Food Talk

[KathyS]

I thought we could start a new thread, just for food talk...sharing recipes, or thoughts on how to use what is harvested...think produce and more, like flowers and herbs!  If it is grown, and eaten....whatever nature will give us.....it's share time!

[TiggerBear]

Wow totaly miss you asked for this. It's work, but not hard.

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Squash soup

2 carrots small diced

1 onion small diced

2 celery stalks small diced

4 button mushrooms chopped

2 to 3 pealed raw (butternut, acorn, ugly, pumpkin- just not spegetti) squash med diced

3/4 gal of water

1 qt of heavy cream

1/2 pound of unsalted butter or smart balance (you won't use all of it, most likely) that's 2  sticks

salt

1 bay leaf

white pepper ground

powedered nutmeg 

In a 2 gal pot on med high heat.  Add half your butter, your miroqiox (that's your carrot, onion, celery, and mushrooms) and soften. Do not allow to brown, reduce heat as nessisary. When softened add your squash, and a little more butter (you want a slight melted butter liquid in there), stir until very gently browned. Add bay leaf, white pepper, and salt, a couple of pinches should be plenty. Add your water. Low boil until squash is soft, remove bay leaf. Take your stick mixer, or poor into blender, and puree. Reduce heat to low, add your cream, and a little nutmeg to taste (you should just barely be able to smell it, around 2 pinches). Bring to a low boil stirring so that your creamed soup does not stick. Enjoy!

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It's popular, I used to have to make it by the 50 gal batch.

[becke_davis]

While we're on the subject, some cookbooks:

EatingWell in Season  

Chez Panisse Vegetables  

Melissa's Great Book of Produce  

Fresh from the Garden Cookbook  

The Herb Garden Cookbook  

The Edible Mexican Garden  

The Edible Flower Garden  

The Edible Rainbow Garden  

The Edible Pepper Garden  

Rosalind Creasy's Recipes from the Garden  

Garden Parties  

Cooking Weeds  

Forgotten Art of Flower Cookery  

The Edible Salad Garden  

The New Zucchini Cookbook  

The Edible Asian Garden  

The Gourmet Garden  

Delia's Kitchen Garden  

The Kitchen Garden Grower's Guide  

[KathyS]

Good grief, Becke! I'm overwhelmed with books, again....

So...out of ALL of THOSE books, which ONE is your favorite?  Who's your favorite chef....and your favorite food from the garden to cook....I know...I had to ask!

Message Edited by KathyS on 08-19-2009 09:38 PM

[KathyS]

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TiggerBear wrote:

Wow totaly miss you asked for this. It's work, but not hard.

Squash soup

2 carrots small diced

1 onion small diced

2 celery stalks small diced

4 button mushrooms chopped

2 to 3 pealed raw (butternut, acorn, ugly, pumpkin- just not spegetti) squash med diced

3/4 gal of water

1 qt of heavy cream

1/2 pound of unsalted butter or smart balance (you won't use all of it, most likely) that's 2  sticks

salt

1 bay leaf

white pepper ground

powedered nutmeg 

In a 2 gal pot on med high heat.  Add half your butter, your miroqiox (that's your carrot, onion, celery, and mushrooms) and soften. Do not allow to brown, reduce heat as nessisary. When softened add your squash, and a little more butter (you want a slight melted butter liquid in there), stir until very gently browned. Add bay leaf, white pepper, and salt, a couple of pinches should be plenty. Add your water. Low boil until squash is soft, remove bay leaf. Take your stick mixer, or poor into blender, and puree. Reduce heat to low, add your cream, and a little nutmeg to taste (you should just barely be able to smell it, around 2 pinches). Bring to a low boil stirring so that your creamed soup does not stick. Enjoy!

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It's popular, I used to have to make it by the 50 gal batch.

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Thanks TB, I'll copy this, and then I'm heading to bed...my brain is tired tonight....BTW:  aprox how much squash measures out in cups?

[TiggerBear]

Your going to want at least 4, 6 would be better.

[becke_davis]

Kathy - I have a copy of the Edible Rainbow Garden, which I didn't even realize was out of print -- sorry about that, I just noticed it. I'm not a chef in any way, shape or form, unfortunately. My brother gave me a copy of Laurel's Kitchen a long time ago, and I have Linda McCarney's cookbooks and a bunch of Heart Health type cookbooks, plus the classics and some regional cookbooks. That's it, pretty much. On the other hand, my mom and my son's girlfriend collect cookbooks, so I give a lot as gifts.

The New Laurel's Kitchen  

Linda McCartney's Home Cooking  

Linda McCartney's World of Vegetarian Cooking  

Linda's Kitchen  

Heart of the Home  

New Mayo Clinic Cookbook  

A New Way of Eating from the Fit for Life Kitchen  

Fit for Life  

[Allison_Fishman]

Hi there,

I'm Allison, and I'm the moderator for Food & Drink. I can't help but jump into the fray on this one -- it's August, and that means tomatoes for all you gardeners, which need very little but salt.

Now this is a big one, and an important one -- so many folks are salt-restricting or fat-restricting or calorie-restricting, but the difference between a seasoned tomato and one less loved is a big one. So when you slice that tomato (use a serrated knife, much easier), be sure to season both sides. And then toss it with torn basil, or oil, or serve it beside some burrata (mozzarella, but better).

I'm visiting North Carolina now where I just learned about the M&M sandwich (Mayo and 'Maters), which sounds just about wonderful laying between two nice pieces of golden toast bread.

Tomatoes are where it's at right now, and isn't it just wonderful when you cut right in and that color -- that vivid color -- goes right to the center of the thing?

Thanks for letting me share!

Best,

Allison 

[becke_davis]

Hi Allison! I'm so glad you stopped by. Since everyone is harvesting their veggies, we've been talking about food a lot!

Here's a link to the book club Allison moderates here:

http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/bn/board?board.id=generaldiscussion3

I just noticed there's a thread for Julie & Julia, which I just saw over the weekend, so I'm going to have to stop by! 

And here's a link to B&N's new Food for Thought blog:

 http://bookclubs.barnesandnoble.com/t5/Food-for-Thought/bg-p/FoodforThought

[TiggerBear]

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Allison_Fishman wrote:

Hi there,

I'm Allison, and I'm the moderator for Food & Drink. I can't help but jump into the fray on this one -- it's August, and that means tomatoes for all you gardeners, which need very little but salt.

Now this is a big one, and an important one -- so many folks are salt-restricting or fat-restricting or calorie-restricting, but the difference between a seasoned tomato and one less loved is a big one. So when you slice that tomato (use a serrated knife, much easier), be sure to season both sides. And then toss it with torn basil, or oil, or serve it beside some burrata (mozzarella, but better).

I'm visiting North Carolina now where I just learned about the M&M sandwich (Mayo and 'Maters), which sounds just about wonderful laying between two nice pieces of golden toast bread.

Tomatoes are where it's at right now, and isn't it just wonderful when you cut right in and that color -- that vivid color -- goes right to the center of the thing?

Thanks for letting me share!

Best,

Allison 

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You've never had a tomato sandwich?!

Skip the toast. Try the classic first.

2 slices of soft bread - anything mild in flavor

Dukes mayo - keep your salad dressing on the salad

pepper

salt

1 early girl, big boy, or beef steak tomato

lightly mayo both pieces of bread, pepper gently both halves, slice tomato and place, salt the tomato on the top, cover sandwich, eat

It's all about the tomato being prominate and your bread giving as easily as the tomato flesh.

[KathyS]

Hi Allison! 

Thanks for stopping by and adding to this topic!  I LOVE tomato sandwiches...I love to play around with them, too...adding, as you say, basil and cheese, and a myriad of other concoctions. Avos, bacon...lettuce, sprouts, etc., and a good crusty Italian bread is great, too, with a dipping sauce. 

But, as TiggerBear says, if you want to experience that fresh tomato from the garden flavor...a soft white (Webers - probably not heart healthy), bread....It's yummy when the tomato juices sink into the bread, mixing with the mayo.  Toast is a little too hard on the tomato, and usually the juices just squirt out, and run down onto the plate, or in your lap!   

I don't always salt mine, but when I do, I use Morton's Lite salt, just as good as regular, and better for the old blood pressure....and I use Best Foods (Helmans) mayo.  It has plently of salt seasoning to take care of that added burst of tomato flavor when you bite into it.  I rarely buy tomatoes from the market, they just don't have the flavor, and leave me unsatisfied. Even the ones that are still attached to the vines.

I just started picking my third crop, yesterday.  I gave them to my daughter, because I knew I'd be picking more today.  And more are still turning red.  Now, I see more blooms coming on!  And I only have two bushes!  I'll be interested to see if they still keep producing into the winter.

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Allison_Fishman wrote:

Hi there,

I'm Allison, and I'm the moderator for Food & Drink. I can't help but jump into the fray on this one -- it's August, and that means tomatoes for all you gardeners, which need very little but salt.

Now this is a big one, and an important one -- so many folks are salt-restricting or fat-restricting or calorie-restricting, but the difference between a seasoned tomato and one less loved is a big one. So when you slice that tomato (use a serrated knife, much easier), be sure to season both sides. And then toss it with torn basil, or oil, or serve it beside some burrata (mozzarella, but better).

I'm visiting North Carolina now where I just learned about the M&M sandwich (Mayo and 'Maters), which sounds just about wonderful laying between two nice pieces of golden toast bread.

Tomatoes are where it's at right now, and isn't it just wonderful when you cut right in and that color -- that vivid color -- goes right to the center of the thing?

Thanks for letting me share!

Best,

Allison 

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[KathyS]

Apple Ladybug Treats

Here is the link to the recipe and instructions.  You'll have to do some prep work...which is normal with pre-school kids.  I think they'd like this one.  I would! LOL  You can use your imagination....experiment with what to use to get the raisins to stick on.  Some kids might be allergic to peanut butter.  Maybe marshmellow cream, or caramel.  I've never made them, but they look like fun.  A half an apple should be plenty for each child.  I hope you have assistants!

"Red apples are decorated to look like lady bugs. This is a quick and fun snack that kids will enjoy making and eating. For once kids can play with their food."

[becke_davis]

This is too cute!

[TiggerBear]

Ok, the world calmed it spin, so I can finally get back to this. Sorry for the delay.

Apples 101

Alright fun fact. Were you aware that their is over 400 variety's of you common apple in the US alone? 74 of which are unpleasant for the most part. And 30 of which actually regularly make it to market. Their is a wide world of apples waiting for you.... go explore.

A good rule of thumb. A soft flesh to bite apple is useless for anything other than simple munching. For both cold and warm recipes you want a firm fleshed apple. A sour apple won't be, once cooked. Cut apples either need to be kept covered by water or mild acid (typically lemon juice) to prevent discoloration. Apple seeds are poisonous. True a grown adult has to eat 300 of them to die. However I'm personally not comfortable consuming cyanide in even the minute quantities. So core those apples and discard those seeds.

Recipes

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Apple pie guts (good for all pies, strudels, popovers, betties, baskets, ect..)

This is a batch recipe, I usually whip up a batch pre Thanksgiving and use it though New Years. Refrigerated it's good for about 3months. If you canned it, it'd last the year. Feel free to cut it down for your use though.

10lbs of  Granny Smith apples - the cooked apple queen; cored and sliced

10lbs of Gala apples; cored and sliced

10lbs of Fiji apples; cored and sliced

I cut mine into a big bowl filled with water and a touch of lemon juice and poor off the liquid just before.

5 cups of sugar

2 cups of brown sugar

1/2 cup of cinamon

1/8 cup of nutmeg

3/8 cup of powdered ginger

1 lbs of butter cut into bits

2 tsp of salt

1/4 cup of lemon juice

water

In a 3 gal pot; add lemon juice, salt, both sugars, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. On low smoothly stir adding your butter, until butter melts. Add apples and enough water to come up to 3/4 of the apple level in you pot. Turn up your heat to med. Stir gently not allowing stickage until liquid level reduces down to less than 1/4 of remaining mass. Your apple chunks should still be sizeable but soft to bite. Refrigerate and it will thicken up.

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This isn't an apple recipe, but hang in there you use it in a following one.

Strudel topping

1 cup of freshly toasted almonds pieces 

1 cup of freshly toasted pecan pieces

1 cup of freshly toasted walnut chunks

1 cup of white flour

1 cup of brown sugar

1 1/2 cold butter chunks

1/4 of cinamon

Fold mixture until you get a good proportional mix, the butter will break up. refrigerate

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 Sinfully Easy German Apple Pie - cook this for a holiday and you never stop getting requests for it

1 frozen pie crust thawed out

apple pie guts

strudel topping

Fill crust to just barely below the top with your apple guts. Hand cover with strudel mixture. Be generous, you want at least a 1/4" of it. Bake pie according to the crust instructions. Allow to cool mostly, before cutting. Heaven on a fork.

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 More recipes later.

[becke_davis]

Tigger - I really appreciate you taking the time to do this, especially with all you've had going on lately!

[TiggerBear]

Ok here's an advanced recipe.

Coffee party Apple bread

Basic white bread dough, any will do

3 eggs

apples (use the cooked apple recipe from earlier)

melted butter

flour

powered sugar

water

a big counter space or table

3 small bowls

knife

2 pastry brushes

2 forks

rolling pin

sheet pan

oven set to 375

Break the eggs and lightly beat with fork for egg wash. Lightly flour you work space and roll out the dough to a pinky finger thinkness. Cut the dough length wise in half, take one half and cut into strips length wise. On your uncut half add enough of the apple mixture to fill the center leaving 11/2 to 2 inches free of any apple drips or pieces, a single layer only. Now egg wash the blank edge. Pick up your first strip and angle it on one corner, attach by pressing down on the edges, most should be hanging over the edge. Go up an inch and repeat, repeat with all you strips. Now fold over the first strip at the reverse angle as it lays across the others paint with a egg wash touch below it; you're making Vs. Repeat with all the strips. (If you couldn't guess it's a braided effect you're going for) Repeat this step with all the strips reversing the angles all the way up. Now that you've braided your top go back and crimp all your edge attachments firmly. Line up you pan to the edge of your work space, lightly grease pan and slide on over your braided loaf. Brush the top with melted butter. Slide into oven and bake until you get an nice even light browning and a gentle rise. A toothpick inserted into just the dough should pull out clean and dry. If it doesn't cover with foil, turn down the oven and place back in, until one does. Careful though, once it's brown it's awful close. Set out and allow to cool. There should be a simple icing recipe on your powdered sugar box; follow it but increase the water until your mixture is thin and pourable. When your loaf is mostly cool drizzle you icing over in a nice pretty ziggy. Slice and enjoy.

[becke_davis]

Oh my gosh, you guys absolutely KILL my diet.

[TiggerBear]

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becke_davis wrote:

Oh my gosh, you guys absolutely KILL my diet.

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One piece.... Come on now, eat it for breakfast. Just don't eat the whole loaf by your self. (smile)

[becke_davis]

Well, that's the problem, isn't it? The whole rest of the loaf would be sitting there, staring at me!

[TiggerBear]

Umm that's why it's called party bread. You only make them for parties or family gatherings.

Think of such things as doughnuts, just yourself buy 2, don't buy a whole dozen unless you're going to share. Or at least skip the guilt. (chuckle)