A Rose and Homemade Breadcrumbs

My (sweet) Pirate bought me a gorgeous long stem pink rose at New Seasons for me to photograph.  He loves roses, especially fragrant old fashioned roses that you find at your great aunts house or in a vibrant cottage garden.  When we remodeled our old bungalow in SE Portland, I grew almost forty roses in our garden, just so My Pirate could have a jam jar of fragrant rose blooms on his bed stand throughout the growing season.  

Sadly, his favorite roses failed to thrive in our current garden.  So, I grow hardier bulletproof roses like wild roses, rugosa roses, and Rosa Glauca.  But, I like to imagine that when we retire My Pirate will spend his days puttering around in a rose garden filled with all of his favorites.

To reward My Pirate for his lovely gift, I made him some homemade breadcrumbs. He loves to add homemade breadcrumbs to a bowl of pasta or eggs.   If you haven't made your own breadcrumbs, you really need to try them.  They are a simple and delicious garnish.

My Homemade Breadcrumbs

inspired by Bon Appetite

 I love to sprinkle breadcrumbs on top of pastas, sautéed greens, roasted vegetables and salads.  Plus, breadcrumbs freeze really well, if you can keep them in the house that long.

• 4 slices of french or baguette bread, torn into 2 inch chunks
• 1 1/2 to 2 Tablespoons of Olive, Canola, or Grapeseed Oil
• 1 clove of garlic, smashed
• large pinch of kosher salt
• tiny pinch of red cayenne powder (optional)

Place your torn up bread chunks, crusts and all,  in a small food processor and pulse them until they are coarse crumbs.  Don’t worry about making them uniform in size because the variation makes the crunch more satisfying.

Place your skillet over medium high heat, add the 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil and add the smashed garlic clove.  Remove the garlic clove once it has browned and infused the oil.  Add the bread crumbs and sauté until they turn toasty brown, up to five minutes.  Stay with them because deliciously browned can turn to blackened in the blink of an eye.  (I burned mine while letting the dog out.)  Add more oil if the breadcrumbs dry out too much.

Season the bread crumbs towards the end of cooking.  Then cool on a paper towel in a bowl.  Serve.  Store in the fridge for a day and then freeze.  I hide mine from My Pirate in an old Trader Joe’s spinach bag.
 

Looking Through a New Lens

“We must look at the lens through we see the world, as well as the world we see, and that the lens itself shapes how we interpret the world.” 
― Stephen R. Covey

I've been savoring our foggy mornings out in the garden while playing with my new macro lens.  My messy winter garden has never felt so large, strange, and alien to me.  Looking at the world through a new lens reminded me of a time that I taught a freshman trombone player how to look at the world a little differently.

Six years ago, this month, My Pirate and I drove cross country to Washington DC in a 24 foot yellow Penske truck loaded down with Evergreen Marching Band's parade equipment for the Presidential Inaugural Parade.  After a year of planning the band trip, we viewed our beautiful country under a blanket of snow in subzero temperatures and saw a meteorite explode on the deserted road in front of us.  I'll never forget the happy relief that washed over me when we arrived at the hotel and were greeted by the marching band students and parents.

Spider web 

I remember standing in the hotel lobby listening to our bus driver listing off his complaints and concerns  about the itinerary while a fourteen year old girl leaned back on a bench, loudly sobbing with a trombone clasped in her hands.  Finally, the bus driver took a breath and noticed her.  He turned back to me and asked, "Aren't you going to do something about her?"

"She's next in line.  I'll address your concerns with the band director," I replied.

And then I turned to the girl, stretched out my arms and she flung herself into them.  I listened as she sobbed out her awkward story of hurt feelings.  When she quieted down, I looked her in the eye and I told her about a game that I play when I'm having a difficult day.  I count three things that went well during the day and three things that I'm grateful for.  I gave her the assignment to do this exercise everyday of the trip and promised that I'd check in with her.  She sniffed and solemnly nodded.  

Castor Bean Plant seed head

The next evening, as I was walking the halls checking the noise level during quiet time, she waved me down, beaming.  She excitedly ticked off the things that went well and her gratitude list.  Then she proceeded to tell me three things that she liked about herself.  I gave her a high five and her chaperone pulled me aside.  With teary eyes, her chaperone wrapped her arms around me and whispered an emphatic, 'thank you!' in my ear.    

Throughout the trip, the freshman trombone student tracked me down and ticked off her long happy list with a big grin.  What we choose to focus on shapes us. 

Castor Bean Plant seed head

I used to hate winter in my garden because it was cold, wet, and slimy.  Now, I'm outside grinning with a camera capturing all the action.  Slimy seed heads covered in mist…I'm there!  

My Pirate recently told me that the garden is a huge mess and I offered to buy him a new camera.  The lens we look through shapes our experiences.  My camera lens has helped me gain an appreciation of my messy winter garden.

Has your camera changed how you perceive your world?

Garlic Chive seed head

garlic chive seed head

Bronze Fennel seed head

Spike Winterhazel leaf

Water droplet on a dead Spike Winterhazel leaf

Making Asian Dumplings Together

Ever since, My Pirate and I lunched at the new Taste of Sichuan in East Vancouver, I've become completely smitten with Asian dumplings.  To learn how to make my own, I turned to the public library and checked out Asian Dumplings: Mastering Gyoza, Spring Rolls, Samosas, and More by Andrea Nguyen.  And I've been making some very ugly dumplings, but don't worry, they still taste delicious.

Pretty pork dumplings from Taste of Sichuan

My Kid asked My Pirate to make his (fantastic) Khoa Soi Curry Noodle Soup for our Christmas celebration. And while My Pirate was hard at work making his delicious soup, My Kid and his lovely girlfriend helped me assemble Har Gow Shrimp and Dungeness Crab Dumplings.  We sipped hot White Peony tea and enjoyed our time chatting and laughing with Mr. Barnaby, my 170 pound Great Dane, asleep on our feet.

My Kid arranging the dumplings in the steamer baskets lined with parchment paper.

I pushed chunks of wheat starch dough under an oiled bowl to press 3 inch rounds of dumpling wrappers out on my cutting board. And the kids filled the wrappers with the seafood mixture and beautifully pinched them together.  They made beautiful dumplings on their first try!   

Then we placed the layers of dumplings on top of a boiled pot of water for 9 minutes.  The dim sum style dumplings turned out gorgeously translucent and delicious. We made and ate 30+ dumplings before we enjoyed our main course.

I highly recommend reading Andrea Nguyen cook books and visiting her website, Asian Dumpling Tips.  Her website is a wonderful resource filled with tutorials and tips on making delicious dumplings.  She helps you succeed.   

We used her lovely translucent wheat start dough recipe on page 132 of her Asian Dumpling book.

Katie's beautifully pinched dumpling.

Har Gow Shrimp and Dungeness Crab Dumplings

adapted from Andrea Nguyen's book, Asian Dumplings

• 1/2 pound of shrimp, I used Trader Joe's Red Argentinian Shrimp 
• large handful of fresh dungeness crab meat
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon of bacon fat
• 2 tablespoons of minced shallot
• 2 tablespoons diced bamboo shoots
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
• glug of Shaoxing rice wine

Chop the shrimp, bamboo shoots, and shallot and stir together.  Add the handful of crab meat and bacon fat.   

In a bowl, combine the cornstarch, sugar, white pepper and ride wine and stir together until dissolved.  Add more rice wine as needed.  Then pour over the shrimp mixture and stir together.  Wrap up and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 4 hours to marinate.  I left mine the fridge overnight.

Fill approximately 3 inch store bought wrappers with 1 to 2 teaspoons of filling, fold into a half moon shape, and pinch the edges together.  Use water to wet the seams if necessary.   Pinching them closed is the trick to a delicious dumpling.  Steam in a parchment paper lined steamer over boiling water for about 6 to 10 minutes. 

Serve with light soy sauce and chile sauce.  Enjoy!

A New Year and A New Lens

Yesterday, I started the year off right by playing with my dreamy new macro lens out in the front garden.  It's a Canon - EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens if you're curious.  My (sweet) Pirate encouraged me to make the splurge instead of buying a new couch for our empty living room.  Someday, I will decorate our living room, but for now, I'm having a blast playing with my new lens.  (Hey, if you know anyone who is trying to get rid of a dane sized couch in my area, let me know!)

Grass seed head

I tried My Pirate's method of messing around with my new toy before reading the instructions.  It was fun!  I have plenty of reading to do and tutorials to watch.  A new mysterious world is opening up to me in my garden.  

Rugosa rosehip

I'm normally not one to participate in New Year's resolutions, but this year I've decided to pick a theme.  My theme is focusing on health.  I'm going to focus on becoming stronger than the life I live. And focus on continuing to create a healthy garden with organic practices.  

Rugosa Rose leaves

I'm really happy to see 2014 in my rearview mirror.  It was a tough year filled with migraines and personal/artistic growth. 

Dinosaur kale leaf

Next week, I'm meeting with the Hazel Dell School and Community Garden Coordinators to plan our upcoming garden season.  And I'm going to volunteer in the MG greenhouses, propagating plants for the Mother's Day weekend plant sale.  Next week, my 2015 garden volunteering season kicks off!  And I feel ready after a quiet December.   

So, have you made any resolutions for you and/or your garden?  I'd love to hear about them!

Golden Oregano seed head

My Ten Favorite Photos from 2014

It's that magical time of year when we get to take a step forward into a fresh new year.  But, before we hit the refresh button I'd like to take a look back at my ten favorite photos from 2014.  

Snow Day  

(February 6, 2014)

Snow days are a treat here in Vancouver, Washington.  I spent the day trying to capture pictures of snow flakes falling in my garden while the neighborhood played in the snow.  I like the quiet mood of this pictures.

Snow in Grass

February 6, 2014

Snowflakes clinging to grass blooms have a delicate beauty.  

Splash!

February 9, 2014

I captured a splash on my thawing rain chain.  I took several hundred shots to capture this one splash.  

Taffeta Blooms

March 15, 2014

My active garden season officially kicks off with the spike winter hazel, Corylopsis spicata, bursting into bloom.  I like this shot with the sweet scented tassel-like flower unfurling on a cloudy day.

Violetto Glow

(July 15, 2014)  

I fell in love with the Violetto Artichokes that I planted in My Victory Garden.  I took many pictures of the two blooms as they unfurled.  I loved the contrast of the sharp jagged purple artichoke against the soft bokeh of the evening sun.  The unprocessed version of this shot was one of the fifteen finalists in the Oregonian's annual garden photo contest.  This version was published in the December issue of the NW Creative Arts Magazine.

Bronze Fennel 

July 15, 2014

Bronze fennel punctuates my garden with its soft fine foliage.  I like the contrast of the evening light and purple stems of the fennel.  

Unfolding

July 19, 2014

I took this shot of the Violetto artichoke bloom as an afterthought while I was working in My Victory Garden with My Pirate.  I'm sure glad that I did!  It was selected to be in the Oregon Farm Bureaus's 2015 Calendar.  I received 20 calendars that I shared with my friends and readers.   

Tetrapanax Jungle

August 15, 2014

I looked up while weeding and realized that the Tetrapanax papyrifer 'Steroidal Giant' is the jungle in my front yard.  I grabbed my camera and snapped this shot.  I like it in black and white because you focus on the structure of the leaves and stems.  A gorgeous plant.

Ladybug on Fennel

August 15, 2014

I took this shot for my Beneficial Landscaping Powerpoint that I presented to the 2014 WSU Clark County Master Gardener Class.  The ladybugs binge eat fennel pollen before they mate and lay their eggs in the aphid colonies in my garden.  Just one more reason why I use organic practices in my garden.  

Sunflower's Sunset

September 18, 2014

I took this shot out in the community garden at Pacific Park.  I was harvesting tomatoes out of my plot when the clouds suddenly broke and the colorful sunset poured through the garden.   I also liked the symbolism of a bloomed out sunflower gazing at the sunset.    

Dane Gaze

November 22, 2014

Barnaby likes to pose for the camera especially when I'm holding a treat.  I like how his whiskers, mouth, and jowls are in focus.  I cropped out all the drool.  

Thank you for taking a look back through the year with me.  Tonight, I picked up a new macro lens(!) and look forward to exploring flowers and insects in my the garden.  Please stop by the lovely host of the My Ten Favorite Photos of the Year meme, A Tidewater Gardener.  And JMG Galleries also has a great favorite photos of the year project that I'm going to participate in.  

What is your favorite photo that you've taken this year?  I'd love to see it.  Happy New Year!