tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50465900630798781302024-03-05T04:03:46.580-08:00Upstate Cali Kitchen AdventuresCelebrating the year-round offerings of the Chico Farmers Market...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.comBlogger177125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-53938814819893984642014-05-04T22:27:00.001-07:002014-05-04T22:27:08.076-07:00A Fay in the Life OfBreakfast: coffee with sugar and half n half, homemade granola with local raw milk<div><br><div>Coffee out with a friend: almond croissant <br><div><br></div><div>Lunch/ Snack: Tillamook cheese (just like Grandma always had) with crackers (from Trader Joes), Speculoos cookie spread (watch out; that stuff is addictive.)</div></div><div><br></div><div>Dinner: Snap Pea salad with Miso Dressing (from the Smitten Kitchen Cookbook-- but I think she has a similar dressing recipe published on her blog), grocery store chicken breast (marinated in teriyaki sauce and broiled) with white rice. Featuring snap peas for sweetness, Napa cabbage for crunch and carrots for both, this salad is my new favorite. </div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-24221884666191246652014-03-28T22:50:00.001-07:002014-03-28T22:50:46.323-07:00A Day in the Life ofI've always been fascinated with what people eat. I am a total grocery cart peeker. I like to think my family's diet centers around mostly local and/or real food. But does it? I don't know. So here is anew series. In A Day in the Life Of posts, I'll list everything I ate (as best I can remember) in one day. <div><br></div><div>Today is toward the end of the month and money feels a little tight, and that may be reflected in today's choices. Heavy on the carbs, meatless, ice cream-less. ("Honey, do you have any cash left, 'cause I think I just used the last of the toilet paper.")</div><div><br></div><div><b>Morning</b>: </div><div>Coffee (Don Francisco brand purchased on sale at Raleys, brewed at home) with local raw milk and organic sugar. </div><div>Oatmeal- Alana Chernilla's recipe instant oatmeal </div><div>A few bites of salted dark chocolate- a birthday present from my husband purchased at Cost Plus. </div><div><br></div><div><b>Lunch</b>:</div><div>Homemade pizza pockets- these were entirely impromptu. I made them using a batch of croissant dough I had frozen months ago (the recipe from King Arthur Flour's <i>Whole Grain Baking</i>), filled with the last few tablespoons of a jar of Trader Joes's pizza sauce and a little grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese (also from Trader Joe's) topped with a generous sprinkle of Real salt and organic Italian Seasoning (from the local health food store). These turned out surprisingly well. </div><div><br></div><div><b>Afternoon: </b></div><div>A couple handfuls of salted cashews, some leftover sweet potato baked with coconut oil and salt, and some Theo's brand dark chocolate that a coworker's mother bought for her because it was soy-free. (Four of us at work tried this particular chocolate bar--the salted almond variety--and everyone else thought it had a funny aftertaste. We collectively determined that it is more of a wine-like chocolate than a junk food chocolate, and apparently I was the only one who liked it much, so I got to keep the rest of it. Score! </div><div><b><br></b></div><div><b>Evening</b>:</div><div>Brown rice pasta (Trader Joe's) with locally grown chard, kale and butternut squash, doused with garlic-butter (local) and olive oil (Trader Joes-- yes, I know there are many local olive oil producers who would appreciate my purchase, but...) and salt and pepper, topped with Parmesan and (local) parsley. Roasted local beets. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-18958445351745910522014-03-13T23:00:00.001-07:002014-03-13T23:10:13.160-07:00Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice CreamI've tried a number of recipes in my quest to find a decent Peanut Butter and Chocolate Ice Cream. Something about the way peanut butter freezes creates a weird texture, so I've made a few recipes that I thought were absolutely amazing at their initial soft-serve texture, but were quite disappointing a day later after they'd hardened in the freezer. <div><br></div><div>Also, I should probably provide the disclaimer that I don't like standard peanut butter cups. Those orange-wrapped things seem to be pretty popular, but I find them greasy, overly sweet and the filling seems gritty. I write that so that you know that I may not be the best judge of character when it comes to the classic peanut butter and chocolate combo. I should mention that, not surprisingly if you read my blog, because I am evidently a pretty diehard fan, I find the peanut butter cups in Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup ice cream at least satisfactory. The chocolate is a little thicker than I suppose would be ideal, but it is in no way waxy like Reese's, and the peanut butter filling is much smoother. </div><div><br></div><div>So in this ice cream my favorite creamy Milk Chocolate Ice Cream base is speckled with little clumps of soft peanut butter goodness, kind of like a smooth peanut butter cup filling without the pesky too-thick, not-intense-enough-chocolate shell. </div><div><br></div><div>One more note: I grew up on Baskin Robbins' rich, dark chocolate ice cream with that salty, crunchy-when-frozen peanut butter swirl. This ice cream is not that. As much as I would love to recreate that, all my attempts at a peanut butter swirl have had textural issues. Also this Milk Chocolate ice cream base is more like a frosty in flavor (and texture if eaten within a few hours of churning). </div><div><br></div><div><div><b>Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream</b></div></div><div><i>Ice cream base adapted from Ben & Jerry's. Mix-in adapted from a peanut butter frosting recipe from King Arthur Flour. Makes slightly more than 1 quart. </i></div><div><i><br></i></div><div>Make ice cream base: Whisk together <b>2 whole eggs</b>. I use my electic stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Gradually whisk in <b>4 tablespoons cocoa powder </b>and <b>2/3 cup sugar. </b>Scrape sides of bowl. If desired add a pinch of salt. Whisk in <b>1 cup whole milk, </b><b>2 cups heavy whipping cream </b>and <b>1 teaspoon vanilla extract. </b>Transfer ice cream mixture to ice cream maker. Churn according to manufacturer's instuctions. </div><div><br></div><div>Make peanut butter mix-ins: In same mixing bowl (no need to wash it), whisk <b>1/2 cup creamy salted peanut butter.</b> For ease of mixing, room temperature peanut butter is best. As much as I hate to say it, use the commercial stuff; the natural stuff is too gritty for confectionary applications. (I have used Trader Joe's peanut butter here successfully, but who knows whether it is more natural than other grocery store's brands). Whisk in <b>1/4 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar. </b>Continue to whisk until all the sugar is absorbed by the peanut butter. Then slowly whisk in <b>2-4 tablespoons heavy cream or half and half </b>and <b>a splash of vanilla extract. </b> You want something thicker than a buttercream frosting, but slightly less thick than a cookie dough. Use a spatula to scrape peanut butter mixture out of mixing bowl and onto a work surface such as a cutting board or plate. Use clean hands to pinch off a 1/4 to a 1/2 teaspoon of the mixture at a time. Roll into balls as neatly or as roughly as you like. If time allows, transfer finished mix-ins to freezer. </div><div><br></div><div>One minute before the end of churning time, drop peanut butter mix-ins into the ice cream maker a few at a time. Let churn a minute to distribute. Transfer ice cream to freezer-safe containers to continue freeze time. Ice cream is generally at soft-serve texture fresh out of the machine, but will become a more scoopable ice cream after a few hours in the freezer. </div><div><br></div><div><i>This recipe contains raw eggs. Proceed with caution. </i></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-55057561427301269932014-02-13T09:58:00.001-08:002014-02-13T11:47:11.935-08:00Claire's Favorite Almond Flour Pancakes - GFA few years ago I mentioned that we don't eat bananas because they are not locally produced. Well having a baby changes things. Our third baby is going gluten-free and grain-free until she's at least a year old. (Uh oh. I just made a comment about my own parenting choices on the internet. Cue the haters.) For the time being organic bananas are a staple in our kitchen. They are easy to digest and the perfect texture for babies. <div><br></div><div><b>Claire's Favorite Pancakes</b></div><div>These aren't just for babies. I like them too. They are easier and tastier than any of the other almond flour pancakes I have tried.</div><div>Serves 1-2. Easily doubled. </div><div><br></div><div>1 ripe banana - a thawed frozen banana is fine </div><div>1 large egg</div><div>3/4 cup blanched almond flour</div><div>Dash sea salt</div><div>1/4 teaspoon baking soda</div><div>Heaping tablespoon arrowroot powder</div><div>Butter for the pan</div><div><br></div><div>In small mixing bowl mash banana. Whisk in egg. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk to mix. Batter will be thick. </div><div><br></div><div>Scoop about 1/4 of the batter into a hot buttered skillet. (On my stove, I cook pancakes just below medium heat.) spread batter with a spatula. Cook a few minutes, until the bottom has coked enough to flip, then flip and cook a minute or two more. </div><div><br></div><div>Boom! Soft, grain-free, naturally sweet pancakes. <div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVYbkPEirSRyaYugHPdZq80YevN_085NyByzNdt7mvDaBZKX_N8L9IyRmHQccMyZ3w6hcfqA1MYjTtl0J1TBLfuW_nsHXIovkK-GEgi4l2jH6u5qpXkKdqQxkBeJi6vd-86pmT5zaIfQ/s640/blogger-image--1619621228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOVYbkPEirSRyaYugHPdZq80YevN_085NyByzNdt7mvDaBZKX_N8L9IyRmHQccMyZ3w6hcfqA1MYjTtl0J1TBLfuW_nsHXIovkK-GEgi4l2jH6u5qpXkKdqQxkBeJi6vd-86pmT5zaIfQ/s640/blogger-image--1619621228.jpg"></a></div></div><div><br><div><div><br></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-69851607251740749922013-11-15T21:51:00.001-08:002013-12-07T21:57:06.108-08:00How to Roast a Winter Squash<b>How to Roast a Winter Squash</b><div><b><br></b></div><div>Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds. Place cut side down in the baking dish with 1/4" of water. Roast in a 400 degree F oven for one hour. Give or take 15 minutes and 50 degrees. Turn squash over to reveal soft flesh. Season with a little butter, salt and pepper. </div><div><br></div><div><b>Why roast a Winter Squash</b></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>Looking for a way to cut carbs or calories? Looking for ways to eat more veggies or utilize more local produce? Replace pasta, mashed potatoes, tortillas or other starchy sides with squash. Serve food inside a half of a squash. Let the squash soak up the sauce instead of using bread. Bonus: on chilly winter evenings, serving food inside a freshly baked squash half keeps the food warmer longer. </div><div><br></div><div>Common types of winter squash include butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash. </div><div><br></div><div><b>Don't knock it 'til you try it:</b></div><div>Serve seasoned taco meat in a roasted spaghetti squash half. Top with shredded lettuce, cheese and salsa. </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-76852682355647745122013-02-14T08:46:00.004-08:002013-02-14T08:46:48.655-08:00Blood Orange MarmaladeWe're at the height of citrus season here in Upstate California. I'm loving the oranges. Our family goes through ten pounds in a week easily. We're also loving blood oranges. On the outside they look quite like a naval orange, maybe a rosier tone to their skin, but on the inside they are red-purple (watch out for staining) and their flavor, while definitely citrusy, has a very "berry" element to it. Such a prize in the middle of winter! To me a blood orange isn't a substitute for a naval orange, it's a whole different fruit. With our first taste of this years' crop of blood oranges a few weeks ago I was so taken aback by the berry-ness of their flavor, I immediately wanted to preserve it. <br />
<br />
I've been trying to take it easy in the kitchen lately, because this pregnancy is reminding me to rest, so I wanted a marmalade with an easy method. No de-seeding, no separating the peel from the pith and then segmenting or supreming the fruit. (Who are these bloggers who have time to peel and section multiple pounds of citrus...and then tie up the seeds in a piece of cheese cloth "for added bitterness"?)<br />
<br />
Also, I wasn't looking for a classicly bitter marmalade; I wanted a fruit spread that captured the flavor of a blood orange. I wasn't looking for slices of orange peel, but a smoother texture, something to make the kids stop complaining that we ran out of strawberry jam months ago. So I took the basic ingredients from one recipe and I adapted it to use a method briefly mentioned on the blog, Hitchhiking to Heaven (a blog totally devoted to jams, jellies and preserves). That lady knows her preserves. In <a href="http://hitchhikingtoheaven.com/2011/02/why-a-good-marmalade-takes-time.html">this post</a> she mentions--and pictures--a Rio Star Grapefruit Jam. She refers to it as a jam because the whole fruit is pureed in a food processor and cooked more quickly than a classic marmalade. Whatever the terminology, I'm glad I used her method. A 90-minute simmer for the whole fruit, a quick whirl in the food processor, then a fairly brief simmer with sugar to make a tangy-sweet marmalade/jam was a fun Sunday afternoon project.<br />
<br />
I think about this jam when I go to bed at night... On a piece of sourdough Sunflower-Sesame toast from <a href="http://myweb.csuchico.edu/~ewalrath/bread.html">Hearth & Stone Bakery</a> with butter. I think about it when I wake up in the morning. And then I go make a slice and cup of tea and I start my day. <br />
<br />
<b>Blood Orange Marmalade</b><br />
<i>Adapted from <a href="http://spectacularlydelicious.com/2012/03/20/blood-orange-marmalade/">Spectacularly Delicious </a>with inspiration from <a href="http://hitchhikingtoheaven.com/2011/02/why-a-good-marmalade-takes-time.html">Hitchhiking to Heaven</a></i><br />
<i>Makes approximately 8 half pints. </i><br />
<br />
2 pounds blood oranges <br />
2 lemons (I subbed another blood orange for one of the lemons)<br />
water<br />
8 cups sugar<br />
<br />
Thoroughly clean blood oranges and lemons by scrubbing with a vegetable brush under running water. Remove any stems. Place whole fruits in large saucepan and add water to cover. Bring to a simmer and let simmer with pot partially covered until fruit is tender and can be easily pierced with a knife (about 90 minutes). This requires almost no attention while simmering, a perfect time to make tortillas with the kids or do whatever other household chores keep you busy on a Sunday afternoon.<br />
<br />
When fruit is tender, remove to a plate to cool a bit. The original recipe calls for saving the water that the fruit cooked in, but I only saved about a cup. I wasn't really interested in the extra bitterness that the liquid was supposed to provide and I certainly wasn't interested in the extra boiling time that all that liquid would add to the final cooking stage, so I deviated from the recipe. Cut the fruit in half and removed the seeds from the lemons (there weren't any visible seeds in the blood oranges). Working in two batches, put the halved fruit in a food processor and pulse 5-10 times until it is a small mince, not completely uniform. Return the puree to the pot (with the reserved 1 cup of liquid), add the sugar and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally at the beginning, more constantly toward the end to prevent scorching, until the mixture thickens, about 20-30 minutes. You're aiming for a temperature of 222F on a candy thermometer, but mine was sufficiently thick before it reached that temperature. <br />
<br />
Transfer marmalade to hot sterilized half-pint jars. Leave 1/2" headspace. Process is boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove to a towel covered counter and let sit 24 hours. Check seals, label and store up to one year. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-9396279965233371092013-02-08T16:21:00.002-08:002013-02-12T12:54:10.268-08:00Favorite Homemade SnacksHere's a list of things I've made recently that I'm not going to blog about because few, if any, of the ingredients were sourced from the farmers market, but they deserve your attention (especially if you're a mom who avoids packaged foods and you're looking for lunch box ideas).<br />
<br />
And if you fit into that category and you don't already follow Alana Chernilla's blog <a href="http://www.eatingfromthegroundup.com/">Eating From the Ground Up</a>, may I highly recommend it? She has a book out titled "The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making." (Click<a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Homemade-Pantry-Buying-Making/dp/030788726X/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1"> here</a> to use the Look Inside feature on Amazon, but if you want to buy it, go support an independent bookseller.) It is #1 on my list of Books I Want to Read, But Can't Find At the Library. In the meantime, every recipe I've tried from her blog (or from other internet sources with her name on them) has been undoubtedly worth the effort. The recipes are simple and adaptable using easily sourced, mainly whole-food ingredients. Her writing style is welcoming. Her blog serves as a gracious reminder to me to not be overly frustrated by chaos in the kitchen and to remember what a blessing it is to spend time in the kitchen with my daughters. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.eatingfromthegroundup.com/2010/04/car-snack-2/">Car Snack 2</a>- This takes about five minutes of actual work and 25 minutes of baking time. And you end up with 12-16 honey granola bars (I subbed honey for the Lyle's Golden Syrup), heavy on the oats, kinda crisp, with just a little chew. Perfect for a kid's or adult's lunch box. (A good starter granola bar for a person who thinks they don't like nuts.) <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.tastingtable.com/entry_detail/chefs_recipes/8158">Car Snack 3</a>- This one takes a little longer to prepare because there are more ingredients: lots of nuts and seeds, but again after a half hour in the oven you're left with two dozen granola bars, which store nicely in the freezer. These are vaguely reminiscent of a storebought Chewy granola bar, but a little bigger and heartier, less sweet. These are a lunchbox favorite of my 8-year old, who says she doesn't like nuts. Hmm, I guess the almond butter absorbs into the other stuff enough that it doesn't count, and well, I don't know what she thought that shredded coconut and those pumpkin seeds (which I used in place of sliced almonds) were. Maybe it's the presence of just enough chocolate to steal the show?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://noshyouraverageblog.wordpress.com/2012/09/25/homemade-instant-oatmeal/">Homemade Instant Oatmeal</a>- Not a kid's lunch box item, but it's an easy breakfast for the kids and something I can take to work and make at the office.) I haven't been an instant oatmeal eater for years, but there are certain flavors that my husband and older daughter liked when we were buying packaged cereals. Oatmeal (the Old-Fashioned kind) is an easy enough thing to whip up in the mornings. Grace is certainly capable of making it herself in the microwave (1 cup of water + 1/2 cup oats in a Pyrex measuring cup microwaved for 3:30). But lately I've grown skeptical about the safety of <a href="http://www.modernalternativekitchen.com/2012/11/breaking-up-with-your-microwave/#.URVyDvLD4yo">heating food in microwaves</a>, so I tried this. I never imagined what an instant hit it would be our household! All four of us have been enjoying it for breakfast. And the real beauty of it is that the toppings are already in it, so making a bowl of oatmeal only requires boiling water on the stove (and an optional splash of milk). No kids juggling glass jars of brown sugar (and parents wondering exactly how many 'scoops' of sugar were put into a bowl of oatmeal). No spilling cinnamon on the counter. No arguing about an appropriate amount of raisins... or the color of the raisins. No complainants that we're out of one of the necessary add-ins. <br />
<br />
We tried this on a whim a month ago, and since then I've needed to make a double batch each week to keep us stocked up. As is customary with Alana's recipes, this one is very versatile. The ingredients are old-fashioned rolled oats, brown sugar (I've been using half Rapadura, because I like that it is less refined, and half organic sugar), cinnamon, salt and dried fruit.<br />
<br />
The oats are spread on a baking sheet and toasted for 20 minutes in the oven. If you're into soaking your grains, you can certainly do that, just plan for a longer toasting time (usually about 40 minutes, with a couple break-up-the-clumps-breaks in the middle). Then four cups of the oats are pulsed in the food processor with the sugar, cinnamon and salt, and lastly the remaining two cups of oats and the dried fruit are stirred in. (Raisins and blueberries can be left whole or chopped briefly in the food processor. The easiest way I've found to cut larger dried fruit is with kitchen shears. I tried the food processor, but large pieces seem to get stuck on the blades. I add about 1 cup of dried fruit to a 6-cup batch of oatmeal.) We keep our instant oatmeal in a glass canister or half-gallon mason jar with a half-cup scoop left in the jar for easy measuring. One batch yields 12-14 servings of oatmeal.<br />
<br />
To make a serving simply pour almost 1 cup boiling water over 1/2 cup instant oatmeal in a bowl. Cover with a plate to keep the heat in and let it hydrate for 5 minutes. After the five minutes is up, remove the plate, add milk if desired (if I'm at the office I add a tablespoon coconut oil and some broken <a href="http://thenourishingcook.com/crispy-walnuts/">crispy walnuts</a> for a healthful fat and protein boost), stir and serve. (You could certainly add finely chopped nuts or toasted coconut to the instant oatmeal with the fruit if you think you'll go through it quickly, but I don't because I'm the only one in my family who wants nuts in my oatmeal.)<br />
<br />
Even without the milk (or coconut oil), this oatmeal is creamy and satisfying because of the ground oats. The proportions of salt and sweet seem just right to me, but you could certainly add a bit more or less to your taste. With the walnuts and coconut oil it feels less like carb-heavy to me personally, but the lack of fat and protein in the original version don't seem to bother anyone else in my house.<br />
<br />
So far the flavors I've made (using dried fruit from Trader Joes or S&S) are<br />
<ul>
<li>Apple-Cinnamon-Raisin</li>
<li>Apricot</li>
<li>Blueberry (we haven't come to a consensus on whether or not cinnamon should be included in this flavor)</li>
<li>Banana (no cinnamon) </li>
<li>Our favorite, Mango (sub 1/2 tablespoon ground cardamom for the tablespoon of cinnamon).</li>
</ul>
<a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2013/01/buckwheat-chocolate-cake-recipe/">Chocolate Buckwheat Cake </a>A lunchbox, whether kid or adult, needs a treat, right? This grain-free chocolate cake is similar to a mousse-like brownie. (It would actually be the <i>perfect</i> Valentines Day dessert with just a little coffee ice cream or whipped cream and a little garnish!) A small wedge of it in my lunch keeps me from hitting the candy jar or vending machine. And while it's texture is a bit decadent, my kids love it too. Everybody's nutritional philosophy is different, so this may or may not fit your criteria, but one of our goals right now is less sugar. I think a tablespoon of sugar (and I use Rapadura in this recipe because of it's nutrient content) or less per wedge seems reasonable for a treat. And none of the other ingredients are things that I find offensive: chocolate, farm fresh eggs, pastured or organic butter, almond flour, buckwheat flour and yogurt. No refined carbs, limited refined sweeteners, with a dose of protein and healthy (animal) fats.<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Crackers</b><br />
For sources please see the links. <br />
<br />
Success with crackers can be a little difficult. First you need a good recipe. <i>Can I interject here: I'm constantly amazed at how many cracker recipes (particularly those on "Real Food" blogs, those of the "Nourishing Traditions" variety featuring soaked, sprouted or soured whole grains, raw dairy and that type of thing) are decidedly disappointing. Why do I get my hopes up when a recipe is touted as tasting "just like Goldfish crackers but better," when every one of the recipes I've tried for "real food" cheddar crackers tastes more like cooked Play Dough than a childhood snack favorite? </i>Which brings up a good point: Without the additives, artificial flavors, dough enhancers and sugars included in commercially produced crackers, homemade versions are going to taste different, so an adjustment in expectations might be necessary.<br />
<br />
With a good recipe, there's still room for error. A cracker baker must take care to roll the dough as thinly as possible. Some recipes want you to roll the dough 1/8" thick and some say thinner. When it doubt, I recommend thinner. And finally, a cracker baker must watch carefully during baking to avoid burning. Oven times vary and dough thickness varies, so you can't just set the timer and walk away. In fact, it is highly likely that the crackers toward the outside of the pan will be crisped and marked by golden brown perfection--and will need to be removed from the oven--at least a couple minutes before the crackers toward the center of the pan are done. <br />
<br />
So why make your own crackers? Because in the long run they aren't that difficult. It's just that the technique takes practice and presence of mind. And when you find a recipe you like, you will most certainly get a better-quality product than you would find in a grocery store and for less money. <br />
<br />
"<a href="http://arealfoodlover.wordpress.com/2012/04/30/homemade-wheat-thin-crackers-soaked/">Wheat Thins</a>" - I appreciate that this recipe includes the step of soaking the dough overnight. (I like to emphasize sourdough breads and soaked grain products in our eating, and cut down on non-sour, -soaked versions.) I also appreciate that the claim, "These taste exactly the same as a store-bought Wheat Thin!" is incredibly close to accurate. I can't discern the individual flavors of paprika and vanilla in the finished product, but, along with the small amount of sugar in recipe, they give these crackers that characteristic taste. <br />
<br />
Wheat Thins + sliced cheddar cheese + carrots sticks and a piece of fruit = a satisfying lunch. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLw4r-3EPzQwv86aI-nsKFwzsm6gSYtzw2Ez4M1pTlNYGGQOU-AVJr7PKflcyRUShKT4ZG9PhYn2upWGGXcGkB4x1kw4P2jfR1PJWjAkN_NOYDpExfKPZDbPukHQw72quqDYJ3B2Q3tM/s1600/poppy+flower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLw4r-3EPzQwv86aI-nsKFwzsm6gSYtzw2Ez4M1pTlNYGGQOU-AVJr7PKflcyRUShKT4ZG9PhYn2upWGGXcGkB4x1kw4P2jfR1PJWjAkN_NOYDpExfKPZDbPukHQw72quqDYJ3B2Q3tM/s1600/poppy+flower.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="http://www.thekitchn.com/cornmeal-parmesan-and-poppy-se-129586">Cornmeal, Parmesan & Poppy Seed Crackers</a> - Vanessa Barrington's <u>DIY Delicious</u> is another book with the stock-your-pantry-with-homemade-foods theme. It's one of the five cookbooks I use most frequently. <a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2012/01/curtido.html">I've mentioned it before on the blog</a>. What drew me to these crackers is that they use poppy seeds. I have homegrown poppy seeds! How cool is that?! They have a good crunch from the cornmeal and seeds and good flavor from the parmesan. They are unique enough to stand on their own, but of course I like them topped with cheese. I appreciate the technique that Barrington provides for making the seeds and salt stick to the top: roll the dough out, sprinkle with poppy seeds and salt and roll once more to embed the toppings.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://stresscake.wordpress.com/2010/04/28/something-easy-and-unlikely-homemade-saltines/">Saltines</a> - Whole-grain homemade crackers are a hard sell to my husband, so sometimes I make these. The trouble though is that I eat faster than he does and it certainly is hard not eat a whole batch. I happened to have some homemade butter on hand the last time I made these. Saltines + homemade butter! It was one of those why-have-I-ever-cooked-anything-else?-These-are-so-good! moments.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-75116804683718626412013-01-11T09:58:00.001-08:002013-01-11T13:12:06.432-08:00Carrot SticksOne of my biggest goals as a mom is to teach my kids to prepare healthful foods and to make good choices in what they eat. I love to cook with them. Well, in theory, I love to cook with them, but sometimes is frustrating. We make cookies together and they take so many tastes that I'm afraid half the creamed ingredients will be gone before we mix in the dry ingredients. I shouldn't worry though, because if Abby's measuring the flour, a good portion of it will land outside of the mixer bowl and probably correct the ratio of wet-to-dry ingredients. And then there's the chaos of arguing over who gets to measure what, who gets to lick the bowl, and the sudden disappearance when it's time to clean up (or the tsunami of Abby demanding to wash every dish she can find.) Sure, sometimes I'm in the Mom-zone and I can embrace the chaos, but sometimes it's just chaos.<br />
<br />
I got pregnant at the beginning of the school year, so I do less cooking during the week and Grace is expected to pack her own lunch. This is difficult. Our selection of packable lunch items is constantly small, considering we don't eat much packaged food and our budget is tight. She always gets a piece of fruit and a vegetable, maybe a cookie, but that "main dish" is sometimes elusive (Hard boiled egg? Yogurt with fruit? A ham sandwich?) I can understand how it would be stressful for a kid.<br />
<br />
This morning Grace and I made carrot sticks together. I washed and peeled the carrots and sliced them in half, then she sliced them into sticks and divided them into two bags, one for her, one for me. I didn't realize what a precious moment it was until I got to work and started snacking on my carrot sticks. Super sweet carrots from the farmers market, crisp and cool, are almost as good as candy. And the thought that we shared 5 minutes of quality time together this morning preparing a healthful snack--that is pretty sweet too. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-1634842082775326062013-01-09T16:57:00.002-08:002013-01-09T16:57:49.117-08:00Going Crunchy: Facial Scrub<b>Facial/Body Scrub </b><br />
<br />
The facial scrub I've made uses
the same basic "recipe" as the <a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2012/12/invigorating-rosemary-mint-foot-scrub.html">Invigorating Rosemary-Mint Foot Scrub</a>, but I use granulated
sugar in place of the Epson salt, because the scrubbing particles are
smaller and less abrasive. I infuse the oil with something that smells
good or I add a few drops of essential oil. Orange peel-infused olive oil with a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
extract added at the end of the infusion time is one of my favorites. The recipe makes two
four ounce jars. I use the scrub as a facial cleanser or body scrub.
In the winter we don't need to use soap daily, and doing so can cause
skin to dry out, so lately I skip the soap on all but a few body parts
and just moisturize with a scrub. Its scent is always uplifting, it
helps me wake up in the mornings and my skin is left moisturized, which is especially
important in the winter.<br />
<br />
The kids like these scrubs too, they like to identify the scents, and they don't seem to miss chasing a bar of soap around the bathtub. <br />
<br />
1 cup granulated sugar<br />
1/3 cup oil (coconut, sweet almond and olive are my favorites)<br />
Herbs to infuse the oil or essential oils to add a nice scent<br />
Optional: 1 tablespoon sea salt, baking soda, bentonite clay or epsom salt, or a teaspoon liquid castile soapAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-70064816508908971912013-01-02T13:31:00.001-08:002013-01-09T16:49:14.605-08:00Going Crunchy: Handmade Hard Lotion Bars The third post in the series <b>Going Crunchy</b>.<br />
<br />
<b>Hard Lotion Bars</b><br />
<br />
There are
super-moisturizing bars of hard "lotion" that you rub between your hands
to apply. I think they need a sexier name, because they are at least a
little bit amazing. They are said to be effective against eczema and
they seem to be effective for my dry hands. I'm impressed enough with
them that I've made multiple batches to give away to ladies I know who could use some hand-pampering and the moms of kids with eczema. <br />
<br />
<i>There are recipes posted online for these bars in <a href="http://www.commonsensehome.com/super-easy-hard-lotion-bars/">multiple</a> <a href="http://www.crunchybetty.com/how-to-make-lotion-bars">places</a>,
but the basic formula is this: one part moisturizing oil such as
coconut oil or almond oil, one part shea butter or cocoa butter and one part beeswax.
Simply melt the oil/butter/wax together over low heat in a saucepan,
then pour into molds (soap molds or a simple muffin tin). They harden in
less than an hour, at which point I wrap them in parchment for storage
or gift-giving. Using three ounces by weight of each oil/butter/wax
yields 4 or 5 half-inch thick two-and-a-half-inch discs (using a
standard muffin tin as a mold). I infuse* my oil with calendula and chamomile
because they are said to be soothing and healing to dry skin. </i><br />
<br />
Grace
has been using one of these bars nightly on her hands for a week. The evening
before she started using it, her hands were suddenly so red and dry that
even applying coconut oil (my go-to moisturizer) to her hands made her
cry in pain. Her hands seem less itchy since she's started using the
bar. Last night when she came into my room after bedtime to say that her legs were itchy, I told her to get her bar, keep it by her bed and rub it on any body part that she was tempted to scratch. I'm interested to see whether her winter itching and eczema are relieved with daily use.<br />
<br />
I don't have eczema, but I've struggled with
finding a suitable hand moisturizer for winter. Most commercially manufactured
lotions contain ingredients that contribute to dry skin (alcohol,
water,etc), not to mention ingredients of questionable sources. I've used some "creams" and "butters" before that were more
effective, but as I've run out, I haven't replaced them, because I want
to get away from their sometimes synthetic ingredients and sometimes harsh
scents. I use coconut oil as a moisturizer frequently, but I've found
hemp oil to be more effective on my hands in the winter. Hemp oil is a
hassle, though, because it should be stored in the fridge, and both oils
absorb so quickly that they don't leave my hands feeling soft. I like
these hard lotion bars because the shea or cocoa butter and the coconut
oil moisturize while the beeswax creates a protective barrier against
the winter cold, so my hands feel softer and moisturized longer, at least until I wash my hands again.<br />
<br />
And
do you know what cocoa butter smells like? Chocolate! I find it to be a
very pleasing smell, not overpowering at all, just pleasant, maybe even
luxurious. And of course, beeswax smells faintly of honey, so that's a
nice smell as well. Shea butter's scent is a little nuttier/earthier
than cocoa butter. If I used all shea butter/no cocoa butter, I think I
would want to infuse the oil with something with a pleasing smell or
add a drop or two of an essential oil, but when using all or part cocoa
butter for the butter part, additional scents are unnecessary. (Using
half shea butter and half cocoa butter, which I've done with later batches) makes me less tempted to want to
eat the bar.)<br />
<br />
As well as a hand moisturizer, I find this bar to be a perfect <b>lip balm</b>.<br />
<br />
I've
also been using this bar as a<b> "belly butter"</b> for my itchy, pregnant
tummy. It's more effective than an oil alone, but I want something that
spreads a little more easily. During my last pregnancy <a href="http://www.burtsbees.com/other/gifts-her/mama-bee-belly-butter.html">Burt's Bees Mama Bee Belly Butter</a>
was easily the one product I couldn't live without. It was amazing for
my itchy tummy. I think I could make something similar by increasing
the ratio of shea/cocoa butter to beeswax in this lotion bar recipe,
maybe subbing jojoba oil in place of half of the coconut oil, and
storing the product in a shallow jar. I'll let you know if I try it.<br />
<br />
UPDATE: I made a belly butter. I've been extremely itchy in the last week, but I've found that if I use coconut oil in the shower or bath (or a moisturizing scrub) on my whole body and then follow with a generous amount of belly butter on my tummy, hips and upper legs (all those parts where the pregnancy stretches the skin), I am not so itchy that I can't sleep. Woohoo! I didn't really measure well when I was making the belly butter, and the vent fell out of the hood over the stove as I was finishing it, but here's what I remember:<br />
<br />
I infused a few ounces of coconut oil and sweet almond oil with calendula and chamomile overnight. After straining out the herbs, I combined the oil in a small saucepan with about two tablespoons of melted beeswax, about an ounce of shea butter and about two ounces of cocoa butter (I would have used more of both butters, but it's time to restock. I added a couple drops of sweet orange essential oil to give it a fun scent (yum, chocolate-orange), and poured it into a shallow 8 ounce mason jar. It's very solid, so I have to scrape it out with the back of my fingernail. It spreads easily (much more easily than a lotion bar). It moisturizes and creates a protective barrier. I apply it twice a day. <br />
<br />
oOo <br />
<br />
*To infuse the oil with herbs: Turn oven to lowest setting. (If using coconut oil, melt it in a small saucepan over low heat.) Add one tablespoon each calendula flowers and chamomile. Place lid on saucepan. Turn off oven. Place saucepan in oven and let steep at least four hours or overnight. (If using coconut oil, the oil may harden, simply warm it on the stove over low heat.) Strain out the dried herbs and return the infused oil to the saucepan to continue with the lotion bar recipe. <br />
<br />
oOo<br />
<br />
I purchase my coconut oil online from Nutiva. I purchased my beeswax in a block from Borden-Huitt Ranch at the Chico Farmers Market. (They are the ones who sell the flavored almonds and candles.) Cocoa butter, shea butter and herbs are available at Chico Natural Foods and S&S Produce and online. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-61754856131809179002012-12-30T03:00:00.000-08:002013-01-10T12:12:41.091-08:00Going Crunchy: Remineralizing Tooth Powder & Bentonite Clay The second in the series <b>Going Crunchy</b>. <br />
<br />
<b>Remineralizing Tooth Powder</b><br />
<br />
Does it actually
remineralize teeth? I don't know. We've only used it for a few weeks,
but when I went to the dentist recently I was told I had a small cavity
that the dentist wanted to wait to fill until after the pregnancy, so
this is an interesting experiment.<br />
<br />
I made<a href="http://wellnessmama.com/5252/remineralizing-tooth-powder-recipe/"> remineralizing tooth powder</a>
using the recipe from Wellness Mama. I gave each person in the family their own jar. Even though I mixed
the powder in my spice grinder, it is a little gritty*, but that
encourages good rinsing, right? The taste is mildly minty with a little
clove. Surprisingly, all
three of us girls like the taste. I like the complexity that the clove
adds and the girls appreciate that it is not too minty. With the next batch,
I'll add some spearmint essential oil in Jason's jar, because
he'll appreciate a bolder flavor.<br />
<br />
I've also started brushing my teeth
with <a href="http://www.crunchybetty.com/dazzle-whiten-your-teeth-with-activated-charcoal">activated charcoal </a>for its whitening properties. It's messy, but
Abby, our three year old wants to get in on the game every time I open
the jar of activated charcoal, so most nights all three of us girls
gather around the bathroom sink, brush with the activated charcoal,
laugh about how creepy our black teeth look, then brush with the tooth
powder. (Abby says the tooth powder turns her teeth green, but it really
doesn't. We play along, so she'll keep brushing.) Then we rinse well, wipe up the mess we've made and the girls get
tucked in bed (theoretically).<br />
<br />
All ingredients can be found at both S&S Produce and Chico Natural Foods. Bentonite clay**, activated charcoal, cinnamon and clove are available in the bulk bins. Xylitol can also be purchased at both stores, though not in bulk. To make powdered mint leaf, I used dried spearmint leaf which I purchased in the bulk bins (but maybe you dried some from your garden this summer) and ground it in my spice grinder. I made cal-mag powder by grinding caplets of a Cal-Mag supplement in my spice grinder. Essential oils, which I did not use this time, are available at both stores, but you may be able to get a better deal from a reputable online company such as Mountain Rose Herbs. Make sure that any essential oils you purchase are organic and therapeutic grade. <br />
<br />
*Some
dentists/hygienists/people on the web express concern that baking soda
is too abrasive for teeth and/or gums. I started brushing (mostly) with
a paste of coconut oil and baking soda about a year ago, and at both of
my dental cleanings since then my hygienist commented that my gums
looked better than they had in the past.<br />
<br />
oOo <br />
<br />
**Bentonite Clay is one of those things I knew nothing about until this year, but it's readily available at natural foods stores and has <a href="http://www.modernalternativemama.com/blog/2012/08/13/monday-health-wellness-got-clay/#.UN4cy6xrROE">multiple uses</a>; I'm glad to have it on hand now. The clay I get is powdered. <br />
<br />
I mix it with a little hot water (and sometimes coconut oil) to make a paste and spread it on itchy skin for our eight-year-old and me. Some sites recommend wrapping the itchy area in plastic to keep the clay from drying out. So far, we haven't tried this; we either apply it at night and leave it, or apply it about 20 minutes before a warm bath. <br />
<br />
I've administered it to my three-year-old when she woke up complaining that her tummy hurt. I gave her a 1/8 teaspoon mixed with juice. She drank it, napped for an hour, vomited and felt much better immediately. (She's more prone to tummy aches/vomiting than the rest of us, and generally, they are what my mom called "an 8-hour bug." As far as I can tell the clay absorbed whatever was bothering her tummy and helped her to expel it, recovering much more quickly than usual.)<br />
<br />
My husband has used bentonite clay to effectively relieve heartburn: just a 1/2 teaspoon dissolved in water, followed by a full glass of water. <br />
<br />
For myself, I use a Bentonite clay paste as a soothing facial mask. Make a paste with a little water, rub it on, let dry 5 minutes or so, remove with a warm wash cloth and follow with a moisturizer.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-60956194962630485012012-12-28T12:30:00.002-08:002013-01-03T10:30:40.366-08:00Going Crunchy: Invigorating Rosemary Mint Foot Scrub<i>This post begins the series <b>Going Crunchy: Herbal Remedies and Homemade Body Care Items That I Have Made Recently.</b></i><br />
<br />
oOo <br />
<br />
This week in Chico certainly seems dark and cold. "Wintery" one might say. <a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/search/label/winter%20produce">Winter fruits and vegetables</a> currently available at the market include mandarins, clementines, oranges (don't you just love a good piece of citrus in the winter?!), apples, root vegetables (carrots, beets and turnips mainly, but also limited quantities of sunchokes, potatoes, parsnips) winter greens (all sorts of kale, lettuces, collards, chard, broccoli) and green onions. Doesn't that list make you want to get in kitchen and saute some greens or at least peel an orange?<br />
<br />
I haven't been cooking or blogging much, because this pregnancy has really sapped my energy and skewed my priorities. Don't worry, we're still eating well. We recently purchased a quarter beef from Alston Farms (gotta have plenty of that grass-fed, good-source-of-iron-and-healthy-fats beef) and Jason's been cooking lost of steak and organic potatoes.<br />
<br />
oOo <br />
<br />
Some of you may remember that one of my <a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2011/12/new-years-resolutions.html">New Years Resolutions</a> for 2012 was to make more homemade body care products and herbal remedies. This pregnancy has motivated me to make more of these homemade necessities and nice-ities. (Any pregnant ladies ever feel like there are no truly effective drugs on that short list of "Medications that are Safe during Pregnancy?") In the absence of food recipes, I thought I'd do a little series on some of the body care items and herbal remedies I've made recently.<br />
<br />
<b>Invigorating Rosemary Mint Foot Scrub</b><br />
<br />
This is
one of my favorites. I don't have a source for the recipe. I just
used a common epsom-salt to-oil ratio and infused the oil with things I
found invigorating.<br />
<br />
<i>In a small saucepan over low
heat combine 1/3 cup oil (I use a mixture of extra virgin olive oil and
coconut oil) with a sprig of rosemary and a couple tablespoons dried
mint. When oil is warm, cover the pan, remove from heat and let the herbs
steep an hour or more. Strain the infused oil into a bowl and stir in 1 cup Epsom salt.
Mix with a spatula and transfer scrub to three 4-ounce jars for storage (or gift-giving). </i><br />
<br />
I
use about a teaspoon per foot in the shower most days. Sometimes I
also use this scrub as a body scrub. I find the smell truly uplifting and
invigorating. The Epsom salt exfoliates and gives me a little dose of
magnesium. The olive/coconut oil moisturizes. It's a pleasant way to treat your feet to a little pampering without requiring any extra time.<br />
<br />
oOo<br />
<br />
Stay tuned for <a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2013/01/going-crunchy-handmade-hard-lotion-bars.html">Hard Lotion Bars</a> (my other favorite!), <a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2012/12/going-crunchy-remineralizing-tooth.html">Remineralizing Tooth Powder</a> and Elderberry Syrup.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-68519173850137296552012-11-29T08:10:00.000-08:002012-11-29T11:26:53.227-08:0010 Tips for Giving Gifts to People Who Avoid Consumerism With Christmas around the corner, maybe you feel a familiar stress: the pressure to get people the 'right' gift. Some people on your list are probably easier to buy for than others, but there's a growing trend in our society: avoiding "consumerism." (The majority of people on my Christmas list this year are anti-consumerism.) It seems a bit oxymoronic to <i>buy</i> for them, doesn't it? They shun big box retailers. They slept in on Black Friday and may have quietly rolled their eyes at their friends' "Look at the deal I got at 5:00am!!" posts on Facebook. And if they happen to be your grown children, you may have heard them threaten to donate all toys given to their children--your poor deprived grandchildren--to the Salvation Army. They are generally good-hearted people, but because their shopping decisions take into account multiple ethical conundrums--and especially if they've come off as overzealous in previous discussions--it can be a bit intimidating to buy for them. Sound like anyone you know?<br />
<br />
If possible, consider the reason(s) that your loved one has gone anti-consumerism. Be assured, their reason is NOT that it's the latest hipster trend or that they want to amp up the stress in<i> your </i>Christmas shopping experience.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Anti-clutterists</b> are anti-consumerism because they've found that <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/28/garden/an-anthropologist-on-hyper-abundance-and-the-american-home.html">clutter in their homes</a> leads to clutter in their emotional lives. They've found that having less stuff means experiencing less stress. <b> </b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Going Green</b> anti-consumerists have embraced a simple desire to <a href="http://zerowastehome.blogspot.com/p/tips.html">significantly reduce waste</a> generated in their home. These are the people who compost religiously. Remember: No non-recyclable packaging for these folks!</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Local shoppers</b> aren't necessarily "anti-stuff" at all, but they strongly value <a href="http://www.sacbee.com/2012/11/27/5011951/shopping-local-is-better-community.html">supporting local businesses</a> over big corporations, because they believe by doing so they are doing their part to save the local and national economy. They tend to buy American-made products to support American businesses who pay American workers a fair wage. You may notice that these are the people willing to drive 50 miles to shop at the nearest independent bookseller. They also might be the die-hard farmers market shoppers.</li>
</ul>
<br />
<ul>
<li><b>Creative Individualists</b> are anti-consumerism because they value a sense of individualism and creativity. They may believe that Americans' tendency to buy from big box retailers has attributed to some kind of cultural "dumbing down." They feed society's need for intelligence and creativity by buying from local artists and artisans and/or by engaging in their own DIY projects. These are the people most likely to appreciate handicrafts, home decor or clothing from that unique shop downtown or an <a href="http://www.etsy.com/">Etsy shop</a> online. They also may or may not have at one time pursued a career in the arts.</li>
</ul>
<br />
oOo <br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<u><b>Ten Tips for Giving Gifts to People Who Avoid Consumerism</b></u></div>
<br />
<b>1. Ask. </b>Your loved one may seem standoffish about "stuff," but as we enter the holiday season, all but the most devoted anti-consumerists have recently caught themselves thinking "Oh, I'd like one of those!" Maybe it's a new book by a favorite author, a seemingly minor kitchen gadget, an electronic device, a specific supply for a hobby, or maybe they are craving their very own tin of peppermint bark. Ask their spouse, parent, child or a mutual friend, and if that fails, ask the person themselves. If you fear that asking the person directly seems tacky, don't. Wouldn't you rather be remembered as the thoughtful friend who gave them the sturdy red spatula that they use<i> all the time</i> than feared as the eccentric friend who gives clothes that no one wants to wear?<br />
<br />
<b>2. Give an experience.</b> Going Green types and Anti-Clutterists are most likely to appreciate the gift of an experience. I know you're drawn to that shiny plastic toy in the big box at the toy store, and yes, the kids would probably love to open it, but don't do it. Instead, create a memory by giving an experience. Make a certificate for your grandchildren/nieces/nephews promising a fishing trip or a day at a ballgame. For a friend, how about a shared outing to see a movie? For the parents of young children and Local Shoppers how about a date night? Include a gift certificate to a local restaurant and the promise that you'll babysit while they go out to dinner. <br />
<br />
<b>3. Give something intrinsically temporary:</b> something edible or something to pamper themselves with. If you've grown up thinking edible gifts and bath products were only appropriate for impersonal relations, such as business associates and your child's teacher, think again. In this day and age, most people consider themselves--to some degree-- a foodie. Most woman appreciate a good pampering. When a good quality food item or pampering kit is nicely presented it can be a very heartfelt and appreciated gift. For Anti-Clutterists especially, temporary gifts are a good choice, because they can be enjoyed and finished. There's no pressure to show up wearing an edible gift to prove to the giver that you truly liked it. You enjoy it and you're finished (and if you're old-school, you follow up with a handwritten thank you note). <br />
<br />
A nice bottle of wine or liquor fits into this category, as does a specialty coffee or tea. If you know that your loved one likes
to imbibe occasionally, this is a wonderful choice that encourages celebration and enjoyment. Try to choose something a
notch above what they normally stock in their home bar or kitchen, and your gift
is sure to be appreciated.<br />
<br />
One caveat pertaining to edible gifts: Many people have very real concerns and preferences about foods. Do the best you can to be aware of concerns that you're loved one might have: there may be allergies in the household, or they may be avoiding sugar or gluten, processed foods or caffeine. When in doubt, a gift basket featuring a variety of local food products would be most welcome.<br />
<br />
<i>Also see #6 below which discusses intrinsically temporary gifts for children.</i> <br />
<br />
<b>4. Give a blanket or comfy throw.</b> When my kids were little I remember thinking that surely we had enough baby blankets and didn't need anymore. But, ladies, when you're at work and it's cold and dreary out, don't you find yourself pining for a comfy blanket, a good book and a warm beverage? And despite having "plenty" of blankets, my kids certainly seem to use the blankets they have. In the colder months, my three year old routinely sleeps with four blankets at once: one happens to be her grandmother's own baby blanket, another is a small quilt made by another grandmother, the third is an inexpensive, super-soft fleece throw and the fourth is a quilt made by the mother of one of my bridesmaids. Especially if you're giving to a Going Green who keeps the heater a few degrees lower than you would prefer, wouldn't it be nice to know they have plenty of blankets in case you come visit?<br />
<br />
<i>I know, a blanket doesn't seem like the 'fun' splash a grandparent or aunt wants to make on Christmas morning with a 5-year-old, so Ideas #5-7 are kid-specific. The concept when buying toys for kids in anti-consumerism families is simple: buy toys that foster creativity, toys that are simple and made of environmentally-sustainable materials (wood, cardboard, etc), and--sorry--don't be offended if a toy you purchased ends up missing. Chances are it went to a good home via Goodwill, not to a landfill.</i><br />
<br />
<b>5. Stick to simple toys.</b> Anti-consumerist parents generally prefer toys made of wood to toys made of plastic<b>,</b> and they generally prefer toys that don't require batteries. Blocks are a good choice, stacking cups are good for younger children, and stuffed animals (made of organic cotton or hemp, of course, for Going Green parents) are good choices, all of which are generally stocked in locally-owned kids' stores. One almost universal exception to the "we prefer wood" rule is Legos (or Duplo blocks for kids under five years old). Every family can use an ever-expanding collection of Legos. Similarly, if the kids have a train set or doll house or other toy collection that they play with frequently, they may appreciate additional pieces, and since you are just expanding an existing collection, storage will be less of an issue for Anti-Clutterist parents than buying an entirely unique gift would be. <br />
<br />
<b>6. For kids, how about arts and crafts supplies?</b> Most children I know tend to go through them very quickly, so new inventory is always appreciated. And, being that arts and crafts supplies are intrinsically temporary, Anti-Clutterist parents will appreciate them. A new set of paints, a large set of crayons or pens with a big pad of paper, (though avoid things like marking pens that produce a fair amount of plastic waste for Going Green types), Playdough or modeling clay, or--and this is something that Creative Individualists will especially appreciate--a unique craft kit such as a Flower & Leaf Press, a Make-Your-Own Terrarium Kit or a Build a Birdhouse Kit. <br />
<br />
<b>7. Give the real thing. </b> If an older child shows a genuine interest in something, check with Mom & Dad first, then get them the real thing. If a kid has been fiddling with auntie's old violin or asking for a toy guitar, don't buy the cheap one at the toy store, find a real musical instrument--and if you're so inclined, pay for six months of lessons. <br />
<br />
Similarly, if a child shows a real interest in baking, skip the Easy Bake Oven and go for a set of their own mixing bowls and spoons or a kid-friendly cookbook. They'll last far longer than a cheaply-made toy oven. Has your grandkid/niece/nephew been eying a $40 snow-cone machine or other frozen dessert maker? Ask Mom & Dad first, but then spend the extra $10 or $20 to get a real ice cream maker. The Local Shopper on your list will appreciate that you bought from a small business; the Creative Individualist will appreciate that you've given their child an avenue for real creativity. The appliance will function better with less frustration, last a lot longer and produce a variety of frozen desserts the whole family can enjoy. <br />
<br />
<b>8. Buy used. </b>It's okay; it's even a high value of Going Green types. They appreciate the notion of keeping things out of landfills. So go ahead, shop at a vintage store, an antique store or a secondhand children's boutique. Some of those stores may feel like a bit of a treasure hunt, but you may find a great deal on perfectly usable kitchen items, home decor, clothing, toys and books.<br />
<br />
<b>9. Give something with family significance. </b>Have you cleaned out your attic lately and found grandpa's old hunting knife or some recipes written in grandma's own handwriting? Adult grandchildren may appreciate those things. And not just grandchildren, friends of the older relative. Especially if someone has passed away in the last few years, giving a simple usable object or keepsake to a loved one <i>who will appreciate it</i> is a wonderful way to honor the memory of the deceased and the relationship they had with the recipient.<br />
<br />
If you consider yourself <a href="http://blog.spoonflower.com/2012/07/turn-recipes-into-tea-towels.html">crafty</a> or if you have some extra time on your hands, make something personal for your extended family members. (If you truly consider yourself crafty, check out that link.) You could create a simple keepsake book or video that celebrates moments your extended family has shared together, things your family values, or stories that have been told over and over. <br />
<br />
<b>10. Give something utterly practical.</b> Some people find themselves in the anti-consumerism camp because they've had trouble making ends meet. They've innocently leafed through a catalogue from one of many high-end retailers at just the wrong time and it's painfully shocking to them that people in our society would pay THAT AMOUNT OF MONEY for a frivolous fill-in-the-blank, while they are having trouble scraping together a fraction of that amount of money for a medical bill or a necessary car repair. Maybe you want to pamper your loved one with something special, but to a parent without the means to buy their young children a sufficient amount of clothing or someone who hasn't had a functional dishwasher in months, an expensive candle, a bottle of designer cologne, even a fancy holiday outfit for a child can seem like a slap in the face. If your loved ones are in a tough spot financially, and you're in a position to help ungrudgingly, Christmas is a great time to do that. Just do it sensitively and quietly <i>before</i> the actual holiday.<br />
<br />
oOo<br />
<br />
<b>One final note:</b> If your Anti-Consumerist loved ones have expressed a genuine desire to forgo the traditional gift-giving experience, especially if they have proposed an alternative idea (giving to a charitable organization in lieu of gifts, celebrating the holiday with a shared experience such as packing Operation Christmas Child boxes together or sharing a holiday meal) at least consider honoring that request. Maybe the Christmas gift they want more than anything is a restful and joyous celebration.<br />
<br />
oOo<br />
<br />
Do your loved ones consider you Anti-Consumerism? What would you add or remove from this list?<br />
<br />
oOo<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Upstate California Kitchen Adventure's Previous Holiday Gift Lists </b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><br /></b>
<a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2011/12/guidelines-for-edible-gifts.html">10 Tips for Edible Gifts</a><b></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2011/12/some-fun-foodie-gifts-ideas.html">Some Fun Foodie Gift Ideas</a><b><br /></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-28637233549879734802012-11-20T13:23:00.000-08:002012-11-20T13:23:00.648-08:00Two Ideas for Thanksgiving Leftovers<b>Turkey-Mushroom Shepherd's Pie</b><br />
<br />
Chop up a couple carrots and steam or microwave them to soften. Meanwhile in a medium skillet, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add one small onion, chopped. Saute a few minutes, then stir in 6 ounces mushrooms, sliced. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Saute a few minutes. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons flour. Stir while cooking another minutes. Then slowly pour in 2-3 cups warm water (or turkey or chicken stock). Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until gravy comes to a gentle simmer and thickens a bit. Remove from heat. Stir in leftover shredded or cubed cooked turkey and steamed carrots. Pour into casserole dish or 9" square pan. Top with mashed potatoes. Cook at 400 for 20 minutes, until bubbly and hot. Let sit 10 minutes before garnishing with chopped chives and serving. <br />
<br />
<b>Turkey-Salad Sandwiches </b><br />
<br />
Butter and toast 8 slices of your favorite sandwich bread. While the bread toasts, cut cooked turkey slices into less-than-bite-size pieces. In a bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons mayo, 2 tablespoons plain yogurt and salt and pepper to taste. Fold in 2 cups turkey meat, about 1/2 a cup sliced celery, and 3 tablespoons chopped, toasted pecans. Spread cranberry sauce generously on 4 slices of toast. Top with turkey salad and finish with the remaining slices of bread.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-48223653104654127972012-10-25T08:13:00.000-07:002012-10-25T08:13:38.086-07:00Fall in Upstate California: Homemade Masala ChaiI tasted my first pomegranate of the season this morning. A few weeks ago I tasted my first fuji apple of the season (from Howard's Organic Produce), and most evenings this week the girls and I have shared slices of Asian pears. This is why I love eating local. The pleasure of those first tastes of the season are inexplicably pure and intense.<br />
<br />
And fall, of course, is all about plump, leathery-skinned pomegranates, the spicy notes of a crisp persimmon, the home-creating smell of <a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2011/10/pumpkin-cream-cheese-coffeecake.html">pumpkin bread</a> in the oven, and hand-warming drinks to fight off the chill of the morning.<br />
<br />
oOo<br />
<br />
I went to S&S Produce yesterday. I like that store. When I was a kid and my family wasn't much into 'natural foods,' and the building was old and drafty with the feeling that it might fall into Lindo Channel on a windy day, I liked going there and getting coconut popsicles. Nowadays, I like that they are are locally-owned and sell a good selection of local produce. I like that they have a real meat and seafood counter (where my cousin works!), and that they have grass-fed beef and organic pork in their freezer. I appreciate that their bulk foods section is neat and tidy and well-stocked with local Lundberg rice, all kinds of local nuts, beans and treats, such as those addictive dried mangoes. But perhaps the thing I like most is that little nook in the back where they sell the bulk herbs and spices. They seem to stock every herb or spice blend that I have ever needed (hello, whole cardamom pods, ground cardamom <i>and </i>cardamom seed) and it's very practical to be able to buy just the amount that you need. They even stock multiple sizes of baggies and multiple measuring units so that you don't have to eyeball proportions. If I've got a new Indian recipe that calls for 2 tablespoons of garam masala, I can easily measure out just the two 2 tablespoons, and not be left with a bag of powdery what-was-that-stuff? taking up space in my already-crowded spice drawer. <br />
<br />
Yesterday I went to S&S specifically to restock my spices for Masala Chai making. I was craving the camaraderie of standing at that counter measuring spices into little baggies with another similarly-minded person: someone who's excited to try a new recipe, or who is stocking up on all their favorite spices, someone who cares about where their food comes from and has a real reverence for quality and an enjoyment in the process of creating something delicious. I'm not the kind of person who makes friends in grocery stores or easily starts up a conversation with someone, well, about anything. But there's something special about that spice counter and all the wonderful aromas that fill the air when multiple jars are being opened and sniffed and measured. Engaging in pleasant conversation with a stranger flows naturally---"Ooh, what are you going to use that for?" "Do you know which one of these chile powders would spicier?" and "That's an amazing smell!"---when passing back and forth the containers of ground cumin, fennel seeds, coriander, and ancho chile powder.<br />
<br />
I've been making my own homemade chai for 15 years. My <i>favorite</i> recipe is essentially <a href="http://www.journeykitchen.com/2011/02/masala-chai-indian-spiced-milk-tea.html">this one</a>, without the star anise and rose petals. The fennel seed, which is an ingredient I wasn't familiar with until I found this recipe, adds a certain licorice-y depth to the blend without overpowering it. I tend to use equal parts water and whole milk and sweeten the brew with two tablespoons sugar in the beginning (with the water, tea and spices) and one tablespoon honey stirred in right before straining.<br />
<br />
oOo<br />
<br />
Looking for a fun weekend morning breakfast that says "I love you" to someone special?<br />
<br />
I know I've mentioned this combination before, but it is certainly worthy of a second mention: David Lebovitz's <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2010/01/sugar-crusted-popover-recipe/">Sugar-Crusted Popovers</a> served with <a href="http://www.journeykitchen.com/2011/02/masala-chai-indian-spiced-milk-tea.html">Masala Chai</a>. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-8358457453038623002012-09-05T12:36:00.001-07:002012-09-05T12:36:58.524-07:00Caprese SaladNot a unique summer meal, but one you definitely need to get into your dinner rotation before tomato season ends and/or it gets too chilly to dine on the patio:<br />
<br />
<b>Caprese Salad </b><br />
<br />
Baguette slices. (I used a <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/wild-yeast-baguettes-recipe">homemade sourdough baguette</a> that I had rolled in sesame seeds before baking. The sesame seeds add such a nice nuttiness.) <br />
<br />
Anyhow, thin baguette slices rubbed with a cut clove of garlic, drizzled with good local olive oil, sprinkled with coarse salt and broiled a couple minutes until <i>almost</i> crisp. (They'll continue to crisp as they cool.) Served along side a swirl of sliced heirloom tomatoes (I had a large yellow/orange striped tomato and a small green speckled tomato) with sliced fresh mozzarella*, drizzled with balsamic vinegar and good olive oil, sprinkled with salt, pepper and fresh basil.<br />
<br />
To eat, top a baguette slice with a slice of cheese and slice of tomato. And please don't be shy about sopping up oil and vinegar with the baguette. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
So simple. So quick. Yet so summery and satisfying. <br />
<br />
*I've made mozzarella before, but lately I'm happier buying it at Trader Joe's. I figure buying cheese at Trader Joe's (and my elementary tomato descriptions) balance out the arrogance of my locavorism and homemade bread baking. Right? Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-7115873957232463032012-08-21T12:22:00.000-07:002012-08-21T12:24:44.656-07:00Roasted Tomato SauceLast weekend the girls and I spent an hour or so at Johnson Farm in Gridley picking produce. We brought home three flats of strawberries, one and a half flats of red grapes, two melons, a box of assorted tomatoes, two bags of assorted peppers and three eggplants.<br />
<br />
All day Saturday I rinsed strawberries, sliced off the tops, and froze them on wax paper-lined baking sheets. I ended up with about four gallons of frozen strawberries for winter smoothies.<br />
<br />
oOo<br />
<br />
Grace and Jason love spaghetti, but I'm not a big fan. This weekend, though, I relented and made a big batch of roasted tomato sauce, then simmered it with browned ground beef and served it over penne with plenty of grated parmesan cheese. It was quite good; even I liked it.<br />
<br />
<b>Roasted Tomato Sauce</b> <br />
<br />
Roasted tomato sauce is very simple to make. Simply slice tomatoes in half and arrange cut side up on a baking sheet. Use a good paste tomato such as a roma or San Marzano. About half of the tomatoes I used had that oblong paste tomato shape and the other half were a large round variety called Shady Lady. Cut the top off of a head of garlic and add it to the baking sheet. This time I also added an eggplant--cut it in half just like the tomatoes--and a whole hot pepper for a little zest, and a white onion, sliced in thirds. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt and ground black pepper. Roast in a 350F oven until vegetables have softened and collapsed some and much of the liquid has evaporated, about 60-90 minutes. Remove garlic after 50-60 minutes. Remove pans from oven and, when cool enough to handle, transfer roasted tomatoes--skin, seeds and all--to blender or food processor. Squeeze in the roasted garlic cloves. Add the eggplant, if using, removing the stem, the roasted red pepper, peeling off the charred skin and removing the stem and seeds and the onion. Pulse to puree the vegetables, then taste for seasoning. If desired, throw in a handful of fresh basil or other herbs and puree again. <br />
<br />
At this point tomato sauce can be frozen for later use or poured over cooked ground beef and simmered briefly to create a classic Meat Sauce for spaghetti. <br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Two half sheet pans held about seven pounds of vegetables and yielded slightly more than seven cups of sauce. I froze half in a quart-size zip-top bag and used half in a meat sauce to serve four people. </i><br />
<br />
oOo<br />
<a href="http://gridley.wix.com/johnsonupickfarm">Johnson Farm</a> is located off of Hwy 99 on the south end of Gridley, California. Their U-Pick produce and Farmstand is open through October on Saturdays and Wednesdays from 8am-3pm. The prices are reasonable and there is a swing set for the kids to play on if they get tired of picking. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-65770034325523782342012-08-09T14:31:00.000-07:002012-08-09T14:31:04.037-07:00Volunteers & Other Plants in my Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RaMxngQIrYnB_v6CEKfEMs-8m0bP1bDUuq5-4gUNim_FoZvbdRXVmI4SC-Y5pNfY8xOnsvSq-KXVXF-ovJ8FlmtJ96FlBmcZNrNpJm4THEhyphenhyphentfBJmGs-jm_9EtCRh1_d8eVYo3j2UvQ/s1600/tomato+cluster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RaMxngQIrYnB_v6CEKfEMs-8m0bP1bDUuq5-4gUNim_FoZvbdRXVmI4SC-Y5pNfY8xOnsvSq-KXVXF-ovJ8FlmtJ96FlBmcZNrNpJm4THEhyphenhyphentfBJmGs-jm_9EtCRh1_d8eVYo3j2UvQ/s320/tomato+cluster.jpg" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMeQe7EVlGu_ENd24EETIb1YzzZKWg2ZOyPKnN_5X20NEdrn-GGaR7C7gDoX97KMfoThNFfFAbxioUuhyNHvQfiOnRjvY3gKyGScZVEj03lL7ByVjeDZjE9pKZL1TUeT4nJkpYAC7wpE/s1600/cherry+tomato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKMeQe7EVlGu_ENd24EETIb1YzzZKWg2ZOyPKnN_5X20NEdrn-GGaR7C7gDoX97KMfoThNFfFAbxioUuhyNHvQfiOnRjvY3gKyGScZVEj03lL7ByVjeDZjE9pKZL1TUeT4nJkpYAC7wpE/s320/cherry+tomato.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<b> Oh tomatoes, the glory of the summer garden! </b><br />
<br />
I haven't had much success with tomatoes in my garden in the past few years, but last spring we had our huge tulip tree removed, which means the garden gets more sun. Discouraged by my past failure, I did not attempt to grow any tomatoes this year. Apparently some of the compost I used this year was immature, because my garden is full of 'volunteers.' While I would have liked to get a harvest from the seeds I actually planted (melons, okra, gherkins, luffa), figuring out what all these volunteers are is entertaining in its own right.<br />
<br />
This plant has clusters of heart-shaped tomatoes, about two inches in diameter. I'm still waiting for them to turn red. <a href="http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090808/FEATURES/908080303/-1/outdoors03">This article</a> gives me hope that they <i>will</i> turn red, after the smoke clears and the temperature drops a bit (how many days of 100-degree weather have we had so far in August?!).<br />
<br />
<br />
Oh, look! This <b>little cherry tomato</b> <i>is</i> ripening!<br />
<br />
We have one cherry tomato plant with lots of tomatoes on it, two plants with what I would call medium-sized tomatoes, and a couple stunted plants that sprouted in an area that is not getting enough water or sun. <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat63iHLe-MEF1ynac-7eFz2QVUxHo3XiedJaSl1rwLd1LYDZwD8AEfX5qi-sJnqEOznvMOBklut_u1r13bCufGA071CZFnbK6K8Xz1qQdYLDJNJGFtboC1JubvpyOrym9SKZrcXUSFwQ/s1600/melon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhat63iHLe-MEF1ynac-7eFz2QVUxHo3XiedJaSl1rwLd1LYDZwD8AEfX5qi-sJnqEOznvMOBklut_u1r13bCufGA071CZFnbK6K8Xz1qQdYLDJNJGFtboC1JubvpyOrym9SKZrcXUSFwQ/s320/melon.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
I planted three kinds of <b>melon</b>: a <a href="http://www.redwoodseeds.net/product/crimson-sweet-watermelon">baby watermelon</a>, a <a href="http://www.redwoodseeds.net/product/bidwell-casaba">Bidwell casaba</a>, and a cantaloupe, but that area of the garden seems to be overrun with the 'volunteer' plants: a couple varieties of zucchini, a cucumber vine, and the stunted tomato plants. This is the only melon I've found under all the leaves, and I don't know what it is, do you? I'm eager to cut into it, but I'm waiting, because, being the <i>only</i> melon in the garden, I want it to be ripe.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRZ7TpYyAdNB6MibhTxRPKIQlLp9gV8Q3F8PwDnsEmuwbGHSz9DmQCDI_0_j-OOfYddbRM3HX4Izp3DC_OIy-H1i_yfS3FP5vWA4wmWFqSR0qR4lKm0Vw2UATP3YJ_wFoIAiogttzQU8/s1600/pumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkRZ7TpYyAdNB6MibhTxRPKIQlLp9gV8Q3F8PwDnsEmuwbGHSz9DmQCDI_0_j-OOfYddbRM3HX4Izp3DC_OIy-H1i_yfS3FP5vWA4wmWFqSR0qR4lKm0Vw2UATP3YJ_wFoIAiogttzQU8/s320/pumpkin.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
When this little volunteer sprouted up underneath my quinoa, I thought it was a cucumber vine due to the leaf size and the dime-sized yellow blossoms, but the fruit (at last count there were four on the vine) appear to be a variety of pumpkin. What do you think it is? Do you think it is edible? <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFN1jO-O_sNiFQJGVzyCLmYd8VyHPjNLFCjE6SDQkO4321_y-j8mXhitwyaDEdb7fgVtV_Gn4zcGD7vNSuca-sTxs_kS5izuLKbNvk-2O70FFCNXNWC-C9wYPDQYr2bAVvDmcrU-lG8uw/s1600/chives.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFN1jO-O_sNiFQJGVzyCLmYd8VyHPjNLFCjE6SDQkO4321_y-j8mXhitwyaDEdb7fgVtV_Gn4zcGD7vNSuca-sTxs_kS5izuLKbNvk-2O70FFCNXNWC-C9wYPDQYr2bAVvDmcrU-lG8uw/s320/chives.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYcbCPPIWqbW7bgjb4tiXpt7qY0r5cb1FpO4ntz0nI7wgn3A3Gc9NRgYzC4Y0mKKfeFj-SIOiSc-dfIMxTrZcMGvPdj-Q-3LccsmW3sQXu3E_bmfA8rnNOQwakRocP2J1yhamRk754mU/s1600/quinoa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWYcbCPPIWqbW7bgjb4tiXpt7qY0r5cb1FpO4ntz0nI7wgn3A3Gc9NRgYzC4Y0mKKfeFj-SIOiSc-dfIMxTrZcMGvPdj-Q-3LccsmW3sQXu3E_bmfA8rnNOQwakRocP2J1yhamRk754mU/s320/quinoa.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
<b>Chives, sweet alyssum and garlic chives. (Not volunteers.)</b><br />
<br />
I first planted these chives two years ago. I planted the garlic chives last year and they've faithfully produced since then. What a great cut-and-come-again herb!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
A friend of mine gave me some<b> <a href="http://www.redwoodseeds.net/product/brightest-brilliant-quinoa">quinoa</a></b> seeds. Due to limited space, I have 2-3 good-sized plants (about six feet tall). My understanding is that we wait while those green grains mature and dry a bit, then we harvest some quinoa!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX90OMpmg77HHTNOKJUJJ5eJUtHE5UOJDQIhz0IJGdrK7b8521LHtlIHZxhabWCo9dKATRKd9XatptyDHgKlx2jVZXeucxkRoWNInvu0QGIUV6i-yyOzdPrq1983_9uhWw0wV8nNQUz5o/s1600/tomato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX90OMpmg77HHTNOKJUJJ5eJUtHE5UOJDQIhz0IJGdrK7b8521LHtlIHZxhabWCo9dKATRKd9XatptyDHgKlx2jVZXeucxkRoWNInvu0QGIUV6i-yyOzdPrq1983_9uhWw0wV8nNQUz5o/s320/tomato.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Huh? What's this? Back in the volunteer section of the garden, at the far end that doesn't seem to get enough water or sun, tucked in amongst the dried remnants of spring's pea plants? A tomato that's actually turning red?! It appears to be a paste variety. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBuQ9VfIqA1ZAYu2gfWN1hm6iSRM8dJsHwewXkQS43-ZycZFttuPYwx8PjV102uwxNBlVMu0FDyqsAdGYfWSGa_Au3BYeyrXzMOQYucakMTXnn6e5p6ywwdkRw5jf_dvJRGmrkkOLAwU/s1600/Aug+9+Harvest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGBuQ9VfIqA1ZAYu2gfWN1hm6iSRM8dJsHwewXkQS43-ZycZFttuPYwx8PjV102uwxNBlVMu0FDyqsAdGYfWSGa_Au3BYeyrXzMOQYucakMTXnn6e5p6ywwdkRw5jf_dvJRGmrkkOLAwU/s400/Aug+9+Harvest.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
This morning's harvest:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_RaMxngQIrYnB_v6CEKfEMs-8m0bP1bDUuq5-4gUNim_FoZvbdRXVmI4SC-Y5pNfY8xOnsvSq-KXVXF-ovJ8FlmtJ96FlBmcZNrNpJm4THEhyphenhyphentfBJmGs-jm_9EtCRh1_d8eVYo3j2UvQ/s1600/tomato+cluster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>9 <b>slicing cucumbers</b> of various sizes</li>
<li>1 handful of <b>purple podded beans</b> </li>
<li>1 <b><a href="http://www.redwoodseeds.net/product/west-indian-burr-gherkin">West Indian Burr Gherkin</a></b> -I planted at least six of these seeds, but, being in the area overrun with volunteers, I only got one plant. It's producing well, but probably not enough for a batch of pickles. The girls and I like them straight off the vine. They are crisp, spiky and just a little lemony. </li>
<li>3 <b>green podded peas</b> that I found hiding under the zucchini foliage.</li>
<li>3 <b>zucchini </b>picked while still small and sweet</li>
<li>3 <b>pickling cucumbers</b>, all of which managed to get bigger than I would like for pickling.</li>
</ul>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-2722301562761878872012-07-13T13:16:00.000-07:002012-07-13T14:45:27.062-07:00July Garden Inventory<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivIPpQPGk8_HMnL5-7DXbHAeO4NuZIq15W3vssP4y1YcdSkyng4g2a9kxs8QwVGnjW_NIUq4LhCrNEi9Zkf2d6WEDm6PMMpi4c9C8QY5S5VlhL9TZ6ev8B2rQsIADr93E__6mNm23djx8/s1600/zucchini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivIPpQPGk8_HMnL5-7DXbHAeO4NuZIq15W3vssP4y1YcdSkyng4g2a9kxs8QwVGnjW_NIUq4LhCrNEi9Zkf2d6WEDm6PMMpi4c9C8QY5S5VlhL9TZ6ev8B2rQsIADr93E__6mNm23djx8/s200/zucchini.jpg" width="200" /></a>I find June in the garden a bit frustrating. It's just that the days are long, so I have more time to work in garden in the mornings, but it's not a time of year when there is a lot of produce. A half an hour or more each day of weed pulling, planting, watering and checking plants for blossoms, and only a glut of onions and a cup and a half of poppy seeds to show for it.<br />
<br />
Don't get me wrong. I do get really excited about poppy seed harvest, but there just wasn't anything in the garden (besides chives) to inspire a meal after a long day in the office.<br />
<br />
But now it's July and with the first zucchini, there's hope for all the summer vegetables to come.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-HvK7WLS9DcUefiG0NjTOscub7D9Vl-wSXvD2mtV9ZbjefqFWl8ORTPk2Kx6qpVaE3Xgo7lCUyoPbCCi9Y2JnjrUCWqHX26wgBRQW1zjJT9PEIZGhVfk-Zni7o5mX42AiXf_PeawwI0/s1600/pollinators+pollinating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV-HvK7WLS9DcUefiG0NjTOscub7D9Vl-wSXvD2mtV9ZbjefqFWl8ORTPk2Kx6qpVaE3Xgo7lCUyoPbCCi9Y2JnjrUCWqHX26wgBRQW1zjJT9PEIZGhVfk-Zni7o5mX42AiXf_PeawwI0/s200/pollinators+pollinating.jpg" width="150" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33gh_jCQ94i2PqkAbo668ThDO1uzhSO1vgPpjGZRIedmVtrIURCCHSmduvtwNVtiiW6WTkfk2wLSuoNIcr4-HFs84mLIsGgsHicsWDvj4DzwGJklT1eEk1jbtF7dGe9m3mevhY2G0thg/s1600/zucchini+on+the+vine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh33gh_jCQ94i2PqkAbo668ThDO1uzhSO1vgPpjGZRIedmVtrIURCCHSmduvtwNVtiiW6WTkfk2wLSuoNIcr4-HFs84mLIsGgsHicsWDvj4DzwGJklT1eEk1jbtF7dGe9m3mevhY2G0thg/s200/zucchini+on+the+vine.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJSjIwS5C51Tk-5rSW7j8UuPMtbnv2yRuUWUVcEM4G8cj5VlCn9_OH_UWvd8oXQYDNL0RhsByS7vm4kANc7GKkqVCzSKfoea_DsGDqAly8wxh5zBl_QF7gvQ5N1RGyGksvm_5O32t33Y/s1600/tomato,+basil,+cucumber+plants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXJSjIwS5C51Tk-5rSW7j8UuPMtbnv2yRuUWUVcEM4G8cj5VlCn9_OH_UWvd8oXQYDNL0RhsByS7vm4kANc7GKkqVCzSKfoea_DsGDqAly8wxh5zBl_QF7gvQ5N1RGyGksvm_5O32t33Y/s200/tomato,+basil,+cucumber+plants.jpg" width="150" /></a><b>Bed #1</b>: two tomato plants (no harvest yet), a couple radishes, quite a few <b>basil </b>plants and two cucumber plants. We've been using the basil in a Thai dish similar to <a href="http://www.poorgirleatswell.com/2012/04/recipe-spicy-thai-basil-beef.html">this</a> one. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Bed #2:</b> The <b>chives, garlic chives</b> and <b>white onions</b> that have been there through winter.<br />
Newly planted, not ready for harvest: quinoa and a vigorous volunteer cucumber vine.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWADT0Qk8kUavAh_bJphXFpFS8ppcTVK-dAnCWAYVFc_4C_Y70q0CDQNlGDCquQ4BeaHOnoTmH352UcG6Yq9Ko1Wp7p_Hb8W5MgqdvIIWciXAnPv39nT8nDPYcXuAp2yOcTfctMR-t6pk/s1600/There%2527s+a+cucumber+hiding+in+there%2521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWADT0Qk8kUavAh_bJphXFpFS8ppcTVK-dAnCWAYVFc_4C_Y70q0CDQNlGDCquQ4BeaHOnoTmH352UcG6Yq9Ko1Wp7p_Hb8W5MgqdvIIWciXAnPv39nT8nDPYcXuAp2yOcTfctMR-t6pk/s200/There%2527s+a+cucumber+hiding+in+there%2521.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWADT0Qk8kUavAh_bJphXFpFS8ppcTVK-dAnCWAYVFc_4C_Y70q0CDQNlGDCquQ4BeaHOnoTmH352UcG6Yq9Ko1Wp7p_Hb8W5MgqdvIIWciXAnPv39nT8nDPYcXuAp2yOcTfctMR-t6pk/s1600/There's+a+cucumber+hiding+in+there%21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><b> </b><br />
<b>Bed #3: </b><br />
Newly planted, not ready for harvest, but growing like crazy: one tomato plant, six bean plants and three or four cucumber plants. I've been checking these plants daily and there are two small cucumbers hidden among the leaves.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>The mounds:</b><br />
<br />
You may recall that I planted cantaloupe, casaba melon, baby watermelon, okra, a golf ball-sized variety of cucumber called a West Indian Burr gherkin, luffa squash and two varieties of peas.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8Qy1UPptyfkglNabuMooZh1mSNLWP18pxo6OGbw6-aB2CZsA_Uavo0MDrQ2yhn8dY6cKqJnuYfxyC3ovMaVrnkIsDq6k4fwVnu6-RiUw-kPEW054XgiIaiwQoxXF0lcUzxi-c93tDMw/s1600/West+Indian+Burr+Gherkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8Qy1UPptyfkglNabuMooZh1mSNLWP18pxo6OGbw6-aB2CZsA_Uavo0MDrQ2yhn8dY6cKqJnuYfxyC3ovMaVrnkIsDq6k4fwVnu6-RiUw-kPEW054XgiIaiwQoxXF0lcUzxi-c93tDMw/s200/West+Indian+Burr+Gherkin.jpg" width="150" /></a>Yes, well... Possibly due to my own immature compost, so far the harvest has been different than one would expect: a handful of <b>peas</b>, at least half a dozen <b>round</b> <b>zucchini</b>, at least a dozen<b> pale green zucchini</b> of various sizes, two<b> cucumbers</b> (one of which was <a href="http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/problems/what-causes-bitter-cucumber.htm">bitter</a>) and three of the little <b>gherkins</b>. Also the tomato plants that are now in Beds 1 and 3 were 'volunteers' that sprouted up in this section, which I transplanted into the beds. As far as can tell there is no sign of an okra plant or a cantaloupe or casaba melon plant, and the watermelon vines are so much smaller than the volunteer cucumber vines and squash plants, that I am not holding out hope for them to produce anything. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oytakwzophyphenhyphen13Xmf8E7HmkMj2qJJzcSrULxsgglRhJE31S_y03iOl00ewIEhLFJxt0jce2dmpiySZgFJYXH9lBsctI6r4xv-Ec_gpl7qC0kMvYYx4wiWuwCQLfRGTeDUrd9zMx4CFo0/s1600/confident+sqush+plants+taking+over.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-oytakwzophyphenhyphen13Xmf8E7HmkMj2qJJzcSrULxsgglRhJE31S_y03iOl00ewIEhLFJxt0jce2dmpiySZgFJYXH9lBsctI6r4xv-Ec_gpl7qC0kMvYYx4wiWuwCQLfRGTeDUrd9zMx4CFo0/s320/confident+sqush+plants+taking+over.jpg" width="240" /></a>I was disappointed that the squash plant that quickly enveloped the area where I had planted the luffa was not the luffa. And I suppose I am a bit disappointed that we apparently are not growing our own melons this year (which would have been a first). But something about a zucchini plant's confident takeover of the garden, with it's broad, jungle-like leaves and showy blossoms, is kind of heart-warming. And it's persistent production is admirable. It's nice to know when there's "nothing in the house to eat," we can surely walk out to the garden, pull back those big leaves and find a tender zucchini or two or three...<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Zucchini Recipes that we've enjoyed</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://bakehouse.squarespace.com/home/2011/7/20/zucchini-parmesan-crisps.html"><b>Zucchini Parmesan Crisps</b></a> -crunchy and covered in parmesan. Totally crave-able, and yet you still get credit for eating a vegetable!<br />
<br />
<b><a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/07/cooking-with-ryan-zucchini-cakes/">Zucchini "Cakes" or "Patties"</a> </b>-This is good basic recipe. I've made these with and without the egg. I like to substitute some shredded leftover baked potato for the breadcrumbs, add a little basil for flavor and serve a zucchini patty topped with a sunny-side-up egg as a quick breakfast, lunch or dinner.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2007/07/a-salad-palette/"><b>Israeli Salad </b></a>-I've read a couple posts about <a href="http://www.davidlebovitz.com/2012/07/israeli-salad-recipe/">Israeli salad</a> recently. I think it will be a recurring dish in my summer cooking. In the version I made most recently, I combined vegetables cut into a <i>very small</i> dice: two tomatoes, a small tender zucchini, a peeled cucumber and some white onion. Being out of olive oil (how does that even happen?!), I dressed it with plenty of minced flat leaf parsley, a splash of toasted sesame oil, a splash of seasoned rice vinegar, salt, pepper and a generous sprinkling of roasted sesame seeds. Very refreshing!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-72395964793472746072012-06-26T12:08:00.001-07:002012-06-26T12:08:13.777-07:00Cherry TurnoversDanish Pastry Dough, mentioned in <a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2011/11/signature-apple-onion-tart.html">this post</a> from last November, is truly great stuff. Producing a pastry with multiple crisp, buttery layers, anything you make from it--an tart, croissants, danishes or turnovers, for instance--is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. <br />
<br />
Someone please remind me next January or February to make a few extra batches of this dough and store it in the freezer. Please. <br />
<br />
Why? Because when cherry season hits (late May through June) it's just too darn hot to spend hours in the kitchen folding dough and waiting for it to rise and chill. (And on the weekends when it<i> isn't </i>too hot, it's too nice outside to be stuck in the house babysitting a batch of dough.) But when cherry season hits, I definitely want a couple batches on Danish Pastry dough at the ready so that I can make Cherry Turnovers or Blueberry Turnovers or Chocolate Croissants or... <br />
<br />
I pulled my last batch of Danish Pastry Dough out of the freezer after picking some cherries at my mom's house recently, because Jason wanted cherry turnovers. Cherry pitting is hard work, but you'll be glad to know that this recipe requires less than one basket of cherries, so it's not too bad. If fact, once you've pitted those cherries and made the dough, you're almost finished. And as I mentioned before, people tend to go nuts over fresh-from-the-oven buttery pastries with pockets of freshly picked, sweet, summery fruit.<br />
<br />
<b>Cherry Turnovers</b><br />
<i>Makes 8 turnovers. </i><br />
<br />
one recipe <a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2011/11/signature-apple-onion-tart.html">Danish Pastry Dough </a><br />
one heaping cup pitted cherries, quartered (This is approximately equal to one pint cherries, minus the stems and pits and minus the handful of cherries that one must use as "tastes" while pitting the rest.)<br />
1/4 cup sugar<br />
1 tablespoon cornstarch<br />
pinch of kosher salt<br />
all-purpose flour for rolling <br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 400F. Line two rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper.<br />
<br />
Gently combine quartered cherries, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Let sit a few minutes.<br />
<br />
Roll chilled pastry dough into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Get the rectangle as big as you can get it without it tearing. I usually end up with something about eight or ten inches by 16 or 18 inches. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife cut the rectangle into eight 5" squares. If need be, roll each square gently after cutting to maximize surface area. If butter seeps through while rolling, sprinkle the exposed butter with flour just enough flour to cover. <br />
<br />
Picture each square divided in half diagonally. One by one, place one heaping tablespoon of cherry filling on one half of each square. Use your finger to wet the edge of the square with just a little water, then fold the other side of the square over the filling, forming a triangle. Seal the edges by pressing down with the times of a fork.<br />
<br />
Set filled turnovers on parchment-lined baking sheets and let rest at room temperature 15 minutes.<br />
<br />
Bake turnovers 15-20 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until golden brown. Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-90484617727408581692012-06-21T13:05:00.001-07:002012-06-21T13:05:43.268-07:00Quick-and-Easy Finger Foods for Early SummerA friend of ours was coming to dinner. It was early June and suddenly WAY too hot to cook. He asked what I'd like him to bring, and I asked him to bring "some sort of appetizer.". I thought I would somehow get motivated to make a few appetizers and we'd have a good selection of <i>tapas</i> and call it dinner. Our generous friend went to Trader Joe's and brought a delicious spread including mascarpone, apricot stilton, goat cheese, prosciutto, salami, roasted peppers, marinated artichoke hearts, kalamata olives, a baguette and two bottles of wine. We arranged the food on serving dishes and gathered around the table for a really enjoyable and easy meal (and a few we plan to enjoy soon).<br />
<br />
Somewhere in the course of the meal, I decided that I'd like to eat like that at least a few times a week through the summer. And so we have. Here's a quick list of the things we've enjoyed in our quick-and-easy June finger food meals (with a few alternatives throw in). To me, an ideal meal includes one meat, two cheeses and four vegetables. A starch and a plate of fruit are entirely optional. <br />
<br />
<b>From the Farmers Market</b> <br />
<ul>
<li>Llano Seco Rancho Ham:<i> a 3 pound organic applewood smoked ham sells for about $25 at the Saturday Farmers Market. Slice it up and serve cold or at room temperature.</i> </li>
<li><a href="http://www.realfarmsteadcheese.com/">Pedrozo Dairy</a>'s cheeses -<i>We love the Northern Gold and miss the Coriander</i><i> </i> </li>
<li>Pickled Okra <i>from Adams Olive Ranch. Of course, this is a great source for olives, as well, but the pickled okra is Grace's favorite. </i></li>
<li>Fresh fruits: <i>apricots, nectarines, peaches and apriums</i></li>
<li>Berries</li>
<li>A loaf of bread from one of the bakehouse vendors </li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>From the Grocery Store</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Salami<i> cut into slices</i></li>
<li>Canned sardines <i>or smoked trout </i></li>
<li>Tillamook Cheddar Cheese</li>
<li>Asiago Cheese with Olive Oil & Rosemary <i>sold at Trader Joe's</i> </li>
<li>Olives <i>good salty ones or kid-friendly black ones, many of which are grown"next-door" in Corning, California</i> </li>
<li>A crusty baguette<i> or a loaf of jalepeno-cheese bread or a box of crackers</i></li>
<li>Marinated Artichoke hearts <i>sold in jars </i></li>
<li>Roasted Red Peppers<i> sold in jars </i></li>
</ul>
<br />
<b>From the Kitchen </b><br />
<ul>
<li>Carrots & Cucumbers<i> cut into sticks and spears</i></li>
<li>Dill Pickles <i>-a fermented version from <a href="http://www.cheeseslave.com/lacto-fermented-dill-pickles/">Cheeseslave</a> </i></li>
<li>Pickled baby onions: <i>-A refrigerator pickle: Bring to a boil one cup water, one cup white vinegar, a tablespoon each sugar and salt, 10 peppercorns, a bay leaf, a couple allspice. Pour over cleaned, peeled baby onions packed into into a quart-size jar. Let sit in the refrigerator at least 24 hours before serving. </i></li>
<li>Lemon-Pickled Turnips <i> from <a href="http://www.eatingfromthegroundup.com/2012/05/lemon-pickled-turnips/">Eating from the Ground Up. </a> I haven't made these yet, but don't they look good?</i></li>
<li>Radishes <i>with some good salted butter </i></li>
<li>a loaf of sourdough or a couple rounds of flat bread</li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-3428246564937989912012-06-19T13:32:00.002-07:002012-06-19T13:32:27.584-07:00Grilled Cheese with CurtidoI bring my lunch to work almost every single day. Usually I bring some form of leftover something-or-other and usually I'm pretty content with it. But some days, there just isn't anything left over (or what is leftover isn't very appealing). On those days I have to figure out something I can put together in less than 15 minutes (while also making breakfast for the kids, pouring my coffee,<i> </i>packing a snack for myself and--on school days--demanding that my eight-year-old put her clothes on)<i>. </i> Thankfully, we have microwave at work. Though in theory I definitely lean toward the "the microwave is evil and probably making our food toxic" camp, in practice, I find a warm lunch much more satisfying than a cold lunch, so I do use a microwave almost daily.<br />
<i><br /></i><br />
Did you you know that grilled cheese sandwiches reheat fairly well? They do. So some days I throw together a quick grilled cheese in my cast iron skillet, wrap it in wax paper and, when lunch time comes, I reheat it for 30 seconds, maybe tuck in something crunchy or pickled to make it feel more adult, and viola: a quick, simple, comforting lunch. <br />
<br />
Today I made a grilled cheese sandwich on sliced sourdough bread with mozzarella cheese. (Monterey Jack would have been perfect though.)
After reheating, I tucked in a couple wedges of creamy sliced avocado and a few tablespoons of <a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2012/01/curtido.html">curtido</a> for a spicy, healthful crunch. That was a good sandwich. <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Grilled Cheese, Previously </b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2010/07/how-to-make-perfect-grilled-cheese.html">How to make a Perfect Grilled Cheese</a>. Okay, I might not make a "perfect"grilled cheese in the morning rush, but still, this is the theory.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2011/07/eggplant-panini.html">Eggplant Panini</a> Another adult grilled cheese.<br />
<br />
<b>Regarding the Microwave</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://pin-n-tell.com/microwave-corn-for-the-win/">Microwave Corn For The Win</a> An Entertaining Post by my good friend JennyAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-40919667866735497642012-06-08T12:29:00.001-07:002012-06-08T12:29:58.361-07:00Ice Cream & WafflesIt's okay to eat ice cream for dinner, right? I don't mean grocery store ice cream <strike>this time</strike>. I mean, It's okay to scoop homemade ice cream onto a nice, golden brown homemade waffle and tell the kids it is dinner, right? Because as much as I want to feed my kids a balanced, healthful dinner every night, sometimes that doesn't happen. Sometimes I resort to a frozen something-or-other or a leftovers-free-for-all.<br />
<br />
And sometimes I just have a hankering for some specific thing or an emotional need for some kitchen therapy. One evening last week I found that we were low on bread and that we had cream that needed to be used before it's expiration date. So I had to make ice cream to use the cream. And I had to start a loaf of sourdough bread, but since I hadn't used my starter in more than a couple days, it needed to be fed first.<br />
<br />
Feeding a starter is a process in which one removes most of the starter and adds to the remaining starter equal parts (by weight) flour and water. The good bacteria in the starter then feast on the new food (flour and water), resulting in a nice, bubbling, active ("fed") starter within 4-12 hours. But discarding that cup of unfed starter can seem wasteful. Before I started baking with sourdough, I kind of chuckled at the blogger-bakers who felt they had to use their unfed starter somehow to avoid wasting it. I reasoned that I'd rather throw away--compost--a cup of starter, which might "waste" a few nickels worth of flour, than use a bunch of other ingredients with more monetary value to avoiding "wasting" the starter. But the thing is that unfed sourdough starter adds a lot of good flavor to baked goods. There are <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2011/12/30/buttery-sourdough-buns-a-new-take-on-sourdough/">so</a> <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2009/11/05/save-that-sourdough-turning-unfed-starter-into-yummy-pizza-crust/">many</a> <a href="http://cmomcook.blogspot.com/2012/04/sourdough-chocolate-chip-cookies.html">fun</a> unfed starter recipes out there. Generally these recipes rely on a little yeast or baking powder as the leavening agent, because the starter, being less active than a fed starter doesn't have much leavening power.<br />
<br />
So I fed my starter in preparation for making a loaf of <a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2012/05/white-sourdough-bread.html">sourdough bread</a>, and with the unfed starter I made <a href="http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/sourdough-waffles-recipe">waffles</a>. I used a mixture of yogurt and sour cream in place of the buttermilk, because I didn't have any buttermilk on hand. (I've been meaning to order some<a href="http://www.culturesforhealth.com/starter-cultures/buttermilk-starter.html"> buttermilk cultures</a> so that I can make my own buttermilk, because after reading all the propaganda put out by raw milk activists, I'm a little leery of grocery store milk (but I still buy pasteurized cream, go figure). I don't know why I don't just chill and buy some buttermilk. I don't use buttermilk that often anyway. It's just one of those weird moral dilemmas.) I used melted butter, not vegetable oil. And these waffles were pretty good. But, really, I don't think it was the waffles we were thinking about when we ate them topped with fresh sliced strawberries and fresh vanilla ice cream.<br />
<br />
oOo<br />
<br />
If you have an ice cream maker collecting dust somewhere, pull it out. And make this simple vanilla ice cream. This recipe is super-easy. It doesn't require cooking and cooling a custard. It only takes a few minutes of work with a whisk (or an electric mixer) and soon you'll have delicious homemade ice cream to top the late spring berries that are available at the market now. Once you've made Vanilla Ice Cream, you might find yourself motivated to set aside the time to make <a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/2012/06/salted-caramel-ice-cream.html">Caramel (or Salted Caramel) Ice Cream</a>, which does require heating and chilling, but it is oh-so worth it. (With our waffles and strawberries we ate Vanilla Ice Cream, but Caramel Ice Cream would also be a great waffle and/or berry topping.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<b>Vanilla Ice Cream</b><br />
<i>Only slightly adapted from Ben & Jerry's Sweet Cream Base #1</i><br />
<i>Makes 1 quart, plus a few tastes </i><br />
<br />
2 farm fresh eggs<br />
3/4 cup sugar<br />
1 cup whole milk<br />
2 cups cream<br />
2 teaspoons vanilla extract <br />
<br />
In the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk eggs on medium-high speed one minute. Gradually add sugar while continuing to whisk. Whisk until sugar is completely dissolved, scraping bowl once or twice. There should be no grit if a drop of the mixture is rubbed between thumb and finger. Reduce speed to low and stir in milk, cream and vanilla. Mix well. Transfer mixture to ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer's directions.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-39776309772110618402012-06-07T08:43:00.002-07:002012-06-07T08:43:34.286-07:00Creamed OnionsA pound and a half of small white onions* (all less than 2" in diameter), sliced into rings and sauteed in 1 tablespoon of butter, with a little salt and pepper. A minced clove of garlic and two tablespoons butter added when they have softened and browned a little. Then a tablespoon of flour, and a minute later, a splash of good whole milk or cream, maybe a 1/4 cup. Let simmer a minute, top with a handful of good breadcrumbs** and broil a minute or two in the oven. <br />
<br />
Not at all light, but creamy, sweet and deeply satisfying. Like onion rings, but with more onion and less crunch.<br />
<br />
* Something about the freshness of spring onions makes them worth showcasing in their own dish. One could certainly make creamed onions with bigger onions; they would make a wonderful side dish in the fall and winter, but I used baby onions that I harvested from my garden. You can find similar onions in the farmers market throughout spring: small red or white bulb onions with the greens still attached. For this dish I removed the greens and will saved those that are tender enough to eat for another use (fried rice). <br />
<br />
**A few years ago I laughed at my grandma when I caught her saving bread crumbs from bread she was slicing. Oops. Now, when I make sourdough bread, I slice it before freezing it, which leaves me with a smattering of surprisingly flavorful bread crumbs. I've taken to saving these in a mason jar in the pantry. As long as all the crumbs added to the jar are thoroughly dry, they'll keep at least until I find a use for them. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5046590063079878130.post-86231554189853754992012-06-01T11:20:00.001-07:002012-06-01T11:20:39.461-07:00(Salted) Caramel Ice CreamThis is good, <i>really good</i>. Smooth. Rich. Creamy. Caramel that won't put your teeth out. I like this ice cream served on a sugar cone (that helps with portion control). (If someone has an ice cream cone maker sitting around, I'd be willing to trade you a quart of homemade ice cream for it; I'd love to try making my own cones.) This ice cream would also be wonderful on a waffle and/or topped with early summer berries. <br />
<br />
<b>Caramel Ice Cream / Salted Caramel Ice Cream<br />
</b><br />
<i>Adapted from Ben & Jerry's Sweet Cream Base #1 </i><br />
<i>Makes 1 quart.</i><br />
<b><br /></b><br />
3/4 cup sugar <br />
2 T unsalted butter<br />
1 3/4 cups cream<br />
1 cup whole milk<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla extract<br />
1 teaspoon sea salt (optional) <br />
2 farm fresh eggs <br />
<br />
1. Melt sugar over
medium or medium-low heat in 2 quart saucepan. Don't stir, just use a
heat-proof spatula to move un-melted sugar to the center of the pan.
Let sugar melt and caramelize. When it is a deep amber color--before it starts to smoke--add
butter and gradually stir in cream. Caramel may seize (harden) and
that's okay. Just lower the heat a bit and busy yourself with something
else in the kitchen, so that you can keep an eye on it and stir it
occasionally while the caramel melts into a sauce. This may take 20
minutes. When the caramel has melted into a rich sauce without clumps,
stir in milk and vanilla extract (and sea salt, if you want Salted
Caramel Ice Cream). Transfer mixture to a storage vessel and chill
thoroughly in refrigerator.* <br />
<br />
2. Whisk eggs in bowl of
electric mixer on medium speed one minute until fluffy. Scrape sides of bowl. Whisk a few seconds more, then continue
to whisk while slowly pouring in chilled caramel mixture.<br />
<br />
3.
Churn mixture in ice cream maker according to manufacturers
directions. This ice cream tends to be a little softer than most. Plan
to transfer the churned ice cream to the freezer and store at least a few
hours prior to serving if you prefer a scoop-able texture.<br />
<br />
<b>NOTE:</b>
If you have concerns about consuming raw eggs, you could certainly cook
them: In step one, after adding milk, but before adding vanilla,
temper the eggs by whisking some of the hot caramel mixture into them,
then add the the egg-caramel back to the remaining caramel in the
saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until custard
thickens some. Remove from heat, add vanilla (and salt), strain to remove any
"scrambled egg" bits, chill and proceed with Step 3.<br />
<br />
oOo<br />
<br />
For<strike> proof of my ice cream making obsession </strike>a running list of the ice creams I have made and more of my thoughts about them, please see my note, <a href="http://upstatecalikitchenadventures.blogspot.com/p/homemade-ice-cream-notes.html">Homemade Ice Cream Notes</a>. Flavors recently added include Cherry-Chocolate Chip, Simple Vanilla, Oatmeal Cookie and this Caramel. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02303918026375933138noreply@blogger.com0