That Peanut Sauce Recipe...

Here it is.

INDONESIAN PEANUT SAUCE

            Adapted from The TMF Cookbook

1 cup chunky peanut butter

½ cup sweet soy sauce (I use ABC brand)**

Juice of one lemon

¼ of medium yellow onion, sliced

Hot sauce to taste of your choice (I use Indonesian sambal bajak, can also use tabasco sauce)

Water as needed; start with 1 cup

Saute onion in water until soft.  Add peanut butter, soy sauce and hot sauce with enough water to make a thick liquid.  Cook over medium heat, adding water as sauce thickens.  Just before turning off burner, add lemon juice.  Serve over rice and vegetables.

*note: I have started experimenting with adding ginger and we like the taste; if you like garlic, you could add that, too.

**note#2:  if you can't find the sweet soy sauce, you can use regular soy sauce and add brown sugar or molasses to sweeten it.

Other notes:  to make it easier to measure, I usually just take a jar of peanut butter which is normally about 2 cups (16 oz).  That doubles the recipe, but what's not to love about MORE PEANUT SAUCE?

I knew someone who used those dried, fried onions that come already packaged.  She thought cooking up my own onion was too much work.

Because I don't eat meat, I serve this over veggies and rice.  It's also good with sauteed meat on skewers.

I didn't create a pdf for this recipe.  You can just copy and paste it into a file.

Five Faves from Santa Fe

Happy Friday!  It's already time to post Friday Fave Fives.  I've barely been home long enough to catch my breath!  Here are Five more highlights from our trip to New Mexico and Arizona and back.

1.  Spending more days with our son in Santa Fe will always be a fave.  One afternoon we spend exploring here:

There were Churro sheep and weaving looms so I was in fiber heaven!

2.  Since Los Alamos is close by, of course we had to visit the science museum there.  After all, I had science-physics-computer guys in the car with me.

3. And more history.  Bandelier National Monument is a fascinating historical treasure.  Ancient cliff dwellings!

And kivas and villages.

And people displaying and selling woven rugs!

4.  While Dr. Mike worked, we visited a couple of places in Santa Fe.  We avoided the plaza because it was very crowded with 'tourists'.  So we took another short hike, this time up the hill to Cross of the Martyrs.

Beautiful view over the top of Santa Fe.

5.  On our way home we stopped in to spend the night with our PAL!  I had knitted two snuggly shawls for her and her mom.  PAL agreed to model hers for me.

How about if I lie down on the sofa and ottoman to show the shawl's snuggly quality?

And no visit would be complete without a photo of the three of us!  How about if we all sit on the floor?

Hmmm, Bapa is pretty tall!

That sums up Willow's Week and Five Faves although there was So. Much. More! But I had to choose Five.

NOTE:  I know I promised to post the recipe for Indonesian peanut sauce--I will do that this week.  Pinky Finger Promise!

Santa Fe!

Friday Fave Fives

I hadn't planned on posting Fave Fives this week because we are visiting our son.  But I decided that I would quickly pop in and post---

Five things I love about Santa Fe, New Mexico

1.  It's where my son lives now.  Closer to us than where he has been for the past two years.

2.  He has a steady income and a rewarding position for the next three years at the Santa Fe Institute.  I have his permission to post this photo of the plaque on his office door.

3.  Santa Fe is an incredibly beautiful spot on earth.  Arid high desert but with pine trees.  High desert here means over 7,000 feet elevation.

4.  Santa Fe has the most interesting architecture.  All Southwest.

5.  Santa Fe boasts many trails and hiking areas.  Each day we've been here we have chosen a place to hike and explore.  We spent about two hours wandering around the Santa Fe Canyon Preserve and could have walked all day and never run out of trails because it connects to the Audubon Society's trail system.

I love exploring new places!

Do You Know the Way to Santa Fe?

This is how you get to Santa Fe.  Leave early so you can miss most of the horrendous Los Angeles daily commute traffic.  Once you pass the LA County line, it's usually smooth sailing.

Your views as you drive EAST are of Southern California high desert.  It's very dry.  But the rock formations from volcanoes and other land masses make for majestic views.

When you pass the Colorado River,

and enter Arizona,

the terrain changes.  You climb in altitude to several thousand feet elevation.

This is basin and range country.  And it's GREEN!

I love the large views of Northern Arizona.  And I love that it's on the way to Santa Fe!

August Take Two

Late to the Party... but better late than not at all, right?  Here are Friday's Fave Fives from Willow's Week.

1.  The Professor had a root canal this week.  All went well.  The best part of this fave?  It wasn't me!

2.  That skein of grey yarn I swapped a tomato for last week?  It now looks like this:

A gift for my nephew's new son.

3.  One evening this week, The Professor was busy with church business.  So I texted my neighbor/friend and we walked.  I treasure this friend and her wisdom and her willingness to pop out most any time for a walk around the neighborhood.

4.  Once a month we  join a local group for a potluck which is focused on a whole food/plant based menu.  I love spending this evening with other people like me who have committed to choosing a healthy diet and lifestyle.  And this week, the dish we took (Indonesian peanut sauce and vegetables) was a huge hit--no leftovers at all.

5.  One reason I am late with posting my Fave Fives is that we spent the day at the fair--this time we just listened to the music acts.  One in particular was a fave.  Brady Goss.  He can sing and play both the guitar and piano in several crossover genre.  Amazing performer!

Wishing you all a happy weekend!

August Days

Is it really August already?  And has it been a full week since I wrote a blog post?  I guess it has been a busy week.

Here are a few highlights, my Friday Fave Fives, from this week.

1.  It has been hot here, at least hot for us in coastal California.  I realize we missed the really steaming days in the Pacific Northwest and Inland Empire of Southern California this week.  However, it has been hot enough.  And the fave here is I'm thankful for air conditioning.

2.  World's Best Neighbors and I did a win-win swap.  I took a large ripe tomato from our garden up to them and in the process of conversation, I commented that I liked the grey yarn that was sitting on the desk.  The result was I now have that grey yarn on my needles and am working on a sweater for a new great nephew.  They got garden yumminess and I got fiber yumminess.

3.  Spinning at the fair.  Every year, our handweavers and spinners guild has a booth at the county fair.  And every year, I volunteer some time to sit in the exhibit and demonstrate spinning.  It's a fun time for me--being teacher, showing how all fibers are created, demonstrating how a modern spinning wheel works. The Professor enjoys it, too.  He carries my equipment (which is no small feat) and gets a day to wander around and check out the musical acts.  Then we choose a day to return and actually enjoy the fair together.

4.  We have been in the middle of celebration time in our family.  Beginning with The Professor's birthday in June (which was also my mother's birthday) and adding my brother's birthday and then our wedding anniversary, you would think we have celebrated enough.  But, no.  We are continuing with more birthdays!  Daughter #2 had a birthday at the beginning of this week.  I posted this photo on facebook--probably my favorite from when she was a toddler/preschooler.

Carrying her doll Indonesian style

This is more recent

5.  And one more birthday!  Son #1, Chaplain Dan, my first born.  Last year on Mother's Day.  I love that I was able to talk with both of them of their birthdays.

That wraps up Willow's Week.  How about you?  What blessings have you noticed in your daily routines this week?