Hush Puppies

-hushin' dem puppies-

every culture seems to have their own catchy name for this deep fried treat / side dish. i've heard name that range from "corn doggers" to "corn fritters" to "mandoca" in venezuela to "yanikeke" in the dominical republic to my favorite "festivals" in jamaica. yep, believe it people places outside of the american bible belt enjoy these miraculously simply and tasty bites. everyone loves deep fried balls of cornmeal dough - everyone. you can vary the sweet to savory ratios and easily move from side dish to dessert - or carnival fare.

now for a bit of american southern history (supposed history - which can describe about 60% of all my "historical" knowledge). evidently history has it that these little guys were usually tossed to the dogs by hunters, soldiers even runaway slaves to "hush the puppies". pretty clever eh? funny because when i do make these - which is rare, but holds as a semi-yearly summer farm tradition - they never make it to anyplace other than the grubby hands of the beer macerated men folk. a puppy would never have a chance of tasting one of these.

HUSH PUPPIES

-or whatever you call em'-

1c cornmeal

1/2c flour

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

16 oz cream corn

1/2c finely minced onion

milk if needed

oil for frying

*heat 2"-3" of oil to 350F

*in a large bowl combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt and baking powder

*in a separate bowl combine the cream corn and onions

*add the corn mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine - add a bit of milk if the batter seems too thick. it should be about the constancy of a thick muffin or quick bread batter.

*drop by the tablespoonful into the preheated oil and fry, turning once, until golden. this should take only 2-3 minutes.

*place on a paper towel lined plate and serve with ketchup or my favorite, tartar sauce.

Lemon Scones

-good morning sunshine!-

so i'll make this quick since we are literally on our way out the door to head down to ole Virginia for the weekend. i made these as a "good mornin' sunshine! - now these get oudda here." breakfast. aaaand they. are. delicious. i made these with my homemade butter and buttermilk, both of which made these guys super moist with a perfect crumb. add in the lemon zest and brown sugar for a hint of summer sweetness. oh and slather these babies with homemade blueberry jam (stay tuned for the next post..) and dudes - you will fall in love with mornings again.

LEMON SCONES

2/3c buttermilk

1egg

1 tbs lemon zest

2oz cold butter

2c flour

1tbs baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4c packed brown sugar

*preheat oven to 375F, line your cookie sheet w/ parchment

*in a small bowl combine the buttermilk, egg and lemon zest

*in a larger bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar

*quickly cut in the butter with your fingers or forks until the you have pea sized bits - a very coarse crumbs

*quickly stir in the buttermilk mixture until just combined - do not over stir!

*turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6-8 times, quickly pat into 1/2" thick round

*place on your prepared sheet, cut into 8 wedges

*bake for 25 minutes until golden brown

*let cool then break into individual wedges

Butter

-budda-

just when you thought you've seen me reach the peak of modern kitchen turned old school insanity (that phrase makes sense to me...) i've gone ahead and just lept over the cliff and decided i NEEDED to make my own butter. growing up i can't tell you how many time my mom and dad would mention how good fresh, homemade butter was when they were growing up. my mom raised on warm milk straight from the cow, along with uncountable other mazing farm-house goodies and my father being his father's only-store-in-town stock boy (aka fresh foods everyday) they shared the enjoyment of real food. ahh real food - where can i get some of that? anyways since i began my obsession with homemade, local, small batch dairy butter has been a high priority. it makes totally sense - over the last year i've honed jam skills & fresh bread has been a staple for me for almost a decade now (gasp - i'm old!) all that WAS missing is butter. so butter i made. to be honest its one of the easiest things i've "challenged" myself with. the most important factor is where you get your cream - make sure its fresh, local and from a small batch farmer with healthy cows. don't waste your time (and arm strength) with mass produced, ultra-pasterized, homogonized, hormone and antiboitic laced garbage from wal-mart, you'll just concentrate the lackluster. i adore my local dairy farmer (thanks NYC for rockin out with the greenmarkets) and you should too.

oh and by the way - my mom and dad where absolutely right; real, fresh butter is absolutely amazing - spread it on a fresh slice of bread and top with peach jam and you'll fall in love. i promise. sorry land-o-lakes you taste like wax - dirty wax.

BUTTER (yes butter)

1 1/2c heavy cream

quart glass jar

rested, healthy arms

*make sure your cream is at least 50% fat

*let 1 1/2c of heavy cream come to 60F

*pour into a jar that will allow for some "swishing" room and shake, shake, shake for about 15-20 minutes.

*you will see that first it will get pretty thick, then will start to seperate into a solid and a milky liquid - this is buttermilk

*drain off the buttermilk and save for later

*add cold water to the jar with the butter solids, shake and drain again. continue this process of rinsing until the water runns clear

*place the butter ball in a bowl and "knead" with a spoon or a couple of forks and continue to drain off the excess water.

*add 1/4 tsp or so of sea salt if you like your butter salted or leave it as is and lavish yourself by mixing it with honey. store in frig and enjoy over the next few weeks.

Home (quick) Cottage Cheese

- yes you can -

it's proably just me, but it seems like lately store bought cottage cheese has gone completely over board with the salt. if you try the "no salt added" option you're left with a mouth full of rubbery little disks that taste like a combination of elmers and playdoh. and did i mention the cost of organic dairy products? and the exorbitant AGE of processed dairy? yeah its not pretty out there for us penny pinching food lovers. with this in mind along with my recent conversion from a yogurt customer to a yogurt making guru i have set out to tackle all my favorite dairy products. my little kitchen has a new task and this was one was a bit of a kick off. this recipe is ridiculously simple, really all you need to know how to do is turn a burner on, stir, be patient and strain. granted this is a "quick fix", the real deal involves a few more steps and rennet - which i will be getting to in the near future (most likely in the next few days) - but this is a great warm-up to making cheese. a little culinary stretch if you like. oh and the taste - fresh and clean, slightly salty and perfectly creamy. add in a few slices of fresh peach and you will be in heaven, i know i was there yesterday.

HOMEMADE (quick) COTTAGE CHEESE

8c milk (any kind you wish)

1/4c vinegar

1/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)

1/2c milk or cream for serving (optional)

*heat the milk to 180 - 185F

*add the vinegar, stir just to combine

*let sit for about 30 minutes, the curds and whey will separate

*line a colander with a fine mesh muslin or flour sack linen which is what i use

*pour into the lined colander and strain the curds - you can discard the whey

*put curds in your bowl and sprinkle in salt

*store in frig and mix in the 1/2c milk if you wish when you are ready to eat - this will make it more "creamy"

Chicken Veggie Soup

-can you handle all this comfort?-

i've made this soup so many times and with so many variations that i hesitate to give a "recipe" for this other than one of those old school "hand-ful of this, dash of that" kinda of instructions. the invariable items here are firstly the stock - don't even thing of substituting with canned, i will disown you (no i won't) - use what i gave you, just trust me. secondly are the root vegetables, use whatever variations you want but always include them. Root veggies have a particular earthy sweetness that pairs perfectly with buttery, warm comfort of the stock. i know the poetic imagery is a little overbearing in that last sentence - sorry. there is a third, not to invariable but highly recommended addition: a parmesan rind. you should all be saving your parm. rinds. pop em in the freezer and save for moments like this. add to soup when you add the stock and remove as you are ladling into bowls / containers. if you've never used your rinds to flavor soup, start today and you will never look back. you can thank me later.

like i said; i've made this uncountable times in the past and every time its a little different depending on what i have in the frig. on that particular sunday afternoon. adding the dark greens and parsnip (as in this version) makes more of "take the fall chill off" dinner. try making with a bundle of large leeks and english peas for a lighter, summer friendly version. or leave the chicken out completely and make with white beans - !

POST 3: CHICKEN VEGGIE SOUP

1 1/2 tbs olive oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped

2-3 celery stalks, chopped

3-4 medium carrots, peeled, chopped

1-2 medium parsnips, peeled, chopped

3-4 stalks fresh thyme

1 bunch kale (about 4c), leaves only roughly chopped

2 qts homemade chicken stock

1 medium parmesan rind

3 - 1"strips lemon peel (use your potato peeler)

1c shredded chicken, reserved from roasted chicken if possible (more if you wish)

*in large dutch oven heat oil over medium high heat

*add onions, cook stirring until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes

*add celery, carrots and parsnips, cook stirring occasionally about 5 more minutes. season with salt and pepper

*add thyme and any other herbs (oregano is nice too), cook stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute

*add the kale and cook just to evenly begin to soften - should only take a minute or two

*add the stock, rind and lemon peel.

*bring to boil, lower heat and simmer uncovered for 20-30 minutes until the carrots and parsnips are cooked.

*add the chicken and simmer another 5-10 minutes

*taste for seasoning. remove the lemon peel and rind before serving / freezing.

Chicken Stock

- liquid gold?-

i alway get a little laugh from recipes for salads, sandwiches (other than chicken salad and the like) and stock - particularly chicken and veggie stock. what? we can't figure this out? well maybe sometimes we need help, but people just trust yourself a little bit. really, how bad can it get? unless you were planning to add a fruit roll-up to your stock i am almost positive you can create your own stock with whatever whole foods you have. please don't freak out about stock.

when i roast a chicken the first thing that i do, after scrubbing dishes, is throw the carcass in a pot of water and let the little guy slosh around while i sleep. when i wake up the apt is filled with the smell of - i don't know - warmth? excuse the poetry. but this stock is the endlessly useful. at any given time my freezer has at least 2-3 container of waiting for me. some "recipes" for chicken stock call for veggies, but i just can't be bothered with that. i have nothing against vegetables but, chicken stock should just be chicken - right?

none-the-less i will swear by this stock. its made some amazing soups (one of which i will be posting soon) for me over the years.

POST 2:

CHICKEN STOCK

1 roasted chicken carcass

a few sprigs of thyme from the stuffing

1-2 garlic cloves from the stuffing

room temp water to cover

*after carving away all the left over meat place all ingredients in large stock pot.

*bring to a boil

*turn heat down to the lowest possible - if you have a simmer burner, place on that at lowest setting

*cover after a few hours, let simmer for 6-8 hours.

*remove the carcass, garlic cloves and thyme stems - leave the tasty little leaves.

*dole out as you wish, freeze or use immediately.

Incredible Edible Roasted Chicken

-roasted chicken the only way i know how-

i love roasting (and eating) chickens, but i'm such a food safety fanatic (seriously its a problem, my hands are destroyed from excessive / obsessive washings) that lately i have just can't feel comfortable about buying a "regular" chicken. you know; the ones that cost $100 a pound, claim to be organic free-range but are in-fact just as beak-less, crammed into poop infested 6" cages and bred to have breast that are so large they can barely stand (if they had the choice). not to mention they barely even slightly tastes better that the salmonella brand. sign. woe is me.was me. about two months ago i discovered a local, small farmer that raises heirloom chickens and cornish hens. heirloom meaning the breed itself hasn't been genitically modified to have no legs and triple sized breasts. small farmer meaning the chickens are actually treated like chickens, with a yard-like place to live and eat, they are actually allowed to age appropriately (thusly the meat actually taste like something) and have no need for hormones or antibiotic. it may not carry a FDA doled "organic" sticker on it but did your great grandfather's chickens have that badge of lies? i didn't think so. and just look at the size of those gorgeous legs my birds have! beat that butterball.

-yes, that is a standard sized dinner plate with an awesome sized chicken leg on it-

so my rant is over. i've been on a semi-regular schedule of roasting a chicken (don't forget the gravy) every sunday night and feeding off it for days, months if you include all the dishes i make with the tasty meat and freeze for later enjoyment. my plan here is to have a little mini-series of roasted chicken recipes that start with the roasting and move on through to the soup and sautés that come out of the left overs.

POST 1:

THE BEST ROASTED CHICKEN EVER

(1) 3 1/2 - 4lb chicken

1-2 tbs melted butter

1 tbs kosher salt

fresh ground pepper to taste

1 bunch fresh thyme

1 lemon, cut into 4-6 wedges

1 garlic clove, slice in half

1 large onion, cut into 6-8 wedges

*preheat oven to 425F

*rinse chicken in cold water, pat dry

* season the cavity, stuff with the lemon, thyme and garlic

*place onions in roasting pan

*place the bird on a roasting rack (in your roasting pan)

*tie the legs together and tuck the wings in

*brush generously with the melted butter, sprinkle with salt and pepper

*bake for 50 - 75 minutes depending on size. don't over bake, start checking after 50 minutes

*leftover recipes to follow - or if you are feeding 4-6 people, you won't have any so...*

*and don't forget the gravy! if you need a step-by-step on that - just leave a comment and i'll hook you up*

Pan Sautéed Soft Shell Crab w/ Pasta & Kale

-make me feel better little crab man. oh, and sorry we're killing your home with oil -

ever miss home so much you know the only way to cure the home missin' is to just get down to it and recreate it? hm, yeah maybe not but stick with me - i'll make this one short.

i made the trek back home to Southwest Louisiana this weekend, hung out w/my awesome family, drank a glass of wine with my best friend and shared the woes of this massive ongoing oil spill that is threatening everything from the birds to the bayous, not to mention the amazing gulf seafood. oh woe is me. so i was thrust back into NYC life somewhere around this afternoon. the morning i left i had the heater on, cursing the lousy "spring" of NYC. thankfully as i exited the innards of laguardia it was hot and humid outside; just like home. ahh someone up there does kinda like me. so after a brief and typical argument with my cabbie i strolled into my apartment, said hello to my mildly excited dog and dyeing plants and because, sitting on a crammed 3 1/2 hour plane ride isn't enough for me i plopped down on the couch. inthralled in pouting about having to be back in "work till you want to kill yourself" NYC i decided to get off my toosh (my parents ready this, ok) and whip up my fix-anything comfort food dinner: quick sauteed soft shell crab, whole wheat pasta and seared kale.

it did the trick. i actually ended up folding my laundry and straightening the apartment (gasp) in prep for yet another long monday.

PAN SAUTEED SOFT SHELL CRAB

1 soft shell crab, rinsed in cold water, patted dry

salt & pepper

1-2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

olive oil

1/2 lemon wedge

*over medium high heat add enough oil to lightly coat a medium sized pan

*while the pan heats up season your crab w/ salt and pepper

*add the crab to the hot pan, sprinkle about half of the thyme leaves over the crab

*let it cook about 3 minutes on each side to get a nice rust colored "crust"

*squeeze the lemon and remaining thyme over the crab - let sizzle a minute and place crab on plate, tent with foil to keep warm if you wish.

PASTA & KALE

2 oz whole wheat

2-3 kale leaves, stalks cut away and roughly chopped

salt and pepper

**while the crab is cooking, be boiling your pasta in salted water.

*cook to almost al dente, they should finish around the same time, drain reserving 1/2 - 3/4c of the pasta water

*as you remove the crab, turn heat up a bit, add the kale and about 1/4c of the pasta cooking water

*de-galze the pan with the kale and starchy water, season lightly (crab should be fairly salty) and let cook 1-2 minutes until the leaves are bright green and wilted.

*add your pasta and a bit more of the reserved water, let them cook together another 2 minutes, adding more water only if the pasta or kale begins to burn/ smoke.

*if you can squeeze any more out of the lemon, add it in, if not then remove and plate.

-i feel better already, now about that massive oil spill... -

Strawerry Pop-Tarts

-yes, i made these and yes they are just a good as they look-

ahhh pop-tarts. who can deny themselves of a fresh out of the wrapper treat like this? i dare so no-one. no matter how food snobby i become i will always have a soft spot in my heart for a Kellogg's unfrosted strawberry pop-tart - ugh its terrible, vending machines across the city taunt me so. but alas i am actually a grown-up and i don't allow myself the constant indulgence of these strangely made "pastries". so when i finally accomplished strawberry jam, well the logical next step is of-course to make some homemade pop-tarts. oh yeah, that's what i said: homemade pop-tarts.

these. are. awesome. you won't be fooling anyone into believing these little guys are kellogg's concoctions (but really, why the heck would you try and replicate that faux pastry-ness? gross - just take a walk to the vending machine or a really big one, like wal-mart) they are more like strudels - remember those frozen treats? the exact line from Pilsbury is, get this: "start your day with a convenient, bakery-fresh treat". ha! since when was the toaster / microwave a baker?and better yet is the "do it yourself icing", people let me be clear on this: squeezing a plastic bag of liquid sugar onto a reheated frozen treat is not do-it-yourself. but i admit many a high school breakfasts consisted of those oddly gooey sugar pops and not just one i would eat like 4, wow. mmm healthy way to start your day, no wonder i still don't know how to write very well.

so back to me. i used my standard pie crust, filled it with the wonderfully perfect strawberry jam from easter and whipped together a stiff royal icing. that was that - nothing difficult and actually a do-it-yourself treat. we munched down on these guys as an after dinner treat; which is what the they are America - dessert not breakfast.

STRAWBERRY POP-TARTS

1/2 recipe pie crust - find mine here

1-2 tbs strawberry jam (or whatever you please)

1 egg lightly beaten

*preheat oven to 400F, line baking sheet with parchment

*after refrigerating the pie dough roll out to a 1/8" thick rectangle, cut the odd edges off as needed

*evenly cut out 5" - 6" squares from the rolled out dough

*place 1 heaping tsp of jam on the centers of half of the squares

*brush the edges of the squares with the beaten egg, place a dough square on top and pinch with fork thongs to seal.

*place the filled pastries on the prepared sheet and brush with egg wash

*bake for 16-19 minutes until golden, not too browned though

*let cool completely before icing (recipe below)

ICING

*1/2c - 3/4c powdered sugar

*2-3 tsp milk (more if needed)

*few drops of vanilla

*whisk together the ingredients adding more sugar or milk as needed to get a thick icing.

*drizzle the icing over your cooled pastries and enjoy

Maw-Maw's Ugly Cake

- the ugly duckling -

if you haven't figured it out already from the uncountable times i have mentioned that i was born and raised in the deepest depths of southern Louisiana - that's right the southern area of the south - then well here its is: i am a southern girl (in that cool new-agey way, not the weird tight black pants/ neon pink stretchy deep V-neck sequin studded top and wedge flip flops kinda way). ahh yes i grew up in the part of the country where it wasn't strange to see t- shirts and shorts on Christmas day and deep fried turkeys are the standard fair for any party over a 3 head count. and all that saturated fat means that a pecan pie is in order at every get together no matter the size or occasion, which is great - if you're into that kind of thing. don't even get me started on chocolate bourbon pecan pie, i mean really people one at a time ok?!

enter my grandmothers seemingly out of place "ugly cake". out of place not because of the unappealing name, but because it always stood tall and proud, almost always barely touched, along side the sinuously dark pie she provided like it was water. this cake is amazing, i think i was the only one in the family who longed for this cake - everyone else was too busy sneaking in another piece of the pie between cheesy jokes or

family gossip around the pearlescent formica table. so while everyone else buzzed around being as loud as they needed to be and as crude as the watchful eye of my grandfather would allow i was in the corner sneaking in slices of this cake the size of my head.

firstly this is no ordinary cake, its my grandmother's cake so i want none of this nonsense about "oh yeah i have a recipe similar to this" - no you don't. secondly its light as air, contains no butter (yet tastes like it might) and has just enough fruit layered into it that you pretty much just love yourself for ever putting this food item into your mouth. and while i will not be sharing the entire recipe with you - because well, you are not related to my grandmother, nor me of-course - i will give you the recipe for the base. simply enough; the base is classic angel food cake - what happens from there is magic or maybe voodoo since we are in louisiana but that may be wrong too considering my grandparents are staunchly devout catholics.

with out further ado - the recipe for the makings of magic:

- yes it tastes that good too -

ANGEL FOOD CAKE (for ugly cake)

12 egg whites (measured out to be 1 1/2c)

1 1/2c powdered sugar

1c, minus 2 tbs sifted flour

2 tbs cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

1 c granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond

*put egg whites in a large bowl, cover with plastic and let sit at room temperature for about an hour

*preheat oven to 350F

*sift together the powdered sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt

*beat the egg whites until frothy, add in the cream of tartar and continue to beat until soft peaks form.

*add granulated sugar slowly, continue to beat until glossy and soft droopy peaks form

*add in extracts

* evenly sift of the top of the eggs 1/4 of the flour mixture, gently fold with spatula in until combined

*continue, adding in flour at quarters until all is added

* gently and evenly pour the batter into your (un-grease) angel food cake pan

* bake for 45 minutes until the cake springs back lightly pressed

*invert pan and stand on its feet (if you don't have feet, you need to get a real angel food cake pan) until completely cooled

*to remove from the pan run a knife around the edge of the pan to help loosen and invert

* do as you please with this beauty!

Crowder Peas

-mysterious name, delicious eatin'-

there's nothing like a salted ankle of fat to transport you back to being 8, sitting at a wicker lined table having cabbage dinner with the family, watching as my mother reached into that big pot and pulled out the much prized (only to her) ham hock. ahhh memories. have you ever seen someone eat a ham hock? its very um, interesting. i assure you, my mother is not alone in eating this seemingly unmanageable piece of pork. my extended family adores taking on the feat of consuming the ham hock.

like i said - have you ever seen someone eat one of these? if you have you understand why i have wiped the ham hock from my mind and thusly life. but about 2 weeks ago my mom send a much adorned "care package" loaded with Camellia Brand peas and beans. YES! more of the best beans in my life. Louisiana loves their rice and beans. and we all know: beans / peas need salted pork. sorry but it just won't work if these guys aren't a pair.

i've made plenty of beans in my life but always with bacon and the likes. i finally caved and bought a hock for these crowders and i swear to you; the minute that thing hit hot water and its salty smokey scent started bumping around my apartment i dwindled back down to 8 years old.

CROWDER PEAS

1lb dried crowder peas

1 ham hock (1/2lb-ish?)

9-10c water

1tbs oil

3 carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

1 onion, diced

3 bay leaves

3-4 sprigs fresh thyme

1/4 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp whole peppercorns (black)

*soak the peas in cold water for about 3-4 hours, drain

*add peas, ham and water to a large pot and bring to boil, turn heat down and simmer uncovered for 1hour

*in a separate pan saute heat oil, saute onions to almost translucent

*add in carrots and celery, cook 3-4 minutes

*add bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano and peppercorns, cooking until fragrant (about 1 minute)

*remove from heat and add to simmering pea and ham

*preheat oven to 200F, cover your pot and place in oven

*cook 2 hours more, until ham is falling off bone and beans are cooked

*season with salt and pepper to taste

Chicken and Dumplings

-a bowl of low country love-

believe it or not: until today i've never ever had chicken and dumplings. i've never been at a table with chicken and dumplings or even seen a bowl of it in person. interesting right? how is it possible a southern lady like myself let this dinner staple slip past me all these years? this i can not answer but i have to say that being that this was my first attempt i am pretty proud of what has come out of my exhaustive research on the matter. josh gave it a thumbs up and had himself second, which never happens. i was throughly intrigued at how the balls of dough transformed into pillowy steamed biscuits. i know this brought josh "back home" and i am sure that it would have done the same for me, if i would have ever eaten it before but non the less it made me happy. its chicken and dumplings for god's sake!

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

1 tbs oil

(1) 3 1/4 lb chicken, cut into 8 pieces, and neck

1 oz butter

1 onion, diced

2-3 celery ribs (inner ribs w/ leaves preferred), diced

3-4 medium carrots, diced

3 tbs flour

2 tbs dry sherry

3c chicken stock

2 tbs whole milk

3-4 sprigs thyme

2 small bay leaves

1 tsp chopped rosemary

1/2c frozen peas

3 tbs chopped parsley

DUMPLIN':

1c cake flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2c whole milk

1 1/2 tbs reserved chicken fat or butter

*heat oil over medium heat in your dutch oven, add chicken pieces, browning in two batched if needed - do not over crowd.

*remove the chicken and place on plate to cool - once cooled enough, remove and discard the skin

*drain off and reserve the fat in the pan

*add butter and onions until starting to soften

*add celery and carrots, cook about 3 minutes

*add flour, stirring constantly for a minute

*add sherry (or dry white wine if needed) with whisk, deglaze the pan

*add in the broth, milk, thyme, rosemary and bay leaves, stir to combine everything

*place the reserved, skinless chicken back in the pan, nestling into the broth

*cover and simmer for about 1 hour

*remove from heat, remove chicken to a plate. once cool enough to handle remove the meat from the bones and discard the neck.

*this should have given the fat time to rise and pool at the top of the broth. skim and discard as much fat as you can.

*add chicken back to the pan with the broth and vegetables

make the dumpling dough:

*combine the milk and fat (either reserved chicken fat from earlier or butter) and microwave for 45 second - just to warm it up.

*in a separate bowl combine the flour, salt and baking powder

*with a wooden spoon stir in the milk combo

*turn heat on dutch oven to medium, add in the peas and parsley, bring back to a simmer.

*drop tbs sized balls of dough (about 18 total)

*cover the pan and let cook, undisturbed (see above note) for 15-16 minutes.

*the dumplings should double in size once cooked.

Creamy Broccoli Pasta

what do you make for your husband to eat when a: there is half used quart of whole milk left in the frig. b: you went crazy with the on-sale broccoli (that your overly active tummy wont even let you eat) and c: you are going across the country for the next 4 days which will leave all of this to rot away while you are gone? why whole wheat pasta adorned w/ creamy broccoli sauce of-course! I love this because its creamy, but not fatty, has a good deal of veggies, whole grains and protein from the pasta. its a great weekday meal too. this is a loose recipe since i really just threw everything together, but i think you can figure it out.

8 oz penne pasta (whole wheat or as you please)

1 tbs butter

2 tsp flour

1 1/2c whole milk

salt and pepper

pinch fresh ground nutmeg

3/4c parm. reggiano cheese, freshly grated

steamed broccoli florets from 2-3 heads

*finely chop the broccoli, set aside

*melt butter in large skillet over medium hugh heat

*stir in flour, stir constantly for a few minutes

*slowly pour in milk stirring constantly

* add nutmeg and season with salt and pepper to taste

*cook stirring until the milk begins to thicken, take off heat

*meanwhile cook pasta to al dente

*when pasta is done combine with the milk sauce, parm and reserved broccoli - toss to combine

Maple Baked Beans

about those beans i briefly referred to, here they are in all their glory. two notes: 1. this is ina garten's recipe - not mine - 2. if you don't have a sweet tooth then try leaving out the brown sugar and just adding in a bit more of the "bean juice".

enjoy!

1 lb dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight

2 qt water

1 bay leaf

6-8 whole black peppercorns

1 large yellow onion, sliced into wedges

3/4c pure maple syrup

1/2c lightly packed light brown sugar

1/2c ketchup

1tbs chinese chili paste (see link here)

1 tbs grated fresh ginger root

1 tsp kosher salt

5 oz bacon, cubed

*drain and rinse beans twice, place in large pot with water, bayleaf, peppercorns and onion wedges.

*bring to boil, reduce heat and let simmer for about 45-50 minutes until the beans are cooked

*drain the bean and reserve all of the "juice"

*preheat oven to 225F

*place beans (and onions / bayleaf / pepper) in your dutch oven, disperse half of the bacon through out the beans and place the other half over the top

*meanwhile whisk together all the remaining ingredients w/ 1 1/2c of reserved "bean juice" in a small sauce pan

*bring to a boil, reduce heat to and simmer for about 5-6 minutes

*pour the hot syrup mixture over the beans and bacon, cover the dutch oven, place in oven and cook for 6-8hours

*check on them every few hours, if they look dry add more of the bean juice

*remove bayleaf and peppercorns if you can find them before you serve them.

Buckwheat Pancakes

i've been making these for somewhere around 3 years now. before i made my post-swine flu breakfast switch to yogurt and granola i made these every single morning. and when i say every single - i mean just that. as if you can't already tell; i'm a tab bit neurotic when it comes to both my schedule and my meals. in other words: i know what i want and i usually see no reason to not have it. i don't know when the same-thing-for-breakfast glitch was activated but the farthest back i can trace it is college - yogurt, berries and grapenuts (and tons of it). that stuck around for about 3 years then on to 1 fried egg, 1 piece of toast and a bit of yogurt, after a few years of that it was soy yogurt, an apple and off-brand cheerios. anyways i could go on like this but you get the annoying point. so during my flu i was unable to cook anything and by chance it came back to yogurt. but in my old age i've spiced things up a bit and now have pancakes every saturday and sunday. i know - so crazy!

now that you are thoroughly bored and maybe even a little weirded out i will warn you that these have been tailor made specific to my taste - so i make no claims to what other will think. i've never made these for anyone but myself but if you want something healthy and still a fun treat - check it out. my standard "syrup" is a 1 part honey or agave mixed with 3-4 parts water then microwaved for 30 seconds. this makes a thin syrup that you dip your pancake bite into. yum!

BUCKWHEAT PANCAKES

1/4c buckwheat flour

1/4c whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp sugar (optional)

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4c yogurt

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbs coconut oil

2 tsp powdered egg whites (or 1 egg white)

1/3 water

fruit of choice (optional) - i always do

*preheat your pancake pan over medium heat

*whisk together all the dry ingredients (through to cinnamon)

*in separate bowl combine all the wet

*mix in the wet to the dry, if you need more water add it by the tbs

*stir in any fruit

*pour 3" rounds onto hot pan, when you see bubbles (90 seconds, typ.) flip it over and cook another 90 seconds

*eat up with your syrup of choice!

Potato Bread

potato bread reminds me of going to the farm. its a staple at the house and ever grocery store (there is really only one and a gas station) offers potato bread as the main option. i have never really been all that interested in the stuff mainly because i couldn't understand why it donned such a bright yellow color. that just doesn't seem right to me nor does it say "nutritious" or "delicious" for that matter. where is the fiber and protein in yellow? no to mention the yellow stuff tastes exactly like wonderbread - which is just thick air.

anyways enough about the yellow. so as you know i love to make baked goods with alternative materials and last week when josh took a bite of the challah i made he promptly asked why i hadn't made him a loaf of potato bread yet. huh. good question - why the hell haven't i made potato bread yet? with a bag of russets withering away in my kitchen i set to work. i have to say i am more than impressed with this bread, its light due to the potatoes yet still fulfilling and the taste is surprisingly layered and "warm". wow - i know that such a foodie description but really guys this bread rocks! its a perfect pairing for turkey sandwiches. i did a good amount of researching for this recipe and i think its pretty perfect. you'll notice the saffron i added in there as a nod to the odd yellowness afore mentioned, yet its still didn't reach anywhere near the hue of that cheap grocery aisle version. i wouldn't leave it out though, like i said before; it lends for a nice layer of flavors.

POTATO BREAD

1 large russet potato, peeled, cut into cubes

1/2c warm (110F) water from boiling the potato

pinch saffron thread, crumbled

2 1/4 tsp yeast

3 tbs honey

4c flour

1/2c warm milk

1/4c oil

1 egg, beaten

1/2c riced boiled potato (from above)

1 tsp salt

*boil the potato, save the water, rice the potato.

*let water cool down to 110F

*once cooled, dissolve the yeast and saffron in 1/2c of the potato water. stir in 1/2 of the honey and let sit 10 minutes to activate yeast (you will see it "bloom").

*stir in 1/2c of the flour, make smooth paste, cover and let sit 30 minutes.

*in a separate bowl combine the remaining honey, milk, oil, egg, riced potato and salt

*stir in starter "paste" and stir well

*beat in 1c flour until smooth, slowly add in more flour until you get a ball of loose dough

*turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes adding small amounts of flour as needed to get a smooth and elastic dough.

*grease bowl, cover and let rise to double (about 1 1/2 hours)

*punch down, quickly knead for a minute

*shape into smooth ball, place in greased loaf pan and let rise to double (about 30-40 minutes)

*preheat oven to 375F, cook 30-35 minutes to golden brown

Thanksgiving 09 - 2nd annual Farm style

well, we are officially in post thanksgiving mode - also known as "the holidays". starting with the christmas party josh and i met at to last years thanksgiving day that we got engaged, i suppose that this season is officially my favorite (don't worry easter i still adore you more than any other).

this year consisted of a close group of friends, an amazing location and tons of delish foodstuff - and even an adorable baby! surprisingly i pulled off a dinner for 6 without an major disasters or breaking a sweat. the baby enjoyed a champagne cork (don't act you haven't done the same after a little too much "holiday cheer"). Seemed everyone's favorite was a tie between the rosemary lemon bread w/ honey butter and the pumpkin pie w/ homemade whipped cream. my favorite (which i freakishly tried to push on everyone) was the guinness molasses ginger bundt cake. OMG! i am officially obsessed with that cake!

below is a menu from the dinner - if you are interested in a recipe of any of these, just put through a request and i'll hook you up.

Thyme Roasted Chicken

Gravy

Mashed Potatoes

Caramelized Onion Cornbread dressing

Sweet Potato Casserole

Cranberry Orange Sauce

Honey Glazed Carrots

Sautéed Green Beans

Rosemary Lemon Bread (w/ Honey butter)

Walnut Bread (w/ Maple butter)

Cranberry Orange Loaf

Pumpkin Pie (w/ Fresh Whipped Cream)

Apple Pie

Guinness Molasses Ginger Cake

Apple Galette

as you know i have no kitchen at the moment. this past month has been somewhere between a nightmare and lovely day dream. the condo purchase fell through, actually it was more like an implosion. but that's cool; i (for the first time in our 3 years together) heeded josh's advice and PRE-PACKED - over a month ago. yeah don't ever do that - unless you enjoy jamming your shins on cardboard edges every morning and trying to cook a dinner without cutting boards. try it, its really fulfilling. keep wine on hand. lots of wine.

ok so i still have my cookie sheets because although i was effected by my overly active husband - i was not fully converted and gave up packing about 2 hours in. so really i am half-packed. like i said i have a cookie sheet. and apples are in season so whadda ya do when that happens? make a pseudo apple pie also known to me as an apple galette. i'm so fancy.

my instructions:

1. check out my recipe for the best apple pie ever here

2. make half the dough

3. instead of chopping the apples, slice them thin

4. roll the dough out, place on cookie sheet

5. lay apple sliced over the dough (make pretty pattern), leaving about 6" from the dough edge

6. fold dough over, drop in butter and brush with egg wash

7. bake as usual, cut the time by about 10 minutes since the apples cook faster.

8. enjoy!

Apple Pie

i can't tell you how many times i have made this pie. every single time it has been perfect. to top that all off it was also the pie that i made for the thanksgiving dinner i made for josh and i the day he proposed. ahhh. i know! so i guess there could be some bias there. non-the-less i have never gotten bad or mixed (which to me is bad) review on this pie.

in the summers when

we go up to our friend's farm and there are pink ladys available i feel almost obliged to cook this up. it just makes sense and what could be more fun that watching southern raised city boys play horse shoe, drink cheap beer and eat apple pie?! i love it!

APPLE PIE

Crust: click here

FIlling:

3lbs peeled apples, cut into 1/2" cubes

1/4c sugar

1/4c packed brown sugar

1tbs cornstarch

1 tbs lemon juice

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp fresh grated nutmeg

2 tbs unsalted butter, cubed

1 egg, beaten

*preheat oven to 450F

*roll out one half of chilled dough, line bottom of our pie pan with it - place back in frig until ready to fill

*in a large bowl combine all ingredients except butter & egg

*roll out the other half of chilled dough

*pour filling into prepared bottom crust, distribute butter on top of the filling

*top with the other half of dough, pinching ends to make a decorative edge

*brush with beaten egg

*place in oven and cook for 10 minutes, lower heat to 350F and cook for another 40-50 minutes

*let cool completely (at least a hour) before cutting.

Roasted Cherry Tomato Whole Wheat Pizza

last weekend i went to a friends apt that i hadn't seen in a while. actually its the friend that involuntarily put josh and i together (long semi-interesting story). anyways the night turned out to be a total bachelor dude party, with poker and the whole nine.

back track with me a bit. earlier that day when my friend called me up he mentioned that we would probably grab some pizza and a few beers etc etc. needless to say - i had my heart set on the pizza. by the time i arrived everyone had already partaken in eating and beer to a extent that no one agreed with my pleas to order pizza from the place literally two flights of stairs away from us. ugh! guys right? such bad hosts. so i was aggressive enough and after a few hours of hassling everyone with the occasional threat of the place closing and leaving us all to starve in that NYC luxury apartment i was joined in placing an order. i chose the pizzas that i was denied last time when my friend somehow still thought i still didn't t eat meat - huh. i should stay in touch more i guess. it was a thin crust with pineapple, bacon and basil. amazing. i scarfed it down and then trekked back to my little apt. to do something other than watch basketball and mediocre poker playing.

for a week now i have been obsessed with pizza. i really don't make it enough. its so easy, versatile and cheap there are no excuses not to. and so i did just that today. you have to use a whole wheat crust - its just simply better. better people, better - that means just use whole wheat. I added in cornmeal into the dough this time and it was perfect; adding just enough crunch at the ends.

WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA DOUGH

1 1/2c whole wheat flour

1/2c cornmeal

1c AP flour

2 tsp kosher salt

2 tsp active dry yeast

2 tbs olive oil

1c warm water

*in a large bowl sift together the flours, cornmeal & salt

*stir in the water and oil w/ a wooden spoon. stir until it becomes to difficult.

*turn out dough onto floured surface and knead with your hands until smooth and elastic

*grease a large bowl, put the dough into the bowl and turn to coat w/ oil

*cover with plastic and let rise to double 1-2 hours or put in frig and let rise for a bout 6-8 hours

*preheat oven to 525F, sprinkle your pan w/ cornmeal or flour

*divide dough into 2 (for larger) or 4(for smaller) balls, let rest covered for a few minutes.

*w/ your hands press and/or pull the dough into a round, again let set cover a few minutes

*roll out the rounds to your desired thickness (i always go for a thin as possible)

*place on prepared pan and lightly spray or brush w/ olive oil

*top w/ your desired foodstuff and cook for 10-15 minutes until everything is golden and to your liking. see below for what i used and was more than delighted with.

ROASTED CHERRY TOMATO & CILIEGINA MOZZARELLA

1c cherry tomatoes, cut in half

4 oz fresh ciliegina mozzarella, each piece cut into thirds

1c homemade** roasted tomato basil soup

2 tsp dried basil

**i make a lot of this soup in the summer and freeze, if you don't happen to have any of your own homemade (which i understand is highly unlikely) just use good quality store bought.

*heat soup to a medium simmer in a small sauce pan

*in a small cup (shot glass works well) combine 1 tsp cornstarch w/ 2 tsp water

*add mixture to the simmering soup stirring to combine well, let simmer a few minutes then take off heat

*spread as much sauce as you prefer on to prepared dough

*continue with the remaining ingredients - its a pizza, don't freak out about it!