, I can't go grocery shopping. If I've got to be somewhere in 60 minutes, I can't do a quick 30 minute workout because that won't give me enough time to shower and stretch and still get out the door without a rush. I've even noticed, that I'm about 80% more likely to get up before work in the morning to go run on my treadmill, if I have already set my laptop up and headphones out the night before so that all I have to do is jump on the treadmill and go. Seriously, how hard is it to pick up a computer and take it in the other room and plug it in?

I have spent a lot of time in the last year searching for motivation. I struggle to find some major goal which is going to drive me to overcome the numerous obstacles that get in my way. I keep thinking subject to the Biggest Loser mentality that there has to be some major motivation that is truly worth while, that is worth doing all the hard work for or I know I will give in to other simple pleasures like sleeping in and convenience. It's really hard to find that major driving force, when you are already pretty happy with your life and have the most important things well covered. Well I'm tired of searching for that earth shattering ah-ha moment that's going to totally transform me. For the rest of 2011, my mantra will be "Just Do It." It's time to retrain my brain away from all the thinking and the planning, a.k.a. procrastinating and get down to business. Thanks Nike. You may very well have single handedly provided me with that Earth Shattering life change I have been looking for.

Remember the Sabbath Day and Keep it Holy

2011-01-30T17:25:00.000-08:00

Earlier this year, Don and I took on the responsibility of teaching Confirmation to a wonderful class of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders at our church, Faith Lutheran, in Bellingham. We're both passionate about Confirmation and loving this opportunity to share with the youth of our church about our Lutheran faith and theology. For the last several weeks, we have been talking about the 10 commandments. My favorite class so far has been the class on Remembering the Sabbath Day and keeping it Holy. Mostly because it touched an exciting place of inspiration for Don and I.

Of all the commandments, this is the one commandment that is truly and purely for our benefit. God saw fit to build in for us, a day of rest and rememberance. So for the past few weeks, Don and I have actively been trying to build into our lives observance of the Sabbath. It's not initially an easy thing to do. We both lead fairly busy lives and with Don being self employed and me working from home, our work constantly threatens to invade our personal lives. So often our Sundays are filled with chores, errands, and anxiety and stress about the work week ahead. We've been slowly trying to transition away from this, focusing on getting our weekend obligations out of the way on Saturday, and truly treating Sunday as a day of rest and communion with God and each other.

Today was the first real successful Sabbath we've had I think. We started with a great Confirmation class, followed by church, our annual congregational meeting and brunch, on to an afternoon nap, then an outing to the pier with the dogs in the gorgeous cool crisp sunshiny air, a light trip to the mall for some exchanges including a new game for Don at Gamestop, then Happy Hour at Dos Padres, and now back home for evening entertainment of PS3, movie watching, homemade Chinese Food, and some fresh baked cookies later. The best part is that it was all on our own schedule, with no where to rush off to, with love and gratefulness in our hearts, with deep thanksgiving of all that God has blessed us with, and with no massive piles of laundry, dirty dishes, bookkeeping or a miriad of other obligations hanging over us.

It all reminds me of a saying Don used to quote from his Grandfather: "If you have to work, work five days. If you can't do it in five, work six days. But if you can't do it in six days, you're not going to be able to do it in seven, so you might as well take a break." There really is something to this Sabbath, Day of Rest thing and Don and I are so excited about building this into our lives. How many marriages, families, and individuals would be better off by practicing this simple day of rest and worship once a week. If I have any new years resolutions in 2011, it will be to observe the 3rd commandment: Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it Holy.

Don & Cindy's Amazing Cioppino

2011-01-28T21:20:00.000-08:00

2 Tablespoons Butter
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 cup diced red onion
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
3/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
4 ounces tomato paste
28 ounce whole tomatoes, hand crushed with all their juices
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives
2 tablespoons chopped green olives
3 chopped hot jarred peppers (with seeds)
1 package frozen mixed seafood blend from trader joes (shrimp, scallops, and calamari), defrosted
1/2 cup graded parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 package small cheese tortellini

1. Melt butter over medium high heat in large stockpot. Add olive oil and onions. Saute two minutes. Add garlic, red pepper flakes and cracked black pepper. Saute 3 minutes. Add tomatoes & stir to incorporate. Then add whole tomatoes, chicken stock, white wine, salt, thyme, basil, olives, hot peppers, and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, cover and reduce for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add seafood mix, and cook for 5 minutes over medium low heat until done.

2. In a separate pan, boil hot water and cook tortellini to al dente.

3. Serve cioppino over Tortellini and garnish with fresh grated parmesan and cilantro.

The recipe made quite a lot of stock, so we portioned off about three cups of the tomato broth and saved in the freezer for future use before we added the seafood mix. Can't wait to enjoy it again soon with the first few steps already done. In the future, adding a nice fillet of white fish portions would be a really fabulous addition and add some more depth. But no complaints with the finished product. We used Mount Baker Vineyards Viognier for the white wine which was absolutely divine, both in the broth and on the side. Most of all, we had a blast making it. One the best date nights in a long time.

Don has a few words to say about this also:: Just to be clear, Cindy and I didn't set out to make this today. This is not one of the recipes she so diligently plans ahead for. No, this was pure improv. Cindy didn't get around to doing the crockpot recipe she had planned, and so we began milling around the kitchen. She pulled out the package of mixed seafood from the freezer and asked, "Can you do anything with this?"

So we got to looking at perhaps an alfredo sauce with pasta... except we ran out of cream. We had the makings of a tomato-based something, but I wasn't sure if we had the stuff to do anything exciting. Then, as my palate usually does, I thought of spicy, and I was reminded of my favorite dish at our favorite Italian restaurant in Sherman Oaks. They make a Cioppino that was over $30 a bowl, and served with a half lobster in it.

Cioppino, except we still were thinking pasta. So maybe it would turn out thicker. Cindy started pulling out kalamata olives, and stuffed green olives from the fridge. We also had this jar of awesome hot peppers, the thin kind, almost like green beans. From there we printed off a couple recipes from the internet for a base, and began the great improvisation. By the time I had reached the point of reducing the heat in the broth to cook for 30 minutes, we stole a taste... and nearly cried at its true marvel.

Sometimes when two people love each other, they get together and make something truly special. And when it's all done cooking... they eat it.

Wait....

Workout

2011-01-27T21:45:00.000-08:00

This was a challenging workout, which included a work interruption (after hours but important call). Had a hard decision about whether or not to go back and finish it, but finish it I did. Rome wasn't built in a day. Just have to keep sticking with it one workout at a time. Here are my workout results:

Back Knee Lunge Up (Left) 8; 10; 9; 9
Back Knee Lunge Up (Right) 10/10/10/10
Plank Jumps: 5/5/6/4

2 Walking Pushups & Step Touches 6/6/5

Jump Forward, Back, Tuck 7.5/7/7/8
Side Plank & Pushup (Left) 7/6/6/6
Side Plank & Pushup (Right) 6/4/5/7

Click here for the full workout details: www.bodyrock.tv

Workout

2011-01-19T21:35:00.000-08:00

I can feel myself getting stronger. Tonight's workout was a time challenge, but I am focusing on each end every move targeting the right muscles and keeping very good form, so speed is not my focus. Also, I was limited on time, so while I got a solid 25 minute workout in, I only made it through 2 of the 3 sets planned.

Round 1: 30 Lunges and high knees (right leg); 30 lunges and high knees (left leg); 30 upright rows (5 lb dumbells); 30 dancing crabs

Jumping Squat Intervals (8 rounds, 30 seconds each): 10, 11, 9, 8, 9, 8, 8, 9

Round 2: 30 Lunges and high knees (right leg); 30 lunges and high knees (left leg); 30 upright rows (5 lb dumbells); 30 dancing crab

Jumping Squat Intervals (8 rounds, 30 seconds each): 8, 8, 10, 8, 9, 10, 11, 10

127 Hours

2011-01-19T05:37:00.000-08:00

I had a great evening out with friends which I have met through some meetup groups tonight. We met for a glass of wine and some lite bites and then went and saw an amazing movie called "127 Hours." The movie chornicles the real life experience of a guy who was out hiking by himself and got his arm pinned underneath a boulder and was stuck for five days before he ended up having to cut off his own arm to free himself. The actual scene was not as bad as I thought it was going to be in terms of gore, but it was pretty intense. More so, I found myself very much rooting for him. But it definitely is one of those movies that makes you think. An experience of being so close to death, and realizing all of the things that you take for granted and all of the things that you yet want to do but haven't done. It has me thinking and wondering, in the same situation, would I have been able to do the same thing? Or would I have given in to death (the permanent solution) for fear of pain (a temporary fleeting moment)? So the movie has me thinking about how we are capable of so much more than we really think we are, and how a little courage goes a long way.

And on that note, tonight's workout was 300 squats. It was tough but I'm glad I didn't give up on myself or I would have thought myself quite foolish that the burn of 300 squats tumbled me when I just watched a man have to cut off his own arm.

Workout

2011-01-17T19:18:00.000-08:00

I had another great workout tonight full of Bad@$$ery. Oh my. I think I am starting to fall in love with this girl Zuzana. Her workouts are just phenomenal. I have had a rough week. I'm balancing exciting results in my professional life (very rewarding) but exhausted from the hard mental and physical work of it all and some late nights, while at the same time struggling through some growing pains in my personal life. It makes for one depleted Cindy who very much needed a good workout but didn't have a lot to give. I'm so thankful for Zuzana's workoutS because they are short but intense and get right to the point. As tired as I was, I knew that I could at least give it my all for a short 20 minutes before I retired for the night. It was great to have a chance to sweat it out and I feel so STRONG and PROUD of my accomplishments. The moves are challenging and although I can't do all of the moves to the full extent that Zuzana can, I'm excited about the idea that someday soon I will be able to. So I'm focusing on getting the max out of every single exercise with her, really targeting each and every movement so that I can be as efficient as possible and achieve maximum results because I CANNOT WAIT to be the powerhouse I know I can be.

Checkout www.Bodyrock.tv if you want to try this workout. My results are below:

Snow Boarder - max. reps during each 30 second interval: 7 / 10 / 8
One Leg Squat & Side Kick (left leg) - max. reps during each 30 second interval: 5 / 5 / 5
One Leg Squat & Side Kick (right leg) - max. reps during each 30 second interval: 5 / 5 / 4.5
Push Up/Lunge Combo Exercise Challenge - 8 minute count down: 14 BRUTAL SETS!
Shelf Butt Exercise - max. reps during each 30 second interval: 16 / 20 / 18
Half Pistol & One Leg Pike Press (left leg) - max. reps during each 30 second interval: 3 / 3 / 2.5
Half Pistol & One Leg Pike Press (right leg) - max. reps during each 30 second interval: 2.5 / 3 / 2.5

Workout

2011-01-04T22:04:00.000-08:00

Today's workout was a 12 minute challenge of alternating reps of 10 Sandbag Squats and 10 Reverse Pushups. We were supposed to do as many sets as we could in 12 minutes. I found an online timer since I don't have a stop watch to help out. I was able to do 8.5 sets in 12 minutes. The reverse pushups got really difficult at the end and I wasn't able to come all the way up on some of the final reps, so I just came up as high as I could and held the position for a second. I also did a 3 mile run/walk for cardio and 5 minutes of stretching for a total calorie burn of 490.

Today's Workout

2011-01-03T22:01:00.000-08:00

Another great workout today by Zuzana. I modified for my own activity level and it was still a push. The workout alternates 10 Squat Thrusts with 10 burpees. I could not maintain all the jumping with the burpees so I did one legged getups with a knee lift. Still an awesome manuever but with out the high impact. I did 15 rounds intermixed with treadmill running and walking for a total of 66 minutes of intense cardio workout. I followed again with 15 minutes of yoga and stretching. Total Calorie Burn was 490 calories.

Ultimate Workout Playlist

2011-01-01T18:19:00.000-08:00

Today's workout was appropriately Titled Suicidal Sweat Workout.

Luckily, I've been putting some work into building the perfect workout Playlist to help inspire me and keep me going during these brutal workouts. I recently discovered on YouTube that you can actually create and save playlists so I've been bookmarking music videos like crazy and below is what I came up with. A 66 minute playlist that I've titled Ultimate Workout. (Thanks to all on Facebook who contributed awesome suggestions.) It's got all the important components -- warm up, cool down, up beat, strong tempo, brief rests, and inspiring lyrics.

Madonna - Ray of Light (great warm up song, bright, positive, sets the right tone)
Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc (a good follow up warm up, helps you get loose and lucid, like right before a boxing match)
Motley Crue - Kickstart My Heart (doesn't get any more literal than this, the first power song, fast tempo, really gets your heart racing)
Black Eyed Peas - I Gotta Feeling (great beat, positive, puts you on top of the world and makes you feel like you can do anything)
Black Eyed Peas - Let's get Retarted (Now we're getting serious, starting to dig deep and push)
Aerosmith - Angel's Eyes (Heavy Guitar and sex appeal, pick the video on You Tube set to Charlie's Angels Clips)
Drowning Pool - Let the Bodies Hit the Floor (Hard, Edgy, the counting is awesome too when you're doing reps)
Destiny's Child - Survivor (Tempo slows down a bit, time to catch your breath but great lyrics to still keep you focused and on track)
Kayne West - Stronger (Another inspirational, motivational, get you moving song)
Eminem - Lose Myself (This is a great song to put towards the end of your workout when you might be tempted to slack off or give in early, this song reminds you that you might only get one shot and to not wast chances. GREAT song for digging deeper and pushing harder)
Europe - The Final Countdown (Oh Yeah, This is just pure fun, great reminder that you're almost done and give it every last thing you can)
AC/DC - You Shook Me All Night Long (The victory song. You did it you sexy beast.)
Citizen Cope - The Son's Gonna Rise (Cool Down song #1 - yes, that was a very hard workout, but you're almost there, there's a light at the end of the tunnel)
Beyonce - Halo (Cool Down song #2 - like a breath of fresh air)
James Blunt - You're Beautiful (Cool Down song #3 - one last reminder of how terribly awesome you are)

My workout results for the day:

Warm Up - 2.09 Miles Walk/Run

Combo #1 - 15 Reps (TIME 5:52)
2 Jump Squats
1 Jump Tuck (modified two knee lifts)
2 Push ups
1 Power Up

Combo #2 - 6 Sets (TIME 3:37)
10 Kick Ups (modified no jumping)
10 Mountain Climbers

Combo # 3 - 4 Sets each Leg (TIME 4:01 left leg, timer didn't work on the right leg
10 One Leg Press Pike (modified on knees)
10 one leg jump squats (modified no jumping)

#4 20 Breakdance Push Ups (Time 3:57) - (modified on knees - this one was ridiculous and I almost skipped it but I figured knee push ups were better than nothing and would help me build my strength so I can do less modifications over time. My turnover turned into a clumsy log roll after a couple of reps but I decided to at least add two leg lifts so I would get something out of it. I'm glad I workout at home because if anybody had been watching me they would think it quite sad! But I am glad I did what I could and got some benefit rather than skipping it entirely)

Cool Down - 2/3 Mile Walk, 10 minutes of Yoga (I meant to do more yoga but my arms were too fatigued to hold the downward dog position)

Total Workout Calories Burned - 493

Workout

2010-12-28T20:23:00.000-08:00

I did Zuzana's workout again today. Click here for the full details if you would like to give it a try. Instructional videos are included.

I had to make a few modifications due to lack of equipment and activity level.

I started with 2.25 mile run for warm up.

Then I went into Zuzana's work out. I increased the length of interval from 30 to 50 seconds and then shortened the number of rounds from 6 to 4. Also, I alternated exercises each round rather than doing all of the same exercises in a row since I knew I would be too week and thought I would get more benefit this way while I'm still building a base line of strength. My scores were as follows:

Dynamic Squats: 26, 28, 28, 27.5
Reverse Pushups: 11, 14, 12, 13 (my treadmill has the perfect handles for this exercise)
Dive Bombers: 6, 7.5, 6, 9 (these are hard, my form sucked but I'll stick with it until I get better)
Prisoner Get Up: 4, 3.5, 5, 5 (I had to use my hands to help on the last 2 rounds as I wasn't getting anywhere)

Cool Down was 30 minutes of a Yoga Flexibility DVD with Rodney Yee. I did in front of the fireplace to enhance relaxation.

Total workout calorie burn all together was 493 calories!

Worst Road Trip Ever

2010-12-19T12:18:00.000-08:00

I can safely say that yesterday was the worst road trip we've ever had. Even before it started it was already going downhill. Don was sick the night before so not only did he go to bed early and leave me with the majority of the chores, packing, and car rearranging, but then he ended up being up most of the night with alternating chills and sweats, upset stomach, you name it, so we were already starting off a 10 hour road trip with almost no sleep for either of us. I couldn't get everything done by myself so the following morning we were still rearranging the car, getting dishes done, etc and left more than an hour after I would have liked to which only concerned me because snow was in the forecast and we wanted to maximize daylight hours.

But things mostly progressed well enough until we hit La Grande, OR and all of a sudden hit a road block out of nowhere that said road closed, use alternate routes. So we barely veered off the freeway in time and when faced with one sign that said West and another that said south, we opted for south. I quickly hopped on the internet and began investigating the closures and alternate routes. Oregon DOT website was completely useless as was their phone recording. The internet said that I84 was closed for a 70 mile stretch! But reports from the local Fedex driver led us to believe this was not the case. We found a route that took us through a little town called Union and led back to I84 about 15 miles south of La Grande. We figured it was worth checking out as we had nothing else to do. So we moved along and got back on to find a free flowing freeway. Victory! Or so we thought.

Things were looking optimistic and we moved a long for a good 15 miles before we hit a dead stop. Weather conditions were worsening and we figured there must have been accidents related to weather. So we pulled over and put on our chains. What an adventure! I'd recently gotten my car stuck on Chris Duppenthaler's hill in the snow and ice so we attempted to use Don's chains to get my car out, however they were too small for my car. But the 30 minute trial and error process before we figured that out, at least helped us figure out how they were supposed to work if they did fit my car. Thankful for this base knowledge, we at least started with some understanding and were out in the snow digging around the tires and using all our strength to get them on. The suckers are a tight fit so it took quite a bit of maneuvering to figure out how to get them all spaced perfectly enough to close the loop. Once the traffic started moving along we were able to tread forward confidently that these chains certainly weren't going to come off.

Sadly, the moving along was not to come for quite some time -- about 3 hours to be specific at a dead stop. Finally we started inching along at three miles an hour, stopped a few more times, and then eventually caught up to officials pulling all the trucks over and requiring them to put on chains, and another mile ahead of that an accident with a 3 Semi Truck pileup. After that the traffic opened up, but still we were only able to go 30 miles an hour with the snow and chains. Eventually the road and weather conditions thinned out enough for us to take the chains off and we gradually increased our speed as our elevation declined and the conditions improved.

I managed to keep a positive attitude during the majority of the traffic jam. It was a helpless condition and nothing we could do about it but wait it out. We were lucky that we had gassed up and used the restroom right before hand so were quite aware that it could have been worse. Poor Don though already not feeling well and with a headache too boot. It just plain sucked. Cordy and Seumas needless to say HATED the whole arrangement. Seumas kept letting out this totally frustrated and stressed out groan/moan/cry from the back seat, followed by heavy sighing. All Don and I could do was laugh and shake our heads because he was just verbalizing what every single one of us felt like in the car. The traffic jam was one thing, but the worst part of it was knowing that we were so close to our destination and yet once we got going it would still be several hours until we were there. So basically, we drove 8 hours to begin with only to have the last 100 miles take nearly 6 hours in and of itself. We are so glad to be here now and glad that we have a long week before we have to head back again. Bring on the Christmas Vacation.

Makin' Moroccan

2010-12-16T20:03:00.000-08:00

The great thing about Moroccan food is that it smells as good as it tastes while it's cooking. this slow braised meal full of delicious spices like Cinnamon, Turmeric, Cumin and Cayenne had Cordy doing back flips to get my attention. She was about coming out of her skin desperate to get me to let her share in the feast. Today I am glad to be of a superior species with opposable thumbs because, Cordy Girl, You are missing out!

The recipe was inspired by this recipe here on Epicurious, but I adopted a few variations and made it my own.

Moroccan Spiced Chicken with Roasted Shallots and Mixed Dried Fruit

4 chicken thighs
4 chicken legs
1 Tablespoon Peanut Oil
Salt and Pepper
1 Tablespoon Flour
8 Shallots, peeled and left whole
2 Cinnamon Sticks
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne
2 Cups Chicken Broth
1 orange, juiced
1/4 cup Mediterranean Mixed Dried Fruit (dates, apricots, tart cherries)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Heat peanut oil in a large sauce pan over medium high heat. Season chicken with salt, pepper, and dust with flour. Brown chicken about five minutes on each side until golden brown on all sides. Be careful not to crowed the pan, it's best to do in two batches as ideally you do not want the chicken pieces to touch while browning. Remove chicken and set aside.

Add shallots to the pan, lower to medium heat and saute several minutes until golden brown. Add spices (cinnamon sticks, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and cayenne) and saute stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth and orange juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 18 minutes until shallots are soft. Add the chicken back to the pan, cover and summer another 25 minutes until chicken is done (juices should run clear when stabbed with a fork in the thickest part of the meat.) Remove the chicken and shallots to a serving bowl and tent with foil to keep warm.

Turn the heat back up to medium high and simmer the broth until it thickens slightly. Add the dried fruit and cook another two minutes until well heated. Stir in the Cilantro. Pour over the chicken and serve.

We had this with roasted delicata squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed, and dotted with butter and brown sugar. Bake in the oven at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes until done.

Gaming Dinner

2010-12-15T23:28:00.001-08:00

Since Don and I moved back to Bellingham, Gaming has been a regular part of our weekly routine. We currently have three campaigns going which we rotate between Tuesdays and every other Friday. It's been a vital part of our social life as not only do we have great fun with an activity we enjoy so much, but it's with some of our closest and dearest friends. Shortly after we moved here and joined the group we started doing weekly dinner rotations on gaming nights. Seriously, we have a schedule and everything. It's been an exciting adventure as we have some very culinarily talented friends among our group so each gaming session brings a new variety of home cooked delights as we each try to one up the last hosted dinner.

This week Don and I happened to be up for rotation and we stole this one straight from Cora Reuter which she prepared for us when we were in Tacoma last week. Not only is it delicious but it's inexpensive and feeds an Army. Cora, if you are reading this I was SHOCKED after I mixed all the noodles, veggies, cheese, and sauce together in a giant bowl that it all actually fit in my pyrex dish! Thanks Cora for bringing this recipe into my life and I'm excited to pass it on. The recipe is called "Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables" is by Giada de Laurentiis and can be found on the Food Network Website. No huge modifications or improvements here. This one is perfect exactly as written. Follow the instructions and you can't go wrong. It's even vegetarian friendly.

The other thing that is great about Gaming Nights and every once in a while entertaining for 8 to 10 people is that it gives you a great opportunity to use up things like a giant head of red cabbage that it would take just the two of us weeks to get through. Last night I made a warm red cabbage salad seasoned with balsamic vinegar and sprinkled with feta and toasted sunflower seeds among other surprises.

Balsamic and Feta Warmed Red Cabbage Salad

1/4 cup of Sunflower Seeds
1 small red onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, sliced
3/4 head of red cabbage, quartered, cored, and then shredded into thin strips
Olive Oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup feta cheese
2 Tablespoons dried currants
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Couple of springs of fresh chopped rosemary
1/4 cup Pomegranate Seeds

Toast sunflower seeds in a small warm dry skillet over medium heat. The seeds are done when slightly golden brown and fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside to cool so they do not burn.

Meanwhile, heat large skillet over medium high heat, heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Saute red onion and garlic a few minutes until softened, stirring frequently so as not to burn he garlic. Add shredded cabbage and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook cabbage tossing with the tongs frequently until cabbage is moist and softened but not totally wilted. Remove from heat. Add sunflower seeds, feta, currants, Balsamic Vinegar and chopped rosemary and toss thoroughly until all ingredients are incorporated. Serve immediately and sprinkle with fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish.

Monday Night Burgers with Rosemary Roasted Beets and Pomegranate Almond Dressingless Salad

2010-12-13T22:18:00.000-08:00

There are many reasons that I love my husband. But on this particular night, at the top of the list is the fact that he had this awesome meal ready and waiting for me when I got home from Church Council tonight.

Monday Night Burgers

Olive Oil
1 Pound Ground Beef
Salt and Pepper
2 Thick slices sweet onion
Lettuce
Tomato
Hamburger Bun
Dijon Mustard
Prepared Horseradish

The burgers couldn't have been simpler and so tasty after a hard workout followed by a long council meeting. Don cooked up the patties in a cast iron skillet with some olive oil and seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper. Then sauteed the onion rings in the same skillet after the patties were done cooking. We served on lightly toasted buns with lettuce, tomato, dijon mustard, and prepared horseradish for garnish.

Rosemary Roasted Beets

1 Red Beet, peeled, chopped, and stemps removed
Couple of sprigs of chopped rosemary
2 Cloves of Garlic Sliced
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper

The roasted beats were all for me as Don will have no part of this vegetable. We are blessed to be in a marriage where neither of us are picky eaters and both excited about trying new things, but this singular produce item remains the one thing on his 100% boycott list. But we received one this week in our Organic Delivery so I was excited to try it out. I have never had a fresh farm to table red beet in my life, though we experimented with a couple of golden beets we received last winter. I was excited to see how different it was from the canned variety. Don simply tossed the beats together with fresh rosemary, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Then roasted in a baking dish on 400 degrees for 30 minutes. I loved them!

Pomegranate Almond Dressingless Salad

2/3 Bunch Green Leaf Lettuce, Torn into bite size pieces
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
1/4 cup whole plain almonds

The salad perhaps was my favorite part. By the time I was done eating my burger and beets, I didn't feel like dirtying another bowl so I considered skipping the salad all together. However, as I was standing over the salad bowl, I reached in absent mindedly for a few bites and discovered that this salad needed new dressing. It was delicious as is. The fresh green leaf lettuce rapped easily around the pomegranate seeds and almonds for an easy appetizer finger food. The sweetness of the pomegranates combined with the crunch of the nuts, and the fresh earthy crispness of the lettuce were too good to be true. Before I knew it, I ended up eating a whole servings worth right out of the serving bowl and saved myself an extra dish to clean up.

Getting Retarded

2010-12-13T21:41:00.000-08:00

I've discovered a new website called http://www.bodyrock.tv/. I was searching for free exercise videos on You Tube and stumbled upon Zuzana. She posts new exercise challenges and workouts every day. I am totally in love with her site. Her challenges are insane but inspiring. And there is endless variety so you don't get bored. There are live instructional videos, and excellent photographs showing proper form and technique (not to mention super cute workout clothes and a body I would die for.) It all translates to motivation. So I have tried a couple and am fired up to keep it going. Right now, being not so much in shape, I am having to do some modifications.

Like today for instance. The challenge was to do 300 jumping lunges. Well I fatigued after 30 jumping lunges so I had to finish the last 270 as regular lunges. But did you hear what I just said? I did 300 lunges today!

I also took a little additional inspiration from the Black Eyed Peas and played their live version of "Let's Get Retarded" on You Tube. A lot of people know the song better from their more P.C. remake version called "Let's Get it Started." As I was listening to the original version, I couldn't help but think that I really truly was getting retarded because no sane person sets out to do 300 lunges just because some girl on the internet whom I've never met told me to.

I also connected with the song in a new way that never would have crossed my mind. Many people would shun the song "let's get retarded" thinking it's derogatory slang for people who are mentally challenged and therefore inappropriate and insensitive. I'm not blind to these issues and I believe in respecting the humanity and dignity of individuals with physical and mental disabilities. However, the song hit me today in the most positive way. In the song, "getting retarded" really is about letting go of conventional wisdom, dismissing societal expectations, stepping out of your box and away from your filters and just being, grooving, experiencing, and enjoying in the purest of ways as one who lives in the moment and does think about past mistakes, future obligations, pleasing others or getting ahead. Today when I stepped outside of my box, shed my filters, and embraced the insane, it felt great.

Thanks, Zuz. Looking forward to your next challenge.

Fettuccini with Swiss Chard, Pine Nuts and Cinnamon and Dried Fruit Port Sauce

2010-12-12T20:30:00.000-08:00

I found the inspiration for this recipe on www.foodandwine.com when I was googling new recipes and uses for swiss chard. We have varied it slightly and posted our revised recipe below. It was quite simple to make and such a fun combination of flavors you wouldn't normally expect to go together. It's also a great vegetarian option.

3 Tablespoons Pine Nuts
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, minced
1 Bunch Rainbow Swiss Chard
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped dried appricots
1/4 cup dried currants
1/2 cup tawny port
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 ounces spinach fettuccini
1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Heat the oven to 350°. Toast the pine nuts until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderately low heat. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the Swiss chard and 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Cook until the chard is wilted and most of the liquid is evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the apricots, currants, port, and cinnamon and simmer until the port is reduced to about 2 tablespoons, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the fettuccine until just done, about 12 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss it with the sauce, Parmesan, pine nuts, and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Chicken Piccatta with Kale and White Beans

2010-12-02T21:17:00.000-08:00

This was declared the best dinner we have had in quite some time. The ingredients are all so simple but oh so flavorful. It get's high marks in all the major categories: taste, quick, easy, and frugal. I present to you:

Giada De Laurentiis' Chicken Piccata

with

Sauteed Greens with Cannellini Beans and Garlic

Click on the links for the full recipe.

Seumas has a new best friend

2010-11-27T07:30:00.000-08:00

Amber's First Video

2010-11-27T07:19:00.000-08:00

Take One

Take Two

Take Three

Apparently the process of capturing a picture frame while also conducting an interview is quite complex for a 5 year old. Not bad for Amber's first video.

Snow Videos

2010-11-26T12:37:00.000-08:00

Don's Most Perfect Stir Fry Ever

2010-11-22T20:18:00.000-08:00

We just had the most delicious stir fry. It's an improvement on a former recipe we tried from Epicurious called Stir-Fried Beef, Broccoli and Yams. Our additions and revisions are definitely for keeps and have earned this a permanent rotation in the early household. Wanted to write it down while it's still fresh.

Ingredients

1/4 cup water

3 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar

3 tablespoons oyster sauce*

1 to 2 teaspoons dried crushed red pepper

1 pound Ribeye Steak (sirloin or flank would work nice too)

2 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil, divided

3 Stalks Celery, sliced diagonally

4 cups broccoli florets (about 8 ounces)

2 small sweet potatoes, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices

1 teaspoon bottled ground ginger

1 teaspoon bottled ground cloves

1 small box of Trader Joes Pad Thai Noodles (save sauce packet for another use)

Stir first 4 ingredients in small bowl until sugar dissolves. Set sauce aside.

Season Steak with salt and pepper.

Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in large wok over high heat. Add beef ; sear on both sides about two minutes until no longer pink outside. Transfer beef mixture to cutting board and let rest.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same skillet. Add broccoli, yam, celery, garlic and ginger. Toss to coat; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add sauce. Cover, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook until vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. Add beef mixture. Toss until sauce coats beef, and beef is to desired degree of doneness. Add noodles and toss until well coated. Serve immediately.

4 for 4

2010-11-08T07:21:00.000-08:00

Today was our 4th morning of our new fitness challenge. Proud to say we are right on target and it's been quite an adventure. The 6:15 wake up call is not as hard as I thought it would be. I've figured out that the biggest challenge to getting up that early (for us Early's) is the mental challenge. So basically I just don't give my brain a chance to think about it and am up at the sound of the buzzer. It's such a simple act really. Putting one foot out of bed, then the other, and then shifting your weight and standing up. Once you're up and moving, my brain usually follows within a minute or two and I'm alert enough to start the day.

The walks themselves have been quite the variety, mostly relating to weather and daylight, or lack thereof. We started with the worst of possible scenarios last Monday, rainy and stormy with quite the not-so-gentle breeze. But we aren't wicked green skinned witches and we didn't melt. Thanks to a great weather proof REI jacket handed down to me from Brie gifted when we moved back to Bellingham, I've kept both dry and warm. And I'm glad we started off with the worst because every day since then has felt like a treat.

The walk we are doing is a 2.7 mile loop that circles Lake Padden. We start off from the trail head opening at the dog park and head clockwise in a Westerly direction. (I'm pretty sure "westerly" is not a word but I like the way it sounds so I'm sticking with it.) The western side of the lake is thickly forested with moderate hills. We get that part out of the way first of course. Our halfway point is marked by a great reward - a view point that breaks open from the trees with a dock going out over the lake. Here we have a full view of the lake and open skies and get a taste of what the day was going to be like. On Monday when it poured, we barely took a moment to shine our flashlights out. Yep, dock's still there. Keep going .... But Wednesday we were rewarded for our commitment with the clearest of skies displaying the stars and slivered moon in all it's glory. Friday was dry yet again but cloudy skies. So while we couldn't see the stars, we did at least get to see just the faintest glow of lavender sunrise reflection bouncing back off the water at the very end of the hike looking back. And this morning, with the shift in daylight savings, we actually had... dah dun duhhhh.... Daylight! The water shimmered like glass as the ducks foraged and we even caught a crane privately bathing among the reeds.

So far only 1 out of 4 days have we had company. A grad student from Western joined us last Wednesday with her border collie and we had a good time chatting. But we've been garnishing interest and I think we may get some other people up and out of their beds to join us here along the way. We put a notice also in our church newsletter and have had one or two people asking about it who may join us once the holiday bazaar is over next week.

The most precious part of the walks is the hour or so afterwords where I'm up and alert and have time to use how I see fit before I actually start my work day. Having a real breakfast, time to blog, showering and sometimes even putting makeup on before I start my work day, I can't tell you how well that does for my psyche. It's easy for those of us work-from-home folks to fall into lazy patterns.

The early mornings have been harder on Don than they are on me. It goes a lot deeper against his natural body clock and his day demands a lot of personal energy. So he's still finding his way with that and some mornings he'll dip back in bed for a quick power nap and still struggle through his day in a bit of a haze. But I'm proud of him and his commitment. I hope by the end of this exercise his body will respond a bit kinder to him. I'm glad to know for the first time in our marriage, we are getting regular cardio exercise together, both for us and the dogs. We're being good to ourselves and good dog owners. I know a lot of people who have a lot more aggressive fitness goals than walking 3 miles three times a week. But this is the right goal for us, that fits the lifestyle we're trying to achieve, and I'm proud that we're doing it. Together.

Goal Achieved, On to the Next One.

2010-10-30T17:09:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been 40 days since I posted the financial challenge Don and I decided to take on a little more than a month ago. The specific challenge was to not eat out for breakfast or lunch for 40 days and only very sparingly for dinner. The challenge was quite a success! We weren't 100% perfect but at least 95% which is still a strong A. The most rewarding part of the process I think was just the feeling of taking on a challenge together, both being on the same page about it and working together to accomplish it. I mainly took responsibility for making sure we had lunch options in the house, Don made a commitment to come home for lunch rather than eating out, and if ever he had a busy day we tried to plan ahead so that he could take food with him or occasionally I brought lunch down to the office. It also had a nice side effect of getting to eat lunch together almost every day and forcing both of us to take a real quality break from our hectic work schedules.

I also feel like we have truly formed a new habit where we are mindful about not wasting money and resources at lunch time but eating quality food together and taking a real break. I feel like we'll be able to go out to lunch occasionally now as a conscious choice together without overspending and not because of poor planning or wastefulness. But for the most part, we'll continue this new lifestyle of eating together at home and making use of our leftovers.

We were so pleased with results, that we decided to come up with a new challenge for ourselves. A specific commitment that we could set, stick to, and that would improve the quality of our life for the better. This time, we decided to focus on fitness which is sorely lacking in our lives on any consistent basis. We wanted to take on something in the mornings. This way we would get our day off to a good start, which would hopefully spill over to a successful and focused work day, and would leave us free to relax and enjoy our evenings. To really formalize our commitment we wanted to invite other people to be a part of it also. We figured, if we were leading a group, there's no way we would be able to skip out. So we coordinated with another Meetup Group called Bellingham Fun and Fitness and are hosting a sunrise morning walking group at Lake Padden, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at 6:15 a.m. Yes, I know it's a crazy time of year to start outdoor activities, but that's what weather gear is for and the colder it is the more calories we'll burn. Plus this way we can include the dogs who also need their exercise (yes, they have rain coats too). Finally, in the ever increasing spirit of good financial resourcefulness, the activity doesn't cost us any expensive gym memberships and is something multiple people can do at multiple activity levels. We start Monday, November 1st and have decided to continue this one on up to Christmas week.

I'm looking forward to connecting with my husband through exercise, a hot cup of coffee in front of the fireplace after a cold morning walk, a quality shower before I start my work day instead of rolling out of bed and starting work in my pajamas, beautiful scenes of nature in the morning such as rain drops on the lake, foggy paths, and snow covered trees if we get so lucky, how good it will feel to sleep in on Tuesdays and Thursdays as if we have earned it, meeting more people and inspiring others to exercise, and discovering what new and unexpected delights come out of this just like the serendipitous surprises that came out of our last challenge together.

Roasted Red Cabbage, with Carrots, Apples and Sausage

2010-10-04T20:48:00.000-07:00

We adapted another recipe winner tonight. This started as a post from Epicurious called Roasted Sausages, Apples, and Cabbage. I changed the type of sausage and used carrots instead of red onion to make the most of ingredients we had on hand. The best part was that I had it ready for Don and served up by candle light after getting home from an extremely long 11 hour day of work. It definitely was the right thing at the right time and really hit the spot. We served with crusty rolls and a cold glass of dry Strongbow Hard Cider. THE PERFECT COMPLIMENT. Next time, I would serve this along side mashed potatoes for sure.

Roasted Sausages, Apples, and Cabbage with Caraway Bon Appétit October 2005

Serve this hearty meal with mustard, a side of mashed potatoes, and ice-cold dark German beer.

Yield: Makes 2 servings
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
3-4 carrots, cut lengthwise and then cut into two inch sections
1/2 head red cabbage sliced into 1 inch thick wedges
2 small apples (we used Gala), quartered, cored
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, divided
3 Italian Chicken Sausages, casings removed and crumbled

Preheat oven to 450°F. Mix oil, thyme, and caraway seeds in small bowl. Arrange carrots, cabbage, and apples on heavy large baking sheet. Drizzle oil mixture over. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Drizzle 3/4 teaspoon vinegar over cabbagemixture. Roast 15 minutes. Meanwhile heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in medium frying pan over medium high heat. Saute sausage crumbles until lightly browned. Add sausages to baking sheet; cook until sausages brown and cabbage is crisp-tender, turning once, about 10 minutes longer.

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Mushrooms, Red Onions and Garlic

2010-10-03T16:59:00.000-07:00

In the past I have searched for recipes by going to my favorite cooking websites and using their intra search options. Since we've resumed our Dandelion Deliveries however, I've decided to go wider on the world wide web and see what comes of just entering a few key ingredients on Google. It's been quite exciting and has led me to lots more independent and adventurous hobby bloggers like myself. The above photo comes from a blog called "For the Love of Cooking" and came up from a simple search of "roasted fingerling potatoes." By the way, they don't call them "fingerlings" for nothing. I really did feel like I was slicing up a bunch of fat juicy digits. I have to give the blogger credit for this award winning combination and perfect carmelization and presentation as well. I roasted mine a little bit too long so some parts got a bit charred but it was still delicious. However, not quite as photogenic. I hope the blogger doesn't mind that I stole her photo since I'm using it to promote her website anyway. Check out the blog, and do try this recipe. It will not disappoint!

Mustard Marinated Bison Flank Steak dipped in Horseradish

2010-10-03T16:46:00.000-07:00

Don and I went on a local farm tour a few weeks back and we discovered a great Bison Farm in our area. We picked up the Steak Lovers Pack and have been experimenting with this new meat. Last night we tried the Flank Steak and it has been my favorite so far. Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference in taste from your standard beef flank but I sure didn't mine that it was a lot lower in calories! We marinated in a zesty mustard marinaded and then served sliced thin across the grain with a dab of prepared horseradish for dipping. What a combo!

Mustard Marinate Bison Flank Steak Dipped in Horseradish

Ingredients:
3/4 pounds Flank steak
3 Tablespoons Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
3 Tablespoons White Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1/2 Teaspoon dried Herbes de Provence
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

1 Tablespoon prepared Horseradish Sauce on the side for dipping

Preparation Instructions:

Mix mustard, wine, vinegar, oil, herbs and pepper in a shallow dish with a whisk. Add the meat to the marinade sauce turning to coat, cover or seal and place in refrigerator for at least 6 hours or leave overnight. Preheat BBQ to high. Cook for 4. Let stand for 10 minutes, cut into thin slices across grain and serve with a dab of horseradish for dipping.

Sweet Cucumber and Radish Salad

2010-10-03T16:40:00.001-07:00

Our Dandelion organic deliveries are back and we have been having some fun in the kitchen again. I love this recipe which combines sweet salty vinaigrette with cool crisp vegetables. It makes a great simple side salad year round. For complete recipe visit: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/photo/Sweet-Cucumber-and-Radish-Salad-241171.

Weekend Road Trip

2010-09-24T10:30:00.000-07:00

Don and I have a great three day weekend ahead of us. We're headed down to Portland today for a brief family reunion. Reunion is a bit formal of a term for the gathering. Basically we have extended relatives visiting from Sweden and anyone who can make it is meeting in Portland for lunch today so that Oregon and Washington family members can both make it. I'm actually not even sure how I'm related to the Swedish relatives but I'm looking forward to finding out. When I was a kid I used to pen-pall with some of our distant cousins. Sure will be neat if they are there and I get to meet them for the first time in person.

The timing couldn't have been better for a trip to Portland as it serendipitously happened to coincide with the arrival of Jeremy and Katy, our good friends from L.A. who we miss terribly. They have hopes on moving to Portland over the next year and are coming to check it out first hand. So we've booked rooms in the same hotel and will be hanging with them tonight and tomorrow morning, doing a few get to know Portland type things. We can't wait to catch up. We're being adventurous and staying in a 2 star hotel to save money. You certainly can't call us snobs!

Tomorrow night then it's out to Fort Worden in Port Townsend for a great annual event, Ben Dobyn's Murder Mystery Party. It's become a legendary annual event, for which this will be the first time Don and I have gotten to participate now that we are back in the northwest. We've seen the fantastic photos in the past, and we can't wait to finally experience it first hand. We are playing a wealthy Egyptian art collecting married couple. I get to wear a head covering which in this case is a pretty green scarf borrowed from Jessica. Thanks Jess!

The dogs are going on their own adventure this weekend too. We're driving them down to Portland and then handing them off to my sister who lives in Seattle but is headed to Eugene after the reunion. So they get to spend the weekend in Eugene with the whole family and then she'll bring them back up where we can pick them up on Sunday in Seattle and head back up to Bellingham. They're asleep in the back of the car right now as we are heading south on the I5 corridor. They don't know what's about to hit them. Kristy said she would watch them as long as Seumas doesn't cry the whole way. I sure hope he holds up his end of the bargain!

Lots 'n lots o' fun ahead! It's shaping up to be quite the exciting weekend.

40 Day Financial Challenge

2010-09-20T23:00:00.000-07:00

Don and I had one of those talks about finances tonight. He had been to a great presentation today on life insurance and was concerned that our coverage was insufficient. When you work in the industry and talk to people on a daily basis who have had to collect on a death benefit, the ability to compartmentalize and think 'it will never happen to me,' goes right out the window. We got some quick figures together and then pulled out our budget to see where we could fit it in.

We knew that we had not been sticking much to our budget lately so we actually went through the exercise of pulling up Quicken and looking not just at our projected "goal" budget but what we were actually spending on an average basis. Boy were we shocked! We were way farther out than we possibly could have imagined. There was no room in our budget for additional expenses! We knew we had set an aggressive and unattainable budget to begin with that had required us to have exceptional discipline and did not account for unexpected expenses. And at the end of the day we were mostly being frugal with just a few occasional impulse buys so the idea of what to cut and where was a bit overwhelming.

We wallowed in the stress for a bit. Then we tried a few brainstorming exercises about what it is we want out of life and how finances will help us get there. A few things that came to mind were more traveling, less job stress, the ability to go out and experience life, and of course a nicer wardrobe. But we just couldn't latch on to a singular driving motivation that would keep us focused and disciplined. So you'll never guess what we decided to do. We decided to give more money away. It sounds a bit antithetical to what we were trying to achieve. But it's the only way we could think of to stop obsessing about the limited means we do or don't have and how we are going to make the most out of it. I couldn't think of a better way to reconnect with the value of our hard earned dollars then to increase our tithing. (Mind you this is not bragging as we are still way far off from where we should be but it is a step in the right direction nonetheless.) When faced with the option of eating out at an expensive restaurant, or feeding 10 people who otherwise might not have a meal tonight, well, suddenly those dollars have value in a whole new way. And there is the motivation we needed to inspire us to do better with our budget.

So the sacrifice we are taking on is a rather exciting challenge. We've decided that for 40 days we are absolutely committed to not eating out for breakfast or lunch (we may allow for one or two dinners especially since we have some really good coupons). It will be difficult with Don's work schedule and traveling and will require quite a bit of planning ahead and working together. But with the right motivation, which I think we have found, I think this will be a great exercise in financial growth for the two of us. I am hoping there might be others who want to take the challenge and share in a similar journey. We'd love to all celebrate together when it's over with a potluck or something else low cost of course!

Grilled Salmon with Raspberry Pinot Sauce

2010-08-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

Last night Don and I hosted a potluck at our house for our wine tasting group. We had a great evening with delicious food and some excellent wine pairings. Of course the company was stellar as always. Don and I were in charge of the main entree. We decided salmon would be a good crowd pleaser and something fun to grill. Since it was for our wine club, I also searched for a recipe that featured wine in the cooking itself. MyRecipes.com features a five star user rated salmon recipe with a Blackberry Cabernet sauce so I started with that as my base recipe. I had a hard time finding blackberries, however, so I ended up picking up a flat of fresh raspberries instead. Then I went to the Co-op with recipe in hand and asked their wine expert for advice on what wine would work best with the recipe. As soon as I said raspberries his eyes lit up and he had the perfect suggestion. They had just gotten in a new 2007 Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley called Second Floor with light body and strong raspberry undertones. The recommendation was spot on and the sauce came out deliciously with many requests for the recipe. Below is a link to the base recipe but feel free as I did to explore with various berry and wine combinations. I still am quite interested to find out what the Blackberry-Cab tastes like and can even imagine a blueberry sauce might be fun to try as well.

Grilled Salmon with Blackberry-Cabernet Coulis

Grape and Feta Salad

2010-08-05T20:54:00.000-07:00

This is one of my favorite salads. Ingredients are as follows:

Spring Mix Salad Greens
Green Grapes, halved
Red Grapes, halved
Crumbled Feta Cheese
Crumbled Walnuts
Prepared Raspberry Vinaigrette

Delicious Cooking Light Dinner

2010-08-05T20:49:00.000-07:00

Our delicious dinner tonight. Click on the links below for the full recipes.

Bacon, Arugula, and Shrimp Salad

Yellow Pepper Soup

Slow Cooker Shredded Chipotle Barbecue Beef

2010-07-19T20:56:00.000-07:00

So, I have no idea how appetizing this does or does not come through on camera, but if you could smell it through the computer, you would be selling your soul to me for a bite. This is, from my perspective, the best crockpot dinner I have ever made. So easy, so tasty. And while it was a bit of a rush to get it put together before work this morning, I loved the luxury of knowing all day long that dinner was going to be ready and waiting for me at the end of the evening. Will absolutely, positively, make this again and again.

1 3-pound Beef Rump Roast
1 Large Walla Walla Sweet Onion, chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
3 Tablespoons cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Worchestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Kosher Salt
1 Teaspoon Dried Italian Herb Seasoning
3 teaspoons ground ancho chili powder
1/4 Teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Brown Roast on all sides in a heavy cast iron skillet heated with canola oil. Remove roast and place in crockpot. Saute onions and garlic in the skillet for a few minutes until softened. Stir frequently to scrape up all the browned bits of meat on the bottom of the pan. Pour over roast in crockpot. Combine next 9 ingredients (tomato sauce through pepper) in a small mixing bowl and stir with whisk until fully incorporated. Pour over roast in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours. Shred meat with a fork and stir in juices. Serve opened face over a whole wheat bun to sop up all the juices. Delicious!

Baked Tilapia with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

2010-07-05T18:48:00.000-07:00

Frozen Tilapia Fillets
Roma Tomatoes, sliced
Fresh Basil, whole leaves
Olive Oil
Parmesan Cheese, shredded
Lemon Wedges

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place Tilapia Fillet's in a baking dish. Lay whole fresh basil leaves on top of the fish, covering the surface. Lay tomato slices on top of that. Drizzle with Olive Oil, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and squeeze lemon juice over. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Cindy's Roasted Potatoes with Spinach & Gorgonzola

2010-07-05T18:37:00.000-07:00

One of my all time favorite masterpieces:

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 small red potatoes (about 3/4 pound), quartered
1 Orange Bell Pepper, cut in 1/2 inch chunks
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Cooking spray
1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.

Combine 1 teaspoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, thyme, peppers, potatoes, bell pepper, and spinach in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450º for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 10 minutes or until veggies are done and cheese is melted.

Cream Cheese Pesto Toasts with Sliced Tomatoes and Onions

2010-07-05T18:08:00.000-07:00

Here's another one from memory:

French Bread sliced thin
softened cream cheese
prepared pesto
sliced tomato
thinly sliced red onion
salt and pepper

Spread a layer of cream cheese on the french bread slice. Spread pesto over cream cheese, top with alternating slices of tomato and red onion. Sprinkle with salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Peppered Steaks in Beer and Garlic

2010-07-05T14:27:00.001-07:00

An old recipe from memory we used to make. Wanted to capture it while it was on my mind.

1 bottle Dark Oatmeal Stout
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
2 Tablespoons Worchestershire Sauce
8 Cloves Minced Garlic
2 Tablespoons Whole Mixed Peppercorns, slightly crushed
2 to 4 Steaks

Rub combine brown sugar, worchester sauce, garlic and peppercorns. Rub evenly over steaks pressing into the flesh. Marinate in beer for 2 to 8 hours. Grill to desired doneness.

Getting Back to My Roots

2010-05-30T12:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick snapshot of the hairdo. Chopped the length, adopted a new style, and went from blonde to brunette. I love everything about it, not the least of which is the fact that it now takes me 1/3 the time to dry my hair as it did before. Time for a wardrobe color palette shift.

Ham, Collard Greens, and Egg Noodle Bowl

2010-04-21T21:17:00.000-07:00

Once again, I have to give my friend Camille credit for this recipe. She posted it one time in her blog and I have been dying to try it. The recipe actually originates from the March 2005 Issue of Cooking Light and can be found on http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1031673.

Begin by cooking 3 1/2 cups organic egg noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat 1 Tablespoons butter in a large dutch oven. Saute 2 cups smoked diced ham about 5 minutes until well caramelized.

Add diced carrots, onion, celery, red bell pepper, crushed garlic, and dried thyme. Stir and saute another 5 minutes until vegetables are just softened.

Add greens and stir constantly for 60 seconds (Collard Greens is recommended but we used Kale.) Add 4 cups homemade organic chicken broth. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 12 minutes. Add egg noodles, freshly ground black pepper, stir and heat through. Serve immediately.

Oysters & Poker

2010-04-20T09:00:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was Jessica's 30th Birthday and we decided to top off her celebration weekend with a BBQ and Poker Night. We have been itching to BBQ after the beautiful weekend and walk around the lake, and Jessica just happened into FIVE DOZEN OYSTERS! Talk about a winning combination. Don played Grill Master while Chris shucked and Jessica prepared delicious seasonings of melted butter, crushed garlic, freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, and habenero hot sauce. I'm not a big shelfish person so I reserved most of the delicacies for everyone else, but even I could tell this was some quality grade seafood. Again, we were so impressed by how delicious the food was that we were able to make at home, how much fun we had preparing it, and how friggin' much this would have cost if we had tried to order five dozen oysters at a restaurant. We served with Garlic Bread and a Mount Baker Vineyards Rosetta Wine. And Don went to bed smelling like a campfire. This is a good thing. Forget Old Spice and give me campfire smell any day.

One of the best things about Oysters, I have decided is the easy clean up! Aside from a few plates, these little guys come in natures own serving platters so clean up was a breeze.

And the winner is Ian! He beat my King/Jack Two Pair with a surprise Diamond Flush on the River. Way to go Chaotic Neutral!

Seumas getting into the Party Mode during the BBQ! Cordy on the other hand, little miss trouble maker, hid under some logs she had been obsessing over and didn't come out until after we had walked all over the neighborhood searching for her. Won't be letting her off the leash any time soon.

Turkey Burgers with Grated Zucchini & Carrot

2010-04-19T16:48:00.000-07:00

I sometimes like to sneak vegetables into my diet. Even though I know they're there, I feel so subversive, like I'm getting away with something. This recipe was once served to me by Camille and I just tried them on my very own for lunch today. Turkey burgers incorporate shredded zucchini and carrots with a little bit of egg for binding and dried thyme, salt, and pepper for a delicious seasoning. Be careful to cook all the way through. Keep the setting on medium and cook slowly about 5 minutes on each side until all traces of pink are gone. For a full printout of this recipe, please visit http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1617870. Even though our hamburger buns came from the freezer to Don's disdain, he still declared them "good stuff."

Lake Padden

2010-04-19T16:40:00.001-07:00

Can you believe we live here? Lake Padden is only about a mile from our house. We headed out with the dogs on Sunday for some much needed sun and some much needed exercise. This is why we moved here. Be still my heart.

Bad News for the Environment

2010-04-18T07:05:00.000-07:00

We just discovered that our washing machine got stuck on rinse and has been running for over 14 hours. Ouch! Can't wait to get our water bill. Sheesh.

One more appliance we can't live without

2010-04-17T12:27:00.000-07:00

Look at our new toy! It's an iced tea maker and it is awesome. The Iced Tea Maker is to Iced Tea what the Aeropress is to coffee... The purest form of flavor packaged in the brilliance of instant gratification. Sure we could make sun tea and let it sit all day (possibly collecting ecolli). Sure we could boil water and brew the tea and then cool it and add ice. But why do all that work when you can have one nice little contraption that premeasures everything, does all the work for you, and is ready to drink in just a few minutes! This model we picked up was less than $20 at Fred Meyer. I decided a while ago that I was giving up soda pop for the month of April. Hot tea has been a great substitute but as the seasons begin to change, I started thinking about what cold drink options there were and my sister introduced me to the contraption. It was love at first sight. I can't imagine even wanting a Coke when fresh brewed iced tea is available. It just tastes so much better and is actually refreshing instead of just pure a sugar/caffiene rush. I can't wait to experiment with all the different flavors of tea, especially fruity ones like blueberry and pomegranate. Even just plain green tea or black tea is delicious. And as far as giving up soda goes, I can't believe how much better I feel overall. Better hydrated + less water retention = a much happier Cindy. I wonder if I gave up soda eternally like I have chips how much this little $20 Iced Tea maker would save me? $20 a month? $30 a month? For the rest of my life... Cha-Ching!

Baked Eggplant with Mushroom-and-Tomato Sauce

2010-04-17T11:48:00.000-07:00

Last recipe post and then I think I am caught up for a while. We're not fond of casseroles in our house, mainly because we don't much care for pasta. But Eggplant I do love and this is about as close as we get to a "casserole." We tried this new recipe from Cooking Light. It was fun and different, quite tasty overall. Don thought it was good but wasn't overly impressed. Reader reviews on the website gave it five stars though and I would certainly make it again make it again. Just look at the beautiful melted cheeses, mushrooms, and eggplant oozing out of the tomato base. How can you not love it? You might also recognize the Bacon and Garlic Infused Kale Raab from an earlier post. For a full printout of the recipe, click on http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=222191.

Chinese Make In: Stir-Fried Beef, Broccoli, and Yams

2010-04-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry, I didn't get a better picture, but this one was too good not to share. Why get Take Out when you can have Make In. Next time you are in the mood for Chinese Food, try this delicious and easy stir fry recipe made with Flank Steak, Broccoli, Yams, and homemade sauce. So simple and tasty and way healthier than Take out. This was so good on it's own we didn't even bother to make rice to go with it. For the full recipe visit http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Stir-Fried-Beef-Broccoli-and-Yams-352549.

Thai Shrimp Stir-Fry with Basil

2010-04-17T11:19:00.000-07:00

Here is a delicious adaptation inspired by a giant unused tub of basil and adapted from a Food Network recipe. For the original recipe visit: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/thai-shrimp-stir-fry-with-tomatoes-and-basil-slimmed-recipe/index.html, but we have made quite a few changes below:

Thai Shrimp Stir-Fry with Basil

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce
1 Tablespoon Water
2 Teaspoons Fish Sauce
1 Teaspoon Red Chile Flakes
4 Teaspoons Organic Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Peanut Oil
3 Cloves Garlic
1 Tablespoon ground fresh ginger (we use the refrigerated kind from the jar)
1/2 Cup Diced Yellow Onion
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into one inch pieces
1 Bunch green onions, cut into one inch pieces
1 Jalapeno, minced
3/4 Cup Fresh Torn Basil Leaves
1/4 Cup Fresh Torn Mint Leaves
Juice of one lime

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, fish sauce, and sugar; set aside.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and chile flakes, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until pink but still translucent in the middle, about 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a medium bowl with a slotted spoon.

Add the onions, pepper, and chile to the skillet, and stir-fry until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Return the shrimp to the pan along with the soy sauce mixture. Bring to a boil, and stir-fry until the sauce glazes the shrimp, about 1 minute more.

Add the tomatoes and stir until coated with sauce, about 15 seconds. Remove pan from the heat, stir in the basil, mint, and lime juice. Serve over Jasmine Rice.

This was definitely a hit as Don ate two huge bowls! Probably best anyway as shrimp doesn't usually make the best leftovers.

Spiced Rub Pork Tenderloin with Mango Sambel and Zucchini Pancakes

2010-04-17T10:47:00.000-07:00

What would you do with a Mango and some Zucchini? At the Early Household we make Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Mango Sambal and Zucchini Pancakes! We went the first five years of our marriage never eating pork because we didn't know how to cook it and it always seemed too dry. Over the past year, we've started to learn new ways to prepare it and are beginning to appreciate this very tasty OTHER white meat. We're particularly fond of tenderloin with it being both lean and affordable. The meat responds so well to a variety of spices particularly in shades of red and brown such as Paprika, Chipotle, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cummin, and 5 Spice Chinese Powder. It also lends itself extremely well to fruit salsas, chutneys, and tapenades. This particular recipe includes a Mango Sambal (traditionally a Malaysian paste like condiment made with Chiles - I had to look it up). In this case the sambal acts like a salsa incorporating fresh diced Mango, Rice Vinegar, sugar, fish sauce, and serrano chiles for a bit of heat. It pairs amazingly well with the southern style spice rub made up of brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, cumin, salt, onion powder, dried thyme, and garlic powder. Delicious! Additionally, as a cooking light recipe, if you adhere to the recommended portion sizes it's only 208 calories! For a full printout of the recipe, please visit http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=356645.

While Don worked on the pork dish, I undertook the Zucchini Pancakes. Here we have another awesome Ina Garten recipe from the Food Network. Talk about a great way to use up an abundant harvest of zucchini. These make a great side dish. Think of these little cakes as a great substitute any time you would think to serve cornbread with a meal. They're just as tasty (even better in my opinion) and have far more nutritional value in them then a box of starch. Eggs, Flour and Baking Powder bind together the freshly grated Zucchini and Red Onion, just like a traditional pancake. These could be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner and they toasted up quite well the next day so they make even better leftovers than stale cornbread. For a full printout of the recipe, please visit http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/zucchini-pancakes-recipe/index.html.

Go Greens!

2010-04-17T08:56:00.000-07:00

OK, so I am a bit behind in our food blogging. We've been doing really well actually, for the month of April cooking healthy fresh meals and staying away from eating out. Every time we do I'm reminded how much cooking is sooooo worth the effort. Everything is so fresh, you can use good quality ingredients, know where you food is coming from and season to your own specifications.

Our Organic produce deliveries from Dandelion Organic Delivery continue to be a huge source of inspiration in our kitchen. Nevertheless, with the season opener of the Bellingham Farmer's Market the other week, I decided it couldn't hurt to get out their and check out the competition. The idea of mass fresh foods available with the ability to hand pick my own order was a little intriguing. After parousing the market one Saturday morning in the rain with Don, I am even more impressed by the Dandelion deliveries than I was before. Seeing everything layed out and displayed that is grown here locally, I can see that Dandelion really has done a tremendous job of capturing a very accurate and fair sampling of what is available here, while still getting a great discount on things shipped in for variety. Not only that, but they do a great rotation and with them I am sure to continue to get a balanced variety of root vegetables, leafy greens, colorful veggies, fleshy fruits, citrus, etc. than I would if I were simply driving my own destiny.

Tuscan Kale

It's also been a great way to discover new produce. All winter long we received various forms of hearty greens such as kale, collard greens and swiss chard. I'd never cooked with these items before and just assumed I would not like them. Mostly because they're typically served braised and wilted and I did not think I liked my greens cooked. Since the only thing I had to compare it to was spinach which becomes a limp soggy sludge if heated more than a few seconds, I expected similar results. However, I had no idea that these much sturdier, much hardier vegetables can stand up to the heat, retain their structure and taste and even absorb some amazing flavors without breaking down when cooked correctly.

Boc Choy Raab

And THEN came Spring..... I have discovered Raab. I LOVE Raab. Broccoli Raab, Cabbage Raab, Kale Raab, sooooo many varieties! If you see these little guys at your farmers market grab them! They are so easy to cook with and such a treat. So here's the scoop on Raab. Raab is a part of the Brassica Family, a genus of the Mustard family. These are known as overwintered plants, probably because they harvest at late winter, early spring in March. Beat that April Asparagus! It is most tender right before the little florets begin to sprout into white and yellow pedals. The stems, leaves, and florets are all edible. You can serve it raw in salads, cooked in stir-fries or soups, or simply braised in a little olive oil and garlic. Here are a few recipes that have worked just swell for us that you may want to try.

Bacon & Garlic Infused Kale Raab

1 Slice Bacon, roughly chopped
4 Minced Garlic Cloves
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
3-4 Cups Roughly Chopped Kale Raab
Salt and Pepper

Heat nonstick skillet over Medium High Heat. Add Bacon and saute until browned, add Garlic and olive oil and saute 60 seconds stirring frequently being careful not to burn. Add Raab, toss to cover in garlic and bacon and saute a few minutes until tender. Add Salt and Pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Sweet Onion & Feta Risotto with Braising Kale

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Sweet Onions, chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 1/2 cups uncooked Arborio Rice
4 Cups Chicken Broth
1/3 Cup Dry White Wine
2/3 Cup Crumbled Feta
1/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt & Pepper
2-3 Cups Braising Kale (tender dark green velvety leaves)

Heat the oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute one minute. Stir in rice. Mix together chicken broth and wine. Add 1/2 cup of broth mixture at a time, stirring constantly until fully absorbed before adding the next batch of liquid. The whole process will take about 30 to 40 minutes. Once rice reaches the desired consistancy (you may not need all four cups), add cheese, salt & pepper to taste and stir in chopped kale. Remove from heat and serve. Making risotto can be a very labor intensive process but the flavors are amazing. It's well worth the effort if you can spare the time. The leftovers typically hold up quite well too as opposed to other rice dishes.

Spring Has Sprung Frittata

2010-04-07T20:48:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung and along with it is starting to appear a fun new variety of vegetables in our weekly organic deliveries including the welcome April Harvest of fresh Asparagus. Just like my last entry on Pizza, Frittatas are also a great way to incorporate all kinds of combinations of vegetables into your diet. Tonight's recipe is something we came up with on the spot using the following ingredients:

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Yellow Onion, Chopped
1 Red Bell Pepper, Sliced
1 Bunch Asparagus, cut into one inch pieces
1/2 Cup Canadian Bacon, Diced
5 Large Free Range Eggs
2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
1 Large Clove Garlic, Crushed
Salt & Pepper
1 Cup Shredded White Cheese Blend (such as Gruyere, Parmesan, and Mozzarella)

Preheat Broiler. Heat Olive Oil in a Cast Iron skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and saute three minutes until soft. Add Peppers, Asparagus, and Canadian Bacon. Lower heat to medium low and cook, covered for 6 minutes until asparagus is just barely tender.

Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, crushed garlic, salt & pepper. When the six minutes is up, remove lid and pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables. Turn heat back up to medium and cook about 5 minutes until eggs start to set but are still runny on top. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the top and place under broiler. Broil a few minutes until cheese melts and starts to brown in spots. Remove from oven, slice into wedges and serve.

Artichoke Veggie Pizza with Basil Confetti

2010-04-07T16:39:00.000-07:00

I've had a completely unproductive day. I've had a mental block all day long and really hard time getting going. Since I couldn't seem to get any significant tasks accomplished at work today, I figure I will at least catch up on my blogging. So here we are with a new Homemade Pizza Recipe. Pizza is a GREAT way to use up leftovers in your cupboard and refrigerator. Here I've combined sliced zucchini, canned artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes and fresh basil cut into confetti strips for a beautiful and tasty garnish. Instead of pizza sauce, I've brushed on a thin layer of tomato paste, something we always have on hand in the pantry. The cheese is a mixture of part skim mozzarella and fresh grated parmesan and we served on top of whole wheat dough from Trader Joes refrigerated section for a healthy touch. And the best part is, it all bakes up in about 10 to 15 minutes. Bonus!

Chicken Marsala & Sauteed Greens

2010-04-07T11:03:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are the results from our awesome impromptu chicken dinner last night. The Chicken Marsala Recipe was inspired by an Emeril Lagasse recipe found on www.foodnetwork.com. For the full recipe please visit their website but we recommend you follow the additional tips/revisions below.

Start with two large chicken breasts. Place between sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until chicken is an even 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick through out. Then cut each breast in half so that you now have four servings. Pounding the chicken to a thinner thickness will allow it to cook faster and ensure even cooking throughout. We do this whenever we cook chicken on the stove top as it's very difficult to get the thicker breasts to cook all the way through to the center without overcooking the outside leaving it tough and dry. This way the meat cooks quickly all the way through and stays nice and moist. Another thing we do is pat the meat dry with Paper Towels before cooking it. Getting rid of the excess moisture will help it to brown properly and give you that really nice carmelization with lots of flavor that you are looking for.

For the rub, Don did not read the proportions correctly so we had extra spice to flour mixture ratio, but we loved it. Overall, if we were to make again we suggest the following recipe for the seasoning dredge. Sorry Emeril, but ours is better!

1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Paprika
1 Tablespoon Salt
1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
1/2 Tablespoon Black Pepper
1/2 Tablespoon Onion Powder
1/2 Tablespoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 Tablespoon Dried Oregano
1/2 Tablespoon Dried Thyme

After dredging in flour mixture, brown the chicken for about three minutes on both sides. The Paprika and Cayenne Pepper seasonings will give it a gorgeous red and brown coloring. Remove chicken from heat, then in the same pan, saute sliced mushrooms until golden brown, add Marsala Wine, Butter, Chicken Stock, Salt and Pepper and cook until sauce is reduced by about half. Add the chicken back to the broth and continue to cook until meat is cooked through and sauce has thickened. Service chicken drizzled in mushroom sauce.

This recipe goes extremely well with sauteed greens. We had a mixed bag of greens leftover from our Dandelion Organic Produced delivery to inspire this quick recipe.

Sauteed Greens with Red Bell Pepper

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 Yellow Onion Diced
1/2 Red Bell Pepper Diced
2 Large cloves of Garlic, Minced
5 Cups Mixed Dark Greens such as Kale
2/3 Cup Homemade Chicken Stock
Salt & Pepper to Taste

Heat a large frying pan over medium high heat. Begin by sauteeing onion and and bell pepper in olive oil for about 5 minutes until softened. Add Garlic and stir fry another 60 seconds stirring constantly so that garlic does not burn. Add Greens and stock and toss gently. Cover and cook for five minutes stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drain excess liquid and serve immediately.

DuppenBirthday

2010-04-06T23:43:00.000-07:00

Since the television purchase (see previous post), Don and I have committed to cutting back on a few extraneous items to try to ease the budget a bit. That includes things like eating out, soda pop, alcohol, etc. Tonight we had our first real challenge, a.k.a opportunity to put ourselves to the test. It was Chris' birthday, and well within his birthday rights, last minute plans were forged and suddenly my weekly schedule which I had so meticulously planned out was thrown off. Now instead of gaming Tuesday night we were going Go Cart racing, followed by dinner and drinks. We've recently gone to a cooking rotation for gaming night and it was our turn to cook this week so we had a whole group meal planned for dinner, but this now was postponed until Thursday.

We could have given into the last minute chaos and used the "special occasion" excuse to side track our goals, but we didn't and I'm feeling quite proud. We took a quick stock of our kitchen, managed to come up with a tip top gourmet recipe of Chicken Marsala with Braised Greens (recipe to follow). It was a bit of a dine and dash getting dinner on the table and out the door by 6:00 p.m. but with a bit of teamwork in the kitchen we made it work and it was delicious! I also had the foresight to pack a couple of protein bars in my purse knowing that there would be restaurant festivities to follow in case we were hungry and tempted. Tempted we were but the protein bars helped. Instead of spending lots of money on food and alcohol at the restaurant, we simply ordered coffee (decaf) and still were able to enjoy a great evening with friends. I'm actually glad this opportunity came up as I now have a great feeling of accomplishment that we were thrown a curve ball and able to adapt to the situation without getting off track (no pun intended).

Here are a few fun pics from the Go Kart Racing. Happy Birthday Chris!

Split Pea Soup with Rosemary and Pear and Walnut Muffins

2010-04-04T20:35:00.000-07:00

It wasn't your traditional Easter dinner, but it had Don and I salivating nonetheless. We opted for homemade Split Pea Soup and made from scratch Pear and Walnut Muffins. I'm a great fan of Split Pea Soup and it couldn't be easier to make. Not to mention it's quite economical. The primary ingredients are the split peas (obviously), carrots, onions, and stock. The variations come with the seasonings. Ground Sage and a dash of cayenne pepper for kick are quite typical. This recipe from Cooking Light called Split Pea Soup with Rosemary, attracted me for it's interesting and unusual flavor components such as rosemary, paprika, tomato paste and soy sauce. We also added our own touch by substituting our homemade chicken stock for vegetable broth, and added about a half a cup of diced canadian bacon to the mix which gave it an excellent salty and smokey edge. Instead of garnishing with sour cream, Don and I prefer the tastier and healthier option of plain yogurt. For a complete printout of the recipe, please visit http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=225609.

The Pear and Walnut Muffins were also quite a treat. While we cook a lot in this household, we don't seem to get as excited about baking. The leftover fruit from our weekly Dandelion deliveries, however, is starting to challenge me to think of new ways to enjoy nature's sweet treats. So with the abundance of pears I had in my fridge, and realizing I can't make cobbler every week, I decided to try these low calorie muffins, also a Cooking Light Recipe. Instead of using tons of butter and oil, the recipe calls for a cup of plain lowfat yogurt for the primary wet ingredient and incorporates both white and wheat flour making it delicious and satisfying. Please visit http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1142032 for a copy of the full recipe.

Easter Weekend 2010

2010-04-03T18:42:00.001-07:00

We finally gave up on our TV today. The problems started off with spontaneous dimming and then shutting down of the screen. Then certain pixles burned out. And finally, some kind of static-y looking pixles were going around like little fireworks on the bottom right hand corner of the screen. We stuck it out as long as we could and finally today, when it was shutting down 4 or 5 times an episode, we gave in.

Off to Costco we went for a replacement. While we're pretty picky about how we consume and where we purchase these days, when it comes to electronic purchases, you just can't beat Costco in terms of Quality, Price, or Return Policy. Electronic products come with a 90 day return policy and two year extended warranty at no additional fee. Plus, unlike Walmart and other Corporate Mongrals, I've heard that they at least treat their employees well with reasonable wages and good benefits. (Although I haven't done the research myself, this seems to be the prevailing opinion among people I trust.)

So we arrived and browsed the selection. They had televisions ranging from a few hundred bucks on up to a couple grand. We decided pretty quickly that we wanted LCD, not Plasma, as Don declared the plasmas would burn out quicker. Then it came down to size, brand, and price. We narrowed the selection down to a 42" Sharp LCD HDTV and a 47" Phillips LCD HDTV. The quality of the picture was about the same but the difference in price was about $200. I was leaning toward the Sharp given that it was the same size as the one we were replacing which seemed plenty sufficient to me. Don was leaning towards the Phillips due to the larger size and he had stronger affinity toward the brand name. We decided to think on it while we dined on a Costco Hot Dog. I'd like to say that we chose the 42" Sharp because we were being responsible consumers and making a responsible economic choice, however, the deciding factor came down to the fact that we realized whatever we bought, we had to fit it in the Mini on the way home. So we are the proud new owners of a 42" TV.

Don just hooked up the television a few minutes ago but a few things I like about it already are better resolution and less glare than our prior model. With the LCD screen I also love that you can get a great image from several different angles in the room whereas before you had to sit directly in front of the screen to get the best picture quality. But I think my favorite thing is that we now have easy computer hookups so we can watch Hulu right from our huge beautiful television. Score!

I think we will enjoy our new toy quite a bit but we really were not wanting to drop a bunch of money on a television at the moment with our current financial arrangement. At least we got a good price at only $600. Still, we've decided to make a few sacrifices this month to help cool down our smoking wallet. For starters, no more eating out the rest of April. Period. That includes restaurants, fast food, bars and coffee stands. We've also decided to cut back on beverages such as alcohol and soda. And finally, I've decided to give up potato chips eternally. They're bad for me and have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. There's no reason to waste the money or the calories and when it comes to me and potato chips it has to be all or nothing. There just is no in between.

As we were standing in line at Costco considering the restrictions we were about to impose on our diets and budgets, it really was a phenomenal sight to look around at the huge lines of people with shopping carts overflowing with items. Every where we looked we were confronted with the pervasive image of CONSUMPTION. It was a pretty good wake up call. The image is burned in my brain and has more of an impact than the words I could try to use to describe it. But it reminded me that I'm happy about the decisions that we're making. I'm happy we eat real food, fresh food. That we know where it comes from and and in many cases these days have met the people that raised it. And more than anything, we cook and prepare it ourselves.

And there is one final thing I want to mention, because it amuses me, about our trip to Bellingham Costco. While we were waiting in line at the pump to fill up our car with Costco gas, we happened to notice that 9 out of 10 cars in line at the pump were Canadian! I guess gas must be real expensive up there. Well, gotta run. Time to play our new TV!

Greek Pasta with Rainbow Chard and Sausage

2010-03-28T19:22:00.000-07:00

Here is another fun spur of the moment creation we came up with. The inspiration for the meal was a beautiful bunch of Rainbow Chard we received last week in our Dandelion Organic delivery Box. This is the first time I've ever cooked with Chard and our recipe incorporated every aspect of the plant from the tough stems to the giant multicolored leafs. Greek flavors of feta and kalamata complimented the chard quite nicely and was a lot more exciting than your typical pasta and red sauce.

2 Cups uncooked penne pasta
2 Tbs Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
2 Sweet Italian Sausages, Casings removed
1 Bunch Rainbow Chard, Stems Removed and finely Diced, Leaves separated and coarsely Chopped
1/4 Cup White Wine
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 Cup Feta Cheese, Crumbled
12 Kalamata Olives, Coarsely Chopped
12 Cherry Tomatoes

Cook Pasta according to directions. Heat Oil in medium sauce pan. Add Garlic and saute 60 seconds, stirring constantly and being careful not to burn. Add crumbled sausage and cook until browned. Set Sausage aside on a plate. To Same pan add diced chard stems, water, and wine. Cover with lid and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes. Remove lid, add chard leaves, cover and cook another 5 minutes. Toss together pasta, cooked sausage, cooked chard, feta, olives and cherry tomatoes. Serve and enjoy.

Eggs Over Easy with Sweet Zucchini and Carrot Saute

2010-03-28T19:04:00.001-07:00

OK, I've been getting seriously behind in the food blogging. But there are a few choice creations I do want to get out there. This one I am quite proud of. This was a spur of the moment, what can I throw together based on what I have on hand late night dinner. Zucchini is sauteed in a bit of olive oil and garlic with a dash of nutmeg. Grated Carrots add an unusual touch of sweetness. Unlike your traditional omelet, this dish is served as a saute with eggs over easy. The creamy yolk ties all the flavors together with an extra boost of protein. Thiss makes a quick and easy breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack, whenever you are in the mood.

1 small zucchini, halved lengthwise and then sliced into half mono discs
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Clove of garlic, minced
pinch of Nutmeg
2 Organic Free Range Eggs
Sea Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper Pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add Garlic and saute 60 seconds, stirring constantly. Be careful not to burn. Add zucchini and a dash of nutmeg, tossing to incorporate. Saute a couple of minutes. Add graded carrot. Saute another one to two minutes. Scoot veggie saute to one side of the pan and add two eggs. One whites start to harden flip and cook to your desired degree of doneness. This tastes best when the eggs are still a bit yolky. Place eggs on plate and top with carrots and zucchini. Enjoy!

Black and Tan Stew

2010-03-25T22:03:00.000-07:00

Don here. Made an awesome stew for St. Patty's day that I highly recommend. Totally off the cuff, but turned out well and you could definitely sub whatever you want in it.

Drum roll please! The ingredients are/were:

2lbs lamb shoulder, cubed

2lbs beef shoulder, cubed

7-8 assorted potatoes, skin on, cubed

1 large parsnip, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 rutabagas, peeled and coarsely chopped

3 turnips, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 large onion - yellow or sweet, or white, whatever, chopped

1 leek, diced

6 whole peeled cloves of garlic

14oz can of whole stewed tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil

lots of salt and coarse ground pepper to taste

2 cups Jameson Irish Whisky

3 bottles Harps, Smithwicks, or other lighter beer

3 bottles Guinness

2 whole sprigs of rosemary

In a large stew pot, heat the oil and add the onions. Stir constantly until their softened. Salt and pepper the meat cubes and add to the pot in batches, stirring constantly so as to brown on all sides. Once the meat is going, gradually add the potatoes, parsnips, rutabagas, turnips, leeks, and garlic, and cook about 3-5 minutes. The water from the meat and the veggies will start to soften everything up nicely. Add liberal amounts of pepper and salt to your liking.

Now add the Jameson and cook for another 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add the beer. ALL AT ONCE! Bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally, and then turn down the heat and simmer for 2-3 hours. About a half hour before you are ready to serve, add the stewed tomatoes squeezing and mushing them with your hands before dropping them in, juice and all. Add the rosemary springs (I didn't actually add the rosemary to my batch, but I know it would have been awesome).

When you're ready to serve, remove the rosemary and discard.

Oh yeah, and this recipe makes a lot. So have a bunch of people over, and make some soda bread to go with it. And then don't plan on doing anything for several hours, because you'll be in a food coma. But it will be glorious. Let me know if you try this, and what else you did with it. I love me my stews. The tomatoes, by the way, are something I always add to a red meat stew, and I've NEVER been let down yet.

Apple and Pear Crisp

2010-02-27T22:58:00.000-08:00

This may be my favorite new recipe of the millenia - Apple and Pear Crisp by Ina Garten of the Food Network. It's the perfect winter dessert making use of the cool crisp abundant pears and apples which I am well stocked up on thanks to our Dandelion Organic Deliveries. Citrus components such as lemon and orange juice and rind combine with traditional apple pie spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to help bring the pears and apples to life. Tthe crumb topping is made with typical stocked pantry items so it's also easy on the pocketbook. If you want to be real winnerrolike us, serve the crisp warm with two scoops of Silver Springs Creamery Vanilla Ice Cream and a copy of hot Tony's Coffee. Both are produced locally here in Bellingham and can be purchased at the Food Co-op. It was sooooo good and I can't wait to have more tomorrow. For the full recipe, please visit http://www.blogger.com/www.foodnetwork.com.

Spiced Turkey with Avocado-Grapefruit Relish

2010-02-27T22:40:00.000-08:00

Spiced Turkey with Avocado-Grapefruit Relish was a fun and different recipe and a good break from our usual routine. We had quite a stock of grapefruit going from our Dandelion Organic Deliveries plus an avocado to use up so that's what attracted me to this recipe. The relish is actually quite tasty -- made of grapefruit, avocado, shallots, cilantro, red wine vinegar and honey -- and it's a great compliment to the blackened spiced turkey cutlets which smell divine while they are cooking. This was an extremely easy recipe to make and done in less than 30 minutes including prep time. Like I said, it's a little different, not something that I could eat every night, but was cool to try and would certainly make again sometime down the road. For a full printed recipe, please visit http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/eating-well/spiced-turkey-with-avocado-grapefruit-relish-recipe/index.html.

Alien Broccoli

2010-02-27T22:29:00.000-08:00

Look what showed up in my Dandelion Organic Delivery the other day. This weird looking species of broccoli that looks like it stepped out of a Doctor Seuss book. It's kind of like a cross between a cauliflower and a head of broccoli in both taste and texture.

It looks rather small at first glance but the florets are packed so close together that once you start breaking them apart, it seems to go on forever. Keep your eye out for this interesting vegetable at a farmer's market or speciality grocery store near you. If you're able to get your hands on one, I recommend roasting with a little bit of olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper, and then serving with lemon wedges. Delicious!

Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomatoes and Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

2010-02-27T22:13:00.000-08:00

Our Dandelion Organic Deliveries have left us no shortage of root vegetables in our house - particularly carrots and parsnips. This week we even got some rainbow carrots which varied in color from white to orange to purple with yellow spots - how cool!

Try this delicious dinner by Ina Garten of the Food Network that Don cooked up for us this week. Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sundried Tomatoes uses boneless chicken breasts with skins still in tact. Simply stuff a little bit of goat cheese and chopped sundried tomatoes in oil underneath the skin and bake in the oven. Roasted Parsnips and Carrots are flavored simply with olive oil, sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper. The roasting process really brings out the sweetness and great texture to the root veggies. For the full printed recipes please visit http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-parsnips-and-carrots-recipe/index.html.

Risks and Rewards

2010-02-27T08:41:00.000-08:00

All right. So I've been keeping you entertained with lots of fun new recipes to try but it's been a while since I've done a personal update on our lives kind of post. So what's going on with Don and Cindy?

I think this week a lot especially we've been learning to live with the ebbs and flows of the major life changes we took on when we moved to Bellingham. We made some major decisions that promised some pretty big rewards that required us to take a few risks and a leap of faith. We've had a few reminders this week of what those risks entailed as they pop up and loom out there in the lands of "What If" and "You Never Know." Of course most of it revolves around issues of financial security and stability. And while our faith has been tested here and there, at the end of the day I think we're still doing a good job of keeping things in perspective, living in the moment, and are really really confident that we made the right decisions for us and that we're on a path to something really wonderful. It's a very exciting stage in my life, as someone who craves control, security, and stability like any good Type A Woman, to have reached the point in my personal growth where I can identify when those factors are hindering me/us instead of aiding me/us and it's so cool to know that I'm ready and willing to step out of my comfort zone to get to where we want to go.

On that same path and along those lines of personal growth, another major shift that occurred in our household recently is that I transferred all of the financial duties and responsibilities (a.k.a Control, there's that word again) to Don. Given that his career now is going to be in financial management and that I was feeling over tasked and stressed from work and household duties, it seemed like the obvious thing to do. So now Don gets to balance the checkbook, track and categorize our spending, set budgets, decide what money goes in what account, which debts we pay off first, how much money we set aside for retirement, etc. I thought I would have a hard time letting go of it and not being fully aware of where of everything that's going on in our bank account. Boy was I stupid! It's the most liberating wonderful thing that has happened for me in a long time! I know and trust that he is doing a good job with it and I worry and think less about money than I ever have before. And it's also lightened my load to the point where I have more energy to put into meal planning and grocery shopping which I am much more interested in but had started to feel like a drain just from being stretched too thin. This whole shift has brought a lot more balance I think to our life together and relationship. We even managed to get through our first financial talk together as a couple the other night since our roles have been reversed. It started off a little rocky as we were anticipating what each other was going to be thinking and feeling off the bat but we got through that and ended up having an excellent conversation finding out that we're both actually feeling really similar about where we are and where we want to be.

Honeymoon for our Anniversary

2010-02-20T23:38:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow Don and I will celebrate our 6 year wedding anniversary. Actually, we've been celebrating it all weekend and making new friends in the process. Although we were lucky enough to already have great friends rooted in this small town, when we decided to move back we still wanted to find intentional ways to expand our circle and get re-rooted into this much loved community of ours. I turned to the social networking site, www.meetup.com for suggestions. Meetup is a website devoted to helping people connect regionally with other people of like interests. There were a few meet and greet groups already established Bellingham on Meetup, but nothing that I felt specifically drawn to. In the past I have used Meetup.com for very specific interests like hiking and volleyball, and I even joined a wiener dog group at one point. Since I didn't see anything that was specifically speaking to me, I ended up deciding to create my own meetup group centered around one of the things which I personally am very interested in, and that is exploring all of the different local wineries and wine shops that this area has to offer. It turns out it's something a lot of other people are interested in as well and in just a short amount of time we have gained 41 new members and already had two successful events with over a dozen people in attendance.

Tonight, for our second event, we met at Honeymoon Tasting Room off of State Street. If you don't know where it is, it's a bit difficult to find. It's actually in the alley behind Pepper Sisters Restaurant. Unlike a formal wine tasting experience Honeymoon actually specializes in meads (wine made from honey), although they do carry a few traditional wines and their own dry cider. It's an intimate setting and plenty of room for a good sized group if you show up towards the beginning of the evening around 5pm. We were 14 total in attendance for the evening and quite comfortable at that size.

The manager set us up with a couple of tasting trays to sample their many products. I admit I kind of skipped over the regular wines and focused on their meads since this is what they are known for. What I quickly discovered was that while each mead in and of itself was interesting and unique, I didn't find myself to be a great lover to the extent that I could sit down and drink a whole glass. The real potential in mead lies in it's ability to mix well and pair with other liquors. That was the serendipity discovery of the evening that created endless possibilities for new fun surprises.

The two greatest strengths on their menu were the Hot Spiced Mead and the Cyser. The Hot Spiced Mead was a basic combination of their boldly flavored Wassail Mead with a splash of Orange Mead and Dry Cyder served warm like hot apple cider. The Cyser though is about the coolest discovery on earth since it's a completely new type of drink I have never experienced. It's a chilled dry cyder flavored with your choice of fruity mead (Orange, Strawberry, Raspberry, or Blueberry). I am especially fond of the Strawberry, although several people tried the raspberry and am told that one was quite good as well. I can see going back from time to time for either of these two drinks when I'm in the mood for something outside the standard beer and wine menu. The only thing I could see myself buying by the bottle would be the Wassail Mead for home consumption as this is the best mead option they had for serving warm and would be a fun treat for entertaining.

Another thing Honeymoon does very well are the appetizers and desserts. Between the attendees at our table, we got quite a variety and everything was top quality including an antipasto plate (featuring Genoa salami, provolone, olives, marinated artichoke hearts, pickled asparagus, sliced apple, and rustic sliced bread), a delicious cheese plate, and a trio of artisan spreads served on bread as well. The dessert menu was also well sampled with special compliments to their blueberry topped cheesecake and their amazingly rich dark chocolate truffles.
Overall this was a fun venue with some good hospitality. This probably would not be the place for you if you are looking for a traditional wine tasting experience but if you are in the mood for something a little different with some excellent food pairings and a nice mellow atmosphere give Honeymoon a try. They are open Monday through Saturday from 5pm to 11pm and also offer live music five days a week starting around 5pm. They even have free Wi-Fi if you're looking for a new setting to get a little studying done or catch up on work.

Leek, Bacon, and Gruyere Crustless Quiche

2010-02-19T16:19:00.000-08:00

For Valentine's Day this year we decided to celebrate the best way we know how - with awesome food and awesome people! We started off with a homemade brunch double date with good friends Chris and Jessica. Now we know why Chris is so fond of Jessica. She makes the most amazing cinnamon rolls on God's green earth! Since Jessica had the sweets covered, I tackled the Savory with this delicious Leek, Bacon, and Gruyere Crustless Quiche from http://www.blogger.com/www.foodnetwork.com.

The quiche was delicious, but I do plan to impliment a couple of modifications next time I tackle this. First, I sliced the leeks into thin rounds rather than long stems as the recipe suggests. However, the leeks themselves put off a lot of liquid which made it difficult for the quich to fully set to the right consistency. Next time I make this, I will probably add an extra egg and/or omit 1/3 cup half and half so that it sets a little stronger. You could also make with a standard pie crust which will help to hold together if you are worried about it setting properly. But other than that, in regards to taste alone I give it an A+. Serve with homemade cinnamon rolls and mimosas for a romantic treat.

Cindy's Waldorf Salad

2010-02-19T11:28:00.000-08:00

In the mood for a refreshing fall salad? Try my Waldorf Salad Recipe.

1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries
1/2 Cup Spiced Apple Cider
2 Stalks Chopped Celery
1 Medium Granny Smith Apple Cored and Chopped
3 Tablespoons Vanilla Yogurt
1 Tablespoon Mayonnaise
1/4 cup Walnuts, Toasted and Coarsley Chopped

Start by placing cranberries and cider in a microwave save container and heat on high for thirty seconds. Let stand a couple of minutes. Mix all ingredients together in a medium mixing bowl and chill until ready to eat.

Baked Acorn Squash Filled with Italian Sausage and Rigatoni Pasta

2010-02-18T21:31:00.000-08:00

Baked Acorn Squash Filled with Italian Sausage and Rigatoni Pasta is probably one of the coolest things I have ever made. And talk about presentation... WOW! Isn't it beautiful? I picked the recipe because we had some Delicata Squash to use up from our Dandelion Organic Delivery. Don made the comment as we chowed down on our delicious meal, that all of our meals that center around squash feel like dessert! The recipe is a bit labor intensive but still fun to make and a great way to spend the evening. For a copy of the full recipe, please visit http://www.blogger.com/www.foodnetwork.com. I adjusted the regular version slightly as follows.

Pick a squash, any squash. The recipe calls for Acorn Squash but we had some nice Delicata on hand so used that instead. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Place on a baking sheet and fill with water to 1/2 inch. Cover with foil and roast/steam in the oven at 350 degrees for one hour.

Next prepare the red sauce. Saute 4 minced garlic cloves and 1/2 cup finely chopped onion in olive oil in a medium sauce pan for three minutes. Add one cup whole peeled tomatoes with juices and 1 Tablespoon dried basil. Use some kitchen sheers to cut up the tomatoes into smaller chunks. Simmer for another three minutes. Then add one 1/2 cup homemade chicken stock and simmer yet another three minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of fair trade organic white cane sugar at the end and remove from heat.

In a medium frying pan saute one medium red onion, sliced vertically, with two sweet italian sausages and one hot italian sausages, casings removed and broken up. Meanwhile, dice 1/2 pound part skim mozzarella cheese into half inch chunks. Also cook one package penne pasta in salted boiling water. Toss Pasta, red sauce, cheese, and sausage mixture together and spoon into the squash cavities. Bake in the oven on 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley for garnish and serve.

Thick Cut Mustard Marinated Pork Chops with Caramelized Onions

2010-02-13T21:04:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure how or why this has happened, but somehow since we moved to Bellingham, we've started eating more pork products. Maybe it's because the quality of the pork we can get from the Community Food Co-op is outstanding. From the Bacon to the Pork Roasts, to their several different varieties of sausages, we haven't had a bad one yet. For tonight's main course, Thick Cut Mustard Marinated Pork Chops with Caramelized Red Onions, we noshed on some delicious sirloin steaks from Salmon Creek Farms. The recipe actually calls for bone in pork chops, but the Co-op doesn't carry that cut so these boneless sirloin steaks worked great in their place.

Start by whisking together olive oil, dijon mustard (I heartily prefer Grey Poupon), salt, pepper, and fresh thyme leaves. Coat Pork Chops thoroughly. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for one hour or overnight. Bring to room temperature before cooking.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat until smoking. If your pan is well seasoned, you will not need to add cooking oil since there is plenty of olive oil in the marinade. Add pork chops to the hot pan and cook 5 to 6 minutes until well seared on both sides and cooked through. Remove to a plate and let the meat rest. (Resting is where you set a cooked piece of meat aside and let it cool for several minutes before cutting into it. This gives the juices time to redistribute throughout the meat so that they will not run all over your plate when you slice it open and maintain it's lovely flavor.)

Next, heat a couple splashes of vegetable oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Slice one or two red onions into thin rings and add to the pan. Cook about four minutes until the onions start to soften. Add one tablespoon each of honey and balsamic vinegar and stir to incorporate. Continue to caramelize onion mixture for another ten to fifteen minutes. Serve atop the Mustard Pork chops.

Butter Lettuce Salad with Apples

2010-02-13T20:41:00.000-08:00

I get so excited every time I see that Butter Lettuce is coming in my Dandelion Organic Delivery box. It feels like such a delicacy to me and it's too expensive to buy at the grocery store. Last week it was red butter lettuce and this week a whole head of green butter lettuce. The velvety leaves are so soft and delicate, they really do melt in your mouth, just like butter. Tonight's salad, pictured above, makes excellent use of this exquisite vegetable. You can find the full printed recipe for Butter Lettuce Salad with Apples at http://www.blogger.com/www.myrecipes.com.

Start by combining equal parts cider vinegar and vegetable oil, one finely diced shallot, a spoon full of course-grain mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk vinaigrette and set aside while you prepare the rest of the meal. The longer the vinaigrette sits, the more time the shallots have to infuse it's flavor into the rest of the dressing so if you have other items to prepare, make the vinaigrette first, and then come back to finish the remaining steps to the salad at the end.

Tear four cups butter lettuce leaves into bite size pieces. Place in Salad bowl. Core and chop one apple and place on top of lettuce. Drizzle with vinaigrette and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Upcoming Menu

2010-02-13T08:46:00.001-08:00

Now that I've finished my meal planning for the week, I thought I would post a little foretaste of the feast to come. These recipes were chosen to make the most out of our weekly produce deliveries from Dandelion Organic Delivery. As you can see, these deliveries are really helping us to embrace an abundance of nutritional balance into our diet and which has really ramped up the quality of our eating. Cooking has always been an art for me and the bright and beautiful colors that all the different fruits and veggies bring to the experience are my leading cast. Stay tuned for photos, reviews, and tips of the following recipes...

SATURDAY - Thick Cut Mustard Marinated Pork Chops
and Butter Lettuce Salad with Apples

SUNDAY - Baked Acorn Squash Filled with Italian Sausage and Rigatoni Pasta
and Lightened Waldorf Salad

MONDAY - Chicken with Goat Cheese and Sun Dried Tomato
and Roasted Parsnips and Carrots

WEDNESDAY - Rack of Lamb with Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Shallot Vinaigrette
and Roasted Broccoli with Lemon

THURSDAY - Quick Chick and Noodle Soup

FRIDAY - Florentine Ravioli
and Apple and Pear Crisp

Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese

2010-02-11T20:41:00.000-08:00

Eating locally also means eating seasonally and one thing we are getting in abundance right now from our weekly Dandelion Organic Produce Deliveries are Pears of every variet. Bartlett, Anjue, and these beautiful Golden Bosc pears are just a few of what we go through in our weekly rotation. Tonight we decided to make this tasty Tyler Florence Recipe found on the http://www.blogger.com/www.foodnetwork.com website under Roasted Pears with Blue Cheese and Walnuts.

I halved the pears and scooped out a bit of the core. Then I drizzled with olive oil, salt, and pepper and sprinkled with fresh thyme leaves. Roast for 20 minutes in a preheated 375 degree oven. Then sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles and roast for another 10 minutes until cheese melts and pears are fork tender. I forgot to include the walnuts and the recipe was still quite good.

Navy Bean Soup with Rosemary and Kale

2010-02-11T20:34:00.001-08:00

One thing I am really enjoying about Community Food Coop is their endless and enticing bulk section. I love that I can to there to get just the right amount of spices and other dried goods like the dried organic navy beans for this delicious soup recipe. You can find the full recipe for Navy Bean Soup with Rosemary and Kale at http://www.blogger.com/www.myrecipes.com.

Start by covering 1 1/2 cups dried navy beans with 2 inches of water in medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Cover and remove from heat. Let stand one hour then drain.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle a whole head of garlic with 1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil and wrap tightly with aluminum foil. Roast for 45 minutes or until garlic is soft. Set aside to cool.

Heat three tablespoons of olive oil in a large stockpot. Add two chopped onions and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes. I decided to veer from the recipe here and include two pieces of chopped thick bacon as well which brought a lot of additional flavor. After about 20 minutes, add four stalks of diced celery and continue to cook another 10 minutes. Squeeze 10 cloves of the roasted garlic out of their peels and into the onion mixture. Stir for 60 seconds until fully incorporated.

Add beans, two quarts of chicken stock, two bay leaves, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Tear one large bunch (about 8 cups) of Kale and add to soup. Simmer another 10 minutes until Kale is wilted. Chop 1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh Rosemary, stir into soup, and remove from heat. Ladle servings into individual bowls and top with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese for garnish and dig in!

Italian Chopped Salad

2010-02-11T15:41:00.000-08:00

For a light and delicious lunch time treat try this amazing Chopped Italian Salad from http://www.blogger.com/www.myrecipes.com. For a complete printout of the recipe, please click on the link above. The salad incorporates wonderful Italian flavors such as sliced pepperoni, romaine lettuce, diced red onion, pimientos, sliced green olives and canned diced artichoke hearts. The only substitutions we made were to replace pimientos with jarred roasted red peppers and added some red butter lettuce to the mix since we happened to have some on hand.

The dressing is a simple mixture of red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and fresh ground black pepper. If you like your vinegrettes a little more sweet and a little less vinegary, you can add a pinch or two of sugar to taste. Whisk to incorporate thoroughly and then toss all salad ingredients together. Grate a little bit of fresh Parmesan cheese on top for the finishing touch and you have yourself a delectable dining experience. This meal transports easily as well in a lunch box. Simply store the vinaigrette in a separate container and toss with the salad right before serving.

Pan Roasted Cowboy Ribeye with Creamed Swiss Chard

2010-02-10T23:17:00.000-08:00

Tonight's dinner, Pan Roasted Cowboy Ribeye Steaks with Creamed Swiss Chard, by Tyler Florence of http://www.blogger.com/www.foodnetwork.com, was inspired by a fresh batch of chard that came in our Dandelion Organic Delivery Box this week. For a full version of the recipe, please click on the link above.

I've never tried chard before tonight, and this was definitely the recipe to introduce it. It's not low calorie by any stretch of the imagination, but a worthwhile treat nonetheless to have on occasion. Besides, my sister and I have started wearing our Bodybug and Go-Fit calorie measuring armbands while we make dinner and clean the kitchen each night. Did you know that cooking your own meals is a workout in and of itself and can burn around 200 calories nightly just by eating in instead of out?

Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. When the water is boiling, add one large bunch of fresh chard (rinsed, stems removed, and leaves chopped.) Blanch in boiling water for about 1 to 2 minutes then drain and set aside to cool. When greens are cool enough to handle, squeeze excess water out with a paper towel.

For the creamed part of the creamed chard, place some whole fresh thyme, rosemary sprigs, and whole cloves of garlic in a sauce pan and cover with two cups of fresh cream. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and continue to cook and thicken while you prepare your main course (Ribeye Steaks).

For Cream, our local favorite is Twin Brook Creamery available at the Food Co-op and Haggens. The cream is produced locally in Lynden, WA without the use of artificial growth hormones. It also comes in fresh sealed recyclable glass containers which come with a refundable deposit. We also keep their skim milked stocked in our fridge and enjoy being able to purchase by the half gallon.

Once the cream base has thickened, remove the herb and garlic cloves, add the chard, and stir in about 2/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.

For the crumb topping, finely dice about a tablespoon each of fresh rosemary, fresh thyme, and garlic cloves. Heat one tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a small saucepan until butter is melted. Add herbs and garlic along with 1 cup of panko breadrumbs to the pan and toast until the breadcrumbs are a light golden brown color. Sprinkle on top of the creamed chard for garnish.

The main dish could not be simpler. Simply heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add a couple of whole sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme. The herbs will start to crackle as they infuse the oil with their flavor. Remove and discard the herbs from the hot oil before they burn.

Season the ribeye steaks with salt and pepper. Add to hot pan and cook about 4 minutes on each side until desired degree of doneness. Sprinkle with breadcrumb topping also and enjoy!

Chicken and Chorizo Romesco with Spanish Potatoes and Kale

2010-02-07T18:54:00.000-08:00

Rachel Ray is psychotic. OK, I will be the first to admit that while this meal was so very, incredibly, wonderfully delicious and worth all the effort, this was a very stressful dinner to make. Even with Don and I working as a team in our large kitchen, Rachel Ray's game plan for this meal to get it done in 30 minutes or less is just WAY...TOO...MUCH! I kid you not, at one point we had four different burners with four different sauce pans going with both of us sprinting around the kitchen shredding, cooking, and chopping.

That being said, prior to this meal I had never tried romesco sauce before and, wow am I a huge fan! Most of the hearty sauce is prepared in the food processor and then warmed on the burner while the rest of your meal cooks. One of the ingredients in the sauce is whole peeled almonds. Since I already had regular almonds in the pantry, I just boiled them for about two minutes then they slipped right out of their skins as easy as edemame pods. The romesco sauce is balanced perfectly with the tasty chicken breast and spicy chorizo sausage. Rachel Ray's recommended side dish of Spanish Potatoes and Kale was a great fit for the recipe as well. You can easily substitute any variety of potato (we used fingerlings) and play around with different cheeses (we used a blend of mozzarella, jack, and parmesan) to make use of items you already have on hand.

This is quality food and Don and I enjoyed this meal to our hearts content. Next time we make it though, we'll turn the stop watch off, open a nice bottle of wine and take our time separating out the procedures step by step so that we can enjoy the cooking process as much as we enjoy the eating process. For a full printout of the recipe please go to the following link at http://www.blogger.com/www.foodnetwork.com - Chicken and Chorizo Romesco with Spanish Potatoes and Kale.

Home Sweet BellingHome

2010-02-07T17:17:00.001-08:00

It's official. We're all moved in. Unpacked. Everything has a place. With Don gone at Gottacon all weekend, it gave me the opportunity to give everything a good enough tidying up to finally post some pictures. From here on out, the place will always be this organized and spotless. NOT!

The office. My home "away" from home is now about 10 steps from my bed (to the right). Working from home certainly has it's perks. Being able to roll out of bed and jump start my day with 10 minutes notice has definitely played a bit of a shift on my sleeping patterns which has allowed me to spend more time with Don, the night owl. He's done a good job of keeping up with my morning routine as well. He usually gets up about the same time as I do in the mornings. We take turns making each other coffee and on days when I'm really lucky, he may even whip me up a breakfast sandwich.

The Master Suite still makes me feel like I'm staying at an expensive resort. Taking up nearly a third of the square footage of the house, it contains said office, master bath with dual sinks, soaking tub, and stand up shower, his and hers closets, and plenty of square footage for bedroom furniture without over crowding. There's even a place to put the laundry baskets and dog beds without them getting in the way.

The biggest selling point of this house, as you can see, is the wide open floor plan.

The living room is spacious with lots of comfortable seating and good light.

The gas fireplace in the corner is set to a thermostat and puts out enough heat to keep this entire well insulated house warm. The dogs love to lay in front of it and soak up the warmth as you can imagine.

The built in dining set was a huge bonus considering that we had to leave our former table and chairs behind in California due to limited space in the Uhaul. The dining area has also been a great "Gaming Nook" with minis cabinet to the left and plenty of storage for gaming books, etc., under the cupboards to the right. The bench seating even opens up opens up to additional storage which is where we keep our board games.

And the kitchen is a dream come true! For as much as we cook, it's nice to finally have an open, inviting, functional kitchen with plenty of storage and working space. We had so much space in fact, although you can't see it from the pictures, we decided to put in a second fridge to the right of where I'm standing that we picked up on Craigslist. It has become a personal mission of mine to keep the attached island that separates the dining area from the kitchen from becoming a catch all for books, papers, and junkmail as it seems to be a magnet for this sort of thing. But see how pretty it is in the rare moments when it's clean!!!

The kitchen island was our own addition. Purchased from Ikea and assembled, finished, and sealed by Don himself, it was one of the few items we decided to drop a bit of cash on figuring we would certainly get our value out of it. And we haven't regretted the decision a bit. It has been a great workspace that we use daily and it is especially functional to be able to work from all sides when you have more than one cook in the kitchen.

Finally, as if it weren't enough for Don and I each to have our own separate offices for the first time in our adult life, we still had one last bedroom to use up. We'd really missed having a spare bedroom for guests like we did from our first home in California. So it feels good to finally have a comfortable space again to host friends and family. My sister Kristy and her dog, Emmy, have already been to visit twice (although, I apologize the room wasn't quite this put together yet), and now also with the hideabed in the living room as well, perhaps it's our turn to host the next Thanksgiving? :) But even more exciting, on the days of the week when we're not having overnight guests, it is so awesome to have my very own exercise room where I can go and close the door and not have to worry about working out in a common room and working around other people's schedules. The dresser is the perfect height to set my laptop on and watch DVD's while I run. And our stacked aerobics steps double as a nice bedside table for the lamp and alarm clock for our guests.

At some point I will get around to taking pictures of the exterior. We have a great porch and BBQ area, and a nice open deck that will be a fun place for outdoor dining in the spring and summer. But wanted to at least get these up while I could. Hope you enjoyed a sneak peak of our lovely BellingHome and let us know when you all wanna come and visit!

Wowie-Wow-Wow-Wow!

2010-02-01T21:50:00.000-08:00

There is an old Saturday Night Live sketch starring Christopher Walkin called "The Transcontinental" in which Walkin plays an unsuccessful ladies man where everything he does pretty much repels women. It is actually quite a brilliant sketch and if you have never seen it, well it's definitely worth a quick Google search and a YouTube viewing experience. The reason I bring it up now is because the catch phrase of the character is "Wowie-wow-wow-wow" and it is the first thing that pops into my head when I think of tonight's dinner. Let's just say, if my dinner were a lady's man, it would not be going home alone tonight, if ya know what I mean (wink, wink).

Tonight we decided to try Skirt Steak with Cipollini Onions from the Food Network website in honor of a fresh shipment of red cipollini onions from our Dandelion Organic Produce Delivery service. Please visit the website directly for a copy of the complete recipe.

Since the Community Food Co-op where we buy all our meat coes not carry skirt steak, we elected to go with a nice organic brisket instead since it was roughly about the size and shape we wanted.

Don, my dear knight in shining armor, got up early enough to prepare the slow cooker meal so that I didn't have to, and was even awake enough to remember to take pictures of the prep as he went. Good hubby! He started by coating the meat chunks in flour and then browning them on the stove top over high heat in small batches to avoid over crowding. When all the meat was done browning and nestled snugly in the crockpot, he set to work on the braising liquids.

While pan is still hot, add two cups of beef broth and one cup of red wine. Whisk well and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all the brown bits. Cook until liquid reduces by half and then add to the crockpot. For the red wine, we chose the 2005 Chuckanut Ridge Madrona, a personal favorite of ours purchased from a recent wine tasting event. Chuckanut Ridge Wine Company outsources it's grapes from Yakima Valley and then processes their wines at their facility in Ferndale. You can sample and purchase their wines at their tasting room in Bellingham, which also offers live music several days a week.

Next add 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns, and about a pound of whole trimmed red cipollini onions to the slow cooker. Cover and cook over low heat about 8 hours. Just before it's time to eat, add 3/4 cup roughly chopped green olives and simmer another 20 minutes before serving. Recommended: Serve over cooked rotini pasta tossed in butter and parsley with steamed broccoli. This would also be delicious over egg noodles.

Delicata Delicacy

2010-02-01T20:55:00.000-08:00

Squash is something that I still quite honestly do not get that excited about and do not really know what to do with. So that has probably been one of the bigger challenges for us in the BellingHome each week is trying to figure out what to do with this nutritious locally grown winter vegetable as it continues to arrive in our Dandelion Organic Delivery Box. They are a beautiful species in all their varieties, don't get me wrong, and they can make a fantastic centerpiece for a lovely fall tablescape with their bright, vivacious colors. But my current motivation lies in figuring out how to turn these eye poppers into mouthwatering treats and I'm still getting the hang of these colorful creations.

So far we've received in our deliveries a few Delicata Squashes, an Acorn Squash, and a couple of Spaghetti Squash. We tried baking the spaghetti squash and topping with a homemade pomodoro sauce. Not my favorite. The Acorn squash we served the old fasioned way, slow roasted in the oven with butter and brown sugar. How can you go wrong with that?

Delicata Squash (pictured to the right) has a long oval shape with a bumpy exterior and tends to be yellow in color with green and orange accents. With the first round of delicatas we made an awesome vanilla squash risotto that was more dessert than side dish. Lovely as it was, trying to peel a delicata squash wasn't something I wanted to tackle again any time soon with it's numerous grooves and indentations. I think that recipe is better reserved for a smooth squash like a butternut. So when I read on EatingWell.com this week that Delicatas have a thin enough skin that you can actually cook and eat it too when prepared right, I was game to try their recipe for Delicata Squash with Orange & Pistachios, peel and all made right on the stove top from start to finish. For a full recipe please visit their website via the link above.

The Recipe could not have been easier to prepare. Start by rinsing your squash thoroughly. Then cut in half lengthwise and scoop out all the seeds (or "vegetable guts" as I like to call them). Next, slice the squash thinly into half moon discs leaving peels in tact.

Heat some olive oil in a nonstick skillet and stir fry a thinly sliced shallot for two minutes until lightly browned. Then add sliced squash, 3/4 cup orange juice, some zest of orange, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook about 8 minutes until liquid is absorbed. Then remove lived and stir fry another 10 to 15 minutes until squash is tender and lightly browned. Garnish with roughly chopped salted pistachios (optional).

I was quite surprised at how good it was for how easy it was to prepare. True, it was not quite as exceptional as the risotto, but still quite tasty and for the amount of effort put in and I can assure you that we'll be making this super easy stove top stirfry mulitple times in the future before we get around to the risotto again.

Cindy's Ultimate Tuna Melt

2010-01-30T15:19:00.000-08:00

This impromptu recipe was born out of a need to use up our leftover Lemony Dill Carrot salad from last night. The website suggested that the salad pairs well with tuna, so I set about to create the ultimate tuna melt, and I kid you not, I'm pretty sure this is the best one on the planet.

Drain two small cans of chunk white albacore tuna. Using a folk to break up chunks, mix together tuna, 1 stalk of diced celery, 1 heaping tablespoon of mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Place about 3 tablespoons tuna salad mixture on half of a split toasted whole wheat english muffin. Place a tablespoon of Lemony Dill Carrot Salad mixture on top. Next top with diced avocado, and finally sprinkle a tablespoon each of shredded part skim mozzarella and Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese. Place on a baking sheet and heat under the broiler until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 2 to 4 minutes.

Braised Paprika Chicken and Mushrooms

2010-01-30T11:46:00.000-08:00

This is one of the best bone in chicken recipes I have ever tried. We were skeptical at first about the four whole cups of onions! But believe me, this recipes is tried and true. Do not doubt it. Once again, this was inspired by the Braised Paprika Chicken recipe from Eatingwell.com, but of course adjusted and improved by the Early's to the resulting goodness below. Our homemade chicken stock and locally purchased goats milk yogurt from Silver Springs Creamery helped take this recipe from delicious to divine. (Note: photo is not an exact replica as our camera was temporarily out of service!) We served with a roasted parsnip salad to be posted in the future.

Braised Paprika Chicken with Mushrooms

6 servings Active Time: 1 hour Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Ingredients

3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces, (thighs, drumsticks and/or breasts), skin removed, trimmed (see Tip)
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 cups finely diced onions
Pinch of sugar
8 ounces white button mushrooms, halved
1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, halved
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup goat milk yogurt from Silver Springs Creamery
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley

Preparation

Pat chicken pieces dry with paper towels and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Heat oil and butter in a large heavy casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onions and sprinkle with sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and light brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
Stir in mushrooms, tomato paste, paprika and crushed red pepper. Add the chicken and stir it gently into the onion mixture. Sprinkle with marjoram and add broth. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and simmer over medium-low heat until the chicken is very tender, about 50 minutes.
Just before the chicken is done, whisk yogurt, flour and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until smooth.
When the chicken is done, remove it to a plate. Stir the yogurt mixture into the sauce; return to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the sauce coats the spoon. Reduce heat to low, return the chicken to the sauce and reheat, about 1 minute. Serve garnished with parsley, dill and/or chives, if desired.