I am fighting in a 3-round sanctioned boxing match on May 19, 2016 at the House of Blues in Boston, to raise money for cancer research, through an amazing organization called Haymaker’s for Hope. This is an amateur event, which I (and about 30 other people) have been training insanely for since January 11th, 2016, when we got picked. It is HARD and it SUCKS at times — Bad. But it comes nowhere near the pain and trauma families go through after a cancer diagnosis (or worse, loss)… so I know I can do this with the support and encouragement of my friends and family.

All ticket sales and monetary donations go directly to my $5000 required fundraising goal… (which I just recently met!) The highest contributor gets to pick the order in which their match occurs (out of the 12-15 fights that night). It would be awesome to get to pick!!!

TICKETS ARE NOW ON SALE!

You can also donate directly to my effort RIGHT NOW, by visiting my “Fight Card” fundraising page.

The money I raise is going toward The Pediatric Glioma Program at Dana Farber Cancer Institute. I selected this program for two reasons. One, because a dear friend has a 6th grade son who has a glioma right where his optic nerves cross. Thankfully, it is benign, but it has already cost him most of his sight and will continue to take that from him over time.

Then, a few weeks after I got picked, I heard about a little boy named Logan. His aunt graduated high school with my sister. He is four years old and this is his story. Needless to say, this story has significantly impacted me. I am heartbroken for this family and I want to do anything I can to prevent any other mother or father or child (for that matter), from having to go through what Logan and his parents are experiencing. It’s incomprehensible.

I have shed many tears for this family and it is because of their courage and openness to share their story, that I decided to focus my efforts on funding research for this terrible disease. Logan has DIPG, a rare and fatal form of glioma. I am distributing 50% of my fundraising to DIPG and 50% to the Pediatric General Glioma Fund.

If you chose not to fund my fight, please consider a donation to this family to help ease the expense of medical bills as they journey through this torturous process.

On my “fight card” page, I originally talked about why I am doing Haymakers and listed out all the people I am memorializing and honoring by participating in this fundraiser. Here is my original post:

The first time I attended a H4H boxing event I was immediately drawn-in and completely hooked. The amazing cause, the excitement, the energy and the fighters… everything about the event left me wanting more.

Several of my friends are Haymaker alumni and I am so amazed, humbled and impressed by their dedication, exhausting effort and the unending energy they all have toward this astonishing cause. I want to join this incredible group of people by doing my part to “knock out cancer.”

The first step in my decision to fight came on the day my friend Julie Wesolowski’s husband Frank died (a few months ago). There were other steps leading to my final decision, but when Frank died, I knew I had to seriously consider joining the cause.

I am fighting in memory and honor of many special people in my life. First, I am fighting in memory of Bernice (“Bunny”) Berger, my husband Dan’s late grandmother. Bunny died of lung cancer a year before I met Dan and throughout our 15 years together, I have always wished I’d had the opportunity to meet her.

I am also fighting in memory of my “Aunt” Gayle McNally (my father’s first cousin), who died of uterine cancer in 1994. I remember the shock I felt to find out someone so young could be taken so hastily. She was only 47 when she lost her battle with cancer — MY age now.

Lastly, I am fighting in memory of my sister-in-law Mary Schuetz’s mother Judy Gendek Smith, who died five years ago at 54 – after fighting lung cancer for 9 years and Mary’s stepfather John Smith, who succumbed to brain cancer too young as well.

I’d be remiss not to mention the many STRONG survivors I know. You are amazing and inspirational. You motivate me, you humble me and I want to fight in your honor… Melissa Acker, Susan Bunker, Ginny Bunker, Sam Howat, Ruth Kennedy, Jay Engstrom and Lori Schneider. If I am missing folks, I’m sorry, it’s not intentional!

Cancer is a monster and it creeps and weaves its way into too many lives. It is relentless, unforgiving and does not care how old or young you are. I hope that I can help to raise enough money to one day put an end to this terrible disease. Please consider a donation, to help me knock cancer on its ass once and for all!

I plan to update my fundraising page soon, to talk about Logan. I want to honor him, his family and let everyone know how devastating this disease is. Any contribution is appreciated… large or small. Thank you to all my valued readers, who have stuck with me despite the fact that I never post any more! I WANT to… it’s just finding the time.

I decided to make this green goddess dressing for one of mine and holy hell, it was delicious!!! TOO delicious not to share… Enjoy!

Dairy Free Green Goddess Dressing
Taken from Healthy Sauces, Dressings & Toppings, by Mark Sisson (of Primal Blueprint)

1/2 avocado
1/4 c (60ml) coconut milk
3 tbsp (45ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (I use Meyer lemons)
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 anchovy fillets, chopped
1/2 c (125ml) coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 c (60ml) coarsely chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp (15ml) coarsely chopped tarragon (I didn’t have any, so I used dry)
1/4 tsp (1ml) salt (I used Fleur de Sel)
1/2 c (125ml) extra virgin olive oil

Blend the first nine ingredients in a food processor until combined. With the blade running, pour the oil and process until the dressing thickens and the herbs are finely chopped.

*I didn’t feel like dragging out my food processor, so I put everything in the “bullet” that came with my Ninja blender and blended until smooth. The oil blended well, but my guess is that it will separate over time.

BFW TIP: Anchovies pack big flavor for such small fish. They’re so strong that only a small amount of anchovy is needed to add flavor to sauces, salad dressings, pasta and pizza. That same small amount also delivers health benefits in the form of essential fatty acids, protein and other nutrients. Anchovies are a great addition to any clean-eating or paleo lifestyle!

This would be great on salads, with chicken or salmon or just as a delicious dip for crudite!

The original blog post for this recipe was written back in 2008, but I still refer back to it regularly. It’s time for a redo and some basic edits to include photos. I actually cooked a roast chicken last night, so what better time to do an update?! Last night’s ingredients are below, as well as directions and photos…. However, I’ve included the original blog post at the end, in case you like that combination of ingredients better!

BFW’s Herb Roasted Chicken 2014

1 3lb pasture raised (and/or organic) roasting chicken
6 tbsp grass fed butter, melted or very soft
1 generous handful (about a cup, loosely packed) chopped fresh herbs — I used rosemary, thyme and sage
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 c chicken broth (or white wine)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper (I used both regular sea salt and also rosemary-flavored sea salt flakes)
1 bag of mixed baby potatoes (about 1.8 lbs), cut into large chunks
1lb bag of brussels sprouts, halved
6 oz (about 8-10 small) shallots — peeled and quartered
20 cloves of garlic, left whole
Olive Oil
WildTree OPA! Greek Seasoning (or seasoning of choice)

Bag of mixed potatoes

Organic Shallots

Shallots and garlic

Amazing PURPLE brussels sprouts!

Purple brussels sprouts

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the chopped potatoes, shallots, brussels sprouts and garlic cloves (or vegetables of choice). Season heavily with EVOO (I probably use about 1/8-1/4 cup), fresh ground pepper, salt and seasoning of choice. I used my WildTree OPA! Greek Seasoning, which you can buy here. Pretty soon, I’ll be selling this line myself! So check back for links to my store after the first of the year (2015).

Use your hands to mix well. Put half the mixture in the bottom of the baking dish and the other half on a non-stick baking sheet. I do this so I get some pieces that are crispy, as well as some drenched by the chicken juices.

Remove any string or trussing from the bird. Remove the giblets from the cavity and lay the bird on top of the chopped vegetables in the roasting dish.

3 lb Pasture Raised Whole Chicken

Put the butter in a bowl and mix the chopped herbs in. I used my hands for this, as there is more herb mixture than butter. This will be more of a paste, than a liquid. Grind a little salt and pepper onto the chicken and then spread the butter mixture all over the skin of the chicken. There will be a lot, so spread it out as evenly as possible and also place a fair amount into the body cavity of the bird.

Chopped thyme, sage and rosemary

Herb butter

Place the baking sheet with the vegetables on the bottom rack (under the chicken) and put the roasting pan with the bird in the center of the oven and leave in for 30 minutes, or until the skin starts to brown a bit.

Pour the chicken broth (or white wine) into the pan. Check the vegetables to see how they are progressing. They will be done when the are fork tender. Mine were almost done, but getting dry… so I sprayed them with some additional olive oil and put them back in for another 15 minutes.

Almost done veggies with th added chicken broth…

Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F, baste the chicken with the juices and chicken broth and roast for another 15 minutes (along with the veggies if necessary).

After 15 minutes, remove the vegetables (if they are done) and cover the bird loosely with foil and then roast for another 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the bird. Baste as the juices form, about every 20 minutes.

The finished veggies from the baking sheet.

For the final phase, remove the foil, baste the bird again and let bird cook another 2o to 30 minutes or until the skin is nicely browned and the internal temperature of the bird reads 180-190 degrees F. Baste the bird as needed and also baste the potato mixture to prevent it from getting too dry. Once the chicken has reached the proper temperature, turn the oven off and leave the door open a crack. Let the chicken sit another 10 or 15 minutes. Be sure not to pierce the chicken’s skin during this entire process.

Make sure the temperature reads 180 degrees…this isn’t done yet!

Remove the bird from the oven, place it on a warm plate, cover with foil and remove the potato mixture. Take the roasting pan, remove any fat and then make a gravy from the drippings, if you would like.

Enjoy!

——————————————–

Originally posted on 10/14/2008

I had a hankering for some down-home comfort food last week, so I decided to roast a chicken. It had been a while, but I scoured my books and some favorite foodie websites to come up with the perfect recipe. I found a few, so I took a little from this recipe and a little from that recipe and came up with my own rendition. The chicken came out AMAZING and the roasted fruit and veggies it sat on top of where delicious. Sorry… no pics though. This was BEFORE I got my new camera!

Enjoy!

BFW’s Herb-Roasted Chicken
1 roasting chicken (I used a 6 to 7 pounder)
6 tbsp soft butter (I used light)
1 generous handful (about a cup, loosely packed) chopped fresh herbs — I pulled these from my garden and used parsley, tarragon, Texas tarragon, thyme, a little lavender and chives
1 garlic clove, crushed (I used the jar kind)
1/2 glass white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper (I used both regular sea salt and also rosemary-flavored sea salt flakes)
3 large apples (I used Macoun) — peeled an chopped into 1-in chunks
2 or 3 small onions — peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
Sweet potatoes and/or yams (I used a package of Trader Joe’s Baby Sweet Potatoes and Yams — which contained about 8 or 9 little potatoes)
Olive Oil

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Remove any string or trussing from the bird. Remove the giblets from the cavity of the bird. Wash bird, both inside and out with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.

Line a baking dish with the copped onion (left in chunks), apples and potatoes. You can really add anything you want here, including chopped carrots, parsnips, etc. — but this combo tasted really nice with the chicken. Sprinkle mixture with a little salt and pepper.

Put the butter in a bowl and mix the chopped herbs in. I used my hands for this, as there is more herb mixture than butter. This will be more of a paste, than a liquid. Lay the chicken on top of the potato mixture, bottom side down, and spread the butter mixture all over the skin. There will be a lot, so spread it out as evenly as possible and also place a fair amount into the body cavity of the bird. Drizzle a little olive oil over the exposed potato mixture.

Place the bird in the center of the oven and leave in for 2o to 30 minutes, or until the skin starts to brown a bit. Baste the chicken with any drippings that have formed thus far. Pour the white wine into the pan (but not over the bird). Turn the oven down to 375 degrees F, cover the bird loosely with foil and then roast for another 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the bird. Baste as the juices form.

For the final phase, remove the foil, baste the bird again and let bird cook another 2o to 30 minutes or until the skin is nicely browned and the internal temperature of the bird reads 180-190 degrees F. Baste the bird as needed and also baste the potato mixture to prevent it from getting too dry. Once the chicken has reached the proper temperature, turn the oven off and leave the door open a crack. Let the chicken sit another 10 or 15 minutes. Be sure not to pierce the chicken’s skin during this entire process.

Remove the bird from the oven, place it on a warm plate, cover with foil and remove the potato mixture. Try to keep everything warm by letting it sit onto of the hot oven. Take the roasting pan, remove any fat and then make a gravy from the drippings. I just use an organic instant-chicken gravy pouch that you add water to.

This is a VERY good dish. Watch the times based on the size of your chicken, because you don’t want to dry it out. I had a pretty big bird… it was probably 6 or 7 pounds, so you may want to adjust. Also, make sure you have an oven thermometer and a meat thermometer to truly follow the temperatures accordingly.

Enjoy!

Jalapeño’s Grill is located at 960 Main Street in downtown Walpole. It’s right on the main thoroughfare, has a parking lot and there’s also plenty of on-street parking at night. It was pretty dark out… so all my pics are dim, but this gives you the general gist.

As soon as we walked in, I knew that we had stumbled upon something special. The place was PACKED. With couples, families with kids and groups of adults. It’s clearly a popular place… which generally means, good food and/or a good atmosphere. The decor is very traditional, the background noise hums with excitement and the staff was immediately attentive and friendly. As soon as we sat down, we were presented with freshly made salsa and (I think) home made tortilla chips.

The three of us inhaled the bowl. I love traditional chips and salsa —  when done right. Not that crap out of a bag and jar… but HOMEMADE. Both the chips and the salsa were delicious.

As soon as you let the background sink in, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to a little cantina in Mexico. Traditional music playing in the background, families laughing and talking, walls painted golden yellow and brick red — covered in both original artwork and art prints that represent Mexican culture. The ceiling is strung with Day-of-the-Dead flags and copper star lanterns. I felt like I was on a mini vacation… which is how every restaurant meal should feel.

If you’re a visual person, you will love this place…

The menu is very diverse, with lots of dishes that you won’t find in your average run of the mill Americanized Mexican restaurant. The menu also tells the story of the owner, Ricardo Dorronsoro (who moved to the states in the late 80’s from the Yucatan peninsula), who is quoted as saying:

Since coming to America to marry my sweetheart in the late eighties, I have always wanted to open a restaurant where people would have fun, delicious food and be able to “get away” for a few hours. Come back with me to that special secluded beach on the southern tip of Cancún where the sun is warm, the sand is soft, people dance Salsa at all hours, and enjoy a nice meal with a great margarita.

And honestly, I think he’s succeeded.

For our food, the boy got a bottle of IBC Rootbeer (his favorite) and the Cheese Nachos (7.99). While he generally prefers that awful salsa out of the jar… after a little persuasion, he DID eat these and really liked them. As did my husband.

I went with the Camarones al Mojo — Sautéed jumbo shrimp tossed with garlic lime juice and splash of sherry wine. Served with Mexican rice and black beans ($19.50). The dish was VERY good… though I should have asked about gluten BEFORE ordering it. Once it arrived, it was very obvious that the shrimp were breaded in flour… but I ate them anyway (and yes, I got a stomach ache). Sometimes you need to make sacrifices. Oh, and I had a glass of Pinot Grigio (90+ Cellars — a local brand I love), for $8.

My husband got the house special… the Albóndigas Chipotle — Mexican meatballs in chipotle sauce. Served with Mexican rice and black beans ($14.99). According to the menu, Mexico City’s favorite dish! He loved them…  (and note the empty tortilla chip basket). He also got a Herradura Silver margarita, at $8 (which I though was VERY fair for that top shelf tequila).

The meatballs were stuffed…. with a hard-boiled egg mixture, which is traditional for this dish.

Overall, I think we’ve found ourselves a keeper. The food was authentic, tasty and affordable. The staff was genuine and nice. The atmosphere is amazing… and best of all, it’s kid friendly. We’ll definitely be going back AND hitting them up for takeout.

I think by now, most people have at least heard of kombucha or have seen it for sale in WholeFoods and other natural markets… but have no idea what it is or made of. Kombucha is an tart/vinegary ancient beverage made from fermented sweetened black or green tea. It has a natural effervescence and is full of probiotics, antioxidants, B vitamins and much more. The tea is fermented over a period of 7-30 days, using a starter culture (or “mother”) of bacteria and yeast.

According to Wikipedia, kombucha most likely originated in Northeast China or Manchuria, later spreading to east Russia sometime before 1910 and from there, to Germany and Europe. Kombucha was highly popular and seen as a health food in China in the 1950s and 1960s and began to become popular in the US in the early 1990’s.

Kombucha has many purported claims of health benefits, thought most reports are anecdotal in nature versus actual scientific studies. The most commonly attributed kombucha benefits include better digestion, increased energy and a clearer mind. Of the people I know who drink kombucha on a daily basis (including myself), all report a positive improvement on existing symptoms and/or overall health. This is purely anecdotal though… however, I can attest that I have certainly seen positive changes in various conditions… especially digestion and I believe (though it’s hard to be 100% certain), joint pain (from my rheumatoid arthritis) and weight loss.

It was about 8 months ago when I decided to try drinking kombucha on a daily basis to see if it would help with some digestive and GI issues I was having. Individual bottles of kombucha are quite expensive, ranging from $3.59 to $5.99 per one serving bottle. There was no way I could financially support a daily dose that way, so I decided to take the plunge and try my hand at brewing it myself at home.

In order to brew your own kombucha at home, you need to have a pre-established SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast). Sounds  yummy, right? You can get one from a friend (a new SCOBY grows on top of every new batch of tea you brew), or if you don’t know anyone, you can even buy them online via Amazon.com and other websites.

I did my research and asked around, deciding on the website Kombucha Kamp for my first SCOBY purchase. While the website doesn’t look super professional, she has been doing this for a very long time and came highly recommended to me. Now, after the fact, I can also attest that her customer support is really good and she gets back to you immediately with questions and concerns.

Rather than buying directly off her website, I purchased my SCOBY through Amazon (here is the link), because I have Prime and get free shipping. The SCOBY comes in a vacuum sealed pouch, with enough starter liquid to brew 1 gallon of kombucha… which is an okay amount to start with, until you figure out how much you and your family will be consuming per day. I am the only person in my family who drinks the kombucha, as both my husband and son find it a bit gross. You may too… it’s certainly not for everyone. Personally, I LOVE it. I love the taste, I even like the smell of it brewing… which some people find off-putting.

How to Brew Kombucha at Home

To brew kombucha at home once you’ve purchased your SCOBY online or acquired one from a friend, follow these directions supplied by Kombucha Kamp. I’ve been continuously brewing since March 2014 with much success using this method.

You will need:

Tea kettle or pot
1 gallon glass container
3 quarts of purified water (cannot contain chlorine — to dechlorinate, allow to sit out over night or boil for 10 minutes then cool to needed temp)
1 cup of sugar (no stevia or xylitol) – I always use organic cane sugar
4-5 bags of black or green tea or 4-5 tsp loose tea leaf (I’ve only used black)
1-2 cups starter liquid
1 SCOBY
Tightly woven cloth cover and rubber band (no cheesecloth)

• Boil 4 cups of water.
• Add hot water & tea bags* to pot or brewing vessel.
  *I use Trader Joe’s Decaffeinated Irish Breakfast Tea, though most sites report even if you use caffeinated tea, most of the caffeine is gone by the time you drink it. I can’t do caffeine, so I don’t take the risk.
• Steep 5-7 minutes, then remove tea bags.
• Add sugar and stir to dissolve.

• Fill vessel most of the way with 8 cups (2 qts) purified water, leaving 1-2 inches from the top for breathing room.
• Add SCOBY and starter liquid.

Your initial SCOBY may be smaller than the opening of the vessel… like this one. That’s okay! It will continue to grow and will eventually expand to provide an airtight cover over your fermenting tea.

Size of SCOBY on Day 1 of brewing…

Size of SCOBY after 14 days of brewing…

• Cover with cloth cover and secure with the rubber band.
• Set in a warm location out of direct sunlight (unless vessel is opaque). Kombucha thrives at 74-85 degrees F.
• Do not disturb for 7 days.
• After 7 days, or when you are ready to taste your KT (kombucha tea), gently insert a straw beneath the SCOBY and take a sip. If too tart, reduce your brewing cycle next time. If too sweet, allow to brew for a few more days. Most people brew for 7-21 days. Continue to taste every day or so until you reach your optimum flavor preference. Your own Kombucha Tea Recipe may vary.
• It generally takes about 3 brewing cycles for the SCOBY to integrate into its new environment.

I’ve been brewing my kombucha for about 14 days per cycle. I prefer a more tart drink and I’m trying to cut back on sugar. The longer the tea brews, the more sugar the yeast consumes. Your end product has next to no sugar in it at all. I think I may try a shorter cycle this next time though, just to see what it tastes like.

I’ve also switched to a larger brewing vessel (the one on the left, below). I brew it for about two weeks and then it takes me about two weeks to consume that volume… so it works for me. If I was brewing a shorter cycle, I would probably stick with the smaller 1 gallon vessel.

For the bigger vessel, I double the recipe. I use:

8 cups of boiled water
2 cups of sugar
10 tea bags
Add an additional 16 cups (4 qts) of cold water
3-4 cups of starter liquid (from previous brew)

How to Bottle Kombucha

Once you have reached the desired taste with your batch, you can add fruits and flavors to enhance the overall taste and to add carbonation. Carbonation comes from feeding the yeast sugar, so adding fruit and sugar in this step will increase your chances of getting that nice effervescence. It’s not always easy to obtain… so don’t give up or get frustrated. You will learn what works better with each brewing cycle!

• With clean hands, remove the culture/s and place in a clean bowl.
• Ladle or pour 2 cups of liquid form the top of the brew over the cultures (this is your starter liquid for the next batch). Use 4 cups if switching to a larger vessel like I did.
• Cover the cultures with a clean cloth and set aside. Keep in mind you will have TWO cultures now. The small one you started with and the new one, that fits the size of the vessel’s opening.
• Use clean, suitable bottles… but remember you can always recycle! I save glass jars and reuse them. I use mason jars, swing-top bottles (pictured below) and anything else that will work.
• I add chopped fruit and 1-2 tsp of additional sugar to each bottle… depending on the size.
• Fill the glass container/bottle almost to the top. If the top has a small opening (like a bottle), be sure to leave enough room for carbonation expansion and be sure to “burp” your containers daily until you put them in the refrigerator!

Some fruit combinations I use include:

Strawberries and Mint
Ginger and Honey
Blueberries and Mint (or Lemon Balm)
Apples and Mint
Pineapple and Mint (pineapples and ginger give me the best carbonation)

• Seal the bottles and let them go through a second fermentation process for 1-3 days at room temperature.
• Once done, put them in the refrigerator… which stops the fermentation.

If you’re lucky, you’ll get carbonation… like this pineapple and mint brew!

Note the amount of space above the liquid in the swing-top bottles. If left too full, you risk the bottles exploding! With wider-mouthed jars, you can fill them up higher. See how I also recycled a glass jar for this brew? That time, I used raspberries as my fruit.

When I first started, I used only mason jars… like these. I tend to use the swing-top bottles more often now, as I believe I get better carbonation with them.

When your second brewing/fermentation is completely done, it’s time to drink up! Start off with 4-8oz on an empty stomach in the morning, then with meals to help with digestion or as your body tells you it would like some more! Drink plenty of water as it is a natural detoxifyer and you want to flush the newly released toxins out.

A few final tips…

Don’t be surprised if your SCOBY starts looking weird during certain brews. They won’t all look like my pictures. In fact, you may get blackish-brown growth sometimes, or brown, stringy, slimy growth hanging down from the mother and large bubbles that appear directly under and within the layers of the SCOBY. This is NORMAL! The darker colors are yeast. The culture will continue to grow and change over the brewing cycle and each cycle may look different from the next.

However, if you see anything growing on TOP of the SCOBY that looks fuzzy and dry, it may be mold and you need to toss the entire batch! DO NOT DRINK A MOLDY BREW. Mold will always be on top of the SCOBY… the browns and blacks you see under the SCOBY or between the layers is just the yeast. Mold will be obvious and will probably be white or blueish green. I have never had this happen yet… and this is why it’s important to get your SCOBY from a reputable person or source.

Lastly, as you continue brewing various batches, your SCOBY will grow thicker and thicker with each new layer of growth. I tend to peel mine apart every so often and store extras in a “SCOBY hotel“. From what I’ve read, you don’t want your SCOBY to be more than about an inch thick, so I peel mine apart and save the extras every few brews. You can also compost them and there are websites out there that repurpose the SCOBYs as well. I personally have not tried any of those suggestions yet, though!

I have a great cookbook (put out by Williams Sonoma) called Soup of the Day — 365 Recipes for Every Day of the Year. I perused the pages of Sept, Oct and Nov and came across this great recipe. As you know, I rarely follow recipes… but rather, take inspiration from the original ingredient list and personalize it to my tastes. However, with this recipe, I almost followed it exactly. Almost.

Sweet Potato-Corn Chowder with Avocado

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small white onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced (I used 4)
2 tsp ground cumin (I used a bit more)
1/2 tsp ground coriander (I used about 3x this amount)
Salt and fresh ground pepper (to taste)
2 sweet potatoes (about 1.5 lbs), peeled and diced (I used a lot more…I had 4 white yams and 2 orange sweet potatoes)
3 cups (24oz) vegetable or chicken broth (Since I had more potatoes, I used 32 oz of organic, free range chicken broth. You could also use my homemade version, which would be delicious.)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced
8 ears of fresh corn, husked, silk removed and kernels cut from cob (about 1 lb total if using frozen)*
2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled and diced
1/2 c sour cream (optional)

*I like to use fresh corn… here is a super easy way to cook and peel your corn, using the microwave! For this recipe, I only had 4 fresh ears… as it was the tail end of the season. So my version was lighter on the corn, but just as good though!

In a large, heavy pot, warm the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until translucent, about 5 mins. Add the cumin, coriander and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute. Add the sweet potatoes, stir to coat and cook for 3 minutes.

Add the broth, bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. I like to taste the soup as I go, to see if the seasoning is right for me. When I tasted it at this point, I realized I wanted more cumin, coriander and a bit more salt.

Add the red pepper and corn and cook until the vegetables are tender, 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it cool slightly.

Purée half the soup in a blender (I used my hand-held immersion blender, b/c it was much easier). Return to the pot. Stir in the cilantro and season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Serve, garnished with the avocado and sour cream, if desired.

Unfortunately, when I was making it, I didn’t think to take any pics until the very end… so I apologize for the lack of instructional photos this time. It’s pretty straight forward though and this was the final result…

It was hearty, filling, had a nice seasoning to it and overall a family hit. A definite keeper that we will be making again!

Enjoy!

Put the entire, un-shucked, ear of corn in the microwave.

Microwave on high for 3-4 minutes per cob. I’ve done this a few times — starting with 4 minutes per cob at first… but over time, have realized 3 minutes per cob works just fine.

Take the cobs out of the microwave… they will be VERY hot! So be sure to use an oven mitt or towel.

Cut the stalk end off with a sharp knife. Look at the bottom to make sure you cut far enough into the cob. No stalk can be remaining… you should see just corn surrounded by the husk.

Using a towel or oven mitt, grasp the silk end of the ear and gently begin pinching the husk… essentially “squeezing” the cob out.

It can be  hard to start sometimes, just keep pinching in small increments. Eventually you’ll get some momentum going.

Continue to pinch until the entire cob slips out of the husk. You can also grasp the cob with your other hand and pull… but be sure to keep a hold of the silk so it doesn’t pull out with the cob.

Viloa! Eat!

I was very excited the first time I tried this and it actually worked! Super easy and most times, no silk at all! The only time I’ve had any issues is when I’ve let the cobs get a few days old. The husk dries out a bit, making it more difficult to pinch the ears out. Other than that, success every time!’

Enjoy!

The Farmhouse has been been open for about a year and a half (since March 2013) and I’ve been wanting to try it out for a while. There isn’t a lot of information on their website yet, but if I understand it correctly, their general schtick is that they are “Farm to Table”. Which we all know I love…

Their Facebook page has a bit more information and describes them as:

Contemporary American farm to table restaurant, delivers delicious comfort food in an elegant setting. Situated in lovely Needham center in Needham, Massachusetts across from the town hall, husband and wife team execute superb, clean flavors and exceed guests expectations with their gracious hospitality.

In any case, I dashed across the street — through the the very wet weather — and walked in this:

It’s a very quaint and comfortable space… with adorable lighting, rustic but elegant furnishings and an open kitchen in the back.

The staff was very attentive, though the place was practically empty. We had a late lunch… at 1:30pm, so we were the only ones left by the time we were finished eating.

The lunch menu is small, but diverse and interesting enough to grab your attention:

I like the old-school typewriter font, adding to the rustic feel of the dining room. Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough time to try several dishes and we both wound up getting the same thing… but it was really tasty.

We both opted for the Salmon with Chef’s Seasonal Accompaniments, at $19. The day we were there, the salmon was pan-seared, served over whipped mashed potatoes and came with sautéed peppers, onions and brussels sprouts. Considering what a miserable day it was, you can understand why both my friend and I were craving the comforting goodness of mashed potatoes.

The dishes took a normal amount of time to come out… and their presentation was just stunning:

I’m not sure what the green oil/puree was around the dish… and the micro-greens on top added a cute dimension to the dish. Even though the decor and overall feel of the establishment is rustic, the plating of the food was elegant and worthy of any high-end restaurant.

The salmon was perfectly cooked, had crispy skin beneath it and was very flavorful. The potatoes and the vegetables were cooked well and did not overpower the dish. Overall, it was nicely done, tasted good and both of us completely finished our plates.

I will definitely go back to The Farmhouse sometime soon. I’d like to try their dinner menu and their libations menu, which looks interesting. Looking at the offerings, I’m guessing that they only have a wine, beer and spirits license (no hard alcohol).  I’d also like to see them beef up their website to include more information about their “story” (they have a link, but there’s nothing there) and maybe even some blog posts about the farm-to-table movement and where they get their meats and produce from.

Overall, a very nice experience and I would definitely recommend it to others.

Gummy bears made with nothing more than fruit juice, gelatin and lemon juice! Well, technically her version has stevia in it too, but I chose to omit it. The recipe is located on a gluten free blog I enjoy… Elana’s Pantry. She also has a great little paleo cookbook that I own and like.

Anyway I was enamored with that photo, so I went online and ordered both the gelatin (must be the RED Great Lakes Unflavored Gelatin to work) and the gummy bear mold (actually, an ice cube tray) she recommended. And they sat in my house for about 6 months.

Then, about 2 weeks ago when I was trolling the “New Products” area at my Trader Joe’s, I noticed a new juice they added called “Power of Seven” — a combination of pomegranate, tart cherry, black mulberry, red grape, purple carrot, cranberry and blueberry juice. I bought a bottle because it sounded yummy… and it was.

Once home, it dawned on me that I should FINALLY try my hand at those fruit gummies! I grabbed the ingredients and got to work… and the end result was perfect!

Elana’s Pantry Gummy Bears

1 cup organic juice (grape, or pineapple or pomegranate)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon stevia
3 tablespoons gelatin

1. In a medium saucepan bring juice to a boil
2. Allow to cool for 3 minutes, then stir in lemon juice and stevia
3. Very gradually, whisk in gelatin
4. If you do not whisk gradually and thoroughly your bears will be lumpy
5. Allow mixture to cool almost to room temperature, then pour into gummy bear molds
6. Refrigerate for 2 hours
7. Serve — Makes 10 gummy bears (store in the refrigerator)

The first thing I noticed when whisking the ingredients together, is that the mixture gets VERY FOAMY. I tried using the foam in the molds too… but it DOES NOT work.

I used a turkey baster to extract just the juice from the pan. This makes filling the molds much easier. You can see a tiny bit of the foam on top of my bears… which is totally fine.

Not a great pic, but after two hours… I had gummy bears!

The boy enjoyed them too! I found them very good, but not quite as flavorful as I would have expected. I think the gelatin sort of dilutes the flavor. Next time I plan to add more than a cup of juice to the pan, and then reduce it down to a cup. I’m thinking I’ll get a more concentrated flavor that way.

In addition to the gummy bear molds, I also happened to have skull molds… so I made a few of those as well. They were clearly the boys favorite.

The texture is great and they kept nicely in the fridge for a few days (which is all they lasted).

Enjoy!

Last week’s final share consisted of late-season fall veggies, including: kale, mixed greens, red leaf lettuce, onions (not pictured), garlic (not pictured), carrots, kohlrabi, butternut squash, potatoes, parsnips, yams and radishes.

There weren’t any pick-your-own veggies left in the fields… though, in past weeks we had been lucky enough to pick things like this:

Lots and lots of cherry tomatoes!

Gorgeous PURPLE wax beans!

A family favorite, husk cherries!

Kale, chard and fresh herbs!

We even had several weeks of raspberry picking. I have to admit this is my favorite part of the share… we LOVE raspberries. This year, the bushes were full of stinging critters so you had to be really careful! The bumble bees were busy pollinating the fruit flowers; meanwhile, the yellow jackets were just as busy munching away on any fruit that was remotely ripe. Those yellow jackets made me angry on some days!

Very important bumble (or are they honey?) bees!

Pain-in-the-butt, aggressive, yellow jackets!

But we kept a brave face, left the stinging critters alone and continued to pick. Toward the end of the season, when most of the fruit was coming ripe, we were rewarded with pints of juicy, red raspberries!

Even the boy braved the yellow jackets!

This made the effort 100% worthwhile!

Many of the weeks were very prolific. This is a SMALL share at the farm! It was the perfect size for our 3-person family. In the past, the farm only offered larger shares (which I split with friends). Was very happy to have the small share this year… it was more than enough.

A typical mid-summer weekly share…

Sometimes we got BIG surprises…

Like this ginormous spider that was in the bottom of my grocery bag!

Other times, it was the tiny things that surprised us…

Like this world’s smallest watermelon…

My favorite surprise happened at the last CSA pick up though…

Mamma and baby carrot

In addition to the CSA, we also spend time at the farm for 4H. My son participates in the Powisset Farm Hens & Hogs 4H club. The kids meet bi-weekly, perform farm chores, do community service, help in the fields  and raise an annual set a piglets that are brought to the Worcester County Fair and then sold as pork shares at the farm.

There are two resident sows that live at the farm full time and about 100 chickens. We all take turns feeding these animals and collecting the eggs to sell at the Powisset Farm stand.

Queenie (black) and Strawberry Shortcake (pink) — Shorty for short Our resident sows.

This year, there were challenges with the litters that resulted in only 5 piglets surviving between the two litters. To ensure the farm would have enough pork for the shares, we purchased some additional piglets.

Shortie and her baby, “Miracle”. Miracle had blue eyes and was the only piglet to survive that litter.

Queenie’s set of 4 piglets… the one with the spots was “our” pig… her name was Dottie.

The additional piglets we purchased this year…

While this makes us feel sad sometimes… to see them go off. We also feel very rewarded that we get to not only spend time with these amazing animals before they pay their dues to the farm, but also because I know we enhance their short lives with lots of love and attention.

Chance with our beautiful babies…

Here piggy, piggy!

Chance brushing Dottie… about a week before the fair.

While the season is over and we’re about to head into a long New England winter, my family and I are certainly looking forward to next year’s share and new farm additions!

If you’ve ever considered joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), I can’t recommend the Powisset CSA enough! The farm is run by a group of amazing people, who work very hard to bring food to our table. They also write an awesome farm blog that I recommend you read!