use real butter

Recipe: chile rellenos

This isn’t really a petition because I know if we added 8 hours to the day, I would try to cram even more into a single day than I try to already. These long daylight hours lull us into a sense of “there’s plenty of time for x, y, and oh yeah – z!” It becomes the frenzy of summer. So I am in (more of) a frenzy now. But that’s good because it means I’m living my life.

Our best girl, Kaweah has slowed down in the past six months. I mentioned before that she is on a “diet” which means she gets fewer snacks and what snacks she gets are usually carrot bits instead of dog treats. In the spring, Kaweah weighed in at 64.5 pounds at the vet, which is the most she has ever weighed. She is 60 pounds on a fat day and 55 pounds in her svelte summer days. I chalked it up to my medical problems last year which distracted us from maintaining her typically active mountain dog lifestyle. Her weight is down to 60 and we’ve been taking her on walks and runs. She just can’t keep up on the runs anymore and Jeremy suspects she is becoming arthritic. Old dog is finally catching up with Crazy dog.

We recently hiked to the Continental Divide and decided to bring the pup, as hiking is her all time #1 favorite activity in the world (okay, #3 after eating, and rolling in dead things). We agreed that we would turn around at the first sign of trouble. Jeremy has carried Kaweah off of mountains in extreme conditions before.

columbines blooming streamside

She never let up. I think the backcountry is as invigorating for Kaweah as it is for me. She was like her old self but better behaved! We took her up to the lake and she had her inaugural frozen swim and loved it.

slowly thawing at 12,000 feet

treat? treat? treat? treat?

ooooh, cold!!

On the way back, she was slow and when we stopped to chat with a ranger, Kaweah decided to lie down in frog position on the trail instead of licking the pants of the ranger and acting crazy per her usual MO. She made it out just fine and slept the rest of the day. It’s hard to gauge how much is just being out of shape and needing to develop her calluses versus old age. When we got home we ordered a high-angle rescue dog harness so we can carry her out with ease if ever the time should come. I hope not, but I think gone are the days when I could take her for an 18-mile hike. The goal is to make sure she’s healthy and happy.

And while we’re on the topic of healthy and happy, I had another one of my crazy plants bloom! Last year I was elated when my night-blooming cereus delivered three blossoms. This is a “family” plant. My grandmother hand-carried (illegally?) a leaf cutting from Taiwan over to the US decades ago and started a plant. Each of her daughters has at least one plant from that original, and I got one when we moved into our first house. Two years ago, my aunt delivered another leaf cutting to me per Grandma’s request. “But I already have one,” I informed Elena. “This one is different,” she smiled. It bloomed yesterday and it is stunning. You can see a series of shots from last night here.

epiphyllum

**Jump for more butter**

Recipe: deconstructed chili cheese fries

We are almost ready to blow this popsicle stand. Kaweah is off to Camp Crazy and we shall be heading west. In the meantime, my cron jobs should be in working order (i.e. there will be posts in my absence) while I’m out of communication.

Jeremy and I recently sampled an order of chili cheese fries at a local joint in Boulder. We were… underwhelmed. It says less about the place serving the fries and more about the culture here. Why is it so hard to find GOOD chili cheese fries? I wasn’t turned on to chili cheese fries until I went to college in Southern California and it became the goto 2 am calorie (and sodium, and fat) replenisher on those late nights working on AMa 95 homeworks (Techers, YOU know what I’m talking about). My ideal chili cheese fries involve crispy, hot fries (not soggy!), shredded sharp cheddar cheese, and a meaty (no beans), well-spiced chili that needs to be ladled on top. These days we indulge maybe a couple times a year when I make my own chili at home, but forget about ordering it in town. No one does it right.

Which got me thinking. Perhaps I could “challenge” a restaurant to make chili cheese fries? My first candidate was The Kitchen, because I think their fries are the best I’ve ever had and I am convinced they could make one mean bowl of chili (they specialize in ass-kicking food). Friday night, that notion gave way to another inspiration… how about I attempt deconstructed chili cheese fries? Just for shits and giggles, you know. Putting a sophisticated spin on a low brow college favorite.

I combined the typical spices that go into my chili recipe and mixed them with a hefty amount of salt and pepper. After picking up a 3-inch thick slice of beef tenderloin, I packed the spices onto the steak and let it sit for 30 minutes to contemplate its delicious fate.

spices that usually go in my chili

rub it all over the filet mignon

**Jump for more butter**

Recipe: green chile mayonnaise

I hope everyone had a nice weekend observing or not observing various holidays. April can’t make up her mind (she is quite the fickle pickle when it comes to weather) and so we have had sun, rain, lightning, snow, and grauple over the weekend, but NO WINDS(!!) and so I am pleased as punch. Sunday morning we took Kaweah for a much needed hike and noted the snow conditions. I really don’t foresee anymore piste skiing unless we get a nice dump of powder. Our local hill closed this weekend and several of the big mountains close next weekend (good-bye Breckenridge, good-bye Vail, good-bye Mary Jane – see you next year), however there is always A-basin whose season runs phenomenally late into June – sometimes July. Get your rock skis out, kids. I wouldn’t want to take the East Wall on my powder skis in May. Well, my would-be rock skis were in really good shape and now belong to Diane.

dude, where’s my snow?

old flowers soon to be replaced by new flowers

**Jump for more butter**