Peas are a Snap

Steadily working our way through our CSA snap peas and the last of our own snap peas (the pea plants have turned greyish and are not long for this world) in one fell swoop, we turn to an odd recipe book that holds a place on our shelf, the Betty Crocker Chinese Low-Fat cook book. Betty, bless her American corporation-invented heart, is not normally the first 'person' I'd turn to for so-called Chinese recipes (especially considering the vast differences between regional cuisine from the Mongolian-influenced north west to the spicy "four rivers" Sichaun style to the imperial Beijing cuisine, and all inbetween). Add in the 'low fat' moniker and red stop signs should light up. But Take-out Chinese food is as American as apple pie (ask Jennifer 8 Lee if you don't believe me*). Also, this book contains an actual, bonfide gem: "Spicy Sweet Potatoe With Fragrant Green"; a sweet potatoe and ginger-cilantro concotion that has an inspired South-Asian flavor welcome at any table set with Bohti Gosht, Saag Paneer and Poori. (when I get sweet potatoes from my CSA share, I *will* post the recipe!)

Snap Peas, along with some baby corn (canned) and top round beef (locally raised from Wagon Wheel Ranch, defrosted a few days ago) danced around a flat-bottomed pseudo wok, and turned out light and tasty.

/*it was nice to find out exactly how "fortune cookies" came to be paired with Chop Suey.



also: Miller Bran Bread was made last night, as well, compliments of the bread machine (which no longer squeaks, thanks to a few squirts of 3-In-1 oil).

Also of note: Fox Hollow Farm is now taking orders for Fall chickens. That's right; if you want to eat locally raised chicken in November, you need to plan for it in July. No one said this planning was going to be easy... better to be safe and put in an order for five roasters.