The Mostly Vegetable Kitchen

Grilled Eggplant & Pesto Pizza

2011-08-02T19:13:00.004-04:00

This pizza is one of those recipes that I think I've made at least 20 times. Yet when we sat down to dig into this particular pizza we both realized that I didn't make it once last summer, making this our first eggplant-pesto pizza in nearly 2 years. I don't know how that happened and I will have to be careful not to be so negligent with my eggplant pizza making this summer.

This pizza is one of my go-to recipes when eggplant shows up at our door. Pizza dough can always be whipped up as I always have those basics on hand. And then I almost always have pesto either fresh, frozen, or just in the form of some rapidly growing basil on the patio. Dough. Pesto. Eggplant. That's all you need. Sure, a little extra parmesan to sprinkle on top is nice, but definitely not necessary.

Being the apartment dweller that I am, I grill the eggplant on a grill pan with just enough olive oil coating the pan to keep the eggplant from sticking, but not enough oil for the eggplant to get soggy and mushy. If you are so lucky as to have a real grill, and perhaps less than 99 degree weather that you don't mind going outside in, then by all means use that.

One year ago: Squash & Zucchini Tart

Grilled Eggplant & Pesto Pizza
ingredients:
pizza dough
3/4 cup pesto, homemade or storebought
3 japanese eggplant
1/4 cup grated parmesan
olive oil
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450F. Slice the eggplant into 1/4" coins. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat and coat lightly with olive oil. Grill the sliced eggplant in batches, several minutes on each side. Both sides should have light grill marks.

Roll the pizza dough out and place on a pizza pan. Top with an even layer of the pesto and then arrange the eggplant on top. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with the parmesan cheese.

Cook for 15-25 minutes or until the crust is golden. Slice and enjoy.

Heirloom Tomatoes

2011-07-30T09:51:00.005-04:00

This week we got 3 perfect heirloom tomatoes in our basket. Our letter from Margie instructed us to "baby them til you eat them and then enjoy them like the fine treat that they are". And that's just what I did.

A taxi tomato, a red zebra, and a brandywine. A drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with salt and a few grinds of pepper. Add a few slices of fresh mozzarella and top with fresh basil. That's how 3 little tomatoes become dinner.

Squash & Zucchini Fritters

2011-07-28T11:00:00.000-04:00

Zucchini and squash can sometimes be under appreciated vegetables. As the summer wears on, it can become difficult to think of new and different ways to cook them. While I'm definitely nowhere near that point yet, I imagine this would be a perfect recipe for when you do get to the stage of 'how many more ways can I cook zucchini?'. I wouldn't say that it hides the vegetables per se, but it is so different that you almost forget what you're eating.

One year ago: Cabbage & Cucumber Slaw

Squash & Zucchini Fritters
ingredients:
2 medium squash or zucchini, grated (about 2 cups)
3/4 cup crumbled feta
1/4 of a sweet onion, minced (about 1/4 cup)
2 eggs
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
olive oil
salt and pepper

Place the grated squash and zucchini in a colander over a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with salt and let drain for at least 30 minutes. In another large bowl combine the feta, onion, eggs, garlic, flour, mint and parsley. When you're ready to cook the fritters take small handfuls of the squash and zucchini and squeeze to remove any remaining moisture then add to the other ingredients. Stir well to combine and season with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot scoop spoonfuls of the fritter mixture into the skillet. Do not overcrowd, cook only about 3-4 fritters at a time. Press down with a spatula to flatten the fritters. After about 4 minutes flip the fritters. They should be golden brown. After 4 more minutes or once the other side is browned remove the fritters and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining fritter mixture.

Serve warm or at room temperature topped with a few scoops of sour cream or even better, cucumber herb dip.

Summer

2011-07-22T12:36:00.000-04:00

Be careful what you ask for. This is what happens when your mother asks if she can send you a cooler with some beans, corn and tomatoes. Despite knowing that we already had a refrigerator and kitchen full of things from our basket (beans, corn, blueberries, eggplant, zucchini, cucumbers, beets, and potatoes) I said "yes". In addition to the bounty pictured above there is also a jar of fresh picked blueberries, several packages of strawberries, a bag of green beans and a loaf of zucchini bread. If this what she sent me, I can only imagine the amount of fresh-from-the-garden summer produce she is trying to cook and put up.

Don't get me wrong, I am certainly not complaining. This gorgeous bowl of tomatoes has been placed at the center of the dining table and is better-looking than any centerpiece of flowers. Several of the ripest of these tomatoes have been chopped up and are currently marinating away in a mixture of olive oil, basil, garlic and their juices waiting to become dinner.

In fact, this is what I love most about seasonal eating. This pressure I feel to appreciate and prepare this food in ways that it deserves. To not let any go to waste. Because there is nothing better than sitting down with people you love to enjoy a meal made with ingredients like these. And that is what I am looking forward to this weekend. Thanks Mom.

Marinated Vegetable Kabobs

2011-07-17T10:49:00.000-04:00

This is a dish I've already made several times this summer, both on the grill and in the oven. Of course I prefer the grill but when I've made these to be eaten at our apartment, the oven is really the more convenient option.

Having made this more than once I have discovered something about tomatoes. The first time I used cherry tomatoes, placed whole onto the skewers. Once grilled their skin is slightly blistered and just burst in your mouth with concentrated tomato flavor. Absolutely nothing to complain about there. But the next time I used a whole slicing tomato cut into wedges. While marinating these wedges were able to soak up all the lemon, garlic, and basil flavors of the marinade. Then, once cooked these tomatoes become something else altogether, soft and silky with that same concentrated tomato flavor, but even better. This might be worth making with only the tomato wedges, and forgoing the other vegetables entirely. Perhaps I'll try that next.

One year ago: Mixed Bean Salad and Tomato Pie

Marinated Vegetable Kabobs

ingredients:
1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 pint cherry tomatoes, or 1 large tomato sliced into wedges
1 lb potatoes, chopped into 1" pieces
marinade:
1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
juice of 2 lemons
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1 tablespoon horseradish
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped
salt and pepper

Slice the zucchini and squash in half lengthwise then slice each half into 1/3" thick halfmoons. Or, if they are small, just slice into 1/3" coins. Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water until fork tender, drain and let cool. Once cooled place the zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and potatoes in a large shallow dish.

Combine the marinade ingredients and pour over the vegetables. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Every few hours toss the vegetables so that they are all evenly coated in the marinade. Once you're ready to cook the kabobs thread the vegetables onto skewers. Try to put at least 1 of each vegetable on each skewer. Grill, rotating the kabobs every few minutes, until the vegetables are lightly charred all over, about 10 minutes. Or, if you don't have a grill, cook the kabobs in a 350F oven 25-35 minutes. After 15 minutes in the oven take the kabobs out and spoon more of the marinade over the vegetables.

Wine-Basted Rabbit

2011-07-12T13:05:00.000-04:00

This was our first foray into the world of eating rabbit. We first heard the praises of raising and eating rabbits during our last trip to Nature's Harmony Farm and then when they showed up at our farmers market from Heritage Farm we thought we should give it a try.

Paired with a light cucumber salad and more of the white wine this made for a very elegant Sunday supper. The meat is savory, juicy and not gamey at all. As Dominic described it, "it's like chicken without the chicken flavor". That probably doesn't sound very descriptive until you've tried it.

I'm hoping that we can still order a few more at the farmers market.

One year ago: Roasted Beet Salad, Squash Salad, and Swiss Chard & Green Onion Quiche

Wine-Basted Rabbit
ingredients:
2 1/2 - 3 lb. rabbit
2 cloves garlic, split
1/2 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
salt and pepper
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 325F. Rinse the rabbit with cold water and pat dry. Rub all over with the garlic then slather evenly with the softened butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper on all sides and place the rabbit in a shallow roasting pan. Arrange the garlic and rosemary around the rabbit. Roast for 30 minutes. Then pour the white wine and lemon juice over the rabbit, cover loosely with tin foil and roast 45 minutes more. Every 15 minutes take the rabbit out and baste the rabbit all over with the juices in the pan. After 45 minutes remove the tin foil, baste with the juices again and turn the heat up to 450F. Roast 15 minutes or until the skin is golden brown.

To serve, use poultry shears or a sharp knife to cut into serving pieces. Arrange on a large platter and sprinkle with chopped fresh rosemary.

Real Potato Chips & Cucumber Herb Dip

2011-07-02T09:53:00.000-04:00

This might just be the perfect snack for the long holiday weekend. It's almost misleading to label these 'potato chips' since they bear so little resemblance to the greasy snack. Maybe a better name would be 'crisp potato slices'. These have so much potato flavor and even though sliced very thin they're still substantial enough to stand up to a good dip loaded with vegetables.

We have been getting a steady supply of potatoes each week from Full Moon Farm. I've been enjoying them on vegetable kabobs, there have been several potato pizzas, and I even sliced one very thinly to be the crust of a swiss chard quiche.

Cucumbers from Jenny Jack Sun Farm have also been in steady supply. I've already made several jars of pickles and still have a bag full of assorted cucumbers. Several cucumbers finely chopped along with some fresh mint and parsley from the patio make for a very refreshing dip. A dip that I could practically eat with a spoon by itself.

Real Potato Chips & Cucumber Herb Dip

Potato Chip ingredients:
1 potato
Salt

Slice the potato as thin as possible, preferably with a mandoline. I used the 1/8" setting on my mandoline. Arrange the slices in a single layer on a clean dish towel on top of a microwave safe plate. Do not let the slices touch, you will probably need to do the chips in several batches.

Microwave the potato slices on high for 3 minutes. Carefully peel each slice off the dish towel if they seem stuck. Sprinkle the slices lightly with salt. Microwave on high for 3 minutes more. Check the slices and peel them off the towel again if stuck. Smaller slices may be done at this point. They are done when they are browned and crisp and no longer stick to the towel. Microwave up to 3 more minutes keeping watch on the slices. They can go from crisp to burned very quickly. Repeat these steps with the remaining potato slices. Try to refrain from eating them while waiting for the second batch!

Cucumber Herb Dip ingredients:
2 medium cucumbers,finely chopped (about 2 cups)
1/2 cup loosely packed mint, chopped
1/4 cup loosely packed parsley, chopped
1/2 cup greek yogurt
1/4 cup low fat sour cream
salt and pepper

Combine the cucumbers, mint, parsley, yogurt and sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Summer Vegetable Pasta

2011-06-30T20:32:00.000-04:00

It's funny how quickly the transition from spring vegetables and leafy greens to the bounty of summer vegetables can happen. Just two weeks ago we had the usual spring basket that always seems to be practically overflowing with big hearty greens. Then this week I got home after Dominic and saw what I thought must be our half empty basket sitting on the kitchen counter. There was nothing spilling out over the top, in fact the basket itself was only about two-thirds full. It wasn't until I began to put things away that I realized I was officially welcoming the first of many of my favorite summer vegetables. So yes, the baskets may be getting smaller (but definitely not lighter: this one had about 2 pounds of assorted squash), but this is not something I will be complaining about.

I had originally planned to make a pasta dish using only the green beans. But I remembered that we had the first two tomatoes of the season and decided to throw them in as well. Then as I was getting everything out of the refrigerator I realized I should try to make a dent in that huge bag of yellow squash. My point is that really this is just a pasta with a light creamy sauce and any summer vegetables you choose. But this particular combination makes for a very colorful dinner.

One year ago: Roasted Beet Salad

Summer Vegetable Pasta

ingredients:
1/2 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 lb. green beans, ends trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
2 yellow squash, cut into 1" pieces
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
4 oz. goat cheese
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped
1 lb. whole wheat pasta

Mix together the cheeses, lemon zest and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain the pasta then mix with the cheese mixture in a large serving dish. Toss well to soften the cheeses and evenly coat the pasta.

Cook the onion in olive oil over medium heat until softened, 5 minutes. Add the beans and squash and more olive oil if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat the vegetables in the olive oil then cook 3 minutes without stirring. Toss again then cook another 3 minutes with stirring. The vegetables should be browned in spots. Add the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes more before adding the tomatoes and their juices. Toss well to combine then cook several more minutes until the tomatoes begin to soften. Taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Pour the vegetables over the pasta and toss to combine. Serve topped with the chopped basil.

Basil Stuffed Squash Blossoms

2011-06-26T19:32:00.006-04:00

Last weekend at the farmers market when I picked up our usual dozen eggs from Abundant Harvest Gardens I saw a small sign off to the side advertising squash blossoms. Since I saw only the sign and no actual squash blossoms, I assumed that they were already sold out. Instead the blossoms were being stored in a cooler behind the table to protect against the already muggy even at 8:30 am Georgia heat and I happily came home with a little bag of freshly picked squash blossoms.

Dominic and I were first introduced to squash blossoms, or fiore di zucca, during our honeymoon in Italy. Our late May trip coincided with the brief season when fiore di zucca show up on practically every dinner table. Our first dinner in Rome after ordering what was already to be a huge meal, one of the waiters passed by our table and very unceremoniously dropped off a small plate. No description, no explanation, and definitely no presentation, this plate contained only 2 unidentified fried objects. Being a true southern girl, I'm not one to ask too many questions regarding fried foods and I quickly discovered the deliciousness of stuffed and fried squash blossoms. Over the next 2 weeks we sampled all types and forms of squash blossoms, sometimes they showed up on menus, but more often than not they showed up without request as a small antipasti.

For these particular squash blossoms I wanted to try to recreate those first ones we tasted at Al Pompiere in Rome. The resulting recipe is sort of combination of the 2 recipes in Chez Panisse Vegetables. I recommend going after this recipe with two people. I'm sure it's possible to stuff the blossoms with only one person, but four hands make this task much much easier.

One year ago: Yellow Squash Pizza

Basil Stuffed Squash Blossoms
Ingredients:
6-9 squash blossoms
1/4 cup ricotta
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon melted butter
1/4 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1 egg
flour
olive oil

Combine the ricotta, parmesan, butter, and basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Lightly beat the egg then add about 1/3 of the egg to the cheese mixture.

Check the blossom for any bugs. If they were picked early in the morning there is much less of a chance of bugs. Place the cheese mixture in a small ziplock bag and cut out a small corner of the bag. Carefully pipe the cheese mixture into each squash blossom then close the petals around the stuffing.

Lightly coat each blossom in the remaining egg and then in flour. Heat olive oil in a cast iron skillet and fry the blossoms until well browned. Drain on paper towels and serve with a light sprinkling of salt.

Summer Squash Quesadillas

2011-06-06T13:14:00.002-04:00

I knew that I was coming home to a 'suprise dinner' Sunday night when Dominic picked me up from the airport. And while I hate to say that I underestimated his culinary skills (he is afterall the breakfast chef in our house) I admit that I assumed it would be dinner at one of the many restaurants around town on our must try list. The 'suprise dinner' definitely lived up to its name when I was told that there was a homemade meal waiting for me using several items from our basket this week.

Not only was this absolutely delicious, it was also extremely creative. I don't know that I ever would have made squash quesadillas, but thanks to Dominic they now have a definite spot in our summer rotation of meals. We already discussed several ways to switch up the flavors here and are eagerly awaiting more squash to give them a try. An obvious addition would be cilantro: either added to the vegetables themselves or chopped into some sour cream to serve alongside.

Dominic also had a great tip that again I never would have thought of for making the quesadillas. I would normally do the obvious of assembling the quessadilla in the pan, cooking it on one side, then potentially very awkwardly flipping it to cook on the other side. Instead he microwaved the quesadilla for 1 minute before putting it in a very hot pan to crisp up both sides of the tortillas. This way the cheese was already melted and the whole flipping process caused much less mess than my typical method.

One year ago: Green Bean Salad with Chanterelles

Summer Squash Quesadillas

ingredients:

assortment of summer squash and/or zucchini, chopped

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1 red chile, finely diced

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved

olive oil

8 oz. monterey jack cheese, grated (preferably the monterey with jalapenos)

flour tortillas (we used red pepper flavored tortillas)

Heat a little olive in a large pan over medium heat. Add the squash, pepper, onion and chile and cook about 15 minutes stirring frequently. The vegetables should be very soft. Add the tomatoes, stir to combine and cook about 5 minutes more or until the tomatoes have begun to soften. Remove from the heat and place the vegetable mixture in a large mixing bowl.

Assemble the quesadillas: place 1 tortilla on a microwave safe plate, then top with a layer of vegetable mixture and a layer of cheese. Microwave for 1 minute. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in the same pan the vegetables were cooked in over high heat. Add the quesadilla and cook about 1 minute on each side or until the tortillas are crisp and browned. Cut into quarters and serve.

Pasta & Roasted Vegetables with Peanut Sauce

2011-04-20T21:05:00.002-04:00

Over the past few months we have been regularly getting broccoli and bok choi from Farmers Organics and carrots from Roots Farm. This recipe is a great use of all 3, but could easily be adapted to almost any mix of vegetables.

Still being in love with roasted broccoli I decided to roast the vegetables for this dish. If you have less time on your hands you could sauté them with a bit of olive oil or for an even quicker alternative, cook them for a few minutes in boiling water. If you go the roasted route (which I recommend), it is important to add the bok choy stems halfway through the cooking time and then to toss the bok choy greens with the other vegetables after they come out of the oven.

In addition to choosing the most time consuming method of cooking these vegetables, I also made my own pasta. So to sum up - I took what could have been a very simple recipe and stretched it out take a couple hours to prepare. But it was a leisurely Friday evening with a few glasses of wine and I didn't mind the extra time in the kitchen.

One year ago: Quinoa with Spring Onions & Swiss Chard and Spring Onion & Garlic Chive Pasta

Pasta Roasted Vegetables with Peanut Sauce
ingredients:
1 large bunch broccoli, stems and heads chopped into 1" pieces
4-5 medium carrots, chopped into 1" pieces
1 bunch bok choy, thinly sliced with greens and stems separated
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 lb. whole wheat pasta cooked al dente
for the peanut sauce:
4 tablespoons peanut butter
4 tablespoons warm water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons worcesteshire sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 425F. Arrange the broccoli and carrots on baking sheets. Drizzle with a little olive and season with salt and pepper. Mix gently to coat. Roast for 15 minutes then add the bok choy stems, toss again and roast 15 minutes more. Place the roasted vegetables in a large mixing bowl and toss with the bok choy greens.

While the vegetables are roasting whisk together the ingredients for the sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Pour the sauce over the pasta and toss well to coat the pasta. Then top with vegetables and serve.

Roasted Broccoli

2011-04-18T19:32:00.000-04:00

This hardly qualifies as recipe because it is so very simple. I make it a bit more interesting by adding lemon zest, parmesan cheese and pine nuts which elevate it from just roasted broccoli to a more acceptable side dish. Or in our case, a main dish served alongside a fried egg. The taste is similar to my favorite brussel sprouts. With the crisp crunchy bits and a bit of salt you feel like you're eating something much more decadent than just broccoli.

For most of January and February and even some of March we received a large bunch of broccoli like the one pictured above from Farmers Organics. As with the butternut squash of last fall, so much of one vegetable really made me get creative with various ways to prepare it. First there was Broccoli Pesto Pasta and now roasted broccoli, and several more to follow...

One year ago: Roasted Rutabaga & Cilantro Pesto with Gnocchi

Roasted Broccoli
ingredients:
1 large bunch broccoli
olive oil
salt and pepper
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup toast pine nuts
1/4 cup grated parmesan

Preheat the oven to 425F. Chop off and discard the very bottom of the broccoli stems. Peel the broccoli stems then chop into bite size pieces. Chop the heads into bite size florets. Arrange the broccoli in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Use 2 sheets if necessary so as not to crowd the broccoli. Drizzle with a little olive and season with salt and pepper. Toss gently with your hands to evenly coat the broccoli.

Roast in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, tossing every 10 minutes. The broccoli should be browned and crispy in places. Remove from the oven and place in a large serving bowl. Squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper then top with the lemon zest, pine nuts and parmesan.

Radish & Arugula Pizza

2011-04-17T12:00:00.000-04:00

I know that it's been quiet around here for almost 2 whole months. But not to worry, the mostly vegetable kitchen has indeed been eating, well, mostly vegetables. During these spring months there have been many of the same dishes we cooked this time last year. I try to be creative, but with many of the same ingredients showing up each week, various cooking greens, various salad greens, carrots and sometimes radishes, its very easy to fall back on familiar routines. Some sort of version of Fried Rice has been the easiest of familiar routines to fall back on. This dish has been reinterpreted with all sorts of greens and vegetables at least once a week this spring. Sometimes the fried "rice" has even been made with quinoa instead. All of this is to say that I am looking forward to the summer months and to so many of my favorite vegetables and fruits.

But for now, I think this bright and colorful pizza is the perfect way to bring this blog out of hibernation. My favorite go-to technique with any vegetable, or even fruit, that I've begun to run out of ideas for, is to create a pizza around it. With the right combination of flavors I think almost anything can make a fantastic pizza. In the past few months there has even been a broccoli pizza and an asparagus pizza. Both of which were of course delicious.

I've talked before about beauty of perfect pink radishes, and they couldn't look prettier than they do here next to bright, green arugula. The radishes are sliced paper thin so that their edges crisp and curl up in the oven. The sharp, spicy radish flavor mellows slightly while in the oven, but the arugula and balsamic vinegar pair perfectly with it. All of which is rounded out with a bit of parmesan cheese.

One Year Ago: Orange & Raspberry Tart, and Roasted Rutabaga with Cilantro Pesto & Gnocchi

Radish & Arugula Pizza
Ingredients:
pizza dough
1 shallot, thinly sliced
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4-5 radishes, thinly sliced
3/4 cup grated parmesan
1 bunch arugula, chopped
2-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 450F. Cook the shallot in a little olive oil over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and remove from the heat. Roll out the pizza dough and scatter the shallot mixture evenly over the dough then top with 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese. Arrange the sliced radishes on the pizza. Cook for 10-15 minutes. The crust should be golden and the radishes should be slightly shriveled and curled up at the edges.

While the pizza is cooking combine the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan, chopped arugula, and 2 tablespoons balsamic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of balsamic a little at a time tasting between additions. The arugula mixture should have good sharp flavor but not be overwhelming.

As soon as the pizza is removed from the oven top with and even layer of the arugula mixture. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

White Bread

2011-02-20T11:48:00.001-05:00

This recipe doesn't involve any fresh things from our basket, but it does have to do with the overall idea of eating less processed foods. You see there are differing ideas in this apartment on what type of bread should be kept in the house for morning toast, frequent PBJ's, the occasional grilled cheese sandwich and so on. I'm in favor of a very hearty bread full of whole grains while Dominic prefers a plain and simple white bread.

During one grocery trip in January we spent at least 10 minutes in the bread aisle each trying to convince the other of which bread we should get. This happened to be the day before The Big Snow Storm and I don't know what it's like in other areas, but in Georgia everyone goes out to stock up on bread and milk the day before any winter weather. Meaning that the bread aisle on that particular day was similar to what the mall is like on the day after Thanksgiving. Not fun. I finally gave up and Dominic grabbed a questionable loaf of white bread saying, "It's bread, how bad can it be?".

When we got home Dominic had a look at the ingredient list, which conceivably should consist of handful of items, including flour, yeast, butter, etc. This plastic wrapper had a paragraph of about 20 items, including of course the ubiquitous high fructose corn syrup.

I decided that if Dominic really wanted a white bread for his lunchtime PBJ, then I would make sure he could at least have a better bread to work with. Fortunately for me, The Big Snow Storm provided plenty of time at home for bread experimenting.

Since then, this white bread has become a staple in the kitchen. This recipe makes 2 loafs which tends to last us for 2 weeks. Every other weekend when I have a few lazy hours to spend around the apartment I mix up a batch of this bread dough. I freeze one loaf to keep it as fresh as possible and then take it out of the freezer to thaw the next weekend.

A slice of this, warm from the oven, is one of my new favorite treats.

One year ago: Red Curry with Vegetables and Barley Risotto with Spinach and Citrus

White Bread
Ingredients:
5-6 cups flour (unbleached all-purpose or bread flour), divided
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 envelope (1/4 oz.) dry yeast
2 cups very warm water
2 tablespoons softened butter

In a large mixing bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer if you have one) combine 2 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Whisk to combine. While beating at a low speed add the butter and water. Turn up the speed to medium and continue beating for 3 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides with a spatula every so often. Add 1/2 cup flour and beat 4 minutes more. Then add 2 cups more flour and beat to combine. Add the last 1 1/2 cups flour in 1/2 cup increments, you may not use all of it. Once a shaggy ball of dough has formed, turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic. Keep any unused flour nearby to sprinkle the dough if it becomes too sticky.

Very lightly butter a large mixing bowl (you can rinse out the bowl used to make the dough). Place the dough in the bowl, turning to coat the dough in the butter. Cover with a clean towel and let rise about 1 hour. Punch the dough down, cut in half and place on top of the towel, then cover the dough with the mixing bowl. Let rest for 15 minutes. Then use your hands to stretch each half of the dough into about a 12 x 9 rectangle. Roll the rectangle, starting at the short edge, turning the ends under and place in a loaf pan, seam side down. Repeat with the other half of dough. Cover the pans with the towel and let rise until double in size, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Bake at 400F for 25 minutes or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove from the pans to cool. Brush each loaf with 1 tablespoon of butter.

The bread will keep up to 1 week stored at room temperature in a plastic bag. To freeze, let the bread completely cool then wrap tightly with plastic wrap then a layer of tin foil. The bread can be frozen up to 1 month. Take the bread out of the freezer and allow 1 day to thaw at room temperature before using.

Orange Marmalade

2011-02-18T14:08:00.002-05:00

With a refrigerator drawer full of oranges, Orange Maramalade seemed like a useful Saturday morning activity. While waiting on a batch of bread dough to rise (more on that later), I spent the morning over coffee, a book and occasionally stirring this pot full of oranges. The apartment was filled with the smell of simmering citrus which I think should be the official smell of February: warm and comforting but fresh with the promise of spring.

By early afternoon I had 3 jars of fresh marmalade lined up on the counter and 2 steaming loafs of bread fresh out of the oven. A very productive morning, if I do say so myself. And then the following Monday morning when I sat down to breakfast and sampled my own efforts I had another round of feeling pleased with myself.

One year ago: Sauteed Swiss Chard Pasta, Grassfed Burgers with Bourbon Onions, and Polenta Pizza

Orange Marmalade
Ingredients:
4 oranges, quartered and thinly sliced*
1 large lemon, quartered and thinly sliced*
8 cups water
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4-7 cups sugar

Combine the orange and lemon slices, water and vanilla extract in a large heavy bottomed pot. Bring to a boil then lower the temperature and simmer until the skins are tender and translucent, about 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes or so.

Add 3 cups of sugar and stir well to dissolve. Then continue to add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well between additions and tasting for sweetness. I used only 4 1/2 cups, but most recipes call for up to 7 cups. This will depend on your taste and the sweetness or tartness of the fruit. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, skimming any foam that forms and stirring often until the marmalade begins to set, 10-30 minutes. Mine took the full 30 minutes, this will vary depending largely on the amount of sugar used. The mixture will darken to a light caramel color. The marmalade will continue to thicken for up to 1 day after canning, so don't worry if it seems a bit runny.

Transfer the marmalade to small jelly jars and store in the refrigerator. Or, if canning, make sure all lids and jars are thoroughly cleaned, then process the filled jars for 5 minutes in boiling water. The marmalade can then be stored for up 1 year, refrigerate after opening.

*A mandoline makes this task very easy.

Raw Winter Green Salad

2011-02-09T20:38:00.004-05:00

This salad is basically the complete opposite of my last recipe. Instead of wilting and baking these winter greens for almost 2 hours, in this dish I do as little as possible to them, almost nothing. I have been enjoying this salad about once a week since November, usually on Wednesday nights.

Wednesday is the day our weekly basket arrives and while I have a refrigerator brimming with beautiful as-fresh-as-possible produce I often find it hard to cook that night. I want to make sure I use each item in the best way possible and this involves a bit of thought and lots of lists. Lists of vegetables, lists of recipes, lots of lists and notes before I decide what will be appearing on the kitchen table over the next week. This salad is the perfect Wednesday night dinner for the winter months, I can count on having a big bunch of some type of green (collards, kale, or chard) or I have squirreled away some from last week. Tonight I used the collards straight from the basket making for a very short time from the farm to my kitchen table. They were bright and tender and perfect for eating raw.

While just the name "raw winter green salad" may give the impression of being far too wholesome to possibly taste good let me inform you that these raw greens are joined by a generous coating of olive oil and lemon juice, a small mountain of parmesan and at least a few handfuls of bread crumbs. All of which make for a salty, crunchy, slightly tangy bright green salad. This is the perfect winter meal before cozying up on the couch with a blanket for the last season of The Wire while peeking every so often to see if the snow has begun.

One year ago: Vegetables & Brown Rice Salad and Roasted Sunchoke Risotto

Raw Winter Green Salad

ingredients:
1 large bunch of winter greens (kale, collards, chard)
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup of olive oil
3/4 cup grated parmesan
salt and pepper
red pepper flakes
1/4 cup bread crumbs

Remove the thick ribs from the greens then slice very thinly, 1/4" or smaller. Place the chopped greens in a large serving bowl.

In a small bowl combing the lemon zest and juice, olive oil, 1/4 cup parmesan, and a pinch of red pepper. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Pour this mixture over the greens and toss well to evenly coat the greens. Add the bread crumbs and another 1/4 cup of parmesan and toss again. Taste and add more salt and pepper to taste. Let the salad sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before serving topped with the remaining parmesan.

Winter Green Panade

2011-02-07T19:32:00.001-05:00

This is one of those dishes that doesn't seem to photograph well despite how delicious it is. I guess that are plenty of attractive people out there who just don't take good pictures, so if people can be un-photogenic then I suppose a Winter Green Panade has every right to be as well. Oh, and of course, looks aren't everything...

So while you may think you're looking at a slightly burnt mess of crutons and greens in the above picture, what you're really looking at is a rich, velvety mixture of collard greens, caramelized onions, chunks of bread, and gruyere cheese. All of which sound like perfectly fine ingredients on their own but they are also joined by just enough chicken stock to bring it all together a create something much, much better. This layered mixture goes into the oven for just under 2 hours and comes out magically transformed: The bread soaks up the stock and gruyere and turns into perfect soggy bites, the greens that went in slightly wilted, come out silky and flavorful. Who knew soggy bread and wilted greens could be so good?

As you can tell from the photo below, the panade soaks up the stock and becomes a thick bread pudding of sorts, so thick in fact that you can almost cut it into wedges and serve it the same as you would a pie.

Since I'm not someone who particularly cares about the Superbowl or for that matter football in general, I am definitely not someone who embraces the whole Superbowl tradition that involves piles of junk food. But I will say that a big scoop of this panade and a beer seemed like the perfect accompaniments for an evening of commercial (oops, football) watching.

One year ago: Vietnamese Salad, Vegetables & Brown Rice Salad, and Roasted Sunchoke Risotto

Winter Green Panade
from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook
ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds yellow onions, quartered and thinly sliced (3-4 medium)
olive oil
6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
salt
1 lb winter greens (collards, swiss chard, kale, mustard, etc.), thick ribs removed then cut into 1 inch ribbons
10 oz. day old peasant style bread, cut into 1 inch cubes (about 4 cups)
4 cups chicken stock
6 oz. gruyere, coarsely grated

Place the onions in a large saucepan (preferably cast iron), drizzle and toss with enough olive oil to coat the onions, about 1/4 cup. Place over medium-high heat and cook, shimmying the pan occasionally, until the bottom layer of onions is slightly golden, about 5 minutes. Stir the onions, then repeat. When the second layer has begun to color, reduce the heat to medium and stir in the garlic and a few pinches of salt. Continue to cook, stirring often until the onions a amber and tender, about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Place the greens in a large saucepan (you can use the same one you cooked the onions in) along with a small drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat, tossing the greens to evenly coat and wilt them for about 4 minutes. The greens should be bright green when finished.

Toss the bread cubes with a tablespoon of olive oil, 1/4 cup of the stock and a pinch of salt.

Assemble the panade: Use a large oven-safe dish (I used my large enameled cast-iron dutch oven). Begin with a small coating of onions on the bottom, then a loose sprinkle of bread cubes, more onions, a layer of wilted greens, then a handful of cheese. Repeat the layers: bread, onions, greens, cheese 2-3 more times, reserving a small amount of each ingredient. Top with the reserved ingredients, to show off a little of everything. It is meant to be a very rustic dish. Drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil.

Bring the 3 3/4 cup chicken stock to a simmer. Add the stock to the panade slowly, pouring around the edges of the dish. Set the dish over medium low heat and bring to a simmer. You will see the stock bubbling around the edges. Cover the top with parchment paper and then loosely wrap with foil. If your dish is filled close to the brim you may want to place a foil lined baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drips. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, the panade should be bubbly and golden in the center. Uncover the panade, raise the temperature to 375F and cook until very golden on top, 10-20 more minutes.

Slide a knife around the inside of dish to loosen the edges. Let cool about 10 minutes before serving.

Broccoli Pesto Pasta

2011-02-03T19:29:00.003-05:00

We have had broccoli in our basket for the past 3 weeks. Coincidentally, we have eaten this dish 3 times in recent weeks. The first time I made it for my brother and KayLeigh and it did not go quite as planned. I paired it with homemade pasta and completely underestimated the amount of time it takes the water in my huge pasta pot* to come to a boil. I then tossed the pasta, broccoli and pesto together in the serving dish. The final result was 'fine'. Not perfect, but good enough to deserve a second chance and a bit of tweaking.

*Since that dinner I have decided that despite what all homemade pasta making instructions tell me, my pasta really does not need that much water to cook in. Taking twenty minutes to bring water to a boil for pasta that only needs 90 seconds to cook seems to be an inefficient use of water and time. But back to the broccoli.

The selling point of this dish is that it uses the broccoli both as small, just barely cooked pieces to be tossed with the pasta, and as a creamy pesto to hold everything else together. And if that doesn't sound like enough, I have been so fortunate to have tomatoes for the last two weeks (yes, in January!), which soften along with some garlic and olive oil and put this dinner over the top. Since broccoli and tomatoes are not typical partners in the seasonal kitchen, I can confirm that this recipe still works without them.

The main lesson learned from my first attempt at this recipe is that the whole dish should be tossed together over a bit of heat before transferring to the serving bowl. First the broccoli and pesto should be added to the saucepan and mixed well, then the pasta is added and again everything is mixed well. This allows the pesto to become very rich and creamy and to evenly coat everything. Then each bite has bits of broccoli and tomato and is humming with the flavor of the broccoli pesto surrounding everything.

One year ago: Roasted Jerusalem Artichokes, Roasted Carrot Fries, and Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto (lots of roasting!)

Broccoli Pesto Pasta
Ingredients:
1 large head of broccoli, stems peeled and chopped, heads chopped into small florets
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/2 cup grated parmesan
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon half and half or heavy cream
1/4 cup olive oil
1 pint grape tomatoes, quartered
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 lb. pasta

Cook the broccoli in boiling water for 2 minutes then drain and run under cold water. Transfer 1/2 - 1/3 of the broccoli to a food processor along with the pine nuts and 1/4 cup parmesan. Pulse until evenly chopped, then drizzle in the half and half and enough olive oil to bring the mixture together.

Cook the pasta until al dente in boiling salted water, drain, then set aside.

Gently cook the tomatoes and garlic in a little olive oil over medium heat, stirring often to prevent the garlic from burning. Once the tomatoes have released some of their juices, about 10 minutes, add the remaining broccoli. Toss well and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes or until the broccoli is heated through then add the broccoli pesto. Stir well until fully incorporated and creamy. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat the pasta. Serve topped with the remaining parmesan.

Roasted Acorn Squash with Corn & Caramelized Onions

2011-02-02T07:12:00.002-05:00

We received a huge acorn squash this week. Unlike other winter squash, like butternut, this one is not so easy to work with. It took some brute strength just to cut this in half so I new that I needed to come up with a recipe that involved as little cutting and chopping of the squash as possible. Roasted squash halves with some sort of filling seemed like the perfect option.

Back at the end of summer I received a large amount of fresh corn from my mom which is now lined up in freezer bags patiently awaiting its moment in the kitchen. One such freezer bag was used for the corn filling. Mixed with just enough milk and egg to create a light pudding along with a little thyme and caramelized onions, this summer weather vegetable became a very satisfying and hearty winter meal.

We also got one of my favorite type of greens this week from Woodland Gardens: pea shoots. These are tiny bright green leaves that taste just like fresh peas. They're great in a fried egg sandwich and they made a great topping for these squash bowls. Having a fresh green bite against the rich roasted flavors of the squash was a nice contrast. Arugula could easily be used instead of pea shoots.

One year ago: Caramelized Brussel Sprouts, Spicy Pepper & Goat Cheese Pizza, and Kale & Butternut Squash Casserole

Roasted Acorn Squash with Corn & Caramelized Onions
Ingredients:
1 medium acorn squash (or any winter squash), halved lengthwise and seeded
olive oil
1-2 onions, halved and very thinly sliced
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup corn
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup sharp cheddar, grated
salt and pepper
pea shoots or arugula (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375F. Lightly rub the cut side of the squash with olive oil. Arrange on a baking sheet or alternately a cupcake pan (to keep the squash level), cut side up and cover with tin foil. Roast for 45 minutes.

Meanwhile cook the sliced onions in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium low heat until very brown and caramelized, about 45 minutes.

Mix together the milk, egg, corn, thyme, half the cheese,and half of the onions. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Scoop the corn mixture into the cooked acorn squash halves. Be careful not to overfill, you do not want the mixture to overflow in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, the filling should be set. Then top with the remaining cheddar and caramelized onions. Turn the oven temperature to 400F and bake the squash 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted and is beginning to brown. Serve topped with the pea shoots or arugula.

Sweet Potato & Apple Tart

2011-01-28T20:48:00.003-05:00

This has to be both the easiest and best tasting dish to come out of my kitchen in recent memory. With Dominic helping with the cheese grating and potato peeling I think we had the tart assembled and in the oven within 15 minutes of my arrival home from work. As you can see from the recipes on this site, that is not often the case around here.

And then the tart itself - this is definitely one of those dishes where the sum is much greater than the parts. The ingredient list is short and somewhat odd (sweet potato and apple), but somehow they come together to make something sweet, savory, and decadent but still not too heavy for a winter night. With a simple arugula salad this was hands down the best meal of the past month.

One year ago: Angel Hair with Cherry Tomatoes, and Risotto with Roasted Sweet Potato & Arugula Pesto,

Sweet Potato & Apple Tart

Ingredients:
1 medium sized sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced
1 apple, cored and thinly sliced
1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
3/4 cup grated parmesan
2 teaspoons dried thyme
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400F. Lay the puff pastry out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Using a knife score a border 1/2" from the edge of the pastry. Be careful not to cut through, then prick the pastry inside the border all over with a fork. Sprinkle half of the parmesan on the pastry inside the border. Arrange the sweet potato and apple slices on top of the cheese, overlapping and alternating between potatoes and apples. If necessary make two layers of the slices. Season with salt and pepper then top with the remaining cheese and the thyme. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool 5 minutes before serving.

Deep Dish Apple Cobbler

2011-01-27T19:43:00.002-05:00

I thought that 2010 was the year of the apple in this kitchen, but here it is 2011 and I have another pile of apples. I also have a refrigerator drawer full of pecans from home. This dish is a perfect combination of sweet apples and crunchy pecans. I'm not quite sure what to call this - it isn't an apple pie but it is slightly more pie-ish than a cobbler. I guess it falls somewhere between the two.

I cut back the sugar in this recipe so that we could enjoy this all week both as breakfast and as an after dinner snack. The after dinner snack is more Dominic's territory but I understand this is great slightly warmed up and topped with a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream.

One year ago: Zucchini Bread, Spicy Coleslaw

Deep Dish Apple Cobbler
Ingredients:
4 apples, cored and chopped
juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup pecans
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 sticks butter, melted
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350F. Butter a baking dish then add the apples, pecans, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Toss to coat the apples evenly in the lemon and sugar. In a large mixing bowl stir together the butter, flours, eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla. Pour the batter mixture over the apples and pecans and use a spatula to spread the batter evenly. Bake for 45 minutes. Serve with ice cream or a morning cup of coffee.

New Years Pasta

2011-01-10T12:22:00.002-05:00

The first week and a half of 2011 has been good and now that I'm snowed in on a Monday it seems a good time to catch up on our New Years Eve dinner. Especially since I wish I had a crock pot full of this sauce simmering away in the kitchen right now.

I tend to think of slow cooker recipes as being very simple: minimal effort in the morning, throw a few things together, go about your day and then have an amazing smelling house and meal waiting for you later. This is not that kind of recipe. It does give you the amazing smelling house and meal, but it involves at least an hour of work in the morning. Not enough work that it will deter me from making this again, but I just want to give fair warning.

That said, this was delicious and continued to be delicious for 3 more days after which the remaining sauce became part of an equally delicious lasagna. And as far as the amazing smelling house - we had friends come over that afternoon who walked in and said "ooh, that smells good", then after another second "seriously, WHAT IS THAT?!". The sauce cooked a bit longer than the original recipe called for, but I think that only helped its cause. Sharing a late afternoon bottle of champagne with friends we don't see often enough seemed far more important than working on dinner.

In addition to this sauce I decided to use my day off to try homemade pasta for the first time using my brand new pasta maker. I was surprised how easily the dough came together. The rolling it out process was a bit time consuming, but with Dominic helping and a bottle of wine we were done in no time. I used the pasta dough recipe and instructions in Marcella Hazan's Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking.

This meal, along with some great wine was the perfect way to ring in the New Year. I hope everyone else had a happy and delicious New Year!

Homemade Pasta with Pulled Pork & Sausage Sauce

Ingredients:
olive oil
3 lbs trimmed boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3" pieces
salt and pepper
1 lb Italian sausage (mixture of sweet and spicy)
3 oz. pancetta, diced
1 large onion, chopped
8 garlic cloves, chopped
2-3 carrots, cut into 1/2" pieces
1 cup dry red wine
28 oz. can diced tomatoes
28 oz. can tomato puree
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 rosemary sprig
1/2 cup water
2 lbs pasta
grated parmesan

In a large skillet heat a few tablespoons of oil. Season the pork shoulder with salt and pepper and cook over medium high heat until browned on all sides. Transfer to the slow cooker, cover and turn on high. Remove the sausages from the casings and break into pieces. Add a little more oil to the skillet and cook the sausage until browned. While cooking use a spatula to break up the sausage into small pieces. Add the sausage to the slow cooker.

Cook the pancetta in the same skillet over moderate heat until crispy, about 7 minutes. Then add the onion, garlic and carrots. Cook 10 minutes more, stirring often, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the red wine and stir to release any browned bits. Bring the wine to a boil and cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and tomato puree. Bring the mixture to a boil then transfer to the slow cooker. Add the thyme, rosemary and water. Cover and cook on low until the pork is very tender, 8-9 hours.

Remove the pork shoulder pieces from the slow cooker and place in a large bowl. Using 2 forks shred the pork then return to the slow cooker and simmer for 30 more minutes. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. Drain and return to the pot. Add half of the sauce to the pot. Stir well to combine. Serve topped with the remaining sauce. Top each serving with grated parmesan.

Chicken and Dumplings

2011-01-01T11:59:00.003-05:00

I know that this is my first ever chicken related recipe and only my second ever meat related recipe (Burgers with Bourbon Onions). But this isn't just any chicken and dumplings: it's packed with tons of vegetables and winter greens and it is the creamiest most comforting stuff I can imagine. We've had it twice in the past month and both times a big bowlful makes me feel warmer and cozier than even sitting in front of a roaring fire could.

But even more importantly than this not being just any old recipe, this isn't just any chicken. This is one of these chickens:

Last summer Dominic, my parents and I spent a day at "chicken camp" at Nature's Harmony Farm in Elberton, GA. We got to see some of the really amazing things Tim and Liz are doing there and we also learned to butcher chickens. I wasn't sure how I would do at this endeavor. I knew I wouldn't be nearly as impressive as my mother who volunteered to go first out of our class and surprised some of the burly men who were clearly feeling a bit apprehensive about the task at hand. But this was not her first time, she has been volunteering at a farm nearby and even helped with their first turkeys last year before Thanksgiving. Needless to say, we all felt a stronger feeling of appreciation for our turkey when we sat down to Thanksgiving dinner that year.

Having been impressed by my mother's own efforts to learn more about the process involved in bringing meat to the table, Dominic and I wanted to learn and see for ourselves. I don't eat a lot of meat and when I do it is from farms that I know a little about and know that the animals had good lives and were butchered in a humanely as possible way. But even so, I still feel a little guilty when I take plastic or paper wrapped cuts of meat out of the freezer. I know that there is a lot that I've missed between the farm and what I'm about to prepare for dinner. So I took this activity as a bit of a challenge: If I couldn't take part in this portion of the process then I didn't think I should be a meat eater at all. Well, here I am preparing Chicken & Dumplings.

The chickens we butchered that day were male chickens who had lived longer than your typical supermarket chicken. I hadn't been aware of the importance of eating male chickens, which Tim describes well: A Life Not Wasted. Rather than acting as large hatcheries do, at Nature's Harmony they let the male chickens live, but as Tim describes they take up to 5 months to reach 3 lbs where your supermarket chicken barely lives 6 weeks. This extra time makes the chicken tougher and it has to be cooked in different ways to bring out their best qualities. Because of this I put a chicken in the crockpot with enough water to almost cover it along with some chopped carrots, onions, celery, or whatever I have on hand. 8 hours later I have a few containers of amazing chicken stock and plastic baggies of flavorful cooked chicken. Both items can then go back into the freezer or be used right away in a recipe like this.

As I said earlier, I absolutely love this recipe. Two of the chickens we came home with have gone to great use by becoming Chicken & Dumplings. Another chicken went into a crockpot verison of Coq Au Vin. We now have only one more chicken in the freezer: the rooster Dominic is holding in the first picture above. He was 18 months old at the time of harvest and had become too tough on the laying hens. I am still trying to think of the best recipe to send him out in style.

Chicken & Dumplings

Ingredients:
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2-3 green onions, sliced
1/2 onion minced
2 turnips, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
6 tablespoons flour
1/4 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
2 cups shredded and chopped chicken
2 cups winter greens, chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Dumplings:
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons butter

Cook the onions, turnips, and carrots in the oil and butter with ½ tsp salt until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour. Whisk in the apple juice and vinegar, scraping up bits. Stir in the broth, milk, thyme and bay leaves. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are very tender, 45 min.- 1 hour. Add the chicken and greens to the stew and return to a simmer.

Stir the flour, baking powder and salt together. Microwave the milk and butter until warm, 30 seconds – 1 minute. Stir the milk mixture into the flour until incorporated.

Stir the parsley into the stew and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Gather golf-ball-sized pieces of dumpling batter onto a spoon then push the batter onto the stew with a second spoon. Place the dumplings about 1/4” apart. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook about 15 minutes more or until the dumplings have doubled in size. Serve in bowls with a few ladlefuls of the chicken and sauce and a couple dumplings on top.

Apple & Cranberry Tart

2010-12-27T18:50:00.004-05:00

I know things have been quiet here during the holidays. But that doesn't mean there hasn't been lots of activity in the kitchen. There have been lots of cookies, a few delicious wintery meals, apple butter, several appetizers involving red and green pepper jelly, mulled wine, plenty of eggnog (and bourbon) and even my first attempt at hosting a big family dinner.

Also, there was an Apple & Cranberry Tart. I made this to take to my parents' house for a family tree trimming night. It was a big hit and even my normally sweet-averse brother commented that this was the kind of dessert he liked. I think the tart flavor of the cranberries are what keep it from being just another holiday pie and turn it into something special. This would be a welcome addition to any Thanksgiving table but I think the pretty red cranberries make it perfect for any Christmas get together.

Stay tuned for some of the 'delicious wintery meals' mentioned above. Happy Holidays!

Apple & Cranberry Tart

Ingredients:
Pie Crust
3-4 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
4 tablespoons apple butter
2 teaspoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (for dusting)

Custard filling:
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup half & half

Preheat the oven to 400F.

On a floured surface roll out the pie crust into about a 14" circle. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a non-stick liner. Spread the apple butter evenly over the crust, leaving a 2" border. Sprinkle the apple slices with the 1 tablespoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Toss well to evenly coat the apples. Layer the apples and cranberries over the apple butter, maintaining the 2" border. Fold up the edges of the crust, crimping and pressing the eges. Mix together the 2 teaspoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and set aside.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven. Mix together the egg and butter and brush the outside of the crust with the mixture. Then add the sugar, almond extract, and half & half to the remaining egg mixture. Whisk well, then carefully pour into the tart. Be careful not to overflow the custard mixture. Sprinkle the crust with the reserved cinnamon and sugar. Bake 10-15 minutes more or until the custard has set.

Let cool for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Savory Apple Pizza

2010-12-02T12:58:00.004-05:00

It was bound to happen. After Apple Tarte Tatin, Apple Hand Pies, Apple Shortbread, more Apple Hand Pies, and Apple Cake, it was really only a matter of time before I tried an Apple Pizza. It all started a few weeks ago with the Tortelli di Mele (ravioli with apples, sausage, brown butter and sage) at Sotto Sotto. That's when the idea of a savory apple recipe jumped up to the top of my to-make-list. Knowing that there was no way I could compete with the dish at Sotto Sotto I immediately eliminated any pasta and apple combination. So naturally the next option was a savory apple pizza.

This pizza has the perfect combination of savory green onion, sharp goat cheese, salty parmesan and sweet apple flavors. Next time I will slice the apples just a bit thicker to get plenty of apple flavor in each bite. I tried the same recipe a week later in the form of a rustic tart with much success. Please don't ask me to say which I prefer, the pizza or the tart, I really can't pick one over the other.

Savory Apple Pizza

Ingredients:

pizza dough

2-3 green onions, thinly sliced

4 tablespoons butter

2 apples, cored and sliced into 1/4" wedges

4 oz. goat cheese

1/4 cup milk

1 clove garlic minced

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat the oven to 425F. Cook the onions in the butter until beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. In a small bowl combine the onions and any remaining butter with the goat cheese, milk, garlic, and 1/3 of the parmesan. Roll out the pizza dough then evenly spread the onion mixture over the the dough. Arrange the apple slices on top of the onions then top with the remaining parmesan cheese. Cook for 15 minutes or until the crust is golden and the parmesan is beginning to brown.