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Summer isms..

Summer is..

A bike ride on a 80 degree day after work.  And being able to wear shorts (vs. long warm waterproof pants and a heavy windbreaker).

Cold beer.

Listening to these guys.

Lemonade!

Turning on the fan instead of the space heater at night.

Seeing daylight before and after I come home from work.

Feeling my heels touch the ground in a downward dog.


Nope.  That was just my imagination.

Summer is...

Feeling free and careless and happy for just a moment, no matter what situation you may be facing in your life.

Giving your neighbor, your barista, your fellow driver a break...

You know what I mean.

Summer is...

leaving your car windows down.

playing bocce.

Sitting out on the deck until the sun goes down.

What time is it?

Dinnertime.

Orzo salad.

It's easy!  Just like summer...

Orzo, asparagus, chicken, parmesan cheese, and some seasonings.  Light but filling on a hot summer day.

The hardest part is cutting the asparagus.

Orzo Salad with Asparagus 
(Serves 4-6)


Scott and I have different ratios when it comes to this salad.  He likes it orzo heavy.  I tend to go a little crazy with the asparagus.  I made this round my way, unintentionally, but we unfortunately didn't have any more orzo to even things out a bit better.  Have extras on hand in case you need to adjust ratios for your own liking.


1 box orzo (we use Barilla)
2 bunches asparagus (around 50 spears) chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 cup cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/2 cup good olive oil
6 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste


Heat a medium pot of salted water to a boil.  Add orzo, and cook three minutes less than the package directions.  (For Barilla orzo, time for 6 minutes).  After timer goes off, add asparagus and cook until orzo is al dente, or cooked to your liking.  


Drain, and add cold water to stop the cooking.


Meanwhile, add chicken to large bowl.  Add Parmesan, oil, lemon and seasonings, and mix well.  


Add orzo and asparagus to bowl.  Mix well, and add more seasonings to taste.


Serve cold, or slightly heated, with a sprinkle of Parmesan.        

Liebster Award

I got one of these last week, courtesy of one of my favorite people in the world.  Thanks Mom!  The idea around it is to award some not-so-well-known bloggers a chance to get some visibility they otherwise wouldn't have received.  I fit this category.  Not only am I new to the scene, but I'm also not connected to social media.  I don't have a Twitter account.  I jumped a ton of hoops to get out of Facebook.  I don't have Linkedin or MySpace or pay much attention to Google Plus.  It's not that I condone these sites, I just A.) Don't have time, and B.) will waste a lot of time if I am connected.  My internet time has shrunk dramatically since I graduated from college, and for that, I'm grateful, because there are quite a few addictions I have (tonight is the end of one we have been obsessing over for the past few months) and combined with work stuff and life stuff, I have plenty to do.

But I have been putting off this post, because when you receive this award (which I'm so happy to get!), you need to award five blogs of your own that are in the same position (less than 200 readers or new to the blogosphere).  The thing is, I don't read all that many blogs, and the blogs I do read have quite a few readers.  They are wonderful blogs, and they give me a lot of inspiration not only in my writing, but in my daily life.  So since this is my blog, and I get to do whatever I want, I'm going to share these blogs with you.  These are the superstars of the cooking community, the amazing writers with some amazing lives.  Hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Smitten Kitchen: A woman who lives in Manhattan with her husband and son, and is finishing a cookbook (which I will for sure pre-order a copy as soon as it is available to do so).  She makes all kinds of decadent desserts and isn't afraid of butter.  Her recipes are tried and tested and I feel confident when I make something from her site, because I know she has tried it, and tried 47 different variations.  I used one of her recipes to create the richest, heaviest cake I've ever had for a friend's birthday last year (peanut butter chocolate).  We still talk about it.  I've been reading her site for years.  It's a keeper.

101 Cookbooks: A rustic (but beautiful!) blog, filled with photos, vegetarian recipes, and incredible adventures, many of which are in my town.  I find that I usually adapt a lot of her recipes to fit my budget, or to add meat.  She does make it easy to use your own variations.

Orangette: I haven't been a long time subscriber, but I have read her book and loved it.  I like how she can incorporate deep memories with a really simple food that brings her back.  Photos are fun.  Many years of writing to read.

Eating From the Ground Up: I'm also a fairly new reader, but I like her stuff.  I feel somewhat connected to her since she lives in Western Massachusetts, near this crazy place where I spent a month teacher training.  I always felt that this area was really pure, really clean, and really open.  And it makes sense, since what this writer does is make lots of things from scratch that you'd normally buy from the grocery store, but the thing is, the scratch part isn't as hard as I would expect.  Posts are very regular.

Joy the Baker:  I've only read two posts of hers, but was immediately drawn in.  I had heard of this woman before, but never really checked out any of her stuff until I found this post on the front page of my Zite app a few weeks ago, and was pretty amazed.  Really good writing.  I feel like nothing is jarred as I'm reading, and we're just having a conversation.  About stuff.  And then the food comes in.  Root Beer Float Cake.  Rocky Road Brownies.  A Peanut Butter Bacon cookie?  I'm down.

 

 

New Stuff

It has been a while.

Since I last wrote, I've been cooking a bunch, and trying some new things, but nothing worth writing about. We have been doing some fun things though.

Last weekend we had a bourbon tasting party.

Out of 10 different bourbons and whiskeys, the overall winner was Eagle Rare.  We tried a Rye whiskey and a bourbon from Willett, both of which were excellent.

We have been obsessed with this show after watching a Portlandia episode, and I often find myself feeling like these two.

Fortunately, we've been able to get away from the depths of space and get out.  Last night we saw Andrew Bird downtown.  The venue was awesome for his music.

cityvoter.com

cityvoter.com

cityvoter.com

Before we got to the concert, we stopped for a drink at Virginia Cafe.  Really cool place with a 95 year history.  Servers are really nice, and they have great drinks.  There's even a discount for people with a valid food handlers card!  Woo hoo service industry!  Now we know where to go the next time we find ourselves downtown.

Though I've missed a day or two of the April Yoga Challenge, I have found that doing yoga almost everyday has made a huge difference in my life, especially at work.  I'm much more calm, and it seems like I have a much clearer mind, so I'm getting things done on time and having more time to do some of those extra things on my priority lists I keep in my planner but never seem to have the time or energy to get done.  My favorite time to do yoga?  At 4:30am (I know, it's ridiculous) before I start work at 6:30.  

This is my unofficial yoga room when we don't have any guests.

I really rely on Yoga Today to get me through my yoga sessions in that room.  It's pretty great.  I feel like I'm in a class, but instead I'm home and practicing when I want, or when I can. 

More posts to come soon, including one on the Liebster Award.  Thank you for nominating me, Mom! 

Road Trip

The first time I came to San Francisco I was eight.  We came here on a conference-turned-family-vacation that led into a summer ritual.  We spent many days there, eating interesting food, walking through Golden Gate Park and past some famous shops and landmarks.  It's all a blur now, except for the last evening before our red-eye back home when I was ten.  I felt a deep sadness that I wouldn't be back for a while.

My city adventures before San Francisco always included New York, and it was mostly spent with my grandparents in a small, one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn.  I'd always feel the excitement of the city when we'd approach it.  The lanes would increase on the interstate and the cars would multiply.  They drove faster.  They honked.  There were more roadway to consider.  Tolls.  Bridges.  Planes flew overhead to nearby Newark Airport.  The New Jersey turnpike weaved past industrial plants, spewing smoke and smog.  And the skyscrapers. Twin Towers, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building.  Every time I'd see these iconic legends, I'd be reminded of the sheer size of this place.  So many options, so fast, so well-known and well-loved.

But we'd get to the apartment and I'd feel stifled.  This was not the New York I envisioned when I'd watch those skyscrapers on our way in.  Things felt small now.  And on our trips into Manhattan or the Bronx for a game, my parents would grab my hand, make sure I was always at their hip.  I was not to go anywhere or see anything alone without their constant eyes on me.

New York never felt like home to me.  And after a day or two every time we went there, I yearned for the fresh air, the openness of our yard in Pennsylvania.

Shastina

Now that I live on the West Coast, this is my skyline halfway between home and San Francisco.  I truly believe that Portland is fit for me, and it really is home.  But if I had to live in San Francisco, I wouldn't be too bummed.

Besides the space, there's the people.  What I think I loved about San Francisco when I was a kid that I couldn't articulate was the friendliness of the people.  People here for the most part seem genuinely happy.  On this trip, as we were fumbling through maps on our phones, a man approached us and asked where we needed to go.  When I was a kid, a server at a Chinese Restaurant taught me how to use chopsticks.  New Yorkers love their city, but what I love about this city is that people reach out and help, or just say hi.  Even the baristas at this coffee shop were friendly, something I'm not used to, especially in Portland.

We had a blast.  Maybe too much fun because now Scott is sick with pneumonia.  It was time for chicken soup when we got back home.  I never seemed to figure out chicken noodle without severely overcooking the noodles, or turning chicken and rice soup into just chicken and rice.  But a few months ago, we went here and after ordering the matzo ball soup, I was immediately brought back to my grandparents' dining room table for a Passover Seder.

I experimented and tried a few different recipes, and now I have some confidence in creating a decent Matzo Ball Soup.  It will never be as good as Grandma's, but if you're sick and you want something simple, this is a good one to try.  I started with Amanda Hesser's The Essential New York Times Cookbook and used the ingredients to form the Matzo balls, then took the methods from Smitten Kitchen to cook the Matzo balls.

Matzo Ball Soup adapted from Smitten Kitchen and The Essential New York Times Cookbook
(makes 8 servings)


A word about broth: if you have really amazing homemade broth, go for it, but if you want something a little bit easier than cooking a whole chicken, and you don't want to use canned (please don't!), get a good Rotisserie chicken, cut off the huge chunks of chicken, and then put the carcass in a big pot, add some parsley, salt, pepper, garlic, bay leaf, and any other herbs you have (I put in a few sprigs of rosemary growing outside) and water to just barely cover carcass and let it simmer until you can pull away the meat from the bone.  Taste, and add bouillon as needed to enhance the chicken flavor.  


3 large eggs
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
pinch of cayenne pepper
1/4 cup clarified unsalted butter
3/4 cup matzo meal
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup club soda
8 cups (or more) chicken broth


Whisk eggs in medium bowl.  Whisk in herbs, salt, and pepper.  Whisk in butter, matzo meal, and baking powder.  Whisk in club soda until well combined.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours.  


Bring 1 1/2 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil in a medium sized pot.  Wet hands, then form matzo mix into 1-inch diameter balls.  Drop them into simmering water one at a time.  Cover and cook for 30-40 minutes.  


Meanwhile, heat up broth.  When matzo balls are done, transfer them to soup to reheat.  Taste and adjust flavors once again, then serve and eat immediately.  


  

Happy Spring!

The past few weeks here have been pretty cold and miserable, especially to Oregonians.  We know it rains.  And even if we grumble about it, we understand how things work around here.  Our winters are mild.  It's not warm and sunny, but I'd take 50 degrees and rain over 30 degrees and snow.  

And then yesterday, I woke up to this:  

For being so environmentally friendly in these parts, Mother Nature is not giving us a break.  The first few days of spring gave us spinning tires, two-hour delays, and a whole slew of winter jackets.

But it's spring, somewhere.  And that means that asparagus is in season... Somewhere.

Asparagus is by far my favorite vegetable.  Maybe it's because it's only around for a few months each year, but we always stock up, buying a few bunches every time we hit the grocery store.  And even though we were hit with snow, we're lucky enough to border a warm, sunny state with plentiful produce.        

We never get tired of this green.  We bake it.  We saute it.  We mix it in salads.  But with this rain-snow-hail-sleet mix we've been getting the past few weeks, I knew these recipes just wouldn't do the trick.  We've been craving casserole and things that will cure this bone-chilling cold.

So I made soup.

I found this recipe from Cooking Light: Cooking through the Seasons.  This book is really nice to have when you need a recipe in a pinch and want something that will fit what's in season.  This was featured in the Spring section, and it's a really wonderful soup to have if the weather is not fitting your definition of birds singing-sun shining-70 degree weather.  I like it because it's light and there are few ingredients in it, so you can really get a nice asparagus flavor without the heaviness of cream.  We had this on Sunday with rosemary chicken pan fried with garlic and olive oil, and toasted bread with smeared Chèvre (a cheese I'm desperately trying to like).  I used it as a dip for both the chicken and the bread, and the three really complimented each other.

Spring Break for Oregonians officially begins at the end of the day, so maybe Mother Nature will get her calendars straight and give us back our rainy, 60 degree days.

Cream of Asparagus Soup 
adapted from Cooking Light: Cooking through the Seasons
(serves 4-6)

This soup can be made vegetarian by substituting a good flavored vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth.  We used crushed peppercorns in place of the black pepper, but it was a bit strong and some bites got a little chewy.  I really liked the flavor though, so if you take this route, go easy on the pepper!  Wondra is a really amazing flour that dissolves much easier than regular flour, and reduces the clump factor.  If you don't have it on hand (Scott swears by it when he needs to use flour as a thickener), all-purpose flour will be just fine.

4 cups (1/2-inch) sliced asparagus (1 1/2 pounds)
2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1-2 tablespoons flour or Wondra
2  cups 1% milk
2 teaspoons butter
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
Touch of lemon juice (optional)

Combine asparagus, broth, bay leaf and garlic in saucepan over medium-high heat.  Bring to boil and let simmer for 10 minutes or until asparagus is super soft.  Discard bay leaf and process mixture in a blender until smooth.

In that same saucepan, place flour or Wondra in pan and add milk slowly until flour is dissolved, and mixture thickens slightly.  Add blended asparagus mixture, butter, cheese, salt and pepper, and lemon and let simmer for 5 minutes or until cheese has melted and combined.  Taste and adjust flavors as needed.  I found a bit of mozzarella cheese in the fridge that I used as a garnish on each of our bowls and it really added a nice creaminess without taking away from the flavors of the soup.  

When Costco gives you lemons...

When I started coming down with something a few weeks ago, I went to Fred Meyer and bought a few Meyer lemons.  They're not the cheapest, and I didn't know how many of these I would be drinking. But when Scott started to catch whatever I had times 10, I thought Costco lemons would be the more reasonable decision.  Half a bottle of Bookers later, I was left with a healthy household and the remaining lemons.

Seeing as we live in Oregon in March, our weather will turn from a raw 45 degrees and sideways windy rain, to sunshine and 62 in a matter of two days.  On my day off last week, it was the latter.

And what would be the perfect accompaniment to a day that includes sitting in the sun and mowing the lawn?  LEMONADE!!!

My lemonade days in the past have only consisted of Kool-Aid flavored with an old childhood friend before her family's massive garage sale each summer.  We'd mix gallons of water with 20 packets and about half of a giant size bag of sugar.  I could never quite get the granules dissolved.  Even in the hot water, there were just too many.  A few sand stragglers typically ended up in the bottom of our garage sale patrons' Dixie cups.  They never seemed to mind.  We included brownies with our sugary beverages, and usually managed to sell out each year.  

I've moved way past those Kool-Aid days, and it's all about the Meyer Lemons, so I thought I could really make a good thing happen with a sweeter lemon that claims on the package to be half lemon, half tangerine. 

Maybe it was the weather, but it worked.  Brilliantly, in fact.  I squeezed about ten lemons, and used one tablespoon of sugar for each lemon.  It wasn't overly sweet, or too sour for me, but you can always adjust.  Again, the Meyer Lemon is proving to be superior.  

I made the lemonade after a long run on a stunning road that overlooks downtown Portland.  Made me realize why I love living here so much, even when the weather turns sour in a matter of hours.  I later drank a glass of this after just mowing the lawn.

Meyer Lemonade (makes 30 ounces)

This is a strong lemonade, so it mixes well with club soda, vodka, or just simply on its own, with plenty of ice.

10 squeezed Meyer Lemons

10 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup boiling water, plus 1-2 cups cold water

Mix sugar and boiling water until sugar dissolves.   Add sugar mixture to squeezed lemons.  Mix well, and add 1 cup of cold water.  Taste.  Adjust as needed.  

Use within 5 days, if it lasts in your fridge for that long.  

Sick

Sick hit the house.

I came down with a sore throat I just couldn't seem to kick over the weekend, and Scott followed with something worse, taking a sick day after feeling just plain terrible at work yesterday.  I thought I'd take it hard when I work up.  But no.  Today I feel better.  It is a first for me to get sick with only a sore throat and fatigue.  I am the phlegm queen.  When I get sick, I sneeze.  I blow my nose.  I sneeze.  I blow my nose.  This repeats about ten more times until I sigh, yelling, "ENOUGH ALREADY!" to my body, to my respiratory system, to my genes.  When I go out, I hoard tissue boxes and shove wads of that precious quilty goodness into my coat pockets, along with ChapStick and bags for Nia walks around the neighborhood.  And I make a wish: that I won't be a slobbery snotty mess in public.

I really thought this sick would kick me and I'd wake up on one of these 3am mornings with a stunning ache and the want for fleece and bed.  But today, when that *#$&@* alarm went off, I felt better.  I wouldn't go as far as to say that I felt great or ready for the day.  But when you're sick, "better" is a gift.

So thank you:

 The Hot Toddy.  Lemon for the C, Honey for the soothing, H20, well, that's obvious, and whiskey that ties the whole drink together, allowing you to feel that smoothed out feeling, where sleep is not too far away, and doesn't hit you like a shot of cherry flavored Nyquil.  And a Hot Toddy is delicious!

However, there are some keys to having a good experience with this lovely beverage.  First is the fruit. Meyer Lemons are it.  There are no substitutions whatsoever.  Do not try to recreate this beverage with an ordinary lemon, or god forbid, a bottle of store bought lemon juice.  Even in our sickest moments, we refuse a hot toddy with anything other than a Meyer Lemon.

Secondly, the bourbon.  Our favorite is Booker's and it's not cheap, but I'm sick here people.  I deserve something tasty.  Other good alternatives if Booker's is out of your price range: Eagle Rare, Basil Hayden's and Rebel Reserve.

You may be a Honey snob, but we aren't, so I just use the bear.  If you have honey recommendations though, I'd like to hear about them.

And the water.  I've heard that black tea is really lovely in this drink, but boiling water does just fine for both of us.  I ordered this drink at a local bar over the weekend, and our bartender either put a sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg in it.  I don't know which, but it was really wonderful.

Even better: Matzo balls are cooking as I write this, and then I will add them to a homemade stock.

I like better.

Hot Toddy
I like clear glasses for this drink, and I picked up these neat Tazo glasses at Starbucks over the holidays.  You can also use a regular sized mug.  That's what I do when these glasses are in the dishwasher.


2 ounces Bourbon (see notes above)
1 Meyer Lemon, squeezed (no substitutions!)
2 tablespoons honey


Mix bourbon, lemon juice and honey together, then fill the glass with hot water.  Taste and adjust as needed.  The more water/lemon you add, the more sour it will be, so adjust accordingly.

Potluck

I have a potluck lunch tomorrow for work, and as much as I enjoy them, it's hard for me to be creative and pull something off that people will like and eat.  I'm not the best in this cooking situation.  I make something that I think is good, but it doesn't have the appeal that some of the other dishes seem to get.  For one potluck, I made hummus, homemade, and there was barely a dent in the bowl when the meal was all over.  What was eaten, you ask?  Microwave tortillas and cheese in quesadilla form.  Another potluck was at a family reunion... It was Mexican themed, and I decided to bring a crock pot with shredded pork tenderloin slow-cooked in Trader Joe's Green Salsa Verde.  It wasn't until Scott pleaded with the family that people actually tried it... It hadn't been touched before he talked it up.  For my last potluck I made a simple orzo asparagus salad, with a homemade olive oil lemon dressing, and that was also ignored.

So here's what I've learned about potlucks:

1.  Your dish must be obviously identifiable (and well liked among the crowd of potluckers).
Very few people will try things they are unfamiliar with, especially if it isn't described in detail.  This was my first mistake with potlucks.

2. Your dish must be presented in an aesthetically pleasing way.  
No one will try something brown and in meat form simmering in a crock pot if they aren't told to eat it.

3. Your dish must be easy to eat and grab off the table.
In a work setting, eating something delicious and super messy is traded for something cleaner and easier to eat.

I am the opposite of all of these traits.  I will try the unidentifiable, and actually gravitate towards something different.  I don't care about aesthetics.  Though I appreciate the effort, I really go for something that smells and tastes amazing.  And whatever, I'll make a mess.  It's about the food here, people.  I've noticed that some of my favorite people in this world do not live by these rules either, and that's why they're my favorite.

Okay.  So, the potluck.  I've sold out a little.  I looked at some awesome recipes, one of which is a blended walnut/herb/ricotta dip for bread that I was sure I'd do, until I remembered my previous potluck fails.  I'm not failing this time.

Yep, chocolate covered strawberries.  It fits all of the rules.  Easily identifiable, aesthetically pleasing, and easy to eat.  The chocolate was melted then dipped and put on wax paper to harden. Strawberries are making a comeback into the grocery stores these days (along with daffodils and asparagus), and though it's not locally grown, it's coming from California.  I had some leftover chocolate after I was done, so I dipped a few pretzels in there as well.

We'll see how this goes.  What I have learned is to keep my creative, wacky food ideas to myself when it comes to these things, but play up on the simple..  The really simple.

  Chocolate Covered Strawberries (serves 10-12)
This is the simple way of making these strawberries.  For a more interesting flair, add 1 tsp vanilla extract to chocolate, or 2 tablespoons Irish Cream.  I even thought of sprinkling them with a hint of sea salt.  Also, the chocolate choice is up to you.  I used Ghiradelli 60% Cacao chips, but you can use something lighter or darker based on your preference.  


   2 boxes or about 20 strawberries
  1 10 ounce bag dark chocolate chips

Melt chocolate chips in microwave safe bowl, on high for 45 seconds, then stir and put in for 20 second increments until chips are completely melted.

Wash strawberries and dry on paper towels.  Spread surface with wax or parchment paper.

Dip strawberries one by one holding the green stems and place on paper.  Let set for 1-2 hours.  Gently peel off strawberries and put on plate.  Store in refrigerator to ensure the chocolate stays intact.