At The Market

Today was yet another gorgeous day.  The temperatures had reached 70° by 11:00 this morning as my son and I headed to the local growers market.  It was our first time seeing what our local farmers, artists, and bakers have to offer.

It was a colorful gathering with pots of fresh herbs, hanging baskets of flowers and the smell of fresh doughnuts wafting through the air.  We took our time, weaving back and forth between tents, stopping to look at the loaves of fresh bread or the latest picking of snow peas.  We gladly enjoyed an apple turnover and sipped decaf iced coffee.  There was even a man making balloon animals for the kids.  He was probably the most uncharismatic balloon man I ever met, but my son was quite pleased with his purple balloon sword anyway. 

I made note of a local producer of yarn, who raises her own goats and llamas, and kettle dyes the most vibrant yarns.  Hmm, I think I'll have to buy a skein or two for a lovely winter scarf, someday.

By the time we left, my market basket was filled with all kinds of goodies.  A pizza crust, almond pesto, snow peas and a bundle of iced sugar cookies.  A modest haul, but next time it will be much bigger I'm sure!

And even though it is Cinco de Mayo, we feasted on homemade Mediterranean style pizza (made from our findings at the market), Hefeweizen and sugar cookies. 

And it was SO good.

Getting Back On Track

A sucker for packaging, I just love the paint can style container these steel cut oats come in.

1 everything bagel with cream cheese

3 regular cappuccinos

1 plate of bangers & mash with green peas
1 "like it" size coffee Heath ice cream from Cold Stone

1 almond macaron

1 side french fries

1 small bbq chicken pizza

1 helping blueberry coffee cake

1 helping breakfast soufflé 

1 pancake (topped with Greek yogurt and fresh berries)

2 slices cinnamon roll French toast

4 slices bacon

1 order of artichoke spinach pesto ravioli

TONS of bread

1 rather enormous slice of mocha cheesecake

1/2 marionberry scone

3 micro brew beers

1 mimosa

1 glass red wine

This list of consumed food is shocking isn't it?  Since last Thursday morning, this is what I've had to eat.  In my defense, I had family visiting.  Plus there were a few veggies, salads, and an hour of basketball stuck in there, but over all I am appalled by my foolish ways.  I seem to have quickly gained back the weight that took months of colds, stomach bugs, and Fibromyalgic flare-ups to lose.  So this week ... I'm getting back to eating sensibly!

I always feel this incredible urge to adjust my digestive track after binging on fatty foods, by eating lots of fiber.  Since yesterday I have been feeding on black beans and brown rice.  And in the morning I LOVE steel cut oats!  Never a fan of waiting around for 30-45 minutes for them to cook, I start them at night before heading to bed.  Following the measurements on the can/box, I bring the oats and water up to a boil and let simmer for one minute; remove from heat and cover.  Leave overnight and in the morning all I have to do is warm it through and serve with a pinch of salt and brown sugar.  Even my kids love it!

So, as entertaining and eating out has died down, I'm truly hoping that my body doesn't hold the atrocities that I inflicted upon it against me.  Or rather ON me.

Back Off! They're MINE!

You know that slogan "Nobody better lay a finger on my Butterfinger"?  Well, that is how I feel about some new snack chips that I have discovered.

I first had these while camping with my sister.  She handed me a snack-size bag of them, and instantly I was hooked!  Then I saw these chips for sale at Costco and I didn't hesitate to throw a hurkin' bag of them in my cart.  SO GOOD!

What makes these so special is not how good they taste, but that they taste good AND they are made of whole grains.  These RiceWorks chips are made of brown rice and have some sesame seeds thrown in as well.  Now, I don't have a problem with gluten personally, but they make a great snack for anyone on a gluten-free diet (they are also Vegan and Kosher).  They seriously taste like Doritos except without the guilt.  Well, maybe a little guilt since I can't stop eating them!  They make me want to hide them, hoard them, and foam at the mouth when anyone tries to eat them.  A little obsessive I know, but that's just the way it is.

I have only tried the Sweet Chili flavor, but I have a feeling that the Salsa Fresca and Tangy BBQ are right up my alley.

Now that you know how I feel about them, please do not be offended if I yell: BACK OFF!  THEY'RE MINE!

Can't.Stop.Eating.These!

Satsuma oranges are sweet, a cinch to peel, and my daughter thinks it's dessert!

They are a little ray of sunshine during the cold winter months.

A Classic Treat ... With Crunchy Sprinkles!

It was just last month that I sung praises over the Halloween Oreos.  Well as Christmas is fast approaching, I was inspired to "try" some of the new Candy Cane Oreos (creme with crunchy sprinkles).  And by "try" I mean I ate six of them this afternoon!  They are delicious!

Seeing bags of these on display caused me to let out an audible shriek!  Really, what could be better than tiny bits of candy cane sprinkled into the creamy center?

I noticed that the chocolate cookie part is crispier than the regular Oreos.  I liked that extra crunch, and the flavor of the chocolate is complimented nicely by the minty creme.  I dare say these are even better than the regular Mint Oreos that are available all year.

I haven't yet tried these with milk.  I'm almost afraid that the milk will ruin the texture and flavor.  They were just dandy straight out of the bag.  And while I am not fully in the Christmas mood, these are the perfect way to gradually usher in some yuletide cheer.

Happy Hour

I must be thinking with my stomach today.  While singing a hymn in church this morning, I confess that my thoughts turned to donuts occasionally.  There was just something about fried bread with a cup of coffee that was singing to me.  Then, after the lunch hour I couldn't stop dreaming of fried, breaded cheese.  So, naturally I made my own mozzarella sticks!

It turns out that you must put the prepared sticks in the freezer for at least two hours before frying them to keep the cheese from oozing out.  The wait was TORTURE!  But, when they were all ready to eat it was 4:30 and so we had "Happy Hour" in our own home!  Served with an ice cold mug of milk, these sticks of gooey fried goodness were quite the snack.

Happy Hour Mozzarella Sticks (modified from a Giada De Laurentiis recipe)

1 cup Italian-style dried breadcrumbs

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cups freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
12 sticks string cheese
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil

Stir the bread crumbs, 1 cup of Parmesan and 1 teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl to blend. Dip the cheese in the eggs to coat completely and allow the excess egg to drip back into the bowl. Coat the cheese in the bread crumb mixture, patting to adhere and coat completely. Place the cheese sticks on a baking sheet. Repeat dipping the cheese sticks in the egg and bread crumb mixture to coat a second time. Cover and freeze until frozen, about 2 hours and up to 2 days.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Working in batches, fry the cheese until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Transfer the fried cheese to plates. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve with the marinara sauce or ranch dressing.

Uh oh, I think I may have started a new tradition around here!

Awesomeness On A Plate

If you are looking for a light, low calorie and fat free recipe ... then DON'T make this one!  But if you are looking for something that is so unbelievably delicious, that it will cause guests and family to make a mad dash for the kitchen in hopes of scoring seconds, then this is the recipe for you!

I had pulled out my trusty recipe box in hopes of finding something that would use up some ingredients I had on hand.  I settled on Impossible Quiche because I had everything for it and it didn't look like it took too much energy to prepare.  Well, let me just say that after one bite, my husband looked me square in the eyes and said "THIS is really good!"  And he was right.

Impossible Quiche by Berta Lee

3 eggs

1/2 cup Bisquick

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup melted butter

1 1/2 cup milk

dash of pepper

Mix the above ingredients until silky smooth, or run in blender for a few seconds.  Pour into greased pie pan.  Sprinkle 1 cup grated cheese of choice and any vegetables or meat you wish (I sauteed onions, bacon and mushrooms together; and added fresh thyme and scallions).  Push down in pan.  Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.  Allow to set 10 minutes before cutting.

During the baking process, the eggs fluff up, the cheese melts on the top, and the Bisquick forms a crust on the bottom.  This is basically a heart attack on a plate (think loads of butter and cheese), but serve with fresh fruit or a salad and it pretty much cancels out all of the fat ... right?

Eat Your Vegetables!

This may seem absolutely crazy, but I made zucchini bread for the first time in my life, just this weekend.  I know, I'm 34 years old and it's taken me this long, but I only started liking zucchinis in the last couple of years.  And when my dad supplied me with all kinds of goodies from his garden, including ridiculous amounts of zucchini, I started getting creative.

Zucchini Bread (modified from AllRecipes.com)

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

3 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

2 1/4 cups white sugar

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups grated zucchini

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325°.  Sift flour, salt, baking powder, and soda together in a bowl.  Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and chocolate chips until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans.  Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool. 

Now, I don't exactly know if I did something wrong, but this bread has more of a cake-like texture than I was expecting ... but I don't mind that one bit!  Even my vegetable wary kids liked this bread and were asking for more.  It must have had something to do with the chocolate chips {grin}. 

So Twisted

Good golly life's been busy lately!  Sometimes I have felt a bit twisted into a knot with busyness.  Once things settle down I'll have more to blog about, but until then I am entertaining family, preparing for more camping trips, and cooking, cooking, cooking.

Here are some funny and much appreciated homegrown carrots from my dad's garden.  One is twisted, just like me!

Le Croissant De Chocolat Avec Les Framboises

Framboise means "raspberry" in French.  Isn't that a fun word to say - fra-a-mbois-e.  It sounds very fancy and a bit pretentious.  

Anyway ... 

One of my favorite things to eat at a bakery is a chocolate croissant with raspberries.  There is a local bakery here in town that makes them perfectly, but I don't have many opportunities to go there.  And while I am all for supporting local businesses, since discovering the perfect way of enjoying these pastries at home, I will have even less need to go the bakery!

If you have a panini press (or even a frying pan), you can make them too and they are SO good!

Le Croissant De Chocolat Avec Les Framboises (because it sounds better titled in French)

a store bought croissant, sliced lengthwise

plain cream cheese

semi-sweet chocolate chips

fresh raspberries

After slicing the croissant in half lengthwise, smear a thin layer of cream cheese on the inside of the slices.  Sprinkle chocolate chips and place whole raspberries on the bottom slice.  Cover with the top slice and put into a panini maker on medium and cook until the croissant is golden brown and the chocolate is melted.  Enjoy with coffee and a good book!

The cream cheese holds all of the ingredients together, the chocolate is gooey and melty, and the warm raspberries are eye-rollingly good.  The panini press toasts the croissants (no need to add butter) and fuses it together to hold the filling inside.  It is flaky, crispy and buttery.  But really, do I need to convince you any more?

Blog Fodder

It's been a while since I have done a "blog fodder" post (or post things that are completely unrelated to each other).  Okay, here we go ...

On a Whim

It may seem strange to get into a baking kick in the middle of summer, but hey that's me ... strange! Yesterday I felt like baking cupcakes.  With whipped cream frosting.  And fresh berries on top.  And I didn't stop there, I added lemon zest and juice as well as a healthy helping of poppy seeds into the batter.  The result was d-licious, however quite dense because evidently I forgot to put in the baking powder. {hand slapping my forehead}

The only thing better than raspberries and whipped cream is raspberries and whipped cream on a cupcake!

Forget "The Food Network"

For the longest time The Food Network reigned supreme when it came to cooking shows.  But now there is the Cooking Channel which I LOVE!  I think what I like about it is that there isn't as much cheesy phrases and hand gestures involved like on the Food Network (hello, Rachel Ray) and there is more variety in the types of food being cooked.  For example, I love French Food at Home where the host Laura Calder makes simple bistro classics that I actually would want to eat (except maybe for the oysters and fish dishes).  Another great show is Rachel Allen: BAKE! which has me dying to make a Swiss Roll or a Toffee Pudding Cake like you wouldn't believe.  Perhaps this new channel can be attributed to my sudden urge to bake, hmm.

Stark Raving Mod

I rarely plan ahead what I am going to wear when I get up in the morning, and that's why I am fascinated by the way my look came together today.  Since it was hot and a bit balmy outside, I opted for my black & white graphic print tunic.  And I set my hair in velcro rollers and then pulled it back, creating a 'do reminiscent of the 1960s.  I felt like a cross between Twiggy and Audrey Hepburn (though I am not nearly as skinny as they were) and had to document my ensemble.  I even turned it black & white to capture the era.

I probably need some more accessories like chunky earrings, but I was lazy and wore no jewelry today.  But if I am being true to Ms. Hepburn, the simpler the better.

A Simple Solution

A few weeks ago I posted about a new idea for simple tabletop decor.  And it would seem that the key limes have reached their aesthetic peak ... but is it possible to squeeze out a little more joy?  YES!

 

Armed with a knife and my own two hands, I set out to squeeze the juice from this tiny fruit.  They didn't produce much, but it was surprisingly simple to do.  I measured about 1/4 of juice when I was finished.  Figuring that wouldn't be enough for a key lime pie or major dessert, I decided to make a key lime simple syrup. 

Key Lime Simple Syrup

1/4 cup fresh key lime juice

1 1/4 cup fine sugar

1/4 cup water

In a small sauce pan, combine sugar and water and cook over medium heat, do not boil.  Whisk frequently to dissolve sugar.  Once sugar is dissolved, remove saucepan from heat and whisk in lime juice.  Store in glass jar in the refrigerator.

This makes a lot of sweet syrup.  So far I have enjoyed putting a scant teaspoon of it in my iced tea, and I think drizzling a bit of it on some pound cake sounds like a dreamy summer dessert.  What a way to get the most out of my $2.50 purchase!

Warmth And Smiles

Today was dreary and gray.  Hot homemade soup and sweet corn muffins provided warmth and smiles for all.  Especially the muffins.

Because Sometimes We're Fancy

Going out to a restaurant is such a treat for me.  I LOVE those occasions where I don't have to plan a dinner, prepare it, serve it, and then clean up after it.  Unfortunately, going out to a good Italian restaurant (my favorite) is usually a spendy affair and therefore becomes a rare event.

One thing that I adore about some restaurants is the little bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar they put out on the table to dip bread in.  It is a nice break from butter and is kinder on the waistline.  Feeling inspired, I bought a couple of bottles to dispense my own oil and vinegar at home.  And while I still have to go through the trouble of making a dinner most of the time, dipping my bread in these gorgeous condiments can make a meal special ... even fancy.

Rustic Gorgeousness

One evening while having dinner at a friend's house I was delighted with a lovely Caprese appetizer.  It was simple, gorgeous and so delicious I craved it for weeks.  I've seen platters of Caprese before with the colors of the Italian flag represented by the tomato, fresh mozzarella and basil; but never had I seen it made like this.  Seriously good.  Seriously!  My husband called it "gorgeousness".

Toasted bread, pesto and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar punches up this classic.  It is rustic and elegant at the same time; however if you are looking for something sophisticated to serve at a dinner party, this may not be it as one does not look very sophisticated while trying to cram four layers of varying textures into one's mouth!

Rustic Caprese Appetizers

1 French or sourdough baguette

olive oil for drizzling

Balsamic vinegar for drizzling

basil pesto or fresh basil leaves

1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

1 fresh Roma tomato, sliced

fresh ground pepper

Cut baguette into diagonal slices.  Drizzle each slice with olive oil and place on parchment lined baking sheet in a 350° oven, and bake until bread is golden brown.  While still warm, drizzle balsamic vinegar onto each bread slice.  Add pesto or basil leaf to each slice, top with mozzarella and tomato and sprinkle freshly ground pepper on top.  Enjoy!

Fresh Pear Still Life

The image of this trio inspires me to get back into painting. I'm thinking watercolor!

It seems with the change of season I also have a change in taste buds. Now that it is Autumn I start craving things with cinnamon, pumpkin and a hearty texture. These pears are calling to me. Should I make a pear & sour cherry clafoutis? Perhaps a fresh pear pie? Or a coffee cake? The possibilities are endless.

But for now, I just enjoy gazing upon them as they sit ripening on my kitchen table.

Chez Kelly

I've never been to Paris, but when I do go (and I will go) I plan to head out for a night at a local bistro. I like hearty dishes and casual dining. So, last night I made my own bistro-style meal and ate it at my own table. It was VERY casual, it always is with children. I didn't bother with the white table linens or candlelight, but I did use my Dansk Bistro dishes and white ramekins to get the experience.

We had homemade French Dip sandwiches and garlicky mashed potatoes. Milk for the kids and Cabernet Sauvignon for the adults. We gathered at the table and talked about our day. Watching my son try to eat the au jus with a fork was interesting; and I could have done without my daughter complaining that she didn't like potatoes; but all in all it was a nice meal together.

To anyone who has a crock pot and is non-vegetarian, here is an amazing French Dip recipe you must try:

French Dip Sandwiches with Au Jus

1 rump roast (about 4 lbs)
1 10.5 oz can beef broth
1 10.5 oz can French Onion soup
1 12 oz bottle of beer
French rolls or stadium rolls
butter
garlic salt
sliced provolone cheese

I like to start cooking my meat the night before. Trim excess fat and place in crock pot with a little bit of water and a dash of Worcestershire sauce. Allow to cook overnight. In the morning, remove the water from the crock pot and add in the broth, soup and beer. Cook on low for 7 hours. (WARNING: the smell of this cooking with make your mouth water the whole day!)

To prepare for sandwiches, take out the meat and place on a cutting board. The roast should be falling apart, no need for slicing. Double strain the au jus to remove bits and ladle into ramekins.

When ready to assemble sandwiches, open up the rolls and spread on butter and garlic salt (I use California garlic salt). Place under the broiler on low for a few minutes until bread browns and butter melts. Add shredded meat to the rolls, top with sliced provolone and place back under the broiler, open faced, until cheese melts. Cut sandwiches in half diagonally and serve with au jus. Then sit back and listen to all of the oooohhhhhs and aaaahhhhhs.

My husband tried one bite of his sandwich and asked me to marry him again. That's how good it is!

The Magic Ingredient

It has taken a while, but I have learned to love summer vegetables. I was never a fan of zucchini, and now I greedily add it to my cart at the grocery store. I even like yellow crookneck squash! My children, however, are not convinced of their deliciousness. So, finding a way to get my kids to eat their vegetables without shoveling them down their throats is a challenge. Fortunately, I think I may have found the solution.

The "magic ingredient" is participation ... and cheese ... but mostly participation. My daughter helped me to assemble this meal and took pride in it, therefore she ate her dinner and asked for seconds. Here is a great recipe that we all enjoyed seconds of:


Summer Vegetable Flatbread (modified from foodnetwork.com)

All-purpose flour, for dusting
1 pound pizza dough
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil plus extra, for drizzling
1 large (8 ounce) zucchini, thinly sliced
1 yellow crookneck squash, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano leaves, divided
1 1/2 cups (4 ounces) shredded mozzarella (I used pre-shredded Italian blend)

Place an oven rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough into a 12-inch circle. With a pastry brush, brush 1 tablespoon of the oil over the dough. Using the tines of a fork, prick the dough all over. Arrange the vegetable slices on top of the dough. Drizzle the vegetables with oil. Bake the dough for 18 to 20 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Remove the bread from the oven, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of oregano and the cheeses. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes until the cheeses are melted and bubbly.

Sprinkle the flatbread with the remaining oregano, cut into wedges and serve. A light sprinkling of garlic salt is quite nice as well.

Now THAT is a painless way to eat your veggies!

More Bang for My Buck

Who would have thought beans and legumes could be so lovely?

It would seem that everywhere I go I see evidence of the economic recession. Businesses are shutting down, golf courses are closing their doors, and luxuries like eating out doesn't seem to be high on the priority list. And while these are hard times, I think it is a good thing in some respects.

I am trying to be more creative with how and where I spend my money. I try to make meals that will provide good left-overs for next day lunches. And I have been cooking A LOT of beans! This last week we had 12 bean soup. It tasted good, was satisfying, provided leftovers and used up some leftovers. I used homemade chicken stock that I keep on hand in the freezer, threw in some left over Easter ham and a chopped onion. And probably the best part about it is that I bought the bag of beans for $.99!

I have started to make a point of going to the Grocery Outlet store before my regular grocery shopping and I have scored some great deals. Items like pasta sauce, tea, brownie mix and a hirkin' jug of Clorox bleach at low prices have made these trips worthwhile. And, and so does the Starbucks chocolate bars for half the price at regular stores!

Lunch for Dinner

Don't these bagels look delicious? I got them from a cute little place called Kelly's Kitchen!

Mmmm, bagels. There is just something about the soft and chewy insides and browned outsides that make these breads so appealing. There is a place in town called The Daily Bagel that has bagels of all flavors ranging from garlic & herb, poppyseed, cheese and my favorite cranberry orange. Lightly toasted with a little schmear and I am happy!

The other day I was watching Martha Stewart and she had a guest on her show who was making bagel sandwiches. The ingredients really grossed me out. Chicken liver and pickles or whitefish salad with wasabi roe ... blah! Surprisingly, these are the most popular sandwiches at his shop. And while the thought of biting into a sandwich full of mushy chicken livers did not appeal to me in any way, the bagels themselves, did. So I decided to try to make my own bagels.

Sure, I could always head down to The Daily Bagel and pick up a few, but I was up for a challenge. I had never made bagels before and was curious about the process. I found a recipe online (I chose it because I had all of the ingredients on hand) and I had a blast making them.

Homemade Bagels (modified from recipetips.com)

1 tablespoon dry yeast, or 1 package
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour
1 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 quarts water
2 tablespoons sugar (optional, but gives a bit of gloss to the crust)
sesame seeds, poppy seeds, coarse salt (optional, for topping)

Dissolve yeast in warm water and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Put flour, salt and sugar into electric mixer with dough hook attachment and mix. (Or mix together by hand in a bowl).

With mixer running, add yeasted water all at once and mix for about 30 seconds, until dough forms a single mass. If it's too runny to form a mass, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time. If too dry, add water a tablespoon at a time. Scrape dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for several minutes, adding a little more flour if necessary to make a firm dough.
Put dough into a bowl large enough to allow for rising, cover with plastic bag or damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (Time will vary with temperature)

When dough is risen, preheat oven to 400 and bring 2 quarts water to boil in a pot wide enough to hold 2 or 3 bagels without crowding. Add 2 tablespoons sugar to boiling water. While oven and water heat, punch dough down and divide as evenly as possible into 8 pieces. Shape the pieces into balls. Flatten each ball into a disc about 4 inches across and poke a hole in the center. Use your hands to enlarge the hole and shape the dough.

When the oven is hot and the water boiling, starting with the bagels that were shaped first, slide 2 or 3 into the boiling water. Adjust the temperature to maintain a simmer or slow boil, not a hard boil, and cook for 2 minutes, turn over and cook for another 2 minutes. Lift out carefully and drain on a rack. Sprinkle on topping seeds or salt, if using.

Arrange bagels on greased baking sheet with enough room so they aren't touching and bake until lightly browned and crusty, about 20 minutes. Remove from sheet and cool on a rack.

My efforts resulted in delicious and chewy - if not a little funny looking - bagels that made perfect sandwiches that we had for dinner. I made my own herbed cream cheese which I put with slices of ham on each bagel. I cut up some carrot sticks and apples, and we had lunch for dinner! The family seemed pleased and I would definitely do this again. In fact, my husband didn't even realize at first that I had made them ... yeah, they were THAT good!