Homesick Potato Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing

Homesick Potato Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing

Sometimes homesickness strikes. Even in the middle of the Pacific surrounded by blue ocean and warm breezes and endless summer. Real summer time is worst for homesickness as juicy, sun-warmed tomatoes and backyard blackberry patches are an ocean away and no amount of shipped-in store bought berries will scratch the itch. 

Being from the Pacific Northwest originally, we savored our summers like the last M&M in the package; the fall, winter, and spring being one, long gray mass of endless rain. Northwest summers meant garden tomato sandwiches for lunch with just a little salt and mayo, ripe blackberries in a bowl for dessert dressed in milk and sugar, and pan-fried patty pan squash for days and days. 

Summer meant sunsets at 9pm, extending our play time by hours. We'd hobble to the dinner table, fingers purple from berry picking, feet blackened by hot, melting tar on the road to gobble down barbecued chicken, corn on the cob, and green beans. Our bicycles must have logged thousands of miles each summer as we rode around and around the neighborhood, sneaking onto the golf course, or just racing. My shoelaces became untied and wrapped around the pedals one time and instead of unravelling them took my feet out and went flop, flop, flopping all the way home as my shoes banged against the sides of the bike. 

My mom's kitchen table in summer 

On lucky weekends, we'd go to grandma and grandpa's. We'd watch baseball all day long with grandpa, help out in the garden or in the kitchen, and eat grandma's German potato salad, vinegary coleslaw, and chicken and dumplings. 

Since I don't have lush garden tomatoes or sunsets late into the evening, this potato salad will have to do. I like the brightness of the lemon and the unexpected depth of the sun-dried tomato. Would be great for a beach potluck in Hawaii (that ends at 7:30 when the sun goes down) or anywhere you find yourself. 

Homesick Potato Salad with Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing

serves 8-10

2 lbs red potatoes (or whichever potatoes you like in salad)

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes

2 cloves garlic

3 TBL olive oil

juice and zest from 1 lemon

salt & pepper to taste

2 TBL capers

2 cups arugula, chopped

1 green onion, finely sliced

Wash and chop potatoes into bite sized pieces. Place in a large pot, fill with water until potatoes are just covered. Bring pot to a boil, then down to a simmer for 10-15 minutes or until potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a fork. Drain into a colander. 

In a food processor, pulse sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, olive oil,  and lemon juice and zest until all is combined and finely chopped. Add salt & pepper to dressing to taste. 

In a large bowl, mix cooked potatoes, dressing, capers, arugula, and green onion until evenly distributed. Best if served 2 hours (or up to 3 days) after preparation so flavors can develop. Try not to miss home. Enjoy!

San Juan Islands Sailing

First of all, I have to tell you guys this has been the most epic summer of my entire life. Better than slip 'n slides and blackberry picking at eight, better than Latin American living at 16, better than hostel jumping at 20, and (maybe) even better than New York City last year. If you've been following this summer, you know that I spent most of my time leading a youth conservation corp team here in Hawaii and camping in some of the most remote places on the Big Island. To top it all off, I spent the last week of summer break sailing in the San Juan Islands in Washington state.

Some of you may know that we plan to drop everything in the very near future in favor of living on a sail boat. We will probably begin our adventures in the Pacific Northwest so we found a charter boat company that offered a "learn and cruise" trip to get some hands-on sailing experience. Through San Juan Sailing we sailed and lived aboard for a week with another couple and a captain who taught us to sail along the way. I am proud to say I am now a legit sailor. LEGIT. And I didn't even get sick once. For the girl who gets nauseous on a playground swing this is big news.

The sailing course included three written exams and a series of practical "tests" that we practiced at sea. Once you pass all three courses you can charter a boat from San Juan Sailing all on your own.

Most nights we anchored in a sheltered bay of one of the small islands where we could row on shore for a little hiking and beach combing. The water was stand-still calm. The other couple cruising with us got their crabbing license so we were lucky enough to have fresh crab on board a couple times. Meals were cooked and eaten family style and luckily all of us got along very well.

We also spent a night at the marina in Friday Harbor, an adorable little port town with scads of art galleries and teeny cafes. We pounded some oysters and sipped on local beer and just about died when the moon rose out of the purple sunset glow. The water is so clear around there, you can see starfish and all sorts of creatures everywhere.

Every morning we would get geared up and sail to a new anchorage. Being out on the water sailing was two parts challenging and two parts fun. I liked learning about navigation and charting and feeling pretty confident that with some practice I'll get the whole sail trimming thing down, too.

Mainly, I'm looking forward to eating fresh crab, fish, clams and mussels often and with gusto.

I spent a lot of time before this trip worrying about being a total sailor failure and letting my husband down. If it weren't for the confidence boost from leading a group of teenagers through a summer of the hardest physical labor ever, well let's just say that boost was needed.

This vacation will sustain me for a good long while.

I can still taste the oysters.

5 Ways to Get Motivated

Dawson wants my sandwich

As great as sitting on the couch watching episode after episode of Dawson's Creek sounds, there are actually lots of things I really should be doing instead.

Ya know, like painting the badly scuffed baseboards and door jams in our house, submitting first quarter grades, or developing a new recipe for the upcoming Kona coffee recipe contest. But, here I sit,  eating scotchmallows and drinking tea, perpetually mesmerized by Pacey Witter.

People, I'm in serious need of some motivation. I do, however, have a few tricks up my sleeve.

1. Listen to some uplifting tunes. I have a special Pandora station dedicated to my good female friends Pat Benatar, Cindy Lauper, Kelly Clarkson, Alicia Keys, Janis Joplin, and Stevie Nicks. They always know what to say.

2. Watch an uplifting movie. Careful here. Some movies seem inspiring because they're our favorites, but films that play too heavily on our nostalgic sensibilities might bring us down even more. "Almost Famous," "The Karate Kid," and "A League of Their Own" are my go-tos.

3. Get out. If you are stuck in front of the TV, go to the next room. If you are stuck behind the wheel, take a different route home. If you are stuck in a dorm room, go to a coffee shop. Get out, get away. Fresh air is good for your synapses.

4. Make a list, set a deadline, divide your work in chunks. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Could this list be a little more cliched? That's why I'm skipping number 5 to say that, you know what? Sometimes nothing works. Sometimes life sits on your head while you're sleeping and all you can do is crawl deeper under the covers. Sometimes when all you want is to be highly productive, creative, and efficient you only get  frustrated, twisted, and buffered down with an inferiority complex.

I don't have that magic touch called "drive," but I do have something else, it's called "grit." Life can keep sitting on my head, but I'll figure out a way to move forward, however slowly. Sometimes this involves chocolate and Joshua Jackson. I can't help that.

Buck It! Summer's Over & I'm Almost 30

I guess it is September already. Summer is officially over, although since we started back to school in the beginning of August, it already feels like a long time ago. Trips were taken, food was eaten, and this summer was, in general, a really good time. I'm so glad Joy and Tracy suggested creating a summer bucket list, it got me super pumped and I'm happy to report that I checked (almost) everything off that list.

As a kid, I always enjoyed having a September birthday. I got all the benefits of having a summer birthday, backyard bbqs or parties in the park, while also celebrating in school. There was something so special about classroom cupcakes and the teacher leading us all in song.

This year, I'd rather crawl in a very dark cave, eat an enormous amount of cake and champagne, and emerge without anyone noticing that I, Gwen Edwards, am 30 years old. And for those that know me, this just isn't right. You see, I'm one of those people that loves a good birthday party, would never pass up a chance to blow out the candles and make another wish. And I won't bore you with the usual cliches, "Oh, I feel so old!", "Geez, I can't believe my 20s are over!" No, you see, that's just not what's bothering me at all.

It's just that, damn, what happened to those 30 years? It's a shock to the system to think, really consider, how many years it's been since I played softball, rode a roller coaster, saw my aunts and uncles, or went fishing. Time. Time. Time. It jut goes and goes and has no feeling at all. It selfishly rolls on and over my 30 birthday wishes, never stopping to ask me how I'm doing, no.

I don't have a problem with getting older. I just have a problem with time. Stop time, please, I need to finish my book, call my best friend, plan better lessons, cook my grandma's chicken and dumplings. I need to travel the world, have kids, start a business, write a book. But time is unmerciful, moving past me everyday without even a word or a smile.

When will it be too late? Time is surely not waiting around for me. I've gotta do those things I need to do, whether time likes it or not. Can I keep up with time? Probably not, but I'll not wait around for time to keep passing me by.

Here's to 30 more.

Brooklyn is for Picnics

The apartment I shared in Brooklyn this summer was minutes away from Prospect Park, probably one of my favorite parks of all time. Yes, I liked it even more than Central Park. For one, the landscape allows for excellent people watching. The main field, or Long Meadow, is just that, long and skinny, so you can watch so many people at once. Also, it feels like you are part of the community, everyone there together playing and laughing.

It's huge and includes its own lake, zoo, live music venue, dozens of trails, little waterfalls, and a sweet carousel. The best part of all? At dusk the fireflies come out, zipping all around making firefly magic. This was real special for me as we don't have the little guys on the west coast or in Hawaii. I had only seen them once before in my life, so it was natural for me to head down to the park and enjoy them as often as possible during my stay in Brooklyn.


Fireflies from Gwen Edwards on Vimeo.

And I didn't just oggle the fireflies, I ate some food, too. There are few pleasures like bare feet in grass and a good sandwich in hand on a balmy evening.

Or some cheese, New Jersey apples, and rose petal jelly.

And if you're really prepared, some pasta and a good rose.

I have finally emerged from summer laziness with a recipe for you. Feet in grass required.

The Brooklyn Sandwich (pictured above)
makes 2


4 thick slices ciabatta bread
4-6 slices prosciutto
a piece of pie sized slice of camembert cheese
4 large kale leaves
1 garlic clove, chopped fine
juice from 1/2 lemon
4 TBL olive oil
1/2 dijon mustard
salt & pepper

In a small bowl, prepare the dressing by whisking the olive oil into the garlic, lemon juice, mustard, and some salt & pepper to taste.

Wash and trim the kale leaves by removing the ribs. Cut into approximately 4" pieces. Place kale into the bowl with the dressing and stir to coat.

Layer cheese (cut cheese into chunks, see photo below) and meat on bread and top with dressing coated kale. Drizzle remaining dressing on bread  and stack your sandwiches. Pack em up and take em somewhere. Enjoy!

NYC Foodie Highlights (Part III)

Guys and gals I'm sorry to say my New York adventure is officially over. For now. I'm back again typing this on my old leather couch next to a snoozing puppy who was pretty excited to have his mama home. The Hawaiian breeze and birds completing this scene really ain't bad. But I could go for another giant chocolate chip cookie (more like a scone really) that was perfectly crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside from Levain Bakery.

Or another slice of New Haven pizza with clams or mashed potatoes on top. I was lucky enough to pass through Connecticut on my way to a wedding in Saratoga Springs, such a beautiful state.

The bride Kacie was my roommate when I studied abroad in Spain. We were known for such adventures as hotdog launching, botellon drinking, and bringing Halloween to a whole new level in a country that doesn't even celebrate it. Congrats Kacie, you looked stunning!

On our way to a Mets game, I snacked on some plantain chips.

Go Mets! Wait, Gwen, where are you looking?

Lobster bisque from The Lobster Place in Chelsea Market. Uh, I could live in this market. It's basically an old warehouse turned modern-day foodie mecca with all sorts of specialty foods shops and cafes.

I walked that cup of cream off in the nearby Chelsea art district which is loaded with galleries of all kinds, including public ones like this. I thought the space invader in the top right might be the real thing.

Mrs. Lee and I had a lovely blogger meet-up and shared an Italian meat and cheese plate. She is such a doll, so glad we got to meet. That may or may not be a giant glass of limoncello.

I was so inspired by all the art and culture around me on this trip, especially the Guggenheim museum and the Brooklyn Museum, that it was hard not to get into artist mode myself. Doodling while sipping on a cafe au lait and munching an Apple Jacks bar.

For the last meal it was off to Chinatown for amazeballs lamb burgers, cold noodles, and lamb face salad. That's right, lamb face. Thank you New York, in yo face!

Sustainable Sunday: Berries and Cream

It is hot. New York is hotter than hot. Yes, I'm complaining and yes, I can hear you laughing. This Hawaii girl is not used to 99 degrees. As I crawled to the farmer's market in the blaring heat, cooking was the last thing on my mind.

Thankfully, these raspberries saved the day. Oh little red jewel of perfect berryness, how I've missed you.

Apparently, I'm too hot to take a photo in focus. Anyway, my idea was to slurp up the raspberries in a bowl of cream, but the milk bottles were bigger than one gal could consume in a couple days. The fellow at Ronnybrook took pity on me and gave me this smaller jug of chocolate milk.

I must say this is the best Sustainable Sunday meal that ever was. Seriously, the berries were perfectly sweet and the milk, guys the milk! Creamy, cold, consumed in nearly one gulp. My stomach could die right now and go to foodie heaven. Please tell me that's a real place.

5 Reasons to Love Life

Nootropics

1. School is out for summer. Today was the last day for students and teachers in Hawaii and we are loving it. Looking forward to a break full of beach days, New York awesomeness, cooking galore, and with a little luck, some backpacking.

2. Nature brings you down to size. Last weekend I skipped over to Maui for a backpacking adventure with my girl Marie in the crater of Haleakala. There's something about hauling your butt and a heavy pack down into a really old rock formation to gaze at majestic mountain views, gawk at shooting stars, and share nips of whiskey with an awesome friend to bring the best of life to the forefront.

3. Limoncello. Lovely, lemony, liqueur. This drink embodies summer. While visiting my sister at an archaeological dig in Greece, we sipped gallons of the stuff. Except it was creamy, and I have not been able to score it in the states. Did you know there is a Mauicello? I will most definitely forgive it's lack of creaminess. Get on it. I guess this means I'll be making my own creamy limoncello. Recipe to follow(?).

4. Anchovies on pizza. I am a major salt and briny flavors fanatic, and anchovies gives you just that. Putting them on pizza, a little goes a long way, provides a punch of flavor. If you love all things briny, try it.

5. Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. Friends move away. Jobs are iffy at best. School years end, summers begin. Books close. Windows open. Without changes our lives would be a dreary gray mass of unending time.  Let's embrace change, let's love it even. I love change. There, I said it.

Sustainable Sunday: Breakfast for Mom

Mom lives in Washington. I'm here in Hawaii. If you were here mom, this Sustainable Sunday breakfast would be all yours. Ka'u coffee, papaya, soft-boiled egg. This photo does not give the deep magenta of these maple hibiscus any justice.

My mom always encouraged my natural love for cooking. When I was little, all I ever wanted to do was bake. Armed with a tiny whisk, mini baking pans, and my mom's blue checkered childhood apron, we'd scour the dessert pages of Betty Crocker's cookbook, lingering over the full-color spread of a hopelessly ornate gingerbread house we could only dream of building. I'd usually fixate on a recipe for Bonnie Butter Cake, a triple layer, all butter batter covered with French silk frosting. I did eventually make this cake, but mom knew to steer me toward the more doable cookie section.

Baking with mom taught me a lot. When my little arm grew tired from mixing the batter for chocolate chip cookies, she didn't bail me out. She knew that no lesson on perseverance could be stronger than mixing cold butter with flour and sugar with a fork.  When we accidentally used pancake mix instead of flour in our peanut butter cookies, I learned that mistakes can sometimes be better than what you were aiming for. And boy were those cookies puffy! Things are not always what they seem either, mince meat pie sounded great to me, but when I proudly presented it to those at our Thanksgiving table, no one would touch it except mom and me. It was pretty awful, but that didn't stop her from encouraging me to try new things. I'll never forget the pride of opening the oven door to the glory of my first lemon meringue pie. Who knew egg whites could create such magic?

Most of all, and without knowing it I'm sure, mom taught me that cooking requires a sense of touch. We didn't have a KitchenAid, or a food processor, or even a blender. I have whipped cream with a whisk. And cut in butter with a fork. And kneaded dough with my hands. Now I know how to feel when the pizza dough is ready to rise, or if the biscuits need a drop more water. Working with my hands is what I love about cooking because making food is something you feel, in your hands, in your heart. Thank you mom, for giving me the chance to experiment in the kitchen. Someday I'll make you a Bonnie Butter Cake that looks even better than the picture.

Meatballs for New Friends

This is me with my new friend, Kelly. We have a little story to tell you about this small world of ours.

Kelly and I both listen to the Joy the Baker podcast. (You should, too by the way). Joy and Tracy assigned their blog-writing listeners some homework, so I wrote this post: Five Things I Love Right Now. My post was then linked to the podcast show notes that Kelly happened to be scrolling through. She clicked on my blog and thought, wow those pictures look like my hometown.

A few clicks later and Kelly began to see photos that looked more and more familiar. She wrote me an email. And guess what?

We are neighbors! Kelly lives right across the street from me. Over the years we've exchanged Christmas cookies, but never really got the chance to talk. So we got together for pupus and drinks, talked the neighborly gossip, and shared stories about fixing up our homes. Because who else can you talk about that with?

Kelly brought over Caramelized Mushroom and Shallot Bruschetta from Tracy's blog (how fitting) and some yummy sangria. She made the bruschetta with Alii mushrooms and Puna goat cheese. How sustainable of you Kelly.

I whipped up some Southwest style meatballs (recipe below), guacamole, and semi-homemade taco chips from corn tortillas.

It's so great to have a neighbor who likes cooking as much as I do!

Southwestern Meatballs with Creamy Cilantro Dipping Sauce
makes 25-30 meatballs

1 lb ground grass-fed beef
1 egg
1/4 cup panko or breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
1 chipotle chili in adobo, chopped
zest of 1 lime
juice from 1/2 lime
salt & pepper

Dipping sauce:
1/2 cup plain or Greek yogurt
2 TBL fresh cilantro
juice from 1/2 lime
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Oil a rimmed baking sheet or pan. In a large bowl combine beef, egg, panko, garlic, onion, chili, lime zest, juice, and salt & pepper to taste. Roll into golfball size. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

To make dipping sauce combine yogurt, cilantro, lime and salt & pepper to taste in a small bowl.

Place meatballs on a platter to serve with dipping sauce on the side. Enjoy!