Potato Leek Soup

It was chilly this morning, and certainly stormy in other parts of the country (!) so I thought some comfort food was in order. This soup couldn't be more delightful - and it's from one of my favorite books, The Art of Simple Food. I didn't have any cream on hand so I substituted a bit of whole milk. You could skip it altogether and it would still be wonderful. 

Potato Leek Soup
makes 2 quarts (serves 4-6)

Ingredients
2 pounds leeks
3 tablespoons butter
2 thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 pound yellow potatoes (such as yukon gold), halved or quartered and sliced
6 cups water or chicken stock
1/3 cup creme fraiche or heavy cream

trim off the root ends of the leeks and the tough upper greens. Cut trimmed leeks in half lengthwise and slice thin. Rinse in a bowl of cold water. Lift the leeks out of the water to drain. 

Melt butter over medium hat in a heavy-bottomed pot. When melted and foaming, add the leeks along with the thyme sprigs, bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Cook until soft (about 10 minutes). 

Add potatoes, cooking them for about 4 minutes and then add 6 cups water or chicken stock. Bring to a boil and turn down to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are tender, but not falling apart (about 30 minutes). Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.

Using an immersion blender, puree a portion of the soup before stirring in the cream. Add freshly ground black pepper to each bowl before serving.

Mr. Swagger does Tilden

There's something magical about watching a dog be a dog. This is especially true out on the trails and Tilden is quickly becoming one of Otis' favorite spots. I love watching his ears go back and flop gently in the wind and how his tail wags slowly and steadily as if to say "Oooh yeah! This is awesome!" 

My only job is to trot along with him and take it all in. So simple and so wonderful. And as they say - a tired dog is a happy dog!

Happy Birthday Otis!

Our pooch turned two today. He's a rescue, so we feel lucky to know his actual birth date. I also love that he's a libra. We decided it was time to give him a grown up name to match his handsome regal self. After a lot of searching and much discussion, we landed on Otis. He's wheedling his way into our hearts pretty quickly.

Here are just a few things we love about him:
he's a lover, snuzzler and cuddler
he's a frutarian (watermelon, pears, peaches, strawberries, apples, avocado, bananas - check!)
he's a crazy mad fetcher
he loves Tilden
nothing gets his attention like a turkey meatball

Happy birthday Otis! Woof!

Apple Cobbler

Our apple tree graduated from its "creep year" of barely growing and producing just a handful of apples to its "leap year" growing much taller and producing a TON of fruit. Naturally, this put me on the hunt for recipes. Since we have Braeburns, my awesome baker friend Jackie said their flavor and soft texture would be perfect for cobblers. Her recipe brings out the best in the fruit without being too sweet. The aniseed is an unexpected and wonderful addition. Enjoy!

APPLE COBBLER
Topping:
1 tsp aniseed
1 1/2 cups pastry flour
3/4 cup polenta (coarse cornmeal)
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 large egg, beaten to blend

Filling:
2 cups fresh cranberries
1/3 cup sugar (or you may omit, depending on how sweet your apples are)
2/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
2 tsp finely grated lemon peel
1 1/2 tsp finely grated orange peel
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs. Apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Vanilla gelato or ice cream to serve

For topping: 
Toast aniseed in small skillet over medium heat until slightly darker in color, about 3 minutes. Place seeds in processor. Add next 5 ingredients; blend 5 seconds. Add butter; blend, using on/off turns, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Drizzle egg over and stir until ingredients are evenly moistened.

For filling: 
Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl; stir to blend. Add apples and lemon juice; toss to blend. Transfer filling to 11x7x2- inch glass baking dish (or other shallow 2-quart baking dish).

Crumble topping finely over filling. Bake dessert until apples are tender, juices bubble thickly, and topping is crisp and golden, about 1 hour. Cool 15 minutes. Serve crisp warm with gelato.

Found my mojo!

Just back from a run on a perfectly dreamy misty morning with our dog Bear at my side, and the whole beautiful fall day ahead of me. It's been a heck of a journey this year - but I finally found my mojo.

I made a lot of changes –clearing out the "old" and making space for the "new" including finding a new job, making lots of new friends, reconnecting with extended family and opening my heart to a new pooch. I think a lot of it has been about sloughing off old ways and embracing new adventures.

Someone once said to me that "perception is reality" and I think there's truth to that. Like this hole in the fence. Is it just a hole? Or is it a window of possibility? You decide. 

B is for Birthday and for Bear

It was my birthday on Saturday and I have to say, it was spectacular. I got to spend time with family on Friday, catching up with dear cousins who live far away. Saturday morning I got to cheer my niece Bella on at her soccer game and then - best for last - we also brought Bear (now Otis) home for good.

Our list of requirements for a rescue dog was long - must be good with people, must be good with kids, must even be good with cats... and so on. We said no to many, and some said no to us. But when we met Bear and he climbed up onto the couch resting his head in my lap, we knew we had a keeper. 

We owe HUGE thanks to the many wonderful folks at Golden Gate Lab Rescue, and to Bear's "Grandma" who patiently waited for us until October. We are ridiculously delighted to welcome this four-legged into our family. Stay tuned and watch the "Otis" category for updates.

Watermelon and Green Tomato Salad

I love this time of year. Summer feels like it's still here, but fall is definitely in the air. For a very short time only, you can find watermelon and heirloom tomatoes together at the farmer's market and this salad makes the best of both. It's the layering of textures and flavors that you'll find irresistible, followed by the surprise star ingredient - pepperoncini. You want just the right amount of them in the salad; enough so that you're delighted to encounter one when get one, but not so many that there's one in every bite. 

So simple and just plain g-o-o-d!


Watermelon and Green Tomato Salad

Watermelon, sliced into thin wedges
Green heirloom tomatoes (other tomatoes can be substituted - but green heirlooms have a mild and wonderful flavor)
Feta cheese
1-2 tablespoons thinly sliced pepperoncini (to taste)
Arugula
1 tablespoon minced fresh mint
1 tablespoon-ish whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon champagne or white wine vinegar
2-3 tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

For the dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard and the vinegar. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, while whisking to form an emulsion. Taste for tanginess (you want it to be somewhat sharp), adding more olive oil as needed. Stir in the mint and set aside. (Makes enough dressing for 2-4 salads.)

For the salad:
Assemble two to three slices of the watermelon and several slices of tomato on each plate, followed by a sprinkling of the pepperoncini. Drizzle dressing over the slices and crumble a generous amount of feta on top. Add a small handful of arugula to each plate, followed by salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

Concord Grape Jam

This week, my friend John brought in pounds and pounds of beautiful concord grapes from his garden. The minute I saw them, I knew exactly what was in store for Saturday morning. As a warning, I will say that the pain and suffering of squeezing each and every grape to separate skins from fruit definitely puts this at the far end of the "labor of love" spectrum. Still - this jam is nothing like grape jelly you had as a kid on your PBJs. The color and texture is amazing - and yes - totally worth the effort. The recipe is from my ever favorite jam cookbook - Blue Chair Fruit.