tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74536063070339828402024-02-19T07:05:51.874-08:00In Search of the Finer ThingsFood. Travel. Gardening. Books. Beauty.Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.comBlogger415125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-58677913160227536022014-10-23T23:07:00.000-07:002014-10-23T23:07:13.765-07:00A Tale of Two Sacramento RestaurantsI wanted to blog about two restaurants I have visited lately. We have been trying to eat at home lately, so going out feels like a genuine treat and we choose our destinations carefully. The first stop was the new location of Bacon & Butter, which moved from midtown to Tahoe Park.<br />
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We really liked the modern industrial look to the interior of the restaurant. </div>
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I'm currently on a break from sugar, which prevented me from ordering the baked goods listed on the whiteboard pictured below. But it wouldn't have mattered anyway- they were already sold out by the time we showed up for lunch! They have been doing a brisk business since re-opening and were already sold out of several menu items as well.</div>
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It being lunch, I went for the burger, which was amazing, topped with greens, crispy onions, jack cheese and quality bacon. It also came with a thoughtful, fall-inspired salad featuring local produce. </div>
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Our friends went a more traditional route with Pear-Pecan French Toast (made with gorgeous, fluffy bread) and a fall-produce stuffed omelette served with one gorgeous autumny fruit salad. </div>
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Conclusion: If you haven't been to the new location yet, check it out. Come early if you want the baked goods and full menu selection, but be prepared for lines if you come during peak hours. </div>
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Moving on, our next stop was The Cultured & The Cured, a real fromagerie and charcuterie. In other words, all they sell here is cheese, cured meats, and other bits that go well with them! We came here for lunch to try their menu of cheese-oriented offerings.</div>
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First, the cheese! They have an impressive selection for such a small shop.</div>
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Next, the cured meats and extras: </div>
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They also have some baked goods that were calling to me... </div>
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And some really fun, unique finds to compliment your cheese boards:</div>
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We deliberated over the menu and finally choose two sandwiches and a cheese board. The cheese boards are ordered by category (cow milk, sheep milk, goat milk, washed rind, blue) and come with a few tasteful additions besides toast crisps. Our selection was the Monger's Choice and included cow milk and goat milk cheddars, and both a mild and a strong blue.It was a lovely selection, and I would love to return and try them all!</div>
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I didn't remember to take a picture of my sandwich until my side salad was gone and I was halfway done, but it was a toasted panini filled with turkey, cheese, and Hungarian peppers for a little heat. So, so good.</div>
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Conclusion: Run, don't walk, here if you consider yourself a cheese connoisseur. </div>
Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-63529466527033141902014-09-11T14:23:00.000-07:002014-09-11T17:04:29.969-07:00The National Heirloom Expo in Santa RosaI still remember the first time I saw a Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Catalog. My aunt had given it to me along with a gift certificate for a birthday gift when I was in my mid-20s. After all these years, Baker Creek is still my favorite seed company. Every winter I love to curl up with their colorful catalog and dream of my spring garden.<br />
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Last year, I desperately wanted to attend the National Heirloom Expo that Baker Creek sponsors every year in Santa Rosa (about 2 hours from my home), but with a colicky 3-month-old baby, it just wasn't feasible.<br />
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This year, we finally made it to the Expo, and it was so much more than I expected. Imagine the State Fair meets Farmer's Market with a dash of Woodstock, plus a series of speakers on various food and gardening issues. It was Kid's Day when we went yesterday, so we got in free for bringing our daughter with us- hooray!<br />
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Let's begin at the entrance of the expo. There was a large presence of those supporting food industry transparency and promoting the labeling of GMOs...<br />
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Amongst other political ideas (obligatory "legalize pot" dude not pictured)... I thought this game was pretty funny.</div>
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Petaluma Pete tinkled the ivory near the entrance, and...</div>
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... this guy was carving a massive pumpkin right next to him. I'm not sure what that sign means, but whatever!</div>
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It took us forever to choose what to eat for lunch because there were so many excellent local food vendors present selling their wares. (We did NOT end up splurging on the $14 burger below. It just felt wrong, especially with no side dishes.)</div>
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My daughter loved looking at the long-haired sheep and goats on display-</div>
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- while I was fascinated by this woman using traditional methods to make yarn from the wool.</div>
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There were so many amazing vendors featuring fun gardening themed products! Just a few samples:</div>
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Have you ever been given free Strauss Family Creamery vanilla bean ice cream? After this, I can say that I have! Best free ice cream I have ever eaten!</div>
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I mentioned there was a dash of Woodstock at the Expo, meaning there were hippies and live music. Instead of rock bands, the stage was dominated by bluegrass bands, and some pretty good ones at that. I love me some bluegrass, and my daughter loved playing with the display squashes and dancing to the music.</div>
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There was one area devoted to a display of biodynamic gardening, including composting, rain barrels, and compost tea-making. I especially appreciated the sheet mulching demo, as we are preparing to convert our ugly half-dead lawn to something more drought-tolerant and (hopefully) attractive:</div>
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Finally, the main exhibit area boasted the tallest mountain of squash I have ever seen...</div>
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Watermelon carving and an heirloom watermelon taste testing:<br />
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Prize-winning pumpkins weighing over a thousand pounds!</div>
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And just hundreds of varieties of heirloom melons, squashes, tomatoes, and more. There were also rare fruits, school garden and composting displays, and more. I found a lot of information that I hope will be useful as I participate in starting our local school garden in the coming year- even better!</div>
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My only regret was not getting to attend more of the gardening lectures. I would love to have heard more, but my one-year-old can only be patient for so long.</div>
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Perhaps the biggest surprise was how many freebies I walked away with when we left the Expo. Besides many samples of free food (all good EXCEPT the beet kvass- not my thing!), I also got a dial seed scatterer, a bottled supplement called Strange Brew, a bag of free compost, a free herbal tea mix, and a bag full of free seeds for kids. The vendors were interesting and unique- selling everything from butterfly water dishes to pickling devices to locally harvested seaweed and locally made tempeh.</div>
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I would love to go to the National Heirloom Expo yearly. It was a gardener's dream come true.</div>
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"Let me 'splain... No. There is too much. Let me sum up."<br />
-Inigo Montoya, "The Princess Bride" </div>
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In August, I: </div>
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- Learned to sprout, not only alfalfa seeds as pictured, but nuts, grains and legumes. Also learned how to make sprouted wheat flour/bread and taught a class on it. Very fun and educational!<br />
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- Ate and cooked with loads of Santa Rosa plums from my parents' tree. Here is the second plum cake I made after the Upside-Down one I posted on the blog. This one was based on t<a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cinnamon-Sugar-Plum-Cake-106655" target="_blank">his recipe</a> from Bon Appetit The bake time was about 5 minutes too long, but the slightly citrus-y flavor was great!</div>
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- Went to Lake Tahoe and learned to paddleboard. </div>
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- Hiked to Eagle Falls and got his view of Eagle Lake:</div>
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All in all, not a shabby way to wrap up the summer!</div>
Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-6883992215959507512014-07-22T09:44:00.003-07:002014-07-22T09:44:59.093-07:00Plum Upside-Down cakeYesterday, my one-year-old threw two meals on the floor and her shoe in the toilet. The highlight of my day was the company of friends and this Plum Upside-Down cake.<br />
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I copied the recipe from Alice Waters' lovely book <i>The Art of Simple Food</i> ages ago and finally got around to making it<i> </i>yesterday, at great expense to my sanity<i>. </i>As I beat the egg whites (my pet peeve), I told myself that this cake had better be worth it.<br />
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Well, it was. The cake was impossibly moist and tender, and while not exactly "easy", the cake is indeed "simple" as she says, and my favorite use so far for fresh plums. I used Santa Rosa plums from my parents' tree and Elephant Hearts from the Farmer's Market. I also used almond milk in place of whole milk as it was on hand, with great success.<i> </i><br />
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<b>Upside-Down Plum Cake</b></div>
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Adapted from Alice Waters' <i>The Art of Simple Food</i></div>
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2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature<br />
3/4 c. brown sugar<br />
3 Santa Rosa plums and 3 Elephant Heart Plums, pitted and cut into eighths, lengthwise<br />
2 eggs, <i>separated</i>, at room temperature<br />
1/2 c. whole milk, at room temperature<br />
1 1/2 c. flour<br />
2 t. baking powder<br />
1/4 t. salt<br />
1 c. granulated sugar<br />
1 t. vanilla<br />
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Preheat the oven to 350.<br />
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Melt the brown sugar and 1 stick butter in an 8-inch cast-iron skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until
the butter melts and starts to bubble. Let bubble for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to
cool. Arrange the plums, in a ring around the outer edge.
Working inward, make concentric circles with the plums until you fill up
the pan.<br />
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In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.<br />
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In a large bowl or in a stand mixer, beat the remaining 1 sick of butter
to lighten. Add granulated sugar and cream until light and fluffy. Beat
in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.<br />
<br />
When well mixed, add the flour mixture alternately with the milk,
starting and ending with one-third of the flour. Stir just until the
flour is incorporated.<br />
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Beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Fold one third of the
egg whites into the batter and then gently fold in the rest. Pour the
batter over the plums and smooth the top with a spatula.<br />
<br />
Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. (<i>Mine cooked for 45 and came out perfectly</i>).
Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes. Run a
knife around the edge of the pan and invert the cake onto a serving
plate. Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-8676608272957623492014-07-14T12:18:00.000-07:002014-07-14T12:20:26.316-07:00Peter Rabbit First Birthday PartyJust wanted to share some shots from the First Birthday Party. Thank you, Pinterest, for a million great ideas!<br />
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I took a picture of my daughter each month and made a banner display charting her growth, with twine and seed packets to go with the Peter Rabbit/Garden theme. The pictures on the bottom are her newborn picture on the left and one of her "gardening" at almost a year on the right. </div>
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Peter's jacket on display. Herbs from my garden and potted plants from my house made great decorations.</div>
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"Mr. McGregor's Garden Veggies" and "carrot" silverware.</div>
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Three kinds of tea sandwiches- chicken salad/croissant, raisin bread/cheese/apple, and cucumber/cream cheese. </div>
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Dessert: Carrot cake cupcakes and "Dirt Pudding" (pudding topped with crushed Oreo cookies and a gummy worm) in terra cotta pots.</div>
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"The Berry Patch" and "Carrots" (strawberries dipped in white-chocolate that my mom dyed orange) </div>
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After lunch, we had a surprise visit from Peter Rabbit himself (some friends brought their beautiful bunnies over for a visit). The kids loved petting the bunnies. I do have the picture of the kids and family on my camera, and it should only take me about another 6 months to download those to my computer. :-)<br />
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Huge thanks to those of my family and friends who helped with the decorations and food! It was a great theme and a fun day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsPzs3GY930Bt1DVeaIn399Qsn7UhJbYKwUrY7M4VtKK288qlJfJVYNOgEgn8RwzM-5zr-8ucBD3vkdiEpZESAbrnTasCkgwrGaFlt83VnLgfzBE6ijzcAGgHx2J73piXXcBSqlIUhQ/s1600/IMG_20140709_172231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbsPzs3GY930Bt1DVeaIn399Qsn7UhJbYKwUrY7M4VtKK288qlJfJVYNOgEgn8RwzM-5zr-8ucBD3vkdiEpZESAbrnTasCkgwrGaFlt83VnLgfzBE6ijzcAGgHx2J73piXXcBSqlIUhQ/s640/IMG_20140709_172231.jpg" /></a> The biggest breakthrough I had this year was learning to mulch my raised beds with hay instead of straw. See how much stronger and taller the plants on the right are than the others? That's the power of hay, folks! Just keep it thick so it doesn't sprout and you're golden!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7Q4dNUsgzsZAOFEuiyxupPz5W9sJiQvOva2-gjeWAkRQ0kbWwobOOWYfk6JUWjl6lgivKhqB7Lzrea-KbwEBuq9coAWyWQDXDlPrdw9uJyOZLDCkGXBYlLQdD23FcjRm1jnpbtvsDg/s1600/IMG_20140709_172255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT7Q4dNUsgzsZAOFEuiyxupPz5W9sJiQvOva2-gjeWAkRQ0kbWwobOOWYfk6JUWjl6lgivKhqB7Lzrea-KbwEBuq9coAWyWQDXDlPrdw9uJyOZLDCkGXBYlLQdD23FcjRm1jnpbtvsDg/s640/IMG_20140709_172255.jpg" /></a>Striata di Italia, an heirloom zucchini. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADObeHWLxfHqzbmJKIVCyoxnWKgGwLe2nnVWMagAnIgsXxig8VskuMZyJLmnHde9GQnIWnl-s3FBy1m3Cq11bxGRjcG-4d60DecMlvPv4VwpYEex9_kqGVXrzN4_xWcJOTPAxlZKWKA/s1600/IMG_20140709_172353.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiADObeHWLxfHqzbmJKIVCyoxnWKgGwLe2nnVWMagAnIgsXxig8VskuMZyJLmnHde9GQnIWnl-s3FBy1m3Cq11bxGRjcG-4d60DecMlvPv4VwpYEex9_kqGVXrzN4_xWcJOTPAxlZKWKA/s640/IMG_20140709_172353.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6S6P3Y0AwvegATFVE3ODxrg_uoeREEO91lbp9mrAwK6qYxtgLNRuIJ43mdnz6rGjt1eQ113AVl9f9V7-bke_sv-6pyujEQQfSMl1C3J7YG1ISF1ZNpge5FeOyMWJ3g-2erFkE1xckeQ/s1600/IMG_20140709_172410.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6S6P3Y0AwvegATFVE3ODxrg_uoeREEO91lbp9mrAwK6qYxtgLNRuIJ43mdnz6rGjt1eQ113AVl9f9V7-bke_sv-6pyujEQQfSMl1C3J7YG1ISF1ZNpge5FeOyMWJ3g-2erFkE1xckeQ/s640/IMG_20140709_172410.jpg" /></a> Red Marconi peppers are doing great in pots!</div>
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Trying my hand at Charentais melon in the raised beds this year. So far, no fruit, but many blossoms! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaNR6ADQbUevjnARWn2EA5mQtx9r0pRxUZXYbTNJQ2xJKLnVUuXPQDvqDsKBa6gdmR2FnZAw5o7Q02Zws7Gw4vJzCjxydaobGBLaWBSvFoA9seW2vPg0JCGCETt2epwnXyDdnPYgcIw/s1600/IMG_20140709_172505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaNR6ADQbUevjnARWn2EA5mQtx9r0pRxUZXYbTNJQ2xJKLnVUuXPQDvqDsKBa6gdmR2FnZAw5o7Q02Zws7Gw4vJzCjxydaobGBLaWBSvFoA9seW2vPg0JCGCETt2epwnXyDdnPYgcIw/s640/IMG_20140709_172505.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLIrkso554fbY4ZR8KfVMlnFYz_Wgk13WT1cAtd_urYqrV1NQ1d6FRXTShdQ_iLW7HOIZuH3PFi_-kkk_Uchc1hcFwSG7sI7qj88lX4UMbSGaCs2P_d75mnJb08V83E1C9vM3-VZ2GQ/s1600/IMG_20140709_172523.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLLIrkso554fbY4ZR8KfVMlnFYz_Wgk13WT1cAtd_urYqrV1NQ1d6FRXTShdQ_iLW7HOIZuH3PFi_-kkk_Uchc1hcFwSG7sI7qj88lX4UMbSGaCs2P_d75mnJb08V83E1C9vM3-VZ2GQ/s640/IMG_20140709_172523.jpg" /></a> Same for the butternut squash!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvp4XY9JqP3TMVQUBahtHv8LFnT1bXBVusB7AtYsb20fHyWcZrdpKgQ-XznjxGt_U1giCCA8U8e6QYWhM19ujdMEmDi2HfEjNXvAre3yP0DuNBPvUuHM69a55oXqoLCXlDoNZg4pL0uQ/s1600/IMG_20140708_165223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvp4XY9JqP3TMVQUBahtHv8LFnT1bXBVusB7AtYsb20fHyWcZrdpKgQ-XznjxGt_U1giCCA8U8e6QYWhM19ujdMEmDi2HfEjNXvAre3yP0DuNBPvUuHM69a55oXqoLCXlDoNZg4pL0uQ/s640/IMG_20140708_165223.jpg" /> </a></div>
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I made zucchini pickles using <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/23/food/la-fo-calcookrec23c-2008jul23" target="_blank">this recipe from the Zuni Cafe.</a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaP-qhS52c-SdnT76LC9iUCJmB4EaSTpiGM7EcMIj93sYjmSK3INFNZcETunN3vi0npkC1CQgQiqOsIT8SzjY06hrwYozlhmFa4dWMluTgDU82knTcATaJPVUcXCwbXKH0I2nBGPQeMw/s1600/IMG_20140630_140202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaP-qhS52c-SdnT76LC9iUCJmB4EaSTpiGM7EcMIj93sYjmSK3INFNZcETunN3vi0npkC1CQgQiqOsIT8SzjY06hrwYozlhmFa4dWMluTgDU82knTcATaJPVUcXCwbXKH0I2nBGPQeMw/s640/IMG_20140630_140202.jpg" /></a> The tomato harvest begins, along with many wondrous tomato dishes...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwtuFzuPq1smXloeYmBwsDd4kMdETOWlGBSoaLf1GObwsqu1QDzAFhyphenhyphen4EUnxVQspOC24CN8XKzWNiwmLr7s_pDuASQHVsRQUJE_u1EjRkh9_wNY6DmAbPZRHIJCZgwK45b7FzSZfNOA/s1600/IMG_20140629_185907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVwtuFzuPq1smXloeYmBwsDd4kMdETOWlGBSoaLf1GObwsqu1QDzAFhyphenhyphen4EUnxVQspOC24CN8XKzWNiwmLr7s_pDuASQHVsRQUJE_u1EjRkh9_wNY6DmAbPZRHIJCZgwK45b7FzSZfNOA/s640/IMG_20140629_185907.jpg" /></a> Panzanella</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZDyqN0wgXjqXKqQL8hVCEedRoqq3Z86jDExYfa39je0-THnTFOfJ4vbcYWUjocw2U7GvTp3vG7P7eS63J3tWSiTHTwzrq_YZV3bgZWSBYVGMHq3IdSA5GqwRmtuYJQa3zv06zYiSQw/s1600/IMG_20140622_172247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZDyqN0wgXjqXKqQL8hVCEedRoqq3Z86jDExYfa39je0-THnTFOfJ4vbcYWUjocw2U7GvTp3vG7P7eS63J3tWSiTHTwzrq_YZV3bgZWSBYVGMHq3IdSA5GqwRmtuYJQa3zv06zYiSQw/s640/IMG_20140622_172247.jpg" /></a> Caprese salad, with basil from the garden too.</div>
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I'm grateful for this year's early planting when I read my garden journal from a few years ago and see that this week back then, I still didn't have any ripe tomatoes! I have already dehydrated two bags of sun-dried tomatoes and frozen several bags of diced tomatoes to be used in place of canned tomatoes all year. Bring it on, garden!</div>
Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-1048909147800024522014-04-18T11:55:00.000-07:002014-04-18T11:55:07.412-07:00Indian-Spiced Vegetables and Chickpeas with Raisins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T5sS_fu8rhYltTBvwmGIu2vZ-W0ZZWwwB9bd7LlT1Fg7EwS1UsGoiXTLBCdJ4shSDSsxvGUJVzMblAuRfjTionbFfDdyvRy7wcdVsUzKhTcnmju-uVMkfhgxt7tJ2v6PRV1KNESsVA/s1600/IMG_20140417_191628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2T5sS_fu8rhYltTBvwmGIu2vZ-W0ZZWwwB9bd7LlT1Fg7EwS1UsGoiXTLBCdJ4shSDSsxvGUJVzMblAuRfjTionbFfDdyvRy7wcdVsUzKhTcnmju-uVMkfhgxt7tJ2v6PRV1KNESsVA/s640/IMG_20140417_191628.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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I'm not really sure what made me save this e-mail from the Splendid Table, except I liked that it sounded easy yet exotic, and that I'm always looking for new meatless dishes. I wasn't expecting the sum of the dish to be so much more than its parts, however. It's a simple idea - just roasted veggies tossed with chickpeas, raisins, garam masala, lemon and some parsley. But wow, was it full of flavor!<br />
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As an added bonus, this dish makes cauliflower actually taste good, a feat I never suspected was possible (being a staunch cauliflower hater as a matter of course). I liked this dish so much, I am making it again in a few days. <br />
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Indian-Spiced Vegetables and Chickpeas with Raisins (Serves 4)<br />
From <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Meatless-All-Day-Inspired-Vegetarian/dp/1621137767/?tag=tsplent-20&elq=1de79a0bb2394284a9bc1a41592d1b8b&elqCampaignId=6481" id="yui_3_13_0_1_1397846613074_2639" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><em id="yui_3_13_0_1_1397846613074_2638">Meatless All Day</em></a> by Dina Cheney <br />
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28 ounces baby red potatoes, quartered<br />
1/2 cup olive oil, divided<br />
2 teaspoons coarse salt, divided<br />
5 grinds black pepper<br />
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 2- x 1/2-inch matchsticks<br />
1 small head cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets<br />
1/2 cup raisins or currants<br />
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained<br />
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley or cilantro leaves<br />
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed, strained lemon juice<br />
1 teaspoon garam masala (without salt)<br />
About 2 cups plain yogurt, for serving<br />
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1. Place two oven racks in the top two-thirds of the oven. Place a rimmed baking sheet on the top rack and heat the oven to 400°F. Once the oven is hot, carefully remove the hot pan. Using tongs, toss the potatoes well with half of the oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and all of the pepper. Roast until the potatoes are tender and golden brown and crispy in many parts, about 50 minutes, tossing halfway through.<br />
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2. On another rimmed baking sheet, toss the carrots, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; spread on one side of the pan and roast for 15 minutes (put this pan on the lower oven rack); remove the baking sheet from the oven and use a spatula to flip over the carrots. Onto the empty half of the baking sheet, use tongs to toss the cauliflower florets, the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Keep the carrots and cauliflower separate as best as possible. Return the pan to the oven and roast the carrots and cauliflower until both are tender when poked with a fork and golden brown in a few spots, about another 20 minutes.<br />
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3. Meanwhile, place the raisins in a small bowl and cover with 1/2 cup of boiling or very hot water. Let sit until the raisins are tender, about 30 minutes, then drain.<br />
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4. Pour the potatoes, carrots, and cauliflower (with their oil) into a large bowl, then add the drained raisins, drained chickpeas, parsley, lemon juice, garam masala, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Toss well with tongs. Divide among the serving plates and add a dollop of yogurt alongside each portion Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-51361260461090421372014-03-24T11:57:00.001-07:002014-03-24T11:57:19.628-07:00Milk Tart, or Snickerdoodle Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4lnCoFjaTkiN_GsR4LWzxSjbEZDlmcKML6Og0CIGCbtCWNuDK9VewyeN-MvPsiYUakfM2r25wY6r8lYg3JGeZoOwHM2mHm7nQlHKJ851r225y8G8pIRpbgbhgY6m2GoqaR6d9XvNSg/s1600/IMG_20140323_202132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4lnCoFjaTkiN_GsR4LWzxSjbEZDlmcKML6Og0CIGCbtCWNuDK9VewyeN-MvPsiYUakfM2r25wY6r8lYg3JGeZoOwHM2mHm7nQlHKJ851r225y8G8pIRpbgbhgY6m2GoqaR6d9XvNSg/s640/IMG_20140323_202132.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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My brother lived in South Africa for two years and came back raving about a South African dessert he ate there called Milk Tart. I kept meaning to make it for his birthday, but this year I finally made it happen. I served him up his birthday slice and waited for a verdict. He took a bite and declared it as good as the versions he ate over there (whew!).<br />
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My brother wasn't he only one who approved of the Milk Tart. My family quickly dubbed it Snickerdoodle Pie, due to the flavor's similarity to that glorious cinnamon-flavored cookie. They liked it so much, I have made it twice for family events in the past month. The first time, I forgot to take a picture and it quickly disappeared. The second time, I forgot again until there was only one [slightly flawed] piece left... but you get the idea. Snickerdoodle in pie form: a new family favorite. Enjoy! <br />
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<b>Milk Tart, or Snickerdoodle Pie</b><br />
From <a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/milk-tart/" target="_blank">Allrecipes.com </a><br />
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Crust: <br />
1/2 cup butter, softened<br />1 cup white sugar<br />1 egg<br />2 cups all-purpose flour<br />2 teaspoons baking powder<br />1 pinch salt<br />
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Filling:<br />4 cups milk<br />1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />1 tablespoon butter<br />2 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour<br />2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch<br />1/2 cup white sugar<br />2 eggs, beaten<br />1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon <br />
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).<br />
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In a medium mixing bowl, cream together 1/2 cup butter or margarine and 1 cup sugar. Add 1 egg and beat until mixture is smooth. In a separate bowl, mix together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture just until ingredients are thoroughly combined. Press mixture into bottom and sides of two 9-inch pie pans. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown.<br />
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In a large saucepan, combine milk, vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon butter or margarine. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then remove from burner. In a separate bowl, mix together 2 1/2 tablespoons flour, cornstarch, and 1/2 cup sugar. Add beaten eggs to sugar mixture and whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk mixture into milk. Return pan to heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 5 minutes. Pour half of mixture into each pastry shell. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Chill before serving.Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-78164979593886397792014-03-16T23:40:00.003-07:002014-03-16T23:40:58.092-07:00Pineapple Upside-Down Cake - Revisited<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60fMNy5GyKNhH6qLcePEWR3HktNazjla8v9lLptIOv8UIG-nzopMcWMzCyyzVcBTprwzlaUIFwdeY5objraJGbNmrejaV06ZiS2Oz5mtwd-5ugTht1L3sosYEd-k_fgzsfeQunSgBmg/s1600/IMG_20140315_101944.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg60fMNy5GyKNhH6qLcePEWR3HktNazjla8v9lLptIOv8UIG-nzopMcWMzCyyzVcBTprwzlaUIFwdeY5objraJGbNmrejaV06ZiS2Oz5mtwd-5ugTht1L3sosYEd-k_fgzsfeQunSgBmg/s640/IMG_20140315_101944.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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I attended a family reunion for my dad's side this weekend. My assignment was to make this lovely Pineapple Upside-Down Cake in Cast Iron Skillet. The recipe originally came from my Grandma through my aunt, and I have <a href="http://insearchofthefinerthings.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-grandmas-pineapple-upside-down-cake.html" target="_blank">blogged about it before</a>, but it came out SO much better this time around (as you can see). I like to think my photography skills are ever so slightly improved, and I edited the recipe to make it more clear.<br />
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I HIGHLY recommend using the Trader Joe's Vanilla Cake mix mentioned in the note. I'm not normally a Trader Joe's person, but this mix was amazing. It actually has flecks of vanilla bean (!!!) and no chemical junk in the ingredients. It made me wonder why Duncan Hines can't do something as simple and tasty with their mixes. But I digress! This cake is classic and fantastic- try it!<br />
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<b>Pineapple Upside-Down Cake (in Cast Iron Skillet)</b><br />
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Trader Joe’s has a good vanilla cake mix that works as a substitute for the dry ingredients. Just mix 1/4 cup pineapple juice in with 3/4 cup milk in place of the 1 cup of milk it calls for.<br />
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Cake:<br />
1 cup butter<br />
1 1/2 cups white sugar<br />
5 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla<br />
3 cups flour<br />
2 teaspoons baking powder<br />
¼ teaspoon salt<br />
One can pineapple slices in juice<br />
Buttermilk (or sour milk made with lemon juice and milk works fine) plus juice from drained pineapple to make 1 1/4 cup liquid<br />
Maraschino cherries, halved (optional)<br />
Chopped nuts (optional)<br />
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Topping:<br />
½ cup butter<br />
1 cup brown sugar<br />
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Cake:<br />
Cream white sugar and butter together. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until smooth. In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Alternate adding the buttermilk/pineapple juice mixture and the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture until mixed without lumps.<br />
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Topping:<br />
Put ½ cup butter and 1 cup brown sugar in a cast iron skillet. Heat on stove top over medium heat until bubbling. Then reduce heat while bubbling softly and thickening slightly, about 3 minutes total. Don’t burn the sugar/butter mixture. Turn off and lay drained pineapple slices decoratively on top. (Add cherries or nuts if desired.) Pour batter over slices. Bake at 350 for about 35-40 minutes until done.
Let cake rest for 10 minutes and invert cake. Leave upside down for a minute or so. Lift pan.
Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-10917610550079807822014-02-05T15:35:00.002-08:002014-02-05T15:35:31.845-08:00My Class at Jamie Oliver's Big Rig Kitchen<div style="text-align: left;">
After watching the television program "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" back in June of 2011, I wrote <a href="http://insearchofthefinerthings.blogspot.com/2011/06/does-west-sacramento-need-food.html" target="_blank">this evaluation</a> of local school lunches. Then one day last month, I was reading the newspaper published by the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op and saw a blurb that made my heart jump. Jamie Oliver's Big Rig Kitchen, it said, was doing a tour of California cities and would be stopping in Sacramento in January and February. As a long-time fan of the chef and fan of the Food Revolution, I knew I had to sign up for a class.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjckpiTqnXHo-Na9gIvwJKAU4U_qM1-hW-EY_08Nh5LLn2X_SgqShDw5LWHYNqPBpLoIxJvtfTxVvEuRYvoxjJXQjORZpQ_0mPumNvEe9DY6FFAQDTmiiV5ZwHq0TgSTZoGUlk8zpasg/s1600/IMG_20140131_171307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjckpiTqnXHo-Na9gIvwJKAU4U_qM1-hW-EY_08Nh5LLn2X_SgqShDw5LWHYNqPBpLoIxJvtfTxVvEuRYvoxjJXQjORZpQ_0mPumNvEe9DY6FFAQDTmiiV5ZwHq0TgSTZoGUlk8zpasg/s640/IMG_20140131_171307.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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The Big Rig Kitchen is a mobile kitchen that has been offering free classes as it has made its way through our great state, thanks to donations from the places listed below (on the side of the truck). I hopped onto <a href="http://tcenews.calendow.org/releases/the-jamie-oliver-food-foundation-is-partnering-with-the-california-endowment-to-educate-and-improve-health-with-a-big-rig-teaching-kitchen-tour" target="_blank">the website </a>and saw all sorts of free cooking classes being offered, with menus including fish, Mexican and Italian fare, and the one I ended up signing up for - "Fast Food Now", featuring barbecued chicken. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhLiZBLUQklqLccDp9J881SQ_E57K6CoekBXsAC6bjfaI_yXSPNxuiTnU174DiNqNUpegH5IaGGMe7bM0uB5ep5oBTnF0HDPoJWRUpz2wHzSET3-vDpI2jIbB0clH1LJsJsuF0BZIrFQ/s1600/IMG_20140131_171953.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhLiZBLUQklqLccDp9J881SQ_E57K6CoekBXsAC6bjfaI_yXSPNxuiTnU174DiNqNUpegH5IaGGMe7bM0uB5ep5oBTnF0HDPoJWRUpz2wHzSET3-vDpI2jIbB0clH1LJsJsuF0BZIrFQ/s640/IMG_20140131_171953.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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I arrived for my class at 5:30pm on a Friday night, pulling into the parking lot of Sacramento High school, the same fortunate school that recently enjoyed a visit from Alice Waters to their edible school garden. After a few minutes of waiting outside the closed door of the Big Rig, the door opened and I was welcomed in to don a name tag and a white apron.</div>
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At the front of the mobile kitchen was a demonstration area where Everett, our demo chef, showed us the ropes. After the demo, we washed our hands and retreated to one of the three kitchen stations where we would try our best to replicate what we had just seen.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKpaOGMzjHb2fXl5OF4vRq1Qe2JtzH0s5fT2USULhMEOTYxCA6pjSvSVYq65SZe7D-nmhByvV6aKx9C5kYlbd9gCFxXJtRYXbeq0mhSeyU4rG7Q9lZV7KfWFtRVyeA8sh_UGr4cpdegQ/s1600/IMG_20140131_172241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKpaOGMzjHb2fXl5OF4vRq1Qe2JtzH0s5fT2USULhMEOTYxCA6pjSvSVYq65SZe7D-nmhByvV6aKx9C5kYlbd9gCFxXJtRYXbeq0mhSeyU4rG7Q9lZV7KfWFtRVyeA8sh_UGr4cpdegQ/s640/IMG_20140131_172241.jpg" /> </a></div>
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Our kitchen stations were well-stocked with the necessary ingredients, donated mostly by the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op just down the street. (Thanks, Co-op!) Everything was ready for us to attempt to make a homemade BBQ sauce, a French-style vinaigrette dressing, and oven-baked Potato Wedges.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghESC5g0eNxq9kjwkmUqT13RnGtPXty19bjdSRZ2_bMw4NiRT-kipnkk5crooqdg5jjj22G2cLLgwg-_Ma4dghSuMGsGC_PHNf2oLiCbW00a-qWCUu5qXLR_pXeaOHN0a1B_f_-c5Msg/s1600/IMG_20140131_172433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghESC5g0eNxq9kjwkmUqT13RnGtPXty19bjdSRZ2_bMw4NiRT-kipnkk5crooqdg5jjj22G2cLLgwg-_Ma4dghSuMGsGC_PHNf2oLiCbW00a-qWCUu5qXLR_pXeaOHN0a1B_f_-c5Msg/s640/IMG_20140131_172433.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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In addition to the ingredients, our kitchen station also came with a local food expert to assist us as needed. Joe helped oversee our group of four as each of us tackled one of the elements of our final meal. He was quiet at first, but once it came out that he was a certified BBQ judge, he was brimming with stories of his travels and experiences. That weekend, he confided, he was headed down to Brentwood, CA for a rib competition. A lucky man, that Joe! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6r-BhX2xGvwIShyMvzuzDXsvRORRs8Bn6dq62kQgYWqpRZXn_GrmFiNzUSZxn_nDIBwaThy9l60dxyrnyvtv-tnemwx8fzUlVOkgxmfBDWcYPWGFLG4UYw5McmfBR88ZFh12Wgc4CFA/s1600/IMG_20140131_180540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6r-BhX2xGvwIShyMvzuzDXsvRORRs8Bn6dq62kQgYWqpRZXn_GrmFiNzUSZxn_nDIBwaThy9l60dxyrnyvtv-tnemwx8fzUlVOkgxmfBDWcYPWGFLG4UYw5McmfBR88ZFh12Wgc4CFA/s640/IMG_20140131_180540.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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With a little help from Joe, our group completed the meal in a surprisingly short amount of time - the whole meal took us maybe 20 minutes to prepare from start to finish.(To speed up the baking time on the Potato Wedges, we sliced them super-thin instead of cutting them into chunky wedges.) </div>
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The meal we enjoyed together at the end was both healthy and tasty, and just the kind of informal, kid-friendly meal that families should be sharing nightly. If you can't spot the purple potato slices on the plate, it might be because they are camouflaged against the mixed greens!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWLcJBoWQg6DmqPjsVsHx9UOXB6uk8fSnywYWrvNFT9On6lj2h-_rtYgor_j-VMzeMjeQva3jVz0IS7aYm3FTZKkiLIbzlp720hz_ySP6Fe7i3Fl-q0RDftAGLQj3oRWrKw5oCI78Fw/s1600/IMG_20140131_172733.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAWLcJBoWQg6DmqPjsVsHx9UOXB6uk8fSnywYWrvNFT9On6lj2h-_rtYgor_j-VMzeMjeQva3jVz0IS7aYm3FTZKkiLIbzlp720hz_ySP6Fe7i3Fl-q0RDftAGLQj3oRWrKw5oCI78Fw/s640/IMG_20140131_172733.jpg" /></a></div>
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As I ate my meal, I imagined Jamie Oliver explaining that instead of chicken
nuggets every night, parents might see what their kids say to this homemade barbecued
chicken. Instead of French fries, see what the kids think of the Potato Wedges. And
of course, the salad was made delicious by the homemade dressing, which
contained no added sugar (unlike most commercial bottled dressings). It could truly be a revolutionary meal. Our community is so fortunate to have the chance to attend free classes like these!</div>
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My one disappointment (besides, of course, the absence of the celebrity chef himself) was a difference I noted between the cooking classes portrayed on the television show and the class I attended. On the show, all of the participants were required to make a pledge to share the knowledge they gained, by teaching at least one other person how to prepare the dishes they learned to make in the class. In this way, the Food Revolution could spread throughout the community. </div>
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In the class I took, we were not required to make such a pledge. But I still want to do my part to help the Revolution spread, by sharing the recipes from the class I took. Viva la revolution!</div>
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<b>French Dressing:</b></div>
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1/4 of a clove of garlic</div>
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1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard</div>
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2 tablespoons of white or red wine vinegar</div>
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1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil</div>
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Peel and finely chop the garlic. Put the garlic, mustard, vinegar and olive oil into a glass jar with a pinch of salt and pepper. Put the lid on the gar and shake well. </div>
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<b>Potato Wedges (serves 4):</b></div>
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1/4 tsp. sea salt</div>
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freshly ground black pepper, to taste</div>
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2 medium (about 10 ounces) baking potatoes</div>
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1 tablespoon olive oil</div>
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Preheat your oven to 400F. Scrub the potatoes clean and get rid of any gnarly bits. Cut the potatoes into chunk wedges (about 6 per potato). Transfer to a roasting tray and add a good lug of olive oil and salt and pepper. Toss together so all the wedges are coated in the oil, then spread out in one layer, skin-side down.</div>
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Cook in the hot oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden, crisp and cooked through. To tell if they're cooked, poke one or two with the tip of a paring knife- you should meet no resistance. </div>
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<b>Barbecued Chicken (Serves 4):</b></div>
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1 orange </div>
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1 dried chile</div>
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1 1/2 heaped teaspoons smoked paprika</div>
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1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon or English mustard</div>
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3 tablespoons honey</div>
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3 tablespoons ketchup</div>
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1 teaspoon olive oil</div>
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1/16 teaspoon sea salt and</div>
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freshly ground pepper</div>
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4 x 5-ounce boneless skinless chicken breasts</div>
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If you're barbecuing, light the grill now so the flames have died down and it's ready when you're ready to cook.</div>
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Finely grate the orange zest into a shallow bowl. Crumble in the dried chile. Add the paprika, mustard, honey, ketchup, and a splash of olive oil. Season with a small pinch each of the salt and pepper and mix well. Spoon out a few tablespoons of the marinade and set it aside.</div>
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Add the chicken breasts to the bowl with the remaining marinade. Turn them over in the marinade so they're well coated, cover with plastic wrap and leave to sit for 5 to 10 minutes or until the grill is ready.</div>
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If using a grill pan, put it over high heat now to get it screaming hot.</div>
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Use tongs to transfer your chicken breasts onto the grill or grill pan. For chicken breasts about 1 inch thick, cook for about 5 minutes on each side, turning every minute and basting as you go, or until golden and cooked through. Spoon a little of the reserved sauce over each breast.</div>
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Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-66352376509997336172014-01-17T16:35:00.000-08:002014-01-18T22:05:17.175-08:00Megan's Bake ShopToday I investigated West Sacramento's first cupcake bakery, Megan's Bake Shop. Located in the shopping complex right off of 50 and Jefferson (across from Chevron), you can't beat the location for convenience.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFdHSPpWjid2IUR-qZGVSuVmbhZAj_8OvE8nmNzG4_benEbawMwhUjLwoZABWaKkf_zalcIBqjKYDrAlv6D1z1D_UYJiRfB0Y7Dufii_w8GM-oJ195v27x7-0FLht4-UfkKZtHIwtpA/s1600/IMG_20140117_135146.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZFdHSPpWjid2IUR-qZGVSuVmbhZAj_8OvE8nmNzG4_benEbawMwhUjLwoZABWaKkf_zalcIBqjKYDrAlv6D1z1D_UYJiRfB0Y7Dufii_w8GM-oJ195v27x7-0FLht4-UfkKZtHIwtpA/s640/IMG_20140117_135146.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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Daily flavors are posted on the Bake Shop's Facebook page, as well as on the board outside the shop.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Trib55zMBSQWHN0J4ZET7thBXlPaRyyXxbVLNMH8ZgSsNYwL0k1Hkxc22pP0H8QT_VXK-miOn0ma40VncaQRC7vpCdoaGn25rXsBu9ayll8gNbwgW_r1lOeYlVvCIQ8rOjKpWY9Evw/s1600/IMG_20140117_135159.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-Trib55zMBSQWHN0J4ZET7thBXlPaRyyXxbVLNMH8ZgSsNYwL0k1Hkxc22pP0H8QT_VXK-miOn0ma40VncaQRC7vpCdoaGn25rXsBu9ayll8gNbwgW_r1lOeYlVvCIQ8rOjKpWY9Evw/s640/IMG_20140117_135159.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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Today, the cupcake flavors included Maple Bacon, Almond Raspberry, Churro, Reese's, Banana Chocolate Chip, and several more. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that not only cupcakes are sold here, but a wide variety of cake- and candy-making supplies. Classes on a variety of cake-making skills are offered as well. The beginner's class is 4 weeks long and $45, and sounded like a good deal to me.</div>
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Recent college graduate Megan told me that originally her plan was just to teach the classes and sell supplies only, but her grandmother (the famous Carol of Carol's Restaurant on West Capitol) convinced her to do the bakery as well. </div>
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So... how about those cupcakes? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jtRs3ZdHcBawojhOUphMScbZ2fPbNvuyD4XwQF0f1nB19lKEu_Llt3gs6F6ypk_U8xD5Vd6Z1X4qPLAjrnNRPMsmkAqrklIKwH4CyZdfwAjq3yypQqGOW78GjCrgkBoIPDJSTF3DlQ/s1600/IMG_20140117_135729.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2jtRs3ZdHcBawojhOUphMScbZ2fPbNvuyD4XwQF0f1nB19lKEu_Llt3gs6F6ypk_U8xD5Vd6Z1X4qPLAjrnNRPMsmkAqrklIKwH4CyZdfwAjq3yypQqGOW78GjCrgkBoIPDJSTF3DlQ/s640/IMG_20140117_135729.jpg" /> </a> </div>
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I tried three cupcakes today: Churro (cinnamon cupcake and frosting), Reese's (chocolate cake with chocolate and peanut-butter frosting), and Maple Bacon (chunks of bacon in the cupcake, topped with maple frosting and crumbled bacon mixed with maple syrup).<br />
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I thought the flavors were creative and liked that the cupcakes were moist and freshly-made from scratch that day. (Yes, I asked.) With the cupcakes plus the versatility of the store with the supplies and classes, I'm very happy to welcome this new addition to the neighborhood.<br />
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Finally, I am a sucker for filled cupcakes (think lemon cupcakes with lemon curd filling), and I hope that soon some of the offerings will be filled with delicious goodness. I will be back to try more flavors as they change regularly!Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-71365817739286418542013-10-20T22:26:00.000-07:002013-10-20T22:26:35.202-07:00What I Learned from My Month Without Sugar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZJGOj_7fBa42Owg_weVIQpLiTqXF2P0I_soNrbDHfugsUFX1I6iBJuFRYUJ4rj8yj4Q4SO59utpRuyF6RJ7lImA69VJjM3N01h1dXyi9pzQ86mx1T5qgSFhao18Qtdkyrv7cQEX8wQ/s1600/thx_meal_3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWZJGOj_7fBa42Owg_weVIQpLiTqXF2P0I_soNrbDHfugsUFX1I6iBJuFRYUJ4rj8yj4Q4SO59utpRuyF6RJ7lImA69VJjM3N01h1dXyi9pzQ86mx1T5qgSFhao18Qtdkyrv7cQEX8wQ/s320/thx_meal_3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I might have been happier before I saw this picture and </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">knew how much sugar is in Thanksgiving dinner.</span> <br />
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In the past month, many people have asked me why I was going a month without sugar. The answer I generally gave? “For a challenge”. The real answer is a little longer.<br />
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Last year, two of my friends from college shared their “30 before 30" lists and I noticed that they both included one particular goal in common. They both wanted to go for one month without sugar. They inspired me to develop my own “30 before 30" list, and I decided to add it to my list as well. I didn’t really give much thought to this, but thought it sounded cool.<br />
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Flash forward to September of this year, as I’m reviewing my list to see what remained to be done before my birthday in December. My first impulse was to just ignore this item and not even try. I didn’t think I could do it even if I wanted to. In fact, I challenged the possibility that anyone could do it. I messaged my friend Jodie on Facebook to see if she had attempted this item from her list, expecting a negative reply. Instead, she informed me that yes, she had done it several times, and it helped her lose the pregnancy weight.<br />
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Ouch. What was I going to say? “No, my body really needs sugar to support all of this weight I gained during pregnancy...” It was on. I wanted to do this before the holidays, so I jumped right in. I limited myself to eliminating refined sugar. Here are some of the things I learned during the past month:<br />
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-First, sugar is in everything. Reading labels is essential because it is in seemingly healthy items too. Almost all of our cereal, our balsamic dressing, even our natural peanut butter had sugar in them.<br />
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-Cravings for sugar supposedly go away after 2 weeks. Not true for me. Constant craving went away after about 10 days, but then cravings came and went throughout the month. Some days I was glad I was doing this no sugar thing because I felt I didn’t need it. Some days I thought it was the stupidest thing ever and I was irritable because all I wanted was a brownie with walnuts or a slice of apple pie. I suspect hormones have a lot to do with why we as women crave what we crave and the timing of our cravings.<br />
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-My lifesaver was a smoothie made with frozen bananas, unsweetened almond milk, and cocoa powder. I'm not sure I could have gotten through some days without this pick-me-up!<br />
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-I have a big fear of failure. I had many dreams in which I unthinkingly indulged in dessert and then felt horrified that I had fallen short of my goal.<br />
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-I have a food addiction, like most Americans. I love flour+sugar. It makes me happy. It also makes me fat when indulged in too often. At the same time, baking and sharing is part of how I nurture and connect with other people, and I don’t think I need to give it up permanently. There do need to be limits, however, and I have been thinking a lot about what those limits should be in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle. When I return to eating sugar, my new goal is to only indulge on the weekends or special occasions.<br />
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Conclusion: I can't say that giving up refined sugar improved my mood. I may have felt more stable on average, but I also felt irritable a lot. Going without refined sugar did help me lose weight. So far, I’ve lost over 40 pounds since I gave birth about 3 months ago. I have more I want to lose, and I hope that my new sugar limitations will serve my purposes well.<br />
Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-36310622049805971102013-09-11T20:11:00.004-07:002013-09-11T20:11:57.836-07:00Winter Squash and Sage PastaTwo weeks ago, I was visiting one of my favorite farm stands at the West Sacramento Farmer's Market, <a href="http://www.anewfarm.com/collections/moon-river-farm" target="_blank">Moon River Farm</a>. The farmer, Sara, was selling some beautiful, smooth-skinned butternut squashes. It was a hot August day and I thought it seemed a bit early for me to be making squash, which seems so autumn-y. After all, tomato season seems to last through September in Sacramento. But the squashes were so lovely, and the farmer, Sara, told me that it would keep on the counter for several weeks.<br />
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Sure enough, my squash was still in good shape today when I got around to chopping it up. I've been wanting to try a certain winter squash recipe ever since I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Quarter-Acre-Farm-Patio-Family/dp/1580053408/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1378954178&sr=8-1&keywords=the+quarter+acre+farm" target="_blank">The Quarter Acre Farm</a> by Spring Warren, who lives about 30 minutes away from me in Davis, CA. The dish is a deconstructed version of butternut squash raviolis, only much simpler. For my take on it, I attempted to make it healthier, too, by cutting back the butter and cheese and using whole wheat, organic noodles. To add more flavor, I roasted my squash extra long, until the edges were brown and the squash was decidedly caramelized. The end result of my experimentation still felt indulgent and was totally delicious.<br />
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And can I just say- roasted, caramelized butternut squash, where have you been all my life?! Oh... probably sitting on the shelf because I was too intimidated to cut you up and too lazy to prepare you. I'm just glad that I've found you now, especially with fall and winter coming up. This could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.<br />
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<b>Winter Squash and Sage Pasta</b></div>
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4-6 cups any winter squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes</div>
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1-2 cups sage leaves</div>
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8 oz. whole wheat pasta (I used penne)</div>
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1/2-1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese</div>
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1/2 cube butter</div>
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2 T. brown sugar or honey</div>
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olive oil</div>
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees.</div>
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Place the cubes of squash into a bowl. Drizzle squash with olive oil and sugar or honey. Stir until the moisture from the squash and the other ingredients form a thick juice to envelope each squash cube.</div>
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Pour the squash onto a lipped cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil, spreading the squash into a single layer. Place in oven and roast until squash is tender on the inside and browned on the outside, about 40 minutes. Put squash on the counter to cool slightly.</div>
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Melt the butter in a saucepan, adding your sage leaves. Allow the butter to barely bubble and cook the sage leaves until crispy, about 15-20 minutes.</div>
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Meanwhile, cook the pasta as the directions indicate. When the pasta is cooked and drained, place it in a large bowl. Add your butter/sage and a large handful of Parmesan. Toss together. Place the squash over the top of the pasta (to avoid having it gravitate to the bottom of the bowl). Serve with a green salad if desired. Mangia!</div>
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Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-37896846132550084752013-09-04T10:13:00.003-07:002013-09-04T10:13:47.053-07:00Summer HighlightsThe last time I blogged, summer was just beginning. Now it's (more or less) over! I can honestly say that it has been a summer unlike any other. Here are a few of the highlights of my summer, beginning where I left off: with tomatoes.<br />
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We got so many tomatoes from the garden this year! Here's a picture of one early harvest:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRRphDCt0tn6SKIi77LNa2z_H5vVydB0BJyYMZiuFuFthF_O2-66M_e2qlhDPqi-OO-bY3ac7gQIzaSNg1QeeshYWw4xdamzlCCa2TKfs8qot7KgX3ZAvfJxuOYlb5gh3bTfLtYA1ww/s1600/IMG_20130628_140936.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRRRphDCt0tn6SKIi77LNa2z_H5vVydB0BJyYMZiuFuFthF_O2-66M_e2qlhDPqi-OO-bY3ac7gQIzaSNg1QeeshYWw4xdamzlCCa2TKfs8qot7KgX3ZAvfJxuOYlb5gh3bTfLtYA1ww/s640/IMG_20130628_140936.jpg" /> </a></div>
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The tomatoes would become salads, like the one below (with basil, peppers, and garlic from the garden, and olive oil, chevre and sea salt from the Farmer's Market):<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3imCSOWGXoTeH7C3PwVEap_0DFyxtxJzNTpcA_qM0mW-466CigqictyVr_MRAbJaaEfAHsB2ztYK36SQ_VgXWw822Hv5B15QUKilg-MGbBtED3gpPudwlIqg9WZhK7izRCgWpXFB8-A/s1600/IMG_20130707_182026.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3imCSOWGXoTeH7C3PwVEap_0DFyxtxJzNTpcA_qM0mW-466CigqictyVr_MRAbJaaEfAHsB2ztYK36SQ_VgXWw822Hv5B15QUKilg-MGbBtED3gpPudwlIqg9WZhK7izRCgWpXFB8-A/s640/IMG_20130707_182026.jpg" /></a></div>
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And, more recently, when we had too many tomatoes to eat them all fresh and wanted to store some for later, we experimented with homemade sun-dried tomatoes on the dehydrator:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjliI7mgA74xNwPV1KqCBAPhpe0F5spYyBsL5CrN5xSOqtbC5vvMfuuV8AgUKGLhDOsKl10Ai494Uvf3pyGlxqQK3ua6m3UlPPhHo5EmnwBUYaUJ0nwnffakypshv9so58iDNmUjfvluQ/s1600/IMG_20130903_101959.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjliI7mgA74xNwPV1KqCBAPhpe0F5spYyBsL5CrN5xSOqtbC5vvMfuuV8AgUKGLhDOsKl10Ai494Uvf3pyGlxqQK3ua6m3UlPPhHo5EmnwBUYaUJ0nwnffakypshv9so58iDNmUjfvluQ/s640/IMG_20130903_101959.jpg" /></a> </div>
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We got an unexpected first harvest of golden raspberries (since we didn't expect any berries until next summer on our still-young raspberry canes):</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHUSrH9JOcL3pc5gD3Mnj2i9WC0IKZ-e6ukrAG9mpfsbgyKd3u1hsZfjs_6DSAv5j2im0vfWlYopTgCLMgAKvz57AZBToljGdFYo4_gbBmwtb3J1QC1om5i72dsEAayc3YtSB7L9fjA/s1600/IMG_20130723_094104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHUSrH9JOcL3pc5gD3Mnj2i9WC0IKZ-e6ukrAG9mpfsbgyKd3u1hsZfjs_6DSAv5j2im0vfWlYopTgCLMgAKvz57AZBToljGdFYo4_gbBmwtb3J1QC1om5i72dsEAayc3YtSB7L9fjA/s640/IMG_20130723_094104.jpg" /> </a></div>
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One fun aspect of maternity leave was having a few (very few) opportunities to experience things that go on during the week when I'm usually stuck at work. For example, the Capitol Farmer's Market, which was scenic and delightful:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjan8JbivJpxcxrU4MObQ9XLGMU41qZ34-auiOXGKpazdQG6-nJ70gi3gnPYyMwqIvP7d1hQ5hpCVw4lbrrm_I5BlbMgkHnaIIBswXDFGKnAlzck-pqgQqMJPZEw_A4M_cyL6kOawGx6A/s1600/IMG_20130725_114224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjan8JbivJpxcxrU4MObQ9XLGMU41qZ34-auiOXGKpazdQG6-nJ70gi3gnPYyMwqIvP7d1hQ5hpCVw4lbrrm_I5BlbMgkHnaIIBswXDFGKnAlzck-pqgQqMJPZEw_A4M_cyL6kOawGx6A/s640/IMG_20130725_114224.jpg" /> </a></div>
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Another rewarding aspect of maternity leave was having an adorable baby (see below). This, by the way, was my #30 on my "30 before 30" list. I didn't do much else on the list this summer; this item was a full-time job! :-)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjliI7mgA74xNwPV1KqCBAPhpe0F5spYyBsL5CrN5xSOqtbC5vvMfuuV8AgUKGLhDOsKl10Ai494Uvf3pyGlxqQK3ua6m3UlPPhHo5EmnwBUYaUJ0nwnffakypshv9so58iDNmUjfvluQ/s1600/IMG_20130903_101959.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a>Finally, I couldn't let summer end without making a peach pie. We're headed to Apple Hill this weekend, ready to usher in fall with some apple picking! </div>
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Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-53492586579012050552013-06-09T14:29:00.005-07:002013-06-09T14:29:44.587-07:00June 8th GardenHere are some shots from the garden as of today. This year my focus was on tomatoes, as you will see, and many of them are doing well.<br />
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I do have some pole beans growing up some chicken wire - here's a future bean:<br />
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And some cucumbers also growing up the chicken wire:</div>
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And now for the tomatoes: San Marzanos - </div>
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Green Zebra tomatoes- </div>
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Black Krims, always excellent producers: </div>
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Jaune Flamme tomatoes, looking gorgeous and turning color already (they'll eventually be orange): </div>
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I don't even know what this is is because I lost the label in the transplantation process... but look how huge it is already! </div>
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Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-62367626457657325992013-06-01T20:44:00.002-07:002013-06-01T20:44:37.001-07:00Napa and Sonoma: One Last Trip for Two (For Awhile)!We spent a glorious day in Napa and Sonoma this weekend. It was one last trip we wanted to take with just the two of us, since I am officially due this month! We already did the olive oil tasting and vineyard thing back <a href="http://insearchofthefinerthings.blogspot.com/2010/05/napa-sans-wine.html" target="_blank">here</a>, so this time we went with a more historical focus, included Sonoma and Glen Ellen this time, and plenty of good food too. <br />
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We started at Napa Valley Biscuits, which opened last year and was featured in this month's <i>Sunset</i> magazine.<br />
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<br />The place was hopping on a Saturday morning, and for good reason. Everything we had was delicious, and what we saw that we didn't get, we wanted to return and order next time. We split the Yardbird (biscuit, fried chicken, bacon, and gravy):<br />
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and the Pappy (crispy waffles, fried chicken, bacon, red pepper jelly, and maple syrup for dipping):<br />
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When we come back, we would love to try some of the other menu items like homemade cinnamon rolls and a from-scratch twist on a ding dong. On to Oxbow market, which was looking lovely and had a Farmer's Market in the parking lot (where we bought the sweetest Sugartime peaches and apriums to take home).<br />
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Also, we wanted to try the famous English muffins at Model Bakery. They are supposed to be the world's best, and we plan to see how they taste tomorrow at breakfast.<br />
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The Fatted Calf, because my husband can't resist artisan cured meats:<br />
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From there, we took off for Sonoma through the vineyards:<br />
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Once we arrived, we started by visiting the Sonoma Mission, the most northern of all the missions in California:<br />
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In the garden, they had this prickly pear bush. The fruits didn't look very prickly but I discovered that they in fact are covered in little tiny, microscopic thorns. Look, don't touch, people!<br />
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Then we walked to what had sounded like a nearby historical site, the Vallejo House, but which turned into a 2-mile trek in blistering heat. I recommend driving there, especially if you happen to be 8 months pregnant. No pictures because I was too focused on not getting heat stroke, but after my husband rescued me by fetching the car to retrieve me, and reviving me with ice water and AC, we moved on to our next destination: Jack London State Park in Glen Ellen.<br />
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I remember reading "To Build a Fire" in school, and of course I'd heard of "Call of the Wild" and "White Fang", but I didn't know much about Jack London before today. Turns out, Jack London was quite an interesting and ambitious character, his life colorful and thrilling, though brief. After reaching commercial success through his writing of adventure books and short stories, he bought over 100 acres of land in Glen Ellen, including this old winery building:<br />
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Besides using the cottage next door as a country escape from city life in his hometown of Oakland, London sought to create a self-sustaining agricultural model here, including terraced vineyards, pigs, horses, cattle, winery, blacksmith shop, you name it! Here are some of the grounds of his old property today:<br />
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We also got to tour the cottage where he died of kidney failure at the age of 40. He had picked up a tropical disease while sailing the South Pacific islands (cause that's how he rolled) and used mercury to treat it, which destroyed his kidneys. His heavy drinking and smoking didn't help either. But he certainly had an impressive life, and it was fascinating to learn more about him at this park.<br />
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Hungry after hiking around all of these sites, we returned to Sonoma for an early dinner at the famous restaurant in Sonoma Plaza called The Girl and the Fig, where we ordered this amazing cheese and fruit platter:<br />
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I felt justified in ordering this wonderful sirloin burger with housemade pickles and aioli for the French fries. All that hiking, you know.<br />
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And for dessert, we split the vanilla bean profiteroles with bittersweet chocolate sauce.<br />
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Conclusion: Flawless food and great ambiance at the Girl and the Fig. It's acclaimed for a reason and I would love to return again.<br />
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With that, we returned home to take delightfully cold showers and ponder how trips will be different when there are three of us, and look forward to the day that we can share all of the wonderful culture and beauty of Northern California with our daughter.<br />
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Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-46891556815363383802013-05-21T22:27:00.004-07:002013-05-21T22:27:58.561-07:005 weeks left!I only have about 5.5 weeks left till my due date, which is, of course, making me feel like I need to make a pre-baby bucket list. Quick, time to go to the movies and eat at nice restaurants and go on spontaneous trips and... all that other stuff you don't have time for with a newborn. Of course, we're also bracing for the medical bills too, so that keeps our spending in check.<br />
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Just wanted to do a quick update with some more items from my "30 before 30" list.<br />
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#5 Read 30 books - So far I am on book #21 of 30, "Fever" by Mary Beth Keane, a fascinating historical fiction piece about Typhoid Mary. It is the next selection for our book club. Speaking of which..<br />
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#21 Host 5 book club meetings - I have my third one scheduled for June, a week before my due date. Assuming the baby doesn't come early, that should be fun!<br />
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#20 Invite 12 people/families over for dinner - We have done plenty of entertaining this year already and have had many people over! Even more are coming this weekend for Memorial Day.<br />
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#9 Participate in 3 service projects - Finished this one. I was able to participate in two drives for a local crisis shelter and a huge, amazing project beautifying a series of run down, neglected neighborhood parks in South Sacramento. This last one also qualified for...</div>
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#8 Beautify a public space. (Picture below of all the participants in one parking congregating for a project kick off.)</div>
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#26 Try 3 new types of food- Bet you thought this would be the first item I finished, but I've actually only tried 2 new types of food so far: Russian, and, more recently, Salvadorian. I enjoyed the pupusas and trying Salvadorian horchata, but the pineapple tamale (pictured below) was my favorite. I think Turkish may be my next (and last) one (although I admit that all Mediterranean foods seem very similar to me)!<br />
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<span id="goog_295955756"></span><span id="goog_295955757"></span><br />Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-14695163418885443102013-05-13T20:31:00.001-07:002013-05-13T20:31:10.574-07:00Chocolate Oreo Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Chocolate? Store-bought cookies? This recipe is clearly not the norm for me, but sometimes you do what you gotta do for your mom on Mother's Day. And frankly, everyone in the family loved this pie, so I need to write down the recipe because it has a high likelihood of being requested again next year!<br />
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Note: This pie is a lot like those lazy pudding pies people used to make back in 90's, only in this version, everything is homemade... Except the Oreos, because I'm ambitious, but not THAT ambitious! <br />
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<b>Chocolate Oreo Pie</b><br />
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<b>Crust</b>:<br />
24 Oreo cookies, finely crushed <br />
1/4 c. butter, melted<br />
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Crush Oreos in food processor until finely ground. Add melted butter and press into a pie pan.<br />
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<b>Filling</b>:<br />
1 1/3 c. sugar<br />
1/2 c. cocoa powder (I used dark)<br />
6 T. cornstarch<br />
1/2 tsp. salt<br />
3 1/3 c. milk<br />
4 T. butter, cut into cubes<br />
2 tsp. vanilla<br />
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Combine dry ingredients in a medium-large saucepan and gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a slow boil, and whisk constantly one minute. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter and vanilla until smooth. Pour filling into crust and chill at least 4 hours. When completely cool, top with:<br />
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<b>Topping</b>:<br />
1 pint sweetened whipped cream<br />
12 Oreo cookies, crushed but still a little chunky<br />
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Spread whipped cream over the top of the pie and sprinkle the chunky Oreo crumbs evenly over the top. Press down lightly on the crumbs to set them, then chill pie until ready to serve.<br />
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Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-42867980104189112652013-04-10T23:03:00.001-07:002013-04-10T23:03:17.718-07:00Big Sur: Check!One thing I love about living in California is the repeated experience of discovering something new and wondering: "How have I lived in this state my whole life and never been here before?!" Such was the case in Big Sur.<br />
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We drove up from Southern California through Solvang, a Danish community that makes you feel like you're in the Old World. Great bakeries, especially if you like almond paste-filled pastries, which I do! The town also includes the Santa Ines mission, which we got to tour (below). Some day I hope to visit all the California missions! <br />
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Then we continued north to Big Sur, a place so beautiful, I couldn't believe that it was my first time visiting, especially since it's only about 3.5 hours from Sacramento.<br />
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We began our day at Pfeiffer Beach, the first place I have ever encountered purple sand. Check it out!<br />
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Then we hiked to a vista overlook of the breathtaking McWay Waterfall. Here was the clearest water I have ever seen on the California coast, and I couldn't stop taking pictures of it.<br />
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Finally, we ate lunch at Cafe Kevah and dinner at Nepenthe, two adjoining restaurants famous for their shared world-class view of the Big Sur coastline. For once, I neglected to take pictures of my food (although it was very, very good) in lieu of soaking in and photographing the view instead!<br />
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Bottom line: Big Sur should be on everyone's bucket list of places to see. As for me, I look forward to my next trip there!Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-27181033656102463652013-03-28T11:35:00.001-07:002013-03-28T11:35:52.021-07:00My First Quarter ProgressJust wanted to include an update on my 30 before 30 list! I haven’t forgotten about my list and am chipping away at it, despite having my first baby shower last weekend and going out of town this weekend for Easter. <br />
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Here’s what I’ve done so far (or will within the week):<br />
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#6 Go to 3 new places. Going to Big Sur on this trip, which is my second new place after Bolinas.<br />
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#14 - Go on a road trip! Driving down to Southern California to visit family and then back up through Big Sur! Blog post to follow.<br />
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#19 Take 12 self-portraits. I’ve been taking weekly pictures of my pregnancy, so I’ve already met this one. <br />
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#18 Sing in public 3 times - done! Last week in church I sang for the third time, before my diaphragm can shrink too small to get any sound out.<br />
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#28 Write a biography of my grandma’s childhood - done! I loved learning more about her upbringing in Portugal in the 1920's and her family’s immigration to America.<br />
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#10 Do something with the retreat in our house. The conversion to a nursery is almost complete!Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-6281985171779690352013-03-05T16:21:00.004-08:002013-03-05T16:22:45.954-08:00Carrot Ginger Muffins<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Sigh. How I love muffins. They freeze well and make a perfect breakfast or snack on the go. They're easy to make and easy to make healthy! I just can't get enough.<br />
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Several months ago, I received the quarterly newspaper from my local Natural Foods Co-Op and right away, hungrily eyed a recipe for Ginger Carrot Muffins. I liked that it used carrots, which are always available and cheap, and as for ginger, I'm always hearing about how good it is for you. Last night I finally got around to making them and it was worth the wait. <br />
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I loved the way these muffins smelled, that spicy ginger and a touch of citrus. I used my food processor to make quick work of the carrot grating. Peeling the carrots and ginger is optional but not necessary. The texture was great as is, but next time I will for sure add some candied ginger and walnuts. The chunkier, the better, as far as I'm concerned. I tweaked the original recipe a little; here is my my version. The recipe made 18 muffins, enough for several weeks of breakfast and snacks. Hooray!<br />
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<b>Ginger Carrot Muffins</b><br />
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3/4 c. white sugar<br />
3/4 c. brown sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
1.5 t. vanilla extract<br />
Zest and juice of 1 orange<br />
2/3 c. milk <br />
1 t. fresh ginger<br />
8 T. butter, melted (1 cube) <br />
3 c. whole wheat pastry flour<br />
2 t. baking soda<br />
1/2 t. salt<br />
2 t. cinnamon<br />
3 c. grated carrots (about 5-6)<br />
1/4 c. candied ginger (chopped) (optional)<br />
1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional) <br />
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Preheat the oven to 350F. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugars, eggs, vanilla, orange zest and juice, milk and ginger until well combined. Stir in melted butter.<br />
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In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Mix to combine. Add grated carrot and optional candied ginger and walnuts (if using) and stir to coat. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in liquid mixture. With a wooden spoon, stir until combined and moistened. Do not overmix.<br />
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Spray a muffin tin with nonstick spray or line cups with paper liners. Divide batter evenly among the cups. (Mine made 18.) Bake on the middle rack until muffins are golden brown, and top of the muffins bounce back when you press on them - about 20-25 minutes.<br />
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Set on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the tin and let them cool another 10 minutes (if you can wait that long- I couldn't!).<br />
<br />Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-78568037599677661842013-03-02T17:50:00.000-08:002013-03-02T17:50:17.047-08:00Hidden Falls Regional Park in AuburnI'm quite pleased that I have been making progress on my "30 Before 30" list despite being a week away from 6 months pregnant. I've been fortunate to enjoy good health and decent energy levels so far. It turns out that my list, instead of being a distraction from preparing for the baby, has been a great way for us to make the most of our time together before the baby comes.<br />
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When I was making the list, I remembered a friend several years back telling me about a hike up in Auburn that ended in a waterfall. Since I had always wanted to go, I thought I'd throw that on my list.<br />
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This weekend the weather was to be gorgeous with highs in the low 70s, and I knew this was our chance to get outside and enjoy it. The drive up to Auburn took about an hour from Sacramento and took us through some pretty ranches and this hill covered in daffodils:<br />
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The hike itself took us through rolling green hills that contrasted with red soil trails and early spring wildflowers:</div>
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About 45 minutes into our hike, we arrived at a nice overlook on the hidden falls. It overflowed into a rather still wading pool area that looked like, come summertime, it would be a fun place for kids to splash around in.<br />
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Just in case you suspected me of handing my camera off to a more vigorous hiker to get the previous shot, here is another one proving I actually did hike my own self in and back:<br />
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After the hike was over, we stopped for lunch at Tsuda's Eatery in Downtown Auburn, which boasted great sandwiches and nice ambiance.<br />
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I'd like to return and explore of downtown Auburn. I'm fascinating by towns with history behind them. Walking to the cafe, we passed what looked like the beautiful remains of a decaying cellar. <br />
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And one of the best parts about Northern California in early March is seeing cherry trees in blossom. Tell me, is there a more stunning sight than a tree covered in those pale pink blossoms? Here's to early springs and lots of hiking in the future!<br />
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<br />Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-5215113842959593202013-02-20T22:14:00.001-08:002013-02-21T08:29:31.840-08:00It's February, and I Miss Tomatoes...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
...And therefore, I am busy planning my garden for this summer! I already started my tomatoes, peppers and eggplants a few weeks ago, as pictured above. This year, I used peat pellets, two grow lights, a heated mat, and occasionally a fan (which is supposed to strengthen the stems). I have been able to successfully germinate each seed I wanted to try, which is a HUGE improvement over last year when I got maybe 3 total! The grow lights have made a world of difference, since I don't have what you would call a "sunny window" in my house.<br />
<br />
So speaking of tomatoes, I'm doing all heirlooms again. Here's what I have growing this year, by color (those I've never grown before marked with an asterisk):<br />
<br />
<b>Green</b>:<br />
Aunt Ruby’s German Green*<br />
Green Zebra<br />
<br />
<b>Black</b>:<br />
Paul Robeson*<br />
Black Krim<br />
Black Cherry* <br />
<br />
<b>Red</b>:<br />
San Marzano<br />
Costoluto*<br />
Riesentraube* <br />
<br />
<b>Yellow</b>:<br />
Taxi*<br />
<br />
<b>Orange</b>:<br />
Jaune Flamme*<br />
<br />
I'm already having visions of <a href="http://insearchofthefinerthings.blogspot.com/2010/08/simple-bruschetta.html" target="_blank">Bruschetta</a> and fat BLTs dance through my brain! Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-58306486808208007482013-02-18T20:21:00.000-08:002013-02-18T20:21:30.890-08:00The Best New York Cheesecake
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times;"> New York Cheesecake</span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times;">From <a href="http://www.gilttaste.com/stories/5227-how-to-make-a-better-cheesecake" target="_blank">Gilt Taste</a></span></strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Confession: I'm n<span style="font-size: small;">ot much of </span>a cheesecake fan. It always seemed too dense, too rich, liable to sit in my stomach like a brick for about a day. When a Cheesecake Factory opened up locally, I tried a slice once or twice, but overall, remained unimpressed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Then, recently, I stumbled upon a recipe for New York Cheesecake from Ruth Reichl, and my interest was piqued. As a big fan of the food writer and former editor of <i>Gourmet</i> magazine, I knew if anybody could share a good recipe for cheesecake, it was this long-time New Yorker. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I was not disappointed. Cream cheese made without gum was expensive, so I only did 1 part of that to 2 parts of traditional cream cheese. Someday I'll splurge and make the whole thing with that creamy, crumbly, heavenly substance, but even <span style="font-size: small;">a little </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">natural, gum-free<span style="font-size: small;"> </span>cream cheese </span></span>made a huge difference.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I served <span style="font-size: small;">my</span> cheesecake at a New York-themed book club party and everyone voted it the best cheesecake ever, from the crispy-sweet crust to the creamy, smooth, double-layered filling. We devoured it happily and quickly. Thanks, Ruth! I knew you wouldn't let me down!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times;">New York Cheesecake</span></strong> <br /><em><span style="font-family: Times;">Recipe by Ruth Reichl </span></em></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><em><span style="font-family: Times;">Serves 12-16</span></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times;">For the crust</span></strong><br />
1½ cups chocolate wafer or graham cracker crumbs (about 6 ounces)<br />
½ cup melted butter<br />
¼ cup sugar<br />
pinch salt</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times;">For the filling</span></strong><br />
1½ pounds cream cheese, preferably without gum, at room temperature<br />
1 cup sugar<br />
4 eggs<br />
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla paste</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times;">For the topping</span></strong><br />
2 cups sour cream<br />
2 tablespoons sugar<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla paste</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times;">Bake the crust: </span></strong>Preheat oven to 350
degrees. Mix the cookie crumbs with the sugar and the melted butter and press
into bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Put into the freezer for 15
minutes (it will keep here, covered, for a couple of months). Bake for 10
minutes, just to crisp the crust. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees, and set
the springform pan in a larger pan to catch any drips.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times;">Make and bake the filling: </span></strong>Beat the
cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Pour into crust and bake
50 minutes, or until the cheese is set on the edges, but still a bit wobbly in
the middle. (Depending on your oven, this can take up to an hour or more; just
be patient and check every 5 minutes or so.) Remove from the oven (leave oven
on) and cool for about 10 minutes on a wire rack.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times;">Top and bake again: </span></strong>Stir together the
sour cream, sugar and vanilla and spread over cooled cake. Return to oven for
12 minutes until glossy. Topping will set as the cake cools.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><strong><span style="font-family: Times;">Chill: </span></strong>Cool completely, cover, and
chill in the refrigerator at least 8 hours.</span></div>
Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7453606307033982840.post-26018254146566868112013-02-11T20:13:00.001-08:002013-02-11T20:13:19.767-08:00Cuban Black Beans and Rice
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">When it comes to cheap meals, beans and rice is a favorite around here. We usually do a Cilantro<span style="font-size: small;">-Lime Rice and Cafe Rio Black Beans<span style="font-size: small;">, which are amazing by the <span style="font-size: small;">way<span style="font-size: small;">, but take a little bit more effort than my pregnant self was quite willing to muster up tonight.</span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">For this Meatless Monday, I <span style="font-size: small;">opted to</span> try <span style="font-size: small;">an</span> easy-looking Cuban Black Beans with Rice. I was pleased to find that <span style="font-size: small;">the <span style="font-size: small;">recipe</span></span> was not only quick (ready in about 30 <span style="font-size: small;">minutes), but</span> came out looking almost exactly like the picture. I used brown rice instead of white, and instead of radishes, I topped ours with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">This meal was a good reminder to me that sometimes the simple things in life are the most satisfying. I want to be sure to remember this recipe the next time I'm in need of a dead simple and delicious dinner.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Cuban Black Beans and Rice</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;"><a href="http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/cuban-black-beans-rice-00000000008561/index.html" target="_blank">Real Simple </a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">1
cup brown rice</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">1
tablespoon olive oil</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">1
onion, chopped</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">1
bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch pieces</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">2
cloves garlic, chopped</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0.1pt 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">kosher
salt and black pepper</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">1
teaspoon ground cumin</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">2
15.5-ounce cans black beans, rinsed</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">1
teaspoon dried oregano</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">1
tablespoon red wine vinegar</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">4
radishes, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used a dollop of plain Greek yogurt as a garnish)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">1/4
cup fresh cilantro </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span style="font-family: Times;">Directions </span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Cook
the rice according to the package directions.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Meanwhile,
heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add
the onion, bell pepper, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and
cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Stir
in the cumin and cook for 1 minute. Add
the beans, oregano, and 1 cup water. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: small;">Add
the vinegar. Smash some of the beans with a potato masher to thicken. Serve
over the rice. Top with the radishes and cilantro. Makes 4 servings.</span></span></div>
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Stacy G.http://www.blogger.com/profile/14631291186172878135noreply@blogger.com4