To Every Meal There Is A Season

The Master Recipe for 5 Minute A Day Artisan Bread

2010-06-14T21:23:00.000-04:00

This recipe was featured in Mother Earth News - where you can find the full story, info and recipe alterations.

Master Recipe (Artisan Free-Form Loaf)
Makes 4 1-pound loaves

3 cups lukewarm water
1 1⁄2 tbsp granulated yeast (1 1⁄2 packets)
1 1⁄2 tbsp coarse kosher or sea salt
6 1⁄2 cups unsifted, unbleached, all-purpose white flour
Cornmeal for pizza peel

Mixing and Storing the Dough
1. Heat the water to just a little warmer than body temperature (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit).

2. Add yeast and salt to the water in a 5-quart bowl or, preferably, in a resealable, lidded container (not airtight — use container with gasket or lift a corner). Don’t worry about getting it all to dissolve.

3. Mix in the flour by gently scooping it up, then leveling the top of the measuring cup with a knife; don’t pat down. Mix with a wooden spoon, a high-capacity food processor with dough attachment, or a heavy-duty stand mixer with dough hook, until uniformly moist. If hand-mixing becomes too difficult, use very wet hands to press it together. Don’t knead! This step is done in a matter of minutes, and yields a wet dough loose enough to conform to the container.

4. Cover loosely. Do not use screw-topped jars, which could explode from trapped gases. Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse (or at least flatten on top), approximately two hours, depending on temperature. Longer rising times, up to about five hours, will not harm the result. You can use a portion of the dough any time after this period. Refrigerated wet dough is less sticky and easier to work with than room-temperature dough. We recommend refrigerating the dough at least three hours before shaping a loaf. And relax! You don’t need to monitor doubling or tripling of volume as in traditional recipes.

Refrigerate unused dough in your lidded (not airtight) container and use it over the next two weeks: You’ll find that even one day’s storage improves the flavor and texture of your bread. This maturation continues over the two-week period. Cut off and shape loaves as you need them. The dough can also be frozen in 1-pound portions in an airtight container and defrosted overnight in the refrigerator prior to baking day.

Baking Day
1, Prepare a pizza peel by sprinkling it liberally with cornmeal to prevent the loaf from sticking to it when you slide it into the oven.

Sprinkle the surface of the dough with flour, then cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-sized) piece with a serrated knife. Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won’t stick to your hands. Gently stretch the surface of the dough around to the bottom on four “sides,” rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go, until the bottom is a collection of four bunched ends. Most of the dusting flour will fall off; it doesn’t need to be incorporated. The bottom of the loaf will flatten out during resting and baking.

2. Place the ball on the pizza peel. Let it rest uncovered for about 40 minutes. Depending on the dough’s age, you may see little rise during this period; more rising will occur during baking.

3. Twenty minutes before baking, preheat oven to 450 degrees with a baking stone on the middle rack. Place an empty broiler tray for holding water on another shelf.

4. Dust the top of the loaf liberally with flour, which will allow the slashing, serrated knife to pass without sticking. Slash a 1⁄4-inch-deep cross, scallop or tick-tack-toe pattern into the top. (This helps the bread expand during baking.)

5. With a forward jerking motion of the wrist, slide the loaf off the pizza peel and onto the baking stone. Quickly but carefully pour about a cup of hot water into the broiler tray and close the oven door to trap the steam. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is browned and firm to the touch. With wet dough, there’s little risk of drying out the interior, despite the dark crust. When you remove the loaf from the oven, it will audibly crackle, or “sing,” when initially exposed to room temperature air. Allow to cool completely, preferably on a wire rack, for best flavor, texture and slicing. The perfect crust may initially soften, but will firm up again when cooled.

Classic Ratatouille

2010-06-14T21:11:00.000-04:00

Adapted from by Julia Child’s Ratatouille

1 lb eggplant
1 lb zucchini
1 tsp salt
Slice zucchini into half-moons about ½ inch thick. Peel and slice eggplant to similar size. Place in mixing bowl and toss with salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Pat dry with paper towel and set on plate.

3-4 T olive oil, as needed
1 yellow or Vidalia onion, thinkly sliced
2 bell peppers (red, orange, yellow), seeded and thinly sliced
2 cloves mashed garlic
1 bay leaf
1 T fresh rosemary (2 tsp dry)
1tsp fresh marjoram (1/2 tsp dry)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Heat oil in a large skillet. In one layer at a time, briefly sauté the eggplant and zucchini (about a minute on each side – slightly browning). Remove to side dish. In the same skillet, cook onions and peppers slowly in the olive oil for about 10 min.s, or until tender, but not brown.

1 lb firm, ripe tomatoes: peeled & seeded
Salt and Pepper
(To peel tomatoes: dip tomatoes into boiling water – 10 seconds, max.; then peel. Seed by cutting horizontally and either gently squeezing or scooping out the seeds into a bowl.) Slice peeled & sliced tomatoes into pieces the same size as the zucchini and eggplant. Lay these over the onions and peppers. Salt with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cool over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes begin to render their juice. Uncover, baste the tomatoes with the juices, raise the heat and boil for several minutes, until juice has almost evaporated.

Scoop half the tomato/onion mixture out or to side of skillet. Spread the remaining half over the bottom of the skillet. Lay half the eggplant and zucchini on the tomatoes and onions. Return the other half of the tomato/onion mixture to the skillet. Put the rest of the eggplant and zucchini on top.

Cover the skillet and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, tip skillet and baste with rendered juices. Correct seasonings, if necessary. Raise heat slightly and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes more, basting several times, until juices have evaporated leaving a spoonful or two of flavorful olive oil. Don’t let vegetables scorch in bottom of skillet!

*Can be made entirely the day before and becomes more flavorful when reheated. Serves 6 (as main) – 12 (as side)

Tofu with Broccoli and Peanut Sauce

2010-03-02T08:39:00.000-05:00

This is an original recipe by yours truly, but that is just a way of saying "made up". It is quite good (as attested to by my whole family) and easy to make.

Tofu with Broccoli and Peanut Sauce
by Kerry serves 6 hungry people with some leftovers

2 pkgs (blocks) of extra-firm tofu
4-6 heads of broccoli
1/2-3/4 of a bottle of Peanut sauce
(I use an 11.5 oz jar of Bangkok Padang Peanut Sauce - in the chinese/asian food section)
Enough cooked rice for 6 people (I make mine a little ahead and keep it in the warm oven)
Oil for sauteing

You'll also need a large saute pan, a casserole dish (9x13 or so) and a warm oven

Drain each block of tofu by slicing it in half lengthwise and placing the two halves on paper towels. Place another paper towel on top and gently press down. Let the tofu sit on the paper towels while you prepare the broccoli.

Trim the broccoli into medium-sized florets (bite size). Include some of the stem, too (trim off the tough outer growth).

Heat some oil (enough to coat the pan well, about 1-2 T) in your saute pan. Add the broccoli and cook for a few minutes until it starts to turn bright green. Drizzle a good amount (1/4 c or so) of peanut sauce on top. Stir to coat and continue cooking until just tender, but still with a good firmness. Transfer the cooked broccoli to the casserole dish, drizzle a bit more peanut sauce on top, cover with foil and place in warm oven.

Back to the tofu. Change the paper towels and press out the last of the water from your tofu. Dice tofu into bite-sized pieces (about 1/2 inch square).

Heat more oil in pan (enough to coat the pan well, like before). Add tofu and cook for 2 minutes, turning gently. Drizzle a good amount of peanut sauce on top and continue cooking until tofu is well-warmed. Keep an eye on it as the peanut sauce can start to burn at this point.

Place cooked tofu over broccoli, drizzle more peanut sauce over top and serve over the cooked rice. You can also recover it at this point and keep it in a warm oven until ready to serve. I don't think I'd leave it for more than an hour - the broccoli might get too limp.

This only takes a few minutes to cook - 30 minutes from start to finish (not including the rice cooking time, which might take longer depending on what type of rice you make).

Julia's Potage Parmentier

2010-03-01T19:43:00.003-05:00

Wow - who knew fasting could turn up such GREAT meals?! This is one of those - it is so easy to make and is really delicious. The entire family loved it: hubby, teen son, two youngers and even the toddler! If you are keeping a strict fast, this is quite good without the milk and butter...but with those it has a deeper, richer flavor.

Potage Parmentier
from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking
Serves 6 as main course, 8 as a soup course

3-4 c (or 1 lb) peeled, sliced or diced potatoes
3 c (or 1 lb) thinly sliced leeks (including the tender green)
2 qt of water
1 T salt
4-6 T cream (or milk) or 3 T softened butter
2-3 T minced parsley or chives (a little less dried)

In a heavy-bottomed soup pot, combine the potatoes, leeks, water and salt. Simmer, partially covered, for 40-50 minutes until vegetables are tender. Mash vegetables with fork, run through food mill, or use a hand blender. Taste and correct seasoning as needed. (If using dried herbs, add now so they can soften up).

You can now cover and set it aside until just before serving - just reheat to gentle simmer if necessary.

Once reheated (or if still hot, when ready to serve), stir in milk, cream or butter. Stir in herbs and serve with a lovely crusty bread.

Fast-Friendly Peanut Butter Balls

2010-02-19T18:23:00.002-05:00

I was trying to find an easy recipe for peanut butter balls, but most of them had dry milk as an ingredient. I really needed a recipe without that milk. But didn't have much luck, so I came up with this one. I'm sitting here staring at a plate of them right now.... Can't wait until dessert time!

These also make great afternoon snacks for really hungry kids.

Fast-Friendly Peanut Butter Balls
makes about 20 1-in balls

1 cup peanut butter
1/3 c oatmeal
1/4 c wheat germ (if you don't have it, just use more of the other dry ingredients)
1/4 (or so) of powdered sugar
1 T honey (optional)

Put all ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine to form a dough. This is a tough dough to mix, but just keep at it and it will get all incorporated. If your is still too wet (dough is not coming together into a dough ball - pulling away from the sides of the bowl), add more of the sugar, oatmeal, and/or wheat germ (to your preference or taste - all three are helpful for "drying out" the peanut butter. I added the honey because I like the flavor it adds to the peanut butter. You may need more or less sugar depending on the sweetness of your peanut butter. I used natural peanut butter and needed closer to 1/3 cup.

Once you get a nice dough ball, use a spoon to scoop and form approximately 1 inch balls, rolling them in your palms to get a nice even shape.

Roll the balls in powdered sugar or anything you like. Maybe mini-chocolate chips? Yum! I used some Heath Bar bits I had in the pantry - delicious!

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Pumpkin Bread

2010-02-16T11:45:00.000-05:00

A nice breakfast or snack (or dessert).

2 c sugar
1/2 c oil
1 lg can pumpkin
1 can (2 c) applesauce
5 c flour
4 tsp soda
1/2 tsp cloves
1 T cinnamon
1 T salt
1 c dates or raisins
1 c nuts
Blend sugar and oil together. Add pumpkin and applesauce, then dry ingredients. Mix in nuts and raisins. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Makes 3 loaves.

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Peanut Butter & Banana Smoothie

2010-02-16T11:35:00.000-05:00

For a delicious, nutritious start to the day. This recipe comes from AllRecipes.com. You can scale it to fit your family at their website. I'll make enough for all 6 of us...

6 bananas
3/4 c peanut butter
3 c milk or soy milk

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Add honey for sweetness if needed (depends on the sweetness of your peanut butter).

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Chick Pea Soup

2010-02-16T10:04:00.000-05:00

This recipe is from Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, one of my favorite cook books.

4 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 c extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tsp dried rosemary, ground fine almost to a fine powder OR a small sprig of fresh rosemary
2/3 c Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juices
2 1/4 cups canned chick peas, drained
1 c broth (veggie, meat, or chicken)
salt
freshly ground black pepper

:: Saute garlic in pan large enough to accommodate all the ingredients in the olive oil and over a medium heat. Cook until a light nut brown, then remove from pan.
:: Add the crushed rosemary or fresh spring, stir, then put in cut up tomatoes and their juice. Cook for 20-25 minutes (or until oil floats free from the tomatoes).
:: Add the drained chick peas and cook for 5 minutes, stirring them thoroughly with the juices in the pan.
:: Add the broth, cover, and adjust heat to that the soup bubbles at a stead but moderate boil for 15 minutes.
:: Taste and correct for salt. Add a few grindings of pepper. Let the soup bubble uncovered for another minute, then serve promptly.

To this I may add some cooked rice or just serve it with a good loaf of bread.

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Fresh Fig Ice Cream

2009-08-06T12:58:00.003-04:00

We have a very large fig bush, actually, a tree, I guess! It is in its 4th year and looks to be our best harvest, yet. So, here's the first recipe I'm trying with this year's harvest. I found this recipe at Burp! Where Food Happens, but changed it just a little bit (added vanilla).

Fresh Fig Ice Cream

2 lbs fresh figs (must be fresh, do not substitute dried; however, the fresh ones can be ones that have gone a little bit over)

1/2 c water

zest of one lemon

3/4 c sugar

1 c heavy cream

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/tsp vanilla

Cut figs into quarters or eighths. Cook figs in water and zest for 8-10 minutes or until figs are tender. Add sugar and cook until jam-like (took about 20 minutes or so, stirring frequently). Let cool. Blend in cream, lemon juice and vanilla (use a handmixer if you have one, if not a quick whirl in the blender). Chill well (overnight, if possible - otherwise for a few hours). Pour into you ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's directions.

Oh, my goodness it is absolutely heavenly!

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Tuscan Garbanzo Bean Soup

2009-05-26T17:22:00.002-04:00

As you might have noticed from my post frequency, May is a ridiculously busy time in my family! End of school, summer plans being formed, son's birthday party, and state homeschool convention.

Well, here's what we are having for dinner tonight. It is simmering away on the stove right now!

Tuscan Garbanzo Bean Soup

1 c medium pasta (shells, elbows, etc)
2 T olive oil
1 small white onion, chopped
a couple dashes of garlic powder
3 T fresh rosemary or 2 tsp dry
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (opt)
1/2 c chopped canned, stewed or sun-dried (packaged in oil or softened with water) tomatoes
1 medium carrot, chopped
2 cans 16 oz Garbanzo beans, drained and divided

Cook pasta according to package directions.

At the same time, in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and saute until just soft, add carrots and saute a few minutes more. Add garlic powder, rosemary, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Add 2 cups of water, tomatoes, carrot, and garbanzo beans, reserving 1 cup whole beans. Bring to a boil, stiffing occasionally, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 7-10 minutes.

Puree vegetables (in blender or with a hand blender) and return to saucepan. Add pasta and remaining whole beans and heat through adding water if soup is too thick.

Top with cheese at the table!
2 T grated parmesan

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Recipe Swapbox May

2009-05-07T08:06:00.003-04:00

Today is Randi's Recipe Swapbox for May. Don't miss it!

I submitted the recipes for Green Tomato Casserole and Good Season-ish Dressing Mix.

Good Seasonish Italian Dressing Mix

2009-05-05T13:00:00.000-04:00

Do you love Good Season's Italian Dressing Mix as much as I do? Do you hate the preservatives and other chemicals they include as much as I do? Would you love a dry mix you can make yourself and keep on hand? Look no futher!

Good Seasonish Italian Dressing Mix

First you make the dry mix:
1 T garlic powder
1 T onion powder
1 T sugar
2 T dried oregano
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dried basil
1 T dried parsley
1/4 tsp celery salt
2 T salt

Store this in an airtight container. When you are ready to make dressing, put the following in a jar with a tight lid - or one of those handy Good Seasons dressing bottles:

2 T dry dressing mix (above)
1/4 c vinegar (my favorite is red wine vinegar)
2 T water

Shake this really well then add:
2/3 c really good olive oil

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Farmer's Market Report: May 4th

2009-05-03T22:03:00.008-04:00

Welcome to the Farmer's Market Report!

Lovely red french lettuce, turnips, carrots, baby bok choy, radishes, and eggs - these were all the wonderful things I brought home this week. Missed the strawberries, but there are local stands all over the backroads of my NC county, so I'll pick those up later this week. I'm planing a batch of strawberry ice cream!

Be sure to come back and visit later this week as I add recipes for Salad Dressing Mix, Roasted Carrots and Brussels Sprouts, Baby Bok Choy with Oyster Sauce, and Turnips Au Gratin.

The market has really picked up steam in the last week...the produce is coming in thick and so are the shoppers!

After my farmer's market run, I had to swing by the conventional grocery to get milk. Such a stark difference! The first thing I noticed was the smell - mostly refrigerant, but with some wafts of vegetables from the produce section and warm bread from the bakery. But nothing like the earthy, warm, rich fragrances from the onions, herbs, etc at the farmer's market. Then there were the shoppers. The shoppers at the farmer's market was comprised of some singles, but also lots of couples and families. At the conventional grocery, on the other hand, there were only lone shoppers - no couples, no families. Now, I know that couples and families do shop together at conventional groceries, but it the difference that morning highlighted how different the two are. The farmer's market is very community-oriented and can be a delightful family outing, unlike the conventional grocery.

So, how was your farmer's market this week? Can't wait to read about your visit to the farmer's market! Please be sure to read and follow the guidelines before submitting your post. Thanks!

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Kale and White Bean Soup with Chicken

2009-04-27T16:45:00.003-04:00

This recipe was my first real adventure with kale. I always thought I didn't like kale, but I was wrong! I was inspired by a traditional Portuguese soup with kale and beans (and sausage) which sounds wonderful, but this one uses up my leftover chicken!

This dish is great for many seasons: late fall, winter or early spring whenever kale is available in your area.

Kale and White Bean Soup with Chicken
1 T olive oil
1 large spring onion (or a small yellow onion), halved and sliced
1 to 1 1/2 quarts of chicken stock
2 cans cannellini beans, with the liquid
1 large bunch of kale, well rinsed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 cups (more or less) chopped or shredded, cooked chicken
a rind of parmesan or some parmesan to top at the table

Heat olive oil in a large soup pot or dutch oven. Add onion and saute until transluscent. Add stock and bring to boiling. Add kale by handfuls (allow to wilt a bit and then add the next handful), stirring well. Let kale boil for a few minutes to soften well, then reduce heat and add beans and liquid from can. Cover and simmer until kale is tender. Add cooked chicken and keep soup simmering to warm chicken through. You can toss in a rind of parmesan into the pot for extra flavor or top with freshly grated parmesan at the table.

Serve with a nice crusty bread!

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Farmer's Market Report: April 27th

2009-04-27T07:00:00.009-04:00

Welcome to the Farmer's Market Report!

Radishes, Kale, Turnips, Spring Onions...and some greenhouse Tomatoes - we brought home a nice bag full. Did you find similar things at your market? I've got some ideas for using these, do you?

On our way to the market, we have been stopping by our local coffee shop. It is a great way to break large bills into smaller ones, and who doesn't need caffeine at 7:30 on Saturday morning? Then we walked the block or two down to the market.

We had a heads up that the "Tomato Guy" had his first crop of greenhouse-grown tomatoes. I debated purchasing these because it is most definitely NOT tomato season...but they are local and they are GOOD. So, I caved and we brought home two lovely red ones and a nice fat green one. He was down to his last box (there was a line to get tomatoes!) by the time we left at 8:00.

The market was much busier today than last week and the farmers seemed to have a bit more produce.

Some recipes I plan to try this week (and blog about): Green Tomato Casserole, Scandinavian Radish Salad, Kale & White Bean Soup, Roasted Potatoes and Turnips, and a Spring Onion Quiche. Be sure to check back for those recipes!

Here's a question: Do you have a favorite farmer from whom you purchase most of your produce, or do you purchase a little from a number of different farmers? I feel a little obligated to make purchases from a number of different farmers, but I do have my favorites. I usually buy the most from them. How about you? What makes a farmer a favorite for you?

Can't wait to read about your visit to the farmer's market! Please be sure to read and follow the guidelines before submitting your post. Thanks!

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Roasted Potatoes and Turnips

2009-04-26T17:55:00.006-04:00

Roasting turnips brings out a little bit of their sweetness and combine them with the savoriness of potatoes and they are just delicious! This makes a wonderful side to Roasted Chicken (try my favorite recipe for Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary) since you've already got the oven on and everything can cook at the same time.

This is my recipe.

Roasted Potatoes and Turnips
4-5 medium potatoes
5-6 small white turnips
1 small onion (in spring use green onions, in fall use a nice yellow onion)
1/4 c olive oil (or whatever seems to be enough to coat your vegetables)
a few dashes of salt, pepper and dry or fresh dill

Wash (peel the onion), trim and roughly chop the potatoes, turnips, and onion. Place in a large bowl. Pour the olive oil over the vegetables and season with salt, pepper and dill. Toss to coat well. Lay the vegetables on a rimmed cookie sheet - one layer as best you can. Use two cookie sheets if you must to keep it to one layer.

Place in an oven preheated to 375 degrees and roast for approximately 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and golden. Keep an eye on this as it cooks - stir if you see your vegetables getting too browned on the edges.

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Farmer's Market Report - Coming Monday!

2009-04-26T15:00:00.001-04:00

Don't miss the Farmer's Market Report this Monday, April 27th. The "Mr Linky" will be up early that morning, so get your posts ready to submit.

I can't wait to read about YOUR trip to the farmer's market this week!

Scandinavian Radish Salad

2009-04-25T14:18:00.003-04:00

Oh, my this is refreshing: slightly peppery and slightly sweet! Slice those radishes as thinly as you can for a really delectable salad. I made this with an assortment of white, hot pink and deep fuscia radishes and it was beautiful as well as delicious.

Scandinavian Radish Salad

2 tsp white wine or rice wine vinegar
2 tsp olive oil
1 tsp dry or 1 1/2 tsp fresh dill
a dash of garlic powder
a pinch of sugar
a pinch of salt
a grinding of fresh black pepper
15-20 medium radishes, trimmed and thinly sliced (or shaved)

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, oil, dill, garlic powder, sugar, salt, and pepper. In a large bowl, toss radishes with vinegar, oil, spice mixture. Cover and refrigerate about an hour (more is fine, of course) before serving.

For a different, and still Scandinavian, flavor you could replace the dill with caraway seed (1 tsp).

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Green Tomato Casserole

2009-04-25T12:20:00.005-04:00

You've heard of Fried Green Tomatoes, but there are other ways to enjoy those early (and late)green tomatoes. They have a nice tang that goes really well with cheese, so why not combine them into a casserole?

Green Tomato Casserole
4 medium green tomatoes, sliced thinly
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups soft breadcrumbs
1 cup of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon butter, softened

Butter your casserole dish, or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange one layer of tomatoes in the bottom of 1 ½ quart casserole. Sprinkle with sugar, salt and pepper 1/3 of bread crumbs and 1/3 cheese. Repeat layers twice omitting the cheese from the top. Dot butter over the bread crumbs on top. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for one hour (if you reduce the recipe, be sure to check for doneness earlier, say at 30 minutes). Add remaining cheese, bake uncovered until cheese melts.

This was delicious and surprisingly filling. You could even "jazz" it up by adding a layer of onions, if you wish. Although the tartness and slight sweetness of the tomatoes with the cheddar was so delicious, I'm not sure I'd mess with it!

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Farmer's Market Report: April 20th - OPENING DAY 2009

2009-04-20T08:00:00.010-04:00

Welcome to the Farmer's Market Report 2009 Season!

How was your Farmer's Market this week?
Get a great deal?
Find a wonderful new vegetable?
What delicious dish will you be making with your find?
Got a funny story to tell?
What did you bring home?

Well, our market morning didn't start quite as early as we'd liked, but we still managed to get to the market by 7:45. We made our initial tour and saw, as expected, mostly greens and early onions. We opted to wait on the onions for the week and instead purchased spinach, kale, a really nice spring salad mix, eggs from my favorite "egg lady" and a Lenten Rose plant.

My attention was attracted by one farmer selling carrots; however, he was out - they go quickly. We talked for a minute and he assured me he expected to have more next week. He gave me his card and suggested I email him and he'd be happy to set some aside for me. Isn't that nice? See how talking with your farmers is a good thing?

During the day there is almost always a cooking demonstration. Today, the chef featured in the cooking demo also gave a market tour detailing how he suggested using the various greens and other vegetables.

Last night, we ate the salad mix with a nice bunch of thinly sliced fennel - and some thrown in leftover shrimp. Delicious!

We didn't buy enough of the greens to go for more than one recipe - we'll correct that mistake next week. But I do have enough to make a lovely Sausage and Greens Soup (made with lamb stock from my Easter Lamb Roast).

So, what did you find at your farmer's market? Blog about your experience at the farmer's market this week, then use the Mr. Linky to add your post's URL.

A few guidelines, if you please:

1) Mention the Farmer's Market Report in your post.
2) Link back to this edition of the Farmer's Market Report from your post.
3) Link directly to your Farmer's Market post, not your main page.
4) If you wish, you can give a couple words in the "name" field to help describe your post or give your general location. (ex. Kerry - Charlotte, NC or Kerry - heirloom tomatoes)
5) Feel free to use the graphic above, but please only use in it conjunction with this event or this blog.
6) I reserve the right to delete any links that are inappropriate or entirely off the subject.

Have fun!

Sausage and Greens Soup

2009-04-20T06:00:00.000-04:00

1/2 lb bulk sausage
Brown sausage in soup pot and drain all but a spoonful of fat. Remove meat.

1 C onion, green onion, or chives, chopped
Saute in reserved fat until soft. Return sausage to soup pot.

4 C chicken or vegetable broth
1 C potatoes, diced
salt and pepper to taste
Add to pot, bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer unitl potatoes are soft, 10-15 minutes.

1 1/2 C evaporated milk
1-3 C fresh greens (spinach, kale, purslane, watercress, or any tender young greens)
Add and cook until tender (just a minute for spinach, a few extra minutes for greens like kale). Garnish each bowl with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

From Simply In Season , a favorite cookbook of mine.

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Farmer's Market Report RETURNS!

2009-04-15T10:39:00.003-04:00

Hi, friends! Are your farmer's markets starting back up yet? Ours started last weekend and I can't wait to go this Saturday! Early spring greens are in ...and soon we'll have strawberries. I can taste the salads already.

Well, you know what this means, right? It is time to bring back the Farmer's Market Report! Each week, I'll offer you a chance to enter a report post from your most recent farmer's market visit. (Here are some from last year.)

So, head out to your farmer's market this week or weekend, blog about what you saw, smelled, found, tasted, and cooked and then come back here on Monday morning (starting this Monday, April 20th) and submit your post to the Mr. Linky. I can't wait to see what is happening at farmer's markets across the country!

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WFMW- Repost: 8 Steps to a Successful Farmer's Market Trip

2009-04-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

Recently, many families have become aware of the importance of eating organically, sustainably, and locally. This means many people are looking to the farmers market for their grocery needs.

But I've seen a few families wandering around aimlessly or arriving late only to find most of the produce gone. To avoid this, I've got 7 simple steps that WORK FOR ME and will help you have a successful trip at the farmer's market.

I bet some of you will be able to add to these, too...leave a comment if you've got other suggestions!

1. Get up EARLY! If this means you have to go to bed early, do it. Know what you are wearing, what you are bringing to the farmer's market, and, do not underestimate the importance of this one, how you will get caffeine. Plan to arrive when the market opens - or even a few minutes before (which might give you time to take care of #4 before the market even opens).

2. Have cash. I go to the ATM the day before and generally take $40 with me, sometimes more if I know I have a lot to purchase (like when I was buying a heap of peaches a few weeks ago). Try to break large bills into smaller ones (5s and 1s are best). But if you don't have time to break your bills, consider making a large purchase from one of the farmers first and breaking your bill that way. (I break my bills by getting a cup of coffee on my way and they are usually happy to make change.)

3. Bring a big bag, basket or small hand cart. Many farmers will have plastic bags on hand, but it can get very cumbersome to pick out produce and dig your cash out of your pocket while holding all those heavy bags. A big bag can be hung on your shoulder freeing up your hands. A basket can be set on the ground and obviously a small hand cart is a breeze to roll around.

4. Take a tour. When you first arrive at the farmer's market, take a quick tour around to see what is available from the farmers. This also gives you a chance to quickly compare prices a bit. Once you've made a full circuit, then start shopping.

There are some caveats here - 1) if you are worried about the availability of an item (for me it is eggs), go to those farmers first. 2) if you have a very large farmers market (more than, say, 30 farmers) you might prefer to skip the tour and instead head for the back of the market and work your way to the front. However, even for a large market it can be wise to make a simple tour of the main "aisle" just to see what is available.

5. Talk with the farmers! Get to know your farmers and let them get to know you. Ask them questions about the produce they are selling, what their future harvest might hold, where they farm, etc. Enjoy your time with them. And if there is something you particularly liked from a previous purchase, let them know! (Conversely, if there was something you didn't like, let them know that, too.) And let them know you support their efforts to continue supplying local food.

6. Remember, this is NOT a grocery store. Vegetables will not be sprayed with wax to be shiny. Some vegetables may have little "friends" with them (bugs). Vegetables may be less "regular" than what you are used to finding in a store. This is NORMAL! Super shiny, no bugs, pefectly uniform is NOT NORMAL. The farmer's market is real stuff and real stuff is, well, real.

7. Make a plan for your purchases. When you get home be ready to go to work.

Figure out how you'll use what you've purchased. Do you need shrimp to go in that Shrimp Gumbo you are planning to make with your fresh okra? How about a new Fig Tart recipe for those figs?
Wash and trim any vegetables that need it. Give that spinach the long cold soak it may need to get rid of all the sand in its leaves. Chop up those carrots into "matchsticks" and store in an container for the kids's snacks.
Provide the proper storage to keep everything fresh. Does that cantaloupe need a day or two more to ripen on the counter? How about a good container to keep the lettuce from wilting in the refrigerator?

8. Yours to share! Do you have an additional tip for a successful farmer's market? Let's hear it! Leave a comment with your tip.

So, are you planning a trip to your farmer's market this week? Let me hear about it! Come back Monday, April 20th and participate in the first "Farmer's Market Report" of the 2009 season.

This post was submitted to Works For Me Wednesday at We Are That Family.

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Lamb with Shallots & Mushrooms - Leftover Lamb Recipe

2009-04-13T09:48:00.004-04:00

My Lamb Roasted with Rosemary (in the dutch oven) was wonderful last night! Now, for ways to use up the leftover lamb!

Here is the dish I'm making today...

Lamb with Shallots & Mushrooms (this recipe only fixes enough for 3, so I've increased it and changed just a bit).

cold lamb chopped into bite-sized pieces
12 oz. sliced mushrooms
4-5 chopped shallots
4 tbsp. butter
3 3/4 tbsp. flour
3 c. stock
3 tbsp. tomato paste
3 tsp. Herbes de Provence
1 c. white wine
Salt
Pepper

Saute shallots in butter until just transluscent. Add mushrooms and cook until just soft. Sprinkle with flour and cook a few more minutes. Add stock, wine, salt, pepper and tomato paste. Cook over low heat 10 minutes or until the sause thickens up a bit. Lower heat and add meat to sauce and let warm. Serve over rice or noodles. Serves 8-10.

I'm serving this with a side-salad, bread, and leftover strawberry-rhubarb crumble a la mode.

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Easter Sunday Menus

2009-04-08T16:10:00.002-04:00

Easter Sunday is fast approaching and I'm late making my plans. Perhaps you are, too? Are you looking for some last minute ideas for your Easter Sunday meals? Here's what I have planned (with linked recipes!).

Breakfast
Breakfast Casserole with Sausage (the "old stand-by", but it is good and I have the sausage already cooked and ready to go in my freezer)

Armenian Easter Bread - "Choereg" (if I can get to the middle eastern grocery for the mahleb spice needed)

Fresh Fruit and yogurt

Lunch/Snack
Deviled eggs and veggie platter (we'll get home late after church where we will have had snacks)

Dinner
Leg of Lamb with Rosemary (cooked in the Dutch Oven - I like the ease of letting the pot and the oven do the work!)

Ginger Ale Salad (a fruit salad in jello - southerners can't have a special meal without some congealed salad!)

Gratin Dauphinois

Asparagus with Bernaise (I know the usual is Hollandaise, but I just love the flavor of Bernaise with asparagus) (here is a "quick" version)

Strawberry-Rhubarb Crumble a la Mode

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Gratin Dauphinois

2009-04-08T16:00:00.006-04:00

Gratin Dauphinois - Oh, so yummy and delicious! This goes great as a side dish to so many main dishes (beef, chicken, turkey, pork, lamb) and even could be part of a "vegetable" platter-type dinner. This recipe is the Julia Child version from my favorite: Mastering The Art of French Cooking, Volume One. If you want, you can even make it ahead a little and reheat/finish cooking just before serving (see directions for this at the end with "**")

2 lbs boiling potatoes
1/2 clove unpeeled garlic
4 T butter
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
4 oz (1 cup) grated Swiss cheese
1 c boiling milk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. peel the potatoes and slice them 1/8 inch thick. Place in a large bowl (or sink) of cold water. Drain when ready to use.

Rub the baking dish with the cut garlic. Smear the inside of the dish with 1 T of the butter. Drain the potatoes and dry them on a towel. Spread half of them in the bottom of the dish. Divide over them half the salt, pepper, cheese and butter. Arrange the remaining potatoes of ther first layer, and season them. Spread on the rest of the cheese and dicide the butter over it. Pour on the boiling milk. Set baking dish over heat and when simmering, set in upper third of preheated oven. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, milk has been absorbed, and the top is nicely browned. (As the oven is hot, and the dish shallow, the potatoes cook quickly.)

**You may hold the dish for half an hour, loosely covered, over simmering water. For a longer wait, stop intial cooking just before all milk has evaporated. Set aside uncovered. Shortly before serving, dot with 2 T of butter, reheat on the top of stove, and set in a 425-degree oven for 5-10 minutes to finish cooking.

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Recipe Swapbox for April: Pasta!

2009-04-02T06:00:00.003-04:00

Hey, I'm back!

And today is the Recipe Swapbox hosted by a bloggy-friend at i have to say. The theme for April is PASTA. YUM! Go check out the yummy recipes (and Howdy to all those stopping by from her blog!) and then come on back here and give this one a try.

So, being a seasonal food blog, I decided I needed to find a pasta dish that is appropriate for early spring. I figure early spring peas will be on hand soon, and if you don't have them yet, you can always use frozen.

Peas and Prosciutto Sauce with Cream
adapted from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - my FAVORITE Italian cookbook

3 T butter
A 1/2-inch thick slice of prosciutto or country ham, diced very fine
1 cup tiny frozen peas, thawed (how good would fresh be! might need to be blanched before using in this recipe)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese (plus a little at the table for topping)
1 to 1 1/2 lbs of penne pasta (or other tubular pasta)

Put the butter and diced prosciutto into a saute pan and turn on the heat to medium. Cook for a minute or less, stirring frequently. Add the peas, and cook for another minute or so, stirring to coat them well.

Add the cream, salt, and several grindings of pepper, and turn up the heat to high. Cook, stirring constantly, until the cream thickens. Toss the sauce with cooked, drained pasta, swirling in the grated parmesan. Serve immediately, with additional grated cheese.

Wouldn't this be fantastic with a salad of early spring greens?

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This blog has not been abandoned!

2009-03-01T03:48:00.002-05:00

I promise this blog has not been abandoned! We are currently out of the country for longer than we expected. I expect be back to blogging shortly after we return. Please keep checking back!

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Menu Plan Monday: Jan 5th-10th

2009-01-04T20:15:00.001-05:00

Well, tonight we had leftovers and/or nachos - mostly the kids picked nachos and hubbie and I enjoyed some leftovers. Here is my plan for the rest of the week:

Monday: Broiled Chicken a la Diable* (a mustard and breadcrumbs sauce), Gratin Dauphinois* (scalloped potatoes), and broccoli

Tuesday: leftovers from Monday

Wednesday: Crockpot Cabbage Casserole, sausage, and corn bread

Thursday: Fish Poached in Wine*, saffron risotto, and green beans.

Friday: homemade pizza

* These recipes from from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child:

More menu plans at OrgJunkie.com!

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Crockpot Cabbage Casserole

2009-01-04T20:05:00.004-05:00

Serve this with sausage and corn bread and you've got a nice meal! Serves 6.

1 large head of cabbage, chopped
2 c water
1 T salt

1/3 c butter
1/4 c flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 1/3 c milk
1 1/3 c shredded cheddar cheese

Cook cabbage in saucepan in boiling water and salt for 5 mintues. Drain. Place in slow cooker.

In saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Add milk, stirring constantly on low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese. Pour over cabbage.

Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours. Can be made ith cauliflower instead of cabbage.

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Black-eyed Peas and Sausage

2009-01-02T15:17:00.002-05:00

This is a dish I made up last night and it was just wonderful! Easy to put-together, a one-disher (well, except for the rice), warm and filling...and cheap.

1 lb bag of dried black-eyed peas (or 4 cans of cooked, but dried are easy and cheap)
1 small onion, chopped
2 stalks of celery, sliced
butter or oil to cook the onions and celery (about 1 - 2 Tablespoons)
1 lb or so of italian sausage (I get "sweet" italian turkey sausage)
1 can of tomato paste
salt, pepper, cayenne to taste
4 cups of cooked rice

Soak the dried peas overnight in 7-8 cups of water in a seperate bowl.

In a large stock pot or dutch oven, melt your butter/warm your oil and saute the onions for a minute. Salt the onions to "sweat" them out a bit and then toss in the celery. Cook it all until just soft. Pour in your beans and the soaking water in to the pot.

Bring the pot to a gentle boil. Add the tomato paste, stirring well to make a nice sauce. Throw in your sausage and cook everything for 20 minutes or 30 minutes. You can put the sausage in whole or cut it up. If you you cut it up first, you should throw it in towards the end so it doesn't overcook.

Season to taste and reduce heat to a very, very gentle simmer to keep it warm with the flavors meld a bit more. If cooking in a dutch oven, put the pot in a warmed oven rather than keeping it on the stove top if you wish. I warmed my oven to 250 and then turned it off when I put the dutch oven in.

Serve it over warm rice and you are set to go! This will serve a crowd or a family of 5 for dinner and lunch the next day...and then some. Since this is a new dish to me (and I made it up), if you have any suggestions please leave me a comment.

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St. Lucia Bread

2008-12-12T14:39:00.004-05:00

We enjoy celebrating the Swedish custom of St. Lucia (or St. Lucy) Day. One of my favorite parts is baking the delicious saffron buns that are traditionally served on St. Lucia's Day. I make mine using my breadmaker and then handshape and bake. They really aren't hard, want to give it a try?

The following recipe comes from The All New Ultimate Bread Machine Cookbook:

Add the ingredients in the order specified in your bread machine's manual. (Mine is wet first, then dry, then yeast)

Liquids:
3/4 c. plus 2 T milk
1 lg. egg

Dry:
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1/3 c. granulated white sugar
1/4 tsp powdered saffron (if you can only find saffron in "threads", just pulverize these as best you can then measure out 1/4 tsp. A trick I just learned is to use a bit of sugar as you pulverize with your mortar and pestle.)
3 T unsalted butter

Yeast:
2 1/4 fast-rise yeast

Place all in a 2-cup capacity breadmaker and set on "dough". At the end of the rise, punch down the dough and let rest 5 minutes before hand-shaping.

To handshape:
Lightly sprinkle work surface with flour. Divide dough into equal peices: 2 for 2 large breads, 4 for small breads, 6 to 8 for smaller buns. Lightly sprinkle with flour. Dampen hands and roll each piece into a rope. (18 inches for the 2 large pieces, 9 inches for the 4 pieces, etc.)

Lay a rope on a lightly-greased baking sheet. Curl each end, toward the center, into a coil. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush bread with egg wash (1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp. water). Bake for approx. 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on a rack.

This bread freezes well and is excellent served toasted with orange marmalade. (We serve small buns on St. Lucy's Day and freeze a larger bread for Christmas morning.)

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Russian Tea Mix

2008-12-09T07:00:00.001-05:00

Looking for "Mix-in-a-jar" recipe for Christmas gifts? This one is always loved: Russian Tea Mix. The spicy-orangey flavor is delicious! My kids helped mix this and everyone who received it begged for more.

3 c sugar
2 c Tang (or other orange-flavored drink mix)
1 c unsweetened instant tea mix
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 envelope unsweetened lemonade mix

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Store in an airtight container. Mason jars work well and make for nice gift-giving. To serve: put 1 1/2 to 2 rounded spoonfuls of mix into a cup and fill with boiling water. Stir well. (Don't forget to include the serving instructions on your gift jar!)

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Erikson's Glogg

2008-12-08T20:08:00.004-05:00

Svenska Glogg (or Swedish Mulled Wine) is a traditional Swedish drink for the Christmas season and no wonder - boy, will it chase away the chilly weather! It is a very potent spiced wine - served warm.

There are many different recipes for Glogg. Hubby's family's version takes two types of port wine, brandy, and vodka - and of course lots of spices. This one (the one we used last year and decided we liked equally as well) is a bit less alcoholic, but every bit as wonderful! I'm calling it "Erikson's Glogg" - because my kids are Erik's sons...and someday perhaps this will be their family recipe for Glogg.

Erikson's Glogg
1 large bottle red wine
1 reg. bottle port wine
10 cardamom pods, gently cracked
small handful of cloves (10 or so)
2-3 cinnamon sticks
1 T whole allspice
1/2 c (or more) of sugar (more or less to taste - depending on your wine)
Handfuls of almonds and raisins.
1 orange cut in half

Place the spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, allspice) in a loosely-tied cheesecloth bundle. Combine the wine and the spice bundle in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. Stir in 1/2 c of the sugar, carefully tasting to determine if it needs more. Continue adding by 1/4 cup fulls until it the wine tannins are smoothed out, but not too sweet. Toss in almonds and raisins (one or two handfuls of each). Float the orange halves in the glogg. Continue simmering the mixture slowly for 15 minutes.

At this point you can cool it off and store it, or go ahead and serve.

Before serving it is traditional to put a splash of Aquavit in the pot (or vodka) (or more - depending on your perferences) and light the glogg. Be VERY CAREFUL doing this...we've never had a problem, but it is fire, people! The floating almonds will sizzle and the flamed glogg mellows. (It also reduces the alcohol content a bit.) We turn down the lights and everyone gathers around when the pot is lit. The kids think it is wonderful!

Serve this in mugs - and be sure each glass gets a few of the almonds and raisins. (We serve with a spoon so we can dig these out of the bottom of the glass.) This is perfect to enjoy after the kids are in bed on Christmas Eve...in a darkened room with just the Christmas tree lights on. Very relaxing!

Interested in more Christmas recipes? Come back tomorrow, I'll post more of my favorites! Also, check out Randi's Holiday Recipe Swapbox!

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Thanksgiving Reviewed

2008-11-28T07:34:00.002-05:00

As promised, here is my review of the recipes I used for Thanksgiving dinner:

Brined Roast Turkey - THE best way to fix a turkey. The saltiness of the brine soaks into the flesh of the bird. The light herbs give it a perfect scent. And the sugar of the brine gives a perfectly crisped and browned skin.

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes - Oh, my gosh these were so good! I was a little unsure when I pulled them out of the fridge yesterday, but after they warmed up and the butter was added they fluffed right up. They were really, really delicious. I will use this recipe again!! Oh, by the way, I warmed mine covered in a 400 degree oven (with other dishes cooking). Just took them out a few times to stir them up a bit.

Pepperidge Farm Stuffing - how can you go wrong? :)

Holiday Waldorf Salad - Very, very good. I would recommend doubling the dressing recipe, though. I thought my salad needed more dressing, but I hadn't made enough. (It might have also been because I made a slightly larger salad than called for in the recipe.) The sweet with the crunchy, slightly bitter romaine was delicious.

Lighter Green Bean Casserole - Ok - this was WAY better than the stuff made with canned soup! I doubled my recipe, but I think I didn't double the salt...so mine needed a bit more salt on the plate. I also used a short cut and just purchased the French's Fried Onions rather than making them. (Although, the recipe for making them didn't seem too hard.) I found that I needed to keep this in the oven longer than it called for and then the onion-topping needed to be covered as it was browning up a bit. So, keep that in mind if you try this recipe.

Sweet Potatoes with Mini-marshmallows. - Delicious, of course. How can you mess this up? We mashed the sweet potatoes the day before and had them all ready to go in the baking dish, so that cut down on the time in the kitchen.

Orange-Cranberry Relish - Wonderful, Yummy, Scrumptious! This recipe calls for "grinding" - I used my CuisineArt and really chopped them up finely. This made for an almost paste like consistency, which became wonderfully jelly-like when I added the sugar and macerated. This dish was beautiful on the table, too - bright, ruby red!

Now, about the pies (Pecan-topped Pumpkin Pie and Black Walnut Custard Pie)...I didn't get to make them. My mom-in-law had offered to bring pies, but hubby forgot to tell me that before I planned out my dinner. So, instead we had MIL's homemade Apple-Cranberry, Pumpkin, and Black Walnut pies. (She even makes homemade crust.) They were wonderful!

But I still want to try these pies out. We are going to her house for Christmas, so I will see if I can make them for her and then I'll let you know how they are!

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Menu Plan Monday - Pre-Thanksgiving

2008-11-24T13:42:00.002-05:00

Easy meals are the name of the game this week....

Monday - Taco Night
Tuesday - Pasta e Fagioli (to be eaten as leftovers for lunch Wednesday, too)
Wednesday - Brussels Sprouts, Sausage and Corn Bread
Thursday - Thanksgiving Meal!
Friday - Turkey-Barley Soup, bread (scroll down a bit for the recipe)
Saturday - Pizza (in or out)
Sunday - Chicken and biscuits (with any leftover turkey thrown in, too)

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Thanksgiving Meal Plans

2008-11-20T20:00:00.003-05:00

So, has Thanksgiving sneaked up on you like it has me?

I was at the grocery store yesterday marveling at how early they had the turkeys out for sale...then I did some quick mental calendar work and realized - it isn't early at all!!! I went ahead and bought my frozen turkey, because I don't want to take a chance with the slimpickings that will be left by Saturday - my usual shopping day.

Brought home a 14-pound Butterball. I debated over the nice organic turkeys and almost bought one...but I just couldn't justify the extra expense. The Butterball is a great turkey and it was on sale...and that price was about 1/3 the cost of the organic bird. I hate not to support the organic farmer, but this year it just is what it is.

Then when I got home I was DELIGHTED to find that my local newspaper had a very useful "Guide to Thanksgiving". Usually, I eschew these mass-produced meal plans, but with speed of life around here recently (adoption is really in full steam!) I'm taking full advantage of someone else doing some of the hard "thinking" work for me. Of course, I can't use it entirely as is...so, let the tweaking begin! (Interested in this menu plan with day-by-day plan ahead countdown?) Of course, I'm already behind because I didn't clean out my freezer, fridge or pantry today...but I'll catch up tomorrow!

Here is my Thanksgiving Menu plan - as adapted from the Charlotte Observer:

Brined Roast Turkey
(A brine recipe I've been using for about a year and a half now and love it!)

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
(Not the same recipe listed in the newspaper)

Pepperidge Farm Stuffing
(I'm sure homemade is better, but I grew up on this stuff and I just LOVE it. Somethings you just can't change. And they way we make this is so - anti-gourmet. I'll have to take a picture - you'll laugh! We make big "balls" of stuffing and cook them on a cookie sheet. They get crunchy on the outside, but soft and bread-like inside.)

Holiday Waldorf Salad
(From the paper: A bit lighter and crunchier than a traditional Waldorf Salad)

Lighter Green Bean Casserole
(From the paper: Doesn't use canned soup - thank goodness!)

Sweet Potatoes with Mini-marshmallows.
(Oh, why do I give in to this? My kids just love those mini-marshmallows and it just isn't thanksgiving for them without that!)

Orange-Cranberry Relish
(My Mother-in-Law introduced me to this fresh cranberry relish and it is now an absolute must-have. I also keep the canned jellied cranberries around for sandwiches after.)

Pecan-topped Pumpkin Pie
(From the paper: This is the same recipe as listed in the paper, but I hated the name, so I changed it. The idea is that you need not choose between pecan or pumpkin pie...well, you'll see that this still doesn't get me out of making two pies...and I'm Ok with that!)

Black Walnut Custard Pie
(I've used a pecan pie and just substituted Black Walnuts with good results, but this pie recipe sounds just delicious! Hubby is a big black walnut fan, so I try to make a black walnut pie or cake for him every holiday season. Never had black walnuts? They are amazingly different than regular walnuts-very strongly scented, almost like a liquer. Don't try to substitute one for the other. If you can't find black walnuts at your grocery store, skip this recipe!)

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Pecan-topped Pumpkin Pie

2008-11-20T19:45:00.002-05:00

Wow - love it. If this tastes as good as it looks, this will be a new tradition around here.

As listed in the Charlotte Observer:
We struggle every year to decide between pecan or pumpkin pie. Author Dorie Greenspan came up with an ingenious solution in “Baking: From My Home to Yours” (Houghton Mifflin, 2006). It's got pumpkin on the bottom and pecans on top. It's so easy to put together, it's as simple as just making a pumpkin pie.

1 (9-inch) single pie crust, partially baked and cooled

Pumpkin filling:
1 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons dark rum (or rum flavoring)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

Pecan filling:
1/2 cup light or dark corn syrup
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (about 7 ounces) pecan halves or pieces

POSITION rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put the pie plate with the prepared crust on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicon baking mat.

COMBINE all the pumpkin filling ingredients in a food processor and process, stopping to scrape down sides as needed, for 2 minutes. Leave the filling in the processor for a minute.

PLACE all the pecan filling ingredients except pecans in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.

GIVE the pumpkin filling a final pulse in the food processor, then rap the bowl on the counter a few times to release any bubbles. Pour into the crust. Spread the nuts evenly over the pumpkin layer. Pour the pecan filling over the top, pushing any nuts that float back down.

BAKE 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake 35 to 40 minutes longer, until top is puffy and a thin knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer pie to a cooling rack and let stand until it is just warm. Serve chilled or warm.

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Lighter Green Bean Casserole

2008-11-20T19:36:00.003-05:00

We've never had the "green bean casserole" tradition at our Thanksgiving - I often fix broccoli or something. I've thought about fixing lima beans (this will sound crazy, but my kids adore limas...adore them). But this recipe has me taking a second look - mostly because it doesn't use canned soup.

As listed in the Charlotte Observer:
This is almost as easy as the can-opener classic, and much tastier. Adapted from “Eating Well: Comfort Food Made Healthy,” by Jessie Price and the editors of Eating Well magazine (Countryman Press, 2009).

3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 medium sweet onion, half diced and half thinly sliced, divided
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms, chopped
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1 cup low-fat or fat-free milk
3 tablespoons dry sherry
1 (16-ounce) bag frozen French-cut green beans (about 4 cups)
1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
3 tablespoons buttermilk powder (see note)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

COAT a 2 1/2-quart baking dish with cooking spray.

HEAT 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in mushrooms, onion powder, 1 teaspoon salt, thyme and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms have released their juices and the juice has mostly evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.

SPRINKLE 1/3 cup flour over the vegetables, stirring to coat. Stir in milk and sherry and bring to a simmer, stirring often, until sauce starts to thicken. Stir in frozen green beans and cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and buttermilk powder. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. (Can be made to this point about 3 hours ahead and refrigerated.)

WHISK remaining 1/3 cup flour, paprika, garlic powder and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Add sliced onion, breaking it apart into strands, and toss to completely coat with flour.

HEAT remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and any remaining flour mixture and cook, stirring often, until golden and flour bits are crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Spread over the casserole.

BAKE in a 400-degree oven until bubbling, about 15 minutes.

NOTE: Look for buttermilk powder, such as Saco brand, in the supermarket with the canned milk. After opening the canister, store it in the refrigerator. It will keep indefinitely.

Yield: 6 servings.

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Holiday Waldorf Salad

2008-11-20T19:32:00.002-05:00

I love waldorf salad, but sometimes find it a bit to heavy (it tends to be too creamy for me - I need more crunch). This looks like a recipe we'll all love, so I'll let you know if it passed "muster" after Thanksgiving.

As listed in the Charlotte Observer
From “The Healthiest Meals On Earth,” by Jonny Bowden (Fairwinds, 2008)

1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 small crisp apples, cored and diced
4 stalks celery, diced
1/2 cup seedless grapes, preferably purple, halved
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup lightly toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped
8 cups romaine lettuce, chopped into bite-size pieces

WHISK together yogurt, honey, orange juice and ginger in a small bowl.

COMBINE apples, celery, grapes, cranberries, walnuts and romaine in a salad bowl or large serving bowl. Just before serving, pour the yogurt dressing over the salad and toss to combine well.

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Carrot and Potato Soup

2008-11-20T18:58:00.004-05:00

Been on a bit of a blogging break. Didn't announce it here, but did at my other blog: http://www.theten0clockscholar.blogspot.com/. While I haven't been posting menus and recipes, we have been eating! HAHA! Trying to get back to blogging a bit more, probably a bit more casually on this blog. I still am trying some great seasonal recipes...in fact I've got a great one I'm going to share now:

Carrot and Potato Soup - really, really good! Hearty with a touch of sweetness from the carrots...creamy with just enough chunks. Tastes like you cooked it all day - excellent flavor!

2 T butter
2 large shallots or a medium onion (I used the shallots)
3 C chopped carrots
6 C diced potatoes
8 cups broth
salt & pepper
1-2 T Herbes de Provence (or any of your favorite herb blends)
2 bay leaves

Melt butter in soup pot. Saute shallots or onions until transluscent. Add carrots and saute for a few minutes - season with some salt and pepper. Add potatoes, broth, and herbs. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Fish out the bay leaves and puree with a wand mixer just to give some creaminess to the broth, but leaving some small chunks (or scoop out about 2/3 of the vegetables and mash by hand then return to the pot and stir well). Adjust salt and pepper as needed.

Serve with a nice caraway-seeded pumpernickel or cheddar cheese bread.

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Scalloped Potatoes

2008-10-20T14:26:00.002-04:00

These are deliciously creamy!

1 cup chopped onion (1 large onion)
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 1/2 cups milk
8 cups thinkly sliced potatoes (red, white, or yellow) - about 2 1/2 lbs

For the sauce, in a med. saucepan cook onion in hot butter until tender. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir over med heat until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; set aside. Place half the sliced potatoes in a greasted 3-qt rectangular baking dish. Top with half the sauce. Repeat the layers.

Bake, uncovered, in a 350* oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 40-50 more minutes or until potatoes are tender. Let stand, uncovered, for 10 minutes before serving.

You can add 1 1/2 cups grated cheese (chedder, gruyere, swiss) to the thickened sauce, stirring until the cheese melts if you'd like cheese scalloped potatoes.

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The Sunday Roast Menu Plan - Week 2

2008-10-20T13:42:00.003-04:00

The Sunday Roast Menu Plan - Week 2

Well, the first week of my Sunday Roast Menu Plan went really well - except that I discovered I realy have to have 2 roast chickens to feed my family of five for most of the week. We homeschool and my husband works from home, so we at home A LOT.

Sunday - Roast Chicken, Herbed Roasted Potatoes, Green Salad with apples and raisins

Monday - Chicken Divan over Rice - this calls for cream of broccoli soup. Instead, I'm going to try using the milk and flour combination for making a cream sauce to use in this dish. (It was used in last week's Chicken and Biscuit recipe.)

An easy one-dish meal using some breast and thigh meat.

Tuesday - Chicken and Gravy, Baked Winter Squash and Apples (the original recipe calls for butternut squash, but I'm going to also use acorn squash), Corn Pudding

Using breast and thigh meat and pan drippings saved from roasting pan. Use carcasses to make broth. Freeze whatever is not used.

Wednesday - White Chili & Corn Bread (possibly the Broa)

Use some of broth and rest of meat.

Thursday - Scalloped Potatoes, Roasted Carrots, Apple salad
If there is more meat leftover, I might serve it re-warmed with this meal. Or I might make chicken salad for tomorrow's lunch.

Friday - Homemade Pizza

Saturday - Hubby's Night to Make Dinner! Don't you love that?

Want more menu ideas? Visit Orgjunkie.com for over 200 links to other menu planners. Don't miss next week's Sunday Roast Menu Plan! Subscribe via email or RSS.

The Sunday Roast Menu Plan - Week 1

2008-10-13T10:00:00.001-04:00

The Sunday Roast Menu Plan - Week 1

I'm starting an experiment: a menu plan based on the old-fashioned Sunday Roast. For the next few weeks, I'll cook a roast chicken on Sunday and use the leftovers to make meals for the rest of the week. This should make menu planning and cooking easier...and more frugal!

Sunday - Brined & Roasted Whole Chicken, Sauteed Broccoli

Monday - Pasta al Forno with Chicken
Slice off some of the chicken breast and thighs for the casserole.

Tuesday - Chicken and Biscuits, Sweet Potato Fries
Slice off rest of breast and thigh meat for tomorrow's meal, pull off all the last bits of meat for the Pot Pie, make broth and use for tonight's pot pie and tomorrow's soup.

Wednesday - Crockpot Italian Wedding Soup, Bread
Use broth and rest of the chicken breast and thigh for the soup. If I have plenty of meat, I'm going to make a double batch of this. Instead of meatballs, I'm probably going to cook up some breakfast sausage links that I already have on hand and cut them into bite-sized pieces.

Thursday - Leftovers "Buffet"

Friday - Homemade Pizza

Saturday - Hubby's Night to Make Dinner! Don't you love that?

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Pasta al Forno with Chicken

2008-10-13T09:45:00.000-04:00

This is pretty quick and easy to assemble; makes good leftovers; and freezes well. You could easily make a double-batch to share or put in your freezer (freeze it before baking). This could also be made without the chicken or with ground beef.

1/2-1 lb chopped cooked chicken
8 ounces small shaped pasta
1 (25 ounce) jar marinara sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained or frozen broccoli
1 cup ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)
6 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon oil

Preheat oven to 375°. Coat 2 1/2 quart baking dish with cooking spray. Cook pasta; drain; rinse with cold water.

In bowl, combine marinara, mozzarella, spinach or broccoli, cottage cheese or ricotta, 6 T Parmesan, salt and pepper. Stir in pasta and chopped, cooked chicken (or ground beef); transfer to baking dish.

Stir together bread crumbs, Parmesan and oil; sprinkle over pasta. Bake until hot, 25-30 minutes.

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Chicken and Biscuits

2008-10-13T09:30:00.000-04:00

Seriously good comfort food and a wonderful one-dish meal.

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
1 large carrot, sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley, 1 tsp dried
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup frozen peas
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup of milk whisked with
3 Tbsp sifted flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions and cook until just softened and transluscent. Now add carrots and cook until the carrot is just starting to cook. Add the parsley, broth, peas, cooked chicken and salt/pepper. Bring it all to a boil and simmer for about 5 minutes. Whisk flour and milk together (you can strain it if it is lumpy) and add to the pot. Bring back to a low boil, then simmer until it is thickened.

Biscuits (*as a short cut, you can use Bisquick and their biscuit recipe on the side of the box)
2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold butter or margarine cut into small chunks
3/4 cup cold milk

Stir the dry ingredients together and cut in the butter (you are going for coarse crumbs). Stir the milk in just until the whole thing is moistened. Knead it very lightly 2 or 3 times.

Pour the hot chicken into a casserole. Drop pieces of the biscuits on top of the stew. Bake in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until the biscuits are just starting to brown on top.

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Crockpot Italian Wedding Soup

2008-10-13T09:15:00.000-04:00

This is a new recipe for me (from recipezaar.com) - it sounds wonderful, I'll let you know how it turns out!

16 1/2 ounces meatballs (you could make these while you are making the meatballs and tomato sauce from last week and just freeze them. I'd suggest making bite-sized meat balls for this dish or quartering regular-sized ones)
6 cups chicken broth
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced
1/4 (8 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted (or fresh if you have it)
garlic salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
1/4 cup romano cheese
1/4 cup acini di pepe pasta (small pasta)

Combine all the ingredients except pasta in crock pot and cook all day on low (7-8 hrs). Add the pasta during the last hour of cooking. Serve with an awesome crusty bread.

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Brine your Bird

2008-10-11T00:30:00.000-04:00

Ever heard of brining your bird? Soaking your bird (chicken or turkey) in a simple brine before roasting really does result in a delicious roast. I highly recommend it!!

Here's a recipe that I use to brine chicken or turkey - it can also be used for pork roast, although I've never tried that. It comes from Chez Panisse. Use a whole recipe for a turkey, half for a chicken. Also, this recipe calls for juniper berries. You can find them at specialty cooking stores or World Market. If you can't find them, just skip it...I've made it a number of times without the berries and it was wonderful.

If you make the whole recipe, it makes a LOT of brine, so you'll need a big pot in which to submerge the roast. Also, you'll have to plan ahead for soaking time - a day for poultry, 3 days for pork - and they must be fully defrosted...so plan accordingly!

Chez Panisse Brine
2 1/2 gal. of cold water
2 c kosher salt (table salt works well, too)
1 c sugar
2 bay leaves, torn into pieces
1 bunch fresh thyme, or 4 T dried thyme
1 whole head of garlic, peeled
5 whole allspice berries, crushed
4 juniper berries, crushed

Prepare the brine and soak: place the water in a large pot that can easily hold the liquid and the meat you intend to brine. Add all the ingredients and stir for a minute or so until the sugar and salt to dissolve. Refrigerate poultry in brine for 24 hours; pork for 3 days. If the meat floats to the top, use a plate or other weight to keep it completely submerged in the brine.

To roast: Poultry - stuff cavity with desired herbs (chicken: onions, lemon wedges, herbs such as thyme, parsley, rosemary/ turkey: lemons, herbs, onions as desired). Rub the skin with oil to help browning; sprinkle with fresh pepper - salt is not needed due to the salt in the brine. Cook uncovered in a 400-degree oven until done (about 1 hr 15 min for a 3-4 lb chicken or 12-15 minutes per pound for a turkey). Boneless pork roast: Sprinkle the roast with pepper and herbs such as sage, thyme or tarragon,if desired. Roast uncovered in a 400-degree oven for about 12-15 minutes per pound.

I think you'll find that even the leftovers stay wonderfully moist!

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The Sunday Roast Menu Plan

2008-10-10T15:47:00.003-04:00

There is a very old-fashioned way to cook frugally that I want to give a try: The Sunday Roast. Many of our mothers probably grew up in families where their mothers cooked a big Sunday Roast of some sort and then created a variety of meals from that roast the rest of the week. What a wise, simple, frugal and sustainable way to cook!

I'm going to give it a try, want to come along?

For the next couple of weeks, I'll post my Sunday Roast Menu Plan using my weekly Sunday roast as the base for as many meals as I can the rest of the week. I'll post recipes, too. Let's see how this little experiment goes!

Tomorrow, I'll start by posting a favorite recipe of mine: a Brine for a Roast. Then come back on Monday when I post my menu plan for the week. I'll try to add recipes on Monday or during the week.

Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss the menu ideas! (Subscribe via email or RSS.) And let me know what you think of the meal ideas...and if you have some of your own, let me know!!!

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Ceci (Chick Peas) and Tagliatelle Soup

2008-10-10T13:00:00.000-04:00

Oh, I meant to post this earlier. It was REALLY good. I kind of made this up after seeing a similar recipe on Lidia's Kitchen (PBS TV show - Italian cooking).

2-3 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
dash of salt
1 lg carrot, sliced
1 lg stalk of celery, chopped (with leafy tops)
2 cans chick peas (Ceci or garbanzo beans), drained, but not rinsed
8 c. chicken broth
1 - 2 tsp thyme
2 bay leaves
salt and pepper to taste
1 pkg tagliatelle noodles

In large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high flame. Add onions and sprinkle with dash of salt. Saute until they are transluscent. Add carrot and celery and continue sauteing until all the veggies are tender. Add chick peas and toss to coat. Allow the chick peas to warm up a bit, then add the chicken broth. Add the thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper. Let the whole thing simmer for at least 20 minutes. You can let it simmer longer at a lower heat for a more flavorful soup. This is what I prefer! Just make sure your herbs are well softened and the soup has good flavor. Adjust the salt and pepper as needed.

Just before serving, bring the soup to a gentle boil and drop in the noodles (breaking them up a bit on the way into the pot). Cook them for the length of time recommended on the package (mine were done in 4 minutes). Reduce the heat and serve!

I recommend a good hearty bread - or some homemade croutons, too!

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Meatballs and Tomato Sauce

2008-10-10T12:30:00.000-04:00

In the past I've made these in the oven and that is a very easy and good way to make them (and a slightly different recipe). But, if you have the time I highly recommend using the stove top method - and this recipe (adapted from a recipe in Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking. Here it is:

1 lb ground beef or turkey
1/2 c bread crumbs
1 T onion, chopped very finely
1 T parsley, chopped
1 egg
1 T EV olive oil
3 T grated parmesan cheese
dash of ground nutmeg
dashes of salt and pepper
more oil for sauteing
1 can Italian plum tomatoes, chopped up, with their juice

In a large bowl, mix the ground meat, bread crumbs, oniob, parsley, edd, 1 T olive oil, parmesan chese, nutmet, and salt and pepper well. Use your hands or a sturdy spoon - but don't squeeze the meat.

When well mixed, gently shape into balls about 1 in in diameter. You can roll them in more bread crumbs, if you wish. I skip this, though.

In a large saute pan, heat enough oil to come up 1/4 of an inch on the sides - on a med. high heat. When the oil is hot, gently place the meatballs in the oil one at a time. Be careful not to splash the oil. Brown them on all sides (turkey will not "brown", it will get a little golden) - but turn them carefully so they don't break apart.

When done, remove the pan from the heat and tip it slightly. With a spoon, remove as much of the oil as you can. Return the pan to the heat (medium heat) and add the chopped tomatoes - give the pan a pinch salt and a grinding or two of pepper. Gently turn the meatballs to coat them in the sauce. Cover the pan and cook at a very gentle simmer for about 20-25 minutes. Serve alone, over rice or pasta (our preferred way).

These are excellent made ahead of time and then reheated before serving. They also make a great freezer meal.

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2008-10-06T18:18:00.006-04:00

Hi! I'm so glad you stopped by! If you've visited here before, you know that I am a seasonal cook...with some local and organic, as I am able. I've found that cooking with my local seasons keeps my menus from getting "stale" and makes it much easier to cook with really fresh ingredients. If you are considering going "local", but are daunted by the challenge I encourage you to make the seasonal switch first. Get used to cooking within nature's cycle...which will make local food all that much easier to find!

I am in the Southeast of the US, where we are blessed with a nice long growing season. But our mid-atlantic climate gives us a similar harvest schedule to many other places in the US.

So, what is in season this week:

Chicken is still coming from the Chicken Club, so that is wonderful! We'll get two more harvests and then be done for the season. Since hubby is still not interested in eating beef or pork, I'm going to stock up on organic chicken in my freezer. Still looking for a local farmer who can supply me with about 10 at a time for my freezer.

My local supermarket has started carrying a few truly local items. I say truly because last year they did this and "local" was two or more states away. Not so local. But not they have a mile-based system (I can't remember what it is, but I think it was within 150 miles or so). They had fantastic looking sweet potatoes, so I stocked up on those!

Celery is still coming in strong from our vegetable co-op. I'm using some for kids' snacks, the Ceci & Tagliatelle soup, and a celery risotto. Celery risotto may sound a little plain, but I have it on good authority that it is quite delicious and elegant. I'll let you know!

Broccoli - a little early for us, but my co-op has some, so I'm enjoying it.

Here is this week's menu:
Monday
"Emergency" Take out

Tuesday
Supremes a La Milanese (Chicken Breast rolled in parmesan and sauteed in butter), Sweet Potato Chips, steamed broccoli

Wednesday
Ceci (Chick Peas - pronounced: Chay-Chi) & Tagliatelle Soup, Homemade Semolina Bread
I use canned, but you could use dried and just soak and cook them before making the soup.

Thursday
Meatballs & Tomatoes over pasta
Using good canned italian tomatoes. I know, I know - entirely not local...and canned! Someday I'll grow and can these myself, but until I do, these are the BEST tasting, so I use them without guilt!

Friday
Pizza!
Homemade dough, bottled Marinara, mozzerella cheese - none of it particularly seasonal nor local

Saturday
Succotash, Corn bread, hard boiled eggs
This is just simple, plain, good fare.

Sunday
Roast Chicken, Squash &Apples, Celery Risotto
I have a brine I'm going to use with this chicken. I'll post the recipe in the next day or two. The squash and apples are so good. Don't tell you kids that it has squash in it and I promise they'll gobble it up!

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Sweet Potato Fries

2008-09-28T22:35:00.003-04:00

These are so easy and SO GOOD. Everyone loves them and one batch is just not enough!

Updated to add: the recipe I originally posted was not the one I was thinking of when I raved about these. I'm not sure what I've done with that recipe, but it made "fries" instead of "chips". When I made the "chips" version, I was not very pleased with them - they never got crunchy - at all. So, I've found a "fries" version that should work better. These should have a nice chewy-crunch on the outside and a warm moist inside.

4 medium sweet potatoes
-- cut lenghtwise into 1/2 in slices (like "steak fries")
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potatoes slices in a large bowl; add oil and toss to coat, add salt and pepper, toss some more. Put slices on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, turn over and bake another 15 minutes.

You might also try tossing them with parsley, thyme, basil or oregano!

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Portuguese Cornbread (Broa) - for bread machine

2008-09-28T22:28:00.003-04:00

This is a new recipe I've just found and can't wait to try out. White cornmeal is traditionally used, but yellow or even blue can be used, too. This recipe is for a 2 lb bread machine.

1 2/3 c water
1/4 c olive oil
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 c white cornmeal
3 1/2 c bread flour
2 1/2 tsp yeast

Place the ingredients in your breadmaker according to the manufacturer's directions (mine is all wet ingredients first, then dry and, finally, the yeast). Set on Basic cycle.

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White Chili

2008-09-28T22:19:00.001-04:00

This is a great way to use up leftover chicken from a roast in the slow cooker.

1 c onion, chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
3 15 1/2 oz cans Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
2 4 oz cans diced green chilis
4 c chicken broth (you can make this from your roast chicken or use boxed/canned)
3 c chopped, cooked chicken
2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese (8 oz)
sour cream (optional)

In a 3 1/2 to 6-Qt slow cooker place onion, garlic, cumin oregano, green chilis, broth and cooked chicken. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on low heat setting for 7-8 hours (or high heat for 3 1/2 to 4 hours). Stir in cheese until melted. Top individual bowls with sour cream, if desired.

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Weekly Menu Plan - Sept 28-Oct 4

2008-09-28T22:05:00.005-04:00

On hand this week:
pears
spinach
green onions
celery
onions
shallots
broccoli
potatoes
acorn squash
butternut squash
sweet potatoes

Sunday - Leftovers
We still had bits and pieces from last week, so instead of fixing a new meal, we decided to clean out the fridge!

Monday - Roast Chicken a la Normande*, Creamed Spinach, Mashed Potatoes and for dessert: Blackberry Pie and ice cream
This meal has been selected to celebrate the Feast Day of St. Michael and All Angels.

Tuesday - Fish Poached in White Wine*, Steamed Broccoli with lemon butter, Sweet Potato Chips
I would normally have leftovers or a casserole or stew made from the previous night's meal tonight, but I have some fish I purchased that must be used!

Wednesday - White Chili, Portuguese Corn Bread
This chili will be made with the leftover chicken from Monday.

Thursday - Leftovers
Time to clean out the fridge!

Friday - Pizza

Saturday - We are attending a wedding - so, we'll eat there!

* both these dishes come from my new cookbook Mastering The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. The recipes, while not complicated, are a bit long to retype. If you are at all interested in learning about French cooking, I HIGHLY recommend this cookbook. The recipes are superb as are Ms. Child's instructions.

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Farmer's Market Report is going into hibernation

2008-09-26T20:56:00.005-04:00

Hi, y'all! It's been quiet here, huh? Long week, little blogging.

Tomorrow is promising to be a very rainy and nasty day...and we are having a severe gas shortage here in Charlotte, so some of the vendors won't be there anyway. I love my farmer's market, but slim-pickins on a rainy day...just not calling my name. You know what is? My BED! Heh.

So, what about the Farmer's Market Report? Well, it has been a little slim the past couple of weeks (unless I've done lots of inviting around the blogosphere...and that takes me hours of searching and commenting time) which makes me wonder if lots of markets are closing for the season. I think perhaps it is time to put the Report to bed until next spring - it is hibernating!

If you have a great post you were hoping to submit, please feel free to leave a link in the comments. If I get enough of them, I'll go ahead and post the Report for this week and submit those links for you to Mr. Linky.

I do hope you've enjoyed the Farmer's Market Report the past couple of months - I sure have. I promise to bring it back next spring! In the meantime, I hope you'll stick around for more recipes and seasonal cooking ideas.

A great way to make sure you don't miss anything is to subscribe by email or by RSS (if you read your blogs in a "reader" like Bloglines or GoogleReader). Whichever you prefer, you can do both from these links: Subscribe via email or RSS.

Have a lovely weekend, friends!

Farmer's Market Report - Sept 20th

2008-09-20T09:56:00.006-04:00

Welcome to another edition of the Farmer's Market Report. Are you new to the report? You can learn more about it here.

Today was an absolutely perfect farmer's market day here in NC. The weather this morning was breezy, sunny, cool (58F), and had a touch of that fall smell in the air. The market was quieter than the height of summer - which is unfortunate for the farmers, and the absentee shoppers, because there's still plenty of wonderful produce to be had. However, I enjoy the quieter atmosphere.

There was nice harp music playing (live!) and a local wood carver, too.

I picked up:
- Okra (1 1/2 lb)
- Black-eyed peas (two bags - probably a pound)
- 6 "old-fashioned" pears (that is what the farmer called them)
- Muscadine and Scuppernong grapes
- and 3 organic chocolate chip muffins (you'll notice the kids barely let me get a picture of them - there was only one left by the time I pulled out my camera!)

I would have grabbed more peas, but there were only two bags left. In fact, I only bought one to begin with (not to be greedy), and then went back for the second. The okra and peas will probably go into a hearty tomato-based soup (maybe with some frozen corn) to be served with homemade corn bread. Other ideas for the okra and/or black-eyed peas?

What did you find at your farmer's market today?

Submit your post below (a direct link to your post, not your main page). Don't forget, to add a link back to this Farmer's Market Report in your post. And if this is your first time, be sure to read the guidelines.

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Colcannon

2008-09-15T08:02:00.003-04:00

This traditional Irish dish is a perfect in fall and winter.

1 1/2 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. chunks
1 tsp salt, divided
1 1/2 c chopped green cabbage
1/3 c finely chopped green onion
2 c boiling water
2/3 c milk
2 T butter
1/8 tsp finely ground pepper

Place potatoes with cold water to cover by 2 inches and 1/ tsp salt in large saucepan. Bring to boil for 5 minutes. Add cabbage and boil for another 10 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Meanwhile, place green onion in sieve, pour boiling water over them and drain. Add drained onions to a medium saucepan with milk, butter and rest of salt and pepper, bring to a boil them remove from heat.

Drain cooked potatoes and cabbage and return to large sauce pan. Beat on low speeed with a hand held mixer until coarsely mashed. Increase speed to high and gradually add milk and onion mixture and continue to beat until potatoes are light and fluffy.

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Savory Squash Bread Pudding

2008-09-15T07:46:00.002-04:00

I think this will end up being like corn pudding, which I LOVE, but with the slight sweetness of butternut squash.

3 C butternut squash (peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2 in. pieces)
1 C chopped onion
1 clove garlic
3 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 C milk
1 C parmesan cheese (divided into 1/2 cups)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp nutmeg
9 cups day-old french bread, cubed

Arrange squash in single layer on greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 400F, 12 minutes, until tender. Set aside. Remove from oven; reduce temp to 350F.

In a frypan, saute onion in 1 tsp olive oil over medium-high heat until tender, 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Whisk together eggs, egg whites, milk, 1/2 C parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir in squash, onions, garlic. Add in bread cubes and stir gently to combine. Let stand 10 minutes. Spoon into greased 2-qt baking dish. Sprinkle top with other 1/2 C of parmesan.

Bake in preheated oven at 350F until custard is set and top is lightly browned, 45 minutes.

This recipe is another from one of my FAVORITE seasonal cookbooks: Simply In Season (World Community Cookbook)

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Menu Plan for Sept 15-21

2008-09-14T21:36:00.006-04:00

Today is my middle son's birthday, so he got to choose tonight's dinner. You'll see in my menu plan what his favorite meal is!
Here's what I had on hand:
2 butternut squashes
5-6 apples
fresh green beans
fresh wax beans
a pound or two of bok choy
a large ziplock baggie of basil leaves (my neighbor harvested a "bush" before she left for vacation)
half a dozen or so potatoes
lots of onions
lettuce
leftover corn

Here's what I'll pull from the freezer:
a whole, locally-raised chicken
zucchini
large tray of pre-made Spanakopita

Here's what I'll use from the pantry:
canned italian plum tomatoes
"Star" pasta

And from the store, I picked up:
1 lb of ground turkey
2 lbs italian sausages
2 fresh roma tomatoes
taco shells
cheddar cheese

So, this week we'll be having:

Monday- Tacos!
roma tomatoes, some lettuce, ground turkey, taco shells, cheese

Tuesday- Roast chicken with Provencal herbs, Savory Squash Bread Pudding, Green & Wax beans
whole chicken, butternut squashes, green beans, wax beans

Wednesday - Crazy Colcannon and Sausages (I've linked to a traditional Colcannon recipe. Mine will be quite untraditional. If it turns out, I'll be sure to post it...but basically I'm making the same thing only with bok choy instead of cabbage and thinly-sliced regular onions instead of green ones.)
bok choy, potatoes, onions, sausages

Thursday - Chicken, Vegetable and Pasta Soup (This one I'm making up and will post after I try it. It will be a sort of minestrone with chicken.)
leftover chicken (for meat and broth) leftover corn, zucchini, canned , "star" pasta

Friday - Pizza

Saturday - Supper Club - "Appetizer Night", we are taking the Spanakopita.

So, what about all that basil from my neighbor? Well, I can't decide if I'm going to make pesto or just chop it in the CuisinArt with olive oil and then freeze it in ice cube trays. Which would you do?

There are many more menu plans at Menu Plan Monday!

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Fall Season: Food and Menu Ideas

2008-09-14T00:00:00.000-04:00

One of the challenges of eating seasonally is knowing what is going to be in season when and having a plan to use those ingredients. The past couple of weeks, I've spent a bit of time making a list of what will be in season in my area this fall and gathering recipes.

Perhaps you'd like to make use of my list? As I use the recipes, I'll post them on the blog, so eventually, there will be a whole "recipe book" for each season. In the meantime, feel free to peruse and download my ""Fall Season Food" list. The first part is a listing of food that will be in season (E-early, M-mid, L-late) followed by recipe ideas.

Let me know if you find this document helpful (and if you download it). This will help me judge if future documents will be helpful to others.

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Farmer's Market Report - Sept 13th

2008-09-13T09:26:00.007-04:00

A nice farmer's market trip today - didn't pick up too much, though because I've got plenty on hand right now, but did get:

A huge head of Bok choy
Some muscadine grapes- I'll buy these every week until they are gone.
Soap from the soap lady and her stain stick, which is comes highly recommended.
And a large jar of local honey

While we were there, we (my Dear Neighbor and I) watched a weaving demonstration. Each week the farmer's market organizers bring in local craftsmen to exhibit their work. They also have various local chefs who come give cooking demonstrations and often live music. So, although a damp day, it was a nice one!

How was your farmer's market this week? Submit your post below (a direct link to your post, not your main page). Don't forget, to add a mention and a link back to the Farmer's Market Report in your post. And if this is your first time, be sure to read the guidelines.

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Tomorrow is the next Farmer's Market Report

2008-09-12T11:12:00.002-04:00

Don't forget - tomorrow is the Farmer's Market Report!

How about you - are you are Farmer's Market shopper? If so, maybe you'd like to publish a "Farmer's Market Report" about your trip to the Farmer's Market this week and then submit it to the "Farmer's Market Report" Mr Linky tomorrow morning. Even if you don't submit, I bet you'll enjoy living vicariously through some other bloggers.

This week's Mr Linky will be up tomorrow morning around 10AM (by Noon at the latest), so come on by and visit!

Don't miss a single Farmer's Market Report...subscribe via email or RSS.

Homemade Croutons

2008-09-12T10:22:00.009-04:00

Got some day-old bread? Why not make croutons? It is pretty darn easy...here's how I do it.

Start with about a 1lb loaf of day old bread (or the equivalent in bits of old bread you've saved up). This is a Rosemary-Sea Salt bread I got from a "day old bread" giveaway.

Slice and cube the bread into bite-sized pieces and place in a large bowl.

Drizzle oil by 1/4 cups full over the cubes, mixing thoroughly between each addition. Add 3/4 cup total - or enough to drench your bread cubes. Add seasonings of your choice (salt, pepper, herbs) and stir well.

Lay cubes on a a baking sheet in a single layer (use one with sides to make stirring during baking easier). Place in a 275 degree oven and bake for an hour or more depending on your desired crunchiness.

I like my croutons really crunchy, so I leave them in for close to two hours. But keep a close eye one them and stir them frequently!

Store in an airtight container or baggie. A one pound loaf will fill two of these large (Qt. size) mason jars, plus a little extra.

Enjoy in soup or on salads. Watch out, you'll be tempted to snitch them right from the jar, too.

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Pasta e Fagioli (Pasta and Bean Soup)

2008-09-11T15:00:00.002-04:00

Ahh.... Pasta e Fagioli! An easy, delicious soup for any time.

This recipe comes from my favorite Italian cookbook:Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. Pasta e Fagioli is a very flexible recipe, but hers is the best. I don't use it exactly as she has it here, but it is an excellent starting point.

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil
2 T chopped onion
3 T chopped carrot
3 T chopped celery
3-4 pork ribs or ham bone with some meat on it (I totally skip this, because hubby doesn't eat pork)
2/3 c canned imported Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juices (or fresh tomatoes, peeled and cut up)
2 lbs fresh cranberry or red kidney beans (or 3 c. canned or cooked dried beans - drained) (I use whatever beans I have on hand - often canellini, always canned)
3 c (or more if needed) beef broth (1 c. canned broth diluted with 2 c. water) (We don't eat beef either, so we use Chicken Stock.)
Salt
Black pepper (freshly ground)
1/2 lb small tubular pasta (I use whatever I have on hand, but never anything long like spaghetti/fettucini/linguini)
1 T butter
2 T freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Put olive oil and onion in soup pot and turn on heat to medium. Cook the onion, stirring, until it is pale gold. Add the carrot and celery, stir once or twice to coat them well, then add pork. Cook for 10 minutes, turning meat and vegetables from time to time. Add the cut up tomatoes and their juice, adjust the heat so that the juices simmer very gently, and cook for 10 minutes.

If using fresh beans: Shell, rinse and put in soup pot. Stir 2-3 times to coat well, then add the broth. Cover the pot, adjust the heat so that the broth bubbles at a steady, but gentle boil, and cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the beans are fully tender.

If using canned (or cooked dried) beans: Extend the cooking time for the tomatoes in Step 3 to 20 minutes. Add the drained cooked or canned beans, stirring them thoroughly to coat them well. Cook for 5 minutes, then add the broth, cover the pot, and bring the broth to a gentle boil.

Scoop up about 1/2 c of beans and mash them and return to the pot. Add salt, a few grindings of black pepper, and stir thoroughly.

Check the soup for density: It should be liquid enough to cook the pasta in. If necessary, add more broth or, if you are using canned broth, more water. When the soup comes to a steady, moderate boil, add the pasta. Stop cooking when pasta is tender, but still firm to the bite. Before turning off the heat, swirl in the butter and grated cheese.

Allow it to settle for 10 minutes before serving as it tastes better when warm rather than piping hot. Serve with a nice, crusty bread!

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Baked Butternut Squash and Apples

2008-09-08T18:47:00.006-04:00

Oh, the color is gorgeous! We'll see how my kids like it...they'll groan when I say "squash", but the brown sugar glaze may get their attention.

2 lbs butternut squash (peeled, seeded, and fibers removed; cubed)
2-3 baking apples (roughly chopped)
1/3 c brown sugar
3 T butter, melted
1 T flour
1/4 tsp allspice

Arrange squash and apples in baking dish. Combine next 4 ingredients in a small bowl then sprinkle on top of apples and squash. Cover and bake at 350 degrees until squash is tender, 40-50 minutes.

This recipe is from one of my FAVORITE seasonal cookbooks: Simply In Season (World Community Cookbook)

Updated to add: Oh, by the way, the kids LOVED this!

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Balsamic Marinated Chicken

2008-09-08T18:41:00.003-04:00

This is easy and delicious! My kids rave about this and they can be picky eaters. It is so easy to fix, but you do have to think ahead in order to get the 2 hours of marinating done. Not a last minute supper...but almost!

1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1/4 c honey
1/4 c olive oil
2 T fresh rosemary
1 tsp salt
3 lbs chicken (breast, thighs, legs)

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; add chicken. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove chicken, and place in a lightly greased baking pan (13x9); pour marinade over chicken.

Bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until done, basting often with pan drippings.

Serves my family of 6 with leftovers.

I like to make extra and have this for lunch the next day, too. It is quite good over rice or couscous - and save some of the good pan juices to pour over that rice!

Menu Plan for Sept 8-13

2008-09-08T18:26:00.007-04:00

Since we are starting to see some "fall" produce, it is time to start pulling out the fall menus around here! This week you'll notice we are doing just that...

Here's what I had on hand:
organic chicken in the freezer
2 butternut squashes
5-6 apples
frozen green beans
frozen italian-style meatbals (homemade)
lots of lettuce
semolina flour
2-3 cans of cannelini
pasta
chicken broth
some leftover corn
frozen zucchini that needs to be used
onions, celery

Here's what I'm making:

Monday- Balsamic Marinated Chicken, Baked Butternut Squash and Apples, Green Beans

Tuesday- Spaghetti and Meatballs, Green Salad, Semolina bread

Wednesay- Pasta e Fagioli Soup, bread

Thursday- Leftovers and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Friday- Thai Shrimp over pasta for the adults, Pizza for the kids

Come back later this week, I'll post my menu ideas for the Fall to help you start thinking about seasonal cooking!

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Farmer's Market Report - Sept 6th

2008-09-06T12:37:00.006-04:00

Well, no rain this morning, but the ground at the Farmer's Market was a little squishy. Crowd was definitely down, but still tons of gorgeous produce. I picked up:

My whole, organic chicken from the "Chicken Club" (like a CSA).

Butternut squash - for a butternut-apple bake, I think.

Muscadine grapes - a southern grape and my favorite!

Tomatoes - some lovely green stripey ones, should make delicious sandwiches.

Wax beans - I've never had these before, so I thought we'd give them a try.

Some wonderful goat cheese to enjoy with my figs again and maybe in a quiche.

Come by on Monday for "Menu Plan Monday". I'll post my menu plan for the week to use this yummy haul!

Can't wait to see what you all found today!

Use the Mr Linky below, but please read the guidelines first. Be sure to link back to this page, mention the Farmer's Market Report in your post, and link to your post page (not your homepage).

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Reminder - Farmer's Market Report

2008-09-05T15:31:00.003-04:00

Don't forget - tomorrow is the Farmer's Market Report!

It is looking to be a bit wet at my Farmer's Market as Hannah treks across the coast of North Carolina. Here in the Piedmont, we won't get severe weather, but will probably have some wind and rain. Despite that our Farmer's Market promises to still be open - I'll be there!

How about you - are you are Farmer's Market shopper? If so, maybe you'd like to publish a "Farmer's Market Report" about your trip to the Farmer's Market this week and then submit it to the "Farmer's Market Report" Mr Linky tomorrow morning. Even if you don't submit, I bet you'll enjoy living vicariously through some other bloggers.

This week's Mr Linky will be up tomorrow morning around 10AM, so come on by and visit!

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Farmer's Market Report - Aug 30th

2008-08-29T17:01:00.003-04:00

Company in town, no Farmer's Market trip today for me. So, I'll have to live vicariously through you guys! What did you find at your markets this week?

Use the Mr Linky below, but please read the guidelines first. Be sure to link back to this page, mention the Farmer's Market Report in your post, and link to your post page (not your homepage).

Don't miss next week's Farmer's Market Report - subscribe via email or RSS.

Mexican Chicken Salad

2008-08-25T19:21:00.002-04:00

This is great to have when you've got leftover chicken from the grill or from a roast.

Here is the recipe from Southern Living:

4 c chopped cooked chicken
2 c shredded sharp Cheddar

Use what you like of these:
2 T chopped green pepper
2 T chopped sweet red pepper
1 16 oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 4.5 oz can of chopped green chilis
1 med. onion, chopped

Dressing:
1/2 c sour cream
1/2 c mayo
1 pkg (1.25 oz) taco seasoning mix

Or use your favorite oil and vinegar dressing.

Corn chips
Shredded iceburg or romaine lettuce
2 med tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 med avocadoes, coarsely chopped (skin and remove pit, of course)
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained

Combine the first 7 ingredients (or of those, what you want to use). Set aside.

Use the dressing of your choice (mix ingredients for Dressing 1 together). Pour over chicken mixture; toss gently, cover and chill.

Place corn chip on a plate; top with lettuce. Spoon chicken mixture onto lettuce. Top with tomato, avocado and olives. Serves 8.

When I made this I made only 2 servings. I used the oil and vinegar dressing and just poured it all over the salad rather than mixing and chilling. :) I'm never one to follow a recipe, but I figured I'd give you the "official" recipe then let you adapt it.

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Making Sustainble Fish Choices

2008-08-25T17:04:00.005-04:00

In general, I go for wild-caught fish. I don't buy it terribly often, so I don't mind if it occasionally comes from far (Alaskan salmon, for instance), but try to avoid fish that comes from far off when there are closer-caught options. I also usually avoid farmed fish - especially salmon. Some people say it is it better to purchase farmed fish and not contribute to over-fishing, but it seems to me that anything grown in industrial conditions isn't good. And most farms these days are industrial farms...including fish farms.

But I think there is a more important aspect to consider rather than "wild-caught" vs "farmed" vs. "local", and that is sustainability. Figuring out what is sustainable in the fish industry, however, is not easy for the layman.

I found a resource to share with you that might help - I know it helped me!

Top Ten Sustainable Fish Choices and Ten Fish You Should Avoid Eating at foodluvin.com

So, what do you think? Which of these choices surprised you? What changes might you make based on this. I know I'm glad I've been opting for Wild Alaskan Salmon lately...and this week I'm going to try Farm-Raised Rainbow Trout. Normally, I would have eschewed "farm-raised", but it is the most sustainable option I can make at my supermarket this week.

Now if I can just learn to fish. :)

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Figs with Goat Cheese and Balsamic

2008-08-25T13:07:00.003-04:00

I heard about this somewhere recently - darn, wish I could remember so I could give a link. (If you recognize this recipe and posted it recently, let me know and I'll link to you!) Anyway - we tried it and it is SPLENDID!

Here's what I did:

Take a large handful of the freshest figs you can find. Slice in half. Top each with a small amount of goat cheese. (I scooped a small amount and gently formed a clump for each fig half.) Drizzle balsamic vinegar (splurge on a good quality Modena for this if you can) over the top - you want just a splach on each fig. (We drizzled it on the plate first and then set our figs on top.)

The tartness, sweetness, creaminess is to die for! I should have taken a photo - but we gobbled them up to quickly!

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Weekly Menu Aug 24-Aug 30

2008-08-25T12:26:00.006-04:00

Here's what I have on hand to "use up" this week:

- a lot of mushrooms
- head of romaine lettuce
- three lovely slicing tomatoes
- a LOT of cherry tomatoes
- couple lbs of okra
- 2 sm and 2 lg eggplants
- 1 avocado
- 1 mango
- fresh pita
- 5 oz of goat cheese
- a handful of basil
- a LOT of cucumbers
- 1/4 peck of peaches
- some leftover chicken (from a roast last week)
- 6 or 7 figs from our fig tree (and more to be picked during the week for "snacks")
- a tub of plain yogurt

So, with that I am making:

Sunday:

Lunch - Pizza with Fresh Tomatoes (and mushrooms, basil and onions) Used up one slicing tomato, some mushrooms and some basil.

Dinner - Since we had such a late lunch, we kept dinner fairly light: Figs with Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinegar and Baba Ganouj and Fresh Pita Used a bit of the goat cheese, the figs that were harvested this morning, 2 small eggplants and most of the fresh pita.

Monday:

Lunch - left over pizza
Dinner - Mexican Chicken Salad and Sliced Mango. Will use up an avocado, the leftover chicken and some of the romaine.

Tuesday:

Dinner - Quiche with Spinach, Mushrooms and Goat Cheese and Melon Salad. Will use up a frozen quiche base from my freezer and some mushrooms which I'll add. A sprinkling of goat cheese on top will use up the rest of the goat cheese.

Wednesday:

Dinner - Eggplant Parmagiana and a Green Salad. Dessert: Peach Crisp and Vanilla Ice Cream. Will use up the 2 large eggplants, the rest of the romaine, and the peaches.

Thursday:

Dinner - Broiled Lemon Fish, Fresh Tomato & Basil Pasta, and Cucumber and Yogurt Salad. Will use up some cherry tomatoes and basil, cucumbers and plain yogurt.

Friday:

Dinner - Pizza (we'll do cheese for the kids and whatever toppings we have on hand for the adults)

I'll add some of the recipes this week! Check out lots of great other menus at http://www.orgjunkie.com/ !

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The Farmer's Market Report - August 23rd

2008-08-23T08:12:00.006-04:00

I saw a sign on one of the farmer's tables today that said they'd have tomatoes until OCTOBER 31!!! Wow, that makes me happy. Of course, that is precluding bad weather or an early frost. But here in the piedmont of North Carlina, that is unlikely.

Our Farmer's Market goes until November and possibly longer depending on the farmers. I've noticed the past week that the organizers of the market are really pushing that fact. Last year, I was not a confirmed farmer's marketeer, so I missed out on the late harvest. I am looking forward to it this year!

How long does your market last?

So, what found this week -

I was hoping to pick up some cataloupes, but there were none to be found. Still watermelons, but I decided against one.

Picked up some Bosky Acres goat cheese - my hubby will LOVE this. And I think I'm going to try it with our figs (from our side yard fig tree) and some balsamic.

Tomatoes are still coming in strong, so I grabbed a nice selection - a Pink Lady and some Mecklenburgs.

Eggplant is looked lovely, so I grabbed a couple of those. Next week I'm going to try the "Violetta"- it's that pretty pale purple striped variety. The farmer told me it is a bit sweeter than regular eggplant. Sounds promising!

But NO EGGS. Oh I was so disappointed! My egg lady wasn't there this week. I even had finally gathered up some egg cartons to return to her and she wasn't there. Hopefully next week.

The "Peach Guys" are still bringing in loads of peaches, so I grabbed a bag. These guys make me laugh - definitely lovely South Carolina gentlemen. Most of the farmers come in their grungies, but these two look like they just stepped off the golf course.
And my favorite PITA!

Want to share what you found at your farmer's market? Use the Mr Linky below, but please read the guidelines first. Be sure to link back to this page, mention the Farmer's Market Report in your post, and link to your post page (not your homepage).

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Turkey meatballs and Spaghetti

2008-08-18T18:31:00.003-04:00

These are such a hit at my house! These are a great easy meal for any time of year.

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 tsp garlic powder
1 T Worchester sauce
1/8 c. Parmesan cheese (grated)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c dry breadcrumbs
1/4 c. tomato sauce (I use Barilla Marinara), plus the more for the pan.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients. Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with veggie oil. Pour a very thin layer of sauce on the bottom then begin forming the meatballs and placing them in the pan. Spoon a little more sauce over the top of each meat ball (I just gently drizzle it around the pan - hitting most of the meatballs). If you have more sauce in your jar, you can save it to top the spaghetti. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Pull off the foil after 30 minutes and turn off the oven. Let the meatballs sit in the warm oven while you finish the pasta.
I use Barilla thick spaghetti noodles, boiled until al dente.

Serve a plate (or bowl) of pasta topped with a dollop of sauce and a few meatballs. Parmesan cheese is always delicious on top, too!

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Menu Plan Monday: Aug 18-22

2008-08-18T18:15:00.005-04:00

This is the first week I'm using a rotation meal plan I've designed for the busy days of the school year. I've never done this before, but I think it will make life much easier during the school year to have a "set" plan that also provides a bit of flexibility. I'll blog more about this idea in the future.

In the mean time...here is my menu plan for this week:

Monday: Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs, Green Salad
Tuesday: Roast Chicken with Rosemary and Lemon, Roasted Yukon Gold Potatoes (these are just sliced with olive oil and salt/pepper), Melon Salad (watermelon and cantaloupe - garnish with mint)
Wednesday: Going out for Mother-in-Law's birthday
Thursday: Clean out the Fridge Night
Friday: Homemade Pizza
Saturday: Thai Noodles with Peanut sauce and Green Onions and Shrimp

I'll add these recipes as I can over the next day or so. If you are interested, subscribe via email or RSS so you won't miss them. And be sure to check out the rest of the great menu ideas at the Org Junkie!

Farmer's Market Report - Aug 16th

2008-08-16T10:00:00.008-04:00

How was your Farmer's Market this week?
Get a great deal?
Find a wonderful new vegetable?
What delicious dish will you be making with your find?
Got a funny story to tell?
What did you bring home?

Today I was late getting to the Farmer's Market, again! Talking with one of my favorite farmers, I heard that the market was slow today despite perfect weather (sunny and 70 at 8:30am). We all agreed that it was probably due to late-risers after the Olympics. (I stayed up late watching the Olympics, how about you?) Did you notice it was a bit slower than usual at your market?

Well, it worked out well for me! Usually the eggs are totally gone by 7:45, but this morning, I was able to bring home 2 dozen eventhough I didn't get there until 8:30. I also found my favorite homemade pita (doesn't even compare with store-bought), slicing tomatoes, eggplant, and some basil. My fridge is quite full, so I didn't need much, but I couldn't pass up these summertime "staples".

Today, I'm going to make to following:
- a basil, cucumber and tomato salad
- eggplant dip (much like baba ganoush)
- a yummy tomato sandwich!

Check back for the recipes later today.

I can't wait to see what you've got going on at your Farmer's Market!

Blog about your experience at the farmer's market this week, then come back there and add your post URL to the Mr. Linky below. Be sure to link directly to your post, not your main page. A few guidelines, if you please:

1) Mention the Farmer's Market Report in your post.

2) Link back to this edition of the Farmer's Market Report from your post.

3) Link directly to your Farmer's Market post, not your main page.

4) If you wish, you can give a couple words in the "name" field to help describe your post or give your general location. (ex. Kerry - Charlotte, NC or Kerry - heirloom tomatoes)

5) Feel free to use the graphic above, but please only use in it conjunction with this event.

6) I reserve the right to delete any links that are inappropriate or entirely off the subject.

Leave your post's URL in the Mr. Linky below.

This Little Piggy Went to Market!

2008-08-15T14:33:00.003-04:00

Don't forget tomorrow is the Farmer's Market Report. Publish your post about your farmer's market finds or anecdotes (from any time this week - doesn't have to be a Saturday market) and then come back here and submit your link.

Can't wait to see what you all bring home tomorrow!

Monthly Link Harvest - August

2008-08-11T00:00:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite things about blogging is the great bits of information you run across all over the blogosphere. I enjoy sharing what I find, too.

Here are some interesting and, hopefully, useful articles I've run across in the last month. I'm calling it a "Link Harvest":

10 benefits of higher fuel prices. Well, that's something.

Solar-powered dryers (HT: The Common Room) (Ok, this is really about clotheslines and home owner's associations.)

Reducing waste - Food Waste!

When to buy organic and when you shouldn't.

Is switching to reusable really that important? Here are 50 reasons that say, "Yes!"

From the USDA - a chart to help you determine what can be frozen and for how long.

A great post, with photos, about making compost...and some further links.

Art work: The Corn Harvest - August by Pieter Brugel the Elder (1556)

Tomato pruning and a contest!

2008-08-10T13:19:00.002-04:00

A sweet smelling tomato warmed by the summer sun - that is my favorite summer vegetable. Do you love to grow tomatoes? I do! Here's a tutorial on how to prune tomatoes for my fellow tomato lovers.

So, what does this have to do with a contest? Well, the Desert Diva is hosting a little a contest and all you have to do is leave a coment on her blog (this post) and share with her about your favorite fruit or vegetable OR share with her about your farmer's market. And you might WIN!

If you stop by, please let her know I sent you!

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Farmer's Market Report - Aug 9th

2008-08-09T09:30:00.002-04:00

How was your Farmer's Market this week?
Get a great deal?
Find a wonderful new vegetable?
Got a funny story to tell?
What did you bring home?

Blog about your experience at the farmer's market this week, then come back there and leave add your post URL to the Mr. Linky below. Be sure to link directly to your post, not your main page.

Today, our farmer's market was much quieter than usual. I think everyone stayed up late watching the Olympic Opening Ceremony and had to sleep in! I stayed up late, but got up anyway. My family is heading out of town for a few days (just hubby and kids...I'm home alone!), so I really didn't need much at all. However, I am part of a "Chicken Club", and today was our next pick up day for our "harvest", so I had to go get my bird. I get one bird at each harvest - fresh, free range, organically-fed. It is unbelievable how good these chickens are - even better than the ones I get from Trader Joe's.

It was a perfect day to look at some of the other vendors at our farmer's market - specifically the baker and a soap-maker. So, I enjoyed a blueberry scone for my breakfast from the baker and got the most fragrant and lovely soap (Lavender - Tea Tree) from the soap maker. I love that our farmer's market has more than just produce!

Although I wasn't purchasing produce today, there was a lot of it and so beautiful! Figs, pears, tomatoes, lettuce, squash, peppers, cantaloupes, watermelons, beets, corn and lots more. Our little farmer's market sure does provide some wonderful produce!

I can't wait to hear what your found at your farmer's market! Leave your post's URL in the Mr. Linky below!

The Farmer's Market Report - Information and Guidelines

2008-08-09T00:00:00.003-04:00

How was your Farmer's Market this week?
Get a great deal?
Find a wonderful new vegetable?
What delicious dish will you be making with your find?
Got a funny story to tell?
What did you bring home?

I started the "Farmer's Market Report" to encourage communication between bloggers trying to eat locally and/or seasonally.

Each week the Report features food finds, recipes, stories and photos inspired by farmer's markets - all across the country (and sometimes further). Want to participate?

Blog about your experience at the farmer's market this week, then use the most recent post's Mr. Linky to add your post's URL.

A few guidelines, if you please:
1) Mention the Farmer's Market Report in your post.

2) Link back to this edition of the Farmer's Market Report from your post.

3) Link directly to your Farmer's Market post, not your main page.

4) If you wish, you can give a couple words in the "name" field to help describe your post or give your general location. (ex. Kerry - Charlotte, NC or Kerry - heirloom tomatoes)

5) Feel free to use the graphic above, but please only use in it conjunction with this event or this blog.

6) I reserve the right to delete any links that are inappropriate or entirely off the subject.

Have fun!

7 Steps to a Productive Farmers Market Trip

2008-08-08T08:13:00.007-04:00

Recently, many families have become aware of the importance of eating organically, sustainably, and locally. This means many people are looking to the farmers market for their grocery needs. And for many people, Saturday is their farmer's market day.

But I've seen a few families wandering around aimlessly or arriving late only to find most of the produce gone. To avoid this, I've got 7 simple steps that I think will help you have a productive trip. I bet some of you will be able to add to these, too...leave a comment if you've got other suggestions!

1. Get up EARLY! If this means you have to go to bed early, do it. Know what you are wearing, what you are bringing to the farmer's market, and, do not underestimate the importance of this one, how you will get caffeine. Plan to arrive when the market opens - or even a few minutes before (which might give you time to take care of #4 before the market even opens).

2. Have cash. I go to the ATM the day before and generally take $40 with me, sometimes more if I know I have a lot to purchase (like when I was buying a heap of peaches a few weeks ago). Try to break large bills into smaller ones (5s and 1s are best). But if you don't have time to break your bills, consider making a large purchase from one of the farmers first and breaking your bill that way. (I break my bills by getting a cup of coffee on my way and they are usually happy to make change.)

3. Bring a big bag, basket or small hand cart. Many farmers will have plastic bags on hand, but it can get very cumbersome to pick out produce and dig your cash out of your pocket while holding all those heavy bags. A big bag can be hung on your shoulder freeing up your hands. A basket can be set on the ground and obviously a small hand cart is a breeze to roll around.

4. Take a tour. When you first arrive at the farmer's market, take a quick tour around to see what is available from the farmers. This also gives you a chance to quickly compare prices a bit. Once you've made a full circuit, then start shopping.

There are some caveats here - 1) if you are worried about the availability of an item (for me it is eggs), go to those farmers first. 2) if you have a very large farmers market (more than, say, 30 farmers) you might prefer to skip the tour and instead head for the back of the market and work your way to the front. However, even for a large market it can be wise to make a simple tour of the main "aisle" just to see what is available.

5. Talk with the farmers! Get to know your farmers and let them get to know you. Ask them questions about the produce they are selling, what their future harvest might hold, where they farm, etc. Enjoy your time with them. And if there is something you particularly liked from a previous purchase, let them know! (Conversely, if there was something you didn't like, let them know that, too.) And let them know you support their efforts to continue supplying local food.

6. Remember, this is NOT a grocery store. Vegetables will not be sprayed with wax to be shiny. Some vegetables may have little "friends" with them (bugs). Vegetables may be less "regular" than what you are used to finding in a store. This is NORMAL! Super shiny, no bugs, pefectly uniform is NOT NORMAL. The farmer's market is real stuff and real stuff is, well, real.

7. Make a plan for your purchases. When you get home be ready to go to work.

Figure out how you'll use what you've purchased. Do you need shrimp to go in that Shrimp Gumbo you are planning to make with your fresh okra? How about a new Fig Tart recipe for those figs?
Wash and trim any vegetables that need it. Give that spinach the long cold soak it may need to get rid of all the sand in its leaves. Chop up those carrots into "matchsticks" and store in an container for the kids's snacks.
Provide the proper storage to keep everything fresh. Does that cantaloupe need a day or two more to ripen on the counter? How about a good container to keep the lettuce from wilting in the refrigerator?

So, are you planning a trip to your farmer's market tomorrow or have you gone recently? Let me hear about it! Come back tomorrow and participate in the "Farmer's Market Report". (I'll have a Mr. Linky set up.)

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August "Recipe Swap Box"

2008-08-06T23:38:00.006-04:00

Randi at i have to say is hosting her monthly "Recipe Swap Box" - this month's theme is "Garden Fresh". Check out the delicious recipes...and share some of your own!

If you are here from Randi's blog, Welcome! My blog is new, but poke around a bit. You'll find some other good recipes and more to come - all seasonal and sustainable for suburbanites!

Here are the recipes I'm sharing this month...

Summer Garden Ratatouille

Cucumbers with Yogurt and Mint

Whole Wheat Peach Kuchen

Classic Tomato Sauce

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Cinnamon Raisin Bread - in the breadmaker

2008-08-05T11:10:00.002-04:00

My kids love cinnamon raisin bread, but I've had trouble finding one that isn't expensive or is as healthy as I'd like it. So, I decided it was time to find a good recipe to make at home. The past few weeks, I've been trying different cinnamon raisin breads looking for just the right one. And I found this one yesterday....it is FANTASTIC!

It makes a very large loaf - touched the top of my 2lb breadmaker! And the taste and texture was just what I was looking for...very cinnamony, chewy, but not heavy. If you love cinnamon raisin bread, give this one adapted from Recipezaar.com a try!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread
1 tablespoon oil
1 1/4 cups warm water, plus
1 tablespoon warm water
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup maple syrup (or maple-flavored syrup, if you must)
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups bread flour, plus
2 tablespoons bread flour
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

**1/2-3/4 cup raisins (add these towards the end of the kneading cycle - if your maker has an "add fruit and nuts" indicator use it)

1 - Place the ingredients in the order given.
2 - Make a small well in flour and pour in yeast.
3 - Bake on 2 lb basic cycle.
4 - Add raisins at proper time for your maker

Some of the reviews on Recipezaar.com indicated that the dough was a bit sticky, but came out fine. Mine wasn't at all like that, but I think it is due to the whole wheat flour (the original did not use whole wheat). Just be warned if you use all white flour, your dough might look a little stickier than usual.

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Classic Tomato Sauce

2008-08-04T21:48:00.003-04:00

Marcella Hazan is one of my favorite Italian cookbook authors. Her book, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, is a fantastic resource if you love Italian food. She has many great recipes for pasta sauces - this one is a true classic and couldn't be much simpler.

Tomato Sauce with Onion and Butter
2 lbs fresh, ripe tomatoes (blanched, skinned and coarsely chopped) OR 2 c. canned Italian plum tomatoes, cut up, with their juices
5 T butter
1 med. onion, peeled and cut in half
Salt

Put the tomatoes in a saucepan, add the butter, onion, and salt, and cook uncovered at a very slow, but steady simmer for 45 minutes, or until the fat floats free from the tomato. Stir from time to time, mashing any large pieces of tomato in the pan with the back of a wooden spoon. Taste and correct for salt. Remove onion before tossing the sauce with pasta (save it for the stock pot).

This sauce may be frozen - just remove the onion before freezing. Marcella says this is the "unsurpassed sauce for Potato Gnocchi" - little potato and flour dumplings cooked like pasta in water. Instead of making these from scratch - which I've done before, I found some all prepared to be boiled at Trader Joe's, so that is what I'm using. Cheating, I know!

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Summer Garden Ratatouille

2008-08-04T21:36:00.002-04:00

This is one of those easily adaptable recipes. Throw in whatever amounts or types of the vegetables you have.

This recipe is from Simply In Season, a wonderful little cookbook to help you start cooking with the seasons.

Summer Garden Ratatouille
2 onions, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
Saute in 3 T olive oil about 5 minutes.

1 med. eggplant, chopped
1 1/2 T fresh basil, chopped or 2 tsp dry
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped or 1 tsp dry
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh marjoram, chopped or 1/2 tsp dry
Add, cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is soft, about 15-20 minutes.

2 summer squash, chopped
2 peppers (green or sweet - red or orange), cut in strips
2 c tomatoes, chopped
Add and simmer until peppers and squash are tender, about 10 minutes. Serve over pasta or polenta sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley, black olives or freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

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Whole Wheat Peach Kuchen

2008-08-04T20:54:00.004-04:00

The original called for peaches, and I intend to try it with peaches soon, but I had blackberries that needed to be used up, so I decided to try it with those first. The results were quite delicious!

From Simply In Season:

Whole Wheat Peach Kuchen
3/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c. flour
2 T sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
Combine in a large bowl.

1/4 c. butter
Cut in until crumbly. Pat mixture over bottom and sides of baking pan or oven-safe frying pan.

4 c peaches, halved and peeled (I substituted 4 c. blackberries that had been sprinkled with sugar)
Arrange in pastry, cut side down.

3 T sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Mix together and sprinkle over top. Bake in preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.

1 c plain yogurt
1 egg, beaten
2 T sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Combine and pour over peaches and bake 30 more minutes or until set.

I'd suggest putting the baking pan on a cookie sheet. I over cooked the crust just a bit trying to get the custard set. Serve with a little ice cream or a bit of cream on top!

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Cucumbers with Yogurt and Mint

2008-08-04T20:42:00.003-04:00

This is a great salad to keep on hand in the summer for a quick lunch. It is very refreshing. Again, I don't really have a recipe for this.

Cucumbers with Yogurt and Mint

3 cucumbers peeled, halved and sliced
salt
1/3 c. of plain yogurt
2 Tbsp of fresh, chopped mint (don't even try to use dried mint - it really won't be as good)

Salt the sliced cucumbers and place in a colander to drain. Leave them for at least half an hour - more is better. An hour is plenty. This pulls out the excess water. They'll get a little limp, but still have a nice crunch. Place in a bowl and stir in 1/3 c of plain yogurt. (Use more or less depending on your taste.) If you have a mortar and pestle give the mint leaves a little crush in that before adding them to the yogurt and cucumbers. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, just give the leaves a good scrunch with your hand. This will soften the leaves and help release the oils and flavor. Mix the crushed mint into the yogurt and cucmbers. Stir well and refrigerate.

Sometimes I find that I like to add a dash or two more salt to the mixture before I refrigerate. It should have a slightly salty taste. I know that sounds weird - salt, yogurt and mint, but it really is yummy and refreshing!

In many Eastern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cultures there is a drink with yogurt, salt and mint (and water to thin out the yogurt). It is surprisingly delicious - tart yogurt, zippy mint and that slight saltiness. If anyone has a good recipe for that, I'd love to have it. Otherwise I guess I just need to experiment with it.

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Rosemary and Lemon Baked Chicken

2008-08-04T18:59:00.003-04:00

This smells absolutely divine while it cooks! It is perfect to throw in the oven when you've got a busy day and no time to stand at the stove. All you need to have is a couple of sides (veggies or salad and bread) and you are done! Now, I don't really have a recipe, so bear with me.

Rosemary and Lemon Baked Chicken

1 whole roasting chicken
2 lemons
a few springs of fresh rosemary (fresh is important, the resin in the fresh leaves is very aromatic!)
garlic powder or cloves
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Rub your pan with a little olive oil. Place two springs of rosemary on bottom of pan and place chicken, breast side up, on top of those springs. Put a spring or two of rosemary in the cavity of the chicken. Cut lemons in half and squeeze the juice all over the surface of chicken. Place two lemon halves into the cavity and lay the other two in the pan around the chicken. Drizzle more olive oil over surface of the bird. Sprinkle a touch of garlic powder OR put a clove or two into the cavity. Salt and pepper the bird to taste.

Roast bird until it reaches an interior temp of 180 degrees F. The time this takes will vary depending on the size of the bird and your oven, but generally, 1 hour and 1/2 or so. (Start checking at 1 hr.)

When bird comes out of the oven remove it from the pan and let it sit (on a tray or cutting board) for a few minutes to let the juices be absorbed into the meat.

Slice and enjoy!

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Weekly Menu: August 4th-8th

2008-08-04T17:00:00.005-04:00

Each week, Laura, at I'm an Organizing Junkie blog hosts a wonderful "carnival" of weekly menus called Menu Plan Monday. What a great resource for ideas!

If you are here via Laura's blog, Welcome! This blog is devoted to conversations about seasonal and sustainable food. Each week, my menus will include recipes and ideas for cooking with what is in season and probably can be found locally, too. Interested? Be sure to subscribe by email or RSS so you won't miss a thing!

Lots of lovely things in season right now! This week we are enjoying: spinach, cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, watermelon, peaches, blackberries, tomatoes, corn, and fresh herbs.

Here's what we are eating (the bolded items are recipes that will be posted seperately, be sure to check back as I get them online.):

Sunday: Rosemary and Lemon Baked Chicken, watermelon, corn on the cob (this is a Sunday favorite. We trim off the meat, make broth with the rest of the bird, add vegetables and noodles to make chicken noodle soup for lunches.)

Monday: Green salad with diced chicken (and homemade croutons), watermelon, Cucumbers with Yogurt and Mint, corn bread. Dessert tonight is a Whole Wheat Blackberry Kuchen (adapted from one of my favorite cookbooks, Simply In Season).

Tuesday: Summer Garden Ratatouille, Italian-style chicken sausage, corn bread

Wednesday: Gnocchi with Classic Tomato Sauce, a side of steamed spinach (with malt vinegar)

Thursday: Clean out the FRIDGE Night.

Friday: CHINESE FEAST night - to celebrate the opening of the Beijing Olympics: Chinese Dumplings (frozen from Costco - really good!), Longevity Noodles, Stir-Fry vegetables (whatever we have on hand at that point - bok choy, edamame, broccoli, etc), crystallized ginger over vanilla ice cream and/or fortune cookies (not really a Chinese dish, but can we eat Chinese without them?!?)

Saturday: TBD - I'll be completely on my own (hubby and kids taking a quick trip to the beach), so I'm not sure what delightful dish I'll whip up that night. It sounds like I'll have plenty of leftovers from all this food, so I suppose I can always just munch on those!

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Welcome!

2008-08-01T21:00:00.000-04:00

Hi there!

I’m Kerry, a stay-at-home, home educating mom to 3 kids ages 6, 8 and 12 in the suburbs of Charlotte, NC. Hubby and I have always been pretty healthy eaters - since childhood really. We both grew up in families where eating healthy food was important. In a lot of ways we’ve always been pretty “crunchy”, although, not adamantly so.

About a year ago, our family began eating “seasonally” as a stepping stone to eating locally. Now, I don’t think we’ll ever be able to pull off the “One Local Year” challenge, but I figure any little bit I can do is worth it. And honestly, I’m too lazy to to be overzealous about it (my hubby calls me a “slackitarian”). But, I’m going to do what I can and, shoot, let’s do it together!

So, are you a seasonal eater, locavore, home gardener, or organic eater? Or are you interested in learning more about that together? What made you stop by the blog and what types of things would you like to see here? Let’s get the conversation started!

About This Blog

2008-08-01T08:00:00.001-04:00

Hi there! I'm so glad you stopped by! I’m Kerry, a stay-at-home, home-educating mom to 4 kids ages 7 months, 6, 8 and 12 in the suburbs of Charlotte, NC.

About a year ago, our family began eating “seasonally” as a stepping stone to eating locally, more sustainably, and supporting our local farmers. I've found that cooking with my local seasons keeps my menus from getting "stale" and makes it much easier to cook with really fresh ingredients.

Now, I don’t think we’ll ever be able to pull off the “One Local Year” challenge, but I figure any little bit I can do is worth it. And honestly, I’m too lazy to be overzealous about it. But, I’m going to do what I can and, shoot, let’s do it together!

So, are you a seasonal eater, locavore, home gardener, or organic eater? Or are you interested in learning more about that together? What made you stop by the blog and what types of things would you like to see here? Let’s get the conversation started!