Rosemarried

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2010: a great year.


Happy New Year, everyone!

My oh my, what a year this has been. So many good things: a new niece, a new brother-in-law (from Sudan), a new place to live, and more. It was crazy, and busy, a happy, and good. My cup overflows.

In addition to all this goodness, I realized this means that I’ve been writing on this here food blog for over a year. It was on Christmas last year that Nich gave me a digital camera and filled my stocking with spices, chilies, vinegars, truffle oil, and more. He gave me the tools to start the blog I’d been dreaming up – and so I did just that. Its just been a year, and in that time I’ve posted 77 different blogs. Seventy seven! Holy smokes, I’m pretty happy about that (if I do say so myself). I have had more fun with this blog that I could have ever dreamed, and I look forward to future food adventures.

So, this isn’t necessarily a ‘Best of 2010’ post, but it is a roundup of a few of my favorites, as well a random compilation of things I feel compelled to share. I do hope you enjoy!

I don’t want to admit that some of my recipes are better than others. So, I won’t. You can make them an decide for yourself which is best! However, I will tell you the recipes that I would call my personal favorites. I would only say these 6 are my favorites simply because I find myself going back to them time and time again. They are as follows:

1. Raw Kale & Apple Salad – I could eat this every day. Honestly, I make it at least once a week and my body loves me for it.
2. Free Form Artisan Bread – I didn’t know that making bread from scratch could be so easy. And so good.
3. Olive Oil Rosemary Cake – This is my favorite dessert, hands down. It is subtle and simple and not too sweet. And, of course, it has rosemary in it so that makes it automatically awesome.
4. Vegan Caesar Salad – No, I am not a vegan but this salad is so good that I often make it instead of a normal caesar. I love it.
5. 24 Hour Dill Pickles – These are absolutely addicting. And if you have been reading my blog for any amount of time, you’ll know how I feel about all things pickled. Nuff said.
6. Thomas Keller’s Salmon Rillettes – I feel that you can’t go wrong with any of Thomas Keller’s recipes, but oh how I love this one. This is essentially a buttery salmon spread. It is amazing, go home and make it now. :)

And now for some random thoughts on this last year and hopes for the coming year:

*New Years resolution #1: Make more recipes from 101 Cookbooks. I love everything on that site.

*This year, I want to learn to make authentic Shakshuka. I just had it the other day at Tasty and Sons, and it was amaaaaaaaazing.

*I look forward to being a part of various cooking challenges, blog groups, and other things that force me to think creatively (and ultimately make me a better cook). I look forward to the Velveteer challenges in 2011, various recipe swaps with Burwell General Store, and getting plugged in with the Sustainable Food for Thought gals (and attending their events).

*I MUST learn to make Black Mole. And tamales, for that matter.

*I plan to expand my garden this year, and plant a zillion good things: tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, snap peas, carrots, beets, chard, kale, onions, garlic, etc…

*I want to go to France and Spain this year. Tour de wine & cheese? Yes, please.

*I resolve to open my home to as many people as possible, cook meals for friends (and strangers), and use the resources I’ve been given to serve others.

*I want to make these, and this, and this, and this, and this.

*p.s. I just made this salad from The Smitten Kitchen (at Mari’s recommendation) and it was awesome. This will be a staple in 2011.

Most of all, this year, I hope to live a life that is simple and meaningful. I hope to be a good wife, a good daughter, a good sister, a good aunt, and a good friend. I will continue to seek out healthy and whole foods, and recipes that reflect my commitment to these types of foods. I will do my best to support local business.

As I said earlier: my cup overflows. As I look forward into this new year, I pray that I can use the resources I’ve been blessed with to be a blessing to others.

I wish you all the best in the year to come. Thanks for reading, and I look forward to more culinary adventures in 2011!

sparrow tracks: recycled journals

If you’re not feeling particularly crafty this holiday season, but still want to support all things thoughtful, handmade, and artistic – then I have the perfect gift idea for you!

My wonderful (and crafty) mother makes journals and notebooks from recycled and repurposed old books. They come in all shapes and sizes, and are just really stinking cute (and are available for purchase on her Sparrow Tracks Etsy site. In addition, all proceeds from December sales will go to Scarlet Cord Ministries here in Portland.

p.s. That darling pink notebook (pictured above) is only four dollars. Four dollars, people!
p.p.s My mom is awesome.

a handmade holiday (and a recipe for spicy brown mustard).

This time of year is just so overwhelming. It seems that every year, the advertisements get louder, the Black Friday lines get longer, and the things I love about Christmas are seemigly lost in the throes of American consumerism. It all just seems so Charlie Brown, if you know what I mean. And I get so discouraged by insanity of it all! I feel like I need my own personal Linus to come remind me what Christmas is all about.

Because, at the end of the day I believe that Christmas is about a Savior who came to earth. Its as simple as that. And whether or not you share my beliefs on Christmas, I do hope that we can all agree that there is something disconcerting about the modern American Christmas. The holiday has become a hallmark of greed, materialism, stress, waste, and so much more. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

For the past few years, my family and I have participated in the phenomenon that is known as The Advent Conspiracy. The Advent Conspiracy is trying to change how we do Christmas. Their motto is simple: Love All. Spend Less. Give More. I was struck by the simplicity of the statement: so much truth in so few words. To expand upon the motto, essentially The Advent Conspiracy challenges people to change their Christmas spending habits. Instead of spending bunches of money on traditional gifts, they challenge people to instead use that money to do good. They do not suggest that you forgo all gifts entirely, rather they encourage people to give thoughtful and handmade gifts, the gift of time (i.e. babysitting for someone, cooking a meal for someone), and other such gifts. (For more info, watch their promo video here)

So my family and I have done just that. We’ve gotten really creative with our gifts – it’s usually a combination of handmade items (food and non-food), second hand items, or things purchased from local businesses. There are no hard and fast rules, we just do the best we can. And maybe I’m crazy, but I take so much joy in the process. For me, this is what Christmas is all about (Ahem…Charlie Brown). It is about taking the time to invest in those that you love, to gift meaningful and thoughtful gifts, and to use your resources in a way that will benefit others.

So, if you’re like me – and you’d like Christmas to be a little bit more meaningful (or just a little more homemade!) — I put together a list of homemade gift ideas. I haven’t made all of the recipes/crafts listed, but I do want to make all of them at some point! I tried to give a wide range of ideas, and most of them are really simple (and cheap) to make! Merry Christmas, and I do hope you find these links helpful! (p.s. if you have any DIY gift ideas you’d like to share, please send me a comment with a link and I will post them here! Thank you!)

A HANDMADE HOLIDAY ROUNDUP: GIFT IDEAS FOR YOU AND YOURS!

*Grapefruit Cranberry Marmelade (Someone make this for my Christmas present, please?! :) )
*Cranberry Liqueur
*Cute Little Marble Magnets
*Homemade Vanilla Extract
*Moss Terrarium | Tiny Terrarium | Hanging Succulent Terrarium
*Chai Tea Mix
*Ina Garten’s Chipotle and Rosemary Spiced Nuts
*Vodka Infusions (Rosemary Lavender & Rhubarb)
*Lemon or Lime Curd (*Made this for gifts last year – so good!)
*Pumpkin Butter
*Basil & Wine Jelly
*Balsamic Fig Thyme Jam
*Hazelnut-Lavender-Coconut Granola
*Maple Cinnamon Granola
*DIY (darling) Teacup Candles (*made a bunch of these in vintage cups for gifts last year.)
*Spice Blend: Herbds De Provence
*Vanilla Salt
*Homemade Curry Powder (!)

And lastly, here is one of my personal favorite homemade holiday gifts: Spicy Brown Mustard. I made a bunch for Christmas gifts last year, and I’ve been requested to make it again this year (I think it was well-received!). It is SO easy to make – essentially you throw all the ingredients in a bowl and let it sit for a few days and then food process it. Done and done. The mustard is spicy, intense, and oh-so-delicious.

Spicy Brown (Jubelale) Mustard
(Adapted from The Taste of Oregon)

12 oz. Jubelale (or other dark winter ale – original recipe called for the Ninkasi Oatmeal Stout)
1 1/2 cup brown mustard seeds (*important! needs to be brown mustard seeds, not yellow. For any of you Portlanders, they sell them at Limbo)
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Mix all ingredients together in a glass container and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to steep at room temperature for 1-2 days until the mustard seeds soften and all the flavors come together.

After the mixture has sat for a day or two (I think two is best), blend all ingredients in a food processor. Stop occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Continue processing until the seeds are coarsely ground and the mixture begins to thicken. This should take about 3 minutes.

Transfer the mustard to clean jars with lids. Seal and refrigerate for up to six months. The mustard will mellow with age.

*Oh, and here is a link to the darling labels I used on my jars of mustard (pictured at the top of this post). Canning Printables from Paper Crave

tried & true

(Pictured: Olive Oil Rosemary Cake & Truffled Mac N Cheese)

Sometimes you just want to go back and cook the recipes you know and love. And, while there is nothing wrong with that, it doesn’t exactly make for an exciting food blog. I have nothing to post that you haven’t already seen!

But, just because they are old recipes doesn’t mean they aren’t good ones. As we are entering a new season, my cravings are changing. I want food that is warm and comforting, food that cheers the spirits when the sun goes into hibernation. And maybe you’re like me, and you’re in the mood to go back to something that is tried and true. These are two such recipes.

Last night I baked an Olive Oil Rosemary Cake. I originally made (& posted about) this cake in May. It is such a great recipe, and I’ve been meaning to make it again. It is the perfect marriage of sweet and (just slightly) savory. It isn’t too sweet, or too heavy – in fact, it hangs delightfully in the balance between bread and cake. Its just lovely. So lovely, that I might have had a piece of it for breakfast this morning?

And tonight, I’m going out to my parents house for a birthday BBQ for my husband and my brother-in-law. (Side note: does it say something that my sister and I married guys that have birthday’s one day apart from each other?). My mom is making ribs, and there will be fresh veggies from the garden, fresh peaches, bratwursts from Otto’s, and a cake. I was asked to make a side, and I figured – what goes better with ribs than Mac N’ Cheese?

So, then, I’m going to make some version of my Truffled Macaroni and Cheese for tonight’s festivities. I’m really looking forward to eating it again, as nothing beats a good mac and cheese. (Except maybe the ribs my mom is making, as she did purchase a 1/2 a cow from our friend’s farm this weekend. I don’t really know how I can top that with mac and cheese).

That being said, happy last day of summer, everyone. While I’m sad to see it go, I’m looking forward to all that fall brings: scarves, hats, jackets, sweaters, pumpkin pie, eggnog, cappucinos, mulled wine, and more. (I am not, however, looking forward to rainy bike commutes!)

What are your favorite fall recipes? I would love some new fall inspiration, so please share!

redesign.

Have any of you noticed that I did a bit of a redesign on the blog? Eventually, the blog will get a full-blown makeover by a real designer, but for now this will do.

While I liked the previous template & layout, it wasn’t terribly user-friendly. I wanted older posts to be easily accessible. And I knew that the site was in desperate need of a search box. So, with this new template, I added these features. There is now a search box, and older recipes are listed on the side of the page. I also have my twitter feed on the site, just for kicks.

Now, you use the handy search box to find older recipes and posts. You can type in any ingredient and the search function will pull up any recipes that I’ve posted that mention that particular ingredient.

The changes aren’t drastic, but I do hope they make finding what you’re looking for that much easier. Let me know if you have suggestions for the full makeover, I’m writing a list. Your suggestions would be welcome!

on food & reading.

I was in Powell’s Home and Garden store the other day, and I had a long argument with myself about buying a boatload of books. I will spare you the details – but I will say that my responsible side won out and I did not leave with a stack of “food books”. But I wanted to. (Come on! Mario Batali’s Molto Gusto was on sale! Can you blame me?)

I have come to the realization that I do a lot of reading about food issues, nutrition, and other nerdy food-related things. And it all started with my husband reading The Omnivore’s Dillema on our honeymoon (romantic, I know…). Since he started spouting off facts to me about the evils of Monsanto and the problem of corn in the US, I’ve been hooked on ‘food literature’. I’ve devoured book after book, and I’m hungry for more. There is something so terribly interesting to me about the human relationship to food – and how that relationship has changed and evolved over the decades.

In any case, my trip to Powells got me thinking about the books that have changed my views on food. Books that make me love food. And books that make me want to be an amazing cook – as well as a responsible consumer. So, I started making a list of books that I would like to recommend. Books that I feel need to be read. But then I started thinking about the books I still WANT to read (a wish list, if you will) and I started making a list of those books. And, lastly, I thought of a (small) list of my go-to resource books for actual cooking and preparation.

That being said, I have a few reading lists to share with you. Not all the books are political (or about the evils of factory farms). Quite the contrary, some are just fun books about what it means to eat, travel, cook, etc. I just happen to really like books about the evils of factory farms, so there are definitely a few in there. :)

The “food books” you must read (according to me):
1. Eating Animals: Jonathan Safran Foer – a strong argument against factory farming and for vegetarianism. But mostly, it is just a compelling can’t-put-it-down, well thought out book. Loved it.
2. & 3. The Omnivore’s Dilemma & In Defense of Food – Michael Pollan – If you want to know anything about the food industry, start here. Michael Pollan is shaking things up. I love everything I’ve ever read by him.
4. What to Eat: Marion Nestle – A nutritionist’s look at the American grocery store. Goes into crazy amounts of detail on food production, what food is actually GOOD for you, definitions of sustainable wildlife, etc. For the true food nerd. An excellent resource.
5. My Life in France: Julia Child – Do I need to explain? Its entertaining, whimsical, and beautiful. It makes me wish I lived in France.
6. Kitchen Confidential: Anthony Bourdain – A book about the ‘seedy underbelly’ of the restaurant world. If you have dreams about becoming a chef, this will make you rethink those dreams. It will also make you throw away your garlic press.
7. Food Matters: Mark Bittman – Smart, simple, to the point. Great tips and suggestions for eating responsibly. Has meal plans!
8. The Jungle: Upton Sinclair- Not for the faint of heart and not exactly about food. A look at Chicago’s meat packing district in the 1920’s. Heartbreaking and stomach turning at times. Makes you wonder how much has really changed.

A cooking nerd’s reading “wish list” (i.e. things I need to read)
1. Molto Gusto – Mario Batali’s latest cookbook. Need I say more?
2. Animal, Vegetable, Miracle – Honestly, I dont know much about this book, but I’ve been told by lots of people that I need to read it. I think it is about a family that moves to Appalachia and lives off the land. And I think I will love it.
3. The Lost Art of Real Cooking – A new book out about going back to the old way of things, of using real ingredients and cooking from scratch. Looks amazing.
4. Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain – Anthony Bourdain’s newest book. A look at the food industry, restaurants, the food network, ‘foodies’, etc. (*Note, I own this book, but Nich has been hogging it. Will read soon.)
5. Diet for a Small Planet – Saw this in Powell’s Home & Garden and it looks amazing. Written in the 1970’s, and still so terribly applicable today.
6. Put Em Up: A Comprehensive Home Preserving Guide for the Creative Cook – Pretty self explanatory. Looks awesome.
7. Mastering The Art of French Cooking by Julia Child – Yes, I know. Its a complete and utter shame that I don’t own it already.

The kitchen essentials (in my humble opinion):
1. How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman – Quite self explanatory. This book explains it all.
2. Ad Hoc at Home by Thomas Keller – Thomas Keller’s recipes for the home cook. Gorgeous pictures, and full of useful information and explanations. Utterly amazing.
3. Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It – My go-to for fun gift ideas, pickles, sauces, relishes, jams, etc. A great little reference.
(*I thought there would be more in this list – but honestly, these are my go-to books for EVERYTHING. I cannot think of many questions I would have that Mark Bittman or Thomas Keller would not be able to answer. They are essential cooking references.)

And thus concludes my food nerderie for the day.
But, seriously, there are some good books in that list. I’d be happy to loan any of them to you. And, of course, I would love any recommendations on books you think I should read!

moving & marinated goat cheese

So, Nich and I are moving into a new place this weekend. Our landlord is selling the house, and so we are moving out sooner than expected. While I am sad to leave our big house (and big yard!) behind, I am really thrilled about our new place. No more forest green countertops! I have great plans for my new kitchen (pictures to come soon). It isn’t as big as my kitchen now, but I think it will work nicely. It is bright and quaint, and I’m hoping to fix it up and make it my own. (helpful hint: I just found out that Big Lots carries Paula Dean’s line of cookware. They have dutch ovens -in olive green and pumpkin! – for $30-$40, butcher blocks, knife sets, etc. I have no idea how quality the stuff is, but it looks great!).

That being said, I won’t be cooking anytime this weekend. I’ve made a few killer recipes lately, but with all the packing I haven’t had time to post. But, be prepared…I made slow-cooker carnitas for Beyth’s birthday fiesta and it was ridiculously delicious (and easy). Recipe to come!

So, since I will be out of the kitchen for a few days, I’m going to post a recipe that I desperately want to make (and will make as soon as I have dishes that aren’t in boxes). I seriously want to eat this right now. (recipe link after the photo).

p.s. if any of you portland-ers want fresh raspberries or fresh lavender, come get it this weekend before we move! we have tons.

Recipe for ‘Marinated goat Cheese’ from The Kitchn.