Go forth, conquer, and bring back a great story to share with friends.

I've been doing a lot of thinking, reminiscing, and some crying today. A dear friend lost her very short battle against stomach cancer on Friday night. To say I was shocked would be an understatement; Oyana was young, strong and full of fight. In our few years of friendship, she taught me many things, and the biggest message I take away is to go, conquer, and bring back the stories to share. She was an excellent story teller, and she let nothing hold her back. She wore a hat like no other woman. She told a story like no other. She had even gone back to school and had just finished her first year of law school when she received her diagnosis. Law school! In her mid-thirties! Not many people make the huge decision to go back for a new degree after the first time around, and I bet even fewer go back for something as heavy as a law degree.

My two favorites.

In Oregon at least.






















My niece, Eva.
Also known as Evers and Goob.

And her dog Bowser.

Magic mole.

Not mole, the small blind, below ground dwelling mammal or mole the unit of measurement, but mole, the really yummy, chili and chocolate based sauce.

I swear the stuff is magic. Chili and chocolate on top of turkey or chicken or pork? Sounds good to me.

My local Mexican market carries their own blend of mole paste. Very convenient for when you want mole but don't have the time to make your own. Which I don't personally.

So, being that today is the first day of fall, and for today and today only, we are having slightly cooler weather, I decided chili was in order. Also, I am fighting a head cold and I think my sinuses could benefit from the spiciness.  I discovered an absolutely yummy sounding chili featuring mole recipe over at Epicurious.

Dessert last night...

Quick and easy dessert last night. Figs with goat cheese warmed in the oven at 375 for 15 minutes, then topped with a drizzle of honey. I am so excited figs are coming back into season, they are excellent with cheese and wine which are two of my most favorite things. Last nights wine was Ventana 2008 Orange Muscat.

An ode to goat cheese.

I love goat cheese. Creamy, delicious, goes well in sweet or savory dishes, it is just all around good stuff.

I also love quesadillas. Comes from living in a border city, I suppose. Cheese stuffed in a tortilla and cooked until melty and crispy? Yes please!

And even though I am technically dieting, you can only have my cheese when you take it from my cold, dead hands. It is one thing I refuse to give up.

For dinner tonight

New York steaks with alder smoked sea salt. I found the sea salt in Oregon and brought a small container home with me. Given how delicious it's been with my morning eggs, I can safely say the steaks will be incredible.

On the side, baked sweet potato and salad with some tomatoes out of our garden, finally! Our cooler and cloudier than normal weather over the last month has likely delayed them. Hopefully the tomato ripening trend continues. Tonight's wine is Chateau Lorane's Pinot Gris.

Boards, Oregon, and a dessert to celebrate

This morning, I drove myself to a testing center and sat in front of a computer for an hour and twenty minutes to prove myself capable to practice as a midwife. 175 questions later, I walked out as a Certified Nurse Midwife, thank goodness for instant results! I don't know that I could have handled a longer wait, studying over the last two days especially has been nerve wracking.