Phew....I made it. Lack of sleep and all.

If you do not see a video screen above this line, click here to be taken directly to my site or here for the AM Northwest site.

Well, I made it. Wasn't sure how it would go down considering my serious lack of sleep. So glad I made the decision to stay up even later than it already was and iron the pants that no one saw. (Shhh. Don't tell my parents. They wouldn't be pleased at the hour I finally turned out the lights. Isn't it the case that no matter what age we are, we never stop being somebody's child and we always know what they're thinking?)

Before I go on air, I, of course, have thought up all of these wonderfully witty and informative comments to make but when I'm actually in the middle of the whole thing....I forget them all. So, one thing I meant to say is that for an even quicker version of these fish tacos, you could make them with the beer battered cod or halibut you find in your freezer section. My sweetie tends to lean more toward the beer battered guys while I, myself, am a "grilled fish" girl. Either way, make a batch up, get yourself a couple of "cold ones" with a slice of lime, turn up the mojito music and welcome in summer!

Cheers,
Carrie

PS: In case you'd like the link to the recipe, here it is...link.

All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

Movin' On Up to the Big Leagues

No long post yet this week as I've been gearing up to make these Fabulous Fish Tacos on AM Northwest tomorrow morning. Since it appears I've been a very, good girl, the kind producer that I work with at AM Northwest has moved me up to the live morning show. I'll be the first guest on Wednesday's show and if you happen to be in the Portland area, near a television at 9:00am, flip it on to KATU Channel Two...voilà, there I'll be fryin' up some fish.

Wish me luck though. I'm definitely not as organized as usual. Nor do I have myself to bed at a decent time. Must be something about my three chickens at home full-time making it difficult to concentrate. Or it could have nothing to do with them and it's simply my own procrastination and I'm just looking for someone to blame.

Either way.....cheers!
Carrie


All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

Straddling the Seasons with Pork Chop Salad

"Ahhh....June 21st. First Day of Summer." I hopped out of bed and ran to the window just hoping the weatherman (no, not a "weatherperson" because I do in fact get my weather report from a man) was wrong. Pulling the curtains aside I was met with gray. All shades of gray and clouds. Low clouds. High clouds and cold. Down jacket, cold. I sighed and wondered if I should just check myself in. "Sun. Why can't we have just one little trickle of it??!! Arrrgghh!" But then, I decided that this weather had been going on for so long..."no more whining." I needed to get on with it. I needed to just grab hold of the old, "If you can't beat 'em...." No, more dwelling on the possibility that I might be living in someone's cruel joke of a snow globe. No, not the sweet, twinkly ones that play Christmas music but the kind that comes with frosted glass to imitate fog. When you shake it, it puts up dark, heavy clouds in varying shades of gray and winding it up you're treated to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. "No, put those thoughts aside."

And, so I did. Wearing my down jacket, I cheerfully dropped my middle guy off at the first camp of the summer season. And then, headed back home, taking time to notice all of the daisies popping up on the sides of the roads. I've always had a thing for daisies...fields of daisies....running in slow motion through those daisy laden fields. Must have something to do with the opening sequence of all of those Little House on the Prairie episodes I watched. Once home, I fixed myself up a bowl of Nancy's yogurt topped with granola, mangoes and those little Hood strawberries that are certainly synonymous with summer, grabbed a cookbook off the shelf and sat down at the kitchen table with my tea, my breakfast and my reading material. Yes, yes, I'll admit that I have a hard time just...sitting. I always feel as if I need to be doing something and so, if no other reading material presents itself when I sit down to eat, I grab a cookbook.

I love reading the inscription on the cookbooks I've been given. This one happened to say, "1993 Happy Cooking! Love, Kathy and Blake." I can remember back to when I was presented with this gift and the different recipes I made from the book at that time in my life. This collection of recipes was put out by Pasta and Co, "Seattle's Leading Take-Out Shop." I recall how I frequented their store at UVillage to buy their creations more than I actually made any back then. Back in those pre-kid years. Back when we'd get together with friends for dinner and talk about our dogs. As I read through the recipes, I realized how many I had yet to try and just how good they all sounded. I started fervently turning down the corners of every delicious sounding dish when I was stopped by the recipe for "Pork Chop Salad." I don't know what it was. Maybe the weather. So fall-ish and pork chops make me think of fall. Or maybe it was the shallots and we all know I have a serious love affair with shallots. Or maybe it was the "salad" part which sounded so...so...summer-ish.

As I stood at the stove, essentially pan-frying my slices of pork loin, I alternated between cursing at the bits of hot oil jumping out of the pan and stinging my hands and being lost in remembrances of my Grandma. When I think of summer, I think of her. So many of my summer vacations were spent with her. At her home. At the coast. And, pan-fying...anything...bacon, ham, cracklins...smells like her. But she would have kept it simple. Salt and pepper. A yellow onion. None of my craziness of chopping up fresh herbs and 6 shallots. And, undoubtedly, her pork chops would have come out better than anything I could ever make. She was just one of those gifted cooks. As I removed my first batch of pork slices and readied myself to cook up the next batch, I could swear I saw the half-finished crossword puzzle on the counter. The deck of cards waiting for a round of Crazy 8's before we ran out onto the beach. And above the sound of the pork sizzling in the olive oil, I could hear her loud, generous laugh...the one I inherited. And somehow, I could feel her arms around me giving me one of her all-enveloping hugs coupled with her smile and her saying to me, "Summer is here, Carrie." And by golly, if the sun didn't come out the next day. And the next. Burned away all of those clouds in the snow globe. (Oh, and the frosted glass that I thought was fog...that was really just dirty windows. I was unable to tell the difference until the sun came streaming in.)

Pork Chop Salad
Adapted from the recipe of the same name in the Pasta and Co By Request cookbook

Now, I find that the name of this recipe is a bit of a misnomer. Kind of like "egg salad." When I see the word salad, I think green leaves and there isn't anything green and leafy in this ingredient list besides the herbs so....for one meal, I turned it into a salad by putting the "pork salad" over a bed of green leaves and adding some cherry tomatoes and crumbled goat cheese. Another day, I put it on a fresh baguette with some greens from a local farmer, a crack of pepper and a pinch of salt for a quick and tasty lunch. And the evening I actually made it, I served it alongside some corn on the cob and a little green salad. My daughter piped up that she thought it would be great on an appetizer table on top of little baguette slices. My sweetie thought white rice might have been nice. I see it paired with couscous in the future. And, the boys....no comment. They were too busy eating. According to the original recipe, this "salad" is meant to be served warm or at room temperature (which makes it good for summer) but never cold. It will keep well for five days in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:
1/2 tbsp dried Italian herbs OR 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme, 2 tsp chopped fresh sage and 1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Big pinch of allspice (If you don't have this, I wouldn't worry about it.)
2 1/2 pounds boneless pork loin roast, cut into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch slices
1/2 cup pure olive oil or other "high heat oil" such as Canola oil
6 shallots, peeled and sliced (the original recipe called for 10)
2 cloves garlic, put through a garlic press
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley to put on top

Directions:
Mix together the herbs, salt, pepper and allspice. Sprinkle both sides of your pork slices with this mixture, using it all.

In a large sauté pan, heat your pure olive oil to very hot. Add as many pork slices as will fit in the pan and brown thoroughly for 2-3 minutes on each side. You want your pork cooked through but not overcooked. I tend to remove my pork from the heat while it still has a faint hue of pink in the middle, knowing that it will continue to cook even after it's taken out of the pan. Remove slices to a large bowl as they are done, tent with foil and set aside. When pork has all been cooked, lower heat. Add your shallots to the pan and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. About 3 minutes into cooking your shallots add your garlic, taking care not to burn it. Add vinegar, raise heat and scrape up all meat drippings. Remove from heat and stir in the extra virgin olive oil. Let mixture cool while you cut pork slices into 1-inch to 2-inch pieces, returning them to the bowl and salvaging all meat juices. Toss pork with shallot mixture.

You may refrigerate the "salad" at this point but when ready to serve, bring it back to room temperature or reheat gently. Make sure to sprinkle the "salad" with a little parsley before serving....however, you decide to serve it. Enjoy.

Yield: About 5 cups

All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

Getting Sentimental with Savory Chicken Pocket Pies

"Is something the matter? You don't seem yourself," my dear friend inquired of me. "I don't know. I feel a little....sad." "Melancholy?" "Yeah, maybe that's what it is...melancholy. I'm not sure why." Here it was. The end of the school year for my eldest children. A day that I had been so looking forward to. A day that I had literally been counting down the minutes until its arrival and now, here it was and....."sigh." I couldn't shake this...this...heaviness. Not wanting to cast a little black cloud over the end-of-the-year celebration, I tried to perk myself up by clinking glasses of champagne with my dear friends and tossing homemade chicken pocket pies out to the children. Then, after they'd inhaled their savory pie, hollering out to them that there were chocolate chip cookies for dessert...but they were already outside again.

Here it was the end of the school year and I should be rejoicing. No more lunches. No more homework. No more wondering whether my daughter would actually get herself ready for school in time to take the bus or once again, would I be driving the hour long round trip? Oh, I know, there are some of you dutiful parents out there thinking that I should teach her a lesson by simply saying to her, "If you don't make the bus, then, you don't go to school." But, let's think about that one. "Will that actually work?" and "Who really suffers from those consequences?" And, besides, I remember those junior high years. Spending hours in the morning on my Farrah Fawcett curls and my electric blue eyeliner. "And this too...shall pass." We hope...

Being raised in a military family, I grew up saying good-bye...a lot. Whether it was our family moving or another family. I also grew up saying good-bye to my own father for months, even years at a time. It was he who always reminded us, over and over again, "Never say good-bye. Always say, "I'll see you later." I've always carried around his little nugget of advice with me and have tried as best I could to honor the sentiment behind his words of wisdom but as more and more time collects behind me, I've come to realize that sometimes, good-bye is good-bye. And the end of the school year, while joyous for so many reasons, can also be a bit sad. It's the end of a chapter. In our lives. Our children's lives. And, not everything from that chapter carries forward. We say good-bye to teachers. Amazing, incredible teachers that we feel completely inept to properly thank. Teachers that not only taught our children but genuinely cared about them. Good-bye to that 5th year, that 10th year, that 12th year of our children's lives. Good-bye to a rhythm and tempo that was unique only for that one year. And saying good-bye can sometimes be...sad. Melancholy.

I left that Last-Day-of-School celebration with my spirits lifted a bit more thanks to the champagne Glee's season finale Medley of Journey songs blaring on the stereo. Nothing quite does it for me like a round of "Don't Stop Believin'" Takes me right back to those curls and electric blue eyeliner. And maybe my Dad's right. Maybe it is just, "See ya later." Look how "Don't Stop Believin'" shows back up out of nowhere. After we thought we'd said good-bye to it a long, long time ago. And, as I moved into the days of summer, I felt less sad. Just a bit of wistfulness was left. I had all my chickens home. No more schedules. No more daily commitments. And stretched out in front of us was an entire summer of togetherness.

Before I closed the car door, I turned to my eldest son and said, "No taunting or teasing your brother." Then, I turned to the littlest one and said, "Do not bite your brother again." And to both of them I said, "And you guys...no more wedgies." I could see them trying to choke back their smiles as I shut the door. As I ran in to get myself a latte yesterday morning, I thought to myself, "And, why were you excited for the end of the school year to be here? And why, exactly, were you sad?"


Savory Chicken Pocket Pies
Adapted from Lucinda Scala Quinn's recipe of the same name in her cookbook, Feeding Men and Boys

Now, let me say right off the bat, that this is not a weeknight recipe. No, this is a recipe you save for a cold and rainy Sunday afternoon and lucky for you, if you live in Portland, there are plenty of those kinds of afternoons to choose from right now. When you do find that perfect afternoon, make sure you double or even, triple this recipe. These little savory pies freeze beautifully and are a perfect snack for the members of your family with a bottomless pit for a stomach. Because I tend to be a vegetable-pusher, I decreased the amount of chicken from the original recipe and upped the amounts of carrots and celery but you could easily play around with those quantities to your own liking. Lucinda also has spinach & feta and beef empanada versions of these little pies in her cookbook that I can't wait to try. Speaking of her cookbook, Feeding Men and Boys, I highly recommend it. She hooked me right at the start, when she says in her introduction, "Feeding my four guys has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life. Eating is something we have to do, so why give it short shrift? If you have to do it, make it beautiful and spread the beauty."

Cream Cheese Pastry Ingredients
8 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp coarse salt

1 large egg for egg wash

Filling Ingredients
1 cup of shredded/chopped chicken meat (I recommend purchasing an already roasted chicken from the grocery store for this or you could get crazy and roast your own.)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 tsp coarse salt
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions
Start by making your pastry dough. Process the butter, cream cheese and cream in a food processor, electric mixer or by hand to thoroughly combine.

Then, add the flour and salt. Process just until combined and the dough holds together in a ball. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface. Divide into 2 pieces. Flatten into disks and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. If the dough is refrigerated overnight, take it out 15 minutes before rolling it out.

Next, chop up your chicken and your vegetables. Then, melt your butter in a medium-sized hot skillet and add the onion, celery and carrot. Sauté over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the salt and flour and cook for 1 minute more. Add the chicken broth and stir until thickened about 2 minutes. Stir in your chicken and the Parmesan cheese. Cool in the fridge.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease or line a baking sheet.

Starting with one disk of dough, roll it out using a well-floured rolling pin on a well-floured surface until it is about 12 inches in diameter. Thin but not transparent. Using an overturned bowl, about 5 inches across, cut out circles about 3 at a time from each piece of dough. Gathering and re-rolling out the scraps until you can no longer cut out any additional circles. Do the same with the second disk of dough.

To form the pockets, place 1/8-1/4 cup of filling on one side of a dough circle. My filling mixture was fairly "soupy" so when I scooped up my filling I tried to let a bit of the "juice" strain out from my spoonful before putting it on the dough. Wet the edges of the dough with water or in my case, there was enough liquid from the filling to wet the edges. Fold the dough over to form a half circle. Pinch the edges of the dough together. Crimp the edges with a fork. Repeat the process until all the filling is used. Prick each pie on top twice with a fork. The pocket pies can be frozen at this point.

Place the pocket pies on the prepared baking sheet and chill for a few minutes. When ready to bake, beat the egg with 1 tbsp water. Brush the egg wash over each pocket pie. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

I served these for dinner one time along with a green salad and another time, I passed them out to my children and their friends. Definitely a crowd pleaser. Enjoy.

Yield: About 10


Saving/Freezing for later:
You can "save" these for later a couple of ways. You can place freshly prepared, unbaked pies in a single layer on a baking sheet and put in the freezer. Once they are frozen solid, they can be stacked together in a resealable bag or other container for easy storage. To bake from frozen, place on a baking sheet, brush with the egg wash and bake according to the recipe but for about 5 minutes longer.

You can also cool the freshly baked pies and then, freeze them. Your brood can then reheat them in the microwave to satiate their undying hunger in just a few minutes.


All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins....Bright Bits of Hope

Just as promised, the rain returned on Sunday. With my mind in a slight funk due to the lack of sunlight, I stood at the kitchen counter and stared out the window. Out at the flooded lawn and out at my sweetie, in the torrential downpour, hauling bag after bag of my unused potting soil to place along our driveway as makeshift sandbags. I glanced up toward the thicket of trees that just a few weeks ago, or so it seemed, had been bare and now were full and lush. Their leaves dripping with water...rain forest style. For a minute, I allowed my mind to wander. To think about the 7-year old boy who had vanished Friday morning from an elementary school just down the way from us. Was he out there in this weather? Lost? Trying to find a place to stay dry? For a brief second I imagined that the tables were turned and that was my child. Choking back the lump in my throat, I shook the unspeakable images from my mind and with a heavy heart, took out a recipe for strawberry and rhubarb muffins.

There isn't much in my children's lives that I can control. Of course, they don't know that yet or at least, not fully. But I do. I can't control the stock market, who decides to kill who, or environmental disasters. I can't always be there to protect them from harsh words from other children or whether they are chosen for this team or that. I can try my best to guide them but can't control whether they choose to always make the right decision for any given moment. I can't control the unspeakable situations that sometimes befall the lives of sweet, innocent children. I can, however, choose and manage what I feed them and even though that may seem simple or even old-fashioned, I believe that it's one of the greatest gifts that I can give them. What they eat affects their health, their well-being and it brings us together around a table...even for a few brief minutes...before they fly out the door.

I mixed my hood strawberries and my chopped up rhubarb in with the flour and egg mixture. Then, dropped a spoonful of batter into each little paper cup, popped them in the oven and set the timer. Heading out of the kitchen to tackle some chores while the muffins baked, my littlest one called after me, "Mom, my lego store is open. Come see what's for sale." Torn, I slowly walked over to where he was and sat down next to him. I listened to him rattle off this "fact" and that "fact" about his ships and knew he was simply making things up just to keep me there. I felt restless. Wanting to get back to what I felt I needed to be doing and yet, what if one day, he just wasn't there? And so, I sat and I listened and eventually his "sales pitch" was over and off he ran with a big, goofy grin on his face. "Bye, Mom."

Recently it seems, I've had many people saying to me, "You must spend hours in the kitchen." The truth is, I don't spend hours...well, except for the occasional rainy, Sunday afternoon where I'll tackle a new, fairly involved recipe simply because I find cooking relaxing...on a regular basis, I don't have hours. Our fast paced lives don't allow for hours but I do make it a point, most evenings, not all, to take a half-hour to an hour or so to cook for my family. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to have them sit down to a meal that is not only delicious but also, nourishing. I love that I can do that for them and the beauty of cooking is that it can be shared equally by men and women, boys and girls, young and old. I don't know. Perhaps it's my little way of supplying them each with a bit of certainty in this chaotic and unpredictable world.

Long after the strawberry and rhubarb muffins had been devoured and the day's activities put to rest, I found myself with my youngest one again...curled up on his bed, pulling him extra close to me, kissing the top of his head and breathing in his sweet smell. "Mom, let's read "The Tub People" again for stories." I opened the book and began, "The Tub People stood in a line all day on the edge of the bathtub." As I read him the story, I thought about how during times like these, when something so incredibly horrific happens, everything takes on new meaning, even seemingly innocent moments like story time. I managed to read, "The Tub Mother pressed her face to the grating. She looked and looked for her Tub Child. But she could not see him." But, I couldn't help my voice from cracking when I read, "Come home now," the grandmother whispered. I had to stop a minute to collect myself. My sweet little boy patiently waited...as if he knew. As if he knew that sometimes, you ache so deeply in places and for people...you never knew existed.


Please take a minute to look at the pictures and read the information about Kyron Horman, the sweet 7-year old boy who disappeared from Skyline Elementary School in Portland, Oregon, last Friday. With everyone looking, perhaps one of us will be able to find him and bring him home to his family. We can hope.


Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins
Recipe from the delightful SouleMama blog

I would put these muffins in the "morning bran muffin" category as opposed to the "decadent, almost cake-like, lemon poppyseed muffin" category. They're a little heartier than your average muffin but the bright bits of strawberry and rhubarb make them quite delightful and help to life the spirits.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 stick melted butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
optional: 1 tsp grated orange rind

1 cup chopped rhubarb
1 cup sliced strawberries

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix wet ingredients separately. Add wet to dry. Carefully stir in berries and rhubarb. Spoon into greased or paper lined muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Be careful not to over bake or the muffins will turn out dry. Enjoy straight from the oven while warm....a little bit of butter spread on a sliced muffin is quite tasty as well.

Yield: A dozen or so


All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

Fabulous Fish Tacos...Without the Franticness

I pulled my receipt out of the parking meter and glanced at the expiration time, "10:16 am." I couldn't believe it. Considering that I had just paid for an hour's worth of parking meant I had arrived at the market only 45 minutes after it opened. This was a first for me. I usually arrive much, much later. At the height of the crowds. Just when many of the vendors start selling out of their produce for the day. But no. Today was different. The sun was shining for the first time in weeks and by golly, I was going to make the most of the next 24 hours before the rain returned the next day...or so "they" were predicting. (You know, the almighty "they.")

Going around to the back of the car, I pulled my new farmer's market cart out of the trunk. A little contraption I had researched on line called the "Hook N' Go." I was hoping that it might be able to give my lower back and arms a reprieve during this weekly jaunt. I unfolded it and then, grabbed my bags and "hung" them on the rungs. "Huh...," I mumbled as I sized-up my new contraption and considered that the bags hooked on the "Hook N' Go" seemed to drag on the ground once they were hooked. "Nevermind that....I'm sure it will be fine once they are filled with food," I said to myself. Then, waving off someone gesturing for my parking spot, I grabbed the "Hook N' Go" and took off with a determined and confident gait.

As I walked under the familiar canopy of trees and approached the market, I noticed that it was teeming with people. I couldn't believe it. "It's only 9:15. Where did all of these people come from? I'm supposed to have the market to myself." A flash of disappointment and anxiety rippled through my body. I mentally went through my list. A 1/2 flat of strawberries was at the top. The one type of produce that always sells out. "But I have to do the circle," I lamented to myself. Like our canine companions, I always have to circle the market once before I buy anything. Checking out deals. Inspecting the produce for the best quality. As I dove into the crowd, I could sense that this was not a day for leisurely shopping. No circling. Just "grab n' go." The vibe here was frenetic. All of Portland had been trapped in a car wash for the past month and we were out and we were hungry and we were frantic to pack as much into this one day of sun as possible. As for the "Hook n' Go"....I may as well have been trying to push a "wide load" double stroller through a crowd of black crows with all the squawking and the cranky looks going around.

Hungry, I saddled up to the Tart Lady and bought a blue cheese, asparagus, mushroom tartelette. Beautiful, to be sure but....cold. "Oh well...." While I was pulled over to the side trying to eat a few bites a "lovely" couple noticed my "Hook n' Go." "Well, that's an interesting cart. What's it called darlin'?" I rattled off the name and explained that it was new. Turning to his wife, he says, "Honey, we'll have to check that out online." and they were off. Back into the crowd I started buying up a few items...a baguette, some sugar snap peas, a bit of basil goat cheese, some fillets of pacific rock fish, a bottle of wine from Twist. I plopped these into bag number one and all was well.

Rounding the corner, I spied a huge pile of zucchini. Not expecting this until later in the season, I delightedly grabbed a few with visions of grilling them up with a little olive oil and salt and pepper. After my purchase, I pulled over to the side to get them into bag number two. Clearly, the handles were too long. It would, in fact, drag once it was "hooked." While I was concentrating on tying a knot to shorten the handles, another "lovely" couple walked up to take a look at the "Hook N' Go." "Well, look at that. What kind of contraption is that?" "It's a Hook N' Go. I'm just trying it out for the first time today." "Those bags are going to drag." "Yeah, well, I haven't worked out all the kinks. This is the first time I've taken her out for a spin." "Hmmpf, shoddy design," he mutters under his breath as he walks away shaking his head with his wife following right behind. I wanted to take the zucchini back out of the bag that was not dragging and whack him on the head but the knot I had to tie to shorten the length prevented me from reaching back into the bag. In the distance I could hear, "Leavin' on a Jet Plane" being sung by the band of the day. "What?! This is not appropriate market music. Where's the bluegrass?" But no, "Don't know when I'll be back again...." just kept being sung over and over. "What is going on here?" My normal, calming, zen experience at the market had been anything but. I just wanted to go home. With my 1/2 flat of strawberries hooked on my arm and my bags hooked on the...."Hook n' Go"...I headed back to my car.

Once home, there was the rush to unload the car and then, to give the lawn some attention. To pull some weeds. To fix lunch. To finally, plant my vegetable garden. To clean myself up and then, to put to use the purchases I had made earlier. Around 7 pm, I laid out buffet style the corn tortillas, the grilled fish, my "special sauce", some chopped up cilantro, mango and napa cabbage and then, rang the cow bell called everyone for dinner. Once everyone was seated, I took a deep breath and could finally feel myself relax. I watched as my family thoroughly enjoyed their fish tacos and chatted about this and that. My sweetie remarked to me, "These might be the best fish tacos I've ever had." The sun was definitely starting to disappear in preparation for the next day's rain but as I sat there with my family I didn't mind so much. At the end of a long and productive sunny day, I was finally having my "zen moment" surrounded by my sweetie and my curiously calm chickens....and the wine I purchased earlier probably helped too...I'm just saying.


Fabulous Fish Tacos

I don't know about you, but my "main squeeze" and I are always on the hunt for the best fish tacos whether we're buying them or making them. So the recipe that follows is a conglomeration of many of the fish tacos I've had, keeping in mind that I like to keep it simple and three children, as well as a main squeeze with a discriminating palate, need to like them as well. Also, for these particular fish tacos I made them using Pacific Rock Fish which was highly recommended to me by Linda Brand Crab at the Portland Farmer's Market and let me tell you...she was wasn't just trying to sell fish when she said they'd be perfect for fish tacos. Yum! This recipe is so simple yet feels "rawther special" and I find it could easily be made on a weeknight or on the weekend for guests. Cheers....

Ingredients

Sauce:
This sauce can easily be cut in half.
1 cup mayonnaise (Best Food, of course. What else is there??)
1/4 cup sour cream
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
2-4  tomatoes cored and chopped-approx 1-2 cups. (Amount depends on your love for the round, red orbs.)
pinch of salt

1/2 head fresh napa cabbage, shredded
1-2 fresh mangoes, peeled and cut into cubes
1 bunch fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Some extra slices of lime

2 lbs pacific rockfish or other firm, fleshy white fish

1 package white corn tortillas

Optional: sriracha or chili sauce laid out on the table for those who like a bit of heat

Directions:
Prepare your sauce by mixing the first 5 ingredients together in a bowl. Then, set aside to allow the flavors to mingle.

Prepare the napa cabbage, mangoes and cilantro. And then, set aside, each on their own separate plate.

Lightly season your fish with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil. Grill over medium heat until just flaky in the middle. The rockfish took about 6-8 minutes total (3-4 minutes per side.)

While your fish is grilling, heat your tortillas. A trick I learned is to wrap the desired amount of tortillas in a barely damp paper towel and then, pop them in the microwave for 45 seconds or so. They come out heated through without being dried out. Now, you could get fancy and heat each one in a cast iron skillet but why?

Then, lay your fixin's out on the counter, pull your fish off the grill and call the troops to dinner. Or don't bother calling them, just ring your cow bell over and over and over until the incessant annoying noise causes them to finally abandon their...legos, fort in the woods, gmail chat...and arrive promptly at the table exasperated and saying things like, "Okaaaay Mawwwwwm. You can stop now." Explain to them to take a tortilla (or two), put some fish on it, drizzle on some sauce, sprinkle on their desired amount of cilantro, mangoes and cabbage, a squeeze of lime perhaps and then, after preparing yourself a plate, sit down with your family (or your cat, perhaps) and enjoy.

Yield: Enough for 2 adults and 3 children and a bit leftover


All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

A Strawberry Tart to Simulate Summer

"Well, think of it this way....at least the kids don't have spring fever. They're still willing to go to school." my dear friend Jayne said to me as a way to put a positive spin on our weather situation. She had a point. The kids don't have spring fever because we haven't had a spring. At this point I believe we've surpassed the famous 40 days and 40 nights. Here we are at the beginning of June and this is what I woke up to yesterday morning.....

(Do you see how blurry that tree is in the foreground? That's because the wind was blowing it around so hard my camera was unable to get it in focus. Gads...)

I hung up the phone and told myself no more whining. Nevermind that I haven't even planted my vegetable garden yet. Too soggy. Nevermind that I actually had to use an umbrella yesterday. Unheard of by northwest natives except in extreme weather circumstances. Nevermind that my grass is at least 6 inches tall because I haven't been able to mow it due to the fact that it is currently a lake bed and I don't even know if my push mower works on grass that tall. "Sigh." Even if the weather isn't telling of it, the fact that strawberries, blueberries and sweet, scrumptious cantaloupe are showing up in the markets tells me that somewhere...the sun is shining. So, I tried to wrap my arms around that thought. I took my butter out of the fridge. My flour and vanilla out of the pantry. And went to work creating the quintessential summer dessert....a strawberry tart. I was grateful to have a reason to focus on that cheery little concoction.

At 5 o'clock I changed out of my daily uniform of black athletic wear and red baseball hat and took the time to actually run a brush through my hair. I slapped on my black wrap dress (yes, yes, THE black wrap dress.) Pulled on some boots. (No amount of positive thinking could overcome the fact that the weather outside was definitely not indicative of strappy sandals.) Kissed my sweetie good-bye and headed off for an evening with the girls.

And sometimes, that's all we need, isn't it? A little change of scenery. A little change of thoughts. The company of friends. A chance to mingle with the girls. A glass of white wine. Some delectable finger food. A good chick flick. And, of course, a round of desserts...decadent chocolate souffles, heavenly cheesecake, a summery strawberry tart. All topped off with a flute of champagne and good conversation. I drove home feeling quite...effervescent. (And no, it wasn't from the bubbles.)

This morning when I woke up....the sun was out. She's gone now....but she was there...if only for a few minutes. And her appearance, although ever so brief...helped.


A Summery Strawberry Tart
Adapted from Tartelettes Aux Fraises, Chocolate and Zucchini

I have to say that this tart is so cheery, I dare anyone not to smile while looking at it, no matter how dreary our weather is here in Portland. I snagged this recipe out of darling Clotilde Dusoulier's cookbook, Chocolate and Zucchini, which also happens to be the same name as her delightful food blog. Since I shared half of this tart with my dear friends last night, my children have been fighting over every morsel of what was left all day. The fighting is over now. The tart...devoured. Although, I may have to whip up another one tomorrow for two reasons. One: I didn't get a big enough piece. Two: I bought my first flat of Hood strawberries today. "They'rrre heerre!!!" You haven't had a strawberry until you have had a Hood strawberry and I simply cannot imagine the status to which this little tart will rise once the Hoods are gracing her delicate, buttery crust. So, without further ado, the recipe....

Ingredients:

Pâte Sablée or The Crust
1/3 c sugar
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
7 tbsp chilled, unsalted butter, diced
1 to 2 tbsp cold milk

Crème Pâtissière or The Pastry Cream
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 c milk

2-3 cups fresh strawberries, washed, dried and sliced lengthwise (a pint or two)

Directions:
Grease the bottom of a 10-inch tart pan with butter.

Start by making the crust. Combine the sugar, flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter and process in short pulses, until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add a tablespoon of milk and process again, in short pulses, until the milk is absorbed. The dough should still be crumbly, but it should clump if you gently squeeze a handful in your hand. If it doesn't, add a little more milk, teaspoon by teaspoon, and give the dough a few more pulses, until it reaches the desired consistency. (You can also do this entire "step" with a wire pastry blender and your fingertips.)

Pour the mixture into the prepared tart pan and spread it evenly over the bottom. Using the heels of your hands and your fingers, press down on the dough to form a thin layer, covering the surface of the pan and creating a rim all around. Don't worry if the dough feels a little dry...this is normal. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to a day.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake your crust for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let cool.

Next, prepare your pastry cream. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, vanilla and sugar. Whisk in the cornstarch and set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat. As soon as the milk simmers, pour it into the egg mixture, whisk vigorously until blended and pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Return the saucepan to low heat and whisk for 30 seconds as it thickens. (Be careful not to venture much past the 30 seconds or your pastry cream will turn to sugary scrambled egg.) At this point you can either spoon the pastry cream into your cooled crust, level with a spoon and let cool completely on the counter, about an hour. OR You can transfer the cream into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to a day, bringing it to room temperature before using.

Arrange your strawberries over the pastry cream in a circular pattern. Clotilde recommends starting from the center and working your way out. I couldn't seem to make that work so I started from the far edges and worked my way in. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving. Eat and enjoy.....

Yield: One 10-inch tart, 6-8 pieces depending how large you slice them.



All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010