Big Sky Days

in the cupboard

Naturally, when we moved last August I packed up all the non-perishables I could and moved them with us.  This was done without a discerning eye or care about expiration dates.  I was in packing mode.  

Yesterday, nearly 10 months later (I had a few other things to do), I took inventory of my canned goods.  I am not sure what prompted this moment of organization but I feel pretty happy about it. After discarding a few cans that were (way) past their prime, I found this gem.

Have you tried it?

I now knew what was for dinner.  

In this jar is a light, creamy, slightly spicy sauce which has the makings of an easy meal.  Apparently, Tikka Masala makes all the Brits go head-over-heels.  Maybe even Kate Middleton ate it for lunch just yesterday, could be?  A few years ago, I may have strayed away from serving this to my kids, fearful of the backlash of too much spice, but I was hopeful that they - at least my son - may be ready.  I have been moving towards the family meal.  A dinnertime meal we all share and eat, without restaurant-like substitutions and preferences.  Turns out, I am not running a restaurant.  (Cue the foot stomp here.)

Also, as a side note, I am a bit crazy for quinoa right now.  It is quicker than rice and more nutritious. I like the flavor and texture.  And I feel proud of myself and forgive myself of many mothering sins when I see one of my children eating it - which they do!  But if you are not feeling it, rice could easily be substituted.  

Tikka Masala Chicken and Vegetables over Quinoa 

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 small carrots, sliced

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into cubes

about 20 green beans, cut into 1 inch lengths

1 12 oz. jar of Tikka Masala Curry Simmer Sauce 

1/2 cup uncooked quinoa

Heat the oil in the pan.  Add the onion and carrot and saute for about 5 minutes, until just soft.  Add the chicken and brown on all sides and cook through about 15-20 minutes.  Add the chopped green beans and then the Tikka Masala Sauce.  Simmer 10 minutes.  

Prepare the quinoa in separate pot. Mix 1/2 cup quinoa with 1 cup water and boil for 10 minutes, add water if too dry.  Once boiled, turn off and cover.  Rest for 5 minutes.  Fluff with fork.

Serve together.  Add some crusty bread.

The verdict.   My son ate most of it and my daughter ate one carrot with a few spoonfuls of quinoa on the side.  Mercy.

And this speedy meal allowed for some extra outside time before bed.  There was some farming across the street and some in our own driveway.   

Both continued farming till just after dusk. 

 

 

we started out

We started out this week with a warm, sunny day after another 4-inch Spring snowfall a few days before.  Now the snow on the ground is melted and our day was bright and long and full.  It felt very springy.  Finally.  

The cousin boys woke up and started immediately on making their own board game.  These boys love monopoly and so this new creation was monopoly-based but with their own slant.   It is called Explorer and there is a strong nature and money theme.   Intriguing combo, huh?  This blank board game is from Bare Books, one of my favorite places to shop on-line.  

Although the weather is warmer, the chickens must remain inside since the nights are still cool.  To make up for this, in some small way, we treated them to cottage cheese and scratch grains.  Not everyone was bold enough to try it but those that did kept coming back for more.  I guess there is a pecking order.

With the last of the day's light, some played a quick round of catch and I snuck off to make some supper. 

Dinner was served.  Enchiladas.  

Enchiladas are great because new, healthy ingredients can be mixed with ingredients that are well known and loved.  My daughter's diet is still quite narrow but my son is welcoming food of many different kinds these days.  This is his second stab at enchiladas and he gobbled them right up.  

Enchiladas

1-2 tbsp of olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

2 small squash (we used starburst), chopped

1 15 oz. can black beans

1 15 0z. can corn

1/2 uncooked quinoa

1 cup shredded cheese (we used mozzarella because that was what we had on hand.)

1 15 oz. can Hatch green chile enchilada sauce (any kind will substitute)

6 whole wheat flour tortillas

Green onion chopped for the top

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Saute the onions and squash until soft, about 5-8 minutes.  Make the quinoa in separate pot.  (Mix 1/2 cup quinoa with 1 cup water and boil for 10 minutes, add water if too dry.  Once boiled, turn off and cover.  Rest for 5 minutes.  Fluff with fork.)  Drain the corn and black beans and rinse.  Mix the onions, squash, quinoa, black beans, corn, and shredded cheese in bowl.  (Save some cheese for the top.)  Fill the tortillas with the mixture and roll up, then line up the filled tortillas in a prepared 9x9 baking dish.  Pour the can of enchilada sauce on top, sprinkle with cheese and bake for 30 minutes.  Let rest for 5-10 minutes and serve with chopped green onion and hot sauce!

Mucho Bueno!











 

Maple Turkey Sausage Patties

As a rain storm rolls in, I thought it would be a good time to talk sausage.

Homemade Turkey Sausage, that is.  Yesterday, we got a very special package in the mail.

3 quarts of New Hampshire Maple Syrup!  We are lucky enough to have loving grandparents who send this to us on a regular basis.  (Plus, a sweet note about fishing and visiting!)  I thought this would be a perfect addition to a homemade turkey sausage recipe.  

We had some brunch guests this morning.  So, I made these sausage patties alongside a frittata, fresh bread with apple butter, and a fruit salad. This is a recipe that involves ground turkey and spices. Therefore, it is without all that hullabaloo or excess strange stuff that often accompanies sausage. You know, pig's noses and such.  It is simple and is adapted from a few different recipes I have found along the way.  These are bit sweet and a bit spicy. But easy to alter as you wish.

Maple Turkey Sausage Patties

1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper (more if ya like it spicy)

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp herbes de provence

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp finely chopped fresh sage leaves

1 lb ground turkey

2 tsp New Hampshire maple syrup

2 tsp fine bread crumbs

1 egg lightly beaten

2 tbsp olive oil for the pan

Take the first 6 ingredients and crush in mortar and pestle or food processor, grind it fairly fine.  Combine the turkey, bread crumbs, egg, sage and maple syrup.  Then add the spice mixture to the meat mixture and thoroughly combine.  

Form into thin patties that would fit in your palm.  Heat the oil in the pan over medium high heat. Cook the sausages and press down with a spatula to brown them.  Cook each side a few minutes and until cooked through but still juicy.  

And ready to eat!

 

 

 

it started with muffins

Spelt Apple Muffins

tasty, dense, nutritious, not-too-sweet.  It is a different kind of muffin - the one made with spelt flour - but these are quite good.  They are adapted from gp's new cookbook.  

crumb topping:

1/4 c whole spelt flour

1/4 c white flour

1/4 c oats

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 tsp ground cinnamon

pinch of salt

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp milk

muffin:

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 cup diced peeled apple

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp NH maple syrup

1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp milk

1 cup white flour

1 cup whole spelt flour

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground allspice

Preheat oven to 350.  Prepare 12 cup muffin tin.  Mix all the crumb topping ingredients together until small balls are formed and set aside.

Toss the cornstarch with the apples.  Then in another bowl, whisk oil, with syrup and milk.  In another bowl, sift the remaining muffin ingredients.  Once sifted, fold in the apples and mix in the oil mixture.  Distribute batter in muffin tins and top with crumb topping.  

Bake 25-30 minutes.  

While the muffins baked in the oven, we took some leftover apples to the chickens.  Their first taste of food that was not grain.

I think it made them happy.  And we want happy chickens.  Isn't that an old axiom, "happy chickens make happy eggs."  Something like that, right?

After muffins for 3 of us (one of us just had to have eggs with cheddar cheese.) We took off for our first bike ride in 2011.  Lila in the back of my bike on a seat and Henry in the tag-a-long following Greg.  It felt great to be back on the bike, cruising along together.  The day was turning from sunshine to a cloudy chill but we persevered.  Eventually we landed at the dinosaur park.

Dinosaur themed and bustling with kids, this is one great park.  Even on a cool spring morning.  

Once home, we had hot cocoa or hot tea and got ready for the rest of our Sunday.   There will be some playdates, chicken coop-making, napping, Museum-going, and soup and artichokes for dinner. Somehow all of that still seems restful and relaxed.  I guess weekends have a way of feeling that way. Or maybe it is all that nutritious spelt.  

 

 

Thursday

Outside: Bitter. Cold. Gray. Gloom-city.

Inside: Warm. Music. Split Pea Soup. Blue ball. 

Don't you think split pea soup just screams winter?  I had been planning to make this soup for a few days.  I found a recipe and shopped for the ingredients at the store.  Woke up today and found that it could not be more perfect outside, for a bowl of split pea soup inside.  So I pulled out the recipe and the ingredients, and realized that I didn't have everything.  This is happens to me.  Kind of a lot.  It is usually just one thing (sometimes many) that I omit or exchange but my question is...how?  And why?  How do I go to the store planning to make a recipe and still not get all the ingredients?  And why do I do it over and over again?  (Just thought I would identify this epidemic but I have really nothing more on this one.) Ah, nonetheless, I just omitted what I didn't have and went forward with the soup.  I was not going to the store in this weather.  And I love to make soup.

I liked the recipe I found because you just put everything in the pot and then simmer for a couple hours.  Then you take out your herb bundle and ham hock (yes mom, I did use a local, organic ham hock) and then with an immersion blender you blend away till smooth or smooth/chunky whatever you like.  I love using the immersion blender because 1) I have one. 2) It is so much nicer then putting your hot soup in a blender then putting it back into the pot.  Mess, oh mess!  And 3) Mine is so sleek and high tech looking, that makes this process extra-gadgety and fun. 

My Split Pea Soup Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb (2 1/4 cups) green split peas
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 herb bouquet*
• 1 well-rinsed ham hocks
• Salt and Pepper
• Optional garnish - small toasted croutons, chopped parsley or chives

*Herb Bouquet:  a few springs of thyme, a few sprigs parsley tied together.

**To make toasted croutons, take 2 or 3 slices of day-old French or Italian loaf bread, cut into cubes. Let dry out a bit (can put in 200 degree oven for 10 minutes to help dry). Melt a tablespoon or two of butter on medium high heat in a large skillet. When hot, add the bread cubes, spread out in a single layer. Let toast on one side and then turn to other sides. Add more butter if necessary. Alternatively you can toss the cubed bread with olive oil and let toast in a 350°F oven until lightly browned.

METHOD

1 Pick over the peas and remove any stones. Wash and drain peas. Place in a 4 quart pan with the vegetables, herb bouquet, ham hocks and 2 1/2 quarts of water. Bring to a simmer. Skim the scum off the top of the soup for several minutes, until the scum ceases to rise. Cover loosely and simmer about 1 1/2 hours, or until peas are tender, stirring occasionally in case they stick to the bottom of the pan.

2 Remove the ham hocks and herb bouquet from the soup. Purée the soup with a blender. An immersion blender works great for this; if you are using a regular blender, take care to workin batches and only fill the blender halfway if the soup is still hot, and hold down the lid while blending. If you want an exceptionally smooth soup, pass the purée through a sieve.

3 Return the purée to the pot and heat to serve. Add salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into warm bowls and garnish with croutons and parsley or chives.

If you want, don't discard the ham hocks, but cut away the outer skin and remove the meat from the bones. Dice the meat and serve with the soup.

Makes 2 quarts. Serves 6.

While I was souping it up in the kitchen.  Lila was dancing it up in the living room.  She was listening to Laurie Berkner.  Laurie is great and the dancing that goes on when she is playing on our stereo is to die for.  

 

Somewhere along the way a mysterious blue ball was found and became an important object for the dancing.  And required an impromptu photo session. 

"Take a picture of it on my head. Then let me see."

(eek. don't look too closely at the dirty kitchen rug.)

"Take of a picture of me sitting on it. Then let me see."

"Take a picture of me holding it like a doll."  

"Let me see that one, too"

We have come far.  This little girl and I.   A few months back if we had a Thursday where the only plan for the day was to make soup, we would have been at each other's throats.  (And sometimes we still are...) But we have slowly worked it out.  And now we are at a time that I would just love to hit "pause."  But it's good that we evolve and keep growing.  And it is the only way.

 

 

A dish that pleases a crowd of adults, picky eaters, and toddlers...

Chicken and Dumplings.  I posted the recipe on my Loving to Share list (on the right side.)  And this recipe lives up to it the hype.  My daughter has been mostly a vegetarian her whole 3 years of life.  By her choice!  I have seen her eat chicken..um, 2 times before this meal.  And she ate this supper and then asked for seconds and then thirds!  She wasn't crazy about the dumpling part but loved the chicken, peas, and carrots.  Wow.  I was in seventh heaven.  

I never thought that someone eating chicken could make me so happy!  But sincere delight it was.  I mean, this girl's main protein source is yogurt.  She doesn't eat any meat or eggs or beans.  She occasionally eats cheese.  She loves pistachios and sometimes peanut butter but no other nuts (not even cashews!)  So, the fact that she even ate this chicken was like me getting a pair of diamond earrings! I was shocked and giddy.

Here the chicken boils making the chicken so moist and yummy.

Making the dumplings seemed like the perfect job for little hands.  

The vegetables with some flour are now ready for the broth, cream, and chicken.

Dropping in the dumplings.

Mmmm.  But the next time I will make it in a bigger pot.  I need a wide stock pot. The dumplings were a' overflowin'.  The good, big pots are expensive, so I have been trying to make due but I think this recipe has tipped me over the edge.

Here is the happy customer!   (Okay, I couldn't get a shot of her eating it without a funny face, so you will just have to take me on my word.  She loved this meal!)

And really, it was a pretty simple meal to make.  We have added it to our repertoire of favorite foods.  And let me say... any new addition that that list is always welcome, especially one that "pleases a crowd of adults, picky eaters, and toddlers."

 

holiday making continues...

Yum.

Yummo.

Yummiest.

Chocolate Peppermint Bark.  So delicious!  And easy, peasy....

I used the Barefoot Contessa recipe for chocolate bark and instead of the nuts/fruit, I chopped up 30 peppermint candies and sprinkled on top.  Cooled in the fridge for 30 minutes and then put in jars for gifts.  I didn't end up using the peppermint extract, as many recipes suggest, because - well- I forgot it.  But I don't think it is necessary.  This recipe is a really nice combination of dark chocolate and peppermint.  Mmmm.  Many recipes also call for a layer of white chocolate which I skipped just because I am lazy.  I think it sounds good with the white chocolate but this recipe works...so I don't think I will miss that layer one iota.  

Here's the chocolate after it was microwaved to smooth oozieness and spread out on parchment paper.

Next we sprinkled the chopped up peppermint candies.  I just threw those unwrapped candies in a bag and pounded them with my meat tenderizer.  Really, I did!  I tried chopping them with a knife and candy was flying all over my kitchen.   This bag-pounding-with-meat-tenderizer method is a method I frequently use when I need chopped nuts for granola.  Anyway, here's my daughter sprinkling the candy.

and voila!

As my gracious daughter unwrapped more candy,

I started on the white chocolate, pistachio, cranberry, and apricot bark.  Again, from barefoot contessa.

And that neat sticker on top was made using an embosser from Williams-Sonoma my mom gave me a few years back.  Looks perfect on top of these jars!  Thanks Mom! 

So, I am ready to gift these away!  And I still have some more chocolate so I am dreaming up my next bark recipe...almonds, perhaps?  More peppermint?  I will definitely need more jars.  Okay, I'm off to do that!

 

 

Miss Lila Rae and Miss Lyla Rea

We went to Pizza Hut for dinner the other night because Henry won a free pizza for being a good reader.  I was postponing this event since Pizza Hut is not on my list of favorite pizza joints but my son kept pestering me and they are encouraging reading for grade schoolers...  

We are in our booth and my daughter keeps standing and smiling at the couple in the booth next to us.  She seems like she is bothering them so I tell her to sit down.   I said, "Lila Rae sit down, please!"  And the woman in the booth turns around and says, "My name is Lila Rae."  But really she said, "My name is Lyla Rea."  Same name, different spelling, same pizza place, different eras.  

Here are the 2 girls bonding.

Lyla Rea told us she was named after her father Lyle and her mother Rachel.  We said we just liked the name.  She said is was "a fine name."  And the 2 girls like pizza...what is the chance of that?

Christmas Music

 

I just love Martin Sexton.  My husband and I started listening to him sometime in the year 2000.  We first saw him live at the Somerville Theater, shortly after we were married... that same year.   It was a great night.  A cold, wintry night in Boston, just before Christmas.  The performance was incredible - a small venue, full of his fans, and everyone just sang, clapped, and danced along with him.  Magic.  We have seen him several times since (and he is always great) but that first time was the most memorable.  As part of that Boston performance, he sang a Christmas tune...I can't remember which one but I think his Blue Christmas rendition is awful nice.   He did come out with a Christmas album a few years back - which we play and play and play all through December.  

So this afternoon, I am listening to Martin croon Christmas carols and making lentil soup.

holiday spirit

We are in holiday season.  We have our tree.  We are wrapping presents.  Shipping boxes.  We are making cookies.

And we went to see Santa!  

Can you see him?  He's there!  This is the downtown holiday stroll but Santa was not "strolling."  I mean, he was in a sleigh and stopped to light the downtown lights at each block - but he pretty much zipped on by.  People were almost running along side the sleigh to keep up!   That was fine with us, it was chilly and we just assured our kids that Santa had to high tail it back to the north pole to prepare for Christmas.

We did stroll a bit longer but once the sun went down it was far too cold to be outside for very long.  We did meet a nice bear - who has a nice book.

Then I tried to photograph the cute Sacajawea Middle School trumpet players...but I had 2 hot cocoas, a cookie, and a donut in my hand.  Instead of putting it all down - I tried to also pull out my camera and I dropped it right on the sidewalk.  It broke.  Jeez.  Such bad luck with things lately.   But I still have the holiday spirit.