The Portabella mushroom kit really popped up and filled the box. Harvesting 2 1/4 pounds was pretty exciting.What’s even better, is it’s “pinning” again! That means all the tiny buttons of mushrooms are forming. It took about a week till harvest, so there will be more on the way soon. For this flush I made a bacon–blue cheese filling for phyllo appetizers and some pickled stems, along with throwing a few into omelets and stir-fries during the week.
New Year’s Eve is fast approaching and it’s time to come up with a new and delicious snack to munch on as that crystal ball makes it’s descent on Time Square. Let me tell you, cheese and crackers never tasted this good before!!
I’ve always admired the beautiful jewel tones of these delicacies in the gourmet catalogs like Dean and Deluca and even purchased a few at a confectionary in Paris, but never really thought I could make them myself.
One of the summer jobs that was available when I was a teenager was “walking beans.” Now you may not know what that is, but it involved a bunch of kids with hats and hoes sent out into the soybean fields to eliminate weeds. It was hot work and much to be grumbled about. I didn’t go out with the crews, as my Dad thought my sister and I could work in our own fields. These were
Yellow tomatoes have overrun the little garden. I was really hoping for red. For some reason I’m rather traditional that way. The red ones are just not doing as well, so the predominate tomatoes that come into my kitchen these days are yellow and gigantic. The catsup will just have to be yellow. Guess what…as it cooked and reduced it slowly turned orange. Perhaps those red tomato genes are hiding in there and just had to
Crunchy Falafels with Tahini Dip
It all started with a trip to Mineral Point, Wisconsin to go gallery hopping and lunch at Brewery Creek Restaurant. My friend Lu was raving about the walnut burgers. Being a walnut fan I tried the Greek version, which was delicious. She is determined to make walnut burgers at home and we have been e-mailing back and forth on several versions on
In my never ending quest for flatbreads around the world I have found scallion pancakes. The perfect quick bread to round out any meal, even some good old American Bean Soup…just the thing for our blizzard of 2011! I’m always intrigued with the various methods of creating flaky pastries in different cultures. The puff pastry of France
Is it Christmas already?
I did some shopping yesterday with Christmas songs in the background…it’s cold, but no snow…sent off a package this morning…and here’s a box at my doorstep. Wow…oh yeah, no turkey and pumpkin pie yet…what could it be?
The Winter Pantry Box!!!
Is it pizza… is it flatbread…does it matter? Lots of names abound for thin bread either baked on a stone or a grill. It all started when I ran across the name “torta salata” for a dish for my upcoming Italian cooking class. I guess I fell in love with the name. When I actually started investigating, it seemed like more of a quiche,
The best tip ever! A couple had organized their gourmet group to come to the Cookery for a Spanish Paella Party. As they arrived, Heather asked if I would like a dozen eggs from their own chickens. She pulled out the most beautiful eggs in blues and greens from Ameraucana chickens. Oh my gosh! Such a wonderful gift.
It’s still January and I’m still in southern California. Sure, it’s rainy today and a bit cooler, but….I can hardly believe it’s winter. I’ll be finding out soon enough when I return to the deep freeze of the Midwest. So, going to a farmers’ market ….an open air market…is pure bliss for me. And guess what I found. At the Anaheim market there was a farmer selling baby vegetables. They have the “cute factor”
I’ve escaped the frigid Midwest for sunny and warm Southern California to visit with my fellow blogger, Priscilla, and the rest of my family. With my granddaughter’s birthday coming up next week it was the perfect time to visit. I got out just in time, it seems, as Sheila is calling about concerns of holding class this week at the Cookery because of the frigid temperature and 8-inches of snow that
