Black Bean Soup

Warm up to Christmas.....black bean soup. Not the traditional black bean soup that I usually make. Loved this one with the tomato base. We all liked it.  Bon appetit!

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/contest-winning-black-bean-soup/print

Christmas 2017 - Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin, Pureed Butternut Squash and Black Rice Salad with Lemon Vinairgrette

Of course a holiday gathering compels me to pull out the cookbooks and try new dishes. I love to torture myself this way when I have limited time, lots of folks coming to the table and unlimited resources to work with while I am racing against the clock! I just wouldn't be me if I didn't do it this way! This year was awesome and thanks goes to Cooks Illustrated 2009 Holiday Entertaining to help me build the menu. Of course, there were a number of standbys that I am sure I've already blogged about over the years.....pork tenderloin, crawfish etouffee, Giada's Chocolate Panna Cotta with Amaretto Whipped Cream, etc. The new additions to our holiday meals included three recipes from this publication which were super yummy.

Herb Crusted Beef Tenderloin with Horseradish Cream Sauce was elegant and perfect. SUPER tender and well worth every penny. So easy and those who like their meat were getting seconds and thirds.

Broccoli with Parmesan Bread Crumbs was a nice new take on the leafy green.

Pureed Butternut Squash was devine! Super simple and absolutely melt in your mouth.

A little something for everyone with all the other dishes we had. One other addition was the attached recipe for Black Rice with Lemon Vinaigrette which the vegetarian in the family raved about. I love black rice and constantly try to find new ways to fix it.

Unfortunately, I was too busy to take photos. You will just have to read the recipes and imagine. A few photos of our son's foster puppy will make you smile. Linus, the Christmas dog, was a big hit. Much cuter than the food! Bon appetit!

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/black-rice-salad-with-lemon-vinaigrette-51160880

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/herb-crusted-beef-tenderloin-52613301

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/4953-horseradish-cream-sauce?sqn=jhYtWTuWAdB9XhqiD3czTFsxA0a09SiAL0xQ5F4FL1U%3D%0A&extcode=NSFBL24CI&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=photo&utm_content=horsesauce&utm_campaign=ciholiday

(I added 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard , 1 minced clove of garlic and 1/4 tsp sugar to the above horseradish recipe. YUM!)

Herbed Roast Turkey and Turkey Gravy

OK, this year my turkey rocked the Casbah!  FINALLY I found the perfect turkey! Super moist, superior seasonings and awesome gravy to boot. All from Cook's Illustrated Holiday Entertaining 2009 issue. Using fresh herbs from the garden was key. Brining the turkey, allowing it to air dry in the frig overnight and cooking it on a V-rack all produced a bird that was succulent and full of flavor with a nice crispy skin and super moist meat. Making the gravy alongside with the fresh herbs also was an added bonus. The hunt is over and I can now focus on other issues next Thanksgiving! Bon appetit!

https://www.npr.org/2011/11/23/142528496/thanksgiving-secrets-cooks-tips-from-chris-kimball

https://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/2685-best-turkey-gravy

CURRY CHICKEN WITH CASHEWS

In 2009 Ruth Reichl was Gourmet's editor in chief. I am an avid fan of Gourmet magazine and have subscribed to it over the years, often finding dishes that become family favorites. After reading Ruth's book, Tender at the Bone, I came across a copy of the Gourmet Today cookbook in a used bookstore which was published under Ruth's tenure. It claims to have "recipes for the contemporary kitchen", focusing on cost, speed, number of ingredients and any number of issues facing cooks today. A quick peek told me it would be the contemporary equivalent of the original Joy of Cooking. I have made a few of the recipes, but one that my boys always request and that the editor claims is one of the most popular recipes is the Chicken Curry with Cashews. Good comfort food and different than most dishes I make. Bon appetit!

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/chicken-curry-with-cashews-231358

Sage Oatcakes

This little treat is so easy to make and great for those of us who don't particularly like uber sweet pastries. Full of good for you oatmeal and seasoned with fresh dried sage from the garden I paired these with local honey infused with fresh sage and left to marinate for several weeks. Super yummy with a nice pot of hot tea. Popped them in the freezer to pull out on cold days when the urge hits and the tea is calling. Bon appetit!

https://learningherbs.com/remedies-recipes/oatcakes/

You may substitute lavender for the sage, just pulse the lavender and the flour in a food processer to break up the lavender flowers (chop them into fine bits first).

Potatoes Au Gratin

Well, it's been a bumpy eight weeks as the ravages of a systemic Candida infection due to treatment for Lyme Disease have impacted my health and I have had to cut out almost all carbs. Wow! I always thought I ate healthier than most...all natural, hormone free, antibiotic free whenever possible, grain fed, organic, locally grown, etc., etc.  Hours in the kitchen every night surely translated into healthy food....Julia Child fashion, full on butter and cream...nothing artificial here. Little did I realize how many carbs I was consuming and how that was impacting my system. Don't forget the wine (thanks, Julia)....every night....lots of it. Talk about sugar overload! Now, I still ascribe to Julia's philosophies...whole food, REAL food, etc. I just didn't recognize that often my big bowl of healthy farro succotash was really just a big bowl of carbohydrates (OK, complex carbohydrates, I know), but pair that with a few glasses of wine and some good bread and you have a potential diabetic nightmare if abused. After eight weeks of consuming between 20 - 35 grams of carbs per day I finally have gotten my system on the road to recovery, but it was brutal! (Who knew limes, for example, have carbs?! You CANNOT imagine how little 20 -35 carbs truly are!). Along the way I lost over 10% of my body weight and am just now slowly reintroducing carbs as I rebuild my gut flora. My doctor and my acupuncturist both prescribed resistant starches to begin rebuilding the gut flora as they feed the good bacteria in the intestine. First recipe right out of the gate due to the high level of resistant starch....cooked and then cooled potatoes....I made a delicious Potatoes Au Gratin (oh, how I love the French cooking!) and have nibbled a bit every day. They are great for breakfast, lunch or dinner so it was easy to make a batch and just keep it in the frig. I don't typically use a recipe as it is so easy, but I am attaching one that is how I make it noting that I add a small amount of thinly sliced onions to the mix. Bon appetit and happy gut flora! Great to know you can eat all these calories and do something good for yourself at the same time.

https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/potatoes-au-gratin.html

Halloween fun - Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes and Witches Brew

Needed something fun and festive for a light Halloween party this afternoon. I settled on Cook's Illustrated Ultimate Chocolate Cupcakes and Witches Brew Cocktails. At the moment I cannot consume either of these items due to a medically related diet, however, I can tell you from the tiniest bite and sip that they were both delicious and once I get beyond this diet I will be making them both again.

First, the cupcakes....a rich concoction of good bittersweet chocolate and Dutch-processed cocoa filled with a bittersweet chocolate ganache....there is NOTHING else you could do to this cupcake to make it any better!!!!!!!  A chocolate lover's dream, it appears to be very moist, rich in chocolate intensity and creamy at the same time. It stands alone compared to any other cupcake I have ever had.
I am copying the following review for someone else's opinion since I did not really get to eat one.

https://firstlookthencook.com/2011/04/20/ultimate-chocolate-cupcakes-with-ganache-filling/

Witches Brew Cocktail was a nice fruity mixture of pineapple, cranberry, Sprite and Coconut Rum. Everyone said it was refreshing.

http://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/holidays/halloween-cocktail-recipes

Oh well, here's waiting to try them myself one day soon.......

Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon

I wanted to prepare a special meal for a friend of mine who is undergoing chemo treatment for her birthday. I couldn't think of anything better than this. I am attaching The Gourmand Mom's blog as she does a superb job describing the dish and the steps to prepare it. Trust me, any man you make it for will get down on one knee and propose before the meal is done. Bon appetit!


https://thegourmandmom.com/2012/08/14/julia-childs-beef-bourguignon/

Food Truck Infatuation

Yes, I AM A FOOD SNOB! I readily admit it. But food comes in many forms and my infatuation recently has been the food trucks from which we partake at the micro brews we frequent. This past week we had an awesome meal from a truck (I don't remember the name) and it was so good I had to come home and replicate it this weekend. It wasn't that it was anything super special, but the paring of the ingredients was just perfect. Fried green tomatoes (yes, it's a Southern thing), homemade black beans, Asian slaw, Sriracha mayo and Pico de Gallo. Topped off with a bit of goat cheese and it was the perfect amount of spicy, sweet, sour, crunchy...just YUM! Part of the fun of eating this way is the disposable dishes.....I HAD to have those for the occasion to make it feel authentic!

No big recipes here other than the Asian Slaw. Any recipe will work, but I chose this one from Alton Brown and it was beautiful and tasty.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/asian-slaw-recipe-1913307

Make black beans, Pico De Gallo, Sriracha mayo and Fried Green Tomatoes. Nothing special here.  Put it all in the "paper boat" and top with some fresh goat cheese. Bon appetit and remember, you aren't lowering your standards....you are just appreciating a new cuisine. The old food truck just ain't what it use to be. Oh yeah, and don't forget the beer!!!!!!

Corn On the Cob with Miso Mayonnaise and Grilled Lettuce with Farron and Lemon

OK, OK, I know....everyone is sick of hearing my rant about Yotam, but I have these beautiful summer vegetables and what better place to turn than Yotam's Plenty More for interesting vegetarian recipes. Tonight's fare definitely did not disappoint.....Grilled romaine with homemade croutons, preserved lemons, farro...what's not to love. I usually make wilted Caesar Salad, but this wilted salad was really good. Super easy, but, of course, heavy on the number of ingredients. Let's move on to the corn with the miso mayonnaise. YUM! I did not realize how flavorful miso is, but I am hooked. I want to find all the yummy miso recipes I can lay my hands on and make them every night. This rocked the Casbah.  Thank you, once again, Yotam, for your ingenuity and pairing interesting herbs, flavors, etc. Tonight's vegetarian fare was a big hit. 

Saffron Chicken and Herb Salad served with Strawberry Spinach Salad

Not my favorite Yotam recipe, but nice and clean. The fennel combined with the orange and all the herbs was refreshing, but it just did not have the creativity or the depth of interest that most of the other Yotam recipes seem to have. Just blogging it here so I will remember the experience. Paired with a delicious strawberry spinach salad with carmelized pecans and poppy seed dressing from the Apron Strings Cookbook from the Junior League of Little Rock which was delicious. Had the girls over and no one complained. Great friends, happy bellies, good times....The food just makes it all the better, no matter what the meal consisted of.......

Next day...side note....upon eating the leftovers, I must add that the fresh fennel is interesting and I neglected to mention I paired it with forbidden black rice which was the perfect side to the tangy, citrus flavors....

http://www.ottolenghi.co.uk/saffron-chicken-and-herb-salad-shop

CAMPARI AND GRAPEFRUIT ICE POPS

We tried something tonight that I have wanted to try for ages and FINALLY got around to making. ADULT ice pops! And, boy, were they refreshing. Made up this sweet little treat from the August 2000 issue of Gourmet Magazine. Sugar water, fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, Campari and vodka. Just the perfect thing to cool you down on a 100 degree Southern day. They didn't last long! Can't wait to try all the other flavors of adult pops!

http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2000/08/camparipops.html

Braised Eggs with Lamb, Tahini and Sumac

Yotam, Yotam, Yotam.....How I LOVE you and your Jerusalem fusion cuisine. Dinner tonight did not disappoint. Extremely flavorful and an interesting concoction of Israeli spices paired with fresh ingredients. Sooo amazing. Of course, it required about 25 ingredients, but worth the effort. Thank you for your creativity and making me look like a master chef. Your recipes are always foolproof and you always make me look amazing. You are my kindred foodie spirit. Bon appetit! From Yotam's Jerusalem Cookbook.

https://dishnthekitchen.wordpress.com/braised-eggs-with-lamb-tahini-and-sumac/

Tagliatelle with Walnuts and Lemon

Unbelievable!!!!  FINALLY a Yotum recipe with only 10 ingredients, super fast to make and absolutely delicious! Hidden in the middle of his Plenty More cookbook I came across this lovely little pasta dish and thought, "I am not too tired to whip this one up tonight." Glad I did. Came together super fast and delivers an unexpected richness of flavors. Thanks, Yotam, for my Friday night surprise. I don't often make pasta, but I will be making this again. Served with Giada's Cantaloupe, Red Onion and Arugula Salad. (Previously blogged). 

Bon appetit!

Crockpot Pesto Stuffed Shells in Bolognese Sauce

I was looking for some comfort food and came across this recipe on Facebook. Decided to give it a try as I had to feed multiple mouths tonight. YUM YUM! My go to comfort food is Italian....lots of warm tomato sauce and cheese with pasta. Don't be misled by the description....The "crockpot" method is still quite timely once you make the Bolognese sauce and then the stuffed shells. It was literally a half day affair....but worth the effort. So glad I have the crockpot to pull out of the pantry every once in a while. Bon appetit!

CROCKPOT PESTO STUFFED SHELLS

An easy and foolproof way to make stuffed shells: use the crockpot! The pesto gives these stuffed shells delicious flavor and the three cheeses used also don't hurt to use either.

Yield: 12 shells, 4 adult servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients:

• About 1/2 Crock-Pot Bolognese recipe
• 12 pasta shells, cooked
• For the Filling:
• 2 cups low fat cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup prepared pesto
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Extra cheeses for the top, if desired
• parsley flakes, for garnish {optional}

Directions:

1. Make Crockpot Bolognese Sauce according to directions below.
2. Spread about 1 1/2 cups of sauce into the bottom of your crockpot to serve as a base and a no-crunchy-or-burned-noodle-barrier. Set aside.
3. For the filling, stir all ingredients together until combined. Spoon filling into cooked shells, stuffing evenly. Place into bottom of crockpot, onto that sauce. 
4. Spoon more sauce over the top of each shell and sprinkle with extra cheese if you feel so inclined. Cover and cook 1 1/2 hours on high or 3 hours on low OR until hot all the way through. Sprinkle with parsley flakes and serve.
5. **Non-crockpot directions: Place shells into 9x13 baking dish, cover with foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until hot.
6. A slow cooked, flavorful, meaty bolognese sauce made in the crock-pot! This sauce is the perfect balance of salty, creamy, rich and delicious. It will be love at first bite.

   CROCK-POT BOLOGNESE SAUCE

   Yield: 6-8 servings

   Prep Time: 30 minutes

   Cook Time: 4 hours

   Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes

   Ingredients:

   • 2 tablespoons olive oil
   • 1 large onion, diced
   • 4 large cloves garlic, minced
   • 1/2 cup finely diced carrot
   • salt & pepper, to taste
   • 1.25 lbs. ground sirloin in the lowest fat ratio
   • 1 lb. ground pork
   • 3/4 cup red wine
   • 42 ounces plain marinara sauce {1 1/2 jars}
   • 1 14.5 oz. can fire-roasted diced tomatoes*
   • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves {not ground thyme!}
   • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
   • 2 bay leaves
   • 2/3 cup heavy cream

   Directions:

   1. Preheat crockpot to high.
   2. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic and carrot 5 minutes or until they start to get tender and get a little color. Add in meat, salt & pepper. As the meat cooks, break apart into smaller pieces. Deglaze pan with red wine and cook down 5 minutes. Transfer meat mixture to crock pot. Add in remaining ingredients and stir well. Cover and cook 4 hours on high heat, stirring occasionally. 
   3. Serve over pasta.

Cabodian Ginger and Honey Baby Back Ribs

Being from the South (yes, a capital "S"), one thinks of ribs as those delectable pork or beef entrees dripping with a tomato base sweet/spicy sauce dripping off of them, cooking them all day, enjoying them with a cold beer...OMG, it's enough to send shivers down your spine.  Believe me, I can eat that good "S"outhern cooking all day long. We in the South are known for our grits, our BBQ, our Cheerwine, etc. Tonight, however, I resurrected a recipe I made a few years ago, Cambodian Ginger and Honey Baby Back Ribs, at the request of my teenager. I will never forget the summers when our boys were still living at home and the summer issues of Bon Appetit  would arrive....our goal was to grill, cook, etc. all the delectable recipes we possibly could. The BBQ edition was always one of our favorites. July 2009's issue held a magical recipe that our youngest remembered all these years later. I was fortunate enough to be able to find it. Suffice it to say that this recipe is quick, easy and a nice change to our traditional "Southern" BBQ...The combination of ginger and lime makes these ribs tangy and flavorful. Paired tonight with mashed potatoes and roasted tomatoes...YUM! Bon Appetit is all I can say. Enjoy!!!!!!!

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/ginger-and-honey-baby-back-ribs

Beatty's Chocolate Cake WITHOUT VEGETABLES

I have a half dozen go-to's in my baking repertoire and this chocolate cake never disappoints. My son, Matthew, knows that Chocolate Zucchini Cake is one of my favorites and insists every year for his birthday that I make him this chocolate cake with "no vegetables in it"! Picky picky picky! Either way, this cake can't be beat. The recipe was tried and trued by a friend who serves it at almost every gathering; always a big hit. The secret, I believe, is the buttermilk and the coffee in the cake. Don't tell Matthew; he wouldn't eat it if he knew! Bon appetit!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/beattys-chocolate-cake-recipe

Kurdish White Beans and Persian Cafe Kebabs with Grilled Tomatoes

So my son and his vegetarian girlfriend gave me this beautiful cookbook for Christmas, Persia, by Naomi Duguid. Not only is it beautiful, but surprisingly delightful. Why, you ask, would I say "surprisingly"? If you have read any of my other posts you will know that I am in love with Yotam Ottolenghi. His Israeli fare is clean, absolutely to die for and extremely creative; genius in food form. The only problem....all of his recipes have at least 25 ingredients; no cooking for the timid! For two solid years I have worked myself into a lather every time I have guests over, racing to get through the menu I have carefully planned out yet leaving myself barely enough time to throw on my dinner dress, always forgetting how time intensive and ingredient heavy Yotam's recipes are. Naomi, I forgot how simple and delicious six ingredients could be! You have broken the shackles I have so proudly worn for the past two years. It is one thing to cook "Yotam". It is quite another to know when it is too over the top given your busy schedule. Either way, both chefs are amazing and I cannot wait to try more recipes in this book. Easter this year started with Kurdish White Beans made with small dried navy beans (one of our favorites) cooked, sauteed with turmeric and cumin and then mixed with crushed tomatoes and lime. Simple, delicious, filling! For the meat eaters in the family I made lamb kebabs with fresh grilled tomatoes. Again, six ingredients and absolutely delicious! The only problem was locating ground sumac, which was remedied by visiting an ethnic grocery store in our area (note I have now found a new store/restaurant that will probably become one of my favorite places). I used fresh ground lamb that I buy in the country, flatbread from the local Greek restaurant and fresh tomatoes from the local market. Easter rocked and even the girlfriend told me "Best Easter Ever"! At least on the food front I must have rocked. Thanks, Naomi, for making me look good!!!!!!!!

Giada's Cantaloupe, Red Onion, and Walnut Salad paired with Giada's Potato Pancakes

So it's Friday and the frig is looking kind of bleak after the Easter holiday as we have been working off of leftovers for the past week. I guess I am going to have to go to the market at some point in the next week. When faced with what I have to work with I found some potatoes, half a cantaloupe, some red onions and I knew we were good for at least one more night. A simple meal of Cantaloupe, Red Onion, and Walnut Salad dressed in a citrus dressing and Parmesan Potato Pancakes was the perfect answer. The citrus dressing was the perfect paring with the sweet cantaloupe, tart arugula and the tangy red onions. The potato pancake was both filling, yet light. I added some chopped bacon to give it a bit more flavor. Both recipes from Giada's Kitchen. This is the kind of meal I like to pull off when I come home, open the refrigerator door and figure out what I can make given what's before me. Buon appetito!

Cabbage Lasagna

Well, the weekly vegetable share we subscribe to at the local farmer's market is almost up for this season and I have been drowning in root vegetables and cabbage so I have had to experiment with new and creative ways to cook with apples, cauliflower, cabbage, parsnips, turnips, etc. Just when I thought I was over it I discovered Cabbage Lasagna. Now, I would like to say I thought this one up myself, but the truth is I saw it somewhere on Facebook and didn't have the mind to save the recipe. Evidently, this is not something new. I had never heard of it. When the tenth head of cabbage showed up I decided to wing it. I simply sauteed some ground lamb, a little bacon, some onions and a bit of garlic in a saucepan. Once that was nicely cooked I grated a head of cabbage and added it to the pan and sauteed it until it was all nice and soft with just a bit of crunch left. At that point I added a large can of crushed tomatoes, some Italian spices and once mixed put it in a dish topped with Parmesan and Mozzarella, baked for 45 minutes. Light, but filling. Honestly, how can anything with lamb not be delicious?! Here's hoping we get maybe one more head of cabbage before the CSA ends this season! Bon appetit!

QUICHE

 A friend once told me there are two foods that are totally underrated.....carrots and eggs. Well, I will agree with the eggs, but I am still on the fence about carrots...just another root vegetable of which I get pretty tired of by this time of year. Eggs, on the other hand, are an amazing culinary treat. One of my very best friends is a true French culinary chef and cannot stand eggs, which still astounds me! HOW can you enjoy cooking so much and refuse to eat eggs?! (You know who you are)! One of my favorite ways to clean out the refrigerator is to make quiche, a simple dish that is receptive to any and all fillings. When the vege scraps are all you have left and a few eggs, viola', you have quiche.....A simple recipe below is what I usually use:
4 beaten eggs
1 cup of grated cheese (whatever you have)
1-1.5 cups of milk or 1/2 and 1/2
Bake a deep dish pie shell per instructions, fill with mixture and veges, meats, etc., bake @ 350 for 50 minutes. Bon appetit!

Farro Piccolo and Avocado Salad with Pistachios and Celery

Another award winner from Yotam Ottolenghi. Had the whole family for dinner tonight and made this lovely little salad which paired very nicely with lamb shoulder, mashed potatoes and roasted carrots. It had a very citrus dressing which was nicely toned down with the cool avocado and then complimented nicely with the toasted pistachios. I will definitely be making this again! Bon appetit!

http://www.ansonmills.com/recipes/597?recipes_by=grain

Southwest Pepper Jack Salad with Creamy Avocado Salsa Dressing

Got this delicious hearty salad recipe from my vendor, Ellen. HOW did you know, Ellen, that this would speak to me on many levels? It is a salad, but unlike most salads, the lettuce is almost an afterthought. Did I say hearty? Filling for almost anyone. Full of fresh chopped ingredients and smothered in a delicious creamy avocado dressing. The recipe says that the dressing is great to drizzle on burritos. I concur. I could eat this dressing on almost anything! Topped with corn chips and warm grilled chicken, it was a great weeknight meal. Got my little sous chefs busy chopping and we had dinner ready in under an hour. Bon appetit!!!

http://carlsbadcravings.com/southwest-salad-creamy-avocado-salsa-dressing/

Venison Tenderloin

Yes, I am a city girl, soon to become a country resident, and venison has found it's way into my kitchen. Now, I don't think I could ever hunt the meat, but I do have friends who, on occasion, come with their prize meat as a peace offering (or maybe they just want me to cook for them) and I am always trying to find new ways to prepare it. My good friend, John, has shared some tenderloin with me the last two years and I decided to make two totally different recipes tonight, one a little tangy and one a little sweet. Both were delicious. Thanks, John, for sharing the best part of the animal with me. You can't make this stuff taste bad if you tried! Super tender, full of flavor and very versatile, as evidenced by these two recipes on complete opposite ends of the culinary spectrum. I can't remember how I cooked it last year, but I believe I used more of a caper, lemon kind of sauce which was totally awesome as well. Both recipes paired well with mashed potatoes. Happy belly here! Bon appetit.

http://www.wideopenspaces.com/top-6-venison-tenderloin-recipes/

Venison Tenderloin with Blackberry Sauce
Venison Medallions with Whiskey, Mushroom and Horseradish Cream Sauce

Kombucha

Have to learn how to make this stuff. Last week was grapefruit rosemary. This week is orange citrus. Good for your gut. Wonderful aperitif.

Chioggia beet chips

I have joined a Farm to Table CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and LOVE it! What is a CSA? It is a socio- economic model of agriculture and food distribution. Members of a community pledge their support to a farmer or partnership of local growers so that the farmland holds an intrinsic value to both the growers and the community supporters. This relationship benefits the growers providing them a guaranteed direct market while allowing consumers to get fresh local produce on a consistent basis. Greenbrier Nurseries offers many heirloom vegetables and fruits and I show up every weekend to pick up a large bag of awesome yumminess. You never know what you are going to get and for five weeks now it has been an awesome adventure every week. I usually get at least one item per week that I have not really worked with much in the past. It forces me to experiment and learn how to cook with new items. This is EXACTLY what I love to do! Below you can see some of the items I have procured over the past few weeks. 

Week 1: Beautiful carrots - purple, orange, white....who knew carrots came in so many colors? Check out the results....roasted carrots drizzled with red beet vinegar and crumbled goat cheese....LOVE these beautiful colors!

Week 2: Parsnips - like a sweet carrot, great in soup. Butternut squash...awesome in soup and delicious roasted. The week consisted mainly of roasted vegetables, all yummy and warm on cold days.

Week 3: What is this weird green? Was told it was a weed, but tasted like arugula, a bit spicy and peppery. Made a good bit of salad this week and incorporated this unusual green into it.

Week 4: Raw peanuts...yum! Kind of lack luster until you roast them. Then they take on a delicious rich nutty flavor that can't be beat. This is what I love about the CSA. You get stuff and think "what am I going to do with this" and then just the process of enjoying the earthy yumminess overtakes you and you experience food in a way you never intended. You see God's hand in all his goodness. Also, received chioggia beets...beautiful! Have you ever seen anything so absoultely beautiful?! I mandolined them thin and cooked them at 250 degrees for approximately one hour on a silicone mat, no additives, and made beet chips. It was like candy, super sweet....CRACK!

Fried cauliflower with tamarind mint dipping sauce from Yotam Ottolenghi's Plenty More.

Week 5: Turnips...Fall root vegetables... something I am learning about. Yummy goodness unknown to the general populus...we often think God is hibernating during these cold, bleak days, until we experience the depth of flavor found in the root vegetables (turnips, beets, rutabaga, etc.)... God is omnipresent in these lovely forms.

Chicken stew with turnips and mushrooms....yum!