Why I Love the Internet!

One of the many reasons why I love the internet with it's wealth of information at my fingertips is ... food! Finding recipes in a matter of minutes - it has enriched my cooking in so many ways.

Yesterday, I entered "cucumber, red pepper, radish recipes" and up came this amazing bulgur salad that I made last night. I was lucky in that I had every other ingredient on hand and it was delicious! Perfect for using up leftover produce. And I'm sure you can use whatever fresh veggies you think would sound good with it. Definitely a keeper recipe.

I also had a pint of grape tomatoes that needed to be used, so I tossed them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted them in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes. I tossed them with some chopped basil (my absolute favorite fresh herb, followed closely by fresh sage) when they were done. Add to that crusty bread and a few good black olives and you have a healthy and delicious  summer dinner.

All thanks to others so generously posting their recipe creations online!

Bon appétit!

❧ Silke

Smelling Great!

Do you like to smell good things? I do! And yesterday was one of those days fill with good smells. In the garden (front and backyard) the jasmine is in full bloom and smells divine.

The gardenias are starting to bloom and that as you know if you've ever been near one, that flower has an amazing scent.

Then last night I was making a salmon recipe I had found online, which used lime zest. You can just imagine the great smell of that! I kept leaning in to inhale and get as much of the citrus scent as possible.

The lime zest was mixed with garlic, grated jalapeño and olive oil and then spread on the salmon and baked in the oven. Delicious!! That accompanied with a warm asparagus salad and it was a perfect meal. 

You can find the recipes here and here.

Bon Appétit!

❧ Silke

Just because...

... it rained most of the day and the sky was gray and it was somewhat cold, I am thinking of soup and remembered that I hadn't yet shared with you the chicken & wild rice soup recipe I made the other day.

I found this slow cooker recipe on Pinterest. Remember what I told you how Pinterest always launches me into action?! What made me want to try this immediately was that this soup is made with coconut milk and turmeric, which I found intriguing. It was delicious!! The recipe made a lot, so I ate leftovers for a couple of days and then froze the rest. We'll see how it survives the freezer...

If you want to give it a try, you can find the recipe here.

Bon Appétit!

❧ Silke

Good Bread and What a Difference a Day can make

Those of you following my blog for a while know that I'm a nut for good bread! I love it! Probably more than any other food. And I like to bake my own and do so every week. This was a fun recipe with very little hands-on time. It's a 100% whole wheat variation on the original No-Knead Bread.

You mix the dough together with a spatula and then just let it sit at room temperature and rise for 12 to 15 hours. After that you stretch and fold the dough a few times and then let it rise for another 1 1/2 hours on a tea towel.

You heat a lidded cast-iron pan in the oven to 450 degrees and dump the dough into the hot pan, close it with the lid and bake it first with the lid on and then off.

And, voilà, a beautiful crunchy loaf of whole wheat bread. You can find the detailed recipe here.  Next time I'll try a variation with rye flour and soaked grains.

Now to the other news. I caught a really tenacious and bad cold virus just around Thanksgiving and it has hung on until now, getting better at times and then returning. The latest variation was a really sore throat which I've had for over a week. And no energy. I've been resting and taking good care of myself and finally today I feel better. I think I got more done today than I have in the past two weeks! I'm glad and I feel for anyone who has gotten sick with this virus or the flu this winter.

I wish you perfect health and a great day!!

❧ Silke

Dinner Tonight

I don't know about you, but I love soup. Always, but especially when it's cold out. And my favorites are thick and hearty soups like this one I made yesterday and ate today. The recipe said it was best when made a day or two ahead and they were right. It was amazing!!

See? Nothing left!! Also note the homemade bread in the picture above. That deserves a post of its own tomorrow...

I found the recipe here and modified it just a little to fit what I had on hand. I left out the sausage and added a few parsnips. And before serving I drizzled on a little olive oil and added some grated parmesan. Yum!!

Stay warm, everyone!!

❧ Silke

What to do with winter squash?

Make a delicious spread with roasted squash, a whole head of roasted garlic and goat cheese. Delicious!!

 You can find the recipe here.

I loved the simple beauty of the garlic husk after I took out all the roasted cloves. Pretty, isn't it?

Wishing you a delectable day...

❧ Silke

The figs are ripe!

One of my favorite times in our garden is when the figs are getting ripe. This year the birds have discovered them as well (and we think the raccoons, too), but there is enough for everyone!

This is one of my favorite recipes: Fig Frangipani Tart. It's a pretty recipe as you'll see when you click on the link.

Bon Appétit and a terrific Tuesday!

❧ Silke

Thai Recipe

Do you remember the apron I told you about in my last post? The one I got from my aunt? Well, here it is and I just love it!! In fact, it's such a simple pattern that I am toying with the idea of making another one. We'll see if I actually do it or if it will remain one of those ideas I have...

Yesterday, I made a delicious Thai basil chicken dish and I thought I'd share the recipe with you. The trick to it is to prepare everything ahead of time since the cooking time in the wok is very quick.

I served it with brown rice instead of the jasmine rice and it was delicious!! Well worth making!

Chicken with Green Chili and Holy Basil
From True Thai
by Victor Sodsook

(you'll find my additions or changes in italics)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 cloves garlic, pounded to a mash or crushed and chopped
8 medium serrano chilis, stemmed and cut lengthwise into slivers (about 1/2 cup) (I used only four and I seeded them so the dish wouldn't be so incredibly spicy.)
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 large onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1 can of water chestnuts, sliced

2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon sweet black soy sauce (I'm sure you can substitute regular soy sauce and maybe increase the sugar a little bit)

1 1/2 cups loosely packed holy basil (tastes like licorice) or fresh mint

Place all of the ingredients within easy reach of the cooking area.

Set a wok over medium-high heat. When it is quite hot, add the oil. Rotate the wok a bit so the oil coats the sides. Add the garlic and chilies and stir-fry briefly, just until the garlic is golden and aromatic. Raise the heat to high. Add the chicken, onion, carrots and water chestnuts and stir-fry for 3 minutes, separating the onion slices as you stir. Add the fish sauce, sugar vinegar and soy sauce. Stir-fry just until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat. Stir in the basil and cook for a few seconds, just until the basil begins to wilt.

Transfer to a serving platter and serve with plenty of steamed jasmine rice.

Enjoy!! 

❧ Silke

Back to Center

Thank you all who left comments on my last post with such great suggestions on how I could regain my inspiration. The one I heard most clearly was: don't force it. Just have fun with it all! That's when I realized that I simply don't feel like painting at the moment. I might again this afternoon or tomorrow or in a month, but right now, I don't. 

And then I thought about what always brings me back to center. Always! Even as a teenager. And that is baking. It doesn't really matter what. Baking puts me right back into my happy place.  It's the process that calms me, that orders my thoughts, that allows me to be in the moment.

And nothing more so than bread. Not the quick bread I usually make (see here for recipe), but the slower method.

It's the measuring, mixing, kneading, waiting while it rises, kneading again, forming the loaves, waiting again for another rising, and again while it bakes that is so soothing to me. I can't really describe it. It gives me the feeling that all is well with me and world around me.

The resulting loaves of delicious, fluffy, crunchy bread are just a happy side effect of the process I love so much. The bread I made here uses 7-grain-cereal and is wonderful! Click here for the recipe. It's well worth making!

This morning I had a slice of it toasted with some honey. Heavenly!!

And with that I wish you a most wonderful start to your weekend!

❧ Silke

I missed you all!!

I am not quite sure how to ease back into blogging after such a long break, so I thought why not do it with food! Food is always good, right?!

This is a new Fig Frangipane Tart I baked while our figs were ripe and made it three times in a row. It is delicious! Extremely so!!

You can find the recipe here at one of my favorite sites: They Draw and Cook.

Use your own favorite pie crust. It's easy to make, especially if you don't blanch the almonds before grinding them up. I imagine it would be good with any fruit that goes with the almond-based custard. I think next I'll try it with apricots!

Otherwise, we had a great few weeks with a friend visiting from Germany. We did lots of sight seeing, eating, cooking, shopping, and even got to hang out watching a movie being filmed in downtown Savannah. I'll fill you in on some of this over my next few posts.

In the meantime, I am looking forward to getting caught up with your blogs and hope that you are all enjoying a beautiful summer!!

❧ Silke

More baking...

I totally forgot to take a picture of the peach cobbler from the other night ... and then it was gone!! It tasted delicious! I'll share the recipe below... 

But first, something else.  Fig season has arrived and our tree is gifting us with an abundance of ripe figs. So what's a girl to do but bake?! I made the fig tart again that I had shared with you here. Amazing!! It might seem complicated, but it really isn't. Just make sure you make everything ahead of time so the tart crust and the pastry cream can cool completely before putting it all together.

I didn't have fig jam for the glaze, so I used orange marmalade instead (and left out the pepper) and it was great! I also think this tart can be made with any number of fresh fruit. I might try blueberries next.  Perfect for summer...

Ok, and here's the cobbler recipe:

Blueberry Peach Cobbler
from Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites

Fruit Filling
4 cups peeled, pitted and sliced peaches
2 cups blueberries (I used fresh)
1 tablespoon unbleached white flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Topping (which I changed, but I'll give you the official version here)
1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons canola or other vegetable oil
1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt

Preheat the oven to 350℉.

Prepare a glass, ceramic, or stainless steel 10-inch round or 9-inch square baking dish with a light coating of oil or cooking spray.

Combine all of the fruit filling ingredients and pour them into the baking dish.

Sift the flour (accidentally typed flower at first...), baking powder, salt, and sugar into a large mixing bowl (I used the food processor). In a separate bowl combine the oil and yogurt. Fold the oil mixture into the dry ingredients with a fork. Using flowered hands and working the dough as little as possible, form it into a ball. Turn the dough onto a floured surface. Cut the dough in half, place one half on top of the other, and press down. Repeat three times.

With a rolling pin or pressure form your hands, flatten the dough into a 10-inch circle or 9-inch square to fit your baking dish and place it over the filling. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the crust is golden and a knife inserted in the topping comes out clean.

My changes
I made some adjustments to the topping because we like it a little nuttier. I substituted whole wheat flour for half the flour amount, added some ground almonds and rolled oats. I also increased the yogurt/oil mixture by however much was needed to have the dough hold together. I did all the mixing in by pulsing the dough in the food processor (I'm lazy that way...).

The topping didn't rise very much (next time I might add some baking soda), but it was so good and crunchy and the perfect contrast to the soft fruit filling.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and ENJOY!!!

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In other news, we've been having lots of rain from tropical storm Debbie and are loving it! It feels as though the world is upside down a little. Yesterday it was rainy and 77 degrees here (in Georgia, in June!!) while in Denver it was 105! But no worries ... our temperatures post-Debby are forecast to be around 100 with the humidity to match it! I am NOT looking forward to that...

We are going to have company for the next three weeks, which means a) we'll have lots of fun, b) even more good food and c) that my blogging will be even more sporadic than it has been.

Make sure you connect with me on Facebook (there's a link on my right sidebar). I find that when I get a little computer time, I often check in there as it is quicker for me than planning and writing a blog post. Should I be making any art, I'll post that on my Facebook Page.

In the meantime, I wish you a most wonderful and creative time!!

Pie Interlude...

On Monday I made this super delicious Honey Bourbon Caramel Peach Pie (click here for the recipe) for a dinner party we were invited to. Double yum!!

And for tonight - this time we are having company at our house - I made a Blueberry Peach Cobbler. You see, peaches are in season right now and I LOVE them!

I just pulled it out of the oven and it smells divine. If it tastes as good as it smells, I will share the recipe with you.

Wishing you a delicious Thursday!!

WIP and Food

A bit of art and a bit of food today! A good combination in my world...

I discovered a whole bunch of childhood photos of myself and am having fun working from them for a few paintings. Love how this drawing has turned out and can't wait to start painting today!

I was glad to read that I'm not the only one with trouble getting back into routine once it's been broken. One of the things that helps me is cooking and last night I made one of our favorite summer food: Baba Ganoush.

I had shared the recipe a few years ago in this post, along with a recipe for preserved lemons and hummus. We mostly eat it with cut up veggies like cucumber, carrots, radishes, or jicama. Easy to make and so delicious!

Happy Friday!!

Good Food!

Well, our visitors have all left and it's mighty quiet around the house. We had such a good time sightseeing, shopping, cooking, eating, talking, and laughing. Lots of laughing! It was wonderful.

Tomorrow, I'll get back to my more "normal" routine and am so looking forward to starting my blog rounds again. I have missed you all!! A lot!!

But today I thought I'd share this link with you to a yummy recipe I tried recently: Pasta with Peas, Asparagus and Pancetta. It was fresh, quick, easy and delicious!!

I hope you are all doing well. We are enjoying blustery weather from tropical depression Beryl and are hoping for lots of rain as this storm makes its way up the coast of Georgia tomorrow and Wednesday. Our garden is thirsty!

I the meantime, I wish you a beautiful day and great start to your week!

Underpainting and Recipe

This morning I worked on an underpainting (using only burnt sienna and titanium white) to work out the values in this painting and I couldn't be more pleased. I love when these portraits take shape and suddenly convey real emotion and spirit.

It still is a mystery to me how that happens - for me that's the magical moment of each portrait. I keep staring at her, getting to know her and figuring out her story. Later this afternoon, I'll start working over the underpainting with color. Can't wait! 

And, as promised the recipe. It's quick and easy and delicious!

Sauteed Salmon with Orange & Asparagus
from Gatherings & Celebrations
by Burt Wolf

Makes 4 servings

12 medium asparagus spears (I never count them but I'm sure I always use more)
2 navel oranges or 1 navel orange and 1/2 fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Four (6-ounce) salmon fillets
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons black or green olive puree (optional) (I've never used that)
1 tablespoon fresh chives, for garnish

• trim the asparagus spears and cut them into 3- to 4-inch lengths (I always leave them whole)
• peel one orange so that it's free of all the white pith. Slice the orange into thin sections and set aside. Juice the second orange or use 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice.
• when ready to serve, bring small pot of water to a boil with a pinch of the salt. Boil the asparagus for 4 to 5 minutes, until tender but not limp. Or you can steam the asparagus for 2 to 3 minutes.
• heat a large non-stick skillet. Season the fish with half the salt and pepper. Add half the butter to the pan and saute the salmon, skin side up first, over high heat until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side depending on the thickness of the fillets. Remove them to a warm spot while you make the sauce. 
• to make the sauce, pour orange juice into the skillet, bring to a boil and reduce until slightly syrupy. Turn off the heat, whisk in the remaining butter, and season with the rest of the salt and pepper. Add the reserved orange slices to the sauce to warm through.
• to present the dish, fan the asparagus tips on a warmed platter or on 4 individual plates and place the cooked salmon in the center. Garnish the salmon with a small dollop of olive puree (if using) and the orange slices, and spoon the sauce on top. Sprinkle with chives and serve.

Enjoy! 

Of Lemons & Turtles

Daniel and I both love Moroccan food and one of the ingredients often is preserved lemon. It's super easy to make them and they do make those dishes taste wonderful!

The recipe I use is from the Arabesque cookbook. If you click here, it'll take you to an earlier blog post that tells you how to make them. Give it a try!

Before we left on our road trip, Daniel made chocolate covered turtles to give to all the friends we were going to be seeing - and one tin just for us... These delicious treats were somewhat time consuming to make (making the caramel took a long time of just stirring until the temperature was right). But, boy oh boy, were they worth it! (Click here for the recipe)

I am glad all of them are gone now because I couldn't stop tasting and eating them...

And then this morning I roughly (and very quickly) sketched out another little portrait. Truly little - I found this 4 x 6 inch cradled wood panel that hadn't been used yet. Can't have that, can we now?!

I had more planned for today's post, but this day is turning out way busier than I thought, so I'll save the rest for this weekend.

Wishing you a fantastic Friday!!

Recipe - Puerto Rican Rice and Chicken Stew

Good morning, everyone! 

I've been one busy girl here, but this morning I am taking a few minutes to share this wonderful recipe with you. It is total comfort food with a little kick! It's delicious if you eat it the same day and even a little better if you make it a day ahead. The recipe looks involved and complicated, but it really isn't at all. Give it a try!

Puerto Rican Rice and Chicken Stew (Asopao de Pollo)
from James McNair's Rice Cookbook

2 tsp minced or pressed garlic
1 tsp crumbled dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt or to taste
1 tsp ground pepper or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
6 boned chicken thighs or breast halves, skinned if desired
3 tbsp good extra virgin olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped green pepper (I always use a red pepper instead - we like them better)
4 oz chopped baked ham
1 cup ripe or canned chopped tomatoes, with their juices
2 cups white rice (if you use long grain, it stays a little more soupy; last time I used medium grain to make it a thicker stew)
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup fresh or thawed frozen petite green peas
1/4 cup pitted green olives, chopped
1 tbsp drained small capers
Roasted red pepper or canned pimiento, cut in strips, for garnish.

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, oregano, cumin, and salt and pepper. Rub mixture into chicken pieces and let stand, covered, at room temperature for at least 1 hour.

Heat the oil in big stockpot or cast iron dutch oven, add the chicken and sauté until golden on all sides. Remove the chicken and reserve.

Add the onion to remaining oil (add more oil if necessary) and the sweet pepper and saute until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the ham and tomatoes and saute about 5 minutes longer.

Return the chicken to the pot, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken pieces to a cutting surface. When cool enough to handle, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces; reserve.

Wash and drain the rice. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the rice and sauté for two minutes until all grains are well coated, about 2 minutes.

Stir in the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the rice is tender, but still soupy, about 17 minutes.

Stir in the cheese, peas, olives, and capers and the reserved chicken. Cover and simmer until the cheese melts and the other additions are heated through, about 5 minutes.

Serve in individual bowls garnished with the pimento strips.

Enjoy!!

Warm White Bean Salad

It is COLD here today (well, cold for Georgia, that is), and when it's cold I want to cook! And that's what I've been doing. A lot!

Here is one of my favorite quick recipes from one of my very favorite cookbooks from the Public Radio series The Splendid Table:

Warm White Bean Salad with Garlic and Rosemary
from How to Eat Supper by Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1/2 slice whole-grain bread, coarsely ground in a food processor (2 generous tablespoons crumbs) (I grind it in a spice grinder - works just as well)
• 3 T fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• Generous 1/2 t fresh-ground black pepper
• 5 large garlic cloves crushed with 1/2 t salt and coarsely chopped
• 1/4 c good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tight-packed T fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped
• Two 15-ounce cans organic white beans (cannellini or Great Northern), drained and rinsed
• 1 large handful mixed salad greens (frisee and romaine, spring mix, or a blend of baby greens)
• Additional salt and fresh-ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a 12-inch skillet or saute pan over medium heat, toast the bread crumbs until lightly browned, stirring often. Transfer the crumbs to a small bowl to cool. When cooled, stir in the Parmigiano and pepper. Set aside.
2. In the same pan, slowly warm the garlic in the olive oil over low heat for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Stir in the rosemary, blending for another minute or so, taking care not to burn the garlic. It should be fragrant and just beginning to soften.
3. Immediately add the beans and fold them in very gently. Turn the heat to medium. Heat the beans through, about 3 minutes, occasionally lifting and turning them as they heat, as stirring will turn them to mush. Add greens and gently move them around in the pan until they are slightly wilted, 30 second to 1 minute. Turn into a bowl, top with bread-crumb mixture, and season with salt and pepper.

Enjoy!!

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My daily gratitude list:

* delicious soup in the fridge (it's the cold - it makes me food obsessed!!)
* plenty of sunshine and no humidity
* a warm dog snout on my lap
* another few days with Christmas decorations before they get put away

Baking some more...

A couple of days ago, I made this Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Vanilla Sheet Cake (also found on Pinterest) for one of Daniel's classes, but didn't get to taste any of it. And before I pass the recipe on to you, I have to know if it is really any good...

So, tonight we have the opening for another printmaking show and I decided to bring this cake. I made it this morning and just tasted a piece - decidedly delicious!

At first I was sceptical of the recipe as it uses a yellow cake mix and I like to make my cakes from scratch. But it got such rave reviews that I gave it a try and am I ever glad I did!! If you'd like a peek at the recipe, simply click here.

Now, what am I grateful for today?

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Let's see....

1. Cinnamon Roll Pumpkin Vanilla Sheet Cake :)
2. connecting with a good friend today
3. Mexican Chicken Lime Soup in the slow cooker (have you noticed how I love food?!)
4. having the back door open in mild mid-November weather
5. the cup of black tea I am about to make...

Baking...

Remember me telling you about Pinterest yesterday? That's where I found the link to these delicious pumpkin muffins I made today. Click here for the quick and yummy recipe!

They truly were super fast to make and are quite healthy. Try them!!


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Daily Gratitude List:

Right now, I am grateful for:

1. freshly baked muffins
2. my love for baking
3. a foggy morning and sunny afternoon
4. dinner with friends tonight
5. getting my hair cut this afternoon