Morels - Fresh From The Woods

Dad just dropped these off on his way home from the woods. Yum!!! They have now been cleaned and are soaking salt water to get all the critters out. Tomorrow, Mike and I will have a feast. This is the best treat of the year. Stay tuned....

No Knead Dutch Oven Bread

A couple of months ago, Mike and I got this recipe from Mother Earth News Magazine and decided to give it a try. We have since made several loaves and this is a fool-proof recipe. It has come out the same every time. Now we just need to purchase another dutch oven in order to make several at once.

No Knead, Dutch Oven Bread

1/4 tsp active dry yeast

1 1/2 cups warm water

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting. You may use white, whole wheat or a combination of the two.

1 1/2 tsp saltCornmeal or wheat bran for dusting

In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the flour and salt, stirring until blended. The dough will be shaggy and sticky. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let the dough rest at least 8 hours, preferably 12 to 18, at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees.

The dough is ready when its surface is dotted with bubbles. Lightly flour a work surface and place dough on it. Sprinkle it with a little more flour and fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest for about 15 minutes.

Using just enough flour to keep the dough from sticking to the work surface or to your fingers, gently shape it into a ball. Generously coat a clean dish towel with flour, wheat bran or cornmeal. Put the seam side of the dough down on the towel and dust with more flour, bran or cornmeal. Cover with another towel and let rise for about 1 to 2 hours. When it’s ready, the dough will have doubled in size and will not readily spring back when poked with a finger.

At least 20 minutes before the dough is ready, heat oven to 475 degrees. Put a 6- to 8-quart heavy covered pot (cast iron, enamel, Pyrex or ceramic) in the oven as it heats. When the dough is ready, carefully remove the pot from the oven and lift off the lid. Slide your hand under the towel and turn the dough over into the pot, seam side up. The dough will lose its shape a bit in the process, but that’s OK. Give the pan a firm shake or two to help distribute the dough evenly, but don’t worry if it’s not perfect; it will straighten out as it bakes.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and bake another 15 to 20 minutes, until the loaf is beautifully browned. Remove the bread from the Dutch oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Reuben Casserole

Last night, I was looking through an old church cookbook for some practical and easy recipes. Church cookbooks are a great way to find new recipes to try. One benefit of these fundraiser type cookbooks is that you know somebody has made the recipe and liked it.

This one caught my eye and since we were headed to the grocery, I decided to pick up the
ingredients and make it as soon as we got home. It was awesome, if you love a Reuben sandwich.

Reuben Casserole

16 oz. sauerkraut, drained
1/4 C. chopped onion
1/4 C. parsley
1 t. caraway seed, we skipped the seeds because our bread was seeded.
1/4 C. melted butter
2 C. shredded swiss cheese
2/3 C. thousand island dressing
1/2 lb. sliced, cooked corned beef (we bought Boars Head from the deli)
3 slices rye bread, cut in cubes

Drain kraut, then combine kraut, onion, parsley and caraway seed in bowl. Mix well. Layer kraut mixture in bottom of 8 inch square baking dish. Top with 1 cup cheese, 1/3 cup dressing. Cover with corned beef. Top with remaining cheese and dressing. Toss bread cubes with 1/4 cup melted butter and sprinkle on top of casserole. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes.

This recipe came from Ladies Of The Church, Favorite recipes of The Ladies of the First Congregational Church, Mansfield, Ohio. 1984. The recipe was submitted by Missy Bell.

Leek, Celery and Mushroom Pizza

As many of you know, we grow most of our own veggies. This year, we've had a great crop of leeks. Leeks are a wonderful, mild type of onion that will remain long after all of your other crops have all been eaten, canned or frozen.
You must wash leeks carefully because they do tend to collect a lot of dirt in them. I usually cut of the root and the part of the green that I'm going to discard. (of course they go into the compost pile) Cut the leek lengthwise to open it up and rinse all of the dirt from inside. You can then cut them into whatever size you need.

To make this pizza, we mixed the dough for the crust and as it was rising, we sauted the leeks, celery and mushrooms in butter until they were tender. Salt and pepper to taste.

Once the dough has risen, press into an oiled or non-stick pan. Brush a coating of extra-virgin olive oil on the dough and top with your sauted veggies. We then topped with some all-natural mozzerella and sprinkled with italian seasoning. Bake in a 450 degree oven until cheese is melted and crust
begins to brown.

Pizza Crust

1pkg. active dry yeast
1/2 t. sugar
1 cup lukewarm water
about 3 1/4 cups of flour
1 t. salt
1 T. olive oil

Dissolve yeast and sugar in the water. Combine 2 3/4 cups flour and the salt. Stir yeast mixture and oil into the flour until a dough forms. On a lightly floured work surface, knead about 10 minutes, working in up to 1/2 cup more flour until the dough is still soft but no longer sticky. Put in an oiled bowl and cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.

Notes: If you want to skip all of the work, use a rapid rise yeast and mix the dough in a mixer using the dough hook. No kneading required. Also we have made it, using the rapid rise yeast, and didn't even allow it to rise and it came out fine. It puffed up in the oven. I have made a pizza from mixing to table in twenty minutes using this method.

Not So Deep Fried Mushrooms

While perusing the produce department of our local Kroger, we noticed that they had marked down the price of organic white mushrooms. With no hesitation, we purchased two packages .

We had planned to watch a movie together so I thought that we might make some snacks to pick at during the show. An idea was forming... we could bread them exactly like we did the zucchini to make the zucchini fries. (see earlier post). The method worked !!! Sweet success!!

They were terrific. Now we know that this method will work for just about anything. Deep fried taste and texture without the mess and the fat. Mike mixed some super horseradish cocktail sauce and we were in business. Can't wait to try this out on other veggies as well as chicken and fish.

Stew Weather is Back

The weather has been getting a little cooler and I have the goal of not turning on the furnace until November 1st. I've already slightly "blown it". Friday was gray, rainy and bone-chilling. I turned it on for just a little while to get the chill out of the house. Due to this hefty goal, I am more than ready for some hearty stews and soups to warm the body and the soul . This one was easy and delicious. Unfortunatly, there is not a recipe, per se.

Here's the jist.

I purchased stew meat already cut into hunks. I dried it with some paper towels (made from recycled paper, of course) and lightly floured it. In a skillet, I heated some extra-virgin olive oil and some butter. I placed the floured meat into skillet and browned the pieces on all sides. You want to do this is small batches. Don't crowd the meat or it will not brown properly. Once brown, remove from skillet and place into your cooking vessel. We found this old speckleware dutch oven in our basement. Mom, apparently, left it behind. It was the perfect size. Now I added sweet onion that was chopped into fairly large pieces, mushrooms, red pepper sliced into thin strips, herbs de provence into the skillet and sauteed until the onions were soft. I then, deglazed the pan with a delicious cherry wine to get all of the good and tasty bits from the bottom. Add 2 T. of tomato paste and salt/pepper to taste and some beef broth. Simmer for a few minutes to get all of the flavors to meld. While this was going on, I diced some potatoes and some carrots from our garden. I just threw these raw into the dutch oven with the meat. Once the broth mixture had simmered for a few minutes, I poured it over the meat and potatoes. Into the oven at 350 degrees for about an hour. I then reduce the tempurature to 275 degrees and bake for another hour. Slow and Low is the way to cook this meal.

A few helpful hints:
-You don't have to buy the most expensive meat for beef stew. We have purchased some inexpensive roasts and cut the meat ourselves and it turns out just as good.
- Salt and pepper throughout the process and be sure to taste along the way, making any needed adjustments to the seasonings.
-You can use any wine that you like but cherry wine seems to add a really unique and deep flavor. We have used it many times in this dish and it is delicious!
-We love Victoria Taylor's Herbs de Provence. The spices can be purchased at TJ Maxx, Marshall's, Home Goods or online. There is a link on this webpage. We love the dried shallots, Sicilian and Tuscan seasonings, as well.

Carrot Casserole

Carrots from our organic garden


Carrot Casserole
1 1/2 lbs carrots
2 T. grated onion
1 T. prepared horseradish
1/2 C. light mayo
1/4 C. cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and Pepper to taste
bread or cracker crumbs for topping

Slice carrots into thin discs and cook in water for five minutes. Drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the water. To water, add onion with its juice, horseradish, mayo and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Add the carrots and place mixture into a 2 quart casserole. Sprinkle bread crumbs on top and dot with butter.

This is a delicious dish and even the most finicky eaters will love it! I like to add a little more horseradish for some extra "kick". Enjoy!!!

Malabar Farm Restaurant

It was Bromfield's dream to someday open a restaurant and hire a french chef. During Bromfield's seventeen years in France he enjoyed the French countryside and it's fabulous foods. This is a quote from the menu at the Malabar Farm Restaurant and, let me tell you, Bromfield's dream has been achieved.

I enjoyed a fabulous lunch at the restaurant, yesterday, in the company of my aunts and cousin. As many of you know, I love to cook and have a special affection for French food so the Malabar Farm Restaurant has been on my list of places to try. I hadn't been to the "Inn", as it was formerly known, for many years. The food was ok but not great, at that time. Word had reached me that the restaurant had a new chef and how terrific the food is.

The menu is diverse yet still retains it's French flair. I enjoyed the East Coast Crab Cakes with a South Pacific Cole Slaw from the appetizer menu ($8.25). The meal was delicious and I am picky about my crab cakes. Others in our party had the Chicken Pot Pie with a puff pastry top ($7.95) and the Blackened Salmon served with a golden saffron sauce ($16.95). They also had a classic French cassoulet as one of the specials. I will be back to try it another day. They have sandwiches and salads or if you prefer a full and proper meal, they also have some "higher end" meals but without a huge price tag.

Want to enjoy a great view of Pleasant Valley? You can enjoy your meal out on the deck at an umbrella table. The decor has been updated since I was last there and they have done a great job of giving you the feeling of an old inn but with some modern touches. Our server was also fabulous. She was knowledgable about the menu and made sure that we had everything that we needed.

If you want to enjoy a great meal in a great atmosphere, you must try this restaurant. It is now at the top of my list and I will be returning often.

For a full menu, directions and more about the Malabar Farm Restaurant visit http://malabarfarmrestaurant.com/


The pictures were taken yesterday. Bottom picture from left to right: Helen Wappner, Marge Wappner, Christine Wappner, Marie Wappner and Diane Kracker.

The First Week Of No Junk Food

Well, I made it through my first week back on Weight Watchers. It was actually pretty easy. I just had to plan different snack foods to take to work. I stocked my locker with Tootsie Pops (1 point), sugar-free jello and pretzels. The big hit with my co-workers was the "faux" ice cream sandwich. Easy to make and everyone (even the sceptics) loved them. Take a chocolate graham cracker and put fat-free cool whip on it. Place another graham cracker on top and freeze. They really are delicious and just enough to get rid of a killer craving. Of course, we had one smart ass that claimed they would be even better with chocolate sauce and sprinkles, etc. You get the picture.

I'm already seeing results. I have not been on the scale but my clothes are already fitting better. That gives me motivation because I have closets full of clothes that I can't fit into right now.

This vegetable soup recipe is a must for anyone trying to lose some weight. Low in fat, full of fiber and delicious. It's helped me, many a time, when I was out of points or trying to eat a low point lunch in order to go out for dinner later.

I keep some in the freezer in small containers for a quick, healthy lunch. Hope you enjoy.

Veggie Soup
1 bag of frozen vegetable soup starter (any brand will do or you can use fresh veggies)
1 can diced tomato with the juice
1 can beef, chicken, or vegetable broth
water to cover
salt,pepper

Simmer on the stove until veggies are cooked through and soup is hot. Serve w/ low-fat crackers. Great accompaniment to Salads and Sandwiches

You can give the soup different flavors with different spices. I like it with Italian spices and a little garlic or sometimes I'll add cumin, instead of Italian spices, for a more southwestern flavor. It's a versatile soup so experiment with it.

Zucchini Fries

Last night, we tried this terrific recipe from Weightwatchers.com. We have an abundance of Zucchini from our garden so we will definitely make these again. They were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. We even tried dipping them into Trader Joe's Low Fat Marinara. I was in heaven and don't think I will ever crave a fried Mozzarella stick again, after eating these.

I tried to provide you with a link to the Weight Watchers Website so you could see the picture of the dish but now I can't find it on the site. I did email it to myself so I can forward it to you, if you send me a note.


Ingredients
4 sprays olive oil cooking spray
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 1/2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp table salt
3/4 cup dried bread crumbs, panko-variety suggested
2 medium zucchini, about 7-inches each, cut into 4 chunks, then each chunk halved
2 large egg white(s), whipped until frothy (almost soft peaks)


Instructions
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a small bowl, mix together Italian seasoning, flour and salt. Place bread crumbs in another small bowl.
Dredge a zucchini fry in flour mixture and then dip into egg whites; dredge in bread crumbs. Place coated zucchini on prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining ingredients; liberally coat with cooking spray.
Roast, turning once, until desired crispness, about 12 minutes. Yields about 8 fries per serving.


Notes
Use this technique with any summer squash or eggplant. It also works great with thick-cut onion rings or even green tomatoes.For extra crispy fries, increase the oven temperature to 500ºF and knock 2 minutes off the cooking time.

For years, I swore that my vintage percolator was the only way to make coffee. It reminded me of my grandparents kitchen. Every evening, after supper, Grandpa would excuse himself from the table and would go into the kitchen to perk his coffee. I loved the smell and the sounds coming from this machine before I was even old enough to have coffee. In fact, I had never even seen a Mr. Coffee until I left for college.

Since college, I've owned several different brands and designs of the automatic and have never been really happy with them. The last one that we purchased actually grew mold and was stained in the water reservoir. It wasn't big enough to fit your hand in so you really couldn't dry it out. It went into the trash.

I think that I have finally found the perfect solution for me, The French Press. My mom, aka the "coffee snob" has been using one for quite a while but I remained ever loyal to my vintage Westinghouse percolator.

Recently, while scoping out the local Goodwill store for other peoples kitchen castoffs, I spotted it. It was brand new and came with a measuring scoop, a set of matching cups & spoons and had the directions all for $3.49. When I got home with my thrifty purchase, I read the directions. It seemed too simple to be true. I let it sit on the counter for a few days. I was slightly intimidated by it. Once I got up the nerve to brew that first pot, I was sold. The French Press makes a delicious, full bodied, pot of coffee. It's easy to clean, doesn't take up any room and looks nice enough that it can go on the table. I am in love and the "coffee snob" was right.