Holy Hummus, Bat-fiend...

...this shit is good!

I'm allergic to most fruits.  Which is a total suck-fest; yes I know.  But one fruit I am NOT allergic to is peaches.  This is a good thing since I live in North Texas, just 30 minutes outside of the Texas peach capital.  Funny how the little things always work out.

Anyway, because of my new "weird food thing" of buying local, I have an abundance of peaches but not much else in the way of juicy sweets.  (TX isn't really know for its bananas or mangoes neither of which requires an epi-pen on my part.)  I'm trying to branch out with my peach possibilities so this summer fruit is ending up in just about everything.  My latest Frankenstein food monster, you ask? Why peachy jalapeno hummus of course.  And yes, savvy readers, it is good.

I think the item that seals the deal, besides peach and jalapeno of course, is this...

You read correctly; that is pecan oil. It was an impulse buy while in Fredericksburg this spring and it pairs perfectly with peaches.  I'm thinking road-trip as soon as I'm out. ^_^

My peppers and peaches are both from the local farmer's market.

Sadly, not much else is local but given how yummy this concoction is, I'm ok with that.

Peachy Jalapeno Hummus

Ingredients:

3 peaches, peeled and pitted

4 small jalapenos, de-seeded and chopped

2 tablespoons pecan oil

Juice of 1 medium lemon

1 cup dried chickpeas

2-3 garlic cloves (small-medium sized)

2 tablespoons tahini (I use 3 large spoonfuls)

1 teaspoon  salt

2 teaspoons paprika

Water and/or pecan oil as needed (I use water for consistency and oil for taste)

Method:

1.  Prepare the chickpeas; I soak overnight then boil for 30 minutes.  Drain and allow to cool before using; 1 15oz can can be substituted if you are in a hurry just drain and rinse well before using.

2.  Place everything into a food processor and chop until smooth.

3.  Add water as necessary to gain the right consistency; I end up with 2/3 to 1 cup of water depending on other ingredients

I was new to peeling peaches.  Needless to say, it was a delicate affair.  A vegetable peeler works well but I have a feeling a sharp paring knife might work better.  Since you have to de-seed the jalapenos, things might not end up as fiery as preferred (the seeds really do not work well and should be removed).  If that happens, or if your peppers are low on the heat scale, simply add a few dashes of cayenne pepper.

The sweet-hot taste pairs well with the Real Ale Brewing Company's Belgian style Tripel, Devil's Backbone .

Now, I'm off to drink more beer and eat my weight in hummus. ^_^

Lunch on a Rocket

My normal lunch experience consists of a granola bar, inhaled while I am muted on a conference call.  Yes, I’m aware this is an unhealthy habit.  Sometimes, I do break out and have a bowl of ramen.  Mmmm, MSG.

How should I deal with no time to eat, much less make, lunch?  Enter the Cowtown Farmer’s Market.  I have been a regular customer for several months now.  It’s been great for family dinners but the real beauty is in my lunch.  Rocket leaves, you are my new BFF.

Take a look at these total lunch wins:

Rocket, tomatoes, a sliced shallot, a few cucumber bits left over from a previous dinner, and blueberries all topped with balsamic vinegar.  I threw this together in less than five minutes (the same timeframe as a BR break).  This is easier to conceal on a call since it’s ten times less noisy than granola.

 MMMMM - Sammich!!
Whole grain bread, rocket leaves, tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, one piece of cheese, and one piece of the Hubby’s turkey (yeah, yeah; vegetarian fail but I am out of hummus right now).  Again, super fast to make and extremely easy to conceal on a call.  Plus the rocket adds wonderful flavor you just can’t get from regular lettuce.

OK, so two lunches aren’t great but it’s a start.  AND I have an entire bag of rocket left.  Any ideas on fast fixes with this great green?

Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater

I am a pumpkin eater.  But I am also a cheater.  That's right, I said it - I'm a CHEATER.  I broke down and purchased an e-reader.  Shhhh, don't tell anyone.

I know, I know - this completely negates any hipster status points I had at one time.  In my defensive, though, I literally couldn't help myself.  I HAD to buy a Nook.  You see, there have been several books I have not been able to find at Half-Price or my local bookstore.  Which means I either have to order them online, which is always lovely but a detriment to my pocketbook due to shipping, or read them on my laptop.  I hate reading books on my laptop and since I am refusing to buy anything from Amazon, I literally had no choice in the matter.

The best part of this story?  I bought the Nook then traipsed on over to Half-Price and picked up a few paperbacks.  Because, you know, I couldn't become a complete and total turncoat.  o.O

I still absolutely love books.  I'm enamored with the smell and the type-A side of me is constantly checking the progress of my bookmark.  So I'm not an absolute convert.  At least not for books.  However, periodicals are a different matter.  The magazines I would normally purchase are SOO inexpensive on the Nook.   And because I splurged and sprang for the Nook Color, the pictures are all included.  (Which, let's face it, are the only reason I get magazines anyway; articles shmarticles).

My plain Jane case

Magazines aside, the reason I really enjoy my new e-reader is the one-stop-shop for my blogs and news feeds.  Everything, neatly organized in a scan-able format at the touch of my fingers - ahhhh, reading bliss.

But never fear; I am now and will always be a book nerd, despite my appearance at this function. .  I am sure that one day I will have to be rescued from beneath a mound of books because my reading list fell over.

Happy Reading!
BrewedB

Beer Cheese Squash Blossoms

I had another great haul from the farmer's market this weekend.  Main staples and a few new items were purchased.

One of the new items was squash blossoms.  I've seen the flowers on squash plants; they are bright orange-yellow and beautiful.  But I didn't know you could eat them.  I picked them up just to try something a little left of center.

The vendor at the market said I could stuff them like chile rellenos; most recipes I saw online said to pan fry them.  I decided to do a combination.

The flowers are very delicate and apparently don't last too many days after picking.  I was slightly concerned after finding that bit of research since I bought mine Saturday morning.  Fortunately, they were still beautiful two days later.

The vendor emphatically suggested washing them thoroughly; the Internet said to wash them gently.  I decided for another combo of individual showers with a plethora of finger scrubbing.  Then I decided to stuff them with cheese, roll them in a beer breading and bake them in the oven. 

Excellent local cheese.  www.lattedadairy.com

I guess this method is technically closer to rellenos but I don't normally bread my peppers so I'm sticking with the original claim of a combo dish.

Cheese Stuffed Squash Blossoms

Ingredients:

5-8 Squash Blossoms, rinsed and dried

1/2 cup shredded cheese (I used Gruyere)

1/2 cup soft cheese (I used goat cheese)

3 slices dry white bread

1/4 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp cumin powder

1/4 cup beer

Method:

1.  Cube bread and place in blender or mini chopper; add chili powder and cumin powder and pulse until fine.

2.  Place bread crumbs in a shallow dish; place beer in another shallow dish.

3.  Open a flower and place a pinch of shredded cheese in the middle followed by a small spoonful of soft cheese.  The soft cheese acts like a glue to hold the petals together with minimal twisting.

4.  Roll the stuffed flower in the beer then in the bread crumbs.  Place in shallow baking dish that has been lightly oiled.
5.  Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.

Serve as a side or appetizer.  We paired them with a Tex-Mex vegetarian jambalaya and more beer.  YUM!!  They would be great at a party but you would need a ton of flowers and patience to make enough of the tasty bites.

10 Things I learned in Arkansas

Last weekend I spent four days in Arkansas camping with the Hubby, my sister and my sister's hubby.  Below is what I learned:

1.  Arkansas in July is really hell's swimming pool.  I found new meaning in the words "stifling humidity".  Camel Backs become an everyday accessory.

2.  Snakes should be left alone - do not poke them with a stick.  Especially when they are Diamondback Rattlers.

3.  The views in Arkansas are amazing.  Every hike is worth the 100 gallons of water your body loses.

4.  Waterfalls are cool.  Literally. Approxiamtely 400 degrees cooler than the hiking trail leading up to them.

5.  Spiders become HUGE in the back of caves.  You know, like Harry Potter coming out to eat you in waves, big.  Yeah, I freaked out several times.

6.  Walking Sticks look like someone spray painted them for Christmas.  This was our friend Fred.

7.  I need hiking shoes - apparently.  Running shoes are not exactly the same and bugs CAN crawl in the little air holes.  Can you guess which shoes are mine?

8.  Always use your head when climbing new terrain.  Again, a literal translation.

9.  G.I. Janing is a new term for "losing the trail".  "I'm going G.I.Jane" sounds ALOT cooler than "hey, where the hell did the trail go?!"

10.  And finally, the best part of a hot, humid, sticky, sweatfest is the end of hike nap.

All in all, we had a wonderful time even with the humidity.  If you are ever around Petit Jean State Park, it's worth a detour.

An Eating Club with a Book Problem

We did it again; we had more food than we could consume in one sitting.  I think our bookclub is really a food club in disguise. And I think I'm ok with that. ^_^

The Jefferson Key was a difficult food book but somehow we all managed to come up with great ideas.

We had North Carolina BBQ and crab cakes, a few salads (because that was really the only thing eaten in the entire book), cheesecake for the short New York scene and a few pirate themed dishes including shrimp barbies and pirate booty popcorn.

There was no wine this time but we did have tropical flared drinkage to wet our whistle.  I do love any reason to bring out the pirate side of life.

As for the book, almost everyone liked it.  Several Brewed Bookies would even read more by this author.  We didn't realize it last month when we chose the book but it was the latest in a series.  This made some of the back story a little confusing but it was a surprise how easy it was to jump into the middle of an established set of characters.  I was a little put off by the grammar and the writing style but that is nothing new so the discussion didn't dwell on it.  Instead, we discussed the historical factors of the book.  The author's notes are fabulous and detail what is fact versus what is off the cuff.  The letters of marque were of particular interest.  Many had heard of them before in pirate movies but this was the first time any of us had a definition.

The book was deemed a fun read and a good way to decompress.  Only one of us didn't enjoy the book but maybe that one Brewed Bookie was just having a bad week. o.O

On the non book side, we gained a new member!  I'm excited to see how the discussion evolves with another set of opinions.  ^_^

Our next selection is from the fantasy genre: The 13th Hour by Richard Doetsch.

Barnes & Noble Link

It is light on the fantasy but should still be a break from the norm for most Brewed readers.  Club will be held August 19th at the White's.  Let me know if you need directions or a virtual set-up.

Until then, Happy Reading!
BrewedB

Juicy Nightlife

I have a new boyfriend.  A new urban boyfriend.  Unfortunately, he is a fantasy boyfriend but that is a minor detail.  I was nosing around the bookstore the other day when I bumped into him; he was casually sitting on a shelf looking sleek and cool.  I had thought about picking him up before but jumped ship just before any major commitments.   This time however, I bit the bullet and laid down the cash.  I'm very, very glad I did.  If you have not already met him, please let me introduce Caliban (Cal for short).

Link to author's page with many purchase options

Rob Thurman is not new to Urban Fantasy writing but she is a new author for my bookshelf.  I tend to gravitate to female fantasy writers with only a few of those females making it to the top of my list.  I can now add Thurman to my "prime" index; her writing is that good.  It is dark, sarcastic, hilarious; her style is smooth and raw all at once.  I picked up Nightlife because I was looking for a quick jaunt back into my normal reading genre.  <I think I originally looked at a book later in the series but it's always best to start at the beginning when jumping into an unfamiliar storyline.>  My only criteria while I was browsing for a new story was something with a male lead.  I wanted an unlikely hero which is exactly what I ended up with in Nightlife.

Thurman has a unique take on supernatural creatures.  Her view is extremely creative and does not skim off the top of main stream fads - always a refreshing find in fantasy writing.  She also brings real humanity to unrealistic situations.  I found the characters to be so familiar it was easy to forget they weren't all human.  And the character of Cal is superbly fleshed out without being too overbearing.  The reader is left to make certain assumptions or form particular ideas about his make-up; the depth obtained in just one book is unusual for a series.  I immediately fell in love.

Another bright point in Thurman's writing is the biting sarcasm used by the characters to mask fear or uncertainty.  I found the voice of the main characters to be spot-on and again, something I could easily relate to; I can't count the times I have slammed out a colored retort just because I was unsure of a situation.  The conversations are witty and the zingers are brilliant.  I can see why Thurman made the New York Times Best Seller list and I am eager to read more of her work.  Nightlife is a total A+ on the Brewed reading scale. ^_^

Heading for the Hills

We are headed to AR-Kansas for a long weekend camping trip.  Things at the day job are in transition so it is the perfect time to head for the hills, make a run for it, get the heck outta dodge; I'm sure you catch the drift.  We will not be roughing it but we will be sans electronics for a few days.

We will be staying at Petit Jean State Park.  I am keeping fingers and toes crossed that it will be cooler than the Lone Star State.  Of course, I think hell might be a few degrees cooler than Texas right now.

Thumping the Microscopic

I would like to take a few moments this evening to give a shout out to my friend over at Silver Linings.  She is battling the big C - again - and had some pretty major surgery today.  Please send her your thoughts, prayers and good mojo.  She will need it in the coming weeks.

Her story reminds me of my own mom's, where cancer rears its ugly head only to be quickly ushered out by doctors.  Things go well, everyone begins to relax and then,
"PSYCH!" yells Cancer.  "I was just faking."  
And the panic/worry sets right back in.
Yeah, my first reaction when I heard about my friend's plight was to bitch-slap something, anything, into next week.  It's a stupid reaction considering it's no ones fault and you can't really beat up on microscopic cells living in someone else's body.  Specifically, since that some one else already feels like crap. 

I'm not sure what the best response would be but I think my friend came fairly close.   No tears, no public "why me", just continued commitment to the fight.  She is truly amazing and courageous in ways I can only hope to be.  She is a testament to women.

So three cheers to you my wonderful friend!!  And I will continue to chant "NO NODES" until the cows come home.

From Silver Linings:

"October 15, 2011 is the next Komen Dallas Race for the Cure. I hope you will join me in my victory lap

http://dallas.info-komen.org/goto/TSwain"

Fun with Steam

I have the best in-laws ever; all of them.  It's like a bad cliche turned upside down with how cool my married family turned out to be.  A prime example of total in-law awesomeness can be found at Gnocchi No Plan with the Cousin-in-Laws.  They do the coolest things like hanging with Dogfish Head <hello envy>.  AND they always share <hint hint yummy beer family ^.^>.  Seriously though, they have inspired so many things, the latest being pickling the old school way.  This past holiday season, they pickled jalapenos and garlic to share as gifts.  I was smitten.  Everything was delish!  I had to try it but was totally intimidated by the possibility of shattering glass jars filled with hot food.

My excellent mother-in-law came to the rescue.  She let me borrow her canning books and convinced me it wasn't too hard.  I was still a little concerned about the flying glass shrapnel but decided it would be worth the risk.

Canning is hot business.  I'm not sure who came up with this process but they did not live in Texas during the summer months.  I had to heat the jars to wash them, heat the brine, blanch some of the veggies, heat the ginormous canning pot full of water, heat extra water to keep the lids & jars hot while I filled them - you get the idea.  Lots of heat, lots of boiling water and several hours later I had pickled fairy tale eggplants, pickled cucumbers, pickled okra, and pickled jalapenos.  I did not have any exploding glass which is always a good thing.

The thing about canning is you don't know if it really worked.  There is a long waiting period, especially for pickles of any kind.  I'm not much on waiting to know if I succeeded.  The jars look like they should but I guess we won't know for sure until we pop one open towards the end of summer.  I'll let you know how it goes. For now, I think I'm going to learn old school freezing - it's much cooler <pun intended>.  o.O

Hello sunshine, goodbye motivation

"Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it."  ~Russel Baker

June was not a stellar month for writing, at least not on the personal front.  I should chalk it up as my response to the heat.  North Texas has been like living in a blow dryer set on high.  Even the dogs have preferred lounging indoors, moving as little as possible.  Of course, that is what they do most days of the year.  I, on the other hand, simply lost my motivation.  All of it - to do just about anything.  I did catch up on some NetFlix movies. o.O


I've decided to kick off July with a look back at June, in pictures.  Maybe pictures of fun things will help pump the energy back into my summer.

Mostly, I drank my way through June.  Yummy, cold,  adult beverages were the norm.   The Hubby brought home this wonderfully tasty Texas brew, perfect for the summer heat.

Real Ale Devil's Backbone - YUM!

It was a nice change since I tend to be a stout girl.  It isn't as heavy as stout but still has a smooth "coating" taste.  I also went through several bottles of wine. ^_^

We did make it to one baseball game.  But since we were in an air conditioned suite I'm not sure it should count.  I actually had to go sit outside to warm up.

Pete's party - loads of fun with free air conditioning

I did maintain my farmer's market visits which resulted in several surprisingly good, mandatory low heat/effort dishes:

Summer Squash & Fresh Basil Salad

Sweet & Sassy Potato Salad

Chow Chow Collards

Tons of hummus

Peaches (usually with cold soy milk and cinnamon granola - yum x10)

Tiramisu

The salad was a thrown together, "it's too damn hot to cook", dinner that turned out to be delicious.  I think the key was balsamic vinegar. 


The potato salad was another too hot option when I desperately needed to use up some red and sweet potatoes.  The "sassy" part was a sensible helping of smoked chipotle chili flakes.  It partnered well with the sweet potato bites.

If you're from the South, you probably know what chow chow is, but for my friends in other locations just imagine a spicy relish. Sort of.  I added chow chow to some collards and mustard greens, sauteing everything with a water base for a few short minutes.  Then I quickly shut off the heat to the burner and stuck my head in the freezer.  See, it's too damn hot to cook! 


Other big events for June include driver's ed for KT.  I just hope my car makes it past the "learning" stage.

Oliver the Mini

Now, July should be more productive.  Right after I drink this beer!