Jammin' in the Kitchen

My first attempt at making jam is an unqualified success! Obviously, I am rather pleased with myself over this accomplishment. Though, if the truth is told, it was pretty easy and my mom told me how to do it. Interestingly enough, one of my son's friends appeared at the door yesterday afternoon with a jar of strawberry jam in hand - still warm - from his mom's kitchen. This was the final impetus to make some of my own from our fig tree which is overflowing with fruit. Today marks the second large batch we've taken from the tree - not to mention the small bundles we've picked for munchies - and there is a third round still on the tree. I chopped about six cups of fruit to make the jam, quartered and froze another five cups of fruit, and ate quite a few along the way - oh so sweet with just a smidgen of sea salt for enhancement.

Mom has been telling me for several weeks how easy it is to make jam, but something about it seemed mysterious, so I kept putting it off. When the neighbor made some of her own, I knew I had to try. I began with (nearly) equal parts fruit and sugar. (I was running just a little short on sugar, so I used about five cups of sugar to the six cups of chopped figs.) Next, I added some water to help dissolve the sugar and break down the figs. Unfortunately, I added too much. (Mom cautioned me about this, and it really didn't look like too much until I poured it in - alas.) The only harm done from this is that it took longer for the liquid to boil off and create the sweet, viscous concoction that is jam. Ultimately, the time worked out well since I cut up the rest of the figs and put them in the freezer while keeping an eye on the bubbling pot. Towards the end, the figs degraded into small bits and the jam thickened quickly requiring nearly constant stirring, but it was worth it when I spooned out a little to share with Jeff. (We licked the spoons, our fingers, the bowl, the pot - you get the idea.) At the end of the process, I filled three (sterilized) 10 ounce jars with this sticky goodness. I can't wait to taste it on buttermilk biscuits tomorrow morning. Mmm...

Finally, I learned that Mom was right (how could she not be?) about how easy it is to make jam. As I put the quartered figs into the freezer, I noticed some blueberries hiding in the back. They'll be next, I think.

To Paint or Not to Paint

If colors give a house flavor mine currently smacks of saffron and roasted chili peppers. This is not a bad thing, but I wonder sometimes if those are just a little too hot for Arizona. After all, the temperature is well over a hundred for extended periods (today included - plus the monsoons have set in), so maybe the house would feel cooler to me if it were filled with cooler colors.

The psychology of color is nothing new. Long before the days of air conditioning, Southerners helped "cool" their porches by painting the ceilings blue. Conventional wisdom dictates that light colors are cooler to wear, and even the latest science shows that painting roofs white reflects a good deal of heat away from houses. So whatever possessed me to paint my Valley of the Sun home in reds and golds? I blame the Food Network and HGTV for getting me hooked (about five years ago) on shows featuring Tuscan flavors and colors. When we moved into our house I had spent at least six months looking at my inspiration piece - a hand painted hat box featuring a Tuscan scene in reds and golds. Thus, the entire ground floor follows that color scheme (mostly because the rooms all open into each other and it makes sense for them to coordinate). However, at the top of the basement stairs, the golden saffron walls give way to a lighter shade of yellow which leads into the blues, whites, and blond woods of our casual basement rec room - where it is always at least five degrees cooler.

So, in the midst of monsoons and upon receipt of the June-July electric bill (ouch!), I am thinking about redecorating the house in lovely shades of ice blue with plenty of white trim and dark woods for contrast. At first, the idea seemed cost prohibitive because of the furniture, but when Jeff and I toured the place taking note of what would have to change with the wall colors, only one room required a great deal of alteration - the living room. We have been unhappy with this space for quite awhile anyway, so perhaps a change is in order. We decided to begin collecting paint chips, catalog photos, magazine designs to contemplate a shift in color palette. We know from experience that spending time planning gives us something to think about together as well as a shared vision - an important step in decorating any home. However, part of me longs to hop over to Lowe's first thing tomorrow, buy a gallon of paint, and start in my office. Have you ever done anything impetuous?

How the Cookie Crumbles

Today we sampled a dessert made from a large chocolate chip cookie drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauces then topped with chopped pecans and mini chocolate chips. While the rich, decadent, sweetness filled my mouth I began to contemplate the many uses for chocolate chip cookies. Obviously, making a large cookie and covering it in excellent flavors (like the one we sampled) is the way to go for groups of people, but on an individual basis, I think ice cream filled cookie sandwiches are the best.

It occurs to me that the same dessert would be good in an ice cream sandwich. For example, drizzle the bottom of one cookie with chocolate sauce and sprinkle with nuts. Drizzle a second cookie with caramel sauce and sprinkle with mini chips. Then add a scoop of ice cream to the first cookie, slap the other one on top, and encase the goody in plastic wrap before putting it into the freezer. Of course, the guys would prefer this with vanilla ice cream, but I think coffee would be good, too. It might taste like a caramel macchiato from Starbucks! But let's not stop there - what about some marshmallow cream, nuts, and chocolate ice cream to make a rocky road filling? What about using peanut butter cookies drizzled with chocolate and Reece's Cup ice cream? How about using dark chocolate cookies with mint ice cream (or cherry) and chocolate chips? I'm sure mini M & M's, shredded coconut, and maraschino cherries could be of use, too. The possibilities are endless.

Other variations on ice cream sandwiches are made with thin layers of cake, which can also be doctored with almost anything before adding a scoop of your favorite flavor. Personally, I think a good dose of Wilton's decorator icing (which I keep left over in the freezer) makes the whole creation taste like a birthday party for one. (Of course, a package of good Birthday Cake ice cream with ribbons of frosting can accomplish the same thing, but more is always better.)

As the bite of cookie dessert melted away, I also thought of how the last week of summer break is often the sweetest. We do one more round of goofing off together - staying up late watching bad sci fi while eating over-the-top ice cream treats - in an effort to grab every crumb of summer left to us before school (with a sensible bed time) begins again.

Country Fried Goodness

As always, the day our son starts school we go to work. I discovered long ago that hanging around the house after dropping off the boy only makes me lonely for him. He is now (officially) a sophomore in high school who says he doesn't want to go to school, but rises early of his own accord, bounces off the walls until it is time to leave, and comes home with funny stories about his teachers and friends. (These always do my heart good because I know he's really excited to begin anew, he just has to pretend he's not when his friends are around.) So, after we all put in a long day something extra good was in order for tonight's dinner: chicken fried steak.

Over the weekend I discussed making this with my mom, who was also contemplating the dish. This is a home style favorite that is quite simple, but never fails to satisfy. In addition, it's a good way to use up extra hamburger (or turkey burger) patties from the freezer. Start by dredging the patties in flour (liberally doused with salt and pepper). Next, dip them in a combination of beaten eggs and milk before putting them back into the flour for a final coating. Once covered, fry them over medium heat in a good layer of vegetable oil until they are crispy, brown, and oh-so-yummy.

Of course, chicken fried steak MUST have a potato side dish. Baked potatoes are good, but mashed are even better. There is just something about the creamy mashed potato texture with the slightly crunchy coating on the patties. In addition, since country gravy is also a must, mashed potatoes are naturally the best choice. For the gravy, I drain off most of the oil leaving the little crusty tidbits in the bottom of the pan before adding milk and flour. To keep the gravy from getting lumpy, put the flour and milk in a jar and shake them up well before adding them to the pan. From that point, it only takes a minute or two of stirring with more salt and pepper to make perfectly thick, creamy gravy. (Even though I just finished eating this, thinking about it makes me want another bite or two.)

As we munched down dinner tonight, I wondered why I don't make this more often. It is simple, tasty, and (best of all) it reminds me of growing up and home. Even Arizona's July heat can't trump those reasons to stand over the stove for just a few minutes.

Delightfully Sweet

Turkish Delight is an old-fashioned jelly-like candy traditionally made in the flavors of lemon and rosewater, though in the Middle East it may come in other forms made from chopped dates, pistachios, hazelnuts, and walnuts. You may be most familiar, as I am, with products from Liberty Orchards with names like Aplets and Cotlets featuring fresh fruit flavors. (These can often be purchased on close out at stores like Ross and Big Lots.) Today, as I was meandering through the sale section at World Market, I came across a box of Turkish Delight imported from Istanbul in the traditional rose water and lemon flavor combination (which I had never eaten). Since the box was marked down to $1.25 (from $4.99) because of an impending sell by date, I decided to give it a shot. The candy's lovely pale blush color is only enhanced by the light coating of powdered sugar that creates a little cloud of pixie dust when the box is opened. Upon first bite the flavor is a subtle lemon, but the after taste is not citrus - presumably because of the flavoring from the rose water. The scent, too, hints at blooming roses coupled with the sweet smell of lemon zest. Overall the candy is excellent with its lightly chewy (but not sticky) texture.

Thinking I might make some of my own, I discovered the following recipe at About.com. However, considering the amount of time the confection takes, I'm not sure it is worth the effort if the candy is available at a low cost (like today's box). Given the full price version, though, it doesn't look difficult - only time consuming.

Turkish Delight
Ingredients:

4 cups granulated sugar
4.5 cups water, divided use
2 tsp lemon juice
1.25 cups cornstarch
1 tsp cream of tartar
1.5 tbsp rosewater
2-3 drops red food coloring
1 cup powdered sugar

Preparation:
1. Prepare a 9x9 pan by lining it with aluminum foil and spraying the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside for now.

2. Place the sugar, lemon juice, and 1.5 cups of the water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves, and bring the mixture to a boil. Brush down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming, and insert a candy thermometer.

3. Allow the sugar mixture to continue boiling, without stirring, until it reaches 240 degrees on the candy thermometer.

4. When the sugar syrup is around 225 degrees, begin to get the rest of the candy ingredients prepared. Place the remaining 3 cups of water in another, slightly larger, saucepan. Add the cornstarch and cream of tartar and whisk until the starch dissolves and there are no lumps. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring or whisking constantly. The mixture will become thick and pasty.

5. Once the sugar syrup is at 240 degrees, remove it from the heat. Slowly, carefully, pour it into the cornstarch mixture, whisking until it is fully incorporated.

6. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, whisking it every 8-10 minutes, for about an hour, until the candy has turned a light golden-yellow color and is very thick and gluey.

7. After an hour, remove from the heat and stir in the food coloring and the rosewater. Pour the candy into the prepared pan and allow it to set, uncovered, overnight.

8. The next day, remove the candy from the pan using the foil as handles. Dust your work station with the powdered sugar, and flip the candy onto the powdered sugar. Remove the foil from the back and dust the top with the sugar. Use an oiled chef’s knife to cut the Turkish Delight into small squares. Dust each side of the square with powdered sugar to prevent stickiness.

9. Turkish Delight is best soon after it is made. It doesn’t keep very well, but if you want to try keeping it, store it in an airtight container with waxed paper between the layers, and dust the sides with powdered sugar again before serving.

Some comments suggested more rose water would improve the candy. Apparently rose water is available at most health food stores and some gourmet markets, but be sure to buy the pure kind rather than the rose oil mixed with water. If you have rose bushes of your own, directions for making rose water (through distillation) are available on the net. This candy is an interesting treat that would make an excellent holiday gift, so I think I'll be giving it a go when fall rolls around.

A Change of Heart

After a long morning at work (where we don't actually have to report for another 10 days or so and where we're definitely not getting paid to go at this point in the game), I was depressed. This was particularly bad news for Jeff because I spent most of Saturday in a funk as well. (I only snapped out of it by making sweet potato soup and toffee.) Being the good husband he is, Jeff decided I needed food and proceeded take me to lunch. As usual when I am down I didn't offer any help in selecting a restaurant (insert heavy sigh here). Interestingly, Jeff opted for Chili's because he thought he had seen an ad for two lunches with an appetizer and drinks for $20. (We later decided the commercial might have been for Appleby's, but Chili's sounded right at the time.) Within moments of arriving, we were ensconced in a soft booth, handed menus, and proffered glasses of water before we could say "baby back ribs." Unfortunately, as we stared at the menu (and the dinner prices rather than any lunch specials) neither of us was happy. Next, we did something strange. We decided not to pay $10 for a burger at Chili's when Mickey D's was right across the street, and we left. (After all, we hadn't even ordered sodas yet.)

I realize that these two eateries may not be in the same league to most people, but to me a burger is a burger. The McDLT I had was pretty much the same as Chili's "classic cheeseburger" and was priced at half as much including fries and a drink. Jeff opted for a Southern style chicken sandwich meal at (again) less than half the cost of a similar item across the street. All in all, we spent $8 and change.

This experience reminded us that we need to get back on track with our little project as summer winds down. We realize that we have been completely ignoring the idea of a budget in recent weeks. (It can be difficult not to just pick up something on the run.) Funny, but I think eating at home has actually been harder since school let out. We relaxed into summer mode, ran around, and picked up snacks or burgers or drinks to keep everyone happy. (We're $133 over budget for the year - yikes!) Perhaps the reinstatement of school's routine will make us want to come home to dinner more often (I hope). But for now, we are trying to get back on track even if that means we pass up something more expensive in favor of a basic fast food burger.

It Takes the Cake

Boston Cream Pie (which was invented by  chef M. Sanzian at Boston's Parker House Hotel in the mid 1800's)  is one of my all-time favorite desserts. I always have it for my birthday and make it myself because I just hate the store bought version that doesn't really have vanilla pudding for filling but uses some strange whipped substance instead. Oddly, I seldom make it when it isn't my birthday, but I have a hankering for its marriage of moist cake and fudgy icing.

Over the years I have, on occasion, had trouble with the layers sliding around on top of all that pudding, so I've discovered that Boston cream cupcakes are the way to go. I've also realized that pre-made pudding is just as tasty as making my own and saves some clean up. Generally, four of the pudding cups will make an entire cake, which should be one of the golden butter recipe cake mixes. (I know...everyone thinks that cake from scratch is better, but trust me - it isn't.) So here's the process: make the cupcakes as directed on the box. Then, use a pastry bag with a large round tip to insert pudding into the center of the cooled cupcakes. (Just push in the tip and squeeze; no need to complicate it.)

The real to secret to making Boston cream pie (or cupcakes) super good is in the frosting. (Isn't that the secret to all cakes?) I like something akin to fudge on top of mine, so I use Sandra Lee's chocolate fondue recipe that hardens when its cold. It makes plenty of extra, so you can either cut the amount in half or save some for another use (like eating it with a spoon). Combine a cup of heavy cream (or half and half, if that's what's in your fridge) with half a stick of butter over medium heat. Stirring constantly, bring this to a low boil and remove it from the heat. Stir in a 12 ounce bag of semi-sweet chips and another bag of milk chocolate chips (Ghirardelli is a good brand, as is Kroger's Private Selection label). When the chocolate is all melted, spoon some over the top of each cupcake. Sometimes it is easier to dip the cupcakes, but be sure to use a separate bowl for the topping so you don't contaminate all of it with crumbs. Once topped, just put the cupcakes in the fridge to chill the pudding and the icing. These are deluxe and never last long at our house.

I used to not really like the idea of making cupcakes because they seemed somehow childish, but in recent years the wisdom of this miniature version has grown on me. After all, they are easy to transport in a lunch box; they are automatically portion controlled (though I have been known to eat more than one); and they are easy to store in the freezer for future eating. Besides the Boston cream cupcakes, I also like red velvet cake and carrot cake in this form because you can slather on enough cream cheese icing to enhance every bite. Playing with the fillings can be satisfying, too. Chocolate cupcakes with cherry or blackberry jelly in the middle are especially good and not the run-of-the-mill cupcakes your mom brought to school for class parties when you were ten. Cupcakes have grown in popularity across the country as well, as evidenced by Food Network shows like Cupcake Wars and the plethora of cupcake cook books on bookstore shelves. Flipping through the pages of such a book, I am confronted with tons of cutesy decorations and grouped cupcakes making a centerpiece, but they all look like something from a stepford wife's baby shower. So my rule of thumb is to make cupcakes only in flavors and fillings I would serve to company in a full-scale cake. Luckily, this leaves me plenty of choices.

One-Potato-Two-Potato

Scrounging is an art that often reveals something good where there appeared to be nothing of value. When I applied this art to the pantry today, I came up with a tasty soup that I (still) didn't have to go to the grocery store to make. I'll confess now that I have been avoiding grocery shopping since we returned from Tennessee. I just can't seem to face the idea of planning meals and cooking for myself after Mom spoiled me for a week. Though after spending a little time in the kitchen this afternoon, I may be ready to shop by tomorrow. (The guys are keeping their fingers crossed, for sure.)

My quest for food led to some sweet potatoes in the bottom of the pantry. Unfortunately, about half of them had turned to primordial ooze while I was gone, but there were a couple of edible specimens left. (Jeff and I have been trying to figure out for a several days why we kept catching whiffs of something rotten. We checked under the couches and beds - even the fireplace - looking for a mouse the cats had left behind, all to no avail - at least that mystery is solved.) Luckily, the vegetable drawer yielded a large onion, a jar of minced garlic, and another of crushed ginger. Voila - time for soup. I diced the potatoes and onion, added a heaping spoon of garlic and ginger, and filled the pot with just enough water to cover the veggies. The taters cooked until they were tender but not mushy, since I like to retain some texture in the soup even though I smoosh the potatoes around. Next I added a can of creamed corn, plenty of black pepper, and a little sea salt. This simmered for about ten minutes before I turned off the heat and added a cup of sour cream. Yum.

In addition to finding dinner fixings, I managed to put together dessert as well. While the potatoes boiled I made toffee. (Mom and I were discussing it this morning, and I've been thinking about it all day!) My favorite recipe is the Almond Butter Crunch from an ancient copy of Better Homes and Gardens. Basically it requires one cup of butter, one and a third cups of sugar, one tablespoon of corn syrup, and three tablespoons of water. Melt the butter, add the rest, cook and stir over medium heat to hard crack stage. That's it. I should probably add that I don't cook mine all the way to hard crack stage because I like it just a little softer and less likely to stick to my teeth. The recipe also calls for a cup of rough chopped toasted almonds added to the candy before pouring, melted chocolate for topping, and another cup of finely ground nuts to go of top of the chocolate. While I always put chocolate on mine, the nuts are non-essential in my book. (Truthfully, the recipe has a little overkill on the almonds. I like them best finely ground and added to the outside, but not mixed into the toffee at all. That way it keeps that smooth, buttery texture I love in the candy.) In addition, the easiest way to add the chocolate topping is to sprinkle chocolate chips (or a chopped up Hershey bar - especially Special Dark) over the candy right after you pour it. Wait a couple of minutes, and then use a knife to spread around the melted chocolate before putting the pan in the fridge to set.

My mouth is watering thinking about that toffee, so as soon we're finished here, I'm breaking it apart for t.v. time. Do you think the guys will notice if I don't mention what's in the tin?

For Good

I believe everyone's life and death hold a purpose. Today we said goodbye to Brenton Smith, a young man who graduated from Skyline High School two years ago and who left a lasting impression on his classmates and teachers, especially Jeff - his choir director. We spent several hours at a funeral and graveside service contemplating the meaning of his existence and his passing. We listened (and wept) as 40 choir kids sang "Because I knew you, I have been changed for good." We were touched by the strength of Brenton's father and the grace of his family who thanked each person for the support and love offered them. We heard testimonials about Brenton's patience and kindness - lessons he imparted to friends and family members. His death - in his sleep just two days after his 20th birthday - left many questions with seemingly no answers. Perhaps, though, the sudden taking of such a bright young man is God's reminder to the rest of us that life is precious, that we should not dwell on the mundane, trivial, meaningless things so much as focus on what is important - family, friends, leaving the world a better place than we found it. Perhaps, too, his passing is a reminder that life is fragile and uncertain, that no one is guaranteed tomorrow so we should make something of today. With these thoughts weighing on our minds and hearts, Jeff and I hurried home to our own bright star and counted our blessings that all is well with the ones we hold most dear even as we grieved for Brenton's parents. What we did with the rest of the day - where we went, what we had for dinner - is irrelevant. Only the fact that we did it together is of any consequence at all.

Salmon-chanted Evening

Usually after a week away, I'm ready to do some serious cooking. However, since I spent the week being well-fed by my own mom, I wasn't really in any hurry today. We started off with a leisurely breakfast of scrambled eggs doctored with tomatoes, bell peppers, shallots, and Parmesan cheese lined up beside thick cut bacon. This was tasty, but it didn't really measure up to the morning feast Mom whipped up before sending us on our way yesterday. (She started with potatoes fried in bacon drippings; need I say more?)

As the day progressed we managed to snack our way through lunch before heading over to Lowe's to look at kitchen counter tops. (Yes, there may be a new one in my future!) We strolled and planned and dreamed our way through multiple home improvement projects spanning the next several years, but we also came home with a stack of information on kitchen design, counters, islands, cabinets, etc. Since Jeff had some work to do after we came home, I just let the whole project rattle around in my brain while I watched Anthony Bourdain eat his way through a line of street vendors in Mexico City until I realized it was dinner time and I was hungry.

Luckily, while I was gone Jeff purchased a box of frozen salmon burgers at Sam's Club. These tasty morsels are made from wild caught Alaskan salmon which is chopped and formed into patties before being flash frozen. They can be cooked like any burger patty - grilled, pan fried, or baked. Since I also found some sweet potato fries in the freezer, it seemed easiest to bake it all at once. (They did give off about the same amount of fat as a turkey burger, so be sure to put them in a separate pan. I also drained the fat when I flipped them halfway through cooking.) We topped ours with slices of cheddar cheese and regular burger fixings and were pleased that they didn't have a fishy taste or smell. Even the boy - who (admittedly) hadn't eaten since breakfast - wolfed it down with a few guttural noises that resembled, "This is good." We decided they'd probably be even better on the grill, and since there were ten patties in the box we'll be trying them again soon.

Perhaps tomorrow I'll feel like cooking something homemade, but as long as I can remember the flavors of black eyed peas, cornbread, and fried okra, it's pretty doubtful.

Feeling Corny

By the time my dad, my son, and I finished two rounds of miniature golf in high humidity, we were ready for some sustenance. Mom to the rescue! While we were playing 36 holes, she was home making dinner which consisted of shrimp scampi, baked potatoes, creamed corn, yeast rolls, and (of course) sliced tomatoes from the garden. I could almost smell the goodness when we wheeled into the driveway!

As we ate, we discussed the creamed corn recipe which comes from Skoby's restaurant in Kingsport, Tennessee. (My mom clipped the recipe from the local newspaper.) This side dish is deluxe! At the eatery it is served in small portions because it is so rich, but you'll just have to restrain yourself at home. When I was a kid, Skoby's was THE place to go for special occasions. We ate there when company came to town, birthdays (sometimes), and when my brother and I each graduated from high school (umpteen years ago). Meals came with special baked potatoes that had a dark, waxy, salt-encrusted coating that made the inside tender and fluffy, and my grandmother always ordered a strawberry daiquiri (which I was allowed to taste). Funny that I don't recall a single entree, just the side dishes of potatoes and corn. I do remember thinking this place was the best restaurant in the world, but that was before I'd eaten anywhere else over the course of three ensuing decades. I don't know whether the place as a whole would live up to my memories or not, but the creamed corn certainly does. Enjoy!

Skoby's Creamed Corn

12 oz frozen corn
1/2 teaspoon Accent
1 teaspoon pepper
2 cups half and half
2 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon butter
toasted bread crumbs

In a saucepan combine all ingredients except butter and bread crumbs. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and add butter, stirring until it melts. Serve in individual dishes with toasted bread crumbs sprinkled on top.

Italian Part Deux

Following another round of shopping today we decided Olive Garden would make a nice respite for lunch. While my son had his standard - five cheese ziti with soup (no salad greens for him!) - and my mom opted for the lighter side with just soup and bread, I wanted something different. In reality, the entrees are just too much of one thing for me, especially when they follow a large salad or soup, and of course I have to contend with those lovely all-you-can-eat bread sticks. By the time I eat the beginnings, I don't have room for the main course.

In an effort to prevent over stuffing the stomach, I opted for an appetizer as my lunch - lasagna fritta. This featured lasagna noodles layered with a mixture of ricotta, Parmesan, and Italian spices. The lasagna was then cut into smallish rectangles, breaded and pan fried. The breading tasted like a standard egg and bread crumb coating meant for something like eggplant parmigiana. The outside became crispy, but not hard, while the inside was tender and moist with filling. These slices were served on a bed of Alfredo sauce with marinara spooned over the top. As my mom and I discussed the filling, coating, and methodology I commented that I was enjoying it. Upon being asked if I'd order it again, I answered yes without hesitation. This, my mother pointed out, is the true test of whether or not something is really good - and she's right.

I have eaten many entrees in restaurants that I enjoyed but wouldn't necessarily order again. Sometimes this is true because of ingredients, other times it is the price I object to. Many meals are tasty but not worth the money spent on them. Today's treat ran $7.95, which is on the low end of average for Olive Garden. While the ingredients in this dish are not expensive, the price seems reasonable based on the preparation, service, etc. That said, I plan to attempt my own version of this meal at home. My only real concern is keeping the lasagna together during frying, so I think pressing and refrigerating the layers until
they are set well will help immensely. (I'll let you know.)

While my son and I have been eating out and eating Mom's home cooking, Jeff has been doing a little cooking of his own. Last night he made chicken Kiev as a belated birthday dinner for his mother. He began with huge chicken breasts, which he filleted and pounded out to make them thin and tender. The filling consisted of melted butter, chopped parsley, and finely minced onions rolled into each piece of chicken. Jeff prepped the chicken Saturday night for Sunday's dinner so it could set up in the fridge for easier breading and frying. He rounded out the meal with cauliflower and cheese sauce and yeast rolls. To offset some of the richness of the meal, Jeff served slices of cold watermelon for dessert. The meal sounded like such a success that I should let him cook birthday dinners from now on!

Home Cookin' Southern Style

"American by birth, Southern by the grace of God," is certainly true when we're talking about food. After all, where else but the South can plants considered weeds in other parts of the country turn into something so delicious I want to lick my plate and gain 10 pounds from the smell?

Today, I was the lucky recipient of a Southern Sunday dinner complete with black eyed peas, corn bread, fried okra, cauliflower with cheese sauce, and thick slices of fresh tomatoes. It reminds me of the old Hee Haw skit where everyone yells, "Hey Grandpa, what's for supper?" and then treated to a litany of the best food on earth to which they ultimately replied, "Yum! Yum!"

That was my response the moment my son and I stepped through the door to the smell of all that good food cooking this afternoon. (To alleviate the boy's boredom at having to live without his friends for a week, I took him to see Sorcerer's Apprentice in Knoxville.) Walking through the kitchen on the way to put down my purse and take off my shoes, I couldn't help but stop at the plate piled high with hot okra (from the garden) coated in cornmeal and deep fried. I actually stood there popping many of the little golden brown pieces of heaven in my mouth before moving on to complete my tasks. (To tell the truth, the only reason I moved on was because Mom picked up the plate to add more to it.)

Upon returning to the kitchen I watched her deftly pop the corn bread muffins out of the pan with one hand while holding the phone (talking to my brother) with the other. As adept as I am at cooking, I have not mastered the skill of talking to family at the same time. She continued to move through the kitchen, stirring the black eyed peas (also from her garden), adding more okra to the dish, and making a cheese sauce for the cauliflower before hanging up the phone when dinner was ready, which was the green light to fill a plate. Mine was nearly overflowing with all the goodies stacked one beside the other before carrying it to the table where I ate every morsel and the last few bites of my son's. Mmm....mmm

As I ate, I contemplated an article from Garden and Gun magazine that describes flavor as the legacy of poverty. The gist of it is that when people are poor (as they often were in the South), they can't afford to eat a lot of meat, so they use little bits of pork fat and small pieces of cheap (read tough and chewy here) meat enlivened by the plethora of garden vegetables available to them. The beans, peas, okra, greens, etc. become the focus of the meal with the meat as a secondary item thinly distributed among the good stuff. Although the idea of eating this kind of food because you're poor may be our heritage, today Southerners choose this kind of food because it tastes so darn good. Around here leftover okra is eaten at snack time and cornbread becomes breakfast with some homemade blackberry jelly. We will nibble and pick at the leftovers while we're cleaning up the dishes, and then they will go into lunch boxes for a taste of home at work. Nothing goes to waste, which is how I was raised and how I like to operate my own kitchen. It's good to be Southern.

Shop-a-holic in the House

Who doesn't love shopping (besides my 15-year-old son, I mean). The gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains is mecca to those of us who subscribe to the adage of "People who say money can't buy happiness don't know where to shop." Honestly, this area has the highest concentration of outlet stores in the country, so it isn't hard to deduce how I like to spend my time when I visit. Today we hit several shoe and clothing stores. While I was not as lucky in finding clothes as I had hoped, my mom hit the jackpot. At one store she spent under $36 and walked out with two pairs of cute shoes. Alas, I am in the market for something bright and tropical like lime green or lemon yellow with a sensible heel that I can wear to work all day, which no one seems to have - probably because it is late in the season, though outlets often run a little behind. Still, it was fun to try on some great zebra print spikes with hot pink soles. I also coveted all the printed rubber rain boots shaped like cowboy boots. Of course, living in the Valley of the Sun makes owning rain boots seem strange, so I passed on those too.

Next, we hit a jeans outlet where Mom found three pair that looked good. If you're like us, the idea of finding three pairs of anything cute in one place is totally exciting! On the other hand, I was frustrated in my attempts to buy pants since I already own plenty of jeans and none of the slacks fit well. (Don't you hate it when you try on a size that is way too big, but the next size down is way too small?) I was tempted to purchase several silky scarves, though, in funky prints like a mixture of leopard and zebra or hot pink and neon green martini glasses. I think they would look good with a couple of plain dresses, but since I haven't actually tried one on with a dress, I just wasn't sure.

Of course all this economy boosting activity led us to seek nourishment and a break from dressing rooms at a new little fresh mex place called Salsarita's. We were hoping to score some fish tacos, but they weren't on the menu (much to our disappointment). In addition, it seems it is my lot in life to order what I can't have. After two strikes yesterday at the Italian place, today I requested grilled shrimp tacos and was informed that the shrimp wasn't ready because they had a meeting this morning and were running behind on prep work. I didn't argue, but I wanted to point out that shrimp only takes five minutes to defrost (if frozen solid) and two minutes to grill. Anyway, I opted for grilled veggie tacos on a combo plate with chips and guacamole. The veggies (which were good but nothing special) went on two small flour tortillas (no choice between corn and flour - sigh) and moved along an assembly line (like Subway) in which customers determine what toppings are added. I opted for sour cream (which was watered down to make a sauce), corn and black bean salsa (which the lady behind the counter told me was a little spicy, but was not even remotely warm), and shredded lettuce. I happily ate the mixture, but skipped most of the tortillas because they seemed a little gluey to me. The redeeming part of the meal came from the chips and guacamole, which they had the good sense not to doctor. The chips tasted homemade - light and crispy with little flecks of brown that testified to being cooked in small batches before being dusted with salt and pepper. You can bet I ate every one of them from my piled-high basket.

While my son had a plain cheese quesadilla with chips and salsa (again, mild), they didn't seem to know what to do with my mom's plate. She wanted to skip the tortillas all together and have refried beans, grilled veggies, and guacamole. They ultimately gave her what she ordered, but not without a few strange glances and a little head scratching from the lady running the register. This was only amusing because the menu says you can order tacos "bare" (sans tortilla), and it seems to me she had a veggie taco with a couple extras. I'm not really sure why the employees didn't understand that concept. Overall, the place was fine but it did not measure up to the fresh mex style restaurants I'm used to - like Baja Fresh, which has the best fish tacos around. I think Mom was more disappointed than I since she had her heart set on a beautifully golden fried fish fillet wrapped in a corn tortilla topped with shredded cabbage and spicy, creamy sauce. (Yum!) Lunch did provide a respite, though, and we were ready to continue our bargain hunt with full stomachs knowing homemade blackberry cobbler waited to celebrate the victory of clothing that fit or salve the wounds of coming home empty handed.

Berry-licious

A drive along narrow, winding mountain roads canopied by trees lining a chuckling creek leads to a hidden treasure - Mountain Mist Farms, home to acres of fat juicy (thornless!) blackberries, cultivated in rows and mowed for easy picking. This is a berry lovers paradise!

This morning the parental units, the child, and I piled in the car for the leisurely drive to the aptly named farm where we proceeded to pick more than 15 pounds of glistening blackberries still damp with morning dew. Of course, we ate some too - just to make sure they were ready know. Actually, my son (who in all his 15 years has never been blackberry picking) said he ate as many as he picked, so it's probably a good thing that he didn't pick too many.

Sticking my hands through the tangled branches and popping sun-warmed fruit in my mouth brought back memories of picking wild berries with my mom many years ago. We used to don tall socks, heavy jeans, hats, and long-sleeved shirts in mid-summer to tromp through the brush in the countryside and protect ourselves from the many pointed thorns guarding the black treasure. We were always careful to stomp loudly and move boldly through the tall grasses and weeds alerting any of God's creatures (especially the slithering kind) that company was coming, thus avoiding unwanted confrontations. These trips also included a post-picking check for ticks and application of the appropriate ointment to any random bug bites we incurred. However, the heat and the bites were worth the jackpot of sweet blackberries with half-and-half, or ice cream, or baked into a cobbler. In my dreams of youth, summer is filled with dewy grass and sweet berries in the hazy banana cream light of morning.

After we had plucked three flats of fruit from the vines, we followed the country road back to my parents' old house and marveled at how much things had changed. Though we admired the scenery - especially the ethereal quality of the light filtering through tall trees along the road, new development and dangerous one-lane roads affirmed that they had made the right decision when moving closer to town years ago. However fun the drive down memory lane was, we were all ready to head home to hot showers and dry shoes.

After cleaning up, my parents took us to a little Italian restaurant that sports a sign proclaiming, "We have good food, but not fast food." We learned the value of truth in advertising since the service was neither good nor fast, but the food was excellent. The place seemed a bundled of contradictions: excellent food on paper plates among diner-style tables in a wing off an Exxon station. Mom had Maryland crab cakes floating in a rich cheese sauce. The cakes had only enough filler to hold them together, so they had an excellent crab flavor. Dad opted for lobster ravioli which came on a large plate with many medium-sized raviolis floating in a cheesy lobster bisque sauce. It looked excellent, though I didn't snag a bite since I had a plate of portobella mushroom ravioli of my own to contend with. My pasta pillows were large and over-stuffed with flavorful chopped mushrooms. The seasonings were enough to complement without overpowering the portobellas, which were also well-matched to the rich, creamy alfredo sauce over them. My son's choice was cheese ravioli, which also looked tender and brimming with filling. In addition, we were given knots of pizza dough rolls which were crusty outside, tender inside, and lightly coated with sea salt on top. The entire meal was delicious, but since the ambiance (complete with two kids holding the television remote control and flipping from cartoon to cartoon) left a lot to be desired, we decided we'd order this up for take out next time. I'm also hoping to try something different on my next visit, since the first two items I ordered (butternut squash ravioli and crab-filled ravioli) were sold out.

When we arrived home I felt we had come full circle with full bellies. The morning started with Paula Deen's French toast casserole and ended with my mom's sweet lazy day cobbler, which she made while I napped. I awoke this afternoon to the scent of blackberries bubbling in the oven just as I awoke this morning to the scent of coffee wafting from the kitchen. If it's true that everyone's heaven is a time and place of great happiness from life, when I die I'll wake to the scent of my mother's country kitchen.

Famine and Feast

Decent food is sorely lacking during travel. As a matter of fact, finding anything to eat at all might be difficult. When my son and I boarded a plane yesterday morning at about 7 a.m. (after being told to move to a shorter - yet much slower - line to check a bag and wading through the hassle of shoeless security checks) we were faced with the dilemma of what to eat for breakfast. (Yes, we could have eaten before we left the house, but frankly it was just too darn early.) Beverage service (with a friendly smile, believe it or not) was accompanied by a mini banana muffin - only. Luckily I had packed a couple of snacks in the carry-on, so the boy polished off a small bag of teriyaki beef jerky while I opted to wait for something better which did not come along for many more hours.

When we arrived in Houston our connecting flight was 45 minutes and an entire concourse away. By the time we reached the designated gate, the plane was boarding our rows. Thus, we did not have an opportunity to find food between flights (heavy sigh). However, at this point we were both pretty hungry, so we decided to purchase a box lunch on board. (On our last trip these were available for about $5 and included a sandwich, a bag of chips, a piece of fruit, and a couple of cookies.) Unfortunately, no food was available for purchase on board. We were given a tiny bag of tiny pretzels along with a drink, but we were not given any other options. Think about that for a minute. You could purchase beer, wine, and a wide assortment of hard liquor, but you can't buy a little lunch meat and cheese stuck between a couple slices of bread. Go figure.

Needless to say, by the time we landed in Nashville, both of us were starving, so our next opportunity for food was Mickey D's on the highway - and we took the first opportunity we found! A quick pit stop yielded enough sustenance to carry us to Sevierville, where we finally had real food. Upon arrival at my parents' house, we were treated to a homemade pasta dish featuring sliced smoked sausage, veggies, and a myriad of Italian spices. Ahh...satisfaction at last. (It was so good Mom and I had another round for lunch today, though we treated the boy to his semi-annual burger binge at Krystal's after a morning of outlet shopping.)

Meanwhile, Jeff spent some time in Laughlin. Here's what he had to say about his gastronomical experiences.

The days of going to Nevada and eating a thick, juicy, cheap prime rib and lobster tail for next to nothing (excluding what you fed to the one-armed bandits in the lobby) are over. You can still get a prime rib and mashed potatoes for less than $10.00 if you join the casino club and eat dinner between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m., but other than that there seems to be no cheap food in Laughlin.


While my wife and son traveled to Tennessee, I hit the road with my parents to celebrate my mother’s (specific year withheld) birthday. The trip was both fantastic and disappointing. We had a great time in spite of our rooms not being ready and a less than helpful front desk staff. If you’re asking “What do you do in Laughlin when you can’t check in?” you have obviously never been there. We decided to hit the coffee shop! Our waiter was very polite, working extra hard for that tip. I think we mentioned that we had just arrived so he could smell cash in our wallets and he responded like piranha with blood in the water. Mom and Dad had a Reuben that looked decadently delicious. The meat was piled so high they needed a knife and fork to eat the sandwich, and (based on the rapidity in which it disappeared) it was either wonderful or my parents hadn’t eaten in at least 72 hours. I had a a Philly cheese-steak which is one of my all-time favorite sandwiches to eat out. It was passable. The roll was a little too thick, the meat a little too sparse, and it was so hot that it seemed like it had just come out of the microwave. Yes, the microwave. On a redeeming note, all of our sandwiches were pared with some of the best thick cut steak fries I’ve had in a long time. When all was said and done our lunch ended up costing around $30.00 before tax and tip. (Did I mention how hard our waiter was angling for a tip?) It wasn’t a bad meal at all. I may have chosen poorly, and if given the opportunity to turn back time I would try the Reuben, but mostly I felt that the meal cost more than it was worth.

When dinner time came, Mom wanted to celebrate her birthday by going to the steak house. Signs all over the hotel extolled the virtues of this grand grotto of gourmet grilling. (If that’s too much alliteration just remember that I’m trying to impress my wife.) Upon walking in we asked the hostess for the quietest corner in the restaurant. We were assured that the table right in the middle was actually the farthest away from any of the speakers that were blasting music at levels I haven’t enjoyed since high school. The menu was varied and included prime rib (not the $9.99 variety), sirloin, filet mignon, porter house, lobster tails, prawns, pasta, chicken and pork. I was all set to dig in to a prime rib, but was side tracked by a photo of an enormously thick cut pork chop grilled to perfection. Having a weakness for good pork chops, my mind was made up. Mom ordered a medium rare ribeye slathered in blue cheese butter. Dad said “I’ll have exactly what she is having.” He did the same thing at lunch and I think it is his way of compensating for the noise in the restaurants which, when amplified by his hearing aids, makes any conversation with him very difficult.

While we waited for the kitchen staff to breed the livestock and raise it to maturity (Speediness was not their strong suit.), we snacked on a truly wonderful beer bread. It had a light airy texture, a sweet taste and a slight after taste of beer that made it the highlight of the meal. It was a unique creation that I hope to replicate at home. (Okay, I hope to describe it well enough that Jen will replicate it at home.) When the meal finally arrived we were pleased. All talking stopped as our mouths became quite busy with the matter at hand. The steaks and chops were grilled to perfection. Once again, however, I noticed where the excesses of yesteryear have disappeared. Our steaks were delivered to the table with a choice of soup or salad and the potato. No green vegetable(!) - just meat and potatoes. While it struck me as odd, I didn’t miss them because the meal was beyond filling. Still, for nearly $30.00 a plate would it have hurt them to chop up a zucchini, steam a broccoli, or slice a carrot if for no other reason to add a little color?

With dinner firmly packed in our stomachs we were off for more gaming. We won, we lost, we won, we lost, mostly we lost, but we got to play which makes it easier to give the casino your money.

This morning we went to my favorite part of the Nevada casino experience THE BREAKFAST/BRUNCH BUFFET!!!!!! The $2.50 all you can eat buffet no longer exists and brunch ran us around $10.00 a person, but I still think this may have been the best meal of the three. It was pretty standard buffet fare with the addition of an amazing fried apple crepe that was rolled in cinnamon sugar. Think of combining a French crepe with a Mexican taquito and stuffing it with American apple pie filling. (See, different countries can get along.) I had to go back for seconds on that! And thirds! The best part about the buffet was that it was quiet. We could actually talk to one another. The wait staff was friendly but unobtrusive, quick to refill glasses, clear plates and to laugh at my lame attempts at humor. The background music was in the background. The food was hot, fresh, and plentiful.

After breakfast Mom and I hit the casino one more time before driving home. Neither of us won anything monetarily, but we did win some quality time together. (I can hear my son now, “What quality dad?") Even though I see my mom several times a week, it is usually when she volunteers in my classroom and we don’t really get a chance to talk. I had a great time reminiscing about family members who have passed, catching up on family members who are still around, complaining about politicians (Isn’t it great that no matter which side of the political spectrum you’re on nowadays we all agree that all politicians are stupid and corrupt?), and making plans for the future. Happy birthday, Mom! I look forward to celebrating many more with you.

There's a New Cook in Town

The day before traveling is always hectic. You have to do laundry, pay bills, sort and pack clothes, check in with the airline, etc. All of this activity often makes it difficult to eat well. For example, we had cold cereal for breakfast and grilled cheese for lunch, so by the time dinner rolled around everyone was hungry, but I was fully embroiled in packing the bags. Jeff to the rescue! He decided we needed a good dinner together, and he was the man for the job.

After flipping through a cookbook and not finding a recipe to his liking that we actually had all the ingredients for, he went off on a tangent to make his own creation of teriyaki glazed salmon with mushrooms. He started by whipping up a delicious teriyaki sauce from white soy sauce, garlic, honey, brown sugar, black pepper and sesame oil. Once he had the balance right, he rinsed and sliced a jar of marinated shitake mushrooms before adding them to his bubbling glaze. Next he pan fried the salmon in drippings of the sauce until it was tender and flaky. When the salmon was done he plated the fillets and spooned the beautiful, glossy mushroom sauce on top along with some Asian mixed vegetables (from frozen) on the side.

The best testament to how wonderful this meal was occurred when our son - not a picky eater, but not always a big fan of fish and sauce - exclaimed over a mouthful of food, "Oh my gosh, Dad! This is fantastic!" To add to the fervor, he asked for (and wolfed down) seconds - an unheard of event when salmon is involved. (I even pointed out to Jeff that our son has never eaten seconds when I served fish.) The sauce was sweet and a little tangy. The fish was tender and perfectly cooked. I practically licked the plate myself. And the icing on the cake of the dinner is that the guys cleaned up the dishes so I could write this entry before family t.v. time. Of course, with skills like that, I'm wondering why Jeff doesn't do more cooking!

Cheap Eats

The 99 Cents Only store (not to be confused with Dollar Tree) is a great place to pick up gourmet-style items. (The trick is to always check the expiration dates since sometimes they are quite near; though most of the time we find the items we want with at least a year left on the shelf life.) So today we spent some time meandering the canned and packaged food sections and came home with a myriad of goodies including baby corn (2 for .99), marinated mushrooms (shitake, oyster, and button varieties), fruit pie filling in three flavors (cherry, blackberry, and strawberry-raspberry), fire roasted golden bell peppers, pickled cherry tomatoes (never tried these before), chopped garlic, black sesame seeds, pineapple vinegar (had this before and it’s quite good), white soy sauce, bread sticks (the good ones imported from Italy), liquid smoke, and Jeff’s favorite tea biscuits. Whew! We started out with a little basket, but it rapidly became too heavy and we had to send the boy for a cart. (I’ll admit that on the way in Jeff said we’d need a cart, but I assured him I could make-do with a basket. Sometimes he knows me better than I know myself.) Of course, once we had the cart, there was not real limit to what I could pick up, so we moved to the fresh foods as well.

On the bakery aisle we found a bread round that smelled like Hawaiian sweet bread with a healthy dose of cinnamon. (We’ll be opening that for breakfast tomorrow!) The fresh food aisle also had plenty to offer with large bell peppers priced at 3 for .99, beautiful asparagus bundles that looked much younger and more tender than the woody stalks available in the grocery, personal-sized watermelons, large bags of assorted grapes, and packages of huge beefsteak tomatoes. I’ve never seen produce this good at The 99 Cents Only store, so I was sorely tempted to buy quite a bit. However, my son and I are leaving town in a couple of days and I fear much of it would go to waste in our absence. Hopefully, the good looking veggies will still be there when we return.

After looking at the veggies, though, I knew I had to make something fresh when we came home. Since it was nearly family t.v. time, I opted for fresh fruit salsa modeled after Jeff’s favorite kind – Santa Barbara brand mango-peach (available in the refrigerated section of our grocery). My approximation came so close I’m not sure we’ll buy it as long as the garden is producing plenty of tomatoes! Here’s the recipe:

4 cups diced fresh tomatoes
1 large peach, peeled and diced
1 mango, peeled and diced
½ a large onion, finely diced
1 small can chopped green chilies
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 heaping tablespoon of pre-chopped garlic
1 scant tablespoon of sugar
¾ to 1 teaspoon (adjust to taste) freshly ground sea salt
Chipotle pepper sauce to taste (I added enough to give the salsa a smoldering after burn, which is about the heat level of the kind Jeff likes.)

Mix everything together in a large bowl, and don’t forget to squeeze the juice out of any fruit left around the mango pit. (Be careful, though; it’s slick! Mine popped out of my fist, arcing across the counter and catapulting to the floor. It was quite a sight.) Be sure to stir it around a little bit too, so some of the juices release from the tomatoes and fruits creating a saucier salsa. Enjoy!

An Easy Day

I have a great family. We spent the day together just bumming around the house. Earlier the guys played in the pool while I started a pan full of fig chutney. (I called it tapenade yesterday, but this morning I discovered the recipe called it chutney. It's pretty much the same to me, though.) While the vinegar, sugar, onions and spices (a good deal of chopped ginger for heat, cinnamon, all spice, cloves, and salt) were cooking, I chopped the figs and found a little time on my hands so I made quick snack tray of fruit, cheese, salami, and crackers. Then when the guys came in, we played a family game and munched goodies while the chutney simmered. How relaxing is that?

Later in the day, Jeff and I both lolled off to sleep while our son serenaded us on his guitar. It was a peaceful way to spend fifteen minutes or so. Next, I coated some little jigsaw puzzles with glue, munched a few chips with spoonfuls of the fig chutney (so good!) and contemplated working on my novel. Here's where the guys get really great. They volunteered to go to the grocery store while I stayed home to write. This was a treat since I didn't really want to go to the store, but it needed to get done. And their timing was impeccable because I finished an entire chapter while they were gone.

To make matters even better, when they came home, Jeff offered to make dinner (burgers on the grill and fries in the oven). Who could ask for more. Even as I write this, the timer on the oven is beeping summoning me to food I didn't fix. Life is good.

Finger Lickin' Good

Fried chicken has to be one of the best foods ever invented. So golden and crispy on the outside - so tender and juicy on the inside. We don't have this treat often, but when we do not a crumb goes to waste (though plenty to goes to my waist). Alas - what's a girl to do? Eat less and chew slowly, I suppose.

Of course, this was on the menu yesterday, but we ended up with the garden fresh pasta sauce, so tonight's chicken was well anticipated. I'll admit that I'm a purist when it comes to fried chicken. There are all kinds of seasonings you can add to the coating and all kinds of crunchies you can make the coating from, but my favorite is dredged in flour, into a milk and egg bath, finally to bread crumbs seasoned with salt and pepper before going into the hot oil for frying. Sometimes simplicity is the key. Oh sure, I've tried putting orange juice in with the egg and zest with the crumbs. I've also added Caribbean Jerk seasoning, fajita seasoning, Italian seasoning, garlic and ginger, etc. to the crumbs (which I've swapped out for crushed corn flakes, rice cereal, panko crumbs, and a myriad of other crispy bits) to create a different flare, but I always come back to traditional fried chicken coating - tried and true.

On the other hand, side dishes vary. While Jeff prefers mashed potatoes and gravy with his fried chicken, I'm usually up for something different. Tonight we had sweet potato crinkle cut fries. I bought them in the freezer section, rather than making them from scratch, but a healthy dose of black pepper kept them from being plain. These were actually quite good, with a strong sweet potato flavor. They took about 20 minutes in the oven, so the timing was just about perfect for the chicken.

When the plates were practically licked clean, we were hankering for dessert. I have been contemplating cookies or biscotti for several days now, but other plans got in the way today so were left to improvise which made me think of the grown up s'mores from a couple of weeks ago. While we didn't have the fancy sugar biscuits, cinnamon graham crackers worked just as well. (As a matter of fact, after eating them tonight I don't think we'll be springing for the expensive cookies again. About a third of them were broken and they weren't significantly better than the graham crackers.) Of course, once you put hazelnut spread, dried apricots, and miniature marshmallows on anything, the base is pretty irrelevant as long as its edible. If you haven't tried these yet, you're missing out.

After a busy day it was good to come home to some homemade comfort food and a movie (even if it was a bad sci fi flick) with the guys.

Dinner from the Garden

Early in the day one of the guys voiced a longing for fried chicken, so I pulled a package of tenders out of the freezer to defrost. However, as evening approached (and a storm seemed to be rolling in), Jeff and I decided we'd better pick anything ripe lest it get blown off the tree/bush/vine, etc. So, out the back door we went. Luckily, I took a large bowl along because we filled it with goodies which then dominated our plans for dinner.

First, the fig tree had plenty more of the purplish fruits to offer up. The birds have eaten a few, but there are hundreds of still pale green gems bobbing on the branches. I'm contemplating what to do with them all because I'm sure we won't be able to eat that many fresh. Last year's harvest was minimal, so we didn't have this problem. But, year before last we had a huge crop. Those were pre-dehydrator days so I made them into a fig-onion tappenade which I froze in small containers and pulled out over a six month period. It was wonderful on a variety of dishes from crispy Italian crostini to chicken breasts cooked in white wine. We gave some of it to the in-laws, who also enjoyed it quite a bit. The thought of having that lovely topping at my disposal once again is tempting, but so is having some freshly dried figs to munch on a whim. Perhaps I will make both - given how much fruit is hanging on the tree.

After we more than half filled the bowl with figs, we moved on to the tomato vines which are also bearing heavily. At least a dozen juicy red globes were ready to take in. This variety (wish I could remember its name) produces massive amounts of smaller fruits, but they are sweet and smooth - lacking the biting acidity of some tomatoes. We checked the eggplants next, which have perked up since Jeff increased the water to combat the overwhelming heat. They have a number of blossoms, so we're hoping to see fruit soon. The tomatillo plant also seems to be reviving. Keep your fingers crossed.

The carrots are coming along nicely, but not really big enough to eat yet, and the zucchini has taken over one end of the new bed we put in. We've had some veggies from it, but none currently showing though it too is covered with blossoms. (I've considered plucking them and making fried squash blossoms which is supposed to be a high-falutin delicacy, but I haven't gotten past the thinking about it stage yet.) The melons too are blooming, and we're still hoping those will bear well. The news said this is the perfect time of year to plant pumpkins for a fall harvest, so we're going to use a corner where nothing came up to try those out.

The herbs are looking good, too. Apparently they needed a little more water, because they've brightened considerably. Standing there looking at my ripe tomatoes and all the fresh herbs, I could just taste pasta for dinner. So I clipped several handfuls of each herb and trundled it all inside completely disregarding the chicken in the fridge.

With the addition of just a few items on hand we had a fresh, delicious dinner. I started by cooking a couple of turkey burger patties left in the freezer. Next I added all the chopped herbs from the garden including purple basil, rosemary, parsley, oregano, and onion chives. While this simmered - filling the kitchen with the aroma of all those flavors - I chopped some zucchini that we previously harvested along with quite a few of the tomatoes we picked today. A couple of cloves of fresh garlic went into the pot along with the remaining green onions from the crisper. I also threw in a little bit of chopped broccoli left over from dinner a couple of nights ago for good measure. Next, I added a little white wine to supplement the liquid released from the tomatoes and let the whole thing simmer for half an hour before starting the water for the pasta. After a quick taste a little salt, pepper, and sugar were in order.

Unfortunately when I culled through the cheese drawer I discovered an amazing lack of Parmesan cheese. (I'd love to say I usually have the good stuff on hand, but at $20 a pound I opt for the cheaper, pre-grated variety. Last year, when Parmesano Regiano was on sale for half off, I did splurge on a small wedge which I peeled into curls and put on top of salads at a dinner party.) Tonight, I substituted some grated Irish farmer's cheese we recently acquired at Sam's Club. This has the dry texture of Parmesan but isn't as salty. Once the pasta was done I tossed everything together in a bowl effectively melting the cheese into the rest of the goodies while the pasta absorbed the liquid. Though the topping was not very "saucy," the garden veggies and herbs gave the dish an unmistakable freshness that was deeply satisfying, and we all enjoyed our bowls full of garden goodness immensely.

Kitchen Design 101

People who design houses obviously do not cook. At least that is the impression I have after spending the day walking though model homes in our area. (No, we're not moving, but it is fun to look at all the upscale houses - especially the ones with good decorators.) While most of the homes had something about them that we liked, we only actually found one that wowed us. One of the biggest problems we encountered was the layout of the kitchen.

It seems to me that in a world where airwaves are bombarded by house and kitchen design/decorating shows everyone would know by now that refrigerators do not go all the way across the room from sinks and cook tops. Yet, at least half of the models we looked at were laid out this way. Go figure! One house - which was particularly gorgeous in all other respects - had a huge kitchen with lovely black granite counter tops flecked with some silvery-white substance that sparkled in the light. The floor to (10-foot high) ceiling dark cherry cabinetry capped with six-inch crown molding gave warmth and ample storage while the huge under-mount sink made imagined clean-up a breeze. Double wall ovens and a separate cook top beckoned me to put on an apron and serve up delicious morsels to guests seated along bar stools - until I noticed that one of those chairs sat right in front of the refrigerator. That's right - it was on the other side of the island along the opposite wall from the sink, stove, and ovens - with a bar stool blocking fully opening the door. Now whose dumb idea was that? Some architect who has never stepped foot into a kitchen except to eat probably decided it looked good over there when there was plenty of space to place it on the other wall swapping out cabinets for the fridge. Duh.

While this was the worst design faux paus we encountered because the fridge was actually blocked by a seat, many of the kitchens we saw placed the refrigerator on the wall away from the sink and cook top. I kept wondering if the designers had never seen Candice Olson gut and redo a kitchen creating a triangular work space among the three appliances. I just can't fathom that.

On the bright side, we found one house that had nearly 3,000 square feet on a single level with a beautiful little bricked in courtyard at the front and a long covered porch running across the entire back of the house. This place had expansive white marble tile floors with room areas broken up by patterns of small hexagonal tiles inlaid around the marble. The master suite was to die for with a seating area, a huge walk in shower, a granite vanity with a make up area, and his and hers walk in closets. The feeling upon entry to the whole house was spacious and homey with a couple of seating areas, a den (which would make a perfect music room for a baby grand piano), a large table area off the kitchen as well as a formal dining room connected to the fabulous kitchen by a butler's pantry. There were several more bedrooms on the side of the house opposite the master and a split three car garage for storage. The whole house danced with sunlight from all the gorgeous energy-efficient windows. (As a matter of fact, this builder has some sort of "green" house rating because they use so much insulation, earth friendly materials, and energy saving products.) The kitchen of this home was to die for with high-end built in appliances, a long prep island and eating bar, tons of cabinetry (again with the fancy crown molding), and a layout conducive to actually cooking. The open floor plan of this house just begged for entertaining. Ah yes, we could picture ourselves living there. Alas, our house is nice too, so we won't be pulling up stakes any time soon, but it is fun to dream.

As an update to yesterday's blog, we tried the figs with sea salt and balsamic vinegar along with the two artisan salamis. The Chianti salami was good, but nothing special. There was no real flavor difference between it and regular salami that I could detect. The pepper coated variety was excellent. The black pepper flavor was a little strong for Jeff's taste, but I enjoyed its bite - especially paired with a mellow morsel of smoked Gouda. Finally, the figs were wonderful. We had a couple that were over-ripe on the verge of turning which we ended up not eating, but the rest were red and beautiful inside with a rim of white leading out to the dark brownish-purple skin. The dab of sea of salt only served to enhance the sweetness, while the cinnamon pear balsamic vinegar added an interesting twist to the soft, subtle figs. Just now I'm about to head outside to pluck a few more from the tree.

A World of Food

World Market has to be one of the best places to browse interesting foods. Couple that with a half-price sale, and I'm in heaven. We stopped in today hoping for some samples, but since it was the middle of the week they only had a couple of flavors of coffee up for grabs. (I passed on that because it was 107 in the shade, so hot coffee was not at the top of my treat list.) However, the sale goodies began almost as soon as we walked through the door.

At the front of the store was a large table with close out wines for half off. After perusing a wide selection of Japanese sakes and several reds from Italy, we happened across a couple of lovely finds. The first is a rich Australian muscat the color of liquid amber. The second is a 2006 Vidal icewine from Magnotta Vineyards in Canada. Icewine is made from grapes harvested in the winter after freezing temperatures. The grapes are left on the vine until December or January, which concentrates the sugars. Then, once the temperature has reached a sufficiently low freezing point - which forms ice crystals in any remaining water in the grape thus further concentrating the flavors - the grapes are picked by hand and crushed almost immediately to make the wine. Having read about this wine in several online articles, I was ecstatic to run across a bottle for less than $20 when it normally retails in the $40 to $50 range. We brought this find home and popped it into the fridge to chill over night. Our plan is to open it tomorrow evening to enjoy with some fresh figs and a few other bargain finds.

After safely tucking our treasures into a cart, we moved to the back of the store in search of more goodies. One of my favorite sections of World Market contains olives. Here you can find large queen olives stuffed with pearl onions, blanched almonds, jalapeno peppers, and garlic cloves. Each of these adds an interesting twist to an icy martini, but alas they were not on sale today, so we passed them by. However, at the end of this row we came across a cheese and salami display that had many sale items. After spending a little time examining the cheeses we decided our recent purchases as Sam's Club would suffice, but we did choose a couple of salami flavors to go with our smoked gouda. (Last night I watched Anthony Bourdain do an entire segment on traditional methods of making salami, so I was in the mood for these goodies.) Our first choice is romano salame which is dry cured without a lot of interior seasoning (a little salt and garlic) while the outside is entirely coated in black pepper. The other selection is an all-natural chianti salami. (The shop offered rose and pinot grigio types as well, but we opted for the chianti flavor thinking it would stand up the best to the seasonings of an artisan salami.) Both of these should be prove excellent additions to our snack plates.

Finally, we made our way to the sweet aisle in search of Jeff's favorite cookies - assorted crispy sugar wafers dipped in or filled with chocolate. This bag of German goodies seems to pull Jeff into World Market even if we are ambling on the other side of the parking lot. He says he could eat them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner without growing weary. I'll admit, they are addictive because they seem so airy. Surely something so light and tasty couldn't be bad for you.

When we entered the store we had planned to browse, perhaps buy a bag of cookies, and then move on to the next shop in line. However, by the time we were finished we only wanted to run home with all of our goodies to contemplate consuming them. Delayed gratification is coming though, when we enjoy our bargain-priced gourmet treats tomorrow night. Until then, I will have sweet dreams indeed.

Hungry Teen Alert

This evening, as I was contemplating what to make for dinner, my son came through the door with one of his friends and both of them were hungry. Before the boys walked in I had thought I might make tuna salad sandwiches with sweet potato fries. However, this idea did not seem filling enough for the guys, so improvisation was in order. I turned to an old standby - hash or what we fondly call "s**t in a skillet."

This begins with whatever you have on hand. Tonight's mixture featured frozen shredded hash browns, ground meatless, chopped tomatoes, bell pepper, and onion. Of course, this is the easiest of all meals since the idea is to toss everything in a skillet and let it cook until it is done - usually 10 to15 minutes. At the end, I stirred in some salsa and cheese to round out the flavors. Interestingly enough, the guys thought it looked pretty good, though this is not generally one of those dishes that has visual appeal. On the other hand, they enjoy war themed video games and zombie movies, so how much visual appeal do they really need? Jeff and I both enjoyed our bowls full as well, which just goes to show that the simplest of foods can be satisfying.

Not that we really needed a big dinner today, since we have done little physical activity. The current heat wave has relegated us to the house until the sun is out of the backyard when we can hit the pool for a cool down. After this evening's swim, we picked another big batch of tomatoes from the garden and the first of the figs practically fell off in our hands when we touched them. The birds have eaten some of them, but the tree is so loaded that I'm sure we'll get our share.

I recently found a couple of con"fig"urations using balsamic vinegar that I'd like to try. The first one involves sprinkling the cut figs with sugar and putting them under the broiler to caramelize before adding a smattering of vinegar. I'm pretty sure the cinnamon pear flavor we recently acquired would be deluxe in this situation. The recipe suggests eating the figs alone or serving them with a little blue cheese for contrast. Another recipe calls for cutting an X in the small end of the fig (about three quarters of the way down) and squeezing the fruit until it forms a blossom. These are then arranged on a platter to be sprinkled with sea salt and toasted hazelnuts before drizzling with the vinegar. I'm not sure which of these sounds better, but I'm pretty sure we'll be trying both of them soon.

Temptation Averted

After a day of hanging out at the mall - caught a movie and did some shopping (found some great shoes!) - it was tempting to load up on fast food. After all, we did hit Quik Trip for a drink (soooo dry) on the way home, and the taquitos looked really good (especially the spicy cheese with some cool ranch dip), but we were good. We forked over for the 69 cent drink special only. This, of course, meant I had to cook something worthwhile when we arrived at the house. I mean, if you're going to give up calorie-laden goodies, there better be a treat waiting somewhere. Upon surveying our choices, I opted for the steak and onions - simple, classic, and yummy since we had a couple of toppings to make the dish sparkle.

Jeff was catching up on email, so rather than fire up the grill I turned on the broiler. While it preheated I doused the steak (london broil on sale) with a good deal of pepper and a little sea salt. Next, I cut a large red onion into eight chunks and distributed them across the broiler pan with the steak. This went into the oven for five minutes on each side leaving it medium rare. While the steak was resting, I spread the onions out and put them back in the oven for another three minutes to finish cooking them through. (By the time I pulled them out, they were slightly browned, soft, and sweet.)

Meanwhile back on the stove top, I put a quarter cup of tangerine balsamic vinegar, three diced shallots, and a little water on to boil. Once it reached temp, I turned the heat down to low and let it simmer while the steak cooked. It reduced to a sweet and tangy sauce that greatly enhanced the peppery-tenderness of the steak. In addition, I chopped some parsley (about half a cup), added two spoonfuls of pre-minced garlic, the juice of half an orange, and the zest of the whole orange. This created a second topping that had a fresh green taste from the parsley coupled with the brightness of the orange.

When the onions came out of the oven, the steak was ready to cut into thin slices, which I put on a platter and surrounded with the sweet onions. We ate the steak with the shallot and vinegar sauce, but topped the onions with the parsley mixture. Of course, I liked it best all mixed together - a bite of steak with a bite parsleyed onion, all dredged in the vinegar. This was heaven on a fork. To make the whole thing even better (if that is possible), Jeff opened a bottle of chianti, which really hit the spot.

After a long day of playing and shopping, it was lovely to have an excellent meal at home with the guys. Sure, we could have eaten out, but it would not have been nearly this good. And, as an added bonus, it only took about 15 minutes from start to finish. No restaurant could have served up something so wonderful, so quickly, and at such a bargain price.

A Quiet Night

Tonight we honored a standing tradition of watching a Capital Fourth on PBS. Locally, fireworks are prohibited, although towns often sponsor displays to celebrate the day. Most years we attend a show put on by Mesa Community College, however (for the second year in a row) the fireworks were cancelled due to budget cuts. So, rather than watch a display elsewhere, we opted for movie night followed by the national celebration. (Usually we attend a show and then catch the Washington D.C. broadcast in an encore presentation.) This year was the 30th anniversary of a Capital Fourth, and much to my surprise I remembered many of the clips from previous celebrations, although my son said he didn't even know who half the stars were. Alas, time marches on.

To kick off our quiet, family-style festivities, I made Mediterranean sandwiches (from my new Cooking Light recipe book). The guys weren't crazy about them, but I thought they were fabulous! I started by preparing a box of long grain and wild rice. While it simmered on the stove top, I diced about half a cucumber and two small tomatoes. These were mixed with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, pepper, and the juice from half a lemon. Next, I stirred in a small package of hummus and some feta cheese. Once the rice was finished, this went into the mixture as well. The filling was both creamy and chewy with predominant textures from the hummus and the rice. The veggies and lemon juice gave it a little sparkle, while the saltiness of the feta balanced out the acidity. I put the filling on Greek flat bread (like a pita without the pocket), but it would be just as good in an actual pita, rolled into a tortilla, or served on a roll. I think it would also be good as an appetizer dip served with pita chips, especially if you seasoned them with some rosemary and black pepper. Luckily there were a couple of sandwich halves left, so I can eat this again for lunch tomorrow!

To round out the meal we opted for a Fourth of July favorite - watermelon. For the last couple of years melons have been pricey in the store, but they were on sale today for $2.50, so we thumped a few and chose one that sounded a little hollow but was still firm. We were rewarded with a deep red sugary interior that rivaled the watermelons of childhood. (You know the ones I mean - when Mom cuts open a huge, juicy melon at the picnic table and hands out slices of summer. The sweet, pink water runs down your chin and drips through your fingers while you accumulate seeds to spit in competition with your siblings and cousins. The melon is warm and fragrant - at its peak of ripeness.) At least two-thirds of that watermelon disappeared during our t.v. time. The rest, of course went into the fridge for tomorrow, but it will never taste any better than it did the moment I split it down the middle and took that first bite.

So, while our holiday celebration was pretty low key this year, it was still a good one, and it reminds me of the words of Adlai Stevenson:"Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime." May God bless America - Happy Independence Day.

Discovering a Gourmet Treat

Flavored oils and vinegars can bring a lot of life to foods. While in Prescott, Jeff and I discovered a place to indulge our taste buds in new and interesting ways. Olive U Naturally (located in Bashford Court on Courthouse Square) sells balsamic vinegar in flavors like honey ginger, blackberry ginger, fig, coconut, chocolate, black cherry, blueberry, pineapple, and tangerine (to name about half) and extra virgin olive oil in flavors including lime, lemon, orange, wild mushroom and many more.

We stumbled across this shop quite innocently while strolling around Friday morning. Upon entering, the first thing you see are small casks with taps lining the walls above bottle racks (much like the set up at a winery tasting station) with a large round table in the center sporting bread cubes and tiny paper cups. As Jeff and I surveyed some of the flavors, we were approached by one of the two (very) friendly sales people and offered a taste which we accepted somewhat skeptically, unsure about sipping vinegar straight. (I know, I drink straight booze so vinegar shouldn't even cause me to flinch.) But after trying the raspberry and the tangerine we were hooked and a frenzy of flavor mixing began. The sales person brought us sample after sample which we inhaled, tasted, and discussed before allowing her to add another vinegar or flavored oil to create some new sensation. Once the oils were introduce, she suggested we sop up the liquids with bread squares, though some of the oils were worthy of a swig - particularly the Herbs de Provence flavor.

I'm not sure how long we stayed, but several other couples came into the shop while we were there and began partaking of the goodies as well. The room was filled with laughter and voices talking about bouquet, texture, and after bite. I felt like we were in an upscale wine bar. Eventually, we purchased three flavors - tangerine, cinnamon pear, and blackberry ginger. The tangerine has an aroma of peeling fresh fruit; the cinnamon pear is spicy and heady like Christmas pudding, and the blackberry ginger starts with sweet ripe berry flavors before a peppery finish. It was difficult to choose because so many of the vinegars were excellent. The most surprising flavor was chocolate, which had a dark richness tinged with a sweet scent. We didn't purchase any of the oils, though they too were excellent. (However, the flavors of the oils were not as strong, and we felt we could steep our own herbs in olive oil at home to simulate them.) Had we purchased an oil flavor, I would have chosen the sweet lemon for its ability to pair with all the vinegars so well along with its strong summery aroma. 

After making our selections and leaving the shop we began discussing the idea of purchasing these oils and vinegars as gifts. So, five minutes later we retraced our steps to buy a couple more bottles as a birthday present for Jeff's dad. (We picked the black cherry and red apple for him.) Today, when we celebrated his birthday, I used the three flavors we bought for ourselves to make syrups to pour over some vanilla pound cake. Unfortunately, they didn't turn out very well. Not because the vinegar didn't taste good, but because I cooked them too long (heavy sigh). In the past, I've made balsamic syrup by mixing equal parts vinegar and sugar and cooking it over medium heat until it boils and becomes thick. The recipe I have for this says the process takes about five minutes; however in my notes I wrote that it took quite a bit longer the last time I did this. So, when I made the first syrup today I boiled it about seven minutes before pouring it into shot glasses to cool. As I poured it, it seemed a good deal too thick to me, so the next two flavors I cooked about four minutes before pouring. By the time dessert rolled around, the syrups had become far too hard to pour at all. As a matter of fact, I had made balsamic vinegar candy. (I must interject here that we all sort of pried it out of the glasses and ate it anyway because the flavor was so good.) Jeff even thinks I should use some of the vinegars to make suckers for the holidays. (Yes, it's just that good!) My only explanation for this debacle of texture is that the plain jane grocery store variety of balsamic vinegar must have a great deal more water than this kind. I will be trying the syrup again, but I'll be adding some water and watching it carefully, probably removing it the moment the sugar dissolves.

Ultimately, I am enjoying playing with the vinegar flavors and considering what else I might do with them. The products are available online at http://oliveunaturally.com/, but shipping is pretty hefty if you're only ordering a couple of bottles ($12 for the first bottle and $1 for each bottle after that). Still, if you have any foodies on a gift list or just want to treat yourself (after all, life is short), this is the way to go. Enjoy!

Pleased with the Peacock

It has been 15 years since Jeff and I sipped a drink in the lobby of the Hassayampa Inn (Prescott, AZ) which sports many comfortable chairs and sofas arranged in conversation areas near the old grand piano available for guests to play, in front of the massive fireplace which blazes merrily in the winter, and close to the large picture windows that overlook the brick terrace populated with ironwork tables and chairs. There is a small bar opening into the lobby that offers hot tea and coffee in the morning later changing to ice water flecked with lemon slices as the temperature rises. Everyone is welcome to take a break from the heat and bask in the soothing age and atmosphere of the place.

In addition to a relaxing drink we enjoyed the hospitality of the Peacock Room restaurant for dinner last night and breakfast this morning. When we arrived at 8 p.m. for our reservation, we discovered most of the dinner rush had passed and only a couple of other tables were occupied, lending an air of serenity to the place. Light jazz wafted in from the lounge next door providing a backdrop to hushed conversations around romantically lit tables and high-backed booths. As part of our stay at the inn, we had already enjoyed a treat of champagne and large, luscious chocolate-dipped strawberries while we were dressing for dinner, which only served to whet our appetites. After we were firmly ensconced in an over sized private booth the waiter handed us menus replete with selections like duck a la orange, filet mignon, planked salmon, and lobster. We took quite some time sipping champagne and reading each description thoroughly before making our decisions. I chose a seafood medley (sea scallops, shrimp, salmon, and mussels) in a white wine, butter, and caper sauce while Jeff opted for the filet mignon encrusted with a house blend of herbs and spices resembling a spunky pesto. While we waited for the main course, we nibbled freshly baked sour dough bread, salad with a blue cheese and vinaigrette dressing, and tomato bisque. When our entrees arrived we wondered if we'd be able to eat them, but (of course) we did. While both were very good, I think the seafood medley would have been improved immensely by cutting back the amount of sauce. (It was served in a large, wide bowl - almost as if it were a soup rather than a sauce.) In addition, while the salmon and scallops were done to perfection, the shrimp was a little over cooked. Finally, the mussels (which I'd never eaten before) were good - they had a clean, salt air taste that I have come to associate with Gulf coast oysters on the half shell (prior to the BP oil spill, that is). Jeff's steak was perfectly cooked and so tender he could cut it with a fork. By the time we were finished, we knew we had to stroll around courthouse square a couple of times to walk off a little dinner.

At breakfast this morning we found the Peacock Room bustling with activity bathed in the bright golden light of day. Luckily, the moment we were seated an excellent waiter filled my coffee cup and kept it coming the whole time we were there. (Jeff probably called ahead to tell them how cranky I am if I don't get my daily caffeine fix.) Again we were handed menus brimming with good eats ranging from muffins and fruit to quiche of the day to more standard fair. We both opted for eggs, bacon, and hashbrowns, though I had 12-grain toast with mine while Jeff ordered up a couple of pancakes (which ultimately covered the entire plate and had everything else stacked on top). The real treat (for me) came in the form of the potatoes. All I can say is that someone at the Hassayampa Inn knows how to make hashbrowns - large chunks of previously boiled potatoes fried to a golden brown with just a hint of crispy outside to match the soft, steamy inside along with slivers of red bell pepper and sweet vidalia onions. These were heaven on a plate next to the crispy oven-cooked bacon and fluffy scrambled eggs. Jeff, not being a hashbrown lover himself, offered up his portion in an effort to clear his plate faster so he could get to those pancakes - one of which he ate smothered in apple butter instead of syrup.

We again left the restaurant stuffed and in need of a walk around town before heading home. We browsed a few more antique shops and, just before making our way to the car, discovered a shop called "Olive U Naturally" (purveyors of gourmet olive oils and balsamic vinegars), which I will tell you all about tomorrow.