Panzanella

Everywhere I go I hear 'the tomatoes are late this year' (makes you wonder what social circles I am traveling in these days). Hearing this tomato chatter made me realize I guess I have not been paying attention all these years to the arrival date of summer tomatoes (or my social circles were ones not having the status of tomato ripeness on the tips of their tongues). So yes, according to my in the know sources, tomatoes indeed have been a little late this year. But as they say 'some things are worth the wait' because the heirloom, cherry and beefsteak tomatoes now at the farm stands are absolutely beautiful and oh so good.

However, in spite of the proliferation of those tomatoes, I was on the hunt for plum tomatoes. Yet I could only find them in the grocery store (they must be making their debut at the farm stands a little later). But I was more than okay with my grocery store plum tomatoes for a panzanella salad, for a very different panzanella that is. And after making it with really, really good results, I can hardly wait to making an even greater one when I can get plum tomatoes that have been picked fresh. I think I have convinced myself that tomatoes fresh from the farm stand or farmer's markets are better than the ones from the grocery store. It could be my imagination, but other than grape or cherry tomatoes I generally don't eat tomatoes in the winter or early spring as they are sort of flavorless.

There are many versions of panzanella recipes with each of them made with at least bread, tomatoes, basil and capers. Some versions call for the addition of onions, cucumber, and/or peppers. Almost every version calls for the use of raw vegetables, except for the one Katie Quinn Davies, author of What Katie Ate, has created. In her version the tomatoes are roasted until soft and slightly caramelized, the red peppers are grilled, and the bread (sourdough no less) is lightly drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and toasted in the oven. And if those changes are not enough to transform this salad, the panzanella is made with fresh mozzarella. No, this is not a modified caprese salad and it is not your ordinary panzanella salad. It is an extraordinary panzanella having flavors of roasted vegetables which take it to an OMG level of deliciousness. I seriously doubt I can ever eat a panzanella not made Katie's way.

You will be rewarded for the time and effort (and for enduring a warm kitchen on a warm summer day) that go into the making of this panzenella. While I have always loved the flavor of roasted red peppers, I can now say I absolutely love the flavor of roasted plum tomatoes. I wouldn't go so far as to say I will never eat a raw tomato again, but I don't know if the taste of a raw tomato can even come close to the sweetness of a roasted tomato. Not to mention the aroma of roasted tomatoes is a downright heavenly scent (Could this be what the kitchens in Italy smell like?).

This recipe calls eight plum tomatoes and three red peppers. The next time I make this panzanella I might add at least one or two additional plum tomatoes.

The plum tomatoes are halved lengthwise, placed on a baking sheet, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Now keep reading because when I share with you the length of time they roast for you might say "I am too busy for this". To that I would say "until you taste this panzanella these would not be two wasted hours". Yes, the plum tomatoes roast for 2 hours in a preheated 300 degree oven. But once they are in the oven you don't have to do anything to them, so you can go out for a run, a bike ride, read, or any number of things that make you happy (doing household chores don't make me happy so I didn't list them out here, but you could probably get quite a bit of housework done while these tomatoes are roasting).

The sourdough bread is placed in the oven for the last 30 minutes of the tomato roasting time. I like to cut my sourdough loaf into one inch slices before tearing into bite sized pieces as it just makes it easier. Once you have the bread torn, place on a baking sheet, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and place in the 300 degree oven or bake until they lightly golden-brown and crispy (mine didn't get lightly golden brown but they did get crispy).

There are many ways to roast peppers. For me the easiest way is to place them on grill, rotating occasionally until the skins are blackened. You can also char the red peppers by placing them in a 425 degree oven and roasting for approximately one hour (remember to coat them with a little olive oil if you choose the oven roasting method). Once roasted, place them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap until they have cooled. Remove the charred skins and seeds before cutting the red peppers into thin strips. Whatever you do, do not rinse the peppers under the faucet as you will remove some of the flavor of the peppers. The strips of red peppers are placed in a bowl and mixed with one tablespoon of olive oil. They are set aside until you are ready to assemble the salad.

After roasting for two hours, the plum tomatoes become softened and slightly caramelized. They are allowed to come to room temperature before the salad is assembled.

The dressing for this panzanella is a simple balsamic one or should I say an incredibly simple flavorful one. Katie called for first drizzling the sourdough bread croutons with the dressing, however, I put all of the panzanella ingredients on a serving platter (except the torn basil leaves) and then drizzled the dressing over the top. I also doubled the amount of dressing as 4 tablespoons of dressing was not nearly enough to dress the salad. After the dressing was added and the salad lightly tossed, the basil leaves were sprinkled over the top.

Recipe
Panzanella (slight adaptation of Katie Quinn Davies' recipe from What Katie Ate)

Ingredients
8 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
3 red bell peppers
8 ounces of fresh mozzarella, torn into bite sized pieces
3 Tablespoons of capers (rinsed)
14-16 basil leaves torn in half
1 small to medium sized loaf of sourdough bread (day old), torn into bite sized pieces
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra virgin olive oil

6 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
pinch of sea salt and pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Place halved tomatoes on baking sheet, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 2 hours until softened and slightly caramelized. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Place torn sourdough bread pieces on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and bake for 30 minutes or until lightly golden brown and crispy. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Note: Add bread to the last 30 minutes of roasting time for the tomatoes.
4. Grill red bell peppers until charred. Remove from grill, place in bowl and cover with plastic wrap. When cool enough to touch, remove charred skins and seeds. Slice thinly. Place in bowl and mix with 1 Tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil. Set aside.
5. For the dressing: Mix 6 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive with 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar. Add a pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Whisk until combined.
6. Place tomatoes, peppers, capers, bread, and capers on serving platter. Drizzle dressing over top and mix.
7. Add torn basil leaves on top and serve.

Next to the ocean, mountains, flowers and landscapes in general, I have taken more than my share of sky photos. I love capturing the sky in its various shades of blue and clouds in their different formations. Sometimes I wonder if these sky photos are subliminally representing my every now and then 'head in the clouds' state. For the record, when my head is in the proverbial clouds, I can still separate reality from fantasy (but there are some I know who actually might debate this).

Cumulus clouds are my absolute favorites as they are breathtaking to look at and to photo. There is something magical about those big white puffy clouds when they hover over the sea or the mountains. As a kid (a young one and an older one) I loved to look for the shapes of things in the clouds. As recently evidenced when my niece was recently visiting, we all see different things in the clouds. Just like we often see different qualities to people. Where some see goodness others see a darker side, where some see generosity others see selfishness, where some see selflessness others see self-servingness, and where some see self-confidence others see a lack of confidence. Haven't you ever wondered how it is that we can look at the same person and see completely opposite things? Could our love for or familiarity or interactions with affect our levels of perceptiveness? Do we sometimes see only what others want us to see? While there may be many answers to those questions, one thing is for certain. Like the cumulus clouds in the sky, what we see in others is often a reflection of what we want to see.

Marinated Flank Steak

Is there any better way to eat steak than having it grilled, medium rare of course? The obvious answer to this rhetorical question is no, but I realize that not everyone appreciates a medium-rare steak (this opinion is likely to offend those of you who grew up eating steak on the well-done side, but please don't take offense). I grew up in a house where most red meats were not cooked medium-rare, but rare which influenced greatly my doneness preference for red meat, particularly steak. And sometimes it on really rare side, causing some coming to dinner at our house to wonder if the meat was actually cooked (particularly those who grew up or lived in a house where everything was cooked well done or slightly beyond well done). My theory about those who eat ketchup with red meat and those who don't is that those who grew up with well done red meat needed to add flavor to it, while those of us growing up eating medium rare to rare red meat experienced all of the flavor in the meat. Most likely this theory will now further add insult to injury to those of you reading this blog. But before you decide to stop reading or completely give up reading this blog, for the record, I have nothing against ketchup and understand that everyone has their own personal taste preferences.

But maybe I really I want to convince you the medium to well-done meat eaters there is another way to experience red meat. A flank steak marinated in garlic, soy sauce, extra-virgin olive oil, honey and rosemary and then grilled to medium-rare is so flavorful that I think it will appeal to those with different doneness preferences as well as make the ketchup lovers abandon the need for it. Could there be any recipe that would cause anyone to give up a lifetime of eating preferences? Yes, there could be.

And as much as I love a great grilled ribeye or filet, I would choose a grilled marinaded flank steak if given the choice. Not only is it less expensive, when marinaded and cut across the grain, it is incredibly tender and flavorful. For a gathering of family or friends, this is a dish that is certain to make for a memorable meal. And it just might be the red meat doneness game changer.

The grilling time for the flank steak ranges from 10 to 14 minutes, depending on the thickness of the flank steak. A smaller one pound flank steak might even get to the perfect medium rare level of doneness in 8 to 10 minutes (4 to 5 minutes per side).

Seriously, how could any steak marinating in garlic, soy sauce, extra-virgin olive oil, honey and rosemary (plus salt and pepper) not taste insanely delicious? With the exception of fresh rosemary, you most likely have all of the other marinade ingredients in your pantry. This marinade is so good that it might even want you to consider to growing rosemary in your garden or having a rosemary plant in a container on your patio or porch. There is enough marinade for up to 3 to 3 1/2 pounds of flank steak even though this recipe calls for a 2 to 2 1/2 pound flank steak.

I find the aroma of minced garlic and chopped rosemary intoxicating. As easy as it is to put the marinade together I find myself taking my time with its' preparation so I can take in its' scent. When the marinade is finished I like to put the flank steak and marinade in a ziploc bag (easy clean up, easier to flip in the refrigerator). The flank steak marinates for at least 2 hours, but I usually allow it to marinate for 4 to 6 hours.

On a grill heated to medium-high the flank steak is removed from the marinade and placed directly on the hot grill. The bits of garlic and rosemary add to grilling aroma. It is a good thing that the cook time on this steak is relatively short because once everyone inhales the aroma of the garlic and rosemary they will instantly become hungrier.

But once the flank steak is off the grill, you will have to make everyone wait just a little longer as it needs to rest for at least 5 minutes before it is cut across the grain into thin strips. The resting period allow the juices to remain in the steak when its' cut. So make sure you have wine, cocktails or appetizers to distract your guests (and temporarily curb their enthusiasm) while you preparing the platter of sliced medium rare strips of flank steak. In one bite of the marinated flank steak, their patience will be rewarded as in just one bite all of layers of flavors of the marinade and the steak itself can be tasted. And there is at least one other outcome of this dish. You just might not grill any other steaks for the rest of summer.

Recipe
Marinated Flank Steak (slightly adapted version of recipe created by Chamberlain's Prime Chop House, Texas)

Ingredients
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 Tablespoons honey 
6 large garlic cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 Tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt
Flank steak (at least 2 to 2 1/2 pounds)

Directions
1. Mix soy sauce, extra virgin olive oil, honey, minced garlic, chopped rosemary, pepper and salt in medium sized bowl. Whisk until blended.
2. Place flank steak in a gallon size Ziploc baggie. Pour marinade in, seal baggie and place marinading flank steak in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (up to 6 hours). Turn baggie several times to ensure the flank steak is covered in marinade.
3. Heat grill to a medium-high heat. Remove flank steak from marinade and place on the grill. 
4. Cook to desired doneness. About 5 to 6 minutes per side for medium rare.
5. Remove cooked flank steak from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
6. Cut across grain into thin strips. Arrange on platter and serve.

In addition to the apple orchards, blueberry farms, pumpkin farms, and Christmas tree farms, the landscape here also is filled with cornfields. The farmers market and roadside stands usually sell out of native corn on a daily basis. So if by mid-afternoon you have not had the chance to buy some fresh native corn, you most likely will have a cornless meal. A catastrophe if everyone was looking forward to having grilled or steamed corn or if other than a salad you had not put together another vegetable. The old adage 'the early bird gets the worm' (or in this case the corn) seems to continue to be a timeless truism.

Whenever I have procrastinated on doing something I have generally wanted to kick myself as I make it harder on myself. On a lesser number of occasions, my delay has been a good thing, but this is more the exception than the rule. So if it is easier to not procrastinate I wonder why so many of us do it? Fear of conflict, fear of being too eager, waiting for someone else to do it or take the lead, fear of the unknown,  no sense of urgency, avoidance, disorganization or disinterest? The list of reasons is probably endless, but the outcomes of procrastinating are generally not, generally not positive. So if the outcomes are generally not positive, why would any of us intentionally procrastinate? I wish I could just answer that question for myself.

Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake

The weather has been glorious the past few days. Sunny non-humid days, cool, perfect sleeping weather nights. It feels more like September than August, but I am not complaining as I love September weather (even if we get to experience it in August). It was the perfect baking in the summer morning day and I needed a reason to use some of the fresh blueberries picked from the blueberry farm yesterday. Thankfully the blueberry bushes here still have plenty of blueberries on them and hopefully there will be more ripened berries early next week (is there such a thing as too many frozen blueberries?). I was debating about whether to make a blueberry crostata flavored with orange and ginger or the blueberry lemon bundt cake and decided I would do both (of course); one this morning and the other tomorrow to bring as a hostess gift to a dinner gathering.

Before I made the bundt cake I had to find the bundt pan I bought a few months back. (I am slowly duplicating cooking tools here in the east coast house which at some point in time will not necessary be a good thing. But I suppose that happens when one lives in two places). I had wanted this Nordic Ware bundt pan as I love how a finished cake looks. To me it seems a cake is almost regal looking, but then maybe I have regal on the brain as I am in the midst of reading "The Game of Thrones" (an epic fantasy series). Only this was a 10 cup bundt pan and the recipe called for a 12 cup bundt pan. I made it work by increasing the baking time as I had my heart set on making this fresh blueberry lemon cake in this bundt pan. My other option would have been to remove some of the batter and bake it up in smaller bundt pans (but I haven't duplicated that baking tool, yet).

I don't know what it is about blueberries that I love so much. Their taste, color, shape, size, or versatility? Probably all of the aforementioned. I wish I lived in a climate where they grew twelve months of the year as I don't think I would ever tire of eating or picking fresh blueberries.

My blueberries were not from Maine, but I used unsalted butter and buttermilk from Maine. I had read somewhere about Kate's butter and thought I would try using in it (usually go between using Land O'Lakes or Kerrygold unsalted butter when baking). I loved how it creamed up when it was mixed with the sugar and I loved the taste of the finished cake. I suppose I would have to make two cakes using two different butters to discern if there was really a difference, but I think I prefer to convince myself there was a difference.

The original recipe called for both the use of lemon zest and lemon extract, but having made the cake before I didn't like taste of the lemon extract so I used vanilla instead. But that's my personal preference.

The finished batter of the cake is very thick, like pound cake thick. So when stirring in the lightly floured blueberries, be certain to use a spatula or wooden spoon and carefully stir them in. The blueberries will burst when baking but you don't want your batter turning purple on you. Yes I know  purple cake might look regal, but maybe regally unappetizing.

Preparing the bundt pan is really important here if you want your cake to unmold perfectly. I just pour some canola oil into the pan and rub with a paper towel. Cake flour is sprinkled and swirled in the pan. The excess flour is removed by turning the pan upside-down over the sink and tapping the pan. I have not always had success with oil sprays when preparing bundt pans. Once I grabbed the olive oil spray and discovered a little too late my mistake. So I rely on the old-fashioned way of preparing the bundt pan.

Once the batter is transferred to the bundt pan, you will smooth the top with an offset spatula. If you don't have one, a spatula will work as well. Just know this batter is so delicious, that you will want to leave some on the spatula to enjoy once the cake is in the preheated 350 degree oven.

The baking time for this blueberry lemon bundt cake in a 12 cup capacity bundt pan is 55 to 60 minutes. You know it is finished when a toothpick or cake tester placed in the center of the cake comes out clean. The baking time on the 10 cup bundt pan was 75 minutes, but I started checking every five minutes after the 60 minute mark.

The finished cake is set on a baking rack for 10 minutes before it is unmolded. Wait time here is important as the bundt pan itself is incredibly hot and cake needs a bit of resting period. Unmolded this cake is absolutely beautiful. Once the cake cools, dust with confectionary sugar and serve.

This cake can be made the day before so it is a perfect cake to bring to neighbor's house, to a meeting at work, to a book club, or to a long weekend stay at friend's house. The aroma of this cake is so incredible that your family or guests may not want to wait until it's cooled enough for the dusting of confectionary sugar.

Recipe 
Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake (modified recipe from Abby Mandel, Chicago Tribune, 2005)

Ingredients
3 1/4 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
Finely grated rind from two lemons
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla or 1 teaspoon lemon extract
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries and 3 Tablespoons cake flour
Confectionary sugar for dusting finished cake

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Prepare 12 cup capacity bundt pan (lightly oil and flour, shaking out excess flour)
3. Sift flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.
4. Using a paddle attachment, beat butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs and vanilla, beating 3 minutes (mixture will become thick and smooth).
6. Add sifted dry ingredients and buttermilk. mix until well combined.
7. Toss blueberries with 3 tablespoons of cake flour before mixing into batter. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix in blueberries.
8. Transfer batter to prepared bundt pan. Smooth surface with a spatula or offset spatula.
9. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
10. Place cake on a wire rack and let rest for 10 minutes.
11. Unmold the cake onto a platter or cake stand.
12. When cooled completely, sprinkle with confectionary sugar.
Note: If not serving immediately, store at room temperature well covered or in an airtight container. Cake can be made a day ahead.

I was at the farm stand the other day and saw some native peaches. I couldn't help taking some photos of them before I bought some. When I am taking photos I sort of get in a zone and don't hear or see anyone else around me. It is the same sort of zone I get in (or used to get in more often) when I run. I have begun to return to running again, only this time I am even slower than I was before. (While I am not as young as I used to be, my competitive ego is still operating from years ago having not kept up with the aging of my body.) Not sure yet if another 5k or 10k is in my future, but this time the return to running is for a completely different reason.

I have yet to get 'in the zone' while running, but it is that place I hope to get to soon (right now I am focusing too much on my breathing, pace and distance). I came to running as an older adult and for several years was religious about it. But I let work and the need for sleep get in the way. Realizing in retrospect that I should have made running more of a priority as I felt so much better when I ran (no matter how long I spent at work or how little sleep I may have gotten).

But running for has always been a 'head' game. If I ever doubted myself on a run or focused too much on an injury, my runs were invariably cut short. But when I just let my mind wander as I ran, I would get into that 'zone' and running felt easier, a little more effortless. This time my return to running is to move from fantasizing about to again experiencing being 'in the zone' as this an energizing place, a place where I believe almost anything is possible.

Calico Coleslaw

Earlier in the week I had a bit of cooking disaster while making a corn soufflé. I attribute this failure to the change in an ingredient, thinking I knew better. The soufflé that came out of the oven let me know that I wasn't as food substitution smart as I thought I was, at least not in this recipe. With the proliferation of corn at the local produce market and roadside stands, I have been a little corn crazy these past few weeks (when one grows up on the midwest, corn country, you can get a little corn fussy and obsessed in finding the sweetest corn). I really think I could live on grilled bi-color sweet corn (even without the butter), but there are so many uses of corn that it would be silly to limit oneself to enjoying the taste of corn made only one way. Okay maybe not silly exactly, but maybe a tad limiting.

Being on this corn obsession reminded me of a coleslaw recipe that contained corn. And even though it uses canned and not fresh corn (yes I know a bit of a cardinal sin), it is a coleslaw that is a little different from traditional coleslaws. I needed an excuse to make this coleslaw (like one needs really need an excuse to make something delicious) and a beach and barbecue day with friends was just the reason I needed to make it. Now bringing coleslaw to gatherings is a little risky because everyone has their coleslaw preferences. Some like theirs mayonnaise based and some like theirs vinegar based. Because this coleslaw recipe uses both mayonnaise and vinegar I thought maybe both coleslaw camps would be covered.

My childhood BFF had shared this recipe with me years ago so I don't know its' origin. If you do an internet search for Calico Coleslaw recipes there are so many having this name, all with a different combination of ingredients. So I apologize now to the person who created this version of Calico Coleslaw. I thought about renaming this coleslaw and I wasn't really sure that calico describes its' deliciousness. But since I could not think of another name (my recipe naming creativity was a little challenged), I decided to just stick with Calico Coleslaw (as maybe just the name itself creates some culinary curiosity).

I had shared with friends the other day that I only like eating cabbage prepared in its raw, not cooked form. And I only like making coleslaw using a fresh whole head of cabbage versus using those pre-packaged cabbage slaw mixtures they sell in the produce section of the grocery store. Thinly slicing or shredding a head of cabbage allows your coleslaw to have a mixture of both white and green strands. I love the color white but not in a 'white' slaw and that's what you get with most of the prepackaged slaw mixes (along with some dried shredded carrots). This is a slaw without carrot or white onions. Instead it uses green onions which are great compliment to the cabbage, adding a great onion flavor without overpowering the slaw with it.

I find it easiest to slice or shred the cabbage by first cutting it into quarters and then cutting off some of the firmer white portion. One medium sized head of cabbage should yield 8 to 10 cups of sliced cabbage. More is sliced cabbage is better in this recipe. If less you will need to adjust how much dressing you mix into it.

Both the green and white portions of the green onions are sliced thinly on the diagonal. Six green onions should yield one cup of sliced onions, however, depending on the size of your green onions you may need 7 or 8.

What makes this coleslaw a little different from other slaw recipes is the addition of cubed American cheese and corn. I like buying the white versus the yellow American cheese from the deli counter. A chunk of cheese about one inch think should get you the equivalent of at least one cup of cubed cheese. A little more than one cup of cubed cheese is a good thing in this recipe. So if your chunk is one-third versus a quarter of a pound, by all means add it to the slaw mixture. Yes, I know this is the height of the summer corn season yet I am sharing with you a recipe calling for the use of canned corn, a Mexicorn mixture containing green and red peppers (although in the cans of corn I used, there weren't a significant number of peppers). Remember to drain the corn before mixing in with the other ingredients.

All of the vegetables are mixed together in a large bowl before the dressing is added. The mixing helps to evenly distribute the green onions, corn and cheese into the sliced cabbage.

There is no additional salt added to this coleslaw. The flavoring comes from the sugar, prepared mustard, celery seeds and vinegar that is added to the mayonnaise (real mayonnaise). All of the dressing ingredients are whisked together in a medium sized bowl until well combined. In order not to overdress the slaw, hold back at least 1/4 cup of the dressing before mixing in or add half of the dressing mixture, mix and then determine how much dressing you want to add.

The cabbage will release some its' moisture as it sets in the refrigerator so you want to be careful not to begin with too much moisture. Reserve any unused dressing and add to the slaw (if needed) after it sets. Transfer mixed slaw to a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours before serving.

Recipe
Calico Coleslaw (origin unknown)

Ingredients
1 medium sized cabbage (yielding 8 to 10 cups of shredded cabbage)
6 green onions, green and white parts (yielding one cup of sliced onions)
1 cup or 4 ounces of American cheese cubed
2 cans (11 ounce size) of Mexicorn (whole kernel corn with green/red peppers), drained
2 cups mayonnaise (recommend Hellman's)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons prepared mustard
1 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 cup white distilled vinegar
optional: 1/2 cup sliced black olives

Directions:
1. Mix together the shredded cabbage, sliced green onions, cubed American cheese and drained corn in  a large bowl.
2. Combine mayonnaise, sugar, mustard, celery seed and vinegar. Whisk until well blended.
3. Add the dressing to the slaw mixture. Note: Hold back 1/4 cup of the dressing. If slaw mixture is well coated, reserve dressing. If not, add the 1/4 cup.
4. Refrigerate at least 6 hours before serving.
5. If adding the optional black olives, add them when mixing the vegetables or sprinkle them on top of finished slaw.

I have lived out east for almost two years now and I just recently downloaded a tide chart app. For me the concept of tides was one I was not familiar with nor really understood having grown up in the midwest cornbelt. But I have since learned the importance of knowing when its' high and low tide (it can be incredibly disappointing to get up early with a plan to walk along the ocean and arrive to only discover its' high tide). You might be wondering why it took so long for me to grasp the concept or even have ready access to tide information. Well working long 10 to 12 plus hour days as well as working 6 days a week sometimes didn't give me as much time to walk along the ocean (I was putting sleep ahead of getting up at 5 am to get the beach walk in). But for the past several weeks I have had much more flexibility in my day and getting to the ocean, daily if weather possible, has become a routine I absolutely love (even if it means a little less sleep).

I love very early morning or late end of the day walks along the ocean when the beach itself feels a little empty with the only sound being the ocean or the wind. Just taking in the changing views of the water and the sky as well as listening to the sound and smell of the ocean is simultaneously energizing and relaxing. And whether its' a menacing gray sky or one filled with the most beautiful shades of blue, they are all compelling to take in. I have come to truly understand why people crave ocean or water views. Not only are they views that are beautifully unpredictable in color, but you get a feeling you are looking at and living with 'art'. I don't think one ever tires at looking at nature or landscapes or at least I don't think I could ever tire of looking at them or wanting to photograph them. And hopefully I never will.

Sugar Saucers

Next to brownies, I would rank cookies as my favorite confection to satisfy a craving for something sweet along with having a bit of a crunch. Like the chocolate chip cookie, there are so many different recipe variations for sugar cookies you could spend days, weeks, even months making every version until you find the perfect one (here I go with perfect again). So maybe I can save you some time, some butter and some sugar as I think the most perfect sugar cookie was one created by Rebecca Rather. These cookies can be made large (a cookie created in Texas must be big, right?), medium or small depending on the cookie size preference that satisfies your sweet tooth craving. And if there was ever a reason to turn on the oven on a warm summer day, well this sugar cookie is worthy of adding a little heat to any kitchen (even those like mine, those without air-conditioning that is).

What is so special about these cookies other than being bakery looking beautiful and over the top delicious? They are just the right sugary, just the right amount of crunch, and just the right amount of thickness. Formed with a ice cream scoop (no rolling pin needed for these sugar cookies), they could not be easier to make. And seriously, plated on a tray your family and friends will think you went to the trouble of finding the best bakery within 50 miles of your house (some of us are willing to travel for some ingredients and foods). Once they taste these sugar cookies, your friends will be willing to drive any distance to have access to them.

Served all by themselves, with some fresh berries, or a glass of lemonade, these sugar cookies are a perfect dessert to end a lunch or dinner. They also make a great mid-day or late night snack. And I know its' only August, but these should be on your list of the cookies you make for the fall and winter holidays.

I love when a cookie calls for ingredients you already have in the refrigerator and cupboard. There are no exotic or hard to find ingredients in this recipe. Even the egg used in the recipe is the standard large size. The first six ingredients are each mixed in one at a time before the dry ingredients are added.

What gives these cookies such a great texture is use of both unsalted butter and Canola oil. And because of the use of oil, the batter will start out as thin, thicken slightly with the addition of dry ingredients and then get to a semi-firm stage (after an hour of refrigeration). 

The butter, oil, sugars, egg and vanilla are all mixed together in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment, however, the dry ingredients are stirred in with a spatula or wooden spoon until they are completely incorporated. The bowl is covered in plastic wrap and placed in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour (I chill my dough for an hour and keep the dough in refrigerator as I bake each tray). I prefer baking my cookies on sheet at a time.

I have said this before, but I think it is worth repeating. Ice cream scoops are the perfect cookie making tool, a tool I could not live without. The ice cream scoop allows for making perfectly round, even sized cookies while keeping the dough from being warmed by your hands.

I used a 1 3/4 inch ice cream scoop for these cookies which yield a cookie 3 inches in diameter. On a parchment paper lined baking sheet you will place the mounds of dough approximately 2 inches apart. Just to make certain they did not touch when baking, I only placed 8 to 10 cookies on each baking sheet. Slightly flatten each cookie to approximately 1/4 inch and sprinkle with sugar before placing in a pre-heated 350 degree (F) oven. Baking time varies from 8 to 14 minutes depending on the size of ice cream scoop used to form the cookies.

The sugar cookies are done when the edges are just lightly golden. I generally look at the bottoms of the cookies to check for doneness as well, lifting one of them up with a spatula.  When done, the bottoms of the cookies will be lightly golden as well. Keep the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack. Immediately after taking them out of the oven, generously sprinkle each cookie with more sugar.

Once the sugar cookies have cooled completely on the rack, plate and serve or store in an airtight container. The cookies remain fresh for up to 3 days in a tightly sealed container or they can be frozen for up to 1 month.

Recipe
Sugar Saucers (slightly adapted recipe from Rebecca Rather in her"The Pastry Queen" cookbook)
Makes 18-20  3" cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup (4 ounces, 114 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup Canola or vegetable oil (but suggest using Canola oil)
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar plus more for dusting cookies
1/2 cup (63 g) confectionary sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla 
2 cups (256 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
1. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attaching, cream butter for approximately 1 minute.
2. Add each of the ingredients separately, beating on medium speed after each addition: canola oil, granulated sugar, confectionary sugar, egg, and vanilla.
3. Add the flour, baking soda and salt to the mixing bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until well combined.
4. Refrigerate dough (covering the bowl) for at least an hour in order for the dough to firm up slightly.
5. Form cookies using an ice cream scoop. For 4 inch cookies, use a 2 inch ice cream scoop; for 3 inch cookies use a 1 3/4 inch ice cream scoop and for 2 inch cookies use a tablespoon sized scoop. Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Press cookies to a 1/4 inch thickness. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Space cookies at least 2 inches apart.
6. In a preheated 350 degree (F) oven, bake cookies for 8 to 10 minutes (for small 2 inch cookies); for 10-14 minutes for 3 inch cookies); or for 12-15 minutes for 4 inch cookies. (If you like crisper cookies add 1 to 2 minutes onto baking time.)
7. Cookies are done when edges are lightly golden and bottoms are lightly browned. Keep cookies on baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooking rack. When cookies are on the baking sheet, sprinkle each cookie generously with granulated sugar.
8. Store cookies in an airtight container (for up to 3 days). Cookies can be frozen up to 1 month.

Update Notes: (1) Instead of using only granulated sugar to sprinkle on cookies, use a combination of granulated sugar and sanding sugar. I used a 2-1 ratio of these sugars.

I was driving to the grocery store the other day, a scenic 20 minute drive (everything here is at least a 20 minute drive), when I saw that one of the ponds was perfectly still. My first thought was 'be still my heart, this is a great photo opportunity'. I immediately pulled my car over to the side of road (thankfully its' a two lane highway with not much traffic. Picture taking can sometimes be hazardous if you are paying attention only to the landscape and not other cars or bikes on the road. I know this from experience.) Capturing mirror images is something that gives me a bit of thrill. Whether its' mountains or trees reflected in the water, there is something about a mirror image photo that I find a little compelling. It is as if Mother Nature suddenly takes a deep breath and momentarily allows everything to be still. It is in this stillness that there is a feeling of calm (in this sometimes chaotic world we live in). And a little bit of calm is always a good thing.

Someday I will take a photography class (I have to stop saying this and just do it) as I harbor the fantasy of being a female Ansel Adams (yes, I dream big and I am not even from Texas!) or at least take photos that bear some resemblance to the images he captured (without a digital camera no less). I once received a digital photography book from a friend who sought to nurture my passion for picture taking, but I am one of those who when I am learning am a 'much prefers to see it rather than read about it' kind of girl.

I had thought I had a relatively good eye for images until one day, while hiking on a trail in Rocky Mountain National Park, I came upon someone also taking photos. Actually this person came upon me. While I was initially rather anxious about his proximity to and conversation with me during the duration of a 4 hour hike (in my active imagination I thought I came upon a serial killer), I remained calm (or just slightly less guarded). Periodically throughout the hike he would randomly say 'there's a good shot' and I would look at where he was pointing and indeed there was a great shot. I had many takeaways (and stories) from this hiking experience, but there were a few takeaway that stayed with me. Sometimes we can't see what is in front of us, it takes someone else to help us see it. When you least expect it, you cross paths with someone who helps you take that deep breath.