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Putting Italy in a Jar

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My dining room table has this tendency to become an extra surface for things that I just want out of my way and I don’t have a specific place for yet. Anyone else have a place like this in their house? Or am I alone in my own very disorganized world?

I justify it because we use the dining room maybe ten times a year so the table is actually a good place for unwrapped Christmas gifts (although this will have to change once there are children…), frames that need to be hung, and, most recently, completed canning jars.

I snapped this picture of the cans on the table with my phone last week and posted it to my personal Facebook page.

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The comments that it produced included words like “painful,” “yikes” and “work.” I was even told that I deserved a cocktail.

I won’t sugar coat anything; Canning is quite a bit of work.

And, I am not going to lie, I was kind of dreading getting started this year.

When canning, my kitchen is a mess, which tends to have a spiral effect on the rest of the house. Maybe it’s because canning also is a pretty good free-time suck as there is just a little time window when enough tomatoes are ripe so I feel like I “gotta get it done!”

But, about two weeks ago, I just did it. And, in that first batch, I remembered why I love it.

Canning makes me feel proud and accomplished. Canning makes me look forward to winter knowing that I will have my preserved summer tomatoes. And, even though canning is quite a bit of work, it also is pretty fun.

What may have helped fuel my excitement was that I started this years canning season with my favorite recipe: Marinara Sauce.

This marinara sauce is everything that is good in this world. Ripe tomatoes. Fresh herbs. Garlic. Red wine.

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Seriously, the flavors together are like Italy in a jar. It’s so good. And, not to mention, really easy. I have this recipe memorized and often make double batches.

This marinara is great for pasta, lasagna, chicken parmesan, pizza, and you can even make it into a meat sauce with sausage or ground beef.

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Marinara Sauce
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Ingredients
  1. 6 pounds whole plum tomatoes
  2. 2 TBS. Olive Oil
  3. 3 cloves garlic, minced
  4. 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
  5. 2/3 cups dry red wine
  6. 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
  7. 1 6oz can of tomato paste
  8. 1 tsp. dried oregano
  9. 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
  10. 1/2 tsp. dried marjoram
  11. 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
  12. 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  13. 1/2 tsp. sugar
  14. 2 tsp. salt
  15. 1/2 tsp. pepper
To blanch and prep the tomatoes
  1. Clean tomatoes. Place tomatoes about 5-6 at a time in a pot of boiling water just until their skin splits. Immediately place in bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Remove the tomatoes skin, core the tomatoes and roughly chop. Place chopped tomatoes, including juices, into a large bowl.
To make the marinara sauce
  1. In a large stock pot heat olive oil.
  2. Add olive oil and pepper flakes and cook until just fragrant.
  3. Add the chopped tomatoes and their juices into the pot. Then add all remaining ingredients to the pot stirring until combined.
  4. Bring sauce to a boil and then simmer for about an hour, uncovered.
To process in a water bath
  1. Ladle the sauce into hot and sterilized canning jars.
  2. Leave 1/2 inch headspace.
  3. Process in a boiling water bath for 35 minutes if using pint jars, 40 if using quarts.
Notes
  1. This sauce will be chunky, but if you would like a smoother texture you can run an immersion blender through it.
  2. The sauce can also be frozen if you prefer not to can.
Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/
In addition to the marinara sauce, I have also made lots of salsa, chili base, pizza sauce and two different types of tomato soup!

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Watermelon Lemonade Sorbet

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Adam is known to bring home “things” from work… Often.

Fortunately for me these things are often food… With the exception of rocks he collects for our landscaping and there was talk of a stump at a farm that he was interested in recently.

“A stump… Like a tree stump?” I asked.

“A super gnarly tree stump with it’s roots and sides jetting off of it,” he way too excitedly replied.

“Okay… So is it for the yard?” I asked wondering why we would ever need a stump.

“No, I want to make a coffee table with it.”

Blank stare by Claire.

“Oh, just get on Pinterest. You will see what I am talking about.”

First of all, my husband encouraged me to go spend time on Pinterest. #wifewin

Second, HE was inspired by Pinterest for a project. #wifewin

Third, this was a project just for him. Not me. #wifewin

You see… when he brings home food from days working with a farmer client it means a project (AKA work) for the both of us.

A box of freshly butchered pork burgers? Great! Let me get out the vacuum sealer so we can get these in the freezer right now.

One hundred ears of sweet corn? Wonderful. Let’s get those blanched and frozen tonight.

This was a fun night...

This was a fun night…

Cover crop seeds? Cool! Let’s make time to get those in the ground tomorrow.

Last week, he walked into the house carrying a huge watermelon.

He looked so proud bringing home this treat and I laughed… I laughed because it looked like he was carrying a big watermelon baby.

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It was a big watermelon baby. And I had no idea what to do with it.

Watermelon has a reputation for being a summery food. It’s a well deserved reputation because it’s refreshing, slightly sweet and colored in vibrant pinks and greens.

However, most watermelon are not ready until late summer if they are planted after the threat of frost in the Chicagoland/North-Central Indiana area. Large watermelons need about 100 days to grow from a seed to maturity. 100 days is pretty much from mid May to Labor day.

So that watermelon you had on the Fourth of July? It’s a greenhouse melon. Or, it’s from Florida.

Depending on who you ask there’s really nothing wrong with a greenhouse melon or even that Florida melon, but I just try to eat locally and seasonally. This melon that Adam brought home was for sure local. It came from a farm less than three miles away. And fit the seasonality… on paper.

Normally early September is a great time for watermelon in Indiana. Produce stands on street corners are booming with them and watermelon at my work’s produce supplier has it’s best prices this time of year.

But, last week it felt more like late October then early September. Temperatures barely reach seventy making me crave warm comfort foods like chili and homemade breads. Not refreshing, summery watermelon. So the watermelon baby sat on the counter for about 48 hours while I tried to figure out what the heck to do with it.

Finally Adam said, “Let’s just cut it open and see if it’s even ripe.”

A ripe watermelon will have a “thump” sound when you knock on it, but with the cool August we were skeptical. Adam cut it down the center and passed me a small wedge.

It. Was. Perfect.

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Super juicy. Great, fresh texture. Amazing flavor.

Screw the chilly fall like temps. I was making on of my favorites: Watermelon Lemonade Sorbet.

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If spending my high school years in Columbus, Ohio was good for anything it exposed me to the nations best ice cream shops… ever. (In my *expert* opinion.) Jeni’s, Rita’s, and Graeter’s were frequent summer night hang outs. And when watermelon anything hit any of their menu’s I had to have it.

This sorbet is inspired by those nights at the ice cream shops and uses Jeni’s technique of using corn syrup to give the sorbet the right consistency. The zing of the lemon with the coolness of the watermelon gives this treat super fresh flavor and transports me back to those summer nights… even when it is only 65 degrees.

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Watermelon Lemonade Sorbet
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Ingredients
  1. 4 cups watermelon cut in 2 inch cubes
  2. 2 lemons, juiced and divided
  3. 1/2 cup sugar
  4. 1/4 light corn syrup
Instructions
  1. Puree the cut up watermelon in a food processor.
  2. Transfer puree into a large bowl and add one half cup lemon juice.
  3. Combine remaining lemon, sugar and corn syrup in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly to dissolve the sugar.
  4. Remove from heat and combine with watermelon puree.
  5. Cool mixture in the refrigerator for about thirty minutes.
  6. Pour cool puree into your frozen ice cream maker canister and spin about 15-20 minutes or until it reaches a light sorbet consistency.
Notes
  1. Make sure your ice cream maker canister is frozen before you begin. #wifefail
Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/

The Last of The Zucchini

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I ripped out the zucchini plants a couple weeks ago.

I won’t lie, I wasn’t even sad about it.

In fact, it felt pretty good.

Don’t get me wrong.  I love, love, love zucchini. 

I love how easy it is to grow and how quickly it grows.  I love how I can use it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, as a side dish or dessert.  I can cook zucchini on the grill, in a skillet, eat it raw, bake it, whatever!  I love that it freezes really well and I can enjoy them throughout the winter.  I love the different flavors like lemon, red pepper flakes, parmesan or dill that I can add to zucchini to give it dimension. 

See?  There’s lots to love about zucchini.

But there’s just this one little thing… by September, I am kind of sick of zucchini. 

Yes, they grow fast, but they produce A LOT of zucchini for A LONG time. 

There comes a point (… say, two weeks ago) when I am just simply over it. 

I can’t possibly run another zucc over the grater for baked goods.  The thought of zucchini with dinner makes me so not excited for dinner… which is weird as every fifth thought in my head is about what I am going to be eating next.  I don’t even want to look at the plant in the garden for fear of seeing a zucchini ready to be picked.  And, if I do look at the plant and a zucchini is ready for harvest, it will likely be given to the chickens.

A normal mid-summer sight on my counter top.

A normal mid-summer sight on my counter top.

So, while the zucchini plants have now made way for some fast growing fall crops like radishes and arugula, their memory lives on in my freezer.  I have gallon bag after gallon bag full of grated zucchini in 1/2 cup portions for baking, long slices for zucchini lasagna and grilling (grilling in the snow is actually fun… and makes you tough), and little disks that are great for sautéing.

The freezer is crazy stocked with zucchini, corn, peas, beans, and cherry tomatoes.

The freezer is crazy stocked with zucchini, corn, peas, beans, and cherry tomatoes.

And that last zucchini I picked didn’t go to the chickens.  I embraced it as the final one and the end of a great season by creating these cute little mini muffins.

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I try to make easy grab and go breakfast for Adam, especially this time of year.  His days are long thanks to gearing up for harvest so a little sustenance first thing in the morning is good for him.  These zucchini mini muffins fit the bill.  He can grab a handful and pop them on his way to the office.  They are also perfect for a kids lunch box or you could amp them up with some flax seed for an added boost of nutrition.

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Zucchini Mini Muffins
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Ingredients
  1. 6 ounces of all purpose flour
  2. 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  3. 1 tsp baking powder
  4. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  5. 1/2 tsp salt
  6. 1/4 tsp ground allspice
  7. 2/3 cup shredded zucchini (I use the grater tool on my mandolin. You could also use a cheese grater.)
  8. 3 TBS canola or vegetable oil
  9. 2 TSB butter, melted
  10. 2 TBS milk
  11. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  12. 1 egg, slightly beaten
  13. Cooking Spray
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray mini muffin sheet.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients.
  3. In a different, large mixing bowl combine wet ingredients with the zucchini. When combined, stir in dry ingredients.
  4. Portion into mini muffin tin.
  5. Bake for 10 minutes or until a tooth pick comes out clean of the center of a muffin.
Notes
  1. If you wanted to sub flax seed for butter, do it with a 3 to 1 ratio. So, 3 TBS of flax seed for each TBS of butter.
Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/

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Pretty Cherry Tomatoes

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Last week, I posted my fried green tomato recipe and mentioned that the cold first few weeks of August had stunted the ripening of my gardens tomatoes.

But, in the last few weeks things have totally swung in the opposite direction.  Temperatures jumped and the humidity came on strong.  Social media was full of “It’s sooo hot” statues.  If the barista/sales gal/oil change guy claimed they were tired, they blamed it on the heat.  Even the weather man seemed blown away by the high temperatures.

All the while I kind of wanted to remind everyone that this really isn’t that crazy or excessive.  It is summer and that 88 degrees is actually pretty normal for summer.

But, I get it.  It did seem kind of crazy after the super mild, and sometimes even chilly, first part of the month.

Unfortunately, my tomatoes also thought the temperature swing was crazy. 

Thanks to the heat, the fruit began growing fast. 

Too fast.

The skin couldn’t keep up with the rapidly growing inside causing the tomatoes to literally be busting at the seams.  Nearly every single one of my tomatoes is cracked or split. 

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While damaged, they still are edible.  (Unless bugs have gotten to them.  Those tomatoes become chicken treats.)  They just aren’t very pretty.

However, the cherry tomatoes are unaffected and are very pretty.

So pretty they don't need a DSLR... shot using my iPhone.

So pretty they don’t need a DSLR… shot using my iPhone.

I have prepared cherry tomatoes so many different ways, and not many of the same ways twice because I just kind of make things up as I go and use what I have.  But, this recipe, that I now have memorized, from a Bon Appetit magazine a few years ago is worth doing twice. 

It is so versatile.  We have topped steaks with it.  Fish.  Salad.  Pasta.  Eggs.  And it’s pretty good on it’s own!  It also can easily be adjusted.  If you don’t have chives, parsley or basil would work great.  No red wine vinegar?  Balsamic or even apple cider vinegar would do the trick.  Got a red or white onion versus a shallot, no problem!

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Last week, I dressed one of our garden’s spaghetti squash with this easy and fresh cherry tomato vinaigrette. 

Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette
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Ingredients
  1. 1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes
  2. 3 Tbs. Good Olive Oil, divided
  3. 1 shallot, finely chopped
  4. 1 Tbs. Red Wine Vinegar
  5. Salt and Pepper
  6. 2 Tbs. Chopped Fresh Chives
Instructions
  1. Cut half of the cherry tomatoes in half.
  2. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and cook until softened, stirring occasionally. About four minutes.
  3. Add the halved and whole tomatoes to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally. Juices from the tomatoes will begin to release in about five minutes. Mash some of the tomatoes with a spoon.
  4. Add the vinegar and additional oil; season with salt and pepper.
  5. Top with chives right before serving.
  6. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
  1. Chives are really easy to grow. We have them in the garden, but they do great in pots for small space gardening.
Adapted from Bon Appetit June 2013
Adapted from Bon Appetit June 2013
Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/

A Sweet Last Taste of Summer

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Okay. Not really.

I still have a lot of tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers to work through in the garden.

I know some claim that Labor Day is the Official Un-Official Start of Fall, but I am not one of them.

Now before the Pumpkin Spice Latte Army starts to freak out on me, here’s the deal: On a calendar, Fall doesn’t begin until the end of the month.

And, why are we rushing the summer season away? Do you all not remember the miserable winter last year? … Because I am still trying to forget about it.

Personally, I am also crossing my fingers for a nice shot of Indian Summer around October 1st to push that first frost date further and further away. And because I really don’t want to put away all the cute summer dresses I just bought on Labor Day Super Sales. (Umm, hello? Did you see what Anthro had going on this weekend?!)

Even with my online shopping session(s) and a bit of energy put towards work, I managed to squeeze in a lot of fun this long weekend.

My great friend, Stephanie, came to visit from Chicago. She is my go to when I need a skyscraper or two, a rooftop cocktail or a PBR in Wrigley. (This country/garden blog is authentically me, but remember… I am Chi-Town by birth, so it’s in my blood.)

I am her country fix when she is longing for a corn field, excessive country music and to try her hand a shooting a shotgun. (Which, by the way, she rocks at and is so much better than I am… not saying much, but take it and run with it, Steph!)

In all seriousness, Steph and I have been close since she joined the sorority a year after me and she is a lot more to me than just my “city escape.”

Steph and me... at 19!

Steph and me… at 19!

With her in town, we invited two other close sisters, Becca and Kelsey, up from Indy yesterday to catch up.

And a kind of randomly spontaneous day that had no plan became a fabulous memory.

Between bottles of wine, we reminisced about old memories, had heart to hearts, and laughed a lot. We even made this adorable pie with the remainder of the black raspberries in the freezer from my trip to the Bearded Frog Berry Patch in July.

Recipe and heart How-To below

Recipe and heart How-To below

The hearts seemed appropriate because the girls were in town… and living with a boy, you don’t get to bust out the heart cookie cutter often.

But really, they are a big part of my heart.

And I know, it may seem “silly” to call someone a “sister” when, genetically speaking, they aren’t your sister.

I also am beyond well aware of all the clichés and stereotypes that can be type casted for “Sorority Girls.” I lived it and, as an adult, have now made a career that focuses on servicing undergrad Greek Life.

I am over this because I know it isn’t true.

I know these girls really are my sisters because I have my own wonderful, genetic sister. With dear, sweet Kerry I learned early on about that fabulously strong and unique, sisterly bond.

And, with these great girls, it’s there.

We celebrate each others successes, like sisters do.

We have seen them at their worst and love them anyway, like sisters will.

We help them grow, like sisters would.

We fight, like sisters. (And, trust me… Not all of these fights were about clothes.)

We protect each other, like sisters can’t help but do.

We learn to love the people they love, like our own brothers.

We know their strengths and faults, maybe better than we know our own, like sisters can.

Since graduation, we have seen death, marriages, failed relationships-from our parents and our own, job promotions, job loss and so much more. (… No babies- yet!)

But all of these major life, grown up events have only made our connection stronger.

And to think that without that house at the top of the hill, marked with those three Greek letters, these women (And a handful of others… many of whom were celebrating one of those great life milestones on the west coast and were in our hearts all weekend!) wouldn’t be in my life is impossible.

It makes me proud to say “I am a Sorority Girl,” to work hard to enhance undergrad Greek Life experiences through my career and to say, with my whole heart, these girls really are my sisters.

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Black Raspberry Pie with Heart Crust
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Crust
  1. 1 1/2 cups flour
  2. 1/4 teaspoon of fine salt
  3. 1 teaspoon of sugar
  4. A stick or eight tablespoons of butter, cut into small pieces
  5. 5 tablespoons of ice water
Filling
  1. About 4 cups of Black Raspberries, frozen or fresh
  2. 2/3 cup of sugar
  3. 2 tablespoons of corn starch
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375.
Crust
  1. In a food processor, combine flour, sugar and salt.
  2. Pulse the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pea sized, about five minutes.
  3. Drizzle in five tablespoons of ice water and mix until dough just combines. You don't want to over mix.
  4. Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap in saran and put in the fridge for about thirty minutes.
  5. Then, using a rolling pin, roll the dough until about 1/4 inch thick.
  6. To place in pie pan, gently fold half the dough over the top of the rolling pin and gently lift the remainder of the dough. Place over pie pan and press into place without stretching or breaking the dough. Cut remaining dough from the edges to re-roll and create the pie topping.
Filling
  1. Combine the berries, sugar and cornstarch and let sit for at least twenty minutes so that sugars absorb into the berries.
  2. Once crust is in the pie pan, scoop in berry filling.
  3. Top with crust and back for 50-60 minutes.
Notes
  1. To make heart top, like this one, re-roll dough after setting the crust in the pie pan. Using a small heart cookie cutter, stamp out as many hearts as the dough allows.
  2. For the layered look, start at the top and work your way down the pie with the hearts.
  3. Other ideas that would be super cute is to circle the outside of the pie with hearts.
  4. To spiral in, ending with one complete heart in the center.
  5. To just place random hearts on the filling.
  6. To leave the heart pieces and take the whole dough sheet and place over the top of the pie leaving heart holes.
  7. Whatever your heart desires!
Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/

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Some Tomatoes Like It Hot.

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Until recently, August has been cold. 

My birthday was in the middle of the month and my MIL took me out to lunch for the occasion.  As I got in the car, dressed in jeans and a sweater, she asked if I ever remembered it being this cold on my birthday.  Typically, my mid-August birthday has been spent at the pool or sweating like crazy at two-a-day field hockey practice… not contemplating soup for lunch at a new, cute deli in town.

It was weird.

Weird… and annoying.

I love summer for a lot of reasons but reason numero uno? I like it hot.

You know who else likes it to be hot? Tomatoes.

My poor tomato plants have been so thrown off by the cold, grey weather this month.  In talking with other gardeners, it seems like we are all in the same boat. The weather has stunted the ripening of our tomatoes. Normally, I would be spending every waking minute canning, but right now I barely have enough ripe tomatoes to make a decent caprese salad.

Instead my tomato plants are full of pretty good sized, GREEN tomatoes.

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So, finally, this week I decided to stop being bummed about my green tomatoes and do something with them. 

When I travel to the south, my trip is not complete until I have fried green tomatoes.  Fried green tomatoes are a traditional southern side dish made from unripe tomatoes.  I have also seen them used in BLT’s and in appetizers. 

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I decided to make fried green tomatoes for late, lighter dinner earlier this week and it was a perfect use for those dang green tomatoes that won’t turn red.  To spice things up, I added a little paprika to the flour dredge and topped the finished fried tomatoes with a horseradish sauce.  They would also be good with a little chipotle aioli or even just some fresh squeezed lemon juice.

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Fried Green Tomatoes
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Ingredients
  1. 4 large green tomatoes, sliced about 1\2 inch thick
  2. 2 large eggs
  3. 1\2 cup of milk
  4. 1 cup flour
  5. 1\2 cup cornmeal
  6. 1\2 cup breadcrumbs
  7. 2 teaspoons paprika
  8. Salt and pepper
  9. 1 quart of vegetable oil (enough for frying)
Instructions
  1. Whisk eggs and milk together in a medium bowl.
  2. Scoop flour onto a plate.
  3. Mix cornmeal, breadcrumbs, paprika and S&P and place on another plate.
  4. Dip tomato slices into flour and coat, then dip slice in the egg and milk mixture, then dredge slice in the cornmeal mix Intel coated.
  5. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Place tomatoes into hot oil in small batches. (Tomatoes should not touch.) When they are golden and slight browned, flip and fry the other side.
  6. Set finished tomatoes on a paper towel lined plate to absorb any remaining oil.
Notes
  1. A tip for dredging, not just tomatoes but chicken, fish or whatever: have one hand be your dry hand and the other is your wet hand. It makes your life a whole lot easier.
Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/

Super Kale

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Since graduating in 2009, I have made a career in the food and beverage industry. And, in those five short years, the industry has seen a lot of trends come and go.

Cupcakes.

Food Trucks.

Craft Beer.

Bacon… anything.

Food trends are a fact of life. There will always be something that’s “hot.” So, restaurant’s are always working hard to stay ahead of the trend and discover the best way to style up classics like PB&J or to create the craziest hybrid treat. Cronuts, anyone?

But restaurants are very different from my side of the industry. Restaurant’s offer single experiences. I have always worked with cafeterias and personal chefs, the realm of the industry that focuses on everyday consumption.

Here, we encounter food trends, but they tend to be more nutrition based. In this part of the industry, we are providing our clients with their daily nutrients which is a little more personal than a one-time special occasion. Because of this, our clients are vocal about their wants.

Which is awesome. I love feedback from customers. But the strongest “trend” I have experienced in this side of the food and beverage industry is the Elimination Diet.

An Elimination Diet is when someone cuts something out of their diet. They are recommended by doctors to help determine allergies or food sensitivities, but some claim (… commonly celebrities) that they are a fast and easy way to loose weight.

You have heard of them. No sugar. No carbs. No dairy. No gluten. No corn. No solid food. No meat. No nuts.

This bothers me.

Here’s the deal, and no, I am not an RD, but so long as you don’t have a medical reason not to eat something I don’t think it’s a great idea to totally eliminate it from your diet.

Besides the facts that your friends (and next waitress) might be really annoyed with you hopping from one “non this” to the next “non that” diet and that you are more likely to slip up if you go totally cold turkey, it actually might not be good for you.

Carb free dieters are prone to constipation.

Getting rid of dairy in your diet can leave you at risk for osteoporosis or lower bone density later in life.

Going gluten free when not diagnosed with Celiac can actually wreck even more havoc on your digestive track and have you running to the bathroom often.

Elimination diets also often lead to “Yo-Yo-ing” (because they don’t last), causing emotional and physical stress and messing up a body’s fat to muscle ratio. Some also say the fluxing in body weight can make it easier to gain weight moving forward.

So, if you can eat anything you want count your lucky stars because there are many people that can’t for a host of medical reasons. (And, because carbs and cheese are delish.) Just practice moderation.

I often think that it would be awesome for the next food trend to be “What you SHOULD eat” not what you shouldn’t. Which is why I am a fan of the growing term, “Super Food.”

It helps people know more about nutrient dense foods that are really good for them. Because the term is so hot, it has brought these foods forefront and made them easily accessible.

And, if I had to name the hottest of the Super Foods I would have to go with kale. Kale is big. And it’s Super Food title is well earned. It’s full of vitamins, nutrients and anti-cancer causing properties.

What is undeserved is kale’s a pretty lousy reputation taste wise.

People complain of kale being bitter, which it can be raw if you don’t massage the leaves before eating them. I love to sauté the garden’s kale and this recipe is so easy but packed with a lot of my favorite flavors.

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Sauteed Kale
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Ingredients
  1. 1 tablespoon, plus one teaspoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, divided
  2. 1 pound kale, ribs removed, chopped
  3. 1/2 cup water
  4. 2 cloves of garlic
  5. 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  6. 3 teaspoon red wine vinegar
  7. salt
Instructions
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a skillet or dutch oven over medium heat.
  2. Add kale and cook, tossing until bright green, about one minute.
  3. Add water and reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until kale is tender. About 13 minutes.
  4. Push kale to one side of the pan, add remaining teaspoon of oil to the empty side and cook garlic and crushed read pepper about 30 seconds.
  5. Stir to combine and remove from heat.
  6. Stir in vinegar and salt.
  7. Serve right away.
Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/
Kale does so well in gardens throughout the fall. It will actually taste sweeter after frost. If you want kale in your fall garden, this week is a great time to get it started.

Kale in the garden.

Kale in the garden.

Garden Pride and Spaghetti Squash

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The summer after graduating college, when I was dating Adam but conversations about marriage and moving to the country had not even begun, my good friend and sorority roommate, Anne, sent me this card.

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She wrote on the inside, “I don’t know why, but this made me think of you!”

Well Anne, you should probably go get a lottery ticket or something because you pretty much nailed it in predicting the future. “My garden kicks ass” crossed my mind just a day before finding her card when I was going through old photos.

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Our tomato plants are huge. They come up to my chin are overflowing with tomatoes that are turning red everyday.

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Carrots are coming in thick. They look and taste amazing.

The amount of beans and peas we have gotten from our plants is beginning to flirt with ridiculous.

Our lettuce and kale are still booming providing me with awesome salads for lunch each day.

The garlic we planted last spring has spent the last month drying in the garage and is finally ready for cooking… and the cloves taste great!

My brother has been converted to a believer in beets thanks to the super sweet and incredibly pink beets from the garden.

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Our fall crops, like spinach, Swiss chard, and more carrots and beets, are beginning to sprout to help extend our harvest this season.

Even the dahlias and wildflowers I planted in one of the garden beds to help attract bee’s are not just doing their job, but also look beautiful.

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But, what really has blown me away are the spaghetti squash.

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Spaghetti Squash was a newbie to the garden this year so I wasn’t sure what to expect. We began the seeds inside this spring and transplanted five plants to a garden bed in mid-May. It was exciting to watch the squash grow; starting as blossoms, then small, green globes becoming large and yellow as the weeks wore on.

After we transplanted the seedlings

After we transplanted the seedlings

Starting to grow

Starting to grow

Ready for harvest

Ready for harvest

However, their growth wasn’t perfect. Some of the squash would develop a thick, strong skin and would be firm, which you want when growing spaghetti squash. But others were squishy or wrinkled. Some just looked dead. With the help of one of Adam’s friends who is an entomologist, we learned that some of the plants had become invested with an immature squash bug.

These bugs live in colonies and inject squash and melon vines with a toxic substance. This causes the vines to dry and turn black making it impossible for nutrients to get the squash, if any squash even develop.

Fortunately, not all of the plants got infested with these gross little bugs and we managed to get quite a few perfect spaghetti squashes (Squashes? Is that the plural of squash…? Sounds so weird.)

So perfect, in fact, that I could help but beam with a little pride when I brought a couple into the house and began to prep them for dinner. And, as I dug a fork into the squash after it roasted in the oven and it separated into it’s signature, golden stands that give it it’s unique name, I smiled and thought, “I grew this!”

Preparing spaghetti squash is super easy. The hardest part of preparing the squash happens to be step one… cutting the dang thing in half. The skin is relatively thick and even with your best kitchen knife, this is challenging. Just go slow, be patient and keep your fingers safe.

Once split in half, scoop out the seeds and coat the insides with olive oil, salt and pepper.

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Place halves, cut sides up, on a roasting or baking sheet. Put into a 375 degree oven for one hour or until the flesh is tender.

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When cool enough to handle (I still wear an oven mit), scrape with a fork and remove the strands.

I keep it pretty basic with a little butter, parm, red pepper flakes and chopped parsley. But there are tons of super creative ways to dress spaghetti squash up and make it your own all over Pinterest.

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You will see a prevalence of spaghetti squash at the grocery store this time of year so give it a try!

Celebratory Chimichurri

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In the last post I wrote about my current love affair with sage. 

But, honestly, I really can’t play favorites when it comes to herbs.  I love any and all herbs.

I wrote about sage’s ability to ward off evil spirits and negative vibes just with it’s scent, but I think all herbs are able to elevate anyone’s low mood.  Even just walking past my potted herbs, I can feel my head clear and a better mood come on, just because of their scent.

Pretty parsley.

Pretty parsley.

But fresh herbs don’t just elevate moods, they also elevate any dish.

Herbs add a subtle interest, extra freshness, and even more “Mmm” to anything from pasta to meats to veggies and even eggs!

This week we celebrated my Birthday and celebrations at our house usually include steak.  We do filets for our anniversary because that is what Adam had prepared the night he proposed.  Adam’s about as “guy” as it comes, so steak is always on the menu for his Birthday.  And I, by no means, would ever turn down a good steak so it seemed appropriate for my day too.

But, I decided to switch it up from big filets and chose to do flank steaks topped with fresh and flavorful chimichurri sauce starring many of my garden’s herbs.

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Chimichurri can pull double duty as a marinade and a topping for beef, seafood, chicken, or whatever you want.  It’s super versatile and the variety of fresh herbs and spice will enhance the flavor of a meal without covering it up.

I topped our steaks with the sauce to add some dimension to the super easy to prepare (just a few minutes on the grill!) cut of beef. Making it simple enough for a midweek dinner, but special enough for a Birthday.

… And to be paired with champagne. 

Cheers to another year!

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Chimichurri Sauce
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Ingredients
  1. 1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
  2. 2 tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
  3. 4 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
  4. 1/2 cup green onions, finely minced
  5. 1 small hot pepper, seeds removed and finely diced (I used a Serrano pepper because that is what was ready in the garden)
  6. 1 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
  7. 2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  8. Juice of half a lemon
  9. 1/2 cup of good olive oil
  10. Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a whisk.
  2. Store in the fridge and use within 48 hours.
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Falling in Love With Sage

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For the last three years I have considered taking the Master Gardener program through Purdue Extension.

My mom took the course through Ohio State’s Extension when I was in middle school and took away so much that made the flowers in the landscaping around our home spectacular.

It seems like it would be a great course to take to learn more about gardening, veggies and flowers, how dirt is composed, etcetera, etcetera. Maybe even get more into flowers in my own landscaping… which, right now, is pretty pathetic.

Plus, I would be able to share my new found knowledge with all of you… and have a little more creditability than my experiences and library/youtube/Pinterest research.

But the course is a big commitment. Bigger than I can make with my job that can pull me anywhere in the Midwest at a moment’s notice. And, in the spirit of being honest, bigger than I can make with my limited amount of free time. (See also: No blog since last week…)

What I have tried to do is seek out workshops or events that the Master Gardener programs in various surrounding counties host. Or, even just go visit their community gardens.

Late last summer, I went Marion County’s (Indy, basically for the non-Hoosiers here) Master Gardener garden at the state fairgrounds.

It was a fun morning checking out all the unique produce the gardeners had planted. Being late summer, the garden was full of vibrant and intense colors from the tomatoes, eggplant, swiss chard, peppers, and more.

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There were also gorgeous flowers throughout the garden that left me inspired to try to update my own landscaping at home… but, flash forward nearly a year later, it still hasn’t happened.

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But, what really blew away were the garden’s herbs. They were unbelievable. The herbs were huge, full and so incredibly fragrant.

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Last summer, I struggled with herbs a bit, really only finding success in basil, oregano, mint and parsley.

This year, my herbs have done so well. Even Adam has noticed. (He tends to be more interested in the big produce than the herbs.)

In addition to basil, oregano, parsley and mint, I have thyme, rosemary, dill, cilantro and sage in pots on the patio. I keep them in pots so that they are easy to get to when I am cooking in the kitchen. I love to brighten up a dish with fresh herbs and have used them for years so I am really familiar with their flavors.

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Except for sage.

Last summer’s trip to the Master Gardener Garden might be the first time I have ever seen fresh sage.

And I quickly fell in love.

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It is incredibly aromatic with a scent similar to a lemon with a touch of spiciness.

In researching sage a little more I have learned that it’s aroma is thought to keep away negative vibes and spirits. It may be because it has aromatic healing powers to lift moods, ease anxiety, and calm stress when smelled.

… No wonder I fell in love with it so quickly.

This summer, I have experimented with sage more and more in the kitchen. It can be used fresh or dried and is often found in holiday dishes, like stuffing or soups, because of its pleasant, savory lemon flavor.

We found that baked with little gold potatoes using bacon grease versus oil, the flavors are strong and the sage leaves crisp up like a little savory chip.

 

Sage Roasted Potatoes
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Ingredients
  1. 3 pound bag of golden baby potatoes
  2. 1 cup of sage leaves, chopped
  3. 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  4. 1/2 cup of bacon grease
  5. Salt and Pepper
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Clean potatoes and place in a pot of salted cold water and bring to a boil. Cook for ten minutes or until tender.
  3. Drain and place potatoes in a baking dish with sage and garlic. Pour bacon grease over the potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  4. Bake for about 40 minutes.
Notes
  1. The bacon grease will make the potatoes crispy and give them a great flavor. I just cooked a few slices of bacon in a skillet and poured the grease over the potatoes from the skillet. The bacon slices became Adam's breakfast the next morning!
Bloom. https://www.theblogbloom.com/
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