meatball experiment

Just a quick note...I experimented with two recipes last night for family and friends. One meatball recipe was coconut, fennel and cashew and the other was a Kashmiri dish with a little more zing (curry, heat, cilantro, and ginger). The vote was for the coconut balls!

that is all i have to say...no photos either...mmmm...more next time and maybe a recipe

local goat cheese makes for easy recipes

I have been on the hunt for local goat cheese and rustled up a few leads but the one I connected with is Amazing Acres Goat Dairy in Elverson. I have heard that this cheese artisan sets up on Penn Avenue for the West Reading Farmers Market.

For a recent tasting at Shri Yoga on Penn, I ran out to Amazing Acres and if it was not a rainy day I would have taken a photo of the great goats who were checking me out from their cozy barn. I picked up fresh fromagina and chevre.

The owners shared that fromagina can be substituted in recipes that call for ricotta or mascarpone to make a sweet or savory recipe. Use it for a savory dip or add sugar (I used agave) and fresh/frozen fruit for a sweet alternative. I served chocolate wafers with a creamy fromagina that was blended with Weaver's Orchard cherries, vanilla bean, agave and walnuts.
Bet it might make a nice addition to a savory cheese cake.

Goat cheese is an easy savory to serve in a roll or ball. I rolled the chevre in cranberries, walnuts and rosemary from my garden. If you want to stretch the cheese or make it a bit softer try blending in an equal portion of cream cheese.

At a recent get together held at Epiphany Life Enrichment Center, I made a cranberry goat cheese log. Here is a link to an easy cranberry goat cheese log recipe, it is just as tasty as it is beautiful to present.

all in all...use simple, local ingredients and keep it real folks!

blood orange & avocado salsa

hey there! just a quick minute to share this yummy recipe that I found thanks to a recent Oprah magazine purchase. this is such a beautiful salsa and wouldn't it be yummy on seafood? this is the dip I took to the recent Shri Yoga Holiday Open House.

click here to visit the link to the Oprah recipe~

local mill

I forgot to mention that we met the owner of a local mill at the Christmas show last week. I am so excited to find a miller using locally grown grains! Better yet we might have a local connection to pick up the grain and save on shipping.

When we go to these shows I usually enjoy buying what is edible. We picked up several bags of whole wheat, buckwheat, whole wheat and buckwheat pancake mixes. They do sell the products in our neck of the woods, at Shady Maple, and will make great Christmas gifts. Ahhh...the day after Christmas with homemade waffles or pancakes from locally made grains!

So, here is the scoop. Burnt Cabins Grist Mill is a site to check out. They host tours and also have a family campground on the premises. As an aside, did you know that buckwheat is not a grain product? It is an herb related to rhubarb and thus contains no gluten. It is a great source of protein and anti-oxidants too. Substitute buckwheat in recipes but if you can tolerate gluten substitute 3/4 cup buckwheat and 1/4 whole wheat flour for each cup of flour. It is a bit dense.

2010: last craft show of the season

yipeee! Yes, this is the same book I was working on at this show in 2009...I had high hopes of finishing it this year.

We love doing these shows. We meet creative vendors with great stories who make for fun company. We also meet the most interesting customers. Cutting it so close to the holiday season keeps Dan very busy and us on the road. Coco and I love when the 2nd week in December rolls by because we finally get Dan back. There are those few demanding customers that need things past the order deadlines but Dan's "It's all good" attitude keeps folks happy.

So, here I sit as day 4, of 5, winds down at the Pennsylvania Christmas and Gift Show winds down. The promoters tell us it is the largest Christmas gift show in the US with about 700+ vendors. There is a hodge podge of handmade and China made gifts. We start at 10/9am and finish at 8pm. Needless to say it's a long day and very busy for Dan.

This year I had a few favorite vendors that I must share with you!

The first gal is the jewelry designer who made a pair of earrings that I always receive compliments on. They are actually a "Jesus fish" which this jeweler uses to share her testimony. I can't locate her website but if you would like her contact info just send me a note.

The next gal's designs are so much fun. I have seen her work at Hello Bluebird in West Reading . Tami is the owner and designer of Pink Andie Designs . Check out her website because she has a vegan doughnut recipe so you gotta love that! Tami incorporates vintage pieces into her bling. Her pieces are whimsical and just plain fun!

Okay, you know me and so you know it was not hard for me to find the bakers at this show. German Delights has been my stop at least twice. These 2 gals have artisan, authentic German baked goods. Oddly, what I love about their treats is that they are not too sweet. I love that there is so much attention to detail, like every little cookie or morsel was made just for me!

Last, but not least is a glass artisan that we met at a previous show, TJ Gallery Glass
Jennifer and Tom taught me so much about yard game and food. There work is funky and unique! Find TJ Gallery Glass on facebook too!

I could go on and on about the artist friends we have and have met on road. There are so many connections to make when considering gifts for the holidays or special events in all price points. Please consider buying local when gift giving. Your money is more likely to stay local to support a community when you buy from the artisan you get to meet.

Smoked turkey & kale stew

I found a similar recipe on a bag of kale that got me rolling with a few adaptions. It was a HUGE bag of kale, which did not hinder me. Dan has not been a fan of the leafy, dark greens and will only eat spinach if it is raw, in a salad (which is healthier, so I will give him that). I am generally the one to tackle kale by the arms loads.

Kale is one of the healthiest food around and here are a few reasons why you need to eat more kale...

• it is full of flavinoids which gives anti-inflammatory qualities and a fab anti-oxidant
• steaming kale makes it easier for your body to reach the maximum absorbency of nutrients it has to offer
• kale is a good source of calcium as well as fiber
• it is chock full of Vitamin K, A, and C
• visit WHfoods for the scoop
  

This is how I made my stew today, feel free to adapt it to your tastes. I love it with a crusty, handmade bread and cheese.

1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 cup sweet brown rice, dry
2 cups french lentils, dry
4 cups sweet potato, cubed
1 bunch kale or swiss chard, coarsely chopped
1 lb smoked turkey breast, cubed
5 cups broth

saute the onions in 2 T extra virgin olive oil until just tender, add the garlic and stir until coated followed by the sweet potatoes. Cook this mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally for 6 minutes then add the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the lentils, rice and smoked meat, cover, reduce heat to med-low, and cook until the grains are tender.
Salt and pepper to taste but remember that smoked turkey will have loads of flavor.

a few good vegan / vegetarian cookbooks

let me preface this with... I have all but BabyCakes, Veganomicon, and Skinny Bitch.

The Skinny Bitch, Ultimate Everyday Cookbook author wrote Skinny Bitch, about vegan eating. The Veganomicon received great reviews and it chock full of creative recipes to keep vegans interested. BabyCakes...well, you have to love it just for her sassy writing style and yummy recipes for vegans and/or those allergy afflicted, sweet tooth junkies.

That said....

this stack makes an easy start for vegan cooking. A few folks have asked about cookbooks and since I have not written one to suggest to you I stopped at B&N to photograph a few favorites. I do have hundreds of cookbooks but there are those few that show their love with dog-eared and sticky note flags.

My all time favorite cookbook is the original Moosewood. B&N did not have the first Moosewood cookbook, which is the one I suggest you buy. All of the recipes are free hand with beautiful drawings. Moosewood is not vegan but it is vegetarian and you can easily substitute most recipes.

"Vegan With a Vengeance" was one of the first vegan cookbooks I picked up. The recipes are simple and ingredients easy to find...if you have a sweet tooth and won't fuss about sugar, you must pick up her "Vegan Cupcakes Rule the World." Isa gives great tips on what to sub for baking, that makes this vegan baking cookbook a great resource.

"Get it Ripe" is fun and teaches you about the ingredients that you can expect to use which makes it a great resource book on your vegan cookbook shelf. "Vegan Planet" is chock full of options too.

If you are able, buy your books from your local library's used book section....support the local library!

"I would have been a butterfly

...if Phoebe had not hung a bird feeder just above the dill weed that I have been chillin' on for weeks."

So, we (dan and his biz) have been busy and on the road for 3 weeks straight so I have not been cooking much, except for my lunch deliveries. I did not get around to planting fall crops this year and think I will be missing the Swiss Chard and Kale later this fall.

I was mucking about in the camera and found this photo and had to share it. I was such a moron and just like my bird feeder planted near a car hiding spot I put a bird feeder just above the home of this would have been butterfly. ugh! Still, is is a beautiful photo!

don't garden in flip flops

That will be the title of my first book. I've been thinking about it for the past 4 years...that I have been gardening in flip flops and now regretting it. I treated myself to a pedicure this Friday. I do a fine job on my own but it is nice to take a load off (as if personal hygiene is a real burden, huh?). So my toes are a sassy color of red more like a magenta... anyway, after such pampering I, like a fool, went out in the garden and mud today...in flip flops.

why one should not garden in flip flops (mistakes I have made)

1. Sharp sticks jab your tender feet
2. Raspberry or rose thorns really hurt if they get between your toes
3. It is really gross how dirty the bottom of your feet can get...sometimes I have hobbit feet (less the fur)
4. There is no support for the soles of your feet.
5. If you are not careful and over extend your toes when bending, you could cause a stress fracture or damage the capsule stuff that surrounds your toe joints. I accomplished this fete this year and it has been 6 weeks of pain. I can't sit still to ice it (except for this moment).
6. Heel Spurs...no, they are not callouses on your heels. A heel spur is a bony thing that will start to grow in a very sharp point on your heel, damage ligaments, and cause unbearable pain. I'm not saying that it is gardening in flip flops that caused mine (was diagnosed a bit ago). That, in combination with years in heels, contributed to this issue.

Be careful with your feet or you will end up like me... in boring flats and banning flip flops!

roasted beet chips

trying my hand at roasted beet chips... not sure what i think of this recipe. i have loads of beets from the garden so i can spare a few to experiment. we shall see. they are amazing in color, no?

ok, i just pulled the first batch out...these are disgusting! the recipe was rather easy...slice thin pieces of beets, lightly coat with oil, salt and roast at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour and watch carefully so they don't burn. i have never eaten possum poo but i imagine it might taste as gross as these chips. i have defiled my beautiful beets to roast them. i'm wondering if i can use them in soup so they are not a total waste. oh ... blah the after taste... need to go find some wine to wash it down...and cat litter... later

day dreaming of posting

I just have to share this ... if you look closely in the center of the photo there is a hummingbird perched on the flower. I have taken a friend's advice and affectionately named him (her?) Patrick. I have several hummers but this one is spunky. I adore him! When he is not a peeping Tom he perches on the clothes line but is so tiny he looks like a clothes pin.

We have been busy. Dan's show season started and the garden is full and ready to be harvested! Dan pulled 12 pounds of beets for me yesterday! Something got at the leaves and left them like swiss cheese so I can't really steam them. Steamed beet leaves are amazing. I'll need to do some research for pest control once I identify the pests. We go on holiday in September. I have loads of reading and learning planned.
So, yesterday we pulled out Dan's grandmother's Victorio brand strainer to make tomato sauce. This is far easier than the boiling and peeling method of making sauce. My favorite tomato sauce recipe remains roasting. The recipe is in my blog from last season. I have no idea how many pounds of tomatoes we used for this sauce but we have approximately 18 quarts simmering away in my new/used roaster...uh, hope this works for a slow cook. I have no time to baby sit a pot for a day.

What is crazier in this photo, the colorful tomatoes or the pattern on our flooring?

attracting butterflies, birds and hummingbirds

Based on my bird experience I have vowed to be a better bird person...bird feeder hanger...bird lover??? whatever. I just need to learn what beneficial birds I want in the yard, how to get them here and make a happy environment so they stick around... and if I'm lucky I can Cinderella them and get them to help me with the laundry. Do they whistle while they work or is that the 7 dwarfs?I just picked up these 3 books and suggest them to you, bird lover wanna be. The first 2 are Rodale Organic Gardening books, Attracting Butterflies & Humming Birds to Your Back Yard and Attracting Birds to Your Back Yard. Birds in Your Back Yard is a Birds & Bloom Book.

I think I am a step ahead of the game this year. I planted red bee balm and some other hummingbird and butterfly loving plants! We have spotted a humming bird these past 2 seasons but I want him/her to make his/her home here!

I have been plating zinnias for years because the remind me of my father and his artist friend, David Ellinger. David loved to paint zinnias. I remember when dad took me to visit David, during a trip home from college, and he had stacks of paintings but the one that caught my eye was of zinnias. I have a few of his things hanging in the house now but not that zinnia! I do have beautiful memories with my artist and art loving dad!