read at your own whisk

Time flies

2013-02-08T23:28:00.001-06:00

Well, it has been a bit since I wrote. For that, I'm sorry. I have had a few food adventures, however. I even took some pictures! I hope to get back in the game and soon.

My business is up and running over at lechelove.com. so visit! The peanut has grown quite a bit and loves to help in the kitchen. Now that he's older most of my food adventures involve him.

Anyway, it's late, so I'll depart with a lovely picture of this week's farm box.

Ferms

2011-05-28T22:28:00.003-05:00

I got my first head of cabbage of the season, and immediately turned it into to kraut. It was regular cabbage (the official name escapes me now).

So, some changes to the original recipe. I'm doing them in old country crock containers, as I don't have a ceramic dish I can use for that size for that long. I also was able to use juice from last season's batch as a starter. It's been less than a week, and already really bubbly. And, last batch was awesome on the boy's birthday brats!

In other news, my sourdough starter turned 15 months the other day. Sadly, all I did was feed it. I need to bake a loaf soon.

the jam post is here!

2011-05-16T22:42:00.006-05:00

Wow, must have been some sammich as I'm just now getting back to posting about it... I've been busy, er, lazy. Yeah, that's more like it. Ok, cutting myself some slack. I've been busy and lazy. As in by the time I'm done being busy during the day, I just want to be lazy at night. Having a kid can fry your brain.

Any way. Marmalade, in a crock pot. I've been on a crock pot kick since I quit my job. It helps tremendously, really. So great to just dump every thing in there and be done with dinner so that I may child-tend.

So without further ado: Orange grapefruit marmalade

4 oranges

2 grapefruits

sugar

Slice everything as thinly as possible. I segmented the grapefruit, I didn't want that my pith in it making it all bitter.

Alternate layer of citrus/sugar

Add a pinch of salt (cause it makes everything better)

Set it on low(and forget it) ok, not entirely, I stirred it every once in awhile

I ended up pureeing mine because I can't cut too thinly, and I wanted a more uniform consistency, too.

I started this kind of late in the afternoon, and had to continue the next day so I can't quite give exact cooking time. Just taste it from time to time. The house smelled so deliciously wonderful! The fruit came from G & S Grove down in south Texas and were organically grown.

Preview: Orange Grapefruit Marmelade

2011-03-22T22:12:00.003-05:00

I made some, in the crockpot. I just had a bite of a peanut butter and orange grapefruit marmelade sammich. I'll post more about it later, but right now, I want to eat my delicious sammich in the comfort of my bed before going to sleep.

Sauerpuss face

2011-03-09T20:51:00.005-06:00

Ok, second batch of sauerkraut is ready to go! Now that dark corner of my kitchen can stop smelling like, well, fermented goodness. And hopefully, the last of the sauerkraut posts!

I don't have any food projects going on! I did just read on a friend's blog that she started kombocha, which sounds awesome to me, so I may work on that.

I haven't taken food pix in awhile, sadly, either. Oh wait, I have this: I love how brussels on the stalk look.

LL Sauerkraut

2011-02-23T21:23:00.004-06:00

Well, the sauerkraut was a success. I have another batch working since, well, I got another head of cabbage in my farm box. I gifted the first jar, so this batch I'm keeping. Well, maybe, I got another head in the farm box.

So speaking of fermentation... My sourdough starter turns a year old this week! It's made me many a loaf of sourdough deliciousness.

A friend posted a blog that listed how to make things yourself, i.e. baking powder, brown sugar, and butter. I'm considering this. Especially for the business. It's hard to find bulk organic brown sugar, but to make it myself would be awesome. I did make my own butter last night, and it was pretty easy. Not sure how often I'd do that though.

So looks like a short post today as I have to no recipe to share right now.

Shins and kraut

2011-01-14T20:39:00.004-06:00

Well, I'm trying really hard to keep up with this thing, but it seems I have a lot going on. I have officially started my own business selling lactation cookies. Which you can check out here. Seems more rewarding than working for the man. Who sometimes just isn't that nice.

Another food project I'm working is sauerkraut. The fermentation process fascinates me. I have a starter that's about to turn a year actually for which, I'm thinking of having a party. And some kimchi. Back to the sauerkraut. It's supposed to take 2-4 weeks, but it's already stanky fermenty and it's been 10 days. Should be good and ripe next week then.

My recipe is loosely based on this, but as usual, I tweaked it some. I'm sure I'll be posting pix of it when it's done. And when it's done, I'll be enjoying on top of some beer-soaked brats. Shins(Chutes Too Narrow) make good blogging about sauerkraut music.

There are 4 jars now actually....

Homemade sauerkraut
1 head napa cabbage
salt
water
random jars (qt size seems to work so far)

Cut napa into thin strips, put into bowl salting a little as you work so that it's napa, salt, napa and so on. Give it a courtesy stir, and then let it sit for about an hour. Jam into jars. Make saltwater solution of 1tsp per cup of warm water (to dissolve) and pour into jar, cover with a towel to keep random kitchen bits out. meaning you just leave it in a corner for a while (2-4 weeks depending on how stanky you like it). Best to put a plate under it, seems to bubble over sometimes. if the top looks gross, skim it off. Will post final review upon completion.

return of the mack

2010-12-07T21:07:00.002-06:00

It seems I've been busy, and fallen down on both my blogs. Well, I've picked myself up, and dusted myself off, etc. I now have a third blog: lechelove.blogspot.com. This is home to my cookie venture. Yes, my own business. As of now, I'm done working for the man. Selling lactation cookies. It seems to be so much more rewarding that just pumping out a bunch of cakes for the masses. (not that I didn't mind it paying my mortgage...) So, hopefully, that will inspire me to write more here.

Some updates. My garden died. Not sure what happened. I'd like to think it was lack of sun, or critters, or soil, but there's a good chance it was just plain neglect. We have since broke down the garden box(we were going to put the house on the mkt., too), and moved the garden space to a new location in the yard. Seems to be doing better, but no produce yet. Very slow moving. In the meantime, we're still getting our farm box, which we love. Now that I'm not making baby food, and my baby is more picky, it's been more challenging. Like getting kohlrabi three weeks in a row... Oh well, just means more research.

makin' the rockin' world go 'round-one day at a time

2010-03-03T12:04:00.003-06:00

Here's what I've got going on today and this week:

The farm box came and was bountiful, so I'm sure roasted turnips/radishes/sweet potatoes/and whatever else will happen. And at the same time, those same roots will go to kid's menu as well.

Steaming some broccoli for the kid. Next, some greens and awesome looking spinach. Which I also added to some good looking lettuce for a salad tonight for the man's dinner. Speaking of tonight's dinner: chorizo meatballs! Sounds good, doesn't it? I mean who doesn't love meatballs. Maybe I'll take pictures. Maybe I'll start a food album... And maybe some sort of recipe thing. For now, if you want any, just ask.

Baking/dessert projects: I'm putting off the sourdough to make a bday cake for a friend. Lemon curd filled lemony goodness. I shipped some goodies this week to a couple of friends. I'm also thinking I have to make more orange/grapefruit marmalade soon. And damn, yesterday and Monday were busy cake days! 10 baked, filled and frosted in 2 days along with a bunch of other crap like brownies and flan. I've also decided that Queen is best to listen to at work while making cakes. And fully prepared to be embarrased when my owner walks in while I'm singing Fat Bottom Girls. Again.

"the birth of cool"

2010-03-01T09:35:00.000-06:00

I'm pretty sure that's a Miles Davis album title, but I'm borrowing it for this. my first food blog and it may just be cool. I'm guessing the first few will be disorganized and maybe incoherent, but it's a work in progress, right?

To begin, some projects I'm working on: apple starter and (wait for it...)I started my garden!

The garden has been in the works for some time now. I got the man to build me a box from the leftover fence boards we bought for our escapee dog. Reduce, reuse, recycle, right? Any way, we have enough for 3 boxes. One more will be for veggies, and the other, a sand box for the kiddo! I'm not sure if I'm a green thumb or not. I had a plant that I kept for a couple of years, but I killed it when I stopped smoking. And, the plant I got for mother's day is still alive, wow, almost a year. Anyway... here's what I'm growing: beets, arugula, spinach, tomatoes, and sweet peppers. Small crop to start with. Because of our finicky weather, the tomatoes and pepper are inside. I'm growing 6 each of those, 6 each arugula and spinach and 9 beets. I like knowing that I've pretty much made all of my kid's food, and now adding growing his food(and ours) as well. And have been organic. Another plus, is that we've been buying from a local farm and then picking it up. Doing our part and all.

The starter. I'm super excited about that. That's also going to be a commitment. I'll have to keep feeding it. It should be ready for use tomorrow, so I think I'll make sourdough bread. There's a restaurant, I think in NY that has a 100 year old starter. That would be awesome. Ha, I'd have to will it to my kids to make sure it stays in the family. Presumptuous aren't I?

My kid is sleep-boobin' in my lap, so I feel obligated to keep typing. Maybe I'll update the other blog.

P.S. I am no photographer. I have the most basic digital camera, so no fancy pix for me, sorry readers. And, damn, my yard looks so barren. I hope we can get some grass this season.