Calm and Crispy Pizza

I am continuing to rest and write. I can feel my breathing slowing, and there’s a calmness washing over me that I’ve desperately needed. There is nothing to be anxious about here.

For lunch, Michael and I had reheated pizza. But not just any pizza—Camille’s homemade pizza. It was delicious, and I learned a new trick for reheating pizza so it actually tastes good and doesn’t turn rubbery or soggy. 

Here’s the method:

• Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper (this keeps the pizza from sticking and soaks up any excess grease).

• Place your pizza slices on the parchment-lined pan.

• Put the pan in the oven before turning it on. Set the oven to 350°F.

• By the time the oven reaches temperature, the pizza will either be ready or will need just 5 to 7 more minutes.

The result? Crispy crust and melty cheese—like it was just made. This is going to save me SO much money.

For dinner, we had Camille’s Quesadillas:

Ingredients:

• Extra-sharp cheddar, freshly shredded
• Chicken, cut into smaller-than-bite-sized pieces
  (Camille used leftovers from a previous dinner)
• Bacon pieces
• Red bell pepper, finely diced
• Scallions

On the side:

• Peach salsa
• Sour cream
• Diced avocado

Instructions:

Use a flat pan wide enough for a 10” tortilla to lie flat. Heat about a tablespoon of coconut oil in the pan.

Place a tortilla in the pan and give it a little twirl to coat. After a minute, flip it. (Reduce heat to low if needed.) Add cheese, chicken, bacon, and scallions to one half of the tortilla. The cheese will start to melt right away. Fold the tortilla in half, let it finish heating through, and transfer it to a plate.

Quick, easy, and so good.

A tip for leftover bell pepper:

Wrap it in a paper towel before refrigerating—it’ll keep longer.

I love Camille’s ‘cooking school’. It’s better than any class I could take because she knows my budget (or lack thereof) and my capabilities. 

Rest and Red Lentils

 Today, my primary goal was rest.

Okay, if I’m being honest, the whole reason I’m out here is to rest. Since I apparently had a myocardial infarction at some point in the recent past (and even scarier, didn’t get the memo while it was happening!), I figure I’d better take it easy before the new school year starts.

Michael and Camille’s house is the perfect place for that. No children, no guests, no pets, and very quiet neighbors. Their home is also large enough that we can’t hear anything someone else is doing. It’s like staying in a peaceful little retreat.

So today I started writing the travel journal for Teri. I really hope she enjoys reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.

For dinner, we had pasta. Camille made red lentil penne with Rao’s pasta sauce, and it was delicious. The texture of the red lentil pasta is a little different from the regular penne I usually buy, but I liked it, and it’s good for you! She also grated Pecorino Romano cheese to sprinkle on top. Yum. Yes, I had seconds. 

My Big Adventure - Travel by Train to Seattle Day 3 con't

 

Everett, Wa

Ah, the weary traveler finally arrives in Everett.

Isaac, the young gentleman assigned to my train car, helped me off the train, where my big brother was waiting with a smile. I was so happy to be there!

It struck me as funny how... weird … my head felt. Even though I was on solid ground, I still felt like I was in motion. Michael said it would take a while to get my land legs back after needing sea legs for so long.

We stopped for coffee at Narrative, an adorable little place with a comfy sofa and a calm, welcoming vibe. I don’t even remember what I drank. I was too busy downloading train stories and observations to Michael. I probably didn’t even need the caffeine. Heck, I probably didn’t even stop for air.

He showed me where he works, and then we headed home. Surprisingly, I didn’t need a nap right away. I think traveling by train was ideal for navigating the time change. I found the trip incredibly restful.

Camille, culinary goddess that she is, made fixed her amazing Copper River salmon for dinner with broccoli and jasmine rice. I try to duplicate it at home, but it’s just not the same. Every time I visit, I ask, without fail, “Can Camille make her salmon one night?” And she’s always gracious about it. She is amazing.

I recently found out that she doesn’t even like to cook! She doesn’t think she’s very good at it (which I could definitely argue but I don’t want to risk becoming unwelcome in her kitchen). So, if you ever find yourself at Michael and Camille’s for dinner and she says she can’t cook, just (quietly) don’t necessarily believe her. Her salmon is legendary.

She says she follows just two rules when she cooks:

1. Use only ingredients you like.

2. Buy the best quality ingredients you can find.

Both make perfect sense and I’m adopting them as my new guiding principles.

Mexican Chocolate Chili

 Seriously good chili for cold winter days! 

2 T olive oil

1 onion, diced

1 t chopped garlic

2 lbs lean ground beef

1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies

1 packet taco seasoning mix

1 can diced tomatoes

1 jar (16 oz) Ortega Thick & Chunky Salsa

2 c water

1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 c slivered almonds

1 t ground cinnamon

1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, drained

Heat oil over medium heat in large pot until hot. Add onion and garlic. Cook and stir until unions are tender, about 3 minutes.

Add beef, chiles, and seasoning mix. Cook and stir about 5 minutes or until meat is browned. 

Stir in tomatoes, salsa, water, chocolate chips, almonds and cinnamon. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 45 minutes stirring every 15 minutes. Add beans, heat 15 minutes longer or until beans are heated through. 

Makes 8 servings. 

Garnish with crumbled taco shells, shredded cheddar cheese, cilantro and diced tomatoes

Prep Time:  15 minutes

Start to Finish: 1.5 hours