tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28074030414611807972024-02-19T01:43:32.499-08:00Michigan Lady Food BloggersIf you seek a pleasant recipe, look about you...Kimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12169263835460577670noreply@blogger.comBlogger58125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-29472766749474322342011-03-21T10:17:00.000-07:002013-04-25T19:01:05.685-07:00Dreaming of Spring ChallengeThis month I put up a challenge for the Michigan Lady Food <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Bloggers</span> to tell us about their favorite spring ingredient. As some have said, this is torture because it is still early to actually get your hands on wonderful spring bounty in Michigan, we have a few more (okay several more) weeks to go before what Michigan offers to pop up from the frozen ground. I can't help it, I have been dreaming about fresh asparagus, morels, ramps, fiddle head ferns and so much more. I hope the following blog roll will get your excitement up about the foods available this spring. <br />
<ul><br />
<li><a href="http://doghillkitchen.blogspot.com/">Maggie from Dog Hill Kitchen</a> talked about her anticipation for all things spring including<a href="http://doghillkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/03/in-anticipation-of-spring-and-ramps.html"> ramps</a> </li>
<br />
<li>I posted about my love of the <a href="http://fruitcakeornuts.blogspot.com/2011/03/glorious-spring-morels.html">Morel Mushroom </a>over on my blog <a href="http://fruitcakeornuts.blogspot.com/">Fruitcake or Nuts</a>. </li>
<br />
<li>Mom from <a href="http://motherskitchen.blogspot.com/">Mother's Kitchen </a>brought the color with her beautiful <a href="http://motherskitchen.blogspot.com/2011/03/ribbon-jello.html">Ribbon Jello</a>. I have seen ribbon jello before but <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">hers</span> has to be the prettiest and great tips on how to pull it off.</li>
</ul>
Shaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039465094950643599noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-77729710318928003042011-02-28T20:01:00.000-08:002011-02-28T21:04:38.807-08:00February Challenge!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaeG0T5oT_lsv-sK6FMnZJuo_LW-ktyS0p7KfKfp71U9mMES160l1mtzKi1wC7Qh6a6vOhpv6QBZ19Ma-FqKkhDX8jXAiFynrJsjPo_AfdMOVY7i4T52cZmZLNYHxrFJUZeaalfA_4Alt/s1600/tools-IMG_8646.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 440px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQaeG0T5oT_lsv-sK6FMnZJuo_LW-ktyS0p7KfKfp71U9mMES160l1mtzKi1wC7Qh6a6vOhpv6QBZ19Ma-FqKkhDX8jXAiFynrJsjPo_AfdMOVY7i4T52cZmZLNYHxrFJUZeaalfA_4Alt/s320/tools-IMG_8646.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5578971529749279330" border="0" /></a><br /><br />In the spirit of keeping our blogs active month after month, year after year, the February challenge was to post on the topic of <span style="font-weight: bold;">indispensable kitchen tools</span>. Six bloggers tell tales on well-loved and much-used gadgets ranging from small (garlic press) to large (gas oven) -- read on for the details!<br /><br /><ul><li>Feeling the spirit of Valentine's Day, Mom of Mother's Kitchen posted about her complicated <a href="http://motherskitchen.blogspot.com/2011/02/kitchen-gadget-love.html">relationships with many kitchen gadgets</a> over the years. She sure gets around! (If you look closely in the comments, you'll spot an ode to a potato masher!) </li><li>Jessica in Ann Arbor limited herself to <a href="http://shortystylee.wordpress.com/2011/02/16/a-few-of-my-favorites-things/">two of her favorite things</a>.</li><li>Shayne in Novi <a href="http://fruitcakeornuts.blogspot.com/2011/02/mlfb-challenge-kitchen-gadget-love.html">tells us about</a> two items she was sure to take along when she was living in Mexico, and a new one she brought back!</li><li>Linda in Rochester limited herself to <a href="http://www.ourmushpush.com/2011/02/my-favorite-kitchen-gadget.html">one low-tech tool</a>.</li><li>Anne in a northern Detroit suburb tells us about <a href="http://kitchenbliss.blogspot.com/2011/02/indispensable-kitchen-tools.html">3 categories of tools</a> (including one that she takes along on vacation!).</li><li>And <a href="http://jonskifarms.wordpress.com/2011/02/27/indispensable-kitchen-tools/">I list three</a> (or is it 4? not sure if I'm counting the ruler), which bring us back to the Kitchen Aid stand mixer which first appeared in Mom's blog.</li></ul><br />That gives us a total of 20 indispensables - including two mentions each of garlic press, citrus/lemon reamer/juicer, and Kitchen Aid stand mixers. What are your most essential kitchen items? Leave a note in the comments. (And if I managed to overlook anybody, tell me and I'll add you to the round-up.)<br /><br />What will March bring? (other than the inevitable thaw, lots of mud, more snow - and 31 days to cook, buy, eat, muse over, and blog about food!)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-26128758138299286092011-01-31T04:42:00.000-08:002011-01-31T04:42:33.711-08:00Posting something in JanuaryIt's really easy to start a food blog....and it's really hard to keep posting month after month, year after year. My guess is that Kate at <a href="http://4obsessions.blogspot.com/">Four Obsessions</a> probably has the oldest blog amongst the Michigan Lady Food Bloggers. When I started my blog in January 2006 with <a href="http://motherskitchen.blogspot.com/2006/01/scottish-food.html">a post about how I hate eating at McDonalds</a>, it was Kate who I asked for advice, because I liked her blog. Ed Vielmetti wrote about <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/vielmetti/five-notable-ann-arbor-area-weblogs-for-2010/">how hard it is to keep a blog going</a> in AnnArbor.com, and how some bloggers just leave us hanging, mid thought. One of the goals of the Michigan Lady Food Bloggers is to keep the blogging home fires burning. I asked the group to try to make a post before the month was out, just to see what we'd come up with.....and here is what happened:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Our Michigan friend expatriated to Japan, Joan at Popcorn Homestead, wrote a post about <a href="http://popcornhomestead.blogspot.com/2011/01/book-review-alternative-kitchen-garden.html">kitchen gardening</a>. </li>
<li>Sheila in Grandville posted a delicious recipe for a <a href="http://luvstrawberrycake.blogspot.com/2011/01/chicken-caesar-wrap.html">chicken caesar wrap</a>.</li>
<li>Wendy, who I think is also a Grand <strike>Rapider, Rapidite,</strike> Rapidian? has started another blog where she wrote about the merits of <a href="http://eatlocalwestmichigan.com/2011/01/25/consider-adding-hops-to-your-garden-this-year/">growing your own hops</a> and also her <a href="http://thelocalcook.com/2011/01/25/10-favorite-root-vegetable-recipes/">10 favorite root vegetable recipes</a>...hutspot anyone?</li>
<li>Anne from the northern suburbs of Detroit (I can't remember which one - sorry Anne!) blogs for the first time since giving birth, and she goes all out with <a href="http://kitchenbliss.blogspot.com/2011/01/braised-short-ribs.html">braised short ribs</a>. Wow, gal! I can remember that I didn't cook for months after I had my first baby. My husband asked meekly "Are you ever going to cook dinner again?"</li>
<li>Ann Arborite Tricia over at Jonski Blogski wrote about one of my favorite things, <a href="http://jonskifarms.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/not-just-candy/">licorice</a>. Tricia is a long time blogger, too. I can remember reading her blog since the early days.</li>
<li>Another Tree Towner Vivienne blogged about her <a href="http://jardindevoltaire.blogspot.com/2010/09/in-pickle.html">pickles</a> and I am so glad she did! I have seen her larder and it is beautiful.</li>
<li>Up in Traverse City, Maggie offers us a healthy treat - <a href="http://doghillkitchen.blogspot.com/2011/01/flaxseed-brownies.html">flaxseed brownies</a></li>
<li>Bee and Val offer up some <a href="http://goodfoodmichigan.blogspot.com/2010/08/oven-roasted-smashed-potatoes.html">oven roasted smashed baked potatoes</a>, which would be great for a game day dinner.</li>
<li>Margot is blogging less as she is trying to finish up her dissertation at U of M, but meanwhile writes a thesis about <a href="http://soursaltybittersweet.com/content/sourdough-starter-risen-no-knead-bread">no knead bread.</a> Lots of great info here!</li>
</ul>Great job, ladies! Can't wait to see what more you can come eup with in 2011. Keep on bloggin'.....Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13307035157000793203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-72553976894455682832010-02-24T12:01:00.000-08:002010-09-09T08:47:30.311-07:00Classic Whole-grain Sandwich LoafBread like everything else has its fashions and its seasons. I was intrigued to read Harold McGee's <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/24/dining/24curious.html?ref=dining">dissertation on breadmaking</a> in today's New York Times. He mentioned making "an establishment loaf" in the 1970s from James Beard's Beard on Bread cookbook (1974, Alfred Knopf). Since I still have my much stained and spotted Beard on Bread and bake from it nearly weekly, this made me sit up.<br /><br />As McGee details, much modern breadmaking follows the "no-knead" fashion. I've been curious to try a cottage loaf with an overnight rise, but haven't gotten around to it. Instead, I bake Beard's classic white sandwich loaf and a whole-grain sandwich loaf (plus a modified Cuban bread) week after week, month after month, because they are part of our diet, where we eat food made mostly from scratch, of basic ingredients. Sandwich loaves make wonderful toast and grilled sandwiches. I make them two loaves at a time and freeze them sliced and that way we are never out of bread.<br /><br />Here is the recipe for the whole-grain sandwich loaf I make, modified from Beard's white loaf recipe. Maybe it is retro enough to be fashionable again. I can tell you that it is delicious.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Classic Whole-Grain Sandwich Loaf<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />One loaf will weigh one pound and will require approximately 4 cups of flour. I use King Arthur flour except where specified. (Note: this recipe is vegan, unless you use butter for the loaf pan.)<br /><br />It will need a warm place to rise. I use an oven that was heated briefly at the lowest temperature, then turned off.<br /><br />Flour and grain mixture:<br /><br />1/2 c "white whole wheat" (could use a local flour like Westwind instead)<br />1/2 c stone-ground whole wheat (I use Ernst, made locally, and freeze it)<br />1/2 c stone-ground rye (I use Hodgson Mills, kept frozen)<br />1 c high-gluten bread flour<br />1 T flax meal (optional)<br />2 T wheat germ (optional)<br />1 1/2 c all-purpose unbleached flour, as needed<br /><br />Other ingredients:<br /><br />1 package active dry yeast (not instant rise), or 2 1/4 t bulk yeast<br />1 1/2 cups warm water<br />2 t sugar<br />1 T salt<br /><br />Mix the water, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Add a spoonful of flour and allow to proof for 30 minutes. (This allows the yeast to start multiplying and to produce the amylase enzymes it will use later.) Add 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and the salt and allow to rise until light and bubbly. (Skip this sponge stage if you are in a hurry or just impatient; I think it helps the bread to be high and light later.)<br /><br />Now mix in the whole grain flours and the high-gluten flour, one at a time until the flours are all well blended with the dough. Then add 1/2 cup more all-purpose flour. By now the dough should be rather stiff. Turn it out onto a clean surface and continue adding up to 1/2 cup more all-purpose flour, kneading it in. Continue to knead for about 10 min until the dough is elastic, all the flour has been well incorporated, and when a dimple is made with your finger, the dough springs back into place.<br /><br />Wash out the bowl and butter or oil it. Place the dough ball in it and allow to rise for an hour or two, so that it fills the bowl but not till it falls again. (Cover with a tea towel to help keep it moist and warm.)<br /><br />Knead it again and shape into a loaf. This is accomplished by making it into a rectangular shape,<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAouD8Xm53vGcuLts3_0XkH64V8rHY8KlKXon6UiH69ZuBwkAsOFfsPjVKUGV79drWWDNy3VPAYr3EG5hkngPUj3F99DhsJHLwQMPoTea7DTKRMtTLY69NEp3y924SSdio_vLIwpbYuMDc/s1600-h/bread2+Sliced+SML.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAouD8Xm53vGcuLts3_0XkH64V8rHY8KlKXon6UiH69ZuBwkAsOFfsPjVKUGV79drWWDNy3VPAYr3EG5hkngPUj3F99DhsJHLwQMPoTea7DTKRMtTLY69NEp3y924SSdio_vLIwpbYuMDc/s320/bread2+Sliced+SML.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5441917533868073618" border="0" /></a>then rolling up the sides and pushing out air bubbles, then pull the other sides into a seam and push out air bubbles again. Place the roughly cylindrical dough into a buttered or oiled loaf pan and allow to rise until the loaf is high above the edges of the pan. Place in a cold oven, turn to 400° and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the pan. Bread should sound hollow when tapped. If you have doubts, place bread back on baking rack for a minute without the pan. Cool on a rack before slicing.<br /><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-86102268224929089972010-01-30T19:10:00.001-08:002010-01-30T19:10:13.840-08:00Hot PretzelsFor some reason, I've been afraid to make my own hot pretzels. In hindsight, I really don't know why I was so bunged up about it. I made some last week for a birthday party, and they were fairly simple and very tasty.<br /><br />I got the recipe from my <a href="http://www.gooseberrypatch.com/">Gooseberry Patch</a> Celebrate Autumn cookbook. The recipe is quite simple--2 packages of dry yeast, 1.5 c warm water, 4.5 c flour, 1/2 t salt, 1/4 c baking soda in 1 c water.<br /><br />As with any yeast, you need to dissolve it in water that is around 110 degrees. Be very careful with the temperature because if it's too hot, the yeast will die. If it's too cold, the yeast will not activate. Take my word on this one and use a thermometer.<br /><br />Put the flour in a large bowl and then add the yeast/water and salt. Mix and let rise for about 15 minutes. <br /><br />While the dough is rising, put the 1c water with 1/4c baking soda into a shallow pan. Make sure it is mixed well.<br /><br />Roll the dough into long strips that are about 8 inches long. They will look like--for lack of a better term--tubes of poop. That is why I didn't take pictures; it looked like poop. Anyway, let them rest in the soda solution for about 2 minutes and then take them out. Now they will look like slimy, wet poop. Form into whatever shape you desire. Some of mine looked like normal pretzels but many looked like the breast cancer ribbons, which is kinda of cool. Some were just gobs. <br /><br />Put salt on them if you wish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve warm with a variety of mustards.<br /><br />You know what? Despite the poopy look, these tasted AWESOME! Much better than what you would buy in the middle of the mall. They were really, really good! They were a hit at the party. I brought 2 home and froze them for later eatin'. I had one tonight and it held up well...still kinda poopy looking but very very tasty!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-43495719393595318412010-01-13T19:38:00.001-08:002010-01-13T19:38:44.195-08:00Stuffed CabbageA few years ago, I tried to make stuffed cabbage and failed miserably. In hindsight, I used cabbage that was too small and so the leaves fell apart. Since then, I've resorted to making the "cheat" kind--you know, where you put the hamburger, rice, tomatoes and chopped up cabbage in a big pan, and cook it together. It's good but not the same.<br /><br />Today, I decided to try, try again. At the supermarket yesterday, I picked up a Martha Stewart Living magazine. I grew fond of her show during Xmas break and so I first must apologize for prior Martha rippage. (I went off on FaceBook one day and my girl <a href="http://thehungrymasses.blogspot.com/">Alex </a>called me out. When I'm wrong I say I'm wrong and I'm wrong.) Now I still think that M is a miserable human being--up on her show talkin' about which house she'll spend the holidays at; come on now--but girl know her homemaking stuff. <br /><br />(As an aside: If I ever have a show like hers and several houses, I'd be all, "OMG, can you BELIEVE I even *have* more than one house? I mean, come on now! CRAZY" and I'd be all self-deprecating and cute and everyone would go, "She's such a nice girl! I don't begrudge her the 8 houses because she seems sweet." But of course the very fact that I am self-deprecating and sweet means I will NEVER have success like Martha's, but whatever).<br /><br />So! Girlfriend had a recipe for stuffed cabbage in her magazine, I had leftover ground beef plus some cabbage from the market so I said, "What the hey?" I'm pleased to say that it turned out! Here are the pictures:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/S0z_E90QC1I/AAAAAAAAAIg/oo38lIxd7gg/s1600-h/003.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/S0z_E90QC1I/AAAAAAAAAIg/oo38lIxd7gg/s200/003.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425992111852882770" /></a><br /><br />Those are my naked babies! Aren't they cute? Here they are with my homemade, canned <a href="http://motherskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/08/bruschetta-in-jar.html">bruschetta in a jar</a> (and since I ran out of the bruschetta, I used the last of my homemade, canned <a href="http://4obsessions.blogspot.com/2009/09/salsa-time.html">salsa</a>...see why I love my girlfriends?)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/S0z_bpzuk3I/AAAAAAAAAIo/5damwQH3O1M/s1600-h/004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/S0z_bpzuk3I/AAAAAAAAAIo/5damwQH3O1M/s200/004.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5425992501618971506" /></a><br /><br />Here is the recipe, which I halved. Note that you can use whatever tomato sauce you want or make the bruschetta in a jar and use that!<br /><br />1 head of cabbage (mine came from the farmers market and has been chilling in my fridge ever since)<br /><br />12 oz of ground beef (TMZ beef from the market)<br /><br />12 oz ground pork (I do not eat pork so I just skipped this; therefore, I did not half the beef...does that make sense, I hope?)<br /><br />1 c of cooked rice (use about 1/2-2/3 c dry)<br /><br />1/8 c chopped parsley (from my basement)<br /><br />1/2 T paprika (food co-op)<br /><br />Bring a pot of water to boil. Put your cabbage head in and let it boil for about 3-4 minutes.<br /><br />Meantime, mix up your beef, rice, parsley, paprika and salt and pepper to taste.<br /><br />Pull off leaves, one at a time, from the cabbage head. Put the hot leaf on the towel. You will burn your fingers a little, but you will live. Let the cabbage continue to boil on the stove. Put a scoop of the burger-rice goop into the leaf and roll one (hee hee, I said roll one). Put into a greased 11 x 7 pan. Do this until you run out of goop; I got 9 leaves full.<br /><br />Pour your sauce on top. Take a picture cuz you just burned your fingers and you should have something to show for it.<br /><br />Bake at 375 for about an hour.<br /><br />Enjoy it and give a toast to Martha, will ya?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-63183769441939947202009-12-25T18:52:00.000-08:002009-12-25T19:07:10.099-08:002nd Annual Cookie ExchangeOh Lord have mercy--it only took me two weeks, but I am finally posting about our wonderfully fantastic cookie exchange of December 11. I have been off of work this past week and, whenever I'm not working, time kind of stops. That is, I have so little to do that I can't seem to do anything and so nothing gets done. It's very odd and disconcerting and scares the crap out of me but here we are! (I have no similar excuse for the week before last other than sheer laziness).<br /><br />We had a wonderful get together, full of food, drink, white elephant gift exchanges and, of course, COOKIES!!!! Folks kindly brought appetizers and I know I am going to forget to list a whole bunch of them because I am lame for not posting. So, please post in the comments or edit this post to add what you brought. I seem to recall some fabulous onion dip from Mary S, veggies and dip from Cheryl, a Rice Krispie mix from Mary B, and oh crap! See? I can't remember what all else. So please help me out here, ladies! I made latkes, because it was the first night of Hanukkah. Actually, Mary B. saved me on that as she womanned the frying pan for me. <br /><br />We may have had some alcoholic beverages as we ate. We then exchanged our "white elephant" gifts and there were some awesome gifts! I coveted Tricia's ice shaver and the cookbooks that folks got. However, I was quite happy with my egg whipper that I got from Nidhi. I've already used it a few times and it is great! (The pretty purple wrapping that it came in still lives on my stereo).<br /><br />As always, the cookies were fantastic! Of course, I forget much of what was brought except that it was all delicious! We had gingerbread cookies, molasses cookies, Russian tea cakes, Oreo bastards (and their sisters Lemon Bastards and Nutter Butter bastards), chocolate crinkles, sort-of rugelach (that was mine...they only sort of turned out), iced sugar cookies, awesome cookies that had some sort of jam inside, awesome cookies that were extremely light and had some sort of chocolate between them, the official cookie of New Mexico, muffins (that were my breakfast at least one day), the lavendar cookies, the thumbprint cookies, cookies with sprinkles...ack! What else?? They were all fantastic...for real.<br /><br />In fact, take a look at Kate's picture:<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/SzV9NxpLznI/AAAAAAAAAII/0JpTxWLKKr4/s1600-h/IMG_1894.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 172px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/SzV9NxpLznI/AAAAAAAAAII/0JpTxWLKKr4/s200/IMG_1894.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419375402228108914" /></a><br /><br /><br />Here is the aftermath:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/SzV9gNzqnyI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/KPM6SqiIiG0/s1600-h/022.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/SzV9gNzqnyI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/KPM6SqiIiG0/s200/022.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419375719025909538" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/SzV9qVj5C5I/AAAAAAAAAIY/qy9G7lz_hx0/s1600-h/023.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/SzV9qVj5C5I/AAAAAAAAAIY/qy9G7lz_hx0/s200/023.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419375892905921426" /></a><br /><br />It was a great time and it was great to see old friends and new faces! Looking forward to our next adventure...and the <span style="font-weight:bold;">third </span>annual cookie exchange!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-49701620325625369392009-12-22T05:48:00.000-08:002009-12-22T07:11:18.008-08:00Why I eat local foodThe other day, I posted some thoughts about why I have <a href="http://motherskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/12/locavores.html">trouble calling myself a locavore</a>, but I realize I should share why actually do eat locally and seasonally. I have been eating local/seasonal food long before it became fashionable. Believe me, eating locally wasn't always in style. Growing up in the 1970s, it was something we didn't want to do. I just wanted to be like the other kids eating Ding Dongs and drinking Tang. But no... instead, my dad always took us to Eastern Market during the summer months, when there was a lot more local produce there than there is now. And he'd buy tons of tomatoes and cukes and stuff. In the winter months, we always went to Randazzo's Fruit Market and got great fruit and vegetables to eat cheap. The Italians always had the best fruit markets! I can still remember getting roasted peanuts there in a paper bag that were still warm when we got home. My parents didn't have a lot of money, but at Christmastime, my dad always made sure we had nuts in the shell to crack in front of the tree, and easy to peel tangerines. We always had an orange in the foot of our stocking. He would buy us pomegranates then, too, long before we were all drinking POM and extolling their antioxidant properties. He would call them "love apples" with a twinkle in his eye. <br />
<br />
In Warren, everyone was either Polish or Italian. I can remember wishing I was Italian then - it was more cool because the Italians got to wear dresses that looked like wedding gowns for their First Holy Communion and the movie "Rocky" was really popular, and they had cool food everyone loved like lasagna. We Polish kids didn't have anything cool like Sylvester Stallone, and we ate stuff everyone said was "bogue" (that was the term we used - it meant "gross") like sauerkraut. True, we eventually had the Pope, after hundreds of years of Italian Popes, but he wasn't like he was in the movies or anything. However, one thing we did have was great butcher shops and delis. While we didn't get to wear an Italian horn gold necklace like our grade school counterparts, at least we had good lunch meat! Almost every Saturday, my dad would take us to the Kowalski on Van Dyke and 10 mile and we'd get lunch meat like Krakus Polish ham and Kowalski kielbasa loaf (if you can get your hands on some of the stuff, buy it. It is SO GOOD. They have it in Ann Arbor at Hillers) and we each would get a little hot snack sausage that has a Polish name I forgot, but it means "hunters sausage" to eat on the ride home. And we'd get a jar of horseradish and a loaf of Russian rye bread the likes of which you just can't get in Ann Arbor. Zingerman's Jewish Rye pales in comparison to it....but you can find it in Hamtramck (or any place where there's a lot of Polish people hanging out still). We'd also have dill pickles my dad made at home to go with our lunch. <br />
<br />
Eating a lunch like this would only be done in the privacy or your own home, however. The only kind of sandwich you'd dare bring to school would be bologna or PB&J on white bread. I used to lie and tell kids at school that my bologna had a first name, and it was "Oscar" and my bologna had a second name and it was "Meyer" but that wasn't true. My bologna's last name was actually "Kowalski" and it reeked of garlic. I'd try to eat it fast so no one could smell it and guess I was actually Polish. I wasn't dark complected enough to pass as an Italian, but my dad changed our last name to make it easier to spell than it's Russian roots, so no one could ever guess that I was really Polish. Sometimes, I'd bring a ham sandwich, but I'd cut the ham into the shape of a square so it looked like someting that was bought at a normal grocery store instead of the telltale rectangular shape of Polish ham.<br />
<br />
Another Saturday "locavore" adventure involved my grandpa. He didn't speak English and lived in Hamtramck, but about once a month or so he'd come out to Warren to stay with us and he used to make chicken soup. Shopping for soup chicken was an experience I am sure the Italians never enjoyed. We'd go to a place on Outer Dr. on the east side and pick a chicken out live and they'd butcher it right there while you wait. He'd feel up all the chickens until he'd find one he thought was fat enough, and pronounce it "Dobrze" which means "good". Then they would weigh it by laying the chicken on the pan of what looked like a baby scale and crossing it's leg over side of the tray on the scale. Chickens aren't smart enough to figure out how to uncross their legs, so they would just lay there and complain. Then, off the chicken went to the back, and after a few squawks, a thump of a cleaver and some feathers flying around , it would be returned to us wrapped in butcher paper. We'd get extra feet to add to the pot! They also had ducks if you wanted to make the Polish soup called "czernina" which is made out of duck's blood. They'd butcher your duck and then give you a steaming canning jar full of it's blood if you were making soup. <br />
<br />
But all the Polish people (and the Italians) moved from Warren north to Shelby Twp and Romeo and such, and lots of the east side's Polish delis and butcher shops have been replaced with soul food joints and Thai restaurants or just plain vacant, so I am not sure where you can get this stuff today. Hamtramck still, if you venture south of 8 Mile, but I bet you can find it north on Van Dyke. Heck, the Polish and Italian folks are even moving their dead from cemeteries up that way, so I am pretty sure you can find a good loaf of Russian rye. (not sure the health department allows while you wait butchering of chickens anymore, though). It's hard to find good Polish food in Ann Arbor outside of the Copernicus Deli on Main. So why am I a "locavore"? I like to support local farmers, too, but not because I think there will be a post petroleum apocolypse or anything. I want to support the local economy because I love the state of Michigan and it's people. And I eat seasonally because I like the rhythm of the seasons and the food just tastes better. So, I will eat citrus in the winter, even though it wasn't grown in Michigan. Eating locally and seasonally and remembering my ethnic roots just tastes good, period.Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13307035157000793203noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-85615445186702741702009-12-21T17:05:00.001-08:002009-12-21T17:07:17.447-08:00Swedish PancakesI am always on the lookout for waffle and pancake recipes that don't seem too heavy on eggs, milk, butter. The waffles at the <a href="http://www.repastspresentandfuture.org/fmselma/">FridayMornings at SELMA</a> are a perfect example and I was buying up the mixed batter when it was for sale. You just added an egg, vanilla and maybe a little bit of milk (I forget exactly), but it made for some yummy waffles.<br /><br />This morning, I decided to make a nice breakfast for Jeff & me. At first, I pulled out the waffle maker, but then I decided that I didn't feel like waffles. So I pulled out my Joy of Cooking cookbook but everything I saw just seemed too rich. So, I next pulled out the red & white checkered Better Homes & Garden New Cookbook and opened to the pancake section. Something called "Swedish Pancakes" caught my eye and I figured, what the heck? Our Swedish friends have given us some cool things like practical dialysis machines, the three point safety belt, Swedish fish, and the absorption refrigerator (except for the fish, all of this information can be found on wikipedia, so it must be true. Not sure about the fish but it sounds good.) Turns out, the mofos can make a nifty little pancake too.<br /><br />The recipe is very easy. Take 3 eggs and beat them until "thick and lemon colored" (I just beat them for a few minutes and called it good). Add 1 1/4 cups milk, 3/4 c flour, 1 T sugar and 1/2 t salt. Mix together. The batter will be VERY runny but don't panic! It will all turn out fine, I promise.<br /><br />Heat up your frying pan and put in oil or a spray of that organic oil crap that I found at the food co-op. Let it heat up over medium heat and pour your batter on. Since it is runny, pour it in quick little "spurts" (you'll see what I mean). Keep a careful eye on things as they cook quickly. <br /><br />You will end up with lovely thin little pancakes, halfway between a crepe and a pancake. The entire batter is 853 calories (not including oil or the calorie free spray shit that I used) and you get so many per batch that you needn't fret too much about calories. I served mine with my local maple syrup and <a href="http://locavorious.wordpress.com/">Locavorious </a>blueberries.<br /><br />The cookbook says to "pass the Lingonberry sauce", whatever the fuck that is. The blueberry syrup worked just fine and made for a lovely brunch. So, thanks my Swedish friends! Even if you didn't give us the wonderful Swedish fish**, you are still alright in my book.<br /><br />**oh well damn! I guess Swedish fish <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_Fish">do come from Sweden</a>. Okay, nevermind.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-54758660822010173392009-12-06T16:47:00.000-08:002009-12-06T16:48:09.983-08:00Dinner on Less than $2 a ServingRecently, my friend & fellow lady food blogger, <a href="http://mllenoelle.wordpress.com/">Noelle</a>, challenged our Google group to put that stupid "Walmart lets me feed my family for less than $2!!1!!111!!" commercial to shame. She suggested that we try to feed ourselves and our families for $2 per serving...but using good stuff and not that shit that Walmart slops together and calls "food". Tonight, I took that challenge and made homemade multigrain bread & minestrone soup.<br /><br />Streamlined (i.e. no knead; use a mixer) Bread (from Betty Crocker's 1960 cookbook)<br />You simply take <span style="font-weight:bold;">3 c of flour</span> (from Westwind Milling via By the Pound cost $2.19 per pound and I used 1.5 pounds, or $3.28), <span style="font-weight:bold;">2 T shortening</span> (okay you got me here...hadda use Crisco, probably about $.20 worth), <span style="font-weight:bold;">2 T of Pioneer sugar</span> (let's be generous and say $.50 worth), <span style="font-weight:bold;">2 t salt</span> (negligible) & 1 packet of yeast (out of a jar that cost $8.00 and has lasted me forever but I'll be generous and say it was $.75 worth).<br /><br />You dissolve the yeast into 1 1/4 c warm (not hot) water and then add everything else. Using your dough hook, knead for about 4 minutes on medium speed. Put a towel over the bowl and let it rise in a warm place. The recipe said to let it rise about 45 minutes but I fell asleep and it ended up rising for 1.5 hours. It still turned out great!<br /><br />Put it into a greased bread pan and let it rise about 40 minutes. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes. <br /><br />I cut it into 8 slices (188 calories per slice, btw). Rounding up, this costs about $.60 per slice.<br /><br />Minestrone Soup (from Cook's Illustrated)<br /><br />I didn't follow the recipe exactly, so let me tell you what I did! I took some <span style="font-weight:bold;">carrots & kale</span> from my garden (grown from seed so the cost is negligible), an onion (I bought a bunch from the farmers market and I think the whole bunch cost $3.00, so let's say the <span style="font-weight:bold;">onion </span>was $.30), <span style="font-weight:bold;">green beans and peas </span>from Locavorious (I paid $200 for the subscription and I think I will get about 30 bags of produce, so I guess each bag costs about $6.67 and I used about 1/4 of each bag so I am thinking that would be about $3.00 for both?), <span style="font-weight:bold;">1/2 cabbage</span> from the farmers market ($1.00 for the head; I used $.50 worth), <span style="font-weight:bold;">celeriac </span>from my garden (free--a gift from my friend and fellow food blogger, <a href="http://jardindevoltaire.blogspot.com/">Vivienne</a>), <span style="font-weight:bold;">1 cup cannelloni beans</span> from the Ypsi farmers market (I think the whole bag cost $2.00 and I used about 1/2 at $1.00), the rind of my Parmesan cheese from Morgan and York (the whole shebang cost me like $10, so let's say the rind was $1.00 of it), <span style="font-weight:bold;">a quart of my canned tomatoes (about $1.00 worth), <span style="font-weight:bold;">4 cloves of garlic</span> from the farmers market (I got the reject garlic and I think it cost me $.25 a head) salt, pepper, a dash of red pepper flakes, fresh basil and parsley</span> from my basement stash. I used <span style="font-weight:bold;">2 c beef broth</span> (frozen in an ice cube tray) that I made from farmers market beef...no idea on the cost but let's say $.50. I also used about <span style="font-weight:bold;">2 T of olive oil</span> from a jar that cost me $8.00. I would guess I used about $.50 worth?<br /><br />I boiled my 1 c of beans in 2 Q of water for about 10 minutes and then turned off the heat, covered it and let it sit for a couple of hours.<br /><br />After the beans had been softened, I sauteed the onions, celeriac, carrots, peas, green beans and kale in the olive oil for about 10 minutes. I then added the garlic, dash of red pepper flakes and chopped up cabbage and sauteed for about 2 minutes. I then set that aside in a pan.<br /><br />Now, I put the beans, 2 c of beef broth, 8 c of water and a bay leaf (I used a leaf from the Detroit Eastern Market pack that I bought; the whole pack cost $1.00) and the Parmesan rind. I brought the whole batch to a boil and let it simmer for about an hour. I then added the veggies and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. I served it with some Parmesan cheese.<br /><br />There are at least 8 cups of soup in there, probably much more. Jeff did the math for me and it came out to $1.00. I canz add so I know that $1.00 + $.60 = < $2.00!<br /><br />Now, to be sure, I had some help in the veggie department, thanks to growing my own and getting the celeriac but I still think that the cost would be fairly cheap, even if I had to buy a carrot and some kale leaves.<br /><br />So!! Walmart, peeps, you can eat your partially hydrogenated high fructose sodium biocarbonickityickityick heart out!<br /><br />Eat up!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-41398272032238463642009-12-03T14:42:00.000-08:002009-12-03T15:13:04.409-08:00Rice Griddlecakes for Leftovers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxt9xSJlkKKgjbW-5o34BLJDtMSLO7yzaMvfmsCJMAMYSxbdhK88sMUvNMW1aXD3vkmM45JjzSjWcJjoMP-hlZRR5ziGtbYmRjewkq1Y92UFb7em5-AdDzbq71Jc5DmW3y61o9QkwiRfD/s1600-h/griddlecakes.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 252px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxt9xSJlkKKgjbW-5o34BLJDtMSLO7yzaMvfmsCJMAMYSxbdhK88sMUvNMW1aXD3vkmM45JjzSjWcJjoMP-hlZRR5ziGtbYmRjewkq1Y92UFb7em5-AdDzbq71Jc5DmW3y61o9QkwiRfD/s320/griddlecakes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5411151310142079602" border="0" /></a><br />As a frugal cook who hates to throw food away, I'm always looking for creative ways to use leftovers so they don't taste like leftovers. So I was pleased when this idea of incorporating goodies into rice griddlecakes worked out. They have now become a standard item in our household.<br /><br />Even dedicated cooks "order out Chinese" sometimes. But what do you do with tiny amounts of leftovers - one shrimp, a couple of pieces of stir-fried Napa, two slices of beef? I've often stirred them into scrambled eggs or made up some fried rice (there is usually leftover rice too). But sometimes that just doesn't appeal.<br /><br />I was given a copy of Mark Bittman's <a href="http://www.howtocookeverything.tv/">How to Cook Everything </a>for my birthday and found this griddlecake recipe, which I have modified to accept my leftovers. My changes are marked with an asterisk.<br /><br />2 eggs<br />1/2 cup milk<br />1 1/2 cup cooked rice<br />1/2 cup grated Parmesan, Gruyere, Swiss, or crumbled feta cheese<br />1/2 cup all-purpose flour<br />1/2 teaspoon baking powder<br />salt, cayenne, and black pepper* to taste or whim<br />1/2-1 cup of leftover vegetables (relatively firm) and cooked meat, chopped fine*<br />2 scallions, chopped, or onion*<br />herbs to taste* (I favor cilantro or parsley)<br /><br />Whisk eggs, milk, rice and cheese together. Add other ingredients except for vegetable/meat mixture and mix. Then add the vegetable/meat mixture.<br /><br />Use a cast-iron skillet, griddle, or other nonstick surface. Add small amount of oil (I don't recommend butter because of smoking, though Bittman has it as an option). Use about one large spoonful for each griddlecake, baking several at once; turn and bake until nicely tan/brown. You'll have to add some oil between batches. You're not frying them, you're using a hot oiled surface to bake them.<br /><br />Bittman recommends tomato sauce but we like these for breakfast with homemade applesauce on the side. They are nicely savory and don't really need much more, though sausage or bacon is never a problem. Note: we put the cakes onto a cookie sheet and into the oven so all are hot at once. This also guards against a gummy not-quite-done interior.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-63271270798877153362009-11-21T13:17:00.001-08:002009-11-21T13:17:55.199-08:00Ginger Snap CookiesI have talked about my <a href="http://www.thebrasssisters.com/">Brass Sisters</a> before. I love these ladies like they were my own aunts. They have the most excellent recipes, including the one that I made last night.<br /><br />Jeff has been out of town on a business trip for a month. Well, he came home on the weekends, but it's been a long, lonely month. He was coming home around 11pm last night, and I thought it'd be nice to have homemade treats for him. Since I am making my pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap crust on Thanksgiving, I thought that I should get a jump on the crust by making gingersnap cookies. They came out great, the house smelled great and Jeff was thrilled! Hope you enjoy them!<br /><br />2 cups flour<br />2 t ginger<br />1 t nutmeg<br />1 t cinnamon<br />2 t baking soda<br />1/2 t salt<br />3/4 c butter<br />1 c sugar<br />1 egg <br />1/4 c molasses<br />1/4 c ginger jam or orange marmalade (I didn't have this, so I used my homemade and canned apple butter)*<br />sugar for rolling cookies<br /><br />Combine flour, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Cream butter and sugar in your Kitchenaid mixer. Add egg. Beat in molasses and jam. Add dry ingredients until well blended.<br /><br />Chill the dough for about an hour or until firm enough to be handled. With gloved or floured hands, make little balls** out of the dough. Roll each ball in sugar and put on baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 14 minutes. <br /><br />*I tried to half the recipe but accidentally added the full 1/4 c of molasses and apple butter, thus necessitating retromixing. It turned out fine, even though stuff was mixed out of order. What can I say? I had taken a nap and my contact lenses were foggy.<br /><br />** I said "balls"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-10385798030210401122009-11-20T10:03:00.000-08:002009-11-20T10:05:09.690-08:008 things every Michigan Lady Food Blogger should do...Okay, so you have started a food blog and you have joined the Michigan Lady Food Bloggers....what to do now?<br />
<br />
<ol><li>Become familiar with <a href="http://groups.google.com/support/?hl=en">how google groups work</a>. As much as I'd like to be able to help everyone learn how to use google groups, I'm afraid I won't have time to be able to help you right away. If you have a question you can't figure out on your own, you can send it to me at momskitchen at comcast dot net. I'll try to get to it as soon as I can.</li>
<li>Check out the old posts of MLFB on our <a href="http://groups.google.com/group/MLFB">google group page</a>. Fun stuff! That's the best way to get to know everyone and to catch up on our latest discussion. </li>
<li>Introduce yourself to the group. Tell us your first name, your blog's URL, and where you live to start. After that, please tell us anything more you'd like to share.</li>
<li>Attend a gathering! One of the best things about MLFB is our get togethers. The food is always fantastic and it's great to meet the author of a food blog that you've admired.</li>
<li>Host a gathering! Themed potlucks, educational opportunities, group cooking ventures are always popular. There's certain to be someone that wants to do what you would like to do.</li>
<li>Author something for our group blog, which is myfoodtribe.blogspot.com If you'd like to be added to our group blog, email kimbayer at gmail dot com.</li>
<li>Add yourself to our <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF&msa=0&msid=">MLFB map</a>. Click edit and place a marker on your location. Title it with your blog's URL.</li>
<li>Invite a Michigan woman food blogging friend to join us</li>
</ol>More questions? Check out the <a href="http://myfoodtribe.blogspot.com/2009/11/michigan-lady-food-blogger-faq.html">Michigan Lady Food Blogger FAQs</a>.Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13307035157000793203noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-8365859272444012742009-11-15T04:16:00.000-08:002009-11-15T04:16:36.500-08:00Michigan Lady Food Blogger FAQWho are the Michigan Lady Food Bloggers?<br />
We are a group of over 50 women that live in Michigan that blog about food.<br />
<br />
How did the MLFB get started?<br />
Our history can be found <a href="http://motherskitchen.blogspot.com/2009/11/michigan-lady-food-bloggers.html">here</a>.<br />
<br />
What does the MLFB do? <br />
We have an active google group where we talk about food, writing about food, share advice about cooking (and life) and we occasionally get together for various pursuits...group cooking, potlucks, holiday cookie exchanges, etc. We read each others blogs, we comment on each others blogs, we inspire each other.<br />
<br />
Why is the group only for women? There's lots of great food blogs written by men. <br />
Yes, there are! Men we know often do attend our events. Early on, the group decided they wanted it to be a group made of women food bloggers. <br />
<br />
I live in California/Arizona/Florida/Etc. Can I join the MLFB? <br />
Since our group likes to meet face to face throughout the year, we like to keep it local. We do have a few members that have moved away and continued to be a part of our circle, but the group works well because we actually meet in person fairly often.<br />
<br />
What is required to join the MLFB?<br />
It's easy to join! To join, women need to live in Michigan and have a food blog. We don't care if your blog is totally about food, but it should include posts about food on occasion.<br />
<br />
I don't have a food blog yet, but I am going to start one soon. Can I still join?<br />
It's easy to start a blog. We want to help you get started by motivating you to take that first step. Today is the day....start that blog! There are many blogging tools out there, this one is written on Google's Blogger. It's super easy...here's <a href="http://www.google.com/support/blogger/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=112498">how to get started on Blogger</a>. Start that blog! Then join us. <br />
<br />
How do I join the MLFB?<br />
Add your email address to the box on the right. Upon joining, you will be asked where you live in Michigan and what your blog's URL. Google groups work best when you have a google account....it's free and you can use your own email address. You don't need to have a gmail account. Here's how you can <a href="http://groups.google.com/support/?hl=en">learn more about google groups.</a>Cynthiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13307035157000793203noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-51779894595927786542009-11-01T12:34:00.000-08:002009-11-01T12:42:40.540-08:00Slow Food Huron Valley's Local Harvest Cook-Off<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIIt7tGkvmzox4NaAte6iaDQunNr9-rb-WmR_CBB5dJDSoitYIQC1cl07b_A57Xhd8ys-MdbemzVDDgpQfspyn8zSvAnQR9pdbCa6yvMhRDIT_UKWR73UYbS2HvseSSkZ1IrbHxKCmeg/s1600-h/P1010343.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 360px; height: 270px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIIt7tGkvmzox4NaAte6iaDQunNr9-rb-WmR_CBB5dJDSoitYIQC1cl07b_A57Xhd8ys-MdbemzVDDgpQfspyn8zSvAnQR9pdbCa6yvMhRDIT_UKWR73UYbS2HvseSSkZ1IrbHxKCmeg/s400/P1010343.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399235951049769890" /></a><br />Cook up a soup/stew, main dish, or dessert with <strong>local</strong> ingredients and you could be a ribbon winner at <a href="http://slowfoodhuronvalley.com/">Slow Food Huron Valley's</a> <strong>Local Harvest Cook-Off</strong> on Sunday, November 8th from 3 - 5 p.m. at the <a href="http://www.chelseafair.org/fair/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=31">Chelsea Fairgrounds Community Building</a>.<br /><br />This family event is a wonderful opportunity to share your cooking prowess and support for all things local, as well as enjoy what will assuredly be a delicious potluck.<br /><br /><a href="http://oldpinefarm.biz/">Old Pine Farm</a> and <a href="http://www.tantrefarm.com/">Tantre Farm</a> have helped to organize this potluck, contest and recipe swap, and in addition to the food and judging, there will be music, prizes and great, family fun. <a href="http://www.alberorchard.com/">Alber Orchards</a> is also a sponsor for this event. Chef Alex Young of <a href="http://www.zingermansroadhouse.com/">Zingerman's Roadhouse</a>, Corbett Day, Lenawee County Culinary Arts Dept head/chef, and <a href="http://www.annarbor.com/cgi-bin/mt/mt-cp.cgi?__mode=view&blog_id=1&id=100">Natalie Marble</a>, owner of <a href="http://www.annarborcooks.com/">Ann Arbor Cooks</a> cooking school (and fellow <a href="http://www.annarbor.com">annarbor.com</a> contributor) will be the Cook-Off judges, and prizes will include jams and local produce, among other goodies.<br /><br /><strong>You could go home a blue ribbon winner by putting together a dish with as many local ingredients as possible in the following categories:<br /><br />- Soup/stew<br />- Meat main dish<br />- Vegetarian main dish<br />- Vegetable side dish/salad<br />- Dessert/bread</strong><br /><br /><strong>Please bring:</strong> your dish to pass, your place settings, and 30 copies of your recipe to swap. <a href="http://slowfoodhuronvalley.com/">Slow Food Huron Valley</a> is also making this an opportunity to benefit <a href="http://www.foodgatherers.org/">Food Gatherers</a> - so please consider bringing also nutritious non-perishable food or a check for <a href="http://www.foodgatherers.org/">Food Gatherers</a> (which will be eligible for a Michigan Tax Credit).<br /><br /><strong>Deadline for entry in the cook-off judging: 3:15pm.<br /><a href="http://www.chelseafair.org/fair/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=31">Chelsea Fairgrounds</a> location: 20501 Old US 12 (at Old Manchester Rd.)<br />Questions: <a href="mailto:leadership@slowfoodhuronvalley.com">leadership@slowfoodhuronvalley.com</a></strong><br /><br /><em>All photos by Jennifer Shikes Haines</em>. <br /><br /><em>I'm Jennifer Shikes Haines and my blog is <a href="http://a2eatwrite.blogspot.com">a2eatwrite</a>. Please contact me at: <a href="mailto:jenshaines@gmail.com">Jenshaines at gmail dot com</a>.</em>Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362687820368214420noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-59080405972492387492009-10-26T11:50:00.000-07:002009-10-26T11:50:00.628-07:00Country Cornbread<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsXtDyS7WkMlE3rMkKTZIXCHDdIkQ41N22eWbyTeG1-pD2UztKaJPT5i-Ujt-oRqh1ooHZ8aZhKBUhn0A1XzXYIGTqI4nCYvKJ1RjIsLQcaC9rJtXGJa8ioXZVadvrcZwPqzO2l-Gcjjc/s1600-h/cornbread.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVsXtDyS7WkMlE3rMkKTZIXCHDdIkQ41N22eWbyTeG1-pD2UztKaJPT5i-Ujt-oRqh1ooHZ8aZhKBUhn0A1XzXYIGTqI4nCYvKJ1RjIsLQcaC9rJtXGJa8ioXZVadvrcZwPqzO2l-Gcjjc/s400/cornbread.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396241332614938850" border="0" /></a><br />This goes great with Chili or Bean soup or well just about anything and it is so easy and so fast.<br /><br />1 cup Whole wheat pastry flour<br />4 Teaspoons baking powder<br />1/2 teaspoon salt<br />1 cup corn meal<br />1/3 cup sugar<br />2 eggs, beaten<br />1 cup milk<br />1/3 olive oil<br />2 Tablespoons vegetable oil<br /><br />Preheat oven to 400 with a 12 inch cast iron pan in the oven.<br />Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cornmeal, and sugar in a large bowl.<br />Combine eggs, milk, and 1/3 cup oil in a small bowl; add to dry ingredients. Stir until dry ingredients are moistened.<br />Add 2 T. oil to hot cast iron pan and then spoon in the cornbread batter. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. If using a smaller cast iron pan cook time will be longer, but it will work fine.<br /><br />Heating the pan first gives a nice dark crusty bottom to the cornbread that I just love. Everyone that I have ever served this to loved it also.Shaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039465094950643599noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-63147183307087250502009-10-23T04:46:00.000-07:002009-10-23T04:55:17.759-07:00Sweet Potato Stew<div>While I couldn't be at the recent MLFB gathering, the following recipe is one I would, undoubtedly, have loved to bring along. <a href="http://www.culinate.com/articles/produce_diaries/sweet_potatoes">Sweet potatoes are in season in Japan</a> at the moment and can be found in everything from desserts to main courses to appetizers. A little different than their American cousins - deep purple skin with a bright yellow interior that holds its own even after cooking - we've been happily chomping away at the <a href="http://popcornhomestead.blogspot.com/2009/10/sweet-potato-harvest.html">recent harvest from the farm</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>Here's my version of <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Black-Bean-and-Sweet-Potato-Stew-with-Chilies-and-Polenta-Triangles-15577">this original recipe</a> I found on <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Black-Bean-and-Sweet-Potato-Stew-with-Chilies-and-Polenta-Triangles-15577">Epicurious</a> years ago. It's a sure crowd pleaser, and it tastes good the moment it's made. The orange juice base makes it good for warding off colds, too.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Joan's Sweet Potato Stew</b></div><div>2 tablespoons olive oil</div><div>2 cups (or one whole medium to large onion) chopped a bit coarsely</div><div>2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger (without is ok, too, but it is a lovely addition)</div><div>1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin</div><div>2-3 medium to largeish peeled sweet potatoes, cubed</div><div>4-6 cloves of garlic, minced</div><div>2-3 cups of orange juice</div><div>1 15 ounce can of black beans (2 is good, too) rinsed and drained</div><div><br /></div><div>Heat the oil in the soup pan, throw in the onion, and cook covered until the onion is well-cooked and soft. I find the longer I cook it (without burning it) the better. Throw in the garlic, ginger, and cumin, and cover again. Toss in the cubed sweet potatoes, stir, and add the orange juice. I tend to add orange juice until the mixture is covered and the sweet potato bits are swimming a little. Then I throw in the beans, and let it simmer along until the sweet potatoes are done.</div>Joan Lambert Baileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03115423496781398997noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-81122087694986134802009-10-18T16:28:00.000-07:002009-10-18T16:29:17.899-07:00SOUPer Exchange!This past Friday, I had the pleasure of spending some time with my friends, the Michigan Lady Food Bloggers! This time around, we had an Oktoberfest beer tasting + soup exchange. This means, of course, that I got to eat soup, take soup home and drink some beer in my little Arbor Brewing Company tasting glass.<br /><br />For my part, I brought some French Onion soup for the exchange, some butterscotch bars to snack on and Bell's Brown Ale to share.<br /><br />The recipe for the French Onion soup is ridiculously simple. Since I worked all day Friday, I had to have something crock pot friendly, and here is what I did:<br /><br />I sliced up about 6 large onions the night before, and sauteed them in 1 stick of butter (mmmm!!!! Smelled like Thanksgiving morning).<br /><br />On Friday, I put about 60 oz of beef broth (I cheated here and used some organic stuff that I found at Kroger), 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce and some bay leafs (plus the onions, of course) into my crock pot. Then I put it onto the slow setting, plugged it in and went off to work. <br /><br />When I came home, the house smelled great! I sent Jeff off to Morgan and York for some bread and cheese. He came home with a loaf of French bread and some very yummy farmers soft cheese. Once I got to Alison's house, we put some cheese on the bread, broiled it and there we had it!<br /><br />Here are our lovely soup pots:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/StuiyWr4dqI/AAAAAAAAAHI/UAJu7qZHa-4/s1600-h/004.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/StuiyWr4dqI/AAAAAAAAAHI/UAJu7qZHa-4/s200/004.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394083964673095330" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/Stui6NdVjHI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/YXCRl51CZWw/s1600-h/005.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/Stui6NdVjHI/AAAAAAAAAHQ/YXCRl51CZWw/s200/005.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394084099635121266" /></a><br /><br />We also had snacks!! For my part, I brought something from the Brass Sisters' cookbook and as always, my girls didn't disappoint. I made the butterscotch bars with brown sugar meringue topping.<br /><br />You will need:<br />2 cups pecan pieces (I only had walnut, so that's what I used this time; I've used pecan before and either type of nut is fine)<br />1.5 c flour<br />1.5 t baking powder<br />1/8 t salt<br />1 c brown sugar<br />1/2 c cold butter, cut into dice<br />2 egg yolks<br />1 t vanilla<br /><br />For topping:<br />2 egg whites<br />1 c brown sugar<br />----<br /><br />The recipe wants you to brown the nuts first. I have down that before, but I didn't have time this time around so I didn't do it. I don't know that there was a noticeable difference. If you choose to brown the nuts, put them on a baking sheet and bake for about 7-10 minutes at 350.<br /><br />Meantime, put some foil (shiny side up) into a 9x13 pan and spray with non-stick spray. <br /><br />Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and brown sugar in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add butter. Pulse until the butter is the size of small peas. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of sandy clumps.<br /><br />Put the mixture into the pan and press it in (I used my hands...they were clean). Press the nuts on top.<br /><br />Now, you need to make the topping. Beat the egg whites until they peak. Add brown sugar and beat for 4 more minutes, at a high speed. Then spread on top of the stuff in the pan and bake for about 25 minutes at 350.<br /><br />Of course, I fucked up the topping and put some brown sugar in at the beginning. I found that this makes them not "peak", no matter how long you leave it under the Kitchen Aid or how much you pray to the God of Egg Whites. So, I had to dig out some frozen egg whites from my freezer and thaw them under the hot water in the bath tub. (My sink was full). I found out that the Kitchen Aid will toss out frozen clumps of egg whites and it's quite a treat to catch them or scoop them up from the counter (it was clean). At any rate, I finally got the f'in egg whites to peak and then I put in the brown sugar and all was good.<br /><br />Here is the picture of the food bloggers!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/StukimgWEkI/AAAAAAAAAHY/M0TgYmLivVU/s1600-h/011.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3Tzj0I5yzKA/StukimgWEkI/AAAAAAAAAHY/M0TgYmLivVU/s200/011.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394085893065019970" /></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-45025843652865420982009-10-14T10:24:00.000-07:002009-10-14T10:32:12.329-07:00Beer Chili<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ACaUcqoTj_LE3A3c379a8u-1xdVpuXx413edmFw19ZhVvDsCv9aMSQJ7qpSkIRN1G98ylmbe3kKBXa5Zneizhso3aihU0WtRKLIcbyinR9nSRRHkCQuBB1333-KAWz8JH5bzV0m624f8/s1600-h/230.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ACaUcqoTj_LE3A3c379a8u-1xdVpuXx413edmFw19ZhVvDsCv9aMSQJ7qpSkIRN1G98ylmbe3kKBXa5Zneizhso3aihU0WtRKLIcbyinR9nSRRHkCQuBB1333-KAWz8JH5bzV0m624f8/s400/230.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392508724931756802" border="0" /></a><br />This time of year calls for chili (yes it is even cold in Mexico City) and what could be better than chili with beer in it, right <a href="http://drinkbeerthinkbeer.blogspot.com/">Patty?</a><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Beer Chili to keep you warm</span>:<br /><br />2 thick slices nice smoky bacon, cut into cubes<br />1 medium onion, chopped<br />16 ounces lean beef<br />minced garlic, 2 cloves<br />1 bottle beer<br />15 oz can stewed tomatoes with juice, break the tomatoes up with a spoon (or your by squeezing with your hand)<br />1 teaspoon cumin<br />2 tablespoons chili powder<br />1 teaspoon paprika<br />1 teaspoon smoked chipotle powder<br />1 teaspoon cheyenne (if you like it hot)<br />1 bay leaf<br />1 teaspoon salt<br />pepper<br />can black beans drained and rinsed (or what ever bean you like)<br /><br /><br />Brown bacon in a deep pot, once brown add in the onions and cover and let cook over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. add into the pot the garlic and ground meat and let it brown. Once the meat is brown add in the been and cook until it evaporates and the meat is really cooked down, about 10 minutes. add in the rest of the ingredients except the beans, cover and cook for about 30 minutes. add the beans and cook for another 5 minutes.Shaynehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00039465094950643599noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-25590534262928931692009-10-07T18:40:00.001-07:002009-10-07T19:17:58.365-07:00Apple Bacon Roast Chicken<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKX32KNo6GL1rRZUPPHHPG7ohRNy8-f3nzGt0iXRuf8117YooDSFYBxBo_bYkYDZsPPvigbgZNta2m5sbReZu2Ks8AaSybO8JwUhFqS1qqW1BDnhoqYHAqWwhyNYge0CwYhIqnx_6DKE/s1600-h/AppleBaconRoastChicken.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaKX32KNo6GL1rRZUPPHHPG7ohRNy8-f3nzGt0iXRuf8117YooDSFYBxBo_bYkYDZsPPvigbgZNta2m5sbReZu2Ks8AaSybO8JwUhFqS1qqW1BDnhoqYHAqWwhyNYge0CwYhIqnx_6DKE/s400/AppleBaconRoastChicken.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5390047650938054802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It’s finally cool enough that firing up the oven actually sounds appealing…especially if, after a while, a tasty roast chicken just happens to come out of said oven. I also had a couple of roaster chickens knocking around in my fridge so I set out to find an interesting roast chicken recipe. Among several intriguing choices, <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/maple-bacon-chicken-364170">this one</a> caught my eye because not only did I have all the ingredients at home already but one of the ingredients was bacon. Bacon that you covered the whole bird in. This I had to try.<br /><br />My husband isn’t one for the sweet and meat pairing so I used the Recipezaar recipe more as inspiration than as tried and true directions. However, I bet maple syrup glazed, bacon coated, apple cooked chicken would be absolutely fantastic. One of these days when my husband is out of town I just may make Maple Bacon Chicken as written but for now, here’s my inspired but different Apple Bacon Roast Chicken.<br /><br /><u>Ingredients</u><br />1 roaster chicken (4lbs-ish)<br />1 apple<br />1 lb bacon<br />2 potatoes<br />1 handful of baby carrots or 2 sliced regular sized carrots<br />2 onions<br />black pepper<br />Cayenne pepper<br />salt<br />1T oil<br /><br /><u>Directions</u><br />Preheat oven to 375 degrees.<br /><br />Lightly grease the bottom of a chicken roaster with oil just to keep the veggies from sticking. Slice the potatoes and onions into the bottom of the pan. Add the baby carrots/big carrots.<br /><br />Wash the chicken and remove the giblets plus any excess fat. Salt and pepper the top, bottom and cavity of the chicken. Peel and quarter an apple and put it in the cavity. Place the chicken in the roaster, breast side up. Cover the top with the bacon. Cover the roasting pan and cook for 1.25 to 2 hours, depending on the size of the bird.<br /><br /><u>Production Notes</u><br />First of all this was one delicious bird, although I wish the apple and bacon flavor had come out more strongly in the meat. I expect that the maple syrup glaze might help somewhat to flavor the chicken with bacon and apple. The veggies, on the other hand, tasted of apples, bacon and awesome even if they were a bit greasy. Quite a bit greasy actually but it was totally worth it. Yum.<br /><br />We were a little perplexed as to what to do with the bacon once the bird came out of the oven. It looks pretty but is a little impractical once you get down to carving. We wound up pulling the bacon off and piling it on one side and then serving a couple strips with a cut of meat and some veggies. Ultimately, cutting the bacon up with pieces of chicken worked the best and I’ll bet that changing up strips of bacon for chopped bits would solve the bacon conundrum. A sort of bacon encrusted roasted chicken if you will.Boohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01337327273808944465noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-62249056007830250632009-04-10T12:34:00.000-07:002009-04-10T19:37:44.633-07:00Hrudka (Slovak egg cheese for Easter)<img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 396px" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3576/3428660399_50e0c7ddd1.jpg?v=0" border="0" />The Slovak traditions for Christmas and Easter have imprinted certain taste memories that I can't avoid craving every year. One of the things I wonder why I desire is hrudka. Hrudka is also called cirek, sirets, sirok, sirecz, as well as just Easter egg cheese (by those who have trouble trilling their Rs) and it is basically a ball of scrambled eggs served at Easter. Some people put a slice of it on sandwiches but I always ate it plain with salt.<br /><br />My family is always generous and I know that there would be a ball of hrudka for me to take at Easter. But this year things are a little crazy with our move coming up and I don't know for sure what our plans will be. Plus, the hrudka my family makes has cow's milk and my son has never been able to taste it. So this year I asserted my independence and made my own. It was fairly easy and the flavor only barely changed with my soy milk substitution. That is it still tasted like a ball of scrambled eggs. What can I say, it's tradition and somehow makes sense to my springtime taste buds.<br /><br />I also was inspired by the posts on <a href="http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/">Bittersweet</a>, a vegan blog. There she made <a href="http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2009/03/30/spread-it-on-thick-2/">soy cottage cheese spread</a> and used the soy whey in bread for the following post. It's probably terrible for me to un-veganize an idea but in this I'm trying to respect the gifts of the eggs and not let any part go to waste. So I used my whey in the traditional paska (Easter bread), now made non-traditional with my dairy-free soy milk. Using the whey is apparently common but it's not something my grandmother did so I didn't know about it before. I'm waiting to taste the bread until Easter morning but it looks gorgeous this year and has a richer smell than my previous versions with just soy milk. Now that I've had my hrudka fix I can start playing with homemade soy cottage cheese!<br /><br /><strong>Hrudka (Slovak Easter Egg Cheese)</strong><br /><em>Adapted from the recipe found in "Our Best to You", the 1st edition Sacred Heart Byzantine Catholic Church cookbook of Livonia, Michigan. The original recipe was submitted by Mrs. Helen Rapasky. Hrudka is served for Easter along with ham, kielbasa, beet horseradish, and paska (Easter bread). Some people put it on a ham or kielbasa sandwich but I always eat a slice plain with a little salt. This savory version is what my family makes but sweet variations are common, some are listed at the end of the recipe.</em><br />Makes 1 large ball of cheese, ~1 3/4 pounds<br /><br />1 dozen eggs<br />1 quart milk (dairy-free for us, I used soy)<br />1 teaspoon salt<br /><br />-Set up a large double boiler or make one using two pans or a pan and a bowl. I used a large stainless steel bowl over a saucepan. Fill the lower pan with an inch of water. Bring the water to a boil and turn down the heat so that it is strongly simmering.<br />-Off the heat, beat the eggs in the upper pan or bowl and then add the milk and salt. Beat all the ingredients to combine and then place over the pan of simmering water.<br />-Cook the egg and milk mixture stirring frequently with a wooden spoon until the mixture curdles, this will take approximately 20-30 minutes. You'll see curds separated out and leave a thin, watery whey. Stop once it seems like no more whey is being produced, IE coming out of the curds.<br />-Line a colander with a square, double layer of cheesecloth and place over a large bowl or pot. Pour the curds and whey carefully onto the center of the cheesecloth.<br />-Gather the cheesecloth together to form a large ball with the curds. Twist the top and press to remove more whey and then tie with kitchen twine.<br />-Tie the ball to a wooden spoon and suspend it over a pot to drain further and cool. Other directions recommend tieing the ball to your kitchen faucet to drain.<br />-When the ball is mostly cooled and not dripping any more whey place it in the fridge to set overnight. You can save the whey to make paska (Easter bread), links to paska recipes follow.<br />-After chilling overnight, remove the cheesecloth. Store in the fridge wrapped with plastic or waxed paper. Serve slices on sandwiches or on their own sprinkled with a little salt.<br /><br /><em>Hrudka variations:</em><br />I have never had anything but the plain unsweetened hrudka but sweet recipes are common, just Google <a href="http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4ADBS_enUS220US289&q=hrudka+recipe">hrudka recipe</a>. These recipes have anywhere from 1 tablespoon to 1 cup of sugar added to the one dozen egg recipe and most of the sweet versions also have vanilla extract. There are also recipes that call for any one of the following: cloves, caraway seeds, cinnamon, pepper or saffron. For a drier cheese you can bake the drained ball for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F. Baked ball of scrambled eggs sounds even more bizarre to me.<br /><br /><em>Paska bread recipes:</em><br />My grandmother never used the whey for her paska bread but I like the idea of not wasting it. Plus, since I'm using soy milk in place of the traditional cow's milk I'm hoping it will add more flavor to my bread. I used the <a href="http://www.grouprecipes.com/44173/paska-slovak-easter-bread.html">paska recipe from the same Sacred Heart church cookbook</a> but only made the plain dough. The plain dough gave me enough for three small loaves. Here is another <a href="http://pages.prodigy.net/l.hodges/recipes.htm">simple paska recipe</a> that is similar to others from my grandmother's church cookbook. For something different you could try this <a href="http://www.recipezaar.com/Paska-85818">paska recipe using whey and whole wheat flour</a>.<br /><br /><div align="center">Cooking the hrudka (counter clockwise from top left): starting cooking the egg and milk mixture, curds begin to form, curds and whey<br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 500px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 362px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3379/3428660429_7cf1319888.jpg?v=0" border="0" /> A closeup of the hrudka curds and whey<br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 369px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 500px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3641/3428660507_ff635eebc5.jpg?v=1239380687" border="0" />The colander and cheesecloth ready to strain the hrduka curds from the whey<img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 375px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 500px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3612/3428660455_77459809f2.jpg?v=1239380735" border="0" /> Hanging the hrudka<br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 375px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 500px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3639/3429474650_bb53fa9d66.jpg?v=0" border="0" /> This year's paska bread<br /><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 375px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 500px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3551/3428660537_fa7f14445f.jpg?v=1239380660" border="0" /></div><br />Crossposted on <a href="http://doghillkitchen.blogspot.com/">Dog Hill Kitchen</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-3643986827323568062009-04-04T15:32:00.001-07:002009-04-04T15:32:46.506-07:00April theme?What's up for April, ladies? Easter or Passover recipes? Ways to use spring veggies? Ideas?<br /><br />Patti :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-15810920769428646452009-03-22T12:31:00.000-07:002009-03-22T12:32:29.218-07:00Ginger-Chocolate Stout Cake & Couscous SaladCross posted to <a href="http://maykhlbirs.blogspot.com/">Good Life = Good Food, Good Beer<br /></a><br />Recently, we had a dinner party. This gave me the perfect opportunity to try out some recipes that have been waiting patiently in my kitchen.<br /><br />First, I made Couscous Salad from a recipe that I found, in all places, in the Ann Arbor News. I must admit some hesitancy to eat couscous. Part of this concern comes from an episode of South Park wherein Chef shares that Meatloaf's original stage name was Couscous...and you can see how well that went. It turns out that it's not as bad as I thought.<br /><br />Ingredients:<br />1/4 cup balsamic vinegar<br />3 T brown sugar<br />1 c quinoa (which I call the Q stuff, because I can't pronounce it)<br />2 c salted water<br />olive oil<br />1 c hot water<br />1/4 cup scallions (I used regular yellow onion)<br />1/2 cup dried figs (yum!!)<br /><br />1. Bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil and then simmer. Simmer until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Not really sure what this means, so I just simmered until it looks semi-thick. Let liquid cool.<br />2. Bring 2 cups of salted water and the Q stuff to a boil. Simmer. Turn off heat when you see the tail of the seed open. Again, I didn't know what this meant, so I just kept an eye on it until the appearance changed and, sure enough, it look like a little tail! Drain and cool.<br />3. Add 1 cup hot water to the couscous and add olive oil to cover. Cover until mixture is absorbed, about 15 minutes.<br />I had an oopsie-poopsie with this one--water wasn't hot enough--so I ended up just boiling the water until the couscous was chewable.<br />4. Chop onions and figs and mix everything together. Let it sit overnight to properly blend the flavors.<br /><br />------------------------<br /><br />Ginger-Chocolate Stout Cake<br /><br />I got this recipe from Vegetarian Times. It is described as chocolate cake for grown-ups, and I must agree.<br /><br />Use:<br />2 c of flour (I used whole wheat all purpose)<br />3/4 c unsweetened cocoa<br />1 T ginger<br />1 T cinnamon<br />2 t baking powder<br />1/4 t salt<br />1 c maple syrup<br />1 1/4 cups stout (I used 2 cups :) )<br />1/2 c butter<br />1/4 c brown sugar<br />2 eggs<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease 9x11 pan (I used 9x13 and it came out fine). Whisk together flour, cocoa, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder and salt in a bowl.<br />2. Place 1 c maple syrup into a bowl. Bring stout to a boil and add to the syrup.<br />**Let me say that bringing beer to a boil was weird. I've previously only brought beer to a boil when it wasn't quite beer yet....<br />3. Beat butter and brown sugar with your Kitchenaid. Beat in eggs. Alternate adding the stout and the flour mixture to the batter. Pour into prepared pan and bake about 35 minutes.<br /><br />You also make a topping for it, but I didn't care for it. You just mix 1 c low fat sour cream and 2/3 cup light brown sugar. I served this on the side, but most people just ate the cake.<br /><br />If you cut it into 16 squares, each piece has about 250 calories (with the topping on it).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-43173550700118410092009-03-09T06:44:00.000-07:002009-03-09T06:45:04.067-07:00Hiatus until AprilTo my dear bloggy buds,<br /><br />I'm throwing up my hands. It's a good thing - I just have too much going on this month and I recognize when I need to say "uncle".<br /><br />I'll miss you all, but I'll be back April 1st. <br /><br />Just think of it as my April Fool's joke.<br /><br />Happy March!<br /><br />(cross-posted at a2eatwrite)Jenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02362687820368214420noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2807403041461180797.post-8850210248079964262009-02-27T13:33:00.000-08:002009-02-27T13:58:55.948-08:00Spicy Greens with Bulgur<p align="center"><a title="Untitled by Warda 64 sq ft kitchen, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/8628444@N03/3307540449/"><img height="500" alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3609/3307540449_a2a61794ff.jpg" width="375" /></a></p><br /><p><br />Although the recipe has already been published on my<a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.thym-thym.blogspot.com"> blog</a>, I remember how many of you enjoyed it at our previous Summer get-together and thought you might like to have the recipe.<br /><br />Originally, the recipe calls for a variety of greens called <em>khoubiz</em> or <em>bakool</em> , which is found growing wild in the fields of North Africa. It tastes like a cross between arugula (rocket leaves) and watercress, with a hint of acidity, and there is no real equivalent for it here in the US. After experimenting, with fair results, with spinach, arugula, Tuscan kale, dandelion, I've had the best luck with the combination of spinach and arugula. It may not be much to look at, but when you have cumin, turmeric and red pepper flakes mingling with bulgur and spinach and arugula, the fusion is irresistible. Even for those who pretend detesting spinach, or any greens for that matter. (I have a friend who wouldn't eat anything with a green color and he absolutely loves this dish)<br /><br />The spices and the cloves of garlic are pounded using a mortar and pestle to extract as much aroma before adding the resulting paste to the "sweaty" onions. As you pour the stock over the lovely ochre colored onions, restrain yourself from dipping your bread, or your fingers, as it is getting ready for the bulgur. At the end, steamed spinach and arugula join the party; a party that took half an hour to put together and will take half the time to gulp down. It's exquisite. I assure you. It's still fine the following day straight from the fridge, sitting on the countertop with a piece of bread in one hand and orange soda in the other. Every bite brings with it a part of home and my mother's kitchen into my own kitchen. </p><p>Happy weekend, my friends!<br /><br /><strong>My mother's Spicy Greens with Bulgur (Tchicha bel Khoubiz)</strong><br /><br /><strong><em><span style="color:#993399;">Recipe:</span> Serves 4</em></strong><br /><em>- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil<br />- 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped<br />- 3 garlic cloves, peeled<br />- 1 tsp cumin, freshly ground<br />- 1 tsp red chili pepper flakes<br />- 1/4 tsp turmeric<br />-1 tbsp tomato paste<br />- 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock<br />- 2 tbsp fine bulgur<br />- 1 spinach bunch<br />- 1 arugula bunch<br />- 1 tbsp cilantro leaves, roughly chopped<br />- 1 tbsp parsley leaves, roughly chopped<br />- Salt, Black Pepper<br /></em><br />Wash the spinach and arugula. Drain off the excess water and put them in the basket section of a steamer. Cover and steam over simmering water until the greens just start to wilt, but still have their vibrant green color, about 5 - 7 minutes. When cold to handle, squeeze the water out of the greens and chop roughly. Set aside.<br /><br />In a pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and cook on a medium heat until translucent but not brown, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, pound the garlic with turmeric, cumin, and pepper flakes to a paste using a mortar and pestle. Add the garlic paste to the onions and stir to incorporate. Add The tomato paste and the stock and bring to a boil. Add the bulgur and stir again. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook covered until the bulgur is tender, about 15 minutes, depending on the variety of your bulgur.<br /><br />Uncover the pan and add the steamed greens and the herbs to the sauce. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes and then remove from the heat. Season with salt and pepper and serve.<br /><br />The dish keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days, although I never recall keeping it longer than one day.<br /><br /><br /></p>Wardahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04347337073433373050noreply@blogger.com3