In My Kitchen – July 2024
by

In My Kitchen – July 2024

 

In My kitchen is a monthly collection of kitchen stories, posts from all around the world. It’s hosted by Sherry of the blog Sherry’s Pickings. To read them click on the In My Kitchen link for July of 2024. As Sherry wrote, the year is half way over! Can you believe it?

On to my own kitchen. In My Kitchen I have flowers. The months of June and July are prime months for flowers in the garden. Above you see a mixed bouquet of what is in bloom. I also have sweet peas in all colors. The recent hot (85 degrees F) spell might have finished them. They look a bit sad and the leaves are faded. I know I shouldn’t complain, much of the US has seen blistering heat.

Sweet Peas

Sweet Peas

What are we eating in my kitchen? Lots of salads. You may have seen that I hosted my Oakland bookclub the end of last month. It’s always fun and a challenge because we have members who are dairy and gluten free, plus a vegetarian. I made two salads…

and

Both were a big success although I think the sweet potato and lentil one was still good for lunch the next couple of days. The cauliflower one, not so much. Although it was delicious the first evening.

Company another evening, back in Fort Bragg, was marinated and roasted tofu and a stir-fry of forbidden rice with and peanuts.

I know tater tots are a midwest food, but they are a favorite of my husband and daughter. She has discovered she likes to cook and made these garlic butter tater tots to go with a BBQed skirt steak. The tots are baked till they are almost cooked but still soft, then smashed and brushed with garlic butter before going back into the oven until crispy. I think they will be a guilty pleasure, delicious but not exactly healthy.

Garlic Bread Tater Tots

Garlic Bread Tater Tots

On to healthier salads. Freekeh is considered an ancient grain. It has 5 grams more fiber and 1 gram more protein than quinoa, and 6.5 grams more fiber and 3.5 grams more protein than brown rice. It’s also easy to prepare and delicious. I haven’t posted this recipe yet.

Freekeh with roasted carrots and kale

Freekeh with roasted carrots and kale

I had a package of chicken potstickers in the freezer and was trying to make space. This turned out to be an excellent use of them. I cooked the potstickers according to the directions on the package, and put them aside on a plate while I stir-fried some cubed chicken thighs with snap and snow peas from the garden. At the end I tossed it all together with a bit of soy sauce and sesame oil. Garnish with some cilantro and, dinner.

Stir-fried peas with chicken and potstickers

Stir-fried peas with chicken and potstickers

This baked polenta came from one of Melissa Clark’s books. It was good but still needs some tweaking. It was very dense and I think it would be improved if the texture was softer. But I loved the fresh corn stirred into it and will be making again. Stay tuned if I get the recipe to my taste.

Baked polenta with cherry tomatoes, spinach, and cheese.

Baked polenta with cherry tomatoes, fresh corn, spinach, and cheese.

 

Melissa Clark
Dinner in One

In my garden, soon to be in my kitchen, is zucchini. In fact we plan to BBQ some tonight.

Zucchini

Zucchini

Also the first green beans.

Green bush beans

Green bush beans

We have been enjoying arugula for over a month. I plant more every 10 days so we have a continuous supply of our favorite salad green.

arugula

arugula

Lastly in my kitchen I have this wonderful sink drainer basket. It was a gift from one  of my high school friends at our recent reunion in Florida. Isn’t it adorable?

Sink drainer basket

Sink drainer basket

Thank you for coming and spending some time with me in my kitchen. And I love your comments.

 

July – Coastal Air Conditioning
by

July – Coastal Air Conditioning

We don’t have air conditioning at our house in Fort Bragg. It was 85 degrees F in the sun mid-day yesterday. That’s a high temperature for here, but nothing compared to much of the state and the entire U.S. has been experiencing. Over an hour from here, inland, it was over 110 degrees F. Our usual summer temperatures are in the high 60’s to low 70’s.

It cools down at night by as much as 20-30 degrees. And then we have our coastal air conditioning. As the temperature heats up inland, it pulls cooler air and fog into the coast. Our summers are frequently foggy and chilly. It’s a rare 4th of July that you can see the fireworks, usually just colorful shadows on the clouds. Tonight might be an exception; we will see.

Less than a mile from our house is Mackerricher State Park.

Beach at MacKerricher California State Park

Beach at MacKerricher California State Park – July

MacKerricher has miles of mostly unoccupied beaches. We don’t get swarms of visitors because…

  • the water is cold
  • we are some distance from the San Francisco Bay Area (it’s over a 3-hour drive)
  • the most significant small city is still over an hour away over twisty and windy roads; car sickness is a regular occurrence

We love it. I can walk for hours and only see the usual dog walkers who say a friendly hello. Sometimes, we stop and admire each other’s four-legged friends, allowing them to sniff each other.

The paved path along the shore is also a favorite riding spot of the S.O.B.’s Seniors on Bikes. They nod as they ride past.

The nearby stables offer horse rides on the beach; they wave and ask our dog’s name as they slowly amble by. But these folks are few and far between. It is usually quite empty.

Beach at MacKerricher California State Park

Beach at MacKerricher California State Park – June

Do you see that line of clouds on the horizon in the picture above? That’s our air conditioning. The breeze comes off the coast late afternoon and pulls in the cooler air.

The Pacific Ocean is never the same day to day. There is always something new to observe.

Beach at MacKerricher California State Park

Beach at MacKerricher California State Park – May

 

August - Pelicans and Sea Gulls

August – Pelicans and Sea Gulls

 

MacKerricher in December - see the seals on the rocks

MacKerricher in December – see the seals on the rocks

MacKerricher has camping during much of the year. It can get quite crowded in that area. But the beach remains empty except for some hardy souls and families with small children carting their shovels and pails.

My favorite time of year is just after the winter storms. The waves can be pretty fierce, and with a high tide, the dunes wash over the road, flooding it. In the case of the king tide last January, much of it also washed away. When that happens, the park closes the road, and it is only accessible by foot.

January storms washed away most of the road

January storms washed away most of the road.

Dogs are required to be on leash in MacKerricher, which is essential in the spring and summer when the shorebirds have their nests and when there are many visitors. But in the winter, when the road is closed, and no one is around, I let our dogs off to run. They chase up and down the dunes; watching their happiness is a joy.

I hope you all have a wonderful Independence Day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

June – Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt
by

June – Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

This is the other salad I served to my book club friends.

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

Full of herbs and edible flowers, this salad was beautiful. It is meant to be eaten the day it is made, as it didn’t keep well and wasn’t particularly good the following day. The recipe came from another book by Hetty McKinnon, Family. All her books are overflowing with wonderful vegetarian meals for sharing with friends and family. This dish is particularly beautiful with all the herbs and edible flowers used as a garnish. Her recipe was written using quinoa, I substituted brown rice. However, after making it this once, I think it would be even more flavorful with farro or freekeh. It would also give a nice textural element, toothiness (is that a word?) was missing. That’s how I intend to make it next time.

The pea yogurt sauce is a nice touch. Leave it out or use a nut yogurt instead if you are going dairy free or vegan.

The flowers, herbs, and peas came from my garden. The recipe calls for peas but I used a mixture of blanched and slivered snow and snap peas. They came from the garden in Fort Bragg. I supplemented them with some frozen petit pois. You could (as the recipe was written) use all frozen peas.

Short peas growing in a raised bed, these are a mix of snap and snow peas

Short peas growing in a raised bed, these are a mix of snap and snow peas

 

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

 

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt (serves 4)

Ingredients: 

  • Salad –
    • 1 cauliflower head, cut into large florets
    • Extra-virgin olive oil
    • Juice of 1 lemon
    • 1 cup of quinoa or another grain, rinsed
    • 2 cups of vegetable stock or coconut water or water
    • 2 cups of peas
    • 1 cup of microgreens
    • 1/4 cup of mint leaves
    • Garnish of edible flowers
    • salt and pepper
  • Mint-Pea Yogurt
    • 1/2 cup frozen peas
    • 1/4 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped
    • 1 cup of Greek yogurt
    • 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 teaspoon of honey or maple syrup

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C)
  2. Place the cauliflower florets on a parchment lined baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for about 25-30 minutes until tender and turning golden. Remove from the oven and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Add your grain of choice to a saucepan with the vegetable stock, coconut water, or plain water. Bring it to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low and cook until done. Remove from the heat and cool for 5-10 minutes before draining. Fluff with a fork and squeeze the lemon over, then drizzle with olive oil.
  4. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the peas (including the ones for the sauce) for 1 minute, drain and rinse under cool running water until cold. Set aside.
  5. For the mint-pea yogurt sauce – combine the mint, 1/2 cup of the blanched peas, and the yogurt in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add the olive oil, syrup or honey, and season with salt and pepper. Blend again until combined. Pour into a jar and chill.
  6. When ready to assemble the salad combine the cauliflower, grain, and peas. Drizzle with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with the microgreens and edible flowers.
  7. Serve the yogurt sauce on the side.

 

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

Roasted Cauliflower with Peas and Mint-Pea Yogurt

 

June – Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentils and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts
by

June – Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentils and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

I made this salad for my Oakland book club. It was my turn to host dinner. They are a wonderful group of women, and cooking for them is a challenge I look forward to each year. My turn only comes around once a year and I spend quite a bit of time doing research. The food has to be, first, delicious. And also gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian. Over the past few years, this has gotten easier. Cookbooks and online recipe forums have proliferated. It’s just a matter of finding the right one. This salad hit it out of the park. It was even yummy the next day for lunch with a scoop of cottage cheese. Leftovers would also make a wonderful base for a soup.

The recipe came from the book Community by Hetty McKinnon.

Buffet line

Buffet Line

 

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:

For the sweet potatoes and salad

  • 4 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
  • 2-3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (preferably freshly ground)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 cup of dried brown lentils or 2-1/2 cups of cooked
  • 1 cup of soft herbs, chopped (use whatever you have such as parsley, mint, tarragon, chives, dill, and/or cilantro). I used a mix of chopped parsley, mint, chives, and cilantro.
  • 2 cups of baby arugula
  • 1/2 cup of shaved parmesan

For the sweet vinaigrette

  • 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the honey-roasted walnuts

  • 2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon of dried chili flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground turmeric
  • pinch of sea salt
  • 2 cups of walnuts

Method:

  1. Roast the sweet potatoes.
    1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C) and line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
    2. In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes with the olive oil and ground spices. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well to coat the potatoes with the spices.
    3. Spread the potatoes on one sheet pan and roast for about 30 minutes until they are tender and starting to brown.
  2. Prepare the walnuts.
    1. Combine the honey with the chili flakes, turmeric, salt, and enough water to make a thick paste. (I did this in the same bowl I used for the sweet potatoes.)
    2. Coat the walnuts with the paste and spread on the second baking sheet.
    3. Roast for 10-12 minutes until the walnuts are crunchy and almost dry. They will crisp as they cool. Watch them carefully as they will burn quickly. They may still be a bit sticky which is fine.
  3. Make the sweet vinaigrette.
    1. Whisk together all the ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
  4. Prepare the lentils.
    1. Bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the lentils, and simmer over medium heat until they are tender but not falling apart. Use the directions on your package for timing. Drain.
    2. While the lentils are still warm, stir through the vinaigrette.
  5. Assemble the salad in a large bowl or on a platter. Combine half the herbs with the arugula, sweet potato, and lentils. Season well.
  6. To serve, scatter over the remaining herbs, the walnuts, and shaved parmesan.

Serve the salad at room temperature. It can be made ahead up to step 5. Bring it to room temperature before serving and add the herbs, walnuts, and parmesan.

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

Spiced Sweet Potato, Lentil, and Arugula with Honey-Roasted Walnuts

Quinn thought she should have a taste.

Quinn - Can I have a bite?

Quinn – Can I have a bite?

View from the Oakland condo of Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County at sunset.

Mt. Tamalpais

Mt. Tamalpais

In My Garden – June 2024
by

In My Garden – June 2024

It’s been a busy time in the garden lately, it has kept me from my desk as I spend most of my time outside. I am calling this a June post even though it is at the very end. Many of the pictures, especially of flowers, were taken earlier this month.

My husband completed a couple more raised beds for the vegetable garden. In our case, because of the invasive redwood roots, they are raised above the ground. I had to dig out roots several times each year as they competed with my vegetables, choking them and acidifying the soil. It was hard work sometimes requiring a hacksaw. Having them above ground saves my back and the plants. Here’s a peek…

There are still two more boxes to complete my mini-farm. The resident carpenter thinks they will be completed sometime this week.

Tomatoes don’t do well here unless you have a greenhouse, which we don’t have. The night temperatures are too cool. I grew wonderful tomatoes in Oakland with the aid of something called Walls of Water. They are plastic tunnels with tubes that you fill with water. During the day the water-filled tubes are warmed by the sun, releasing their heat during the night. I’ve placed four plants in one of the warmest areas of the yard where there is south sun and protection from the wind.

Tomatoes with walls of water

Tomatoes with walls of water

I know it’s late to plant tomatoes (these are a determinate variety) but our warmest days are yet to come. I am keeping my fingers crossed, stay tuned.

Those same redwood roots make their way into the half-wine barrels where I have planted roses. I dig out the roses every other year in late winter, add new potting soil and fertilizer, and then replant them. They seem to thrive despite the disruption.

The rhododendrons are almost finished blooming. They were very late this year due to the cold and wet winter. These pictures were taken in early June (sorry I missed a post last month), this is catch-up time.

I have sweet pea flowers, one of my favorites.

Sweet peas

Sweet peas

And lastly, just a walk about the rest of the garden.

It’s an English cottage look, a bit messy most of the time but lots of flowers. The dahlias are not quite blooming yet but they will be when I post in early August. There is lots of activity out there…bees, hummingbirds, buzzing insects, and the birds hunting them.