Welcome Back!

Thanks Meredith, for the awesome pic of a past meal from the VCSC.

Thanks for the patience while allowing us some time off. We really appreciate your support. A few quick notes before we talk about the food. This is the last week we are using the crappy to-go containers. We will be switching to a higher grade container that is dishwasher friendly and reusable. If anyone has any suggestions let us know. We hope to someday go to mason jars but currently have storage issues.

LAST WEEK
Annie came by with some parsley from the garden. I made some parsley almond pesto and a chimichurri sauce. It sparked an idea. I use lots of basil, parsley, cilantro, dill and some mint. If anyone’s garden is overflowing with these, I could buy them from you instead of the store. Just an idea, let me know what you think.

Now for the food.
My prep got cut short due to an electrical emergency at work. Some things are still in progress like the salad dressings and carrot cakes.

SNAX
The granola is back this time with blueberries joining the cranberries, almonds, and honey. The tuna fish salad is back as well. I still have not been able to provide Joanna with any because it keeps selling out. I made extra this time and she has her fix. (Joanna smiles at this as she is expecting there won’t be any left.)
The chipotle black bean dip was also requested and is for sale. It came out a little spicier than normal, but very good. Finally, I tried some baba ganouj, hummus’s roasted eggplant cousin. I was disappointed about how expensive the eggplants were and how little they yielded, but it does taste good.

SIDES
These are all new offerings. Hopefully, I will finish the carrot cakes and serve them with thai chile sauce. It was created as an alternative to crab cakes when I was attempting to be a vegetarian. The red curry with lentils and potatoes is very good, but obviously made by a honky. I am not too familiar with Indian cooking, but this is not a shabby start. I will study up on it a bit more and improve my technique. (Joanna says we may have to visit some Indian restaurants for research, can you say tax write-off). Succotash is not just a fun word to say but also a delicious buttery combination of white lima beans, green lima beans, corn, peppers, and onion. I was enchanted by the huge broad beans at Sun Harvest and wanted to use them some how. Just heat this dish up in either butter or oil. It’s a perfect side dish. The three-potato salad has the same color combination as the succotash, but quite a different flavor. It is a combination of gold, white and sweet potatoes bound together with whole grain mustard, olive oil, and mayo. Cilantro, corn, peppers, and onions round out the flavors. This side dish can be served warm or cold. It would be a great friend to some grilled chicken or fish.

SOUPS
I made a summer vegetable soup that came out really nice. It is packed with tomatoes, lima beans, edamame, yellow squash, zucchini, garlic, onions, parsley, and on and on. A vegetarians dream. Good fresh flavors. I also did a cold soup because it was so hot last week. I tried a cucumber dill. It has a good lemony aftertaste that goes well now that it is 90 degrees outside.

SALAD DRESSINGS
I am going to do a white miso vin, a sundried tomato balsamic vin, and a cilantro lime vin if time permits. Like I mentioned earlier, I got the emergency call at 5:30am.
Thanks for everything.

The VCSC welcomes back Luscious, check out the link for what they will be offering this week here at the Supper Club.

JOANNA'S NOTES
FYI, I have been adding comments all along in parenthesis. Guys, the black bean dip is yum and it’s a bit hotter than normal so tie-down those summer straw hats. The potato salad and succotash are ever so tasty. Joel had me taste test them as I was falling asleep with Jake and an hour later I was scrounging in the kitchen for more. We never eat on production night so I’m starving the whole time. The cucumber soup is so light and delish. . .perfect for coming home from a hot afternoon at the park. The tuna fish, well, I think we all know how I feel about that. . scourge all you tuna fish lovers. I will get mine! The red curry will serve wonderfully on a bowl of rice and easily be more than a meal. . . . Joel, you did good! O.K. guys, Friday at Northwest Pool, be there or be square.