Guacamole with Western Slope Peaches

 

Western Slope Peaches by ET Charles

It’s late summer and fresh peaches have arrived.

1 large avocado

2 Western Slope peaches

1 Hatch chile – medium heat

Directions: Wash chile. Pat dry. Roast on stove top, rotating until skin is blackened. Place on cutting board and cover with a bowl for five minutes. Remove bowl. Rinse chile under cool running water and peel off skin. Place chile on cutting board and slice open vertically. Remove seeds and veins and both ends. Dice chile and place in bowl.

Wash and pat dry peaches. Peel. Slice into pieces and place in bowl with diced chile.

Wash and pat avocados dry. Slice open and dice. Place diced avocado in bowl with chile and watermelon. Mash with fork. Avocado will mash; chile will blend with avocado; peaches will remain as chunks. Avocado may also remain as chunks which will make a very pretty yellow and green colored appetizer.

Serve with tortilla chips or spoon on warm corn tortillas and top with cheese.

Yield: 6 servings

Thanks to family and friends for facilitating the transport of peaches across the Continental Divide.

Note: Guacamole variation 8

Review: Peter Brown's The Wild Robot and The Wild Robot Escapes

 

The Wild Robot by Peter Brown

It is perhaps disingenuous to review a book that will soon be released as a movie. However, The Wild Robot which was published in 2016 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers and written and delightfully illustrated by Peter Brown is an exception. It features a robot, endearing forest animals and an isolated and rugged island. I bought it in 2021 and read it three times and have since reread it. Mr. Browns’ themes include survival, friendship, cooperation, and problem solving all wrapped in the larger themes of love and adventure. The paperback edition published in 2020 includes back matter with illustration examples showing the evolution of a final illustration beginning with a first pencil sketch, to a first digital sketch, to a middle digital sketch, to a final digital rendering in chapter four. The sequel The Wild Robot Escapes which I also purchased was published in 2018 is equally interesting and has also been reread.

Books contain approximately 270 pages plus back matter on writing and illustrating in the paperback editions.

Please consider reading the books as they are a fun adventure.

 

Link to Author and Illustrator: Peter Brown Studio

Writing and illustrating process for: The Wild Robot

Writing and illustrating process for: The Wild Robot Escapes

Visit Greg Pattridge host of:  Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

Visit your local bookstore:  Boulder Bookstore

 

Blueberry, Blackberry and Cherry Cobbler

 

Cherry blueberries raspberry by ET Charles

A new blend of frozen fruits was available at the market and it produced an especially tasty cobbler.

1 cup flour

½ cup sugar

1/16 teaspoon lavender salt – or less

½ cup, 1 stick unsalted butter

5 cups mixed frozen blueberries, blackberries and sweet dark cherries (Bing cherries)

Directions: Stir together flour, sugar and salt. Add butter and cream. Grease a 9.5 inch, deep dish pie plate with butter wrapper. Place 5 cups of blueberries, blackberries and cherries in pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes, longer in the winter. Topping will be lightly toasted.

Serves 8 people.

Notes: Cobbler variation 7

Please follow links below for gluten free variations of this recipe.

Gluten free Apple Pear Raspberry Cobbler 

Gluten free Hot Berry Pie Easy Peasy 

Rocky Mountain SCBWI Members on Google Blogger

Columbine by ET Charles

 Many Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators maintain blogs and/or websites. While the overall theme is writing for children, there are many interesting topics included in the blog posts such as science, marine life, and marketing. Google blogger, blogspot, is an easy platform on which to set up and maintain a blog. Following are some links to helpful and fascinating blogs by Rocky Mountain Members of SCBWI.

Art by Dow 

Claudia Mills An Hour a Day

Lynn Becker Books 

Kim Tomsic Bookshelf Detective 

Elyse Greenhut 

SCBWI the official blog 

Fleur Bradley How to Write Short Stories 

Fleur Bradley Three Tips for Writing Mysteries 

Fleur Bradley Creating a Marketing Plan 

Fleur Bradley Social Media Tips 

Google blogger 

Daniel Nayeri's Everything Sad is Untrue

 

Jacket art by David Curtis

Daniel Nayeri has written a multiple award winning, middle grade novel, Everything Sad Is Untrue which was published by Levine Querido in 2020. In a conversational tone Mr. Nayeri engages the reader while depicting life in Iran, Italy and Oklahoma. Humor, love and so many obstacles abound throughout this immigrant story. Droll, interesting vignettes will keep the reader turning each of the 368 pages. Themes of divorce and abuse are introduced.

David Curtis’s brightly colored, jacket art foreshadows the tornadoes of Oklahoma and acts as a metaphor for time which is neither sequential nor linear and ranges from the mythological age of Persia to Oklahoma of the 1990s.

Visit Daniel Nayeri       

           Visit book cover illustrator David Curtis 

          The Society of Illustrators hosts a YouTube video with David Curtis Starting a Career in Illustration 

          Visit jacket designer Semadar Megged

           Learn about jacket designer Elizabeth Parisi SCBWI blog book dummy  

          and Elizabeth Parisi SCBWI book covers 

           Book covers, best of 2019 Kettle Fire Creative

           Visit Greg Pattridge host of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday

          Visit your local book store Tattered Cover