He won!

Thanks to everyone who voted!  Steven's recipe won Omnivore Runner-Up in the Weeknight Meals Contest on TheKitchn.com!    Yummy yummy bacon, cream cheese, honey, and peppers!

Please vote for my hubby on TheKitchn.com!

I'm so proud of Steven - his recipe for Tex Mex Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Nuggets with Homemade Ranch was accepted for the "Quick Weeknight Meals" contest on TheKitchn.com, an incredible food blog.

PLEASE VOTE for his recipe if it looks scrumptious to you - you vote by giving it a "thumbs up."  Voting is only open for 48 hours!  (until Monday the 28th at 4pm EST)

When we made this recipe the other night for the photo shoot, we devoured the nuggets in about 3 minutes flat.  I can personally say they're easy to make and delicious (c’mon, bacon with honey drizzled on top?!) but I'm a little biased!

My turn to try...

Maybe I have a small competitive streak after all.  Tonight, I attempted to match my husband's beautiful salad presentation from last night.  How did I do?



Boneless chicken thighs marinated in soy sauce, garlic, lime juice, red pepper, black pepper, salt, and honey and then grilled in the pan until caramelized
Pearl couscous
Parsley garnish

Alas, I can't take credit for the couscous.  It was made by our dear friend Kyle from the Sunday Suppers blog.  It was incredible!

So I asked my husband to make a salad for dinner tonight...

...and this is what he came up with:





Romaine
Peaches
Honey-coated peanuts (that he soaked, dried, and made himself)
Raisins
Olive oil
Truffle oil
Fresh-squeezed lemon juice
Carrot shavings
Lemon cucumber

Seriously, who did I marry?  I was expecting maybe some tomatoes, cucumbers and celery in a bowl.  This looks like something out of Bon Appétit Magazine!

Eden Creek Farm.

Early morning rose over Blooming Grove, TX, population 833. The overcast sky, much welcomed in Texas after a scorching summer, created a canopy of coziness over our entire hour drive from Dallas deeper and deeper into the country. We wound our way through the downtown center of Blooming Grove.  About 5 miles down the road, we saw a white pickup truck in the distance. It was Steve Orth, proprietor of Eden Creek Farm, ready to greet and usher us onto his property. He gave us a hearty wave and we entered the gate before him. The dirt road wound through evergreens and mesquite trees, and unsure of what would await us around the next turn, we began to feel that we were entering some kind of fairtytale land.  Finally, the road opened into a clearing where there stood not a wide-porched farmhouse, but a huge grey Adobe home – totally unexpected!

the orth's home

We were instantly greeted by the jovial married couple, Steve and Kristine Orth, who owns and runs Eden Creek Farms. They are clearly in love with each other and their work. Everything from the care of their home to the care of their fields was beautiful.

They offered us steaming cups of fine South Pacific coffee as we sat in their warm living room filled with the scent of incense.  The cozy wood stove and earthy colors were the perfect backdrop to the overcast morning.

We then began a tour of their farm so we could see all the amazing produce grown there, including the cleared land that is ready for new fall crops to be planted.  In our Crocs, boots, and tennis shoes, we began traipsing through the forest, led by Maya, the German Shepherd.  But Maya was only the first of the characters...we were soon introduced to Squeaky the pet squirrel. Kristine Orth rescued him as a baby, and he now lives in a spacious cage with his stuffed animals under a horse apple (bodark) tree.  He also enjoys belly rubs.

squeaky

We continued our walk, pausing to stoop down and pick some tart wild plums or sweet wild persimmons. A master gardener specializing in edible landscaping, Steve Orth would tear leaves off various plants, hand them to us, and say, “Here taste it! What does it taste like?” as he awaited our answer in childlike expectation. Just some of the goodies we sampled: lemon mint, edible hibiscus that tasted like fresh oranges, purple basil, gourmet cucumber, and gourmet salad greens.

wild plum

As we walked on through the forest, something amazing happened when we rounded a bend.  All of a sudden, four beautiful horses emerged gently from amidst the trees, as if from a scene out of Lord of the Rings.  They were just grazing there naturally.  Oh, how I love horses.  They are such frightening yet gentle creatures.  The horses hoped we had snacks for them, but we gave them some love instead.

steve orth with the horses

i'm a natural, don't you think?

Everything on their farm is grown 100% organically and never touched by chemicals.

kristine orth in one of the fields

Along the tour, Steve and Kristine gathered a variety of items for us to take home and enjoy, including a squash that was so long it could wrap around your shoulder like a boa constrictor!

One of the great things about working with a local farm is the close relationship we can develop with the farmers.  Eden Creek is going to be growing some items especially for our co-op!  We can't wait to start sharing their farm-fresh bounty with our community!

gigantic zucchini, Torch of Tuscany squash, lemon cucumbers, onions, purple basil

Favorite homemade tomato soup.

The soup repertoire is officially on deck. And the whimsical firepit with stars carved into the side by our friend Paul is prepped with twigs and sticks gathered from the fried flower beds.  Yes, we are expectantly awaiting for autumn to arrive.  Somehow, I believe that the constant simmering of my favorite tomato soup will make it so.

I have a theory about cooking.  One can tell a great recipe by simply examining the recipe card.  Not the words or ingredients, but the card itself.  Is it stained?  Yellowed?  Full of splatters and smeared handwriting?  If so, then yes, this is a beloved recipe, most likely one that has been touched by sticky hands for many generations, or at least for several years in one generation...

{full recipe down below}

I wish I could say this recipe was born from my own culinary genius, but it comes from the famous Napa Valley chef, Michael Chiarello on The Food Network.  Don't you just love his cozy, festive home in Napa?  When we had TV, I would always look forward to his show on Saturday mornings.   Since then, this soup has become a staple.   It's fresh, simple, and if you add meat, quite hearty.

There is something about tomato soup, too, that reminds me of my Italian youth - cauldrons of thick tomato sauce bubbling on the stove for hours on a Sunday afternoon in preparation for Sunday dinner.  Sprinklings of fresh basil and oregano.   Was there ever an Italian-American girl who didn't grow up on meatballs, pasta, and homemade marinara sauce?  It was sacrilegious to buy sauce out of a jar.  Ragu? A cuss word.  Only homemade would suffice.  It's in my genes and always will be.  

I have yet to make this recipe with fresh tomatoes from the back yard, but I am going to try that next summer.  In the meantime, the organic diced tomatoes from Whole Foods will have to do.  Here they are roasting and beginning to caramelize...



While the other veggies are sizzling away, you must stop to inhale one of the sweetest scents known to humankind - yellow onions sautéeing in a pan...





It might look like tomato sauce now, but oh, it's not.  Just wait until it's blended and creamy.





And now, here's the funny thing - of all times I have made this recipe, I have yet to capture an "after" shot of the soup!  I guess I have been too busy carefully ladling it into a rustic pottery bowl and then gobbling up every last spoonful.  You'll just have to try it for yourself!

Homemade Tomato Soup
Recipe by Michael Chiarello

1 (14-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 stalk celery, diced
1 small carrot, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup fresh cream, optional

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Strain the chopped canned tomatoes, reserving the juices, and spread onto a baking sheet, season with salt and pepper, to taste, drizzle with 1/4 cup of the olive oil and roast until caramelized, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the celery, carrot, onion and garlic, cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the roasted chopped canned tomatoes, reserved tomato juices, chicken broth, bay leaf and butter. Simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Add basil and raw cream if you’d like {but the recipe is already so creamy, it doesn't really need it!}  Puree with a hand held immersion blender until smooth.  Or, let it cool slightly and ladle in batches into a regular blender and puree until smooth.  Make sure you hold the blender top down tight, or it will splatter everywhere...trust me!

Thank you, Hail Merry.

This, my friends, is the Hail Merry Chocolate Tart. 



Just a small slice...half of a half is all you need.

Rich, dark cocoa and a chewy crust.  And the best part?  Only 5 - count' em - 5 ingredients:
dark cocoa, organic coconut oil, organic maple syrup, blanched almond flour, sea salt

Gluten-free, sugar-free, and as the Hail Merry ladies say, "No processed anything."  That is what I'm talkin' about.

It's perfect for PMS days.  Or hard-day-at-work days.  Or just I-need-chocolate-and-I-need-it-now days.

I've met the Hail Merry ladies at our local organic co-op, and they are lovely people.   If there's anything better than a healthy decadent dessert, it's knowing the hands that prepared it.

Rush to your local health food store and grab one.  Then eat a sliver with a cup 'o tea.  Or more than a sliver.  With a dessert this healthy, it won't really matter if you eat the whole thing!

Orange Strawberry Smoothie.

Sometimes, it's just the simple things in life...namely, an orange strawberry smoothie with the perfect frosty consistency for a late summer afternoon. It's so easy to make your own!

Ingredients:

Juice of 1 1/2 big organic oranges {Plastic hand juicer works great}
About 1/2 can of organic coconut milk {I like Whole Foods 365 brand best}
Big handful of frozen organic strawberries
Big handful of ice
Couple sprinkles of cinnamon
About 5 drops Vanilla Crème Stevia

Blend it all together until the ice is completely mixed in. Eat with a spoon! MMMMMMM!

Tonight, I cooked.

With each toss of salt from the red ceramic salt well, I cooked and cooked with an enthusiasm that would have put Rachael Ray to shame. Yes, we do enjoy food around the Bailey home, but in less than 30 minutes, I whipped up three entire dishes from scratch, lit candles on the dining room table, and dished everything into three servings: one for myself, one for my husband, and one for our friend Justin.

You see, for the last five days, I have only consumed juice, and chicken broth with eggs. Several of those in our community, including my husband and I, have been engaged in a 40-day "cleanse" of mind, body, and spirit: no TV or movies at all, no eating out, no sugar {even honey}, no grains, no starchy vegetables, and a daily discipline of prayer, reading, and meditation.

Ultimately, the reasons are different for each of us, but for me, there was a need for cleansing on many levels. I decided to start my 40 days by taking it a step further - with a Parasite Cleanse/Juice Fast – a liquid diet. I’ve recently learned that 80-85% of people have parasites in their bodies. Ewww. Having been to several countries where the food I've eaten has ranged from slightly to extremely questionable {i.e. Is this even meat?}, as well as daily living with two dogs who love to slobber my hands and face immediately after licking their water bowl, I figured it was a good idea. Parasites can live in your body for years, and I wanted to get those mean little guys out. I also had a desire to do something that was different than everyone else, where I couldn't just go with the crowd. I needed something that would take my focus off enjoying food and planning out my next big meal, even if there was no bread or sugar involved.

I’ve kind of fallen off the bandwagon lately, too. As my husband put it so eloquently on his blog, "Knowing the cleanse was coming up, I was shoveling in dairy, grains, and sugar as if I were in a pie-eating contest." And I felt horrific. We had a night a week ago - actually last Thursday when we went to see an advanced screening of Julie & Julia {more on that later} - when I positively binged. Two Julie's organic ice cream sandwiches {when it's an ice cream sandwich, does “organic” really matter?}, 1 1/2 huge walnut chocolate chip cookies, several handful's of movie popcorn, organic cheese puffs {again,“organic”? really?}, and "Oh My God" cake from The Kozy, one of our favorite restaurants in Dallas. This was all between noon and about 11pm. That night, I went to bed ashamed of myself and my stomach puffed out to kingdom come. At that point, I knew I was ready to get things right again – food is for sustenance and for enjoyment to a certain point, but it can easily turn to abuse and worship.

So over the last 5 days, I went to bed hungry every night and awoke in the morning with hunger pangs. I did not get to have what I wanted when I wanted it. I slurped bland chicken broth while the kitchen was filled with intoxicating smells of grass-fed beef sautéeing in a pan with onions, and eggs with chicken sausage. I was reminded of a story from a Sudan ministry we work through my job at Mocha Club where an orphan boy from the bush asked, “Mama Kimberly, what does meat taste like?” It was a humbling experience because I began to understand how pathetic I am...that I have to "put myself on a fast" to even experience real hunger and sacrifice. How far am I from the world's reality that freshly squeezed juice and homemade chicken broth are even considered a sacrifice?

Ultimately, this isn't about parasites or overeating. It's about the spirit. I have felt utterly hopeless lately, unable to manage my own anxiety to the point that I thought I might need to get serious help. Nothing has brought me joy. Excitement...gone. I told Steven I thought I was going through an identity crisis. And even watching When Harry Met Sally for the hundredth time or whipping up another batch of coconut macaroons was not going to solve that. I knew, deep in my bones, that is was a spiritual problem. I was worried, so worried, that God has forgotten about me. That the plan for my life was long forgotten.

On Sunday night, we hosted our first “Poverty Dinner” in our home. We perched the “Sabbath basket” on top of a bar stool by the front door so everyone who entered could immediately deposit their keys, cell phones, and any other distractions. And then in the candlelit living room, seven of us gathered in a circle on the floor and ate a small serving of rice and beans as a reminder of what the majority of the world has for a meal {which, compared to this photo of what the orphans ate everyday in India, was a pretty good serving}. We read stories of what God is doing in different countries - amidst hunger, genocide, unimaginable horrors. We processed some difficult thoughts and let others hang there like a big question mark between the seven of us, as we didn’t have all the answers. Then, we sang. Kyle brought her guitar and led us in “We Believe in God” by Amy Grant. It was the truest picture of community I’ve had in my life in awhile. There was a spirit in the room of, “I'm not sure why I'm here, but I'm just showing up." And God met us there. I felt it in my soul.

Today, I read this passage in Matthew that deeply encouraged me - I love how it says in The Message...

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met."

~ Matthew 16:30-33

God-provisions. Well, that's not very easy to receive when I'm trying so hard to take care of myself, and "feed" myself with all kinds of distractions.

After five days, I ended my juice fast. I guess it started to get easier, more "routine" to survive on juice and chicken broth, and that's when I decided it was over.

And tonight, I cooked. Chicken breast coated with crispy almonds, green bean salad, and sunburst squash sautéed with red onions.

And then I ate. After I ate, I looked down at my stomach that had shrunken over the last 5 days of liquid, and it was full to the brim. I looked at my empty plate, and for some reason I felt sad.

Maybe it was kind of like buyer’s remorse when you wander through the store wide-eyed, picking out all these items that are going to change your life and make you happy again. But when you get home, you still feel empty and go back to the store and return everything. Or maybe it's the disconnection you feel when you get back from a mission trip, when you want to go back to the way it was there - where life was more honest and simple. Or maybe it was guilt. One thing I do know - it was not food that I have been craving.

I’m a fool to think that five days – or forty - is going to permanently fix all the things that are wrong with my heart. But I do think these days will remind me once again how much God provides for me and how much I don't deserve this grace, and my heart might be in the right place again. Until next time.

Dinner tonight...

Another delicious creation by my husband, the true chef out of the two of us. These tomatoes from the garden were so incredibly juicy! Add a glass of merlot and some slow-cooked brisket that he made into spiced chopped beef lettuce wraps with raw milk cheese melted on top. YUM!

Final day. (Colorado trip part 4)

(see Part 1: Colorado morning.)
(see Part 2: A mountain ride.)
(see Part 3: From the heights.)

Oh, how I loved our last 36 hours in Colorado. From Telluride, the drive to Rico was chilly and drizzly, the mountains misted over so we could no longer see their peaks. But that's okay, because everything was shrouded in a mountain-cabin-mystery, a coziness that we felt on the entire drive to Rico. We had no idea what to expect...



When we arrived in Rico, population 205 {yes, I said two-oh-five}, the clouds had broken, and the air was filled with a mountain crispness once again. Rico's population reaches close to a whopping 500 in the summertime, and practically all of those people must have come to dine at the Argentine Grill. Who knew this one-horse town contained such a trendy 4-star restaurant, using organic and local foods, with a chef who apprenticed under Wolfgang Puck? And lucky us, we were staying in the Rico Hotel {the only hotel in town}, which was attached to the restaurant...




We dragged our suitcases to our room through a hallway bathed in dark, calming colors, and just a few steps further found another hallway that led to the restaurant - an open kitchen, the warm, homey sound of people gathering, forks clinking on plates, laughter. We seriously couldn't wait for dinner that night...

First they brought sliced baguettes with fresh real butter and a head of garlic that had been halved across the diameter and slathered with olive oil and sea salt and roasted to crispy mouth-watering perfection. I dug in, while my mother, not as well-versed in unconventional food presentation, asked in her Jersey accent, "What is that? A pomegranate?" {Really, mom? And you're married to an Italian?} It was meant to be scooped out and spread on that delicious bread, of course.

I had 4 slices.

Next was the appetizer: carrot ginger soup with pesto cream. For dinner: charred spicy beef tenderloin taco with mango, avocado and cilantro. For dessert: vanilla crème brulée with candied hazelnuts and caramel sauce. Oh, heavens....




We stayed for hours and talked to our adorable hippie waitress who was wearing a hair turban, along with a few bikers from California. And then we learned that we would get to come back in the morning for our complimentary breakfast! With all that delicious food in my tummy, I would have slept perfectly that night if my mom {who is a night-shift nurse by profession} hadn't woken up at 3am and declared, "Well, that's enough sleep for me for the night. I'm ready to get up," as I grunted, moaned, and pulled the pillow over my head.

The next morning, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast {baguettes with fresh butter and homemade jam, eggs, bacon, and fruit} and lingered a little longer in Rico...



On the way back to Durango, we passed the entrance to Mesa Verde National Park, full of weird rock formations and unique landscapes...



At 3pm, we finally arrived back in Durango, the origin of our entire trip, and savored every last bit of our final Colorado afternoon. We had left our swimsuits on the back seat, ready to go, because we knew we were going straight to the mineral pools at Trimble Hot Springs.

The next two hours we spent there were so precious to me, because it reminded me of my seemingly endless summer days growing up at our town pool in Madison, New Jersey, and swimming with my mom. Trimble Hot Springs seemed more like a pool for the locals than a tourist hotspot, with a clubhouse, bathhouse, a regular chlorine pool with lap lanes, and another pool area just for soaking in the mineral springs. The stone walkways were bordered with hollyhocks and black-eyed Susan's and other wildflowers. It was the perfect end to our trip, soaking in those warm waters together at the base of the mountains.

Since you are only supposed to soak for 20 minutes at a time, we retreated to the grassy lawn where children were cartwheeling and throwing Frisbees. Fluffy white puffs of something floated through the air like snow, and I lay back on my towel and closed my eyes. A folk singer who was serenading us from underneath a tent began to sing one of my favorite songs, "Love At the Five and Dime" by Nancy Griffith, and I wondered if this afternoon could get any better.



As the sun set, we went back to our beloved Logwood B&B, exactly where we had started on that first, fresh, crisp morning when I had opened my journal to a blank new page. Since then, I had filled those pages with a thousand memories.

I understand now, I wrote. I understand why everyone is in love with Colorado. And as sure as the valley is wide, I know I will be back here again.

Watermelon Granita.

One of the beauties of working from home: my husband just walked into my office and offered me this...


I love him! He got the idea from our dear friend Mary who told us about her "watermelon water" recipe on Friday.

Blend together:
Fresh, juicy seedless watermelon pieces
Fresh-squeezed lime juice
Ice
Agave nectar to taste
Garnish with fresh mint

YUMMY!

I bet it would even be good with a little bit of fresh basil mixed in.

Perfect summer beverage!

First tomatoes!

I'm happy to present our first three tomatoes of the season! These are "sweet babies" and boy, were they sweet - they tasted like candy!