Category Archives: kitchen stories

>Jammin’ with my Bloggy Friends

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>In generations past, cooks would exchange advice over the backyard fences, over coffee in each other’s kitchens, or over the phone. In today’s world, we’re not all that different; we exchange advice through our friends. Some of those friends, however, are not in the immediate neighborhood; they’re online.

I sought advice on twitter. I asked friends on Plurk. I visited City Slipper’s jam/ jelly tutorial on his Home Kitchen Garden blog. I visited Green Girl’s home kitchen and garden! Well, her raspberry patch, to be more accurate. After seeking advice from friends on Plurk, on Twitter, on blogs, and in real life, I did it. I successfully made three kinds of jam.

First I had to clean the kitchen. There was no room to work.

I didn’t take any pictures of the jam-making process. Trust me; it all went as planned. The house smelled wonderful. After the initial kitchen clean-up, the mashing of berries, the stirring of fruit and sugar, and the heating of jars, I cleaned up once again.

Oops, I forgot one sticky pot.
There. Now it looks better. Three kinds of jam: strawberry, strawberry-rhubarb, and raspberry. Organic strawberries from the farmers’ market, rhubarb from my backyard, and raspberries from Green Girl’s yard: wow. This is pretty darn cool, impressive even for the locavore in me.


Very cool – or rather hot. The jars will be cooler in the morning. Ooh: which should I spread on my toast for breakfast? Maybe I should bake bread, too.

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>Summer salad: Chicken, apple, walnut, and brown rice salad

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Here’s another resource using rice from Uncle Ben’s! I made half of this because only three of us would be eating. Served on a bed of lettuce with a few more random veggies, it was delicious and filling.

Ingredients:

2 bags Uncle Ben’s Boil-in-bag whole Grain Brown Rice
2 cups cooked, shredded skinless chicken breast, cooled (I cooked mine on the grill the previous night; planned-overs rule!)
2 thinly sliced medium green apples
1 cup finely chopped red onion (Optional: I like onion, so I included it)
1/3 cup toasted coarsely chopped walnuts
6 Tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
1 Tablespoons fresh chopped sage or parsley for garnish

Instructions:

1. Prepare rice according to directions. Let cool.
2. Cook chicken. Shred with fork.
3. In a large bowl, toss together rice, chicken, green apple, red onion, walnuts and balsamic vinaigrette.
4. Serve cold or at room temperature; garnish with sage or parsley.
Serves 6.

Daisy’s tips:

Daughter requested more vinaigrette.
Chuck suggested more walnuts or perhaps sprinkling them on top rather than tossing with salad.
I dipped the diced apple in fruit juice to prevent browning. Lemon juice works, too.

This was not a sponsored post. I had more Uncle Ben’s Rice left over from a previous review, so I tried another of the recipes they’d provided. It was a hit – I’ll make this again on the hot, hot days of summer!

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>A high tech and low tech day

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>Readers, are you old enough to remember MegaTrends? In the early 1980s John Naisbitt wrote a book called Megatrends in which he predicted a global switch to high tech in business and in personal relationships. He balanced the high tech with what he called high touch: the low tech connections still necessary to keep our emotional lives balanced.

Yesterday I had a day that swung from low tech to high tech. High touch, maybe. Let’s take a look, and you can decide.

Morning: prepping strawberries! I bought a flat of strawberries at the downtown farmers’ market. It’s best to prep these right away, but Amigo and I had a high-priority plan: a road trip to Miller Park to watch the Milwaukee Brewers play! Major League Baseball; now there’s high tech and low tech melded into one experience.

But back to Sunday’s tasks. I rinsed the strawberries, cut the tops off, and diced them into smaller pieces. The ripest and softest berries went into one container, and the more solid in another. The bucket of softies will become jam; I flash froze the rest. On top of a baking sheet lined with wax paper, I froze a single layer of berries for about an hour. At that time, I dumped the lightly frozen berries into a bucket. The strawberries are now frozen individually rather than in clumps. When I want one cup of strawberries for a cake or muffins, I’ll thaw exactly one cup. This worked so well for us last winter, I almost wanted a bigger freezer!

While the strawberries were freezing, I composted the tops and buried the juice-soiled containers in the squash section of the garden. Small as they are, they’ll be weed barriers until they decompose. It works for me. In addition, I picked a batch of rhubarb for either jam or cookies, also making the rhubarb plants smaller to simplify their transplanting later on.

So far, we’re looking at low tech. Very low tech. Fresh, organic strawberries, produce straight from the producer. Compost. Natural weed barriers. Rhubarb.

Here’s the first hint of high tech: I used a food processor to dice the rhubarb.

Now the main high tech action of the day; a politically active friend came over and trained me in data entry for the local chapter of Organizing For America. She handed over the data sheets from the area canvassers, and I took over from there. Canvassing, whether door to door or by phone, is not my strength. Data entry is one way I can contribute to the cause. High tech, perhaps! But my convictions remain high touch as I focus on issues that can truly make a difference.

But off the political soapbox for a bit. I finished off the evening with one more low tech, high humidity, hands-on, high touch task. I moved the rhubarb plants to their new home. I worked up a sweat in the muggy weather, but it needed to be done. Now the rhubarb is moved, the mint is gone (well, for now), and the raspberries have all the room they need to grow and spread.

And I’ll be patient; no matter what kind of high tech goodies I have at my disposal, the only tool to make raspberries grow is time.

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>Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain Chicken Curry in a Hurry

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The story goes like this:

One day, early in summer, Daisy was feeling lousy. She was achy, stuffy, and exhausted. Chuck came home from work early and made supper, allowing Daisy to nap. Luckily for all, Chuck is a good cook. Luckily for all, there was a box of Uncle Ben’s Fast and Natural Whole Grain Instant Brown Rice sitting on the table and a collection of recipes for trying out the product – all courtesy of Uncle Ben’s and Mom Central. Even more luckily, Amigo remembered which recipe Daisy had planned to cook.

Whole Grain Chicken Curry in a Hurry

Ingredients
1 cup Uncle Ben’s Instant Brown Rice (see above for full name of product)
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped (note: La Petite recommends increasing this)
1/2 cup red pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast, diced
1 16 oz. can chick peas, undrained
1 cup plain, lowfat yogurt
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 cup slivered almonds

Instructions
1. Prepare the rice according to directions for four servings (will take about 12 minutes).
2. While the rice is cooking, make the curry in a skillet using the following instructions.
3. Heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion, pepper, and garlic. Cook for about 3 minues until they begin to get tender. Add the spices and stir to coat well. Push the onions and peppers to one side of the pan and toss in the diced chicken. Brown the chicken for about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking and to cook the sides of the meat.
4. Add the undrained can of chick peas and stir to combine the ingredients. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes to continue cooking the chicken. Remove the lid and allow the liquid to evaporate for about 3 more minutes.
5. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch and yogurt. Stir in the yogurt mixture until well combined. Allow it to thicken and combine with rice.
6. Sprinkle almonds over dish for garnish.

The end of the story: this was delicious. La Petite suggested increasing the onions and considering adding water chestnuts to the mix. Later in the summer I’ll use fresh peppers from the garden or the farmers’ market.

Uncle Ben’s sent more recipes, including a sloppy joe mix and a tex-mex dish, among others. They also sent advice on adding more whole grains to the family’s diet. My favorite suggestions were these:
–Substitute brown rice for pasta in casseroles and soups.
–Use cooked whole grain brown rice in seafood cakes with tuna, salmon, or crab.
–Add leftover cooked whole grain brown rice into any hot cereal recipe and top with cinnamon and a drizzle of honey.
–Make a high fiber risotto using whole grain brown rice; add vegetables such as asparagus or zucchini to increase nutritional value. Zucchini! Another way to cook my zucchini!

I wrote this review while participating in a blog campaign by Mom Central on behalf of Uncle Ben’s and received samples to facilitate my candid review. Mom Central sent me a gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate. The timing was perfect. Chuck and I and the family were very glad to try this new dish, and we’ll be sure to try more!

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>Grilling Season! Chilled Potato Salad and SuperBurgers

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>Chilled Potato Salad

1-1/2 lb. new potatoes, quartered or red salad potatoes, diced
1/2 cup Miracle Whip Dressing
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
3 green onions, sliced

Cook potatoes in boiling water 15 to 18 min. or just until potatoes are tender; drain. Rinse with cold water until cooled; drain well.
Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl. Add potatoes; mix lightly. Salt and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

Serve with Super Burgers or other delicious main dish cooked on the grill, of course!

Chuck makes a dynamite German potato salad. I thought I’d attempt the American standard on my own instead of making a visit to the deli. Kraft Kitchens called this Pack-a-Punch Potato Salad. Honestly, I found it a bit bland. Any suggestions?

Super Burgers? Since you asked, each cook in the family makes them slightly differently. Basically, my Super Burgers are 1 1/2 lb. ground chuck, 1 egg, 2-3 Tablespoons bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, and about 1 Tablespoon McCormick’s Grill Mates. I like their Montreal Steak flavor. Whisk egg, bread crumbs, W. sauce, and spices together. Add ground chuck and mix thoroughly. Form into hamburger patties. Cook over hot coals! This formula makes a tasty burger that can still take any toppings desired, including but not limited to BBQ sauce or cheese.

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>Rhubarb Dessert

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A teaching colleague and fellow gardener shared this recipe. It’s perfect for June, when the rhubarb plants are thriving!

Mrs. Enviro-Teacher’s Rhubarb Dessert

Crust:
1 c. butter, softened
2 c. flour
2 T. sugar
Mix together and press into a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, or lightly browned.

Mix:
5 c. diced rhubarb
3 egg yolks, beaten
3 T. flour
2 c. sugar
1/8 t. salt
½ c. cream

Pour over baked crust. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven.

Meringue:
Beat 3 egg whites. Add 1/3 c. sugar, a little at a time, and then ½ t. vanilla. Beat until it peaks. (Don’t make meringue until you have taken dessert out of the oven.)
Swirl meringue over top of baked dessert. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes, or until lightly golden.

This sweet and tart treat was a major hit in the teachers’ lounge. I highly recommend it!

And yes, as the badge indicates, I’ve signed up for NaBloPoMo for the month of June. Why not? School’s out, and the mom/garden/teacher blogger will play!

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>Philly Pepper Pot, Crock Pot style

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>Chuck read the original recipe in his new book, Dining on the B&O; recipes and sidelights from a bygone age. He wasn’t too thrilled with the main ingredient (tripe), but he thought with beef it might work well. Here’s his version.

Philly Pepper Pot, Chuck’s Crock Pot version

1 lb. beef for stew, cut in bite size pieces and lightly browned.
2-3 teaspoons salt (optional)
6 Tablespoons butter
6 Tablespoons flour
1 quart beef stock
1 green bell pepper, sliced fine
1 red bell pepper, sliced fine
1 yellow bell pepper, also sliced in thin strips
1 onion (white works well), shredded
1 Tablespoon dried thyme
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter over low heat and add the flour, stirring constantly until smooth. Add the stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer.
Place the meat and peppers and other ingredients in crockpot. Pour the beef gravy over the top. Simmer on low for 8-10 hours.

Serve over egg noodles or rice or on its own with home-made bread on the side. This will be thick!

Note: the original recipe called for tripe. If you’re a fan of tripe or feeling adventurous, go ahead and use tripe in place of the beef.

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>Fun with squash

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>Sometimes I just let Chuck take over the kitchen. He’s good at it. This time I made the main dish and he put together the vegetable: acorn squash. I’ll try to replicate it in writing for you, but he didn’t measure.

Ingredients:

1 whole acorn squash
butter
maple syrup
nutmeg

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.
Cut acorn squash in half. Scoop out seeds and gunk. (Yes, that’s the official term: gunk)
Place squash halves upside down in pan – we used a small pyrex oven pan.
Bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven: turn face up, place pat of butter in each half. Score with fork or knife. Drizzle with maple syrup; sprinkle with pinch of nutmeg.
Cook for another 10 minutes.

Scoop out of skins; mash as needed. Serve warm.

Mmmmm.

Kind of makes me want to plant acorn squash this year. ‘Tis the season!

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>Berry Almond Quick Bread

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>This recipe looks like it’ll be a mainstay when the berries are ripe in the summertime. I made it in mini-loaves with blueberries from the freezer the first time, and it was delicious.

From Eating Well in Season: the Farmers’ Market Cookbook with very few changes.

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs (or 1/2 cup egg substitute)
1 cup nonfat buttermilk (see Tip, below)
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups fresh or frozen berries (whole blackberries, blueberries, raspberries; diced strawberries)
1/2 cup chopped toasted sliced almonds (see Tip, below)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F for muffins or mini loaves, 375 for a large loaf.
2. Whisk flours, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Whisk eggs, buttermilk, brown sugar, butter, oil, vanilla and almond extracts in another large bowl until well combined.
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour in the wet ingredients, and stir until just combined. Add berries and almonds. Stir just to combine; do not overmix. Transfer batter to the prepared pan(s). Top with additional almonds, if desired.
5. Bake until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Follow time suggestions for various pan sizes below. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature – with coffee, milk, or any other brunch-style refreshing beverage.

Tips:
-If you don’t have buttermilk in the house, mix 1 Tablespoon lemon juice into 1 cup milk.
-To toast sliced almonds, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2-4 minutes.
-Pan sizes!

Muffins (standard muffin pan): makes one dozen, bake for 22-25 minutes at 400.
Mini-Bundt pans (6-cup mini Bundt pan, scant 1-cup capacity per cake): 22-25 minutes at 400.
Mini-loaf pans (6×3 inch pans, 2-cup capacity): makes 3, bake for 30 minutes at 400.
Large loaf pan (9×5 inches): make one loaf, bake for 1 hour 10 minutes at 375.

Please note: this is not a product review. I won the cookbook as a prize in Brighter Planet’s contest for Sustainable Cooking Ideas last December. While I didn’t make the top five for the grand prize (an Amazon Kindle), I felt proud to make it into the top twenty tips and I enjoyed reading the other entries.

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>Pantry Raid

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>It wasn’t a new recipe. This meal didn’t break any new ground. I didn’t harvest it from the backyard (well, not much: just the green onions and parsley). It was, however, a classic Friday night, I’m tired and I want some rest, don’t ask me to be the Iron Chef tonight, kind of meal.

It combined planned-overs with ingredients already in the house. It was a classic Pantry Raid.

Planned-overs –> something made in advance with the intention of being a “leftover.” I grilled pork chops earlier in the week. When the chops were done and the coals were still hot, I put a few brats and sausages on the grill to cook.

Friday night I pulled onions and green peppers from the freezer, sauteed them in olive oil, eventually added green onion (fresh from the garden!) and a few stray leftover vegetables from the refrigerator. I sliced thin a few spicy sausages & one bratwurst and stirred them into the mix. Topped with a few sliced overripe tomatoes, it made a lovely and aromatic mix.

Meanwhile, I offered Amigo a choice of pastas; he chose rotini. I made the whole box (planned overs!) and served the sausage mix on top of the pasta with a little grated parmesan and diced parsley from the garden for garnish.

On the side: rhubarb bread and applesauce. It was so delicious, I almost pulled out a wine to go along. Well, no, I didn’t. But it was delicious. The smoky taste from the planned-over sausages was a nice touch.

Iron Chef I’m not, but the presentation was rather nice, too.

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