Spring Radishes with Chive Butter

The weather this past Saturday was spectacular, but was I in the flower garden doing the weeding I should have done last fall? Of course not! We took a quick jaunt to the lake for the first time this year to rest and read in the late afternoon. Nevermind the state parks aren’t open yet and it was a bit breezy, a quick walk was all I needed to warm up. But the walk got me thinking of summer, picnics, and what I was going to pack in that basket!

A few nights ago, my favorite local bakery (I’ve written about them here), mentioned they were serving French bread with radishes and chive butter. It sounded delicious, and since I had all four ingredients in the house, I decided to add it to the dinner I was making that night.

I love all alliums of all sorts, but I’m especially fond of chives. I love them snipped into some scrambled eggs with some creamy cheese added or with mashed potatoes. The chive bed is the first to pop up in the spring in my little herb garden and I’m always looking for ways to use them; I hate to think of those gorgeous green wisps being wasted on the wildlife that frequents the backyard!

So for this recipe, no measurement is needed. First off, take some fresh radishes and slice them paper-thin with a paring knife. Next, take a small bowl and add some softened  butter, unsalted or salted, whichever is handy and warm, and add some snipped chives, however much you want, a little or a lot. Spread the butter on a slice of warm French bread. Top with the sliced radishes. If you’re feeling ambitious, you could add some baby arugula or watercress and make a sandwich. And if you’re feeling extremely ambitious, I couldn’t help but think if you had a slice of homemade French bread right out of the oven that it would bring you one step closer to heaven!

This would be perfect to add to your picnic basket this summer as it doesn’t take up a lot of room, is relatively easy to pack, and you can eat it with your fingers. And like I do with my summer herbs and fresh garlic (see here), you can make a big serving, wrap tablespoon dollops in plastic wrap, and freeze for later use!

It’s Not So Much What it Looks Like, it’s How it Tastes

Tis the season for al fresco brunches, or even indoor brunches! The weather is gorgeous, so it’s nice to laze around on a Sunday, take a long walk, and eat a delicious springtime meal mid-day. And a special coffee cake is perfect to round out the dishes and is relatively easy to make.

As you may have figured out by now, I don’t bake that much, too much precision, with measuring cups and spoons. But I found this coffee cake recipe in my copy of The Essential New York Times Cook Book, and being relatively easy, I decided to make this for brunch one weekend. (As an aside, if you ever want to get a comprehensive cook book for someone, this is it. Time-tested recipes and menus for every meal imaginable, I have yet to make something that isn’t five stars, and each recipe is easily and clearly written for even a novice cook.)

This is a case of “do as I guide, not as I do.” The recipe calls for a 9-inch square pan. After measuring my own square pan and realizing it was too small, I went with a 9-inch pie plate. Which I thought would have worked, but space-wise it didn’t. It spilled up the sides and wasn’t the neat and tidy cake it looked like as it went into the oven.

Also, when you are baking anything, don’t decide to cut corners like I did and bake other things at the same time. Since the oven was on, I decided to poach some chicken and roast some sweet potatoes, leading to a longer cooking time for all.

But in the end, the coffee cake really was delicious; moist with a perfect hint of cinnamon, albeit a bit on the homely side. And regardless, it’s spring, the sun has been out for days, and as Lady Bird Johnson said, “Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” Even in the kitchen.

Dorothy Jewiss’s Coffee Cake

From The Essential New York Times Cook Book, by Amanda Hesser. Originally published November 24, 1968: “To Grandmother’s House,” by Jean Hewitt, recipe adapted from Dorothy Jewiss, a home cook in Winchester Center, Connecticut.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅓ chopped pecans
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Great a 9-inch square baking pan. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

2. Using a mixer or beating by hand, beat the butter and 1 cup sugar together in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the sour cream and vanilla. Stir the flour mixture into the batter until it is smooth.

3. Spoon half the batter into the pan. Combine the remaining ½ cup sugar, the pecans,  and cinnamon and sprinkle two-thirds of it over the batter. Top with the remaining batter and sprinkle with the remaining pecan mixture.

4. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out almost clean, 40-50 minutes. Serve warm.

Hesser’s Cooking Note:
In Step 3, use a spoon dipped in water to spread the top layer of batter, or it will be impossible to nudge the batter to the edges of the pan.

Chris’s Cooking Note:
I concur! I used a frosting spatula, dipped in water, worked like a charm!

No Time For Cookin’!

It has been absolutely gorgeous for the past two weeks! Nary a cloud in the sky, warm days, cool evenings lend themselves to long walks and late dinners. So needless to say I’ve been out of the kitchen and taking advantage of the beautiful weather! So enjoy these photos and I’ll be back next week with a new recipe, because of course, it’s springtime in Vermont, and the growing season is just beginning!

Off for a walk!

A blood-red trillium along the trail of Mount Abe.

Green!

The Canada geese have returned!

The light this year is incredible. I wondered what the heck was in the back seat of my car, but it’s the reflection of the house in the window.

Springtime Pasta

The happiest of the springtime flowers! Now it’s time to weed!

So I know I said I was going to take a break some time soon, but I couldn’t resist giving you this recipe I made that is picture-perfect for this time of year!

I was driving home from work one late Friday afternoon a couple of weeks ago, and of course, the question of what’s for dinner came to my mind. At the end of the week, a martini and some cheese and crackers is a sufficient dinner for me, but of course, nutritionally it should be a bit more substantial. One game I like to play with myself is to figure out what I can create for dinner with what I have on hand before I get to the grocery store in case I need to stop. I knew I had some asparagus in the fridge and some pasta in the cupboard. A stop at the grocery store for a shallot,  some frozen peas, and goat cheese and I knew what dinner was going to be, Springtime Pasta!

I always wonder when I see cooking magazines and their “seasons.” Yes, peas are a spring vegetable, but in Vermont, that’s June not April. But frozen peas are great, they are always fresh and you don’t have to shell them! Shallots sautéed in a little bit of butter and olive oil lend just the right amount of flavor, and you can always substitute red onion. Of course, with most of my pasta dishes a little bit of white wine or vermouth is a tasty addition, but you can leave it out if you want. I had pappardelle in the cupboard, but I would recommend perhaps linguine instead; pappardelle is long, very thick egg noodles. A little too long for me, you can’t wind the pasta on your fork. The topping of goat cheese added just a little bit of creaminess to the warm noodles, but you can use whatever you prefer, or leave it out. And per usual, measurements here always are a guideline; you can use more asparagus, peas, leave one out, or use less pasta!

I eat asparagus on a daily basis this time of year, with my eggs in the morning, on my salad for lunch, roasted or in pasta for dinner. It just tastes like spring!

Springtime Pasta

1 small shallot, minced
2-3 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
Butter and extra virgin olive oil for sauteing
3 cups chopped asparagus
½ cup of peas (fresh or frozen)
¾ cup chicken broth
Splash of white wine or vermouth (optional)
About 8 ounces dried pasta
Fresh lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cheese for topping, if desired

1. Fill a Dutch oven with water and bring to a boil. Add the asparagus and boil for about three minutes or until tender. With a slotted spoon, take the asparagus out of the water and set aside.
2. In a medium skillet, melt some butter and olive oil together. Add the shallot and garlic and cook at a medium heat until soft. Add the chicken broth and wine, if using, and bring to a boil. When it is reduced a little, add the cooked asparagus and peas. Set aside.
3. Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to directions (or 7-8 minutes for al dente). Drain, and add the pasta to the sauce. Toss gentle, add a squirt of lemon juice, and serve. Top with cheese if using.

Work Night Dinner Series #2: Late-Night Supper Salad

This is an occasional series on healthy, quick-to-make, late-night dinners.

I usually get home from work anywhere from 5:30 to 6 p.m. If I go to the gym or for a walk, dinner gets started after 7 and we eat after 8. So I know all about late-night dinners. I came up with this recipe (a word I use very loosely) on a late Saturday night when we were on our way home, tired and hungry. It is so easy, and with just a few ingredients, it literally takes minutes. So quickly in fact that the eater of the house had just barely settled down with some chips and salsa to tide him over until we ate when I said dinner was ready!

This dish  has the perfect combination of what nutritionists say you need in each meal–protein, carbohydrates, and good fat–and it’s all wrapped up on one salad plate. Flavorful greens, some sweet grape tomatoes, heart-healthy olive oil, and protein from steak (or another kind of meat if you prefer). And it’s a perfect meal if you are running late and not sure what to make; you can grab the ingredients at the supermarket on the way home.

I don’t usually go for ready-made ingredients, but sometimes I splurge on crumbled cheese. It’s a great addition to the salad, I love gorgonzola, but you can substitute feta, goat, parmesan, or leave it out if you prefer. For the meat, you can broil it, grill it, or pan sear it. Vegetarians can use beans in place of the meat; I’ve done that too. You can add extra veggies if you like, and if you want some zing, add a splash or two of lemon juice or a tangy vinegar!

Late-Night Supper Salad

1 salad bowl or plate of greens (baby spinach, spring mix, et. al)
A few grape tomatoes, halved
About 4 ounces of cooked protein (steak, chicken, fish, pork)
Extra virgin olive oil
A couple teaspoons of crumbled cheese (gorgonzola, goat, feta, parmesan, etc.) (optional)

Take a salad plate or bowl and add the greens and tomatoes. Add the meat, and top with the olive oil and cheese, if using.

Famous Last Words

Remember last week when I said I was forcing the season by cooking spring-like dinners? Scratch that. My plan didn’t work. A late spring sleet/snow/freezing rain storm is what greeted me one morning when I awoke late last week. Continuous temperatures in the mid-40s and 50s is not my idea of warm weather. While the purple and yellow crocuses have popped, the daffodils are sadly looking up for some warmth and sun. A visit to the garden tonight proved the chives are hardy and tall enough that I may be able to snip some soon. Perhaps I will have summertime recipes in time for May.

So in the meantime, instead of searching for a grill to buy for warmer weather, I’ve turned on the oven again. As I’ve said before, roasted chicken is my number one comfort food, and it was a perfect way to recuperate after a long weekend away from home with friends talking about books and literature. And those roasted root veggies I said were going to wait until next year? I found some beets in the vegetable bin and decided to make a much-lauded side dish from the eater of the house. This is also a really easy dish to make if you have company like we did; very little prep work, so you can spend time with your guests instead of being in the kitchen.

I worked in a family-run Italian restaurant for several years and along with the restaurant, we also would serve big parties. Chicken and mostaccioli was the standard for these, and I loved the smell of the chicken when it was roasting. So their spices and herbs are my go-to seasonings whenever I roast chicken, with a few tweaks here and there. And you can use this whether it’s chicken breasts, thighs, or a whole chicken like I made for this evening.

After rinsing and patting the chicken dry with a paper towel, rub it with some olive oil. Add freshly ground pepper, salt, cinnamon, and herbes de provence.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, cook for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees. Cook  until the thermometer reads 165 degrees. That’s it! Some chopped fresh garlic or garlic powder also is a great addition. The cinnamon is the secret spice, and I love that first roast chicken in the fall served with homemade applesauce. It’s perfection.

The beets are equally easy. I prefer to roast my beets instead of steaming them, but you can do either. For me, roasting the beets in the oven with the chicken means I’m doing two things at once. I cut off the tops and bottoms, scrub, and place in a pie pan with a little bit of water. Cover with foil and roast for about an hour or so. You’ll know they are done when you poke the middle of the beet with a paring knife; it should be soft, yet have some resistance. When cooled, I peel off the skin and dice into chunks. Add a few dashes of a light vinegar (I like white wine), a couple of tablespoons of sour cream, and a few dashes of dried dill weed (fresh would be wonderful if you have it), and salt and pepper. Now mind you, the color of this resembles Pepto-Bismol, I’m not going to lie. It is gorgeous, a big bowl with deep fuchsia beets, but it does look a bit odd. (Hence, why no picture; they all turned out horrible and no one would want to make it!)

Served with last week’s radish salad and some shaved brussels sprouts cooked in a little bit of bacon grease, this was a lovely and comforting dinner for some weary yet very happy travelers!

Author’s note: You may find me disappear for one week in the very near future, but have no fear, I’ll be back! Instead of taking a week off for holidays, I like to take my birthday week off as a present to myself. But since that time has come and gone, I have written myself an IOU. 

With a Spring in My Step

I have been remiss in welcoming my new readers from the past few weeks! I am so happy you have decided to join me on this adventure in food and beyond! I hope you find some recipes you will enjoy. Welcome one and all!

I have begun to think Mother Nature isn’t aware that we turned the calendar to April ten days ago. While it has been sunny, the temperatures have languished in the 40s if not 30s; bringing confidence to take off the snow tires, but not warm enough to let go of the winter coat. It’s that in-between weather that drives me crazy; one never knows what to wear for the day when it’s cool in the morning, but warm mid-day.

So with what I believe will be spring any moment, I’ve been creating dishes that are light and airy for this time of year. I’ve become a new devotee of radishes lately; I like to put them in my salads for a bit of crunch and peppery flavor. Plus, they are dirt cheap (.79 cents for a small bag). Twice in a week  radishes recently were mentioned and I decided to create a mixture of the two dishes. My inspiration came from cookbook author Deborah Madison, who talked about the ruby-red roots recently on the radio show, “The Splendid Table,” and the April issue of Cooking Light magazine.

This is so super simple, I don’t need to give you a step-by-step recipe! Just take some radishes and cut them paper-thin (about a cup or more) and place in a large mixing bowl. I’m not one for kitchen gadgets, but in this instance, a mandolin would be a saving grace. Add a few greens; I spied some gorgeous looking watercress that I had to have, it was the perfect combination. But spring greens, baby arugula, or pea shoots would be delicious. A few squirts of lemon juice, a small drizzle of olive oil, and some salt and pepper to taste, and you’re done. I really wanted to add some fresh chives from the herb garden, but right now they are tiny shoots, but I think they would add great flavor. I served this alongside salmon and quinoa for a healthy supper.

I have a feeling I’m going to be buying radishes and making this dish for many weeks to come. It’s healthy, low calorie, quick, and delicious! And I’m thinking of other options to add to this; some stale French bread to sop up the lemon juice and oil, even some leftover chicken or fish. I guess the possibilities are endless. Now, if it will just warm up!

My Vermont Kitchen Goes on the Road!

My Vermont Kitchen took a week off from cooking and got out of the kitchen! A trip to Florida at the end of the month was just what the doctor ordered. Although it was cool by Southern standards, it was of course warmer than Vermont. Upon our return, the sugarhouses were in full swing, as is mud season; a symphony of birds can be heard in the meadow each morning, and I discovered crocuses, tulips, daffodils, and buds on the lilac bushes in the garden! Spring will soon be here!

In the meantime, I took some food pictures from some of my adventures. Yes, I was a crazy woman taking pictures of food amongst the regular shoppers! Farms stands pop up in Vermont and upstate New York probably the earliest being late May, so a trip to Tommy’s vegetable and fruit stand in Holiday, Florida, was mecca for me. The colors were vibrant and everything looked gorgeous and delicious. Next was a trip to Goral Polish Deli, where shoppers buying early for their Easter dinners, and me wishing I had another suitcase to fill with all the delicious food found on their shelves. We picked up pierogies and kielbasa for dinner. Yum! I don’t have a market of this sort locally so I was in heaven, checking out all the different jars and packages of delicious-looking foods. And finally, a trip to the Greek Festival here at home. The Saturday before Easter, a local Greek Orthodox church celebrates the holiday with a pastry and food festival. I always make a quick trip into town to pick up a box full of pastries to have with my morning tea and to share, since I don’t bake a lot at Easter.

So enjoy the photos and next week I’ll be back with another recipe. Spring is in the air, so I’ve said goodbye to root vegetables, heavy meat dishes, and comfort foods– winter is finally over!

Aren’t these ruby-red strawberries beautiful? They were delicious, too!

I thought this display of beefsteak tomatoes was gorgeous!

I love beets and was very jealous of the price!

Look at the price–and size!–of the cabbages!

A colorful display of oranges.

Pecans! I did think about filling an extra suitcase full of these nuts!

A trip to Florida isn’t complete without some Cajun boiled peanuts!

I couldn’t resist taking a photo of these beautiful peppers.

You know how much I love Brussels sprouts, I thought these were beautiful.

I was fascinated with the different kinds of tea.

I loved the jars of garlic shoots.

I love pierogies, but I thought the sign for frozen cavier was interesting!

All sorts of delicious fish.

The gorgeous Easter display.

And yes, I did want to buy a butter lamb for my Easter dinner!

The various kielbasa hang from the store’s wall.

The meat case.

This year’s Greek pastries, baklava, ouzo cake, and various cookies.

Spicy and Creamy Pasta

As you probably would expect, I love to thumb through cooking magazines and food blogs and read the recipes. One game I play with myself is think about how I would make a dish based on its title. One food blog I read is Iowagirleats.com. She has a different take on cooking than I do, and while I enjoy reading it, I don’t tend make her recipes. But a few weeks ago, she had a recipe that sounded great, “Spicy Sausage Pasta Skillet” that I kept it in my inbox. One Friday night, with all the ingredients at home, I decided to make my own version, cooked in a skillet with spicy sausage.

Rombi!

For this dish, I decided to pull out the rombi pasta I had in the cupboard. It was an impulse buy; it was on sale at the coop and I thought it looked interesting. And interesting it is; it’s more like lasagna pieces, and being a small pasta, it allowed the sausage and vegetables to shine.

I had some leftover sausage in the freezer that I left out to thaw that morning from the time I made the Baked Ziti. I decided to add a rather sad-looking zucchini that had been forgotten in the vegetable bin to offset the meat, so I was getting at least some veggies into this dish. I made this again a few weeks later with even more forgotten veggies and it was great. I think you could add just about any kind of vegetable to the meat, sauce, and pasta and it would be good, especially if you use a water-filled veggie like spinach and squash, which enhances and thins the sauce. And of course, vegetarians can just leave out the sausage and up the veggies.

When the eater of the house asks if I’m done eating, and then proceeds to scoop the rest of the pasta into his bowl, you KNOW it was good!

Spicy and Creamy Pasta
Adapted from Iowagirl.com

4 spicy sausage links
2 teaspoons olive oil
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon chopped shallots or red onion
1 zucchini, diced
1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes
2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup half and half
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste (optional)
1 ½ cups pasta (penne, rombi, or other pasta)
2-3 handfuls baby spinach
Grated cheese for topping (optional)

1. Take a large skillet, warm over medium heat, and add the sausage. Cook until done. Remove from pan, drain on a plate covered with paper towels, and wipe the pan clean and place back on the burner.
2. Warm the olive oil and add the garlic and shallots. Cook a few minutes until soft. Add the zucchini, and cook this for few minutes until soft. Add the chicken broth and diced tomatoes to the pan, mix in the tomato paste and the half and half. Stir. Add the pasta, crushed red pepper, and bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Partially cover pan and cook about 7 minutes or so or until pasta is al dente. If the sauce starts getting a little too thick, add a bit of water or broth. When the pasta is done cooking, add the baby spinach, stir, and serve! Top with grated cheese if desired.

Oven Roasted Cabbage with Caraway Seeds

Not having a speck of Irish blood in me, St. Patrick’s Day usually goes by without nary a thought about it. I’ve been holding on to this recipe since the beginning of winter, just waiting for the right time to bring it to you. And I thought this week was perfect, because cabbage prices are dirt cheap in celebration of the holiday; I found huge heads of cabbage for sale at the supermarket for 29 cents a pound! And although they’re not Irish, the caraway seeds brings in a little bit of my own Eastern European roots.

I use the word “recipe” loosely when speaking about this. It’s comprised of three ingredients, plus salt and pepper. And no measurements. This can be a side dish to chicken, pork, or fish, or if you’re making dinner for yourself, the main entrée; I’ve done that too. When roasted, the cabbage gets a little sweet, a little soft yet still crunchy, and the caraway seeds adds just the right amount of spicy flavor.

I love that the coop sometimes sells half cabbages, since cutting into a whole cabbage sometimes can be daunting. I slice the cabbage thinly, so it is long thin pieces, place them in a baking dish, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil, sprinkle with a few caraway seeds, and add some salt and pepper. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes, or until it becomes soft and some of the pieces begin to brown. Then serve!

With the caraway seeds, use less than teaspoon, probably closer to a half-teaspoon; sometimes you can have too much of a good thing, and the caraway flavor is one of them. You still want to be able to taste the cabbage, too.

With the light in the evening and warmer weather, it is getting to be the time of year when I turn away from the oven and look to lighter meals. But with a recent fresh coating of snow, it’s not time to hang up the oven mitts just yet!