extemporaneous

moving

2009-04-29T17:51:00.000-07:00

hey there. I've moved the blog to another location...

check it out at

http://tangletown.squarespace.com

-megan

maui: go beach

2009-02-07T18:21:00.000-08:00

The rest of our time on the island turned into a variation on a theme involving fruit, the beach and bikes. Therefore, instead of document each weekend, here are a few highlights from the remainder of our time living maui style. We also stopped taking the camera everywhere so have fewer pictures to share. But the pictures we have really do capture the beauty of the island.

We spend a few days walking the white sand beaches of Wailea and Kihei. You can take the city bus all the way down to the end of a long strip of beaches. We tried some local foods that day including a plate lunch of kalua pork and teriyaki. The place we ate at had been recommended, but we discovered that maybe our tastes weren't quite the same. Nevertheless, we could say we had tried it. We also had a shave ice and got a super sugar rush (and a little bit of a belly ache). The next day we decided to check out our local beach, Spreckelsville (named for the Spreckels sugar empire). There were some local families there, but otherwise it was pretty empty. That's it in the picture above.

Our next weekend we visited the Maui Swap Meet and loaded up on fruit from local vendors. Lots of citrus, a pineapple, and some crazy fruits like the egg fruit (turned out to be inedible by our standards). We were going to see a show at the Arts & Cultural Center that night, so with the afternoon, we biked out to Ho'okipa to watch the windsurfers.

For our last weekend, we had a car so we could get around a little easier. We had yet to get in the water for some snorkel action, so we spent Saturday morning trying to find the best snorkel site. Both of us complete novices, we searched until we found a bay where lots of other people were in the water, bobbing around. As soon as we had our masks underwater, a veritable universe of fish and reef appeared. It was fascinating just to float and watch them go about their business, in all of their luminous colors. However, it was a chilly day and we couldn't stay in the water for too long. We warmed up by walking over some of the lava flows on the King's trail for a few hours.

For our last night in town, we went to dinner down in Ma'alea. Before dinner we had time to walk the beach at sunset.

A friendly beach dog

Whale tail

Evening lights in Kihei

Even though we had a spectacular month on the island, we were ready to get back home. After a long flight, with delays, we arrived safely. The cats greeted us warmly, and the Christmas cactus gave us a taste of the islands with it's lush blooms.

maui: visit and celebration

2009-01-18T22:07:00.000-08:00

It took a few days to get settled into the hectic pace of a high volume pharmacy. Luckily the pharmacists and staff have been friendly and helpful and it has been a good rotation so far.

For our second weekend on the island we didn't have access to a car, so we explored on foot. Saturday we went out for breakfast at a diner in Wailuku, just about a mile up the hill. We had a read to try the place, visited mostly by locals, in some of our try-not-to-be-a-tourist tour books. Known for good pancakes and indifferent wait-staff, we fueled up for a short hike.

Climbing up a lushly forested ridge, we reached a white cross constructed on a bluff. From a little bit further up the ridge, we could see the bay of Kahului as well as down the way towards Kihei. We also took a break from the camera, so you won't get to see pictures from the hike. Just imagine sunshine and century plants. Also, sweating. Lots of sweating.

We had enough daylight left to hit the beach. Or the bay. It is the closest strip of sand from our house. Although it isn't a very dramatic beach we were able to catch the beginning of the sunset and see some ocean kayakers put in for an evening row.

Sunday was my thirtieth. Lucky to be here, and also get to share it my mom and brother who were in town on portage from their cruise. We drove to Lahaina to check out life on the other side of the west island.

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It was a stormy day early on, but the sun peaked out now and then. We had a misty walk up to some petroglyphs just off the road. By the afternoon, we were able to get in a little more beach time before heading out to a fabulous dinner at Mama's Fish House. Everything was perfect from the mai tai to the mahi mahi.

We're getting more settled into island life and next weekend plan to get in some solid beach time and a shave ice.

maui: first weekend

2009-01-04T21:41:00.000-08:00

As we de-planed in Kahului airport, we immediately started shedding layers of clothing. It is strange traveling from your home, where it was 40 degrees and rainy, to a temporary home with a sweet smell and sunny days. Strange, but amazing. After the first weekend, we're feeling pretty adjusted to island life on Maui and have seen some major sites and tasted interesting local fare. Here are some highlights:

Hana Highway

Car sickness, be damned! On a particularly cool and cloudy day we hit the stretch of highway out to Hana. We made several stops along the way, to hike up to waterfalls, explore the coast and grab local fruits and snacks. Also to give me a chance for my stomach to settle. We took a windy road down to Nahiku that ended in a grassy overlook of the ocean. On the way we passed a fruit stand and loaded up on citrus.

From Maui

A few miles later we passed a road side vendor with the promise of fresh ice cream. The owner was busy burning a pile of branches, but bounded over to our car to sell his wares. He was out of the ice cream but let us sample his coconut candy. We bought two bags, one of liki'moi and one of caramel. Crisp and coconutty, with a light sweetness, the stuff is killer. He told us he spends 16 hours making each batch by hand.

From Maui

The state park in Hana was beautiful, with black sand beaches and lush flowers. Nick managed to get a shot of the water spray through a blowhole.

From Maui

Haleakala

The day after our drive to Hana, we could see the volcano (previously enshrouded in clouds) and after a stop in Makawao for provisions we headed up to 10,000 feet. It was a perfect day for the hike in the crater and we had it mostly to ourselves. Once you descend into the crater, you feel as if you could be in any desert on earth, much less one in the middle of the sky. Miles of lava rock and cindercones to explore, with exotic rare plants like the silversword.

From Maui

There are a few park service cabins scattered throughout the crater and we found one with a picnic table where we took lunch. There were some friendly nene trying to beg some coconut candy from us.

From Maui

The end of the hike (back up to 10,000 feet!) was during the sunset and we caught some color in the clouds and on the hills.

From Maui

Iao Valley and Big Beach

We went to see the Needle in Iao valley before having our beach day. The park was pretty crowded with tourists of all sorts, but we found a secret trail that headed up to a viewpoint and a handmade shelter.

From Maui

The beach was all I could ask for, with warm sand and blue water.

From Maui

The way the shore meets the ocean causes large waves to break hard. We watched as most people were tossed by the waves, and a few local guys did some maneuvers with boogie boards.

From Maui

Now we have a week of work ahead of us. Check back next weekend to see what it brings.

throwing snow

2008-12-24T10:21:00.000-08:00

Again with the snow. It started up this morning, and the trees are so heavy with it that they are throwing giant blobs down to the ground. Occasionally also crashing into the roof. We've decided to take cover for now and maybe will venture out later when it calms down again. Even though our Christmas plans have changed, we have a big pot of chili to tide us over until we can go visit family this weekend.

I knew it was going to be an unusual year when the Christmas cactus started to bloom. We've had the plant at least 6 years (Nick thinks its been 10, procured before my time) and it has never bloomed. But a few weeks ago the buds started erupting from the succulent leaves.

Hope your year is full of pleasant surprises and happy times.

meat to please you

2008-12-20T18:02:00.000-08:00

Older houses have their charms, but poor insulation is not one of them. The temperatures have been below freezing all week and a layer of ice and snow has hardened on the ground. Another, smaller, layer of ice has started to grow on our bedroom window. On the inside. Yes, its very cold up there. That's why we hover around the heated downstairs and think of things to bake in the oven. Tonight is no exception, with a favorite beef stew recipe. We've been making this recipe on our winter weekend getaways over the past few years. The stew is fairly simple to make, but does require 3 hours of oven time. On a day like today, that is a most welcome part of the meal.

The dish also requires a can of Guinness stout, whose malty flavor reminds me of the first pint of Guinness I ever had. It was in the lounge of our hotel/dormitory on the day we arrived in Dublin 10 years ago on my birthday. I drank it all and could barely follow everyone to the restaurant we ate in that night. That was probably the first full pint of beer I'd ever had. So much for starting off with lager. Maybe if I had had a little of this stew in my stomach before we started in with the pints.

(The title of this post comes from a sign outside the butcher shop in one of the small towns we lived near in Ireland. It read "Pleased to meet you and meat to please you.")

Beef and Carrot Stew
from Martha Stewart Living Magazine

1 1/2 pounds chuck steak (or other stewable beef) cut into 1 inches cubes and trimmed of most fat
All purpose flour
3 sprigs fresh parsley
3 sprigs fresh thyme
7 whole allspice
10 whole peppercorns
olive oil
3 leeks, white and pale green parts, chopped
3 stalks of celery, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 can Guinness stout (or other brand)
1 1/2 cups beef stock
1 strip of orange zest
1 1/2 pounds red potatoes
1 pound carrots, cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
extra parsley for garnish

1) Heat oven to 375 degrees. Season beef cubes with salt and pepper, toss in some flour to coat the beef lightly.
2) Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a deep, ovenproof pan (a dutch oven works nicely) over medium-high heat. Brown half of the beef, 3 to 4 minutes, flipping to brown another side for a few more minutes. Remove browned beef, add more oil if needed, and brown the remaining beef. Remove beef to platter.
3) Add leeks, celery and garlic to pot (adding more oil if needed) and stir. Let cook about 7 minutes until softened. Add can of stout and scrape any remaining browned bits from bottom of pot.
4) Add beef back to pot. Add stock, strip of zest, and enough water to cover meat. Tie parsley, thyme and whole spices in a bundle made from cheesecloth and add to pot. Bring to a boil, and then cover and place in oven. Let cook for 2 hours.
5) Add potatoes and carrots to pot. Cover and let cook another hour. Once cooking has finished, removed cheesecloth bag from stew and serve with crusty bread. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.

ole

2008-11-29T13:40:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I can be a bit of a rebel. Not when it comes to clothes, or hair color or tattoos, but when planning a holiday meal. I love a good turkey as much as the next person -- but I also love to experiment with new foods when cooking for friends or family. And since this year, thanksgiving was just going to be a few of us, I thought it would be the perfect time to try cooking paella. My mom was in town for the holiday and she informed me that paella had a tradition in our family I was unaware of. Seems my aunt used to prepare it for a Christmas Eve dinner when I was a baby. So apparently rebellion runs in the family.

There is something decidedly festive about a dish with 4 types of seafood/meat and a good measure of saffron. I even managed to find authentic paella rice from Valencia. The preparation and cooking only took a few hours, as opposed to all day, so we were able to take a nice walk through St. Edward State Park and enjoy the last few golden leaves on the trees. Then we came home and tucked ourselves into a steaming plate of rice, chorizo, shrimp, chicken and mussels. Dessert was Molten Chocolate Cakes with vanilla gelato and raspberries. Now that beats pumpkin pie every time.

taking stock

2008-10-25T09:25:00.000-07:00

Looking back is essential for moving forward. I just re-read all of my posts (all 28 of them -- such a small number for 3 years) and relived my trepidations and aspirations. I certainly feel like a different person now -- at least in terms of my confidence in being a pharmacist soon. l make decisions every day that affect people's health and lives and certainly have gotten over giving people shots. I've been sticking people left and right at my current clinical rotation. I think the thing I like most about having a blog is being able to go back and revisit yourself a few years ago and see where you were. Also to hold on to a special moment or special meal. Something you certainly would have forgotten about in the long chain of meals and weekends and years.

However, I don't think I would ever forget our special granola. I woke up this morning to the smell of it baking in the oven. We took a weekend getaway last winter to Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands off the coast from Seattle. It was a quaint island with little shops and farms. We stayed at a great bed and breakfast that served home-made granola every morning. We snatched up the recipe and have been making it the past year. It is sweet without being sugary and full of nuts, coconut and fuel for the day. Also works well as a bedtime snack.

Island Granola
from Turtleback Farm Bed and Breakfast

You can half the recipe too, although the granola gets a little better with time and two people can easily go through a full batch.

4 cups rolled oats (not instant or quick cooking)
3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup white flour
1 cup unsweetened coconut (sweetened kind would probably be good too)
1 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup corn meal
1 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon honey
1 Tablespoon salt
1 cup warm water
2 cups assorted raw nuts (hazlenuts, cashews, walnuts, pecans, etc.)

Mix all of the dry ingredients (but not the nuts) in a large bowl with a wooden spoon. Add oil and stir until evenly distributed. Mix honey and salt in the warm water and then add to granola. Stir until all granola is wet, and break up large clumps. Add nuts and stir until well mixed.

Spread mixture out on two large baking sheets. Bake at 300 degrees for 60-90 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes or so, to avoid scorching. Granola is done when browned all over and dry.

** You might have to experiment with the cooking time and amount of water to get the granola just right.

preparations

2008-06-29T20:58:00.000-07:00

On more than one occasion, we've splurged on some fancy crackers for backpacking and bicycling trips. Every time I enjoy these delicious (and expensive) crackers, I take a peek at the ingredients and think "I could make these!" So this weekend I finally set about it. The variety I first experimented with was thyme-lemon-sesame. Perhaps a little too savory for your every day cracker, but better than expected for the first go around. Next, rosemary and cracked pepper.

As you can see, I'm gearing up for our party in a few months -- hoping to have crackers perfected by then.

Rustic Crackers

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp fresh cracked pepper
2 Tbl unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
1/4 c ice water

1 egg white, beaten
coarse salt

Flavorings:

lemon zest, fresh thyme, sesame seeds, rosemary, etc.
**Add a few tablespoons of one or more of the above for flavored crackers.

1) Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2) In a food processor, pulse dry ingredients (including any herbs or seasonings you are including) until mixed. Add butter and pulse until like coarse corn meal. Add water while processor is running and mix until dough just comes together (or remove mixture before adding water and add water by hand until dough is formed).
3) Roll out dough on lightly floured surface until 1/8 inch thick (important, thick crackers don't bake as well). Cut with desired shape and place on cookie sheet. Prick crackers with fork tines to keep them from puffing up.
4) Brush rounds with egg white (optional) and sprinkle with salt, or sesame seeds. Bake until firm, 20 - 25 minutes, checking often to avoid over baking. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
5) Enjoy with cheeses and think of all the money you've just saved.

baby bok

2008-04-27T22:44:00.001-07:00

So not all of the winter crops we planted were lost to snow and a cold spring. The baby bok choi did really well and didn't even get too many slug bites. We cooked it up in a stir fry -- but I wanted to get a picture of it for posterity first. Here's to more gratuitous garden shots....the pea shoots look to have survived our crazy winter-y spring.

experiments from the CSA

2008-04-27T22:30:00.000-07:00

Our CSA box has been a big success so far, and we've managed to keep on track of all of our weekly vegetables so far (except for some potatoes we have left over from week 1, still). The most unusual inclusions have been Jerusalem artichokes and mizuna. A Jersualem artichoke tastes a bit like a turnip when cooked and is actually the rhizome of a sunflower (and is also called a sunchoke). They kind of look like fat grubs in their raw state. We sauteed them in a bit of butter and ate them with chives from the yard. Mizuna is a leafy green, similar to arugula. The bunch we received was grown locally at Full Circle and was very bright tasting and not at all bitter. It found its way into a roasted beet and goat cheese salad with walnuts.

We also have been eating a lot of quinoa lately -- and made this dish with a recipe from the farm box.

Quinoa (keen-wah) is a south american grain high in protein and with a texture similar to cous cous. Friends of ours eat it all the time -- even having a dish made with it at their wedding reception. The dish we made had basil, lemon juice, parmesean cheese, red pepper, scallions and some toasted pine nuts.

Box number four will be here on Thursday....Until then we need to start using up our radishes, which we aren't sure we like quite yet. If any radish has a chance -- it would be these. Cute little red globes fresh from Carnation ,Washington.

the CSA project

2008-04-10T18:04:00.001-07:00

Right now, in Seattle, spring is peeking out from the covers, but from the garden's perspective, seems a long way away. We decided, as the pea shoots emerge from the ground and the over-wintered spinach does its best to grow beyond baby-spinach status, to enroll in a CSA and get a box of produce a week. We went with Full Circle Farms -- and so far so good. Right now, the box has a lot of produce that isn't local (I guess our garden isn't the only one under the covers) but most of the rest of the produce is organic. We can even make substitutions, say if some okra was slated to be in the box.

With this new weekly assortment of produce will hopefully come blog posts and new recipes! Stay tuned -- I think first up might be Quinoa with Basil and Red Peppers.

ps. The cats really are interested in the box as well

conversion

2007-11-15T10:00:00.001-08:00

This summer we decided to throw a house warming party. In my usual style of "let's-make-everything-even-the-ice-cream," I decided to try a new recipe for walnut bread. Somehow, everything managed to come together, even after slamming my finger in the back door. I shaped them as rolls for ease of eating and made a little honey butter to go along. The rolls were very tender and full of walnut flavor. Even our aunt liked them, and she has on several occasions declared a dislike of bread with nuts. So both the party and the bread were a success and the bread has become the staple of our house -- enjoyable as french toast and even for sandwiches.

California Walnut Bread
adapted from The Bread Bible

Sponge

2 Tbl yeast
1/4 c warm water (105-115F)
2 c unbleached bread flour
3 T honey
2 c milk at room temperature

Beat all ingredients above in a large bowl for 1 minute and let sit for 1 hour until bubbly.

Dough

1 1/2 c walnuts
1/2 c walnut oil (check health food stores if you have trouble finding it)
1 Tbl salt
3 c bread flour (I use 1 c of whole wheat flour + 2 c white flour)

Toast walnuts in 350 oven for 3 minutes, and let cool. Add oil, salt and 1 c flour to sponge and stir to combine. Then add the walnuts (chop them first) and remaining flour (1/2 cup at a time) until dough is soft and shaggy.

Knead dough on counter until smooth and springy (about 4 minutes). You can add a little more flour if needed. You can also mix and knead by machine, which takes almost the same amount of time. Place kneaded dough in greased container and let rise until doubled, about 1 and 1/2 hours.

Deflate the dough. Divide in to 2 or 3 portions (for loaves). Either shape loaves free form, or place in a loaf pan. If you want to make rolls, divide into 5 portions and then divide each fifth into four smaller portions, to make 20 rolls. You can cut the tops of the loaves or rolls in an X pattern if you like. Cover and let rise 30-45 minutes, just until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375 and bake (35-40 minutes for loaves, 15-18 minutes for rolls). Bread should be nicely browned and sound hollow when tapped.

first time

2007-09-29T00:16:00.000-07:00

Lamb isn't usually a meat that is on my radar for cooking. Until my dad brought home a package of thick cut loin chops of lamb, I had never actually prepared lamb. So I set to work finding a recipe that would do the meat justice. Although I liked the challenge of having an ingredient and trying to make the most of it, it was also a little nerve-wracking considering how much my dad had spent at the meat counter for such fresh and local lamb. To add a twist to things, most recipes call for the much thinner lamb chop or rack of lamb. I finally landed upon a recipe that called for the thick cut chops. When all was said and done, the lamb came out perfectly and went nicely our standard cous cous. Nick captured the moment perfectly with his expert food photog skills. Here's to guests that don't mind sleeping on the couch and who bring you challenges you can live up to.

Lamb Chops with Mint, Tomato and Garlic Sauce
adapted from Williams Sonoma's Roasting

8 thick cut, bone-in lamb chops trimmed of fat
Kosher salt, olive oil and pepper
2 T each chopped parsley and basil

1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 small shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tomatoes, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
2 tsp balsamic vingar
6-8 T mint leaves, chopped finely
6-8 T basil leaves, chopped finely
1/2 c dry red wine

Rub each chop with oil and season with salt and pepper. Press chopped herbs into each chop. Let sit at room temperature for 1/2 hour before cooking.

Heat oven to 450. In a large oven-proof saute pan, heat 1 T oil until very hot. Add chops and sear for 2 minutes. Flip and sear the other side for 1 more minute. (You can cook in two batches if your pan isn't large enough to handle all the chops). Transfer pan to oven and cook until internal temp is 125-130 (for medium rare). Let chops rest, tented under foil, until sauce is ready.

Start cooking sauce while chops are roasting. In a saute pan heated over medium low heat, cook shallot in oil until soft. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Increase heat to medium-high and add in tomatoes. Cook until dry, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and add in herbs and stir to combine. When chops have finished roasting, put chop roasting pan on medium high heat. Add wine and stir to de-glaze the pan. Add in sauce and juices from chops, bringing to a boil. Remove from heat and spoon over roasted chops. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

fork split

2007-09-08T18:19:00.000-07:00

Just as I'm finally getting settled (unpacked yet another box today), the weather is turning to cool breezes and warm soft afternoon light. Soon school will be back in full swing and afternoons of baking will be harder to come by.

I've always had a thing for English Muffins. Perhaps because the best brand was Thomas's, and Thomas is my dad's name. Perhaps because you cut them with a fork. Perhaps because they are 10 times better than toast. Until now, I had never attempted to make such a treat from scratch. I am pleased to report that the effort was minimal and the product, very rewarding.

Traditional English Muffins
adapted from Beth Hensperger's The Bread Bible (a fine bread book)

Makes 12 (I got a baker's dozen out of the batch)

1/4 c water (105-115 degrees)
1 T yeast
Pinch of sugar
4 to 4 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 1/4 c milk (warmed to 105-115 degrees)
2 T melted, unsalted butter
corn meal

Proof yeast in the water, sprinking with the pinch of sugar. Let sit 10 minutes until foamy.

In a large mixing bowl, place 2 cups of flour and salt. Add yeasty water, egg, milk and butter. Mix until creamy, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough that clears the side of the bowl forms. If mixing by hand, turn dough out on to surface and knead until dough is smooth and springy. If using a stand mixer, mix about 2-3 minutes on low.

Let dough rise in deep, greased container for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until doubled.

Sprinkle cornmeal on surface and turn dough out. Pat into a 1/2 inch rectangle and cut with 3 inch biscuit cutter, or drinking glass. Reshape dough and keep cutting until all dough is used.

Heat a griddle on medium heat and grease lightly. When hot, place muffins on and let cook for 7 to 10 minutes. Flip and continue to cook for 7 to 10 minutes. Muffins should be nicely browned on both sides. Remove to cooling rack. When cooled, split muffins with fork and toast. Spread with butter or jam. Have with a cup of tea.

settling in

2007-07-20T17:09:00.000-07:00

Everyone detests moving. Even if it means new opportunities to organize or purge unnecessary whisks and spatulas, it also means boxes. Boxes upon boxes to be unpacked. When one box gets unpacked, another is there, instantly to take its place. Rooms full of boxes and not knowing which one contains the thing you need. The coffee grinder. Your work shirt. The house key.

We are in the laborious process of moving right now. Still more unpacking to be done. At least most of the furniture has been moved indoors. However, we have not let the boxes get in the way of cooking. We even had an impromptu dinner party the day we moved. Just as getting things unpacked and put away is a part of getting settled in a new home, so is making good meals. The first week in our new place, we had to break out the dutch oven and spices to make a delicious Moroccan chickpea stew. A stew that makes plenty of leftovers so we could keep up with the unpacking.

Chickpea Stew with 6 Vegetables
from Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian

5 Tbl olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 1/2 c. dried chickpeas, soaked and cooked*
28 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained and liquid reserved
2 medium red potatoes, cut into 1 inch pieces
5 Tbl chopped fresh parsley
5 Tbl chopped fresh cilantro
2 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
1 tsp ground ginger
pinch of saffron threads (optional)
1/4 tsp cayenne powder (optional, but highly suggested)
1 medium yam, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, and sliced
3 small carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces

Harissa Sauce

5 tsp Chile-Garlic Paste**
1/2 tsp salt

1) Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large stock pot or dutch oven. Add onion, and cook until brown around edges. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add chickpeas, 1 1/4 c chickpea cooking water, or water, tomatoes, potatoes, parsley, cilantro, salt, and spices. Measure reserved tomato juice, add enough water to make 2 1/2 cups, then add to pot. Bring to boil, then reduce and cook over low heat, covered for 20 minutes.

2) Add yam and carrot. Bring mixture back to boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10 minutes more.

3) Add zucchini, bring to a boil again, then cook with lid on over low heat for 7 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

4) Measure out 1/2 c of liquid and place in small bowl. Add harissa ingredients and mix well. Serve harissa sauce on the side for those who like it spicy. Serve on cous-cous (recipe follows).

* To cook chickpeas: Soak overnight in plenty of water. Drain, and the cook in a large pot with 7 cups of water for 1 to 2 hours, or until tender. Make sure chickpeas are always at a simmer while cooking. Alternatively, you could use 2 cans of pre-cooked chickpeas.

** I just use a store bought chile-garlic concentrate from Morocco. I tried to make the paste once from scratch and got some in my eye (don't ask - it was very traumatic). Chinese chile-garlic paste would probably work too.

Whole Wheat Cous-Cous with Sesame

Whole wheat cous cous can be hard to find -- regular cous cous works pretty well too.

2 Tbl olive oil
1/2 tsp whole mustard seeds (yellow or brown or both)
2 tsp sesame seeds
2 Tbl raw cashews, chopped coarsely
2 Tbl raisins (optional, at least for me)
2 c whole wheat cous cous
1-2 tsp finely chopped green chile (love it!)
1 1/2 tsp salt

1) Heat oil in small pan over medium heat. When oil is hot (starting to smoke) quickly add seeds. They are going to pop and go crazy, so be prepared. Put in the cashews right away and stir. Do the same with raisins, if using. Now put in cous-cous, chile and salt. Stir for a few minutes until cous-cous is lightly toasted. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil (it will pretty much boil instantly). Give it a stir, turn the heat down to lowest setting, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes. Fluff it up and serve. What could be easier?

la sangria

2007-05-29T09:19:00.000-07:00

My encounters with sangria were less than favorable. I couldn't imagine how wine with fruit juice added could be anything less than horrible. Then I made this version. Warning: if you make this, prepare to sit around on the porch all evening, because once you get started the whole pitcher will disappear.

Sangria
serves 4 (at most)

Take two large oranges. Wash them well. Juice one, slice the other.
Take one large lemon. Wash it. Slice it up.
Throw the sliced fruit into a pitcher (or other appropriate vessel) and add a 1/4 cup sugar.
Stir that up for about a minute, until sugar dissolves. You can mash the fruit up a bit.
Now add the orange juice, a 1/4 cup triple sec, and a bottle of inexpensive (but not dirt cheap) Merlot.
Keep it chilled for a minimum of two hours, and up to 8 hours for best flavor. Before you start drinking, add a handful of ice cubes and stir up the sangria.

company

2006-08-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

The summer has been a whirlwind of travel, eating, hiking, friends, and more eating. A cheeseburger at a roadside drive-in after a 5 day backpack can be supremely delicious, but meals at a friends house, or at our house with friends visiting truly stand out.

Recently, our friend was coming through town on an incredibly hot day and we fired up the grill for some fajitas. He commented that "Better Chicken Fajitas" were definitely better than college cafeteria food. Even better than most fajitas you pay too much for at a restaurant. We made fajitas again for other friends at their place and nothing was more simple or more delicious.

Chicken Fajitas
(who would I be without Cook's Illustrated, thanks guys)

Serves 4 to 6

1/3 cup lime juice , from 2 to 3 limes
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 jalapeno chile , seeds and ribs removed, chile minced
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
Table salt and ground black pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds), trimmed of fat, tenderloins removed, breasts pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
1 large red onion (about 14 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds (do not separate rings)
1 large red bell pepper (about 10 ounces), quartered, stemmed, and seeded
1 large green bell pepper (about 10 ounces), quartered, stemmed, and seeded
8 - 12 plain flour tortillas (6-inch

Mix lime juice, 4 tablespoons of the oil, garlic, Worcestershire, brown sugar, chile, and cilantro in a small bowl. Add 1 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper. Measure out 1/4 cup of the mix and reserve. Add another teaspoon of salt to the rest of the marinade. Place chicken breasts in marinade for 15 minutes. Probably a good idea to keep the marinating chicking in the fridge. Brush the peppers and onions on all sides with the rest of the oil and season with salt and pepper.

On your gas grill, light all the burners on high and let grill heat for 15 minutes. Scrape grill once hot, then leave one burner on high while turning the rest down to medium.

Place chicken on hotter side of the grill and the onions and peppers on the cooler side. Cook chicken until nicely browned (4 to 5 minutes) and then flip. Cook on the other side until chicken is no longer pink (4 to 5 minutes, or 160 degrees with thermometer). Remove chicken to plate and tent with foil. Simultaneously, keep an eye on the peppers and onions. Cook pepers until slightly charred with blistered skin, flipping a few times (about 8 to 10 minutes). Cook onions until tender and charred on both sides (10 to 12 minutes).

Don't turn off the grill yet! Set all burners to medium and warm the tortillas, cooking about 20 seconds per side. Keep tortillas warm as they come off the grill.

Slice the chicken into nice sized strips (1/4 inch) and toss with 2 T of the reserved marinade. Separate onions into rings and slice peppers into strips and toss those two with the rest of the marinade. Serve up the chicken and veggies on a platter with the tortillas and enjoy. A little bit of sour cream is a nice accompaniment, but really these fajitas shine on their own.

chowder

2006-07-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

Well, it started with a graduation party for a friend who is now a doctor of computer science. Besides kebabs, homebrew, and bubbly mojitos -- there were freshly dug clams from the puget sound. By the end of the night, the host was well into his celebration but only a fraction of the clams had been cooked and eaten. There was still a bucket full of the things sitting out on the back porch. I was gone only a minute and when I came back, Nick was graciously taking a bowlful of them for us. Long, flaccid tubes hung out of the clams' shell and the doctor was squeezing them to test for liveliness. We packed them in ice and headed home, both of us not really clam eaters. A few days later, and a few hundred miles down the road to our home, we still had a bright pink bowl full of shellfish in our fridge. When we would take them out and open the lid, they would move around slightly and squish their shells shut. Already afraid of poisoning ourselves, we broke out the oyster crackers and set out to make a chowder.

With chopsticks we poked and poked to make sure the clams were really alive and once we felt satisfied, we set about cooking them in wine, butter and herbs. The chowder was on the milky side, but full of good flavor and clammy goodness (admittedly chewy clams, but still). We gladly ate the spoils of the party, but decided that good chowder should be reserved for the restaurant. Not a month later, I had a bowl of gooey, congealed "chowder" and I longed for a little milky bowl of homemade.

forgotten

2006-05-04T20:34:00.000-07:00

I realized that I have been slacking on my postings lately, but I didn't know that it was so bad that I would temporarily forget my own web address. Embarrassing! Luckily it all came back to me and I have renewed dedication to my writing. Not that I have much to say. Since February the plants have burst out of hiding, the skies have cleared and gone blue, and the spectre of summer is nearly visible.

I'll make a valiant promise to stay more up-to-date once school lets out. We'll see how that goes. Already summer is building up with activities and travel. But one of those plans is to make a pitcher of Sangria and platter of Paella. I'll be sure to let you know how it goes.

smoother than you think

2006-02-23T11:01:00.000-08:00

In Washington state, one of the perks of being a pharmacist is the license to administer vaccinations. The thought of vaccinations and booster shots transports me back to a waiting room with asbestos tile floors, military green walls, and tattered Lil Golden Classic children's books. It was the county building and the place the children of our town learned to dread. With such a vivid memory of my own inoculations, I was a little trepidatious about being the person doing the sticking. Luckily, pharmacists don't do many childhood vaccines. However, when learning to perform injections, you have to start somewhere. And that somewhere is your own belly fat and the deltoid of your lab partner.

If I thought examining cadavers was surreal, its not nearly as odd as preparing yourself to stick something sharp into the arm of another person. But the needle seems to just glide right in and before you know it, the syringe is emptied and dropped with a satisfying plunk into the red sharps container.

Then it was my turn to receive a "vaccine" from my partner. Maybe it was just my imagination, but he seemed to insert the needle very slowly and I could feel the cool metal of the needle inside my muscle. It made me wonder how it had felt when I inject him just moments before.

The whole experience of giving and receiving injections once again drove home the reality of what I'm going to be doing in a few years. When I think of the huge responsibility of my future work, my knees feel a little weak. But like most things in life, the anxiety built up around an event is much more frightening than the event itself. When I'm licensed and legal I'm sure I'll feel more ready to take on such a role.

vegetable soup

2006-02-20T10:14:00.000-08:00

Life has been a rollicking string of exams lately, tied loosely together by bike rides, movies, and spurts of knitting. The latest scarf in my collection, done in a slubbed, varigated wool by Berocco purchased by my mom as a birthday gift, has been completed just in time for some dastardly cold weather. Although here in the Pacific Northwest we can't hold a candle to the sub zero temps of the Northeast, nightime lows in the teens are enough to keep everyone bundled up.

This weekend began with an impromptu exodus to Portland. I returned home from classes on Friday to find the streets of unincorporated Pierce county littered with tree branches and downed powerlines. The high winds had even been strong enough to uproot a mature pine tree that had careened into a nearby house. Power had been out at my house all day which meant no heat and the inevitable onset of total darkness at 5:30 pm. After deliberating a few minutes, I packed up my knitting and my kitty and hit the highway south to a warm meal and lots of reading light.

So I finally finished up this scarf, named Vegetable Soup thanks to Deborah, while the cold winds blew outside. Hopefully as winter finishes up, it will keep me as warm as its namesake as I fantasize about summer and warm air.

freaks and their fennel

2006-01-22T12:02:00.000-08:00

Given the look the cashier gave me, you would have thought that I was buying a dead rodent or some other foul thing -- not a creamy bulb of fennel for Potato-Leek Soup with Fennel. She didn't even really ask me what it was, just sort of stared at me until I told her what it was. When she found it in her produce glossary, she still seemed wary, as if it were really something different altogether. When I was a cashier and a customer purchased something I didn't recognize or hadn't used before I liked to hear what they were going to make with it. Assuming my cashier was curious as well, I launched into a brief explanation of fennel and what it tasted like and what I was going to make with it. She didn't even look in my direction.

I feel like somewhat of an outcast in this town - what with my basket piled high with produce, oils, and whole grain breads and everyone else shoving themselves full of everything pre-packaged and artificial. I think my gardening skills are going to have to vastly improve before we settle down in a rural area because sometimes its hard enough to find what I want here in a suburban area. I remember when a friend of mine moved to Wisconsin and lamented the lack of shallots at the grocery store. Its hard to be a serious food snob sometimes.

As for the soup, its a nice twist on the usual potato-leek. The original version calls for watercress, added at the end and wilted just slightly. I wish I could find it here and I can just imagine the looks I would get for buying something that looks like it was harvested from a marsh. If you can find it, it really brightens the soup.

Potato-Leek Soup with Fennel and Watercress
adapted from Soup (Williams-Sonoma)

2 leeks, cleaned and chopped
2 to 3 baking potatoes (about 1 pound) peeled and cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 bulb of fennel (about 1 pound) white part sliced
6 cups chicken broth
1 bunch watercress, stems cut off

Saute leeks in olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or stockpot until soft and lightly brown (5 minutes). Add potatoes and fennel and cook, stirring occasionaly, until softened (10 minutes). Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for a half hour or so partially covered, until potatoes are quite soft and can be mashed with a wooden spoon (20 minutes or so). Add watercress, if you can find it, and cook until just wilted. Take soup off heat and blend it, in batches. Return blended soup to the stove and heat on a medium-low flame until hot. Serve with some crusty bread. A dash of Tabasco gives the soup an extra kick.

resolve

2006-01-12T14:16:00.000-08:00

It might be a little late to write a post about the new year, resolutions, promises, et cetera. I'm sure there are those out there whose best intentions for self-improvement have already been foiled. I've been thinking about my own intentions lately, partly due to the new year, partly because I just turned 27 yesterday. Having a birthday right after the year changes over gives some added weight to resolutions, at least to me. My resolution is to ignore my silver hair. No plucking, combing over, dying - nothing. I used to think that since my grandmother, also a redhead, stayed red until her sixties; that I had it made. But as the grays come in, I discovered that she dyed in secret. I'm ready to accept the fact that I'm getting closer to thirty, about to have a "career", and that my hair won't be red forever.

So, other than that, I'm taking it pretty easy on the resolutions this year.

And now that I'm living an extended life - being away from my core home most of the year and having family/friend networks in two cities- my birthday will be drawn out over several days. I don't mind really. It gives me a great excuse to eat lots of cake, drink lots of wine, and see the people I love over and over again. Those I don't get to see now, I hope to see again before I turn 28 and start writing about wrinkles, or some such thing.

by request

2006-01-08T13:27:00.000-08:00

Molasses-Spice Cookies
adapted from The Best Recipe

2 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground allspice
12 T. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup molasses

Oven heated to 375 degrees. Whisk dry ingredients together in a bowl. In another bowl, cream butter and both sugars together until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Add egg, vanilla and molasses. Beat until combined, about 30 seconds.

Add dry ingredients and beat until dough forms, about 30 seconds.

Roll dough into balls, using about 2 tablespoons of dought at a time. Roll balls in granulated sugar. Bake until soft and puffy, 11 to 13 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.