Fall Oysters from Dave the Hunter!

My first time eating wild mushrooms! They were so pretty, and exciting to eat since they grew on a tree in Freeport!

Now that I have eaten them, they would have been lovely in a soup or stew. They are smooth and heavy. Smell and taste sweet. They could surely stand up to some slow cooking. Since I had never eaten or cooked with any wild mushroom varieties, I was not very adventurous.

Jane said that butter was the right answer, and Dave said to cook them a little longer than regular mushrooms from the grocery store.

Chopped and sauteed with butter and onion. Ended up with a sort of mushroom hash. Tossed in some turkey leftovers and voila!

Each bite I took was a little different. At first I started by picking out bits of mushroom to examine the flavor and texture. Smooth, creamy, sweet, and very mild. They didn't have a strong mushroom flavor and almost tasted to me like something extremely unhealthy! Fatty, tender, amazing! A little butter went a long way.

I am so excited to try them again. Thanks Dave for sharing your delicious treat with me!

Next time we need to get Brian to have a bite and venture out from my safety net of butter and onions!

NOTE: I am completely confused as to why I am suddenly typing with underlined font!! I never pushed anything, and I have no way of changing it back. I have tried menu after menu and also keyboard shortcuts! Nothing!

Oh well, it seems that what I have just written must be very important if it is all underlined.

Pumpkin Carving with the Kidders

I started by carving a window. Brian carved a fabulous Deering Crossfire Banjo!

It turned into a scary face!

Banjo in the moonlight!

Beth, Brian, Jane, Tyler, Mel, Paul, Leslie, and in front, Dave and Dave!

Pumpkin Crumb Pie

The last two times to Brooklin, we've made a trip to Ellsworth to eat at the Riverside Cafe. (Thanks for the idea Jen! YUM!)

When you walk in, they have a beautiful case of cakes and pies. This is where I found the idea for the crumb topping on pumpkin pie. It's funny - when I saw the pie in the case, I dreamed of making one of my own! When you have a Dad who has perfected pumpkin pie to the point that my Dad has, it is hard to try someone else's.

After about a month of day dreaming of this pie, and visiting the Riverside again to see their version of this yummy treat - I've finally made it!

Honestly, when you have a perfect pumpkin pie, I guess you shouldn't try to make it better! Crumbs were fine, the pie was fine, but truly better when I picked the crumbs off.

My thoughts are, everyone should go to the cafe and have pecan pie. This is what I chose the first visit, and it was the perfect flavor and texture, even with a full belly, I didn't leave a crumb on my plate. (The pumpkin whoopie I tried the second time really wasn't worth the calories. Brian had a bite, and I had a bite, but the rest was left uneaten. Sad. I know.)

Also - crab cake sandwich with a lemon herb aioli has been perfect both times we've eaten there. I will continue to visit the Riverside, and work my way through the case of sweets, but I am certain that I will eat the crab cake every time I go!!

Negative Nelly does need to report that we've been stuck with the same terrible waitress both times, and so will sit at the counter next time, in hopes of avoiding her unpleasant demeanor. We are probably two of the most pleasant customers that could enter a restaurant, and so we are not sure why she is unfriendly to us - and sweet to the others.

Riverside Cafe

151 High Street

Ellsworth, ME 04605

It's Obvious... I know

September was busy... and the better part of October. The router is fixed, all of the photos were taken, I just had to share them! Brian would say "BLOGGGGOOOSPHEEEERE!!" and here it is!

Wink's Pumpkin Whoopies a la Beth!

Use a big zip lock baggie and pipe the batter - give a little swirl. When they bake up, they are evenly sized and they are pretty! Less mess, and faster than scooping.

Making mini whoopie pies means that you can have many, and feel less guilty! Surely you already know they have cream cheese filling. My two secrets... and modifications, skip the vanilla and add some lemon zest. It seems that the folks who love cream cheese frosting, love it more with a little lemon. For those who aren't big fans of the tang that comes along with cream cheese, the lemon blends so well with the flavors, it is slightly masked, or offset by the tartness of the lemon.

Always beat the heck out of the frosting so it is extra fluffy and I must say that these little whoopies are the best I've ever made!

Somehow, we still have a few in the refrigerator! Actually, I think I will have one now!!!

Go to Wink's Place the next time you're in Kennebunkport! You are in for a treat - sandwiches, coffee, muffins, your regular general store. Say hi to my brother Nate, tell him I sent you!

Wink's Place

63 Beachwood Avenue

Kennebunkport, ME 04046

(207) 967 2295

Chocolate Chip & Toasted Almonds

Meat Sauce - A Dumas STAPLE!

I've never learned how to make any less than a soup pot full of meat sauce - it is usually a project that involves eating some, freezing some, and even making a lasagna too!

At the grocery store, hamburger was on sale, and this is what started the thought of yummy meat sauce!

A whole pound of ground beef, a pound of hot sausage, a few onions, a few peppers, some prosciutto (it was in the "meat ends" and only cost $.95!), garlic, spices, and tomatoes!

In my family, meat sauce is a meal that can be served hot or cold, morning and night. If you are just starving and need a snack, heat up a little bowl of sauce - we eat it like soup!

Honestly, most times when I eat meat sauce, I am too lazy to boil water and have pasta. The day I made this batch, I had it over the left over quinoa from dinner the previous night. What a great change to the regular white pasta. Other days, a chunk of bread is all I need!

Romac Flashback... it's muffin time again!

Apple Muffins!

Who would have known that Mama Dodge's perfect blueberry muffin recipe could turn into these delicious spicy apple muffins too?!

This is reason number 4097 for picking so many apples in September! Muffins for the next 2 months!

I would love to share this modified recipe with anyone who would like to try it! SO easy - and fast! Perfect Sunday morning treat. In less that 45 minutes you have muffins, and on a cold morning, it warms up the apartment too!

Pat Dighton's Zucchini turned into...

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

Our friend Mike Ewing once told me that if you have to buy zucchini in the summer, you need more friends! This is SO true. Living in Maine, I have never had a summer where I am short on zucchini.

Mr. Swett, Dad, Mike, Pat, or in the break room at L.L. Bean, a giant basket of zucchini, each as long as my arm, free for the taking, we always have plenty.

A lot of the recipes that I use over and over and have adapted for my taste, come from a cook book that was Pepere's. Rodale's Basic Natural Food. Pretty sure I have mentioned it before and I will mention it again. Simple and wholesome ingredients, like honey rather than sugar, and adding some wheat germ or bran to a bread like this, which actually gives this yummy treat some real nutritional value!

I always use Ghirardelli chocolate chips for my baking. In my opinion, it is tasty, inexpensive, and easily found at the grocery store. There are plans in my future to do some sampling of finer chocolates and cocoas, but until finances become less of a problem, I will stick to what I know and trust! (A little field trip to Rooster Brother's can be bad for my chocoholic tendencies - they have lots of yummy and fancy chocolates for eating and baking that I am dying to buy! 8oz.... $15... maybe another day!) But GO TO ROOSTER BROTHER! Even if you just window shop, it is so fun!

Zucchini bread and some yummy coffee with Brian on a Saturday morning - you just can't go wrong!

Bloomin' Orchid Company

Probably sounds like they sell orchids? Yes, but the owner and her daughter also have a side business out of a little screen house in the back yard where they sell pies, brownies, and WHOOPIES!

From now on, every time I drive through Blue Hill, I will stop in to buy one of these whoopies! (OR 4!)

They will bake you pies, or I would guess just about any other sweet treat you could dream up. I don't doubt that it will be exquisite! (Whatever you choose!) Check them out - don't miss this!

I do have one important note - it wouldn't hurt to call ahead because when we stopped one Sunday morning, they were out of whoopies and in the process of making more. Just about broke my heart. I won't make that same mistake again! She is a busy girl - playing sports - I guess I can understand school comes before whoopies!

Bloomin' Orchid Company -22 E. Blue Hill Rd -Blue Hill Maine 04614 - Email: heather@bloominorchidco.com
We are a full-service greenhouse that specializes in orchids. We offer unusual seedlings to blooming size orchids and orchid supplies. Gift certificates, potting services, orchid boarding, home consultations and orchid growing classes are available. Open year 'round. Call 207-664-3574 for current business hours. EMOS and any local Garden Club members receive 10% off orchids.

Donuts - My inner calm

We could go broke on paper products alone, and I would much rather spend my money having fun instead cleaning a mess with a paper towel! Luckily we had coffee filters...

Somehow I ended up with this great thermometer, which makes heating oil on the stove a much safer process. Started with very low heat, and gradually found the right temperature for these yummy chocolate wonders!

Donuts cook upside-down I guess. They grow into the oil rather than raising up like most things that I cook or bake. Makes sense - but I was still surprised to see it!

Uh-Oh! See what I mean - coffee filters! Some days I do wish we spent the extra $.99 on paper towels!!

Go to Smitten Kitchen - check out her beautiful photos of donuts - remember that it was easy and do it yourself! It is so fun to make something new, especially when it feels like a science experiment.

As I sit here, I remember exactly when I made these donuts! Thursday morning, as I was waiting to leave for the Trek Across Maine. (This means, checking my watch, packing, double checking what I packed, sitting on my couch with 6 hours before the bus... in my Gritty's jersey... just about dying from the suspense...) Needing to unwind, I read Smitten Kitchen, and found my inner calm - donut making!!