Feeding the Team

The Attack of Cucurbita Pepo

2009-09-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

Zucchini, derived from the Italian word zucchino, meaning small squash. Did you know Christopher Columbus brought the seeds for these little beauties from Central and South America to the Mediterranean? Jamie Oliver refers to these guys as courgettes. No matter what you want to call them, those of us who are fortunate enough to have a garden know they grow like weeds! I have waited all summer this year, with the rain that lasted throughout our spring, for the harvest of zucchini. They are now so abundant I have to beg friends to take them from me rather than have them spoil. Lonnie has let many zucchini grow to the very large variety, where I have to peel out the seeds and grate the squash rather than cook them in a meal. My kids love this, because where some of them eat zucchini no matter how I cook it, a few of them need it to come in the disguise of zucchini bread or zucchini bars. Anyway, no matter how you look at it, zucchini reminds me of the part of Forest Gump where Forest and Bubba are naming as many shrimp dishes as they can. Names of zucchini recipe can go on and on and on...just like the zucchini! There are so many good bread recipes but this is the one that works for my team.

Zucchini Bread

2 C flour

2 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1 1/2 t baking soda

1/2 c canola oil

1 C sugar

1/4 c brown sugar

3 eggs

2 t vanilla

1/2 c sour cream

3 c grated zucchini

optional: 1 c chocolate chips

optional: 1 c raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a bundt pan (I use this because it stays moister longer and my family likes that it looks like a cake!)

Mix oil, sugars, and eggs until fluffy. Add vanilla and sour cream. Mix until well blended. Gently sir in the zucchini. Stir in chips and raisins if you are using them.

Bake 50 to 60 minutes. Test if a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes and then remove from pan on to a colling rack.

With the last cooking of this bread(cake) and a batch of zucchini bars, Jake let me know that he had suggestions for future zucchini moments. He said, "You know, you could leave out the raisins next time. (Guess they must not be one of his favorites!), or you could try peanut butter/chocolate chip combination? I love that my cooking and his eating inspire him to feel creative.

Homecoming and Silverwolf Pride

2009-09-19T07:44:00.000-07:00

Last night was the Riverton Homecoming game. We won!!! Randy and Jake both played well and the school spirit was rumbling through the stadium throughout the night. We started the evening around 5:30 with a yummy tailgater, thanks to the grilling skills of Jeff Draper and Lonnie. We had philly cheese steak sandwiches and teriyaki sticks. Others added to the meal with chip and dips, cookies and tiny cream puffs. Usually our tailgates are for the football players families but we had some Riverton students who I think caught a whiff of the bbq and came over in hopes of partaking in some of the meal.

After dinner, we got to our great seats on the 40 yard line and the game began. I love Football Fridays. I received a call from a Senior Class Officer asking if I would escort Randy on to the field at halftime because he was part of the Homecoming Royalty. As I stood on the field with my son and his fellow classmates and they announced the Homecoming King and Queen for 2009 it brought back a flood of memories from my high school days. We now have a lovely lavender sash and pin that will be part of Randy's high school memorabilia. I was so proud of Randy and happy that he is enjoying every minute of high school. Riding the wave, as he would say. Another great moment for me was seeing the alumni from last year who had returned for the Homecoming game. I left the field, crossed the track and was greeted with hugs from the boys I have missed.

The game finished and the boys sang the Riverton fight song to the crowd. It was a fantastic night.

Randy, ou te alofa ia te oe.

2009-09-16T11:27:00.000-07:00

THE WOLVES ARE COMING HOME

We all have memories from high school, some great, some we truly would like to forget. What we remember as good or bad is our own experience. 35 years ago I was making a dress. It was a renaissance-style muslin dress with a burgundy cover that buttoned across the bodice. I stood on a float, my escort was Brock, a good friend of mine because Keith was playing football for UC Davis and couldn't be there. Homecoming royalty for Vintage High School in Napa, California. It was fun to be there with my friends, enjoying the spotlight, savoring the moment.

And now, it is a Riverton High School moment. It is Homecoming week. There was an assembly this morning to introduce their royalty. I was proud to my son, Randy, up there on the stage, escorting another candidate, answering silly questions and dancing to the singing of a classmate. He will remember this 35 years from now as one of those nice memories from high school. This afternoon there will be the powder puff game, tomorrow the burning of the wolf, then off to the Friday night lights and football. We will be tailgateing Friday before the game. Saturday afternoon we will be feeding a group of couples who will be attending the Homecoming Dance Saturday evening. The date requests and responses have happened. The clothes are picked. The flowers ordered and the plans complete. Meal planning for these events will keep this weekend lively and busy. I am thankful for the happy memories Randy is making in his high school experience. I am blessed to be part of them.

So to this, I raise my glass and say, "Good luck Wolves in your quest to come home and good luck to Randy in all that he wishes for this week and always."

A very easy, very special cookie

2009-09-11T13:32:00.000-07:00

Lonnie is my cookie fan. This is not to say that he likes all cookies, but he certainly does enjoy most. When we met he discovered that he could ask me to make cookies and in the time it would take him to go to the store to grab three packages of the $1/per package cookies with creme in the center or a roll of cookie dough, I could whip up a batch of just-out-of-oven delights! His standard fare is tollhouse cookies but we have managed to come up with a few others that are regular requests. Lonnie and Randy are both Reese's Peanut Butter Cup lovers and I thought, "Well, let's combine a peanut butter cookie with chocolate!" This was several years ago and I have since seen similar cookies in bakeries. I combined my basic peanut butter cookie recipe with a chocolate dipping recipe and have since been baking "Peanut Butter Chocolate Dips" for home and to give away.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Dips

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream sugars and butters. Add vanilla and egg. Add dry ingredients. Drop on ungreased baking sheet. I use a small ice cream scoop, but a tablespoon formed into a ball works. Use a fork and criss-cross the dough. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool for one minute on the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Melt 8 ounces of semisweet chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter. You can do this in the microwave for 30 second intervals - stir after each interval. It only takes about a minute depending on your microwave. Be careful not to overcook the chocolate or it won't be smooth to dip. You can also melt the chocolate in a double boiler or heat proof bowl over a pot of water stirring constantly. Once the chocolate is the consistency of thick syrup, dip the cooled cookies halfway in the chocolate. Place on parchment paper to cool.

Identifying the "Team"

2009-09-11T12:30:00.000-07:00

I think I have always been cooking for a team. The team has changed over time. But the team is generally very happy to be eating whatever I can dream up and produce in my kitchen. I used to cook for my parents and sisters when we were younger. The best thing about that cooking was it was usually the means of keeping me from having to participate in such things as mowing the lawn or cleaning the garage or washing the car. Anything to not have to help with those chores. So, I would announce that I was going to prepare a fantastic lunch and would stay in the kitchen. My family was not fooled by my offers but they were happy to have a good lunch after all their hard work. The other "teams" in my life were boyfriends, college roommates, the romantic team of two when I was first married, the expanding team of three when my daughter arrived. Then there were the many dinner parties for friends, coworkers and large family gatherings. The arrival of my son brought the home team to four, the departure of my husband with divorce reduced us to three, the arrival of the love of my life and his two daughters took us to six! New friends, new coworkers and new family added to the list of those who would comment I should share recipes or open a restaurant (are you kidding?)! Our three daughters left home for college reducing the home front to my husband (Lonnie), my son (Randy) and myself. This is the time where a new team of eaters arrived on the horizon. I have spent the last couple of years as a "team mom," "outfield coordinator" and feeder of Riverton High School Silverwolves athletes, student government and any friend my son happens to bring home. Feeding the football team brings food to a new level. Feeding the track team breakfast of yummy muffins at the meets was a true labor of love. Our home currently is inhabited by the three of us, along with a high school friend of Randy's, our oldest daughter and her husband. With this busy family and working full time, cooking is my point of relaxation. Nothing pleases me as much as turning out a great meal, presenting it in a beautiful fashion and watching those I love enjoy the food. So, I am going to start this blog with the intention of sharing with others the recipes I have collected over the years. The choices will be varied and endless and are those that have been met with excitement and enjoyment by all of my "teams."