Shades Of Blue Cookies

Tonight is the first performance of my friend Sharon Whitney's play, "Eleanor Roosevelt-Across a Barrier of Fear," and I have the honor of making treats for the event including these pretty shades of blue sugar cookies.

If you would like to attend the play, here are the details:

Trinitarian Sharon Whitney's acclaimed play, "Eleanor Roosevelt-Across a Barrier of Fear," starring Jane Van Boskirk, is scheduled for two performances, Friday, October 25 at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, October 26 at 1:00 p.m. in Kempton Hall. To reserve a seat, visit www.trinity-episcopal.org. Seating is limited. A $10 donation at the door is suggested. This is an offering from the Cathedral Arts Committee.  


Eleanor Roosevelt's favorite color was blue so I think these scalloped edged cookies are just the thing to serve. And, Eleanor was a no-nonsense woman and I have a hunch she would appreciate the simple design and the ease of making them.

It really was easy. All I did was bake small rectangle cookies, tint some royal icing four shades of blue and then outline and fill.

Once again, these cookies show that a no-frills design is often the best.

Here's how to make them:

Bake a batch of cookies.

Make a batch of royal icing and divide it evenly among four bowls.

Get a bottle of blue food coloring. I used royal blue #102 AmeriColor gel paste.

Add the coloring to the royal icing by putting one squirt in the first bowl, two in the second bowl, three in the third and four in the fourth. This is the easiest way to get nice graduations of color.

Four shades of blue.

Outline the cookies with each of the four blues using a #1 pastry tip and icing that has been thinned to piping consistency (think toothpaste). I followed the shape of the cookies and made scalloped outlines.

Fill the cookies with a different shade of blue using a #1 tip and flood consistency royal icing. Use a skewer or toothpick to ease the icing to the border. If icing #1 is the lightest and icing #4 is the darkest, pair #1 with #3 and #2 with #4.

Let the cookies dry completely before serving or packaging.

Taste Test Fun

Eleanor and Sam tasting orange soda.

My brother Josh had the bright idea of organizing a "taste test" as a fun activity for our family.

So at the grocery store with my daughter Eleanor, they browsed the aisles looking for foods to taste test.

Once they decided upon cheese puffs, orange soda, chocolate chip cookies and dark chocolate, they bought three samples of each, all at different price points. For example, for the orange soda we had Frostie as our most expensive soda, Sunkist as our mid-range soda and Big K as our least expensive soda.

Josh also carefully recorded the unit price of each of the items at the store.

Once we had our samples, Josh, Eleanor, my husband Joe and my nephew Sam all gathered around the dining room table for the official tasting. I was the designated taste test official, serving the samples and recording the results.

I started with the cheese puffs and asked everyone to close their eyes and put out a hand for "cheese puff number one." Seeing the color and size of the puffs could sway the results and we wanted the foods judged simply on taste. 

I did tell them I would be serving Kroger brand (the least expensive), Smart Puffs (the most expensive) and Cheetos (the mid-range priced name brand) but of course didn't tell them in what order. I designated each of the brands either sample #1, sample #2 or sample #3. Once they had a taste of each, I asked if they would like any additional tastes.

The brain behind the fun activity, my brother Josh, tasting the orange soda.

The tasters then wrote down what brand they thought matched each of the samples and took turns announcing their conclusions and which sample they thought won the taste test. Distinguishing products is surprisingly difficult.  There were only three times during the entire testing that the tasters correctly matched the brands to the samples.


We had such a blast. A taste test is an inexpensive activity to organize and it's a fun way to bring people together.

The whole gang trying to figure out which orange soda was which and which one they liked best. The soda tasting was the only one that they got to keep their eyes open for - orange soda all looks the same.

We also learned first hand that fancy branding and packaging doesn't mean that a product is better tasting.

It's definitely an activity that we are going to do again and we are already thinking of other foods to taste test. My vote is for ketchup, pickles and cheddar cheese.

Here are our results:

Orange Soda

The least expensive soda, Big K, won three of four votes as the best tasting in our taste test. "It had the most orange flavor," said Josh.

#1 Sunkist (1.35 per pint) - one vote as the best
#2 Frostie (1.98 per pint) - zero votes as the best
#3 Big K (63.2 cents per pint) - three votes as the best


Cheese Puffs

Cheetos was the winner with two votes in this category. Smart Puffs and Kroger each got one vote.

#1 Kroger (3.86 per lb.) - one vote as the best
#2 Smart Puffs (9.20 per lb.) - one vote as the best
#3 Cheetos (5.04 per lb.) - two votes as the best

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cougar Mountain, the most expensive brand in this category, won with two votes. Mrs. Fields and Chips Ahoy each got one vote. Josh said he liked Cougar Mountain because it was "dense and not artificial tasting."

#1 Mrs. Fields (5.04 per lb.) - one vote as the best
#2 Chips Ahoy (3.38 per lb.) - one vote as the best
#3 Cougar Mountain (6.22 per lb.) - two votes as the best

Dark Chocolate

The least expensive brand, Hershey's, won this category with two votes. And, both Eleanor and Joe guessed correctly which chocolate was which in the blind tasting. There was only one other correct guess during the entire tasting and that was Eleanor in the orange soda category.

#1 Lindt (71.1 cents per oz.) - one vote as the best
#2 Moonstruck (1.16 per oz.) - one vote as the best
#3 Hershey's (37.04 cents per oz.) - two votes as the best

A Surprise Catch Of The Day

One of today's most colorful meals - baked catfish, jambalaya over rice, roasted vegetables, pineapple and orange slices.

We utilized lots of different ingredients today at the Wednesday Community Meal so our menu changed often.

We started out with ribs, barbeque chicken, baked chicken, sausage and curried chicken and ended with meatballs, beef fajita mix over rice, green curry over rice and finally, baked catfish.

 There would be no Community Meal without super volunteer Cheryl. She oversees the volunteers in the dining room, is in charge of dessert and somehow still also finds time to help in the kitchen. She is simply amazing.

When I saw the piles of butternut squash from the Oregon Food Bank, I was appreciative of the ingredient but also dreaded the work and time it would take to get it prepared and cooked. I am so thankful that Volunteer Kate was willing to take on the task. She sliced the squash in half, cleaned out the seeds and baked it cut side down in a hot oven until it was soft. Then the squash was peeled, mashed and tossed with sauteed onions and seasoning. Delicious and so much easier than peeling and dicing raw squash.

The catfish was a surprise ingredient for the day when we learned that a freezer had been accidentally left open at Northwest Portland Ministries, causing a whole case of catfish to defrost.

Not being able to cook it and wanting to prevent it from going to waste, the organization kindly asked if we could use it. I too didn't want the fish to be wasted so even though we received it about half an hour before the start of the meal, we put in the extra effort to get it cooked and served.

It feels so good to save perfectly good food from being wasted and most importantly, the catfish was delicious and enjoyed by our guests.

The guests also enjoyed an extra special dessert today courtesy of Baker & Spice Bakery - flourless chocolate cake topped with chocolate shavings. The bakery is so generous and seriously you won't find better baked goods anywhere in Portland. Any crumbs that came from slicing the cake were quickly swooped up by the volunteers. What a treat!

Flourless chocolate cake courtesy of Baker & Spice Bakery.

We served 421 meals today and because it was the forth Wednesday of the month, we were not surprised. The line for the meal stayed long throughout the service and after just under one hour of serving, we had already put out 240 plates of food.

The long line for the meal.

There is still one Wednesday left in the month of October which makes me think it might be our busiest yet.

My good friend Bob who stops by the kitchen window every Wednesday to visit and say "hello" with super servers Davis and Lesley.

Simple Shortbread

An unlikely pair: Glamorous chocolate mousse and simple shortbread for dessert.

Okay - when it comes to cookies, plain-Jane shortbread isn't going to win a beauty contest. But as we all should know, that's not what's most important.

It's what's on the inside that counts, and in my mind shortbread wins the hospitality award every time. Its sweet buttery deliciousness is comforting, welcoming and people love it.

For a recent dinner, I put a slice of shortbread next to a fancy homemade chocolate mousse and although the latter was delicious, I kid you not, it really was the shortbread that I loved most.

The shortbread was also way easier to make that's why I'm calling the recipe Simple Shortbread.

Here's how to make it:

Simple Shortbread
(makes 16 cookies)

2 cups flour
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons granulated sugar


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly coat a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Cream together the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Add the salt and baking powder and mix well. Finally add the flour and mix until a soft dough forms.

Mix the dough just until it comes together.

Transfer the dough to the prepared pie pan and press it evenly into the pan.

Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan that has been lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray.

Using your hands, press the dough evenly into the pan.

Use a sharp knife to score the dough into 16 wedges. Use a fork to prick the dough. Sprinkle the top with the granulated sugar.

Score the dough into 16-wedges.

Prick the wedges with a fork.

Almost ready for the oven.

Finally, sprinkle on the two tablespoons of granulated sugar. Now it's ready to bake!

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Following the score marks, cut the shortbread into wedges. It's important to cut the wedges while the shortbread is warm.

While the shortbread is warm, follow the score marks and cut into wedges. Let the cookies cool before removing from the pan and serving.

Let cool before serving.

A Garden Excursion And Chocolate Cream Pie

With my brother Josh at the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden.

 

One of the highlights of my recent trip to Los Angeles to visit my brothers was a Sunday afternoon outing to the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden with my brother Josh and his boyfriend Edward.

 

The 127 acre garden and historical site is located in the city of Arcadia and jointly operated by the Los Angeles Arboretum Foundation and the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation and features plant collections from all over the world.

Josh and Edward in front of the Queen Anne Cottage at the garden. The Victorian style house was built in 1885. 

 

Banana

Black Pepper

Okra

 

Walking through the gardens was so lovely. It wasn't crowded at all and because it was a weekend, there were multiple wedding parties scattered throughout the gardens which was fun to see.

 

When we returned to my brothers' house we made dinner and decided that we should make another sweet treat for dessert. I searched online and found a Chocolate Cream Pie recipe on the Food.Com website that we all decided was the thing to make.

 

The recipe had few ingredients, came together in minutes and needed just an hour or so to chill before serving. 

 

We topped slices of the pie with freshly whipped cream and we all loved it. The easy recipe is a definite keeper. 

 

So after a delightful garden excursion, we enjoyed pie, an episode of "Charlie's Angels" and the 1959 sci-fi horror film "The Killer Shrews." So much fun and for me, the perfect way to end a great day. 

 

 

Chocolate Cream Pie
(makes 1 9-inch pie)

First, make and bake a 9-inch pie crust. I used my favorite shortening crust recipe.

Pie Crust: 
1 1/2 cups flour
2 /3 cups vegetable shortening
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and sugar. Add Crisco and using your fingers, break it into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some large pieces remaining.
Add the water, just a few tablespoons at a time until the dough is moist enough to pull together into a ball. Roll out on a floured surface for the bottom crust.

Place the dough in a pie pan and crimp the edges. Bake for 5 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes or until the crust is set and golden brown.

The pie crust baking.

 

Filling:

 

1 2/3 cups water
3 tablespoons cornstarch
5 tablespoons cocoa
1 (14 ounce) can eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla


Directions:

 

In a medium-sized saucepan, use a whisk to mix the water and cornstarch and cocoa until smooth.
 

Stir in Eagle Brand milk and the three egg yolks. 

My brother John helping me with the hardest part of the recipe —  releasing all of the sweetened condensed milk from the can.

 

Cook the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly until it becomes thick. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.

 

Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes before pouring into the baked pie shell. 

 

Let the pie cool at room temperature for 15 minutes before transferring to the refrigerator. Let the pie cool completely before slicing and serving. 

 

After the pie cools completely, it's easy to slice and serve.

 

 

Top servings with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

 

A Sunny Dining Room

A sunny dining room.

With the sun beaming through the large windows, Kempton Hall was an especially beautiful place to dine today. We are so blessed to have the support of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral which allows us to use the large space every week for our Wednesday Community Meal.

At 11 a.m. when we opened the doors, there was a very long line. And, as he always does, Michael, our extraordinary volunteer maitre d' welcomed the guests and sat them six to a table.

Volunteer Michael greeting the guests.

Our guests often comment how nice it is to not feel cramped and have plenty of space at the tables. This makes me happy because aside from liking the food, I want everyone to feel relaxed and comfortable.

Today we served 386 meals during our two hour service.

Fun In L.A.

In Josh and John's kitchen with a just baked berry pie.

I'm visiting my brothers Josh and John in Los Angeles this week and having a very good time. We are just hanging out and taking it easy which is my kind of vacation. No big plans but to relax and have fun.

One of the first things I said when I arrived was that I wanted to bake a pie. They have a beautiful just-remodeled kitchen but admitted to me that nothing has been baked in the oven except frozen pizzas and a batch of tater tots. I had to change that.

So after a shopping trip to get a pie pan, a rolling pin and ingredients we had a double-crust berry pie in the oven in just about 30 minutes.

My brother Josh got a little side tracked in the Halloween department during our shopping trip.

My brother John ready for a slice of warm berry pie with a side of vanilla ice cream.

The next day we went to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) to see the James Turrell exhibit. 

We couldn't have picked a better time to go, there were no crowds to fight and we were able to take our time and thoroughly enjoy the experience. 

The exhibit also included two full rooms devoted to just to Roden Crater, Turrell's work in progress. Since 1970, Turrell has been transforming an extinct volcano northeast of Flagstaff, Arizona into a work of art, moving tons of earth to carve out viewing chambers and tunnels in which to view the art of the light and the sky.

With my brothers in  front of "Levitated Mass" by artist Michael Heizer at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

While at LACMA we saw the James Turrell exhibit, exploring nearly fifty years of  his career as a key artist in the Southern California Light and Space movement of the 1960's and 70's.