Once the rain stops and my garden quits the wetlands impersonation, I've got kale, chard, collards, mustard greens, lettuces, mesclun mixes, tender herbs, broccoli rabe, etc. to go in the ground. (Can't remember the rest and too lazy to get up and look.) As a concession to our very hot (if it ever gets here) summer, I'm trying malabar spinach this year. Has anyone here ever grown it?
Hahahaha! I didn't see that HeddyLamar beat me to this! Central Washington rocks when it comes to food!
Central Washington State: it's a toss up - freshly picked morel mushrooms sauteed in a little butter or freshly caught cut-throat or rainbow trout, dredged in flour or cornmeal and pan-fried until crisp on the outside and butter tender on the inside. And of course, huckleberry pie to finish.
- olive oil, sprinkling of garlic, topped with thinly sliced potatoes and fresh rosemary, and a dusting of Parmesan or better, a nice Manchego
- whole-grain crust slathered with pesto, topped with whatever white cheeses I have on hand, which usually means three to four different kinds
I'm in Memphis: no TJ (no loss, frankly) and much to my delight, Kroger routinely stocks KA. I've been baking with it for years and would give up bread before I gave up KA. (I feel for you deddledum - I've been in situations where I've had to order my KA flour by mail, and shipping is $$ even in the states.)
I've never tried this, but it certainly seems to fall into the "why not?!" category.
What about old-fashioned window planter boxes - the kind that hang on the outside of a window? That would keep the bugs etc outdoors, and if hung on a south-facing/sunny-side window, would give the plants maximum light.
If you can't find a recipe here that you like, there are many to select from on the King Arthur mills website. (PS: About the only time I put eggs in a bread recipe is when I'm making a sweet dough.)
Hard to choose! But I'll go with teeny baby okra fresh off the plant: they have the most amazing crunch and fuzzy flavor. It boggles the mind of my neighbors, all of whom have ever known okra as that green goo in the center of a wad of deep-fried batter.
Last night potatoes & greens (both out of my garden, no less!) with feta on top. Then watched MD whup up on Duke, which made the tacos taste even better. :)
Since I'm feeding only me and I can't (or shouldn't!) eat a loaf before it goes stale, I've been freezing sliced home-made (and the occasional store bought) bread for decades. The trick with the home made is to make sure that the bread is thoroughly cooled before slicing and bagging. If there's excess moisture in the bag, the slices will freeze together and nothing short of a pick axe will pry them apart.
I haven't paid much attention to how freezing might develop flavor (but now I will!). I do know that the flavor will deteriorate after a month or two in the freezer unless the loaf is carefully wrapped, and even then, I wouldn't recommend long storage.
Under ripe avocados go in the cupboard with the dishes at my house. They ripen nicely - without gadgets or paper bags - and because I see them every time I grab for a plate, I don't forget that they're there. :)
The directions that came with my KitchenAid recommend 4 minutes at the lowest speed. It works for me.
I'll pickle anything at least once, and with the girls laying fast and furious this might be the time to branch out into pickled eggs. Can anyone recommend a recipe that doesn't involve beets? (Purple eggs just doesn't do it for me.)
For a quick week night supper, nothing beats sauteed greens with one of the gadzillion bags of cooked beans I keep in my freezer. The beans go in the microwave to defrost while I'm chopping garlic, washing greens, heating up a splash of olive oil in a skillet. Toss in garlic, toss in greens, cook until nearly wilted (timing, of course, contingent on what kind of greens I've got), add the beans and maybe a splash of water, finish cooking the greens, and voila: a hearty, healthy, hot dinner.
And that's just one of many favorite ways to serve up beans.
Hahaha! I probably shouldn't admit it, but Michael Dietsch has played a big role in the development of my liquor and cocktail life. (The cooking information and recipes aren't bad either.)
One of the things I absolutely love about home-made bread is its unpredictability. I associate symmetry and predictability with industrial food - be it commercially produced apples or commercially approved bread. Enjoy the goofy quirks. They're the sign of home produced. And of course, if the bread comes out of the oven with all the consistency and character of a hockey puck, tie the cooled blob to a tree and call it bird food. :D
I was going to report that I had evicted all the expensive dinosaurs. But alas, the comment above about china reminded me that I too have several great stacks of china dinnerware in my cupboard. Otherwise, what's here gets used, and often heavily.
Mr. Nick, teach Vinnie to eat apple cores. My chocolate lab fields them like a pro, which turns her into a very purposeful kitchen occupant.
Hahahahaha! This is hilarious: and yes I can, no I shouldn't, but the guilt makes for some really good and long runs the next day.
@Tampa Tasty, that might be my problem. I may be pre-baking mine too long - they are generally light brown. I'll back off on the time and see if that works. Thanks!
I've been partially baking the dough, freezing, and then pulling it later to top and finish baking. I'm not entirely satisfied with the results (the crust can be very crunchy), but for someone who doesn't have the time to let a ball of frozen dough defrost, it works. I'd love any tips though to produce a more pliable finished crust. Sometimes it comes out of the oven ridiculously hard.
Everything food! But chopping tomatoes, onions, garlic, and the hottest of hot peppers with a friend for fresh salsa is the best.
Lorenzo beat me to my suggestion: local hispanic stores. I still dream of the fresh-that-morning, $.75/doz, corn tortillas I would pick up at the little market right off the red line stop in Roger's Park. Heaven, heaven, heaven.
Except for a brief episode of donkey rage and a moment's fright when I thought I'd lost one of my hens, the day was fantastic: first large-scale, sit-down dinner I've ever hosted, and we ate like little piggies.
Hydra hasn't written a post yet.
This recipe from Jaden Hair's The Steamy Kitchen Cookbook is the kind of pantry meal that I can get behind. If, like me, you have most of these sauces in the fridge, then all you need is a block of tofu, one serrano chile, and some scallions. More
This side dish makes good use of the natural earthy sweetness of sweet potatoes, contrasting them with fruity poblano peppers, lime, and green onions to make a salad that works quite well. More
This slaw is a great way to eat your colors, and it's every bit as delicious as it is healthful. More
Carrots and chickpeas are tossed in a lemon vinaigrette flavored with cilantro, smoked paprika, and cumin—an unusual but delicious combination. More
Delicately poached eggs covered in a delicious fennel and curry leaf gravy, this is the egg dish you should have in your repertoire for a quick dinner. More
Here's the thing about baked pasta dishes: they can be unnecessarily heavy. Here's a lighter alternative baked with tomatoes, plenty of tender dark greens, and some creamy feta cheese. More
This spicy peanut sauce isn't hot just for heat's sake—it combines different types of hot spices to build complexity and create a delicious, multi-layered sauce. More
I developed this recipe for folks who can't seem to get enough lemon. The addition candied lemon zest lends some texture and gives the cake a beautiful appearance. I've added rosemary to highlight the tangy flavor of the citrus, but you may substitute chopped thyme if you prefer. The cake is finished with a "lemonade" soaker, which gives it tang and keeps it very moist. More
For many years, I assumed that Irish soda bread always meant a slightly sweet, caraway and currant laced bread easily mistaken for a giant muffin. Frankly, I never liked this version of the quick bread, much preferring to eat "real bread" with my soup. It's a good thing I was mistaken about the scope of soda breads. Most of these loaves, like those featured in Rachel's Irish Family Food, are a much simpler (and more appealing) combination of flour, baking soda, and buttermilk. Rachel Allen's brown soda bread adds a bit more oomph with a hefty dose of whole wheat flour, a couple tablespoons of mixed seeds, and just a touch of butter. The resulting bread is an exemplary accompaniment to any number of soups, pickles, marmalades, or a generous swipe of butter. More
Classic creamy stovetop macaroni and cheese get more interesting with tender poached chicken, green chiles, salsa verde, and fresh cilantro. More
These easy blueberry cookies are also the best: light as air with crispy exteriors and soft, fruit-filled middles. More
This tangy dish embellished with peanuts and spices is a quick way to use up leftover rice. More
Simple syrup is one of the easiest ingredients you can prepare at home, and it's a basic, indispensable part of the cocktailian's arsenal. Here's the easiest method and a few variations for you to try. More
This week in Five Essentials, we'll talk about yummy yummy bourbon whiskey. In future weeks, I'll explore other whiskies—rye, scotch, and Irish—but for now, I'm focusing on the king of American whiskey, bourbon. More
This salty and sweet chocolate bark is a super easy holiday variation of classic Chocolate 'Crack.' More
This salty and sweet bark is super easy to make and more than mildly addictive. Most traditional recipes use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but if you have access to really good dark chocolate, it will take the recipe to the next level. More
This is a wonderful closer to a meal, featuring tart cranberries and toasted walnuts, sweetened lightly with a caramel custard. It's even better served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. More
A great way to serve oatmeal at brunch, this baked version is full of cinnamon, maple syrup, and Granny Smith apples. More
Make brunch in 10 minutes or less with this easy hash of brussels sprouts and shallots flavored with fried sage and cheese, topped with a runny egg. More
Oven-roasted tomatoes are tasty foundation for tangy, salty accompaniments in this easy, breezy puttanesca. More
[Photograph: Blake Royer] Adapted from Tender by Nigel Slater.... More
Who can argue with Nigel Slater's brussels sprouts technique, especially when he suggests a recipe as decadent as this one? Robed in a sauce of cream, blue cheese, and whole grain mustard, they're cooked down gratin-style under a blanket of Parmesan. It's the richest thing I've eaten in ages, and it took all my will to not slurp it up with a straw. More
Brown rice pudding flavored with ginger, cinnamon and raisins. More
Thanks for the malabar tips/observations. I may plant a short row rather than do my usual, which is the whole darned packet (did that with okra last year and am still eating the stuff).
Cardboard mulch is especially good for keeping plants clean. It also provides something of a barrier between ground-traveling bugs and the plants they'd like to dine on.