Full house, week 1

V and E have been moved in to Donner Flat for a few weeks, but now we have a full house- T and T, V and E and J, H, B (meow).  I have a lot to write about since living in the BIG CITY is so new to me.  I am familiar with different neighborhoods since I have worked here for a few years, but it is not the same.  One of the most exciting parts is the food at our finger tips and tire treads.  A trip to Rainbow market and the Farmer's market at Civic Center brought Long Purple Beans and Kabocha Squash, oh and Figs!

I made a coconut curry with the beans and squash (onions, ginger, olive oil) served over Thai noodles.  I learned a cool secret to cooking long beans that keeps them savory, not watery.  Cut the beans in 2" sections and saute them in oil.  After a few minutes then you can add more liquid like the coconut milk.  If you put water in with the raw beans they soak it all up and become water logged.

While the squash and beans were stewing in the coconut milk Bubo and I worked on unpacking the Studio Closet.  I love tupperware bins, she loves carpet!

Next- Figs.  I served the figs 2 ways, super easy.

Figs Roasted in Black Pepper and Goat Cheese

1. Cut figs in half and drizzle lemoncello over them.

2. Dip them in a shallow plate of ground black pepper

3.  Let them sit for 20 min

4.  Sprinkle with goat cheese

5. Drizzle with honey

6. Roast in the oven or on a grill plant until melty and golden

Fig Strawberry Salad

1 Cut fig and shrawberries

2 Add goat cheese

3 Drizzle with balsamic vinegar

4 Let sit for 15 minutes

The view from the kitchen while I am doing this....