Squid ink spaghetti with heirloom tomatoes AND Blackberry zucchini bread

Hello, everybody! It's been a crazy week at Casa Munoz and I'm shocked that after all the cooking we've done, I don't have much to show for it. Why do I not take pictures?? We had a delicious grilled tuna a few days ago, then roasted stuffed peppers, then a layered tomato salad. But do I have photos? NO. Well, I have a few. 

                                              
I'm in love with our garden right now! SO much deliciousness happening out there. Our peaches are all gone and I only managed to can about six or seven quarts of vanilla peaches (sliced peaches with a bit of vanilla bean). Of course, we've also eaten half of those quarts already but I hid one in the back of the pantry for January when we're all sick to death of store bought food.

These bright little peppers make me so happy! I don't eat them plain, like my husband does, but I like them in pico de gallo and stirred into home made Italian sauce. Gives everything just a little kick.

And here is tonight's dinner, squid ink spaghetti. How cool is that? I think someone already posted about black pasta, though. I can't remember who it was but I remember thinking, "Oooo, new and shiny! The kids might love it!" So, here's out take on it. I didn't notice much difference, but that may be because I put a lot of basil in my sauce. (And this is my husband's dish. I don't do peppers.)

 So, a few weeks ago I mentioned blackberry zucchini bread. Here it is! Easy peasy. We got this shredded zucchini from a neighbor, so it doesn't have the skin. (We usually leave the skin on. But the skinless looks prettier in this loaf anyway so...)

 Blackberries from along the river. There weren't many this year. SO SAD.

Now, the recipe is something written down on a stained notecard so I'm not exactly sure where it's from. It looks like my friend Eleanor's handwriting so I'm assuming it's a family recipe. She didn't really work from cookbooks. 

 Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini
1 cup blackberries

 Mmmmmmm. Fresh from the oven.

I love the moistness that the zucchini gives the bread. Of course, that might be the 3 eggs and cup of oil, too. :D But anyway, it was a delicious combination and now on our rotation of baking favorites! I'm curious if it would be as good in banana bread, but I'll have to wait until next year because our blackberries are gone. 

Until next time! Be sure to stop by my author pages at Mary Jane Hathaway or Virginia Carmichael, or my blog at The Things That Last. 

Orange-Lemon Basil Baked Trout

Hello, everybody! The Fresh Pioneer is back and it has been SO hot here. That's the bad news. The good news is that our garden is in full swing!

 Mmm, love these heirloom pear tomatoes!
                                              
And this black Thai basil went to seed, but I found you can still use the buds in pesto and sauces.
                                           
Upside garden deliciousness!
                                    
We always share our pears and plums...
                                             
Because it helps our elderly neighbors remember why they love this family with the six loud kids! Lol

                                          
I could eat this all day. *sigh* Why can't we have fruit in the garden year-round? I definitely live in the wrong climate for my tastes.
                                        
We did go blackberry picking and got a few gallons, but they were small and scraggly because a heat wave had hit just as they came ripe. :(

This zucchini blackberry bread was so good! I may have neglected to mention the zucchini part to our picky eater, although I think the sugar balances out any nutritional benefits.

So, one of the neighbors we share fruit and baked good with likes to fish. But he fishes more than he can possibly eat. SO he likes to give the fish to us. I don't crave baked fish but when we do have it, I remember how wonderful fresh baked trout can be.

                                                             
We sliced oranges, lemons, and basil.
                                                  
Spreading a little olive oil on the foil, lay out the fish, salt on one side. Flip the fish. Rub the top with garlic. Stuff the insides with orange slices, some basil, and sprinkle with sea salt. Lay lemon slices on top.

 We have a fun spice grinder that has rosemary and black pepper. Great combo!

 Right before it goes into the preheated over at 425F!

 Ta-dah! They look like baked fish but they taste like the most amazingly fresh bit of fishy foodie heaven. YUMMMM. We paired them with a sparkling lemon water, watermelon mint chilled salad, and couscous.

 Until next time! Be sure to stop by my author pages Mary Jane Hathaway and Virginia Carmichael, or my blog at The Things That Last to get the latest news on my releases in contemporary and historical Christian fiction!

Cherry blackberry jelly and a flashback!

Hi everybody! The Fresh Pioneer is back and we've been having some wonderful fall fun! 

Here's a shot of my little guy (five years old!) on the dirt bike track. I brought a book, but I did more praying that reading. It was SCARY. But everyone survived and had a wonderful time! *whew*

                                       

This is a random picture of the super moon. I didn't even use the zoom. It was JUST THAT BIG.

Here's Mr. Edward at my desk back in 2010. My sister had given me a computer and I spent every nap time writing. I didn't have an office chair so I sat on an old toy box. The desk we got at a yard sale for $10. A steal, even if the drawers didn't really work!  I was finishing up Pride, Prejudice and Cheese Grits while my sixth baby nursed or slept in my arms and the older kids rested in the afternoons. Sometimes I think, "Why did it take me two years to write my first book?" Huh. This is why...
Anyway, I found my then 20 month old "talking" on my mouse. HAHAHA! Kids are hilarious.

Anyway, this post is really about blackberry jelly. If you've ever made it, then you know it's pretty straightforward. Cooking the blackberries with sugar, strain them, add the pectin, maybe boil again if it didn't dissolve enough. Well, my friend in Texas said she always adds about a cup of Bing cherries! She said it adds zip and zing.

                                       
I am here to tell you... I have never had jelly disappear so fast. I think there's only one of these little jars left. I'm going to have to make a much bigger batch next time!
  So, if you're a jelly/jam maker, consider adding some Bing cherries to the mix of your fruit. It's a winning combination!

  Take care and I'll see you all in October!!

Sometimes You Just Need Cheesecake

As the GAL (gluten free, allergic living) member of Yankee Belle, sometimes it is plain torture to read the delicious posts of my compadres. Whether you're watching what you eat due to health restrictions, allergies or ethical beliefs, living around food and foodies can be a challenge.  I just read about a vegan blogger who developed orthorexia, over focus on ethical eating. Another ate too much kale and found it interfered with her thyroid levels as too much of a good cruciferous thing can. And I lost too much weight when my allergies were first diagnosed a decade ago because I was afraid of dying at any moment from hidden corn syrup!

That's not a way to live. No matter how hard it is, you need variety in your diet. You need more than green leaves every day, all day or so much pumpkin your hands turn orange (don't ask!).  And maybe sometimes you just need cheesecake. I blame it on the fact that cheesecake was my birthday cake growing up. I associate it with comfort food. It is friendlier toward diets needing protein, less sugar, and fewer carbs. 

Ruthy's Triple Berry Cheesecake looked so scrumptious but thanks to my allergies to corn and wheat it was out. I ignored Ruthy. Or rather Ruthy's post. How could she do that to me?

But one day last week, things in my life transpired to make me declare, "I need cheesecake" and I immediately thought of Ruthy's recipe.

The berry flavor.  I wanted Ruthy's cheesecake - but what fruit did I have? My sister and I had eaten almost all my cherries but I did have a pint of black berries. Except ManO says he doesn't like the seeds in blackberries. Hmmmmm, so I cooked down what I had and strained it to make a sauce. Note: I cut the sugar level because I've gotten rid of a lot of sugar out of my diet.

Confused about the PBJ picture here? Keep reading.

    
Berry Cherry Sauce:
1 cup cherries
1 cup blackberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
water to dissolve sugar
1 tablespoon tapioca starch (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Boil until fruit is soft, pressing spoon against softened fruit. Turn to low and simmer twenty minutes for a thin sauce.

Happy Accident: Add tapioca starch at the start if you want a more jelly type consistency. I was so thrilled to have jelly on my peanut butter toast!  It will still have a drizzle consistency for your cheesecake if you leave it out a few minutes but straight out of the fridge it is perfect for PBandJ.

Now to the crust.  Ruthy used Nilla Wafers. I didn't have any gluten free wafers in the house but I  just made my own gluten-free granola. Tah dah! Necessity is indeed the mother of invention. That and a bunch of granola crust recipes online! Don't let lack of ingredients keep you from getting something you really want.

Make sure you pulverize your granola but still leave small bits of oat.

  

Granola Crust:
2 cups granola WITHOUT fruit bits
4 tablespoons butter

Pulverize two cups granola in a processor or blender until chopped up but not fine like flour. Add cold butter and mix. Press into pie plate. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes and take out of oven.
 

Two eggs are hiding under here to add a bit more protein.

The cheesecake: The most important part, right?  I needed a recipe that was lower in sugar, higher in protein, and organic everything for me. I also knew vanilla would bring out the sweetness and almond would give it a bit of gourmet flavor.

Pie filling:

2 packages softened organic cream cheese
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon organic almond extract
2 organic Omega-3 eggs

Mix all ingredients until just blended with a mixer.  Pour into granola crust and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until center is set. Take out and cool on counter for 15 minutes and then place in refrigerator until cool, at least two hours.

Top with your berry-cherry sauce and voila! Just what ManO and I needed! 

So what about you? Any food you just HAVE to have when you are low or for a party or just because? What have you had to adapt to fit your lifestyle or your family's tastes or because you hate an ingredient?

The Fresh Pioneer Takes Over Your Weekend. (Do not fear...)

Hello, everybody! The Fresh Pioneer is back and I'm PRETTY sure I'm supposed to be here today. If not... Enjoy the double post, hahaha!

  Seriously, I'm taking over the weekends so now you'll get two full days of The Fresh Pioneer! (No gifts, thank you. If you feel moved, make a donation to your local charity. You're welcome.)

This means there will be more of this.

And blackberry cobbler like this!

And tarte tatin  like this!

And fresh mulberry sorbet like this! 

(This post was July 2012. I can't believe I've been at the cafe almost two years!)

And Italian secret recipe biscotti like this!

But there will also be more of: 

Farm fresh blueberries, and all the ways to eat them.

Crazy food like cactus

Picked from the side of the road blackberries and all the best recipes.

Fresh picked raspberries and simple recipes to highlight them.

Ok, there may not be a lot of salsa recipes

But I may do another round of ratatouille

Or another hash brown and ham quiche.

Or another cast iron cast iron roasted chicken with fresh mushrooms

Chicken enchilada soup.

And there will certainly be more...

Banana phone!

"waddya lookin' at" teens!

Waiting for the cinnamon rolls boys!

And crazy writer on a deadline posts.

So, as we go forward, I'm stocking up on posts. I have ready (tried and tested and maybe approved) for the next few weeks:

LILAC JELLY (Here's Edna, posing with our bounty, before we cooked it.)

(stockimages.com free use)

HOMEMADE PESTO (it wasn't that hard!)

(Doesn't this look delish?  Photo credit and recipe is from one of my favorite blogs: Yes They Are All Ours)

And fool-proof (oh yeah) sweet tea syrup that will fool all your friends and neighbors into thinking you are Southern! It's a secret recipe and I had to pry it out of my friend, so you KNOW it has to be good. (Secret recipes always are!)

So, stay tuned my friends! We're going to have a wonderful time together during the weekends!