AnnieRie Unplugged

Old Friends, New Friends

Posted on January 15, 2014 by AnnieRie

I always believe that life revolves around the friends we have. The things we love to do. The experiences. Looking for happiness and finding it.

I am not sure where my husband picked up this cartoon. I swear it is what he does. But, he did go to the blog party at Alexandra’s Turf Valley this evening.

Really good company. A great setting. Lots of conversations. Good food. Thanks, Turf Valley for treating us so well.

We haven’t been to a brunch there in a while. We are overdue. And need to get back there.

We saw dozens of blogging friends. Watched the bartenders make some really nice cocktails. Listened to good acoustic music.

Not a bad way to spend a Wednesday night. The Mangione family resort is one of the favorite places to dine, have weddings, reunions, anniversary parties, you name it.

They did a great job tonight hosting us.

hocoblogs@@@

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Posted in Commentary, Community, Food, Howard County, Local Businesses and tagged commentary, community, Food, foodie, Howard County, local businesses. Bookmark the permalink.

It’s Restaurant Weeks Here in #hocomd

Posted on January 14, 2014 by AnnieRie

For the period of 13-27 January, many locally owned restaurants across Howard County are participating in “Restaurant Week“. Obviously, from the dates, it has been expanded to two weeks long, during one of the slower months. To encourage diners to come out.

All sorts of specials. We have already received emails from Bistro Blanc. Iron Bridge. The blog party is at Alexandra’s at Turf Valley.

Other restaurants across the county are participating. Some that we like also include Aida, Elkridge Furnace Inn, and Xitomate.

For me, finding good locally sourced food is what brings us to a restaurant. But, I have to admit, I like HowChow’s latest request. A compilation of dining establishments that overlook storm water management ponds. I may have to go looking for some. I have lots of places with outdoor dining overlooking the parking lots. Ponds? Not so much.

But everyone who reads this blog knows I am more likely to cook, than to eat out. It takes a really good restaurant to get us out, when we have dinners like this one from last Friday night.

This was my latest take on kofta. Lamb meatballs, instead of the traditional kabob.

I still think we will get to a few of the restaurants on the list above, while they are offering their specials. After all, we have Iron Bridge University, and a red envelope to redeem. So, there will be at least one dinner out.

Maybe Bistro Blanc. Maybe lunch at Xitomate. So many options out there. But, none of these overlook storm water management ponds.

Any suggestions out there for me, or for HowChow, of places that overlook the ponds? How about suggestions of places that have kofta on the menu, to compare to my recipe?

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Community, Food, Howard County, Restaurants and tagged community, cooking, Food, foodie, Howard County. Bookmark the permalink.

Blog Party

Posted on January 13, 2014 by AnnieRie

Yep, another party for those of us who blog (and read blogs) in Howard County. This one, at Alexandra’s Turf Valley promises to be different.
The description.

Enjoy interesting conversation, tasty food and good music at a party for HoCo bloggers and their readers. Alexandra’s Restaurant, the party’s co-host, is offering complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a complimentary drink ticket for our party goers, happy hour specials and libations demonstrations from Bar Manager Kevin Tsui. Good music (Don Bellew on acoustic guitar) will be playing from 6 pm and into the evening. Come for a short stop or plan to stay longer. (Good news for wine — and bargain — lovers: Wednesday is also Alexandra’s half-price wine bottles night.)

For me, Alexandra’s is one of our local venues, with outdoor dining that overlooks a golf course, and not a parking lot. Not that we can dine outdoors in January. But Turf Valley is somewhere those of us out here in West Howard County can pop over to, if we want a good dinner. With music and half price wine on Wednesdays.

There are still a few spots left over at Eventbrite to sign up. Get there from hocoblogs.

Staying for dinner, maybe? These are restaurant weeks in the #hocomd.

I am thinking about the pork belly, sea scallops and coconut gelato myself.

hocoblogs@@@

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Posted in Community, Food, Howard County, Local Businesses, Restaurants and tagged community, Food, foodie, hoco loco, hocoblogging, Howard County, local businesses. Bookmark the permalink.

Discovering Secolari

Posted on January 12, 2014 by AnnieRie

The new store in Columbia Mall. My husband was there Friday and picked up some of the Pappardelle pasta I have found to be so good, and so versatile.

This is the peppercorn trio lasagna noodle. Let’s say it amazed me, as it expands during the cooking. It gets wider so I only needed four of the six noodles I boiled.

These noodles, along with some homemade sauce with hot Italian sausage became the base for my latest venture into different lasagna recipes.

And, by base, I mean the bottom two layers. I ran out before I got to the top so I improvised. I had some vegan roasted pepper sauce from Roots in the cupboard so added that on the top layer.

We served it with a simple green salad, and a very nice Breaux wine. The “Trilogy”.

This was my Sunday “Eat Local” dinner. Much of this meal came from my freezer and fridge.

The sauce. Made with Larriland tomatoes. Copper Penny sausage. The last of my CSA onions. I put all three in a baking dish yesterday and slow roasted it until the sausage fell apart, the onions almost disintegrated and the tomatoes could be pureed. I then added a can of San Marsano crushed tomatoes and a cube of my pesto. To make a sauce.

Cooking from the freezer.

As for the cheese portion of the lasagna. Bowling Green Feta, chopped in the food processor. Chevre bought at Breezy Willow. One of their eggs. A splash of Trickling Springs milk. Pecorino Romano. Mixed up. I just eyeballed how much milk I needed to get it creamy enough to spread.

If I didn’t have those extra noodles, I would have been fine, but that third layer needed sauce, so I used about half the jar of that vegan roasted pepper sauce.

I spread extra Pecorino Romano on top, and added some dried Italian herb mix. Oregano, basil, thyme. Slow cooked covered in the oven while the 49ers beat the Panthers. Uncovered at a slightly higher oven temp to brown the top.

We will get two meals from this dish. It has a kick to it, from the hot Italian sausage and the peppercorn pasta.

My next foray into lasagna will probably be a butternut squash dish, to use more of these great noodles.

I will head back to Secolari to try their olive oils next. Thanks to HowChow for his post that reminded me they had opened at the Mall.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Food, Local Businesses, Locavore, Winter Eat Local and tagged cooking, Food, foodie, local businesses, Locavore, VA wine, wine. Bookmark the permalink.

Foodie Friday

Posted on January 10, 2014 by AnnieRie

I think my foodie side won out today, over my locavore side. Although there were hints of local ingredients, and definitely locally supported businesses supplying the ingredients.

I think I found my favorite cookie, even surpassing those Berger things, and the Girl Scout cookies.

These oatmeal cookies arrived from Cooks Illustrated, via Smitten Kitchen.

They were modified originally to add white chocolate. I took that chocolate to new heights, using a Divine bar, bought at Roots.

Much of today’s cookie came from Roots.

Here is the recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

1 cup all-purpose flour (King Arthur unbleached AP)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder (Rumford’s aluminum free)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt (I used Redmond Real Salt)
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened (the butter was bought at the Manheim market)
1 cup sugar (Florida cane sugar)
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (Wholesome Organic)
1 large egg (South Mountain Creamery)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (bought at Roots, pure Madagascar)
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (Root’s bulk)

6 ounces good-quality white chocolate bar, chopped (I used Divine White Chocolate with Strawberry, bought at Roots)

Fleur de Sel, or flaked sea salt.

The white chocolate bar was a splurge. It made the cookies decadent. The sort of cookie you would pay $1 each to buy at Starbucks.

Whisk together the first four dry ingredients. Cream the butter and sugars in a stand mixer. Add the egg and the vanilla to the mixer. Then, slowly pour in the flour mix. Finally, the oats and the chocolate.

Trust me. You want a good heavy mixer to do this. The chocolate made my Kitchen Aid move on the counter top.

I got 28 drop cookies on two parchment paper covered sheets. Each drop cookie, about two tablespoons of dough, rolled into a ball, then dropped. Pressed slightly. With about 5-6 flakes Fleur de Sel on top.

Bake at 350 Degrees for about 16 minutes. Mine took a bit longer since I had the oven open a wee bit too long when rotating the cookie sheets.

They need to be golden brown.

These cookies are addictive. Shattering. With air pockets. Not cakey or chewy.

Perfect with a cup of tea, or coffee. Or, all by themselves.

I was in a serious cooking mode today. Tomorrow, I will cover dinner, and thanks to HowChow, the find at Secolari today. Handmade lasagna noodles.

Stick around and see what I make this weekend with those.

hocofood@@@

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When It Rains, It Pours

Posted on January 9, 2014 by AnnieRie

Or should I say when it is zero degrees Fahrenheit, even what you consider to be insulated pipes don’t always survive.

The pipe that feeds our tub/shower in the upstairs hall bathroom. Where the crack was, but not where all the “rain” came from.

The powder room exhaust fan. To the right but under the hall bath. It started raining hot water Tuesday night. Thankfully, we grabbed a large trash can to catch much of it, before it ran its way out into the wooden floored rooms. Tile is easier to dry out.

But, we have six holes in the walls. A really messed up ceiling in a storage room in the basement, over an indoor/outdoor carpet. Somewhat simple to clean that up too, except we have to rip out all the dry wall from almost half that room, which was close to collapsing.

My husband was quick to turn off the water to the hot water heater and stop it all before we had massive damage.

Thankfully, too, Ken Griffin is one amazingly responsive plumbing company. Called them at 7 am. They were here an hour later. All buttoned up in time to take morning showers before noon.

Now, we just have to fix all the messed up dry wall.

Oh, and add the pick up to the other casualty of the record temperatures. Dead battery.

Less than three years old. So, Sears is replacing it for free.

We are so ready for spring!

hocoblogs@@@

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Posted in Howard County, Local Businesses, Weather, West HoCo and tagged Howard County, local businesses, weather, West HoCo. Bookmark the permalink.

Heard Around the Water Cooler

Posted on January 7, 2014 by AnnieRie

Or should I say the heated bird bath.

Look who showed up today. The first visit this winter. Along with scads of robins out below the crab apples.

And, finally the cedar waxwings.

There were three cedar waxwings in our crab apple. Boatloads of robins everywhere you looked.

And happily for me, the four bluebirds that came for a drink from our heated bird bath.

I have said often. Provide water year round for the birds. They will nest and return over and over to your yard.

There were peanuts in the shell on the ground for the blue jays. Suet for the woodpeckers. Seed for the juncos, titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, sparrows and cardinals.

Keep them fed, and give them water. They will never leave.

hocoblogs@@@

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Back In The Swing of Things

Posted on January 6, 2014 by AnnieRie

A full month of good things to do where I volunteer. At the Howard County Conservancy, there are a number of days we have events. I volunteer at a few and attend others when I can.

This Saturday Ray Bosmans is coming back with his snakes. Always a very well attended free event. At 10 am.

Next Tuesday, we begin our series of volunteer winter hikes. New friends are most welcome. Hike at 9:30. Lecture at 11. The 14th we will learn about the soil at Mt. Pleasant presented by Dean Cowherd, NRCS.

Then, same time on the 28th, Kerry Wixted or DNR will present Exploring Maryland’s Biodiversity.

February 11th, over at the Belmont site, The History of Belmont.

For me, these continuous learning opportunities keep me engaged. Learning more and becoming a better leader of field trips.

But, my favorite upcoming event is the Storytelling Event.

JAN 19- Sunday 3-5pm Tales of Nature: An Afternoon of Professional Storytelling with Adam Booth, Diane Macklin and Marc Young. An afternoon of storytelling that will delight and enchant both children and adults. Tales of earth’s creatures and Mother Nature will be among the stories told by three different professional story tellers from three different traditions: Appalachian, American & African Griotic, and Jewish. $5/person; $15/family. Space is limited, registration required!.

The description from the web site. If you have never seen truly talented story tellers, this is a must attend event.

Wow, add to that my program committee meeting, and I will certainly be busy in the New Year.

hocoblogs@@@

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Posted in Community, Howard County, Nature, Volunteering and tagged community, Howard County, howard county conservancy, nature, volunteering. Bookmark the permalink.

Frigid Weather

Posted on January 6, 2014 by AnnieRie

The next few days are going to be tough to deal with, around these parts. Temperatures below zero degrees tomorrow night.

We have snow on the ground and the birds are pretty active looking for food under the patio table and around the deck. We have unfortunately also had a number of hawk attacks. Lost a few small birds.

I am keeping the bird bath full. It is amazing watching them get into the basin and fluff up their feathers after dunking themselves a few times.

We now have quite the collection of red bellied woodpeckers. There were three out there yesterday. I refilled the suet holders for them.

Tomorrow (today by the time I post this past midnight) is Little Christmas, the day I usually take down the decorations. I think that will occur later in the week when it warms up.

The tree needs to be taken out to the landfill later also. They recycle them into mulch. As for the garland, it will become a bed around the rhododendron, where the pine needles can continue to add some acidity to the soil.

I have been heavily using the crockpot, making another batch of venison chili today. I learned a lesson though. My method of putting frozen items in the pot has resulted in a hairline crack in the ceramic insert.

Thankfully, I do use the liners. Still, I have to buy a new insert. And stop putting the pot on high.

I am slowly making my way through the Larriland tomatoes in the freezer. Next year I will be getting many more than this time, as they make a world of difference when used in soups and chili.

As for the next few days, I think we will find some indoor projects to tackle. Until it warms up a bit.

Stay warm, and watch out for black ice. And, think of spring.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Birds, Farms, Food, Local Businesses, Nature, Weather, West HoCo and tagged birds, cooking, crock pot cooking, crockpot soups, farms, Food, local businesses, nature, weather, West HoCo. Bookmark the permalink.

Dinner With A View

Posted on January 4, 2014 by AnnieRie

Sunsets out here are often spectacular, and I sometimes think I should time dinner to take advantage of them.

That was the view from our dining room, but I was still cooking dinner, instead of sitting there enjoying the view.

It is brutally cold. Soup weather. I did make chicken soup today with the remnants of a CSA chicken.

After roasting the chicken last night, and eating the legs and thighs, we cooked down the wings and saved the breast meat to make soup. I made a very rich stock from the bones, innards and skin and put some of it back in a pot today with carrots, celery, onions and half the soup fixings from our trip to Manheim market last month.

A little salt and pepper, some parsley. Lots of low, slow cooking and we had one awesome chicken soup. Served with some local bread picked up at Roots today.

I put away two pint jars and another cup container of stock for the freezer. I used one of the Freedom Rangers. A small heritage chicken we get in the CSA. We have enough soup left for another lunch.

Two dinners, one lunch and chicken stock for three meals. Not a bad “Return on Investment” for the chicken.

hocofood@@@

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