Sam's Cucumber Sandwich

This is a sandwich that Sam created.  She used a low fat English Muffin and cream cheese.  So simple, so delicious!  This week, I made it this way, of course with a different cheese.

Humbolt Fog...This is a goat’s milk cheese with a layer a vegetable ash.  It’s really delicious!  No more fooling around...here it is:

Ingredients:

• 2 slices bread, or english muffin.  I used Lucia’s cottage cheese dill bread.
• Humbolt Fog Cheese.  You could use almost any kind of cheese.
• Fresh herbs, if available.  I used dill and basil.
• Cucumber, sliced thickly.  (Is thickly a word????).
• Herbes et Sel de la France (Recipe provided on this blog).  You could use salt and or pepper.  Any of this is optional.  

You could also make this as a tomato sandwich.  That is equally delicious!

Toubouli

This recipe was emailed to me by one of the local farmers markets just in time!  I’ve adapted it, of course!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups chopped cucumber.  If using the small ones, for pickles, no need to peel them.
• 1 tomato (not too ripe).  Chop up and drain water on a paper towel.
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped.
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped.
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped.
• 1/4 cup other fresh herbs of your choice (optional).
• 2 cloves of roasted garlic.
• Onion, shallots, or radish, to taste, chopped of course.
• Salt and pepper, to taste or Herbes et Sel de la France (posted on this blog).

Dressing:

• 2 tbsp.  lemon or lime juice w/some zest.
• About 5 tbsp. olive oil (emulsified with the citris).

Process:

1. Make dressing.  
2. Place all chopped salad ingredients in a bowl.  Mix, gently.
3. Add dressing.

Note:  If the salad seems “watered down” from the veggies, you can try to pour that off.  On the other hand, four months from now, we will only dream of a salad like this.

I had this for dinner with a veggie panani!  This is probably not a conventional summer meal, but...I think you know the rest.  What a pleasure to use all fresh, local, organic ingredients.  

Gluten Free Zucchini Brownies

After making the applesauce bread, that turned out really well, I got a little bold.  This  recipe is a little more healthy.  This is not the best brownie I’ve ever made, but it it the most healthy, and it is gluten free.  I recently tried the Fiber One Brownies.  These are way better than Fiber One.  

I used the batter from the Apple Sauce Bread recipe, but cut the sugar in half, cut the butter by more than half, and added some apple sauce to the batter.  This is a trick in many low fat recipes.  Dont’ be fooled.  This is not terribly low fat, but it is gluten free!  I sprinkled some instant coffee on top, after removing this from the oven to “darken” the chocolate flavor.  This is optional, of course.  You could top with a dark chocolate or cream cheese icing.  This is what I did:

Ingredients:

• 4 eggs.
• 3 tbsp. melted butter.
• 1/2 cup apple sauce.
• 1/2 cup sugar.
• 1 1/3 cups cooked quinoa.
• 1 3/4 cups rice flour.
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder.
• 1/2 tsp. each baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Approximately 2 cups shredded zucchini.
• 1/4 cup shredded coconut. (optional).
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans).
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
• 2 tbsp. instant coffee crystals.

Process:

• Heat the oven to 350.
• Prepare a 9 x 13 cake pan with oil/butter and flour/cocoa.
• In mixer, mix the eggs.
• Add the melter butter, apple sauce, and sugar.
• Mix well.
• Add the quinoa. 
• Mix.
• Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
• Mix.
• Add the zucchini, coconu, walnuts, and chips.
• Mix.
• Pour the batter in the prepared pan.  
• Place the pan in the oven.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
• If desired, top the warm cake with instant coffee crystals, or whatever you like!

This, too, would be nice, topped with whipped or ice cream.  What wouldn’t?  

Gluten Free Apple Bread

As I’ve mentioned, I’m trying to be healthy.  I’ve never been diagnosed with sensitivity to gluten, but believe that we are all better off without it.  This is an interesting recipe, that I found online and adapted.  I was inspired by apples from my CSA, 3 different kinds in my frig.  I used the smallest, funniest looking ones that I had, to make this.  It starts out with a basic apple sauce.  I placed a layer of apple sauce in the middle and on top of the batter, then finished the top with more shredded coconut (optional).  It looks beautiful, and could me modified a whole bunch of different ways.  The batter was pretty sweet and used quite a bit of butter, so I made another, healthier recipe after...gluten free chocolate zucchini brownies.  Either one of these recipes would be more healthy than a scone, which is my “morning drug of choice”...not every day, but once or twice a week.  I need to quit that yummy habit...soon.  

My grandma had two or three apple trees in her back yard.  She used them like crazy.  I remember going outside with my mom and grandma to pick up apples that had fallen.  My grandma would make kind of a big deal out of finding “a good one”, that would not have worms or other blemishes or bruises.  

Applesauce:

• Pealed, cored, and sliced, if needed 5 or 6 medium apples.
• 1/2 to 3/4 cups water.
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon.
• 1/4 cup total maple syrup, honey, sugar, or any combination to sweeten.  I used maple syrup and honey.

Process to make applesauce:

• Place apples, water, and cinnamon in pan on medium-high heat.  
• Bring water/liquid to a boil.
• Reduce heat and stir.
• Rough mash with hand potato masher.  (You could make it more smooth, if you wanted to with an immersion blender.)
• Add honey and maple syrup.
• Taste.
• If needed, add more spice and sweetener.

To make the batter:

• 4 eggs.
• 1/4 lb. butter (1 stick), melted.
• 1 cup sugar.
• 1 1/3 cups cooked quinoa.
• 1 3/4 cups rice flour.  (other flour or oat flour could be used)
• 1/2 tsp. each of baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)

Process for batter/bread:  (I used the Kitchen Aide Blender)

• Heat the oven to 350.
• Prepare a large loaf pan with butter/oil or flour to prevent sticking.  Set aside.
• Mix the eggs.
• Add the melted butter.
• Add the sugar.  Mix well.
• Add the quinoa.  
• Mix.
• Add the rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt..
• Mix well.
• Add 1/2 of the coconut.  (Save the other 1/2 for the topping).
• Mix.

Process to “Build the Bread”:

• Pour 1/2 of the batter in to the prepared loan pan.
• Top with a layer of applesauce.  (DO NOT STIR IN.)
• Pour other 1/2 of the batter on top.
• Top with another layer of applesauce.  (DO NOT STIR IN.0
• Top with the other 1/2 of coconut.
• Tap pan on counter to reduce air pockets.
• Place pan in the oven.  Turn after about 15 minutes.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes.  The bread will rise a little bit (not a lot) and start to crack on top.  Test with a toothpick.
• Remove from oven.
• Cool completely.
• Slice and enjoy.  You could make this pretty special with a scoop of ice cream on top.  It’s super sweet!

I like the texture of this bread, with the quinoa and coconut.  This is something really different.  Trust me on this one.  

PS  It turned out really well!  I surprise myself sometimes.  :-)

Gluten Free Apple Sauce Bread

As I’ve mentioned, I’m trying to be healthy.  I’ve never been diagnosed with sensitivity to gluten, but believe that we are all better off without it.  This is an interesting recipe, that I found online and adapted.  I was inspired by apples from my CSA, 3 different kinds in my frig.  I used the smallest, funniest looking ones that I had, to make this.  It starts out with a basic apple sauce.  I placed a layer of apple sauce in the middle and on top of the batter, then finished the top with more shredded coconut (optional).  It looks beautiful, and could me modified a whole bunch of different ways.  The batter was pretty sweet and used quite a bit of butter, so I made another, healthier recipe after...gluten free chocolate zucchini brownies.  Either one of these recipes would be more healthy than a scone, which is my “morning drug of choice”...not every day, but once or twice a week.  I need to quit that yummy habit...soon.  

My grandma had two or three apple trees in her back yard.  She used them like crazy.  I remember going outside with my mom and grandma to pick up apples that had fallen.  My grandma would make kind of a big deal out of finding “a good one”, that would not have worms or other blemishes or bruises.  

Applesauce:

• Pealed, cored, and sliced, if needed 5 or 6 medium apples.
• 1/2 to 3/4 cups water.
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon.
• 1/4 cup total maple syrup, honey, sugar, or any combination to sweeten.  I used maple syrup and honey.

Process to make applesauce:

• Place apples, water, and cinnamon in pan on medium-high heat.  
• Bring water/liquid to a boil.
• Reduce heat and stir.
• Rough mash with hand potato masher.  (You could make it more smooth, if you wanted to with an immersion blender.)
• Add honey and maple syrup.
• Taste.
• If needed, add more spice and sweetener.

To make the batter:

• 4 eggs.
• 1/4 lb. butter (1 stick), melted.
• 1 cup sugar.
• 1 1/3 cups cooked quinoa.
• 1 3/4 cups rice flour.  (other flour or oat flour could be used)
• 1/2 tsp. each of baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)

Process for batter/bread:  (I used the Kitchen Aide Blender)

• Heat the oven to 350.
• Prepare a large loaf pan with butter/oil or flour to prevent sticking.  Set aside.
• Mix the eggs.
• Add the melted butter.
• Add the sugar.  Mix well.
• Add the quinoa.  
• Mix.
• Add the rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt..
• Mix well.
• Add 1/2 of the coconut.  (Save the other 1/2 for the topping).
• Mix.

Process to “Build the Bread”:

• Pour 1/2 of the batter in to the prepared loan pan.
• Top with a layer of applesauce.  (DO NOT STIR IN.)
• Pour other 1/2 of the batter on top.
• Top with another layer of applesauce.  (DO NOT STIR IN.0
• Top with the other 1/2 of coconut.
• Tap pan on counter to reduce air pockets.
• Place pan in the oven.  Turn after about 15 minutes.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes.  The bread will rise a little bit (not a lot) and start to crack on top.  Test with a toothpick.
• Remove from oven.
• Cool completely.
• Slice and enjoy.  You could make this pretty special with a scoop of ice cream on top.  It’s super sweet!

I like the texture of this bread, with the quinoa and coconut.  This is something really different.  Trust me on this one.  

PS  It turned out really well!  I surprise myself sometimes.  :-)

Veggie Panini

I’ve had a lot of delicious veggie panini sandwiches at various restaurants, but they are the best made at home, with the freshest, highest quality ingredients and with ingredients that you like in the proportion that you like them.  I make these in a cast iron pan with a panini press (looks like an antique iron) with a small handle on it.  Of course, you could make it in a panini maker/grill.

At the farmer’s market today, one of the many things that I bought was a fresh loaf of honey oat bread.  I like to keep my sandwich simple, with the exception of the cheese, in this case...

Angie, Angie, Angie...she works in the cheese department at Lunds in Uptown.  You will not find a person more knowledgeable.  You can describe a cheese that you’ve had with very little detail, and she will be able to ID it.  Then, you will sample it.  Then, you will buy it!  Funny how that works.  She also really enjoys the story of the cheese.  This recipe uses a cheese, that resembles subtle sauteed or grilled onions.  You can use any kind of cheese, including cream cheese, or a balsamic vinegrette, if you prefer.  

Ingredients:

• 2 slices fresh bread (cottage cheese dill is one of my favs.)
• 1 tbsp. soft butter.
• Sauteed veggies, such as onion, eggplant, zucchini, tomato, and kale.  Don’t saute the tomato in summer.  It’ll cook too much.
• Fresh herbs (mostly basil).
• Thin slice of cheese.   I used Wensleydale with Carmelized Onion Cheese.

Process:

1. Heat cast iron pan.
2. Cook veggies, as desired.
3. Butter the outside of the slices of bread (to grill).  This is really not necessary with the cast iron pan.
4. Start to place veggies on top with the fresh herbs in the middle (away from the heat).
5. Place the other slice of bread on top.
6. Hold in place with panini press, if you have one.
7. By the time you have it built, the sandwich will probably be ready to flp.  You don’t want to burn the bread.
8. Slice in half.  Serve with a pickle or sliced cucumber and tomato.

If you have the veggies grilled and kept in the frig., this is super easy to make after work.  Sometimes I freeze batches of veggies.  That makes it easy to put together, too.  

Sel et Herbes de la France

You know Oprah's Favorite Things?  This is one of my favorite things.  You can really spruce up anything without adding any calories.  Oprah doesn't need to worry about that kind of stuff...she has people!  :-)

I took several years of French classes when I was young.  If you took enough French, you qualified to go on the class trip to Paris in High School.  At the end of the day, my Doctor would not approve it and I did not get to go.  It’s not as sad of a story as it sounds like.  However, I’ve not used the language much sice then.  In fact, this may be the first time, and you know what happens!  Thank goodness for translating software.  Where would we be without it?  The name of this recipe would be “Salt and Herbs of France” in English.  That doesn’t sound near as sexy!  

At Kitchen Window, the boss man of their cooking classes, Dan, loves to talk about salt!  He wants to have classes about salt.  Soon, we’ll probably be able to get a degree in Salt!  This is very different than being “salt of the earth”, which is something to strive for.  :-)  I don’t use much salt in my cooking (any generally).  I do not use iodized salt any more for anything.  I use Kosher Salt as my “every day” cooking salt.  However, for a “finishing salt”, I use French Gray Salt or Himilayan Salt.  French salt is my fav!!  It is more wet than other salts.  It is DELICIOUS!!!  

I purchased something like this at Lucia’s.  However, they don’t always have it.  When I was running low, I went to visit my friend, Tom, at Penzey’s to see if we could make something like it.  He loves a challenge!  

I put this on top of most veggies, salads, potatos, pasta, breakfast, meat...everything except for fruit!  I purchased all of the ingredients at Penzey’s Spice Shop.  They are a Milwaukee store, but are all over, or you could order on line.  Their products are super fresh and cost less than any where else that I’m aware of.  Here it goes...

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. course grind, French Gray Salt.

3 tbsp. Herbes de Provence.  This consists of some mixture of rosemary, fennel, savor, thyme, basil, tarragon, dill weed, oregano, lavendar, chervil, and marjoram.

1 tbsp. Pink Peppercorns. 

1 tbsp. corriander seeds.

Process:

Add all ingredients to a pretty glass jar with a lid (or small shallow canning jar) and  shake until well mixed.  Serve with a small spoon.  AGAIN, NO CALORIES!!!  (not such a subliminal message).  

Note:  I thought that this would need to be run through a grinder, but the peppercorn and corriender seeds are very soft, so it doesn’t.  

On a salad, with fresh herbs (4-5 minimum), you will not even need any salad dressing.  This is also a really nice gift.  Lucia’s has an heirloom tomato salad.  $12.99/pound!!!  This is all you need!

Curried Vegetable Quinoa

This recipe is my take on another Lucia’s salad.  

This is my favorite season.  My CSA box overflows.  I buy so much stuff at the farmer’s market, I sometimes have to sling a bag of goodies over the handlebar on my bike!  I love the tempuratures in the midwest in fall,  nice days and cooler nights.  I try not to think about the next season that will come too soon and stay too long.  However, I am soooo ready for some football!  I think my Packers are looking really good this year.

I had to cook some quinoa for the apple bread recipe, also posted, so I decided to make some extra to make some of this yummy, super easy salad.  It keeps pretty well in the frig. and makes a pretty portable lunch.  

Of course, you can use whatever veggies you’d like.  I used what I had in the house.  I biked to the co op. today to get eggs and treated myself to a can of coconut water.  Gasoline is very spendy right now and I’ve been on a mission to not drive and honor big oil any more than I have to.

I always keep quinoa in the house.  It’s a super food, high in protien and other nutrients.  It doesn’t have much flavor, so it picks up whatever you add to it.  It’s a grain that has been popular in Asia for a long time, but seems pretty new in the US.  It’s relatively new to me!  BTW, it’s gluten free!  I’ve been reading about gluten free and dairy free diets.  It seems that we, humans, were not really built to process milk or gluten.  

To cook quinoa:

• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked quinoa
• 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)

Boil the ingredients.  Cover the pan and reduce heat.  Keep an eye on it.  In 10-15 minutes, most of the liquid is absopbed, so I turn off the heat and keep the pan covered.  

That’s it!  Super simple.

Curried Vegatable Quinoa

• 3 cups cooked quinoa.
• 1/2 cup olive oil (the best quality that you can afford/justify).
• 2 tbsp. Curry (I used Penzey’s).
• 1 tbsp. Sel et Herbes de la France (posted here).
• 1 raw (or sauteed) zucchini - cut down the middle and sliced.
• 2 raw carrots, sliced..
• 2 cups cooked swiss chard, chopped before cooking.
• 1 cup cooked, fresh corn.
• 1/4 cup currents, rehydrated.  (Put them in a bowl and cover with boiling water.  Let sit for 10-15 minutes.  Drain.)
• Fresh parsely, or other fresh herbs, chopped.

Process:  

• Mix the quinoa, oil, curry and herbs.  Taste.  It should be really well seasoned before adding the veggies.    
• Add the sliced veggies. 
• Mix.
• Taste.  Add more seasoning, if necessary.  

You can add a little bitt of feta cheese, some currants, and or slivered almonds and serve with a small side salad, or a yummy slice of bread.  The little bit of spice seems to be perfect in fall.  I hope that you enjoy this.  

Update on "shampoo" paste...

I've been using this for almost two weeks and LOVE it! It emphasizes the natural things you like about your hair and seems to minimize what you don't like! My hair has more body, is easier to style, and...wait for it...it covers up grey! I can't believe it!

I also really enjoy the process. Rubbing your scalp with a super mild abrasive. I had read that this can make your hair grow faster, as some say it does after a cut. It's not because of the cut. It's because of the scalp stimulation! Try it and let me know what you think.

August Farmer's Market

This is my favorite time of the year!  I went to my market yesterday, after brunch with a friend. What a simply splendid way to spend a morning! Local, organic, seasonal produce and other local products. I wanted to make another greens salad, but no greens to be found this week. Too hot! This is what I bought:

Cucumbers.
Tomatoes, regular and cherry.
Swiss Chard. This was a huge bunch.
Herbs - basil and mint. I buy any I see. Half of the time, I don't even know what I'm buying!
Radishes.
Fresh beer bread.
Yellow potatoes.
Multi colored carrots! Yellow, orange, and purple?
Curry, goat feta cheese.

I bought so many things and bunches are abundant. I was a little worried about how I would get all of this on my bike, with a purse and jacket already in hand! I may have lost a few cherry tomatoes along the way!

I also invested in 1/2 share of a CSA, so I had some goodies from there, too.

I wash, dry, and store all items when I get home. I made French Potato Salad, toubouli, and a veggie panini so far. I went to a small pot luck last night with potato salad and toubouli. I am determined to use all of these ingredients with very little from the grocery store. This week, I will probably only need to buy some fish, eggs, almond milk, and fruit.  One of my other goals is to waste none of this bounty!

Natural "Shampoo" Paste

Well, I have to admit. This may be my craziest recipe yet. I'm not sure how I started thinking about hair care. I've used shampoo only in my hair for years with no conditioner. About once a week, I rinse cider vinegar through my hair. You will LOVE how soft and silky this will make your hair. The slightly acidic quality makes it static free all year. I also, quite generously, spray on lemon juice when my hair is towel dry to style. This holds your hair in place, but also adds shine, and may lighten it a little bit. That's not the best part...after rain or snow, I toss my fingers through my hair and it looks even better than it did before!  I have short hair.   I get it cut every 5-6 weeks.

As you know, I've been looking at other natural cleaning kinds of products and stumbled upon this recipe. Ready???

Ingredients:
3-4 tbsp. Baking Soda
1-2 tbsp. Water

Process:
Mix baking soda with a small amount of water. Add enough to make a paste.

That's it!!!

Procedure:
Start by applying "paste" to scalp, around your crown. Work the paste into your scalp, careful to not really rub your hair too hard. It could break. You could thin the paste and put it in a plastic applicator bottle. Keep applying to the rest of your scalp, emphasizing the neckline of your hair, and around your face.  This may take a little bit of practice.

Now, in a worst case, or for someone that is bedridden, you wouldn't even need to rinse this out. I always do. Your hair will feel super dry after you rince out the paste, but it'll be okay. You can add honey or cider vinegar, if you want, but I don't.

I just run a comb through it. It is not tangled. As it dries, it gets super soft, highlights are emphasized, and it will have natural body like you won't believe! You only need to do this about every three days, but sooner if your hair is oily or if it's super hot outside.

This is a recipe I wish I'd have known about when I travelled every week. Super simple and easy to replace, especially if you forgot to pack your shampoo or if your luggage got lost!

Veggie Wash Soak (Green-especially if bought at the farmers market)

I truly enjoy buying my veggies from the farmer’s market, when available.    I’ve always washed what I brought home very well.  It seems that there is still a “grit” on it.  Once, I went to the farmers market in Madison with a friend.  We stopped at a meat market on the way, and made a nice lunch at my house.  The salad had a lot of grit on, even after washing.  

When I get home from the farmer’s market, I enjoy the proces of cleaning my veggies.  I usually fill a large stock pot with cold water and salt  This is very effective, but I don’t like to taste the salt.  Plus, my co-workers thought that it was crazy!  Imagine that!  The stuff they sell at the store is expensive, and I don’t like to kid myself about chemicals.  I’m not very smart with this kind of thing, but I don’t really trust commercial products and am working on getting away from a lot of them.  

I did my usual...starting fishing around on the internet.  I went to look it up again, just before writing this and could not find it.  Oh, well!

Ingredients:

• 1 gallon cold tap water.
• 3 tbsp. cider vinegar, or lemon (for the acid).
• 3 tbsp. baking soda (optional, but the recipe claimed that this would make the produce “squeaky clean”).  I used it.

Drop veggies in solution.  Soak for a minute or so.  Rince with cold water and dry, as much as possible.

I soaked several veggies in the same pot of cleaner.  I started with washing the kale,  the lettuce, the cilantro, and the potatos.  After all of that, the solution was very dirty and had lots of grit on the bottom.  Rinse the veggies after soaking in that solution.  The best part is that my veggies were clean and did not have grit.  Wait, maybe the best part is the low price tag of this wash and the understandable list of ingredients!  

Commuting, being green, and cooking...

I’ve always worked.  I’m not complaining.  I’m thankful for that.  It does present challenges regarding cooking for one or two people, though.  Eating out has often seemed faster and easier, although not better, and certainly not better for us. 

Recently, I’ve been working on simplifying my life.  It started with being more green and less compulsive “jumping in the car” to run for this and that.  I believe that this has saved me a lot of money, although I still buy whatever I want, especially with respect to groceries.  I also really try to support my small, local businesses.  I used to keep a list for Menards or Home Depot.  When I had a free afternoon or evening, I’d treck over there (driving, of course), and wander around, ultimately only finding about half of the items on my list and typically spending at least $100 on items I didn’t really need.  You see the problems here?  My little hardware store is less than one mile from my house.  The guys there are so helpful.  They are the best I’ve seen.  They always have what I’m looking for.  I stop there about once a week for a couple of things.

Living in the city.  Ahh.  I had never lived in the city, until about 5 years ago.  This makes a huge difference.  I live less than 5 miles away from work and most of what I need.  I feel very European!  I can bike or take the bus to work and most places I need to go.  I try to fill the tank of gas in my car less than once a month.  I know that this, alone, is a huge savings, and of course, green.  It’s also easier for me to hop on my bicycle than to fight traffic, find a parking spot, and avoid going to the gym.  Super bonus.  I also buy shoes and clothing on the internet.  I have two baskets on the back of my bike, so need to plan for groceries, but also have them delivered, if I need a bunch of stuff or bigger items.

I’m not always perfect about staying out of my car.  I seem to have “seasons” where I’m driving for several days in a row, but I find that I’m less happy when I spend time in my car.  I truly smile when I get on my bike, almost every time.  I enjoy seeing, hearing, and smelling things that you don’t even notice in a car.  I often stop and snap a picture of a garden or patio that I think is cute.  I don’t usually ride when it’s colder than 60 degrees or so.  

The bus.  I love having the bus as an option.  On the weekend or in the evening, it’s not as convenient due to limited routes.  However, I seem to be able to work around that easily enough.  I recently met a fella on the bus that lives near me.  He hasn’t had a car in 20 years.  I was impressed by that!  I’m not on the bus for very long, so usually don’t read, while on the bus.  I read at the bus stop while I’m waiting.  I’m a people watcher.  I love to watch all of the different types of people on the bus and often pray for some or all of them.  I’ve also been on the bus, when I’ve needed prayer and feel as if I’ve gotten it back.  It’s an interesting community of all ages, races, and types.  I really love to listen to young people on the bus.  When I do that, I look outside, so as not to be too obvious.  :-)

When I have something to do in the evening, I often drive.  I have to run home at lunch to feed and let me dog out.  As I’ve noted, I recently look a class by Lori, one of the chefs at Lucia’s.  She had a really interesting and similar approach to recipes.  Use only the best, local, if at all possible, and in season, always.  She also spoke to “small batch” cooking, as I now call it.  I used to love leftovers!  I do not anymore.  I don’t cook that way.  I make all of my own salad dressings and have gotten pretty creative with this.  I recently purchased a label maker, which is critical for this method.  I keep most jars that groceries come in with their lids.  Then, I have a bunch of different sizes and feel very green.  I use them to store cold and pantry items, along with canning jars.  I’ll be sharing some of these tricks.  

This makes me think that there are two kinds of cooks:  recipe followers and hippies.  Recipe followers are diligent about obtaining each and every ingredient and chasing all over to get exactly “what is written”.  This is also how most restauranteurs operate.  They need to deliver a consistant product.  No excuses!  The hippies, myself included, use recipes for inspiration only, as Samantha once said.  I often look at 3-10 recipes for one thing and pick most of what looks good to me.

I’m not at all a picky eater, but have really tried to reduce my meat intake, to preserve my fragile, diabetic kidneys.  I often substitue beans and or nuts for meat.  Lots of interesting flavors and textures this way.  However, I don’t care for raw onions, mayo, celery, or lots of oil/dressing.  I usually go out for lunch for some kind of soup and or saled with fresh bread (no preservatives).  The problem is the onions, mayo, celery, and too much dressing!  This is one of the many reasons I’ve been more doing more cooking.  We’ll see how this goes.  

Best Salad Ever!!!!!

I went to my little farmers market this morning.  I only purchased a few things...fresh herbs, new potatos, mixed greens, tomatos, and a scone (mandatory purchase).  I ride my bike over there (less than a mile each way) and am back with fresh goodies in about 1/2 hour.  This is the beauty of small, neighborhood farmers markets.  I wash everything off when I get home and try to dry the goodies, so I have very little waste.

Refer to my recipe for French Potato Salad.  As I said, I keep a jar of this in the frig all of the time.  It’s so convenient.  I just threw out my last bottle of store bought dressing.  It was Neuman’s, so I figured I would be more likely to use it than more fake kinds.  But, I just don’t use that kind of thing any more.  More to come on this...

The super simple salad I made had the following ingredients (serves 2):

• 4 cups fresh mixed greens (washed and dried).
• One medium fresh tomato, chopped.
• 2 white radishes, quartered and sliced.  I had these left from last weeks farmers market, but any other fixings will work.   
• 1/2 cup various fresh, chefanade slice, herbs.  I had basil, dill, cilantro, and parsley.
• Feta cheese (to offset the tartness of the dressing).  You don’t have to slice these at all.  You could break them up, too.
• 3 tbsp. mustard vinegrette dressing.  See recipe for French Potato Salad below.

Just put the ingredients, in order on 2 medium plates.  Distribute dressing.  Enjoy!

This salad probably has the fewest number of ingredients of any salad I’ve made.  All fresh, almost all local, quaity, ingredients.  What a difference!  Please support your local farmers and markets.  It’s good for them, good and delicous for you!  

French Potato Salad and Mustard Vinegrette

Lucia’s, ahh Lucia’s.  Life is short!  Eat at Lucia’s.  This is a little deli/restaurant that I am so thankful to have in Uptown.  They are an awesome neighbor to have!  Open at 7 am until about 9 - all three meals.  One is better than the next.  Scones in the morning, different quinoa, wheat berry, veggie and fruit salads for lunch, cool happy hour, and a great dinner menu.  She has an ever-changing menu and emphasises local and in season ingredients.  I feel like her marketing department.  

Last week, one of her chefs/buyers taught a class, at Kitchen Window, of course.  Lori is Lucia’s buyer.  Now I don’t know which is my dream job - selling fancy cheese at Lunds with Angie or being the buyer at Lucia’s?  I have a lot of experience with loving cheese and buying delcious food!  Oh well, I always say, “Don’t confuse a hobby with a business”.  I’d better follow my own advice!   I had a craving for potatoes, and had just recovered from one of the worst cold “bugs” that I’ve had in years, so this was a really fun treat.  I would’ve asked for seconds, but...

I don’t care much for mayo., onions, or celery...kind of a deal breaker for most potato salads made by others.  I make my grandma’s German Potato Salad, but rarely make it for myself.  I blame the need for topping with crisp bacon.  

Just like any potatoes, the leftovers are not as good as the fresh ones are.  Think of mashed potatoes, hash browns, roasted potatoes, french fries?  Yuk!  I made the sauce for this (also used for salad dressing) and can just boil a small potato or two, when I want this  Here you go...

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs. each of small red and yukon gold potatoes.

Mustard vinegrette dressing:

• 6 tbsp. white wine vinegar.  You can use any combo of white colored vinegars.  
• 3 tbsp. fresh chives.
• At least 1 tbsp. each of other fresh herbs.  Parsley, dill, thyme, tarragon, rosemary, basil, cilantro...I like to use 4 or 5 different ones-easy this time of year.
• 2 tbsp. capers, drained.
• 1/2 tbsp. each grainy and dijon mustard.  You can use one or the other, but both are delicious.
• 12 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste.  

Process:

1. Cook potatoes.  Place in a large pot of cold, salted water.  Bring to a boil.  Cook until fork-tender, about 20-25 minutes.  Drain.  Cool.
2. When cool enough to handle, cut into bite sized pieces.  
3. While potatoes are cooking, whisk together the vinegar, herbs, capers, and mustard.  Add the olive oil in a steady stream while whisking to emulsify.  Taste before adding salt and pepper.
4. Add the diced potatoes to the dressing/sauce, while the potatos are still warm, and mix, without breaking up the potatoes.
5. Serve cool or at room temp.

In class, they served this with a tenderloin sandwich.  This is also a great picnic dish, as it has no mayo.  I keep the sauce/dressing in the frig without the fresh herbs and capers.  I add those at the last minute with the salad/potatoes.  

Chilled Cucumber Soup

I love soup.  I love to make it.  I love to eat it.  In summer, I love a good, cold soup.  I used to copy a soup that I got at Byerly’s before I moved here.  My Lunds, awesome as it is, does not generally sell cold soups in summer.  I asked them, “Why not?”.  They told me that it doesn’t sell.  Then they promised that they would make some for me.  Then, I’ll have to buy it!  I will also have to beg my friends to buy it.  We’ll see how that goes.  

At the class I took, by Lucia’s, she made something similar.  This is inspired by each of them.  Again, you will only want to make as much as you will need for one or two meals, as the fresh ingredients make this “over the top” delicious.  Rttttteady?

Ingredients:

• 1 English Cucumber.  You can use a local cuke, but you will have to seed it first.  Local cucumbers are delicous this time of year.
• Kosher salt.
• 1/4 bunch Italian parsley, chopped.
• 1 clove garlic.
• 4-5 tbsp. olive oil.
• 1 cup yogurt.  I use Greek, Plain, not low fat.
• 1 1/2 buttermilk, cold.
• White pepper.
• Fresh herbs, for garnish.
• Lime juice, to taste (optional).
• 1/2 ripe avacado (optional).
• Fresh dill or other herb, for garnish.

Process:

1. Peel and chop the cucumber, all but about 1/2 cup.  Sprinkle with salt.  Place in a strainer and drain for one hour.  Pat dry. Place, all but the 1/2 cup or so in a blender.  Chop this in small squares (1/4-1/2” each).  Set that other 1/2 cup aside.  You’ll use that for serving.  
2. Parsley.  Discard stems.  Chop, as desired.  Set aside.
3. Garlic.  Peel.  Cut off tough end.  Add avocado, if using.  Add to blender. Blend these ingredients, but don’t go crazy.
4. In a large, cold, bowl, add blended items, parsley, olive oil, yogurt, buttermilk.  Mix.  You could also add some cream, if desired.  
5. In each serving bowl, some of the chopped cucumber, a ladle or two of the soup, and garnish with fresh herbs.  Add lime and pepper, to taste.
6. Garnish with other fresh herbs, cubed avacado, or a couple of slices of cucumber.

Be cool with this cool soup!

Satay Sauce

I have a relatively new love for curry.  I've not cared for it much in the past, likely because of the spice level that it is served with.  I always order "zero" spice on a scale of 1-4 also known as "Wisconsin Spice".  I took a class recently that was taught by the owner/operator of Sen Yai Sen lek, Big Noodle, Little Noodle.  This is consistently rated one of the best Thai restaurants in the Twin Cities.  It's a very cool place in NE Minneapolis, not far from "The U".  He has been at the restaurant every time I've been there and I enjoy that.  I've spent a lot of my career financing businesses like his and truly appreciate how his is a "labor of love".  He is also active in the community and talks lovingly of his wife and children.  Super sweet!  The class that I took was Spicy Thai Street Food.  Most of it was a little too hot for me, which is one of the reasons I love to cook.  I can adapt cool recipes to my own taste.  This is one example.  He sI served this as a Chicken Satay, which means that the chicken was marinated in a curry peanut sauce, then grilled, and served with more yummy sauce.  You can add spice by adding chopped thai chiles.  I did not add any when I made this at home.  Now, I keep a jar of this in the frig all the time.  I almost panicked when I thought that I lost this recipe.  Thus the motivation to share this with you.  

Ingredients:

• 4 tbsp. massaman curry paste.
• 2  cups coconut milk.
• 1/2 cup peanut butter.  I used creamy, Skippy brand.  I was surprised that he used this, so I didn't vear off, for a change.
• 3 tbsp. sugar
• 3 tbsp. fish sauce.
• 2 tbsp. tamarind juice.  This is available at Asian Grocery stores.  If you don't have it, no big deal.
• 
  

Process:

1. Heat 1/2 cup of the coconut milk, over medium heat, until the cream and oil begin to separate.
2. Mix curry and peanut butter and stir into cream.
3. Add the remaining coconut milk and stir.  
4. Reduce heat and add remaining ingredients, to taste.  

Easy ingredients to keep in the house.  It takes less than 5 minutes to make.  One dirty pan.  Can you beat that?  

As I said, I keep this in the frig. in a covered glass jar.  I used canning jars or a clean salsa jar for this kind of stuff.  I have topped scrambled eggs, veggies, and rice noodles, all together.  

I had a really nice, big, organic eggplant in the house.  I don't know what I spent on it, but it was the only one they had out at the co op.  I felt obligated to use it all.  I sliced some of the skin off and sliced it in small cubes (1/2 inch).  I roasted that in a cast iron pan.  I combined this with different veggies and scrambled eggs, topped with this sauce.  It was really great.  Joe said that his wife likes this on toast.  Idea?  I'm not a "chicken lover", but this is one thing I really like on chicken. My friend, David, asked for this recipe.  He said that his kids love this on chicken.  I hope you enjoy it, too.

Hearty Blueberry Pancakes

Hearty and Healthy Blueberry Pancakes (may actually be heart healthy, depending on the type of flour you use)!

Heat up cast iron pan, on med/low heat.

Sift together

• 1 1/2 cups flout (I used oat flour, but any kind is fine).
• 1/2 cup corn meal or corn muffin mix (optional).
• 1 tbsp. baking powder.
• 1 tsp. salt.
• 1 tsp. cinnamon.
• 1 tsp. white sugar.

Sift these ingredients together in a large bowl.  Make a well in the middle, by pushing dry ingredients off to the sides

In another bowl (medium sized), mix the following until uniform in consistency:

• 4 tbsp. butter, melted.
• 2 cups buttermilk (or other milk or yogurt/keifer).  You may need a little more if you use the con meal.
• 2 eggs.

Add wet ingredients to bowl with dry.  Mix, but not too much.  Lumps are okay here!  It seems funny, but it's true.  If the batter is too thick, add more milk.  If batter is too thin, add more flour.  

• Since I already have a smaller bowl dirty, I will move enough batter for 2-3 pancakes to the smaller bowl  Add fresh blueberries, if available. 

Frozen are my second choice.  Canned are my third.  I wouldn't use dried blueberries for this recipe.

You could add some chopped pecans and/or walnuts, if you wanted to be really fancy.

Mix the small bowl.  Cover the large bowl and save for later, if applicable.

Scoop pancakes, size to liking, in the hot pan.  I can tell you that smaller works better for this recipe.  Think about flipping with all of those blueberries and nuts...Notice, no additional oil/butter is needed in a well seasoned pan.  Check to see if pancakes will "release" from cast iron pan.  Food sticks at first, but comes lose when it's ready.  Don't be in too big of a hurry.  These pans are very forgiving.  Flip over.  This is a lot easier with smaller pancakes.  Cover the pan if they look like they may not be cooking on the inside.

When browned on both sides, plate them.  Top with powdered sugar.  No syrup is required!  

Natural Laundry Detergent Recipe-powdered.

I have been "on a mission" to make more of these types of products. I try to use "green" brands, but have generally found them to be expensive and less effective than the conventional products.  I've been using this for several months and am very happy with it. It's super easy to make, very inexpensive, and effective. Three ingredients:

1 cup borax *
1 cup washing soda, not baking soda **
1 bar of soap (nothing fancy)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, shred the bar of soap.  I used my clean cheese shredder.  Any good girl from WI has a good cheese shredder!
2. Add the borax.
3. Add the washing soda.
4. Mix thoroughly.
5. Put in a container and label as laundry detergent.

Use as little as 1 tbsp. Per load of wash. I use a little bit more for a large load of wash. Easy peasy!

* Borax is really easy to find. It's at Walmart or Target with laundry supplies.

** Washing soda.  Some Ace Hardware stores carry this. I couldn't find this locally.  I fished around online to check.  Ultimately, I bought mine on line at Arm & Hammer.com. It was $2/box.

I used a bar of Peppermint Castile Soap. I found this at Trader Joes. I plan to use a different kind next time...just for fun.  Lavender?

I'm working on a natural dishwasing detergent, as well.  I'll keep you posted.

Outstanding Orzo

Orzo.  Where have you been all of my life?  Orzo is a pasta that looks like a large grain of rice before cooking.  Lucia’s has a pretty good orzo dish, but it has raw onions in it, and more olive oil than I’d use.  In my opinion, raw onions can ruin a perfectly good “fill in the blank” - anything!  I just don’t care for it.  I blame my older brother for the onion thing.  He didn’t like raw onions.  I think he was trying to rally up the troops against my mother using them.  Generally, it worked.  She would often put them in the blender, so we wouldn’t complain too much.  I’m sure she complained about us not liking them!  Oh, well.  I still don’t like them.  BTW, cooked onions are fine, in most cases.  Onion soup?  Love it, as long as it’s not too salty.  Crazy.  For a really subtle, onion flavor:  leeks.  I had ordered some leeks, fennel, and, of course, kale last week from my new grocery delivery service.  I had planned to make risotto.  Only one problem, no rice for it!  Duh, me!  Again, my creations often stem from my lack of desire to run to the store on the weekends, when I do most of my cooking.  This is a classic example.  

None of my PBS cooking shows were on yesterday.  They are fundraising.  I’m usually inspired by something I see on one of the Saturday PBS cooking shows.  

I had make an olive ciabatta bread this morning.  Yum!  I used the recipe that I posted last week and just added some kalamati olives (the Greek kind).  I had some extra black olives that I’d planned to add to the dough this morning, but was afraid of losing the bubbles that form overnight in the dough.  I had already opened them.  That’s how this got started!  I also have some ricotta cheese that I’ve been trying to use.  I couldn’t figure out how to use that. I froze it to use in lasagna another day.  

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Place 2 cast iron pans inside to heat.

• 1 cup of uncooked orzo.
• Olive oil.  Use just enough to coat the orzo (a few tablespoons).
• 1 fennel bulb, chopped.  Save the small, airy, green tops for later in this recipe.
• 3 leek stalks.  Cut off the root end.  I use 3-4 inches above that and use the rest for compost.  It’s too tough.  The white part is the most tender.  Rinse what you plan to use really well.  There is often dirt in between the layers.
• 1 bunch of kale.  Remove greens from stem and chop.
• 3 tsp. butter.
• Airy green top from fennel bulb.  It looks a lot like fresh dill.  Too pretty to waste.  
• Fresh herbs.  The more variety, the merrier.  I had rosemary, thyme, arugula, cilantro, and fresh parsley.)
• Cayenne Pepper (dash).
• 1 small can of black olives.
• Shredded cheese (asiago , feta, or moz.).
• Toasted nuts (I used pine nuts).

1. Cook the orzo (al dante) for about 8 minutes in lots of boiling water.  Drain.
2. While cooking the orzo, roast fennel bulb, leeks, and kale in cast iron pans with a little bit of butter.  I cook each of the veggies separately.  They don’t all cook evenly.  This mitigates over-cooking some and under-cooking others.
3. Add roasted veggies to the cooked and oiled orzo.
4. Add the fennel green top, fresh herbs, and black olives.  
5. Before serving, top with a little bit of cheese and some toasted nuts.  I don’t add these things until serving.  They would get too damp, to be at their peak, after sitting in the fridge.

This can be served cold or at room temp.  It is a dish that you will want to eat slowly to identify the fresh herbs, roasted veggies and complexity of the different textures.  The leeks provide a mild onion flavor.  The fennel, actually has a licorice kind of “cabbagey” flavor.  Kale is always delicious!  With the olive ciabatta bread that I made.  Even better.