" I think I can, I think I can! "

As I stated earlier, I've really let my blogging go to the dogs, or the garbage disposal! I swear I've been cooking up a storm lately, especially for the dinner's we've been invited to. I made a tasty Paella Salad that E thoroughly enjoyed. I also learned how to make fresh gnocchi, which I've been dying to learn how to for years! I still need to blog about "Julie & Julia" and S's encounter with Julia Child at Macy's in Union Square. Us Lake County folk are also up in a tizzy about the upcoming Pear Festival and currently the pear picking season (it's kind of a big deal around here). When E came home early last Friday, he witnessed a sheriff giving a ticket to some people stealing pears from the orchard across the street.

Getting back to the blog, my last blog was about finding various dishes using peaches from our backyard. I was somewhat unsuccessful and couldn't find too much in my magazines or online. Much to my appreciation, MB sent me a site from the NY Times about a recipe for canned brandied peaches. It looked delicious but I didn't think I had the culinary expertise to accomplish such a feat! After sitting on the idea for a couple of hours, I finally talked myself into actually doing it! It's not like I didn't have 75-80 peaches sitting outside my door! The entire time I spent canning the peaches (which was only about 1 hour 20 minutes) I told myself...... "I think I can.. I think I can .. I think I can.. I think I can can these peaches!!!!" It might be somewhat strange, silly, or weird that I got encouragement from a book that's targeted for children age 4-8, but hey, whatever works right?


It was such a fun task, although very sticky! I misread a sentence and became extremely anxious not knowing some of the lingo. I asked around the neighborhood, i.e. V&S and E's dad looking for the #1 peach fan, and no one knew what it meant. I even e-mailed MB, asking her what the heck it meant. Well of course nobody knew what "fleshing" meant because there's no such thing as "fleshing!" I plan on doing the rest of the canning tomorrow and as convenience would have it, the Times also had a canned poached pear recipe which I will be using!! If you're upset about this being the last encounter with the brandied peaches and poached pears, not all is lost my friend! E and I will be giving these out as Christmas presents! So you too, can experience all the tastiness Lake County has to offer! I thought this would be a good environmentally friendly, economical gift since we're trying to save some money to go on a trip... perhaps Africa!

A special thanks to MB, for which this blog post would not have not been possible (do I sound like PBS?)

Also, you're not hallucinating if you see a bunch of crazy different fonts on this blog.. I have no idea how to control it or get it to the size I want.. it's infuriating, but if I can can peaches I can figure out how to control the font!


Brandied Peaches
recipe by New York Times & MB
time: around 1 hour 20 minutes

3 pounds ripe peaches

3 cups sugar

About 1/2 cup brandy.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Using the tip of a paring knife, make a shallow “X” in the bottom of each peach. Add the peaches, one at a time, to the boiling water and cook for 1 minute. Remove the peach from the water and plunge into a bowl of ice water. Repeat with the remaining peaches. Peel off the skins, then pit the fruit and quarter the flesh.

2. In another large pot, combine 3 cups water and the sugar and bring to a boil. Add the peaches and simmer until just soft.

3. Have the jars, bands and new lids scalded and ready. (To scald, dip the jars and rims in boiling water. You don’t need to sterilize the jars, as you will be processing them for more than 10 minutes.) Simmer the lids in hot water to soften the rubberized flange. Gently pack the peaches into the jars.

4. Boil the leftover syrup until it thickens slightly, then spoon it over the fruit, filling the jars ¾ full. Use a butter knife to release any air bubbles caught in the jars. Pour in enough brandy to fill the jars, leaving ¼ inch of headroom. Wipe the rims, cover with the lids and screw on the bands fingertip-tight. Place the jars on a rack in a big pot and cover with 2 to 3 inches of water. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat to medium and gently boil for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and then, after about 5 minutes, remove the jars. Allow them to cool, untouched, for 4 to 6 hours. Check the seals and store in a cool, dark place for up to a year. Refrigerate after opening.

Makes 2 pints.

Picking in the backyard

My main goal since I've been home is to become a master solicitor and get people to come pick some peaches by the vineyard. So far it's been good although not good enough. We've even been giving them out as presents. We gave Grandma L 35 peaches on our way to Oregon thinking she probably wouldn't be able to get rid of the whole bunch. On our way back we stopped for dinner, she didn't have a single peach left! After dinner, we went to T&B's, where T made a tasty peach & berry crumble with some Humboldt Creamery ice cream on the side. It was to die for!

With my blog seriously lacking any recent recipes and my absence from the grocery store haunting me, I decided to make a recipe (with some help from Bon Appetit) with ingredients entirely from the garden... or as much as possible. It's so very Alice Waters!!! Enjoy!


Arugula and Peach Salad with Creamy Chive Vinaigrette
time 10 min
serves 6 (as a side dish)

2 large ripe peaches (backyard)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided (meyer lemon's from my parents backyard)
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (fresh from our olive trees)
1 1/2 tablespoons whipping cream (grocery store) :(
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh chives (from the garden)
12 cups (loosely packed) arugula (about 6 ounces) (grocery store) :(


Wash peaches, rubbing to remove fuzz. Cut in half; remove pits. Thinly slice peaches. Place peach slices in large bowl. Add 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice; toss. Whisk 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice and olive oil in small bowl. Whisk in cream, then chives. Season with salt and pepper.

Add arugula to bowl with peaches. Add dressing and toss. Season with more salt and pepper, if desired, and serve.

Busy in August

I know I haven't been blogging too much recently and I apologize. I knew something was amiss for the past few weeks and didn't realize what it was until I checked my blog site! So sorry!

I haven't made any super delicious meals lately because we've been in Oregon for half the month and yesterday we had to bury our beloved Remy. Also, we've been going from house to house this week, enjoying the luxury of other people's cooking and company due to my birthday tomorrow. As you can imagine, it isn't going to be the best birthday ever. E has taken it better then I but it's still hard for the both of us. The two things I enjoy most both involved Remy; reading and cooking. Regardless, we're both thankful to have had such a wonderful creature come into our lives.

Anyway, due to my total lack of responsibility, I thought I'd share some pictures from Oregon! Enjoy!

It makes me smile..

My friend who happens to be a wedding planner in Napa, sent me this video and I've been in love with it ever since...




what a creative and wonderful thing to do to show your personality.

¡inspiración!

This very minute my parents are probably leaving their house to drive to Sacramento Airport to drop off my Mom so she can go to her 30th High School class reunion in Aberdeen, South Dakota. I'm almost positive that I've gone a week without talking to her but since I've moved home, we talk everyday. It's making me feel anxious and antsy enough to where I questioned if I even needed coffee this morning.. but I can't say no to coffee!

So naturally, I couldn't let my Mom go off to a special event without going shopping and since she hardly spends any money on herself, even she realized that it was a necessity. As her fashion consultant, I knew she would be one tough customer but I promised her and myself that I would solider through! The day ended in success and we found 3 dresses (the reunion is a 3 day event- a picnic, a tour of the old and new Aberdeen Central, and a dinner/dance). Calvin Klein or "Cal" as she refers to him, really knows how to dress a woman!

While we were busy shopping, my Dad slaved away at making the best meal I've had in 2009! He found a bomb diggity Cuban recipe in "the Cron" but substituted the pork for chicken and added some tasty black beans. IT WAS SOO GOOD! It also co-incited with the book I'm currently reading (not Cuba, Dominican Republic but close enough.) This inspired me to cook a delicious meal for E and I based on a book I just finished. Side note: I just looked at some of the reviews on Amazon and boy are some people rude!! Sometimes you just want an entertaining, well written book, ya know?

Who better to ask about Spanish cuisine then Mario Batali...... wait Mario Batali? Yes, Mario is "the dude" when it comes to Spanish food. I recently (recently like in the past 6 months recently) watched a special on PBS called "Spain - On The Road Again" with Gweneth Paltrow, Mario Batali, Mark Bittman, and Claudia Bassols. It was awesome! Pilar Sanchez, an elderly home cook who lives in Asturias, taught Mario Batali and Mark Bittmanhow to make pollo cassero, a luscious chicken in rich white wine and pepper sauce. When they asked where she buys her poultry, Sanchez told them to go to her yard and listen for the "singing in the field" from the chicken she raises.



Chicken with Piquillos

recipe by Mario Batali

time: 2 hrs 15 min; active 35 min.
serves 4

One 3 1/2 lb. chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 garlic cloves. sliced
kosher salt
2 tablespoons EVOO
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
One 9 oz. jar piquillo peppers. drained
1 cup dry white wine ( I used Wildhurst reserve Sauvignon Blanc - the grapes come from my backyard!)

Rub the chicken with garlic and 1 tablespoon of salt. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour

(E's Mom gave us this for Christmas our 1st year together and it's pretty much amazing but make sure you're not topless when cooking with it. E's a repeat offender in this area, I, on the other hand, am not.)

Heat the EVOO in a large, deep skillet. Scrape the garlic off of the chicken pieces. Add the chicken to the skillet in a single layer and cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 12 minutes. Transfer chicken to a platter.


Add the onion to the skillet and cook over low heat, turning occasionally, until very tender, about 10 minutes. Add the piquillo peppers and white wine and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits.


Return the chicken to any accumulated juices to the skillet. Cover partially and cook over low heat until the chicken is tender and cooked through and the sauce is thickened, about 30 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter, spoon the sauce on top and serve!


Make Ahead: The chicken can be refrigerated overnight; rewarm before serving.

Enjoy!

Next up, the movie "Julie & Julia" and S's meeting with Julia Child!

All's well that ends well..

As I mentioned on the 4th, I hosted my first Book Club meeting this past Saturday and to say the least, it was an utter disaster! I created the Book Club in late April and thought it would be a fun way to get together and learn more about my closest friends and family and even meet new friends. I had done lots of research on how to orchestrate a Book Club and how many members is ideal. I originally thought I wouldn't have enough people to have a healthy club but quickly found out by all of the upbeat and excited e-mails that I might have too many! Today I have 15 book club members, all over northern California & one in L.A.

Finally the week came for the Book Club meeting and the e-mails started to trickle in about how a couple of the members couldn't make it or flat out had made other plans. I thought with a few people absent, the meeting would go better then planned and wouldn't last too long.

Before the meeting, E and I did a lot of planning, grocery shopping, and cleaning to accommodate everyone. E was just as excited as I was because he was going disc golfing and cigar shopping with the men. After much agony, I decided to make a raspberry lemonade, angel tea, scones, and a potato peel pie... of course!

As I found out, the meeting quickly turned into a small gathering. Only 3 out of 15 people showed up to the meeting! In my mad scramble to find someone to eat all of the food prepared, I called my parents and asked if they would like to join, expecting a quick no but was delighted to hear a yes!

In the end, I'm glad people canceled last minute and made other plans because I had a great time with just my parents and best friend. I wouldn't have invited my parents if people didn't cancel last minute. My parents especially enjoyed my friends, to which I was more than delighted to hear! My mother also enjoyed our BBQ sauce so much, she went and purchased some the very next day.

Here are some valuable things I learned this past weekend:

1. You don't need a lot of people to have a good time
2. I still need to work on my patience
3. Don't buy so much food!!

Anyway, here are my recipes that I made for the Book Club, I hope you enjoy!

Dad's Lavish Raspberry Lemonade
recipe from my father

3 (12 oz.) cans each frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
3 packages (10 oz.) each frozen sweetened respberries, partically thawed
6 tablespoons sugar
3 liters club soda, chilled
ice cubes

In a blender, combine lemonade concentrate, raspberries and sugar. Cover and process until blended. Strain to remove seeds.

In a pitcher, combine raspberry mixture, club soda and ice cubes; mix well.
Serve immediately





Angel Tea
recipe from Epicurious

1 cup sugar syrup
1 pint lemon juice
1 quart strong green tea
2 quarts white grape juice
1 block ice
2 quarts chilled club soda

Combine all ingredients except soda, and refrigerate for an hour or two. Pour over ice in a punch bowl and add the soda. Serve in 4-ounce punch glasses.

(My new pitcher I bought at the Pampered Chef party!)

Potato Peel Pie

2 cups raw, grated potato skins (I added some of the white part to keep the texture somewhat tender), use mashed potatoes for filling
1/3 cup grated onion
1 egg, beaten
3 Tbs flour
beetroot
sour cream (optional)
chives (optional)
butter (optional)
garlic (optional)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a small pie plate. Mix grated potato peels with egg, onion and flour. Press the mixture into the pie plate and up the sides to form a crust. Bake crust for 20-25 minutes.

While the crust is baking, cook potatoes, drain and mash. You can add your favorite mashed potato flavorings here i.e. garlic, onion, milk, butter, salt, etc. Fill crust with mashed potatoes and sprinkle with beetroot. Bake in oven at lower temperature of 375 for 10 minutes or until browned.

** I would only suggest that you make this during a World War and rationing!**

Glorify the 4th of July!

In a funny and strange turn of events, I've been informed that about half of my friends and CA family are going back to South Dakota this summer, for totally unrelated occasions.This is big news considering South Dakota's population doesn't reach 1 million. My mother is going to her High School reunion at the end of the month, yay for her!

I love living in California, but the fourth of July festivities are embarrassingly meek! The Midwest on the other hand, takes their Independence Day celebrations quite seriously including lots of Main Street parades and firework shows. My two favorite fourth of July memories both took place in South Dakota. The first was at Uncle Wayne's summer cabin, watching the parade go by in the front yard and catching lots of candy!! The second is spending time on the fourth of July weekend in Battle Creek, SD (just west of Badlands) with Grandma Great at one of her flea markets selling antique jewelry.

To get me in the mood for the fourth, I decided to make something very "SoDak" and traditional since I didn't do anything festive because ice cream beckoned my name!!

Either way, I hope you had a wonderful fourth of July!! Enjoy!!

***Picture coming soon!!***





Glorified Rice
recipe from my Great Grandma or "Grandma Great"

(My Great Grandmother thought that the "great" sounded too old so she opted for the "Alexander the Great" motif instead.)

1/3 cup sugar
1 cup drained, crushed pineapple
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup rice, cooked
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons drained, maraschino cherries, chopped
1 cup whipping cream

Stir together sugar, pineapple, and vanilla. Then stir in rice, cinnamon, and cherries. Whip the cream and fold in. Chill 1-2 hours.

THAT'S IT!!!

Next up, Potato Peel Pie Book Club!!