yummy summery asiany lettuce wraps

...or 'we finally went grocery shopping!'

This month has been go-go-go and I am loving it, but the downside is that we haven't prioritized domestic basics.  We've gone camping almost every weekend and have various social engagements throughout the work week, be it sports, gymtime, happy hours, etc.  I know, boo hoo.  I'm definitely not complaining.  However, it felt so refreshing to go nuts at the market yesterday so that we could eat at home more, for all the day's meals.  Gabe and I eat vegetarian at home so we stocked up on fresh vegetables {hello! it's summer!} and basics like pastas, potatoes, wine.  Of course wine is a basic, how dare you question.

I love wine. Winey wine wine. Here it goes down. Down into my belly. Mmm mmm mmm.

Since it is summer, and it is warmer than I expected today {read: didn't think I needed to shave my legs, so I wore pants} I felt like making a cold and raw dinner.  That sounds odd.  I just mean I didn't want warm food.  I was starving after my hair appointment, so naturally I chose to spend an hour to prepare dinner.  All that chopping of vegetables and blending of saucey goodness was worth it, and I snacked on some veggies while I was prepping, so I lived.

You know when you make something and you are so freaking proud of yourself?  It doesn't even have to be something all that significant, but you know that is rocks and you are awesome!  {Assuming you are viciously nodding your heads} That is how I feel about the dinner I just made.  And enjoyed solo.  Solo supper.  Don't feel sad, I had wine.  What is that rule about not drinking alone?  Pssshhhh.

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 c  natural peanut butter
1/2 c  milk
3 T  freshly squeezed lime juice
2 T  packed brown sugar
1.5 T  low sodium soy sauce
2 T  Asian chili and garlic paste
1/3 c  orange juice
KS&P  to taste

Cups:
Several butter leaf lettuce cups
radishes, thinly sliced
yellow bell pepper, julienned
button mushrooms, caps only and thinly sliced
fresh basil, chiffonade
alfalfa sprouts {cuz they're awesome!}
mixed vegetable salad {slaw of cabbage and carrots and such}
toasted sesame oil
rice vinegar
teriyaki tofu, chunked

First blend all the ingredients for the peanut sauce in a blender and set aside.  Then toss all ingredients, except for the lettuce cups of course, in a bowl and drizzle some sesame oil and rice vinegar to taste.  I normally press and marinate my own tofu, but I grabbed some Wild Wood baked teriyaki sprouted tofu at the store and was eager to try it.  So yummy!  I highly recommend it.  Their brand makes all good stuff.  Then, fill your cups with the goods and top with peanut sauce.  The most important step is this one:  Open and pour yourself a glass of Bogle Chardonnay to enjoy with your lettuce cups.  I mean it.  Speaking of, time out...tank's empty.

...

Okay, I'm back.  Bogle is a local and a favorite wine of mine.  I went to school with the Bogle boys, and their vineyards dominate are located in the Delta.  Nugget had the chard on sale for $8.99 so I grabbed a couple, which is not nearly enough.  Sorry babe, I know you said you weren't going to drink in preparation for climbing that undisclosed mountain, but that doesn't mean I am going to cut back out of sympathy.  Love you!

Oh man, this peanut sauce! I made extra so I could pour it over anything and everything.

What have you friends been proudly making these summer nights?  I'd love to hear!  And even more importantly, what wines are you drinking right now?  Summertime is primetime for white varietals methinks.  Give me a delicious and chilled Sauvignon Blanc and/or Chardonnay, or perhaps a Viognier, and I will be happy as a clam.  Why do they say that?  A clam?  Is it because the split in their shells is shaped like a smile?  I wonder.

muddy sports are the best

Tonight is the first playoff game for my ol' high school's varsity football team.  They are currently undefeated this season {10-0} and I haven't been to a game in nine years, so imma goin'!

It's about to seriously storm...any. minute. now...in the capital city, so I will have to locate my umbrella before Gabe and I head out to the game. 

I'm wishing I owned this beauty right about now:

asos waterproof poncho

Happy Friday.  Go Saints!!

Success! Behold the flognarde

As promised, since my fancy recipe was a total success, I am sharing it with you.  Yesterday, I made a Peach and Blackberry Flognarde, following Chef John's instructions.  Chef John is the creator of Food Wishes, a food blog where he hilariously shares his culinary talents with the world.  He has a kind of dry sense of humor, which I love, and also which I find to be a refreshing break from the stale (get it, stale? punny, right!) food bloggers who don't inject humor into their recipe-sharing.  Food is supposed to be fun!  His style is relaxed, straight-forward, and funny, and his recipes are easy to follow on his videos.  He even taught me how to crack and egg with one hand!  Honestly, knowing how to do this was on my bucket list, so I watched his how-to video, tried it, and nailed it the first time.  I was so freakin happy, you don't even know. 

Anyway, the recipe, pronounced 'flow-nyard', is quite simple.  Click the link above for his recommendation on how to make it.  I made a few minor adjustments to mine {no surprise there}, so it looks a little different.

First, I used my freshly picked blackberries, which I had been storing in a Ziploc bag in the freezer.  When I thawed them out to use them in the recipe, there was a considerable amount of juice that ultimately ended up in the dish, hence the darker color.  Second, I used all-purpose flour rather than whole wheat.  And lastly, I used a hell of a lot more peaches.  The aroma filled my kitchen, and I could not wait to indulge once it had finished baking and cooled completely. 

The result is much like cobbler, but instead of a crust, there is an almost pudding-like consistency to the baked batter.  And the thyme, yes thyme, is an interesting and very welcome flavor.  If you have thyme time, check out Chef John's blog, and maybe even try this recipe yourself.  I'm having it for breakfast with coffee. Right. Now.

That's a recipe for delicious: Pear and Brie Croissant

The wheels have been turning, continuously, planning how I am going to use up all this fruit.  I'm hesitant to just grab and eat the peaches and pears, in case inspiration strikes and I need x amount for a culinary creation.  Though, that hasn't necessarily stopped me.  These peaches are by far the juiciest I have ever eaten.  I am hoping to score a dozen or so more tomorrow when I will again find myself in the Delta for the annual Pear Fair.  I know, I've mentioned the event before, so to follow through, I will post photos of the festivities next week.

Back to eating. Yesterday I threw together this little sandwich, and I have to admit, it was pretty. damn. good.

I had some freshly baked croissants from the market, Virgin Organic wildflower honey (my current fav!), d'Affinois double-creme brie cheese, fresh Bartlett pears, and ground black pepper--a winning combination.  Since we don't have a panini press, which is totally fine by me although Gabe would love to own the bulky gadget, I instead used our small handy George Foreman grill.  If you're reading this, there is a 90% chance that you too own one, whether as a result of an impulse buy, or receiving one as a hand-me-down when you moved into your first place, like us. ;)  It works beautifully for making panini-style sandwiches, and especially on croissants...all that butter...yum.

If you feel like trying this recipe out, feel free to sub any of these ingredients with your personal faves or with goods you have on hand.

1 croissant, sliced lengthwise in half
2 T brie cheese, or enough to create a thick layer on one side of the sliced croissant, close to room temp
wildflower honey, drizzle desired amount over cheese on croissant
freshly ground black pepper, only a little
1/4 medium Bartlett pear, firm and thinly sliced, arranged over other ingredients on croissant

Top with other half of the croissant, pressing softly to adhere.  Place on preheated grill plate and close lid.  Let 'grill' for only one minute.  Plate and let cool slightly before enjoying.

Now that I am typing this, I realize a beer would have paired perfectly with this sandwich.  I bet a Pyramid Apricot Ale would have been golden.  Oh well, next time.     

I'm still up to my ears in fruit and berries from Wednesday's pickings, so I will probably be sharing recipes periodically with you until the lot's run out, which will be a sad day.  I just found a 'fancy' recipe I'm very intrigued to try that calls for my peaches and blackberries, so wish me luck.  If it is a success, I will share.  Promise.

Sweet Summertime

We finally caught a break in the capital city yesterday with a nice cool breeze and only double-digit temperatures.  Of course I took advantage of this break, knowing it likely would not last.

After work, I went home and changed into comfy play clothes {hubby's tattered vintage shirt}, grabbed some gear, and drove down to the Delta for some good ol' fashioned fruit pickin'.  I parked at my friends' home and helped myself to two dozen beautiful peaches off their tree, at their insistence.  No one was there at the house yet, except for their two farm dogs--one of which was finishing off a dead bird.  Not so pleasant.  But soon, my friends Clayton and his lady Manuela showed up and invited me inside for a glass of wine.  I love being in wine country.

Clay poured me the last of the Bogle Chardonnay in the bottle, which I have had countless times in the past, but it seemed to taste different this time.  I buried my nose in the stemmed glass, breathing in every note. Vanilla. I stopped there.  The next smell wasn't a fruit or a spice.  All I could smell were the vines, the barrels, the fermentation, and the juice combined.  I was overwhelmed as the entire wine-making process flashed through my memory, and I hadn't even taken a sip yet.  I have so much appreciation and respect for this industry, that I can't help but get emotional.

It took me a good twenty-five minutes to finish my glass, sip by sip, and by that time, Abby had arrived to join me for picking.  With our play clothes and rubber gloves on, bags and camera in hand, we headed out to the slough dock to try our luck.  We also brought a wooden skim board to use as a 'plank' on the vines, should we need to explore beyond the surface.

I decided to jump right in, while Abby quickly volunteered to play photog after seeing too many spiders in the vines.  The gloves were a must, not only for protection from the thorns on the vines, but also to keep us from looking like we murdered someone with our bare hands. {Blackberries stain your skin something terrible}.  

We wiped out the areas we could reach from the dock and the floating barge, so we decided to take a stroll down the slough road to see if we could spot a jackpot. 

No luck, but the views and the company were marvelous.

Abby knew of a spot near her house, about two miles away, that would surely please us.  She also lent me a shirt when the Delta breeze cooled the temp down in to the 60s. 

This time she jumped in to the action, and together we filled my little 80s cooler, all before sundown. We even had time to pick some famous Bartlett pears.  The best.

Exhausted, but delighted, we gathered our booty and headed home. 

All this delicious fruit.  Too many recipes to choose from.  Any recommendations? 

The last picture is deceiving, admittedly, as there are only about half as many peaches left...mmm...

Look what goodness I just discovered!

Abby and I have been discussing our ensembles for this coming weekend's festivities--the annual Pear Fair in the Delta {woo! woo!}--all day.  I believe I've worn a dress every year for the past twelve, but I feel like mixing it up this year.  Plus, I learned from last year's miserable experience (+100°) to stick with 100% cotton. 
While browsing the usual: Anthropologie, J. Crew, I thought to check out H&M to see if I could find cheaper duds, since there's one across the street from anthro.  And oh man am I glad I did.  Look what they have on their website:

It's like virtual paper dolls for grown-ups!

I just threw together this look in a few minutes, but there are many more models and clothing options for you to choose.  So. Freakin. Fun.  They call it their 'Fashion Studio' and you can even dress male models!  I think the program is very well done--which says a lot, given my Virgo-high-standards.  Run your mouse over and click any item of clothing you place on your model, and it will give you the option to tuck in a top to the bottoms, belt a tunic, layer, or remove an item from the outfit.  The prices of each item are clearly marked, and all the items are currently sold in the store, so you can take your little model fashionista into your local store and play dress-up yourself.  Suddenly, I'm a girly girl. Thanks, H&M. 

I would love to see your looks you come up with, so please e-mail them to me.  Stay cool.

Okay, one more...

Last one, I promise...

I lied...

This weekend is...

...this guy's birthday!  

 my guys: Clayton, (me), Casey

My long-time buddy Casey is turning 25, which means a blow-out all-weekend party in the Delta. Keg. Boats. Bocce ball. Beer. BBQ. Tent Camping. Wine. Beer. Beer. Big brother Clay makes the most delicious Chardonnay, so I'm hoping he still has some on hand.

Me & Abby showing off our guns in a heated game of bocce

...and more than likely many rounds of beirut, flip-cup, and other beverage-related festivities.

Nancy, Clay & Case's mom, loves her beer. And we love mom. ;)

What plans have you for this weekend, friends?  Hopefully they involve spending time with friends and staying well-hydrated. ;) Yay for summertime!

Weekending!

Nothing is sadder than getting into my truck Monday morning to drive to work, and seeing a still-full tank of gas.  It reminds me that I didn't do anything over the weekend!  So, to get my adventurous juices flowing, and hopefully yours as well, I'm sharing some fun ideas for all of us to make the most of the next couple of days. 

*Channel your inner child and:

jump around in a bounce house with your buddy

wear tiaras to a backyard bbq

... * Hit the beach and:

 tan responsibly

 wear out the dogs

boogie board with your buddy

go boating

toss your buddy overboard

...* Or hit the road to see:

Other? Cities

... * Play ball!

catch a ballgame

 play bocce ball at sunset

...* Two words:

 Theme. Party.

Go. Enjoy your weekend!

{all photos taken by yours truly}

Really? It's already been a week?!

I can't remember how I spent the last seven days! Other than Father's Day shenanigans, my mind is blank.  I know I was sober, so I don't even have an exciting reason, just distracted I guess.  Anyhow, it's (already!) WEDding WEDnesday, and I haven't petered out on you yet.

Last week, I was reading Alli's blog hooray for her Father's Day gift plans, which included homemade jam and some darling cards.  It inspired this post about my wedding favors:

You guessed it.  Homemade jam.  Or, as my great grandma 'GGma' called it, preserves.  That's right, my mom and I undertook the massive task of canning +/- 120 half-pint jars of Pear Honey in her kitchen, which we completed in just a couple of days, with three arms, collectively.  My mom had just undergone surgery, so one of her arms was in a sling.  Trooper! 

My dear friend, Topher, was kind enough to bring by several bags of ripe (complimentary!) Bartlett pears to my mom's house one day, sans me, from his family's orchard in the Delta.  I honored his family's sweet gesture by printing on the backs of each favor tag: "Made with <3 by Cassi and Deb.  Thank you all for making this day perfect, and a special thanks to Wallace Chan Farms in Courtland, CA for kindly donating the pears."  Nothing corny like 'the perfect pear'--instead of 'pair'--which I see everywhere now...thank you etsy.  Oh, and if we weren't already in too deep, mom and I thought it would be a swell idea to kick the day off with canning blackberry jam, using the berries she painstakingly picks every August in the Delta, then ease into the pear honey...

Can't complain, though.  That stuff is its own food group.  And when there's only a teaspoon left in the jar, Gabe and I are not our normal accommodating selves.  Sometimes injuries are sustained.

...
The twine used to fasten the tags to each jar was hemp--a roll I've had in my crafts drawer for years and finally put to use.  The paper was the same I used for all the other paper projects, as I mentioned in my last post, as well as the same font.  Unfortunately, Office Depot does not carry it anymore, but it was this beautifully simple, and cheap!, recycled bleach-free matte card-stock paper, that I bought in two different sizes: 4-card perforated, and 8-card perforated, plus envelopes.  I used the 4-card to make the save-the-dates, invitations, RSVP cards, comment cards, and table markers; and the 8-card I used for the wedding favor tags.

I was so grateful to have my Mamaw (Cherokee for 'grandma') fly in from KY to help my mom and me assemble the favors.  It was warming to have all three generations working together on this particular task.

Of course I can't share with you the recipe, which, is not my rule.  I am happy to share any and all of my personal recipes with whomever, but I can't claim this one folks.  Apologies.  So far, none of the guests have begged me for the recipe; however, maybe half have claimed they didn't get any jam either because they left it at their seat, or there was none at their table.  Some have gotten pretty creative, but I know for a fact they are all just ploys to try and get more jam, which I will officially be out of after I give away the last jar in my cabinet.  We actually gave a jar to Gabe's grandpa for his birthday a couple of weeks ago, and he lit up like Christmas morning--and sent us home with two jars of his own yummy goods: kumquat-pineapple preserves and apricot-bing butter.

I don't remember, since it has been almost two years, whose idea it was to make and give preserves as our wedding favors, but I do remember knowing I wanted to give our guests something meaningful, usable, and memorable.  Sure, bubbles are fun for a few minutes, and when else are you going to indulge in Jordan Almonds, but I feel the pear honey was a perfect expression on mine and Gabe's style.  We never do things the easy way, we are very ambitious in our undertakings, we're proud of our families, and we're total foodies.

We just love hearing our guests share with us how they use their pear honey in various applications: on English muffins, vanilla ice cream, pork tenderloin, a la carte, etc.  I hope this inspires you to go for it in your projects, wedding-related or not, because the reward it great!  Have a peary wonderful day!  Okay, I had to throw in some corn... 

"Well, just part of our local color. He's purple."

-Lorelai Gilmore

One of my top five favorite things to do is to escape to the Delta--the Sacramento Delta, that is.  It became my second home when I attended high school there [years ago], and continues to recharge my batteries when I visit.  Although it is only a short fifteen minute drive down the River Road to get into the heart of the Delta, I still treat every visit like a mini-vacay. 

Today, I was fortunate enough to spend some solo time there.  While driving back to Sac from a business meeting in Stockton, the interstate abruptly became a parking lot due to some highway construction.  I seized the opportunity to explore an alternative route back to work.  I exited the interstate, followed some signs, and before I was conscious of what I was doing exactly, I had pulled over in the town of Walnut Grove.  I recognized the name of the building next to where I had parked;  it was Alma's River Cafe, a place I had eaten at with my Delta friends a time or two before. 

 I walked in, took a seat at the bar, grabbed the newspaper and a menu, and ordered a cup of coffee.  Since that was all I had in my system all day, I ordered pancakes and eggs for something substantial--not something one would think would elicit so much attention...

While waiting for my food, a few regulars feathered in every couple of minutes, each one parking at his habitual stool or table.  The woman running the place knew each man's drink of choice, which in 4 out of 5 cases was iced tea with lemon.  Two men ordered their routine hot pastrami sandwiches; another two simultaneously grumbled over the woman's announcement that she was "out of chili."  I was nestled in my own fantastical version of Stars Hollow.  {I don't believe I've ever mentioned my obsession with Gilmore Girls to you readers.} 

I practically inhaled my blueberry pancakes when they arrived, only taking a short break to slather more butter and syrup over top.  "I don't think I like that young gal down at the end of the bar," I heard a man tell another patron, over my left shoulder.  I turned and smiled;  "Me? You don't even know me," I said sweetly.  He replied, "Just the way yer devourin' those pancakes there.  Just 'cause you can.  My doctor says I can't eat any flour;  no potatoes, no pancakes, nothin'."  "Well, then, hate your doctor, not me," I replied.  That made everyone in the place laugh.  'glad they got the joke.  I took a sec to text my best Delta friend "A" to let her know I was eating lunch in her neck o' the woods.  She replied that if I had only been there two hours prior, her dad would have paid for my coffee...he eats there daily.  That's the kind of joint this is. 

Later, I assisted an older couple when they found themselves stuck in their crossword puzzle.  I had overheard the woman ask her husband, a few minutes before my food had arrived, "you know, the big whale fish?"  He replied, "o-r-c-a."  :)  This time the husband had taken over the puzzle, and was asking for the capital of Alaska.  Several patrons were debating over Anchorage or Juneau.  No one had established the correct answer, so a few minutes later, when conversation in the place had lulled, I asked, "did you get Juneau?"  He said he didn't know how to spell it.  "J-u-n-e-a-u" I offered.  "Yeah! That works! Thanks," he smiled while bouncing from box to box with his pen.  The banter continued among the patrons.  I was right at home.  

I finished my plate, paid my bill, and before I left, snapped a shot of the view from the cafe.

It was difficult to drive away, but I took comfort in remembering I would be back in the Delta a month from now for the annual Courtland Pear Fair.

Where, besides your residence, do you call home?