Today I made a special dinner for a lawyer friend of my daughter’s in exchange for some excellent legal advice. I’d asked what her culinary preference was since I’m familiar with several. She suggested Middle Eastern and mentioned having had Iranian cuisine frequently at home while growing up, perhaps a nanny, so I decided to … More Roundabout Middle Eastern Dinner
My cousin grows Royal Velvet culinary lavender and decorative lavender on the farm she and her husband share along a river in southeastern Idaho. She suggested that I might use the culinary lavender in my cookies and specifically in a cookie like the one I made today as the first experiment. Since I’ve a taste … More Lavender Mini Teacakes
Since summertime 2014, most Tuesday dinners involved some items or spices typically associated with Mexican food and were called, in a name widely used elsewhere, Taco Tuesdays. It seldom involved tacos, but often involved the leanest ground beef with taco seasoning. (I could write a mini-book with those recipes; maybe I will someday.) My daughter’s … More Stuffed Eggplant
That gorgeous garden of bamboo and palm brushes right up to the wide kitchen window in my new home. It’s the biggest kitchen with the most counter, cabinet and floor space I’ve ever had to myself, and lots of decisions. If you’ve ever had three-quarters of your kitchen needs in boxes in another room … More A New Kitchen, Neighbors, Home Ec 101
This cookie came about during the Christmas baking season and there was a leftover bag full of the Hershey’s Dark Mint Truffle-filled Kisses. My lovely niece Alexa and grandniece Miley are moving to Kauai at the beginning of March, AND they missed out on this cookie when I sent the whole tin full of them … More Valentine Snicks with Kisses
My boldest self got out the Stanley 12′ measuring tape, calculated the distance to the roof between the tip of my hand holding a camera and the top of a chair with a booster on it, then climbed up and took this pic. Landlord’s refusal to make this place safe? I’m providing assistance to county … More Why no divinity candy? Rot on Roof.
Example 2 in the short series of baking as therapy for struggling with someone trying to get in my front door is another variation on a known and an unknown. Bran muffins with banana, raisins and dried cranberries are tasty. It is known by bran muffin lovers worldwide. Molasses caramels are also tasty, and molasses … More Baking Experiments as Therapy, Example 2: Bran & Fruit Muffins with Molasses Caramel
To diffuse some leftover adrenaline from fighting off an attempt by someone with a knife to get in my door in the middle of the afternoon last Thursday, I did one of the things that I find comforting. Bake something. Get in the kitchen, measure things, put ingredients together in a certain manner, take care … More Baking Experiments as Therapy, Example 1: Chocolate Chip Bourbon Cookies
There is esprit de corps or playoff fever in the Pacific Northwest with the Seahawks fighting for another big trip and the 12s going all blue and green. Some folks are immune, but they keep their heads down. For the rest of us, two words end conversations. My pre-game preparation began here, with the easiest recipe … More I’m In with Cranberry Orange Scones in Seattle Colors
Listening to the Guerrilla Girls on the telly Thursday night being interviewed by Colbert resonated with me, brought to mind a little story. I like pink mountains. I like to see sunset on Mt. Rainier, when the mountain is out, as we say, if it’s visible wherever I’m at that evening. My interest began with … More Art as Food, Guerrilla Girls, Pink Mt. Rainier
Ms Chef in Seattle 