Category Archives: Locavore

Memories of the Navy … in Bean Soup

Posted on March 15, 2014 by AnnieRie

Every week at White Oak. Bean soup on the lunch menu. Really hearty. Full of flavor. Similar to what is served at the Senate. And in the Pentagon.

For me, that soup was a filling comforting bowl of warmth in the middle of winter. I have been working to perfect my own version of it.

Senate bean soup includes butter. Mine doesn’t.

Mine takes five ingredients plus salt and pepper. Beans. Scallions. Ham hock. Broth. Garlic.

Yesterday I soaked, then cooked the white beans from the Friends and Farms delivery. This morning I put them, and a pork hock and a pint of veggie broth in my crockpot. Added four cloves of garlic. A half dozen scallions.

Let it cook for eight hours. Pureed half of it (minus the pork). Shredded that pork about an hour before serving.

It came out like this.

Enough for two meals. Dinner tonight and lunch later next week.

Tonight we served it with warm garlic naan and a 2012 Linden Avenius Sauvignon Blanc. A crisp flinty SB, to cut the creamy richness of the soup.

Local meals. Yum!

#hocofood

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Posted in Food, Locavore, Winter Eat Local and tagged cooking, crock pot cooking, crockpot soups, Food, foodie, Linden Vineyards, Locavore, VA wine, wine. Bookmark the permalink.

Beef! It is What’s For Dinners

Posted on March 10, 2014 by AnnieRie

Twice the past few days we have had beef on the menu. Really good beef. Not bought at grocery stores but from local farms and butchers who use local farms.

Short ribs over polenta.

Both from Friends and Farms.

The ribs were seared first and cooked in the crock pot until they were falling off the bone. Polenta was cooked on the stove and served with some onions and greens.

If that wasn’t good enough, tonight I wanted to use my Christmas present. My rice steamer.

I had a white rice and wild rice pilaf mix from the Shrewsbury Amish market bulk store. My husband wanted beef to go with it, so I cooked a couple of very petite 3-4 ounce filets from England Acres.

They started as a pan sear, then I added mushrooms, peppers and scallions. Finished with the Pacific brand mushroom soup.

Served over the rice.

Since my rice cooker makes two cups of rice, I used half the mixture in some turkey rice soup. I need to bring a dish to the Conservancy pot luck Thursday.

So, today was truly a major cooking day. But, the rest of the week there will be good leftovers.

#hocofood

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Posted in CSA, Farms, Food, Friends and Farms, Local Businesses, Locavore, Real Food, Winter Eat Local and tagged cooking, crock pot cooking, CSA, farms, Food, foodie, local businesses, Locavore, real food. Bookmark the permalink.

Monkfish Stew

Posted on March 6, 2014 by AnnieRie

OK, monkfish is something I don’t ordinarily buy. Thanks to Friends and Farms, we got some very fresh, very nice monkfish in today’s pickup.

So, I made a stew. I sort of followed a recipe. Carrots, onions, parsnips. Red pepper tomato soup. Tomatoes from my freezer. Broccoli from the freezer. All mixed together and slow cooked.

Finally, seared the monkfish in a pan and added it for the last 15 minutes.

Served with a lovely Verdeca bought at Iron Bridge during the Italian wine tasting series.

What else was in this week’s basket? The makings of a very good dinner this weekend. Short Ribs and polenta.

Maybe with some of these lovely mushrooms.

Along with the mushrooms, there was curly endive and beets. And, O’Henry sweet potatoes.

Apples. And a couple of quick frozen veggies.

Broccoli is always welcome. As are the green beans. I like the frozen veggies. They do well in soups.

What did I forget? Oh yeah, eggs and muenster cheese.

And, bread. This week I picked honey whole wheat. As for the polenta, this is something I really enjoy making, but don’t make it enough. That will be remedied.

There is enough here for two meals for us. Just the right amount.

Can’t be happier about all these inspiring choices for dinners.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in CSA, Food, Friends and Farms, Local Businesses, Locavore, Real Food, Wine, Winter Eat Local and tagged cooking, CSA, Food, foodie, local businesses, Locavore, real food, wine. Bookmark the permalink.

Pizza? Frittata?

Posted on March 4, 2014 by AnnieRie

So, what is it?

A frittata without potatoes? Or a Pizza with no crust?

Inspired by the Swiss Chard from last week’s basket.

Besides. I needed to use up some eggs.

I started with some leftover thin sliced sausage. Reminiscent of pepperoni. Sautéed with scallions and garlic and sun dried tomatoes. Chard added to wilt down.

Eight eggs whisked with a little milk. Leftover mozzarella.

Everybody into an oven proof pan and put in a 300 degree oven until browned.

Looks like a pepperoni and cheese pizza meets an eggy crust.

We had half of it tonight and the rest will be brunch this weekend.

The star of the dinner though? A 2001 Elk Run Liberty Tavern Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. Found in the cellar. Still hanging in there!

Who says Maryland can’t make good wine? This one was smooth, fruity, just a hint of smoke.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Food, Friends and Farms, Locavore, Real Food, Wine and tagged cooking, Food, Locavore, MD Wine, real food, wine. Bookmark the permalink.

Bracing? For A Storm

Posted on March 2, 2014 by AnnieRie

Is it really going to snow again? Or, is it all hype. Hang around a few hours and the numbers change. School around here is already canceled for tomorrow. At this rate it will be Fourth of July before they get out for the summer.

I hit the store Saturday, just in case, and because my husband forgot to remind me to get milk when I was at Wegmans Thursday.

Harris Teeter down in Maple Lawn. It was somewhat busy, but well staffed. I had to get some printing at the copying place there, so it was one of those multiple errand trips.

On the way home, passing Boarman’s, you could see the full parking lot.

I assume we all have enough to survive whatever we get. But, I am crossing my fingers that I get to attend Conservancy events this week. It should be a full week for me, if we don’t get mounds of snow, we have middle school training Tuesday. A program meeting and pre-hike for the Hike to the River on Wednesday. Elementary school training begins Thursday. And, Saturday the Hike to the River.

Looking at this crazy schedule, I did take time today to make a couple of pans of lasagna. Half of one for tonight. Half saved for later this week. Leftover pork for another night. The contents of my Friends and Farms baskets are being put to good use here.

I used up the last of my Pappardelles’ peppercorn lasagna noodles. Time to go back to Secolari in the Mall to get more. I used the loose turkey sausage, some dark meat chicken and the tomato puree to make the sauce.

Ricotta, mozzarella, goat cheese and a couple of eggs for the cheese layers. Italian herbs. Nutmeg in the cheese sauce. Simple improvised lasagna.

While we were watching some TV tonight, I made an interesting concoction.

A splash of red wine. A can of citrus flavored sparkling water. A handful of defrosted blackberries from the freezer. A spoonful of simple syrup. Nice wine cooler. Thanks to all those Larriland berries in the freezer.

Bring on the bad weather. But, let it go away quickly.

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Posted in Food, Friends and Farms, Local Businesses, Locavore, Real Food, Volunteering, Weather and tagged cooking, Food, howard county conservancy, local businesses, Locavore, real food, volunteering, weather. Bookmark the permalink.

This Week’s Basket

Posted on February 28, 2014 by AnnieRie

It’s been so busy around here, I almost forgot about this week’s Friends and Farms basket. A really full basket this time.

Today my husband and I were talking. He is amazed that we rarely see a need to visit grocery stores much. This pick up of food, and my visits to the local farms, and my freezer full of Larriland goodness pretty much keeps us stocked for the winter.

What did we get this week?

Let’s take it in stages, as it wouldn’t all fit in a picture.

I get a dozen eggs weekly, instead of milk. We are now getting eggs from a farm in Clinton MD. Mostly brown eggs, with a very deep yellow yolk. We got four more Asian pears. Love these pears, as they are so crisp and sweet. We got hydroponic spring mix, enough for two salads. And, grapefruit. Two of those. Root veggies, said the preview. That meant a few parsnips and one humongous carrot. A couple of onions.

The meat included one whole chicken, uncured bacon and a small pork loin roast. Perfect sizes for the two of us. This was an egg week in the description, but since I get eggs weekly instead of milk, this week I got the yogurt. I picked vanilla, in order to mix it with my frozen berries from our summer picking at Larriland. We got rosemary and garlic, perfect for the chicken, and the pork. Potatoes and swiss chard. There will be a frittata early next week.

And, I almost forgot the bread. On the table they had lots of fruit breads this week, from the Breadery. Pumpkin, blueberry, cinnamon raisin. We aren’t fruit bread people so I picked a par-baked ciabatta.

Should be good when I make chicken soup with the leftovers from baking the chicken today.

This chicken, spatchcocked with butter, rosemary, garlic, and tarragon under the skin, and drizzled with olive oil became dinner. Except for the breast meat, which will become soup Sunday.

I made creamed spinach with the rest of the spinach from last week. The rest of the angel hair pasta, cooked and served with grated Parmesan and lemon infused olive oil.

With a local wine. What could be better for a Friday night?

A Linden Avenius chardonnay.

Dessert? Trickling Springs salted caramel ice cream. This was really a local meal, in the dead of winter. Can’t beat that.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in CSA, Farms, Food, Friends and Farms, Locavore, Real Food, Wine, Winter Eat Local and tagged cooking, CSA, farms, Food, Linden Vineyards, Locavore, real food, wine. Bookmark the permalink.

Cabin Fever

Posted on February 26, 2014 by AnnieRie

When you wake up many mornings, too many in fact, to a variation of this view …

… you start thinking about the Jimmy Buffett song “Boat Drinks” particularly that line about shooting holes in the freezer.

Thankfully, the Howard County blogging community has a cure for cabin fever. Another get together, this time at the newly opened White Oak Tavern, on Route 40, in the Enchanted Forest shopping center.

The party is tomorrow night, the 27th. 5:30-7:30 pm. White Oak Tavern is a farm to table restaurant featuring lots of locally sourced items. The type of place I like to see succeed here.

A few of their sources, lifted from their winter menu.

Wagon Wheel Ranch – Grass-fed Beef, Free Range Chicken,
and Pastured Berkshire Pork

South Mountain Creamery – Dairy products from grass-fed cows

Mozzarella, peach ice cream and provolone from SMC

Hilltop Acres – Pastured Berkshire and Mulefoot Pork

Chapel’s Country Creamery – artisanal Cheese

Zahradka – Produce
Tuscarora Produce
Atwater’s Bread Co
Vann’s Spice Co
Zeke’s Coffee

I am intrigued by Vann’s. I have thought of going down to Rockville to Penzey’s, but might try ordering a few of the harder to find spices from this locally owned family business.

Come join our friendly local Howard County bloggers for a pint of ale, some good conversation, and maybe a burger and fries, or some ice cream from just up the pike.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Community, Farms, Food, Local Businesses, Locavore, Real Food, Restaurants, Winter Eat Local and tagged community, farms, Food, hoco loco, hocoblogging, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore, real food. Bookmark the permalink.

My Take on Cassoulet

Posted on February 24, 2014 by AnnieRie

A favorite one pot meal. Cassoulet. With all sorts of options and the ability to use what you have hanging around in your fridge.

Served with an excellent local Big Cork Chardonnay. The last one, so it must be time to head up to Frederick for a few more bottles.

This dish came together because I had leftover chicken breast and garlic sausage. About 6 ounces of chicken breast and the same amount of a fresh kielbasa. They were both main elements of last weekend’s meals.

Start with the base.

Olive oil heated in the pan. Added one sliced yellow onion and a handful of scallions sliced. Half of a green pepper. Three roma tomatoes, sliced. Half dozen cremini mushrooms. Other than the scallions, the rest of this dish was in last week’s delivery from Friends and Farms.

When the vegetables are soft and the onions translucent, add the sausage and chicken. Deglaze it all with a splash of white wine and some stock. Empty a drained can, or two if you like beans, of either cannellini or Great Northern beans. Some fresh basil, slivered. A couple of cloves of roasted garlic, smashed, or a teaspoon of garlic powder. A teaspoon of herbs de Provence. A little salt and white pepper. A teaspoon of tomato paste.

Put everything in a low setting in the oven. I use the slow cook setting, which is 250 degrees. For about an hour for all the flavors to meld.

This picture is the before the oven photo. The plate up top is the “brown” version. It may not be the prettiest dish out there, but it definitely tastes wonderful.

You don’t need duck to make cassoulet. It works just fine with chicken. Not a bad mostly locally sourced meal.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Food, Friends and Farms, Locavore, Real Food, Wine and tagged cooking, Food, Locavore, MD Wine, real food, wine. Bookmark the permalink.

Flexibility

Posted on February 21, 2014 by AnnieRie

I think I may be stretching the limits of flexibility this week. I went in today to pick up my basket of goodies at Friends and Farms, over in Columbia.

First, my pick up day is Thursday but we had an unexpected event yesterday where we would be out of the area for the day. No problem. Make a phone call and switch days.

Earlier I saw mussels on the anticipated weekly list, and even though I used to love mussels, a restaurant in Newport Rhode Island served me some bad ones. They are the one shellfish I can’t get near anymore. No problem. For those who prefer no shellfish at all, and those who don’t enjoy certain ones, you can choose the alternative protein. This week it was a couple of pounds of split boneless chicken breast.

I have already substituted eggs for the weekly milk, and yogurt for the biweekly eggs.

The flexibility is what is unique about this program.

So, what did we get?

The perfect makings for pasta. Seriously. Basil. Fresh angel hair pasta. Tomatoes. Green peppers. Sweet Italian sausage.

Also, an option to purchase some cremini mushrooms to supplement your basket.

The rest of the basket included apples and Asian pears. Individual quick frozen butternut squash and corn. A pound and a half of spinach. Oh, and bread from the Breadery. I chose Montana white this week to use with some egg salad I made with the leftover eggs last week.

Almost forgot. I saw they had Trickling Springs salted caramel ice cream in the market this week. Every week on the black board they list ice cream flavors, and meat options, for those who want to supplement their baskets with extras from the suppliers. There are always cheeses, cider, yogurt, eggs, and other goodies in the fridge by the door, in case your family wants something not scheduled for the week.

I have to admit. I do enjoy the winter baskets with all the creative regional items. When we aren’t drowning in the summer with boatloads of vegetables, these little specialties like the LaPasta fresh angel hair can inspire you for dinner.

My house also smells of basil. I am tempted to make pesto for the pasta, but I do have a few Meyer lemons left so we may have to make Meyer lemon basil fizzes tomorrow while it is still warm out there.

The living basil is already ensconced in a small glass with an inch of water keeping the root ball moist.

Hmmm, tomatoes and basil. Have to find a good mozzarella and I could make Caprese. Somehow this house full of summery scents will hopefully give us incentive to make it through the projected crummy week ahead.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in CSA, Friends and Farms, Local Businesses, Locavore, Real Food, Weather and tagged cooking, CSA, Food, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore, weather. Bookmark the permalink.

Really. Great. Pasta.

Posted on February 16, 2014 by AnnieRie

I have written before about finding Pappardelle’s pasta at Secolari, in Columbia Mall, and at Casual Gourmet, in Glenwood.

This pasta is such a delight to make and eat. The flavors just jump out at you. And, today, the aroma of cooking lemon ginger fettuccini. Amazing.

An interesting pairing tonight. I found a unique pasta sauce at Costco. A Tuscany pumpkin sauce. From Cucina Antica.

This combination was light, but creamy. I added the leftovers from last night’s dinner. Country style ribs with Korean BBQ sauce.

These ribs came from my Friends and Farms basket a few weeks back. Slow cooked in the oven, under foil with salt and pepper and in a bath of white wine. Finished with a glaze of Korean dipping sauce mixed with honey mustard.

Today the half we didn’t eat Saturday was shredded and added to the pumpkin sauce. A dash of cumin. A handful of scallions. Some garlic powder to taste.

Boil the pasta. Simmer the sauce. Eat a wonderful simple meal after my husband finished his radio contesting marathon.

Then sit around and watch the Olympics while sipping a spritzer. A little white wine, some Limonata, and a few frozen cubes of strawberries, from our strawberry picking trip to Larriland last May. Love using those “ice cubes” in drinks.