Tag Archives: real food

Old Favorite, New Ingredient

Posted on

Frittata. With smoked scallops.

DSC_0005

Heading out to Roots today for cereal and coconut oil. Seeing smoked scallops.

I knew I wanted to elevate our frittata recipe to another level.

We had Swiss chard from our weekly Friends and Farms basket. Oven roasted tomatoes. Scallions. Parmesan.

DSC_0012

Cooking all that goodness on the stove and finishing it in the oven.

This was five eggs mixed with milk and Herbs de Provence. Poured in the pan before adding back sautéed scallions, chard and oven roasted tomatoes.

DSC_0017

Finished in a 350 degree oven. In an oven proof skillet.

Really. What could be a better local meal?

#hocofood

Grillin’ Tuna

Posted on

Hooray, springtime arrived for a day! It will probably be gone tomorrow but you know we should celebrate when we can.

My grilling choice was influenced by a post on a new local blog. The picture of the ahi reminded me we had lovely tuna steaks in the freezer, after a buying spree from Friends and Farms last month.

We chose some extra tuna and put it away anticipating a lovely day like today.

Turns out this was a really local feast. The tuna, green beans, green pepper, and sweet potato all came from F and F baskets.

DSC_0029

Add to that one awesome 2001 Elk Run Cabernet. That’s right. 2001.

DSC_0031

Who would have known that Maryland Cabernet could be soft, subtle and compliment the tuna so perfectly.

Grilling was a real joy today.

DSC_0017

Simple tuna. Brushed with Italian vinaigrette.

Veggie packet.

DSC_0020

Green beans from the IQF packet. Scallions. Green pepper. Sun dried tomato and garlic from the olive bar at Harris Teeter (seriously, get a container of stuff from them and use it everywhere). Italian vinaigrette for the marinade.

Spring may only be a day long around here, but tonight. Dinner was regional sourced, and excellent.

#hocofood

It’s Taco Time!

Posted on

Well, it will be this weekend. I have to make the corn tortillas for that to happen. Otherwise, we got all the fixings in this week’s basket from Friends and Farms.

Cilantro. Check.
Tomatoes. Check.
Jalapenos. Check.
Tri Tip Steak. Check.
Onions. Check.
Cheese to shred. Check.

DSC_0003

All I need is some lettuce and maybe some sour cream or guacamole. I also was thinking of some corn and black bean salsa, using that frozen corn.

Tonight though we made the fresh mahi mahi.

DSC_0014

I was going to grill, but it was too windy. I ended up baking the fish in a white wine and lemon olive oil sauce, with pepper. Baked a couple of potatoes. Mixed some corn with scallions and Rotel tomatoes with lime and cilantro. Added a bit of fresh cilantro.

Nice dinner.

We also got the usual, honey whole wheat bread and eggs. As for fruit and veggies, there were radishes, Swiss chard, green peppers and apples.

Meal planning made easy. There will be a frittata, too.

Not missing the grocery stores at all. I even picked up a container of unsalted butter to bake breakfast goodies next week for the community garden kick off meeting.

#hocofood

Processed Foods

Posted on

Since I stopped buying many processed foods and started cooking from scratch I now spend more time thinking ahead about what to make every week.

Meal planning and prepping foods, like the navy beans we got in this week’s basket from Friends and Farms.

DSC_0009 (2)

Taking the time to soak and cook the beans in advance means I will be able to make bean soup in the crockpot this weekend.

DSC_0003 (2)

The basket this week included quite a mix of items. Looks like some good St. Patrick’s Day meal options in there.

We got chicken breasts, pork sausage and pork hocks. I also caught the note on Facebook that they had a limited amount of lamb cubes available for purchase.

We got red cabbage and potatoes. Onions too. Green peppers. Tomato puree. Lettuce and grape tomatoes for a salad. Apples to use with that red cabbage.

This was a yogurt week. And eggs. And a baguette.

Almost no need to go to a grocery store anymore. Just a few staples needed to make meals.

DSC_0006 (2)

If there is one place that I am enjoying this experience, it is in the quality of the food, particularly the meats.

Just the right size for two people. Really fresh.

I am making a lamb stew next week. Navy bean soup tomorrow. A frittata with the eggs and sausage and potatoes. Red cabbage with apples.

In our world these days, the only thing I seem to ever buy in the frozen food aisle at Harris Teeter is the gelato.

I like the way I have changed how I cook. Thanks to the seasonal, regional goodies, and my freezer.

#hocofood

Beef! It is What’s For Dinners

Posted on

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.

DSC_0001

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.

DSC_0009

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.

DSC_0008

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

Served over the rice.

DSC_0014

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

Monkfish Stew

Posted on

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.

DSC_0019

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.

DSC_0021

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.

DSC_0001

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

Apples. And a couple of quick frozen veggies.

DSC_0006

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.

DSC_0002

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.

DSC_0004

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@@@

Pizza? Frittata?

Posted on

So, what is it?

DSC_0016 (2)

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

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

DSC_0004

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.

DSC_0001

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!

DSC_0009 (2)

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

hocofood@@@

Bracing? For A Storm

Posted on

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.

DSC_0012

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.

DSC_0014

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.

DSC_0037

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.

DSC_0044

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.

hocoblogs@@@

This Week’s Basket

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?

DSC_0001

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.

DSC_0002

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.

DSC_0006

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

DSC_0008

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.

DSC_0020

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?

DSC_0025

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@@@

Cabin Fever

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

DSC_0043

… 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@@@