Ethan's & Brandon's Camping Trip Near Buena Vista + Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup Recipe

Ethan and Brandon went camping last weekend. Ethan needed to get out of town and into nature. I believe that he also wanted to try out the new tent that we gave him for his birthday. It is an excellent tent.

They headed out towards and camped near Buena Vista. On the way, they caught sight of a bear. It was kind of an exciting thing for the boys. I think it worried the bear. It kept looking back to see if they were following him. He could not know that all they wanted was a few photographs.

We went to Buena Vista every summer when the kids were racing bikes. We also went just as a get-away as some friends own a tiny house in town. Coming round the bend on the north side of South Park (the very same that the cartoon is based on) is always a treat. It has so many connections with fun times with the family. I think it might be the same for Ethan.

They explored the area just north of Buena Vista, which we have not done, and they came across this set of tunnels that Ethan loved. It is pretty cool.

On another day they went four wheeling and encountered an odd, troubling sight. They found that some folks from Kansas were trying to go over the trail in their minivan. We're talking about a 4-wheel drive trail. Other 4-wheelers simply waved at the family as they trundled past. The family had purchased a map from town that said it was a good road. Ethan's Delorme Atlas showed it as a trail, a 4 wheeling trail. It was clear that they were in trouble and scared so Ethan and Brandon helped them out, alternately giving them instructions on how to drive over the rock gardens and sand pits. Other time Ethan drove the van for them.

When the boys encountered the family, they were praying because they thought they were going to die.The parents both in their late 70's and overweight. Their adult son was about 35 and has mental challenges. What they thought would be a nice drive turned into much more than they had bargained for. They were also not prepared for the day as they did not have the right clothes or enough water. Before the boys rescued them, they had considered abandoning the van and walking down the mountain. There was a point where they all got out of the van to walk a part of the trail while Ethan drove through the rock garden. After the 15 minutes of walking, they were tired and done. At that point in the day, the family was about 30 miles out of town. There was no way that they could have walked out.

It took a while and the van suffered some damage. The woman, white knuckled, learned to not stop when driving in a sand pit. I would imagine that they also learned about the importance of being prepared when you go exploring in nature.

At the bottom of the mountain Ethan and Brandon intended to bid them farewell, but the family was insistent on taking them to dinner as a token of thanks. They said that they were sure God had sent Ethan and Brandon to save them. At dinner the husband leans over to Ethan and says, I want to show you something. I want you to know who you saved, and as he did that he pulled out a photograph of himself dressed as Santa. He smiled jovialy and chuckled a bit. " You see," he says with a twinkle in his eye, "you saved Santa Claus."

Later that night the boys relaxed around the camp fire. Ethan tried his hand at star photography.

By the time they returned home, I think the boys felt satisfied with their trip. I am sure that they would have been happy to have camped for a longer time, but at least they were able to get away for a short while and try out the new tent, which is a good one.

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It is still hot here, but we have a bounty of vegetables from our friends, so I decided to make a lovely Italian Sausage and Tortellini soup and garlic bread for dinner. I will stop on my way home and pick up some freshly shaved Parmesan cheese to put on top of it.

Italian Sausage and Tortellini Soup
via: The Kitchn


Serves 2 for dinner plus leftovers
Neutral cooking oil, such as canola
1 pound bulk hot or mild Italian sausage
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 to 3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine (or substitute chicken stock)
1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Parmesan rind (or a small hunk of cheese), optional
1 (9- or 12-ounce package) fresh or frozen tortellini (see Recipe Notes)
2 cups roughly chopped spinach
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes, to taste
Shaved Parmesan and extra-virgin olive oil, for serving

Drizzle a tablespoon or two of oil into a large Dutch oven and place over medium-high heat until shimmery and sizzling hot. Add the Italian sausage (do not break it up yet) and sear until golden-brown on one side, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and sear the other side, another 2 to 3 minutes. Once the sausage is lightly browned on both sides, start aggressively breaking it up with wooden spoon. (The goal is to get some delicious caramelization in the bottom of the pan as opposed to just steaming the ground meat in its own liquids.) Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to another bowl, leaving the fat in the pot.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the onions and a big pinch of salt. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 15 to 20 seconds, just until you start to smell its aroma. Add the red wine and increase the temperature to high. Allow the liquid to cook out at a raucous boil, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to release any delicious brown bits as it bubbles.
Add the canned tomatoes and juices to the pot. Then use kitchen shears to cut the tomatoes into bite-sized chunks. Add the chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and Parmesan rind. Season with kosher salt — start with about a 1/4 teaspoon — and freshly ground black pepper. Bring the liquid to a boil and add the tortellini. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tortellini is warmed through, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the spinach to the pot and stir until wilted. Taste and adjust seasoning. (Remove Parmesan rind if used.) Serve with a drizzle of good olive oil and a dusting of shaved Parmesan.

For an easy side, use any leftover spinach to make a salad with your favorite vinaigrette, and add some frozen garlic bread if desired. Leftovers keep getting better; reheat with additional chicken stock or water, as needed.

One of the Gifts I Made for Ethan + Recipes for Egg Drop Soup, Hot and Sour Soup, Chow Mein and Aloha Stir-Fry

Every year I make something for each person in my family. It is something special, something from my heart. Over the course of the year I keep my ear out for an idea for the present. At some time during this past year Ethan mentioned that he would like more real art and when he was looking through my sketchbook, he commented on some of the note pages from when I was reading a book about watercolor technique. He loved the drawings of the contents of the artist's bag. That is when I knew what I would make for him. When he was packing to go back on the ship in September, I arranged the items that he packed and took a few photos.

After he left, I spent some time thinking about which items to include in the drawing. I thought about what medium I should use. In the end I opted for pen and ink, or actually I opted for Micro markers. I drew items that had meaning for both of us. I included his canvas bag because it went on many of the mine exploring adventures he and his dad took. I included the box of writing implements because we like to sit and draw together. The field notes are an place where he jots down fun ideas, random notes, etc. His knife had to be included because he takes it nearly everywhere he goes. the leather knife rig was made during one of the times that we did leather work together. And of course I had to include a few of the patches that he loves. As I drew each item, I thought about Ethan, the fun we had, the conversations we enjoyed and I thought about who is becoming.

I was thrilled when he was thrilled with his gift. I intend to add a bit more detail to the canvas bag, but otherwise, it is pretty much done.

I also made a tiny, water-proof cookbook, but I will write about that in another post.

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Here is what we had for dinner on Tuesday. It took a while to make, but it was worth the effort and the wait.


Hot and Sour Soup
Recipe courtesy of Tyler Florence

4 dried Chinese fungi (about 1 ounce), such as wood ears or cloud ears
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 -inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tablespoon red chile paste, such as sambal oelek
1/2 cup canned bamboo shoots, sliced
1/4 pound barbecued pork, shredded
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
Pinch sugar
2 quarts Chinese Chicken Stock, recipe follows
1 square firm tofu, drained and sliced in 1/4-inch strips
3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Chopped green onions and cilantro leaves, for garnish
Chinese Chicken Stock:
1 (4-pound) whole chicken
1 bunch green onions, halved
4 garlic cloves, smashed
3 -inch piece fresh ginger, whacked open with the flat side of a knife
1 onion, halved
1 teaspoon whole white peppercorns
About 3 quarts cold water
Directions

Put the wood ears in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes to reconstitute. Drain and rinse the wood ears; discard any hard clusters in the centers.

Heat the oil in a wok or large pot over medium-high flame. Add the ginger, chili paste, wood ears, bamboo shoots, and pork; cook and stir for 1 minute to infuse the flavor. Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl, pour it into the wok and toss everything together - it should smell really fragrant. Pour in the Chinese Chicken Stock, bring the soup to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the tofu and cook for 3 minutes.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the water and stir until smooth. Mix the slurry into the soup and continue to simmer until the soup thickens. Remove the soup from the heat and stir in 1 direction to get a current going, then stop stirring. Slowly pour in the beaten eggs in a steady stream and watch it spin around and feather in the broth (it should be cooked almost immediately.) Garnish the hot and sour soup with chopped green onions and cilantro before serving.

Chinese Chicken Stock:
Put the chicken in a large stockpot and place over medium heat. Toss in the green onions, garlic, ginger, onion, and peppercorns. Pour about 3 quarts of cold water into the pot to cover the chicken by 1-inch. Simmer gently for 1 hour, uncovered, skimming off the foam on the surface periodically.

Carefully remove the chicken from the pot and pass the stock through a strainer lined with cheesecloth to remove the solids and excess fat. Cool the chicken stock to room temperature before storing in the refrigerator, or chill it down over ice first.

Yield: About 2 quarts

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/tyler-florence/hot-and-sour-soup-recipe.print.html?oc=linkback

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Egg Drop Soup
via: The Kitchen

Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 for a light dinner
Base Ingredients
4 cups (32 oz) chicken or vegetable stock
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 to 4 large eggs
Salt or soy sauce

Flavoring Extras - Use one or all
1/2" fresh ginger, peeled and cut into rounds
1 stem lemongrass, bruised
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
2 star anise
6-8 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons miso

Soup Extras - Use one or all
1/2 block (7-8 oz) extra-firm tofu, cut into bite-sized pieces
8 oz mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 bunch baby bok choy, thinly sliced
4 spring onions, thinly sliced

Pour the stock into a saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Put the smaller flavoring extras you're using into a tea ball or spice bag. Add all your flavoring extras to the saucepan with the stock. Turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. Scoop out all the flavoring extras with a slotted spoon. Taste and add salt or soy sauce as needed.

Add any soup extras to the stock and simmer for five minutes. Save some scallions for sprinkling on top of the soup at the end.

Scoop out 1/4 cup or so of the stock and whisk it with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk this back into the stock and let it simmer for a minute or two until the broth no longer tastes starchy.

Whisk together the eggs in a small bowl with the remaining teaspoon of cornstarch. Make sure your soup is at a bare simmer. Holding a fork over the bowl (see photo), pour the eggs slowly through the tines. Whisk the broth gently with your other hand as you pour. Let the soup stand for a few seconds to finish cooking the eggs.

Serve immediately, topped with thinly sliced scallions.

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Chow Mein
via: Damn Delicious

1/4 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
1/4 teaspoon white pepper (I might leave this out last time - Ellie does not like this)
2 (5.6-ounce) packages refrigerated Yaki-Soba, seasoning sauce packets discarded* (I used Ramen noodles and they worked just fine.)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 stalks celery, sliced diagonally
2 cups shredded cabbage

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, ginger and white pepper; set aside.
In a large pot of boiling water, add Yaki-Soba until loosened, about 1-2 minutes; drain well.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and celery, and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in cabbage until heated through, about 1 minute.
Stir in Yaki-Soba and soy sauce mixture until well combined, about 2 minutes.
Serve immediately.
NOTES

*Yaki-Soba is ramen-style noodles and can be found in the refrigerated aisle of your local grocery store.
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Aloha Stir Fry
via: The Ramblings of an Aspiring Small Town Girl

1 lb tri tip steak thinly sliced (I used a t-bone steak and some pork chops I had on hand. It worked well.)
Chow mein noodles (see recipe above)
½ yellow onion sliced (I used a red onion)
2 cups Aloha soy sauce (if you can’t find it, reduced sodium soy sauce will work too)
¼ tsp fresh ginger shredded
4 garlic cloves minced – divided
1 tbsp oyster sauce (I did not have this)
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup pineapple juice
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
1/2 tbsp seasame oil
Veggies of your choosing: Bean sprouts, carrot, broccoli, snow peas, snap peas, etc.

Servings: 4

Instructions

Marinade steak in shoyu, oyster sauce, ginger, ½ the garlic, and brown sugar for 1 hour. (I did not have time to do this. It marinated for about 20 minutes and was still very tasty.)

Prepare chow mein noodles according to package directions.

In a large measuring glass or bowl whisk apple cider vinegar, pineapple juice, hoisin, sesame oil, and cornstarch.

Chop and prep your veggies. I like to have everything ready to go before I start using the wok.

Heat wok and cook steak with 1/2 cup of marinade for about 2-3 minutes on each side.

While steak is cooking, add 1 cup of the marinade to the apple cider mix you just made and whisk.

Remove steak from Wok

Add onion, the other 1/2 of the garlic and any other firm veggies that need to be cooked for a bit in the wok to soak up the liquid (about 3 minutes).

Add noodles, the rest of the veggies, and steak to the wok and stir.

Add the marinade/apple cider vinegar mix to the wok at about 1/2 a cup every couple of minutes and toss. The liquid will soak up so taste test before adding each 1/2 cup. Once it’s to your liking, stop! You may not need to use all the liquid.

Cook until it’s food :) About 5-8 minutes.

Bella Frida + Pot Roast (Easy and Tasty), Cabbage & Kielbasa Soup, Minestrone Soup

I recently found out that I won the Frida prize in the ofrenda contest that I entered over at Two Hands Paperie. It was pretty exciting and then I found out that I would be receiving a $50 for Bella Frida in Louisville. I love the fact that Laura made the gift card into a whole present with a fun bag and paper flower. Don't you think it is fun?! It is a store that is dedicated to offering items made by artist, most of whom are from Mexico. It is owned by Laura, who I wrote about when I went to Two Hands for the Day of the Dead event.

On Saturday Natalie and I went to Boulder to Two Hands and then over to Louisville where we had a fabulous lunch at Casa Alegre. If you enjoy Mexican food, I would recommend this place. The food was great and so was the service.

Then we headed over to Bella Frida. It was so much more than I had expected. Natalie and I spent a long time in the store. I bought myself a new skirt and some fun socks.

Do you see the metal hearts in the photo of the blouses? I used my gift card to purchase the bigger one. I think I will hang it up in my art room, or maybe the upstairs bathroom that is full of color.

I had a hard time deciding what to pick. I almost chose one of the skeletons with wings. I think they are wonderful!

We loved going to Laura's shop. I also love that she has not decorated for Christmas, that she is letting that wait until after Thanksgiving. I will try to go and visit again to see who she sets up the shop for the Holiday season.

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Cabbage & Kielbasa Soup

1 large Red Onion, chopped
3 TBL. Olive Oil
2 tea. Garlic, minced
1 pnd Carrots, cut into coins
2 rings Kielbasa Sausage, cut into pieces or diced
1 med. Bunch of Fingerling Potatoes, cut into bite size pieces
6 cups Chicken Stock
1 head Cabbage, chopped
1 tea. Smoked Sweet Hungarian Paprika
1 tea. Nutmeg, ground
1 tea Celery Salt
Salt and Pepper to taste
Balsamic Vinegar, served as a condiment

Saute the onion and the kielbasa in hot oil in a soup pot until the onion is softened. Add in the garlic and saute a bit longer. Add the potatoes and stock. Simmer until the spices with the potatoes until they are cooked, about 30 min. Bring the soup to a boil and add the cabbage. Stir. Turn the heat to medium. Cook for about 5 minutes or more. The longer you simmer the soup, the more the cabbage will incorporate. If you make this in a crock pot, some of the cabbage will sort of dissolve or melt and begin to thicken the soup a bit. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set out the balsamic vinegar so that it may be added for additional flavor, if desired. Serve with a nice bread, such as thick slices of French bread.

* I would have added caraway seeds, if I had any. I am also considering adding in apples.

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Pot Roast
via: My Recipes.com

2 cups water
1 5 to 6-lb. beef pot roast $
1 1-oz. pkg. ranch salad dressing mix
1 .7-oz. pkg. Italian salad dressing mix
1 .87-oz. pkg. brown gravy mix $
6 to 8 potatoes, peeled and cubed $
8 to 10 carrots, peeled and thickly sliced $
Preparation

Pour water into a large oval slow cooker; add roast. Combine mixes and sprinkle over roast.

Cover and cook on low setting for 6 to 7 hours; add potatoes and carrots during the last 2 hours of cooking.

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Olive Garden Inspired Minestrone Soup
via: Eat Yourself Skinny Blog

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup zucchini, chopped
1/2 cup frozen cut green beans
1/4 cup celery, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable broth
1 (15 oz) can red kidney beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can small white beans, drained
1/2 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup carrots, julienned
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 1/2 cups hot water
3 cups fresh baby spinach
1/3 cup small pasta shells

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and saute onion, celery, garlic, zucchini and green beans, about 5 minutes. The add vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, beans, carrot, hot water and spices. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat, allowing soup to simmer for about 20 minutes.

Add baby spinach leaves and pasta, cooking an additional 20 minutes, then serve. Enjoy!

Halloween Decorations - This Year's Crop of Fun Stuff + a Brisket Recipe and a Green Chile Posole Recipe

It is finally October and I love checking out all of the Halloween decorations that some of my favorite store carry. I am both relieved and disappointed when a store does not have much that I love. That is not the case this year. Here's some of the fun stuff I would love to have:

Crate and Barrel:

Cost Plus World Market:

William Sonoma:

Pottery Barn:
http://ab.pkimgs.com/pkimgs/ab/images/dp/wcm/201429/0002/img19o.jpg

Brisket with BBQ Sauce
via: Allrecipes.com

4 pounds lean beef brisket
2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring
1 tablespoon onion salt
1 tablespoon garlic salt

1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard powder
salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. Pour liquid smoke over brisket. Rub with onion salt and garlic salt. Roll brisket in foil and refrigerate overnight.
2. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Place brisket in a large roasting pan. Cover and bake for 5 to 6 hours. Remove from oven, cool, and then slice. Put slices back into pan.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, ketchup, butter, water, celery salt, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir, and cook until boiling.
4. Pour sauce over meat slices in pan. Cover and bake for 1 more hour.

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Green Chile Posole
from: Tasting Colorado by Michele Morris

Pork:
4-5 pound Pork Shoulder
5 TBL. Mesquite Liquid Smoke (I like the liquid smoke that I get from William Sonoma best)
1 tea Salt
2 tea Cumin
1 tea Coriander, Ground
2 tea Chile Powder

Posole:
14 oz. Beef Stock
1/2 cup extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
2 x 28 oz. Hominy, drained and rinsed
28 oz. Tomatoes, Mexican stewed
4 oz. Tamatillos, pureed
3 bunch Scallons, finely chopped
1 tea Cumin
Salt and Pepper to Taste
28 oz. Green Enchilada Sauce
1/2 pound Chile Peppers
Cheese for Topping (I used Cheddar Cheese)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spear the roast all over with a knife. Place on 2 layers of foil. Mic together the spices. Rub in the liquid smoke into the meat. Do the same with the spice mix. Seal in the first layer of foil. Then repeat with the second layer of foil. Be sure to do them separately.

Fill a broiler pan with 1" of hot water. Place the pork in the pan with the hot water and cook it for 3 hours.

Remove and let it cool in the foil. Shred or cube, discarding the fat.

Place the pork in a large stockpot. Add all of the posole ingredients, except the cheese. Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Top with cheese before serving.