If I can't reach for a pan, I will reach for my voice. If I can't reach for my voice, I will reach for whatever the journey provides me.

It's been an incredibly long hiatus. Not from the kitchen, but from this place here, in front of my keyboard, writing down my musings about what feeding others means to me and sharing them with the universe.

I suppose we all have times in our lives when the rhythm of things is lost, or at the very least, suspended. We find ourselves, looking out the window to capture a quick view of the path ahead, only to find we're only on a completely different journey. Feeling that whatever distance we've traveled was wrong, we immediately get busy fixing it! But it wasn't wrong. No journey is wrong.

What we all need to remember that we're always traveling somewhere. No one is ever really still, or for that matter totally in control. And I want to be more present. I want to not feel bad that I haven't blogged in months. Instead, I want to focus on how fulfilled I am with beautiful food before me, and a sauce that is just waiting to be created quietly forming in my head. Happy with the fact that since my last post on November 6, I literally created another 30 or so recipes.

So now, at the peril of trying to create the perfect message, something that usually keeps me from finishing a message in a timely fashion, I will keep this short. Will this post include some photos of my food and a couple recipes? Of course. Will it stir your soul and transform you? That is up to you, I'm realizing. Mine is only to share whatever journey I'm currently experiencing, and always hoping that of where I am helps awaken something in you, I'm on the right path after all.

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Quick Brownie Bites with Chocolate
​Amaretto Buttercream Frosting

You've passed them a million times at the supermarket bakery and thought, "boy, this would make dessert fast." And you would be correct. The bling element, and the part that will not ruin your reputation for serving gorgeous food, is the generous dollop of frosting swirled on top of each of these chocolate gems. There is no recipe to download because the only secret is to add about a tablespoon of amaretto, 1 T of unsweetened chocolate powder, and a pinch of salt to your usual buttercream recipe. Yum.

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Chicken with Apple Bacon Gravy and White Turnips
Over Cardamom Rice Topped with Pea Shoot Salad and Chili Balsamic Vinaigrette

Serves 4 / Click here to download printable version

Of course I'm following the shortest recipe with the longest. But these flavors deserved to be shared. This recipe is so "me!" Sweet and savory and colorful, it celebrates fresh ingredients and traditional flavors. This one can be downloaded or review the recipe below.

• Ingredients
• Method

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​ 16 oz. chicken breast cut into 2 ½ inch chunks
2 small Fuji apples cut into thin slices
6 slices of thick cut bacon
½ C chicken stock
¼ C white wine such as Pinot Gris
¼ C white onion, chopped finely
2 C pea shoot micro greens
3 T julienned red pepper
2 T chili balsamic, such as Olive Crate brand
3 T plus 2 T mild olive oil such as Kores Olive Crate brand, divided
½ t coriander powder
½ t cardamom powder
Pinch of good cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
2 t corn starch mixed with ¼ C water
4 T butter
½ C jasmine rice and ¾ C water

Brown bacon, leave drippings in pan, chop bacon and set aside.
Slice apples and toss them with 1 T oil and set aside.
Thoroughly wash and trim the white turnips, cutting all but 1 ½ inches of the green off. Slice in half lengthwise, toss with 1 T oil, and generously season with salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet, dot with butter, bake in 425 degree F oven for 30 minutes.
Right before serving toss the pea shoots with the 2 T oil, chili balsamic, a little salt and pepper and the red pepper. Set aside for no more than 10 minutes.
Bring water, rice, cardamom, cinnamon and about ½ T salt to a boil, then cover, put over very low simmer and cook 10 minutes with burner on simmer and 10 minutes without heat. DO NOT remove lid. Keep lid on until you serve.
Pat chicken dry and set aside. Make sure meat is nearly at room temperature to insure even cooking. When ready, heat 1 T oil with the bacon drippings to very hot. Add the chicken lowering heat right away to medium high and sear on both sides. Remove chicken from pan and cover with foil. Deglaze pan with wine, let simmer for 2 minutes. Add the stock, the apples and about 1 to 1 ½ T salt and about 1 t pepper, along with coriander powder. Let simmer for about 3-4 minutes while apples soften. Then return the chicken to the pan, and let simmer for about 4 minutes or so until chick is done. Don’t overcook. Add the bacon, stirring in at the last. Add the slurry of cornstarch and water at the end to thicken sauce. Serve over the rice and top with the pea shoots, and arrange roasted turnips on the side.
 
©Recipe and Photo Copyright Camine Pappas, 2017. All rights reserved.