scrolling out woodworks...loves chocolate chip cookies

I have no recipe to post today but chocolate chip cookies are really Dan's favorite snack. Scrolling it Out Woodworks is headed to Virginia this Wednesday for another art/craft show. People frequently ask what Dan's handiwork really is all about.

Let me toot a horn for Dan and share some of his meticulous work! He has been scroll sawing since he was 10. His grandfather gave him his first saw. What really lit his fire was the Atari game system. His parents told him if he wanted one he would have to earn half. The Lititz craft show was his big debut with pac man necklaces (yellow pac man on a yarn necklace). His success efforts landed him enough to purchase the Atari system. Do you think that gaming occupies his time now? No, my friend. Dan's love is his saw and you can see it in his work.

can't eat too much kale recipe

This is my favorite recipe, of all time, even if I said something else was my fav. I can’t get enough spinach, kale or chard . . . maybe I have a vitamin deficiency. It could be that this is such a nostalgic recipe for me. I made it frequently when I was misplaced, lost and living in Wisconsin for far too long.

My mom was visiting this past weekend, made a beeline to the garden and picked some of the last of my swiss chard to whipped up this dish. You can use kale or fresh or frozen spinach in this recipe. I made a 3 onion risotto using some of my leeks to serve on the side. The creamy risotto and rich chard was a perfect and healthy comfort food. It is perfect in it's simplicity.

• 1 lb fresh swiss chard, spinach or kale – if frozen use one cube of spinach
• 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
• 1 medium onion
• 5 cloves garlic
• Red pepper flakes

In a large pan sauté the onions for about 4 minutes, add the garlic and diced tomatoes. Add the greens and cover and simmer on low until tender.

Occasionally, I will add a 14 oz can of tomato sauce or a can of V8 and some cooked rice, kamut, splet or quinoa.

phat turkey meatballs to rock your spaghetti

Everybody has a recipe for meatballs but mine is the best bar none... well, for a turkey meatball recipe that is. This recipe is superior because it is my father's recipe, they are baked not fried, freeze well, don't need eggs (enough poultry has been harmed in the process already) and they are quite tasty.

Listen, if you are not getting your oatmeal to start the day then get it to finish the day. Instead of soaking dried bread in milk/buttermilk and using it in a meatball recipe, I incorporate oatmeal. This is either my mom or my dad's genius idea. I don't waste the money on eggs to bind... use ground flax seed. Yea, it sounds weird but it works well and is another great excuse to sneak a bit of fiber and omega 3's into your diet!

I usually pick up a big batch of ground turkey at Costco and make meatballs galore to freeze. Use them in soups and not just with pasta. They are also great to have on hand for last minute guests. Again, this is a bare bones recipe so add what you like, skip what you don't. Either way these balls with rock your next party!! (that being said, did you pick up the new flight of the concords cd?)

• 3 - 2 ½ lbs ground turkey
• 1 ½ cups onion, finely chopped or grated
• 2 carrots, grated
• ¼ cup garlic, chopped
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, finely diced
• ¾ cup rolled oats
• ¼ cup flax seeds, ground
• ¼ cup ketchup
• ¼ cup grated parmesan or pecorino cheese
• Wine?
• 2 T soy/tamari sauce
• 1T freshly ground pepper
• 1T oregano, dried
• 1 tsp thyme, dried
• Dash of red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Prepare the baking sheet with aluminum foil and a light coating of cooking spray (from a can or your own olive oil pump sprayer) and space the balls with at least an inch between each other. Bake until they are roasted to a deep golden brown. Check every10 minutes and agitate them so they bake evenly.

blueberry crumb cake that will make you cry

This cake is so good it will torture you. You will want to eat more but know your limit should be one slice, one reasonably sized portion. You may sprout another personality eating this cake. I grew one for a job once (non-offensive, flat as a pancake personality phoebe that always continued to offend anyway...maybe it wasn't me that needed another personality to make the world go 'round). With crumb cake I have found you are either a crumb fan or a cake fan but the balance of flavors, moist cake and sugary sweet crumbs will have you devouring the whole fabulous thing !

This is not my recipe I will have to forward you to Ina Garten. I did make 2 minor tweaks to the recipe. I added 1/3 cup oatmeal to the crumbs and instead of sour cream I made my own buttermilk. I also used an 8 1/2 spring form pan and baked for 55 minutes.

Did you know?

. . . blueberries are a super food and it would be healthier for you to eat them alone rather than in this white flour, white sugar and buttery moist cake. Think about it, over a piece of this cake.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/blueberry-crumb-cake-recipe/index.html

lentil soup is for champions!

Here is a recipe that is a favorite of mine. My father use to make this when I was younger (I am so young now so it was not that far off). This soup freezes well and there are so many variations; you can please a meat eater or vegetarians and still keep it healthy. Between Dan, myself and some family friends we cleaned up a double recipe in 3 days and Dan actually enjoyed it (without pig parts…again, no meat in this version).

Did you know?
. . . that if you love beans they will love your heart and bowels back? They are packed with soluble and insoluble fiber that sucks up gunk as it moves though your body and keeps all of your pipes clean. Lentils also help stabilize blood sugar levels and gives a slow burn while keeping you feeling full. Lastly, lentils are high in iron, incidentally so is red meat, which is also high in cholesterol (the same gunk you are trying to remove by eating more fiber rich foods).

So folks, pair this soup with the antioxidant rich tomatoes (processed tomatoes are more concentrated in antioxidants than fresh) and you have a crowd pleasing, super food cocktail!

This recipe will make 4 lbs of soup and is just the basic mix

• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 cup lentils, dry (I love to use French lentils as they stay firm but green lentils work well)
• 1 quart broth
• 1 T Olive oil
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp thyme
• 1 bay leaf (dad’s secret ingredient..maybe)

If you are feelin' funky add:

• 1 small can of tomato sauce & 1 14 oz can of diced tomato (my favorite addition, just like dad’s recipe)
• sun dried tomatoes
• rice / quinoa / kamut / spelt berries
• fennel
• spinach / kale / swiss chard
• sliced kielbasa or sausage (try to be aware of the sodium content)
• ham (did you know that pigs are as smart as dogs? www.rps.psu.edu/probing/pigs.html )
• red pepper flakes
• dash of cayenne
• tofu sausage

Saute the veggies over medium heat with olive oil for about 8 minutes adding the garlic for the last minute. Add the remaining ingredients, cover and simmer until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.

chia seed "tapioca" pudding

No, not what you spread on a molded clay figure of kermet the frog and wait for a mass of green fuzz to grow. Chia seeds have been around for a long, long time. I first heard of them when I did a short stint at Kimberton Whole Foods. One of my co-workers would add them in her smoothies to boost her fiber intake. Like flax seeds, they are rich in the omega fatty acids that we never get enough of.

Check out the below link to a blogger who can give great info on these seeds... they may just be the next new buzz in health food circles... soon to leave flax seeds in their dust. Don't you want to be one of the first people to mention these exotic seeds.
So, I saw a photo of this tasty mix on line (this is my photo) but no other details other than a chia seed "tapioca" and it sent me on a search for details. I love puddings but they don't have too much nutritional value. The chia seed spin on things makes this a healthful treat and is vegan, raw, gluten & dairy free. It is easy to prepare as you do not have to fire up the stove. Don't make too much because if it sits in the fridge longer than 3 or 4 days the seeds give it an astringent flavor that is hard to get off your tongue...unless you eats loads of chocolate and swedish fish and wash it down with some red wine. Also keep in mind, like several raw food recipes, nuts are full of fat and calories, you need to be mindful of the amount you eat!

• 1 cup cashew cream (1/2 cup raw cashews powdered in coffee grinder then "creamed" in a blender with water until desired consistency)
• 1/2 cup water / non dairy milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 5 T chia seeds
• 1 tsp agave, optional. you may like it less sweet. taste first you, can always add as much or little after it gels.

Put all the ingredients in a jar/container and shake it up to blend it. Let it sit at least 4 hours to "gel" and then enjoy! I like mine topped with fresh fruit.

Get creative with this. I'm sure you can make a chocolate version...coconut cream/water...orange blossom water...
http://foodsforlonglife.blogspot.com/search/label/CHIA%20SEEDS

stuff it!

bite your tongue! ... as do I and do it too often it becomes redundant. I'm talking about peppers, stuffed peppers. I like to make mine with a twist as I do with stuffed cabbage. So, we roasted and soon we shall stuff!

A darling gal at work was eager to make some stuffed peppers this week using some brought in by a patient for the staff. I picked the last of mine yesterday for fear of what frost might do to them.

I went to visit a friend yesterday and the conversation came around to stuffed peppers. It is just killing me ... this craving for stuffed peppers and not to mention lentil soup. Dan's craft show schedule and my daily demands has left no time to good food these past two weeks. I have yet to unpack from last weekend's show and must be packed tonight to leave early tomorrow for the next. When I get back next week I will share my recipe for stuffed peppers and will be making lentil soup for my lunch deliveries!

in the mean time... DID YOU KNOW??

• One small red, yellow or orange pepper provides 3 times the RDA of vitamin C (more than citrus). Vitamin C is an anti-oxidant cancer fighter. Red peppers are one of the few foods that contain lycopene and are packed with beta-carotene!
• All bell peppers have a healthy dose of fiber, which among other things helps lower cholesterol

a basket full of . . .

..basil! I just cleaned off the last of the basil bushes. My vegetable garden is nearly cleared. The last things hanging on are leeks, a few red onions, buttercup squash, Japanese eggplants, tollie, hot Hungarian and anchillo peppers. I don't have the heart to take them out before the very last veggies ripen. Hey, there are loads of sweat and tears in that garden. My brussels sprouts, swiss chard and red cabbage are still bearing goodies.

I have a sink full of basil that I'll be making pesto to freeze and I finished steaming the last lacinato kale to freeze for soups later this winter.

mac n' cheese

'tis the season for comfort food and this kind of comfort is not kind to your heart. This is a dish I whip up only once a year and it generally makes so much I share with my neighbors. The premise is simple and you can use what you find in the fridge to make this. I added some things that a friend said she has seen used in a recipe for mac and cheese.

• 1 pound box of whole wheat pasta
• 3/4 lb of cheese... get creative... I picked up the odds and ends pieces the deli sells (swiss, cheddar, farmer's, pepper, american) use cheddar if you like
• 1 lb box of Velveeta (it use to be cheese)
• bechamel sauce : melt 3T butter, add 1/2 cup onion and 1 clove garlic, enough flour until a paste forms (approx 4T) then gradually mix in milk until saucy (1 - 2 cups)
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp soy or Worcestershire sauce

make the bechamel sauce then add the cheese and cook over med/low heat until it is gooey, creamy good then mix in the cooked pasta. Lightly coat a 9x12 pan and scoop in the goods. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes!

roasted fall veggies

Roasting veggies is really easy to do. If you've got it, roast it. This is a deceptive photo of my first ever, homegrown and a bit unattended ... brussels sprouts! I have Dan hooked on these goodies. They are nice steamed (still a bit firm and not too mush) but roasting them brings out a great nutty flavor.

I am a bit sleepy and have to be at the office at 6:15am on Saturday for training in Philly. I will be brief with this recipe and ask that you take a look at what is local (check out B&H or your neighborhood co-op) and seasonal now and ROAST it . . . rock on!

you will need:

• veggies - a variety or the same but cut to similar size chucks - generally 1 inch cubes
• squash, zucchini, onions, garlic, fennel, brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, parsnips, yams, tomatoes, peppers (celery would be a bad idea) . . . why not chunk of apple??? mmm.. tossed in sugar and cinnamon? see where my mind is going? GET CREATIVE! pear? sneak it in with the savory veggies
• herbs - I sprinkle a bit of thyme on my veggies with some freshly cracked pepper
• a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil that has been very lightly coated with olive oil. I have found if you use too much oil it tends to steam things. Also, don't crowd the veggies or they will steam and not roast.
• an oven that you have preheated to 450 degrees. Once in check every 15 minutes to toss and cook until desired color is achieved.
• french pressed coffee/tea to sip and a book to read (as the veggies do there stuff)

what to do with your veggies:

• served them warm on top of some rice or quinoa pilaf
• share them with your pooch, really.
• make a cold salad with your favorite tasties (cranberries, raisins, candied walnuts, savory pumpkin seeds, apricot) and serve alone or on a bed of greens
• place in a blender and puree with some stock or cream (dairy or non-dairy) to make a soup
• puree it, add your favorite spices, ricotta cheese and milk until a desired texture to serve over pasta

flavor ideas:

• ginger, garlic and coconut milk
• cumin, garlic and chicken broth
• thyme, garlic, shallots

asian food store run!

I had to take a day to run out to an Asian food store to pick up some things for recipes that I can not find in the area. I took some friends to share the experience! We spent quite some time among many wonders. Some packaging had English words, all had photos or sneak-a-peak windows ... thus the delay in the store.

http://www.lotteplaza.com/branch/branch.php?Id=45&lan=ENG

I know there are so many food fads/lifestyles that come back to life every decade or so but something has to be said for centuries of cultural food traditions! It was wonderful to walk down the aisles and come upon some unique ingredients. Jane tried to talk me into some kind of eel paste in a jar but Dan prefers when I make his fresh.

I wanted to take a photo of some beautiful quail eggs that I happened upon in the HUGE tofu section but I was embarrassed for taking so many photos. Do people do that when they come to Shady Maple? I thought I had to show some respect. Here are a few photos that I snuck!!!

cookbooks anonymous, when and where should I be?

I found yet another cookbook that I am having a hard time living without, Apples for Jam. It has been 9 hours since I have seen it last . . . I have to admit that I took a recipe out of the book to see if I'd like it . . . granola. I just pulled a batch out out of the oven. I am experimenting with 3 recipes and this gal's is one. I day dream that if I ever write a cookbook it would be as beautifully scripted and photographed as this book. It the story of food and family written by Tess Kiros, who's father is Greek and mother Finnish.

I am unsure if I can post her recipe but I'll post a link to it. http://cookingupadream.livejournal.com/tag/granola

I am really busy and have some soup recipes I am experimenting with next!