Tag Archives: cooking

Eating Seasonally

Posted on January 22, 2014 by AnnieRie

As much as possible, we try to eat items that are fresh. Things that work best in whatever season it is.

That doesn’t mean, though, that we eat only local items. Face it. Citrus isn’t in season here ever, except for small specialty fruit. So, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, pomegranates, lemons, limes, all grace our table year round, but mostly in the winter. When I can’t get peaches, strawberries, blueberries, cherries, rhubarb and all those other local fruits that we love when they are at their peak.

Pomegranates are one of those special fruits. I love putting them in yogurt as part of our lunch plate. We got black cherry yogurt in our Friends and Farms basket last week, and I have been putting a couple of ounces of this rich yogurt on our plates, with either fruit or granola.

Tomorrow I pick up our second basket over at Friends and Farms. I look forward to making many more “seasonal” items, using regionally sourced foods. I know a few of them will be Individual Quick Frozen, but face it.

Not much is growing around here in single digit temperatures.

I have enjoyed dishes using last week’s items, including these.

I made a grapefruit and fennel salad, using the grapefruit. I also used the beans in two dishes. One, my venison chili. The second. A black bean and rice dish, that included four of those very tasty beef sausages that Friends and Farms procures from Wayne Nell and Sons meats, in East Berlin PA.

Some of that venison chili ended up on top of a baked potato yesterday.

If you have a hankering for local meats, available year round, check out my list on my Farm page. I see England Acres has fresh beef. Copper Penny has beef too. As does Clarks. Or call Maple Lawn and get turkey legs to make soup. TLV and Breezy Willow have fresh meat at their Saturday farm stands all winter.

Markets? Check out Olney on Sunday at the Sandy Spring Museum. Or Silver Spring on Saturday morning.

You can eat seasonally, or use some of those “put up” fruits and vegetables, if you remembered to go picking them at Larriland last year.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Farms, Food, Foraging, Friends and Farms and tagged cooking, farmer's markets, farms, Food, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore. Bookmark the permalink.

Meal Planning

Posted on January 20, 2014 by AnnieRie

Something I vow to do. But, it doesn’t always get done.

This week, though, we have quite a full calendar. Lots of people coming, for work estimates, including those to clean up from the burst pipe.

My better half has two amateur radio dinners, so I need food for my dinners at home.

A fellow blogger, part of my group that did an Eat Local challenge, had a post today that reminded me about the importance of planning ahead and using items in their prime.

Slow cooker recipes are always my favorite. Like my venison chili.

Using my freezer items. The last of the ground venison. My roasted peppers aka the chili starter. Larriland tomatoes, that were blanched and frozen whole.

Half the turtle beans from the Friends and Farms basket. They were soaked overnight. Drained, rinsed and cooked until almost done (making sure to boil them for ten minutes before simmering for two hours). Also adding that tablespoon of baking soda, recommended for those of us with hard water.

The other half of the beans were simmered on the stove, with half the basmati rice I made the other day in my Christmas present. My rice cooker. The half of the beef sausage not used in the frittata.

I now have three more meals from the chili I made. A meal from the black beans and rice with sausage. And, leftover lasagna. Most of those leftovers were flash frozen in order to keep them fresh. I bring them out early in the morning into the fridge. Put them in the oven on the slow cook setting, while we handle all our daily things.

Dinner is ready and waiting without time spent on our busy weekdays.

I have to say, my favorite items around here are: the crock pot, the rice cooker, and the chest freezer. It makes it easier to cook in advance, when I have spare time. During those hectic days, I have the equivalent of “TV dinners” in the freezer, that are simple to pop in the oven.

The other thing I did Saturday was cook all the potatoes, and half the eggs, for salads.

I wasn’t always this organized when I first joined a CSA in 2010. We gave away quite a few items, and some rotted before use. It has taken three years to get to this state. Where I can efficiently use CSA items and make use of those frozen goodies.

This week, though, I need to find something more interesting to do with those lovely portobellos still in the fridge. They are really nice looking, and I am thinking about stuffing them. Or maybe a mushroom lasagna. I still have some Secolari noodles in the pantry.

Even when I plan, I get that urge to be creative. Great ingredients from our local sources make that easy, too.

hocofood@@@

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

The Sausage Inspired Frittata

Posted on January 18, 2014 by AnnieRie

The beef sausage just screamed, make something with eggs and sausage.

The Friends and Farms basket contained eggs, potatoes and sausage. All great ingredients to make a frittata (or a Spanish tortilla). The difference, flipping in a pan or finishing in an oven. I chose to finish in the oven.

My cast iron skillet has a cover that doubles as a shallow frying pan.

This morning I slow cooked the sausage in the oven. All of it. Half went into tonight’s dinner. The other half will be used in another dish. I also parboiled the potatoes we got. Peeled and sliced.

Some became potato salad. One went into this dish. Along with some chard from Harris Teeter and a few scallions.

The sausage, scallions and chard were all cooked first. Then I added five eggs that had been whisked with a splash of milk, salt, pepper, and herbs de Provence.

Cooked on the stove top until the bottom set, then finished in a 350 degree oven, sprinkled with Parmesan, cut and served with a salad.

The bibb lettuce from F&F also.

A simple Saturday night dinner, served with a Virginia wine.

Early Mountain does make one very flavorful Pinot Gris. It went well with the frittata.

A very good beginning to cooking with our new source for food. Thanks, Friends and Farms. Today, a frittata. Tomorrow, venison black bean chili.

hocofood@@@

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

Friends and Farms, Intro

Posted on January 16, 2014 by AnnieRie

My first “basket” from the local company bringing regional, seasonal foods to the area.

Friends and Farms.

Yes, I know. I was supposed to be in a winter CSA. They canceled due to lack of a minimum. It gave me an opportunity to try out Friends and Farms.

I have talked to them a few times. We shared exhibit space (I was volunteering for the Conservancy) at the Wellness Fair last summer. I wasn’t sure I wanted a meat, dairy, produce, fruit and fish supplier. But, they have great options. Like sample baskets. And, four week or thirteen week subscriptions. Individual, Small, Large, and Vegetarian options.

Flexibility to substitute. So, I signed up for a small basket, for four weeks. After my first pick up today, I will be using them until CSA season starts.

I really am impressed with what we get, and their use of regional suppliers from small farms, fish suppliers, butchers, bakers (I wonder if they have candle stick makers). Seriously, some familiar suppliers and some new finds.

I like having a few weeks advance planning calendar. Makes meal planning easier.

Enough words. What did we get? A small basket will supply 2 people for 2 or 3 meals daily.

First, the meat element.

Wayne Nell and Sons supplies much of their meats. We got chicken breasts, country style boneless pork ribs and beef sausage. You can opt out of pork if you wish.

Every other week you get a breakfast style meat with eggs. The opposite week it looks to be seafood and something else, like a cheese choice.

We don’t drink (well I don’t) milk, so we opted for the Pequea Valley yogurt option. This week we got Black Cherry. I could have substituted a different flavor if I didn’t like this one.

Eggs. An Individual Quick Frozen (IQF) butternut squash puree. I am thinking hummus maybe, or lasagna to use more of those lovely Pappardelle pepper lasagna noodles bought at Secolari the other day.

The rest.

Bibb lettuce. Hydroponic tomatoes. Potatoes (plus a bonus of a few sweet potatoes, as some of the white potatoes may have a bit of freeze damage on them). Two lovely Portobello mushrooms. Two pink grapefruit from FL. A bag of dried black beans. A jar of McCutcheon’s pickles.

And, bread from The Breadery. I chose the option of variety, instead of having them give me the same bread weekly. You pick a loaf from the assortment displayed. I chose 5 seed bread this week. You can also swap the bread if you are gluten free, or on a low carb regimen.

I really like the options. We already had bread with dinner tonight, and the beans will be soaked and cooked tomorrow.

Chicken stir fry this weekend. Egg salad sandwiches, using some pickles. A frittata with the beef sausage crumbled in it. Using some eggs. Potatoes.

This is exciting. I like the thought processes that put together the baskets.

Check them out. They have pick up spots all around Howard County, and they are really convenient on Gerwig Lane, just off Broken Land and Snowden River.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in CSA, Food, Friends and Farms, Howard County, Local Businesses, Locavore, Real Food, Winter Eat Local and tagged community, cooking, Food, Friends and Farms, Howard County, local businesses, Locavore. 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.

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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Posted in Food, Local Businesses and tagged cooking, Food, foodie, local businesses. 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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Posted in CSA, Food, Howard County, Nature, Weather and tagged cooking, CSA, Food, foodie, Howard County, nature, real food, weather. Bookmark the permalink.

The Birthday Dinner

Posted on December 29, 2013 by AnnieRie

OK, I already know I can cook better than most restaurants in the county. At least for 90% of the food available.

Today I easily made a feast. No real effort. Just good ingredients.

Starting with lobster.

Steamed lobster tails bought at Harris Teeter, and steamed here. Served with honey mustard butter.

Followed by sirloin tips from The Common Market in Frederick. Sides of tomatoes and potatoes. Tomatoes from Costco. Stuffed with basil and mozzarella. Potatoes from the CSA parboiled, then finished in the oven with honey mustard, onions, and mozzarella.

Served with a couple of lovely wines. One, the barrel select Chardonnay from Breaux. The other, a nine year old Merlot from California.

The rest of the white is in the fridge, waiting to be an aperitif tomorrow. The merlot. Later tonight will be dessert with some awesome dark chocolate bought at Roots.

This dinner, decadent as it was, was a fraction of the cost of going out. It took minimal effort to make. Fitting it in while watching the Ravens self destruct.

Seriously. Buy good ingredients. Make simple preparations. Serve with local wines.

hocofood@@@

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Posted in Food, Local Businesses, Uncategorized, Wine and tagged cooking, Food, foodie, real food, VA wine, wine. Bookmark the permalink.