Urban Birding: First Flight – Isabelline Wheatear Chicks Feeding and Fledging

Posted on June 20, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Tired of waiting for mom, this isabelline wheatear chick (Oenanthe isabellina) faced the morning sun and achieved its first airborne moments. (11 additional photos.)

Many species of animals are highly adaptable – if given half a chance. Until recently, this construction site in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, was steppe grasslands. Chock full of the abandoned rodent holes isabelline wheatears seek out to make their nests, it was perfect habitat for these passerines.

But as Mongolia’s population continues to grow, the grasslands which once seemed limitless are shrinking. This fortunate adult and her mate successfully reared a pair of chicks in a cavity beneath an old truck tire. Here, safe from the stray dogs that plague this city, and unnoticed in a lot that has yet to be developed, the chicks’ parents have been able to forage the steady supply of grubs and insects their offspring thrive on.

Unfortunately, these will likely be the last wheatears to brood on this lot. On our morning run today, we noticed that the bulldozers have arrived. Yet another apartment building and adjoining parking lot will replace the last remnants of suitable habitat.

We had been observing the adult wheatears in this area for some time. But only on this, the final day the birds were here, did we realize a nest and chicks were in such close proximity. We shot these photos through a locked gate, at a far enough distance that it was a challenge to get clear captures.

At one point we observed an interesting behavior. The chicks were pecking at a piece of plastic. The mother, observing this and perhaps understanding, somehow, that ingesting the plastic could be fatal to her offspring, picked up the rubbish and flew off several meters from the nest before dropping it and returning.

There seemed to be no sating the young birds’ appetites…The adults returned again and again…

With much anticipation…

Their stubby wings and chubby bodies hardly seemed to bode well for flight. Was it out of boredom or hunger – or something even more primal – that prompted one of the birds to begin vigorously stretching its wings?

Suddenly it occurred to us. These little guys are going to fledge, right now!

And just like that…

The female returned for a final look at her empty nest, then caught up with the chicks. They hid behind a a pile of rusted junk, and that was the last we saw of them.

Who would suspect that a a nest of birds was once here, hidden safe and well-fed beneath this rotting tire?

A while later, we encountered this juvenile perched on the ledge of an apartment near ours. Where will they go next year? It’s a question with no easy answer in a world that continues to fill up with people.

Almondtella – A Twist on the “Other” Chocolate Nut Spread (without the Palm Oil)

Posted on June 19, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Everything tastes better when you make it from scratch. One taste of this homemade spread, loaded with toasted almond yumminess, and you will forget the name of that decadent stuff you used to spread on your toast. …what was that called again?

Headlines Inspire Kitchen Creativity

Recently, France’s Minister of Ecology put Nutella in the headlines because of its environmentally hostile ingredient, palm oil. Like many large scale agricultural operations, palm oil plantations require the deforestation of vast tracts of natural forests. In Indonesia and Malaysia, where the largest palm oil plantations operate, many species of native animals and plants are being pushed toward extinction. The process of slash and burn forest removal is releasing stored CO2 and generating tremendous amounts of smoke, contributing to Indonesia’s sudden jump to third place among the world’s emitters of greenhouse gasses. It’s estimated that 40-50% of household products in the U.S. contain palm oil. This product extends beyond food items to cosmetics and cleaners. Yikes.

I suppose everything humans consume has a detrimental effect on the environment due to the sheer number of humans that consume. What to do? We limit our consumption of products by using them until they can’t be used any longer. For example, we have been using the same box of zip top bags for almost a year by carefully using the bags, washing them and reusing them. We also try to make as much as we can from scratch in order to limit the addition of chemicals and unnatural ingredients into our bodies.

Our answer to the controversy swirling around Nutella is to make our own spreadable delight using more Earth-friendly ingredients. Before you quibble with me about almonds and how much water it takes to grow them… I know. However, a friend was moving from Ulaanbaatar and offered us her unused pantry items. Among those items was a three-pound bag of almonds. Other nuts would work well in this recipe.

Who knew a post about a delicious nutty spread would be so political? Moving away from the political, let me tell you this spread is better tasting than any commercial product. And with less sugar, no processed emulsifiers and no artificial flavorings (what is vanillin?) this is arguably a much healthier spread. The top two ingredients in that other spread are sugar and palm oil. The top ingredient in this recipe is pure, natural almonds. And the vanilla extract is real vanilla extract.

The key to the standout flavor is the toasted nuts. The delicious end product makes the slightly arduous process of skinning the almonds totally worth it. Now we have a sweet chocolate spread that is packed with protein and tastes great on toast or as a topping on the all-fruit banana and mango ice creams we’ve been enjoying on these warm summer days. Or how about cheesecake swirled with homemade almondtella?

Chocolate Nut Spread aka Almondtella

Ingredients

1 cup whole raw almonds
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
up to 1/4 cup vegetable or light olive oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Skin almonds by pouring boiling water over them in a bowl and letting them sit for 2 minutes. Drain off hot water and replace with cold water. Almond skins should pop off when you squeeze the individual almonds.
Preheat oven to 350° F (175 degrees C). Place almonds in a single layer on a shallow baking pan. Toast for 10 minutes. Stir the nuts halfway through baking to ensure an even color.
Process nuts in a food processor, or use a stick blender. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary until the nuts have liquefied, about 5 minutes. First, you will get coarsely chopped nuts, then a fine meal. After a little while, the nuts will form a ball around the blade. Keep processing. The heat and friction will extract the natural oils from the nuts and you will get almond butter!
When the nuts have liquified, add the sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Slowly drizzle in enough oil to make a spreadable consistency. Since the mixture is warm, it will be more fluid now than at room temperature.
Transfer the spread to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

Here are some ideas for using your “Almondtella.”

Vanilla-orange cookies with chocolate nut filling

Place almondtella at the bottom of crème brûlée for a nice surprise.

Read more about the problems with palm oil at: Palm Oil, What’s the Issue?

Delicious Homemade Bagels – Without The Machine

Posted on June 18, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Chewy homemade bagels smeared with cream cheese and an icy glass of cherry almond tea – a delicious lunch to enjoy while working from home. Next project? Making our own cheese spread for these tasty bagels.

We’ve discovered one place to purchase really good chewy bagels in Ulaanbaatar. We still prefer to make our own, even with the time it takes, instead of trekking out to the deli. Back in Alaska, I used a Zojirushi bread machine to create the dough for my bagels (see bagels three ways). We sold the machine when we left Alaska, and in our efforts to simplify our kitchen I did not replace it when we moved to Ulaanbaatar. That means taking my trusty bread machine bagel recipe and rewriting it to eliminate the machine. My adapted recipe’s results are just as tasty and chewy. You can still adorn the bagels with whatever your heart desires. Without the appliance, these bagels can be made in a galley or a tiny kitchen in a camper. Enjoy!

Homemade Chewy Bagels

Ingredients

2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (105 degrees F/40 degrees C)
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 qts water
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
toppings such as poppy seeds, toasted onions, sesame seeds, etc. (optional)

Directions

In a large bowl, stir together yeast, 1 1/2 tbsp sugar and water. Let sit for about 5 minutes to make sure the yeast is good. (It will foam.)
Stir in salt and the flour, 1/2 cup at a time. The last 1/2 cup, you will need to knead in by hand.
Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic.
Coat the inside of a large bowl and place the dough inside.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise until doubled, about an hour.
Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut dough into 8 equal pieces.
Roll pieces into balls.
Flatten balls slightly.
Poke your finger through center of ball and twirl dough around your finger to enlarge the hole.
Place bagels on parchment-lined baking sheet to rest.
Bring 3 qts water to boil in large pot. Stir in 3 tbsp sugar.
Place 4 bagels in boiling water. Boil for 1 minute. Flip bagels and let boil for another minute.
Place boiled bagels on clean, dry towel.
Place remaining 4 bagels in boiling water. Repeat boiling process with these bagels.
Take bagels from towel and place them on parchment-lined baking sheet.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Brush bagels with beaten egg.
Sprinkle desired toppings on bagels (poppy seeds, sesame seeds, charnushka, minced dried onion and minced dried garlic are some of our favorites).
Bake in preheated oven for 20 – 25 minutes, until browned.

My Version of an $8 Chocolate Chip Cookie

Posted on June 16, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

High quality milk chocolate, white chocolate, toasted almonds, browned butter and vanilla paste pack in the flavor. Served warm out of the oven, this cookie adds up to… Irresistible!

This week, I read an article about a restaurant which offers a chocolate chip cookie and a glass of flavor-infused milk for $8! The value of this pricey cookie lies in the care with which it is baked and served as well as with the quality of the ingredients. Customers love that this warm-from-the-oven-cookie has a soft, melty chocolate center and crispy edges.

Using the concepts from the article – ingredients should be top notch and the cookie needs to be served individually-baked and warm – I created my own version of a cookie that would deserve an $8 price tag. I love the flavor and texture of nuts in my chocolate chip cookies, so I browned the butter and toasted some chopped almonds to ensure plenty of nutty flavor. I added a dash of almond extract for additional flavor. Traditional chocolate chip cookies use vanilla extract. I substituted the extract with vanilla paste for a richer vanilla flavor. I baked the cookies at a little lower temperature than traditional recipes to allow the cookie to retain its gooeyness a little longer… not that these cookies will last long! I highly recommend you bake only the number of cookies you will immediately serve. The dough will keep in the refrigerator so you can make ’em as you need ’em fresh out of the oven.

Both Jack and I agreed that the flavor was amazing. Jack thought the cookies could have been a little bit bigger for the price tag. Feel free to scoop them larger if you agree with Jack!

Ingredients

1 large egg
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, browned
2 tsp vanilla paste
1/2 tsp almond extract
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch salt
1/3 cup toasted almonds, chopped
1/3 cup good quality milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup good quality white chocolate, chopped

Directions

Mix the sugars and the egg well.
Add in the browned butter.
Mix in vanilla paste and almond extract.
Stir flour, baking soda and salt into the mixture.
Fold in the almonds and chocolate pieces.
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
Scoop tablespoon-sized balls using a small ice cream scoop onto the baking sheet. Bake for 8 – 10 minutes.
Let the cookies set on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes before removing them to a wire cooling rack.
Continue to cool for another two minutes on the wire rack.
Serve cookies while still warm.

Makes 10 cookies.

Perfect Gourmet Popcorn (for Date Night or Any Night)

Posted on June 15, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Savory stovetop popcorn, a favorite lager and your main squeeze. All that’s needed now is the movie.

A blend of Italian seasonings and powdered chili peppers add a savory and zesty kick to this classic movie-night dish. Step by step directions for a perfect bowl of popcorn follow. (10 more photos)

You’ll need:

an herb and spice blend
salt
a pan with a lid for popping the popcorn
a pan for melting the butter
a large bowl for slightly cooling the popcorn
a fairly large plastic bag for shaking the popcorn to mix in the butter and seasonings
a serving bowl
a couple of glasses set in the freezer to get frosty cold
a beverage

Start by mixing together a savory blend of herbs and spices.

1 tsp basil

1 tsp marjoram

2 tsp oregano

1 tsp powdered garlic

1 tsp smoked chipotle chili powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

No need for an air popper or countertop gadget. Excellent popcorn can be made right on your stovetop.

Start with 1/3 cup popcorn. Set three kernels aside. These will go into your pan first.

Place 2 tablespoons olive oil (or other oil) into a pan such as the one pictured below. Add the three test kernels and heat over medium heat. (Use three in case one or two are duds.) When one of the test kernels pops, remove it, and add the rest of the popcorn.

A pan with a clear lid is helpful, but not necessary. Gently shake the pan occasionally. While preparing the popcorn, melt about 1/3 cup of butter in a separate pan. When the butter is melted, remove from heat, but keep it warm.

Place the popped popcorn in a bowl. This will allow it to slightly cool which will prevent the hot seeds from causing the plastic bag to melt. If you’ll be making additional batches of popcorn, place the bowl in a warm oven of around 100 degrees Fahrenheit (40 degrees Celsius).

Place the popcorn in a plastic bag. Drizzle on the butter. The butter should be liquid, but not hot. Otherwise it might melt through the bag.

Close the bag and shake vigorously to evenly distribute the butter.

Add the herb & spice mix and salt to taste.

Close the bag and shake again. Pour the seasoned popcorn into a serving bowl.

Get the glasses from the freezer. Fill with a beverage that will compliment this savory popcorn. We recommend a favorite lager.

And dinner and a movie is served!

Long-tailed Rosefinch: Tuul River, Ulaanbaatar

Posted on June 14, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

After a long winter, this striking male long-tailed rosefinch (Carpodacus sibiricus) was fattening up on fresh willow seeds near the Tuul River.

And here’s the female. Although residents of Mongolia, these birds were likely passing through Ulaanbaatar on their way to higher elevations to the north. Rosefinches are mainly seed eaters. There are several species throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

Penduline Tits: Nest-Builders Extraordinaire

Posted on June 9, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

His face stuffed with down from willow catkins, this male white-crowned penduline tit (Remix coronatus) was hard at work finishing one the bird world’s most unique nests. (Eight more photos)

During this past winter, we found a couple of mitten-shaped nests suspended from bare branches near the Tuul River. The birds were long gone, but I looked up the nest: Penduline tits, a new species for us and one we hoped to see when they returned in springtime. So, on a recent evening as I was walking along the river, I was listening for something I hadn’t heard before. With the willows and poplars now leafing out, I figured song was my best bet at locating nesting pendulines.

Sure enough, not long into my walk I heard something I hadn’t heard before – a twittering and song that sounded like it came from a small passerine. I followed the voice till I thought I was as close as I dare get without spooking whatever was singing, quietly set up my camera and tripod, froze, listened, tried to part the dense willow tangles with my eyes, caught movement and hoped the bird would present itself where I could get a decent photo.

Above is my first photo of a penduline tit.

Hidden in plain view…

I knew that finding the bird was no guarantee I’d find his nest, but using clues from the nests we’d stumbled upon over the winter, I located the same sort of tree in the same sort of setting, looked carefully among the boughs about 17 feet up, and there it was, hidden in plain view. Penduline tits do not reuse their nests, but they do seek out the same habitat year after year.

There was cloud cover off and on, it was getting late in the day, and the light was all wrong to shoot the nest from the front, so I moved to the side. I was concerned about spooking him off his nest (the males do most of the building), so I kept a distance and tucked in behind some small willows.

Cottony-soft and virtually impervious to rain and predators, these tough, tightly-woven nests were used as children’s slippers in Europe in the past. The Masai of Africa used those of a related species as purses. This one was swaying and rocking in the fresh spring breezes.

Intervals of several minutes passed between the bird’s visit to his nest. I waited still and quiet, my ears straining for his voice among the songs and sounds of rose finches, azure tits, magpies, sparrows and other birds in the riverine forest. I was able to spend a fair amount of time with this little fellow. Above, he is heading into his nest with more downy material.

In this frame I caught him just as he was disappearing into his nest. I read that there is a flap, which the bird must open, inside the nest.

A slight pause just before completely entering…

A quick look over his shoulder…

…and off again for more material.

He was still hard at work when it was time for me to call it an evening and meet up with Barbra…

Click these links to read more about our birding and hiking adventures near Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Urban Birding in the World’s Coldest Capital City: A Winter Walk along Ulaanbaatar’s Tuul River

Crows Ice Fishing for Caddis Larva: Tuul River, Mongolia

Connected by Waxwings

Cinnamon Toast Biscotti – A Light, Satisfying Small Batch

Posted on June 7, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Warning: the enticing aromas from baking this crunchy, cinnamon biscotti may cause neighbors to knock on your door.

During our summer break, Jack and I don’t have as many little volunteers to help us eat our sweet creations. Being mindful of our waistlines, it is time to switch gears to confections that are either made in smaller batches, are lower in fat, or are just plain healthier. Curious what I’d discover, I searched for “lowfat cookie recipes” on the Internet. The top result, according to Google, was biscotti. Delicious and versatile, I could see how they would make the cut. I decided today’s creation would feature cinnamon, which always tricks my taste buds into thinking the cookie is sweeter than its sugar content would indicate. This small batch will be just right for the coming week.

So with all this, I give you a small batch of cinnamon biscotti that that is easy to whip up in about an hour’s time. This “two bake” recipe is especially galley and camper friendly, as it limits propane use.

Cinnamon Toast Biscotti

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten
½ tsp vanilla extract

Cinnamon topping (just mix ingredients together)

2 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees Celsius).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and sugar in a medium bowl.
Stir melted butter, egg, and vanilla into flour mixture
Form dough into a flat log shape on parchment-lined baking sheet. Log should be about 10 inches long and 1 ½ inches wide.
Generously sprinkle top of log with about half of the cinnamon topping.
Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven. Log will be firm to the touch.
Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.
Cut log into 10 pieces using a serrated knife.
Place pieces on their side, exposing a cut side.
Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon topping.
Bake for 10 – 15 more minutes, until biscotti is nicely toasted.
Cool completely on wire rack before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Individual Pizza Crusts: For Dinner, Breakfast, Camp and Galley

Posted on May 31, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

Tasty individual-sized pizza crusts ready to use for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snacks. The size is perfect for the grill, for a galley, or the small oven we use here in Mongolia.

After trying many different recipes, I now have our go-to basic pizza crust recipe. The recipe can be easily modified by adding different spices or cheese into the crust. I’ve also substituted half of the all-purpose flour with wheat for a heartier crust that goes especially well with olive oil-based toppings. The best thing about the recipe is that it makes six crusts – two for now and four more for two more meals later. These crusts freeze well.

The crusts bake up best on a pizza stone, or, as I’ve recently learned, on an untreated clay tile from your local hardware store. The stone provides for even baking, giving the bottom a satisfying crispiness and leaving the top of the crust nice and chewy.

Our traditional dinner pizzas tend to be fully loaded, like our cheese and burger pizzas or smoked anchovy and salmon pizzas or our Alaska silver salmon pizzas. Pizza crusts can be loaded up for breakfast, too. How about a pepperonata and fried egg pizza? Or brush on some olive oil and grate some parmesan cheese on the crust, bake for 10 minutes and you have yourself a tasty appetizer. The possibilities are endless.

Individual-Sized Pizza Crusts

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 tbsp granulated sugar
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Mix water, olive oil, yeast, and sugar together in a large bowl.
Mix in salt and about half of the flour.
Knead in more flour in increments of about 1/4 cup. (I actually knead the dough in the large bowl.)
When all flour is incorporated, dough should no longer be sticky.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and clean the large bowl.
Oil the bowl well and place the dough in the bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise until doubled, about an hour.
Divide dough into six pieces. Stretch the dough into the shape of a plate. Let pizza-shaped crusts rest for 10 minutes while you preheat oven.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (about 200 degrees C). Preheat with baking stone in oven. If you don’t have a baking stone, preheat baking sheet.
Place two crusts on baking stone, pricking each generously with a fork.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Repeat with remaining crusts.
Let cool completely before you keep in the freezer or refrigerator.
When you are ready to use crusts, let them thaw slightly (if frozen) cover with desired toppings and bake at 400 degrees F (200 C) for about 10 minutes – cheese should be bubbly and slightly browned.

Need some tasty ideas to top these crusts?

Click here for silver salmon pizza.

Click here for smoked anchovy and salmon pizza.

Click here for pepperonata and fried egg pizza.

When You Cross a Monster Cookie with a Fudgy Brownie…

Posted on May 30, 2015 by Jack & Barbra Donachy

A decadent, sweet confection stuffed with peanut butter and chocolate and decorated with the fun colors of M&Ms. This Monster Brownie is a rich, colorful dessert delicious for any age.

Once a month or so, I bake for my students. They earn tickets in the classroom and can spend the tickets on “bake sale” day. It’s a tasty incentive that allows me to bake, which I enjoy, and allows them to have a tasty reward for their hard work and good behavior. My bake sales have created monsters… cookie monsters! After the first couple of baking events, my students started to come up with ideas and challenges for me to bake. One of the first rewards was a fudgy brownie with a chocolate ganache frosting. Of course, this went over quite well. Several bake sales later, I brought in mini monster cookies… which were an instant hit. One day, my cookie monsters were arguing over the best baked treat I had brought them. It was fudgy brownies versus monster cookies. There was only one way to settle this argument… a confection made up of all the flavors of both of these confections. So, monster brownies were born.

As you might guess, the monster brownies came out fantastically. The fudginess of the original brownie recipe was retained. Swirling in a peanut butter mixture, instead of mixing in peanut butter, kept the peanut butter flavor as an upfront flavor. After mixing in the M&Ms, I reserved a few extra M&Ms to speckle the top to make sure there was no mistake that this was a monster brownie! My bake sale “customers” were extremely happy.

Monster Brownies

Ingredients

Brownie Batter

10 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2/3 cup M&Ms

Peanut butter filling

4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted (Use a quality brand made only of roasted peanuts or roasted peanuts and a dash of salt, such as Laura Scudder’s or Adams.)
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
3/4 cup natural peanut butter
pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C).
Line an 8 x 8 inch glass baking dish with foil. Grease foil. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together melted butter and sugar.
Sift in cocoa powder and flour to eliminate lumps.
Mix well.
Mix in vanilla and eggs.
Fold in M&M pieces.
Set aside and make peanut butter filling.
In another medium bowl, mix filling ingredients together until mixture is smooth.
Pour about 1/2 of the brownie batter evenly into prepared baking dish.
Scoop tablespoons of peanut butter filling and drop onto brownie batter.
Pour remaining batter on top of peanut butter filling.
Gently drag a butter knife through all layers going from left to right and from top to bottom in order to slightly mix batter.
Bake for about 50 minutes. A wooden stick inserted into brownies will have a few crumbs and not be wet. Check the brownies away from the edge and away for the middle for best results.
Let cool slightly in pan. Finish cooling on wire rack.
Cut when completely cooled.