It's Alive!

The front is all cleaned up and ready to enjoy (and my lettuces are coming up in the raised bed)

Sunny and above 50 degrees today!  Despite the fierce wind blowing off the lake we managed to get outside and work, work, work for a few hours.  Vera somehow senses the timing of this annual yard cleanup because she once again went into torpor mode and pushed a three hour nap.  Amazing!  In the meantime my main focus was to transfer the winter compost to the outside summer bin and give the winter bin and all worm tea catch trays a thorough sudsing and rinse.  Ben's main project was to rake all the leaves from the front hill.  As he worked he uncovered many native plants, pale and gasping for sunlight, and was pleasantly shocked at how much perennial growth was well underway and pleased with how little mulch he raked away in the process (yay, we won't have to buy any this season!)  I also bird-proofed my strawberries by pinning down some fine netting--formerly bulk-size onion bags, threw some more seeds in the ground, did some shrub pruning and otherwise manicured both back and front yards--it's refreshing to work on the details after a larger back-breaking task.  Ben repaired our sunniest raised bed where it had warped and split open late last season after he admittedly constructed this final bed in haste last spring.  It was an afternoon of hard work that deserved a beer and glass of wine as we stood on the front sidewalk surveying our work.  Though I love to expand our growing space each year, so far it has felt amazing not to have any large projects in the queue.  This time last year Ben was pounding together four of the aforementioned raised beds, I was toting and shoveling multiple cubic yards of topsoil and mulch, and hauling field stones from the brickyard to build another bed.  Whew! This year I will work with the beds I have and see how I can expand my vertical growing space otherwise.  But don't think I'm not thinking down the road to expansion next season.

After an honest day's work we decided to fire up the grill for the first time this season though we most certainly aren't the first on the block to heat up the coals.  Our southern side neighbor has been grilling for at least a month now.  In fact, I think he made their Easter ham on the grill last weekend because I was subjected to the absolutely mouth-watering aroma of what I assumed was some sort of sweet, smoked pork for at least two hours.  (Cue the Homer Simpson drool sound effect.)  We kept it simple this evening with our homemade brats and potato salad.  I love potato salad and could eat it year round warm or cold, but have had to adapt my recipes to exclude mayonnaise or dairy-based dressings.  Tonight I may have found another winner--creamy yet sans cream.  If I haven't said it already, this is the time of year when eating locally can get really tough--last season's supply is just about gone, but it's a bit too early to have much sustenance from outdoors.  Fortunately, I still have potatoes on my cellar rack, blanched green beans in the freezer, and other odds and ends I can use to make a decent side dish.

"Creamy" Potato and Green Bean Salad
Serves 4-6

I used blanched frozen green beans, but one could certainly save this recipe for later in the season and use fresh blanched beans.  I froze 1/4 c. chunks of cauliflower puree last fall to deceptively mix into some of Vera's foods without altering the color/flavor too much to let her know it had veggies.  This puree was one key--along with slightly overcooking the potatoes--to making a creamy salad.  It's slightly sweet from the apple juice concentrate, but well balanced with saltiness and piquancy from the seasonings.  


4 c. potatoes, washed, skins in tact, cut into 1-inch chunks
1/2 lb. blanched green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 large onion or one small onion
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/4 c. fresh parsley, stems removed (and reserved for stock)
1/2 c. cauliflower puree
1/4 c. olive oil
1 t. apple juice concentrate
2 T. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 t. fish sauce (or soy sauce if you use it)
1/2 t. dry dill (or 1 t. fresh dill)
1/2 t. celery seed
Dash paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste

Boil potato chunks in well-salted water until just beyond done (as mentioned, extra cooking time will add to the creaminess.)  Drain and spread on a sheet pan to cool more quickly.  Thaw green beans if frozen and blot on paper or cloth towel.  In the meantime, combine remaining ingredients in food processor and puree until smooth.  When potatoes are cool, add to a mixing bowl along with green beans.  Add dressing from processor and combine.  Adjust seasoning as needed.

To back up a bit, we kick-started our day of planned work with a vegan "lumberjack" breakfast--my favorite gluten-free pancake recipe and a quick fruit "sauce."  We try to make pancakes at least once per weekend.  When we do I'm always thankful that we don't have to work as hard as Jack in one of Vera's favorite books Pancakes, Pancakes!  Though it's not a bad idea for her to consider where each of the ingredients came from, I'm not going to make her milk the cow, winnow the wheat, churn the butter, and collect the eggs beforehand--at least not yet as the homestead is still in its infancy (wink.)  Ben is always amazed at how quickly I can whip up some pancake batter, but I tell him that if you have everything on hand and especially if you make them nearly every weekend, it becomes a snap.

Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Vegan Pancakes
Makes 6-8 pancakes

Though the name of this recipe may make it sound like "well what in the world IS in it?" I promise these have an excellent fluffy texture and can be jazzed up with different fruits, nuts, even granola.

This morning we added vegan/GF choc. chips to the batter

1 c. brown rice flour
3 T. tapioca flour
1/3 c. potato starch
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. xanthan gum
1 T. egg replacer
1/4 c. water
3 T. olive or grapeseed oil
1 c. almond or rice milk (or whatever kind of milk you prefer)
Dash of cinnamon, ground ginger, allspice, cloves, or whatever "warm" spices you wish
1/4-1/2 c. granola, blueberries, raspberries, cranberries, nuts (optional)--if you add one of these options, increase the milk content for the right consistency

In a bowl, mix together rice flour, tapioca, potato starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, xanthan gum.  Stir in egg replacer, water, oil, milk and spices until well-blended and few lumps remain.  Stir in optional fillings.  Heat a large, well-oiled skillet or griddle over medium-high heat.  Spoon batter onto skillet and cook until bubbles begin to form.  Flip, and continue cooking until golden brown on bottom.  Serve immediately with condiments of your choice.

Quick Fruit Topping for Pancakes
Makes 2-3 c.

2-3 c. of fresh or home-canned or fresh fruits such as peaches, bananas, plums, apples, etc.
2 T. maple syrup
Dash salt
Dash ground ginger (optional)

Combine all ingredients and let sit until ready to use.

Of course I can't let this household go too many days without having something sweet on hand.  No matter what kind of limited diet I'm on, I have to get my fix.  This weekend I decided to make some cupcakes just for fun and was very happy with the results.  I've reminded Ben that we are "adapting our expectations of sweetness" lately, but I believe these treats satisfied his equally intense sweet tooth regardless.

Chocolate Glazed Coconut Macaroon Cupcakes
Makes 1 dozen

These cupcakes didn't caramelize one bit during baking.  Their snow white appearance along with their delightful chewiness and slightly more dense texture (compared with cupcakes made with regular flour) reminds me of coconut macaroons.


3/4 c. sorghum flour
1/3 c. plus 1 1/2 t. cornstarch
1/3 c. plus 1 1/2 t. tapioca flour
1 c. granulated xylitol
1 1/2 t. guar gum
1 1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. (plus a dash) salt
1/2 c. coconut oil, room temp.
2 T. egg replacer diluted in 5 T. water
1/2 c. coconut "buttermilk" (1 1/2 t. white vinegar in a meas. cup, topped off to 1/2 c. w/ coconut milk)
2 T. coconut water (or coconut juice)
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 T. almond extract
1 c. shredded, unsweetened coconut
Chocolate Glaze (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line standard muffin tin with silicone or paper liners, or grease and use without liners.  In stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, combine all dry ingredients and mix on low to blend.  Add coconut oil and beat on low until lumps are no longer visible.  Add diluted egg replacer and beat for 30 seconds.  Add coconut "buttermilk," coconut water/juice, and extracts and gradually increase speed to high to prevent splashing.  Mix for 1 1/2 min. or until smooth.  Scrape down bowl as necessary.  Fold in shredded coconut.  Using ice cream scoop or spoon, fill each prepared cup with batter.  Bake 20 min. or until cakes are set--test center for doneness because color will not be an indicator.  Remove from oven, let cool for a few minutes then transfer to cooling rack.  Let cool completely.  Glaze with Chocolate Glaze, sprinkle with a hint of sea salt and let rest so glaze can set.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Glaze

Ready for the savoring (or gobbling)

Makes 1 1/2 c.

This is the same recipe I used for the Very Vanilla Cupcakes I posted in early April though I call it a "glaze" here instead of frosting.  After some thought, I find this name more fitting.
1 c. vegan, soy-free chocolate chips
1/2 c. coconut oil (or grapeseed oil)
2 T. honey (or agave nectar)
1 T. vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Additional sea salt, for decorating

In a medium saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate with oil until smooth.  Stir in the honey, vanilla, and salt.  Place in the freezer 10-15 min. until cooled.  Remove and whip with a mixer until thick and fluffy, 1-2 min.  Spoon a very small amount of frosting over the top of each cake and spread gently so it doesn't go over the edge.  Carefully add more as needed.  (Alternatively, dip the cupcake tops in the glaze.)  Sprinkle with  just a bit of salt to complement the sweetness.  Store in a glass container, keeps a week or so.

The Results Are In!

2009 Veggies

Just a day or two before Thanksgiving we had a freeze, which finally put an end to our garden.  I harvested and weighed what I salvaged from the frost; the final yield has been tallied.  I've estimated that we have about 250 square feet of food growing space (with probably that much more used for native flowers and other perennials).  I rounded down all the weights and didn't think to start measuring anything until after my spring harvest of many salad greens, spinach, radishes.  So the official grand total is 227.39 pounds--almost one pound per square foot--including bumper crops of 15 lbs. green beans, 22+ lbs. carrots and 61+ lbs. tomatoes.  I've been trying to find information online about how what a good per square foot yield is on an intensively planted plot like ours, but have had no luck.  (Please share any leads you might have.)  I suppose the goal for next year is to top this; I'm already getting ideas for how to expand the growing space.

Have you had enough turkey yet?  We ended up with an almost 20-pound bird.  The only drawback, I've found, of ordering a local turkey is that it can be more difficult to get the exact size you want.  I bargained for a <15 lbs. tom and got a much meatier one.  I have the "Turkey" folder pulled out of my recipe file (why yes, I do have a file dedicated just to this bird; it's a sub-category under "Poultry" in the ordered box of clippings about which my husband constantly teases me.)  We polished off the tetrazzini in no time so tonight I prepared a Mexican Lasagna with my own twists.  When people ask me if I learned to cook from my mother I hesitate because my mom was more of the casserole generation.  Don't get me wrong, she made mostly from-scratch dinners every night, rarely used the microwave for food preparation, and raised a very healthy family, but she and I happen to have different styles of cooking.  Let me put it this way, at the Thanksgiving dinner table, as I was picking through our deck of Earth Dinner cards and came upon the question "What foods are staples in your pantry/fridge?" my mom admitted to relying on Cream of Mushroom Soup.  On that note, I dedicate this casserole recipe to her; she's the ace of this domain.  I love you Muzz!

South-of-the-Border Lasagna
Serves 8-12

1 lb. leftover turkey, chopped in a food processor (can sub. ground turkey)
16 oz. homemade salsa
3 dried hot peppers, cut into small pieces
2 t. chili powder
1 1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. black pepper
1/2 t. granulated garlic
1 large egg, whisked
2 c. ricotta cheese
1 1/4 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
14 sprouted corn tortillas
2 c. cooked beans (mung, black, pinto, etc.) pureed w/ enough liquid to make spreadable
2 c. fresh frozen corn kernels
4 green onion, chopped (optional, to garnish)
Sour cream/plain whole milk yogurt (optional, to garnish)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Heat a large skillet and add turkey, salsa, chilies, and seasonings.  Cook a few minutes so flavors can meld; set aside.  In a small bowl, combine egg, ricotta, and 1/4 c. mozzarella.  Grease sides and bottom of a 9x13-inch casserole dish.  Cover bottom of pan with 4 tortillas.  Layer in the following order: corn, 1/2 of meat mixture, 4 tortillas, bean puree, remaining meat, 4 tortillas, then cheese mixture, remaining shredded cheese.  Bake about 45 minutes or until bubble and golden brown.  Remove from oven and cool slightly before cutting and serving.  Garnish with green onions, and sour cream/yogurt.  Can be made ahead and frozen or refrigerated before baking.

Our Front Door

Now that Thanksgiving has passed we've started to think about December holidays: Winter Solstice, Christmas, New Year's Eve.  Ben and I each did our part in stringing white LED lights on the front of the house.  I knew I wanted to use more of my reserved blackberry canes somehow in the garland; I wasn't prepared to shell out upwards of $100 on greenery this year so I used my resources and homegrown decoration.  My original idea was to outline the front doorway with the twisting canes, but since they'd been wound up in the garage for the past month, they wanted nothing to do with bending my way. I decided to work with them.  The design evolved to an over-the-door cluster of vines and lights--very organic and eclectic; I love it.  I also repeated from last year the lights in the window boxes twisting through my pea trellis twigs.  With some icicle lights on the front roofline, that's all the outdoor decorating we'll do.  The inside we'll keep simple as well--a small tree with lights and heirloom ornaments, the small keepsake creche Ben bought in Chile, and maybe a string of homemade garland in a doorway.  I aim to focus on the joys and peacefulness of the season instead of bogging myself down with setup and cleanup, not to mention the expense...oh, and off-season storage, of a lot of decorations.  'Tis the season for keeping it simple.

Window boxes 

Cluster of Blackberry Canes with White Lights

Grow Your Own Sponges

Pineapple Sage Flowers

Loofah before drying

Loofah after drying

Whenever I gave someone a tour of my garden this summer and pointed out the loofah (a.k.a. luffa) squash they were surprised to learn that this variety is the origin of loofah sponges, not the sea.  This was my first year successfully growing loofah, which requires a long growing season to mature.  With the delayed first frost, I was able to coax four or five of these cucurbitae to full size.  I learned about drying them online.  My first attempt wasn't as beautiful as on that blog, but they will still make great sponges for the bath.  Next year I'd love to grow them again to pair with a homegrown herbal bath salt mix for a holiday gift.  (For the record, if you're familiar with the film Caddyshack, you know my favorite quote about loofah.)

Our Halloween passed somewhat uneventfully.  Though we did enjoy a fun late afternoon carving pumpkins and enjoying pumpkin soup and pumpkin beer at a friend's house, Vera didn't go trick-or-treating and wanted absolutely nothing to do with her gnome accessories.  She put the hat on for just a moment and I snapped a very quick photo.  I think it will fit next year so perhaps we'll try again then.  By then she should be able to talk enough that I can train her to say "Trick or Treat, smell my feet, give me something good to eat!" like my mom taught us.

Blackberry cane wreath

I worked on cleaning up the garden a bit more on Sunday.  I raked a ton of leaves and trimmed some perennials.  This was not a good season for fruit production in our garden.  The blackberries, which were mildly productive last year, didn't produce a thing this round.  I learned from a fellow gardener and berry grower that I should have clipped them back much more during the season.  Instead, the canes grew so long that some of them wrapped around the corner of the house.  Obviously, the bushes had no energy to put into fruit.  But I made tried to make lemonade out of lemons and discovered that I could use these long--some 10 to 12-foot long--canes for decoration.  My first thought was to work them into my holiday garland, which has cost me upwards of $100 in the past.  But then I realized I could craft a wreath out of these flexible branches.  As I wound and wove I was reminded of the 4th and 5th grade Pioneer Days event held at my grade school every spring and how I learned candle dipping, basket weaving, bread baking, and scherenschnitte as well as how to make a grapevine wreath.  Who knew it would come in handy on the urban homestead.  You can strip off the leaves and just use the canes as a base for other decoration like berries, dried flowers, or some ribbon, but I chose to let them dry on the wreath for now.  This might also make a beautiful centerpiece for a party where it would remain fresh looking for the event.  At any rate, it beats the high price tag on artificial wreaths at the craft store.  For more ideas check out Milwaukee's Haute Apple Pie ladies' fall wreath.

This week I decided the contents of my fridge's bottom shelf--including our complete carrot and leek harvest--needed attention.  I recently read an article in the Summer 2010 Urban Farm Magazine about creatively storing your preserves (canned, frozen, dried, and cellared).  There were some tremendously clever ideas including behind books on shelves, under beds, and behind couches.  Those ideas don't necessarily fit our home, but I had the idea to better utilize our vestibule--the enclosed area between our front stoop/door and entryway/front "hallway."  I've killed a few plants in this area by not pulling them officially inside before the first frost.  So it must be perfect for storing root vegetables, no?  I found some cute baskets at the thrift store and layered all of my carrots between dried leaves (you could also use mulch or sand), covered them with a cloth, and hung a temporary, seasonal curtain over the north-facing window to keep the winter sun out.  I will check them periodically this winter to make sure they're storing alright.  I'm also planning to store apples there.

I've been trying to get more raw vegetables into my diet lately.  With all the squash that's available right now I though I would adapt a carrot salad recipe to use winter squash.  After marinating a bit, it's very easy to chew what we usually think of as a vegetable that can only be eaten cooked.

Grated Winter Squash Salad
Serves 4

Adapted from a recipe in Fresh From the Farmers' Market by Janet Fletcher

Raw Winter Squash Salad

1/2 lb. winter squash, peeled and seeded
1 1/2 T. extra virgin olive oil (can sub. half of fully with flaxseed oil)
1 T. fresh lemon juice (or sumac concentrate)
1 small clove garlic, finely minced
2 t. chopped fresh chives (optional...if available)
salt, to taste

Cut squash into slices that will fit into a food processor feed tube and shred (can also grate by hand with a box grater.)  Transfer to a bowl and stir in oil, lemon juice, garlic, chives, and salt to taste.  Taste and adjust seasoning.

I'm also working to put more clean, antibiotic-free, hormone-free meats into my diet.  I get most all of our meat from Ruegsegger Farms Natural Meats, who sells at the new Indoor Winter Farmers' Market at St. Ann's Center.  I created this recipe using what I had on hand--as seasonal eaters try to do--including the winter squash puree and roasted red peppers mentioned in previous blog posts.  Choose your favorite marinade or use the one recommended below.

Skirt Steak Quesadillas with Winter Squash, Roasted Peppers, and Greens
Makes 2 9-inch quesadillas

Skirt Steak Quesadillas

Marinade:
2 T. chili powder
2 T. dried rosemary
1 c. sumac concentrate (or orange juice)
1 c. olive oil
1 T. smoked paprika
8 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large onion, sliced
Salt and pepper, to taste

1 2- to 3-pound skirt steak, thinly sliced

In food processor or blender, puree all ingredients for marinade except onions.  When pureed, add onions and salt and pepper, to taste, then cover flank steak with marinade for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

1 c. winter squash/pumpkin puree
1/2 c. sauteed/steamed tatsoi or other greens (spinach, swiss chard, kale, etc.)
1/2 c. roasted red peppers, chopped
1/2-1 c. shredded mozzarella or other melting cheese
4 whole grain tortillas (I prefer sprouted grains)
Butter, ghee, or grapeseed oil for cooking
Sour cream of plain yogurt

Heat a large skillet, using a slotted spoon, remove meat from marinade and saute until fully cooked.  Adjust seasoning as needed.  Set aside.  Rinse and dry skillet, heat over medium-high heat and add butter or oil.  Place one tortilla in pan, spread with squash puree, top with greens, peppers, meat, and cheese.  Spread squash puree on another tortilla and place on top in pan.  Cover for a couple of minutes to help melt cheese.  When first side is lightly browned, quickly flip over and brown second side.  Cook second quesadilla.  Cut into eighths and serve with sour cream or yogurt.

I'm watching the election returns right now (I hope you all voted today.)  Remember that even if today's mid-term election didn't go as you'd hoped that you must keep voting with your dollars, particularly when it comes to food.  Tell the farmers you want clean, pesticide-free, antibiotic-free, hormone-free, pastured, free-range, minimally processed foods.  Support your local producers and markets.  Grow your own vegetables.  Make a statement through your food choices.  Eating is a political act!

Power Down Week

Tomorrow we begin observing Transition Milwaukee's Power Down Week, an opportunity to challenge ourselves and others to make our carbon footprints as small as possible.  Ben and I have agreed to keep the television and our computers off for the whole week.  I am also planning to not use my car all week but bike or use public transport as needed, not use the oven but cook our meals outdoors on the grill or in the solar oven, and to otherwise spend time outdoors, in the garden, and not rely on electricity as much as usual (also hoping Ben will cut down his toothpaste usage, though that's not the place for the most impact). Perhaps there will be a candlelit game of Scrabble one night.  I think this week will be a blast and I can't wait to see how much I can accomplish (or relax) without the distraction of my computer.

Last week Vera and I headed down to Pinehold Gardens for our CSA's strawberry U-Pick.  As part of my worker share, I am the personal preserver for farmers Sandy and David so I picked extra berries for that project.  With help from Sandy's father, I was able to collect 10 quarts fairly quickly while Vera sat on the sidelines begging "more" for any berries I could spare.  I think she's sick of them now because she hasn't eaten one since.  She must have consumed a whole pint; the mess on her face and coat proved that.  I will freeze some berries and make a low-sugar jam with the rest.  Of course, we saved some for eating fresh on yogurt, cereal, and pancakes as well.  In fact, I tried a new pancake recipe this morning.  Didn't have any eggs in the house so I tried a vegan pancake recipe from my Holistic Moms Network annual cookbook and was pleasantly surprised at the texture and flavor.  Strawberries go beautifully with these tasty breakfast cakes.

Vegan Pancakes
Makes about 8 pancakes
You could place sliced strawberries on top of the batter on the griddle or toss the berries with a bit of sugar or honey and pour them over the pancakes to serve.

1 c. whole-wheat flour
2 T. sucanat
2 T. flax meal
2 T. wheat germ
2 T. hemp seeds, ground (optional)
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. sea salt
1 c. soymilk
1/2 c. water
2 T. oil
1 T. white vinegar
1 t. vanilla

Mix together dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients, then combine with dry ingredients.  Cook on preheated oiled griddle.  To keep from sticking, be sure the griddle is nice and hot before pouring batter and re-oil the pan between each set of pancakes. 

Vera and I traveled via train and bus to my hometown of Paris, Illinois for the latter part of last week to visit my folks.  It was a wonderful visit with lots of great time spent with Grammy and Papa.  When we returned the garden was a jungle.  I spent at least a couple of hours outside this morning weeding, trimming, caging, cutting, and pruning.  While I was lopping a little bit off the cherry tree I stumbled upon this year's harvest hidden under a couple of thickly leafed branches--two lovely Black Tartarian cherries.  One for me, one for Ben.  Of course, the bird's got most of the cherries I'd spotted earlier in the season.  Honestly, I didn't expect to even taste one so I was very happy with this treat.  We hope for more next year.  In the meantime, I'll keep pruning the tree little by little this season so sun can get through to my veggies that are slightly in the shade beneath it.  Today I also went to the next level of Operation: Protect The Corn.  I removed the gallon jug tops that had been weighted with bricks and replaced them with hand-rolled chicken wire cages.  I staked those into the ground then wrapped the bottom of each "cage" with hardware cloth.  A couple were slightly toppled and nipped this afternoon, but the real enemy is Vera who thinks it's fun to lift up the cages.  We'll see what happens.

I will return on the 28th.  Join me in powering down if you can.  Enjoy the Summer Solstice tomorrow!

More Spring Recipes

Today I made my first jell-o mold.  My mother would be proud because she always says she can't make pie crusts or jell-o molds.  I was reading something recently--I think it was by cookbook author Marion Cunningham--about the lost art of aspics, savory gelatinized dishes usually made with meat stock.  Those have fallen out of vogue, but Jell-O, of course, may be around forever whether you like it or not.  In trying to find a different way to use spring's bounty of rhubarb, I came up with a molded salad.  I've tweaked it a bit to use local ingredients (frozen thawed raspberries instead of pineapple), but it's up to you.  Cunningham's advice for dipping the bottom of the mold pan in hot water before inverting it was really the key to success.  This makes a refreshing dessert.

Molded Rhubarb Salad
Serves 10

4 c. diced rhubarb
2 c. water
1 2/3 c. granulated sugar (you can substitute all or some of the sugar with xylitol, if you prefer)
6 oz. unflavored gelatin
2 c. frozen, thawed and drained raspberries (or fresh, crushed berries)
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the rhubarb in water until tender, about 5 min.  Remove from the heat; stir in sugar (or xylitol) and gelatin until completely dissolved.  Add raspberries and nuts.  Pour into an rinsed, but not dried, 6-cup mold.  Chill until set.  Before inverting, dip the bottom of the mold pan in hot water.  Place a serving plate over the mold and invert.  Cut and enjoy!

And let's not forget all those beautiful spring radishes.  I'm growing French Breakfast and White Icicle Radishes this year and have been harvesting most of them fairly young because in the past I've had many go to seed before we could enjoy them.  There's nothing worse than trying to cut or bite into a woody radish.  Along with all of those crunchy treats are lots of leaves.  You can certainly put them into salads though they're a bit hairy.  One season I tried juicing them along with some winter storage beets and carrots.  The flavor was so intense I had to hold my nose to swallow it.  Last year I got a new idea from my farmer friends Sandy and David at Pinehold Gardens.  None of us like to waste food, especially when we've put effort into growing it.  I have tweaked this recipe a bit for my taste.

Radish Leaf Pesto
Makes about 1/2 cup
This pesto has an intense spicy flavor; you may not find it interchangeable with basil pesto.  I suggest using it as a base for bruschetta topping.

2 c. radish leaves, washed and stems removed
4 garlic cloves, peeled
1/4 c. blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan or part-skim mozzarella
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Place the radish leaves, garlic, and almonds in a food processor and process until everything is chopped to a rough or fine consistency, depending on your preference.  With the machine running, add half the olive oil in a slow, steady stream.  Turn off the processor and add the cheese.  Process until the cheese is absorbed.  With the machine on, slowly add the remaining olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to a small bowl.  If you do not plan to use it immediately, cover with a thin layer or olive oil and store refrigerated in a tightly closed container.  To freeze, portion into ice cubes trays (use trays dedicated to making pesto) or mini muffin pans.  Once frozen, remove from trays/pans and store in a freezer bag. Label and date.  To thaw, put in a small dish and let sit several minutes before using.

My summer garden is almost completely planted.  Over the last week I've been seeding corn and beans.  Today I seeded all of my cucurbitae--cucumbers, melons, zucchini, summer squash.  To make the most of my urban plot, I have intercropped the next wave of vegetables in the original raised bed.  By the time the salad greens are done, my cucumbers will be poking through and soon after will need trellising.  I'll save the details about the trellises for a later date because they will be better understood with photos.  Leftt to transplant are the tomatoes and eggplant.  I didn't start any of my own bell or hot peppers this year.  I haven't had success doing so in the past so I decided to purchase some starts from a local grower at the Bay View Garden and Yard Society plant sale in the next couple of weeks.  This is the first year I feel like I've kept up with succession growing in our garden.  Hopefully we'll get the maximum yields and will have a lot of fresh produce and preserves to show for it.

Another Work Day

Today I completed another phase of getting the garden prepared.  I received two cubic yards of mulch and made quick work of it during Vera's nap; I spread it around the perennials in the front garden as well as mulching the paths between raised beds and around all the other plants outside of the raised beds.  This morning I also planted some popcorn and multi-colored ornamental corn, which we grew in the past to grind into cornmeal.  My new gooseberry and elderberry bushes are in and look happy with a layer of bedding around them.  I also made an impromptu stone edge around the gooseberry patch with the stones I didn't use for the front raised beds.  Update: I decided to wait until next year to do the last raised bed in the front under our windowboxes.  I was feeling a bit overwhelmed as of this week and realized it was creating a lot of stress to figure out when and how I could go get more stones.  So it will wait.  We have plenty of irons in the fire this season.  I tend to be quite ambitious when it comes to veggie gardening so sometimes I have to rein myself in.

I am finally posting pics of the new fence, gate, and living awning.  The awning replaces a hemp canvas awning I ruined last fall as I was trying to clean it.  Oops!  This one is passive solar as it will support vines (like pole beans and peas) and create shade for our front room in the summer and when the growth dies away in the winter, it will allow more light into the house to warm it.

No recipe today, but I do have some recipe ideas.  As we were preparing our strawberry rhubarb crostata where I work at Sheridan's on Fridays I realized that the juice we drain from the homemade fruit filling could be used in so many tasty ways.  We made a quick strawberry rhubarb sorbet with it, but once the gears started turning we realized we might also make syrup for pancakes, waffles, or crepes, and a vinaigrette for a spring salad.  The main idea is that even this by-product will not go to waste.  And we get another dose of this season's delicious strawberry rhubarb loveliness.  And who couldn't use more of that?

Tomorrow is the first Elkhorn Antique Flea Market at the Walworth County Fairgrounds and man-o are we excited.  My friend Karen and I are anticipating another fun summer of taking the kids along and drooling over miles of awesome antiques for a few hours.  If you're an antique lover and haven't checked this out, it's an absolute must.  It took me about 6-8 visits to finally cover the whole market and by that time I felt brain dead.  We've got our lists, I'm packing a local spring lunch, and the wagons are shined up (one for the kids and one for the goods).  Stay tuned to hear about our finds.

Thought I'd include an updated pic of the original raised beds with all the salad fixin's in full bloom.  What a difference a couple of weeks makes.

Chasing Fairies

It's spring mushroom hunting season.  Last Friday on the way home from work I drove past the park and in a flash noticed some rings of tall grass growing in the park.   I  knew right away from my scattered mycological experiences that these were fairy rings, which, according to my dusty copy of Common Edible Mushrooms by Clyde M. Christensen, were once thought to mark the path of dancing fairies.  What a lovely thought!  They are formed when a few spores of the fairy-ring mushrooms fall upon a favorable place and begin to grow.  I really wanted to snap a picture of these perfectly circular rings so Vera and I set out with the stroller this morning to look for them.  This required a bit of off-roading with the buggy; after much backtracking we found nothing.  It was like they disappeared as quickly as they showed themselves.  Must be another spring ephemeral like spring beauties and trout lillies.  The picture here is one from the web.

But have no fear, our morning walk still proved to be interesting.  Instead of chasing fairies I, for a moment, almost thought I was going to be chased by an urban coyote.  We were strolling through the seminary grounds and in the distance in a clearing I could see what looked like some sort of wild animal.  At first glance it appeared to be a bobcat or a dog.  It was standing very still as if ready to pounce.  I couldn't believe what I thought I was seeing.  I didn't think coyotes showed themselves much in the daytime.  I was a bit nervous about it so I clapped my hands a few times as I peered at it through the bushes.  No movement.  So we pressed on deciding not to try disrupting it.  As I came around a bend another "coyote" was just yards from me.  It was then that I realized these were some sort of taxidermy decoys most likely placed there to scare the real coyotes that I've seen trotting around the grounds and up the street in the wee hours on my way to work on Fridays at dawn.  We were so glad to learn they were fakes though it still made me shudder.

I've been working outside for the past week at least to get our new raised beds installed, remove any excess grass in the new walkways, and replace the brick edging.  It's been quite a project, but I know it will be rewarding when I'm able to grow more veggies this year.  I was looking at the backyard from an upstairs window and feeling so lucky that I have this palette to work with everyday of the growing season.  It's so therapeutic.

Sunday we continued the Sunday dinner tradition started last fall by hosting some Chicago friends for lunch.  We enjoyed the first real green salad from our garden.  We cut sorrel aplenty, but I was able to complement it with enough baby greens, mesclun mix, and herbs to serve at least a small bowl for each guest.  There's always so much hope in that first bite.

Last night was my first Transition Milwaukee meeting at the Urban Ecology Center.  I'd wanted to join since I first heard about the group over a year ago, but wasn't able to manage the commitment with my own to Vera and her feeding needs.  Since that has gotten a bit easier I've been able to get out a little more.  It was wonderful to be in a room with so many like-minded people working towards a sustainable, alternative, post-carbon community.  There were many familiar faces and many I had never seen.  It's great to know there are all these people out there striving towards to the same goals and we've never met until now.

And, of course, I won't leave you without a new recipe.  As a baker with a science background I'm not usually one to suggest tampering with a baking recipe.  In fact, the precision of baking is what drew me to the field of pastries in the first place--it brought together my love of food, my sweet tooth, and countless semesters of chemistry (not to mention the hours are more reasonable than the average restaurant cook's schedule.) But I have been experimenting lately with "bean-nut butter," a higher fiber substitute for straight peanut butter made of cooked garbanzos and peanut butter.  In baking it can be directly substituted to give your recipes even more bang for your buck.  I've adapted this recipe to be egg-free, dairy free, gluten-free, and delicious.

Bean-nut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes about 1 dozen

3 ripe bananas (can use frozen bananas)
3 T. flax meal
3 T. water
1/2 c. sucanat
1/2 c. bean-nut butter (see recipe below)
1 3/4 c. rice flour (could also use garbanzo or coconut flour)
2 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/3 c. melted coconut oil
1/2 c. rice or almond milk
1/2 c. chocolate chips (can be dairy-free if you choose)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix first 5 ingredients in a food processor.  Blend for 1 minute.  Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.  When thoroughly mixed, add to food processor along with coconut oil and milk.  Blend well.  Add the chocolate chips and pulse once or twice.  Ladle the batter into a greased muffin pan, filling each hole to the top.  Bake for 15-18 min. or until muffins are firm to the touch.  Cool and serve.  These also freeze well.


Bean-nut Butter 
Makes 3 c.

2 c. cooked garbanzo beans
3/4 c. peanut butter
1/4 c. hot water

Mix all ingredients in the food processor until smooth.  Store in the fridge if you plan to use in a few days or freeze in cubes to thaw for later use.

Signs of Spring

I saw Robin Red Breast yesterday!  I couldn't be more excited about spring.  I've been itching to get the compost spread on our raised bed b/c any day now, when the ground thaws, I'd like to get some seeds in--even if it may still snow again.  I examined the outdoor compost turner yesterday and found that the rotting matter on top wasn't extremely broken down.  This is usually the case with our compost.  Ideally, we should have two compost turners outside--a rotation of one that is actively being filled and the other that's decomposing without disruption.  Currently the outdoor one sits idle in the winter, but whatever was added last in the fall doesn't really break down b/c there's not as much heat in the winter to speed the process.  In fact, I emptied what I could yesterday, mostly from around the circumference. It reminds me of my mom always telling us kids to eat the soup from the outside of the bowl first where it was coolest.  There's a similar, although opposite, idea here; the middle was still frozen.   So I temporarily gave up.  What I did spread on the garden, the slightly undecomposed material, will get turned into the soil once the ground has thawed.  Then I will most likely add more topsoil so the organic matter can continue to break down underneath it all and I don't have to look at chipmunks and squirrels rummaging through egg shells and avocado skins (though they're bound to turn them up anyway.)  When I finished with my work I went inside and said to Ben, "I have good news and bad news.  The good news is that I found the garlic press cleaner, the bad news is that it was in the compost bin."  We'd been missing this goofy piece of plastic for months, having to clean out the essential garlic press with a toothpick.  We use this kitchen tool often so we agreed that we'd gladly sanitize/sterilize the cleaning tool and put it back to use.  Last year I found our sink's drain basket in the compost.  It's like a little treasure hunt each spring.  What will next season hold?  This could become a running joke anytime something goes missing around here.

Hope I haven't spoiled your appetite because I want to share a recipe I've adapted.  I made this last week using cellared squash and carrots, and preserved tomato puree and realized what a great way it would be to preserve squash, carrots, and tomatoes when their ripeness briefly intersects in late summer, early fall.  I don't have a canning recipe developed quite yet.  I'm sure one could safely pressure can it, but I like to work with the hot water bath canner so I will have to experiment with a safe pH level this summer and come up with a recipe and processing time.  Till then you could certainly freeze this in freezer grade bags or containers.

Moroccan Winter Squash and Carrot Pasta Sauce
Serves 4-6

2 T. grapeseed oil
1 c. chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 t. paprika
1 t. salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
1/2 t. ground coriander
1/2 t. ground cumin
1/2 t. turmeric
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/8 t. ground cayenne pepper
Pinch of saffron
1 c. water
1 lb. canned or frozen tomatoes (or tomato puree), drained/thawed
2 T. lemon juice
3 c. cubed peeled winter squash (butternut, kabocha, hubbard, acorn, etc.)
2 c. peeled chopped carrots

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion; saute until soft, stirring often, about 5 min.  Add garlic; stir 1 min.  Mix in paprika and next 8 ingredients.  Add 1 c. water, tomatoes, and lemon juice.  Bring to a boil.  Add squash and carrots.  Cover and simmer over medium-high heat until vegetables are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 20 min.  Puree in a blender and return to saucepan.  Season to taste.

Note:  This is great over pasta, but can also be used as an interesting pizza sauce.  Get creative with the toppings!