So long, farewell....

Fall arrived exactly one day after summer said goodbye. In our home, I turned the air conditioning off and reluctantly switched the thermostat to HEAT! This inspired me to tackle the vegetable garden. It was looking very overgrown, and not in a good way. The morning glories were thriving, to say the least, but the tomato plants were tired and the zucchini plant gave up it's fight long ago against the stinkbugs.

After a long day of pulling out spent plants and cutting down vines, the garden plots looked clean and tidy. My husband hoed in some shredded paper to aerate the soil as well as compost to enrich it for next year.  I did leave one tomato plant, a jalapeno plant, and the Thai and regular basil. I am not quite ready to say goodbye to homemade pesto, so potted up a few basil plants to (hopefully) winter over in our garage. (Have you ever been in an Italian restaurant that has huge basil plants growing year round?)

It has been a few weeks since I have seen a hummingbird, so I also took down the feeders and cleaned them with hot water, mild soap and a splash of bleach. I soaked the feeders in my laundry room sink and after a few hours, the black mildew was gone. Sadly, I stored the feeders away until next spring. I am always a bit melancholy when I realize those little guys have migrated. (It is a myth that the hummingbirds will not migrate if the feeders are still up, and the stragglers will benefit from the feeders.)

I did put in 2 types of lettuce seeds hoping we will have some for our hungry guinea pigs before a hard frost.

For fall color, I planted yellow and purple pansies in my containers after discarding the annuals that had seen better days. Pansies do well in the cooler weather and will even make it through the winter! (I remember when I moved down here from the Northeast and could not believe pansies were growing in January!)

So yes, we bid the summer farewell....but say hello to pumpkin farms, apple cider, and cozy evenings by the fireplace!

Fontaine Caffe and Creperie, Old Town Alexandria

My husband discovered this restaurant while searching the internet for gluten free dining options. (Isn't the internet wonderful?)  We do not eat out as often as we used to before I was diagnosed with celiac disease. Sometimes, it is awkward, to have to explain to a server what I can and cannot eat, so when we saw that this restaurant makes crepes, both gluten free and with wheat flour, we couldn't wait to try it. Or should I say, I couldn't wait to try it.

I grew up eating crepes for breakfast, "eirepfannkuchen", was a special treat in my family reserved for the occasional Sunday morning. My mother would stand at the stove, making one after the other, until all of us were stuffed! We would smear them with butter, and either syrup or sugar , roll them up and cut them into bite-size pieces. Oh, how I have missed them!

I was excited to make them for my husband when we were first married, but he never really liked the texture of the thin pancake, preferring the fluffier more traditional American version. So when I assured him that he would change his mind about crepes, after dining at this restaurant, he agreed, somewhat hesitantly.

The restaurant is tucked away on a quiet street in Old Town Alexandria VA. It has tables outside, but the inside is welcoming with a definite European feel. They offer both savory and sweet crepes, made with either wheat or gluten free buckwheat flour, with several choices of fillings.( buckwheat flour is gluten free despite the word wheat in the name) I ordered a savory crepe with spinach and feta cheese filling, my husband a ham, cheese and mushroom one. They all come with a generous side salad of fresh greens with a delicious dressing. I asked for a doggie bag for about half of mine as I wanted to save room for dessert. The sweet crepe I ordered for dessert was really the best thing I have eaten in a long time! It is called the Lemon Drop and it has a subtle lemony sweet filling and is dusted with confectionary sugar. I truly could taste no difference in these crepes made with the buckwheat flour, and they reminded me of the German ones my mother used to make.

Give this place a try next time you are in Old Town...you will not be disappointed!

Is there a Vegetarian in your house?

Luau Pig

My daughter has talked about and tentatively gone vegetarian on and off for a few years. She is a natural born animal whisperer and hopes to be a veterinarian. Our neighborhood luau sealed the deal for her. The sight of a pig with an apple in his mouth on the buffet table was too much for her. This time, I think she may never go back to eating meat. It has been over a month and nary a morsel of bacon, chicken or beef has grazed her lips (excuse the pun!)

I have been supportive of her decision and have read a few vegetarian cookbooks. Luckily, she is not a picky eater, loves fruits and vegetables and will still eat fish. I did make one or two recipes chock full of legumes and vegetables but it was lacking in flavor. This recipe below appealed to everyone in the family and can be made with either corn (gluten free) or flour tortillas.

It is super easy. My daughter made these herself with only a small amount of help from me.

Four Bean Enchiladas


Ingredients:


16  6-inch corn tortillas
1  15 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1  15 oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1  15 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1  15 oz can navy or great northern beans, rinsed and drained
1  11 oz can condensed cheddar cheese or nacho cheese soup
1  10 oz can enchilada sauce
1  8 oz can tomato sauce
1  1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese ( 6 ounces) 
 Sliced pitted ripe olives( optional)
 Chopped green pepper ( optional)


Directions:

• Stack tortillas and wrap tightly in foil. Bake in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes or till warm.
• For filling, combine beans and cheese soup. Spoon about 1/3 cups filling onto one end of each tortilla. Arrange, seam side down, in 8 individual au gratin dishes or two 2 quart rectangular baking dishes.
• In a bowl, stir together the enchilada sauce and tomato sauce; pour over tortillas. Cover with foil . Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or till heated through.( 20 minutes if using au gratin dishes) Remove foil; sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 5 minutes more or till cheese melts. If desired, sprinkle with olives and green pepper. Makes 8 servings.

Note- check the ingredients on the soup, as the popular brands are not gluten free.

Bubba Deen's Shrimp Etouffee

I like a lot of Paula Deen's recipes. They are not super complicated and the ingredients are easy to find in the grocery store. And they taste great. One day when watching her show, she featured her brother, Bubba. The two of them made this dish together.

 This recipe for shrimp etouffee sounds fancy....etouffee, but it is really simple to make. It tastes so good, has just the right combination of flavors as well as a creamy texture. I worked for a few months in New Orleans as a travelling nurse and this dish reminds me of the unbelievably good food I ate while there.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup flour (I use Bob's gluten-free all purpose flour)
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped celery
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 teas. black pepper
1/2 teas. white pepper
1/2 teas. cayenne pepper
1 teas. Cajun seasoning
1/2 cup minced green onions, plus extra for garnish
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
2-3 dashes hot sauce
1 (8oz) clam juice
1 (4.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
salt 
2 pounds small or medium shrimp peeled and deveined (31/35 count)
1/2 stick butter
Rice (optional)
Diced green onions(for garnish)


Directions:


Make the roux, mix oil and flour in a large heavy saucepan over low heat. Whisk flour into the oil to make a paste. Continue cooking over low heat and whisk continuously, until the mixture turns a caramel color and gives off a nutty aroma, about 15-20 minutes. To the roux, add the onion, green pepper, celery, and garlic and cook over low heat, about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are limp. Add the black pepper, white pepper, cayenne pepper, Cajun seasoning, green onions, parsley and hot sauce to taste. Add 1 can clam juice and the tomatoes with their juice, stir to blend. Add the salt, starting with 1 teas., then add more if needed. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer 10-15 minutes. Add shrimp and stir. It will take about 3 minutes for the shrimp to cook, don't overcook. Remove from heat. Add the butter and stir, the heat from the dish will melt the butter. Transfer the etouffee to a tureen, serving bowl , or if you prefer, over rice. Garnish with the green onions. 


Tip: I add 1 jalapeno pepper, diced and omit the hot sauce. It is plenty spicy!

Wine Slushies~ Straw or Spoon?

Brace yourself. This drink is awesome. It will be your new "go to" adult beverage.
And, it is simple to make, but you do have to wait for it to freeze. That is really the hardest part of this recipe.

I googled wine slushies when my friend, Judi, told me about how good they were. There seemed to be a few ways to make them, some as easy as buying a pre-made mix and some more time consuming, making a simple syrup etc.

I found this very easy recipe from the Chatham Hill Winery website. They have several recipes but I chose this one made with white wine since we were having fish. I mixed a pitcher up in my blender the night before, placed it in the freezer overnight and it was perfect the next morning! Serve in a margarita or martini glass. Straw or spoon, your choice!

Frozen Wine Slush
"Zingy"


1 bottle Pinot Grigio or Riesling
1 can frozen limeade
1 cup cranberry juice


Add wine, fruit juice, or fresh fruit to blender and blend until smooth, and freeze. The alcohol will prevent the mixture from becoming solid ice. 


Tip:
Our standard size blender could not hold the full bottle of wine, so I made the slushies in 2 separate batches.

Sweet Surprise

A few weeks ago, I noticed what I thought was a cucumber vine growing from the compost bin. I weed whacked carefully around it, not wanting to disturb this mysterious plant. Last year, we had our juiciest tomatoes from a plant that grew out of the compost bin.

So when my husband identified this vine as a cantaloupe, and I discovered many melons hiding and slowly ripening under the leaves, I was shocked! This compost bin soil is pure magic! I mean, for one, it has all the right nutrients for a growing plant, plus it is protected from rabbits, birds, rodents as well as overzealous gardeners who may mistake the seedling for a weed.

So, I am happily watching and waiting for these wonderful melons to ripen enough to pick. Yes, I have picked many tomatoes, peppers, zucchini and lettuce this summer, but this find seems like a freebie. You know, like finding a dollar bill on the ground....

What garden surprises have you found this summer?

Spanish-style tortilla with salami and potatoes

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This recipe would work well for brunch or for dinner. I found it in the September 2011 issue of Women's Day magazine. I like the idea of it all cooking in a cast iron skillet.

 I was skeptical about the salami, but it really went well with the other ingredients. I guess you could also use pepperoni or make it meatless.

This was a filling and delicious meal. A green salad would go nicely with this recipe.

Ingredients:

1/4 lb. thinly sliced salami, halved
1 large onion, chopped
3/4 lb. medium red potatoes, about 2, cut in 1/2 inch pieces
3 T olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup fresh, flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped
8 large eggs
4 oz. sharp white cheddar, grated ( about 1 cup)

Directions:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cook salami in a large oven-safe non-stick skillet over medium high heat until beginning to brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to plate.
• Add the onions, potatoes, 1 T olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are golden brown and just tender, 10-12 minutes; stir in chopped parsley and salami.
• Whisk together the eggs and cheese, pour into the skillet and stir to distribute the ingredients.
• Transfer to skillet to the oven and bake until tortilla is puffed, brown around the edges and a knife inserted in center comes out clean, 10-12 minutes.