Bound By the Seasons.

A First Chicken Culling Experience.

2014-08-08T15:36:00.004-07:00

It's been a hurdle I've been meaning to cross. You can't ignore this aspect of urban chicken farming and no matter how hard you try to ignore it, it is the most logical next step: chicken culling.

Until now, I haven't had to step up and attempt this since the natural selection process by neighborhood raccoons and dogs beat me to it. But harvesting your chickens when they get too old to lay is the way it is. When you have new chicks coming into the scene getting ready to lay - well, it's out with the old and in with the new and, according to Seattle zoning laws, you are only allowed eight chickens per yard so, naturally, not many get to roam until their geriatric death. Thankfully for me, my neighbor and co-urban farmer friend needed to 'manage his flock' as new chicks were coming in and two three-year-old hens that quit laying needed to head to the soup pot! Since I felt this would be a good opportunity for some hands-on experience, I naively volunteered to help.

Before this moment, he had only harvested one rooster (you can't have a rooster within city limits) and performed this daunting task while his vegetarian wife read instructions off the Internet and his brave 5-year-old daughter watched on. I had to give it to him (and his family) because I wasn't ready to do this so early on in my chicken farming career, but now I felt ready.

I couldn't help texting him earlier in the day, "Is it wrong I'm looking forward to it?"

"Nah," he replied.

But by the time we headed to his house, saying I felt uneasy was an understatement. When we arrived he had things ready to go: a table wrapped in plastic, a cone tacked to a board, two sharp knives, a plastic-lined garbage can, a cooler full of ice water and a soup pot with hot water.

It was go time.

His second grader grabbed the first chicken and my husband and toddler nonchalantly stood off to the side while my neighbor grabbed the hen, tipped it upside down and attempted to pull her head through the cone. This process helps with a couple things: 1.) They can't move around and 2.) It puts them in a relaxed state.

I'm not going to lie, it wasn't the smoothest culling experience when the chicken's leg continued to get stuck up by the head and the cone, made of heavy construction paper, wasn't holding up with all the rearranging. But my neighbor was a trooper and adjusted to the situation like a champ until the deed was done. He ended up having to lay the chicken on the table and quickly sever it's artery. Next, he held it up to drain the blood and immediately placed in the pot of hot water for one minute which eases the next step: plucking the feathers.

Up until now I awkwardly watched the process but now it was time to roll up my sleeves, take a deep breath and pretend like I've plucked hundreds of recently-killed chickens before. I grabbed the hen and started pulling and was surprised how easily the feathers came off. Strangely enough, I really started getting into a rhythm. (I can't believe I just said that). In no time this strange and lifeless bird started resembling something you pick up at the grocery store and the world as I know it started to return to normal.

After plucking the feathers I bravely took the knife and cut the feet off - which ended up being a rather difficult and awkward task - and I have a broken knife to prove it. But, I accomplished this large feat (pun intended) and set them aside for my neighbor to make some of the best chicken stock around. Recipe here: Mother Earth News Chicken Feet Stock Recipe

The last step was placing the freshly plucked chickens in an ice bath helping to diminish smells when removing the insides. My first culling experience came to a close and although it's a rather odd and unsettling experience to actually take the life of a living being, you do appreciate the approach and embrace the full circle moment for taking responsibility by managing your flock.

Disclaimer: We had photos of the process and actual video but technical difficulties ensued and all documented material was lost. For more great information on chicken culling visit: How to Cull Your Old Laying Hens.

Conscience buying.

2014-04-05T16:07:00.002-07:00

I talk a lot about my enthusiasm for reusing everyday items to keep things out of the landfills but, most importantly, it also helps keep my carbon-footprint conscience from eroding. These past few years I've concentrated on removing more items from our household to create a more harmonious livelihood for my family. It sounds so simple but it isn't always easy and I'm so envious of those folks who really put themselves to the test - like the little New York family in the documentary No Impact Man who lived off the grid for a year. This movie inspired me a few years ago because I don't have the balls to do it. Not even close. I daydream about it but don't think I could pull it off. I don't even drive an electric car - or even a Hybrid for that matter. In fact, I recently sold my 14-year-old Subaru Outback with 160,000+ miles for a friend's Jeep Cherokee because it only had 40,000 miles. I went from a 4-cylinder to a V-6 and, quite honestly, I'm ashamed by it. But I couldn't walk away from a car that wasn't dripping oil all over town and smoking after I went on long trips.

Conscience buying to eliminate waste is always in the back of my mind and while I'm not perfect, I'm working on it and with a family of four - that's all I can hope for.

I've put together a little list of my 'waste-not, want-not' accomplishments:
(Don't roll your eyes, you knew this was coming.)

1.) ZIPLOC BAGGIES

First item to tackle was those really handy, easy-to-use plastic baggies we call Ziploc. They are great for marinating vegetables or meat, perfect for throwing a few snacks in for kids and great for packing up leftovers from dinner. Once I finally pulled my head out of the sand and realized what they were, and how many I was using, I was embarrassed - and appalled - and decided I would no longer be associated with them. After year two of the boycott, I've never looked back.

ALTERNATIVE TO THE PLASTIC BAGGIES: We reuse all our containers that sour cream, cottage cheese and yogurt come in. We particularly love reusing glass containers and fill these up with snacks for the kids or leftovers. We don't buy any new Tupperware containers, just use what we already have. It's been an easy transition and very rewarding!

2.) PAPER TOWELS

They are just so damn handy. I love soaking up everything with these squares of paper. I mean, how do you soak up all the bacon grease without these little guys? (We eat BLT's regularly). Paper towels are a tug-of-war thing for my husband and I: He wants them. I don't.

When I finally eliminate them for months at a time, he talks me into buying them again for a month until I get the environmental guilt-ies and refuse to buy any. I hate paying for paper products you don't need (now toilet paper is not one of them) and paper towels are expensive!

ALTERNATIVE TO THE PAPER TOWEL: We have a basket of old rags and towels we use for wiping up just about anything. We don't typically wash these right away unless they get down right dirty. I haven't figured out the soaking up of bacon grease yet so I just lay them out on a plate. I might start laying it on towels, but I haven't tried it yet.

3.) LIMIT (OR IF YOU'RE AWESOME ELIMINATE) RETAIL PURCHASES.

Second hand and consignment stores are my friends. Like, my really good friends. I've always had a knack for busting through a used store and coming out with some pretty solid shit. Macklemore has nothing on me - I'm the queen of the thrift stores.

ALTERNATIVE TO RETAIL: Check out thrift stores or children's consignment shops for all those little things kids need gear for: soccer shoes, shorts, shin guards, baseballs, basketballs and so much more. There are also organized clothing swaps in various communities where folks take kids clothes and gear to swap for other things they need - all for free. Take advantage of not buying (new) retail!

4.) WORKPLACE SHAPE UP.

I don't know how a company in today's times can continue getting away with buying Dixie cups for available "pure" water and endless amounts of plastic utensils and paper plates - but many of them do. This is ridiculous to me and once I went back to work part-time for a large corporation last year - they had no idea what was coming. I couldn't believe the waste and almost immediately started spouting off my nonsense. Well - my rants worked because they no longer are stocking huge boxes of Dixie cups (which from a storage standpoint is also ridiculous) or boxes of plastic spoons, forks and knives. You're welcome environment.

NEXT UP ON MY ELIMINATION LIST:

Swiffer (thanks to my husband's sister laughing at me that I don't do paper towels but bust out a Swiffer.) Touche' my friend. (In all honesty, I can't stand those either.)
Sponges. My husband loves these and color coordinates one for dishes and one for counters. We did start buying recycled material sponges, but it still feels dirty.

My 'Cuppow' Runneth Over.

2014-01-24T22:28:00.000-08:00

I stumbled upon the best purchase, thus far, of 2014 while visiting Roslyn, WA over the New Year holiday. I realize it's a little early in the year to start naming names, but in my eyes, I found a retail dream.

I got up early on New Years Day and talked my brother-in-law into grabbing the dogs and walking the few blocks to town to grab a cup of coffee. Typically not a lot opens early in this mountain town, but thankfully, a new natural foods store came in since my last visit and they were serving coffee. While we waited, we looked around the cute store located on Pennsylvania Avenue and that's when we noticed it: Cuppow Jar Drinking Lids - the best thing since sliced bread if you have a habit of drinking out of canning jars.

Lucky for us, there just happened to be a local there that day filling up his jar of coffee and when he spun that jar lid around, I knew I had to have one.

I. Fell. In. Love.

Now I do NOT leave home without my Cuppow lid and I bought my husband and brother-in-law one too. They are BPA free, made of food-grade recycled plastic and under ten bucks. You can get various colors and the different sizes include fitting both the wide mouth and regular mouth jars. When ordering direct from the company website you get FREE SHIPPING for all domestic orders and it's good ole USA made! The company is committed to reducing its environmental impact and it's always a good idea to do business with conscience folks.

In a city where coffee and recycling are king, these lids fulfill even the most conservative environmentalist.

My History of Baking.

2014-01-20T15:17:00.002-08:00

First Birthday Cake!

I'm not a baker. I'm an avid cook and baking is done only twice a year in my household: December and January. These two months just happen to be my sons' birthdays. The problem with baking twice a year is I tend to get these wild and crazy visions about what I see in their celebration treats and this is where things get a little hairy.

When I do something, I DO something. I'm laid back 363 days a year - until that birthday celebration starts creeping up and then something incredible happens: I think I can bake. Not only bake, but come up with these grandiose ideas of triple layer, raspberry-infused ridiculousness. I just can't seem to help (or stop) myself.

This reminds me of a story when I first started dating my husband. He has no patience really and hates surprises, but I didn't know that at the time. It was Valentine's Day and I got this crazily dumb idea to bake him a "love" cake. I don't even know what that is and I'm embarrassed to say it now, but that's what I did. It was affectionately called the Triple Chocolate Celebration Cake and required mousse, ganache, chocolate cake and fruit. Knowing what I know today, I would never have attempted this; it took days to make and when you're trying to surprise someone with this beautiful cake - it's no easy feat to hide mousse and a triple layered cake in the refrigerator. He was annoyed to say the least and by the time Valentine's Day came around, it was incredibly anti-climatic and I almost threw the whole cake in the garbage.

My go-to birthday cake recipe:
Deluxe Devil's Food Cake

We have both moved on from that Valentine's Day, but I'm not so sure I've really learned my lesson.

The cute reindeer cupcakes for my son's first birthday.
They did end up looking like a moose, droopy faces and all.

I especially love torturing my sister and getting her
on board with these birthday treats!

When December and January rolls around, I keep launching my crazy ideas because I become obsessed with my kids having homemade cakes and goodies. I'm not sure a 17-pound prime rib, a crock pot full of sautéed mushrooms and another vat of red-wine au jus (which happened last year) is really appropriate for a kid's first birthday party, but damn it, those reindeer cupcakes are!!

Happily, I have my go-to 'birthday cake recipe' that I'm willing to share: Deluxe Devil's Food Cake on the Softasilk cake flour box. It's really delicious if I don't mind saying so and I accompany this cake with some fun "theme of the year" cupcakes like Spiderman or reindeer (or moose cupcakes when the marshmallow face starts melting and drooping, but hey, moose are cute, too!)

The start of something wonderful.

Thankfully for me and my baking hardships, we have the BEST Home Cake Decorating Supply store in the area. This is a wanna-be baker's DREAM and I love this crowded, cool store. It has everything you would want or didn't even know you wanted when it comes to baking and the owner gives out free tips, all you need to do is ask! (Who knew how hard red frosting was to NOT make pink when it came to my Spiderman cupcakes last year.) The trick: add your red food coloring to your buttercream frosting and stir, place in refrigerator for a day or two so it brightens up. People make the mistake of adding more and more food coloring to the point it starts tasting bitter. DON'T DO IT!

Whoa, look at me! I'm giving out baking tips now which goes to show all you need is a little creative spirit, patience and the right tools (or people to ask) and us 'non-bakers' will be on our way.

Nailed It: homemade granola.

2014-01-16T14:56:00.000-08:00

I love granola but avoided it for years because all the good ones were loaded with sugar. I'm a fan of granola with cold milk, add a few chewy raisins or cranberries and it's the perfect combo. But, granola is slightly bi-polar because it's good for you but has tons of sugar!

Well, I began to miss the damn stuff and my little boys did too so I decided to start messing around with making it myself. I wanted a new version of it but one that was still pleasing to the taste buds. I wanted some with less sugar while still maintaining the flavor. After a few tries, I'm pretty sure I nailed it - especially since the husband and kids keep asking me to make more. And the best thing about this bowl of goodness is when I have some in the morning, it is the most filling meal of the day. Start your day with this and you will be completely satisfied!

So......without further ado:

HOMEMADE GRANOLA:

1 Box Oats
2 cups Raw Sunflowers
2 cups chopped/slivered almonds
1-2 cups Raw Pumpkin Seeds
1/2 cup - 1 cup Chia Seeds (Flax seeds work great too.)
1/2 cup Honey
1/2 cup Organic Blue Agave
1 cup Canola Oil (I've used olive oil, too)
Lots of Cinnamon
1 Tbsp of Vanilla (or more to taste)
Cranberries or Raisins

Preheat oven at 350. Mix oats, seeds and nuts together in large bowl. Heat honey, agave and oil in sauce pan; heat through and sprinkle with cinnamon and stir in vanilla. Add in batches to oats and seeds and stir. Spread mixture on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes. We like ours crunchy and on the darker side, but bake it to your own tastes!

Building a Food Community and Buying Direct!

2014-01-12T08:36:00.000-08:00

With the recent salmonella scare within the western states last year and the chicken's bacteria getting hundreds of people sick, I'm reassured to keep forging ahead toward eliminating the grocery store and buying my food directly from the farm - when I can't grow it myself. It seems lately my network for local fare has expanded and I've made great connections with folks who supply customers with free-range, organic-fed chickens, whey fed pork and various apples, pears, cabbage and even olive oil! I love this little community we've fallen head over heals with. I don't care who you are, when you grow your own food or know exactly where your food is coming from, there's a certain gratification you get and - yes, maybe even a little pretention. But once the ball starts rolling, you can't help but roll with it.

That's why I started gardening. It all began when I planted that first seed and something so big and bountiful grew from that one little grain-of-salt size seed. Okay, maybe a pepper, but still - it was transforming. I realize now why my grandparents would get so dreamy when walking us kids through their garden explaining how big this was or that was: raspberries, rhubarb, hazelnuts and cucumbers. I thought it was so cool then, but didn't know how much until I planted my first seed.

It's no easy feat to plan a family's meal around sustainable, non-factory-made produce and meat. I always prided myself with making homemade meals and never from boxes. But life gets in the way sometimes and that box of macaroni and cheese or slip through a drive through happens and I didn't (don't) always have the skills to figure out an alternative regardless of my 'homemade meals' mentality. But it's what we work toward and we keep getting better each day.

My little food community has grown significantly these past few months. I host a Seattle drop off site of raw honey created a few neighborhoods away and I get satisfaction from allowing people to access this treat. Another neighbor hooked up with a farm for various apples, pears, cabbage, onions, potatoes and mid-to-late harvest olive oils in our state. Who knew! I have a farm less than two hours away who delivers organic, pasture grazed chickens to Seattle's Capitol Hill and a farm in Quilcene whose 16-year-old son raises register Angus grassfeed beef and sells at $5.00 per pound to support his future college education in cattle management - at WSU no less. We also have dairy delivered weekly from a farm started in the 1920s.

This is cool. Everything about it.

Do you know who your farmer is?

Getting started is tough. Talk to your farmers markets and get info on the farms and what types of services or CSA's they have available during the off season. I've got most of my connections through a local web group called Seattle Farm Co-op who offers members a 'Market Day' where farmers promote their goods and a warehouse where you can buy goods at a lower cost . Another cool sight is Farmstr which connects you with local farms in your area and lists what each farm has available!

Spinach: A Love Affair

2013-10-08T06:46:00.000-07:00

What has become of me? I suddenly reach out for the largest bins of spinach I can find. I shovel it in in an array of recipes: Spinach Benedict, smoothies, scrambles, stir fries, pizzas - you name it, I'm throwing spinach in it. It feels good to easily enjoy a vegetable that is incredibly good for you. I turned 40 last year and this impending milestone had me obsessively focused on my health and the types of food going into my body. I hope I'm not too late; I did spend the first half of my life rolling around in a few bad habits.

Let's break down the many health benefits of spinach to make myself feel better:

Lowers the risk of cancer and heart disease
Abundance of Vitamin K, Vitamin A, calcium, folic acid and iron
Great source of fiber
Promotes strong bones
Contributes to healthy vision and limits cataracts

This little list above means more to me now at 40 than it would've at 20. It has inspired me to continue my love affair and share a few favorites:

SPINACH-EGG BENEDICT:
I like to add a little fluff to my already Dyn-o-mite Eggs Benny. (Only on special occasions do I include the cholesterol and fat-filled hollandaise sauce that's oh-so extra delicious.) There's just something to be said when you cut your fork into a perfectly poached eggs with steamed spinach.

Serves one:

One English muffin split in half. (Forget those weird wheat variety - I go straight for the sourdough. I can't stand the extra-chewy texture of a multi-grain English muffin.)
Two farm-fresh eggs, poached-to-perfection
Two handfuls of spinach
Two slices Canadian bacon or ham (optional)
Salt and pepper

Add Canadian bacon (if using) and spinach to a pan and add salt and pepper. Cook until spinach wilts down and ham is golden on each side. In a small sauce pan begin bowling water and add a teaspoon or two of vinegar. (Helps keep eggs whites together.) Once water boils turn heat down and crack eggs into water; cook for around 3-4 minutes. In the meantime, lightly toast your English muffins until crisp but still soft and add ham, a pile of spinach and your perfectly poached egg.

SPINACH SMOOTHIE OR FOR JUICING
Smoothies seem to be all the rave lately. Sometimes it gets annoying listening to folks explaining what THEY put in THEIR smoothies, but hey, you can't deny it's a savvy way of getting a whole lot of nutrients into your body. So here's MY specialty smoothie:

Serves two adults, one preschooler and one toddler:

2 cups coconut water
1 banana
1 freshly squeezed lemon
1 cup frozen or fresh berry medley
2 handfuls of spinach
1 long squirt of flax seed oil
2 stalks celery
1 large or 2 small carrots
Few springs of parsley, Thyme or other fresh herbs
Couple leaves of basil
An inch or two of ginger

Blend and serve!

SPINACH STUFFED CHICKEN BREASTS:

Serves four:

4 chicken breasts, skinless/boneless
Olive Oil
4 cups spinach
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced
1/2 small onion, chopped
Goat cheese
White wine sauce

Beat the hay out of each chicken breast with a tenderizer. Salt and pepper each chicken breast and set aside. Toss spinach, mushrooms and onion in pan and sauté until soft. Take each chicken breast and spread spinach mixture on inside and sprinkle with goat cheese; roll up and secure with toothpicks or string and place in casserole dish. MAKE WHITE WINE SAUCE: Add cup of white wine, handful sliced mushrooms, cornstarch/water mix, S&P and any herbs you see fit and cook until mixture thickens. Pour wine sauce over chicken and bake in oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. DIVINE!!

The Little Eco-camp That Could.

2013-01-30T11:33:00.000-08:00

This past summer I had the cool opportunity to finally launch an Eco-camp I designed specifically for kids ages 3-6 years-old. This 'little camp that could' was warmly titled: Jack and the Greenstalk Eco-camp and was built around the idea that introducing kids early to some environmental basics gives them the tools to grow into Eco-minded adults who make a difference, hence our slogan, "Where kids become sustainable leaders!"

This idea started simply enough. My son is a die-hard environmentalist. He's constantly picking up random street trash with his delicate little hands and - although I appreciate his efforts - encourage him to wait until we have gloves because you never know what you'll find. I'm not gonna lie, he tells on people who litter. He doesn't like it and isn't afraid to say it. He also doesn't like any amount of water running that is not directly being used. I like his style. He gets it and he's only four. During an earlier trip to the Seattle Science Center this year, he was appalled to learn an exhibit made up of plastic bags, golf balls, electrical tape, Capri Sun juice boxes and rope were actually the contents of a whale's stomach beached earlier in West Seattle. He not only talked about that whale and the garbage in his stomach for days - he talked about it for months.

This got me thinking.

How can we encourage other kids his age to be aware of their environmental surroundings? How do we get them excited about picking up litter, using less water, understanding the impact recycling has on oceans and animal life? In essence, how do we help shape their lives where they grow and want to act on their commitment to the environment and become conscientious adults?

And this, my friends, is where Jack and the Greenstalk Eco-Camp grew from an idea into a day camp for kids which was first introduced at my son's Montessori preschool in Seattle.The agenda was simple enough: introduce things like recycling, composting, planting trees, playtime with worms and dirt, up-cycling items instead of throwing them away and using food as natural dyes.

Day 1 of this five-day camp started out with a fun display of a whale bath tub (for an infant) that I filled with - you guessed it - plastic bags, golf balls, electrical tape, Capri Sun juice boxes and rope to mimic the contents found in the real stomach of the whale beached in West Seattle. My family and I had just been at the beach along the Oregon Coast when we found tons of trash on our walks in the sand. It actually hit home more than ever how our garbage - and lots of it - is ending up in our oceans, lakes and rivers. We picked up some of this beach trash to bring with us to the Eco-camp and drive home why we should be picking up after ourselves. We followed this up with our crayon project and broke up a bag of old crayons to melt down into new ones. We removed the paper and broke them down into the color designs we liked and placed them in mini muffin tins. We placed in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 250 degrees. This created the most spectacular colors and we displayed them in a plastic berry container after filling it up with shredded recycled paper. We drew a personalized label out of a cereal boxes that said: "100% Recycled by...(insert name here)." It was cool and the kids were psyched about their new crayons.

Day 2 - This was our 'using natural dye' day and it required various foods to be either boiled down and the juices strained or using the natural juices of foods liked canned beets. We chose to boil down purple cabbage and onion skins and used both canned beet juice and grape juice to color our hard-boiled eggs. We added a tablespoon of vinegar to each dye and poured our dyes in various reusable containers like mayonnaise jars and cottage cheese containers. The best part about this project is the kids thought it was so cool to be able to drink their "dye" which you typically don't encourage with your store-bought dyes. The kids loved seeing what colors their food dyes produced. (I'm always partial to the rusted orange the onion skins produce.)

Finished eggs and the variety of colors using food dyes.

Not afraid to drink the 'dye'.

Day 3 - This day was focused on composting and tree planting. I brought my composting bin filled with red wiggler worms for the kids to run their hands through. They loved finding and holding the thousands of worms inside the bin. It didn't matter they had to sort through food waste to get to them. Next, we took 'composted' dirt and planted Evergreen trees into various recycled containers. They each got to take a tree home and replant at their house! It was a fun day of getting our hands dirty and seeing how little worms can make rich dirt to plant trees with.

Day 4 - This was a review day of everything we learned during the week. We documented our Eco-week by cutting up paper bags and cereal boxes and binding them with old yarn to make a book titled, "Jack and the Greenstalk Eco-Camp 2012." Each page included a photo of them doing each project. The front of the book included the entire class. It was a nice keepsake to take home and show their family what they did during the week at camp.

Our 2012 Eco-camp participants with their new trees!

Revising recipes for healthier options.

2012-12-12T11:30:00.001-08:00

In my quest to eat less meat in any given week, I've been spending my time wallowing over all my old, go-to recipes hoping I can revise them without losing the flavor and texture of the original meat-loving counterpart.

Lately, my favorite cooking method is braising. I absolutely love the idea of slowly cooking things in liquid like stocks, cooking wines and well-seasoned water. The outcome makes any home cook feel like a rock star.

Braising mushrooms, onion and garlic in red wine.

One dish I particularly enjoy is Baked Ziti. My original version starts with searing a nice, Angus beef with oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a hot dutch oven. Next, I open a nice, dry red wine - take a huge gulp from it - and proceed to pour it over the beef until completely covered; I bring it to a boil before covering it and cooking on medium. I leave it this way for 2-3 hours until the beef is as tender as can be. This is incredibly flavorful beef, but I thought I could revise the recipe for not only a more heart-healthier version but an Eco-friendly one as well.

The Baked Ziti before it hits the oven.

It's no secret that mushrooms provide a similar texture as beef when cooking vegetarian meals so I opted to replace the beef with miniature portobello and crimini mushrooms. I sliced them up and sauteed them with garlic before adding the red wine. Once cooked down - 2 hours minimum, I added one onion, sliced; a large can of unsalted whole, peeled tomatoes I pureed in the food processor and cooked another 45 minutes. While the mushroom sauce continues to cook, I boiled my water for the whole wheat penne pasta and cooked until al la dente or firm - but not too soft. I combined the pasta and braised mushrooms and sprinkled the top with mozzarella and a sharp white cheddar and baked at 350 for 25 minutes.

The outcome was as delicious as its meatier version and a full-prove method of taste and flavor is if I can convert my husband to a meatless dish and he was sold on this new Baked Ziti recipe!

A Wednesday Gathering.

2012-09-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

It's a summer past time for my little family in Seattle: the Wallingford Farmer's Market every Wednesday. It starts in May and doesn't let up until the latter part of September and it's the best farmer's market we go to because it's small, quaint and, what seems to me, the most authentic gathering place for folks young and old. Life doesn't get any better than this and in a time when there's so much depression and recession, this helps remind me of the simple joys.

Nestled in a grassy field and surrounded by trees, this farmer's market is easy to move through because of its size and space between rows of white-topped tents. The market provokes all the senses: folk music bellowing from the trees, kids shrieking with laughter from the big, adjacent park and folks milling around each vendor picking up the harvest-of-the-week. The smell of vegetable quesadillas grilling on a stove and the grass-fed burgers smoking on the grill fills the air. It's an American past time. It's our past time and nothing brings together friends on a regular basis than a good afternoon at the market.
Each Wednesday is a day to look forward to, not only because it's a chance to pick up some good produce, but because of the friends we meet up with. We chat, laugh, occasionally sneak in a beer and watch the kids run around the park. We wait in line for a quesadilla or a burger - worth every $8.00 spent - and gather up a peach or two to eat on the spot. We take our time watching the cooking demonstrations and hover over the dreamy, homemade Whidbey Island Ice Cream Company's hand dipped ice cream bars in a list of flavors like lavender, chocolate fudge, cardamom (my personal favorite) and Mukilteo Espresso.

But, beyond the food available, the market is a fun place to bring out-of-town guests or a great meet-up spot for the kids and their friends. There's great space for games like the old school Trac Ball, Frisbee or, if in the daring mood, trying your hand on a balance rope. This day never lets us down and before you realize it, you've created this thing called community using the simplest of jesters; food, friends and long summer days.

This Wednesday, September 26, is the last day for the year. If you're that way - at 50th and Meridian - between 3:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., join us to bid our farewell to the sweetest of markets and the laziest of summer Wednesdays.

Wholesome Baby Foods.

2012-06-18T22:05:00.001-07:00

This is our newest addition. His name is Lukas or "Lu" for short. He's six-months-old and the smiliest little thing you'll ever meet. I wish I could say it was always like this, but we had a rough start when he developed a little thing called colic. After a few dozen tears (on my part) we got through it with flying colors and his charming personality shined through.

It's funny how quickly you move on from those tough times with a newborn. It's like it never happened and now the fun begins. He is a breast fed baby - which I'm happy to say has not only gave him a nice nutritional start, but also saved us A LOT of money. Recently, we started introducing solids after a recent trip to Idaho visiting my sister. We are a bossy bunch and she demanded to be around for some of his 'firsts' which included starting him on solid foods. (And this she says after being there when he was born; I would say that was some first!) So we steamed some of his 'first' carrots - added some unsalted butter - and watched him go to town. It was like he had been eating this stuff his whole life. (Yes, all six-months of it!)

I don't like to rush my kid's little lives, but I have to admit I was anticipating this stage because, with my first son, I loved preparing his food and being very specific about what he ate. It was always a family joke about my obsessive ways and the many kidney beans I gave him to snack on. "Kidney beans?" My brother would ask, convinced I was ridiculous. I was a little, but it gave me complete satisfaction to methodically prepare his food and I was really looking forward to doing it again.

The best thing about making your own baby food - besides saving you tons of money - is the fact you know exactly what you're giving them. I like choosing fresh foods and, although I don't always buy organic for my family, I do for my baby. Somewhere down the road later, much later, they'll want their candy fix and some french fries - but right now it's a time for wholesome baby foods.

Steamed, organic carrots.

Freshly pureed carrots.

Adding unsalted butter to carrots - actually makes them more nutritious.

Steamed peas ready for a spin.

Homemade baby food recipes are so ridiculously easy. It's a cinch to make enough food ahead of time to store in the refrigerator. I don't spend the time freezing mine for future use, because I make small enough batches. (I think I just like the whole process of preparing the food - so I don't mind making new batches twice weekly.) If this isn't your style, and you would rather make several weeks worth in advance, I'd definitely recommend freezing your homemade baby food.

Now the fun part: exploring homemade baby food. It's a fun process and the opportunities are endless. These could be the easiest and quickest recipes I write, so lets get started. Here are some tried and true wholesome recipes you'll have success with. These are "firsts" for baby when introducing them to solids; down the road you can add some fun stuff like wild salmon, organic chicken and legumes.

Note: you can add rice cereal to any recipe with baby's preferred milk. You can also have fun combining the recipes below for a variation like peas/carrots, avocado/carrot, apples/pears, etc..)

HOMEMADE PUREED ORGANIC CARROTS
(Adding butter to the carrots actually adds nutritional value because it allows the beta-carotene in the carrot to be absorbed.)

Organic carrots
Unsalted, high-quality butter

Peel carrots and place in a steamer over boiling water; steam until soft and place in food processor or blender. Add a dollop of unsalted butter and blend until soft; add carrot water to thin puree.

HOMEMADE PUREED ORGANIC PEAS
(varieties are just as nutritious as fresh.)

Bag of frozen, organic peas

Place peas in a steamer over boiling water; steam until soft, add some reserved water or baby's preferred milk and blend each until smooth.

HOMEMADE PUREED ORGANIC SWEET POTATO OR BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Peel and cut in cubes and place in a steamer over boiling water; steam until soft, add some reserved water or baby's preferred milk and blend each until smooth.

HOMEMADE PUREED ORGANIC BROCCOLI AND CAULIFLOWER
(Note: broccoli loses half of its vitamin C content when boiled; it pays to steam it.)

Place in steamer over boiling water; steam until soft, add some reserved water or baby's preferred milk and blend each until smooth.

SMASHED BANANA, AVOCADO, PAPAYA BABY FOOD
(No need to make in advance, these are dandy no-cook, nutritional options.)

Half, ripe banana (or avocado or papaya)
Baby's preferred milk

Smash banana in bowl until smooth; add baby's preferred milk to thin.

HOMEMADE QUINOA BABY FOOD
(The best part of making this highly nutritional seed is you can add any above fruit or veggie for added flavor.)

Quinoa

Cook as directed on package. Blend in food processor until smooth. (Now would be the time to add banana, steamed apples, carrots, etc...)

Did you know Spiderman cooks?

2012-05-22T10:38:00.001-07:00

My little Spiderman is an avid cook. He's got the spatula and apron to prove it! I love his enthusiasm as he embraces the hand mixer, the licking and, ultimately, the dipping of his licked fingers back in the batter. Nothing makes me more happy.

This kid knows his way around a kitchen and in honor of his cooking, I'd like to share some old video of him doing his thing.

Disclaimer: Although it may look like he is in danger from stirring hot, sizzling bacon, using a hand-held mixer or hovering over a hot, gas stove - you will be relieved to know he was not in any danger what-so-ever and had plenty of adult supervision. Whew.

http://youtu.be/G71B-sbdG3A
http://youtu.be/M8nGPcp9cmY
http://youtu.be/jNOmg8r20HE
http://youtu.be/ceOcmhtnYXE

Salad-dressing snob.

2012-05-15T14:43:00.000-07:00

A nice and simple four-ingredient 1000 Island.

I think of myself as a fairly low-key gal. I'm not uptight about much and I tend to go with the flow with most things. However, I have been known to be an outspoken advocate about a handful of things - and homemade salad dressing is one of them.

Ah, salad. Such a versatile dish. The options are endless and the ingredients can vary. In my opinion, one of the most important things going on a salad is the dressing. Hands down. You hear it all the time how a dressing can make or break your salad in the calorie and fat content world. But I don't care about that. (Well, maybe I do a little - I do have to set SOME limits to keep this figure of mine - cough, cough, wink, wink.) What I care about is flavor, fresh ingredients and my favorite of all - the word homemade. If you were to open my refrigerator, you won't find a store-bought dressing. I am a snob; an aficionado of salad dressings - a salad-dressing extraordinaire. And I'm not afraid to show it - or flaunt it.

I honestly don't remember a time growing up when we ate salad dressing out of a bottle. Maybe I suppressed the memory because of my dislike for it, I can't say for sure. But it is a fond memory having my grandma's renowned Blue Cheese dressing and a "house" dressing my parents used in their restaurant with a base of sour cream and garlic. As I grew older and my palette became more sophisticated, I started messing around with my own homemade dressings: vinaigrette's, flavorful ranches and Caesar dressings.

There are many reasons I became a snob. First and foremost, store-bought dressings don't taste good. Subtle is key and here's a brief list on why I don't think store dressings cut the cake:

Too much vinegar
Too much sugar
Too much oil
Too many ingredients I can't pronounce

The key with homemade dressing is to tweak to your liking. For instance, my fav dressing perfect for a spinach salad calls for more sugar than I like, so I cut it from 1/2 cup to 1/4 cup and the flavor is right on. I encourage a dressing a week which, in turn, increases your salad and vegetable intake. Because, seriously, who really likes to eat boring vegetables without anything fun to dip it in. (Take that raw food eaters!)

Now for the good part: recipes from my own kitchen that frequent our weekly rotation.

RANCH:
(Perfect for just about any salad - or vegetable dip.)

3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup mayo
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 small onion, grated
1 tsp fresh chives
1/2 tsp dill
1 tsp Italian parsley
Salt to taste

Stir in first three ingredients until smooth; add herbs and salt. Refrigerate.

VINAIGRETTE:
(This is a staple and a great base for any dressing. Change up the vinegars for extra flare.)

Olive oil
Dijon mustard
Red wine vinegar
Minced garlic
Salt
Pepper

SPINACH:
We've all heard of Warm Bacon Dressing, but this is a sweet dressing perfect for your fresh spinach salad this summer.

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar (this is where you can add more if you like - or less)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Dry toast sesame seeds until brown. Cool. Combine all ingredients and shake in a jar. Add to spinach, sliced mushrooms, red onion, hard-boiled egg and butter-toasted almonds. Seriously, delicious.

FETA-GARLIC
(Thanks to my friend's mom who owns Mimi's Cafe in Halfway, Oregon)

2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white vinegar
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp dill weed
1 1/2 tsp salt
Pinch of pepper
1 cup tofu (Silken)
2 cup feta
3 cups buttermilk

Combine ingredients into a food processor except buttermilk. Blend for one minute. Running processor slowly, pour in buttermilk. As soon as dressing thickens, turn off and refrigerate.

CAESAR
(Serve with grilled kale or grilled romaine - or just toss with romaine for a traditional Caesar salad. Don't forget homemade croutons: bread cubes tossed with olive oil, herbs and S&P and bake at 350 for 10 minutes!)

6 tbsp each mayo and olive oil
1/4 cup each Dijon mustard and grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp Worcestershire
3 Garlic cloves, minced
4-6 anchovy fillets, minced

Whisk together ingredients and add 1/4 cup water.

1000 Island

Equal parts mayo and ketchup
Dill pickles, minced
Dash Worcestershire

Combine and refrigerate.

Eco-egg dying.

2012-03-28T21:55:00.000-07:00

After feeling a little worse for wear this week when my 4-year-old son busted out his front teeth following a downhill face-plant at the zoo, we (or rather me) decided we needed some cheering up. In lieu of babying him until his face hurt again, I decided we would color eggs, instead, using foods rather than chemical dyes. These Eco-egg dyes were a fun alternative to the store-bought ones and more interesting to prepare.

First, we gathered up all our special ingredients including red cabbage, canned beets, yellow onion skins, grape juice and vinegar. The beets (pink) and the grape juice (purple) required no cooking and were the easiest to put together - although they were the best things to eat and both Elias and I ate beets and drank grape juice after putting what we needed into our bowls.

Onion skins ready for water and vinegar.

Elias separating the cabbage leaves.

Next was to peel the skins off the onions and put into a saucepan. We added water and vinegar and let it cook for about 45 minutes. In another saucepan, we cut a purple cabbage in half and separated each piece. This was Elias' favorite part because it was like undoing a puzzle. We added all the cabbage, water and vinegar and cooked it for about 45 minutes.

Straining onion skins.

The eggs marinating in the beet juice.

After cooking, we strained the juice and cooled it down. Once cooled, we started adding eggs into our natural concoction to start the coloring of the pretty, white eggs. We dumped the eggs semi-equally into our mismatched bowls and kept them soaking for what only needed to be a half hour - but we decided to keep them in throughout the afternoon.

Right to left: cabbage, onion skin, grape juice, coffee grounds, misc and beets.

What we found was the purple cabbage and yellow onion skins produced the deepest colors. The beet produced the lightest and the grape juice was somewhere in between. We even messed around with coffee grounds, but they didn't turn brown. (We used recycled coffee grounds - we're thinking next time using fresh coffee grounds and maybe boil it.) Also, the longer we let them soak didn't necessarily make them sharper colors. In fact, the dyes seemed to dissipate and the eggs would barely color.

Eating the leftover beets.

Enjoying the "grape juice dye."

We've got some good ideas for next time: blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and spinach. We'll keep you posted on our findings.

Here's the gist - we cooked and soaked them longer...

PINK: 1 cup beet juice, 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon vinegar; combine in bowl
PURPLE: 1 cup grape juice, 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon vinegar; combine
ORANGE: Onion skins peeled from two yellow onions, 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon vinegar; combine in sauce pan and boil for 1/2 hour. Strain and cool.
BLUE: Half red cabbage, leaves separated (my son's favorite part - taking apart a puzzle), 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon vinegar; combine in sauce pan and boil for 1/2 hour. Strain and cool.
BROWN: Coffee grounds (pre-steeped), 2 cups water and 1 tablespoon vinegar; boil and cool.

Garden of (Un)Eaten.

2012-03-15T11:44:00.000-07:00

This boring yard needs a pick-me-up.

I'm looking out in my yard and wondering where the winter went. It's a drab mess and I'm lacking the motivation and inspiration to pull it together. Maybe it's the fast pace I've felt my axis spin on since Fall. Or, maybe it's the new baby in our lives and things just got away from us. At any rate, things aren't looking so good outside my house right now and I'm hoping one, sunny weekend will bring it all back around.

"Where do we begin?" is a question I ask myself every year. By now, we're typically weeks into our indoor seed gardening; we'd probably have an inch or two of darling, green seedlings of Heirloom tomatoes - maybe even a little lettuce. But, not this year. This year we have no excuses, except a bunch of excuses. It makes no sense - but here we sit.

It's not easy mustering up some motivation. Especially when it all seems unbearable and overwhelming. I know myself all too well - when the going gets tough, I go sit back down. But I, also, know what I need to do to get the ball rolling and jump start some ambition:

A whole lot of weeding needs to go on here.

First things first: sun. I need just one sunny weekend and my yard (and my attitude) will change its tune. Seriously, in Seattle, that's a major thing! I can't complain, though, we've had a pretty decent winter - even if I spent three weeks of it in sunny Tucson and it happened to be right smack in the middle of the big "Seattle Snowmageddon," so who am I kidding. But as of right now it's pouring down rain and the forecast says to expect it for days...

Next, it's bringing in some fresh, black compost to spread over the beds. Man, does this make a big difference to those lazy beds. It sharpens and brightens the vibe of the area and I like that. That color of black will, ironically, brighten the garden more than any one thing - plus, it will enhance the growth of the seeds and plants more than anything.

Finally - and perhaps most important of all, I need to gather some motivation. All it takes is one glimpse in my memory of last year's crop and a quick dig in the dirt and I'm sold. Sign me up! I'm ready to sing some Kumbaya My Lord. Give my hands a little run through some cold dirt and it's all over.

I know this state of affairs won't last all spring. I'm hopeful things will come around. Soon enough I know I'll be bragging about the abundance of our garden. But, until then, I need a little push: sun, fresh compost and motivation!

World Food Day: Bringing people together.

2011-10-16T13:59:00.000-07:00

What is it about getting together over food? Having a meal is always better when you share it with others. As far back as you go in time, people always gathered around meals. Young and old. Rich or poor. While growing up, some of my fondest memories were awaiting the arrival of family and friends for meals served around big celebrations or just because. Buffet-style or sit down dinners, these gatherings were never just reserved for the Thanksgiving or Christmas holidays. These were for birthdays, graduations, weekends and maybe even a random Wednesday.

I equally loved going to other people's homes to enjoy the conversations around the table. I liked the way people prepare the tables for a meal with condiments and tableware. My grandma always served a small dish of pickles and olives with the cutest appetizer forks. It was always a race to steal an olive or pickle slice without her seeing because she was old school and didn't allow you to eat - or even ask what you were having for dinner - until you sat down to the meal. She would prepare the breakfast table just as dolled up as dinner. It wasn't as perfect as Martha Stewart would have it - it was more natural and not quite as rigid. She positioned grapefruit spoons next to the grapefruit and each had ridges at the tip for scooping out the sweet and sour pulp. She'd have your personal-sized French press coffee next to that, toast with various jams and jellies and maybe a soft-boiled egg in its own special dish. I loved all this; all the special details around a table.

I have an older brother and sister and all three of us grew up to embrace cooking. We like to celebrate nearly everything and we like to do it around good food. Each of us collected old family-favorite recipes to recreate within our own homes. None of us miss a beat and we typically spend a significant amount of time in the kitchen strategizing, preparing and conversing about the meal. It's nice to see it all being passed down from my grandparents to my parents and on to us. And now we have our own kids taking on the same traditions built around the food table.

Last weekend was no different when celebrating with food. My parents came over for an early birthday weekend for my mom. We were attending a community play one night and they came over a day early to celebrate with a special dinner. The meal took on a ridiculous role when we busted out Alaskan spot prawns, oysters roasted in the shell, salmon drizzled with crab and buerre blanc sauce and a roasted beet salad with pistachios and goat cheese - not to mention the wine. It put a big smile on all our faces and we even had to hold my 3 1/2 year-old back from eating all the prawns and oysters. And, yes, this may be bragging, but here's a little photo gallery of our meal:

Oysters roasted in the 500 degree oven and served with garlic citrus butter.

Elias enjoying the oyster appetizer.

Alaskan spot prawns sauteed in lime, lemon and olive oil.

Salmon, crab and buerre blanc sauce with the rockin' beet salad.

It's in the air.

2011-10-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

You smell that? Fall is here and that means so is soup season. We kicked off soup season earlier this week when both my son and husband had the sniffles. We had a bunch of colorful rainbow carrots left over from our purchase the previous week when a group of us gathered to celebrate the last neighborhood farmer's market of the season. We needed to think of something good for these pretty things. We decided on carrot soup. Here's what we threw together and it was unanimously a hit by all three of us. We hope you enjoy it too.

Carrot Soup
1 bunch medium carrots. (any kind)
1 onion, minced
3-4 celery stalks, chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 red pepper, minced (This was left over from my son's lunch so I threw it in...good thing!)
Chicken or vegetarian broth
Salt and pepper to taste
Thyme or other favorite herbs

Saute veggies in butter or olive oil until soft. Add chicken or vegetable broth and water to cover vegetables and simmer 30 minutes or so until soft. Add salt and pepper and any favorite herbs. Puree soup in blender or food processor until smooth. Return to dutch pan and heat through.

We added a dollop of cottage cheese because we didn't have sour cream. Fantastic!

Just Because.

2011-08-31T10:32:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is a pan full of crab.

We made a fantastic meal last night just because we could. I'm not bragging - or maybe I am - but, it all started after some friends gave us some fresh-caught Puget Sound crab. To accompany the crab we eagerly busted out some razor clams that were burning a hole in our freezer from a March dig that my dad generously ground up for me. My husband and I decided to make a rich clam chowder and a Crab Louie salad served with homemade 1000 Island dressing made from Russian pickles I canned in 2009. I know, pretty mouthwatering!

The meal was awesome and unfortunately for them, several of our friends had to bag out from joining us so it was happily just the three of us. Even better, we had many leftovers and followed up our abundantly satisfying dinner with a breakfast fit for kings: a crab and chive omelet. The best part about this little morning diddy was all the ingredients were right from our backyard; eggs from the chickens, chives from the garden and crab from our other "backyard" in Puget Sound. We were so giddy just thinking about this meal.

A meal like this one puts me in such good mood.

The morning after.

No gnocchi for me.

2011-08-25T21:04:00.000-07:00

I was inspired by my CSA box recently and decided to attempt making something I normally don't enjoy: gnocchi. These flour and potato balls never impressed me much, but, connoisseurs of fine Italian food seem to love this and I thought making it would help me gain an understanding of this dish I find so bizarre. I know it's served much in the same manner as pasta with sauce or some butter and sage or Parmesan cheese. And what in the hell is not to like about sauce, butter or Parmesan?

This little adventure started out innocently enough when I got my CSA box (because of a killer Groupon deal) and found potatoes and spinach nestled inside. On the little brochure filled with ideas for all the ingredients, I found myself hovering over the gnocchi recipe. I've never met a gnocchi I liked, but I've also never made it and was slightly surprised by my enthusiastic decision to make some. My husband wasn't home to steer me in another direction - which he has boldly done before. I was on my own and off I went.

Below is my photo recap of the preparation. It was time consuming, but an interesting process none-the-less. However, I wish I had better news but, after I boiled the balls and mixed them with olive oil, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese, they still tasted like flour balls. Occasionally, I'd get a bite that actually had potential, but for the most part it was two thumbs down. So, unless someone changes my mind, I'm steering clear of this old Italian dish. CIAO!

Flour, salt and pepper.

Sauteed and dried the spinach.

Mixed the flour, boiled potatoes and spinach together.

Rolled dough mix into long tubes.

Cut the tubes into one-inch pieces.

Pretty enough, but they tasted like flour balls with olive oil and Parmesan.

Thank you, summer.

2011-07-11T21:25:00.000-07:00

Fresh, fresh, fresh.

It was a perfect summer evening tonight. Not because the sun was still out and the wind was low - in fact, it rained a little. No, it was perfect because we were lucky enough to have enjoyed a fresh raspberry pie with berries picked minutes before baking it. I'd never attempt to make a raspberry pie if I had to buy them in the store. It would cost a fortune. But, because our raspberry bushes are prosperous - and continue to be each year - we are thankful for the pie we ate tonight...and it's not even Thanksgiving. So, a big thank you to summer.

My grandma's crust and crumble topping.

Warm from the oven with French Vanilla!

A Successful Tour!

2011-07-10T16:11:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone who showed up to our backyard yesterday for Seattle Tilth's Chicken Coop and Urban Farm Tour. We had around 150 people through and received great feedback on the use of garden and chicken coop space. Lots of folks took pictures and many more held the chickens who really enjoyed the attention. They were on their best behavior and pranced around for photo shoots.

We served jars of lemonade on the 70+ degree day and encouraged our visitors to pick a raspberry or two for their cold drink. For special visitors, we served a Blue Moon in a cold pint glass with an orange slice. It was a perfect day!

Looking forward to next year's tour! Hopefully people took home some great ideas for their own yards during their visit to the 50 urban farms on the tour this year.

I'll share a great article in The Seattle Times about the tour! The Seattle Times

Refreshments and lists of resources for guests.

Elias and his helper, Tess.

Our "head" of lettuce.

A little visitor holding Blondie.

Duke chillin' in the shade.

Duke finding more shade.

What Makes a Really Good Pizza?

2011-07-07T16:37:00.000-07:00

Elias' masterpiece.

Pizza was never my first choice. Only recently have I turned my attention to it; making my own, seeking out the best ingredients and getting quite picky about exactly what goes on it and what kind of crust is under it.
My personal favorite crust is a fluffy, crisp and thin one. Can I be any more specific? Yes, I can - I don't enjoy all the cornmeal that some recipes call for. Lately, if I have the time, I bust out a nice handmade crust. This can be particularly hard when you are a home-pizza-maker because it never quite tastes like your favorite pizzeria down the street. I don't have a hot, stone oven (but would LOVE to put one in my back yard), or fancy pizza stones. I actually just picked up my first pizza cutter with a cool, green handle. This little item has made my homemade pizza projects a little easier. However, I must be honest, I haven't quite perfected my crust and am still searching for the right one. But, at any rate, it's fun to make pizza at home. Everyone gets their own and dolls it up as they like.

Elias' favorite part: The Cheese!

If you're looking for a quick crust version, the good news is I recently found fresh dough in plastic at Trader Joe's for only $1.29. This has been an easy hit in our household. For one, it's inexpensive. Two, the wheat doesn't taste like crunchy dirt and, lastly, rolled thin this crust almost meets my criteria. (It does lack the fluff.)

Now for toppings. I'm a meatless pizza eater - unless they throw on some pancetta or prosciutto. However, I almost always never order the "veggie" pizza because it bores me. They lost me at olives and green peppers, which is most certainly always the first ingredients listed in a "veggie" pizza. I like funk. I like weird things like arugula and sprouts and even corn like they served me in Germany. I, also, prefer the extra virgin olive oil base over the tomato base. I'm a big fan of a well-made Margherita pizza with a garlic punch-in-the-face, followed up with basil, tomatoes and whole mozzarella. I don't shy away from a Greek pizza either, but leave the meat off. I like the Kalamata olives and garlic combo with lots of gooey cheese. You get the point here.

The interesting sprout idea came many years ago from The Village Pizza in Roslyn, WA. They sprinkled a thick row of sprouts around the edge of their gourmet pizza pie. It wasn't cooked with the pie, but added after. It was a wonderful and surprising treat and one I often dream about. Too bad they are over an hour away and my last visit to Roslyn I missed out because they were closed.

Ready to put in the oven.

Here are a few of my favorite pies at a couple local places. Try them out if you are out and about:

Tutta Bella (Seattle - 4 locations) has the crust down. Fluffy, thin and crisp - this is delightful and an all-time favorite. Try the Giovanni: olive oil base, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, prosciutto, arugula and shaved reggiano. You won't be disappointed Tutta Bella

Olympic Pizza (Seattle - Roosevelt Way) has some gooey pizza with a crispy, buttery crust. Any of their spinach, garlic, tomato combos are amazing. One pizza slice is all you need here because they don't skimp on ingredients. Try them out Seattle Olympic Pizza

Romios Pizza (Lots of locations) is the best delivery and I never veer off the Margherita pizza. There were times when it was hit or miss, but they've been nailing it recently. The best delivery in my opinion Romios Pizza

Seattle Tilth's Chicken Coop and Urban Farm Tour.

2011-06-13T15:16:00.000-07:00

Things are shaping up in this year's garden.

We are happy to announce our participation in this year's Chicken Coop and Urban Farm Tour with Seattle Tilth. Our little urban farm and chicken coop is one among many included in this year's self-guided tour across Seattle neighborhoods on July 9. We'll expect about 150 people through our little farm, but about 300 folks buy tickets to tour over 40 Seattle farms featuring goats, chickens, honey bees and organic gardens.

Prizehead and Romain lettuce getting off to a great start!

Our little farm will feature chickens and a coop made from recycled materials, rain water harvesting, compost and an organic garden featuring fava beans, snow peas, green beans, cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage, beets, carrots, raspberries, blueberries, rhubarb and tomatoes. We are keeping it simple this year and hoping the weather treats us better this year than last.

Come check us out on July 9! Order your tickets through Brown Paper Tickets or just stop by our house (for free!) to say hello. We'll have some good snacks to feed you!

For more info head to: Seattle Tilth

Duke kickin' it in the backyard.

Raspberries galore.

Meatless Monday? How About Meatless Month!

2011-05-04T21:27:00.000-07:00

The Road-trippers at Bryce Canyon, Utah

After my sister and I returned from a 3800-mile, food-coma road trip, we declared a need for a change.

Road trips are awesome in every way, except when you're constantly grabbing for the keep-awake Cheetos. I can't believe how many different flavors Cheetos come in. Unfortunately, we tried them all only after scarfing down the last bit of keep-awake beef jerky (sensing a theme here?), my sister dehydrated only moments before we hit the road. And I, also, took the initiative of trying every burger in every town when we did finally stop for a rest each evening. (By the way, have you tried the glorious Crown Burgers in Salt Lake City? Yes, my brother-in-law and I ordered the "Crown Burger" - a char-broiled cheeseburger with a high pile of hot pastrami.)

I'd like to say things were different when we headed back home, however, there was no such move when it came to choosing our cuisine. On our last night, we ended up with a triple-decker pastrami, corned beef and turkey sandwich in Las Vegas. Hello! I guess that's what long road trips are for - saying "screw it" and succumbing to all those ridiculous burgers, heavy meat sandwiches and bags of cheese flavored orange things.

So, when we returned to our respective homes, we almost couldn't wait to go meatless. We devised a menu and - living 8 hours away from each other - promised to talk about what we were preparing each night and swap recipes.

I reached out to my favorite vegetarian, a friend named Shelley, and asked her what some of her favorites were. This might seem hypocritical after reading what we all just ate on our road trip, but we typically don't buy processed food and cooking from scratch is the majority rather than the opposite. So, when I wanted to recreate my burger-in-every-city philosophy, yet, replace with a meatless option, I didn't want to rely on the pre-packaged meatless burgers, but rather make my own.

The process to create our menu got rather interesting and brought something to my cooking I've lacked recently - getting creative. Everything thing from fajitas, rice and beans and lasagna, to Pomodoro and double-decker tacos, not to mention those black bean burgers were added. My sister's teenagers didn't even notice they were going meatless until after the first week when my sister mentioned it to a friend and one of them overhead and asked, "We haven't eaten meat all week?" Surprise, surprise!

We've decided we may extend our meatless month beyond its timeline. We aren't putting an end date to it. If the time is right, or if we go on another road trip, we may find ourselves enjoying a Rib-Eye steak once again.

So, in support of our "If we can go meatless, anyone can" philosophy, I'd like to share a few favorites from our personal menu plan. As always, adjust to your liking!!!

Black Bean burger before hitting the grill.

I-Kid-You-Not Black Bean Burgers
1 15oz cans black beans
1 Red pepper (or orange, or yellow)
1 cup corn
1 cup bread crumbs
2 cups brown rice (cooked and cooled)
2 eggs
Salt and Pepper
Spicy aioli sauce

Puree black beans and red pepper and add to large bowl. Add corn, bread crumbs, brown rice, eggs and salt and pepper. Mix with hands and make 1-inch thick patties. Grill until heated through and top with favorite toppings. We added sauteed mushrooms, mozzarella cheese, home-made pickles and red onion. Finished it with a spicy aioli sauce: whisk mayo, cayenne and olive oil. Wha-La!

Rustic Lasagna
Whole-wheat lasagna noodles (I've never found this, but my sister has!)
1 onion, diced
1 lb mushrooms, sliced
2 big handfuls fresh spinach
Ricotta
1 15 oz tomato sauce
Mozzarella cheese

Saute onion, mushrooms and spinach. Cool slightly and mix with Ricotta. In baking dish, spoon tomato sauce in bottom and layer with cooking (or no-boil) lasagna noodles. Add layer of Ricotta/saute mixture and cover with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. Follow with noodles and each layer until finished. Mozzarella should be added to top layer. Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Cool 15.

Pomodoro
Olive Oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 Roma tomatoes, diced
Fresh basil leaves
Salt and Pepper
Whole Wheat linguine or spaghetti noodles

Heat oil and add garlic to saute couple minutes. Add Roma tomatoes and saute, turning stove down and simmering for 15-20 minutes. Cook pasta a la dente and drain; adding olive oil to keep from sticking. Return to stove and add chopped basil leaves, salt and pepper. Toss with pasta and serve with fresh parmigiano reggiano.

Neighborhood Spring Tree

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The 2011 Phinney Spring Tree. Photo by Pam Herrebout

Nothing says spring like sunshine peeking out to say its heartfelt goodbyes to winter. Once the sun makes its presence, swarms of neighbors rush to their yards and tidy up a season away. It's the first 'real' outing in the yard since fall. It's a long stretch-of-the-arms salute to winter's past. Yes, even the birds are chirping with a little more zing. When it's time, it's time; winter needs to take its cue.

Decorating the tree. Photo by Gail Gensler

In one Seattle neighborhood, a community spring tree is what triggers the season's senses and it's all about community. The Spring Tree has been a tradition in this close-knit Phinney Ridge neighborhood ever since Heather Casselman and Gail Gensler surveyed the 'hood after a particularly blustery storm about six years ago. The storm blew its big horn and tossed tons of branches and limbs throughout the streets. When Heather, Gail and Heather's daughters, Simone and Marina, walked through the neighborhood the next morning, they witnessed the aftermath and took a liking to a particularly pretty branch and decided to erect a make-believe tree. The location of this cute idea didn't take long to figure out. The phone company had recently constructed an anchor cable with a yellow covering in front of Gail's sidewalk strip. They decided to tie the branch to this ugly new addition to obstruct its ugliness. Once they tied it to the pole, they realized, suddenly, it needed decorating.

Simone and Marina got started creating spring tree decorations. They decided to hang dog treats since so many folks walked their dogs on the sidewalk and, finally, they decided to add chocolates for all the other people walking by. Soon, Heather and Gail realized random neighbors or passersby were leaving their offerings at the tree. Over the years it took on a life of its own; many of the neighbors renamed it the "giving" tree: take something, leave something. In turn, this little tree has created such inspiration and joy for the people in and around the neighborhood. It's, also, a favorite among the four-legged friends who become conditioned to stopping at the tree to pick up a treat. Even after the tree is taken down, the neighborhood dogs still stop at that spot on their walks.

Offerings come and go. Some left behind have included an origami bird, a Pokeman trading card, hawk feathers, strings of beads, a tiny birdhouse, a whistle, a pez dispenser; even a set of ear plugs Heather suspects was left by a hungry worker after taking a chocolate.

Take something, leave something. Photo by Pam Herrebout

Nothing builds a community quite like a giving tree. Something so unexpected turned the heads of so many people and built a tradition around a simple jester. It teaches all walks of life to stop and appreciate the simplicity and joy such a tree gives: dogs, children, neighbors or random folks just driving by. It is something we all can learn from and create right in our own backyards.

As Gail mentioned when the ugly anchor cable was put in on her sidewalk strip, "When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade!"

Happy Spring!