October 2011
32 posts
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Blueberry Lemon Bread
This moist and tangy bread is as delicious as it sounds. Close up picture.
Blueberry Lemon Bread
Ingredients:
1½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries (If using frozen, thaw and drain them)
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons lemon zest
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup milk
Lemon glaze:
2...
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September 2011
31 posts
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Rainbow JELL-O
I can’t even remember the last time I ate Jello. However, a couple of days ago I came across these little, vintage Jello molds in a bottom drawer and was overcome with the desire to try this. It’s sort of an off-and-on, all-day affair, but the outcome was well-worth the fuss. You can find the recipe at wikiHow.
A big thank you goes to the sunshine yesterday, which cooperated quite nicely....
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goddessofscrumptiousness asked: I just became officially in love with your blog! :)
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Black bean soup en mi casa
It’s early morning here in Stumptown and I’m half-watching the local news. I was just reminded that it’s officially the first day of fall, and sure enough, rain is in the forecast for this weekend. :::sigh::: Too soon.
Well, at least I can offer you this bit of comfort food that’s easy to make and will warm your soul year-round. I made it two nights ago because everything I needed was in my...
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Folded potato chip bliss
I showed huge amounts of self-control while taking this picture. I actually dumped an entire, new bag of Lays Original Potato Chips on a sheet pan and gleaned out the fold-overs. There’s something about the crunch and the taste that is heightened in a folded chip, and as soon as I settled on a shot, these were eaten.
I’ve read that thicker cut chips and kettle cooking are apt to curl the chips...
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I have gadgets and gizmos a-plenty
Really the last thing I needed was more kitchen gear. Almost every kitchen tool or device available is squirreled away in my kitchen somewhere. I have ricers, peelers, garnishing tools, pizza stones, pie pans, 4 different rolling pins, wire whisks in all available sizes, bread pans, Silpat sheets, a battalion of biscuit and cookie cutters, etc., etc. And what’s funny is that I use it all. Maybe...
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U-pick flowers on Sauvie Island
Armed with industrial-sized buckets and pruning shears, my friend Carol and I visited Sauvie Island on Friday in search of U-pick flowers. Blueberries, peaches, corn, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, squash, lavender and other flowers are all available at U-pick farms on the island, so we knew we wouldn’t have any trouble. After some driving around, we settled on Kruger Farms, which we could see from...
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Cooking with Mimi
My friend Mimi invited me over to her beautiful home last week and taught me how to cook some of her favorite foods. I saw techniques and ingredients I’ve never experienced before, which all led up to one of the best lunches I’ve ever eaten. I was chopping along-side her while furiously scribbling down the recipes. Hopefully I’ll able to decipher my notes and prepare this on my own.
We made sweet...
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Easy cookies? Maybe not.
Motivated by finding a barely used, vintage Mirro “Cooky Press” at Goodwill last week, my daughter and I decided to make some spritz cookies. After mixing up the dough, we excitedly loaded up the press and twisted the knob to extrude a cookie. Um, where was it? The cookie was still stuck to the press instead of sitting on the baking sheet. After 30 minutes of repeatedly scraping dough off 4...
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Man vs. Squirrel
Every summer we grow some show-stopper sunflowers. Their heads can measure 18-inches across and passersby oftentimes stop and point at them in amazement. Just when the seeds have developed and begin to ripen, the squirrels climb up the sunflowers, and while hanging upside down, eat the seeds.
Bill decided to try to outsmart the squirrels this year. Last week he fashioned cones from sheet metal...
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Shrimp sandwiches for dinner last night
I love the fresh, little bay shrimp caught off the Oregon coast. This crispy, cheesy sandwich is one of my favorite ways to use them. I’ve never bothered to measure the ingredients - I would advise to just use your best judgment when mixing everything together.
Sue’s Shrimp Sandwiches – makes 4 open-face sandwiches
Ingredients:
½ + pound bay shrimp
1 rib celery, chopped fine
1 small shallot,...
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Stuck in a rut?
It’s hard to not focus on zucchinis when they’re growing faster than you can eat them. I whipped together this amazing cornbread last night when faced with another zucchini challenge. I read a lot of recipes for something similar, but just couldn’t face using a box of cornbread mix. This recipe’s my own and I wouldn’t change a thing.
It was a simple meal - just...
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Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes
The zucchinis in our garden are getting the best of us. Luckily, I just happen to have this outstanding recipe up my sleeve to help put a few of those prolific squash to use. These cupcakes are light but incredibly moist, and the zucchini adds a lovely flavor. As a bonus, the recipe makes exactly 24, so you don’t have extra batter.
Today zucchini cupcakes, tonight zucchini cornbread!
Chocolate...
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Lime and Cilantro Chicken Salad
Man, I am totally loving the fresh vegetables this summer from the Pacific Northwest. The trip to Sauvie Island this morning brought home the corn, and the tomatoes were picked from our vines a few minutes before assembling this salad. It’s a hot night in Stumptown and this refreshing salad really fit the bill.
Lime and Cilantro Chicken Salad
Adapted from the Nordstrom cookbook,...
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Zucchini Assault
Try as we might, we are not keeping up with the zucchinis. There are so many of them and I swear they grow 2 inches or more every day! Here’s a tasty way to use them.
Zucchini Cakes
Ingredients:
1 medium-large zucchini (about 10-11 inches long), grated
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ cup minced onion
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
¼ cup all-purpose...
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Sauvie Island - ten miles from Portland
Yesterday I decided to can salsa, and even though our tomato plants are really producing, the many pounds I needed required a little outsourcing. We knew we would be able to find bounteous amounts fresh picked tomatoes on Sauvie Island.
Sauvie Island is located about 10 miles northwest of Portland. It’s the largest island along the Columbia River and at 26,000 acres, it’s the largest river...
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My favorite sandwich
In my book, this sandwich ranks right up there with a BLT. Create your own using soft bread, sliced avocados, lots of shredded mozzarella, alfalfa sprouts, a little mayo, fresh ground pepper, a sprinkling of salt, and a nice squeeze of fresh lemon. Add a handful of Lays original potato chips and I’m in lunch heaven.
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