Tony's Sustainable Kitchen

Berbere Soup

2012-01-07T14:13:00.000-08:00

I'm busy hanging out with Michel today and then going to visit Vincent and Isa and their friend Maggie (where I'm making them Fondue Savoyarde and Chocolate Fondue). Luckily for you I have a nifty option on this blog that lets me make my posts ahead of time and set them to publish while I'm away from the computer.

Anyway, let's talk about Berbere soup. I recently made and froze a bunch of food for my parents because my mom is sick and my dad is about to be swamped with work since he works as a tax professional. This soup was one of the soups I froze for them and it was a huge hit. I got the recipe from the Fat Free Vegan blog. Here's the original post. I'm posting the recipe here as well, but I strongly encourage you to check out her blog as it's quite good. Another note: her soup recipe calls for green beans but I always omit them because I hate green beans. Her berbere spice mixture calls for 1 tbsp of fenugreek, which I've never used because I never have it on hand, and 1 tbsp salt which I never use because I'm not a huge fan of salt (weird, I know).

Ingredients
1 large onion, chopped
1 pound of potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 1/4 cup red lentils
3 cups water
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2-3 tablespoons berberé spice mixture (see below)
28 ounces of crushed tomatoes
1-2 cups water
salt to taste
4 cups fresh spinach

Berberé Spice Mixture
1 tbsp cardamom
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp nutmeg
1 tbsp cloves
1 tbsp allspice
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp ground black pepper

Directions
1. Chop the onion and cook it in your soup pot until it caramelizes.
2. Chop the potatoes and add them to the onions, along with the lentils, garlic, and spice mixture. Stir this around for a minute or so.
3. Add the water and simmer the soup over low heat with the cover on until the lentils are tender. This should take about 20 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and as much extra water as you need to create a thick soup.
5. Check the seasoning, adding salt and more of the spice mixture if needed, and cook for about 15 more minutes.
6. Just before serving, stir in the spinach.

Tour of My Kitchen

2012-01-06T17:32:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling tired so today is a boring day in terms of eating. Instead of posting about what I ate, I figured I'd give you a tour of my kitchen so you can see where I store all of the food.

When you first walk into the kitchen, on your left is a skinny broom closet that we've decided to use as a pantry. Here it is:

Next to the broom closet pantry is the fridge/freezer. The fridge is on the bottom and the freezer is on the top. Here is the fridge. The main part is contains mostly dairy and produce. The door contains condiments, yeast, and butter.

And here is the freezer. You'll notice that there are lots of containers of soup in the main compartment, as well as some frozen produce. The door has homemade applesauce, breaded and frozen eggplant, and berries.

On top of the fridge are various liquids and some vegetable shortening:

Next to the fridge is the oven, and on top of the oven is the spice cabinet. Canning stuff on the top left. Baking equipment and lots of chocolate on the top right. The bottom shelf is all the spices. We tried to group the spices used mainly in baking towards the left and the spices used mainly in savory dishes on the right. You can also see the ziplock bags of dried chiles and basil that my aunt Franny gave me from her garden:

Ok. Let's stop looking to the left. If you look to the right instead, you'll see a bookshelf. Flours and black beans are in the jars on the top, with some apples and bananas on top of them. You're not supposed to store apples and bananas together because the apples will cause the bananas to ripen, but we eat them quickly enough that it doesn't really matter. Looking down a bit, the highest shelf is cookbooks and garlic, ginger, and onions (note: onions can't be kept with most other produce but they're fine with garlic and ginger). The middle shelf is food-related literature and all of our teas. The lower shelf is phone books and a basket of root vegetables (mostly potatoes). You can also see Esh's food bowl and her new drinkwell fountain on the floor in front of the bookshelf.

If you look to the right of the bookshelf there is a wall. That wall has a cut-out that looks into the dining room and on the shelf formed from that cut-out, we keep containers of dried goods, plus some tissues, vitamins, my homemade cookbook, and our ipod speakers.

And last but not least, on the dining room table is this random pile of squash which we're slowly eating through:

Leftover Day

2012-01-05T16:00:00.001-08:00

Today I ate leftovers all day. Saag Panir for brunch (since I didn't have to start work until 11:00) and Stuffed Squash and Roasted Vegetables for dinner. And now Ren and I are going to watch a movie.

First Day of New Job and Split Pea Soup

2012-01-04T15:35:00.000-08:00

Today was the first day of my new job as a nanny. I'll be nannying every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. However, I'm still keeping my dog walking job on Thursdays and Fridays. Today was also the day that Sruli returned to England. Hopefully it's not such a long time until our next visit.

Anyway, to start the day off right, I decided I needed some French Toast. Fortunately, we had some in the fridge. Gotta love easy breakfasts. For lunch I brought split pea soup to work with me - because I had already packed it in containers and frozen it:

For dinner Ren and I made Saag Panir, but instead of goat cheese and muenster cheese we used some mozzarella that we had on hand. I had mine with some of the leftover quinoa and Ren had his with rice spiced with turmeric.

This split pea soup recipe comes from Student's Vegetarian Cookbook by Carole Raymond. I like it because it's simple and the chipotle adds an unexpected smoky flavor to the soup.

Ingredients
oil
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 carrots
4 cups water
1 cup dried green split peas
2 chipotle chiles
1 potato
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions
1. Chop the onion, carrots, chiles, and potato and mince the garlic.
2. Put the oil in a pot, turn the heat to medium, and saute the onion in the oil until it's tender.
3. Add in the carrots and garlic and keep cooking until the carrots are tender and the garlic is fragrant.
4. Add in the water, split peas, and chiles.
5. Cover the pot, bring it to a boil, and then turn down the heat and simmer it until the split peas are tender. This takes about half an hour.
6. Once the peas are tender, add the potato and continue to simmer the soup until the potato pieces are also tender.
7. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

I Like Tea

2012-01-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

I started today off with a smoothie consisting of one banana, some peanut butter, and some yogurt. It was freezing cold outside and I had to work so I layered up like crazy for my day of dog walking. Two pairs of pants, two pairs of socks, a t-shirt, a long-sleeved shirt, a sweatshirt, a coat, a hat, a scarf, two pairs of gloves... I was still cold by the end of the day. I was also incredibly thankful for all that tea we had just bought since it meant I could drink some to warm up. To go with my tea I had a bit of leftover vegetables from last night.

Then at about 6:00, Sruli made an amazing pasta dinner featuring a delicious homemade tomato sauce plus mushrooms, kale, garlic, and caramelized onions. I don't have photographs, but trust me - it was good.

And now Ren is home from work so we're all going to play a board game and drink more tea. I think the theme of today is "I like tea."

Stuffed Squash and Roasted Vegetables

2012-01-02T22:00:00.000-08:00

Today Ren and I had the day off to hang out with Sruli. We ate a breakfast of omelets with onions and mushrooms. Then we had North African Chickpea and Kale Soup for lunch. Midday we decided to try out Esh's Christmas/Chanukah present - a cat harness and leash:

For dinner, Vincent and Isa came over and Sruli helped us make this wonderful dinner for everybody:

For the roasted vegetables, I just chopped up a bunch of vegetables we had lying around and put them in a casserole dish. Then I added a bit of red wine, a couple of bay leaves, some chopped garlic, and some marjoram, rosemary, and thyme. I set the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and roasted the vegetables until they were tender. The stuffed squash was a bit more complicated. Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
5 acorn squashes
quinoa
lentils
kale
mushrooms
onions
garlic
ginger
marjoram
cardamom
brie

Directions
1. Cut the acorn squashes in half and roast them (I'll explain how to do this in a later post).
2. We used leftover quinoa and lentils, but if you don't have quinoa and lentils sitting around you can cook some while the squashes are roasting.
3. Chop and caramelize some onions.
4. Add in some chopped mushrooms and minced garlic and saute, stirring, until the mushrooms are cooked.
5. Grate in some ginger and add in a bit of cardamom and marjoram to taste.
6. Add the kale and saute keep cooking, stirring, until the kale turns bright green.
7. By now your quinoa and lentils should be done. Turn off the heat on your vegetables and stir in the quinoa and lentils. This is your filling.
8. The acorn squash should be done by now. Place each acorn squash on a baking sheet, cut side up, and spoon the filling into the hollows of the squashes. Place slices of brie on top of the filling. Return the squashes to the oven for a few minutes to melt the brie.

New Years

2012-01-01T16:49:00.000-08:00

Today I made a whole wheat challah braid, some whole wheat challah veggie burger buns, and some whole wheat challah cinnamon swirl bread. I'll post recipes for all of the breads when I have more time. Then Ren and I used some of the challah braid to make a delicious brunch of French Toast. We had a snack of apples and peanut butter later in the afternoon, and in the evening, our friend/houseguest Sruli arrived and the three of us ate Butternut Squash Stew with Quinoa for dinner.

A very good start to the New Year if I do say so myself.

First Week's Purchases

2011-12-31T15:00:00.000-08:00

Here's the stuff we purchased for the coming week with our $50:

Everything but the spinach is organic. Why didn't we buy organic spinach? Because all three grocery stores I checked were out of it. Sigh. Also, that bag is full of cinnamon, which was the most expensive item we purchased.

The purchase I am most excited about is the yogurt from Seven Stars Farm. It's from Phoenixville PA, it's certified organic and biodynamic, and it's incredibly tasty. It's also cheaper than all of the other organic yogurt I saw, which is a nice perk for something that I think tastes better. The purchase Ren is most excited about is the tea.

Stay tuned to see what we make with all of this...

New Year, New Food Budget

2011-12-28T17:06:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to hash out a food budget with Ren and I think we've settled on a number - $200 per month. We've also come up with some eating guidelines for us to adhere to this year:

* Drink at least 8 cups of water per day.
* Take a multivitamin daily.
* Eat junk food a maximum of 1-2 times per month. White flour, white rice, and sugar count as junk food.
* 1-2 eggs per week.
* 1 serving of dairy per day.
* 1 serving of grains per day.
* 1-3 servings of legumes and nuts per day.
* 2-3 servings of fruit per day.
* Unlimited servings of vegetables allowed.
* If a "food" has high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, or a long list of unpronounceable ingredients, don't eat it.
* Eggs must be pastured eggs from local farmers.
* Dairy products must be organic, kosher, and not ultra-pasteurized. Dairy should also be locally sourced if at all possible.
* Produce should be local, organic, and in season.

Next step: Find a good source for eggs that meets the new criteria and look for a source for milk while we're at it.

Beet Pasta with Brussels Sprouts

2011-10-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
beet pasta
brussels sprouts
onions
garlic

Directions
1. Roast the garlic.
2. Caramelize the onions.
3. Saute the beets.
4. Cook the pasta.
5. Toss everything together and enjoy. I ate mine with a little parmesan.

Wedding Anniversary, Wedding Food

2011-10-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

Today is Ren's and my wedding anniversary. It's also Yom Kippur which means Ren is busy fasting. Because I'm trying to be a nice husband I'm not making anything fancy to eat today. Instead, I figured I'd reminisce about our wedding last year and since this is a cooking blog, that means talking about the food. Ren's and my wedding was very much a Do-It-Ourselves affair. To that end, I made almost all of the food for our 150 guests with some help from Ren and our friends. Everything was kosher and everything was made by us unless indicated otherwise:

Rope Bread
Challah (brought by Ren's great uncle Phil and his wife Klara)
Apple Cider (we bought this at a local farmstand)
Wine (this was homemade and brought all the way from Israel by Ren's aunt Miki and uncle David)
Beer (brought by Ren's friend/coworker John)
Salad
Cassoulet
Butternut Squash Stew
Quinoa
Macaroni and Cheese
TONS of Vegan Cupcakes
Chocolates (these were brought by my aunt Shiela)

Here are some photos of the baking/cooking process:

Here are some shots of the finished cupcakes:

And at the wedding:

Instead of cake cutting, we fed cupcakes to each other. It turned into a mini cupcake battle (these last two photos were taken by our wedding photographer Kelly of Closed Circle Photography):

Brussels Sprouts Celeriac Soup

2011-10-05T12:16:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you combine these two weird ingredients?

Brussels sprouts:

Celeriac:

An amazingly tasty soup that's also very simple to make.

Ingredients
vegetable oil
2 onions
1 large
1 stalk of brussels sprouts
1 celeriac
water
apple cider (optional)
french bread and gruyere (optional)

Directions
1. In a pot, saute the onions in the vegetable oil.
2. Peel and chop the celeriac, and cut the brussels sprouts off their stalk.
3. Add the celeriac and brussels sprouts to the pot, and pour in enough water to cover them.
4. Bring the soup to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer it, and keep cooking the soup until the vegetables are tender. This should take about 15 minutes.
5. When the vegetables are tender, puree the soup in a blender.
6. Taste your soup. If it tastes too bitter, you can add in some apple cider to sweeten it. If not, you can eat it as is. I like to toast some french bread, melt some gruyere on the bread, and dip these into the soup to eat it since I like my soup thick.

Shameless Plug

2011-09-15T08:31:00.000-07:00

Cha^2's band was just in the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. The article is here if you'd like to read it and you can buy their album "Mistakes Were Made" here.

Big Garden

2011-09-12T08:02:00.000-07:00

What have I been doing lately? Visiting my family (and baking brownies with my brother Randy while I was there).

Why was I there? Partly to visit my family, of course. And partly to start up a garden. There's a piece of land at my parents' place that's currently covered with weeds, vines, and a ton of prickers (some of which are raspberries so I may keep a few). My parents decided that if I clear it off I can start a garden there. My goal is to get it cleared before winter so I can plant in the spring. Ideally, I'd like to clear it out, set up raised beds, start compost piles, and plant garlic before winter. I guess I'll see how far I get. Anyway, for your viewing pleasure I give you the before pictures:

The other thing I did on my visit was attending the album release party for Cha^2's band Mack the Knife (their facebook page is here). You can buy their CD "Mistakes Were Made" here.

Fall Feta Side Dish

2011-09-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

I don't know what to call this, but it tasted great! Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
2 carrots
2 bunches dark leafy greens (I used swiss chard but you could use something else like kale or collard greens)
1 red onion
salt and ground black pepper to taste
feta cheese, crumbled (as much as you like)
cooked brown rice

Directions
1. Chop all of the vegetables.
2. Caramelize the onion.
3. Add in the carrots cook until they are softened.
3. Add in the greens and cook until they're wilted. You may need to add a little water to make sure the greens don't burn before they cook.
4. Add in the brown rice and feta.

Zucchini Latkes / Latkes de Courgette / Latkes de Calabacín

2011-08-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

I've been wondering what to do with all of the zucchini I've been getting in my CSA. These are latkes made by substituting zucchini for the potatoes. Here's my recipe for Latkes.

J'ai reçu beaucoup de courgette dans mon CSA donc j'ai décidé de faire un latkes avec la courgette au lieu des pommes de terre. Voici ma recette pour Latkes.

Conseguí mucho calabacín en mi CSA entonces decidí hacer algún latkes con el calabacín en vez de patatas. Aquí está mi receta para Latkes.

Wolf Hollow / Creux de Loup / Hueco de Lobo

2011-08-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

This is not about cooking. Ren, Isa, Vincent, and I took a trip to Wolf Hollow to look at the wolves and I decided to post a few pictures for you.

Cela ne s'agit pas de cuisiner. Ren, Isa, Vincent et j'ai fait un voyage à le Creux de Loup (dans l'anglais) pour regarder les loups et j'ai décidé de poster quelques photographies pour vous.

Este no es sobre la cocina. Ren, Isa, Vincent, y tomé un viaje a Hueco de Lobo (en inglés) para mirar a los lobos y decidí fijar unas fotografías para usted.

Chocolate Ganache Layer Cake

2011-08-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

What happens when Ren and I team up with our friends Vincent and Isa? We make an awesome chocolate ganache layer cake! The recipe for this cake is slightly adapted from "The Sono Baking Company Cookbook" by John Barricelli.

Ingredients
Ganache
2 lb baker's chocolate
4 c cream
1/2 c honey
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp vanilla

Cake
2 c flour
1 1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
2 2/3 c sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
11 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 1/3 c buttermilk

Directions
1. First, make the ganache by boiling the cream, honey, and salt, pouring this mixture over the chocolate so the chocolate melts, and then adding in the vanilla and whisking so the ganache is smooth. You are supposed to let the ganache stand at room temperature until it becomes firm but we were impatient so we put our ganache in the refrigerator to speed things up.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Grease a round cake pan with butter and dust it with a bit of cocoa powder (tap off the extra). I only have one round cake pan but if you have more than one (of the same size), use more than one and your job will be much easier.
4. To make the cake, mix the dry ingredients first, then add the wet ingredients and keep mixing until everything is fully combined.
5. Pour your cake batter into the prepared cake pan or pans. Bake the cake pans until a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. The cookbook claims that this will take about 35-40 minutes, but since we altered the ingredients and used only one cake pan, ours took closer to an hour. The important thing here isn't the time but making sure the middle of the cake is cooked.
6. Once your cake is cooked, let it sit to cool and then take it out of the cake pan.
7. Since this is a layer cake, your next job is to cut the cake into layers. If you had more than one cake pan, you've already got your layers. If you're like me and you don't have more than one cake pan, you'll have to cut the cake in half horizontally so that you wind up with two cakes. To do this, use a serrated knife (the kind people use to cut bread). Ideally, you want a knife as long as the cake. Keep the knife perpendicular to your body, cut with a sawing motion, and instead of moving the knife around, turn the cake. The cookbook said to make four layers but cutting the cake into four layers seemed a bit too difficult so we settled on two layers. You can make as many layers as you want.
8. Once you have your layers cut, take your bottom layer and frost the top of it with the ganache. Then stack the next layer on top of it and frost that layer with ganache. Keep doing this until you are on your top layer. Then frost the rest of the cake (top and sides) and eat it.

Cake Decorating Tips
Now I'm going to tell you a couple of tips I learned from Ren, who worked as a cake decorator.

First tip: To make a professional looking cake, bakers use something called a "crumb layer." This is just a thin coating of frosting (in our case, the ganache) put on before you frost the cake. By putting on this thin layer first, you seal the crumbs in place and you don't end up with crumb-covered frosting like you do when you just frost the cake all at once. To make this work especially well, put the cake in the refrigerator for about half an hour to make sure that the crumb layer is set.

Second tip: Use a very long, flat knife to frost your cake. Ideally, you want a knife that is longer than your cake so you can run it along the cake in one smooth movement. To make it easier to frost your cake, you should be using frosting at room temperature. With ganache, you can cheat and heat it up so it is liquid and extremely easy to spread in a smooth layer. Once you're done with the flat layer of frosting, refrigerate the cake so it sets again before you decorate it.

Amistad y Juez de Salida de Pan Fermentado

2011-08-18T17:57:00.000-07:00

He tratado muchas veces de hacer el juez de salida de pan fermentado. La primera tentativa falló porque no presté la atención. La segunda tentativa falló cuando mi conejillo de indias murió y esto de alguna manera arruinó el juez de salida. La tercera y última tentativa falló porque Ren (qui es un artista) hacía pinturas al óleo y el pan fermentado comenzó a oler como el aguarrás. Entonces decidí que yo debería ver si alguien más tenía el juez de salida para compartir. Conseguí unos de Zeke y Plover. Yo era extático. Pero entonces fui distraído y comenzó a cultivar el molde.

Aquí está Michel. Michel es un amigo mío y un panadero de casa. Él y una de sus hijas vinieron para visitarme ayer. ¿La conjetura qué ellos trajeron con ellos? Así es: juez de salida de pan fermentado. Ellos también trajeron recetas, una fotocopia de instrucciones lo que muestra como sentir cariño por el juez de salida de pan fermentado, algunos otros artículos de alimento, y catnip para Esh. Soy muy feliz. Y soy determinado para no matar el juez de salida esta vez...

¡Gracias Michel!

L'Amitié et Démarreur de Levain

2011-08-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

J'ai essayé plusieurs fois de faire le démarreur de levain. Le premier essai a échoué parce que je n'ai pas fait d'attention. Le deuxième essai a échoué quand mon cobaye est mort et il a d'une manière ou d'une autre ruiné le démarreur. Le troisième et dernier essai a échoué parce que Ren (qui est un artiste) faisait des peintures à l'huile et le levain a commencé à sentir comme la térébenthine. Donc j'ai décidé que je dois voir si un autre avait le démarreur pour partager. J'ai reçu certains de Zeke et de Plover. J'étais fou de joie. Mais alors j'ai été distrait et il a commencé à cultiver la moisissure.

Voici Michel. Michel est un ami mien et un boulanger de sa famille. Lui et une de ses filles sont venus pour me visiter hier. La supposition qu'ils ont apportée avec eux? C'est ça: démarreur de levain. Ils ont aussi apporté des recettes, une photocopie d'instructions qui montrent comment soigner le démarreur de levain, autres articles de nourriture et catnip pour Esh. Je suis très heureux. Et je suis résous de ne pas tuer le démarreur cette fois...

Merci Michel!

On Friendship and Sourdough Starter

2011-08-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

I have tried many times to make sourdough starter. The first attempt failed due to a total lack of attention on my part. The second attempt failed when my guinea pig died partway through the sourdough starter making attempt and I'm convinced that it somehow contaminated the sourdough starter. The third and last attempt failed because Ren (who is an artist) was in the midst of a series of oil paintings and the sourdough began to smell of turpentine. From there, I decided I ought to see if anyone else had starter they could share. I got some from Ren's friends Zeke and Plover. I was overjoyed. Then I got distracted and I managed to kill it. By which I mean it began growing mold.

Enter Michel. Michel is a friend of mine and a home baker. He and one of his daughters came to visit me yesterday. Guess what they brought with them? That's right: sourdough starter. Along with a photocopy of some recipes and instructions about caring for sourdough starter, plus some other food items and catnip for Esh. I'm now a very happy fellow. And I'm determined not to kill the starter this time...

Thanks Michel!

CSA

2011-08-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

Garden / Jardin / Jardín

2011-08-14T09:46:00.000-07:00

Amaranth / Amarante / Amaranto:

Basil / Basil / Albahaca:

Squash / Écraser / Ahuyama:

Tomatoes / Tomates / Tomates:

CSA

2011-08-09T09:42:00.000-07:00

Challah Dinner Rolls

2011-08-07T14:42:00.000-07:00

These dinner rolls look fancy but they're very easy to make.

First you make basic challah recipe through the first 2 rises (right before you shape it). Then you divide the dough in half and divide each half into 6 equal portions. Roll each portion into a log, shape each log by tying it in a granny knot (the kind you use to tie your shoe), and place the knots on the baking sheet. Let the knots rise at room temperature until they are puffy (about half an hour) and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then brush the knots with 1 egg beaten with a spoonful of water and bake them in the center of the oven for 18 to 22 minutes, until they are golden brown and firm to the touch. Transfer them to a rack to let them cool a bit before you eat them.

Dinner rolls rising:

Finished dinner rolls:

Garden / Jardin / Jardín

2011-08-04T15:41:00.000-07:00

Zucchini, Carrot, and Cranberry Muffins

2011-08-02T12:50:00.000-07:00

This week I had a lot of zucchini, carrots, and cranberries and was wondering what to do with them. Then I remembered seeing this recipe in the SoNo Baking Company Cookbook by John Barricelli. I took them with me yesterday when I went to the beach with my friend Megan and her three year old daughter - who liked them enough to eat several.

Ingredients
2 c flour
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c sugar
1 c canola oil
2 eggs
3/4 c grated carrot (about 2 huge carrots)
3/4 c zucchini (about 1 huge zucchini)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 c whole cranberries (fresh or frozen but unthawed)

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Mix everything together.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
4. Try not to let the three year old eat all of them :)

CSA 6

2011-07-26T13:42:00.000-07:00

Fruit Smoothie

2011-07-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

It has been incredibly hot here. Today was just one degree below the heat record for my city. I spent the majority of the day in my local library because it has air conditioning (unlike my apartment). Now that I'm back at home and the temperature has cooled somewhat, I give you this recipe for a nice cool fruit smoothie. The one in the picture was made with blueberries, but you can use any type of fruit.

Ingredients
Ice
Yogurt
Fruit

Directions
Blend everything together in a blender.

CSA 5

2011-07-19T17:56:00.000-07:00

Megan's Dal

2011-07-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, Ren and I had some friends over for a birth-month celebration (Megan and Carrie both just had birthdays). We had an awesome Indian-themed dinner involving my recipe for Saag Panir, some fabulous naan made by Ren (recipe to come some other time), tasty ginger ale brought by Carrie and Eric, and this amazing dal made by Megan and Nate. Here we are at the table (except for Ren, who was taking the picture):

Why am I posting this now? Because I just finished the last of the leftover dal and figured I'd give you the recipe. Mmmmm...

Ingredients
1 tbsp sesame oil (Megan used corn oil for us since Ren is allergic to sesame)
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup dried red lentils
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cardamon
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp tomato paste

Directions
1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.
2. Once oil is hot, add the onion, garlic, and ginger.
3. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are translucent.
4. Stirring constantly, add the vegetable stock, lentils, spices, and salt.
5. Bring the dal to a boil, then turn down the heat, cover, and simmer it for 20 minutes or until the lentils are tender.
6. Stir in the tomato paste until it is well combined.
7. Continue cooking until you reach desired consistency.

Here's a picture of the whole bunch of us, taken by my friend Carrie using her self-timer. From left to right there's Megan, Nate, Carrie, Eric, me, and Ren:

Garden

2011-07-16T16:21:00.001-07:00

And while Ren and I checked out the garden, we dried our laundry on the line outside. I'm posting a picture in the hopes that this will encourage you to air dry your laundry whenever possible instead of wasting money and electricity doing it at the laundromat.

Even if you don't have an outdoor space to dry your laundry, the bathroom often provides a suitable alternative. Here's a photograph I took of my former housemate Kim's laundry drying in the bathroom where we used to live in Queens:

Lamb's Quarters Quiche

2011-07-15T16:15:00.000-07:00

These are lamb's quarters (sometimes called goosefoot):

They're a pesky weed that grows in disturbed soil, which means it frequently intrudes in vegetable gardens. It can grow to be four feet high and it's a real pain in the neck. So what's the most satisfying thing to do to pesky weeds? Why, eat them of course! And that's just what I did in this case.

Lamb's quarters can be substituted into any recipe calling for greens such as spinach or swiss chard or kale. Knowing that, I decided to make a lamb's quarters quiche. For the basic quiche recipe, you can follow the link to Hope's Quick Quiche or the gluten-free version, Crustless Quiche. To make the lamb's quarters filling, I simply washed and briefly sauteed the lamb's quarters and then put them in the quiche. In my quiche, I substituted some whole wheat flour for the regular flour, but you don't have to do that unless you want to.

Yum!

The side dish here is sauteed zucchini, onion, and fennel.

CSA 4

2011-07-12T17:54:00.000-07:00

Saag Panir

2011-07-09T16:52:00.000-07:00

You can make saag panir vegan by substituting tofu for the panir. You can also substitute different cheeses for the cheeses I've written down. It'll still taste good.

Ingredients
rice
vegetable oil
3 tomatoes
LOTS of spinach
goat cheese
munster cheese
cumin
chili powder

Directions
1. Cook the rice.
2. Saute the tomatoes in the vegetable oil.
3. Add the cumin and chili powder to taste, and keep sauteing until the tomatoes are mushy.
4. Add the spinach and as much cheese as you like, then saute and stir until everything is blended together.

Greens and Artichoke Dip

2011-07-06T17:02:00.000-07:00

Ok. More greens from the CSA. Here's an easy recipe that uses whichever kind of greens you have on hand. I apologize for the weird camera problems. For some reason the color balance is off on this photograph so it looks very blue and you can't see the red pepper flakes. I'm too lazy to edit it. I promise that it doesn't look so odd in real life.

Ingredients
greens (spinach, kale, and chard all work well)
olive oil
garlic
red pepper flakes
artichoke hearts

Directions
1. Saute the kale, garlic, and red pepper flakes in the oil.
2. Add in the artichoke hearts.
3. Blend everything together in a blender and serve with chips, vegetables, or other dip-able things.

CSA 3

2011-07-05T17:22:00.000-07:00

Garden

2011-07-03T16:00:00.000-07:00

We got a new chair:

In other news, the garden is growing nicely.

Masoor Dal

2011-07-01T19:30:00.000-07:00

I got tons of tasty vegetables in the CSA this week, so I should be giving you recipes that use those tasty vegetables. But most of the CSA was greens and I was feeling boring so I just sauteed them and ate them plain. As an apology for not giving you tasty recipes with greens, I give you a tasty recipe for Masoor Dal.

Ingredients
red lentils
cumin
marsala
cayenne
turmeric
onions

Directions
1. Saute the onions.
2. Cook the red lentils by boiling them in water for 10-15 min. You should use enough water to cover them, but don't overdo it or your dal will be watery.
3. Add in the onions and spices.

For a different variation, you can substitute ginger for the marsala, or add tomatoes or chiles to the dal.

Esh wants some:

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

2011-06-30T11:24:00.000-07:00

The asparagus topping was Ren's brilliant idea. I didn't include it in the recipe but if you'd like to try it, just roast some asparagus and put it on top of your burgers before you eat them.

Ingredients
2 cups black beans, cooked
1 cup tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1 onion
4-5 carrots
2 cups oats
burger buns (such as the Challah Buns in this blog)
whatever toppings you want

Directions
1. Blend everything together in a blender.
2. Form the burger mix into patties.
3. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Serve on burger buns with whatever toppings you want.

CSA 2

2011-06-28T12:20:00.000-07:00

Sopa de Zanahoria

2011-06-26T12:20:00.000-07:00

Esto es la primavera, pero este fin de semana el tiempo no consiguió la nota entonces decidí que necesité un poco de sopa de zanahoria para calentarme. Esta receta es fácil para hacer y sorprendentemente sabroso, pero no se conserva bien en el refrigerador tan si usted no planea comerlo en seguida usted debería congelarlo.

Ingredientes
4-6 zanahorias
2 cebollas
gengibre
echar agua

Direcciones
1. Salteado las cebollas, gengibre, y zanahorias hasta las cebollas y zanahorias son suaves.
2. Hacer puré de todo juntos en un mezclador con tan mucho echar agua si es necesario para conseguir el consecuencia que usted quiere.

Algunas personas como la puesta de ajo y/o curry en su sopa de zanahoria entonces usted puede intentar que, también.

Soupe de Carotte

2011-06-26T12:15:00.000-07:00

C'est le printemps, mais ce week-end le temps n'a pas reçu le mémorandum donc j'ai décidé que j'ai eu besoin d'une soupe de carotte pour me réchauffer. Cette recette est facile de faire et étonnamment délicieux, mais il ne se conserve pas bien dans le réfrigérateur ainsi si vous ne projetez pas de le manger tout de suite vous devriez le congeler.

Ingrédients
4-6 carottes
2 oignons
gingembre
eau

Directions
1. Saute les oignons, le gingembre et les carottes jusqu'aux oignons et les carottes sont mous.
2. La purée tout ensemble dans un mixer avec autant d'eau que nécessaire de recevoir la consistance vous voulez.

Certaines personnes comme le putting de l'ail et-ou le curry dans leur soupe de carotte donc vous pouvez essayer que, aussi.

Carrot Soup

2011-06-26T12:10:00.000-07:00

It's spring, but this weekend the weather does not seem to be getting the memo so I decided I needed some carrot soup to warm me up. This recipe is easy to make and surprisingly tasty, but it doesn't keep well in the refrigerator so if you aren't planning to eat it right away you should freeze it.

Ingredients
4-6 carrots
2 onions
ginger
water

Directions
1. Sautee the onions, ginger, and carrots until the onions and carrots are soft.
2. Puree everything together in a blender with as much water as necessary to get the consistency you want.

Some people like putting garlic and/or curry powder in their carrot soup so you can try that, too.

Chive Blossom Vinegar

2011-06-24T12:26:00.000-07:00

Remember that post I made about edible flowers? Well, chive blossoms are an edible flower. Here they are growing in my garden:

I came out in the garden with a glass jar:

Cut off the blossoms with my scissors:

And put them in my jar:

Next I heated up some vinegar on the stovetop and poured it over the chive blossoms:

Here's a prettier picture. You can see that the chive blossoms have all floated to the top:

Next, I put the lid on the jar, I put the jar in a cool and dark place (my kitchen cabinet), and I waited several days for the chives to turn the vinegar pink:

Finally, I strained the vinegar into another bottle by pouring it through a cheesecloth so the vinegar could go through but the chives would not fit. Yay chive vinegar!

I tried it out first to make sure it tasted good, then I poured some in a little container as part of a housewarming present for my friends Vincent and Isa (yes, the same Vincent that lived with Ren and I for a little while in 2009).

Garden! Jardin! Jardín!

2011-06-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

Radishes / Radis / Rábanos:

Ren:

Garlic /Ail / Ajo:

Garden / Jardin / Jardín:

CSA!!!

2011-06-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

Ensalada de Jardín

2011-06-13T12:29:00.000-07:00

Las plantas en mi jardín crecen rápidamente. Para darles bastante cuarto, tuve que cosechar algunos de ellos. No quise gastar el alimento entonces decidí hacer las plantas en la ensalada.

Aquí están los rábanos pequeños:

Y la espinaca:

Y la ensalada:

Todo que hice era combinan a las verduras: espinaca, rábanos, brotes de cebolla, y hojas de lechuga diminutas. Entonces vertí algún vinagre de cebollina hecho en casa en todo.

Salade de Jardin

2011-06-13T12:19:00.000-07:00

Les usines dans mon jardin grandissent vite. Pour leur donner assez de pièce, j'ai dû récolter certains d'entre eux. Je n'ai pas voulu gaspiller la nourriture donc j'ai décidé de faire les usines dans la salade.

Voici les petits radis:

Et les épinards:

Et la salade:

Tout ce que j'ai fait était la moissonneuse-batteuse les légumes : les épinards, les radis, les pousses à l'oignon et les congés de laitue très petits. Alors j'ai versé un vinaigre de ciboulette fait maison sur tout.

Garden Thinnings Salad

2011-06-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

The plants in my garden are growing quickly. To give them enough room, I had to thin some of them. Of course, I wouldn't want to waste food so I decided to make a salad with the thinnings from my garden.

Here are the radish thinnings I pulled up:

And the spinach thinnings:

And here's the salad:

All I did was combine the veggies I had on hand: spinach, radishes, onion sprouts, and tiny lettuce leaves. Then I drizzled some homemade chive vinegar on top as a dressing.

Rope Bread

2011-06-02T14:52:00.000-07:00

I'm making this bread tomorrow because Ren and I have company coming for the weekend - our friends Gavi and Sruli from England - and we want to be able to make sandwiches for a picnic if the weather cooperates. This recipe comes from "Fifty From the Trail: The Best Cowboy Cooking From a Timeless Land," a cookbook Ren's mother got for us. I love this recipe because it's a nice plain everyday bread that's incredibly easy to make and it's vegan.

Here's the regular:

And whole wheat:

Ingredients
3 3/4 tsp active dry yeast
2 c lukewarm water
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
6-7 c flour

Directions
1. Sprinkle the yeast into the warm water, and add the sugar and salt.
2. Let the mixture stand until it becomes bubbly.
3. Slowly mix in the flour until a smooth, soft dough is formed.
4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, cover it, and let it rest for about 5 minutes.
5. Knead the dough, adding flour as needed, until it is soft and elastic, about 10 minutes.
6. Put the dough into a large bowl that has been coated with olive oil, turning the dough to get olive oil on its top. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume. This should take about 1 1/2 hours.
7. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, "punch" it down by slowly inserting your fist in the middle of the dough, and let the dough rest for about 5 minutes.
8. For one large loaf: cut the dough into 3 pieces and roll these pieces into roll those into 12-inch strips. Twist the strips around each other in a braid, turn under the ends, and place the braided dough in a greased 10x7 inch loaf pan. If you'd like two smaller loaves: cut dough in half, then cut each half into 3 pieces and roll these pieces into 10-inch strips. Twist the strips around each other in a braid, turn under the ends, and place the braided dough into two greased 9x5 inch loaf pans.
9. Place the pan(s) in a cold oven.
10. Put a pan of boiling water on a rack underneath your bread pan(s).
11. Set the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are making one large loaf you should bake it for 60 minutes and if you are making two smaller loaves you should bake them for 35-40 minutes .

Slugs / Limaces / Babosas

2011-06-01T19:33:00.000-07:00

In case there was any question about what is trying to eat through my entire garden... / Vous demandiez-vous que l'animal essaie de manger mon jardin? / ¿Se preguntaba usted qué animal trata de comer mi jardín?

Here's the slug / Voici la limace / Aquí está la babosa:

And with my foot, for comparison / Et avec mon pied, pour la comparaison / Y con mi pie, para comparación:

Spring and Edible Flowers

2011-05-20T13:56:00.000-07:00

It's finally spring! Sadly it is kind of nasty out right now and has been all week. So to cheer myself up, I figured I'd share some pictures from a semi-recent trip I took with some friends to the Arnold Arboretum. Just wait. I promise this is culinary related...

Here's a clump of violets:

Did you know violets are edible? You can eat the leaves and the flowers and when eaten raw they're a decent source of vitamin C. Just make sure you don't pick any that have been sprayed with pesticides or something like that and wash them gently with water before eating them.

Want some violet eating ideas? Violets a really great addition to salads. Just chop up the leaves and keep the flowers whole. They also make a good tea. Just chop them up, put them in a strainer or cheesecloth, and steep them in boiling water for about 10 minutes. You can make a violet flavored vinegar by putting violets in a bottle of rice wine or champagne vinegar, waiting 3-4 days, and then straining out the flowers and storing the vinegar in a cool, dark, and dry place for up to a year. If you make vinegar, use a maximum ratio of 1:4 violets to vinegar (one part violets to four parts vinegar).

Other things about violets? Violets supposedly have medicinal properties. Sadly, I don't know enough about that to pass the info along to you yet. Also, you can make candied violets. I have yet to try this but when I finally get around to it I'll be sure to post a recipe on here.

Ok. Enough about violets. Here's a dandelion.

Guess what? Dandelions are also edible. The leaves are high in potassium, antioxidants, vitamin A, and vitamin C. They have a slightly bitter flavor and fresh dandelion leaves taste good in salads. I prefer to eat the leaves before the flowers have opened when they're not quite so bitter tasting, though. You can also steam the leaves before eating them, which makes them less bitter and is the best method I know of for eating older leaves. The petals also taste good in salad, and they add a nice touch of color. You can eat the whole flower head but I prefer to take off the petals and disburse them throughout the salad.

Apparently people make dandelion wine out of the petals, and dandelion beer out of the whole plant. I haven't attempted this yet so I can't say how easy this is or how it tastes. I have tried making dandelion tea. You make it just like you make violet tea. Take the leaves, put them in boiling water, let them steep for about 10 minutes, and then strain out the leaves and drink the tea. It's supposed to be good for the skin and for digestion.

I haven't tried doing anything with dandelion roots yet, but they're also edible if you boil them for 20-30 minutes first. I've heard of folks roasting the roots and grinding them into a coffee substitute as well, but since I haven't tried it, I can't attest to how it tastes.

And last but not least, this is not an edible flower but it's pretty and technically it's fresh water so you could drink it if you wanted to. Here's the cute little stream near the gate where we entered the park:

Bagels and Cream Cheese

2011-05-19T11:18:00.000-07:00

Remember the chives I've been growing? I decided what I wanted to do with them was eat some bagels with cream cheese and chives. Of course, rather than buy the bagels and cream cheese, I decided it was time to cook...

Here are the chives in their natural environment:

First the cream cheese, since that took longer to make. I used the cream cheese recipe from Making Artisan Cheese: 50 Fine Cheese That You Can Make in Your Own Kitchen by Tim Smith. Let me just take this opportunity to say that this cookbook is AWESOME. It is very well written and all of the techniques are illustrated so it's easy to follow even if you haven't made cheese before. And this cream cheese was super delicious (and organic, since I used organic milk to make it). Anyway, on to the recipe:

Cream Cheese
Ingredients
4 c half and half (do NOT use ultra-pasteurized)
1 c whipping cream (again, do NOT use ultra-pasteurized)
2 tbsp buttermilk

Directions
1. Heat the half and half and cream to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Stir in the buttermilk and pour everything into a sanitized mixing bowl (preferably one made of non-porous materials).
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, wrap some kitchen towels around the bowl so they fit snugly, and put the whole thing in a warm area to sit for at least 24 hours.

Note: The goal here is for the cream mixture to set until it is the consistency of yogurt and it does not move when the bowl is leaned on its side. Mine took longer than 24 hours, but the book said that if it wasn't set after 24 hours you could wait for another 6-12 hours so I didn't worry about it.

4. Pour your mixture into a cheese-cloth lined colander with a colander underneath and let it drain for about 15 minutes.

Here's what your setup should look like:

5. After this, fold the cheese cloth over the cheese and let it keep draining in the fridge, covered in plastic, for another 12-14 hours.
6. Remove the curd (aka your cream cheese) from the cheese cloth. At this point you can add some salt or some herbs if you want. Then reshape the curds into balls, wrap them in new cheesecloth, and let them drain some more until your cream cheese is as firm as you want. Personally, I was super impatient and I prefer my cream cheese soft anyway so I didn't bother. I just stuck my cream cheese in a sealed plastic container and stuck that in the fridge. It's supposed to keep for two weeks this way, but mine was eaten way before that.

Bagels
I got the bagel recipe from The Fresh Loaf. The recipe makes a dozen bagels and they are absolutely delicious.

Ingredients
Sponge:
1 tsp instant yeast
4 c bread flour
2 1/2 c water

Dough:
1/2 tsp instant yeast
3 3/4 c bread flour
2 3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp honey (next time I plan on trying maple syrup so the bagels will be vegan)

Other:
1 tsp baking soda for the water
Cornmeal for dusting the pan

Directions
1. Mix all of the sponge ingredients together in a mixing bowl, cover the ingredients with a damp towel, and let the sponge rise for two hours. I actually did this and then stuck the sponge in the fridge overnight because I realized that it was way too late to be making bagels, so apparently this is a good place to stop if you need to stop.
2. Add in the rest of the dough ingredients and knead the dough. This is a super stiff and dry dough - much more stiff and dry than normal bread dough. That's ok! It's supposed to be like that. Just keep kneading for a minimum of 10 minutes until it's actually nice and smooth.
3. Split your dough into equal pieces and roll them into balls. Place the balls on a cookie sheet, cover them with a damp towel, and let them rest for 20 minutes.

4. Shape the dough balls into bagels. To do this, you push your thumb through the center of each ball and rotate the dough around your thumb while shaping it so the bagel is as even in width as you can make it. Then return your bagels to the cookie sheet, cover them with the damp towel again, and let them rest another 20 minutes.

5. Apparently at this point you are supposed to retard the dough by placing the pan in the fridge overnight. I completely skipped this step because I was hungry for bagels. I'm sure it does something to improve the taste of the finished bagels, but apparently that something is not at all vital so if you're busy you can follow my lead and skip this step like I did.
6. Now that you may or may not have put the bagels in the fridge overnight, it's time to preheat the oven to 500 degrees Fahrenheit and bring a large pot of water to a boil.
7. Add one tablespoon of baking soda to the water to alkalize it. This is supposed to replicate traditional bagel shop flavor. I doubt that this step is actually necessary but I had baking soda so I figured "what the hell" and I put the tablespoon in like the recipe said.
8. Now it's time to boil your bagels. But first, sprinkle some corn meal on a new cookie sheet.
9. Ok, now drop a few bagels into the boiling water. Let them boil for about a minute on one side, then turn them over and let them boil for about a minute on the other side. Then put them on the corn meal covered cookie sheet.

9. Do this with all of the remaining bagels.
10. Place your cookie sheet of bagels into your preheated oven and bake them for 5 minutes. Then reduce the oven heat to 450 degrees Fahrenheit, rotate the pan, and bake them for another 5 minutes until the bagels begin to turn brown.

11. Remove the bagels from the oven and try to let them cool down before you eat them.

The Final Stage
Ok. So you've got your chives, your cream cheese, and your bagels. Now, cut the chives into tiny pieces and mix them into the cream cheese, like this:

Then spread your chive-y cream cheese on your bagels and enjoy!

Joy of Cooking's Baked Macaroni and Cheese

2011-05-02T11:25:00.001-07:00

This recipe for baked macaroni and cheese comes from "The Joy of Cooking" (the 75th Anniversary Edition) by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker. I've altered the measurements of some of the ingredients slightly because I like my mac and cheese extra cheesy with more onion and paprika than the original recipe.

Ingredients
2 cups macaroni (elbows, wheels, corkscrews, bowties, etc.)
3 tablespoons butter, divided (plus extra for greasing the pan)
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 onion, chopped
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon paprika
3 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs

Directions
1. Cook the macaroni in the water until it is just tender, then drain it and put it a bowl.
2. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pot.
3. Add in the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for about 3 minutes.
4. Gradually whisk in the milk.
5. Stir in the onion, bay leaf, and paprika and simmer, stirring often, for about 15 minutes (until the onions are soft).
6. Remove the pot from the heat, take out the bay leaf, and stir in 2 cups of the cheese.
7. Stir in the macaroni.
8. Pour half of mixture into a greased (with your extra butter) baking dish and sprinkle it with half of the remaining cheese. Then layer on the rest of the macaroni and the rest of the cheese.
9. Melt the last tablespoon of butter in small skillet over medium heat, stir in the bread crumbs so they get coated with melted butter.
10. Sprinkle the buttered bread crumbs over the top of the macaroni and cheese.
11. Bake the macaroni and cheese at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, until the bread crumbs are lightly browned. This should take about 30 minutes.
12. You're supposed to let this dish stand 5 minutes before serving, presumably to prevent you from burning your mouth, but I can never wait that long.

Jardín

2011-04-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

Aquí están las semillas que brotan en mi cuarto:

El ajo es grande:

Entonces son las cebolletas:

La espinaca crece:

Aquí está el ruibarbo:

Los troncos de seta - una sorpresa porque pensé que ellos fueron hechos:

Jardin

2011-04-17T12:32:00.000-07:00

Voici les graines germant dans ma pièce:

L'ail est grand:

Les ciboulettes, aussi:

Les épinards grandissent:

Voici la rhubarbe:

Les rondins de champignon shiitake - c'est une surprise parce que j'ai cru qu'ils ont été faits :

Garden Update

2011-04-17T11:26:00.000-07:00

Here are the seeds I started in my room:

The garlic is growing nicely:

The chives are still going strong:

And the spinach is starting to come up:

The rhubarb is looking good:

And even the shiitake mushroom logs are fruiting, which is surprising since I thought they were finished for the moment:

Jardín

2011-04-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

Vista de cielo de jardín:

Ruibarbo:

¡Gusano!

Cebolletas:

Ajo:

Ren planta los guisantes repentinos:

Tony planta l'espinaca:

Ren planta de rábanos y flores comestibles:

Jardin

2011-04-08T16:49:00.001-07:00

Vue de ciel de jardin:

Rhubarbe:

Ver!

Ciboulette:

Ail:

Ren plante des petits pois rapides:

Tony plante des épinards:

Ren plante des radis et des fleurs mangeables:

Gardening!

2011-04-08T16:33:00.000-07:00

Sky view of garden:

Rhubarb:

Worm!

Chives:

Garlic:

Ren plants snap peas:

Tony plants spinach:

Ren plants radishes and edible flowers:

Garden / Jardin / Jardín

2011-03-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

Garlic / Ail / Ajo:

Scallions / Oignons / Cebollitas:

I didn't expect the scallions to come back again so this was a good surprise. / Je ne me suis pas attendu à ce que les oignons aient grandi de nouveau donc c'était une bonne surprise. / No esperé que las cebollitas crecieran otra vez entonces este era una sorpresa buena.

It's Randy's Birthday / C'est l'anniversaire de Randy / Es el cumpleaños de Randy

2011-03-24T15:31:00.000-07:00

Happy birthday Randy! Bon Anniversaire Randy! ¡Feliz cumpleaños Randy!

Garlic! / Ail! / ¡Ajo!

2011-03-07T09:33:00.000-08:00

I went into the garden and I saw... / Je suis entré dans le jardin et j'ai vu... / Entré en el jardín y vi...

It's My Birthday! C'est Mon Anniversaire! ¡Esto es Mi Cumpleaños!

2011-02-25T16:59:00.000-08:00

New Year / Nouvel An / Año Nuevo

2011-01-05T11:07:00.001-08:00

It's a new year and one of my resolutions for this year is to get back to blogging so you can expect to hear a lot more from me than you have been this past year.

C'est un nouvel an et une de mes résolutions pour cette année doit rentrer à blogging donc vous pouvez vous attendre entendre beaucoup plus de moi que vous avez été ce passé l'année.

Esto es un año nuevo y una de mis resoluciones para este año debe regresar a blogging entonces usted puede esperar oír mucho más de mí que usted ha sido este el año pasado.

Chickpea Cutlets

2010-12-30T20:00:00.000-08:00

I spent today in the unemployment office trying to straighten out my unemployment claim and getting yelled at by the overworked and disgruntled government worker assigned to my case. Not so fun. Yesterday, however, was very fun. My friends Brian and Christy came over for dinner because we were supposed to go over there on Monday but our car crapped out during the blizzard. Anyway, yesterday's dinner was sauteed chard, edamame, and these chickpea cutlets which I adapted from the recipe in Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. This picture is misleading because it has potatoes as the side dish. That's because the picture is of the leftovers I decided to eat today.

Ingredients
1 cup chickpeas
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp paprika
to taste olive oil , for pan frying or baking

Directions
1. Mash the chickpeas and oil together until no whole chickpeas remain.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and knead for 3 minutes until strings of gluten have formed.
3. Divide the dough into four equal pieces and shape them into cutlets.
4. Now you have a choice. You can either fry the cutlets or bake them. I chose to bake them because it's healthier. To follow my lead, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and bake your patties for about 20 minutes, flipping in the middle of that time, so they are firm and golden brown colored. If you choose to fry them, put them in a pan and fry for about 6-7 minutes, flipping in the middle of that time.

Milk Bread

2010-12-19T14:50:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the wedding of my friends John and Jenn. Today I decided to make bread. This recipe is from Beth Hensperger's "Bread Made Easy," a great bread making book for beginners, though it is a bit heavy on the sweet breads. This bread is tasty and easy to make. It only takes about 2 hours total and it makes 2 loaves.

Ingredients
6 to 6.5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 scant tablespoon active dry yeast
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups warm milk (about 100 degrees)
1/4 cup boiling water
3 tablespoons canola, light olive, or veggie oil
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon milk, for glaze

Directions
1. Combine the sugar, yeast, salt and 2 cups of the flour in a large bowl.
2. Combine the milk, boiling water, and oil in a small bowl. It should be hot to the touch (between 110 and 125 degrees on a thermometer if you're anal retentive).
3. Mix the wet and dry ingredients, beating for about 3 minutes.
4. Continue to add the rest of the flour by 1/2 cups, beating until it turns into a stiff, shaggy dough that just clears the sides of the bowl.
5. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured work surface and knead until it becomes firm yet smooth and satiny, about 5 to 8 minutes. You can dust the dough with flour as needed to prevent it from sticking to your fingers but don't go overboard or you'll mess up the ratio of ingredients.
6. Roll the dough into a ball and place it in a greased (with olive oil) container, turning it to grease the top and then covering with a wet towel.
7. Let the dough rise for 1.5 to 2 hours, until it has doubled in bulk. You'll know the dough is done rising by doing the indent test: press your finger into the top to see if the indent remains. If the indent fills in quickly the dough needs to rise longer, if it doesn't you're good to go.
8. Grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.
9. Turn the dough onto the work surface and divide it into 4 equal portions to make two spirals. To make the spirals roll the dough into four fat sausage-shaped snakes, put two of the snakes side by side and twist them around each other to make a spiral, pinching them at the tops and bottoms so the dough stays together.
10. Place the spirals in the pans and tuck the ends underneath so they don't show, then cover the pans again and let the dough rise for another hour, until it doubles in bulk again.
11. About 20 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
12. When the dough is done rising, brush the tops of the loaves with the egg glaze using a pastry brush. Do not let the glaze drip down the sides of the pan or the bread will burn and stick to the pan.
13. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the loaves are a deep golden brown, the sides have slightly shrunk away from the pan, and the bread sounds hollow when you tap the top of it with your finger. Cool the loaves on cooling racks and enjoy. If you don't want to eat it right away it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer.

Variations
Cornmeal Honey Bread – Substitute 1 cup medium yellow cornmeal for an equal amount of flour. Substitute 2 tablespoons of honey for the sugar.

Caraway Light Rye Bread – Substitute 1 1/2 cups medium rye flour for an equal amount of unbleached all-purpose flour. Substitute 2 tablespoons of molasses for the sugar. Add 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds to the dough during the mixing after adding the sugar.

Granola Bread – Substitute 1 1/2 cups of granola cereal for an equal amount of flour. Substitute light brown sugar for the granulated sugar.

Raisin Bread – Make the milk bread dough through step three. Turn the dough onto your work surface and divide it in half, patting each portion into a rectangle (approximately 9x12 inches). Sprinkle each rectangle with 3/4 cup each of golden and dark raisins. Press the raisins in gently with your palms and then knead the bread to distribute them evenly. Pat each portion into a rectangle about 8 inches long and 6 inches across, fold the two short ends in 1 inch towards the middle, and then roll the dough up jelly-roll style to make a standard loaf shape. Pinch the seam and ends to seal them. The log should fit the pan about 2/3 full. Cover and rise about 45 minutes until the dough is double in bulk and about 1 inch over the rims of the pans. Glaze and bake as usual. You can sprinkle sugar on the glaze if desired.

Cheese Mini Loaves – This will make about 16 mini loaves. You'll need sixteen 4 x 2 1/2 x 2 inch individual loaf pans. Add the liquid to dry ingredients and beat for three minutes. Add the first 1/2 cup of flour and beat, and then add 2 cups grated cheddar cheese (I like extra-sharp). Continue to add the rest of the flour and let the dough rise as usual. When you turn the dough out after the first rise, divide it into 16 equal portions and pat each of the portions into a 4 x 6 inch rectangle. Roll each rectangle up jelly-roll style starting at the short edges, pinch the bottom seam closed to seal it, and tuck the ends under. Place the dough in the pans, cover it, and let it rise for 15 minutes until it almost doubles in bulk. Glaze as usual and bake for 18 to 24 minutes.

Winter Herb Bread – During the mixing phase, add 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, 1 tablespoon crumbled dried basil leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons dried dillweed, 1 1/2 teaspoons crumbled dried savory, 1 1/2 teaspoons crumbled dried oregano or marjoram, 1 teaspoon crushed dried tarragon leaves, and 1/2 teaspoon crumbled dried thyme. Continue with the rest of the Milk Bread recipe as usual.

Pan de Naranja de Arándano

2010-12-17T14:57:00.000-08:00

Hoy es mi comida mensual entonces le presento un pan fácil que trabaja bien para comidas o para la hora del té. Hice todos este solo cuando yo tenía ocho años y yo estaba tan orgulloso de mí escribí la receta entera en mi diario (sí, yo tenía un diario - todavía hacen, aunque ahora yo lo llame un diario porque parece más crecido). Esta receta se congela bien. Hace un pan.

Aquí es:

Y aquí está un pedazo con el vidriado:

Ingredientes
470 ml harina
180 ml azúcar
8 ml levadura en polvo
4 ml sal de mar
2.5 ml bicarbonato de sosa
120 ml leche
60 ml jugo de naranja
60 ml mantequilla sin sal, derretida
15 ml rallaron el entusiasmo de naranja
2 huevos, ligeramente golpeados
240 ml arándanos, cortados

Vidriado de Naranja – 15-30 ml jugo de naranja y 240 ml azúcar en polvo

Direcciones
1. Precalentar el horno a 190 grados Celcius.
2. Engrasar el fondo de una cazuela de pan.
3. Combinar los ingredientes secos en un tazón.
4. Combinar los ingredientes mojados y el entusiasmo de naranja en otro tazón.
5. Añadir los ingredientes secos a los ingredientes mojados y movimiento hasta sólo no combinado.
6. Mezcle los arándanos en el rebozado hasta que ellos sean regularmente distribuidos.
7. Verter el rebozado (será grueso) en la cazuela y hornéelo hasta que un cuchillo venga limpio del centro, aproximadamente 50 minutos a 1 hora, según el tamaño de la cazuela.
8. Soltar los lados de la cazuela, quite, y déjele enfriarse completamente.
9. Si usted lo usa, cuando el pan es chulo usted puede preparar el vidriado y lloviznarlo por encima del pan.

Pain d'Orange de Canneberge

2010-12-17T14:52:00.000-08:00

Aujourd'hui est mon potluck mensuel donc je vous présente du pain facile qui travaille bien pour potlucks ou pour l'heure du thé. Je l'ai fait tous moi-même quand j'avais huit ans et j'étais si fier de moi j'ai écrit la recette entière dans mon journal (oui, j'avais un journal - font toujours, bien que maintenant je l'appelle un journal parce que cela semble plus développé). Cette recette gèle bien. Fait un pain.

Voila ici:

Et voici un morceau avec mettez sous verre :

Ingrédients
Farine de 470 millilitres
Sucre de 180 millilitres
Levure chimique de 8 millilitres
Sel marin de 4 millilitres
2.5 bicarbonate de soude de millilitre
Lait de 120 millilitres
Jus orange de 60 millilitres
Beurre non salé de 60 millilitres, fait fondre
Zeste orange de 15 millilitres
2 oeufs, légèrement battus
Canneberges de 240 millilitres, coupées

L'Orange Met sous verre – le jus orange de 15-30 millilitres et le sucre poudré de 240 millilitres

Directions
1. Préchauffer le four à 190 degrés Celcius.
2. Graisser le fond d'une casserole de pain.
3. Combiner les ingrédients secs dans une terrine.
4. Combiner les ingrédients mouillés et le zeste orange dans une autre terrine.
5. Ajouter les ingrédients secs aux ingrédients mouillés et à l'agitation jusqu'à juste ne combiné.

6. Mélangez les canneberges avec le fait de battre jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient uniformément distribués.
7. Verser le fait de battre (ce sera épais) dans la casserole et cuisez-le au four jusqu'à ce qu'un couteau vienne propre du centre, environ 50 minutes à 1 heure, selon la grandeur de la casserole.
8. Desserrer les côtés de la casserole, déménagez et permettez-y de vous refroidir complètement.
9. Si vous l'utilisez, quand le pain est frais vous pouvez préparer le fait de mettre sous verre et la bruine cela sur le pain.

Cranberry-Orange Bread

2010-12-17T14:49:00.000-08:00

Today is my monthly potluck so I present to you an easy bread that works well for potlucks or for tea-time. I made this all by myself when I was in 3rd grade and I was so proud of myself I wrote the entire recipe into my diary (yes, I had a diary - still do, though now I call it a journal because it sounds more grown up). This recipe freezes well. Makes one loaf.

Here it is:

And here's a piece with glaze:

Ingredients
2 c unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 c sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 c milk
1/4 c orange juice
1/4 c unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp grated orange zest
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 c cranberries, chopped

Orange Glaze – 1-2 tbsp orange juice and 1 c powdered sugar

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Grease the bottom of an 8x4 or 9x5 loaf pan.
3. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl.
4. Combine the wet ingredients and orange zest in another bowl.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
6. Stir in the cranberries and mix only until they are evenly distributed.
7. Pour the batter (it will be thick) into the pan and bake it until a knife comes clean from the center, about 50 minutes to 1 hour, depending on size of the pan.
8. Loosen the sides from the pan, remove, and let it cool completely.
9. If you’re using it, when the loaf is cool you can prepare the glaze and drizzle it over the top of the loaf.

Omelets

2010-12-14T15:43:00.000-08:00

I had a job interview at a bakery today so I decided that I needed a good breakfast to start the day off right. Omelets definitely did the trick.

This particular omelet contains spinach, mushrooms, onions, and cheddar cheese. Yum!

Empanadas de Seta

2010-12-08T14:55:00.000-08:00

Okey, entonces éstos no son la comida de Hanukkah tradicional. Pero ellos son fritos tan al menos tengo la idea derecha. De todos modos, gasté el día hoy en el Acuario de Boston con mis amigos Vincent e Isa. Era grande hasta la parte donde nos dirigíamos atrás vía el tránsito público y me hice realmente nauseabundo.

Ingredientes
45 ml mantequilla
2 chalotes, pelados y sutilmente cortado
240 ml setas, sutilmente cortadas
45 ml harina
160 ml leche
160 ml migas de pan frescas
5 ml perejil
5 ml tomillo
1 huevo, golpeado
sale y pimienta
migas de pan secas para capa
petróleo para freidura
30 ml secan el vermú o el vino blanco
360 ml crema pesada
30 ml granos de pimienta verdes en salmuera, drenada
Dulce de 1/2 pimienta roja, sembrada y jugada a los dados

Direcciones
1. Derretir la mitad la mantequilla en un sartén y movimiento en 1 chalote y las setas.
2. Sauté durante 5 minutos o hasta no ablandado.
3. Movimiento en 30 ml de la harina y cocinero durante 1 minuto.
4. Quitar del calor y gradualmente golpee en la leche.
5. Volver al calor y cocinero hasta no espesado.
6. Movimiento en las migas de pan, perejil, tomillo, y mitad del huevo.
7. Temporada y mezcla para formar una pasta gruesa.
8. Añada migas de pan suplementarias si es demasiado delgado, y frialdad bien.
9. Dividir en 12 y forma en pequeño ovals con ligeramente floured manos.
10. Pendiente en el huevo restante y abrigo en migas de pan secas.
11. Playo frito durante 3 minutos en cada lado hasta de oro.
12. Mientras tanto, caliente la grasa restante y el chalote en una cazuela hasta no ablandado.
13. Movimiento en la harina restante, bata en el vermú o vino, y la crema.
14. Temporada para saber.
15. Cocinero hasta no espesado ligeramente.
16. Movimiento en los granos de pimienta y pimienta roja y cocinero durante 1 minuto.
17. Servir con una pequeña salsa vertida sobre ellos.

Pâtés de Champignon

2010-12-08T14:50:00.000-08:00

Ok, donc ceux-ci ne sont pas des nourritures de Hanoukka traditionnelles. Mais ils sont faits frire si au moins j'ai l'idée juste. En tout cas, j'ai passé le jour aujourd'hui à l'Aquarium Bostonien avec mes amis Vincent et Isa. C'était grand jusqu'à la partie où nous nous dirigions en arrière via le transit public et je suis devenu vraiment écoeurant.

Ingrédients
Beurre de 45 millilitres
2 échalotes, épluchées et finement coupé
Les champignons de 240 millilitres, finement coupés
Farine de 45 millilitres
Lait de 160 millilitres
Miettes de pain fraîches de 160 millilitres
Persil de 5 millilitres
Thym de 5 millilitres
1 oeuf, battu
sel et poivre
miettes de pain sèches pour la couche
pétrole pour la friture
30 millilitres sèchent du vermouth ou un vin blanc
Lourde crème de 360 millilitres
Les grains de poivre verts de 30 millilitres dans la saumure, égouttée
Le bonbon de 1/2 le poivre rouge, ensemencé et joué aux dés

Directions
1. Faire fondre la moitié du beurre dans une poêle et une agitation dans 1 échalote et les champignons.
2. Sauté depuis 5 minutes ou jusqu'à ne adouci.
3. L'agitation à 30 millilitres de la farine et du cuisinier depuis 1 minute.
4. Déménager de la chaleur et battez progressivement dans le lait.
5. Revenir à la chaleur et au cuisinier jusqu'à ne épaissi.
6. L'agitation dans les miettes de pain, le persil, le thym et la moitié de l'oeuf.
7. La saison et le mélange pour former une colle épaisse.
8. Ajoutez des miettes de pain supplémentaires si c'est trop fin et la fraîcheur bien.
9. La division dans 12 et la forme dans petit ovals avec légèrement floured les mains.
10. La trempette dans l'oeuf restant et le manteau dans les miettes de pain sèches.
11. La friture peu profonde depuis 3 minutes sur chaque côté jusqu'à d'or.
12. Pendant ce temps, chauffez le gras restant et l'échalote dans une casserole jusqu'à ne adouci.
13. L'agitation dans la farine restante, battez dans le vermouth ou le vin et la crème.
14. La saison pour goûter.
15. Cuisinier jusqu'à ne épaissi légèrement.
16. L'agitation dans les grains de poivre et le poivre rouge et le cuisinier depuis 1 minute.
17. Le service avec une petite sauce a coulé sur eux.

Mushroom Patties

2010-12-08T14:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, so these aren't traditional Chanukah foods. But they ARE fried so at least I've got the right idea. Anyway, I spent the day today at the Boston Aquarium with my friends Vincent and Isa. It was great until the part where we were heading back via public transit and I got really nauseous. Oh well.

Ingredients
3 tbsp butter
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
1 c mushrooms, finely chopped
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2/3 c milk
2/3 c fresh bread crumbs
1 tsp each chopped fresh parsley and thyme
1 egg, beaten
salt and pepper
dry bread crumbs for coating
oil for frying
2 tbsp dry vermouth or white wine
1 1/2 c heavy cream
2 tbsp green peppercorns in brine, drained
1/2 sweet red pepper, seeded and diced

Directions
1. Melt half the butter in a skillet and stir in 1 shallot and the mushrooms.
2. Sauté for 5 minutes or until softened.
3. Stir in 2 tbsp of the flour and cook for 1 minute.
4. Remove from the heat and gradually beat in the milk.
5. Return to the heat and cook until thickened.
6. Stir in the bread crumbs, parsley, thyme, and half the egg.
7. Season and mix to form a thick paste.
8. Add extra bread crumbs if it is too thin, and chill well.
9. Divide into 12 and shape into small ovals with lightly floured hands.
10. Dip in the remaining egg and coat in dry bread crumbs.
11. Shallow fry for 3 minutes on each side until golden.
12. Meanwhile, heat the remaining fat and shallot in a pan until softened.
13. Stir in the remaining flour, whisk in the vermouth or wine, and the cream.
14. Season to taste.
15. Cook until thickened slightly.
16. Stir in the peppercorns and red pepper and cook for 1 minute.
17. Serve with a little sauce poured over them.

Apple Pie

2010-11-24T15:55:00.000-08:00

Ren and I have company coming over tonight, then tomorrow is Thanksgiving and Ren and I are going to Vermont to visit our friend Sunshine. I don't have time for a whole new recipe today so I figure I'll give you an old favorite to tide you over 'til I get back.

Ingredients
6 large apples
3/4 c sugar
2-3 tbsp flour
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
about 2 tbsp butter, cut into little pieces
One recipe of Grandma's Pie Dough

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Peel, chop, and take the cores out of the apples.
3. Mix the apples, sugar, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl until the apples soften a little bit.
4. Divide the pie dough in half, roll it out into a circle, and pat it into a pie pan. This will be the bottom crust of your pie.
5. Pour the apple mixture into the pie bottom.
6. Put the little pieces of butter over the pie filling.
7. Roll out the other half of the pie dough into a circle. You now have a choice. Do you want a plain top or a lattice top? If you want a plain top, put that dough circle directly on top of the pie, pinching the edges to seal them and making a few slashes on the top to let the hot air escape while the pie cooks. If you want a lattice top, cut the dough circle into strips about half an inch wide. Pick up every other strip of dough. Put these strips on the pie so they are parallel and they have spaces between them where the other strips used to be. You are going to weave the other strips through the strips on the pie. The easiest way to do this is to gently fold back every other strip on the pie, then lay down a strip perpendicular to the strips on the pie. Put the strips you folded back into place. Now fold back the strips you didn't fold the first time, lay down another perpendicular strip, and put those strips back into place. Do this until you reach the end of the pie, then do it on the other side of the pie. When you're finished, pinch the edges in place. Your pie should look like this picture:

8. Place your pie on a baking sheet (to catch any drips), and place the baking sheet in the oven. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake your pie for about 45 minutes more. The pie is done when the crust is golden and the filling is tender (poke a knife through the steam vent to test this).

Pie is done:

And just for your amusement, here's a hilarious old picture of me and Hope from Hopie's Kitchen baking apple pie in my parent's kitchen:

And here's our pie:

Squash Pasta

2010-11-09T14:48:00.000-08:00

Tonight was my tax class final. Hopefully I did well. Tonight for dinner I made squash pasta out of some already cooked squash I found in the fridge. The theme of this meal was quick and easy.

Ingredients
cooked butternut squash
pasta

Directions
Cook the pasta, puree the butternut squash, and mix the two together so the butternut squash puree is like a pasta sauce.

Resumen de Fin de Semana

2010-11-08T14:00:00.000-08:00

Aquí están algunas fotos de la apertura "del Corte, Curado, el Mío: Procesamiento de Cirugía Superior"...

Descripción del espectáculo:

La muchedumbre (Ren está en la espalda con las gafas y suéter gris):

Algunos cómicos de Ren:

Y aquí está una foto de Ren en nuestro (¡limpio!) apartamento que espera a invitados para llegar para el Roslindale Estudios Abiertos...

Y ahora tengo que ponerme yendo porque mañana es el examen final para mi curso de preparación fiscal y tengo que estudiar.

Résumé de Week-end

2010-11-08T13:50:00.000-08:00

Voici quelques photos de l'ouverture "de Coupe, Guérie, le Mienne : Traitement de la Chirurgie Supérieure"...

Description du spectacle:

La foule (Ren est dans le revers avec les lunettes et le chandail gris):

Certaines des bandes dessinées de Ren:

Et voici une photo de Ren dans notre (propre!) l'appartement attendant les invités pour arriver pour le Roslindale les Studios Ouverts...

Et maintenant je dois recevoir le départ parce qu'est demain l'examen final pour mon cours de préparation fiscal et je dois faire les études.

Weekend Recap

2010-11-08T13:47:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos from the opening of "Cut, Healed, Mine: Processing Top Surgery"...

Description of the show:

Crowd shot (Ren is in the back with the glasses and light grey sweater):

Some of Ren's comics:

And here's a photo of Ren in our (super clean!) apartment waiting for guests to arrive for the Roslindale Open Studios...

And now I have to get going because tomorrow is the final exam for my tax preparation course and I need to study.

Black and White Cookies

2010-11-07T17:35:00.000-08:00

I made these cookies for the Roslindale Open Studios since I knew Ren and I would be having a lot of visitors and I enjoy feeding the people who show up at our house.

Ingredients
1 c soy milk
2 tsp lemon juice
½ c canola oil
1 ¼ c sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla
2 ½ c flour
¼ c cornstarch
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt

For The Icing
Powdered sugar
Boiling water
Vanilla
Chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease two baking sheets.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the soy milk and lemon juice and let it sit for about a minute until it begins to curdle.
3. Add the oil, sugar, and vanilla and whisk everything.
4. Combine all the dry ingredients in another bowl and then stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. If you’re lazy like me, you can add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients – just make sure to stir well so it isn’t lumpy.
5. Scoop the batter onto the baking sheet in small spoonfuls, leaving a lot of space between the cookies because they tend to spread out a lot.
6. Bake the cookies for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the cookies comes out clean, then cool them on a separate plate or rack.
7. Make the vanilla icing by pouring the boiling water bit by bit into the powdered sugar until the icing makes a glossy and somewhat thin icing. Stir in a tiny bit of vanilla so it tastes great.
8. Next make the chocolate icing by following the vanilla icing steps of pouring boiling water into powdered sugar and whisking it together. Then melt the chocolate chips and stir them into the icing to make it chocolate.
9. To ice the cookies, spread vanilla icing on half of each cookie and chocolate icing on the other half.

Here's my friend lovely Carrie helping to frost the cookies:

Carnival Cookies

2010-11-06T17:28:00.000-07:00

This year I didn’t get as many trick-or-treaters as planned so I had a huge bucket full of tiny bags of Halloween-shaped pretzels. I had also recently gone apple picking and had made a huge vat of applesauce. Enter Vegan Carnival Cookies. This recipe is adapted from the “Peanut Apple Pretzel Drops” in “Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar” by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.

Ingredients
2 c chopped pretzels
1 c peanuts
1 ¾ c flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
pinch salt
½ c canola oil
1 c brown sugar
1/3 c sugar
1 ½ tsp vanilla
applesauce

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease your baking sheets.
2. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl, adding the applesauce last and using however much it takes to make a chunky and sticky dough.
3. Put spoonfuls of batter on the cookie sheets and then bake the cookies for about 15 minutes.

And because she is visiting me at the moment, here's a photo of my friend Carrie with the cookies:

Fondue Savoyarde

2010-11-05T17:20:00.000-07:00

Ren participa en un espectáculo de arte, Cut, Healed, Mine: Processing Top Surgery, que se abre esta noche. Entonces mañana él muestra sus ilustraciones en nuestra casa como la parte del Roslindale los Estudios Abiertos y mi amigo Carrie vienen para quedarse con nosotros para el fin de semana. Tan básicamente nos hemos levantado el ajuste muy ocupado para ambos de los espectáculos y limpieza del apartamento. En la celebración de Ren tener dos espectáculos de arte que continúan inmediatamente, decidí que esto era el tiempo para la fondue. Yo tenía esta fondue particular por primera vez en el primer apartamento de Hope y Delphine en París cuando vine para visitarlos en 2007. Hace un pote de fondue y está muy bien.

Ingredientes
500 gramos emmanthaler
500 gramos comte/gruyere
200 gramos beaufort
1 partió del ajo
pimienta
maicena
1 litro de vino blanco
1 taza de kirsch
pan

Direcciones
1. Rallar el queso o cortarlo en tiras humorísticas finas.
2. Frotar el ajo en los interiores del pote.
3. Verter el vino blanco en el pote, traiga el pote a un agua hirviendo, y añada todo el queso.
4. Mover la fondue continuamente.
5. Añadir la pimienta.
6. Mezclar la maicena con el kirsch, añada la mezcla al pote, y muévalo bien para traer la fondue a un consecuencia.
7. Cortar el pan en cubos.
8. Servir la fondue.

Fondue Savoyarde

2010-11-05T17:18:00.000-07:00

Ren participe à un spectacle d'art, Cut, Healed, Mine: Processing Top Surgery, qui s'ouvre ce soir. Alors demain il montre son travail d'art à notre maison comme faisant partie du Roslindale les Studios Ouverts et mon ami Carrie viennent pour rester avec nous pour le week-end. Si fondamentalement nous avons été très occupés en nous établissant pour les deux des spectacles et en nettoyant l'appartement. Dans la célébration de Ren le fait d'avoir deux spectacles d'art continuant immédiatement, j'ai décidé que c'était le temps pour la fondue. J'avais cette fondue particulière pour la première fois au premier appartement de Hope et Delphine à Paris quand je suis venu pour les visiter en 2007. Il fait un pot de fondue et c'est extrêmement bon.

Ingrédients
500 grammes emmanthaler
500 grammes comte/gruyere
200 grammes beaufort
1 caïeu
poivre
farine de mais
1 litre de vin blanc
1 verre de kirsch
pain

Directions
1. Râper le fromage ou couper-le dans les bandes parfaites.
2. Frotter l'ail sur les intérieur du pot.
3. Verser du vin blanc dans le pot, apportez le pot à un furoncle et ajoutez tout le fromage.
4. Remuer la fondue constamment.
5. Ajouter le poivre.
6. Mélanger la farine de mais avec le kirsch, ajoutez la mixture au pot et remuez-le bien pour apporter la fondue à une consistance.
7. Couper du pain dans les cubes.
8. Servir la fondue.

Fondue Savoyarde

2010-11-05T17:14:00.000-07:00

Ren is participating in an art show, Cut, Healed, Mine: Processing Top Surgery, that's opening tonight. Then tomorrow he's showing art at our house as part of the Roslindale Open Studios. Also happening tomorrow, my friend Carrie is coming to stay with us for the weekend. So basically we've been extremely busy setting up for both of the shows and cleaning the house. Anyway, in celebration of Ren having two art shows going on at once, I decided it was time for fondue. I had this particular fondue for the first time at Hope and Delphine’s first apartment in Paris when I came to visit them in 2007. It makes one fondue pot and it's extremely good.

Ingredient
2 cups emmanthaler cheese
2 cups comte or gruyere cheese
1 cup beaufort cheese
1 clove of garlic
pepper
cornflour
4 cups of white wine
1 glass of kirsch
bread

Directions
1. Grate the cheese or cut it into fine strips.
2. Rub the garlic on the insides of the pot.
3. Pour the white wine into the pot, bring the pot to a boil, and add all the cheese.
4. Stir the fondue continuously.
5. Pepper abundantly.
6. Thin the cornflour with a glass of kirsch, add it to the pot, and mix well to bring the fondue to one consistency.
7. Cut the bread in cubes.
8. Serve the fondue.

Ajo Asado

2010-10-25T11:50:00.000-07:00

Este fin de semana yo tenía cuidado del perro de un amigo. ¡Pero aún más emocionante que esto, en nuestro modo de encontrarse con mi amigo Andrea para celebrar su cumpleaños, Ren y yo encontramos un gatito vago! Hemos llamado su Parker porque la encontramos en la Avenida Parker. Ella es adorable.

Vincent, me, Isa, y Parker!

Parker:

Y entonces usted no piensa que descuido las artes culinarias, voy a mostrarle como asar el ajo.

Tome una cabeza de ajo y corte la cumbre de ello así los cloves son expuestos. El abrigo el ajo en el papel de aluminio cubrió del aceite de oliva o abrigo el ajo con mucho aceite de oliva y puesto en un plato con hasta más aceite de oliva. Ahora ase el ajo en 200 grados Celsius hasta que esto tenga browned en el exterior y los cloves son sensibles.

Ail Rôti

2010-10-25T11:47:00.000-07:00

Ce week-end je m'occupais du chien d'un ami. Mais encore plus excitant que cela, sur notre façon de se rencontrer en haut avec mon ami Andrea pour célébrer son anniversaire, Ren et moi avons trouvé un chaton égaré! Nous avons appelé son Parker parce que nous l'avons trouvée sur Parker Ave. N'est pas elle adorable ?!

Vincent, me, Isa, et Parker!

Parker:

Et donc vous ne croyez pas que je néglige les arts gastronomiques, je vais vous montrer comment rôtir l'ail.

Prenez une tête d'ail et coupez-en le haut ainsi les clous de girofle sont exposés. Emballez l'ail dans le papier d'aluminium enduit avec l'huile d'olive OU enduisez l'ail avec beaucoup d'huile d'olive et installez un plat avec même plus d'huile d'olive. Rôtissez maintenant l'ail à 200 centigrades jusqu'à ce qu'il ait browned sur l'extérieur et les clous de girofle sont tendres.

Roasted Garlic

2010-10-25T11:44:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was watching a friend's dog. But even more exciting than that, on our way to meet up with my friend Andrea to celebrate her birthday, Ren and I found a stray kitten! We've named her Parker because we found her on Parker Ave. Isn't she adorable?!

Vincent, me, Isa, and Parker!

Ready for her closeup:

And just so you don't feel like I'm neglecting the culinary arts, I'm going to show you how to roast garlic.

Take a head of garlic and chop the top of it off so the cloves are exposed. Wrap the garlic in tinfoil coated with olive oil OR coat the garlic with lots of olive oil and put in a dish with even more olive oil. Now roast the garlic at 400 degrees F until it has browned on the outside and the cloves are tender.

Tarta de Manzana y Zarzamora

2010-10-21T12:18:00.000-07:00

Vengo de una familia de cocineros. Bien, no exactamente, pero gusta nos realmente hornear cuando nos reunimos. Aquí está la receta de pastel de manzana favorita de mi familia.

Ingredientes
5 manzanas medias, peladas y cored
25 ml jugo de limón
80 ml avena
80 ml azúcar moreno
80 ml nueces cortadas
10 ml cinamomo
90 ml mantequilla (o margarina de soja si usted hace una versión de vegetariano estricto)
180 ml azúcar
30 ml maizena
2.5 ml nuez moscada
240 ml zarzamoras (preferentemente fresco)
80 ml harina

Dad pela manzanas:

Corto:

¿Mom, usted está seguro que usted debería darme un cuchillo?

Mi familia:

Alimento Bailey cuando ellos no miran:

Dad pone los últimos toques:

Direcciones
1. Cortar las manzanas en un tazón grande, rociarlos del jugo de limón, y sacudirlos para cubrirlos regularmente.
2. Si usted usa desmigar: Mezcle la avena, la harina, el azúcar moreno, y 2.5 ml cinamomo en otro tazón, luego corte en la mantequilla hasta que la mezcla se haga gruesa y granulada. Reservado este tazón.
3. Combinar el azúcar, la maizena, el cinamomo restante y la nuez moscada en aún otro tazón, vierta este tazón sobre las rebanadas de manzana, y mézclese bien.
4. Con cuidado mueva las zarzamoras en la mezcla de manzana y luego vierta la fruta en la corteza de tarta de fondo.
5. Rociar la mezcla de avena encima si usted usa desmigar, o poner la corteza de tarta superior si usted no es.
6. Hornear la tarta en 190 grados C durante 45-50 minutos.

Tarta terminada:

Tourte de Pomme et Mûre

2010-10-21T12:09:00.000-07:00

Je viens d'une famille de cuisiniers. Bien, pas exactement, mais nous aimons vraiment cuire quand nous arrivons ensemble. Voici la recette de tarte aux pommes préférée de ma famille.

Ingrédients
5 pommes moyennes, épluchées et évidées
25 ml jus jaune citron
80 ml avoine
80 ml sucre marron
80 ml noix coupées
10 ml cannelle
90 ml beurre (ou la margarine de sauce au soja si vous faites une version de végétalien)
180 ml sucre
30 ml maïzena
2.5 ml muscade
240 ml mûres (de préférence frais)
80 ml farine

Dad épluchant des pommes:

Je coupe:

Mom, êtes-vous sûrs que vous devriez me donner un couteau ?

Ma famille:

Je nourris Bailey quand ils ne regardent pas:

Dad met les dernières touches:

Directions
1. Couper les pommes dans une grande terrine, saupoudrez-les du jus jaune citron et lancez-les pour les enduire uniformément.
2. Si vous utilisez le fait d'émietter: Mélangez l'avoine, la farine, le sucre marron et la cannelle de 2.5 ml dans une autre terrine, coupez ensuite dans le beurre jusqu'à ce que la mixture devienne grossière et grainé. Mis de côté cette terrine.
3. Combiner du sucre, de la maïzena, en restant de la cannelle et une muscade dans encore autre terrine, verser cette terrine sur les tranches de pomme et mélanger-vous bien.
4. Remuez soigneusement de mûres dans la mixture de pomme et versez ensuite le fruit dans la croûte de tourte de fond.
5. Saupoudrer la mixture d'avoine sur le haut si vous utilisez le fait d'émietter, ou mettez la croûte de tourte supérieure si vous n'êtes pas.
6. Cuire au four la tourte à 190 degrés C depuis 45-50 minutes.

Tourte finie:

Apple Blackberry Pie

2010-10-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

I come from a family of cooks. Well, not exactly, but we do like to bake when we get together. Here's my family's favorite apple pie recipe.

Ingredients
5 medium apples, peeled and cored
5 tsp lemon juice
1/3 c oats
1/3 c brown sugar
1/3 c chopped walnuts
2 tsp cinnamon
6 tbsp butter (or soy margarine if you’re making a vegan version)
3/4 c sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 c blackberries (preferably fresh)
1/3 c flour

Dad peeling apples:

I chop:

Mom, are you sure you should give me a knife?

My family:

I feed Bailey when they aren't looking:

Dad puts on the finishing touches:

Directions
1. Slice the apples into a large bowl, sprinkle them with lemon juice, and toss them to coat them evenly.
2. If you are using the crumble: Mix the oats, flour, brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon in another bowl, then cut in the butter until the mixture becomes coarse and grainy. Set this bowl aside.
3. Combine the sugar, cornstarch, remaining cinnamon and nutmeg in yet another bowl, pour this bowl over the apple slices, and mix well.
4. Carefully stir the blackberries into the apple mixture and then pour the fruit into the bottom pie crust.
5. Sprinkle the oat mixture on top if you are using the crumble, or put on the top pie crust if you aren’t.
6. Bake the pie at 375 degrees F for 45-50 minutes.

Finished pie:

French Toast

2010-10-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

After our wedding, we had lots of leftover challah. What's the best use for leftover challah? Why, challah french toast of course!

Ingredients
1 piece bread
1 egg
1/4 c milk
about 1/2 tsp vanilla
about 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions
1. Crack the egg into a shallow bowl.
2. Whisk in the milk, cinnamon, and vanilla.
3. Soak the bread in the egg mixture, turning it to make sure you coat both sides.
4. Fry the bread in a frying pan on medium-low, flipping halfway through to fry the other side. Your aim is to get both sides to be a nice golden brown color.
5. Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Garden / Jardin / Jardín

2010-10-14T19:42:00.000-07:00

Calendarios para Plantación

2010-10-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

La temporada de plantación es terminada y perdí el tiempo para la plantación de ajo de caída. Ahora mismo el jardín trasero tiene una planta de tomate con tres tomates en ello, un grupo del ruibarbo, algún hinojo, y un manojo de cebolletas. El jardín delantero es todavía lleno de caléndulas pero confesaré que ellos comienzan a parecer feos. En vez de recetas y fotografías del alimento, le doy una guía de plantación útil. ¡Lamento que yo no hubiera encontrado este antes! Aquí están, primavera y caída que planta guías del Huerto de Skippy (en inglés):

Primavera Plantando Calendario (en inglés)

Caída que Planta Calendario (en inglés)

Agendas pour le fait de Planter

2010-10-13T14:36:00.000-07:00

La saison plantante est finie et j'ai réussi à manquer la fenêtre pour l'ail de chute plantant. En ce moment l'arrière jardin y a une usine de tomate avec trois tomates, un bouquet de rhubarbe, un fenouil et un bouquet de ciboulette. Le jardin de devant est plein toujours des soucis mais je reconnaîtrai qu'ils commencent à sembler un peu râpés. Au lieu des recettes et des photographies de nourriture, je vous donne un guide plantant utile. Je regrette que je ne l'aie pas trouvé plus tôt! Ici ils sont, le printemps et la chute plantant des guides du Jardin À légumes du Skippy (dans l'anglais):

Agenda Printanier (dans l'anglais)

Agenda D'automne (dans l'anglais)

Planting Calendars

2010-10-13T14:28:00.000-07:00

The planting season is over and I managed to miss the window for fall garlic planting (doh!). Right now the back garden has one tomato plant with three tomatoes on it, a clump of rhubarb, some fennel, and a bunch of chives. The front garden is still full of marigolds but I'll admit they're starting to look a little shabby. In lieu of recipes and photographs of food, I give you a useful planting guide. I wish I had found this earlier! Here they are, spring and fall planting guides from the Skippy's Vegetable Garden blog:

Spring Planting Calendar

Fall Planting Calendar

Why I Haven't Written... / Pourquoi je n'ai pas écrit... / Por qué no he escrito...

2010-10-13T14:08:00.000-07:00

Ren and I got married! / Ren et moi se sommes mariés! / ¡Ren y yo se casamos!

Hmmm...

2010-10-05T13:17:00.000-07:00

Brécol Romanesco:

Seta de Pollo de los Bosques:

Seta de Gallina de los Bosques:

Rábanos Negros:

Hoy era el día para verduras extrañas en el CSA.

Hmmm...

2010-10-05T13:13:00.000-07:00

Brocoli Romanesco:

Champignon de Poulet des Bois:

Champignon de Poule des Bois:

Radis Noirs:

Aujourd'hui était le jour pour les légumes surnaturels au CSA.

Hmmm...

2010-10-05T13:11:00.000-07:00

Broccoli Romanesco:

Chicken of the Woods mushroom:

Hen of the Woods mushroom:

Black Radishes:

Today was the day for weird vegetables at the CSA.