Peas and Carrots, Carrots and Peas Spring Soup

I sit here in the shadows just out of sight like my mother did before me. There but not there. Still needed but not seen.

Watching you with your friends. Linking hands with these friends as you jump unabashedly into the water. Holding handstand competitions.

Saddling up to these friends on the chair lift. Laughing and singing and bumping each other before the ride is over and you're off down the slopes again.

Watching you from the kitchen window as you ride your bike...still with training wheels...down the street. Dragging your feet to slow you down as the pavement dips a little. Around the neighbor's driveway and then confidently back up the street.

You glance at the kitchen window hoping I'm there. I am. You give me a nod, a smile and you're off again.

Standing near you as you chop your carrots, your leeks, your potatoes. Teaching you but not watching you as you put your vegetables into the pot. Pour in the stock. Stir it around. Smelling your creation. Feeling a wave of confidence as those first tantalizing smells waft up toward you.

Laughing with you as you question my dinner-making music, "Oh no, Mom. Is this Norah Jones again?"

Sitting near you at the table as we toast you...the chef.

And I know you won't remember that I was there.

You'll remember that you swam and you skiied, you rode your bike and you cooked but you won't remember that I was sitting there off to the side...just like my mother did for me.

But someday when you're a parent you'll do the same thing.

Watching from the shadows as your children grow up.

Peas and Carrots, Carrots and Peas Spring Soup
I have spent the past month making pea soup in all various forms. I think you know by now that I have a soup fetish. Can't help it. Besides being "delicious and nutritious" it makes for easy clean-up...one pot...and it sits so nicely on the stove over low heat waiting for family members to come home at various times, ladle it up without any help from me and taste its glory.  Now, while my daughter and myself enjoyed all the different pea soups that I concocted (we're easy to please seeing as there's not much we don't like) and the Rooster and my littlest one at least finished their bowls,  I couldn't get a pea soup past the 11-year old. So, I employed the old "They tend to eat what they make" trick and dragged him into the kitchen with me. Here's what we came up with....which he devoured with flourish.

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, chopped (white and light green parts only)
2 med/large carrots, peeled and diced
couple pinches of kosher salt (1/2 tsp each)
few cracks of black pepper
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
2 qts chicken broth
1 tsp Herbes de Provence (Italian seasoning will work too.)
4 medium potatoes, thin or thick skinned, cubed. If thick skinned, make sure to peel them.
a bit of parmesan cheese rind (If you don't have this, not to worry, just skip it.)
2 c fresh or frozen peas

Optional toppings
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
Chopped chives, basil, Italian parsley or any other fresh herb you enjoy
Grated parmesan cheese


Directions
In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, heat your olive oil. Add in your chopped leeks, the pinch of salt and cracks of black pepper. Give it a stir and begin to sauté on low heat. Peel and dice up your carrots then add them to the pot. Give it another stir and sauté the whole works for about 5-8 minutes or until the leeks and carrots are beginning to soften.

Add in your garlic. Give them a whirl and sauté for another minute or so.

Pour in your chicken broth. Sprinkle in your herbs. Plop in your potatoes. Add another pinch of salt and couple of cracks of black pepper. Stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes (or until your potatoes are softened) with the lid askew.

If using frozen peas, add them in when the potatoes have been cooking for 10 minutes. If using fresh peas, add them in when the potatoes have been cooking for 15 minutes.

Set out the delicious toppings and let your family, your guests, yourself spoon the fragrant spring soup into bowls and sprinkle on the toppings like it's an ice cream sundae bar.

I put out a crusty loaf of bread, a ramekin full of Goat Cheese Love, some sliced up Opal apples and called it dinner.

Enjoy....

Yield: One big pot-full

PS: A little note about the peas. I know that some of you...even some of my dearest, closest friends...do not like peas. I cannot understand this as I can't get enough of them but if you are the type who does not care for the little green orbs this soup is still delicious without them. Just leave them out. You could toss in a handful of orzo pasta the last 10 minutes of cooking instead...or not.


Peas, Peas and More Peas, Please
More pea recipes here on La Pomme de Portland... Peas and Pancetta, Spring Birthday Soup
A round up of kid-friendly Pea Recipes over on Babble. Personally, I'm looking forward to trying the Spring Pea & Parmesan Risotto recipe.
And lo and behold a Spring Sweet Pea and Asparagus Pickling recipe from White On Rice Couple.


Can't get enough of....
Katie Quinn Davies food photography. Check out these beautiful spring photos the Irish lass livin' Down Under took for Martha Stewart Living.


Speaking of Peas and Carrots
Love these particular Peas and Carrots from Williams-Sonoma.


The Organizing Project
Wonder of wonders, miracles of miracles!! I have officially finished organizing the legos, the toy closet and the under-the-stairs closet. It only took me 3 months but hey, I did it!! I cannot tell you how amazing this feels. I thought I would share a few before and after photos for your viewing pleasure.

BEFORE

AFTER

Next up, the 6-year old's closet and dress-up drawer. (BTW, he's no longer the 5-year old since we celebrated his birthday over spring break. So bittersweet....)



All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011

Tiny Bits of Hope Wrapped Up in Goat Cheese Love

Yes, it's absolutely true that it rains here. I mean really rains. As in November through May you can expect a 50% chance rain on any given day which is most days. Half the year. Half the year with gray skies, wet shoes and saturated, moss-filled lawns.

There's a large percentage of us who welcome the start of the rainy season in the fall. We're ready to head inside. To have some quiet time of introspection. To pull out wool scarves, down jackets and rain boots. To make soups, pots of chili and braised meats. I am one of those people. As a matter of fact, being a native of this wet world, if I go too long without rain I start to get itchy.

Of course, fall leads into winter which is welcoming in its own stark way. A lack of clutter. A time to clean our mental house. To take blank sheets of paper and write out our goals, our dreams, our hopes for the new year.

Which brings us up to the last moments of winter, just days from the start of spring. Those days when I know we still have at least 3 1/2 more months of rain but when I am ready to have this heaviness lifted from my mind. To see my family in bright, clear detail as opposed to dim, hazy light. To trade in the movies on the couch for bike rides along the river. To retire the soup pot and fire up the grill. To see the outside world decorated in something other than neutrals.

And just when I can't take the gray and rain one more day and feel like I'm going to start scratching the ceiling....

The days grow longer. And while not sunlight per se, it is light...later. And that light bekons me outside where I welcome the chance to do even that never-ending chore of weeding...in-between rain showers.

And while I'm outside I start to look around and notice that there are little bits of color waiting to be found.

Little nubs on trees.

New shoots poking their way past rain soaked leaves.

Chives that have filled in with their long, slender green leaves. Leaves that are just waiting for me to snip and use in a recipe.

And overnight it seems, those lovely daffodils raise the curtain on their spring spectacle. The viewing of which does wonders to lift the spirits.

And even though these are all but tiny hints of what's to come, they help. Somehow the gray sky doesn't seem nearly as oppressive. The rain not nearly so inconvenient since the air is warm(er). The mind somehow less foggy.

And it is my dearest hope that all of the people in Japan who have lost so much after the terrible wreckage and destruction of the earthquake and tsunami may start to see tiny hints of hope. Fragments of color. Something, anything, that can help to lift the extraordinary sense of loss and despondency they must surely be feeling.

Hints of Hope
Here are some folks trying to help out. Trying to send a tiny hint of hope to our friends across the ocean.

Portland's own Wieden+Kennedy designed a print to raise relief funds. The first run of posters already sold out but a second one is in the works. Click here to see their lovely creation.

Here is another beautiful print designed by Los Angeles artist, Nan Lawson, to raise relief funds for Japan as well.

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Tiny Bits of Chive All Wrapped Up in Goat Cheese Love
I cannot get enough of this goat cheese spread. I make it year-round with whatever kind of fresh herbs are available in my garden. For the past few months I've been using rosemary...that winter-hardy herb...but I'm delighted that I can give good ole rosemary a rest and snip some fresh chives. In the summer, I love to use basil. Of course, you could use a medley of any of your favorite herbs. My daughter and the 5-year old love this spread as well and are always thrilled to find it set out on the table along with some flatbread crackers, dry salami and cucumber slices. My 3-year old nephew will inhale an entire 8 oz portion of this spread if left alone with the bowl. Needless to say, it's a winner, unless of course, you don't like goat cheese but then I can't really help you out. Sorry...

Ingredients
8 oz plain goat cheese, softened
3 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped: rosemary, basil, chives, oregano, thyme or any combination of these

Directions
In a small saucepan, heat your olive oil over medium-low heat. Add your garlic cloves and let "simmer" for about 3-5 minutes or until the garlic is soft and fragrant but not brown, stirring often. Careful not to burn your garlic. Turn down your heat if necessary.

If I'm using rosemary, I usually add it in with the garlic cloves and let it simmer as well to help mellow its flavors. You can also do this with any of the other herbs. 


Once the garlic has finished cooking, remove the pan from the heat and allow the oil to cool to room temperature. After that, remove the garlic from the pan either by straining it or doing like I do and just picking it out with a fork. (Goodness knows, I don't want to have to clean a strainer.)


Put your goat cheese in a medium bowl. Add in 1-2 tbsp of the garlic infused olive oil. I usually add in 1 tbsp and taste it and then add more as I desire. Using the same fork I used to pick out the garlic, I stir up my cheese and oil. Then, I add in my fresh chives and gently stir to evenly combine.

Spoon your delicious spread into a lovely bowl. Top with a few sprigs of the herb you used. Set out with some crackers, cucumber slices and dry salami and Voìla!...an appetizer to impress. (Although I've been known to eat it out of the container, standing at the counter, with no one to impress but myself and it's still good.)

Enjoy.....

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AM Northwest
Spent Wednesday morning down at AM Northwest as part of their Pacific Disaster Relief fundraiser. I was on hand to talk about what you should have in your pantry.


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St. Patrick's Day
In case you're looking for a little inspiration for St. Patrick's Day reveling, here are a couple sites to check out:

One of my absolute favs, They Draw & Cook, has a collection of 6 recipes for a Happy St. Patrick's Day currently on their home page.

Something I'd never hear of before...Colcannon....a classic Irish potato dish you'll find over at Food for my Family.

Some Lucky Green Velvet Baby Cakes that Jenny has whipped up over at Picky Palate.

My sweet friend, Katie, has some Honey Marmalade Mustard Glazed Corned Beef over at GoodLifeEats. My stomach is growling just looking at the pictures.

And this recipe over by Aran over at Cannelle et Vanille isn't "Irish" per se but I thought all of the lovely greens help set the tone for ye olde leprechaun holiday.

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Organization Project
Moved bags to be donated from entry-way to hall-closet alcove. People kept tripping over them.

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PS:
I'll be back in two weeks. Spending some quality time with the family during spring break......
Cheers!



All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011

Garlic Shrimp with Spaghetti...An Easy Dish Yet a Privilege to Prepare

As we slowly pulled into the lot the first thing I noticed was the police car. It could have been a coincidence. Just a routine drive through the neighborhood most likely but my heart sank a bit as I thought to myself, "Please keep them safe. Please let them be treated kindly."

We climbed the open, outdoor staircase and knocked on the door. As the father pulled open the door we were led into a clean, sparsely furnished apartment. The lights were dim. The place was quiet. My friend, Stefani, shook hands with the father. I followed behind. The mother appeared from around the corner. A huge smile across her face. And then little ones slowly made their way into the living room. The boys in their best khaki outfits. The girls in lovely dresses. Stefani and I trying to blink back tears of emotion at their gesture of being so dressed up for their photographs.

At first, we had all eight of them bundle up. I thought the lighting would be better outside. But somehow as I clicked away, I realized that to cover up their outfits was a shame. No these pictures wouldn't be the ones. We would make do with the light inside.

With coats set aside and everyone gathered in the kitchen, I snapped away at their family. Two parents. Six children. And I tried to make sense of what I had been told about them. Left their home in the middle of the night to escape civil war violence. Spent six years in a refugee camp waiting to come to America. Six years.

When I was done with the whole family. I took pictures of the parents. So beautifully regal in the way they looked into the camera.

After the parents, I snapped pictures of each child. They were reluctant at first but then the littlest one came forward in her long white dress with the little pink flowers. She encouraged her brother to get in on the photography shoot. They were precious. Holding hands. Posing unabashedly for the camera. I wanted to reach out and just bundle them up in my arms.

The older ones. The almost teenagers. Were shyer. More self-concious. And yet, despite their efforts to stay reserved, the camera captured their personalities. A shy one. An outgoing one. One of mature beauty. And a littler one, not quite sure about himself...yet.

The eldest children said they went to the nearby middle school. I thought, "Please, please let them be treated well."

We shook their hands and said good-bye. Stefani promised to be back soon with framed copies of the photographs.

On the car ride home, my dear friend explained to me that within 30 days of moving to the United States, all of the children must be enrolled in school. The parents, usually the father, have about 8-9 months to find regular employment. The organization she works for, Lutheran Community Services, helps support refugee families like this one through their arduous transition of settling in the United States.

I tried to comprehend what it must be like to move to a foreign country, to learn a new language, a new school system, a new culture and find employment all in one year's time. I thought of the things on my To Do list that had been languishing on there for not just a year...but years. Fix broken window in living room. Put photos of kids in photo albums. It's almost embarrassing to type that. They are extremely trivial in comparison.

And so, while I can write and say the words - Violence, Civil-War Unrest, Refugee Camp - I can't really know what it is to experience them. No. Not really.

But I can know what it feels like to look into their eyes. To be taken away by their beauty. To want desperately for them to be treated well. To want to gather up the little ones and hug them. To be overcome with emotion by a long white dress with little pink flowers.

And I can know on some level, that the dinner I'm cooking for my family....this simple little dinner of shrimp and pasta...is a privilege to be able to cook in my own kitchen. And it is a privilege to sit around our worn kitchen table. In safety. Eating our meal together.

And I can know what is is like to hope that this family of eight...that I had the privilege of photographing...can now sit around the safety of their own kitchen table and do the same thing.


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Garlic Shrimp with Spaghetti
I love this dish. So fast. Perfect for a weeknight. I use frozen shrimp for this. I find that I use a lot of frozen seafood in the winter. Many times frozen seafood, once thawed, is fresher than the "fresh" fish at your grocery store especially when the seafood was frozen soon after being caught. I have made this with bow-tie pasta and penne but my favorite pasta with this are the longer types - spaghetti, spaghettini, fettucine and so forth. And I must insist on one thing...that you use fresh Italian parsley. It is easy to find in the grocery store (or perhaps your garden) and lasts a long time in your crisper especially if you wrap it in a paper towel.

Ingredients:
1/2 lb spaghetti
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined (dethaw, if frozen)
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 c reserved pasta water
juice from 1/2 a large lemon
1/4 c chopped Italian parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Sprinkle in some salt and then, drop in your spaghetti. Cook 8-10 minutes or according to directions on packaging.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add your olive oil and butter and heat until butter is melted. Drop in your garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add in your shrimp and saute over medium heat 4-5 minutes or until the shrimp has turned pink all over.

(For some reason typing that just now made me think of the riddle: What is black and white and red all over? A Newspaper. Ha! Ha! But I digress...)

By this time your pasta should be done. Before draining it, scoop out a 1/2 c of the pasta water and set aside. Then, go ahead and drain your pasta.

Once the shrimp has finished cooking, add your 1/2 c of reserved pasta water, the lemon juice, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Maybe 1/2 tsp of salt...1/4 tsp of pepper... Then, stir gently to combine.

I like to put the pasta in a large pasta bowl and pour the shrimp over the top. Then I gently toss everything together making sure to coat the spaghetti with the delicious garlicky-lemon sauce. Scoop up into individual bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Yum....

Note: If you have an 11-year old who loves shrimp like I do and he is first in line to serve himself up....make sure you let him know that he has a 6 shrimp ration. Otherwise he will take up to 12 or 15, leaving only a few meager ones to be split between the remaining four members of his family.

Enjoy

Yield: Serves 4...but in our house, it serves 5 since the Kindergartner eats like a bird.....

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Spring is Springing
I just adore the work of clay artist, Rae Dunn. Her pottery always catches my eye. And today was no different. I happened to come across her post announcing her new spring plates. Adorable. You'll have to check them out here.

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Organizing Project Progress
The bags to be donated are still in our entryway. We are just stepping around them. They don't seem to be bothering anyone.


All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011

A "Chocolate Times 100" Cake and a Little Celebration

I found myself immediately transformed into a traffic cop as I held out both hands and practically threw myself into the "after-school pick-up" traffic to avoid having my 5-year-old hit by on-coming cars as he obliviously skipped across the street toward me. His eyes were shining. His "too-big" back-pack was jostling wildly up and down on his back. His smile...melt-your-heart big.


"Mom! Mom!" he cried out. "Guess what?"


"What, sweetie?" I said to him while wrapping my arm around his shoulders and pulling him over to the side with me.


"Best day ever!"


"Really? Why?"


"Today was the 100th day of school!"


He then launched into a dissertation on why that 100th day was "Best Day Ever." Top of the list was the half-eaten Fruit Loop necklace he wore around his neck. One hundred Fruit Loops, strung onto a piece of yarn and divided into groups of tens by squares of black paper.


"And, Mom, I finished my "neck-a-lace" first. Other people said they did but they didn't. Not really."


He continued to chatter as we drove home. Recounting the other 100th Day of School activities they had been doing in class. Collecting 100 things. Sorting 100 things. And then, counting out 100 cheerios, 100 raisins and 100 chocolate chips for the 100th day snack. The pinnacle of the 100th Day celebration.

And it made me think, 100 of anything, is quite substantial. Meaningful even. 100 days. 100 dollars. 100 yards. 100 years. 100 La Pomme de Portland posts.


And since this here post marks my 100th, I decided that it deserved its own little celebration. The kind of "Best Day Ever" celebration. It seems so long ago that I wrote that first one.


So, I baked a cake. A chocolate cake. From a box. With a few extras. Just because. And took pictures. Trust me it's delicious. The Rooster couldn't get over his good luck when he arrived home from work and found it sitting on the kitchen table.


And no it's not low-fat, calorie-free or rich with whole grains but sometimes we can't worry about that. Sometimes we simply need to enjoy what we're eating because it tastes delicious. And because we're celebrating. Or as those fancy French folks would say, "pour le plaisir." So go on. Go make it. Celebrate with me.

And then as a little gift for you, I have created a list of inspiration (which ended up taking me a lot longer than I thought and hence the reason why this post did not go out last week at its regularly scheduled time.)


One hundred inspirational sites that I visit regularly. Sometimes for the recipes, sometimes for the beautiful photographs, other times for the bits of relevant information or simply because of the person behind the site.


This list is not exhaustive. There is so much talent out there on the web. It's impossible to capture it all in one list. But I hope my one hundred may inspire you and lead you on to find your one hundred.


You will always find my list at the top of my site under the tab "Inspiration" and I will rotate the sites on the list as time goes by and new bits of inspiration are discovered.

And last, but certainly not least, I send out to each of you one hundred thank you's. Thank you for reading. For growing along with me from 30 friends, to one hundred, to one thousand, to two thousand and more every month. Really and truly. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. You mean the world to me. I don't take for granted the precious time that you kindly spend here on La Pomme. Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye.


xo
Carrie




A "Chocolate Times One Hundred" Cake
My dear, talented sister, Courtney Cook Hopp, passed this recipe on to me years ago. It's easy. It's a winner and it never fails to taste incredible. Perfect for celebrations. Plus, since I'm not much of a baker, as in "cake baking," this recipe takes away the angst of "Will the cake be moist?" It always is.
I was inspired to garnish the cake with bits of greenery from the woods after reading this fascinating article written by our local Oregonian FOODday staff writer, Leslie Cole. Of course, all I could find in my woods were soggy Nerf accessories and a broken badminton racket so I ended up using some French tarragon from my herb garden that is just starting to pop up for spring. Furthermore, if, after reading the above article, you find yourself completely enamored with the foraging concept, here's another good read. This article written by our own Kathleen Bauer of Good Stuff NW.


Ingredients
1 box Devil's food cake mix (fine with or without "pudding in the mix")
1 5.9 oz box instant chocolate pudding
1 1/4 c water
1/2 c oil
4 eggs
2 c chocolate chips, divided (semi-sweet or dark, your choice)
1/2 c whipping cream
Optional: powdered sugar


Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt pan. Set aside.


Combine the first 5 ingredients (cake mix through eggs) and beat with a mixer for about 2 minutes on medium speed. With a wooden spoon or spatula, fold in 1 cup chocolate chips. Pour batter into prepared Bundt pan.


Bake for about 55 minutes or until the cake springs back when touched.


Let cool in pan for about 5 minutes, then carefully turn cake out onto a metal rack to finish cooling.


Once cake has completely cooled, make your ganache. Put your remaining cup of chocolate chips in a heat proof bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, carefully bring your cream just to a boil. Slowly pour over your reserved chocolate chips. With a spatula, gently stir the chips and cream until they blend together. You can let it sit at room temperature for up to 10 minutes or until it reaches your desired consistency. Then, spoon over your cooled cake.


As another option, you can pass on the ganache and simply sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar. I like to put my powdered sugar in a sieve and then gently press it through the sieve with the back of a spoon. This leaves a fine, even spread of the sugar on the cake.


PS: I like to pop my pieces of cake in the microwave for about 10 seconds. It softens up the chocolate chips and....yum.


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In Case You're Trying to Stay Away from the Box....
Check out these lovely posts, featuring cakes made from scratch.

• Ashley over at Not Without Salt made a Homemade Rainbow Chip Cake. Who knew you even could?
• Hannah has a Browned Butter Cake with Cinnamon Chocolate Frosting going on at her lovely Honey and Jam site.
• Here is charming Molly's Winning-Hearts-and-Minds Chocolate Cake that I've always wanted to make but never have.
• Kim over at Quit Eating Out has a recipe for "light and healthy" Red Velvet Cupcakes. Could there be such a thing?
• And of course, one can never go wrong with anything by Ina. Here is the Barefoot Contessa's Chocolate Ganache Cake.

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And Because I Have Spring Fever....
Yes, yes, I could go on and on bemoaning our gray, rainy, no-sun weather typical for this time of year but I won't. No. Instead I'll tell you that I have spring fever. I managed to get some sweet pea seeds in the ground by President's Day. Hoping to get some lettuce seeds in the ground as well and I absolutely swooned over this tea towel that Victoria featured over on her design site, SF Girl by Bay.

You can find this little goodie over at Terrain.


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And yes, the Organization Project is back on....
I managed to pull out everything from the "under the stairs" closet. It is all boxed up, labeled and ready to donate. Of course, it is all sitting in my entryway at the moment. So, the goal for this week is to get it loaded into the car and taken to the appropriate donation site. Can't wait!


All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011