Long time, no see….did you miss the food?

The spring semester is over, and fall will be here before you know it. I keep checking the Fresno Fair page daily to see if they have added the competitive exhibits book for 2023. So far, no go. There’s always tomorrow.

I’ve been super busy this spring. I work full-time as an office manager for an undergraduate program at Fresno State and go to school part-time. I was accepted last year into the College of Social Services Honors program, so this spring was full of doing research and interviews, writing an undergraduate thesis, and covering both old and new desks at work. I also presented at the Southwestern Anthropological Association convention in April, where I placed second in the poster competition. I presented my project a total of four times in the span of a month, and one was recorded by the campus. Pretty cool if I say so.

I’m putting the final touches on my thesis, and it will be ready for the final turn-in within the week (fingers crossed). The topic is pertinent, and I learned quite a bit about the research and interview process. I’ve already set my sites on next year. I won’t be in the Honors class, but I can still conduct research and present it at the SWAA conference next spring.

And now, on to upcoming fun. I will have my first in-person cooking demonstrations for the Fresno County Library in June and July, plus a new video that will be released on July 1st. I think it will be a lot of fun, and the best part is snacking on the goodies afterwards. We are going to film them and post on the HFWT YouTube channel so you can watch afterwards. You can always send an email to foodgroupie@forktravel.com if there is something that you want me to make. If you are in the Fresno/Clovis area, swing by the Fig Garden or Pinedale branches and watch the demo. It’s free and open to all ages.

There’s also a fun cooking challenge that I’ll be joining in a few weeks, and I’ll post more info as it gets closer. No spoilers, but it should be a blast.

Where has the year gone?

As I write this, we are one month from Christmas. One month. Did you do any shopping on Black Friday or the following weekend? We did not. Too many people, and we really don’t need anything that won’t go on sale again by the middle of December. I worked on homework and things around the house. This semester has been hectic even though I only have one class this fall. With 2024 around the corner, it’s time to start planning video ideas for the library and start creating content for my YouTube channel. There are only a few weeks left for the fall semester, so December will be a good time to tune in.

If you have any ideas for videos or recipes you’d like to see, drop a comment below.

Summertime is here

It is almost the middle of July, and we’re in for a hot time for the next week or so. We’re used to seeing hot (100+) temps June through September, but the first few runs are brutal. One of the challenges in the hot weather is figuring out what to eat. I have just the solution you need for several meals: roasted corn, poblano, and chicken salad, chicken lettuce cups, and an easy chicken Waldorf panini. The video and recipes will be up in a few days, so make sure to try them out and let me know what you think.

Curried Carrots

  • 1 pound of carrots, cut into coins or sticks
  • 2 tbsp butter or olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • ¼ cup orange juice (from 1/2 an orange)
  • 2 tsp curry powder (use more or less depending on preference)
  • ½ brown sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tsp parsley, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 fennel seed or celery seeds (optional)

In a large skillet add the carrots and water. Cook the carrots on medium high until you can pierce them easily with a fork. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the parsley to the pan and cook on medium low until the carrots are al dente and the glaze coats them. If the glaze starts get too thick, add a little water a tablespoon at a time and reduce the heat to low. Add the parsley and fold in.

If needed, add additional seasoning at this time.

Notes:

You can add dried cranberries or golden raisins, or swap out some of the carrots for parsnips.

Substitute olive oil or coconut oil for the butter.

Plum rosemary upside-down cake

  • 1 stick (8 tbsp) unsalted butter
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 tsp fresh or dried rosemary leaves, finely chopped
  • 4-5 ripe plums, halved, pitted, and cut into slices or chunks
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp ground coriander, optional

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with half of the butter sprinkle the brown sugar and rosemary over the bottom of the pan and arrange the plums in a single layer.

Whisk remaining butter, buttermilk, eggs, and sugar together. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and stir until well incorporated.

Carefully spread the batter over the plums and make sure it is evenly distributed. Bake 40-50 minutes until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove pan from oven and let cool 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Put a serving platter on top of the cake pan and carefully flip the pan over so the serving platter is on the bottom. Let cool completely before removing the pan.

You can serve it by itself, or top with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes:

If you don’t have buttermilk, add a tablespoon of fresh lemon juice or vinegar to a cup of regular milk.

You can leave the eggs out, but the cake will be a little denser than if you use them.

Summer zucchini and squash tart

  • 1 sheet puff pastry or pie crust dough
  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 tsp garlic powder or minced garlic
  • 1 tsp salt, divided
  • Black pepper
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
  • ½ cup shredded cheese (use your favorite)
  • 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp dill weed
  • Olive oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 medium yellow squash, cut into thin rounds (about 1 cup)
  • 1 medium zucchini, cut into thin rounds (about 1 cup)

Let the puff pastry or pie crust come to room temperature. Lightly flour a board and place the dough on top. Sprinkle a little flour on top and smooth over dough. Carefully roll the dough until it is about 1/8-1/4” thick and a little larger than the pan you are using.

In a medium bowl, combine the ricotta, parsley, dill, egg, ½ teaspoon salt, and mix well. Fold in half of the cheese. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the zucchini, yellow squash, ½ teaspoon salt, red pepper flakes, and drizzle with olive oil (about 2-3 tablespoons). Add pepper to taste and mix well. Make sure that the squash is lightly covered with seasoning and oil.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

If using a non-stick pan, lightly spray with oil. Gently lay the rolled dough over the pan and press into pan. There should be enough dough to hang over the top of the pan. You’ll trim this off before putting it into the oven.

Once the dough is in the pan, spread a thin layer of the ricotta mixture in the bottom (about 2 tablespoons). Taking the zucchini and yellow squash, arrange in a single layer on top of the ricotta. Add another layer of ricotta on top of the squash. This layer should be thicker, and will take around ¼ cup depending on the pan used.

Repeat the squash and ricotta layers until you reach the top of the pan. You want to end with a thin ricotta layer. Carefully trim the dough at the edge of the pan. If you have enough dough left, you can cut into shapes or make a decorative edge around the pan.

Top with the remaining cheese and bake 40-50 minutes, until the crust is golden and the squash is soft when poked with knife.

Remove from the oven and let cool at least 30 minutes before serving. This can be served warm or at room temperature.

Notes:

You can substitute asparagus for the squash and zucchini, but check the tart after 30 minutes in the oven. If it isn’t done then let it bake another 10-15 minutes, checking it every 5 minutes.

This is a great way to use whatever you have on hand for cheese and any leftover cooked vegetables or meat. Make sure to thinly slice or dice the meat used so that the tart is easy to eat.

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