On a whim, we bought a pound of steamer clams on Sunday at the Farmer’s Market. I had a recipe in mind to try from a Ming Sigh episode on ginger & cream. It was a good recipe with mussels, I adjusted here and there and used half & half instead of heavy cream, added more coconut milk and served over rice. Add more green curry paste if you like it hotter…if you like it really hot, add some Thai bird chilies. Be sure you have some cool water or beer to drink nearby.
It really hit the spot since the weather turned cool again. I don’t know if our peppers, tomatoes and beans will ever make this year. Isn’t July supposed to be hot? 
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Tags: Community, cooking, cooking wisdom, Food, Learning, Recipe, Recipes, Teaching
This is one of the wonderful things that Alice Waters brought to California. A simple French tart with fruit. There are so many great cooks that made this kind of a recipe possible. I see Fannie, Julia and James here, too.
Easy to make and easy to eat. Oh, get the best apples you can, please? It’s almost apple season! The way I make it, it is a sweet/slightly salty tart. I use some tart and some sweet apples to help the galette be less juicy and more fruity. I like it that way. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Community, cooking, cooking wisdom, Food, Frugality, Learning, Recipe, Recipes, Teaching
I made this dish for the “End of School” Party for teachers and paraeducators at the school Sweetie worked at this year. It was a lovely party and I got to meet so many great teachers and paras that help our next generation to get an education.
Deviled eggs just seem to be something that one takes to a summer party. I don’t like the sweet and sloppy deviled eggs of my youth. I have been making this recipe for years in one form or another. I make the basics: eggs, mayo, mustard, salt and sometimes pepper, and add spices and herbs that will please the crowd I am making the dish for. You can, too! Just think of your guests and pick what you think they would like. Here’s my latest…. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Community, cooking, cooking wisdom, Food, Learning, Recipe, Recipes, Teaching
I have been playing around with puff pastry this month ever since I made an apple/raisin/nut strudel with it for my birthday. Since asparagus is in season now, I looked to my refrigerator, freezer and herb garden to come up with some interesting combinations of flavor to add. Here is a simple, creamy, cheesy, herby, tasty tart that you can make in under an hour. It keeps really well as leftovers and heats up in your toaster oven – microwave is less crispy but just fine.
The garden is growing like gangbusters. We increased the height of our boxes to 12″+ and have one more in the works. The lettuce starts that we planted are looking great and we’ll harvest some this week. It’s been so cold and rainy that we got a late start this year. However, our seedlings that are popping up are collards, kale, Olympia spinach, sweet pea, arugula, broccoli rabe, chard and New Zealand spinach. We also have three tomato starts that are looking good: Bush Goliath, Early Cascade and Oregon Spring. I can hardly wait! Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Community, cooking, cooking wisdom, Food, Learning, Recipe, Recipes, Teaching
Growing up in Oak Cliff, Texas, my parents would take me out to eat about once a quarter at the local Tex Mex restaurant. I loved the cheese enchiladas with chile gravy. Chile gravy is a Texas thing with ancho chiles and no meat is in it. Lovely, delicious goodness poured over rolled cheese enchiladas with a dab of refried beans and rice on the side. What more could a kid want?
Now that I live far away from my home state I have to make my own Tex Mex Meal. This dish can be a quick one if you have the ingredients at hand.
I make the chile gravy and freeze about 3/4 C portions in a muffin tin, pop them out and put them in a double freezer bag. They are there when the mood hits me. Cheese, onion, pickled jalapenos I always have some on hand. Cilantro? In my herb bed. Tortillas, love to stop by my local tortilla place and get the handmade ones fresh and warm!
You can put this meal together and cook it in less than 30 minutes. Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Community, cooking, cooking wisdom, Food, Frugality, Learning, Mexican food, Recipe, Recipes, Teaching
I am lucky enough to have two pantries in my kitchen. I have filled one with oils, vinegars, pastas, grains, dried beans, canned beans/tomatoes/exotic things like baby corn and bamboo shoots, dried peppers/mushrooms/shrimps/flowers, many different flours, crackers, many different rices among various things we have canned ourselves. Its good to have a variety of stuff in your pantry. Since I have the room, I buy things in multiples on sale or in bulk. I have 20 lbs of dried pintos, 25 lbs of jasmine rice, 25 lbs of white sugar and 20 lbs of baking soda in my pantry. I use all of these things on a regular basis and I am happy to have them in my pantry. I can pull out a meal with things from my freezers and pantries and make a meal in no time. You can do this too, even if you designate a box under the bed or the bottom of a closet box to store some of your catch in.
This happens to be one of those meals. I had some spinach & cheese ravioli, lemon zest and zucchini in the freezer, a can of diced tomatoes, a jar of bruchetta, a jar of capers and a tub of lovely, fresh green olives in the pantry. I was ready to cook! Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Community, cooking, cooking wisdom, Food, Frugality, Learning, Recipe, Recipes, Teaching
Sorry I’ve been away so long. On a mini vacation and then sick with the hacking cough and upper respiratory ICK! But, I’m back!
We had a really nice and sunny mini vacation on the mid Oregon coast near Tillamook. We walked on the beach, visited the Cape Mearnes Lighthouse and spent a day in Tillamook at the Cheese Factory and toured the Tillamook Air Museum. This is a great museum if you love planes and large structures. It’s where they kept many blimps during WWII, and is the largest wooden structure in the world. They now display over 30 warbird planes there. At the Blue Heron French Cheese Company, we had lunch with a baby grand piano being played for our entertainment. They have wonderful cheeses and wine and especially Oregon wines you can purchase at the place or on the internet. This is where I had the Cream of Spinach Soup. So, when sweetie and I got sick, I just had to try and recreate this warm, creamy and filling delight. Read the rest of this entry »
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OMG, OMG, OMG!!!
This is the best sandwich ever!!! You just cannot believe what a freshly baked baguette and lovely ingredients do to make a savory sandwich. Yummy, yummy, yummy!!!
The baguette is fairly easy but making the bread takes three days with a little fiddling and not too much hands on time. The sandwich fixings are mostly refrigerator stuff with fours extras. You won’t be sorry if you try this.
And that olive thing in the back between the halves? My pickled okra. That was yummy, too! Read the rest of this entry »
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I had some broccoli and red bell pepper that needed using up and since we have been cooking a lot of Italian dishes out of Lidia’s Cookbook, I had inspiration to throw this dish together.
Some people like a very creamy casserole, some like it less creamy, I’m one of those. Growing up I had lots and lots of very creamy, almost soupy elbow macaroni and spaghetti casseroles. It seems like American cooks didn’t know about other kinds of pasta!
As an adult, I’ve been adventurous in my pasta, and now I am venturing into making my own from scratch. Woo-Hoo! Read the rest of this entry »
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I have been making soda bread for about 30 years and a lovely brown bread from a recipe of a restaurant in western Galway. This soda bread is more a Cork recipe. The caraway seeds are used sparingly on special occasions. I think St. Patty’s Day is one to use them. Do use the Kerrygold butter in the mix, if you can find it in your area, it just adds another layer of flavor.
This bread is easy to make and easy to keep, and, with a pat of Kerrygold spread on top, delicious! Read the rest of this entry »
Tags: Community, cooking, cooking wisdom, Food, Frugality, Learning, Recipe, Recipes, Teaching