Rich Fletcher's Good Food & Photography

Spring Blossoms from my Garden

2013-06-13T13:30:00.001-04:00

Love Farm Country

2013-06-11T12:38:00.001-04:00

Free Range Grass Fed Beef ;)

Garden Experiment - Garlic

2013-06-10T13:28:00.001-04:00

Love , Love , LOVE Garlic ... I tried to grow at least 100 heads a year , and still end up buying more from local farmers. Soooo I decided what i needed was a garlic patch , of the hopefully self sustaining kind . I planted these bulbs in 2011 , and this year they all sprouted at least 4 shoots . Can't wait to see if the heads are of normal size .. will it work ?? I hope so , its fun to try anyways . I also have a small patch planted in fall of 2009 :)

HDR Oshawa's Second Marsh

2013-05-14T19:52:00.001-04:00

My Playground :)

Rich's Garden Tips - Use a cold frame

2013-05-13T13:08:00.001-04:00

I love to experiment in my garden ... this one was fun , and very easy to see the benefits . 17 days in , this is the difference. I should note I planted these 5 weeks before our last frost date , temps have been pretty mild , thankfully not much frost .

Consider using a cold frame, I built my three for free .. old plastic from a farm , and a few old wooden bearing crates .

Oven Baked Garlic and Chili Scotch Eggs

2013-05-09T12:52:00.000-04:00

Growing up , Scotch Eggs were a once or twice a year treat :) Usually when Mum was going to change the oil in the chip pan ... as deep frying these is the tradition way , and it makes a big mess of your oil . So ... In the interest of saving some $$ on oil , and choosing a healthier option , I chose to try and bake them . First time for me , up until this point every one I have ever eat has been deep fried . Here goes nothing!!

Ingredients: (Makes 5 Eggs)

1lb of ground pork ( sausages out of their casings )
7 Large Eggs , Free range prefered
1 heaping TSB of Chili Powder
1 heaping TSB of dehydrated garlic chips ( or a couple of cloves minced )
1 TSB of dried basil
Sea Salt and Pepper to your own taste
Several dashes of Lea & Perrins
2 cups of bread crumbs
3 TBS of oven safe oil ( Sunflower )

Step One : Hard Boiled Eggs

Fill a large pot ( i used 8 quarts ) with water , put your eggs in , brings to a soft boil , simmer for one minute and then take pot off the heat to cool down, leave at least 10 minutes ... then you can dunk the eggs in cold water and start peeling .

Step Two : The Meat

Crack one egg into a mixing bowl , add the pork , chili , garlic and basil and about 2/3 a cup of bread crumbs ... Mix until well blended and has a slightly sticky texture :)
Preheat your oven to 375F

Step Three : Make the Ball

Grab one egg .. and a handful of pork mix , I like to flatten it out , should look like the photo below this , and be almost enough to wrap around the egg, pretend your making large meatballs is the method , and soon the whole egg will be covered

Step Four : Egg Wash & Bread Crumbs

Pour the remaining bread crumbs onto a plate , and whisk up an egg and a splash of water in a bowl... take each pork wrapped egg, and gently roll in the egg wash , then onto the bread crumb plate , keep going till they are all breaded :)

Step Five : Oven Time

Assemble your scotch eggs on a Sunflower oiled baking sheet , and into the 375F oven they go
Total cook time was 30 minutes

Step Six : Make em Even

I set my timer to go off every ten minutes .. gently , roll the eggs around on each ten , after twenty minutes they should start getting some colour !

Step Seven : Rest

On a clean kitchen towel , or paper towel , nestle your eggs in and cover , leave them for five minutes .

Step Eight : Enjoy

Hot or cold your choice , I prefer mine hot ... I like to quarter mine and sprinkle with a little hot smoked paprika .

That is it :) I do hope you have enjoyed this post ! What did you think of the new format ? I tried to make it a little more recipe-ish :)

I would love to hear how it went if you try this.

Peace , Love and Happy Scotch Eggs !

My 7 Pepper Chili , 5 yr old cheddar & a couple of jacket potatoes :)

2013-05-02T23:00:00.001-04:00

My 7 Pepper Chili , 5 yr old cheddar & a couple of jacket potatoes :)

Jalapeno, Garlic & Onion Quick Pickle

2013-04-29T15:20:00.000-04:00

My whole life I avoided pickles... but slowly over the past year , i have been warming up to

them , never store bought , and to date just mushrooms and hot peppers were all I was

able to manage .. so I decided to try making my own .. turns out it was mostly the dill I

couldn't handle , and something in the commercial spiced ones :)

This is my second attempt at pickles ...

Ingredients

8 to 10 Jalapenos

1 Large White Onion

4 Cloves of Garlic

1 TBS Sea Salt

2 TBS Honey ( I used local, unpasteurized )

1 cup water

1/2 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup cider vinegar

2 Sterilized Mason Jars 500ml

Step 1: Get all your ingredients out , slice the jalapeno ( I left seeds in ) , onion and garlic

Step Two : Bring Water/ Vinegar/ Salt & Honey to boil in stainless pot , add the chopped goodies .. bring back to a boil, remove from heat

Step Three : Hot Pack into sterilized jars , seal and place in the fridge for at least a couple days, a couple weeks is better :)

Step Four : Enjoy!!!

So simple, so GOOD!! Over the summer I will continue my experiments .. different combinations & textures .. and also a shelf safe version . Stay tuned !!

Peace, Love and Happy Pickles !!

Rich

Cleaning out the crisper, 8 egg Beef n Veggie Frittata :)

2013-04-25T13:26:00.000-04:00

I love Frittatas :) They can range from simple two or three ingredients .. to a massive clean out the fridge version , like this one I'm about to show you .

Ingredients :)

8 Eggs , preferable free range ( Feeds about 6 )
1 red pepper
1 jalapeno
1 large onion
1 handful cremini mushrooms
2 green thai chili peppers
3 cloves of garlic
1 handful grated mozzarella
1 handful grated 5 yr old cheddar ( or use your favourite )
1 crown of broccoli
1 tomato
1 handful of asparagus
1 knob of butter
1 left over home burger or 8 oz of ground beef ( or leave it out for a veggie version )

Red & Jalapeno & Thai Peppers, cremini mushrooms , butter onion & garlic , for now :)

After a couple minutes , add the hamburger to the pan

When the veggies are halfway cooked , add in the rest of them asparagus , broccoli , tomato ( make sure they are all chopped to bite size :) and a sprinkle of the cheeses on top for good measure .

I used a large measuring cups to lightly whisk the 8 eggs together with a good pinch of the cheeses .. pour over the entire pan , trying to keep it relatively even .

About half way up the veggies is what I aim for :)

Add the rest of the cheeses , and a few cracks of black pepper , give it a minute of the pan , then into a preheated 350F oven

After Twenty minutes or so ... it should be set ....

and slide right out of the pan :)

Slice, serve and enjoy ! We had this with a nice Caesar salad :)

That's it , Simple Good Food ! Took just over 30 minutes from start to finish , and can be served as a meal on it own ... or enjoyed with salads, chips , toast ... just about anything really ! Enjoy

Peace , Love and Happy Eating

Homemade Oven Baked Naan Bread

2013-03-23T12:01:00.002-04:00

Lately Ive been trying to expand my bread making skills, this week I tried two new ones for me ... Hamburger Buns ... and one of my all time favourites , Naan Bread .

Ingredient List :

2 Cups Unbleached AP flour

1 Cup Bran AP Flour

1 TSB Sea Salt

1 TSB Garlic Chips ( or fresh , whichever you have on hand )

1/2 TSB Baking Soda

In a Sauce Pan :

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup warm milk ( not boiling ! )

1/4 cup yogurt ( I used 3% organic )

In a bowl :

2 1/4 TSB Dry Active Yeast ( or One pouch )
2 TBS Warm Water

1 TSB Sugar

Extras :

2 TBS Butter , melted - For brushing Naan after
1 TSB Sea Salt - For brushing Naan after

1/3 Cup Water -

1/4 Cup flour -

2 TBS Oil - I used EVOO

Step One :

Put warm water in a small bowl, add sugar and yeast and stir until dissolved. Leave for about 10 minutes , should be frothy

Step Two :

In a Sauce pan gently warm yogurt , milk and butter ... Once warm , add to bowl with flour , baking soda, salt and garlic chips ... use your mixer , or hands ... and knead for 6 - 10 minutes :) Mix until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl then knead for 6 - 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. You may need to add a little water or flour , I ended up adding a 1/2 cup of warm water , and 1/4 cup of flour ... I think 1/3 cup would have been perfect.

Step Three :

Place dough into a lightly oiled bowl , turn to coat the dough ball . cover with a clean , damp cloth , and leave to rise for about 4 hours or until doubled in volume .

Step Four :

Preheat oven to 520 degrees F or your oven's highest setting and set a rack in the lower third of the oven, place a pizza stone on the rack to preheat also.

Step Five :

Knock the dough down and knead briefly. Then Divide into six pieces, roll them into balls. returm them to the oiled bowl and cover with lightly plastic wrap. Rest them for 10 to 15 minutes. Next, roll out and stretch each ball until it is about 10 inches long and 4 inches wide.

Step Six :

Gotta be fast for this step ... I left the pizza stone in the oven and just slid the rack out a little, I managed to fit two loaves onto the stone , 4 minutes on the first side, and then 2 to 3 more on the other, and that is it ! Remove from the oven , I used my bbq flipper ... worked perfect ! Repeat until all your dough has been cooked . Took me less than 30 minutes to make the six loaves.

Step Seven :

On a clean tea towel , lay out the hot naan bread, and brush with melted butter and salt , wrap in the towel, and served immediately , or cool and refrigerate. They should last for up to a week... but its highly unlikely they will be around that long .

Step 2

My Scribbles !

Step 3

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Mmmm Naan Bread !

If your dough hangs off the stone , it will get crispy :)

All done :) Time to eat !

I enjoyed this one while still warm from baking !

Mmmm it made for an amazing pizza !

I promised myself I would make this well over a year ago , Im so happy to say , that it was quick, easy and VERY tasty and it will become one of my regulars :)

I hope you enjoy

Peace, Love and Good Food
Rich

100 Blog Posts in, Am I a Blogger now ?

2013-02-14T13:37:00.000-05:00

Hahaha some things still make me smile and shake my head ...I never in a million years would have thought I would become a Foodie , let alone a Food Blogger ! But here I am , making my 100th post on here :) With about 40000 pages views :) Now considering I did 50 posts in the first 6 months I have slowed down a little , as it took 2 years for the next 50!!! Hahaha I was concentrating on FB instead and just recently my Facebook page surpassed 7000 photos uploaded ... wow :)) With an average of 6000 views a week to over 70 countries , I am amazed !! Thank you all :) Im hoping it wont take me another 2 years for the next 50!

So Id like to celebrate by posting a few links to , previous posts , a couple old , a couple new ... and a previous milestone or two :))

Enjoy !

This one has been the most popular for two years running , and I still love making them :) Crispy Chili Cheese Bites !

http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.ca/2011/02/crispy-chili-cheese-bites-10w5-8.html

Hummus was one of those turning points for me ... once I discovered I could make it and other dips , cheaper , tastier and healthier than store bought :) There was no looking back :) Roasted Red Pepper Hummus !

http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.ca/2010/11/roasted-red-pepper-garlic-hummus.html

and who doesn't like homemade bread !!! Hahaha this is one that made me nervous , having had VERY bad luck with a bread maker... I attempted a foccacia bread , by hand ... and success!! Since then, Ive moved on to rolls, Indian Flat Bread, Pizza Shells .. and my latest favourite Crusty Bread !

http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.ca/2013/02/homemade-crusty-bread.html

One of the VERY few things I made from scratch before starting my foodie journey about 6 years ago ... was Chili! It was always my job to make a huge batch for Superbowl, or Guy Fawkes Night :) Hahaha I should have seen the signs ! Recently I made a batch for my own Birthday , here it is Birthday Chili :)

http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.ca/2013/01/7-pepper-birthday-chili.html

For those that don't know .. Back in October 2010 .. I quit my career of 20 years , and embarked on a life changing path ... first stop , farming!!! Raising egg layers and meat birds on a local organic farm :)) So much better than the office !! Hahaha

http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.ca/2011/04/new-chapter-begins-with-spring-p1.html

Here's the 50th post ... from back Spring 2011

http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.ca/2011/03/wow-50-posts-done.html

and finally , here is the blog post that started this blog!! Hahaha

http://richfletchersgoodfoodrevolution.blogspot.ca/2010/10/in-beginning.html

Whats next ?? I'm not too sure, I'm now working in a catering kitchen, and following my passions as they appear .. lately photography has been taking more and more of my time , I am hoping to pursue that further , and continue learning ... sadly farming has dropped off , gardening is still a huge part of my life and my yard!! Hahaha I do know that in the coming week.. I'll be making homemade sausages !!!

Ill leave you with a rare shot of me, taking during a recent outing with some fellow bird and nature photographers .. taken by friend Andrew of http://www.andrewlahay.com/

Homemade Crusty Bread

2013-02-09T14:19:00.001-05:00

Okay .... Enough already , Ill write the recipe !! hahahaha I must have had 20 requests for this bread recipe :) So here it is :)

I must add this has become my favourite bread of all time ... nothing Ive made or had can beat the crunchy crust with the chewy soft interior , and as a bonus its a very flexible recipe , can be made with or without a blender with equal success.

This post outlines , my first attempt at making this , almost a year ago now ... since then I have made well over 50 loaves , using a wide variety of flours and flavours :)

Ingredients for a double batch :)

12 Cups of Flour , can be a variety of combinations for this one it was 10 cups AP, 2 cups 12 Whole Grains , if using Whole Wheat I use 8 AP , 4 WW
2 Teaspoons Dry Yeast
7 Teaspoons Sea Salt
6 Cups Warm Water

The rest is optional ... for this batch I used

4 Cloves of garlic, Minced
1 Large pinch of dried basil
2 dutch onions , minced

Mix all the dry ingredients first

Stir in water

I did this batch by hand , using two wooden spatulas , took about 5 minutes ... A stand mixer will do the same, in about the same time ... should be a sticky mess

Cover with plastic wrap , and leave on counter for 18 - 24 hours

Should at least double in size over night - At this point you will want to put your dutch ovens into a oven , preheat t 450F ( about 20 minutes or so )

On a well floured surface , divide into whatever sized loaves you like .. this will require a bit of effort ... you do not want them sticky ..

Drop the dough into the HOT dutch ovens ... no oil required, just a hot pot!

Cover and into the 450F oven for 30 minutes... Just for fun I tried one in a silicone bread pan , with tin foil as a lid , remove the lids after 30 minutes , and continue cooking for another 15 minutes

After 45 minutes ... you will have something like this !!! Mmmmmm

This is my 6.5 Q dutch oven, makes a really nice big oval bread !

The silicone pan worked out just fine

Thats it ... let them cool on a rack , as long as you can , and then grab some butter and dig in !

Nice bonus, if done right ... no clean up!! Just a quick wipe of the pot!

I hope you try this out, and come to love it as much as I do ...

Peace, Love and Good Food!

How to season a cast iron pan

2013-01-22T18:21:00.000-05:00

Love my cast iron cookware :) I have quite a collection going with several sizes of skillets , a flat plate , and a even a few enamelled ones. I was recently given 3 more skillets , small medium and large sizes ... all brand new , and need of seasoning .

Its a very easy skill to learn , and comes in very handy , as its the same method to re-season an old pan , or one that was forgotten and rusted up .

All that is required , other than the cast iron pans them selves is :

- Steel or Copper Scrub
- Dish Soap ( the only time your cast should ever see it ! )
- Hot Water
- Towel
- Hot Oven

Start by giving your pans a good wash, with hot soapy water , and a metal scrub - This is to remove the oil it was shipped in , and /or to remove a rusty spot.

After washing , dry the pan well... you can pop it in the oven , or just give it a good towel dry , add a good splash of high temp oil , or lard , I used sunflower .

Rub the oil , all around the pan , including the handle and the bottom... try not to have any puddles of oil .

Pop it into a 350F oven for at least 1 hour , longer is just fine ... make sure to turn on your fan , and maybe open a window:) It will smoke ! After the cook time , I simply left them in the oven to cool on their own .

That is it!! Its that easy :) Your cast iron pan is now ready for use, just remember to rub a little oil into after each use... eventually , you will have a glossy black pan , that will rival the best non stick pan .

Good luck, and enjoy ! Well taken care of cast iron pans can last for generations !

Woodstock UK, Churchyard

2013-01-20T13:22:00.001-05:00

7 Pepper Birthday Chili

2013-01-18T13:02:00.002-05:00

Whats your favourite Birthday meal ?? Mine is a nice juicy steak, with a jacket potato ... but this year for the first time in ages , birthday dinner with Mum ( We share the same Bday ) was a few days early ... leaving me with a big question ... What to have on my Birthday !! It didnt take long to realize Id been craving chili all month .. so Chili it was !! Simple, Good Food !

Basic Ingredients ( I dont cook with a recipe , or even write anything down hahaha )

2 lbs of Ground Beef from local butcher
2 large mexican sausages from local butcher
1 lb of braising steak , Crossrib - Flour for dusting
4 tins of Beans ( Unico , 3 Red Kidney , 1 Romano ) - I prefer dried , but am using up old stock
2 large sweet red peppers
2 large chili peppers
2 cayenne chili peppers
6 long green chili peppers
3 small dried red chili peppers ( Very hot ! )
8 medium onions
1 head of garlic
1/2 tin of chipolte peppers
2 green bell peppers
1 pint of dark ale
1 pint roasted tomato sauce ( Homemade )
1 quart of stewed tomatoes ( homemade )

Chili Powder, L&P, Sea Salt & Black Pepper

Start by sauteing the onions ... transfer to slow cooker when done

Next step, the beef , best to add flavour here , chili powder, S&P, L&P, and half the can of beer

In the meantime, I rinsed and boiled the tinned beans ... rinsed again and added to the slow cooker

While the beef is browning ... add in the beans, stewed tomatoes , and roasted tomato sauce

Once the ground beef has finished, add the sausages , and cubed and flour dusted steak .. just need to brown these , then add to the slow cooker

Once done with frying ... use the other half of the beer to deglaze the pan , add to the slow cooker, this is some amazing flavour here !

Its starting to look like chili :)) Let simmer for 2 hours

Once the base chili has simmered , its time to add the peppers in for the last 1 to 2 hours of cooking

All sliced and diced, and ready for the pot!!

Five hours after slicing the onions ... CHILI! Mmmm its time to eat !

The leftovers.... usually i portion this out and freeze it up for easy meals later , this time I decided to pressure can it ... a future post maybe ??

MmmmMmmm I do hope you enjoy my spicy chili , this one was quite the sweat inducing bowl of goodness !! I wouldnt change a thing .. but if your not a big fan of spicy, i would cut back considerable of the hot peppers and add more sweet :)

Don;t forget , you can always follow the daily fun over at https://www.facebook.com/RichsGoodFood

Peace, Love and Good Food to everyone !
Rich

Red Fife Crusty Bread :))

2013-01-12T00:24:00.001-05:00

Cold Roast Pork, with Chips and Caesar Salad

2013-01-07T17:06:00.001-05:00

Whole Grain Crackers & Three Cheeses :)

2012-12-30T16:50:00.001-05:00

Mossy Boardwalk at Sunset

2012-12-21T13:45:00.001-05:00

Mossy Boardwalk at Sunset

2012-12-04T15:53:00.001-05:00

Mossy Boardwalk II

2012-12-04T15:46:00.001-05:00

Love hiking thru the woods just before sunset :))
Prints are now available at :
http://www.redbubble.com/people/richsgoodfood/works/9693691-mossy-boardwalk-ii

Mossy Boardwalk

2012-12-02T17:29:00.001-05:00

Prints are finally available :)) Check out my new Redbubble Account for details and pricing.
http://www.redbubble.com/people/richsgoodfood/works/9684234-mossy-boardwalk-at-sunset

Railway bridge, entrance to Cornburry Park

2012-11-13T13:18:00.001-05:00

England 2012

2012-11-11T13:52:00.001-05:00

St Mary's Church , Chipping Norton , Circa 1500ad

Cheese ON Toast :)

2012-10-18T16:05:00.001-04:00

One of my favourite go to snacks :)) Crispy 12 grain bread, topped with mozzarella and 5yr old cheddar, with a few dashes of hot sauce and a couple cracks of black pepper :)