Adventures in Container Gardening (and Local Eating)

New Adventures: New Site is Under Construction

2012-01-05T16:20:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year all! 2012 is going to be a great year!

After an exciting year of collaboration with fellow blogger, adventure seeker, and eco-ag-foodie extraordinaire, Deborah Lakowicz Dramby of Just Saying, it is time for an official blog merge. We've had so much fun with our award winning blog for the Public Health Garden, we are ready for even more learning and success in 2012.

New term: blerge! Blerge = blog merge.

The new website is under construction and will feature elements from both Just Saying and Adventures in Container Gardening, including the recipes I cherish on this website as well as insight, news, and ideas for the eco-curious. No doubt, it is going to be awesome!

While we are busy brainstorming and building, we encourage interested bloggers, developers and content creators to email us resumes and work samples.

2012 = the year of the blerge! Stay tuned for more updates.

Happy Hanukkah Everyone

2011-12-21T08:49:00.002-05:00

If you are making latkes at home:

Happy holidays! Enjoy your friends and loved ones.

RoseMERRY Christmas

2011-12-11T20:28:00.000-05:00

I love to decorate Christmas trees. But this year, I'm going to be in Costa Rica for the holidays with my mom and sister. So, instead, I have a rosemary bush dressed up as a tree.

Smells delicious and I'll be able to use it to cook! It is a wonderful compromise.

Winter CSA

2011-12-04T14:13:00.001-05:00

Last Thursday, I picked up my first CSA share from ECO City Farm in Edmonston, MD.

I couldn't be more excited to participate in ECO's CSA. My first share included swiss chard, mustard greens, lettuce mixes, pea shoots, another other greens. The CSA will run all winter long thanks to ECO's hoop houses and dedicated farm team.

I also took home some of the harvest from the Public Health Garden of kale, lettuce and mustard greens on Thursday. Needless to say, my fridge is full of greens, which I hope will make perfect study food as I near the end of the semester (finals are 14th and 15th of this month!).

Time for Brussels Sprouts! YES!

2011-11-12T19:46:00.000-05:00

Look at what I brought home with me from the farmers' market in Riverdale on Thurs:

Yes, that is a giant brussels sprout stalk strapped into my back seat of my car. So awesome. Here are the sprouts as I prepared them for cooking:

Best thing to do with brussels sprouts is here on the blog.

Logan in the wild!

2011-11-06T20:01:00.000-05:00

Logan enjoying the outdoors this weekend on a hike at Great Falls National Park.

Tomatoes in Nov

2011-11-06T19:56:00.000-05:00

Something great happened: my life is overwhelmed with tomatoes in Nov!
Green tomatoes from the Public Health Garden:

Here they are sauteed with onions and a little garlic (delicious):

I went to the Greenbelt Farmers' Market today and came home with a giant box of tomato 2nds (only cost $10!). I used them to repeat a wonderful tomato soup recipe from Smitten Kitchen that I made for my roommate's birthday last week.

Here is what I had to start with:

I suggest you go out and find some end-of-season tomatoes and prepare this fantastic soup.

Roasted Tomato Soup (from Smitten Kitchen)

What You Need

3 pounds tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon (or more to taste) dried crushed red pepper
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

What You Do

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Wrap garlic cloves in a tight foil packet (I used parchment paper).
Place tomatoes, cut side up, on large baking sheet.
Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Drizzle tomatoes with olive oil.
Add packet of garlic to tray.
Roast until tomatoes are brown and tender (garlic will be very tender), about 1 hour.
Cool slightly.
Unwrap garlic packet and peel cloves.
Transfer cloves, tomatoes and any accumulated juices to a blender or food processor and pulse machine on and off until tomatoes are a chunky puree.
Transfer tomatoes to medium pot and add thyme, crushed red pepper and stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 25 minutes.
Remove from heat and adjust seasonings to taste.

YUM! Here are my tomatoes getting ready to roast and coming out of the oven:

Going into the oven

Coming out of the oven!

On the table for my roommate's birthday

Visit to Larriland Farms

2011-11-06T19:29:00.001-05:00

This season has been action packed, and I apologize for the lack of posts here on the blog. Now that Oct. is over (along with its tremendous amount of events and activities), I'm hoping to pick back up with the blog and reflecting on the fall season. I will be sharing some details of wonderful meals and adventures, I promise!

One fantastic fall activity was a visit to Larriland Farms for pick-you-our veggies with Just Saying's Deb and family. While the apples were all picked from the trees (it was a very beautiful-but busy- weekend!), I was able to pick my own swiss chard, broccoli, and cauliflower. I was also able to purchase a half bushel of apples from the barn to share with the Public Health Garden's volunteers and guests at the Harvest Festival on Food Day (Oct 24).
Here are some pictures to capture the day:

Pick your own broccoli field

Pick your own chard and spinach

Yellow cauliflower

Swiss chard

Cutting my own cauliflower-- a seasonal favorite of mine!

A very happy Allison

So many apples!

Dividing up the apples by variety

More posts and catching up to come! I suggest you get out to your farmers' market to catch the end of the season.

Although I've been neglectful this fall...

2011-11-03T12:19:00.000-04:00

Fall Has Arrived: Squash Soup

2011-09-18T20:33:00.000-04:00

Wow, fall really snuck up on me this year. I am busy catching up on reading for class (it might be a bad sign that I have to catch up on week three, but I won't worry about that now). I am also starting to prep some of the first foods of fall 2011.

Tonight, I made beet risotto from a previous post as well as crunchy, crusty loaf bread. Additionally, I prepped a new squash soup I found when looking for an easy recipe on The Food Network. It is simple and delicious. I suggest you try it during your fall transition to help ease you in.

Squash Soup (from Alton Brown)

What You Need

6 cups (about 2 large squash) seeded 2-inch wide chunks squash (butternut squash or other)

Melted butter, for brushing

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus 1 teaspoon

1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus 1/2 teaspoon

3 cups vegetable stock

4 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon minced ginger

4 ounces heavy cream

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

What You Do

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Brush the flesh of the squash with a little butter and season with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper.
3. On a pan, lay the squash flesh side up.
4. Roast for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the flesh is nice and soft.
5. Scoop the flesh from the skin into a pot and add the stock, honey, and ginger.
6. Bring to a simmer and for 10 minutes.
7. Blend.
8. Stir in heavy cream and return to a low simmer (I didn't have cream, so I skipped this step).
9. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

Bring on fall!

Beautiful fall tree from The Daily Balance

Visit to Arcadia

2011-09-11T17:11:00.000-04:00

I first learned about Arcadia in an article in Flavor Magazine describing the farm and its related food initiatives. While I didn't hear about Arcadia until recently, I was familiar with Birch and Barley in my old stomping ground of Logan Circle, DC. The resturant is part of the Neighborhood Restaurant Group that provided the start-up funds for the project and currently sources produce from the farm. After reading the article I was immediately excited and wanted to learn more, but with the beginning of the semester and fall activities ramping up, I wasn't sure when I would have time to go out to the grounds of the historic Woodlawn Plantation to visit. Until a friend of mine emailed me to let me know that she planned a visit and tour over there and asked if I wanted to come along. How could I say no to a morning out of the office and on the farm talking about local farming initiatives?

Here are some photos from the farm:

Existing beds

Beautiful crops

Themed raised beds for educational programming with D.C. Farm to School Network

Educational bed used by D.C. Farm to School Network

Love these signs and want to replicate them at the Public Health Garden

"Taste me" sign and boots used as containers!

Compost and bees in the background

In addition to the farm itself, Arcadia's food initiatives include a mobile market serving low income DC residents and the D.C. Farm to School Network. They are also exploring opportunities to start a food hub and become a farm incubator, providing education to people who are interested in learning to farm themselves. Not only did we get to spend time talking with Farm Manager, Mo, about the farm and the food initiatives running out of Arcadia, we also got to witness expansion of the farm.

When we arrived, the tractor just got started on a new area for the farm.

Ready to expand! Taking a look at the new space and discussing the cover crop that will go in soon.

We were so impressed and inspired by the work at Arcadia, and also the delicious vegetables we got to take home from our visit. It is so exciting to learn about projects promoting sustainable agriculture and local farms while helping to increase access to fresh produce for D.C.

Want to visit and support this initiative? Another exciting event at Arcadia: The Vices That Made Virginia.

Thanks to Mo and Arcadia for allowing us to visit! We can't wait to go back.

Fall Cider

2011-09-11T16:18:00.000-04:00

I promise this will be the last post on beverages for awhile but last night we had a cookout at my house (after attending the nearby Maryland Renaissance Festival) and opened up the hard cider from Albemarle Ciderworks. It was just as wonderful as I remember it from the tasting I had in their tasting room.

Hard cider is best made from heritage varieties of apples and can be very unique (and delicious). The transformation of the apple industry and its move to only a small homogeneous selection of sweet apples is interesting and explained very well by Michael Pollan in The Botany of Desire. Cideries like Albemarle Ciderworks are bringing back American varieties of apples that were used by Jefferson and the founding fathers to make America's beverage of choice, cider. And I love Mr. Jefferson. So, cider that was good enough for him, is certainly good enough for me.

The other thing I love about cider is that it is perfect for fall and often inspires festivals. Consider attending some apple harvest festivals this season, like those at Albermarle Ciderworks.

Nelson County: More Breweries than Stoplights

2011-09-10T09:51:00.000-04:00

For me, trips to central Virginia often end up an ode to the University and a celebration of the food and beverages produced in the Commonwealth. Not only is VA producing wonderful wine (as described in my previous post), but many breweries are popping up as well. I went to meet a new friend and Sustainability Coordinator for UVA Dining at Devil's Backbone and was thrilled with their beer, although a bit intimidated by the size of the tasting.

What was most surprising, however, was the number of breweries we passed on the way to Devil's Backbone. Rt. 151 is filling up with breweries- it was so exciting to see. I also learned that while there are now four breweries in Nelson County, there is still only one stoplight!

I was thrilled to get the chance to talk about local and sustainable food with an incredible woman, Kendall Singleton who is working for UVA Dining. We were able to discuss the successes and challenges in promoting environmental stewardship at institutional dining halls and operations.

I also visited some lovely chickens perched in downtown Charlottesville:

VA, beer, sustainable food, and happiness!

Central VA Wine

2011-09-10T09:30:00.000-04:00

There is nothing I like better than a trip to Charlottesville, VA and the surrounding area of central VA. This summer I took a wonderful trip and visited some of my favorite wineries and some new ones as well. With nearly 200 wineries, VA is a wonderful place to explore wine.

Here was the wine tour:

Veritas (a favorite)
Stinson (brand new!)
White Hall
Mountfair
Glass House

Grapes growing at Veritas on the porch

Veritas wines, yum!

Stinson wines, new but delicious

Outside White Hall

Inside Glass House, very unique with tons of tropical plants

Rain storm at Glass House

After the rain, saying goodbye

Lewes and the Lovely Farmers Market

2011-09-10T09:16:00.001-04:00

Since moving to the DC area, I did not spend any time at the nearby beaches in Delaware or Maryland-- until this summer! I was lucky to spend some time in Lewes, Delaware and visit one of the most lovely farmers' markets I've ever seen. The Historic Lewes Farmers Market is a producer-only farmers' market with 38 vendors. This year the market was voted one of America's Favorite Farmers Market.

Here are some pictures from my visit. I definitely recommend taking a trip to Lewes next time you are looking for a beach in the DC area.

My sister and I outside the market

We certainly voted for the Lewes Farmers Market!

Logan went swimming in the ocean!

Happy dog and happy owner

Reflecting on the summer

2011-09-10T09:06:00.000-04:00

Although I didn't post much this summer, it is only because it was hard to find the time with all the fun I was having. Now, as the fall is creeping in, I am reflecting on the wonderful time I had and all the beautiful places I visited. So, here are a number of posts on my summer fun from Delaware to Virginia and back.

Lovely sunflower from the Public Health Garden at UMD College Park

Alewife: Local Food and Good Times in Baltimore

2011-08-01T17:08:00.001-04:00

Sister blog Just Saying tells the story of our visit to Alewife in Baltimore, MD quite well. We, excited gardeners and avid local food eaters, were thrilled to visit this wonderful place and enjoyed the company of owner Bryan Palombo and Executive Chef Chad Wells as we talked sustainable eating and local food. Here you can see Chef Chad discussing his menu and ideas with us.

I can't help but to gush a bit more over the fantastic meal and the use of produce from the Public Health Garden in the dishes served to our table.

Here are the details of our meal:

First we started with a spicy green bean dish that Chef Chad prepared with the purple beans (reminder/surprise: they turn green when cooked) from the Public Health Garden. They were steamed to perfection and then tossed in a Thai paste and peanut sauce, served with shredded carrots.

As you can tell, we loved this starter and were temped to lick the plate clean (we refrained, since we were out in public with new friends).

Next, we had shrimp with baby tomatoes (also from the PHG) in a delicious vinaigrette and salsa with onion, jalapeno, tomatoes, and capers.

Followed was a smoked tomato and goat cheese flan, with smoked heirloom tomatoes, goat cheese (you know how we feel about goats), crostini, and topped with a pea greens salad.

We then ordered wild mushroom risotto cakes, the smoke burger, and blue catfish tacos (see menu here).

Wow! They were all delicious. And, for those who know about my obsession with all things risotto, Alewife definitely beat my risotto cakes so I will have to go back to the drawing board to improve my recipe. Congrats!

The meal couldn't have been better, until out came dessert:

Yes, that is a chocolate-chipotle-goat-cheese-cupcake. Again, we have a profound love of goats, so this was a even bigger delight.

Thank you Alewife for a fabulous meal. We also enjoyed the warm atmosphere, decor, and beer list. We are looking forward to coming back to taste and learn even more about the infamous invasive snakehead fish, and perhaps sample all 150 beers so we too can have our own mug and time to shine singing a cappella on the bar.

Mom's Green Beans

2011-07-26T18:41:00.000-04:00

I can't believe this recipe is not up here. Unless my searching capabilities have disappeared, it seems that I never posted my mom's wonderful green bean recipe. Perfect for summer when we are inundated with beans and tomatoes- this dish is just fantastic! The recipe below includes my mom's notes from when she shared this recipe with me in 2007 when I moved out on my own after college.

Green Beans with Tomatoes (From My Mom!)

What You Need

- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds of green beans (thin french style beans are the best but any would do)
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped (use 4)
- 1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and chopped (this is too much onion; no more than 1/2 onion)
- 4 small ripe tomatoes, about 1 pound, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped (Allison note: I like using cherry tomatoes cut in half)
- 1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
- 4 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

What You Do

1. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet, add the beans and cook, stirring and tossing constantly, until beans are about half-cooked and become bright green. (I use my wok)
2. Reduce heat and add garlic and onion. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Add tomatoes, parsley, vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper, and continue to cook, tossing occasionally for about another 5 minutes or until sauce is slightly reduced. Serve immediately, or cool and serve at room temperature.
The recipe makes 4-6 portions. Note that you can get snazzy with the herbs. Use what you have from the market or your kitchen garden. I use fresh oregano and limit the parsley (I'm not a huge parsley fan). I've also thrown in other summer veggies cut into thin, small pieces such as zucchini and summer squash.

Lilly Gardens

2011-07-19T19:53:00.000-04:00

I spent last weekend up in NJ/NYC visiting my family. I thought I would share some photos that made me smile from the Lilly family container gardens. It seems to me that container gardening runs in my family!

Here is my dad's back patio garden with some new herbs we just put in together this weekend:

Here is my mom's terrace with some beautiful and healthy plants. They are even surviving the wild winds that blow out on her 19th floor apartment:

Summer Loving

2011-07-12T15:16:00.000-04:00

After my trip to the farmer's market this weekend, I enjoyed the most perfect summer afternoon meal: sliced heirloom tomato (cherokee purple), locally grown bibb lettuce, fresh roll with local goat cheese and quark with herbs (half the roll with one type of cheese, and half the roll with the other-- I couldn't decide between them!). I was introduced to quark for the first time this year at the market from a local dairy-- and it is amazing! See if you can find it at your market and at least do a taste test. Did I mention that I also had cherries, blueberries, and plums?

Wow. I love summer.

I can't do a summer loving shout out without praising some okra as well. Here is it getting chopped up with some onion from the market to go into my stewed okra and tomato recipe (served with rice).

I hope you are all enjoying summer as much as I am.

Banana Peppers

2011-07-09T18:35:00.001-04:00

The peppers are ripe and starting to be picked. We have tons of hot peppers, and unfortunately, I am a little bit intimidated by them. I'm not a huge spicy fan. I do, however, love banana peppers. Today, I pickled some that I received as a gift from a friend's garden. I even put one half of a hot pepper to use.

Quick-Pickle Banana Peppers (adapted from the Indianapolis Food Examiner)

What You Need
- 1 cup sliced banana peppers
- 3/4 c. white vinegar
- 1/4 c. cider vinegar
- 1 hot pepper, sliced finely
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp sugar

What You Do
1. Stir all ingredients together except for peppers until salt dissolved.
2. Add peppers and mix well, to ensure all are covered with vinegar mixture.
3. Top with a little more cider vinegar if necessary.
4. Let sit about 30 minutes and use as desired.
5. Any leftovers can be stored in a clean jar, in the refrigerator, for a couple of weeks or canned in a sterile jar.

I hope they aren't too hot. I'm excited to use them on a sandwich! Summer is just too much fun.

Oops: One Post in June?

2011-07-09T16:34:00.000-04:00

Wow, I've dropped the ball. With all the fun I've been having in the Public Health Garden, I have completely neglected the container garden (and other plants) at home as well as my Adventures blog. I am very sorry that I have not had a chance to share some favorite summer recipes this past month. I'll make sure to add some more this July. As a consolation prize, here are some fun photos from the past two weeks:

First Harvest

2011-06-01T13:17:00.001-04:00

As many of you know, I am working with students, staff, and faculty at the University of Maryland to start a community garden called the Public Health Garden. Yesterday, we had our first harvest of 5 pounds of cukes and beans. Here are some photos of the harvest:

So, to celebrate, I took our harvest and made salads to share at our first summer meeting this afternoon. I made three different salads: green bean salad with pine nuts, broiled three-bean salad, and sweet-and-sour cucumbers with fresh dill.

Here are the green bean recipes:

Broiled Three Bean Salad (adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian)

What You Need

- Red onion, thinly sliced

- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1 pound green beans (I used purple, yellow and green), cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 can of chickpeas, drained
- 1 can of kidney beans, drained
- 1/4 cup olive oil

What You Do

1. Heat the broiler and adjust the rack so that the pan is 4-5 inches from the heat.
2. Put the onion, garlic, and ginger in a large heatproof bowl and sprinkle with sugar, chili, salt and pepper. Drizzle on the vinegar and toss gently to coat.
3. Spread the green beans on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle lightly with oil. Toss to coat.

4. Broil, shaking the pan occasionally, until they begin to blister (about 5-7 minutes).

5. Add beans to onion mixture and toss to mix.

6. Spread the chickpeas and kidney beans on the baking sheet and drizzle with oil to coat.

7. Broil until they get brown and the chickpeas are crunchy, about 5 minutes.

8. Add them to the bowl and toss. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

9. Serve cold/chilled.

Green Bean Salad with Pine nuts (adapted from The Essential Vegetarian Cookbook)

What You Need

- 1 pound green beans (I used our garden mix of colors)

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 4 teaspoons lemon juice

- 2 tablespoons pine nuts

- 2/3 cup tomato juice

- 2 cloves garlic

- few drops Tabasco sauce

What You Do

1. Boil green beans for 1 minute.

2. Drain beans and plunge into iced water, drain well.

3. Toss beans with oil and lemon juice.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

5. Spread nuts on a foil covered tray and roast for 5 minutes.

6. Combine tomato juice, garlic, Tabasco in a small pan.

7. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered over low heat for 8 minutes (until reduced by half).

8. Allow to cool then arrange beans on a serving plate, pour tomato mixture over the beans and sprinkle with nuts.

I can't wait for more delicious treats and plentiful harvests from the garden this season! I'll be sure to continue to share ways to prepare and enjoy the fruits from the garden.

Garden Update

2011-05-31T22:47:00.000-04:00

Containers in the front and garden plot in the back. All doing well in the heat and beginning of summer.

What Spring Means to Me: Strawberries, Rhubarb, and Asparagus

2011-05-13T18:19:00.001-04:00

I love the spring. Farmers markets are starting back up and/or extending their hours. The days are longer. The semester is nearing its end. And you can eat strawberries, rhubarb, and asparagus.

Here is a wonderful recipe from my roommate's family arsenal.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Cake with Pie Crumb Topping

What You Need
- 1 egg
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups rhubarb, chopped
- 1-2 cups strawberries, chopped
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- dash cinnamon
- small dash nutmeg

What You Do
1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
2. Mix together egg, yogurt, sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. Fold in rhubarb and strawberries.
4. Pour mixture into a greased and floured pan.
5. Mix together remaining flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, and butter.
6. Add dash of cinnamon and nutmeg.
7. Sprinkle topping over the cake.
8. Bake for 50 minutes.

Yum. Celebrate the spring.

Mother's Day Weekend Gardening

2011-05-08T18:35:00.000-04:00

I've heard from master gardeners that Mother's Day is the right day to start gardening in this area. So, I took this weekend to get my garden cleaned up at home and transplant some plants from our collection at UMD that are itching for a home since our beds aren't ready at the Public Health Garden. The garden is a good collection of containers and my little plot from last year. I've also expanded with two make-shift raised beds for potatoes and sweet onions (not shown because I put the onions in today). Here are some photos:

Here is a list of what you see pictured:

Kale and collards from last year (still going!)
Broccoli
Rhubarb
Tomato plants
Eggplant
Green beans
Peas
Lettuce (container)
Herb mix (container)
Container tomato
Container eggplant (I have a lot of eggplant, we'll see how they do)
Potatoes
Sweet onions

In the front yard, we have containers of the following:

Strawberries
Rosemary and more herbs

I also have seeds starting for cukes, melons, peppers, and okra.

It is going to be a delicious season. I hope you got started with some plants this weekend too... containers and otherwise!

Gardening Resources

2011-04-22T16:57:00.000-04:00

So fun. Check these out:

http://www.hgic.umd.edu/
http://www.gardeners.com/Kitchen-Garden-Planner/kgp_home,default,pg.html
http://www.growit.umd.edu/

Get on these sites to start planning and planting your garden!

First Garden Pics of the Season

2011-04-16T09:43:00.000-04:00

Little garden, ready for spring:

Brussels sprouts (they survived over the winter and are now growing):

Kale and greens (and we planted the asparagus right outside the fence!):

So excited to get going in the garden this season!

Spring is Here!

2011-04-11T10:03:00.000-04:00

We planted peas, spinach, and asparagus in the garden yesterday. I was so excited that I found asparagus crowns to plant from the Neighborhood Farm Initiative booth at Mount Rainier Better Block Party on Sat. They are so cool-- to plant them, you need to dig a small ditch. Then, the crowns are supposed to go 10 inches into the ground and then get covered with 6 inches of dirt. Another plus: my roommate and I were thrilled because we got to use our compost for the first time. All in all, it was a great start to spring.

Dreaming about peas and asparagus....

Getting Ready for Matzah

2011-04-10T12:00:00.000-04:00

Passover is around the corner and my mother and I just discussed the plan for the menu. This is going to be year two for our homemade gefilte fish. My mom is going to make her famous vegetable stew but we might not serve it this year at the first night seder, instead we are going to have asparagus and potatoes. We will eat the vegetable stew during the remainder of the week.

We are planning on the following this year:
- Chopped liver, hummus, and matzah
- 2 varieties of charoset
- Chicken soup with matzah balls
- Homemade gefilte fish
- Spring salad with red wine vinaigrette dressing
- Roasted potatoes
- Roasted asparagus
- Oven braised barbecued brisket

Yum! I can't wait for next week.

Bacon and Leek Risotto

2011-04-07T19:47:00.000-04:00

Ready for spring? I am. The new Bon Appetit is getting me so excited for spring vegetables. Here is the first recipe from this month's issue I tried and it is out of this world. I don't eat much meat anymore, so this was a special treat with some bacon from the Takoma Park Farmer's Market.

Please, please try this. I am strongly considering changing my blog to cover risotto exclusively because of how much I love making it! I'm sad I didn't take any pictures of this meal. But, I guess that means I will have to make it again soon to share them with you. Also, this was our first meal of the season that we enjoyed in the backyard with a fire keeping us warm. Amazing.

Bacon and Leek Risotto (from Bon Appetit)

What You Need

- 6 large eggs
- 5 cups vegetable broth (recipe calls for chicken stock)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces
- 2 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 2 large--which is a bit more than 2 cups but don't worry, use it all)
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice (about 10 ounces)
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley (from our containers here at home)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese (I used more, closer to 4)
- Fresh Italian parsley leaves (for garnish)
- Additional finely grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

What You Do

Bring broth to simmer in medium saucepan; cover to keep warm.
Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat.
Add bacon and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally.
Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.
Add leeks to drippings in pan; cook until soft but not brown, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes.
Transfer 2 generous tablespoonfuls leeks to small bowl; reserve for garnish.
Add rice to pan; stir 1 to 2 minutes.
Add wine; stir until absorbed, about 2 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup warm broth to saucepan; stir until broth is absorbed. Repeat adding broth and stirring until rice is tender but still firm to bite and sauce is creamy, stirring almost constantly, about 23 minutes total.
Add bacon, chopped parsley, butter, and 2 tablespoons cheese.
Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Meanwhile, poach eggs.
Divide risotto among 6 bowls. Top risotto in each bowl with poached egg. Sprinkle egg with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley leaves, additional cheese, and reserved leeks.

This recipe was wonderful and perfect for celebrating the beginning of spring.

Yum

2011-04-07T10:37:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I made Bacon and Leek Risotto and all I have to say is: WOW

Recipe and details coming soon!

Spring Break Down in C'ville

2011-03-27T20:21:00.000-04:00

This week was spring break at UMD, so I went down to Charlottesville, VA to relax, enjoy some good food, and drink wine. I visited TJ's Monticello while I was there and got some great ideas for what I want from my garden. Take a look:

It was an amazing trip and I was so happy to get to visit some of my favorite wineries like Barboursville and Veritas:

But, best of all was seeing the University starting to bloom:

PB&J Muffins

2011-03-11T13:55:00.000-05:00

I've been baking more often recently to provide encouragement and show my appreciation for those students, staff, and faculty working with me on the University of Maryland Public Health Garden. Last week, I tried these PB&J muffins. They are easy and a little different. Paula Deen always has good ideas. It is messy to make though!

PB&J Muffins (from Paula Deen)

What You Need

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon creamy peanut butter (plus more to stuff the muffins)
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1/4 cup thick jam, such as seedless raspberry
- 1/3 cup honey-roasted peanuts, chopped
- Compound butter: 1 stick butter, room temperature with 5 tablespoons of your favorite fruit preserve

What You Do

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.
In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Pulse in all of the peanut butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add the milk, egg, and butter and pulse until combined.
Distribute half of the batter equally among the muffin cups.
Drop a teaspoon of jam into each cup and a teaspoon of peanut butter and cover with the remaining batter.
Top with the chopped peanuts.
Bake until the muffins are light golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
Transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or allow to cool completely.
Spread compound butter on top.

Note: Store in an airtight container. The muffins will keep for 1 to 2 days. Share with friends.

Mac and Cheese Cook-Off

2011-03-11T13:42:00.000-05:00

The cover of March Bon Appetit was a claim that they found their favorite mac and cheese recipe. My response was to hold a competition between their "southern charm" mac and cheese and my own. A friend of mine took up the challenge to compete as well. So, we were left with three mac and cheese recipes to test against one another. Here are the photos:

A lot of cheese. All delicious. In the end my mac and cheese won. But here is the recipe for what sparked the competition:

"Pimiento" Mac and Cheese (from Bon Appetit)

What You Need

- 1 7- to 8-ounce red bell pepper, seeded, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, halved, divided
- 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 3/4 cup drained mild Peppadew peppers in brine, 1 tablespoon brine reserved
-1/4 teaspoon ground ancho chiles
- 1 1/4 cups (packed) coarsely grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup (packed) coarsely grated whole-milk mozzarella
- 8 ounces medium shell pasta or gemelli

What You Do

Bring 1/2 cup water, bell pepper, and 11/2 garlic cloves to boil in small saucepan.
Cover; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until pepper is soft, about 15 minutes.
Toast panko in skillet over medium-high heat until golden, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes.
Transfer to bowl; cool to lukewarm. Rub 1 tablespoon butter into crumbs to coat. Mix in 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Transfer bell pepper mixture to processor.
Add Peppadews and 1 tablespoon brine, 2 tablespoons butter, ground chiles, and 1/2 garlic clove; then add cheddar and 1/4 cup Parmesan.
Blend until sauce is smooth; season to taste with salt and pepper.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Butter 8-cup baking dish.
Cook pasta in pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite.
Drain; return to pot.
Stir sauce and mozzarella into pasta.
Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon pasta into dish.
Sprinkle with crumb topping.
Bake pasta until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes (15 for individual).
Let stand 10 minutes.

With this recipe, I would recommend trying to find a way to make it a bit creamier. It didn't live up to the "pimiento" in the title. But, we did have a fun dinner party and lots of left overs.

Visit to Accokeek Farm

2011-03-04T11:00:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I attended a wonderful workshop at the Accokeek Foundation titled "Successful CSAs: How to Start and Manage a Community Supported Agriculture Program". The first thing I noticed at Accokeek was their dedication to sustainability. Below are pictures of their rain barrels and green roof (not so green in the winter).

Not only was the event fantastic and full of great discussion about different approaches for small and mid-size farms managing CSA, but there was a wonderful local lunch provided by Chef Elaine McVinney. Lunch included mesclun salad, butternut squash lasagna, whole wheat rolls and locally made butter, local goat cheeses, apple custard pie, and whole wheat chocolate chip skillet cookies.

What an amazing day! We covered topics as basic as "What is a CSA" to more specific details for farmers (and aspiring farmers) finding land, pricing food shares, and determining what products to grow. I gained some fantastic insight from farmers with 28 year old farms to 2 year old farm. I also learned that no matter how much you want to give people more food, it is important not to overwhelm costumers with too much produce that they will not know how to use.

I will keep all these lessons in mind for my future farm (you can see me dreaming about it above), as well as for the new Public Health Garden I am working on at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Note: Thanks to Deb at Just Saying for the photos!

Iris Interview

2011-02-24T11:36:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Iris: A Magazine for Thinking Young Women for publishing this interview about the blog: Check it out!

An Exercise in Domesticity: Truly Homemade Lasagna

2011-02-15T22:04:00.003-05:00

For Valentine's Day Weekend, my roommate and I hosted a romantic evening to celebrate love, food, friendship, and domesticity. My mom's response to this activity was that I'm a foodie fanatic or her words may have been that I am a "lunatic". My roommate says that at least I'm a "happy, well fed lunatic". Either way, this was one of my favorite meals in a long time and gave me a lot of pleasure.

We prepared all the ingredients for the lasagna from scratch including the following: ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, lasagna noodles, and pasta sauce. We also sauteed spinach in olive oil and garlic and used that as well. As you can see, most of the components of this lasagna have already been posted to the blog. The glory of this meal was putting all the pieces together.

Basic Vegetarian Lasagna (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

What You Need
- 1 pound lasagna noodles
- 1 pound mozzarella
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (freshly grated)
- 32 ounces whole tomatoes (we used the ones my roommate and her family canned from their farm this summer, the can includes a handful of basil leaves)
- 4 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, crushed
- Salt and pepper to taste
- "A couple glugs red one"
- Several cups baby spinach

What You Do
1. Prepare the ricotta cheese, if making at home.
2. While you are waiting for the ricotta, prepare the mozzarella, if making at home.
3. Prepare the noodles, if making at home.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium sized pot.
5. Add 4 cloves garlic and allow to heat on medium (2 minutes) Do not burn.
6. Add can of tomatoes, basil, "glugs of wine" (which means just a couple little pours from the bottle), and a little salt and pepper.
7. Break up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon and allow sauce to simmer which you finish getting everything else prepared (minimum of 10 minutes).
8. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add in the last 2 cloves garlic to a mid-sized pan.
9. Saute spinach.
10. Add spinach to the ricotta cheese.
11. Assemble the lasagna in the following order: sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture, sauce, noodles, ricotta mixture, sauce, noodles, sauce, sliced mozzarella.
12. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
13. Put lasagna into a preheated oven at 375 degrees.
14. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
15. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Excellent and worth trying. The whole process took us 3 hours total from start to finish (which includes 1 hour of waiting for ricotta and 35-45 minutes waiting for the lasagna to bake). We were able to pass the time listening to music, snacking on bread with olive oil, garlic, and balsamic vinegar, and enjoying some wine.

The Winning Birthday Cake

2011-02-15T21:53:00.004-05:00

The winning birthday cake recipe was a combination of a couple that my roommate and I reviewed over the past few months. My roommate ended up making the Cocoa Layer Cake, previously posted to the blog. The major difference from the initial post was that the instead of using a layer of icing in the middle, she spread raspberry jam. Wow! What a fantastic combination. For the frosting, she used the frosting from the Chocolate-Red Wine Cake, which just involves 3/4 cup hot cream and 3/4 cup chocolate chips. This birthday cake was perfect and, of course, I enjoyed all the trial runs.

As you can see, I was a happy birthday girl.

Thank You Smitten Kitchen: Part 2

2011-02-15T21:47:00.003-05:00

I love cauliflower. So, of course, it had to make an appearance at my birthday dinner. Here's another great one from Smitten Kitchen.

Cauliflower Salad (from Smitten Kitchen)

What You Need
- 1 small firm head cauliflower, about 12 ounces
- 1 hard-cooked egg
- 2 scallions, including an inch of the greens, thinly sliced
- 1 cup diced celery heart with leaves
- 1 small green bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
- 12 pimiento-stuffed Spanish green olives, halved
- 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed
- 1/2 cup parsley leaves
- 1 or 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
- salt and freshly milled pepper
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or aged red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

What You Do
1. Pound the garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt in a mortar until it breaks down into a puree.
2. Smash the hard-cooked egg yolk with the garlic and salt.
3. Combine the garlic, vinegar, yolk and mustard in a small bowl, then whisk in the oil and season with pepper.
3. Taste and correct the balance (dressing should be on the tart side).
4. Slice off very thin slices of cauliflower, working your way around the head. Quarter then thinly slice the cauliflower. Be sure to include the stalks, too, peeled and thinly sliced.
2. Dice the egg white and toss it with the vegetables, olives, capers, and parsley. Add the vinaigrette and toss again.

Thank You Smitten Kitchen: Part 1

2011-02-15T21:37:00.002-05:00

You might have noticed by now but I love Smitten Kitchen. My birthday potluck was just another excuse to try some more of her fabulous recipes. Here is one for an onion tart that I love love loved and would definitely recommend it for any events or potluck you attend.

Onion Tart with Mustard and Fennel (from Smitten Kitchen)

What You Need
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (a 1/4-ounce package)
- 1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115°F)
- 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 3 pound yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard (or as much as you need)
- 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

What You Do
1. Stir together yeast and warm water in a small bowl and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. 2. Put 1 1/2 cups flour in a medium bowl, then make a well in center of flour and add yeast mixture to well.
3. Stir together egg, 1 tablespoon oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt with a fork.
4. Add egg mixture to yeast mixture and mix with a wooden spoon or your fingertips, gradually incorporating flour, until a soft dough forms.
5. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead, working in additional flour (up to 1/4 cup) as necessary, until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
6. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and turn to coat.
7. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
8. While dough rises, heat remaining 1/3 cup oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté fennel seeds until a shade darker, about 30 seconds.
9. Stir in onions, remaining teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover onions directly with a round of parchment paper (I was confused by this, but go with it! It works!).
10. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very tender and golden brown, 1 to 1 1/4 hours (I've never cooked onions this long... but it was amazing!).
11. Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
12. Knead dough gently on a floured surface with floured hands to deflate.
13. Pat out dough on a large heavy baking sheet into a 15- by 12-inch rectangle, turning up or crimping edge. Note: I found this part of the recipe a bit difficult as my dough did not want to become a rectangle. No matter what the shape, though, the onions steal the show so do not worry.
14. Brush mustard evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge.
15. Spread onions evenly over mustard, then sprinkle evenly with cheese.
16. Bake tart until crust is golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.
17. Cut into 2-inch squares or diamonds and serve warm or at room temperature.

I wish I had a picture to share but it was eaten so quickly, I couldn't get one!

Another Take on Risotto: Pie?

2011-02-15T21:14:00.003-05:00

I've mentioned this before but it would be possible for me to rename this blog "Risotto Heaven" or "Risotto Fanatic" with the amount of time I dedicate to risotto recipes. But, I love it. Here is another one that was a huge hit at my birthday potluck dinner on Feb 4th. The recipe is a bit complicated because of its various components and dealing with filo dough (which I've only done once before for spinach pie). I made the huge mistake of forgetting to take the filo dough out of the freezer to allow it to thaw properly. This led to a frenzy when it was time to put all the pieces of the pie together. Without a microwave, I stuck the frozen dough into a warm oven and allowed it to warm up. It turned out wonderfully even with the chaos and I was left with only one piece by the end of the night. But, please, do not forget to defrost the filo dough!

Filo Risotto Pie (from Essential Vegetarian Cookbook)

What You Need
- 2 large red peppers
- 1 cup white wine
- 4 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 leek, sliced
- 1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 2 oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 10 sheets filo pastry (thawed)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 lb spinach (recipe says to blanch this, I sauteed it with olive oil very quickly instead)
- 8 oz feta cheese
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

What You Do
1. Cut the peppers in half lengthways and remove seeds. Cut into quarters.
2. Roast the peppers until skin blackens and blisters.
3. Put roasted peppers in a paper bag or cover with a towel and allow to cool.
4. Peel the peppers and cut into smaller pieces.
5. Begin making the risotto by warming up the vegetable broth.
6. Heat oil and garlic in a large-heavy based pan.
7. Add fennel and leek and cook over medium heat until lightly browned (5 minutes).
8. Add rice and stir for three minutes.
9. Add wine and stir until evaporated.
10. Add 1/2 cup vegetable broth to risotto at a time, stirring constantly until all the stock has been used. This will take 40 minutes.
11. Remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. (Note: I prepared the risotto and peppers the night before and then started again the next day at #12)
12. Brush each sheet of filo with olive oil and fold in half lengthways.
13. Arrange like overlapping spokes on a wheel in a 9 inch springform pan with one side of pastry hanging over the side of tin. (This was not graceful for me because of my filo mess described above-- but don't worry too much about it)
14. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
15. Spoon half the risotto over the pastry and top with half the red peppers, half the spinach, and half the feta cheese.
16. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
17. Fold pastry over the filling and brush lightly with oil and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
18. Bake for 50 minutes or until pastry is crisp and golden and pie is heated through.

Yum! This was my first time cooking with a springform pan and it was very fun. Next use for the springform: cheesecake.

Feb full of celebrations

2011-02-14T09:18:00.004-05:00

This month has been hectic at school, in the lab, and in the garden (more info to come) but there has been plenty of time to cook delicious meals and enjoy them with friends. I have lots of recipes to share from the last two weeks, including photos of homemade lasagna with homemade ricotta cheese, mozzarella, pasta noodles, and tomato sauce! Until I can post these fabulous recipes and share photos with you, here is a cute photo of Logan from our hike this weekend:

Black Bean Chili with Butternut Squash

2011-01-30T18:45:00.002-05:00

It is chili season. As you might be able to tell, I just got a new month of Bon Appetit magazine. When I saw the recipe for black bean chili with butternut squash, I was immediately intrigued but then got nervous as I was cooking. What would it taste like? What exactly is bulgur? Why bother with a vegetarian chili?

But-- there was no need to worry! Dinner with my roommate this evening was as close to silent as we get (for those of you who know us, we are very talkative). Our chatter was replaced with lots of "mmmm" "yum" "great flavor" and "mmmm" (repeat). This is a very healthy chili but has a wonderful flavor. I cut the recipe in half, but feel free to double it if you are cooking for a large group.

Vegetarian Chili (adapted from Bon Appetit)

What You Need

- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 14.5-ounce cans fire-roasted tomatoes (I just used a normal can of whole tomatoes)
- 1/2 pound dried black beans, rinsed
- 2 chipotle chiles from canned chipotle chiles in adobo, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (preferably Mexican)
- Coarse kosher salt to taste
- 1 pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1.5 cups) (any winter squash will do)
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking bulgur (this was my first time using it!)
- Sour cream
- Coarsely grated hot pepper Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
-Diced red onion
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Pickled jalapeño rings

What You Do

1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add onions and cook until soft and beginning to brown, stirring often, about 8 minutes.
3. Add garlic; stir 1 minute.
4. Sprinkle chili powder and coriander over; stir 1 minute.
5. Stir in tomatoes with juice, beans, chipotles, and oregano. (Note: we started cooking the beans about 1.5 hours before. I added in the nearly finished beans with the water they were cooking in at this point).
6. Add 3 cups water (if you are adding uncooked beans, add 5 cups water).
7. Bring to boil, reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer until beans are tender, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours (time will vary depending on freshness of beans-- since ours were almost finished, I let it cook for 30 minutes more).
8. Season to taste with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper.
9. Stir squash and bulgur into chili.
10. Simmer uncovered over medium-low heat until squash and bulgur are tender, about 40 minutes (recipe said 30 but the squash wasn't ready yet).
11. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
12. Divide chili among bowls.

Serve with sour cream, cheese, red onion, cilantro, and pickled jalapeño rings. Enjoy with plenty of "mmm" "yum" "great flavor" "mmmm".

Birthday Cake Audition

2011-01-29T21:13:00.005-05:00

I am getting ready for my birthday one week from today. Most importantly, I need to plan the menu for my pre-birthday dinner party. In honor of birthday menu planning, my roommate and I held an audition for the chocolate cake in this month's Bon Appetit magazine. While the recipe recommends baking the cake in 3 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 11/2-inch-high sides, we cut the recipe in half and used a sheet cake pan. We cut the cake in half before icing it and had only two layers.

Cocoa Layer Cake (from Bon Appetit)

What You Need
Cake:
- 1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder (spooned into cup to measure, then leveled)
- 1 cup lukewarm water, divided
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour (spooned into cups to measure, then leveled)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature, beaten to blend

Frosting:
- 10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 1/3 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
- 1 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder (we didn't have any- so we omitted it)
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

What You Do

Cake:
1. Position 1 rack in top third and 1 rack in bottom third of oven; preheat to 350°F.
2. Line the pan(s) with parchment paper and butter the parchment.
3. Whisk cocoa and 1/2 cup warm water in small bowl.
4. Whisk buttermilk and 1/2 cup water in another small bowl.
5. Sift flour, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt into medium bowl.
6. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars and butter in large bowl until pale yellow and fluffy (mixture will appear granular), about 5 minutes (you don't really need that long).
7. With mixer running, gradually add beaten eggs, then beat until smooth and fluffy, about 15 seconds.
8. Add cocoa mixture; beat to blend.
9. Add flour mixture in 3 additions alternately with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions, beating to blend after each addition. Divide batter among pans (about 1 3/4 cups each).
10. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, reversing pans halfway through baking, about 18 minutes.
11. Cool completely in pans on racks.

Frosting:
1. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir in sugar, cocoa, espresso powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
3. Gradually stir in cream.
4. Stir until mixture is very hot and just begins to simmer at edges (it should look amazing and yummy!).
5. Reduce heat to low; stir 1 minute to let flavors blend.
6. Transfer to medium bowl; stir in vanilla (frosting will resemble chocolate sauce).
7. Chill until just thickened, stirring occasionally, about 1 1/2 hours.
8. Let stand at room temperature.
9. Run knife around cake sides.
10. Carefully invert 1 cake onto plate (cake is very tender); peel off parchment.
11. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting.
12. Invert second cake onto palm of hand.
13. Position cake 2 inches above frosted cake layer.
14. Carefully slide cake onto first cake layer. Peel off parchment.
15. Spread cake with 1/2 cup frosting.
16. Repeat with third cake layer.
17. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.

Enjoy, whether it is your birthday or not.

Family Dinner: Pasta Made at Home

2011-01-28T12:29:00.004-05:00

A couple weeks ago, my friend contacted me with an invitation to a family style potluck dinner. We have had many of these dinners before. But this time, he told me we were making homemade pasta. I grabbed my roommate and our pasta maker and arrived to his house early to have fun. I never made my own pasta before so this was a learning experience for me. It was fabulous. We made four batches of pasta on two different pasta makers. We hung the pasta to dry on clothing hangers on my friend's bicycle which rests of the ceiling of the apartment living room.

Take a look at the beautiful photos and try this yourself at home:

Fresh Pasta (adapted from Bittman's How to Cook Everything Traditional Egg Pasta Dough)

What You Need (this makes about one pound of pasta)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 eggs
- A few drops of water, if needed

What You Do
1. To make the dough by hand, mound the flour on a smooth counter top, or place in a bowl.
2. Make a well in the center and add salt.
3. Then, break in an egg, beating with a fork and incorporating a little of the flour.
4. Beat in another egg and repeat, until all the flour is mixed with the eggs.
5. Gather the mixture into a ball.
6. Place the dough on a dry, lightly floured work surface and knead until it is smooth(add a couple drops of water if it is dry and grainy).
7. Cover with plastic and let refrigerate for 30 minutes.
8. Divide the dough into four pieces and be prepared to work with one piece at a time.
9. Clamp the pasta rolling machine to the counter and sprinkle a nearby surface with flour.
10. Roll the dough lightly in the flour and flatten it with your hands.
11. Set the machine to 1 and crank the dough through. (Dust with flour if it sticks).
12. Set the machine to 2 and pass the flattened dough through again. Repeat, setting the machine to a higher number each time until you get to 6.
13. Let the pasta rest and move on to another piece of dough.
14. When you are ready, pass the flattened dough through the appropriate cutting blade (in our case, it was fettuccine).
15. Separate the strands and let them hang dry (see our hangers).
16. Add pasta to bowling water and let cook until floating in pot or cooked to your taste (this is going to be less than 5 minutes-- most likely 3 minutes).

We made four different sauces to eat with our pasta. It was amazing.

New Year Aioli!

2011-01-03T19:29:00.002-05:00

I am so excited. I emerged from a two week vacation today and I'm feeling great! I spent a lot of time since my semester ended celebrating, relaxing, watching movies, and sleeping. I also walked the pup a bit (but he was happy to sleep a lot too). I didn't read as many books as I wanted to, but that's okay.

Not only did I go back to work today, I also tried something I have been scared of for a long time: making aioli at home! I made about a cup and used it for broccoli salad. Yum! And, not scary at all. Very easy, actually.

So here it is, from The Art of Simple Food.

Garlic Aioli (from Alice Waters The Art of Simple Food, makes 1 cup)

What You Need
- 2-3 small garlic cloves
- Pinch of salt (1/4 teaspoon)
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon water (more if needed)
- 1 cup olive oil

What You Do
1. Peel the garlic and pound it with a mortar and pestle with the salt.
2. Separate the egg yolk into a mixing bowl.
3. Add about half the garlic in with the egg and add 1/2 teaspoon water.
4. Mix the egg, water, and garlic with a whisk.
5. SLOWLY add some of the olive oil, WHISKING CONSTANTLY. (I did this wrong the first time. So just a little olive oil-drop by drop- at first, you can speed up later).
6. After adding a bit of the olive oil, the sauce will thicken and get lighter in color (becoming opaque).
7. Continue to add the olive oil as you whisk (you can speed up after you get the opaque, lighter sauce).
8. Taste and add more garlic and salt if you like.

NOTE: If you want it to be thinner, add a few drops of water.

Baguettes

2010-12-26T12:07:00.002-05:00

I wanted to make baguettes at home for Christmas dinner. So, I turned to French Women Don't Get Fat for the recipe. They were wonderful and not to hard to make.

Baguettes (from French Women Don't Get Fat)

What You Need
- 4-5 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon dry yeast
- 2 cups warm water
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt

What You Do
1. In a small bowl dissolve yeast in ½ cup warm water using a fork.
2. Set yeast mixture aside for 10 minutes.
3. Combine flour and salt.
4. Add yeast mixture and stir in remaining 1½ cup water.
5. Mix until sticky enough to knead.
6. Knead for 6-10 minutes; dough should be sticky and smooth.
7. Put in a bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise at room temperature until doubled in volume (1 hour).
8. Punch down and divide into 4 pieces.
9. Roll each into a ball and shape into a baguette.
10. Transfer to slightly greased baking sheet and let rise until nearly doubled.
11. Brush with mixture of one beaten egg and one tablespoon water.
12. Score diagonally with sharp knife.
13. Pour two cups of hot water in a pan and place in preheated 450° F oven. (I didn't do this, but I think it would be good!)
14. Bake the baguettes for 15 minutes then lower temperature to 400° F and bake for 10 minutes until golden brown.
15. Remove and cool on a rack before slicing.

So good and not too difficult.

Christmas Weekend

2010-12-26T11:18:00.004-05:00

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. My sister and I spent a low-key weekend here in the Washington D.C. area with some friends. For Christmas Eve, we went to a great restaurant in Eastern Market, Belga Cafe. It was perfect!

On Christmas Day, we spent the day watching movies, playing with Logan, and cooking. Our Christmas Dinner included the following:

- Baguette(s)
- Roasted Garlic
- Red-Green Salad with Vinaigrette
- Roasted Cauliflower
- Vegetarian Lasagna (same recipe from Christmas dinner last year)
- Winter Fruit Salad (from Smitten Kitchen)

I'm looking forward to the snow and enjoying the rest of the weekend! Hope you are too.

Peanut Noodles

2010-12-22T16:08:00.002-05:00

Warm peanut noodles! It is one of my favorite appetizers at a Chinese restaurant I go to with my family up in New Jersey. I've tried to make it at home before and it was terrible. My roommate made a great one and told me the secret: adding in hot water to get the sauce just right! I've finally made it myself based on Bittman's recipe.

Peanut Noodles (adapted from Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian)

What You Need
- 12 ounces long Asian noodles (I used pad Thai noodles) or fresh Chinese egg noodles
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger, optional
- 1 tablespoon rice or wine vinegar
- Hot sesame oil or Tabasco sauce to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more
- 1/2 cup hot water
- At least 1/2 cup minced scallions for garnish

What You Do
1. Depending on the noodles you are using, follow the directions on the package. But, usually: soak for 30 minutes.
2. Drain noodles.
3. Add boiling water and let soak for 5 minutes.
4. While noodles are cooking, whisk together sesame oil and paste, sugar, soy, ginger, vinegar, hot oil and pepper in a large bowl.
5. Thin sauce with hot water, so that it is about the consistency of heavy cream; you will need 1/4 to 1/2 cup.
6. When noodles are done, drain.
7. Toss noodles and sauce (there are other things you can add here like chicken, tofu, or cucumbers- be creative).
8. Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary (the dish may need salt), then garnish and serve.

This dish is good cold, warm, or even hot!

Chocolate-Red Wine Cake

2010-12-22T15:32:00.003-05:00

A very celebratory dessert. My roommate took the lead on this one, but it was too good not to share with you. This cake started with my roommate and I drooling over the cover of December's Bon Appetit and the pictured Spiced Chocolate Torte Wrapped in Chocolate Ribbons. Go check out the link immediately and come back.

Back?

So, the torte was a bit elaborate for us pre-finals so I found an amazing alternative. We even went out to get a bundt pan for the occasion.

Chocolate-Red Wine Cake (adapted from Food and Wine and this one too)

What You Need
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups dry red wine
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips/chopped

Variation: The original recipe called the cake to be served with confectioner's sugar (for dusting the finished cake) and whipped cream. We opted for a chocolate icing. Of course, the choice is yours depending on how luscious you are feeling.

What You Do
1.Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Butter and flour a 12-cup bundt pan.
3. In a bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
4. In a large bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar at medium-high speed until fluffy, 4 minutes.
5. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until incorporated.
6. Add the vanilla and beat for 2 minutes longer.
7. Working in two batches, alternately fold in the dry ingredients and the wine, until just incorporated.
8. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer.
10. Put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour the hot cream on top.
11. Let stand for 3 minutes, then whisk until smooth.
12. Let the frosting stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to spread, about 1 hour.
13. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a rack; let cool completely.
14. Spread the frosting on the cake!

Pumpkin Chowder

2010-12-22T14:53:00.002-05:00

I really like this recipe. I found it when I was browsing through Williams-Sonoma a couple years ago near the register. I used to cook this chowder using the bacon recommended in the recipe, but now have taken the bacon out. The vegetarian version is very good, but of course bacon gives it something extra special. I've done it as a butternut squash chowder (as in the original recipe) as well as a pumpkin chowder. Both are delicious!

Pumpkin Chowder (adapted from Williams-Sonoma)

What You Need
- 2 tbs. olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. chopped fresh sage, plus small sage leaves for garnish
- 4 tsp. kosher salt, plus more, to taste
- 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 4 cups pumpkin (or butternut squash) puree
- 1/2 cup heavy cream

Optional: replace 2 tbs. olive oil with 4 bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

What You Do
1. If you are using bacon: cook the bacon in a large Dutch oven over medium heat, until crispy, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Set aside. Pour off all but 1 Tbs. of the fat from the pan and return the pan to medium heat.
2. If no bacon: heat the olive oil.
3. Add the onion, celery, bay leaf, chopped sage, the 4 tsp. salt and the 1 tsp. pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, just until the vegetables are soft, 5 to 6 minutes.
4. Stir in the potatoes, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
5. Add the wine and simmer, stirring to scrape up the browned bits, for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. Add the broth and bring just to a boil.
7. Reduce the heat to low and gently simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes.
8. Add the puree (and bacon if you are using it) and simmer for 5 minutes.
9. Stir in the cream and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
10. Remove the bay leaf and discard.
11. Ladle the chowder into warmed bowls and garnish with sage leaves. Serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

Tip from Williams-Sonoma: Make the soup (withholding the cream) up to 1 day in advance. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until just before serving time. When reheating the soup, stir in the cream.

Very filling and yummy!

Holiday Fudge

2010-12-14T21:42:00.002-05:00

My roommate's family strikes again! We made wonderful holiday fudge to give out as gifts: Uncle Scott's peanut butter fudge and Annie Erie's caramel icing (turned to fudge). Yum yum yum!

Uncle Scott's Peanut Butter Fudge

What You Need
- 2 cups white sugar
- 3/4 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla

What You Do
1. Pour sugar, vanilla and milk into a small pot and heat, stirring constantly until 240-245 degrees (soft ball) on a candy thermometer.
2. Add in peanut butter and stir/beat well.
3. Spread fudge in a pan covered in wax paper and let cool.
4. Cut into desired size and shape.

Note: We added in some chocolate chips after stirring the peanut butter in well and just mixed it lightly for some chocolate-peanut butter fudge.

Annie Erie's Caramel Fudge

What You Need
- 1/2 cup salted butter (1 stick)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 1/2 cup confectioners sugar

What You Do
1. Melt butter in a medium pot.
2. Add brown sugar and bring to a boil.
3. Let butter and brown sugar mixture boil for 2-3 minutes (keep stirring).
4. Add milk and bring back to a boil.
5. Remove from heat and allow to cool a bit.
6. Beat in sifted confectioners sugar until spreadable.
7. Spread fudge in a pan covered in wax paper and let cool.
8. Cut into desired size and shape.

Note 1: We added some sea salt on top. It looks lovely and tastes delicious.
Note 2: Recipe was originally intended for caramel icing. So, to use as icing allow brown sugar and butter mixture to boil only 2 minutes and reduce confectioners sugar to 1 1/2 cups.

We wrapped each piece individually and put into festive boxes and bags.

Beet Risotto

2010-12-11T23:59:00.003-05:00

It's possible that I should change the title of the blog to something related to risotto because I've posted so many risotto recipes. But here is another great one! Beets! I found the recipe in one of my Food and Wine cookbooks and cut it in half (the original recipe called for 3 cups arborio rice, too much for me!).

Beet Risotto (adapted from Food and Wine)

What You Need
- 3-4 cups vegetable stock
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium sweet onion, finely chopped
- 2 beets , peeled and coarsely shredded, plus thinly sliced beets for garnish
- 1 1/2 cups arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 3/4 cup young pecorino cheese, freshly grated (I used parmesan)
- 2 teaspoons poppy seeds, plus more for garnish (I didn't have any, but I think it would be nice looking with them)

What You Do
1.In a saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer; cover and keep warm.
2. In a medium enameled cast-iron casserole, melt the butter.
3. Add the onion and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until softened, 5 minutes.
4. Add the shredded beets and cook, stirring, until the pan is dry, 12 minutes.
5. Spoon half of the beets into a small bowl.
6. Add the rice to the casserole and stir.
7. Add white wine and cook, stirring until wine is gone (2 minutes).
8. Add 1 cup of the warm stock to the rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the stock is nearly absorbed.
9. Continue adding the stock 1 (or half) cup at a time, stirring constantly, until the rice is al dente and a thick sauce forms, 22 minutes.
10. Stir in the cooked beets, cheese and the 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds (if you have them).
11. Cook, stirring, until heated through; add a few tablespoons of water if the risotto is too thick.
12. Spoon the risotto into bowls. Garnish with sliced beets and poppy seeds and serve.

Crazy color! But delicious.

Best Donuts Ever: A Family Tradition

2010-12-05T12:31:00.011-05:00

Today is the fourth day of Hanukkah. It has been a wonderful holiday so far and we are only in the middle! Part of what has made this holiday so special has been the two wonderful parties attended this weekend. And, the homemade donuts I made with my roommate.

While planning for Friday's Hanukkah Party, a friend of mine and I discussed important food groups to bring for the event, including Sufganiot (Hebrew for Jelly Donut). She asked, "Well, can you make them?" The idea had never crossed my mind. I figured I'd go to a bakery or Dunkin Donuts and pick some up. But, why, I wondered, was I so afraid of donuts?

I asked my roommate if she had any ideas. She said to me via email: "If you'd rather stick with a recipe you've already chosen, I totally understand, but below is my great grandmother's donut recipe."

How could you possibly go with another source if you have a family heirloom recipe?

We made them on Fri. night and again on Sat. Not only were they amazing (best donuts ever), they were a huge hit with all the guests at both parties and were surprisingly easy to make. Here is the recipe. Please try it! It is fun and a great way to impress friends and party-goers.

Best Donuts Ever (aka Annie Erie's Donuts, from my roommate's great-grandmother Annie Erie)

What You Need
- 1 yeast cake (we defined this as 1 tablespoon yeast)
- 2-3 tablespoons warm water
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (use a bit less)
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 1 1/4 cups scalded milk (just heat it up in a small pot until it starts to steam)
- 4 1/2 cups flour
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1.5 pints peanut oil (for frying but Annie Erie says "deep fat")
- 1/2 cup sugar for coating (add more as needed, you can also add a dash of cinnamon here too)

What You Do

1. Heat up the milk.
2. Dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm water.
3. When milk is steaming, remove from heat and add to bowl. Let cool until lukewarm (you don't want to kill your yeast).
4. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and yeast mixture and beat well.
5. Let rise until bubbles burst on top (5 minutes). We didn't see many bubbles burst but we moved ahead after 5 minutes.
6. In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar.
7. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and egg and beat well.
8. Add the creamed mixture to the batter and beat well (again!)
9. Add remaining flour and knead for 2 minutes.
10. Let rise 1 hour.
11. Roll dough to about 1/2 inch thick.
12. Cut dough into desired size and shape. We used small wine glasses to cut out small circles. To make the jelly donuts we took two circles and put jelly on one and covered it up (making a jelly sandwich). We then pinched the sides to close the donut. With the remaining dough, we made small round balls (which turn into donut holes). You can play with this and actually made donuts with holes in them (move out of the way Dunkin Donuts!) by making a circle and cutting out a hole in the middle.

13. Let rise again for 30 minutes.
14. Heat up all the oil on medium heat in a small dutch oven.
15. "Fry in deep fat". Which means add one or two donuts (when the oil gets really hot, you can add 3-4 at a time) into hot oil and then let them get golden brown on all sides. Sometimes they will turn over on their own, but you may have to move them around.

16. When golden, remove from oil and let drain on a cooling rack (wire-mesh rack). It's a good idea to put something under the rack to catch the oil.
17. When cool(ish), shake in a bag of sugar (we used a plastic container). You can use powdered sugar, regular sugar, or a cinnamon and sugar mixture! We used regular sugar on the jelly donuts and a cinnamon and sugar mixture on the donut holes.

Share with friends and family this holiday season! Also, don't forget to save your oil for another frying adventure.

Pumpkin Risotto

2010-11-28T21:09:00.002-05:00

Not like I need another thing to love about Thanksgiving, but in addition to all the glory that is the Thanksgiving holiday, my mother also sends me home with plenty of food. Not just leftovers, but also extra ingredients. This year, like all others, I made out like a bandit: brown sugar, stuffed grape leaves, cheese, pie, and pumpkins! A whole pumpkin and also a container of pumpkin puree. I was excited to try uses for my pumpkins and thought of pumpkin risotto and -wow- it is amazing!

Pumpkin Risotto with Roasted Vegetables (adapted from Straight from the Farm)

What You Need

- 3-4 cups vegetable stock (you can also use chicken stock)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 cup aborrio rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 cups roasted vegetables (I used a combination of sweet potato, carrots, and orange cauliflower sprinkled with olive oil and salt and roasted at 400 degrees for 25 minutes)
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

What You Do

1. If you need to, first prepare your pumpkin puree (see here: The Pioneer Woman)
2. Cut up your vegetables and toss with olive oil and some salt.
3. Put vegetables in a pre-heated 400 degree oven and roast for 25 minutes.
4. While the vegetables are roasting, begin to work on the risotto.
5. Put the vegetable stock in a medium saucepan over low heat to come to a simmer.
6. Melt the butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat.
7. When it is melted, add the onion and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes.
8. Add the rice and stir for about two minutes so it can absorb the butter and toast a bit.
9. Add the wine and let everything simmer for another minute or two until the wine is absorbed.
10. Set a timer for 18 minutes. Add about half a cup of hot stock to the risotto and stir constantly until it is absorbed.
11. Add another half cup of stock and repeat this process until 18 minutes is up.
12. Add the pumpkin puree, nutmeg, rosemary and a final half cup of stock and stir vigorously to combine.
13. When risotto has once again become thick and creamy (don't worry, this does happen!), add the roasted veggies and grated cheese and stir again to combine.
14. Finally, finish the risotto by stirring in the heavy cream and adding pepper and salt to taste.
15. Serve immediately while hot, garnishing with addition grated cheese and a sprig of rosemary on each plate if you have it.

This was a great meal to help me transition from the Thanksgiving holiday to the final three weeks of the semester.

Thanksgiving: Sides (Brussels Sprouts)

2010-11-28T20:54:00.002-05:00

In the end, the only new addition to our Thanksgiving meal was the new variation of brussels sprouts. The rest of the recipes have already been posted to the blog! I love brussels sprouts and I also love balsamic vinegar. Together, as in this recipe, they are amazing.

Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Vinegar and Caramalized Onions (adapted from Martha Stewart)

What You Need

- 1.5 pounds brussels sprouts
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

What You Do

1. Trim outer leaves and stems from brussels sprouts, and discard.
2. Cut brussels sprouts in half.
3. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil, and add salt. Meanwhile, prepare an ice-water bath.
4. Add brussels sprouts to boiling water, and cook until tender but still bright green, about 4 minutes.
5. Remove from heat, drain, and plunge into ice-water bath to cool.
6. Drain well.
7. Heat 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
8. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and transparent, about 3 to 4 minutes.
9. Add vinegar, and stir to loosen any brown bits on bottom of pan. Cook until vinegar is reduced and the onions are glazed.
10. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and oil to the same pan, and move the onions to the side of the pan.
11. Add brussels sprouts, and cook, tossing occasionally, until they are brown and crisp on the edges, about 3 minutes (this can take longer).
12. Mix together the onions and the brussels sprouts in the pan until perfect!

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving: Turkey!

2010-11-28T20:28:00.003-05:00

I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. As you know, I love this holiday. I love this holiday so much that I celebrated it three times this year. Once at my sister's friend's potluck, then again at a pot luck with my graduate school program, and then a third time with my wonderful family in New Jersey. I was really excited because I prepared the turkey for my graduate school potluck, an experience I had yet to do on my own. I found a fabulous local, happy Maryland turkey and picked up all 18 pounds of him on Sunday morning.

I spent a lot of time debated how I would prepare this turkey, looking through food magazines, cookbooks, and websites. In the end, I asked my mom to send me the recipe she uses and I don't think I will ever stray from it. We also used this recipe to prepare our family's Thanksgiving meal. It is perfect.

Notes about turkey timing: Directly upon removal from the refrigerator, place the bird in a preheated 450 degree oven. Reduce the heat immediately to 350 or to 325 for large turkeys. After the first half hour of cooking baste frequently with pan drippings. Cook to an internal temperature of 180 or 185. The center of the stuffing should reach at least 165. If not using a thermometer, allow 20 to 25 minutes per pound for birds up to 6 lbs. For larger birds, allow 15 to 20 minutes per lb. For turkeys over 16 lbs, allow 13 to 15 minutes per pound. Add about 5 minutes to the pound if the bird you are cooking is stuffed (we stuff our birds). For our 18 pound bird, we cooked it 5 hours.

Thanksgiving Turkey (with gravy and stuffing) (from my mom adapted from The Joy of Cooking and the Silver Palate)

What You Need

Stuffing
-2 T of vegetable oil
-3 cups of chopped celery with leaves
-2 cups chopped onions
- 2 tart apples cut into 1/2 inch cubes (pealed)
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 cup of raisins
- 6 cups stall bread cubes (we use Pepperidge Farm seasoned cubes that come in bag)
- 1 t salt
- 1 t of dried thyme leaves
- 1 t of crumbled dried sage leaves
- group black pepper to taste
- 1 cup tawny port
- 1 cup of chicken stock

Turkey (and gravy)
- A turkey (between 18 - 20 lbs. for this recipe)
- 3 ribs of celery, halved crosswise
- 1 onion quartered
- 1 large carrot, pealed and quartered
- 3 1/2 cups of water
- 8 T of unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup tawny port
- 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
- salt and pepper to taste

What You Do

1. First begin by preparing the stuffing.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the celery and onions over low heat until softened but not browned, 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the vegetables to a large mixing bowl.
4. Stir the apples, walnuts, and raisins into the mixture.
5. Add the bread cubes and toss lightly.
6. Sprinkle with salt, thyme, sage and pepper. Toss lightly again.
7. Add the port and sock, toss again until well blended.
8. Preheat oven to 450.
9. Rinse the turkey well and pat it dry. Rinse the inside of the turkey with the juice of an orange.
10. Stuff the cavity loosely with about 7 cups of stuffing. Skewer or sew the opening shut.
11. Stuff the neck area with about 3 cups of stuffing. Secure the neck skin flap under the turkey.(Put any remain stuffing in an ovenproof casserole and set it aside.)
12. Arrange a bed of the celery, onion and carrot pieces in a large roasting pan.
13. Gently place the turkey on the vegetables.
14. Pour 3 cups water into the pan.
15. Cover the breast with cheese clothe soaked in melted butter. (You will remove the cheese clothe at the last hour or most likely 1/2 hour of cooking.)
16. Roast the turkey for 4 hours brushing it well with melted butter once an hour.
17. After it has cooked for 4 hours, pour or brush 1/4 cup of the port over the turkey. Bake 15 minutes.
18. Repeat basting with port and baking three more times, until the turkey has cooked a total of 5 hours. (Note: If you have reserved some extra stuffing in a casserole, stir in a bit of the pan juices and put it in the oven during the last hour, loosely covered. Bake for 45 minutes.)
19. Transfer turkey to a platter, cover it loosely with foil and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.
20. While the turkey is resting, strain the pan juices into a saucepan and heat to a simmer.
21. Stir the flour and remaining 1/2 cup of water together in a small brown until smooth.
22. Whisk this into the pan juices and heat to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes.
23. Season with salt and pepper.

This is the most fun and leaves your house smelling delicious. After carving the turkey, you can use the bones to make a wonderful turkey stock by simmering the bones with some onions and carrots in water for 3-5 hours.

Pre-Thanksgiving Weekend

2010-11-20T11:46:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited. I'm picking up my turkey for my Friendsgiving tomorrow morning and I have my plan for cooking (thanks to my mom!). I can't wait.

Off to shop and cook for another Thanksgiving potluck tonight.

Also, my mom and I agreed on our menu for our Thanksgiving meal (more recipes to be posted after we see how they go next week).

- Appetizers from our family friends
- Onion and Fennel Soup (from Gourmet Today Cookbook)
- Kale and Apple Salad
- Turkey, stuffing, gravy (my mom's specialities- to be posted after this weekend) and cranberry sauce
- Brussels Sprouts (choosing between two new recipes)
- Sweet potato casserole
- Green bean casserole (not sure about this one yet)
- Pumpkin Pie (from French Women Don't Get Fat)

Okay, time to run out to the store to get started with the fun.

Broccoli Salad

2010-11-05T17:58:00.002-04:00

Yay! Friday. Today, I made a yummy vegetarian broccoli salad. The recipe is nice and you hardly miss the bacon!

Broccoli Salad (Adapted from allrecipes.com)

What You Need
- 1 head fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1 small red onion, chopped
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sunflower seeds (I used less because I didn't have enough)
- 1/2 cup walnuts

What You Do
1. In a salad bowl, toss together broccoli, raisins, walnuts and red onions.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the white sugar, vinegar and mayonnaise.
3. Pour over broccoli mixture and toss to coat.
4. Add on the sunflower seeds.
4. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Election Night Caesar Salad

2010-11-02T22:02:00.003-04:00

As you can tell, I'm obsessed with Smitten Kitchen these days. Along with her description of cauliflower soup, she had a recipe for Deb's Caesar Salad Dressing. So, I decided to try it! Caesar Salad is a great comfort food for me!

Caesar Salad (dressing adapted from Smitten Kitchen)

What You Need
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon capers
- 1/4 teaspoon horseradish
- 1 head romaine lettuce, chopped
- Garlic croutons
- 1-2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

(Note: her recipe calls for 1 oil packed anchovy fillet, finely chopped. I didn't have any and probably would avoid this anyway, so my roommate and I added the capers and horseradish to compensate)

What You Do
1. First make the dressing by whisking all ingredients (except olive oil) together.
2. Gradually whisk in 1/4 cup olive oil.
3. Season with salt and pepper. (Note that the dressing can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature and re-whisk before using.)
4. Prep croutons.
5. Toss lettuce, dressing, croutons, and cheese together.

Enjoy!

Cauliflower Soup

2010-11-02T21:49:00.002-04:00

I love cauliflower. This week at the farmer's market. I purchased the biggest cauliflower I have ever seen. I made my roommate take a picture, which I will post for you soon.

With this cauliflower, I used 1/3 of it to make the following wonderful soup for this cold, election day.

Cauliflower Soup (adapted from Food Network, also found on Smitten Kitchen)

What You Need
- 1 head cauliflower (or in my case, 1/3 of a massive cauliflower)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced (I used 4)
- 1 quart vegetable stock
- 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan (I used a bit less)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper

What You Do
1. Remove the leaves and thick core from the cauliflower, coarsely chop, and reserve.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat and add the onion and garlic.
3. Cook until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the cauliflower and stock and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the cauliflower is very soft and falling apart, about 15 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and, here the recipe calls for blending (either with a hand held immersion blender or in small batches in a blender). However, I just used my potato smasher and mashed up the cauliflower. I like to have a little bit of varied texture to the soup and avoid having to clean the blender (I don't have a hand held blender). You can do it either way.
7. Add the Parmesan and stir.
8. Season, to taste, with salt and black pepper.

Enjoy on a cold day! It warms your insides even while you are nervous about the election results.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2010-11-01T20:43:00.002-04:00

For my roommate's birthday yesterday, we had a wonderful potluck/cookout. I was excited to make spinach and artichoke dip. I found the best recipe in my 2010 Food and Wine Cookbook. I'm thinking of making this as an appetizer for Thanksgiving. It is very easy to make but more sophisticated and yummy than other spinach dips I've tried making. Enjoy!

Spinach and Artichoke Dip (from Food and Wine)

What You Need
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
- 16 ounces marinated artichokes, drained and coarsely chopped (I used a bit less, just one 14 ounce can, but next time I'd try for a little bit more)
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- Two 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
- 12 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
- 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
- Tabasco

What You Do
1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering.
2. Add the chopped onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the artichokes and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the white wine and cook until nearly evaporated.
5. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
6. Add the cream cheese, Parmigiano-Reggiano and lemon zest and season with Tabasco.
7. Cook, stirring, until the dip is creamy, about 2 minutes.
8. Transfer to a bowl and serve warm (the recipe says you can serve it at room temp but it is much better warm!)

I served the dip with crackers, chips, and bread. The recipe calls for spiced pita chips that would be delicious as well. The dip is great, so it doesn't matter what you serve it with really.

I hope you are all starting to think about your Thanksgiving menu and turkeys. I am going to be going to a pre-Thanksgiving party the Sunday before Thanksgiving and have been challenged to find a local MD turkey farm that will allow me to pick up our turkey on the Sat. before Thanksgiving. At the Farmer's Market in Greenbelt, I found it: Ferguson Family Farm. I'm looking forward to working out the logistics for an early pick up of our truly farm fresh turkey.

I love this season!

Cauliflower Cake

2010-10-31T23:19:00.003-04:00

I found this recipe from Smitten Kitchen as soon as I came home from the farmer's market last week. I knew I wanted to prepare it for my mom and sister who were staying with me on the eve of the Rally to Restore Sanity this weekend.

It was delicious but very filling. We have plenty of leftovers so go along with our halloween candy and birthday cupcakes (today was also my roommate's birthday) to eat all week long!

Cauliflower Cake (from Smitten Kitchen)

What You Need
- 1 medium cauliflower
- 1 large red onion, peeled
- 5 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
- 10 medium or 8 large eggs
- Handful basil, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2 cups finely grated parmesan cheese
- Salt and black pepper
- Butter, for greasing pan
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds (recipe calls for black, but I used white and a bit more than 2 tablespoons)

What You Do
1. Preheat oven to 350°F degrees.
2. Break cauliflower into medium florets.
3. Place floret in a pot with a teaspoon of salt, cover them with water and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until quite soft.
4. Strain and let drip in the colander for a few minutes so they dry and cool.
5. Halve your red onion and cut a few thin rings off the end of one side; set them aside.
6. Coarsely chop the remainder of your onion.
7. Heat all of your olive oil in a saucepan and saute the chopped red onion and rosemary together until soft, about 8 minutes. (This smells so good!)
8. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
9. Whisk eggs and olive oil and onion mixture together. Stir in basil.
10. Whisk flour, baking powder, turmeric, cheese, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and many grinds of black pepper together in a separate bowl.
11. Add to egg mixture, whisking to remove lumps. Stir in cauliflower gently, so most pieces remain intact.
12. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round pan with parchment paper.
13. Butter the sides generously.
14. Put the sesame seeds in the pan and toss them around so that they stick to the sides.
15. Pour in the cauliflower batter, arrange the reserved onion rings on top and bake cake in the center of the oven for 45 minutes, until golden brown and set.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Yum. More on cauliflower to come!

Learning to make bread, effortlessly!

2010-10-24T20:52:00.002-04:00

Something I love about my roommate: she bakes! She makes wonderful and delicious goodies with what seems like very little effort. Whipping up cookies and muffins in time for breakfast or dessert. And, best of all, BREAD! Bread so that we have it all week long, and when the loaf is running low-- POOF there is more of it. I insisted as part of my procrastination routine from midterm studying, that she instruct me how to make this wonderful creation. Then, next time the bread is running low, I will be responsible for replenishing our stash.

The recipe is very simple, but makes a very tastey crunchy, crusty loaf of bread. She has it on an index card with her other family favorite recipes and has permitted me to post it to the blog. She also let me in on her family's secret to this bread: they found it in the New York Times when Bittman posted it. You can also see more raving about this recipe on Smitten Kitchen. Yum Yum Yum!

Crunchy, Crusty Loaf (adapted from Jim Lahey, Sullivan Street Bakery by Bittman in the NY Times and Smitten Kitchen, see links above, but most importantly, from my roommate and her family)

What You Need
- 1.5 cups warm water
- 1/4 teaspoon yeast
- 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups flour (here is the combo we've been using: 1/2 cups mixed grains, 1 cup whole wheat flour, and 2 cups white flour)

What You Do
1. Mix together the water, yeast, and salt.
2. Add in the flour.
3. Cover with a towel and store in a warm place (room temp) for over 12 hours. We put it on top of our fridge.
4. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
5. Add dough to a dutch oven (this recipe should be used with a small dutch oven but if you have a large one, double the recipe)
6. Bake for 30 minutes.

Enjoy! And make sure to prep some more dough before you run out.

Another Soup: Squash Soup

2010-10-24T20:35:00.002-04:00

So, I am supposed to be studying for midterms, but instead I'll post another recipe I made this weekend (actually, I made this when I needed a break from learning about heavy metals today!). I used hubbard squash, but any squash will do! Of course there are easier squash soup recipes out there, but this one had a wonderful flavor and wasn't too difficult (especially since I opted not to whip out the food processor).

Squash Soup (adapted from Emeril's Acorn Squash Soup on planetgreen.com)

What You Need
- 2-3 squash, halved, seed removed (recipe calls for acorn, I used hubbard)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 apple, peeled cored and chopped (recipe calls for Granny Smith, but I didn't use one)
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger (I used a bit more than this, up to 1/2 teaspoon... be sure to taste test though)
- Pinch of cinnamon (recipe called for 1/8 teaspoon allspice, but I didn't have any)
- 4 cups vegetable broth

What You Do
1. Preheat oven 400 degrees F.
2. On a baking sheet, roast the acorn squash, cut side down, until soft, about 45 minutes.

3. Scoop out the squash flesh and set aside.

4. In a soup pot, heat olive oil over medium high heat.

5. Saute carrot, apple, and onion until soft.

6. Season with ginger and cinnamon (or allspice).

7. Add the squash and the stock.

8. Simmer for 20 minutes.
9. Remove the pot from the heat. Here the recipe says to "puree with a hand-held immersion blender" or put it in a blender or food processor and return to the pot. However, I just used a potato masher and got a great consistency-- still with small pieces of carrot and onion. Depends on your preference and desire to wash dishes (I don't have a dish washer so I avoid the food processor).
10. Season with salt and pepper.

Kale Soup

2010-10-24T17:27:00.001-04:00

A spin of my vegetable soup I posted a couple weeks ago, I have also been making a kale soup which is very good and really easy to make (I even made it one morning before work). I promise I'll take a break from kale recipes after this one, but my roommate just returned from her family's farm with lots and lots of greens.

Kale Soup

What You Need
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 stalks celery
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves torn into pieces
- 3-4 potatoes (depending on size), peeled and chopped
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- salt and pepper to taste

What You Do
1. Heat olive oil in a pot and add onion, garlic, and celery.
2. Saute onion, garlic and celery on medium heat until soft (about 5 minutes).
3. Add kale and stir until kale begins to wilt (about 2 minutes).
4. Add potatoes and vegetable stock.
5. Simmer soup on medium heat for 30 minutes (or until the potatoes are soft).
6. Add salt and pepper to taste!

You can add extra seasoning and extra veggies to this easy soup. It tastes great on a cold day. You can also add in some extra firm tofu cut into bite sized pieces!

Kale Salad (The Start of Thanksgiving Menu Planning)

2010-10-24T17:12:00.002-04:00

As many of you know, I love Thanksgiving Dinner and I especially love the month prior to Thanksgiving when I spend time menu planning and debating about turkeys. Well, the turkey question has been solved for this year. We are sticking with Goffle Road Poultry Farm located in Wyckoff, NJ (very close to my mother's house).

With the arrival of the November Food and Wine Magazine, I have started plotting and planning recipes to try out in anticipation of Thanksgiving. Here is a great one tried last week: Kale and Apple salad. While I loved my fall salad I've used the last couple years, this is a great twist, with tasty kale! I'm thinking this will have a place at this year's Thanksgiving table.

Kale and Apple Salad (adapted from Food and Wine)

What You Need
- 2 cups pecans
- 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons caper brine (from a jar of capers)
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 apples, cut into matchsticks (the recipe calls for Granny Smith)
- 1 large head radicchio, shredded (we didn't use this, but I will next time!)
- One 8-ounce bunch kale—stems discarded, leaves finely shredded
- 3 tablespoons snipped chives (we didn't use this, but I will next time)
- 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon (we didn't use this, but I will next time)
- 2 ounces shaved pecorino (we didn't use this, but I will next time)

What You Do
So, here is how the recipe asks you to prepare the pecans:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°.
2. In a bowl, cover the pecans with water.
3. Transfer to a sieve and shake out the water.
3. In another bowl, whisk the confectioners' sugar, cayenne and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt.
4. Add the pecans and toss.
5. Transfer to a sieve and shake off the excess coating.
6. Arrange the pecans on a parchment paper–lined baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the sugar is lightly caramelized and the pecans are golden.

Here is how I did it. I'm going to try their way next time and see which one is best for Thanksgiving:
1. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a pan.
2. Add 3-4 tablespoons brown sugar and melt.
3. Add and toss pecans for 1 minutes.
4. Arrange coated pecans on parchment paper until cool.

Then, make the dressing:
1. Whisk in the olive oil, vinegar, caper brine and maple syrup and season the dressing with salt and black pepper.

And finally, assemble the salad:
1. Add the apples, radicchio, kale, chives, tarragon and pecorino and toss. Mound the salad on plates, garnish with the pecans and serve.

Vegetable Soup

2010-10-10T21:07:00.002-04:00

I made this vegetable soup last week and loved it. The recipe made enough so that I had leftovers all week long and was able to eat it for lunch throughout the week. It was excellent.

Vegetable Soup (adapted from Alton Brown)

What You Need
-4 tablespoons olive oil
-2 cups chopped onions (recipe called for leeks, but I didn't have any-- only white parts)
- 2 tablespoons finely minced garlic
- Kosher salt
- 2 cups carrots, peeled and chopped into rounds (approximately 2 medium)
- 2 cups peeled and diced potatoes
- 2 cups fresh green beans, broken or cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 2 quarts vegetable broth
- 4 cups peeled, seeded, and chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup packed, chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1 to 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

What You Do
1. Heat the olive oil in large, heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-low heat.
2.Once hot, add the onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt and sweat until they begin to soften, approximately 7 to 8 minutes.
3. Add the carrots, potatoes, and green beans and continue to cook for 4 to 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a simmer.
5. Once simmering, add the tomatoes and pepper.
6. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook until the vegetables are fork tender, approximately 25 to 30 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and add the parsley and lemon juice.
8. Season, to taste, with kosher salt.

Serve immediately. Yum! Perfect as the weather starts to get cooler.

10/10/10

2010-10-10T20:56:00.003-04:00

Today was 10/10/10 and together with friends from the community we went to work with Groundwork Anacostia River DC to set up a community garden in N.E. DC. Although the original site for the community garden was not ready for us to do work, we were able to go over to the new location for the Center for Green Urbanism and help them put in raised beds, clear trash, and weed the garden.

It was a great day working towards common goals of sustainability, urban gardening, and community activism.

Here are some photos:

Take a look at 350.org to learn about the events that went on today around the world to raise awareness and fight against climate change!

Sick, Rainy Day

2010-09-30T13:19:00.001-04:00

Perfect for Stewed Okra and Tomatoes! I even used some okra from my plants in the yard.

Fall Gardening in 90 Degrees

2010-09-25T14:19:00.002-04:00

The new fall greens are growing really nicely. The okra plant is still giving me some okra and the green beans and growing and producing as well. The only loss so far has been that the squirrels have demolished the lettuce. So, we put in extra wood around the broken fence to keep the creatures from coming in through the holes. And, we planted some more lettuce and more greens. We also spent time thinning out the radishes and greens.

Here is the happy little plot:

Disregrard the trash heaps on either side, my landlord is finally getting rid of the shed that was destroyed during the summer storms.

Read this Book: Eaarth by Bill McKibben

2010-09-23T21:56:00.002-04:00

Barbara Kingsolver, who I love and adore and love some more says: "Read it, please. Straight through to the end. Whatever else you were planning to do next, nothing could be more important."

I couldn't agree with her more. Eaarth by Bill McKibben is such an important book to read. It will reshape the way you think about climate change and really challenge you to think about what to do now, since we have already irreversibly changed the climate on our planet. McKibben says, "Imagine we live on a planet. Not our cozy, taken-for-granted earth, but a planet, a real one, with darkpoles and belching volcanoes and a heaving, corrosive sea, raked by winds, strafed by storms, scorched by heat. An inhospitable place. It’s a different place. A different planet. It needs a new name."

You have to read the first half of the book quickly. It is a depressing picture of our world and the harsh realities of climate change and our culture of growth and bigness. McKibben says, "We have, in short, goosed our economy with one jolt of Viagra after another, anything to avoid facing the fact that our reproductive days were past and hence constant and unrelenting thrust was no longer so necessary. (I suspect global warming is the planetary equivalent of the dread 'erection lasting more than four hours' that we're warned about on the TV commercials.)" (I thought the metaphor was pretty funny, anyway).

Much of his solution to living on this new planet, Eaarth, has to do with investment and revitalization of local economies. The first local economy he discusses in the book is the food economy. He says, "So it's unsettling (but also the first unambiguously good news this book has to offer) to learn that serious people have begun to rethink small-scale agriculture, perhaps just in time to help us deal with the strains of our new planet." I enjoyed his presentation of the many facets of local economies and how to meet human needs on Eaarth (not just in the US but around the world, even in the developing world).

Another part of the solution is working to get our atmosphere back on track by lowering the amount of CO2 to 350 parts per million. Scientists say that 350 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere is the safe limit for humanity. Currently, we are over 388 parts per million. You can check out his organization on their website 350.org. There are organizing a global action day on 10/10/10. Check it out here.

Read the book, check out the website, and really start thinking about ways you can help solve the complex issues we are confronted with by McKibben.

Erdbeerbowle: German Strawberry Punch

2010-09-17T18:08:00.005-04:00

I almost forgot, one of the other favorites from Labor Day was my friend's strawberry punch called Erdbeerbowle (from Germany). Here is what she says on how to make it and according to her, it is simple!

Erdbeerbowle: German Strawberry Punch (per Miriam)

What You Need
- About 2 boxes of strawberries
- Sugar
- Brandy (optional)
- 1 bottle white wine
- 1 bottle of champagne

What You Do
1. Slice or halve the strawberries and place them in a container that is large enough so the berries are just one layer.
2. Sprinkle a thin layer of sugar over the berries. Less sugar if the berries are really sweet (my mom hardly uses any sugar at all!) and up to like a 1/4 cup if they are not so sweet. It's up to taste-- but don't fret about this! (NOTE: You can also add a shot or so of brandy at this step, if you like, recommendation would be cointreau.)
3. Put strawberries in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours
4. Add a bottle of white wine
5. Refrigerate for at least 2 more hours
6. Right before you serve, add a bottle of champagne
7. Some people garnish with mint leaves or lemon peels

With strawberries+sugar+wine+champagne, you really can't go wrong. If it comes out too sweet just add more champagne. My friend says that her grandparents make it with 1 bottle wine, 1 bottle champagne, and 1 bottle seltzer water for a more refreshing summer punch.

Last note, you can make this the night before you need it. Doesn't matter if the strawberries sit in the sugar all night, and they can also soak in the white wine for well over 2 hours, if need be. Just make sure to add the champagne immediately before serving.

Thanks Miriam! :)

Rosh Hashanah Meals, Including a Vegetarian Casserole!

2010-09-17T17:52:00.005-04:00

For Day One of Rosh Hashanah, we kept the meal light and vegetarian. We made some salads, a kugel, and an eggplant and zucchini casserole. My mom and I both made the casserole again the following week, it was so good and easy to make.

Layered Eggplant, Zucchini and Tomato Casserole (from Food and Wine)

What You Need
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing and brushing
- 3 medium zucchini (1 1/2 pounds), sliced lengthwise 1/4 inch thick
- 2 long, narrow eggplants (1 1/2 pounds)(the recipe says to peel them, but I didn't, I also used a variety of eggplant not just narrow ones) sliced lengthwise 1/3 inch thick
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 large shallot, minced
- 1 pound plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup) (I used more!)
- 1/4 cup chopped basil (I used more)
- 1/3 cup panko or coarse dry bread crumbs

What You Do
1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. Oil 2 large rimmed baking sheets.
3. Put the zucchini slices on one sheet and the eggplant on the other. Brush the slices all over with oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Arrange the slices on each sheet in a slightly overlapping layer. Bake for 15 minutes, until tender.
5. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil.
6. Add the shallot and cook over moderate heat until softened, 3 minutes.
7. Add the tomatoes and cook over high heat until slightly softened and bubbling, 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Oil a large, shallow baking dish (about 10 by 15 inches).
9. Lay half of the eggplant in the dish and spread one-fourth of the tomatoes on top.
10. Scatter with half of the feta and basil.
11. Layer half of the zucchini on top, followed by another one-fourth of the tomato and the remaining basil, eggplant and zucchini.
12. Top with the remaining tomato and feta.
13. Mix the panko with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil and sprinkle over the casserole.
14. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 20 minutes, until bubbling and crisp.
15. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve hot or warm.

For the second day of Rosh Hashanah we had a more traditional meal with roasted potatoes, brisket (sweet and sour, refer to old post), honey glazed carrots, and grilled veggies.

It was a delicious holiday!

Grilled Tomatoes

2010-09-17T17:47:00.003-04:00

I found some wonderful heirloom tomatoes at the farmer's market before Labor Day.

Charred Heirloom Tomatoes with Fresh Herbs (from Bon Appetit- do you see a pattern for my recipes from Labor Day?)

What You Need
- 4 large firm heirloom tomatoes (about 10 ounces each), cored, cut horizontally in half
- 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves, divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, divided
- 5 tablespoons (about) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

What You Do
1. Arrange tomatoes, cut side up, on rimmed baking sheet.
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then 1 1/2 tablespoons each oregano and thyme leaves.
3. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons oil.
4. Let stand at room temperature.
5. Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat).
6. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on rack (they said to brush the rack with oil, but I didn't).
7. Cook until bottoms are charred, 3 to 4 minutes. (Be careful with these guys on the grill!)
8. Turn tomatoes over and grill just to sear, about 1 minute.
9. Turn cut side up onto platter.
10. Sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon each oregano and thyme, then drizzle with more oil, if desired.

Serve warm.

Cucumber Salad

2010-09-17T17:40:00.002-04:00

This was the biggest surprise from the cook out. I saw it online when looking for menu ideas for the day. Since I am so obsessed with pickles, I couldn't resist. But, I didn't know how others would react to the dish. Everyone loved it (it was one of my mom's favorite dishes of the week). We are even making it again for Yom Kippur Breakfast.

Sweet-and-Sour Cucumbers with Fresh Dill (from Bon Appetit)

What You Need
-2 English hothouse cucumbers (1 1/2 pounds total), unpeeled, very thinly sliced
-1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
-1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
-1/4 cup finely chopped fresh dill
-3 tablespoons sugar
-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

What You Do
1. Place cucumber slices in colander.
2. Sprinkle with salt; toss to coat.
3. Let stand 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, for dressing, stir vinegar, dill, sugar, and pepper in large bowl until sugar is dissolved.
5. Drain cucumbers well; pat dry.
6. Add cucumbers to dressing and stir to blend.
7. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours; serve cold.

YUM!

Labor Day Potato Salad

2010-09-17T17:36:00.003-04:00

This potato salad was delicious. Try it out for a fall cookout!

Potato and Pea Salad with Chive Aioli (from Bon Appetit)

What You Need:
-3 pounds small red-skinned new potatoes, unpeeled
-3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
-3 celery stalks, thinly sliced
-1 1/2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
-1 cup mayonnaise
-6 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (from the garden!)
-1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
-2 garlic cloves, pressed
-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (this gives it a little kick!)

What You Do:
1. Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, about 25 minutes.
2. Drain; cool.
3. Cut potatoes into quarters.
4. Transfer to large bowl; add vinegar and toss to coat. Mix in celery and peas.
5. Whisk mayonnaise, 5 tablespoons chives, mustard, garlic, and cayenne pepper in small bowl to blend.
6. Add to potato mixture and toss.
7. Season generously with salt and pepper.
8. Cover and chill at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.

NOTE: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated. Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon chives and serve.

Labor Day

2010-09-17T17:32:00.002-04:00

My mother came into town for a week to celebrate two holidays: Labor Day and Rosh Hashanah. First came Labor Day where we had a Labor Day cookout on Sunday followed by a day-long hike at Sugarloaf.

The hike was wonderful and the cookout was a major hit.

The menu:
- Grilled Veggies (marinated in red wine vinegrette)
- Grilled Heirloom Tomato
- Potato Salad
- Cabbage Salad/Slaw
- Sweet and Sour Cucumbers
- Peach Cobbler (and vanilla ice cream, of course)

There were plenty of drinks and some additions to the food brought by guests! The food was great. The next couple posts will include recipes from the highlights.

Frenzy of Blogging!

2010-09-17T17:31:00.000-04:00

I’ve been holding back some blog posts because I’ve been so busy with the Jewish holidays and starting graduate school. I have some down time this evening, so here we go!

Harvest?

2010-09-03T08:03:00.002-04:00

So, you saw the cukes I got from the garden. I've also harvested two okra pods. I see two big tomatoes turning red as well as plenty of baby tomatoes. Additionally, looks like we will have nearly 7 peppers. Wooohooo! Here of some pictures of the produce:

I planted the brussles sprouts and cauliflower yesterday. We also started some lettuce inside the house. On Sat., we will get out and plant much of the greens and other veggies for the fall garden.

Back into the Garden

2010-08-31T13:23:00.005-04:00

As you might have guessed, the mess in my backyard has really gotten me down and driven me out of my garden. Top that off with the hot weather that kept all my plants from producing fruits, and I was very discouraged. But, thankfully, my new roommie talked it over with her dad (a farmer) and took another look before I gave up the whole thing. And, although my squash and cukes got a fungus of some sort, some of my plants have finally started producing. I've got some green tomatoes (baby and big varieties), cukes, okra, and sweet peppers.

Here are the cukes I picked today:

With this new information and renewed enthusiasm, I started cleaning up the yard. I decided to no longer wait for my landlord to get the debris from the fallen trees out of the way. So, I cleared off the top half of the backyard and then went through and pulled out all the dying plants in the garden (lettuce, squash, peas). I also cleaned up the cukes so they take over less area and tidied up around everything else:

I have plenty of new seeds for fall and also some seedlings (Brussels sprouts and cauliflower below). This weekend I intend on finishing up much of the backyard cleanup and planting all the new seeds and seedlings. We will be focusing on greens but also have a whole lot of good stuff (kale, spinach, mesclun, radishes, kohlrabi, speghetti sqaush, lettuce, arugula, collards, and some flowers).

I'm thinking the fall crop is going to be a much bigger success than the summer. We'll see if mother nature plays along.

Canning Experiment

2010-08-31T12:52:00.003-04:00

For over three years, I have dreamt about canning. I fantasized about having so many fruits or veggies in the summer that you just threw them in a pot and began canning. Then, when winter came around, you'd pull one of the jars out of the cabinet in the kitchen and be transported to a warmer, happier time. I bought much of the equipment years ago, as well as cookbooks and even took a pickle making class. But, still, no canning.

Until last weekend.

My new roommate learned to can with her mother. She also brought enough pears, peaches, and other goodies to feed a small army from her parents farm on the Eastern Shore of VA. So, the time was finally right to learn how to can.

We went to a nearby hardware store to get the remainder of the supplies (namely, the can rack and pot for canning). We loved the store: Strosniders in Silver Spring MD. After being in Home Depot and Ikea almost every week for the last couple months, it was wonderful to go to a real hardware store. And, they had everything we needed - on sale!

Our plan (after a successful trip to the Greenbelt Farmer's Market):

- Pears in apple juice
- Peaches in apple juice with cinnamon and cloves
- Hot pickled green beans
- Pear butter

Here is the recipe for the pickled green beans, of course I can't recommend it yet since we haven't tasted the goods. But it was very easy and looks good.

Spicy Green Bean Pickles (adapted from Okra Pickles from Preserving Summer's Bounty)

What You Need
- 5 cups water
- 3 cups vinegar
- 3 teaspoons celery seeds
- 6 quarts green beans (we cut the whole recipe and only did 1/3 of this)
- 24 baby onions (only had big onions, so we cut these up into small chunks)
- 6 garlic cloves
- 6 hot chili peppers (optional)

What You Do
1. Combine water, vinegar, and celery seed in a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Pack the green beans into a hot, scalded pint jar. In each jar, put 4 onions, 1 clove garlic, and 1 chili pepper.
3. Pour the boiling brine over the green beans, leaving 1/4 inch head space.
4. Seal and process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath.
5. Let ripen for several weeks before using.

So, it was a huge success and so much fun. See me below enjoying myself with the equipment:

We only lost one can (it cracked and broke in the canner). We did learn a very important lesson though. When canning, only make one type of good. Switching between the green beans, peaches, pears, and pear butter was difficult and left us with fewer cans of each. So, when our 1 can of peaches broke, we were both very disappointed.

But, we got some great looking cans out of it:

I definitely hope that we get to doing this again very soon.

Update on the garden

2010-08-14T09:38:00.003-04:00

Since the crazy rainstorm and disasters in my backyard, I've been reluctant to tend to the garden. Not only is it a bit depressing to go out there in all the mess, but every time I do I get about 1000 bug bites. My legs look like they did when I was a 10 year old at sleep away camp-- bruised and fully of bug bites-- not good. But, thankfully, we've gotten some rain recently and despite all odds things are still growing. I even have a second tomato and some baby tomatoes.

Take a look:

I hope I am able to eat something from the garden before the end of August. We will see...

The best thing to do with tomatoes

2010-08-14T09:30:00.003-04:00

Also while visiting NJ, my sister and I prepared my favorite appetizer for my mother while she was at work. This is an amazing recipe from Food and Wine and I was shocked that it was not on my blog available for you to try. I love this! I could eat the whole thing myself. It takes patience to wait for the bruschetta but it is worth it. Try to get the two varieties of honey, but it is not a deal breaker if you can't. I've made the recipe many times with only clover honey.

Honey-Tomato Bruschetta with Ricotta (from Food and Wine)

What You Need

- 2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise
- 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons clover honey
- 2 teaspoons thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 12 baguette slices, cut 1/2 inch thick on the bias
- 1 cup fresh ricotta (8 ounces) (see my post on how to make it)
- 1 tablespoon buckwheat or chestnut honey (unfortunately, I only had clover so I just used 3 tablespoons clover honey)
- 6 basil leaves, thinly sliced or torn

What You Do

1. Preheat the oven to 300°.
2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with the olive oil, honey, thyme leaves, salt and pepper.
4. Scrape the tomatoes onto the prepared baking sheet and turn them cut side up.
5. Bake the tomatoes for about 1 hour and 25 minutes, until they begin to shrivel and brown. Let cool.
6. Preheat the broiler.
7. Spread out the baguette slices on a baking sheet.
8. Broil for about 30 seconds on each side, until the edges are golden brown.
4. Spread the ricotta over the baguette slices and top with the slow-roasted tomatoes.
5. Lightly drizzle the tomatoes with the buckwheat honey, sprinkle with the sliced basil and serve with additional buckwheat honey on the side.

This is a great dish to share with family and friends while tomatoes are at the peak!

Soup, Summer, and Roasted Red Peppers

2010-08-14T09:19:00.003-04:00

I spent the early part of this week with my family up in NJ. It was wonderful to hang out, relax, and spend a day at the Jersey shore. We spent the day at Spring Lake, had lobster at Klein's, and got yummy salt water taffy. We also did some fun family cooking, including this wonderful summer soup. Rarely do I eat chilled soup, so I was nervous to try it. But, how can you go wrong with roasted red peppers?!

Creamy Chilled Red Pepper Soup (from About.com)

What You Need

- 4 red peppers
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (I used more)
- 5 cups vegetable broth
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- salt and pepper to taste

What You Do

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees or set to broil.
2. Slice peppers in half and remove seeds.
3. Broil peppers for about 20 minutes. (I sprinkled some olive oil before broiling)
4. In a large sauce pan, cook the onion and rosemary over medium high heat.
5. Add the peppers and vegetable broth and reduce to a simmer.
6. Add tomato paste and allow to cook for at least 20 minutes.
7. Transfer soup to a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
8. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine well.
9. Serve chilled.

Since this one was a success, I'm curious to try some more summer soups before August is over. I suggest you do to.

One Tomato Emerges from the Mess

2010-08-03T07:12:00.003-04:00

I'm a proud momma of a baby heirloom tomato, finally. And it is perfect timing because my yard is still a disaster zone and making me a little bit sad.

Stewed Okra and Tomatoes

2010-07-27T20:21:00.006-04:00

Two of summer's favorites come together in this easy southern dish. I enjoyed it over rice. Here's hoping that my tomatoes and okra produce so I can make this again with my own veggies (or are they fruits?)!

Stewed Okra & Tomatoes (adapted from Eating Well)

What You Need
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1 medium onion, chopped (I used a red onion)
-2 cloves garlic, minced (I used a bit more because I love garlic)
-1 pound okra, (about 5 cups), sliced
-3 cups chopped tomatoes, (3-4 medium)
-2/3 cup reduced-sodium tomato juice or water
-1/4 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper or 1/2 minced jalapeno
-For you meat eaters out there: add 4 ounces breakfast sausage, preferably spicy or 4 slices bacon (optional)

What You Do
1. If you are going to use meat, cook it in a large saucepan first.
2. If no meat (like me), heat one tablespoon of olive oil and add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
3. Increase heat to high; add okra, tomatoes, tomato juice (or water), salt and crushed red pepper (or jalapeno) and cook, stirring often, until bubbling.
4. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is thick and the vegetables are very tender, 35 to 45 minutes.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

My manager had a great idea about serving this over mac and cheese! I think that is something worth trying sometime soon. If you try it, let me know.

Storm Clean Up

2010-07-26T16:10:00.002-04:00

So, my garden is looking like a huge mess... as is the rest of my yard and neighborhood. I spent over an hour cleaning out the garden and cutting back some of the trees over it. I'm afraid, however, that if and when my landlord gets someone to come take out the trees and the shed that they are going to totally decimate what remains of my garden.

On the up side, the silver lining is that now with basically three trees cleared from my backyard (or at least grounded, not quite cleared yet), my garden and future gardens can be bigger and get WAY more sun.

Trying to look on the bright side.

:)

Major Summer Storm

2010-07-25T17:29:00.003-04:00

We had a monster storm and a couple trees fell down in the backyard. Very scary. No more shed. Half my fence for my garden is gone. I'm very worried about my squash, peas, and green beans. But, for now, I'm just worried about getting some electricity back so that I can get some fans and AC going in the 90 degree weather. Take a look at the damage.

Another interesting thing making my yard look like a crazy mess is that my landlord is working on building a wall. The guys were mid-building the wall when the storm came through... so it was left "as-is" and now looks a bit like a war zone.

Summer Savory Veggie Crepe

2010-07-21T16:04:00.000-04:00

I apologize that there haven't been any pictures posted to the blog recently. My phone is acting up and I still have yet to get a working camera. Hopefully soon I will be able to remedy the situation and get some nice pictures up here (even better than those that I've posted before just using my phone's camera). But, I don't want the lack of pictures to stop me from sharing the great recipe I tried out yesterday. It was very unique for me, as crepes have always been a Lilly family breakfast tradition. However, I was in the mood for something new and happened upon this recipe while googling summer menus.

Try it out for yourself. It is easiest if you prep and freeze crepes in advance (then this is a VERY quick meal) but it is also possible to prepare crepes and the filling after work in time for dinner.

Summer Vegetable Crêpes (adapted from Eating Well)

What You Need
- 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh chives, divided, plus more for garnish
- 3 tablespoons low-fat milk
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups chopped zucchini
- 1 1/4 cups chopped broccoli
- 1 cup fresh corn kernels, (from 1 large ear)
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 4 9-inch “ready-to-use” crêpes (I made my own from The Joy of Cooking, see below)

What You Do:
1. Stir sour cream, 1/4 cup chives, milk, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, green beans and corn and cook, stirring, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
3. Reduce heat to low; stir in ricotta, Monterey Jack, the remaining 1/4 cup chives, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper.
4. Cook, stirring gently, until the cheese is melted, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Remove from the heat.
6. To roll crêpes, place one on a piece of parchment or wax paper (or leave it on the piece of plastic separating the crêpes in the package). Spoon one-fourth of the vegetable-cheese mixture (about 3/4 cup) down the center of the crêpe. Use the paper (or plastic) to help you gently roll the crêpe around the filling. Place the crêpe seam-side down on a dinner plate. Repeat with the remaining crêpes and filling. Serve each crêpe topped with 2 tablespoons of the reserved sauce and more chives, if desired.

NOTE: Prepare the batter for the crepes below before starting with the filling, then cook the filling and finally cook up the crepes.

Savory Crepe (from the Joy of Cooking)

What You Need:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup lukewarm water
- 4 large eggs
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

What You Do:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth.
2. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand for 30 minutes, or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
3. Place a nonstick or seasoned crepe pan over medium heat.
4. Coat the pan with a little unsalted butter.
5. Stir the batter and pour about 2 tablespoons into the pan (you can use a ladle, a measuring cup, or anything else). I also used way more than 2 tablespoons per crepe. While you pour, lift the pan off the heat and tilt and rotate it so that the batter forms an even, very thin layer.
6. Cook until the top is set and the underside is golden.
7. Turn the crepe over, using a spatula or your fingers (fingers work best here, but careful--it's hot) and cook until the second side is lightly browned.
8. Remove the crepe to a plate.
9. Repeat the process with the remainder of the batter.

Use immediately or let cool, wrap airtight and freeze for up to 1 month.

Mushroom Risotto Cakes

2010-07-20T15:01:00.000-04:00

So, after you enjoy the mushroom risotto I posted in my last post, you may be bored with eating it a couple days in a row (well, not really but we can pretend). I have a different issue. I moved into a new house and no longer have a microwave, so reheating the risotto became an issue. Instead, I found a recipe for risotto cakes in my Gourmet Today Cookbook . It was delicious and I will definitely be using this recipe again for left over risotto.

Mushroom Risotto Cakes (adapted from Gourmet Today)

What You Need:

- 3 cups chilled mushroom risotto
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs (the recipe calls to do this from about 4 slices firm white sandwich bread, but I just used breadcrumbs from a box)
- 6 tablespoons olive oil

What You Do:

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Form chilled risotto into 8 (3/4-inch-thick) patties using wet hands.
3. Put flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in 3 separate shallow bowls.
4. Coat 1 cake with flour, tapping off excess, then egg (letting excess drip off), and then bread crumbs. Transfer to wax paper.
5. Repeat with remaining cakes.
6. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté 4 cakes, turning over once, until browned, 5 to 6 minutes total.
7. Transfer with a slotted spatula to a paper-towel-lined baking pan and keep warm in oven.
8. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil and sauté remaining 4 cakes in same manner.

ENJOY and share with loved ones and friends, they won't know that they are eating leftovers!

Mushroom Risotto

2010-07-20T14:54:00.001-04:00

This is one of my favorite recipes and there is an exciting twist on what to do with the leftovers:

Mushroom Risotto (adapted from Bittman's How to Cook Everything)

What You Need:

- 3-5 cups chicken or vegetable stock, or water
- 2 T butter
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 cups fresh mushrooms (any variety), chopped
- 1 ½ cups Arborio rice
- Salt & pepper to taste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- Some freshly grated parmesan cheese

What You Do:

1. Place the butter in a large saucepan and turn the heat to medium.
2. When it’s hot, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute.
3. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for another 5-7 minutes.
4. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes; do not let the mushrooms brown.
5. Add the rice and stir until it is coated with butter.
6. Add a little salt & pepper, then the wine.
7. Stir and let the liquid bubble away.
8. Begin to add the stock, ½ cup at a time, stirring after each addition and every minute or so.
9. When the stock is just about evaporated, add more. The mixture should be neither soupy nor dry. Keep the heat medium to medium-high, and stir frequently (constant stirring is not necessary-- even though I tend to do this).
10. Begin tasting the rice 20 minutes after you add it to the pan; you want it to be tender but with still a tiny bit of crunch. NOTE: It could take as long as 30 minutes to reach this stage (mine usually does).
11. When it's done, add the parmesan and remove from the heat. Check the seasoning, adjust if necessary, and serve immediately.

See next post for what to do with leftovers....

Tomato Blossom Drop

2010-07-20T14:09:00.001-04:00

My garden looks wonderful and everything is still growing (broccoli and carrots being the exception- but I knew they were an experiment). I am having some success with my herbs and my tomato plants are getting bigger and bigger each week. But, unfortunately, my tomato plants have not turned out any tomatoes. Instead, they get little flowers that just fall off.

It is very sad.

I googled the issue and learned about Blossom Drop. According to About.com:

Blossom drop is a common tomato growing problem that can be extremely frustrating to the home gardener. Otherwise healthy looking tomato plants set flower blossoms, only to have them dry up and fall off the plant before a fruit is formed.

Frustrating is right! It looks so promising but then the little blossoms just fall right off. I saw on the GardenWeb that this troublesome issue can be caused by weather.... HOT weather. We certainly have had a lot of hot weather and there seems to be no end in sight. I will just keep looking longingly and lovingly at my tomato blossoms and hope at least one stays on long enough to make me a tomato.

Red Wiggler Community Farm

2010-07-08T22:11:00.000-04:00

After much debate about what to do during my week vacation, I decided to spend time here in MD, cookout with friends, and volunteer at a community farm in Montgomery County named Red Wiggler. It takes a bit under an hour to drive out there during the morning traffic on 495. I've been spending the mornings from 8:30-1 pm out there helping out, learning, and enjoying the 100 degree weather.

I feel so lucky to have found this wonderful place. There mission (as you can see on their website) is to "create fertile ground to nourish a healthy and inclusive community". They do this in the four following ways:

1. Meaningful employment for adults with developmental disabilities
2. Educational opportunities through "service learning" for area youth
3. Environmental stewardship
4. Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

The mission is impressive, but there are really no words that can capture the amazing feeling of community and sense of mission felt on the farm. Here is what I have been doing:

Tuesday: Harvested garlic and sorted garlic. Turns out they had some trouble with garlic due to the crazy snow and weather this year. Some of the garlic went bad, so we had to sort through to get the good garlic out to the food banks and CSA.

Wednesday: Harvested chard, cukes, squash, and beets. Helped organize food for the CSA.

Thursday: Harvested the last row of garlic. Weeded the baby tomatoes. Removed peppers that had gone bad (but not too bad! see below). More garlic sorting and cleaning.

Friday: TBD, but it will involve more harvesting!

I was able to take home some of the seconds of the peppers that we sorted through and pulled off the plants. I was surprised, even though the peppers have black spots on some parts, you can cut off the bad parts and slice up the good ones. Apparently, these can be frozen and used later in the season. I'm trying it out!

Also, I was able to take home some other goodies from the farm including plenty of garlic. :) I am so excited to cook up the veggies and enjoy them this weekend. I cooked the chard with some onions and garlic (with a little bit of butter) and had it for dinner. YUM!

Despite the hot weather, this has been a fantastic experience for me and I plan to continue to volunteer throughout the summer and stay involved with Red Wiggler. In just a couple days, I've learned so much!

In case you didn't notice...

2010-07-05T22:05:00.001-04:00

It's hot. Here's hoping the gardens make it through the multiple, consecutive days of over 100 degree weather we have coming up this week... especially since there are restrictions on outdoor water use.

This isn't getting old yet...

2010-06-28T11:43:00.000-04:00

Every day, I've been waking up and looking outside to see how much these little plants have been growing. It's amazing. Within the next couple days, I am going to have to thin the seedlings.

I also planted some more herbs and moved my basil around. I still have to transplant some more basil because I'm afraid there isn't enough room for both the basil and the tomato plants in the big containers. Now, I've got parsley, oregano, and thyme. Hopefully, these plants will be able to withstand the heat. Another note, I'm thinking about trying to plant a pumpkin patch or some small melons at the end of my yard. I'm not sure there is enough sun, but it'll fun to try.

100th Post

2010-06-26T11:46:00.000-04:00

I thought I was excited on Thursday when I saw the first signs of the sprouting veggies in my new garden. Then, I was thrilled to see them really pop out of the ground yesterday (as you could tell by my last post). But, I have even more to celebrate today. As you can see below, almost everything I planted last Sunday has sprouted and the transplants are looking healthy. But, even more shocking was when I logged on the Blogger to share the picture above and realized that this is my 100th post to the blog. A great milestone. I am happy to think about all the transformation and growth that has happened over the past year that I have been blogging here. And, there is so much excitement ahead.

It may look just like dirt....

2010-06-25T10:39:00.000-04:00

But the seeds are sprouting up here in MD!

MD Garden Map

2010-06-22T13:43:00.000-04:00

Here is a map of my garden up in MD. It is all an experiment because the backyard where the garden is doesn't get the best sun. I'm hoping to try out different plants to find some that like the sun/shade blend back there. For now, though, I'm trying out the following veggies:

Cherry Tomato
Sweet Pepper
Hot Pepper
Okra (mixed in with the cukes on the map)
Cukes
Snap Peas
Summer Squash
Zucchini
Green Beans
Carrots
Broccoli
Bibb and Romaine Lettuce

Also growing in containers:

Heirloom tomatoes
Basil
Cilantro