Happy Birthday, Vanilla Bean!!

Hanging with my sister in Cincinnati. We visited Findley Market for some fresh fruit and veggies, hit the bookstore - to peruse the fine literature (escaped with just a box of post cards I would say there was self control, but I am not sure there was or we wouldn't have post cards) --- and then to finish the day off we biked 22 miles on the Loveland Bike Trail (well technically The Little Miami National and State Scenic River and Trail) to finish off the day perfect. We tried to catch fireworks at the Roebling Bridge in the evening, but didn't find a parking spot fast enough after our fine dining of sweet corn, sweet potato fries, black bean and corn salad, and grapes, so we watched them from the car over the tops of buildings, hearing more than seeing, but we enjoyed a beautiful view from the far side of the Ohio River looking back at Cincinnati and two fine trips over the Roebling Bridge.

Sweet corn with a little olive oil and then some Herbes de Province.

Black beans, fresh corn, onion, lime juice, and a little pepper.

Sweet potato fries tossed with olive oil, thyme, rosemary, and Jane's crazy salt.

This morning Vanilla Bean fixed Blueberry Buckwheat pancakes and a fruit cup with watermelon and blueberries. She knows my weakness for blueberries.....

Then a quick trip to the Lentil Park in Hamilton, to see Robert McCloskey's Lentil and his dog from his children's book Lentil. Very pleasant despite the rain.

Strangely Inspired...

I am not sure what happened to me today, but I am not sure I have cooked so much for just anyhow since I was avoiding studying for finals in college. My guess it was either subconsciously avoiding thinking of my upcoming eye surgery and the housework I should be doing or just enjoying the arrival of spring and the first chance to cook up some rhubarb.

I made a batch of egg rolls, baked two blueberry rhubarb pies and cooked up some rhubarb salad all while sipping on someyerba mate - perhaps the reason I didn't peter out in the middle, although the clean up still looms and I am not sure I am going to find the energy to deal with that yet.....

I love rhubarb....

Although, I love blueberries even more, and this pie contains them both ... and yes it is my favorite....

In the oven and ready to bake, can't wait to enjoy!

Finished all that baking off with a glass of fresh squeezed lemonade - a zested lemon doesn't stay moist very long....

Late Night "Breakfast"

When the cats' are away, the mice.... err, kittens.... will play. (Don't worry mom, we cleaned up afterwards, I think.) The Colonel fixed eggs, while I made coffee. Yes, that is right I made coffee....and I hate to admit it, but I drank TWO cups - well my size cups, so maybe one cup.

I love veggies, especially in eggs.

Mom left hamburger in the fridge, it was a nice addition to our omelette.

I feel sorry for you, if the colonel has never made you an omelette, because he makes a very good omelette, always beautiful and delicious.

Indian Expresso Coffee, an interesting concoction. You mix instant coffee with plenty of sugar (2 TBSP:3TBSP) and then mix in a little milk (1 TBSP) and mix...and mix....and mix, until you have a nice thick paste. Then you take some of the paste, add a little milk (1/2 cup), microwave a little, stir well (yeah, Colonel, even if I forget to tell you to, you still need to) - till smooth, add a little more milk, microwave a little more, sprinkle with cocoa and cinnamon and ENJOY! I typically would say "as if that is possible", but I actually did kind of enjoy it.

My second cup....

Saturday Night Clue

Colonel Mustard in the Kitchen with the....uhhh....pastry brush?

Had a good evening with the colonel making Poached Pear and Ricotta Turnovers in celebration of his 30th birthday.

The filo dough was a little past its prime, but a little extra butter ...yeah not so good for me, but it worked - it was all we had. And we didn't have fresh pears, so a can of pears with a dash of vanilla, worked for this Saturday night endeavor.

Wrapping them up and enjoying the treats....birthday boy kept the leftovers.

To wash it down, we enjoyed some Thai tea I had brought back from Cambodia. Delicious!

The Colonel may have gotten the leftover turnovers, but I took home my black tea dust, so he will just have to invite me over if he wants some Thai tea.

Parmesan Black-pepper Bread with Swiss Cheese

I am not sure you can call this cooking, but ohhh was it good.

I went into the grocery to pick up some toilet bowl cleaner and walked past some artisan bread - Parmesan Black-pepper, and was sucked into an impulse buy. Then of course I needed some swiss cheese to go with it, so I bought some of that also.

I found that the bread is quite tasty toasted in the oven and then I even melted some swiss cheese (Guggisburg) on top.

Mmmmm! Mmmmm!