by Krista | Jul 21, 2010 | Compatriot Wednesday
You really can’t go wrong with four kinds of dessert. Especially when those desserts are things like, well…I’ll tell you in a minute.
It was a beautiful sunny evening as my cooking group friends descended on Don’s kitchen in a whirl of chopping and stirring and slicing and tasting. We had decided on a menu of cold foods and ended up with a delectable array of appetizers and toothsome desserts. With plates piled high, we headed out to the lamplit deck, cramming in as many chairs as we could fit so everyone could contribute to the stories and share in the laughter.
We started with a selection of crackers mounded with Selwyn’s oh-so-creamy Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Dip and Mango Ginger Habenero Dip.
Mike served up lovely grilled toasts topped with shaved ham, roasted tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil.
Jenny made a massive bowl of fabulous pasta salad, savory with salami, Parmesan cheese, olives, bell peppers and juicy little cherry tomatoes.
Don brought out heavenly smoked salmon and we perched it atop cream cheese spread on crackers.
I made a Ceviche Spring Rolls, tucking in plump pieces of shrimp marinated in lime juice and drizzling with spicy peanut sauce.
Just when we thought we couldn’t possibly eat any more, out came those amazing desserts.
We began with Toby’s Coconut Gelatin with Caramel, so beautifully creamy and delicate.
We followed this with two versions of mini-cheesecakes by Deb and Jon. The first one was a sprightly apricot, followed by…
… a spiced plum. Deeeeelicious!
By the time we got to Darren’s Coconut Pineapple Ice Cream with Rum Sauce we were eating by lamplight and enjoying every last morsel.
What are your favorite cold foods?
This is my contribution to Wanderfood Wednesday.
Selwyn’s Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Dip
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Grilling Sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
8 oz cream cheese, softened
Directions:
- Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down sides occasionally.
Selwyn’s Mango Ginger Habenero Dip
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Mango Ginger Habenero Grilling Sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
8 oz cream cheese, softened
Directions:
- Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down sides occasionally.
Krista’s Thai Peanut Sauce
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups creamy natural peanut butter
1 can coconut milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
3 Tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
3 gloves garlic, minced
Directions:
- Blend all ingredients in food processor until smooth. Taste. Add more hoisin sauce if not sweet enough.
Krista’s Fresh Ceviche Spring Rolls
1 cup shrimp, soaked overnight in lime juice
8 round spring roll sheets
1/2 cup cooked, shredded chicken
Juice of one lime
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cups fresh Thai basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 bundles vermicelli noodles, cooked, drained and cooled
Directions:
- Pour lime juice over chicken and stir to coat.
- Soak one spring roll sheet in warm water 5-10 seconds. Place on clean counter top.
- Down center of sheet place shredded chicken. Top with vermicelli noodles, mint, basil, and cilantro.
- Grasp edge of sheet closest to you and fold over mixture, tucking edges under. Fold each end piece over, then continue rolling until spring roll looks like a burrito.
Toby’s Coconut Gelatin with Caramel Sauce
by Krista | Jul 20, 2010 | Spring
It was our last night in Bosnia as we ascended the hills above Mostar and drove along the coast toward Croatia.
The sea was smooth and gray like polished steel, and the sky glowed softly in gentle, velvety colors. The dramatic scene seemed the perfect way to leave this country that had so surprised, gutted and thrilled me. I didn’t want to leave but other countries, stories and adventures beckoned me on, so I left, carrying a heart full of memories and a camera full of pictures.
After the devastating conflict that left communities shattered, families torn apart, and thousands of people struggling to rebuild their lives, a new national anthem for Bosnia Hercegovina was adopted on June 25, 1999.
It had a melody but no words, for no words could be agreed upon.
For ten years there was only a tune but finally, in February 2009, the national parliament settled on lyrics. I found several translations that differ slightly in everything but the last few lines. To me they are the most important:
“We go into the future together!”
How I wish that for Bosnia. May it continue to grow into a place of peace, healing, and much hope.
by Krista | Jul 19, 2010 | Bootstrap Monday
I can’t stop smiling when I think about this past weekend. My heart is fairly bursting with memories of dear friends, beloved family and great food.
Friday night I drove down to Seattle and had absolutely fantastic bbq and happy catching-up with long-time friends from California.
Saturday and Sunday I got to spend with my oh-so-fabulous brother Dana and sis-in-law Rachel. We talked for hours tucked up all cozy in our favorite spots on couches and chairs, laughing ourselves sick, sharing a tear now and then, and parting dearer friends than ever.
And tonight I got to celebrate the visit of my friend Darren’s parents with a bbq par excellence.
The sun was shining gloriously as we sipped Moldavian wine on the deck and munched our way through one delicious thing after another.
We started with Jon’s chunky guacamole piled high on salty tortilla chips.
He was clearly in an appetizer frame of mind, for he then served us grilled salt and vinegar potato slices topped with chorizo, cheese and fresh cilantro. Yowsers!! Those were tasty little bites!
Darren grilled up steaks and sizzling bratwursts and we ate them with….
…my roasted dill potatoes and….
…and Selwyn’s smoky grilled asparagus.
After our splendid dinner settled, we dug into bowls of Darren’s Pina Colada ice cream made with coconut milk and fresh pineapple topped with dark rum.
It was a glorious end to a splendid weekend with people I love.
What is your favorite memory from your weekend?
This is my contribution to Chayas’s Meatless Mondays.
Krista’s Roasted Dill Potatoes
Ingredients:
6 Yukon Gold potatoes, washed, dried and diced
1-2 Tbsp dried dill weed
4 cloves garlic, halved and sliced thinly
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
- Toss all ingredients in glass bowl and mix well.
- Pour onto baking sheet and shake to distribute evenly.
- Bake 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, or until potatoes are browned and crispy, but not burnt.
by Krista | Jul 16, 2010 | Fabulous Friday
Good morning, dear folks. 🙂 I actually awoke without an alarm clock this morning! That always makes me happy.
How was your week? Were you busy as all get out? On vacation? Just taking it easy? I hope it’s been good no matter what you’ve been up to.
It’s been a week of good changes for me, clearing out projects and responsibilities that were weighing me down and keeping me from the work I’m really good at and love. I’ve been studying Time Management over the past few weeks and although I’ve only been implementing one little thing at a time, I feel like great, heavy burdens have been lifted. What is your favorite time management tip that helps you get your most important things done?
I’ve taken on some new responsibilities too, fun and interesting ones that let me be creative and innovative and stretch me quite scarily at times. I love it!
I’ve been a bit of a hermit this week, taking time to rest and go for walks, sit outside and read in the sun, have good chats with my brothers and family, it’s been a good week. My frazzled, overwhelmed self is feeling settled, focused, loved and loving, and it feels good.
As I wrote yesterday, I’ve been eating leftovers a LOT this week! I don’t mind a bit because they’ve been so delish, like this Red Potato Salad with Mint, Goat Cheese and Toasted Pine Nuts. I had made it years ago and liked it so much, so I pulled out all my recipe files and rifled through them until I found it. Hooray! It tastes just as good a day or two down the road as the first day, and that suits my schedule just dandy.
Last night I was one tired lassie, so I sat out on the grass with this lovely Cherry Lime Cooler and sipped until the sun disappeared. Then I retired to my favorite comfy chair and finished it off. Such a light and refreshing thing to have at the end of a piping hot day.
Tonight I head down to Seattle to have dinner with dear friends up from California – it will be so good to see them! Then I get to stay with my youngest bro and sis-in-law and have jolly chats and hearty laughs before heading home again. I’m so excited!!!
Wishing you a beautiful weekend with people you love and who love you back. 🙂
This is my contribution to Myscha’s Happy Hour Friday.
Red Potatoes with Goat Cheese, Pine Nuts and Mint
Ingredients:
2 pounds red potatoes, diced into 1/2″ chunks
2 tsp kosher salt
1/3 cup olive oil
ground pepper
3/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced or scallions, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp julinned mint leaves
Directions:
- Add potatoes to pot and cover with 2-inches water. Add salt and bring to boil. Simmer covered for 15 minutes or until tender.
- Drain and place in bowl. Immediately add olive oil, salt and pepper, toss to coat. Let cool.
- Add remaining ingredients and toss gently. Serve at room temperature.
Cherry Lime Cooler
(Serves 1)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Riesling, chilled
1 cup seltzer water, chilled
6 fresh Rainier cherries, pitted and mashed but still intact
1/2 lime, juiced
Directions:
- Combine all ingredients, pour into glass and serve immediately on a hot summer’s eve.
by Krista | Jul 15, 2010 | Plucky Thursday
Good morning, dear ones! Well, I’ve been in such a frazzled state the last few days, my mind a-whirl with projects and ideas and plans that I simply forgot to cook. Anything. At all. Thank goodness for leftovers and yogurt!
So as I sat in my armchair and realized I don’t have any recipes or food photos to share with you, I decided that today will be the day I share some photos from where I live.
Several of you have asked to see around my place, so here it is, in all its humble homeyness.
This is my backyard:
This is my cracked patio, my chimney, random black cords that go to I know not what, my rickety bench, and my bright pink, muddy Wellies.
This is my little container garden, various gardening bits and bobs, and a pot of basil I forgot on top of the chimney. My beloved creek is just over that tangle of blackberry bushes on the left.
These are the forget-me-nots that grow by my back door. Aren’t they cheerful?
And this is the sunset from my bedroom window.
I hope you have a beautiful day today, dear folks, wherever you live. 🙂
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