Stephanie says

My energy level is back to normal, thankfully.  I picked a gallon of blackberries, made some fabulous meat balls and am finishing up Potato Leek Soup.  I had a version of this soup a few weeks back at Sweetwaters at the Valley River Inn and it was so tasty I decided to make some.  That I'm growing leeks is an added bonus.  My little darling and the baby will be here for a visit soon so I'm ramping up the cooking.  My big darling also benefits. I used half chicken broth and half water today not being a fan of vegetable broth.  Creme fraiche is not readily available at the Yoncalla grocery, so we're going without.   An immersion blender is a handy tool. Going to use dill weed on my next bowl.  Doesn't that sound great? Ingredients 2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed oil 4 to 5 medium russet potatoes (1 pound), peeled and roughly chopped 3 large leeks (1 pound), cleaned and thinly sliced 6 cups vegetable stock...

I've been sidelined by inertia.  I haven't enough focus to tackle any project.  I am reduced to watching crap t.v. on the Hallmark channel.  With commercials.  This is dire. Ackkkkkkk.

This is pretty representational of a typical August meal during my childhood.  There would have been cantaloupe or sliced peaches but I had freshly pressed apple cider instead.  Note the crispy bacon on the green beans.  Yum.  And yes, that is a little bowl of ketchup to dip my perfectly cooked steak.  So sue me.  The biggest difference from my Mom's table is 1) Her dishes match.  2)  Whatever piece of meat, probably venison, would be cooked so dry that it sucked the saliva off my tongue.  I didn't eat meat as a child... Hmmm, the bacon went missing. Finito How I love August.

I've been raving about these pickles and now pony up the recipe.  These ferment in the refrigerator and retain that wonderful pickle crispness because they're not processed in a water bath.  I made a gallon last fall and admit to hoarding my cache.  I ate the last one this week and it was still crisp! This recipe is from Jan Roberts-Dominguez, a Corvallis food writer, I've followed for years.  She makes and refrigerates the brine so when she finds really fresh cukes, she gets them processed pronto.  Make-ahead Pickling Brine: (Makes 1/2 gallon of brine, enough for 1 gallon of pickles) 1 quart cider vinegar 1 quart water 1/4 cup pickling spices 1/2 cup picking salt 2 TBL sugar 1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric 1 cup chopped fresh dill heads In a large, non-aluminum pot, combine the above ingredients.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat, cover and simmer five minutes. If readying a batch for the refrigerator, then let the mixture cool, then strain o...

He passes my door, Through the hall, And at my window, Our eyes catch He flashes a raffish smile Makes a stage left exit A chuckle in his wake.

It's peach season in Douglas County.  I've been awaiting this harvest because Terry sings praises about dried peaches, and I'm game to try different preservation methods, particularly ideas from a major foodie.  I bought a flat of Yoncalla peaches and am drying most of them in the oven.  I put them in at 7 p.m. last evening at the lowest oven temperature of 170 degrees, halved and de-stoned with the skin intact.  They didn't seem dry enough this morning so I left them in the oven and headed to work. Hours later I entered the house to the tantalizing aroma of warmed, (truly, there is a distinction,) peaches, made just a little more complex by the drying process. Sometime during the day, while I was on hold for yet another technological issue, I got thinking about the ginger-lime salmon I'd eaten earlier this week.  And how that would work with some boneless pork defrosting in the fridge.  I surfed online and found a recipe...wait for it....Ginger and Ros...

A week later - how cute! He's chunking up!  Sweet boy.