A Year in Cakes

Make a Smilebox slideshow

True Love

20 years ago I was given a kitchen aid as a gift when I graduated UW business school. I have loved and cared for this best of all kitchen tools, but alas she can not manage the double and triple batches of goodness I want to make. So we have added another to our family. Finally my kitchen aid has a new partner, and he is very strong and handsome

Appetizers for 40

Steve's Party Menu
Spicy Pecans
Edamame Dip

Spicy Romesco Dip

Gorgonzola Gougers
Carrot Ginger Soup Cups
Polenta Crostini w/Balsamic Onions & Gorgonzola
Spinach Smoked Salmon & Cream Cheese Roulade

Wonton Cups filled with Shrimp w/Ginger & Lime
Meatballs w/Yogurt Dip
Fresh Roles Shrimp

Curried Coconut Sticks
Cucumber cups w/salmon mousse

Feta w/Olives & Cucumber

Cheese Tortellini w/Roasted Red Pepper

White Bean & Sage Crostini

Carrot Cup Cakes w/Cream Cheese Frosting

Meringues w/Chocolate


So I got a new book and there were so many good options I had a problem narrowing down my choices. Many of the items turned out well, but I probably should have slimmed down the menu and made a few more of some items and less of others.

Anyone Hungry?

Another successful meal with plenty of leftovers to send home. This year we had 16 around the table. Crowded but worth it.

I always make two turkeys just so I can try different recipes. This year I did one in the oven and one on the grill. Both came out looking great. Honestly once carved and on the plates it was hard to tell the difference.

The grilled Turkey was covered with a spice mixture including cumin, fennel and pepper. The baked turkey had sage butter under the skin and then drizzled with butter and basted with apple cider.

To complement our Turkey there were a few side dishes

White Cheddar & Sage Baked Mashed Potatoes. Also knows as crack potatoes as they are highly addictive.


Roasted Apples and Onions w/Thyme


Baby Carrots w/Shallots


Sourdough Stuffing w/local sausage and apples.
I am not a huge stuffing fan but this was pretty good and I might keep on the list.


Green Beans w/Garlic and Lemon


Individual Roasted Squash w/Butternut, Currents and Spices



Two Flavors of Gravy (can't find a pic of the other one)


Cranberries 3 ways Cranberry Sauce w/Mustard, Onion Relish w/Dried Cranberry and Cranberry Sauce w/Orange



And of course Dessert?

Chocolate Carmel Macadamia Nut Tort. The crust came from a failed batch of shortbread cookies. People said it tasted like a candy bar, a good one like Frans.


Cranberry Vanilla Sorbet
No pics for some reason, but these were easy, light and pretty.

And a friend made pumpkin and sweet potato pie for something traditional. Both were very good.

First the mess


Then the feast


Lucy has the right idea

Thanksgiving is coming....

Okay I saw some commercial as I was flipping through the channels on how to cook a thanksgiving meal in 60 minutes. Who would want to do such a thing? I plan on starting a few things this weekend and through out early next week, culminating in many hours of fun cooking for the day... This is part of the fun.

Menu so far:

Sweet and Savory Spiced Nuts

Grilled Herbed Turkey
Sage Butter Roasted Turkey w/Cider Gravy

Sourdough Stuffing
Sage Cheddar Baked Mashed Potatoes
Individual Winter Basked Squash
Thyme Roasted Apples and Onions
Carrots w/Shallots Sage and Thyme
Something Green
Cranberry Mustard Relish
Onion Cranberry Relish

Cranberry Vanilla Bean Sorbet
Chocolate Carmel Nut Tart

Lots of great wine...

Pictures and recipes for the top dishes next week

Where to go. Boat Street Cafe

Boat Steet is another "top ten" from the random list I picked. The resturant moved from it's original and is located at western and where denny curves into elliot. It is amounst artist lofts and studios.

I love the feel of Boat street. If I had a different life it is the kind of place I would like to have as a standard hang out. As it is the prices are a bit expensive. The space is inviting and is what think of as french country (though not having really been to the french countryside it's hard to say how authentic).

The food was good, not over the top good, but good. The dates in olive oil and salt were unique and delicious. The owner/chef Renee Erickson, loves to pickel things and many of these tidpits where fun to try. The main courses had lots of flavor although the odd gritty crunch in the crab cakes seemed misplaced.

I can see myself having a glass of wine and a light meal here often if I were not always in a rush on the weekdays.

Too much to do? Cook!

Behind at work, e-mails piling up, basement drain clogged, roof damaged from the wind, not getting to the gym, cats need to go to the vet, kid hurt her toe and needs to go to the doc, laundry needs folding and the list goes on and on. So what do? Cook all the meals for the coming week so at least I know I'll eat healthy food. A three hour investment today and I prepared all my lunches and dinners. No meal this next week should take more than 15 minutes.

I found an old Canyon Ranch Cookbook on sale at Third Place Books. Very nice pictures, great recipes and very healthy to boot. No recipe below is more than 350 calories a serving and some are as low as 80 (and yes even taste good)

For this week I have made

Curried Turkey Soup
Spanish Onion Soup
Autumn Vegetable Shepherds Pie
Sweet Potato Cakes
Sea Bass with Sweet Mushroom Sauce
Shrimp w/ Green Apple Chipotlie Salsa

The soups just need reheating. The Shepherds pie will bake for 15 min, the potato cakes just need final forming and cooking. For the fish dishes I'll pick up something fresh from The Fish Company and the sauces just need reheating.

Tonight I had the Turkey soup. The only issue: it was really good and I wanted seconds, which would cut into my lunch portion...

PTA-Mini Muffins in a Jiffy

Poppy (7 left)

One of the restaurants I've wanted to visit since it opened, plus it made that top ten list I am so woefully behind on.

I will not attempt to give Poppy a review as there are many many reviews available by people who are much better writers. I will say that I enjoyed it and if you have not been it is worth a visit. Lots of great flavors and it is fun discovering all the dishes served on the Thali platters. Desserts very yummy!. Vegetarian friendly.

If you are thinking this is the herb farm "light", don't. This is a unique restaurant (not that I've been to the herb farm yet-but I have salivated over the menus)

Visit, let me know what you think.

Easy Fall Soup

Curried Carrot Orange Soup



1 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoons curry powder (more or less depending on your like of curry)
1 garlic clove pressed
1 teaspoons grated ginger root
1/2 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 pound carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 medium bay leaf
3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 cup canned coconut milk (lite)

Add the spices and garlic to the oil. Cook about 1 minute. Add ginger, onion, carrots, bay leaf and broth. Cook until carrots tender. 15-20 min. Blend in batches or use hand held "blender stick". Return to pot and add OJ and coconut milk. Reheat and serve warm.

Serve with a salad for a nice lunch or light dinner. I served with an salad of lettuce, spiced pecans, apples, blue cheese and a homemade honey vinegar dressing.

The recipe is easy to adjust for a crowd, I quadrupled for a work lunch.

Fall Treats

Time for some fall sweets.


Pumpkin Cheesecake.
This is the first cheesecake I ever made. I made this in the fall of 1991 from the November issue of Gourmet. I wanted to see if I could make it look just like the picture. Today the picture of the cake looks about the same, wish I could say the same about pictures of me.


Chocolate Cheese Cake w/oops topping.
After learning that cheesecakes were much easier than I thought, I started making many different flavors. Chocolate tends to make people happy! The topping was my oops as it was supposed to be a wrapping but was a little too thin. Somehow I don't think people will mind



Red Wine Carmel Apples. From the October issue of Gourmet.
Pretty easy, though a bit sticky.

H1N1-Not food related

I needed a place to post this. A message from a local hospital to the staff. Trying to combat some of the misinformation out there.
=============================================
As you know, all employees, medical staff and volunteers are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated for novel H1N1 flu as soon as possible as vaccines become available. (Please see our Flu Vaccinations page for information about when and where you can get vaccinated.)

Young people are being hit especially hard by novel H1N1. According to the CDC, 78% of those hospitalized for novel H1N1 from Aug. 30 to Oct. 10 this year were under age 50.

If you are in this age group or have family members who are, please read the message below.

One doctor’s story
The email below was written on Oct. 13 by an ED doctor at a Midwestern hospital, who sent it to one of our board members. It was written to one of the doctor’s relatives, who had received an email rumor that said taking Vitamin D is as effective against H1N1 as the vaccine, and that also questioned the safety of the vaccine.

(Both the doctor and the parents of the child have given us permission to share this story. However, to protect their privacy, names and identifying details have been removed.)

I got forwarded your email about what I thought of the [H1N1] flu vaccine. First, some data so that we're on the same page:

H1N1 (swine flu) is has a transmission rate of about 30%. What that means is that this virus is incredibly infectious. If you contact someone with swine flu, you have a nearly one in three chance of picking it up from that one contact. Multiple contacts obviously increase that chance. A whole winter in malls and restaurants and offices. . . Bottom line, you and your family WILL get H1N1 if you do not get vaccinated—unless you move to a cabin far in the woods and have no contact with anyone until next summer. You WILL get this. Period.

The average person who gets H1N1 gets a high fever, headache, cough and feels horrible for about a week. Then they are fine. H1N1 has a mortality rate of about 0.2%. That's one in 500. Not too bad odds for betting. Fairly low for any one person, but approach it this way:

If there are 500 kids in [your daughter]'s school, one of them is going to die from swine flu this winter. Odds are, she will know this person.

Now the really nasty part.

H1N1, as of last week, has caused 79 deaths in children since April of this year. Nineteen of these deaths were last week. Average for an influenza season is 70 to 80 deaths. So, we are already passing what is normal for a year, and we haven't even started the winter.

More so, the rate of kids dying seems to be speeding up: 60 from April to September and then 19 in the first week of October. The number now is at least 80. How do I know this? Have a look at the attached photo. [Photo shows a young boy and girl in a pool.]

The girl in the middle of the pool is your niece. The little boy on the right is dead. Influenza caused an encephalitis and ravaged his brain, and he was pronounced dead at 7:20 a.m. today. His father is one of my partners. Yesterday I stood over his lifeless little body in the Pediatric ICU at Minneapolis Children's Hospital while his mother cried in my arms. Today I will help his father figure out where to bury him.

People these days are afraid of vaccines. Why? Because they haven't seen the awful things that vaccines prevent. Parents these days have not seen polio, mumps, measles, smallpox, etc. They hear stories of autism and listen to [actress] Jenny McCarthy, and they fear the boogie man they can see; they have completely forgotten about the one that our grandparents eradicated for us.

Never mind that there is absolutely NO accurate information—people are choosing to listen to Jenny McCarthy and not the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People are choosing to listen to the same source of information that produced the stories about spiders underneath your toilet biting your behind and killing you. People fear documented vaccine complications like Guillain Barre disease, never mind that the risk of this has been documented to be one in 1 million.

The risk of dying from swine flu is one in 500—higher for our children—but we instead try to avoid a one in a million complication risk from the vaccination? Your lifetime risk of death in a car accident is one in 84, yet how many times did you buckle your baby into the car seat to run some pointless and unnecessary errand? Please take the time to open this article and look at the risk chart. Look at what is number five.

The [email containing the internet rumor about Vitamin D] you were forwarded makes claims about the production of the new vaccine that are patently untrue. Please read the CDC’s website on this issue, especially "Will this vaccine be made differently than the seasonal influenza vaccine?” The answer is: “No. This vaccine will be made using the same processes and facilities that are used to make the currently licensed seasonal influenza vaccines."

There are no easy answers. There is no Vitamin D cure. There is no global conspiracy amongst doctors and big pharma.

My prediction is this: Thousands of children will die unnecessarily this winter because their parents took the word of Fox News and scare tactic emails and their accountant friends who proclaim to know "the truth" about vaccinations.

I apologize for the tone of this email, but it reflects the fact that I am sitting here alone in a cold house because I have sent my family away. I am unwilling to risk bringing home a disease from work that killed my friend's baby this morning.

When you make your decisions on this, do the research. Do not take the advice of any one source, including me. But please, for the love of God, do not make decisions about the well-being of yourself and your children based on the unsubstantiated, uninformed recommendations of an unsolicited email or a newscaster.

Stay up to date
staff, physicians and volunteers in the NWSA can stay up to date on flu through our internal Flu Resources website. Be sure to check our Flu Vaccinations page for information about getting vaccinated.


Thank you for all you are doing to protect our patients and community and to stay healthy during flu season.

Best wishes,

Dinner with Strangers

Every year the school my daughter attends plans an event to encourage the parents to mix and mingle. it's a good excuse to plan an nice fall menu.

This year I found recipes in a couple local books and was inspired by some Italian themed foods. The core dishes were simple dishes that would be easy to make for a weekday meal.

I did however forget to take pictures.

• Antipasti
• Assorted Crostini
• Sexy baked olives w/feta

• Gala apple, blue cheese & pecan salad
• Cannellini beans w/garlic & sage
• Roasted butternut squash w/shallots & rosemary
• Halibut w/roasted shallot pinot noir sauce

• Molten Chocolate Cake w/Blood Orange Sauce

In general everything worked except the beans, though I think the beans would have worked as part of another dish with more flavor. The chocolate cakes were of course very popular, but then again good chocolate pretty much makes any dish.

I also want to recommend the Fresh Fish Company on 24th and 80th. I often forget about them and their Halibut was prefect!

The End of an Era

The October issue of Gourmet had an somewhat over the top article about the restaurant meals you could enjoy with $1000. I enjoyed the read but planned a rather sarcastic commentary. Though the truth is I'd love to "take the $1000 challenge" in Seattle.

This week it was announced that Gourmet would be shut down after the November issue. I find this very sad and think the cooking world is going to be missing an important voice. Gourmet might not be the everyday cook's guide book, but the stories about food and people are wonderful.

Some may find issue with comparing it to the loss of our local newspapers, but it really is the same thing. Investigative journalism and in depth reporting are going the way of snippets and sound bytes (god I sound old). Here I am on a blog, I would say I'm part of the problem but I think I reach maybe 20 people.

Ruth Reichl the editor of Gourmet, is amazing. I know she will have lots of opportunities but I will miss the regular delivery of her voice. I was lucky enough to hear her speak this year and she was as funny, unassuming and as "real life" as you would hope. She is not a food snob, she is a food lover. While I may never understand or and have the opportunity of appreciate the food world in the same way, I enjoy having a small glimpse into that world. I don't think I'm going to get that from the food network.

I may either have to cook all the recipes of the last issue or try that $1000 eating frenzy as a way to say good-bye. I will miss Gourmet.

Does this make the 100's of old magazines in my basement instant collectors items?

Days Like These

Do you believe that some days chocolate is a need? If so what is your favorite chocolate on days like these?

One of my favorates is Blanxart from Spain. I would really kill for some right now.

Island Vacation in Seattle

Skyline in Belize

Turned out to be a beautiful Seattle day, perfect for an end of summer party. The menu is in the previous post but here are a few pics and a couple recipes for the most popular items.


Rum Punch-For a crowd.
6 Cups Pineapple Juice
6 Cups OJ
1/2 Cup Lime Juice
2 Cups Coco Lopez
2-3 Cups Rum (Dark)
1/2 Cup Grenadine

This is easy to pre mix. I made two batches for a 30 people and about 1 1/2 batches were consumed. Add the final cup of rum before serving. Serve over ice.

Caribbean Shrimp
While I was experimenting with rum punch drinks I made a batch that I did not like... What to do? Added a little savory flavor and make it the marinade for the shrimp.


Jerk Chicken Skewers
I made this sauce a few days ahead. Had a great smell and flavor. Perfect for the marinade but for serving on the side it needed to be a little thicker.


Coconut Rice
Seemed to be the most popular dish.

2 Cups water
1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
2 tsp brown sugar (I did a tad bit more)
2 cups long grain or basmati rice
1/2 cup flaked coconut toasted

Add 1st 3 ingredients and bring to a simmer. Add in rice and partially cover. Simmer for 12-15 min or until cooked. Remove from heat and let sit for 10 min. Sprinkle on coconut before serving.

This serves 6. For the party I multiplied by 4 and cooked in one pot. The rice came out a little too sticky but still worked. For the shapes I added about 1/2-3/4 cups additional coconut milk and then formed into muffin tins and baked for about 10 min or until warm. Made for an easy way to reheat and serve.

Rice and "peas"
This is a traditional Caribbean food.



Roadside Yams.
To change things up a bit I made packets of two kinds of sweet potatoes. Just added a little salt, pepper and oil.


Tropical Cheese Cake
Forgot to serve the other one sitting in the fridge and now I have an extra cheese cake at home that I'm not allowed to eat.


Banana cakes.
Banana cake is a traditional Belize food. I made individual cakes just for fun.

Back in Action

Sorry to my readers who have complained recently. I have been on vacation from my blog, but I will be back soon. As a starter here is the menu planned for my annual summer party. This year the party is a nod to my vacation in Belize. (Photo's after the grand event)

Island Vacation for a Day.

Rum Punch, Tabitha’s version
Mojito’s
Red Stripe Beer
PawPaw cooler (non alcoholic)

Ceviche-Shrimp, Scallop & White Fish
Ceviche- Vegetarian
Assorted chips

Avocado & Mango Salad
Road Side Roasted Yams
Rice & Peas (Beans)
Coconut Rice

Jerk Chicken Skewers
Caribbean Shrimp Skewers
Baked Tofu 2 ways

Belizean Banana Cakes
Tropical Cheesecake
Assorted Tropical Sorbets

You never know

Here is a picture of a great dining establishment in Beize.



Near a bar on the beach Caroline's is only open Sunday and Monday. She cooks up fresh chicken, lobster, fish and pork. Each meal comes with rice, veggies and potato and her homemade salsa.

Everything was amazing. So don't judge a meal by the kitchen.

Just a Cheesecake

Big Dot Cake

July Wine of the Month & Woodiville Tour IV

Okay because I mentioned a sparkling rose in the middle of winter, I am going to pick a traditional red for July.

Sunday I went to Woodinville for a little wine tasting. There are dozens of wineries in Woodinville now and it seems like new places pop up all the time.



One of my favorites is Matthews. They now have a tasting room in the warehouse district along with the one on 140th. I am going to recommend the Claret as it's one of their most affordable and very drinkable. They have some really nice wines but the prices points climb a bit. The Claret is $25. I did try the "Red Wine" blend it was smooth and lovely but a bit much ($44) for a everyday wine-at least for me. They had a cute promotion: add a post to Facebook or Twitter and get your testing fee back.

Other wineries visited this trip.

Efeste*-I had their wine once before when I joined the WOW wine club. They have a very nice space (former Januik space). I actually liked their Evergreen Riesling, it was great for a hot day and not too sweet. The Big Poppa, named for the owner Danial is also nice. Overall good people and wine and worth a 2nd visit.

Alexandria Nicole. I overall like their wines, but this trip we wandered back into the members only area unknowingly and got a snotty reaction. We did not get kicked out but it was a bit silly to even comment as there were only a few people there. This winery appears to be moving away from the great feel of small wineries and nice people to a more commercial feel. I don't think I need to visit them again and if I want their wine I'll get some at the store. We should not have a goal of being the next Napa.

Baer*. Another of the wines I like. They had a new white-Shard. It was nice but I am really a fan of their Ursa. We were there at the end of the day and lucky enough to get to try a new batch "hot" off the press. This is the kind of tasting room I rather see. Not fancy and exclusive but real people who like making wine.

Smasne Cellers. This tasting room had 4 different labels by the same wine maker: Smasne. Farmer Boy, Gard Vintners, Smasne Cellers and AlmaTerra. Lots of wines to taste. The AlmaTerra was the best in my opinion.

Edmonds. Nice doggy. Okay by the time I went here I was really all done! I am going to have to work on my spitting if I want to make it past say 4 or 5 wineries.

*Top Recommendations.

4th of July-An excuse to make a few cakes

Words and recipes later-for now just pictures.



Berry Brown Sugar Pavlova


Lemon Bombe


Chocolate Torte


Chocolate Strawberry Mousse Cake