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Garden 2011

May 24, 2011

Every time I walk outside I think – Welcome to year two of the garden!

In case you are wondering, year two is outstanding.

Year one you have lots of plants that aren’t bearing yet and it feels like forever until they actually will. You have more failures than successes, and at times you wonder if fighting all the weeds is worth it.

Oh, but year two? Year two is wonderful.

At least it is for us so far. Plants returned from last year and are producing more than we expected. We were able to evaluate what we really wanted to plant, what we could skip and pick up at the farmer’s market and what new things with which we wanted to experiment.

The garden feels more organized. We even built a trellis so the cucumbers could grow up instead of out, and threw in an official compost bin that looks a bit nicer in the yard.

Yes, year two is a good year.

Starting out, I knew I wanted to try some different varieties of plants, things I knew we wouldn’t have easy access to at markets. I feared I’d have to start everything from seed (which I’m awful at, by the way) until I stumbled upon Proper Plants via advice from a friend who also happens to be a horticulture expert.

Proper Plants is located in Lexington, KY and even after seeing on their website that they had over 50 varieties of tomatoes and peppers I wasn’t prepared for what I would encounter. Every time I saw a plant I had been wanting, like tomatillos and paprika peppers, I literally let out a little squeal. It was gardener heaven.

I left with 19 pepper plants and 10 eggplant and tomato plants combined. In addition, lots of herbs. It was the most self control I’ve ever had to exercise when buying something as simple as plants.

Below is a list of all the wonderful things we have planted this year or that returned from last year along with a bit of a photo tour.

Believe it or not, due to our layout and the plants we chose this year, we still have more space!

What else do you think we should grow?

Asparagus

Arugula, Dwarf Blue Curly Kale, Romaine and Bibb Lettuce

Peppers – Lilac, Merlot, Poblano, Cherry, Better Belle, Red Knights, Goliath Goldrush, Anaheim, Mandarin, Paprika, Mariachi, Pinata, Centennial, Scotch Bonnet, Thai Chili, Sweet and Hot Banana

I can’t wait to have purple peppers!

Tomatoes – San Marzano, Mr. Stripey, Sweet Cherry

Tomatillos

Dealing with some early blight and bugs, but the plants are recovering nicely.

Japanese Eggplant, Thai Perch Eggplant

Patty Pan Scalloped Squash, Grey Zucchini

Asian Cucumber

Arugula

Dwarf Pak Choy

Parisienne Carrots

Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Blueberries (won’t bear until next year)

Yokahoma and Rouge Vif D’Etamps Pumpkins

Herbs – Sweet and Thai Basil, Lemon Verbena, Celery Leaf, Chocolate Mint, Italian Flat Leaf Parsley, Oregano, Chives, Thyme, Mint, Cilantro, Rosemary

I can’t wait to try this chocolate mint in a dessert!

This celery leaf allows you to add a little celery flavor without adding large pieces.

Fig tree

My dad gave us this fig tree. I hear they need special care, but can grow well in our area if given it.

A few garden fresh recipes:

Sweet and Simple Tomato Pepper Salad
Patty Pan Squash Stuffed with Basil Orzo
BLT Pizza with Spicy Chipotle Mayo
Whole Jalapenos with Honey and Allspice
Stuffed Poblano Peppers with Tomato Chile Sauce

Spring Garden Cobb Salad

May 22, 2011

I’ve been inspired by cobb salads lately. It could be because of all the beautiful colors, but I really think it’s all those fresh ingredients arranged in tidy rows. Things around here have felt very hectic lately and I must be craving organization. This has to be the most organized way to eat a salad, don’t you think?

As I was thinking of making one, I soon realized I could make my own version of the cobb salad completely from our garden with a little help from local farms.

Kind of fun, right? I love the challenge of creating meals entirely from the garden.

First, we have the very last of our asparagus quickly blanched and seasoned with salt and pepper. Next is a hardboiled egg from Wonder of Life Farm nearby. This is followed by lettuce, strawberries and finely chopped kale. This version is without meat and cheese, but a delicious combination, nonetheless.

I debated on what type of dressing to use and I finally ended up topping it with homemade honey mustard dressing which included Kentucky honey. I was unsure of the combination of flavors, but the dressing pulled it all together. This proved to be a wonderful way to kick off what I’m officially marking as salad season!

Spring Garden Cobb Salad

Makes: 1 serving

Ingredients

½ cup chopped asparagus (one-inch pieces)
1 hardboiled egg, sliced
½ cup chopped bibb lettuce
2/3 cup strawberries, sliced
½ cup finely chopped kale
2 tablespoons of your favorite honey mustard dressing (or a dressing of your choice)

Prep

Heat a small pan of water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the stove, drain and immediately rinse or cover in cold water. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Arrange the asparagus on the plate followed by the sliced egg, bibb lettuce, strawberries and kale. Top with your favorite dressing and enjoy! Makes one large salad.

Spring Cobb Salad with strawberries and asparagus | Fake Food Free

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Strawberry Rhubarb Bread

May 21, 2011

One of the best gifts anyone can give me is an ingredient. While others may want a ready-made food – a cookie, a bread, etc. I’d much rather have the berries, the chocolate or the oil, which I will then turn into the final product.

Yeah, I’m that person on your gift list that doesn’t take much work at all.

So I was thrilled earlier this week when a friend gave me some rhubarb. As I mentioned last spring with my rhubarb experiments I was never a fan of it growing up, but as I’ve learned of more things to do with it, I actually kind of like the stuff.

Another source of my rhubarb inspiration has been Two Peas and Their Pod. Maria shares her love of rhubarb in her recipes such as the Rhubarb Apple Bread which got me thinking about how to use my rhubarb.

Strawberry Rhubarb Bread Recipe | Fake Food Free

Since we have so many strawberries, I just had to go with the classic combination. So I played around with a few ingredients and came up with a bread of my own.

There is something about a slice of seasonal quick bread and a cup of coffee on a beautiful Saturday morning that makes the entire weekend complete!

Strawberry Rhubarb Bread
Adapted from Rhubarb Apple Bread from Two Peas and Their Pod

Makes: 1 loaf

Ingredients

1 ½ cups white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1 egg
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (I use 2% or full-fat)
3 tablespoon butter, melted
¼ cup mascavo sugar
¼ cup Demerara sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup whole or 2% milk
¾ cup rhubarb, finely chopped
1 cup strawberries, finely chopped

Topping
1 tablespoon Demerara sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Prep

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×4 inch loaf pan. (I used coconut oil.) (I also used one mini loaf pan and one 8×4 so I could give a small loaf away. My larger loaf was just a little smaller than yours will be. )

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ground allspice. Set aside.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the egg and yogurt. Blend well on medium speed. Be sure your butter has cooled and slowly add that to the yogurt and egg.

Add ¼ cup of Demerara sugar and the mascavo sugar, mix on medium-high for about 2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla and milk.

Slowly add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl. Mix on low just until the flour is incorporated. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the rhubarb and strawberries, being careful not the break up the berries too much.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Mix the remaining Demerara sugar and cinnamon for the topping. Sprinkle it evenly over the loaf. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean. (My mini loaf took 20 minutes and the less full 8×4 took 30 min.)

Kentucky Milk and Garden Strawberries

May 17, 2011

I’m not sure what it is about a dairy, but if there is one in the area, I have to visit it. It might be the memories of my first farm visit in grade school, or maybe it is simply because I like cheese and ice cream so much. There is just something about cows, milk and the family history that warms my heart.

There are two dairies in Kentucky selling their milk locally that I know of. (perhaps more I don’t). I happened to visit one of these last week – Chaney’s Dairy Barn in Bowling Green, KY.

Chaney's Dairy Barn, Bowling Green, Kentucky | Kentucky Milk and Garden Strawberries | Fake Food Free

After meeting owner, Carl, we got a wonderful history lesson about the dairy including a tour through pictures that dated back to the 1800s. This is a family dairy in the truest sense of the term. They also raise Jersey’s. In case you are curious, if I had to pick a favorite cow, it would easily be a tie between the Jersey with their big eyelashes and the black and white oreo cows.

The big red barn with the comical cartoon cows eating ice cream cones can’t be missed when you are driving by. It is also set on some gorgeous western Kentucky farmland. The glow at dusk was beautiful.

We went for a dinner of grilled cheese on homemade wheat bread and potato soup, and that was delicious. However, all I could think about while enjoying my dinner was ice cream!

Once I got to that point in my meal, I realized this was not going to be an easy decision to make. I finally ended up with some Big Red Rumble which was loaded with red velvet cake.

I had gone prepared with a cooler because I knew I wanted to bring home some milk. I loaded up with some whole and 2% packed well with ice for my 3 hour drive home.

Once I got home, guess what I found? Yep, strawberries. My husband had already picked several quarts while I was traveling.

With Kentucky milk and garden strawberries, his first thought? Ice cream!

I’ll be honest; I’m a little lazy with my ice cream making. I’ve made more complex ice creams with eggs and a mix of cream and milk, but when I want it quick, I usually just pull out the whole milk. That’s what I did in this case.

I also like to experiment with something other than white sugar and as a result my ice cream isn’t overly sweet. This time I used Demerara. That is a great quick ice cream when you have limited ingredients. However, if you want a super creamy, sweet ice cream you might want to splurge for a more traditional recipe.

That being said, nothing beats a fresh strawberry ice cream of any type. I’ve recently learned that pureeing the berries is the best way to get the strawberry flavor in every bite.

Fresh Strawberry Ice Cream

Makes: About 10 ½ cup servings

Ingredients

3 cups whole milk
¾ cup Demerara sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup pureed strawberries

Prep

In a bowl, whisk together the milk, sugar and vanilla until the sugar has dissolved slightly. This takes longer with the coarsely grained Demerara.

Turn on your countertop ice cream maker and pour the mixture in. Let churn until it begins to firm up, about 15 minutes. Slowly pour in the strawberries as it churns. Continue to churn and freeze until firm, 5 to 10 more minutes. You can eat immediately for a softer ice cream, or transfer to a freezer-safe container and place in the freezer for about an hour for a firmer ice cream.

Chaney’s Dairy Barn
9191 Nashville Road
Bowling Green, KY 42101
270-843-5567

Strawberry Pecan Pancakes

May 15, 2011

Here come the strawberries! I say that with excitement and a fair amount of warning. Excitement because our fridge is overflowing with little red bites of sweetness and warning because recipes may be very strawberry-centric for a while.

See this container? Take that times about five. And that’s just within the last week with many more to come. Awesome, right?

Strawberry Pecan Pancakes | Fake Food Free

After some discussion we decided not to make jam this year. I made a ton of peach jam last year and even after giving most of it away, we still have too much. With the amount of sugar added to it, we find that we just don’t eat it that often so we think strawberry jam isn’t the way to go for us this year.

But, pancakes, ice cream, salads and bowl after bowl of fresh sliced berries? Yeah, that will work. All the extras will be frozen for use in baked goods and smoothies later this year.

Let’s start with these pancakes. They begin with a base of white whole wheat flour and ground flax seed. Strawberry puree adds the seasonal flavor and chopped pecans give you a bit of a crunch in each bite. Top with chopped fresh berries and maybe a little maple syrup and breakfast is complete.

I think I’ve mentioned this before, but I do have to give my husband credit for the beautiful griddle job on these tasty cakes. I can mix up a good batter, but when it comes to actually cooking pancakes I am a destroyer. I burn them every time. So this recipe was very much a group effort complete with pugs swiping a few pieces of strawberry that fell on the floor during the process.

Strawberry Pecan Pancakes

Makes: 6 pancakes

Ingredients

1 large egg, slightly beaten
1 cup whole or 2% milk
1 tablespoon mascavo sugar
2 tablespoons ground flax seed
1/3 cup fresh strawberries, pureed
½ cup pecans, chopped
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoons salt
1 cup white whole wheat flour
Virgin coconut oil for the griddle

Prep

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the egg, milk and sugar. Stir in the flax seed, strawberry puree and pecans. Next mix in the baking powder and salt. Gently stir in the flour until all ingredients are combined.

Heat a griddle over medium to medium-high heat. Add about a teaspoon of coconut oil, if desired. Work in batches and drop the batter by a heaping ¼ cup into the skillet. Once the batter begins to bubble, flip and cook the same amount of time on the other side. Serve warm with fresh strawberries and maple syrup.

Lexington Farmer’s Market

May 11, 2011

I wasn’t quite sure if it would ever get here, but it is finally Farmer’s Market season again! Even though we have quite the garden this year (I’ll be posting about that soon.), I still love browsing the Farmer’s Market and bringing home the many things we aren’t growing ourselves.

I really like to frequent the smaller markets near where we live, but they typically don’t open until mid-June. That means in May I get to explore the early spring produce and gourmet meats and cheeses of the Lexington Farmer’s Market.

My husband and I set out for our first visit this past weekend and it did not disappoint. These are a few of my favorite finds and you’ll likely being seeing them in my upcoming recipes.

Just look at the size of this rhubarb. I’ve not seen any quite this red or large.

With it being Derby weekend, these red roses were perfect!

It’s that time of year where the plants are as much of a draw as the produce. We picked up our cilantro and sweet basil plants.

This was by far my favorite find of the weekend. Cheese Maker’s are growing around this area and I was thrilled to find Boone Creek Cremery. The cheeses are made from JD Country Milk, one of the few dairies in Kentucky (I’ll cover the other one later this week).

What is great about these cheeses is that they not only taste good, but the combinations are incredibly unique. Take this Ginger Stilton for example. Yes, ginger. Or this Coffee Gouda. Then of course it couldn’t be Derby season without a variety appropriately named, and flavored with…you guessed it, bourbon.

As good as all these flavors were I didn’t go home with them. No, what we went home with was this. Blueberry Stilton. It is every bit as good as it sounds!

I’m also thrilled to see that coffee is hitting a little closer to home in the area. We have some producers that are now importing fair trade, organic beans and roasted them locally. Superlative caught my attention this week with their Barrel Aged Bourbon Infused Coffee.

We also went home with a big bag of organic spinach. It’s been a nice addition to all our sandwiches and salads this week.

Well, now I saved the best for last. Let me first say that I am not passing judgment, nor do I know the story here. I would like to think that maybe this dolly was borrowed and these foods came from the market.

However, not 10 steps from the market are a line of local restaurants. Sitting outside of one of them was a delivery of produce including asparagus and onions, both available at the market.

It was just too much of a photo moment to pass up. All these fresh, mostly local foods 10 feet away, and there sits boxed, shipped produce being delivered. I hope I’m wrong on the source, but if I’m not, perhaps a little Farmer’s Market peer pressure is in order!

Coming up later this week – the garden, complete with our 18 pepper plants, and a trip to Chaney’s Dairy Barn.

Ataulfo Mango and Jalapeno Quesadillas

April 26, 2011

There are few fruits I enjoy more than the Ataulfo Mango. These little yellow mangos are the size of your palm and they melt in your mouth like butter. Also called Champagne Mangos, they have a smooth texture with none of the fibrous or stringy pulp you find in, say, a Tommy Mango.

Unfortunately, their season is only about 2 to 3 weeks here. They are imported from Mexico by Whole Foods and Wal-mart (in this area). Even sadder is that this season has almost come to an end. So I guess you can say this post is in honor of their tastiness. It also works well with other varieties of mango so don’t let the lack of Ataulfo mangos hold you back!

I’ve shared this recipe before, but with it spotlighting one of my favorite flavor combinations (and with a few better photos this time around) I thought it worthy of a repost. Not to mention, this time I made them with homemade corn tortillas.

No recipe is necessary. You simply add as much of each ingredient as you like. You’ll need about a half mango for each quesadilla if your tortillas are small, about 5 inches in diameter.

Ataulfo Mango and Jalapeno Quesadillas

Ataulfo mango, diced
Diced or sliced pickled jalapenos
Shredded cheese, I used a whole milk mozzarella
2 tortillas (I’m partial to homemade)

Place all ingredients on one tortilla. You can help it melt a bit by popping it in the microwave for a few seconds. Top it with the other tortilla and heat over medium-high in a skillet until the tortilla is slightly browned and crispy.

I’ve also tried the combo in an Ataulfo Mango Jalapeno Pizza. Equally as good!

Baked Egg Cups with Asparagus and Kale

April 12, 2011

These easy baked egg cups are a perfect way to use up produce from the garden for a protein-packed breakfast!

A few weeks ago, when the temperatures were still well into the freezing range, I was checking out the garden and thinking about my plan for planting this summer. I hadn’t paid much attention the raised bed of greens we planted last fall. It had been so hot that nothing grew so I just let it be.

That day I just happen to look down and see a bit of green. I thought – wow, that kind of looks like new growth. Turns out, it was. The kale from last fall came back this spring and it has loved the cooler temps!

Soon after the kale, came our first round of asparagus. The plants are two years old now so this year we’ve been able to harvest some for the dinner table. Three bunches so far.

I am loving this sign of new life. Lately, I’ve been a bit uninspired in the kitchen. I can’t seem to come up with any new ideas and at times I’ve felt a bit like not cooking at all.

That was until the green goodness starting showing up. Soon behind these are all the blooming strawberry and blackberry plants.

Armed with asparagus, kale and so far from the herb garden, thyme and chives, I decided to try and use up some of the eggs I got from a local homesteader and friend. Baked eggs seem to be popular this spring so I did my own twist on this tasty breakfast or brunch dish.

It turns out these are great for snacks and dinner too. They are full of greens and the herbs are definitely the shining star, or at least as much as they can be next to those bright orange, farm fresh egg yolks. It was only after making them that I realized everything I had added was either from our garden or a local producer except for the milk, salt and the butter I used to grease the muffin pan.

Baked Egg Cups with Asparagus and Kale

2018-04-27 17:55:13

Makes 8

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Ingredients

1 ½ cups finely chopped kale leaves
2/3 cup finely shredded cheese (I used St. Jerome)
6 large eggs
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped
1 teaspoons fine sea salt
Eight 1-inch pieces asparagus

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a muffin pan with butter or the oil of your choice. Divide the kale and cheese evenly between the 8 muffin cups.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the chives, thyme, and salt. Pour the egg mixture into the muffin cups, dividing it evenly. Place a piece of asparagus on top of each cup.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the eggs are set in the center and slightly browned on the edges. Cool for 2 to 3 minutes, remove from the pan and serve.

By Lori Rice

Fake Food Free https://www.fakefoodfree.com/

Baked Egg Cups with Asparagus and Kale Recipe

Hummus and Feta Vegetable Sandwich with Cherry Tomato Soup

April 4, 2011

One of my favorite sandwiches is the Mediterranean Veggie sandwich from Panera Bread. If you haven’t had it, let me explain. It consists of fresh bread piled high with vegetables, but what makes it so tasty to me is the combination of hummus and feta cheese.

A few days ago, I decided to try to recreate something similar. I had made a batch of my Hummus with Almond Butter and had some feta on hand. I stopped in Great Harvest and picked up a loaf of Vienna bread, a crusty dark brown loaf on the outside with a soft and slightly chewy inside. Perfect for this sandwich.

I used up some of the vegetables I had on hand which this time around included carrots, cucumber and spinach. Red or green onion, lettuce or ripe tomato slices would be a fine addition as well.

I paired the sandwich with some easy tomato soup. The only tomatoes we have left in the freezer are yellow and red cherry tomatoes so I decided to give them a try. Almost all my tomato soups are now patterned after my favorite which is Simple Tomato Soup from A Good Appetite.

The cherry tomatoes worked well and added a sweet flavor to the soup. I did find that I needed to strain the soup after pureeing it though to remove any tough skins that didn’t cook down. After that, it was the ideal consistency and needed no garnish at all.

This is another picnic worthy combo that welcomes spring!

Hummus and Feta Vegetable Sandwich

4 slices fresh bread
½ cup hummus
¼ cup crumbled feta
1 carrot, peeled thinly sliced
½ small cucumber, thinly sliced
¾ cup baby spinach leaves

Evenly distribute the hummus over the four slices of bread and spread. Sprinkle the feta on two of the slices. On the other two slices pile on the carrot, spinach and cucumber. Press the vegetables into the hummus gently.

Top with the hummus and feta bread slices to make a sandwich. Serves 2.

Cherry Tomato Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
3 cups cherry tomatoes, thawed from frozen
½ cup onion, diced
1 red jalapeno, seeded and deveined, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

In a medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil and add the onions and tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add the jalapeno and garlic. Cook, partially covered, for another 7 to 10 minutes or until the tomatoes burst and the onion is softened. The water from the defrosted tomatoes help to create a broth for the soup. Add the remaining ingredients. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes more.

Remove the soup from heat. Using an immersion blender, puree all ingredients until mostly smooth. Place a strainer or colander over a heat-proof bowl. Strain the soup to remove any tough skins and seeds.

Pour the strained soup back into the sauce pan and heat through. Serves 2.

This post has been sent to Souper Sundays at Kahakai Kitchen.

Lemon Tuna and Chickpea Salad

March 30, 2011

So this was the plan. A few days ago, when it actually felt like spring, I made a tasty, healthy and refreshing dish that I just couldn’t wait to share with you. I put it off for a bit so I could get some other posts up, then it happened.

Winter came back.

While we haven’t fared as badly as those getting snow, it is in the 30s and misty here. It might as well be blizzard conditions as far as I’m concerned.

It is as if my body was so excited for spring that the few days of 70s we had, it rapidly adapted. Now I have no tolerance. My husband and I even wimped out on our outdoor runs yesterday and waited until we could make it to the warm and toasty gym today.

I’m more than willing to attribute a good mood to sunshine, but I don’t like to blame a bad one on the cold, gloomy weather. I’ve been trying everything to maintain my positive spring attitude.

I did yoga yesterday for enlightenment. I slapped on some coconut lotion to remind me of the beach. We had salad last night for dinner.

Nothing.

Sadly, I’ll just curl up in a blanket and hope the kale, berries and herbs toughen up and hang in there.

So while this salad did nothing for helping me hold onto spring, maybe it will help you quicken its return.

Lemon Tuna and Chickpea Salad

1 ½ cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 can albacore tuna, drained
2 green onions, sliced
½ cup mild banana pepper rings
Juice and zest of one lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a medium size bowl and toss to coat everything with olive oil and lemon juice and break up the tuna. Garnish with more banana pepper rings or green onions if desired. Serves 2.