Holding on to Summer (or Autumn is Coming)

It begins... Last week, a coworker shared that she had been feeling more tired lately without the early summer sunrises. Two nights ago, the nighttime breeze coming through the window chilled me enough so that I finally closed it. Yesterday, I told a friend that I planned to go to Colman Pool as part of my summer fun list and she responded that I better hurry up, since it closes after Labor Day. And this morning, I woke up to Joy the Baker's Let it Be Sunday post with a link to an article on how August blues are like Sunday blues.

Of course, the hopelessly optimistic side of me realizes that officially, summer doesn't end until the equinox - at the end of September. My routines won't be changed by kids going back to school (aside from the traffic patterns - we live a block away from an elementary school). The day time forecast for the foreseeable future shows temperatures in the mid-70s to mid-80s. There's still plenty of time to enjoy the summer.

So I continue whittling away at my list. I've enjoyed 17 of the 33 items, finding joy in both the homey activities (grilling corn, squeezing fresh lemonade, baking a pie and packing a picnic) as well as the more adventurous (riding my bicycle to Vancouver (B.C.), kayaking someplace new, riding the Great Wheel and whale watching). Some things are in progress (knitting a baby blanket and reading Moby Dick), while others are planned out (for Labor Day weekend, we'll be camping before we summit Mt. St. Helens).

I'm also experiencing a bit of mourning for the things I might miss out on (there are only a few days left of crab season and we 1) don't have a license and 2) will be gone or busy most of those days). Realistically though, some of the things on the list are not particularly seasonal. Moby Dick can be read any time of year. Sewing is probably better saved for months of the year where I have trouble leaving the house.

My mood tends to be affected by the seasonal shift to darkness, so while I still have energy, I'm also starting to plot out some fun activities for fall. Suggestions welcome!

Rock Camp Showcase

"Do you have a name badge? Okay, the merch table is over there. I don't know if you have to check in with anyone else". As she finishes with me, up walk two of the women from the Vox Rocks group (the vocalists at Ladies Rock Camp, which I attended in May), along with the volunteer coordinator, another Lady Rocker. Today we're here to support the campers at Rain City Rock Camp for Girls, rather than rocking out on our own.

"Just let me finish orienting these two on the raffle and then I'll be with you. Oh, here's Beth. She's a merch..."

"Goddess," Beth interjects.

"Yes, she's done this before. And Patty over there is in charge. You can go to either of them with any questions".

I step behind a half door to a claustrophobic area filled with boxes of t-shirts, water bottles, sweatshirts, hats, hoodies and fanny packs. At this point, I'm relieved that I opted not to bring my folding bike along. There's no way it would have fit with us, as I can barely bend over to reach the boxes as it is.

Beth shows me how to use the POS app (that's "point of sale", not the other POS abbreviation, as it actually works fairly well for us.

Nervous girls approach asking for camper earplugs. Another member of the Vox Rocks posse introduces her teenage son to us and offers his services as a runner. The room begins to fill with parents, aunts, uncles, brothers and sisters, as well as a few doting grandparents.

I did around boxes looking for specific sizes, as Beth rings up hats, decals, stickers and more. People ask questions like, "is this 100% cotton?", "is it preshrunk?", "will the stock be replenished for next week's show?" - all questions we did not go over in orientation.

After a sound check, the youngest bands with girls 8-9 start to play.

"Would you like to hear a joke?"
"Better make it a quick one," Beth mutters.
"Knock knock"
"Who's there?" choruses the crowd.
"Boo"
"Boo who?"
"Don't cry, it's only a joke".

Sweaty crowd members begin to fan themselves with the canary-colored programs. My vision starts to go dark, but I am determined not to faint, so I bend my knees and soldier on.

"This is so cool! I wish there had been something likes this for me," confides one aunt. I try to entice her to attend Ladies Rock Camp and have her own transformative experience.

Over twenty bands play. Faces reflect terror, joy and pride. We sell out of hats and totes. By the end, we have only XL & XXL sweatshirts left.

The show ends with two intern bands. I'm blown away by their talent and am now hungry for my own return to LRC. Maybe in September...

Come Sail Away: Our Sailing Soundtrack (plus bonus sailing pics)

As the sun finally dips below the horizon, we retreat to the cozy confines of the cabin below to check the wind forecast and current predictions for the next day. A disembodied voice breaks out "Bluetooth mode..." (avion? has been turned on? is now on? has begun? something in French?) before finally pairing and broadcasting the mellow sounds of Crosby, Stills & Nash.

We have often lamented the fact that Rock Lobster does not have a sound system. Installing speakers to the logical space in the stern could interfere with navigation. In the past, we've relied solely on whatever earworm prompts me to sing aloud to be our soundtrack, but this year, I brought along the Bluetooth speaker my grandmother gave me for Christmas (thanks Grandma!). This simple addition added so much joy to our journey.

Library nerd enthusiast that I am, we populated our playlist in advance with nautically-themed music from hoopla, one of the streaming music/video resources offered by both Sno-Isle Libraries and the Seattle Public Library.

Our playlist included:

• "Rock Lobster" (B-52s) - this inspired a dance party in our living room at 11 p.m. a few days before our voyage began
• "Sloop John B" (Beach Boys)
• "Southern Cross" (Crosby, Stills & Nash)
• "Come Sail Away" (Styx)
• "Sail Away" (Enya)

Sadly, I was unable to add Kenny Loggins' "Danger Zone", which I sing with altered lyrics whenever we see a yellow separation zone buoy. Ah well, I suppose that is one way I can still make myself useful as the designated singer on the boat...

Oh Canada!

About a week before our vacation began, while groggily making tea and a breakfast sandwich, I was surprised to see my normally night owl husband in the kitchen with me. "Our trip isn't going to work," he began before explaining that due to the approaching Canada Day holiday all of the space in the Victoria Harbor was reserved, while Roche Harbor (where we'd be meeting our friends later in the week) was likely also full, as they have a lottery for Independence Day week reservations.

I felt a bit like an ugly American, not even realizing that Canada Day was coming up (and then even more like an ugly American using that phrase to compare myself as a United Statesian to Canadians). And to top it off, it was Canada Day 150, an enormous celebration for our friends to the north.

Canadian flags in Sidney, B.C. condos

Butchart Gardens

After a brief moment of panic, I went into action mode, spending my work breaks calling and emailing various marinas with good results all around. The Oak Bay Marina, which is a short bike or bus ride away from downtown Victoria. They assured me that they didn't even take reservations until 5 days in advance and that I would need to call back in a few days. Sunday morning at 7 a.m., I called again, securing moorage for June 30 & July 1.

While we've sailed to Canada many times, we've never sailed to Victoria - the prevailing westerly winds in the Strait of Juan de Fuca work against us. Fortunately, the wind was light enough that we were able to make it. We motored west from Port Townsend in the fog in 10-12 knots of wind for the first portion with our mainsail up and later put up a headsail as well, finally beginning to sail without motor assistance in 15-l7 knots of wind. Lots of waves to battle, but nothing too daunting.

While the first day we stayed in Oak Bay, we ventured downtown on Saturday to celebrate Canada Day with the Victorians. It was day 10 of their celebration, featuring bands on two different stages by the waterfront. Government Street and numerous side streets were closed to accommodate the crowds of people.

School children singing "O, Canada" on the Parliament lawn stage

We wandered the docks, thankful not to be among the boats rafted three deep, before stopping at the Indecent Risotto food truck for a quick snack of smoked salmon and dill aranciata balls with slaw. The day was so sunny and warm that after a few hours, we took refuge in the Royal B.C. Museum. We spent 2.5 hours wandering just the top floor on exhibits of human history, including some nautical-themed exhibits.

Selfie stop at the museum

After a dinner of pierogis at Sult, we fought our way through the masses back to our bikes with a few minutes to spare before the fireworks began. We agreed that if we are still mobile in 50 years, will we definitely return for Canada 200.

Fireworks over Victoria Harbour

First Mate's Log: the Eighth Voyage

This past week has been crazy. Last week Thursday, I was offered a temporary job. Start date is July 17, the day I return from vacation, which started two days ago. And I made the not-so-bright decision to work Saturday and Sunday to conserve vacation time and have a staff meeting on Tuesday. So my days have been full packing my office and the boat.

All that means is that I'm incredibly thankful that our trip has begun. More details to come, including pictures when I'm writing from a computer, rather than my phone...

Come Sail Away

I'm often a fair-weather sailor, so the record breaking rain this October - May, combined with over-committed weekends means that I haven't done as much sailing this year as normal - just one sail to Bainbridge Island at the end of January. Last weekend's sun drew me out again.

While the wind started out a reasonable 7 knots when we left the house, by the time we made it to Shilshole, it had switched directions and dropped to 3 knots, so we motored to Kingston. On the journey, we saw porpoises, leaping fish and the ever-present kelp.

Our trusty autopilot, navigating us through the glassy seas

Edmonds-Kingston ferries

When we arrived, milkshakes seemed just the thing, so we stopped in at Mora Creamery where I sampled the gianduja (chocolate-hazelnut). We finished up our shakes in the park near the ferry dock, ducking frisbees from the adjacent game.

Sitting in one of the Kingston big chairs

By the time we were ready to leave, the wind had picked up, allowing us to fly the spinnaker. One of my dreams/bucket list items is to be able to "dock without freaking out" and I'm happy to say that our docking experience went well enough that Trent complimented my line handling.

Trent estimated that he had 1-3 hours of boat work to do, so I opted to take the bus home. Sadly, I realized once I rang the bell to get off the bus, that my carefully packed bag did not include house keys, so after a leisurely trip to the grocery store, I finished the warm summer evening on my porch, reading a library book on my phone and streaming Tacocat and Beach Boys songs for a mini-dance party.

Summer Fun - Whale Watching

Cool breeze as the sun shines warm on bare arms. The hush of the crowd as transient Orcas feed amidst screeching gulls. Water puffing from blow holes. Our whale watching experience was magical.

When my in-laws come to visit from Eastern Washington, they always ask to choose a special activity. This time, my sister-in-law suggested a whale watching tour. I was somewhat apprehensive, as my experience from afar with such tours is watching groups of boats circling whales just a little too close, trying to push the limits.

We started out in Edmonds, a little cranky from circling the Port's lot multiple times before finding the perfect spot on a busy weekend. Sat for a picnic lunch from PCC at a bench near the water as the sun beat down against us. Stood in line for half an hour with other eager whale watchers from Australia, England, Florida, New York and a few other Washingtonians. But oh, it was worth it.

After so many two-day sailing journeys to the San Juan Islands, it is a marvel to be able to be able to get there and back with plenty of time to watch whales, lazy sea lions and bald eagles in just 4.5 hours.

The evening concluded at Anthony's, where I sipped Chateau Ste. Michelle Sauvignon Blanc as I slurped mussels and nibbled on salty frites. The perfect end to a lovely day.

Summer Fun - Rhubarb Pie

Until I met our friend Philip, who baked two for my bridal shower, I'd never heard of a rhubarb pie. Strawberry-rhubarb, certainly but never plain rhubarb. In fact, I think it is safe to say that I had never had any rhubarb dish until adulthood. Now I'm a fan of the pucker-inducing vegetable that looks like red celery. Occasionally, a friend or coworker will share some of their bounty with me, but more often I pick up some from the Farmer's Market. Usually I make a crisp, but with my summer list confronting me, pie was the only option.

This time, I based the recipe off of this one for Straight-Up Rhubarb Pie found in the New York Times, in part because it called for a shortening crust. Usually I'm a butter girl all the way, but I was feeling lazy and it is so much easier to incorporate shortening than butter without using a food processor.

While the virtuous part of me intended to share it at a friend's birthday party, Trent and I have horded it. One last slice for each of us remains until the pie is only a memory.

Crust:
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
2/3 cup shortening, plus 2 tablespoons
6 tablespoons ice water

Filling
5 cups sliced rhubarb
1 1/4 cups sugar
5 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Slice rhubarb. In a medium size bowl, mix sugar, flour and cinnamon. Set aside.

Combine flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Cut the shortening into the flour. Sprinkle a tablespoon of water at a time over the dough, mixing with a fork. When it has come together, gather into two slightly unequal balls - the larger one for the bottom crust and the smaller for the top. Roll out dough on wax paper dusted with flour. Start from the center and move toward the edges, rolling until the diameter is an inch or two larger than the pan. Press into pie pan.

Place 1/4 cup of sugar, cinnamon, flour mixture on the bottom crust. Place rhubarb atop mixture. Cover with remaining cinnamon, sugar and flour. Dot with butter.

Roll out the top crust. Place over the rhubarb mixture. Trim, seal and cut several vents. Bake for 15 minutes, reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake 25 to 30 minutes more, or until bubbling.

1. Serve with your favorite ice cream. I'm partial to caramel swirl, cinnamon or vanilla.

YOU are my long, lost daughter...

Fifty questions in fifty different categories. Fifteen seconds per question. No opportunity to check your answers at the end of the quiz.

Tonight I took the online quiz to become a Jeopardy contestant. Trent and I have long annoyed friends and family members with our Jeopardy prowess, shouting out answers before they finish reading the question. Like my grandma, we don't answer the phone 7:30-8 on weeknights. I joke that if there were a Couples Tournament, we would trounce the competition as we each fill in the other's weak areas.

One of my library regulars shared with me that I reminded him of Alex Trebek. "There's something there", he replied when I told him that I wanted to be on the show. He presented me with a picture later that week with a smiling Alex Trebek and the words "You are my long lost daughter!!!"

A couple of years ago my brother turned to me and said seriously, "I want you to promise me something".

"Depends on what it is".

"You know I'd never ask you to do something against your interests, just promise me".

"Okay, if that's true, then yes, I promise. What is it?"

"Promise me you'll try out for Jeopardy".

So back in January 2016, I registered to take the test. Unfortunately, the night before the day in question, I went to see a movie with friends and didn't return home until far past my bedtime. My recall after 4-5 hours of sleep was abysmal and I left questions blank that I knew I would normally answer in a heartbeat ("Who is Robert Oppenheimer?").

This time would not be a repeat of that day. I went to bed early last night with earplugs and a night mask to keep from being awakened prematurely. I ate plenty of fruits and vegetables. And as I waited for the Jeopardy timer to count down, I hummed, then whistled the Jeopardy theme song.

I was pleased by the number of literature questions ("Robert Frost", "Anne Bronte", "hobbit") and was reminded that to be truly successful on the show, I'll need to study up on geography, sports and presidents. Will anything actually come of this? I don't know, but I do know that my odds are much better if I throw my hat in the ring.

Summer Fun - Summer Starts Now!

With temperatures hitting the mid-80s this weekend, it truly felt like summer (at least until today, where the high is only supposed to reach 59). So with the Joy the Baker Summer Bucket List as my model, I felt inspired to make my own summer fun list.

1. Restart my blog - after the Recipe Challenge finished up, I no longer had a project to blog about regularly and haven't posted anything since October 2015. Hopefully, my summer fun list will inspire me.
2. Ride a century - I've signed up to ride in the Flying Wheels bike ride on June 10th. With the record-breaking rainfall this year, I have not prepared as much as I would have liked, so we'll see if I ride the full 100 miles that day or do one of the shorter routes. I've also signed up to do RSVP (Ride from Seattle to Vancouver (BC) & Party).
3. Send postcards to friends on our sailing adventure.
4. Make sangria (the first of many food & drink related items on the list)
5. Swim in Green Lake
6. Daily doodles/sketches - last year and the summer of 2014, I took some time to sketch regularly. I've never been the artistic one in the family, but when I actually take time out of my day to draw, I enjoy it - whether or not anyone will actually purchase my artwork.
7. Kayak in a new place
8. Pack a picnic lunch
9. Write a short story
10. Go crabbing
11. Donate blood (okay, maybe not "fun", but now that I've been away from a malaria zone long enough, I'd like to get into the habit of doing this regularly)
12. Grill oysters
13. Go camping, which leads in to...
14. Summit Mt. St. Helens for the second time
15. Grill corn
16. Pick berries
17. Make freezer jam with the berry bounty
18. Make pickles
19. Ride Seattle's Great Wheel
20. Squeeze my own lemonade
21. Make a summer playlist (and listen to it all summer long)
22. Make margaritas
23. Bake a pie
24. Swim in Coleman Pool
25. Make my own sushi rolls
26. Make my own poke bowl
27. See an outdoor movie
28. Go to a concert
29. Read Moby Dick
30. Sew a tote bag
31. Sew a dress
32. Knit a baby blanket
33. Go whale watching (cheating a little, since we did this on Saturday, before I compiled the list)

Numbering the list makes it feel overly ambitious, but even if I only do half of the items on the list, I'll feel like I've made the most of the season.

Thursday Thought

¨The moment you think of others, your mind widens.¨

the Dalai Lama, as quoted in A Force for Good: the Dalai Lama's Vision for Our World by Daniel Goleman

Man, talk about inspiring - I so enjoyed reading about the Dalai Lama. 

At times I get discouraged by how much room for positive change there is in the world. I lament that we will never become a truly ¨family-friendly¨ society, where we take care of the sick and the elderly and allow parents to actually spend time with their children when they come into the world, where no one works 60 hour work weeks. I do believe change is possible though - that by thinking of others and encouraging our communities to do the same, our minds and hearts will both widen.

The Final Recipe - Bobbie's Custard - #112

The note at the bottom of my recipe card for Bobbie's Custard said that ¨Bobbie [Trent's grandmother] made this custard for many ill friends.¨ While I was happy that my friends remained relatively healthy throughout the year of the challenge, I saved this one up until the end just in case I would be called upon to cheer up a sick friend. Fortunately, that didn't happen, so I made a half recipe in my custard cups (which had never before been used to bake custard). I don't think I stirred these up thoroughly enough, as one cup set 15 minutes before the other seemed ready. There is something magical and delightful about the change the egg and milk mixture undergoes in the oven. A simple recipe made from real food.

Bobbie's Custard

• 2 cups milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup sugar
• cinnamon for dusting top

Heat the milk to bubbling stage. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and add sugar and vanilla. Add the hot milk to the egg mixture, slowly at first so hot milk does not begin to cook the eggs. Pour in casserole or custard cups and dust with cinnamon. Bake for 35 min. at 350 degrees in a bain marie.

Southern Cheese Biscuits - Recipe #111

It seems fitting that the last two recipes in the Loose Recipe Challenge are family recipes. This savory cookie has arrived at our doorstep countless times as part of a Christmas care package from Trent's mom, but this was the first time I had baked it on my own. The rolls were so crumbly, I was certain that I had not followed the recipe correctly, but by the time they chilled, I was able to cut them into the small slices necessary.

Just one more recipe to go...

Southern Cheese Biscuits

• 2-3 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. paprika

Mix together then add:

• 10 oz. grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 1 1/2 c. flour

Form into rolls and chill. Slice thinly, sprinkle with sugar, top with pecan half, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 min. or until edges just begin to brown. Sprinkle again with sugar.

From Modie, Trent's great-grandmother.

Crab Cakes - Recipe #110

We have a crab pot for Rock Lobster, so for the last few years, Trent has gotten his shellfish license, gone down to Shilshole, dropped the pot and returned with either Red Rock crabs or Dungeness or a combination. While normally we just enjoy a crab boil, on days where the yield is especially high, I'll save some crab meat for this Simply Recipes recipe. This year was a little busier than usual, so we never got the shellfish license. With as expensive as crab is, I typically don't purchase it from the grocery store - but the Challenge called, so off I headed to PCC for 1/2 lb. of crab (at $35.99 per pound, I decided not to make a full recipe, though there was a very sad sigh from Trent when he learned that there were no leftovers). On the up side, it was far less time-consuming to make these when the meat has already been extracted from the shells. Fresh bread crumbs add to the deliciousness of the recipe, though I'm always afraid that I'll wear out the food processor motor, as I did to my chopper-grinder the last time I ground gingersnaps for cabbage rolls.

Crab Cakes

• 1 lb. crab
• 1/2 stick butter (1 T & 3 T)
• 1/2 cup shallots
• 1 tsp. kosher salt (divided)
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 2 T. tartar
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
• 2 T. parsley
• 2 cups bread (crusts removed)
• 2/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs

Heat butter, shallots, 1/2 tsp. salt. Cook until translucent Whisk remaining ingredients. Fold in crab and bread. Make 12 patties 2 1/4¨ x 3/4¨. Place on rimmed tray with Silpat, sprinkled with half of the breadcrumbs. Place the other half on top. Cover loosely. Chill at least 1 hr. Heat 3 T. butter in a large non-stick pan on med. high heat. Cook in uncrowded pan, approx. 3 min. each side.

Cheese-Mushroom Fingers - Recipe 109

Another recipe from my mother-in-law. I've made this several times as an appetizer, but it had been languishing in my recipe for a while since the last time I made it. I had made a double (or was it a triple?) recipe for an event and there were leftovers upon leftovers to the point where I couldn't make myself get excited about eating any more. I came this close to recycling it, but I'm glad I didn't. While it still makes a great appetizer, its resemblance to quiche makes an even better breakfast heated up in the toaster oven or mid-morning snack. And I got wise this time and made just a half recipe in a 9x9 baking dish. My ¨green¨ peppers that I ordered from my CSA ended up purple (but no less delicious) and my cottage cheese from PCC ended up being all curds and no whey, which probably helped the texture.

Cheese-Mushroom Fingers

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
• 1 lg. onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lg. green pepper

Saute mushrooms, onion and garlic in butter until soft. Add pepper and cook a minute more. Set aside.

• 10 eggs
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. dried basil
• 2 cups small curd cottage cheese
• 4 cups shredded Jack cheese
• 3/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp. salt

Beat eggs. Then mix in the other ingredients until blended. Add the mushroom mixture.

Put into greased 10"x 15¨ jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 min. or until firm.

Cool at least 15 min. before cutting into 3/4¨ x 2¨ fingers. Serve warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate up to 2 days. Freezes well.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin - Recipe #108

I hate grilling - but I love pork tenderloin, so it is no surprise that while I kept this recipe from Trent's mom, I never had made it before the Recipe Challenge. I adore the smell of lighter fluid and charcoal together (though I know it is probably not the best for me), but I can never seem to get them to actually light - or if I do, I don't have the patience for the coals to glow with heat. So I was a little nervous having this as one of my final recipes in the month of October, always iffy grilling weather. Fortunately, we have had a lovely early autumn and I had a willing grill-er/sous chef in Trent. I did have to make one substitution - I could not find guava jelly anywhere, so I substituted red pepper jelly. Delish! I served some of the leftover marinade sauce on a salmon burger.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Brine:

• 1 1/2 Tbs. salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 cups cold water

Stir salt and sugar in boiling water to dissolve, then add cold water. Add meat and brine in refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Rub:

• 3 Tbs. Spanish paprika
• 1 Tbs. cumin
• 2 tsp. ground fennel
• 1 Tbs. ground mustard
• 2 tsp. salt
• coarse black pepper

Mix spices together and rub into meat, then coat with olive oil. Grill meat 5 to 6 min. per side over med. hot coals, turning 1/4 turn each time, and basting with glaze often.

Glaze:

• 1 cup guava jelly
• 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• salt & pepper

Reserve some glaze for serving, adding cilantro.

Frozen Cranberry-Pineapple Salad - Recipe #107

I can't decide whether to count this as a dessert or a salad. This is a Thanksgiving classic from Trent's mom. The first time I prepared it, I brought it to my grandmother's for dinner. My family seemed excited to try it until they learned there was sour cream in it (who knows what their bias is - sour cream makes it like a delicious creamsicle). For the challenge, I prepared just a half recipe, taking advantage of the half can of pineapple leftover from the carrot cake and the sour cream leftover from the sour cream horseradish sauce and Beef Stroganoff.

Frozen Cranberry-Pineapple Salad 

• 1 can crushed pineapple (1#, 4oz.), drained
• 1 can cranberry sauce
• 1 c. sour cream
• 1/4 c. coarsely chopped pecans

Thoroughly mix all ingredients. Freeze at least 3 hours until firm. Allow to sit at room temp. for a few min. before cutting.

Kristy's Yummy Butternut Squash Soup - Recipe #106

Another delicious recipe from my bridal shower. This was the first time, I'd made it because 1) Trent doesn't care for squash and 2) it is a pain to peel squash. Well, though I avoided any injury, it is painful to peel the squash, so next time I'll likely purchase a pre-cut Trader Joe's bag o' squash, rather than painstakingly hacking away at my CSA beauty. I had a teeny-tiny squash that only made two-cups worth of cubed squash so I only made one-third of a recipe - just a perfect individual size recipe. Even with only one cube of bouillon, it was fairly salty, so I will probably make it in homemade veggie broth next time. Yum, yum, yummy.

Kristy's Yummy Butternut Squash Soup

• 6 tbls. chopped onion
• 1 tbs. margarine (I used butter)
• 6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
• 3 cups water
• 4 cubes chicken bouillon
• 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper
• 1/8 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
• 1 3 oz. package cream cheese

In a large saucepan, saute onions in margarine until tender. Add squash, water, bouillon, marjoram, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; cook 20 minutes or until squash is tender.

Puree squash and cream cheese in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan and heat through. Do not boil.

(Note reads: This is my FAVORITE on a cold evening! :))

Carrot Cake - Recipe #105

Oh carrot cake, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. For the carrots and pineapple, that make thee feel virtuous; for the moist texture resulting from said carrots and pineapple; and most of all, for thy cream cheese frosting.

It was a bit alarming to have a cake in the final 10 without a corresponding social event to share it at, so I chose to make a half batch in an oblong pan. Without layers to frost, I probably could have made a third of a recipe of frosting, but I played it safe, thus providing suitable quantities for bowl-licking. And we did tempt one friend to come over for carrot cake and rum after a late night showing of The Martian (so good, but so much tiredness the next day - we are now reading the book aloud together).

This is another of the recipes that I received from Trent's mom one Christmas.

Carrot Cake

Mix together:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp. soda
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

Stir in and beat well:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/2 cups veg. oil
• 4 eggs

Add and mix well:

• 2 cups finely grated carrots
• 1 can drained crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Pour into three 9¨ pans or 1 oblong and one round, well greased. Bake for 35 to 40 min. at 350 degrees.

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 lb. powdered sugar

Mix butter, cream cheese, and vanilla, then add the sugar, mixing slowly at first.

Thursday Thought

“Learning – by definition – will always feel inauthentic. Practicing a new behavior, showing up in a new way, or acting differently, feels inauthentic. Changing a dance that’s been danced many times before will never feel natural. It will feel awkward, fake, like pretending.”

Peter Bregman “A Simple Formula for Changing Our Behavior”, Harvard Business Review

I don't know why this resonated with me when I read it earlier this week. Perhaps because I never thought I was the kind of person who would read the Harvard Business Review regularly - at a point in time, it would have been ¨inauthentic¨, but now I look forward to finding new articles in my blog feed. Or the fact that my first day on the job as an Assistant Managing Librarian, I felt a bit like a fraud. It's not just imposter syndrome, it is that when we learn, we are doing the things that don't just come naturally to us - whether in work or in life.