Many of you know that Mr. C. is an exuberant mixologist. He absolutely thrives on trying new and exciting ways to diminish our supply of liquor, liqueurs, bitters, and other various and sundry drink additives. And isn’t that wonderful. Of course! Unless you are someone like boring me who basically only likes a few different mixed drinks. First and foremost, Tanqueray Martinis. Followed by Margaritas, Gin or Vodka Gimlets, and an occasional Bloody Mary.

But, whenever he tries a new cocktail, I am a good enough sport to give it a small and tentative taste. Well, guess what?! This drink was very tasty. And I don’t even like Champagne. (I know, sick and wrong.)

Now, would I drink an entire French 75? No. Would I advise you to try one? Absolutely. And any of the other adult beverage recipes under the snappy title “Adult Beverage Recipes” on my blog.

Well, that’s it for today. The sun is shining, our fridge, freezer, and pantry are full of fun and exciting ingredients, and I know what I’m going to cook for dinner. If that isn’t a combination made in heaven, I don’t know what it could be!

May you too be blessed with a roof over your head, food to feed your family, and a job (unless of course you’re retired) that you like. We are here for such a short time. Count your blessings and make the most of whatever you have. Cheers.

And from our home to yours, peace and love to all.    

1 oz. gin

½ oz. fresh lemon juice

½ oz. simple syrup (see recipe below)

2 oz. Champagne

Pour the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake well. Strain into a Champagne flute or highball glass. Top with Champagne. Stir gently.

Please note: The recipe for a French 75 is very similar to a Tom Collins. In a Tom Collins, carbonated water is used in place of Champagne.   

Simple Syrup

1 part granulated sugar

1 part water

In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and water until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow the syrup to cool and you have classic simple syrup to use in cocktails and all sorts of sweet summer beverages.

Tuesday, June 3, 2025 – Beaune, France – Golf Hotel Colvert

After another fine breakfast, we (and that’s the royal “we”) trundled our luggage down to our car at about 9:30 am. Then off we went on our quest to find Hôtel Golf Colvert – Rue du Golf – Levernois – 21200 Beaune, France.

Andy had mapped it out, but while we stopped at a rest stop along the first leg of our journey for a quick shared sandwich and potty break, my genius husband realized that there was a lovely woman who lived in his cellphone that would talk to us all the way to our hotel. Now, she took us on a rather unbeaten path. But with her directions, we didn’t make even one wrong turn. We named her Rhoda. Rhoda Scala, to be exact, since the model of our Skoda rental car is a Scala. She seemed fine with her new name because she didn’t direct us into a river or over a cliff.

When we arrived at our hotel, we were greeted by a very helpful young man. We asked about dining opportunities, and he gladly made reservations for both tonight and tomorrow night.

The entire ride today was through beautiful country. We were initially worried that we wouldn’t enjoy the countryside as much as we did the Alps, but we soon realized that so far on this trip, we hadn’t seen anything that wasn’t lovely to behold. And unlike many agricultural areas of the US, things are different in this region. All the land is not cultivated the way it is in America. You can’t look in any direction without seeing a stand of trees. There are as many forest areas as there are fields of crops or livestock. None of this, take every tree down and plant, plant, plant. It is truly lovely to witness what at least appears to be the case, that generations of people who have lived off this land are conscientious about preserving it for future generations.

After getting settled in our room, very nice BTW, we took turns using the one computer we brought along, while the other settled out on our small deck with Kindle in hand. After a quiet couple of hours, it was time to head off for dinner at La Garaudière, which specializes in regional homemade cuisine with a great selection of different meats cooked over an open fire.

Andy pronounced it one of the best meals he had ever had. He ordered steak, I decided on chicken, which was delicious, but very hard to cut. So, there I sat, trying to saw into the half bird with a table knife. Finally, I used my hands to break the various parts into reasonable sized parts. But because the chicken had been cooked in basically a fireplace, by the time I was done, my hands were covered in black embers. Oh, what fun it is to look like a sophisticated world traveler with blackened hands! Oh well, it was absolutely apparent that we were not even from another European nation, because we even hold our utensils differently. In this part of the world, you hold your knife in your right hand, and your fork upside down in your left hand. Then you use your knife to shovel or push food onto your fork. Then you put the food in your mouth with the fork still wrong side down. Weird, but effective. But a sure sign that Americans don’t even have a clue as to how to use a fork and knife properly!

After dinner, which lasted an hour and a half, it was back to our hotel. There was some kind of wine tasting event still in progress, and no place to park our car. So, the nice very English concierge, told us to just park on the grass. 

Truly another wonderful day in Europe.    

Wednesday, June 4, 2025 – Beaune, France – Golf Hotel Colvert

After a nice breakfast at the hotel, we asked Rhoda Scala to direct us to the Château de Châteauneuf, an impressive medieval fortress perched on a rocky spur overlooking a fertile plain. Around the castle lies Châteauneuf-en-Auxois, one of the loveliest villages in France. Châteauneuf-en-Auxois is a prosperous little village, bedecked with flowers and with fine stone houses adorned with pediments and turret staircases dating from the 15th and 16th centuries. The narrow medieval streets are lined with houses built for rich Burgundian merchants in the Middle Ages and lead up to a viewing point offering a magnificent panorama. And today, even though it was raining, art galleries were open to the public.

The history of castle Château de Châteauneuf began in 1175 when a keep was constructed on a promontory overlooking the valley which the Canal de Bourgogne flows through today. During the Hundred Years’ War, it was fortified by a strong outer wall and five towers.

Along our walk from the car to Château de Châteauneuf.

Into the inner sanctum we go.

Back up through the remaining gates to this lovely village Châteauneuf-en-Auxois.

After touring the Château and leaving this beautiful little village behind, we decided to drive to Flavigny-sur-Ozerain, a picturesque medieval village surrounded by bucolic countryside, vineyards, and lush green hillsides. We were unable to walk into the village because there were only 2 or 3 remaining places to park and the walk into the village would have been a bit too much for me. Uphill all the way! Plus, it was raining. But we thoroughly enjoyed the drive to this village.

On the way down from the village, at a couple of points, we were quite sure Rhoda, our tour director was trying to get us killed by sending us up and down steep roads designed for donkeys. Never-the less, we managed to survive. And we saw a red fox crossing the road in front of us. (No, I didn’t get a picture. Mr. or Mrs. Fox did not doddle as he or she made their careful way across the tree-lined road.)  

The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is the largest of the true foxes and one of the most widely distributed members of the order Carnivora, being present across the entire Northern Hemisphere including most of North America, Europe, and Asia, plus parts of North Africa.

At this point we decided it was time to turn around and head back to camp. But first, a little side trip to Aloxe-Corton, a village claiming three château and Grands Crus. Grand cru (French for ‘great growth’) is a regional wine classification that designates a vineyard known for its favorable reputation in producing wine. I had stepped out of the car to take pictures of the château. While I was crossing the street to get back in the car, I noticed a small herd of white cows absolutely transfixed by my beauty. They were all, to a cow, staring at me. I quietly informed them that I was a tourist and had no apples on me. Immediately they turned and walked away from me. I had no idea French cows spoke English!

The winery.

All eyes on me.

Fine. No treats! We’re out of here!

After taking a picture of the winery and my new but fickle bovine friends, we decided it was time to head for home. Some pictures along our way back to Beaune.

Once back in our room, a little quiet time before dinner. Dinner tonight was fantastic. We had tried to get a reservation at Le Bistrot Du Bord De L’eau when we first arrived yesterday, but they had no openings. We now know why! But our concierge had managed to get us in tonight. Wow, what a restaurant. A must visit if you are ever in this area.    

If I had to describe the Burgundy region of France in just one word, it would be magnifique! 

Thursday, June 5, 2025 – Colmar Hotel – Colmar, France

Today was a drive day. From Beaune, France to Colmar France. And through departments (think regions) Bourgogne – Frenche-Comte, Lorraine – Grand Est, and arriving in Alsace (also part of the Grant Est). And what a drive it was. Through beautiful pastures, fields of agriculture, and mini forests. Then up and over the Vosges Mountains. The Vosges are very similar to the corresponding range of the Black Forest across the Rhine since both lie within the same degrees of latitude, have similar geological formations and are characterized by forests on their lower slopes, above which are open pastures and rounded summits of a rather uniform altitude.

But for today’s adventure, we decided against taking any toll roads and stuck to alternate routes. Therefore, it took us much longer to get from point A to point B. And searching for places to have lunch, toilets, and gas stations in foreign countries has never been, or probably never will be, our forte. (BTW – The word forte, when pronounced correctly, is pronounced “fort”). Forte being a French word meaning “strength” that is used in English to refer to one’s talent or ability. Example: English is my forte. This word is often mispronounced “FOR-tay” because it is confused with the Italian word forte (pronounced “FOR-tay”) meaning strong in Italian. (Your French lesson for today.) But back to our drive.

I don’t care much if we don’t find lunch, but at our ages, we bloody well need a toilette when we need a toilette! And I get super anxious when the gas tank is even at a quarter tank. Gas stations aren’t always easy to find. And then when we do find one, it doesn’t always have the type of gas we need.

This was the only picture I took along our route today. It was just so beautiful. I must have been just mesmerized.

But we made it to our hotel with Rhoda’s help. And on the way we found a nice lunch spot, made it to toilettes without having to change clothes, and after finally finding a gas station, they were around every corner. Why does that happen?

After checking into our hotel, I lay down for about 30 minutes while Andy played on the computer.

At 7:00 pm, we headed out to find dinner. While we were dining at Restaurant Brasserie l’Auberge, Andy commented that France was truly a civilized country. I only wish I could say the same for the USA.

After spending almost 2 hours over dinner, which included Yellow Chartreuse, an after dinner “digestive” for Mr. C., we headed back to our tiny but modern hotel room. Me to write up today’s trip report, and Andy to read, leisurely sprawled on our comfy bed. Not a bad way to spend the day. 

FYI: Chartreuse is a French liqueur made with 130 herbs and botanicals, known for being one of the only liqueurs that improves with age. First produced by Carthusian monks in 1737, the recipe was discovered by François Annibal d’Estrées in 1605.

Chartreuse is exclusively crafted at the Aiguenoire distillery in Entre-deux-Guiers, a town located in Isère, in the heart of the French Alps (about an hour’s drive from Grenoble).

The secret recipe for Chartreuse has been passed down by Carthusian monks for generations. Green Chartreuse uses a sugar beet-based spirit, while Yellow Chartreuse uses a grape-based spirit. Both are distilled in copper pots, macerated with botanicals, and aged in charred French oak barrels. Only two monks, Dom Benoit and Frère Jean-Jacques, know the exact blend of herbs, sourced from around the globe. Ranging from citrus rind to thyme, to saffron and beyond, the precise recipe has remained a well-guarded secret for centuries.

Our precious bottle of Chartreuse safely home cozied in with our other favorite liqueurs.

And instead of plotting tomorrow’s grand adventure, I’m going to push Andy to his side of the bed and help Hercule Poirot solve yet another mystery. Life is good!

Friday, June 6, 2025 – Colmar Hotel – Colmar, France

After a lovely breakfast provided by our hotel, we decided today was the day to visit the Musée Unterlinde (Unterlinden Museum). But how to get there? (Walking was out of the question, at least for me.) So, Andy figured out the bus system, and away we proceeded.

After arriving at the museum, paying our entrance fee, and each collecting our own audio guide, off we went in search of knowledge.

This incredible museum was established in 1849, housed in a 13th-century Dominican religious sisters’ convent and a 1906 former public baths building.

Famous above all for the Isenheim Altarpiece by Matthias Grunewald. it also displays a major collection of Upper Rhenish medieval and early Renaissance art. Other sections displayed by the museum include local and international archeology, medieval, Renaissance, and baroque sculpture (religious as well as profane), stained glass, weapons, furniture, musical instruments, toys from the 14th to the 19th century, ancient, ornate wine barrels, and modern and contemporary art. All and all, a fantastic museum.

Some of the fantastic paintings, etc. we saw in this wonderful museum.

Looking into the courtyard of this fantastic museum.

After leaving the museum after a mere 4 hours, we decided lunch was in order. So, we stopped to share a tarte flambée, a cross between a savory tart and a pizza. Basically, a tarte flambée consists of a thin sheet of unleavened dough spread generously with crème fraîche, and sprinkled with slivered onions and bacon. The result is a study in contrasts: crisp-chewy crust, tangy cream, and nuggets of salty, smoky pork.  I ordered a small Salade Cléophée. Continental leaves topped with 2 hot goat cheese toasts, tomato slices, walnuts, and olives. Both dishes were absolutely delicious.

Beautiful building on our way to find lunch.

My salad.

Andy’s tarte flambée.

At this point both of us were a bit weary. So, we decided to hop aboard a train. Now, this was not an ordinary train. This was a Petit Train Colmar. The Green Train of Colmar.

As you can see, not a train at all. But rather an easy way to discover the old town of Colmar, which happened to begin and terminate on rue Kléber, next to the Unterlinden Museum. (I mean really. How could we not ride a train that went along rue Kléber! My mother’s maiden name was Kléber.)

The Green Train of Colmar offered us a glimpse into the historical center of Colmar. Basically, the heart of Colmar with its varied natural and architectural topography. Which also happens to be a pedestrian zone, except of course for the petite trains. A few of the highlights included the Maison des Têtes (The House of Heads), Collegiate Church of St Martin, the Pfister House, and Petite Venise (Little Venice). I couldn’t take any pictures along the way because we were stuffed into a bench seat meant for 2 or possible three people, and there were 4 of us. I couldn’t have gotten to my cell phone if my life depended on it!

After arriving back at the museum, we retraced our path (via public transportation) back to our hotel where we both literally crumpled. Andy announced that he needed a drink while I lay down to do some serious reading.

After a bit I was refreshed enough to write up today’s travel report. After writing for about 30 minutes, I realized there was a bit of soft, even breathing going on behind me. Mr. C. had crawled under the bed covers and was sound asleep. We may make it to dinner tonight, but then again, maybe not.

Saturday, June 7, 2025 – Colmar Hotel – Colmar, France

Before I start writing about today’s adventure, I need to write about dogs. Yup, pups! They are bloody well everywhere. In hotel rooms, with their owners at breakfast, in upscale restaurants, in cafeterias, attached to bicycles panting as their owner gets his or her exercise, and often part owner of whatever establishment you happen to visit. But the other evening was absolutely surreal. A family of four sat at a table right next to us in a very fancy restaurant. The dog, smaller than one of our cats, was brought into the restaurant in his or her own little basket, complete with three doggie toys. Of course, the little critter didn’t stay in its basket but proceeded to circle the table looking for God knows what! But in defense of these pampered pets, there was no barking even if there were unknown canines also enjoying an evening out. Amazing. But it is just so different from what we know to be true. No shoes, no shirt, no service! And what about those poor people with allergies to dogs? Was that never considered? Oh well. When in Rome etc. etc.

The most beautiful and well-behaved dog we encountered was in the breakfast room at the Golf Hotel. I asked the owner what breed it was, and he told me she was a White German Shepherd. And then he told us the story of White German Shepherds.

The white color comes from a gene that all German Shepherd dogs carry. There has been no other breed crossed with German Shepherds to produce the white shepherd, however, for years the white coloring was considered a major fault, and those dogs were culled from breeding programs and spayed or neutered. Since then, we have seen one other white shepherd, who was not at all well behaved. He insisted on sniffing the French fries the people at the next table were trying hard to protect, while the owners looked on with pride. Anyway, back to how we spent our day.

After breakfast we headed back through Germany’s Black Forest for a visit to Rhine Falls in Switzerland which is Europe’s biggest waterfall. 

Rhine Falls provides a magnificent spectacle. Across a width of 492 feet and a height of 76 feet, water plunges over terraced falls.

A path, complete with a glass elevator for part of the way down to lower platforms, takes you from Laufen Castle to outlook places that enable an unobstructed view of this amazing natural wonder. And the thing that is most interesting is that the falls begin in what is basically the middle of Neuhausen am Rheinfall Village and just below Schaffhausen in the northern part of Switzerland.

To make things even more dramatic, it was pouring down rain. But the rain did nothing to deter visitors. The place was packed with soggy people carrying umbrellas. But even with all the dampness, it was a marvelous experience.

Threatening sky as we drive to the falls.

The top of the falls.

The bottom of the falls.

The bottom from another angle. Notice the boat at the bottom of the falls. The captain of the boat would steer the boat right into the falls. Then let the boat drift sideways back downstream. We chose not to see the falls from a boat. We were wet enough as if was!

A closer look at one of the boats giving their passengers quite the thrill, I’m sure.

A picture from our glass elevator on our way up from the viewpoints. Note the raindrops on the glass.

Then back on the road to Colmar. After dinner we both opened our Kindles for a short time, then nighty night.

Sunday, June 8, 2025 – Colmar Hotel – Colmar, France

What fun we had today. After breakfast we walked out of our hotel but quickly turned around. It was beginning to sprinkle and looked like it would soon turn into a deluge. So, we turned around and decided to wait it out. Good decision, because after about 20 minutes the rain had stopped completely. So, off we went again.

Today’s adventure was mostly on foot. I was a bit worried about walking all the way to the old center of Colmar and “the Little Venice”, but somehow, I managed. Mainly because Colmar’s charming old town is a flat captivating maze of winding cobbled streets lined with typical Alsatian bourgeois houses. And even though Colmar is home to about 67,000 inhabitants, it has managed to retain a ‘country town’ atmosphere which contributes so much to its charm. The city offers visitors a fascinating insight into 1,000 years of European history through its exceptional heritage. Wonderfully preserved from the ravages of time, its historical “centre” is classed as a ‘protected area’ and has benefited from careful restoration and ongoing improvements for more than 25 years.

On our way to visit Colmar’s historic center. An official building if I ever saw one!

Lovely old homes along the way.

And through a park.

And everywhere, beautiful old churches.

Colmar is really a condensed version of the Alsace region. Walking on its streets is like visiting à huge movie set with hundreds of century-old half-timbered houses, lovely canals, and a flourishing pedestrian town center. And of course, the romantic and world-famous district of ‘the Little Venice’ is just charming.

The city of Colmar, with its beautiful multicolored houses, is also the birthplace of sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, father of the famous Statue of Liberty in New York. (FYI – The copper-clad statue of liberty, a gift to the United States from the people of France, was designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi. Most people give all the credit to Gustave Eiffel, but Eiffel’s contribution was the metal framework.)

A beautiful statue of French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi.

Now we are near the center of the city and “Little Venice”.

Those swans are not just idly passing by this restaurant; they are very aggressively demanding food!

In this picture at just below middle right, you will see happy diners where we too enjoyed a simple lunch.

The Indoor Market. My kind of place. Fresh fruit and veggies right next to a lovely assortment of local wines.

Oh, for a market like this in Stanwood.

I just love streets with no cars. But bicycles are permitted, and bicycle riders are ruthless!

Mr. C. holding up the gates to the city.

Saint Martin’s Collegiate Church.

After spending several hours roaming through the narrow streets, having lunch next to one of the canals, exploring the indoor market, visiting Saint Martin’s collegiate church*, making a couple of purchases (a bottle of La Chartreuse – 35 euros for Andy and a Kitchen Witch** – 16 euros for me) we decided it was time to take a bus back to our hotel.

*Built between 1235 and 1365, Saint Martin’s Collegiate Church is an important example of Gothic architecture in Alsace. Because of a fire in the south tower in 1572 the framework and all the various roofs were destroyed. The tower was replaced three years later by a construction on the top of the dome which has the form of a lantern, which gives the Church its characteristic silhouette. The church has been restored several times. In 1982 during the most recent restoration, foundations of a church from the year 1000 and traces of extensions from the 11th and the 12th centuries were found.

** When you hang a Kitchen Witch, legend indicates that cakes and breads will rise, rice, beans, and toast will not burn, pots will never boil dry, and there will never be too much salt when baking, boiling, or stewing. The spices you mix will be perfect, as will the tea and coffee you serve.

Notice my Kitchen Witch is in good company in my pantry. Right next to my cooking supply of alcoholic additives. Could a witch want for anything more? Plus, she has a straight on view of me at my stove. I believe she is very happy to be where she is because she knows she is much loved and respected.

Upon returning to our room, we both decided except for dinner, our fun for one day was at 110%. So, while Andy researched our route for tomorrow, I read for a bit until I’m told I nodded off for a bit. When I awoke, very refreshed, I was eager to write up today’s adventure.

Bottom line. We both love France!

In deference to the title of this recipe, I’m going to make this portion of the preface simple too. Make this old-fashioned salad next time you need a salad that can be whipped together in no time at all. And I know, the following paragraphs have absolutely nothing to do with salad, but we are living through strange times, and as your friend, I want to share with you other aspects of my life.    

So, first, sorry I haven’t written any book reviews for a while, but I have been re-reading Jacqueline Winspear’s series featuring Maisie Dobbs and enjoying them as much a second time, as I did the first time. I am on book 15 in the series entitled “To Die but Once”.

It’s war time in Europe, 1940, and many underage young men in England, as in other European countries being threatened by Nazi Germany, are being accepted into service to defend their country as they might. And in talking about the war and what it means to all involved, Maisie remembers what someone in her past had quoted regarding not only war but greed. “Where there’s muck, there’s brass. A simple line, an aphorism that seemed to suggest the selling of manure. But it had a meaning that went so much deeper, alluding to the fact that where you find filth – where you find dirt, where you find the detritus of life – you’ll also discover someone making a profit. Much money can be made from the dirtiest jobs. Muck and money go together.”

And it made me reflect on what is currently happening to our country at the hands of just a few rich individuals in Washington DC. That the elimination of certain government-run services such as the postal service and social security, and privatizing them, would surely put yet more money in the hands of the rich. And in doing so, it would undoubtedly lower the standard of living for so many of our citizens.

There is also another term or saying defining greed and the love of money that is being all to aptly demonstrated by our current administration. “Filthy lucre.” 

“Filthy lucre” refers to money, especially when it’s perceived as being obtained dishonestly or through immoral means. It carries a negative connotation, implying that the money is not earned fairly or is associated with questionable activities. The phrase “filthy lucre” in scripture, primarily found in the King James Version of the Bible, refers to dishonest or corrupt gain, often associated with false teaching or greed. It appears in 1 Timothy 3:3 and 3:8, and Titus 1:11. The term is used to warn against the dangers of prioritizing financial gain over genuine service and integrity. 

So, if you are one of those people who really doesn’t understand that what our current administration is only concerned about is acquiring more wealth and power, please step outside your comfort zone, and read what truly learned men and women are saying about the reality of our perilous situation.

But for those of you who get it and are often anxious about what’s happening, please know you are not alone. We are all in this together. We must stay strong. We must stay positive. And we must not give up.

Peace and love to all.         

½ c. plain Greek yogurt  

2 sm. garlic cloves, minced

½ tsp. dried dill weed

½ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. white vinegar (the old-fashioned kind)

¼ c. finely chopped onion

1 English cucumber

Combine yogurt, garlic, dill, salt, pepper, and vinegar in a small salad bowl. Add the onion and cucumber which has been partially peeled, cut in half lengthwise, seeded, then sliced into ¼-inch thick half-moons. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve cold.

I don’t know why, but recently I have been craving chili. And although I have probably made chili at least 100 times over the years, I always like to mix things up a bit. And last evening was no exception. Except, last night, I wasn’t really in the mood to cook. (I know, it’s happening with greater frequency the older I get.) And considering my newfound laziness, I didn’t want to do much veggie chopping or open more than the 2 cans necessary for last evening’s recipe. (Canned tomatoes and canned beans.)

So, I came up with this bare bones’ recipe. And by golly, it was really delicious. And it had been so very easy to prepare. No fuss, no muss!  

So, in keeping with last evening’s cooking adventure, I’m going to keep this post short and sweet. If you love chili, but don’t have a lot of time or strength, this recipe might be great for you too. Full of flavor, nutritious, and cooks up in no time. Perfect for work nights. And believe me, I know what it’s like to work all day and come home to hungry kids and have no real desire to be creative. All you want is to get food on the table that you know everyone will enjoy, while still leaving room to do the dishes, start a load of laundry, supervise bath time, read stories to the kids, and make a batch of cookies for next evening’s PTA meeting!   

And although I usually make cornbread from scratch, I always have a box of Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix on hand. Inexpensive and delicious. And perfect when quick and easy is the order of the day.  

And as always, peace and love to all.

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 sm. yellow or white onion, diced

3 T. chili powder, or more to taste (I use my homemade chili powder. Recipe below.)

1 T. granulated garlic

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. granulated sugar

2 tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1½ c. water

2 T. beef base (I use Better Than Beef Bouillon)

1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes (preferably Italian)

2 T. tomato paste

1 (16 oz.) can beans (your choice), drained and rinsed

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or lidded soup pot. Add the ground beef and cook until the meat is nicely browned. (Caramelized.) Add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chili powder, granulated garlic, cumin, sugar, seasoned salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Stir until well combined.

Add the water, beef base, diced tomatoes (with their juice), tomato paste, and drained beans. Stir well.

Bring to a low boil. Then, reduce the heat, cover, and gently simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve with chopped green onions, grated sharp cheddar cheese, and sour cream. And if you are feeling really ambitious, warm corn bread is the perfect accompaniment.

SAVORY HOMEMADE CHILI POWDER

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, more or less

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. seasoned salt

2 tsp. smoked paprika 

4 tsp. dried oregano leaves (preferably Mexican oregano), broken down a bit

4 tsp. ground cumin

2 T. granulated garlic

2 T. granulated onion

½ c. sweet paprika

Combine all ingredients together in an airtight container.

Teaspoon for teaspoon, use in any of your favorite recipes calling for chili powder.

Coleslaw is one of the easiest and least expensive salads to serve and is especially perfect when you are feeding a large crowd. And I know, you can either spell this humble salad with two words (Cole Slaw) or as one word – Coleslaw, which I happen to prefer. The word “coleslaw” is derived from the Dutch word “koolsla”, meaning “cabbage salad”. 

Now, if you have any familiarity with this blog, you already know that I have several coleslaw recipes already published. And as you have probably already gathered from the sheer number of posted recipes, I love coleslaw.

And since I tend to serve coleslaw regularly for our in-home pre-concert luncheons, I like to change the flavor up a bit, so our regular attendees don’t get bored. And every time I get at least one, if not several people telling me how much they like the salad. So, this is just one more coleslaw recipe with which you can tantalize your guests’ tastebuds.

And I know, not everyone is enamored with cabbage. I happen to live with one of those people who would be thrilled if three quarters of cruciferous veggies were found to be unhealthy for human consumption. But except for Brussel sprouts, I love them all. So, I keep serving coleslaw, not only because it’s inexpensive and easy to prepare, but also because it tastes good, is crunchy, and almost always tastes better after having spent a bit of quality time in the refrigerator. In other words, it’s best when made ahead.

So, just for grins and giggles, let’s talk a bit about menu preparation.

For me, planning the menu for a large gathering takes a lot of thought. Not all my guests will be seated at a table. So, that means, nothing served should require a knife. I mean really, who wants to cut steak on a plate resting on their lap? That is a disaster just waiting to happen! And then probably at least one of my guests will be vegetarian or gluten intolerant or allergic to nuts, etc. So, that too must be anticipated. And another important aspect of any menu I plan, is what I call “the crunch factor”. And I don’t care if it comes from the appetizer, the mains, or the salads. There simply must be at least one dish that offers another texture rather than soft. And that, ladies and gentlemen, is where coleslaw becomes my best friend.

So, if you too are looking for a new recipe for coleslaw, I recommend you give this traditional recipe a try.

Well, that’s it for today. This evening, we are going to a concert in Bellingham. The Jeff Hamilton trio is performing at The Firehouse Arts & Events Center. Influenced by greats like Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich, Jeff Hamilton’s illustrious career has seen him perform with jazz royalty, from Lionel Hampton and Woody Herman to Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie, and Oscar Peterson. A founding member of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra and leader of his own acclaimed trio, Hamilton has graced hundreds of recordings and shared the stage with artists like Diana Krall, Ray Brown, and Paul McCartney. And tonight, this legendary jazz drummer is going to perform with us in the audience. I am well and truly psyched!

May you too find things that bring you excitement and fill your life with anticipation.

And as always, peace and love to all.

1 sm. green cabbage, finely sliced and chopped

1 lg. carrot, grated

1 c. mayonnaise

⅓ c. granulated sugar

2 T. apple cider vinegar

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste

½ tsp. celery salt, or more to taste   

freshly ground black pepper   

Place the cabbage and grated carrot in a large mixing bowl.  

In a small mixing bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, lemon juice, kosher salt, celery salt, and pepper together.

Pour most of the dressing over the cabbage and carrots. Thoroughly mix to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve along with the remaining dressing.

Cole slaw is always better after sitting for a day. Make sure to mix the slaw a few times as it sits in the fridge.

Just before serving add the remaining dressing and give the salad a good stir. Serve with a slotted spoon.  

We love chili. Who doesn’t! But like every other dish I make, I like to change things up a bit. And having recently purchased a small bag (thank God) of Eye of the Goat heirloom dried beans, I decided to go all out and not only use my newly purchased expensive beans but also try a new chili recipe. So, I went to one of my favorite cooking sites (spendwithpennies.com) and found Holly’s recipe for The Best Chili.

I of course messed with the recipe a bit including the use of dried jalapeño powder* (which BTW I have become an ardent fan) rather than a fresh jalapeño. (I hardly ever have a fresh jalapeño on hand.) And as with many recipes that call for canned beans, I prefer to start with dried beans and go from there.

Well, if these dried beans were meant to soften at some point, they never did for me. And I cooked the soaked beans for at least 3 hours!

And of course, this was one of those nights when Mr. C. had a rehearsal and had to be out of the house by 6:00 pm. So, the chili was absolutely divine, except for the beans. Not only were they still, after hours of burbling on the stove, slightly crunchy, there was no flavor at all. So, I’d lay money on the fact that you could guess what happened to the rest of the bag. If not, let me tell you that those recalcitrant beans are now residing in our yard waste barrel. And a jolly good place for them too! Bad beans!

Anyway, while I was reading the chili recipe preface, I clicked on Holly’s recipe for homemade chili powder. So, while I was at it, I made that recipe (with a couple of modifications) too. And I WILL NEVER BUY CHILI POWDER AGAIN. After making the chili powder I did a taste test. Wet spoon, stick it in homemade chili powder, taste. Yummy savory flavor.  Wash spoon, stick in purchased chili powder, taste, and yikes! Water, give me water! Very bitter and hardly any flavor!

So, my dear chili loving friends, I suggest you too make your own chili powder. And if you want to change up your chili a bit, give this recipe a try. Just don’t go crazy and use unfamiliar dried beans. Or if you do, cook them separately, hours in advance. And always, absolutely always have a can or two of beans on hand for emergencies.

And please let me remind you that dried beans do not have the shelf life of a Twinkie! Dried beans will generally stay at best quality for about 2 to 3 years at normal room temperature. They will remain safe to cook after that but may take longer to cook and have less flavor. (If they ever get soft at all!)

Frankly, I think the darling little bag of heirloom beans I bought at a boutique specialty food store somewhere along the way on one of our trailer adventures must actually have been on the shelf longer than I have been retired. Which is a couple of decades now. There was no “best used by” date on the packaging, because after my undercooked dried bean disaster, I looked very carefully at the packaging.

Well, life sometimes offers surprises. But as cooks, we keep trying new ingredients, new recipes, and new ways of making food delicious and nutritious. Blessing on all of you who cook from scratch. Keep up the good work. (Just don’t trust dried beans any more than you would a certain unelected billionaire who is wreaking havoc on America.)

And as always, especially in these tumultuous times, stay strong and committed to empathy, diversity, and justice. Peace and love to all.   

1 c. dried beans of choice or 1-2 cans of chili, kidney, black beans, etc., rinsed

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

1 lb. lean ground beef

½ onion, diced

1 c. diced celery

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 T. Savory Homemade Chili Powder (more or less) (see recipe below) (or store bought if you must)

½ tsp. ground cumin

½ tsp. seasoned salt

freshly ground black pepper

tiny pinch powdered jalapeño*

1 bay leaf

1 (28 oz.) can diced, crushed, or whole tomatoes with juice (preferably Italian)

½ (28 oz.) can water

1 T. tomato paste

2 T. beef base (I use Better Than Bouillon Beef Base)

1 can beer (I used an IPA because that’s what we had on hand)

2 tsp. brown sugar 

Either soak the beans overnight in your refrigerator or place in a small saucepan, cover with water by 2 inches, bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let sit covered for about 2 hours.

Heat the olive oil in a large, covered Dutch oven or heavy pan. Brown the ground beef, then stir in the onion, celery, and green bell pepper. Cook until the onion starts to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add the chili powder, cumin, seasoned salt, black pepper, powdered jalapeño, and bay leaf and cook for another minute or so.

Add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, water, beef base, beer, brown sugar, and drained and rinsed beans.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 60-90 minutes or until the beans are tender. Then remove the lid and let the chili simmer until it has reached desired thickness. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Offer grated sharp cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, and sour cream at table.

*Jalapeño powder is the result of drying and grinding fresh jalapeño peppers into a fine consistency like other seasonings. The taste of jalapeño powder is naturally very similar to that of the whole jalapeño, but the fact that it has been dehydrated and ground leads to its flavor being much more concentrated. So, you need only a small amount of powder to achieve the same amount of heat and intensity of a fresh pepper.

Jalapeño powder and Savory Homemade Chili Powder

SAVORY HOMEMADE CHILI POWDER

¼ tsp. cayenne pepper, more or less

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. seasoned salt

2 tsp. smoked paprika 

4 tsp. dried oregano leaves (preferably Mexican oregano), broken down a bit

4 tsp. ground cumin

2 T. granulated garlic

2 T. granulated onion

½ c. sweet paprika

Combine all ingredients together in an airtight container.

Teaspoon for teaspoon, use in any of your favorite recipes calling for chili powder.

This past Sunday, I served this salad to our JazzVox home concert guests. And it was a hit. The salad was easy to prepare, contained healthy ingredients, was crunchie, and gorgeous to boot! Also, it needed to be made ahead so the veggies could soak up some of the incredibly tasty dressing/marinade. Which always works best for me when I have a crowd to feed.

(This is actually a picture of the salad I just made. The day of the concert all the salad was gone before I could take a picture. And I only got one bite! So, I couldn’t wait any longer. Luckily, I had all the ingredients. So, now I get to feast on this salad too. Mine! All mine! Except of course if Mr. C. wants a bite or two.)

I found this recipe on thelifejolie.com site. And boy am I glad I did.

The other nice thing about this salad was that I got to use my new Crinkle Cutter Knife, Potatoes Crinkle Fry Cut and Vegetable Cutter for Veggies, Stainless Steel Carrot Slicer – yellow (Amazon $5.99).

I had purchased this gizmo a few months before, but for whatever reason I had never thought to actually use it. But after cutting the cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, celery, and onion, my right hand was getting tired. Then the light bulb came on. Why not try cutting the carrots with my new crinkle cutter knife? And OMG, slicing the carrots was a breeze. The blade is very sharp, so it cut through the carrots like they were butter. But the slices were too big for the salad, so I just kept using the cutter to create the sizes I needed. Then I used the same cutter on the cucumbers. It worked great on the cucumbers too. And because of the wavy cuts, the veggies looked so pretty in the salad. But the best part was that my hand didn’t hurt while using my new best kitchen implement. So, if you cut a lot of carrots, etc., you might consider spending the big bucks on one of these cutters. (And no, I don’t get any kind or reward from any store for recommending this item. This cutter just worked so well for me; I thought you too might profit from owning one.)

Well, today is Mr. C’s and my 32^nd wedding anniversary. I can’t believe how quickly the time has gone. And how wonderful my life has been since he came into my life. Not only has he made my life better by just being such a wonderful, thoughtful, and decent human being, he has allowed me the freedom to just be me. With all my foibles, strong opinions, righteous displays of indignation, and my inability to keep my very private thoughts to myself rather than put them out for all the world to read either on Facebook or on this blog. This has taken real courage on his part.

May you too have a life partner who treats you with respect, makes coffee for you in the morning, takes out the garbage without being asked, does the laundry when needed, and in every other way shows love through not just words but by their everyday actions that speak even louder than words.

Peace and love to all.  

¾ c. extra virgin olive oil

3 T. white wine vinegar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

⅛ tsp. white pepper 

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 c. small bite sized cauliflower florets

2 c. halved cherry tomatoes (if large cherry tomatoes, cut in thirds)

2 c. small bite sized carrot pieces

2 c. small bite sized celery pieces 

2 c. thinly sliced English cucumbers that have been partially peeled, halved, and the seeds removed 

½ med. white onion, cut in half again, thinly sliced, soaked in ice water for at least 15 minutes, then drained and patted dry

½ c. chopped fresh parsley

Whisk the olive oil, vinegar, salt, dry mustard, white pepper, and garlic together in a large mixing bowl.

Stir in the cauliflower, cherry tomatoes, carrots, celery, cucumbers, white onion, and parsley. Taste and add salt if necessary.   

Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Pull out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving. This will allow the olive oil to warm enough to not clump onto the veggies. And give the salad a good stir before serving as the marinade tends to settle to the bottom of the bowl. Transfer to a pretty salad bowl before serving.