which came first?

I have never been much of a 'dark meat' kind of gal.  Get your minds out of the gutter, I am talking about chicken here.

Often, when we make chicken, I'll roast a whole one and I eat the white meat and Mike takes the dark.  Jack Sprat and wife if you will.  One day I thought, I bet the kids would love the drumsticks too.  They devoured them.  Of course they did.  They can hold it and eat it and it is warm and juicy and flavorful.  A rare, and much sought after, successfully eaten meal ensued.

Now I prepare the drumsticks only for the kids.  I have made this recipe twice to rave reviews.  It was so simple and fast and quite good.  The last time we had them she ate 3 and the whole time was saying over and over how delicious they were.  It was a little embarrassing how much praise she was throwing at me for these scrumptious drummies.

The other thing I realized with this meal is that Eloise knows where her food comes from.  I like that she knows that the chicken on her plate comes from an actual chicken, you know the animal that we see on farms.  She knows that pork is from pigs and that her milk does not come 'from the store' but from a cow.  She knows that vegetables grow from seeds that are planted in the ground.  I hope to instill in them a respect for the foods that we are so blessed to have.

As she was eating the drumsticks, between compliments and bites she said, "Mom, you know why I'm glad they kill the chicken before we eat it?"
"Why?"  I asked very reluctantly.
"Because if they didn't, the legs would be running all over our plates."

Totally normal statement.  Nothing weird about that at all.

I think that Harriet will be the same way about her knowledge of food origins.  At the dinner table, Eloise said to her, "Harriet, have another bite of chicken."  She responded with a little, "Bawk, bawk".

found this in the play kitchen after eloise told me she 

was making chicken for dinner

roasted

I don't know if it is the cooler weather or what but in the fall and winter we seem to be roasting vegetables all the time.  It is a technique that is not new or terribly exciting but it results in the most delicious vegetables that I always devour and that my kids have even accidentally eaten and liked.

I have been roasting  root vegetables (potatoes, parsnips, carrots) and winter squash for a few years now.  They are so delicious, so easy and pretty idiot proof.  Lately though, I have been expanding my reportoire to include other veg ( I like to say 'veg' because it sounds cool and British like Jamie Oliver and...Gwyneth).  So far, everything has been a success, even veg that I have never liked (cauliflower, broccoli, brussel sprouts).  Seriously, the cauliflower was like eating potato chips.

Roasting vegetables is genius for mature, store bought veggies that may not be in season.  I found some green beans the other night in our fridge that were looking sad, sad, sad.  They were stringy, limp, and probably should've been tossed but roasting brought them back to life.  In fact, I was forced to stand at the counter  once they came out of the oven and pop them in my mouth one after the other like french fries not caring that they were scorchingly hot and burning my fingers and mouth.  Why does this miracle happen in the oven?  It has something to do with a chemical reaction caused by the dry heat of the roasting and the conversions and the sugars and the starches and the browning and I am obviously not a chemist.

All you need is salt, pepper, olive oil, a 450 degree oven, and some pretty gnarly roasting pans that are coated with years of "seasoning" as my mom would say.  I spread  the vegetables out on the pan, drizzle some olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and put them in the oven for about 20-40 minutes depending on what you are cooking.  Toss them half way though and eat.

One of our favorite meals and a weekly regular in the fall and winter is roasted vegetables (shallot, butternut squash, carrot, sweet potato) over salad greens and roasted chicken.We top it with Annie's Goddess dressing.  So delicious.

We've also enjoyed roasted tomatoes tossed in pasta, or spread on bread with cheese.  Talk about reviving out of season or shriveled vegetables.  Roasting is perfect for these kinds of sad tomatoes that you find in January.  You don't have to peel them just pop on the pan and let them soften and sweeten up.  Dare I say, they taste almost homegrown.

This is a great article on roasting vegetables to get you started or to give you some new ideas.  I remember reading this article when it came out in 2006 and it is still one of my most used issues of EFD.  Enjoy!

***roasted vegetables, although delicious, do not make the prettiest or most interesting pictures.

cauliflower

root veg

green beans

I don't think you're ready for this jelly...

A couple years ago we were over at one of our neighbor's for dinner and as an appetizer they served this delicious jalapeno jelly that they had made.  I couldn't stop eating it.  It was sweet and savory and a little spicy and I just kept spooning it on crackers with some cheese.  A couple days later, having not gotten it out of my head, I emailed them for the recipe.  It was almost as if they had been expecting and waiting for my inquiry.  Their response was something like, "Ah, yes, the jelly".  They knew of the power it had and now I was just another follower, forever connected to this magical treat.  (I've been watching a little too much LOST lately.)

Anyway, it seemed like there wasn't too specific of a recipe they were using.  Just kind of improvised each time and based it loosely on the recipe in the Ball canning book.  I had no choice but to give it a go as this was now my calling, my destiny, my fate.  (seriously, I'm watching like 3 episodes a night)

It was delicious.  I have made it several times since and it has always turned out great.  I eat way too much of this stuff. I mean way. too. much.   My favorite way to enjoy it is with bagel chips or pita chips and cream cheese.  I ate so much of it when I was pregnant with Harriet, I'm pretty sure she is  37% jalapeno jelly.  I was trying to confess to a friend how much I was actually eating and he said, "Well it's not like you are sitting down in front of the t.v. with a whole jar of jelly and a tub of cream cheese and just spooning it on to crackers."
"Oh my god!  No!"  I said,  laughing a little too nervously,  pretending to be horrified that someone would do that, and wondering where he put the hidden camera because that is exactly what I was doing.  And am still doing.

This jelly is also great on toast or empanadas, with any creamy cheese like goat or brie, or thinned out with a little cider vinegar and used as a salad dressing (I like greens, blue cheese, chicken, pistachios).  If you would like to make some of your own, the recipe that I use is below but feel free to improvise.  Or, just come over and take a jar off my hands.  Speaking of hands, I strongly recommend wearing rubber gloves when working with the roasted jalapenos.  If you don't, be sure to wash your hands very well after.  Don't rub your eyes and for god's sake don't change the baby's diaper!
Oh Harriet, will you ever forgive me?

Jalapeno Jelly
This recipe yields about 5 (8oz) half pints

12 jalapeno peppers (whole)
2 bell peppers (slice sides off in 4 big pieces)
1 large onion (sliced in thick rounds, about 4)
2 cups cider vinegar
6 cups sugar (!)  (try not to think about it)
2 3 oz packages of liquid fruit pectin

Place all veggies on pan and place under the broiler until black and charred (about 5 minutes)
Remove from pan and place all peppers in a bowl and cover immediately with plastic wrap, let stand 10 minutes
Place onions into a blender with 1 cup vinegar
In a large pot on the stove, add the sugar and remaining 1 cup vinegar

Once peppers are cooled peel off the charred skins and discard them along with any seeds or stems from the jalapenos.  I keep a bowl of water nearby when I do this to help get the skin and seeds off of my hands.  Add the peeled peppers to the blender and puree all the veggies until smooth.  Do not strain puree.  Add puree to your pot and bring to a boil over high heat.  Boil for 10 minutes stirring frequently.
After 10 minutes, add all pectin.  Stir and return to a boil.  Boil hard for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.
Ladle into hot jars and process for 10 minutes.  (for more information on how to process or can, check out this link)
A friend of mine made this, put into jars and refrigerated it.  She said it should last about 3 weeks.
 It probably won't hang around that long.

ready to go into the broiler

 (I was doubling the recipe)

nice and charred. 

 I put the onions back in for a little longer.

                                         

one week supply.

just kidding.  sort of.

                                            

how I enjoy it.  

no need for a plate, really.

*

corn

We've been working to preserve the best of summer and one of my favorites is sweet corn.  I have had really good luck with freezing it and it is a pretty simple process.

1.  Buy the freshest corn you can, preferably picked that morning.  Once picked, corn has a tendency to get starchy very quickly and starts to lose its sweetness so it is best to do your prep for freezing as soon as possible.

2.  Have any children in the house shuck the corn outside.  This will keep them busy for a long time.

3.  Put a big pot of water with a pinch of salt on to boil.

4.  Check on the corn cleaning progress outside and be amazed at how many dirty jokes and double entendres your husband and you can come up with using the words 'shucking', 'corn hole', and 'cob'.  Realize that you both have the maturity of a 12 year old boy.

5.  Once the water is boiling, add the ears of corn and boil for about 4 minutes.

6.  While corn is boiling, set out a huge bowl of ice water and a towel.

7.  After boiling for 4 minutes, remove corn and place in ice water until cooled.  Remove from ice water and let cool further on a towel.

8.  Remove corn kernels with a super cute tool like this amazing one, or stand the corn upright on top of a little bowl turned upside down in a big bowl.  (does that make sense?)

9.  Once cooled, place the kernels in freezer bags in 2-3 cup portions.  To use, simply thaw first for the best texture and use in your favorite recipes.  We add to chili, cornbread, veggie soup, salsas, etc.

10.  Realize that it is going to take a shit load of corn to fill up that new freezer in the basement.

post shucking

lined up and cooling.  can you find the 1/2 eaten one?

removing kernels with this cute little guy

ready to be packed up, frozen, and enjoyed in the dead of winter

tomato tart

This is what my kitchen counter looks like right now:

I wanted to share one of my favorite tomato recipes in case you have some to enjoy right now too.  This tomato tart is delicious!  It is rich, and decadent but I really love it because it is simple simple.  You will not believe how scrumptious this smells when it is cooking.  You will not believe it.  This is the kind of thing you want to have cooking in the oven if you are trying to sell your house, trying to bag a man, or begging for someone's forgiveness.  

I will say that I do not make my own crust for this.  Why?  I hate making pie crust.  The prepared ones in the store's refrigerated section are kind of an embarrassment to use, especially if your mother in law is coming over for dinner, but they are decent enough.  The crust is not the real star here anyway, the tomatoes are.  So, even though I kind of feel like  Semi-Homemade Sandra Lee, I continue to use the pre made ones.  If you would like to make your own (what?  do you think you are better than me, or something?) then please feel free.  The link to Martha's is included in the recipe.

• 1 head garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 1/2 Pate Brisee (Pie Dough)
• 2 ounces Italian fontina cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup) (I like a little extra)
• 1 1/2 pounds firm but ripe tomatoes (4 medium), cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place garlic on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil. Wrap to enclose garlic in foil, and place on a small baking sheet. Bake until soft and golden brown and the tip of a knife easily pierces the flesh, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven; set aside. Raise oven temperature to 450 degrees. When garlic is cool enough to handle, using either your hands or the dull end of a large knife, squeeze the cloves out of their skins and into a small bowl; mash with a fork, and set aside. Discard the papery skins. (I usually do this a day or two in advance whenever I have the oven on.  I follow the directions as written and just put it covered in the fridge until I need it for the tart)
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/8-inch-thick circle, about 12 inches in diameter. With a dry pastry brush, brush off the excess flour; roll the dough around the rolling pin, and lift it over a 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Line the pan with the dough, pressing it into the corners. Trim the dough so that it is flush with the edges; transfer to the refrigerator to chill, about 30 minutes. (IF you are going to use the prepared crusts, just unroll it into the tart pan and press into the corners. No rolling pin or flour needed.  You should only need to chill it for about 15 minutes)
3. Spread roasted garlic evenly on the chilled crust. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Arrange the tomatoes on top of the cheese, in an overlapping circular pattern. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Transfer to oven. Reduce temperature to 400 degrees. and bake until crust is golden and tomatoes are soft but still retain their shape, 45 to 55 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool for 20 minutes, and serve warm. (fresh basil is delicious on top of this once it is cooled)

my helper.  she was telling me the whole time that she would just like the 

cheese please and no tomatoes.

girl, you're crazy.

I wish you could smell this right now.

*

simple

The tomatoes are in full swing.  We have not been overwhelmed yet by our harvest but there are tons of green ones on the vines waiting to ripen.  As we pick beautiful, red, ripe ones I like to use them to make my favorite meal ever.
Seriously.  I have eaten at Charlie Trotter's and Tru and many, many places in between, but one of my favorite things in the world to eat is a simple, tomato sandwich.  If I am ever in a situation where I am given my choice of a last meal, an execution let's say, it would be a tomato sandwich.  God, I hope my execution would be sometime during the month of August...

There are probably several versions of this classic but this is mine.  It is the way I have prepared hundreds of them over the years.  Feel free to embellish as you wish but I think you will always come back to the original:

One red, ripe, juicy, homegrown tomato
(of course, it doesn't need to be grown at your house but somewhere nearby and in the late summer is ideal)

Two slices of good wheat bread
( I know some people like this on a country white bread which is good also.  My grandma always made her own wheat bread and this is how we ate them)

Good mayonnaise
(Do not even joke around here and use something like Miracle Whip.  I'm talking about a Hellman's or a Kraft mayo)

Salt & Pepper
(Some kind of flaky sea salt like Maldon is divine here but this is definitely not an elitist sandwich so any ol' Morton's will do)

Take slices of bread and toast to a golden brown.  This is the most important step.  Not toasting the bread results in an entirely different sandwich and one that I don't want to be a part of.  Spread each slice of bread with mayonnaise.  Slice tomato into about 4 thick slices and top one piece of toasted bread with the tomatoes.  Sprinkle tomatoes with salt and pepper.  Top with other slice of toasted bread press down a little until the juices just start to run out the sides.  Slice your sandwich in half.  If you are lucky enough to have potato chips in the house, have a handful of those with your sandwich.

Enjoy.

fresh from the garden

salt and pepper are crucial

I couldn't even wait long enough to take the damn picture.

*

raspberries

Last spring we planted two little raspberry bushes that we picked up at Home Depot.  We have a partly sunny spot in the back of our yard along the fence where the soil is kind of crappy but there is plenty of room.  I think my husband's dream is to eventually have the entire area filled with raspberry brambles so thick that we need a wield a sword to get out to the garage (picture the prince coming to the castle after 100 years in Sleeping Beauty).

I have to admit, I never really thought they would take off.  I was under the impression that growing any kind of fruit was really difficult.  Not the case at all.  We planted those two teeny shrubs, covered with a little compost and water and that was about it.  They did amazingly well considering the lack of attention they were given.  Last year we got a handful of berries but this season they have come back with gusto.  The plants send out shooters and fill in all the space in between with new bushes.  This season we have had quite a few berries with a delicious sweet and tart flavor.  Pretty soon we'll be all brambled up.

Our crop has not been so plentiful just yet that we could bake a pie or cobbler.  We mostly go out in the morning, pick what has ripened and throw them on our breakfast which, for me, is the same every single morning:
Stonyfield Plain lowfat yogurt (the best flavor in my opinion, and believe me I have tried them all)
Kashi GoLean cereal
a few crumbled walnuts
and whatever fruit is in season and in our house (or garden at the time)

There is something so fun and decadent about picking your own food and eating right then.  I would definitely recommend trying to plant some raspberries next year if you have a spot.  You won't be disappointed.

fresh picked

the bushes

And speaking of Raspberries...Harriet is enjoying making a few of her own these days...

 "thbbpthbpt!"

toddy for the party

When the weather starts to heat up, my coffee needs to cool down.  Over the years I have fine tuned, and dare I say, perfected my iced coffee method.  The secret is in using a cold brewing method or toddy coffee.  I don't care how you try to sell it to me, you simply can not chill a hot cup of coffee to get great tasting iced coffee and don't even try to give me that 'just make ice cubes out of coffee' bullshit.

The toddy method is so simple.  I use the Filtron and you can find it here.   It comes with everything you need to get started.   
                                 
You fill up the bottom container with 1 pound coarsely ground coffee and a filter pad.  You can use any kind of beans.  In fact, I usually use a less expensive brand roasted any which way.   Definitely save the best stuff  for the French press.  The beauty of this brewing method is that it results in a cup that is super low in acidity and very mild.  I have even used Chock Full O Nuts or Dunkin Donuts brand and ended up with a winner.  You plug up the bottom of the container with the included stopper.  I would like to mention that by some miracle we have not lost this tiny stopper in almost 5 years!  Although, now that I have just typed that sentence I think I can hear the stopper getting up, packing a bag, and leaving town never to be seen or heard from again.
Fill the top compartment with cold water. It has a teeny tiny whole in the bottom and as you leave it on the counter overnight it slowly drip drips into the grounds and hangs out there brewing the coffee concentrate.
When you get up in the morning and stumble down to the kitchen, remove the stopper and set the container full of coffee and water over a carafe and let all the goodness drain out.  What you now have is a delicious concentrate of delicious coffee.  You can do whatever you want with this concentrate.  It keeps in the fridge for about 6 weeks.  You can add water to it and make a cup of hot or iced coffee. You can add lots of milk and a little water to it and make kind of an iced latte, which is what I do every morning and some afternoons once the temp hits about 70 degrees.  Seriously, you should try this.  

the grounds in the bottom container

I realize this is not a pretty picture

draining the concentrate 

my drink

strawberry

We've been up to our ears in strawberries these past few weeks which is fine by me.  The strawberry season is so short and even though you can find strawberries in the grocery store year round those are flavorless, rock-hard blobs compared to home grown, fresh picked strawberries in the late weeks of spring.

Mostly we we just eat them right out of the container and I toss them in my yogurt every morning but this season we tried a few new things to enjoy them even longer.  Because they are so ripe and dark red they are perfect for freezing.  I rinse them, cut off the stems and freeze them whole on sheet pans (but I am actually using a 9 inch cake pan because my dumb freezer is too narrow for a sheet pan, or a frozen pizza incidentally).  Once they are frozen, in about 24 hours, place them in a ziploc bag and enjoy them however and whenever.


We also made ice pops.  They were delish.  Here's the easy breezy recipe.

Strawberry Ice Pops
2-3 cups strawberries (hulled and quartered)
3T sugar
1 1/4 cup low fat plain yogurt

Puree the strawberries with 1T sugar.  I used an immersion blender and it worked great.
Whisk 2T sugar with the yogurt
Pour into popcicle molds alternating layers until full.  Insert sticks and freeze  until solid.


We decided to make Strawberry ice cream.  I would never normally choose strawberry as my flavor for ice cream. I mean give me chocolate, some nuts or something,  but this was so delicious.  It was not too sweet and just the right amount of tanginess and the most beautiful pink color.

We have this ice cream maker and we have been pretty happy with it but it is loud as hell so don't do it during naps or if you want to watch anything on t.v.

***recipe is now below...

Not to leave out the savory folks, I also made one of my favorite salads for several lunches and dinners.
It is nothing fancy or complicated but so fresh and delicious. I don't really measure because I just throw it all together, usually with one hand and hopefully before I hear any rustling on the baby monitor.

Strawberry Salad
Fill a bowl with your favorite greens. I like to use spinach and mixed greens.
Add quartered strawberries, chicken, turkey, or protein of choice, chopped pecans, crumbled goat cheese and balsamic vinaigrette ( I do a ratio of 3 olive oil to 1 balsamic vinegar with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper all whisked together).

Hope this might give you some ideas of what to do with all those fresh berries. Try to stock up, this week might be the last of them at the farmer's market.  So, until next year...

***Here is the strawberry ice cream recipe...
3        cups fresh ripe strawberries, stemmed and sliced
4         T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 1/2   cups sugar, divided
1 1/2    cups whole milk
2 3/4    cups heavy cream
1 1/2    t pure vanilla extract


In a small bowl, combine the strawberries with the lemon juice and 1/2 cup of the sugar.  Stir gently and allow the berries to macerate in the juices for about 2 hours.  Strain the berries, reserving juices.  Mash or puree half the berries.


In a medium mixing bowl, use a hand mixer on low speed to combine the milk and remaining granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Stir in the heavy cream, reserved strawberry juice, mashed strawberries and vanilla.  Turn the machine on;  pour the mixture into the freezer bowl (of the ice cream machine) and let mix until thickened, about 20-25 minutes.  Five minutes before mixing is completed, add the reserved sliced strawberries and let it mix completely.  The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture.  If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an air tight container and place in the freezer for about two hours.   

, 

I, Liz, take you, tomato...

Yes.  I love tomatoes so much I wish I could marry one.  Homegrown tomatoes in the summer is about as good as it gets in my opinion.  I'm sure this is the first of many future posts about this perfect food.

So we have to start at the beginning and that is getting the tomatoes planted.  Finally done.  This year, we planted 28 tomato plants!!  We have to make sure we have enough for canning, salsa, drying, chili sauce, slow roasting, tomato sandwiches, grilling, and just popping in our mouths right off the vine.

We must also  plant a few extra for the squirrels.  The damn squirrels!  They are such jerks about it!  They don't just find one that has dropped on the ground and then run away with it to enjoy in the privacy of their own homes.  Oh no!  They actually pick a tomato, and only the ripened ones. They take ONE bite out of it and then leave it on top of the gate or in some other prominent place for us to find.  Just to say, "nyah, nyah, na, nyah, nyah!  You can't eat this one because I took a bite out of it"  Stupid squirrels.  Joke's on them because I DO still eat it sometimes, so there!

We got a variety of tomatoes to try this year.  I have to ask, who is naming these things?  Among others we have Better Boys, Big Boys, Early Girls, and then the ever popular Old German.  We purchased some from The Talking Farm, some from Anton's, a local greenhouse, some from the farmer's market and then some from Home Depot.  I am going to try to keep track of which ones we like best and which ones fared the best.  I say that every year however,  and by August I can't remember a thing.

I am not an expert in planting tomatoes. I do exactly what I have watched my dad do with his tomatoes  since I was 4 years old:
Find a sunny spot.  Dig a hole.  Put the plant in and bury it deeper than you think you should.  Cover with a little compost or grass clippings.  Hammer in stakes.  Tie them to the stakes with some torn strips of fabric.  Pinch the suckers off as you see them. Flip off the squirrels. Water.  Wait.  Enjoy.

pretty maids all in a row

we also planted lots of peppers and herbs but they are kind of second fiddle

these pancakes saved my marriage

I love breakfast food.  Breakfast for dinner is one of my favorite treats.  Eggs I can do.  Bacon is not a problem.  But pancakes?  I'll be damned, I could not make a decent pancake.  I even knew they were terrible but I kept making them and trying new things each time.  Don't stir the batter too much. How about whole wheat flour? Maybe butter instead of oil.  One morning as we were all eating our pieces of sawdusty cardboard I knew I had to admit that the pancake had beaten me and I would no longer be willing to fight.
I said to Mike, "god, these are terrible!  I cannot make a pancake to save my life."
He had never once said they were bad.  He just quietly added extra butter and syrup and maybe grabbed another glass of milk to help choke them down.  On this day though, he sensed my defeat and said tentatively, "Hon, you make so many things so well.  Maybe pancakes just aren't your thing."
Sweet, I know, but I was reinvigorated.  I would not give in.

One day I was lamenting about this to my friend, The Baker.  She told me she had nearly the same experience with this troublesome carbohydrate but she had found THE PERFECT recipe!  What?!

A little background on The Baker...  She went to culinary school, married a chef, had three kids, started a blog, opened a bakery business making the most delicious cakes you'll ever taste.  She is a hilarious, generous and creative person and I am so glad we are friends.  Most of all because now I have her pancake recipe!!

The first time I made these they came out perfectly.  Every time after that, even better.  They always get all gobbled up and everyone spends the day in a sleepy dream-like state.  Now, my husband is happier then ever and finally has a wife that can do everything perfectly.  :)

yummy goodness at 7am

I have to do the obligatory "tiny stack" a la Grandpa Nichols

gets her every time

the. end.