Sunflower Season

August can be one of those unsung months of the year. Although the heat of summer is still very much present, the excitement associated with the start of the summer season has passed. Just the same, August brings uniquenesses of its own that mark the transition from summer to the beginnings of fall.

As August begins, the decrease in hours of daylight is becoming palpable. By the end of the month, the shortened hours of daylight are clearly evident. Although the daytime temperatures can still reach 90+ here in the Intermountain West, the mornings and evenings become cooler, a welcome transition after the peak heat that we experience in July. Another significant August transition is the subtle transition in the colors on the mountainsides. At the start of the month, the leaves are still the deep green of summer. As the month passes, some of the greens begin to lighten. By the end of the month, some very faint orange hues are present, heralding that the onset of fall is not far away.

One of my favorite sights during August is the preponderance of sunflowers that can be seen along the roadsides and in the wild; hence the title, Sunflower Season, for this posting. These flowers also are a marker of late summer and the transition to early fall. Because of the vacant lot behind our home, we have something of a backyard border of sunflowers. The goldfinches have been enjoying the seeds this season. On several occasions, we have disturbed a flock of them while passing by on an evening walk. A few weeks ago, some of the neighborhood girls set up sunflower stand. How could we resist?

The picture at the top of this posting is one of a sunflower table runner that I made last year and use during the months of August and September. It was a fun project that involved learning a "quilt as you go" technique as well as some handwork. Here is an up close image of one half of it that shows how the strips were attached as part of the "quilt as you go" process and then the appliqué shapes were added and hand embroidered.

As the seasons change, I am reminded of God's faithfulness in establishing the seasons and His promise that they will continue. As each of us experiences different seasons of life and challenges that may accompany them, we can rest assured in God's constancy and faithfulness. As Paul assures us about God's faithfulness,

If we are faithless, He remains faithful; for He cannot deny Himself. 2 Timothy 2:13  

This period of changing seasons also supports reflection on God's promise to Noah after the flood and the assurance that:

While the earth remains, 

Seedtime and harvest, 

And cold and heat, 

And summer and winter, 

And day and night

Shall not cease. 

Genesis 8:22

Summer Salads

 

One of my favorite aspects of summer cooking is trying new salad recipes. Living in the Intermountain West, we experience 90+ degree days on a regular basis from late June to mid-August. As such, I enjoy recipes that don't generate large quantities in heat in their preparation and result in dishes that can be served cool or at room temperature. I also enjoy recipes that allow me to include fresh vegetables and herbs from our garden. 

This summer, I have enjoyed making a roasted corn and edamame salad on several occasions. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with edamame, it is the term used to identify immature soybeans in the pod. The pods are often steamed and served with coarse ground salt. We have had them on several occasions as an appetizer at Asian restaurants, and they are quite delicious. You can buy edamame, either in the pods or shelled, in the frozen section of most grocery stores. The shelled edamame somewhat resemble lima beans. The picture to the right is of some prepared edamame pods.

From a historical perspective, the term edamame is Japanese in origin and first appeared in a document dating to 1275 in which a Japanese monk thanks a parishoner for a gift of edamame that was left at the temple. The term edamame also appeared in Japanese poetry dating to the 1600s. The term didn't appear in English until 1951, and first appeared in an English dictionary in 2003.

From a nutritional perspective, edamame are rich in carbohydrates, protein, dietary fiber, folates, manganese and vitamin K. The US Department of Agriculture describes edamame as a soybean that can be "eaten fresh" and is "best known as a snack." The USDA also describes edamame as a crop option that can help diversify farming options in western Kentucky in light of declining tobacco prices. While enjoying the health benefits of edamame, you can also help support the US agriculture industry and help decrease tobacco-related deaths.

Roasted Corn and Edamame Salad

Ingredients:

12 ounce bag of frozen, shelled edamame

1 can of niblet corn (You can substitute 2 ears of corn and cut the kernels off.)

2 or 3 small onions (You can see from the picture that I used small yellow onions from my garden. You could also use a small bunch of green onions or a larger yellow onion that would give you roughly the same amount of onion.)

1 teaspoon of minced garlic (You can see from the picture that we like to buy the large jars of minced garlic because we end up using so much of it. One teaspoon is roughly the same amount as one clove.)

1 tablespoon olive oil

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

2-3 chopped tomatoes (Because 2 of the 3 tomatoes I picked were rather small, I used a total of 3. Use enough tomatoes to yield approximately 1 cup of chopped tomatoes.)

Fresh basil leaves (I typically pick a small handful of basil leaves and then just chop them up finely. You also could used dried basil and season to taste.)

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions: 

Set the oven to broil.

Combine the edamame, corn, onions, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper together in a large bowl. I typically just use the bowl I am planning to serve the salad in and then will return the ingredients to the bowl after roasting them.

Transfer the mixture to a large metal baking pan and roast for about 15 minutes. My reference recipe says to roast until the edamame start to turn brown. I haven't yet had mine turn brown, but I find that 15 minutes is about enough time to let the flavors start to meld together, allow the onion to cook a bit, and avoid having the corn dry out too much. After 15 minutes, remove from the oven and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

Mixture on the baking sheet ready to go into the oven

When the mixture is cool, return it to the bowl. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and basil leaves. The picture below gives an idea as to how coarsely I prefer to chop them.

Sprinkle the red wine vinegar over the vegetable mixture and toss together. Add any additional seasonings if you wish. This salad can be served either chilled or at room temperature.

Ocean Waves

Given the title of this entry, my initial plan was to compose it while I was still on the other side of the Atlantic. As of late last night, I have been across the Atlantic and back, so the title still is fitting.

The image above reflects a block from the Ocean Waves quilt (yes, that's really the name of it) that I made for my son and his wife in celebration of their marriage last December. I was able to have the quilt top completed to show them at Christmas, however, the work of getting it quilted and having the binding put together took until just a few weeks ago.

The planning stages for this quilt actually began about a year ago when I knew that the engagement was pending. Once I learned from my son about his fiancee-to-be's favorite colors, I started considering designs for the quilt. I decided to use the Ocean Waves pattern because it would allow the opportunity to feature a number of greens and blues in a variety of different patterns. I actually had a lot of fun going to the quilt store and picking out the different colors, mostly batiks, that would be included.

The Ocean Waves pattern is one that dates back to about the mid-1800s. As you can see from this picture from the National Museum of American History's website, this is a pattern that lent itself well to using up multiple scraps of leftover fabric. 

The basic unit for this quilt is a block comprised of two large triangles and 24 smaller triangles that are sewn together. The resulting blocks are rotated to complete a larger 4-block unit that is repeated throughout the quilt. In comparing my photo at the top and the picture of the antique quilt, you can see that I elected to have the points of the triangles for each 4-block unit point inward rather than alternate the direction of the points. 

I obtained the pattern that I used from the web: Ocean Waves Quilt. I used fewer 4-block units than were illustrated in the pattern and also included a white inner border and a sawtooth half-square triangle outer border. I also liked that this pattern featured a different color for the large triangles rather than just white.





I am particularly grateful to the wonderful quilter who did the machine quilting work for me. Her work is absolutely exquisite as you can see from this close up photo. Her website is Speckled Hens Quilt Co.

In contemplating life's challenges and, I am so very grateful that we are not at the mercy of the waves of the oceans with their randomness and uncertainty. Even though we may feel tossed about by our present circumstances, we can rest confident in the One who commands the waves of the ocean and find peace in the storm. As James reminds us:

Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. …  But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind.

James 1:2-3,6

Boston Baked Beans

Last year for the Fourth of July, I got it into my head to prepare homemade Boston baked beans to go with our dinner. After consulting some cookbooks and internet sites, I found a recipe that sounded easy enough. The combination of ingredients were ones that we had on hand so I decided to give it a go. I do have to say that the end result was rather impressive, and I don't think I have opened a can of baked beans since. 

Ceramic bean pots

Baked beans can be regarded as an American dish given that the beans are native to North American. Traditionally baked beans were prepared in a ceramic bean pot that was set in a bed of embers near the edge of the hearth and allowed to cook for six to eight hours. Baked beans also tend to have a bit of a regional flair depending on the region of the country in which they are prepared. In northern New England, beans often are seasoned with maple syrup while in Boston, they tend to be seasoned with molasses. In the South, the addition of mustard gives baked beans a tangier taste. Baked beans were traditionally prepared on Saturdays. Because they were left overnight in the embers, they would still be warm for Sunday dinner the next day.

The following is a picture of the ingredients for preparing a batch of baked beans.

Ingredients

2 cups of navy beans (16 ounce bag)

1/2 pound pepper bacon (other bacon can be used; we particularly like the flavor that the pepper adds to the beans)

1 large sweet onion finely chopped

3 tablespoons molasses

2 teaspoons salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

Layered beans, onion, and bacon

• Soak the beans overnight in cold water. Simmer the beans in the same water until the beans are tender. Drain the beans and reserve the liquid.
• Layer the beans in a 2-quart casserole dish or bean pot alternating with the onion and bacon.

• Combine the molasses, salt, pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour over the beans. 
• Pour the reserved bean liquid over the beans until the beans are covered.
• Cover with a lid or foil and bake at 325 degrees for 3 to 4 hours. About halfway through the baking time, remove the cover and add additional liquid if needed. 

Beans with liquid added

Beans with sauce added

Welcome

Yikes! With all of the demands of June, I didn't get my second June posting completed. Let's just pretend that today is actually June 31, and that this still counts as a June entry.

I thought I would use this entry to revisit a project that I featured in a January entry. At that time, I featured a couple of projects that I had begun at a quilting retreat sponsored by Village Dry Goods in Brigham City. Although I can claim credit for the wool appliqué work on this project, I paid to have the machine quilting done. Here are a few up close images of the machine quilting on this piece.

I love the detail on the flag portion that draws out the stars and stripes.

This image features the detail on the vase. The stitching around the leaves and vase as well as on the hydrangea blossoms is my own.

One of the reasons I particularly like this piece is its purpose of conveying welcome and hospitality. From the time that we began construction on our home three years ago, we have viewed our home as a means of being able to serve and welcome others. Our prayer is that our home will be a place of hospitality for many years to come.

I am also reminded that even our best welcoming efforts pale in comparison to the ultimate welcome we anticipate as Christ's followers. As Paul anticipates in his second letter to Timothy:

There is reserved for me in the future the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing. 

2 Timothy 4:8

The apostle John was allowed the privilege of gaining additional glimpses of the welcome that awaits us in the presence of God Himself:

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away.

Revelation 21:4

Snickerdoodles

For the past few summers now, our family seems to identify a given sweet treat which we then continue to make over and over through the summer season. The Summer 2013 treat seems to be snickerdoodle cookies. Although I don't have any particular attachment to snickerdoodles from my earlier years, I do remember seeing a recipe for them in my 4-H cooking book. I'm not entirely sure why I never made them during my growing up years. I guess we must have had other cookies that we preferred baking.

This year, I made a batch of snickerdoodles for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, and we have made several batches since, including one for Father's Day. We particularly like snickerdoodles because they are a relatively light cookie that isn't overly sweet. They are also a great cookie for young bakers because they are quite easy to stir up and then bake.

I was hoping to find a fascinating history of the snickerdoodle to share in this posting. For good or for bad, the history is somewhat obscure. I found one source that indicated that cookies similar to snickerdoodles have been around since Roman times. Recipes for cookies similar to today's snickerdoodles have appeared in American cookbooks dating back to the 18th and 19th centures. Some sources suggest that the name is derived from a German word, "Schneckennudeln," which means "snail noodle," however, the cookie's shape doesn't resemble a snail at all. Other sources suggest that the name was created as a nonsense word by New England bakers who would give odd names to their dishes. 

Regardless of of the origins of the snickerdoodle, here is the recipe that I use. My family has yet to complain of the outcome.

Snickerdoodles

Here a picture of the ingredients:

And now for the list of ingredients and the directions …

• 1 cup shortening (I use a whole Crisco stick)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 3/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• Mixture of cinnamon and sugar - I generally use about 2 parts sugar to 1 part cinnamon. You can use whatever combination you like. McCormick makes a cinnamon/sugar spice mixture which does the work for you.

• Cream the shortening and sugar together using an electric mixer. 
• Mix in the eggs and vanilla.
• Sift together and stir in the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt.
• Shape into balls and roll the tops in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. 
• Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. You do not need to flatten the cookies. The baking process will flatten them out.
• Bake at 350ºF for 18 minutes.

Sewing at Midnight

I thought I would use this posting to give a bit of a shout out to one of my favorite local quilt shops. K& H Quilt Shoppe has been open in Kaysville, Utah, for about a year now. The shop owners, Kaye and Heidi (hence the K&H), have worked hard to make the shop a success and to turn the shop into "a community gathering place" as reflected on their web page.

In addition to coming to the shoppe to buy fabric, patrons have the opportunity to participate in a number of classes that are offered throughout the week. With my work schedule, my opportunity to participate in weekday classes is rather limited. (On a positive note, I probably save some money that way). One of my favorite activities that the shoppe sponsors is the "midnight sew" or "quilt 'til you wilt" night that is held on the fourth Friday of each month. On these nights, individuals can bring their machines and whatever project they are currently working on and sew until midnight. For me, this is a great opportunity to make progress on my projects. The pictures below are blocks that will be included in Kyle's graduation quilt. Yes, graduation is just a week away; however, I'm further along on his quilt that I was on Darin's at the time of his high school graduation.

 

Most of the real fun of "midnight sew" nights isn't so much the work that gets done but rather the time to participate with other ladies who enjoy quilting and having a chance to get to know them and to enjoy seeing the variety of projects that they bring. Each lady has her own story, and each project has its own unique purpose.

In reflecting on the sense of community that develops at these sewing events, I am also reminded of the importance of community among the body of believers. Perhaps that is why the author of Hebrews encourages readers "… not to forsake our own assembling together…" I am so very grateful for the local bodies of believers who have encouraged and supported me in my own journey of faith through the years. These include the church where I grew up and was married, my campus ministry group during my college years where I received considerable mentorship, smaller churches in northern Utah and southern Idaho where I served as a student summer missionary, and finally my current home church. All of these have helped shape and support who I am today.

"… and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near."

Hebrews 10:24-25