Guacamole with Cara Cara Orange

 

1 Anaheim chile

1 Cara Cara orange

1 large avocado

Directions: Wash and dry all ingredients, even though they will all be peeled.

Using medium heat, roast chile on stove top to blacken the tough exterior layer. Turn to ensure even blackness. Remove chile using tongs. Place on cutting board and cover with medium sized bowl for 5 minutes and allow to steam.

Under cold running water peel the blackened exterior layer of the chile. It should slide off, leaving the green fruit. On a cutting board, remove seeds and veins. Dice chile and put in a bowl.

Peel orange including the white membrane between the skin and the fruit. Slice and dice the orange into small pieces and place in the bowl with the chiles.

On a cutting board slice the avocado in half. Wash the knife. Remove the pit. Score the fruit in each half vertically and horizontally. Using a spoon, scoop the fruit out of each half shell and add to the bowl with the chile and orange. Smash avocado with a fork and mix the three ingredients together.

Serve with chips or as a topping on quesadillas and tacos.

Serves 4 people.

Notes: An easy and tasty appetizer, the pink inner fruit of the Cara Cara orange and the greens of the avocado and chile, make for a bright and delicious guacamole.

Guacamole Variation 3

Snowman with Cherry Branches

 

Warm Cherries for Chilly Mornings

 

2 cups frozen sweet cherries

1 teaspoon or less butter

1/16 teaspoon – actually just a dash of nutmeg

Directions: Generously grease small Pyrex pie pan or small casserole dish with butter. Spread sweet cherries in pan. Sprinkle the smallest amount of nutmeg on the cherries. Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 30 minutes, using care not to burn the juices.

Serves 2 people.

Notes: On exceptionally cold winter days, heated fruit warms the body and tastes surprisingly good.

Book Review: Over, Bear! Under, Where?

 

 

Julie Hedlund has written a delightful book about puns and compound words in which a bird and a mole engage in silliness and friendship. Michael Slack digitally painted whimsical animals which bounce across the page. This fun story teaches an opposites lesson, a compound words lesson and always a lesson in friends and caring. One barely notices that is educational and quite helpful for young readers learning to sound out words. Philomel Books published Over, Bear! Under, Where?

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Book Review: The Fort

 

 

 

Laura Perdew writes about a magical fort that includes a pirate, a prince and ships in The Fort: Can a Pirate and a Prince Learn to Share? Adelina Lirius who lives in Sweden mixes media to create bright illustrations in The Fort, which is published by Page Street Kids. Morning, afternoon, and shared open space are all background concepts which are addressed in this picture book. Ms. Perdew writes a story of imagination, collaboration and compromise.

 

One question interview with Laura Perdew:

What piece of advice was most helpful when you were beginning your writing career?

LP I don't actually have just one piece of advice! But, overall, I'd say that you have to remember that writing is a journey. And once you've "finished" one manuscript, keep writing. At the same time, keep learning: read mentor texts, join a critique group, go to conferences and workshops, and apply what you learn to your own work. 

Thank you for the advice.

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