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Category Archives: Travel

A LITTLE SPACE, A LITTLE PRACTICE…

The girls and I are spending an entire week in Seattle. It was kind of a spur of the moment decision, the likes of which aren’t the norm when it comes to vacationing with two kids. We had plans to come up for a long weekend to celebrate Lulu’s and my mom’s birthday (May 23rd is a great day to be born!). Besides that I had plans to attend the rehearsal, and the opening night of Giselle at the Pacific Northwest Ballet. We drove up on Thursday and I spent both Thursday and Friday evening at the ballet with a wonderful friend. She treated me to dinner at Tillikum Place Café, which was fabulous, and two nights of superb ballet. On Saturday we had a birthday barbecue complete with swimming and sunscreen and strawberry shortcake.

strawberry shortcakePINKyle headed home on Sunday, back to work and to his studies. Kyle is studying, actually I think cramming is probably a more accurate verb, for his final final! As of Thursday afternoon, Kyle will have finished five long years of school. He will have a degree in Brewing and Distilling from Heriot-Watt University in Scotland. He’s been working towards this degree since before we got married. He’s diligently studied through a wedding, the purchasing of a house, two pregnancies, two newborns, building a garden, a home remodel, and approximately 1,000,000 distractions. In fact, I have vivid memories of him working away at a paper while we spent a few days in the hospital in Portland when I went into pre-term labor with Gigi, and studying like mad for an exam in the week after Lulu was born. It has taken some serious dedication, and lots and lots and lots of 5:30am wake-up calls to finish this degree. I thought that giving him a little space and time to study in a nice quiet house, and an easy way to fit in some mountain biking or beer sipping, without having to be pulled (literally) in several different directions at once, would make this last week of school much easier for him.

If I’m being completely, totally honest, I had a selfish angle too. I looked at this week as a great opportunity to check off a few stops on my long list of places I want to eat at here in Seattle. I’ve eaten already gotten a drink and eaten at Essex, had dinner with friends at Delancey, and grabbed pastries at Honoré. I stopped by each place on a different day, they all happen to be located right next door to each other which means I’ve been spending a lot of time on 70th in Ballard. I loved Essex and Delancey, the atmosphere was right up my alley, and while we do have some damn good pizza at home, we don’t exactly have a place with that kind of energy; it’s one of the few things I miss not living in the city. Honoré is one of my favorite places in Seattle and I stop at there every time we are here, usually more than once. I blow all my spending money on kouign amanns, which are these caramelized, flaky, crisp, salted spheres. Please don’t ask how to pronounce kouign amann, I usually just point and drool and say, “Can I have two of those next to the pan au chocolat… and, while you’re there I’ll have a pan au chocolat and an almond croissant… and a classic croissant… and one of those macarons, and a 12oz latte.” I load up on sticky, sweet, flaky pastries and head to the zoo where I attempt to steer a stroller around while shoving bites of baked goods in my mouth, and trying to not spill my coffee. I’m getting pretty good at it but will probably have to practice again later this week.

I love spending time up here in my hometown: visiting family members and friends, going to lunch with my 92 year old grandpa, spending lots of time at the zoo, swimming in my in-laws pool, and getting to spend lots of time with my sister and her son. We opted to stay with Grandma and Grandpa for the week. They are so helpful and wonderful, and in exchange for room and board (and lots of babysitting), I volunteered to cook all the dinners this week. This seems like a very balanced trade; I love to cook, they love to spend time with the grandchildren.

I have a chicken prepped and in the fridge, ready to make Roasted Chicken for dinner tonight; onions slowly caramelizing on the stove-top for French Onion Soup tomorrow; a couple of other easy dinners planned, as well as a couple of simple snacks. One thing I love about cooking is that it gives me a way to contribute and to pitch in when I’m staying with friends or family. My laundry folding and floor mopping skills leave something to be desired, so it’s nice to know how to chop.

ROASTED ARTICHOKE AND ASPARAGUS DIPPINI love being able to, not only make dinners, but to also offer up simple snacks during the day like this Roasted Artichoke and Asparagus Dip with Pita Chips. This time of year, when asparagus is abundant, I like to incorporate it anywhere I can. A couple weeks ago I decided to experiment with a beautiful bunch of asparagus I picked up at the market by tossing it onto a roasting pan alongside some artichoke hearts for a little twist on classic artichoke dip. The result was a delicious snack that could be served at any temperature, any time of day, or taken along for a healthy snack to say, the zoo. Making the pita chips is really easy, and I brush them with a bit of oregano or marjoram infused olive oil which gives them a nice earthy, deep flavor. The dip itself is really flavorful and actually pretty healthy, which certainly can’t be said for all artichoke dips. You can make it using regular mayonnaise, or Vegenaise if you prefer. I’ve made it with both and like the light tartness that the Vegenaise adds, but the mayonnaise is a bit creamier.

ROASTED ARTICHOKE AND ASPARAGUS DIP WITH OREGANO OIL PITA CHIPSPINROASTED ARTICHOKE AND ASPARAGUS DIP WITH OREGANO OIL PITA CHIPS

Ingredients.
2 14oz cans quartered artichoke hearts, drained
8 asparagus stalks, woody ends trimmed and discarded, cut into 2” pieces
2 green onions, white and light green parts only
1 garlic clove, minced
1 package of pitas (the kind that open like pockets, one package usually contains 4-6 whole pitas), cut into 8 wedges
extra virgin olive oil
a few sprigs fresh oregano or marjoram
1/4 cup mayonnaise or Vegeniase
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions.
Preheat your oven to 375˚F.
Pour 1/3 cup olive oil into a small saucepan and warm over medium-high heat until it just starts to appear thin and clear. Toss in a few sprigs of fresh oregano or marjoram, turn off the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Set aside a few tablespoons of the oregano oil to use later.

Paint each side of your pita wedges with a little bit of the oregano infused olive oil, sprinkle salt and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Cook in the oven for 12 minutes, flipping them over at the 6 minute mark. They should be lightly golden. Transfer the chips to a bowl and allow them to cool. They will crisp up as they cool down.

Toss the artichoke hearts, asparagus, and green onions onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with a couple tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper. Toss to coat.

Roast the vegetables until they are soft and starting to brown slightly around the edges, about an hour. Add the garlic clove, toss, and pop the pan back in the oven for another minute to soften the garlic flavor a bit. Remove the pan from the oven and allow the vegetables to cool for a few minutes.

Transfer all the vegetables from the food processor along with 1/4 cup mayonnaise or Vegenaise and a few tablespoons of the remaining oregano oil. Whiz until it’s smooth, season to taste with salt and pepper, transfer to a bowl, top with a little more oil and serve along with the pita chips.

Serves 4-6.

PRINTABLE RECIPE.
ROASTED ARTICHOKE AND ASPARAGUS DIP WITH OREGANO OIL PITA CHIPS

PARIS IN THE SPRINGTIME…

My Dad and Stepmom have been sending me photos from Paris; photos of Montmartre on a cloudy day, the Eiffel Tower peaking out from between alleyways, cheese and champagne on a platter in a little Parisian apartment. The photos usually arrive fist thing in the morning, just in time for me to slip into dreamland while I sip my coffee. This morning they sent another picture of the Eiffel Tower and when I showed it to Gigi she cried, “I love it! I want to go to Paris!”

EIFFEL TOWER PARSIPINI want to go to Paris, too. It’s been five years since we were last there, on our honeymoon…

parisian picnicPIN… we’re overdue for a trip. I can’t wait to show the girls that city. I’ve been trying to talk Kyle into buying tickets, or using miles, to go next Spring! Then we have a whole year to figure out the details. We’re lucky to have family there; in fact, my cousins who live there have two young girls. We have a wonderful little apartment we can stay in in the 7th arrondissement. It makes perfect sense to go before Lulu turns two and she can fly (almost) for free! We already have a our passports… I can’t think of a single reason not to go! I’ve always been a “yes!” person, but I’ve also always been a worrier. I’m working on letting go of the worry and just trusting that things will work out perfectly… or, if not perfectly, at least good enough to justify the leap of faith. I want to teach my kids how to leap.

Until we buy those tickets, I will enjoy the photos from streaming in from my Dad, and count down the days until we are eating cheese and drinking wine in Cécile’s apartment again. Cécile is a friend of my Uncle, and I’ve stayed in her little apartment on three separate trips to Paris. It’s a small apartment, but there’s plenty of room for a couple with a couple kids… as long as everyone is willing to be cozy. And as long as everyone doesn’t mind the gentlemen who’s snores echo around the courtyard all night. The kitchen is pretty tiny but it’s big enough to put together simple breakfasts made with fresh ingredients bought on Rue Cler, to make a fresh salad, or to assemble an impressive cheese and charcuterie platter.

PARISIAN KITCHENPIN

When we’ve stayed there before we mostly ate breakfasts in, and enjoyed many coursed lunches out, and had light evening picnics on the Champs de Mars. For breakfast we’d make quick, simple scrambled eggs, and serve them alongside some heavily buttered baguette, or a bit of leftover salami or prosciutto from our previous evening’s picnic. I love making scrambled eggs using fresh, season vegetables. In the spring, asparagus is definitely my favorite ingredient. It always feels like a privilege when asparagus season comes around. I feel like I have to buy it every time I come across it since the season is so short.

These Softly Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus and Ricotta are simple, and really delicious. I like to sauté the asparagus until it starts to brown a little bit, which adds a lot of flavor. The eggs are mixed with a little ricotta, which makes them velvety and rich, then gently folded in hot butter until they are silky and soft. This is such an easy breakfast, no matter how tiny your kitchen is, or what country you’re in.

Softly Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus and RicottaPINSoftly Scrambled Eggs with Asparagus and RicottaPIN

SOFTLY SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH ASPARAGUS AND RICOTTA

Ingredients.
4 eggs
2 tablespoons whole milk ricotta cheese
6 asparagus spears, washed and woody ends trimmed, and cut into 1” pieces
Maldon or kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter

Directions.
Whisk the eggs together in a bowl, then add the ricotta cheese and whisk a bit more, until combined. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
In a medium-sized skillet, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Toss in the asparagus pieces in and sauté for 5 minutes, until they are slightly tender and beginning to brown.

Reduce the heat to medium-low.

Add the butter and melt it. Tilt the pan so that the butter and olive oil pool along one edge. Gently pour the egg mixture into the pool of butter, and slowly set the pan back level on the burner. Let the eggs settle for a moment before gently folding and turning them a bit. Let them settle again, fold gently again. Continue this until the eggs are cooked to your desired doneness.

Transfer to plates and season with a bit more salt and pepper.

Serves 2 adults.

PRINTABLE RECIPE.
SOFTLY SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH ASPARAGUS AND RICOTTA