Author Archives: Patti

SEPTEMBER 2019 TRAILER TRIP – CANADA (and a bit of Washington state too)

From our campsite in Yoho National Park (Kicking Horse Campground).

OK, I don’t usually write a trip report when we go on trailer trips. I don’t know why I’ve never written one before, but this time I decided I would post about our recent camping adventure. I realized more and more of our friends have discovered that living out of a trailer while seeing some of the most beautiful countryside in the world is as enjoyable as we have always said it was. (Actually it has very little to do with us. It’s just that our friends are getting older right along with us, and sleeping in a tent (strike that) getting in and out of a tent on knees that are starting to develop or are already suffering from arthritis, is not fun anymore! And getting soaked while trying to cook dinner in a horrific rain storm has jolly well lost its appeal too. Just like carrying a heavy pack while traversing mountain trails somehow doesn’t hold the cachet it did when we were say – 40. So where some of our friends used to be avid tenters and/or owned boats and enjoyed fun adventures on Puget Sound, age and reality just naturally led to discovering the joy of land yachts.)

Now for some of you who have never spent a night in a travel trailer or RV, let me begin by laying out some of the reasons why going to all the trouble of hauling one of these babies around is such a delight. First of all – you always have a bathroom at your disposal. And for those of you who are over the age of 60, you understand how comforting that can be. Also, you unpack your cloths once. Once. No more getting in and out of luggage at every change of location. Then of course, you have your own bed and pillow. And, you can open windows.

Now that may not seem like a big thing to some of you. But I hate sleeping in a hotel room and not being able to get fresh air when I want it! Then of course there is the food aspect of having your second “home” with you everywhere you go. You can bring supplies for breakfast, lunch, and dinner should you so choose to have all 3 squares in the privacy of your own space. (You don’t have to of course, but the option is always there!) And ice. Our freezer make ice overnight. The freezers in most trailers today are large enough that you can bring enough frozen items for a whole month of meals. Even ice cream. And I have to say. If you have never been in the middle of absolutely nowhere, and enjoyed a frozen Dove Bar in the middle of summer, you have simply not lived! And I have never yet been in a hotel that allows you to keep your door open, sit outside in the fresh air, feel the sun on your face, listening to ocean waves or the gurgle of a river, reading a good book, with your favorite libation on a little table beside you. At least, not for $40-$50 a night!

Now of course there are the drawbacks. But frankly sitting here in Kootenay National Park looking at the aspen trees whose leaves are just starting to change color, I can’t think of a single one.

So please enjoy the brief daily log of where we were and where we stayed. But please understand. This is mainly a record for Mr. C. and me and for our friends who also spend time in their trailers. This post records the route we took, the campground plus site number where we stayed, and any recommendations (including restaurants along the way) we think you might consider valuable.

Tuesday, September 10, 2019 – Camano Island to Hope, British Columbia (BC)

Had lunch at Bob’s Burgers and Brew in Sumas (where we crossed the border.) Good burgers and fries.

At Abbotsford, took Trans-Canada Highway (TCH) 1 to Hope, BC (beautiful scenery)

Coquihalla Campground, fabulous site 113 on the river. And since we would only be in camp for one night, we didn’t unhook. (Makes for a fast get-away!)

the Coquihalla River

Wednesday, September 11, 2019 – Hope, BC to Hedley, BC

Jumped onto Hwy. 3 (Crow’s Nest Highway) thru Manning Park and on to Hedley.

No lunch on route.

Riverhaven RV Park, site 8 on the river. Fabulous campground. Very clean and well-manicured.

Could not have been a more beautiful camp site. And the owner was wonderful. She went out of her way to make us feel welcome. She genuinely wanted us to enjoy our stay in her park. Even had charming neighbors. Not invasive, just pleasant.
lunch by the Similkameen River
happy camper

Thursday, September, 12, 2019 – Hedley, BC to Christina Lake, BC

Continued on Hwy. 3 to Christina Lake

Had lunch in Midway, BC in the Kettle River Valley at Mile 0 (zero) Diner. Wonderful food!

Schulli Resort, site 16 near lake
OK campground. Very pleasant owner. $40 (Canadian) Cash only

OK campsite.
We were fairly close to Christina Lake. This picture taken from my reading spot in the shade of a lovely old tree, complete with squirrels.

Friday, September 13, 2019 – Christina Lake, BC to Cranbrook, BC

Hwy 3 all day!

Lunch in Creston, BC at Jimmy’s Bar & Grill. Food was fine. Beer was great!

Beer – not just for breakfast any more!

Cranbrook/St. Eugene KOA, site 31 right on the river

Brand new campground. Lovely setting on First Nation land. And right next door – casino and golf course. But very quiet and lovely grounds. Would stay there again. People in office were charming.

St. Mary’s River

Saturday, September 14, 2019 – Cranbrook, BC to Kootenay National Park (NP) – Redstreak Campground, site F 31 (pull-thru with lots of room between sites)

Hwys. 93 and 95 (beautiful scenery)

No lunch on route.

Sunday, September 15, 2019 – Kootenay NP

Drove through the park all the way to the Banff NP entrance (also the Continental Divide and the Alberta border). Turned around and drove back through cloudy and rainy weather. Hopeful that weather the next day would be better. What we could see was absolutely beautiful.

Monday, September 16, 2019 – Kootenay NP

Drove back north through the park as far as Vermilion Crossing where we had a picnic lunch (in the truck) because once again, the weather was not conducive to being outside. But what we could see was glorious. We definitely want to return and explore this park in better weather. Beautiful does not even begin to describe what we saw.

Wild life was abundant. Several sightings of big horn sheep (even in camp), mountain goats, and one lone elk with a rack larger than the rest of his body. He was splendid and he knew it!

Picture taken right next to the Vermillion River Crossing.
Looking further down stream.

Tuesday, September 17, 2019 – Redstreak Campground through the Northern part of Banff NP which leads to Jaspar NP – Pocahontas Campground – Site D 15

What an incredible ride. We drove north on 95, then turned East on TransCanada 1 to hwy. 93 North to Jaspar. In Jaspar we turned North East on hwy. 16 to our campground which is only a few klicks from the East Gate entrance to Jaspar NP. It was a long day. But the Canadian Rockies are exquisite. In any direction we looked, high incredibly beautiful mountains and lovely valleys filled the horizon.

Bighorn Sheep
One of many glaciers and snowfields we saw from the road.

When we finally reached camp, we were tired. But when we saw our camp site, our energy returned. Our camp site was tucked into the woods, with a lot of room between sites, and our trailer backed up against a creek. Lovely and very, very quiet.

Mountain creek behind our camp site. We could hear it at night. Lovely.

Wednesday, September 18, 2019 – Jaspar NP

Today we decided to go north and east out of the park to the town of Hinton to get gas. With a full tank of gas we decided to go even further afield and do some exploring. So we drove north on the “scenic route to Alaska” (so described on the road signage) headed for the town of Grande Cache which is about 143 klicks from Hinton. We had never traveled as far north in all the many times we had camped in British Columbia and Alberta. So this was a real adventure. New territory. And we so love to explore new areas of the world.

And we were not disappointed. We were basically in the eastern foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Up and down hills, around lakes, and trees everywhere we looked. The larch, aspen, and cotton wood trees were all turning yellow so the color contrast with the evergreens was delightful. The weather never got boring either. One minute the sun was shining. The next minute our wipers were barely able to keep up with the liquid onslaught.

Then back to our dry camp. (Dry camp definition. No water, electric, or septic hookups.) Note to friends thinking about buying a travel trailer. Get one with a solar panel on the roof. And yes it costs more. But – you can dry camp without fear of losing power. OK – you can’t run your microwave or toaster. So what! You can however, read into the wee small hours of the night. You can re-charge your phone, Nook, or Kindle. You can run the fan above your stove and your fantastic fans (look it up) so you are never without a lovely flow of air even in very warm weather. And – now this is important so pay attention – you can turn on lights and read until your eyes fall out of your head. (We love to read, can you tell?) But no, you can’t watch TV when dry camping. So if you are accustomed to watching TV every night – don’t dry camp! Simple solution.

Thursday, September 19, 2019 – Jaspar NP

A slow start to our day this morning. A leisurely breakfast and time spent studying our map to plot out our destination for today’s trip in the park. Since we had stayed in Jaspar previously, we had already visited most of the hot tourist spots. But we had not visited Maligne Lake. And I am so glad we decided to make this lovely lake our destination for today. We saw a moose. A moose! In the woods. Not in a marshy area where you normally think a moose would be found munching away on tender shoots. Nope, this guy was just off the road in a forested area. And this was no little guy. This was a full grown male moose. Big old rack and all. It was thrilling to say the least.

As stated above, we were on our way to Maligne Lake in the East Central area of the park. Up through forested areas and next to rushing rivers. When we arrived at the lake, there were scores of people. We finally found a place to park and walked down to the shore to take pictures. It was only about 50 degrees and the threat of rain was ever present. So we didn’t spend too much time walking around.

Then back in the truck and back towards camp. But first a stop at the Maligne Canyon. Again rain was sputtering at us when we got out of the truck. But with rain jackets on and trekking poles firmly affixed to our hands, off we proceeded to bridge 1 & 2.

Now I have seen narrow canyons before, and rivers at the bottom of canyons before, but I have never seen a narrower canyon with the water so far below us. It was crazy exciting to view. An easy walk too. (Always like that!) And because of the nature of the rock that formed the canyon walls, there were potholes of every size for the water to swirl around in.

Couldn’t even see the water it was so far down in the canyon.
a dry pothole
View from the 2nd bridge
The first bridge (I think)
Up near the top of the canyon

Then back to the truck and on to Jaspar (the village) to gas up and check our email. (No service at our camp ground.)

Along the way back north to our campground, we saw more bighorn sheep, a nice elk, and about 5 trains. (Being train lovers, we are always on the lookout for bright single headlights on tracks.)

Then a bit of shopping in Hinton (we had forgotten to get new batteries for our trailer smoke alarms while we were in Jaspar). And because we hadn’t had any lunch and it was getting on towards 5:00, we decided to stop for dinner at Mr. Mike’s Steak House (casual). OK, but not amazing.

Friday, September 20, 2019 – Yoho NP – Kicking Horse Campground – site 85

What an incredible drive through Yoho and into Banff NP. Past innumerable ice fields and glaciers.

Andy thinking to himself – see anything you like, dear? Patti thinking to herself – it just doesn’t get any better than this! I can’t wait to come back.

Then onto TransCanada 1 and down to Kicking Horse Campground.

Got into camp about 10 minutes before Rick and Katie (Andy’s sister and her husband).

Had a wonderful dinner with them and then off to bed with dreams of all the wonderful sights we would see the next day.

Saturday, September 21, 2019 – Yoho NP

Got an early start (10:45) on our sight-seeing trip to see beautiful Takakkaw falls conveniently located at the end of the road our campground was on.

Andy, Patti, Rick & Katie – the intrepid travelers
waterfall runoff

While taking the short path to get a close and personal look at the bottom of the falls, we realized there were several climbers on the vertical walls of this giant rock. Good grief! We watched them for a while through our binoculars, then slowly wound our way back to our trucks. Next destination – Lake Louise. But first a stop at the spiral tunnels. And of course, not a train in sight this visit. When Mr. C. and I had visited this area 7 years before, we had watched a train go into one end of the tunnel, and then out the other end with some of the cars still going into the side of the hill. Amazing. For more information about the spiral tunnels, go online and watch one of the many YouTubes that show this marvel of railroad engineering. But on to Lake Louise. And OMG!

Seven years ago when we were in the area and had visited Lake Louise, same time of year BTW, we had no problem parking and walking around the lake. This time, all the parking lots were full and it was a total mad house. At least we had cell phone service, so we decided that none of us wanted to fight the crowds and we would go somewhere else for the day. So we left Lake Louise behind and headed for Fields. On our way to Fields, we stopped along the road for a picnic lunch. While we were eating, Rick spied Mountain Goats on the rocky mountain face across the highway. So we spent some quality time checking out the white fuzzy critters hanging out on bare rocky outcrops. Delightful.

When we reached Fields, it was basically just a small town very close to our camp ground. But it was delightful in its rural simplicity. Tiny homes, tiny yards, but lots of charm. And of course like everywhere else in the vicinity, lots of people. All we really wanted was a cup of coffee. But apparently everyone else wanted something too, so we decided to just go back to camp and make our own coffee. So there!

While Rick, Katie, and Mr. C. went for a hike near our campground, I worked on dinner. Then a quiet evening in camp and an early bedtime. 9 plus hours later we got up for Sunday’s adventure.

Sunday, September 22, 2019 – Yoho NP

Again an early start around 10:15. (OK, so 10:15 is not early by some standards, but we are on vacation. And what that means is that we can get out of bed any old darn time we want! And then there are showers to be had, coffee to be drunk, breakfast to be made, and plans to be hatched. This all takes time!)

So today’s agenda included a drive to, and a hike around Emerald Lake. And again – people everywhere. So parking quite away from the lake, we got out our warm jackets and trekking poles and away we went. Well I got about 1/3rd of the way around the lake (over 3 miles around the whole lake) when I decided I had walked far enough. But Rick, Katie, and Mr. C. decided to continue walking around the entire lake. And when they were finished and telling me all about what I had missed – muddy areas, roots jumping out at them from the path, and mud everywhere (I mentioned the mud already, but it bears repeating) we re-connected, with me dry and happily sitting on a comfortable rock, and them a bit tired and ready to crawl back to camp for refreshment. So that’s just what we did. We had packed picnic lunches, but with so many people and the weather not looking conducive to sitting outside, we headed back to camp and ate our lunches in our respective trailers.

Emerald Lake

Ready to walk. Note the beautiful lodge in the background. Not to mention the scenery itself!
Flowers along the path.

But it was only early afternoon, so we headed out again. This time to visit the boundary of Kootenay NP and Banff NP. (Coincidentally the border between British Columbia and Alberta and also the continental divide.) Having reached that destination, we decided to back track a bit and head North West of Lake Louise towards Jaspar NP and the beautiful Bow Lake.

Now Bow Lake in and of itself is lovely. But when you have it as a foreground to two glaciers, you just can’t beat it for spectacular! So we walked around a bit, but when it got chillier than we liked, we headed back to our trucks and made tracks for home.

Then a pleasant evening enjoying drinks, dinner, and companionship. A great day.

Monday, September 23, 2019 – Sicamous, BC – Cedars RV Resort – site 190

Trans Canada 1 all the way through Revelstoke NP due west to Sicamous. Stopped in the small town of Revelstoke to obtain groceries and have lunch. Then on to our camp ground.

Now most of the time when we reach our destination with our previously printed out campground reservation confirmation in hand, we simply walk into the office, say howdy to the nice host or hostess at the desk and they help us find our site and all is peachy keen and dandy. But between the time I booked our sites in April and when we arrived in September, the campground had been sold and all the sites were now individually owned. (This seems to be very common in Canada BTW. People buy RV sites then actually live on them either year round or for a certain portion of the year.)

Well at least for us, the previous resort owners had made sure that the new owners honored our pre-paid reservations. So instead of a friendly person directing us to our camp site, the office was closed and all we had was a site number and a map, but no guidance. OK, we’re smart people and we know how to read. But never the less, it was a bit disconcerting. And of course it was time to do laundry. But with no one in the office to make change for us, and us without a roll of Canadian quarters, I had to wash underwear in our kitchen sink. 24 hours later, our underwear was still wet, and the prospects were not good that they would be dry in any foreseeable future! (We are truly ruffing it here!)

But we found our sites, enjoyed a nice dinner together, and slept very well in our quiet and secluded sites right next to the pond that brought us to this RV resort in the first place.

Now pictures and written descriptions can be deceiving. And had it not been late September, the pond lovingly referred to in the description of this fantastic trailer site would have been grounds for battle. Because if ever I saw a mosquito breeding ground, this pond was the poster child for a haven for mommy and daddy mosquitos with dreams of over populating the world with flying, stingy nasties. Not a bit of flow to be seen on this pond. And only murky waters that probably only saw the light of day twice a year. Before the trees budded out in the spring. And just after all the surrounding deciduous trees lost their leaves in the fall. Other than those two times, the pond would have been in shadow with no hope of ever feeling a breeze ripple the surface water. And no critters of any kind visiting the area. No ducks, no fish, no apparent beaver activity. No nothing alive. Like I said – a perfect breeding ground for mosquitos!

But we survived. But I can’t help but wonder who was buying these sites and whether they ever planned to spend any time outside their trailers? Because some of the rigs were enormous. In fact, one of the 5th wheel trailers was longer and larger than any trailer I had ever seen before. And I have seen some large trailers. I was going to measure it, but our tape measure would not have come close to recording its length, so I decided not to bother. Anyway, all I can hope for the new owners, is that they like to stay inside their trailer during the summer. Because the mosquitos are really not going to be their friends.

The pond

Another view of the pond
Picture through the trees from our neighbor’s site. Notice the lovely flowers.

Really a lovely site (in September)


Would return to this park again if this site had not been sold. Oh well. There are always more parks and new sites to visit and enjoy.

Tuesday, September 24, 2019  – Sicamous

This was another of those leisurely days when we didn’t have any real plan, so things kind of happened spontaneously. Our first adventure was to drive down the road to Sicamous to get gas. Gas is always a nice thing to have. And getting gas without a trailer attached to your truck is always preferable to having to find a station with enough room to pull up to the pumps and then get away from the pumps with every part of your trailer and truck still intact. I know this sounds simple. But until you have had the pleasure of hauling your home on your back, you can’t quite understand how nerve racking it can be to complete even the most simple of maneuvers. So with gas tanks full and time to spare, we decided to head for the town of Salmon Arm.

Now had I been the founder of this most delightful burg, I’m almost positive I could have thought of a better name. Salmon Arm? Why not Arm Pit? Or Pork Belly? Because this is a beautiful little town right on a lovely lake with room enough for suburbs with views both to the lake and to the surrounding foothills. And to my thinking, it deserves a nicer name! But who am I to recommend a name change at this late date. Salmon Arm it is! (But don’t miss this lovely little town if you visit this part of BC.)

Our first stop – the Visitor’s Centre. Then we walked out on a pier and paid tribute to an osprey and a blue heron. After getting back in our trucks we took a side road to Canoe Beach. We parked and in order to get to the beach we had to walk through a culvert- like train underpass. And with luck on our side, a big old train just happened to come along. And of course, because I absolutely love trains, I had to walk through the tunnel while the train was steaming over my head. So today I was run over by a train. But not a bruise to show!

Of course I didn’t think fast enough to have Mr. C. take my picture in the culvert with the train steaming overhead. But you can use your imagination.

After our adventure with the train, we decided to head back to camp for lunch. After lunch we decided to drive back to Revelstoke and to re-visit Revelstoke NP and drive to the top of Mt. Revelstoke. We had visited this area 7 years before and had made this same drive. But 7 years ago it had been sunny and nice. Today it was sunny when we started up the mountain, but the weather soon deteriorated into a heavy rain shower. By the time we got to the top, the rain was threatening to turn to snow and the fog was so thick, we could have cut it with a knife. So we did what any other reasonably intelligent couple would have done. We turned the truck around and beat feet for home.

One interesting aspect to our visit to the NP, was the signs posted along the drive. Watch out for amphibians. Every few klicks there would be another sign posted with a picture of a salamander and a frog. Really folks. Watch out for amphibians when nary a sign of caution for all the hikers who were on the trail that went from the bottom of the mountain to the summit and must have crossed the road 8-10 times. Perhaps the park rangers were more enamored with amphibians then with humans. We will never know!

And dogs were not allowed past a certain point on the road because a grizzly bear had been sighted at the top about 2 weeks before. Maybe I’m mistaken, but I would think a grizzly bear could be quite a few miles away after 14 days. And what does a grizzly have to worry about from a 10 pound dog anyway? Apparently some things are to remain mysteries. Just shut up Patti, obey the rules, and don’t ask too many questions.

So after getting rained out, we headed back to camp and a lovely dinner and evening with Rick & Katie. Tomorrow – Kelowna.

Wednesday, September 25, 2019 – Hiawatha RV Park – Kelowna BC

Highway 97 south out of Sicamous to our camp in Kelowna. I didn’t take a picture of our camp site because I don’t plan to ever return to that campground! Our sites (C10 & C11) were so close together that our picnic table sat right next to the septic hose from our neighbor’s trailer. Not a place I ever want to see again.

However, had a nice visit from Rick and Katie’s friends Gord and Dianne who retired to Penticton from Vancouver. They drove up and spent a couple of hours visiting with us. Brought us cookies too! After they left we took a short walk along the lake in our very upscale neighborhood with fancy hotels and condominiums.  

This beautiful sculpture was along our lake walk in front of some very fancy resort accommodations.

Thursday, September 26, 2019 – Kelowna, BC to Lake Chelan State Park (SP) site 8

Stayed on hwy. 97 south all day. Lovely drive because we were never far from a beautiful lake or river. They call this area Lake Country for a reason. It is also the heart of wine country. So there were an abundance of wineries we could have visited. Of course we would have had to pay duty on any wine we would have purchased, so we just kept driving until we reached our destination.

Boy oh boy has Chelan expanded since we were last in the area. Gorgeous new homes and condos and such. Everywhere you look, there is another million dollar home being constructed or not more than 5 years old. But all you have to do is spend a little time in the area and you understand why people want to live here or have their 2nd home here. Today was the first day of our entire vacation where it was actually sunny most of the day. And the temperature was in the 70s. Beautiful. Got to camp about 4:00. Took a few minutes to hook up hoses and dig things out of their hiding places, but we were soon on our way to the local Safeway for provisions. I’m telling you. The deli case and pre-made food case was the largest I have ever seen. Obviously that is what sells at this very large store. The fresh meat case was about half the size of the one on Camano Island. But had I wanted a ready-made sandwich, cooked chicken, or meal of almost any kind, I would have had no worries. Kind of a sad commentary actually. At least I would have felt pretty bad if I lived in Chelan and was trying to eat healthy and provide my family with nourishing food on a full time basis. All that prepared food is not only costly but not nearly as nourishing as most food cooked from scratch. Oh well. This appeared to be a store that caters mostly to tourists and retirees. (Or so it seemed.) And if truth be told, when I am on a trailer holiday, I tend to purchase a few things, like store bought hummus, risotto mixes, and marinara sauce, because either they have a greater shelf life than homemade, or they take a lot less time and effort to prepare after a long travel or adventuring day. So I am just as guilty as the next guy when it comes to convenience when on vacation.

Our fabulous and spacious camp site at Chelan State Park
You can see Lake Chelan just across the large grassy area behind our trailer. When we first arrived, I practically had to use my broom to encourage 2 deer to move while Andy backed the trailer into position. They liked our site too.

Friday, September 27, 2019 – Lake Chelan State Park

Late start to our day. We had some emails that required answers and some reservations to make and by the time we finished with our “chores” it was 11:30. So we decided to drive to the end of the South Shore road. (The campground is on the South Shore road, but only about a third of the way to the end.) As we were driving along I was completely taken aback by all the homes both along the shore and up in the hills. I had no idea Lake Chelan was this populated.

Since the early 70s and up to about 12 years ago, we used to wilderness camp on Kootenay Lake. And since we still lived in our Bellevue home, we would go I-90 to Cle Elem and then to Wenatchee and then North through Lake Chelan to cross the border at Osoyoos. And every year we would make a stop in Chelan for a root beer float at the A&W along the main drag north out of Chelan.  But we never stopped to look around the lake. Chelan was merely a quick stop along the way.

And Mr. C. and I many years ago took the Lady of the Lake (boat) up to Stehekin to spend a few nights at the Stehekin Valley Ranch. But we never drove around the area much that time either. So I was completely blown away by all the development on both sides of the lake. After lunch we drove along the North shore. (May actually be called the Manson highway.) Again, I was amazed at the sheer numbers of homes, condos, orchards, schools, fruit packing plants, and humanity in general living in an area I had assumed held only barren and unpopulated dry desert hills. I know better now! But back to our drive up the South Shore road.

We decided to turn in at Field’s Landing. Field’s Landing is the first stop the Lady of the Lake (boat) makes each day on its way up the lake to Stehekin. As we were driving down the entrance road, a black bear sow ran right in front of our truck. Now we know it was a black bear (we later talked to the park ranger regarding the sighting), but this female (we think) was the color of cinnamon. She was absolutely beautiful. All 150 (plus or minus) pounds of her.

FYI: Though they are called black bears, the species comes in a range of colors. According to the North American Bear Center, “Black bears come in more colors than any other North American mammal. They can be black, brown, cinnamon, blond, blue-gray, or white. The variation in color has to do with their environment. A lighter color is more common in black bears in Western states, as the lighter shades help them blend in better in open meadows as well as reduces heat stress. In the Northeast, on the other hand, around 97 percent of black bears are black in color, whereas around half of the black bears in the West are shades of brown.”

Regardless of the color – WE SAW A BEAR TODAY! Absolutely fantastic.

Then back to camp around 4:00 to check our email, have a small libation, relax, and decide where to go for dinner.

We mainly eat dinner at our campsite, but a couple times each trip we go out. Usually it’s at the beginning of our trip and near the end of our trip. With only one more campground before we return to civilization, this is our night to splurge and let someone else cook our meal and do our dishes. (Our last campground is one of my favorites – Wanapum SP. But Wanapum SP is in Vantage Washington. And if you have ever been across the Columbia River at Vantage, you know there is no fine dining establishment around for miles.)

So for our last trailer dinner we will just have to content ourselves with home grilled New York steaks, with a caramelized onion and Stilton Blue Cheese sauce. Corn on the cob and a fresh romaine salad will complete the meal. (Our last campsite meals tend to be pretty special too. And probably better than tonight’s meal. But I will let you know when we return from dinner.

Note: We had dinner at Tin Lilly’s in down town Chelan. OK, but not special and very noisy.)

Saturday, September 28, 2019 – Wanapum State Park, site 19

Raining buckets as we were hitching up at Lake Chelan SP. Left camp about 10:30. Drove south on the west side of the river – 97 alt. Easy drive with no complications. There was rain and wind here and there, but nothing too difficult to handle. Arrived at Wanapum in fairly nice weather. Set up camp and had a leisurely afternoon. However, as evening approached the wind picked up and so did the rain. So my plan of grilling steaks was thwarted by Mother Nature. So instead of steak we enjoyed ground lamb burgers with Tzatziki sauce, Mexican black beans, and salad. Oh well. The steaks will taste really great when we grill them at home.

Our site on Wanapum Lake

Wanapum Lake is a reservoir on the Columbia River. It was created in 1963 with the construction of the Wanapum Dam. It stretches from the Wanapum Dam upstream to the Rock Island Dam. The dam and lake are named for the Wanapum people.

For more information about the Wanapum people, visit https://www.historylink.org/File/9524

Could we get much closer to the lake? I don’t think so! Lucky us. No wonder we keep coming back to this fabulous campground. Already looking forward to the next time.


Sunday, September 29, 2019 – home again

The end of a vacation always causes me sadness and happiness at the same time. Sadness to be leaving the joys of travel and seeing new and glorious surroundings. But happiness too because we are returning to glorious surroundings filled with new adventures on the home front. Back to regular musical rehearsals and gigs for Mr. C., and new recipes to try and write about for me. And back to our fuzzy family members – Miles, Max, and Squeaky and to the joy we always find from spending time with our dear friends. All in all, life for us is good. We are incredibly lucky to still be able to travel and never take the opportunities we have been given or the gifts we have received for granted.

I hope you have enjoyed this short narrative and the pictures from our trip. We had a wonderful time. But then, we always have a wonderful time. We simply make it happen.

Special thanks to Rick and Katie for their part in making this a terrific adventure. Can’t wait for the next trailer trip with you guys. And to our other traveling friends. Just let us know when and where, and we will be there if possible. Happy trails everyone.

CHICKEN ENCHILADA SUIZAS CASSEROLE

So, depending on whether or not you are trying to eat healthier, you are in for a treat with this recipe (slightly modified by yours truly) from the Joyful Healthy Eats site. And in case you have never enjoyed an enchilada suizas, you probably don’t know that most of the time the key ingredients are a various combination of butter, sour cream, heavy cream, crème fraiche, half & half, and cheese. Lots of cheese. (I mean really, what’s not to like?) But in this recipe, there is nary a mention of butter, sour cream, heavy cream, crème fraiche, or half & half. There is of course cheese in this recipe, but then how could it not contain cheese, since the very definition of suizas means Swiss and alludes to its copious use of cheese and other dairy products.

But, using only non-fat Greek yogurt along with both Mozzarella and Monterey Jack cheese, the total fat content in this recipe is far lower than in typical recipes for this amazing dish.

Also, layering the tortillas rather than rolling them up, reduces the amount of time it takes to prepare these enchiladas. And any time I can save time as well as calories, I say hurray to that!

So what you are left with is a delicious casserole filled with tender chicken pieces, tortillas and cheese that simply melt into the lovely green chili sauce. If it sounds delightful, you would not be wrong. This casserole is really, really amazing. And the best part. You don’t have to feel guilty eating it! Of course, it still has calories. But about half as many as most enchiladas suiza. And it’s gluten free. And isn’t that always special!

So do yourself a favor. Next time you want Mexican food, make it at home. Paired with my recent post for Mexican Black Beans, you have a healthy, nutritious, and delectable meal you can serve your family and friends that is every bit as good, if not considerably better than you can find in most Mexican restaurants.

Now, if you are the kind of person who doesn’t feel a Mexican meal is complete without rice, I have a great recipe for you to try that’s already on this site. And if you guessed that the recipe would be entitled Mexican Rice, give yourself a gold star. Just be for-warned. There are no tomatoes in my recipe. (Just throwing that out there so you won’t be surprised when you read the ingredient list.) I just don’t happen to like most tomato flavored rice recipes. So my recipe is completely different. (Pretty darn delicious too.) So give all three of these recipes a try. Throw a Mexican dinner for your family and friends. Just don’t forget the Guacamole and Margaritas. (And yes, I have recipes for them too. So make that – five new recipes to try.) But wait, there’s one more recipe you need to make for your family and friends – Tres Leche (Three Milks) Cake. (Actually there are even more Mexican recipes if you search under Mexican Food Recipes.) OK, I’m done now. You may be excused. Buen provecho.

Chicken:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly grated black pepper

¼ tsp. granulated garlic

¼ tsp. paprika

Place chicken breasts in an 8×8-inch baking pan. Pour on the olive oil. Using your hands, best tool in the kitchen BTW, massage the oil all over the chicken. Wash your hands and mix together the seasoned salt, pepper, granulated garlic, and paprika. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over both sides of the chicken.

Bake in a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and no longer pink.  If you use an instant read thermometer to measure the temperature at the thickest part of the breast, it should read about 170 degrees. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before dicing into small cubes. (Save the juices that have accumulated in the bottom of the pan as the chicken cools. You are going to add them to the sauce.)

Green Chili Sauce:

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 c. chopped yellow onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

¼ tsp. ground coriander

½ tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 c. (1 qt.) chicken stock

7-8 oz. canned diced green chilies

2 T. water

2 T. cornstarch

2/3 c. plain non-fat greek yogurt

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the onion. Sauté until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the ground coriander, ground cumin, salt, and pepper. Stir in the chicken stock and green chilies. Bring to a boil, and simmer for 10 minutes or until the chicken stock has reduced a bit.

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the water and cornstarch. Add to the skillet along with the juices from baking the chicken, and cook until the sauce thickens. Remove pan from heat and whisk in the yogurt. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

Building the Casserole:

15 small white corn tortillas or 10 regular sized

1½ c. shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese

avocado chunks, opt.

diced fresh tomatoes, opt.

Spread a very small amount of the sauce on the bottom of a lightly greased 9×13-inch baking pan. Add a layer of tortillas (feel free to cut them to fit the pan), then 1/3rd of the remaining sauce, cooked chicken, and cheeses. Repeat 2 more times. Finish with the last of the shredded cheese on top. (If it looks like a little more cheese on top would be nice, you know where your grater lives!)

Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until the cheese on top is starting to brown and is nice and melted, and the sauce around the edges of the pan is bubbly. Let sit for about 5 minutes before serving.

Serve garnished with freshly diced avocado and tomatoes.

 

MEXICAN BLACK BEANS

OK, so I recently told you that I was on yet another of my healthy kicks, so here goes a new recipe using dried beans. Now before you close down this post or jump out of your bedroom window, I want you to know that these are the best black beans I have ever tasted. And I have been on this strange planet for quite a number of decades now. And, I have made more recipes using dried beans than I can count. And I am good with numbers!

This recipe is straight out of the little recipe book that came with my Cosori Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker. (Thanks again Paula and Mark.)

I am truly not exaggerating when I say these beans could not be more delicious. Or nutritious! They are tender, savory, and juicy. (You need to serve them in a bowl.) But OMG (oh-my-goodness), they make for a very happy mouth. And if I’m not mistaken, my digestive track is probably giving me a “high-five” for providing it with the total and soluble fiber it so richly deserves. Not to mention the important micronutrients like potassium, magnesium, folate, iron, and zinc that come with the whole package.

So if you are trying to eat healthier and still enjoy food that tastes like it’s been prepared by a world class chef, give these beans a try. And if you can find a restaurant that serves beans that are this delicious, please let me know. If they can turn out beans like this, imagine what their chiles rellenos would taste like. The mind boggles at just the thought of a chiles rellenos that good.

Anyway, make some of these beans. And not just because they’re good for you. But out of the sheer pleasure of tasting something so delicious it will almost make you weep. Thank you Cosori for this wonderful recipe. And good health to you all.

2 c. dry black beans, rinsed 

1 onion, chopped 

4 garlic cloves, chopped 

1 T. chili powder 

1 tsp. paprika 

½ tsp. ground cumin 

2 tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil 

3½ c. water 

juice of 1 lime, or more to taste

Place the beans, onion, garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, olive oil, and water in your Instant Pot pressure cooker.

Secure the lid, making sure the pressure release valve is in the locked position.

Select Beans/Chili then add additional time to read 45 minutes.

Press start.

Allow the cooker to naturally release for 15-20 minutes when done cooking. Add the lime juice and adjust seasoning.

 

CUCUMBER AND ROMAINE SALAD WITH LEMON DILL VINAIGRETTE

I hate to throw out perfectly good ingredients just because I didn’t use them in a timely manner. So I am often forced to search for new recipes using ingredients I have on hand that should be used within minutes. These are ingredients that I had planned to use, had every good intention of using, but for whatever reason hadn’t gotten around to adding to the other dishes I actually did prepare. (I’m sure this has happened to you at least once in the years you have been playing around in the kitchen.) Sorry, I’m being facetious here! This happens to everyone regardless of how well we meal plan. Stuff happens. Unexpected dinner invitations. Casual invite and you can’t possibly serve your guests that tuna casserole you had planned for just you and your family. Or, you simply haven’t the strength to cook your evening meal so your wonderful spouse takes you out for dinner. That kind of “stuff”.

And at Chez Carr, it’s beginning to feel like the rule rather than the exception that at least one ingredient (usually a veggie) is going to sit in my refrigerator until it guilt trips me into doing something with it.

In this case, it was two veggies screaming at me from the veggie drawer. Half an English cucumber and 4 lonely radishes. While at the same time, a half container of crumbled feta cheese was also yelling its head off, so I really had my work cut out for me!

But Holly at the Spend with Pennies site saved my sanity with this recipe. (Well her recipe with my minor changes, that is.)

And oh my, did we enjoy this salad last evening! Mr. C. just couldn’t stop telling me how much he loved it. And I could not have agreed more. The salad had a lovely crunch from the cucumber, radishes, and onion. And the salty savory goodness from the feta cheese was just perfect in combination with the delicious salad dressing. The whole mix simply could not have been more delightful.

So next time you want a salad that can be made very quickly, using simple every day ingredients, this is the recipe for you. Cheers to your good health and to the salad days of August.

3 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 T. fresh lemon juice, or more to taste

1 T. white vinegar

½ tsp. sugar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 tsp. dill weed

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

4 c. chopped romaine lettuce  

2/3 c. crumbled feta cheese

½ English cucumber, partially peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

4-6 radishes, halved and thinly sliced

scant ½ c. thinly sliced onion (red, sweet, or yellow)

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, dill weed, salt, and pepper in a covered container. Shake like crazy. Set aside. 

Place the lettuce, feta cheese, cucumber, radishes, and onion in a large bowl.

Drizzle with dressing, toss, and serve immediately.

QUINOA, KALE, AND SHALLOT PILAF

Now I know what you’re thinking. Patti is trying to sneak kale into our diet again in order to help us eat healthier. And by golly, you’d be absolutely spot on! But it’s not just for your sake that I came up with this recipe. It’s for our sake too!

Mr. C. and I need to remain ever steadfast in our pursuit of good health. And since I do most of the meal planning in our wonderful partnership, it’s up to me to help him stay healthy too. (See how that works!)

Fact: Mr. C. likes quinoa. Fact:  Mr. C. is never, ever going to beg me to fix a cruciferous veggie for dinner. But, if I sneak in a bit of cruciferous (in this case kale) with other ingredients that he admires, I usually can get away with upping his consumption of this healthy group of vegetables.

And indeed he thought this pilaf was just fine! (He’s a big fan of shallots, garlic, and slivered almonds.)

So next time you want to serve a healthier side dish to your family, get out the box or bag of quinoa, chop up a few veggies, and sit down to dinner with a smile on your face. You might even forget to mention the “H” (healthy) word when you describe this dish’s many virtues. I know I forgot to mention the “K” (kale) word to Mr. C. the other evening, and in doing so it didn’t seem to harm him one bit. Oh who am I kidding? He knew exactly what was in this recipe. He’d glanced at the ingredient list as it came off the printer.

But we’re not so old that we don’t still appreciate a little harmless “detail omission” in the name of marital bliss. And speaking of marital happiness, it’s after 5:00 pm. It’s martini time. And my dear husband has just delivered a coupe glass containing the requisite amount of gin, vermouth, and ice to my desk.

So here’s to marital harmony, delicious and healthy food, and to our family, friends (and spouses) who eat kale without making a fuss!

1½ c. quinoa, well rinsed and drained

3 c. water

3 tsp. vegetable base (I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base)

¼ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 T. extra virgin olive oil   

1 lg. shallot, finely minced

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 c. chopped kale leaves, massaged

¼ c. slivered almonds

In a medium pot over high heat, bring the quinoa, water, veggie base, seasoned salt, and pepper to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the quinoa has fully absorbed the water, about 20 minutes. Stir periodically while cooking. 

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shallot to the pan. When the shallot become translucent, after about 4 minutes, add the garlic and the kale. As the kale begins to wilt and reduce, continue to stir. It should take about 2 minutes for the kale to wilt.  

Stir in the cooked quinoa, taste, and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and stir in the slivered almonds. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CREAMY PECORINO ROMANO SALAD DRESSING

In my desire to prepare healthier food (I go through this kick about once a year, but am trying to work harder on it this time), I am going to post another recipe that we enjoyed recently.

Now for me, salad is all about the dressing. I mean really, leafy greens by themselves leave a lot to be desired. Even if you throw in a few other veggies, nuts, or seeds to keep the greens company, there isn’t much to be said in favor of this concoction if there isn’t a delicious slathering of a flavorful oily or creamy dressing covering all the aforementioned ingredients. (At least for this “saucy” girl!)

So the other evening I decided to create a healthier alternative to my favorite Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing. (Recipe on this site.)

For the first time I used olive oil mayonnaise. And I must say, I’m pretty darned impressed. Really much better than I expected. Then I used olive oil instead of veggie oil. Along with white vinegar, lemon juice, some grated Pecorino Romano, a tiny bit of sugar, a couple garlic cloves, a bit of Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper, the dressing was way better than I envisioned. So much so, that I had a hard time not devouring the entire batch as I was preparing it. (Tasting it for quality assurance reasons, you realize!)  

Anyway – this dressing is delicious and a healthy alternative to most cream style salad dressings. But don’t hesitate to add your favorite ingredients to this recipe. A bit of Dijon mustard might be a great addition. Perhaps some red onion or finely minced shallot.

That’s the lovely part of making your own salad dressing. It can be different every time you make it. And it can be made to complement the other ingredients in your salad. A win/win every time!

½ c. olive oil mayonnaise

2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. white vinegar

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

¼ c. grated Pecorino Romano cheese (Parmesan cheese can be used in a pinch)

½ tsp. sugar

2 cloves garlic, minced

scant ½ tsp. Italian seasoning

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

tiny bit of water if the dressing is too thick

In a blender, combine all ingredients; blend until smooth. Add water if needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

LEMONY BONELESS, SKINLESS CHICKEN THIGHS

Now this is what I call a quick and easy chicken dish. Really very little time spent in either preparation or cooking time.

I based this dish off of one of my favorite ways to cook chicken breasts – Chicken Piccata (recipe on site). But unlike my piccata recipe, there is no flour, butter, or chicken stock in this recipe. (I am trying to cut down on our butter and high carbohydrate consumption, so this is my stab at eating healthier. Without sacrificing flavor. Not an easy task, I assure you!)

But when each of us bit into the chicken last evening, we didn’t feel like we were missing a thing. Great flavor, great texture, and just the right amount of zing from the lemon juice and capers. And even a tiny bit of sauce to spread on the chicken pieces.

And sure, I could have made a meal of the sauce alone. But sauces are not what I should be eating, even if they are one of my favorite food groups.

Unhappily, my list of food groups is very different than the 5 healthy traditional food groups listed below:

Vegetables

Fruit

Grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fiber varieties

Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, seeds, dried beans, and legumes

Milk, yoghurt, and mostly reduced fat cheese

My food groups:

Vegetables and some fruits

All dairy products, the higher fat content the better

Lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, seeds, whole grains, dried beans, and legumes

Every conceivable kind of sauce

Bread

Chocolate

Gin

(And yes, I have 7 in my food groups list.) But there is not one of those categories on my list that I would ever be able to give up without feeling that I was being severely picked upon. But alas, with age some eating habits simply have to change. And hopefully I will continue to realize as I did with this recipe, that it is sometimes much better for us if I gracefully substitute a healthy ingredient for one that is possibly not as good for us.

But never fear. I will still be posting recipes that might cause some health-food conscience foodies to break out in hives. Because I am still alive and great food is still one of the reasons I get out of bed in the morning. I just plan to practice moderation. And continue to create and adapt recipes to better help all of us remain healthy. Stay tuned. In the meantime, give this simple recipe a try. It really is delicious. And easy.

5-6 small boneless, skinless chicken thighs (organic if possible)

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

1/3 c. dry white wine

1 garlic clove, finely minced

juice of 1 lemon

1 T. drained capers

1 T. chopped Italian parsley

Cut off any fat or sinew on chicken thighs. Dry off the pieces with a paper towel and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan. Add the chicken pieces and cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side or until light brown and done. Do not overcook. Remove to a plate. Tent with aluminum foil to help retain heat.

Deglaze the pan with wine and add the minced garlic. Cook for about a minute and add lemon juice and capers. Cook until the sauce is about 1/3 reduced.

Place the cooked chicken back in the pan and turn pieces until both sides are covered with sauce. Remove from heat; garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

GARLIC AND ROSEMARY ROASTED RACK OF LAMB

Now, I have a quest for each of you readers. If you can find an easier and more delicious way to serve Lamby pops (that’s what we call the individual ribs on a rack of lamb) please do not hesitate to send me an email with that recipe. But remember, one of the qualifications is easier. Because I too have an incredibly delicious recipe for lamby pops already on this site (Rack of Lamb with Kalamata-Rosemary Crust). But dear friends, it is just a whole lot more work to prepare. (But you should try it too, because it is really fantastic.)

Anyway, the main thing I want to convey is that this is an almost foolproof recipe that can be prepared in minutes. And yes, I am getting more and more inclined to take the easy road on meal preparation. But having confessed that, I still want the food I serve to be delicious. I just don’t want to spend as many hours in the kitchen as I used to.

So I came up with this take-off of my other recipe and found no fault with it at all. And to make the whole meal an effortless experience, I oven roasted some tiny potatoes in a bit of olive oil and herbs, and sliced up a couple of lovely tomatoes, sprinkled them with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, drizzled them with balsamic glaze, dribbled on some extra virgin olive oil, and lay a nice layer of fresh basil chiffonade over the whole works.     

All my prep work for this meal took me less than 30 minutes. In fact, I was finished prepping the meal before I finished drinking my before dinner libation. And that almost never happens. So for ease of preparation, overall presentation, and culinary appeal and flavor, I awarded myself the “Carr family spontaneous achievement of the day award”. (I received no resistance from Mr. C. for my self-aggrandizement. He knows on which side his bread is buttered. Smart man!)

4 garlic cloves, rough chopped 

2 tsp. finely minced fresh rosemary leaves

3 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 Frenched rack of lamb, (just means you can see the nice shiny bones)

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

Whirl the garlic, rosemary, olive oil, and Dijon mustard in your food processor (use your mini processor if you have one) until the garlic is finely chopped and the mixture resembles a thick paste. (You probably won’t get a smooth paste, but that’s not you want anyway. Tiny chunks are your friend in this case.)

Lightly season the lamb with kosher salt and pepper. Rub the garlic mixture all over the rack of lamb, but mostly on the fatty side. Place the rack fat side up on a rimmed baking sheet and let stand at room temperature for at least an hour.

Roast the lamb in the upper third of a pre-heated 450 degree oven for 15 minutes. Turn the rack over and roast for 5-10 minutes longer for medium-rare meat. (The internal temperature for medium-rare lamb is 120-125 degrees.) When the meat reaches the desired temperature on your Instant thermometer, remove from oven and transfer to a carving board. Let rest for 10 minutes.

Cut the racks in between the rib bones and serve immediately.

PLUM VODKA COSMOPOLITAN

So, what do you do when you have plum vodka, originally purchased for my recipe for Spicy Plum Crunch, and there it sits, almost untouched with all the other liqueurs looking lost and abandoned? Or so it must have appeared to Mr. C., because the next thing I knew he was offering me a sip of a new drink he had just fixed for himself. Well that was his only mistake. He should have mixed one for me too!

Now as you might rightly assume because I write a cooking blog, that I am not a picky eater when it comes to trying new ingredients. I’m almost willing to try any type of food. Almost. But I am a very picky drinker. I like very few mixed drinks. I drink Tanqueray martinis, Mr. Cs Tanqueray gin gimlets, Mr. Cs Margaritas, Mr. Cs Cosmopolitans, and….wait….that’s about it! Well until recently that is. I now add a Plum Vodka Cosmopolitan to my short list.  Full disclosure: I really like beer. So occasionally I enjoy a dark beer, but rarely more than once a year. (Not good for me.) And I try to stay away from wine as much as possible, but that’s not easy. (Again not good for me. Too much sugar for my aging system to handle.) So I pretty much stick to martinis because they seem to have no effect at all on my internal operating system. (Ain’t aging fun!?!?) Anyway, I’m not complaining because I really love me a good old martini.

But I have to tell you. This drink is worth going the extra mile (or how many ever miles it is from your home to the nearest repository of ingredients for adult beverages) just for the pleasure of letting a bit of this liquid trickle down the back of your throat. Delicious doesn’t even cover it. And talk about refreshing. The lime juice just makes the flavor zing.

So next time you want a new and exciting drink to delight your friends with, make them one of these babies. You will become their new national treasure. As will the drink.

Before I leave this preface, please know that all the drinks referenced above are on this site. Would I tell you about how much I enjoy them without providing you with the means to fix one for yourself? Of course not! Silly you! Enjoy

2 oz. plum vodka (we use Pearl Plum Vodka)

1 oz. orange flavored liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Triple Sec)

1 oz. cranberry juice cocktail

juice of ½ small fresh lime

small splash of Rose’s lime juice

ice cubes

lime wheel, garnish, opt.

Pour the vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, fresh lime juice, and Rose’s lime juice over ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake well and pour contents into a chilled Tom Collins glass. Add a few ice cubes. Garnish with a lime wheel if desired.

AMARETTO PEACH COBBLER

And yes, I know the bones of this cobbler recipe have gotten a lot of press lately. The recipe was even featured in The Seattle Times, and you can’t get much more note-worthy than that! But as you well know, I almost always feel compelled to mess with perfectly good recipes and put my own spin on a dish. Where this compunction comes from I have no idea. But at 75, the chances of my changing a decade’s long habit is probably just not going to happen. And in my humble opinion, amaretto should have been an ingredient from the onset. Plus I don’t like to eat the fuzzy skin of peaches, even if they are cooked. And vanilla in the cakey part of a cobbler should almost be mandatory as far as I’m concerned!   

So anyway. I changed the recipe from the Boat Street Café to what you see below. And frankly, the cobbler was very well received by all of us who were lucky enough to be gathered around our friends Jim & Margo’s dining room table last weekend. But the hot water and sugar topping method was totally the inspiration of Susan Kaplan who sold the Boat Street Café to Renee Erickson in 2003. Full disclosure folks, full disclosure.

But regardless of who put what in the recipe, or changed the instructions, or added or deleted ingredients, this is a delicious way to use those wonderful, juicy peaches that are beginning to grace  our local produce stands and farmers markets. So before the season is over, make your family and friends a dessert that features peaches. They are just so delicious. And if the ones Mr. C. brought home the other day are any indication of this season’s crop, we are all in for a treat. Happy eating everyone.

4 tsp. cornstarch

1/3 c. amaretto

10 lg. peaches
½ c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1½ c. granulated sugar, divided  

1½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt

¾ tsp. ground cinnamon
¾ c. whole milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ c. hot water
vanilla ice cream   

Whisk the cornstarch and amaretto together in a 9×13-inch casserole dish or glass Pyrex pan. (Pan can be a bit larger, but not any smaller.) Set aside.  

Peel the peaches (see “how to” below) and cut into 8 wedges, then each wedge in half. Place in a colander to drain while you prepare the cobbler part. (If you want to save the nectar, place the colander in a bowl.)

With an electric mixer, beat the butter and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar for 1 minute. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add to butter mixture and beat for about 30 seconds. Slowly mix in the milk and vanilla extract. Continue beating at medium speed for 2 minutes more, or until the mixture is light and fluffy.

Gently pour the drained peaches in with the cornstarch mixture. Stir until every surface of every peach piece is coated with the cornstarch/amaretto mixture. 

Spoon the batter in large blobs over the peaches. Using a small offset spatula or implement of choice, spread the batter over the fruit so that it’s evenly distributed. Sprinkle with the remaining 6 tablespoons of sugar and drizzle the hot water evenly over the sugar.  

Place the baking dish in a pre-heated 350 degree and bake for 60-70 minutes or until the top is cracked and golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the topping comes out clean.

Remove the pan from oven and place on a cooling rack for at least 30 minutes before serving.

To serve, scoop into bowls and top with ice cream. Best served the same day as baked.

Peach Pealing 101:

Put a pot of water onto boil. Lightly score the bottom of each peach with an X. Working in batches of 3 or 4, add the peaches to the boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the blanched peaches to an ice-water bath to stop the cooking. Remove peaches from ice water and remove skin with a paring knife.