Halloween Weekend and What I'm Reading

Eric and I left Seattle late Friday night and drove down to Portland for an extended weekend trip to visit my brother and friends.
We had known since August that we would be making the trip South over Halloween weekend and thought we had pretty set plans. But last minute, our itinerary changed. We never planned on driving down Friday night. But it's a good thing we did.
You always hear stories about people being in the wrong place at the wrong time; but not as many the other way around. Last Friday night, and the weekend in general, Eric and I were in the right place, at the right time. It wasn't the weekend we had expected, but I left feeling like we made an important impact in someone's life who means the world to me, and that's all that matters.

A Portland trip would be incomplete if I didn't make it to Powell's Bookstore. In anticipation for my upcoming trip, I got a few travel books that I'm so excited about:
Travelers' Tales: Food : True Stories of Life on the Road.
"Many people will tell you that they travel, in large part, to eat, to break bread with strangers and leave the table with friends, and to discover the world through the medium of cuisine. This special edition in the Travelers' Tales series collects stories that further the proposition that humanity is revealed through cuisine just as surely as it is through any other art or social activity."
Is this book not absolutely perfect for me? I love it so far! The stories are so heartwarming and uplifting and the book is littered with amazing quotes, which I adore.
"As the belly fills, so fills the heart." One of my favs.

The other book I picked up is called The Kindness of Strangers. I always get a bit anxious about crime and danger before I travel, so I thought it would help me if I read a book like this. "A timely collection of 26 inspiring tales, The Kindness of Strangers explores the unexpected human connections that so often transfigure and transform the experience of travel, and celebrates the gift of kindess around the world."

I can only hope that throughout our travels, Eric and I make amazing connections with the people of Ecuador and Peru, and others we meet from around the world. I so hope we recieve numerous opportunities to eat and break bread with others and leave the table with friends.


P.S. Eric won the Pumpkin Carving Contest at Kiss Cafe!! The Thursday night before we left for Portland, Eric and I took pumpkins down to Kiss for their annual carving contest, dinner and beers. The place was filled to the brim with people carving - it was so festive and so much fun! Everyone kept commenting on Eric's unique pumpkin and he said he had a good feeling he might win it. Sure enough, upon returning on Monday, we found out he took it home! They spoiled him too - he won a tshirt, a sweatshirt, any beer of his choice (he picked a $16 beer...) and they are sending his personal beer glass in to get a pumpkin engraved in it. I'm so jealous.

Risotto: Two Ways

Due to my recent confusion/uncertainty/insecurities/what-have-yous about my current job situation and my future job situation, I have been trying to read some inspiring or uplifting literature.
My friend Natasha recommended The Last Lecture, by Randy Pausch, to me last week when we got together for dinner and conversation. I quickly checked it out at the library and finished it in two days.
In his last few months of life, Pausch, a Professor at Carnegie Mellon, offers some amazing wisdom and inspiration. While his whole "lecture" speaks to me at great depths, a few sections are screaming at me right now, more than others.
Chapter 28: Dream Big. "Give yourself permission to dream."
Chapter 51: No Job Is Beneath You. "No job should be beneath us. And if you can't (or won't) start at the bottom (like sort mail), where is the proof that you can do anything?"
Chapter 53: Never Give Up. He writes, "If you want something badly enough, never give up (and take a boost when offered). Brick walls are there for a reason. And once you get over them - even if someone has practically had to throw you over - it can be helpful to others to tell them how you did it." Never give up. Seems simple enough.
Chapter 55: All You Have to Do Is Ask. "Sometimes, all you have to do is ask, and it can lead to all your dreams coming true. Ask those questions. Just ask them. More often than you'd suspect, the answer you'll get is, "Sure.""
In the coming months, especially after I get back from my South America trip, I'm going to take many of Pausch's words of wisdom and advice into action and just dive in. There's no other way.

In other food-related news, I made risotto twice this week. Risotto gets me thinking about another important life lesson, "Patience is a virtue."
If you don't have patience, you can just go ahead and dismiss the following recipes. BUT if you do have even just a little, you'll come out with two ooey gooey, creamy, flavorful dishes. And let's be honest, who can resist ooey gooey? No one.

Tomato and Sausage Risotto
(adapted from Smitten Kitchen and Martha Stewart Everyday)

1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground hot Italian sausage
1 small onion, finely chopped
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed (or garlic powder)
1 teaspoon (or so) oregano
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used a pinot grigio)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 bunch baby spinach, washed well, tough stems removed, chopped (about 2-3 cups)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
(This risotto is remniscent of pasta/pizza with its flavors, but much more magical. I promise.)

In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes (with their juice), 2 cups broth, and 1 cup water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add sausage, onion, garlic, and seasonings. Cook, breaking up sausage with a spoon, until sausage is browned and onion has softened.

Add rice; cook, stirring until well coated, then add wine; cook, stirring until absorbed.

Add about 2 cups hot tomato mixture to rice; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until absorbed. Continue adding tomato mixture, 1 cup at a time, waiting for one cup to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and tender (you may not have to use all the liquid). This step took me about 45+ minutes.

Remove pan from heat. Stir in spinach, Parmesan, and butter. Serve immediately (risotto will thicken as it cools).

Sun-dried Tomato Risotto
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed (or garlic powder)
1 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (I used a pinot grigio)
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 bunch baby spinach, washed well, tough stems removed, chopped (about 2-3 cups)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup goat cheese
1 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons butter
*Next time I would add: seasoned chicken breast and asparagus.

In a small saucepan, combine 2 cups broth, and 1 cup water. Bring just to a simmer; keep warm over low heat. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onion and garlic. Cook until onion has softened.
Add rice; cook, stirring until well coated, then add wine; cook, stirring until absorbed.

Add about 1 cup hot broth to rice; simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until absorbed. Continue adding broth, 1 cup at a time, waiting for one cup to be absorbed before adding the next, stirring occasionally, until rice is creamy and tender.

Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, (chicken and cooked asparagus)Parmesan and goat cheese, and butter. Serve immediately!

Herb Crusted Chicken with Feta Sauce

I know, it appears like all Eric and I eat is dessert and/or baked goods.
This is mostly true.
But SOMETIMES, just sometimes, I try to be a little healthier and mix it up a tad.

I love the flavors of Greek food. The lamb, the falafel, the tzatziki sauce, the tomatoes and cucumber and onion, the hummus. I love it all!
And while ordering a gyro or a greek plate out is incredibly tasty, it is also laden with SO many calories (whether we choose to believe this or not).
I didn't make homemade gyros or anything. BUT I did make a dinner that is somewhat Greek-inspired, chock full of flavor AND super fresh. The best part is, it's quite healthy!
I served the chicken over a bed of vegetable orzo. Greek-style green beans (recipe below) and chopped tomatoes and cucumbers also accompanied the meal. Delish!

Herb-Crusted Chicken with Feta Sauce
(Cooking Light recipe)
2/3 cup whole wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
4 (6 oz.) skinless, boneless chicken breast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 teaspoons EVOO
6 tablespoons Feta Sauce

Feta Sauce
1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
4 teaspoons EVOO
1 package reduced-fat feta cheese, crumbled (I used tomato & basil seasoned feta)
pinch of black pepper

To make chicken: Combine panko and Italian seasoning in a shallow bowl. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and dredge in panko mixture.
Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes or until browned. Turn chicken over; reduce heat to medium, and cook another 5 minutes, or until done. Place 1 chicken breast on plate and spoon Feta Sauce over each serving!

To make sauce: Grate rind and squeeze lemon to measure 1/2 teaspoon and 2 tablespoons(rind, juice). Combine rind, juice, mint, oil, and pepper in small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add cheese, stirring with a whisk.

Greek-Style Green Beans
(adapted from Cooking Light recipe)
12 oz. fresh green beans, trimmed
1/4 cup shallots, sliced
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/4 cup crumbled feta
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon EVOO
pinch black pepper

Cook beans for a few minutes in boiling pot of water over high heat. Plunge beans into ice water, then drain. Place beans in skillet over medium heat with olive oil, shallots, and garlic and sautee until shallots are translucent and beans start to become tender. Place in large bowl and toss with remaining ingredients.

Banana Cream Pie + 3 Years

Today is a special day.
Today marks exactly three years since mine and Eric's love story first began(And let me tell you, it's one for the books).
Three years, people. We're kind of a big deal now.
So I feel like today is the perfect day to document how Eric and I met, since I love the story oh-so-much, and the many reasons why I love and appreciate him. Sorry in advance for the mushy gushy sappiness, but sometimes, you just gotta do it.

It was fate. It really was!
It tooks weeks, maybe even months, for me to decide that I would be studying abroad in Granada, Spain. I knew Spain was the country from the get-go, but Granada took some time to figure out. I thought for sure it was going to be Sevilla, I was set on it even, but then a professor of mine announced to the class one day while talking about studying abroard, that if we were choosing to go to Spain, DON'T go to Sevilla. My heart was broken. I didn't have to listen to her, but I did. She said it had become "Americanized" and that if our goal was to learn and practice speaking Spanish, it wouldn't happen there. After much discussion and thought, I decided on Granada.
Eric's selection process was purely random. Granada, Spain. Boom. Done.

So a girl attending school in Bellingham, Washington and a guy going to school in Irvine, California end up choosing the same country, the same city and the same program. (Like I said, it was fate.)

Eric was there a month before me for a summer program, and then shortly after my group arrived in September, our program had the opportunity to take a weeklong excursion to Morocco. We were both lucky enough to be able to go, and this is where it first began.
We were "camping" out in the Sahara Desert, and the Berbers had cooked us food and were providing us entertainment in a big tent one night. There was music and dancing and laughing. I was sitting at a table, not feeling well, but watching some of my friends dance. I noticed Eric right away. He picked up one of the little Berber boys and had him on his shoulders and was dancing around with him. The boy absolutely loved it (and I thought it was pretty adorable, too). Eric and I kept stealing glances at each other. I felt an instant connection. (I think/hope he did too.)

We spent the next few months getting to know each other through coffee dates, dinners, walks around Granada, nights out drinking and dancing, so many tapas, and excursions around Spain. I always tell everyone being in Spain was the best three months of my life so far, and Eric had a lot to do with that. At the end of our time there, we decided to give a long distance relationship a try.
And three years later, here we are.
I never expected to meet my perfect match in Spain. But love creeps up on you when you least expect it.

I'm SO lucky! Why? Because....
-He let's me call him ridiculous things like, 'bubs' and 'nunners' and 'booj'. (Don't even ask)
-He rubs my head until I fall asleep when I have migraines.
-He is ALWAYS positive and reassuring when I am being a negative nancy.
-He loves my cooking and baking.
-He watches the Food Network with me.
-He tells me I'm beautiful even when I feel at my worst.
-He tells me I'm beautiful when he knows I put a little extra effort to look cute.
-He protects me when I'm scared.
-He believes in me when I don't believe in myself.
-He pushes me to challenge myself and helps me to be a better me.
-He lets me pinch his boobies almost everyday, even though he hates it.
-He loves being weird and silly with me and loves that I'M weird and silly.
-and so on and so on...

They say a way to a man's heart is through food. Well, I've already won Eric's heart, but I still like to win him over again and again and again through my cooking and especially, baking.
Awhile ago, I asked Eric what his all-time favorite dessert was. After a little thinking, banana cream pie was the verdict. So for this special day, I wanted to make him a completely homemade banana cream pie. No pre-made pie crust, no vanilla pudding packets, no Cool Whip....we're talking 100% homemade, because he deserves the very best.

Happy Anniversary, Eric.
I hope you love your pie today (it was made with so much love!)
Thank you for being an amazing man and making me feel like the luckiest girl in the world.
Te quiero para siempre.

Banana Cream Pie
(Source: Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan)

For the Custard:
2 cups whole milk
6 large egg yolks
½ cup (packed) light brown sugar, pressed through a sieve
1/3 cup cornstarch, sifted
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
3 ripe but firm bananas
1 9-inch single crust made with Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough
fully baked and cooled

For the Topping:
1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons sour cream

Dorie's Pie Crust:
Makes two 9-inch pie crusts (I halved the recipe since I only needed one)

3 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
12 ounces cold butter, cut into pieces
6 to 8 tablespoons, ice water

To make crust:
Add flour, sugar and salt to the food processor bowl attachment on your Cuisinart Stand Mixer. Pulse for 1 to 2 seconds to combine. Scatter the butter pieces over the dry ingredients. Pulse, in one-second intervals, 8 to 10 times until it forms a sandy texture, with some pieces being about the size of a pea.
Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over the mixture. Pulse until it forms a rough ball (add additional water if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time). Turn dough onto a counter or cutting board. Divide and form each half into a disk. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight (be sure to take out a few minutes beforehand so it will be easier to roll out).

To Make the Custard: Bring the milk to a boil.
Meanwhile, in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk the yolks together with the brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until well blended and thick. Whisking without stopping, drizzle in about ¼ cup of the hot milk – this will temper, or warm, the yolks so they won’t curdle – then, still whisking, add the remainder of the milk in a steady stream. Put the pan over medium heat and, whisking constantly (make sure to get into the edge of the pan), bring the mixture to a boil. Boil, still whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes before removing from the heat. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Let stand for 5 minutes, then whisk in the bits of butter, stirring until they are fully incorporated and the custard is smooth and silky. You can either press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the custard to create an airtight seal and refrigerate the custard until cold or, if you want to cool the custard quickly – as I always do – put the bowl into a large bowl filled with ice cubes and cold water and stir occasionally until the custard is thoroughly chilled, about 20 minutes. (If it’s more convenient, you can refrigerate the custard, tightly covered,for up to 3 days.)

When you are ready to assemble the pie, peel the bananas and cut them on a shallow diagonal into ¼-inch-thick slices. Whisk the cold custard vigorously to loosen it, and spread about one quarter of it over the bottom of the piecrust – it will be a thin layer. Top with half of the banana slices. Repeat, adding a thin layer of pastry cream and the remaining bananas, then smooth the rest of the pastry cream over the last layer bananas.

To Make the Topping: Working with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the cream until it just starts to thicken. Beat in the confectioner’s sugar and vanilla and continue to beat until the cream holds firm peaks. Switch to a rubber spatula and gently fold in the sour cream.

To Finish: Spoon the whipped cream over the filling and spread it evenly to the edges of the custard. Serve, or refrigerate until needed.

Travel South America 2012

After years of hoping and wishing and saving money and talking and planning, I'm so excited to announce that Eric and I FINALLY bought our plane tickets to South America!
We will be going here:

Source: google.com via Laura on Pinterest

...and seeing things like this:

Source: google.com via Laura on Pinterest

...and this:

Source: flickr.com via Laura on Pinterest

I CANNOT WAIT! It's going to be the most beautiful trip of my life.
Eric and I will be cheersing tonight to pisco sours, high altitudes, cuy and ceviche, the Amazon Rainforest, and many many adventures to come!

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

I love making homemade bread. Something about the smells and the warmth are so cozy on a fall day.
Breadmaking is known to be difficult, so every time I succeed, I feel accomplished and get complete satisfaction out of it.
Plus, kneading dough is fun and feels pretty radical. I love squishing and punching and twisting it in my hands.
Today I got called off work. It was rainy and chilly outside, and I had nothing but time on my hands. This equates the perfect breadmaking day.
While I was waiting the two hours for my dough to rise, I snuggled in a blanket, caught up on all my girly shows Eric won't watch with me (Pretty Little Liars and Gossip Girl don't appeal to him, really?) and did some reading.
I love days off. And homemade bread. Did I already mention that?

Honey Whole Wheat Bread

1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon honey
2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
Nonstick cooking spray or butter (to prevent the bread from sticking to the bowl and pan)

Mix the yeast according to the directions on the packet.
Add melted butter, milk, sugar and salt to the yeast mixture and stir. Add two cups of flour. Start stirring, and then add the flour about 1/4 cup at a time every minute or so.Keep stirring and adding flour until the dough is still slightly sticky, but it doesn’t stick to your hands in any significant way.

Lightly cover counter or tabletop in flour where you will knead the dough. Knead for about ten minutes. To knead, take the dough, punch it flat, then fold it back up into a ball again, and repeat several times. You can also squeeze and twist it.

After ten minutes, shape it into a ball and place ball of dough into presprayed or buttered bowl. Cover bowl with cloth and place it somewhere fairly warm for an hour (I turned on the heater and set it in front of the vent).

After an hour, your dough should be roughly double in size. Punch the dough down, then lay it out on the floured area and spread it out into a rectangle shape, with one side being roughly the length of the bread pan and the other side being about a bread pan and a half long. Then roll it up and tuck the ends in underneath. Cover with cloth again and let sit warm place for one more hour.

Then, place loaf in sprayed bread pan and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Apple Cheddar Scones

Not a whole lot makes sense in life right now.
I've been feeling a little lost and confused when it comes to my future.
Those are really scary words. My future.
I have ideas, and maybe even some really big dreams, but I don't know how to make them happen.
And then there's always the money factor.
I'm already in debt.
How do I make big dreams happen when I'm in the hole?
I don't know. I don't know. I just don't know.

BUT what I do know is that these apple cheddar scones I made are of epic porportions and completely scream fall. Maybe life isn't making sense right now, but these scones def are.
When I found the recipe, I knew I had to make them that night. After work I went to the grocery store to pick up a few ingredients that I didn't have at home. I got apples and cheese and a fancy schmancy 4-pack of Eric's favorite beer and that's it. Scones and fancy beer for dinner makes sense. Eric understood (that's why I love him).

Apple and Cheddar Scones
(taken from Smitten Kitchen)
Makes 6 generous scones

2 firm tart apples (I used granny smith)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1/4 cup sugar plus 1 1/2 tablespoons for sprinkling
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt plus additional for egg wash
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes plus additional for baking sheet if not lining it with parchment
1/2 cup sharp (white) cheddar, shredded (I used Tillamook's Vintage Extra Sharp White Cheddar)
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 large eggs

Position a rack at the center of oven and preheat oven to 375 °F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Peel and core apples, then cut them into one-sixteenths. Place them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake them until they take on a little color and feel dry to the touch, about 20 minutes. They will be about half-baked. Let them cool completely. (You can speed this up in the fridge, as I did.) Leave oven on.

Sift or whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and salt together. Set aside. Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, along with cooled apple chunks, cheese, cream and one egg. Sprinkle flour mixture over the top and mix on low speed until the dough just comes together. Do not overmix.

Generously flour your counter top and place the scone dough on top of it. Sprinkle with flour. Use a rolling pin to gently roll (or use your hands to pat) the dough into a 1 1/4-inch thick, 6-inch circle. Cut circle into 6 wedges. Transfer them to a baking sheet that has either been buttered or lined with a fresh sheet of parchment paper. Leave at least 2 inches between each scone.

Beat remaining egg in a small bowl with a pinch of salt. Brush the scones with egg wash and sprinkle them with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake until firm and golden, about 30 minutes. With a spatula, lift them to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.