Trip to San Fran Part I

sipping on fresh juice- wheatgrass, apple, cucumber, and basil

Back in April, JJ and I took a trip to San Francisco to see my sister and her family. I expressed interest in seeing the local farmers market while we were there and so we did. That is one of my favorite things to do when I visit a city to see all of their local vegetation ripe for the picking and eating! It reminded me of our trip to Santa Monica where we experienced their local market. California always produces the best crops because of their mild weather. There was so much to see and sample. It was hard not to buy everything, but I stuck to only things that I could consume on the spot (like the yummy juice in the picture above) or items that wouldn't perish on the trip back home.

harvested mushrooms

more mushrooms!

flowers for sale

jumbo asparagus

We ended up purchasing a glass jar of organic apple wood smoked salt. The vendor had an assortment of flavored salts, but this one was our fave! I still have not opened the jar yet... If anyone has any ideas, please send them my way. I am a little intimidated by this complex ingredient. We also bought a small bag of dried mild chilies; Poblano, New Mexico, and Anaheim chilies. This mixture can be used to make salsa or as seasoning for poultry or fish. I used some of the dried chili mixture to make tacos a few weeks back. They were delicious. I couldn't pass up the dried fruit vendor where I bought a bag each of Lubanah dates and dried persimmons. I bought both of them because they were the most peculiar, yet delicious.

I envy all of the Californians that have such quality organic produce at their finger tips. Don't get me wrong... I love our local Kansas City market, but it just doesn't compare to the size, quality or variety of the west coast markets. I guess I'll just sit here in the disgustingly, muggy Midwestern heat, eat my sweet corn and watermelon, and be glad that I have food to put on the table.

12 Days of Christmas: Recipe #6 Bacon Wrapped Dates

This is another one of those dishes that is a good "go-to" when you need a quick and easy recipe for that last minute dinner party. Let me tell you, it's a crowd pleaser! It is one of my staples. There are never any left on my serving platter at the end of the night. The sweetness of the date mixed with the smoky and saltyness of the bacon is a perfect match. Try and you will see!

INGREDIENTS
·bacon
·dates (pitted)

INSTRUCTIONS
· grease a cooking pan and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
· cut each slice of bacon in half length wise.
· roll a date in a bacon slice and secure it with a toothpick
· place on baking sheet about 1 inch apart
· bake at 350 for about 10-12 minutes and flip sides
(they should be crispy and dark when fully cooked)

They can be served at room temperature, so you do not have to worry about cooking them right in time for serving. You could also create variations by stuffing the dates with blue cheese or by using apple smoked bacon. Mix it up!

Merry Christmas!