Oh yes, yummy this was. When we got to our second home in the desert last week, after eating out for more than a week, I was looking forward to making a home cooked meal. I enjoy glancing through the cookbooks I keep there since they don’t get as much use as the ones at home, and some of them I’ve not explored very much. As I looked through Marcella Hazan’s book, Marcella’s Italian Kitchen, this recipe talked to me. Lamb shoulder, onions, braised, baked, combined with cannellini beans with some pungent raw garlic and chopped parsley on top. Yep. Sounded like a winner, and it was.

We visited Bristol Farms (an upscale market that has a great meat department, with great expensive prices for everything on their shelves). But I wanted good, meaty lamb shoulder and I wasn’t even sure any of the supermarkets would HAVE lamb shoulder. Anyway, I made the cannellini beans myself rather than use canned. No reason why, just that I had time to do them, and I prefer the texture of homemade simmered beans rather than the almost mushy canned ones.

The recipe is relatively simple, really. The lamb pieces are floured and browned in vegetable oil, then set aside. A generous amount of thinly sliced onions are sautéed, then you add some white wine and beef broth, with tomato paste and fresh sage. That’s about it. The cannellini beans were made separately, with some garlic and fresh sage added to the water. Then, in Marcella’s recipe she said adding the raw minced garlic as a garnish is an important element – not cooked garlic – but the raw stuff. Gives it some bite. You can, if you study the photo at the top, see a few little snips of garlic. I saved a few of the cannellini beans out to add to the top of the finished dish – just because I wanted a bit more contrast in the photo. The mixed-in beans you’ll notice are darker with the extra-tasty sauce. Don’t skimp on the salt – the beans require a good measure of it. Do taste the finished dish and perhaps sprinkle a bit of salt all over the top. Delicious, all of it.
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A year ago: Chewy-Crispy Choc Chip Cookies
Two years ago: Pork Tenderloin with Figs & Port Wine

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This is a kind of a salad. Well, or a side dish. What do you call a pasta dish that’s served at room temperature? In any case, this was a very easy one to make and had lovely fragrances (saffron and basil). I think the clipping I have is from an ancient Gourmet article, but I’m not sure. I’ve changed it some anyway. Not a lot, but a little. And the best part is that you can make this ahead. We were entertaining the night before Easter, and I needed to take a carb for Easter dinner too. So I made a big portion and divided it in half. Just remember to add the garnishes (almonds, green onions and basil) just before serving. I had some extra fresh squeeze orange juice, so I drizzled that into the salad just before serving.
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A year ago: Pork Tenderloin with Pears and Mustard and Port Wine Sauce
Two years ago: Coffee Walnut Cookies

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Oh my, was this ever sensational. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you’ll understand when I say this recipe is going onto my Carolyn’s Favs list. I’ve posted about 550+ recipes here on this blog – to date – and I have a list of about – oh, 40-50 of them that rank as 5-star, or blue ribbon worthy, or whatever superlative you’d like to use. This one, and it’s a simple one at that, is going onto the list.

This was the entree I served to friends who came to dinner a couple of nights before we left on this last 2-week trip. It starts with a pork tenderloin. Our Costco carries tenderloins and I usually bring them home, open up the package and seal them individually and freeze them. There were 5 of us for dinner that night, and two tenderloins were just enough.

Here’s another photo – I sliced the meat, a little bit on the diagonal, then pounded the pieces a little. Pork tenderloin is a very lean and soft piece of meat to begin with, so it took only a couple of flat pounds for each piece. Don’t make it super-thin, just thinner. Each tenderloin was cut into 6 slices (above) and pounded.

The sauce was SO simple. Since the pork did have to be cooked just before guests were served, I got everything all ready ahead of time – for the sauce – so once I cooked the meat I could make the sauce in a jiffy. Then it’s garnished with the sliced green onion. Everybody raved about this dish, me included. It had been in my to-try file since 2007 (Bon Appetit). I’m so glad I did. The only caution is about the red chili sauce – if you’re at all sensitive about spice-heat, reduce the amount. When I made it, I adjusted down the amount (to the tablespoon listed below) so it’s really spicy if you were to use the full amount. Taste as you go – that would be best!
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A year ago: Blueberry Lemon Drop
Two years ago: Sopa de Calabacitas (a Southwestern style vegetable soup)

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The other day I posted a quick story about our one night at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. About getting upgraded, big time, to a gorgeous suite. But I didn’t include any photos. Here you go:

That’s half of the living room. The other half included a large credenza and a very large HDTV. Behind me was a guest half bath and a large entryway. And the room had automatic drapes (two sets, the sheers showing here) and attractive heavy ones over that to black out the room.

There’s the bedroom – large, roomy. Dave was just swinging my suitcase up on the luggage rack for me. This room had another large TV, and TWO bathrooms, a his and hers. Plus a large closet. The large windows were off to the left with another set of the push-button sheers and heavy blackout drapes. We left them open all night. We had dinner at Todd English’s Olives there in the Bellagio. I orderd steak (very pricey) and the rapini on the side was raw. Not good. I should have complained. Dave ordered crab-stuffed arctic char with an asparagus risotto. And we shared a really delicious Caesar salad. It was exceptional.

We considered having breakfast delivered to the room, but decided instead that we’d walk to one of the restaurants in the hotel. Good choice. The eggs Benedict were superb, we thought. The waitress was a delight and gave us good advice about the menu. Good coffee too. Then we were off after leisurely packing. We weren’t even there quite 24 hours, but it was lovely. Except for my side of the bed. This room supposedly goes for $450 a night (I think). If we’d paid $450 I’d have complained – on the far side there was a huge big butt-dent in the mattress. It was bad enough that I had to use a pillow on the outside edge to keep me from nearly rolling out of the bed. I let the check-out folks know about it. But other than that, the stay was superb. Here’s a photo of the view out our window:

So now we’re in Palm Desert, at our 2nd home there. We rented our house for 3 months, and the nice couple (who also rented from us last year) just left, so we’re going to try to get in a bit of time here before it gets too hot. We had to replace one of the two air conditioners here, so that just got done yesterday. Only $3300. Sigh.  And that was the smaller of the two systems. When the 2nd one goes, it’ll be even more! We’re driving home this evening after dinner (when the traffic has slowed down). We’ve had a great trip. But, you know, it’s always good to get home. I have some great recipes to share (from a dinner I did just before we left home) so look for recipes starting tomorrow.

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A year ago: Glover’s Mixture (a beef skillet dish)

Two years ago: Warm Honey Gingerbread

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We spent a night in Flagstaff, just because it was on the way between Sedona and Grand Canyon. Staying at the available hotels in Grand Canyon didn’t appeal. I’d wanted to stay at the El Tovar, but it was totally booked.  So we stayed in a small cottage in Flagstaff – it was a complete little home (Comfi Cottages, in case you’re interested). Dinner that night, in Flagstaff, was at Brix – great meal from beginning to end. If you ever find yourself in Flagstaff, seek it out. We didn’t feel like buying breakfast food to cook in, so drove north. We ended up having breakfast at the El Tovar in the Park – and were very disappointed. We had a sullen waitress who kind of spoiled the mood. The restaurant is dark (as the entire hotel is, since it’s constructed of dark painted logs) and very expensive. Now I have no desire to stay there. But the scenery? Gorgeous. See below.

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Streams speak to me. The rushing sound of water over rocks, just the movement as the water quietly propels itself down. Out. Over. Under. Wider. Narrower. Bubbling. Burbling. Gushing. Quietly pondering. The stream-speaking thing dates back to my childhood when my family went camping (tent type) for our annual summer vacations in the California Sierra Mountains. Often we set up the tent within a dozen feet of a stream, and it lulled me to sleep at night and gently awakened me in the mornings. Often I would grab a book and take a walk – some location where I could read peacefully and listen to the water.

I feel like I’m in contact with God when I have the ability to sit in silence by a stream and open my ears to God talking to me. I wish I could say I made time to do that on this trip – at this place. No. If I’d asked Dave if he’d mind sitting in the car reading, he’d probably have said sure. I didn’t think to do it then, but as I look at the photo, I wish I had. Even for just a few minutes. My DH has no affinity for the sounds of rivers or streams. He’s a sailor, so only the sound of the ocean sends him off to another sphere. He’d tell you about how he comes face-to-face with God every time he sails at night, when he’s sailing to Catalina island and as he watches the waves, is blinded by the brightness of the night stars and the moon, he knows there’s a God and that he’s watching over him. The little bobbing boat out in the middle of the ocean. As he words it, he knows then that God makes the water blue and the grass green. And that he (God) is in charge.

Back to Arizona . . . after we left Sedona, we drove north through Oak Creek Canyon. I posted a photo I took with my iphone when we reached the northern edge of this canyon. If you’ve never been to Oak Creek, you’ve missed some awesome beauty. In the summer the river is fully enclosed in leafy trees, and it’s harder to see the river.

Way back a long time ago I stayed at a rustic resort in Oak Creek Canyon – we drove into it on this trip but the sign warned visitors that you needed to be a guest to drive on through, so we didn’t continue. But in order to reach Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge, you have to ford the river (or stream, depending on the time of year). My DH was petrified when we crossed over – I was driving, you see – he worried that the water level was too high. But having been there before, I knew that lots of people, without SUVs surely had forded the stream without a problem. The water was about 10-12 inches deep, I would guess, at the deepest. The river bed is lined in cement so there’s no chance of getting stuck. The photo below was taken just before we  made the return trip. FYI: if you ever want to go there, reserve well in advance (it was mostly full the days we wanted to be here, so we stayed at another place instead). The resort is made up of a bunch of adorable, but rustic cabins. A couple of them very close to the creek. And if you stay at Garland’s, dinner and breakfast are included.

Garland’s Oak Creek Lodge
8067 N State Route 89A
Sedona, AZ 86336-9696 (located several miles up highway 89A from Sedona, very secluded)

Where we stayed, near Sedona:
Canyon Villa B&B
40 Canyon Circle Dr
Sedona, AZ 86351 (in the Village of Oak Creek, south of Sedona)
The Canyon Villa is a modern B&B, with gorgeous views of the red rocks of Sedona. It’s lovely, and the owners are very gracious. The rooms are beautiful. Romantic. Canyon Villa is not in the busy, touristy part of town. We drove through that part, but didn’t stop except to see another resort (read below).  There are plenty of good restaurants in town. Trails to hike upon. And Navajo rug stores. And trinket shops with questionable “authentic” Indian jewelry. But it’s peaceful there. The stars are close enough you think you can touch them. We had dinner one night at Fork in the Road. I didn’t take any photos, but I’d highly recommend it. Not cheap. But delicious food.

There’s also another gorgeous place to stay in Sedona. I’ve never stayed there, but an email from Gloria, a new reader of my blog, told me we just had to stop there. L’Auberge de Sedona is within close walking distance of downtown Sedona, but you’d hardly know it since it’s down below town, right on the river’s edge. It’s lush. Expensive. But breathtakingly beautiful.

We’d just had breakfast at our B&B, otherwise we’d have taken my reader’s advice and enjoyed breakfast within a few feet of the rushing stream. I took several pictures there, but these two are representative of the beauty. Just behind where I was standing (the photo below) are numerous wrought-iron tables for dining.

The resort has cabins and rooms, plus first class dining. It would be very nice to stay here. I don’t think I’d ever leave, but rest most hours in that chair with my book at hand. And I’d allow God to speak to me.

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A year ago: Bittersweet Choc Chip Cookies
Two years ago: Chicken Breasts with Spinach and Gorgonzola

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You’ve heard of serendipity, right? It’s when you’re standing in line at the Bellagio Hotel and a roaming manager beckons you to a new line. He asks how long we’re staying – one night I said – he said is that your husband standing over there [with our luggage]? Yes, I said. Dave was wearing shorts so his artificial legs are quite obvious. He said his mother is a double amputee too and he’d like to upgrade us to a suite.

Oh my goodness was it ever gorgeous! A living room, a bedroom, two bathrooms in the bedroom (a his and hers) AND a guest half bath that we didn’t use. On the 33rd floor requiring us to use a different keyed elevator. A view toward the east and unlimited viewings of the famous water show.

We had a lovely dinner last night and now it’s time to pack up and leave. I’ll have more photos hopefully tomorrow including a couple of the room. Meanwhile below is a photo I took in the gardens here at the hotel a few minutes ago. Oh yes, part of the suite upgrade was a “line card” that entitled us to go to the head of the line in the two breakfast restaurants. THAT was very nice.

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Yesterday was such a pretty day in Northern Arizona. We drove through Oak Creek Canyon and stopped at a viewpoint that looked south.

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One of the more scenic rocks just south of Sedona. We’re staying in a really nice B&B in the Village of Oak Creek. We sat out around the pool for much of yesterday afternoon, enjoying the lovely weather . . . and the view. Reading and glancing up at that mountain, plus the one below.

All we had to do was turn our heads slightly to look at both. The colors are more brilliant than the photo shows. Seems kind of incongruous, I think, these two stark mountains. And the pool. We did drive into downtown Sedona, but it’s such a tourist trap, we didn’t even get out of the car.

Today we’re off for points north. I don’t think I have wi-fi where we’re staying tonight, so I may not post tomorrow. Maybe I’ll try my iphone app and see if I can post from it!

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Certainly I knew about Frank Lloyd Wright, the famous American architect. And have, all my life, admired some of the homes he designed. There’s one in Pasadena, I believe, but it’s privately owned. Most of his early life he lived near Oak Park, Illinois. And several homes there were designed by him.

But it wasn’t until I read the book, Loving Frank: A Novel, that I learned more about his life. I wrote about it here on my blog at the time. The book is a history of his love affair with Mamah Cheney. Considering the time (around 1905) it must have been titillating conversation amongst all of the upper crust society. Wright was married and the father of several children. Cheney, also married, had two young children at the time, and she basically abandoned them to be with Wright. The two of them lived together in Europe for awhile, then they returned to the Illinois area and eventually moved to the hinterlands in Wisconsin because it was private and was fenced to keep out tourists and curiosity-seekers. Unfortunately, in the middle of building Taliesin (the one in Wisconsin) there was an horrific fire and murders – in which Mamah and her two children were murdered along with 5 others, by a deranged employee (a kind of butler, or handyman). Wright was devastated, but he never lived long without a woman beside him. He and Mamah were never married, but he did eventually divorce his first wife, Catherine. He married again, was divorced within a short time, and married for the 3rd time to Olgivanna (his last) in 1928. They were married for 31 years.

Suffering from lung issues, he was advised to move to warmer climates, so he began looking, and settled on a large piece of property outside Phoenix, east of Scottsdale. It was several hundred acres, far from civilization at the time (this was the late 1930’s), without power and water as well.

Taliesin (pronounced tal-ee-ess-in, from a Welsh word – Wright was half Welsh) West started out (and still is) an architectural school where Wright convinced promising young students to help him build a magnificent home. He utilized many ideas that were ones he’d mulled in his mind for most of his life. With his apprentices working by day – remember, no electricity –  the home was visualized and constructed over the course of many years. It was mostly open to the air, year ‘round (since his death in 1959 air conditioning was installed). He utilized a kind of white canvas as a roof, which provided diffused light and cover. The main living room has the canvas covers (but has some kind of clear roofing over it) which did provide a warm, soft light.

The house had spacious living areas, all utilizing quartzite stone and cement, redwood (which all had to be replaced eventually since redwood does not survive in dry climates). The bedrooms were quite small. There were two theaters, and a huge workroom that is still used for the current architecture students (we saw most of them working when we visited). Wright’s old Steinway piano still sits in the living room (and one of the people on our tour actually sat down and played it, which was very special). The home is very much lived-in. The architecture students have their own little cabin type rooms that dot the landscape – all of these small utilitarian structures were designed and built by students, over the years. Each one is unique. There is a communal dining room (large) and kitchen (where cooking duties are shared by the students on a rotating basis). Wright’s office, a separate structure, was the first room we visited and the guide gave us a good overview of Wright’s life and the kind of work he did there. Almost all of Taliesin West is built on a triangular design – with roof lines that matched the nearby mountain peaks. Everything about Wright’s designs there incorporate nature, the soil, the rocks, with particular attention paid to enhancing the views (which are magnificent from the home).

Photos, clockwise from top left: the main view of Taliesin from one end of the long building (notice the unusual shapes to the roofline); A pond just outside the back of the living quarters; the view from the breezeway that separates the main living quarters on the left and the communal dining room, kitchen and the workrooms toward the right; one of the many petro glyphs unearthed during the construction of Taliesin.

Photographs aren’t permitted in the living room and bedrooms, so I snapped some photos around the grounds, which you can see above.

Photo at right is a sculpture on the grounds (not Wright’s work, but done by a full-time artist-in-residence sculptor at Taliesin.) Our guide was superlative at giving us an in-depth explanation about the man and his life. Very impressive, I thought. During the tour itself the guide did not mention Mamah Cheney, but when someone asked where Wright is buried, she told the story. (And by the way, the book, Loving Frank, was not apparent anywhere in the Taliesin bookstore.) What was interesting, is that after Wright died in 1959, his request was that he be buried next to Mamah Cheney (remember, he had been married for more than 30 years to Olgivanna) in Illinois. And he was. BUT, some time later when Olgivanna was very old (and living at Taliesin) and in failing health, she told her minions to unearth Frank Lloyd Wright from his grave in Illinois and bring his body to Arizona. Nobody was consulted, and it sounded like the act was done in dark of night within hours of Olgivanna’s request. Following her death, at her request, their bodies were both cremated, the ashes comingled and the ashes were buried in some unknown place at Taliesin West. Our guide said that she thought someone knew (someone who is part of the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation, the entity that runs both Taliesins and the architectural school), but it’s kept top secret.

It was a fascinating tour, but even more so because I’d read the book about Wright and Mamah Cheney. I’d highly recommend you do so also, and then go visit one or more of Wright’s homes or buildings. And if you’re ever in the Scottsdale area, you should visit Taliesin West.

A year ago: Margaritas
Two years ago: Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Dried Cherries and Oatmeal

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