Cooking the Feast at Oregon Culinary Institute

Yesterday was the big day.  We prepared all the food (except desserts) for Feast for Southeast.  It was a marvelous cooking party, and a truly unforgettable experience.  I had been excited to cook in an amazing commercial kitchen since we found out we'd be able to do it at OCI.  But helping to prepare everything under the direction of Chef Josh Hobson was fun (and educational).

We made turkey (breast), ham, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and green beans.  We made enough for 300 people and packaged everything up into trays that will be stored at a commercial kitchen in Vancouver until Thursday morning, when the food will be transported back to be reheated at OCI.

I'll keep this post short, because I mostly want to show you the pictures, but let me tell you guys - this will be a remarkable and delectable feast.  It was prepared with top quality ingredients (thanks to FSA and Charlie's Produce) and with much love and dedication.

Check it out.

Loading up to head over to the Oregon Culinary Institute.

Learning the kitchen lingo, do's & don'ts, and game plan for the day.

We chopped onions, herbs, bread and celery for the stuffing.

If only you could smell this sage.....

Ahhhhhhhhh, stuffing........

Mashed potatoes for 300? No problem.

The veggies

I've NEVER met a juicier turkey breast....I can't wait.

Transporting the food to be stored until Thursday.

Clean-up is FINALLY over!

Feast for Southeast

I haven't been posting as regularly as usual (or as regularly as I would like to).  Have you noticed? Well, it's not because I haven't been cooking and eating, it's because my entire existence has been consumed with something else.  That's right - Feast for Southeast. (For more legit info about this event, please visit Feast4Southeast.blogspot.com or email Feast4Southeast@gmail.com)

For those of you who don't know what I am talking about, strap yourselves in and get ready for the ride....

So, about six years ago, Rob had a dream.  He wanted to organize a Thanksgiving event that was more than just about eating and excess.  He wanted to plan a way to share this holiday with folks who were in need (in some way or another).  Well, that particular year, the dream came too late as we already had plans to travel to Boston and join my parents.  During the next few years, he continued to be reminded of his dream to serve others on this holiday....but always after other plans had been made.  However, he always knew that he'd someday get it together and make this vision a reality

Fast forward to early September of this year.  We were enjoying some after-dinner conversation with some friends and brainstorming about ways our families could serve those in need this holiday season.  When I saw the glazed look in Rob's eyes, I knew what was coming.  It was that night, in Ben and Michelle's living room, that Feast for Southeast started to take shape.

The very next week, the first planning meeting took place.  It consisted of our good friend and pastor (Tom Vice), Rob and me.  We defined our vision of what this event would be and started to brainstorm ways to gather support.  From that point on, it has been like a roller-coaster....no, more like a snowball rapidly rolling downhill gaining momentum (and size).

So we knew we had the support of our church, Lifehouse.  They are providing so much support it's not even funny.  The design of all the materials, the credibility in the community and the manpower to make it happen.  We also met with the Director of the Mt. Scott Community Center and got them to donate the space.  Next, we hit the neighborhood associations in the area we wanted to target.  From them we received endorsements, volunteer recruitment, event promotion and monetary support.  Next, Great Harvest Bread Company and Starbucks jumped on board.  The UPS Store on Woodstock donated copies of our posters and fliers.  Fred Meyer came through with a gift card.  Then (and I seriously almost fell over when this happened) the Oregon Culinary Institute (OCI) donated use of their kitchens and direction from one of their instructor chefs for food preparation.  As if that weren't enough, OCI's vendors, Food Services of America (FSA) and Charlie's Produce came through with massive food donations.

In the meantime, the Feast for Southeast vision had grown so much beyond just feeding those less fortunate.  It really became about creating a sense of community for all.  We wanted to connect with those in need, those who didn't have others to get together with on the holiday, but just our neighbors in general.  We wanted to share a common bond through service to others and each other.  We started to see relationships grow and all kinds of warm and fuzzy craziness go down.  When all this started happening, we knew it couldn't be just a 1-year deal.  So, with help from our good friend Gabi, we wrote a grant proposal and submitted it to SE Uplift for next year's event.

Somewhere along the line, Warner Pacific College got wind of the story.  I think what intrigued the folks there was the fact that here is a student of theirs (not to mention a full-time adult student that also works full-time) who is married to an employee of theirs (yes, yours truly) doing this crazy grassroots thing right in Southeast Portland.  So they got involved.  Warner Pacific provided not only a source of volunteers, but also financial support and assistance with public relations.  One of the most touching things (for me at least) was when Rob received an email from the president of the college, Dr. Andrea Cook, offering herself up as a volunteer to serve in whatever capacity we needed her.

So, now you know what I've been busy with.  And we're in the home stretch now.  We need to finalize details, confirm donations, etc.  We will be cooking all the food at OCI this coming Saturday.  Feast for Southeast is taking place on Thanksgiving day, from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.  I invite you to come and join in the festivities.  Please come.  Seriously.  Come enjoy a delicious meal, talk to some new people, and be with others in the spirit of community.  At least stop by to say hello.  And if you're not already volunteering with us this year....put it on your calendar for next year.

Portland's Answer to Holiday Fruitcakes

I usually don't write here about foods that I don't make myself ('cause I like to tell you how to make it) or that you can get yourself (from a restaurant, food cart, etcetera).  Fortunately for me, (but most of all YOU) the wine cake that I'm going to tell you about is available for order for the holiday season.  (Though you need to act fast as it needs 4-6 weeks to age to perfection).

Denise's Mother's Infamous Wine Cake

We have all been either the unfortunate recipient or the guilty giver of the unwanted fruitcake as a holiday gift. Fruitcakes were not always such an unpopular gift.  In fact, the tradition had to start somewhere!  But over the last few decades, the fruitcake has become the butt of jokes and generally despised both as a confection and as a gift.

Portlanders will be very happy to learn, as I was, that there's a new player in town.  The Wine Cake.  Need I say more?  I mean, really, how Pacific-Northwest does it get?  The slice I tasted had a distinct flavor that layered notes of a fine vintage and warm cinnamon onto a light, yet incredibly moist base of (sigh) cake.  Each bite featured a complexity of flavors and textures including a sugary crumb topping with a slight crunch to it and a ribbon of something (could it be red wine??) that both perplexed me and threw me into a delirium.

Now, for the good news.  This is the perfect holiday treat to bring to parties, potlucks, as hostess gifts, or even as a classier fruitcake substitute (AKA "gift.")  This is a cake you can feel good about giving.  Each loaf costs $12.99, or you can order 2 for $23.00.  Place your order by emailing Denise at dcrume@hotmail.com by calling her at 503-807-8503.  Remember, the cakes need to age 4-6 weeks, so order early!! I know I will....

More Macarons

This last weekend I attended a lovely wedding, and almost fell over when I saw the "wedding cake."  So, speaking of macarons.........

I only regret that I had to skip out before these were distributed, so until after the honeymoon.....I won't know what flavors they were!!!!!  Below is a list of flavors I want to taste ASAP (in no particular order).

• Rose Macaron (!)
• Coconut Rum Macaron
• Coconut Curry Macaron (!)
• Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil Macaron
• Sesame Matcha Macaron
• Lemon Basil Macaron (!)

A letter:

Dear Pix Patisserie,

we need a lavender-flavored macaron.  Asap.

Much Love,

Carolina Selva

Andy's Salted Caramel Macarons at Pix Patisserie

Okay, so these macarons don't necessarily belong to Andy, but being that he recommended I try them, I figured I'd give him the credit.  I had the salted caramel macarons from Pix Patisserie on my "must" list since Andy posted a comment on my blog. I had planned a mom-daughter date with my 7-year-old girl, and since she'd never been to Pix, I thought it was a great opportunity.  We parked right in front, and I saw her eyes go BIG when she glanced at the storefront and caught a glimpse of the desserts in the window case.  She looked over at me and I nodded slowly......"oh yeah." (Think back to the old Twix commercials).

The Royale

We walked in and took our time looking at all the options in the dessert case.  She read the titles of the desserts to me and I read off the descriptions.  I knew what I was having - two (because 1 is TOTALLY not enough) Salted Caramel Macarons, but Sasha took her time choosing hers. She finally settled on the Royale (a mound of chocolate mousse that blankets chunks of hazelnut praline on a thin pastry base and covered in a smooth chocolate shell).  My girl, being very generous, offered me a taste.  I couldn't believe my mouth - the silky texture of the mousse countered the crispiness of the hazelnut praline just perfectly.  It was rich and decadent like only Pix can pull off.

I ordered the macarons, which are technically called "Fleur de Sel Macarons" and an espresso.  Now, call me traditional, but I was expecting something like a mound of sweet coconut.  What I got was totally different and blew my mind.  (I later learned that traditional French macaroons such as these are made with ground almond instead of coconut). The macarons were silver-dollar shaped discs of a meringue-like cookie (studded with French sea salt according to Pix's Web site), joined together in the middle by a dollop of something insane that had the consistency of a cross between whipped whole cream and mousse (it is actually salted caramel buttercream).  The textures and flavors are almost indescribable, and I was left almost dizzy with delight at the discovery of these.  I let Sasha taste one, then polished them off.  I decided that we needed to get a couple more to take home so Rob could taste them.  Unfortunately, only one made it home safely to him. Better luck next time.

Brunch @ Bar Carlo on Foster

"Specials" Board

Not too long ago Rob and I were trying to decide where to go for brunch, and I realized I hadn't written about Bar Carlo yet.  I discovered it late last year when trying to find a nice brunch place to go for a big family gathering (including my parents, siblings, their families, mine, you get the picture).  I walked in to check the joint out and peep their menu.  I quickly came to the conclusion that it was a bit too small for such a large party, but was intrigued by the place's menu, vibe, and the fact that they have both a piano and a movie theater/screening area.

Since then, I've frequented Bar Carlo for brunch on several occasions, and have never been disappointed.  First off, they have a lovely bar and I have been known to enjoy either a bloody mary or a mimosa with a lazy weekend brunch.  What I really appreciate about this place are the daily specials.  Delicious savory/sweet crepes, for example, are nowhere on the menu, but can often be found on the "specials" board.  So the other day, we headed over there and I made Rob promise to remind me to take pictures of the food before digging in.

First I ordered a mimosa.  Though it doesn't look as elegant as one that's served in a flute, Bar Carlo's OJ mimosa is not for the faint-hearted.  It is not only generous portion-wise, but also extremely champagney if you know what I mean.

We decided to order the Breakfast Carnitas plate and the (special) Savory Crepes.  Let me start with the Carnitas plate.  Piled on the plate were 2 eggs, Bar Carlo's take on Mexican rice, black beans, carnitas with salsa verde, fresh pico de gallo and warm corn tortillas.  The highlights of the dish were the carnitas and the black beans.  The carnitas were saucy and flavorful, and the beans had both an intriguing taste and texture (like a cross between whole and refried).  The beans truly knocked my socks off, and the pico de gallo provided the perfect cool and fresh balance to the entire meal.  (It may not sound like it, but I only ate half).

Now, in my opinion, the crepes at Bar Carlo are always perfect in texture, and perfectly artistic in content.  The ones we ordered this time had well-cooked proscuitto, roasted red onion, spinach and Swiss cheese.  They were covered in a swiss cheese cream sauce that exuded a hint of white wine.  The combination resulted in a salty, creamy, fresh and fulfilling experience.  I would order these every day.  And at $10.50 a pop, I could.

Tamales & Fish Tacos at Por Que No?

About a week and a half ago I had a mom/daughter date with my 10-year-old girl.  The plan was to go hang out at Powell's on Hawthorne, maybe get some good reads, then find somewhere to grab a bite for dinner.

After helping each other find good books and window-shopping around Hawthorne street for a while, we started to get hungry and headed up the street to Por Que No.  When we entered, the place was very crowded and there was quite a line to order.  We looked at the menu and quickly decided to share a tamale plate and two fish tacos.  We grabbed out number and headed out to the back, where the makeshift covered seating (think corrugated plastic roofs) and decoration was quaintly reminiscent of Dia de los Muertos kitsch.

Our food arrived, and the tamale plate looked AMAZING.  It was artistically arranged over banana leaves, and included two sauce-topped pork tamales garnished with crema, a small side of Mexican rice and pinto beans to boot.  The shredded cabbage, cilantro and fresh pico de gallo on the side were a tasty touch and the perfect cool/fresh contrast to the hearty meal.  The tamales themselves may have been delicious to someone NOT intimately familiar with authentic Mexican tamales (not to mention Nicaraguan Nacatamales, Peruvian tamales and other varieties).  To me, however, the masa resembled more of a spiced polenta than a true tamale dough.  The meat was tender, but lacked some spice.  Unfortunately, the sauce served over the top did not make up for this.  The true highlight of this combo was the rice.  It was like Mexican rice on garlic steroids.  The garlic flavor was strong and aromatic, and made up for the lack of flavor of the tamales.  It made me wish I'd ordered a bowl of rice rather than this pretty ensemble.

The fish tacos, on the other hand were definitely something to write home about.  The small, soft tortillas had a real homemade maiz flavor.  They were so fresh, I expected to see an abuelita grinding corn in a molcajete.  Instead, I got a forward-thinking flavor combination that fused a crispy cornmeal crust on flaky Alaskan cod topped with salsa verde, crema, shredded cabbage, pineapple, and of course - onion and cilantro. The effect was a gourmet twist on the island tacos I'd had in in Maui this past May.  ANYTHING that brings me back to those days is A-Okay in my book.

Portland's 59th Annual Greek Festival

First: an apology to my readers.  It's been a while since I've had a chance to post.  I know it's cliche, but I've been super-busy, and unfortunately not only with cooking and eating alone.  We do have some catching up to do.....I need to tell you about:

• Tamales & Fish Tacos at Por Que No?
• My new food processor and resulting rustic fruit pies
• Brunch at Bar Carlo on Foster

BUT......since Greek Festival was this past weekend, I feel it's important to get this out so that you'll feel compelled to set a calendar reminder for yourself for fall of 2011.  (Our friend Matt was chuckling about this sign - I thought some of you might get a kick out of it...)

Portland's 59th annual Greek Festival took place October 1, 2 and 3 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral on NE Glisan and 31st(ish).  Luckily, on Saturday morning Matt & Juanita told/reminded us that it was going on.  We'd been there two years ago, but it sort of fell off my radar.  We arrived just in time to witness a traditional Greek dance/celebration.  We then made our way over to buy some talents to trade in for the divine-smelling delicacies.

Our strategy at the festival was to try as many different things as possible, sharing everything with the kids.  Below is a rundown of what we tasted.

1. Souvlaki

Souvlaki, sometimes referred to as "the hamburger of Greece" consists of spiced, marinated meat on a stick grilled over an open flame.  The most common type of meat used for Souvlaki is lamb, though both chicken and pork are used as well.  I believe the one I tasted at the Greek festival yesterday was chicken and it was perfectly spiced and a bit lemony (which I LOVE), but was unfortunately a bit cold and dry by the time I got to it.  Sadly, I was not heartbroken that we'd only gotten one.

2. Greek Sausage

The Greek sausage, on the other hand, was juicy beyond belief.  It was so flavorful, that it reminded me of the Argentine sausages that are served up on French rolls out of food carts all over Buenos Aires.  The similarity was in the flavor and saltiness - the difference was that the Greek sausage seemed to contain a hint of nutmeg that added a layer of calculated complexity.

3. Pastitsio

Let me start off by saying that my kids adored the pastitisio.  To them, it was a cross between lasagna and "mac n' cheese."  Macaroni, spiced beef, creamy bechamel and cheese come together to create a scrumptious yet exotic Greek comfort food.  The exoticness (at least in my opinion) comes from flavors like cinnamon and allspice thrown into a context that is so unexpected (unless you are Greek of course).

4. Gyro

This is always a favorite.  I have had gyros all over the U.S. good and bad.  The gyros served at the Greek festival were delicious and authentic.  The pita was soft and warm.  The tzatziki sauce was neither too thick nor too thin.  The meat was tender and juicy.  The chopped tomatoes and onions offered the perfect fresh balance.  My son devoured an entire one and was begging for more.  Rob ended up going back for another one so we could share it.

5. Loukoumades

Now this is the sweet stuff.  Juanita recommended these on Saturday morning and then mentioned them again Sunday evening when we ran into her at the festival.  Of course we sought them out.  Loukoumades are like tiny little doughnuts, drenched in aromatic honey and dusted with cinnamon.  They absolutely melt in your mouth.  When you pop one in your mouth that has soaked up more of honey than others, you feel like God is smiling at you.  As I learned last night with leftovers, however, these are best enjoyed hot.

Plum Harvest: Peruvian Chicken with Plums & a Tasty Tart

We've been living in our rental house in Southeast Portland since the end of October last year, and realized just a couple of weeks ago that there are two plum trees in our front yard.  To our delight, we found out right in the middle of the sweet sweet ripening season.  Day after day I've been sending the kids out to pick the juicy little treasures.  First, my youngest to gather from the lower branches, then my boy to get whatever he could reach, and finally, my 10 year old (who is almost taller than me) to reap the fruits from as high as she could reach.

With such an abundance of plums, I figured I'd better find some interesting things to do with some of them.  First off, I tried to figure out what variety they are, but had no luck.  The fruit is oblong, dark purplish-burgundy in color on the outside and golden yellow on the inside.  The pit is easily removed when the plum is halved.  Maybe somebody can comment and advise on the type?

Anyhow, I started by making plum jam, which was pretty easy and tasty on toast and pancakes.  This was a no-brainer, and I made enough that I could use some in other recipes.  What I really wanted to find, however, was a way to incorporate plums into a savory dish. I searched high and low for recipes containing "chicken and plums" and found Peruvian Chicken with Plums to be the most interesting.  Of course, I made some substitutions and modified the recipe to my own taste/pantry but you can Google it if you want the popular version (it's pretty much the same on all sites that feature it).

Peruvian Chicken with Plums


1 tbsp olive oil
6-8 chicken thighs - skin removed
salt & garlic pepper to taste
1 small diced onion
2 Anaheim peppers, seeded and diced
1 tomato, diced
1/4 tsp turmeric (original recipe calls for saffron)
2 cups of chicken broth
1 bay leaf
8 small plums, halved and pitted
4 cups of cooked rice (recipe calls for brown, I used Jasmine)

First I sprinkled the chicken with sea salt and garlic pepper.  I heated the oil over medium-high heat and then browned the chicken pieces on both sides (about 4 minutes per side). Next I added the onion and sauteed for about two minutes before adding the peppers and garlic.  I sauteed everything for another two minutes, and then added the tomato, turmeric, chicken broth and bay leaf. This is where you turn the heat up and bring the whole pot to a boil. Next, I covered the pot, turned the heat down to medium and simmered for about 10 minutes.  Next, I added the plums and cooked for about 5 minutes before stirring in the rice.

The end result was divine.  It was reminiscent of a Cuban Arroz-con-Pollo but with a unique flavor and that sweet plum flavor to provide a surprising contrast.  Divine.  Seriously.

Then, on to dessert.


Simple Plum Tart

1 stick of butter, softened to room temp
1/4 cup of sugar
1 cup of flour
6-8 small plums sliced into thin wedges
3 tbsp plum jam

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Then cream butter and sugar together with a whisk.  Slowly add in the flour and continue to whisk together until only your hands will do to integrate the mixture.  Roll the dough out with your hands onto the counter (or on a cutting board) and form the shape of a large cookie.  Carefully peel the "cookie" off the counter and place onto a greased (or sprayed with cooking spray) pie tin or cookie sheet.  Next, arrange the plum slices in a spiral shape starting in the center of the dough and outward, leaving about an in to an inch and a half of dough uncovered.  Fold in the inch of uncovered dough over the outer edge of plum slices.  Then spoon plum jam over the slices of plums to cover them evenly.  Bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, keeping an eye on the color of the crust.

Organics to You Update

I've been meaning to post an update on my most recent Organics to You deliveries for over two weeks now, which is why I'll be listing the contents of my last two bins rather than just the one I got on Tuesday.  For those of you who've heard me rave and rave about this service in person, (and especially those who have asked me questions about it) this will give you a good idea of what kinds of varieties you can expect with the organic produce delivery service I use (at least for now). 

If you need some background, see some of my older posts about Organics to You.  Otherwise, I'll let you know that I get a "small bin" with a "fruit add-on."  I usually get my delivery every other week (that's just the schedule I chose) and the cost is $48 per delivery.

My bin delivered on 8/24 included:

• 1 English cucumber
• 2 zucchini squash
• 1 head of green-leaf lettuce
• 5 beets (and large bunch of beet greens)
• 1 bunch of green beans
• 1 large bunch of red chard
• 1 bunch of carrots
• 1 pint of red and orange cherry tomatoes
• 1 large Mexican avocado
• 2 grapefruits
• 3 oranges
• 4 nectarines
• 4 peaches
• 4 donut peaches
• 6 bananas
• 2 green apples
• 4 apricots
• 1 cantaloupe
• 1/2 pint of blueberries

My bin delivered on 9/7 included:

• 1 large bunch of lettuce
• 1 head of red-leaf lettuce
• 1 bunch of baby spinach
• 2 small bunches of broccoli
• 1 bunch of carrots
• 2 ea Anaheim and Pasilla peppers
• 1 large yellow onion
• 6 red potatoes
• 1 cucumber
• 1 eggplant
• 1 bunch of bananas
• 3 crimson pears
• 3 bartlett pears
• 3 peaches
• 3 white nectarines
• 3 apples
• 2 grapefruits
• 1 lb of strawberries
• 3 HUGE plums
• 3 oranges

Easy, Quick Vegetarian Dinner - Spaghetti Squash & Roasted Root Veggies

I had some beautiful beets and radishes that came with my last Organics to You order.  I also had a large n' lovely spaghetti squash that we got at the Learning Garden last weekend.  Since we are going camping this weekend I knew I better make good use of these vegetables before Thursday or else figure out who to give them away to (probably Sabrina, though I'm not sure she'd be glad to have them, lol).  So, here's what I came up with: first, I figured that with a name like "spaghetti squash," there must be a way to make this into a very pasta-esque dish.  I don't have a ton of experience with this type of squash, but a quick Google search confirmed my suspicion.  I learned that spaghetti squash can be cooked in the microwave, which might seem sacrilegious to someone like my brother Sebastian, but suits me just fine after a long day of working hard and zooming over to Target to buy some last-minute back-to-school stuff.  But, I had to start with the root veggies, since they'd be roasted in the oven and take a bit longer.

Roasted Root Vegetables

6-8 medium/large beets (trimmed)

8-10 radishes (trimmed)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1 tsp fresh thyme

pinch of garlic powder (optional)

First, I preheated my oven to 400 degrees.  Then, I placed all the root veggies on a sheet of aluminum foil and drizzled the oil over them evenly.  Next I sprinkled the seasonings and herbs over the veggies and wrapped the all up in the foil.  I put this foil package onto a cookie sheet and placed on the top rack of my preheated oven.  I set the timer for 30 minutes and got started on the spaghetti squash.

Spaghetti Squash

1 3 lb spaghetti squash

2 tbsp butter

1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (I used the fire-roasted ones from Hunts)

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 cup shredded cheese

First, I stabbed the squash all over with a sharp knife and lined my microwave with paper towels.  I placed the squash on top of the paper towels and microwaved it on high for 12 minutes.  When it came out, I let it cool for a bit, then trimmed of the end and stem, then halved the squash lengthwise.  After removing the seeds from the center, I used a fork to scrape out all of the squash's "meat." This left me with a lovely golden mound of deliciousness that resembled cooked spaghetti.  At this point, I heated up a large skillet over medium-high heat and melted the butter in it.  I added the can of tomatoes, then the squash, and mixed everything together.  I sprinkled some salt and pepper in, and let it cook for about 8 minutes, until some of the liquid from the tomatoes began to thicken.  At that point, I sprinkled the shredded cheese over the top and turned off the heat.

Prepared in this simple yet delicious way, spaghetti squash can TOTALLY be a main dish.  I sliced the root veggies up and served them on the side to complete a healthy and colorful dish.  The best part: my kids ATE IT UP.  And loved it.

Learning Garden Harvest Party

Through a day camp my kids attended this summer, they were invited to participate in a Harvest Party (and pizza party!) at the Learning Garden.  For those of you who aren't familiar, Portland State University sponsors the Learning Garden Laboratory, which is "a 12-acre garden education site located in Southeast Portland that provides K-12, university students and community members hands-on and place-based education in sustainable gardening, healthy nutrition, and permaculture." (from PSU's Web site) The Learning Garden is a partnership between Portland State University, Portland Public Schools, Portland Parks and Recreation, and Oregon State University Extension Service.

The garden itself is beautiful, with a healthy multitude of organic vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers growing in lovely rows as far as the eye can see. When we arrived, someone explained how the harvest party was going to work.  We would help harvest some veggies, herbs or fruit, then bring it over to be weighed/recorded.  After that, everything would go on one of two large tables, so that everyone could take some of the bounty home at the end.  We were put right to work harvesting green beans and yellow wax beans from 6-foot-tall stalks.  My brother-in-law and nephews joined us, and we had a wonderful time picking the beans - the adults taking the high ones and the kids the ones closer to the ground.  We must have harvested about 7 pounds between all of us!

 After that, we took a break and enjoyed some fresh homemade mini pizzas (topped with Learning Garden veggies and basil and grilled right outdoors)!  And to think, after all the fun we'd had all morning long (not to mention the free and delicious lunch) we STILL got to take home as many fresh, organic goodies as we wanted........what a bargain!  I did find out that the Learning Garden harvests at least twice a week (including Saturdays) and welcomes volunteers to help with that process.  In return, helpers get to take some goodies home.  Yeah, we'll be back.

What we took home:

• Spaghetti squash
• Green beans
• Yellow wax beans
• Cherry tomatoes
• Red onion
• Sweet basil
• Thai basil
• Purple ruffle basil
• Garlic
• Lavender
• Dahlias

Lunch at Thai Terrace

Ok, guys.  New lunch place for you, up by PCC Cascade.  Last Friday I had a lunch meeting with C.C. and C.D. and we were meeting up at C.C.'s office on campus.  C.C. suggested walking up to a Thai place that he likes, so we did just that.  The restaurant, Thai Terrace is located at 902 N. Killingsworth Street. I wasn't too hungry, but when we walked in I was immediately overtaken by the appetizing aroma.  

The place itself was pleasantly decorated with striking colors, authentic-looking Thai art, beautiful mother-of-pearl looking chandelierish light fixtures and dark wood tables throughout.  I ordered the (chicken) Panang Curry (the one with green beans, bell peppers and kaffir leaves) and was asked how spicy I like it.  (Nice of them to ask).  I said "medium," and immediately regretted it, thinking maybe the curry wouldn't be spicy enough.  To my delight, however, their "medium" was spiced perfectly to my liking.  The curry tasted very fresh, the coconut milk was not too dense, the green beans were crisp-tender and oh-so-green.  It was absolutely tasty and just the perfect portion size for lunch.  It was priced at $6.75 for lunch, so I will definitely be back.  (Maybe next week).

How to Cook Black (Dry) Beans

First of all, let me apologize to Kami, whom I owe this recipe to.  A few weeks ago we were at Happy Hour and I was talking about how much more authentic (not sure if I mentioned ECONOMICAL) it feels to cook beans from scratch (dry).  She asked me to send/give her a recipe, and I've owed it to her ever since.  It's a good thing she reminded me today, or I may never have gotten around to it!  Before getting to that recipe, however, let me tell you about a few things coming up (partly to get you excited, but mostly to keep track of what I've been cooking/eating and not forget to post about it).

1. Lunch at a Thai restaurant near PCC Cascade.
2. Learning Garden Harvest Party 
3. Today's Organics to You bin contents
4. LAVENDER RICOTTA ICE CREAM - seriously

So......without further ado:

Black Beans (Frijoles Negros)

1 lb package of dry black beans

1 small onion

2-3 cloves of garlic

Salt (or Adobo seasoning from Goya) to taste

1/3 of a bunch of cilantro

Instructions;

First, you'll need to presoak the beans.  The overnight method requires that you soak the beans in a pot for 8-10 hours (make sure there's lots more water in the pot than beans - they should be covered by at least 2-3 inches of water as it will be soaked up by the beans.)  The quick-soak method  requires that you cover the beans by as much water, but then bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat source, cover, and let sit/soak for 1 hour before moving on.

After the beans are presoaked, you'll need to drain away the nasty soak-water and replace with fresh water.  For a 1lb bag of beans, I'd use about 6 cups of water.  (For extra extra flavor, use some sort of broth instead of plain jane water).  At this point I'd add the onion - either halved or quartered, and the cloves of garlic - lightly smashed to release the flavor.  

Bring the pot to a boil at high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and let simmer for about an hour or hour and a half (do you like your beans al dente, tender, or straight-up mushy????) About 45 minutes into the process (when the liquid starts to thicken,) it's time to add the other seasonings.  If you can find Adobo, go for it!  Otherwise, salt is just fine.  Finally, add the cilantro, but not all chopped up....you don't want it in your teeth, you just want the flavor to infuse.  

Once your beans are done, you are ready to enjoy them atop a lovely mound of white rice, as a base for a black-bean soup, or mashed up in a pan as a "refried" version which goes super well with sweet plantains and sour cream. Mmmmmmm.   Makin' me hungry......

Variations:

People sometimes use these ingredients to flavor their beans.  I have used/tried all of them and do also throw them in if I have them in the house.  Any or all of them are good depending on your taste.

1. Chopped green bell pepper

2. Cumin

3. Ham hock, thick bacon, etc.

4. Bay leaf

5. Jalapeno (or juice from pickled jalapenos).

Night Out: Portland Drinks & Appetizers

Friday night the kids were scheduled to sleep over at Silvia's house, so Rob and I were excited for a date night out.  I've always wanted to do a sort of progressive dinner out (start at one place for drinks/appetizers, move on to another for a main course, then yet another for dessert) - or something like that.  Well, something like that is exactly what we did!

Tostones at Oba

We started the night at Oba, which is located at 555 Northwest 12th Ave in the Pearl District. I'd been there before with Misty and Lynn, so I knew Rob would like it. Oba is all about "Nuevo Latino" cuisine (reminds me of the movie Tortilla Soup) and the music and lighting are totally conducive to having a great time.  I ordered a Ginger Mint Martini, and we decided on the beef-topped tostones (crispy fried plantains).  The drink was good enough, but didn't taste very gingery at all and actually reminded me more of a mojito in a martini glass than anything.  BUT, the appetizer was truly to die for.  The row of tostones was lined up on a bed of vinegary curtido (sort of like a slaw) and looked elegant and tasty.  Eeach slice of fried plantain was topped with a heap of tender, shredded beef spiced to perfection.  On top of that was a smaller heap of guacamole.  At first I thought the guacamole was tacky, but it's lemony taste and creamy consistency were the perfect complement to the other flavors and textures.  This is a MUST.  We were having so much fun, we decided to make the night all about visiting different places and having ONE drink and ONE appetizer.

 We walked around the corner to a place called Paragon (1309 NW Hoyt St.).  It was absolutely gorgeous, with an amazingly beautiful bar albeit a much darker ambiance than Oba.  There was a roaring fireplace and a DJ spinning music that was not loud enough to overpower conversation.  Perfect.  I was craving a flowery cocktail (remembering a lavendar martini recipe Denise sent me) and asked the bartender if they had such a thing.  He wisely suggested the Peach Elderflower Cosmopolitan, which BLEW ME AWAY!  This is my favorite new drink.  It was sweet and fresh, flowery but not too perfumey.  It was complex and fun, and I just loved it.  For our appetizer, we ordered a Rockfish Ceviche with Yuca Chips.  The concept was great, but I found the ceviche a bit too limey and the fish itself was a bit chewy and rubbery.  No matter - I WILL be back for the drinks so I will definitely try other appetizers.  Side note: I was chatting with the Beverage Director, Bob Brunner, and telling him of my interest in flower-flavored concoctions and he introduced me to a rose-flavored vodka which he kindly allowed me to sample.  It changed my life.  Now I am on a mission to find it (to bring home). :o)

Peach Elderflower Cosmo

Next, we walked up to 50 Plates, but after looking at the menu posted outside decided to move on.  We crossed the street to Cargo Inc to take a break from eating/drinking and check out some cool things.  When we walked in, however, we were treated to (not a sample, a GLASS) of delicious red wine.  I regret not noting the name of it, but we enjoyed it as we walked around, not believing our luck.

We decided to move on from the Pearl and headed over to NW 23rd/Nob Hill area.  I had been to Casa del Matador on Burnside with co-workers, but didn't know there was another one on NW 23rd.  We arrived shortly after 10 p.m. and found that Happy Hour had just started....what luck!!  It was very busy, but we had no trouble finding seating.  In the end, we opted for the outside sidewalk table, which was lovely. I decided to forgo the exotic cocktail and opted for a standard gin and tonic.  Since it was happy hour, we decided to splurge and order two appetizers.  We got the Jumbo Habanero Prawns and Chorizo Tacos.  The prawns were Rob's favorite "eats" of the night.  He actually ordered seconds.  The chorizo tacos were on soft flour tortillas and at first looked more like salad tacos than anything.  Biting into mine, though, I realized what a good, fresh complement the fresh lettuce and tomato was to the spicy chorizo. Delectable.

 

Our friends Janaki and Bryce met up with us at Casa del Matador, then we headed out for some Karaoke. At the insistence of Janaki and Rob, I sang my first karaoke song ever: Madonna's "La Isla Bonita."  The only thing that sucked was having to sing after Janaki, who is such a talented singer, but I had fun.  And people DANCED!!

Right after that adventure we needed something to satisfy our sweet tooth. Janaki suggested a food cart on Hawthorne that sells fried pies and is open late-night.  I am so glad we went!!!!  The cart is called Whiffies Fried Pies, and sells only....you guessed it.....fried pies.  These pies look something like an empanada and are filled with heavenly delights such as blackberries, peaches or (this was my choice) - chocolate, coconut and some type of cream.  The latter is called "Mounds" and is fashioned after its namesake candy bar.  Yum.  No, double-yum.  We left at 2 a.m. and the entire little conglomeration of food carts was still poppin'.  I hope to be back soon.

Carolina's Eggplant Parmigiana (and Sasha's Vinaigrette)

 

Now here's a dish that I've been making since I was 19.  I can't really take credit for creating it (obviously), nor can I feel very honest about calling it "eggplant parmigiana," but it's one of my signature dishes and a winner every time.  I learned how to make this one summer when I visited a friend who was staying in the NYU dorms as a part of a summer enrichment program.  My friend's friend had just returned from Italy where she learned how to make eggplant parmigiana and tiramisu.  It was my first time in New York, and I'll never forget scouring the markets for the freshest eggplants, basil and mascarpone cheese (for the tiramisu). Over the years I've modified and simplified the recipe to suit my needs, but I've never had a dissatisfied customer.

I hadn't made eggplant parm in a while, so when the familia found out what I was making it became a party.  My 7-year-old decided to make a salad dressing she'd learned to make earlier that day at the Learning Garden (on SE 60th), and let me tell you - it was FABULOUS.  Truly, this is a girl after my own heart.  So we accompanied the main dish with a simple green salad with Sasha's vinaigrette.  Here are the recipes:

Carolina's Eggplant Parmigiana

3 smaller (round) or 2 large eggplants

Flour for dredging

3 eggs

Salt

Olive oil

Vegetable oil

Good quality marinara sauce

2 cups of shredded mozzrella*

Start by cutting the ends off the eggplant and cutting lengthwise into slices 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick.  Sprinkle salt on both sides of each slice and layer in a colander.  Take a gallon-size ziploc bag and fill with water then zip shut.  Place the colander with eggplant in the sink and put the bag full of water right on top so that its weight can help squeeze out the extra water.  This process helps remove the bitter bite that eggplant can sometimes have.  Let sit for at least 1/2 an hour.

Next, get ready to prep the eggplant for frying by placing flour in a pie pan and beating eggs in a bowl large enough to dip eggplant slices in.  (This time I added some dried oregano from my "garden" and freshly ground pepper to the beaten eggs).  In the meantime, put about 1/4 cup of vegetable and 1/4 cup of olive oil in a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Take each slice of eggplant and dip first in flour, then in eggs until well-covered.  Put the prepared eggplant slices into the hot oil and fry about one minute on each side until just golden brown.  Repeat this process, (putting the fried slices between paper towels to absorb any excess oil) until all slices are fried.

Now it's time to assemble the dish!  First, preheat your oven to 350.  Take a 9x13 glass or ceramic pan and spoon 2-3 tablespoons of marinara sauce in the bottom, spreading it evenly.  Place some slices of eggplant right on top of the sauce, and spoon some more sauce on top of the slices.  Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over this layer, then place another layer of eggplant on top, trying to get as even coverage as you can.  Continue to layer sauce, cheese and eggplant until you're all out of eggplant slices, topping with extra mozzarella.  Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes or until cheese on top is melted, bubbly or golden.  When it comes out of the oven, you can cut into it just as you would a lasagne, and it is not only lovely but tastes divine!

*I have tried different variations of cheese in this dish and encourage you to do the same and find what you like: provolone is good, mixing in real shredded parmesan makes it feel more authentic, a nice salty Edam adds bite and originality......

Sasha's Learning Garden Vinaigrette

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp chopped fresh herbs (we had basil, rosemary and oregano)

1/4 Tsp sea salt

Freshly ground garlic pepper

Whisk it all together!  Enjoy on your salad or use as a dip for crusty bread.