A Walk on a Snowy Day, A Lunch in a Bento Box and Ethan's First Day on the Hawaiian Chieftan + Recipes

On Thursday night it was predicted that we would get between 7" - 11" of snow. That meant that Larr woke up extra early on Friday morning so that he could get the walks shoveled before he and Ethan set off for the airport. However, when Larr checked his email and such, he found out that the flight Ethan was scheduled to take had been cancelled. This caused a bit of a panic. If Ethan did not get to Ventura in time, his adventure might have been put off by two weeks. Larr woke up Ethan and had him get on the phone. Luckily, Ethan was able to get in touch with a helpful agent who was able to find a flight into Los Angeles that morning. It would mean that the train trip would be longer, but ultimately he would get there on time. Larr sent him off and went to school.

On the way out Ethan sat next to a 17 year old boy who was on his first solo trip on an airplane. They struck up a friendship and talked the entire way. The other boy was unsure about how to get his luggage so Ethan helped him and they parted friends. Two rows up from where Ethan was seated was a woman who happen to overhear bits and pieces of his upcoming adventures. When he exited the plane she approached him, chatted a bit, and mentioned that she was driving to Ventura. She would be happy to give him a ride. He explained that he also needed to stop at a store to pick up a rigger's knife and a pair of boots. She said that would not be a problem. They set off for Ventura in a rented car. She was happy to have the company. They took the scenic highway and Ethan was able to take in many beautiful sights during the drive. He helped her trade out the rental car for her personal car and then they picked up Ricky, her husband. They decided to go to dinner before delivering Ethan to the harbor. Ethan offered to pay for the meal or give them gas money as a thanks for the ride, but they declined both offers. They were happy to help him. When Ricky was young he had gone on an adventure, landing in a town once he ran out of money. He met a nice guy who let him sleep on the floor until Ricky was ready to go. It took Ricky three weeks time to get to that point and by then he had secured a job. He stayed in that town for about 15 years. Ricky was happy to play that one forward.

At one point in the trip Ethan called home to simply touch base. He told us about he had made friends with people he met on the plane that they were giving him a ride. This cause a good bit of alarm for Larr and I. While Ethan is a strong young man who is a good judge of character, I was afraid. I had visions of awful things inflicted on Ethan by people we knew nothing about. Kelly could hear our concern on the other end of the line and offered to talk to us. In the end it was all okay, but very scary. Kelly and Ricky have a 20 year old daughter who is teaching in Japan. Each day she would wake in the morning and check her email for confirmation that their daughter had returned to her apartment safely.

I realized that Larr and I had always had each other (we met and began dating in high school) so we never adventured alone. We had no choice but to trust that we had raised our boy to be a good judge of character and to be resourceful in the event that trouble arose.

After dinner they exchanged contact information and told Ethan that he would be welcome to stay with them any time he needed to. They offered for him to stay the night, but he politely turned them down since he already had reservations.

Once at the harbor Ethan met Pete, the man who owns the sailboat, "Freedom". He rents it out like a B&B, donating the money to a local children's charity in Ventura. He and Ethan also hit it off. Pete's son had died about a month ago and visiting with Ethan made him feel a bit better. He mentioned that Ethan would be welcome to stay other nights. They, too, parted friends.

This morning Ethan met the Hawaiian Chieftan early in the morning and began his tenure on the boat. He was swept up in the activity right away. He was on deck, he went aloft (and was nearly sea sick as the boat was rocking when it was in waves that were 5' - 6' tall). They even took part in a mock battle. He thinks that it will be a good fit and that he likes the people on the crew.

I'm glad it is all underway for Ethan.

Back at home Ellie and I had a pretty quiet day. She made a nice lunch for Kohlton who works in the shop on Saturdays. She packed him a fresh salad, noodles with homemade pesto sauce, BBQ ribs and snickerdoodle cookies.Kohlton is always thankful for her loving efforts and gestures.

After dropping off the lunch, we headed for the dog park. Remmie was hopefully excited, vocalizing and yelping. At one point he could not contain his excitement; he felt the need to sit on Ellie's lap so that he could see where we were going.

I dropped them off at the dog park in Golden and went to lunch with Natalie. I thought Ellie would get cold quickly and need to be picked up. Afterall, it was a balmy 19 degrees in the sunshine today. However, after the other dogs went home, Ellie decided they would walk into Golden to meet me.

Ellie said that they did not see a single person on the walk. She enjoyed the quiet calm of it all. I was happy to have uninterrupted time with my friend.

This evening Larr, Ellie, Grandpa Don and I went to a new sushi restaurant for dinner; it was great and we hope that they are successful. Tonight we are making a few things for Ellie to take to a Superbowl party tomorrow.

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Basil Pesto With Almonds Pasta
via:Brooklyn Farm Girl

3 cups of fresh basil leaves
4 cloves garlic
3/4 Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup roasted almonds or pistachios
pinch of salt
pasta of your choice (cooked)
red pepper flakes to garnish

Combine basil, garlic, Parmesan Cheese, olive oil, almonds and salt in a food processor. Blend to a smooth pesto.
Pour on hot cooked pasta and stir so pesto is evenly combined.
Garnish with red pepper flakes for a added kick.

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The Best Snickerdoodles Recipe
via: Lil' Luna

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 TB sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs and blend well.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees. (Makes about 4 dozen cookies)

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Puff Pastry Sausage Rolls
Author: Nicole ~ Cooking for Keeps

1 package puff pastry
1 pound bulk breakfast sausage (I use jimmy dean)
¾ cup minced onion
¾ cup chopped cooked potato
2 tablespoons fresh sage
1 teaspoon salt
pinch of red pepper flake
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water mixed together
Worstershire sauce for dipping

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Lightly roll out each puff pastry sheet with a rolling pin. You just want to extend the puff pastry a bit. Cut each
into thirds, lengthwise, you should still be able to see the fold line to guide you.

3. In a bowl mix together, sausage, onion, potato, sage, salt and red pepper flake. Transfer to a ziplock baggie, cut
the tip off and pip the filling along the long edge of the dough. Should be about ½ inch of filling.

4. Roll dough, jellyroll fashion, seal edges.

5. Chill for 20 minutes or overnight.

6. When ready to bake, cut into 1 inch pieces. Place on baking sheet (non-greased), brush with egg wash, and
bake for about 20 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

7. Serve with worsteshire sauce.

Ethan's Eagle Scout of Honor Reception (including recipes)

It was a bit of a challenge to plan what we would have at Ethan's reception for his Eagle Scout Court of Honor. We had sent out 50 invitations, but did not ask for R.S.V.P.s as I find that people don't really respond much anymore.

I wanted to have a few nice things, but not too much. Ethan does not like cake or cupcakes, so I had to pick something else. After a bit of research I was inspired by the cookies some others has created for their boys. I had grand plans, but in the end I did not have time to bag them up. Everyone seemed to like them and the recipe I used was perfect. It is not too sweet, holds nicely, but also has a pleasant crumb once in the mouth. I decorated some of them with royal icing and left others plain. Ellie liked the iced ones, but I think next time I would do fewer of those.


Our good friend Karin sent one of those edible arrangements for Ethan. It was a big hit, especially the chocolate covered strawberries and banana pieces.

The favorite things I made for the reception was the special water bottles. They were easy and fun to do. I was inspired by those that Amanda made. I simply made a template in Adobe Photoshop. I was able to fit 7 strips that were 1.5" by 8". I made 4 different designs: A young Ethan, Ethan and his Patches, A Boy Scout and awards, and a pergola design. I did not bother to remove the original label, but simply used my tape runner to apply double sided tape, being careful to place it right the ends and a few in the middle.





Sugar Cookie Recipe
from: Sweetopia blog

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups butter (at room temperature)

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

seeds from 1 vanilla bean (or 3 tsp vanilla)

5 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt
Instructions:

1. Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer on low to medium speed. (Use the paddle attachment). Mix until thoroughly incorporated – for about one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula and mix again for a few seconds more.

Over mixing the butter and sugar in this step will cause too much air to be incorporated into the dough. If you’d like a light and fluffy cookie, that’s ideal, however the dough will spread more during baking; not ideal if you’d like the cookie to hold its shape.

2. Add eggs slowly and mix. Scrape down the bowl with your spatula at least once and mix again.

3. Cut open your vanilla bean and scrape the seeds out. Add to mixing bowl. Alternatively, add liquid vanilla extract. Stir briefly.

4. Sift your dry ingredients together. (Flour, baking powder and salt).

5. Add all of the flour mixture to the bowl. Place a large tea towel or two small tea towels between the edge of the bowl and the electric mixer so that the flour won’t escape. Mix on low speed for 3o seconds. Remove the tea towels and observe the dough mixing; when it clumps around the paddle attachment it’s ready. It’s also important at this stage not to over mix the dough (the glutens in the flour develop and the dough can become tough).

6. Roll the dough out between 2 large pieces of parchment paper. Place on a baking sheet and into the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour.

7. Roll out the dough further if you need to, and cut out cookie shapes. Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Re-roll scraps and repeat.

8. Put cookie dough shapes back into the fridge for 10 minutes to 1 hour to chill again. They will then hold their shape better when baked.

9. Preheat your oven to 350°F or 176°C.

10. Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes or until the edges become golden brown. The baking time will depend on the size of your cookie.

11. Let cookies cool to room temperature and decorate!

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Royal Icing Using Egg Whites:
from: JoyofBaking.com

2 large egg whites

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 cups (330 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar, sifted

For Royal Icing with Egg Whites: In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the lemon juice. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined and smooth. The icing needs to be used immediately or transferred to an airtight container as royal icing hardens when exposed to air. Cover with plastic wrap when not in use.

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Savory Cranberry, Pistachio 7 Goat Cheese Palmiers
Adapted From: Tasty Kitchen
1 whole Sheet Of Purchased Puff Pastry, Thawed
2-3 ounces, weight Goat Cheese (chevre), Room Temperature
1/2-3/4 cups (slightly Packed) Dried Cranberries
1/4-1/2 cups Pistachios, Roughly Chopped

Preparation Instructions

Roll the puff pastry sheet into a rectangle that is at least 8 inches wide and no less than 1/8-inch thick. With the standard puff pastry sheets found in the grocery stores, you won’t have much rolling to do.

Spread goat cheese over the puff pastry and top with dried cranberries and pistachios. Using your hand, lightly press the cranberries and pistachios into the cheese. Roll each long end of the rectangle into the center. Chill for about 15 minutes.

Cut the roll crosswise into 1/8-inch slices and divide the palmiers between two baking sheets covered with parchment paper. Chill for at least 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Bake the palmiers until they are puffed and light golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Quickly flip the palmiers and place back in the oven, switching positions of the baking sheets. Bake for an additional 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the palmiers to a cooling rack and cool completely before serving.

Make ahead: The palmiers can be baked and then store in the fridge in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days, or frozen. Before serving, place unthawed palmiers on a baking sheet in a 350 degree F oven for 5 minutes.

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Sausage and Cheese Pinwheels
Adapted from: Tasty Kitchen

2 rolls of Crescent Dough
1 pound Pork Sausage
1 1/2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded


Preparation Instructions

Using store-bought or homemade crescent dough, lightly flour a surface and roll the dough into as much of a rectangular shape as you can (they won’t be perfect, don’t worry). Using a tube or package of flavored pork sausage, spread half of the sausage onto each piece if dough. Do the same with the cheese. Roll up each crust into a log and slice with a serrated knife, making them about 1/2-3/4 inch thick. Discard the end pieces without sausage. Reshape the pinwheels if necessary and place on a baking sheet. Bake at 375ºF for 25 minutes or until the sausage is cooked and the crust is golden brown. Enjoy!

A Spring Dinner Party- ATrip to Other Continents

We love having dinner with the Wiesner family - they are all so interesting. I wanted to plan a menu that pleases both the vegetarians in the family and those who are a bit adventurous. Thus, we have the following menu:

Appetizers:
Garden Pizza
Blue Cheese Biscuits with Fig Jelly
Dried Peas
Crunchy Sugar Snap Peas

First Course:
Curried Cauliflower Soup with Greek Yogurt and Parmesan Cheese

Main Course:
Venison and Cheese Tart, English Style
Spanikopita Rolls


The Recipes:

Fig and Blue Cheese Savouries
From:Plum Pie blog


Adapted from TheRunawaySpoon via Food52

{Makes approximately 3 dozen}

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
4 ounces good quality blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
Fig preserves, about 3 tablespoons

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place the flour, butter, blue cheese black pepper, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the dough just comes together and starts to form a ball.

Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to pull the dough together, adding flour if sticky. Roll out to 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick with a floured rolling pin. Cut rounds out of the dough with a floured 1- or 2-inch cutter and transfer the rounds to the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Using the back of a round teaspoon measure or your knuckle, make an indention in the top of each dough round. Spoon about 1/4 teaspoon of fig preserves into each indention, using your finger to push the preserves as best as possible into the indentations.

Bake the savories for 12–14 minutes, until the preserves are bubbling and the pastry is light golden.

Let cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.

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Garden Pizza
from: Creme de Colorado Cookbook by the Junior League of Denver



1 8oz. Crescent Roll Dough (canned in the refrigerator section of the grocery store.)
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened slightly
1/3 cup Sour Cream (or mayonnaise)
1 tea. Dill
1 pk. Ranch Dressing mix
21/2 cup Raw Veggies, finely chopped or shredded (I used broccoli and carrots. Red peppers, cauliflower, etc. are great, too!)
1/2 cup Green Onion, finely chopped (optional)

(I actually double this recipe when I make it for company.)

Open the crescent roll can and unroll the dough. Spread it out on a cookie sheet, pinching the seams together. I use a rectangular cookie sheet. The original recipe calls for a 12" round pizza pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, then cool.

Blend the cream cheese, sour cream/mayonnaise, dill, ranch dressing mix and onion (if using)until smooth and well incorporated. Spread this mix onto the cooled crust.

Sprinkle the veggies on top of the cream cheese mixture. Lightly press in. Chill until you are going to serve it. Cut into squares.

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Curried Cauliflower Soup
via the Sous Chef Series from Williams Somona
Chris Bradley, Gramercy Tavern, NYC (you can visit the link above to see a video of a chef making this wonderful soup!)

Yield: 6 Servings
Ingredients

* 2 heads cauliflower, cut into florets (about 10 cups)
* 1 onion, diced (about 1 cup)
* ½ leek, white and light green parts only, diced (about ¾ cup)
* 2 large carrots, diced (about 1 cup)
* ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
* ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
* ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
* ½ bunch cilantro, chopped (about 2 cups)
* ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
* ½ teaspoon mild curry powder
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 8 cups vegetable stock
* ¾ cup plain yogurt
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Reserve 1 cup of small cauliflower florets,onion, leeks and carrots for garnish.

2. In a large pot, warm 1/4 cup of the vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the remaining onion, leek and carrots and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables have begun to soften, about 6 minutes. Add the cauliflower and cook until soft, about 10 minutes longer.

3. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, combine the coriander and cumin seeds and toast until they are fragrant and slightly browned, about 2 minutes. In a square of cheesecloth, combine the toasted seeds and the cilantro and tie into a bundle, securing it with a piece of kitchen twine. Add the spice bundle, turmeric, curry powder and garlic to the vegetables in the pot and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

4. Add the vegetable stock, bring a simmer and cook until the vegetables are very tender, about 25 minutes. Remove the cheesecloth bundle, then puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the puree to the pot and keep warm.

5. In a large skillet, warm the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the reserved cauliflower, onion, leek and carrots and cook until the vegetables are just tender and lightly browned, about 6 to 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and reserve.

6. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, olive oil and lime juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

7. Divide the hot soup among 6 deep bowls, garnish with the reserved vegetables and drizzle with the yogurt mixture. Serve immediately.

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Beef (Venison) and Cheddar Puff Pastry Tart
From: Las Vegas Food Adventures

1 ½ lbs lean ground beef (I used Venison)
½ cup finely diced onion
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
½ cup beef broth (a boullion cube is fine here)
2 tsp cornstarch
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 package (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten

Brown the ground beef in a large non-stick skillet. Add the salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce soy sauce and sugar. Continue cooking over medium high heat stirring occasionally for 30 minutes until the beef browns nicely and becomes dry & crumbly.

Taste the meat; it should be nicely seasoned. Add the onions and continue cooking until they become translucent.

Mix the broth and cornstarch together. Add to the meat and cook over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes until the liquid thickens and lightly binds the meat together. Remove from the heat to cool to room temperature.

Thaw the puff pastry according to package instructions. Place one sheet on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Pile the cooled meat mixture over the sheet leaving an inch of pastry on all sides. Top with the grated cheese.

Brush the edges with the beaten egg and gently lay the second sheet of pastry over the top. Gently press around the edges to seal. With the tines of a fork, go around the crust one more time to make a decorative edge.

Brush the inside of the top lightly with the beaten egg, leaving the edges plain to allow the pastry to rise during cooking. Make several shallow slits with the tip if a sharp knife on the top to allow steam to escape.

Bake in a preheated (important) 400 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until puffed and rich golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes before cutting into squares.

Serves 4-6

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Spanakopita Rolls
From: What's Cookin', Chicago? blog


1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
10 ounces frozen chopped spinach. thawed and squeezed dry
4 to 6 ounces domestic feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup cottage cheese
1 egg
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound phyllo, thawed
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), melted
2 tablespoons vegetable oil


Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add white and green chopped onions; cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix spinach, feta, cottage cheese and egg in medium bowl. Add cooked onions and season with salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine the remaining butter and oil and set aside until ready to use.

Remove one phyllo sheet. With the shortest end of the phyllo sheet nearest you, brush phyllo with butter and oil mixture; top with second sheet and brush again. Fold the buttered phyllo sheets in half, like a book and brush the top layer with butter and oil mixture.

Place a heaping 1-1/2 tablespoons of filling in the center of the bottom nearest you. Fold up the phyllo once and then fold over the right side and then the left side of the phyllo. Brush with butter and oil mixture and then continue rolling up like a burrito.

Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet and brush rolls with butter/oil mixture. Bake until golden, about 30 to 35 minutes.

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Ellie spent the afternoon making sweet cupcakes, each with its own special design. I love that she is like that!


Butter Cream Frosting
from:the Created By Diane Blog

1 cup butter

1 cup shortening

6 cups powdered sugar

2-4 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract. if you are making white frosting use clear vanilla.

Beat butter with mixer until pale and fluffy, add sugar and milk along with extract mix until smooth and creamy.

*If the weather is super hot, over 100 and I’m afraid the buttercream will be a mess, I sometimes use all shortening.

**If I want a very rich butter taste, I use all butter and no shortening.

*** for Chocolate Buttercream I use ½ to 1 cup of unsweetened cocoa in place of some powdered sugar.

Dinner with Friends and a Technical Takes Her Out!

When I am watching Ellie race and I see people who are usually behind her go by without my seeing her, my heart begins to worry. My eyes scan the course for a crash and I begin to notice who else might be missing.

This pastSaturday was the Colorado State Cyclocross 2010 Championship race and that happened near the end of the race. Ellie had prepped for it, gotten a good start, but then crashed in the second (of three) laps. It broke her shifter and locked up her front wheel. She had to walk back to the start of the course with her bike on her back. It was a long, slow and most likely lonely mile or so back to where the cheering crowds were. She ended up with a DNF (Did Not Finish) and earned no points. She was bummed, but handled it with grace.

We had the most delightful dinner with some friends last night. I thought we were going over to have a simple meal and decorate the great wooden snowflakes that Wendy and I recently purchased. When we arrived, we found that it was something much more in-depth and exciting.

Wendy set two lovely tables, each with their own theme. She wanted to honor the kids and the adults alike.


Inspired by Ethan's recent hunting trip, David made a few recipes from The Sacajawea Cookbook by T. Evenson, L Lesmeiste and T Everson. We started out with a lot of chatting and soon began eating. David made a mushroom pate' that Ellie really enjoyed. (I have included the recipe for that one below.) David also made a great salad with an oil and vinegar dressing. This was pared with the wine we brought to the party. Next up was a Venison stew (that actually had buffalo meat since they could not find venison in the store) that everyone loved. We were really touched that they went out of their way to try new recipes and honor Ethan's recent new adventures.


The kids seemed to have conversations that were just as animated as the one at the adult table. Ethan handled the needs and interests of three very different girls with ease and grace. What a boy. :)

Part way into the main meal David upcorked an old and wonderful wine. It was much smoother than most of the wines I have had. He had Wendy pull out the decanter and a flashlight so that we could see what he was doing. He swirled the wine until it was well aerated.

We finished up the lovely meal with chocolate fondue. You had your choice of strawberries, green apples, bananas or pund cake for dipping. ait was luscious. Most of us ended up wearing some it.


During all of the chatting we did at least look at and admire the basecoat painting of their snowflakes. I was inspired and began to rethink my plan. Laura had each one painted a different shade of blue. Wendy had been inspired by nature. She had many colors including a nice, dark teal blue and an intensely purple one. Caroline made my favorite ones. With her usual child infues enthusiasm and carefree attitude, she let colors mix and mingle. She made one that look a bit like tye-dye and another looked like it was made of heavy water coloring paper. (I wish I had taken photos of them to share.) I think they are wonderful just the way they are. Mine are all white. I may have to rethink my plan.

Hazelnut Mushroom Pate'

2TBL Butter
2 Cloves of Garlic, roasted and minced
1 1/2 cup Fresh Mushrooms, diced
1 small Onion, diced
1 cup Hazel nuts, chopped
1 TBL Basil Pesto
1 TBL Soy Sauce
1TB Lemon Juice
Salt and Pepper (To taste)
2 TBL Cream Cheese (softened)

Melt that butter and saute' the garlic, mushrooms and onions until the onion is translucent, but not browned. Transfer this to a food processor. Add in the hazel nuts, basil pesto, soy sauce, lemon juice and seasonings (to taste). Process until smooth. Add in the cream cheese and pulse until just incorporated. Serve with cracker or bagel chips.

Makes 2 cups

Cooking Up a Fine New Year's Eve - Recipes Included

Our dear friends, Laura and Davis, renewed their vows on New Years Eve. I volunteered to make them a cake as a way to celebrate who they are together. She requested a carrot cake and expected something in a 9"x13" pan. I however, could not be satisfied with that, so I began researching recipes and looking for nice ideas that would be festive but not too over the top. After testing a few recipes, I have created a recipe that I am very happy with. I made it for my mother's party and it was a big hit. She took the left overs to work the next day and they were gone very quickly. I decided that meant it was a keeper. I found the idea for decorating it with an edible flower while looking through an old Martha Stewart Living magazine. The flower was a blast to create. You need candy melts (I used the ones by Wilton) and some leaves that are the correct shape that are not poisonous or have been sprayed with herbicide. I used leaves from Satsuma oranges I got at the grocery store. You simply melt candy melts in a small dish and use a small spoon to brush on the melted candy melts onto the back of the leaf. I cover my work surface with waxed paper and place them on a cookie pan to harden. You can even put them in the freezer. Once the melts had hardened I was able to peel the leaves from the candy and reuse them again. I was going to make green leaves, too, but decided to use real mint leaves instead. There are also a few red hots to add a bit of color to the base in addition to the coconut that I added to the sides. We also brought along some Garlic Cheese bread sticks.



We had a lovely time at their party, but had to leave before it was over. Laura said the cake was a hit. That made me feel good. Ellie stayed with them as she had her own plans. Anna and Ellie helped with a special event at the Evergreen Lake. There was night time ice skating, fireworks and merriment. Ellie and Anna handed out party favors. Laura and Davis manned a warming drum. The girls had a great time. They wore glow necklaces that they later cut open so as to splatter the glowing stuff on their gloves. Confirmed rumor has it that a cute young man took a liking to Ellie and followed her around most of the evening. In typical 14 year old boy fashion he started out nice and friendly, them became pesty in a puppydog kind of fashion. He and Nial (Anna's boyfriend) zoomed around them, shot hockey pucks between them and made them laugh a good bit. Between the fun and the caffeine they ingested, they did not get to bed until around 3 a.m. She came home happy, tired and with a bruised back from falling so often.

Larr, Ethan and I visited for a short while with Rex, Perrin and Calvin. Then we went home to prepare for the next party at the Rigg home. Ethan made Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Chunks and I made Cheddar Puffs. We found the recipes on The Pioneer Woman website and they were both a great hit. I've included the recipes below.

We had a great time at our party, too. Ken and Jane always do such a nice job. I loved the fine china place settings and drinking water from a silver goblet. We watched "The Blind Side" and sang Auld Lang Syne. We toasted our missing Eleanor and I cried through the song. Hopefully that part will get easier.

It was a hard year that also had many wonderful parts. Here's hoping you all have a great 2010!




Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Frosting - for Laura and Davis

Cake -
4 eggs
3/4 cup Buttermilk
3/4 cup Canola Oil
1 1/2 cup Sugar
2 tea. Vanilla Extract
2 tea. Cinnamon, ground
1/4 tea. Salt
2 cups Flour, all-purpose
2 tea. Baking Soda
2 tea. Baking Powder
3 cups Grated Carrots
1 cup Coconut, flaked or grated
(8 oz. pineapple, crushed, drained - I did not use pineapple this go-round, It can be included or omitted)
1 cup Walnuts or Pecans, chopped rather fine
1 cup Raisins

Frosting -
10 oz. Cream Cheese, at room temperature
5 TBL. Butter, unsalted & at room temperature
2 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar
1/4 cup Maple Syrup (be sure to use the real stuff!)

Cake -
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175 degrees C). Grease a 9"x13" pan or two 8" rounds, or prepare cupcake papers.

In a large bowl beat together the eggs, buttermilk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt.

In another bowl combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Stir to mix well.

Fold this into the wet mixture, being careful to not overmix. Add in remaining ingredients and mix as little as possible. (Overmixing results in a dry cake.) Pour into the pan(s)/cups. If making cupcakes, be sure to only fill the cups about 3/4 of the way to prevent overage.

Cakes will take about 40-50 minutes to bake. Cupcakes should take about 15-30 minutes to bake. Remove when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for at least 10 minutes before turning out from the pans.

At this point the cake freezes successfully. It is easier to frost when it is just beginning to thaw. However, you can also frost it once it is cool.

Frosting -

Use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and beat at a low speed until well incorporated. Add in the maple syrup and mix well.

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Garlic Cheese Breadsticks
from More Bread Machine Magic

Breadsticks -
1 3/8 cup Water, Warm
4 tea. Butter, room temperature
2 tea. Sugar
2 tea. Salt
4 cup Bread Flour
2 1/2 tea. Yeast

Topping -
1/4 cup Butter, melted
1/4 cup Olive Oil
2-3 Garlic Cloves, finely minced
4 tea. Parmesan Cheese, finely grated

Place all of the ingredients for the bread sticks into your bread maker in the order that they are listed. Select the dough setting and set it to work (this takes 50 minutes in my machine.)

Once the dough has risen long enough remove it from the pan and turn it out onto a well floured surface (I use a cutting board.) Knead the bread a bit more and shape it into three sections. Work with one section at a time, creating a rectangle shape. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into 12 strips. Place them slightly apart from each other on a baking sheet. (I cover mine with foil to make clean up faster.) Repeat this step for the other dough bundles. Cover the breadstick and let them raise until doubled. This usually takes about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. It is best to let it preheat for at least 30 minutes before baking the breadsticks.

Create the topping my mixing all of the ingredients for the topping in a measuring cup. Right before you bake the breadsticks brush on half of the topping. Then cook the breadsticks for about 15-20 minutes, or until nicely browned. Brush the remaining topping on the breadsticks after they have been removed from the oven.

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Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Bites!
from Tasty Kitchen, added by Wendy Darling
· 1 pound Bacon
· 1 can Chunked Pineapple (large Chunks)
· ½ cups Brown Sugar

Set your oven to 375F.
Cut the pound of bacon in half. Put the brown sugar in a shallow bowl. Take a half a slice of bacon and dredge it through the brown sugar. Put a chunk of pineapple on one end of the bacon slice and roll up. Secure with a toothpick.
I put a cookie cooling rack into a foil-lined jelly roll pan. Lay the bacon pineapple bundles onto the rack.
Bake for at least 25 minutes, or until the bacon looks brown and crispy. Sometimes I pop them under the broiler for the last few minutes just to get them really crisp. But watch out – the sugar will burn!
Try to wait for them to cool slightly – only because the tasty goodness will burn your lips if it’s too hot! Enjoy.

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Cheddar Puffs
from The Pioneer Woman

Prep Time: 15 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes Difficulty: Easy Servings: 8
Ingredients
· 1 loaf Crusty French Bread, Cut Into 1-inch Cubes
· ½ sticks Butter
· 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
· 1 whole Shallot, Minced
· 1-½ teaspoon Dijon Mustard
· 8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, Sliced
· 1-½ cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
· Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
· 2 whole Egg Whites, Beaten
Preparation Instructions
Heat butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots and saute for 1 minute. Add Dijon and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low.
Add cream cheese and stir until melted. Add grated cheddar and stir until melted. Turn off heat. Add salt and pepper to taste. Fold in egg whites.
Dunk bread cubes in cheese, coating thoroughly. Place on a nonstick baking mat or sheet of waxed paper and freeze for 20 minutes, uncovered. Remove frozen chunks from tray and place into a Ziploc bag. Store in the freezer.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place frozen cheese puffs on a baking sheet with a nonstick baking mat or parchment paper, and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Being Thankful for a Friend and Some Great Recipes

I am blessed in my life to have a few really good friends. As an adult I find that I have to be intentional about making time to support and maintain the relationships in my life. One such friend is Laura. I am so thankful for her. We have a great time together and support each other. She doesn't blink an eye if my house looks lived in when she visits. I can stop by her house and if I am hungry I can be sure to find nourishment. Most importantly, she nourishes my soul. She helps me recenter myself when, in stress, I have pushed myself to the edge. She helps me talk through the things that make me upset and helps me find sense and order. She indulges me when I am silly or overly enthusiastic. She helps me stay real. Besides, we just have a darn good time together.

I had today off so we spent the morning together. We had a light breakfast and went thrifting. We were on a quest to find wind/track pants for the girls to take to Nationals. We found much more, of course. I found someone's much loved fancy dishes. The colors are close enough to my fancy dishes that they will work nicely together. I also got two creamers that I will actually use for gravy. I also found a really fun blue canning jar, old style. She found great stuff, too.

We also discussed our Thanksgiving plans. Here's what we are having:

* Baked Brie Cheese wrapped in phyllo dough topped with spiced cherry chutney served with crackers
* Pistachios
* Chocolates - Sea foam and Caramels
* Spiced Nuts
* Bacon and Cheese Empanadas (in puff pastry cups instead of a folded pastry)

* Maple Glazed Turkey with Bacon and Sage
* Turkey Gravy
* Sage and Fennel Stuffing made with Buttermilk Cornbread
* Green Salad
* Green Bean and Onion casserole
* Sweet Potatoes with Citrus
* Mashed Potatoes
* Sour Cream Lemon Rolls

* Maple Glazed Pecan Pie
* Spiced Pumpkin Pie
* Whipped Cream

Here are the recipes for most of the offerings:

Maple-Roasted Turkey with Sage, Smoked Bacon, and Cornbread Stuffing

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 bunch fresh sage, leaves finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large onions, finely chopped
1 loaf cornbread, cubed (about 6 cups)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup heavy cream 3 cups chicken stock 1
(12 to 14 pound) fresh turkey
1 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup hot water
8 strips smoked bacon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 lemon, juiced

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and remove the top rack.
Combine the butter and sage in a mixing bowl, mash with a fork or spoon until the sage is well incorporated and the butter has flecks of green in it; season with salt and pepper.
In a saute pan, melt 4 tablespoons of the sage butter, add the onions, cook and stir for 15 minutes until soft and golden. Remove from heat. Put the cornbread in a large mixing bowl and scrape the sauteed onion mixture on top. Add the egg, heavy cream, and just enough chicken stock to moisten the stuffing without making it soggy (about 1/2 cup.) Toss well to combine, season with salt and pepper.

Remove the neck and gizzards from the inside of the turkey and discard. Rinse the bird thoroughly inside and out with cold water, pat dry. Sprinkle the cavity and skin liberally with salt and pepper. Using your fingers, gently lift the skin from the breast and legs, and slip pieces of the sage butter underneath; massaging it in as you go. Fill the bird with the cornbread stuffing without packing too tightly; cook the remaining stuffing separately in a buttered baking dish. Truss the turkey; place it on a rack in a large roasting pan, and put into the oven.
Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl, whisk together the maple syrup and hot water to thin the glaze out a bit; use this to baste the turkey every 30 minutes. The turkey should take about 3 hours to cook (i.e. 15 to 20 minutes per pound.) If the legs or breast brown too quickly, cover with foil.

About 2 hours into cooking, shingle the strips of bacon oven the turkey breast to cover; continue to roast and baste for another hour or so. The turkey is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the meatiest part of the thigh registers 170 degrees F (the thigh juices will also run clear when pricked with a knife.) Transfer the turkey to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes before carving, so the juices can settle back into the meat.
Skim off the excess fat from the pan drippings with a spoon and place the roasting pan over 2 burners set on medium-high heat. Using a wooden spoon, scrape up brown bits stuck to bottom of pan. Whisk the flour into the drippings, stirring as it thickens to prevent lumps. Add the remaining chicken stock and bring to a simmer; season with salt and pepper and hit it with a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Simmer for 5 minutes and then strain to remove any particles. Serve the gravy with the maple-roasted turkey and cornbread stuffing.


Maple Orange Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

* 2 1/2 pounds peeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
* 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
* 1/4 cup maple syrup
* 2 tablespoons brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon stick margarine or butter, melted
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Traditional Method:

1. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1" cubes. Boil these until they are fork tender.
2. Mash them with the butter (I added more than was called for). Add in the OJ, maple syrup, brown sugar, salt and ground cloves.
3. Place in a buttered baking dish. The dish can be covered and refrigerated for up to a few days, if needed.
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes. You can top with marshmallows, if wanted. You would add them in for the last 10 minutes of cooking time.

Microwave Method:
Place the sweet potato slices in a 2-quart casserole.

Combine juice and next 5 ingredients (juice through cloves) in a small bowl. Pour juice mixture over potatoes. Cover loosely with plastic wrap, and microwave at HIGH 10 minutes. Stir after 5 minutes. Uncover, and microwave at HIGH 5 minutes or until potato is tender. Sprinkle with pecans.

http://find.myrecipes.com/food/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=358499

Sausage Fennel Stuffing

7 cups coarsely crumbled buttermilk corn bread
1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casings discarded
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
2 medium onions, finely chopped (2 cups)
1 1/2 lb fennel (sometimes called anise; 2 medium), stalks cut off and discarded and bulbs coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
2 teaspoons dried thyme, crumbled
2 teaspoons dried tarragon, crumbled
1 - 1 1/2 cup Craisins.
1 cup turkey giblet stock or low-sodium chicken broth or 1/2 milk and 1/2 broth


Preheat oven to 325°F.

Spread bread crumbs in 2 shallow baking pans and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven until golden and dry, about 15 minutes. Cool crumbs in pans on racks, then transfer to a large bowl.

Cook sausage in a dry 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up pieces with a fork, until browned and cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to bowl with bread crumbs with a slotted spoon.

Melt 6 tablespoons butter in skillet over moderate heat, then add onions, fennel bulb, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are softened, 10 to 15 minutes.

Finely grind fennel seeds in coffee/spice grinder, then add to vegetables in skillet along with thyme and tarragon and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Transfer vegetables to bowl with bread crumbs and sausage and toss gently but thoroughly. Spoon stuffing into a buttered 3- to 3 1/2-quart shallow baking dish. Drizzle with stock and dot with remaining 2 tablespoons butter, cut into bits. Bake, covered, in middle of oven 30 minutes, then uncover and bake until browned, about 30 minutes more.

Cooks' note: • Stuffing can be assembled (but not baked) 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Buttermilk Cornbread
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 TBS Sugar
1 cup well-shaken buttermilk
2 large eggs
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh sage (optional)

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, butter, and sage (if using) in another bowl, then add to flour mixture and stir until just combined.

Spread batter evenly in a buttered 8-inch square baking pan and bake in middle of oven until golden, about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack, then coarsely crumble.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Buttermilk-Corn-Bread-107361

Maple Pecan Pie

3/4 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Stir syrup, brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in medium saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Increase heat and boil 1 minute. Cool to lukewarm, about 45 minutes.

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Roll out crust dough on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim dough overhang to 1 inch. Fold edge under, forming high-standing rim; crimp decoratively. Freeze crust until firm, about 20 minutes.

Whisk eggs, vanilla and salt in 4-cup measuring cup to blend. Gradually whisk maple syrup mixture into egg mixture. Stir in pecan halves.

Pour filling into crust. Bake pie until filling is slightly puffed around edges and center is set, about 55 minutes. Cool pie completely on rack. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Cut pie into wedges and serve.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Maple-Pecan-Pie-in-Wheat-Flavored-Crust-102410

Molasses-and-Spice Pumpkin Pie

Bon Appétit | November 2004

1 cup sugar (consider ¾ cup instead)
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger (fresh ginger can be used)
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
2 large eggs
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1 1/2 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses
1 9-inch unbaked homemade or purchased pie crust

Mix first 6 ingredients in large bowl to blend. Add pumpkin, eggs, cream, milk, and molasses; whisk filling to blend.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour filling into crust. Bake pie until set in center and slightly puffed around edges, about 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool pie on rack.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Molasses-and-Spice-Pumpkin-Pie-231127

Bacon and Egg Empañadas
Gourmet | November 1998

2 frozen turnover dough (empanada) wrappers*, thawed (I used puff pastry shells instead)
2 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese
3 large eggs
3 scallions
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 slices Canadian bacon

Preheat oven to 425°F. and butter a baking pan.

On a lightly floured surface with a rolling pin roll out each empanada wrapper into a 7-inch round. Finely grate Cheddar and in a bowl whisk together with eggs and salt and pepper to taste. Chop scallions. In a nonstick skillet heat 1 teaspoon butter over moderately high heat until foam subsides and sauté bacon until golden, about 1 minute on each side. Transfer bacon to a plate and add remaining 2 teaspoons butter to skillet. Heat butter until foam subsides and sauté scallions 15 seconds. Add egg mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until eggs just begin to set but are still very loose, about 30 seconds. Arrange 1 piece bacon 1/4 inch from edge of 1 empanada wrapper and spoon half of egg mixture on top of bacon. Fold empanada wrapper over filling to create a half-moon shape and seal by pressing edges together firmly with a fork. Make another empanada in same manner.

Transfer empanadas to baking pan and cut a few small slits in top of each empanada to create steam vents. Bake empanadas in middle of oven until golden, about 10 minutes.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bacon-and-Egg-Empanadas-15765

A Small Dinner Party, Two Recipes and a Few Fixie Videos

This evening we had some friends over for dinner. Larr worked with Jenn last summer. She and her husband are training to be doctors. Her husband gifted us a banjo. Ethan and Larr have wanted to learn to play one for some time. They are super excited to give it a try. Since I worked today the dinner was pretty straight forwards. I made an appetizer modeled after one we had at a restaurant on Sunday. I also made Chicken Dijon from the Colorado Cache Cookbook. It is a Junior League of Denver book and one of my favorite cookbooks. It was a nice, simple meal:

Artichoke, Olive and Pesto Appetizers

Nice Chips or Crackers (I used Olive Oil crackers from the health food store)
Pesto
Marinated Artichoke Hearts
Black Olives, whole
Parmesan Cheese, finely shredded

Prepare the oven to broil on high. On cookie sheets lay out crackers in one layer. Spread a small amount of pesto on each cracker/chip. Top with a smallish bit of artichoke heart. Top with a few slices of black olive. Top with finely shredded Parmesan cheese. Place under broiler to melt cheese. Watch closely to make sure the cracker/chip does not burn.

Chicken Dijon (adapted from from Colorado Cache by the Junior League of Denver, 1978)

3 TBL Butter
4 Chicken Breast, skinless and cut into large chunks
2 TBL Flour
1 c. Chicken Broth
1/2 c. Light Cream or Half and Half
2-3 TBL Dijon Mustard
2 TBL Basil, finely chopped, fresh or dried
2 Tomatoes, cut into wedges

Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the chicken and cook until nicely brown. Remove the chicken and place it in a warming dish. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and cream, stirring to combine. Cook until this thickens. Once it is bubbly, add the mustard and the basil. Return the chicken to the skillet and hear for 10 minutes. Garnish with tomatoes if you wish.

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Ethan is hot for getting a Fixie. It is a simple bike without brakes or gears. You pedal the entire time you ride. You stop by pedaling and you can go backwards by, you guessed it, pedaling backwards. Here's a totally inspiring video of Chris Akrigg with a little fixie action in England:

One gear No idea from chris akrigg on Vimeo.


Here are two others that I found by accident. I didn't even know this sport existed. It is very cool: