Mount Constitution

Orcas Island is this beautiful island up in the San Juans that my aunt and uncle have a house on and I had visited a few times. I always enjoy riding on the ferry and I knew that I wanted to hike up to the top of Mt. Constitution, the highest point on Orcas, even though you can drive up there. 

I convinced my friends Tina, Crystal and Valerie to get up super early to make the drive and ferry ride over. The sunrise was gorgeous and the ride over was blissful, even though we were still waking up. 

 

We got to the ferry terminal on Orcas and made our way over to Moran State Park, where we parked at Mountain Lake and then hiked up. 

 

The hike was definitely not easy, especially since we were all tired from getting up early. But it was totally worth it! Even though it wasn’t super sunny at the top, the view was gorgeous!

 

 

The hike back down was steep and my knees felt it. We got done early enough that we enjoyed lunch at a little café in Eastsound before heading to the ferry terminal. 

 

 It was definitely a fun trip and I would like to go explore more of the San Juans.

Now Open: Huckleberries and Rain Etsy Shop

Hey there!

Just stopping by for some news I'm thrilled about: I just opened my Etsy shop!

I have a few pieces of jewelry up there right now, and I'm going to be adding a few more each day. I hope to get my knit hats up there soon, too!

The link on the left side should take you to my shop, Huckleberries and Rain.

Thanks for checking out my creations!

Rachel

Kale and Apple Salad with Turkey

I recently signed up for a weekly CSA box from Full Circle and one of the first things I got was a bunch of kale. Now, I love kale, but I really didn’t feel like cooking it, so I made it into a salad. Plus, it was lunch time and I was hungry for something quick. I had also gotten some apples in my box, so I thought I would use those. I stopped at the store to pick up some sliced turkey, and then when I got home, my bottle of pomegranate molasses grabbed my eye. The dressing was delightfully sweet and tart and it went perfect with the kale and apples. 

 Kale and Apple Salad with Turkey

Serves 2

1 bunch kale, rinsed and chopped

1 apple, cored and diced

¼ lb cooked turkey breast, shredded

Sesame seeds

Dressing:

Juice from ½ lemon

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 tbsp pomegranate molasses

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper

1.      Mix together ingredients for dressing. Put kale in a bowl, drizzle with a little olive oil, then massage until the kale begins to wilt. Add in apple and turkey and toss with dressing. Sprinkle with sesame seeds, then serve.

Enjoy!

Dewey Lake

Dewey Lake is a pretty little lake along the PCT near Chinook Pass. I had hiked from Chinook Pass several times to Sheep Lake, but I had never gone the opposite direction towards Naches Peak. 

 

It was a nice sunny day, but the sky was hazy from all the forest fires raging on. The flowers were mostly gone, replaced by autumn’s golden colors of yellow, red and orange. 

 

 The hike itself was not too hard, but I found myself struggling because I had ran the Gladiator Run the day before with Crystal, and we had to hike down first before hiking back up. (See picture below for how tired I was!)

 

The lake was a nice little lake where we enjoyed lunch before heading back up to the view point and back to the cars. It was a nice, short hike that I would definitely like to do again!

Crab and Lemon Spaghetti with Zucchini

In one of my favorite cookbooks, there is a recipe for a simple crab and lemon pasta dish that absolutely looked divine. I couldn't wait to try it, but I wanted to add a vegetable to it, just because I love vegetables. I thought about it for days which vegetable I wanted to add.

None of them seemed right, until I came across zucchini. The zucchini, sauteed in garlic olive oil, was a perfect accompaniment to the crab. The lemon zest and juice created a nice tang that melded perfectly with the rest of the dish. I've made this dish twice now and I can't get enough of it!

Crab and Lemon Spaghetti with Zucchini

½ lb crabmeat

Juice and zest of half a lemon

½ lb spaghetti

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 zucchini, diced

Pecorino Romano

1.      Cook spaghetti according to package directions.

2.      Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant and beginning to brown. Add in zucchini, season with salt and pepper and cook for 5-7 minutes until soft.

3.      Add pasta to zucchini, and stir. Drizzle with lemon juice, olive oil and lemon zest. Stir in crab meat.

4.      Serve with shaved pecorino romano.

 


Enjoy!