Campfire Cuisine with Christie & Lou

Since our Memorial Day camping trip was four days long, we decided to get a little adventurous with our breakfast and dinner menus! 

Dinner #1: Cheddarwurst, corn on the cob, potato salad

I mean, the park was called Cobscook, we couldn't NOT have corn one night, right? 

Breakfast #1: Pancakes & Bacon (no picture)
I brought two boxes of firewood with me, but thanks to the damp chilly coastal weather, we needed more by morning. Unfortunately, we were awake and wanting coffee before the ranger station was open. Not fun. But finally we were able to get firewood, quickly followed by coffee and warmth and BREAKFAST!

Clearly, the ranger station had some pretty high-quality, dry well-seasoned wood. All firewood foams like that, right? 

Dinner #2: Boboli pizza with peppers & bacon, salad
After successfully cooking Boboli pizza on a wood stove for our Bolton hut trip last February, I couldn't resist trying it over an open campfire. It was delicious! Crispy on the bottom and toasty on the edges, all melty and gooey on the top.

Breakfast #2: Trash Can Breakfast
In looking up possible dinners, I came across a bunch of "trash can" recipes. Basically, this means you throw everything into a coffee can, cover with tin foil, and stick it in or over the fire.

For our trash can breakfast, we added eggs, sausage, and veggies. Once it's all cooked, top with shredded cheese and dig in! 

Dinner #3: Leftovers
We had planned on veggie burgers for our final dinner, but unfortunately they didn't stay frozen solid enough to stay together on the grill so we ate another round of Cheddarwurst, leftover pizza, potato salad, and garden salad. We also had plenty of cheese & crackers, trail mix, and watermelon, which is what we had for lunch each day.

Breakfast #3: Orange Peel Muffins
I cooked these Sunday night as a to-go breakfast for Monday morning. I wasn't quite sure how they would turn out, but I think they were pretty good! It's a good thing, too, because we had to pack up and leave in a hurry, narrowly missing a serious downpour early Monday morning!

Desserts: Banana Boats!
Don't think we skipped dessert! Banana boats are made by slicing a banana the long way and stuffing with desired filling, wrapping it in tinfoil and cooking it a bit to soften and melt everything. Let it cool a bit, then eat with a spoon! We tried chocolate & peanut butter one night, and chocolate & marshmallows another night. Success!

Camping with Bruno & Christie!

I can't believe it's taken me this long to post about our Maine camping adventure!! Lots of dogs, lots of food, lots of firewood, and probably more than our fair share of damp weather made for the best Memorial Day Weekend camping trip ever!

We picked Cobscook Bay State Park on the Maine coast because it was about the same (sevenish hour) driving distance for both of us. We booked the last remaining oceanfront campsite for the whole holiday weekend, Friday through Monday. It was a bit of a risk, since we had to book it way in advance and could possibly have four days of lousy weather, lousy site, or worse.

But we were so lucky! The campground was beautiful, and the sites were really spread out with plenty of woods in between so we had privacy. Based on the availability when we booked, we expected the park to be jam-packed, but we lucked out there too, and only had people in the site next to us for our last night (and they slept in their van)!


Here's the crew: Bruno, Roger, Farley, Christie (and me)

Getting settled in...

Bruno and Roger played lots and lots of Table Fort.

 Heading out on our hike!

 The website described the only trail in the park as a "nature walk" so we were expecting a mellow, easy stroll. There was another park nearby that we discussed driving to, in case we were up for more of a challenge. But it was definitely enough of a hike! We ended up doing it both days, with slight variations. We never saw anyone else, so the doggies got to be off-leash the whole time. 

Back in front of the campfire, tired and happy after our hike. 

Up next: some of the great food from our trip!

Wordless Wednesday: Roger & the A/C

Heat Wave

There's no denying it, it's HOT! My normally cool-as-a-cucumber Burlington set a new record high of 95 degrees for today's date. Roger has taken to napping on ice packs, and he refused to leave the house all afternoon. Y'know what this heat wave is making me dream about?

HUTSGIVING.

Just think of whooshing over all that icy Colorado snow as we ski out to the Section House, Thanksgiving dinner and birthday treats safely tucked in our packs, all smiles and chilly, rosy cheeks.

Only four months to go :)

Sunday Funday: Playing in the garden!

A good portion of the day last Sunday was spent playing in the garden with Roger!

We planted potatoes in the Smart Pot, and pulled weeds from around the veggies.

All of the cucumber sprouts that had been there a week earlier were mysteriously gone! Luckily I had a few seeds left in the packet, so I re-planted them. Hopefully something will still come.

The other big project was planting grass. It's never been a particularly luscious or robust lawn, and it seems to have only gotten worse this summer.

I pulled up and raked out as many of the big weeds as I could, and seeded the whole area around the garden.

And look! I'm already being rewarded for my efforts! On Friday I harvested my first round of lettuce and spinach! Now I just need the tomatoes and carrots to catch up...

The tomato plants are getting HUGE, so luckily I won't have too much longer to wait.

Don't trust that grin - this kid didn't help at all. Roger chose to nap, and supervise my progress from a comfortable distance.
Sunday Funday inspired by the blog Simply Everything Beautiful

Veggie Garden 2010

Introducing the Veggie Garden, 2010 Edition! New and improved in almost every way: well-tilled soil, nutrient-rich compost, stepping stones, and 50% bigger than the 2009 edition!

Papa McKenna took the trip from NH to spend Memorial Day weekend with Roger and me, working in the garden. We raked, and tilled, and dug rocks (including the stepping stones and that massive corner post) and added wonderful compost and then raked and tilled some more.

The plants and seeds went in the following weekend, and there are already some green sprouts poking up in the lettuce section!

From left: lettuce, spinach, carrots, cucumbers (under the trellis) peppers, tomatoes. Coming soon: potato planter.

We also set up the compost bin! I've had a kitchen compost bin for years, and I always just haul it to CSWD to dump it. But finally my own garden will be able to benefit from all my lovely coffee grounds, wilted lettuce, and apple cores!

Of course, the Veggie Garden 2010 Edition has the latest in home garden security. To protect from digging critters (cats, etc) I stake down a section of chicken wire flat on the ground. The plants grow right up through it, and weeds can be plucked, but it's dig-proof!

Ready? Now I'm going to tell you my secret weapon. For general pest repellent that's chemical-free and pet friendly, use crushed red pepper. Just sprinkle it on top of and around the garden. Ground red pepper works too, but it's harder to see where you've applied it. Just be sure to reapply after heavy wind/rain!

After a full day of hard work prepping my garden on Saturday, Papa McKenna & I were thrilled to have Sunday breakfast at Handy's and then cheer on our friends in the Vermont City Marathon! My porch is the best seat in town.

Adventures in Hiking

After a wonderful weekend celebrating Dan Silver's birthday at Camp Silver in New Paltz, NY, Roger and I decided to sneak in a little hike before driving back to Vermont. Just a few miles from our beautiful camp site was Minnewaska State Park!

The trail winds around and above Lake Minnewaska, which on this day was shrouded in fog. There weren't many other people on the trail, and most of the time we couldn't hear anything or anyone else at all. The views were wonderful and calm above the fog, and even though we were up really high, the hike was never too strenuous.
Even though Roger had to stay on his leash the whole time, he did get to splash around in the lake and seemed to love standing on the edges of the cliffs. I knew there was a reason I call him BraveDog!

Wordless Wednesday

This is why I'm hot

...and why my house smells like burning! I try to branch out, try something new, and look what it gets me - half a loaf of charred bread, and a kitchen full of smoke.

Earlier this week, the Burlington Women for Change held a wonderfully in-season strawberry pot-luck dinner meet-up! I waited until the last minute to see what other people would bring, in the hopes of contributing something original, and balance out the table. By the time I got around to picking a dish, there was already chocolate-covered strawberries, strawberry rhubarb pie, spinach & strawberry salad, strawberry shortcake, and strawberry margaritas on the menu. Yum!

Close friends and frequent guests of mine know that I love baking and cooking, but only from an established list of items. I have no problem experimenting when it's just for me, but when it comes to subjecting others to my cooking, I like to know I can deliver. Peanut butter cookies...banana bread...quesadillas...deviled eggs...bruschetta - BRUSCHETTA!! Is there such a thing as strawberry bruschetta?! To the internet!!

Turns out there are several different dishes that go by that name. Now to pick one that fits my time frame, budget, and skill set. And the winner is:

Strawberry Bruschetta (allrecipes.com)
INGREDIENTS

• 24 slices French baguette
• 1 tablespoon butter, softened
• 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
• 1/4 cup white sugar, or as needed

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat your oven's broiler. Spread a thin layer of butter on each slice of bread. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet.
• Place bread under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, just until lightly toasted. Spoon some chopped strawberries onto each piece of toast, then sprinkle sugar over the strawberries.
• Place under the broiler again until sugar is caramelized, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Seems simple enough, doesn't it? That's what I thought, too. Having made tomato basil bruschetta many times before, I was confident that I could pull it off.

And then the burning started. Ohh, the burning!

I was able to salvage the pieces from the edges of the baking sheet, but at least half of the loaf was a lost cause. Luckily I had regular sourdough bread, which I quickly threw under the broiler (and of course UNDER-toasted).

I spooned the sliced berries on top and sprinkled with sugar. Out of fear of ruining the entire project, I didn't leave it in long enough to carmelize the sugar. Plus I had to pick up a fellow group member so the sheet got to sit in traffic with me for a half hour. Basically it was served as slightly soggy toast with whole fruit and sugar! Perhaps not fancy enough to earn the name bruschetta, but at least it was tasty and well-received!

Coming up on the Women for Change calendar, I'm hosting a discussion of Gloria Steinem's recent local speaking engagement, and the media coverage that followed. And later in August, Bridgette will teach us her favorite German board games - much more strategy and collaboration than the games I grew up with!

Wordless Wednesday

(Wordless Wednesday is inspired by Buzz and his Food Lady)

Wordless Wednesday

Post-op Play-by-play

It's been a long time since I've updated! Here's the short version:

•My ACL reconstructive surgery on April 10th went smoothly, complete with lovely pain meds. Thanks to a "nerve block," I had almost no pain for that first day! Being prepped for and then rolled into surgery was scary, but then all of a sudden I was in the recovery room with my parents, so then everything was okay.

•The Roger Walkers were wonderful, appearing each morning and evening to take the often less-than-willing Little Sir for his walk. As time went on, he got worse at letting others take him out, but they didn't give up! Thank you all very, very much.

•The pain was well-controlled with pain meds, but no one had warned me about the boredom! I watched lots of movies, did a whole book of crossword puzzles, and the days blurred into each other. Barely being able to get around my apartment - or even shower - took its toll.

•Ten days out, I had my first post-op appointment to remove the staples and open the brace - hooray!!
(Also, whoever decided that comparing the staple removal to "bee stings" would be comforting should be stung by 12 bees in a row).

Since then, I've been going to physical therapy three times a week at Long Trail PT, working hard to regain my range of motion. It's been very slow and painful, and each additional degree of flexion is a victory. Keith, my PT, is awesome and I adore his energy and encouragement.

I'm a little behind where I should be in regaining my range of motion, but Keith keeps telling me that by the 6-month mark everyone is at the same place. Up to 78 degrees so far! The type of reconstruction I got (tibial ligament) is said to be the most traumatic in terms of recovery, but the strongest in the long run. At this stage, I can certainly attest to that first part!

At this point I can drive short distances, walk Roger short distances unassisted, and walk as far as Speeder's on Pine aided by brace and one crutch. I'm greatly looking forward to summer fun as my mobility increases. Next weekend's Field Day will be a spectator event for me, but hopefully I'll be back in action before too much of this nice weather passes me by!

2009: Things I'm Looking Forward To

It started as a numbered list, but these aren't really the type of thing one can easily rank.

• -The inauguration of President-Elect Barack Obama.
• -KSV's Corporate Race League team, The Disrupters!
  
• -Tulip season, expanding my vegetable and flower gardens
• -Warm weather run-arounding with Roger
• -Camping, hiking, cliff-jumping w/ Roger and the boys
• -Feminist meet-ups
  
• -Home improvement projects - painting and stenciling my bedroom!
  

Gonna make this garden grow

Here's tonight's tomato harvest!!

I think I'll harvest some of my basil and make bruschetta for my guests this weekend!

Sunblock safety concerns

Summer's here and we all want to avoid sunburn and of course skin cancer. So just slather on sunscreen before you head outside, right?

Well, not just any sunscreen. With no mandatory, comprehensive sunscreen standards in place, products vary widely in safety and effectiveness. And did you know that SPF ratings only cover UVB rays, which cause burns, but not UVA rays, which raise skin cancer risk?

After 30 years of debate, the government has failed to set mandatory sunscreen safety standards. Companies are free to make their own decisions on everything from advertising claims to product quality. FDA now stands in direct violation of a Congressional mandate requiring the agency to finalize sunscreen safety standards by May '06, flouting not only Congress but also consumers, who are reliant on sunscreen to protect their health.

Search EWG's sunscreen safety database to find out what's safest and most effective for you and your family. This database is the result of 18 months of research, and they found that 4 out of 5 of 952 sunscreen products offer inadequate protection from the sun or contain ingredients with significant safety concerns - leading brands were the worst offenders! Find out what's safest and most effective for you, then go have fun in the sun!

Perks...

Well I guess I can't claim this job has NO perks. Last Wednesday I took the afternoon and hiked Mount Mansfield with my rep from Backpacker Magazine! We had the PERFECT day for it. Rascal is an excellent hiker, even if he doesn't like posing for pictures.

Ain't no sunshine

So, my garden is proving to be an interesting experience this summer. It was great fun to paint the boxes with Dad, and plant them on Mother's Day with both my parents. I love being able to see the boxes from my window, but the porch is proving to be an unsuitable place to sustain a garden.

Although the lettuce started sprouting up within two weeks, it has not lived up to that early promise. I guess I really don't have enough sun for it. The leaves aren't any bigger than those in the picture. I had to cut more than half a dozen to have lettuce on my burger!! A salad is pretty much out of the question. (But look at the cute little tags I painted!)

The pepper plant certainly looks healthy enough, which is deceiving. Don't be fooled!! It has lots of blossoms on it, that's true. But as soon as the flower falls off and the actual fruit starts growing in behind it, the whole thing FALLS OFF THE PLANT. It's happened three times already!! This does not bode well for my overall pepper harvest. All of the forks in the branches are turning black, which seems like a bad color for plants to be. Are there any pepper plant diseases I should know about??

The tomato plants are compensating for the lack of sun by growing three feet tall so they can reach the sun, which makes me think they're as determined as I am for them to actually amount to something. There are several clusters of tomatoes on the plant, and a lot of blossoms near the top. The plants (even though they're staked) blew over in the storms last week, so I tied them to the porch railing. Heh, just TRY to blow over now, stupid plants!! Good thing I have all that ribbon!

The carrots were planted in rows, but are all sprouting up in a big clusterfuck, and again don't seem to be growing very big. I've tried thinning them, but I don't know if it helped much. I guess I need to get more aggressive with them. The chives and tarragon are doing great, but of course how much of those can you really use at one time?

The cucumbers may end up being the stars of the garden!! I planted a row all along the back of one of the boxes, with a trellis behind them to climb, which they are doing quite happily. Now I just need to find some recipes that use cucumbers...pasta salads, anyone?

Lou's Bicycle

When the Burlington snow melted and the bike lanes were once again clear and visible, I decided it was time to try biking to work. I had even stronger motivation when my beloved little car had to go in for some work overnight. It took a little prodding (Ithaca beer), but Dougy reattached the front tire he had for some reason removed while my bike was housed in the guys' garage over the winter, and I was on my way! The rest is history...

There are lots of sites touting the many benefits of biking. Why do I do it? The most immediate benefit I get is improved mood. Biking to work is such a better start to the day than driving. It definitely takes a little more work (packing business clothes to change into, leaving early enough to be changed in time for morning production meetings), but that is more than outweighed by the boost it provides. There's also the smug satisfaction of it all...but I digress!

Second, there's that whole "environmentalist" thing. As you know, I love counting things, so I've kept track of how many miles of driving I've avoided. To date, I have biked 126.5 miles I would have otherwise had to drive. Each mile biked keeps about 3.75lbs of pollutants out of the atmosphere. That means I've avoided 474.38 POUNDS of air pollution.

Third there's the money factor. Gas prices are ridiculous. The less I have to fill up, the better. Originally my goal was to bike at least one day a week, but it's turning into a lot more - I biked every day last week! My new goal is to save an entire tank of gas (about 325mi) over the course of the summer.

Finally, there are the personal health benefits. Ski season kept me in pretty good shape all winter, but playing with puppies every other week is no suitable replacement workout plan. I've improved my commute time from 30min to 15, my slow stretches are less slow, hills offer less resistance, and I weave through traffic like a well-balanced pro (haha, that last one is a lie - but I'm better than I used to be).

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
My parents' house is 80 miles away in NH. Supposing I travel at an average 10mph, that's an 8-hour ride. Add water/food/bathroom breaks, that's 9-10 hours. Then I'd have to repeat the trip back the following day. Think I can do it??

GOAL: Bike from my house in Burlington to my parents' house in NH

Paw-jama Party

Warmer weather has finally arrived in northern VT. With it comes an unexpected complication for me. Walking around Burlington has become like having that dream where everyone around me has what I want but can't have. I try not to be jealous of what seemingly every person I pass is proudly parading up and down Church Street. They've all got a best pal with a beautiful coat and a wet nose. I'm talking, of course, about dogs.

Dogs have become one of my new obsessions. I see them everywhere, but I just can't have one!! And with good reason. First of all, I live in a one-room apartment. Second, I don't exactly have an abundance of disposable income. Third, I work all day all week in a non-dog friendly office. But I must be satiated. So I found a way; I'm a problem-solver. I volunteer as a dog walker for the Humane Society of Chittenden County. It's less than a mile from my office, so when I can, I take my lunch hour to go play with the dogs.

The ultimate goal is to host a paw-jama party, aka foster a dog for a weekend. A party host is called in when a dog needs time away from the kennel, or the staff wants to see how a dog will react in a home setting. Or if a qualified host just wants a dog for the weekend, she can call and see if there's a dog available. I want to find a summer hiking buddy. But to become qualified, I first have to log in five hours of dog-walking.


This is Jake, we hung out together a week ago. It was a really hot day, so we didn't go too far. It was really more of a wander than a walk. So far I've got a grand total of 15min of dog-walking. Between the weather and my workload, I don't often take lunch breaks, so it's been kind of hard to bank much time. If all of my training time counted toward the 5hrs though, I'd be half done!

There are tons of volunteer opportunities at the Humane Society, from dog-walking to cat socialization to keeping a garden for the little critters. If you're in a similar dog love limbo as me, find your local chapter and volunteer your time! Probably the most mutually rewarding volunteering option out there.

Come on, let's GROW

My parents came to the Bur for Mother's Day!! They brought the garden boxes I painted (I know, they look grey, but I swear they're blue and white), a bunch of compost, and seeds. We went to Gardener's Supply and bought tomato plants (2 types) and a red pepper plant. (Wow, look at how bright and green everything looks - this was the perfect lighting for these pictures!!)

In one box I planted the tomatoes, lots of lettuce, and chives.

In the other, I've got cucumbers (with a trellis behind for them to climb), carrots, peppers, and more lettuce! Basically I'm growing my own salad. Hopefully I'll get two rounds of lettuce in.

In separate pots I've got pansies on one step, and morning glory on the other that will theoretically climb the post and twist around the railing. Above it all, there's a hanging begonia. I'm so happy to have my garden started at last!!

Only problem is, I have no patience - I don't want to wait!! I wonder if I'll have any tomatoes when I get home from work tomorrow...