Preserving American Plums in Honey Sauce

Serve Now or in Winter

Happy Girl Kitchen

As recently as last week I’d never heard of an American plum, also known as a wild plum. But according to locals, we have one in our yard. “Prunus americana is over these (Santa Cruz) mountains!” said an old timer at the nursery. In the few years we’ve been here, fruit has been tiny, red, and not edible-looking, and the tree’s identity mystified even our arborist friend. This year, after pruning by said arborist, branches are heavy with small, yellow, tangy plums. Because of its placement, right beside a fence post and snuggled up too close to a parking spot, hubby Bruce suspects the tree is a volunteer. According to folks at the nursery, the American plum volunteers readily throughout the central and eastern US as well in these coastal mountains. What could be better than a fruit-producing volunteer, even if we need to move a parking spot?

Pasta with Onion, Green Garlic, Sundried Tomato, and Basil

Top with Parmesan Cheese, or Not

Recipe by Robin

Most great cooks love improvising from written recipes with inspired and/or wacky ideas. Not only does improvising tickle the cook’s creative bones, it’s also a practical way to deal with an overly enthusiastic garden and odd bits of leftovers in the kitchen. As case in point, I’ve just reinvented my classic “cheap fare” recipe, Pasta a l’Olio.  I incorporated a backlog of onions and green garlic from our CSA, a bounty of CSA basil from this week, and dried tomatoes from our last year’s garden harvest. Soon this year’s tomatoes will be ripe for drying, so I used a rather large amount from last year along with some tomato paste. You could reduce the quantity of dried tomatoes, and/or add some fresh tomatoes or tomato sauce. We’re improvising here, eh?

July Menus and Recipes

In Neighbor's Yard

“Hot July Brings Cooling Showers, Apricots & Gillyflowers”*

I must admit that I’m a stress-eater. I started this pattern during the frequent rocky times in my early adolescence, and continued it through most of my life. The pattern resurged most recently during my downsizing by management and my consequent departure from my day job, as I labored over the choice between reliable income and taking care of myself. Scientists have shown that eating carbohydrates stimulates serotonin production in the brain, which reduces depression, normalizes sleep patterns, and generally makes one feel better. I’ve never met a carb I didn’t like (either starch or sugar), and during the recent past have relied heavily on them at the expense of eating more healthful, fiber-filled foods (although oddly enough I also consumed a lot of kale, which I also craved!) And yes, I did gain weight, and so did my husband. He never spies a carb he doesn’t like, especially if his wife is eating it. This month, we’ve agreed to plan menus with lighter, more veggie-oriented foods. With our garden and CSA both providing fruit and veggie bounty, this decision is “seasonally correct.”

Raspberry Mini Trifle Parfait

"Everybody Likes Parfait" --Donkey in Shrek

Recipe by Robin

According to Donkey in the first Shrek movie, “Parfait's gotta be the most delicious thing on the whole damn planet!” With the hot summer upon us, I’ve been remembering childhood trips to the ice cream store for parfaits. The classic French parfait is a flavored frozen custard of cream, eggs, and sugar. Because of its fat content, French parfait can be made without an ice cream maker, as long as the cook stirs it several times during the freezing process. In the US, parfait is typically soft ice cream layered with fruit, fruit sauce, or even jello, and usually topped with whipped cream. In recent years puddings, custard, nuts, and even tapioca have found their way into parfaits. Inspired by my recent Trifle experiment, I made this parfait with crushed almond biscuits, berries, Bird’s custard and a splash of Grand Marnier or orange juice.

Sautéed Cauliflower

No Longer the Great White Veggie

Recipe by Alice Waters

Cauliflower, the other white vegetable. Lacking the comfort value of potatoes, and not particularly exciting, I think of it as a sort of albino broccoli. But leave it to Alice Waters, seasonal chef and founder of the legendary Chez Panisse to come up with a cauliflower dish that’s not only colored delicately golden, but that’s easy, quick, and requires minimal ingredients. In her cookbook The Art of Simple Food, Ms. Waters makes a simple sauté sound positively sexy: “Sautéing is an exciting cooking experience. All your senses are engaged with the high heat, the loud sizzle of the pan, the active stirring and tossing, and the delightful smells of browning food…” Now who wouldn’t want to experience all that in the kitchen, especially if only three ingredients were needed?

Strawberry Lemonade

Welcome to Summer

Recipe by William

At first glance, my cousin William and I don’t have much in common. He’s a young man with a daughter, and I’m his mom’s age and have never had kids. He’s a career military man, and I work in higher education building websites. He lives down Kentucky way, soon to be on duty in Germany, and I’m in California near the coast. He’s got a couple of dogs and I have goldfish. So what do we talk about? Family, food, and home. We’re both happily married (his wife is a Robin too) and like hanging out at home. Like me, William likes to experiment in the kitchen and make up new recipes. This recipe is his creation, and it’s perfect to celebrate the start of summer today in the northern hemisphere. The longest day of the year calls for some seasonal refreshment!

Chocolate Mousse Surprise

Mousse "Martinis" with Strawberries

Recipe by Sheryl Crow & Chuck White

What would you do for money? Would you stick with a job for 15 years despite minimal pay increases? Would you be okay if after 15 years management downsized you into a windowless, and airless office because a telecommuting manager wanted a bigger office with windows? Would you agree, after 15 years of keeping track of your own time, to check in with your boss every time you entered or left the office for your requisite breaks and your bathroom time? Would you believe management when they told you that these changes were for “teamwork?” After 15 years of “outstanding” evaluations as an independent creative professional serving a large group, would you believe that you need to be watched more carefully for your own good? Would you give up your telecommute privileges so that you could sit in a small, dark office every day? Sigh. Neither would I. Goodbye, day job.

June Veggies & Recipes

Roses Going Crazy

June is Bustin’ Out All Over

As Oscar Hammerstein II hints, June can be a very intense month. Weddings, graduations, Father’sDay…plus the mad race most gardeners with day jobs are running to get plants in and watered. End of fiscal year means wrap-up of finances for some businesses, and some people, like myself, are being downsized as a result. Some years it seems like the additional daylight makes everyone and everything crazier, maybe I’m just projecting? In any case, I’m giving myself as much of a break as I can with my menus. Here are some tips for simplifying menus during stressful times:

Top 10 Herbs to Grow in Pots

Sweet Basil: Everyone's Favorite Garden Herb

Suggestions by Robin

Back in the days when I lived in the not-so-great part of Santa Cruz, before the city added street lights to discourage nefarious trades of all kinds, my landlord inhibited my attempts to have a garden by sudden yard activities. One time I came home the yard was shorn into a badminton court. Another time, horse poop was scattered all over everything. Another time the deck was ripped up, along with the jade plants I’d started growing next to it. Being a compulsive gardener and purchaser of seedlings, I began growing just about any plants that came my way in pots. Herbs, whether annual or perennial, are most practical. Not only do they add spark and finesse to meals, a line of herbs in same-size pots adds charm and elegance to even the most Spartan-looking landscapes. Here are 10 of my favorite pot-friendly herbs.

Lemon Poppyseed Mini Muffins

Next Time They'll Look Better

Recipe by Robin

We have a lemon angel at my day job. Every week or two during winter and early spring, a sign appears outside the techie’s printing/photocopying/microwaving room. “Free Lemons,” it declares, punctuated by a few yellow clip art lemons in case techies need visual convincing. I picked up quite a few of these throughout the season, and wanted to surprise my colleagues and give something back to Source—source of the lemons, that is. I had poppyseeds in the freezer from last year’s harvest, and dreamed of perfect poppyseed mini muffins. Unfortunately, the muffin reality didn’t match the dream.