Farm Day

There are only 2-3 more weeks to pick up fresh food at our CSA Bloomfield Farms in Charlotte...It always feels bittersweet as we go on these crisp autumn days because we know it means the end is near..

As we pack our bags with Beets,Butternut squash,potatoes,chiogga squash,Small red onions,peppers,cilantro, parsley, today a treat of a small bag of spinach a couple heads of garlic it reminds me what a privilege it is to support local farms..As I said before stock up on all the stuff you can store for winter you will be glad you did...

We pick zinnias,marigolds,a few sunflowers are left add some Queen Annes lace and a errant snapdragon or two and a beautiful bouquet of flowers emerges ...I think I miss the flowers as much as the veggies when the CSA closes....

So as we make the last batches of cilantro pesto,grate fresh beets into our salads and place the flowers upon our table I say thanks to Matt and Tanya......

Billy's Birthday

This week was my baby boy Billy's 29th birthday (he will always be my baby boy). Ruby and I baked and Iced 29+cupcakes for the occasion after school on Wednesday and on Billy's Birthday Thursday he came over to spend time with Ruby after school and have cake and candles before heading out to celebrate his birthday in the style a 29 year old celebrates , Ruby is convinced that she and Billy are the only and last Pirates in Vt. so they always have a sword fight and enjoy each others company. As Billy left that day Ruby ran to the porch and hollered wait Uncle Billy , at the end of the driveway he leaned out the window and said what Miss Ruby? ...she leaned forward and yelled ARRRRRHHH ...he hollered Back ARRRRRHH ME MATEY, two very happy pirates parted for separate journeys with smiles on their faces.....me I still haven't quit smiling..

Family Dinner

Well today was great except for the fact that my husband twisted his ankle badly on a walk with the dog at Rock Point...so he spent the afternoon and evening except for dinner on the couch with his ankle on a pillow,and sufficient anti inflammatory !

Dinner was great 2 beautiful Roasted Chickens stuffed with a mix of cornbread and regular bread stuffing,Heart attack mashed potatoes,salad courtesy of Kate,butternut squash,gravy and a Delicious Apple Crisp Ala mode made by my daughter Christy with Alanholm apples, and lovely wines.

Ruby enjoyed making mermaids and fairies with Auntie Kate while waiting for dessert with the new craft book/kit from Auntie Kate.

Jordan was laid up too at home with a bad hip so we sent a dinner home for him hope you're better soon Jordan...

Bill and I and Kate watched a bit of the Emmys together before Kate had to head home.

Goodnight to all hope you all had a great Sunday too...

Picture compliments of Sarah Woodard

Linda

Autumn Road trip

Hello hello hello!
What's been going on the last couple of months? Well I'm glad you asked, I have made quarts and quarts of marinara sauce out of the less that beautiful tomatoes that we had at our CSA it's all tucked in the freezer ready for the winter, Garlic scape pesto is a new find for me I was sceptical but it's really Delicious and very good smeared on a piece of bread topped with a fresh tomato slice.

I have made cilantro pesto, basil pesto, and last night froze carrots I grated up and blanched for soups, carrot cake or bases to pot roasts. I also chopped peppers to freeze for winter use. It's been a hard year for a lot of CSAs especially those near flood zones or low plains it's been a struggle for all hard for the farmers to make extra money at markets because they don't have the extra produce they usually count on and hard for the consumers because not as much to put by for the winter. This year has truly hit home wiht the CSA is all about if the farmer struggles so do we....

Last Friday Carin and I went up to Lakeside Raspberry Farm in Alburgh,VT my favorite place to pick fall raspberries lots of different variety and my favorite the golden Raspberry..it was COLD we got there around 930am and it was so cold our fingers weren't working I swear we dropped half of the first pints, the sun finally broke through and warmed the air a bit so the last hour of picking was nice.

We went back through the Champlain Islands and stopped at my favorite place for fresh eggs Savage Point Farm and bought 3 dozen fresh eggs and I do mean fresh because she was coming across the Field from the hen house as we drove in...I also bought a few tomatillos there also.

Heading back to Burlington we stopped in SoHero at Hackett's Orchards bought apples for Apple Crisp for Sunday Family dinner. I found a new favorite apple for eating the Honey Crisp juicy tart sweet can't believe I drove off before taking my first bite, oh well another road trip will fix that.

We stopped at Seb's and had Red Hot Hot dogs and apple cider donuts rounding out our autumn lunch...

Last night bill and I made more basil pesto the last of the basil at the CSA to put up for the owners, I make it with different nuts sometime sunflower seed are Delicious and much cheaper than pine nuts I use almonds with cilantro pesto also...

We also chopped and froze the carrots and peppers for future use my granddaughter loves all the bustle in the kitchen and is really absorbing methods and loves to help.

After a bowl of grandma' s chicken soup her idea of an appetizer , we had pork chops and potatoes I like to soften the potatoes in the microwave then split open and pan fry in the pork juices as the chops rest they crisp up and take on a roasted potato quality in less than 5 mins, I figure it's no worse that slathering them with butter and uses up the drippings..

Thank you Carin for being the best road trip buddy ever can't wait for our Cape adventure in Oct. and the visits to the Penzey's spice store and maybe Atlantic spice, and fresh cranberries,my pulse quickens at the thought of our annual fall Wholefoods and Trader Joes visit I am jonesing for the Fruit and Nut 365 granola, I am here to tell you I have tried 5 different cereals around town and from all our coops and nothing compares....And the price point on stuff like Olive oil at Trader Joes can't be beat!

Have a great day enjoy your family dinners, picking apples whatever you chose enjoy!


Basil or cilantro pesto

several hands full of basil or cilantro
a hand full of nuts what ever you like sunflower seed,pine nuts,almonds or walnuts
course salt and pepper to taste
3-4 garlic cloves to taste
I squeeze half a lemon in
olive oil or half olive half canola but classic is olive oil

all of this goes into my Cuisinart I find it easier than a blender
blend till all combined if you like a chunky pesto blend less I usually blend well
taste and adjust any spices
I freeze this all the canning guides etc say not to add your Parmesan cheese till you thaw add when using no one advises freezing with cheese.
I actually don't love Parmesan so I don't always add it or add very little It's all about what you love

I use almonds for cilantro pesto and extra lemon
play have fun!

Everyday Gourmet Girl meets everyday in Vt

Well hello all...it's been over a year, where have I been...just living life enjoying my granddaughter and trying to get organized....I have decided to change the blog up a little, still Lot's of tasty recipes but now all of my culinary and botanical adventures with my friend around Vt and surrounding states and areas will be included...we like to go on long drives a couple times a month get lost and find new food, gardens ,farm stands anything really so I hope you will like the new concept please comment good or bad....

First...Savage Point Fresh eggs and veggies,meat ect. look for them on Facebook ..if your driving through the Lake Champlain Islands it's a great place to stop it's right after Hero's Welcome/Hero's House in North Hero...another great place to stop for a sandwich or a drink you can eat out across the street right on the lake.

Savage Point fresh veggies and eggs are worth the drive,but for you who can't get there the eggs are sold at Hannaford's now. And they are at the Burlington Farmers Market...

Keep driving and keep your eyes open and you will pass fun places, one week we saw a flag at the end of a custom furniture makers driveway and we stopped to ask where he got the pole for his flag(my friend had a flag that was her mother's and had been looking for a way to display it) and a few minutes later we were in Alburg buying flags and a pole for our new Balinese flags...was it peer pressure,caught up in the moment I don't know but we both now have Balinese flags flying in our gardens and by my friends pond and every time we look at the flag flapping in the wind in our backyards we smile..

Last week after a monthly trip to Target in NY for our favorite sparkling water that can only be purchased there or Down South we again turned left off the LC Ferry and went around the Islands and back through Alburg,Swanton,St Albans Georgia and back to Burlington...wandering through Alburg we saw a tiny sign saying Pies and flower garden well I am a card carrying Garden addict and well Pies enough said..so we took a left turn and wondered down a little road and found a small nursery barely marked that had beautiful flowers and as the season is winding down there were Great bargains and as I asked about the pies I realized this was Claire of Claire's pies and pickled vegs ......mailto:.............cgarden@fairpoint.net if you have ever been to the Shelburne Farmers market you have seen Claire and her husband...I have never met lovelier,friendly people in my life and the food and plants are wonderful. As we drove off that day in Alburg I had plants galore and a few Calla Lilly Bulbs in my car to plant in my garden.

I should also mention on our way to the Ferry we stopped at Grand Isle Nursery and found beautiful Morning glory plants,hydrangeas and Clematis blooming in all their purple glory and now residing in my back yard..did I mention I haven't met a plant I didn't love and bring home...I have to say that week after trips to the Islands and to First Seasons greenhouse on Button bay and Garden Goddess in Ferrisburgh thegardengoddess.net that I ended up with 75+ plants and 60 of them were annuals that were planted last Monday morning into several planters and window boxes all planted in 2 hours before a fabulous Fourth of July pool party that afternoon...when I sit with Friends or just by myself and look out over the pool and gardens I realize that it is all worth it so see such beauty blooming in the yard bringing so much pleasure to all who come.

Before the party we grabbed a few bottles of wine from The Bevie in Winooski another Vermont treasure and the friendliest staff and owners around ask for Jen or George or shameless plug Billy and they will fix you up with whatever you desire.

New recipe...watermelon salad courtesy of Bub

chop up watermelon I used about half a seedless melon
add chopped cilantro to taste
very finely diced red onion and jalapeno to taste

dressing
about 1/2 cup of lime juice
1/8 to 1/4 cup canola oil
fresh grated ginger or jarred
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar add to a ball jar shake taste adjust if necessary

this is a very refreshing dish I haven't met anyone yet who didn't like it of course if you are in that minority that doesn't like cilantro ...well you could try omitting that but it is really better with it.

Lazy Sunday

The weather is colder so after stacking all our outdoor furniture and covering it , I was chilled it seemed like a perfect day for Mac and cheese. Creamy cheddery goodness with a crisp top is always a crowd pleaser.

I also cooked up some fresh sausage, we make our own with lean ground pork spiced with Penzeys sausage seasoning...Penzey's Spices is the best spice company I have ordered for years from there, if you ever get a chance to go to one of their store be sure to go. The closest one to here is in Arlington,Mass.

http://www.penzeys.com

I encourage you to browse this web site or call and request a catalogue.

Mac and Cheese
heat oven to 350 degrees

6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons flour
melt flour into a roux add 1/8 teasp cayenne and 1/2 teasp pepper

add 5 cups milk slowly
I use 2% or whole if I feel like company mac and cheese

when mixture thickens add 4 cups of cheddar cheese or a combination of your fav cheeses..I use Cabot sharp cheddar

mix together pour into a large flat casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray
top with bread crumbs I use Panko crumbs because they stay so criap, and sprinkle more cheese on top

cook at 350 degrees for 30-40 mins till brown on top...you can always broil for 3-4 mins for added brown crispy cheesy top.

Bon Appetit....

Hello

Well even the best cook takes time off from the kitchen the last couple of weeks I made several quarts of soup and we have been having soup and salad or soup and Baguette night......

There was a Faux Thanksgiving Sunday family dinner which made making turkey soup the next day easy, I played around with a nice aldente veggie soup which I loved , I am not a big fan of mushy vegetables,and after 3 lunches of that soup, I did a redoux and added meat and pasta for a heartier dinner soup.

Tonight I made homemade Mac and cheese a crowd pleaser, we love salmon patties in my family...you take canned salmon clean it up get rid of the cartilage and skin ect, crumble in a bowl, add eggs, dill, lemon zest and panko crumbs fry up in canola oil in Hamburg patty size till golden brown serve with lemons to squeeze, I had picked up some adorable teeny tiny yellow potatoes at Trader Joe's in Mass and I cut them in half and pan fried them served with peas and an arugula salad w shredded beets and avocado with my white balsamic dressing made the meal complete...and wa la old family comfort food..

The Mac and cheese will make us happy for days as lunch and dinner since we really never touched it tonight, but I like cooking a couple dishes at one time so that we have fast food when I am feeling slow...

The next few weeks will busy making fairy/princess tutu's for a craft fair...My youngest daughter and I sell soaps, scrubs and lotions made with organic ingredients, herbs ect that we conjure up here at the house..for Christmas.

Tata for now..........