Teaching and Serving

I started teaching at North Seattle Community College on January 4th, and my life has taken off! I am teaching a basic health course to 35 college students! Yah, somebody thinks I know something about basic health and thinks I can give advice to college kids. It's a great opportunity, and it takes lots of my time!

I ride the bus from downtown Seattle to NSCC each day, and I really have been enjoying the ride. I don't have to worry about merging traffic, accidents or crazy pedestrians. I just jump on the bus and get off 45 minutes later. Now, do note that it does take 30-45 minutes, depending on the passengers and number of stops, so it takes planning. The same drive, which is only 6 miles, takes about 15 minutes if I were to drive. However, since we live downtown, we park our car in a lot that's not very close to our house -- about 8 minutes away. Then, parking takes another 5 minutes, if you're lucky. I won't pay for a quarter-long parking permit, so I try to park further from campus. It takes about 5 minutes to walk from one of the parking spots on the street across from the campus. So, all said, it takes about 24 minutes to drive myself to campus. It's worth riding a bus and getting a front-row drop off. I've thought a few times how funny (and so inconvenient) it would be if I were to drive to NSCC and then get on the bus later, leaving my car at campus.

Because the position opened up at NSCC, at least for the quarter, I do not work at Seastar Restaurant and Bar, the seafood restaurant I was at. I had been learning quite a bit from them, but one thing I learned for sure is that I don't care for losing out on all my weekend nights. I also have learned how essential each position is in the restaurant, regardless of how glamours or lowly. Truly. the serving assistants, the ladies and guys who clear tables, drop off plates, and deliver bread and butter, are the busiest people in the house. Okay, if you're a server, you'll probably disagree with me. But can you imagine trying to do all of this alone?

I have learned some good lessons from working in a restaurant. Here they are. Of course, if you're in the industry, then you'll probably have some suggestions. Feel free to comment.

1. Tip well, especially if the serving staff deserved it. They are often paid minimum wage and expect to make up the difference in tips. If the server is really biffing on the job, talk to a manager privately. He or she could make it right.
2. Make a reservation. It really doesn't matter if you think it will be busy tonight -- make one anyway.
3. Give your hostess information, like if you're celebrating something special, so she can take care of your table (sometimes a dessert can be given to you -wink wink)
4. Make eye contact with staff, the serving staff, the bar staff, the assistance, and the bussers - it's basic human respect. Even though they're members of the service industry, they're not servants.
5. Don't close the restaurant -- don't be the last table that hangs out one to two hours past the last seating. The servers, while they're glad you decided to dine there, do not want to stay for an extra two hours while you and your friends enjoy themselves. They still have to clean up the restaurant and all.
6. Be sure the restaurant is appropriate for the guests - if you want to dine at a nice restaurant, then leave the kids with the grandparents. Or, if you have kids, then go to a restaurant where the other guests won't be disturbed by kids. Restaurants want all diners to have a good experience, and sometimes other guests can ruin the experience for them. Don't be that guest.
7. If you do bring kid, bring food for them, because they'll probably get incredibly hungry before the food comes out. And clean up the food that falls on the floor (if it's food you brought with for the kids). There's nothing worse than cleaning up crushed Cheerios, and it's even worse when it's at your restaurant after the patrons have left.
8. If you have food allergies, let the chef know. He or she can probably whip up a great dish for you with some advance notice. When you make the reservation, see if you can plan that in.
9. Tip well, even if the servers don't deserve it. Okay, not 25%, but at least 10%. Many restaurants split the tips with the rest of the staff, so the whole team feels the effects.

The thing about being busy is that I don't have time to cook and prepare meals the same way that I have in the past. When we were in Pueblo, we had joined Country Roots Farm, a CSA, and I did a lot of cooking and preparation from scratch. But now, I usually get home in the late afternoon, and sometimes Josh is at work. The inspiration to make dinner is almost absent when he's absent. I have been eating a lot cereal lately.

Fortunately, Day by Day Gourmet makes simple meals that come together quite quickly. So, when we are home together, and I am not in the mood to go all out for dinner (or I lack the groceries), I can thaw one of those meals or cook one from frozen. Specific items were created that can be prepared from frozen if you didn't think of thawing a meal 24 hours in advance. I made Milano Risotto last night. It was easy to make, thank goodness! The great thing about the meals - and I'm biased here - is that the meals are nutritionally balanced. They are created to be around 500 calories, have 2-3 servings of vegetables, restrict sodium, and control fat. So, at least I can give my husband a decent meal that is good for him and that tastes good.



Now that I don't have the restaurant, our schedules line up a little better. There are still nights that he works, and I resort to eating cereal again. But...I am cooking a little more. We wandered down to the Market and picked up some salmon the other day. I had been thinking of a roasted salmon filet with a balsamic vinegar reduction. So, Josh loyally trekked to the Pike Market with me and helped me pick up a salmon filet at Jack's Fish Spot.

I found a good recipe online, and I made some modifications. Check the next post for the recipe.

Simpler Creamy Risotto

Creamy Risotto

Serves 4

Cook time: about 41 minutes (make this recipe while preparing another dish to feel that time is spent well)

 

½ medium onion, minced finely

2 tbsp butter

1 cup Sweet Rice (Thai)*

4 cups water

3-4 chicken bouillon cubes, to taste**

¼ tsp garlic powder (or 1 garlic clove minced)

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

½ tsp lemon juice

½ cup chopped green onion, greens and whites

½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

1 tsp parsley leaves, chopped

 

Find a kitchen timer, you’ll need it for this recipe. 

In large saucepan or nonstick wok, melt butter and gently sauté (sweat) the onions over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent. 

Add sweet rice, turn up the heat to medium, and sauté for 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. 

While the rice is browning, bring the water and chicken bouillon cubes to a simmer in a separate saucepan**. 

Add 1-½ cups of the hot broth to the browned rice and stir it in.  Reduce heat to medium-low. 

Set the timer for 5 minutes.  After 5 minutes, stir the rice, which will be thick. 

Stir in 1 more cup of the broth.  Set the timer for 2 minutes.  The liquid will soak in each time. 

Then pour 1 more cup of broth in.  Allow the rice to soak up the broth for approximately 2 minutes.

After this point, you'll probably have to stay in the kitchen and stir it every minute.  Set the timer for 12 minutes to help gauge the passage of time, but don’t leave the saucepan to simmer alone. 

Stirring constantly, add the remaining broth. When the timer ends, turn off the heat, but leave the wok on the burner.  Stir in the garlic, pepper, lemon, green onion, mozzarella, and parsley.  Serve hot.

 

*Thai Sweet Rice isn't sweet, really.  It's a short grain rice that releases quite a bit of starch, making the liquid portion thick and creamy.  It's often cooked with coconut, sweetened, and served with coconut. 

** You can substitute the 4 cups of water with 4 cups of low sodium chicken stock. 

Frittata ala Pueblo

Who doesn’t love some ease and flexibility for home-cooked meals? Frittatas offer both, making this recipe unique each time you bake it. Frittatas are my lazy weekend morning meals, when I don't feel like babysitting an omelet pan but still crave an egg teaming with vegetables. This satisfying, easily prepared meal offers great health benefits too.
Locally grown eggs are available all year, so you can shop and eat local organic even before all the vegetables make it to the farmers markets in July. Organic eggs are available from several local farms, including Larga Vista Ranch and Country Roots Farm, and the benefits of selecting organically grown eggs have now been supported with scientific data. Eggs may improve the health of your eyes, providing antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin (Egg Industry Insider 2006), and the winning combination of protein and fat help to keep your stomach satisfied for hours. Better yet, pasture-raised chicken eggs contain less cholesterol and saturated fat and more vitamin A, vitamin E, beta carotene and omega-3 fatty acids than their conventionally-grown counterparts (Mother Earth News 2007).
The Organic Processing Magazine (2008) reviewed studies that revealed that both organic dairy and meat have higher levels of conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) when compared to conventionally raised animals. These levels were due to the differences in the animals' diets. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reports that CLAs help to reduce the body fat mass in healthy overweight individuals (June 2004). According to the International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders, CLAs also help reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease (August 2004).
Eggs are often accused of raising cholesterol, which can be the case for those with higher cholesterol. The recommended daily cholesterol limit is 200-250 mg, which is roughly one egg yolk. The egg yolk provides roughly 75% of the calories and all of the cholesterol, so if you want to limit your intake, use more egg whites than whole eggs. Be sure to include some of the egg yolk on occasion, because the bright yellow-orange color provides the riboflavin and the helpful CLAs. *
I usually make these meals at the end of the week to use up the vegetables I have prepared during the previous days for different meals. Having the vegetables already chopped makes this meal a snap to prepare. You will want to use an oven-safe skillet, preferably nonstick (but watch out for flaking Teflon, which is not good for you). You can also substitute other vegetables or meat (or not) for the vegetables and ham, as you desire, based on what’s available and looks good. Check with the local farmers to see which vegetables are freshest the day you go to the market. If you can find fresh goat cheese, it’s a great substitute for the Parmesan cheese. For some bright flavor, add 1-2 tablespoons minced fresh herbs (try basil, thyme or tarragon) when you add the cheese.
When you serve this with a side of fruit, and toasted whole-grain bread, you have one hearty, delicious breakfast.
Frittata (baked omelet)
Serves 6
1 bunch fresh asparagus, ends snapped off and trimmed to 2” pieces
½ jar (8oz) roasted bell peppers, drained, cut into 1½-inch squares
1 slice (3oz) thick-cut ham, diced (or 6 slices Canadian bacon, diced)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Medium onion, diced
6 mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 green chili, seeded, cleaned and diced
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
6 large eggs
3 tablespoons softened cream cheese
¼ cup milk
½ to 1 cup shredded cheese (Parmesan is nutty and sharp, and Cheddar melts nicely)
During the week before, slice vegetables, and place in zipper bag. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine softened cream cheese and milk. Scramble eggs in a medium bowl and add salt and pepper (a good dash each). Whip together the eggs with the milk/cream cheese mixture. On the stovetop, preheat a 10” oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Melt the butter. Sauté the onion and garlic. Add the rest of the vegetables and the ham. Sauté about 3 minutes. Pour eggs over vegetables. Place skillet in oven and bake about 15 minutes, until eggs are just about set and slightly shiny. Remove skillet from oven—be careful, because the handle will be hot. Sprinkle shredded cheese over eggs and return pan to oven. Bake until cheese melts and bubbles, about 5 more minutes. Serve by sliding frittata onto larger plate and slicing like pie.

Local Farms around Pueblo (2009)
Larga Vista Ranch 719-947-0982
Country Roots Farm 719-948-2206

* The debate about egg yolk cholesterol is on-going. Generally, an egg or two per day won't hurt you, and if you enjoy this breakfast on a few weekends in a month, you probably won't have to worry. This is especially the case for those with normal blood cholesterol and those who do not consume foods that naturally contain cholesterol - any animal product. Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon suggests that dietary cholesterol does not have as direct an impact on blood cholesterol. These opinions still need to be backed by more studies. One of my friends removes one tablespoon of egg yolk per egg by dipping soup spoon into the yolk prior to scrambling them. I believe that a little bit of yolk is still beneficial to provide the CLAs, riboflavin, etc.

Breakfast in the Hand

I had breakfast with Summer A. a little while back, and she shared with me this delicious breakfast sandwich.  I have begun missing English muffins, and I'll go through occasional cravings for them.  I enjoy them most with hazelnut-chocolate spread or orange marmalade, but this sandwich, modified slightly*, is fantastic!  Josh and I had been breakfasting on burritos when we drive to Monarch for our ski days, but we will definitely be adding this to our breakfast repertoire.  Thanks, Summer!  The eggs can be substituted or egg whites can be used.  A low-fat, low sodium Canadian bacon or ham can be used as well.  Just make sure you use real cheddar cheese, because the melting is important.   Spelt is not a gluten free bread, but it can sometimes be tolerated well by people with wheat allergies.  But check with your doctor before you try it out.   It's a fine bread for people without allergies.  Gluten free muffins are also sold.  

2 Spelt English muffins, split

2 slices cheddar cheese

4 slices Canadian bacon or turkey ham, thick sliced

1 tbsp butter or oil, divided 

2 tsp brown sugar

2 eggs, beaten

salt and pepper

Preheat a nonstick omelet or 8" saute pan over medium heat.  Place split muffins in toaster oven and set on medium-dark setting.  Begin toasting.  Melt 1 tsp butter in the saute pan.  Add the bacon slices and begin to fry the bacon.  Allow to brown slightly.  Sprinkle with brown sugar and stir to allow to melt and coat the meat.  Remove from pan.  Wipe pan with wet cloth.  Melt 1 tsp butter in same nonstick pan.  Pour eggs into pan.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Allow eggs to cook for about one minute.  Lift edges of the eggs to allow the uncooked portions to flow under the cooked egg until they're cooked.  While the eggs are beginning to set, add the cheddar cheese slices to the tops of the English muffins.  Return the muffins to the toaster oven and toast on light setting.  Fold the eggs over to form an omelette.  Remove pan from heat.  Split the egg mixture in half, making two egg portions.  Lay the egg on the bottom half of the English muffin.  Layer on the Canadian bacon.  Top with muffin top.

This can be served immediately or wrapped in foil and reheated later.  

*Summer's lower-fat version involved removing some of the egg yolk and using oil or kitchen spray instead of butter.  If cholesterol control is your focus, these may be good ideas.  

Community Activities Awarded Grant from USDA Program

Kimberly Schaub and Tisha Casida, with the help of Dr. Dennis Lamm at Colorado State University, were recently awarded a grant from the USDA’s Sustainable Agriculture and Research Education (SARE) program.
Their grant funds, totaling $48,988 will go towards the salaries of the participants and the materials that will be used in the classroom. The line-up for the preparation of the curriculum includes three local farmers (Larga Vista Ranch, Javernick Farms, Mike Bartolo) and Susan Fries, executive director of the Pueblo Performing Arts Guild, who has been a driving force in implementing the Farmer’s Market Festival on the Riverwalk.
“The goal of the grant will be to create, implement, and evaluate a sustainable agriculture curriculum for students in elementary and middle school,” says Tisha Casida, Publisher of That’s Natural! a local magazine dedicated to sustainability. Schaub and Casida have been able to organize three venues to implement their first curriculum: Pueblo School for Arts and Sciences, Heaton Middle School, and the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center.
"Pueblo County has a unique relationship with its agricultural community, and we are thrilled at the opportunity to introduce children to the wonderful assortment of foods that are grown just miles from their homes. Childhood obesity is due in part to food choices, and when the children become familiar with fresh, local food, they are empowered to make healthier selections next time they eat. They have a powerful influence on their families' purchasing decisions, and encouraging them to begin buying local food benefits their health as well as the economies of local businesses,” says Schaub, Certified Nutritionist.
Their next presentation to students will be at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center’s YOUNG AT ART Afterschool program, on Friday, April 17th at 2:00 PM. Seventy-five students from District 60 schools will get to visit with local producers and learn about Sustainable Agriculture.
Schaub and Casida have had great response from the community, and are very excited to keep the public updated as to their progress via: http://blog.thatsnatural.info (see the Category “Colorado Farm‐to‐Fork).
“We would love to have more people know what wonderful local and sustainable agriculture there is in southern Colorado, and look forward to having our youth and future consumers, be a part of this sustainable way of looking at our food supply.”

Schaub and Casida can be reached via the That’s Natural! phone: 719-210-8273 or email, Thats.Natural.Info@gmail.com.

Consumers Win at Vitamin Cottage!

Rod, the manager of Pueblo's Vitamin Cottage, rallied for our cause and was able to get the corporate deciders to decide in favor of That's Natural!  Read here:http://blog.thatsnatural.info/today-consumer-wins-vitamin-cottage/

That's Natural Loses Significant Distributer due to Corporate Decision

This week, the loss of one of our primary distribution sites for the That's Natural! publication was confirmed by the corporate management of Vitamin Cottage. In spite of a valiant effort by the manager of the Pueblo branch, the store's parent company, Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets Inc. has chosen to include That's Natural! in their new policy to remove all publications from their stores. The reason for this change, as relayed to our supportive branch manager, is that the company wishes to avoid distribution requests from companies unrelated to Vitamin Cottage's products and services.

READ more at That's Natural's website: http://blog.thatsnatural.info/vitamin-cottage-removes-community-publications-stores/

Tell Vitamin Cottage to support local publications whose services and advertisements are in line with the company's mission!

Here is what I wrote:

I was extremely disappointed to find out that Vitamin Cottage will no longer allow local publications to be distributed at their stores. Although I understand that sifting through the various publications in order to decide which publications to allow for distribution, I thought that you would recognize publications whose missions are shared with the goal of providing health education. I am speaking, of course, of That's Natural Publication, which is distributed in Pueblo County. Many of us readers look for the publication at the only health food store in Pueblo while we shop. We often also read the publications provided within the store. We will now be forced to find other sources to pick up our copies of the magazine. Additionally, I will do my best not to support Vitamin Cottage as long as it clearly does not want to support local businesses. I agree that you may be inundated with requests to host stands for other newspapers, but rather than creating a sweeping decision, you would do better to allow for local managers to make decisions regarding their stores and the customers they serve.

Karina's Kitchen- Recipes from a Gluten-Free Goddess: Purple Cabbage & Sweet Potato Soup

A taste of Thai without leaving my kitchen!  

Karina's Kitchen- Recipes from a Gluten-Free Goddess: Purple Cabbage & Sweet Potato Soup

I wasn't entirely sure about this soup last night, but I have been wanting to try a purple cabbage dish for a while. Silly me, I didn't read the entire recipe, and my lovely neighbor Katie graciously lent me a can of pinto beans. The peanut butter and coconut were concerning at first, but the lime brightened the flavor and tied everything together. It was incredibly beautiful and delicious! We had Katie, the Siscos, and us for dinner - and we had enough food for leftovers! I encourage you to try this recipe - you will never even miss the gluten! It had somewhat of a Thai flavor, but the yellow curry gave it a southern Indian flare.

I used Walker's brand Curry Powder, which is really flavorful.  I also added cumin, which was an optional ingredient.  I had the minced Anaheim peppers as a garnish for those who preferred a spicy dish, and I added another cup of chicken stock after adding the peanut butter, omitting the "1/2 cup boiling water."  I eliminated any of the spices used to make the soup spicy, because these could be added as garnish.  

It was quite delicious!

Back to School!

I'm back in school -- I have been teaching at Pueblo Community College for a semester-and-a-half now, and I'm taking some classes through their employment benefits program. I'm taking Anatomy and Physiology I and ServSafe/Food Sanitation 101. These are great - and greatly time consuming! Between teaching and studying, I have 11 credits. I'm ALMOST full time :) I'm also still working with That's Natural and with the Colorado Farm to Fork Grant project.

I spend most of my days studying - mostly at Solar Roast Coffee, The Loft, and Wireworks. On occasion, I'll bend and go to the green national coffee chain, but I try to support the local businesses on a poor teacher/poorer student's income. And I think it would be more accurate to call it an out-go than an in-come. My cashflow is provided by Dr. Donna Hinders who has me come and file for her on occasion. She has also tutored me through my first Axial skeleton quiz (skull and vertebrae).

Today it was actually cold, so the fireplace is burning, and I'm sipping a lovely cup of Solaris coffee. I'm obviously taking a break from studying...

There is something inspiring about smelling ground coffee and brewing smells in a coffee shop. I think it opens up my blood vessels or something. :)

The other nice thing about studying at coffee shops is that you meet great friends here. I've struck up friendships with several of the staff and owners of the shops, which brings me to the random statement about having relationships with businesses. These relationships are WHY living is worth it! So thanks to my coffee shop friends who feed my addiction!

Junior League Kids Korner at Pueblo Health Expo

The Expo was great!

We had great attendance, and I think lots of it was due to the fact that That's Natural created special postcard invitations for the women of the Junior League to hand out to kids to augment the marketing that the Expo itself was doing.  There was so much participation for the Zumba and jump roping activities!  I think the extra marketing may have brought more families this time!

Arwen Christian, Tisha Casida, and a few other bleary-eyed chics joined me at 6:30 a.m. to set up for the Expo.  We didn't turn out to have much to do at the get-go, but that relaxation disappeared when the kids started to arrive!  

Arwen and I hosted the Nutrition Jeopardy game for the kids, and we handed out great prizes, including donations from Pamela' Products, a gluten free company, and others.  Arwen, Liz Marco, and I had stayed up on Tuesday working on the board and writing questions for it.  It was fun!  There are some great resources online, including the NAFWA, that provide nutrition material free of charge.  

I also helped out a Sodexho chef who was having microphone difficulties - anything to be on stage, right? :)

Other significant women: Anne Weirbach, Laura McGowan, Cara Housman, Lindsey Pacheco, and Janna Nolt.  They all dedicated chunks of time to help out at the Expo.  

  

Joshua took this goofy shot of me dressed like a carrot, compliments of That's Natural.  But my bravery was beat out by Susie Cauley, our Junior League chicken.  

I also took at stab at the Tree Pose, taught by Hilary Pacheco-Hall from the YMCA.  

Here's Arwen helping with the jump roping... I shied away and was hanging out with the chef at the other cooking demo! :)

We also donated some of our booth space to the Sangre de Cristo Art Center, and Stuffy and Joey helped children learn about the internal organs of the body.  He pulled out not-to-lifesize organs to educate the kids!  How fun!

Skiing

We went skiing last weekend with my dad as part of a Christmas gift package we gave him. We paid for most of the trip! He drove though, because between three sets of skis, boots, poles, bags, food, me :) we would barely have fit! We had a great day - sunny, warm -35 degrees, no wind! But I skied like a dweeb and fell several times! Oh well. I even took out a mogul-hill with my shoulder -- those are those hideous bumps that you either turn between them or on top of them....something like that. Not totally clear on what I'm supposed to do, but I do know this. NOT THE WAY I WENT.

Back to School

Well, after several months of discussing - and lots and lots of thoughts and prayer - I've decided to go back to school.  Joshua has gotten closer and closer to finishing his hours to get fully licensed as a practitioner in Colorado, and as he ticked hours off, I began to look forward to what we would be doing next.  I still hadn't gotten my RD, and that's been on my mind lately, so in August, Josh and I decided that I should apply for some dietetic internship programs and see if I got into any.  

I've been working on applications to several programs in a few states, and we'll find out in the end of April - April 20th - whether or not I am accepted into any of the programs.  I'm nervous for a few reasons: I spent a majority of my Pepperdine time volunteering with different groups, working on Coffee House and for the Nutrition Science division, and attending ROTC classes, and I didn't spend much time working to get A's.  So... I feel quite a bit less competitive than other applicants.  I'm hoping that my last two years of extremely involved activities, paired with my military experiences and college experiences, will give me an edge over the 4.0's.  

To refresh my education and my memory, I'm taking some classes at Pueblo Community College - where I'm teaching.  I'm taking ServSafe, the National Restaurant Association course with exam, and Anatomy and Physiology I.  I haven't had any biology or anatomy classes in a while - okay 4 years - so I'm feeling the fear that most students probably experience when they go back to school!  

Joshua received his full license in December!   Now he can practice under his own license without a supervisor.  I'm really happy he persevered and got his hours in!  I think in the end it results in more paperwork and "independence," but now it's official.  He's a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist!  Congrats to Joshua! :)

Pamela's Gluten Free Scones

The original recipe is from Pamela's Products, who have single-handedly supported my gluten-free transition.  Marion, the rep I'm in contact with, has researched recipes, sent samples (many many samples), and supported the beginnings of a gluten-free group in Pueblo.  Many thanks, Marion!  Get your own recipe at www.pamelasproducts.com.  

As usual, I can't leave a recipe alone, so I make a lavender white chocolate chip (inspired by Hopscotch Bakery) by substituting the chocolate chips for the cranberries and adding 1 tsp lavender buds.  

This time, I also added lemon zest, but I think the scone may taste sweeter for that reason.  I reduced the sugar by 1 tablespoon.  The scones spread out quite a bit, even though I had reduced the milk (I used rice milk) by 2-3 tablespoons.  The dough is quite thick - probably almost thick enough to pat into a disk and slice rather than drop onto a baking sheet.  

Cranberry Orange Scones

2-1/3 cups Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix 

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar 

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1/2 cup cranberries

4 tablespoons butter 

1 egg, beaten 

2/3 cup milk 

1 tablespoon orange zest

Yield: 10 to 12 scones

Mix the dry ingredients together. Cut in the butter using two knives. Add the milk and beaten eggs. Mix together with a fork. Dough will be thick. Drop large, tall dollops of dough (scones will spread when baking) onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 15-17 minutes.

Variation:

Currant Scones: Replace cranberries with 1/2 cup currants, orange zest is optional for this recipe.

Christmastime

We really had a great time this Christmas.  We started off our holiday with my parents and brother in the Springs and then traveled to Seattle (yup, during the record-breaking snow storms) and spent time with family and friends.  Lamely enough, I didn't get pictures of the Bowens and the Cox's while we were there.  I'll try post some later on.  We spent some good time talking to Grampa Owen, which was really enjoyable.  I hope your Christmas was warm, with friends, and - as always - enjoying good food :)

We also had a chance to meet up with Graham and Treena Kerr  - the Galloping Gourmet.  How fun!  We had lunch- a smoked paprika beef stew with diamond cut potatoes - dessert - a traditional English Christmas Pudding - and Christmas crackers.  It was so much fun!

Baking Cinnamon Rolls

Guillermo Casias, the Pastry Chef at Victoria's Deli, showed me how he makes his amazing cinnamon rolls, a staple at the Bakery.  You would not believe the sweet smell of the dough, the spicy cinnamon, and the mapley brown sugar.  Omigosh! 

 

 

SARE Grant - Our Day Off Activities

Well, on our day off - it was snowing so we couldn't get to Denver for our meetings -  we decided to work on the grant project and enjoy some yummy foods at Victoria's Deli and Catering.  Well, we certainly ate our fill - the pastries are truly to die for!  And we did get a lot of work done!  Go to Colorado-farm-to-fork.blogspot.com for details of our project and check it often for updates.

Some day off! :)

Christmas Celebrations with my parents

On Saturday, we did some pre-Christmas celebrating with my parents in Denver.

We checked out a Christmas concert at the Cherry Hills Community Church and then went to the Capital Building and the People's Courthouse to check out the lights :)

Thanksgiving in Beulah

Woops, it's almost Christmas, and I  am only finally posting the Thanksgiving in Beulah shots.  We had so much fun hanging out with Dr. Donna Hinders, Roy Hipp, and all of their wonderful friends and neighbors!  Donna also connected me with Dr. Meg Thams who teaches business at Regis U.  She works with a truly Fair Trade Coffee business that really gives more $ to the farmer and less to the middle-businesses, because there are fewer of them!  

Donna made a Polenta Cake, and I made a gluten free chocolate brownie with pumpkin pie on top. 

Enjoy the pictures!  

Thanksgiving

Boy, it doesn't entirely feel like it should be Thanksgiving in Pueblo yet! It's been in the 70s still. Last Wednesday, I participated in a photoshoot for Paul Alhadef, a stellar photographer. We were doing lifestyle shots. It was so nice out that we went to the City Park and took photos! Sheesh!
And now I'm listening to Christms music! It just seems odd. Well, at least it was cold this morning!
We celebrated Thanksgiving with my parents and the Prochazkas -- my mom's brother and family -- on Saturday. On Thursday, we'll be hanging out with Schaub's in Denver. And we're going to watch Quantum of Solace!