Welcome !

Welcome to the first posting of the Sunpoint Sanctuary blog. At this moment our dear friend Rick is sitting at our dining room table creating the first page for the Sunpoint Sanctuary website. I decided to link this blog to it to give folks a peek into life at Sunpoint Sanctuary.

This morning Malia and I picked blueberries at Sunnycrest Farm . Our Sunpoint blueberries are not quite ripe, and the bushes are very small, although the johnny jump ups in the blueberry patch make an attractive site in the garden.

I just finished making zucchini soup, blueberry cobbler, salad greens, and cornbread for lunch. I played around with a few tried & true recipes. Please try them out and let me know what you think.

Zucchini, Sour Cream & Cheddar Soup
3 medium size or 2 large zucchinis (we always have those overgrown ones around)
1 quart chicken broth
1 onion
1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
2 tbsp. cornstarch diluted in 1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sour cream (or french onion dip with a sour cream base)
1/2 tsp dill
1/2 tsp garlic powder (or to taste)
salt & black pepper to taste (or you might try a dash or two of tobasco)

Chop up zucchini and onion into 1-inch size pieces and cook in broth until tender. Add diluted cornstarch and stir until thickened.
Add sour cream (or dip) and cheddar cheese and stir until well mixed. Add herbs and seasonings. Serve.

Blueberry cobbler (an updated version of my grandmother's recipe)

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cloves
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
a splash of white wine (I used riesling)
butter for greasing pan

Put blueberries and 1/4 cup sugar with a small amount of water in a saucepan to boil. Add a splash of wine and turn off heat. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter an 8 x 8 baking dish. Mix in medium size mixing bowl baking powder, flour, sugar, salt, and spices. Add milk & canola oil and mix well. Pour into greased baking dish. Pour hot fruit on top. Cook on top of baking sheet (to catch drips) for 30-35 minutes. Batter will rise through fruit and absorb all those flavorful juices. Serve with whipped cream or (my favorite) French vanilla ice cream.

Mescalen Summer Salad

2 to 3 cups fresh salad greens
snipped fresh cilantro or dill (both are about ready to overrun the greens in our garden)
1/3 cup crumbled Feta or Bleu cheese
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Toss all ingredients. Serve with your favorite vinagrette.

Denise