Friday Night at the Winooski Beverage Warehouse

well Last night was another fun night of tasting new beverages in Winooski at the Bevie!

Last night was Vt liquors night, we tasted Vermont White and Vermont Gold Vodkas.
by...Vermont Spirits
Here's some Info on the distillery:

Heidi Wheeler, sales & marketing

622 Keyser Hill Road
St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
Northeast region


contact information:

phone: 802.748.6545
email: heidi@vermontspirits.com
website: www.vermontspirits.com


Vermont Spirits is a micro-distillery making two varieties of handcrafted artisanal vodkas in the Northeast Kingdom. The Vermont Gold is distilled from maple sap, and the Vermont White from milk sugars. These ultra-premium vodkas are both unique in that they are not distilled from grains, like the majority of vodkas.
product description: Handcrafted Vodkas

And a Delicious Maple liquor called Saplings Maple Liquor.I see a future for this in my house for lots of things besides sipping...drizzle over baked squashes, add to crumble pie toppings(thanks Jen for that idea)and I still think drizzled over Vanilla Ice Creme it would make a nice ending to a Ham or turkey meal...Drizzled over a baked apple...endless possibilities

Anyway thanks to Jen and George and everyone at the Beverage warehouse in winooski for introducing us all to new things to try each week.

All these delightful beverages are right there to take home, there is also a space at the bevie where you can find some real culinary gems, from Vt Honey gardens apiarys Honey to Dell'Amore pasta sauce..(Remember Filomina's sauce)well I met the man who brings this sauce to us last night...you never know who you will run into at the Bevie!

So next time you're in Winooski stop by grab some wine, some Dell'Amore pasta sauce while you're there, your tastebuds will thank you!

http://www.beveragewarehousevt.com/

Halloween 2009

Happy Halloween all!

Real Vermont girls go Trick or Treating in Rainboots.....

Potato leek and Fennel soup

Halloween is drizzly damp and cold here in Vt...after a meal Of Delicious Green chili cheese burgers for dinner, my husband and I made soup

1 fennel bulb chopped
a few fronds chopped set aside to finish soup
1 onion diced
6-8 med potatoes
4 tablespoons butter
cheddar cheese
light creme or half and half 1 pint

makes 3 quarts soup


Melt butter, add fennel and onion and saute till tender add potatoes, 6 cups chicken stock, cook till potatoes are tender, use immersion blender to blend till smooth or leave a few potato lumps as you wish

add cheddar cheese grated I used half a package of Cabots sharp Cheddar, I added
1 pint lt creme,but half and half works just as well or milk I would use whole milk unless you really are concerned because it give a great mouth feel and depth of flavor to the creme soup. add salt and pepper to taste ...and additional fennel fronds and when serving top with a few fronds for presentation.

we serve with crusty bread, Stewarts, August First, Gerards whatever bread makes you smile!

This Soup is rich and flavorful and filling enough to stand alone for supper with bread, if you're yearning for a green veg add a nice salad.

Hungarian Mushroom soup...experiment

Well this was one of those recipe's in theory looked good. Some of us gave it a 5 out of 10...most of us thought it needed beef and noodles ala stroganoff...

if the ingredients sound good google it there are 2 recipes ...

Mushrooms
onions
fresh dill
butter
paprika
red chili
chicken or veg broth

yogurt
buttermilk
flour

sour creme
lemon juice
parsley

basically it was just to sour a soup...I wish I had made a nice cream of mushroom with sherry and thyme, tomorrow I am going to cook egg noodles and pour the leftover soup over it...waste not want not..and I did use really good ingredients so the flavor is there it's just different

The beauty of braised beef

I love braised beef, usually I use a brisket when it's on sale, brisket has become rather pricey so when my Grocery has it on markdown I buy and freeze a few. yesterday I found a flank steak on sale another cut of meat that has become pricey...anyway usually I marinate a flank steak along time and grill and slice on the diagonal so tasty, but today I decided to see if it would braise well...It did.

I laid the the flank steak in a covered dish, smeared garlic paste all over it Chile powder(I used new Mexico chili powder from the Atlantic spice company) a Little cayenne,lemon pepper and salt and pepper rubbed it in and set the oven on 350 degrees.

I cooked at 350 for one hour, at 300 for one hour and 250 for an hour and 200 for another hour, I like the meat to fall apart into strings when you put a fork into it. It could have been used after the 250 degrees cooking but I wasn't ready to serve so I left it in.


I removed the meat and just to add more flavor you really don't need to do this I laid it in a hot skillet to brown the bottom a bit...
I took the cooking liquid put in small sauce pan and added 1 can green chilies and a 1/2 small onion cooked for a few mins you don't want the onion mushy you just want it to absorb some of the flavor its cooking in

mean while I cooked 2 cups corn
steamed 12 tortillas(wrap in a kitchen towel put in a steamer above water and steam 10-12 mins covered

made Lime crema:
1 cup sour creme I used 50% fat free yesterday thin with a little creme I had light creme on hand yesterday, I juiced 1 1/2 limes added zest from one lime, salt and a pinch of cayenne stir together, this will all incorporate and make a nice sauce.

I took one tortilla(I would use 2 next time) each I was serving 3 people and dipped in the green chili sauce , put in bottom of a pasta bowl,covered with corn, added chopped shredded beef(I just chop to bite size pieces)poured some of the green chili onion sauce over meat topped with baby lettuce mix and topped with lime crema.

I serve the steamed corn tortillas on the side keep covered they dry out quickly.

The plates were completely clean and all the lime crema gone, and just enough beef left to top a salad or wrap in a tortilla for lunch today.

The nice thing about Mexican cooking is you can take any cut of meat braise it add Mexican spices green chili, corn or hominy and have a flavor packed meal....I am sure you could do this in a slow cooker if you work also, I would definatly try that if you don't have time to braise for hours...This is a good thing to do an a Sat or Sunday braise a lot of meat and use through out the week.

You can use braised meat in chili,quasadillas, tacos, salads,as a BBQ pulled beef or pork sandwich, you could use in a beef and rice soup that you could put together in less than a half hour. sometimes we just put the meat on rolls with mustard and pickles salt and pepper and it is so flavorful.

No pictures it was put together and devoured to quickly!

Chicken Soup

Well today seemed like the day to make the first batch of feel well soup, several members of the family were feeling under the weather ..

1/2 large onion
2 ribs celery
1 large garlic clove
I put these into the Cuisinart and pulse till finely chopped

2-3 table spoons olive oil

heat pan to med high add onion mixture and saute till soft
add spices...I use...cayenne 1/8 tsp, french seasonings 1/2 tsp, 1/2 tsp of basil, and 1/2 tsp of mint, I throw these in at the end of sauteing to bring out their flavor, add salt and pepper to taste.

3 quarts organic chicken broth(when I don't have this I use knorrs bouillon cubes 1 cube to every 2 cups of water, I was making a big batch today)

I chopped approx 1/2 -3/4 cup kale chop finely
added 3/4 cup of grated carrots,1 zucchini chopped in small pieces,
3/4 cup of frozen corn and peas, 5-6 small baby portabella chopped in small pieces

after you add the broth bring it to a boil,add chopped up chicken I used 7 small tenderloins today it was heavier on chicken flavor than meat today...after 5 mins add all veg's at once cook for a few mins 5-10 max I don't like mushy veggies

turn off soup and let sit for half an hour usually that's long enough for the zucchini to cook but still have texture.

when I make this soup I start the rice in a pan separately , I have learned through the years if you want broth cook the rice or pasta separately, I used 3 cups water 2 cups Jasmin rice today you can use any rice you like... I add the rice in 2 ways...sometimes I put rice in bowls and pour the soup over the rice I did this today for the lunch bowls with Ruby.....after I add the rice all at once for the dinner meal serve immediately after adding to hot broth.....I then put half into a ball jar and put right into the frig for tomorrow.

I am admittedly addicted to lemons ..I would eat dirt if you squeezed lemon on it...so there are two ways I serve this soup...1/ just the way it is and with lemon wedges for me to squeeze in ......2/ I juice 2 lemons add to 2 beaten eggs add hot broth to the egg mixture stirring quickly so the eggs don't curdle till its warm then add back into the soup and stir very quickly remove from stove and serve.. reheat gently for leftovers............that is the Greek antibiotic chicken soup called Aveglemo chicken soup it is by far my favorite and when I make it that way I add a bit more mint to the mix....

I will add pictures tomorrow.......night all

Sunday in Vt

Well we went to the Essex Craft Fair today, sadly there wasn't a lot to get excited about, looking forward to the Sheraton Craft Fair.

Family dinner , I always have fun making A HALF AND HALF LASAGNA, meaning half veggie and half meat, today we sliced zucchinis length wise in 1/8" slices steam in microwave 2 mins, added shredded carrots microwaved for 1 minute,on one side. On the other we still have veggies also but add ground beef also, I do use whole milk ricotta we only make Lasagna like 3 times a year so when I make it, I like using the real deal I add 3 farm fresh eggs chop up fresh parsley(sometime I add spinach chopped to the Ricotta also)salt and pepper , and start layering with mozzarella and an Italian blend of cheeses, today I used a bottled sauce from Whole Foods their 365 store brand it was very nice I see no reason to kill myself making sauce for lasagna,I save that for when I really want to showcase the sauce like with Ravioli...it always feels like they weigh 8 lbs ...we served with a nice arugula,baby spinach and fall mescalin lettuce blend salad on the side(my daughter Kate made a Delicious Salad dressing tonight out of orange juice sesame oil,lemon juice etc I will have her post the recipe ) ...tonight we grated fresh garlic from the farm into soft butter and enjoyed a lovely garlic bread toasted to perfection.

We ended the meal with a triple Berry pie I bought at the City Market co-op topped with vanilla Ben and Jerry's.

We had a Nice Tempranillo 2006 by RivaRey and the Lambec Cassis(black current) family was happy with the wine and I was happy with the lambic!

A good time was had by all...boys enjoyed the Football while my daughters and I caught up with each other. Ruby just enjoyed it all!

Baseball playoffs downstairs Sunday night TV upstairs...Night all!

A close family friend was taken advantage of..raffle for a dollhouse to help replace stolen money

Hi

Last week a close friends mother in her 80's was the victim of a scam, something that's being called the Gram scam.

Lynn Butlers Mother in Law was called last week buy a young man with what appeared to be a bad connection, he said Gram I'm in trouble can you help me? Lucille said Jason is that you? He of course answered yes, he told her he didn't want to call his parents, that he was on a fishing trip in Canada and had been pulled over by the Canadian police and arrested, he asked if she could help him post bail. He told her he needed 5000.00 she said she only had 3500.00 for her hearing aids he said he would pay her back as soon as he returned to the US, she agreed and he said he would put someone on to give her the info to send the money. Lucille went to the bank and wired the cash, the next day they called back asking for more, she said she didn't have anymore and would call his parents,lynn was called and when Lynn came to lucille's house , she explained that Jason wasn't in Canada he was in Swanton and had never gone on a fishing trip. Lucille was hard of hearing in her 80's and knew Jason hunted and fished in Canada before so she never dreamed it wasn't true.

The Vt St Atty General says they can't do anything because it was cash and it can't be traced. As you can imagine not only are Lynn and Charlie upset ,but Lucille is a wreck. she not only lost her savings but was a victim of fraud.

A very kind co worker has given Lynn a Doll House fully furnished to raffle off to benefit Lucille to help pay for her hearing aids, I know none of us would want this to happen to our mom's. Many of you know Lynn and Charlie and know that Charlie was battling Cancer 2 short years ago and was out of work for months,he is cancer free now, but they aren't able to fix this for Lucille by themselves.

I am hoping some of you might like to take a chance on winning a doll house for someone you know who would enjoy playing with it, Or maybe you would just like to make a donation, we would appreciate any help you might think you can give. This is a very nice family that has been taken advantage of.

Thank You so Much

Linda and Bill Post and Family



Tickets are 2 for 5.00


money for tickets or donations can be mailed either to

Lynn Butler
36 Clover lane
Burlington,Vt 05408

or

Linda Post
748 North Ave
Burlington, Vt 05408


The drawing is to take place around Thanksgiving or the week after, thanks again for doing anything you can

Saturday

Well I lied,last night after the beer tasting I brought back my case of Lambic and we made fresh roast pork sandwiches on rolls with good old French's mustard and dill pickle slices, a sorta half Cuban, potato chips and had Lanbic Keiek the cherry and pork together was wonderful. No dinner out tonight jut movies in, a half a thumbs up to State Of Play..(Russell Crowe,Ben Affleck,Robin Wright Penn,Rachel McAdams)kinda fell flat but definatly has a twist you had to wait for.

I like to put a small very lean pork roast in the oven every so often an slow cook the bejesus out of it when it's at the point that strings pull away you are ready just pull the pork no need to add BBQ sauce unless you just want to , we just pile it high on bakery rolls add mustard and pickles and it is so yummy another comfort food that takes no real effort, I just salt and pepper the top of the roast cover it and if I'm in a hurry cook at 350 for 2+ hrs or slow roast I start at 350 for 20 mins reduce heat to 250 and let it go for hours.

Tonight we had a big left over fest after spending the day in the drizzling rain in downtown Burlington Trick or Treating from store to store with my Daughter and Granddaughter..it was quite a site,this year there were amazing costumes I saw peacocks,and little rats from Ratatouille's , a plethora of Princesses, Vampires,animals,construction workers,one family had taken leaf bags and added leaves around the top and the kids were inside, I give it the best budget and creative idea of the day. One family was Wendy,peter pan, Captain hook and Tinker belle was a sweet family idea. There were ladybugs galore,buzzing bees,Giraffes,Tigers,shaggy dogs, Transformers and skeleton's,Darth Vader still makes an appearance, little ninjas, a Geisha girl,Crocodiles,pumpkins seriously it was a great day despite the rain...and a great haul of candy was made by all!

I will try to be more creative with tomorrows Sunday dinner..Have a great Saturday night all...

Friday Night Fun

We are headed to The Beverage Warehouse in Winooski tonight, a Little beer tasting(SAM ADAMS) , and buying Lambic,if you like a wonderful tart fizzy drink this is the one to try.I love the Lambic Framboise yummy Raspberry flavor and not in the sick sweet syrupy way. It's like you picked a quart of Raspberries and squeezed the juice into a refreshing yummy fizzy magical drink. I also love the lambic Kriek if you like real cherry taste this one is amazing, I kid you not I opened a bottle at a party being sceptical of a fruity beer..Lambic is a beer technically, and started giving tastes to people then poured myself a taste, I then tried to hide the bottle to have to myself but everyone wanted to know what it was ,saying it is so refreshing. The bottle was gone in 5 mins.

If you go to the Belted Cow Bistro in Essex where the old Lincoln Inn used to be, they have a Framboise Lambic float for dessert I can't wait to go back and try it. And the food is amazing and the owners so friendly defiantly trying to be mostly locavore...it shows, the quality and taste makes it a new go to Restaurant.

I have cooked a lot this week so I think we will do dinner out. So many choice we will just have to wait and see....

Today I re-designed an Ursula costume for my 24 yr old daughter who is going to a party with a group of friends as the Little Mermaid gang, It brought back many memories of lots of Halloweens and many many costumes through the years, this one was a challenge as she literally practically has to be sewn into the costume..all in all it turned out very good! Hope they all have fun tonight and win the prize for best costume I hear there is a lot of competition.

Have a great Friday night...Maybe we will see you at the Bevie or out at a local resturant...

Dinner

Tonight's mostly Indian meal was a success, we had the lentil stew, poppadoms, Raita... and the Arepas bread made from the special corn meal flour we got in Montreal yesterday...a nice red wine picked out by Jennifer at the winooski Beverage warehouse called Atteca old vines 2007,completed the main meal,a good time was had by all. We finished the meal with a Hagan daz vanilla Ice cream bar covered with chocolate almond vintage 2009...

If you have never cooked poppadoms at home the sheer magic of watching a small disc flower up and spread into a circle 3 times it's size you should really try it, all you need is to buy the poppadoms at a market, get a couple of inches of oil in a sauce pan wider than 6 inches and wa la crispy fried poppadoms appear...FYI the poppadoms are the crunchy very flat wafer thin bread served at Indian restaurants before the meal. These take 5-10 seconds to cook.


If you live in the Burlington ,Vt area head to the beverage warehouse in Winooski they are sooo helpful even when you have no idea what you want, and there is a Sam Adams beer tasting tomorrow at 5pm free pint glass stop by great people there! Ask for Jenn or George and you will meet great people... check it out............www.beveragewarehousevt.com/

Lentil Stew

This recipe was adapted from Jane Brody's Good Food Gourmet...an excellent cookbook

Lentil and potato stew:

I always double this so that we have leftovers....

1 cup lentils(I use the bigger greenish brown lentil readily available anywhere)
4 cups water
1 tsp salt optional altho I always add this
1 bay leaf
1tablespoon butter or margarine I use butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2-3 large potatoes (the potatoes make this dish I use the larger amt )
1 tsp turmeric (always wear black or old clothes when cooking with turmeric)
1/4 tsp cayenne
salt to taste
fresh ground pepper
2 large ripe tomatoes or 2 cans diced tomatoes( I use Muir Glen diced the big can when I double)I always use canned quicker and easy
2 tsp garam masala (I use pataks curry paste in a jar see picture)avail in the Thai and Indian sections of most grocery stores)
1 tsp sugar or honey(I don't do this)
water if necessary

1. in a med sauce pan add lentils and water and bay leaf bring to a boil cook till lentils are just tender.Do not drain lentils set aside while doing potatoes and discard bay leaf.

2.In a dutch oven add oil and and butter heat briefly,add potatoes and sprinkle with the turmeric,cayenne,salt and pepper, cook potatoes tossing them over med heat for aprox 5 mins.

3. add tomatoes the reserved lentils and the water they were cooked in.Add the garam masala or the pataks curry paste I use 2 heaping teaspoons of the paste for 1 batch).

4. cook stew 10-15 mins till potatoes are just tender stirring from time to time and adding addl water if stew seems dry.

my entire family loves this dish and it takes just over 30 mins to make ,I usually start the lentils peel and chop the potatoes while the lentils cook, heat the oil pop the potatoes in add spice stir cooking for 5-7 mins just to coat pot and start them cooking, add tomatoes, lentils and water and cook 10-15 mins till pot are just tender i then turn it off let it sit and chk that the potatoes are done and you are good to go.

serve with pitas or baguettes, sometimes I make poppadoms or naan depending on time, if you need greens add a salad we find the stew to be pretty hearty and filling served with bread. Enjoy!

Montreal,PQ

Today my friend and I went to Montreal to search for white precooked cornmeal to make arepas bread. we had this bread at a yummy Cafe in Province Town when we visited the Cape this month. We came home with the taste of the fresh hot creamy feeling Arepas lingering in our minds. A quick search of the Internet told us that finding the special cornmeal was going to be difficult if we didn't want to order online.

So we started looking for Hispanic Markets in Montreal our favorite go to place for ethnic food and the special ingredients we need to execute these dishes. We had success however it wasn't that easy many of the markets that we searched out had closed and all we found we empty store fronts , however we didn't give up , my husband had diligently programmed about 10 markets into my trusty GPS and we kept looking,finally we had success,as a matter of fact we also found dried chillies, large cans of Hominy and Tomatillos,fresh made tortillas and many other ingredients that will ensure some mighty tasty Mexican/Spanish/Latino dishes. We` also found a Little Taqueria by the Jean talon Market that served us a Delicious lunch of assorted meats,beans,rice,guacamole and fresh hot tortillas served with fresh lime wedges that made our day. We topped off the visit to The Jean Talon market by hitting a Chocolatier for a treat.

So after lunch we went on the road again looking for Indian food markets, again many had closed but after heading down Parc st. all the way to the end and turning left at the Metro station we were pleasantly surprised to find a very nice well stocked market, lots of legumes, mung dal,fresh naan bread,mixes for pakoras,poppadoms to be fried fresh in our kitchens, we left happy and relieved that we can come again to find these specialties.

On to the Adonnis Market a big very well stocked Lebanese Market and we bought fresh filo a real find when we can only get frozen here in Vt., tdzeki yogurt,fresh feta,Lebneh a tart thick lebonese yogurt,tiny pitas that make my Grandaughter smile,fresh dates,Tabbouleh...this market had an aisle that is as lond as one at hannafords and is packed with nuts, olives,cheese,yogurt sauces,hundreds of selections I tell you it is a foodies paradise!

Also one must hit Gourmet Laurier on Laurier st. this Market is in a very upscale part of Montreal and had many delicacies,you can buy Valhrona chocolate by the pound here for cooking and baking,you can find Balsamic affordable and those behind locked cabinet doors that will make you drool, this is where I also find my moderately priced white balsamic to make a few dressings that just aren't the same without that taste. I also buy coffee there and Montreal steak seasoning,their cookie and jam/preserves aisle is so extensive you need half an hour to just peruse them. You can also get Valhrona sprinkles and flakes to scatter on your cupcakes that make people go where did you get these?

Today we also hit a small middle eastern market across from the Jean talon Market, we bought rose water, geranium water, orange water, and several essential oils to cook and for medicinal purposes, this man was very informative, my friend bought this oil that helps people with Gout(it also enhances male performance,we were informed of this by the man behind the counter in very discreet and humorous way, we had to buy that oil!

Well I hope that you have enjoyed my Musing about Montreal, I will post any Delicious dinners that come out of this shopping expedition...Night all

Comfort food

I always turn to soups in the fall it's my transition to roasts and stews and other winter comfort foods.

Some of my favorite soups are Corn Chowder from Bakery Lane Soup bowl Cookbook, and Lentil Stew from Jane Brody Good Food Gourmet, and there is nothing like a Chicken and rice aveglemo(egg and lemon)Greek soup..it's Greek antibiotics.

I am not a vegetarian but I love a good vegetarian meal and Lentil stew is one of those that you don't miss the meat in. I make a nice Potato Leek soup that has a chicken stock base that could easily be totally veggie, I just happen to like the flavor chicken stock gives to soups.

Potato Leek soup

5-6 potatoes water to cover
add 2 chicken or veg bouillon cubes
or you could cook the potatoes in canned or carton stock
I use knorr bouillon cubes because I like the flavor and I can easily keep them on hand, cook potatoes till soft in the stock
add pepper(usually there is enough salt in the stock if not add salt)
1/8 tsp of cayenne(optional)

saute 2 large or 3 small leeks chopped fine
in 2 tablespoons butter
add to potatoes when they are cooked, I use an immersion blender
and blend all together in pan, add a good handful of Cheddar cheese and add 2 cups of half and half, I have used whole milk also, if you use 2% it will be a lighter
thinner soup, I prefer not using that, I have used fat free half and half it's good just adds a tiny sweeter flavor, blend once more and it's all done.

I store all my soups in Ball(Mason)jars easy to pour out and clean and if you put them in hot they actually seal and stay fresh longer, that isn't usually an issue in my house because they disappear quickly,Ball jars also take up less space in your frig. But sometimes we make 2-3 on the weekend to have during the week, when my kids were little every Sunday we made 3 and had them ready to use when we walked in the door from work , it made life so much easier!



A quick way to make any of your favorite chicken rice soups taste extra yummy is to beat 2 eggs and the juice of one lemon in a bowl add hot broth a ladle at a time stirring constantly so you don't curdle the egg when you have brought the egg/lemon mixture to a hot temp add quickly to the chicken soup stir thoroughly at the end of cooking ,turn off heat, serve or store and reheat gently I am telling you if you are a lemon lover this will be your favorite soup. This works best in a lighter chicken soup I add onion,celery,saute add stock and chicken, carrots and add frozen peas last 5 mins, I add 2 teasp dried mint a pinch of basil salt and pepper dash of cayenne to taste, cook together and add cooked white basmati or Jasmin rice (you could use brown)but this is a light not overly savory soup.I always cook the rice or pasta separately from soup so that it doesn't absorb all the lovely stock and add at the end, just before I add the egg/lemon mixture.

Good eating please share any of your favorite's with me I am always looking for a new recipe.

Celebrating Beets

I am lucky enough to belong to a CSA Community supported agriculture farm called Bloomfield Farm, every year we purchase a share of food and from early June till mid October we pick up a weekly supply of fresh veggies...this has made dinner and life an adventure, we have eaten new veggies and have fresh food everyday..this is one reason I have plenty of beets...Thank You Matt and Tanya for all the good vegetables we got this year. I will be adding more recipes that include these vegetables as I make them. Check out bloomfieldfarm.net for info on Csa's. I highly recommend them and especially this one.

I myself love beets in any form, roasted, boiled, pickled...but surprise surprise Raw beets rock!......Just peel them cut into small enough pieces to fit down the food processor chute or grate any way that you can(I love using my food processor and use it any chance I get)...I also grated some carrots and added them on top of the beets just before I dressed them.....I found a lovely dressing on a raw food blog a while back and used this to dress the raw beet salad..I usually have approximately 3 cups of grated beets and a couple carrots if you like.

5 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar...it's best to use the white balsamic it is so smooth
5 tablespoons lemon juice
10 tablespoons oil (olive or canola)
1 small shallot chopped very fine
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

I add this all to a small ball jar and shake vigorously and wait to pour on the salad till a few minutes before serving this dressing tastes very tart but once you add it to the sweet beets It becomes magic

I also found out that the grated beets undressed last over a week in a Ziploc bag so you can grate more than you need and use through out the week on salads or make another beet salad.
If you aren't into eating raw beets microwave the grated beets for 2 minutes and then pour dressing over the beets while still warm this is very good also.

Beets are a good thing to grab at these last few farmers markets as they store well for weeks in the refrigerator

I have a good recipe for pickled beets if anyone is interested let me know and I will post it.

Chicken chili

Today I decided to find out if ground chicken could be used to make a decent chili...the verdict ,it was very tasty.
I took ground chicken sauteed it with garlic and added Cayenne,chili powder salt and pepper to taste...in keeping with the white chili theme, I added a can of tomatillos,a large can of green chili,1 can of hominy(yellow) half a diced zucchini and about a cup of frozen corn and 1 can white beans.(you could add sauteed onions but today I didn't do that).
If you like Mexican food you would like this, the consistency of ground chicken is a bit different from beef so it was larger pieces of meat and a tad chewier, but it certainly didn't lack in flavor at all..if any of you have ever had Posole a Mexican green chili stew, the flavor is similar. So it is definatly a lower calorie lower fat version of chili, I served it with cornbread(corn tortillas would be a good choice also) and it was well received.

Next time I might use ground pork.

And in the beginning there was....

Hi

I am starting this blog in response to all my Friends and family's requests for my recipes...I will admit I am more of a wing it kind of Girl , but I do realize that comes with 40+ years of cooking experience, so for my children and friends who want something more exact, here is my attempt to share with you all..........

My goal in cooking is first flavor,then nutrition,then ease, I feel if it's flavorful and nutritious you can get them to eat anything....

That said , I am fearless in trying new spices,recipes and ethnic markets,I have been known to drive to Massachusetts to a Whole Foods store or a Trader Joe's just to buy quality ingredients, each fall a friend and I travel to Cape Cod and visit the Atlantic spice co in N. Truro a great place to fine spices at an affordable price and to buy in bulk those spices that you use regularly,I can buy a 16oz package of herbs for what we pay for a 2-4 oz bottle in the store, another great spice resource is Penzy's spices both places have an online site just google them. I also go to Montreal every 6-8 Weeks to 3-4 markets to get hard to find ingredients for my ethnic dishes, I will tell you how to find those in future blogs, I find people are afraid to try new things but if you start small and incorporate the new tastes It's pretty easy to win them over.

I have friends that cringed at the thought of Curry, I think curry gets a bad rap from all the over spiced hot dishes people have tried in the past, introduce it in a softer way and they will be hooked,on the way to Cape Cod this fall my friend and I stopped at a Nepalese/Indian market in Lowell, Mass.for us it was like hitting a candy store, what choice what fun what an adventure, remember when going to small ethnic markets the rule of thumb is check the expiration date,what one culture isn't as worried about might not fit how we feel, I always find good mixes, spices and flours to make some of our favorite dishes at home. I find these give new meaning to Family dinners on Sundays. So if you are looking for tried and true comfort food, new exciting ethnic dishes ...then I think you will like this blog.

Thanks