Summer Treats

Santa Rosa plums.

I have been canning different kinds of fruits from our backyard lately. Plums were made into  plum sauce which we like to put on pancakes.  The grapes (Pinot Noir) that were planted by the patio for shade also give enough fruits to make into jelly.  I can' remember the last time we bought jelly from the store - it has been a long time. 

'Bartlett' Pears were made into pear butter.

Our Bartlett pear was full of fruits this year.  Miriam and I are the only ones eating the fresh fruits.  The rest of the family complains about the texture of the fruit. I discovered later on that they all like pear butter - especially when used as topping for Buttermilk waffles.  Shannon and Miriam also like to eat it alone for dessert or snack.  I know for sure that pear butter is nutritious.  So far I have made two batches of this 'pear delight' but this is probably not the end because there are still a lot of fruits on the tree. 

The kids harvesting grapes.

Grapes are cleaned and washed before they are crushed.

At the Farmers' Market, our friends (Gavy and Bellie Dhillon) gave me a special deal on apricots hence I bought half a box (approximately twenty five pounds).  I made a pie and then the rest were made into delicious jam.  Tim always appreciates good apricot jam or preserves, and now he has enough supply for a year.  In fact we have enough to share.  We like our jam to be on the tangy side of the spectrum - and this is exactly how these apricots are made.  I can just imagine crepes and apricot preserves in our future.

Thank goodness our peaches did not do well this year...we have enough canned fruits already.

Washing grapes - a family activity.

Crepe-Making

If you truly love something then you always find ways to have your way to enjoy that something.  That was the case with Brahms this week when he had to make his first crepe. Until now he always depended on his father who is the sole crepe-maker of the family to provide him the crepes.  Now he advances one step by learning to prepare it.   I believe that after this experience that he will soon be offering to make crepes for the family.

We filled the crepes with strawberries, Nutella and whipped cream and served with sausages on the side.  Would anybody be interested to have the recipe he used?  :)

Savory Saturday - Simply Catfish and Beans

When I tell my children about the nutritional merits of any food they would always give me this expression of disgust, never mind that they like the food.  

Here's a recipe that's so simple that anybody can make it in just a few minutes.  This recipe came about as a result of my effort to add more fiber and fish in our meals.  We buy catfish fillet from Costco and freeze whatever we can't use immediately.  Before freezing, I layer the fillets with wax paper for easier separation later on.

 

Simply Catfish and Beans

3 Catfish fillet

1 can (12 oz) kidney beans

1 can (12 oz) diced tomatoes

1 can (12 oz) sweet corn (optional)

1 tbsp chopped cilantro

2 tbsp cooking oil

Salt and pepper

Heat oil in frying pan and cook catfish one minute per side.  Pour tomatoes, beans, and corn over fish.   Bring the mixture to boil.  Cover and simmer for about 15-20 minutes until fish is fork-tender.  Season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle cilantro on top.  Serve over rice and a hot sauce if desired.  Enjoy!

Savory Saturday - Lamb Kabobs

We were busy today taking down Christmas ornaments and putting them away.  Spent a little bit of time raking some leaves and before we knew it the sun was down.  Grilling is often our solution for hungry tummies when time is limiting.  Moroccan Lamb Kabobs with Mint Yogurt Sauce was for dinner.  Yummy.  This is one of our favorite recipes for lamb.  Our friends who swore they didn't like lamb ate it with gusto.  Make several batches of the spice/seasoning mixture and store in a jar for faster preparation in the future. 

Moroccan Lamb Kabobs*

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 pounds boneless lef of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes

Mint-Parsley Yogurt Sauce (Recipe also provided here)

Combine all spices and seasonings in a bowl.  Place lamb cubes in a shallow baking dish.  Sprinkle and rub spice mixture into lamb with hands.  Thread lamb cubes into skewers.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat.  Grill kabobs for 3 minutes per side, or until cooked to desired doneness.  Transfer to serving platter and serve with Mint-Parsley Yogurt Sauce for dipping.

Mint-Parsley Yogurt Sauce

1 cup plain yogurt

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 tablespoon finely chopped mint leaves

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Salt and ground black pepper

Combine first six ingredients and season with salt and pepper.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. 

Happy tummies make happy faces. 

Food At The Cucina

Ahi Tuna with Greens, Hot and Sour Soup; Wasabi Soy Sauce

Light and Spicy Meal

Most of the time it is better to eat at the Cucina  (that's the name I gave to my kitchen).  Here the price is better, you can choose the ingredients, you are aware of  how the food is handled, and it is more private than  restaurants.  Eating at the Cucina does not bring regrets to me.  I already know what I am going to get and there are no surprises except when experiments are being conducted.  There is one disadvantage of eating at the Cucina -- we get to wash the dishes afterwards.  On the other hand, we get to go out in the backyard to drink our coffee.

Last week Tim and I went to try the new vegetarian Indian restaurant in Folsom.  The food was full of flavor but for a carnivore like me, the "characters" seemed missing from the sauces.   To me, it was like listening to a symphony without a melody.  Tim liked it.

This week, we tried another Indian restaurant in Cameron Park.  I ordered lamb in creamy spinach sauce and Tim had chicken.  I liked the naan but the food was not exciting.  I have no reason to go back to that restaurant except to try their lunch buffet.  Maybe having a variety of food to choose from would give me a better experience.  There are four indian restaurants in the area that I've been to.  So far the best is the one on Bidwell near the DMV.  They serve chevron and mutton which I think are really good with the indian spices.  The one on Broadstone Market was good the first time it opened but I noticed that the food quality is deteriorating.  But in the end, who am I to judge whether and Indian restaurant is good or not.  If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, then taste is determined by you and me.