Finding Fondue in Amsterdam (Part 2 of 3)

Posted on June 20, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Me, Kay & Susan in front of Rijksmuseum

Amsterdam was the first stop on our European adventure.I last time set foot in this beautiful city in 1998 when my daughter had Spring break and we decided to have an adventure there.

The plane ride from Newark to Amsterdam took a little over eight hours, and we were tired but determined to muscle through the day. We checked into the Ambassade Hotel where we reserved a lovely room with two double beds. (By the way, because I am the oldest I usually get a bed to myself! One of the only advantages let me tell you.) We stopped at the hotel dining room buffet and enjoyed a beautiful plateful of smoked fishes, lots of fresh fruit, muesli, and great coffee. Then we were off to the Anne Frank Haus where we were fortunate to have a private tour of the museum with Garance Reus. It’s changed since I was last there in that it is more interactive, there are more computer displays and some of the rooms are currently not available for public tour. The line to purchase tickets stretched around the block and was filled with young and old, Dutch and visitors from other countries. This made me hopeful that the messages of tolerance and a need for a powerful, civil society and of the dangers of racism would be heard.

Beautiful Canals in Amsterdam

That day we took a boat trip through the canals and ate at some fantastic places suggested to me by my friend Beth Sheppard, who once lived in Amsterdam (she writes amazing blogs on one of my favorite travel sites – Wanderlust and Lipstick). Of course we visited the Van Gogh and Rembrandt museums and Keukenjof Flower Gardens where tulips spread out as far as the eye could see. We even shopped for shoes – though not the classic, wooden Dutch clogs reminiscent of fairy tales. Both days in Amsterdam were jam packed and we were walking from 7 am until midnight.

And naturally we sampled the food. But to be honest, Dutch food is fairly pedestrian: sandwiches, potatoes, and cheese. Thankfully I recalled that the last time I visited I had phenomenal fondue, so I asked a tour guide for a recommendation and we hopped into a taxi to Cafe Bern, a wonderful fondue restaurant, and the food highlight of my visit. And I discovered two things about myself:

1) I get an idea in my head about something I want to see or do or eat, and I won’t let it go. Hence it was with the fondue. My sisters really didn’t care that much about having fondue, but there was no way I was leaving Amsterdam without this experience. I get overly focused (some may call it obsessed) about one specific thing and won’t stop!

2) I really am a night owl. Every single evening, at around midnight, both my sisters had to tell me to stop talking. Even though I am up and at it by 6:30 am or so, I am at my best far into the night and could stay up easily past midnight. I’m just saying…

This fondue recipe is one my son found while he was helping out at a cooking school in Seattle. We made it, loved it and have searched no more. It makes me smile to know that I have owned my wedding -gifted fondue pot for 40 years. Unlike the restaurant in Amsterdam, I serve this fondue with slices of green apple, toasted bread cubes, blanched broccoli, cauliflower, green beans…just about anything that can be dipped.

My Favorite Fondue

Cheese Fondue

Serves 8

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Ingredients
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 2 cups dry white wine
  • 7 cups shredded Swiss cheese such as Jarlsberg, Emmentaler, Gruyere, or Appenzeller
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch (or flour)
  • 3 tablespoons kirsch
  • 2 teaspoons corn starch
  • salt, pepper, nutmeg
  • Bread cubes, apples, veggies, etc. for dipping
Instructions

Use a fondue pot and rub the cut side of the garlic all over the insides of the pot. Throw away the garlic.

Heat the fondue pot and add the wine but do not boil. Mix the cheese and the cornstarch and slowly add it to the wine stirring until the cheese melts.

Mix the kirsch and cornstarch. Blend the kirsch mixture into the cheese mixture until it is a smooth thick sauce. Season with salt, pepper and a little freshly grated nutmeg.

The reason for using cornstarch (or flour) is to keep the cheese and wine from separating. If you boil the mixture however, you can still make it separate so simmer gently, do not boil.

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Chocolate PB Cookies: Manhatten

Posted on June 13, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

The Klass Sisters at Knitty City!

This is the first of a three part series, kind of like “Jaws 1, Jaws 2 and possibly Jaws 3. I will be covering the travels and food obsessions of the three sisters, also known as “The Klass Girls” – Klass being our maiden name.

My middle sister Susan will be celebrating her big Six-Oh-No in October, but she likes to be ahead of the curve and wanted to travel with us six months before this auspicious occasion. This wasn’t terribly surprising considering her penchant for being ultra prepared for any occasion.

Without going into a lot of detail, I would guesstimate that at least 75 emails went back and forth between the three of us: should we see a play in New York? (yes) What play? (Warhorse) Did we want to buy train tickets ahead of time? (yes) Should we use a travel agent for hotels and air? (THANK YOU Pam – thetravelplanner@verizon.net.) How many pairs of jeans? (2) How many shirts? (4) Do we want to do a day trip to Bruges? (yes) Oh, and don’t forget a great raincoat and waterproof shoes. You get the picture, except with every single question came pages of dialog.

Our youngest sister lives on the East Coast and Susan and I are on the West Coast, so we converged in New York City at dawn and planned to leave for Amsterdam late the same day. The two West Coast girls needed to take individual, 6-hour long, red eye flights. Considering that neither of us is very good at sleeping on an airplane (or sleeping much at all, for that matter), we weren’t gleefully looking forward to this part of the trip, but we muscled through and met up at baggage claim – ready to roll. We decided to check our tiny carry-on bags to New York which, of course, involved phone calls at midnight to Susan. Admittedly, it was a welcome change to march on the plane with only my small backpack and not to have to hoist a tightly packed bag into the overhead bin. Yet we wanted that carry-on for train travel in Europe.

Anyway, the first twelve hours before we departed for Amsterdam and then the final three days of our trip were spent in New York City with Kay. We hit the ground running and ate a remarkable breakfast at Normas, found a delightful yarn shop (score), and finally sampled Levain’s cookies. Why did all three of my offspring know about Levain Bakery and why hadn’t they filled me in? Where had these cookies been all my life? Granted, I know how to make a good cookie – but these world-famous, six-ounce pieces of heaven are to die for!

Levain Cookies

On the way back from Amsterdam we stayed in New York for three days and shopped. Not one who loves shopping, I only like to do this with my sisters. We ate at the Shake Shack, Mario Batali’s Eatily, ABC Kitchen, Carnegie Deli… we stuffed ourselves silly. We also saw a play, visited Ground Zero and continued to eat and hoard the dark chocolate treats we bought in Belgium. Susan, by the way, lost 3 pounds on the trip and I most likely did too because my pants were a little looser (remember I don’t weigh myself). This shows you what a lot (like all day) of brisk walking will do…along with dark chocolate.

During this trip, I became obsessed with Levain cookies. We ate them both before our Europe trip and afterwards while in NYC, took a few on the plane for emergency fuel and visited their bakery. Of course I pumped the bakers about how many ounces per cookie, what was in them, etc. I then found a “copycat” recipe online, which I promptly delivered to my sisters and brother. Susan was the first to have a go at them, and reported that they were very, very close to what we had in New York. This recipe and pictures are her rendition of the type of cookie I loved the most there: Chocolate peanut butter! And the raw dough balls can be frozen for baking later on if you can’t fathom making a 12 of these monsters.

Susan's Levain wanna-be cookies

Oh So Chocolaty Peanut Butter Chip Cookies (Levain copycats)

Makes 12-13 large cookies

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Ingredients
  • 2 sticks cold regular (salted) butter, cut into 8 slices
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup dark Dutch processed cocoa powder, sifted (I use Sharfenberger)
  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp table salt
  • 3/4 tsp baking powder (aluminum free)
  • 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (Guittard)
  • 2 cups peanut butter chips
Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and put a rack in middle of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle, cream together butter and sugar until well blended and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs and beat until well-incorporated, then add in cocoa powder.

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder until just combined, and mix in with the egg/sugar mix just until combined. Gently fold in remaining ingredients.

Transfer dough to a clean counter and gently mix dough by hand. Divide into 12 equal weight balls, about 4 oz each (I used a #50 cookie scoop) and place on cookie sheet. I only put 6 per sheet. Bake in the preheated oven 16-20 minutes. Remove the parchment and cookies to a cooling rack. Keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

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“Bird Seed” Whole Grain Cereal

Posted on June 6, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Bird Seed Cereal

In my Seattle kitchen, you’ll always find a huge bin of my favorite healthful cereal in the freezer and a smaller amount secured in a covered jar in the fridge. My kids affectionately call this cereal “bird seed” because of how it looks. Most mornings I put about half a cup of this dry, mixed up concoction into a cereal bowl, pour in a half cup of hot water or milk and stir, cover the bowl and stick it back in the refrigerator. I eat it several hours later. This morning I topped my cereal with some thick tangy Greek yogurt and homemade applesauce. Often I sprinkle the cereal with chopped pears and a little homemade granola or even poached fruit.

The only challenging part about making this cereal is gathering the ingredients. A quick trip to the health store or coop is needed to hunt down the more exotic seeds and granules. It’s worth it though – the recipe produces a large amount and lasts me for a couple of months. Unless, of course, one of my children visits and swipes it from the freezer. Despite the fact that they mock the appearance of this cereal mix, my entire extended family LOVES it!

“Bird Seed” Cereal

Ingredients:
  • 2 oz milk thistle seeds (These are kept with the bulk tea sand spices at my co-op)
  • 1/4 lb. flaxseed
  • 1 pounds rolled regular oats, barley flakes or kamut flakes-or a combination
  • ½ pound of oat bran cereal
  • ¼ lb. Soy lecithin granules (found in the refrigerated section – I use Bob’s Red Mill brand)
  • 2 oz organic chopped unsulphured apricots or dried unsweetened cherries or currents
  • 2 oz organic sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds
  • 2 oz chopped walnuts
  • 1 ½ cups organic wheat germ
Instructions:

Grind flaxseed and milk thistle seed in a coffee grinder or blender. You may have to do this in batches to ensure the seeds are thoroughly ground. Add to the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, combine well and put in a covered container in a cool, dry place. This recipe can be doubled if you have freezer space (it must be kept in the refrigerator or freezer).

Note: the formula for this cereal came from my late sister-in-law, who was told by her Bastyr trained naturopath that it boosts immunity. I did a little research to investigate the ingredients and they are, indeed, very healthful:

  • Lecithin granules: Contain essential fatty acids along with the fish-oil-like, omega-3 linolenic acid
  • Milk Thistle Seed: Purported to support liver functions
  • Flaxseed: Filled with omega 3 fatty acids
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Belizean Onion Habenero Condiment

Posted on May 30, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

"The Condiment"

I have to laugh whenever I look at the title of this post… “The Condiment” is the name we bestowed on the concoction Wayne threw together before my arrival at our home in Belize earlier this month. We don’t always travel together – he often gets to our Belize house a few days earlier or leaves a few days after I depart. We are fortunate to have this flexibility; we both have such busy lives and we travel so frequently that it’s nice to come and go on our own schedules. There is one rule however: he (or she) who arrives first must grocery shop and cook, and she (or he) who leaves last must go through our check list and clean up. So when I walked in a week after my husband arrived, the fridge was full of all sorts of grocery items including stewed black and red beans, “the condiment” and my favorite roast chicken. Dinner was ready. I cannot tell you how happy this made me after my 3am wake-up call and nine hour flight! And “the condiment” was something neither of us had ever made…

This “condiment” is available all over San Pedro. We find jars of bright vegetables swimming in vinegar on the tables of almost every take-away restaurant and even at the fancy places. There doesn’t seem to be a precise recipe, per se – so Wayne analyzed the containers in town and struck out on an expedition to collect all the ingredients.

Just a few simple ingredients

This recipe is truly his own. I have never had sliced carrots in “the condiment” but I love the texture they provide. We’re both careful when handling habaneros, wearing gloves so the oils don’t stay on our hands for the rest of the day. Wayne added the habanero seeds which makes this fiery hot, so if you want a milder mix add only the habanero flesh and discard the seeds. During his mission to replicate “the condiment,” Wayne learned that the red habaneros are hotter than the orange, yellow or green varieties here. Also, many locals told him to only use white onion (they said the brown skinned or red skinned onions don’t stay firm). But this is a small town in Belize and there were no white onions to be had so he made due with the brown skinned variety. They work just fine but the locals were right – the second batch we made with white onions stays a little prettier.

I love to eat heaps of this alongside tacos, grilled fish or chicken. We even have it with our morning eggs! Because of the texture, I even prefer it to my beloved hot sauce.

“The Condiment”

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Ingredients
  • 2 white skinned onions, roughly chopped into ½ inch pieces
  • 3 medium sized carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 Tbsp sea salt
  • 2 sliced red habaneros, seeds and all
  • 1 Tbsp raw (turbinado) sugar
  • Plain white vinegar*- enough to barely cover the vegetables in the quart glass jar.

*It’s funny… I add the sugar only because the first time he made it, Wayne used “Mexican” vinegar, and when we looked at the bottle it turned out it had sugar and “other flavorings” added–yet it wasn’t as mild as seasoned rice vinegar, for example. Since none of the Belizeans use anything besides plain vinegar, that is what I did for the second batch but I needed the sugar to tone it down a bit.

Chopped vegetables waiting for vinegar bath

Instructions

Place everything but vinegar and sugar into a glass quart container and mix. Pour plain white vinegar with sugar stirred in (it won’t dissolve but don’t worry) to barely cover the vegetables.. Stir every 30 minutes for the first hour-and you can actually eat it after this. This keeps for up to a week in the refrigerator.

So easy, you have to make “the condiment” sometime this summer people!

PS: My favorite snack or lunch down here is to take a mound of warm cooked quinoa, cover it with warm stewed beans. I then spoon about 2 Tbsp of “The Condiment” on top and I’m good to go. Another good reason to make and serve this in hot weather: it creates big time THIRST and you have no choice but to drink oodles and gobs of water; therefore you stay hydrated when the temperatures hit the high numbers.

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Gaga for Gumbo

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Delicious Gumbo

Gumbo isn’t a Belizean dish but its roots are Cajun/Creole so it seems like it should be served here. With a bit of tweaking, I have made this hearty dish both in Belize and in the US. I learned it from Alexis, Rachel’s friend from the Midwest. She bravely decided to take the plunge and make Gumbo while in Belize last January. “Knock yourself out,” I thought. I was, admittedly, a bit skeptical that she would find all the ingredients needed in the small, sparsely stocked stores in our remote locale. She proceeded to go to town, buy the ingredients, and cook the most delicious Gumbo for dinner that night. Despite the fact she had no recipe and was cooking in a foreign kitchen – she pulled it off! There were oohs and aahs from everyone at the table – myself included.

Alexis told us she originally used an old, faded, cut-from-the-newspaper recipe her mom found years ago. During her youth, she and her siblings always requested this savory stew for their birthday meal. She has since adapted it and alters the recipe depending on her mood – much like I do whenever I cook. There was no okra to be found so she substituted green zucchini squash instead. The stew she made fed six of us for several days and was even better when we reheated it.

Celery, onions and green peppers provide the focus of many Creole and Cajun dishes, so although I butchered the original formula for this stew, I feel like I can still call it GUMBO.

Gumbo cooking away

One Pot Gumbo

Serves 10-12

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Ingredients
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 1 Tsbp oil
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 medium size white skinned onion, chopped ¼ inch
  • 1 bunch green onions, green part too-sliced ¼ inch across
  • 1 ½ green peppers – chopped 1/4 inch
  • 2 stalks chopped celery-same size as aove
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 medium carrots, sliced ½ inch
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • ½ tsp turbinado sugar (raw sugar)
  • 3 cups homemade chicken broth-in a pinch use bouillion + water
  • 2 cups of tomato juice
  • ½ tsp or more of cayenne pepper
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 Tbsp fresh oregano, slivered
  • 14 ounces can whole tomatoes, with juice ( undrained-break apart with your hands)
  • 2 cups zucchini, cubed ¾ inch
  • 2 chicken leg quarters, (2 legs + two thighs)-skin removed
  • 1 lb medium shrimp, deveined and shelled
  • ½ tsp habanero sauce -use Marie Sharps
  • 4 cups cooked brown rice or quinoa
Instructions

Combine flour and oil /butter in a large pot or a 5 quart Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until a dark reddish-brown roux forms (about 20 minutes). Stir often.

Remove from the heat and add the white and green onions, green peppers, celery, and garlic. Stir well and return to heat and stir frequently for 5 minutes until vegetables are tender.

Add carrots, chicken broth, tomato juice, salt, sugar, bay leaves, cayenne pepper, tomatoes, oregano and zucchini. Add chicken leg quarters. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for an hour, stirring periodically. Remove chicken from the pot and cool it, shred the chicken meat and add it back into the stew, discarding bones. Once off the burner, add the shrimp to the soup–they will quickly cook from the retained heat of the broth.

Remove the bay leaves and stir in the habanero sauce; add salt or seasoning to taste.

Serve in a large soup bowl topped with a scoop of cooked quinoa or cooked brown rice for a very very filling meal!

You can substitute spicy chicken sausage for the chicken or cubes of firm fleshed fish in place of the shrimp (i.e. swordfish). The original recipe called for frozen okra in place of zucchini–I was more than satisfied with the zucchini version but okra would be fun to substitute as well. If you wish to try it, add 1 lb of frozen okra and be sure to cook it with the chicken and tomato base for the entire hour.

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Happy Anniversary

Posted on May 16, 2012 by Marilyn

January in Belize with my grandson

It’s May…my website has been “up” for a year now. And this month is my 40th wedding anniversary! Unbelievable to me… So, I’ve decided this week is author’s choice and I am writing this post openly and honestly about my personal relationship with food and with my body.

I don’t know if I have written that I don’t have, and in fact have never had, food “rules.” I grew up in a household where we were allowed to have leftovers from dinner at breakfast time and where homemade baked cookies were always around. I never step on my scale – I only use it to weigh my luggage so I can avoid paying extra fees. I don’t count calories – in fact I’m somewhat clueless about caloric content of many foods. I have never dieted. My weight doesn’t cycle up and down  and my tighter fitting items of clothing usually feel the same. I am happy with my weight and my body. I am not perfect by any means – I have a substantial tushy, cellulite on my thighs and my waist is definitely bigger than it was 10 years ago. But I think my body looks good for someone my age. I secretly believe the reason I don’t have facial wrinkles is  because I have never dieted and I am not too skinny. All of this is most likely part of why I love to cook; I enjoy not only the process, but I like to eat too.

I realize my story is not the norm. It always makes me unhappy when friends put themselves down and talk about being fat, having to go on a diet, or needing to go to the gym to burn off calories.

So I thought I’d share my credo:

I eat only when I am truly hungry. And I try to eat what I crave at the time. I sometimes eat every three hours or sometimes two times a day (usually not). Nine times out of ten I have a very distinct sense of what it is I want to eat. For example, yesterday’s breakfast consisted of a rye bagel smeared with ricotta cheese and topped with marinated smoked peppers – with some fresh fruit salad and my latte, of course. That is what I craved and it tasted great.

The perfect breakfast!

I never, ever eat or drink “diet” foods like diet soda, low calorie cookies, artificial sugar substitutes,” light” this or that. I do not own or keep clothing that is too small, or too big. My personality is such that I love variety in food, so I don’t have the same breakfast or lunch every day. The exception is that I adore leftover food and might have the same soup for lunch three days in a row if that sounds good to me. Otherwise I give my extra food to friends or family, or freeze it for later if it is something that freezes well.

As an aside, I gave my kids free reign with food from a very early age. I never remarked about them gaining weight or looking fat. I had my children make their own lunches to bring to school from the time they were about seven or eight. They gave me weekly shopping lists and they could pack anything they wanted for school as long as they did this without my help – it could be cold pizza, cookies, candy, sandwiches…whatever they wanted. Other parents were horrified and thought I was lazy and irresponsible. My daughter would make elaborate concoctions to take to school. My youngest son really disliked school lunches and didn’t like sandwiches, so he would take odd combinations of food. Guess what? I found out that my middle son would take candy and cookies, then trade it for sandwiches and healthful foods his friends’ mothers packed. Many of his classmates were not allowed to have sweets, and because Daniel could have sugary food at his discretion, he didn’t really care about eating it. To him, it was a bartering tool. Fast forward to today: all three of my kids are normal weight, no one has ever had food issues and all three eat pretty healthfully. I can’t say this is 100% due to my wonderful mothering because genetically our families are not overweight, and we all exercise (but never obsessively) several times a week.  It is not pure luck that I am not overweight!

I don’t feel the need, ever, to finish my food. It isn’t helping the starving people in China, as they used to say. When I am full and satiated I stop eating. I leave food on my plate (gasp!).  I always told my kids and their friends that they didn’t have to finish food or “clean their plate.” Most people look at me like I am a lunatic when I say this.

I always have toasted nuts in a dish on my kitchen counter as well as a jar of homemade biscuits or cookies. They last a long time because everyone knows they will be replenished instantly once they are eaten. In other words, there is not a “charge” or awful feeling about eating something forbidden.

I don’t eat in the car, I never eat while watching television, I don’t walk around the house and eat, I don’t stand at the counter and eat…99 percent of the time I sit down, I set the table with a placemat, with cutlery, with a pretty plate and glassware and napkin and I make my meal or snack the focus of my attention. I really taste the food; I don’t talk on the phone and eat. I don’t read the paper and eat…I savor my food – sometimes with music in the background and occasionally I’ll even put a flower or two in a vase by my place setting.

I also know that if you grew up, as most do, with food rules and regulations and diets that it is hard to get beyond this and be guilt free with food, no matter what. I get that. I also beg young parents to think about the messages you give your kids when they see you constantly step on the scale, or berate yourself or your spouse for being fat. I wish everyone could be at peace with their body and with their food choices and stop obsessing about food and weight.

Enough … I’ll get off my soap box now. But I can’t help but end with this. Below is a picture of a pillow my  sister emailed to me. In my mind… it really is all about balance. And, of course, a bit of chocolate.

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Coconut Cake

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Coconut Cake Reminiscent of Cha Creek Delicacies

During our first family trip to Belize in 1998, we stayed inland, close by San Ignacio town at The Lodge at Chaa Creek. During the ensuing years we have returned to this sustainable “green” resort with our family, friends and visitors to take a canoe trip down the Macal river, tour the butterfly farm, go horseback or bike riding or to enjoy their delicious meals. However, this past fall was the first time since my initial trip that I actually stayed overnight at Chaa Creek. I went on this trip with a number of goals: touring the Chaa Creek Preserve, the 33-acre Mayan Organic Farm run by owners Mick and Lucy Fleming, poking around their Global Kitchen and visiting with the chef, Mario.

This is a first class, sustainable jungle lodge started by the Flemings in 1981. Mick is English and Lucy grew up in New Jersey! They now employ 130 workers and have built 25 cassitas that are scattered across their property. They run a first class restaurant and bar as well as a spa and offer numerous tours to their guests. Our accommodations were beyond gorgeous and the cassita fit seamlessly into the natural environment. Every morning I awoke to the sounds of bird calls. Since my first visit almost 15 years ago, the lodge has expanded and there is now a huge pool and conference center on the grounds. Many couples choose this venue for their wedding or honeymoon.  Prince Harry recently chose this top notch lodge as a destination and stayed there during his visit to Belize!

I was happy to meet Mario, the executive chef who has been at Chaa Creek for three years. Mario was extremely friendly and he is passionate about creating local dishes using the produce and products grown on the Mayan farm. Like many of the employees, he lives in Crista Rey, a Mayan village nearby. Maria, our waitperson, has worked at the lodge for 23 years. She was kind enough to let us practice our rudimentary Spanish while she served us delicious food.

Delightful Dining Area

The lodge offers an abundance of tours and excursions from cave tubing, Mayan ruin excursions, horseback riding, canoeing – seemingly endless possibilities. The highlight of my trip was a private, guided tour of the Mayan organic farm, led by the Chaa Creek owner Mick. On the way, we were amazed to see an expansive woodworking shop where most of the furniture is crafted for the lodge. We spent a couple of hours watching compost being “fed” and observing the many chickens, goats (they supply milk for the lodge, which is also made into cheese and yogurt) and other animals feeding off the land. Mick is, understandably, quite proud of his farm and is slowly but surely learning how to raise a variety of fruit trees and vegetables using ancient Mayan methods (no sprays or fertilizers!). The entire staff’s dedication to authenticity and natural produce made me appreciate their food all the more!

With Mick On The Farm

I urge you to visit the Lodge’s website where you’ll find amazing Belizean and local recipes. One dessert I ate at Cha Creek reminded me of a cake I have made here in the States. It is simple and the ingredients are usually in my pantry and refrigerator. I’m thinking that in the future I will use coconut milk in place of cow’s milk and possibly some coconut oil to replace some of the butter. This cake delights guests who aren’t chocoholics – and even though I love chocolate I also enjoy making and eating this cake.

Tropical Coconut Cake

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Cake Ingredients
  • 1 stick salted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder (aluminum free)
  • ½ cup milk or coconut milk
Topping Ingredients:
  • 6 Tbsp butter
  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup cream or half and half
  • 1 ¼ cup shredded sweetened coconut
Cake Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and adjust the oven rack to the middle of the oven.

Cream butter and sugar for 4 minutes with an electric mixer, add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla. Continue to beat 1 minute. Stir the baking powder and flour together so they are combined. Add ⅓ of the flour/baking powder mix just until incorporated, then add ½ of the milk. Alternate adding flour and milk, ending with flour. Do not over beat.

Put into a greased 10” x 2 inch cake pan. The batter will be thick – spread it evenly with a spatula. Bake for 35-45 minutes (my oven took 45 minutes) or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the cake pan to a rack and let the cake rest for 10 minutes. While it is cooling, make the topping.

Topping Instructions

Melt butter in a 2 quart sauce pan, add brown sugar and whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add cream and whisk to incorporate. Heat another 1 minute – do not let it boil or simmer. Remove from heat and stir in coconut. Let cool about three minutes then spread on warm cake (that has cooled for 10 minutes).

Spread topping to evenly cover the top of the cake and broil at 400, rotating constantly until it bubbles all over and becomes slightly brown. This happens quickly so be careful.

Cool cake and slice into pieces to serve. Cover the remaining cake tightly with saran and foil – this stays moist for few days. The cake also freezes beautifully, tightly wrapped, for up to 2 months.

Note: You could substitute some chopped toasted pecans for part of the coconut if you’d like. I have also made this in a springform pan (line the bottom with parchment) and put the cake on a beautiful cake stand for company. This recipe as written works for me and looks pretty because I plate it and serve it with some fruit on the side.

I am thinking that next time I might drizzle it with melted bittersweet chocolate.

Did I mention that I will absolutely go back to Chaa Creek as soon as I can? The two nights we stayed there were so relaxing and peaceful. If you plan to visit Belize, this is a place you should not miss.

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Dessert Platter: Read On….

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Marilyn

Dessert Platter - delicious cheese, balsamic reduction, honeycomb, berries

Figuring out what to make for dessert when planning an evening with friends always presents a dilemma for me. Don’t get me wrong – I love sweet things. But honestly I’d rather have a piece of good, dark chocolate than, say, a decadent slice of cake or pie. Grilled or poached fruit? Right up my alley. I am often too full for anything but a few bites of a bona fide dessert.

Luckily, I can find inspiration for such decisions easily and often ideas come from my favorite muses – my family! When my sister stayed with me recently she brought a large piece of fresh honeycomb from her travels to Savannah. She then proceeded to make a dessert platter to mimic one she was served in Georgia. Sadly, my refrigerator contents were not up to par – I had been traveling to the Midwest and not had ample time to restock my cheese stash. So she demonstrated as best she could: we drizzled some fig-strawberry balsamic reduction onto a plate (any type of balsamic that is syrupy would work), cut a 1 ½ inch piece of honeycomb oozing with honey onto one side, made a pile of thinly sliced Italian Parmesan cheese on the other (she really wanted to use good blue cheese but alas…), and piled some fresh berries in the corner. We stacked some homemade seeded crackers into a glass, added broken pieces of bittersweet chocolate, a bit of fig jam, fresh pistachio nuts in the shell, some dried apricots and voila! Heaven on a plate.

Homemade crackers accompany the platter

We took a homemade cracker (next time I will make them with some dried diced cherries) and topped it with some jam or honey and cheese, then ate the other components with our fingers. I plan to use this type of dessert platter to follow a rich, filling meal. I might slice some tart apples, and try various cheeses and nuts just for variety! And if you want to make your own balsamic reduction (which I highly recommend) – here’s a link to a great recipe.

This type of platter can also be made and used as an hors d’oeuvres plate- just incorporate more savory items: cubes of smoked or fresh cooked salmon, blanched vegetables, pepperonata to name a few. We actually had this as dinner recently prior to a 7:30 midweek play! So many options… I encourage you to let your mind go wild. Root around in your refrigerator. Making hors d’oeurvres or dessert platters can be much more fun than just serving a hunk of cheese or a slice of cake!

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Quinoa Salad

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Jakey Boy

Jake, 26, is my youngest son, and when he was growing up we called him “Jakey Boy.” He is 6 ½ years younger than my second son and 8 ½ years younger than my daughter — so it comes as no surprise that he is part youngest child and a lot “only” child. My grandchildren only call him “Jakey Boy” or “Uncle Jakey Boy.” In fact his nephew Isaiah, age 3, asked him what his middle name was and Jake replied “Boy.”

When it comes to food, Jakey Boy and I have identical palates… we both adore all kinds of veggies and fruits, grains, sushi, and high quality food in general. Two to three stars of heat, thanks for asking. Baked goods and sweets are a lower priority – unless they are crème de la crème, brown butter dark chocolate chip cookies, or my biscookies. We both eat small, frequent meals, and we know exactly what we want to eat. You can imagine how thrilled I am that for now he is living and going to school in Seattle. He’s always up for trying a new restaurant or sampling a new recipe, although he is brutally honest with his opinion. This makes me love him all the more!

So this post is dedicated to Jakey Boy. It’s a simple quinoa salad with fruit, cheese and nuts that I have made for years but forgot was in my computer “salad” files. Jake made it while back in Philadelphia and New York visiting college friends, and told me it is so perfect that I needed to post it. Here it is:

Quinoa Salad

Jakey Boy Quinoa Salad

Serves 6-8

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Ingredients:
  • 1 ½ cups quinoa, rinsed
  • 4 ½ cups water
  • 1 cup cooked garbanzo beans, freshly cooked or canned and rinsed well
  • 1/2 cup dried unsweetened, unsulphured cherries
  • 1/2 yellow bell pepper, diced ¼ inch
  • 1/2 cup toasted pecans or walnut pieces, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon grainy mustard
  • 2 Tablespoon sherry vinegar
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons walnut oil
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2/3 cup crumbled high quality feta cheese (I love Pastures of Eden)

Salad Ingredients

Instructions

Bring water to a boil over high heat. Add quinoa and simmer until it is translucent but still has a bit of crunch, about 12 minutes. Drain and return the hot quinoa to the sauce pan. Cover with a towel for 10 minutes so the moisture absorbs.

Once it cools to room temperature, combine the cooked quinoa with the chickpeas, dried cherries, bell pepper, and nuts in a large serving bowl.

Put the honey, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, and oils into a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add more honey or seasoning to taste. Gently stir the dressing with the salad and add a bit extra salt and pepper-but be careful not to over salt because the feta itself adds saltiness.

Serve immediately or refrigerate for a few hours overnight. Stir in the cheese right before serving. This keeps a few days in the refrigerator and leftovers taste delicious.

Note: You could eliminate the walnut oil and instead use ¼ cup of olive oil, but I love the nutty taste of walnut oil with this salad. I have used dried chopped apricots or cranberries but strongly prefer the dried cherries! And I have made this salad with farro and with kasha too in place of quinoa yet quinoa is my fave!

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Hallelujah for Halibut!

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Marilyn

Click here to view recipe.

Halibut with Oven Roasted Peppers & Sweet Onions

Let me begin by saying that I love, love, love Pacific halibut — and it thrills me every spring when it makes its first appearance at our local markets. I can’t even count the ways I prepare it: on the grill, in the oven, broiled, wrapped in parchment, etc. The delicate, firm white meat never disappoints me – it is moist and succulent and takes on any flavor profile, whether it’s a simple sear with lemon or the more savory addition of roasted onions and peppers. I am so fortunate to get the best the ocean has to offer right here in Seattle from my favorite fishmonger Kenny at Uwajamaya.

I’ve known Ken for thirty years so we have literally grown up together, and in all this time I have NEVER, EVER had a piece of fish that is substandard. I contend that everyone would love fish if they would buy it from a place that has large volume and from a fishmonger they trust.

Perfect Halibut

Earlier this month, I invited my local family (only seven adults live here now) to celebrate my brother Kal’s 57th birthday. Kal has been an amazing uncle to all his nieces and nephews – he taught my kids to ski, he helped them with homework and has taken them hiking, camping, you name it. It’s like my kids have a third parent! So we were all thrilled to be able to celebrate him.

To surprise him, I prepared halibut in the oven and everyone loved it! It never fails to please – especially served alongside a wonderful green salad, a fresh fruit salad, quinoa salad and marinated asparagus. And I can’t forget the chocolate stout cake – made with Scharfenberger chocolate – my favorite. Whenever I make dinner, I like lots of choices and many side dishes – the more the merrier, leftovers welcome. Despite being full from dinner, everyone was able to take home leftover cake and salad! Kal even took some of my organic quinoa so he can make this salad for home.

Happy Birthday Kal!

Halibut with Oven Roasted Peppers and Sweet Onions

Serves 4-8*

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Ingredients:
  • 4 halibut steaks split in half lengthwise, about 1 inch thick
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 8 grinds of fresh pepper
  • 1 very large sweet onion, cut in half, slice halves into ⅓ inch half circles and separate the pieces
  • 1 orange pepper, cut into ⅓ inch strips
  • 1 red pepper, cut into ⅓ inch strips
  • Zest of 1 orange
  • 1 lime, (zest for pepper/onion mixture, juice for fish marinade)
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, cut into thin pieces
  • 6 branches of fresh thyme
  • 1 more lime, juiced for serving the fish
  • sea salt and pepper to taste

*I always figure about ½ pound of fish per person.

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. Combine peppers and onions with orange and lime zest and add in 2 Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, stir and add thyme and garlic and continue cooking 20 more minutes. Remove the vegetables to a bowl – they will be used to top the fish.

Meanwhile, marinate halibut in lime juice, olive oil and pepper for ½ hour. Remove from marinate – dry the fish and discard the marinade. Put the fish on the now-empty, rimmed baking sheet and top with the cooked pepper/onion/garlic/thyme mix. Bake 12 minutes. Remove from oven and squeeze the remaining lime over the entire dish. Season with more salt/pepper and serve.

Happy birthday to the best little brother in the world! He is 3 minutes younger than his twin sister, Katie.

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