Eat. Drink. Nourish.

Dark Days Challenge - Week 12: Dinner at High Cotton in Charleston, SC

2012-02-21T18:52:00.000-08:00

The courtyard at the Indigo Inn, Charleston, SC

I'm recovering from a sinus cold and all the excitement (not to mention a boat load of laundry) from our family vacation last weekend in the beautiful city of Charleston, SC, so this post will be short and sweet. Charleston is one of our favorite vacationing spots -- picture historic southern homes with gigantic front porches, marble fountains, brick sidewalks, cobblestone streets and magnificent horses trotting through town. I wish I had more photos to share, but I was chasing down a toddler most of our trip so I only managed to snap the above photo with my iphone (if you look closely, you can see the little bugger to the left darting for the exit). Anyways, while it's a lovely photo, it's really not even close to capturing all the beauty that is Charleston.

This year, we made the trip down to C-town with my husband's parents to go to the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition (SEWE). Very cool stuff -- wild birds of prey, hunting dog demonstrations, farm animals, lots of beautiful art and photography.

Sooo, after packing up the family, driving down to Charleston, staying in a hotel with the energetic three year old, driving home, unpacking and battling a cold.....I decided we would eat local (not cook local) for this week's Dark Days Challenge meal (I hope my fellow challengers will forgive me). We normally make our farmer's market trips on the weekends and while I could have planned around it, I didn't (guilty). Thus, my DDC meal for this week was provided by High Cotton of Charleston, SC. High Cotton prides itself on using fresh, local ingredients to create lowcountry cusine -- they even list their local farmer resources on the menu! Again, I wish I had a photo, but I scarfed down my delightful meal of roasted beet salad with house-cured duck and entree of shrimp and grits as soon as it was place in front of me.

So, that's that. Hopefully I'll be back in the kitchen next week. If you are ever in SC, I would highly recommend a visit to this charming city.

Dark Days Challenge - Week 11: Garlic Gnocchi with Butter, Bacon and Blue Cheese Crumble, topped with Arugula Sprouts

2012-02-14T18:16:00.000-08:00

Outside of my normal level of exhaustion (I'm a mom. Need I say more?), occasionally I tilt off center. Really, it's like an invisible force that gives me a little shove and then I spend a few days trying to achieve balance again. Maybe it's just the change in weather (brrrr, we had a cold snap here in SC. Did I say I wanted it to snow in an earlier post??? The grass is always greener, right?). Anyways, for a period of a few days last week, let's just say I felt "off" - kind of like a mini-hibernation. No one noticed, except me (ok, I'm pretty sure my husband noticed) -- but my mood, my sleep, my level of energy seemed to be affected. Perhaps this is a gift (the awareness part, not the falling out of balance part) -- my mom was always acutely aware of changes in her body's balance and I firmly believe this is why she is now a breast cancer SURVIVER. Anyways, I like to think of this level of self-awareness as pretty normal for most women since we are generally in-tune with our minds, bodies and environment, but I totally understand if you are secretly thinking what the hell is this girl talking about. So, here's my point:

When I'm off center:

1 - I tend to crave things one would typically define as unhealthy - bacon, butter, pasta, booze (why not binge when you're already feeling off?)
2 - I have zero ability to focus on anything elaborate. I have to keep everything simple - including meals.

So, with points 1 and 2 in mind, I devised this week's Dark Days Challenge meal on the fly while on a farmer's market excursion with my family this weekend (we rode a train from the burbs into the city and stopped at a few markets along the way). I ended up with a doughy, bacony-goodness kind of dish I was craving AND it was only five ingredients - simple! Mission accomplished.

-Fresh garlic gnocchi (local from Rio Bertolini's Co. - well, technically they are based out of Charleston, SC, but they travel around to regional farmer's markets)
-Bacon (local from Windy Hill Farm)
-Blue Cheese (local)
-Handmade butter (local)
-Arugula sprouts (local)

Basically, I just cooked the gnocchi (which is a potato stuffed pasta, similar to dumplings). Tossed it with melted butter, topped with crumbled bacon (which I pan fried earlier), blue cheese and arugula. I add a little salt and pepper to taste to finish off the dish. Voila.

We also discovered a new farmer's market in our area - 7th Street Public Market and stopped at one of our favorites - Atherton Mill Market. Between the two, I found everything I needed.

P.S. I'm happy to report I'm feeling more centered. I think the palmful of arugula sprouts I added to the dish helped - they were so new, so fresh - and paired with the gnocchi, bacon and butter it was...well, the perfect balance :)

Dark Days Challenge - Week 10: Buttermilk Cornmeal Biscuits, filled with Blackberries, Walnuts, Goat Cheese & Honey Drizzle

2012-02-07T11:13:00.000-08:00

Those of you that know me or have read the blog, probably know by now that desserts aren't my "thing". I like sweets occasionally, but my baking skills are limited to pies and breads. So, when the folks running the Dark Days Challenge announced that this week's theme was desserts in anticipation of V-Day, I was a little worried about what I was going to be able to source locally. My mind always goes to fruit, not chocolate when I think desserts (plus local chocolate is nil), so I was hoping to find some local apples or pears, even though they are past season. To my astonishment, I came home from the market with blackberries!!! Simply Local at Atherton Mill Market had a limited supply, which were picked at their peak last season, then flash frozen. In fact, I found everything I needed for my dessert there, including goat cheese, buttermilk and cornmeal (I already had the other pantry items, organic butter and local walnuts and honey at home).

The blackberries were so big they could burst, yet they were in perfect condition. I was so excited about them, that I decided to make a cocktail using them too - if you're interested, you can read about that recipe here.

I cooked the blackberries (about 1 cup) in honey (about 1/4 cup) with a tablespoon of butter, smashing lightly until the natural juices were released, then simmered for about 10 minutes.

The recipe I used for the buttermilk cornmeal biscuits was adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen.

I shaped the biscuits into hearts for an extra touch of love in honor of Valentine's Day ;)

When the biscuits were done baking, I pulled it all together by slicing them in half, pouring a few heaping spoonfuls of the blackberry reduction over the bottom half, crumbling some toasted walnuts and goat cheese over that, then drizzling with a little extra honey before topping it with the other half of the biscuit.

P.S. This dessert followed an insanely delicious, yet simple, local meal of broccoli rabe from Coldwater Creek Farms and fresh (and I mean fresh, like straight off the farm) steaks from Underwood Family Farm. I have had tried a lot of local meats and I must say these were the best steaks I have ever had, EVER. Of course, it probably didn't hurt that my husband seared them in a cast iron skillet of clarified butter, but still....the freshness of the steaks was just superb....grassy but not gamey. I could go on and on. I'll stop now.

Cocktail Therapy - Blackberry Mint Crush

2012-02-06T19:06:00.000-08:00

There's a reason this blog was originally titled, "Eat. Drink. Nourish." despite the fact that I have actually posted ZERO beverage/cocktail recipes. Sorry about that...and please know that this blog will always be a work in progress (suggestions welcome).

This weekend's cocktail therapy was inspired by fresh mint from my garden (yep, it's February and it's still growing) and my super fantastic find at Atherton Mill Market - BLACKBERRIES! Yes, I said blackberries! They were picked and frozen at their peak last season. A limited supply was available at the market, so I was lucky to grab some!

This refreshing concoction can be served with or without liquor. After a long day, I chose to add the tequila, served in a mason jar...and I pictured a white sandy beach as my toddler ran circles around me in the kitchen.

Ingredients:

-2oz tequila

-1/4 cup blackberry reduction (see below - 1 cup blackberries & 1/4 cup honey)

-1/2 lemon, juiced

-palmful fresh mint leaves

-club soda or sparkling water

Directions:

Cook 1 cup blackberries on stovetop, mashing gently to release juices. Add 1/4 cup honey. Simmer for 10 minutes or so. Let cool.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the first four ingredients listed and shake vigorously to combine flavors. Strain into tall glass (or mason jar!) filled with ice. Top with club soda or sparkling water. Stir. Garnish with fresh mint.

Dark Days Challenge - Week 9: Smoky Brisket Tacos with Cabbage/Radish Slaw and Cilantro, Honey-Lime Dressing

2012-01-31T18:57:00.000-08:00

Here in South Carolina, mother nature is very confused. On this evening of the 31st it dawned on me that this is the first January I can remember that we haven't had snow in our part of the state. Even the birds are confused. The same family of finch that return to build their home every March on the wreath of my front door, have already taken up residence. The grass is actually growing and apparently some type of weeds are too because my little man's seasonal allergies have kicked in a month early. I'm on the fence between spring fever and being disappointed by old man winter. I don't really care for winter. Okay, I hate winter. BUT one good blanketing of snow is always welcome (I want it to leave almost as quickly as it came, but there's something about the way it muffles sound....stepping out in it and hearing absolutely nothing....complete silence is so rare in my world).

Anyways, I digress. This weekend happened to be particularly beautiful, sunny, and mild. I tried not to let mother nature confuse me along with the birds and the grass, but I couldn't help rummaging through my seed packets and sowing some lettuce seeds indoors. My husband worked on building me another cedar garden box, so I will have even more room for our garden than before. We literally spent more time outdoors than we did indoors, which I don't think has happened since last fall. And while enjoying our time in our backyard oasis, we also smoked a beef brisket for this week's Dark Days Challenge meal.

As the weekend came to a close, we enjoyed our brisket on tacos, made fresh margaritas and turned on some mariachi tunes while the breeze blew in from the windows.

Maybe I will get my moment of silence in February. If not, I like warm breezes and margaritas too.

Here's what went into our meal (again, I take no credit for the rub/smoking technique - that's my husband's speciality):

Smoky Brisket Tacos with Cabbage/Rash Slaw and Cilantro, Honey-Lime Dressing:

-Brisket (organic, local from Proffitt Family Farms)

-Brisket Rub (pantry - various seasonings/spices)

-Corn Tacos (I'm counting this as pantry - I considered making my own but I don't have a tortilla press and I searched high and low for an organic brand of corn tacos)

-Cabbage (local, from the Charlotte Farmer's Market)

-Radishes (organic)

-Carrot (organic)

-Green Onions (organic)

-Cilantro (local, from my neighbor's garden - it is confused too - they have a GIANT patch of it growing in their garden)

-Honey (local, from Dayspring Farm in York, SC - no website)

-Lime (not local or organic, but technically citrus is in season so I convinced myself that it probably had a short travel time/shelf life from FL)

-Salt/Pepper (pantry)

Dark Days Challenge - Week 8: Pigs in a Blanket (probably not what you think)

2012-01-23T19:15:00.000-08:00

So much to say about this week's Dark Days Challenge meal! I'll try to be concise, but here's why it was extra special and why I'm stoked to share it here:

This is a family recipe that has been in my family for GENERATIONS - so many generations, I can't count them, but it was the first time I made it in my own kitchen (versus helping my grandmother in her kitchen in my younger days). Based on the title, you might think this is some type of sausage link wrapped in dough, particularly if you are from the south (at least that's what my BFF thought until she married a pollack). Well, this version is not...its typically a northern "peasant" dish, polish/slovakian in heritage, basically made with ground pork/rice wrapped in cabbage leaves cooked in tomato sauce.
The folks running the Dark Days Challenge released "theme weeks" and this week was a one-pot meal. Who doesn't love one-pot meals??!!! That's my favorite kind!
While on the hunt for the ingredients for this meal we visited a new (well, new to us) farmer's market - Atherton Mill & Market - all local farmers and its INDOORS - whoohooo - freezing rain shall never keep us from the farmer's market again!
We purchased meat for the first time from Windy Hill Farm. This is a true mom and pop operation -- except "mom and pop" are probably in their 30s (at most) with two kids. They are a beautiful young couple, living and working on a farm for their livelihood. If you think buying local doesn't make a difference - it does! Long story short, they are not certified organic because of the super difficult/expensive USDA certification processes, but they do not use antibiotics/hormones, all their animals are grass/grain fed, etc. Check them out - they even have an option for a CSA.
We enjoyed this meal with friends and wine...I really can't think of a better way to eat any meal.

P.S. Apologies for the poor photography - most days my iphone dubs as my camera when I'm in a hurry to sit down and eat! Don't judge this meal by appearance...I promise it is delicious!

Pigs in a Blanket:

-Ground Pork (local, from Windy Hill Farm - for the meat filling)

-Rice (local, from Palmetto Farms - for the meat filling)

-Carrots (local, from Coldwater Creek Farms - for the sauce)

-Tomatoes (organic, canned/crushed - for the sauce)

-Onion (organic - for meat filling and sauce)

-Garlic (pantry - for the meat filling)

-Fennel Seed (pantry - for the meat filling)

-Rosemary/Thyme (from my garden - for the sauce)

-Cabbage (organic - to wrap the meat mixture)

-Olive Oil (pantry)

-Salt/Pepper (pantry)

Dark Days Challenge - Week 7: Polenta Cakes topped with Red Kale and Veal Meatballs

2012-01-17T17:23:00.000-08:00

We ran short on time this weekend (which meant no trip to the farmer's market), so this week's Dark Days Challenge meal is a combination of what we had on hand (freezer and pantry - including reusing the sauce from our short ribs DDC meal last week) and a quick trip to our regional chain "health food" grocery - EarthFare - that focuses on some local produce with emphasis on organic options....their headquarters are in NC. With our normally sweet (and always adorable), but hungry/tired/not so patient 3 year old in tow, we were super pressured to get in and out of the store. In the end, I have to say I was impressed with our ability to come up with a delicious meal on the fly (yes, I went to the store with no planned meal, no list - will never do it that again by the way). Here's the end result of our shopping trip which turned out to be a beautiful and delicious meal, if I do say so myself:

-Ground Veal (from our freezer - local, organic - from Proffitt Family Farms)
-Egg (organic)
-Garlic (organic)
-Bread Crumbs (pantry)
-Salt/Pepper (pantry)
-Olive Oil (pantry)
-Red Kale (organic)
-Polenta (from EarthFare)
-Red Wine Reduction / Sauce (from our freezer from previous DDC meal - here)

Dark Days Challenge - Week 6: Braised Short Ribs over Garlic Mashed Potatoes, topped with Red Wine Reduction; served with Beet, Spinach & Goat Cheese Salad

2012-01-10T06:56:00.000-08:00

Whew, that's a hell of a title on this meal, but there's no way to simplify it....and well, there's no way to cut corners when when making tender, flavorful beef short ribs either, so I guess the title is fitting. Other than a lovely trip to the Charlotte farmers market this weekend (more to come on that....we were able to meet a lot of local livestock farmers and are planning to start a CSA for local, grass fed meats with one of them soon), we were stuck inside due to illness (again) for most of the weekend (did I mention I hate cold season?!). So, we spent our Sunday relaxing, watching movies, football and cooking. There are a few things we had hoped to pick up at the farmer's market, but apparently we were a bit late.....one farmer told us she sells out her entire stand between 8-8:30am during the winter months due to limited variety and quantity. We were able to find most things SOLE for this Dark Days Challenge meal, but because I had planned our menu ahead of our shopping trip, I decided to incorporate some key ingredients I had on hand (pantry and fridge) instead of cutting them out altogether. I'd be interested if that's the approach some of the other DDC participants take as well -- do you plan your meals ahead of time, then go on the hunt for ingredients or shop first, then create a meal? I know a lot of people are using what they have growing in their garden, which makes total sense (jealous!). Anyways, here's what went into our meal:

Braised Short Ribs (seared then cooked for 3 hours in the Red Wine/Veggie Reduction - first 1.5 hrs covered, last 1.5 hrs uncovered)
-Beef Short Ribs (local, organic from Proffitt Family Farms)
-Tomatoes (local produce, I canned them this summer)
-Carrot (organic)
-Onion (organic)
-Beef stock (organic)
-Sage, Rosemary, Thyme (from my garden)
-Bay leaf (from my parents' bay leaf tree)
-Olive Oil (pantry)
-Red Wine (pantry)
-Salt/Pepper (pantry)

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
-Red potatoes (organic)
-Garlic - whole head, roasted (pantry)
-Butter (organic)
-Splash of creamer (not local or organic...its what I had in the fridge)
-Salt/Pepper (pantry)

Beet, Spinach & Goat Cheese Salad
-Red Beets (local produce)
-Spinach (local produce)
-Goat Cheese (not local or organic...there is a farmer at the Charlotte market who makes goat cheese, but apparently we just missed her when we got there!)
-Walnuts (local produce)
-Honey (local)
-Red Wine Vinegar (pantry)
-Olive Oil (pantry)
-Salt/Pepper (pantry)

Dark Days Challenge - Week 5: Smoked Rib Rack with Red Potato & Cabbage Hash

2012-01-04T11:53:00.000-08:00

My husband is the grill master at our house and I won't begin to try to understand his process for making good BBQ, but it goes something like this - marinate, dry rub, smoke low and slow. We generally cook together on the weekends because we enjoy it, but this past weekend I was all caught up in my usual "oh no, its a new year, let me get all crazy....take down, wash, iron all my curtains....shampoo carpets....bathe the dog, etc, etc." (its like a weird nesting/spring cleaning thing that happens to me every January).....anyways, so hubster wanted to help me by taking on the bulk of dinner (and this week's Dark Days Challenge meal) by smoking some all natural/local pork ribs to accompany a potato/cabbage hash. I honestly threw together the hash with what I had on hand and it turned out pretty good. The ribs were excellent, as usual - falling off the bone, pink with smoke, full of flavor from the rub and a locally made BBQ sauce we found. Here's the gist of our meal (if anyone would like the recipe for the dry rub, I'd be happy to share):

Smoked Rib Rack:

-Pork ribs (all natural, local from custom butcher at The Peach Stand)

-Marinade (pantry - apple cider vinegar and lemon juice)

-Rub (pantry - various spices/seasonings)

-BBQ Sauce (locally made - http://bonesuckin.com/)

Red Potato & Cabbage Hash:

-Baby red potatoes (organic)

-Cabbage (local, gift from my parents' garden)

-Onion (organic)

-Butter (organic)

-Salt/pepper (pantry)

Citrus Fennel Salad

2012-01-03T18:24:00.001-08:00

I was feeling a little miserable after over-eating for a week plus during the holidays and we tend to cook heartier meals in the winter (compared to our lighter eating habits during the rest of the year), so I concocted this salad for lunch last weekend so the hubster and I could start to detox (not really, but it made me feel better to eat something light and refreshing). Its a combination of raw fennel bulb (thinly sliced), citrus (grapefruit and orange - using the flesh and juice), a little red onion (thinly sliced), fresh mint leaves and a head of romaine lettuce. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and add salt/pepper to taste. YUM! Next time I think I will top it with prosciutto for a salty/creamy texture against the crunchy fennel and tart citrus. By the way, don't knock fennel until you've tried it raw (balanced with other ingredients).....I don't care for its licorice-like flavor when cooked.

Dark Days Challenge - Week 4: Pecan Crusted Fried Quail served with Simple Sides (Buttery Rice and Sauteed Chard)

2011-12-28T19:12:00.000-08:00

I am really pushing the deadline for the fourth week of the Dark Days Challenge. I had this meal planned for a while (since my father-in-law's recent hunting trip for duck and quail) but I just couldn't squeeze in the time to make the post. I'm certain that I'm not the only one who got caught up in the holiday (madness) - family visiting, house hopping to visit relatives and friends, five or so last minute trips to the grocery to pick up items for our holiday feasts (yes, "feasts" is plural), lots of cooking, eating and drinking - you get the picture. All good stuff, but I'm beat and kind of looking forward to living more simply again in my little world with my little family. So without further ado, here's what I cooked up for week 4 of the DDC (simple was key here and the best part was two of the feature items were given to us from our folks hunting or gardening, so I only needed to pull a few items from our pantry and pair it with a local grain to make it a meal)....

Pecan Crusted Fried Quail
-Quail (local - from my freezer from my father-in-law's recent hunting trip)
-Eggs (organic - used to coat the quail before battering)
-Pecans (local produce)
-Panko (pantry)
-Butter (organic, but not local - there is actually "roll butter" available at a local market near me but its a giant sized roll...or more like a tub...I wish I had bought some though)
-Vegetable oil (pantry)
-Salt/Pepper (pantry)

Simple Sides (Buttery Rice and Sauteed Chard)
-Rice (local - from Palmetto Farms)
-Chard (local - from my mom and dad's garden)
-Butter (organic)
-Salt/Pepper (pantry)

Dark Days Challenge - Week 3: Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Duck Breast with Cheesy Stone-Ground Grits

2011-12-19T19:49:00.000-08:00

Let me preface this post by sharing that I pretty much eat anything...I attribute this to my parents (well, my dad really, who is an adventurous cook and who exposed me to a lot of different cuisines growing up). That said, my side of the family is from the North and my husband's is from the South so we still grew up cooking and eating very different types of food (despite my parents' eclectic eating, I was probably in my 20s before I tried grits, pickled okra and a lot of other southern favorites). So, inspired by my husband's love of all things southern and after nearly 15 years as a NC or SC local, I finally made grits for the very first time this weekend! Also, a first for me was cooking duck! Lately, I feel like I've been cooking a lot of the same things (everyone has their favorite / go-to ingredients, right?), so it was kind of exciting to make something totally new. Plus, I was motivated to make this my Dark Days Challenge meal for week three (boy, I am wishing a had started a winter garden this year so I didn't have to run around as much for local produce, but I have definitely been motivated by the challenge to visit my local markets more regularly...which has me stumbling on things I didn't know were local - that's how I found the stone-ground grits!).

Here's a recap of our Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Duck Breast with Cheesy Stone-Ground Grits:

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Duck Breast:
-Duck (local - from my father-in-law's recent hunting trip)
-Bacon (local - from my local butcher that sources meat from farms in our area)
-Blue Pimento Cheese Spread (local - from Blue Moon; I used it to stuff the duck breasts)
-Pinot Grigio (local - from Biltmore Estate; I used it to marinate the duck breasts for flavor)
-Salt / Pepper (pantry)

Cheesy Stone-Ground Grits:
-Stone Ground Grits with packaged seasonings (local - from Hidden Acre Farms in SC - they are so small I couldn't find a website, but they have grits/grains/rice products in several local shops in my area)
-Tomato (local - from Springs Farms)
-Bacon (same as above)

Note for the DDC: I'm lucky that I am literally minutes from the NC/SC border, so although I live in SC, the radius for local in my area includes NC...that's why I have local food sources from both states (FYI).

Dark Days Challenge - Week 2: Ragu on Fresh Fettucini served with Raw Turnip & Arugula Salad

2011-12-13T13:28:00.000-08:00

Its been a little nutty at our house, but I'm still trying to post here (weekly) our local/organic meals for the Dark Days Challenge (I think I'm just hitting the deadline by posting today). Check out the challenge recaps over at Not Dabbling in Normal (there are some awesome meals ideas coming out of my fellow foodie bloggers)!

To add to our normal state of crazy lately, my little boy caught a cold at the tail end of last week...just in time for the weekend (fun)...so me, hubby and kiddo camped out at home on Saturday evening (usually I give my kitchen a break on Saturdays) and it was a perfect frosty evening make a hearty meal while spending time together. I had some organic ground beef in the freezer I wanted to use up and after reading this NY Times article, I had my mind wrapped around a raw turnip salad (I LOVE turnips and there is still an abundance of them locally)....so I settled on ragu on a bed of pasta served with raw turnip & arugula salad. With my meal plan set, I headed out Saturday morning on the hunt for ingredients. I was surprised to learn that my closest, most convenient farmer's market (the one right down the road), has cleared out all of its produce to accommodate Christmas trees - MAJOR bummer. Luckily, I still have The Peach Stand (Springs Farm) and The Charlotte Farmer's Market (about 20 miles away)....plus I know of several other local farms that are still cranking out produce, I just need to seek out their winter stands. At the end of my shopping trip, I couldn't find everything local and some items are from my pantry, but I feel pretty good about this meal featuring primarily local/organic ingredients (especially because of the high number of ingredients that went into the overall meal). Below is a quick outline of what we cooked up:

Ragu:
-organic ground beef (from my freezer)
-roma tomatoes (local produce; I canned them this summer)
-carrots (local produce)
-onion (local produce)
-rosemary (from my garden)
-salt/pepper (pantry)
-red wine (pantry; I was wishing a I had a bottle on hand from fairly local (about an hour drive from me) winery, Shelton Vineyards...their harvest red is great for drinking and cooking!)

Fresh Fettucini (I couldn't find local flour or dried pasta, so I thought the next best thing was to make my own fettucini -- I needed a thick doughy noodle to stand up to the beef ragu):
-flour (pantry)
-organic eggs
-kosher salt (pantry)
-olive oil (pantry)

Raw Turnip & Arugula Salad (with honey/sherry vinegar dressing):

-turnips (local produce)

-organic arugula (not local [sad face] and I know its probably still available here but I ran out of shopping time)

-walnuts (local)

-honey (local)

-olive oil (pantry)

-sherry vinegar (pantry)

-parmesan cheese (pantry; I plan to look into more local cheese options)

-salt/pepper (pantry)

J. Searcy Canning Co. (Pistachio Brittle and Mulling Spice Kit)

2011-12-08T14:06:00.000-08:00

I don't remember much about my great grandfather ("Pop") but one of the few things I do remember is that he loved peanut brittle. Not sure why I remember this - I think it might have been the big fuss everyone put up about him not being allowed to eat it once he got older, but I'm not sure why (and by older I mean way older - he lived into his 90s). Anyways, I was trying to think of something heart felt, shippable, with a fairly long shelf life for holiday gift giving for my family and my mother-in-law was talking to me about her love of pistachios yesterday - then BAM, it hit me - I'll make Pistachio Chocolate Bark! No, wait, Pistachio Brittle! And so last night at about 10pm I whipped up my first batch of Pistachio Brittle.....it was so darn good that I decided to put it on the J. Searcy Canning Co. product line. Its absolutely beautiful - carmel in color and laced with chunks of pistachio nuts. See below for photos and details.

Pistachio Brittle
$7.00 per glass jar
*jar type may vary

Pistachio Brittle Ingredients: Pistachios, Sugar (white and brown), Molasses, Water, Butter, Baking Soda, Kosher Salt.

Another shelf stable gift I was thinking about for my son's teachers and to use as stocking stuffers is a Mulling Spice Kit, packaged in a beautiful mug so that it is part of the gift! I plan to include a little note inside the mug about how to mull store bought apple cider or red table wine using the kit. These are actually the same combination of herbs and spices my mom mulls on the stovetop in a small pot of water - her homemade potpourri (and by the way, the bay leaves are from her tree). So, when you mull them in wine or cider, they are not only flavor enhancers, they will fill your home with a lovely aroma for the holidays!

Mulling Spice Kit
$6.00 per mug
*mug type may vary

Mulling Spice Ingredients: Orange Peel, Cloves, Cinnamon Sticks, Bay Leaves, Star Anise.

Both of these gifts are perfect by themselves, together or as an addition to a basket of various goodies. I have actually been making a lot of custom baskets lately, incorporating various products from J. Searcy Canning Co. To order or discuss gift basket options, please email me at jsearcycanningco@gmail.com. Thank you!

P.S. Its likely this might be the last of the products I can crank out before the holidays (I am only a one man band after all), but I know I've tossed around a lot of ideas so if there something that you're not seeing that you would like, just let me know (and hey, who knows, this band likes to play late, so I might have a few more goodies up my sleeve).

Dark Days Challenge - Week 1: One Pot Roasted Pork Loin with Cauliflower, Carrots, Pearl Onions and Thyme

2011-12-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

I'm fairly new to the blogging world (Eat. Drink. Nourish. started this year as did J. Searcy Canning Co. - both are still rudimentary at best). Since then, I have spent some time foraging through other food / cooking / gardening blogs, finding a lot of inspiration.....and that's how I stumbled across the Dark Days Challenge several weeks ago (which I immediately signed up to enter)! What is the Dark Days Challenge you ask? You can read about it here, but basically, its a challenge to cook one meal each week featuring SOLE (sustainable, organic, local, ethical) ingredients and write about it on your blog. It is being run by the folks at Not Dabbling in Normal and (not so) Urban Hennery.

So now that the challenge has started (it runs until March), I admit that I'm feeling a bit nervous about my ability to (1) create a SOLE meal each week and (2) keep up with the weekly blog posts. I was feeling all confident and stuff when I signed up since our family already eats mostly organic and seasonal, but our CSA program with a nearby farm just ended for the winter so it is definitely going to be less convenient to eat SOLE without that giant sized basket of fresh veggies delivered each week. However, I'm excited by the challenge to seek out local goods during the winter months and hoping it will motivate me to hit up my favorite local markets and butcher shop more frequently (and maybe even do a little winter gardening of my own - I do live in the south and I know that a few things can be grown indoors). My goal is to continue to create healthly meals for my family, featuring mostly [key word] SOLE ingredients (excluding pantry items and necessities like oil, seasonings, etc.). Even if I fail at posting weekly, I'm excited about trying and creating some delicious meals!

So, I present to you my first weekly post: One Pot Roasted Pork Loin with Cauliflower, Carrots, Pearl Onions and Thyme. The pork loin was from a local farm / butcher (The Peach Stand), the cauliflower and carrots were from a local veggie stand, the onions (frozen) and thyme were from my garden.

Ingredients:
-Pork loin
-1 head cauliflower (chopped)
-3 medium carrots (chopped)
-handful pearl onions
-handful fresh thyme leaves
-Olive oil (a few tbsps to coat the pot)
-Salt / pepper

Directions:

I used a dutch oven for this dish for easy transfer from stove top to oven.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat oil over medium high heat. Coat the pork lion in a generous amount of salt, pepper and thyme leaves and brown all sides by turning it over in the heated oiled pot. Add in the pearl onions and mix until the outer peels are slightly caramelized. Toss in the remaining ingredients (cauliflower, carrots and some more thyme) and stir around the pot a few times to mix in the drippings. Transfer the entire pot (uncovered) into the oven for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of your pork loin (I took mine out at 145 degrees and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing).

Enjoy!

Random Post: Because its my blog and I'll post what I want to...

2011-12-04T19:22:00.000-08:00

Well folks, its been kind of a ~~crazy~~, ~~insane~~, ~~semi-crappy but comical at times~~ let's go with "strange" two weeks in my world. But aside from all the weirdness (sis-in-law hospitalized for phenomena, random bouts of bad luck, sleeplessness and minor sickness of my own, etc.), my little boy turned THREE yesterday so I've also been in birthday land. Today I realized that although I've been working my kitchen as frequently as usual, it has actually been almost two weeks since my last blog post and truth be told I needed a little break from blogging and Facebook....and after a mad rush of orders for J. Searcy Canning Co. goods before Thanksgiving (thank you everyone!!!), I admit that I welcomed a mini break from bread baking and canning too.

Soooo, because we didn't have a enough going on (ha!) and we decided to have an offsite birthday party for my son this year (instead of having one at our home -- which usually means we wait until after his bday to decorate for Christmas) AND because I was feeling a extra crafty, I decided to work on some fun ideas to deck the halls and summon some holiday cheer, including.....

My idea of an all edible Christmas tree decor (stringed popcorn, gingerbread cookies, candy canes, etc.)....

Homemade ginger bread cookies - I made several dozen and tied them with twine to the tree....turns out this wasn't my best idea because our normally mellow yellow lab mutt mix (Lucy-dog) ate the entire bottom half of the tree over a three day time period....apparently my cookies were irresistible.

I even made little scarfs for the gingerbread men....which I found later, scattered across my living room and covered in dog drool.

And my homemade herbal wreath with rosemary and sage from my garden and bay leafs from my parents bay leaf tree.....

And this doesn't involve baking or use of my garden, but I did find some cool ways to use the big bunch of decorative cabbage and eucalyptus I bought way cheap at the Charlotte Farmers Market and reason to pull out some family heirlooms (silver coffee and tea pitchers passed down to us from my husband's grandmother).

So my friends, I leave you with the thought that no matter how "strange" things get, there is always room for a little holiday spirit :) I hope you enjoy good food and good times with your friends and family this season -- I definitely plan on it!

And for those J. Searcy Canning Co. customers and fans.....I am baking up a storm the next two weeks on holiday orders I've received so far (let me know ASAP if you are planning on making an order before the end of December)....and I'm still hoping to introduce a few more goodies before Christmas (ideas and recipes I've been toying with are apple cider mulling spices, pistachio brittle, apple bread and banana rum butter....feedback welcome!).

Cheers!

J. Searcy Canning Co. (Rustic Rosemary & Olive Loaf)

2011-11-21T13:08:00.000-08:00

I seriously love bread. Who doesn't, really? This loaf was inspired by my grandmother, whose idea of a family meal (or "spread" as she might call it) is a good loaf of bread, some sliced cheeses and meats, a couple side items and a bottle of wine....bon appetite! This was a typical spread at her house after Mass on Sundays. So in the name of all things doughy, I came up with the newest goodie for J. Searcy Canning Co. -- Rustic Rosemary & Olive Loaf. Its everything you would want in a bread -- crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside with little pockets of salty olives and aromatic fresh rosemary sprigs -- plus its so darn pretty. I wrap it in parchment paper and twine -- perfect for gift giving or enjoying on your table at your next family meal or dinner party. Please see below for photos, details and pricing.

Rustic Rosemary & Olive Loaf
$6.00 per loaf (approximately 8 inches)
$10 per batch (2 loaves)

Ingredients: Bread Flour, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Active Dry Yeast, Kosher Salt, Sugar, Water, Rosemary, Kalamata Olives

The rosemary used in this bread is from my herb garden.

To order, please send an email to jsearcycanningco@gmail.com and include your phone number -- I will get back to you to discuss, total and complete your order. Thanks!

J. Searcy Canning Co. (The Snack Basket: Pickled Carolina Okra, Sweet & Salty Roasted Nuts, Rosemary & Parm Popcorn)

2011-11-17T18:17:00.000-08:00

Howdy (and holy cow, can you believe its almost Thanksgiving!). I've been a little MIA on the blog and that's because I have been cooking up a storm, tweaking new and old recipes for J. Searcy Canning Co. (and working away on orders for the Apple Butter and Sweet Potato Bread - thank you!). It is taking me longer than anticipated to make a test batch for each new product idea (I usually like to pass out samples and get feedback from folks), hunt down the right packaging, then price, label and photograph the product....and eventually write about it here! So thanks for your patience and I hope you enjoy this next unveiling...The Snack Basket (which includes Pickled Carolina Okra or Pickled Green Tomatoes [supplies limited], Sweet & Salty Roasted Nuts and Rosemary & Parmesan Popcorn). Please see below for photos, details and pricing.

P.S. I hope to keep cranking out new goodies for the holiday season, so stay tuned (hint: I'm working on cranberry sauce with rosemary & orange zest and a soft pretzel party platter -- a must for football parties)!

The Snack Basket
$12.00 per basket (shipping rates vary)

Basket Includes:
-1 pint jar of Pickled Carolina Okra or Pickled Green Tomatoes (limited supply)
-1 cup Sweet & Salty Roasted Nuts
-4 cups Rosemary & Parmesan Popcorn

*every basket is handcrafted - supplies may be limited so each basket may vary in type, coloring and design

Close up view of contents.

Pickled Carolina Okra Ingredients (and recipe!): Can be found here.

Pickled Green Tomato Ingredients (and recipe!): Can be found here.

Sweet & Salty Roasted Nut Ingredients: Pecans, Walnuts, Peanuts, Butter, Brown Sugar, Chili Powder, Dried Rosemary, Black Pepper, Kosher Salt.

Rosemary & Parmasen Popcorn: Corn Kernels, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Rosemary, Parmasen, Kosher Salt.

Close up view of basket

The okra came from a local farm (www.bushnvinefarm.com) that I pickled and preserved late in the season.

The green tomatoes (not pictured) are the heirloom variety from my garden (it doesn't get more local than that!).

Rosemary used in the popcorn came from my herb garden.

To order, please send an email to jsearcycanningco@gmail.com and include your phone number -- I will get back to you to discuss, total and complete your order. Because the okra and green tomatoes were pickled and preserved when those items were in season, I have a limited amount in stock. I will keep taking orders on this gift basket until supplies run out! Thank you!!

J. Searcy Canning Co. (Product Info)

2011-11-07T10:38:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! I'm cranking on so many yummy new product ideas, I'm not sure which one to unveil first (stay tuned). I have received several orders for the Apple Butter, Sweet Potato Bread and B&B gift baskets with rave reviews (blushing) - thank you so much; you have no idea how happy it makes me to create a party in your tummy (ok, maybe I've been watching a little too much Yo Gabba Gabba with my son).

Anyways, I've had a few folks inquire as to what makes my goodies so tasty and I firmly believe its because I use locally grown and/or organic, seasonal ingredients AND don't cut corners (everything is prepared/canned fresh, eliminating the use of many taste depleting preservatives/fillers you find in store bought products.....my apple butter takes 8hrs+ to make, but I enjoy every minute of it because the end product is perfection!). If you think the locally grown/organic thing is a bunch of mumbo-jumbo, I would encourage you to read up, but health benefits aside, it just tastes better (no seriously, it does -- a sweet potato from my farmer dude taste like butter compared to the store bought not-so-sweet potato grown in Mexico and shipped/stored/refrigerated on a truck for 300hrs+ before it lands on a shelf somewhere). This also means when you place an order with J. Searcy Canning Co. you can feel good about it! Obviously your order helps support my little business, its homemade and wholesome, but it also helps sustain a community of farmers I purchase my ingredients from. That's not to say that the apple butter or SP bread doesn't include things like sugar (I'm no diet expert folks, I just do what tastes good), but the sweet potatoes were grown at a local farm, I use only organic milk and eggs.....well, you get the picture. Bottom line: everything I make for J. Searcy Canning Co. are things I feed to my own family. If you are curious about the ingredients that go into each product, they are listed under each product photo.

A friend of mine also inquired about gluten free products and I admit I don't have much experience in that area, but I plan to look into it and will let you know if I am able to start offering that option on some of my baked goods.

If you have other questions, ideas, feedback, I'd love to hear from you. I can be reached at jsearcycanningco@gmail.com.

Cheers,

Jess

J. Searcy Canning Co. (Apple Butter, Sweet Potato Bread & B&B Gift Baskets)

2011-11-02T13:49:00.000-07:00

Greetings friends (its November, so in my book its now acceptable to use holiday jargon)!

Well, I suppose you could call this post the "launch" of the J. Searcy Canning Co. I use the term "launch" loosely because many of my friends and family have been purchasing and gifting my homemade goods for years....and it was that same group of folks who encouraged me to make things more "official" by slapping a name on it! My canning hobby reached an all time peak this year and with the start of Eat. Drink. Nourish., J. Searcy Canning Co. seemed like a natural next step. I continue to be amazed at the level of interest and feedback I have received since starting this blog - thank you (its definitely still a work in progress)! So I guess my point is, while I'm excited about where this little path might take me, my goal remains the same: buy fresh/seasonal produce from local farmers I know to help support my tiny world and make delicous / healthy foods for my family and others - eat, share & repeat.

So without further ado...I'm thrilled to present to you a preview of my homemade holiday product line, including Spiced Apple Butter, Sweet Potato Bread and Bread & Butter Gift Baskets (please see below for photos, details and pricing). I will be working on additional gift basket ideas and canned goods for the holidays....so stay tuned, more to come!

Spiced Apple Butter
$5.00 per 1/2 pint (8oz) jar (shipping rates vary)
*every jar is hand crafted - supplies may be limited, therefore jar type and fabric/embellishments may vary (fall and winter themes available)

The apples used for this butter came from a South Carolina apple orchard (http://windyhillorchard.com) and are Stayman Winesap variety

Apple Butter Ingredients: Apples, Apple Cider, Lemon, Sugar, Salt, Cinnamon, Cloves, All Spice.

Sweet Potato Bread
$7.00 per mini loaf (approximately 6 inches)
$30 per batch (5 loaves)

The sweet potatoes used for this bread came from a local farm (http://www.bushnvinefarm.com)

Sweet Potato Bread Ingredients: Sweet Potatoes, Organic Milk, Organic Eggs, Vegetable Shortening, Sugar, Flour, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, Cinnamon, Cloves, Salt.

Bread & Butter Gift Basket
$15.00 per basket (shipping rates vary)
*every basket is handcrafted - supplies may be limited, therefore jar / basket type and embellishments may vary (fall and winter themes available)

Each basket comes with a 1/2 pint (8oz) jar of Spiced Apple Butter, one mini-loaf (approximately 6in) of Sweet Potato Bread and I include an "edible extra" in every basket (such as cooking herbs [as shown in above baskets - rosemary and sage] or toasted pumpkin seeds, nuts, etc.); edible extras vary per basket depending on what I have available or growing in my garden

Suggestions and feedback are highly encouraged and welcome!

To order, please send an email to jsearcycanningco@gmail.com, include the items you are interested in purchasing and your phone number -- I will get back to you to discuss, total and complete your order. Or if you have my phone number, calling me is most efficient (I'm a little wary about posting it on the blog for all the internet to see). Thank you!!

Please keep in mind that it will take 3-5 days to process your order, not including shipping / delivery time. If you are local to my area, I will deliver with no charge. While I may have some items in stock, others are made per order for freshness (such as the Sweet Potato Bread). DO NOT WAIT TO ORDER FOR THE HOLIDAYS - I am taking pre-orders now and supplies are limited! I will stop taking orders when supplies sell out or by December 15th (whichever comes first) for delivery/shipment the week of Christmas.

Copyright 2011. All images and material are the work / property of J. Searcy Canning Co. and Eat. Drink. Nourish.

Pickled Green Tomato Salad

2011-10-26T07:34:00.000-07:00

Chances are if you live south of Virginia then green tomatoes are still hanging on vines near you. That was the case with my garden, when I found myself with two dozen green tomatoes in October but not enough consistent warm weather or time before the first frost to let them vine ripen.....so I picked them all and thought, now what? I gave a few to friends and let some ripen through the window-filtered sun but I still had more than a dozen left. I love fried green tomatoes, but I didn't want to have to eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner for three days just to use up my harvest.....so I turned to the one thing I do when I have an abundance of any veggie....canning! I had heard of green tomato relish so I did some research on various methods and came up with a recipe of my own that's a little different....Pickled Green Tomato Salad.

This salad would be great as a side or topping on burgers, but I actually plan on using it this week on a fall favorite, bratwurst (also topped with homemade beer and horseradish mustard). Before canning and processing the salad, I used a mandolin to thinly and quickly slice the tomatoes and onion, tossing them with a few jalapeno peppers.

Serving Size:
Makes about 4 pint-sized mason jars

Ingredients:

-6-8 green tomatoes (depending on size, thinly sliced and halved if necessary to fit in mason jars)

-1 large onion (thinly sliced)

-4 jalapeno peppers (about 1 per jar, sliced)

-4 1/2 cups white vinegar
-3 cups sugar
-1/4 cup kosher salt
-2 tbsp mustard seeds
-4 tbsp black peppercorns
-1 tsp dill seed

Directions:

Prep a large / tall pot of boiling water for the processing phase of the recipe.

Slice the tomatoes, onion and jalapenos. Toss together in a bowl. Tightly pack into hot sterilized mason jars.

Meanwhile bring the vinegar, sugar, salt and spices to a boil and let flavors combine for a few minutes and until salt/sugar dissolves. While the pickling mixture is at a low boil / hot, ladle into the packed jars. Wipe the rims clean of any liquid and seal with lids/bans. Process in water bath for 15 minutes (basically boil jars under water in a large / tall pot, ensuring jar lids are covered by 1-2 inches of water). Let cool on a wire rack for 24 hours, then test seals (center part of jar lid will be depressed if properly sealed).

Will keep in your pantry for up to one year once processed and sealed!

My Favorite Fall Harvest Salad

2011-10-24T12:50:00.000-07:00

This is my all time favorite fall harvest salad.....for lunch, dinner, along side a main dish (doesn't matter, its versatile)....including granny smith apples, cranberries, pecans and blue cheese. It is super simple to throw together. I top it with a raspberry vinaigrette, which I make by whisking together one part white balsalmic / raspberry infused vinegar (bought at my local grocery) with two parts extra virgin olive oil and a squirt of lemon juice, plus kosher salt and pepper to taste. You could also buy a pre-made dressing of your choice, but I would recommend you stick to a balsamic or red wine vinegar based mixture (nothing too creamy / heavy). In this photo, I added chicken to make it a light / one plate meal, but I often serve this salad along side heartier entrees such as a beef roast, lamb chops or pork loin....pick up a baguette from your bakery and you have yourself a dinner worth sharing with friends.

This salad also keeps really well if you want to make it ahead of time on a Sunday as a default for weekday lunches....just hold the dressing (toss the apples in a little lemon juice to prevent browning). I actually made this for a picnic we had with a group of friends apple picking last year and I literally just tossed it together onsite at a picnic table, its so easy....everyone loved it!

Serving Size:

Serves 4 people as side

Ingredients:

-2 heads of romaine lettuce (chopped)

-1 granny smith apple (quartered and sliced, toss with a little lemon juice to prevent browning)

-less than 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced)

-1 cup pecans or walnuts (chopped and lightly toasted)

-1/2 cup dried cranberries

-1 cup crumbled blue cheese

Optional topping: bacon (fried and crumbled)

Directions:

Um, toss together - that's it!

Butternut Squash & Sweet Potato Soup

2011-10-19T12:14:00.000-07:00

Here's the BN squash recipe (two of two) that I prefaced in my previous post. If I had some toasted pumpkin seeds when I made this, I would have added those as a topping. The sweet potato is really necessary in this dish to help thicken the soup's consistency. An immersion blender (the hand-held kind you stick in the pot) would come in handy and help with clean-up when making this recipe, but I used a regular old blender.....hint, hint (husband)....Christmas idea....let's see if he really reads my blog, LOL!

Serving Size:

4 generous bowls

Ingredients:

-1 large butternut squash (peel skin, cut flesh into 1 inch cubes, discard seeds/pulp)

-1 medium sweet potato (peel skin, cut into 1/2 inch cubes)

-1 small onion (chopped)

-1 tbsp brown sugar

-3 tbsp butter

-few sprigs of fresh thyme

-palmful fresh sage leaves

-5 cups chicken broth (or use water and drop in bouillon cubes)

-1 cup half / half (you could use heavy cream but I always have half / half for coffee so I use that instead, its a little lighter so use about 1/2 cup if you go with the heavy cream)

-salt / pepper to taste

Toppings (optional but I would use all of them):

-4-6 strip bacon (pan fried and crumbled)

-croutons or toasted baguette

-pumpkin seeds (toasted)

Directions:

Melt the butter in a heavy bottom pot over medium heat, add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the BN squash and sweet potato to the pot with the sugar, stirring frequently for about 3 minutes until it browned lightly. Strip the thyme leaves into the pot and add whole sage leaves.

Add 5 cups chicken broth to the pot, bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer until squash and potato are tender, about 10-15 minutes.

Transfer the soup into a blender (or use your killer immersion blender if you have one). IMPORTANT: if using a standing blender, remove the center piece of your blender top, cover with paper towel and then puree (this allows the steam to escape....if you seal it tight the heat will expand the liquid and it will probably end up exploding outward on you and your kitchen.....not fun, trust me, lesson learned).

After mixture is pureed, pour back into the pot and stir in heavy cream. Salt / pepper the soup to taste. Pour into serving bowls and top with bacon, croutons and pumpkin seeds.

Butternut Squash Salad with Cranberries, Walnuts & Bacon

2011-10-19T11:23:00.000-07:00

Have you been wondering what to do with all that butternut squash they have displayed at the grocery store lately? Or maybe you think the pureed kind you've tried in the past tastes like baby food? That's pretty much how I felt about it until I started getting creative after receiving BN squash in my farmer's share basket for the last four weeks. And since I come from a family where my Dad would knock the mold off the crust of the last piece bread to have it as toast for breakfast (even though there was a brand new loaf in the pantry) - I wasn't gonna let any of that squash go to waste despite my previous impression of the veggie. P.S. I would never do that, but you get the point - "waste not, want not," "there's starving children," and all those sayings.

After playing around with a few BN squash recipes and a couple failed attempts, I finally came up with two I'm proud enough to display on my blog. So enjoy and let me know what you think! Here's one of two:

Serving Size:

3-4 people as a side dish

Ingredients:

-1 large BN squash (peel off outer skin and cut flesh into 1 inch cubes, discard any seeds/pulp)
-bacon (4-6 strips, pan fried and crumbled)
-1/2 cup walnuts (chopped)
-1/2 cup dried cranberries
-palmful fresh parsley leaves (chopped)
-small bunch fresh chives (chopped)
-1/2 orange (squeezed for juice and zested)
-generous drizzle of maple syrup
-generous drizzle of olive oil
-splash of red wine vinegar
-pinch of nutmeg
-pinch of coriander
-salt / pepper to taste

Directions:
Fry the bacon in a skillet; set aside to crumble when cool. Meanwhile, cook the BN squash in boiling water for 1-3 minutes (just enough to take the bite out of it but before it gets mushy) - drain and rinse with cool water.

In a bowl, whisk together the OJ / zest, maple syrup, olive oil, RW vinegar, nutmeg, coriander and salt / pepper. Toss BN squash in dressing and add crumbled bacon, walnuts, cranberries, parsley and chives.

Pickled Carolina Okra

2011-09-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Here in the south the okra is plentiful...even in September. We have a farmer's share program we pay for in advance and pick up weekly - each week is a new surprise of fresh veggies and fruits. While its been awesome to get fresh/local produce, its also more stuff than one family can cook in a week. So what do I do with extra bounty??...CAN IT (actually this has become a regular late night hobby for me). I've also now decided that all my immediate family members will be receiving a can of Carolina pickled okra and spiced peaches for Christmas (IF Geoff doesn't demolish my pantry stash before then).

I don't usually care much for okra since it can get "gummy" when you slice it before cooking and a common southern method is frying, but trust me, pickled results in a whole other texture and flavor - YUMMO!

Due my lack of southern heritage, I adapted this recipe from a canning book I own.....unlike the other recipes on my blog which are my creations or family heirlooms. I took me a few tries to find the right level of heat :)

Serving Size:
Makes about 4-5 pint sized mason jars (you have to stuff the jars really tightly)

Ingredients:

-2lbs farm/garden fresh okra (don't bother with the pre-refridgerated store-bought kind, because okra bruises easily and looses crispness quickly after picking, sorry!)

-4 cups apple cider vinegar

-2 cups water

-1/4 cup sugar

-3 tbsp kosher salt

-garlic (2 cloves per jar)

-red pepper flakes (1 tbsp per jar)

-black peppercorns (1/2 tbsp per jar)

-fresh grated horseradish root (about 1 tbsp per jar; I have only ever found this available at Harris Teeter in my area)

Directions:

Bring the vinegar, water, sugar and salt to a low boil until sugar dissolves.

Place the noted amounts of garlic, pepper flakes, peppercorns, and grated horseradish into sterilized mason jars. Stuff super tightly with okra.

Pour the boiling mixture over the okra, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace (space b/w the liquid and lid), making sure the liquid covers the okra. Tap out any air bubbles caught in jars (these prevent sealing). Wipe the rims and cover with lids/bans. Place jars in large/tall pot of boiling water, making sure the lids are covered by water and process (boil) for 10 minutes.

Allow jars to cool on wire rack. Test seals on lids. Sealed jars will last up to one year in pantry (pretty cool preserving your own food, huh?).

Bad Blogger

2011-09-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

Yes, I admit I've been a bad blogger, but that doesn't mean I haven't been working on some kick'in kitchen creations, I just need to find time to photograph them, work out the ingredients, write, edit and post, etc. :) Those of you that know me, know that I'm kind of a perfectionist, so I'm not going to post ANYTHING that doesn't meet my slightly compulsive / ridiculous seal of approval. But hey, when it comes to food, I don't play around! I did want to hop on here though and post at random a few things about the blog:

--First, I want to thank everyone for the emails / notes / words of encouragement about the blog. I've been really shocked at the stats on traffic to my blog when I finally do post. Thank you so much -- this keeps me motivated :)

--Second, I started the blog to begin archiving all the recipes I have created, adapted and collected from family originals over the years....and continue to create, but if you have feedback / tips on a recipe, twist on the ingredients or a recipes you'd like to share with me - please send!

--Third, I'm new at this whole blogging thing and I have been trying to figure out how to "file" the recipes into categories such as side dishes, pasta, etc. so the recipes can be more easily searched. However, since 99% of the time I cook seasonally (with mostly local produce), I've decided to leave it dated by month so depending on the time of year, you'll know what's growing fresh and can find recipe ideas on what to do with it.

P.S. Most of my close friends (who are often the lucky recipients of my taste test creations, LOL) know I've been really into canning lately - yes, like preserving/pickling/jamming food in mason jars :) My great grandmother (Nana) always had a cellar full of glass canisters and there is definitely something nostalgic about canning. Back in Nana's day, you probably had to can all of the summer's bounty from your garden to help feed/survive your family during the winter. Anyways, I have a pickled okra recipe I adapted from a canning book and hope to post soon (something Nana would have never made as a native northerner, but darn its good, and was approved this past weekend as a tasty snack by three football loving, hungry guys....so stay tuned).

Cheers,

Jess

Pop Pop's Pickles With a Kick!

2011-08-15T12:53:00.000-07:00

My parents took my Pop Pop's pickle recipe and added a little kick. These are really zesty dill pickles to begin with but add some spice and its a whole new mouth pleaser! I had to ask my mom if I could post on the world wide web since Pop Pop's pickles are highly coveted and well, its been a family recipe that remains a special summer canning tradition amongst a small group of us (Gram, me, Mom, Dad and Aunt Toni) now that Pop Pop is gone. She told me to share away and besides, that's why I started this blog - to share good food ideas, with good friends and hopefully archive my tiny mind's recipe files before I run out of storage space up there one day (some recipes are mine, some are my family's, some from friends and some adapted from other recipes - ALL SPECIAL, ALL DELICIOUS).

I can still see Pop Pop on Gram's front porch swing - a jar pickles in one hand and a beer in his other :) Enjoy!

Serving Size:

Makes 2 quart sized jars or 4 pint sized jars

(these are not processed pickles - they are "24hr" pickles, so hence the small serving size - they last about 3 weeks in the refrigerator - you can easily double or triple the recipe if you want to make more)

Tip #1: Its a good idea to sterilize your jars/lids in boiling water before you start canning.

Tip #2: I bought some fresh garlic from my local farmer's market to make these and it was way zestier! Highly recommend buying some, but regular bulbed garlic from the store works well too.

Tip #3: Don't even try to make these with grocery store bought cucumbers (the kind with the gross waxy stuff on the outside - BIG NO, NO!) - only farm fresh, pickling/baby cukes will do and that's why there is a small seasonal window to make these.

Ingredients:

-dozen cucumbers (cut into spears or rounds - however you like them)

-2 cups water

-1 cup white vinegar

-1/2 cup sugar

-1/4 cup kosher salt (kosher helps with crispness and color)

-1 tbsp of pickling spice

-1/2 tsp of dill seed

-2 large bay leafs

-1 tsp black peppercorns

-1 tsp red pepper flakes

-2 jalapeno peppers (sliced into rounds)

-1 head garlic (remove individual cloves and peel - leave cloves whole)

-big bunch of fresh dill weed

Directions:

Bring water, vinegar, sugar, salt, pickling spice, dill seed, bay leafs, peppercorns and red pepper flakes to boil for 1-2 mins. Let cool. Stuff sliced cukes TIGHTLY into jars, layering in lots of fresh dill and garlic and one sliced jalapeno per jar as you stuff. Pour cooled (room temp) mixture into stuffed jars and cover tightly with lids. Set out on counter at room temp. for 24hrs then refrigerate. Will last about 3 weeks in refrigerator.

Orzo Salad with Cherry Tomatoes, Red Onion & Capers

2011-08-15T11:31:00.000-07:00

I LOVE PASTA!!! And just because its pasta doesn't mean its bad for you! Its all about how you make it. Orzo looks like rice but is actually a pasta and its small shape/light texture makes it a great addition to a salad mix. I like to eat this for a light lunch or serve as a side.

Serving Size:

Will serve 4 people as a side dish

Ingredients:

-1/2 bag orzo (cooked in salted water per bag instructions or I like to add a bouillon cube to the water if I have some to add flavor to the pasta while it cooks)

-1 head romaine lettuce (washed, dried and thinly sliced)

-1/2 red onion (chopped)

-1/2 pint cherry tomatoes (sliced in half)

-1/4 cup olive oil

-1/2 lemon (juiced and zested)

-1 tbsp sherry or red wine vinegar

-1 tbsp capers

-palmful fresh parsley leaves (chopped)

-kosher salt/pepper

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions, rinse quickly with cold water to stop cooking and let pasta rest/drain in colander until it comes to room temperature.

Whisk EVOO, lemon juice/zest, vinegar, capers, parsley, and pinch of salt/pepper in large bowl. When pasta is room temp, add it to the dressing and toss. Add lettuce, onion and tomatoes. Mix and serve!

Dad's Stuffed Sweet Pepper Poppers

2011-08-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

This is a quick appetizer that my Dad makes all the time....they are super easy to put together but look really "gourmet".....serve with some crackers or put them on an antipasta platter (see my other recipe) - bon appetite!

Serving Size:

1 jar peppers serves 2-3 people as appetizer

Ingredients:

-1 jar marinated sweet peppers (decap and scoop out seeds)

-1/4 lb thinly sliced Italian meat (proscuitto, cappacola or salami)

-cubed cheese (smoked gruyere or provolone -- I used colby in photo b/c that's what I had in my fridge)

Directions:

Drain peppers, cut of stems/tops and scoop out seeds. Wrap piece of cubed cheese in italian meat and stuff into pepper. Display on platter! That's it.

Bacon, Basil and Tomato Baked Minis

2011-07-25T12:43:00.000-07:00

Crowd pleaser alert!!!

Pretty much everyone who has ever tried these has asked me for the recipe - its hard to go wrong with bacon, fresh basil and tomatoes in bite size doughy quiche-like shapes (no eggs in this recipe though). So if you don't have this recipe already, here you go! IT DOESN'T GET ANY EASIER AND DELICIOUS - TRUST ME :) You can make the mixture one day ahead and refrigerate, if desired.

Serving Size:

Makes about 2 large trays of mini muffin tins (serves about 8 people as appetizer)

Ingredients:

-1 can flaky biscuits/dough (I use pilsbury)

-4 roma tomatoes (seeded and chopped)

-6 slices bacon (fried and crumbled)

-2 cups mozzarella (finely shredded)

-1/2 cup mayo

-handful fresh basil (chopped - fresh ONLY, dried won't cut it)

Directions:

Mix tomatoes, bacon, mozzarella, mayo and fresh basil in bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and salt/pepper to taste.

Grease two trays of mini muffin tins. Open the can of biscuits and pull the thin layers of each flaky biscuit apart - pressing 1/2 layer into each muffin tin hole (you need just a enough to cover the bottom and lower sides of holes).

Spoon small amounts of mixture (just enough to fill the tins) on top of the dough.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Share with friends :)

Creamy Baby Potato & Zucchini Soup

2011-07-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

I made this last night and I'm not usually a fan of soup in the summer but this is a super yummy and simple dish (you could also serve it chilled like gazpacho but I prefer soup steaming). Top it with toasted baguette slices (or store bought croutons if you that's what you have in your pantry) and crumbled bacon - soooo good! It makes a pretty decent sized pot-full so if you're cooking for just one or two, you can freeze left-overs in serving sizes in ziplock bags, jars, whatever you got and pull them out of the freezer in a dinner pinch.

P.S. I promise to stop posting zucchini recipes soon but its summer people and I had dozens to get creative with from my garden :)

Serving Size:

Approximately 4-6 people (hardy bowl full per person)

Ingredients:

-3 cups baby red potatoes (chopped into small cubes) = about 6-8 whole potatoes depending on size

-2 medium sized zucchini (chopped into small cubes)

-1 large leek (remove/discard green top, thinly slice leek, rinse/drain well - they can be very sandy)

-6 slices bacon

-4 cups chicken broth

-1 cup cream/half&half

-1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary

-kosher salt/pepper

Directions:

Fry the bacon slices in a large pot or dutch oven on the stove top. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels - set aside.

Add the sliced leek to the hot drippings and saute for about 5 mins until softened. Add the chopped potatoes, zucchini, rosemary (just run your pinched finger down the stem to discard leaf-like needles into the pot) and a few generous pinches of salt/ground pepper. Stir around the pot a few times scraping the drippings from bottom into the mixture.

Add 4 cups chicken broth and let simmer until the potatoes and zucchini soften for about 10-15 minutes. Stir in the cream and remove from heat. Ladle in about half the pot of soup into a blender (trying to collect as much of the chopped veggies, not liquid as possible) and puree. Pour puree back into the soup pot and add more salt/pepper if needed to taste.

Ladle into soup bowls and top with crumbled bacon and toasted baguette slices (or croutons).

Dilly Pickled String Beans

2011-07-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

I have been really into canning this summer -- its fun to preserve food at its peak freshness and is a great way to share it with the folks you love. This past weekend's project was Dilly Pickled String Beans and believe me they are good (plus they are a healthy snack). I preserved them the old fashion (boiling water bath) way so they would keep in the pantry for roughly 1 year unopened.

Serving Size:

Recipe yields about 4-5 pint size mason jars

Ingredients:

-4 cups white vinegar

-3 tbsp sherry vinegar

-2 cups water

-3 tablespoons kosher salt (kosher vs. table salt will keep the brine from turning brown in color)

-4 lbs farm fresh string (green) beans

-fresh dill weed (3 sprigs per jar)

-garlic (2-3 peeled whole cloves per jar)

-yellow mustard seed (1 tsp per jar)

-black peppercorns (1/4 tsp per jar)

Directions:

**Make sure you boil your mason jars for 10 minutes immediately before use for this recipe to ensure sterilization before sealing**

Bring the vinegars, water and salt to a boil until salt dissolves.

Place dill, garlic, mustard seeds and peppercorns in each jar while they are still hot/immediately after boiling jars. Pack the beans tightly in the jars (trim to fit jars if needed).

Ladle the boiling brine over the beans, leaving 1/2 inch headspace (space b/w the top of the liquid level and top of jar required to make strong suction/seal when preserved), but make sure the beans are covered in liquid. Wipe rims and seal with lids/bans. Place gently in boiling water and process for 10 minutes (making sure the water level is about 1-2 inches above the lids). Remove jars from boiling water bath and let cool on rack.

Check seals after several hours to ensure they processed correctly (sometimes lids don't seal airtight for a variety of reasons). If a jar didn't seal - no problem! Just keep it refrigerated and enjoy within 1-2 weeks. Or you could try to reprocess it for another 10 minutes in boiling water.

Tip: Canning is more fun if you have help -- I love you Geoff :)

Zucchini Ribbon Salad

2011-07-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

I wish I had taken a photo when I made this a few times pre-blog - the ribboned zucchini looks fancy but is so simple....next time I make it I will upload a photo. I used a mandolin to slice my zucchini length-wise (very thin), but a vegetable peeler works just as well. This salad is so refreshing topped with basil and pine nuts (for a little crunch) and its an easy, no-cook way to use zucchini.

Serving Size:

Serves 4 people as a side or starter dish

Ingredients:

-4 small to medium sized green zucchini (sliced lengthwise, very thinly)

-1 lemon (squeezed for juice; zest half of lemon rhine)

-dash of red wine vinegar

-1/2 cup olive oil

-kosher salt, pepper (at least a tsp of salt or more - taste it!)

-1 tsp of sugar

-1/4 cup pine nuts (toasted)

-palmful fresh basil (chopped)

-parmesan cheese (shaved - you can use veggie peeler if working from a wedge of cheese - use enough to lightly top salad)

Directions:

Whisk together the lemon juice/zest, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt/pepper and sugar. Add sliced zucchini to mixture (it can sit in the dressing for an hour or so -- and I think its best to let it marinate in the mixture for at least 20 mins to absorb the flavors but remain crisp). Toast the pine nuts in a pan on stove top over medium heat for 5-10 mins (shake pan often for even toasting) just until they turn very lightly brown (warning: they burn quickly). Plate or bowl the zucchini draining off some of the dressing and sprinkle with pine nuts, chopped fresh basil and shaved parmesan cheese.

Summer's Bounty - ZUCCHINI!!!

2011-07-13T12:10:00.000-07:00

I had TONS of zucchini from my garden this year and its usually bountiful throughout the summer, easy to find and cheap (my plant already reached its production peak - that AND we had our house powerwashed last weekend and the chemical run off gave my garden toxic shock, now everything is dead/dying, including my heirloom tomatoes.....so sad, lesson learned).

Anyways, I made a boat load of zucchini dishes so far this summer and I have two favorites I hope to post recipes for soon (stuffed zucchini and zucchini ribbon salad). I'm also going to try to make a baby red potato and zucchini soup later this week.....I'll let you know how it turns out. Oh and Jacob's all time fav if you are looking for quick kiddo meal ideas (sort of a veggie mac n' cheese): 1 zucchini sliced then steamed, stick it in a food processor and blend with 1 cup ricotta, couple fresh basil leaves, splash of olive oil and salt/pepper - stir mixture while it is still warm with cooked elbows/macaroni (1 box) - he's in hog heaven, no joke.

So, if you like zucchini and you have a couple square feet of dirt in your yard, I would highly recommend planting some. I started mine from seeds late spring and it grew SUPER FAST and has yielded dozens since May.

Zucchini recipes coming soon!

Rustic Antipasta Spread

2011-07-12T07:44:00.000-07:00

There is something so simple, yet delicious about an antipasta spread (and its fun to create!). This is really more of a meal idea rather than a recipe since you can add whatever you have in your pantry (there are a few things I like to make/add to jazz it up). It also makes an awesome summer time lunch or dinner, paired with some crusty bread and a bottle of vino! I'm getting hungry just writing this :)

Serving Size:

Will feed a large group of 8-10 as a starter or 4 people as a lunch/dinner paired with bread, wine and dessert of course!

Ingredients*:

*Add whatever you love/have in your pantry, but here's some of the key things I like use:

-2-3 varieties of sliced italian/cured meats (prosciutto, salami and capicola are best)

-2-3 varieties of cheeses (fresh mozzarella [buffalo] in the baby pearl form, havarti cubed and parmesan thinly sliced are my favs)

-variety of olives

-1 red onion (very thinly sliced)

-1 jar marinated artichokes

-roasted red peppers (store bought kind are very good; if you have the time to make them fresh.....grill red peppers until charred, immediately place in plastic container and seal with lid (this helps steam off the skin), peel skin, slice and season with olive oil, salt, pepper)

-2 large tomatoes (quartered)

-1 jar marinated sweet peppers (jazz them up by cutting off the tops, scooping seeds, and stuff with a small havarti cheese cube wrapped in prosciutto)

-1 head romaine lettuce

-handful of fresh basil and/or parsley

Directions:

You really can't go wrong with assembly on this dish, but I think its nice to start with a bed of romaine on a platter and build from there by grouping the meats, cheeses, and other ingredients (it looks pretty!). Once assembled, drizzle lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt/pepper and chopped fresh basil and/or parsley.

Zucchini & Heirloom Tomato Pie

2011-07-11T14:05:00.000-07:00

Serving Size:

Makes two pies

(might as well make two; store bought crust come with a top and bottom)

Two pies probably serves 12-16 people as a starter or side

6ish people as a meal

Ingredients:

-Store bought/refrigerated pie crust (its easier and tastes just as good)

-3-5 tomatoes - depends on size (very thinly sliced; I like to use a variety, green tomatoes too; heirloom tomatoes taste better to me!)

-1 yellow onion (thinly sliced)

-1 large or 2 small green zucchini (thinly sliced rounds)

-1/2 cup bread crumbs

-2 cups shredded mozzarella

-1 cup finely shredded parmesan

-couple dolups of mayo (dolup=a hearty tablespoon full)

-handful of fresh herbs (I used basil, oregano and chives but whatever you have will do, but basil is the key and dried herbs won't cut it)

-kosher salt and pepper (of course!)

Optional Tip: Slice, salt and place the tomatoes in a colander in your sink to drain excess juices while you make the rest of the recipe.

Directions:

Gently lay/press the pie crusts into tart or pie pans. Poke holes in sides and bottom to avoid explosion during baking :) Bake@450 for about 9-11 mins. Let cool slightly. Turn your oven down to 425.

In the meantime, saute the onion in a little olive oil until softened and lightly golden. Mix onion with the breadcrumbs, 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, 1/2 cup parm, half the handful of fresh herbs, couple dolups of mayo (eyeball it) and salt/pepper. Set aside.

Saute the thinly sliced zucchini in the same pan you did the onion for 3-4 mins just to soften slightly.

Place a single layer of the zucchini on the bottom of the pie crusts. Top with onion mixture (spread evenly). Finish with the sliced tomatoes (1-2 overlapping layers depending on how thin you sliced them).

Mix the remaining mozzarella, parm, herbs and dolup of mayo -- top the pie with a couple spoonfuls of mixture and salt/pepper.

Bake@425 for about 15 mins or until cheese topping is lightly bubbled/brown. Let cool slightly before cutting/serving.

I'm no expert blogger....

2011-07-11T11:34:00.000-07:00

....that is for sure! I'm still figuring this whole thing out, so bare with me. As some of my friends know, I talked about starting a recipe blog a while back - and actually created one back in January 2011. I never shared it with anyone, so its been floating around in cyberspace for a while now. This past weekend I made a killer zucchini and heirloom tomato pie (if I do say so myself) and about a half dozen or so friends have asked me for the recipe. Sooo, I thought to myself today, maybe its time to revisit the blog and share some recipes. Enjoy! More to come!