Apr 072013
 

Today was a rainy (and chilly) day in Seattle.  Shocking, I know :)

With the sound of the heavy raindrops outside, I always get the urge to bake and today was the perfect day!  I’ve been inspired now for quite some time to bake since our recent trip to McCall, Idaho.   During our trip I met many people who raved over “Stacey Cakes,” which is a sweet little bakery run by Stacey Kucy.  I couldn’t visit because I became sick but she was so thoughtful to send me some goodies in the mail wishing me well because she heard just how badly I wanted to visit.

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Mar 192012
 

Strawberry Clafoutis fresh out of the Airstream's oven

It was hubby’s last weekend teaching skiing at Alpental.  I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone.  It just seemed like the winter activities were just beginning and now, here we are, entering the Spring season.

Is it me or is time just going faster and faster these days?  I don’t know . . .

For three consecutive months, every weekend (except when we were gone on our Big Red Cat trip) we would bring the Airstream here so hubby could teach and B could ski.  This was going to be our last night.

Since it was going to be our last night I decided to make a nice dessert.  A Clafoutis to be specific.  This was going to be a great recipe to celebrate the beautiful eggs I was given from some really special friends of mine.

These eggs are so special to me.  Why?  You see, I have known these lovely little “First” ladies for quite some time now.Jackie, Barbara and Ladybird are their given names :)  My friends know how special these eggs are to me also as they decorated the egg carton for me in such a beautiful way.

That was very special.

As the boys went about their day, I went about mine happily baking away with this view out of my kitchen window.

Alpental, Snoqualmie Pass

The clafoutis was delicious.  It was my first I had made ever and I will absolutely be making it again.

As we woke up the next morning, we had a choice to head straight home, or to take a trip into the country and see how things were coming along at our little cabin.

“I vote for the cabin,” I said.

“Me toooooooo mommy!” declared B from his bed — and I thought he was still asleep!  My mother was right, children are always listening when you think they are not.  Hah!

Roslyn, Washington

Wow, the snow is gone and Spring is definitely here.

That is our little cabin you see.  We don’t sleep in it, but a very, very long time ago a family once did sleep in it.  It was their home.  It is on my list to try and figure out exactly who this family was, I think it would be very interesting to share what I find out with B.  I do understand it was built in the 1800’s but that is it.

Fiddler's Green Forever :)

Spring was most definitely in the air.  I could smell it — the sweet yet earthy scent of the ground coming alive. I was truly at that moment excited and ready for the warmer weather ahead.

Pasture in Roslyn, WA

As we walked around and checked on things I was full of inspiration. How I would love to start a garden here and how wonderful it is going to be spending lazy summer nights under the stars listening to the chirping of the crickets.

There are so many crickets here in summer.

I was also thinking about my most amazing night I had attending Amanda Hesser’s lecture at Benaroya Hall. What an inspiration she is to me and for her to think my site is “Fabulous,” and then write about it? I felt so happy and so honored.

This recipe that I prepared on the Airstream in “The Tiniest Kitchen,” is from the New York Times of which Amanda was a food writer for (in addition to many other amazing endeavors). I accidentally used three eggs instead of two, but it still turned out delicious.

For you my readers, a Strawberry Clafoutis :)

Clafoutis with Strawberries

 

 

Feb 292012
 

Base of Red Mountain at Red Mountain Resort, Rossland, British Columbia

Spending 10 days in the Airstream on a cat skiing vacation in the the middle of old man winter is an incredible experience.  You are warm, cozy and it feels great to be so off the grid knowing you are totally self contained and comfortable.  Conserving and enjoying life — the way it should be.  Here is our spot at the base of Red Mountain in Red Mountain Resort.  We are in British Columbia – specifically Rossland.

It is truly absolutely beautiful here.

Red Mountain Resort has been delivering incredible skiing longer than any other area in Western Canada, with the first recorded powder turns in 1896. With accolades ranging from “Best Authentic and Funky Resort Experience” to “Best Powder, Best Trees, Best Steeps”, to “Best Fall Line Steeps” and one of the “Top 5 Free ride Spots”, Red Mountain Resort is the hidden jewel of BC’s Kootenay Rockies region.

On this beautiful morning, we awoke to blue sunny skies.  To help the boys get on with their big morning of skiing I prepared buckwheat cakes for breakfast.  These were delicious!  Have you ever baked/cooked with buckwheat flour?  It really is delicious and did you know that aside from it’s name, it does not contain any wheat?  It’s perfect for a gluten-free diet.  Of course this recipe also contains flour that does have gluten, but you could use pure buckwheat flour if you are gluten-free.

Skiing Red Mountain with Erik Kalacis from Red Mountain Resort, Rossland, BC

Again I would like to thank Matt Small for his amazing ski photography!  He is one of our ESPN photographers that have graciously accompanied us on our trip!  Thank you Matt!!

Today Matt was photographing Erik Kalacis! Erik created and built an international sports and TV production company with clients including Swatch, Kokanee, General Motors and Salomon.  Erik was the pioneer behind the popularization of Boardercross (now Snowboardcross) and Ski Cross, which are now Olympic sports events.  He now enjoys being the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Red Mountain Resort.  It was the biggest honor for me to meet Erik.

What a very kind, nice guy he was to me and everyone in our group  — and did I mention what an awesome skier he is?

Skiing Red Mountain in Beautiful Rossland, British Columbia with Erik Kalacis

Sweeping views of the Kootenay Rockies . . .

Buckwheat Cakes to Fuel a Morning of Skiing Red Mountain, British Columbia

Click to print Buckwheat Cakes Recipe :)

 

Dec 082011
 

Breakfast on Lopez Island, WA State

What a beautiful morning.   The sun was rising like a brilliant gem in the sky lighting up our surrounding landscape with beautiful hues of yellow and orange.

Breakfast on Lopez Island, WA State

Breakfast this morning was a warm bowl of steel cut oats, to eat outside. I followed my recipe here and added 2 tablespoons of pumpkin pie filling while I was warming it up. I folded in a handful of white chocolate chips too.

To finish off this decadent breakfast, I pulled out my brand new kitchen torch so I could melt or “Brulee,” some sugar on top.

The result? An amazing hard-shell candy top to a heavenly bowl of sweet and rich steel cut oats.

To me? This was dessert.  B must have felt the same. He devoured the entire bowl, and asked for more.

Success!

Breakfast on Lopez Island, WA State Odlin County Park

Sep 072011
 

Lake Kachess.  Wow.  We are definitely coming back here.  This lake is amazingly huge, blue, deep and beautiful.  It is full of boaters, fisherman and kayakers.  Along the shore you will find families and friends gathering on blankets soaking up the sun while watching the children play in the sand and swim in the cool mountain lake.

Just a few steps away from our campsite was Lake Kachess.  We started our morning with a quick breakfast of a Chocolate Granola parfait and headed to the lake.  At the end of our day we were starving so I quickly caramelized some figs in the Airstream and topped a piece of crusty bread with Cambozola cheese and the caramelized figs atop a handful of spicy Arugula greens.  Heaven.

Lake Kachess and our Airstream Travel Trailer Explorations

May 102011
 

This is going to sound crazy, to some.

But after years of longing for a farm fresh egg, my dream has finally come true.  Really.

We were driving along one of the most beautiful scenic drives on the San Juan Islands when I reached over and squeezed hubby’s arm (to use as my own steering wheel in case he didn’t abide) and declared him to:  “Stop!  Stop – Stop!!” Pointing excitedly to where he should pull off — this is what we saw — possibly the cutest Farm Stand I had ever seen (and I will surely capitalize “Farm Stand,” because to me, this was Heaven).

It was quiet here.  It was peaceful here.  It smelled of fresh flowers and the birds were singing and that funny rooster was, well, funny and curious.

Need I say more?  Pictures certainly do speak 1,000 words and this one could quite possibly exceed that.

But why is it when your hubby is waiting for you while you shop, you can never relax and just enjoy yourself?  He was waiting in the car and I was perspiring just waiting for his beckoning call of ‘hurry up honey,’ but this time, he got out.  He got out of the car and was amazed too.

“Wow honey, this is really nice.”

I couldn’t have agreed more.

I could hardly wait to get back to the Airstream where I would prepare baked eggs . . .