What with the packing, moving, and home renovations, July was a very hectic month so my weekend getaway to Pennsylvania was a nice respite.
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| The vast lake |
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| The cozy fireplace |
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| Gathering wood |
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| The most stylish sheep I've ever seen |
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| This face! |
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| The county fair |
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| Beautiful weather for fishing. |
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| Not what I wanted to catch |
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| :) |
Since we were in a remote area by a lake, I also planned out all the meals in advance and have to say I really do miss cooking. Here's a recipe for scallion pancakes that I look forward to making again:
| BRIETTA'S SCALLION PANCAKES |
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| Ingredients: |
| 3 cups flour, plus more for rolling |
| 3/4 teaspoons salt |
| 1 cup water, plus more for mixing |
| 1 bunch scallions |
| 1/2 cup vegetable oil |
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| Directions: |
| 1. In a large bowl, sitr together the flour and salt, then form the mixture into a mound. Make a well in the center and add the water, first filling the well, then pouring what remains around the sides of the bowl. Use a large spoon or rubber spatula to combine the ingredients into a soft, raggedy dough. If it doesn't pull together after about a minute of stirring, add water, one tablespoon at a time (up to 4), to help the dough take shape. |
| 2. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a ball. Working with floured hands, knead the dough until it's smooth and springy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Shape it back into a ball and set it aside to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. |
| 3. While the dough rests, prepare the scallions, then set them aside. (Trim off the root end and 1 inch of the green tip of each scallion, then slice or use kitchen scissors to snip each one crosswise just about where the white and green sections meet. Cut the whites in half lengthwise and pull away and discard any dry, rough outer layers. Thinly chop the whites, then cut the greens into thin slices with a knife or kitchen scissors. Transfer the greens along with the whites to a bowl and toss. |
| 4. Roll the dough into a log. Halve it crosswise, then cut each half into three pieces. Place five of the portions in a large bowl and cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap. |
| 5. Dust your hands and work surface with flour. Roll the sixth dough portion into a fairly round, 1/4-inch-thick pancake. Spoon 1/2 tbsp of the vegetable oil onto the dough and spread it evenly over the pancake. Scatter 2 generous tbsp of chopped scallion on top, leaving a 1-inch border. |
| 6. Roll the pancake into a log. Beginning at one end, wind the log into a spiral as if shaping a cinnamon roll, then tuck the loose end underneath. Use your palm to gently press the dough into a disk. Dust the dough lightly with flour, then roll it into a pancake 6 to 7 inches in diameter. |
| 7. Warm a medium-size skillet over medium-high heat, then coat the pan with 1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil. Use a scallion to test the temperature of the oil. If it sizzles at once, the oil is ready for frying. If it doesn't, wait about 30 seconds and retest the oil with another scallion slice, repeating as necessary until the oil is hot. |
| 8. Carefully lay the pancake int the skillet and fry it until its edges puff up and th ebottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip the pancake, drizzle another 1/2 tsp of oil around the edges of the pan, and continue frying until the second side is golden brown, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the pancake to a serving plate. |
| 9. Repeat steps 5 through 8 for each remaining dough portion. Serve the pancakess hot or warm, cut into quarters or sixths. |
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| Makes 6 pancakes. |
Now that I'm back, it's back to stressing over picking out tiles, flooring, etc, which of course initially sounds fun and great, but really isn't when it comes down to it because I have no idea if I"m making the right choices and it's within a specific time frame I must make my final decisions. I'm hoping for the best and will leave you with this apt quote of the day,
"If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow." -Beyonce Knowles
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