Big News

Here's that recipe I promised for Salsa Couscous Chicken, the Pillsbury Bake-Off Winner. If you like Mediterranean food--flavored with cumin, cinnamon, raisins and almonds--you'll love the way my friend Diane's friend Ellie made mexican salsa taste like it came from Morocco. In case you didn't know, the Pillsbury folks don't require that contestants use only traditional baking ingredients; in 1998, the year this recipe won the $1 million, Old El Paso Salsa was on the list of acceptable ingredients (I assume Pillsbury owns the company). It isn't on the 2009 list, but this year contestants can use certain Green Giant veggies, among other things. Bon appetit!

Now for the big news: I'm going on a cruise to Alaska! A woman on a local listserve put out a call for a stateroom-mate for a cruise leaving on July 11, a week from tomorrow. It's a cheap deal on a "family" cruise with Rosie O'Donnell: all inclusive for one week, $577. I couldn't drive up there for that! Now I can get a postcard of the Juneau capitol. Woo-hoo! Folks say being in Alaska is like being in a different country--or perhaps just a different time. I can't wait.

Closer to home, I've been organizing my photos and found a couple from Montana that are pretty special. See what you think.

This is the glacier for which the national park was named. There's a sign with pictures depicting how much it has shrunk.

These guys are the real deal, you just can't see the cows because I didn't get the shot in time.

I love the clouds in this photo, too.

Montana Song
Big sky country spring
Ice, earth, wind moving in time
In the car we sing

July 3, 2009
Seattle