watermelon bowl…You make conferences fun May 18, 2008

I loved my continuing education getaway. Long walks, pie, christmas tree lights, strawberry farms, fireworks, tangy frozen yogurt, periodic roller coaster screaming and especially…app-le ched-dar qui-i-iche quiche!!

Not too many people would get creative in a strange kitchen, let alone a hotel kitchen, but those rules seem not apply to Alice! She thought to secure tortillas, salsa, avocado, pintos, watermelon, and sardines, which led to a handful of delicious meals.

Half a watermelon serves as more than just breakfast. It serves your breakfast!

(Updated May 20, 2008 )
The breakfast consisted of pintos, salsa, and avocado on corn tortillas with watermelon on the side. Didn’t realize it looked like a watermelon salsa (which to me also would be good). I ended up having all of the watermelon “juice”, shown in cup, because I am greedy-greedy with fruit. Mmmm!

Alice, are you enjoying that delectable bite of sardines in mustard on yer rye toast?

Highlights include accordion solos, and a trip to the Crystal Cathedral – replete with
“free” bus ride. Is there such a thing? No, I guess not. No matter!

Get a load of this organ [my photo didn't come out in the low light so I appropriated this
(lower front view of organ) from the crystalcathedral dot org etc website]. All the rest are legit.

MMM! When we got back we had 2 salads extraordinaire, featuring lettuce, garbanzo beans,
cucumber, carrot, tomatoes, and another with jicama, lime, and chili powder. Topped with fried
egg! Usually I expect to freak out at least once when traveling with another…this trip – I slept
like a baby.

Oat and Brown Sugar Coffee Cake January 21, 2008

This one was a great recipe from Deborah Madison’s Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. Delish! I only made it (honestly it was before the holidays and I forgot to post the photos) because I wanted some breakfast cake, but didn’t want to go shopping. Well, look no further. This one was so short, I will include the recipe. Moisty!!!

1 cup rolled oats, preferably noninstant
1/4 pound (1/2 cup) butter
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup Pecan Streusel, which is just your choice of nut (I used almonds), sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a 1/2 cup flour all crumbled together

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray or butter and flour a 9 x 12 inch baking dish.

Pour 1 1/2 cups boiling water over the oats and set them aside. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then add the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the bowl and continue beating until the mixture is smooth, then add the vanilla, cinnamon, and oats. Combine the dry ingredients and stir them in with a rubber scraper or wooden spoon. Pour into the prepared baking dish, cover with streusel, and bake until a skewer comes out clean – about 35 minutes.

food 4 kids: booby trap egg sandwich September 9, 2007

Big kids, too. Mmm – today I made an egg sandwich and decided to put a child-at-heart twist on breakfast. I hollowed out a poppy seed roll, and hid within it a fried egg on a bed of sharp cheddar cheese. Next, I placed arugula and spinach leaves on top for unsuspecting passers-by, and propped up the bun lid with toothpicks. Finally, I constructed a woodland/jungle scene of veggies (baby artichoke, blue lake beans, The Tomatoes, red onion, pickled daikon radish, bok choy, mushroom caps) and potatoes as the backdrop, on a lagoon of seasoned dried seaweed. At one point I was thinking of crafting a creature that set up this elaborate trap, but I then realized two things: that creature is me, and I’ve got to eat sometime!