Peas and Carrots

I love surprises.

2011-04-17T07:53:00.001-04:00

My step-dad sent me the above book as a surprise. I love surprises. I used to tell my mom that I didn't care what I got for Christmas or my birthday as long as there was one surprise. This was a perfectly timed surprise because this is what my day looks like today:

Bunton's Seed

Wedding Dress Cookies

2011-04-14T19:25:00.002-04:00

I made these for Amanda's bridal shower. They were a hit and they tasted great.

Recipe- Bakeat350
Cookie Cutter

Peanut Butter and Jelly Valentine Cookies

2011-01-30T08:10:00.002-05:00

I made these cookies for a "crafternoon" ala Martha Stewart. We made Valentine's. Here's a link to the recipe. I really dislike sweet things, but these were GOOD.

How to be Happy, Damn it.

2011-01-23T06:21:00.003-05:00

It seems like every direction I turn there is something about being happy and how to get happy. It's winter, what do they expect? Winter makes people unhappy. It wasn't until yesterday that I realized that I actually might "get happy" if I was doing something about it. Number 1 - Exercise is better than prozac. Number 2 - Write down what I'm grateful for. Number 3 - Do something creative.

1. I'm going to yoga this morning and I went to the gym yesterday.

2. I'm grateful for...

the 19 three, four, five, and six year olds I see almost every day.
my family
my friends
clean laundry
when it snows in winter
sparkly things

3. Be creative...

Valentine's barrettes from the purl bee

Big Herringbone Cowl from the purl bee

make a photo wall like this and buy these pillows if I win the lottery

Banana Berry Cake

2011-01-18T17:32:00.001-05:00

Every time my mom comes into town she wants berries for breakfast, so I went to the grocery store and basically bought her every berry there was at Whole Foods in the Winter. Surprisingly, I found blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries. Although they cost about 12 dollars combined, I made a delicious banana berry cake out of the leftovers.

This is my go-to banana bread recipe because I can whip it up in under ten minutes. I'm a fan of butter, but I always forget to leave it out overnight and I don't have a microwave. Enjoy!

Banana Berry Cake

Dry:
2 cups flour (can use 1 cup whole wheat and 1 cup white if you want)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Wet:
3-4 ripe bananas
2 eggs
1/2 cup canola oil

Other:
1-1 1/2 cups berries
2 less-ripe sliced bananas for the top

Mix dry ingredients together. Mix wet ingredients together. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in berries. Pour into a springform pan and cover with sliced bananas. Bake for approximately 55-65 minutes at 350*.

Winter

2011-01-18T17:09:00.003-05:00

This is what winter makes me want to do.

Holiday Gift Guide

2010-11-28T08:31:00.000-05:00

I am having such a hard time this year spending money on gifts, or really anything for that matter (other than Parmigiano Reggiano and maybe a little Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tam). Inherently, I am a gift giver. I like to make people happy. I've composed a list of things that I wish I could buy for people and things that I think I actually will make for people.

Buy (I wish):

Maya Brenner State Necklaces

Playful Learning Writing Caddy

Playful Learning "The Botanist Kit"

Verabel Hippy Owl Art Locket

Rifle Paper Company "Heirloom Recipe Card Box" and "Recipe Cards"

Make:

Design Sponge Wool Throw

The Eleventh Hour Scarf

Transparent Boutique Soap

Ruffled "Butterfly Connection Pillow"

Sew Mama Sew's "Little Pink House"

And finally, I will try to make food gifts look really amazing like this...

foodcraft

(Anybody have a really good granola recipe?)

Good luck this holiday season being crafty and creative!

Thanksgiving Break

2010-11-24T07:38:00.000-05:00

I've decided to start taking more photos (as of 10 minutes ago). Good thing I walked by my kitchen window to make some tea and saw this beautiful scene. Here is the first photo I took after this decision (about 9 minutes ago).

Then I took this one, to get the whole tree.

Pretty sunrises are indeed something to be thankful for, along with waking up on a Wednesday morning at 6:45, instead of 5. Yippee! Here's to a great Thanksgiving...

APPLES!!!

2010-10-26T17:45:00.002-04:00

I'm going to make this this weekend...
http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/10/spiced-applesauce-cake/

YUM!

Fig Jam

2010-08-26T19:30:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Ms. Betty's suggestion as I'm sitting at school eating figs right from the carton, I made this fig jam to spread on fresh bread with butter.

It's as simple as this....

Fig Jam
1 carton of organic figs (They were only $2.99 at Whole Foods)
2 t. white sugar
pinch of salt (I think a tiny bit of salt with fruit always brings out the flavor)

1. Slice the figs in half or in quarters depending on the size.
2. Place in pan with sugar and a pinch of salt.
3. Cook on low for about 8-10 minutes, using a potato smasher (or whatever it's called), to make into a jam like consistency.

If you cook it for about 3-4 minutes and don't smash it, and maybe add a little bit more sugar, it would be really yummy on some Greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream. But, alas, I don't like sweet things, so much to Trey's chagrin, we will be eating it on salty buttered levain toast.

Penne with chard and sausage

2010-08-22T08:17:00.000-04:00

This is one of those recipes that I always skip over in my favorite cookbook, The Art of Simple Food. I decided to make it when all I could find in my refrigerator and freezer and cupboard were the exact ingredients that went into making this meal. We loved it, and I'm sure you could make it vegetarian friendly with a bit more olive oil or butter. I do think that the Italian sausage made it that much better. It's a good one for weekday dinners, which have hit me like a ton of bricks.

Penne with Chard and Sausage
slightly adapted from The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters

1 large bunch chard, trimmed and chopped
1 pound Italian Sausage, rolled into small balls
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
salt
pepper
red pepper flakes
1 pound penne, cooked al dente in the same water as the chard
Parmesan cheese

1. Cook greens in salted boiling water until tender. Remove from pan and set aside.
2. Heat olive oil in pan. Add sausage and cook until browned and cooked through. Remove from pan with drippings.
3. Add onion to pan and allow to slightly caramelize. Then add the greens and sausage with drippings the pan for a couple minutes.
4. Cook pasta in salted boiling water. Drain and return to pan.
5. Add onions, greens, and sausage to the pasta. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
6. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

new blog...

2010-08-04T14:02:00.006-04:00

One of my favorite breakfasts.

Another blackberry buttermilk cake with my tea.

As I am preparing myself for school to start I have been inspired to start a weekly blog about recipes we try in the classroom. The recipes will be categorized by practical life activities, i.e. whisking, sifting, pouring, etc. We are going to cook on Tuesdays and taste on Thursdays. I'm thinking our first recipe will be cherry tomato pasta, and our first tasting will be heirloom tomatoes. And of course the long standing rule applies: You have to take a bite. :)

Here's the link to the new blog.

Summer Squash Galette and Blackberry Buttermilk Cake

2010-07-26T07:01:00.004-04:00

Thanks to one of my very best friends, I was reminded of the blog Smitten Kitchen. It's great because it is seasonally and farmer's market inspired, so it makes my life easier in terms of grocery shopping. I did have to buy a lot of non-farmer's market cheese, but it was well worth it. It's also vegetarian, which makes me feel better, despite the massive amounts of dairy products involved. I did not write out the whole recipes below because I changed very little.

Zucchini Galette

(I used summer squash and about 1/4 cup more ricotta and definitely use really good parmesan as it adds a really nice saltiness that isn't overpowering)

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

(I used blackberries)

I will definitely make another one of these before the week is over. It is so light and delicious. You could use any fruit. The sprinkling of sugar before it bakes adds a bit of a sugary crunch once baked.

Vegetable challenged

2010-07-07T19:27:00.003-04:00

I can't seem to grow a tasty fruit or vegetable, but at least I can grow zinnias to make me smile after I cry from disappointment at the rest of my garden...

The best of the west...or maybe just California.

2010-07-07T08:04:00.005-04:00

Mojito and Red Tail at Cesar in Berkeley, California

Oysters at Hog Island Oyster Company at the Ferry Building in San Francisco, California

Best Chai ever at Peaberry's in Oakland, California

Ice Cream at Ici in Berkeley, California

The dessert menu at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California

Chilaquiles and Mexican Hot Chocolate at Tacubaya in Berkeley, California

Salumi Cone at Boccalone at the Ferry Building in San Francisco, California

Acme Bread in San Francisco, California

Donut Muffin at Bette's Diner in Berkeley, California

Ham & Cheese Croissant from Belwood Bakery in Los Angeles, California

Wish I could eat it all again right now!

My favorite website

2010-04-24T07:04:00.003-04:00

(photo by my Mommy)

A link on my favorite website about small things you can do to help the earth.

Happy Earth Day a few days late!!!!

Asparagus and Chicken Broth

2010-04-18T09:47:00.007-04:00

I actually got to the Bardstown Road farmer's market at 8:00 AM to get some asparagus, but what am I going to make with two pounds of asparagus?

Any ideas?

Here is what I came up with so far:

1. Asparagus and poached eggs with hollandaise sauce

2. Asparagus carbonara

Has anyone seen the new Edible Louisville? I'm impressed. When I lived in Oakland I always was impressed with this magazine, but when I moved here I didn't realize I would see the day. It feels a lot more accessible than Edible Oakland because it's Louisville, and Louisville is the perfect size city. This week I am making Judy's Goat Cheese and Spinach Omelet with Field Day Family Farm's spinach and Capriole goat cheese.

I also got a chicken from Schacht Farm to make chicken broth. I've been perfecting my chicken broth for a couple years now, and I always use half of it to make chicken noodle/rice soup and put the other half in the freezer for sauces and other soups. Homemade chicken broth makes anything you use it in taste that much better.

Chicken Broth

1 4-pound chicken

1 onion, cut in half, skin on

1 celery stock, broken in half

1 carrot, broken in half

1 head of garlic, cut in half, skin on

8 peppercorns

6 sage leaves

3 thyme sprigs

8 sprigs parsley

3 quarts cold water

salt to taste

Combine everything in a stock pot and bring to a boil. Add about a teaspoon of salt. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for about 3 hours. Taste for salt and add until you achieve the desired saltiness. The salt brings out the flavor. The chicken will begin to fall off the bone. Remove from heat and cover. I usually make this stock in the evening and place it outside overnight when it is it cold enough, so it cools down and let's the stock achieve a better flavor. If not, you can wait until it cools down and place it in the refrigerator. The next morning I strain it through a colander into a bowl and place in the refrigerator until I am ready to use it. If I am not going to use it immediately, I place it in a container and freeze it for later use. I then remove the chicken from the bone and usually use half of it for chicken soup and half of it for chicken salad.

I love ranunculus.

2010-04-01T17:03:00.004-04:00

Aren't they beautiful? I think I am going to have them at Trey & my wedding.

Yes, I like meat.

2010-02-16T08:43:00.004-05:00

I spent a fortune on a fresh beef tenderloin from Foxhollow Farms in Crestwood, KY. Let me tell you, it was well worth it. I seared it on all sides until caramelized, seasoned it with olive oil and salt & pepper, then put it in the oven for about 30 minutes at 425•. We ate it on warm homemade honey white bread with arugula and horseradish. I got the idea from Farm to Fork Catering.

I'm trying to find a way to fit one in to my monthly budget. So far it's not looking so good, but I will keep you posted.

Trey and My wedding inspiration board

2010-02-11T07:27:00.003-05:00

Now to get it all together!!!!!

felted fruits and veggies

2010-01-30T13:45:00.006-05:00

So Ms. Megan taught me how to felt. I was pretty excited and decided to felt a gift of fruits and veggies in a handmade wooden bowl from Clay & Cotton. Trey made one of the blueberries and stated that it was quite therapeutic. Yes, jabbing a long barbed needle into something definitely has an effect on the soul. They aren't so perfect, but they are pretty cute.

Lunch, oh lunch...

2010-01-26T06:04:00.002-05:00

I just had a parent ask me about packing healthier lunches. Even though I am not a parent I have to pack my lunch every day and watch several children either "poo-poo" their lunches or gobble them right up. There is definitely an art to lunch making. My mom used a cookie cutter to make everything appear more delicious. And a little note. That was until the age of 10 when I had to start making my own lunch. My brother never had to make his own lunch and he is a sophomore in college right now. I'm never going to let my mama live that one down. Anyway, I am posting several links below. Getting the child involved is definitely a good idea and a cookie cutter goes a long way!

Edible School Yard (Alice Waters)

The Renegade Lunch Lady

Laptop Lunches

Leftovers are always a good option as well. And variety...

I want this book...

2010-01-10T08:00:00.005-05:00

I love Michael Pollan's take on food and eating. I've read all his books; I love them all. If only I could be Alice Waters and have all that beautiful food and ability to create yummy-ness at the tip of my fingers. Culinary School, anyone?

*Although I linked the book to Amazon, please support your local bookstore.

The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.

2009-12-15T19:06:00.003-05:00

My mini Christmas tree for what seems like a mini-amount of Christmas spirit. I am truly working on that. However, regardless of how little Christmas spirit I might have, I still will bake some Christmas cookies, Grandma Dorothy's poundcake, and anything else I might decide somebody else needs.

I came to the conclusion about a year ago that trying to make baked goods healthy (i.e. after about 10 attempts at healthy strawberry cake) is nearly an impossible task. If you are anywhere close to the south and you try to make strawberry cake without using strawberry jello, the people who eat it will not be impressed. Personally, when I bake I aim to please and make people smile, so I came to the conclusion that sometimes you just have to let go. A good lesson for me in life.

And with that, one of my favorite cookies for the Holiday season that breaks all my rules about not using hydrogenated oils.

Cinnamon Squares

Preheat oven to 350*

Melt in saucepan: 1/2 cup butter & 1/2 cup Crisco (yikes!)

Add to melted stuff: 1/2 cup dark brown sugar & 1/2 cup white sugar

Then mix in: 1 tsp. vanilla & 1 egg yolk (reserve egg white)

Add: 2 cups flour & 2 tsp. cinnamon.

Spread dough thin with hands onto cookie sheet. Beat egg whites until frothy and brush onto cookie dough. Sprinkle with sprinkles. The classic sprinkle is the non-pareils or sphere like sprinkles.

Bake 15 minutes and cut into squares while hot. Remove from pan and let cool on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

for the love of tea....

2009-12-12T08:21:00.003-05:00

I made this cute little tea cozy using this tutorial. It's for my mamacita for Christmas. We both LOVE our tea!

Banana Mango pancakes

2009-12-05T16:17:00.003-05:00

Most people don't realize that tropical fruits are actually in season in the winter. If you live somewhere other than the continental United States you would be eating local if you made these delicious pancakes. If you don't, there is absolutely nothing local about it, so please forgive me. At least they still taste yummy.

Basic Pancakes (adapted from the original Joy of Cooking)

Dry Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients. Gently mix the wet and dry ingredients, being careful not to over mix. Small lumps are okay. Cook on a hot buttered/oiled griddle.

Serve with pure maple syrup and butter.

If adding mango and banana, sprinkle diced fruit on top of pancake before flipping it. Pictured above.

Sprouts

2009-11-29T13:36:00.003-05:00

I used to think Sprouts were blah, but in the past 6 or so years I have grown to love them. I think it all started when I would wander the aisles of Berkeley Bowl or Monterey Market and would come across microgreens or beans that I never could have imagined tasted good in sprout form. That changed things for me, and I would eat sprout and cream cheese sandwiches with tomatoes and avocado.

Today I found something as good, if not better, than veggie sandwiches with sprouts. It's called Sky Salad, and you can get it at Whole Foods. I guess the Sproutman creates these delicious sprout mixtures.

Sprout Salad

1 container of Sky Salad

1 meyer lemon (I fell in love with these in Berkeley, as well. I used to drive by Pheonix Pastificio*, a delicious pasta place with every kind of pasta imaginable, and there would be a sign outside the door about needing Meyers. For so long I had no idea what this meant, but after a little while I began to see these lemons everywhere. And lucky for me, they carry them at Whole Foods)

Good Olive Oil

Salt

Combine everything in a bowl. I wish I could tell you the proportions of olive oil to lemon (or vinegar) but it seems to be a science that I cannot express in words. I have been working on measuring it all so I can post it on this blog.

*Pheonix Pastifico also has the most amazing olive bread and almond macaroons that I have ever experienced in my entire life.

banana cake mini-muffins with ganache

2009-10-31T10:21:00.003-04:00

I got this idea from Cake Flour. I used my favorite banana cake recipe that I acquired in the bay area from a parent of one of the kids in my class. I guess it was her great grandmother's recipe, and it is scribbled on a piece of paper with no directions except for "Bake at 350* for an hour." Then I created my own ganache. It's pretty simple, I just use a one to one ratio of ounces of chocolate to tablespoons of heavy whipping cream. You can't go wrong. As Trey would say, "WHAT is that chocolate stuff on top?" It's that good and that easy.

Banana Cake

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

2 eggs

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup sour cream (4 medium dollops)

1 cup mashed banana pulp (2 rotten bananas)

1 1/2 cup pastry flour (regular flour seems to work just as well)

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350*.

Combine dry ingredients.

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla until combined. Add banana and sour cream. Beat until combined. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients.

Pour into buttered and floured bread pan or muffin tin.

For bread pan, cook approximately 1 hour.

For mini-muffin tins, cook about 20 to 25 minutes.

Let cool. After the cake is cool you can make the ganache, but do not make it before or it will not work.

Chocolate Ganache

6 oz. good chocolate chips (I use Guittard, but I can only find them when I go to Los Angeles, so my mom sends them to me every so often :) I love my Mommy!)

6 Tbsp. whipping cream

Over very low heat combine ingredients in a saucepan.

Spread on top of banana cake, and place in refrigerator. Ganache will solidify slightly.

Yummy!

Watermelon radishes

2009-10-06T18:22:00.000-04:00

This radish is the size of an apple. I picked it up at the farmers market thinking it was a turnip. I was told it was a delicious radish, so of course I had to get it. Sprinkle it with salt and it makes a beautiful and delicious snack!

Enchiladas de verduras

2009-10-05T19:14:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite restaurants of all times is Doña Tomás in Oakland. They have the most amazing carnitas, margaritas on the rocks, pureed black beans, and painted red walls. Just thinking about it makes me a bit nostalgic. (Someday...) They have a sister taquería in Berkeley called Tacubaya. Trey and I used to go there for breakfast and drink Mexican coffee or hot chocolate and eat chilaquiles. It was heaven. The recipe I have included is something I never would have ordered but in an attempt to save money I chose something vegetarian. I served this with pureed black beans and rice.

Enchiladas de verduras
1 poblano chile, toasted, peeled, stemmed, and seeded
3 or 4 tablespoons canola oil
1 white onion
Salt
2 large jewel or red garnet yams, cut into 1/2 inch dice (about 3 cups)
1 cup grated queso Oaxaca (I used queso blanco because I couldn't find Oaxaca)
Queso fresco

Tomatillo and jalapeño sauce
2 cups tomatillos
2 large garlic cloves
1 jalapeño chile, with seeds, stemmed and halved
1/2 white onion
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups water

Filling:
1. Cut the chile into 1/2 inch cubes.
2. Heat 2 tbs oil in large sauté pan. Sauté onion until translucent. Season with salt and place in bowl with chile.
3. In same pan heat oil and add sweet potatoes. Sauté for 15 minutes over medium heat until tender. Season with salt and add to chile onion mix.
4. When filling is cool add grated cheese.

Sauce:
1. Soak the tomatillos in water for a few minutes and then peel off husks. Drain and place in stainless steel saucepan with garlic, jalapeño,onion, salt, and water to barely cover. Heat over high heat. Once boiling reduce heat to medium and simmer until tomatillos change color and one or two have split.
2. Tranfer to a blender and purée. Season with salt.

Enchiladas:
1. Preheat oven to 350*.
2. Heat tortillas in microwave or on lightly greased griddle.
3. Dip tortilla with sauce and fill with 3 heaping tbs. of the filling.
4. Roll and place seam side down in a 9x13 pan. (12 can fit)
5. Spoon sauce lightly over and sprinkle with queso fresco.
6. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 more minutes.
7. Serve on a small pool of sauce.

basic tomato sauce recipe

2009-08-30T19:00:00.002-04:00

basic tomato sauce

7-8 large tomatoes, cut up with skins on or off, it really doesn't matter (heirlooms make yummy sauce)
5 cloves garlic, chopped, not minced
about 1 t. salt or to taste
1/3 cup olive oil
1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped

I literally combine everything in a pot and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down and simmer until desired consistency. I think the trick is to add an entire bunch of Italian parsley after the heat is turned off, and to always serve it topped with authentic Parmesan. Sometimes I add 1 pound browned Italian sausage, especially when I am serving it with penne, spaghetti, or in a lasagna.

*you can substitute 2 28oz. cans whole San Marzano tomatoes when tomatoes are not in season.

a little tribute to Grandpa Marv...

2009-08-25T18:44:00.004-04:00

Things I make/eat today just because I watched (little did he know):

tuna sandwiches with chocolate milkshakes
anything with avocados
big breakfasts with pancakes and eggs (over easy) and oven toast (I think I was the only one who was in heaven. I remember a cousin telling me that I was going to have a heart attack before I was 40 because I literally wanted one of each thing.
shrimp Louie with real Louie dressing
Tillamook special reserve cheddar
cantaloupe with salt/lime
the perfect hard boiled egg (bring it to a boil, turn it off, put the lid on, and let them sit for 12 minutes)

You will never be forgotten. I hope that you are putting Grandma Tash on top of the refrigerator as we speak.

2 yummy recipes

2009-08-22T13:01:00.002-04:00

So the picture isn't so good, but the result definitely is.

Zucchini Pancakes
1 large zucchini, grated
1/2 medium onion, grated
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
freshly ground black pepper
butter/oil

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. If mixture is too thick, let sit for about 15-30 minutes so that the water from the zucchini makes it thinner.

Heat 1 T butter and 2 T olive oil in a pan. When hot, pour pancake batter into pan. Cook until golden on bottom, about 2-3 minutes. Flip. Cook about 1-2 minutes more. Remove from pan. You can keep them warm in a 250* oven.

I served these with eggs fried in olive oil and bacon. An interesting, yet delicious, take on a really big delicious breakfast.

Deconstructed Pesto Pasta on a bed of Tomatoes

1 pound fresh pasta
1 cup basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup grated parmesan cheese or pecorino
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1 very large heirloom tomato

Cook 1 pound fresh pasta according to package instructions...or if you are making it yourself I guarantee you know how long to cook it :).
Cut tomato into thick slices.
Combine cooked pasta, basil, toasted pine nuts, parmesan/pecorino cheese, olive oil, salt and pepper in the same pot you cooked the pasta in.
Place tomatoes on the bottom of a pasta bowl or plate. Spoon pasta on top. Use fork and knife to eat.

bruschetta ala me

2009-08-16T09:42:00.003-04:00

Bruschetta

2 very large heirloom tomatoes or 3 large (I like using one orange/yellow (pineapple) and one red), large dice
1/4 cup-1/3 cup good olive oil
3 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1/2-1 tsp. salt, season to taste
pepper
20 basil leaves roughly chopped
1 loaf french bread, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
olive oil for bread

Combine first 5 ingredients and season to taste.

In a large skillet, heat 3-4 T. olive oil. I prefer to use regular olive oil, not extra-virgin, because it is cheaper and less olive oily tasting. Once oil is hot, place bread in pan. Fry until golden brown, anywhere from 1-2 minutes. Turn with tongs. Fry other side until golden brown. Repeat for remaining bread, remembering to add more oil when pan is dry.

Lay bread out on a plate and spoon tomato mixture on top. Enjoy!

Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch

2009-08-09T09:56:00.002-04:00

Out of the Kitchen, Onto the Couch
by Michael Pollan

BLAT's

2009-08-07T18:02:00.002-04:00

BLATs
wheat bread
bacon (Fiedler Family Farms)
big tomato (this one is from my neighbor, Wilbur, an amazing gardener)
avocado-sliced thick
bibb lettuce
mayo, don't forget the mayo

put it all together and yum yum yum.

peach cobbler

2009-07-29T13:09:00.003-04:00

Peach Cobbler
adapted from Take a Little Thyme

1 stick butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
dash of salt
1 cup whole milk
3 cups peaches sliced with skins removed or other fruit

Preheat oven to 350*
Melt butter in a 9"x 13" pan on stove.
Combine butter, white sugar, flour, baking powder, and milk to make a batter.
Pour batter over melted butter.
Combine peaches and brown sugar.
Pour fruit and brown sugar mixture over batter.
DO NOT STIR.
Bake for 1 hour.

Serve with homemade whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

garden tomatoes

2009-07-23T07:25:00.004-04:00

I really didn't think I was going to have any tomatoes this year, but this is a volunteer. I had about 20 volunteer tomato plants due to bad composting on my part and several of them have a lot of tomatoes on them. Maybe enough cherry tomatoes for one of my favorite recipes adapted from Alice Water's cookbook Fanny at Chez Panisse.

Cherry Tomato Pasta

2 baskets cherry tomatoes (about five cups)
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 small handful basil
1 small handful Italian parsley
salt and pepper
1 pound dry linguine
1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs (recipe below)

Boil a large pot of water.
Slice the tomatoes in half and put them in a big bowl.
Add the olive oil and vinegar.
Chop the basil and Italian parsley and add to the tomatoes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Stir it all together and let sit for awhile.

Cook the noodles about 1-2 minutes less than the cooking time.
Drain them and add to the bowl of tomatoes.
Pour in breadcrumbs.
Mix well and serve, sprinkling the bread crumbs over top.

Bread Crumbs
This works best with day old bread. (In Louisville, I think the best bread is Blue Dog)
Cut the crusts of several slices of bread and cut the bread into chunks.
Place in a blender or food processor until crumbs are crumb-like but coarse.
Place fresh bread crumbs on a cookie sheet and toast at 350* until browned. This doesn't take very long, maybe about 5 to 7 minutes in a preheated good oven (unlike mine).
Toss with olive oil until breadcrumbs are lightly coated but still crunchy.

broken camera...

2009-07-21T07:48:00.000-04:00

My dog ate my camera battery charger, so here is something I made a few weeks ago along with a recipe.

The Most Amazing Pasta Sauce Ever
My mom told me about this recipe over the phone and I have been wanting to try it forever. I think it's originally from the Silver Palate. Maybe?

Ingredients:
1 onion cut in half
1 28 oz. can tomatoes (I used about 3 really large tomatoes from the farmer's market, cored and cut up in hug chunks. You can remove the skins if you would like by placing the tomatoes in a bowl and pouring boiling water over them and then peeling them.)
1 stick butter

Melt the butter in a small heavy pot. Add the onion, cut sides down. Add entire can of tomatoes or cut up tomatoes and a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Season to taste.

I served this over really good meat ravioli from Lotsa Pasta. I think it would probably be good with just about anything.

it's been awhile...

2009-07-14T15:50:00.000-04:00

I love the summer. I love tomatoes and to be completely honest I think that's why I love the summer. A nice juicy heirloom tomato with salt is my idea of a good time. But, I can't really find it in my heart or stomach to like squash and unfortunately the only things actually growing in my garden are squash and when squash plants are close together they cross pollinate and you get weird squash that you don't even know what to do with. Now that's my predicament. But I did find a recipe from the local CSA for zucchini pickles. Most people wouldn't even dare, but they are surprisingly delicious.

Zucchini Pickles

2 cups cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. ground mustard seed
2 tsp. celery seed
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1 onion-halved and sliced thin
1 pound zucchini-thinly sliced (kind of like pickles)

Combine the vinegar, sugar, turmeric, cloves, mustard seed, celery seed, ginger, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil. (It will be stinky). Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Bring the mixture back to a boil and add the onion. Cook for 1 minute. Add the zucchini slices and stir, pushing them under the liquid for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely. Put in mason jars and store in the refrigerator. If you know how to can things, go for it. I still am not so good at it, so I just put them in the fridge to eat over the next few days.

These pickles went with this delicious burger, on homemade milk and honey bread with farmer's market tomatoes and onions. I got the meat from Fiedler Family Farms. It's the best. They're at the Bardstown Rd. Farmer's Market on Saturdays.

Blueberry Muffins ala Ina Garten minus the streusel

2009-06-22T09:55:00.000-04:00

Whenever I make a recipe for the first time I don't like to get all crazy
with it and start adding stuff or subtracting stuff. So because this is a first time recipe I will try it exactly how it is in her new book, Barefoot Contessa back to basics minus the streusel (I don't have enough butter).

The better the ingredients the better the food. It is hard to convince most people of this simple fact. They would prefer to get the better deal on an apple than on most other things. I, on the other hand, probably would choose a five dollar specialty heirloom apple in hopes of simply making my food taste better. So for this recipe I have used farmer's market blueberries, local buttermilk, and local flour. I always have issues with sugar. It is hard to bake with organic sugar and after trying to several times in attempts to make all organic everything, I cannot bring myself to say that organic sugar is better. Maybe if I go to culinary school and someone teaches me exactly how to make it work I will change my mind.

The recipe:
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (I like organic King Arthur flour)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (regular sugar)
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (I use aluminum-free)
1 teaspoon baking soda (aluminum free)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups buttermilk, shaken
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest (totally not local, but I did ask for a dwarf r a ngpur lime tree for my birthday)
2 extra-large eggs (from Grasshopper CSA)
2 cups fresh blueberries (from farmer's market)

Oven temp: 375

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in large bowl.

Whisk buttermilk, butter, lemon zest, and eggs in separate bowl.

Stir buttermilk mixture into dry mixture very gently.

Fold in blueberries.

Now here is where my mom always gets me. I overfill muffin tins because I like muffins to be big, but most people fill them only 3/4 of the way full. It's up to you, but the cooking time varies. If 3/4 full cook for 20-25 minutes. If overly full, cook for about 35-40 minutes, until golden brown.

Serve warm with some butter. My favorite spreading butter is cultured butter with sea salt. Delicious.

and let it begin...

2009-06-20T21:06:00.001-04:00

Of course I waited until I left Berkeley, the mecca of all things local and delicious, to embark on this journey of eating local. I set out initially to do exactly what Barbara Kingsolver did in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. Her family ate completely local for one whole year with the exception of coffee, olive oil, capers, flour, and pasta. I thought if I set my mind to it I could do it, but unfortunately, after making an initial meal using a recipe from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle I was disheartened. It was horrible--completely flavorless and not fresh at all. I am a foodie, and admittedly a food snob. Unfortunately, this snobbery has become an unconscious reaction to food placed in front of me. I'm working on eating it politely. When it is something that I made and it doesn't live up to my wildest expectations, I do not eat it politely and the entire conversation revolves around just that. So I have amended our journey.

The amendments:
I will eat local to the best of my ability hoping to create meals that are delicious in the process. I also cannot end my lifelong love affair with avocados.

Without further ado...
This is what I have left from the farmer's market after the really yucky chicken dish:
1 bunch carrots
yellow beets
rainbow chard
1 large tomato
1 basket cherry tomatoes
blueberries
peaches
green garlic
uncured onion
milk
1 carton eggs
2 chicken breasts
lettuce

Tomorrow I will go to the grocery store and pick up a few essentials:
white wine vinegar
flour
dry pasta
dried beans
rice
(avocados)
butter (I refuse to make my own butter)

I forgot to mention that I planned and planted an entire garden with heirloom everything ordered from the seeds of change catalog and it refuses to grow. I used the lasagna gardening method and it did not work. I am about to till the whole thing and start over. It will definitely be a very late harvest.

From now on, I'm sticking to Alice Waters!