stocked up

some gifted girlfriends joined me for a day of chopping and stirring and baking with the common goal of stocking our freezers with cozy meals to enjoy on hectic nights.  We each brought a recipe, plus it's ingredients quadrupled. I provided the kitchen and cookware and utensils. And now we have 4 meals each, plus some treats, to pop out of the freezer and into the oven later.

It was a little bit chaotic, and we had some infants in our midsts that just weren't up for outings with the daddies, but we just took turns with kitchen jobs and mothering. The activity definitely created a mess of proportions that would normally send me right over the edge, but no matter because I had such a good time with the lovely ladies that joined me. Minestrone, calzones and enchiladas are now waiting patiently in the freezer and pots and pans and wooden spoons are humming away in the dishwasher. (Marta's great tip: start the day with and empty dishwasher!) Next time I'll try not to do quite so much of the talking, and I'll be a little better prepared to save a little more time, and I'll definitely think to print the baking instructions on a cute sticky label like Miss Marta did. Instead of scribbling in sharpie directly on the foil like I did.  Not so cute.

Hope we do it again soon. Thank you, friends, for spending the day in my kitchen.

gobble

menu, check. cranberries, check. "turkey"artwork, check.  Looks like mother nature intends for us to have a small celebration of thanks, just the four of us. Snow and ice have made "over the river and through the woods" much too hazardous. it's ok, I suppose. Thankfully I know a fabulous stuffing (or dressing?) recipe and have a turkey breast on hand. I always thought Thanksgiving meant big gatherings and lots of extended family and friends even though my childhood rarely saw such celebrations. I longed for them. I want my children to know holidays like that despite our distance from all our family members. Sometimes it's nice to be just at home, other times it's good to be with the clan. Blast this stupid Idaho weather. But we'll make the best of it. Starting with the stuffing (or dressing?)

Our Favorite Stuffing
3/4 pound sweet italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup butter
3 yellow onions, chopped
2 cups celery, chopped
1 TBSP fresh sage, chopped
2 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped
6-8 cups cubed very dry cornbread (croutons)
1 cup dried cherries or cranberries
1 1/2 cups chopped tart apples (i.e. granny smith)
1 cup raw cashews, toasted
2 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed
2 TBSP fresh thyme, chopped
kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350.
Saute sausage in large skillet over medium high heat until just cooked through, crumbling with a spoon as you go. About 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and discard fat. Add butter, onions and celery to the pan and saute  until tender, 10 minutes or so. Add to sausage along with herbs and cornbread. Stir to combine.
In another bowl, combine cherries, pecans and chicken stock. Add to cornbread & sausage mixture until moist but not soggy. If it's too dry, add more chicken stock. Season to preference with salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake 1 hour. Uncover, and bake until top is golden, about 20 minutes.

the help

"I hope she ain't so country she ain't got a Hoover."

I'm the last one to the party on this one, but it really was such a good book. Within the first few pages I found myself nodding in agreement with gospel-choir like "mm-hmms!" and giggling like a little old lady at bingo. Even my thoughts have taken on a southern drawl. I wished I could whip out zinging one liners like Minnie and carry sorrow with such grace as Aibee, and endure condescension with such patience as any of these ladies. I also lost any penchant I might once have had for certain kinds of pie. And I wondered really what it was like to live in that time, in that world, where so few seemed to have a conscience at all, let alone a clear one. Where motherly affection was spared  by mothers but given in abundance by other women, who were often forced away from their own babies. The ties that bind became twisted and confused. And I fantasized over meals like pork chops and corn bread and collard greens, fried chicken and potato salad and caramel cakes. I was hungry through the entire book.

Coincidentally, collard greens were included in this week's co-op basket. I consulted one of my favorite southern women on proper preparation and now have a pot of southern life simmering away on my stove.

this week's eats

perfect roast chicken and vegetables

meatball sandwiches and garden salad

country ribs and sweet potatoes

chicken chili and garden salad

it must be autumn, because that's a week full of comfort food (and harvest time side dishes) if ever there were.  I love my weekly co-op basket of culinary inspiration. 

easy as pie

whatever. pie isn't exactly easy. but I managed to make one without any major crises involved. just a whole lotta flour. everywhere. just before unexpected guests arrived. nice.

my first real pie, apple, from scratch, and it was edible. even good. crust flaky, though not perfectly so.

maybe I'll gird up my loins and attempt to conquer pie making again one day. in the distant future.

weekly menu

inspired by an abundance of apples, lovely autumn weather and our weekly basket brimming with garden greens and fresh fruit.

braised short ribs and potatoes
chicken & veggie enchiladas with black beans
corn chowder and garden salad
lasagne and green salad
apple pie
pumpkin apple muffins

got snacks?

sometimes I need snack. you know, a little pick-me-up in the afternoon. or after dinner. or before bed. or after breakfast.

this could become a problem.
as in, a crane might be the only thing capable of actually picking me up.

menu for the week

bbq meatball sandwiches, grilled corn, melon
cilantro-lime chicken tacos
pasta salad primavera
grilled mahi mahi, black beans & rice, garden salad

now what the heck do I do with that eggplant? I look forward to my co-op basket every week, and letting it's surprise contents inspire my family's meals. But the eggplant has thrown me for a loop.

the garden grows some more

our very own strawberries. those that survived the local bird population, anyway.

almost worth it

it's almost worth sending Mr. J out of town for a week if he brings home cake.

and if, in his absence, grand friends whisk one of my little ones off on an evening adventure involving big trucks, trailers, farm equipment and horses. Henceforth referred to as the rodeo. because, in his words, "merrill loves me."

raspberries

Kerplink! Kerplank! Kerplunk! Just like little Sal and her blueberries, the shiny red raspberries went into my bucket. And then they were rinsed, and then frozen on a cookie sheet in a single layer and then placed in a freezer bag to store in the freezer for treats later in the year. Some, though, I ate.  And others are going into this cake, which I am making for the second time in one week because it was that good.

Yum. Raspberries. But I want to say it like Carol Channing in Thoroughly Modern Millie: "RrrrrAZberries!"

in a pickle

extra happy to discover the latest issue in my mailbox upon my return. I have a little pickle fan in my family  so today we made our own batch of "quick pickles" per the magazine. just the right activity for this afternoon, and easy for Piglet to participate. Tomorrow we'll know if they are tasty or just pretty to look at.

***update: very tasty. and pretty to look at.

the garden grows

the first ripe tomato from my garden. hooray! 

focaccia

I ventured into new territory and made focaccia bread to accompany our dinner. Inspired by the fresh herbs that came in my weekly co-op basket: basil, rosemary, sage. I followed  this recipe for the bread but changed up the toppings based on what I had available. Based on the second and third helpings my guys enjoyed, I'd say it was a smashing success.

For our toppings, I used garlic, salt and pepper, chopped fresh basil, rosemary, and sage plus plenty of fresh grated parmesan.

week's menu

club sandwiches on homemade bread
tin foil dinners
fish tacos & guacamole--lots of guacamole*
pasta mama w/fresh green beans
teriyaki chicken & veggies
dessert: grilled plums w/ice cream

and yes, my little ones eat all of it. happy to be snacking on fresh cherries, melon & grapes, also from our weekly basket.

* ripe avocados, fresh lime juice, salt and pepper,  chopped cilantro. diced tomatoes optional. done. chunky, not smooth. I intended to snap a pic to share, but we ate it all.

menu for the week

we opted for the all-organic produce for our basket this week, and while the offering was smaller than the regular baskets, it was still inspiring:

chicken taco salad w/ guacamole
monte cristo sandwiches & garden salad
grilled salmon w/roast veggies
pasta w/peas & pesto
bbq pork w/mango salsa

menu

this week's menu, inspired by the spoils of our local co-op (and cinco de mayo):

homemade mac-n-cheese w/garden salad 

panko-crusted tilapia w/salad & tomatillo salsa 

chile verde w/guacamole & black beans 

pancakes w/fresh strawberry syrup

grilled chicken & veggies w/brown rice

blackberry cobbler

menu

sunday: balsamic tri-tip w/spinach-asparagus salad & roast potatoes
monday:  red enchiladas w/ black beans
tuesday: leftovers
wednesday: broccoli-orange salad w/chicken  and brown rice
thursday: leftovers
friday: szechuan noodles
saturday: leftovers

diy breakfast bars

Sometimes I need a make-ahead breakfast or a hearty snack for outings in the wilderness, but there's not much to like about  packaged so-called breakfast bars and snack bars with their "chocolatey flavoring" and sugar-coated-sawdust flavor. Marlboro Man to the rescue with a [mostly] wholesome and completely tasty recipe for breakfast bars. Easily adaptable to preferences. I recently hosted a basement full of men-folk on a fishing excursion, and they seemed quite fond of these goodies. Here is our spin on the original:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup molasses or honey
1 tsp. orange zest
1 3/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground or freshly grated nutmeg
2  cups old fashioned oats
2/3 cup chopped nuts (walnuts, almonds, pecans, macadamia)
1 1/2 cups combined dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, cherries, chopped apricots, or dates)
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chunks

Mix butter, sugar, eggs and molasses in a large mixing bowl until combined. Sift in flour, soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix well. Stir in oats, nuts, dried fruit, chocolate. Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment, spoon in batter. It will be very thick. Bake at 400 degrees for 13-14 minutes or until done through.  Cool completely, then remove contents of pan via parchment paper and cut into squares or bars. 

recipe from Mr. J's favorite cookbook, which is full of macho cowboy-type recipes like chili and brisket and cobbler. Man food, in general.

Nigella

do you love Nigella? I do.  She's gorgeous, owns her generous curves, has genuine enthusiasm for food and for preparing it, and she just seems so real. It's extra fun to listen to her lovely British accent while she prepares guacamole or bacon-roast chicken or fudge sauce--for which indulgences she never apologizes.