Stephanie says

One of those moments you can’t erase:  Me meeting Michael at his Honolulu apartment, we had dinner plans. So I knock, knock, he eventually answers, oddly enough armed with his Hawaiian sling, (rubber band version of a spear gun.)  He’d spear fished earlier in the day and bagged himself a big ole Moray eel. Took it home. Put it in the sink.  He realized that eels breathe air, they’re not just any fish, at precisely the moment this large, powerful  creature, with scarily sharp teeth, jumped out of the sink and dove under the refrigerator.  Stage entrance Stephanie. Thank you Michael. I recall barefoot Michael perched on a counter, rocking the refrigerator with one hand, a spear in the other, trying to flush out the Moray. I was barefoot, standing on a chair. Laughing uproariously when not shrieking, at my brother's attempt to contain this powerful creature without losing any fingers or toes . Michael eventually moved the refrigerator and speared the eel. Back ...

I had four hours to wait at Puerto Vallarta airport, 6000 pesos in my pocket, and some very nice leather goods shops to browse.  So I shopped for a purse. I ended up with this beautiful specimen to add to my collection.  For a whopping $400. Partly because foreign money doesn't seem quite real.  And also because I really, really wanted to avoid going through the currency exchange.

YONCALLA — As soon as the van pulled in the driveway, people would come outside to greet Erin Helgren and Kelly Campbell.  Helgren, site liaison for Children’s Institute Early Works, and Campbell, student services coordinator for Yoncalla School District, have been making deliveries to families in the Yoncalla School District since the official start of the summer. The deliveries include food, books and family activities. When schools closed in March amid the coronavirus pandemic, Yoncalla was one of many school districts that came to students’ homes to deliver daily meals. However, it also became clear that the school district wouldn’t be able to continue that throughout the summer due to budget constraints. The school district received several grants and donations that allowed it to continue to provide meals to families with children from birth to 18 years old twice a week. It partnered with a local nursery and Head Start program to get in contact with the younges...

As part of Yoncalla summer reading program, the Yoncalla Public Library is assembling a weekly activity package for about 50 families.   Tuesday’s delivery contained directions and supplies to construct a marble track.   From a paper sack of supplies to a leap of imagination! From a paper sack of supplies to a leap of imagination! The library partnered with Yoncalla Schools for delivery.  Student meals are delivered twice weekly, with ingredients for breakfast and lunch.  Erin Helgren of Childrens Institute took on the complex task of figuring out USDA guidelines with regard to protein needs, etc. by age group for about 150 students, then converting that into a grocery list of nutritious ingredients; followed by purchasing the groceries; hiring staff to pack boxes then deliver those food boxes.    A huge undertaking that's getting smoother by the week!

It’s been a remarkable day.   Tyler called with a 1910 Craftsman house in Corvallis, my absolute favorite house style, well until Frank Lloyd Wright.   Erin stopped by and said she wanted to be clear, she wants to buy this house. Jeanne pitched the idea of me writing a screenplay from her friend’s story that I recently read. Then there’s my recurring dream.    A recurring moving dream I’ve had for months recently.   I’ve out, the house is vacant. I take a last walk-through, reliving fond memories. I spot my mother’s blond-dyed mahogany piano standing proud in an otherwise empty room.  Argggh. Is that a weird dream?

We've had a very wet spring this year resulting in a burgeoning snail population.  Said snails are feasting on my tender flower starts so I search them out and stomp them into oblivion.  I found some large ones yesterday which led to an idea to harvest the little pests.  Into escargot.  They eat my plants and I eat them! I fondly recall a dinner with friends aboard a floating restaurant in the bay off Lahaina.  It was a magical evening.  We had escargot for starters.  The texture reminded me of scallops, a juicy pop of flavor.

Serves 3 I bought a spiralizer attachment for my Kitchen Aid and it works like a champ.  I'll try out the shave blade next for scalloped celeriac root. Ingredients for above: 1 quart chicken broth 3 cloves minced garlic 1 inch piece ginger, finely chopped juice of half lemon handful of chopped parsley 4 scallions sliced 15 meatballs (I used frozen) 2 zucchini zoodled Heat broth on rangetop.  Add garlic, ginger, lemon juice, and meatballs, pinch of black pepper and heat until almost boiling.  Turn down temperature.  Add parsley, scallions and zoodles.  Cook for five minutes.  Serve. 

Cabbage Salad with Hot Bacon Dressing        Cook eggs.   Bon Appetit recently a sure-fire method for jammy hard-boiled eggs using a steamer basket.  I've got a small bamboo one that works perfectly in a small frying pan.  Pour water in the base of pan, place on stove-top over high heat.  Once water boils add steamer basket (with eggs).  When water boils again, set timer for eight minutes. Prepare an ice bath for the eggs.  Place cooked eggs in the water bath for five minutes.  The shells are easy to remove following the ice bath   Set aside. Hot Bacon Dressing 4 slices bacon, diced 2 TBL chopped onion 2 TBL vinegar 1 - 2 Tbl sugar substitute 3 cups coarsely shredded cabbage or other torn greens In skillet cook bacon until crisp.  Drain off excess bacon fat.  Add onion, vinegar & sweetener to pan.  Heat through.  Pour over cabbage.  Toss to coat an...

The original recipe is from marisamoore smoked-salmon-goat-cheese-mini-frittatas  I made a few adjustments as I lacked several ingredients - the end results was delicious! Recipe: 350 degrees  for 20 - 22 minutes. Oil (or cooking spray) small muffin tins 2 Net Carbs per serving (3 muffins) 6 eggs 2 scallions thinly sliced 1/4 tsp coarse salt 1/4 tsp black pepper 1/4 cup cream 3 oz smoked salmon 1 cup chopped spinach Original recipe called for 2 oz crumbled goat cheese and 2 TBL chopped chives - both of which I forgot... Prepare muffin tin. Beat eggs for several minutes until volume doubled and frothy.  Add salt, pepper & cream.  Mix well. Pour half mixture into individual cups in muffin tin - a little less than half-full.  Dice the salmon and distribute gently on top (in the muffin tin.)   Add the spinach to the mixing bowl.  Stir until thoroughly mixed.  Spoon into the muffin tin. Bake for 20 - 22 minutes. ...

Remember a few years back when I wrote a piece about truffle hunting? Bob and Deb, truffle dog handlers, continue to forage for truffles on our property.  Last month they scored a remarkable 200 large white truffles!  They are featured speakers and trainers at the Oregon Truffle Festival in Eugene. They caught the interest of NBC, who is sending a crew to do a piece for the Today Show of the dogs in action!  I'll add a link when it airs.  Below link is from 2013. https://stephanie-stephaniesays.blogspot.com/2013/01/a-truffling-we-do-go.html

I made an astonishing discovery today!  Saffron (the highly priced spice) is the stamen of a specific Crocus.  It's fall flowering and can grow in the gardening zone where I live. Crocus Sativus Each blossom has three stamens.  Lucky for me Amazon has 10-packs for $6.49.  I ordered two packs. 

I'm the official winner of the local Chamber of Commerce Christmas Lighting Contest:  Best for Less category.  I won $100!

Groom's family photo - November 1981 From left Back row:  Neil, Michael, Helene, From left Front row:  Me, Bruce, Maureen, Damian, Grandma Ethel

From bottom left:  Brown-Butter Sugar Cookies, Spice Cookies, Gluten-Free Chocolate Cookies, Mint Patties, Pistachio Brittle, Penuche The Pistachio Brittle was a big hit this year.  I make it every year although not necessarily to share!  It is very good.  Rich, buttery, big taste of pistachios.  Yum Pistachio Brittle Recipe Nonstick cooking spray 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup light corn syrup 1 1/2 cup shelled pistachios 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon unsalted butter Spray the back of a baking sheet with the nonstick cooking spray and set aside. In heavy saucepan, place 1/2 cup water, sugar, and corn syrup.  Cook the mixture over high heat until it registers 295 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 12 to 15 minutes.  Using a wooden spoon, quickly stir in the pistachios.  Turn off heat, add the vanilla, baking soda, and butter and stir until well-blended. Quickly turn the mixture out onto the back of ...