When it Rains, it Pours

We've had 22 straight days of rainfall in Portland, and still going.  It seems to be having a negative effect on folks around here.  The rivers are rising, the Rose Festival is a giant slippery pit of mud, activities are being cancelled, and I'm sick and tired of riding my bike in it.   Every morning I wake up to the sound of our overflowing gutters and the pelting of rain against my bedroom window.  It's enough to make a person want to hide in bed all day.  OR...get into the kitchen and get fat.

I started my binge with these fantastic cookies:

Flourless Peanut-Chocolate Cookies
I came across this recipe a couple weeks ago while perusing a favorite blog of mine, Knitter in the Kitchen.  I was immediately engrossed with the concept of making a flourless cookie.   I've noticed in the past that eliminating flour from a dessert recipe only makes it richer, with more focused and intense flavors.  This cookie does not disappoint.  It's astounding how simple these are to make, with just 7 ingredients, you could probably go to your pantry and whip up a batch right now. It requires nothing but a spoon, a bowl and a cookie sheet.  No fancy mixing equipment needed.  I ate 4 of these straight out of the oven. Then I pawned as many off on other people as possible.  I'm trying to be less gluttonous.  Here's a hint: it's not working.

Oh well, onto the next!
(that's my motto, in all facets of my life)

Salted Toffee Chocolate Squares

I spent an afternoon last week preparing a meal for two friends of mine who recently gave birth to a beautiful, amazing and delicate little baby named Oliver.  Their lives have become so hectic and topsy turvy in recent weeks that they're accepting dinner-ish meals from helping hands.  Enter me and my sweet tooth.  I found this simple recipe in the back of May's Everyday Food magazine.  It had me at SALTED.   Nothing compares to a perfect salt/chocolate combination in my book.  The procedure for these sweet and salty snacks is so easy that I almost feel guilty claiming I did anything at all.  I might as well have walked to the store and purchased them whole, they're that easy.  No skill necessary.  They surely are wonderful, too. Me and my minions can testify.  Start with a layer of graham crackers, add toffee bits, chopped almonds, and chocolate chips, smother it in hot buttery sugar, and sprinkle with salt.  What more do you need?  After they come out of the oven, they break into perfect squares, thanks to the make-up of the graham cracker.  Now serve and watch people's faces light up while the layers of flavor dance on their tongues. So good.

For dinner, I made Mushroom Paprikash with Dumplings, a traditional Hungarian stew. I got the recipe from a friend, who photocopied it out of a Vegetarian Cookbook.  After searching around on the internet I found this, which is almost identical to the one I used.  Eliminate the fake meat.  Soo unnecessary.  The mushrooms in this thick and delicious stew are meaty enough.  Observe:

That's 10 cups (I upped the recipe 1.5 times) of 'shrooms slowly simmering in beef broth, garlic and onions.  I tried two kinds of mushrooms, but next time I might go for 3 or 4.  It adds a lot of variety and interest to the dish.  While the paprikash was cooking, the aroma in my kitchen was titillating.  As the vegetables are busy softening you make the dumplings.  

Dumplings are REALLY fun to make!  Drop them in the boiling water by spoonfulls.  As they cook, they will pop to the top and start floating.  It's thrilling.  Also, I'm really easily excited.
Stir those into your stew, and you have a completed meal.  This dish is perfect and warming on a rainy day.

I gobbled it up so fast.  Too fast.  I would recommend savoring it.  My friends were delighted by my offerings.  And I was glad to have an opportunity to meet little Oliver. Adorable.

During the brief, but beautiful breaks in the rain, we Oregonians have fled outdoors to take full advantage.  I've been on some pretty long bike rides.  We're still getting out there.  Yesterday's ride was 60 miles.  Stretching the borders of Portland, Troutdale, the Old Columbia River Scenic Highway and Marine Drive.

This is my favorite ride. It's relatively flat, the scenery is amazing, and the exposure to heavy traffic is limited.

I thought you might be interested in my attire during these long excursions. Well, there you have it. Spandex, I never thought I'd love you so much. xo Brooke
We're working our way up in mileage.  I'm trying to plan a bike camping trip for this summer, if it can ever stop raining for a whole weekend.

We were able to squeeze in one muddy hike last weekend in the Columbia River Gorge.  Angel's Rest Trail is a slow and steady climb with beautiful views of the river.  Although it was overcast, the lighting was perfect and the temperature, mild and manageable.  We got dirty, we got sweaty, but it was all worth it, just to be able to spend some time outdoors in dry weather.

It's gorgeous out there, even in the rain, I imagine.

Alright, I officially feel lazy.  Time for me to gather my strength and get out of bed.  The rain is oppressive, but I won't let it stop me from enjoying my Sunday.

This song seems fitting for the day:
 Cults "Go Outside"
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