white bean hummus

why white beans and not garbanzo beans? because garbanzo beans have a sort of gross flavor that no one ever wants to talk about. but here is a mild, delicious, clean-tasting hummus that even picky eaters will happily dive into.

(2 things about cooking beans: 1. feel free to cook your beans however you're used to—in the slow cooker or regular stove pot. i use my pressure cooker because it's 2 1/2 hours faster than the next fastest method. this is a recipe for white bean hummus, though. not an instructional on how to use a pressure cooker. if you don't have one or don't know how to use one, just cook your beans in a way you're comfortable with. 2. there is a long-standing old wive's tale that says you can't cook beans with salt or they'll be tough. NOT TRUE! i cook beans at least twice a week and always add salt. it does increase the cooking time, so plan on that, but this is an important cooking tip to remember, especially if you're cooking beans for chili or something like that. it's lovely to have a bean that's salted all the way through and not just the skin.)

white bean hummus
makes 6 cups

1 pound dry white beans (such as great northern beans), soaked in bowl over night
2 tablespoons sea salt
2 tablespoons olive oil

Drain beans. Place ingredients in pressure cooker, cover with fresh water and pressure cook for 3 minutes. Let pressure drop of its own accord.

Drain beans again and set aside. In a food processor, chop:

2 cloves garlic

Then add:

beans
2 tablespoons tahini (i leave this out all the time. my kids prefer it without, so if you can't find it, or are new to tahini, you can omit it too.)
juice of 2 lemons (or about 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

Process until smooth. Divide into containers and freeze any portions you won't use right away. Lasts about 5 days in the refrigerator. I always double this recipe and blend it in the food processor in two batches. Less work, more food!

My favorite snack is just the right size to sneak into my No Food Allowed library for a writing day.

milking almonds + super smoothie recipes

"you can milk anything with nipples." -greg focker

i milk my almonds. and by that i mean i make my own almond milk, and this is why:

1. at least one of my kids has a dairy allergy.

2. the boxes of soy/rice/almond etc. are full of things i don't want my kids drinking, just like milk!

3. it's cheaper, about 1/4 the price, than buying the commercially-made almond milk if i buy my nuts in bulk at costco or through green smoothie girl.

the secrets of making really good almond milk:

1. soak 1 cup almonds for at least 24 hours in a bowl covered in water. less time than this and you'll have watery milk. gross. i want it white and rich and creamy. i think you do too.

2. add drained, soaked almonds and 3 cups water to a blender.

3. blend for at least a minute.

4. strain with a fine mesh sieve. you don't need any fancy nut milk bags or cheese cloth. trust me on this, or you will be sorry and cleaning up a big mess.

5. i set the bowl i soaked the almonds in on top of the strainer to press out the liquid. i let it sit while i do another job in the kitchen and then come back to it about 5 minutes later. i only have to press a few times. i've saved the solids sometimes, adding thyme and salt and using it as a topper on a sliced tomato and cucumber. i've also heard you can dehydrate them and grind them into almond meal. that would save a lot of money if you use a lot of almond meal. i have never done this because time is precious and i'll die one day and i'd rather just buy the almond meal. but you could, or i could if i needed to be more frugal. anyway...

6. don't add any sweeteners. it's delicious without it.

7. drink it within two days. it's like manna; it doesn't last.


and now, i want to share two excellent smoothie recipes, both featuring delicious almond milk as the base. around these parts, we have green smoothies most days. we usually stick to water+frozen festival fruit blend+banana+spinach+kale.

but lately i've been branching out, to great success! here are two smoothies that will fill your bellies with loads of superfood nutrition and an added boost of energy that kicks in around afternoon when most people are nodding off on the job.

super power chocolate berry smoothie
serves 1

1 1/2 cups almond milk
4 cups spinach

blend well, then add:

1 to 2 tablespoons raw cacao*
1/4 banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
1/4 teaspoon astralagus powder**
1 teaspoon vanilla

blend again and drink up! my kids call this the "poop smoothie" but they always slurp every last drop. if you're sensitive to physical sensations and medication like i am, you'll notice a buzzing, caffeine-like high that starts just after lunch and continues until bedtime, without any horrible side effects that you'd get with caffeine. i make this when i didn't get enough sleep the night before or when i have a overwhelmingly busy afternoon and it makes me feel like superwoman.

* you could sub cocoa powder. i like my chocolate bitter. use less if you don't.
** used as an energy tonic in chinese medicine for thousands of years. also a great immune system booster

champion cherry limeade smoothie
serves 1

1 cup almond milk
1 1/2 cups frozen cherries
juice and zest of one lime
1/2 teaspoon maca root powder*
1 teaspoon raw honey, optional

*maca root can improve sexual endurance, physical stamina, adaptability to stressful situations and an increase in both the number and activity of spermatazoids (sperm). so you may or may not want to give this to your husbands. i always make enough for the family, pour their servings out, then add the maca to only my smoothie.

How to make the best pie in the world

A good pie starts with the perfect crust. I always use Martha's recipe, which will make enough for two pie shells. Some tips:

-Use cold butter.

-Use kosher or sea salt.

-Put ice in your water.

-Remember, your main two goals with making a pie dough are to keep the dough as cold as possible and to add only enough water to get the dough to stick together, no more.

-Don't add flour to roll out your crust. Instead, roll it between pieces of plastic wrap. I recommend the Kirkland brand. This makes transfering it to your pie dish a cinch.

-When baking your pie crust, use pinto beans to weight down the parchment paper. I've been using the same beans for more than five years.

And now, my two favorite pie recipes.

Coconut Cream Pie

Ingredients
1 disk of Pie Dough
3/4 cups unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2/3 cup cream of coconut
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon coconut extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack positioned in the lower third. Roll out pie dough to a 1/8-inch thickness between sheets of plastic wrap. Transfer the crust to a 9-inch-round pie dish and shape how you want it. I love the imperfection of a homemade crust. Dip your fingers in a bowl of water if you need to smooth the dough a bit. Lightly prick the bottom of the dough with a fork. Line with parchment paper, gently pressing the parchment into the edges of the crust; weigh down parchment with dried beans. Bake until the edges of the pastry begin to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the pie weights and the parchment paper. Continue to bake until crust is golden brown in color, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer the crust to a wire rack to cool completely.

2. Place 1/4 cup of the unsweetened coconut flakes on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until light golden, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

3. To prepare the filling: Combine cornstarch, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan. Whisk in milk and cream of coconut. Set over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until bubbling and thick, about 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk 4 egg yolks. Slowly whisk hot milk mixture into egg yolks. Return mixture to saucepan, and continue cooking over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture returns to a boil, about 1 minute more. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and butter. Fold in remaining 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes. Chill in the fridge.

4. In a bowl, beat together cream, powdered sugar, and coconut extract with an electric mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form.

5. Transfer the custard to the cooled crust. Pile on the whipped cream. Sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup toasted coconut. Slice, and serve. Refrigerate any leftover pie.

Fresh Peach Pie

Ingredients

1 disk of Pie Dough

5-6 large peaches

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/3 cup sugar

3/4 tablespoons cornstarch

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack positioned in the lower third. Roll out pie dough to a 1/8-inch thickness between sheets of plastic wrap. Transfer the crust to a 9-inch-round pie dish and shape how you want it. I love the imperfection of a homemade crust. Dip your fingers in a bowl of water if you need to smooth the dough a bit. Lightly prick the bottom of the dough with a fork. Line with parchment paper, gently pressing the parchment into the edges of the crust; weigh down parchment with dried beans. Bake until the edges of the pastry begin to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Carefully remove the pie weights and the parchment paper. Continue to bake until crust is golden brown in color, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer the crust to a wire rack to cool completely.

2. In blender, blend together 1 peeled peach, lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch. Transfer to sauce pan and heat until boiling. Boil 1 minute. Slice remaining peaches and mix with sauce. Refrigerate until chilled.

3. Cream together remaining ingredients. Spread into the bottom of the cooled pie crust. I end up using about 2/3 of this. Save the rest for fruit dip or something. Add the peaches on top, being careful to drain off some of the juicy liquid or your pie will be too sloppy. Arrange the peaches in any pattern that pleases you. Slice, and serve. Refrigerate any leftover pie.

Flatbread With Spreads or What To Bring To A Summer Cocktail Party

One of my favorite memories of New York was eating tapas at the tiny little restaurant we chanced upon. Luckily, our table neighbor recommended them and they were delicious!

I thought it would be fun to recreate the spreads we had, and take them to Olivia's 30th birthday party.

I think I came pretty close. Some of the recipes I found online (links below) and some I created on my own. I started the flatbread first and while the dough was rising, mixed up the spreads in my food processor.

Flatbread
These came together really easily and I think they'd also be great for sandwich wraps. The only change I made was to place them directly into a folded towel after cooking to ensure they'd be extra soft.


Beet Dip or Mama Dallou’ah
This recipe makes a lot of beautiful, brightly colored dip, lucky for you! A few recipe notes: my beets were giant so I had to roast them about 1 1/2 hours, not the 45 minutes it calls for in the recipe. I also halved the amount of tahini. And if you've made my recipe for muhamara, now you have something else to use your pomegranate molasses with. This is my personal favorite of the 3 spreads.


Olive Tempanade
I couldn't find a recipe online that I thought would work, so I combined a few and came up with this. You could use any combination of olives—kalamata, black, or green.

1 cloves garlic, peeled
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 6-ounce can black olives, drained
2 tablespoons capers
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil

Place the garlic clove into a blender or food processor; pulse to mince. Add the olives, capers, parsley, lemon juice, and olive oil. Blend until everything is finely chopped.


Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
This is another one I had to alter. It turned out just how I wanted it, with a little more tangy bite than any of the recipes I found online. This one was Younger Son's favorite.

1 clove garlic
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
1/2 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil
2 tablespoons tahini
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Place the garlic clove into a blender or food processor; pulse to mince. Add remaining ingredients and blend until finely chopped.


That's it! Yum.

As I type, I am downloading the 400+ pictures I took in New York and mulling over my experiences there. Blog posts to follow.

falafel is my favorite

falafel is my favorite meal. after many failed attempts at cooking this at home, i think i've finally perfected a no-fail recipe that i'm so excited to share with you.

just remember, if you skip a step or don't follow directions exactly, you'll end up with a pile of burnt crumbs floating in your cooking oil.

[at least that's what happened to me the first several tries.]

falafel {mediterranean chickpea patties}

1 cup dry chickpeas

1 small onion

5 cloves of garlic

1 bunch fresh cilantro

1 bunch fresh parsley

1 teaspoon salt (or more. i like more)

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon baking powder

6 tablespoons flour

Oil for frying

1. soak the chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) in plenty of water overnight.

2. in a large food processor, combine onions, garlic, parsley and cilantro. add the chickpeas and spices and chop until you have a pasty mixture. mix in the flour and baking powder, which will make the mix into more of a dough.

3. cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. after waiting patiently for at least two hours (it's important!), remove the falafel mix from the refrigerator.

4. in a large pot, heat up vegetable oil for frying, careful not to let it smoke too much. to form the falafel balls, I use a medium-sized pampered chef scoop, probably about 2 tablespoons, and form the mixture into a patty shape. it takes just a couple of minutes to deep fry each side. remove onto some paper towels. 

5. i serve with red onion, tomato and a yogurt cucumber sauce. my kids like theirs in pitas, but i like mine without. this recipe serves 4-5 people (about 20 balls) and i always double it and freeze the leftovers.

muhummara is a middle eastern dipping sauce with a roasted red pepper and pomegranate molasses base. i tried it for the first time several weeks ago and it is my new favorite thing. you can order the pomegranate molasses from amazon for a pretty reasonable price. i highly recommend it! [enough to use an exclamation point.] this recipe is so easy, just a matter of tossing in ingredients into a food processor. that's it. you could even use a blender if you don't have a food processor yet.

muhammara

a 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained*

2/3 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup walnuts
2 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons pomegranate molasses
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1. combine all ingredients except oil in food processor. mix well. [i actually chopped an old dinner roll first to get my 2/3 cups bread crumbs, then added the rest of the ingredients].
2. add oil slowly with mixer going until oil is incorporated.
3. you can serve this dip with pita wedges or like we did, with hearts of romaine.

*to save you some grocery store wandering, you can find these by the jarred olives, peppers and pickles.

Sharing Recipes

this post is solely for my writing partner Meagan, who is absolutely one of my favorite people in the world. good thing too, because it turns out i meet with her every wednesday to sort out plots, character motivations and life problems.

she asked for these recipes, and never one to miss an opportunity to be (lazy) efficient, i thought i'd blog them too. and my apologies but these photos are not my own.

coconut cupcakes

Cupcakes:

3/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup of sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 cup of canned coconut milk
1 teaspoon coconut flavoring
2 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 cup of sweetened desiccated coconut

Frosting:
1/2 cup of butter (1 stick), room temperature
8 oz of Philly cream cheese (1 package), room temperature
3 cups of powdered sugar

2 teaspoons coconut flavoring

1 tablespoon coconut milk
1/4 cup of sweetened desiccated coconut

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add sugar and cream till light and fluffy again, scraping down the sides halfway through to ensure even mixing.
2. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds each to ensure mixing. Be sure to scrape down the sides after each egg to ensure even mixing. Add the coconut milk and coconut flavoring and mix well.
3. Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Mix well then combine with butter mixture. Mix until well-incorporated.
4. Fold in the coconut. Scoop into cupcake papers about one half to three-quarters of the way full. Bake for 18-22 minutes (or 13-15 minutes for mini cupcakes). Allow the cupcakes to cool for a minute or two in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting
1. Combine all ingredients and mix with an electric mixer until creamy.
2. Spread onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle on a bit of extra shredded coconut on top and serve.

Makes about 30 regular-sized (217 calories) or 84 mini-sized (78 calories)

cabbage patch soup (adapted from my mother's recipe)

1 pound sausage (i always use jimmy dean's natural sausage, which you can buy in a 3-pound tube at costco)

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup celery, chopped, with leaves

8 large carrots, chopped*

2 cups cabbage, chopped into 1-inch pieces

2 cups water

1 tablespoon beef base

2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 tablespoons ketchup (trust me. it's good)

1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice

2 (15-oz.) cans kidney beans with juice

brown sausage with onion. add remaining ingredients and simmer, covered for 30 minutes OR cook in crockpot on low for 8-10 hours. makes 10 servings. (about 284 calories per 1 1/2 cups)

notes:

i always double this and freeze the other half for an easy freezer meal. it's a simple, one-pot meal. cooking it in the crockpot allows the meat to become more tender and it's my favorite way to prepare it.

*and, don't use those gross, dried-out, bitter-tasting, stubby baby carrots. buy real grownup adult carrots. your future self will thank you, i promise.

gratitude day 4: food

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i love food, in its many colors, textures and varieties. i love sun-warmed raspberries from the garden, honey-sweetened greek yogurt, a bowl of warm soup. i love to eat freshly prepared, whole foods. i love the way i feel when i treat my body with gratitude and respect by choosing with care what goes inside it.

food can heal. i learned that last year.

have you made a commitment for the new year to eat healthily? allow me to share some of my favorite, healthy, delicious recipes, some that i promised i would share months ago.

roasted root vegetable salad-sweet, savory and tangy all in one dish

serves 6

3-4 beets, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces

3-4 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 parsnips, chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 medium shallots, peeled
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 big pinches of sea salt
2 bunches of scallions (green onions), greens topped off, and halved lengthwise

vinaigrette:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 small shallot, minced
2 teaspoons whole grain mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup of olive oil
1 tablespoon heavy cream or creme fraiche (optional)

1 cup wild rice, uncooked.

preheat oven to 400F degrees.

cook the rice according to the package directions. meanwhile, in a large bowl toss the beets, carrots, parsnips, and shallots with 1/4 cup of olive oil and 2 big pinches of salt. when the ingredients are well coated, turn them out onto a large baking sheet in a single layer. there will be a bit of residual oil in the bottom of the bowl, gently add the green onions to the mixing bowl and push them around a bit until they are coated as well. if there is room on your baking sheet add the onions in their own corner (they take less time to roast and you will need to remove them), or place them on their own baking sheet. place in the oven.

the scallions will likely finished baking first, remove them when they are well-browned, roughly 20 minutes. the rest of the vegetables usually take somewhere between 40 and 60 minutes. let them go until they are deeply golden and tender throughout. check them regularly, flip them with a metal spatula once or twice along the way, and if any of the smaller pieces are getting too dark pull them off the pan.

while the vegetables are roasting, start the dressing by pouring the red wine vinegar into a small bowl along with the chopped shallot. if you have the time, let it sit there for twenty minutes or so. then whisk in the mustard and salt, before slowly drizzling in the olive oil, whisking all the while. whisk in the cream, taste and adjust with more mustard, vinegar, salt, etc to taste.

when they are done roasting, remove the vegetables from the oven. in a large bowl toss the wild rice (if you're going that route) with a splash of the vinaigrette. you can now either transfer the rice to a serving platter, as a bed for the vegetables, or you can add the roasted vegetables to the bowl and toss them with the rice, the rest of the dressing, and half of the scallions. turn everything out onto the platter and serve topped with the remaining roasted scallions.

french onion soup-easy, yummy, crockpot recipe

serves 6

4 cups water

6 beef bullion cubes or 2 tablespoons beef base

1/4 cup butter

2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup sherry

Place water and beef bullion/base in crockpot. Set to high. In a large sauté pan on medium heat, cook butter and onions, covered, for 15 minutes, or until onions are soft and beginning to caramelize. Add the flour and sherry to the onions. Stir, then dump in the crockpot. Cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours. Serve with cheesy french bread and a green salad.

southwest quinoa salad-healthy, quick, vegetarian

serves 6

dressing:
1 heaping Tbsp. grated lime zest
1⁄4 cup fresh lime juice
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 teaspoon sea salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

salad:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well (soak for a few minutes, drain in fine strainer) 2 cups water
1 can petite diced tomatoes with chipotle chiles
2 cans black beans, rinsed well
1 small can chopped black olives
1 cup chopped tomatoes (i like cherry tomatoes straight from the garden, but grape tomatoes would be good too)
1 cup frozen corn (i love the organic sweet corn from costco)
2 scallions, chopped (including most of the green part)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

whisk together lime zest and juice, olive oil, maple syrup, salt and pepper in serving bowl. simmer quinoa in water, uncovered, about 10 minutes. turn off heat, cover, and let stand 10 minutes. (strain any excess water with a fine seive and dump the can of diced tomatoes over the top.) add quinoa mixture to dressing and toss well, then stir in remaining ingredients.

raw ranch dip-perfect for dipping all those raw veggies in, but you've got to soak the nuts/seeds overnight so plan ahead

makes 1 cup

1/2 cup cashews

1/4 cup hemp seeds

juice from 1/2 a lemon

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

handful of fresh herbs (i like dill, basil, and parsley, and i'll use dried herbs in the winter when i can't pull them straight from my garden)

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup water, more or less

soak nuts and seeds overnight, then drain. blend everything but the water in a blender or food processor until smooth. add water until the dip is your desired consistency. i like mine thick so it doesn't invade other items in our school lunches. you may want to add more water if you plan on using it as a salad dressing.

warming recipes

pardon me. i am feeling poetical today.

leaves tumble from trees and veil the ground in a riot of gold, flame, and crimson.

the wind's wicked cold bite stings cheeks and noses.

fall's splendor dallies but we don't mind.

we enjoy the glory of it knowing it fades all too soon,

and hope to postpone the arrival of crusty, gray winter.

and now, i share with you 3 of my most favorite, plant-based dishes to eat on a crisp, gorgeous fall day.

vegetable chili

serves 6

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with juice
1 15.5-ounce can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15.5-ounce can cannellini or great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 15.5-ounce can pork and beans (blobs of fat removed)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
kosher salt and black pepper

1. heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. add the onion, garlic, chili powder, and cumin and sauté until onions are soft.
2. add the tomatoes and 1 cup water. bring to a simmer, partially cover with a lid, andcook 10 minutes.

3. add the beans and return to a simmer. continue cooking, uncovered, for 20 minutes or until the chili is thick.

4. remove from heat and stir in the vinegar. season to taste with salt and pepper.

serve with: cornbread or polenta.

source: real simple magazine may 2000, photo from marthastewart.com

spicy black bean soup

serves 6

1 pound dry black beans
4 teaspoons diced jalapeno peppers
1 medium onion, chopped
5 cups water
2 tablespoons chicken base
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped

1 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

garnish:

juice of 2 limes

1 avocado, chopped

2 roma tomatoes, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

1. rinse and drain black beans.
2. combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.
3. cook on high for 4 hours. reduce heat to low, and continue cooking for 2 hours, or until you are ready to eat (or just cook on low 10-12 hours).
4. fold garnish ingredients together and serve.

serve with: deep-fried tortillas or corn chips.

source: myself, photo from realsimple.com

butternut bisque

serves 6

3 pound butternut squash (right now you can buy these already peeled, seeded, and cubed at costco)

2 tablespoons butter

2 carrots, sliced

1 onion, chopped

1 stalk of celery, chopped

2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

5 cups water

2 tablespoons chicken base

1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder

pinch each: nutmeg and ginger

sour cream for garnish (optional)

1. peel and seed squash, cube and set aside, if needed.

2. melt butter in a large pot. add carrots, onion and celery. sauté until soft.

3. stir in potatoes, squash, water and chicken base. bring to a boil reduce heat and simmer, partially covered for 20 minutes.

4. add curry, nutmeg and ginger. pureé the soup in batches in a blender. return to pot. salt and pepper to taste.

serve with: homemade breadsticks or french bread

source: handwritten recipe booklet crafted by my friend kimberly, former college roommate and fellow maker/photo from realsimple.com

Current Favorites: Part 3

Item number three: 101 Cookbooks website.

Around this time last year, I made a decision to eat meat sparingly. I've experimented a lot, both to the joy and horror of my family. We are now eating meat-free about 5 days out of the week. I knew it would be a long process and it has. There has been some weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

But guess what? I am a lioness at the gate. As Julie Beck said in her speech Lioness at the Gate: Whatever happens in that home and family happens because she cares about it and it matters to her. She guards that gate, and things matter to that family if they matter to her.

So, I ignore the complaints and try to create the most delicious, healthy meals I can. I focus on healthy, fresh, local produce "in the season thereof." And the kids are slowly coming around. They love quinoa and raw macaroons and green smoothies. Mr. Coleman goes to Del Taco some nights. (You can't win them all.)

I love this website. Beautiful photography, seasonal-based meals, new ways to use all types of grain, searchable by category or ingredient. And lots and lots of vegetarian and vegan recipes.

Some favorites have been:

Carrot, Dill & White Bean Salad

TLT Sandwich

Autumn Potato Salad

Caramel Apples

Coconut Red Lentil Soup

Happy eating.

best bubbles recipe

so, according to our scientific data, the longest-lasting bubble recipe was this one:

1 cup water

1 tablespoon dawn dish detergent (not the antibacterial kind)

1 tablespoon glycerin

let it sit at least 24 hours for maximum strength.

our summer plan: make these in empty milk cartons and blow bubbles by the millions

for joan; because she asked

photo from flickr

Strawberry Milkshakes

Combine in a blender:

2 cups vanilla ice cream*

2 cups strawberries, cored

enough milk to blend, about 1 cup

Blend and enjoy.

*Our favorite vanilla ice cream is the Kirkland Signature brand from Costco.

Tomato Soup Success

Stress level on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest): 10.

Just so you know.

What was I thinking?

Anyway, after years of testing different tomato soup recipes, I have finally created the ultimate, perfect recipe. It is so good it makes me want to cry. And it only takes 15 minutes, with about 1 minute of prep work. Try it and weep.

Basil Tomato Soup

2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes

1 tablespoon chicken base

1/2 cup pesto

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 tablespoons sugar

1 cube (1/2 cup) butter, chopped

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk

Directions:

In a large stock pot, combine tomatoes, chicken base, pesto, salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add butter and milk and heat through.

Notes:

I buy my chicken base at Costco in the spices/pantry section and use it with water added as a substitute for chicken broth or stock all the time.

Great food storage item.

If you don't have it, you can substitute 3 boulion cubes, but don't add any salt (and sorry to say, but your soup won't be as good). I use homemade pesto that I freeze at the end of every summer in gargantuan batches. (Ask my kids about picking basil last fall. I think we had 3 laundry baskets full.)

photo from here

Vacation Part 1: Ryan + a recipe

This is my brother Ryan. Things you should know about him:

When forced to choose between a ski trip to the Alps or a Canon 5D camera, he chose the camera. (Seriously).

When he was in 7th grade I tried to get him to smoke a cigarette with me. He told me no. I've looked up to him ever since.

At one point, he was the only brother in a family with 5 sisters.

My first born son's middle name is Ryan.

He is a gourmet chef and I get a new recipe or cooking tip from him every time I visit him.

The best thing about Ryan is his wife Kathryn. Period. (Ultra-organized, unfailingly kind, creative, attentive mother, industrious, former 1st grade teacher, and gorgeous). If she has a flaw I haven't seen it yet. We asked them to take over the care of our children if Don and I die. That's love, Ryan.

Oh, and they are the parents of multiples. Multiple multiples. Once again, it's Ryan and 5 girls. I like to think we trained him well.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for giving us a calm place to stay on our vacation. While there we went on a photo shoot to the east benches of the Superstition Mountains. I loved watching the colors change as the sun set, looking across the entire valley of the Phoenix area, and spending some quiet moments with Ryan and Angela. And you may not know, but every evening in Arizona has a poster-perfect sunset.

And now a recipe for said brother. This recipe is adapted from an Ina Garten recipe to be easier and better. Enjoy while cranberries and oranges are in season.

Cranberry Orange Scones

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, diced
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup cold heavy cream
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons orange juice
zest of one orange

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly pour into the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Add the cranberries to the dough, and mix on low speed until blended.

Drop the scones on a baking pan lined with parchment paper with a large muffin-batter-scooper (or about 1/3 cup blobs).

Bake 17-20 minutes, or until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes and then whisk together the powdered sugar orange juice, and zest. Drizzle over the scones. Makes about 14.

**ETA: photo of Ryan and Kathryn by Darby, and photo of double twins by Ryan