The Reverse Bucket List

I had this plan.  I even wrote it down.  You know what I am talking about -- a Summer bucket list.  It went something like this:

• ride a roller coaster again after a long time
• lay out on the grass and watch the stars on a warm evening
• see the big trees
• go to the county fair
• and so on...

You want to know a secret?  I didn't check a single thing off that list.  

You know, I was just too busy being in out of state weddings and conventions and doing what needed to be done that I just didn't have time.  And I almost let that get me down.  

But then I came up with the reverse-bucket list.  Instead of making a list of things I wanted to do (and didn't get to), I am making a list of things I got to do, whether they were planned or not.  And this list looks much better --

• ate Tex-Mex in Houston
• slept in a cabin with good friends in the Rockies
• drove through the Napa Valley at midnight with the music turned up and the full moon shining in through the open sun roof
• enjoyed Cirque du Soleil KA on the Strip in Vegas
• visited with my brother, finally home from Afghanistan
• sled down a sand dune -- or attempted to, at least ;)
• spent a day on the lake with my man, some friends, and a wakeboard
• ate deep fried pickles at the Rattlesnake Saloon, which is a restaurant in a cave in Alabama
• sang along with Committed in concert
• played cards in the park on a sunny afternoon
• caught up with good friends over breakfast, and left feeling so incredibly blessed
• read a book on my balcony at The Gaylord Opryland (and enjoyed all its glory) in Nashville
• touched the water pump where Helen Keller first learned that words have meaning
• walked along the Ventura coast with my favorite person in the world -- my husband

You know what I am thinking?  This whole reverse list is better than the original. 

Here's to living a life that worth reflecting upon and finding it to be beautiful just the way it is!

(A 'Wednesday Files' Post)

Lemon Cheese Cake -- A Taste of the South

As you probably read, I made my way down South last week.  And not down South as in, "I'm going down south [to Southern California]."  That may be what we in the Northern part of this state say when we are headed to Disneyland or to watch the Lakers, but I am talking the real down South.  Like, Alabama and Tennessee.  Country roads, rolling green hills, and some good Southern cookin'.  That's the South I am talking about this week.

I must fess up right away.  I did not actually make this cake.  My good friend Leigh, whom I refer to as my Southern Mama, did.  I just merely ate it.  And enjoyed every bite.  Then I had her daughter help me find plates, a table cloth, and some props and take pictures.

Yes -- I went into someone's house, ate all their food, and then made them help me turn their house into a food-photo studio.  What can I say... that's how I roll.  (Anyone want to invite me over yet?)  Luckily for me, they are always up for anything artistic, so this was a good experience for all of us.

According to Leigh, who is an Alabama native (or a 'bad mama jama from down in Alabama' according to a country song that I like), this cake is also an Alabama native.  It doesn't actually have any cheese in, despite what the name suggests.  Instead it has lemon filling that frosts each layer and the top, making it super lemony -- perfect for summer time!

Recipe from the Gift of Southern Cooking

INGREDIENTS
The Cake -

• 1 1/4 cup cake flour
• 1 1/2 t. cream of tartar
• 3/4 t. baking soda
• 1/4 t. salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp.
• 8 egg whites
• 1 cup milk
• 2 t. vanilla extract

The Filling - 

• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, melted
• 12 egg yolks
• 3 T finely grated lemon zest
• 1/2 t. salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350F
2. Sift flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.
3. Beat the sugar and butter in large mixing bowl, scraping the bottom and sides once or twice, until light and fluffy.  Whisk the egg white until blended but not foamy, then add to the butter in four batches, beating well with each addition.  Add the sifted dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk, and mixing only until well blended after each additions before proceeding to the next.  Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl again, and blend in the vanilla.
4. Divide the cake batter between four buttered parchment-lined baking pans.  Drop each filled cake pan gently on the kitchen counter to remove any large air pockets.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until the cake layers spring back in the center when lightly tapped, or a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.  Transfer the pans to cooling racks, and let rest for 5 minutes before turning the cake layers onto the racks to cool completely.
5. Make the filling: Put all of the ingredients into a nonreactive saucepan, and whisk well to blend.  Set over moderate heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the filling thickens and a candy thermometer registers 170F, about 10 minutes.  DO NOT allow the filling to boil or come to a simmer.  Transfer the cooked filling to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
6. Place one layer on a platter or cake stand and spread with 1/2 cup of the cooled lemon filling.  Tip with a second cake layer and 1/2 cup more of the lemon filling.  Continue stacking and filling this way, using all of the remaining filling to spread over the top layer and sides of the cake.

Of all the things I've lost... (Zucchini-Squash Cream Cheese Cake)

It just sat there on the shelf, staring at me.

Where did it come from?  And why was it here?

I flipped the lid open.  Still closed, never been used.  Seriously, why was this almond extract sitting on the shelf inside my cupboard?

I had a slight recollection of purchasing it.  Lucky's.  I bought it at Lucky's.

But why?

Opening up this blog, I started scrolling through my posts.  Nothing that looked like it was supposed to have almond extract added to it, no mention of me forgetting to add an important ingredient.

Yet there was one notably missing post.  One of these weekly Sundays with Joy posts.  Where it should have been, one week after zucchini pancakes and one week before s'mores brownies, was nothing but a line separating two other, non-related posts.

Quickly I opened up the document to which recipe I missed, and lo and behold, blueberry pancakes with a citrus glaze stared back at me.  A recipe in which I had bought all the ingredients.  I picked them out, swiped my card at the check out stand, brought them home and put them away... and then forgot all about them.

So that's why we had so many blueberries about a week ago!

Sigh.  I am too young to have these 'senior' moments, aren't I?!  Well, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised... my mother did by me a key chain when I was in high school that said --

Of all the things I've lost, 

I miss my mind the most.  

I guess this moment was destined to happen.

Another moment that was destined to happen?  Zucchini-squash cream cheese cake.

My local grocery store was out of zucchini so I went for the next best thing, zucchini-squash.  I added some other ingredients, like nutmeg, and I had a sensory masterpiece.  You should have smelled this thing as it was cooking!  Oh my word, it was all I could think about.  I tried to clean but wound up just hanging out in the kitchen, just to be closer to the smell...

And I made cream cheese frosting from scratch!  This was a proud moment for me, friends.  There are those times when I realize that I can do what Betty Crocker does and I just cannot believe it.  This was one of those moments.

The end result?  Heaven on a plate.  The BEST baked something-or-other that I have ever made.  My husband agrees, so there, proof.

Zucchini-squash cake.  Oh yeah.

Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker Cookbook, which you should totally get.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t baking powder
1 t salt
1 t ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 extra large egg or 1 1/2 regular size
1 t vanilla extract
1 stick butter, melted and cooled
1 cup shredded zucchini or zucchini-squash, or even carrots ;)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Grease 9x13 cake pan/loaf pan and set aside
3. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in medium bowl.
4. With either hand mixer or standing mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until well mixed.  Add egg, mix.  Add vanilla, mix.  Add butter, mix until very smooth.
5. Add flour mixture to bowl and stir to incorporate.  Beat until mixed.  Add zucchini squash and stir. 
6. Batter is very thick at this point.  Spoon into pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.  Top with cream cheese frosting (that either you make or you buy -- check the recipe HERE). 

COST (without frosting): $3.36
COST (with frosting): $5.87

Cost per serving (10): $0.34 or $0.59

American Honey (Alabama & Tennessee)

For the past three summers in a row, I have had the opportunity to travel to the good ol' South for some Southern lovin' and sweet Southern cookin'. First it was because my brother was stationed there, and this summer it was because I had a convention there. I have to say, for this born and raised Californian girl, this is a whole different world in many ways. But it is a different world that I adore.

First stop, Alabama.  The highlights?

• Going to Ivy Green, Helen Keller's birthplace (I just realized her head is cut off in the picture up there... oh no!  Sorry Helen!!!  You are still my hero, I swear.)
• Eating deep fried pickles at the Rattlesnake Saloon
• Buying green tomatoes at a fruit stand by the side of the road
• Drinking lots of sweet tea
• Hiking through the prettiest woods this nation has seen
• Road tripping with one of my favorites and spending time with a family that is near and dear to me

Then we drove up to Nashville...

Points to share:

• Stayed at the Gaylord Opryland.  OH MY.  I never knew hotels like this existed unless there was a casino attached.  Which there wasn't.  Beautiful!
• Saw Committed in concert.  I have been their biggest fans since they were on The Sing Off two years ago.
• Took a riverboat cruise for dinner one night and let the warm air and nice breeze take any stresses far, far away.
• Met Amy from Fearless Homemaker, one of my favorite bloggers.  I mailed her a pack of cookies for a cookie-swap last Christmas and we have been supporters of each other ever since. 
• Ate the best pancakes on the planet at Pancake Pantry.
• Spent times with lots of friends that I haven't seen for awhile at the convention, learned a lot, and overall came home blessed in many ways.

And the best part?  I have three fabulous Southern recipes to share with you next week.  Yes, not only did we eat, but we cooked a bit.  And you, my friends, will love them.  Promise.

Avocado, Egg, and Feta Salad (Vegetarian & Gluten Free)

Yup, it's chick food.  And I fed it to my man.  For dinner.

Sometimes I am mean like that.

Except, really, I am not that mean.  If you think about it.  I am very, very nice.  Because I am making sure he is healthy and lives a long time. I like him a lot and would kinda like to keep him around.

As great as steak and potatoes are, those are not the foods that keep us kicking for a good, long time. 

He can have his steak and potatoes once in awhile (and I will not complain as I love them as well!) and then he can have a healthy whole-meal-salad once in awhile. 

The best part is that he doesn't complain.  In fact, he likes my chick food.  Which maybe means it's not so much chick food as it is people food.

This can be a whole meal by itself, or you can add some bread to accompany it, if you choose.  I choose yes.

Straight from Everyday Food, June 2012

Ingredients

• Thinly sliced celery
• Baby arugula or other greens
• Fresh dill
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Lemon juice
• Crumbled feta
• Sliced avocado
• Hard-cooked eggs, cut into wedges

Directions

1. Toss together celery, greens, and dill. Dress with olive oil and lemon juice. Top with feta, avocado, and eggs.

COST per large plate: $1.70

(includes a whole avocado, which can be quite pricey.  Find a cheap one and dramatically cut the cost...)

S'mores Brownies -- It's like camping in your living room

Camping.  It's one of my favorite things.

And I'm not talking about staying in an RV.  That's not camping.  That's taking a mini version of your house and parking it in the woods. 

Nor am I talking about packing all you need in a pack on your back and trekking out miles and miles, no bathrooms nor showers in sight.  That's not camping, either.  That's roughing it.

What I am talking about is a tent, some lanterns, a fire surrounded by friends who hopefully play the guitar, and some marshmallows on a stick.

That's camping.

Sometimes, however, I don't get to do this activity that I love so much.  Actually, the older I get the less opportunities I have.  What used to be a several-times a year thing is now a once-a-year situation.  What's a girl to do when you really want the feel of camping and you just can't have it?!

She makes s'mores brownies, that's what she does.

Luckilyy for me, Joy the Baker figured this one out.  S'mores, in the form of brownies, that come out of your oven.

Brilliant.

So, if you are craving some camping time and cannot fit it in, have no fear.  Just pick up a copy of Joy's book or visit her blog to see how to make this happen in your living room.  I have to admit, I was a slightly tempted to roll out my sleeping bag, light up the lantern, and sing a little kum-ba-ya...

To find this recipe, visit Joy's blog HERE.  Or, better yet, buy the book HERE.

To see more versions of this recipe by my fabulous friends who are a part of Sundays with Joy, visit Bakeaholic Mama HERE.

 COST: $9.77    COST PER BROWNIE (12- large): $0.82

Open-faced Smoked Salmon Sandwich

Um, yum.

What else can I really say about this?  Not much.  I was eating this stuff by the spoonful before I had the bread toasted.  I had to stop myself so my husband would be able to have some for his dinner.  Trust me, I could have easily eaten the entire bowl in one sitting.

And what a simple and perfect meal idea for summer.  I don't know about you, but the last thing I want on a warm evening is something heavy.  But ya know, you still need to feel full.  Enter these open-faced sandwiches and you have summer-meal gold.

The best part is it EASY.  Smoked salmon, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, cucumber, and some dill... mix it up and enjoy.  Pair it with some cooked, small red potatoes lightly seasoned and dinner is served. 

Adapted from Smoked Trout Sandwiches in Everyday Food, June 2012

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 English cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
• 5 T of plain Greek yogurt
• 2 T chopped fresh dill or 2 T dried dill
• juice of two lemons
• 1/2 lb. of smoked salmon, flaked with two forks
• 1 small head romaine lettuce, leaves separated
• toasted, crusty bread (whatever size you want)
• Olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat broiler.  Brush olive oil lightly over one side of each slice of bread.  Broil, oil side up, until crisp and lightly browned. 
2. Combine cucumber, yogurt, dill, and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.  Gently stir in salmon. 
3. Top each bread slice with a few lettuce leave and salmon salad.  Enjoy.

COST: $10.35      COST PER SERVING (4 -- 2 small or 1 large): $2.59

ADD POTATOES FOR FULL MEAL: about $3.00 per serving