Giddy with Anticipation

Something very exciting is happening this week.  Tomorrow marks the beginning of May, which means a great deal of things.  It is my birthday month after all and boy have we got some good plans for celebrating this year.  But alas, this blog isn't about me so much as it is about food and my cooking.  So the thing about May is its the beginning of MARKET SEASON!!!!  That's right, Thursday is opening day at my local farmers market and Saturday is the first of the summer Saturday markets.  Although the Saturday market traditionally isn't all about food, my favorite regional florist grows more than just amazing bouquets.  I was so excited, that I spent last night going through a few of my favorite recipe books and pulling out new recipes to try with spring goodies.  I don't know  quite what to expect given its the first week, but I am hoping that since we've had an early spring in my region there will be a good enough supply to last the night (sadly I have to work late and can't get to the market until 90 minutes after opening-tragedy!). 

These mini loafs are so fun! One for me and one for a friend!

I've got exciting plans for things like asparagus, rhubarb, spinach and leeks.  I know there will be greens, but I've got plenty of those.  My rhubarb is only in year two so its still too small to harvest and somehow I can never get leeks to grow fatter than a green onion (though I'm not giving up-I've got a short row in the garden already).  Spinach is a plenty in my garden, but I haven't been able to harvest enough of it at one time to make the spinach pie my boyfriend keeps requesting. And as far as asparagus goes- well that's a whole other story that's worthy of sharing at another time.  Boy am I thankful for the market!  I can't wait to share the tasty things I try- my sister is excited to because she's my guinea pig for new recipes.

I think they call this meat + 3 in the South.

Enough of the excitement.  Since market season is coming, I'm desperately trying to use up last years stores to make room for in season items and next winters saving grace.  A few recent meals included short ribs with a spicy rub and Chipotle cherry BBQ sauce (my own recipe which I'll share in July when I'm canning it) which included garlic roasted green beans (frozen last summer), cheesy garlic bread from a homemade egg loaf (still getting TONS of eggs every week), and white rice.  Another quick but yummy meal included orange honey Dijon glazed chicken legs (free range of course) with buttery sweet corn (frozen last summer).  Lastly, I had some butternut squash left over from ravioli making (actually I just ran out of ham pieces and Gorgonzola) so I made winter squash (recipe actually called for pumpkin) and peanut butter bread which I'll post on the recipe page later this afternoon. 

Saved by the Cupboard!

Tulips in bloom-gardening season is upon us!

Last week was busy at work...and this week will be even busier!  But this blog isn't about how crazy life is sometimes, its about good seasonal food.  So let me tell you how happy I am to be able to open the cupboard and pull out a quick meal.  Sadly this action has led to consuming things like cookies out of a plastic tray or a microwavable dinner.  Well I am hear to tell you it doesn't have to be that way.  The trick to eating good seasonal and food, even in a pinch, is to plan ahead and be prepared for those moments of weakness when hunger is high and time is limited.  Here are my top 3 go to-s as needed last week:
1)  Pasta with frozen pesto (say in lieu of boxed man n cheese).
2)  PB&J made with canned jam, ground peanuts and bread made earlier in the week (in lieu of buying a non descript sandwich from the coffee kiosk at work).
3)  Breakfast burrito- I call it that, but honestly its an anytime burrito so long as you have 1-3 backyard eggs in the fridge.  Add in anything else you can scrounge up, it all tastes good wrapped up in a tortilla! (in lieu of the wraps in the grocery store that have more lettuce than anything else and are always a little soggy).
All of these dishes go great with a side of canned peaches or pears or a spring salad!

Using Up Stores!

In the last two years I've learned a lot about 'putting food up' or storing it for use out of season.  I think this is an important skill and strategy if you are concerned about where your food comes from.  If you don't believe me, I implore you to buy some extra corn on the cob this summer and freeze it.  When you go to use it just steam it or mix with a little butter and water...I'm telling you, you'll never go back to canned corn!

The point is, my food preservation skills and strategies have increased significantly since I decided to be concerned with my food sources.  That has left me with a cupboard full of canned goods, a chest freezer full of frozen foods and even a few things dried (although doing more of that is my food goal for this year).  So right now, I am trying to use up what has been stored to make room for whats to come.  Know what goes nicely with a salad of Spring Greens?  Butternut squash ravioloi!  Butternut squash isn't in season you say...well it is in my house when it was baked, pureed and frozen.  My one regret was not cubing some and freezing it without cooking.  Oh well, there is always next year!

The Resolution List

Recall that in an earlier post I mentioned making a new years resolution to become more aware of where my food came from.  That was in January 2011.  It was an excellent idea, but I didn't follow up on it until about March.  During Spring break that month (I work in elementary education) I visited a friend in Boudler, CO.  While perusing through a used book store during some downtime I discovered the inspiration I needed to get moving on my resolution in the form of some reference material: The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter by Peter Singer and Ball's Big Blue Book of Canning.  After making a nominal purchase, I went back to my friends apartment and pulled out a piece of paper and pencil.  This is what materialized:

Goal for 2011: Become more aware of where my food comes from.

January- flour
February- bananas
March- dairy products

April- chocolate
May- sugar
June- strawberries (can jam!)
July- chicken
August- tomatoes (can sauce!)
September- beef
October- apples
November- pork
December

As you can see, there were definitely some holes with regards to variety and nutrition.  But basically, I thought about some of the most commonly used food items in my household and decided to investigate!

Cinnamon Rolls

The recipe and resources used are now posted on the Recipe page!  Thanks for your patience.

Maple Blossoms

I live in the Pacific Northwest...but not the rainy grey part.  In fact the area I live in is quite sunny (and receives significantly less rain than Portland for instance).  But alas, spring is the rainy season.  After moving north from Southern California where everything is dry and desert like for most of the year I quickly learned to appreciate the rain.  Its what makes it so green here.  A green landscape makes me happy.  It is my favorite color after all!  But more to the point, one of the things that happens in Spring that is a significant contributor to the green factor is the blooming of the big leaf maple!  They are gorgeous in fall when the leaves are changing, but in winter they stand barren for several months and the landscape is just not the same because of it.  In springtime, however, the trees spring alive and magically cascades of flowering blossoms (a yellowish green color) appear.  Then the leaves begin to unfold and suddenly the world has righted itself once more...or at least its green again.


Just before this transformation happens an internal change occurs that is very important to seasonal eaters.  As the weather warms up, the sap in the trees begins to flow at a high rate in preparation for the coming bloom.  This is when maple trees are tapped.  If you live in the north east you are probably familiar with tapping sugar maples, but the big leaf maples of the west can also be tapped.  Generally when the nights are still in the 30's and the days peak into the 50's is the time to do this.  The flow rate isn't as high as a sugar maple but you can still collect a decent amount of sap.

We are having an unusually fast spring this year so I didn't get a chance to tap any trees.  It was going to be the first time (last year I acquired the supplies and did TONS of research on the subject).  My intention was to turn some sap into maple flavoring (I had maple scones on my mind).  Even though I didn't have the opportunity to try this new venture I thought it worth saying that the flavor of MAPLE is what is in season in spring!  Click on the link and discover one way to indulge in this flavor: cinnamon rolls! 

Life's Little Splendor

Few things in life are as joyous as freshly baked cinnamon rolls.  Why else has Cinnabon done so well for itself?  I'm here to tell you that Cinnabon doesn't come close to the real deal straight from your home oven.  But wait, we are supposed to be eating seasonally here aren't we?  These cinnamon rolls are seasonally inspired...think maple!  I'd love to explain now, but I'm waiting on a photograph from my sister so, check back later on to see what's in season and get the recipe...

Spring Salad

I don't know about you, but half the reason I eat salad is to get away with eating all the good stuff you can mix with it! Since its been a few months now without salad greens (I sadly don't have a green house) I've been craving a good crunchy bowl of tasty leaves. You can only eat steamed, roasted and sauteed veggies (all frozen at the end of the summer) for so long.  Lucky for me Spring Salad is what's in season! Since there aren't many other fresh ingredients this time of the year, I like to enhance my spring salads with nuts and cheese and of course a good dressing. Click on the bold food item above to see two of my favorite spring combos.

A 'brief' history: part 2- A New Year's Resolution

In 2011 I decided to make a different kind of New Year's resolution.  I resolved to find out more about where my food came from.  I don't recall exactly what inspired this search but I remember a couple of factors that played an important part.  1- A few months before the start of 2011 I moved into a rental house with a big backyard which meant I could have a real garden, like the ones my mom tended when I was a child, for the first time on my own (instead of just a couple of pots an apartment patio).  2-  The farmer's market in my community had really taken off the summer before and I enjoyed regular visits to it.  3- My household loved making fruit smoothies and it seemed ridiculous to buy frozen fruit in the grocery store when there were so many choices in my own backyard.  The desire to preserve fruit purchased at the farmer's market (strawberries and raspberries),  picked wild (blackberries) and picked at a local farm (blueberries) resulted in the purchase of a large chest freezer.  4-  I lived (and still do) in an agricultural community in the northwest.  It would have been ignorant of me not to know where my food came from. 

Recall that I never said I was going to switch to eating local food or that my passion would become eating as seasonally as possible.  Inevitably though that's where the discovery of where my food came from led me.  It was very intriguing journey indeed.  I'll post the specifics about my resolution along with some tips for uncovering the mystique behind your food's origin in a later post.

Eggs, Eggs, Eggs!

 Paprika checking out her new sign purchased at the Fair Trade store in Stanwood on Camano Island in WA this past week.

I just came in from feeding this lovely lady and her sister and I knew exactly what needed to be posted today.  So I'm taking a break from explaining why I've started blogging in the first place to tell you that  EGGS are in season right now!  This past week I've made several batches of deviled eggs because of the surplus coming from my two hens (Spring seems to really get these ladies going!).  One lesson I've learned is that backyard eggs' shells don't peel nearly as easy as the store bought ones.  Alas after a year of raising my own hens I've finally found a flaw...I think I can live with it. On the bright side, literally, backyard deviled eggs are so much more vibrant!  And I don't think I could get that greenish grey ring around the yolk if I tried.  I say that because I always seemed to get that discoloration when I hard boiled store bought eggs in the past, but not anymore!  The final recipe posted here is a combination of several recipes I tried.  Make sure you taste along the way and adjust the flavoring to your liking.

A 'brief' history...Part 1

Part 1: Food, my first love affair.

I have a love affair with food and I always have. My family regularly ate dinner together at a table in a dinning room so I grew up knowing that food was something meant for sitting down and enjoying.