Ready for Fall?

It sure seems like the summer might be drawing near, which given that we’ve had a very long, hot and dry summer shouldn’t be too big of a deal but it is also a little odd being that generally Seattle is hot and dry through much of September. Regardless, the temps have dropped and the rainy skies have come for a good week. And Bryan is gone to St. Louis for training. So I’ve been bumming around, quite literally. So let’s see what I’ve been thinking and doing:

Before Bryan left we hosted a nice dinner with our friends on Saturday, to disregard the very wet weather outside. I made the rice paper wrapped salmon I learned in the cooking class along with a yellow beet and potato gratin and a leafy green salad and blackberry custard pie. It came out pretty good, especially the blackberry pie from the blackberries out of our backyard. And it was my first time buying a whole fish; Whole Foods was having a sale on whole pink salmon from Lummi Island for $2.99/lb and they even filleted it for me in the 6oz portions and removed the skin!
Held up so well and was so easy to make!
I’ve volunteered at FareStart twice; the first with Bryan for an Asian/soul food fusion dinner featuring hot and sour soup, scallion pancakes, beef brisket braised with soy sauce, jasmine rice, and a peach almond cake and the second by myself for an amazing Latin dinner see below.
Avocado, tomato and marrow bean salad.

Amazing falling off the bone tender chicken with potato puree.

Cafe con leche flan…yes please!
Taking a break from my circuit training classes (because my Groupon is up) and trying a trial of the Barre3 online classes for two weeks (like them!!!).
Made a really bomb hummus (so easy) with spiced beef to top for Bryan and I before he left. I may never buy premade hummus again (so serious about this, especially after making it again in another cooking class).
Got a couple runs in amidst the cooler and wetter weather.
Joined Bryan for the 6 hour grilling and smoking class that I got him for his birthday. We learned how to make: brisket (sliced and burnt end sandwiches), pork shoulder (pulled pork), pork loin, pork tenderloin, chicken wings, two whole chickens (one spatchcocked and one beer can chicken style), two styles of ribs, butternut and spaghetti squash, sweet potatoes, baked potatoes, apples, stuffed cabbages (these were surprisingly bomb) and stuffed bell peppers. Stuffed to the brim afterwards but a successful class where Bryan toted “this is the best brisket I’ve had in Seattle yet”!
This mumbo jumbo of stuff was in attempt to try a little bit of everything from the class (note: this is the second round of foods to come off the grill/smoker)
Took my own cooking class, as chef’s assistant, for the Tapas class at Hipcooks. Honed my skills in making: marinated olives, spicy candied nuts, hummus and pita, Manchego cheese with quine paste, garlicky saffron shrimp, Spanish tortilla omelet with a frisee salad, empanadillas and flan! Oh swoon that flan.
It’s been raining all freaking week. It is supposed to not rain ever in August and early September…
Got a free lunch at Panera with my rewards card.
Tidied up the house again by remaking the guest bed, taking another load to Goodwill, finally putting up my 2nd herb rack, throwing away stuff, and organizing stuff.
Got our annual Calabrese pizza at Tutta Bella’s with Billy and Val last Friday after work. It is amazing how good this fig, prosciutto, goat cheese, rosemary and balsamic glaze pizza is. Oh, and their great salads too!
I dream about this fig pizza on top of that great smoky crust and that goat cheese!
Finally got Bryan to see National Lampoons Vacation (he loved it!) with our friends on Saturday night.
Have literally watched the Macklemore Downtown video like 20 times now.