Ah. A day off. A moment to breath, and finally catch up on a much needed blog post. Although I've been busy, I'm always finding moments to cook and experiment in the kitchen. I've included a couple of recipes of things I've been cooking lately, and as fall is approaching (ya right... high of 85 tomorrow October 2nd BBBBOOOOYA) I will certainly have more to share soon.
This was my breakfast I threw together this morning.. a 100% local breakfast burrito. The tortilla was made in nearby Billings, and are as good as any I've had in Central America. The eggs were purchased at a local cowboy bar, called the Pony Bar, where we saw a sign for farm fresh eggs at $3 a dozen. The spinach, bought at our local Co-Op is from Springhill Gardens. And finally, the cheese of course. This creamy goat cheese is produced by the Amaltheia Organic Dairy. Simple, delish, and devoured quickly.
Our basil reached its peak last week, so I took an afternoon and made 3 different types of pesto. My favorite combination also included some mint, and I've included my recipe below. When making large batches, I exclude the cheese and freeze it in ice cube trays in order to enjoy garden pesto all winter long.
Lizz's Lemony Pesto
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1 large clove of garlic
Juice of 1 lemon, 1 T zest
1 cup (more or less) of olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
Combine all ingredients (minus oil) in food processor or blender. Stream in oil until a paste is formed. Stir in cheese and enjoy!
A good friend of mine recently returned from a 2 week trip to India. She sent me a wonderful array of spices that are heavenly in scent and flavor. Cucumbers from our garden helped me prepare a wonderful Raita to serve with a spicy rice and soup.
Cucumber Raita (serves 4 to 6)
2 1/4 cups plain yogurt
1 large cucumber, peeled and shredded
1 fresh hot green Chile, seeded and chopped
1/2 ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 salt to taste
Whisk yogurt until smooth and creamy. Combine all ingredients well and chill. Add salt before serving.
A couple of weeks ago, my parents DROVE to Bozeman from Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It was great to show them my new home and also for them to bring all of the things I've been collecting over the years. The vintage plates, French espresso cups, Guatemalan bowls, and my Grandmother's dishes are all quite happy here. I feel like a real grown up! The large strawberry cookie jar was found at an antique store near Bozeman. I think it's some of the best antiquing I've ever seen!
My parents and I also had a lovely tour of Yellowstone National Park. You may have read about the recent fires taking place. Here is a photo we captured on our way out. The bright afternoon sun filtered through the clouds creating a beautiful orange light that draped through the valley.
Well, currently there is a Butternut Squash roasting in the oven and another project waiting to be sanded down. I am off on my first river float down the Madison this weekend. I'm truly on my way to becoming a mountain woman, sort of.