Wooden Spoon Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

You know when you go over to a friend’s house for a meal and you say “this is so good, can I have the recipe?”  90% of the time it gets lost in the car, amongst receipts, or maybe you didn’t like it THAT MUCH.  But then there are the times that you really mean it!  These cookies were from a specific childhood memory.  It’s kind of fuzzy, but the stories always get better that way right? 

It was a typical Monterey day, grey morning with expected afternoon sun.  It was summer, because we didn’t have school, and we were all going with mom over to Kristen Thurlby’s home in Carmel, CA.  She had such a natural way about her.  She took special interest in us kids, and we remembered that.  I remember she made this KILLER corn salsa, which would have been enough worth remembering, but more was to come.  We had a pleasant lunch, we sat well behaved and engaged in the adult discussion when we could.  Then she got out her oboe and played it for us (the things that you remember…) and then THERE WAS DESSERT!  Dessert at lunch was always a treat!  Just a little something extra special.

Childhood Potato Cheese Soup

So many things on this blog could be titled: “Mom’s this” and “Mom’s that.”  The truth is, for a lot of us, our first kitchen memories were of helping Mom in the kitchen.  She never really made us do anything, but she always included us in the process if we were just standing around, as teens are often very good at.  She’s always one for “meaningful conversation,” or so she called it (still does), and if she gave us something to chop, peel or stir, meaningful conversation was soon to follow.

Truth be told, for as many times Mom made Potato Cheese Soup (one of Dad’s favorites), it’s her gal-pal Laurie Cameron, nearly my second mother, who I think of when I eat Potato Cheese Soup.  She would make it for our Progressive Dinners and we would eat it out of a cup.  That was always so fun to me.  Soup in a cup!?  Kind of like ice cream in a mug (also a favorite).  SO many times would I burn my mouth because I just couldn’t wait to taste.  It smelled SO GOOD.

Bridges and Camerons, friends for 20+ years.

Pumpkin Brûlée

I’ve been doing a lot of cooking and less writing.  I guess that’s healthy… means I do in fact like to cook just for the simple pleasure of cooking- not just to share it with the world (all 27 of you) :-) My food blog fascination began with my mom’s friend Debby from Monterey.  I’m still yet to meet her, so it’s kind of a penpal foodpal relationship.  Do check out her blog: A Feast For The Eyes  careful- it just may inspire YOU!

Cheese Ball and Culture Contemplations

I always get contemplative in the shower.  This usually means ten extra minutes just thinking, sometimes about my schedule, potential conversations I should have, recipes to try, thoughts on God.  I think of it as Brain Blogging.  If only I could immediately put those thoughts on the page.  Cause as soon as I am out of my self-made steam room, the thoughts vanish… but every now and then there’s ONE that holds on.

I’ve been thinking back to a podcast from years ago on marriage and real life.  The woman spoke of the need that our society has for excitement and newness.  Always looking for the ultimate, or the latest spin on something.  She challenged us to find beauty in the monotony.  To find simple joy and deep pleasure in things we do or make in a typical day: it’s doing it well that counts.  Kind of like a cast iron skillet, used over and over, for the same dish even, but it gets better and better each time. 

Freestyle Chili (Good For The Common Cold)

We all knew the common cold was coming with the cold.  It hit Chris last week, and then myself this week.  This has meant, less cooking on my part.  Chris has been my hero with breakfast before work, and a lot of dishes too (what?!)   I’m on day four, you know, the day when you just don’t care how many drugs it takes to clear you out, when all food tastes the same because of your lack of smell, and really you don’t want to make any more decisions than you have to!!!