Whiteley Creek Homestead Bed and Breakfast Brainerd Minnesota

baker creek seed company festival

When my eyes fell upon the old hands planting a seedling. I knew.

When the paved road suddenly turned into a winding dirt road. I just knew. And then I saw the grey weathered barns. Could my smushed nose press any harder against our truck's window?

I saw the main street of a pioneer town. The mercantile and flour mill. And across the street the Baker Creek Seed Company's retail store. Bin after bin filled with heirloom seed packets. Just a few miles from Mansfield Missouri... halfway across the country from our central Minnesota home. 

There was music, vendors, speakers, food... all of the components that make a festival festive plus plants and heirloom seeds in abundance. If you've read the book, Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (if you haven't, you need to), you'll remember a Canadian farmer named Percy Schmeiser who takes on Monsanto. He was one of the festival's speakers. It was so interesting to meet the brave man that I had read about in the book. As I sat upon a straw bale, another speaker that I listened to was Hank Will, the editor-in-chief of Grit Magazine, who shared how he farms his acreage with hand tools and farm animals in lieu of mechanized equipment. I replaced my garden roto tiller with a spade years ago to avoid the major disturbance of natural soil layers, so I was intriqued by his comittment to living in a manner closely resembling that of our ancestors. Yes, it's more work. However, it eliminates the need for a gym membership, a noisy engine doesn't compete with birds' melodies, and it's a gentle way to be a steward of our earth. I loved this little girl's attire, so I snapped a photo of her as she played upon newly constructed concrete garden bed enclosures. And then my stride quickened to keep pace with hers, as there was so much more to see and do. (Heirloom seeds are those that are passed down from generation to generation, are open-pollinated, and aren't patented or genetically modified.) Post note: The Wall Street Journal, in its Thursday, May 23, 2013 edition, featured the Baker Creek Seed Company. The article explains the company's birth and phenomenal growth. Your jaw will drop when you learn the ages of the company's founder and owners, Jeremiah and Emilee Gettle.   

 

multigrain flour mix

When Kim Boyce's book, Good to the Grain Baking with Whole-Grain Flours debuted in 2010, it found a special place in my recipe book collection. I have made her Beet and Quinoa Pancakes countless times and the Figgy Buckwheat Scones are a major reason I buy dried figs in bulk. The book is divided into sections by types of flours including whole wheat, amaranth, barley, buckwheat, corn, kamut, mulitgrain, oat, quinoa, rye, spelt, and teff with a bonus chapter on jams and compotes. Even if you don't make every recipe in the book, it inspires you to think beyond whole wheat flour. And the photography is lovely. Some time back, my oldest daughter, Heather, told me that she adds barley flour and oat flour to her whole wheat pastry flour to sweeten her muffins, cakes, and cookies. Ever since, I have been doing the same. Last night, as I was reading Good to the Grain before falling asleep, there on p. 109, it reaffirmed what I already knew. I have a very smart daughter. Kim Boyce states that often she likes to use a combination of flours in a recipe, so she mixes up a large batch and keeps a jar on her counter. In her "Multigrain Flour Mix," she combines 1 cup whole-wheat flour, 1 cup oat flour, 1 cup barley flour, 1/2 cup millet flour, and 1/2 cup rye flour.

My grain mill quickly transformed five whole grains into a Multigrain Flour Mix that I used to make peach cranberry scones. Will I limit myself to these five flours? No. As a go-to all-purpose mix, most definitely.   

the little ragamuffin, fancyflours, high mowing seeds

Each year, April 17th is National Blah, Blah, Blah Day. Did you know that? I first learned of it as I listened to NPR while on my walk three mornings ago. The intent of this wacky holiday is actually to do the things everyone's been nagging you about (e.g., quitting a habit, completing home projects). I took the opposite approach. I set my day's tasks aside and sat at my computer to order some little, joyful things. All three orders arrived in today's mail.

FIRST, I opened my parcel from The Little Ragamuffin. Etsy shop owner, Jenny, packages her hand-harvested heirloom seeds with her special touch that makes unwrapping a delight despite already knowing what's inside. Look and see...

She created handmade seed packets from a map... one contains Hutterite Soup Bean Seeds and the other Plains Coreopsis Seeds. If that wasn't sufficient, folded around the packets and tied with a ribbon was a page torn from The Lunch Box Cookbook Copyright 1955, 1954. I know because I have the cookbook... for the drawings. Can Jenny possibly have known how much I love that little cookbook? And look. A recipe for "Lunch Box Chicken" and on the flipside drawings of a barnyard and chickens. How would she know I love chickens? I will display the page in my new walk-in pantry.

Now here's where life's twists and turns eventually begin to make sense... and then life becomes just plain fun. It began in 2011 with a seed order I placed through The Little Ragamuffin Etsy Shop. Fast forward two years almost to the day when I received an email from my daughter, Heather. In one hour's time, three seemingly unconnected people... connected.

Tue, Apr 16, 2013 11:55 am Heather: "Have you purchased seeds from her or something before? https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheLittleRagamuffin I just linked to her in a post and now I feel like I recognize the shop name from a post you did once. Wouldn't that be something. I found her by searching for natural soap or something on Etsy. So, it would be a big coincidence if we both separately posted about her. Let me know. I am so curious."

Tue, Apr 16, 2013 12:32 pm Me: "Yes, I did write two posts about her Etsy shop. Isn't that funny that you ended up on her site, too, and posted about her soap?!! I had first discovered her shop when I planted a page from my seed embedded calendar into my garden and one of the wildflowers that grew was plains coreopsis. I wanted to grow more plains coreopsis the following year and ended up on her Etsy shop to buy the seeds. Here's where it gets really fun. She said she had ended up on my blog when she had done a search for "plains coreopsis" prior to my placing my initial order with her in 2011. (I have a photo on my home page of plains coreopsis lining my garden path at the bed and breakfast.) Now, here's where the story goes on even more. Just yesterday, I ordered another packet of plains coreopsis seeds from her... before you told me that you had posted about her soap. She (Jen) packages the seeds so artfully... with such care. It's such a fun parcel to open and I like that they are hand-harvested by her. It makes them that much more special when I take the little seeds and place them in my soil half way across the country. (She lives in NY.) I also ordered some heirloom Hutterite Soup Beans from her to plant in this spring's garden."

Tue, Apr 16, 2013 12:49 pm Heather: "Oh, such a small small world with weird wonderful things that sometimes happen. What I just e-mailed to her (Jenny,The Little Ragamuffin Etsy Shop): "Whoah!!!!!! I just e-mailed my mother (who also has a blog) to ask if she had ever bought anything from you. I just started feeling like I recognized your shop name maybe through her. Now I want you to realize that I was not looking at shop names when I was searching for items for the treasury. I had not noticed your shop name at all until you had commented on my blog post. What a small, small world full of quirky coincidences."

Tue, Apr 16, 2013 1:00 pm Jenny, owner of The Little Ragamuffin Etsy Shop: "Heather!
I am absolutely floored! This is just incredible...I am speechless, and while reading your message couldn't stop speaking outloud in disbelief and awe! In the midst of receiving your message, traveling to your blog, and writing messages back and forth to you, I was simultaneously making seed packets and filling your Mom's order. This is really amazing. Smiling ear to ear at life's little gifts. Jenny    

And now... my two other parcels that arrived today. I was flipping through some pages torn from magazines. A page from Country Home April 2006 inspired my second purchase... an oversized cookie cutter. The little bird beside the cookie cutter is a photo from the magazine depicting how the sugar cookie can be iced. So pretty. I love the design of the label securing the invoice's fold. Cookie and icing recipes tucked inside the shipping box were a nice touch, too.

And the THIRD parcel... more seeds. 

I first grew Organic Sweetie Cherry Tomatoes indoors from seed in 2009 then transplanted them into my garden. Each year since then, they have been a mainstay in my garden. Look how the cherry tomatoes hang so neatly on the vine as they ripen in my garden. They live up to their name... so very sweet. From High Mowing Seeds, I also ordered crunchy, lime green Pirat Butterhead Lettuce with edges tinged in purple, Ruby Rhubarb Red Chard Microgreens, broccoli seed for sprouting in a jar, Beta Salad Mix of beet and chard baby leaves, and bok choy. Note: Shortly after ordering broccoli seed from High Mowing Seeds (1/4 lb $10.00), I discovered that Azure Standard stocks it and for way less $ (1 lb $11.05). I regularly purchase products from this company through our local group buying club. Products can be shipped to individuals via UPS, too.  

 

 

Bird's Eye Tea

I have two jars of raw honey and two handmade cozies to insulate empty almond butter jars. I just need tea. Medicinal tea... made from plants gathered from the wild and homegrown gardens.

On the first day of May, my loose leaf tea will begin its journey from Seattle to my doorstep in central Minnesota. Three different hand-blended organic and ethically wild-harvested teas from Bird's Eye Tea. An example of one tea blend that Sarah, the business's owner, creates is a spring detox mixture of reishi mushroom, dandelion root, burdock root, calendula flowers, nettle, cinnamon, and astragalus. A newsletter included with the tea provides information about each plant's beneficial properties. The healing tea will be delivered monthly. Enough for a cup a day. Until I say, "I have no time to sip." No. I shall not let that happen. For, then, I will become the boy in Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree. Boy had no time to sit. Until one day he grew old.

And after a long time
the boy came back again.
"I am sorry, Boy,"
said the tree," but I have nothing
left to give you -
My apples are gone."
"My teeth are too weak
for apples," said the boy.
"My branches are gone,"
said the tree. " You
cannot swing on them - "
"I am too old to swing
on branches," said the boy.
"My trunk is gone, " said the tree.
"You cannot climb - "
"I am too tired to climb" said the boy.
"I am sorry," sighed the tree.
"I wish that I could give you something....
but I have nothing left.
I am just an old stump.
I am sorry...."
"I don't need very much now," said the boy.
"just a quiet place to sit and rest.
I am very tired."
"Well," said the tree, straightening
herself up as much as she could,
"well, an old stump is good for sitting and resting
Come, Boy, sit down. Sit down and rest."
And the boy did.
And the tree was happy.

avocado lemon pie

It looks like a grasshopper pie, but it doesn't have even a hint of mint. So, no, not a grasshopper pie; this is an avocado lemon pie recipe from the California Avocado Commission.  

With a ready-made Heartland Graham Cracker or Granola Crust, in fifteen minutes, it's in the fridge chilling. The granola crust's slight hint of coconut complements the pie's lemon flavor. (Crust ingredients: whole grain rolled oats, palm oil, whole grain rolled wheat, brown sugar, oat flour, sugar, canola oil, coconut, rice flour, almonds, acacia gum, whey (milk), honey, salt, baking soda, malted barley flour, wheat flour, and dextrose.) A simple from-scratch graham cracker crust made with melted butter and a smidgen of sugar would take but minutes, too. What is the sugar content of sweetened condensed milk? Well, let's look at it this way. Consider this pie a treat, cut it into small pieces... and savour each bite.

Avocado Lemon Pie

1 ripe avocado (I used 2 avocados because mine were small.)

½ cup (fresh) lemon juice

lemon zest, to taste

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk (I used ½ can organic sweetened condensed milk; it was perfectly sweet.)

1 (9-inch) graham cracker (or granola) pie crust – purchased or homemade

whipped cream, optional

sliced almonds, for garnish (or chocolate shavings)

In a blender, whirl avocado, lemon juice, lemon zest, and sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared pie crust. Place pie in refrigerator for 3-4 hours and allow to set. Slice and serve topped with a dollop of whipped cream and garnish.

leek butternut squash and sweet potato soup

Color abounds. It's there all 'round. We need but notice. 

I opened my fridge and there they were. Lime green and white leeks, buff-colored butternut squash, and purple and orange sweet potatoes. Not purple potatoes but purple sweet potatoes. I sliced the leek vertically leaving the root intact to prevent the layers from completely separating. A leek's layers are magnets for soil, so just run 'em under water to rinse the soil away. Cut off the root ends and tough, dark green tops. Some sources recommend using only the white and pale green parts of leeks. Others say to include a bit of the darker green, about an inch. That's what I did. Chop leek into 1/4-inch slices. This YouTube video preps the leek another way. Either one works. I say it's good to know both ways for different applications. This is truly a throw together, sit-down-and-eat recipe once you know how to prep a leek... and butternut squash. I prepared the squash by cutting a slice off both ends, set it upright to remove the outer skin with a vegetable peeler (or a knife), then cut it into two parts where the chunky stem meets the bulb. (See photo.) This exposes the seeds so they can be easily scooped out. The solid chunk is perfectly suited for fries, but this entire squash is destined for soup. Here's a YouTube video that demonstrates an alternate way to prep a butternut squash. 

I know. It's a rather odd color for squash soup. Remember? I used purple sweet potatoes. Whatever color veggies you choose to use, this soup is super simple. A few ingredients that add a good bit of  flavor. The recipe comes from the blog, Cannelle et Vanille. German translation is cinnamon and vanilla according to Google Translator. Click on the my book link where you must play her video. It will make you smile.

Leek Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

2 tbsp olive oil

½ cup (½ leek), diced… I used one whole leek.

1 clove garlic, minced

2 cups butternut squash, diced (I used one whole butternut squash.)

2 potatoes (I used 2 sweet potatoes.)

3 cups chicken stock (I used 3 c water + 1 tbsp McKay’s Chicken Style Broth and Seasoning.)

1 tsp salt (I used Johnny’s No MSG Seasoning Salt.)

black pepper

In a medium pot, sauté the leeks in olive oil for about 2 minutes. Do not let them brown. Add the garlic, squash and potatoes and sauté them for another minute. (I sautéed the leeks until softened but not browned and added in the garlic near the end because it browns easily and you don’t want it browned. I didn’t sauté the squash and potatoes. I just tossed them into the pan.) Add the chicken stock (or water and McKay’s seasoning) and salt. Bring it to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer and cook covered for about 20 minutes until veggies are tender. Purée the soup. Ladle into bowls. Optional: add a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of cracked black pepper.

 

colorful kitchen garden

I have been making an intentional effort to use up what I have. Call it frugality, a challenge, making all things matter, or not wanting to run to the store... it's all that. Several days ago I had made a large pot of vegetable bean quinoa soup. Today, I was about to savour the last bite of soup when I noticed the lovely colors. So many colors in one little spoon. 

Irridescent purple cabbage, dark green glimmering collard greens, autumn orange sweet potato, deep red tomato chunks, and white curly cooked quinoa tendrils. My thoughts began to wander to my kitchen garden that is only yet a plan forming in my head and the rainbow of colors my heirloom plants shall produce. 

'Rainbow' Swiss chard (red, orange, purple, yellow, and white stalks and veins), 'painted pony' dry beans (brown and white), 'dwarf grey' sugar snap pea, golden beets (deep orange skin w/ bright yellow flesh), 'dragon' carrots (red-purple skin w/ yellow-orange flesh), 'old timey blue' collard greens (blue-green leaves w/ purple stems and veins), 'gulley's favorite' butterhead lettuce (dark green leaves w/ red tinge), watermelon radish (white skin w/ dark pink and white flesh), and 'long island cheese' pumpkin (buff colored) - shaped like Cinderella's coach. And, oh, the cutting garden flowers and flowering herbs. Borage with its clusters of blue star-shaped flowers... so easy to grow and lovely in bouquets, ferny cosmos, globe amaranth, 'benary's' giant zinnia, and sunflowers saluting the sun. Each night as my eyes close and the Seed Savers Exchange 2013 Catalog of Heirloom & Open-Pollinated Seeds falls upon my chest, I dream of the warming spring ground and the seeds that will sprout and poke through the rich soil.       

 

egg salad stuffed peppers

I looked in my fridge and what did I see? Boiled eggs, red peppers, avocado, and a tomato ripe as can be.

So, I sliced the red pepper in half, filled it with egg salad (prepared with grape seed oil Vegenaise), and topped it with diced tomatoes and avocado. A little sprinkle of salt (I used Johnny's Seasoning Salt) and pepper... ready to eat. So good and simple.

watermelon radish

A watermelon radish. It resembles a turnip and a mini watermelon. It grows 3-4" in diameter. I've never had one until today. Maybe because I am not a fan of the "fire" typically associated with radishes. However, the flesh of this heirloom radish is milder and sweeter. According to my Internet research, the watermelon radish loses its pungency as it matures, unlike many other radishes. 

Thinly sliced or grated raw as a salad ingredient, the flavor is reminiscent of jicama. Alternatively, it can also be roasted like a turnip and mashed like a rutabaga, but it will lose its amazing color in the cooking process. If you grow them in your garden from seed, or you purchase them directly from a local farmer who hasn't trimmed the tops, eat the greens as they are a good source of calcium.

fish en papillote

Fish en papillote. French for fish "wrapped in foil." Or in this application... parchment paper. A little parcel of fish and veggies in the oven. Steaming in their own juices. A complete meal in a tidy little package... parcel. 

Last night, I finished reading Dinner a Love Story It all begins at the family table by Jenny Rosenstrach which describes her challenge to establish a family ritual of sharing a meal together each day... despite working a full-time job outside the home, until a couple years ago, while raising two young children. First, her husband Andy and she established a time that they would leave work each evening. Emails, text messages, phone calls, unfinished projects... it would be there in the morning to tackle anew. She doesn't sugar coat her family's journey. She describes the challenges, alongside strategies, and offers encouragement. Because it's important. Throughout the book, she shares simple nutritious recipes to make it happen. A couple posts ago, I wrote about making baked zucchini fries from Jenny's book. These parchment wrapped fish and veggies parcels are just as easy and tasty. 

Parchment Wrapped Fish and Veggies Parcels

¼ cup olive oil (I used 2 tbsp, but I think 4 tsp would be sufficient.)

few dashes red pepper flakes

4 fish fillets, such as gray sole, flounder, salmon,
tilapia, sea bass, or snapper (I chose tilapia.)

3 small potatoes, any kind except baking potatoes, unpeeled
and thinly sliced

1 lemon, sliced horizontally

½ medium red onion, or 1 shallot sliced

green veggies, simmered in salted water for a few minutes
(e.g., baby bok choy, asparagus spears or stemmed chopped kale) I used
broccoli. I think Swiss chard and slices of yellow summer squash and zucchini
would be good, too.

chopped fresh herbs (e.g., chives, parsley, cilantro)

sesame oil, optional

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400°. Pour the olive oil into a measuring cup (or custard dish) and add the red pepper flakes. (I found that adding red pepper flakes to the olive oil didn’t add flavor at all. Jenny said that you can use plain olive oil, too, if you want to avoid heat.) Lay down four 15x15-inch squares of parchment paper or foil and place 1 fish fillet on top of each sheet. Top each with a few slices of potato, lemon, onion, and desired veggies. Drizzle with spicy (?) olive oil. Top each pack with fresh herbs, a dash of sesame oil (optional), and salt and pepper. Wrap the parcels, as shown in my photo, to create a seal so the steam doesn’t escape. (A Google search will give you additional wrapping options.) Place the parcels on a baking sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. It’s hard to overcook the fish when steaming like this. Remove from oven. Be careful when unwrapping as the escaping steam is hot. Serve one parcel per person.  

 

learning gate community school ecofest

Today, Dick and I attended an Ecofest at the Learning Gate Community School in Lutz, Florida a northern Tampa suburb. The event included workshops, demonstrations, vendors, music, food - all of the traits that comprise a stellar festival. There was so much to see and do that we camped out there the entire day from 9:30 to 3. The environmental focus of this publicly funded charter school is evident immediately upon entering the grounds. Well-worn paths meandering through sprawling wooded acreage beckon students to outdoor classrooms that include a variety of ecosystems, vegetable gardens, a greenhouse, and chickens housed in a stationery pen and portable coops. I love this nature-inspired planting enclosure that partitions off a section of the larger garden. It adds a quirky "room" that draws you in, creates a natural flow, and slows the pace of a busy world.  

Canvas canopies drape the tree branches to provide shade outside the separate buildings that house each K-6 grade level. (Phase one of a new energy efficient campus for grades 7 through 12 is scheduled to be completed for the 2014-2015 school year.)    

How easily I envision a teacher with students clustered together in the cool morning air underneath this canopy of canvas and tree branches... immersed in the beauty and meditative calm of God's creation while learning participles, long division, and expository writing. A quote on the Learning Gate Community School's web site perfectly captures their philosophy. If we want children to flourish, to be truly empowered, then let us allow them to love the earth  before we ask them to save it. David Sobel, Beyond Ecophobia Note: At this event, several environmental engineering students from the University of South Florida demonstrated the use of a garbage disposal composter to speed decomposition of compostable materials. Dick and I immediately began to plan our own version on a much smaller scale. More to come in the spring...    

 

barefoot contessa meatloaf

I have gleaned recipes from many sources that have found a place in my keeper file, but when I have no time or patience for a dud, I go straight to Food Network's Ina Garten (aka Barefoot Contessa) and Alton Brown. This time, I landed in Ina's kitchen for a meatloaf recipe. If you desire a large quantity, go to foodnetwork.com and pull up Ina Garten's original recipe which uses 2 1/2 lbs of ground chuck. If you want a smaller version using 1 lb ground beef, I have reduced the measurements in this blog post. I also added in spinach, red pepper, and tomatoes. Toss fork-pricked whole potatoes into the oven to bake at the same time.  

Barefoot Contessa Meatloaf

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup chopped onion

½ tsp dried thyme

scant 1 tsp salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 ½ tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I used Bragg Liquid Aminos.)

¼ cup chicken stock or broth (I used ¼ cup water + ¼ tsp McKay’s chicken broth powder.)

1 tbsp tomato paste (I used mild salsa.)

1 lb ground chuck (I used grass-fed ground beef.)

¼ cup dry bread crumbs

1 egg, beaten

spinach, red pepper, and tomatoes, chopped (my additions)

¼ cup ketchup (For spreading atop loaf. I omitted.)

Preheat oven to 325°. Sauté onions in oil, then add thyme, salt, pepper, Worcestershire or Bragg, chicken broth, and tomato paste (or salsa). Mix well. Combine onion mixture with ground meat, bread crumbs, and egg (plus optional veggie additions). Lightly press into a 4 ½ x 8 ½ loaf pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 to 1 ¼ hours, until the internal temperature is 160°F and the meatloaf is cooked through.  (A pan of hot water in the oven, under the meatloaf, will keep the top from cracking.)

 

dollhouse kitchen table and chairs

In my previous post, I wrote about the book I am reading titled Dinner a Love Story It all begins at the family table by Jenny Rosenstrach. I wrote about a corner of our kitchen table where Dick and I ate our lunch of fish and zucchini fries. A table and chairs. Seemingly unimportant, but yet all important for sharing time together. In February 2009, I created "Tillie," a clothespin doll. Now, four years later, she has her very own kitchen table and chairs. She has picked a bouquet of wildflowers for her table. Her important table.  

I made the table from a butter box. A special one. From one of my favorite Minnesota dairies.

Here's how I made Tillie. To make the table, I chose to use a butter box because the size fit Tillie's height. I cut the bottom off, snipped the sides to form legs, and glued the flaps together so it wouldn't collapse. That simple. As I created the chairs, I jotted notes. Just like when you tweak recipes so that it can be recreated. Because you will forget. Yes, you will. So, here are my notes. Adjust the size and add your own spin. That's when the fun begins. 

baked zucchini fries

During the month of November, I participated in an online writing workshop taught by a brilliant, highly skilled, former English high school teacher. A lesson and assignment each day. Thirty days. As is the way of things, life got busy. Really busy. In November. So, I printed all of my lessons and assignments to work on as time allows... and I do. In one of Amy's lessons, our assignment was to write an essay that tells a story about a recipe. A memory associated with that food. Recording personal history. My seventh grade home economics class immediately came to mind. Our assignment, so many years ago, was to plan and cook an entire meal for our family... a topic for another blog post, however. In my recent writing class, Amy referenced a page in a book titled, Dinner a Love Story It all begins at the family table by Jenny Rosenstrach, which I borrowed from the local public library. It's about making meals to share with someone you love. Children, spouse, friends. Strategies and recipes to make it happen. Within the pages of the book, there was a recipe for Zucchini Fries. I began prepping my "dredging stations," as the recipe stated, and my mind wandered... thinking of my children who are grown and scattered across the country with families of their own. I am proud to see the importance that they place on mealtime. Together time.  

Mealtime should be a special event if eating alone, with another... or many, so today I positioned two chairs close together at one corner of our small rectangular kitchen table spread with a tablecloth.

It was there that Dick and I ate our lunch, chatted, and laughed. Huddled together. Remembering. Our simple lunch of fish and fries... crunchy coated baked zucchini fries.  

Zucchini  Fries

1 cup all-purpose flour (I omitted.)

2 eggs, whisked (1 egg would have been sufficient.)

1 cup bread crumbs (I used Panko All Natural Breadcrumbs.)

1/8 tsp cayenne

½ tsp garlic salt

¼ tsp paprika

2 medium zucchini, cut into French fry wedges

Preheat oven to 400°. Set up the dredging stations: one rimmed plate for the flour (if using), one for the eggs, and one for the bread crumbs. Add the cayenne, garlic salt, and paprika to the bread crumbs and mix. Dip the zucchini sticks first in the flour (if using) until lightly coated, then in the eggs. Roll them in the bread crumbs until well coated. Transfer the zucchini to a baking sheet lined with foil (or natural parchment paper) and bake until the coating is crispy and golden (and the zucchini is tender but still firm and not mushy), 20 to 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

banana apple buckwheat muffins log pedistal cake stand

From my January/February 2013 Whole Living Magazine, comes Banana-Apple Buckwheat Muffins. The recipe is included in a 21-day "eating clean" challenge that includes weekly menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner plus snacks. The plan focuses on cruciferous vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Processed foods, sugar (small amounts of honey are used), alcohol, coffee, and common allergens such as dairy and gluten are eliminated. Susan Blum, M.D., founder of the Blum Center for Health in Rye Brook, New York, oversees the cleanse. Each week, a different well-qualified guru in the nutrition arena provides the recipes. The week three menu, where this muffin recipe came from, was created by Louisa Shafia, author of Lucid Food Cooking For an Eco-Conscious Life. I have a copy in my kitchen. She also documents her life through recipes on her lovely blog lucidfood.com.  

Banana-Apple Buckwheat Muffins

Makes four muffins (or six if you double the flour, as I did). Heat oven to 350°. Place four paper liners in a regular-size muffin tin. In a bowl, whisk together ¼ cup buckwheat flour (I used ½ cup… perfect), 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp sea salt. In another bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs (I used 1 egg), ½ mashed banana, and ¼ cup honey (I used 2 tbsp). Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, then fold in ½ finely diced peeled and cored sweet apple (I used 1 whole small apple and did not peel it), and ¼ cup chopped walnuts. Fill the batter to the top of the lined cups and fill the remaining cups halfway with water. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until tester comes out clean. Let cool on wire rack. Note: To make 12 muffins, I used 1 cup flour, 1 egg, 1/4 cup honey, and doubled the measurements of the remaining ingredients.

The idea for the log pedistal cake stand came from one of my daughter Jessica's fort & field Pinterest Boards. Her link led me to an instruction page on bhg.com (Better Homes and Gardens). Just type Nature Crafts For Your Winter Table into the search box. For my log pedistal, I used a log that had been hollowed out to hold a candle. It was a gift that we received from our friends, Brad and Terri, years ago. For the platter... my cutting board. A cross section cut from a tree. A purchase from a shop in Beaver Bay, Minnesota north of Duluth while enroute to Silver Bay where we visited Dick's Aunt Evelyn. Repurposing. Using items one already has... especially meaningful ones. Pure genius. Pure love.