Palin Poetry read by Shatner

Couldn't embed this video but this is worth watching: William Shatner reading Sarah Palin's farewell speech as poetry:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR4MDzIf6oM

Sweet Relief

After 3 nights of little sleep due to exceedingly hot bedrooms, drastic measures were required. I had in mind a little hotel just a few miles from home with a little pool and of course air conditioning. When I called I was told that they were fully booked, so I did some looking online for an alternate. After growing frustrated with several sites that listed many suitable hotels which were also not available I began a new search on yahoo travel, only to discover a listing for the hotel I had originally had in mind. I immediately clicked through for a reservation, and somehow got lucky and got a room for 2 nights.The current lifesavers: ice machine, air conditioner and cold beverage. Ahhh.

Go to folder - FileFactory.com

So Long, Farewell

As I was bringing Adelaide to school today I realized that because her Dad is picking her up today, this would be my last visit to the preschool, too. Adelaide got to stay up late last night due to the fact that she would either be roasting awake in her bed or roasting awake out in the living room with the rest of us, so she worked on cards for every teacher, a picture of them with all of their names, and a wall hanging (hearts she drew and cut out, strung on yarn with beads and notes).
We got the doughnuts and delivered them to school with much excitement. Adelaide is very pleased about all of it and I think she is definitely ready to move on. It feels strange to be ending 5 years of a routine and it will be interesting to go through the next two months of transitions.

Happy Last Day

Tomorrow is Adelaide's "Happy Last Day" at her preschool. So far, the plans include the bringing of a special snack and the eating of a doughnut breakfast before school. Adelaide spent a good portion of the afternoon composing and illustrating good-bye cards for her teachers.She did the writing herself by sounding out the words, occasionally asking me for what letter said a certain sound in the word. It reads: Dear Tiffany, I am sorry that I am graduating but I will be coming back.

Heat Wave

We've been experiencing record heat in Seattle, and in particular in my house. I employ a system of opening and closing doors and windows to maximize airflow but minimize sun and outdoor heat making its way inside, but this is additionally complicated by the lack of screens and lack of judgment on the part of the cat. (As in leaping from second story windows, getting outside but then getting scared and hiding somewhere outdoors for days on end, etc.)

Today Iris must have escaped while I was hanging laundry outside or squeezed through a barely open window. She can't have been out for more than an hour, but in this heat with her black fur she was in desperate shape when she returned. I heard a scraping sound at the back door and opened it to find her clawing desperately to get in. She was breathing rapidly and her little tongue was out and curled to make a tube.

I think she's feeling a bit better now,though she will probably stay passed out for quite a while. I'm hoping this will help her be less inclined to make escape attempts in the future.

Farm to Table, Part 3

The enchiladas were a success, and survived the drive to the coast packed in the cooler. They were quick to assemble and with the salad made for a satisfying meal.

Farm to Table, Part 2

I settled on enchilada casserole for the main dish, with fresh salsas, avocado, chips, and spice-rubbed tofu for appetizers. We'll have a big salad with heirloom tomatoes and peas from the farm for our greens, and the tofu chocolate mousse for dessert. So, for the enchiladas, most of the cooking is really going into the sauce, since that will make the dish. First I seeded and quartered 4 red peppers (yellow and orange being considered red here) and 2 anaheim chilies. Adding a walla walla sweet onion and a couple of small red salad onions, I gave everything a light coating of olive oil (I used my sprayer, but a brush coat or fingers works fine, too) and salt and popped it into a hot oven (I'd say around 400, but since my oven has no numbers on the dial its always a guess). Basically, you want to roast them for about 20 minutes or until they look pretty charred but not totally black.


For this recipie I went a little lighter because I was not planning on peeling them after. For others, a more thorough char assists in the peeling. Next I threw some fire-roasted tomatoes in my skillet with garlic, cumin, smoked paprika and some fennel seed which I had seared for a minute in hot olive oil. I used about 6 cloves of garlic and about a tablespoon each of the cumin and fennel. Just a small amount of the paprika. I used a 32oz can of Muir Glen tomatoes but I also like to roast my own when I have them, using the same technique as the peppers. I saved about half the can to blend and put half in with the chard so there will be some good chunks of tomato in the final dish.
Cook the chard down with a cover to steam it, should only take 5 minutes or so and look like this when it's done.
Prior to the sauce I actually used the same spices to season the tofu cutlets, first searing the spices on their own and then adding the tofu for a quick fry before baking them.


I removed a lot of the spice rub before baking so it wouldn't burn, and put them in a 250 - 300 degree oven for about 30 minutes. They can go shorter or longer, but too long and they will get dried out. They are kind of good that way, but more of a cracker than a cutlet!

These will be good with the salsas and chips, just cut into bite-sized pieces for a little protein with our snacks. I didn't photograph the salsas but I made one with heirloom tomatoes and one with mango and pickled jalapeno. Will try to get shots for part 3 if it works out.

When the peppers and onions were done roasting, I put them in a bowl and blended them with the rest of the tomatoes plus a little extra tomato sauce (about 1/2 of a 16 oz can). I added a pressed clove of fresh garlic and some salt and pepper, but the veggies were so sweet and smokey that the sauce really needed very little seasoning at all.


Since we're travelling to the coast and the meal isn't until Saturday, I put all of these items in containers to assemble when we get there. Given that I will be using corn tortillas in the casserole I decided it would be too mushy if it sat, and if I baked it today it might get dried out or over-baked when re-heating Saturday. In case I don't get any final photos, I intend to layer the sauce with corn tortillas, cheddar (for one dish, and almond rella for the vegan version), and thinly sliced quorn (faux chicken cutlets). Served with the salsas, avocado and salad, I think it will be a good spicy meal on a hot night.