Mint-a-delic Zucchini Fritters

I've missed you so! Blasted school! Speaking of school - you should see what I'm learning. Not that you probably care because this is a food blog but what the hey, it's all I'm doing right now And besides, if you stick around to the end of this post, your taste-buds might just thank you.

First up, The Eco-Politics of End Times. First of all, WTF does that mean?? End Times?! I guess it depends how you want to define End Times - which is one of the main themes of the course. Kind of awesome though. Actually, it's really fucking rad. Down with Capitalism and rise up people! Okay, that's a little extreme, but it's certainly interesting and I'm diggin it. Besides, if you know me at all, you know I think globalized capitalism really is "the devil's wet dream" (that's an Ani Difranco line FYI).

Second, Human Sexuality. This is a fourth year level class and they're only just teaching these students the difference between gender and sex. They're just figuring out now, in their fourth year, that trans-sexuality is completely normal and that all of the above has nothing to do with sexual preference. See, I realize I'm a women's studies major and these are topics I dealt with in first year, but this class is through a department of the University that is sending social workers and shrinks out into the world to deal with people who may have internalized issues around these topics. Call me crazy, but I think this is stuff that should be covered much earlier in their education. That being said, the other day we did get to sit on the ground with giant pieces of paper, glitter, stick-ums, crayons, pom-poms, etc... and draw out massive pee-pees and hoo-hoos and glam those babies up!

And thirdly, Creative Being. This is a first year level class and an introduction to the fine arts. It's silly. But it's also forcing me to think about education and my creativity in entirely new ways. We're trained to sit in a desk, face forward, be still, and take notes. For four years. At least! Ick! As one of my Women's Studies professors would say, we've been "disciplined" by the way the desks are designed to behave a certain way. But this class is messing all that up. My only issue with it is that it's filled to the brim with 160 ego-centric artist type 19 year olds who don't seem to realize that there's a world outside them and that the likelihood that they'll do much in it is slim to none. I don't wanna sound crass but your little painting isn't going to solve AIDS lovely, and your dancing isn't going to end war. There are problems bigger than your selfish creativity and you're gonna have to see that, think outside the box, and do something to make a difference.

Outside of school, I've been randomly struggling to find the time to make food. I did make something kind of awesome the other day however via Ross Dobson's cookbook titled Market Vegetarian. Oh Ross Dobson, let me count the ways.... I did find though that they were a bit too minty. That could have been because my mint was previously frozen and maybe that intensified the flavor - just a heads up that you may wanna limit the amount of mint that goes into these babies.

Mint-a-Delic Zucchini Fritters

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

2 Zucchini.

2 Oz. Feta Cheese, crumbled.

10 - 12 Fresh Mint Leaves, finely shredded.

2 Egg Whites, lightly beaten.

1 Tbsp Cornstarch.

3 Tbsp Olive Oil.

1 Batch Spicy Tomato Jam.

What to Do:

First things first, grate the crap outta the zucchini and then combine with feta, and mint in a bowl.

In your egg white bowl, add the cornstarch and whisk until the cornstarch has dissolved. Tip the zucchini mixture into the egg whites and gently fold in until combined.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium - high heat. Cook the fritters in 2 batches. Spoon 1 heaped Tbsp of the mixture into the skillet and press down lightly to form a flat fritter. Repeat until pan is comfortably full but not over crowded or things won't brown properly. 

Fry for 2 minutes on each side until dark and golden brown. 

Carefully lift the cooked fritters onto paper towels to drain any excess oil and keep warm in the oven while you finish the second batch. Serve hot with the Spicy Tomato Jam.

Eat.

October Unprocessed - are you up for the challenge?

Okay big deal goin down right here, right now! I was hanging out on Twitter yesterday - because that's just how I roll. Actually, I don't - but I view it as a necessary evil to promoting my blog. Anyhow, I was hanging out on Twitter yesterday and came across this:

What is that, I thought to myself? So I clicked and low and behold, I found the coolest thing since sliced bread!

The idea is Andrew Wilder's @ Eating Rules: Eat absolutely no processed foods for the entire month of October. How do you know if something is processed or unprocessed?

Unprocessed food is any food that could be made by a person with reasonable skill in a home kitchen with readily available, whole-food ingredients.

If the food is without a label, it's likely unprocessed. If the food has a label and there's anything in there you can't pronounce or an ingredient you couldn't make from scratch in it's whole form in your home kitchen, it's definitely processed (this doesn’t mean you actually have to make it yourself, it just means that for it to be considered “unprocessed” that you could, in theory, do so).

via Eating Rules

So why would I deny myself such delicacies as modified dairy dessert (Breyer's "ice cream") or hydrogenated glucose ("chocolate syrup")? Because there's something really, really wrong with the way our food system is bludgeoning us with excess fats, salts, sugars, and other things we really are not meant to ingest. As Andrew says, this is not okay.

October Unprocessed is meant to encourage and advocate for real food. Yes, real food takes more time to prepare than processed "foods". Yes, it takes more thought and effort and energy. But let me tell you - the flavors, textures, and integrity of whole, real foods is far superior to that processed stuff. And while i enjoy my Caramilk bars as much as the next person, I think eating processed food as a way of life is part of what's ruining us as a culture and society in a multitude of ways.

So I'm taking the challenge! Will you??

Things you can do (ideas stolen and adapted from Simple Bites):

1. Sign the petition and join over 450 others in doing so!

2. Discuss the challenge with your friends, family, roommates, and communities.

3. Set a goal. This can be for the full month, a week, or even a day!

4. Make a menu plan and set it into action. Planning is integral to this kind of eating! (i.e. set aside one day a week to prepare shit for the rest of the week).

5. Blog about it and add the badge to your site.

6. Follow the #unprocessed hashtag on twitter.

7. Tweet about it by including the #unprocessed hashtag on twitter.

8. Read Eating Rules for daily updates, tips, and tricks on eating happily and ethically.

9. Follow my blog (okay, I cheated a bit there. Shameless self promotion).

10. Visit your local producers and buy products that you know are locally, organically, and holistically grown and raised.

Let the eating begin!

Leek & Cabbage Scallop

Holy Winter batman! It's dark and raining and windy... I love it. I just cranked up the heat, turned on the fire place, threw on one of John's massive hoodies and cozied up on the couch with a blanket and my slippers. Wait a minute, who am I kidding? I wear my slippers all the time anyway. Even when it's 30 degrees outside. Or when I go check the mail. They even come to my friend's houses with me. I love me some good slippers! And speaking of Winter...

my slippers. thanks grandma. for them. and the blanket. and for being lovely.

We finally have cabbage! Actually, we had cabbage 2 weeks ago. But I was stoked to see it! It's a sure sign that the fall/winter veggies are on their way. When John mentioned we got cabbage in our box I thought "yes! cabbage rolls baby!"... Then I got home. It was only half a cabbage. Half a very large cabbage, mind you. I guess I could have made a cabbage roll bake type thing but the following was an excellent alternative. And believe me, by the end of fall/winter, I'm gonna need alternative cabbage cooking methods because we end up with a lot of cabbage in our CSA in Winter. And parsnips. Lots of parsnips too. Oh, parsnips...

Leek & Cabbage Scallop

(printable recipe)

Ingredients

1 Head Cabbage (or half a large one), roughly chopped.
2 Leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced.
1/2 Medium Sized White Onion, diced.
2 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped.
Handful of Fresh Soft Herbs (i.e. thyme, oregano, sage), stemmed and roughly chopped OR 2 Tbsp Dried Italian Herbs.
4 Sundried Tomatoes, finely chopped.
2 Tbsp Butter, unsalted.
2 Tbsp White All-Purpose Flour.
1 Tsp Ground Nutmeg.
1 C Milk.
1/2 C Aged Cheddar Cheese, grated.
2/3 C Gruyere Cheese, grated.
2/3 C Fine Bread Crumbs or Panko.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 2 quart baking dish. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place the dish on top. This will prevent bubbles and drips that occur during the cooking process from landing in the bottom of your oven while the foil makes for easy cleanup.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil with the cabbage in it. Cook until barely tender, about 8 to 10 minutes and drain well.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, heat a couple Tbsp of oil over medium heat. Once hot, toss in the onion and leeks. Cook until translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, sundried tomatoes, and herbs and cook until just fragrant. Remove from heat and dump the mixture in a bowl, returning to pot to the stove.

Turn the heat down to medium-low and gently melt the butter. Once it starts to sizzle, add the flour, milk, nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Stir constantly until thickened. Fold in the cheese and mix well. Remove from the heat and add the onion mixture and the cabbage to the rue (that's what this sauce is called - more or less) and fold until combined.

Dump into the prepared baking dish and top with bread/panko crumbs. Bake in the oven about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the sides are bubbly and oozy.

Remove from the heat. Let stand 5-10 minutes. Serve.

Eat.

P.S. For extra scrumptiousness, if you have truffle oil, drizzle a little on each portion. Heaven!

Film Friday & A Great Idea

What up sugar plums!

So before I get to Film Friday I have to pass on this super exciting thing that Gentri @ Gentri Lee is doing! She posted the other day about this fun international package pal that she has in Germany while she lives in the U.S. They send letters and goodies and little gifts to each other from their respective countries. How cute is that?? I love it. I think it's adorable. And I also think it's amazing how we're able to connect not only online but obviously beyond that.

I'm sure friend kaitlyn @ isavirtue will love this - snail mail is the future, after all.

So anyway, if you wanna take part - just click on the button below and follow Gentri's instructions! So rad!

Now, on with the show! Usually for Film Friday I try to include a bit of video that helps to explain and/or promote ethical food choices. For example, last week I posted a short but sweet advertisement advocating the need for real, whole, local farming. This week, I'm featuring something a little less serious. And really, it has nothing to do with food except it occurs in a diner. This short film (all 7 minutes and 44 seconds of it) was written by Nacho Vigalondo, produced by Ibarretxe & Co, and is titled 7:30 de la Manana - in 2004 it was nominated for an Oscar. It's a fun film and I hope you enjoy!

CSA Week #1

Good morning lovelies! (can you tell i'm in a better mood than last post? ick! who was THAT debbie-downer??)...

So because of my super busy student schedule I needed to get organized. But because you read my blog every day (and let's face it, who wouldn't?), you already knew that. I've decided to make a new blog schedule that will not only allow me the time to get my school work done, but also allow some serious quality time with you - which is what I really crave. And while it means fewer posts each week, I promise they'll be good'uns.

So, to kick off this new scheduling business, welcome to CSA Posting Week #1! I've decided to share with you our CSA goodies in an effort to encourage you to discover similar avenues of engaging with your food on a local level. While we also frequent local food markets and try to grow some of our own, the CSA program is the least effort intensive and thus the easiest for us (and you) to access on a regular basis. Unfortunately, convenience is a necessity for most people in this day and age - so let's go with the flow!

'lil tomatoes!

CSA is an acronym for community supported agriculture. The idea is that you pay a local farm a pre-determined amount of money (usually in advance so the farmers can plan their routes, crops, etc...) and in such you essentially purchase a portion of whatever is grown or raised - kind of like a co-op. Then depending on the CSA program, you either go to the farm to pick up your yummy rewards or they get delivered to you. 

ground cherries.

In our case, John and I have been a part of the Saanich Organics CSA program for about the past year. They allow you to choose between either weekly or bi-weekly deliveries or pick-up directly from the farm which is handy depending on how much food you go through and whether or not you have a vehicle. We pay $30.00 bi-weekly for a box of 7 - 9 fresh, local, organic, seasonal, happy vegetables/fruits to be delivered directly to our back door - all of which were picked only 24 hours before. We don't have to do a thing! They just appear with a new box and take the old one away! It's great! I mean, you have to buy veggies anyway, so why not support a local farmer who is producing really good, organic, whole food?

eating ground cherries before the box even made it in the house!

 To be fair sometimes we end up with items we've never seen or even heard of before! And other times, we end up with weeks worth of parsnips - I love em, John can't stand the little guys. But in either case, eating locally and seasonally - either through a CSA or otherwise - challenges us as cooks and eaters in ways that import grocers could never do. Getting a box is always an adventure!

This week we got a "Golden Box" which consisted of the following:

• A Bag of Yellow Wax Beans.
• Bunch of Golden Beets & Beet Tops.
• 2 Ears of Succulent Fresh Corn on the Cob.
• Bunch of Golden Chard.
• 3 Small Summer Zucchini Squash.
• 1/2 Pint of Ground Cherries (WTF is a ground cherry??).
• 1 Pint Cherry Sized Tomatoes.
• 1 Yellow Pepper.
• 1 Yellow Onion.

So now I ask you: What will I do with all these incredible veg?? What would you do?? Does anything scream inspiration here for you? I'm excited! Happy cooking!

Fresh Corn Cakes with Avocado & Goat Cheese Salsa

Do you ever have moments when you think, "enough is enough"? I've been feeling that way about school this term. It's my final year - only 5 more classes to go and as of April, I'll have a bachelor of Arts with a major in Women's Studies and a minor in Sociology. It's valuable. I get that. To have a degree - especially one that has forced me to think to critically about every system in my life. I've had to take apart life things that I took for granted before and put them back together again in ways that expose the perpetuation of oppression in our culture and society. My degree has royally ef'd up how I view the world. But in a good way. Plus a degree is a necessity these days to stepping up in the world - whatever that means.

4 years later though, I've had enough. Not of the women's studies degree necessarily but of University in general. I'm tired of the repetitiveness of paper reading and writing. I'm sick to death of listening to people ask stupid questions in class and drag out their own issues in front of everyone. I can't stand group work. But that stuff's really superfluous in comparison to what I'm really tired of -  all the elitism and bullshit the university creates and then exacerbates around academia. I'm so over the way University breeds intellectuals, fosters them through out their undergraduate, and then graduate, and eventually Phd degrees, and - in most departments - doesn't really do anything to help make the world a better place. 

Looking back, I'm not sure I'd do it again. I mean, my degree in women's studies has completely changed who I was and has laid the foundation for who I am to become - that's invaluable. And I've become a better person, nay, a better global citizen for it. And I do love to learn. We should all continue learning over our life spans. On the other hand however, the university is really a business that strives to make money above all else.

Maybe I'm just bitter or having an "off" day - but there's just so much more joy out there beyond the borders of the classroom. There's fresh dirt to dig our hands into and plant exciting seeds with anticipation of what might pop up out of the ground! There's canvasses that are screaming for paint. There's gourmet ideas to be sprouted and food to be cooked. There's community to foster. Things to be canned. Books that yearn to be read (for fun). Adventures to be traveled. There's just so much more to life than school allows... Which makes me ask the question, is it worth it? Is university, worth the time and effort and good lord! the money? Is school, enough?

But you know something that I haven't had enough of? These Fresh Corn Cakes with Avocado & Goat Cheese Salsa have been adapted from Love & Olive Oil. The moment I saw these I just knew I had to make them with the fresh corn that came in our CSA box last week. These little babies are soft, chewy, airy, comforting, and light - a perfect start to any meal or a side to a main course. Make them before the Summer veg is officially done for the season - it won't be nearly as good with off season ingredients.

Fresh Corn Cakes with Avocado & Goat Cheese Salsa

(printable recipe)

sorry for the ghetto photograph - was moody. as i am today. mrawh! moods suck.

Ingredients for Cakes:

2 C Fresh Corn Kernels, cut from the cob.

1 C All-Purpose White Flour.

1/2 C Fine Ground Cornmeal.

1 Tsp Baking Powder.

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda.

1 Tbsp Sugar.

1 Tsp Kosher Salt.

2 Free-Range Organic Eggs, lightly beaten.

2 Tbsp Milk.

Ingredients for Salsa:

1 Large Tomato (or handful of tiny ones), chopped.
1 Red Chile, seeded & finely chopped.

1 Tbsp Cilantro, roughly chopped.

1/2 a small size Sweet Onion, finely chopped.

1 Large Garlic Clove, minced.

Juice of 1 Lime.

1 Avocado, pitted and diced.

Small Palmful of fresh chevre, crumbled.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 200 degrees F.

While that heats, pulse corn several times in a food processor until coarse chunks form - you don't want puree.

Transfer the corn to a large bowl and combine with flour, cornmeal, baking powder, soda, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Add eggs and milk and whisk until just combined.

Pre-heat a splash of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Once hot, drop batter by tablespoonfuls into the skillet, but be careful not to over-crowd the pan or they won't cook properly. 

Cook 1 - 2 minutes per side until golden brown and transfer to a cookie sheet to keep warm in your oven until all the cakes are ready to be served.

For the salsa, combine all the ingredients in a bowl just before serving and mix well.

Serve cakes topped with the salsa.

Eat.

Spiced Cherry Tomato Sauce

Okay so I know it's been a few days since I posted this (5 to be exact) - and again, I'm very sorry to leave you hanging. But here is the recipe for the Spiced Cherry Tomato Sauce that pairs with those squashy little pockets of deliciousness. 

P.S. I'm working on a schedule today to organize my currently chaotic life - it's hard being popular. J.K. Actually, it's hard working 4 to 5 nights a week, trying to get A's in university (which involves actually attending classes and doing the assigned homework), and trying to make quality time for the bf, friends, and myself, all the while finding moments to cook and blog about it. I need to get organized! So this weekend - hopefully today - that's what's gonna happen. Because as exciting as it is for you to listen to me bitch about my busy schedule, I'm kind of over it (and I'm sure you are too).

Spiced Cherry Tomato Sauce

via The Modern Vegetarian

(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients:

1 lb Cherry Tomatoes, halved.

1 Tsp Yellow Mustard Seeds.

1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds.

30 Fresh Curry Leaves (or 10 dried).

2 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped.

3/4" Fresh Ginger, peeled and finely grated.

1 Tbsp Tomato Paste.

Pinch each of sugar and salt.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

What to Do:

Heat the olive oil in a wok or large frying pan until hot over medium heat. 

Add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves and cook until just beginning to pop. It'll go "pop! pop!" noise.  Remove from the heat.

Add the garlic and the ginger and continue to cook over low heat for 30 seconds. 

Add tomatoes, sugar, salt, and paste plus 2 Tbsp of water and stir well. Simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes until the tomatoes have softened, and the sauce has thickened, stirring occasionally. 

Serve with Butternut Squash Parcels.

Eat.

Unpreparedness

I am completely unprepared for the busy-life of a working student... The blog is suffering. Well, at least this week it is. I apologize for the sudden lack of posting and promise I'll get back to this weekend (if not sooner)...

summer fruit...

I'm in the process of transitioning to wearing tights with my skirts (had to tie in the photos somehow), working nights - which means no cooking dinner but it does mean cooking lunch, while school work demands my attention at least 3 hours or more a day, and apparently the dentist can dose you with Valium if you have any anxiety... (about going to the dentist, that is). And Valium = no blogging for me.

fall fruit... is a pumpkin a fruit?? First one of the season!! Thank YOU Moss Street Market

So, please accept my heart felt apology while I organize my crazy self this week and stay tuned for exciting and delicious new posts... Coming very, very soon.

Did I mention I'm going through a sense of withdrawal?? From not blogging, not the Valium.

XO.

Butternut Squash "Samosas"... more like parcels.

What is the one food you just couldn't possibly live without?

I was asked this question at work last night and the first thing that popped into my head was "cheese!". Obviously. I love me some cheese! Of course, so does my growing waistline. But it's just so ef'n good! Another food I don't think I could live without?..... butternut squash.

This recipe has been adapted from a fantastic cookbook that John got me a while ago called The Modern Vegetarian by Maria Elia. I love her book - it's beautifully photographed, she has some very interesting recipes, it smells great (I know, weird right?) - and she calls this recipe "Butternut Squash and Ricotta Samosas"...

Okay so these aren't really samosas. I guess they kind of look like one (a triangular pastry type thing) and the fact that they have curry spices in them, they could be confused with samosas. But samosas are not made of phyllo and they do not have pinenuts and butternut squash & ricotta filling. So really, by calling these little babies samosas I'm just appropriating a food item that is highly particular and very special to a specific culture - awesome. Colonization 101, my friends. So instead, let's call these little guys Butternut Squash & Ricotta Parcels. And then I can go to bed at night soundly with the knowledge that my ancestors violently pillaged, appropriated, and exterminated aboriginal cultures all over the globe - including here in Canada - while I try my best to avoid doing the same. Deal.

P.S. Don't be put off or afraid by the random spices in this recipe (or by my rants). It's really very easy and you can find them all at your local Indian grocer. The spices that is, not the rants. If you aren't sure what you're looking for, just ask! 

Also, I tend to double this recipe since it is a bit time and labor intensive and then I just freeze half the mixture for next time.

 

 Butternut Squash & Ricotta Samosas Parcels

(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

12 Dried Curry Leaves (or triple the amount for fresh).

1 1/2 Tsp Black Mustard Seeds.

Pinch of Dried Fenugreek Seeds (optional).

1 Onion, finely chopped.

3 Tsp Cumin Seeds.

3 Garlic Cloves, finely chopped or grated.

1 1/2" Fresh Ginger, peeled & finely grated.

Pinch of Chile Flakes or Powder.

3 Tsp Ground Cinnamon.

1 2/3 Lbs Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded & cut into 1/2" dice.

13 oz Ricotta Cheese.

1/2 C Pinenuts, gently toasted.

12 Sheets Phyllo Pastry, defrosted.

5 Tbsp Butter, melted.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

Kosher Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper.

1 Batch Spiced Cherry Tomato Sauce (recipe to come!).

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Chuck the squash into one or two baking pans with a couple glugs of olive oil and some salt and pepper. Toss well and chuck it in the oven for about 20 minutes or until slightly more cooked than fork tender. Remove from the oven and set aside. 

Meanwhile, heat 2 or 3 Tbsp of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Carefully add the curry leaves, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds (if using) and cook until they start to pop. Immediately add the onion, cumin seeds, garlic, ginger, chile, and cinnamon and cook until the onion is softened, stirring occasionally. 

Transfer to a bowl and let cool - add the onion and then stir in the ricotta and pinenuts, adjust the seasoning to taste.

Lay out the Phyllo sheets, keeping those you aren't working with covered with a damp tea towel so they don't dry out. Place 1 sheet of phyllo on a dry, flat, clean work surface, brush gently with melted butter starting from the center and making your way out toward the edges and place another sheet on top. Butter again and then cut into 3 even strips lengthwise. 

Place a heaping Tbsp of the butternut mixture on the lower right-hand corner of each strip. Fold the top right-hand corner of the pastry over the mixture to form a triangular shape, having the edges meet. Then flip the triangle over to encase and continue this motion, lining up the edges all the way down the length of the phyllo. Seal the edges with butter and place on your prepared baking sheets. Brush the tops of each parcel with butter.

Repeat until you have 12 (or however many you're making) samosas.

Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp and golden.  Serve with the spicy tomato sauce (coming soon).

Eat.

Giveaway Winner & FYI

We have a winner!! Aren't you excited?? In case you have no idea what I'm talking about (and let's face it, you probably do - I'm kind of a big deal) I hosted a giveaway this week for 3 amazing jars of cardamon ginger blueberry butter to celebrate my blog's one year anniversary based on the recipe Stacy @ Seattle Seedling was so kind to guest post for me (did I also mention she sent me a jar of her batch?). Ooooooooooooh, blueberry butter!!

Side note: I was ridiculed this week by a friend's friend for celebrating my blogaversary... Is it weird that I've done so? Wouldn't you? Blogging is a LOT of effort and keeping it up steady freddy for that long is kind of huge, in my opinion. Anyhow, just thought I'd share. And if I catch that guy out on the street I will wag my pointer finger in his face and set him straight! Okay, I probably won't. But I like to think I'm tough.

Also FYI - school has started for the term. It's likely the amount of posts I do is going to have to go down during this time. I actually think Inspiration Sunday might be banished to the dark side for a while so I can use Sundays to do paper writing, etc... and maybe another day of the week but I'm not sure yet. We'll see how it goes.

Alright! So who IS the winner?? Are you ready?? Close your eyes! Well, don't really close your eyes. If you do that you won't be able to read the last of this post and find out if it's you or not! So, hypothetically and imaginarily (is that a word?) close your eyes, hold on tight... Drum roll please!

And the winner is:

Teresa Blackburn @ food on fifth

Congratulations Teresa - you are officially the new and proud owner of a set of some seriously delicious blueberry butter decorated in whimsical and gorgeous ribbon just ready for gifting - or mowing, if you don't wanna share. 

To everyone else - all my followers are very important to me and I've been so fortunate to meet all of you. Thank you so much for entering and for the kind blogaversary wishes! I hope you'll stick around to see more and share in my food experiences - and tell me all about yours! Again, thank you for your support and we'll talk soon... Xo.

Now, I have to go contact Teresa and let her know the good news - check ya later!

Stolen Fruit Crumble

That's right - you read that correctly. This here is stolen fruit crumble. Of course, you don't have to steal the fruit to make it (though free fruit is always highly recommended). The plums came from friend Shane's golden plum tree, the apples came from a house down the street - apparently when I drink too much wine I think it's a good idea to take a few apples. Hey now - that tradition was started by a fellow chica long before I ever showed up! And besides, they have more than they'll ever use. They'll never miss 8 small apples... and the blueberries (okay those weren't stolen), came from Saanich Organics. 2 out of 3 aint bad though...

Fruit in desserts is the shit. It's fresh, light, and rather pleasing, especially if you just ate a heavy dinner. Or in my case today, lunch. Heck yeah, I'm eating dessert at lunch time!

For this recipe use whatever fruit is accessible to you and in season. In season fruit is always so much better than out of season - the flavor, texture and just general integrity of the fruit is so much more gorgeous.

Stolen Fruit Crumble
(printable recipe)

Ingredients for Filling (substitute fruit for what's in season):

4 - 5 Small Apples, cored and sliced into 1/2" pieces.

3 Golden Plums, pit removed and sliced into pieces.

1 C Blueberries.

3 Tbsp White All-Purpose Flour.

3 Tbsp Organic Cane Sugar.

1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon.

The Juice of 1 Lemon.

Ingredients for Topping:

3/4 C White All-Purpose Flour.

2/3 C Ground Almonds.

1/3 to 1/2 C Large Oats.

1/3 C Organic Cane Sugar.

1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon.

1/4 Tsp Ground Nutmeg.

1/3 C Butter, melted.

What to Do:

Pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees and lightly grease either 1 medium sized baking dish or 4 individual ones.

In one bowl, mix together all your filling ingredients.

In another, combine all the topping ingredients - finishing with the butter. Mix well with a fork (or your fingers) until the combined mixture is crumbly and the butter has been worked through very well.

Pour your filling into the prepared dish(es) - get lots in there! You want lots of fruit! 

And then top with the filling mixture.

Place baking dish(es) on a tinfoil lined baking sheet to catch the drips and bake in the oven about 1 hour or until tops begin to golden. I didn't use tinfoil and John had to scrub-a-dub-dub the crap outta the baking sheets so do yourself the favor and line it with foil first.

If after an hour the tops aren't as crisp as you'd like, turn the heat to broil and brown em up! But watch carefully or you'll burn them (like I did)...

Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Serve warm with ice cream - I like vanilla - and...

Chow down.

P.S. Last chance to get in on the giveaway! Closes tomorrow!