Do-Nuts

Ok, now that I mentioned them, I have to give you the details on the fresh-fried mini donuts at Fall City Farms. They are simply delicious! As you may know, I am not even a fan (not even a little bit) of the donut product. In fact, just the smell can cause feelings of nausea. However, these little delightful morsels are different.

I saw a mini version of this donut frying machine and contemplated getting one to conduct my own fundraisers and such.

Pumpkins and Halloween Candy

Look at my cute pumpkin! I got it at our annual White River Autumn Bazaar. We roasted up the seeds for a little snack. And had Halloween candy for dessert!

Earlier this month, we took a field trip out to Fall City Farms for some pumpkins -- and got our fresh fried mini-donuts, some leafy greens, beets, and fresh pressed apple cider. Talk about yum!

Pork Chops!

I made these pork chops with maple glaze that I really liked. Here's the glaze recipe:

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup chicken broth, low-sodium canned

On the side I served roasted acorn squash and some sauteed zucchini and onions. I have to say that it was the perfect autumnal (as MS would say) meal!

I have been a bit remiss on the movies lately -- hopefully that will change soon. Let's pray for some good movies to come out and a little bit of rain to encourage the viewing. The weather's been pretty nice on the weekends. Go figure.

Mexican Soup

I made a Mexican Tortilla Soup the other night. It came out pretty tasty! I would definitely make it again. Lighter than enchiladas or tacos, it has the same flavors and was very satisfying -- especially topped with a little sour cream and avocados!

Ingredients
4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas

Directions
For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.

Friday Tradition

Over time, when time allows, our favorite Friday tradition is getting some sushi at Izumi's in Totem Lake. This is as old school as it gets in terms of Japanese restaurants. I'm guessing that it is run by a family -- with the head of the clan being this 65+ old dude (who wears shirts like my dad, by the way) and a gaggle of ladies who remind me of my aunts.

I love it. They have a maguro sushi plate with 8 pieces of my favorite -- both regular and white fin tuna.

My favorite server likes to tease and has captured our hearts. I just want to call her auntie.