A Letter to YOU + A Pina Colada Souffle' Pudding

Dear Readers (or Friends, as I would like to consider you),

I am sorry I dropped the ball on the Blog Every Day in May Challenge.  I was actually having tons of fun with.  It gave me ideas of things to write about that I might never think of, and it pushed me creatively.  Plus, it helped me connect a little more with some of you.  And that was fabulous.

You know how it goes.  Life got busy, I got off track, and well -- here we are, ten days later, just now getting back into the swing of things.  I saw that writing a letter to you was the challenge of the day and I thought, "I am all over that!"

The truth is, I am bummed that missed some of the posts.  Especially the one where I was asked to rant.  I almost never rant publicly (or I do and then promptly delete it) and I was looking forward to being able to do that.  Because -- oh! -- I have some things to rant about.  Maybe I will still have to do that one ;)

But here is the thing -- I made myself a promise awhile back.  This promise went like this: "Tiffany, when your blog and your real life compete for time, your real life will always win.  And there will be no apologies."  And so, here I am today, saying sorry that I dropped the ball on the challenge, but not saying sorry for disappearing.  Because, honestly, that wedding I was in last weekend?  Or the visits I had with long lost friends this past week?  Or exploring a beautiful and new-to-me hiking place on a random Wednesday afternoon?  Or just hanging out with my husband, walking through the local festival, eating beer-battered-deep-fried-mushrooms?  Those moments that make my life beautiful.  And this blog?  It is a place for me to record those moments along with my food journey, not a place to take away time from other things I might want to do.

As we head into the summer months, please know that I will not be around all that much.  I will be too busy enjoying the sunshine and making new memories with loved ones.

At the same time, though, please know that I do love sharing with you -- both having you here and by visiting your pages to see what you are up to.  So, thank you.  Thanks for following along on my journey and thank you for your kind words, you uplifting comments, and your presence in my life.  I truly appreciate it.

With gratitude,
Tiffany

PS -- For Sundays with Joy this past week we made her grapefruit souffle', and it was FANTASTIC.  So much so that my husband asked me to make another one the next day.  I got a little creative with the second one and made my favorite flavor ever, pina-colada.  This may not be the most beautiful dessert I have ever made, but it is -- no joke -- possible my favorite.  If you have never made anything else from me, please let this be the one.

(The recipe looks scary, but after you do it once you will see how EASY it is. Please do not be intimidated!)

PINA-COLADA SOUFFLE’ PUDDING

Recipe inspired by Joy the Baker's Grapefruit Souffle' Pudding, found in the Joy the Baker Cookbook

SERVES 6  •  PREP TIME: 15 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 55 MINUTES

ingredients

• ¾ cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons
• 2 tablespoons sweetened coconut shreds
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1 ½ tablespoon coconut cream (from the can)
• 1/3 cup flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup pineapple juice
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with a rack in the middle and nothing above it.  Bring a teapot of water to boil.  This will be used later to make a water bath.
2. Mix the ¾ cup of sugar, sweetened coconut, and butter in mixing bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 1 minute.  Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating on medium speed until fluffy.  Slowly add the coconut cream.  The egg yolks and coconut cream will need to beat for about 2 minutes.
3. Add the flour and salt and beat until combined.  Alternate between the milk and the juice, and add to the mixer at medium speed until all mixed.  The batter will be soupy.  Place in a large bowl and set aside.
4. Clean the mixing bowl and the paddle very well.  Dry and return to stand mixer.  Add the egg whites and cream of tartar and beat on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat until stiff peaks form. 
5. Gently fold the stiff egg whites into the pineapple-coconut mixture, being very careful not to break the egg whites completely.  They should have a bit of fluff to them still.  Carefully pour the batter into the baking dish (medium sized) or ramekins (6). 
6. Place the dish or the ramekins into a larger dish (like a casserole dish).  Carefully pull out the rack in the oven just slightly so that you can place the dishes on there.  Very carefully, add the boiling water from the tea kettle so that it goes half way up the outside dish.  Then, push the rack back into the oven and bake until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  This will be about 37 minutes for a full dish, or about 27 minutes for ramekins.

When it is finished and you pull it out, please be VERY careful not to spill the hot water on you!

The souffle’ can be served warm or at room temperature.  It is best the day it is made.

 COST: $3.76             COST PER SERVING (6): $0.63 

Apologies + Tomato Salad

Dear Friends Who Leave Me Voicemails,
I am sorry I never reply to you.  Actually, I am sorry I never even check your messages but just delete them and call you back when I have time.  I would like to say I have some good excuse, but I don't, other than I simply don't like checking my voice mail.  Sorry.

Dear Other Drivers on the Road,
I am sorry for all the times I wished the CHP upon you when you ticked me off.  I wouldn't like it if you did the same in return... oh wait, I am pretty sure you do do it in return.  Oh well.

Dear Friends Who Invite Me Over,
I am sorry for all the times I brought lame, store bought food to potluck dinners.  I know that you expect more from a woman with a food blog, but it's just so easy to hit up Safeway on the way over...

Dear Digestive Track,
I am sorry for all the times I fed you cheese or popcorn, knowing full well that it would make you miserable, and therefore make me miserable. I apologize for thinking more about the taste buds than I think about you.

Dear College Roommate,
I am sorry that I showed up to your wedding in the wrong colored bridesmaid's dress. You said 'blackberry' and I wrote down 'black', only to find out the day of your wedding that 'blackberry' was code for 'dark purple'.  Oops.  (And thank you for still being my friend, despite that.)

Dear Husband,
I am sorry for all the times I made you sit through The Bachelor with me. I know you have about 1,287,658 things you would rather be doing, but you power through so I can have someone to comment to.  You are a trooper!

And, Meu Amor, while I am at at, I am sorry that I never feed you Brazilian food anymore.  You have given up your country and your language and all the people you knew, and I don't want you to have to give up your food, as well.  I hope this tomato salad can help put us back on the half-American-half-Brazilian track again.  Besides, with fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and lime juice it is delicious and there is no reason not to have this on our plate, regularly.  Kind of like pico de gallo as a side dish...  Yum.

Whew!  It was good to get that all off my chest ;)

// Day 13 of Blog Every Day in May //

BRAZILIAN TOMATO SALAD

SERVES 4  •  PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES

ingredients

• 3-4 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
• ½ onion, very thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
• juice from 1-2 limes or ½ lemon
• salt, to taste

directions

1.      Mix tomatoes and onions together.  Add cilantro and lime/lemon juice with salt.  Enjoy!

 COST: $3.14       COST PER SERVING (4): $0.79 

Nostalgia

"What do you miss?"

I can't describe it in words.  Really, there is no way you would understand.  And you probably won't even get it with the pictures.  Because honestly, how can you capture love so deep that you didn't know it could exist outside of your own family?  Or share how a small, tiny island in the middle of nowhere -- one that many told you would be the worst spot on the globe -- would open up such beauty to you, despite the ramshackle houses and trash littering the street?

Really, I can't tell it and you won't get it... and I have come to make peace with that.  But yes, I miss THIS.  I miss my name being "Missa" and my hands being constantly held by little fingers covered with dirt.  I miss ice cream on the dock at night when the power was out and the relief of the power coming back on.  I do not miss the cockroaches, but I do miss the adventure they provided.

I miss the growth I felt -- the awareness that the whole world really can exist on an island about a quarter of a square mile in size.  Because really, what is the world?  It is people living, breathing, moving, existing side by side, those you come in contact with on a regular basis and those you have learned to love as your lives weave in and out of each other's.

I miss the joy of simplicity.

The friendships that were unlikely.

The coming-to-an-understanding that my life 'back home' did not define reality.

I miss THIS.

And though Cinderella and her prince lived happily ever after, 

the point, gentlemen, is that they lived. 

 (quote taken from 'Ever After')

Basil-Almond-Garlic Pesto + Me, in 10 words

Today I am supposed to sell myself in 10 words.  Hmmm.  This is a tricky one...

But here goes nothing.

Loyal.
Compassionate.
Creative, at times.

Learner.
Life lover.
Talker.
Sharer.

And since I am a sharer, I am sharing my favorite way to make pesto.  I don't put any cheese in it, keeping it plant based.  Almonds are cheaper than pine nuts and add a bit of flavor that is just right.  It is incredibly garlicky, so if you are sensitive to that you can cut back on the garlic.  We use it on top of pasta, in sandwiches, over chicken... there are SO MANY uses for pesto.  And as always, pesto is naturally gluten free, so even those with sensitivities to gluten can enjoy this over fish or chicken.  Enjoy!

BASIL ALMOND GARLIC PESTO

YIELDS 1 CUP  •  PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES

Ingredients

• 1 cup washed basil leaved, packed
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1/3 cup almond slices
• 1/3 - ½ cup olive oil
• sea salt, to taste

Directions

1.      Place all ingredients in food processor or blender.  Run for about 30 seconds.  Add more olive oil to get to desired consistency.

2.      Use on top of cooked pasta, in sandwiches, on top of chicken – wherever you want!

 COST: $3.45           

Love Your Life (My one piece of advice)

Life can be hard.  It can be good.  Sometimes it is messy.  Or peaceful.  Full of joy, full of heartache.

And let me say it loud and clear -- some things in our lives are downright ugly.

But let me also say loud and clear -- it is beautiful.  It is a gift.  It is ours and we are free to do with it what we want.

You might think, "Yeah, but you don't know my life..."

You are right. I don't.  But I do know my friend who witnessed her parents and brother murdered before her eyes when she was ten.  Life was hard, IS hard, but she smiles every single day.  She laughs.  She loves those around her.  She enjoys life -- her life, with all its complexities.

And my other friend -- one who just got diagnosed with a terminal illness, way too early in life to be faced with what that means.  And yet she LIVES. She struggles, for sure, but then she gets on the phone and laughs and makes plans and enjoys her time with those around her.

There are so many others, friends and acquaintances and friends of friends who have shown me what the power of mind over matter -- thoughts over circumstances -- can do.

So, my one piece of advice?  Love your life. Yes, YOURS.  With all its ups and downs.  It is the only one you've got, so make the most of it.

Linking up with Jenni for the Blog Every Day in May challenge

Fear.

Back in early November, 2002, a couple of friends and I were driving back to our college after a night of swing dancing in San Francisco.  We were laughing and having a good time when we passed a billboard for breast cancer awareness.  On the pink background was a beautiful purple butterfly and the words, "Daddy, did Mommy like butterflies?"

It broke my heart.  And I proclaimed right then, "I can't imagine losing my mom.  I am pretty sure I would just cease to exist."

All of us in the car were quiet for a few moments, until a friend said -- hey, don't worry, that's not going to happen to you.

Except it did.  Two days later.  I lost my mom.

It was terrible.

Well, that's a gross understatement.  It was beyond terrible, something you can only understand if you know this pain.  To keep it simple, let me say that it hurt. A lot. And then it hurt some more.

And many times throughout that first year or two I thought those words I had said -- that I would cease to exist -- might come true.  Or I wished they would.

But the thing is this: I didn't cease to exist.  Life continued on and eventually I learned how to embrace that.  Fully.

So, the topic for today is: The thing you are most afraid of?  Easy. Having to go through that again with someone who is so incredibly close to me.  Because I am afraid I would cease to exist...

The truth is, I know I wouldn't.  I know I would find a way through.  I just also know I don't want to have to test that theory.

What I "Do" + Cauliflower Mash

The question has been asked, 'What do you do?'

Well, during the day, when my name is 'Teacher' and I am surrounded by nine and ten-year-olds, I do band-aids and hugs, lesson delivery and grading.  I do encouragement. I do discipline. I do high-fives and shushes. I do parent/teacher conferences.  I do report cards and I do assistance with math problems.  I do real-life problem solving.  I do love.

When I am at home and my name is 'Babe' to my husband, I do many other things.  I do laundry and cooking.  I do dishes sometimes and toilet scrubbing when necessary.  I do long conversations over dinner and laughter, a lot.  I do sharing and receiving, compromise and support.  I do kisses and hugs. I do love.

Other times, when my name is 'Friend', I do phone calls and facebook commenting.  I do talking and listening.  I do fun.  I do movies and dinners.  I do nights out and weekend trips. I do hand holding when times are tough and silly dances when times are light.  I do love.

And then, in my free time, I do new recipes and pictures. I do blog posting and very little TV watching.  I do globe-trotting and life-living.

Ultimately, though, I hope the thing that defines me is that I do LOVE.


#BlogEveryDayinMay

CAULIFLOWER MASH WITH GARLIC AND THYME
Recipe inspired by Love & Whimsy

SERVES 4 •  PREP TIME: 10 MINUTES  •  TOTAL TIME: 25 MINUTES

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
• salt, to taste
• ¼ cup milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, plus more to top

directions

1.      Wash cauliflower and remove green parts.  Cut into large chunks and steam for 10 minutes with salt.

2.      Remove of pot and carefully spoon into a food processor. Add milk and butter, along with thyme. Blend until pureed.  Top with remaining thyme.

 COST: $2.00           COST PER SERVING (4): $0.50

Nutritional Information
calories 104   •    total fat 8.9g    •    fiber 3.3g    •    sugars 0.9g   •    protein 1.4g

With Glittering Eyes

My favorite quote, you ask?  Right there, penned by the famous children's author Roald Dahl.

Watch with glittering eyes...

... and where did those hidden secrets appear?

In the hug of a stranger.  The laughter of children, the touch of a friend, in a sweet glance.  On an island or two in the middle of the Pacific, in the comfort of my living room...

Sometimes in a song when my heart is heavy.  Other times in a facial expression that is quickly masked.

All around, hidden but waiting to be found.


(Day Four of the challenge... click the button above to see what others have to share today.)

Things That Make Me Uncomfortable

Spiders in the same room as me make me very uncomfortable, as does the idea of getting a shot, noticing someone with their zipper down that I don't know well enough to say something to them, and merging onto crowded freeways.  I find these to be very uncomfortable moments.

I guess I am not that abnormal.

But there are some things in life that don't make me all that uncomfortable as they do with others.  Tripping and falling in front of others... it happens to run in my genes. I am used to it.  Walking in on someone sittin' on the pot.  Slightly uncomfortable, but I quickly get over it.  Poop talk.  Not uncomfortable at all, and I don't even have kids.  Getting up in front of a large crowd to speak -- generally not a problem. Getting up in front of a large crowd to sing solo -- very VERY uncomfortable.  However, I can control those opportunities by following the advice of D.A.R.E. advocates around the world -- Just Say NO!

I have no problem doing that.

I guess you can say it doesn't make me all that uncomfortable.


(Day Three of the Blog Every Day in May challenge.  Click the button above to join in!)

My Story (in 250 words)

I was raised on Kraft and Girl Scout cookies.  My mom was a single mom and did the best she could do.  As long as we were fed, that’s all that really mattered.  But we didn’t mind; we loved that mac-n-cheese and Pasta Roni, so there were no complaints from us.

My teen years were spent being a vegetarian who didn’t eat vegetables, and I ate veggie-meat like it was going out of style.  This, however, was before veggie-meat was in style to begin with and had yet been ‘perfected’ to Morningstar Farms quality.  One year I even got a case of 24 large cans of Tuno (not Tuna) for Christmas, which I gladly accepted and promptly ate. 

I dropped the vegetarian thing about the same time I went to college. I moved abroad and then back, never needing to cook for myself, still relying on ready-made food. A close friend of mine joked that I shouldn’t worry about the fact my someday-children would be eating mac-n-cheese everyday… they would have a mommy who played with them, and that was much better. 

I laughed.  It was the truth.

Two years later, a combination of marrying a Brazilian who never ate boxed food in his life and watching Jamie Oliver start his Food Revolution, that something started to change in me. I wanted to cook, and I wanted to cook real food.

And that is precisely what I set out to do… still munching on Girl Scout cookies along the way.

(Yes, I jumped on the blog-everyday-in-May bandwagon.  I liked the idea, community behind it, and the challenge.  You can join if you want to.  Click the button above.  PS -- That post was EXACTLY 250 words ;) )