An All -American Breakfast

 I have had a bit of feedback regarding posts and foods cooked, so here goes another. 

Last night was spent at the Central School Project's Biennial Art Show since it was technically my first show, I guess. Awesome works, great drumming, good wine, and conversation to match. The show is up for a couple of weeks, so go check it out. Good wine calls for a good breakfast the next day, and a good breakfast was needed.

I love this little town in which I live, but when things like good maple syrup are pricey, they are not always carried on the shelves. And if they are, they are super crazy expensive. Since this is the case in this small hippie town, I have not had pancakes in some time now. Months, many, many months. So when something is held from you, you tend to want it. Since pancakes were on the ticket for this morn's feast, why not make it an All-American Breakfast?

Facon. Yes, facon. I recently discovered the wonders of tempeh bacon. With it being so simple to make, and animal free wonderous, it made the list of this breakfast of champs. Thinly slice strips of tempeh and soak in marinade for a short bit.

Marinade:
Tamari (or soy sauce)
Oil
A splash of hot sauce, I use Trappey's Red Devil
Onion powder
Smoked paprika

Other things you could add: a pinch of sugar, molasses, liquid smoke, anything else to your liking

 After the tempeh has soaked up most of the marinade, cook it like you would bacon.

For crispier facon slice thinner than above's pic

The ever wanting pancakes. I started with a basic recipe and made it mine. Today's cakes were blueberry, dried cranberry, ginger granola with a hint of poppy seed. I also tagged in a little cinnamon and cardamon in the dry ingredients before I mixed the liquids and dry goodness. If you want a plain Jane pancake, stick with the recipe below. I tend to like various flavors in my foods, why not pack it right?

Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg substitute to measure one egg
• 1 cup soy milk
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions

1.              In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in milk, egg substitute and oil. Mix until smooth.

2.              Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot. 

Ye batter

Blueberries and ginger granola (dried cranberries entered on the next cake)

 

 

 With some hashbrowns added, the All-American Breakfast was made. It is good to be an American, especially when you have breakfasts like this one. 

What a way to brunch!

Garden Resurge

Although the past couple of weeks have felt like the garden was on its last leg, the past couple of days have changed my mind and my mood. I have removed many things that have passed for the season, and this was sad to me, but now I see all the room that is now free, and the plants that were a little hidden by the showiness of other plants.
 
Many plants that I grew, even attempted to grow, were plants that I had not grown in the past. This can be an exciting ride when unknown plants have sprouted and one does not remember what was planted. And to add to the excitement is the lull of the end of the season vacancies.

If you recall from a much earlier post (click here) there was a time when numerous plants lived on the patch of land above the house. That was until a hungry, vegetable eating varmint landed in the garden. I was able to save a few of the plants from the destruction and transplanted them to the fenced area. These plants have just not done so swell in the past few months, and I was wondering if I was watering them in vain, or if I was watering them to keep them alive so that the caterpillars that had encompassed the leaves and the stalk would have a food source. Hey, they gotta eat too! I was persistent and continued to water, just in case.

But then low and behold! S pointed out the little sprouts on the stalk. What is this I see? Have aliens landed on the property? There is no way that this plant and its sprouts could be from planet earth. But, yes indeed they are from earth, and in my garden. I might be swimming in Brussels sprouts this fall/winter season.

From planet Earth?

Snail napping on the leaves

Have I mentioned my taste bud love affair with Brussels sprouts? I know, I know you must be wondering in your head if you were on the right blog. Did I just state my love affair with Brussels sprouts? Yes, I did. I heart them, amor them, love them, which ever way might suit your fancy, I fiend for them many meals a week. I am lucky that during the interim of me not having them available, my favorite place to eat in town, POCO, tend to have Brussels sprout burritos. MMmmmm roasted Brussels sprout burritos. Soon I will be making my own, grown by me. And that makes me smile :)

And the sprouts are not the only thing rocking this time of year. The late planted okra is doing quite well. I don't know if it is my Texas upbringing or what, but I do enjoy me a good pile of okra.

I got my hands on a few packets of flower seeds about a month ago, and since the soil is all warm and grow fueled, sunflowers and another flower where I forget the name, have shown their beauty as well.

I know I like this flower, but for the life of me cannot remember its name

"Roast? I thought you went vegetarian."

No silly, not the meat roast, the public presentation of comedic insults. Today was the day. The Keith and The Girl Roast finally arrived in the mail. I have been patiently waiting, ok, not so patiently, have you met me? The night was spent doubled over in laughter at the shenanigans these fools provide. Seriously, I have not laughed in this manner in some time, maybe ever. I still have a grin on my face, and it hurts, kinda.

Background info...go...So these two folks, Chemda (the Girl) and Keith have a 5 day a week comedy podcast from New York. They are exes and have funny people on their show that might make you spit chocolate milk (possibly Yoo- hoo?) from your nose if you were drinking this beverage while listening to their show. Not enough background for you? Listen to them for yourself, and you will understand the back story in  much better form. And you might understand my random declarations of Party! Super Party! Get with it already.

So these shenanigan giving people do a roast back in April and cut it up in a format for watching, and prior to the release invite the roasting participants on the show a month in advance. The month long lead up is one hell of a marketing tool, let me tell ya. Anyhow, this particular time frame happened to fall about the same time I listened everyday, practically. About 3 shows into this month and I was fiending the arrival of the sweet disc of laughter.

And it came. And I laughed. And now I am plugging them for free. Yes, folks, free. That is what the gut busting, laugh handing people have done to me. Free. Who doesn't like free?

Anywho, yoo-hoo, the show is funny, check them out. And when you are all caught up on who is who and what might make them outrageously funny, check out the roast.

Let's hear it for straw

The garlic box had to sit empty for a week or so til I was able to get back in town and purchase straw from the feed store. So I hauled the third bale of straw this summer up the 52 stairs, to the empty box, ready to fill. So my new gardening partner, one-eyed Frieda, and I filled up the box and they layered it with soil.

Frieda has found her new spot, right in the middle of things.

I thought I could wait to plant the garlic the next day, but I got a bit antsy in the pantsy and had to do it via help from S and light from the solar camping lantern. All in all, plenty of garlic was planted, but was it enough? I am an avid garlic user in my cooking endeavors. But, I know myself pretty well, and I doubt that I can go too long without building something. So I might just need to build another box. Who knows, it could be for garlic, it could be a cold frame, it could be....well, anything I reckon. I have so many ideas swirling in my head on what to do next. So little time, so many gardening possibilities.

Even though many things are slowing down their growing in the garden, there is enough still hanging in there to brighten the days. I am sure I will be ultra super duper excited if and when the watermelon comes to fruition. Or I could be the utmost upset if the blistering sun kills  the eggplant I have so eagerly watched grow . Lets hope it is the first, not the second scenario. I would be pretty bummed if it were the latter.

I digress...

So, once again I have returned from a week away for work. It has been pretty toasty lately, and the Biz has not escaped the heat. I returned to plants that are about fried and tired of working for the season. This gardening gig has been quite the lesson this year, trying new things, some successful, some, not so much. But I feel grateful to have learned from what some may call mistakes, I call life. The lessons learned this year will be put in place for future projects of yummy goodness.

The garden came about by seeds, not plantings from the store. The biggest lesson learned: plant those seeds earlier next go round. It is just too darn hot to expect plants to produce much longer than the current time frame. This is good news for me and my newly acquired building skills. I have a layout in mind for a grow room indoors in the Arizona Room/bathroom. While I was gone S pulled many of the plants that were dead and replanted a few that needed room to grow. Once most of the plants are gone I will rework the straw/soil and start anew with winter greens.

One reason I have been absent from the homestead so frequently as of late is for a super duper cool project that I feel so fortunate to be apart of. My pals at Saguaro called me up a few months ago and asked if I would like to be on a team to create an electronic field trip through the National Park Foundation in conjunction with National Geographic BioBlitz (what a mouth full huh?). And of course since my boss supported me in this endeavor, I said 'fo sho'. I might have the most raddest boss of them all.

The first few months were like a whirl wind of fun helping to create the script, online games, lesson plans and shooting schedules. Then last week came and the first round of shooting began. It was crazy hot in Tucson, but all was done with zero fainting from participants. I can't spoil too much of the fun, but I CANNOT wait til October 21, 2011 for this little film baby to be born live from Saguaro NP.

Local times listed above, so Arizona time

So check your local PBS station to see if it is playing, and if not, stream baby stream.

But, I digress....although the temps are high and the rains are dwindling there are still a few things to be done in ways of gardening. The ajo (garlic) box is in full swing, and it seems like I have a new planter pest on my hands. More on that to come...