Food
Winding Down to September
It’s the last full week of summer vacation for school kids, parents, and teachers. And the beginning of what is often the best month of the year in the Northwest. Ironic, isn’t it? Just when many people have to get back into the routine of the school year, the weather improves. But even if we’ll […]
Lazy, Hazy Days
Some summer, huh? Hottest on record in the ‘Couve not because of daytime temps but the heat at night. Maybe some cooler temps this week but… So, just in case the cool-down doesn’t get here, how about something sweet, juicy and cool to share with your partner on a warm evening? Summer fruits are plentiful […]
I’m Here; You’re There
It’s a bit harder this morning to get my head into a recipe for a romantic meal when it’s warm—I’m at the coast where the heat wave will be 68 degrees; the romance is the sound of the ocean; the menu includes house made Ding Dongs from Blackfish Cafe in Lincoln City. But I’ll try. […]
Summer Sizzle III
It’s almost the end of July already. How’s your summer been? Busy? No time to spend with your favorite person? That’s not good, is it? Because if ever a season was meant for hanging out with a loved one, kicking back with nothing to do but enjoying their company, it’s summer. So, change it up […]
Blueberries!
We picked Blueberries today! Thank goodness the Blueberry season is a long one (compared to other fruits) because we were out of town when they first came on, so we were happy to get some today. But frankly, there are so many varieties of blueberries that some farms extend their season into September, so there […]
Summer Heat II
One of my favorite summer treats is cold soup. I have recipes for fruit soup, cold potato and leek soup (vichyssoise), cucumber and lime soup, gazpacho. I love them all. And you might just see a couple more of them show up here in August, who knows. But for today, I’m going with cucumber and […]
Well, Hello There
Happy Day!! Up and at ‘em early. Rode my bike to and from the pool, swimming a mile in between. It dawned on me, it’s been weeks since I’ve posted anything! I guess it’s taken some time to acclimate to having 3 kiddos {elementry, middle school and high school ages} home with me full time. […]
Baby, It’s Hot Outside
Of course it’s hot. What do we expect? It’s summer. And summer brings heat. It also brings memories of all those warm July and August evenings driving around in convertibles. Going to the fair, riding the Ferris wheel, hoping you’ll get stuck at the top with the person you’re with so you can kiss a […]
Mouthwatering Munchies for Teens: Camas Public Library
I had a blast today at the Camas Public Library hosting Mouthwatering Munchies for teens. It’s always a good time showing them how simple and fun cooking can be. I have the coolest “job” ever! We whipped up delicious snacks using whole foods: – Blueberry Kale Banana Smoothies – Oat Energy Bars – Brown Bag […]
Loowit wins two Washington Beer Awards
Vancouver’s Loowit Brewing Company has won two medals in the 2014 Washington Beer Awards. The company won gold for its Two-Sixteen Red Ale in the Irish Red Ale category and bronze for its Shimmergloom Stout in the Irish/British Stout category. In 2013, Loowit also won gold at the same event for Vandalia Summer Ale in […]
What a Long, Strange Trip It’s Been
By Phil Chou Dirty Hands Brewery Now that we’ve been open for 6 months, it’s time for some reflection. Number one; please accept my apologies for being a slack blogger. Many other tasks always seemed to push blogging down the priority list. That said, it’s been quite a journey! Many adventures were experienced in all […]
Crazy Chicken Lady
Last Spring we brought home fifteen chicks from the feed store. It was our first time owning chickens, and we didn’t even have our coop built yet. The coop went up as the chicks grew out of their box in our spare room, then grew out of the brooder box in our garage, then when […]
BLAZIN’ BUFFALO CHICKEN CABBAGE ROLLS
It’s no secret our household is crazy {like, really crazy} about the Portland Trailblazers. In fact, we’ve only missed one game this season. We were staying in Government Camp and apparently Comcast isn’t very popular on Mt. Hood. We know because we called every restaurant in town to see if the game was playing. It […]
MOROCCAN LAMB STUFFED PEPPERS
I once was a child who sat in the dining room, looking at my mom through tear filled eyes, proclaiming, “I don’t want to eat the stuffed pepper! It’s gross!!” I’ve come a long way since then. Creating a stuffed pepper recipe that binds together the sweet and savory flavors of Moroccan cuisine hopefully offers […]
Scalloped Sweet Potato ‘n Apple
With spring well under way and summer begging to come a bit early, it’s time to add a touch of sweet to our savory. Yes? Yes, ma’am. Please and thank you. We all have memories of scalloped potatoes — some better than others. Here’s a Paleo in a Pinch twist on a classic favorite. I’ve […]
The Best Picnic Food- Apple Pie!
With the arrival of good weather all I can think about is picnic style food. Last week it was potato salad, this week it is apple pie! If you recall, last fall I picked apples with friends, pressed cider at our annual neighborhood apple pressing party on Halloween weekend and then canned an apple pie […]
Potato Salad Time!
I don’t particularly like russet potatoes and I definitely do not like radishes- both key ingredients in our family’s potato salad recipe. Now, I can choke down a baked potato if there’s nothing else to eat (and I have dump truck full of butter, maybe some cheese) and if radishes where the last food on […]
Homemade Buttermilk
I grew up drinking buttermilk thanks to my grandma. She also cultivated in me a deep regard for coffee and All My Children. When Grandma was moved from her home into a convalescent hospital, I lost my buttermilk-drinking buddy (and an awful lot more). Through the years I kept my coffee habit going, and caught […]
A little beer science
Looks like beer marinade doesn’t just make meat tastier, it’s also good for you! Here’s a recent press release from the American Chemical Society: Beer marinade could reduce levels of potentially harmful substances in grilled meats Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry The smells of summer — the sweet fragrance of newly opened flowers, the […]
Smoked Chicken And Noodle Stir Fry
I’m a big fan of cooking too much food. I do it on purpose so that there will be leftovers that I can work with to create another meal. This scenario played itself out last night as I BBQ’d entirely to much chicken for the smoked chicken sandwiches we enjoyed. I also happen to be […]