A Favorite Path at Minto Brown

Click here for a map that shows where "the green loop" is located.

Click here for Minto Brown Park Flikr group

Cousin Chris: Summer Memories

Not sure if it's because I walked into a cloud of gnats while walking with S today, but I was suddenly shot back in time to the late 60's. There we were, my cousin Chris and I, riding bikes around Lake Sacajawea. How old were we, 11? 12?

Sister Karen had wanted company during the summer, while her husband Ken was fishing in Alaska. I'm not positive, but I believe my nephew was just a baby at that time. To keep the antsy, long limbed, pre-teens occupied, Karen had offered us their bikes to ride. Bikes for me equaled FREEDOM. Lovely, glorious freedom! I remember how we tried to ride around the lake at least once a day, until she reminded me that she had wanted us there for company. Oops!

One day, Karen, pulled out her oil paints, a print of Van Gogh's, "Vase with Twelve Sunflowers", and two smallish canvases for Chris and I. She proceeded to give the two of us a lesson and then directed us while we attempted to paint. Chris, always with more artistic talent than I, was given more attention (rightfully so!). When Karen turned to my side of the table, she was stymied as to why I had painted the multi-colored flowers all pink or gold. "Because they are?" Both Chris and I inherited the Weeks' color deficiency gene.

I remember how we slept on Karen's couch, heads at north and south--bristley adolescent legs keeping each other awake. And, I'm not sure why she ever left us alone-- those prank calls. Kids today are so deprived, no thanks to caller ID.

Thanks for the sweet memories, cousin!

Amber's Asian Broccoli Slaw

This is a slaw worth remembering. Thanks, Amber!

2 Green Onion
4 cup Broccoli, grated
1/2 head Cabbage, grated
****add crushed almonds and 1 tsp. raisins****
Dressing
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Braggs liquid amino or soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons honey or brown sugar
2 tablespoons peeled and minced ginger
OR Braggs ginger Sesame & Ginger Salad Dressing

Process
1. Thinly slice 1/2 of a red cabbage using a mandoline or sharp knife.
2. Using a grater or food processor, grate broccoli to uniform small chunks.
3. Chop green onions into 1/4-inch pieces.
4. Toss everything together with the sesame ginger dressing.
5. Serve.
*************
And here's the spicy thai noodle recipe from L:

Spicy Thai Noodle Salad

(Laura Chaffey 4th Grade teacher at Hammond Elementary School)

'l Ib angel hair pasta, Cooked
1/2 C. Canola or sesame oil (l usually use 1/2 of each)
1 T dried red pepper flakes (l typically use less)
6 T Honey
4 T Soy sauce

Heat these 4 ingredients to infuse.
Add sauce to pasta (the longer you let the sauce sit before adding to pasta, the hotter
The sauce gets. | don’t let it sit
Before serving - TOSS onto pasta
2T toasted sesame seeds
1/2 C Chopped green onion
1/2 C Chopped Cilantro
1 C dry roasted peanuts

Zucchini Fritters - a summer winner

Over my lifetime, I've eaten zucchini in many ways and not all of them were delicious. In the last two years that's been changing. F makes a delicious Zucchini Ribbons with Almond Pesto from Smitten Kitchen, niece Dani treated us to Gordon Ramsay's Stuffed Courgette Rolls, I'm always ready to eat any variation of this saute with zucchini, tomatoes and basil and I love to eat and make my own variation of Ina Garten's Vegetable Tian. There are several other summer staples we make regularly, but those are the stand outs.
Here's the latest addition to the list. Forget the dipping sauce, the fritters stand just fine all by themselves.

Zucchini Fritters
from Bon Appetit

Squeeze out as much liquid from the zucchini as possible.
4 SERVINGS

INGREDIENTS
SOY DIPPING SAUCE
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
Crushed red pepper flakes
FRITTERS
1 1/2 pounds zucchini (about 3 medium), grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning
1 large egg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil
PREPARATION
SOY DIPPING SAUCE
Mix vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, and a pinch of red pepper flakes in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
FRITTERS
Place zucchini in a colander set in the sink and toss with 1/2 teaspoons salt. Let stand 10 minutes, then wring zucchini dry in a clean kitchen towel. Place zucchini in a large bowl and gently mix in egg, flour, chives, and cornstarch; season with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in 2 batches, drop 1/4-cupfuls zucchini mixture into skillet, flattening slightly; cook until golden and crisp, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fritters to a paper towel–lined plate; season with salt. Serve with soy dipping sauce.
DO AHEAD: Fritters can be made 30 minutes ahead. Keep warm in a 200° oven.

Turkey Burgers--a new favorite

I wonder why I bother saving recipes for future use. When deciding what to have for dinner (unless I'm chasing a craving), I end up searching the web 90% of the time. Yup, I only use those carefully chosen cookbooks the other 10%.

Two years ago, I stumbled across a turkey burger recipe and used it several times. Oregano, Feta and sundried tomatoes were the delicious stars of those patties. Yesterday, I wanted to make turkey burgers, but I wanted something new, something untried by my tastebuds. And there's the mystery folks: how can someone who is perfectly happy with the same breakfast/lunch everyday, never be satisfied with sticking to tried and favorited dinner recipes?

The only changes I made were...

• to substitute onion for the scallions, 
• put all the ingredients (but the ground turkey) in the food processor prior to the final blending 
• and made wee sliders instead of big burgers.

Here's my new favorite of the moment, thanks to Martha Stewart:

Martha Stewart's Favorite Turkey Burgers

PREP 10 MINS
TOTAL TIME 35 MINS
SERVINGS 4

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey (93 percent lean)
1/2 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
FOR GRATES
Oil

DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Heat grill to high. In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine ground turkey with Gruyere, scallions, breadcrumbs, mustard, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Gently form mixture into four 1-inch-thick patties.
STEP 2
Lightly oil grill. Place patties on hottest part of grill; sear until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Move patties to cooler part of grill; continue grilling until cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes per side.