It Ought to be Enjoyed

More tomatoes

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on August 4, 2008 9:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

But not a tomato picture...since I've been pretty bad with the food photography lately. More time spent just wanting to sit down and eat then taking pictures of the food. So instead a picture of the dog, since I've been having fun playing with B&W photography again.

As for the tomatoes...lucky enough to have more of the tomatoes fresh from the garden. Tonight they were made into turkey burgers.

Cut about a cup of cherry tomatoes in half, in a non-stick pan over high heat cook them with a diced onion for about 3 minutes, then toss in 2 or 3 minced cloves of garlic. Mix half the onion mixture with ground turkey, salt, pepper, thyme (or any other seasoning), a good splash of wine, and you can sneak some cheese into the center of the burger before making them into patties. Cook for 30 seconds on one side, then flip and cook for 5 minutes, flip and cook for another 5 minutes. Top with remaining onion mixture. And you've got some tasty burgers thanks to the Splendid Table cookbook.

(The other tomato recipe...even easier, and just as tasty. Seed then chop three tomatoes into 1/4 inch dice, coarsely chop a handful or two of pitted Kalamata olives, a good bit of fresh thyme, maybe 1/4 c of olive oil, 1 Tbsp of balsamic, toss onto pasta. Done! And much happiness ensues if it is too hot to do any other type of cooking.)

Things Come Together

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roy

on July 31, 2008 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Sometimes when you are too tired to really want to cook anything, everything falls into place to make the meal itself. The last of the basil from the CSA had been made into pesto, a chicken breast that needed to be used, and fresh cherry tomatoes from a coworker that is just beginning to enter into the "tomato surplus" part of summer.

All pulls together into a might nice and very satisfying supper.

The non-recipe is as follows: grill one chicken breast, lightly seasones with salt, pepper, and olive oil.

Bring water to boil, salt water fairly liberally. Add fresh pasta to boiling water (for 3 to 3-1/2 minutes).

In bowl put half tablespoon pesto, toss in pasta, toss on top another half tablespoon of pesto. Toss in 5 or 6 halved cherry tomatoes, and the sliced chicken breast. Toss to coat. Forget about the dishes until tomorrow morning.

Birthday Cupcakes

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roy

on July 28, 2008 8:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

And before I forget, I did manage to make some birthday cupcakes for one of my co-workers. Who of course wasn't at work on their birthday.

Anyways, they were plain vanilla cupcakes with vanilla buttercream...which is no indication of their recipient who I wouldn't categorize as vanilla in any way. Sadly, while the recipe is normally a winner, I was not bowled over by the outcome this time around.

Too many sleepless nights

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roy

on July 28, 2008 8:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

It has been a whirlwind of long days and not so restful nights, which has made it a challenge to keep writing...not to say that cooking and other things haven't been happening. Have been making some really good pizzas of late, but no pictures. So instead, a bit of the things that have happened in the past.

I was lucky enough to attend an amazing wedding, filled with great people, joyous singing, and lots of love and happiness. Couldn't really ask for more then that...although I would have done with a bit less sun. I didn't get burnt but I did look like a big geek with my splotchy all natural sunscreen.

Here is one of the views from where the wedding was held. We do live in a gorgeous area, although sadly it was all a bit grey and hazy from the wildfires.

An Unexpected Blonde

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roy

on July 7, 2008 5:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Maybe it is too many Raymond Chandler novels, or the fact that I took a class called Dick Fiction in the wacky heydays of UC Santa Cruz, but a mysterious blonde hiding something seemed appropo.

I decided it would be something other than zucchini bread, but who would have expected a dame like her to walk in. (and that is where I stop my hard boiled detective writing...before anyone gets hurt or embarrassed)

A tip of the hat to the Gardeners' Community Cookbook for the idea...

Zucchini Blondie

Preheat oven to 350

1/2 stick of butter, some (1tsp - 1tbs) fruity olive oil, 2 tsp water all melted together

mix in 1c dark brown sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp vanilla, some fresh ground nutmeg

Sift together 1c flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 3/8 tsp baking soda.

Stir in dry ingredients.

Stir in 1/3c chopped walnuts.

Stir in 1 medium zucchini peeled and 1/4-inch diced.

Sprinkle top with butterscotch chips.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy an ice cold gimlet. Wait for trouble.

Summer Bounty

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roy

on July 4, 2008 11:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Nectarines, raspberries, strawberries, zuchinni, squash, apricots...and those are just some of the stuff that has landed in the house. Summer always seems to be an influx of fruits and vegetables. Had way, way too many nectarines in the house and have been subjecting co-workers to nectarine raspberry muffins. I have to confess that I think I've found my new favorite muffin recipe in The Sweet Melissa Baking Book. The Sweet Muffin basic recipe is great, lets you add any fruit that you want and has all the right muffin qualities, dense, moist and never tries to be a cupcake masquerading as a muffin. Now I just have to find the time to try the Savory Muffin recipe...I'm thinking some Rouge Creamery Maple Smoked chevre and crisp pancetta.

Also note in the photo, some zucchini-pumpkin bread made by one of my co-workers. It makes me very happy that her zucchini plant is amok and out of control, since we get to reap the rewards.

Nectarine Raspberry Muffins

(adapted from "The Sweet Melissa Baking Book")

Whoopie!

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roy

on June 30, 2008 6:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

The first time I made Whoopie Pies I remember thinking that these were completely over-the-top and decadent. There is no way an individual should eat an entire Whoopie Pie on their own, yet everyone did. They are perfect when you want to communicate an excess of emotion. (Of course in certain circumstances the only cookies that can work are "The Cookies That Talk" but that is an entirely different story.)

So when a friend said that she had gotten a new job, this seemed the best way to send her off from where we worked.

Chocolate Whoopie Pies with Raspberry Marshmallow filling

They were tasty.

And messy.

Exactly what they were supposed to be.

Cantaloupe Tonight, Dear

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roy

on June 29, 2008 8:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Does anyone else remember that punch line?

Knock Knock

Who's there?

Cantaloupe

Cantaloupe, who?

Or was that just another of those random things that occurred in the weird nexus that was rural California?

I thought I would try my hand at sending something in to this month's cupcake hero. The theme was melon. So here it is:

Cinnamon Cupcakes with Cantaloupe Buttercream

Cantaloupe Buttercream

Puree flesh of 1 cantaloupe, strain through cheesecloth. Reduce over low heat until thick and syrupy (about by 1/2). Chill.

Mix 1 egg, 1 egg yolk until lightened in color, foamy, and increasing in volume.

Mix cantaloupe and 1c sugar in saucepan and heat until 220F.

Add cantaloupe syrup to eggs while mixer is mixing (slowly so as not to cook the eggs).

Mix at medium speed until egg/cantaloupe mixture is room temperature.

Slowly beat in 3 sticks unsalted butter that are at room temperature.

Makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes. The cupcakes were sprinkled with a cinnamon/powder sugar mix.

Rolling out Dough

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roy

on June 15, 2008 9:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Tried making some new cookies today, and well...life is easier if you have enough room to roll out your dough. It sounds like that should be one of those Quotable Quotes you read in Reader's Digest or the like, I know. But honestly, it is a true statement.

A small marble slab and a batch of too sticky dough, makes for a frustrating baking experience.

Add to it a housemate who is quietly angry and puppy that's hunger is amped up on prednisone and you have a situation where no matter how tasty the end result...the getting there just wasn't worth it.

The house of my dreams has a countertop large enough to roll out any pie dough or cookie dough that I may decide to work on. (as an aside, breads and pastas better damn well look out as well)