Recipe – Page 12 – Backdoor Hospitality

Some Redemptive Love & Sour Lemon Scones

While I was doing an internship with a college ministry called UCM a couple years back, I went with my fellow interns to the house of Dr. James Houston. He is the founder of Regent College and is from the UK. He is a wealth of knowledge, wisdom & insight. He is full of grace, hospitality and a breath of fresh air.

The UCM director would take the interns every year to Dr. Houston’s house to simply glean from his years of living with God. We were welcomed into his home with scones, breads, jam & tea. His wife Rita (who is Scottish, so don’t happen to ask her if she’s from England, because she’ll definitely put in her two cents on the subject) busily made the lunch while we were in the living room listening & asking questions.

Now, when one becomes an intern it isn’t uncommon to know of the specialness of visiting the Houston home. I can recall former interns stories of Dr. Houston speaking prophetic words into their lives and of Rita’s wit & hospitality. You expected that he would speak a special word to you personally and walk away holding a gem. You also knew that Rita would shower you with hospitality. Both of which made me very excited to be apart of this day. However, our intern day was a bit different. In fact, it was so different that he didn’t really speak a prophetic word to anyone, except me.

He spoke of a myriad of things from Romanticism to the Psalter to real spirituality. There was a key moment in the morning while he was talking about our ministries failing when we peg them as our own. And as he was talking I asked him a question. You know, I don’t remember what question I asked him or even remember completely what he was talking about. I do remember that I was genuinely seeking an answer to this question. I remember wrestling with the idea of ministry and church and how that all looked. Through my questions & his answers two things happened.

One was this deep penetration of his eyes locked on mine. It was probably one of the most powerful moments I’ve experienced. He knew I was struggling and wrestling, so as he answered me…it was as though everyone else in his living room disappeared and I was the only one he was tending. He was showing me hospitality at that moment. He was unveiling a glimpse of what it meant to be present to not only your guest, but the person made in Christ’s likeness sitting before him. I felt completely loved and cared for by his attentiveness to me and my earnest heart.

Second, was what came from our question & answer. I believe he asked me what I did with UCM, which I replied that I oversaw Evangitality, which is the hospitality ministry and expanded a bit about what we did and my vision for the students (meaning opening up ourselves & our stuff to anyone we encounter, in order that they would know they are a valued person of the Most High; as well as, giving them a hope).

He then had this, “AHHH” sort of expression and said something to the effect, “Well, you must have come from a home that was immersed in love, parents married…” Of course, my answer was,”No, actually it wasn’t, my parents are divorced and it was hectic at times.” Then, he said, “Oh (pause), well then, (with a look of reassurance) it’s a re-DEM-ptive love, isn’t it! It’s like Samson reaching his hand into the carcass of the lion pulling out sweet honey.” With that he left his eyes locked on mine as to give me a sense of my worth and out of a horrible beast of a past, God can still redeem it for sweet, nourishing ending.

That day I walked away feeling nourished by his hospitality, because although his wife was busily making the meal and too many times in our world (Christian and non) we associate the food with hospitality. But the problem with that is I was not so much nourished by the food, grateful yes, but by the care, counsel and genuine love I was shown by Dr. Houston. I saw a glimpse of God that day, through his act of loving this downtrodden 26 year old. He spoke God’s words upon me, “You’re my redeemed!” What a beautiful, glorious jewel to behold. So as I try to intertwine food with lovingkindness, (which is hospitality to the nth power) here are some delicious scones to share with a friend or a stranger as you give them a glimpse of God’s heart for them.

Sour Lemon Scones (printable recipe)

Adapted from Baked. I have made some minor changes, as I’m always experimenting to see if I can add whole wheat flour. And I must say that everyone at playgroup said these were great. As my friend Biz said, “they were better than bakery-awesome!” The whole wheat pastry flour makes a softer crumb, so these scones are not as biscuity in texture, but still very good.

Ingredients:

4 cups whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup rapadura sugar

1 Tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, cubed & cold

1 large egg

1 cup buttermilk

1/4 cup grated lemon zest (from about 3 lemons)

1 teaspoon lemon extract (use the kind that is the real lemon essence, not artificial)

2 Tablespoons raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and ginger. Whisk until combined. Add the butter. **The recipe says: “Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the butter is pea-sized.” However, I use my kitchen aid and mix to the same consistency and see no problem.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, 3/4 cup of the buttermilk, and the lemon zest. Slowly pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and then gently knead the dough with your hands until the dough starts to come together. Move the dough to a lightly floured surface. Use your hands to shape the dough into two discs (about 1 1/2 inches in height). Do not overwork the dough.

Put the discs on the parchment lined pan. Make a 1/8 inch indentation to make 6 wedges, but do not cut all the way through. Brush each scone with the remaining buttermilk and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake in the center of the oven for about 25 to 30 minutes (rotating the baking sheet halfway through the baking time) or until the scones are golden brown.

Transfer the scones to a cooling rack; they can be served slightly warm or completely cooled. Optional top with glaze below.

Scones can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Lemon Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

squeeze juice from half to 3/4 of a fresh lemon

Mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. You should come out with a not too thick and not too thin glaze that will be great for putting on top of your cooled (or slightly warmed scones, if you’re like me and trying to hurry out the door to playgroup).

Something Quick

So I made this yummy Salmon Chowder last night for our small group gathering, but I don’t have the recipe as it was a do it as I go sort of thing. The greatest part to me was the pureed celery root, which if you’ve never tried it you truly must and this is the season to do it. Quick, go do it before time runs out.

Aside from the salmon chowder, I have to say that I love my small group and how it’s made up. We are in this transition period. You know the transition of figuring out how to meet together, have adult conversations, while seven little monkeys all under the age of 3 are running, crying, & shouting around the house. Nonetheless, we’re figuring out our rhythms and it just might be working.

We meet twice a month as a large group where we share dinner. I make the main dish and everyone brings something else to share. It’s this beautiful meld of hospitality at it’s finest. We see each other as we are, much like the dishes we bring. The food doesn’t have to compliment one another, be exquisite, or honestly, it doesn’t even have to taste the best. What it is is that we are simply taking time to breathe, love, & enjoy one another.

Our meal last night was salmon chowder (which I took inventory of what I had and threw it in the pot), leftover salad from the previous night and some corn thrown in on top, freshly picked blueberries with sliced strawberries, and sliced watermelon from the day before. Then, there’s our group, a campus pastor, stay-at-home moms, linguist, financial advisor, nutritionist & physical trainer, baker & cook, horse instructor, engineering, & economist.

There is a realness and understanding that we don’t have it together, that we might come grumpy and distraught, that marriage isn’t easy when you have toddlers and babies, and we might even say some stupid, “why did I just say that?” sort of things. It’s not perfect, it’s not polished, and sometimes it’s not always fun, but I would say that there is a mutual appreciation, respect, honesty & love, which permeates through our gatherings.

Here’s something quick you can pull out with company, your family, or give to someone who needs it. It’s a combination of sweet, tangy & crunchy.

Cabbage-Apple Salad (printable recipe)

This recipe is adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients:

half of green cabbage, sliced thinly

2 apples, sliced thinly

1 cup chopped pecans

2 teaspoons butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

pinch of cayenne pepper

pinch of kosher salt

1/8 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

2 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Prepare:

Put butter in a skillet over medium-high heat till melted. Add pecans and stir to coat them. Cook while stirring for about one minute. Add brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne & salt; stir till nuts are coated, about 1 minute. Transfer nuts to foil or parchment paper to cool.

Combine olive oil, rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, & dijon mustard. Stir to combine & set aside.

Put your sliced cabbage & apples in a bowl. Add your nuts and pour dressing on top. Combine and serve.

How ’bout them cookies?

Okay here’s a challenge, go to all of your cookbooks (including magazines) and see how many different chocolate chip recipes you come up with. I know if I were to go through all of my magazines & cookbooks I would easily have 25-30 chocolate chip cookie recipes, all with some slight variations. This leaves me with that feeling of “where do I begin?,” especially since they can’t ALL be the best, or the most chewy, or the softest, or the…fill in the blank chocolate chip cookie.

Some people are fortunate enough to have a chocolate chip cookie recipe handed down to them from their mother or grandmother, but that’s not the case for a huge chunk of us. I remember thinking as a young girl that chocolate chip cookies are just not that good, because they always had to be dry, hard, and slightly burnt on the bottom. Well, that’s how my mom made them for the most part (she didn’t always make them like that–sorry mom!). As a kid, you tend to think rather concretely with black and white glasses on, which makes it hard to think outside the box. It’s like my sister-in-law thinking spaghetti was a disgusting food, until that is, she went to college and realized it was only the kind she ate as a kid wasn’t the best. We have these ingrained tendencies that stay with us, even when we become abstract thinkers. That was my case with the chocolate chip cookie.

Luckily, I’m way beyond that stage of my life and know better. I know that a true chocolate chip cookie was destined for something grand & wonderful. It is meant to be crisp when you first bite in, then soft & slightly chewy on the inside. It should be buttery with complex notes of butterscotch & nutty aftertones. And definitely have a good ratio of chocolate chips & toasted pecans throughout. Well, my friends, I do believe I have found that cookie. It doesn’t require a hand mixer or a kitchen aid, but simply your trusty arm strength. They will be gone quickly after baking. You’ll easily have put on 2 pounds once you’ve devoured five in one sitting, but man they’re addictive. So make them and let me know what you think.

**Disclaimer: I’m not going to say they are the BEST, because everyone claims that they’ve found the one recipe. However, I will say they are the best of all I’ve made and are definitely multi-dimensional when it comes to a chocolate chip cookie…so what are you waiting for?

Superlative Chocolate Chip Cookies (printable recipe)

This recipe is taken from Cooks Illustrated. I have not adapted anything and find it best to do exactly as the recipe says, as there is a science behind the whisking 30 seconds and letting it rest 3 minutes. As it rests the sugar rests in the liquid, causing more of it to dissolve; thus, a caramelizing effect takes place, creating a broader compass of flavor. Melting the butter, instead of creaming, lends the chewiness factor, along with the addition of one egg yolk.

Makes 16 large cookies

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups (8 3/4 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter

1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) packed dark brown sugar (don’t be tempted to use light brown sugar & make sure it’s moist or your cookies will dry out)

1 teaspoon table salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 large (18-by-12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk flour and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.
Heat 10 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet (don’t use nonstick, because you need to gauge when your butter is browned) over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan constantly until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and, using heatproof spatula, transfer browned butter to large heatproof bowl. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until fully incorporated. Add egg and yolk and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk for 30 seconds. Repeat process of resting and whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth, and shiny. Using rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir in flour mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts (if using), giving dough final stir to ensure no flour pockets remain.
Divide dough into 16 portions, each about 3 tablespoons (or use #24 cookie scoop). Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets, 8 ddough balls per sheet. (smaller baking sheets can be used, but will require 3 batches).
Bake cookies one tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 10 to 14 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack; cool cookies completely before serving.

Rootbeer Cake & Comfort

I have been thinking lately about Sabbath. Some of this is due to being asked to give a talk to a group of college students about the Sabbath. I’ve been reading, listening & meditating upon what Scripture and various authors/speaker have said about the topic.

There’s a lot to be said about this exhaustive topic, but I think the best way of understanding so far has been to do. I have to insert that I have practiced a Sabbath for a while, but I don’t think it’s been very intentional or thoughtful. Yesterday was one of the firsts. We as a family started our day of rest on Saturday night. On Sunday morning I sang on the worship team, which was wonderful to be able to walk into practice (then the services) feeling a sense of security and rest in my Lord like never before.

It was also great to come home to a house full of toys strewn around the floor, dirty dishes whispering, “clean me,” and a cell phone & computer left cold, because I was invited to rest in the midst of disarray. I was invited to lay aside my worries of what would come the next day, because all I had to think about was knowing my Lord, my Papa God would carry me through to Monday. I was resting in the rhythms of His unfettering grace & mercy, as we lay on the park grass watching our oldest find courage & strength in her ability to climb a once unknown rock wall. All I had to do was lavish in the invitation to rest.

In the busyness of our lives and our culture, we’re taught to only slow down when we take a vacation, or when we get sick. But why wait for a vacation that only comes a couple times a year to rest? Why wait for a sweeping of the stomach flu to rest? Yesterday was like my vacation a couple weeks back, where a sense of abandonment flew over the lake and up into the air. The sun caught hold of it as it poured down upon my body to invigorate me; while, the lake sucked it up and restored me as I swam through it. In the evening, it came through us feasting on good food and laughing. Sabbath, it’s a slice of Earth redeemed.

Rootbeer Cake (printable recipe)

This recipe is from Baked cookbook and I baked mine in two small pans. Since we were at Ben’s grandparents cabin, I used what was available. One gelatin pan and one small angel cake pan, but it worked out quite well. Plus, they were deliciously moist.

Ingredients for Cake:

2 cups root beer (not diet)
1 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs

For the Root Beer Fudge Frosting:

2 ounces dark chocolate (60% cacao), melted and cooled slightly
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup root beer
2/3 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

To Serve: Vanilla ice cream

Make the Root Beer Bundt Cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously spray the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray; alternatively, butter it, dust with flour, and knock out the excess flour.

In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder, and butter over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold the flour mixture into the cocoa mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy–do not overbeat, as it could cause the cake to be tough. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking time, until a small sharp knife inserted into the cake comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Gently loosen the sides of the cake from the pan and turn it out onto the rack.

Make the Root Beer Fudge Frosting: Put all the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts utnil the frosting is shiny and smooth. Use a spatula to spread the fudge frosting over the crown of the bundt in a thick layer. Let the frosting set before serving, with the ice cream on the side.

Feta-Mint Corn on the Cob

I forgot to take a picture until after it was already packaged up.

As an Arizonian native, summertime rings a different tune than the one Washingtonians hear. We hear temperatures in the 100 degree range, skin melting off when you run across the blacktop, air conditioner is a way of life and the life of a vampire sounds appealing (not the blood sucking part, just the coming out after dark).

However, there are certain tunes that ring true whether in Washington or Arizona during the summertime. Swimming, even if the temperature of a pool in AZ is in the mid 80s come noon. Watermelon, it is one of those refreshing, cool, crisp fruits that make a summer evening complete. And corn on the cob. It’s a summertime icon as far as I’m concerned. I prefer the traditional “cook it in a big pot of boiling water” method over grilling any day of the week. And keep it simple by smothering butter over the kernels & sprinkling salt on top. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it.
Then, there is the way in which one eats it. I never thought much about it before I married Ben and observed how he ate his corn on the cob. It’s borderline blasphemy. I will eat it right to the core–leaving no trace of a kernel in sight. I’m the same way with oranges (eat it to the pith) and melons (to the rind). So the first time we were eating corn on the cob after being married I noticed that he still had chunks of kernels left on. I couldn’t bear it and then did what any self-respecting wife would do…I ate the rest of his corn on the cob.
I know I’ve lost some of you about now, because you’re probably thoroughly disgusted that I ate and sucked off the rest of my husband’s chewed on cob; but, all I have to say is I was preparing myself for motherhood (not for the faint of stomach).

Well, back to the point of the Feta-Mint Corn on the Cob. While we were at the cabin last week I came across this recipe in my Gourmet magazine and thought it would be nice to branch outside of the typical butter & salt. Plus, I had this wonderful feta cheese from the Farmer’s Market and some fresh mint from my house. And I must say it was wonderful!

Corn on the Cob with Mint-Feta Butter (printable recipe)

Recipe from Gourmet Magazine. When you make it (as I know you will), there is no way around getting messy. So, fully embrace it and make sure you go to the bottom of the bowl with your cob and scoop out the buttery, salty cheese goodness with complete abandon.

Ingredients:

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened
7 oz feta, finely crumbled (1 1/2 cups) **I had a bit less and it was fine
1/4 cup finely chopped mint
8 large ears of corn, shucked, each cob cut crosswise into 4 pieces

Directions: Stir together butter, feta, mint, and a rounded 1/2 tsp salt in a large bowl.
Cook corn in a large pot of boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer with tongs to butter mixture and toss until well coated.
**Mint-feta butter can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.

Vegan Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

I lived in a house in college where I lived with 9 of my best friends. Well, no, they weren’t my best friends, but I did live in a house full of girls (10 of us total) for two years. The second year I lived there, one of my housemates had a gluten & lactose sensitivity. I remember thinking, “well that’s not fair that she can’t enjoy baked goods!” (at that time gluten-free products were not nearly as common as they are now). Part of my make up is creating food that people like, enjoy & can eat without irritability.

I have since become acquainted with words, xanthan gum, teff, quinoa, buckwheat, millet & so many more sources for gluten-free living. I find that this is a way I can contribute a portion of my hospitality to my non-gluten loving friends. They need some baked yummies–dontcha think! Well, tonight I made these cookies from my new cookbook The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook. I wanted a something sweet like chocolate chip cookies, but I didn’t have any eggs and I didn’t want to have cookies leftover in my house. So, I had the ingredients to make them, I could eat a couple and give the rest to my friends Laura (gluten, egg & lactose intolerant) & Tina (gluten intolerant).

Vegan Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (printable recipe)

These are gluten-free, egg-free and if you use coconut oil than they’re also lactose free. And as for a non-allergic individual, I find them to be pretty darn good. Note: I wouldn’t call these chewy, but still good.

Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies

1 cup medjool dates, pitted

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup melted virgin coconut oil or organic butter

1/4 cup whole cane sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups brown rice flour

1/2 cup tapioca flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon xantham gum (I used 1 teaspoon agar agar)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup (or more–I used 1 cup) organic chocolate chips

I also added 1/2 cup chopped, toasted pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Place pitted medjool dates into a small bowl, cover with boiling water. Let sit for about 15 minutes. Then place soaked dates and water into a blender and puree.

3. Scoop out date puree with a rubber spatula and place into a bowl. Add melted coconut oil, whole cane sugar, and vanilla; whisk together.

4. In a separate bowl, mix together the brown rice flour, tapioca flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and sea salt. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix together with a fork or wooden spoon. Fold in chocolate chips.

5. Drop by the spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet. Gently flatten each cookie with the back of a spoon. You don’t want to flatten them too much, only slightly.

6. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes. Baking time will depend on what size the cookies are. Larger cookies need a little extra time and smaller cookies a little less. Let cool slightly then enjoy! Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Beyond the Reflection

Do you ever feel like you’re at a loss for words? You feel like you’re not really in existence, but just an observer in your world? As a little girl I had this shirt of Ernie from Seasame Street where he was looking at himself in a mirror and there happened to be a mirror behind him, so it was series of reflections of him that bounced back and forth. I would stare at a hand mirror, while standing with my back to the bathroom mirror. Then, I would focus on the reflection beyond the reflection. I would always wonder how far it could go, but I could never see that far and it gave me a glimpse of what infinity meant.

It’s like that in my life right now. I keep looking at all the reflections beyond the reflections searching for some semblance, but feel like I won’t find it anytime soon. Whether it’s the endless pile of laundry, constant trail of toys scattered about, never ceasing broom employment, and then I go beyond the household stuff and look at my girls feeling like I have nothing left to give. My creative juices run short come 7:00 p.m. at night, which means I hardly have anytime to do anything of consequence.

I have all these thoughts and ideas stirring in my head, but as a result of being a mom of two younger children, I have little time to really convey them or turn them into reality. Does this sound familiar for some of you? Some of it could be due to the heat, or the fact that as I write this at 10:40 at night my oldest has woken up crying for me. It would seem as though there is never a spare moment for myself. The idea of having alone time sounds superb, but the reality is when I do have it, it is spent cleaning, prepping dinner, or some other domestic activity to keep a rein on.

However, there is one way for me to unwind. Bake! It allows me to relieve tension, be creative, and I get to bless someone with the end result. It reminds me of my friends asking how I made raspberry sorbet. Of course, I begin with, “Oh it’s not that hard…”( then realize it is a little more complicated for someone who doesn’t spend as much time in the kitchen). I was telling them how to make a raspberry puree, which requires to constantly push the blended up raspberries through a sieve, and told them it’s actually quite therapeutic (especially after the umpteenth tantrum, whiny voice & all together sour puss attitude). You should try it! With that said, here are some great nummies that never fail me.

Peanut Butter Scotcharoos (printable recipe)

I was making all the desserts for my friend Jessica’s Bachelorette party a couple years back, my oven completely shut down. This was my back up peanut butter chocolate concoction made all by stovetop.

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
6 cups rice krispies
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Lightly grease a 9×13 pan. Combine sugar & corn syrup in pot over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once the sugar has dissolved remove from heat. Add peanut butter and mix into sugar syrup until smooth. Add your rice krispies and stir till completely coated. Pour into your greased 9×13 pan and smooth out.

In a small pan combine butterscotch & semi-sweet chips over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Pour over the rice krispies in pan. You can either let them cool at room temperature or in the fridge. The chocolate will set at room temperature. Cut & serve.

Heirloom Tomato & Watermelon Salad

There is so much going on around our house, well actually not really right now. It’s more like there’s so much going to happen within our family. My little nephew Lucas will be going in tomorrow to have an MRI to check the growth of his brain. At his six-month check-up the doctor was concerned about the growth of his head, because it was on the small side. She reassured my sister-in-law that it was either because he simply has a small head or his skull is already fusing together. If it was the later, then they would do surgery to ensure proper growth.

Well, he went in for a cat scan last week where the news wasn’t either of the possibilities. The technician reported that the scan showed there was some sort of pressure (I hate the ambiguity from doctor reports), which means he has to be sedated to have an MRI. Not as if that’s not enough stress, anxiety, & fear to put on a mama, but his appointment isn’t until 2pm. If you’ve never experienced an MRI than you might be a little lost as to why the appointment time is a big deal…bear with me. Our oldest had an MRI when she was 14 months, but it was first thing in the morning. They make you fast, but not just an hour beforehand–it’s much longer. So for dear Lucas, he won’t be able to eat anything after 7 am and then only clear liquids from that point until 11 am. After 11 am he isn’t allowed to eat or drink anything! I thought it was hard for my 14 month old, but for a 6 month old this really is difficult.

The good news is my brother, sister-in-law and nephew will be flying from AZ to see us on Wednesday. I get so giddy when family, friends, or guests come to stay with us, especially if they’ve never (or hardly) been to our neck of the woods. I think of all the food I get to make, the lazy morning Americanos or lattes to drink, walks by the water, and evenings on the deck while the kids go to sleep.

Even though I’m super excited to see them, I’m wearing a heavy heart for Adrienne as a mama who’s going through this with her little boy. I know the heart strings that get pulled when it comes to your child–it’s personal and we mothers can’t think logically. Our minds wander into that pit of fear and “what if’s?” Plus, they’ll be here when they get the results back from the MRI. If it’s good news than we get to rejoice and celebrate. But what if it’s bad news? We’ll embrace one another and cry, question God and ask him why is this happening to this young life?

The thing about it is I’m remaining hopeful for dear, sweet Lucas. I truly believe the MRI will come back as nothing. That the doctors will call on Thursday with positive news. That the only thing they found is that Lucas simply has a small head and the CAT scan was incorrect. It’s like the ultrasound at 19 weeks with my first and the doctor reported that there was a shadow under the left ventricle of the heart, which meant a possibility of Down’s Syndrome. I knew that everything was fine with my baby–I had a peace like on a warm summer day when there’s a gentle breeze ushering in from the water as the sun kisses your skin. There’s no threat of rain clouds or fear of a storm approaching. And I see Lucas sitting between his daddy & mama right next to me on the grass in that peace.

Heirloom Tomato & Watermelon Salad (printable recipe)

So come Thursday, I hope to make this wonderful salad again in celebration of good news!

Ingredients:

3 lbs variety of heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges (try the Green Zebra)
1 small watermelon, cut into 1 inch chunks
1/2 red onion, cut into 1-in slices
1 or 2 avocados, cut into chunks
2 sprigs tarragon, take off stem (you can also add chopped basil)
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
Kosher Salt & Ground Pepper

Combine tomatoes, watermelon, avocado, & red onions in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and mix with hands. In a measuring cup or large cup combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste. Dump onto fruit. Mix it up. Grab a bowl and fork and dive in.

Strawberry Jam without Pectin

I think a great gift to people is giving them canned goods. Granted I have only canned jams, but people love the specialness (my own word copyright) of it. There is also something so rewarding about making your own jam instead of buying it at the store. It’s a bit of a novelty because this was common stuff back in the day when a homecook couldn’t imagine going to the store to buy their canned goods–they would make it right at home. And I guess that’s what I like about it, being a part of something that were common occurrences around the home.
Now, I know it’s not all romantic and such, because that whole boiling water, sterilizing the jars, wiping off the jam, etc., isn’t the most enjoyable way to spend your time while your two girls nap. However, once you hear the popping of the lids, the jam setting, the first jar being opened to taste the results and a qualified, “MMMM” from your 2 1/2 year old, it makes it all worth it.

Strawberry Jam

Strawberry Jam (printable recipe)

This is a recipe from Barefoot Contessa. I have added my notes below in italics.

What you need:

3 pints strawberries
3 cups superfine sugar
2 Tablespoons Orange liquor (Grand Marnier)
1/2 cup peeled, cored & chopped Granny Smith apple
1/2 cup rinsed blueberries

Wash & rinse your strawberries. Hull them, cutting the large ones in
quarters, medium ones in half & small ones leave them alone.

In a heavy bottom pot mix strawberries with sugar & liquor. Set over
medium heat, stirring constantly. When it starts to boil, add apples
& blueberries. Maintain a rolling boil and stir occassionally,
skimming the foam off the top. Put in a candy thermometer in and wait
till it reached 220 degrees (25-35 minutes).

Once temperature is reached, cool to room temperature and put in jars
to put in fridge. Will keep for two weeks. If you want to have jam
keep longer than follow canning guidelines (you can look online or if
you have The Joy of Cooking). It produced about 3 3/4 half pint jars
of jam for me.

My notes:
1. You can pulse regular sugar in a food processor to make superfine
sugar, if you can’t find it at the store. I put the sugar in and
pressed on for about 45-60 seconds.
2. Grand Marnier is expensive, so you could do one of three things in
my opinion. Buy the little container (the ones they sell on planes),
omit it altogether as it adds a depth to the jam but not necessary, or
put in orange zest or orange extract.
3. I seemed to have stirred & waited for it to reach 220, but it
didn’t. I gauged it more on what it looked like. You could put a cold
plate in the freezer and drop a bit on the plate, then run a spoon or
knife through the mixture. If it parts (think Red Sea) than take it
off the heat. Remember that you’re basically working in the candy
arena & it could go from soft ball stage to hard ball stage pretty
quickly.

Barley-Kale Salad

I made this very yummy salad from this wonderful blog. Now if you were to tell me that I would like kale years ago I would think you were crazy. I remember tasting it many moons ago thinking, “This is rabbit food, except worst!” Well, I have changed my mind since and I plead with you to do the same if you are one who thinks eating rabbit food sounds pretty crummy.

I was originally going to serve this along side roasted chicken, but thought to myself, “there’s carbs and protein in it–why do I need to defrost chicken? Plus, it’s a wonderful sunny day and eating this salad just makes me feel healthy (we won’t talk about the two chocolate ganache cupcakes I ate though–will we).”

Plus, I’m always trying to find ways to incorporate the grain world with the vegetable world outside of a pasta salad. So if you’re simply wanting to make dinner, or make a side dish for guests coming over, or going to a celebration–this is a great summer salad (or not summer) to make.

**Plus the great thing about kale is it doesn’t wilt if you put dressing on it and store it in the fridge to eat the next day.

Birthday Barley Salad Recipe from www.inpraiseofleftovers.com

Salad Ingredients:
2 cups barley
1 head curly kale, washed, ribbed, and finely chopped
1 c. roasted pecans
1/2 c. dried cherries, roughly chopped
1/2 c. crumbled Danish blue cheese (or other firm blue cheese)
zest from one lemon

Dressing:
1 minced garlic clove
salt and pepper to taste (don’t be shy with your salt!)
1/2 ts. smoked paprika
4 Tb. apple cider vinegar
2 Tb. honey
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 red onion, cut into thin rings

For dressing: Mix the first five ingredients in a large measuring cup. Whisk in olive oil until emulsified. Season to taste. Drop in onions and let them marinate for at least 20 minutes.

For salad: Cook barley in lots of boiling water for about 45 minutes. There needs to be plenty of water so it won’t stick together–you want the grains to be separate. After it’s done (grains will be soft, but still a little chewy), drain it and run cold water over it. You can do this one day ahead if you want.

Toss barley with kale and most of the pecans, blue cheese, dried cherries, and dressing. I use my hands to do this. Scatter some of the remaining ingredients, the lemon zest, and a few marinated onions from the dressing over the top. I always like my audience to know exactly what’s in the salad just by looking at it. Grind a bit more pepper if you like.

Barley-Kale Salad