Coconut Macaroons

I seem to be in a cooking sort of mood lately! Today I made my favorite coconut macaroons and will be giving them as parting gifts before I leave for Florida to start my new job. I really love this recipe because it is easy, delicious, and pretty darn foolproof. Plus, it makes the kitchen smell amazing for days! With short prep and cook time, you're just 30 minutes and 6 steps away from delciousness :)

Coconut Macaroons

Prep: 10 min.
Cook: 16 min.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup Sweetened, Flake Coconut
1/3 cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Flour
Pinch of Salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 Egg Whites

1) Preheat oven to 325° F

2) Mix coconut, flour, salt, and sugar in a large mixing bowl.

3) Mix in egg whites and vanilla until blended (should form a pretty solid batter)

4) Place rounded teaspoons of batter onto a greased cookie sheet 1" apart (standard cookie sheet should fit 16)

5) Bake for 16 minutes or until golden

6) Let cool and enjoy!

Yield: At least 2 dozen. 100 calories per macaroon ( don't be surprised, they're almost entirely sugar :P )

Icebox Jam (Peach)

Jam is something I've always wanted to make. It's delicious, colorful, and a great way to keep fruit on the table year round. I've always been a bit deterred by how difficult preserving can be (and dangerous if not done properly), but I stumbled across a fridge/icebox style jam on Pinterest that requires no pectin and very little fuss. The downside to this jam is that, unlike preservatives, it has to be refrigerated from creation (no shelf life). That really is hardly a downside for me as I almost always refrigerate my store bought jams anyways.

With recipe in hand, I attempted to make peach jam. The recipe provided on Pinterest was good, but I found that I had to make a few adjustments. So, I have provided my recipe below for adventurous beginner canners. Enjoy!

Peach (or Strawberry) Icebox Jam

Prep: 5 min.
Cook: 40 min.
Finish: 10 min.

Ingredients:
-2 medium peaches (fist sized) OR 2 cups of cored, sliced strawberries
-1 cup water
-3/4 cup sugar

Equipment:
-Small-Medium Saucepan
-Food Processor
-Canning Jars

1) Dice peaches into 1/2" cubes, leaving the skin on. For strawberries, core and slice into quarters.

2) Place fruit into saucepan. Add water and sugar.

3) Cook on medium heat, partly covered, for about 10 minutes or until boil.

4) Uncover and reduce heat to low. Cook until syrupy (about 30-35 minutes)

5) Take off heat and let cool 5 minutes.

6) Carefully (don't spill, it is still hot and really sticky) pour into a food processor and blend until smooth (about 30 seconds).

7) Pour into jar(s) and let cool completely (about 45 minutes).

8) Put on lid(s) and store in the fridge (let cool in the fridge overnight for better consistency)

Peach Jam: 702 Calories per Batch ( 351 Calories per Jar )

Strawberry Jam: 691 Calories per Batch ( 345.5 Calories per Jar )

This isn't too different from the original, it just seemed that mine took a little longer and required a bit less fruit. Overall, it was a pretty easy recipe that was quite delicious!

Suzanne Stryk

About a month ago, one of my favorite professors made me aware of an exhibit at the Taubman Museum in Roanoke. It was a collection of pieces by an artist named Suzanne Stryk. I had never heard of Ms. Stryk nor had I ever been to the Taubman, so I decided to do a little research. Ms. Stryk's pieces are comprised of maps, which immediately caught my attention as a geographer. They are drawn on with flora, fauna, and themes of the area which the map represented. Seeing the one piece up on the Taubman website piqued my interest and I vowed that I would visit the exhibit.

One round trip to Florida and a few lazy days later, I found myself in Roanoke, standing in front of a museum that, quite honestly, looked more like a UFO than a structure. Stepping tentatively through twin sets of glass doors, I approached the ticket desk. I signed in (surprised by free admission) proceeded up the second oddest set of stairs I've ever encountered, and meandered through the exhibit halls. I wound my way around a lovely statue with no name, past a Norman Rockwell, into a room of bejeweled purses (which were quite beautiful), and finally entered the room for Suzanne Stryk.

As I walked through, I could not help but have my eyes jump from piece to piece. Every frame was filled with the most gorgeous jewel tones and myriad textures. The term "feast for the eyes" does not even begin to do this room justice. In an effort to not be completely overwhelmed, I started on the wall with the smallest pieces, cuts of the standard USGS maps. Images of oysters, feathers, and insects were painted over or layered onto these maps, much like the way you would find entries in a field journal, if a little more abstract. I circled the room, moving to the full sized maps, rich with detailed sketches, natural elements, and vibrant color. I found animals hiding among text, under flaps cut from the maps, and peering out from under painted leaves that, at a second glance, were feathers. I walked around and around until I was saturated with all I could find and observe. It was amazing, what Ms. Stryk had done, exploring the places I called home, going deep into the heart of them and bring back her findings in such a purely beautiful and creative way.

The following pieces were my favorites in the exhibit:

 Coal Tattoo (Appalachia)

 Flyway

Unfortunately, the exhibit leaves the Taubman Museum tomorrow (Saturday, August 24). If you would like to see a sample of her work and hear her commentary on the exhibit, please watch the video listed below. It helped me get a better understanding of the project she undertook and the wonderful pieces formed from it.

Suzanne Stryk: Notes on the State of Virginia