The Backyard Market

February Photo Challenge at the Homestead: Week One

2012-02-07T18:48:00.000-08:00

To beat the winter blues, we are participating in the February Instagram Photo-a-Day Challenge. Though we have no iPhone to take the phancy phone photos, we're photo-taking anyway! Some of the upcoming pictures, like telephone or heart, will be challenging to tackle with the Backyard Market theme in mind. Here's the schedule:

February 1: your view today

Rocky and I, eye-to-eye, happy for the sunny day.

February 2: words

Kids should have access to healthy, hormone-free milk at home AND at school!

February 3: hands

Chicken hands?

February 4: a stranger

Bananas don't make their appearance at our place often, but when there are no local fruits growing, we'll occasionally buy a bunch of Fair Trade, organic bananas. Yum!

February 5: 10 AM

10 AM and picking Brussel sprouts in Wisco in February. Wow!

February 6: dinner

Said bananas made a surprise appearance for dinner on Monday night.

February 7: Button

Gardening, writing, and caring for animals is my bliss. What's yours?

Have a blissfully wonderful week!

I'm addicted to yogurt.

2012-01-17T15:43:00.000-08:00

All you need to make your own yogurt.

Last week, I ate nearly a quart of yogurt per day. Not just any yogurt. Fresh, creamy, tart, homemade plain yogurt. We had read that adding milk powder to our already yummy culture would make it thicker. We decided to purchase some in bulk to try it. Milk powder apparently really does make all of the difference.

We have been making yogurt at our house for several years. Our process has certainly evolved. Today, we use a dehydrator to finish it off, but we started with a fish aquarium, boiling water, and newspaper taped to the outside walls of the aquarium's glass for insulation. Today, we use milk powder. Up until a few weeks ago, we had never tried that. So, while, I feel we've perfected and modified this process over time to our liking, you don't need fancy dehydrators or milk powder in bulk to make this super, probiotic food. The only real essentials include: milk, yogurt starter (in other words, yogurt), a constant temperature, and time.

That said, this is how we now make my method of getting lots of Vitamin D in Wisconsin winter's cold, long days.

Here's what we use to make 4 quarts of yogurt:
4 Tbs. plain yogurt that you love
1 gallon of 2% milk
8 Tbs. milk powder
4 quart jars with lids
dehydrator
hand blender

To make it Backyard Market style, do the following:

1. Put 1 Tbs. of plain yogurt in each quart jar. Be sure this is a yogurt that you love. All yogurts have different cultures, different textures, different flavors, and different bacteria. Picking a yogurt you enjoy will ensure that you like your homemade yogurt.

2. Add 2 Tbs. of milk powder in each jar. If you'd like your yogurt thicker, add more. If you'd like it thinner, add less.

3. If using a hand blender, fill jars about halfway to avoid spillage.Mix until there are no clumps of milk powder and to distribute yogurt starter evenly. Fill jars with milk and screw on lids. If not using a hand blender, fill the entire way and mix to combine ingredients. Screw on lids.

4. Put quart jars in the dehydrator. Set to 100-115 degrees. Let the process work for 8-12 hours. Be sure not to agitate the dehydrator as yogurt does not like to be disturbed as it is forming.

5. Refrigerate! Be sure to save some to start next week's yogurt batch!

A side note: some recipes call for scalding the milk before processing the yogurt. We do not do this as it kills some of the good bacteria, and we are confident that our milk is safe. As always, we purchase it locally- sourced and from a farm we trust.

You might be wondering: Why not just go to the store and buy yogurt? Well, that's a thoughtful question.
#1: Making it using the method above ensures a whole bunch of fabulous bacteria that are oh-so-good for your body. Minimal processing = a happy body.
#2: Financial sustainability: Let's break it down...For a local, organic yogurt, we pay around 4.00 per container (which is about 3 cups). We make 4 quarts (16 cups) each time we make yogurt, so if we paid the 4.00 per 3 cups, we would need to hand out 21.00 per week. For four quarts of homemade yogurt, we pay $3.50 for a gallon of milk, around 1.00 for the milk powder, and we use our own yogurt starter at this point, so our four quarts of yogurt now cost us $4.50. Compare that to the $21.00 we'd pay if we bought 4 quarts at the store!
#3: Vegetarians benefit from yogurt as it contains the hard-for-us-to-get Vitamin B2. When you have 4 quarts of deliciousness per week sitting in your fridge, you are bound to get enough.
#4: Any form of self-sustainability creates an invaluable skill set.
#5: If you're concerned about the old BM, yogurt keeps you regular.

Enjoy the creaminess! Until next time...I'll have my spoon in the yogurt jar.

10 New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-04T06:39:00.000-08:00

Someone once sent us a cartoon eluding to a gardener's dreams being bigger...way bigger...than what reality will be. It's impossible to argue with that! Right around the start of the new year, our minds shift from the holidays to visions of plentiful fruit trees, bumper tomato crops, and perfect transitions from spring crops to fall ones. The magnificent garden dreams that plod through our heads might be unrealistic at times, but they keep us fresh.

With that said, we are trying to create realistic, doable resolutions for homesteading in 2012. They include:
1. Keeping up on daily gardening chores: more consistent weeding and watering and more timely replanting (if applicable).
2. Eating and preserving all of the greens we grow and get in our CSA box, including items such as carrot tops.
3. Constructing 4-5 new garden beds to replace our original garden in time for spring planting.
4. Planting strawberries, honeyberries, blueberries, and blackberries (finances pending).
5. Keeping up with fruit tree chores on a daily basis: spraying (organically, of course) when needed and watering.
6. Constructing a trellis for the kiwi berries. The trellis will also serve as the post for a bat house.
7. Getting bees.
8. Planting 3x more dry beans (get a minimum of 9 quarts at harvest time) and 2x more cabbage.
9. Figuring out what keeps eating the corn!
...and, of course...
10. Growing the biggest bumper crop of tomatoes known to man.

I think we can do it. What are your homesteading resolutions for 2012?

Homemade Granola

2012-01-02T10:32:00.000-08:00

We finally made a batch of homemade granola. We've talked about wanting to do this for years, but haven't had all of the ingredients at once until our annual co-op shopping trip occurred last week. Now, we have 21 cups of granola to last us for breakfast for the month.

The process was so simple. The possibilities of what to use to make granola are abundant. We chose to make it quite basic this time, adding in random bags of leftover holiday nuts and seeds.

This batch's ingredients:
8 cups of oats
2 cups of flaxseed meal
1/2 cup of hazelnuts
2 cups of pumpkin seeds
2 cups of honey
1.5 cups of sunflower oil
2 cups of dried cranberries
2 cup of raisins

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Mix oats, flaxseed meal, nuts, and seeds together.
3. Mix the honey and oil.
4. Pour the honey-oil mixture over the dried ingredients.
5. Spread mixture out on baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Remove the granola. Allow to cool, stirring occasionally. Stir in the dried fruit. Store in an airtight container.

Here is the nutrition information for 1/3 cup servings:
Calories, 180; Fat, 9.5; Sat. Fat 1; Trans Fat, 0; Cholesterol, 0; Sodium, 2; Carbs, 21; Fiber, 3; Sugars 10.8; Protein, 3.7; Vitamin A, 13; Vitamin C, .2; Calcium, 14; Iron, 1.3

According to my diet tracker, the amount of fat, sat. fat, protein, and sodium are great for this serving size.

Co-op Gift Card: Year Three

2011-12-30T09:37:00.000-08:00

The whole spread (minus the chicken feed)

If you've been following our blog for a while, you might remember that one of our most anticipated and useful Christmas presents is a gift card to our absolute favorite place to shop: the Willy Street Co-op. Mr. and Mrs. Claus have bestowed upon us this wonderful gift three times, and each time, I believe Andy and I have gotten better at figuring out how to get the most bang for our buck.

Veggie Burger Ingredients

Before heading to the co-op, we sit down to brainstorm a few meals to make in bulk and freeze - we try to coincide those with our financial and dietary pitfalls. Anyone who knows Andy knows he has a slight addiction to pizza. So,this year, we canned extra pizza sauce, and with our gift card, we bought enough mozzarella cheese to make me reconsider our need to own our very own cow! Another way that we fail to live sustainably, both in terms of ethical food production and our personal finances is going out to eat during the work week. Usually this is because we don't have the time or the energy to use the ingredients residing in our fridge and cupboard. So, we bought all of the ingredients to quadruple our recipe for veggie burgers. This way, hopefully, when one of suggests going to Chipotle, the other can counter-argue that by pointing out we have veggie burgers in the freezer and potatoes in the cupboard.

Oftentimes, an argument against shopping for whole, organic, local foods is that it is too expensive. This is where being shopper savvy comes in handy. The back of our Subaru is loaded with canvas totes, Ball jars, canisters, and reused glass bottles because we buy nearly everything that we can't get from our CSA or garden in bulk. Local and/or organic bulk foods are surprisingly reasonable. Yesterday, we stocked up on maple syrup, honey, oats, peppercorns, coffee beans, milk powder, a few spices, and chicken feed.

Ingredients for granola

Milk powder for yogurt

A few other necessities...

Our personal New Year's Resolutions involve financial, dietary, and sustainability goals. This co-op trip and the cooking resulting afterward were a perfectly wonderful way to work towards those....for FREE! Thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Clause for once again helping us reach our goals.

What to do with all of those holiday leftovers?

2011-12-29T16:31:00.000-08:00

This Christmas, like all others, we ended the evening too full to even consider dessert. Thankfully, we had stuffed ourselves with Christmas cookies all day long anyway, so we had our go at the sweet stuff.

The Poquette-Lapp Christmas dinner is what many would consider the traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Our menu hasn't changed much from last year, but we did have a few highlights.

We began the day with Irish Cream (of course) and cheese, crackers, and trail mix. That evening, our menu was as follows:

Turkey
Garlicky Mashed Potatoes
Gravy
Brussel Sprouts with Bacon
Cranberry Relish
Fruity Coleslaw

The brussel sprouts were a new addition. At the last second, we Wisconsinites went out to our brownish-green yard, found our way to our still half-living garden, and picked a fresh stalk of Brussel Sprouts. It's worth noting because this may never happen on Christmas Day in Wisconsin to us again. We actually still have two more stalks to pick -- it's looking good that we may get fresh Brussel Sprouts again on New Year's.

Another reason to mention the Brussel Sprouts is that they ended up being the main attraction at dinner. To make them, you need:

one stalk of Brussel Sprouts
1/2 lb. of bacon, diced
seasoning (salt, pepper, etc.)
a tiny drizzle of olive oil

Instructions:

Toss diced bacon, halved Brussel sprouts, and seasoning together. If the bacon isn't giving off enough fat, a drizzle of olive oil may be necessary.
Dump onto baking sheet. Put in the oven at 425 until done.

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The pets thoroughly enjoyed Christmas also, as you can see in the pictures below.

Franklin enjoying his first turkey dinner.


Benson --after a little too much to drink :)

Yesterday, we used the leftover cranberry relish as a topper to a wedge of brie and toasted baguettes as an appetizer. Yum! For the main course last evening, we made a half-vegetarian, half-turkey casserole using the leftover turkey and stuffing. Both the appetizer and the casserole were divine, and our fridge is much more manageable today without all of the leftovers occupying every shelf.

Here's our rough recipe for Fetttuccine Turkey Casserole

3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 Tbs. butter
1-2 Tbs. flour
4 cups of 2% or whole milk
4-6 oz. cream cheese
1/2 c. shredded Romano cheese
1/2 c. shredded Parmesan cheese
leftover turkey
leftover stuffing
fettuccine noodles

1.To make the alfredo sauce,

Melt butter in saute pan. Add garlic, and saute for about one minute. Add flour. Cook until golden. This is called a roux.
Slowly mix in the milk. Heat on medium-high heat until milk begins to boil. Reduce heat. Add cream cheese in cubes. Continue stirring until cream cheese is combined thoroughly. Gradually reduce the heat as you add in the Parmesan and Romano cheese.

2. Boil noodles. Drain. Put them in a baking dish, mix in the turkey chunks, and pour sauce over the mixture. Top with stuffing, and grate fresh Parmesan over the top.

3. Bake at 350 until the sauce is bubbly, 20-25 minutes.

Thanksgiving Favorites, 2011

2011-11-28T16:43:00.000-08:00

We were lazy this Thanksgiving. The appetizer we shared with our families involved zero preparation. We simply opened jars, did a bit of slicing and dicing, and viola - complete! As the holidays approached, we realized we had done a lot of pickling and fermenting this summer. We decided to share a platter of salty, sweet, bitter, and sour flavors. And so, this year, we are especially thankful for healthy, organic produce and for the steamy summer nights we dealt with it all over gigantic cups of iced coffees. Those memories are ones we'll never forget because there really is nothing as romantic as two sweaty adults in a closet-sized kitchen with water canners heating up the already 90+ degree house. Thankful, we are.

Our pickle tray consisted of:
balsamic onions
sour pickles
spicy sliced carrots
dill rat-tail radishes
sweet pepper marmalade served with cream cheese and crackers
pickled spring garlic

On Thanksgiving day, while the Packers won their 11th game this season, some braver family members filled snack plates with pickles. During Lappsgiving (what we've begun to affectionately call our second Thanksgiving), we chatted while delighting in these finger foods while we sipped glasses of wine. Zero preparation, and tons of taste. Pickling a variety in the summer and serving these foods up for holidays could easily become a tradition.

As always, for "Lappsgiving," we made the holiday menu from the current issue of Vegetarian Times. This year's "French twist" menu was not as scrumptious as that in 2009 or 2010, but it was still pleasing to our palettes.

The foods we decided to make were:

Salad of Shaved Fennel, Oranges, and Candied Pecans (YUM!)

Spiced Balsamic Beet Compote (DOUBLE YUM...a definite keeper!)

Seiten Timbales with Chestnut-Champignon Stuffing

...and, of course, we made the same dessert we always make for Thanksgiving: Ginger Sweet Potato Pie.

Ginger Sweet Potato Pies

Mostly because I don't want to forget either the candied pecan recipe or the spiced balsamic beet compote recipe, I'm going to share them here.

First, the candied pecans. These would go well in virtually any fall salad.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pecans, halved and quartered
1 Tbs. pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Toss pecans with maple syrup in a small bowl. Add sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper. Toss to coat.
2. Spread nuts on baking sheet, and roast 10 minutes or until crispy and aromatic.
3. Cool for 10 minutes.

And, now for a new favorite appetizer, which is sure to turn up again and again in our house. We liked it over goat cheese on a sourdough baguette, but my parents liked it over cream cheese. This is a great way to use a lot of beets!

Spiced Balsamic Beet Compote
Ingredients:
1/2 cup golden raisins (we used dates because that's what we had, but I bet raisins would be even better!)
2 large beets (about 3 cups)
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. garam masala or curry powder
2 shallots (we used one onion and one clove of garlic)
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt

Instructions:
1. Cover raisins with boiling water, and let stand 30 minutes.
2. Cook beets in large pot of boiling water for 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
3. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add spice, and cook 20 seconds. Add shallots (or garlic and onion), and saute 20 minutes. Stir in beets, raisins, vinegar, sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup water.
4. Cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until compote is thickened. Cool.

Breakfast for Dinner: Squash-Cranberry-Pecan Pancakes

2011-11-22T17:45:00.000-08:00

Pancakes and sausage for the carnivore in the house

Tonight, we had breakfast for dinner. Not just your standard buttermilk pancakes or eggs and bacon. We had Squash-Cranberry-Pecan Pancakes drenched in maple syrup. Two nights ago, we had Squash-Date Bread Pudding drenched in half and half. Andy's on a squash baking kick with our new oven and stockpile of pumpkins and baking squash, and I'm not complaining at all (though I am concerned about how my pants fit today...). Heck, he's even been whipping up pureed squash with bacon every morning for the dog.

Our Amish Pie Squash apparently have inspired him. Who are Franklin (the dog) and I to object?

Amish Pie Squash

If you have extra baking squash, pumpkin or pumpkin pie filling, I highly recommend trying this or a version of it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner sometime soon. The smell of fall - nutmeg, cinnamon, and squash are literally filling up our small house with warmth right now, and the taste is divine.

For a batch of about 12-16 pancakes, you need the following:

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
3/4 cup of pureed squash
1/2 pint of cranberries
1/2 cup pecan, chopped
1 qt kefir
1 tsp vanilla
2 oz melted butter
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3 tbs. sugar
a pinch of cinnamon
a pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup of sugar for cranberries
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup oats
1 tbs butter

Instructions:
1. Put cranberries in pot with 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar. Bring to a boil until they begin to pop. Turn the heat off, and let the cranberries cool.
2. Mix the eggs, keifer, vanilla, and melted butter.
3. Stir together the flour, salt, sugar, baking powder, and oats.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredient mixtures, and then add the pureed pumpkin. Then, add the cranberries and pecans.
5. On a heated and buttered pan, make pancakes. Heat both sides, and serve up with maple syrup!

Pureed squash


Preparing the cranberries

Heating them up!

My friend Deb and her wonderful Cabbage Soup

2011-10-31T17:47:00.000-07:00

With a generous dollop of sour cream and freshly ground pepper!

Deborah Madison is the bomb, or rather, the bombess (?). Seriously, if you don't have Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen, please buy it. We swear that just as we navigate towards deep reds at the liquor store, you'll no doubt find your fingers reaching for this cookbook whenever you're in the mood for a comforting bowl of soup or you need to use a bunch of a veggies up in one cooking adventure. Just take a look at the series of posts we put up last harvest season. Deborah Madison came up more than once then, and we're sure she'll come up more than once this year.

Tonight, we quickly whipped up a double batch of her Green Cabbage Soup with potatoes and sour cream. As always, we didn't quite have the right ingredients in the fridge, so we made our adaptations with what we found at home, plus garlic, of course. Here's our doubled version of Deborah's (yes, at this point, I feel like we're on a first-name basis!) creation:

Ingredients:
1 small green cabbage, preferably Savoy
4 Tbs. of butter
1 bunch of mustard greens, boiled before added to the mix (our addition)
3 large leeks
6 potatoes, with skins
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 head of garlic, minced (our addition)
sour cream or yogurt
tops of celeriac (though Deb uses parsley or dill)

Directions:
1. Thinly slice the cabbage and mustard greens. Boil a pot of water, add the cabbage and greens, cook for a minute, and then drain.
2. Melt the butter in a soup pot (Debbie had 2-3 Tbs. for a single batch, but we wanted to cut out fat). Add the leek and potato, cook for a minute or two, and then add the cabbage and greens and salt. Pour 10 cups of water over the top. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender. Taste for salt and pepper.

3. Ladle the soup into bowls, then add a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, a sprinkling of your herb of choice, and a final grinding of ground pepper.

Get a nice beverage, and have a toast to Ms. Madison for her wonderful soups, and a toast to yourself for a job well done! Enjoy.

Per 1 Cup Servings: 103 calories; Total Fat, 3.5 g; Saturated Fat, 1.7 g; Cholesterol, 9 mg; Sodium, 258 mg; Carbohydrate, 17.6 g; Dietary Fiber, 2.5 g; Sugars, 1.6 g; Protein, 2.6 g

Eating Seasonally: Practice Makes Perfect

2011-10-23T15:43:00.000-07:00

Recently a friend asked, "How do you use all of your CSA box and garden?" This wasn't the first time a friend or family member has wondered that. After seven years of membership, we have worked out a system. We 100% build our weekly menu around the box, and one big way that we use an armful of vegetables is in a weekly soup or salad for lunch. Today, we made a lentil-and-curry based soup. Typically, we start with a base, such as this, and then we look through the refrigerator to find vegetables that will meld well.

Tonight, we each devoured steaming bowls of this new creation, topped with sour cream. So delicious that we decided to make the recipe permanent, right here, on our blog. Of course, living with a CSA box and a huge garden doesn't always lend itself to replicating recipes ingredient-by-ingredient, so this will always remain a skeleton, unless the stars and veggies align next fall, and we find ourselves with the same exact ingredients and happen to remember this specific mix on that day.

Here's what we used:
3 carrots
4 cups of escarole
2 cups of dry lentils
6 cups of water and vegetable broth mix
3 potatoes
1 small head of cauliflower
1 head of garlic
2 leeks
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. curry paste
1 lemongrass sprig
3 tomatoes
sour cream (optional)

Directions:
1. We heated the butter in a soup pan and added the leek, garlic, and lentils. We allowed this to cook for a couple of minutes.
2. Then, we added the broth, tomatoes, carrots, and lemongrass. We brought it to a boil.
3. Then, we added the rest of the ingredients, except for the escarole, and let it cook until the lentils were tender.
4. We added the escarole at the end, let it wilt, and then served it up for dinner. It was wonderful topped with a bit of sour cream.

It made 13 cups. We each had one cup for dinner, and we stored the rest in Ball jars (1-cup in each). We'll have an easy, go-to lunch for the rest of the week.

Dinners will consist of plant-based ingredients, both from our box and from our garden. Whatever isn't used by the end of the week will go in the freezer. Eating seasonally definitely takes planning, but once you get the hang of it, it is easy ....and dare I say, fun!?

Fall Harvest: Beans and Greens

2011-10-23T11:20:00.000-07:00

Beautiful Swiss Chard

We've been busy, busy the past few weeks and weekends, as I'm sure most of you all have been. Luckily, the weather has been such that we personally haven't been too worried about the veggies left in our garden or the amount of work yet to be done before the first snowfall. This weekend, other than Saturday-morning test proctoring and Sunday paper-correcting, we had no plans! While it seems we have overzealous ideas about the amount of work that realistically can be done in a day, we still managed to get a significant start on cleaning up a few garden beds and harvesting/preserving a bit of food.

First, we harvested three of our four pole bean beds. Our Trail of Tears Black Bean bed was full of skinny, gray/brown pods. Each contained about 8 small beans inside. We managed to get a whole quart of those. Our Mother Stallard bean beds produced about a quart also. Dry beans are a must for growing in our semi-vegetarian household. We've already decided that next year, we will triple the amount of beans. Not only are homegrown beans 100% ethical, they are also economical. Compare the price of a burger to that of a homemade bean burger made with beans from your backyard. Crazy savings!

Mother Stallard and Trail of Tears Beans

Plus, beans are just so gosh darn beautiful. The process of planting, harvesting, picking, and then storing them entertains and tickles all of our senses. Luckily, we have beautiful Christmas Lima beans yet to harvest.

Next, we cut Swiss Chard. We'd been waiting to make a big harvest until a frost hit. In cold weather, some vegetables respond by producing more sugar because sugar doesn't freeze; hence, the veggies are a bit sweeter. It's worth noting though, that a freeze will kill Swiss Chard, so the whole sugar thing doesn't work beyond a certain point.

This morning, I froze 2 bags of our Swiss Chard and 2 bags of Harmony Valley Farm's spinach. If you haven't ever frozen greens before, it's super easy and well worth your time. Simply rinse the greens, chop them to desired size, and put them in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Then, put them into an ice bath to stop the cooking process, dry them (in salad spinner or by squeezing and draining), and then bag them up. I find we actually eat more greens in the winter because taking them out of the freezer and heating them up or adding them to a soup or casserole is so quick!

I also stuck a bunch of dry curly kale into bags. No need to blanch! Kale crumbles are the perfect easy addition to winter dishes.

Nutrition for the winter

And now, we're off to the garden. Happy Fall!

Green Bugs!!...Help!

2011-10-09T16:54:00.000-07:00

Because of the bug invasion, most of our Oaxacan green dent corn looks like this.

All summer long, we were plagued by a tiny flourescent green bug. Many of our squash plants were eaten, our corn kernels devoured, and today, we discovered our sunflower seeds were gone too. Does anyone have any idea what could be the culprit? I've tried taking pictures of the insect to post, but none have turned out.

Here, however, is what it has done to all of our corn and our sunflowers.

All of kernels are empty. Tiny holes cover them all; the little bugs made their way in and ate the seeds.

Last year, the same thing happened.

We've heard corn is super easy to grow, but we've had little luck. Each year, the green bugs are back. We're hoping to identify them soon, so that we can figure out how to get rid of these pests. Until then, the chickens are enjoying and benefiting from our failed attempts. If you've had a similar experience or know of a remedy, please do tell!

Stealing from Squirrels: Harvesting Black Walnuts

2011-10-02T19:02:00.000-07:00

Today's harvest

We moved into a house on a one-acre plot of land and were lucky enough to inherit five full-grown black walnut trees. Our first year here, we didn't realize our fortune and probably just complained about the slipperiness over which we had to mow in the fall. I remember almost falling with the lawn mower more than once! The next summer, our longtime friend Jack pointed out that we had ourselves some monstrous black walnut trees. Our inner hunter-gather selves sparked with curiosity. We had to wait for the following fall, as black walnut trees produce a ton of fruit every other year. So, wait we did. The following year, we picked a few buckets and let them sit on the porch. Carried away with other gardening endeavors, work, and being social, we ended up providing squirrels with some easy dining that winter, but didn't try any ourselves.

Today, we finally, finally made the Gatherer part of our psyche deliriously giddy! We spent the day collecting, hulling, and washing black walnuts. I started off with a pair of gardening gloves - not a good idea.

Tomorrow, my students will be wondering if I have touched a horcrux like the late Dumbledore. I guess the dye doesn't come off of your skin for quite some time, so instead of toting a "green thumb", I'll be showing off my brown one. Luckily, I discovered the black walnut juices were seeping through early enough in the process that it is not as bad as it could be. I replaced them with yellow, plastic cleaning gloves after about 5 of the walnuts.

We learned a few tidbits during our research today:
1. You don't have to wait until black walnuts are black to harvest them. In fact, pick them when they're green. They're much less likely to be filled with little white maggoty-looking worms.
2. You don't have to stuff them into a bag and then back over them with your car. In fact, several walnut experts report that doing that equals danger. Walnut pieces could bust off, break windows, hit animals, and so on. No good. Through trial and error, we found the best way to hull them is to stomp on them with the heel of your shoe, and then peel the green husk off. The stomping sped up the process quite a bit.

The pretty peach inside quickly turns black once the air hits.

3. You have to rinse them off - but they won't come completely clean. Get what you can off without completely stressing yourself out.

4. The walnuts have to cure for about 2 weeks before you can take the nut shells off.
5. The black walnut juice/dye is toxic to dogs and VERY toxic to horses. Keep your canine friends on a short leash or in the house when doing the dirty work.

Franklin expressing his non-gratitude re. the short leash

So, for now, we're waiting...we might harvest some more in the meantime. I never realized how many "walnut" foods I loved until I began this whole walnut fiasco this morning. I'm anxiously awaiting making homemade walnut burgers. Andy can't wait to make chocolate chip walnut cookies. And tonight I read about black walnut ice cream.

Brown fingers and all, I think I am foreseeing myself back out in the yard tomorrow, picking some more. Poor squirrels. I almost feel guilty. I guess I'll leave them all of the cracked ones. That should be good enough, right?

A Produce Plus Weekend: Sweet Peppers, Edamames, and Cucumbers

2011-09-18T18:58:00.000-07:00

We spent the better part of our weekend in the kitchen. But, as I've written before, spending time in the kitchen with a large glass of wine and some good tunes with the one I love is a beautiful thing. So, what did we make? Well...

On Friday, Andy brought home a large pail of cucumbers from his colleague. What a generous lady! We decided to make those in the crock like we did earlier this year. The recipe for that is here. Our first batch is in the fridge, and the pickles are wonderfully crunchy. So, we figured why veer away from a good recipe? (Well, other than the fact that our fridge is very near capacity...we really need a second one to store all of this live food we've been creating.)

On Saturday morning, we picked up 5 pounds of mini sweet peppers and 10 pounds of edamame from the Harmony Valley Farm stand at the Farmers' Market. Juan happily handed us our boxes in return for our check. We love produce plus opportunities ~ they always lend themselves to weekends in the kitchen, preserving up food for the winter, but we are relishing the day when our gardening skills are so fierce that we won't even be tempted to order and pay for produce plus. We look forward to the day when we're swimming in tons of tomatoes and crowded out of the house by piles of edamames and peppers. But until then, produce plus is a perfect way to support a local, sustainable grower, while making an effort to eat both seasonally and locally.

Funny thing about this week's produce plus pepper purchase is that we had no idea what we'd do with the sweet peppers once we got them. When we received the email that for the first time ever, these mini bursts of goodness were for sale in huge increments, we leaped at the chance. We began receiving these in our box about two years ago, and since then, they're one item we can't seem to tire of. As the summer winds down, at least there are mini-sweet peppers!. Honestly, they are mouth-poppingly delicious. Andy and I both eat them raw, plain or stuffed with cheese. So, what to do with 5 lbs of them? We tossed around roasting and freezing some, just freezing others, pickling them, making them into jelly, or even candying them. But then, this week's CSA newsletter featured mini sweets and provided a recipe for sweet pepper marmalade, and we were sold on that idea. The cans of red, yellow, and orange sweetness are gorgeous, and we're looking forward to sharing some over the holidays. The newsletter suggested serving with pretzels or crackers and cream cheese or goat cheese. Don't those ideas sound absolutely delicious?

...oh...and about that gardening goal, we saved a ton of sweet pepper seeds.

And, as for the ten pounds of edamame, simple! We blanched them (in shells) for three minutes, put them in a water bath, divided them up into freezer bags (2 cups per bag) and froze them. How great will an edamame salad be in the middle of a Wisconsin winter? So good. I'm already planning out my day of "summer eating" on a negative degree day: frozen watermelon juice-vodka drinks, edamame salad, and grilled veggie burgers perhaps? I think I need to start getting bikini-ready for that fun day inside the confines of my cozy home now.

Here is the recipe we used (courtesy of Harmony Valley Farm) for the pepper marmalade:

1 cup sweet peppers, small dice
1 cup onion, small dice
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup white distilled vinegar
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4-1/2 tsp chili flake

Combine all ingredients in a medium saute pan.

Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer another 20 minutes or until liquid is syrupy. You can store in the fridge for several weeks or can and process 10 minutes in a hot water bath.

Our weekend totals are:
1 crock full of pickles
approx. 6 pints of sweet pepper marmalade (1/2 quart for the fridge)
17 frozen cups of edamame

Homemade Hot Sauce!

2011-09-06T18:22:00.000-07:00

Cayanne, Seranno, Joe's Round (missing jalapeno)

We're addicted to hot sauce. We like hot sauce on our eggs. We like hot sauce on our potatoes. We like hot sauce on our burgers/veggie burgers.We like hot sauce on our popcorn. Aside from desserts, we like hot sauce on just about everything. So, as you can imagine, making our own has come to mind.

A few years ago, we made a sort of buffalo-type hot sauce. Of course, that was before this blog, so we can't remember how we managed that at all. I do remember that it was fabulous over some oven-baked potatoes, sprinkled with blue cheese.

This year, we're trying the old-fashioned pepper fermentation method. Included are a lot of Cayenne peppers (thanks to Andy's colleague!), Joe's rounds (super hot!), jalapenos, and Serrano peppers. They're mashed up and fermenting as we speak. In fact, they've been fermenting since Saturday.

To do this, we simply (and with gloves on!):

1. removed the stems.
2. put all of the peppers in the Cuisinart

3. added salt (1.5 teaspoon per cup of mashed peppers)

4. put the mash in a Ball jar (though you could use a crock or a food-safe plastic container)

5. weighed down the mash with another jar, and

6. covered the whole operation with a towel

...and now we'll wait for a month or more for the flavor to develop. Throughout this process, we have to make sure that the liquid covers the mash; it's a crucial part of the fermentation process. If there is not enough liquid to cover the mash, we'll add salted water.

Soon, we'll be left with hot sauce to put into a bottle or two and store in the fridge.

I can't wait! I'm sure whatever I make for dinner the day it's ready will be a perfect meal for hot sauce.

Tomato Flops: Perfect for Pizza

2011-09-05T18:22:00.000-07:00

We are in love with our dehydrator. Slice produce up, season it (or not), and place it all on trays. Turn the dehydrator on, slide the trays in, and forget about it. Half a day later, poof! Dehydrated, preserved garden goodies.

One example is what we call Tomato Flops. We got this idea from The Genius: Mrs. Barbara Kingsolver's book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle, but have adapted it over the past few years to our own liking. These flops are stupendous on pizza in the winter. They pop like little bursts of summer in your mouth!

Here's how we made ours:

Ingredients:
Roma Tomatoes
Dried Italian herbs (Oregano, Basil, Parsley, Savory, Thyme, etc...)
Garlic (if desired)

Process:
1. Slice Roma tomatoes in half.
2. Sprinkle with desired amount of herbs. Top with a very thin slice of garlic, if you enjoy that sort of thing. We did one tray with garlic and herbs, but the rest were just covered with herbs.
3. Dehydrate until desired consistency. We recommend not completely dehydrating them. We let ours go about 12 hours.
4. Since we don't dry them completely, we freeze them in bags for winter use.

Last weekend, we froze 10 bags, with a dozen flops each. They're piled in the freezer, waiting to bring us a bit of sunshine in the middle of our Wisconsin Winter.

Before

After

Carrots: Spicy Pickles, Pesto, and More

2011-08-29T17:29:00.000-07:00

Carrots test our patience as gardeners. Their germination time is long, and weeding them is a pain! I can never tell what's a carrot and what's a weed at the start of the season. But then, the parsley-like leaves begin to develop, and these sweet, orange Popsicle-like roots take form under ground. Once the foliage begins to identify itself, I feel I'm golden. All I have to do is wait a good 2-3 months, and soon, I am digging up loads of carrots.

This year, we had our first successful crop of Danvers Carrots. We planted them in a raised bed which helped tremendously in terms of weed control. To get them out of the ground without breaking them, we saturated the dirt around them with water and pried them up with a shovel. We harvested about 5 lbs. Then, the question was: what should we do with all of them? We also had another pound from my parents' and our CSA boxes.

We thought about juicing them...but then realized how quickly said juice would be consumed in comparison to the amount of patience exuded to grow and harvest them. We thought about pickling them all, but realized we still had 1.5 jars from last year's canning season. So, we decided to pickle most and freeze some. We also used the greens to make carrot-top pesto.

In the end, we canned four quarts and froze three quarts. We used the same recipe that we used last year, except that instead of guallijo peppers, we used chipotles and dried super hots. And again, we sliced them into rounds versus into spears.

We also froze four bags (2/3 cup each) of carrot-top pesto. Apparently, carrot tops have a ton of Vitamin K and chlorophyll~ much more than carrots themselves. People drink carrot top tea (sweetened with honey) as a way to quickly get all the nutrients. We thought about drying ours for tea, but decided we'd probably be more likely to eat them up if they were on pizza ~ hence, carrot top pesto.

Use all in varying amounts to your taste (and freeze for the winter, if you'd like!):
Carrot tops (chopped)
garlic
walnuts or pine nuts
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
honey
olive oil

Put in a food processor and mix to desired consistency. It's that simple.

Livin' in the Kitch'n

2011-08-28T19:07:00.000-07:00

The end of August=bustle, bustle, bustle. Of course, the garden is at its peak right when work is at its most stressful time, right? Luckily for me, I feel comfortable and happy, alongside my cooking partner/husband in a hot, steamy kitchen with loads of bubbling pots, a whistling water canner, the smell of vinegar and vegetables, and pets running rampant.

Last Saturday, we made pizza sauce. We loved the recipe we used from Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle so much last year that we used it again this year. We cooked down 25 lbs. of Roma tomatoes and ended up with 10 pints of pizza sauce. Our only change to last year's process is that we used a bit less cinnamon, and we cooked it down a bit more, so we ended up with less pints, but thicker sauce.

Also, we processed 25 lbs. of Romas into 8 quarts of canned diced tomatoes. These are spectacular to have in the pantry for everything from spaghetti to soups to pizzas in the fall and winter. Last year's lasted us through this May. We'll have to can more to make that happen again this year.

And, we have more cabbage fermenting right now. This time, the crock is full! I think we'll be kraut-ready this fall and winter. Bring on the Ruebens and Ritz crackers!

Plus, the freezer is receiving the fruits of our labor. This week, I froze carrots, celery, and green peppers.

Tomorrow is beet day! Stay tuned...

Striped Cavern Tomatoes: The Perfect Stuffers

2011-08-28T18:38:00.000-07:00

Ever heard of a striped cavern tomato? If you haven't had one, I advise you to add a pack of seeds to your idealized 2012 garden now! These , in fact,are the perfect stuffing tomato. Plus, they will keep in your fridge for up to 4 weeks after picking.

The texture and shape of a striped cavern are reminiscent of a bell pepper. The inside is nearly hollow with very few seeds, and the outside walls are sturdy. We grow 1-2 plants a year - the plants are consistent producers, so 1-2 provide/s us with plenty of grilling/stuffing opportunities. Any extra we add to our canning pile as they work well for diced tomatoes too.

Last week, we received Butler Farms Feta Cheese in Sunflower Oil in our CSA Cheese Share. Honestly, this cheese is beyond delicious. The sunflower oil adds an indescribable flavor. Usually, I simply put the tub of cheese with its oils and herbs over a salad, but this time, I combined it with freshly cut Swiss chard and stuffed spoonfuls into our striped caverns. We got the charcoal grill ready and had a glass (or two!) of chardonnay while we waited.

The result was amazing. The tomatoes' walls held the cheese so well that we used steak knives to cut into them. I can hardly wait until this harmony of flavors is available again!

Wild Fermentation: Sauerkraut and Sour Pickles

2011-08-14T14:05:00.000-07:00

As of August 8th, five quarts of sauerkraut have been residing in our fridge.That makes us so happy! Did you know that members of the Brassicaceae family like cabbage, brussel sprouts, and kale are cancer-fighting? Further, a study in Finland found that fermented cabbage may be even better at warding off cancer. We decided against process-canning the sauerkraut because in processing, many of the beneficial live bacteria are killed, and we're planning to regularly eat sauerkraut for pleasure and for health benefits, so the jars won't have to time to go bad.

While we wait for the next round of cabbage to be ready, we're utilizing the crock to make sour pickles. Just like I mentioned that I had nostalgia when it comes to sauerkraut, we've found pickles create that feeling in many people we know. When we mentioned that we had a crock, Andy's dad recalled that as a child he often ate crispy pickles straight from the crock. He explained that the cucumbers were placed with grape leaves whose tannins held the crispiness. Shortly after that conversation, I told my parents what Andy's parents had said. My dad's face lit up, and he said he had the same pickle experience growing up on the family farm with his parents. So, we decided to consult one of the Backyard Market Bibles ~ our copy of Wild Fermentation. Sure enough, in both the book and on the website, we found explicit directions for "Sour Pickles."

Check out the Wild Fermentation book or website for the specifics or here are our easy directions:
Ingredients:
3-4 heads of garlic
2 or more hot peppers
handful of grape leaves
pinch of peppercorns
3 to 4 flowering heads of dill
3-4 pounds of small- to medium-sized cucumbers
1/2 gallon of water
6 Tbs of salt

Equipment:
crock
plate
weight (we used a gallon of vinegar as a weight)
towel

1. The bottom of the crock will contain all of the grape leaves, garlic, peppercorns, pepper, and dill. So, put desired amount of each in.

2. Then, add cucumbers.

3. Mix salt and water together, making sure the salt dissolves. Pour onto the cucumber mixture.
4. Make sure the brine covers the cucumbers. If not, add more. General rule of thumb is 1 Tbs. of salt per cup of water.
5. Place the plate on top of the pickles. Put the weight on top of the plate. Cover with a towel.

6. Check daily. Depending on temperature, pickles are ready in 1-4 weeks. We started tasting ours when the color faded. We've been enjoying them ever since.

Today, we noticed our brine has started going cloudy. That means, it's time to put them into sterile jars.

So...

7. Sterilize jars.
8. Drain pickles, reserving the brine.
9. Boil the brine. Let it cool.
10. In the jars, put fresh spices and the pickles.
11. Pour the cooled brine over the pickles.

12. Refrigerate.

They should keep for a few months. With all this live food in our fridge, we're going to need to get a new one soon to make room for everything else!

When the Parents are Away, the Kids (Hens) Will Lay

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

We spent the weekend with family at a cabin which sits by a pristine lake. When we arrived home this afternoon, we found two beautiful brown surprises. Sadie, our barred rock, 5-month-old hen laid her first two eggs!

Sadie, today's star!

Right now, her eggs are as small as Janis' eggs. Janis is our Polish bantam. We anticipate that the size of Sadie's eggs will bypass Janis' by the end of the month.

In order: Janis', Sadie's, Sadie's, Spinderella's, Spinderella's

In other news, the family of bunnies living by our raised beds are going to town on our tomatoes. We're all for sharing and happy co-existence ...but, come on! The tomatoes!?!?! A fence is going up tomorrow.

In the meantime, the chickens are happily reaping the benefits of those pesky rabbits.

The chickens enjoying the aftermath of the rabbits' feast.


Rocky crowing in delight.

Quintessentiallly Summer: Grilled Veggie Sandwiches

2011-07-31T13:56:00.000-07:00

Isn't it mind-boggling how fast summer flies? I am a warm/hot-weather girl. About 98% of my hobbies require weather that involves no snow, so as the calendar creeps back towards winter, I begin having almost palpable anxiety. Every year, right around August 1st, it seems I panic ~ wanting every day and night to be quintessentially summer.

Well, two days ago, the stress set in. I realized I'd be turning another year older in a few weeks (eeks!), school would be in full swing - meaning my "free weekend time" would again consist of grading papers, and the weather would take a nasty (in my humble opinion) turn towards the bitter cold. I guess time gives us perspective. Perhaps if the weather were beautiful all of the time, I would take it for granted and not give each and every day the attention it deserves.

So, with all of this in mind, on Friday evening, we had a lovely, perfectly summer experience. We put a blanket down in a shady part of the yard, got Franklin the puppy settled, and snacked on cherries, veggies and humus, and melon...and, of course, sipped on wine. I read mindless magazines, and Andy took a nap. Then, we fired up the grill to make veggie sandwiches with cream cheese. This meal was an attempt at recreating my absolute favorite sandwich in Madison, the West of the Andes sandwich (don't forget to ask for cream cheese!) at The Weary Traveler.

What's great about this type of meal (if you're not going for absolute recreations) is that WHATEVER might be in season at the time works.

We grilled carrots and beats and topped them with fresh arugula, tomatoes,avocado, and cream cheese and squashed it all in the middle of a hearty burger bun for this night's version, but later in the year, perhaps it'll be grilled winter squash and beets with fresh spinach and blue cheese. Who knows? The fridge and the season will be the deciding factors.

On the side, we served grilled baby bok choy. Delicious.

Despite my all-things-good-end-with-summer fear, I do look forward to the tastes of each season. Fall brings veggie chili. Winter brings black bean soup. I can get excited for those. I just need reminders! ...until cold temps, another birthday and another school year creep in though, I'm going to try and make each day quintessentially summer.

Mouth-watering kraut: step one

2011-07-27T19:04:00.000-07:00

Franklin (and the chickens) wanted to eat all our cabbage!

Is it odd that I have a head-full of memories associated with sauerkraut of all things? Whether or not it's strange, I get nostalgic for this nearly calorie-less, antioxidant-packed food. As a child, I absolutely loved sauerkraut-and-sausage night. My freshmen-year college roommate and I bought cans of Frank's kraut to eat with Ritz crackers. It was nearly guilt free. Plus, it was salty and cheap. Our floor mates didn't appreciate the smell....but I recall many "deep" conversations (mostly about boys) occurring over a package of buttery crackers and a tin can of fermented cabbage. And, I remember wanting so badly to have salty, "real" sauerkraut on my travels in Germany to find (to my disappointment) extra spices in the mix. Apparently, my perception of "real" is the Americanized version?!

My tin-can sauerkraut was divine and beyond satisfactory until Mom and Dad brought home a homemade jar from their friends' house. This duo canned a cupboard full of sauerkraut from their garden every year. When we were fortunate enough to obtain a magical Ball-jar full, I couldn't keep my fingers out. I paced back and forth from the living room to the kitchen continuously on several occasions to sneak a finger full.I found a near substitute in Bubbie's Sauerkraut, but I've nevertheless longed for the homemade-by-someone-I-know kind. Hence, I was more than excited when we decided to finally buy a crock to make fermented foods. Today, we harvested three heads of our cabbage. We shredded those three along with two that we had saved from our CSA boxes.

We washed all five heads, cut out the cores, shredded the remaining cabbage, and got the crock ready.

Then, we put roughly three handfuls of cabbage in the crock, added about a teaspoon of pickling salt over the top, and then repeated the process until all of the cabbage was inside the crock.

Salt/cabbage mix

Next, we used a plate to cover and weigh down the cabbage and salt mixture. Then, we put a heavy, full glass jar on top of the plate and covered that with a damp towel.

Waiting ...

We'll be keeping an eye on this for a few weeks, I guess. Then, hopefully, everything will meld together the way it's supposed to, and we'll be processing quarts of kraut.

My mouth is honestly watering just thinking about it.

Garlic 2011

2011-07-22T19:09:00.000-07:00

We harvested 45 heads of antioxidant goodness today. These were planted back on October 24. For the garden how-tos and health information, check out that entry.

Seems that we're about 2 weeks behind in terms of harvesting just about everything this year, garlic included. The spring was so randomly windy and cold.

Anyway, what to do with this favorite herb of ours? Pickle? Roast and freeze? Dehydrate? Do you have any favorite ways to keep loads of garlic well into the fall/winter? Please share.

Heat Wave: shade for the chickens and "Spearjitos" with raspberries for the humans

2011-07-18T10:44:00.000-07:00

Wisconsin is under an "excessive heat warning" for the better part of this week. I like the heat, the sweat, the lethargy I feel when it the heat index is +100. My chickens, on the other hand, are not fans. The poor ladies and their gentleman have serious needs during the dog days of summer. Like dogs, chickens don't sweat, so they cool themselves off by panting; their mouths were agape today, and their eyes seemed to be pleading with us.

We are by no means experts on this topic, so if you have more suggestions, please share. However, we monitored our flock all day, and we took care of them by doing the following:

We filled their water containers with ice and water and updated with ice throughout the day.

We gave them extra dishes of water.
We fed them frozen "treats." We simply had put a few pieces of fresh fruit in the freezer early in the morning, and we also took out some frozen veggie scraps that we had been saving for stock. As the treats thaw, they get soft, and the chickens are delighted to eat them.
We provided them with shade. The vines and trees we planted in their run are now providing some, but in prior years, we'd put up a tarp on parts of their run to provide a bit.
We sprayed their run and their coop with cool water. Our chickens don't seem to really enjoy this process when it's happening, but they get over it quickly as they realize they're not quite as hot.
We took them out for a few hours into a much more shaded area of our lawn. This seemed to actually be the pivotal moment for them today as they eventually settled down to rest in some random spots of sand.

The chickens cannot be left to fend for themselves on days like these. Depending on their breeds, it is dangerous to leave them to their own devices. We have Easter Eggers and Barred Rocks, which are both heavily feathered birds, suitable for winter climates such as ours. In the midst of a seven-day heat wave, however, all their hardiness is a call to action for us. Here are some pics from our Sunday afternoon spent with them under the trees.

Notice Rocky's gaping beak: a sure sign your chickens are HOT!

About an hour into the Sunday afternoon respite under the trees, the chickens seem a bit more comfortable.

Even Franklin, the dog (under EXTREME supervision) got to hang with the chickens.

Prudence is contemplating whether to make the trek over to the sand. She ponders that the sand bath idea is a good one indeed.

As for the humans, we picked raspberries and spearmint and made and enjoyed what we're happily naming "Spearjitos." This drink is adapted from the commonly known Mojitos, but why spend money on mint when you have spearmint growing in your own backyard, right? Over the last week, we've experimented with the best recipe for these, using club soda or tonic water and varying amounts of the other ingredients. By far, last night's version was the best. To make your own "Spearjitos", try this:

Ingredients:

white rum

spearmint

limes

tonic water

sugar

Instructions:

1. Inside serving glass, muddle together spearmint (around 1/4 cup per glass) and limes (around 1/4 of a lime per glass) and a Tbs of sugar.

2. Fill glass with ice (on top of muddled mixture).

3. Add two shots (or more!) of white rum.

4. Top off with tonic water. Club soda works too, but the drink isn't as tasty (in our humble opinions).

5. If you have them, top with fresh berries.

6. SERVE!

..and, of course, the doggie got lots of water and attention all day as did the kitties.

A Dessert Worth Your Time at the Gym

2011-07-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

There are many desserts which, for me, don't equate the time at the gym or on the pavement that will be needed to get rid of the fat and calories consumed. However, the dessert we served up on the Fourth of July was not one of those.

We made (drum roll, please....) Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream and Homemade Lemon Thyme Ice Cream served over Batch Bakehouse's Lemon Pound Cake (grilled), topped with our freshly made mulberry sauce. It was as good as it sounds.

So...the ice cream. Pretty straightforward. If you've been following our ice cream adventures, you know we consistently use the same custard recipe and then add the fruit/flavor once the custard is cool. The lemon thyme recipe is linked here, and the strawberry ice cream recipe is as follows:

Ingredients:
6 cups of hulled strawberries
1.5 cups of sugar
1.5 cups of half and half
1.5 cups of heavy cream
4 egg yolks

Instructions:
1. Hull and chop the strawberries. Mix with 1 cup of sugar. Let this sit for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight).
2. Whisk egg yolks with the remaining half cup of sugar.
3. Warm the half and half in a saucepan, stirring constantly so not to burn. When the half and half starts to foam, remove from the heat. Slowly pour this into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly as you pour so that you don't cook the eggs.
4. Once combined, put egg mixture back into saucepan. Warm over low-medium heat, stirring, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon.
5. Remove from heat. Stir in the cream.
6. Cover and cool overnight.
7. Remove half of the strawberries with a slotted spoon. Put into a separate bowl and save for later use.
8. Mash the other half of the strawberries to form a syrupy sauce.
9. Mix syrupy sauce with custard. Use ice cream maker as instructed.
10. Once ice cream is formed, spoon into a freezer-safe receptacle.
11. Mix in the reserved strawberries and freeze until ready to eat!

Mulberry Sauce (recipe makes about 1.5 pints)

Ingredients:
4 cups mulberries
3/4 cup of sugar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 cup of water
1 Tbs. cornstarch

Instructions:
1. In a saucepan, pulverize mulberries, creating a saucy consistency.
2. Stir cornstarch into water in separate bowl.
3. Combine cornstarch-water mixture, lemon juice, and sugar into the pulverized mulberries.
4. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and cool.
5. Strain sauce to remove seeds. Store in container. Serve cooled over ice cream (or pancakes or french toast, etc., etc.)

Then, to assemble this massively delectable delight:
1. Cut pound cake into 1" thick slices. Brush with butter and grill over hot fire for 2 minutes each side.
2. Put pound cake slices into serving bowls. Top with ice cream(s). Finish with mulberry sauce.

YUM! YUM! YUM! YUM! YUM! YUM! ...and I'll be with you in spirit at the gym tomorrow.

Garden shots from early June

2011-06-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

We've been planting gardens since early May. Spring was a bit odd, with lots of cold patches and rainy days. Thus, we were a bit late in getting some of our new raised beds built and planted. Once we saw a coyote heading towards our chickens (eeks!), our butts were kicked into gear, however, and we managed to capitalize on a few nice days and get most beds built and planted. Our raised beds serve as extra protection around the run, especially from diggers like coyotes.

Anyway, here are a few pretty shots from two weeks ago:

Trail of Tears Black Beans

Christmas Lima Beans

First cherry tomatoes poking through

Mother Stoddard's Beans

Sunflowers

Rat-tailed radishes

Kale (planted early May)

Cabbage (planted early May)

Lemon Thyme (perennial)

Rocky, the rooster

Rhubarb-Strawberry Ice Cream

2011-06-21T07:07:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Father's Day with my dad over Cuban Ham and black bean tacos for dinner and fresh rhubarb-strawberry ice cream for dessert. He definitely appreciated this gift. My dad is not one to request seconds, but he had another bowl of this luscious summer cool-down without much prompting. SCORE!

Every spring/early summer, there are two rhubarb treats I feel I must make time to create: rhubarb-ade (plain or in soda form) and a type of rhubarb ice cream. Spring just wouldn't be spring without them. Inevitably, there is a heat wave at the beginning of June, and both of these seem to exist for the sole purpose of taking the edge off.

Last year, we whipped up a batch of a simple rhubarb ice cream. It was perfectly tart and creamy. This year, we tried a rhubarb-strawberry ice cream. It turned out much sweeter, less tart, and very strawberry-y. For me, it's impossible to say which was better - any semblance of a real opinion would be completely mood based. However, for Andy, this version rocked his taste buds, and he's sold on this combination.

Here it is! Hurry and make it - only a week left of rhubarb season:

Ingredients:
3 cups of chopped rhubarb
1 cup of water
1.5 cups of sugar
1 pint of strawberries
1.5 cups of half and half
1.5 cups of heavy cream
4 egg yolks

Instructions:
1. Bring water, rhubarb, and half cup of sugar to a boil. Once it's boiling, remove from heat. Allow to sit for five minutes. Drain.

2. Hull and slice the strawberries. Mix with a half cup of sugar.
3. Combine strawberries and rhubarb together. Mash or blend.
4. Whisk egg yolks with the remaining half cup of sugar.
5. Warm the half and half in a saucepan, stirring constantly so not to burn. When the half and half starts to foam, remove from the heat. Slowly pour this into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly as you pour so that you don't cook the eggs.
6. Once combined, put egg mixture back into saucepan. Warm over low-medium heat, stirring, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon.
7. Remove from heat. Stir in the cream and fruit mixture.
8. Cover mixture and cool. Use ice cream maker to complete.

Pineapple Salsa

2011-06-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

We got a pineapple in our first fruit CSA box of the season! In a few nights, we're having the Poquettes over to celebrate a belated Father's Day. How do these two random sentences relate? GRILLED PINEAPPLE SALSA for said get-together.We'll be serving these up with some tortilla chips before dinner. Huge yum factor!

Here's what we used:
pineapple, cored and cut into chunks
chili powder, to taste
2 garlic scapes
1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes (we used our last one!!! ...but you can also buy similar items at the store)
1/2 red onion, diced
1/2 bunch of cilantro
juice of one lime

How we made it:
1. Sprinkle chili powder onto pineapple chunks and put into a grill pan. Grill over hot coals, tossing frequently. Do this until pineapple is soft.
2. Drain tomatoes and dice. Also, dice pineapple chunks.
3. Combine all ingredients and season to taste. Refrigerate. Let sit overnight if possible so that the flavors have a chance to meld together.

Vegetarian-Omnivore Harmony

2011-06-20T08:18:00.000-07:00

Thoughts from Darcy, the vegetarian in the house

I've been a vegetarian for a decade as of May. I am committed. I don't worry that I'll ever be tempted to return to the Dark Side. I eat better now than I did when I was a meat-eater. I take in more protein because I am conscious about it. I feel lighter, fresher, happier. I love knowing that my dedication to more compassionate eating saves approximately 60 animals per year. I hold no judgements about my fellow meat-eating friends, but I am happy with my choice and intend to advocate for more thoughtful eating (on many levels, not just animal-based ones) until I am out of breath.

My husband knows this to be true; he participates in my rants about factory farming, sends me articles concerning rescues, abuses, and all things related, and he questions food choices all the time. But he can't make the no-meat commitment. He's an omnivore. A compassionate omnivore, but a meat-consuming man nonetheless.

Everyone always assumes that I am married to a vegetarian. When I reply that I'm not, people usually say, "Really? Does that bother you?" ...and I have to say that before meeting Andy, I had idealized meeting some animal-rights advocating, environment-saving, continent-hopping vegan who I'd be inspired to emulate, realizing that my commitment to vegetarianism wasn't enough. The matters of the heart don't always turn out the way we plan (of course), and I met and married a compassionate ... meat-eater!!! (SHRIEK!! GASP!!)

But, he's taught me quite a bit. Meat-eaters can be thoughtful and considerate of the animal whom they're about to consume (CRAZY, I know!). Andy shops around. He doesn't eat at McDonald's (and no offense to those of you who do). He doesn't buy his meat at the chain grocery store down the road. He chooses his meat based on what the animal is allowed and given to eat. He thinks about how far from the farm the slaughterhouse is (because after all, those trucks are packed, moving fast, and scary). He investigates the farms on which the animals are raised, and if possible, drives by and/or visits. And he buys locally and from farmers he's talked with at the farmer's market, at the co-op, or through our CSA.When we have potlucks or go to them, he always volunteers to bring the meat to ensure what he and everyone around him is eating is something he wouldn't be embarrassed to present to Michael Pollen or Barbara Kingsolver.

We also are friends with many who hunt without all of the artificial baits. For me, this seems like a much more ethical, compassionate choice from which to obtain meat than the daily decisions many of us make. While most humans can't imagine shooting a deer, most also have no qualms about eating a steak from the grocery store - a steak that comes from a cow who was fed grain its entire life (not natural), who traveled, possibly across multiple state lines to get to a slaughterhouse, and who never was allowed to frolic or play in its surroundings. I think the venison sounds a bit more up my alley. In fact, had I married a hunter, I might be eating a different diet right now. Who knows?

Ethical eating is a complicated thing. Food involves memories, tastes, textures, beliefs, culture, and family. One's choices offend someone, while to someone else those choices deserve applause. The best we can do is all work for kinder systems and cultural norms. Ones that harm the environment less. Ones that harm living things less. Of course, for many of my veggie readers, you might be thinking: Eating small-scale farm meat is not enough.Hunting is still killing., etc., etc. I understand, but I feel those are a beginning. And compromises. I tend to think we veggies are not going to convert everyone, so we have to advocate for and support kinder, more compassionate farms, transport systems, and slaughterhouses, and we have to applaud those who venture into the woods to obtain their meat for their families naturally.

And, back to living with a (screech!) Meat-Eater!!!....People wonder what happens with The Meat in our house. The gross factor. The thick slab of flesh on the counter or the bloody one dethawing on a white plate in the fridge surrounded by smelly, red blood. Many of my vegetarian friends ask me, ""Really? You're married to a meat-eater? But how do you cook? Doesn't his meat gross you out?"

To that, I say...take a look at what we cooked tonight. We grilled. He had a burger (from Grazers, aka Harmony Valley Farm; Viroqua, WI) with grilled veggies, and I had grilled scallions and asparagus over arugula. I love these meals! So simple. So delicious. So us. ...and as long as I don't have to actually touch the meat - no gross factor.

If you're looking for small-scale farms that sell Andy-approved meat, here are a few in Wisconsin. In and around Madison, these can be found at local farmers' markets, the Yahara River Grocery Co-op in Stoughton, either Willy Street Co-op, and Whole Foods. Some also accept online orders, and you can always make a road trip and visit the place directly to get your meat.

Trautman Farms - Stoughton, WI
Black Earth Meat (Cates Family Farm) - Spring Green, WI
Willow Creek Pork - Baraboo Hills, WI
Fountain Prairie Farms - Fall River, WI (as far as we know, only available at the Farmer's Market or special order)
Jordandal Farms - Argyle, WI
Catnip Hollow Bison (and the owner, Mark Koeppl) has helped MANY of our pets live and/or die peacefully) - Mt. Horeb, WI

CSA Recipe: Fresh Turnip Salad with Curry Vinaigrette

2011-06-12T18:49:00.000-07:00

I love being part of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program. It is amazing to be part of a like-minded community, to invest your money in healthy food grown by hard-working, honest people (who we've met!), and to completely plan for and eat with the seasons. I even like the uncertainty of what kind of season we'll have, how much the weather will affect "our" crops, finding out what new veggies we'll be tasting each season, etc., etc.. But one of the best parts: the recipes we get! Tonight, we tried out Chef Boni's (from our CSA, Harmony Valley Farm) Fresh Turnip Salad with Curry Vinaigrette. Even as I write this an hour later, my taste buds are still dancing in delight (the Chardonnay couldn't have ANYTHING to do with that, could it?). I'm already excited for tomorrow's dinner. Most definitely it will involve some of the leftover vinaigrette.

Here's the recipe for the vinaigrette:

In blender or bowl, measure the following ingredients:
1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
2 tablespoons honey
1 green onion or green garlic, small chop
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Blend all of the above together. With blender running (or if in bowl, while whisking constantly), slowly add 1 cup sunflower oil. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

Salad preparation:
2 cups salad greens
4 baby white turnip bulbs, thinly sliced. Break green tops into bite size pieces and add to salad.
4 radish bulbs, thinly sliced. Break greens into bite sized pieces and add to salad.
3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
1/4 cup toasted almonds, slivered or roughly chopped

Mix gently, then portion onto four plates and drizzle with curry vinaigrette.

...so you might be thinking, "I don't have all that!" No worries! We didn't either. In fact, we didn't have the radishes or radish greens, the almonds, or the sunflower oil. We just eliminated the first three, and for the oil, we just used olive oil. It was delicious. Maybe not as delicious as intended (though I'm having a hard time imagining a tastier salad), but wonderful nonetheless. That's the beauty of most in-season recipes ~ you can do with them what you will...and with what you have left in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Lemon Thyme Ice Cream...with Rhubarb Syrup

2011-06-09T19:10:00.000-07:00

I have a few summer goals, two of which involve my health: weight loss and training for a 1/2 marathon. My intentions are good, my desire is strong, yet here I sit watching Breaking Bad and having a deliciously large helping of Lemon Thyme Ice Cream topped with Rhubarb Syrup for dinner. Hey - the lemon thyme and rhubarb are from the garden, so this can't be all that bad, right?

Today was the last day of school with students. I graded exams, began packing up my room, and then came home to find two of my besties ill with cases of the squirts...all over my house. So, I rushed Carmen the Cat and Franklin the Puppy to the vet, dropped all the money Andy and I will be making proctoring the ACT this upcoming Saturday (and then some), and returned home to clean up the doo-doo. A girl deserves a big helping of delectables after that, wouldn't you agree?

Since we planted a lemon thyme plant last summer, we've been hoping to use it for something wonderful. Kathy, Andy's colleague, brought him a recipe for lemon thyme ice cream last fall, but we never got around to using it before the snow (or it could have been because I was trying to lose weight and train for a 1/2 marathon...my will power is rock solid, I swear!). Finally, tonight, we whipped up a batch.

It was well worth the wait. Tart. Sweet. Refreshing. Delicious. WIN. ...and I'm gonna work out and eat well tomorrow. Seriously.

Wanna make your own? Here you go:
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 1/4 cups whole milk
2 oz fresh cut lemon thyme (rinsed)
9 egg yolks
1 cup sugar

1. Put the heavy cream and whole milk in a saucepan and heat until it is about to boil.

2. Add the lemon thyme. Stir. Remove from heat and leave to infuse for one hour.

3. Slowly reheat the mixture and remove the lemon thyme.
4. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together. Then, slowly add in the milk mixture. Be sure to whisk quickly as you pour in the milk so that the eggs do not cook.
5. Return mixture to pan. Over low heat, stir continuously until the back of your spoon is coated.
6. Cool. Then, put the mixture into your ice cream maker and follow its instructions.
7. If you want, top with a yummy, tangy syrup like our Rhubarb Syrup. Or enjoy as is!

...and 8. If you have egg-laying hens, don't forget to give them all of the egg shells! Janis and Spindy were delirious when they saw the stash of calcium I was about to give them.

Rhubarb Soda

2011-05-29T20:02:00.000-07:00

Have you seen those new soda-making kitchen appliances? Have you thought to yourself, "Maybe I should get one of those?" Well, if yes, you should! Go ahead! It's so worth it. We haven't bought carbonated water or soda since getting ours for Christmas, and our recycling bin has been much emptier. Plus, you can use whatever fruit you have on hand to make seasonal, flavored sodas. The SodaStream is a win-win for sure.

Tonight, we made a simple rhubarb syrup and then added it to the carbonated water we made with our soda-maker.

Here's how:
Bring equal parts rhubarb juice and sugar to a boil. So, for example, we had three cups rhubarb juice (we used a juicer, but a food processor would work too - just drain the juice off), so we added three cups sugar. Save and refrigerate. Add desired amount to your homemade carbonated water. We don't like our soda too sweet, so we added a few tablespoons to one liter.

So refreshing and yummy!

We have a quart of rhubarb syrup left....oh, the possibilities!

One Big Happy Coop

2011-05-18T15:41:00.000-07:00

Quite easily, our little peepers have moved out of the house. We, the human parents, are officially empty-nesting, while the teens are out having a ball in the spring time living it up inside their brand-new big run. No looking back, no calling home, no remorse or sadness. Leaving the confines and safety of the big house came to them as easily as drinking a large glass of wine comes to me.

Nope. The chickies have adapted quite well to their orange and pink coop, and they seem to love their new dormies too.

We do live right next door, but you'd think they'd miss us...a little!?

Hanging with the fluffy-haired Janis. With hair like that, will she warp their young minds?

On Friday, the 13th (goodness gracious!), we left the awkward adolescents out past dark and then simply put them in the coop right after Spinderella and Janis had gone in to roost. The next morning, they all sauntered out and have enjoyed their freedom ever since. Sure, when we visit, they give us the obligatory affection we seek, but for the most part, these chickies are doing pretty well without their parents. We convinced ourselves they'd need us to intervene as they navigated the big, old world of strangers, but nope - that's gone well too. We ran out to protect them from the first day's storm, but they had managed that without us as well. It appears they've grown up.

We're happy they're doing well even though we miss their little "Night, night" sounds. We knew we'd have to let go someday; we just didn't think they'd be so casual about it!

One of the big kids showing the newbies how it's done.

Pretending to care that I'm about to visit.

Need another ramp recipe? We've got one!...Pickled ramps

2011-05-17T18:17:00.000-07:00

If you've been following us lately, you've realized we're in love with ramps. We've blogged about ramp scrambles, ramp lasagna, Wisconsin sushi (made with ramps), and now, up today: pickled ramp bulbs! I guess we just can't bear the thought of eleven more months without the taste of these deliciously wild leeks.

This is our first attempt at pickling the little buggers, so we can't attest to the taste of them quite yet. With that said, pickled ramp recipes are abundant on the Internet and in recipe books, so someone out there thinks they're pretty amazing. If you've tried them or end up making them, let us know what you think.

Here's the recipe (adapted from Seasonal Chef) we used:

Ingredients:

3 bunches of ramps, bulbs separated
1 cup white wine vinegar
1 cup bottled water
½ cup sugar
¼ cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon coriander seed, mustard seed, black peppercorns, fennel seed
1 dried hot chili pepper

Instructions:

1. Clean white bulbs. Go ahead and save stems and leaves for Wisconsin sushi or another recipe. You can also freeze them!

2. Bring white wine vinegar, water, sugar and brown sugar to a boil for 1 minute. Add dried spices and remove from the heat after 1 minute.

4. Blanch ramp bottoms in heavily salted water for 15 seconds. Drain and cool quickly in ice water.
5. Pour brine over ramps. Let them sit in the fridge for 3-5 days before eating them. Or process them for 10 minutes in a water bath for later use.

Creamy Ramp Lasagna

2011-05-16T18:50:00.000-07:00

When's the last time that you threw together a dinner so satisfying that days later you catch yourself reminiscing about the taste and daydreaming about the next time you'll partake in it? Mine was last Saturday evening. On the menu: ramp lasagna. Creamy layers of mushrooms, ramps, and spinach. Perfectly baked lasagna noodles. Cheese. Cheese. Cheese. Need I say more? This recipe is one for the books, maybe even one for a vegetarian or local eating competition or two. It's that delicious! It was a random operation, so the amounts are flexible and not definite.

Ingredients:
8 oz mushrooms
8 oz fresh or frozen spinach
1-2 bunches off Ramps
fresh farmers cheese or Ricotta cheese
blend of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese
bechamel sauce
lasagna noodles

Process:
Make layers of sauce, noodles, farmer cheese, mushrooms, spinach, ramps, and mozzarella/parm blend.
repeat layers until pan is full. Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes or until cheese on top is brown.

The New Backyard Market Member

2011-05-11T18:10:00.000-07:00

We have a new member at the Backyard Market. Franklin, the puppy, joined our residence last Tuesday quite randomly. We've discussed adopting a big doggie for some time now, but always hesitated due to the safety and comfort of the kitty-cats and the chickens -- not to mention the commitment. Then, I saw a poster at work for boxer/ridgeback mixes. A colleague's sister had adopted a dog from the Humane Society only to later find out she was pregnant. The mama had ten rambunctious, drooling babies, so this loving owner (now to 11 dogs!) was desperate to find the little ones safe, loving homes. I couldn't resist. I knew Andy would be smitten the second he saw the puppies, and I had no question that although I've always considered myself a cat person, I could quickly become an equal opportunity pet owner.

Franklin has changed things around here! The kitties are unsure of what is up. The chickens have much stricter times for free ranging. We're hoping our little animal kingdom will find harmony as Frankie learns limits, rules, and some obedience commands. For now, his puppiness is enough to get him out of trouble and endlessly entertain us. And, I have to admit, I can't stop kissing those kissable cheeks.

Wisconsin Sushi

2011-05-11T17:33:00.000-07:00

Ramp season only lasts 4-5 weeks, so we're savoring every single one of these garlicky-oniony bulbs and their luscious green leaves. At the Farmer's Market last weekend, Harmony Valley customers, members, and workers alike mentioned Wisconsin sushi: WI cheese curds or other WI cheese wrapped in ramp leaves. We had to try it that night. More delicious than you're imagining right now, I am sure! Try it soon! Tragically, this may be the last week of 2011 for ramps.

In the pic below, we used Dream Farm Italian spiced goat cheese. That was 100% amazing! Later in the week, on a picnic blanket in the yard, we enjoyed the sun while tearing off ramp leaves and wrapping them around cheese curds. Also, scrumptious. And the primitiveness of the tearing and wrapping outdoors somehow added to the taste.

A Glimpse of Spring

2011-04-25T18:53:00.000-07:00

Finally, finally yesterday we had a nice spring day. Temps were in the 60s, there was a slight breeze, and the sun was shining brightly. Carrots got planted, gardens got tilled, and chickens got exhausted!

Our plants got a bit of fresh air.

Janis and Spindy explored the new coop.

Spindy and Janis explored the tree limb pile (after taking a nap in it).

The bee hive continued waiting patiently for its inhabitants.

The "babies" got out too!

Rita/Rocky perched on Andy's shoulder.

Sadie relaxed.

Lucy-Poo and Prudence enjoyed bugs and grass.

Even Benson and Tucker enjoyed a sunny siesta.

The humans got Chardonnay and yummy Easter leftovers. What a wonderful Sunday.

Snow? The Chicks are Not Fans

2011-04-21T07:24:00.000-07:00

Our little peeping fuzzballs are transforming into awkward (but cute) pullets! By the time our previous batches of chicks were at this age, we had been able to take the little buggers outside each day for a bit. This year's poor chicks have only been out once! They must think they've come to live in some horrible jail-like farmhouse. This week (on my spring break, I might add), the highs have been in the upper 30s-lower 40s, and it actually was snowing at one point! No chance these babies got to go outside during spring break.

For those of you thinking of getting chicks or for those just interested in the process, day-old chicks must start at 95 degree temperatures. With each passing week, the general rule of thumb is that the temperature can be decreased by 5 degrees. These little peepers arrived on March 23, so they are around 4 weeks old. They should be able to happily tolerate temperatures around 75. Although I didn't anticipate the temps being that high this week, I did hope they'd be in the 60s once or twice. I would have taken them to a sunny patch in the yard for an hour or so and let them frolic!

Instead, each night, we've been taking them out and letting them run around our exercise room. They like pecking at dark spots on the hard wood floor and using our heads and arms as roosting spots.

Prudence, starting on the leg

We're fearful that "Rita" is a "Rocky." Her comb is much thicker, she's a bit aggressive, and when we let Benson, the cat, hang out with us, she rushes after him, almost posturing. We're giving "her" lots of love, petting, and time on our laps in an effort to form a good interpersonal relationship. We hope he/she will be a silly, affectionate rooster/hen like Zappa.

Rita (or Rocky?) and Lucy-Poo

Rita the Rooster? (four weeks old)

Sadie is a Barred Rock. She LOVES climbing. Two nights ago, she spent a good 15-minutes on Andy's head. Thank God she didn't decorate his shirt (or hair!). I've recently read that the climbing is to be expected of most Barred Rocks. For now, it's endearing. I wonder if she'll still be trying this when she's a full-grown hen!

She hopped on his head, where she firmly planted herself, moments later.

Sadie is the most affectionate of all these fuzzballs. Is it her breed or just her specific personality?

Hopefully soon, these little chicks will get another go at worms and dirt and stuff. For now, they get to hang with the cats inside.

Benson and the chicks have an interesting relationship.

L-R: Prudence, Rita, and Lucy (3 weeks old)

Ramps: Spring is Here!

2011-04-17T08:56:00.000-07:00

Yesterday it snowed (?!), but yesterday was also the day of the year's first Dane Country Farmers' Market on the Square. Both of us are lucky enough to have gotten part-time jobs with our CSA, Harmony Valley Farm for the farming season. Andy was scheduled for yesterday. I got to stay home in my warm, cozy farmhouse with my growing chicks and crazy cats. Anyway, one of the perks of working at the Farmer's Market for Harmony Valley is that at the end of the shift, workers get to pick out $15 of fresh produce. Seeing that our gardens are weeks/months away from producing, our pantries/freezers are frighteningly bare, and our CSA boxes don't start arriving until May 7th (counting down!), this bonus is stupendous!

Andy walked in our front door after his shift with a bag of red onions, two large burdock roots, and three bunches of our springtime favorite: ramps! If you haven't had ramps, but enjoy scallions, onions, and/or garlic ~ you must try them! The taste embodies spring ~ subtle, slightly sweet, and a bit spicy. The bulbs and leaves are edible, and both are equally wonderful.

Ramps are also known as wild leeks. They grow in moist, sandy soil - often near a water source and/or on hillsides. Once you know what the leaves look like, it's amazing where you see them growing. The first year I had ramps, I saw a prolific amount at Parfrey's Glen (now closed!) in Wisconsin. Of course, I couldn't pick them from a state park, but I have to admit, I was very tempted.

This morning, we used them in an egg scramble. Our first bunch of ramps is almost traditionally used this way. We're looking forward to using some of our fellow CSA-ers' suggestions this year as well. Soon, on the menu, we'll see ramp fettuccine and ramp risotto (maybe even tonight!). Working at the Farmers' Market is exciting! A few more weeks of ramps on the menu. We never feel we get enough - the optimal season for ramps seems too short.

In our egg scramble this morning, we added:
mushrooms
ramps
cream cheese


Spinderella's gorgeous eggs - look at the color of the yolks! These are not pale yolks, folks!

Good-bye Buddy: Thoughts on Saying Good-bye to My Pet Rooster

2011-04-13T18:16:00.000-07:00

Today, the first person I talked to at work was a random colleague. This happened seconds after I set my pet rooster, Zappa onto the front seat, said good-bye to my husband, and tried to compose myself to walk up the sidewalk, up our high school's front stairs, and into our building. I was nervous about this small journey today because no matter how hard I tried, tears were welling up in my eyes, ready to spill at any second. ...and how was I going to explain to everyone why I was entering work crying, and that the overflow of tears was for my pet...rooster?

My initial plan was to quickly and efficiently just make it to my classroom without talking to anyone or being talked to by anyone, but a kind, fellow teacher stopped me steps away from the front door, and asked what was wrong.

The conversation went something like this:

"Are you okay? Darcy, wait!"

"I'm fine. It's just that ...my husband ...right there (pointing to our Subaru) is taking our pet to the vet to be put to sleep," I said.

"I'm so sorry. That's so hard," she replied.

"I'll be okay. Thanks. It's such an awkward situation being dropped off and work and saying good-bye to a pet," I said trying to explain how irrational I might seem.

"No, it's okay. What kind of pet was it? Dog? Cat?" she asked.

"It was my ... chicken," I said sheepishly.

She didn't know what to say, obviously surprised to find my furry friend was instead my feathered friend. When most people hear chicken, they think "yum!" Unless, of course, they've had the lovely experience of bonding with a day-old chick and watching him/her grow.

I tried avoiding the topic all day, but my puffy eyes and red nose weren't helping me keep this top-secret. I was embarrassed to be sad that my chicken was going to get put to sleep. But why? I had loved my little Zapster the same way I love my feline friends. Granted, he was an outside pet, and my kitties live indoors - but I looked forward to driving into our driveway every single day after work to see Zappa hopping to meet me. I learned what each of his sounds meant ~ I knew when he went, "Ba-caw!" he probably was just protecting his hens from...a butterfly or airplane. I knew his happy sounds. I knew that he preferred cranberries over raisins, but raisins over apples. I learned where to pet his little neck to get him to fall asleep, almost instantly. I knew how to hold my hand so that he could rest his chest comfortably into it and get cozy warm. I cared and loved him like I've cared and loved any pet. Why was I ashamed of that today? He was my little buddy ~ one that would answer with a loud, "Cock-a-doodle-doo!" anytime I said, "Hi Buddy!", even from the living room window.

Pondering this tonight, I've realized it might seem silly to most to be sad about a little rooster dying, but to me, it's even sillier to feel sheepish about shedding tears for losing a pet -- any pet. Anytime anyone sends love or compassion into the world, the world is happier. I'm happy to have given Zappa a wonderful life. I'm happy that I treated a rooster with compassion and kindness. I'm happy that he felt love and joy. That's something I can take comfort in tonight, despite my heavy heart, my tight throat, and my sore eyes. Zappa was loved, and for all of my anthropomorphizing tendencies (about which I'm happy to admit), I believe he loved us too.

Zappa died peacefully at the vet. Yes, we actually paid to have our rooster euthanized humanely, just like we would any other pet (after all, he was a pet -- he wasn't laying eggs, and he certainly wasn't ever going to actually protect our hens!). He began limping yesterday, and by this morning, he was unable to walk and had lost interest in eating. We've gone through this Marek's thing before, and so we decided to act quickly. Why prolong his suffering when we knew how this would end?

Regardless, it wasn't easy to say good-bye, and for now, I'm not embarrassed of that at all.


Zappa with Ani, just a few weeks old


A few months old

In all his glory

Look how big a normal hen looks against our little Zapster

Four Frolicking Friends: the Chicks' First Day Out

2011-04-11T18:18:00.000-07:00

Is there anything cuter than Lucy-Poo?

On Sunday, the high hit 80 degrees. The chicks should be at 80 degrees by this Wednesday, so we figured we could take them out for a few minutes at least.

If you're thinking about getting chicks, an important fact to know is that their first week of life requires a temperature around 95. Each passing week, the temperature should be lowered 5 degrees. We're hoping our chicks' needs meet the outside temperature more regularly soon. After seeing how much fun they had finding worms, scratching, and flying around, it's a little sad to see them stuck in their brooder. Today, having them play around inside on towels didn't feel quite the same!

Here'a a few pics of their first day in their more natural habitat:

Rita isn't sure about this whole grass thing.

Rita, ready for the roughage now

Four frolicking friends

Lucy and Prudence

Her first mouth full of worm. Ew?

Simple Spring Updates

2011-04-06T18:54:00.000-07:00

For our records... all plants were transplanted on Sunday morning before the Film Festival. Our catnip never popped up. Benson will be so sad.

And...tonight, Andy's constructing our top-bar bee hive. Next week, The Backyard Market will be home to 3 lbs. of bees!

Our chicks are two-weeks old today and have really feathered out. All four cuddled onto my stomach tonight and took a nap.

...on a wonderfully springy note: our daffodils, tulips, and other random flowers are reaching towards the sun. Blooms by Easter?

The Beatles' Chicks Reside in Joe's Garage

2011-03-28T17:38:00.000-07:00

We've named the chicks! We're crossing our fingers that these little ones are all hens and that Marek's STAYS AWAY! Our new little fuzzballs came from My Pet Chicken - they sex chicks (with a 90% accuracy rate), and we vaccinated all four for the dreaded and fatal Marek's disease.

We love them!

All of them received female names of characters in Beatles' songs.

Our little yellow one is named Lucy (or Lucy-Poo after her whole poo situation) from Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.

Lucy Poo

Our little Barred Rock is named Sadie from the song Sexy Sadie. She's very spunky, so we figured . . .

Sexy Sadie

Our very sweet dark brown one is named Prudence from the song Dear Prudence. The lyrics remind us of her too:
"Dear Prudence, won't you come out to play
Dear Prudence, greet the brand new day
The sun is up, the sky is blue
It's beautiful and so are you
Dear Prudence won't you come out to play"

Sweet, sweet Prudence

And finally, "Andy's chicken" - Rita. She is so pretty and very affectionate. Her name comes from the song Lovely Rita. "Nothing can come between us, When it gets dark I tow your heart away." Sweet.

Lovely Rita

Lucy-Poo: Chicks and Pasting Up

2011-03-28T17:12:00.000-07:00

Lucy-Poo

The subject of our post today is poop. Poo. Crap. Doo-doo. Dookie. Feces. More specifically, chick poo.

One of the worries chicken owners have when getting new little chicks is that they may paste up. In fact, it's something every chicken owner should check for every day on every single little chick that he or she has. Tiny chicks can get stressed out, especially after getting transported or having their housing changed. When they get stressed, they often hunker down, causing poo to get stuck to the feathers by their vent. The pasting refers to the thick poop that is being excreted. Pasting up refers to their vents getting essentially blocked by dried doo-doo, leaving new dookie without an exit.

Pasting up is not in and of itself too big of a deal. However, it can be fatal if left unchecked. That's why it's essential to check each chick each day.Little Lucy (who is now being affectionately referred to as Lucy Poo) got pasted up on Friday. She did not exhibit any sort of lethargy or illness. We only noticed the pasting up by checking her little bottom.

So what to do if you have a chick who has pasted up? Well, wipe her little tush. We used a warm, wet paper cloth. We held it on the bottom of her bum until the poop loosened and easily came off. Lucy was not happy with this AT ALL. She peeped loudly, and when we put her down, she kept trying to scratch her raw little butt. She soon got over it though, and she still loves us.

The good news is that this is a short-term worry. You won't have to wipe a large chicken's bum! Chicks grow incredibly fast, so the pasting-up concern need only be present the first few weeks of a chick's life.

What to do with all of these radishes? - Tacos, of course!

2011-03-26T19:06:00.000-07:00

What to do with several bags of winter radishes in mid-March? Pickle 'em for radish tacos, of course!

Recently, I bought several dozen homemade flour tortilla's from a student's family, so we'd been craving "Mexican" anyway.

A few years back, Tex Tubb's Taco Palace in Madison offered a Daikon Radish taco. I was in love with it. I ordered two each time I went. I was sad when it was discontinued. I still ask for it each time I'm there in hopes I'll get a chef/wait person from the good old days who will make me one. I never have any luck on that one.

So, we created our own! We made a coleslaw with a kick, a mayo-based sauce, pickled radishes, and viola - even better radish tacos.

This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thank god we have this blog to record the process.

Pickled Radishes (good for more than just tacos - that's for sure!)
up to 4 lbs. radishes (you could add carrots to the mix if you'd like)
6 c. water
1.5 c. white vinegar (5% acidity)
1 c. apple cider vinegar (5% acidity)
1/4 c. kosher salt
1 garlic clove per jar
1 sliced pickled jalapeno per jar
2 dried chipotle peppers
1 tbsp. mustard seed
3/4 tbsp. celery seeds
15 coriander seeds
6 allspice berries, plus a pinch of ground allspice
1/2 tsp. turmeric

Directions:
Add everything except the radishes (and whatever else you add!), jalapenos, and garlic to a non-reactive soup pot. Bring to a boil. Put the radishes, jalapenos, and garlic into a Tupperware or jar. Pour liquid over veggies. Refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours before eating. The longer you wait, the deeper the flavor will be! However, if you can't wait (like I couldn't), dig in early.

If you want to process them, put them in sterilized mason jars, and process in a water bath for 10 minutes.

Coleslaw with a Kick
1 purple head of cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup yogurt
hot sauce (we used ghost pepper hot sauce) to taste
1-2 teaspoons of sugar
a pinch of salt

Directions:
We made this on the fly, so these measurements are guesstimates. Combine all ingredients except cabbage. Taste as you add ingredients to make sure the flavor suits your palate. Then, add the shredded cabbage. Refrigerate.

Chipotle-Mayonnaise Sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced
chipotle adobe sauce
lime juice
mayonnaise
sour cream

Combine all ingredients. Taste to find the correct combination for your liking.

Andy decided he wanted to add some meat to the mix. He brought up a piece of Bodin's fish from the freezer. He spiced it up and got it ready for fish tacos.

Pickled radishes, coleslaw, tortillas, marinated fish

Achiote Fish
4 rounded tablespoons achiote seeds
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
12 whole allspice
white fish

Put all ingredients into ingredients (except the fish) into a coffee or spice grinder. Dump contents into a bowl. Add water until you get a thick paste. Spread paste on fish. Marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.

To cook it, heat a cast-iron skillet or non-stick pan on medium high. Add enough oil to coat the pan. Put the fish in for 1-2 minutes per side.

Assemble the tacos: tortilla, pickled radishes and/or achiote fish, coleslaw, and chipotle-mayonnaise sauce. Wow! Yum! Stupendous! Bring on the margaritas! . . . and, is summer here yet? This plate is summer on a plate.

Baby chicks

2011-03-23T10:29:00.000-07:00

The newest members of our family arrived this morning. We are the proud parents of four new baby chickens. At 6:00 A.M the phone rang loudly, and we knew who was on the other line. The post office was calling to let us know that our baby chicks were ready to be picked up. Looking outside you would never think that this was the time to start raising chickens. We received a dangerous mixture of rain and snow last night. Neither rain, sleet, or snow will keep these precious chickens from coming to their new home. We arrived safely home and immediately put the new babies into their new brooder. We are hopeful that these new babies will grow into happy life loving, healthy chickens. The new chicks were vaccinated for Mareks disease. So fingers crossed that they will never contract it.

Here are some pics of the newest members to our family.

As you look at these~ do any names come to mind? We originally wanted iconic female music artists, but we'd take names from songs too.

Transplant #1...and Catnip?

2011-03-22T19:26:00.000-07:00

This afternoon our jalapenos, cabbage, kale, and brussel sprout seedlings all moved up in the world. They were transplanted from trays to small pots.

Transplants marked with pink post-its

The catnip has still not sprouted! Uh, oh kitties. Maybe that's a good thing? Last year, we were mauled by Benson, the cat, every time we came in after touching our catnip plants. Now in March, he still patiently waits on the buffet where we had stored fresh sprigs. He's going to be waiting a long time if we can't get these seeds to grow this year! Anyone have any experience starting this cat "drug" from seed?

Spare room or grow room? The catnip is still covered by the cardboard strip.

Spring!

2011-03-21T18:55:00.000-07:00

There is no more snow in our yard. Hallelujah! Our chickens are out, scratching around in the mud - hoping to find worms, I think. Tulip and daffodil leaves are shooting up, and it's only a matter of time before yellow, purple, and reds will randomly decorate a green blanket of grass. It's probably also only a very short amount of time before we're swatting mosquitoes as we try to enact our idealistic notions of Chardonnay and grilling veggies on the deck.

Until then, I can go upstairs and look in our unofficial "grow room." Currently we have 150 seeds planted, all veggies/fruits that typically do better with a jump start indoors. The first tray was planted March 9th and consists of the following:

5 cayenne pepper
5 brussel sprouts
5 cabbages
5 round peppers
5 red bell peppers
5 jalapeno
5 fish pepper
5 ancho pepper
5 catnip
5 lacitino kale

Everything has popped up and is doing well with the exception of the catnip.

Then, on the 16th, we filled the second tray with 45 tomato seeds and 5 tomatillo seeds. Will it be raining red around here in a few months or what?

Today, Andy planted the final tray with 35 leeks, 5 St. John's Wort, 3 amaranth, 5 ground cherries, and 2 mystery seeds. Who knows what adventures will come of those? Unmarked in an envelope...we figured we might as well give them a shot.

...so 150 plants to be transplanted in May. We also have packets of beans, corn, melons, and squash to be planted into the ground. Methinks we're going to be busy gardeners!

Happy growing!

Defending Family Farms: Tractorcade Protest in Madison, WI

2011-03-20T09:12:00.000-07:00

This farmer was rockin' the parade with a trailer of drums.

Our blog has been somewhat on a hiatus for the past month; we've been protesting at the State Capitol.Both of us are teachers, so we are worried about the future of education as we fear the government is moving education towards more and more privatization, but this blog isn't about that. It's about another set of our values: local food, sustainable living, and small-scale, family-owned farms, during this time of corporate, big business controlled agriculture. Our motivation for writing this entry is not to offend or sway, but simply to express our perspective on how this bill will affect small- and medium-sized family farms.

On March 12th, 53 tractors drove around the Capitol, while over 100,000 protesters shouted, "Thank you, thank you!" Farmers decided to join in solidarity with other public workers and supporters, in part, because of the following effects this bill willh ave on them:

Collective bargaining rights are essential for farmers' co-ops. Farmers involved are worried that they will be next on the chopping block. The Vice President of Family Farm Defenders and a dairy farmer himself, Greeno, said, "“Collective bargaining rights are the principles that all of our co-ops operate on. And if they start eroding collective bargaining rights for workers, farmers in co-ops are just next on the chopping block, so if we don’t stand together and defend our rights, we all going to take cuts in turn.”
Farmers who operate Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs are concerned that their programs will be cut due to other public workers' salaries being cut. They've noted that many of their members are teachers and other public workers.
Badger Care and Medicaid programs funding will be put in the hands of the current government administration. Their intentions are to cut the program. Many farmers have Badger Care; it's a taxpayer-subsidized program, and most farmers can't afford other programs. This bill will effectively cut the only insurance many farmers can afford, thereby making it even more difficult for small farms to sustain themselves.
Sustainable agriculture programs such as Buy Local Buy Wisconsin will be slashed and gutted.
Wisconsin's farmland preservation program will be cut. At the time the program was created, over 30,000 acres of farmland were lost per year. The cuts will undermine the efforts to preserve farmland from development which would make agriculture impossible and the efforts to build agricultural business on those lands.

All in all, many farmers feel Walker's bill is harmful! And they came out to show their support! Here are some of our favorite pictures from the Tractorcade.

Here's said trailer of drums.

It was an inspirational day. One can only hope that this bill will not impede on all of the efforts over the past years to make small-scale farming sustainable and local eating for all possible.

Very Late Christmas Additions: Chutney and Coleslaw

2011-01-30T07:08:00.000-08:00

Even though I'm a bit late (like a month!), I still want to share our Christmas menu. We experimented with two traditional sides, and the results were delicious. I have to record the recipes so that I remember to make them again!

The first: Fruity Coleslaw

6 cups green or savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
2 cups red cabbage, thinly sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, chopped
2 clementines or tangerines, peeled, divided into segments and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
Combine the cabbage and onion in a large bowl.
Mix the sugar, buttermilk, mayonnaise and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the vegetable mixture and toss to coat thoroughly.
Fold in the cranberries, pistachios and clementines. Season with salt and pepper.
Let stand for at least 1 hour or refrigerate for up to 8 hours before serving. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper before serving. Serves 6.

— From Recipes from the Root Cellar by Andrea Chesman

The Second: Cranberry Pear Hazelnut Chutney

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries, picked over, and stemmed
1¼ cups sugar
3 whole cloves
1 cinnamon sticks about 3 inches long
½ teaspoon salt
2 firm Bosc or Anjou pears, peeled, halved lengthwise, cored, and cut into ½ inch dice
1 small yellow onion, diced
½ cup golden raisins
⅔ cup diced crystallized ginger
¼ cup whole hazelnuts, roasted, skins removed, and halved (see Cook’s Notes)

Instructions

In a deep 6-quart saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, ½ cup water, cloves, cinnamon, and salt.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Cook until the cranberries begin
to open, about 10 to 12 minutes. Adjust the heat so the mixture simmers.

Stir in the pears, onion, raisins, and ginger. Continue to cook, stirring frequently, until thick, 10 to 15 minutes
longer.
Remove from the heat, stir in the hazelnuts, and allow the mixture to cook to room temperature.

Discard the cinnamon sticks and cloves if you can find them.

Refrigerate in tightly sealed jars for up to 3 months.

Makes about 1 quart

Cook’s Note: Try to buy shelled hazelnuts (also known as “fi lberts”) with the skins removed. To roast,
place the nuts on a rimmed baking sheet in a preheated 375 degree F oven. Roast for about 15 minutes,
until lightly browned. If they have skins, when they cool enough to handle, lay them on a clean
kitchen towel, or between several sheets of paper towels. Rub the nuts to remove most of the skins
(they never completely come off). You can substitute unsalted cashews, if necessary. Roast like hazelnuts,
until lightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes.

--recipe from Harmony Valley Farm

The rest of our menu consisted of what we could dig out of the fridge and a turkey.

Appetizers:


Crackers and cheese, pickled beets, dip and veggies, pickled beans


Dill dip with carrots, winter radishes, and sunchokes

Sliced Daikon radishes with herbed cream cheese

Main Course

turkey

rutabaga-potato mash

mushroom gravy

fruity coleslaw

cranberry pear hazelnut chutney

Dessert

leftover Christmas cookies

Irish Cream

Merry Belated Christmas!

New Chicks to Arrive on March 21st!

2011-01-24T17:09:00.000-08:00

Andy is excited for his spring break! On March 21st, he'll get to go pick up our newest chicks from the post office. We've ordered 3 more Easter Eggers and 1 Barred Plymouth Rock. Chicks are so cute. When I look at them, I instantly feel so giddy that I have to contain my squeals. It will be hard for me to stay at work all day knowing there are new little peepers at home.

Easter Egger chicks

Adult Easter Egger (Spinderella is an Easter Egger)

Barred Plymouth Rock Chickies

Barred Plymouth Rock Adult

All of them will be getting vaccinated for Marek's as we don't know if we still have the disease on our property. We're crossing our fingers, knocking on wood, and praying to all entities that all chickens will remain healthy.

A "Small" Seed Purchase

2011-01-24T16:57:00.000-08:00

"This year, we're just going to use our seeds from last year. No new seeds. We have enough."
"This year, let's be more realistic about what we actually can plant."
"This year, really, let's just order a few packs to supplement what we have saved up in the closet."

A-hem...well, those conversations were had BEFORE the Seed Savers catalog arrived in January. Simplicity went out the window as visions of juicy orange melons and sun-kissed tomatoes appeared in both of our brains. A hefty order later...and viola! Here are the packages of seeds (and the reasons why we HAD to purchase each) that are now sitting in a manila envelope on our kitchen table:

Christmas Lima Beans (going to be so pretty!)
Opalka Tomatoes (justifiable BECAUSE they are romas without a ton of seeds)
Bloody Butcher Corn (How could we resist with a name like that?)
Lovage (all of Deborah Madison's soups call for lovage...)
Green husk tomatillos (Salsa Verde...hello!?!?)
Blue Solaise Leeks (We never have enough leeks...)
Mongolian Giant Sunflowers (Our chickens NEED these.)
Orangeglo Watermelons (melons, melons, melons!)
Cherokee Trail of Tears Beans (black beans for the pantry)
Grandma Einck's Dill (pickles!)
Copenhagen Market Cabbage (helps fight off cancer)
Danvers Carrots (Last year's breed was so small...our garden requires new ones!)
Cilantro (again, salsa verde!)
Traveler Strain Jalapeno Pepper (First year Seed Savers has sold actual jalapenos!)
Good Mother Stallard Beans (We actually needed to order more of this one. We were out.)
Oaxacan Green Dent Corn (We want to try our hand at green corn flour.)
Brandywine Tomato (out of this garden staple)
Detroit Dark Red Beets (out of these too)
Long Island Improved Brussel Sprouts (looking for a new gardening challenge)
Martino's Roma Tomatoes (a staple of which we ran out)
Joe's Round Peppers (pickled peppers! hot sauce!)
Lemon Drop Tomatoes (We HAD to order these. They won the taste award last year.)

We also have a pack of Amish Pie Squash on the way. These produce big, beautiful orange pumpkin-like squash. I'm excited to see them decorating our lawn.

And potatoes, of course. They'll be shipped in April. This year's choices include Blue Potatoes and German Butterball Potatoes.

Once again, I'm most excited for melons. This year's are going to be ORANGE!

Seed-ordering day produces so much excitement in our little house - it's a bit silly! I bet it's almost possible to see little dream clouds floating above both our heads as we idealize and romanticize each year's garden. I'm sure this happens to all avid gardeners; it's part of the process and part of the fun. Of course, this year, I'm counting on our dreams matching our reality (wink, wink!).

If all above + all of last year's seeds weren't enough, Andy is hellbent on ordering a packet of ghost pepper seeds. He fell in love with a Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce that we bought in Austin. I've located a place or two from which I could buy a packet, but for the outrageous price of $7.00 or so for around a dozen seeds. Any advice?

And...I want to plant sunchokes this year. I have a little baggie of them saved. I'm still researching exactly how to plant them, so if you have grown them before, please comment! I'm excited for the tall, yellow flowers they produce; in fact, I've heard chickens love sunchoke plots. Plus, you can't beat the nutritional value of the sunchoke (even if they do create the occasional rumbling of the tummy!).

Happy Gardening .... someday soon!

The Stylish Blogger Award

2011-01-17T12:42:00.000-08:00

First, I'd like to thank Heather at (G)O'Donnell for awarding me the Stylish Blogger Award! It is always such a pleasure to be acknowledged and to know that at least one person reads these blog entries.

Here is how the Award works:

Make a post + Link back to the person who awarded you this award
Share 7 things about yourself
Award 15 recently discovered great bloggers so we can share the love (I'm going to stick with what those before me have done though and award fewer than that)
Contact these bloggers and tell them they’ve won

Here is goes! This is a joint effort between both writers at The Backyard Market (Andy and Darcy):

1. We met at a Burger King on our way to a Dave Matthews Band concert. We had mutual friends who were meeting up, and we both were along for the ride. Now, from time to time, we pass that special Burger King, where both of us experienced love at first sight, and are tempted to stop...but then we come to our moral senses and keep driving.

2. In Las Terrenas in the Dominican Republic, we met two sweet, friendly children. We spoke Spanish with them, and they graciously helped us with new words and forming sentences. I mentioned that I liked chickens. They arranged to bring me one to take back to the United States the next morning. Their innocent and charming personalities made it hard to decline the offer.

3. Whenever we travel, we (months ahead of time) research all the local food co-ops in the area where we are going. We get more than excited to search them out once our plane lands or our car crosses the city lines.

4. We can't decide whether to live in the city or the country. We love it in the country, but adore the city. We're here in the country now. Who knows for how long? Andy thinks we should just buy some land in Central Park. Hehe.

5. On our first date, I mentioned that I was an ENFP according to the Meyers-Briggs personality test and that I was obsessed with the test's types. In fact, I felt I could figure out someone's personality code upon meeting them. I mentioned this at the Hilltop (where we were dining), and Andy spit out his code (INFP) like nobody's business. I was instantly in love.

6. I became a vegetarian a few months before we began dating. Andy had just developed what he thinks is his best dish: steak with mushrooms and blue cheese. Bad timing.

7. For some reason, we both have an adoration for songs that use the f-word with passion, in lines where cursing would seem unexpected, and from voices that seem innocent and sweet. Example: Rilo Kiley's "Better Son/Daughter."

There you go! Those may or may not have been interesting, but they're us.

And now...for my awards. Here are a few of my favorite bloggers:

1. Megan at Our Crowded Mantel
2. Ian at Moan Laur B & B
3. Happy Chickens
4. Hitchhiking to Heaven

Ani, our feather-footed friend

2011-01-17T07:45:00.000-08:00

Way back in October of 2010, Ani, our feather-footed Bantam, passed away.This post should have been written months ago, but I think we were subconsciously avoiding it. At the time of her death, we were going through our own human health issues, and the sadness in seeing her pass was overwhelming on top of our looming feelings of mortality and all of that. Of course, as always, our sentimental feelings about our chickens are our own, and we realize they might sound quirky...or loony...to some of our readers. Sorry about that! We've grown surprisingly attached to our birds.

If you've followed the chicken posts of our blog, you know that our chickens were hit with Marek's disease, which is seemingly rare in small operations such as our own. Ani began acting lethargic, and she had a slight limp. These signs were unlike what our other chickens had exhibited, so we remained hopeful that she was just coming down with something else. We took her to the vet, who felt unsure if she was dying from Marek's or just sick. We kept her inside in a pet carrier and administered some meds, but she died (peacefully?) on a Sunday afternoon. She's buried in our backyard, far from where our other chickens visit.

A side note (for all of you new chicken-keepers) is that through research, I've learned that if a hen is to get Marek's, a very vulnerable time is when she is about to lay her first egg. I believe Ani was egg-ready.

Ani stole my heart as my favorite chicken. She had such a bouncy gait, and when I picture her, it's usually images of her running and flying to keep up with me or Andy, venturing around our yard. She was crazily affectionate. The second one of us entered her run, she'd desperately try to seek out one of our limbs or shoulders onto which she could land. When our run with Marek's began, I silently hoped and prayed that Ani and Zappa would be spared above all others. I think that because we got those two first, we spent the most time bonding with them, and so, they became more affectionate than the others, and hence, we saw them more as pets than our other chickens.

Here are my favorite images from her very short little life.

Spinderella Laid an Egg!

2011-01-05T16:06:00.000-08:00

When we pulled into the driveway tonight, we knew something was up in the chicken house. Zappa and Janis, our two Bantams, were outside playing in the snow. Our hardier Easter Egger, Spinderella, was no where to be seen, even after several human calls, to which she'd normally fly out and greet.

Andy peeked inside the coop and found a nice greenish-blue egg along with Spindy. That's right! Spinderella, our little baby chick, is now an egg-laying, grown-up hen.

Here's that egg:

Spicy Pickled Carrots

2010-12-23T17:22:00.000-08:00

When we first moved to Madison, we frequented Casa de Lara where we experienced spicy pickled carrots served in our chip bowl. Such delicious memories of those that my mouth actually started watering typing that last sentence. Our first year as Harmony Valley members we acquired enough carrots to can a few batches of our own. That was several years ago, so it's been a long time since jars of orange pickled goodness have graced our pantry shelves.

A few weeks ago, Harmony Valley Farm offered a produce plus box of 10 pounds of carrots to its members. That means that members can buy an item in bulk in addition to their regular vegetable boxes. Our intention with all of these carrots involved lots of juicing (and freezing that juice for later consumption) and canning spicy pickled carrots!

Tonight, we canned 5 quarts of these spicy treats for later and pickled 2 quarts for refrigerator storage. I wish we had found time earlier this month to get this work done. I'd have loved to share these along with some homemade tortilla chips and canned salsa over the holidays. Oh well! Easter, perhaps?

The recipe is here, on one of our favorite fellow foodie blogs, Hitchhiking to Heaven. If you haven't, check this blog out! It's ripe with recipes for anything you'd ever want to jam, jelly, and/or can.

The only adaptions we made were:
1) we cut ours into slices instead of spears to make it easy to add these sour-spicy-sweet snacks to our chip bowl.
2) we added one dried guajillo pepper to each jar for an extra kick!

Eggs in Time for the Holiday Season!

2010-12-19T17:16:00.000-08:00

On Friday, Andy found not one, but two eggs in our chicken coop! One was broken and frozen, and the other was as fresh as a daisy. Today we used the intact one to make bread.

Here's that egg:

This morning, we went out to the coop again and found another egg. Janis (the white Polish hen) is the star! We gave the chickens some attention and some treats. Zappa and Spinderella loved the playtime, but Janis was content with eating egg shells as fast as she could.

Later this afternoon, we went shopping for Christmas dinner and spirits, and so we browsed through our blog to find our Irish Cream recipe. In last year's entry, we mentioned that we hoped it was our final year buying eggs for that recipe. Our resolution one year ago was to have chickens laying eggs by now. Even after Marek's, our little layers didn't let us down.

Vegetable Chowder

2010-12-13T17:57:00.000-08:00

Walking from the car to our front door is becoming a challenge. The wind gusts slap our faces in the blackness of the 5:00 sky. Upon opening the door, our wet shoes are taken off, leaving clumps of snow scattered on the welcome mat. Gloves, hats, and jackets hang over the backs of chairs, leaving yet one more sign that winter is indeed here.

The Christmas tree looks beautiful, so once cozied inside, winter doesn't seem so bad. Even better, soups are always filling the house with smells of earthy roots and dried herbs. Tonight is no exception. Tonight is Vegetable Chowder Soup Night.

Here's our recipe, adapted slightly from Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen :

2 cups milk
3 Tbs. butter
5-6 cups of water
1 rutabaga *
2 cups carrots
3 blue potatoes*
1 large onion
8 cloves of garlic
1 turnip*
6 stalks of celery or one diced celeriac*
lovage
sprigs of dried thyme and parsley
salt and peppercorns

Instructions:
1. Bring milk, lovage, parsley, onion, garlic, whole peppercorns, and thyme to a slow boil. Remove from heat and cover while preparing the vegetables.

2. Chop vegetables into large and attractive pieces.
3. Heat butter over medium to medium-high heat in a large soup pot. Add vegetables and saute for roughly 5 minutes or until they are warm.

4. Stir in flour and water. Bring to a boil. Once at a boil, simmer, slightly covered for 15-20 minutes or until vegetables are tender with a slight crunch.
5. Strain milk and add to a blender. Add 1-2 cups of vegetable mixture and puree until smooth.
6. Return pureed mixture to the remaining vegetables. Heat for another 5-10 minutes to incorporate flavors.
7. Serve warm over Parmesan toasts.

* Vegetables could be interchanged with other seasonal root vegetables.

For one cup servings: 132 cal; 4.3 g fat; 2 g sat. fat; chol 11 mg; sod 184 mg; carb 21.1; fiber 4.4 g; sugar 9.5 g; protein 3.7 g; Vit A 254% DV; Vit C 48% DV; Calcium 11% DV; Iron 4% DV

A Hot Cup of Tea

2010-12-12T15:21:00.000-08:00

If you know us personally, you know that we LOVE tea. Hot and cold. There's a tea for every mood, every season, every stage of every day.

Tired? Brew a cup of green.
Full? Brew a pitcher of pu-erh or oolong.
Not tired, but need to be? Brew a cup of chamomile or lavender or a blend.
Just craving something warm? Brew my personal favorite, mint green tea.
In need of a flavorful immune booster? Brew up a cup of hibiscus.
...need a pick me up? Try our new personal blend created by Andy and produced just for us by Adagio Teas. It's a mixture of ginseng green, ginger, and artichoke green tea.

Description:

This healthful tonic of ginseng and ginger, paired with the delightful flavor of the Artichoke Green goes down smooth and leaves you feeling clean and at peace. These flavors are staples in the kitchen of the Backyard Market. Enjoy!

So, you might be thinking, "Tea isn't grown locally! Hypocrites!" And to that we answer, "Why no, traditional teas are not grown locally, so we try to grow as many of our herbal teas as possible. And, as for the traditional types, we allow ourselves this luxury. We just have to for our peace of mind and for our health. ...and we're addicted."

If you're thinking of trying our blend, please do! On the right sidebar, click on the tea widget and order some. Let us know what you think.

Directions: Brew a couple of Tbs of tea at 185 degrees for 3 minutes.

Thanksgiving(s) 2010

2010-12-04T08:45:00.000-08:00

Thursday's dinner at Andy's parents' house was a delightfully tasty collection of the season's favorites: a turkey, potatoes, stuffing, gravy, Jill's sweet potato casserole, our squash and apple soup, a cranberry mold, and of course, a variety of pie, including our Ginger Sweet Potato Pie.

As is tradition for the past few years, we shop for the turkey, and then split the cost with Andy's parents. This year we were fortunate enough to buy from a company called Black Earth Meats about which we felt pretty good (well, as good as one can feel about any farmed meat). As noted on Black Earth Meat's website, "Our animals are never held in confinement, are never fed antibiotics and never receive synthetic growth hormones." That's about as good as it can get in these times of big business and large farms. Well, short of going out into the woods and hunting down a turkey yourself!

Then, on Friday, as has become tradition, Darcy's parents came over for a Vegetarian Thanksgiving Feast. We started the day with pickled beets and beans, crostinis and cheese from our CSA box, and dates.

Later, we whipped up most of this year's Vegetarian Times' holiday menu. We modified a bit, and spent only $35.89 for this meal. Our canned foods, CSA box, and freezer stock helped out immensely. The seasonal Vegetarian Tiimes' menus never disappoint; this year was no exception. The menu was based off of Greens Restaurant in San Francisco and including the following:

Winter Squash, Leek, and Apple Soup with Cider Creme Fraiche
Wild Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Shepard's Pies with Mushroom Pinot-Noir Sauce
Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Rainbow Chard with Pumpkin Seeds
Wilted Spinach and with Asian Pears, Blue Cheese, and Toasted Pecans (we didn't get to this one)
Honey-Almond Tart with Orange Mascarpone (we had squash pie instead)

The highlights were the soup (which we consumed both Thanksgiving days and then had a few bowls for leftovers) and the Wild Mushroom Shepard's Pies with Mushroom Pinot Noir Sauce. This is our third blog entry with a different version of squash soup. Why so many, you might ask? Well, 1) each is a bit different, 2) it's fun to experiment and try new varieties, and 3) most importantly, the three versions point to the countless ingredients and ways you could make squash soup. It really is a simple soup incorporating squash, liquid, and spices. The rest is up to you and your palette.

Here's how you make this holiday's version of the soup and the Sheperd's Pie with Pinot-Noir Sauce.

Winter Squash, Leek, and Apple Soup with Cider Creme Fraiche
Ingredients:
Soup:
1 large winter squash, halved, seeds removed
1 tart apple, peeled, cored, and quartered
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 medium leeks, white parts only, sliced (2 cups)
1/2 tsp. salt
2 pinches ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups Vegetable Stock
1 bay leaf
Cider Creme Fraiche
1/2 cup creme fraiche
2 Tbs. apple cider or apple juice

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squash face down and apple quarters in large baking dish. Add 1 cup of water, cover, and roast for 35-40 minutes, or until squash is tender.

Cool until squash is easy to handle. Scoop flesh from skin; you should have 6 cups.
2. Heat oil in large soup pot. Add leeks, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1 pinch. pepper; cook 3 minutes, or until pot is nearly dry. Add squash, apple, stock, remaining 1/4 tsp. salt, remaining pinch of pepper, and bay leaf; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered 20 minutes. Remove bay leaf, and puree with immersion blender until smooth and creamy (we just put ours in our Cuisinart). Cook over low heat for 15 minutes.
3. To make Cider Creme Fraiche: whisk together ingredients in a small bowl.
4. To serve, ladle hot Soup into bowls and swirl with Cider Creme Friache. (Hint: If serving for a holiday, I would not skip this step. The Cider Creme Fraiche took the soup up a few notches. I'd also make a bit more Creme Fraiche if I were to serve it at another more formal gathering).

PER ONE CUP OF SOUP AND 1 TBS. OF CREME FRAICHE: 155 CALORIES; 2 G PROT; 6 G TOTAL FAT (3 GRAM SAT. FAT); 24 G CARBS; 13 MG CHOL; 392 MG SOD; 5 G FIBER; 10 G SUGARS

Wild Mushroom and Caramelized Onion Shepherd's Pie(s)
This can be made into 8 individual ramekins or into one 9-inch pie. We chose to do the latter.
Ingredients:
FOR THE POTATOES:
3 lb. gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup heavy cream
4 Tbs. unsalted butter
6 Tbs. grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
2 Tbs. chopped chives
FOR THE FILLING:
5 Tbs. olive oil, divided, plus more for greasing
2 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced (3 cups)
3 medium portobello mushroom caps
1.5 lb. assorted wild mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup grated Asiago cheese
2 Tbs. flat leaf parsley, thyme, oregano, and/or sage

Instructions:
1. To make Potatoes: Put potatoes in pot, and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain. Warm cream and butter in pot; add potatoes, and mash until smooth. Stir in Parmesan and chives, and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Cool.
2. To make Filling: Heat 1 Tbs. oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions, and cook 20 minutes, or until golden.
portobellos gill-side up on baking sheet, and drizzle with 1 Tbs. oil. Roast 25 minutes, or until tender. Cool, then slice thin.
4. Toss wild mushrooms with remaining 3 Tbs. oil and garlic on separate baking sheet; season with salt and pepper, if desired. Roast 20 minutes, or until tender. Cool, chop, and toss with Asiago, herbs, and onions.
5. Coat 9-inch pie dish with cooking pray. Layer portobello slices on bottom of each ring. (Add remaining portobellos to mushroom mixture). Use half of wild mushroom mixture to create second layer. Use one-third of potatoes to create a third layer, then add remaining mushroom mixture. Top with remaining Potatoes, shaping into a dome. Sprinkle pie with Parmesan. Bake 40 minutes or until golden.

1/8 OF PIE SERVING: 407 CAL; 12 G PROT; 23 G TOTAL FAT (10 G SAT. FAT); 40 G CARB; 41 MG SOD; 5 G FIBER; 4 G SUGARS

We made our own Mushroom Stock. Yum!

Mushroom Pinot-Noir Sauce
Ingredients:
1/4 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
2.5 cups Mushroom Stock or prepared mushroom broth
1/4 cup Pinot Noir or flavorful red wine
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1.5 Tbs. all purpose flour
1.5 tsp. tamari or mushroom soy sauce.

Instructions:
1. Soak porcini in 1/4 cup hot water 30 minutes. Drain and reserve liquid. Finely chop porcini, and set aside.
2. Bring Mushroom Stock, wine and soaking liquid to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
3. Melt butter in separate saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Whisk 1/2 cup Mushroom Stock into flour mixture to make paste. Add remaining stock 1 cup at a time. Add chopped porcini and soy sauce; simmer 15 minutes, or until sauce is thickened, stirring often. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

PER 1/2 CUP SERVING: 39 CAL; <1 G PROT; 3 G TOTAL FAT (2 G SAT FAT); 2 G CARBS; 8 MG CHOL; 161 MG SOD; <1 G FIBER; <1 G SUGARS

Ginger Sweet Potato Pie

2010-11-24T15:17:00.000-08:00

We're on the dessert task force for tomorrow's Thanksgiving celebration, and we need something sweet for Friday's Vegetarian Thanksgiving, AND I needed something for today's ESL potluck. What to make? Sweet Potato Pie! We realized that we'd been hoarding CSA sweet potatoes for weeks and had just enough to make three pies.

This being our first attempt at a sweet potato pie, we needed to reference an expert. We found an Alton Brown recipe and used it as a skeleton, adding our own flavors and unique techniques to make it our own.

Darcy served the first of the three today at school, and her awesomely fantastic (and sweet) students ate it up! Each of them reacted well, which was a true compliment, given their diverse backgrounds and palettes. They even took extras home for their moms, so that they too could experience this Southern iconic dessert for the first time.

Here's what we did to make three pies:
Ingredients:
Filling:
roughly 3.5-4 lbs. of sweet potatoes
One 12 oz can of evaporated milk
3 cups of homemade yogurt (or store bought))
15 egg yolks
2.25 cups dark brown sugar, packed
1.5 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. freshly grated ginger (or more or less to your liking...you can eliminate this if you don't like ginger)
Topping:
3-5 Tbs. maple syrup (depending on your preferences)
3 cups of crushed pecans
3-5 Tbs. brown sugar

Crust:

3 pre-made 9-inch pie crusts (Willy Street Co-op sells excellent local crusts)...or try our recipe

Instructions:
1. Drizzle olive oil on cookie sheet or roasting pan. Cut sweet potatoes in half, lengthwise. Sprinkle each sweet potato with a pinch of sugar. Place sugar side down onto the cookie sheet.

The key to a perfectly roasted sweet potato is NOT to pre-heat the oven.
Start roasting sweet potatoes in a cold oven. This will caramelize and accentuate the sugars, making for sweeter sweet potatoes.
We added the sugar on the bottom of the sweet potatoes. The tubers gladly accepted this addition and tasted ... How do you say?... Delicious!

2. Roast at 375ish until potatoes are fork tender (depending on the size, anywhere from 30-50 minutes).
3. Remove from oven. Once potatoes are cool, remove skins. We found this was easily done by pinching the potatoes with our fingers. The flesh oozed out, leaving the skins behind.
4. Mash the sweet potatoes well.
5. Blend in the yogurt and evaporated milk, the dark sugar, the spices, the ginger, and the egg yolks.
6. Pour into crusts.
7. Sprinkle pecans on pies. Then, sprinkle brown sugar on the pecans. And finally drizzle with the maple syrup...yum! You can use as much or as little as you want for each of these. Personally, we go ALL OUT here. It is already fattening, why not?
8. Bake in a pre-heated oven - 350 degrees - for 50-55 minutes. Ours baked significantly longer (nearly 90 minutes) due to baking three at a time. Good indicators that your pies are ready are that the pies are solid, don't jiggle, and when a knife is inserted into the center, it comes out 90%-100% clean.
9. Cool and then refrigerate.
10. Whip up some organic, locally-produced, humanely-received (be kind to the four-legged creatures, especially on the holidays!) heavy cream to top off each slice of goodness.

ENJOY! Feed back is encouraged and appreciated!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Winterizing the Coop

2010-11-22T18:30:00.000-08:00

As the description of our blog implies, in many ways, we are learners in the whole homesteading thing. Chickens have always been in our plans; we've definitely experienced trials and joys since getting them, and we continue to need more assistance in keeping them healthy and happy by more experienced chicken owners.

We've done our research concerning winterizing our coop. Because we only have 3 chickens (2 of which are Bantams) living in a coop built for 12-15 chickens, we have to be extra vigilant in our efforts to keep our feathery friends warm and cozy this winter. We're hoping for additional words of advice, comfort, or just plain old suggestions from you, our readers.

So, far...we have:

1. Put in an electric heater which will turn on automatically if the weather drops below 35 degrees Fahrenheit. Initially, we didn't want to have to utilize electricity for our little poultry operation, but seeing as how we have 3 lone chickens left (all of whom have been exposed to Marek's), we feel it's probably better safe than sorry. After all, there are not enough of them to keep each other warm.

2. We've surrounded the base of our coop with hay bales for extra insulation.

3. We've attached a tarp to 1/4 of the run netting. We're hoping that this may keep some snow out of the run in case our chickens wanted to run around a bit.

4. We've placed a flock block inside the coop in an effort to give the chickens extra nutrients. We've also been feeding them yogurt with Pedialite a few times a week.

What else can we do to have healthy chickens this winter? Their happiness, comfort and well-being are our primary concerns and reasons for having our own backyard chickens.

Cranberry Relish, Spiked, and with a Kick!

2010-11-15T15:57:00.000-08:00

Saturday evening, we enjoyed a wonderful dinner of mushroom cobbler and cranberry-jalapeno relish. The relish tasted traditional enough to warrant a place at the Thanksgiving table and unique/fun enough for me to share the recipe online and with friends who have a similar palette.
We didn't need to buy any ingredients except for the cranberries (which are in season in Wisconsin!) because we had oranges leftover from last week's CSA fruit share, and we have jalapenos remaining from earlier this season. ...and there's always tequila in the house!

Cranberry-Jalapeno Relish
Ingredients:
1 pint of cranberries
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
the zest of one orange (or less to your liking)
2 Tbs. of good tequila
1/2 cup sugar
juice of one orange

Instructions:
1. Combine the berries, the orange zest, the orange juice (should be 1/2 cup; if not, add water to juice to equal 1/2 cup), tequila, and sugar in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil.

2. When the berries start popping, add the chopped jalapeno. Boil for five more minutes, stirring. Add water if your sauce seems too thick.

3. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Be sure to stir occasionally as it cools.
4. Chill if desired.

This recipe is adapted from The New Vegetarian Epicure. Anna Thomas (author) recommends serving this alongside tamales, crepes, or any other richly-flavored dish. Of course, as I mentioned above, you could also let the family try it at Thanksgiving!
Our cats enjoyed our evening of food, wine, and music too. Benson loves cooking night:

A Cheesy Week: Cheese and Broccoli Soup

2010-11-08T15:50:00.000-08:00

We're really into cheese this week, I guess. Our last post was about homemade Mac 'n' Cheese, and now the very next day, I'm writing about Cheese and Broccoli Soup. Not good for the waistline, I suppose, but super comforting as Daylight Savings Time has ended and the cold temperatures are lurking.

Our Harmony Valley cheese share is biweekly for much of the year, but as vegetable peak season closes, our CSA schedule fluctuates, so we received cheese two weeks in a row. Another reason for the increase in creamy, gooey, cheesy recipes.

This soup is another from Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen. I have to say that the finished product was the best Cheese and Broccoli soup I've ever had.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds broccoli
sea salt and ground pepper
3 Tbs. butter
1 onion
1 celery stalk
1/2 pound of diced potatoes, peeled unless organic
1 garlic clove
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. marjoram, 1 bay leaf, 1 pinch of dried thyme
1 Tbs. flour
1/2 cup cup cream
2 tsp. Dijon-style mustard
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
rye or whole wheat bread, toasted

Instructions:
1. Chop the broccoli trees. Cook the florets in boiling water for about 3 minutes. Drain and reserve the liquid. Rinse broccoli florets under cool water and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add onion, potato, celery, broccoli stems, garlic, herbs, and cayenne pepper. Cook over medium-high heat for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 tsp. salt, flour, and 3 cups of reserved water from the broccoli (saving any extra). Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer, covered, until the potato is tender (about 10-12 minutes). Add cream and/or additional broccoli water to thin the soup. During the last few minutes, add the florets.
3. Remove the bay leaf, puree the soup, and return it to the pot. Stir in the mustard, and add pepper and salt to taste. Just before serving, add the cheese. Do not allow the cheese to boil. Serve with toast.

We melted a slice of mild sheep cheese on our toast...because we didn't think we had enough cheese yet this week! :)

Creamy, Cheesy Goodness: Homemade Mac 'n' Cheese

2010-11-07T17:53:00.000-08:00

Mac 'n' cheese with Sriracha Sauce

Mac 'n' cheese is one of those foods ~ everyone loves it, we all know it's not going to make us skinnier or provide us with any super-food vitamins, but we crave and devour it anyway. Making it from scratch can make it a bit healthier, maybe not less laden with calories, but with less chemicals and more nutrients than the box brands at the store.

Andy created his own special version yesterday. It's creamy, cheesy, and there are even some greens included to make us feel good about ourselves. His claims for this recipe are that most of the ingredients are flexible and that this could be created in an endless amount of ways.

I personally liked how this specific combination tasted, which is why I'm excited to be encapsulating the recipe onto this blog for future reference.

Mac 'n' Cheese:
Ingredients:
1 lb. of shell pasta
1/2 cup of flour
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup of butter
3 cups of vegetable broth (or chicken broth if you so desire)
1.5 cups of 2% milk
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
1 bunch of chopped yukina savoy (or other green)
1 cup bread crumbs
cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Cook the pasta al dente.
2. Drain the pasta, run under cool water, and save until later.
3. In a saucepan, melt butter. Add chopped onion and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent (3-5 minutes).
4. Add flour, a few spoons at a time, to make a roux.
5. Add broth until mixture becomes smooth and creamy.
6. Simmer for a few minutes.
7.Slowly add milk and cheese. Stir and cook until cheese is melted, but not boiling.
8. Stir in pasta and greens. Add cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper, if desired.
9. Put mixture into 13x9 baking dish. Cover with breadcrumbs.
10. Cook at 350 for 5-10 minutes, until breadcrumbs appear toasted.

Serve! This also would freeze well for later use.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2010-10-29T15:46:00.000-07:00

We dug into the freezer for roasted red peppers for the first time this year today. We have plenty of fresh vegetables (carrots, radishes, broccoli, baby turnips, and cauliflower) that need to be eaten ASAP. The perfect fix? A yummy bowl of roasted red pepper hummus!
I got the basis for this recipe from a cookbook that I bought in Ireland a few years back entitled The Irish Farmers' Market Cookbook. Ireland and hummus? Yes! The book is written by Clodagh McKenna, who lives by and cooks with a locavore philosophy. I'm smitten with the book's colorful photos, with its recipes' usage of local Irish ingredients (most of which are plentiful here in WISCO as well), and with its occasional difference in food vocabulary (croquettes for cucumbers, for example).

My version of this recipe:
2 roasted red peppers
25 oz. of garbanzo beans (I used canned this time.)
4 fl. oz. of olive oil
1 Tbs of tahini (optional)
4 garlic cloves
4 Tbs. of lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

1. Put the garlic cloves and the roasted red peppers in your food processor. Process until finely chopped.
2. Add the chickpeas. Process until well-blended.
3. Add the lemon juice and tahini.
4. Add the olive oil, a little at a time, until desired consistency.
5. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

Serve with fresh veggies, pita chips, crackers, or bread.

Therapy in the Kitchen: Squash and Pear Soup, plus Plout-Apple Crisp

2010-10-24T17:40:00.000-07:00

Life has been a roller coaster lately, and so dining out has been plentiful as have homemade goodies baked for us by our friends. Today we realized our refrigerator was busting with food, ready to vomit out bags of veggies and fruit at its first opening. Our little feather-footed Bantam, Ani, died this morning, and so, we decided to go to therapy ~ cooking together, side-by-side, in perfect matrimonial harmony in the kitchen, whipping up soup for the freezer, applesauce for later this winter, and freezing veggies we realized we wouldn't get to eating fresh this week. Oh - and we added to our dessert collection ~ a fresh pluot and apple crisp.

Below, I have included the recipes for a Squash Pear Soup and our Pluot and Apple Crisp.

Squash Pear Soup
(we have adapted this from Deborah Madison's recipe in Vegetable Soups from Deborah Madison's Kitchen.)

Ingredients:
5 cups of squash
5 pears
3 Tbs. of butter
10 cups of vegetable stock
1 medium onion
1/2 cup of good, white wine
2 inches of ginger, grated
a generous pinch of cinnamon

1. Cut the squash in half. Remove and save the seeds and guts. Roast the halved squash and peeled pears at 425 degrees on a baking dish or roasting pan. If squash are dry, add a bit of water to the pan. Brush with oil and season with salt. Bake for about 1 hour. You may have to turn the pieces over once or twice.
2. Once the squash is roasted, scrape off the skin and add it to saved seeds and guts.Also, reserve the liquid in the roasting pan.

Making stock

3. To make a stock, bring the 10 cups of water to a boil. Add the seeds, guts, and skin. Add the ginger and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer, and cover for 20 to 25 minutes. Strain and save liquid.
4. Then, melt the butter in your soup pot. Add the onion and saute over medium-low for about 10 minutes. Add the pears, squash, stock, and the reserved liquid from the roasting pan. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Puree all when finished.

We froze ours, but it's delicious right off the stove as well!

Nutrition Facts

cup servings
Squash and pear soup

Serving Size: 1 serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories

111

Total Fat

2.9g

Saturated Fat

1.4g

Trans Fat

Cholesterol

7mg

Sodium

136mg

Carbohydrate

20.4g

Dietary Fiber

4.2g

Sugars

9.8g

Protein

0.9g

Alcohol

0.9g

Vitamin A 121%	Vitamin C 27%
Calcium 6%	Iron 5%

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Plout and Apple Crisp
Ingredients:
4 apples, sliced
8 pluots, diced
6 Tbs. brown sugar
3/4 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
4 Tbs. oats
4 Tbs. coconut (optional)
6 Tbs. butter
1/3 cup brown sugar

Directions:
1. Put the apples and 1/2 of the sugar in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes or until apples are soft.
2. Put the pluots in the baking dish. Then, add the apples.

3. Combine the flour, cinnamon, oats, butter, and the rest of the sugar. Blend until the mixture is crumbly.

4. Put the mixture over the apples. Then, sprinkle the brown sugar and coconut on top.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. To be safe, put the baking dish on top of foil or a cookie sheet in case the fruit spills over.

Oh~ and no fall-cooking day would be complete without applesauce! We froze a few bags of that too!

Ready to cook down.

Glorious Garlic: Planting 2010

2010-10-24T08:38:00.000-07:00

On the 20th, Andy tilled up our "dump garden". Our future plans for this plot of yard involve lots and lots of garlic. For the past two years, we planted these vampire-repelling bulbs in our large garden, so it's time to rotate crops. Plus, the dump garden is always open for whatever we feel needs to be there. This is an experiment in some ways because the soil in the dump garden is not garlic-friendly. It is a bit rocky, and typically, garlic grows best in rockless soil. Year by year, we're trying to get the soil in the dump garden to be more fertile and more garden-friendly.

Garlic is a pretty amazing herb (yes, it's an herb! Who knew!?). Most know it is an antioxidant, but it also boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure, stabilizes blood sugar levels, and helps prevent ulcers. It is rich in, "Calcium, folate, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, vitamin B-1, vitamin B-2, vitamin B-3, vitamin C, and zinc" (source).

This year, we planted 45 cloves, which we had collected from Farmers' Markets and from our own garden. We chose large cloves because those will produce the biggest heads and the biggest cloves next year. We use garlic in nearly every dish, and peeling tiny ones can be so tedious. I love me some big cloves. This is our fourth year planting garlic, so we're feeling pretty good about the process: till up the soil, plant them 1-2 inches deep and 4-6 inches apart, cover with 3-5 inches of mulch (leaves, hay, grass clippings), and wait for the spring to see tiny little green shoots.

The hope is that the leaves we used as mulch will help to condition the soil for future years. We meant to add compost to the soil, but Andy was too far into his element to remember. Oops! I guess this will be our variable year to see if the compost ever made a difference...although, I suppose we switched garden locations, so there are quite a few variables this year! An added excitement to our new planting is that garlic can keep away various insects, such as Japanese beetles, snails, root maggots, carrot root flies, and codling moths (source). Last year, we had an infestation of insects up at the dump garden, so we'll see if the garlic can meet expectations.

Here are some pics from Garlic Planting 2010:

Graze Resturant: A Pub Serving Local Food, Oh My!

2010-10-10T07:18:00.000-07:00

This is my "official" review of Graze Restaurant in Madison: We ate there last night after seeing WICKED at the Overture Center.
______________________________

Madison jumped on the local food movement long ago, but to my knowledge Graze is the first pub that serves all locally grown food (except for the oysters which are from Maine and various fish, including a "Sustainable Catch"). According to their website,

"The idea for Graze came from Chef Tory’s love of comfort foods. Inspired by the New York gastropub scene, the menus feature a range of classics executed on a higher level than traditional pub food. We chose the name Graze because grass-fed animals and rotational grazing are important to us. Also, we want the menu to inspire our guests to do just that: graze. There’ll always be a variety of dishes and small plates to choose from – the kind of stuff chefs and foodies love to eat."

The atmosphere is hip, very minimalist and roomy. Andy and I got there around 5, when it opens to serve dinner, on a Saturday evening. We had no problem getting a seat, though by the time we left, the place was pretty full.

On the menu, there is an array of elegantly simple starters and sharers including such comfort foods as a plate of various local pickles, a homemade dish of mac 'n' cheese to share, roasted bone marrow, and a plate of meat and cheese with soft bread. The back of the menu lists the local farms from which each food comes. We opted for the Sassy Cow Cheese Curds, which were the best cheese curds either of us has ever consumed!

Dinner entrees are again, simple in nature, but exquisitely prepared. My husband had a burger made with locally-sourced meat. His side of french fries tasted like a delicacy. Not greasy, just yummy. I had a beet salad, which was delicate and delicious.

The drinks were also, for the most part, local. The beer list was comprised of Wisconsin Brews; they even had a locally-made cider. Plus, they have a unique and fun house cocktail list, including a personal favorite made of gin, orange juice, and a splash of Cabernet.

My only criticism of the restaurant was the lack of vegetarian items. There were a few; it was not difficult for me to find something to eat, but there are so many local CSAs producing great produce - I was hoping to see more of them featured in dishes, rather than as sidekicks to meat.

With that said, we'll be back. I'll have my salad and eat it too. :)

Farm Aid: A Musical Celebration of Farm-Fresh Food

2010-10-04T19:11:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, October 1st, we spent the day at Miller Park for the 25th Anniversary Farm Aid Concert. According to Farm Aid's official website, over the years, "Farm Aid has raised more than $37 million to promote a strong and resilient family farm system of agriculture." The non-profit works to keep family farms on their land and to raise an awareness of the loss of family farms as corporations get larger and larger.
A few super cool aspects of Farm Aid in comparison to other concerts:
1. Throughout the day, there is a Homegrown Village which hosts a number of local farmers, organizations involved in the local food movement, and CSAs. Will Allen was there in the Growing Power stand, but we missed seeing him by minutes.

2. The concessions serve local and organic food instead of the usual chemical-laden, mysterious-origin, regular junk. There were veggie hot dogs, local brats, local burgers, and so on. Even the french fries were local and organic. They were serving popped sorghum too!
3. All day long, musicians talk about food issues! Music and like-minded musicians and fans: what could be better?

We were very close, so yes, these are our actual pictures of the day. Here are some of our highlights:

Willie Nelson and Amos Lee

Band of Horses

Jason Mraz ~ Andy took this one for his co-worker, who is a HUGE fan (wink).

Jeff Tweedy of Wilco

Tim Reynolds and Dave Matthews

Neil Young

Norah Jones


A screen shot of John Mellencamp and Dave singing "Homegrown" - Willie Nelson and Neil Young were also a party of the song.

Farm Aid was better than we anticipated! It was a celebration of farmers and local eating, but also a call to action for change. Farmers are losing their land every day (as many of the musicians noted). It's important, as Neil Young said a number of times to "Read the Label!" Know where your food comes from. Be sure you're eating foods that come directly from nature and from the United States. Large corporations are exploiting the land, the workers, animals, and us, the consumers. Eating locally is more compassionate and kind. This event reinforced all of these principles. We're so glad we went, and we're hoping it's close next year.

Happy Fall!

2010-09-29T04:52:00.000-07:00

At Harmony Valley's Harvest Party, members are allowed to pick pumpkins to take home. This year, there were enough for two per family (or more in some cases), so Andy and I each grabbed one. His larger one is going to be carved into a jack-o-lantern. We'll toast the seeds for ourselves.

My smaller pumpkin became a tasty chicken treat tonight. We ground up the seeds and gave the resulting mash to our remaining SUPER SURVIVOR (knock on wood) CHICKENS. We also gifted them the empty shell. They loved it! Plus, I read the seeds are super nutritious for the chickens. They need all the help they can get!

Check out their fun:

Ani, our limper, getting some needed (and yummy!) nutrients.

Janis enjoying Harmony Valley's gift.

"We don't know what it is, but we like it."