Sept. 2007 Santa Fe Chicken Rice & A Mermaid!
Dear Friends,
I love the last few weeks of summer. My birthday is this month on the Autumnal Equinox (the 23rd). It's my personal new years day, a time I take to reflect on my projects and plans being sure to include time for fun with my family and friends. The legendary artist, Leonardo da Vinci said, "Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer."
Testing dessert
recipes has a place on my list of fun things to do, but its
time for a change before I get too plump. This month my recipe
for you is the little-black-Patagonia-sports-dress of dinners,
a quick one-skillet dinner I named Santa Fe Chicken Rice. Its quick, easy
and depending upon how you garnish it, suitable for camping,
school nights or a casual dinner party.
Delicious fresh food that is artistic and inventive inspires my cooking. A wonderful chef, my friend TR McCrystal recently commissioned a painting of his wife and children. It's titled, Jen's Garden. The painting illustrates the rich and happy life they've created, and it's also the name of their restaurant, Jen's Garden, in Sisters, Oregon. Stop by for a wonderful meal and check out the painting while you're there.
You can see a couple more of my paintings beginning the 21st at
Onda Arte Latina Gallery in Portland, Oregon. Allan Oliver, the
owner and curator is exhibiting a retrospective of five years
of gallery artists. Included is my painting, La Sirena / The Mermaid. The image is
inspired by my summer spent learning to surf. The mermaid is
strong and iconic and represents the beautiful changeable face
of the sea. Completed this month, she also reflects the reality
of seasonal changes both in my life and the larger world.