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I love highlighting awesome small businesses.. and this is among my favorite new finds. LIGHT MY FIRE bundles are botanical, intention based fire starters from Central Oregon’s High Desert. It is a woman owned business, hand made and hand foraged. They are made of Great Basin Sage, Western Juniper, Wild Yarrow and native grasses. Each bundle is attached to a juniper kindling board and sweetly nestled within, an intention card and rough cut crystal. Simply write an intention, wish, goal or dream on the enclosed card before adding to the fire. The fragrance is rich and a bit spiritual. Make sure you remove the crystal before burning so you can remember the moment, intention.

We burned a bundle for the new year. Ours had a Selenite crystal tied with twine to the bundle. I did a lot of reading on the various crystals and The Selenite crystal spoke to me. It is the ultimate tool for purifying and cleansing and known for clearing energy blockages. It is one of the most sacred crystals throughout history and there are so many ways to use this little bit of light. The name derives from the Greek goddess Selene, the goddess of the moon. Place it in your home, carry it with you. Whenever you feel your energy heavy, hold the selenite to your chest and take a few deep breaths. It should cleanse your energy on the spot. Full disclosure: I do it daily. There is a peacefulness to it.

If your looking for a little ritual fire, come on in and grab one for yourself. We have 3 different crystal varieties available, Selenite, Muscovite and Quartz. They’re really special.

Salmon Cakes:

Salmon in a can isn’t always easy, but I had 2 and frankly a little time on my hands. Picking through them can be daunting, but worth it for these crispy little, warm fish cakes. They are full of flavor and easy with just a few ingredients.

2 large cans of salmon, picked through for bones.

In a separate bowl, combine 1/2 cup mayo, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 2 generous pinches of dried tarragon, 3/4 cup of plain Panko or plain bread crumbs, salt and pepper.

Mix together well, the salmon and wet ingredients then form into patties. Sear in a hot oiled cast iron pan and flip to brown and crisp on both sides. Before serving, drizzle with a good olive oil, lemon squeeze and fresh thyme if you have. Then, make the good cheater’s garlic aioli for dipping!

Garlic Aioli:

Aioli is a sauce made of garlic, salt and oil. The word aioli actually means garlic and oil. Around here, we cheat. We use mayonnaise and go from there. Someday I’ll try it from scratch. Maybe..

Combine a few dollops of mayo, a crushed garlic clove, salt, a good pinch of old bay and lemon squeeze. Mix well.

We are kind of addicted to this little garlic mayo. We make it with many different spice combinations on all kinds of things. It’s the best side dipper and turns up the flavor of everything just a bit. I do a smokey paprika, garlic, lime, cumin, chili powder on flour tortillas for fish tacos or a rosemary, garlic, chive mayo for a grilled steak or herb de provence, garlic, lemon, dijon mayo for grilled chicken thighs, I could go on and on.. anyway you get the idea. Wether you slather it on a baguette for an herby cheese sandwich or dip your fries in it, there’s no wrong turn here, start with a basis of mayo, garlic and salt and wing the rest!

Garlicky Black Bean Salmon

I seasoned generously with smoked paprika, cumin, lime, garlic powder, salt & pepper, then seared seasoned side down in a hot oiled cast iron pan, till a little firm and a good crust forms. Then flip over.

In a separate bowl, 2 cans of black beans, several pinches of dried oregano, cumin, 3 crushed garlic cloves, a few pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Mix well and add to the pan along side of salmon. I added a few grape tomatoes and 4 whole garlic cloves. Set in a 400 degree oven till firm and fully opaque.

To finish, I added a few leaves and sprigs of fresh oregano and dollops of sour cream. It’s a garlicky, creamy, smokey, spicy salmon and beans to pile on fresh tortillas… just add a little guacamole and its a hot drippy mess..

Now for the tortillas…

As a child, I sat aside my mom in the kitchen while she would press tortillas, pack husks with masa paste for tamales, stuff peppers with cheese, dredge them in egg and spice. When I smell onion and cumin sauteing in a pan, or the scent of cornmeal, It is an instant memory and I am magically home. As a child I was in awe of the food, smells, and the passion for cooking that was happening in the kitchen. My mom had a gorgeous old tortilla press from her mothers’ mother in Mexico. I’d fold the wax paper in between the ancient boards, place the tiny knob of dough, close it to press into little flattened discs for the griddle. My mom and I always stole one or two hot perfect pieces of heaven, Slathering with butter, instantly dripping from the heat. Oh those were the days..

These days making tortillas still brings me right back.

Flour Tortillas:

4 Cups of all purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons of salt

1 2/3 cups of hot water

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Mix together the dry ingredients, then add the water and oil. Using your hands, knead into a ball until its soft, all the flour incorporated but not sticky. If so, add a little flour .

I cut the ball in half and then each side into about 6 pieces.

Roll into a small flattened pucks, flour both sides. My mom always covered them with a warm kitchen towel until she was ready to roll them. I rolled each disc between 2 pieces of parchment till thin.

Cook each tortilla on a hot flat cast iron pan till you see the darker golden spots, set aside and repeat. Keep them in a towel, piling each on top of the other. They are easy and delicious.