tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76775307253142599462024-03-14T14:21:57.759-04:00Gwen in the KitchenGwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-23058681781495591092011-11-11T19:36:00.001-05:002011-11-11T19:58:13.443-05:00A Whirlwind October!<div style="text-align: center;">
Greetings from St. Paul, MN!</div>
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That's right, a lot has changed in the past month and a bit. Vaughn got himself a promotion, which required him to move to the Twin Cities. I followed of course.</div>
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October was just way to busy to post anything. Besides, most of my kitchen was packed up in boxes! We are mostly settled into our new place, a spacious Victorian apartment in the quiet St. Anthony Park neighborhood. More posts to come, especially as we start exploring the culinary wonders of the Twin Cities.</div>
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On a parting note, some tasty places we've found so far:</div>
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<a href="http://www.pho79.net/">Pho 79</a>: huge, steaming bowls of pho</div>
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<a href="http://www.ngonbistro.com/">Ngon Vietnamese Bistro</a>: a delicious twist on traditional Vietnamese</div>
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<a href="http://www.brasa.us/">Brasa Rotisserie</a>: family style Southern cookin'</div>
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<a href="http://thebdp.com/">The Blue Door Pub</a>: for the MN phenomenon - the Ju(i)cy Lucy</div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-48310459818453690502011-09-14T18:56:00.001-04:002011-09-14T18:56:17.907-04:00Quiche - Week 2Sorry for the delay - it's been a busy week! Last week's quiche has been consumed, and I have to say, it wasn't my favorite. There just wasn't enough texture diversity - it was all mush. And the crust, well, let's just say it never made it to my mouth. I still ate the filling though, and eating breakfast was definitely what I needed to get through my busy mornings. And look! I didn't get discouraged and managed to make another *much tastier* quiche.<br />
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This week's quiche features not one, not two, but three farmer's market finds. My friend's uncle is a vendor at my local Saturday market, and he had the most beautiful purple potatoes - something I've never tried before. A few booths down the line was a man selling bite sized crimini mushrooms, about half the size of the ones at the grocery store, and much more flavorful. Lastly, there was an influx of pearl onions this past Saturday and I picked up a pint of little guys. I guess it's that time of the year! Oh, and the cheese in the photo is one of my favorites - a flavorful smoked Gouda. <br />
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I started making the quiche late in the day on Sunday, and quickly
realized I didn't have butter or shortening to make a crust. Thinking on
my feet, I decided to carefully arrange purple potato slices to create a
"crust". I liberally buttered a cast iron skillet with my favorite butter, Freis von Kiel produced by Pine River Dairy in Manitowoc, WI. Starting with the sides of the skillet, I overlapped thin slices of potato, then worked my way to into the middle. To keep the quiche batter from oozing through the spaces between slices, I sprinkled it with a handful of the cheese then placed the skillet in the oven to let all that cheesy goodness melt. </div>
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While the potatoes and melted cheese cooled a bit, I tipped and tailed a handful of pearl onions and spread them on a sheet pan. Into the oven they went until they were soft, which made peeling a whole lot easier. I sliced them thinly and set them aside to cool. In a saute pan, I melted a chunk of that delicious butter, and cooked the sliced mushrooms until they were soft, lightly caramelized, and deliciously fragrant. I added them to the onions and seasoned them simply with salt and pepper.</div>
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I sprinkled the mushrooms, onions, and the rest of the cheese over the potato crust, and topped it all off with quiche batter spiked with sweet smoked paprika from The Spice House.</div>
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About half an hour later, the quiche came out of the oven with a beautiful golden brown crust and a crisp, scalloped edge of potatoes. The golden tones looked lovely with the purple potatoes and onions. And it's delicious too!<br />
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My mornings have been a little frantic lately, for whatever reason, so I've been taking quiche slices to work. Since I conveniently work in a kitchen, I have pans and an oven at my disposal, making reheating easier. My coworkers have been especially interested in this one, probably because of the colorful crust! <br />
<br />Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-25141077674876335342011-09-04T18:08:00.002-04:002011-09-04T18:08:43.617-04:00Quiche - Week 1<div style="text-align: center;">
This week's quiche is </div>
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- drum roll please - </div>
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Swiss chard, caramelized leek, smoked oyster and Fontina!</div>
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I used a small bunch of Swiss chard that I picked from my garden, a couple of leeks I bought a few days ago just because they looked good, and a can of smoked oysters that I've been kicking around for a few months. I only had to buy Fontina and milk since I don't keep those on hand in my refrigerator. <br />
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Swiss chard has such a lovely, earthy flavor which goes well with the sweetness of the caramelized leeks. Fontina also plays well with others because of it's mild flavor. All of these subtle, yet distinct flavors set a nice background for the smoked oysters. If you're not a fan of oysters, I suggest you opt for smoked trout or bacon, which would both make excellent replacements. <br />
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Oh, and I used store bought, name brand pie dough - a huge mistake. The pie dough just doesn't look like it should when it is baked. It
looks...bizzare. Plus, the darn stuff didn't hold up and sent the quiche
batter oozing between the crust and the side of the pie pan. From here
on out, I swear to make my own dough. Or if I'm lazy, like I was today, I
will use the scrap dough from work. <br />
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I'll let you know how it tastes later in the week, it's far too hot to try right now!Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-1608405704528020692011-09-02T15:45:00.000-04:002011-09-02T15:47:55.993-04:00Fast, Simple BreakfastWe are all busy people, and many times breakfast gets pushed out of the priorities list. It doesn't have to be elaborate or time consuming. In fact, I believe that breakfast is best when it is simple, yet delicious.<br />
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I have never been good about remembering to eat breakfast, despite the constant reminders about it being the most important meal of the day. My job has me getting up at 3am every morning, heading out the door by 3:45. Now, I am not at all a morning person, so waking up that early leaves me in a daze. By the time I realize I need to eat something, I have to dash out the door.<br />
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In my efforts to eat better to maintain a healthy ticker (see previous post), I will start by changing my breakfast routine. However, making breakfast every morning is not always feasible as mentioned before. My husband, Vaughn, suggested that I make a quiche every Sunday which I can eat throughout the week. A brilliant idea - why didn't I think of that?!<br />
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One of our wedding gifts was a wonderful cookbook called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Good-Egg-Fresh-Approaches-Dessert/dp/0395909910"><i>The Good Egg</i> by Marie Simmons</a>. It consists of more than 200 egg recipes, from breakfast to dessert. Vaughn and I love eggs for any meal of the day since they are quick, versatile, delicious and good for you (I choose to ignore the claims that my cholesterol will go through the roof if I consume eggs).<br />
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The book has a handy section on quiches and other such baked egg dishes, but I often use cookbooks to find inspiration rather than specific recipes. They must have known that because there is a handy section about improvising quiche from odds and ends in refrigerator. All you need is a great pie crust (which you can make ahead of time and freeze), egg batter, and a cup or two of ingredients. In fact, that's exactly how I make quiche at work. Here are the specifics the book provides:<br />
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<li><i>1 cup milk, half-and-half, or heavy cream</i></li>
<li><i>3 large eggs</i></li>
<li><i>1 cup grated, diced, or crumbled cheese</i></li>
<li><i>1-2 cups solid ingredients, such as cooked vegetables, shredded or diced meats or seafood</i></li>
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The book suggests that you limit yourself to three basic filling ingredients, plus a compatible cheese and seasonings to tie it all together. This will keep the flavors from becoming too muddled or over powering, plus it will cut down on prep time.<br />
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This Sunday I will bake up a quiche with things I have on hand - I already have an idea, but I won't announce it just yet. If the "quiche of the week" plan goes well, I will keep it up and create a new quiche each week. I'll post the recipe and photos of course!<br />
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See y'all on Sunday!Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-2985505254559548682011-09-01T16:05:00.010-04:002011-09-01T17:45:29.172-04:00Back, and here to stay!<div style="text-align: left;">
Yikes! I see it has been over a year since my last post! Some of my friends and family have asked about my blog and if I'd ever start posting again. Yes. A thousand times yes!
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The past year has been a wee bit rough, mostly on the occupational and health end of the spectrum. In February, however, I started a great job in the kitchen at a natural foods co-op. I started out making sandwiches and salads, but was promoted to the "dough station" in May. The dough station consists of making empanadas, pasties, quiches, etc. Delicious!
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Me in the kitchen making Red Curry Tofu Wraps. Yum!
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Also in February, actually the same day that I found out I got the new job, my health took a little nose dive. Bear with me as I explain.
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When I was little, I would faint from time to time. This mostly happened while standing still for a while, especially on hot days or in church. The fainting more or less stopped as I got older, and only became light headed on occasion. During my junior year of college, the fainting started up again, and I was referred to a cardiologist. After being subjected to a myriad of tests, I was told I have <a href="http://www.cccgroup.info/neurosyn.asp">neurocardiogenic syncope, also called vasovagal syncope</a>.
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Back to February. My husband and I were at my favorite restaurant celebrating my new job. After finishing our dinner and ordering our desserts, I felt very ill. I was experiencing all the presyncope signs, except I was just sitting in the chair, waiting for my cupcake. We quickly paid the check and got out of the restaurant, and the moment I stepped outside, I fainted.
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I had developed a new fainting trigger - eating. Since I eat several times a day, you can see how this new trigger can get a little bothersome. I found a new cardiologist in my area who has done research on the subject, and he has put me on beta blocker called Metoprolol to regulate my heart rate, and a corticosteroid called Fludricortisone to help me retain salt. Although these drugs keep me conscious and upright, they also make me very tired, and mess with my electrolyte levels.
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Why am I telling you all this, and how does it tie in with <span style="font-style: italic;">Gwen in the Kitchen</span>? To help alleviate my condition and the side effects of the drugs, I've decided to be more proactive about my health and diet. In addition to the usual food photos and tasty recipes, I will be using <span style="font-style: italic;">Gwen in the Kitchen</span> to keep track of my dietary endeavors and overall health. I encourage any support or insight, especially if you have a particular knowledge of or passion for nutrition.
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Thanks for being patient, and check back soon for a new post!
Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-23379993541145441892010-07-08T21:39:00.007-04:002010-07-08T22:26:09.888-04:00The GardenWith all this unrelenting heat and humidity, I'm taking a break from baking! It is far too hot to turn on the oven, and probably won't until the fall!<br /><br />Until then, I'll be concentrating on food preservation techniques such as canning, pickling, freezing and drying - mostly with produce from our garden! Here are photos of our two garden plots at the community garden:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">June 1</span></span><br />(a few weeks after initial planting)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-am0AVPCjMLvbAXjHvAx-LP1rbvEQH8FiEphULiMmtLxRf9Z951xyXTnKG51osxd1SiHP_m096U27UHuOSBwgj1NEU5QKADW0-aOfERCS71WhF5mRACwb9S6LbVaK7fOgkH1VufI_4I/s1600/29912_816488438584_12309425_45347982_5496703_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-am0AVPCjMLvbAXjHvAx-LP1rbvEQH8FiEphULiMmtLxRf9Z951xyXTnKG51osxd1SiHP_m096U27UHuOSBwgj1NEU5QKADW0-aOfERCS71WhF5mRACwb9S6LbVaK7fOgkH1VufI_4I/s320/29912_816488438584_12309425_45347982_5496703_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491718290813918514" border="0" /></a>We used the square foot gardening technique - that's my husband in the background.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Nawl44i5GypMOK8BAIE4saeqnbnryv9zQFmQEUaDFbyFIhPwRwlq-QhQifkR8eTadZ-vIrfdIa8hKQSRwyi9WEMNKt4NvSW2iYYWiny_AcM8I8BMU2hrBLRXl7ft7Mtk4LQjkJ_e4bs/s1600/29912_816492729984_12309425_45348243_6193995_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Nawl44i5GypMOK8BAIE4saeqnbnryv9zQFmQEUaDFbyFIhPwRwlq-QhQifkR8eTadZ-vIrfdIa8hKQSRwyi9WEMNKt4NvSW2iYYWiny_AcM8I8BMU2hrBLRXl7ft7Mtk4LQjkJ_e4bs/s320/29912_816492729984_12309425_45348243_6193995_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491720218097452018" border="0" /></a>A tomato plant! I accidentally dropped my seedlings and now I don't remember which tomato plant is which. So...this is either a Pruden's Purple or a Peacevine cherry...guess I'll find out in a few weeks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWGuL7FyQS9vwMLlCvx-X23fIQ4n8inlATmMLxdPjtiaRQSvn-eP_geKz9iHcfA355PuhgmIxA7ZdrFQjIz9_u49cCfjOogktbp64xjYJDwkmW4ogkWasD5zfyeO4VcTxLD9c5lTitx8/s1600/29912_816496038354_12309425_45348506_7528654_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinWGuL7FyQS9vwMLlCvx-X23fIQ4n8inlATmMLxdPjtiaRQSvn-eP_geKz9iHcfA355PuhgmIxA7ZdrFQjIz9_u49cCfjOogktbp64xjYJDwkmW4ogkWasD5zfyeO4VcTxLD9c5lTitx8/s320/29912_816496038354_12309425_45348506_7528654_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491720225003280162" border="0" /></a>Zucchini blossoms! A couple of male blossoms on my largest zucchini plant.<br /><br />-------<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">June 22</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBc0dBjzrP_EUiWwZ_IPp7za_VNNx2i88FrXC_P0L8hoSGxD6eNp4C_ANwI57fJrxVRbe7JmsWtdUuWiJRjvhrPxDxIlwAK41wkkWmNQoyPsUt7Msc3icBdZVKJE1psKDnGWuPgi9mrU/s1600/34364_824665751184_12309425_45686928_8332795_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBc0dBjzrP_EUiWwZ_IPp7za_VNNx2i88FrXC_P0L8hoSGxD6eNp4C_ANwI57fJrxVRbe7JmsWtdUuWiJRjvhrPxDxIlwAK41wkkWmNQoyPsUt7Msc3icBdZVKJE1psKDnGWuPgi9mrU/s320/34364_824665751184_12309425_45686928_8332795_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491721913756517602" border="0" /></a>Even bigger...and now with zucchinis!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjuxDzFYmupRCvlLGMCNby7a7oy7dpAMzJVPSoljarBgyrOJl2twoiGFgczJCijrMnwe382b7Z0-bGP4GuV6NpmJo8BauTFCkzLLNSZM1VH8SG5RzO3rRZnnzLiS5mlh5-5VHZaJ9ePo/s1600/28260_824666414854_12309425_45686933_3914357_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjuxDzFYmupRCvlLGMCNby7a7oy7dpAMzJVPSoljarBgyrOJl2twoiGFgczJCijrMnwe382b7Z0-bGP4GuV6NpmJo8BauTFCkzLLNSZM1VH8SG5RzO3rRZnnzLiS5mlh5-5VHZaJ9ePo/s320/28260_824666414854_12309425_45686933_3914357_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491721872968056562" border="0" /></a>Rattlesnake Pole Beans starting to make their way up 'n up...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAB4kcJ3nU-TICEvEQk06Fobfc9r8p7QQceMnVDlFqzTcED6HA2LCmITLE5YNYBT7G19iZ-b-B-Ps7eGj1r41ma95EiQLaBuUq_YHQg4NzlDS1t4TENGycURbfCKgksbR35BRCCB2LZ8/s1600/28260_824668086504_12309425_45687059_7182696_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJAB4kcJ3nU-TICEvEQk06Fobfc9r8p7QQceMnVDlFqzTcED6HA2LCmITLE5YNYBT7G19iZ-b-B-Ps7eGj1r41ma95EiQLaBuUq_YHQg4NzlDS1t4TENGycURbfCKgksbR35BRCCB2LZ8/s320/28260_824668086504_12309425_45687059_7182696_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491721891502419970" border="0" /></a>I planted a little bed of sassy salad mix in the middle of the pole beans.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ekq8Pasat2lC6x-dRBpZsgyzb1EuLKtHnIRXe6mrMdE0uD_diGnJkUvWXcIz2lS5gXXw6ZXvnDorK7I1HVjgzaWW_Wp5XafO5-IXXsp0IZhcm2Tv5jDxIw78-2wdxEXu6Jm_0zl2AFc/s1600/28260_824666774134_12309425_45686935_7524444_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ekq8Pasat2lC6x-dRBpZsgyzb1EuLKtHnIRXe6mrMdE0uD_diGnJkUvWXcIz2lS5gXXw6ZXvnDorK7I1HVjgzaWW_Wp5XafO5-IXXsp0IZhcm2Tv5jDxIw78-2wdxEXu6Jm_0zl2AFc/s320/28260_824666774134_12309425_45686935_7524444_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491721882196412946" border="0" /></a>Tomatoes grew about 6 inches!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNnOBQwJDjp5ZYoBICqtzOsFVR5b9H3doAtx39IDzUKDXUs9F8K7jYbOJ_tflDlNb_MMXisQHU2bnE2U6cNeZi5W32HMSvMVdfqwal7A8cLynjTm9jdFy2RUBvWYDho8u1a-6ssh0XRZo/s1600/28260_824668535604_12309425_45687072_3043824_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNnOBQwJDjp5ZYoBICqtzOsFVR5b9H3doAtx39IDzUKDXUs9F8K7jYbOJ_tflDlNb_MMXisQHU2bnE2U6cNeZi5W32HMSvMVdfqwal7A8cLynjTm9jdFy2RUBvWYDho8u1a-6ssh0XRZo/s320/28260_824668535604_12309425_45687072_3043824_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491721898531541618" border="0" /></a>Plot #1 with plot #2 in the background.<br /><br />-------<br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">July 8 (Today!)</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhownyKgNNE1LgALYLHFSBdXf0mcqG7NDcopY1E90HAmJ1CEFt7apsWgFXZ6r4iJpCHnRnZuDMqxS6r5ecEATehSVI7-hlttRkDsI8kWuph9j3yXS8ifkssn6M0E_54kIsF1sBal849v6w/s1600/36778_831601382124_12309425_45948866_6450029_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhownyKgNNE1LgALYLHFSBdXf0mcqG7NDcopY1E90HAmJ1CEFt7apsWgFXZ6r4iJpCHnRnZuDMqxS6r5ecEATehSVI7-hlttRkDsI8kWuph9j3yXS8ifkssn6M0E_54kIsF1sBal849v6w/s320/36778_831601382124_12309425_45948866_6450029_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491723331130365762" border="0" /></a>Plot #1! So bushy and starting to creep beyond it's boundaries...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdG5RQIG5rrUIs7zAY4COmQ4pIf2kPdlpKlTHnLXkQhRHGXAbtQg8Crin7vFpFjlg9q9YpYstJn_Jm2O9nM7TxNOyfpYCyAFXcULrJq2Rlt3EyCrPAKvrsvX3AAkPKIqYN84Cyi83EnE8/s1600/20849_831602295294_12309425_45948890_2417831_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdG5RQIG5rrUIs7zAY4COmQ4pIf2kPdlpKlTHnLXkQhRHGXAbtQg8Crin7vFpFjlg9q9YpYstJn_Jm2O9nM7TxNOyfpYCyAFXcULrJq2Rlt3EyCrPAKvrsvX3AAkPKIqYN84Cyi83EnE8/s320/20849_831602295294_12309425_45948890_2417831_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491723425175821890" border="0" /></a>Plot #2! A little slow going...but getting there!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghI6Irr6di7Lu0bIw3G9yA-_Ncz2DpuRpUgZFf6o9GmbrP9n6sYyqL7hFsbIXJUZQsfof2Wz-9m9rc-bxj4ssHi92IUtFKQ2E7ZjkuG1MSMM1mxWkaOztzJMazx8gGKsI4-TuQ0azR8hs/s1600/35373_831603178524_12309425_45948922_3972585_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghI6Irr6di7Lu0bIw3G9yA-_Ncz2DpuRpUgZFf6o9GmbrP9n6sYyqL7hFsbIXJUZQsfof2Wz-9m9rc-bxj4ssHi92IUtFKQ2E7ZjkuG1MSMM1mxWkaOztzJMazx8gGKsI4-TuQ0azR8hs/s320/35373_831603178524_12309425_45948922_3972585_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491723340809690946" border="0" /></a>The Rattlesnake Pole Beans ran out of climbing room!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHo3WtvXTHmHk-jiM1JgMBunXbPdrl65rQLxfoJ1Q7OyNHotn6LBiK3-XwcYPErlJtHPsAdAI2DRKyAQ62XfVvnrkgjiqHzJYaSvmJpPrIkAP6xQDM54gFUxUEFDwqiqA9ha50udPNXeM/s1600/35781_831603932014_12309425_45948937_7231110_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHo3WtvXTHmHk-jiM1JgMBunXbPdrl65rQLxfoJ1Q7OyNHotn6LBiK3-XwcYPErlJtHPsAdAI2DRKyAQ62XfVvnrkgjiqHzJYaSvmJpPrIkAP6xQDM54gFUxUEFDwqiqA9ha50udPNXeM/s320/35781_831603932014_12309425_45948937_7231110_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491723337487549314" border="0" /></a>Little tomatoes all in a row...I'm pretty sure these are the Pruden's Purple.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Do9sbwXS2ipnkLydk7tMUOQ29buz9pFirci82ONc2jTo0RxhJyRQhRptsvRP9XbyO028VYkLQFjQXhhc-TXmKaNuNoZYbarKmgodBpuLUsSBWazbNta7RNIUCNeurf39d74gxZA2UV4/s1600/36445_831605089694_12309425_45948953_2941810_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Do9sbwXS2ipnkLydk7tMUOQ29buz9pFirci82ONc2jTo0RxhJyRQhRptsvRP9XbyO028VYkLQFjQXhhc-TXmKaNuNoZYbarKmgodBpuLUsSBWazbNta7RNIUCNeurf39d74gxZA2UV4/s320/36445_831605089694_12309425_45948953_2941810_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491723334518031426" border="0" /></a>Zucchini, Baby Butternut, and Little Leaf Cucumbers all hanging out together.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1_l5kQSYO3pyxkYBqATuYOGra7pC7NZxOlICA2lcHzV2ejifbyfSja6iKCZvEHKP5MjVmnskdGadqvHexNsEReCINv1uuwy19_l4Cf-Rs5QObRBqOq4mqiJsZ7BT8s8xE6NkRLtdxtM/s1600/35308_831606641584_12309425_45948990_5857613_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1_l5kQSYO3pyxkYBqATuYOGra7pC7NZxOlICA2lcHzV2ejifbyfSja6iKCZvEHKP5MjVmnskdGadqvHexNsEReCINv1uuwy19_l4Cf-Rs5QObRBqOq4mqiJsZ7BT8s8xE6NkRLtdxtM/s320/35308_831606641584_12309425_45948990_5857613_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5491723320240007250" border="0" /></a>My two favorite greens...Rainbow Swiss Chard and Lacinato (Dinosaur) Kale!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I'll keep posting garden updates every couple weeks and once my garden really starts producing, I'll share my food preservation techniques and recipes. Hooray!!</div></div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-7279088086598478832010-06-14T21:36:00.016-04:002010-06-15T00:54:43.764-04:00Mmm...Fiber!<div style="text-align: center;">First off...how do you like the new look? Better than pure white, eh?<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />-------<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">You know what has fiber and tastes like this background?<br /><br />Crappy whole-wheat bread!<br /><br />You know what doesn't taste like this background?<br /><br />My whole-wheat bread!<br /><br />-------<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">So, as promised, I'm posting more regularly (no pun intended) and this time the post is accompanied by photos! Yippee! This afternoon I carried on with my lesson in baking and gave the whole-wheat bread recipe in the CIA text a whirl.<br /><br />Like before, I only made a fourth of the recipe so I wasn't up to me ears in dough and modified it a little. This time I'll fill you in on the ingredient details. Mind you, like any good baker, I'm using weight instead of the imprecise volumetric measurements....<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Ingredients:<br /><br />AP Flour: 3/4 lbs. (12 oz)<br />WW Flour: 1/2 lbs. (8 oz)<br />Instant Dry Yeast: 1/6 oz. (.167 oz)<br />Water: 14 fl. oz.<br />Salt: 4/9 oz. (.44 oz)<br />Vital Wheat Gluten: 4 teaspoons (as directed on the box)<br /><br />The process was similar to the one with the white bread - but just a couple changes. After the ingredients were briefly mixed into a rough mass, the dough was left to sit for about 30 minutes. This step is called <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autolysis_%28biology%29"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">autolyse</span></span></span></a> - a hydration rest that is especially useful when making fiber enriched doughs such as this. During the rest, the flour has a chance to absorb the water and aids in gluten formation.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wixpsRB368GpqUXFQttge0qzJVyu9cTcxap4CnKfgd5A_vER9bE4TguRuZi4azAybd2i0XYrjys9E3p3zWX9QKOuPll8TpTleRPFQjwZZRxXiRsfBfdIgdrYUEbCx26ZhYsbnRO0D2o/s1600/-2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4wixpsRB368GpqUXFQttge0qzJVyu9cTcxap4CnKfgd5A_vER9bE4TguRuZi4azAybd2i0XYrjys9E3p3zWX9QKOuPll8TpTleRPFQjwZZRxXiRsfBfdIgdrYUEbCx26ZhYsbnRO0D2o/s400/-2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482847923584326866" border="0" /></a>Dough just before <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">autolyse</span></span> rest.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRygg1wpZ4RdjE_EVlFEZRGpSurkmNrLQJPyuNRCxbUO6M27mXWWxO-u0irpK7mrd_fXTBSyh8jynQ2Ak7hzE8gIbAIaiCtLvpsuEToKtXmZLo7rTcp9aeJSV9tVKCCLNZcxlhlulReK0/s1600/-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRygg1wpZ4RdjE_EVlFEZRGpSurkmNrLQJPyuNRCxbUO6M27mXWWxO-u0irpK7mrd_fXTBSyh8jynQ2Ak7hzE8gIbAIaiCtLvpsuEToKtXmZLo7rTcp9aeJSV9tVKCCLNZcxlhlulReK0/s400/-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482848221192860642" border="0" /></a>Dough after <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">autolyse</span></span> rest. I smoothed it just a little bit...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">After a <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">thorough</span> kneading after <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">autolyse</span></span>, the dough was left to rise (ferment) for 30 minutes. Now here's another change - after the 30 minute rise, the dough is folded (gently kneaded) several times to redistribute the little gas bubbles as well as nutrients for the little <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">yeasties</span></span>. This step is then repeated, then left to ferment for another 15 minutes. So, that's...30 min, fold, 30 min, fold, 15 min.<br /><br />After the initial fermentation, the dough is formed into an oblong, just as before, and allowed to rest for about 20 minutes to let the gluten <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">relaaaax</span></span>.<br /><br />Then into the pan it goes! The shaped dough is placed in the pan for the second fermentation (proofing).<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyluHsWYYgb75bx1wC4ai2dNrbwrZ3uzjH3CyrkbpW_Z-xIN7BnCPWLx-I-dIjeog83pBF3Uiw8vZ9z6jPtL3qw82Kba9e0MtAu_HoGTiwLt-Bf16MAxlKxwrTnK592TWHKU5NlWF4YE/s1600/-4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyluHsWYYgb75bx1wC4ai2dNrbwrZ3uzjH3CyrkbpW_Z-xIN7BnCPWLx-I-dIjeog83pBF3Uiw8vZ9z6jPtL3qw82Kba9e0MtAu_HoGTiwLt-Bf16MAxlKxwrTnK592TWHKU5NlWF4YE/s400/-4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482851229379324226" border="0" /></a>This is what it looks like when it's ready for the oven!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4ZOA-pDoFl6jiEH3_SaAnJQMY6iH8avItjtkfd5ZdN3mhVvNv3CzD_FtHqt23Uhyu8FWOIrTKsp-lkgtnq2O8ad374psHZDl5xjd2dco2R_46ROLa0lHtgkZXTLQBXi3l7PlyArcJCQ/s1600/-5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw4ZOA-pDoFl6jiEH3_SaAnJQMY6iH8avItjtkfd5ZdN3mhVvNv3CzD_FtHqt23Uhyu8FWOIrTKsp-lkgtnq2O8ad374psHZDl5xjd2dco2R_46ROLa0lHtgkZXTLQBXi3l7PlyArcJCQ/s400/-5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482851519007947250" border="0" /></a>Okay...now it's ready! The dough is scored and misted with water.<br /><br />A few blasts of steam and 30 minutes later...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8wLylXL9_uOOvQIhIgWCda1_9P5HGusTdaT3zPvZyw7hhmLYL6-D0_sDhzxewO1FljukgNhLX5fJoYkoXaHPTaVC95ZCGpXHTX4XYTZTg4RRZdn386oZy9-9U3Va4E_XWFSmAM-EIQs/s1600/-7.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgT8wLylXL9_uOOvQIhIgWCda1_9P5HGusTdaT3zPvZyw7hhmLYL6-D0_sDhzxewO1FljukgNhLX5fJoYkoXaHPTaVC95ZCGpXHTX4XYTZTg4RRZdn386oZy9-9U3Va4E_XWFSmAM-EIQs/s400/-7.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482856743570990130" border="0" /></a>...it's golden brown and delicious! Well...I haven't tasted it yet...but I'm sure it's delicious!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />*Please excuse the photo quality. I'm using my iPhone while I search for that stupid camera cable*<br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-70361538580116687092010-06-05T22:34:00.012-04:002010-06-10T21:11:02.861-04:00Bread is LifeNo really...it is! No matter where in the world you go, you will find numerous varieties of bread. Each have their own cultural and historical significance, and each have been sustaining life for centuries. Don't worry...I'll save the history of bread for a later date. Today I'll try to breifly discuss my trials and tribulations with the fine art of bread baking.<br /><br />I haven't told anyone this before (I don't think) but I have been toying with this idea that maybe someday in the far off future I could be the local baker of a town - you know, as a side job from the awesome photo gig I'll have. I imagine myself outside on a crisp snowy morning, sliding beautifully crafted loaves into a wood burning oven - which I built by hand of course. Not bland split-top white breads, but flavorful, traditional, and rustic breads. The kind of breads that make your soul happy.<br /><br />Okay...back to reality...<br /><br />I have worked in various grocery store bakeries, mostly as counter help, since 2007. I know that doesn't seem significant, especially since the longest bakery position I've held is my current one at 5-<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">ish</span> months. At work I sometimes pan out <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">pre</span>-formed loaves, toss them into the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">proofer</span> until they're big enough, then toss them into the oven...375 degrees, 60 seconds of steam, 18 minutes total bake time. All of that has been figured out for me and I don't really have to think about it.<br /><br />At home it's a whole different story. No <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">proofer</span>, no steam injected oven, no frozen, <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">pre</span>-formed dough. I start from scratch with just the basics - flour, water, yeast, salt, and maybe some seeds or whole grains - but from where everything would go awry (a rye? ha...ha...ha). The dough would be too wet, too dry, proofed too long, not proofed long enough, stuck in the pan, beheaded. Yes, beheaded. I almost gave up everything.<br /><br />I scoured the local library for a good bread baking book and found The Culinary Institute of America's <span style="font-style: italic;">Baking and Pastry: Mastering the Art and Craft</span>. I gasped and put it on hold immediately! What better source than the textbook that teaches culinary students how to bake bread?<br /><br />Yesterday, after a brief introductory skimming, I put the book to work and prepared their recipe for White Wheat Lean Dough. I had to improvise a little by subbing all purpose flour (moderate gluten) with some vital wheat gluten (pure gluten) mixed in for bread flour (high gluten). I also had to cut the recipe down quite a bit - from 8.5lbs of dough to about 2lbs for one good sized loaf.<br /><br />The dough came together very nicely and I popped it into the fridge overnight. I did this because I made the dough at 11pm (I was super excited and couldn't wait), and I read that slow fermentation (the first rise) aids in flavor development. In the morning I covered the dough with a *clean* well floured kitchen towel, stuck a probe thermometer in it (the book states that it should rise at 75 degrees), and put it outside to warm up and finish fermenting. After that I <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">pre</span>-formed the dough and let it rest to relax the gluten, then put it in the pan to let it rise.<br /><br />Next came the tricky part. To get a really nice crackling crust on these kinds of breads, you have to introduce steam to the oven. The steam promotes <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">gelatinization</span> of the starches on the surface of the dough, which ensures a nice, crisp crust (science!). In the past, since I don't have an oven with handy-dandy steam injection, I tried tossing a cup of water into a preheated pan placed on the lower rack...which always scares the crap out of me....<br /><br />One: hot oven.<br />Two: hot steam.<br />Three: my cheap sheet pans always warp and jump when I do that.<br />Four: I'm afraid of breaking the glass on the inside of the oven door...even more so than it already is...like shattering...<br /><br />Instead I opted for the super <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">soaker</span> method...<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Okay...so I didn't use a super <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">soaker</span>...but that would have been sweet! When the oven was preheated and before I loaded the dough, I used a spray bottle and gave the wall of the oven a good soak. I sprayed the top of the dough to help it along, then loaded it into the oven with a few more sprays. I must say, this is the best method so far because the crust is thin, even, and delightfully crisp...although a little dark from not paying attention. Next time, I won't go scampering off to play video games.<br /><br />Now that I have really good instructions, I'm feeling better about my baking abilities. Also, starting with the most basic bread dough is always a good idea for beginners! Stay tuned for the next installment...I promise I'll post more often!<br /><br />*Note: I will update this post with a photo...once I find the cable for my camera!Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-14834459368300756792010-05-01T20:09:00.005-04:002010-05-02T00:11:27.695-04:00A New DirectionNow that spring has sprung, I have more energy and more drive to make food and maintain this blog. I'd like to take Gwen in the Kitchen in a new direction. Instead of writing about food all willy-nilly, I think it would be better if I concentrated the more specific theme of food from scratch.<br /><br />Vaughn and I have been reading about homesteading, permaculture, DIY food and can't wait until we can buy a house and tear up all the grass! That's pretty far off, so in the meantime, we have been researching how to grow, preserve, and cook/bake/ferment the foods we love.<br /><br />In a previous post, I talked about the two 4'x8' plots that we are renting at our brand spankin' new community garden. I started seeds weeks ago - they are thriving and can't wait to get their roots into the soil! Today was the big build day for the community garden - volunteers from the community came out and built raised beds and filled them full of super rich compost and soil. Soon, all of the beds will be completed and the planting will begin!!<br /><br />One plot is reserved for preserving, so I will be honing my canning/pickling/freezing/drying skills. Also, I will be giving a workshop on food preservation later in the season for any of the gardeners who wish to learn how to make their harvest last through the year.<br /><br />In addition, I'm learning how to make food from scratch. For instance - bread, granola, yogurt, butter, and cheese - which are among the most consumed items in our household. Also, more cooking with dried beans, grains other than rice, making my own flour and other pantry staples like bread crumbs, crackers, pasta, etc.<br /><br />In other words, I'll use the blog to share my experiences, challenges, and share more information, recipes, and tips relating to the above mentioned topics. Hope you enjoy!Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-62513424081181743622010-03-09T21:18:00.002-05:002010-03-09T23:29:51.263-05:00Dinner Menu Fail!Oh no...someone forgot that her birthday was on Sunday. Yes, I forgot about my own birthday when I was creating last weeks menu.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday:</span><br /><br />The brown rice supper was amazingly delicious for how simple it was. The tofu was perfectly golden brown and crispy, the carrots were sweet and zippy, the brown rice was delightfully nutty, and the roasted peanut sauce was spicy and tied everything together.<br /><br />Brown Rice: about $.50<br />Carrots: about $.50<br />Ginger: about $.50<br />Scallions: about $.25<br />Tofu: $2.50<br />Peanuts: about $.75<br />Other Ingredients: about $1<br />Total: $6<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday:</span><br /><br />Mac & cheese with spicy broccoli is always tasty and oh so simple. Unfortunately, I underestimated the amount of macaroni one box made. The broccoli made the meal substantial enough.<br /><br />Annie's Classic Mac: $.99<br />Broccoli: about $1.50<br />Other Ingredients: about $.50<br />Total: $2.99<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday:</span><br /><br />I had planned for rice and black beans with chorizo, but Vaughn and I agreed that we should prepare the fish first before it got too funky. I prepared the oven-roasted sesame salmon with soba noodles and broccoli slaw. Broccoli two nights in a row? Who cares - it's tasty! I couldn't find miso at my co-op and didn't feel like running around to find it, so instead I made a teriyaki-soy glaze. A friend told me about <a href="http://www.southrivermiso.com/">South River Miso</a>, a wonderful mail-order miso company that gets creative with their products. Also, a great thing about my co-op is that they have a great selection of bulk items, including sesame seeds which cost half as much as the seeds that come packaged. Anywho...<br /><br />Salmon: $8.50<br />Sesame: about $.50<br />Soba Noodles: about $2<br />Broccoli: about $2<br />Other Ingredients about $1<br />Total: $14<br /><br />Sure, this meal was more expensive than the others, but you dont want to get cheapo salmon. It was still only $7 per person!<br /><br />Now here is where the week gets a little (a lot) more relaxed with the guidelines...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday:</span><br /><br />We just didn't want to cook, and how could we resist a great Friday fish fry during lent? We went to <a href="http://www.cafecentraal.com/">Cafe Centraal</a> for their beer batter, potato chip crusted Alaskan cod, delicious fries, tasty beer, and the best coleslaw I've had in a while. I'm not going to tell you the total. Let's just say it's part of my birthday gift. :)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday:</span><br /><br />We went to <a href="http://www.honeypiecafe.com/">Honey Pie</a> as another birthday gift of food. Vaughn had The Davenport: turkey, mustard-laced cranberry sauce, horseradish mashed potatoes, tomatoes, onions, bacon, served over rye bread and covered in Gruyere cheese sauce. I had Fancy Mac: macaroni made with cheddar, mustard, and Gruyere cheese sauce topped with bread crumbs and bacon. So good. Honey Pie does a phenomenal job at putting twists on diner food. We were also amazed by how well they prepare their dishes. Food that sounds like it would be heavy and greasy is surprisingly quite the opposite. Again, not going to tell how much.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday:</span><br /><br />Birthday! Yay! We visited Vaughn's parents near Chicago and his mom made a delicious meal of plank baked whitefish, red quinoa, spicy garlicky broccoli, and flourless chocolate cake. Sue was eager to show off her brand new appliances - the new range features burners that you don't have to light with a match, a left front burner that doesn't meander, and an oven that bakes. She also has a new microwave/convection thing that I think is magic because I have no clue how it works. Microwave popcorn one minute and bake something in a metal pan the next...yeah...that's magic. This dinner cost us a half tank of gas.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday (last night):</span><br /><br />Leftover night! Vaughn was sick and I was exhausted from a frustrating day at work so we raided the fridge of all its culinary bric-a-brac. Vaughn made Irish stew at some point last week because they had nice lamb neck bones at the co-op, so that was the main portion of the meal. Tasty!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tonight:</span><br /><br />Finally made Ina's Tuscan lemon chicken, Bittman's bread salad and roasted Delicata squash. The rock hen was very good, although I undercooked it the first time around. I tossed it under the broiler for another ten minutes to finish it off. I was amazed that it was still juicy and the skin crisped up nicely. The bread salad recipe was good, but I didn't soak the bread - I just don't like soggy bread. Instead I tossed everything in a casserole dish, added a splash of veggie stock and let it meld in the oven while the squash was finishing. Also, as much as I love figs, I will reduce the amount in the recipe because they made the dish a too sweet for my liking.<br /><br />Rock Hen: $5.99<br />Kale: about $1<br />Lemon: $.50<br />Bread: about $1<br />Figs: about $.75<br />Other Ingredients: about $1<br />Total: $10.24<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tomorrow:</span><br />Looking forward to either whitefish or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lemon_sole">lemon sole</a>! :)Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-19516241812338261952010-03-02T16:32:00.000-05:002010-03-02T17:45:33.109-05:00Table For TwoVaughn and I tend to splurge when it comes to food - we just can't resist tasty treats! In an attempt to curb our spending, we have set up a weekly budget and limited dining out. Planning is another great way to curb the splurge - keeps my eyes on the list rather than on the shelves. Here is what's in store for this week:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Monday (yesterday): Dine out.</span><br /><br />Ate at Guanajuato (a little Mexican place) last night. We're trying to keep eating out to once a week.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Tuesday: Brown Rice Supper with tofu, roasted peanut sauce, and stir fried carrots.</span><br /><br />This recipe is from <a href="http://www.deborahmadison.com/index.html">Deborah Madison</a> (queen of vegetarian recipes). A simple, tasty, healthy, seasonal meal. The carrots get a spicy punch from fresh ginger. The roasted peanut sauce is lighter than the usual peanut butter based sauce and unifies the entire dish.<br /><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Wednesday: Mac & Cheese with spicy sauteed broccoli.</span><br /><br />Super simple and delicious! I like to make homemade baked mac & cheese, but our co-op was having a sale on boxes of <a href="http://www.annies.com/">Annie's Homegrown</a>. Nutritionally, there is not much of a difference between Annie's and Kraft, but Annie's does boast organic wheat macaroni and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annatto#As_a_food_coloring">annatto</a> extract for natural color instead of synthetic food dyes.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Thursday: Rice and black beans with chorizo.</span><br /><br />Rice and beans is becoming a weekly staple. Our co-op has a sale on their homemade chroizo, which will be a very nice addition to the meal.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Friday: Oven-roasted miso sesame salmon served with soba noodles and broccoli slaw.</span><br /><br />This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks that I've forgotten about - the <a href="http://www.moosewoodrestaurant.com/index.html">Moosewood Restaurant</a> Simple Suppers cookbook.<br /><br />Miso and sesame seeds should be a staple in our pantry, so I'm going to pick some up this week. Salmon is a great fish because, since it is a cold water fish, it is higher in omega-3 fatty acids than tropical fish like tilapia. I'll reserve some broccoli florets and the stems from Wednesday's dinner to make the broccoli slaw - don't want the stems to go to waste.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Saturday: Eggs baked on a bed of sauteed mushrooms and croutons</span><br /><br />Breakfast for dinner! Another one of Deborah Madison's that I'd like to try. Eggs are a delicious, healthy and cheap alternative to meat or fish. Our cage-free eggs come from a local poultry farm called Yuppie Hill. Sure, they cost more than their caged counterpart, but they are $3 a dozen - $.25 an egg!<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sunday: </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/tuscan-lemon-chicken-recipe/index.html">Tuscan lemon chicken</a><span style="font-weight: bold;">, whole grain bread salad and roasted squash</span><br /><br />I saw Ina Garten make this chicken on Food Network and it seems like a great alternative to roasting a whole chicken. She butterflies the chicken and lays it flat on the grill which would speed up cooking time. Instead of a broiler chicken, which would be too big for the two of us, I'll make this recipe with a rock hen (Cornish game hen) which our co-op usually has frozen. I'll pick it up early in the week to give it plenty of time to thaw.<br /><br />The bread salad is a recipe from <a href="http://www.markbittman.com/">Mark Bitmann's</a> How to Cook Everything Vegetarian and is like a fresher, brighter stuffing. Whole grain bread, kale (my favorite green), and dried figs make this a tasty, nutritious side.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">I will try to post recipe total prices, photos, and recipes this week!</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br />and now I'm off to the store...<br /></div></div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-20751250193824113182010-02-19T20:02:00.004-05:002010-02-19T23:46:17.402-05:00A dream come true!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRt21VegxMnvaY5qiPOs0C6voRS1WmtRAoVDIUBVdLmdVNMIbIWtx1UQ_jPuM4XFSh2FUGA3Qq10LtOemmCKQHfRA6Cedoq_0PARBJ36K747ymcOJc0KXChZw238a4hWo_hyphenhyphenWN0VknvYg/s1600-h/DSC_0019.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 266px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRt21VegxMnvaY5qiPOs0C6voRS1WmtRAoVDIUBVdLmdVNMIbIWtx1UQ_jPuM4XFSh2FUGA3Qq10LtOemmCKQHfRA6Cedoq_0PARBJ36K747ymcOJc0KXChZw238a4hWo_hyphenhyphenWN0VknvYg/s400/DSC_0019.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5440182299449106098" border="0" /></a>I'm torn. I want the snow to stick around because I want to do more cross-country skiing. I also want the snow to melt and ground to thaw so I can start working on my garden!<br /><br />The apartment has a small garden plot in the backyard, which is to be shared with our downstairs neighbors. But when I say small, I mean small. It's roughly 2' x 10' of shared space.<br /><br />Through a bit of online research we discovered that a new community garden will be established a mere three blocks from our apartment! A vacant lot in front of the Hide House - a tannery turned artist space - will be transformed into a beautiful garden space, thanks to Bay View residents and the Victory Garden Initiative.<br /><br />Vaughn and I jumped on this opportunity and reserved two 4' x 8' for this season! Now the planning begins...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------<br /></div><br />Vegetables:<br /><br />Beans: Rattlesnake Pole Bean - an heirloom variety available from High Mowing. These will grow up bamboo teepees<br /><br />Beets: Bull's Blood Beets - an heirloom variety available from High Mowing. I grew these as salad greens in my garden last year. Beautiful and delicious!<br /><br />Broccoli: Belstar F1 Hybrid - a compact plant for a compact garden, available from High Mowing. I'll probably stagger the plantings so that I can have broccoli throughout the season - this one does well from spring to fall. Also might grow some broccoli raab, available from Seeds of Change. This one likes cooler weather so I'll plant it in the spring.<br /><br />Carrots: Napoli F-1 Hybrid- an early full-sized carrot, available from both High Mowing and Seeds of Change. Not sure if I should get regular seeds or pelleted. I tried pelleted last year and the carrots never came up. I'll stagger the plantings on these so we can have harvests throughout the season. The flavor also improves when the temperatures cool off in the fall.<br /><br />Chard: Rainbow Mix - of course! This will add a splash of color to the garden and my plate.<br /><br />Cucumbers: Adam F-1 Hybrid - a variety of little picklers available from Seeds of Change. I'll train these up a bamboo teepee like the beans. Can't wait to make pickles again!<br /><br />Kale: Lacinato Dinosaur - my new favorite heirloom variety available from High Mowing and Seeds of Change. This is a very hardy variety and gets sweeter after a hard frost. I'll sow an early and late season crop.<br /><br />Peas: Sugar Ann Snap Pea - an early dwarf vined pea with a heavy crop of petite pods. Available from High Mowing.<br /><br />Peppers: King of the North - a sweet variety that's great for shorter growing seasons. Available from High Mowing. Hungarian Hot Yellow Wax - an early variety and Vaughn's pick. Perfect for pickling.<br /><br />Spinach: Renegade F1 - a very bolt resistant, smooth-leafed variety available from High Mowing and Seeds of Change. A great quality, tasty leaf.<br /><br />Tomatoes: Pruden's Purple - an heirloom variety from High Mowing. A large, balanced tomato that rivals the Brandywine. Peacevine - a de-hybridized selection of the Sweet 100 F1 available from High Mowing. Small, uniform, tasty and sweet!<br /><br />Herbs:<br /><br />Basil: Aton - a semi-compact Genovese-type basil available from High Mowing.<br /><br />Cilantro: Santo - easy growing and cool weather tolerant variety from High Mowing.<br /><br />Sage: Common - my favorite herb. Available from High Mowing.<br /><br />Thyme: German - might use as a border plant. Available from High Mowing.<br /><br />Catnip: Common - a little something for Bowie. Available from High Mowing.<br /><br />Flowers:<br /><br />Nasturtium: Dwarf Jewel - makes a beautiful border and provides peppery flowers for adding to salads. Available from High Mowing.<br /><br />Marigold: Tangerine Gem - smaller plants with beautiful bright orange edible flowers that have a citrus flavor. Also great for keeping pests at bay. I plan to plant these around the border.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The challenge will be fitting all of those into our plots! To save space in the plots, we will probably plant the tomatoes and peppers in our backyard. Training the beans, peas, and cucumbers to climb will also save space in the garden.<br /><br />I can't wait to order and start seeds! The only south-facing window in our apartment is the one in my office. I have my long sewing table set up under it, and the spot right in front of the window is Bowie's favorite napping spot. I'll have to temporarily relocate Bowie so I can use that window for starting seeds. I'm thinking of using the leftover window plastic to make a mini greenhouse - which will also prevent Bowie from messing with the plants and knocking them off the table. We'll see how it goes...<br /></div></div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-20590538660364279892010-01-31T21:57:00.011-05:002010-02-05T20:42:38.122-05:00Pizza and Little Swimmy Things<div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 393px; height: 261px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoWOzGi7IzRpHjAMLHNWxUBCvZ7gjL6Y4cnTDpXcmlpkKT6xY5FtfEhFivIHnDYvf-XzcAupYn_kUvwp3G5fWAAhUUT8ATc5m-aoNQjZ8y8EVZwokZeBOqxZnVGKeE_o_MspprZG9pCoc/s720/vaughnspizza.jpg" /><img style="width: 393px; height: 260px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5UO-EgPjADBlDGf8HfDYEWKevkRkFrt0o2LroZaTZgNTU3Uhd2OGc5tKHL4O7Q4DxwvOITLVC8mjU5F4Q5lDWj3lcoQ-xrdAczGTVwAF8bDYhK-Y8BrEf1QSOim3PP3PE5dYHFuFq1nY/s720/gwenspizza.jpg" /><br /></div>We might have established a new Sunday night dinner tradition: homemade, individual pizzas with toppings to our liking!<br /><br />I used Alton Brown's recipe for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pizza-pizzas-recipe4/index.html">pizza dough</a>. I always turn to Alton for no-nonsense recipes for the basic stuff. At the bottom of the recipe there is a note about the salt. He said that some people have complained about too much salt and provides instructions for proper reduction it. I read that after adding the whole tablespoon, but I have no complaints. I have an affinity for salt - heck, I the lick salt off of pretzels and chips before eating them. Weird, I know, but I have a condition where I need more salt than the average person so that I'm capable of standing for more than fifteen minutes without passing out. Fun, huh?<br /><br />Anywho...<br /><br />Vaughn chose red pepper, jalapenos, and ham for his toppings. I chose red pepper (it was huge), garlic, and sardines. Now, before you say "ew!", "gross!", "ick!", I must defend the little brinies from the deep!<br /><br />Sardines are good for you - and they taste good too! They are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D, calcium, B12 and protein. These little guys are low on the fishy food chain which means they're also low in mercury. In addition, they are sustainable because they are proficient reproducers and the demand for them has decreased significantly since the early/mid 20th century. Just to clarify, they're not the same as anchovies which have a strong flavor from the curing process. Sardines are just canned, not cured. They come fully prepped, lightly smoked, and packed in little tins with water, oil, or sauces. I like the ones packed in olive oil...mmm!<br /><br />Moral of this story - put down pizza delivery menu and try making your own pizza sometime...and give sardines a chance!<br /><br />For more information on sustainable seafood, check out the <a href="http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/seafoodwatch.aspx">Monteray Bay Seafood Watch </a>website.Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-8989828018916454942010-01-25T14:53:00.003-05:002010-01-26T15:13:01.037-05:00Success and Lunch PlansConcentrating on the job search has finally paid off! I had an interview yesterday morning at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Sendik's</span> grocery store in Elm Grove. After 15 minutes of questions and such, the manager something to the effect of, "I don't normally do this, but you seem like a pleasant person...I'm going to offer you the job." After months and months of applications, waiting, and hoping, I finally found someone who wanted me to work for them.<br /><br />I start next week as a bakery associate. The job is only part time, but it gives me a chance to work on my photo business and take the photo management class at Milwaukee Area Technical College (<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">MATC</span>). Oh, and it will take care of my bills - which is always a good thing - leaving me with a little left over for fun things.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />In other news, I have a guest coming over for lunch tomorrow. Elliott is a very nice, older gentleman and my mentor. I was given a scholarship in his name at Ohio University, and, after graduation, I just happened to wind up living a mile from him. What luck to already know someone before moving to a new city! So I spent the morning figuring out what to make for lunch. Fortunately, Ina <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Garten</span> has a list of lunch menus on her website. Here's the plan:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Mache</span> with Warm Brie and Apples<br />French Onion Soup<br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Croque</span> Monsieur<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I most likely won't be able to find <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Mache</span> at my local co-op, but they usually have something I can sub it with. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Tatsoi</span>, baby spinach, or mixed baby greens would be tasty and the co-op always has those stocked. Since this is easy to throw together, I can whip it up at the last minute so that it's ready to eat when Elliott arrives at noon.<br /><br />French onion soup will be <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">souper</span> easy. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Haha</span> - get it? Just onions, broth, a little booze, and seasoning. Ina's recipe keeps it simple and doesn't fuss with the whole French bread and gob of cheese topping in individual bowls and stuck under the broiler. The recipe calls for Sherry and Brandy or <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Cognac</span>, since I don't have those I'll just use broth and white wine to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">deglaze</span> the pan. I'll probably start it at 11 and have it ready and keeping warm at noon.<br /><br />The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Croque</span> Monsieur is a little more labor intensive, but since the other two dishes are easy, I can concentrate on prepping the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">sandwiches</span>. I'll start the Gruyere cheese sauce at about 11:30. Assemble the <span class="blsp-spelling-corrected" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">sandwiches</span> at 11:45. Toss them into the toaster oven to broil when Elliott arrives.<br /><br />I can't wait! I love entertaining - especially with all the new wedding gifts.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Here are the links to the recipes:<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Mache</span> with Warm Brie and Apples<br /><a href="http://www.dreamydish.com/mache-with-warm-brie-and-apples">http://www.dreamydish.com/mache-with-warm-brie-and-apples</a><br /><br />French Onion Soup<br /><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/french-onion-soup-recipe/index.html">http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/french-onion-soup-recipe/index.html</a><br /><br /><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Croque</span> Monsieur<br /><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/croque-monsieur-recipe/index.html">http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/croque-monsieur-recipe/index.html</a><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-5271939225265760182009-12-08T23:27:00.003-05:002009-12-10T22:41:00.978-05:00Beer!Ugh, it's been a month since my last post. Sorry for such a long delay, but I've been preoccupied with finding a job and getting my portfolio site setup.<br /><br />My husband's hobby of home brewing is starting to rub off on me. This past month I brewed two beers: one we call Gwenirium Tremendous (a Delirium Tremens clone) and an organic brown ale (a test batch for the organic chai ale for my sister and her boyfriend).<br /><br />The Gwenirium Tremendous was brewed a couple weeks ago (I think?) and we bottled it into beautiful 750ml Belgian beer bottles, complete with corks and cages. The beer is in our attic "cellar" working on it's carbonation, in the meantime I will work on designing labels. I hope to have it all put together to send out for the holidays, and will hopefully be fully (or mostly) carbed in time for consumption on Christmas!<br /><br />The organic brown ale doesn't have a name yet because it's still a wee little one. Last week I brewed a three gallon batch using grain instead of DME (that's dry malt extract...what you get from grain, then dried). The brewing went very well and my original gravity was almost spot on.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------<br /></div>Original gravity is a measure of the sugar content before fermentation (density of fermented beer - or wort in brew terms - compared to the density of water). With this number you can determine the approximate amount of alcohol after fermentation and how much residual sugars there will be. Lower sugar...less alcohol. More sugar and either the yeast will consume most of it to make a high alcohol beer or the yeast won't be able to consume it all and quit, leaving more residual sugar. All depends on the yeast strain. That's my limited knowledge of gravity...read more <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_%28alcoholic_beverage%29#Original_Gravity_.28OG.29.3B_Original_Extract_OE.29">here</a>.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------<br /></div><br />The organic brown now resides in our closet and is mostly done fermenting. We had a taste of it tonight and it has a very pleasant brown sugar taste to it. Not sure what we'll transfer it to when it's done...bottle into 12oz bottles ooooor perhaps put it into our little corny keg to keep on tap in out mini fridge. Now all I need to do is come up with a name for it...any suggestions??<br /><br />Sorry...no photos this time. Fermenting beer is not very photogenic! I'll post photos of the Gwenirium Tremendous when I have labels on 'em.<br /><br />Next post will most likely be Christmas related...my mother-in-law is kidnapping me to help with holiday prep work which will involve food, food, and more food!Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-59443054326736612502009-11-04T17:55:00.006-05:002009-11-09T14:41:14.316-05:00Pasta<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ta554_Bv0hhblJRi7Po_p4I3vYSyRZMIiEQicuZ8kzWi99aG8LQGFr9HUDbkG04VFoActFNgeYMraVwvxQUUuVQJioo6eX7Flm__OCzrxRFAKRPdu5cDeRwC3Z9ii0KXiysOaD0L01I/s1600-h/DSC_0069.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4ta554_Bv0hhblJRi7Po_p4I3vYSyRZMIiEQicuZ8kzWi99aG8LQGFr9HUDbkG04VFoActFNgeYMraVwvxQUUuVQJioo6eX7Flm__OCzrxRFAKRPdu5cDeRwC3Z9ii0KXiysOaD0L01I/s400/DSC_0069.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5400391074299918706" border="0" /></a><br />I want to try making staple pantry items, so I've started with pasta. Seems easy, right? Well, without the aid of a pasta maker, rolling out the dough proved to be very tricky.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The Ingredients<br /><br />2 cups AP flour<br />3 eggs<br />Pinch of salt<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The ingredient list is so simple, but you can jazz up the pasta with things like spinach, tomato, squid ink...I'll get into flavored pastas in another post, after I've had time to test them.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The Process<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">1. On a clean, dry surface, mound up the flour and make a little well in the middle.<br />2. Crack eggs into a separate bowl. Check for bits of shell. Pour into the well. Sprinkle with salt.<br />3. Beat the eggs using a fork. Start drawing in flour from the edges of the well.<br />4. Continue drawing in flour until all ingredients are combined. If the dough looks dry, add a little water, if the dough look wet, add a little flour.<br />5. Knead dough for 10 minutes. This can also be done in the mixer with a dough hook.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Now here's were methods diverge...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">If you have a pasta maker and know how to use it...USE IT!<br /><br />I didn't have one so I used the manual method. It is necessary to pull the dough with one hand as you roll it out with the other. This helps to break the elasticity of the gluten so that you can roll it out flat without it snapping back into a blob.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This was very tricky and gave my arms a good workout!<br /></div><br />Once the dough is thin enough - about 1/8 inch - use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into a rectangular shape. Next, you can use a straight edge - i like the edge of a flexible cutting board - cut the dough into desired widths. When cutting by hand, it is easier to make wider pastas like linguine.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Right away, or save for later?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">If you want to use the pasta right away, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt - not a pinch, a couple tablespoons - and cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, for 3-5 minutes. It doesn't take long for fresh pasta to cook so keep an eye on it or else it will turn to goo.<br /><br />If you want to save it you have a couple options. Drape the pasta over a skewer or chop stick supported by two tall glasses. You can let them dry and store in a zip-top bag for later use.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-Or-<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">You can wrap a several strands of pasta around your fingers and layer them between waxed paper in a resealable container. You can either stash them in the fridge and use in a week, or put them in the freezer and use in a month.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Enjoy!<br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-10005118085400286042009-10-23T16:41:00.002-04:002009-10-23T17:45:22.097-04:00Ack!<div style="text-align: center;">Ok, ok...I'm sorry! There will be taste bud tantalizing posts in the near future. I promise!<br /></div><br /> Vaughn and I are mostly unpacked. I've been trying to find work and going through my nesting phase of the move. Unfortunately I seem to have misplaced the USB cable for my camera when we moved.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">And what's a food and photography blog without delicious looking photos?!<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">...just a bunch of words.<br /><br />-------<br /><br />On another note...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Today I was flying home via Columbus from a lecture at Ohio University. I was making my way through security and just before I got in line for the metal detectors, my cousin Beth pops up! She was with her sister Kim and were enjoy a cup of coffee before going through security. I got out of line and sat down to chat for a little bit. We got onto the topic of cooking because they both love to cook and enjoy checking out this blog. They suggested that I write a cookbook and take photographs for it, so I've been kicking that idea around in my head since then.<br /><br />If I were to write a cookbook, it would have to be titled <span style="font-style: italic;">Gwen in the Kitchen</span>. I'm no five-star chef whipping up masterful creations with top-quality ingredients. Just an everyday person in the kitchen, armed with self-taught culinary knowledge and the essential tools of the trade.<br /><br />I want to share with others my passion for food without the fuss. Delicious, simple recipes that anyone can make. I want to show people how to eat consciously by knowing where their food comes from and how it impacts the world. There will be an emphasis on vegetarian, flexitarian, seasonal, sustainable, and local ways to enjoy food.<br /><br />Who knows if I will actually write it, but it seems like a fun goal to work towards.<br /><br /><br /></div></div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-83243736686322677592009-09-20T11:56:00.005-04:002009-09-25T13:30:12.439-04:00On hold<div style="text-align: center;">Just for a little while.<br /></div><br />My husband and I have been caught up in our relocation to Milwaukee. Vaughn was recently hired to work at a home brew store that is opening a new location in the Milwaukee area. For the past couple of weeks we have been taking trips up there and scouring the area for apartments. We finally found a second floor flat in a very nice neighborhood. And the kitchen! Very nice compared to the other apartments we have lived in and looked at. Here's a photo...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hU1i_tLgM-Uv4Z2F4MHiden7hyUAmp4l-ShFXujgrz0U3jZOxLnTG_1oXIBt6PlsYlx8ulR3HEuSPI6KYA_cIOELle7b9tXyh5KMXfQjvitw10FpNlIJfnesEVNt47PObycTfjEMw8k/s1600-h/P1010321.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7hU1i_tLgM-Uv4Z2F4MHiden7hyUAmp4l-ShFXujgrz0U3jZOxLnTG_1oXIBt6PlsYlx8ulR3HEuSPI6KYA_cIOELle7b9tXyh5KMXfQjvitw10FpNlIJfnesEVNt47PObycTfjEMw8k/s320/P1010321.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383580753676769442" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Plenty of cabinets and counter space. Newer appliances - big side by side fridge with handy ice/water dispenser. Glass top electric stove, which will take some getting used to. At least the heating element in the oven is at the top...the gas stoves in other rentals I've lived in had the heating element on the bottom, so browning anything was a nightmare and broiling took place too close to the floor for comfort. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Ick</span>.<br /><br />We move in on Thursday (huzzah!), so I can't promise much in the way of posts until we get set up. Perhaps a few blurbs here and there.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------<br /><br /></div>This weekend we are visiting our friends in Athens and will be eating at our most beloved restaurants and drinking at our usual bars.<br /><br />We headed straight for the <a href="http://www.myspace.com/theunionathensoh">Union</a> when we got into town late last night. The Union has a newly renovated bar downstairs for those who just want to hang out and drink, and a bar upstairs in their venue space so you don't have to run downstairs for a drink and miss a band's set.<br /><br />When I first came to Athens, the Union was filled with burly biker punks up to their necks in tattoos with cigarettes dangling from their lips. The scene has changed over the years and is now a popular haunt for the "hipster" kids to hang out, listen to bands and drink pitchers of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">PBR</span>. This is probably a result of <a href="http://acrn.com/"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ACRN</span></a>, the university's student run radio station, hosting numerous shows at the Union. That's alright by me though, the burly biker punks can hang out at the <a href="http://www.myspace.com/smilingskullsaloon">Smiling Skull Saloon</a>, which has the reputation of being a biker bar anyways.<br /><br />Later today I will be meeting friends at <a href="http://www.myspace.com/jackieospubandbrewery">Jackie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">O's</span></a> (formerly <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">O'Hooley's</span> and still sometimes call it that). They are proud to be Athens' only brewpub and offer a wide and ever changing assortment of craft beers, as well as delicious food including their beer batter fish and chips and handmade pizza on spent grain crust.<br /><br />Through the back there is a beer garden, perhaps the best in town because it's filled with locals and a laid back crowd instead of frat dudes and sorority chicks. It became one of our favorite spots this past year for post-class lunch (or dinner) and beer outings. Post-class...I swear! Especially wonderful after my 1pm-10pm days of back to back art classes. No break for lunch, or dinner, and I was quite frazzled by the end of the day. Beer me!<br /><br />That reminds me, Jackie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">O's</span> bought the space next door, where Skippers Bar and Grill used to be, and have begun working on the space. This is great because Jackie <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">O's</span> currently has eight booths outside and four booths, two tables and a handful of bar stools around a tiny bar inside. The are installing a long bar with many taps (20 maybe? not sure) and a lot more seating. It will be much more comfortable, especially on nights when there's a game on.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">That's all for now, but probably another post later this weekend. Stay tuned!<br /></div></div></div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-50837590161745925222009-09-04T19:24:00.006-04:002009-09-04T19:54:07.537-04:00Summer Berry Trifle<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Got day-old French bread? Make something other than French Toast...</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfvoy_tSHiVSHoxb8AiPTWwxifi4hQ5jj7qrX9mhY44eQozf4fIY3dI4edB6a1EYPeX9QjpexHJrJ4QcKpdvcKUdaqQP0qShHl4U1jcxa_McfTPihAc8MPpBZXs9UgrcGfEAiB-GY_SA/s1600-h/whippedcream_001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSfvoy_tSHiVSHoxb8AiPTWwxifi4hQ5jj7qrX9mhY44eQozf4fIY3dI4edB6a1EYPeX9QjpexHJrJ4QcKpdvcKUdaqQP0qShHl4U1jcxa_McfTPihAc8MPpBZXs9UgrcGfEAiB-GY_SA/s320/whippedcream_001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377762763835283762" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;">Fresh pint of heavy cream from <a href="http://www.bluemarblefamilyfarm.com/home.php">Blue Marble Family Farm</a>...purchased that morning from their booth at the <a href="http://www.cityofevanston.org/enjoy/market.shtml">Evanston Farmers Market</a>.<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Vaughn didn't want a traditional cake for his birthday, so he decided on this Summer Berry Trifle from <a href="http://www.finecooking.com/">Fine Cooking Magazine</a>. Best thing is...you don't need to turn on the oven.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJHgVDnyvUiBszY1xIOaYEfsscMKsski5xPHcqYDrPwgT74QObYLbxMnGaWW6QxYjMZkm0k5y2X1CMDiNup9ImvIrLhWodvHMmFvOFrqRW4Xrm5u-fhWWlGxuj9MmiUZrZ7UBjTwRhEQ/s1600-h/berrytrifle_001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBJHgVDnyvUiBszY1xIOaYEfsscMKsski5xPHcqYDrPwgT74QObYLbxMnGaWW6QxYjMZkm0k5y2X1CMDiNup9ImvIrLhWodvHMmFvOFrqRW4Xrm5u-fhWWlGxuj9MmiUZrZ7UBjTwRhEQ/s320/berrytrifle_001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377763203571348098" border="0" /></a><span style="font-weight: bold;">Summer Berry Trifle</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Serves 10-12<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">1-1/2 quarts mixed fresh berries (hull and quarter strawberries), plus extra berries for garnish<br />3/4 cup plus 1 Tbs. granulated sugar<br />4 tsp. minced fresh ginger<br />1 lb. day-old French bread, crusts removed, crumb cut into 1/2 -inch cubes (5 to 6 cups)<br />1/2 cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau<br />1-1/2 cups heavy cream<br /><br /><div class="instruction"> <p>Heat the berries and 3/4 cup of the sugar in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they start to release juice but are still whole and intact, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger and pour the mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet to cool.</p> <p>Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the bread with 5 Tbs. of the liqueur. In a chilled metal bowl with chilled beaters, whip the cream with the remaining 3 Tbs. liqueur and 1 Tbs. sugar to almost-stiff peaks.</p> <p>In a 2- to 2-1/2 -quart clear glass bowl, layer in the following order: 1 mounded cup of bread cubes, 1 cup of berries and juices, and 1 cup of whipped cream. Repeat 3 times—you should have 12 layers total. For the final layers, use all the remaining bread, berries (and their juices), and whipped cream.</p> <p>Cover and refrigerate until the juice has completely softened the bread, at least 4 hours or overnight. Garnish with fresh berries before serving.</p><p>Enjoy with good friends...<br /></p><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJUQzEVd9-DN7aNHgKq69ZjtSS0nvr0q2aqEqzAPJySWF7Yb7DfzXwtLEV-j3MLwDESmjAmfpPgna4r0A7e5Lcuub3vejqhNz9wwyCn35KyQmDm1FlXhx9BP5ovcAXK3KV5mk8ALRxlA/s1600-h/whippedcream_002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJUQzEVd9-DN7aNHgKq69ZjtSS0nvr0q2aqEqzAPJySWF7Yb7DfzXwtLEV-j3MLwDESmjAmfpPgna4r0A7e5Lcuub3vejqhNz9wwyCn35KyQmDm1FlXhx9BP5ovcAXK3KV5mk8ALRxlA/s320/whippedcream_002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5377763197712802946" border="0" /></a></p> </div></div></div></div></div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-24889506514848803262009-08-27T20:54:00.006-04:002009-08-29T01:22:34.233-04:00Beer Tasting: IPAsVaughn and I had a very informal beer tasting last night...we were mostly just enjoying new beers and taking a few notes as we sipped. I'm not as educated in beer as Vaughn is, but I took a stab at sounding like I knew something. Here goes nothin'!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------<br /></div><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Mikkeller Warrior Single Hop IPA</span>: 6.9% ABV, color of orange blossom honey, faintly hoppy nose with slight malt aromas, starts with a bite and ends with a caramel finish.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Mikkeller Cascade Single Hop IPA</span>: 6.9% ABV, same orange blossom honey color, clearer (bottom of the bottle last time), sweet bottle conditioned Vienna malt in the nose, starts with a bite that doesn't fade quickly, funky earthy flavor like figs that aren't quite ripe (sweet but green), we don't think it survived the journey judging by the funk.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Southern Tier Un*Earthly Imperial IPA</span>: 11% ABV (!!), smaller, tighter head, paler orange color, citrusy nose, sweet sweet sweet, slight brown sugar taste, very complex flavor from the hop bill however thin body, pretty easy drinking for the alcohol and hop content.Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-56970944676232049112009-08-26T17:32:00.005-04:002009-08-26T19:16:56.497-04:00Sweet Tomato Tart with Rosemary Apricot Glaze<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqq5SMKMLa84rHDtMwZ7gAurdDVh8qfgLdXtALmyEMjyA_b7pAhq1J2nsU_Otkq0DfoloPACioWP4fwMau5RpH-vzSGibt68265o-zPhkHzQAvgruZqfVIQO5TWhgWjT15YH13MVYWYLU/s1600-h/tomato_tart.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqq5SMKMLa84rHDtMwZ7gAurdDVh8qfgLdXtALmyEMjyA_b7pAhq1J2nsU_Otkq0DfoloPACioWP4fwMau5RpH-vzSGibt68265o-zPhkHzQAvgruZqfVIQO5TWhgWjT15YH13MVYWYLU/s400/tomato_tart.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5374407793656509362" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Hooray for rainy days!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">A couple weeks ago Vaughn was working on a beer and I was making pie crusts. I took a big scoop of his <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brewer%27s_spent_grain">spent grain </a>and incorporated it into the wheat pie crust that I was making. The crusts went into the freezer for a rainy day...like today!<br /><br />Sue, my mother-in-law, bought a couple pecks of tomatoes at the <a href="http://www.cityofevanston.org/enjoy/market.shtml">Evanston Farmer's Market</a> this past Saturday and needed to use them soon before they go bad. Flipping through Barbara Kafka's cookbook, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Vegetable-Love-Barbara-Kafka/dp/1579651682">Vegetable Love</a>, I came across an interesting recipe for a Sweet Tomato Tart. How could I resist? The pie dough recipe is my own since I couldn't find a recipe that incorporated spent grain. It turned out very well!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Whole Wheat Pie Dough with Spent Grain</span><br />Yield: 2 8-inch crusts<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">1 1/2 cups all purpose flour<br />1 cup whole wheat flour<br />1/2-1 cup spent grain<br />1 cup unsalted butter, chilled<br />1/4 cup vegetable shortening, chilled<br />1 Large egg yolk, beaten<br />1/2 cup ice water<br />1/8 teaspoon salt<br /><br />1. Combine AP flour, WW flour, spent grain, and salt in a food processor. Pulse until combined.<br />2. Add chilled butter and vegetable shortening. Pulse until it resembles course meal.<br />3. With the food processor running on low, slowly pour in the ice water until the dough starts to form into a ball.<br />4. Remove the dough and place into a zip top bag. Form the dough into a ball and press into a round disc.<br />5. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.<br />6. Place dough on a floured surface and roll out until about 1/4 inch thick.<br />7. Place dough in a pie or tart pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes or seal with plastic wrap and freeze for later use.<br /><br />*Before using the crust, blind bake in a 400 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Sweet Tomato Tart</span><br />Yield: 8 servings<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">4 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced thin (I used 8-10 plum tomatoes)<br />2 tablespoons lemon zest<br />2 tablespoons orange zest (I didn't have oranges so I sprinkled orange juice over the layers)<br />2 tablespoons brown sugar<br />2 tablespoons currant jelly (I used rosemary-apricot jam because it was on hand)<br /><br />Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.<br /><br />1. Slice tomatoes and let drain in a strainer or colander<br />2. Combine lemon zest, orange zest, and brown sugar in a bowl.<br />3. Layer tomatoes in the bottom of the cooled crust. Start from the outside and work your way in, overlapping slightly.<br />4. Sprinkle half the zest/sugar mixture over the first layer.<br />5. Add a second layer of tomatoes<br />6. Sprinkle the rest of the mixture over the second layer.<br />7. Add the third layer.<br />8. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool slightly on a rack.<br />9. Turn the broiler on low.<br />10. Heat the jelly in a small pan over low heat or in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute.<br />11. Brush the top of the tart and crust liberally with jelly.<br />12. Place under the broiler until the jelly just starts to bubble.<br />13. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving.<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Hope you enjoy this recipe!<br /></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-52254381675081104672009-08-25T23:35:00.004-04:002009-08-26T16:52:51.296-04:00Off to Belgium in Our MindsMy husband <a href="http://thevonze.blogspot.com/">Vaughn's</a> birthday is this Saturday and plans are in the works for his special dinner. We were thinking of going to the <a href="http://www.hopleaf.com/">Hopleaf</a>, but since there will be six attending we figured it would get too expensive. So instead, we are going to cook a Belgian feast and accompany the spread with Belgian brews.<br /><br />Why Belgian? First, Vaughn brews beer and the Belgians are renowned brewers. Second, Belgian food is delicious. The food has a strong French influence, with a hint of German and Dutch cuisine...mostly French, but it lacks all the pretentiousness.<br /><br />To prepare, we have been looking for Belgian recipes and cookbooks. We ordered <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Everybody-Eats-Well-Belgium-Cookbook/dp/1563054116"><span style="font-style: italic;">Everybody Eats Well In Belgium</span></a> by Ruth Van Waerebeek and Maria Robbins. This book sounds delicious and gets rave reviews, even from people who live or have lived in Belgium. Bonus: it's in English and the measurements aren't metric!<br /><br />We also found <a href="http://www.littlebennett.com/belgian_cookbook/index.php"><span style="font-style: italic;">The Belgian Cook-Book</span></a> by Mrs. Brian Luck and published in 1915. It has authentic recipes, although some of the terms are a little hard to get used to. For instance, she writes "pips" instead of "seeds". We enjoyed this quote from the preface:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">"A shelf of provisions should be valued, like love-making,<br />not only for itself but for what it may become."<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I will write more once we figure out Saturday's menu and I'll most likely post some photos, so check back soon!<br /></div></div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-72983985504140623282009-08-24T16:26:00.014-04:002010-11-24T19:20:30.599-05:00Recollections of My Childhood and Thoughts on Seasonal Produce<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LCQ8ls1cgk0uc1xuDQ8yc-VCpbCiexa6meaLGhb4zlEVBPyAobrNxFWxr9kZVYZTdspFRSqURCUt-ldtfHpBFzgeAoe06NwpiuoNBsJ8fjMTJXVTlUPRuE6RYq8xOFgXn6VVyZDgL5A/s1600-h/3199_1008264862162_1691179342_12145_3337607_n.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 268px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4LCQ8ls1cgk0uc1xuDQ8yc-VCpbCiexa6meaLGhb4zlEVBPyAobrNxFWxr9kZVYZTdspFRSqURCUt-ldtfHpBFzgeAoe06NwpiuoNBsJ8fjMTJXVTlUPRuE6RYq8xOFgXn6VVyZDgL5A/s400/3199_1008264862162_1691179342_12145_3337607_n.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373668279584989938" border="0" /></a><br />No matter the season, it is always summer in the produce section of your neighborhood grocery store. Even on the coldest days of winter, when the mercury dips below freezing, you can find a plethora of produce that makes you forget there will be a foot of snow waiting for you on the car by the time you get through the checkout. We have become a season-less nation thanks to imports from warmer countries, hydroponics, and hothouses.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------<br /></div><br />Growing up, I was well aware of the seasons. I grew up on a a small farm on the far side of east Cleveland. There were no chickens scratching or pigs wallowing (at least not when I lived there), but there were fruit trees - hundreds of them.<br /><br />My dad was hired on in the early 1980's to help take care of small farm for the owner, Marian Ginn Jones, daughter of <a href="http://ech.cwru.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=GFH">Frank Hadley </a><a href="http://ech.cwru.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=GFH">Ginn</a> and wife of <a href="http://www.oberlin.edu/library/special/political/ww2.jones.html">William Powell Jones</a>. We lived on the farm in the little gatehouse at the end of the drive. Mrs. Jones, a wonderful old woman, let us roam around, climb the apple trees and eat any of the produce. Growing up on the farm spoiled me rotten when it came to food.<br /><br />In the spring I would climb into my favorite apple tree by the drive and look out over my domain. Little pink buds unfurled their petals on the tips of gnarly gray apple branches to cast a rosy haze over the farm. This was the first and most exciting sign of spring.<br /><br />Early summer warmth coaxed the petals to drop and blanket the ground with a carpet of pink and white. Little green apples began to form in their place and we would watch with anticipation as the green slowly turned to vibrant reds, yellows and blushed greens.<br /><br />When the first of the apples were ripe, we would shimmy up the trunks and perch in the shade of the leafy branches as we munched away at the sweet, juicy, sun-warmed flesh. We would bash the fallen apples on the fence post and share our bounty with the horses, our little hands stretched out the way we were taught so the horses didn't mistake our fingers for carrots.<br /><br />Apples were plentiful well into the chillier months of fall. My dad would load up the truck bed with bushels upon bushels of apples to take to the local cider presser and the fruit was magically transformed into thick, hazy, brown cider. "The good stuff" as we called it. A few years ago the presser was forced to close because of new pasteurization laws. Since it was a small operation, the owner just didn't have the funds to purchase the new equipment. No more of the good stuff.<br /><br />Throughout the winter my dad would bring up gallon jugs of cider from the basement freezer for a treat. After spending hours in the snow making forts and throwing snowballs, we were greeted with mugs of hot cider and spent the evening around the fire.<br /><br />Late winter and early spring was pruning time. My dad would spend the entire day, or as long as he could stand the cold, pruning back the trees. He would often greet us at the end of the day with a chilly hand down the back of our sweaters.<br /><br />Then the cycle would repeat itself. There's something comforting about the repetition of the seasons and watching an apple go from bud, to blossom, to baby, and into my mouth when ripe.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;">-------</div><br />To my readers, I challenge you to step back from the produce at the store and think about what you are about to buy.<br /><br />Ask yourself: <a href="http://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/?page_id=674">what's in season</a>, where did the produce come from, will it be at its peak freshness and ripeness?<br /><br />Shop your <a href="http://www.localharvest.org/farmers-markets/">local farmers market</a> or participate in a <a href="http://www.localharvest.org/csa/">CSA program</a>. That way you can be sure that the food you are buying is the freshest it can be instead of picked, packed, stored and shipped from another country halfway around the world .<br /><br />Take your kids - or grand kids, nephews, nieces, cousins - to a <a href="http://www.pickyourown.org/statelist.htm">pick-your-own farm</a> so that they can experience where their food comes from. If you live in the Cleveland area, I highly recommend visiting <a href="http://www.pattersonfarm.com/">Patterson's</a> or <a href="http://www.eddyfruitfarm.com/home.html">Eddy's</a> fruit farms - I would go there every fall with my family, friends, or on class trips.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFm5wh071BafgGNQKGhcV0KnSiLrjQRJ4lb8bJOtrb4a7p8zrs7OhZSI8Gv16MnmxRXCosy8ZE8irStFn7RDISYztSZaDcvWzvK6Ht0Ylxllkzks6A1J_v9bt3piqFo3VTqKX61z7b6c/s1600-h/n1691179342_18995_4652495.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFm5wh071BafgGNQKGhcV0KnSiLrjQRJ4lb8bJOtrb4a7p8zrs7OhZSI8Gv16MnmxRXCosy8ZE8irStFn7RDISYztSZaDcvWzvK6Ht0Ylxllkzks6A1J_v9bt3piqFo3VTqKX61z7b6c/s400/n1691179342_18995_4652495.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5373668463726924370" border="0" /></a><br />Thanks to my dad, <a href="http://web.me.com/mastr1/Site/Welcome_.html">Dennis Mastrangelo</a>, for the photos.<br /></div><br /></div></div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-49651384715147600522009-08-10T21:04:00.008-04:002009-08-10T22:17:23.374-04:00Photo Shoot with Chef Sophia BoesenbergOn Saturday morning I made my way to Skokie to meet up with <a href="http://sophiaboesenberg.blogspot.com/">Chef Sophia Boesenberg</a> to take photos of her food. Sophia, a young professional personal chef, recently moved to Chicago from Portland where she received her culinary arts degree at Le Cordon Bleu. This was a great opportunity for the both of us - she needed photos for her cooking portfolio and I needed photos for my...well...photo portfolio.<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I didn't ask for any kind of compensation since I'm just starting out in this whole food photography venture, but she did feed me and send me home with a partial wheel of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camembert_%28cheese%29">Camembert</a>! And I must say, the food was delicious.<br /><br />Look up Sopie if you're in the Chicago area and in need of a personal chef for your next special dinner!<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Here are the photos from the shoot:<br />(please note: display colors may vary)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMsAq9h9m_8FpEW5zJaYiOkCnPltv6UpuVi_q0D7zy7yAxplMUagv2vYw3-empCtcK8wbyJClvI-4QwYORew-Q8wRbYYEDSCLsFJ1zzL4HMHCkUM6zgfN0OGy6TO9D3IQdVv9TmK8SJU/s1600-h/GM_0001_SB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMsAq9h9m_8FpEW5zJaYiOkCnPltv6UpuVi_q0D7zy7yAxplMUagv2vYw3-empCtcK8wbyJClvI-4QwYORew-Q8wRbYYEDSCLsFJ1zzL4HMHCkUM6zgfN0OGy6TO9D3IQdVv9TmK8SJU/s320/GM_0001_SB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368512541695646450" border="0" /></a><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9KPiQLF0gOtewWfoHLyRW0yzBrxcbZlDDnnW-A5X2bg4CRwEGAc3tw7cdXH3Ewqe1ssuebzUNYLAI2BkbhhQrOxEOA-Ma0AUYJZBHmnSXyPMe5wwReiizyYEllU4pR573IQRN6r5-uA/s1600-h/GM_0005_SB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy9KPiQLF0gOtewWfoHLyRW0yzBrxcbZlDDnnW-A5X2bg4CRwEGAc3tw7cdXH3Ewqe1ssuebzUNYLAI2BkbhhQrOxEOA-Ma0AUYJZBHmnSXyPMe5wwReiizyYEllU4pR573IQRN6r5-uA/s320/GM_0005_SB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368512457018456802" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqHHq5jMRZdRJkob7YHrfBDk4Zdvob0FhKhehiWN88tssEnd_O2FKOlZApqgL0G74jmmsCq9auSSA32c0bgAZHE4lMnjdHgrUYygL1bT1AMBcdRg4kxLmMW4CwTKLBTHaqUFABsBt4BM/s1600-h/GM_0006_SB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYqHHq5jMRZdRJkob7YHrfBDk4Zdvob0FhKhehiWN88tssEnd_O2FKOlZApqgL0G74jmmsCq9auSSA32c0bgAZHE4lMnjdHgrUYygL1bT1AMBcdRg4kxLmMW4CwTKLBTHaqUFABsBt4BM/s320/GM_0006_SB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368512446790466498" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUqWGAEVsL__L4TTSWAZNUHLHwod9B441u3WUNXJ0GGVynhMRgud1WEOg3LC4YwooBRsdP7HKVbCMcyTPQw7SKP1Y8QnvxC2kI-KPECm2yhn7FijgTyaFE9A1VjvExmKuRcYq4sxnsN0/s1600-h/GM_0007_SB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlUqWGAEVsL__L4TTSWAZNUHLHwod9B441u3WUNXJ0GGVynhMRgud1WEOg3LC4YwooBRsdP7HKVbCMcyTPQw7SKP1Y8QnvxC2kI-KPECm2yhn7FijgTyaFE9A1VjvExmKuRcYq4sxnsN0/s320/GM_0007_SB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368512438332192290" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFpAztpZT9CghuuCEiqcgixGkiF682scF_wZCxjeiAHpPjN9Nexjo929YlCtcQ7eHD803Lm8DbqHiNSl1I-EiFhPe_Um5OCjJjTllY4axaCDP9gxg4LN1dEO_sZK_058TNmXfgN3SVss/s1600-h/GM_0008_SB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaFpAztpZT9CghuuCEiqcgixGkiF682scF_wZCxjeiAHpPjN9Nexjo929YlCtcQ7eHD803Lm8DbqHiNSl1I-EiFhPe_Um5OCjJjTllY4axaCDP9gxg4LN1dEO_sZK_058TNmXfgN3SVss/s320/GM_0008_SB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368512432626537330" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWpcREttmqet9_rZVw2KHR3_EKLY51_8Lk1ykyULUoWlMVF2Q8_ASYOzBDYYaFJSuAoGPPagTl1_ABPZ65-KnmhtfgPJtCg5THOeVuzI03zV17c5atHElnUiMDe3X60iKsOUy7f7RN73g/s1600-h/GM_0009_SB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWpcREttmqet9_rZVw2KHR3_EKLY51_8Lk1ykyULUoWlMVF2Q8_ASYOzBDYYaFJSuAoGPPagTl1_ABPZ65-KnmhtfgPJtCg5THOeVuzI03zV17c5atHElnUiMDe3X60iKsOUy7f7RN73g/s320/GM_0009_SB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368512426360830834" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1ZOiVJ9LRrHdV9vBjvEkZ1Kr1pNF9JPqicnnLsu33nD9PwYzK8pWQkkDvjRoZDZ2gWBBwuZTpHs8JjOBirwu2N8mu9Vuynpu0vW7wf6-ebAu4uo6c_iifhKXlLSAXal-P-QHhsTZ_GI/s1600-h/GM_0010_SB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf1ZOiVJ9LRrHdV9vBjvEkZ1Kr1pNF9JPqicnnLsu33nD9PwYzK8pWQkkDvjRoZDZ2gWBBwuZTpHs8JjOBirwu2N8mu9Vuynpu0vW7wf6-ebAu4uo6c_iifhKXlLSAXal-P-QHhsTZ_GI/s320/GM_0010_SB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368512035381346786" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8P3sg2I2HiLSOiljxnt1i3TPy_6o72RRxJc6mmrhWMCWILd4yQCWeaiDlKlIb_aRnKq06p9h6zdCfR4GYHI8Pgxy71aM2dk88AES5e3B6hwDsKellXkmhb-tYGL7BQJF4NhtTeELG6Y/s1600-h/GM_0011_SB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg8P3sg2I2HiLSOiljxnt1i3TPy_6o72RRxJc6mmrhWMCWILd4yQCWeaiDlKlIb_aRnKq06p9h6zdCfR4GYHI8Pgxy71aM2dk88AES5e3B6hwDsKellXkmhb-tYGL7BQJF4NhtTeELG6Y/s320/GM_0011_SB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368512029697779858" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3id0B603JfjfzGndiPK2-rNzrWiZ3iydGF9IB5Q4i-Inywi7DZneoAvxBJtyFmpK4y6GDywsNqmBjOvuNj6pExtoE-7_DHVAH1Vvf17qpye_I8G5P3TxnxW0VCLiHsLAk5rwzzzgymw/s1600-h/GM_0012_SB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 213px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3id0B603JfjfzGndiPK2-rNzrWiZ3iydGF9IB5Q4i-Inywi7DZneoAvxBJtyFmpK4y6GDywsNqmBjOvuNj6pExtoE-7_DHVAH1Vvf17qpye_I8G5P3TxnxW0VCLiHsLAk5rwzzzgymw/s320/GM_0012_SB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368512022411945682" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh12BNaySYGl9ZJ0lLO1c2qvLS8suylHlVb7HPefActnsqs0XXsUeOZwnDJW4zXASqWe_uoHc2FM87JR0u4TNoXxAq_WThBgqhK4kVC80tPUDyX1qT-JtwMmNHIPJUP1bjRSXPuBgwNME/s1600-h/GM_0013_SB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh12BNaySYGl9ZJ0lLO1c2qvLS8suylHlVb7HPefActnsqs0XXsUeOZwnDJW4zXASqWe_uoHc2FM87JR0u4TNoXxAq_WThBgqhK4kVC80tPUDyX1qT-JtwMmNHIPJUP1bjRSXPuBgwNME/s320/GM_0013_SB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368512011139314690" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOtBY9Ryai9WWLUDeBEOIF23jPxwWxEoYJAyXkW38TNAg-oGnQ8tWE53tkLUgoWAY-b2j1M7ZkZlRuCFLa_2_Clb5_dDXoG8YlkRUj04qO2d6zjKc-zGS_n0whftZhe4O_U_EPTkHiEs/s1600-h/GM_0015_SB.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOtBY9Ryai9WWLUDeBEOIF23jPxwWxEoYJAyXkW38TNAg-oGnQ8tWE53tkLUgoWAY-b2j1M7ZkZlRuCFLa_2_Clb5_dDXoG8YlkRUj04qO2d6zjKc-zGS_n0whftZhe4O_U_EPTkHiEs/s320/GM_0015_SB.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5368512005289161026" border="0" /></a>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7677530725314259946.post-57393307794285879862009-08-05T19:17:00.002-04:002009-08-05T19:22:43.507-04:00Nectarines!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgNTQKhH2SeNcWA5CZwpIfoczdxHyPmhmvOOlnFy5GMvBfQzYwMVHFyfvhrdhDNuDbAMhSBg-lg_L8TWwCt9MJ0YGPBVwKz-d_MfjDFYB4XFAzSjkfKhjxrhycFvjjMbgKqYtDFIGHDo/s1600-h/nectarines002.jpg"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 348px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAgNTQKhH2SeNcWA5CZwpIfoczdxHyPmhmvOOlnFy5GMvBfQzYwMVHFyfvhrdhDNuDbAMhSBg-lg_L8TWwCt9MJ0YGPBVwKz-d_MfjDFYB4XFAzSjkfKhjxrhycFvjjMbgKqYtDFIGHDo/s400/nectarines002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366623411507148658" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86O8i1ad0x3HV6pH5Z9F7pIE7Z7AxHD1bCwPAwuC3weN1ZXtwA8Wh9Ekz1L9NTtbvtOOrRTcdimVKvACGo0JI2Emd2T9KfYYOCsFLCZbQQSUFRY5gX3JhaMNxj4TA5VcVykTAmfYHXJw/s1600-h/nectarines001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 321px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg86O8i1ad0x3HV6pH5Z9F7pIE7Z7AxHD1bCwPAwuC3weN1ZXtwA8Wh9Ekz1L9NTtbvtOOrRTcdimVKvACGo0JI2Emd2T9KfYYOCsFLCZbQQSUFRY5gX3JhaMNxj4TA5VcVykTAmfYHXJw/s400/nectarines001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366623410517135474" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I don't get it. Some of the images I upload get funky looking and are lot nicer in the original file.<br /></div><br /><br /></div>Gwenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17212174141327575021noreply@blogger.com0