A Swerve from Healthful Eating -- Cheesecake!

A BIG, BIG swerve, but, oh! so good!

I love cheesecake, but am too lazy to make a full-size one.  I found this recipe by Paula Deen in her cookbook Christmas with Paula Deen & couldn't resist making them.  A new favorite for me!

Cheesecake Cupcakes

24 cupcakes

3 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla

TOPPING:

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Kiwi/Strawberry slices, fruit topping or jam

Line muffin cups with paper liners.  In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until very smooth.  Add the sugar & mix well.  Add eggs & vanilla.  Mix well.  Fill cups about 1/2 full.  Bake 25 minutes until set & golden brown.

Make topping: Combine sour cream, sugar & vanilla.  Stir well with rubber spatula.  Spoon about 2 teaspoon on top of each cupcake & return to oven for 5 minutes to glaze.  Remove & cool completely.  Store in a container with lid in the refrigerator until ready to serve.  Before serving, decorate with fruit.  Serve at room temperature.

Beets are In Season!

Photo Credit: Honey Beets

Beets are in season -- in Florida -- and we are loving them again!  I loved the serving idea of placing the beets on top of the green butterhead leaves in the photo above.  The colors are vibrant & so appealing.

Here's the link to a previous posted recipe of ours.  Roasted Beets 

Don't forget to eat the beet greens!  Rinse & dry them & toss them in with other salad greens.  We combined them with butterhead & red oakleaf.  The greens have a stronger flavor (very good for you), but like arugula & watercress, when combined with other greens, the flavor mellows out.

Homemade Beef Stew

This really isn't an advertisement for Staub Cookware! (But, I would highly recommend this Dutch Oven!!) I love it.  It was one of our fabulous wedding presents.

We are still enjoying "cozy" foods, so here's a definite one.  It requires about 2 hours of simmering so plan accordingly.  However, you can do this ahead, if preferred.  This is just a simple recipe, but a keeper.  It's adapted from my friend, Betty, again!  I made cornbread in an iron skillet to go with the stew & supper was a hit.

(Haha -- I see that my ladle didn't grab any beef for the picture!  Sorry about that -- no retake -- stew is gone!)

Homemade Beef Stew

1 lb lean beef stew meat

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

3 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 medium carrots, cut into 1" pieces

1 large potato, cut into bite-size chunks

2 medium stalks of celery, cut into 1/2" pieces

1 small onion, chopped (or sliced)

1 teaspoon salt

2 dried bay leaves **

1/2 cup cold water

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Cut & discard most of the fat from the beef.  Cut any bigger pieces into 1-inch cubes.  Heat the oil in a large Dutch Oven (or stock pot) over medium-high heat 1 to 2 minutes.  Cook the beef in the oil about 15 minutes, stirring  occasionally.  The goal is to get good browning, which promotes flavor.  Any little brown crisps are welcome!

Remove from heat & add water, 1/2 teaspoon salt & the pepper.  Heat to boiling over high heat.  Once mixture is boiling, reduce heat just enough so mixture bubbles gently.  Cover & cook 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until beef is almost tender.

Prepare the vegetables, peeling & cutting.  (TIP FOR DOING AHEAD: If you like, you can place all the vegetables in a bowl & cover with water. After finishing softening the beef, take the Dutch Oven off the heat, still covered.  I have actually left the house for up to two hours, returned home, and continued on with recipe from here.  I almost feel like the beef is more tender having set like this.)

Add the vegetables (if you covered the vegetables with water in the do-ahead part, drain off the water), 1 teaspoon salt & bay leaves into the beef mixture.  If you are in the mood, add a splash of dry red wine.  Cover & cook about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.  Remove the bay leaves.  Shake the cold water & flour in a jar.  Gradually stir into the mixture.  Heat to boiling over high heat, stirring constantly.  Continue boiling 1 minute, stirring constantly, until thickened.  Serve bowls, allowing some cooling.

** If you ever can snag a Laurel Bay plant, do it!  When I lived up north, I kept one in the house.  Here in Florida, I keep one in my herb garden.  The flavor is wonderful.  I use the leaves fresh.  I also enjoy drying them & giving them in jars as small gifts. 

A Simple, Pineapple Gift

I was gifted this one Christmas season & I fell in love with the idea. 

So simple, so fresh, so good!

Teeny, Tiny Usefulness

First off, Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!  Looking forward to some good family time & good eating.

Likely, we will all be ready to get back to greens & kale soon!

Wanted to quickly share a teeny, tiny addition in my kitchen that I am using all the time.

It's a little shot glass measuring cup that measures up to 6 tsps or 2 Tbsps.  I love it!  I am one of these cooks that likes to measure out all my ingredients before I start cooking/baking.  I actually have two of these & they are so handy for that.  This is a perfect little gift/stocking stuffer.

One caveat: do not wash in the dishwasher if you use LemiShine or something similar.  You will soon have a whiskey shot glass instead of a measuring cup!  The writing will come off.  I actually contacted Anchor about this & they said that they are working on printing that can withstand the lemon -- interesting.  Anyway, I don't mind washing them for their usefulness!

Dutch Oven Shepherd's Pie

With the cooler weather, Freddie & I have both been craving "comfort foods".  I had checked out this cookbook at the library (one of my favorite genres!) & found the Shepherd's Pie recipe.  I remember my mother making this often after Sundays when we had leftover mashed potatoes.  Believe it or not, when I was sick in my first trimester, this was my only dinner request from my mother-in-law.  So, we have fallen in love with this recipe & it's becoming a weekly dinner.  We have tried both lamb & beef.  Though we love lamb, we actually prefer the beef here.

Dutch Oven Shepherd's Pie
Serves 6 to 8
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

TOPPING:
2 pounds russet potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled & cubed
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup whole milk, warmed
Ground black pepper
2 large egg yolks

FILLING:
2 pounds ground lamb or beef
1 tablespoon butter
2 medium onions, minced
2 carrots, peeled & cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 cup frozen peas
Salt & ground black pepper

FOR THE TOPPING: Heat oven to 400F. Put potatoes & 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large pan & add water to cover. Bring to a boil then reduce to a gentle simmer & cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 15-20 minutes. Prepare filling while waiting.

Drain the potatoes well, return them to the pot over low heat & mash thoroughly with a potato masher. Off the heat, fold in the butter until melted, then stir in the warm milk & season with salt & pepper to taste. Stir in the yolks.

FOR THE FILLING: Cook the meat in a Dutch oven over medium heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink. Drain through a strainer, discarding the juice & fat. Let sit.

Add the butter, onions & carrots to the Dutch oven & cook over medium heat until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic & thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour & tomato paste & cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the broth & Worcestershire sauce, scraping up any browned bits & smoothing out any lumps. Bring to a simmer & cook until thickened, 3 to 5 minutes.

Off the heat, stir in the drained meat & peas, season with salt & pepper to taste & smooth the filling into an even layer. Dollop the potato topping over the filling, then spread it into an even layer, covering the filling completely & anchoring the potatoes to the sides of the pot.

Bake until the top is light golden, 20 to 25 minutes (takes less time if all ingredients are hot). Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Pssst.....

It's a BOY!

Maybe another little farmer...let the lettuce keep growing!



Lemon Meringue Pie

Lemons seem appropriate on this blog, although I'm not sure about lemon pie!

However, Joey of Moore Pigs at Fernandina Market gave us these wonderful lemons from his tree last week.  Pie was the first thing that popped into my mind.  Oh, how delicious!

My Favorite Pie Crust

~Makes about 3 crusts~

2 cups flour

1 cup butter Crisco

1/2 cup water

1 Tablespoon sugar

dash of salt

dash of baking powder

Whisk flour, sugar, salt & baking powder.  Cut in Crisco with a pastry blender.  Stir in water with rubber spatula.  Dough is extremely sticky.  Divide in half and wrap each half loosely in waxed paper.  Put in freezer to chill a bit.  Flour a pastry cloth generously (if you don't have a pastry cloth go buy one!! It makes pie crust 400% easier).  Roll out dough bigger than pie pan.  Picking up pastry cloth by two adjoining corners, fold crust in half.  Using the same method, fold again making the pastry a quarter size.  This transfers & unfolds easily in the pie pan.  Trim edge and flute.  Prick bottom & sides for this baked pie crust. Bake 475 F for about 8-10 minutes, until brown.  Cool on wire rack. This is one of those recipes where I wish I could 'demonstrate' instead of write down!

**** I cut the recipe in half for this pie.  It made one 9" pie crust and then I froze a little personal crust for Freddie for later -- he's happy! ****

Lemon Meringue Pie

(My Friend: Betty Crocker!)

Baked Pie Crust

3 large egg yolks

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

1-1/2 cups water

3 Tablespoons butter

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

1/2 cup lemon juice

Heat oven to 400 F. Beat egg yolks with fork in small bowl.  Mix sugar & cornstarch in saucepan.  Gradually stir in water.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens & boils.  Boil & stir 1 minute.  Immediately stir at least half of the hot mixture into egg yolks; stir back into hot mixture in saucepan.  Boil & stir 1 minute; remove from heat.  Stir in butter, lemon peel & lemon juice.  Pour into pie crust.  Prepare Meringue (see below) & spoon onto pie filling, sealing edges firmly.  Use back of spoon to make peaks.  Bake 8-12 minutes or until meringue is light brown.  Cool.  Cover & refrigerate cooled pie until serving.

Meringue

3 large egg whites

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

6 heaping tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat egg whites & cream of tartar in medium bowl with  electric mixer on high speed until foamy.  Beat in sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time; continue beating until stiff & glossy.  Do not under beat.  Beat in vanilla.

*** Next time, I will 1-1/2 this recipe.  I think the pie would have been prettier with more meringue.***

Jerk Shrimp & Quinoa Salad

This is hands-down one of Freddie & my favorite dishes!

Our only complaint is that it is over so quickly!!

This recipe comes from www.iowagirleats.com with a few personal adaptions.

Jerk Seasoning Blend:

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 Tablespoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1/8 teaspoon allspice

Jerk Shrimp & Quinoa:

1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed very well

1-1/4 cups chicken broth

1-1/2 lb peeled & de-veined shrimp

1 recipe of Jerk Seasoning Blend (see above)

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 to 1-1/2 cup of chopped fruit (see note below)

4 green onions, chopped

2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro

Quinoa Dressing:

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 Tablespoons orange juice (or reserved pineapple juice)

Combine rinsed quinoa & broth in a pot.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer covered on low heat until all the broth has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. (Or use a rice cooker -- easy!)  Spread the quinoa out onto a big plate to cool.  (I usually do this step at lunch if I'm having it for supper.)

Combine cooled quinoa with chopped fruit, green onions & cilantro.  Whisk dressing & pour on top of the quinoa.  Toss & chill while preparing the shrimp.

Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.  Place in large bowl.  Add olive oil & Jerk Seasoning blend.  Toss to coat.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Spray with non-stick spray, then cook shrimp for 1-2 minutes a side, or until cooked through.  (Enjoy the aroma ~ it will draw the household to the kitchen!)

Serve plates with shrimp on top of the quinoa.

NOTE: I have used a variety of fruits, usually what I have on hand -- definitely involve citrus.  I always use mandarin oranges & pineapple.  However, I limit the pineapple because of the acid.  Strawberries are a beautiful addition when available.  Grapes are nice & I have used kiwi, as well.  Be creative - but don't forget the mandarin oranges & pineapple!

Fruit Wash-up

Well, I'm back to cooking (clap for Freddie)!  I was given several new recipes from our customers the past couple weeks so I'm excited to try them & then share them here.  Meanwhile, I stumbled on this fruit wash-up on Pinterest.  The idea & picture originally came from www.aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com (a very interesting blog that I am enjoying).

Last week after returning from the grocery, I cleaned my kitchen sink and filled it with water and one cup of white vinegar.  In went all the fruit, which included apples, grapes, grapefruit, oranges & lemons.  After letting them soak a while (she suggests 10 minutes but I think mine were forsaken for a little longer than that), I rinsed and dried each off.  The residue in the water was most alarming!  The best part was that my "fruit" drawer in the refrigerator was full of items that we could take out and immediately sink our teeth into.  Perhaps I need to get as wise with my vegetables now!

A Perfect Gift -- and not just another cookbook!

A special friend of mine gifted me this cookbook when I was about 30 years old.  Up until this time, I had not needed to have any cooking expertise (I escaped it that long :).  I always said I didn't enjoy cooking but I realize in hindsight that it was simply because I didn't know how.  I read this book from front to back.  It is most interesting (even for the experienced cook), starting with giving a list of the essential equipment & tools of any kitchen, a list of the three basic knives, etc.  One particular section that I love is the vegetable pages.  The book takes one vegetable per page teaching you how to buy & prepare it and ways to it cook (with times!).  I'm blushing, but it was with this book that I learned to make mashed potatoes!  I can say now that I've come far beyond that & love to cook!

Here's a very condensed list of recipes from the book that are now my standbys (and pretty much committed to memory):

Potato Soup (yes, you've seen that on this blog)
Broccoli Soup
Orange-Glazed Pork Chops
Fried Rice
Potato Salad
Roasted Garlic
Spanish Rice
Beef Stew

(The only recipe that I did not care for was Turkey Salad with Fruit.)

So, if you need a gift for a new bride or graduate, this is perfect!  And if you want to take a peek for yourself, check it out at the library. (ISBN: 9-780028-624518)

RAM -- October 5th

We will NOT be attending RAM October 5th.  We apologize for any inconvenience.  We will be at the Market in Fernandina on 7th & Centre.

October 5th:

(The sidebar saved function is impaired!)

Butterhead Lettuce
Romaine Lettuce
Red Oakleaf Lettuce (LIMITED)

Kale (Curly & Dinosaur)
Baby Bok Choy 

Mini-Seedless Cucumbers
Watercress
Baby Arugula

Live Herbs:
A Variety

Apology & Confession

Hello from such a long time ago!  I keep telling Freddie that I must write a little blurp to fill in the long silence.  I have not forgotten this blog & have every intention of keeping it up.  However, we have had a little interruption in our routine.  We have a new 'crop' planted & it should be harvested late March -- a baby!  And with that has come three months of nausea & total food aversions.  Poor Freddie, my usual love of cooking has been completely gone!  I tried to do what I could with the blog but even the pictures made my stomach churn.  So here goes to hoping I've rounded the bend and Freddie can eat decent again & I can blog again!!  Thanks for your patience.

Watercress & Pepita Salad

This is a delicious salad recipe from one of our customers.  Cress has a very strong peppery taste, but the dressing on this salad compliments it well.  We really enjoyed it.  We also tried using a sweet red wine vinegar dressing, but the sweetness seemed to make the cress stand out too much.

---------------

It's easy to feel extremely healthy consuming this salad!!

Watercress & Pepita Salad

Serves 6

1/3 cup toasted pepitas

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp ground cumin

3 tbsp olive oil

coarse salt & pepper

1-1/2 lb watercress, tough stems removed

In a large bowl, combine vinegar & cumin.  Whisk in oil.  Season with salt & pepper. (Dressing will keep 2 days covered in the refrigerator.)  Mix with cress & top with pepitas.

"Unprocessing Foods" -- Entry 6 Cream of Chicken Soup

I was so excited when I stumbled on a recipe for Cream of Chicken soup, just like Campbell's.  Not only does it eliminate one more processed food, but also it allows me to make it gluten-free (& dairy-free if needed).  This recipe comes from www.iowagirleats.com.

This finishes my New's Year Resolutions of eliminating six processed foods.  However, I have found more & will keep going!

Cream of Chicken Soup

Yields: 1 can

1-1/4 cup chicken broth

3/4 cup milk

6 T flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp dried parsley (or 3/4 tsp fresh)

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp dried oregano (or 3/4 tsp fresh)

1/8 tsp dried basil (or abt 1/4 tsp fresh)

Bring broth to a boil in a small saucepan.  Meanwhile, whisk together the milk, flour & seasonings in a separate bowl.  Once broth is boiling, turn heat to medium & slowly pour in the milk mixture.  Whisk constantly until thickened about 2-3 minutes.  Let cool.

"Eating on the Wild Side"

Here's a book I have on my "To Read" list.  I wish I had read it already & had a review for you.  Freddie was listening to NPR the other day & the author, Jo Robinson, was on Fresh Air.  He was sharing a little with me.  One of the interesting facts was about vegetable/fruit peelings.  She claims that most of the nutrients are in the peelings (specifically mentioning carrots).  I am assuming that she promotes buying organic/pesticide-free produce.  I believe this is one of the reasons people peel vegetables.

Therefore, this week we enjoyed Scalloped Potatoes & Ham with the peels intact.  It was just as delicious.  Also, we had Carrot & Raisin Salad -- carrots scrubbed but peels intact. (Note: I always buy organic carrots & celery as much for the flavor as anything.)

I will let you know when I finish the book!

"Unprocessing Foods" -- Entry 5 (Breakfast Cereals)

Who would ever think you could give up breakfast cereals -- a product that takes up an entire line in the grocery store & a good portion of the budget!  Well, we've done it.  Fortunately, we enjoy eggs & oatmeal.  However, I have stumbled on a breakfast that I have more than anything else.  I actually look forward to it.  My "Bowl" almost looks like a dessert.  Yummmm, it's about as delicious.

Here's my Combo:

a heaping 1/4 cup of old fashioned oatmeal

about 2 Tbsp of ground flax seed

a good handful of walnuts (or almonds sometimes)

a dollop of homemade strawberry jam

a good portion of plain Greek yogurt

Stir it all together & enjoy!

I use the jam for sweetener.  If you do not use plain yogurt, you may not need the jam.

(PS/ My sister is sending me her homemade yogurt recipe so hopefully by the end of the year I'll also have that!)

BBQ Pork Tenderloin

BBQ always reminds me of summer!  We enjoyed this pulled pork recipe last week.  A crockpot works great to keep the meat moist.  I looked at several recipes on the Internet & between them all came up with the following.

BBQ Pork Tenderloin

3 lbs pork tenderloin

8 oz BBQ sauce

1 small onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalepeno pepper, seeds removed

Place pork in crockpot.  Season with salt & pepper.  Add the garlic, onion & pepper.  Pour BBQ sauce over meat.  Cook on low for 6-7 hours.  When meat is done, use two forks to pull it apart.  Serve with hamburger buns.

I had a 2.2 lb loin & cooked it for 4.5 hours.  It was perfect.

Vegetable Dip , plus Lawry's Seasoning Salt Recipe

We were invited to a lovely potluck last week.  The hostess asked if we could bring a vegetable platter -- how fitting for us!  I always try to bring something healthy to a potluck, as we are not big dessert eaters & there seems to always be plenty of those.  We are not veggie dip people either, but I went scouring the Internet for some homemade recipes, realizing that most others enjoy it.  I adapted the following recipe from www.food.com  If you do not have access to fresh herbs, the substitution is 3:1 (fresh to dried).  Therefore for example, if your recipe calls for 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, chop up 3 teaspoons of fresh oregano.

Vegetable Dip

1 cup mayonnaise

1 cup sour cream

1 Tbsp dried onion flakes

3 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

3 tsp fresh dill, chopped

1 tsp seasoning salt (**)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

-----------------------------

Lawry's Seasoning Salt

2 Tbsp salt

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cornstarch

I put my extra seasoning salt in an empty glass herb container.  I plan on using it tonight on our fresh tilapia.  I do not know who to credit with the seasoning salt recipe -- it was all over the Internet, so kudos to whoever is responsible!

"Unprocessing" Foods -- Entry 4 (Shredded Cheese)

Over half of the year is gone & I must finish out my New Year's Resolution of ridding our cabinets of six processed foods.  The list thus far goes as follows:

1.) Jams & Jellies

2.) Salad Dressings

3.) Taco Seasoning

4.) Shredded Cheese

Though shredded cheese is extremely tempting for its convenience, I have resolved to take the extra time to shred my own.  If I have a small amount to shred, I use my hand shredder.  If I have more, I use my Cuisinart Food Processor.  Personally, I do not like to do it ahead of time as it just doesn't seem as fresh.  Pre-packaged shredded cheese has a powdery substance to keep it from clumping.  I have been shredding my own cheese now for some time & don't even think twice about it.  Well worth the little effort!

A Fish Supper after a Day's Work

What can get much better than supper at home?

(Perhaps someone to do clean-up duty! My husband stars in that department.)

Sometimes coming in after a day of farm work, only my desire for a good meal motivates me to get cooking.  This particular evening I did not have anything specific in my mind for supper.  After taking inventory, this is what we had & enjoyed so much.

Whiting fillets with tomato, lemon & parsley

Black Japonica Rice

Fresh salad with Michigan dried cherries

Wash the fillets & rub with melted butter.  Sprinkle with garlic salt.  Mince fresh parsley & sprinkle over fillets.  Slice tomatoes & lemon, reserving a portion of the lemon.  With the reserved lemon, squeeze juice over all the fish.  Layer lemon & tomato slices.  Bake 400 F for about 10 minutes.

Fish should easily flake with fork with done.  Do NOT overcook fish -- it dries out & gets tough.  Perfectly baked fish should be very moist. 

Cook rice in chicken broth.  Sprinkle with lemon juice, if desired, once done.

Enjoy salad with Freddie's favorite dressing.

http://greatlettuce.blogspot.com/2013/04/freddies-favorite-salad-dressing.html

Tuna & Watercress Quiche

Watercress surfaces again!  Someone at market told me about ANDI scoring: Aggregate Nutritional Density Index.  Foods are scored from 1 to 1000 according to their nutritional density.  There are three foods (ie, Superfoods) that score a perfect 1000.  Can you guess them? (I'll post it at the bottom.)

After learning its terrific nutritional value, I decided to explore more watercress dishes.  I checked out the website I mentioned in a previous post (watercress.co.uk).  Though fresh watercress is quite strong-flavored, when cooked the flavor mixes in well.  (Please note, the full nutritional value comes when it is eaten raw.  Nothing wrong with tossing it in your salad!)  This recipe was a nice, elegant twist.  Freddie's response: This is very British.  And he can say that since he is 1/2 English!  We would like to try it again using salmon.

Tuna & Watercress Quiche

(adapted by yours truly)

4 oz (a little less than 1 cup) flour

1 oz Parmesan cheese, grated

2 oz (1/2 stick) butter, cubed & softened

1/3 cup watercress packed, finely chopped

2 egg

1 cup milk or cream

5 oz can tuna, drained

1 tbsp fresh dill, chopped

Preheat oven to 400F.  Rub flour, chesse & butter together.  Bind with a little cold water. (I used maybe a scant tablespoon.  Add little by little until you can work with the dough.)  Roll out & line the bottom of 4 individual flan dishes.  Mix cress, egg & cream.  Divide tuna amongst flan dishes.  Sprinkle with dill, salt & pepper.  Pour egg mixture into each.  Do not be afraid to pour clear to the top.  Place dishes on cookie sheet.  Bake 25-30 minutes until lightly browned & set.

ANSWER:  Watercress, Kale & Mustard/Turnip/Collard greens.  Baby Bok Choy comes 4th, scoring 824.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/healthy-eating/health-starts-here/resources-and-tools/top-ten-andi-scores#greenvegetables

A Sunday Supper

So fresh, so good!

Our first tomato from our garden.

Arugula, Avocado, Tomato & Egg

Seared Coriander Scallops with Bok Choy and Hoisin

One of the things I love about Market is recipe swapping!  This one came from a great customer & friend of ours.  Thanks, Diane.  We asked where to get fresh scallops & she suggested here:



So, Freddie & I took the Mayport ferry over & found this market.  We picked up these fresh scallops for our supper.  (A good tip for the Seafood Market: Ask what was brought in that day.)

This recipe created a beautiful, delicious dish!  Next time I make this, I would double the bok choy. 

Seared Coriander Scallops with Bok Choy & Hoisin

2 servings

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

2 tbsp hoisin sauce **

2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger

10 large sea scallops

1 tbsp coriander seeds, coarsely crushed

2 tsp oriental sesame oil

2 baby bok choy, each cut lengthwise into eighths

2 tbsp water

Whisk orange juice, hoisin sauce, and ginger in small bowl.  Pat scallops dry on paper towels.  Sprinkle coriander seeds over top of scallops, pressing to adhere.

Heat sesame oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat.  Add scallops, coriander side down, and cook just until opaque in center, turning once, about 1-1/2 minutes per side.  Transfer scallops to plate.  Add bok choy & 2 tbsp of water to skillet; saute until wilted, about 2 minutes.  Using tongs, divide bok choy between 2 plates, then top with scallops.  Add hoisin mixture to same skillet; boil until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 2 minutes.  Drizzle sauce over scallops & bok choy.

** I substituted a homemade hoisin sauce, as follows:

2 Tbsp soy sauce

1/2 Tbsp peanut butter

1/2 Tbsp honey

1 tsp white vinegar

1/16 tsp (think that would be a quick dash!) garlic powder

1/16 tsp onion powder

10 drops chinese hot sauce (skipped since we are wimps)

1/16 tsp black pepper

Since we really enjoyed the recipe, I'll buy hoisin sauce next time.  I believe this recipe originated from www.epicurious.com

Tomato Bisque

Our neighboring vendor at market, Olive Affairs, was serving samples yesterday of their tomato bisque soup.  Served cold as gazpacho, it was extremely refreshing on our very humid (but happy) Market Day. 

A pleasant surprise when we took a bite...our mini cucumbers plus red onion & celery were chopped up in it!  We came home & made some ourselves.

No-Knead Wholegrain Bread

I love to experiment with new recipes.  Most we enjoy but do not use again.  Here and there, one surfaces that gets a special place in my personal cookbook.  This one definitely made it!  I bake bread every week & use the same recipe.  However this time, I wanted to bring a loaf to some special friends of our's.  I had come on this recipe in the magazine "Mary Janes Farm" & thought that I would give it a try.  It was fabulous (& extremely simple).  The outside crust is crunchy & the inside is soft & chewy.  The only key is thinking ahead, as the dough rises for a long time.  I adapted a few things from the original recipe.

No-Knead Wholegrain Bread

3 cups flour, plus a little extra

1/4 cup oats

1 T flax seeds

1/8 cup quinoa

1/2 tsp dry yeast, heaping

1-1/4 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp sugar

Cornmeal, as needed

Add yeast to 1-1/2 cup warm water. (It justs needs to be warm enough to dissolve the yeast.  Too hot, the yeast is killed.  I microwave my water for 40 seconds & then add yeast.)  Whisk & let sit.  In another bowl, combine flour, oats, flax seeds, quinoa, salt & sugar.  Whisk water/yeast mixture again.  Once completely dissolved, add to the dry ingredients.  Add another 1-1/2 cup water -- room temperature.  Dough should be shaggy & sticky.  Add more water if needed.  Cover with plastic wrap & let rest 12-18 hours at room temperature.  (The dough needs to rise slowly.)  Preheat oven to 350 F with a 3 qt Dutch oven inside.  While heating, lightly flour a work surface and scrape dough onto the flour.  Sprinkle a bit of additional flour onto the dough (only enough so you can work with it.)  Fold the dough over itself a couple of times.  Let rest until oven is preheated.  Remove the pan & sprinkle cornmeal in the bottom.  Place the dough in the pot & set lid on top.  Bake for 35 minutes with the lid on.  Remove lid & bake an additional 10 minutes, turning the oven up to 400 F.  When bread is browned on top, remove it from the pot & cool on a rack.

Watercress Soup

One of our British customers has given us fabulous ideas for watercress.  One website she suggested was watercress.co.uk   A friend of hers wrote a cookbook, The Ballymaloe Cookbook.  In it is a perfect watercress soup recipe.  We have made it -- eaten it both hot & cold.  We have used the traditional cress:

And, the upland cress variety:

The upland has a much more peppery taste & I would suggest it for this recipe.

Watercress Soup

2 oz butter (1/2 stick)

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped potato

5 cups chopped watercress

2-1/2 cups water

2-1/2 cups creamy milk

1 egg yolk

1 tbsp thick cream

salt & pepper

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan.  When it foams add potatoes & onions & turn them until well coated.  Sprinkle with salt & pepper.  cover & sweat on a gentle heat for 10 minutes.  Add the watercress, water & milk.  Boil until soft.  Liquidize (we put ours in a food processor).  Do not overcook or vegetables will lose their flavor.  Beat in the thick cream mixed with the egg yolk just before serving.  It must not boil again, or the yolk will curdle.  Garnish: a spoon of whipped cream & a watercress leaf.

NOTE:  In the summer, the soup is super chilled!



Okra Season

Here's my first okra of the season!  We no longer grow tomatoes & okra in our greenhouses so I decided to plant a few in my own little garden.  Last week, I got to pick my first one!  I read that you can store them unwashed in a Ziploc bag for up to four days in the refrigerator.  This will work well while I "collect" of few!  Next year, I think I'll plant a couple more plants. 

My absolute favorite way to eat okra is extremely easy to prepare.  Chop off the stem end & then slice them crosswise about 1/4" thick.  Put them in a mixing bowl & sprinkle them with coarse cornmeal.  The cornmeal sticks to the "goo" giving them a good coating.  Sprinkle with salt.  Then, put a very small amount of oil in a non-stick pan & saute them until brown.  Delish!! 

Moving into Blueberry Season ~

Photo: http://yourmedguide.com/wp-content/uploads/blogger/-HDJTfcKuokM/TexwO0cl2HI/AAAAAAAACxU/l2HNo9vEecs/s1600/blueberry.jpg

Saturday we were gifted organic blueberries from the Harriets Bluff Farm booth which was at the Fernandina Market.  Beyond YUM!  We couldn't resist popping a few in our mouth right at market.  I am thrilled that blueberry season is back.  I don't think anything beats eating them fresh!

However, Sunday night I got a hankering for pancakes.  What comes next....blueberry sauce!  Here's our old family standby recipe, plus a great waffle recipe.

Blueberry Sauce

1/2 cup sugar

1 Tbsp cornstarch

1/3 cup water

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries

In saucepan, combine sugar & cornstarch.  Gradually stir in water. 

Add blueberries; bring to boil over medium heat.  Stir until thickened.

Yield: 2 cups

Delicious Oatmeal Waffles

2 eggs

2 cups buttermilk

1 cup quick oats

1 Tbsp molasses

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

Combine eggs & buttermilk. Mix in oats. Stir in molasses & oil.  Mix flour, salt, baking soda & baking powder in a separate bowl.  Then, add to mixture.  Fry on waffle iron.

Yield: Approx. 16 squares

"Unprocessing" Foods -- Entry 3 (Taco Seasoning)



Here is my third food to "unprocess", taking me halfway through my New Year's Resolution! (http://greatlettuce.blogspot.com/2013/03/unprocessing-foods-entry-1.html)  I adapted some recipes to fit our personal taste.  We are not keen on too spicy of foods.  You may like to give it a kick with red pepper flakes.

Taco Seasoning

For 1 lb of beef or chicken.

2-1/2 tsp chili powder

3/4 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp pepper

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp dried oregano

(can substitute 1/2 tsp fresh cut oregano)

Combine spices & pour on meat.  Add 1/4 cup water & cook until thickened.

50th Annual Shrimp Festival

May 3, 4 & 5

http://www.shrimpfestival.com/

There will be NO Fernandina Farmer's Market

on 7th & Centre this coming Saturday.

Enjoy your weekend & be safe!

(We will be at RAM in Jacksonville, 10 am - 4 pm.)

**Starring: Thai Basil**

Photo: http://www.thekitchn.com/spicy-robust-heavenly-thai-basil-ingredient-spotlight-174618

Introducing...Thai Basil.  Though this herb shares it name with the common Sweet Basil, it possesses a flavor & fragrance all its own.  When customers linger by our herbs at the stand, I will often ask them to rub a leaf & sniff.  The reaction is always the same -- Mmmm!  Thai basil smells very much like licrorice & is most often associated with Asian cooking.  Like other varieties of basil, it is not an herb that should be cooked, but rather tossed in at the end of cooking. 

Recently, we made stirfry (for the recipe see:  http://greatlettuce.blogspot.com/2011/12/starring-bok-choy.html ).  We made some slight changes that enhanced the flavors tremendously.  Instead of olive oil, we used sesame oil.  We used baby bok choy, separating the leaves & stems.  The leaves were tossed in later as we were putting the sauce in the wok.  Before serving, we mixed in about 2 tsp of freshly chopped Thai Basil.  The combination of flavors was perfect.

Grilled Chicken with Fresh Guacamole

Last night, our supper just happened & it was delicious!  I marinated chicken breasts in Italian dressing during the afternoon.  I always cut the pieces in half lengthwise -- it seems to makes the chicken more moist.  While Freddie was grilling, I browsed through my leftover foods.  (Tuesday is grocery shopping day -- besides the produce we pick up at Market on Saturdays -- so by Monday night it gets to be slim-picking around here!)  I took a perfectly ripe avocado & mashed it.  Then, I added half the juice of a lime, about 1/4 cup of chopped tomato, about 1/4 cup of red onion diced very small & garlic salt to taste.  The guacamole went on top of the grilled chicken beside mashed potatoes and a salad  -- Butterhead & Red Oakleaf topped with dried cherries from MI and dressed with my favorite dressing. http://greatlettuce.blogspot.com/2013/03/unprocessing-foods-entry-2.html 

YUM!

Wilted Swiss Chard Salad

March & April brings the Northern Spring Breakers down.  We have enjoyed visits from several old friends & relatives recently.  One family brought us fresh farm eggs from her father's hens -- all the way from Illinois.  Of course, I am not partial to Illinois or anything!  They have been delicious.  We used them in this scrumptious salad.  We also used some of Ava's rainbow chard.

A beautiful, delicious supper.

(This recipe comes from our new cookbook:  http://greatlettuce.blogspot.com/2013/03/unprocessing-foods-entry-2.html)

2 Tbsp butter, divided

2-1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided

1-1/2 cups 1/2-inch pieces French bread baguette

1 large onion, sliced

2 Tbsp dry white wine

2 eggs

8 cups Swiss chard, stemmed, leaves torn into 4-inch pieces

1 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Melt 1 Tbsp butter with 1 Tbsp olive oil in a heavy large well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the baguette pieces & saute until golden brown & toasted, about 7 minutes.  Transfer the croutons to a bowl.

Melt 1/2 Tbsp butter with 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in the same skillet (no need to wash) over medium-low heat.  Add the onion & saute until browned & very tender, about 15 minutes.

Add the wine & stir until it evaporates & the onions are very tender & caramelized, about 5 minutes.  Push the onions to one side of the skillet.  Add the remaining 1/2 Tbsp butter to the other side of the skillet.  Crack the eggs into the skillet & fry until the whites are set on the bottom, about 1 minute.

Carefully turn the eggs over & fry until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, about 1 minute longer.  (Cook longer if you want hard eggs.)  Carefully transfer the eggs to a small plate.

Increase the heat to medium.  Quickly add the chard to the skillet with the onions & drizzle with the remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil & the vinegar.  Toss the chard until just wilted & remove from the heat.  Mix in the croutons.  Divide the chard mixture between 2 shallow bowls.  Top the hot salad with the eggs & season with salt & pepper.  Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired, and serve.