The Ties That Bind

One thing that I love about food is the way that it can bring people together.  There is some sort of connection in my brain between food and happy moments.  Show me an anise biscotti and I think of my mom at Christmas when I was young and the many loaves of warm, licorice scented, almond studded cookies she turned out for friends and family.  A mimosa immediately puts me in a sailboat, whistling across Bellingham Bay with my dear friend JJ, her mom and dad, my mom, each of us with a mimosa in hand.  Joyfully, my land locked, ranch-raised, adorable husband is at the helm for the first time in his life, with the biggest grin ever.

I spent yesterday with my aunt, her mom, my cousin's wife and my daughter making relish.  No, this post is not going to be about the relish; however, it is amazing and it does bring wonderful thoughts of family to mind.  This story is actually about a quiet, unsuspecting bystander. While waiting for our vegetable mixture to boil, my daughter and I noticed a piece of dessert wrapped up tightly in a dish on the counter. Evidently, my cousin's wife had discovered a recipe and made a sour cherry and rhubarb crisp the night before.  While we polished off the last piece of crisp I begged for the recipe.  Now, this is a recipe that memories are made of!

Rhubarb Sour Cherry Crisp

By The Canadian Living Test Kitchen

roll over and click star to rate

If you use fresh sour cherries, soaking isn't necessary.

This recipe makes 8 servings

Nutritional information available online.

Ingredients

1 cup11 Cupcup 1 cup pitted sour cherries or dried sour cherries6 cups 6

cups 6 cups sliced fresh rhubarb or frozen rhubarb, (thawed) 1 cup 1 cup

 1 cup granulated sugar 2 Tbsp tbsp

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Topping:

1 cup 11 cup cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup 2/32/3 cup cup granulated sugar

1 1 pinch ground nutmeg

pinch cinnamon

1 pinch 1 pinch pinch  cipi1 pinch 1 pinch pinsalt1/3 cup 1/3

1/3 cup cup cold butter, cubed

Preparation:

If using dried cherries, soak in boiling water for 15 minutes; drain and set aside.

In large bowl, toss together rhubarb, cherries, sugar and flour; spread in lightly greased 8-inch (2 L) square glass baking dish.

Topping: In bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt ; using pastry blender, cut in butter until crumbly. Press into small clumps.

 Scatter over rhubarb mixture.

Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven for about 45 minutes or until bubbling and topping is golden and crisp.

Some of my topping sunk under all the wonderful juice of the fruit.  Not to worry! The juices thicken and create this amazing tart, sweet filling and the topping (whether on top or not) provide the perfect sweet contrast.  You must make this and create a wonderful new memory, tonight!

My Path

My Path

I love to follow a path.  The town where I grew up, Bellingham, is recognized for having a great many paths winding about within the city limits.  There are paths for walkers and joggers, paths for bicycles, paths for motorcycles, even paths for horses.  My favorite path in Bellingham encircles the small lake where I used to swim as a child.  It is a nice wide path, providing plenty of room for faster movers to pass as well as providing a sense of safety.  There are places along the way that take you quite close to the shoreline. On sunny days the glimmer of light across the surface of the water is divine. You may even catch a glimpse of a jumping fish or a bird in flight, swooping for the bugs that hover over the water.  Other sections of the path wind through a deeply wooded forest of Douglas fir, maple, and other various trees.  The shade is a welcome coolant during the summer months and during a rain storm, the thick branches overhead serve as a protective shelter.  Another thing I really enjoy about this path is that it has a few hills that provide variety, challenge and a sense of accomplishment on my journey. 

Sometimes there are obstacles or features that make a path less desirable to me.  We have a beautiful aspen grove that borders our driveway.  The beauty of the quaking leaves catches my eye, especially on a hot August afternoon.  There is a small creek that meanders through the trees and the tempting song of the water across the rocks calls to me.  The underbrush is thick and in many spots you would have to be a rabbit to make progress unscathed.   One year, my dear husband cleared a narrow path for me just so I could wander out and enjoy the cool shade of the grove.  Unfortunately, the local bear population hears the same tune. They love to forge their way through and lie down in the shallow water and sleep away the afternoon.  Not an obstacle I wish to contend with, so that path is now overgrown and untraveled.

Each of us has to choose our own path. Yes, I am adding a philosophical twist to this discussion.   Looking back, I have to acknowledge that I did not follow the exact path my parents dreamed for me.  I know their deepest and strongest hopes and prayers were for my sister and me to be happy and healthy; and a college education would not hurt.  I am confident that there were times when they saw obstacles in my path that I did not or would not acknowledge.  Some of those obstacles provided me with pain and lessons learned the hard way.  Others proved not to be obstacles at all, and I was able to keep cruising along without a struggle.

 As a parent, I now face learning to let my children choose their own path.  In the early years it is our responsibility to teach our children how to walk and go out into the world. We are careful to steer them clear of obstacles and point them in the right direction.  As they get older the obstacles change, instead of a sharp edged table or the business end of a grumpy cat, there are skipped classes, speeding cars, drugs, and heartbreaking loves.  We do all we can to teach the basics; be kind, respect others, eat your vegetables, etc.  There comes a time when we have to let go and trust that they will find their own path. It is a personal journey.  “Your word is lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm 119.105 NRSV) Note the “my” as opposed to “the” or “mom’s” path?  Hear my prayers, Oh Lord.

Gettting Snappy about Spring

Yes! It's raining, people. It's not snow. I love this. I can actually see dirt on the hill behind our house.

This calls for something a little sweet and snappy, molasses cookies. I think I will crumble one over some sliced peaches that I froze last fall.   I'm feeling ambitious on this spectacular day. Not only will I make molasses cookies with an attitude, I will make a second batch that is gluten free. Just because I love my GF friends. Both will have just a little crunch on the outside and then a chewy center will overcome your tastebuds with molasses and spice. Double the ginger, ground & crystalized, will ensure a nice zing.

I will use some of my favorite ingredients:

Crystallized ginger (sometimes called candied ginger). It comes in slices that have been simmered in a simple syrup and then coated in sugar. I have chopped it for this recipe.

Turbinado sugar: a less processed sugar that is coarse and still has some of the natural molasses left in it.  I like it in cookies for a little texture or crunch. I also like to sprinkle it on top of fruit cobblers or scones.

Snappy Molasses Cookies, (makes 16 large cookies)

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 Tablespoon chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper (trust me on this one)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1/2 cup softened butter (not melted)
1/4 cup shortening
1/3 cup + 1 Tablespoon turbinado sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar + 1/3 cup for coating cookies
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup molasses

Preheat oven to 375°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine flour, baking soda, spices, crystallized ginger, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk well to combine. Set aside.

In a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer add butter, shortening and both sugars. Mix well using electric beaters or a stand mixer for about 1 minute. Add vanilla and molasses to mixing bowl and blend well. Add dry ingredients and mix just until flour is incorporated. There should not be any flour pockets left. The dough will be wet but not stick to your fingers.

Place remaining 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in a small bowl.  Divide dough into 16 - 1 1/2 inch balls.  Roll each ball of cookie dough in the sugar to coat. Place 8 cookies on the baking sheet, leaving about ample space between each cookie.  Bake in 375°F oven for 10-11 minutes. When done they will have cracks in the top and be just golden brown on the edges.  Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes and then move to a cooling rack or waxed paper. Repeat until all cookies are baked.  Enjoy!

Gluten Free Snappy Molasses Cookies

Use recipe above with the following alterations:
Replace the flour with your favorite gluten free flour blend and increase to 2 1/2 cups.
Add 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum with the dry ingredients
All other ingredients remain the same.
Follow all other instructions as listed above.

Can you tell the difference?

Welcome Spring!!!

Ahhh, more snow.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

I obviously cannot change the fact that it is snowing, even though I am completely ready to see my daffodils peeking their heads through the cold earth.  I am going to choose to use a bit of wisdom to recognize the "difference", quit my whining, smile, and......bake bread. :)

10- Grain Sandwich Bread,



made with 10-grain cereal and a little left over mashed potato for a nice moist crumb.  It also has pumpkin seed, raw sunflower seeds and flax seeds mixed in.  It is really good toasted. Trust me.

Rosemary Potato Bread

I wish you were in my kitchen and could smell this. Fresh rosemary gently perfumes the entire loaf.  I also used biga, a starter, that adds a wonderful depth to the flavor.  It is amazing fresh out of the oven with its nice crispy crust (not the kind that rips up the roof of your mouth).  I brushed it with a little olive oil right before putting it in to bake and voilà!

While I am enjoying my snowy day I might as well dig in and celebrate Fat Tuesday!

Pralines anyone?

Sweet salty yumminess wrapped around whole pecans.

Jumbalya for dinner. Bring your mask and beads!

For my GF friends

I have been slow to post this one, sorry about that. Friend security, perhaps...you know, like job security. You are all worth it and I know you love me. Either that or you would just rather have me make them?  This is my version of a Mandelbrot, which is a sort of Jewish twice baked cooky.  Yes, that is how you spell cooky. Recall your elementary language arts class and the rule for pluralization.  What do you do to "y"? Change it to "ie" and add an "s".  I agree, it looks funny. 

Gluten Free Cinnamon Biscotti with Chocolate

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup olive oil
2 eggs, preferrably Free Range Organic
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (a must in GF baking, if you do not use it here your cookies will fall apart)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose Gluten Free Flour Blend (Gluten Free Mama Almond Blend is a wonderful option)
1 Tablespoon cinnamon (I prefer a good quality such as Saigon Cinnamon - Costco carries it)
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup good quality dark chocolate or semi-sweet chips (I prefer Ghiradelli 60% cocoa - chopped into smaller pieces)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Begin by chopping the chocolate - set aside. Combine baking powder, xanthan gum, GF flour and cinnamon in a medium bowl and stir with a whisk to mix well. In a large bowl combine the sugar, oil, eggs, vanilla, and salt - stir well. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir well until no flour pockets remain. stir in the chocolate and nuts.  The batter will look wetter than a normal cookie dough, this is normal for GF batter.  I find it helpful to let it sit for about 5 minutes to allow some of the moisture to be absorbed by the flours.  If the batter looks really runny add another 1/4 of a cup of your flour blend and stir well. It will be sticky but it should be able to hold its shape when you put it on the baking sheet.

Divide the dough in half and use each half to form a flat log about 10 inches long and 4 inches wide.  Bake in a 350°F for 25 minutes.  Remove baking sheet from oven and turn temperature down to 325°F.  Let the logs cool for about 10 minutes and then slice carefully into 1 inch slices with a long knife.  Gently turn each cookie onto its cut side and place baking sheet back into the oven for and additional 10 minutes. Remove baking sheet from the oven and allow cookies to cool.  Store cookies in an airtight container for up to two weeks or freeze for several months.  These make great gifts, just ask my friends! :)  As well, these biscotti are a wonderful way to start your morning with a cup of coffee.

Enjoy!

A Chicken in Every Pot

Mmmmm, chicken for dinner. What a lovely thing. Not too heavy, it makes the house smell welcoming, and you can dress it up in so many different ways.  I am going to add a small chicken coop to my garden this spring and have been thinking through design plans.  It started out as a small enclosure on wheels so that I can move it around in my garden. The chickens will always be enclosed and safe from the plethora of predators that we have here on the ranch but they will have a roost, nesting boxes, and plenty of room to walk around and hunt for bugs and grass and other goodies.  This should house about 5 chickens comfortably and will supply us with plenty of our own eggs. 
Then I make the mistake of continuing to think on this subject. This is probably one of my biggest downfalls, yes, thinking.  Go ahead laugh.  "Boy, it would be really nice to supply our own chicken meat as well", I say innocently.  "Hmm, let's see we eat chicken about 3 times per week. We had thighs last night, hmmm, how many thighs does a chicken have? Two, of course.  There are four of us, so I would probably cook up eight thighs to help cover lunches the next day....that's four chickens worth of thighs!"
I took a great cooking class in Bellingham, WA and the chef mentioned that in Italy cooks will make a whole chicken stretch to cover three meals. "WHAT!"  Ok, yes, I'm American, I could eat less, but three meals out of one chicken??? He went on to explain that the first day the chicken would be poached or roasted and the meat de-boned. The carcass would be simmered with carrots, onion, celery and herbs to make a nice stock.  Two thirds of the meat or so would be used for a meal the first night. The second meal, the remainder of the meat would be used to make a pasta dish and the third meal would consist of a soup made from the stock.
The great thing about this is that buying a whole chicken at the grocery store is substantially less expensive and you are being a great steward of nature by effectively utilizing the whole animal.  Just by this method I have trimmed down my consumption from three chickens per week to one. Excellent!  Can you see where this is headed though...train wreck on track number 4.  One chicken per week x 52 weeks..."ummmm, no, I do not want 52 chickens in my backyard." That is a lot of chickens! Have you thought about that before? I had never thought that one through in that way. I would need a chicken mansion.
Utilizing my new and improved scaling back attitude, I am going back to the cute little, movable 5 chicken house.  I'm so proud of myself.

I have a great trick for you.  Next time you buy chicken, get a whole chicken and try this out.  It is a great way to spend less and get a product that has been processed less (it's not cut up at the factory) and have a wonderful meal on the table in less time than what you might think.  One struggle I have experienced with using a whole chicken is that it really does take longer to cook. They do not always cook evenly and can be hard to tell when they are done.  Here's a trick to try.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Get your kitchen scissors, a baking dish for the chicken and place your garbage can right next to your feet.  You do not want to be wandering around the kitchen touching things once you start working with raw chicken.
Remove your whole chicken from the plastic wrapping. I like to do this right in the sink to limit the mess.  Carefully, reach inside and remove the heart, giblets, neck, etc.  Set them aside.  I usually do not use them unless I am making a gravy. You can use the neck with the remainder of the bones when you make your chicken stock, if you wish.  Rinse the bird with cold water, inside and out. Again, being careful of sharp bones.  You need a good pair of kitchen scissors for this.   Basically, what you are going to do is cut out the backbone so that you can lay the chicken out flat. This really helps the chicken cook more evenly and quickly. 

Make the first cut, from head to tail up one side of the back bone.

Turn the bird around and make the second cut right up the other side.

Stay as close to the backbone as possible while making the cuts.  Once you have removed the backbone you can open the bird up almost flat,

If you were here in my kitchen I would show you how this chicken can dance.

Place your chicken in your baking dish and clean up your sink or the area where you have been working.  Wash your hands well. 

I like to make a rub with
1 Tablespon cumin
1 teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground mustard

Mix all of this in a small bowl. Using your hand, rub the spice mixture all over the chicken, between the skin and the meat.  This locks in the flavor, nicely.  Rub a bit of the spice mixture on the outside of the skin as well. Arrange your chicken breast up and as flat as possible, you may need to press down on it to help it a bit.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for about one hour, check for doneness in the breast with a meat thermometer. The chicken is done when the juices run clear. 

If you have time the morning of your chicken dinner you can prepare a brine to soak your chicken in for 4-6 hours. This really adds a lot of flavor and moisture.

I used about 8 cups of cold water, 1 cup of kosher salt, 1 cup of brown sugar, 1 Tablespoon black peppercorns, 1 teaspoons red pepper flakes, 1 Tablespoon cumin, 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika.   Mix to dissolve salt and sugar, place chicken in brine and put entire pot in the refrigerator for 4-6 hours. When ready, remove your chicken from the brine and discard the brine.  Rinse your chicken briefly and proceed with instructions above for rub.

Enjoy!

Tweet!

I am happy to announce, to myself, that I made a discovery. It's like one of those feel good books where you find out "that one thing" you have been looking for has been right inside you the whole time. I never lost my whistle, it was right here the whole time. No flashy music or fireworks.

The real issue here is USING my whistle. I need to blow my whistle.  However, I don't care for the tattle tale connotation that this term can generate.  So, let's agree not to let it be that. 

Back in the day, Mom and Dad gave me and the sis each a plastic whistle (mine was white with blue stripe) that was to be tied to our backpack.  We went on some lovely back country hiking trips when we were kids. Being responsible parents, they had emergency plans in place.  If ever we found ourselves "lost" or in trouble, all we had to do was blow our whistle and help would be on the way.

I am blowing my whistle. "TWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET"  For myself, on myself, to myself.

For years and years I have been so caught up in pleasing people and being worryied about what others think that I have lost myself in the equation.  This is an interesting study.  I have fought extra pounds around my waist, cooked lots of food, bought this or that, went here or there and set grand goals.  All valid actions taken generally taken for the wrong reasons.  How will this make me look?  How can I gain the appreciation of others?  Will I fit in when I accomplish this?

Today is a new day. Today I will begin to dismantle this filter that I have been running things through.  I will slow down and spend time listening, feeling, appreciating what I will do and why.

My first priority is my health. Without good health and a strong sense of wellbeing I can see, no, I know, how challenging everything else will be. If I bust my butt to get fit, which I have done many times over, because I am angry about how I LOOK, it is going to be a constant battle. And a painful one at that. I check myself in the mirror, I judge my progress by what I think others see or say, all external, all superficial.  The real, concrete, objective issues, and solutions, are deeper, inside.  I believe that if I work from there the external will be a revelation of internal health. I will look. I will listen. I will discover.

This hit me when I opened a catalog last week from Athleta.  Now, I have looked at hundreds of catalogs and had different thoughts, but this time it clicked.  From "Ooo, I like that outfit, I want to look like her" to "I want to FEEL like that woman looks; strong, peaceful, graceful."

I will pause.  I will question the origin of my thought processes.  This will not happen fast, this will be a journey that I will savor and enjoy.  I will emerge healthier, peaceful, stronger, joyful.

This is day 1.





 

The life of a farm cat

We like to keep a cat or two around on the farm for several reasons, primarily to keep the rodent population down.  They can be good companions, but life on the farm consists strictly of outdoor living and a generally short life span due to the coyote and bobcat population.

My husband will tell you that he doesn't like cats; part of this is due to the sneezes and watery eyes that follow any interaction.  Just as Murphy's Law would state, most of our cats migrate to him.  Trapper was no different; a sleek, black furred character. He truly had 9 lives, returning to the homestead numerous times after long stints of walk-about.

We had a wood pile out in the back yard and when Mike would go out to fill the woodbox Trapper would be waiting on top of the pile, purring and prancing in circles. Leaning over to pick up a piece of wood, Mike's shoulder would become prime perching acreage. Up the cat would leap, making himself at home on broad shoulders.  At first, Mike wasn't too sure about this arrangement. Trapper appeared to be part parrot. Perfectly at home high above the ground, pacing from right shoulder to left, drawing the entire length of his body against the back of Mike's head.  Not being one to stand still for more than 5 seconds, Mike would get back to the task at hand. A large, gentle hand would lower the cat back to the ground.  A load of wood to the box, back to the wood pile and the prancing cat repeated his act.  Losing a little patience, Mike decided to let the pest figure out that perching during chores is not wise.  Cat on shoulder, Mike leans down to finish loading wood into his arms. Hmmm, Trapper creatively keeps put. Now, curious how long this can last, Mike continues to pack wood into his arms, walk to the house and return to the woodpile, occasionally an eye slipping to the side to see where the cat stands.  This becomes a ritual. Man and cat.

Trapper was also part Labrador Retriever.  Many times, we would be hiking out on our property and we would see a sudden flash out of the corner of our eye.  No fear, its only Trapper coming along, on his own terms mind you, but following along just like "Man's best friend".

Trapper disappeared one summer afternoon, never to return from that walk-about. Rumors of his continued existence surfaced late this last fall; a mirage of a black cat at the back of the barn.

We went a few months without a cat, hoping that Trapper would return.  It became apparent that he wouldn't be back this time and that we should probably see if any friends had kittens that needed a home. It didn't take long for a litter to pop up and two kittens came home with us.  Brother and sister were preciously cute. Brother was very outgoing and brave, sister was shy and cautious.  Brother didn't last, disappearing one night within two weeks of arriving. This is always a sad fact of life, which can happen rather quickly on the farm. A few evenings later there was a late night, frantic knock on our door. "THERE'S SOMETHING OUTSIDE!! Pacing in front of the woodshed! The kitten's howling! Come quick!" 

Caution is necessary in this situation. Who knows what might be out there. In our neck of the woods it could be anything from a coyote to a cougar or a bear.  Mike grabbed the shotgun and went to the window to catch a glimpse of the intruder.  A sleek body, fuzzy ears and a stubby tail pacing patiently yet eagerly, back and forth, eyes intent on the top row of stacked wood.  No kitten visible. Two growling felines.

Mike was able to scare away the bobcat that night and the grateful kitten lived to see another day.  A few months later our son brought home a younger sibling of our now fast growing cat.  The two were not fast friends. We had to make some adjustments to help "Tiger" feel at home.

Mildred's big sister was very upset at us for bringing home this small, nuisance of a thing. She did get over it and become quite attached, almost like mother and daughter. Instinct I suppose. However, Big Sis disappeared like so many before her and Mildred has been very slow to recover. The biologist in me wonders if shes....how do I put this.....a little slow.  She didn't seem to be growing much at all. Maybe she was the runt of her litter?  Her shape is quite odd. Our son simply refers to her as "Football". She is small, quite pear shaped and most peculiarly, her tail is still kitten sized.

Poor Mildred was showing absolute no sign of natural "catness". (yes, that is a word)  There is no crouching at small movements in the grass around her. No intent staring at small birds fluttering about.  She sits at the door and waits for us. When we come home she is waiting in the carport and when we go into the house she darts to the back door and perches on the woodbox so that she can see into the kitchen and watch her people. If anyone of us steps outside she purrs, sings precious little meow songs and sits on our feet.

I feel ridiculous admitting my thoughts that someone obviously needs to teach her some cat skills so she can make something of herself.  Someone needs to teach this girl how to stalk a grasshopper, how to spy a bird, to chase a mouse or chipmunk. Perhaps I am that someone.

OK, yes, our son went off to college, I worry, I miss him, but I am not projecting this on to the cat. PLEASE!  Really, don't you think someone should work with Mildred?

She really doesn't know what to do.  Here is a perfectly good mousey toy with a feather tail and all she can do is sit.

Huh! Wait, she's checking it out. She's reaching.  A few simple demonstration rounds and she's curious. No, I did not take pictures of this part. Sorry, folks.

Go Girl!  Get it! Pounce, pounce!  Maybe there's hope for our dear Mildred.

Oh yea baby!  She's got this!

My family can't decide if it is funnier watching Mildred dance or me laugh and take pictures.

Either way, life is good!

Fiesta Fish

The winter doldrums are setting in.  For those of us lost in a sea of white snow and fog, seed catalogs and light, colorful, summery food can work miracles.

Last night I needed one of these meals.  Good fish can be a challenge to find, no fish monger here. I watch closely for what moves through our markets and when something looks good I nab it.  Fresh, USA wild caught cod fit the bill yesterday! My opinion, humble but all mine, is that you should not worry about what kind of fish to use in this. The MOST important thing here is freshness and quality. I prefer USA wild caught, no color added.  (REALLY - color?!)  If you aren't sure about how to pick out fish, ask. If you are lucky enough to have a fish monger - great! If not, the meat cutter in your grocery store is certainly a good candidate.  Alton Brown has a great 10 minute video that is packed with info: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln-sCyclzJs

I went to the freezer section for some assistance with the "fiesta" aspect of my fish dish and found a great blend of black beans, corn, poblano peppers, red peppers, and onions. Perfect!   I'm out of the store and on my way to a quick, healthy, and warm weather inspiring supper.

Point of clarification.  I am going to use brown rice in my recipe. Brown rice does take a little longer to cook due to that nutritious hull that it has.  I think the extra 10 minutes is completely worth the health benefits and I love the nutty taste. I also added a bit of wild rice (which is actually a grass) for texture and flavor. You can stick with all brown rice or substitute white rice for all of the rice.

Fiesta Fish
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds fresh fish fillets
14 oz bag of frozen black bean and corn blend (Ultimate SW blend from Birds Eye is fantastic)
1 cup brown rice
1/4 cup wild rice
2 1/2 cups water
1 Tablespoon organic no-salt seasoning (Kirkland brand is my go-to blend)
1/2 cup salsa verde or your favorite salsa
Olive Oil for pans
salt and pepper as needed for seasoning

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Add 2 teaspoons of olive oil to a small sauce pan and set over medium high heat. Add brown and wild rice to pan.

3. Add 1 Tablespoon of organic no-salt seasoning to pan.

4. Stir with a wooden spoon to gently toast the grains of rice for about 1-2 minutes.  This adds a nice nutty flavor.  Do not let the rice burn.  Add the 2 1/2 cups of water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cover pan with a snug fitting lid.  Careful, the rice is hot and when you add the water it may jump, bubble and steam.   That might make a cool dance.  Set your timer for 35 minutes.

5. Remove your fish from its packaging and blot it dry with a paper towel.  Add a bit of olive oil to an oven proof baking dish.  Add the fish to your dish, gently rolling it over to get a bit of oil on all surfaces of the fish. Season lightly with salt and pepper.  Let your fish rest for a few minutes.

6.  Pour a glass of wine or your favorite beverage and have a seat for a minute. Breathe and smell the wonderful smells coming from your kitchen. Enjoy this moment.

7.  When your timer has about 18 minutes left on it put the fish to the oven and have a seat again.

8. With about 12 minutes left on your timer, add the black bean and corn mix to a microwavable safe dish. Add 1/2 cup of salsa verde and stir to combine. Cover with microwave safe lid and cook according to your microwave's directions. Mine has a frozen veg setting that takes about 10 minutes for a 14 oz bag. Check once during this time and stir to ensure you aren't over cooking. You don't want shriveled up fiesta salsa. That just wouldn't do.

9. Peek at your fish in the oven and see how it is doing. Over done fish is dry and unappetizing. You want it to still be moist.  Test for doneness by poking the fish with a fork. If you twist the fork the fish should flake nicely when it is done.  This may happen before your timer goes off or it may take another minute or two.  Just keep an eye on it.

10. When the timer goes off, the rice should be done. I like to check mine by taking a little bite and making sure it has a bit of firmness left in it but certainly not hard.

11. To serve your lovely meal place a half cup or so of the rice onto each plate, add a piece of fish to each and then top off with a scoop of the bean and corn blend. Tah dah!

Can you see the steam coming off this beautiful dish?  It feels like summer in here!  Enjoy!

What do I see?

Out for a walk, along our country road. Looking down, so I don't slip, of course. Deep in thought.  "I hope our son is doing well.  Am I ridiculous to be resigning from a job in this economy? Oh my gosh, when is the last time I dusted the ceiling fan?"  A sound breaks my train of thought and lifts my head.  I look to the west.

"Argh! What was that noise?"   This can be a serious question out here.  "Is it a large beast, stalking me?"  Probably not.  "What do I see?"  Oh my gosh there are a lot of cow pies out there and it's so bland and white. "Look further."  Wow! Notice the graceful, bare branched aspen and cottonwood trees?  "Look beyond that."  The deep green of the ponderosa and douglas fir, the deep blue of a clear January sky. Beautiful!  The cows are all lined up, basking in the morning sun, waiting for the fearless leader to bring their breakfast.

Why are the cow pies the first thing I noticed?  There are always cow pies, is that really what I want to catch my attention?  Of course not.

I will look beyond, look up and let the beauty and wonder in life be that which catches my attention.

Have an absolutely lovely day!

Not so fast, food

I need a satisfying meal to take on the go. Our daughter’s athletic events take us on the road a couple nights per week.  I watched enough of “Food Inc.” to know that I really want to avoid the fast food places. Plus, it gets expensive.  Even when we have done this I think my tongue actually went numb. In general, the quick food out there is not particularly tasty.  I’m sure my college age son would tell me he could eat out with $1.08 at some fantastic Mexi-American establishment and live to see the next day.
  

Tipoff is at 6:00 and the game is an hour from home.  Dinner needs to transport well.  In reality we will either picnic a la Subaru or enjoy our sack supper in the bleachers. Plus, my daughter will need a bit of nourishment after the game.  I swear we eat at the table at least twice per week, really.  Something healthy, simple, and on-the-go is what is needed here.   Am I alone in this predicament?  I think not. 

Alton Brown, my favorite cooking scientist, has a recipe for pocket pies.  Think homemade toaster pastry or Pop Tart.  While these are amazing and have their place, I want something healthier. The premise is good. A sturdy crust, a filling that stays neatly inside and you can hold it in your hand.

Did I mention that one of the members of our extended family seems to have an allergy to gluten? I have tried a gluten free diet in the past and while I don’t believe I have an allergy, it certainly enriched my baking repertoire.  An interesting tidbit, many people who have sensitivities (NOT CELIAC) to gluten can tolerate spelt quite well. No, this is not the newest fad accessory that you wear at your waist with your knee length sweater.  Spelt is an ancient grain that was around way before wheat and has not been hybridized or genetically messed around.  I find it sweeter and softer to work with.

Are you still with me? Back to the recipe… I am going to go with a crust that is more pizza crust (lower fat) than pastry (yummy, but fat).  Spelt will be my grain of choice for this adventure.  

I like to do things from the beginning steps, from scratch.

Spelt berries

Pouring spelt into my grain mill

Tah Dah, spelt flour. I’m magic, huh?  Not really.

Katie’s Savory Hand Pie

Dough:

1 packet of yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons) I use active dry yeast

1 ½ cups very warm water (hot enough, but it shouldn’t burn your finger if you dip it in there)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

3 ½ cups of spelt flour or whole wheat flour

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon each of dried thyme, oregano, and basil

1 Tablespoon honey

Cornmeal for dusting baking sheets or Parchment paper

Fillings:

1 cup of pizza/pasta sauce or ranch dressing, whichever you prefer.

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1 - 16 oz package of all natural lunch meat, pepperoni, left over shredded chicken, etc.

Instructions:

1.       Measure your yeast into a small bowl and add the warm water right in there with it.  This will ensure that your yeast is alive and well. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.

2.       The yeast should become foamy.  If it does not foam your yeast is dead and gone and you should replenish it with new yeast.  Sorry.

3.       Pour your lovely, foamy mixture into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer along with the 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 3 cups of the flour. You will gradually add more flour as you need it.

4.       Add the ½ teaspoon salt to your mixing bowl.  Yeast does not tolerate direct contact with salt very well.  I like to add the salt on top of the flour. Add the dried spices to the mixing bowl. Now, take a minute to enjoy this. Stick your nose down near the rim of your bowl and take a deep breath. Mmmmm, the spices smell good. Can you identify the smell of each one? Can you smell the yeast doing its thing?

5.       Stir the mixture vigorously with your favorite stirring utensil or use the paddle attachment for your stand mixer.

6.       When all the dry ingredients have been incorporated into the wet, take a look.  Is your mixture still pretty wet and sticky? Touch it if you are not sure. If it sticks to your fingers it is too wet.

7.      Ooo, I forgot 1 tablespoon honey, in it goes. Not a big deal.  Mix well to combine and add more flour if you need to.

 8.     As necessary, add more flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until your dough comes together in a soft ball and cleans the sides of the bowl as you stir. The dough should be tacky, but not stick to your fingers.

 9.     When it looks and feels right, pull the dough out of your mixing bowl and put it in a lightly greased, medium sized bowl. Swirl the ball of dough around in the bowl to coat it with a little oil. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel or a piece of plastic wrap.  Let it sit in a warm place for about an hour or until the dough is about twice as big as it was.

It is winter here and cold, so sometimes I put my rising dough right by the wood stove.  I have never been really picky about the rising of pizza crust dough. I know this step builds great flavor and texture in the dough.  But sometimes a girl wants fresh pizza dough but doesn’t want to wait for 2 hours or more.  The nice thing about pizza crust is that you are not depending upon dough that raises high like a loaf of bread. Please don’t hold this against me. This is still going to taste way better than just about anything pre-made.

10.   When your dough is ready, grab it with one hand, in the bowl, and gently push down, roll it over, push down, again, maybe five times. You are de-gassing your dough by breaking up those big air bubbles that the lovely yeast created. Let your dough sit for a minute and relax while you get out a rolling pin and mat to roll out your dough.

11.   Preheat your oven to 425 degrees and prepare two baking sheets with either a sprinkling of cornmeal or a piece of parchment paper to prevent sticking.

12.   Dust a little flour on your mat or counter top and place the dough on the surface.  Add a little flour to the top of the dough.  Roll the dough out into a large rectangle, about 20” x 15”.

13.   Cut the rectangle into 12 – 5” x 5” squares.

14.   Add your toppings on to one half of each square: sauce, meat, cheese, maybe even sneak in a couple spinach leaves.

15.   Gently, pick up one edge of the dough and stretch it up and over the toppings to the opposite edge.  The un-sauced edges are easier to seal.  If the toppings are trying to sneak out, just poke them back in there. Place each folded hand pie on to prepared baking sheet.

My dough is a little sticky, so I added flour to my finger tips to help with the situation. They do not need to look perfect.  They do not need to look perfect.  (I realize I said this twice, I’m reminding myself)

16.   Brush each pie with just a bit of olive oil or spritz with a little olive oil non-stick spray.

17.   Put the pans in the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes. The hand pies should be lightly browned and fully baked on the bottom. Peel one up and thump the bottom of one if you are unsure. It should feel like a well baked pizza crust.

18.   Let the hand pies cool for at least 15 minutes before trying to eat them. The filling is VERY hot and will scorch the roof of your mouth.   

19.   You can now store your delectable treat in the fridge for later use or wrap it up in foil or a paper towel for a meal on the go.

20.   ENJOY!