Kitchen Party!!

First big kitchen party and I forgot to take pictures  :-(

The party was a great success and many new faces to celebrate with.   We missed those of our family and friends that could not attend.  The food was a week long in preparation but was such a joy to prepare in the new kitchen.

The menu:

Bruschetta

Heirloom Tomatoes with Basil and Capers

Roasted Eggplant and Cannelini Beans with  Crispy Proscuitto

Goat Cheese, Lemon and Arugula topped with Imported Olive Oil

Italian Marinated Shrimp and Calamari

Caprese Kabobs with Basil Oil and Balsamic Reduction

Italian Sausage Rounds with Homemade Marinara

Mini 3-Meat Meatballs with Homemade Marina

Italian Marinated Olives

 A medley of Italian olives marinated with olive oil, garlic, oregano, basil and hot pepper flakes

My Nana’s Marinated Eggplant Salad

A long standing family recipe. mmmm  Recipe soon to follow.  

Antipasti Platter

Hot Coppa-cola, Dry Salami, Proscuitto, Pepperoni, and Sharp Provolone

Cheese and Fruit Platter

Cambazola Cheese, Honey Comb (from our bees), Grapes and Almonds

Bagna Cauda with Crudite "recipe"

Yummy warm dip made with anchovies, olive oil, butter and garlic and served with blanched green bean, tri colore peppers (red, yellow and orange), carrots and Belgian Endive 

AND LOTS OF ITALIAN BREAD TO SOP UP ANY LEFT OVER JUICES/SAUCES

And For Dessert!

Almond Biscotti

Pine Nut Cookies with Fennel  "recipe"

An Assortment of Dessert Wines.

Some of the recipes came from my head and other’s I found here and there however I often just use recipes as a guide and add my own touches.  I added links next to the recipes that I found on the internet and made just as they were.  Just click “recipe”. 

My cousin Jan took a couple of pictures and will post them when available.  

Vietnamese Bun

This was my first attempt at making Bun, (pronounced boon)  a Vietnamese favorite of ours.   The possibilities are endless for changing up the ingredients based on your favorites or what you have at home.  One of the best things about this dish is the combination of crunchy and soft, hot and cold, and salty and spicy.  You prepare the noodles, add the veggies around the side, add the meat (or whatever you choose), sprinkle on the herbs and nuts and then pour over this amazing sauce called Nuoc cham and stir all together. As you eat everything marinates in the Nuoc cham and is better at the end of the bowl than the beginning.   It can be made vegetarian by substituting tofu for the pork or just using veggies. It’s very light but filling at the same time.  Great summer dish.   You can go vegan with it but will have to skip the fish sauce in the Nuoc Cham and substitute wakame, dulse or other dried seaweed.  


Here is my rendition:

Vietnamese Bun - Serves 2


1 country sparerib - sliced into thin strips

2 cloves garlic - chopped

3 tablespoons hoisin

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons chopped Thai basil

Combine and marinate overnight

Make Nuoc cham and let the flavors meld for at least 30 minutes.


Nuoc cham


1/4 cup cold water
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
Sugar - If using seasoned rice vinegar add 1 tablespoon of sugar.  If using unseasoned   
   vinegar add 2 tablespoons
1 clove of finely minced or crushed garlic
1/4-1/2 teaspoon of Sambal oelek or other spicy pepper sauce
1 tablespoon of finely diced carrot


Combine all ingredients together in small bowl.  Set aside


Rice vermicelli noodles - there are many sizes so cook by package directions then rinse in cold water thoroughly until no longer starchy.  Drain and set aside.

Have the following prepped  and set aside:

1/4 head lettuce - sliced into thin strips

1/2 cucumber - sliced or chopped

1 carrot - julienned

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 additional tablespoons of chopped Thai basil

3 tablespoons chopped peanuts

Stir fry the onion, eggplant and pork together until done and the sauce has thickened some.  If too dry you can add a little more hoisin when cooking.  Set aside.

Microwave the noodles for a minute or 2 to warm them.
Now put it all together...


Place the warmed noodles in the center of a large bowl. 

Put the lettuce, cucumber, carrots and meat around the edges.  Top with cilantro, Thai basil and peanuts.  Pour over about 1/2 cup of Nuoc cham and stir all ingredients together.  

You can add additional Sambal oelek or Sriracha sauce for extra spice.

The Bay Market on Sprague in Spokane or other Asian markets are a good place to buy supplies if you can’t find them in your local grocery store.

Enjoy.

Summer - Where did it go?

For my blog viewers, I apologize for the long delay.  This has been a busy summer with many exciting changes, however a bit exhausting.  Best of all we have a new grandson.  He is adorable!!!!  He is grandchild #4 and the first boy.  We love him and such a great addition to our family.

5 days old!!

And then there's the kitchen!   Speaking of the kitchen...It is amazing.  Just a few finishing touches to go but is now very functional.  I love not having a refrigerator in the living room!

  We have had a few bumps in the road but our contractor (Berry Built) has bent over backwards to keep the project going.  We have a corner cabinet being remade and a touch of trim and a few light dimmer switches to install but otherwise complete.  I LOVE IT.

From the living room looking in.

My favorite new appliance!!!

Coming to the blog soon will be some of the new food cooked in the new kitchen.  

Travel Bound

Heading to Seattle this weekend and will be there for the week to await the birth of grandchild #4 - First boy!  I am so excited and hope he decides to join us while I am still there.

Leaving the kitchen remodel behind which makes me a little nervous.  Here is the most recent pictures. With drywall up I can really start to visualize the end product.  Fortunately the husband will be home working and keeping up on the remodel.

Paley's Salmon

I am really starting to miss my kitchen.  The drywall is up but waiting for the taping and painting and then cabinets.  We have been enjoying all the local fare but ready to start cooking in our new space.  We had an amazing dinner at the Italia Trattoria last night and this morning breakfast will be served to us by Kate and Shane.  I find cooking to be such a creative process and I miss that connection. 

Here is my favorite way to prepare salmon.  I made this pre kitchen demo and I suppose we could prepare it again in our pseudo kitchen (aka spare bedroom) but the clean up is a big hassle.  Anyways, make sure and start with a good piece of fish.  On a recent fishing trip, my husband caught this beautiful mackinaw at Priest Lake so I made the recipe with mackinaw and was also delicious. The mackinaw worked well but salmon is still the bomb!

This recipe is from the Paley's Restaurant, in Portland OR, cookbook.  We dined there with our good friends and traveling buddies and they were kind enough to buy me a copy of the cookbook.  If you are a cookbook fan and love good food, this one is for you.  We bought cedar planks especially for cooking but according to the official recipe, you can use cedar shakes.  Here is a few pictures of the process along the way and here is a link to a copy of the original recipe.  Click Here

Sweet Walla Walla onions , basil and a whole head of chopped garlic

Cedar planks brushed with olive oil then topped with chopped garlic

Mackinaw marinated in orange rind, brown sugar and kosher salt placed on top of garlic

Fish is covered with onions and basil and topped with a little olive oil and put on a hot barbecue.  I'm a big fan of the charcoal Weber but the gas grill works great.  The planks catch fire but the onions protect the fish and the garlic permeates!!!

The finished product

Served with grilled asparagus and lemon vermicelli

Here's the lemon pasta recipe again.  Enjoy!  I think any type of fish could be good.  Thinking about a vegan version and may try it some night with tempeh or seitan  for the vegan kids! 

Lemon Pasta

In a large bowl add the zest and juice of 3-4 lemons, about 1/2 cup of good olive oil, 2 cloves crushed garlic, 3-4 scallions thinly sliced, 1/2 cup of chopped fresh Italian parsley (the only kind to use) and a pinch of sugar to mellow some of the tartness and a few shakes of salt.  (You can add more salt later after you add cheese).  Let set on the counter for 3-4 hours.  Cook your desired pasta, I like vermicelli or linguine, but any pasta that isn't too hearty will do.  Drain with al dente and toss in lemon mixture.  Add about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan Reggianio.  Add additional oil and salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Just sailing along

Not much cooking going on in our house.  I have tried to cook a few times but sans kitchen, it's just too difficult.  We have had some amazing vegan food at Kate's and otherwise restaurants and take out (Thai food tonight) has been the plan.

The kitchen does not look much different at this point but the plumbing, electrical, structural work and insulation is done.  Now being inspected and should have some sheet rock up in a couple of days.

In the mean time we have been spending a little time on the lake.  

Robb, Kate and our friend Steve bringing the boat in after a windless race!

Sunset view from our boat

Water reflection view of the clouds with our boat sneaking in!

Remodel - Phase 1

Holy Smoke!  The remodel has begun.  The old kitchen is no more and the rest of the house is at a standstill.  The living room has a refrigerator in it and the furniture is piled together.  Our spare bedroom has become a pseudo kitchen, which we now realize we will hardly use.   There is definitely no work triangle with the only sink in the bathroom, the refrigerator in the living room, the barbecue outdoors.......So take out, dining out and bumming off our kids and friends will be the meal plan for the next 6 weeks.
Here are a few before and after the demo pictures.  I was very anxious the day before they started but now realize I'm going to love it.

Before

After

Before

After

The Pizza Oven

So I've been out of commission for a while due to a nasty stomach flu bug but I am almost back to 100%.  We have several projects going on as well that are keeping me busy.  Robb and Ben made some great progress on our wood fired pizza oven.  Only a few more cement blocks and we're ready to start building the forms for the oven hearth.  We can't wait to taste our first pizza!

Ready for concrete

Oven stand almost completed - beer makes stronger concrete!

 We were hoping to have this done by now because on July 5th we start our kitchen remodel.  We'll keep you updated on the progress.

The appliances are bought.  The cabinets, hardware, and eating bar are all decided on, just can't decide about the back splash.  I am soooo excited to get going but have never been without a kitchen for 6 weeks.  I'll have to be creative with the barbecue and microwave.  Our daughter Kate is going to help by cooking for us and packing our work lunches a few times a week which should make life easier.  Without a kitchen I will be lost!  

AK's Party

Yesterday we had a retirement celebration for my sister-in-law.  I have known Kathe for 33 years and now I consider her simply my sister.  Kathe, also known as A.K. (aunt Kathe) is one of the most special people I have ever met and I am not alone in that sentiment.  I volunteered to cook the food for her party.  A large undertaking but a true labor of love.  One of AKs request was ribs, so Robb and I started a few weeks ago cooking ribs in our new smoker and freezing them.  We cooked about 45 pounds of ribs!  

First batch in the new smoker

Just out of the smoker.  Hard to resist at this point

Along with a few of her amazing friends, Ellie, Pam and Lorraine, and my daughter Kate, we worked Friday morning preparing for the feast.  We had had received about 66 RSVPs at that time so I was planning food for 75.   I had such a wonderful time preparing for the party with her friends that I hope we can hang out together again sometime soon.

The sous chefs hard at work

The sous chefs kind of hard at work!

For appetizers we had antipasto skewers,  veggie dip and goat cheese with thyme and red onion.

Antipasto Skewers

I have to thank my oldest daughter Mona for the goat cheese recipe.  Thanks Mo!  It's now in my favorites list and also one of Kathe's favorite.  Easy to prepare and exceptionally good to eat.  

Goat Cheese - Couldn't snap the picture before the people starting digging in!

Goat Cheese with Red Onion and Thyme

1 log of goat cheese
1 red onion finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (add more to taste but don't skimp here)
I use my Tuscan Seasoning Salt (hope to sell soon) but you can use salt and pepper and Italian  
   Seasoning of your choice
2-3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
1/4 cup good quality olive oil

Lay the goat cheese on a serving platter, cover with onions.  Sprinkle with thyme and seasoning.  Sprinkle with red wine vinegar and olive oil.  Set out at room temperature about an hour before serving.  If there is a collection of oil and vinegar, use it to baste the goat cheese until serving.  Serve with crackers or baguette.


For the main course: BBQ ribs with homemade BBQ sauce, chicken teriyaki skewers, tofu teriyaki skewers, pasta salad, caesar salad with feta and sun-dried tomatoes, and asian coleslaw.

Well the party was a big hit.  Thanks to every one who helped with the preparation of the food and most of all, kisses to AK and Happy Retirement!

Congratulations for Graduation

What a great weekend!  Our youngest daughter "Kate" (but to us still Katie) graduated from EWU this past weekend with her Master of Fine Arts - Creative Writing/Fiction.  Wonderful ceremony along with pre and post parties.  What an amazing group of classmates which was an extra added bonus.  Way to go Katie and the rest of the MFAers!

Under a Pile of Rubble

Do you ever wonder how you collected all that stuff that is cluttering up your house? When my house is cluttered, my mind is cluttered, my life is cluttered . I save items......

I have 2 boxes of salt and peppers shakers, most of which my dad gave me, sitting in our storage unit (oh yes we have a storage unit to help us keep more stuff we don't need). Hopefully my dad is in some other universe smoking a Winston and drinking some Old Crow on the rocks, but since he's no longer here, I have a hard time getting rid of them. So every few years I unpack them, reminisce, and repack them for a few more years. Thus - the storage unit.

In storage we also have a desk of my grandmother's from when she taught school, thousands of our son Ben's baseball cards, Teddie Ruxpin and numerous Beanie Babies and other toys and school memorabilia of Kate's, Christmas decorations, and several sails (in case we need a spare!).

At home, for instance, I have 12 glass luncheon plates with cups that belonged to my grandmother. I have had them for about 25 years and have used them once. Numerous bowls, glasses and plates that I'm sure belonged to someone I'm related to, a half hide of black leather that I was going to use to make motorcycle riding pants for Robb (about 30 years ago), more clothes than I will ever need, old sporting equipment, wine and beer making supplies, a full wet suit....you get the idea!

I would love to live with much less stuff, I just need the boost to give some of it away. Kate is having a garage sale soon so I am making an effort to gather up what I can in the next week. She also has been recommending I take pictures of the things I can't seem to get rid of but never use. Then I can get rid of things and I'll have the pictures to remember them by and someone may get some good use out of them or at least store them at their house. Sounds like a good idea.

Wish me luck!

Back Yard Urban Farmers

In addition to bees we also raise chickens.  We started with 4 last year.  One ran away, sort of!!  One of our neighbors saw a car stop and pick her up and take her away.  That was Marilyn.  Then Ruby died right after we returned home from Italy last fall.  She was being picked on and no matter what we tried, Roxy would not leave her alone.  So now all we have left is Roxy and Aretha.  We get about an egg a day out of of each of them which is perfect.  We have them separated in the coop and when we're home they get to wander and keep the yard bug free.

Once you have chickens you can see where the saying "chicken" comes from.  They scare easily and are flighty (no pun intended and they don't fly well anyway).  Some others; "hen pecked"and "pecking order".  They are really quite fun to have and now it's hard to eat a store bought egg.  I am still a little afraid of them though.   My Italian grandmother, "Nana", thought birds, especially in the house were a bad omen.  I've been a little frightened of birds since childhood!

Aretha and Roxy getting the herb garden ready for planting

Ina's Fennel Potato Gratin

One of my favorite recipes:  Ina Garten’s Fennel Potato Gratin

I have a few recipes that are standbys and I know they will always be tasty and a big hit.  I often do my own variations at times but often make this one per the recipe. 

I make these potatoes a few times a year.  They are not for the faint at heart - meaning loaded with cream and cheese but very delicious.  They are a great item to bring to a pot luck, which I did last weekend.  As usual they were hit.  However, I have to give the credit to Ina.  I would like to try and make a vegan version soon with cashew cream and something to give it the Gruyere punch. I will have to think on this one.  But anyway, here is the recipe (click on the word "recipe" to go to the link)and a picture of part of the process.

Sauteing Fennel and Onions

I think I was amiss and did not take a picture of the final product (but here it is cooking).The finished product is always impressive. 

Farro - My New Fav

One of my new favorite foods is farrro.  Farro, also known as Emmer, is not a new food.  It has been around for a long time and is said to be the grain which all other grains come from.  It was an important grain in the Mediterranean and Near East and fed the masses for thousands of years.  I have also read it was the main food of the Roman Legions.  The farro was used to fed the Roman poor in the form of  "puls".  The grain was pounded by mortar. The resulting meal was mixed with water and made into a kind of "puls". Men who ground the grain were called pistores or in later times, bakers were also called pistores because they ground the grain as well as baked the bread. It has been grown and used in Italy since Roman times and is now mostly grown in Lazio, Umbria and Abruzzo.

Farro, also known as Emmer is now grown locally in Washington state and can be found in bulk in some local markets.  You can also buy this prepackaged. 

Farro, chewy and flavorful, is a great addition to soups or salads or anything you may use a grain for.  In ½ cup of dry farro you will find 3.5g fiber, 4g protein along with iron, niacin and zinc.  It is also said to contain antioxidants.

I made this yummy salad and called it:

Farro Caprese Salad

1 cup farro

1 cup chopped cucumbers (I used baby cucumbers, peel and all)

1 cup chopped seeded fresh tomatoes -

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4  cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

2-3 tab balsamic vinegar

2-3 tab good olive oil

Fresh mozzarella cubed or just use the small balls (bocconcini) cut in half - For the vegan version leave this out or add tofu

Tuscan Seasoning Salt (secret recipe.  I hope to sell this soon)

   You can substitute your favorite Italian Seasoning, salt and pepper to taste.

Cook farro in a pan of lightly salted boiling water for about 15-20 minutes.  Drain and cool.  Combine with all ingredients, stir and serve.  This salad keeps well and is totally delicious the next day….or the next!

                                             

Swarming Bees

Back yard beekeeping has it's joys and thrills and yesterday was no exception.  While outdoors weeding and working on our wood fired pizza oven (more to come on that subject) the bees started swirling around our apple tree like a bee tornado.  The sound was amazing but a little scary.  Soon they buzzed into a tight ball and we knew they had formed a swarm.   We found out this often will happen on a sunny day that has followed many days of rain.  That describes our spring this year!  The bees will form a new group when too overcrowded and we'll know better next year.   Beeing fairly novice beekeepers (actually Robb is the one working the bees and I usually supervise), we had never managed a swarm before so Robb contacted a person from the local beekeeper association and he came out and gave Robb a hand.  Good deal for him, he gets the bees.  Good deal for us, we didn't know what to do!  So now the hive is split and we are left with I hope a manageable number and enough to keep us in honey for the year.  Hope to get enough honey this year to try and make some mead. 

Vegan Stroganoff and Baby Lima Beans

I made up this recipe recently in an effort to continue and eat the food we love but cut down on meat and dairy fat.  This turned out great.  Robb said it was the best stroganoff he has ever had!  Although he says that often about my cooking and being in the moment.  One of the many things I love about him!

Vegan Stroganoff

3-4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms (Crimini work well)
4 tab olive oil
4 tab Earth Balance Margarine (or other vegan butter substitute)
1 leek, cleaned and chopped (use only the white part and small amount of the green)
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/3 cup red or dry white wine
2 tab Bragg's Amino Acid
2 tab Worcestershire sauce - add more when finishing if desired
2-3 cups vegetable broth or vegan chicken bouillon dissolved in water
2- 3 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup Cashew cream (recipe below)
Liberal amount of black pepper
Do not salt until right before serving. You may not need any depending on the saltiness of the broth, Bragg's and worcestershire.


Melt 2 tab olive oil and 2 tab margarine in large frying pan over med-high heat. Add mushrooms when pan is hot and cook stirring frequently until mushrooms are starting to brown.

Add 1 tab Bragg's and 1 tab worcestershire and freshly ground black pepper. Cook until liquids are absorbed and remove fmushrooms rom the pan and set them aside. Add remaining oil and margarine to the pan. (hopefully there is brown residue in the pan from the mushrooms). Add the chopped leeks and onions.  Saute over med heat until starting to wilt and add garlic. Cook for a minute or two then add tomato paste. Stir constantly and allow to caramelize a little. Add wine and cook until reduced by half.

Add broth and mushrooms and continue to simmer over med heat for approx. 10-15 minutes. Sprinkle flour a little at a time on top of mushrooms mixture stirring after each addition until flour is incorporated. Cook for another 5-15 minutes. Add additional broth or water if too thick. Stir in cashew cream and serve. Great served over whole wheat pasta or brown rice (I used brown Jasmine).


Cashew Cream

Keep this one in your repertoire. This is the best substitution for heavy cream. Very delicious, handy, and much better for you!

Soak a small amount of raw cashews in water. Just put them in a bowl or jar and cover with water. You can soak them overnight but an hour or two works well. I have used them without soaking and works well if you have a VitaMix or similar high speed/power blender. Drain cashews and put them in the blender. Add just enough water to blend the cashews. Start out with a small amount of water. You can always add more. Blend until totally smooth and the consistency of sour cream. Keeps for about a week in the refrigerator. Many more recipes to follow using this wonderful cream.

Baby Lima Beans


For a side dish I decided to do something with some frozen baby lima beans that were hanging out in the freezer and they turned out great.  They are something I rarely ever cook but will be adding them to our favorite list.

I sauteed some onions and garlic in olive oil.  Then added 1 small tomato (diced).  I cooked this mixture for a few minutes then added frozen baby lima beans and a small amount of water.  I added my Tuscan Salt (secret recipe) and black pepper.  Simmered them in the pan for about 10-15 minutes adding a little water here and there if needed.  Finished with a small amount of chopped parsley (remember Italian is the only good kind) and served them with the stroganoff.  MMMMMM..

NSOMS

Robb  is in the San Juan Islands taking a sailing certification class so Friday night was girl slumber party.  2 of my best buds joined me on the deck for a dinner, a little bit of wine and laughter.  We were only 3 legs of the NSOMS.  Our missing leg, which left us a bit off kilter, was home in La Center, WA and available only via the airwaves.  The 4 of us met in nursing school and helped each other through with laughter, friendship ,and of course, great food and wine.  NSOMS is an acronym that we are well known by now, some day maybe I'll share the meaning!!!!

First was an appetizer of crackers and "Wild Thymes Thai Chili Roasted Garlic Dipping Sauce" over good ol' Philadelphia cream cheese .  Not too imaginative but easy and yummy.  Alas the sauce was store bought, in fact a gift from my sister-in-law, from her days with Pasta and CO.

Dinner was Cajun Shrimp with Lemon Pasta, home made focaccia bread dipped in olive oil and balsamic bought back from our trip to Italy last fall, and roasted asparagus with garlic, olive oil and balsamic  The shrimp  dish is one of those recipes you have committed to memory and the actual recipe is long lost in somewhere in the multitude of recipes I've written on a piece of paper and stashed some where.  I first got the recipe from a cousin, who used to be a race car driver!!!  So I give credit to the source of the recipe, who ever they are. 

Cajun Shrimp

Peel shrimp leaving tails on.  Wash and de-vein.  In a baking pan (I use a 9x13 glass pan) add 1/4-1/2 cup of good olive oil, 2-3 cloves of crushed or finely minced garlic, a good tablespoon of brown sugar, a tablespoon or 2 of soy sauce, the juice and zest of one small lemon, chopped parsley and 1-2 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning.  I like the heat of the seasoning but some of them are very salty so be careful not to add too much.  Marinate the shrimp in the sauce (in the refrigerator) for at least 4 hours or overnight..   Bake, marinade and all,  in 450 degree oven just until pink and cooked through.  Don't over cook.  Serve along side, or on top of Lemon Pasta.  The pan juice is good on the pasta!

Lemon Pasta

In a large bowl add the zest and juice of 3-4 lemons, about 1/2 cup of good olive oil, 2 cloves crushed garlic, 3-4 scallions thinly sliced, 1/2 cup of chopped fresh Italian parsley (the only kind to use) and a pinch of sugar to mellow some of the tartness and a few shakes of salt.  (You can add more salt later after you add cheese).  Let set on the counter for 3-4 hours.  Cook your desired pasta, I like vermicelli or linguine, but any pasta that isn't too hearty will do.  Drain with al dente and toss in lemon mixture.  Add about 1/4 - 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan Reggianio.  Add additional oil and salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Thanks to Tyler Florence for the focaccia recipe.

For dessert, I made coconut milk ice cream topped with pineapple chunks soaked in rum and toasted coconut.  The ice cream is super simple, thanks to Debbie for the recipe.  Of course I had to tweak it just a bit. 

Thai Coconut Ice Cream

 Make a simple syrup with 1/2 cup of sugar and 3/4 cup of water.  Heat on the stove until sugar is dissolved and cool until completely cool!  In a bowl mix together the  2 cans of coconut milk, 1/2 tsp of real vanilla and a pinch of salt.  Add the simple syrup and mix well.  Process in an ice cream maker and voila!!! ice cream.  This is a great recipe for the milk intolerant or vegans. 

The night was great. Always good to catch up with your best friends but we missed Nippy!!!

Samplings with Seitan

I will have to get better with pictures. Sunday I made Seitan corned beef and chicken cutlets. Daughter #2, Kate (check out her blog akateday ) is in the final days of getting her Master's degree and is a little on the stressed side so I made some dinners for her and her husband, Shane. Since they are vegan.....so were the meals. I first made Seitan corned beef and cabbage with carrots and potatoes and then made Seitan Picatta. Mmmmm. The Picatta turned out so well I made if for me and my husband Robb tonight and served it with whole wheat pasta and broccolini with garlic and olive oil. Here is a picture I took with my phone that I sent to a friend and culinary buddy while she and her man were eating at one of our favorite pizza restaurants, Ken's Artisan Pizza in Portland.

Here is a link to the corned beef and cabbage recipe. I added whole peppercorns, bay leaf, and  mustard seeds to the cooking liquid.www.youtube.com/watch?v=UFW9turegxI.  Sandwiches today for lunch with the "corned beef" along with mayo  (could use vegganaise), dijon mustard, romaine lettuce and finely sliced sweet onion on whole grain bread.  Delish!

This is how I made the Seitan http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNFGMUASD28&feature=grec_index but I added vegan "chicken" bouillon, some spices, a small amount of oil and Bragg's Amino to the liquid. Once the Seitan  cutlets were cooked I drained them in a colander with a plate and weight on top to squeeze out some of the moisture. Way better than store bought Seitan and much less expensive.

Tonight was vegan mushroom stroganoff over whole wheat fusilli and broccolini.  Recipes will be coming.......I promise.