Happy Birthday, Grandma Bopsie!

What kind of birthday dessert do you make for someone who has recently lost 87 pounds and is still in the losing stage? Of course, everyone knows the ideal birthday cake comes in two forms- a high, light carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and marzipan carrots in a layer or "dirt" made from crushed up Newman's Own Ginger-O's, and the Chocolatey-chocolate-chocolate kind. Period. But, you know, there's something about making a birthday cake that the birthday girl will actually eat that is rewarding, too. And so:
Grandma Bopsie's Peach and Raspberry Pavlova Birthday Cake:
meringue
Beat three egg whites, 1/4 t. cream of tartar til frothy, slowly add 1/2 c. sugar. (I thought this would be delicious with some ground pistachios, but I was at Grandma's house, and she didn't have any....) When it is stiff and glossy spread the sticky mixture out in a circle, or several little ones, or a heart shape, or bone shape for Halloween, or whatever takes your fancy, on parchment paper, bake in a 275 degree oven for 60 minutes, and then let cool in the oven.
Top with sliced fruit, sprinkle with powdered sugar, serve with whipped cream or ice cream. Or top with whipped cream (or ice cream) and put the fruit over that. That's what I would do, normally- we were just trying to keep calories and fat lower, and served the cream on the side.
It was a hit. Miles thought it was like eating a cloud. Grandma Bopsie was very happy with her pretty, light birthday dessert. Yay!

Fake-ipes

One of the things that lately makes me tear at my hair and moan "O! what is the world coming to?" is the absolute abundance of "semi-homemade" or even "not-a-bit-homemade" recipes out there. There was one in the paper this morning- a store bought graham cracker crust, cream cheese from a package, sweetened and mixed with cream, topped with sliced fruit. Seriously?
I'm sure it tastes good, but REALLY? this needs to be documented as a RECIPE?! Really?
It's like cookbooks with a "salad" section full of dishes that start with a package of JELLO. Please. Aren't we smarter than that? Can't we do better?
Don't get me wrong- I'm all for quick recipes, things that are yummy and healthy and easy for those times when we're busy and tired and still have to feed our families. Fine. I have a recipe for a gluten free 15 minute pizza crust that we all really like. But it doesn't start with opening a box of anything. Dishes like that are TECHNIQUES, not recipes, I think.
I have a bunch of ways to turn a box of Annie's mac and cheese into a meal, but, you know, Annie has the recipe, I just have some techniques to add to it. Like grating summer squash, carrots, and onions, or adding black beans, salsa, sour cream, avocado, cilantro.
For the record I also make a delicious home made mac and cheese, and I may share the recipe sometime. Rest assured it doesn't start with "open a box of mac and cheese...."

Yogurt, Take Two

I've said before that we eat a lot of yogurt. About a gallon a week. I did a whole post some time back about making yogurt in the crockpot, which is so ridiculously easy, and so much cheaper than buying it, even in the big Nancy's yogurt containers I used to buy every week.

But then I melted the electrical cord to my crockpot, so it was out of commission for a couple weeks. Avery and Grandpa Randy fixed it, but it seemed like it was working better than it had been before- well, hotter, or faster, or something. The milk was getting cooked to the bottom of the crock. And let me tell you- yogurt with little chunks of burned milk in it is not a taste sensation you'd want to repeat! And pouring $5.49 in organic milk down the drain makes me sad. Very, very sad. Heating the milk on low worked better, but oh! so slow. So unbearably slow. So I started buying yogurt again. Ugh. I hate buying things I can make better and cheaper at home. Which is one reason why we hardly ever eat out unless we go to the city. Don't even get me started!

Then I remembered my friend Jennifer- she makes it in the cooler. So easy! Not quite as easy as the crockpot method, but more predictable, at least with my hyper-functioning crockpot. Just heat up the milk to 170, place the pot and all in the sink (or my big blue basin) and dump some ice around to cool it quickly, skimming off any skin that might form. Stir in the yogurt starter (and honey and vanilla if wanted), pour into containers, place in a cooler with jars of hot tap water. In the morning- lovely thick, creamy, smooth, burned-milk-bitless yogurt. Hooray!

Oops... It's Gone (Broccoli Slaw)

I got inspired by the Broccoli Slaw at Smitten Kitchen and made it for supper last night. It was going to be a side, for a picnic supper, but I never quite made the rest of the supper, so I just gave it to the boys as a side, with some slices of chicken I had already cooked and in the fridge.
Of course I didn't have all the ingredients she calls for (well, I pretty much only had broccoli, but that's the way it is when you have a meal plan and don't stick to it) so I winged it. Anyway, it was so delicious I ate a ton last night and all the leftovers for lunch today, and I want more for supper. Also, I ate it faster than I could take a picture, so you'll just have to make it yourself to see it. But it looks nice, all green and red and orange and creamy.
2 heads of broccoli, shredded or sliced in the food processor, 2 carrots, shredded, 1 sweet onion, diced, 3 stalks celery, sliced thin, a bunch of grapes, chopped, tossed all together with a dressing made of 1/2c milk, 2T. lemon juice, 2T. apple cider vinegar, 1/3c. mayo, 1t. mustard, 2T. sugar, salt, pepper, shaken or whisked smooth before being poured over. Then I topped my salad with some of that sliced cold chicken. Yum. Just how I like to eat when Papa isn't home- easy, cold, and just one dirty plate each.
Hey! Do you think it's bad to eat ice cream for supper when it's 100 degrees out? What if you eat ice cream for supper while watching Leave It To Beaver reruns with your kids AND you all just pass the carton and a spoon back and forth, instead of making dirty dishes? I'm not saying that's what supper looks like tonight... I'm just wondering... you know... for a friend....

Ping! (Strawberry Jam)

Is there any lovelier sound than the "Ping! Ping!" of jars sealing after their hot water bath? I think not. This is my first attempt at canning jam, since the boys only just decided they LIKE jam. Some of the strawberries we picked over the weekend skipped the freezer and turned themselves into jam.
I made 6 pints plus a little more, with 13 cups of strawberries, crushed with the potato masher, 5 cups of sugar (instead of 8, because I ran out, oops!) and three boxes of low-sugar pectin (instead of two, since they were all passed their expiration date). It doesn't go bad, though, I don't think, and I put in the third box since maybe the potency was affected, and since I didn't have nearly enough sugar for the recipe. I figured either way it would be okay- if it was syrupy we could always eat it with ice cream, or pancakes, if it was too firm it could be good filling for strawberry oatmeal bars or something. I processed them for 5 minutes, and everything sealed up fine. And the extra little jar I made for a tester turned out perfectly, amazingly. Not too sweet- it tastes just like strawberries, not sugar. The boys ate it for lunch. With spoons. Really.

Cherries

Our pie cherry harvest is in. We have a bowl full. Enough for cherry muffins in the morning. They're beautiful and just sweet enough to eat, but delicious and glowy red cooked. If only wishing were enough to make it grow faster and produce more! 'Cause around here, life is a bowl of cherries. Just one small bowl a year! For five of us.

We'll eat them for breakfast in the form of:

Tart Cherry Muffins melt 8T. butter, beat in 1c. sugar, 2T. almond paste (for homey recipes it's just almonds ground in the food processor til smooth with an equal amount of sugar) then 2 eggs. In another bowl stir together 1c. whole wheat flour, 2c. all purpose flour, 1T. baking powder, 1t. baking soda, 1/2t. salt, and then beat the dry mixture into the butter mixture in three allotments, alternating with 1 1/2c. vanilla yogurt. Stir in 1 1/2c. chopped sour cherries. Bake in a sprayed standard muffin tin at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes, less if using a mini-muffin tin.

Turkish Dinner Party

We had some wonderful friends over for supper and had a great time. Originally it was to be a casual picnic in the park, but I kept thinking I wanted to do Turkish food, particularly this soup that Papa really loves, so we moved plans to our house. Then I kept adding things that I wanted to make, or try. In the end it was kind of a feast, really fun and colorful, with grownups sitting around the table, eating and talking, while children ran and played, ate, fussed, talked, chased each other all around.
It was such a lovely evening and I had so much fun planning and cooking that when everyone left and I looked at the kitchen full of dirty dishes and actually smiled at the piles- cleaning up after just reminds me of how nicely everything turned out, and how much fun we had with our friends, how nice our town is, how cozy our house and delicious our life. Ah!
Here's our menu. The only thing I would do differently is adding in another vegetable- sauteed spinach or carrots or something.
Karkade turns out the way of making hibiscus punch that I thought I invented is pretty close to the Middle Eastern version, called karkade. Easy enough.
Elma Cayi (Apple Mint Iced Tea) I couldn't tell from looking around online if this is even really an authentic Turkish drink or not, but I made up a version and it was yummy, light and refreshing. If this first day of summer had been hot and, well, summery, it would have really hit the spot. Over a grated apple, 4 tea bags and 4 stalks of mint pour 8c. boiling water, let steep several minutes, then strain, pressing on the apple and mint to press out the last drops of water. Stir in 1c. honey, and pour into a large pitcher with 4c. ice. Stir to melt, pour over ice to drink.
Hummus our friends brought this, and it was delicious, but here's my recipe: 2c. of garbanzo beans, 1/2c. tahini, 1/4c. lemon juice, 1/4c. extra virgin olive oil, 1t. salt, 1 garlic clove, 1t. cumin in the bowl of a food processor and process til smooth. Add bean liquor or water as needed. sprinkle with paprika.
Pita Bread mix 1/2c. warm water, 1T. yeast, 1T. sugar in a small bowl and let sit til foamy, then mix in 2c. water and 4T. olive oil. Mix 2c. whole wheat flour, 4c. all purpose flour, 1T. salt in a large bowl, then add the water mixture and knead til smooth and elastic, yet still quite soft. Cover, in an oiled bowl, til double, knead lightly and divide into 16 balls, cover and let rise. Preheat oven to 500 degrees, with a pizza stone if you have one, and roll the dough balls out to 1/4" thick, bake on the stone for 3-5 minutes, til puffy and lightly browned.
I've never made pitas that consistently "pocket", which never much bothered me, but the boys suddenly love pocket bread, so I guess I'll be trying to figure that out. I hear The Frugal Gourmet's recipe is fool-proof, which is about how I need all my basic recipes. Hopefully the library has his cookbooks.
Ezo Gelen Corbasi (Red Lentil Soup) In a big pot heat 2T olive oil, 2T. paprika, 2T. mint til bubbly and fragrant, then add 1 1/2c. red lentils, 1/4c. rice, 1/4c. bulgur, and stir to coat. Cook 1 minute, then add 1 minced onion, 3 minced carrots, 1 chopped tomato, 2T. tomato paste, salt and pepper to taste, and 6c. stock (beef or chicken or veggie, or even water is fine). Bring to a simmer and cook til rice is soft and lentils are mushy, about 45 minutes. When ready to serve heat 4T. butter, 1t. paprika, 1t. dried mint in a small saucepan til melted and fragrant, remove from heat, add 2T. lemon juice, and drizzle over the top of the soup, either in a tureen or individual bowls.
Tossed Green Salad our friends brought this, too. It was yummy and nice to have some fresh, local, crisp and tasty veggies.
Lamb and Vegetable Kabob but we grilled them. Yum.
Yogurt Mint Sauce 2c. yogurt, greek style is best but plain is fine, 2T. dried mint. That's it. With the leftovers you can make that Turkish Yogurt drink by blending the minty yogurt with water and a dash of salt, and serving over ice. Or dip veggies and pita in it, either way, it's good.
Filo Sesame Cigars this was simple- just sheets of filo dough with butter brushed on, sprinkled with sugar, cinnamon, and sesame seeds. I would make them again, since they're so easy, but I think honey and crushed pistachios would be good, or cardamom like Andy suggested. And I would just do one sheet of filo per roll, instead of two, so they'd be thinner (more cigarette than cigar).
Pistachio Gelato Inspired by Saveur magazine, here. In a food processor finely grind 2c.pistachios, then process in 1c. sugar and 2c.cream. Try not to eat this mixture all with a spoon standing in front of the food processor. In a large pot heat 4c. milk to just below a simmer. Whisk together 2c. milk, 1c. sugar, and 6T. cornstarch, then whisk into the heated milk, add the pistachio cream, and continually whisk over med heat til thickened and cornstarch taste has gone. Pour into a bowl and cover, pressing plastic wrap directly onto surface. Chill. Freeze according to directions of your ice cream freezer.
Really Rich Chocolate Gelato This is directly from Saveur magazine, right here. I doubled it and added cream, but it was the same otherwise. 4c.milk, 2c. cream, 11/2c. sugar, 11/2c. cocoa powder, 4T. cornstarch.
Egg based ice cream have always been my favorite, but these two cornstarch recipes knocked my socks off. I'm going to experiment a lot more this summer, I think. The cornstarch makes a nice thick, smooth base that freezes up quickly and nicely, and ice cream that is smooth and thick without the trouble of making an egg-custard.

White Beans

White beans are in my menu rotation every 4th week. I make a whole crock pot full, over night, and in the morning they're ready to be divided up into neat 2 c. portions for the freezer, and turned into some of our favorite meals.
Like Chicken White Bean Chili. Jennifer has a great recipe. Here's how I do it, give or take: 4c cooked navy beans, 1 large onion chopped, 1 large can chopped green chiles, 2 garlic cloves, crushed, 2c cooked chicken, chopped, 1T. cumin, 1t. California chile powder, 1t. smoked paprika, 1/2t. crushed red pepper, 1t. oregano, salt and pepper to taste, chicken broth just to the top of everything, cook in the crock pot low heat 8hrs. Serve with sour cream, grated cheese, chopped tomatoes, cornbread. Of course this is another recipe I double (at least) and freeze.

White Stripes Bean Salad. (Not quite Salad Nicoise) This is what we're having for supper tonight. Make the dressing first. Whisk together 3/4c. olive oil, 1/2c. lemon juice, 1/4c. honey, 1 minced shallot, 1 minced garlic clove, 2T. minced basil, 1T. minced thyme, 2t. minced oregano, 1t. dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. Cover a flattish serving dish with washed, torn lettuce (or arugula or watercress if little children won't fuss), tossed with 1/4c. of the dressing, then make "stripes" of the rest of the ingredients, nestled in the greens. 4c. white beans, 2 can solid tuna, 1 red onion, sliced, 1/2c. black olives, 3 medium tomatoes cut in eighths (or cherry tomatoes), 6 hard boiled eggs chilled and cut in quarters, 1lb new potatoes, cooked and tossed with 1/4c. of the dressing and chilled(or use a pasta, like bow-ties). Drizzle the rest of the dressing over everything, and sprinkle 2T. capers over it all. Pretend you're French. Sit at a little ironwork table and read a fashion magazine while eating this salad.
It seems like a lot of work for a salad, but you don't need to do anything else for supper, except maybe put out a baguette you biked home with from the bakery, and some wine. And you can do everything in advance. In fact, the cooking stuff you HAVE to do in advance, so it'll all chill, and the chopping you might as well do while you're cooking, so by the time supper comes around it's as easy as anything to compose your lovely salad, sit down to your lovely table, and enjoy your lovely self.

White Bean Dip. In the bowl of your food processor dump 2c. white beans, 1 crushed garlic clove, the juice of 1 lemon, salt, pepper, and olive oil to taste (3 T. maybe to start). Process til it's as smooth as you want. You can easily change the flavor up with fresh herbs or roasted red peppers. Thin as wanted with reserved bean liquor or water.

Cassoulet. I've only made once the authentic way- it was delicious, but also about $40, and thus way out of my price range for a single supper, and a lot of work, and thus out of my range as the mother of three young children. I mostly cook by instinct and memory now. But it was delicious, so if you've the inclination, or a cheap source for goose or duck, this is a mouth-watering recipe and article. I do love Saveur magazine!

Black Beans

Does anything indoors smell better than a pot of beans simmering away? Well, maybe (cinnamon rolls, roasting turkey) but I do love the smell of the house on bean day!

I've taken lately to soaking beans all day, and cooking them in the crock pot all night. That way they're ready in the morning to cool down before I portion them out (2c- about the same as a can of beans) and freeze them, and there's still time to reset the crock pot with the beans that I'm cooking with that day. Plus, the house smells full and yummy all night, so everyone sleeps really well and the boys wake up HUNGRY! and eat a good breakfast.

Lately I've been cooking beans on rotation: Black beans, Navy beans, Garbanzo beans, Pinto beans. I used to just cook black beans or white beans, freezing the extra, but I make hummus all the time and it seemed silly to keep buying those little cans when it is so easy and frugal to cook a big pot and freeze can-sized portions. And then the boys started asking for pinto beans, and refried beans like they get at Mexican restaurants, and I, being the indulgent Mama that I am, decided to add them in to my rotation too.

BLACK BEANS- We often just eat them right out of the crock pot, with a little sofrito-ish sauce (onion, garlic, tomato, green peppers, maybe some chorizo) mixed in, served with rice and sprinkled with cilantro and lime juice.

Black Bean Confetti Salad-in a salad bowl whisk the juice of 1 lime, 3 T. olive oil, 1T. honey, 1t. cumin, 1/2t. California chile powder, 1/2t. salt, 1/4t. cayenne, 1/4t. garlic powder. Then dump in 2 c. black beans, cooked, 1c. corn kernels, 1c. sweet onion, diced, 1c. red or mixed bell pepper, diced, 1c. cilantro, chopped, stir it all up, cover and chill. We like this salad for summer suppers with a big pile of lettuce, some chopped tomatoes, avocado, shrimp sometimes, salsa, sour cream. It's also yummy as quesadilla filling with melty cheese, as a dip for tortilla chips, or a side dish for grilled chicken or fish.

Vegetarian Black Bean Chili- Dump all together in a crock pot: 4c. cooked black beans, 1 large onion, chopped, 2 cloves garlic, minced, 2-3c. mixed bell pepper (or 1 160z. bag of frozen stir-fry peppers), chopped, 2c. corn kernels, 3c. tomatoes, chopped (or 1 28oz. can), 1T. olive oil, 1T. cumin, 1T. chile powder, 1t. paprika, 1/2t. cayenne, 1/4t. cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste. Add water just to the top of the pile, cover, and cook on low 8 hours. To serve ladle into bowls, top with chopped cilantro, chopped tomatoes, grated cheese, avocado, sour cream, salsa.

I always make a bunch of chili and freeze half. Then we eat supper and still have leftovers for lunches. Or I might use the leftovers to make Chili Pie- pour leftover chili in a baking dish, top with cornbread batter (I use organic masa harina so no GMO issues and more nutritious) and bake. Serve with all the usual chili toppings.

Black Bean Dip- Couldn't be any easier! In a food processor put 2c. cooked black beans, 1t. chile powder, 1t. cumin, 1t. onion powder, salt, pepper, cayenne to taste. Process til it's as smooth as you like. This is a great alternative to refried beans, an easy healthy dip for veggie sticks and tortilla chips, a good base for nachos and burritos. You can mix in grated cheese, sour cream, or salsa if you want to.

Summer Drinks

Picnic season is officially under way around here. We've had several in the last couple of weeks, and are looking forward to eating out many more times this summer. I've got our picnic assembly streamlined pretty well, making picnics an easier way to entertain than cleaning the house and squeezing everyone into our too-small dining table. Basket by the door with tablecloth, napkins, picnic blanket, flatware and dishes. Simple recipes and cold meals for hot days. And drinks. Well, that kind too, but since I'm in nursing mode and that makes 4/5 of our family unable to drink alcohol (and the other fifth is usually headed back to the office) there's not much point in experimenting with grown-up drinks.
These are our standard family drinks: agua de jamaica, iced coffee, iced tea, orange delicious, homemade fruit sodas, and lemonade.
Agua de Jamaica is a standard of Mexican restaurants, and unlike all of my awful attempts at horchata, it always turns out delicious! I added cinnamon and orange on a whim last week and, well, it's our new favorite! Who cares if it's not traditional? To make 2 quarts: bring 4 cups of water, 2 cups of dried hibiscus flowers, the peel from an orange, and a cinnamon stick to a boil, then cover and set aside 20 minutes. Strain into a pitcher, press the flowers to get all the flavor out, stir in 1 cup of cane sugar (or to taste- less would be fine, or honey is good, too). Add ice cubes to 2 quarts, and chill. Serve over ice. Hibiscus tastes something like cranberries- tart, though the more sugar you add the more like Hawaiian Punch it becomes. The cinnamon and orange help it from being too cloying.

Iced coffee. The boys are coffee fiends. I imagine they got to be preschool coffee snobs from their parents, and the fact that we read The Story of Coffee by Sultan Mohammed (the son in law of some local friends of ours) at least once a week. Even though Avery and Miles both know how to make stove top espresso for me with the Bialetti Moka Express stove top espresso maker (well, Miles doesn't do the stove part, but he does know how to grind the coffee just right, load the water and coffee, and fasten it all up) in the summer I cold brew coffee every day. Because nothing could be simpler, the coffee is smooth and tasty and already cold (so no ice-dilution problems). I pour 4 1/2 cups of water over 1 cup of coarse coffee grounds, put the lid on the jar, and let it sit overnight, or 12 hours. Then strain the liquid through a mesh strainer, pour over ice, dilute with milk or water (or sweetened condensed milk and water, for that Thai iced coffee effect the boys especially like). Yum. And before you give me any grief about children drinking coffee please know that I hardly ever let them drink more than a sip or two. And children used to drink coffee as a matter of course (I guess they used to drink ale and hard cider as a matter of course, too, but we won't go there....) I know I'm a bad Mom, really. You don't have to say it.

Orange Delicious. This is a drink I made up, when Avery wanted one of those mall-style frothy orange drinks. We have this regularly, usually when we have burgers and carrot-apple salad for supper. Crush a blender full of ice, blend in 1/2 cup orange juice concentrate, 1/4 cup honey, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 cup yogurt, and coconut milk to the top. Pour into tall glasses, preferably with colorful graphics and bendy straws, and slurp it down!

Water of course is our real standard drink. My friend Nancy has a old school-style drinking fountain in the kitchen, which all the kids love. Think of all the glasses NOT getting dirty in the house with a drinking fountain! And no bullies to smash your face into the spray! Sometimes I put out a big bucket of ice water and an old fashioned ladle, and let the boys drink that way, when we're playing outside all afternoon and I'm sick of running in and out and up the steps every three minutes. Of course, the water ends up seeming a little bit... hmm... old fashioned? Like, un-filtered old-fashioned. Sort of dirty, with bits of leaves and twigs and stuff. Is that a problem? Maybe we need a water fountain outside!

Chocolate Pudding

Okay, so maybe it looks better in real life. And it definitely tastes better! I finally made a chocolate pudding creamy, rich and just chocolaty enough for the boys, who can use some fattening and think cream is about the best thing to eat. Their favorite dessert may just be whipped cream with a sprinkle of cinnamon.
6 eggs, 1/2 c. cornstarch, whisked together in a big heavy bottomed pot
4 c. half and half, 2 c. heavy cream, 4 c. milk, 1/2 c. cocoa powder, added, then whisked frequently over medium-high heat til the cocoa is melted and the pudding is thickened.
2 t. vanilla mixed in, then the pudding is poured into a bowl, plastic wrap or wax paper lightly pressed onto the surface, then chilled.
Usually I make pudding with honey instead of sugar, milk instead of cream, farm fresh eggs, cornstarch, and a little butter melted in with the vanilla at the end, but when it's made with cream the chocolate flavor is mellowed, and while I may not eat much of it, the boys certainly dug in between canner-loads, and I expect they'll be happy with that for dessert all week!

Asparagus

Ah! Spring just keeps coming on, doesn't it? We're flooded in asparagus here. As always it's hot and summer feeling now- as much as I love asparagus I'd hate to have to pick it all day long. That's brutal work. It makes it a little unbelievable that I can buy it bulk for 79c a pound.
We bought almost 70 pounds yesterday. Today the boys and I prepared 40 for pickling and froze 30 pounds. With Papa's help (after work) we had 26 quarts canned by 9:30, and the boys were desperately hanging on to "help" and perhaps not so coincidentally avoid bedtime.

Here's how I did it: 40 pounds asparagus, washed, ends snapped, then trimmed (we put up the trimmed bits- they're just as good, just not as pretty). I put 1-2 garlic cloves, 1 T pickling spices and sometimes 1/2 a jalapeno in each quart, then stuffed in the garlic spears. Filled almost to the top with boiling hot brine (2 gallons vinegar, 2 gallons water, 4 cups pickling salt), then processed in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. All of them sealed, though one jar did break in the canner.

It feels good, filling the house with food for winter. Canning, even preparing asparagus for freezing, is kind of a pain with little kids- my impatient part wants to just DO it, but they love to help, love to know they're needed, and so it becomes a project to last all afternoon and evening. But it's worth it, I think. They're learning to rely on themselves and their own hard work to get what they want and need, I'm practicing patience, and they went to bed tired but proud.

Rhubarb Time

After dandelions and lilacs the next big garden harvest is rhubarb. And we've been madly harvesting. Avery loves to help- he gets to use a knife and whack off the leaves. Really, what's more fun than standing in the dirt and whacking things with knives? His enthusiasm is not diminished by the fact that he doesn't like rhubarb one bit. Actually no one in the family much like rhubarb, except me. And I love it. It's beautiful, for one thing. Big and lush and vibrant, when everything else in the garden is just peeping up in little green notes, there's rhubarb, shouting out from the corner. Hooray! It's spring!

This year, so far, I've made the usual rhubarb sauce- just cleaned and sliced rhubarb stems (no leaves-they're poison) and a cup of sugar for every 6 cups of rhubarb, simmer 20 minutes or so til it's all soft and mushy. Delicious with homemade yogurt, or ice cream, on pancakes, in muffins, by the sneaky spoonful when no one's looking. Mmmm! Spring in a spoon.

But I decided to try making rhubarb syrup this year too, and boy! am I glad I did. A rhubarb treat Miles and Aaron both like, even if Avery doesn't quite. I chopped up a bunch of rhubarb-12 cups, probably- and added 3 cups of sugar and 6 cups of water, and simmered that 20 minutes or so, til it was soft and mushy, then strained it through my mesh strainer. The loveliest pink liquid filled 4 quart jars. We drank this all weekend, syrup and sparkling water and ice. But if you were in the mood I'd think some rhubarb cocktails would be divine. I'm thinking black currant juice, vodka, rhubarb syrup, or rhubarb syrup, mint, white rum. Or rhubarb and sparkling wine, like a mimosa, only pink! We had rhubarb pie and rhubarb muffins, too, though I didn't make them.

Here is a recipe I'll be trying tomorrow. If you've never been over to smitten kitchen you should hop over right now! Anyway, this rhubarb coffee cake looks amazing.

I think I'm going to harvest more rhubarb and make jelly. I bet my kids will even like it, come winter and the blahs. A little spring time on their toast will start the day right, I think.

I always think of all those pioneers, relying entirely on themselves to survive, and how wonderful the fresh, tart, awakening flavor of rhubarb must have been. A long winter of dried or canned fruit and vegetables, and finally the spring and the emergence of fresh things to eat. Rhubarb, I think, tastes like salvation. Well, at least if you sugar it enough!

Lilac Time

Lilacs are blooming outside my kitchen window, and while dandelions may be the first sign that spring is really here, lilacs are what tell my heart that the long winter is finally over.

Last year they froze just as they were bursting out, and I didn't get a single cutting for the house. But we won't mention that sadness again, will we? The lilacs are blooming, and it is spring. Anyone can see them, smell them, and feel their soul swell, their limbs stretch and strengthen, their own faces turn up to the sunshine.

But aside from their incredible sweet smell and the exuberance of their abundant blooms, lilacs are useful plants, worthy of their own corner in the edible landscape.

Make lilac sugar: This is the simplest thing to do, and flavored sugars are always a fancy little treat. Pick some lilac blossoms, clean and not buggy, and sprinkle them in a jar of white sugar, making a few layers, then cap the jar and forget about it for a couple of weeks. For a fancy tea party make little open face sandwiches with a sprinkle of lilac sugar and a few blossoms chopped into cream cheese, and a few petals for garnish, or use the sugar to make shortbread cookies. Heat up some milk, add vanilla and a dollop of whipped cream sweetened with lilac sugar for a little treat to surprise your little ones.

Lilac Syrup: Heat one cup of sugar and one cup of water to a boil, then stir in 1 cup of lilac blossoms and drop heat to low, cook 12 minutes, and strain the syrup into a jar. Keep in the fridge or freezer. Try this over crushed ice with sparkling water, or use the syrup as a pound cake glaze or ice cream.

You can make jelly, but I've never done it. My children only recently decide that they like jams and jellies, though, so maybe this year....

Lilac Muffins with lilac petals tossed in sugar and added to your favorite muffin recipe.

Here's a recipe for a spring trifle with lilac infused pastry cream that looks amazing. I do love trifle- after all, what's better than cake? Cake covered in pudding, of course!

Some people say lilacs keep bad spirits from entering the door if they're growing near. Mine is right by the back door, so I guess we're safe. Thank goodness!

People used to chew the bark and leaves to help sore mouths, and the leaves can be made into a medicinal tea to help with fevers, ridding the body of worms, and can be used as a general restorative tonic. I haven't used lilacs this way, but I love knowing how every little thing CAN be used!

You can of course get essential oil from lilacs, and make dye from the flowers (green!), leaves (green or brown), and the twigs (yellow-orange).

There was even a story on NPR about phenology (tracking natural phenomena) and using lilacs to track climate change.

Oddly this delightful, sweet flower has a sad reputation. Think of Walt Whitman's famous poem, When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd which combines lilacs with Abraham Lincoln's death.

There's an old proverb about girls who wear lilacs never marrying, and a sad story about an Englishman who ruined an innocent girl laying colorful lilacs on her grave. In the morning they were white, as if they too had bled to death.

Most famously, in Greek Mythology, Syrinx (Syringa), a follower of Artemis, and known for her chastity was pursued by Pan through the forest, til she ran to the river's edge and begged for help from the river nymphs, who transformed her into a bush with hollow reeds that made a haunting sound when the Pan's frustrated breath blew across them. He cut the reeds and made the first set of pan pipes.

Maybe lilacs don't have the happiest ending in story, but they'll always signal the happy end of winter to me. And my old friend, Walt Whitman, has a lesser known but lovely poem that sums it up just right: Warble for Lilac Time.

Our Favorite Carrot Cake

Whatever else you say about Martha Stewart, she has someone on staff at the Empire who knows how to make an AMAZING carrot cake. No pineapple, no coconut, no applesauce instead of oil or eggs, no raisins, no whole wheat hippie earth granola goodness. Just yummy, orangey, moist carrot cake, which always comes out perfectly and is super easy and delicious. Though we don't put the walnuts in. Here's the link: http://images.marthastewart.com/images/content/web/pdfs/pdf3/springgardencake.pdf
Enjoy.

Barbecue Beef Sandwiches-Crock Pot

Barbecue Beef Sandwiches- Crock Pot

Last week we finally got our 1/2 a cow, which barely, just barely fits in the downstairs freezer. Next year we're getting a bigger freezer and putting it in the garage, that's just all there is to it. Anyway I'll be doing a lot of experimenting with beef this year, since pretty much all the experience I have is STRETCHING one pound of organic pasture fed ground beef into 8 hamburgers, or making meat loaf.

I had almost all of a 3 lb (?) rump roast already cooked. When I cooked it originally I seared it all over in a skillet, then baked it covered at 325 with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, garlic and browned onions for 2 hours. It was lightly pink in the center and moist.

I shredded that and stuck it in the crock pot with: a can (15 oz?) of tomato sauce an equal amount of water 3 T. lemon juice salt pepper 2T. paprika 1/2 t. cayenne 1/2 t. cumin 1 T. garlic 1 minced yellow onion 1/4 c. butter 1/4 c. ketchup 1/4 c. honey and set it on low 8 hrs.

We tried Sloppy Joes the other day, with a seasoning pack (gasp!) and thought it was kind of gross, but this was delicious. Everyone like it. Even ABCD who doesn't usually eat much at all ate THREE sandwiches and homemade coleslaw for supper, and wanted leftovers cold for lunch today. The Rising Star thinks we will see a lot of growth as our children turn from kind of scrawny little vegetarian children into BEEF-EATERS. Suddenly I'm wishing I'd ordered more roasts and less ground beef from the butcher. Oh well- next year!

Homemade Hamburger Buns

Homemade Hamburger Buns

Healthier half-whole wheat version if you have time to plan:

Mix
2 1/2 c. buttermilk -or 1 1/2 c. yogurt and 1 c. water
1/3 c. melted butter
2 t. sea salt
3 c. whole wheat flour
3 c. white flour
by hand or with a dough blade in the food processor
cover with a damp towel and plastic wrap -or aluminun foil -or a lid
and let sit on the counter 8 hrs

stir
4 1/2 t. (2 packs) of yeast into
1/4 c. warm water
1/4 c honey
let sit 5 minutes til foamy
mix into the dough with the food processor until it forms a ball -or knead in by hand.

divide into 24 pieces, roll into balls, place on a big cookie sheet, cover with a damp towel and let rise 15-30 minutes.
brush with melted butter if you want to,
bake 15-20 minutes at 350.

Last minute White Bread version:

Use 2 c. milk/buttermilk/yogurt-water
6 c. white flour
don't let the flour soak in between , just let the yeast foam for 5 minutes with the honey-water and process everything together all at once.
Preferred by the boys, and delicious made into cinnamon rolls, but hardly healthy.
You choose.

Simplest Tomato Bruschetta/Past Sauce

Simplest Tomato Bruschetta/ Pasta Sauce

In a 9x13 pan dump 2 big cans of whole tomatoes (or use fresh ones if its summer), a handful of basil, a couple onions, a bunch of garlic, salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast in the oven for as long as you've got at 300 degrees, or at the very least an hour for 350.
Dump it all in the food processor and whir it quickly.
When it is cold top tiny toasts with it, or toss it immediatley with hot pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
You could totally make this in the crock pot on low, and blend it up with the immersion blender, and then you'd have even less in the way of dirty dishes, and you could make a whole bunch at once.

Lamb Kebobs

Kebobs

Marinade:
1 1/2 c. plain yogurt
3 T. minced garlic
2 T. paprika
2 T. sea salt
1 T. pepper
1/4 c. lemon juice

Cut 5 pounds lamb (or steak or chicken) into kebob size smallish pieces, coat in marinade (you could put it all in a big ziploc bag) and rest in fridge several hours or overnight.

Soak 100 bamboo skewers for at least 1 hour or use metal and don't soak them at all.

Chop 6 red peppers, 3 sweet onions, 4 zucchini, 1 1/2 pounds of button mushrooms (don't chop those!) into fairly large chunks.

Make your skewers up the way you want them. Or don't use skewers, just put everything in a couple baking pans or sheets, and cook it that way. Its easier, but not as handy, and people will eat even more! Having those empty sticks on their plates helps with moderation, and everything will STILL get gobbled up.

Broil about 10 minutes. Flip after 5 minutes. I suppose you could grill them, but that is guy territory as far as I'm concerned. Too much hot exposed area for me to deal with when there are little wild children running around and wanting to help. I say grilling can be done when they're older. With Dad. If you can grill and keep your kids safe, you are amazing. Or you have a built in outdoor kitchen, too much money, and a nanny for your kids anyway, so don't worry. Go grill!

Serve over chopped lettuce.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley if you can do it before the hungry hordes attack!

Best Stuffed Mushrooms Ever

Best Stuffed Mushrooms Ever

In a food processor bowl grind enough toast or stale bread to make:
3/4 c. bread crumbs

then add:
stems from 2 pounds button mushrooms
8 oz cream cheese
1/3 . parsley (or 2 T. dried)
1/2 a medium onion
1 t. paprika
1 t. salt
process until fairly but not completely creamy. Scrape mixture into a frosting bag with a plain tip (or a ziploc bag with the corner cut off) and fill
2 lb button mushrooms with mixture.

Just before serving broil 8-10 minutes until brown and soft.
Delicious!