Hawaii cuisine: Four Pepper Spicy Grilled Chicken

Growing up in Hawaii you develop an appreciation for cross cultural mingling, especially in cuisine. Kurt Winner, my husband a native New York to Hawaii transplant and an avid chef, developed this favorite family recipe years ago. You can use it to create kabobs along with fat quarters of red,green and yellow bell peppers and onions or as a simple marinade for grilled chicken. He favors it served Buffalo New York style with an Oregon twist; alongside some Oregon Rogue bleu cheese dip and crudites.

Four Pepper Spicy Grilled Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 package NOH Korean Kim Chee mix
• 3 pounds boneless chicken breasts
• Szechuan peppercorns,crushed
• black pepper,ground
• Cayenne pepper,ground
• chili pepper flakes
• bleu cheese, Rogue Bleu from Southern Oregon preferred
• Litehouse bleu cheese dressing,ready made
• crudites;celery sticks,broccoli florets,cherry tomatoes, cucumber sticks,red bell peppers

Directions:

A few hours before you wish to grill, sprinkle the NOH Kim Chee mix over the chicken in a zip lock bag, and as much of the four peppers as you wish ( be careful of the Szechuan - it overpowers easily) and put in the refrigerator. Prepare the crudites and arrange on a chilled platter. Crumble as much bleu cheese as you want into the Litehouse dressing and mix it together. When you are ready take the chicken out of the bag and grill it. Cut it into bite sized pieces and plate. Serve with the crudites plate and bleu cheese dip.

Serves six.

Note: NOH Kim Chee mix is available at Oriental Grocery on Southeast Portland's 82nd Avenue, Fu Bon shopping center on 82nd and Lilly Market in Southeast at 1001 N.E. Halsey. It contains chili pepper,garlic,ginger,shrimp salt and sugar.

Butte Creek Mill’s Bob Russell grinds it out

Bob Russell had a perfectly good life in toney Lake Oswego. He also had a huge collection of antiques- and “corporate uniform”neckties. But when Bob and His wife Debbie found an old mill along Little Butte Creek in Eagle Point, Oregon, the world changed for them.

Falling in love with the lifestyle along the Little Butte, a salmon tributary to the Rogue River, Bob and Debbie purchased the mill, a house across the street and an old cheese factory next door to the mill for an antique store. And Bob got rid of all of his neckties!

Bob greets me with a big smile from the flower-lined front porch of the 136 year old mill. “It’s the only grist mill in Oregon still grinding flour,” Bob tells me and the couple gathered in the entryway as he offers us a tour of the mill. He recites some history as we queue up behind him and waddle like ducklings behind Bob down the narrow stairs to the basement. “From as far back as1872 and far afield; farmers pulled their wagons filled with grain to the mill to have their flour ground. Every seventh bag of flour belonged to the miller as payment, to sell in the adjacent Butte Creek general store. Even the Klamath Indians came walking 90 miles from Fort Klamath to trade berries and leather goods for flour.”

At Butte Creek there is no water wheel. To our puzzled group Bob explains,” Butte Creek Mill is not a water wheel operated mill, rather the water in the millrace flows into a pen-stock twelve feet deep, where its weight provides pressure to activate the turbine that runs the wheels, belts and pulleys. This movement also turns the large millstones that grind the grain. “ Fearing he may lose us- he points to each part as he progresses through his delivery. Collectively, the lights turn on in our brains.

Clambering behind Bob again we stop in front of massive French buhr stones that still grind the grain today. Bob flips a switch and slowly the behemoths come to life. “ The sound of the working mill was very quiet,” his eyes twinkling as he continues,“ today we underplay the green power thing here!” Ad then he flashes that smile of a man who has found his passion in life.

Visit Bob and Debbie, antique store, and Mill store with it’s extensive collection of old food cans and bottles and purchase their scone mixes, pancake mix, fresh stone ground grains and much more at www.buttecreekmill.com . From the website you can click on a you tube version of Bob’s famous mill tour.

Here is a recipe for some delightful muffins found right on the back of Butte Creek Mill’s Bran Muffin Mix. But you’ll have to send for the mix via the website as there are no retail outlets in Portland. The mix contains all the wheat bran, stone ground whole wheat flour, wheat germ, buttermilk, baking soda, spices and salt you need. As it says on the bag, “ they’re addictive!”

UPSIDE DOWN PINEAPPLE BRAN MUFFINS

Make the bran muffin mix and stir in 1/2 cup crushed pineapple (juice drained and pressed out) omitting the raisins the mix calls for. Instead of mixing the 4 Tablespoons Honey the mix calls for add 4 tablespoons melted butter to it. Spoon the honey/butter mixture into the muffin cups to cover the bottom. Spoon muffin batter into cups to almost full. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until done. Serve upside down.

Prospect Hotel's Hazelnut French Toast

After a dreamy sleep you can smell the coffee in the morning from your room and if you are lucky they will be serving:

Whole Wheat Hazelnut French Toast

For two ( large portions)

Whole Wheat French Bread sliced in 1” thick pieces, 4 slices

3 large eggs

1/4 cup Half &Half

1/8 cup water

1/3 cup flour

2 Tablespoons Hazelnut syrup flavoring

Dash of salt

1tsp cinnamon

Chopped Oregon Hazelnuts

Process: Combine eggs, Half & Half, water , flour, syrup, salt, and cinnamon. Whip until batter is fluffy. Dip French Bread slices into batter and let soak for just a few seconds. Carefully place on low heat griddle such that batter drippings from bread are completely underneath each slice. Cook to a light brown. Flip and cook until center of bread “springs” back. - keeping heat low. Place two slices on plate dust with powdered sugar , sprinkle hazelnuts over top. Serve as the hotel does with a medium boiled egg, sausage patty and maple syrup. Then go for a walk!

Oregon mixed berry crisp

Oregon berries are the best in the world. A combination of all of Oregon's best berries; this easy recipe always evokes summer. Freeze the berries as they arrive in summer for summer baking and sweet memories in the fall and winter. My husband, Kurt Winner makes this popular dessert for every get together. Makes a large pan, great with homemade vanilla or chocolate fudge ice cream. The shortbread cookie crust is buttery and the perfect counter play to the ambrosia of mixed berries.

Oregon mixed berry crisp

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 5 -6 cups total of mixed berries: blueberry, marionberry, strawberry,blackberry, raspberry to fill a buttered 9x13 inch or 4 quart glass baking pan
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca, uncooked

Topping:

• 2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened and mostly melted
• 1 3/4 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Right in the glass pan mix all berries gently. Sprinkle with the sugar and tapioca- mix again. Set aside. In a mixing bowl sift flour, salt , sugars and baking powder. Mix with a fork . Pour in the butter and toss with a fork or hands until it is a coarse crumble. A mix of large and small pieces is good. Sprinkle topping over the berries evenly. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. Any left over is best kept in the fridge.

Makes a pan for a party of 12 large servings, 16 smaller portions.

Michoacán, the heart and soul of Mexico

From Global Writes Magazine: Michoacán, the heart and soul of Mexico Story and photos by Michelle Winner Edited by Kim Rahilly Ever dreamed of waking up in a city where time stands still? Where pink buildings glow in the sun as if lit from within? Add to this idyll a mass migration of butterflies. And yes, it's real! A toy seller in Morelia's Plaza Centro In a verdant mountains where Monarch butterflies winter beats the heart of old town Morelia. This 16th century Baroque city, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Cultural and Artistic Site, was built by the Spanish colonizers and thus boasts a grand cathedral, shaded plazas, elegant buildings of pink quarry stone, lyrical fountains, an aqueduct, tree-lined “calzadas” (pedestrian-only streets), and treasure troves of art and books. Largely undiscovered as an arts-and-culture tourism destination, Morelia offers a rich heritage of Spanish influence combined with ancient native culture, resulting in a vital and expressive city. The weather is delightful, too, at a steady 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer. The pink quarry stone cathedral marks the center of Morelia's historic district The Michoacán state in the middle of Mexico offers a diverse range of experiences that are just a few hours apart by car. You can visit a typical town festival (Paracho's guitar festival is in August; surf La Ticla, Playa Salandita and Boca Pascuales on the coast; enjoy warm cream of avocado soup at Mansion Del Cupatitzio's beautiful restaurant in Urupan, the capitol of avocado production; see traditional windowless, nail-less Indian cabin structures called “la troje” near Nurio; watch fishermen dip their famous butterfly nets into Pátzcuaro Lake and enjoy the enchanting capitol city of Morelia. Our guide Déborah López Garcia, a beautiful, aristocratic woman, made the culture and history of Morelia come alive for us. We traipsed through cobblestoned streets marveling at the cathedral's painted ceilings; learned the legacy of San Nicolas College; marveled at the Indian-faced cherubs decorating the altar at the Temple of the Roses; and heard guitar rifts wafting from behind a rugged wooden door at the Music Conservatory as Ms. Lopez Garcia relayed the factors that drove history and the struggles of the people. Suddenly, a young man ran up and told us in English that he was from Washington state, and that he was very surprised to see American journalists at his school. Just as quickly, he ran off to join his friends, switching into rapid-fire Spanish. After all, Morelia is filled with surprises. Chef Lucero's Churipo and Fish with Saint Leaf is an example of how she puts a new twist on traditional dishes Late in the afternoon, we settled into lunch at Restaurant LU, rising-star chef Lucero Soto Arriaga's “temple” of Michoacán-fusion cuisine. LU presents Michoacan's traditional ingredients in a fresh way that combines ancient and modern preparation techniques. Her menu is almost a metaphor for modern Morelia: it reflects a reverence for the old while embracing new ideas. The cuisine and the city are delicious! Morelia has been a conduit for several AP stories on the drug wars in the mountains of Michoacán, but I can tell you that my personal safety was never in question. The city is beautiful, elegant and full of things to discover including the outlying towns representing the two dynasties that shaped the Michoacan. Charming Pátzcuaro, referred to locally as the “magic town,” feels untouched since the time of the Conquistadors. The ruins of the ancient Purépecha Indian kingdom of Tzintzuntzan was built stone-by-stone on a hill overlooking Pátzcuaro Lake. TRAVEL INFORMATION Tourism Office Juan Bosco Castro Garcia, Promotion Director at the Secretaria de Tourismo's office or Altizma Reyes de la Torre in Public Relations can assist you with an outline of an ideal trip. www.michoacan.gob.mx Déborah López Garcia offers personally guided tours, and I strongly recommend that you contact her. Traveling with a native speaker and guide is an invaluable way to get the most out of your time here. Email: deborahlg@hotmail.com In Morelia I recommend: Casa San Diego suites and restaurant. This sleek hotel of carved stone and modern design comes alive on the rooftop lounge, a hotspot for young Morelians. Manager José Miguel Salcedo Maldonado is also the chef, and he offers delightful small bites and a signature cocktail made with “tamarindo.” You will sleep best in a room that's not too close to the lounge. www.casasandiego.com.mx Hotel Virrey de Mendoza. With views of the nearby cathedral, this former palatial house has “seen” local history unfold as it passed through the hands of Spaniards, and survived the Mexican Revolution. During one period, it was even turned into a customs house. But since its conversion in 1939, it has remained an ornate hotel offering style and grace to any stay. Locals enjoy drinks overlooking the town square. www.hotelvirrey.com Villa Montaña Hotel and Spa, a maze of secret gardens, bungalows, trellises and a sparkling pool overlooking the city, this hotel also offers breathtaking views of twinkling Morelia from the restaurant. See their Blackberry Margarita recipe below. www.villamontana.com.mx "Villa Montaña's Blackberry Margarita Serves: 1 1 ounce simple syrup 2 ounces white tequila Juice of half a lime 1 ounce Triple Sec or Controy, the Mexican orange liquor 3-6 fresh blackberries, mashed Coarse sea salt Prepare a salt-rimmed glass by dipping the rim into cold water and shaking off the excess. Pour a generous amount of sea salt onto small plate. Dip the damp rim into the salt. Shake off the excess. Place the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with five ice cubes. Cover, shake to blend and strain into prepared glass containing four ice cubes. Hint: you may want to try it with a little ground chile powder mixed with the salt to rim the glass. “Mucho Gusto!”" Chef Lucero Soto Arriaga‘s Restaurant LU is a not-to-miss restaurant for Michoacán cuisine. It is inside the Best Western Hotel Casino at 229 Portal Hidalgo, 58000 Morelia, Mich., Mexico. Tel: + 52 443 313 1328. Email: reservaciones@hotelcasino.com.mx At San Miguelito Restaurant, San Antonio rules the roost…albeit upside down! Figures of Saint Anthony are suspended upside down from the ceiling and walls in the back room. The saint's favorable response to your wish might bring you money or a husband. Of special interest is the testimonial book, but watch out for the geezers who sit at a back table preying on maidens looking for a spouse. A pretty brilliant tactic if you ask me! www.sanmiguelito.com.mx El Gustito “Cochina Traditional” is a sweet home-style restaurant serving Michoacán comfort food. Try the cooling mint drink and Michoacán enchilada with potato and carrot. It is at #359 Aldama Street. Nurio's old church is decorated for a festival Hotel Los Juaninos has a perfect restaurant, La Azotea, for breakfast with a terrace overlooking the cathedral. Enjoy fresh-squeezed juices, crepes stuffed with mushrooms or the truffle-like huitlacoche, a local delicacy. www.hoteljuaninos.com.mx Museo del Dulce. Morelia is famous for its sweets, particularly fruit geleés made of quince and guava. Watch the preparation on a wood-fired stove in the museum‘s traditional kitchen. Pick up some candies for the folks back home from the Victorian-costumed staff, and sample Rompope, a popular, sweet eggnog-type drink. It is at Av. Madero Oriente #440, Centro Historico. In Pázcuaro, I recommend: Hosteria de San Felipe is a comfortable hotel just outside of the old city that is surrounded by patios and charming gardens, and serves lovely traditional meals. It is managed by the vivacious Fabiola Huerta H. www.hosteriadesanfelipe.com.mx At the palatial La Mansión de los Sueños you will not find a bustling lobby even though it is only a block from Pázcuaro's Plaza Vasco de Quiroga named for the beloved first Michoacán bishop and protector of the people. You will find a fully restored grand residence with inner courtyards, exquisite murals and yes, a suite full of dreams. www.prismas.com.mx © Story and photos by Michelle Winner, 2009 Chronological Wining and Dining in Charlottesville and Alemarle County by Joe Hilbers Adventures in Sicily by Rosie DeQuattro SPAIN'S COSTA DEL SOL by Carol Oldham O'Hara FOREIGN SERVICE by Peter I. Rose Tauck Swiss Jewel is a Gem by Lillian Africano 1 to 5 of 110 The official magazine of: International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association (IFWTWA) © 2007 International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association CharlotteCountyWebsites.com

Bride Wore Birekenstocks II: Solstice Salad

Unconcerned with the reception preparations going on all around them, the wedding party posed for their portraits near the fairy-tale white tent. Nattily attired in beige suits with ties of cotton candy pink, the groom's men stood smiling. The maid's simple column dresses with tonal graduation from deep ruby to ice pink complemented the bride's re-embroidered Italian lace top and long silk skirt.

Two little flower girls twirled in circles to spin their beautiful dresses as all little flower girls do, maryjanes tapping on the wooden deck. The young ring bearer wearing a tiny suit and a serious expression was getting some last minute advice from his dad about what an important job he had to do. Everyone looked cool and elegant.

Here is another delightful summer wedding favorite from our wedding planner at Historical Church Wedding Planning & Officiants . It's tasty, colorful and keeps crisp for a summer wedding reception on a bed of ice .

Solstice Salad

Double/ triple/etc. this recipe makes enough for 18-20

• 1 pound package frozen ( NOT CANNED) petite peas
• 1 pound package frozen white corn
• 1 large sweet red pepper
• 2 ribs celery diced
• 3 scallions
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1/2 cup cilantro, minced
• 1- one pound can black beans rinsed and drained
• 1- one pound can cannelloni or garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1- one pound can dark red kidney beans , drained and rinsed

Combine the first seven ingredients with dressing carefully by folding together.

Spicy Cumin Vinaigrette

• 1/4 cup wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 huge clove of garlic, mashed
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce ( Tabasco or similar- I like the Mexican brands)

Combine all in a large jar and shake . Pour over the salad and chill for 4 hours.

The Bride wore Birkenstocks: Chicken Paprika

As a wedding planner and officiant in my other life, I have been to many weddings. I have never been more impressed by a recent bride and groom's attitude on their wedding day in June. When their outdoor wedding threatened to be interrupted by a downpour, they and their families were determined that the joy of their union would not be spoiled by the weather.

The decision was made to move the ceremony under the reception tent. Predictability here in Oregon is unpredictable. So just a few minutes late, the radiant bride walked out on her father's arm ( under an umbrella) to her groom. The light drizzle some say became a kiss from god.

Here is a recipe that you can use for your own celebration. It can be doubled /tripled or made to whatever quantity you need. A crowd pleaser, you may add a 1/2 cup of dry white wine to the dish to make it more elegant. At my daughter's own wedding a variation was served substituting brandy for the wine and adding capers ( pickled nasturtium flower buds).

Chicken Paprika Romance

Serves 6-8

This is suited to a home wedding because you can do it ahead and heat and serve before the reception. Multiply by eight to serve fifty but reduce the onion soup by two for that amount. Cook in batches. If you want to use brown rice use a higher setting and increase liquid by 1/2 cup more.

• 2 to 3 pounds chicken skin removed( boneless skinless breasts and thighs are perfect)cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1 cup rice (Not Uncle Ben! Use Hinode or Calrose and rinse well)
• 2 1/2 cups water or broth ( I reduce to 1 1/2 cups and add 1/2 cup dry white wine)
• 1 envelope dried onion soup mix
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 12 oz. sliced mushrooms ( morels, chanterelles, baby portabellos,cremini brown or white or mixed)
• ground Hungarian Paprika

Butter or Pam spray the bottom of a 9x13 casserole. Sprinkle rice evenly. Place chicken pieces on rice and dust with paprika. Mix onion soup mix, mushroom soup, mushrooms and broth( and wine). Spread evenly over chicken and rice. Bake covered tightly with foil at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1./2 hours. Uncover and bake an additional 1/2 hour to brown top. Serve garnished with parsley and more Paprika.

Beach House strawberry pie

Each summer I vow to discard the clutter in my life. Pare down and keep only what is necessary. How many spools of ribbon does one need to be happy? Do I need more than 100 books? And the odd piece of silk or the obscure album " The Banjo Barons do Golden Hawaiian hits"?

I came up with a mantra to reduce the ephemera; think BEACH HOUSE. Yes, beach house. Think about all of the stuff a beach house doesn't have. I don't mean the second-home-as-mansion type. A real beach house, the one you sweep sand out with a broom. It seems we can make do with what we really need; a bed, place to cook, maybe an indoor-outdoor bath, a cold beverage and the book we are currently reading. In this venue, I'm perfectly content to rinse out my swimsuit and put it back on the next day.

Say BEACH HOUSE as you remove the quilts and artwork, extra photos, throw rugs and toss pillows. Put up a gathered flower wreath or sea shore prints, sling gauzy panels of fabric over bamboo rods and create an outdoor living space. Fix up a corner of your deck and have coffee out there tomorrow.

So what about the kitchen? Well of course you have fresh herbs planted nearby and you are declaring the oven 'off limits' until October, right? Unpretentious and fresh,summer cuisine is all about what's right here, right now. Think chilled soups, portobello mushroom teriyaki sandwiches, cappresse salad and for dessert? Try this easy cooling pie.

Beach House strawberry pie

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 4 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 pints fresh local strawberries
• 1 10 ounce package frozen strawberries thawed
• 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• nine-inch microwave pie shell ( see below)
• sweetened whip cream or prepared topping

Combine sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl, stir in thawed berries. Microwave for two minutes at high setting . Stir the mix then microwave for two to three minutes or more until the mix thickens, stirring every minute. Stir in the lemon juice and cool slightly . Arrange the strawberries stem end down in the shell. Spoon sauce over the berries. Chill for at least two hours, serve with topping.

Microwave pie shell

• 1 1/4 cup unsifted flour
• dash of salt
• 1/2 cup margarine or sweet cream butter( softened)
• 2 to 3 tablespoons iced water

Although it won't be browned the fat will give it a gold color. Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut the butter or marg.in until you have coarse crumbs using a fork or pastry cutter. Sprinkle the ice water a little at a time while tossing with the fork until dough forms. Form a ball and roll out to a 13 inch circle. Drape into pie plate, press to remove air pockets and prick all over with a fork. Chill for 30 minutes. Microwave the shell on high for 6 to 7 minutes or until pastry is dry and opaque, cool on rack before filling.

Krista Frank's Luscious Fudge Brownies

Krista Frank is a whirlwind about town; specifically Rhododendron and the Villages of Mt. Hood corridor where she lives with her family. How many of us can say that they have produced a cookbook to benefit Welches elementary school, ran a Red Cross blood drive, had a featured recipe in a national magazine, help at our family business, volunteer whenever someone needs help and are raising two young sons?

A couple of years ago I interviewed her and found out that Krista's interest in cooking ranges from creating new recipes, working on a cookbook for lactose intolerant diets- recipes that appeal to children, field editing for Reiman publications Taste of Home magazine and winning cooking contests.

"I bake and cook a lot. I am all for cooking low-fat, low-salt, high flavor foods in a budget friendly way, " she says. Always in a spirit of sharing, Krista said she'd be delighted if we published her brownie recipe . Here is a link to her salmon recipe pictured above. Thanks Krista!

Krista's Luscious Fudge Brownies
shared by Krista Frank of Rhododendron, OR

1 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
3 Tablespoons reduced-fat vanilla yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt

In a small bowl, combine the sugar, butter, yogurt and vanilla. Stir in egg until blended. Combine flour, cocoa and salt; stir into sugar mixture. Transfer to an 8-in. square baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted neat the center comes out clean and brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool on a wore rack. Cut into eight pieces, then cut each diagonally in half. Yield: 16 brownies.
Nutrition Facts: 2 brownies equals 201 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 38 mg cholesterol, 93 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat.

Fresh Peach Ice Cream by Donvier machine

Ahhh . . the simple pleasures of summer in the Northwest. Berries and peaches abound and practically beg us to a supply store like Williams Sonoma or Kitchen Kaboodle in Portland for best selection. The machine capacities and pricing vary too. There are machines that are electric, some operate by hand crank using rock salt with ice, some are partially hand cranked, partially finished in the freezer.

My favorite is this Donvier hand crank with a frozen insert. You just leave the insert in your freezer and when you want to make ice cream, put the insert in the machine, fill it with the mixture and turn the crank! For the ice cream lovers, it's advisable to buy another insert and have two in the freezer. You can make two flavors this way or speed up production of one flavor.Now that you have your ice cream maker, the variety of recipes astounds. Many are no-cook, microwavable and gelatin based. But the most traditional starts with a cooked custard. This recipe is rich and almost no-fail. The only way to flop is if you use the wrong salt-to-ice ratio in a machine that freezes with rock salt and packed ice. So carefully read the directions and measure salt.

Fresh Peach Ice Cream

makes: 3 pints

time:prep & cook:35 minutes

chill time : minimum 4 hours plus makers directions to prep

• hints: custard keeps 2-3 days make it ahead, keep refrigerated
• to make custard: whisk almost continuously for 30 minutes or until it coats the spoon, in large saucepan over medium heat: 3 whole eggs, 1 cup sugar,2 cups low-fat milk. Set aside custard to cool.
• prepare peaches: Dip 3 large peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, plunge into ice water , slip off skins, Chop coarsely.
• blend: in blender blend 2 of the peaches
• add: blended peaches and 1 chopped peach
• add: 2 cups whipping cream and 1 tablespoon vanilla
• pour: peach cream mixture into large bowl and whisk together with the prepared custard.
• chill: no less than 4 hours
• make ice cream: follow ice cream makers/ manufacturers directions

Two options for low-fat dips

It's the middle of summer and most are settling into a more relaxed schedule . The heavy drapes on the windows have been long since been tossed open and the heavy foods of past seasons, discarded. We are circling our lawn chairs around the barbecue and bellying up to the bar. Appetizer and snack bar that is.

Summer veggies are in all of the farmers markets. Pick some up as the Europeans do; just for now, just this meal. Go beyond blanched broccoli and carrot and celery sticks. Try tender, whole baby peas in the pod, sliced jicama and diakon, blanched cauliflower or baby romaine hearts as scoops. Arrange them on individual plates for easy nibbling as a prelude to your grilled meal. Texture and vitality await. Here are two options for low-fat dips that provide enough punch to get your family or guests through to the entree.

Mom's cottage cheese dip

• 1 small container cottage cheese ( large curd lower-fat)
• 3 Tablespoons cut chives or any fresh herb that marries well with garlic
• one fresh, large minced clove garlic
• dash of Tabasco ( optional)

Put all in blender, whirl until smooth and serve in small dip bowl with crudites or chips.

Piquillo pepper dip

• 1- 10 ounce jar Piquillo peppers, well drained
• 1 clove garlic
• sea salt to taste

Put all in blender, whirl until smooth and serve in small dip bowl.

Dirt Cheap Nachos

Summertime food by necessity is easy, fast and fuss-free. This recipe made from ingredients purchased from the GroceryOutlet bargain market is also very inexpensive. Using canned ready made chili eliminates cooking meat and you can come up with all sorts of substitutions and garnishes.

Just how cheap is this recipe? Considering that these are all first quality indgredients and these nachos could be the best you have ever tasted; you'll be pleased to know the total cost is $9.76 for a huge pan and that comes out to $2.44 each for four people. This gives you lots of time and a few extra pesos to enjoy a margarita !

Dirt Cheap Nachos

• one can Santa Fe Chicken chili ($1.29)
• can Silverado chili ($.99)
• family size bag Tostitos ($3.99) or Rosalindas chips (1pound 8oz.. $1.99)
• 1 small can Jalapeno peppers ($1.29)
• 1/4 pound each: Colby Jack cheese($2.87 for 1/2 pound), Cheddar($3.49 per pound), American (.99 /10 oz.) all grated
• one yellow onion ($1.69 for 7pc.s)
• 1 bunch cilantro (2 bunches for .88)
• 1 bunch green onion (2 bunches for $1.)
• Sour cream for garnish optional (.99 carton)

Arrange chips, enough to cover a foil lined sheet/cookie sheet. Top with the two cans of chili. Chop onions and sprinkle over this. Sprinkle jalapenos and cheeses over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes until cheese melts and browns a bit. Serve warm from the pan. Top with chopped cilantro and a dollop of sour cream. You can also add a few chunks of fresh tomato from your garden.

Portland Saturday Market has moved to Tom McCall Waterfront Park

The popular Portland Saturday Market has moved to Tom McCall Waterfront Park and is celebrating the move. Long a draw for tourists and locals alike, everyone interested in finding heart of Portland stops here. But come hungry.

In addition to a great variety of some wonderful, and some strange, crafts people and artisans, there is an abundance of food vendors on scene. Cupcakes, Bavarian roasted nuts, homemade jams and butters, Guatemalan food, handmade chocolate, locally roasted coffees, homemade bratwurst, heart shaped Lebanese falafel, ice creams in addition to barbecue plates and Mexican food. Lots to delight your out-of-town friends or provide a typical Portland experience for yourself. But this is not a tea party type-excursion. Be prepared to see many different sorts of people. From the absurd to the adorable, this is truly a "keep Portland weird" adventure. You'll see!

A grand opening is scheduled in August. Go to the market's page by clicking on the list provided under markets on this article page lower right corner. The market is open from February 28th to the 24th of December each year and runs from 10 Am to 5Pm on Saturdays and it is also open on Sundays 11Am to 4:30Pm. Tip: spend $25.00 and keep receipts for 2 hours free parking. Consult site for details on where this is honored. http://www.saturdaymarket.org

Rum lovers are celebrating Rum Month this July with drinks, sauces, desserts and all things rum! This Rum Torte is a colorful, easy dessert that looks as if you spent all day baking. Begin with a yellow box cake mix and a couple of jars of the best preserves. Buy a good rum , I prefer deep dark Jamaican Myers's rum . You can decorate with fresh cherries in season now or opt for jarred Amarones from Italy. Do allow for it to set and chill for 24 hours before serving.

Rum Torte

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1/2 jar apricot preserves
• 1/2 jar raspberry preserves
• 1 cup whipped cream,whipped to stiff peaks
• 1 cup whole pecans or walnuts
• cherries for decoration
• dark rum to brush on layers

Bake cake mix according to directions in two round layers and cool completely. Split each layer horizontally creating 4 layers. ( Do this with a piece of fishing line held taut and pulled through layer evenly). Set this on one of those cake keepers that come with a top cover. To assemble, brush each layer with paint brush dipped in rum. Alternate fillings. Raspberry, whipped cream, apricot etc. Spread whipped cream on top and sides of cake . Decorate with pecans or walnuts and cherries. Cover and refrigerate 24 hours. More on Rum Month go to http://www.examiner.com/category-rum_month.html

It's a summer tradition here in the Northwest. Portlanders and Seattle-ites flee the city and head for the beach as soon as the kids are out of school.

If you are a seafood lover, the Washington Peninsula with miles and miles of sandy beach and just-caught seafood should be on your radar.

Willapa Bay, famous for it's oysters, borders one side of the long finger of land. Sweet Dungeness crab is pulled from the Pacific Ocean on the other. The Southwestern bottom of the peninsula melts right into the Columbia River where sturgeon and salmon are king.

Stay beachfront in Long Beach or Seaview or port side in Ilwaco. It doesn't matter. But make a dinner reservation at Jimella's Fish Market & Cafe. Long time "Ark" restaurant owner chefs Jimella Lucas and Nanci Main are back in business with their new cafe and may I tell you firsthand that the fresh seafood is not to be missed. Anything she does with an oyster like the succulent pan fried ones above at ethereal. Call 360-665-4847, located at 21712 Pacific Way, Klipsan Beach, Washington, reservations are a must.

If you are not able to go, get thee to a first rate seafood purveyor in Portland. Nanci and Jimella graciously share this recipe from their latest book with you. ( used with permission, ISBN:1-55868-595-2)

Oysters Italian, From "The Best of the Ark and More! " By Nanci Main and Jimella Lucas

• 24 oysters,extra small grade
• 1/4 c. brandy
• 1/2 c. garlic butter
• 1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
• parsley for garnish
• lemon wedges for garnish

Wash and shuck the fresh oysters. Clear both muscles, top and bottom, and return to shell.

Place oysters in the half-shell in a 1" x 9" x 13" baking pan. Sprinkle each oyster with 1/2 t brandy and top with at least 1 t garlic butter and 1 t Parmesan.

In preheated 425 degree oven, bake until cheese melts and oysters are gently poached in garlic butter, about 6 to 8 minutes.Remove and place on serving dishes. Garnish with parsley, lemon wedges and serve immediately.