tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-66841527620125567002024-03-14T00:29:01.622-04:00Ess Eppis - Eat SomethingEss Eppis means Eat Something in Yiddish. Come and stay awhile and eat something good, eat something local.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-29235271708721794232012-02-11T21:50:00.000-05:002012-02-11T22:13:26.207-05:00Short & SweetThere is only one brand of Greek yogurt I like,<a href="http://www.fageusa.com/"> Fage</a>. I like to keep those individual cups on hand. They are great for making a savory dips like mint and garlic or a sweet snack with honey and nuts. The other night, too late to cook, I wanted something chocolaty and I wanted it right away. That's how I came up with the best chocolate (not) pudding recipe ever!<br />
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Chocolate (not) Pudding</div>
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1/2 of an individual container of Fage 2%</div>
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Mix all ingredients together. Enjoy &...</div>
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Note: I have no connection to <a href="http://www.fageusa.com/">Fage</a>, it is just honestly the ONLY yogurt I like. I also have no connection to Nutella, but seriously, who doesn't love Nutella!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-23473557815059770332012-02-08T14:03:00.000-05:002012-02-08T17:16:01.938-05:00Dirty Frank's Comfort Food Cook Off 2012 - FRITO PIE!!!!<div>
There are few things I feel I can't live without. I've always preferred living in my wee studio apartment over larger digs - a move that really saved my bacon when I was laid off. I live by the philosophy that I rather have a little of something really good than a lot of something just so-so. I happily live a car free life (with the occasional <a href="http://www.zipcar.com/">Zipcar</a> reservation) & even prefer to travel (internationally) with little more than backpack, so when I say I have to have something I mean it! I need <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dirty-Franks/273443706227?sk=info">Dirty Frank's</a>.</div>
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Since moving to Philly over 10 years ago, I have not lived more than 3 blocks from, in my opinion, the best dive bar in Philadelphia - Dirty Frank's. There was a very short period when I moved away for about a month and a half. In that time the house I was living in flooded, my housemate went nuts, I skinned my knee, and a friend was diagnosed with cancer. I am not saying living further than 3 blocks from Dirty Frank's causes cancer, but why take chances. I quickly moved back to the neighborhood and normalcy returned... coincident? Maybe, maybe not, but who am I to question it?</div>
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Frank's is not your typical dive bar. They have an every changing art gallery on the wall showing and selling the works of local artists. They have a bank of books patrons are free to enjoy. And year round events for everyone. One of the events is the annual Comfort Food Cook Off. Although it is a competition, it feels more like an awesome pot luck. The winner takes home the giant stainless steel spork & runner ups walk away with a choice bottle of wine.</div>
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<a href="http://esseppis.blogspot.com/2010/02/its-honor-just-to-be.html">A couple of years ago I entered a turkey pot pie that was enjoyed by many</a>. Last year I worked on a bacon mac & cheese, but got the flu right before the cook off. I figured no one would want to eat food served by a girl with a runny noses and hacking cough, so I sat that one out. That gave me a whole year to come up with a comfort food that would knock their socks off. The answer... FRITO PIE!</div>
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For those not familiar with this delicacy, it is chili served in individual Frito corn chip bags. It is the official food of summer camps & trailer parks across this great nation. Many people at the event had never even heard of Frito Pie, but one taste got them hooked. My chili was flavorful without being too spicy to appeal to the most people. Everyone who tried it loved it & even wrote in as much on their ballots... and the presentation was also a big winner. Unfortunately I didn't actually win in the end. I think my chances were hurt that I ran out of chili pretty early, so I didn't get any votes in the latter half of the event. It would have been nice to win, but it was still lots of fun and I got to enjoy lots of good food. There were a couple mac & cheeses, shepard's pie (the big winner), amazing flourless chocolate cake & peanut butter ice cream, my fave, the homemade pierogies (they even made me up a little to-go pack of them!), and a bunch of other dishes.</div>
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Inspired by the crowd's reaction to it, I'm going to be re-entering my Frito Pie in the Annual Chili Cook Off on March 24th. Because I am entering it an up-coming event, I am going to hold off on posting my chili recipe. But don't let that stop you from making Frito Pies!</div>
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1 pot of your favorite chili (my recipe to come)</div>
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Open a bag of Fritos. Gently crush the chips in the bag (if you don't open the bag first it will pop and you'll have corn chips everywhere). Spoon in some chili into the bag. Mix the chili with the Fritos and...</div>
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</div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-10067049072277681832011-08-19T23:39:00.002-04:002011-08-19T23:40:02.704-04:00More Than Just Polenta & ShrimpAs the storm clouds rolled in, I knew I wanted shrimp for dinner, but wasn't sure exactly how. I thought of couscous, rice, pasta... all favorites, but I wanted something different. I remember the package of polenta in the cabinet. It has sat there for awhile now. I have never made polenta and always seemed to find away to push it back for more familiar fare. Not tonight, it was coming out front & center!<div>
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I poked around the fridge for ideas. I grabbed some grape tomatoes, sharp cheddar, scallions, & bacon. I cleaned the shrimp & stashed the shells in the freezer for future stock. To clean shrimp, I use a fork. I run one of the tines up the back and pull it thru the shell. Then the shell can be easily peeled off. It should also open up the back to be able to pull the vein out. If not, just use a paring knife to gently cut into the back to get the vein. I tossed the shrimp in a sprinkling of salt & a generous helping of Valle del Sol Chili Powder (I won a free bottle of Whole Foods 365 spice last month) and set aside.</div>
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I started heating up the liquid for polenta. I was going with a 4:1 ratio (I have since learned that 4:1 makes a polenta that will firm up for slicing and 6:1 will make a looser spoonable polenta). I started 2.5c water & .5c fat free evaporated milk over med heat. I added 1c of polenta to 1c of water. I added s&p to both sets of liquids.</div>
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The grape tomatoes went onto a parchment lined baking sheet & drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with salt & pepper. They went into a 350F oven to roast. Then I sliced up half a package of bacon and started that in another pan. The liquid was boiling by then so I added the water/polenta mixture and kept stirring till it thickened. I continued cooking it, stirring often, for about 10 minutes on low heat. I turned off the heat & mixed in a few handfuls of shredded cheddar. I covered as I finished the rest of the meal.</div>
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While the bacon was still cooking, I chopped up about the top 3 thirds of the a bunch of scallions & stirred those into the polenta. When the bacon finished cooking (I like it super crispy), I just grabbed it with my tongs and popped it right into the pot with the polenta - a little bacon grease can't hurt - and stirred it in & covered the pot.</div>
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The easiest and quickest for last. I heated up the pan with a little olive oil. In went the shrimp for about 3-4 minutes. I turned off the heat and let the shrimp finish cooking with the residual heat from the pan. And by then, the tomatoes were perfectly wrinkles and slightly charred.</div>
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A ladle full of beautifully yellow polenta topped with some of the grape tomatoes & shrimp was a perfect combination. The scallions gave a nice mild onion flavor that went nice with the cheddar. Of course the bacon was a delicious addition. The roasted tomatoes gave little bursts of sweetness that balanced the spice of the chili powder on the shrimp.</div>
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The rest of the polenta is sitting in a loaf pan in the fridge firming up for slicing tomorrow - griddle cakes topped with roasted veggies!</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-58737428334712357222011-07-11T21:37:00.002-04:002011-07-11T21:38:44.177-04:00Urban Gardening & Pizza MakingI have never had much of a green thumb. I have even successfully killed Lucky Bamboo. At the end of April I was at the<a href="http://pifa.org/"> PIFA Street Fair (Philadelphia International Festival of the Arts)</a>, a Parisian style street fair to wrap up the month long festival. I have to say, it was great. They really transformed several blocks of Broad Street into a beautiful, entertaining, and exciting festival that ended with an amazing musical/aerial/acrobatic performance high above the intersection of Broad & Spruce. As soon as the show ended the huge crowd parted. I took one more stroll up and down the Avenue of the Arts to savor one of the few times I have actual seen it earn that moniker. I was checking out the plants as the vendors were packing up. I asked the ladies packing up the flats of unsold herbs if there was any end of the night special. I scored 5 plants - basil, lemon thyme, cilantro, rosemary, & chives - for $10!<br />
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And here they are today...</div>
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They have been thriving sitting in the window of my apartment, soaking of early morning and late day sun. I attribute their success to the fact that they have almost become like pets to me. I have named them, talk to them, and groom them. Please meet, starting in the back row left to right, Tyne Daly the lemon thyme, Trevor the terrarium (not a herb, but a very successful & tall terrarium borne at one of the <a href="http://www.artintheage.com/">Art in the Age</a> workshops), Clive the chive, Rose Mary the rosemary, Sully the cilantro, and Basil the basil (yes, pronounced differently).</div>
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They have been growing and providing lots of tasty herbs for my kitchen. Sully is starting to go to seed & in the process producing pretty little white flowers. Clive grows faster than I can even trim him - some days I swear he grows an inch or two over night. Tyne is beautiful & fragrant and lemony enough to stand in for lemon zest in some recipes. Rose Mary is keeps up a nice steady pace. Basil looks a little thin here because he recently gave up enough basil to put the finishing touch to my pizza.</div>
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The other night I wanted pizza, my pizza, but I didn't have any dough. Normally, the <a href="http://esseppis.blogspot.com/2010/04/passover-is-over-pizza-party.html">pizza dough I use is left to rise very slowly in the fridge over the course of at least 24-48 hours</a>. This gives me a very thin, crispy, and tender crust - exactly what I like. So I did what everyone does in this situation, I took to Google. I came across this recipe for<a href="http://markbittman.com/dinner-with-bittman-pizza-dough"> pizza dough by Mark Bittman</a> and figure - hell it's Mark Bittman's! I used it as a jumping off point to create this very delicious dinner in only an hour and a half - start to tummy!</div>
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I didn't follow all the directions for Mr. Bittman's pizza. First was simply a mistake, I only added one teaspoon of yeast but it didn't seem to adversely affect the results. I added about a 1 1/4 cup of hot tap water - hot water because it would activate the yeast quicker. I also added about a tablespoon or two of a Mediterranean spice mix I have into the flour. I tossed all the dry ingredients into my food processor and gave them a whirl. I slowly added the oil & water till it formed into a ball and turned it out onto a floured piece of parchment paper (simply to make clean up easy). I kneaded it a bit and put it into a lightly oiled bowl, turning it to get the oil all over the surface, covered with plastic wrap and stuck it on top of the stove to rise.</div>
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While the dough was rising, I was preheating the oven to 350. I rinsed off a pint of "cocktail" tomatoes (they were on sale & I had a coupon - grape, cherry, or any other smallish tomato will do), tossed them onto a parchment lined sheet pan, poked them all with a paring knife (so they don't explode), & drizzled with olive oil. They sat in the oven about 30 minutes and were popped into the beaker that came with my immersion blender. I gave them a quick 2 second zip with the blender and TA DA SAUCE! Of course I added s&p.</div>
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Then I took a couple of balls of fresh mozzarella to drain off a bit and diced those up. I don't grate mozzarella because half of it just smears on the grater, it melts easy enough it doesn't need to be grater thin, and good mozzarella will pull off in strips if you try to grate it. Then Basil joined me in the kitchen to give up a nice handful of his leaves for my dinner. I just rolled those up and gave it a quick chiffonade (fancy word for cut into ribbons).</div>
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By now the spice spike dough has risen for an hour. I tossed the dough on to a unlined sheet pan & pressed it into the corners giving it a bit of a crust thicker than the bottom. This was hands down the most easily manipulated pizza dough - usually I have to pull and coax it onto shape. At this point I think the dough is suppose to rest and puff up a bit before topping & baking, but I was hungry and decided to skip that step. I poured on the roasted tomato sauce on and used the back of spoon to spread it around, sprinkled the basil (I wanted it against the sauce and not on to of the mozzarella to keep it from burning), & added topped it all with the diced mozzarella. The whole thing went in a 350 oven.</div>
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Because it was fresh tomatoes lightly roasted & fresh mozzarella, there is a bit more liquid in these ingredients then their long cooked or grocery store counterparts. I was keeping an eye on the pizza and noticed that it appeared very "wet" for the first 15 minutes. After another 5 minutes any extra moisture was gone. I personally prefer when the cheese is browned on top of my pizza so I put the broiler on for the last few minutes of baking. The pizza came out easily and slid onto my bamboo cutting board to cool a bit... and shortly there after, it was in my tummy!!!!</div>
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Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-79570032098992052052010-10-04T00:58:00.000-04:002010-10-04T00:58:50.951-04:00Eggplants & Red Peppers<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Homemade red pepper pesto & baba ganoush</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/5024297577/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Photo379.jpg by Ess Eppis, on Flickr"></a></div>The CSA box has had some nice big eggplants and red peppers recently. I am always trying to find simple solutions to make the produce last longer. Lately that has involved roasting an turning them into dips like red pepper pesto & baba ganoush.<br />
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First I cut the red peppers in 3rds, removing all the seeds and ribs. I put them skin side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put them under the broiler. I could hear the skin popping and sizzling as it blackened and blistered. I turned the pan about half way thru (about the 5 minute mark - will differ with the oven) to be sure all the skins got blistered and blackened. After removing the peppers from the oven, grab the edges of the parchment paper and toss the still hot peppers in a plastic bag & tie up the opening.<br />
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While the pepper are cooling enough to handle, turn the oven down to 350F & put fresh parchment paper on the baking sheet. I poke 2 eggplants with a knife - 3-4 stabs - lay them on the sheet and into the oven they go for about an hour.<br />
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Once the red peppers have cooled enough to handle, the skins slip off without much effort. Any stubborn bits come off when scraped with the back of my knife. The soft flesh and any liquid from the bag go into the food processor work bowl. Next a pinch of kosher salt, a couple turns of the pepper mill, and a splash of olive oil. I let the food processor do its thing and pulverize everything. I add a little more olive oil and a couple tablespoons of water to thin it to the consistency I want (it will thicken in the fridge).<br />
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I have to give my former upstairs neighbor, Harry, the credit for this recipe. We would have Shabbat dinners together most Fridays when he lived here in Philly. It was always super convenient being he was just upstairs and it was a great relaxing ritual for us to reset from the week. I don't have Shabbat as often anymore with Harry since he and his ever expanding family moved to DC, but when I do make it there it is still a great time with him, his wife, & his two great kids. <br />
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I use this pesto on everything! I spread it on fresh warm <a href="http://esseppis.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-new-trick-quick-post.html">malawach</a>. I toss pasta in it. I spread it on chicken and bake. I put it on a sandwich. It's delicious! You can store it in a jar in the fridge or you can freeze it. When I freeze it, I like to do it in an ice tray so I have a few tablespoons to use at a time without having to defrost the whole batch.<br />
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Back to the eggplants, once they cooled I scoop the flesh out and drop it in the cleaned food processor work bowl. I added in a handful of rough chopped fresh flat leaf parsley, 2-3 cloves of chopped garlic, a generous drizzle of tehini, a squeeze if half a lime, a sprinkle of salt & pepper. With the food processor running I drizzle in some olive oil to thin out the baba ganoush mixture. I stop a couple time and taste it to make adjustments in seasoning. Once it's smooth, it goes into the jar & into the fridge.<br />
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These are two of my favorite spreads for malawach and sometimes I just can't decide which one to have...<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">So I don't!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ess Eppis!</span></b></span> </div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-52511847901287535342010-09-23T15:28:00.001-04:002010-09-23T16:38:49.366-04:00Delicious Fast Easy Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/TJuqMLS1v8I/AAAAAAAAAMU/YPRYLmqT-vg/s1600/Porre_Leek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/TJuqMLS1v8I/AAAAAAAAAMU/YPRYLmqT-vg/s320/Porre_Leek.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Included in the CSA box this week were leeks & potatoes that just seemed to beg to become soup. After checking out a couple recipes online, I check out what was already on hand in my kitchen and set to work. I am sorry I forgot to take photos as I went along... and I ate all the soup really fast!<br />
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When I say this is easy... it is EASY! Plus you'll be eating soup within the hour (including the time to prep the ingredients) - soup made from scratch. I happen to have thyme, sorrel, & bay in the house. I love the flavors of thyme & bay together (reminds me of France) & the French Sorrel was something new to me I got in this weeks CSA. If these flavors don't appeal to you, experiment with others.<br />
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If you aren't familiar with leeks, they look like scallions on steroids. They are the same family, but milder. They also hold on to dirt like a bugger so you have to follow the instructions to clean them properly. One bite down on a bit of grit can ruin the whole batch.<br />
<br />
Olive oil <br />
4 Leeks<br />
2 lbs. potatoes<br />
3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme - leaves removed & stems discarded<br />
4-5 stems of French Sorrel (from the CSA swap box this week) - stems removed and rough chopped<br />
6-7 cups water<br />
2 bay leaves<br />
S&P <br />
<br />
To clean your leeks:<br />
First peel off the outer layer by just pulling down from the top. Cut off the tough tops (right below where the leaves start to fan out) and the roots at the end. Cut the leek in half lengthwise and turn the flat side of each half down against the cutting board. You can cut each half separately if you are more comfortable with that, but I place them next to each other and slice down both stalks together - about 1/4-1/2 inch pieces. Toss all the sliced leek pieces into a large bowl. Fill the bowl with cold water so the leeks float to the top with room for the dirt to fall to the bottom away from the leeks. Separate the rings of the leeks so all the dirt falls to the bottom. Carefully scoop the leeks out and on to a clean dish towel to drain and dry.<br />
<br />
After the leeks are prepped, prep the potatoes. Peel and dice the potatoes (1/4-1/2 inch). I use my big dutch oven, but any large pot will work. Heat up some olive oil in the bottom of your pot (just enough to coat). Add in your leeks. Keep heat around medium - you want the leeks to soften and wilt, but not brown. Add a bit of kosher salt to help them wilt down. It will seem like a lot a first but as the heat up and you stir it occasionally it will wilt down. It will take about 10 minutes. Then add the herbs (I had thyme & French Sorrel) and some fresh ground pepper. Add in 6 cups of the water.<br />
<br />
Add the potatoes & bay leaves. Cover and simmer the pot for 30 minutes. Take off the lid and turn off the heat. I use an immersion blender (but I am sure a regular blender will work, just be careful and don't fill too much and cover the top with a towel before turning on) to puree the whole thing right in the pot. Make sure you take the bay leaves out first. If it's too thick for you (it is never too thick for me!), add a some more water, a little at a time till it is at the consistency you like. Taste and adjust s&p if it needs it.<br />
<br />
If you want some potato chunks in your soup, first only add 1.5 lbs of the potatoes and follow the instructions. Once the soup is pureed, turn back on the heat and add the half pound of diced potatoes left and let simmer for 30 mins. You'll have a nice creamy soup with little bites of potatoes.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ess Eppis!</span></b></span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-25642612777861392462010-09-16T12:23:00.000-04:002010-09-16T12:23:08.684-04:00Yom Kippur Menu Sneak Peek...Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-26225009718291045012010-09-03T16:22:00.000-04:002010-09-03T16:22:19.427-04:00Rosh Hashanah Sneak PeekThis year Rosh Hashanah falls on my grandmother's birthday. For Rosh Hashanah, she usually has everyone over her house for a New Year's luncheon. And for her birthday, she usually takes us all out to dinner. This year I wanted to give her something special for her birthday and make Rosh Hashanah less stress for her. This year to celebrate her 84th birthday and ring in the year 5771 I will be catering the family celebration at my grandmother's condo.<br />
<br />
Here is a sneak peek at the menu for Rosh Hashanah/Grandma's Birthday<br />
<br />
Carrot Soup<br />
<br />
Moroccan Orange Salad<br />
Vegetable Couscous Salad<br />
<br />
Sole Rolled With Veggies (<i>this was originally going to be a potato encrusted sole to use up the surplus potatoes I have, but I think this will stay moister during transport</i>)<br />
Soy Orange Glazed Chicken Legs<br />
<br />
Roasted String Beans<br />
Sweet Noodle Kugel<br />
and/or <br />
Salt & Pepper Kugel<br />
<br />
Honey Apple Cake<br />
Fresh Fruit<br />
<br />
I am also going to make <a href="http://steamykitchen.com/250-challah.html">Steamy Kitchen's No Knead Challah</a> (just plain because it has to be a nut free meal).<br />
<br />
I think this will be my new Rosh Hashanah e-card...<br />
<br />
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<br />
<span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ess Eppis and Shana Tova!</span></b></span><br />
<blockquote><blockquote><i>SHANA TOVA (שנה טובה) means 'Good Year' in Hebrew. It's a common greeting during Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish New Year - following the Hebrew calendar.</i> </blockquote></blockquote>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-54756567210333501802010-08-23T18:57:00.000-04:002010-08-23T18:57:21.043-04:00Does Eating Local Really Make a Difference?I am not going to spout data at you.<br />
<br />
I am not going to lecture about the benefits to the farmers or the environment.<br />
<br />
You only have to look at the news to see the strongest argument for eating local: The Egg Recall.<br />
<br />
I have lost track of the number of eggs recalled when it started to mass hundreds of millions of eggs. There was no reason for me to watch for the next batch of eggs being recalled, even though I eat eggs. I eat a lot of eggs. I even use them raw on almost weekly basis - making a batch of fresh mayo each week (not that I go thru it all, but I only keep it a week). And even when I cook my eggs, they are nearly always soft boiled or poached. I love a runny yolk!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4882231375/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Photo364.jpg by Ess Eppis, on Flickr"><img alt="Photo364.jpg" height="239" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4882231375_307c6992ac.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meatloaf topped with sauteed rainbow chard & a poached egg.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
But I know where my eggs come from. I have met & spoken with the farmers at the farmer markets. I am not saying that you can ever be 100% any of your food is 100% safe. I do things to avoid cross contamination in my kitchen even if the chance there is anything dangerous is low:<br />
<ul><li>washing hands after handling eggs, or any other kind of animal proteins before touching any other foods or surfaces.</li>
<li>using separate & dedicated cutting boards for animal proteins and fruits & veggies.</li>
<li>wash fruits and veggies before cutting just in case something is on the surface (who knows how many people at the market touched it before you?)</li>
</ul>I still take chances - I have been known to eat fruit and vegetables right out of my CSA box without washing them. But I know where that food is coming from and I know when it was picked (only 24 hours before I got my grubby lil hands on it!).<br />
<br />
Buying local, eating local, and getting to know who is producing your food is good for you! Even if you don't concern yourself with the environmental, social, economic impact of supporting your local farmers, it will lower the chances you will every have to be concerned with a spinach, tomato, egg, etc recall. So for your own healthy piece of mind and wallet (how many other people had to dump the eggs they just bought 'just in case' while I was topping my meatloaf with a poached egg?), eat local... plus it makes you a <b>mench</b>.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><blockquote><i>A MENCH is used to describe a good person: He is a real mench! It literally translates to 'a person', but is commonly used to call someone a good guy.</i></blockquote></blockquote><br />
<span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ess Eppis!</span></b></span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-8280604441399140632010-08-20T23:54:00.005-04:002010-08-21T00:54:39.512-04:00CSA Brunch... or quick please eat this so I'll have room for more!The bounty from the Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA has been great & plentiful! So plentiful in fact that my fridge seems to be bursting at the seams each week. The other week it was already coming up on the weekend and soon it would be Tuesday & time for another CSA box. I needed help, quick! I decided to throw a last minute brunch for a few friends for a <b>nosh</b> and a <b>schmooze</b>.<br />
<blockquote><blockquote><i>NOSH is literally a snack, but if you have ever been invited over for a nosh, you know that the amount of food well exceeds what many would consider a nosh. If you are NOSHIE, it usually means you are hungry but just looking for a nibble. To SCHMOOZE is to chat and make small talk. Nothing is better than a nosh while schmoozing on a lazy Saturday.</i></blockquote></blockquote>Tomatoes and potatoes seemed to be multiplying on their own so I needed to tackle them first. I found this recipe for <a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spicy-Tomato-Chutney-100732">Spicy Tomato Chutney</a>. It seemed full of everything I like so I started that simmering on stove. It needs about an additional hour simmering to get to a good consistency than is stated in the recipe.<br />
<br />
Next I brought out one of my newest toys - the mandoline. I love this thing! I sliced down potatoes, red & yellow tomatoes, and onions. Along with some spices, herbs, and half-and-half (I didn't have cream), I made <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/spiced-tomato-gratin-recipe.html">Spiced Tomato Gratin</a> from <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/index.html">101cookbooks</a>. This is not a quick recipe, but soooo worth it! Do not rush thru the caramelizing & spicing the onions step. This is what makes it amazing!<br />
<br />
In addition to the gratin, I also roasted some burgundy beans - which are actual MAGIC BEANS! My first thought when I got these dark purple string bean was that it would be great to make with kids because when you cook them they turn green! How cool is that!? Little did I know how excited my friends would go over this little trick. All I needed was a lovely assistant as I put the burgundy beans coated lightly with extra virgin olive oil and salt & pepper into the hot oven, only to remove *drum roll* GREEN BEANS! It was shock & awe!<br />
<br />
I rounded out the menu with some quickly whipped up hummus, a (store bought) baguette, a couple of NY Strip Steaks from my <a href="http://www.grasslandbeef.com/StoreFront.bok">U.S. Wellness Meats</a> prize box, and fresh cut cantaloupe - half of which I turned into aqua de melon. This was very easy, even without a blender.<br />
<br />
<b>Hummus</b><br />
1 cup cooked, cooled, drained chickpeas & reserved water from cooking<br />
2-3 tablespoons of tahini<br />
juice of one lemon<br />
about 1/4 cup of olive oil<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
<br />
Put chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, s&p in the work bowl of a food processor with a generous splash of olive oil. Start food processor and drizzle in the rest of the olive oil slowly. Let in run 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and taste. Add s&p as needed. If consistency is too thick, start running the food processor again and slowly add the water from cooking the chickpeas (if you are using canned, use the water from the can) till you get the consistency you want. Taste and adjust as needed.<br />
<br />
<b>Aqua de Melon </b><br />
Half a cantaloupe cut into chunks<br />
About 4 cups of water - divided<br />
1/4 cup of sugar or to your taste<br />
<br />
The cut up cantaloupe went into the food processor with about a cup of water and 1/4 cup sugar. Let it whiz around till you have basically made cantaloupe juice concentrate. Put it into a pitcher and add the rest of the water. You can make it thicker or thinner depending on how much water you add.<br />
<br />
We discovered that this aqua de melon makes an excellent replacement for orange juice in a mimosa thanks to one of my friends bringing a bottle of champagne.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4871555821/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Photo350.jpg by Ess Eppis, on Flickr"><img alt="Photo350.jpg" height="353" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4871555821_e035c5faaa.jpg" width="471" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Almost everything was gone by the end of brunching. Everyone seemed very happy and full... and my fridge was empty (well, just not as full) and ready for the next week's CSA box of produce. Looks like there maybe many brunches in my future.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ess Eppis!</span></b></span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-57858051058105588982010-08-17T16:34:00.002-04:002010-08-21T00:48:39.763-04:00My New Trick - A Quick Post<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>TA DA! I flipped my <b>malawach</b> without dropping it on the floor, stove, or myself!<br />
<br />
<blockquote><blockquote><i>Malawach isn't Yiddish, it is Hebrew </i><span dir="rtl" lang="he" xml:lang="he">מלווח</span><i>. It's a pan fried layer flat bread that is a staple of the Yemenite Jew. It is very delicious and is a great base for hummus, baba ganoush and other dips and spreads that has made up many of my Shabbat dinners</i>. </blockquote></blockquote><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ess Eppis!</span></b></span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-3922230041138672102010-07-06T23:10:00.001-04:002010-07-06T23:10:31.366-04:00Week 7 Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4770091180/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 7 Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA by Ess Eppis, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 7 Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/4770091180_a48861414d.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Well it is week 7 and this is the moment I have been waiting for - the first tomatoes of the season! They are big beautiful red & orange slicing tomatoes. Oddly, we had 3 shareholders not pick up their share without a heads up... but lucky for me a got a few extra tomatoes & string beans out of it. The rest of the box contained:<br />
<br />
2 lemon cucumbers – certified organic – Elm Tree Organics<br />
1 head green cabbage – certified organic – Green Valley Organics<br />
4 green zucchini – certified organic – Bellview and Rolling Ridge Organics<br />
1 bag red and yellow slicing tomatoes – certified organic – Green Valley Organics<br />
1 bag pickling cucumbers – certified organic – Meadow Brook Organics<br />
1 bag mini-white cucumbers – transitional – Liberty Branch Farm<br />
<br />
I also bought some mint to make some mint iced tea and <a href="http://food.lizsteinberg.com/2010/07/04/ice-limonana-mint-lemonade-the-drink-of-the-israeli-summer/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+lizsteinberg%2Ffood+%28Cafe+Liz%29">this drink</a> a friend posted a link to.<br />
<br />
It was a long hot day at the CSA pick up site. I enjoyed the moments I had in the big walk-in fridge. Today in Philly we hit 102 degrees Fahrenheit. The whole day I was dreading <b>schlepping</b> all my stuff home from the market. By time I got home I was <b>schvitzing</b> so bad I was dripping. It doesn't help matters that I am having air conditioning issues the last couple days.<br />
<blockquote><blockquote><i>Today's Yiddish lesson is a two-fer - SCHLEPPING & SCHVITZING. Schlepping is to lug or carry something, usually heavy, awkward, and/or laborious. Schvitzing is sweating. You can also go for a schvitz in a steam room.</i></blockquote></blockquote>Tomorrow I'll be putting up more pickles! I've got lots and lots of pickles pickling. In the couple weeks I'll have reports on all the different pickles I am making. I am experiment with lots of different herbs, spices, and peppers. Good thing I found those canning jars on sale this holiday weekend when I was shopping with my mom. I am going to fill them up fast and may need more soon.<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ess Eppis!</span></b></span>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-35734778547357905502010-07-06T07:43:00.000-04:002010-07-06T07:43:16.866-04:00Week 6 Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4748139300/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 6 Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA by Ess Eppis, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 6 Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4748139300_7269170d66.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Sorry for slacking... here is last week CSA goodies:<br />
<br />
1 bag red-gold potatoes – certified organic – Millwood Springs Organics – 2 lbs<br />
2 green slicing cucumbers – certified organic – Elm Tree Organics<br />
1 bunch cippolini onions – transitional – Liberty Branch Farm<br />
1 bunch Detroit red beets – certified organic – Farmdale Organics<br />
2 yellow straight-neck squash – certified organic – Goshen View Organics<br />
1 bunch spring onions – certified organic – Healthy Harvest<br />
2 hearts Romaine lettuce – certified organic – Riverview Organics<br />
<br />
June 26th, Hillside Organics hosted the first of many picnics for the CSA share holders. It's a really great time to head out to the country, meet the farmers & their families, see where our food is coming from, & eat LOTS of great food. The picnics are always a potluck. All the CSA members bring something homemade and yummy. You could easily tell that delivery everyone received the week of the picnic contained generous amounts of potatoes & kale.<br />
<br />
I took a family friend's kid with me to the farm. We had a sleep over the night before and made a batch of homemade granola bars with raisins, cashews, & almonds for the picnic. The recipe is adapted from <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/02/thick-chewy-granola-bars/">Smitten Kitchen's Thick Chewy Granola Bars</a>.<br />
<br />
Picnic Granola Bars<br />
<br />
2 cups rolled oats - not instant - 1/3 cup reserved.<br />
1/2 cup raw or turbinado sugar<br />
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt<br />
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon - I am not a big cinnamon person, if you prefer more go for it.<br />
15 ounces mixed dried fruit & nuts - rough chop nuts and larger dried fruit like apricots or dates<br />
1/3 cup unsalted butter<br />
1/4 cup raw honey - locally produced from the farmer's market<br />
2 tablespoons maple syrup - I have a bottle of locally made organic labeled "dark amber grade A".<br />
1 teaspoon vanilla<br />
1 tablespoon water<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350°F. Using parchment paper, line an 8x8 cake pan so it goes across the bottom and up on only 2 sides - leaving two sides uncovered. Leave the ends of the paper longer than the edge of the pan so you can use it to lift the finished granola out. Give the pan and the paper a quick spray of non-stick baking spray.<br />
Put the reserved 1/3 cup of rolled oats into a food processor and process till flour-like, approximately 1 minute. Add to the remaining oats in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar, salt, cinnamon, and fruit & nuts to mixing bowl.<br />
Melt butter & raw honey slowly over low heat - do not let it bubble. Remove from heat and add maple syrup, vanilla, & water. Whisk together and then pour over oat mixture. Stir together well so that all the oats and other dry ingredients are are coated with the butter/honey mixture.<br />
Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Using another piece of parchment paper or wax paper on top of the granola, press down firmly. Press it down evenly across the whole pan and be sure to make sure it is nice and compacted down.<br />
Bake for 30 minutes or until the edges brown. Let it cool in the pan for one hour, then use the parchment paper to lift the granola bar onto a wire rack to continue to cool for at least 5-6 hours before cutting.<br />
<br />
Because these granola bars do not use any corn syrup (I just couldn't bring myself to add something so overly processed like corn syrup into something homemade & healthy), they will be more crumbly than bars made with it. I originally made these with "regular" honey, but the raw honey seems to help the bars stick together and they are less crumbly - although both ways tasted great so if you don't have raw honey on hand, don't let that stop you from making these. They make a great <b>nosh</b> to keep in the house.<br />
<blockquote><blockquote><i>Yiddish lesson #2, NOSH. A nosh is a snack or something to nibble on, but not a full meal. If someone says they are noshy, it means they are hungry but just for a little (or bissell) of food.</i></blockquote></blockquote><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Bradley Hand ITC";"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Ess Eppis!</span></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-81174572849890114372010-06-23T03:07:00.000-04:002010-06-23T03:07:56.083-04:00Week 5 Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4726206399/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Week 5 Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA by Ess Eppis, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 5 Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA" height="240" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1367/4726206399_bb438d1a80.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
This week's CSA box of goodies contained:<br />
<br />
1 box new red potatoes – certified organic – Green Valley Organics – 1 quart<br />
1 bag pickling cucumbers – certified organic – Meadow Brook Organics – 2 lbs<br />
1 bunch beets – certified organic – Farmdale Organics<br />
1 green zucchini – certified organic – Bellivew and Autumn Blend Organics<br />
1 bunch spring onions – certified organic – Healthy Harvest<br />
1 bunch green kale – certified organic – Autumn Blend Organics<br />
1 bunch dandelion greens – certified organic – Hillside Organics<br />
1 head butter head lettuce – certified organic – Goshen View Organics<br />
1 head radicchio – certified organic – Bellview Organics<br />
<br />
I found a recipe for bread & butter pickles posted by <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/">Smitten Kitchen</a> on Facebook for the <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/06/bread-and-butter-pickles/">pickling cucumbers</a> last week. This afternoon while manning the CSA pick up site, I opened my laptop to find a mouth watering recipe posted on Smitten Kitchen for a <a href="http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/06/blue-cheese-and-red-potato-tart/">blue cheese red potato tart</a> - perfect timing. The Fair Food Farm Stand carries lots of local sustainable foods, including one of favorite local cheese makers <a href="http://birchrunhillsfarm.com/">Birchrun Hills Farm</a> (they are at <a href="http://www.thefoodtrust.org/php/headhouse/">Headhouse Square Farmers' Market</a> every Sunday). So I picked up some of their blue cheese to make the tart. I even picked up some broccoli to make more of the Blasted Broccoli I discovered last week.<br />
<br />
One of the farms that participates in the Lancaster Farm Fresh Cooperative is hosting a potluck picnic this weekend. I'll be going with my best friend and a daughter of close family friends. She'll actually be spending the night before so we can make the potluck dish together. Any suggestions of something that can be easily packed, transported, and deal with not being refrigerated are welcomed.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-14587400249907328602010-06-21T01:40:00.000-04:002010-06-21T01:40:18.469-04:00The Cabbage & The Cupcake<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4709194605/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="This is my kind of 6 pack by Ess Eppis, on Flickr"><img alt="This is my kind of 6 pack" height="148" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4709194605_261956e550.jpg" width="200" /></a>Early in the week I had what can only be described as cupcake-a-paloza in my apartment. I was trying to create a sampling of different cupcakes & since you can't just make one cupcake (well maybe <i>you </i>can, but I can't), I now have a dozen assorted cupcakes in the fridge ready to eat and 2 dozen more in the freezer. I think my neighbors are worried I am trying to fatten them, although it doesn't stop them from eating my cupcakes.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4717485027/" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;" title="Stuffed Cabbage by Ess Eppis, on Flickr"><img alt="Stuffed Cabbage" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4717485027_2d86d5099c.jpg" width="150" /></a>In need of something savory, I grabbed the Napa Cabbage from my latest CSA box. Its long broad leaves just begged to be stuffed, and I was happy to obliged. Two pounds of ground beef, some spices & rice made 12 perfect meaty packages. I cooked them covered in a simple tomato sauce of a can of whole tomatoes blended with garlic.<br />
<br />
I decided to give the <a href="http://danatreat.com/2009/07/blasted-broccoli/">Blasted Broccoli from Dana Treat</a> a try. As I said before, I hate broccoli so I didn't really care if I ruined it. I cleaned the head of broccoli - finding a wee inch worm hiding in the stalks. I tossed it on olive oil and popped it in a hot oven. Then tossing it in a bit more olive oil with 3 or 4 cloves of minced garlic and a <b>schtickle</b> of red pepper flakes. Back into the oven it went to sizzle away. It actually smelt good.<br />
<blockquote><i>Here is your first Yiddish lesson - SCHTICKLE. A schtickle and bissell are similar that they both mean "a little bit", but in cooking a schtickle - a generous pinch - is a bit more than a bissell.</i></blockquote>I thought I had really burnt it when it finally came out, but decided to taste it anyway. It was GREAT! Garlicky & kind of crunchy, it was perfect. In fact, after my dinner guest left, I ate all the left overs.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4706923718/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Buttermilk cupcakes with berries by Ess Eppis, on Flickr"><img alt="Buttermilk cupcakes with berries" height="149" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4706923718_f29ae68e15.jpg" width="200" /></a>Since Masha was coming over for dinner and cupcakes, I decided to also make a salad with the last of this week's CSA lettuce (thank goodness the lettuce season seems to be slowing down). I made a quick simple vinaigrette & tossed in the raspberries left over from make buttermilk cupcakes with berries. Masha brought red wine to go with our dinner. The dinner and the company made the night.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"></div>After a couple of helpings of stuffed cabbage, salad, and broccoli (we both agreed that the Blasted Broccoli was simply amazing in the way it transformed this veggie), we were ready for cupcakes. I had 3 to choose from: banana daiquiri with blueberries topped with a rum glaze, vanilla with dark chocolate chips topped with vanilla chocolate swirl cream cheese frosting, & buttermilk with berries,. We each indulged in a couple different flavors & Masha left with an assorted 4 pack.<br />
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For the stuffed cabbage recipe, click the read more link<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>Amy's Stuffed Napa Cabbage<br />
<br />
12 large board Napa Cabbage leaves - the outer-most leaves<br />
2 lbs 85/15 ground beef<br />
1-2 cups cooked rice cooled *see below for Always Perfect Rice<br />
1 egg<br />
1/4 cup bread crumbs<br />
Pinch of dried thyme<br />
28oz can whole peeled tomatoes<br />
3-4 cloves of garlic chopped<br />
s&p to taste<br />
<br />
Preheat oven to 350. <br />
Bring a large pot of water to boil and remove from heat (I use my dutch oven which holds the heat). Place cleaned leaves in water and cover. While the leaves are in the water, mix the beef, rice, egg, bread crumbs, and thyme in a bowl. It is easiest to dive in with your hand (I keep one out to keep clean) to mix. Add as much bread crumbs & rice as you want. The more, the more you can stretch the recipe. Just go with your own preference.<br />
Gently remove the leaves from leaves from the water and lay out on a paper towel. Be careful not to tear them. While they cool enough to handle, add the tomatoes and garlic to the food processor work bowl and blend. I like it smooth, but if you prefer chunky, just pulse a few times. Add salt & pepper to taste.<br />
Spoon some of the tomato sauce into the bottom of the baking dish. Make an approximately 3oz meatball. Lay out a cabbage leaf with the inside of the leaf facing up with the base closest to you. Placing your meatball on the base, start rolling the leaf up from the base to the tip. Let the meatball smush out a bit, but not too much that it goes past the edge of the leaf. Place in the baking dish with the seam side down. Repeat until the you are done.<br />
Spoon the rest of the tomato mixture on top of the stuffed cabbage in the baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and cook covered to 30 minutes. Uncover and continue cooking for 10-15 more minutes. I just sneak a peak inside one stuffed cabbage to make sure it is cook to my liking. After removing from the oven, tent it with foil and let it rest (it will be bubbling) for 10-15 minutes.<br />
ESS EPPIS!<br />
<br />
Always Perfect Rice<br />
<br />
a bissell olive oil (remember your lesson from above?)<br />
1-2 cups uncooked long grain rice<br />
salt & pepper<br />
2 bay leaves<br />
<br />
In a medium sauce pan (that has a cover) heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the rice and stir. Keep stirring - the rice is getting coated with olive oil and toasting. You will see the rice start to appear "chalky" and some may brown. You will smell it toasting. Keep it moving to keep it from burning & add your s&p to your taste. Once the rice is toasted, add your water. First add enough water to completely cover the rice. It will sizzle & steam so be careful. Now add enough water to raise the level over the rice to the same width as your middle finger & index finger held sideways. As soon as it comes up to a boil, turn the heat to low, add the bay leaves, & cover. Do not touch for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes you'll have a perfect pot of rice, just fluff with a fork and discard the bay leaves.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-23036189965342354302010-06-15T20:24:00.000-04:002010-06-15T20:24:42.603-04:00Week 4 Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4704168747/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Week 4 Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA by Ess Eppis, on Flickr"><img alt="Week 4 Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4063/4704168747_ff476cc368.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to go to Flickr & roll over photo for details</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
1 head broccoli – certified organic – Farmdale Organics<br />
1 bunch red beets – certified organic – Farmdale Organics<br />
1 head Napa cabbage – certified organic – Bellview Organics<br />
1 pc summer ball squash – certified organic – Hillside Organics<br />
1 bunch spring onions – certified organic – Healthy Harvest<br />
1 head green butter head (bib) lettuce – certified organic – Goshen View Organics<br />
1 head red leave lettuce – certified organic – Railroad Organics<br />
1 bag cress – certified organic – Back 40 Ranch<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/TBgYpjl8rxI/AAAAAAAAAL8/q3w4bqwqxrM/s1600/IMG_0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/TBgYpjl8rxI/AAAAAAAAAL8/q3w4bqwqxrM/s200/IMG_0107.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>And a happy accident landed me a flower share this week. It is a huge bunch of mixed flowers & greenery. Some of it looks & smells like mint, but I am going to double check with the farm before trying it just to be safe.<br />
<br />
I have never been a fan of broccoli. I always thought it smells & tastes like farts (well what I imagine what a fart would taste like). I found a recipe called Blasted Broccoli that quick roasts the broccoli at a high heat with olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes. I have never had broccoli roasted and always roast my other veggies like Brussels Sprouts and asparagus, so maybe this will be the thing that finally brings me around to broccoli.<br />
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Tomorrow I'm going to pick up some ground meat so I can use my Napa Cabbage to make a batch of stuffed cabbage. It's perfect for the crock pot & freezes well so I'll have some for the future. I am also looking forward to trying a new and exciting recipe for a flourless cupcake using the the sweetness of the beets to keep the sugar added to a minimum.<br />
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Tomorrow will be a fun day of baking & cooking in the Ess Eppis kitchen!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-84958498383452731232010-06-11T20:21:00.000-04:002010-06-11T20:21:21.164-04:00Garlic Scape Oil<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/TBLMvECkfBI/AAAAAAAAALo/zYpQcYeuQ5w/s1600/IMG_0096.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/TBLMvECkfBI/AAAAAAAAALo/zYpQcYeuQ5w/s400/IMG_0096.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> With a couple of bunches of garlic scapes from the CSA, some grape seed oil, & a food processor I made a small jar of bright green garlic scape oil. It was quick and simple. I think this will work nicely as a finishing oil, in salad dressings, and in marinades. It will top grilled veggies & meat, hummus, and other foods to add color & flavor.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4686130941/" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="3rd Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA Share by Ess Eppis, on Flickr"><img alt="3rd Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA Share" height="150" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4686130941_cd1a557b70.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to go to flickr & roll over for details</td></tr>
</tbody></table>If you aren't familiar with garlic scapes, it is the top part of the garlic plant harvested before it flowers. They kind of look like scallions, but tastes like garlic. They are the long green tendrils in this picture. They can be used raw, sauteed, grilled, any way you want.<br />
<br />
To make the garlic scape oil:<br />
<br />
2 bunches of garlic scapes<br />
1 tsp cream of tartar (this gives the green color a little 'kick')<br />
1 tbsp kosher salt<br />
1-1 1/2 cup grape seed oil (I use this because it is nearly tasteless & light allowing the flavor of the scapes to shine)<br />
s&p to taste<br />
<br />
Cut the garlic scapes into 2-3 inch pieces. Add the cream of tartar & salt to boiling water and then drop in the scapes. Remove them from the boiling water in 1 minute and drop into ice water to stop cooking. Drain the scapes and pat dry with a paper towel. Place scapes into a food processor or blender with about 1/2 cup of oil. Turn on food processor and let it run till the scapes are broken up and nearly pulverized. Add more oil to get the consistency & taste you are happy with. Add salt & pepper to taste. I am keeping it in the fridge in an air tight jar.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-23462611592683758392010-06-11T15:38:00.000-04:002010-06-11T15:38:48.594-04:00Week 3 Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4686130941/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="3rd Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA Share by Ess Eppis, on Flickr"><img alt="3rd Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA Share" height="300" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4040/4686130941_cd1a557b70.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to go to Flickr & roll over photo for details</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>This weeks CSA share was a another bumper crop of greens:<br />
<br />
1 bag snow peas – certified organic – White Swan Acres<br />
1 bunch radishes – certified organic – Friends Road Organics<br />
1 bunch garlic scapes – certified organic – Orchard View Organics<br />
1 bunch green shallots – certified organic – Shady Brook Organics<br />
1 bunch dandelion greens – certified organic – Hillside Organics<br />
1 head endive – certified organic – Meadow Valley Organics<br />
1 head red leaf lettuce – certified organic – Green Valley Organics<br />
2 heads red oak leaf lettuce – certified organic – Back 40 Ranch<br />
1/2 head of Napa Cabbage shared from the other site host's full share <br />
<br />
The photo is of my half share AFTER giving half the dandelion greens, half the endive, 1 head of read leaf lettuce, and 1 head of red oak leaf lettuce to Catlyn when she came over for a dinner of BBQ shredded beef over lettuce. Nearly everything I have been eating has been on a bed of lettuce. Luckily, it's all really good lettuce! The <a href="http://www.grasslandbeef.com/Detail.bok?no=676">BBQ shredded beef</a> from my winning of <a href="http://www.grasslandbeef.com/StoreFront.bok">U.S. Wellness Meats</a> was GREAT! I loved it so much, I wish I had more. I am tempted to order more knowing the quality of the food and way it is raised, but I do know I can find quality like this with a local farmer. If I was closer to network of farms that this impressive cooperative or did not live in an area with access to exceptional farmers, I would not hesistate to regularly order from them.<br />
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This weekend I am making a dish for a Paleo potluck. I do not follow a Paleo diet, but want to participate in the potluck with Catlyn & her <a href="http://www.crossfitsouthphilly.com/">CrossFit</a> group. The idea of swearing off potatoes, beans, and grains makes me shake in my boots - I think my love of those foods is imprinted on my Eastern European DNA. I have narrowed it down to two possible dishes:<br />
<br />
Almond Date Balls Drizzled with Dark Chocolate<br />
Cucumber & Radish Rounds Topped with Garlic Mint Aioli<br />
<br />
I just have to decide if I want to go sweet or savory. Either way, I am sure there will be lots of goodies and new people to meet this weekend. Only once I figure out what I am making, I then have to figure out what to wear! Will the decisions never end?! I think I should mull all this over while a make a cake.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-23785853678285341032010-06-03T19:29:00.011-04:002010-06-03T20:51:51.371-04:00Veggies, Veggies, & More Veggies<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Week 2 of the <a href="http://www.lancasterfarmfresh.com/static/controls/csa.aspx">Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA</a>.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/esseppis/4666698037/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="2nd LCFF CSA Delivery by Ess Eppis, on Flickr"><img alt="2nd LCFF CSA Delivery" height="375" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/4666698037_2f22eec2ec.jpg" width="500" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click to go to Flickr and roll over photo for description of the produce.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 bunches spring onions – certified organic – Bellview and Plum Hill Organics</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 bunch garlic scapes – certified organic – Life Enhancing Acres</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 pkg white mushrooms – certified organic – Mother Earth Organics</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 bunch Lacinato kale – certified organic – Goshen View Organics</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 bag baby lettuce mix – certified organic – Farmdale Organics </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1 bag wrinkle-crinkle – certified organic – Back 40 Ranch</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2 heads green oak leaf lettuce – certified organic – Back 40 Ranch</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">& some Snow Peas that came with the full share that the other hosts of the site shared with me.<br />
<br />
I really love being part of a CSA and have written about it in past post. Being a site host, I get a share for free. I opted for a half share and the fruit share that starts later in the season. Even with a half share, I find myself not getting thru all the weekly goodies before they start to waste in my fridge. This year I am determined not to waste any part of my weekly half share. The first thing I did was to wash all the produce this week and package it all up so it is all ready to go in my fridge. To wash lettuce & other leafy stuff I fill the sink with cold water and gently place in the lettuce. I swish and swirl it around gently. The lettuce and leafy goods will float while all the soil that may still be on it will sink to the bottom. I gently scoop out the greens and dry them in a salad spinner, then lay them out on paper towels to get any left over moisture. Then I package them in ziplock style bags or the reusable containers my take out Chinese comes in.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/TAgz3BT6j4I/AAAAAAAAALY/yn9zmkXis5I/s1600/pasta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/TAgz3BT6j4I/AAAAAAAAALY/yn9zmkXis5I/s200/pasta.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The best part if a CSA is that you end up with produce you have never tried or even heard of. This week I got something called wrinkle-crinkle. It's a cress that looks like slightly sickly parsley, but is very peppery. I discovered this after tasting a leaf while cleaning all the greens. Unsure of exactly how to use it, I decided to treat it more like an herb than a lettuce. I chopped it up and added it to some pasta, tomato, garlic, and Parmesan cheese.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/TAg1ce9iB1I/AAAAAAAAALc/9VZo9F93jgg/s1600/IMG_0104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/TAg1ce9iB1I/AAAAAAAAALc/9VZo9F93jgg/s200/IMG_0104.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The bag of mixed baby lettuce has provided a nice addition to nearly every meal. I made a quick and simple vinaigrette by whisking together a splash of apple cider vinegar, a squirt of Dijon mustard, and s&p to taste. I keep whisking as I drizzle in some olive oil - about twice as much as I have acids. Some canned tuna on top of some dressed greens with an extra drizzle over the tuna and I had a meal! A left over cupcake from the weekend baking rounded it out to complete the meal.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/TAg2_4PYSkI/AAAAAAAAALg/BLn6EZEVFCk/s1600/IMG_0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/TAg2_4PYSkI/AAAAAAAAALg/BLn6EZEVFCk/s200/IMG_0102.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">While cleaning the produce I decided to also clean and blanch it so I could keep it in the fridge to snack on. It never made it to the fridge. After cleaning - pulling that fibrous string along the edge, I dropped them into salted boiling water for just a minute. They turned bright green and stayed crunching after dropping them in ice water to quickly cool them. After testing one, I ended up eating the whole container of the sweet crunchy snack. They were so good I think I am going to go back to The <a href="http://readingterminalmarket.org/merchants/view/15">Fair Food Farmstand</a> at <a href="http://readingterminalmarket.org/">Reading Terminal Market</a> and pick up some more.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Tonight I plan on making Kale chips. I am going to try experimenting with some flavored salts that I won from <a href="http://www.goodlifeeats.com/">goodLife{eats}</a> give-a-way. I have <a href="http://www.secretsalts.com/">lavender rosemary & cherry pistachio Secret Stash Salts</a>, in addition to my standard Kosher salt. Maybe I'll try some different spices too. I think the smoked paprika might work nice to give a bbq chip taste, but healthier than potato chips. I'll post how they come out soon.</div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-44880529293871092612010-05-28T00:53:00.005-04:002010-06-03T19:58:31.929-04:00I'M BACK... and with Mac & CheeseI am not sure if enough people read this yet to have noticed, but I was away for a bit. I took a road trip to FLA with my parents to visit my brother, sister-in-law, & niece in Orlando and my cousin's graduation in the West Palm area. Two weeks on the road & in hotels with the family and we all survived! Mostly thanks to the super swanky digs my brother booked for us... having a brother who works for Loews has its benefits. He even got us the hospitality suite at the Royal Pacific where he works. Everything at the Royal Pacific & Portifino is first class and I'll be posting soon about all the goodies we were treated to during our stay.<br />
<br />
I came back in time for a couple of real special goodies here. From <a href="http://www.goodlifeeats.com/">goodLife{eats}</a>, I won a $75 variety box of meats from <a href="http://www.grasslandbeef.com/StoreFront.bok">U.S. Wellness Meats</a>. It was a big meaty present of NY Strip Steaks, Free Range Chicken Breasts, Shredded BBQ Beef, and Nitrate Free/MSG Free Beef Sticks & Summer Sausage. I also got a jar of Cherry Pistachio Salt by Secret Stash Salts (and a small baggie of Lavender Rosemary Salt). On top of all that, I was just a couple days away from my <a href="http://esseppis.blogspot.com/2010/04/day-on-farm.html">CSA</a>'s first delivery! It was an awesome welcome home!<br />
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The first thing I tore into was the beef sticks and they were tasty. Tonight I made one of the four chicken breasts that came in the pack with lots of CSA & farmers market goodies. I made chicken lettuce spring rolls and asparagus & tomato mac & cheese. The mac & cheese looks darker than the average mac & cheese because I use a cheddar cheese that is made with Guiness Beer & I add in tomato paste to give it some extra tomato flavor.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S_8x2H3SzyI/AAAAAAAAALQ/MItFaWqRMZw/s1600/IMG_0164.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S_8x2H3SzyI/AAAAAAAAALQ/MItFaWqRMZw/s320/IMG_0164.JPG" /></a></div><br />
ASPARAGUS AND TOMATO MAC&CHEESE<br />
(measurements are only approximations)<br />
1/2 lb whole wheat elbow macaroni<br />
3 tbsp unsalted butter<br />
1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour<br />
2 tbsp tomato paste<br />
1 1/2 cup 2% milk <br />
1/4 lb <a href="http://www.seacrestfoods.com/resource/cahills.html">Cahill Guiness Cheddar</a> grated (it was all they had left at <a href="http://readingterminalmarket.org/merchants/view/17">Salumeria in RTM</a> - I love this stuff!)<br />
1 1/2 tsp smoked paprika<br />
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper<br />
1/2 pint grape tomatoes halfed<br />
1 bunch asparagus cut in about 1-1 1/2 inch pieces<br />
salt & pepper to taste<br />
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After tossing the macaroni in about 5 cups of boiling water, start the butter melting in a good sized saute pan (I use this <a href="http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10101169">oven safe pan from IKEA</a> - so later I don't need to dirty another pan) over med/high heat. Also preheat the oven to 350. Stir in the flour to the butter and let it cook for a few minutes (you just made a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roux">roux</a>!) and then stir in the tomato paste, cooking another few minutes.<br />
The macaroni should be ready to be drained about now. <br />
Slowly stir in the milk into the roux. Once the milk is fully incorporated into the flour add the cheese and stir gently till it completely melts. Add the spices and salt & pepper to taste. Fold in the drained macaroni and then the tomatoes and asparagus. Gently fold together till mixed evenly.<br />
If your pan is oven safe pop it in the oven for 30 minutes. If not, put it in a baking dish then into the oven for 30 minutes.<br />
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CHICKEN LETTUCE SPRING ROLLS<br />
1 chicken boneless skinless chicken breast slice into 1/4 inch thick strips<br />
1 tbsp olive oil<br />
1 lime halved<br />
1 red bell pepper<br />
2 medium carrots<br />
4-5 scallions<br />
handful fresh cilantro rough chopped<br />
1 tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar<br />
1 tsp soy sauce<br />
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil<br />
1 head green leaf lettuce <br />
kosher salt & pepper<br />
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Season the chicken with salt & pepper. Heat olive oil in a pan over high heat. Add the chicken to the pan. As the chicken cooks squeeze half a lime over chicken.<br />
While the chicken cooks, peel the pepper & carrots with a vegetable peeler. You won't be able to peel where the pepper curves in so use that curve as the natural line to cut the pepper. The pieces will come apart easily and you can peel the bits of skin left. I also like to remove all the ribs - the peeler works nicely on that too.<br />
Chicken should be just about done. When it is, just put it on a plate and set aside.<br />
Julienne the peppers and carrots by cutting the peppers into thin strips long ways. Slice the carrots on an angle and then stack the slices and cut down the stack to create "match sticks" (or you could grate the carrots with the biggest grater holes). Slice the scallion into small rounds (about 1/4 inch) all the way up the greens. Toss the veggies & the cilantro in a bowl and add in the vinegar, soy sauce, & sesame oil and toss to coat. Adjust the seasonings and salt & pepper to your taste.<br />
Cut the base on the head of lettuce so all the leaves are free. Gently rinse & dry (best in a salad spinner). Holding a leaf in your palm, add in the veggies and then the chicken. Fold over the sides of the leaf.<br />
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And now... ENJOY!Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-43596690560348767192010-05-04T01:42:00.001-04:002010-05-04T01:47:00.679-04:00Bad Day/Good Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3384/4577415816_bb4647fb0f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3384/4577415816_bb4647fb0f.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
My day started at 5:30am when I was woken up by a wicked bout of heartburn. Next I missed the bus to South Philly, leaving me to wait in the rain for the next. Finally at my volunteer gig, the seniors were more ornery than usually, leaving me dazed as I left. And just for good measure, just a few blocks from my apartment building I lost my footing on some uneven sidewalk and went down like a sack of potatoes... lovely.<br />
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I finally got out of the hot sticky weather and into my cool safe apartment about 2pm. I vowed not to leave my apartment for 24 hours till what ever hex that was plaguing me had passed. I needed a project that was guaranteed to bring happiness and joy - CUPCAKES! One small issue, I swore not to leave my apartment for fear that I would end up chased down to the Delaware River by a rabid pack of pit bulls (this is Philly so it is within the realm of possibilities) and I had no eggs or milk for my batter. This is where bribery comes in very handy. Using the promise of cupcakes, I was able to obtain a couple eggs & some milk from Dan.<br />
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I made a <a href="http://www.cupcakerecipes.com/easyrecipe.htm">simple vanilla cupcake batter</a> (upping the vanilla extract to a tablespoon) and mixed in mini dark chocolate chunks. In 20 minutes they rose up nice and light & fluffy with dark chocolate specks. For the frosting I was torn between a classic butter cream and cream cheese frosting. That's when I realize - I didn't have enough confectioner sugar for any frosting. I would have to go to the corner store if I wanted to frost my cupcakes (and is that really optional? no way!). I was convinced that with the way my day was going I would end up walking in just as the place was being robbed. Luckily I was able to get to the store and home without indecent.<br />
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I decided to make cream cheese frosting and leave some plain, and add coco powder to some. I added both batches to the pastry bag to pipe onto the cupcakes giving them a nice chocolate/vanilla swirl effect. The frosting was very easy:<br />
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Let a stick of butter and a brick of cream cheese come to room temperature and drop them into the mixer bowl. I whipped it up with the whisk attachment. Then I added some vanilla extract and a touch of milk and whipped it some more. I slowly added the confectioner sugar until it was as sweet as I wanted it. Then I scooped some out before adding the coco powder & whipping it into the frosting.<br />
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And as an added bonus, after frosting 20 cupcakes, I still have a bunch of frosting left over. I'll have to think of something creative & yummy for the leftovers.<br />
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After a cupcake or two, tomorrow is looking a lot brighter.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-78883919512638599232010-04-30T14:48:00.001-04:002010-04-30T15:32:43.115-04:00I Love My Orb!One of the few things that wouldn't be in my apartment was ice. I have a small studio apartment and a small studio apartment kitchen with small studio apartment appliances (maybe after cleaning it today, I will post a picture or two). I even have my prettier stone cookware stashed on bookshelves for lack of space. Putting an ice tray in my freezer always seemed to take up too much space and I always keep my <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Brita-35548-Classic-Pitcher/dp/B000067DZS/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1272652820&sr=1-11">Brita pitcher</a> in the fridge, so I never had ice (usually to Catlyn's dismay).<br />
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Well those days are long gone because I now have the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Fusionbrands-Silicone-Vertical-Cube-Tray/dp/B001DI3C5S/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1272554476&sr=8-4">IceOrb</a> by <a href="http://www.fusionbrands.com/">Fusion Brands</a>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S9slKNMPHLI/AAAAAAAAAK4/135Uaq9Hdf0/s1600/iceorb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S9slKNMPHLI/AAAAAAAAAK4/135Uaq9Hdf0/s320/iceorb.jpg" /></a></div><br />
This container is both the ice tray & ice storage. There are so many things I love about my Orb:<br />
<ul><li>The whole thing is a sealed/covered ice making/storage system. This is great cause the ice does not pick up food smells/tastes, no spillage if something else in the freezer hits it (or if you are like me and you had an issue walking from the sink to the freezer without leaving a number of puddles).</li>
<li>It has a very small footprint. It barely takes up more room than a pint of ice cream. And because of the cover, you can even stack things like your pint of ice cream right on top unlike traditional ice trays.</li>
<li>It is multi-functional. While it is a ice tray & storage system, the inner container used for ice storage perfectly fits both wine & champagne bottles to chill. The container can also be used to hold foods that you want to keep chilled - just keep in mind when transporting, the lid isn't super secure so make sure you take precautions.</li>
<li>It just looks plain old cool.</li>
</ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S9slVWPKfII/AAAAAAAAALA/wIsHrkDZWgk/s1600/1_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S9slVWPKfII/AAAAAAAAALA/wIsHrkDZWgk/s200/1_0.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>It does take a little getting use to. When you are popping the container out you have to have patience& work slowly pushing from the bottom while pulling the overlapping lip gently after you give it a couple squeezes around the container to break the ice between the outer chamber and the inner container. The only people I would not suggest this to are people who have strength issues with their hands like arthritis or those with very small hands - you have to be able to push on the bottom while pulling back the lip at the top. I am 5'4" and have proportional hands and I have no issue.<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S9sllQRev6I/AAAAAAAAALI/GDV6UShqV98/s1600/iceorb2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S9sllQRev6I/AAAAAAAAALI/GDV6UShqV98/s200/iceorb2.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
I have one lil suggestion to those interested in getting their own Orb - fill it below the fill line. I found that filling it below the fill line that left a little unfilled room in the bottom row of ice chambers fills it just perfect without any spillage when popping back in the blue inner container. The top row of ice chambers will appear to have unfilled room, but once the water expands when it freezes, it will fill (or almost) in that last chamber.<br />
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Just to be clear about this review. I bought my own IceOrb on Amazon (initially feeling silly for spending that for an ice tray, but now think it was totally worth it!) and was not and have not ever been in touch with Fusion Brands (or Brita for that matter). They do have some other interesting (and very coolly designed) products I am interested in.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-17314737460815870662010-04-27T20:43:00.004-04:002010-04-28T10:07:07.299-04:00The most important 90 minutes you can spend in the next 24 hours<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S9eEQNTa9-I/AAAAAAAAAK0/hBOilee0KLY/s1600/foodinc_230_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="278" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S9eEQNTa9-I/AAAAAAAAAK0/hBOilee0KLY/s400/foodinc_230_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
If there is one thing I believe in when it comes to food, it is know what you are eating. Talk to the people at your local farmer's market, ask the butcher questions, read labels. Can you identify the items listed in the food you eat? Could you eat each of those ingredients on their own? Lately I have been on a mission to make most of my food from as base ingredients as I can. I find great joy in handling and inspecting the quality of each individual ingredient going into my final product. I strongly believe in eating locally grow foods and farmed animals. I am far from achieving a completely "whole food" existence, but every small step is important (in my eyes... and stomach) to me.<br />
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Anyone who knows me knows I am not nor will ever be a vegetarian or vegan... I like meat and feel strongly that I could & would take down a cow with my bare hands should it ever come to that (here's to hoping it never comes to that - but if it does, as long as I could find a chicken I can make a mean beef tartare). This movie,<span style="font-size: small;"><b> <a href="http://www.pbs.org/pov/foodinc/index.php">Food, Inc</a>.</b></span> is not about preaching or making anyone stop eating anything that is out there. It is about educating. It is about letting you, the consumer, what choices are out there. And most importantly, it is about educating the consumer about their own power in this market place & how to exercise it. Even when covering the ugly side of food production, it is not overly gut wrenching - it is just simply the truth about where your food comes from (it does not magically appear wrapped up neatly in plastic).<br />
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<a href="http://www.pbs.org/pov/foodinc/photo_gallery_watch.php">Please take 90 minutes to watch this now by clicking this link. Thank you.</a><br />
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_806359987"><br />
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<a href="http://www.pbs.org/pov/foodinc/photo_gallery_watch.php"><br />
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<a href="http://www.pbs.org/pov/foodinc/photo_gallery_watch.php"><br />
</a>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-70146500048313385822010-04-26T15:14:00.000-04:002010-04-26T15:14:50.747-04:00Rainy Day PostJust to brighten everyone's day. Enjoy my cupcakes...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S9XmC_1OFkI/AAAAAAAAAKs/Q16ikJlE8co/s1600/0_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S9XmC_1OFkI/AAAAAAAAAKs/Q16ikJlE8co/s320/0_0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6684152762012556700.post-82324651020016449482010-04-19T23:45:00.008-04:002010-04-21T02:33:11.986-04:00A Day on the Farm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S83Bw5w-rDI/AAAAAAAAAJk/4UfsZpoQyuU/s1600/0_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S83Bw5w-rDI/AAAAAAAAAJk/4UfsZpoQyuU/s400/0_0.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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I've been a member of <a href="http://farmtocity.org/Home.asp?mname=Lancaster+Farm+Fresh">Lancaster Farm Fresh CSA</a> for a couple years and this summer I am a volunteer working with them. CSA stands for <a href="http://farmtocity.org/MarketList.asp?view=csa#Definitions"><b>C</b>ommunity <b>S</b>upported <b>A</b>griculture</a>. When you become a member in a CSA you are essentially buying a share of the farm. By paying for your share of the season's harvest up front, local smaller farmers have a cash flow that allows them to concentrate on the land. It also connects you to your local small farmer in a way that goes well beyond what you get even at a Farmer's Market. You get to know your farmers and follow their harvest. Their successes and their failures - and a stronger understanding what the real people impact those failures have. I remember one year I didn't see one green pepper in all season because an entire field of them was wiped out in less than one day by a hail storm.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S83B6S4sExI/AAAAAAAAAJs/pMG2TzXI3Wo/s1600/2_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S83B6S4sExI/AAAAAAAAAJs/pMG2TzXI3Wo/s200/2_0.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Those not familiar with CSA, the way most work is that the farm deliver boxes of produce to select pick-up points each week where members come and pick up their goodies. Some CSAs have pick ups right at the farms for those it is convenient for and I have seen those kinds of CSAs also have pick-you-own for those members who want to get their hands dirty. I would love to take advantage of one of those one day, but I a tried & true city dweller - I haven't even owned a car in over ten years (which is why mom drove me out the 2 hours to our destination). <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S83CE0w1uXI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/TTmENtO6T2k/s1600/1_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S83CE0w1uXI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/TTmENtO6T2k/s200/1_0.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This year I will be helping man one of those pick-up locations in Philadelphia. A bonus for volunteering my time is that I got to go out to Lancaster, tour the warehouse, & meet some of the farmers who provide the organic and delicious produce. I believe the farmers we met, Aaron & Levi, are Mennonite (although may be Amish - I am not so well versed in differences). Being that I grew up & now live not far from "Amish Country" and shop regularly at the <a href="http://readingterminalmarket.org/">Reading Terminal Market</a> (where a number of Amish have farm and food stands), I am somewhat ashamed that I know so little about the culture and have had almost no interaction with individuals of either faith. I remember going to <a href="http://www.dutchwonderland.com/entertainment/index.php">Dutch Wonderland</a> with my parents and seeing the Amish children playing just like my brother and me, just dressed very differently. I really enjoyed meeting the farmers. I don't know why I was surprised that they were personable and gregarious. They and the land they worked gave off a relaxed happiness... everything just seemed to be in its place - the people, the animals, the crops - all creating a symbiotic harmony. One really cool characteristic of both Aaron & Levi is that while they live & work in ways steeped in tradition, they are both very innovative while still honoring and staying true to their traditions. Both have created ways to improve on harvesting, cleaning, and packing on their farms.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S83CP3f4_yI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/QakEJT0S7Ew/s1600/4_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S83CP3f4_yI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/QakEJT0S7Ew/s200/4_0.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Mom & I had noticed a number of bbq's setting up on our way to the warehouse. Seems Lancaster a number of oranizations run Saturday bbq's as fundraisers. On our way home we stopped at a local fire company to pick up some freshly bbq'ed chicken. The smell was wafting across the streets we were driving and we just couldn't resist. We pulled up and they even brought the chicken right to our car. When I got home I couldn't wait to tuck into it. The meat just came right off the bones, the skin was crisp and tasty. This chicken may even be worth the hour and half drive from the city.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S83CXtKLscI/AAAAAAAAAKE/Rh1MB33BmMM/s1600/3_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qHT-JVZtd1Q/S83CXtKLscI/AAAAAAAAAKE/Rh1MB33BmMM/s200/3_0.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>That night must have been one of the noisiest nights in a long time. The guy downstairs was having a birthday celebration (which he gave me a heads up about, but once it hit 3:30am I had to txt him a request to bring it down) and the kids in the dorm across the way were just going more insane than normal. I couldn't help but wish for the calm of the country. I actually looked up rent for the area... seems I could get a large 2-3 bedroom with a yard for what I am paying now in rent. Of course I'd need a car and I wouldn't be in the city, but at that moment I was ready to go. I even looked up synagogues in the area and to my surprise there is both a reform & conservative synagogue. I don't know if I could handle living out in the country, but I could have the chickens and goats I've always wanted. Maybe one day.<br />
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Here are some great resources to help you eat local in the Philly area. If you live outside Philly, just Google the following for your area: CSA, Community Supported Agriculture, buying clubs, and farmers market.<br />
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<a href="http://farmtocity.org/">Farm to City</a><br />
<a href="http://www.farmtophilly.com/">Farm to Philly</a><br />
<a href="http://www.thefoodtrust.org/">Food Trust</a><br />
<a href="http://www.philabundance.org/">Philabundance</a><br />
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If you have any questions about being involved with a CSA or anything else about eating local, please feel free to post your questions here or <a href="mailto:esseppis@gmail.com">email me</a>. Even if I don't have the answers, I will try to point you in the right direction. Eating local is something I really believe in. Knowing where your food is coming from and who is producing it is important to me. I rather eat food produced on a small farm where I can ask the farmer at the market how the food is grown or the animals raised than food produced on a huge "factory" farm with a generic "organic" label on it.Amyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09300338070438600584noreply@blogger.com2