Fellow Corvallis blogger, Kate has presented an enticing challenge to those of us who live here in the Corvallis/Albany area.  Her new site, Mid-Willamette Valley Eat Local Challenge encourages us to make an effort to include locally produced ingredients when preparing our meals.    Whether you prepare one meal of local ingredients per week or simply include local ingredients in every meal you make-  your participation helps our local economy- especially local farmers.  There are added ecological benefits as well.   For me-  well the choice is simple:   local produce hasn’t been trucked across state line and hasn’t been sitting in a box in a grocery warehouse.   Local produce is fresh and delicious- the very characteristics that I value most in any dish I prepare.
 

With the delectable bounty that the fertile Willamette Valley offers each year, it’s easy to ‘eat local’.   You can find local produce, meats, and eggs at the Corvallis and Albany Farmers’ Markets- both of which open next weekend (Aug 19th).   You can also find local ingredients at any of the number of area fruit / vegetable stands, some area supermarkets (Richey’s carries local produce!), and even from your own garden.   

Over the course of the challenge, I will be documenting my progress here at GBTL.    I will also be including recipes and photographs (duh!) of the dishes I prepare.    The challenge actually runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day (May 26th - Sept 1st), but I plan to begin chronicling my participation immediately following opening day of the Corvallis Farmers Market.

I encourage you to check out the Challenge website, sign up for the challenge, and do your part to support our local economy.  It’s a delicious and healthy way to start the summer!

… Well, not really ashes.   And I’m not really ‘rising’.   But I am feeling better than I have in two days.   I’ve got my fingers crossed that it will last.  

I’m even going to try to eat ‘real’ food- well, sort of..   A week or so ago, I prepared several chicken dishes, freezing them raw in single serving packaging.  This afternoon, I began thawing a serving if chicken cordon bleu.  I popped it in the oven a little while ago and am roasting it as we speak.   I just threw a few spears of asparagus in with it (drizzled in olive oil) to roast up during the last few minutes in the oven.    It’s not quality cuisine, but it’s real food- meat and green vegetables.   I’m pairing it with a cheapie Cabernet Sauvignon, which is OK since I’m sick and cannot really taste any of this anyway.    What a waste, eh?

If my daughter asks me “Do I feel feverish?” one more time, I think I may explode!   Being sick around other sick people is no picnic!  
I’m making plans for a new adventure this summer that has me very excited.   I’m sure that I’ll talk more about it here as the time draws near (and when I’m feeling more verbose), but for now I just wanted to welcome my fellow FREDdies.   I really cannot wait to meet you all!

Some people make their clothing purchases based on the seasons.   Well, I make my grocery purchases based on the weather.  

I went grocery shopping this evening, which was a costly venture. We were out of almost every kind of cheese-except American. (cheese is one of my warmer weather indulgences…   go figure.)   So, I brought home crumbled blue cheese, gorgonzola, and feta.  I purchased a nice looking wedge of Parmigiano Reggiano, which I cannot wait to craft- along with the pine nuts and basil taking up residence in my icebox, into a mouthwatering pesto. Lastly, I picked up a little something decadent… Great Midwest Wild Morel and Leek Jack cheese.  I’ve never tried it before, but it sounds yummy!   I’m really tempted to have wine, cheese, crackers, and maybe strawberries (since I don’t eat grapes) for dinner tonight.    If Sami had stayed in bed (she’s been ill), I almost certainly would!

I also bought pre-made, ‘jarred’ pasta sauce.   Pasta sauce is one of those things that I usually insist on making ‘from scratch’ (even if I am going to serve it over store-bought frozen ravioli).   But tonight I purchased not one, but TWO jars!  Why this change of heart, you ask?   Because they were incredibly gorgeous mason jars- perfect for iced tea on a warm summer night.   A few years ago, I gave my only mason jar glassware away in a ‘let’s clean the kitchen’ fit.   I’ve regretted it ever since.    I could have just bought new mason jars, but these are some of the prettiest I’ve seen and I wasn’t about to let them go.   So, I’ll cope with a couple of so-so pasta dinners and will soon enjoy refreshing beverages from my pretty new glassware. 

Those warm summer nights are coming soon.  The night air- even in the early days of March, betrays warmer, short-sleeved weather which waits just around the corner.    I can hardly wait until the chill in the air gives way to soothing, fragrant breezes- and I can open the front and back doors to air out the apartment.   The time will come.  Forget what Punxsutawney Phil proclaimed just over a month ago.   The overgrown rat has it all wrong.  Winter has worn out it’s welcome.  It’ll be over soon.   And, I’ll be sitting on my front porch, taking in the evening air- with a mason jar full of iced tea.