Sweet Consolation from a Pumpkin Bundt!

So, when I finally sat down yesterday, I decided to check the weather. Seattle has been enjoying an unprecedented streak of sun. Well, much to my dismay, I soon learned that the rain was coming our way. This grim news didn't have me sitting for very long...I soon decided to bake a warm and cozy cake. I wanted to bake a Bundt.

For a fleeting moment, I considered chocolate, basic, gingerbreador apple versions, but I soon landed on a Sour Cream Pumpkin Bundt cake from the Libby's website. I had the required classic Bundt pan handy and all of the ingredients were on deck. I tweaked the recipe by skipping the allspice, drizzling in some vanilla,and adding some pecans to the streusel topping. I could have used my KitchenAid stand mixer, but I simply decided to crank out the batter using my Cuisinart Elite food processor.

The cake is ridiculously good. It does call for two sticks of butter, four eggs, and a cup of sour cream, so, honestly, how could the cake be bad? We've mowed through half ofit already and I've promised to make another one next week.

So, now that fall weather is officially here, I'm wondering what your favorite pumpkin recipes happen to be...

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

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Light Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bundt Cake The Nerdy Foodie Breaking out my bundt pan and whipping together ... note, I tend to not like things overly sweet and to me the pumpkin ... low fat, low sugar, and it screams Autumn comfort! Sweet Desserts - Pumpkin Spice Bundt Moist pumpkin bundt soaked with heavenly orange glaze, filled with delicate, gingered ... Sweet Street with Andrew Zimmern of the Travel Channel. To hear what he had to ... Bundt Cake Recipes - Betty Crocker Comfort Food Recipe Videos; Grilling Videos; Grill Skills ... Take spiced pumpkin bundt cake to a whole new level with a tunnel of sweet apricot filling... Baking Math Marbled Pumpkin Bundt Cake Bakeaholic I love pumpkin in all ways, sweet or savoury. You can make it a regular pumpkin bundt cake, but I ... Pumpkin Turkey Chili Comfort in a Bowl Bakeaholic on Pumpkin Swirl ... Al Dente: Sweet Consolation from a Pumpkin Bundt! So, when I finally sat down yesterday, I decided to check the weather. Seattle has been enjoying an unprecedented streak of sun. Well, much to my dismay, I soon ... Sweet-Potato Bourbon Bundt Cake - Martha Stewart Recipes This recipe for sweet-potato bourbon bundt cake is from "Bundt Classics" by Dorothy Dalquist. ... 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice; 3/4 teaspoon salt; Nonstick cooking spray with ... Pumpkin Dessert Recipes - Country Decor, Craft Ideas, Comfort Food ... Celebrate the combination of pumpkin and spice with these yummy autumn dessert recipes, from sweet pumpkin pie to ... A mini Bundt cake is dressed in a citrus glaze. The ... Simply Sweet Good-For-You Pumpkin Bundt Bread Bloom Everyday Simply Sweet Good-For-You Pumpkin Bundt Bread. September 30, 2011 at 8:48 am Filed ... Last night I got creative in the kitchen and made a pumpkin bundt loaf Best Pumpkin Bundt Cake Recipe :: Whipped ... texture to it, so moist and light and not too sweet ... at recipes but I find myself most drawn to war comfort ... [...]Best Pumpkin Bundt Cake Recipe :: Whipped[...] faxing Says: Chocolate Pumpkin Bundt Cake Tasty Kitchen: A Happy Recipe ... The perfect fall comfort food, this slab ... vegetables are just slightly sweet ... Pour half the pumpkin batter into a greased and floured 12-cup bundt cake pan.

Celebrate National Pumpkin Day!

Today is National Pumpkin Day! What are you doing to celebrate this fall specialty? Admittedly, this wasn't on my list to celebrate today, but I thought it would be fun to feature another fabulous pumpkin bundt that I baked this week. The All-in-One Holiday Bundt recipe was created by Dorie Greenspan and is in her book, Baking From My Home to Yours. (The recipe can also be found here.)

The recipe is a fabulous combination of pumpkin, apples, cranberries, and pecans all of which is laced together with a delicious mixture of warming fall spices such as ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. My version baked beautifully and when it came time to guild the lily I opted to make my own cream cheese glaze. The glaze draped the cake beautifully. Toasted pecans added a final touch. I didn't actually get a slice of this bundt, because I packed thecakeinto my trusty Nordic Ware Bundtkeeper and passed it off to my mother in law who needed a little treat for tea time this week.

I'm thinking that today might be a great day to bake one for myself...I do have more Libby'spumpkin puree on deck...

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

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Pumpkin, apple, coconut custard Granges celebrate National Pie Day GLOCESTER Long before there was a Food Network to demonstrate the fine points of baking a pie, and long before there was an Internet to announce National Pie Day ... National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day is October 21, 2009 - Yahoo ... Happy National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day to you and yours! Life's too short not to eat dessert first. If you aren't sure how to celebrate, here's a whole list ... Today's Reason to Celebrate - National Pumpkin Day Learn more about National Pumpkin Day, celebrated on October 26 (Another) Reason to Celebrate: National Cheeseburger Day TheNest ... (Another) Reason to Celebrate: National Cheeseburger Day. Photo: Shutterstock. By: Rachel Sylvester. ... Roasted Pumpkin Seed Recipe. Ole! Its National Taco Day! Today's Reason to Celebrate - National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day Learn more about National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day, celebrated on October 21 Pumpkin Spice Lattes for National Coffee Day Yummly What better way is there to celebrate National Coffee Day than with your very own homemade pumpkin spice latte? Some people wait all year long to get one of Celebrate National Pumpkin Day with Pumpkin Custard French Toast ... National Pumpkin Day is the perfect excuse to try a new recipe. This easy recipe for pumpkin custard french toast, courtesy of Chef Desfor, is sure to become a favorite. 2011 National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day Recipes - The Couponess Celebrate National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day on October 21, 2011. It doesnt look like the Cheesecake Factory will be offering free slices of pumpkin cheesecake to ... Celebrate National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day with These Five Tasty ... It's National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day! Celebrate with these delicious, low-fat cheesecake recipes. Oct. 26, 2011: It's National Pumpkin Day - Windsor, CT Patch Oct. 26, 2011: It's National Pumpkin Day If you're not sick of them already, today's the day to celebrate the world's largest fruit (the giant pumpkin) and ...

A Big Affordable Loaf of Artisan Bread

Has anyone noticed that the price of artisan bread is going through the roof?

In my neck of the woods, some of those loaves are ringing up at more than $6 a piece. Of course, savvy cooks can stretch every crumb out of one of these beautifulloaves, but in my household my teenagers can easily mow through a loaf for snack and paninis. This, of course, can get pricey.

This weekend, I unearthed one of my favorite bread recipes--Jim Lahey's No Knead Bread. I first started making this bread as soon asthe recipewas published in an article inThe New York Times in November 2006. It was a fabulous recipe then and it remains fabulous today. Honestly, the recipe doesn't require kneading...the wet dough is simply mixed together and allowed to sit overnight. And, because the dough is baked in a Dutch oven it develops a crisp crackly skin similar to those professional artisan loaves. I also really like this recipe because it doesn't require a huge investment of time on my part--literally just a few minutes here and there.

Last weekend, I stirred up a double batch of the dough and let it sit overnight in one of my massive mixing bowls. In the morning, I turned it out onto a heavily floured counter,folded it togetherwith a bench scraper, and then plopped the loose dough into a banetton that had been lined with a flouredtea towel. Per the recipe instructions, I baked the bread in a preheated oven. I normally use one of my Le Creuset Dutch ovens, but for this version I used a clay baker. The bread crackled loudly while it cooled, and the children soon started hacking away at the loaf. The double loaf didn't last long.

So, if you think those gorgeous artisan loaves are beyond your budgetor bread baking skills,have faith and give this simple recipe a try. You will be astounded!

If you want to study this method further, be sure to check out Lahey's book, My Bread.

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

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A Mega Dose of Veggies from Crunchy Cabbage Soup!

I definitely have a cabbage glut right now. Back in late July or early August, I planted about ten Savoy cabbage plants.They were itty bitty plants back then. Now,thanks to Seattle's fabulous Indian summer, I have some massive cabbages in my kitchen. To tackle the glut right away, Iopted to crank out a quick cabbage soup today.

Inspired by the Cabbage Soup Diet, I decided to keep the recipe fat free and simple. No butter. No cream. Just lots of vegetables. To make the soup, I simply chopped one half of a head of cabbage very coarsely. I included some of the dark outer leaves. All of the cabbage went into a soup pot, and I thenadded water to cover. I added one small can of diced organictomatoes, chopped carrots, a small bit of sliced onion, and a blob of Better than Bouillon chicken broth base. I simmered the mixture for maybe five minutes and then decided to serve the soup while the veggies were still looking ALIVE!

On a side note, I hate cabbage soup that cooks the cabbage to the point well beyond death. I've had a few of those in my life. They are horrible! (Truly, if you want to turn kids off to cabbage for life, just serve an overcooked cabbage concoction once or twice and yourjob will bedone for decades!)

I don't know how many servings of veggies I actually consumed when I ate my warm and comforting cabbage soup this afternoon,but I am confident that I more than fulfilled my Five A Day requirement. Even though the soup was ridiculously quick and simple to make, it was remarkably good.

What would you do with a cabbage glut? Cabbage rolls? Cabbage soup? Slaw? Sauerkraut? Stir fry? Root cellar storage? I still have about eight heads in the garden...

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

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Soup Socks!

Have any of our readers ever tried soup socks? I just discovered them while poking around the specialty fall soup section in the Amazon Kitchen andDining department this morning. I create a fair amount of stock in my kitchen and am thinking that these might be a helpful way to contain the carcass, the carrots, the onions and the herbs. Admittedly, I don't enjoy the mess that ensues with homemade stock, so these cotton mesh"socks" might simplify the task considerably. Thoughts?

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

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A Review of the Barefoot Contessa's New Book

I've said this before and I'm going to say it again. I'm a tough nut to crack when it comes to cookbooks. As a food writer and a mother of three children, I read cookbooks with a critical eye and expect them to meet the mark when it comes to performance in my home kitchen.I don't have the time or the patience for fluffy cookbooks that offer poorly written recipes. I look at it this way...cookbooks require a double investment. Of course weinvest in them when we purchase them. We then invest in them again when we trust the recipe and fork over more dough to recreate the concoctions presented by the author. When a recipe fails to perform,your investment essentially doesa double dip. This, of course, can lead to someunsavory moments in the kitchen!

When I receivedan advance copy ofIna Garten's new cookbook, Barefoot Contessa Foolproof, Recipes You Can Trust, I was immediately pleased. I kid you not when I tell you that I earmarked numerous recipes within seconds of cracking the binder. This is Ina's eighth book and it features 100 elegant recipes and 150 beautiful photographs. Throughout the book, Ina shares her foolproof tips and suggestions for crafting beautiful meals in a streamlined manner. She gives us all a taste of her personal style and love of teaching when she shares an anecdotal story about helping her assistant, Barbara,hunker down and pull off a rehearsal party. Ina explains how she helped Barbara get organized so she could host the party affordably and with confidence.

Iworked at Ina's specialty shopmore than25 years ago, so I was excited to put some of her new creations to the test. The first recipe that I created was the Spinach with Feta and Pine Nuts. The straightforward recipe calls for olive oil, onion,fresh spinach, feta, lemon, and pine nuts and the technique basically calls for sauteing the spinach with the onions and oil and then adding the lemon, toasted pine nuts and feta at the end. When I served the fabulous dish to myself for lunch, Iwas quitepleased with the results and the fact that my version looked similar to the one in the book.

The second recipe that I tested was the Raspberry Crumble Bars. Oh boy! These are a slam dunk buttery delicious winner! I love that the recipe calls for simple baking ingredients such as butter, sugar, vanilla, raspberry jam, almonds, and granola.The end result reminded me that basic can be more beautiful than fancy! (Ina has posted this recipe on her blog, so check it out here.)

I have other recipes thatI plan to try in the next few weeks, but I wanted to get the ball rolling on Foolproof! The book won't be released until October 30, but you can preorder a copy here.

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

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Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics - Share Book Recommendations With ... see review ... A new Barefoot Contessa book always means taking out the battery of the smoke alarm near the ... Barefoot Contessa: How Easy Is That? - Share Book Recommendations ... *I gave this book the same review as Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics because I had the ... presents my husband got me was Ina Gartens new cookbook Barefoot Contessa ... Barefoot Contessa,How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips ... ... cookbook author and beloved star of Barefoot Contessa ... Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all ... for it, but as it was marketed - as a new book of ... BARNES & NOBLE Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous ... New (26) ... Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules. Our reader reviews ... Another great book from The Barefoot Contessa!!!! The title of the book ... Barefoot Contessa Cookbook - Barnes & Noble - Books, Textbooks ... An attractive book, but theres not much new here; for ... My wife and I love her books. Was this review ... Beef Bourguignon is in The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, a book ... The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook: Amazon.co.uk: Ina Garten: Books The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook: Amazon.co.uk: Ina Garten: Books ... Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 ... herself, this stunning, lively new book ... The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook: Ina Garten,Martha Stewart ... The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook [Ina Garten,Martha Stewart] on ... Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all ... Ina lives in East Hampton, New York, and Southport ... THE BLIND CONTESSAS NEW MACHINE by Carey Wallace Kirkus Book ... Read the Kirkus Review of THE BLIND CONTESSAS NEW MACHINE ... of author services, including Kirkus Indie, a review service for self-publishers, Kirkus Editorial, book ... Barefoot Contessa recipes & menus: cookbooks: cookbook index: tv this week: book tour: easy tips Book Review: The Blind Contessas New Machine Children's Books ... Book Review: The Blind Contessas New Machine. The Blind Contessas New Machine. by Carey Wallace. Historical Fiction ...

Making Beer Mustard at Home

Have you ever tried making mustard at home? This has been on my "culinary to do list" for some time now. I finally just got around to trying it last week. I was shopping at Central Market in Shoreline and picked up a recipe card for Homemade Beer Mustard. Inspired by their German Week Theme, I went to the bulk bins in the store and stocked up on mustard seeds and dry mustard powder. I purchased a bottle of robust German beer and went to work at home.

Remarkably simple to make, the recipe did require a two step process. To get started, I soaked yellow and brown mustard seeds in water and half of the beer overnight. The next day, I grabbed my Le Creuset saucier and simmered the remaining beer with brown sugar and spices. The simmered mixture was then combined with the soaked seeds and everything was whizzed together for a few minutes in my Cuisinart Elite food processor. At first taste, the mustard seemed overpowering, but the recipe clearly explained that the mustard would mellow with time.

I put the mustard in a jar and tasted it again this morning with a little cheese. Much to my delight, it is excellent. It will be great for sandwiches and sausages. And, I might even incorporate it into a robust vinaigrette.

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

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How to Make Mustard from Scratch: 9 steps - wikiHow How to Make Mustard from Scratch. Do you like hot foods? ... Home Articles Community My Profile ... right away, use water; otherwise use wine/beer ... Homemade Bratwurst and a recipe for Beer Mustard TasteFood Homemade Bratwurst and a recipe for Beer Mustard This months Charcutepalooza challenge had the whiff of Oktoberfest. Not only were we asked to make and stuff ... Homemade Beer Mustard Recipes Yummly Find Quick & Easy Homemade Beer Mustard Recipes! Choose from over 11 Homemade Beer Mustard recipes from sites like Epicurious and Allrecipes. How to make your own home made mustard - Timeless Herb Secrets How to make your own Home-made Mustard. Making your own mustard mixes can be fun and ... Beer mustard use 130ml beer and 70ml vinegar instead of the ... Mustard Recipe With Beer - The Daily Spud Need mustard? Have mustard seeds? This spicy homemade beer mustard recipe might just interest you then... Homemade Beer Mustard Recipe - Taste of Place - Delish.com Home Recipe Finder Homemade Beer Mustard ... Homemade Beer Mustard. From Delish. A simple soak in good-quality beer gives ... Homemade Beer Mustard Recipe Yummly Homemade Beer Mustard recipe with yellow mustard seeds, black mustard seeds, beer, cider vinegar, onion, garlic, honey, dark brown sugar, turmeric, allspice, salt How to Make Mustard eHow.com How to Make Mustard. A ballpark hot dog, a ham ... Here's a quick, make-at-home mustard recipe ... goes by yogurt mustard sauce or mustard yogurt sauce,... How to Make Beer ... Making Mustard at Home cooking with herbs and spices Making Mustard at Home. Recipes and information about ... Soak the mustard seeds in the beer overnight. About 20 minutes before you are ready to make the mustard, stir ... How to Make Mustard - Making Homemade Mustard Hunter Angler ... Instructions on how to make mustard at home. Homemade mustard is easy to make, but you do need ... Vinegar is often used, but wine, beer, grape must, and even fruit juices are ...

Figs from the Kitchen Garden

A few years ago my husband gave me two little fig trees. We planted them in one corner of the yard. They weren't terribly fruitful in that spot. This winter we had to move the trees due to a project and in haste we simply plopped them into the back of one of our raised beds.

Much to my shock, the little fig trees are going gangbusters this year! InJuly I planted a crop of beets under the trees and thenwatered the raised beddaily throughout the summer. Clearly the trees like their new home because this morning I harvestedthe plump ripe figs shown here.

Last nightI experimented with one fig by simply cutting it up, putting it on some flatbread, adding a little olive oil, cheese, proscuitto and homegrownarugula. I broiled the "pizza" for a few minutes andit was quite nice with a glass of wine. However, this morning I decided to harvest more figs and hunt around for inspiration. While doing so, I discovered California Figs, the consumer website produced by the California Fig Advisory Board. It is a fabulous website with lots of tips, recipes, history,and inspiration. This is now my figlicious resource for my crop of homegrown figs! Fig jam, chutney, salads, appetizers plus tips for storing and freezing...It's all there!

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

---Melissa A. Trainer

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Fig Garden Village - Center Information Fig Garden Village is Fresnos Premier Lifestyle Shopping Center. Located at Palm and Shaw Avenues, Fresno, California 93704. Stores includes Starbucks, Westamerica ... Braised Quail with Figs Food Garden Kitchen Last night we cooked 4 more quail my father had given us. In addition to the quail, he handed me a recipe from Hugh Acheson, and mentioned a few ... Figs - Orchard House Books 'Agroforestry News' July 2004 " .... contains all you need to know to grow your own figs." 'Kitchen Garden' magazine, August 2004 Figs Gardening Tips Garden Guides Figs. Learn about Figs on GardenGuides.com. Info and videos including: How to Grow ... first; shades what might otherwise be a flowing spontaneous question about a garden ... This Week in the Garden Kitchen: Ginger Lemon Fig Preserves ... Never in my life did I imagine I would have not one but three fig trees growing in my backyard. In Italy figs are served with prosciutto, baked into cakes, and Find Garden Remedies in the Kitchen : Outdoors : Home & Garden ... Find Garden Remedies in the Kitchen. Learn how to combat garden pests with common items from ... Growing Figs in the Home Garden The Fig Test Kitchen: About Mother ... am overjoyed to be working with my beautiful daughter, Gabrielle, on The Fig Test Kitchen. ... birthday in the shape of the wide-rimmed hat he used to wear when in the garden ... Brandied Figs - Gastronomic Gardener Grow it. Cook it. Preserve it. What I did find were flats of fresh figs. Their season seems quite short and ... Annie's Kitchen Garden; Cowgirls Country Life; from the Bartolini kitchens; Hunter Angler ... The Fig Garden Kayakoy - Gary C. Martin CGI The Fig Garden, Kaya valley, cottages are located in the south west of Turkey with ... Kitchen: Gas hob, microwave, fridge, washing machine, toaster and kettle ... Home Garden Figs CAES Publications UGA Home Garden Figs. G.W. Krewer, Extension Horticulturist Floyd Hendrix, Plant Pathologist. Site and Soil Requirements; Purchasing Plants or Propagating Your Own

A Big Offset Spatula for A Make or Break Situation...

Do you have a large offset spatula in your kitchen? I have one in mine, and this morning I found myself huntingfor it. I had spontaneously made an apple braid and when it came time to transfer the flaky pastry to a wire rack for cooling, I was stumped on the best way to do it.

A regular spatula wouldn't have supported the pastry, and I didn't want to risk the pastry crumbling during the transfer. Within seconds, I realized that my big fat spatula, which was a gift from my father and is usually reserved for the grill, was the tool for the task. It worked beautifully. The spatula wasn't quite as large as my apple braid, but it was big enough that the pastry could easily be transferred from the baking sheet to the cooling rack.

A big spatula seems like such a basic tool that it's hardly worth writing about. However, sometimes it is those basic tools that make or break a situation!

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

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How to Be Calm in a Stressful Situation: 6 Methods - wikiHow How to Be Calm in a Stressful Situation. The clock is ticking. Everyone's counting on you. Which wire should you cut? While most of us never have to deal with the ... BAKED Sunday Mornings Health is good now,still on my personal blog break ... You can also use an offset spatula to frost the cupcakes. ... I following the Baked Boy's instructions to make BIG ... Queer Little House Elf There was a big blow out party with a bunch of ... before flipping it so that it doesn't fall and break ... So using a pastry scraper and/or offset spatula, make a coat of ... Wildflower-Honey Semifreddo with Honey Sesame Wafers Recipe at ... Remove toffee from parchment and break into very small ... Using offset spatula, spread half of batter (about 1/3 cup ... Big Bob Gibson's BBQ Book. by Chris Lilly. SAVE TO ... Tools to make baking easier - King Arthur Flour ... year, poking, dropping, and trying to scratch, break ... nicely domed loaf; using a pan thats too big will ... An offset bread knife, shaped like an offset spatula with the ... How to Make Chocolate Cake Cooks Country - Recipes That Work ... and firm slightly, sot they won't break ... The wide blade and crook shape of an offset spatula allows for excellent control to make ... on regular cocoa powder to produce big ... Baking tips & techniques - King Arthur Flour Firmer fillings can be spread with an offset spatula or a table ... A twist tie is a big help to keep the top of the bag ... it can save a lot of heartbreak (and cookie-break). S'mores Toffee Bark Recipe - How to Make S'mores Toffee Bark ... This easy recipe makes a big batch of Smores ... Once softened, use an offset spatula or knife to spread the ... Once set, break into small uneven pieces by hand, and ... Toodles cake tutorial. Make Myself at Home ... going stale, 2) It allows you to break up ... Use an offset spatula like this one to make a thin layer to trap the crumbs. ... the ears you just carved from one big ... Homemade Mint Molds eHow.com ... cornstarch with a wire whisk to break up any clumps before smoothing and leveling the surface with an offset spatula. ... dessert to enjoy after your big supper meal. Make ...

Sweet Preservation Launched by Washington State Fruit Commission

Washington State stone fruits are hitting their peak right now, and the Washington State Fruit Commission just launched Sweet Preservation.

Created in order to help cooks preserve these fruits for the winter, the consumer website is a beautiful comprehensive resource that offersdetailed information on how to can or freeze the peaches, plums, apricots, nectarines, andcherries that grow abundantly here in the Evergreen State. Recipes and tips for pulling off a preservation party are included. Plus, there are some charming downloadable labels created just for the site by an Etsy designer.

Washington's stone fruit season will run through the end of September and the fruits are sold nationwide.

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

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Tree Fruit Research & Extension Center ... center of Washington State University dedicated to the tree fruit ... of the Crop Protection Guide for Tree Fruits in Washington ... producing sweet cherries in Washington ... Labels & Crafts Sweet Preservation Preservation 101; Labels & Crafts; Recipes ... update with jars of summer fruit! Homemade preserves make sweet ... 2011 Northwest Cherries, Washington State Fruit Commission. Preservation 101 Sweet Preservation Preservation Party; Health Benefits; Resources; Buying ... Freezing cherries is sweet and simple a ... 2011 Northwest Cherries, Washington State Fruit Commission. Lygus bugs - Jenny home IPM Decision Support; Crop Protection Guide ... hosts of lygus bugs include alfalfa, sweet ... Pest Management, is copyrighted by the Washington State Fruit Commission. Pickled Sweet Cherries - Food in Jars Food in Jars However, when faced with nearly eight pounds of juicy, ripe cherries from the Washington State Fruit Commission (thanks Sweet Preservation), I knew the time was ripe to ... Office of Farmland Preservation Office of Farmland Preservation: Washington State Conservation Commission ... Tree fruit sustains significant damage ... States cherries are sweet gamble for ... Home Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission Wenatchee WA Apple Crop Protection Review; NW Cherry ... The Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission (WTFRC) Internal Program ... starch patterns observed for fruit grown in Washington State. WSDA announces availability of .5 million in specialty crop grants ... Washington State Conservation Commission ... Farmland Preservation ... viability of Washington's fruit, vegetable and nursery producers, the Washington State ... Washington State Fruit Commission Resources Sheet resurgence, Sweet Preservation keeps its content fresh for the season as a ... Washington State Fruit Commission and Northwest Cherries, the artfully designed website is ... Sweet Cherry Research - Washington State University - Pullman ... Sweet Cherry Research Senator Maria Cantwell Tours Cherry Packing Shed in Selah, Washington. Jim McFerson of the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission offers a ...

Preserving Dungeness Crab with the FoodSaver

As I mentioned in a prior post this week, we have had quite a bit of Dungeness crab in our kitchen this summer. I've used it in everything from Lime, Ginger, and Crab lettuce cups to Fresh Corn and Crab Chowder.

Last weekend, however, I was too pressed with deadlines to pick all ofthe meat on Sunday evening.Time was limited! Hence, I did some poking around on the internet and decided to take another route entirely. I decided to vacuum pack the cleaned, halved, and cooked crabs. I had read that you can freeze the crab legs and then use them within a couple months after they have been frozen. This sounded like a great way to stretch my bounty and it also appealed to me because I would then be able to add the beautiful meat and claws to soups such as cioppinos! Afterall, who doesn't love a warm seafood soup ona cold rainy day?

So, I extracted my FoodSaver from the cupboard and went to work. I started by snapping the pointy tips off eachcrab leg in order to prevent the legs from poking holes through the FoodSaverbags.(You can see one of the thin sharp tips in the photo.)My first few sealing attempts didn't work that great because I loaded the bags with four halves or two whole crabs. Basically, I determined that the abundance of the irregularly shaped crab prevented the bag from sealing properly. I then simply took two crab halves and positioned them to look like a whole crab. I loaded this into the bag and sealed. It worked great! I now have about eight "whole crabs" vacuum packed and frozen. The vacuum packing really extracted the air and will prevent freezer burn, so I'm excited to see how the operation works out.

Are you a FoodSaver fan? Even if you don't have Dungeness crab that needs to be frozen, you can use these amazing machines for hundreds of other seasonal items. For additional inspiration, see their website.

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

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Breakfast of Champions in Under Three Minutes...

The American Egg Board is gearing up for back to school and this week they are reminding us that a good breakfast plays acrucial role in school performance. Without a doubt, protein plays a key role in a good breakfast, and the American Egg Board wants to make sure that their product takes center stage. Hence, they are highlighting quick microwaveable egg dishes that can be cranked out in less than three minutes.

We usually just enjoy a basicfried egg for breakfast, but I have to admit that their collection of three-minute egg recipes looks pretty interesting. The Microwave 1-Minute Ham and Egg Breakfast Bowl looks easy enough. And, the Microwave Coffee Cup Scrambleappears simple enough for even the crankiest sleepyhead.

What is your best back to school breakfast? Do you think breakfast makes a difference in your children's performance?

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

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A Very Retro Hot Crab Sandwich

Thanks to my husband's determination to catch Dungeness crab this summer, I have enjoyed an embarassment of crabby riches in my kitchen. Each weekend, we set the traps and then pull the haul.

We have been experimenting across the board with how to cook the crab, how to pick it, how to freeze it, and ultimately how to use it. Every Sunday, after we are done with the messy task of picking the crab, I stash a container into my fridge and then work with it during the week.

Last week, I decided to make myself some hot crab sandwiches for lunch! I was inspired by a taste memory that has stayed with me since last September when I had a fabulous hot crab sandwich made by Mona Stone at the Fishermen's Fall Festival here in Seattle. Mona is married to an Alaskancrab and scallop fisherman and together they run Alaska Weathervane Seafood.She is asuper cook who is well known for herluscious scalloritos!

When I purchased Mona's hot crab sandwich that day,I was dumbfounded. It was a simple mixture of Alaskan crab, mayonnaise, onion, a little bit of cheese. It was served on basic white bread that was toasted just right. I didn't buy one sandwich that day. I bought two!

So, when I started to craft my own hot Dungeness crab sandwich last week, I consulted a few cookbooks and decided to keep things pretty basic. On my first attempt, I used a high-quality locally made sourdough bread, but believe it or not the flavors didn't balance out. The bread was too sour and assertive for the sweet crab. I gave that version a thumbs down.

When I went back to the drawing board thenext day, I simplified even further. I mixed about two ounces of dark and white crab meat with a small dollop of mayonnaise, some chopped green scallion, a bit of shredded Tillamook cheddar, and salt and pepper. I then reached for two basic pieces of white buttermilk bread. I smeared some softenedbutter on the bread, loaded the filling on top, and heated my cast iron skillet over medium heat. I let the sandwich brown and heat through,flippingit once or twice andmaking sure that the cheddar cheese was melted.

When I tucked into that crab sandwich it was amazing and almost as good as Mona's!The simplified version hit the mark. When I sat there and savored my sandwich, I was reminded that a fancy pants production was definitely NOT needed for such fresh amazing seafood!

Photo by Melissa A. Trainer

--Melissa A. Trainer

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