Today is a good day.

Ladies and gentlemen today is an Odd Thursday and I always look forward to this day. Why? Well it's because today I picked up this:

That's right I went to pick up my unassuming cardboard box, but surely you know that appearances are deceiving right? This box contains something I love, something that think about day in and day out, something that makes me happy.



Are you ready for this? This revelation?





Really the suspense would be killing me if I were you.





Yes that's right I got PRODUCE! Fresh, local organic produce from my CSA at Eatwell Farms.

This week I got:

• Basil
• Garlic
• Lemon Verbena
• Bok Choy
• Eggplant
• Gypsy Peppers
• Serrano Chile Peppers
• Sweet Potatoes
• Onions
• Fuyu Persimmons
• Granny Smith Apples

Not a bad haul huh? I've been getting a share of produce and eggs from them for well over a year now and I really like it. I get lovely produce, fruit and eggs that are all organic at a very reasonable price. I do an every other week delivery, because it's simply too much food for one week and that way I can still stop by the local farmer's market for anything I might need.

I love getting my box to see what's inside, because although they post what they might put in the box a week ahead oftentimes there are last minute variations or it's simply not specific enough (like I know there will be tomatoes, but not what kind). Sometimes the surprise is good like the time I got a heirloom melon that for the life of me I can't remember the name of. Sometimes the surprise is bad like in the spring when I kept getting cabbage which is not really one of my favorite veggies.

However, that's party of what's great about a CSA is that it forces you to be inventive with your cooking and pushes you out of your culinary rut. It also connects you with the seasons, with the farms and the local food community. I like knowing that what I put into my body is free of extra chemicals and that I am supporting a farmer. In addition to all of that the produce is really really tasty I mean so fresh and lovely. Oh and the eggs please don't get me started on the eggs! I get half a dozen every other week and they are not only the largest eggs ever they also have such lovely yolks and whites. Really yellow firm yolks that are perfect when cooked slightly runny just the way I like them

So this is why I love every Odd Thursdays. Produce and eggs baby produce and eggs.

Happy Halloween!

Ah my darlings I'm hoping you have a spectacularly spooky Halloween. Have fun and be safe!

From Vintage Holiday Crafts

Pumpkins and Gourds

Last weekend me and a friend drove out to Half Moon Bay to pick up some pumpkins. I adore pumpkin patches. I love seeing the families with little children picking out their perfect gourd. I love the piles of hay all over and stacks of pumpkins. The best part about the pumpkin patch is that it means that fall is really and truly here. The pumpkin patch announces the changing of the seasons with it's slew of winter squash declaring with their bright color fall has arrived.

The Great Tomato Debacle

A few weeks ago I did something stupid something very very stupid. I bought 2 boxes of tomatoes to make salsa from a produce club I belong to. The produce club is from Marquita Farms and they sell produce in the city when they have an extra large harvest that they can't sell at restaurants or at farmers markets. So I decided that canning some salsa and fresh tomatoes seemed like a great idea. Which it probably would have been if I hadn't bought 2 boxes of tomatoes filled to the brim with tomatoes which would go bad if not canned or eaten soon. I way underestimated how many tomatoes would come in a box.

See the thing is that a week before this tomato incident I had already canned some tomatoes and made some sun dried tomatoes so this bunch of tomatoes was defiantly in excess. I picked up the tomatoes on Thursday afternoon and spent pretty much the rest of the weekend processing the tomatoes. I boiled tomatoes, peeled tomatoes, boiled jars, boiled lids and boiled the lids some more. Do you notice how much boiling there is going on here? My kitchen was a mess of pots, jars and tomatoes. I made raw packed tomatoes, salsa, Italian crushed tomatoes, regular crushed tomatoes and I ate tomatoes all weekend also. At the end of the weekend I was sick of tomatoes really really sick of tomatoes, but I am grateful that I will have tomatoes for the pantry.

Almost done canning the second box of tomatoes

From the left salsa, raw-pack tomatoes and crushed Italian tomatoes

I must admit though that those tomatoes look so nice all lined up. I ended up with 7 quarts of raw packed tomatoes, 7 pints of salsa and 8 pints of crushed tomatoes. If you ever feel like attempting canning tomatoes or canning food in any capacity check out the National Center for Home Food Preservation. These are the guidelines I use to ensure my canned goods are safe and they even have tasty recipes which I also use. I will NOT be canning tomatoes anytime soon, but I might consider making some jelly soon. A small batch of course.

Intimate Dinner for Miss Z. and Guest

Lately I've made some huge changes in my life and while it's all been exciting it's also been very stressful. My life in the past 6 months has changed drastically professionally and personally. I've decided to pursue a longtime dream of finally changing careers and personally I've made many small changes that seem to add up. I've been taking it one step at a time, but there are times when the stress is overwhelming. There's a the thrill of the unknown and the sneaking fear that snakes it's way into my heart as I contemplate my new uncertain future. In times like this what's a girl to do, but to have a handsome surfer come over to my house for dinner. It's always a joy to be able to sit down with him talking about our weeks and relaxing with a plate of food.

It's been a stressful couple of months and the last few weeks in particular as I've been trying to nail down the little details. There's still miscellaneous items to be worked out, but for the moment I was ready to simply relax with a nice intimate dinner. I cooked because Surfer Boy we'll call him E. for now on doesn't cook at all. He's particularly amazed when he looks in my fridge and sees fresh food that needs to be prepared. Apparently it's shocking to him that anybody would take the time to cook when something can be so easily microwaved. Although, that has never stopped him from eating anything I make or requesting that I make him his favorite dish of chicken pesto pasta. Thankfully like my father I enjoy cooking and sharing my joy of life through my food.

We started off with a cheese plate, which frankly I didn't take pictures of since E. devoured it all before I could take pictures. It was however for the record a nice cheese plate with double creme Gouda, jack cheese, salami, crackers and grapes. I would like you readers to know though that double cream Gouda is amazing lusciously creamy and soft with amazing amounts of yummy flavor.

We sat down to a dinner of roasted mushroom ravioli from Home Maid Ravioli Co. bought at my local farmer's market topped with a creamy sun dried tomato sauce. On the side was shiitake and asparagus saute and white wine of course. We lit the candles sipped our wine and just talked while eating. It was a peaceful way to end a stressful week and I'm so glad that I had somebody to share it with. There are days when I need nothing more than a ear tilted my way and E. provided that. I finally relaxed for the first time in weeks just being present with somebody who makes me laugh so much. Then we ended up in food coma from the raviolis with the amazing cream sauce. Yummy!

Sun Dried Tomato Cream Sauce:
1/2 Cup sun-dried tomato pesto
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cup of whole milk, half and half or cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons minced basil

1) On med. heat melt butter for 1-2 minutes. Once butter is melted add in flour and make a light roux another 3-4 minutes.
2) Add sun dried tomato pesto to the roux and stir till incorporated. At this point add the milk in a little at a time being careful not to scald the milk. If the sauce is too thick add in more milk or even a little pasta cooking water.
3) Toss with the cooked pasta and garnish with basil.

Sauteed Shiitake & Asparagus:
1 cup or 8 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch asparagus
1/2 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

1) On med. heat heat up the olive oil. In the meantime slice the shiitakes and asparagus.
2) Once the oil is hot stir in the shiitakes and saute for 4-5 minutes until the shiitakes start to get a little brown.
3) Toss the asparagus and saute for another 7-10 minutes. Add in salt at the end and pepper to taste.