Split Pea Soup

This bib is for the baby but it looks cute on our kitty too.

On our second wedding anniversary, Noah and I were blessed with not
one but two rainbows.  That's right, a double rainbow.
Which reminded me of one of my favorite youtube videos of all time.

A large pot of split pea soup.

This blog has been quiet the past couple of weeks and I've noticed this with other blogs as well.  Perhaps as the days get shorter, we are all moving a bit slower.  Or it may just be that fall is a hectic time for many people, with school starting, the kick-off of the busy season at work, etc.

What have I been doing on my pre-baby maternity leave the past two weeks?  A lot of walks and yoga.  Seeing friends.  Continuing to overmother my cats.  (In case I haven't mentioned it before, I'm a cat lady just waiting to happen.)  And just about every home labor induction technique under the sun.

I've been cooking and baking a lot these past few weeks, which has been really delightful.  I just haven't been posting about it.  On the advice of many friends, Noah and I have put together a freezer full of goodies to tide us over for the first weeks when baby boy finally makes his entrance into this world.  I made this split pea soup and froze it in a couple of jars.  I figure each one will be enough for 1-2 meals for Noah and I.

Ingredients
1 medium onion, finally chopped
4 small carrots or 2 medium carrots, chopped
2 TBL butter
2 tsp sea salt
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups of split peas, rinsed
4  cups of water
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp paprikia

1) Melt the butter in the pan and add the onion.  Cook until translucent.
2) Add the carrots and cook for a few minutes, until carrots begin to soften.  Then add the garlic.  Stir for one minute.
3) Add the spices and salt and mix.  Then add the split peas and water and bring to a boil.
4) Cook on medium low heat for about 45 minutes, or until peas are cooked.  Taste for salt and pepper and add as needed.

A shot from my walks in the Presidio.

Making s'mores on the beach in Santa Cruz.

Grapes Glorious Grapes

Dear Friends,

        I am so pleased that my grapes did well this year, at least most of them. Usually they shrivel up and die because I refuse to treat them anyway but organically but I believe I found the secret to a good crop.  It is lots and lots of airflow and good pruning. I also started talking  to them sweetly throughout the summer. What I got in return was a bountiful beautiful crop of grapes. Now what do I do? Well, when you get grapes, make grape juice. That is exactly what I did. This is what I learned.
      It is lots of hard work picking and sorting the grapes. It is very messy work. And it takes a heck of a lot of grapes to make one glass of grape juice.  I used a hand grinder to press the juice out. I wish I could have done it the Lucille Ball way of stomping on the grapes in a huge barrel in my bare feet because that would have been lots more fun.
     But WOW it was worth every moment of my time once I tasted a glassful.
       Would I do it again next year? YES YES YES.  I even plan to put in more rows of grapes. Very exciting! I wish I could share this glass of fresh grape juice with you all.

Enjoy the pics,
jude

Wild Blackberry Jam

My maternity leave began two weeks ago.   Contrary to a few predictions, I haven't gone crazy wondering when'sthebabygoingtocomewhen'sthebabygoingtocomewhen'sthebabygoingtocome???  Although occasionally, I do like to ask Noah that several times in a row.  I have really been enjoying this time off work.  It's been almost four years since I started my job and while I have taken vacations, the back of my mind has always been filled with the to-dos when I returned.  This feels much different than a vacation, because all my projects have been wrapped up or handed off to other people.  While I know there will be new ones waiting for me in several months, right now there is nothing.  I have appreciated the mental space this break is giving me almost as much as the free time.

If I had this schedule for the indefinite future, I would certainly grow tired of it and want to be doing something more purposeful with my days.  For example, on Thursday I drove to two different stores looking for pumpkin seeds that were roasted and salted in their shells and then told Noah all about it when he got home.  Knowing that could be one of the last times for a while that I drive to any store alone however, and then on a whim, since I was not on any particular schedule, deciding to take a stroll around Potrero Hill, made the whole afternoon feel delightful and free.  And just in case you think I'm being too indolent, I should add that I've been doing a lot of baby prep, housecleaning, food preparation, bill paying, etc.  My nesting urge is in overdrive these days.   My lack of blogging is not an indication of lack of cooking.  I am in fact several blog posts behind.  And it's not like I can even blame my busy schedule.

Last Sunday, Noah and I had a date.  We drove up to the Sonoma Coast, just north of Bodega Bay, and went for a hike along the water.  On the way home, we stopped off at several spots on the side of the road and picked wild blackberries.  It takes some commitment to get the berries as the prickers are sharp.  We ended up with about 14 cups, which I turned into jam the next day.  I used Pomona's Universal Pectin and made up the recipe as I went along.  I tried to follow their "make your own recipe" section but didn't have enough lemon juice or pectin product and didn't want to use as much sugar.  I also added in an apple to up the pectin load.  Despite my fly by night approach, the jam came out really well.  We've been smearing it on zucchini and pumpkin bread, on yoghurt in the morning, or just eating it by the spoonful.  We have several jars stored up, for holiday gifts or just to last us through winter.
Meghan

Chicken Casserole with Southwest flair

Dear Friends,

Who would have ever thought that I, the queen of mild tasting cooking, would ever start bringing heat into my dishes. Not sure why I am yearning for hot but perhaps my taste buds are changing or maybe it is my age. Whatever the answer, I am having fun with experimenting in a different type of cooking. Today I wanted a casserole for dinner and I recalled a recipe that someone had shared with me several days ago. It was an Emeril Lagasse recipe. I did locate it on the web but when a recipe has so many ingredients, my heart skips a beat or two. So I improvise.  With this meal I used my tomatoes, peppers, onions and garlic from the garden. I used Blue Corn tortilla chips and added the last cooked kernels that I cut off from the  corn in my field but this is only because I had some already cooked so it is totally optional. Using the veggies that I have harvested gave this a rich taste and yes it was spicy. I did make the Southwest Seasoning that Emeril recommends and it was worth it. Here is my version.

Preheat 350 degree oven

1. Two skinless boneless chicken breasts or you can use black beans or both.
            Boil these over med to low heat for an hour at least or until they fall apart when a fork is pierced in them. Add a bay leave, chopped onion, a garlic clove or two, some sage, thyme, and salt and pepper, lime juice, and a vegetable bouillon(optional) to the water. Save one cup of the broth or do what I did and make a separate vegetable broth for this.

2. In 4 TBS butter and 2 TBS of Olive oil add a pound of sliced white button mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook these until browned. Then add 1/4 cup of flour and stir until flour is mixed in with mushrooms.  Add 2 cups milk and stir over med heat  until sauce is thickened. Add 1/2 cup of saved broth or veggie broth.

3. Chop one onion, one orange yellow or red pepper, and three juicy tomatoes very small.

4. Grate 8oz Cheddar cheese and 8oz of Pepper Jack or any other cheese you like.

5. In a 9x13 casserole dish place 12 oz of the chips. Be sure to crumble them with your hands so they cover the bottom of the dish with a thin layer. Pour the other 1/2 cup of saved broth or veggie broth over chips until liquid is soaked up.

6. Layer chicken over chips, then layer onion, peppers, corn (optional), 1/2 the cheese mixture, sprinkle with 1TBS of SOUTHWEST SEASONING MIX ( see below), pour on the mushroom sauce, add the chopped tomatoes, and cover with remainder of cheese.

7. Cook uncovered in a 350 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until bubbling.

I cut seasoning recipe in half when I made it.  Even doing that I have a lot of extra seasoning for future dishes.

Emeril's Southwest Seasoning:

• 2 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 1/2 cup

That's it.

Enjoy,

jude

My first Enchiladas and chocolate whipped cream cake

Dear Friends,

My first attempt at making enchiladas was a success and I have four friends who can attest to it. My secret had to be the fresh roasted tomatoes that I cooked in a very hot 450 degrees oven. It took over an hour and for those who are energy efficient you might be able to do on an outdoor grill. But cook them for a long time until the sweetness of the tomato bursts. A bit charred on the edges is a good sign they are done to perfection. They were so simple to make and so delicious that everyone, yes even my buddy Eileen who never takes seconds, snuck in another one. This makes a fast attractive meal for dinner guests. I served with corn and salad. The dessert was also so easy and it came out of my Vegetarian Cookbook by Malu Da Cunha. I know the ingredients by heart and I only made it this once. I LOVE EASY.

Enjoy
jude

Enchiladas

I heated the tortillas in a frying pan with very little oil. It only took about a minute for each one to brown slightly. I lifted the first with the spatula and slid another underneath it until all were done. I then spread the pile on paper towels.

I filled half with black beans, caramelized onions, the roasted tomatoes, and three kinds of cheeses. Jan added a bit of hot pepper for a zing. I did the other half with ground beef with a bit of pepper for heat, sauteed onions, roasted tomatoes, and the cheese.

After I filled them, I folded each tortilla shut. I then put a bit of tomato sauce on bottom of 9x13 baking dish.  I  placed the tortillas in the baking dish and covered with tomato sauce so they would not dry out.
It took about four cups of sauce. I then sprinkled some cheese on top.

That is it.  Bake on preheated 375 degree oven until it is bubbling. Mine took about 45 minutes.

WHIPPED WHITES

MIXING WHITES INTO WHIPPED YOLKS AND SUGAR

BLENDING IN COCOA

VERY THIN CAKE ON PARCHMENT PAPER

The few minutes Chocolate Cake

Four eggs separated
5 TBS of sugar
pinch of salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder unsweetened


Whip the yolks and sugar together until pale yellow. I use my good old hand mixer for this. Then whip the whites soft until peaks form. Carefully fold the whites into the yolks by hand in three batches mixing carefully after each addition. I use a flexible spatula for this process and take my time. Then add the cocoa and mix thoroughly but do not over mix.


Butter well a piece of parchment paper that you cut to fit a standard size cookie sheet. Pour batter onto it and spread out towards corners.  It will be very thin. Bake in 350 degree oven for seven minutes. The top should spring back when done. Mine took actually 9 minutes but I watched closely and tested regularly. Do not overcook. When finished remove parchment paper from cookie sheet and let the cake cool


Whipped cream

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2TBLS of confectionery sugar
1 tsp of vanilla extract


Whip all ingredients together until soft peaks form.


ASSEMBLY

Spread whipped cream over cake, leaving a small bit of a margin around sides. You may want to leave some whipped to frost. I did not do that because I like the chocolate showing.  Now carefully take the parchment paper and lift up using it as a guide to roll the cake batter until the seam is facing down. Carefully pull the cake off paper and place on serving dish.  Refrigerate loosely covered for at least an hour before serving.

YUM

BLUE MOON

Blue Moon

William Barlow in 1528 said.....

"If thy says the moon is blue

We must believe that it is true"

The Blue Moon is this wonderful approximately every three year occurrence and once in a blue moon do you get to party like this. Fun Fun Fun. Plenty of crab cakes, spare ribs, baked beans, fresh tomatoes with lemon goat cheese and basil, cashew pesto, and some yummy brochette. Add some delicious mocha chip ice cream cones and an outdoor fire to make old fashioned s'mores for dessert and you have one perfect evening. Oh yes there was plenty of Blue Moon beer to go around.

Here we are getting ready.

Blue Moon

The vegetarian tasting a bit of the nightly temptations.

Put the music on and the dancing begins as we ready for guests.

David getting ready for the party people

Let the fixings begin while singing Blue Moon.