I am a country girl, born and raised on a farm in Central Iowa. I am the youngest of three children by 9 and 14 years….I was the OOPS! Being younger had its advantages in that I was an Aunt at age 7 and grew up with my niece and nephews. My Father died from a farm injury when I was 12, which forever changed my life and strengthened my bond with my Mother. I tagged along with my Mother to visit older people in our community and learned about their lives in the early 1900s, enjoying the many wonderful traditional foods and family stories.
I graduated from a class of 25, which gave me the advantage of being involved in sports and clubs that would not have been possible in a large High School. At that time, Home Ec was still an elective and I loved the cooking lessons (not so hot on the sewing classes). While at the University of Northern Iowa, I began to collect and read cookbooks. Perhaps it was the absence of Mom’s home cooking that drew me to dream about cooking (and eating) wonderful food. After college I moved to St. Joseph, MO and then to Scottsdale, AZ and began to experiment with traditional recipes and discovering those of my own. It was such an adventure to discover new dishes and restaurants in historic St. Joseph, Kansas City, then Scottsdale, Phoenix, San Diego…and the list goes on.
In the early ‘80s, I moved to Denver, got married, started my telecommunications sales career and discovered the fabulous restaurants in Denver and Aspen. My career took me to cities never before experienced and the seafood in San Francisco, Cajun fare in New Orleans, Tex-Mex in Dallas, Italian in New Jersey, etc. are experiences I will cherish. In 1986 our first daughter, Megan, was born and then Sarah in 1988. Instead of indulging in dinners out, we were cooking more at home and seeking ways to have good meals with limited time. Dinners went from adult gourmet to more kid friendly meals. Megan’s tastes were more basic while Sarah adopted a gourmet palate at an early age. At age 6 her favorite meal was steamed artichokes and crab legs with drawn butter…still her favorite. Megan’s tastes expanded rapidly when she went to college and started cooking for her roommates and now loves to whip up gourmet dishes.
I am blessed to have many gal pals that also share my passion for good food. I love to try new restaurants and look forward to the ‘pot luck’ feasts at our book club meetings and other gatherings. It isn’t just the good food that brings us to together, but the great love and admiration we all have for each other.
We are addicted foodies…but we try to remember our 12-step foodie program is needed.
God grant me the serenity to only eat the food that I LOVE,
the courage to walk away from junk food,
and the wisdom to recognize the difference. Oh YEAH!
Many years ago my husband’s family had a large family reunion on the North Carolina Beach. Each family took turns cooking dinner. My brother-in-law, Ron, and his wife, Cathy treated us to a Low Country Boil. It was wonderful and something our family still loves. While we are landlocked, we can still enjoy a good Low Country Boil.
LOW COUNTRY BOIL
5 quarts water
2 pounds Kielbasa or hot smoked link sausage, cut in 1″ pieces
4 pounds small new red potatoes
6 ears fresh sweet corn, husked and cleaned
4 pounds fresh shrimp in the shell
1 red onion
Old Bay Seafood seasoning
Cocktail Sauce
Optional: Add fresh, cleaned mussels or crab at the same time as the shrimp.
Bring 5 quarts water and 1/4 cup Old Bay Seasoning to a rolling boil in a large covered stockpot.
Add potatoes and onion; bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Add sausage and corn, and return to a boil. Cook 10 minutes or
until potatoes are tender.
Add shrimp to stockpot; cook 3-4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Drain. Serve with Old Bay Seasoning and cocktail sauce.
Palisade (Colorado) peaches are divine and something our family looks forward to each year. Due to an early freeze, we weren’t sure we could purchase peaches. A local high school band had a fundraiser with peaches and we purchased 3 boxes of the most beautiful peaches.
Palisade Peaches
This recipe for cobbler combines my favorite two fruits, raspberry and peach. My mouth waters just thinking about it. Fresh fruit is the best but I have also made from frozen peaches with great results.
What will I do with the rest of the peaches? Oh, wonderful peach salsa!
PEACH RASPBERRY COBBLER
8 medium sized peaches (about 2 lb. or 4 cups), ripe peeled and sliced
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups raspberries, rinsed and drained
1 cup flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a shallow 1.5 to 2 quart baking dish.
Mix together peaches, 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Pour into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle raspberries over the peaches.
In a food processor or a bowl, mix together flour, 3/4 c. sugar, butter and nutmeg until it has the texture of coarse oatmeal. Crumble over the fruit.
Bake until bubbling in the center and golden brown on top, about 45 -60 minutes.
Cool for at least 10 minutes. Best served warm with vanilla ice cream.
Easter 2020 will be like no other. Most Americans will be home, distanced from family and friends. Our family will be doing the same but plan to share food and get together on Zoom for a short visit. Saturday we will be doing porch pickups of 1) homemade rolls, 2) Fresh Peach Cobbler…summertime favorite (using frozen peaches from last summer), and 3) Scotcheroos…Easter tradition. We will each cook our own dinner and enjoy a bit of what the others have made. It won’t be the same, but it will be an Easter to remember.
Today is the 26th day of self isolation and I am so blessed to be doing well, keeping in touch with family and friends and checking items off my ‘to-do’ list. Cleaning closets and recalling memories is part of the experience. While selecting books to read to my grandchildren, I found one of my childhood Easter books now very tattered but well loved. One of my daughter’s remarked that the bunny’s red eye creeps her out…I never even thought about that!
The pictures and stories are charming and would spark my childhood imagination. Here are a few pages:
‘Helping One Another’ is something we need to do all of the time, but especially now. ‘Jack In The Pulpit’ takes me back to springtime in Iowa and wandering the timbers with my Mother gathering Morel mushrooms and seeing Jack In The Pulpits, bluebells, Johnny Jump Ups, and many other wild flowers.
This week I also rediscovered my childhood bank, a bunny so sweet and tender. She was manufactured in the 1950s by Knickerbocker Plastics in North Hollywood, California. My mother saved her for many years, but why have I stored in the basement all these years? It’s time for her to shine her pretty little face again.
Memories are a wonderful thing…to be treasured and shared.
May your Easter be joyful…May your blessings be many. Happy Easter!
Living through a Pandemic was certain not on my wish list but here we are. While I try to keep an upbeat attitude, my first inclination is go dark but I’ve learned that doesn’t accomplish a thing.
Keeping busy with things that interest me is key. I have a long list of ‘to-dos’ that I have been ignoring so … get on it, Cathy! There is yardwork and garden preparation, closets to be cleaned, Shutterfly books to finish, genealogy research to be done, etc. I try to accomplish a little of this each day but self-care and personal connection is most important.
This is day 13 of self isolation except for a very protected trip to get my allergy shot (extreme tree pollen allergies) and porch delivery of my Mom’s chicken and noodles to my girls and their families.
Each day the weather cooperates, I try to go on a long walk. Seeing neighbors outside playing with their children, sitting on their front porch or simply waving to neighbors warms my heart. The two best experiences while walking were 1) encountering a family of dinosaurs with Mom and little daughter in full dinosaur costumes and Dad in a mask; 2) completing a chalk lava field drawn by a child on their sidewalk. I love to see such creativity!
Talking with my girls and my grandchildren is saving me, too. My grandchildren are ages 6, 4, 3 and 1. The opportunity to read books, have dance parties, and just play via video chat is a wonderful capability that we all can enjoy. Talking with friends, Virtual yoga with my Hot Flash yoga pals, virtual happy hour with our local winery, and family Zoom sessions also help to keep me connected.
I’ve not been to the store since Friday, March 13 but I have plenty to eat. My Mother taught us to always have a full pantry and freezer and now is the time to use it! To conserve on eggs, I’ve shifted my daily egg to a breakfast cake I’m loving with a dollop or yogurt!
Breakfast Cake
2 mashed bananas 1.4 cups oatmeal 2 beaten eggs 3 cups berries (fresh, frozen or canned/drained–even less works just fine) 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Mix together and placed in greased pan (about 8×10″) and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cut in squares.
I heat a square of breakfast cake in the microwave for 20 seconds and then add a dollop of Greek Yogurt. So yummy!
This experience causes me to think back to the 1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic and the hardship of those times. What did our ancestors do in quarantine, usually with a multitude of children and no chance of grocery delivery or the care of today’s modern medicine. My Grandma Susie would be slaving over a hot wood cookestove in a very tiny house, with 4 little kids running underfoot. To my knowledge, no one in our family died during that time but I do not know who may have contracted the disease, either.
A friend shared with me that her Grandmother had written a journal during the time of the Spanish Flu and she has been reading it. It prompted her to start a journal for her grandchildren. What a great idea! I am not a journal kind of person, but this is such a unique time in our lives, that I think it is important to document what this experience has been like. Perhaps we can actually learn from our mistakes in the future.
In closing let me thank everyone who is sacrificing their own safety to care for the people of the United States. You are our true heroes!
These Berry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars are great for breakfast on-the-go or for a snack. The bars are free of refined sugar and gluten. The original blueberry recipe from Iowa Girl Eats is delicious (of course everything she makes is!). My second batch was made with blueberries and raspberries…Yum! I may try to substitute applesauce for the bananas on a future batch for family members that don’t like the taste of bananas.
Wouldn’t these be great to freeze and have on hand especially for busy Moms once the kids are back to school?
BERRY BREAKFAST OATMEAL BARS
2.5 cups certified gluten-free old fashioned oats, divided (I actually just used the food processor on all of the oats)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1/2 cup mashed banana (about 2 small or 1 large banana)
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 heaping cup of berries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees then spray an 8×8″ baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
Add 1 cup old fashioned oats to food processor or blender and process until oats have turned into flour (Note: I blended the entire 2.5 cups). Set aside. Alternatively you can use a scant cup of oat flour.
Add milk, mashed banana, honey, coconut oil, egg, and vanilla to a large bowl then whisk to combine. Add remaining 1.5 cups oats, oat flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt then stir to combine. Fold in the berries then pour batter into greased baking pan.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the center has set. Cool before slicing into bars and store in the refrigerator. Alternatively, you can individually wrap the bars in Saran Wrap and freeze.
May 7, I stepped onto my front porch and noticed a few unsightly weeds hanging from my front porch light. I pulled them down and went about my day. The next morning, lo and behold, there was a beautiful nest perched on top of the porch light.
I marveled at the intelligence of Mama and Papa Robin, selecting a nest site that was under the cover of the porch and warmed by the light 24x 7 because they built the nest over the light sensor!
On May 12, the eggs started to appear, first two, then a total of 5. The Colorado May weather was unusually cold so Mama was on the nest most of the time.
Mama Robin lays her eggs May 12-15
Excitement was building as our family watched the Robin’s nest with great anticipation. The grandkids were so excited to see photos and watch the wonder of nature.
Fifteen days later the eggs started to hatch, one by one. To be able to see (never touch) these sweet babies up close was amazing. The nest was too tall to actually look into the nest, iphone photos and video to the rescue (centering of the photos was often an issue).
Mama and Daddy Robin were consumed with feeding these hungry babies and they became very protective whenever we stepped out on the porch, swooping by and touching my hair to give warning.
Eleven days after the first hatch, two of the babies flew from the nest.
June 8: Two babies prepare to leave the nest
Mama was talking to them and away they went. A few days later the last two babies also left the nest. Their soaring abilities were very good and I hope they have learned to soar and be safe.
In the meantime, the grandkids are disappointed that the birds are gone, as am I. Thank you, Mother Nature, for the great adventure and we hope we’ll have the opportunity again next year.
Below is a link to a short video of our Robin Adventure.
Vegan Winter Lentil Stew is a flavorful, hearty winter stew. I first tried this soup when hosting book club and preparing two stews 1) Vegan and 2) Beef Stew. The key to the flavor in this soup is the Dijon mustard. Who knew it could pack such a yummy punch. Even non-lovers of lentils and beans have enjoyed it. If you insist on adding a protein, go for it! I’m sure it would be delicious.
Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Add the olive oil, onion, and garlic to a large soup pot and begin to sauté over medium heat.
While the onion and garlic are sautéing, dice the celery, then add it to the pot and continue to sauté. As the celery, onion, and garlic are sautéing, peel and chop the carrots into half rounds. Add the carrots to the pot and continue to sauté.
As the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots are sautéing, peel and cube the potatoes into 3/4 to 1-inch pieces. Add the cubed potatoes to the pot along with the lentils, rosemary, thyme, Dijon, soy sauce, brown sugar, and vegetable broth.
Briefly stir the ingredients to combine, then place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to high, and bring the stew up to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Toward the end of the simmer time, when the potatoes are very soft, begin to mash the potatoes a bit as you stir. This will help thicken the stew.
Finally, after 30 minutes, stir in the frozen peas and allow them to heat through. Taste the stew and add salt if needed. Serve hot and enjoy!
Raspberries may very well be my favorite fruit and would certainly be on my ‘last dinner’ list. This recipe started out to be Lemon Blueberry Bars as the original recipe stated. Midway through making the bars, I realized the frozen blueberries were off, so quickly switched to raspberries that I had in the freezer. Frankly, I love the results. Even the nutmeg called for in the original recipe suited the raspberries.
Another new favorite!
LEMON RASPBERRY STREUSEL BARS
yield: 24 BARS
CRUST:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated white sugar
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
pinch of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
FILLING:
2 cups fresh raspberries (I thawed frozen raspberries)
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
TOPPING:
5 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spray a 9×13-inch pyrex pan with nonstick spray.
Prepare the crust: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, zest and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg and vanilla together; stir into the crumb mixture until a dough forms. Press into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake 12 to 15 minutes until golden. Remove from oven and set aside to cool slightly. (Keep the oven on)
Sprinkle raspberries over the crust. In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup sugar and nutmeg; sprinkle over the raspberries.
Prepare the topping: In a medium bowl, use a rubber spatula to cream together the 5 tablespoons butter and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in the flour, so that the mixture is crumbly, like streusel. Sprinkle over the raspberry layer.
Green Chile was a novel concept to me until I moved from the midwest to Arizona and then to Colorado. My Iowa roots only knew Chile as red, in Chile Con Carne. I’ve grown to love green chile but I prefer mine mild. This Green Chile was a favorite of mine made at a local office building cafeteria many moons ago. It’s been years since I have made the turkey (vs. pork) green chile and I was happy to experience it once again. The original recipe made a much heavier roux but I prefer it on the lighter side.
Warm flour tortillas to serve with the chile to warm you on these cold winter nights!
TURKEY GREEN CHILE
3 quarts (96 oz.) chicken stock (remove 1 cup for roux)
1/2 cup olive oil
2/3 cup diced onion
1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
12 ounces diced green chiles
2 pounds ground turkey
1 teaspoon crushed garlic
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon jalapenos
4 tablespoons flour (or more if you want the chile to be thicker)
16 ounces chopped tomatoes
2 to 3 chopped green onions
salt, cayenne or tabasco to taste
Prepare chicken stock. Simmer while preparing other ingredients.
Heat olive oil; add onion, cilantro, 8 ounces green chiles, turkey, garlic, oregano and jalapenos until turkey is cooked. Lower heat.
Combine flour with the 1 cup of reserved stock to make roux. Mix thoroughly. Add to stock and stir. Add sautéed mixture.
Add 4 ounces green chiles, chopped tomatoes and additional green onions. Season to taste.
Fork Lore 