Sundays with Stephanie
Good Days in Ely, State Fair Appearances, Summer Salads, Monster Cookie and Brownie Ice Cream Sandwich recipes
Its a good day today. Waking up in Ely is always a good day.
What I am thinking about
Earlier this week, I got this graphic about “Good Days” from Skyr Yogurt. They tracked the good days Americans have, and I was surprised to see how high it was. While the National Optimism Index dipped slightly to 6.5 from 6.7*, it was surprising that our “good days” feelings are determined by 8:30 am. The folks at Skyr chalk that up to what you are eating for breakfast, which may be true, but if I think back to good or bad days, I might chalk it up to how well you slept.
All in all, I am glad people are leaning towards optimism. For me, it's a lot easier to think about all the bad things in the world and to get dragged down by negativity, so I work on Positivity daily. I want to practice gratitude and keep a gratitude journal, focusing on noticing the little things, but most days, that doesn’t happen. If I can stay positive about the little things each day, like the way my shampoo smells so good, or taking a minute to rub Stanley’s soft ears, or walking through my garden and noticing new flowers or veggies, it usually keeps me feeling full and sets my day off to a good start.
Last night we took the boat up the “Dead River” on Burntside Lake to hunt for Beavers. At dusk, the beavers are magical on the water. We saw six beavers, but the best part was seeing a nesting loon. She came upon us by surprise, popping up right in front of the boat. We killed the motor and floated by, but it was clear she was not leaving the area. On the way back down the river, we saw why; she was sitting in the grass on a nest. It seemed late for nesting, but when I looked it up, some loons do nest late into July. The optimist in me hopes that, given the incubation period of at least 4 weeks, they will make it. Kurt observed that she may be sitting on an egg that will never hatch. Nature is complex and beautiful all at the same time.
What I am working on:
Today, the “Taste Buds with Stephanie” TV crew is coming to Ely to film two episodes that will air in the next Season! We will prepare dishes from the “True North Cabin Cookbook,” Volumes 1 and 2.
We keep adding book signings and events for the “True North Cabin Cookbook Vol 2” launch! Please get your tickets to our event at the American Swedish Institute and join me and TV host from “The Jason Show,” Jason Matheson, for an afternoon of laughter and fun!
I’ll be at the Minnesota State Fair a bunch this year too:
Live on Jason Show on Fox 9, 10-12 pm, 8/21 and 8/22 with a book signing after the show
Live Weekly Dish radio Broadcast with
8/23 at 9 am at the Mytalk 107.1 stageIn conversation with food editor Nicole Hvidsten at the Star Tribune stage on 8/22 at 2 pm.
Live on Jason Show on Fox 9, 10-12 pm, 8/28 with a book signing after the show
Cambria Kitchen hosting a live Demo with the Star Tribune on 8/28
Did you see the new State Fair Sips list?
What I am cooking:
Did you get all the recipes from the Live event I did on Friday? It was so fun!
Live Dinner Party Prep with Stephanie Hansen
I popped on today to plan, prep, and cook for my gal pal's dinner party. Of course, I wasn't prepared, and my mini chopper would not work, but…
Paid Subscribers, remember - you have access to over 60 unique recipes just for you here! It’s like I am writing you your cookbook! I have added the Salmon and Bean salad recipe to the archive for you to access at any time.
It’s Salad Season!
Here are three main dish salads from my website that you can pair with a loaf of bread for a perfect Summer dinner.
Favorite main dish salads:
What other recipes caught my eye this week?
Blueberry Polenta upside down cake by Nigella Lawson (gifted link by NYT)
Baked Salmon with Cherry Tomatoes (gifted link by NYT)
19 of the top 20 recipes saved in Epicurious this week were meatballs. Huh? Heres the list of them. Summer must be meatball season!
Do you enjoy discovering fresh new ideas for recipes each week? I would love it if you would Subscribe to my Premium newsletter For $60 a year you get a Wednesday Recipe email, an enhanced Sunday edition email with loads of recipes many that are only available to subscribers, plus the Dishing With Stephanie’s Dish Podcast emails on Fridays 2x a month, plus be the first to get invitations to Stephaniesdish future events.
A few articles to check out:
You may not know my husband,
is an author. He won the Minnesota Book Award in 2023 and a Great Group Reads award in 2022, along with my daughter Ellie, for “The Barrens,” an adventure story based on her canoe trips in the BWCA and Thelon River.Earlier this Spring, he took his mom, Dolores (featured in many recipes in the “True North Cabin Cookbook”), and her sister, Janice (of Janice’s potato salad fame), to a family reunion in Skyler, Nebraska. It’s a great read.
Keith Harris is a former co-worker of mine at City Pages, the now-defunct alternative newspaper in Minneapolis. A few of the alumni started an online website called Racket, and this week, Keith ate 32 dumplings in St Paul. Its a fun read and i loved looking at the dumpling pictures.
Are you a Blue Ribbon Baker? My friend
has a great post about our Minnesota State Fair! She made me want to roll up my sleeves and start baking with this post!
The radish butter terrine on TikTok is crazy and beautiful and everyone should serve it at a party! Click on it to watch her make it
Where I’ll be this week:
Come visit me at the Loring Park Art Festival! 175 artists centered around the lakes and gardens in Loring Park! I'll be with 20 Culinary artists I curated selling books, and I should have a small handful of the new book for sale!
Here’s the music lineup:
Westminster Stage
Noon-2pm Artist Kat Parent will paint with Westminster Associate Director of Music Kenneth Vigne on piano
2pm Dancer Eve Schulte
3pm Westminster Blue Grass Band
Loring Community Stage
SATURDAY 7/26
11:15 am Flavor Jam Showcase
12:00 pm Art Battle
1:00 pm Colin Bracewell
2:00 pm Frankie Torres
3:15 pm David Harland
4:30 pm Amanda Grace
SUNDAY 7/27 | JAZZ DAY
10:15 am The Spots
11:15 am Flavor Jam Showcase
12:00 pm Mike Munson
1:00 pm Trevor McSpadden
2:15 pm Ryan Picone Trio
3:30 pm Ashley DuBose
Do you enjoy discovering fresh new ideas for recipes each week? I would love it if you would Subscribe to my Premium newsletter For $60 a year you get a Wednesday Recipe email, an enhanced Sunday edition email with loads of recipes many that are only available to subscribers, plus the Dishing With Stephanie’s Dish Podcast emails on Fridays 2x a month, plus be the first to get invitations to Stephaniesdish future events.
What I Recorded:
What happens when two friends, one who happens to own a fabulous cookie company, decide to collaborate to help end childhood hunger? I am beyond excited to announce a collab with @trexcookie and @tastebudswithstephanie
When you go to trexcookie.com look for the Taste Buds signature cookie called the “Thai It, You’ll Like It Cookie.”Peanuty, coconutty, gingery with a decent sprinkle of Thai chili . It’s all for a great cause, as we donate $2 from each cookie sold to @nokidhungry
So… order the cookies and enjoy eating good while doing good!
Recipes:
On Jason Show we made Bootleggers the Official Drink of Minnesota Summer! and the Dilly Potato Salad which I shared here first!
350
If you used a regular heaping tbsp 1/2 cookie scoop i would cook 8-12 minutes
Check at 8