OLS Week 5: Look Out, Wolfgang!

Hey, before we get on to the food…in case you didn’t notice, the freakin’ sun came out, finally!  July 5th marks the first day without any rain since I think I can remember, or at least since, like, the beginning of June.  So, everyone molding in New England can now begin to dry out.  Hallelujah!

Now…for this week’s OLS meal: barbeque chicken pizza!  

 

Photo taken after the first servings were enjoyed!

It’s not exactly a “garden meal,” but for a stormy, damp July 4th, it was perfect.  We had leftover barbeque chicken, which we had glazed with some great sauce from Stonewall Kitchen (Mainers, ‘eh), and some fresh mozzarella in the fridge.  I used the America’s Test Kitchen pizza bianca recipe for the crust (registration required at ATK site).  So far, this is my favorite homemade crust recipe.  

Natives: King Arthur Flour*, Stonewall Kitchen Maple Chipotle Barbeque Sauce, chicken,VT mozzarella (sorry, can’t remember the farm name), garlic scapes, parsley.

From Away: Olive oil, yeast, salt, pepper.  

*King Arthur Flour is an employee-owned company that produces flour in Vermont.  The wheat is not from New England, but I consider the flour as local as I’m going to get at this point!

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OLS ’09 Report, Weeks 1-4

My apologies to all the good people organizing One Local Summer ’09.  I’ve been a slacker, slacker, slacker!

I should say, we are still eating out of our freezer.  It’s June, and we’re still supplementing the first of the green stuff with frozen beans, corn and zucchini.  A month or so ago I figured I’d gone overboard freezing stuff last summer; now I’m grateful!

So, by way of contrition, I offer three meals for the good of the order!

First, smoked Rock Farm ribs, slow-baked Meadow’s Mirth Jean’s beans and an apple-rhubarb pie:

For goodness sakes, folks, have you made a pie crust with lard yet? Have ya?

The locals: Ribs, beans, apples, rhubarb, honey, butter, lard, flour 

From away: Salt, spices, molasses, sugar.

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Next, a grill-roasted local chicken with Maine russets and zucchini from the freezer:

The highlight of this meal (besides the yummy chicken) was the fresh dill and chives from the yard!

The locals: Chicken, zucchini, potato, honey, dill, chives, butter

From away: Salt, pepper, soy sauce, olive oil.

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After our first CSA pickup, I used arugula in a little pesto for a steak:

I have to say, I don't love arugula (I've tried, leave me alone). But in a pesto with some pine nuts, parmesan and olive oil, it's pretty okay on a perfectly cooked, lean steak!

The locals: Rock Farm steak, arugula, butter, lemon-thyme, parsley and chives from the yard (starring in the herbed pasta).

From away: Olive oil, pine nuts, parmesan, salt, pepper, pasta

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So, for those of you still following along – thanks for sticking with me!  I’ll check in again soon!

 

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Slowly but surely…

…the food is growing again!

Tonight’s dinner:

• Frittatas with local eggs, bacon, cheese and milk
• ASPARAGUS from a science teacher at school
• Salad with lettuce from the Family/Consumer Science teacher’s kitchen garden in the school courtyard

Thanks, Spring!

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Sign up for One Local Summer ’09

This year, Farm to Philly will kindly host One Local summer again.  

If you’re not familiar with OLS, the rules are simple:  cook up one meal each week during the challenge (June 1st through August 30th) using locally grown ingredients (exceptions: oil, salt and pepper, and spices).  Post about your meal on your blog, or email it to your regional coordinator – a round up will take place each Tuesday at Farm to Philly.

Participation is a great way to motivate yourself to find local ingredients, seek out unique regional ingredients, and post regularly to a blog!

Click here to sign up by May 30th.

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Check out NH Maple Weekend!

 

Tapping at home!

Last year around this time, I did a post about how pothole season means maple syrup season around these parts.  You can check that out if you’d like more information about the nuts-and-bolts of maple sugaring (in NH, sugar is a verb!).  

Meanwhile, though, if you live in or around NH, I’d encourage you to check out your local sugar house this weekend during NH’s Maple Producer open houses.

Mmmmmmm…

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Dark Days Update: Wherein I pay no attention to deadlines!

I’m not sure what’s going on this winter with the old blog here.  I have limited motivation for posting, but we really are eating very well from our freezer and pantry.  It’s this time of year that I really feel good about all that work I did over the summer and fall to can and freeze.  Even though it’s March and lots of people are talking about Spring, we’re still months away from fresh, locally grown foods. 

Lest you think we’ve been slacking, here are a few meals we’ve enjoyed, mostly from local ingredients.

I’ve discovered Vermont Smoke and Cure Pepperoni.  What better to do than try it on a pizza?

I prefer a crust that’s crispier more than deep-dish, but this was yummy, nevertheless.

 Local: pepperoni, frozen tomato sauce, Cabot cheese.  Not-so-local: crust ingredients, mushrooms.

Then, there was this little beauty:

A sirloin from Rock Farm, cooked rare and served with super-tender parsleyed potatoes I picked up at the Seacoast Eat Local farmer’s market on Saturday.

The meat looks super-rare in the photo.  It wasn’t quite as bloody as it looks!  Along with this meal we enjoyed a salad with FRESH GREENS! from the farmer’s market.  Heaven.

Local: sirloin, potatoes, Cabot butter, greens.  Not-so-local: parsley, cucumber, carrot, salt and pepper.

The FRESH GREENS! have shown up in meals all week.

Tonight, it was alongside some mini-frittatas.

Quite yummy!

Local: eggs, milk, FRESH GREENS!, bread.  Not-so-local: salami, parmesean, cucumbers, carrots, cranberries, S&P.

The farmer’s market was great.  In addition to the FRESH GREENS! I scored some chorizo and a ten pound bag of fresh Atlantic shrimpies, now stashed in the freezer.  I’m wondering if most people cook these and then pop the heads and shells off, or peeel ’em before cooking?  Ali?  What’s your advice?

Finally, we’ve been eating home-made desserts, too.  I made a batch of vanilla ice cream that we ate with this heavenly thing, and now we’re enjoying it with apple/peach crisp made from fruit I froze this summer.  

All’s well!

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Dark Days: Ham & Beans

Returning from the warm, sunny West Coast to another 8 inch snowstorm was not pleasant.  

Having a snow day to simmer ham and beans on the stove, was quite pleasant!  Although, I do realize that some of you are now able to get things like strawberries and asparagus and green stuff, oh my!  

Although pleasant to eat, this is not a very photogenic meal!

• From here: Rock Farm Ham, homemade chicken stock, pinto beans (Maine), Rock Farm bacon fat
• From away: organic onion, organic brown rice, salt & pepper, spices

Warm and yummy on a snowy day.

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Dark Days (late?): Tortilla Soup

Our dinner for this week is a hybrid of local, frozen food and some pantry staples: tortilla soup.

First, the local stuff: chicken, chicken stock, frozen summer corn, onions, Vermont cheese

From the pantry: one can of black beans, tortilla chips, and this soup mix (that’s right, I said soup mix):

I LOVE this soup mix.  It has all-natural ingredients:

There’s no salt added.  The stuff tastes good.  It’s super easy to make.  I add my own stock, meat and some vegetables…yum!!!  

Also, I had some help while cooking.

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Dark Days: Between Sniffles

I’ve got the cold that’s been swirling around school (just in time for the weekend!).  But, at least I’ve got some yummy food, since this is definitely the “stuff it” kind of cold (vs. the “starve it”).  

Lemony Maine shrimp with freezer green beans and brown rice.

Surprise!  No beef in this week’s meal.  AND, it didn’t take four hours to prepare!

I roasted the green beans with a little olive oil and S&P.  Meanwhile, I sauteed a clove of garlic in a little butter and some lemon olive oil carried from CA.  Then I added the sweet little shrimpies and cooked them just until they were hot through.  

The shrimp and pan juices were great on the brown rice!

• From NH: string beans, garlic
• From NE: shrimp, butter
• From away: rice, olive oil, S&P

And now, back to bed with another shot of Nyquil.

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Convenience Store

My egg store. Sandwich, NH.

Fresh eggs.  Self-serve (write your name in the log and deposit cash in the box).

Make your own change.  

Open 24-hours.

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