Portrait Wall

This has been a long and painful year.  Part of the healing process for me was to keep busy and create some projects for myself - a couple of which were creating a memory garden for my Dad and working on a portrait wall in our bedroom.

We have one large wall in our bedroom that can't have furniture in front of it.  I have always been inspired by home decor images of portrait walls along staircases or in hallways that are jam-packed with family photographs.  I started collecting photographs of my immediate family and then portraits of my Grandparents and Great-Grandparents, Uncles, Aunts and cousins on both sides of my family.  Photographs of my close friends and of Tim and myself.  I decided to stick with black and white images and mounted them all in black and silver frames.  What images weren't in black and white  - I photoshopped them and/or blew them up.

The wall is quite large, in addition to family and friends images, I started to add black and white photographs that I have collected from vacation travel.  A mix of the people and places that have influenced my life.  

The wall was almost complete. After hanging the last few frames, I still had this hole on the wall for one more image but couldn't figure out what to put there?  I didn't think I had anything else when I walked through our kitchen and eyed a framed vintage map of Bovina. It was exactly the size needed and fit right into the space available.  It was as if the wall was waiting for this last image.  I suddenly realized why the Bovina map was perfect to finish the wall.  Bovina has been one of the most important characters in my life over the last 10 years.  It has been my safe haven and life for the last decade and is as important to me as my family and Tim   I have created a life here and Tim and I have been so happy here.  It was the perfect item to complete a project that was emotional at times as I looked through photos trying to pick the best images.  My Dad and me as a kid sitting together in a lawn chair in our backyard.  My brother, Chris, and me dressed in cowboy costumes together as kids. My Mom holding me as an infant. Tim and I together at Fiesta in San Antonio.  The project is finished and I feel when I lay in bed at night that I can look up at the wall and feel surrounded by all those I love and the places that I have experienced that have made me who I am. Done.

Apple Pie Bars

Cold fall days are perfect for staying inside and baking.  We had a couple chores outdoors, putting away a couple more plant pots, a birdhouse and Aquaspikes and then we spent the rest of the day baking.  Tim tried a new recipe - and it was so good.  Just a variation on Apple Pie.

Apple Pie Bars

Crust:
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Filling:
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
12 Granny Smith apples ( about 6 pounds) - peeled cored and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 cup water, as necessary

Topping:
3/4 cup walnuts
3 cups quick cooking oats
2 cups all - purpose flour
1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes and chilled

1. Make the crust.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a 15 by 17 inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper in a standing electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 minutes.  At low speed, beat in the flour and salt until a soft dough forms,  Press the dough over the bottom of the sheet and 1/2 inch up the side.  Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes until the crust is golden.  Let cool on a rack.

2. Make the filling.  In each of 2 large skillets, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter with 1/4 cup of the light brown sugar.  Add the apples to the skillets and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally until softened, about 10 minutes.  Stir half of the cinnamon and nutmeg into each skillet.  Cook until the apples are caramelized and very tender and the liquid is evaporated about 10 minutes longer, scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the skillets and add up to 1/2 cup of water to each pan to prevent scorching .  Let cool.

3. Make the topping.  Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast until golden and fragrant., about 8 minutes.  Let cook, then coarsely chop the walnuts.  In a large bowl, mix the oats with the flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.  Using a pastry blender or two knives. cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Stir in the walnuts and press the mixture into clumps.

4. Spread the apple filling over the crust.  Scatter the crumbs on top, pressing them lightly into an even layer.  Bake in the center of the oven for about 1 hour until the topping is golden; rotate the pan halfway through baking.  Let cool completely on a rack before cutting into 2 inch bars.

Orange Is The New Black

We drive from our home to go to the post office downtown and as we drive down our farm road - there are several lone men with hipster Duck Dynasty beards, camouflage, and guns walking down the street and in pairs driving down the road in trucks.  If you didn't know better - you would think you were smack dab in the middle of a terrorist incident.  Men with guns walking randomly down our street and in the back fields behind our property just unnerves me.  At what point, is it right to allow people to just  wander aimlessly with no supervision with guns and shoot wherever they deem appropriate?

We stopped by the post office and I walked into say hello to Janet, our post mistress, and grab our mail.  As I walk up the stairs to the post office, the newspaper headlines catch my eye  calling out - "Wear Your Orange!" I walk in and start chatting with Janet - our normal Saturday morning banter - "So Janet, when did Hunting season start?" Janet replies - "Today."  I knew it!  That explains the gun shots we keep hearing and bearded men on our street.  I walk back out to the truck to drive us to the grocery store.  I tell him - "You better find some orange to wear if you are going to be out in the yard, Hunting season started!"  Tim is already engaged pouring through the William Sonoma cooking catalog but manages a quip "Orange is the New Black."  ( Sorry Netflix.)  I hate Hunting season.  Seeing the guns just makes me nervous.  We have so many deer and I wouldn't mind seeing fewer of them since it takes so many weeks to fence in the yard to keep them from eating our entire yard.  However, killing anything freaks me out.

As we drive back from grocery shopping in Delhi, we see these 3 poor little fawns scrambling across the highway obviously scared and alone and confused.  I look at Tim and all we can think about is that they have been separated from their mother probably because she has been shot.  I HATE hunting season.

Pork Scaloppine

Damp, cool fall day.  It warmed up in the afternoon and it was lovely sitting in the living room with all the sunlight flooding the room.  We had the most beautiful moon and clear night sky last night.  Despite the chill, we stood out on our front porch and just gazed at the moon and the way the light flooded the yard with this eery blue glow.  It was incredibly beautiful and there are nights that are just as beautiful as the daylight can be.  We baked all day in preparation for the holidays.  Tim made a new pork recipe which was great.

Pork Scaloppine

4 medium sized pork chops
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon salt -packed capers, rinsed and chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine

1. Season pork chops with salt and pepper, and dredge in flour, shaking off excess.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saute pan over medium - high heat, and then add 1 tablespoon butter and melt, swirling to coat bottom of pan.  Add pork chops in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until both sides are golden brown and pork is cooked through, about 4 minutes total.  Transfer to a serving platter and loosely cover with foil.  Repeat.  Add capers and herbs and cook over medium-high heat, stirring, just until fragrant, less then 30 seconds.  Add wine and cook until reduced by half.  Stir in remaining tablespoon of butter and pour sauce over pork.  

Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets with Tarragon-Mustard Cream Sauce

We can't get enough of braised cabbage these days so we have had it for 3 weekends in a row - just switching out our main dish.  This was simply delicious!

Pan-Seared Chicken Cutlets with Tarragon-Mustard Cream Sauce

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon sat
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 (4 ounce) chicken breast cutlets
2 teaspoons olive oil
Cooking spray
3/4 cup fat free, lower sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup half and half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
2 teaspoons stone-ground mustard

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; add chicken.  Seal bag; shake to coat chicken.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Coat pan and chicken with cooking spray.  Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned.

3. Combine broth and next 3 ingredients, stirring with a whisk.  Add broth mixture to pan; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes or until chicken is done and sauce is slightly thick.

Winter is Coming

Fall goes so quickly.  We had been preparing by putting up deer fencing and wrapping exposed trees and shrubs with burlap.  However, we always get an early snowfall in  late October and November.  We got a light dusting this weekend and it was so pretty clinging to the last remnants of summer.  I love the snow on the fern leaves and seed pods.

Black Bean and Avocado Salsa

Always looking for a new variation on guacamole!

Black Bean and Avocado Salsa

1 1/2 cups chopped tomato
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 times)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 (15 ounce ) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 ripe peeled avocados, chopped

1. Place first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir well. Cover and chill until ready to serve. Add chopped avocado just before serving; toss gently.  Serve with tortilla chips or chopped celery, cucumber or carrots.

Turmeric Roasted Vegetables

I could easily go Vegan. I love vegetables and this was so easy and so tasty!

Turmeric Roasted Vegetables

1 medium to large head of cauliflower, outer leaves removed and cut into florets
6 medium size shallots, peeled and left whole
1 container cherry tomatoes, washed and cut into halves
1 can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
3 bay leaves
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon nigella seeds ( you can substitute pumpkin seeds)
1/2 teaspoon ground sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped finely

1. Preheat over to 330 degrees. F. In a large mixing bowl place all the vegetables and bay leaves.

2. Mix the water, oil, lemon juice, turmeric, seeds, sweet paprika, cumin, salt and pepper together and pour over the vegetables.  Mix to combine ensuring they are evenly coated in the liquid.

3.  Place in oven and roast for at least one hour or until cauliflower florets are golden.  If you like your veggies really moist remove after this time, if you want the flavors more developed and a more caramelised dish then roast around one and a quarter hours.

4. Scatter chopped parsley and serve.

Pan Seared Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Tomatoes

I forgot to post these from last weekend.  Really simple and healthy chicken dish.  Not to mention absolutely delicious.

Pan Seared Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Tomatoes

2 teaspoons canola oil
8 ( 4 ounce) bone in chicken thighs, skinned
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup sliced pimiento - stuffed olives
1 (14.5 - ounce) can organic fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lemon thinly sliced
Oregano leaves ( optional)

1. Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle chicken with pepper.  Add chicken to pan, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned.

2. Add olives, tomatoes, and garlic to pan, spooning mixture over and around chicken.  Place lemon slices on chicken. Reduce heat to medium-low.  Cover and cook 4 minutes or until chicken is done. Garnish with oregano, if desired.

Lemon Curd Cupcakes

We had our best friends and neighbors, Mel and Marni, over for dinner Saturday night.  It had to have been the most discombobulated meal. I don't know what was wrong with Tim and me?  It was like the Keystone Cops - we are usually so in sync when we have dinner parties and I don't know what happened but what a mess.  Potatoes not done, spilling braised carrots on the floor, a mess.   The only perfect aspect was these amazing Lemon Curd cupcakes.  They were so delicious and beautiful to look at - really good!

Lemon Curd Cupcakes

3 1/2 cups all -purpose flour, sifted
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice ( from 1 to 2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 3/4 cups (3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
7 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Confectioner's sugar for dusting
Lemon curd ( see below)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together flour, zest, baking powder, and salt.

2. With an electric mixer on medium -high speed, cream butter and granulated sugar until pale and fluffy.  Beat in cream cheese. Reduce speed to low. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.  Beat in lemon juice and vanilla.  Add flour mixture in three batches, beating until just combined after each.

3. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three quarters full.  Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 28 minutes.  Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes.  Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

4. To finish, dust cupcakes with confectioner's sugar.  Fill a pastry bag fitted with a coupler and a medium round tip (#8) with curd.  Insert tip into top of each cupcake, and squeeze some curd below top to fill the inside, the lift the tip and squeeze more curd in a pool on top.  Filled cupcakes can be kept at room temperature up to 1 hour ( or refrigerated a few hours more) before serving.

Lemon Curd
2 whole eggs plus 8 egg yolks
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup fresh lemon juice ( about 6 lemons)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, room temperature.

Combine whole eggs and yolks, sugar, and lemon juice in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water.  Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.  Remove from heat.  Add butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition.  Strain through a fine sieve into another bowl, and cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap pressing it directly on surface to prevent a skin from forming.  Refrigerate until chilled and firm , at least 2 hours ( or up to 2 days).

Braised Cabbage

Perfect side dish with the Beef and Red Wine Pot Pie!

Braised Cabbage
3 T olive oil
8 slices of very thick cut bacon cooked and crumbled
2 T butter
1 onion , sliced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 sticks of celery, sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
1/2 T caraway seeds
1 t fennel seeds
3/4 head of cabbage, thickly sliced
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves
Salt
Pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy - based saucepan and saute the bacon until it's crispy.  Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels.

Lower the heat and add the butter to the pan.  Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, caraway seeds and fennel seeds and sweat for about 5  minutes, or until the vegetables are soft but not colored.

Add the cabbage to the pan, cover with a lid and sweat for around 5 minutes or until the cabbage begins to soften.  Season then increase the heat and cook stirring frequently, until the pan juices have evaporated. ( it took ours around 15 minutes but we wanted it browned and nicely caramelized).

Stir through the fried bacon and parsley and serve.  If you wish, you could also add a splash of lemon juice or red wine vinegar.  the slight tartiness is a nice add to the buttery richness.

Beef and Red Wine Pot Pie

Perfect Meal for a Fall Weekend!

Beef and Red Wine Pot Pie

Boneless beef shoulder or chuck and cut into cubes
6 teaspoons olive oil
2 onions diced
2 stalks of celery diced
1 carrot peeled and diced
1 clove of garlic finely chopped
20 oz.beef stock
12. 5 oz red wine - use a nice, gutsy cabernet or shiraz
10 sprigs of thyme
3 fresh bay leaves
1 dozen button mushrooms chopped
3 T plain flour
6 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 sheet puff pastry
1 egg lightly beaten with 1 T milk
Sea salt
Pepper

1. Dust the beef cubes in plain flour seasoned with salt and pepper and shake off the excess.   Heat oil in a heavy based casserole pot over medium heat and brown beef cubes in batches, stirring to prevent the flour from catching and burning on the bottom.  Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.

Add a splash more oil and add the veggies and garlic and cook for around 5 minutes or until softened.

Add stock, wine, herbs and the browned beef cubes and season lightly with sea salt and black pepper (it's always best to do most of the seasoning after everything's cooked and liquid has reduced).  Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 1.5 - 2 hours.  Add mushrooms and cook another 30 minutes or until meat is tender.

If it's still a little liquidy, place flour in a small bowl and add enough braising liquid to make a thin, smooth paste.  Add to casserole little by little, stirring, until it's smooth and thick.  Season to taste, add vinegar and cool.  Once cooled, spoon into a large pie dish, removing the bay leaves.  Alternatively, you can spoon into individual pie dishes or ramekins.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll pastry to to cover pie topping and place over filling, with edges overhanging.  Press with fork to seal edges and trim excess with a knife.  Brush with the eggwash and bake for around 20 minutes or until pastry is golden.

Columbus Day Weekend

Another 3 day weekend back to back with last weekend.  The weather was absolutely beautiful the entire time.  We managed to put up more deer fencing, get 3 sides of the garden sheds painted and started the makeover for the mud room.  Ceiling and crown moulding in the mud room got painted.  The cabinets get painted next, then new tile, wall paneling and wallpaper.  Big job for such a little space.  Atticus came with us again on his second weekend upstate.  He was great on the commute.  We are so used to such cat drama and he was absolutely quiet and perfect.  Sookie is content to stay home in the city.  What a difference a week makes with the trees.  Last weekend was peak for us up here and the leaves were gorgeous.  A week later and most of the leaves are already gone on our property.  We took a walk up in the back pasture to see the view with the leaves turning.  In the afternoon, once all the leaves are gone, you can watch the sun set over the western ridge lines from our backyard.  It was beautiful.  I love this time of year.  We had our furnace inspected and thank goodness we did - only to find out that the computer panel was burned out - after only 4 years?  We had to have it replaced and Dubben Brothers came and replaced it this morning.  Great timing because the evenings are really cool already.  It's supposed to be a very cold winter.  Tim made this amazing pot pie and we watched Brian DePalma movies back to back.  Atticus everywhere in the house like a little puppy running constantly and eating the ferns and shamrock plants in the window.  Very nice weekend.

Chicken, Mushroom and Pumpkin Stew

A 3 day weekend last weekend and we continued to prep and dismantle the garden for winter.  Putting up deer fencing, painting the garden sheds, transplanting and putting away outdoor pots.  A couple trips to Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware and the grocery store were the only interruptions over the weekend.  We met our new neighbor.  The adjacent 12 acres and house sold finally and the new neighbor, introduced himself - another Jeff.   We invited him over for cocktails and we had a nice couple hours to chat and get to know each other.  Looking forward to having them over for dinner sometime.  Tim made a couple pots of stew to freeze so that if we get a cold evening soon and are sans groceries - we have some stew in the freezer.  This Pumpkin stew was great - nice rich flavors and creaminess!

Chicken, Mushroom and Pumpkin Stew

4 large chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
1 T fresh thyme
1 small pumpkin
12 mushrooms
1 small onion
4 T flour
2 & 1/2 T butter
T olive oil
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 T chopped parsley

Vegetable Broth ( see below separate ingredient)
6 cups water
2T extra virgin olive oil
2 T soy sauce
3 sprigs of parsley
4 carrots
Sprig of thyme
1 celery stalk
1/4 head of cabbage
1 leek
12 mushrooms, chopped

Put all ingredients for Vegetable broth in a saucepan, season with salt  and bring to a boil.  Cook on low heat 30 - 40 minutes until the carrots are very soft.  At the end season with freshly ground pepper and salt.

Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt, pepper, thyme and 1 T olive oil . Mix thoroughly.  Then add 4 T of flour and thoroughly coat the chicken and set aside.

Cut pumpkin into several smaller pieces.  Cut mushrooms into pieces.  Dice onion.

Preheat large pot.  Melt 1 T of butter and add the chicken breasts.  Saute breasts until browned. Remove and set aside , let cool and cut chicken into cubes.

In the same pan, add 1 T of olive oil and toss mushrooms and onions.  Saute for about 2 minutes until they are browned, set aside on a plate.

Put pumpkin into pan with 1/2 T of butter, season with salt and cook for about 2-3 minutes.

Combine all ingredients into pot and allow to dissolve .  Add broth and let boil.  Cover and cook over moderate heat for about 3 minutes until the pumpkin is soft.

Pour into a bowl and add 3 T of cream and mix so that cream warms and does not curdle.  Once warmed add balance of cream  and add parsley and mix gently . Can be served over mashed potatoes or rice.

Introducing Our New Family Member - Atticus!

Sookie was feeling lonely now that Burns is gone so we decided we had to get her a baby brother.  It wasn't an easy birth but here he is all 2.7 pounds of him.   He is absolutely adorable and Sookie is a little shocked but eventually will adjust.  We are already totally in love with him.  Atticus.

Bovina Farm Day

Busy weekend.  We worked all day in the basement and yard, Saturday.  Sunday, we went to services at St. James Episcopal.  It's a gorgeous church and we have always wanted to go there for services and thought this weekend might be a nice time to go.  We are shopping churches in the area to join and St. James though beautiful might be too small a congregation to get involved.  After church, we went and had breakfast at the Delhi diner, shopping at Tractor Supply and then to go see Stephanie at her store, Stewarts for some gifts.  I dropped Tim off at Bovina Farm Day so he could help some friends, I went back and cleaned house as we were having some friends over for dinner. I drove back and picked Tim up and spent the evening cooking and visiting with friends.

Chipotle Lime Grilled Shrimp Salad in Cilantro Lime Dressing

Labor Day weekend - ahhh 3 days of Bovina!  Got up early Friday night - what a beautiful sunset on the drive up.  We continued to clean out basement and fill the garden shed.  Tim made a light dinner Saturday night - Grilled Shrimp Salad which was delicious with grilled corn and we finished it off with our default dessert - Vinegar Pie.  Tim made it with Fig vinegar and it turned a dark brown on top but such a great meal.

Recipe for Chipotle Lime Grilled Shrimp

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1-3 chipotle chilies in adobo, chopped
1-3 teaspoons adobo sauce
2 limes, juice and zest
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon cumin, toasted and ground
salt and pepper to taste

1. Marinate the shrimp in the mixture of the remaining ingredients for at least 20 minutes.
2. Skewer the shrimp and grill over medium-high heat until cooked, about 1-3 minutes per side.

Recipe for Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette

1 cup loosely packed cilantro
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup lime juice (2 limes)
1/2 jalapeno, coarsely chopped (optional)
1 small clove garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

1. Puree everything in a food processor until smooth.

Recipe for Complete Salad

1 pound chipotle lime grilled shrimp
6 cups lettuce ( 1 head) sliced or torn
1 cup tomato, diced or sliced
1 large avocado, diced
1 cup corn ( 2 ears), preferably grilled or charred
1 cup black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup green or red onion, sliced
1/4 cup cilantro lime vinaigrette
crumbled cotija cheese to taste( optional )

1. Assemble the salad, toss in dressing and enjoy.

Labor Day Weekend

The sky was so beautiful on the drive up Friday night.  A promise for a nice weekend.

Man Cave

Tim and I have spent the last two weekends breaking down the old kitchen in our original old cabin.  Since we only use the cabin now for an extra bedroom in the summer, it was time to move the old kitchen into the basement into our newly created Man Cave in the basement.  Cabinets, countertop, dorm fridge, microwave, and all that goes with it moved downstairs.  Then, we hauled all the lawn and garden tools and equipment into the second shed because we need to make more room for our man cave.  Exhausting, however on Sunday - we were crafting, and playing games in the cool of the cave.  Love it.

Corn Salad with Radishes, Jalapeno, and Lime

There are just not enough radish recipes.  I love radishes.

Corn Salad with Radishes, Jalapeno and Lime

3 cups fresh corn kernels ( about 3 large ears)
6 radishes, thinly sliced
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, finely chopped
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and season with salt to taste.  The salad can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

Creamed Kale Gratin

And I thought there wasn't another way to prepare Kale - this goes down as one of my MOST FAVORITE side dishes.  Incredible!

Creamed Kale Gratin

4 bunches kale ( about 1 3/4 pounds) washed and thick stems removed
1 1/2 large Vidalia onions ( about 1 1/4 pounds), thinly sliced
6 tablespoons butter
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
5 teaspoons all- purpose flour
1/3 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese ( about 8 ounces)

1. In a 3 - quart pot over high heat. bring 2 1/2 quarts water to a boil.  Working in 2 batches, blanch Kale for 30 seconds. Transfer each batch to a colander and let drain until cool.  Squeeze kale to remove excess water, then chop roughly and reserve.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  meanwhile in a large skillet over medium heat, cook onions, butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and freshly ground pepper, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and caramelized, about 25 minutes.  Add flour and stir.  Add wine and bring to a simmer.  Add cream, milk, zest, nutmeg and cayenne, and simmer for 2 more minutes.  Add 1 1/2 cups cheese, reserved kale , and remaining salt, and stir to  combine.

3. Pour kale mixture into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish and sprinkle on remaining cheese.  Bake until bubbling and brown, 45 to 50 minutes, Serve immediately.

Pomegranate and Merlot Braised Pork Roast

I hate to see summer end since we haven't had much of a summer this year but I do love the cooler weather and less rain - it has also been such a wet summer.   Tim made the most amazing roast Saturday night.  Tim can be content to spend the entire day in the kitchen where as I have to be outside if at all possible. This was so incredible.

Pomegranate and Merlot Braised Pork Roast

4 lbs pork roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
3 Tbs. vegetable oil
1 large yellow onion diced
1Tbs each minced garlic and tomato paste
1 tsp each chopped fresh thyme, ground cinnamon and cumin
1/2 tsp allspice
1 bay leaf
1 cup each Merlot and pomegranate juice
2 Tbs. honey
1 cup chicken broth
6 carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbs chopped flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
Cooked couscous for serving

1. Season pork roast with salt and pepper.  In stovetop-safe insert of slow cooker over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs oil.  Working in 2 batches, brown pork roast on all sides, 7-8 minutes .  Transfer to platter.

2. Warm 1 Tbs oil in insert. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 7-8 minutes.  Add garlic, tomato paste, thyme, cinnamon, cumin, allspice and bay leaf; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.  Add wine and pomegranate juice; simmer for 5 minutes.  Add honey, broth, salt, pepper and lamb.

3. Transfer inset to slow-cooker base.  Cover; cook on high for 3 hours.  Add carrots; cook until pork is tender, about 1 hour more. Transfer pork and carrots to large serving platter.  Skim excess fat off sauce. Set insert over high heat; boil until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Stir in vinegar.  Pour sauce over pork. Sprinkle with parsley and pomegranate seeds.  Serve with couscous.

Missing All The Excitement

Wow, I go out of town for one weekend and miss all the excitement:

Metropolitan area shut down because of the threat posed by one man

WRITTEN BY: BOB - AUG• 12•13

That is, if you define “metropolitan area” as “633 people in a cow-town in upstate New York.”

It appears that a guy took his mother and father-in-law hostage in Bovina, NY, before eventually letting them go. The suspect refused to come out of the home, causing them to roll everyone shy of the National Guard, and putting the entire town on lockdown.

No official details have been released about the man or why he was being pursued. Residents and witnesses tell the Watershed Post that large numbers of law enforcement officials were visible on the ground and in helicopters in Bovina throughout the day today, and that drivers and residents were stopped and warned not to pick up hitchhikers. Roads remain closed near the house, according to the dispatchers.

At 2pm, the Delaware County Office of Emergency Management issued instructions to all Bovina residents via NY Alert to “remain indoors and lock all doors.”

Another NY-Alert was issued at at 2:26pm asking Bovina residents to remain inside until further notice.

The instructions to Bovina residents to remain indoors are still in effect as of 6:30pm this evening.

The suspect later committed suicide, allowing the 10th Mountain Division to stand down.

Keep it “Boston Strong,” folks.

Honey Teriyaki Chicken

Gorgeous weekend.  70 degree weather, beautiful blue sky, lots of rain the past week so everything looks great and lots to do but no agenda.  Just wanted a weekend to garden.  Transplanted a pear and apple tree to the backyard, 6 lilac bushes closer to the house, and moved a few things around in the front yard.  We quit around lunchtime and had some leftover veggie chili that had been in the freezer and spent the day sitting in the shade Smurfing and admiring the garden and the sky.  For dinner, we are always looking for new variations on marinades and sauces and I found this one this week and asked Tim to try it.  Absolutely amazing!  I couldn't stop eating it was so good.

Honey Teriyaki Chicken

3-4 pounds thighs and drumsticks
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 1/3 cup Mirin rice cooking wine
1/2 cup honey
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2-3 tablespoons Sriracha

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees .  Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish or coat with nonstick spray.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water.  In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk to together the soy sauce, Mirin, honey , garlic, ginger, Sriracha and cornstarch mixture.

3. Arrange the chicken parts in a single layer onto preparing baking dish.  Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken.

4. Place into oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, using metal tongs to turn at halftime.  then broil for 2-3 minutes, or until the wings are slightly charred.

5. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Tomato Cobbler

Tim won't eat raw tomatoes but he loves cooked tomatoes.  We decided to make a savory cobbler and this was quite good.

Tomato Cobbler

Oil or butter for the baking dish
3 pounds ripe tomatoes (8-10 medium), cored and cut into wedges
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more if needed
1 cup cornmeal
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick ) butter, cut into large pieces and refrigerated until very cold
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup buttermilk, plus more if needed

1. Grease a square baking dish or a deep pie plate with the butter or oil.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Put the tomato wedges in a large bowl and sprinkle with the cornstarch and some salt and pepper.  Toss gently to combine.

3. Put the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda in a food processor along with a teaspoon of salt.  Add the butter and pulse a few times until the mixture comes together, add a spoonful or two of flour.  If the mixture is too dry, aadd a few drops of buttermilk.

4. Gently toss the tomato mixture again and spread it in the bottom of the prepared baking dish.  Drop spoonfuls of the batter on top and smooth a bit with a knife.  (Try to leave some gaps so that the steam from the tomato mixture will have a place to escape as the cobbler bakes.)  Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden on top and bubbly underneath.  Cool to just barely warm or room temperature.  To serve, scoop servings out with a large spoon.

Stuffed Zucchini with Brown Rice, Ground Beef, Red Pepper, and Basil

It was a beautiful day.  The weather was cool and we could be outside without dying from the heat.  We started painting the garden sheds and then moved onto an assortment of other projects, the windowbox, a beachchair re-do, weeding - a very relaxed randomness.  Tim decided to try a couple new recipes along with steaks we had in the freezer.  We now make and jar that Charred Red Pepper Sauce as a stock sauce in our basement so there are several jars of that ready for steak or chicken.   The stuffed zucchini was really good.  It could have been a meal on it's own but we overeat on a regular basis - yum very good.

Stuffed Zucchini

2 large or 4 small round zucchini ( or use regular shaped zucchini)
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1 lb. very lean ground beef
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp chopped garlic or garlic puree
1/2 tsp  ground fennel seed
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
3/4 cup coarsely grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chicken stock

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Cut stem and flower ends off zucchini, trimming off the smallest possible amount of the skin and taking care to cut it off evenly, since this will show.  Cut zucchini in half lengthwise, then using a pointed teaspoon or melon baller, scoop out and discard most of the zucchini flesh and seeds, leaving an even 1/2 inch of flesh attached to the skin.  If your zucchini are rolling around a lot, you can cut a thin slice on the bottom side of each to make them sit up.  Microwave zucchini 3-4 minutes on high.

Heat olive oil in frying pan and saute chopped onions and peppers until they are just starting to soften, about 5 minutes.  (They will cook more in the oven, so they don't need to be fully cooked at this point. )  Remove onions and peppers to large mixing bowl, then add ground beef to hot pan and cook until starting to brown.  When meat is about half cooked, season with italian seasoning and ground fennl and add garlic,  and continue to cook until meat is well browned, breaking it into small, pieces with the side of your turner.  Remove cooked ground beef to mixing bowl.

Add cooked brown rice, chopped basil, Parmesan cheese, and chicken stock to meat and vegetable mixture, and gently combine.

Choose a roasting pan with slight sides, just big enough to hold the zucchini.  Spray pan with nonstick spray or a light misting of olive oil. Stuff zucchini with stuffing mixture, packing in as much as you can into each zucchini, and mounding it up as high as you can, until all stuffing is used.

Put zucchini into roasting pan, putting them close together so they hold each other stuffing side up.  Roast uncovered 20-30 minutes, until zucchini is tender crisp, and filling is hot and slightly browned.  Serve hot.

This will keep well for a few days in the refrigerator and can be reheated in the microwave.

Camper Obsessed

Tim sent me this link because he knows how obsessed I am with vintage camper trailers.  There is something so romantic and free about these beautiful little dwellings.   My Dad loved travel trailers as much as I did - I think this is how I want to live the rest of my life.

Noah's Windowbox

It rained Saturday morning, so I went down to the basement to start working on a windowbox that I have been constructing since April.  I bought all the cedar wood and hauled it down to North Carolina to visit my Uncle and Aunt.  My Uncle has a great woodshop and I had bought these vintage wooden brackets from an architectural salvage yard for the brackets that support the box and thought he could help me build them while I was down there for a visit.  The brackets became an entire project on their own and quite complicated and we spent the week just constructing cleats and reinforcing the brackets.  Months later, I am just now getting around to building the windowbox.  Unfortunately, the vinyl liners determine the size of the boxes and the box just kept getting larger and larger.  The box sits on top of a shelf and is removable leaving the shelf for Holiday decorations like pumpkins, gourds and evergreens. However, the box is now so heavy - I don't think I am going to be able to use the original cleats and brackets.  It is built like Noah's ark or Noah's coffin.  Now, I am going to have to build a series of posts to support the box which means it will be next summer before this window box goes outside.  Thank goodness for long winters and a large basement.  The brackets will be saved for a porch project so nothing is wasted.

July Gardening

July is my favorite month of the year.  Despite the last couple hot, rain-less weeks, everything is flourishing.  It is the prettiest time of the year in our garden. Large mounds of daisies and coreopsis in white and yellow everywhere.  The snowball hydrangea bushes outside our back door are huge and beautiful.  The center bed in the garden is so full of daisies, bee balm and hydrangea that we will have to transfer half of everything in the fall.  I started a memory garden for my Dad in the back yard.  My friend, Mary, gave me money towards a bird bath and I created a small berm for the birdbath and planted white scented Rogosa roses with other perrenials.  I cried the entire time planting the berm.   My Mom will like that I did this for him.  It was nice having cocktails in the sideyard in the shade looking at everything in bloom and having a quiet weekend to ourselves.

Goodbye Mr. Burns

It's been a long and painful summer.  My Dad's death in April was particularly difficult and unexpected.  Getting my Mom resettled in a new life has also been challenging.  However, the last 3 weeks have seemed endless as we said our goodbyes to one of the loves of our life.  Mr. Burns, our 15 year old siamese developed kidney failure.  We knew he wasn't feeling well for weeks but couldn't figure out what was wrong and then we took him to the vet and found out that he was very sick.  So, for the past three weeks, we have been trying to make him comfortable, well fed and giving him lots of fluids.  Unfortunately, nothing seemed to be working and his condition got worse very quickly.  We had to say goodbye to him this week.  One of the most difficult things I have had to learn was that our pets will not live with us forever.  My first love, Rupert,  my beloved sheltie, my firstborn and the first to pass and I thought I would never get over it.  Burns was the sweetest most lovable cat.  He only lived to give love back to you.  It was particularly hard for us to finally say goodbye and he will be greatly missed.  We came upstate early this weekend and while we worked in the garden, I know the both of us were thinking about him the entire time.  

Deviled Eggs

One of my favorite things to do during summer dinner parties is to pull out all my depression glassware.  I love the pattern, Candlewick, and this deviled egg platter is one of my favorites.  I found it on one of my last trips to Hickory, N.C. The handle is a little "hearty" looking but so Americana.  The deviled eggs were quite good too.

Kellie's Cole Slaw

Lots of great side dishes and Kellie's cole slaw was so good!

Jalapeno - Lime Slaw

1/3 cup Lime juice
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons Extra Virgin olive oil
1/2 cup thin slice (vertically) red onion
1 (16 oz.) package broccoli slaw and carrot slaw
4 Jalapeno peppers
Use your discretion - Mango, watermelon and cilantro (chopped)

Combine 1st four ingredients and whisk.  Gradually add EVOO and whisk.  Add onion, cilantro, coleslaw, fruit, thin slice jalapeno.  Add seeds for extra spice.  Toss and coat well.  Cover and chill at least 1 hour prior to serving.  Can substitute cabbage slaw instead of broccoli slaw.

Mexican Chicken Stew

There was so much good food this week but I asked for a couple recipes of my favorites!  Jean's chicken stew was delicious!

Mexican Chicken Stew

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 jalapenos, seeded and sliced
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 (28-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
3 cups shredded cooked chicken ( I buy a rotisserie chicken and shred it)
Few dashes Worcestershire sauce
3 to 4 cups chicken stock (usually I add 5-6 cups)
1 lime
1 cup cooked white rice (I make the yellow spanish rice and add that)
Kosher salt
Sour cream, for garnish
Fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

Directions
Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno and sweat until soft and translucent. Add spices and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant and aromatic. Add tomatoes, chicken, Worcestershire, and stock.

Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.

Cut the lime in half, squeeze juice into the pot, and then add the juiced halves as well.

Add white rice and cook 5 minutes longer to warm rice through. Season, to taste, with salt.

Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream and cilantro.

The Bear Ate My Truck

After four days of eating and enjoying ourselves, everyone left Tuesday morning to head back home including Tim because one of our cats was sick.  I stayed up to clean up, finish planting and eat lots of leftovers.  During the week, we usually put all the garbage in the back of the pick up to take to the dump.  However, apparently I didn't get to it fast enough because a very hungry man-eating bear started eating my truck.  I glanced out our window and there was a black bear trying to get at the bags of garbage in the back of the truck.  I freaked out and started shouting at him from the front window - that is why he is giving me this "don't bother me" look from the driveway.  Yelling didn't seem to help. I tried standing on the front porch and throwing various things at him but he just began to eat the handles on the camper shell.

I called my neighbors, Mel and Marni, who said they would drive over in their truck to be sure that I was okay.  They told me to just keep making a lot of noise and stay close to the house.  For lack of anything else, I started singing the soundtrack from Gypsy really loud from my front yard? I know, there are much more frightening soundtracks to sing - Hands On A Hardbody comes to mind but I know all the lyrics to Gypsy.   The bear didn't seem much impressed by the show tunes and continued to gnaw on the truck.  Marni and Mel pulled up the driveway and he suddenly ran away.

Marni got out of the truck with a whistle and for a moment I had a flashback to a 70's disco.  Mel and I emptied the truck of the garbage and I grabbed a hose to clean the pickup and wash away some of the odor.  They left, I locked all the doors, turned on all the outdoor lights and grabbed a couple pots and pans to make noise.  After 10 years of being here, we have never seen any animals - this freaked me out a little especially being by myself.  I went to bed and didn't sleep much.  The bear came back and you could hear him walking around outside sniffing for scraps.  I was just too tired to go bang on my Le Creuset to get rid of him and spent a sleepless night.  I thought about throwing him some of Jean's leftover Nutella paninis but they were too delicious to give up.  Go away, Bear!

July 4th Bovina Bonanza

Our July 4th Festivities started off with a bang and four days of fun, food, and fireworks.  We had to order an outdoor tent at the last minute because it rained for the four days but it did not keep us from eating, gardening, shopping and having a good time.

Summer Gardening and Excitement Over July 4th Week

Despite losing a month this spring getting ready for Summer gardening.  Things are progressing.  We are hoping for lots of help over July 4th week with Tim's family staying with us for days and all are garden freaks.  The forecast calls for rain for almost a week so we had to make plans for an outdoor tent  to be installed during the week so that we have a large enough dry space outside to eat and socialize.

We replaced our old wooden trellises with cast iron trellises with birds and pomegranate finials.  Our big gardening projects this summer are expanding the berm in our front yard and restoring a couple large round beds in our garden.  Outdoor garden sheds have to be re-painted this year.  With so much rain this spring and a forecast for another week of rain - everything is doing well.  Our fern garden which Tim's parents helped install looks absolutely beautiful and I am sure they will bring us some new ferns for that space. Our herb garden has been taken over by varieties of oregano and mint and they have gotten a little invasive and we have had to clean them out.  Clematis, irises, peonies, daisy, hardy hibiscus, flox, liatris - all in bloom.

I was busy scouring vintage stores in the city for vintage pottery for the backyard and have lots of pots, pocket vases, and hanging pots and they are all filled with succulents, annuals and ornamental grasses.  With all the rain, the pond has never been so high.  The drain for the pond is constantly flowing and with another week of rain ahead of us will remain that way for awhile.   Looking forward to a week of Summer gardening with family and lots of amazing food!