Arugula-walnut Pesto Pasta

It is a holiday weekend and we have invited a long time friend for dinner. I also have many tasks to do today so I have tried to get a jump-start on meal preparation. I found this recipe and thought it sounded not only quick but tasty. I like arugula which is the peppery tasting salad green. I never seem to get the basil used before it is wilted or wasted when I purchase the package to make pesto. Arugula has a longer shelf life and is more economical. My arugula pesto to serve for dinner is made and in the refrigerator. The remainder of the ingredients are measured and am set to go. I will serve salmon and fresh green beans with mushrooms, a garden salad, and of course the farfalle pasta. Farfalle is the Italian word for butterfly.

Arugula-walnut Pesto Farfalle

Ingredients:

12 oz. farfalle pasta

2 cups baby arugula

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

1 cup toasted walnut pieces, divided

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3/4 cup crumbled gorganzola cheese

1/2 cup golden seedless raisins

***

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions.

In a food processor, whirl together arugula, lemon zest, garlic, 1/4 cup walnuts, the oil, salt and pepper, scraping inside the bowl as necessary .

Drain pasta, reserving about 1/4 cup of the water. Return pasta to the pot and add pesto, stirring to coat. Stir in remaining walnuts, the cheese and raisins, and reserved pasta water. Serves 4

Hot Artichoke Dip

Hot Artichoke Dip

Last evening we attended a cookout with friends. I offered to bring an appetizer. I remembered an appetizer that our daughter served recently when we were invited for dinner. I emailed Anne for the recipe. Running late last evening I did not remember to take a photo. I will offer the recipe and guarantee that your friends or family to whom you serve it will all rave about its flavor.

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Ingredients:

1 can artichoke hearts

1 can diced green chilies

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 cup mayonnaise

***

Directions:

Chop the artichoke hearts into smaller pieces. (I cut the quartered hearts into another quarter). Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix until well mixed. Place in a pie plate or a bread bowl. If you are using a bread bowl, use the bread removed from the loaf to form the bowl cut into small chunks and serve with the dip. If placing the dip in a pie plate serve with crackers. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes until just golden brown.

Hangtown Fry

Hangtown Fry History

Hangtown fry could possibly be the first California cuisine. It consists of fried breaded oysters, eggs, and fried bacon, cooked together like an omelet. In the gold-mining camps of the late 1800s, Hangtown Fry was a one-skillet meal for hungry miners who struck it rich and had plenty of gold to spend. Live oysters would be brought to the gold fields in barrels of sea water after being gathered in and around San Francisco Bay. Such a meal cost approximately $6.00, a fortune in those days. However it came to be, ordering a Hangtown Fry became a mark of prosperity for gold-rich miners, the status symbol of the day. The recipe swept the entire Northwest Territory, from California to Seattle, in the mid-1800s. A few drinks and a Hangtown Fry were considered a gentleman's evening.

Apple Poppy Seed Salad

My classmate Lee is visiting following a family reunion. Her niece brought this dish to the reunion and Lee was eager to share the recipe as she said it was delicious and so worth sharing.

Tomorrow we are attending a reunion with our high school classmates back in the city where we graduated.

Apple Poppy Seed Salad

Salad:

1 head lettuce

1 bag spinach

4-5 apples, chopped

3/4 lb. swiss cheese, cubed

1/2 can cashews

***

Dressing:

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 Tablespoon poppy seed

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1 cup canola or vegetable oil

***

Mix dry ingredients in a jar. Add vinegar and oil and shake until sugar is dissolved.

Iconic Nurse and Sailor

The Iconic Tribute At Seaport Village in San Diego
Cousin Larry and his wife Carol doing the live version of the iconic sailor and a lady. The Original Photo

Tue Jun 22, 10:30 pm ET

LOS ANGELES (Reuters Life!) – A nurse famously photographed being kissed by an American sailor in New York's Times Square in 1945 to celebrate the end of World War Two has died at the age of 91, her family said on Tuesday. Getty Images The V-J Day picture of the white-clad Edith Shain by photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt captured an epic moment in U.S. history and became an iconic image marking the end of the war after being published in Life magazine. The identity of the nurse in the photograph was not known until the late 1970s when Shain wrote to the photographer saying that she was the woman in the picture taken on August 14, 1946 at a time when she had been working at Doctor's Hospital in New York City. The identity of the sailor remains disputed and unresolved. From then on the photograph also made its mark on Shain's life as the fame she garnered led to invites to war related events such a wreath layings, parades and other memorial events.

Edith was present when this sculpture was dedicated in 2006 in San Diego Harbor and actually danced that evening at the gala party given in her honor.

"My mom was always willing take on new challenges and caring for the World War II veterans energized her to take another chance to make a difference," her son Justin Decker said in a statement. Shain, who died at her home in Los Angeles on Sunday, leaves behind three sons, six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Harvard Club of Italy Makes Donations

Left to right: Getchew Kebede of Ethiopia, Shama Ramos, Phillipines, Siavash Naderi of Iran, Laura Mesadieu of Hati, our daughter Mary, Salamu Noh Nafe Ali of Western Sahara, Prashant Bharam of India.

HCI donated new netbooks to UWC Adriatic Students

Six United World College Adriatic students, can now study using their own netbooks donated by Harvard Club of Italy (HCI). In keeping with their mission to promote and recognize academic excellence at the secondary school level in Italy, Harvard Club of Italy has developed a fundraising project with UWC Adriatic to provide netbooks for a number of deserving students. Access to computers has become an essential requirement for the International Baccalaureate program and the flexibility of use provided by the new generation of small laptops is of enormous benefit in the intense daily commitments of students studying at a UWC. During the UWC Adriatic Closing Ceremony on May 25th, HCI members, represented by Mary Myers, donated new netbooks to six UWC Adriatic students from Ethiopia, Philippines, Iran, Haiti, Western Sahara and India. UWC Adriatic and the students wish to thank HCI for their generous support and for sharing a dedication to the value of education. “I'm totally blessed right now since I have received this netbook, because I am able to work on small projects/researches in a more mobile way. With its light weight I can carry it anywhere. And not just that, when I learned that the netbook was designed to be an environmentally friendly device I could manage working long hours without using AC power; it can be charged to a full battery in a short period of time.” (Shama Ramos - Philippines, UWC AD 2009-2011) “Since I received this gift from Mrs Myers, many things have become easier. I used to spend the most part of my time in the internet room doing my homework and studying but now with the netbook I waste less time, make less photocopies. I just save the researches on the netbook and I can study and do my work from them. I really like this gift, it is one of the best I have ever received.”(Laura Martine Francisca Mesadieu - Haiti, UWC AD 2009-2011)

Taste Of Avalon And The Winner Is......

Click On Phots To Enlarge

The Street Scene Of Participants The "M" Restaurant Serving Chicken Curry Spring Rolls With A Sweet Sour Sauce. The Offering Of The Lobster Trap My Luncheon Serving Of 
Curry Chicken Spring Rolls

***

I telephoned Catalina Island today to learn the winner of the Taste Of Avalon as curiosity loomed all weekend. The contest winner was announced yesterday, Sunday at 1 p.m. My favorite restaurant was in the running and I thought sure they would be the winner in the food category and possibly also the drink category. The food is artistically prepared from the freshest ingredients and seasoned with the right amount of herbs and spices. As I understood each restaurant was to serve a food which best represented their fare.

***

The Lobster Trap which is frequented by "the locals" did one better! They covered the top of the pool table making it a buffet. A complete seafood spread was put out for the taking. Some food was deep fried, some was baked but much mass-produced. Large draft beer was sold for $1.00 each. The votes put them in first place being the winner again for the second year in a row.

***

Being a foodie who goes the extra for quality in choices, it was a great surprise to learn The "M" Restaurant came in second place for the food category to The Lobster Trap. I enjoyed the Curry Chicken Spring Roll at lunch the day of the Taste Of Avalon. Enjoying it for the quality ingredients I thought sure it would be the first place winner. Honestly put, the food of the two offerings were of two opposite types and preparations. Congratulations to The Lobster Trap!

Santa Catalina Island Flying Fish Festival

Wayne and Donna, The Chamber 
of Commerce promoters. Gill The Festival Mascot. The Bow Of The Bertha W Built 1924

The Festival Open Air Boat.

Flying Fish Festival

The Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce under the direction of Wayne Griffin, President and Donna Harris, Public Relations and Promotions Director has coupled a long time traditional festival with The Taste of Avalon to kick off the summer series of events held on the island. The Flying Fish Festival has become a widely known event. Flying fish occur naturally in the waters of the island from June thru September. The fish actually fly with their pectoral fins and can fly the distance of 25 to 30 feet propelled in the air.

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The boat "Bertha W" built in 1924 and named after the granddaughter of William Wrigley is equipped with high powdered beam lights equivalent to several thousand watts. Guests are boarded onto the open air boat for a ride along the shoreline at dusk. The light "tricks" the fish believing there is food on the surface and it brings the flying fish out of the water. The fish glisten in the light and draws the oooohs and aaahs from the spectators. It is one of the fun things to do and certainly worth being a spectator if you have never seen this phenomenon. Save Jiune 3, 2011 for the next Flying Fish Festival on Catalina Island.

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So many traditions of this beautiful island can be traced to the many Americans who made the choice of Wrigley Chewing Gum. I found these vending machine on a wall with antiques and nostalgia. I hope this brings back some memories of bygone days.

Taste Of Avalon

Click on photos to enlarge

The Street Scene of Participants As Far As One Could See Steve's Steak House Offering Pork Tenderloin Dijonaise and Rigatoni El Galleon Offering Bar-B-Que Ribs With Luau Plum Sauce And Onion Rings

The Lobster Trap's Seafood Buffet

The Catalina Country Club Offering Ahi Tune With Wasabi Mashed Potatoes and Wasabi Aioli and Espresso Chocolate Mousse With French Lace Cookie

People Lined Up To Be Served

Taste Of Avalon

The name Santa Catalina Island conjures an image to all age groups. If you are of the Big Band era You remember, "I Met My Love In Avalon" while the Rock n Roll group remembers "Twenty-six Miles Across The Sea". The mystical island has remained a destination of celebration for the many who come for a variety of reasons and images. Recently that image has gone through a great transformation and brought up to the 21st Century. This year the Catalina Company has invested $12,000,000.00 with additions to make the island a family destination.

***

Six years ago, island promoters chose the Thursday following Memorial Day to celebrate "The Taste Of Avalon". The festival has grown doubling in size annually. The streets turn into an atmosphere where guest and locals share a camaraderie unlike any other time of the year. Reserve June 2, 2011 for the next celebration you won't forget!

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To participate in The Taste Of Avalon, anyone purchases a ballot for a fee of $2.00. The twenty establishments participating are listed. A symbol indicates if food, drink, or dessert is available with each vendor. Participants pay $1.00 for a very generous sample. Following ten vendor samplings you vote for your favorite drink, food, or dessert and your vote then can be submitted. The offerings were amazing!!!

***

We carefully chose ten vendors. Following those samplings I had to agree it was a difficult choice but my choice was made. It will be interesting to learn who receives the top vote. One vendor who prepared for his crowd said his number of participants was 250% of what he had expected. It was such an enthusiastic crowd!

***

Food service on the island has had a recent reformation. It is can longer be deemed "eating" on the island, one can choose fine dining. When the New York Times send reporters from their Food Dept. staff to write an article for their newspaper, Catalina Island restaurateurs have sent shock waves all the way to New York City!

***

Tonight we are attending the third annual Flying Fish Festival. I will blog that festival as my following posting.

Yosemite National Park

Awahnee Lodge The Blogger Aside A Sequoia Pine

Dogwood Blossom

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Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park is a Park for all seasons. Mother Nature dresses each season with spectacular sights with each day a new view. April and May are the months of snow melt which afford visitors sights and sounds absent other months of the year. We were told during July and August there are no visible signs of water in any of the Falls.

Awahnee Lodge is usually booked one year in advance and a booking can only be made for 365 days in advance.

The dogwood was in blossom everywhere throughout the Forrest adding a beautiful splash of color. The typical Dogwood of the Midwest has four petals where this dogwood had six.

Yosemite National Park-

Yosemite National Park

A Park Placard read, in 2008 a rock slide occured sending boulders from the granite cliffs to the Park floor creating the same effect felt of a 2.3 earthquake. It went on to read that rock scattered on the Park floor were the remenants of previous rock slides.

Yosemite National Park

Bridal Veil Falls

Within the Park there is such a rumble and crashing sound of thunder as the melting snows send their runoff to the Park floor occuring in three major waterfalls. The echo can be heard throughout the park but a vibration felt near the Falls. Forget dry feet or a coiffed hair-do from the spray of mist as you climb to view the Falls. The bottom photo shows the runoff from the falls.

Yosemite National Park

Lower Yosemite Falls

Yosemite National Park

Yosemite National Park - El Capitan

Yosemite National Park

Half Dome At Yosemite National Park

Google Cook-Off San Francisco

San Francisco offers every visitor sights, sounds, and entertainment just for observing. Arriving at the Ferry Building I observed a crowd of men wearing aprons appearing to be having a good time while at work. I inquired what their program was since I am a foodie. The men were all engineers with Google and it was similar to the program on TV "The Iron Chef" where a limited number of unmeasured ingredients were given to each group. It was their decision as to how they would use the ingredients in the desired portions to complete a designated part of the meal in an allotted time of one hour. Professional chefs were on hand for assistance and the final grading to determine a winning group. I think the kitchen was unfamiliar territory to a few of the men who used their talent keeping everyone happy and laughing. It was a great observation. We did not linger to learn which was the winning group.

Mariposa California

Click on photos to enlarge details.

Mariposa 2010 Court House Erected iIn 1854 The Information Post.

On our trip to Yosemite, we stayed in the town of Mariposa. The history of the town goes back to the days of the gold rush. The town has retained the charm of the Wild West and much of the history has been well documented.

Mariposa California is known as the Mother of California. California was once one county from The Bay area to Los Angeles and Riverside County. The mining laws for the State of California were written in Mariposa in 1854 and they are the laws that control the mining in California today. The Counties as they are known today were eventually broken off of Mariposa County. The Court House erected in 1854 is still in use today. It offers an interesting tour. We stopped by to view a hearing that was on trial.

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The Wells Fargo Bank posted that in 1854 they averaged a transacted $40,000.00 in gold each day. In 2010 that calculated to approximately $400,000.00 each day.

Yosemite National Park Half Dome

click on phoo to enlarge

Half Dome

This blog is dedicated to our youngest daughter, Barbara. Probably ten or more years ago Barbara climbed Half Dome (upper left portion of bottom photo). The photo she shared had a cropped photo of half dome. We had little idea of the height and the effort required. Today we are in awe of her effort.

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Yosemite National Park is one of the most beautiful treasures that belongs to all of us, thanks to the foresight of Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt. One feels an orchestration of beauty, nature, and the serenity of the daily unfolding of the cosmic show as the sun reflects from different angles and the moon reflects yet another light. The High Sierras are a granite rock 400 miles long and 84 miles wide with some of the most beautiful formations reaching to the heavens..

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The photo opportunities are endless. Do you remember CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Kuralt and how the program ended focusing on a beautiful nature video? Photography does not include the chirping of birds or the thunderous sounds of the waterfalls, or the buzzing of the bees on the wildflowers.

Bread Pudding

Signature Bread Pudding

This recipe is not just another bread pudding recipe! It is the signature recipe of the Valley View Casino which is known for their buffet. The bread pudding is served with a vanilla sauce on the side. The San Diego Tribune received an email requesting the recipe. The happy chef obliged.

Six Servings

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Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

Butter for greasing the pan

5 large eggs

1 3/4 cups white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

1/2 loaf thick sliced white bread

***

Vanilla Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

1 vanilla bean, splint lengthwise

4 large egg yolks

1/3 cup sugar

***

Bread Pudding Directions

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13 inch glass casserole dish with butter and set aside.

***

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, and the white and brown sugars. Beat to remove any lumps in the sugar. Add the milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well.

***

Leave the crust on and cut the bread into cubes and distribute evenly in the buttered casserole dish. Pour the custard over the cubed bread. The bread will float when the custard has been added. Lightly push the bread down until it absorbs some of the custard.

***

Bake for 45 minutes. For best results, start the bread pudding in the oven with foil covering the top. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and let the bread pudding continue to bake until done.

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For The Vanilla Sauce

Directions:

Pour the heavy cream, milk, and split vanilla bean into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Heat until hot but not boiling. Remove from heat.

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In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar. Slowly whisk an small amount of the hot cream mixture.. If you add the hot cream too quickly to the egg yolks, you will scramble the eggs, and your sauce will appear grainy.

***

Once the cream and eggs are combined, return the mixture to the saucepan. Return the pan to the heat and continue cooking until sauce slightly thickens. Remove from heat and place in an ice water bath. Remove the vanilla bean and discard. The seeds of the bean should leave a nice speckle in your sauce.

Eggless Caesar Salad Dressing

Eggless Caesar Salad Dressing

The dressing recipe is called eggless because is does not use a raw egg. Use a good quality cheese (never from a box!) and add more to the salad once it is coated with dressing.

Ingredients:

2 hearts romaine lettuce

4 heaping tablespoons reduced fat mayonnaise

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 lemon, zested and juiced

2 tablespoons anchovy paste or anchovy fillets

1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

2 teaspoons Worchestershire sauce

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon coarse cracked black pepper

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

***

Directions:

Place mayonnaise, garlic, lemon, anchovy paste, cheese Worchestershire, Dijon, and pepper in a blender and process. Stream the extra-virgin oil into the dressing through the center of the lid. When the oil is combined, remove the dressing with a spatula to a bowl or a portable plastic container. Six Servings.

Turnip Green Tart (Or Spinach)

This is another great recipe from a favorite blog I follow of Heidi Swanson @ 101cookbooks.com. Check it out!

Turnip Green Tart

It's convenient for me to make enough dough for two tart shells in one shot, so that's what I call for here. You can always freeze the extra dough or shell for use later in the week/month. They seem to keep fine in the freezer, well wrapped, for a few weeks, but not much longer than that. Green garlic is also great in the filling in place of the garlic clove - a couple tablespoons (chopped).

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Ingredients:

Cornmeal Tart Shell:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup spelt flour

scant 1 cup medium coarse corn meal

3/4 teaspoon fine grain salt

1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, cut in cubes

1 large egg yolk

1/4 cup - 3/4 cup cold water

Turnip Green Filling:

1/4 lb. turnip greens, or spinach greens, de-stemmed

1 small clove of garlic

2 large eggs + 1 yolk

3/4 cup veg. broth

1/4 cup heavy cream

scant 1/4 teaspoon salt (more if broth unsalted)

2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons herbs of Provence

(opt.)Gruyere cheese & a bit of crushed red pepper flakes, for topping

***

Special Equipment: special equipment: tart pans - 9-inch (23 cm) round, 8 x 11 inch (20 x 28) rectangle, or equivalent.

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Directions: Start by making the tart dough. Combine flours, cornmeal, and salt in food processor. Pulse in butter, 20+ pulses, or until the mixture resembles sandy pebbles on a beach. Add the egg yolk and 1/4 cup water. Pulse, trickle in more water if needed, just until dough comes together. Turn out onto a floured counter top and gather into a ball. Divide the dough into two equal pieces, shape each into a ball, press into 1/2-inch thick disks, and wrap in plastic, or place in baggies. Chill for at least an hour.

***

Preheat the oven to 350F. Place a rack in the middle of the oven. When you're ready to line the tart pans with dough, place one of the dough disks on a lightly floured surface and roll out until the dough is large enough to line your tart pan. I usually eyeball it - you can see in the photo the dough is about 1/6 - 1/8 inch thick. Dust underneath with flour to discourage sticking throughout the rolling process. Carefully transfer the dough to the pan. Don't worry too much if you get a tear or hole, you can patch those up later with scraps. Work quickly to ease the dough into place, taking care not to stretch the dough. Press it along the bottom of the pan, out to the walls, and against the sides. Trim any excess dough - I use the palm of my hand against the edge of the tart pan to cut off any extra dough, alternately you can roll a rolling pin across the rim of the pan for a clean edge. Chill in the refrigerator for thirty minutes or so while you roll out your extra tart shell. Double wrap that one in plastic and freeze it for future use.

***

You're going to partially bake the tart shell before filling it, so pull the shell out of the refrigerator, dock it with a fork, making small holes along the bottom of the shell. Line the shell with parchment paper and fill to the rim with pie weights or dried beans, bake for 25 minutes. Carefully remove the pie weights and finish baking for another 5 minutes, or until the crust is dry and just barely starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

***

To make the filling: Chop the greens and garlic in a food processor. You can do this by hand as well, but in this case the processor makes quick work of this. Add the eggs and yolk, pulse. Then the broth and cream. Lastly, incorporate the salt, mustard, and herbs. When you're ready to bake, fill the tart shell and bake for 30 minutes or so, or until the center is set, and has firmed up to the touch. About 2/3 of the way through I like to sprinkle with a bit of Gruyere cheese. I can't help but zap the top of most tarts under the broiler for a minute or two just prior to pulling it out of the oven - it browns up the top nicely, and lends a rustic look to it. Finish with a sprinkling of crushed red pepper flakes if you don't mind a bit of heat.

Lemon Sauce With Spring Vegetables

Lemon Sauce With Spring Vegetables Backyard Lemons Averaging 2/3 Cup Juice Each

My Source of Lemons And Juice Oranges

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Vegetable are picture perfect in the markets at this time of the year. I serve artichokes with melted butter which is not the healthiest idea. This sent me searching for an alternative choice. This is my choice for a sauce to use with asparagus, artichokes, green beans, fava beans, or fresh spring peas.

Lemon Sauce With Spring Vegetables

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons butter

1 1/2 Tablespoons flour

1 cup chicken stock

2 lemons

2 egg yolks

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Assortment of hot cooked vegetables

***

Directions:

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue to cook, whisking, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in 3/4 cup chicken stock. Return to heat and cook, whisking continually until the mixture boils and thickens. Reduce the heat to low and simmer 3 minutes, then remove from heat.

***

Zest the lemons, then squeeze 1/4 cup of juice. In a small bowl, whisk half the zest with the juice, the egg yolks and the remaining stock. Slowly whisk this mixture into the sauce. Return to the heat and cook until just heated through. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Strain, then season with salt and pepper and add remaining zest.

Our Four Children And Grandchildren

Our Four Children The Grandchildren Our Entire Family

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To our sons-in-law and daughter-in-law who with our four children have blessed our lives with eight wonderful grandchildren, thank you! You have given great depth to the meaning of Mother's Day. How blessed we are to say we are so proud of each and everyone of you. Thank you for this special day! I love you more than you will ever know!

Calla Lilies

Calla Lilies

The Calla Lilies from my garden are ending what was a beautiful season of continuous blossoms. I purchased a new vase specifically for cala lilies this winter and have enjoyed the fresh cut flowers on my dining room table.