Back to Routine. (and a few "lost" recipes...)

My last post on this blog was July 2nd.  I haven't given up on this endeavor... just went on a hiatus.  Those who know me can understand why there hasn't been a post since.  I've been told by a few people that the life I live now is my "new normal."  I don't exactly know what that means yet...but I do know it's been hell trying to get back to/create a new routine.  In the last five weeks, I've only gone grocery shopping twice (three times if you count the time I accompanied my boyfriend).

Besides the obvious, SO MUCH has happened since that last post.  I guess it's only fair that I catch you up on the things most relevant to this blog.

• My mother is a dot com.  Yes!  The chef/author extraordinaire of the cookbook finally has her own website.  You can visit and take a look at her fabulous photos and if you're itching to get a copy of her cookbook - you can do so there.  Visit her at http://www.margaretboyswolf.com
• I'm training for a half marathon.  Wait.  WHAT?!?  Yes.  I'm thinking exercise will be a good stress reducer slash endorphin producer and that will be grand.  It's the Rock 'n Roll Half Marathon on December 5 in LAS VEGAS!   Granted, I'm just two weeks into training...and only running 2 miles at a time...but it will increase slowly and I'm excited about it.  (this isn't exactly relevant to the blog...but I have to hold myself accountable and this seems as good of place as any)

Here are a couple recipes that I made, but never blogged about...

Recipe #5 - Greek Orzo Salad with Shrimp

Recipe #6 - Chinese Chicken Salad (no photo...oops)

and Raspberry Vodka!

The Raspberry Vodka was one of the best infusions yet.  Sweet, tangy, RED and DELICIOUS.  And it was gone in one night.  :(  Oh well... there WILL be a next time.

I think I'll go grocery shopping tonight and plan a few recipes...so don't give up on this blog yet.  There's much more to come.

Recipe #4: Snickerdoodles & Recipe #4.5: Lemon Snickerdoodles

The Snacks chapter in my mother’s cookbook contains MANY baked goods.  Cookies, bars, cakes, scones...lots and lots of baked goods.  The basic cookies seemed best to start with - so after the delicious Chocolate Chip cookies, I decided on a batch of Snickerdoodles.

Ingredients!

My mom had two options for this cookie, regular and lemon.  I split the batch in half and made some of each.  One of the things I discovered with this recipe (along with reading other recipes in the book), is there are a few kitchen utensils my mother uses that I do not have access to.  This recipe called for a lemon zester; and while I have copious amounts of kitchen items, a lemon zester is not among them.

Alas, I improvised with a vegetable peeler and a knife.  Seemed to work just fine.

The first pan of cookies was on a rack too close to the bottom heating element in the oven and got a little burnt on the bottom.  But the rest of the batch worked out just fine.  Even though I discovered I’m not a huge snickerdoodle fan, my roommate made sure to tell me that the cookies were “really good, even frozen.”

Finished Product: Lemon on the Left and Regular on the Right.

Recipe #3 - Spinach Avocado Grapefruit Salad

Some of the recipes in my mom’s cookbook are made to feed a small army.  Others are adaptable for one.  This tasty salad was the perfect dinner for one on a gloomy June evening.

Again, like Leslie's Salsa, the ingredients are simple.  Hell, 3 of the 5 are already in the title.

I chose this one night because it seemed simple enough and tasty...exactly along the lines of the food I was craving (and WAY healthier than the chow mein noodles I really wanted to get).  

There isn’t a whole lot to share about this recipe since it was quite easy going.  Once I get to the Herbed Flank Steak and Chicken Curry Salad - then there will probably be more to say.

My side projects...

Last fall, I began exploring infusing my own vodkas.  Vodka infusions are really quite easy and lots of fun to test the final products.  I’ve done four successful infusions and one not so successful one.  I started two batches: Habenero and Pineapple.  Both infusions I’ve done before and both turned out super yummy.  Also on the horizon, Willamette Raspberry Vodka.

Recipe #2 - Chocolate Chip Cookies &Recipe #2.5 - Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

This "family" chocolate chip cookie recipe beats any other chocolate chip cookie I've tried.  To me, it's no contest, simply the best chocolate chip cookie I know.

I say "family" because really it's the cookie recipe from Betty Crocker's Cooky Book, first published in 1950.  My mom always baked double batches and the numbers are so easy and even, my younger brother and I have had the recipe memorized for years.

While I'm choosing not to share the recipes in my mom's book (duh, you can buy one from her and get them all at once that way!), I will share this one because of my own spectacular addition - bacon.

My not-so-secret ingredient.

The Best-to-My-24-Year-Old-Knowledge Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c. butter

1 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

3 c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 12-oz. pkg. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine butter, sugar, and brown sugar.  Mix well.  Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in separate bowl and stir together.  Add flour mixture into butter mixture mixing well.  Add chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.  Scoop into 1 inch balls.  Bake 8-10 minutes.

This recipe yields about 5 dozen cookies.  It's a whole heck of a lot, but they freeze brilliantly.  It could be argued that I even enjoy a half thawed cookie more than a warm-fresh-out-the-oven cookie.  But to each his own.

...and then there was bacon...

A few weeks ago, my boyfriend and I went to a birthday party where bakery treats more or less replaced a traditional birthday cake.  The host eagerly had us sample one of the cookies - a chocolate chip cookie with bacon pieces in it.  I don't know how much he paid for these cookies...but as soon as I tasted it I thought, "Psh.  I could make these.  And they'll probably be better."  I did.  And they were...in my humble opinion.

To make your very own Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies follow these easy instructions:

1. Go to your local grocery store and order meaty bacon from the meat counter.  You'll find most success with maple bacon or regular bacon - I'd stay away from peppered bacon.
2. You'll want about two strips of bacon per dozen...if you do the whole batch, I'd recommend 10 strips - but if you only do two dozen, then you'll only need four strips.
3. Cook it up before you start making the cookie dough...you want crispy bacon that has cooled. 
4. Chop it up into little bits and add it to the dough at the same time you add the chocolate chips.
5. Bake like you normally would.

Yummy bacon!!!

There are no pictures of the final cookie, the consumption rate was incredible (and I may have forgotten to take one when they were done baking).  What I tell people is if you like chocolate covered pretzels and aren't a vegetarian, then you'll most likely enjoy, perhaps love, the Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Recipe #1 - Leslie's Salsa

My parent’s met Vince and Leslie after they moved down to California in the late 70’s or early 80’s.  Both couples had no kids at the time and were both newly married.  Leslie and I share the same birthday and maybe THAT is why this salsa is my absolute favorite.

I was preparing for a BBQ at my new place and decided that this would be a perfect addition to the burgers, hot dogs, and jalapeno poppers.  

Ingredients...YUM.

The ingredients are simple and somewhat non-traditional for a salsa.  Canned olives, canned tomatoes, canned green chilies, Bernstein Italian dressing, green onions, lime juice, and S&P (salt and pepper).  Just like most any salsa - you mix these things to getter and Wha-la - you've got salsa.

The finished product.  So so delicious!

Another reason this salsa rocks my world is my family traditionally only makes it once a year - for our annual Chili Feed.  The Chili Feed is a holiday party my parents have been hosting for well over 20 years now.  My mom makes a huge amount of chili (one with meat and one vegetarian) and we eat it.  At this party - we provide the chili, the chili toppings, rolls, slaw, and chips and salsa.  I was usually in charge of making the salsa and over the years I've perfected it.

When making it this time, in the middle of June, I had this weird deja-vu like feeling that it was Christmas time.  I said aloud, "Woah.  No, Patti, it's June...you're not driving up to Seattle to go to the Chili Feed."  It was strange.

Great first recipe to make.  A huge hit at the BBQ.  Looking forward to more!

What exactly am I doing? (Otherwise known as, the first post)

In 2002, Julie Powell set out to cook all 536 recipes in a year from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child, Simone Beck, and Louisette Bertholle.  It seems like a daunting task and by the looks of the motion picture, Julie and Julia, it was.

I never read the book.  I saw the movie and enjoyed Meryl Streep, Amy Adams, and of course Stanley Tucci, but it by no means moved me or inspired me...until now.

I love food.  I love cooking it and eating it and sharing it and creating it.  But who doesn’t?

Two years ago, my mother (and the best chef/cook/caterer I know) self-published her first cookbook.  She’s compiled all the recipes she has used over the years of being chef at the Crow Timber Frame Barn in Baltimore, Ohio.

Do you see where I’m going with this?  I’ve decided, without a timeline or agenda, to cook every recipe out of my mother’s cookbook and blog about it.

I haven’t even counted the number of recipes.  But here I go anyway and I'm stoked about it.

My mom and I at The Coug in Pullman, Wash.  April 2008.