I have been working like crazy to get through the many works in progress I have going on here.  I'm hoping to finish up another quilt top this afternoon and then start basting.  I think I have at least 5 tops and bottoms waiting to be sandwiched right now.  One for us, one for someone special, the rest I'm hoping will find homes in the new shop I have been working on as well. When Monday brought our first snowfall of the season, I knew I better take a break from stitching get a batch of cocoa mixed up, sooner rather than later.  Andy likes to drink it in the evenings when the weather turns and it has definitely turned.

hot cocoa mix

2 cups powdered sugar

1 cup dutch processed cocoa

2 1/2 cups powdered milk (I use organic valley because it gives the cocoa an extra creamy texture)

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 cup powdered creamer (flavor of your choice - I used hazelnut for this batch)

1 teaspoon vanilla powder

4 ounces chopped dark chocolate

Mix well in large bowl.  Store in airtight container.

To use, place 2-4 spoonfuls in cup.  The amount depends on how chocolaty you like your cocoa.  Add a small amount of almost boiling water and stir to dissolve the mix then fill cup the rest of the way.

Personally I like with some fresh whipped cream, but marshmallows are great too.

Our weather seems to have fallen into a routine of blizzard one week and thunderstorms the next.  It has made for a strange February that has left me with a touch of cabin fever.  The past couple of days have been grey and windy and I thought a bit of comfort food might be in order.

This is an adaptation of my maternal grandmother's recipe.  She made it with standard rice, but it is cooked like a risotto so I usually use arborio rice for mine.

risotto rice pudding

1 cup uncooked arborio rice

milk

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

Place rice in large heavy bottomed saucepan and cover with 2" of milk (2% works best)

Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring regularly to keep it from scorching on the bottom.  Keep adding milk as necessary to keep the mixture loose and easy to stir.  After simmering for 30 minutes, taste to be sure the rice is cooked.  Once the rice is cooked, add the sugar and vanilla.

I sometimes serve it with gingersnap cookies for dessert.  You can add 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon when you add the vanilla, if you like a little spice.  If you are a raisin fan, you can also add 1/4 cup of raisins.

That's what lulu calls them. When I tell her I'm making them she jumps around shouting for joy. Fingers crossed she is always that easy to please.

fried bocconcini

1 container of bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls)

1/2 cup flour in shallow dish

3 eggs beaten in separate dish

2 cups panko crumbs in another shallow dish

salt

1/2 teaspoon thyme

1/2 teaspoon oregano

oil for frying (I use peanut or canola depending on what I find in my pantry)

Get your oil heating. I use my stock pot to fry these so there's less splattering. Just pour a couple of inches of oil in the pan, along with a deep-fat thermometer and while the oil is heating you can prep the cheese.

Mix the salt, thyme, and oregano into the panko and set aside.

Drain the cheese and place on plate lined with paper towels and roll the bocconcini around to dry them off.

Dredge the cheese in the flour.

Then dip in the egg mixture to coat and roll in panko crumbs. I usually leave mine in the panko dish until I'm ready to fry.

When your oil is a 360 degrees you can start frying. I find cooking them in two batches works best. It takes about 45 seconds to 1 minute for each batch. The are best eaten right away, which really isn't a problem. I like mine with a warm marinara, but lulu loves to eat them with ketchup. I'm considering enrolling her in a 12 step program for her ketchup addiction.

Last Friday, that thing happened when you realize you have 30 minutes to get dinner on the table for your family and you have no plan...at all...zero...zilch. Somehow between the pantry and the fridge I was able to together and on the table in time.

When my herbs are growing, I'm going to try this with dill instead of the parsley.  I'm thinking this would also be great with cooked chicken in place of the salmon, cubed pieces of butternut squash in place of the peas, and crumbled sage for the herb.

pasta with cream sauce and whatever

10 ounces of pasta (I used farfalle)

2 Tablespoons and 5 Tablespoons of butter divided

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup heavy cream

1 can cooked salmon

1 cup fresh grated parmesan cheese (divided into half)

nutmeg

parsley

Cook the pasta in salted water for 10 - 12 minutes.  Drain.  Set aside.

In a large skillet, melt 2 Tablespoons butter, stir in frozen peas and cook until tender.  (5 minutes or so)

Add remaining butter and cream and stir occasionally.  When the mixture is warm, add salmon and one half cup of the parmesan.  Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Let the sauce simmer for a couple of minutes and then add drained pasta.

Stir in remaining cheese and herbs.

Set the table it's time to eat.

hi  

I've been sewing, honest, I have.  I've been sewing so much that a lot of other things have been thrown by the wayside.  Important things like taking pictures of projects and writing posts and ironing.

I'm doing surprisingly well at keeping up with my 365.

These are a couple of photos from February.

I'm also following along with Faith's Solstice series over at Fresh Lemons Quilts.

Here's what I have so far...

I'm loving how they are coming together.

Taking a moment for a snack between stitches.

 

Last Saturday was our last CSA pick up for the season. We added to our stock pile of potatoes, onions, and butternut squash, along with some greens and a bunch of green tomatoes.

Normally I would have let these sit and ripen, but one night while I was in Salt Lake, Katherine ordered fried green tomatoes for our table.  I loved them so much, I knew what I would have to make with these.

I served ours with a buttermilk dip, but a fresh made marinara would be great too.

fried green tomatoes

5 small green tomatoes

3 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup panko

1 teaspoon paprika

salt and pepper

oil for frying

Cut stem out of tomatoes and slice into 1/4 inch thick slices, set aside.

In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs and milk, set aside.

In another shallow dish, mix flour, cornmeal, panko, paprika, salt, and pepper.

Dredge the tomato slices in the flour mixture, then the milk, then again in the flour mixture.  Place the slices in a single layer on a plate until you are ready to fry them.

Pour 1/4" to 1/2" of oil into frying pan and heat to 370 degrees and add tomatoes in a single layer.  You will probably have to cook them in two batches.  Cook for 2 minutes on one side, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes.  Remove from pan to drain on paper towel lined platter for a couple of minutes then serve.

buttermilk dipping sauce

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup sour cream

juice of 1/2 lime (and some zest if you like)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

1 Tablespoon chopped chives

salt

Just whisk all of these together and pour into a serving dish.  If you would like it to be thicker, use less buttermilk and more sour cream.

The spouse's birthday was last week.  I made his favorite cake.

I also made a chicken, stuffed with garlic and onion, roasted on a bed of carrots and more onion.  Served along with mashed potatoes with gravy, sliced carrots, corn on the cob, and fried eggplant.  We sat down to lunch and the spouse stopped to thank me for the meal, when lulu piped up to add a thank you to Laura.  She's our farmer, and lulu figured she deserved some credit with this meal since every one of the vegetables involved (and the eggs in the cake) came from her farm.  Props to Laura, she has one heck of a green thumb.

This was my first try at frying eggplant.  I prefer my eggplant chopped and baked under layers of cream, fontina, and parmesan.  I also know that one should only eat so much of anything baked under layers of cream, fontina, and parmesan.  At the same time I have to grab those eggplants at CSA pick up because Laura notices if you don't get all your veggies.

This recipe completely won me over.  I will be grabbing all the eggplants I can now.

sweet and salty fried eggplant

1 medium eggplant - sliced paper thin

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup corn starch

1 cup panko crumbs

1/2 teaspoon salt

oil for frying

In a shallow dish, mix powdered sugar, corn starch, panko, and salt.

In a large pan, heat oil to 360 degrees.  I use a stock pot for frying to minimize splatters.

Dredge a few of the pieces of eggplant into the panko mixture, pressing to coat well.  Fry pieces in oil for 1-2 minutes or golden brown.  Use a mesh strainer to remove from oil.  Cool on rack placed in a sheet pan to catch drips.  Season with salt if you like.

Repeat with remaining eggplant slices once oil has returned to 360 degrees.

Can be made ahead (1 hour or so) and served at room temperature.

My mom is the oldest of four and when she was growing up these were one of her specialties.  I was told they named them after her because no one else in the family could make them as well as she could.

We always called them chocolate oaties, instead of Linda's cookies.  Why limit your mom to one special cookie when she could be making all sorts of great ones?

There are the thing to make, when you don't know what else to make, especially when the weather turns hot and you don't want the oven heating up the kitchen.  Basically, they are quick, simple, and everyone likes them.

The trick is in the boil, not too hot, you want the sugar to melt before it starts to boil so the cookies have smooth texture.  Also, wait to start your three minute count until after you reach a rolling boil (that's when the mixture continues to boil even while stirring it).  These are really more of a candy than a cookie, so it also helps to have a heavy bottomed pan like you would use for candy making.  It helps heat the mixture at a more even rate and keep it from scorching.  Sometimes even when you think you've followed all the rules, they still don't set up and the only way to eat them is to scrape them off the tin foil with a spoon.  Don't worry, just call them spoon oaties and enjoy!

linda's cookies (chocolate oaties)

2 cups sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

1 stick butter

5 ounces evaporated milk (one small can)

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (you can use crunchy, unless you are making them for cj)

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 cups quick cooking oatmeal

Lay a sheet of aluminum foil (or as we call it tin foil), about 18" long on your counter.  In a large, heavy bottomed saucepan, stir the sugar and cocoa powder together (this keeps the cocoa from clumping together).  Add the stick of butter and stir in the evaporated milk.

Place over medium heat and stir constantly.  Once the mixture reaches a rolling boil (still boiling even when stirring) cook stirring continuing to stir constantly for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat, stir in oats, peanut butter, and vanilla.  Drop by spoonfuls on the foil and allow to cool.

...we decided it was because that's how we roll.

saturday brunch

cranberry champagne cocktails

strata with ham, fontina, and spinach

iced mocha cheesecake with whipped cream

almond cake with lemon curd

fresh berries

various teas

I trust any recipe that has that in it's instructions.

I saw this bacon, onion, and cream pizza over at smitten kitchen and couldn't help but give it a try.   To be honest it was the first time I had ever used fromage blanc or creme fraiche so I wasn't sure how it would turn out.

It was great.  The spouse and I loved the combination of bacon and caramelized onions with the blended cheeses.  The locally made fromage blanc I found at my co-op had some garlic blended into it, but no worries, the hint of garlic was perfect.

I served it along side our new favorite pasta dish.

creamy parmesan orzo with peas

2 Tablespoons butter

1 1/4 cup orzo pasta

1 1/4 cup chicken broth

1 1/4 cup water

1/2 cup finely shredded parmesan

1 cup cooked peas

salt and pepper

Melt butter in medium saucepan.  Add orzo and cook, stirring constantly for 3 minutes.

Stir in broth and water.  Bring to boil and reduce heat to simmer.  Simmer until liquid is absorbed.  Stirring occasionally.  (around 15 - 20 minutes)

Remove from heat.  Stir in cheese and peas.  Season with salt and pepper.

cj was to start a new OT program today, but the weather got in the way.

I was up and ready for the day so I sent the kids off to school and caught up on some things in the kitchen.

The spouse drank his way through another batch of cocoa mix, so I stirred up yet another batch.  Our milk was getting a little close to the edge so I made some rice pudding.

I have had a box of chocolate chex on the shelf since Christmas and finally mixed up some puppy chow.  I also bit the bullet yesterday and started cutting up the echino helicopters for cj's quilt.  I have been stitching on those today too.

When cj saw the first few block he announced they were "perfect!"

This week is baking week.  I'm desperately working to get teachers gifts together for Friday's last day of school. Tuesday night, my friends and I got together for a big potluck/gift exchange party.  I made this tote for the exchange.

It was an appetizer/dessert potluck (let's all be honest those are the best parts of  a meal anyway)

I made cayenne parmesan twists.  I wasn't sure how much cayenne to add.  In the end I think I went a little heavy, but the spouse disagreed.  So that's why I'm giving a range for the amount of cayenne.

cayenne parmesan twists

one package puff pastry - thawed according to package directions

2/3 grated parmesan (divided in half)

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Mix 1/3 cup of parm with spices in a bowl and set aside.  Dust rolling surface with remaining 1/3 cup of parm and place pastry on top.  Dust pastry with parm/spice mixture and roll pastry to 1/8" thickness.  Cut pastry into 1/2 inch strips.  Give each strip several twists and lay on parchment line baking sheet.

Bake until golden, 9-10 minutes.  Allow to cool slightly on sheet pan and then remove to rack to cool completely.

This recipe has been my favorite way to use up the extra tomatoes from my CSA.

roasted tomato soup

serves 4

4 Tablespoons butter

1 small onion

2 cloves garlic

1/2 cup vermouth

3 pounds tomatoes - roasted *, peeled, and chopped

1/2 cup heavy cream

salt

pepper

chopped fresh basil (optional)

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Add onions and garlic, cook, stirring until onions are translucent.  Add wine, tomatoes, salt and pepper.  Cook until tomatoes fall apart.  Stir in basil if desired.

Allow to cool slightly.  Use an immersion blender to puree mixture.  Add cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.

* to roast tomatoes - place tomatoes on a parchment lined sheet pan in a 425 degree oven for 40 minutes, turning once

and now, back to the hand quilting...

It's getting colder, but I know when summer rolls around again I will be craving one of these.

Over the past month I have been tweaking the recipe quite a bit, so I think it's best to write it down now.  When summer rolls around again, I don't want to be left standing at the blender starting from scratch.

coffee frappe

2 scoops ice cream (caramel swirl works great)

1 cup ice

1 1/2 cup chilled coffee

1/2 cup milk

1 1/2 Tablespoons simple syrup

Put everything in your blender and mix well.

Can be topped with whipped cream.

so summer is over - at least by the looks of my schedule - the kids are back to school and the aspen trees are almost empty so fall must be lurking around so here I sit in peace and quiet ready to get back into the swing of things

We did manage to get some great things done in August -

I mastered the granny -

This bit of charred pork was transformed in to some serious South Carolina style pulled pork

We took the kids to tour the museum I worked at while I was in college...

where I learned that aluminum is no longer in style...

this would be less of an issue if I didn't have the same cake carrier in red in my house.

I decided that next party I throw will be a tea and scissors party

We also managed to sneak in some swimming lessons.

This...

became this...which means I'm one step closer to a workshop

and yes that pun was totally intended.

It seems I'm finally getting things right.

At least when it comes to stir-fry.

I have been practicing every week with veggies from our CSA.

The spouse is thrilled.

And lulu and cj look great with their chopsticks in hand.  Of course, she will only eat the rice and he uses them to pick up crackers.

But to be honest, I'm afraid if I don't get this recipe written down I will forget it by the time the CSA veggies start rolling in again next spring.

And I most certainly don't want to forget my secret ingredient, because nothing says stir-fry like Noilly Prat.

csa stir-fry

1 pound ground pork

some form of chopped garlic (I've been using garlic scapes lately)

chopped onion

shredded greens (bok choi, cabbage, or kale)

1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil

3 Tablespoons soy sauce

1/4 cup vermouth

1 Tablespoon sugar

extra vegetables are nice too (like peas or broccoli)

If using extra vegetables, blanch them in boiling water for a couple of minutes and then set aside.

In a very hot, large skillet or wok, brown the pork with the garlic, onion, and some black pepper.  Stirring constantly, add sesame oil and vegetables.  Cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add greens.  Cook for another couple of minutes, until greens wilt down a bit.  Add soy sauce, and vermouth.  Stir well.  Add sugar.  Cook for about 3 more minutes.

Serve over rice.  We also like it with a drizzle of sweet and sour sauce on top.

This can also be used to fill egg rolls.

Sometimes I forget the sugar.

School is out which means the kids are home and looking for something to occupy their time. I broke down and bought a snowcone maker last week.  I figure it will fill a couple of afternoons, right?

I skipped over the syrup in the store and went with a homemade version instead.

strawberry syrup

3 cups strawberries (hulled)

3/4 cup sugar

Place strawberries in saucepan and mash to a pulp.  Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.

Push mixture through a sieve (you should have about 3/4 cup juice)

Return the juice to the pan and add the sugar and mix well.

Bring to a boil and let simmer for 1 minute.

Remove from heat and pour through sieve again.

Skim any foam that may have formed.  Chill before using.

Syrup can be stored in fridge, covered for up to a week.

Once upon a time there was a girl who was planning her very first dinner party. She set a menu of ricotta ravioli with a fresh tomato sauce. On the side there would be roasted sweet potato and butternut squash with a balsamic sauce and sea salt. Little did she know, she was unable to make pasta. Though she tried and tried, each time she was left with a floury, crumbly mess. That night her friends dined on delivery pizza and roasted sweet potato and butternut squash and it became known as the ravioli incident. Eight years later...

This very same girl has been challenged by Daring Bakers to make lasagne from beginning to end, all by hand. ugh

The March 2009 challenge is hosted by Mary of Beans and Caviar, Melinda of Melbourne Larder and Enza of Io Da Grande. They have chosen Lasagne of Emilia-Romagna from The Splendid Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper as the challenge.

She gathered up her confindence and took a deep breath...

The recipe that follows is what I used. For the original challenge recipe, be sure to check out the official Daring Bakers site.

spinach egg pasta

makes equivalent of 1 pound of dried pasta

3 eggs (the original recipe said 2 eggs but after my first attempt I needed to add one)

6 ounces frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

3 1/2 cups all purpose unbleached flour

You can make a well with the flour, but I learned during the ravioli incident that wells and I can't seem to make it work.

Place flour in a bowl and make a little well for the egg and spinach.

Using a fork gradually beat together the eggs and spinach. Then gradually start incorporating shallow scrapings of flour from the sides of the the well into the liquid. As you work more and more flour into the liquid, the well's sides will collapse. Use a pastry scraper to keep the liquids from running off and to incorporate the last bits of flour into the dough. Don't worry if it looks like a hopelessly rough and messy lump

except mine looked like this

I reminded myself to be daring and take another shot at it. I bumped the eggs up to three and this time I didn't squeeze all the water out of the spinach.

AND

look what happened - you can see the color difference between leaving a bit of spinach water instead of really squeezing it dry.

Kneading -

With the aid of a scraper to scoop up unruly pieces, start kneading the dough. Once it becomes a cohesive mass, use the scraper to remove and bits for hard flour on the work surface - these will make the dough lumpy. Knead the dough for about 3 minutes. It's consistency should be elastic and a little sticky. Continue kneading for about 10 minutes, or until the dough has become satiny, smooth, and very elastic. It will feel alive under your hands. Do not shortcut this step. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it relax at room temperature for 30 minutes to 3 hours.

After finding success with the 2nd batch I went back and added another egg to the first and was able to knead it as well.

Stretching and Thinning -

If using a regular rolling pin, divide the dough into quarters. Lightly sprinkle a large work surface with flour. The idea is to stretch the dough rather than press down and push it. Shape it into a ball and begin rolling out to form a circle, frequently turning the disc of dough a quarter turn. As it thins out, start rolling the disc back on the pin a quarter of the way toward the center and stretching it gently sideways by running the palms of your hands over the rolled-up dough from the center of the pin outward. Unroll, turn the disc a quarter turn, and repeat.

Stretch and even out the center of the disc by rolling the dough a quarter of the way back on the pin. Then gently push the rolling pin away from you with one hand while holding the sheet in place on the work surface with the other hand. Repeat three more times, turning the dough a quarter turn each time.

Repeat the two processes as the disc become larger and thinner. The goal is a sheet of even thickness. For lasagne, the sheet should be so thin that you can see your hand through it and colors. Cut into rectangle about 4 x 8 inches. Dry the pasta at room temperature and store in a sealed container or bag.

These were hanging on my bed. They seemed fairly dry at bedtime so I placed them flat on some racks over night. Oops. They had enough moisture in them that they curled. They cooked up without any problems.

country style ragu

Prep time 30 minutes - cooking time 2 hours

3 Tablespoons olive oil

2 ounces pancetta, finely chopped

1 medium onion, minced

1 medium stalk celery, minced

1 small carrot, minced

4 ounces Italian sausage

12 ounces ground chuck

2 ounces finely chopped Porsciutto di Parmi

2/3 cup dry red wine

1 1/2 cups beef stock

2 cups milk

4 roasted Roma tomatoes, chopped

salt and pepper

This sauce can be made 3 days ahead, kept in the fridge, or can be frozen for up to 1 month.

browning the base -

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. (Have large bowl at hand for when browning is complete) Add pancetta and minced vegetables and saute, stirring frequently for 10 minutes.

Mix all the meats together and stir into the pan. Slowly brown over medium heat. Stir often. Protect the brown glaze forming on the bottom by turning the heat down. Cook 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown.

Reducing and simmering -

Place the brown meats in the bowl and set aside. Add the wine to the skillet, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown glaze as the wine bubbles. Then pour the browned meats back into the skillet.

Stir 1/2 cup stock into the skillet and let bubble slowly, for 10 minutes, or until totally evaporated. Repeat with another 1/2 cup stock. Stir in the last 1/2 cup stock along with the milk. Adjust the heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the skillet and cook 1 hour. Stir frequently to check for sticking.

Add the tomatoes. Cook uncovered at a very slow bubble for another 45 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper.

bechamel

prep time 15 minutes

4 Tablespoons butter

4 Tablespoons flour

2 2/3 cup milk

salt and pepper

freshly grated nutmeg

Using a medium saucepan, melt the butter over low to medium heat. Sift over the flour, whisk until smooth, and then stir (without stopping) for about 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk a little at a time and keep the mixture smooth. Bring to a slow simmer, and stir 3 to 4 minutes, continue cooking and stirring for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt, pepper, and hint of nutmeg.

assembling the lasagne

large pot of water

9 x 13 baking dish

1 recipe spinach pasta

1 recipe bechamel

1 recipe country style ragu

1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop about 4 pieces of pasta in the water at a time. Cook about 2 minutes for fresh pasta, 4 minutes if you have dried it. The pasta will continue cooking during baking, so make sure it is only barely tender. Lift the lasagne from the water with a skimmer, drain, and then slip into the bowl of cold water to stop cooking. When cooled, lift out and dry on a layer of towels. Repeat until all the pasta is cooked.

To assemble, spread a thin layer of bechamel over the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a layer of overlapping sheets of pasta over the bechamel. Spread a thing layer of bechamel (about 3 - 4 spoonfuls) over the pasta, and then an equally thin layer of ragu.

Sprinkle with layer of grated cheese. Repeat until all ingredients are used, finishing with bechamel sauce and topping with a generous dusting of cheese.

I had enough of each of the sauces to do 8 layers.

Baking and serving -

Cover the baking dish lightly with foil, taking care not to let it touch the top of the lasagne. Bake 40 minutes, or until almost heated through. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, or until hot in the center (test by inserting a knife - if it comes out very warm, the dish is ready). Take care not to brown the cheese topping, It should be melted, creamy looking and barely tinged with a little gold. Turn off the oven, leave the door ajar and let the lasagne rest for about 10 minutes. Then serve. This is not a solid lasagne, but a moist one that slips a bit when it is cut and served.

The lasagne was enjoyed by the girl and her spouse.

It was declared throughout the land that not only could the girl make pasta, but she had made the best lasagne that either of them had ever eaten.

And they all lived...