Busted

So tonight I tried a favorite grilled corn recipe. I even made a back-up piece of plain corn for L. as I know she is only eating, plain, de-veined, de-fatted, extra butter and cheese foods. So the corn was terrible, but the best was her comment, "You've made better, so don't worry."

So I gave her some kale instead.

Tender at the Bone

I was gifted with Ruth Reichl's Tender at the Bone (thanks R. family). I read this on my trip to NYC. I'm sure the people next to me thought I was nuts as I laughed, laughed and laughed about some of the crazy things that happen in the book. I will be making Coconut Bread and Mohammad's Bisteeya very soon, and hope to have them perfected by winter.

Great Cookies and Simple Recipe Alteration

We had a nursing student at work do a rotation with us. At the end of her internship she made some of best oatmeal cookies I've ever had (not as good as my Dad's but that is another story). I asked for the recipe and she said that she had taken one from web and doctored it a little. Here is the original with Kelly's and my additions in blue:






Oatmeal Cookies
INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup butter, softened (change to ½ cup and add ½ cup agave nectar)
* 1 cup white sugar (use ½ cup white sugar if using agave nectar)
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
* 3 cups quick cooking oats
* 1 cup mini chocolate chips (dust with flour before adding at end to keep them from
sinking to the bottom)

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, brown sugar and agave nectar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in oats then chocolate chips. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls, and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten each cookie with a large fork dipped in sugar (I don't do this usually).
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Salad Dressings

Since my farm share includes a lot of fresh organic salad greens, salad is a twice-a-day meal item (I even had it for breakfast one day). But it was getting a little old, so I decided to make some new and fresh salad dressings. I had a lot of parsley and cilantro so I started searching using those ingredients. I came up with two, Avocado Ranch Dressing and Fresh Green Apple and Parsley Dressing. Run, run, run I tell you to make these two. If you can only make one, make the Avocado one. I brought in a batch to work to see what other people thought and it got nothing but raves. I took to a clients and they loved it. You can eat in on anything, salad, chips, veggies, sandwiches, wings, off your fingers, or anything.

Corn and Crab Chowder

Since it has been cold here, Corn and Crab Chowder was the on menu. I used fresh corn and twice as much crab. Wow, so yummy. I think next time I'll roast the corn the grill first. This soup is good for both summer and winter.

Ball Parks

My Dad and I were lucky enough to go to a baseball game this summer. It was a toss up as too what was more fun, the game, the Feneway Frank, or the Cracker Jacks. Here is my Feneway Frank. I missed the onions, by the time I found them, the dog was gone! Do you have a favorite place to visit where you have to get something special to eat?

L. Lemonade Mint Float

This is a dessert created by my little friend L.

18 Fresh Mint Leaves
4 Lemons
1 Cup water
1/2 cup sugar
Vanilla ice cream

Heat water with sugar until sugar is melted. Crush 12 mint leaves and put in water. Cool water and sugar and mix. Juice lemons (save 1/2 teaspoon). Add cooled water to lemons until just sweet enough.

Take last 6 mint leaves, wash and dry. Coat with lemon juice, then dip in sugar and freeze on wax paper.

Dip serving cups in water, then sugar to coat rims. Pour lemonade into serving cups. Put one scoop of vanilla ice cream in lemonade. Enjoy!

Music

I love the swing music food sets. I just found this clip I think I need to eat some
potato salad right away if will make me this flexible.

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Books about Food

I have a few favorites, books that include the love of food or a great recipe. Here are a few: Like Water for Chocolate (the movie is also very good); Chocolat (another good movie); or Kitchen Confidential. I'm curious what others are reading or have read that makes them want to try something new. Send me your ideas. I have added The Tummy Trilogy to my to read list.

Community Supported Agricutrue

This year I am splitting a CSA share with a friend from work. The first box came today. The first challenge was finding the pickup spot. Once I cracked the code on the pickup, I found myself with a big box of great looking produce. I am getting organic produce from The Farm School. I am a little nervous about getting produce I have no idea how to cook or wasting too much. So tonight I cooked the frisse from the recipe that came with the list of veggies. Only one problem, I cooked the cabbage instead of the frisee. But the good news, it was really good. Here is the recipe that I used from the recipe of the week from Farm School.

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
3/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon anchovy paste (I used fish and oyster sauce instead)
1 head frisee, torn (or 1 head of cabbage)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch heavy skilled over medium heat until it shimmers. Cook bread crumbs until crispy and golden brown about 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl and stir in zest and a pinch of salt,

Wipe out skillet, then add anchovy paste and remaining 2 Tbsp and cook 15 seconds. Increase heat to medium-high and saute half of frisee until slightly wilted, about 1 minute. Add remaining frisee and saute until wilted about 2 minutes. Off heat stir in juice, syrup, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Serve topped with bread crumbs.


Frisee Cabbage

Ice Cream!

My love of ice cream is serious-I was even an ice cream buyer for a few years. After clams, I'm pretty sure there is a law that you must have ice cream. This is my lobster tracks cone. Vanilla ice cream, with fudge and red covered caramels. If you see this, climb in the trap and eat the lobster tracks.


My Dad went with a very standard vanilla with butterscotch in a cup. He reported that it was very good. I only got as close as this photo, there was no sharing.

Woodman's--Another Clam Shack

When my Dad was here for visit, we went for a wonderful walk on the beach, back when there was sun. After a wonderful walk on Crane's Beach, we headed to Woodman's. My Dad had fried lobster (on the left) and I had fried clams with bellies. Note to other visitors, the boxes might look small, but you don't need a lot. Where is your favorite clam (or seafood) joint?