Old Photo Friday: Sauce, Please

WHO: Stacy Dare Brady
WHAT: Dinner at Coast Village
WHERE: Florence, OR
WHEN: I am between 2-3 so 1972-73; presents in the background so it might be the fall of 1972(Grandma's birthday - October) or summer of 1973 (my Mom's b-day - August)

As a kid, everything was sauce....gravy, ketchup, dressing.  I remember this trailer (the original trailer at Coast Village) as one of my earliest memories.  I look like I am eating fish or crab.  I am sure, I asked for sauce.

Enjoy!

Stacy

Recipe of the Week: New England Clam Chowder

Chowder is a seafood or vegetable stew often made with milk or cream and mostly eaten with saltine crackers.  New England Clam Chowder is typically make with chopped clams and diced potatoes.

The term chowder is obscure.  One possible source is the French word chaudiere, the type of cooking/heating stove on which the first chowders were probably cooked.  The Oxford dictionary traces the word chowder to the fishing villages along the coast of France from Bordeaux to Brittany.  There are also references to the Cornwall region of Southwestern England.  These two regions are located across the English Channel from one another.  When the ships returned from the sea, every village had a large chaudiere waiting for a portion of each man's catch, to be served later as part of the community's welcoming celebration.

The first and oldest-known printed fish chowder recipe was in the Boston Evening Post on September 23, 1751. By the middle of the 1800's, chowder was a mainstay throughout the Northeastern U.S.

The phonetic variant chowda, found in New England is believed to have originated in Newfoundland in the days when Breton fisherman would throw portions of the day's catch into a large pot, along with other available ingredients.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Thick and Creamy New England Clam Chowder 

Ingredients:

8 pieces of bacon, cut into small pieces

1 medium onion, chopped

1 (5oz.) cans of baby clams, with juice reserved

6 Yukon Gold potatoes, diced

2 (10 1/2 oz.) cans cream of celery soup

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup 2% milk

1 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon dill 

salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Add bacon to sauce pan and cook on medium heat until crispy.  Remove from pan and drain on a paper towel.

Add onion to pan and cook until translucent.  Transfer onion to a large stock pot and then add reserved clam juice.

Add the potatoes and cook covered until they are fork tender, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don't stick.

Add clams, soup, cream, milk and dill.  Stir together, then add butter.

Cook together for about 30 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe courtesy of Food.com

Image found on Google Images/Getty Image

Meet the Grey Goddess

Wow...three years went by so fast.

It seems like yesterday when I brought home the Bronze Goddess on that sunny Sunday in July.  My first new car!

With my lease ending this July and Hyundai calling, texting and e-mailing me daily, I decided to check out my options.

Honestly, I love the Bronze Goddess and I hated to see her go.  She was stylish and rare (Hyundai doesn't even have that color in the 2014 fleet), but in the long run, a newer lease was going to cost me less so I said goodbye and drove out of the showroom in my new 2014 Hyundai Elantra Sport.

Meet the Grey Goddess!

Enjoy!
Stacy

Menu Plan Monday: Welcome June!

Good Morning, Boston!

I'll be spending today and tomorrow on the east coast before flying back home on Tuesday night!  It's a short and easy menu for me this week!

Remember to check out Laura's site for more menu and organizing ideas.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Monday:  Just how many Lobstah Rolls can I eat and/or put in a suitcase?
Tuesday: Flight leaves Logan at 5:05 and I land at PDX at 8:25
Wednesday:Weight Watchers Juicy Hamburgers on the Grill!
Thursday: Greek Chicken Risotto

22/52

Memorial Day Weekend!

The official/unofficial start to summer.  Weather-wise it was a bit hit or miss.  Friday was gorgeous on the train and Monday was cool but mostly sunny.  We won't talk about BBQ-ing in the rain on Sunday!

In between showers, we managed to get a few hours of yard work in (okay....Brian did most of the hard labor).  Home Depot had more than enough flowers to choose from and we even added a yellow pear tomato plant to the garden.  

I trimmed back the roses which are already producing some beautiful blooms, already!

 

BBQ Pork ribs with Tom Douglas Rub for Sunday dinner!  We hosted Bay Area friend, Jenny and her son Carter on Sunday.  The boys played wiffel ball and frisbee in the drizzle and Jenny and I sipped on wine!

In addition to the ribs, grilled burgers, Brian's baked beans and corn-on-the-cob, I also found this wonderful Herbed Potato Salad out of May's Relish newspaper insert.  

How did you spend the holiday weekend?  

Enjoy! 

Stacy

Old Photo Friday: Baby Stacy and Aunt Sandra

WHO: Stacy and Sandra (Princess and Chick)
WHAT: Hanging out; Chick's probably baby-sitting me (Mom...what's with the curlers!?!?!)
WHERE: E Street in Springfield, OR
WHEN: Early 1970; I appear to be taking my first steps

Thanks to Chick for all the years that you took care of me.  Today, I got to take care of you as you recover from oral surgery.  Nurse Ratchett on duty!!

Enjoy!
Stacy

Recipe of the Week: Lobster Rolls (or as the New Englander's say....Lobstah Rolls)

So tomorrow we are heading to Boston!  I've already got most breakfast, lunch and dinners planned out, but you can bet that one of my meals will include a Lobster Roll.

A traditional lobster roll is a sandwich filled with lobster meat soaked in butter and served on a bun (OMG)!!!  There are variations made in all parts of New England, but typically the sandwich fill contains celery, scallions and mayonnaise.

The first lobster roll was served at Perry's in Milford, CT as early as 1929.  Once Perry's put the sandwich on the menu, its popularity spread up and down the Connecticut coast, but not far beyond.  For those residing in CT, a lobster roll is served warm.  When served cold (as in other parts of New England) the sandwich is referred to as a lobster salad roll.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Lobster (lobstah) Rolls

Ingredients:

3/4 lb cooked fresh lobster meat, diced

1/2 cup Best Foods mayonnaise

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1 tablespoons capers, diced

1 1/2 tablespoons finely minced fresh dill

salt and pepper

4 hot dog rolls, grilled or toasted

Directions:

Combine the lobster, mayonnaise, celery, capers, dill, salt and pepper.  Fill each roll and serve.

Recipe courtesy of The Barefoot Contessa

Image found on Google Images

21/52

Re-discovering Lincoln Park after a long cold and dark winter!

Time to stop and smell the flowers!

2.25 miles on Saturday and 2.75 miles on Sunday!  Yes, despite my grimace, I did enjoy every step!

Enjoy!
Stacy

Menu Plan Monday: End of May 2014

Welcome Monday!  

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!  Hopefully the weather will be nice enough for a cookout in West Seattle.  It's another short week and a plane ride across country coming up so I'd better be prepared with my menu plan for the week ahead.

Remember to check out Laura's site for more menu planning ideas.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Sunday:  Memorial Day BBQ!  Brian's Baked Beans, Grilled Burgers and sweet corn on the cob
Monday: Late train out of Seattle!  Food on the go!
Tuesday:  Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Grilled Seasonal Veggies
Wednesday:  Grilled Pork Chops and a Big Garden Salad
Thursday: Chick to the dentist and I am packing for Boston....a soft and light dinner - Baked Potato Bar

Old Photo Friday: Honoring Memorial Day

WHO: Brian and Ann Lee
WHAT: Visiting Brian's Dad, Allen K. Lee's grave site (Korean War Veteran)
WHERE: Newark, DE
WHEN: April 2007

Memorial Day (formerly known as Decoration Day) originated after the American Civil War to commemorate both union and confederate soldiers who died during the civil war.  By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died or served while in military service.  

Although this was not Memorial Day, we did honor Brian's father by decorating his grave site when we visited Delaware in 2007.  Brian's Mom, Ann who passed in 2010 is also buried at the Veteran's Cemetery outside of Newark, DE.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Recipe of the Week: Dinner from a soup can

I hate budgets!  From time to time, it's always good to re-evaluate your spending habits.  Sometimes, you need to make dinner from a can of soup.  No, not eat a can of soup for dinner, but actually make a dinner out of a can of soup (plus other things).  

I stumbled across a stir-fry recipe a week or so ago and it called for a can of soup.  The thought of soup in a stir-fry did not go over well at Rebecca Lane, but in all honesty, it was one of the best stir-frys I have made in a long time.  We always have rice in the pantry and the vegetables that I added cost less than $3.  If you don't like pork, substitute chicken or a lean (cheap steak).  This is easily a meal that you could make for under $10, plus we got 4 servings out of it.


Enjoy!
Stacy

Asian Pork Stir Fry

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice

2 cups water

cooking spray

2 (6-8oz) boneless pork loin chops, cut into thin strips (or chicken or beef)

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 medium onion, cut into thin slices

1 zucchini, cut in half then sliced thin
1 carrot, sliced thin

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 can (18.5 ounces) Progresso Light home style vegetable and rice soup

2 green onions rough chopped into bite sized chunks1 tablespoon stir-fry sauce

1 cup shredded cole slaw or cabbage

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

Directions:

Cook rice according to package directions.

Heat a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add a bit of cooking spray; cook pork over medium high heat, until browned (but not cooked through).  Remove from pan, set aside and keep warm.

Wipe pan clean and spray a bit more cooking spray into skillet.  Cook mushrooms, onion, zucchini and carrot over medium-high heat until browned, but not overly cooked (about 3 minutes).  Season with garlic powder. 

Stir soup into veggies and then add stir-fry sauce; heat to boiling.  Add pork and cook over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes.  Remove from heat and add green onions, cabbage and almonds; stir well.

Serve pork mixture over rice. 

Image found on Google Images

Recipe courtesy of Weight Watchers (slightly adapted) 

Notes: Feel free to add whatever veggies you want

20/52

We had dinner at one of our favorite places last week and took Uncle Steve with us.

Allium Bistro is located in West Linn and I bought Sandra a gift certificate for her birthday in January, which had to be used by last Thursday!

Our meal consisted of a wonderful cauliflower voulette (creamy soup), a Cascade Natural Hamburger with bacon, cheddar, charred onions and tomato jam, Seafood Paella full of shrimp, mussels, clams and calamari and a 6 oz sirloin steak, potato croquette and braised greens.

Their food is exquisitely prepared (we've been here twice before and had an outstanding meal each time), they buy local and promote local farmers and ranchers.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Menu Plan Monday: May 18-22, 2014

Welcome Monday!

This week's menu certainly has a lot of grilling?  It's May and the days are long and the evenings are warm and it's time to fire up the BBQ.

What do you like to grill?

Don't forget to check out Laura's site for more menu planning ideas.

Enjoy!
Stacy


Sunday: Grilled Brats and Corn on the Cob
Monday: Grilled Chicken with a Big Garden Salad
Tuesday: Okay....not grill but still good. Cafe Yumm Bowls
Wednesday: Dinner out with Friends?
Thursday: Grilled Scallops with Chickpea Salad

19/52

The first round of clean up and planting for the 19th week of the year!  

The Seattle patio is coming along nicely.  Brian's spent quite a bit of time weeding, edging, mowing, weeding, clearing ivy, (did I mentioned weeding?).

Here is my Rebecca Lane garden.  This year I planted broccoli, spring onions and tomatoes.  I hand laid 6 cubic feet of hemlock barkdust, but I still have at least 6 more more to go.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Old Photo Friday: Yatzee

WHO: Stacy, Steve and Pop
WHAT: Hanging out at E Street playing Yatzee
WHERE: Springfield, OR
WHEN: I look to be about 17 or 18 so 1986-87

It's always nice when my uncle Steve (Roonie) visits.  We had a great week!  Thanks for all your help around the house.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Recipe of the Week: Black Bean Tacos with Feta Slaw

A taco is a traditional Mexican dish composed of corn or wheat tortillas folded or rolled around a filling.  

According to the Real Academia Espanola, the word taco describes a typical Mexican dish of a maize tortilla folded around food.  The original sense of the word is of a "plug" or "wad" used to fill a "hole".  Its etymology as derived from Mexican Spanish means "light lunch", or literally, "plug, wadding".  The sense development from "plug" may have taken place among Mexican silver miners, who used explosive charges in plug form consisting of paper wrapper and gunpowder filling.

The taco predates the arrival of Europeans in Mexico.  There is anthropological evidence that the indigenous people living in the lake region of the Valley of Mexico traditionally ate tacos filled with small fish.  Writing at the time of the Spanish conquistadors, Bernal Diaz Del Castillo documented the first taco feat enjoyed by Europeans, a meal which Hernan Cortes arranged for his captains in Coyoacan.  It is not clear why the Spanish used their word, "taco" to describe indigenous food.

Taco Tuesday is a big cultural/urban following in the U.S. with many restaurants offering happy hour prices or cheap tacos on Tuesdays.  Here is our Taco Tuesday recipe for this week.

Enjoy!
Stacy

Black Bean Tacos with Feta Slaw

Ingredients:

1 15oz can of black beans, drained

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder (or chilli powder); or you can add taco seasoning

salt and pepper

1-2 tablespoons water

2 teaspoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 cups coleslaw mix or shredded cabbage

2 green onions, sliced thinly

1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

cooking spray or 1 teaspoon olive oil

4 corn tortillas

4-6 tablespoons crumbled reduced fat feta cheese

hot sauce

Directions:

Place beans and spices in a small bowl and partially mash.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add 1-2 tablespoons of water and heat over medium low heat in a shallow saucepan.  

Mix 2 teaspoons olive oil and lime juice in a small bowl; add cole slaw,  green onions, and cilantro and toss to coat.  Season, if needed with spices or salt and pepper.

Heat cooking spray or oil in a medium pan over medium heat. Add one tortilla at a time and cook on both sides for 2-3 minutes.  

To serve:  Spoon 1/4 bean mixture onto half of each tortilla, then top with slaw and feta.  Add hot sauce if desired then fold over.

Notes: I can typically get 4-6 tacos out of mix

Recipe slightly adapted from Cooking Light

Photo found on Google Images

 

18/52

A celebration of Mother's Day for the 18th week of the year!

Thanks to Kenny for putting on such a wonderful spread; Hamburgers, Potato Salad, Baked Beans.  A celebration of Mom!  Cheers!

Enjoy!
Stacy

Menu Plan Monday: Middle of May 2014

Welcome Monday!

We are hosting my uncle Steve this week AND trying to stick with the Weight Watchers program.  Easy!?  Yes, believe it or not, what I'll be cooking this week will not be recognized as "diet" food and if Steve doesn't read this blog post, he probably won't know that we are eating light and healthy.  

Just because you are on a healthy eating plan, don't feel limited to hosting dinner or having company over.  You might surprise everyone with your menu!

As a reminder, go to Laura's site for more menu planning ideas

Enjoy!
Stacy

MONDAY:  Weight Watchers Blue Cheese Chicken Burgers with Fries
TUESDAY: Taco Tuesday!  Cooking Light Black Bean Tacos with Feta and Cabbage Slaw
WEDNESDAY: Weight Watchers Asian Pork Stir-Fry with Jasmine Rice
THURSDAY:  If we've been good all week long, perhaps a burger out at The Fireside Grill

Old Photo Friday: Happy Mother's Day

I've been so lucky to have had three beautiful, smart, entertaining and passionate mothers in my life. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Enjoy!
Stacy

WHO: Jennifer Dare Wharton Wills Brady Hanselman (I call her Mom)
WHEN: This is probably 1967-68 before I was born
WHERE: This might be Klamath Falls or perhaps Springfield.  I know that lamp...she went through a Colonial phase
WHAT:  Writing songs and playing music.  My Mom is such a creative and talented musician

WHO: Vivianne (Ann) Peterson Lee (Brian's Mom)
WHERE: An elementary school In Newark, DE, where she worked as the school secretary
WHEN: 1980's
WHAT: A working Mom in the 1960's and 1970's when most women didn't work outside of the homes.  She had dinner on the table at 5PM every night and helped raise three boys with her husband, Al of over 50 years.  I miss your stories (especially about your youngest son).  Thank you for your silver, your table settings and the spirit of life that I see in all your sons.  You are missed today and everyday.

WHO: Grandma Phyllis (Rosemary's Mom), Pop, me and Rosemary Theresa Henrickson Sall Brady (I call her my second Mom)
WHERE: Portland, OR (on our way out to the Gorge)
WHEN: Late 1980's (1989 or 1990)
WHAT: Time with family!  I have so many memories of adventures with my Pop and Rosemary.  I am so lucky to have had such a loving and nurturing person growing up.  An avid reader and a wonderful cook.  Thank you for all that you have taught me and shared with me over the years.

Recipe of the Week: King's Market Smoked Salmon Spread

Last month for my birthday, we took a trip up to Friday Harbor.  I have fond memories of another short trip to Friday Harbor back in August 2013 sailing with friends Russ and Sue.  It was on the sailboat that I first tasted King's Market smoked salmon dip.  I was in heaven!  Last month before leaving Friday Harbor I rushed into King's Market and picked up a tub of their dip to take home with me.  It's simple one of the best things I've ever eaten and it's super easy to make; however, I was unable to locate the recipe on the internet.  It might be a while before I am back in Friday Harbor, so I'll have to practice making this dip at home.

Enjoy!
Stacy

 

Smoked Salmon Spread

Ingredients:

2 8oz packages of cream cheese

12 oz. smoked salmon, chopped

3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

Directions:

In a medium bowl, stir cream cheese until smooth.  Add salmon, Worcestershire sauce, dill, garlic and green onions; mix well then serve with crackers of baguette.

Notes:  This isn't the exact King's Market (I don't think King's has the onions or the dill) recipe!  If you have it, if you know anyone who has it, if you work at King's...please send it to me!!