In spite of being conspired against by a broken, morse code-emitting stove and a spate of I-live-in-Seattle-for-pete’s-sake-I-SO-did-not-sign-up-for-this heat wave that appears to be without end, I did an OK job of cooking from my June picks for my cookbook challenge. Not as OK as I planned, but, like I said, I have a broken stove and it’s HOT out.

Of the three books I chose, I had only cooked from one, Amy Pennington’s Urban Pantry: Tips and Recipes for a Thrifty, Sustainable and Seasonal Kitchen. Last month, I was happy to cook from it more, and it has confirmed it’s place as one cookbook I would take with me to a desert island. I made:
  • Spiced Kibbe with Herby Yogurt Sauce
  • Apricot-Chickpea Salad (this is my new potluck go-to recipe!)

I’m not removing the sticky tags until I have a chance to make:

  • Chocolate-Buttermilk Cake
  • Spiced Yogurt Chicken
  • Carrot-Coconut Milk Soup
  • Lentils with Mint and Beets
  • Vanilla-Quinoa Pudding
I almost made her Perfect Roast Chicken for the millionth time, but, again, my oven broke, so I had to make crockpot chicken instead (the chicken was already defrosting in the fridge).

From Greg Atkinson’s West Coast Cooking, I made:

  • Arroz con Pollo (although next time I’ll make it with about half the amount of rice)
  • Golden Pumpkin Waffles (these were really, really good!)
  • Vanilla Stewed Prunes (great on oatmeal)

I did not get around to making:

  • Chai tea
  • West Coast Breakfast Bars
  • Tortilla Soup
  • Orange Chicken for a Crowd (which I hope will become a casual entertaining go-to)
  • Crystallized Ginger Shortbread
Where I totally fell short this month was with Jamie Callison’s TThe Crimson Spoon: Plating Regional Cuisine on the Palouse. I will slip in some of these recipes during the rest of the Washington harvest season.
Next week I will reveal my July picks. Not surprisingly, they feature a lot of recipes that either don’t require cooking (salads) or can be cooked on the outdoor grill (although I do have a new stove on order).