Tonight’s Dinner: Tortilla Pizzas

You know you’re getting desperate when you start fashioning mini pizzas out of whole wheat tortillas, cans of diced tomatoes and cheddar ( or worse, “shaker”) cheese.

Alas, that’s what Eric and I had to cobble together for dinner tonight since I was away this past weekend and thus couldn’t go grocery shopping.  We had a head of Boston lettuce leftover from week three of our CSA (week four was this past weekend) so I made a side salad to go with the pizzas.  

It wasn’t a bad dinner. And of course, a humble dinner is better than NO dinner, which unfortunately is an all too common reality for more than a billion people all over the world. 

I’m not sure what we’ll have for dinner tomorrow night, but we’ll have to continue to be resourceful this week since I don’t plan to shop for groceries until this coming weekend.  Eric, who tries to eat low-carb, might just have to slurp spaghetti one night. At least we’re saving money on groceries during a week when cash is otherwise tight.

Saved by the CSA

I came home from a trip to San Francisco on a red-eye yesterday, around 11 in the morning.  I went out to the Bay-area last Thursday to accept an online journalism award from the American Society for Business Publication Editors, and I stayed through the weekend to do some business, sightsee, catch up with friends and PIG OUT.  

Since I wasn’t home over the weekend, the grocery shopping didn’t get done, and Eric didn’t have time/forgot to pick up our farm share on Saturday.  <sigh. men.>  So when I went to assemble dinner last night (on three hours of sleep no less), I was at a loss for what to cook. There was no meat in the freezer, no cans of tuna in the pantry, and Eric ate for lunch the lentil soup that I had cooked and frozen the prior weekend for such instances as when there’s no food left in the house.

Ever resourceful, I decided to bake one of the butternut squash we got in our CSA the weekend before last. I saw that we also had some spinach left so I sauteed the greens in olive oil with some sliced garlic and leftover white beans. It turned out to be simple, delicious and nourishing vegetarian meal.  

 

The Grout’s Eggs

I noted earlier this month that Eric and I are now buying eggs from our neighbors, the Grouts, who raise chickens.  We purchased our first dozen about 10 days ago, and I suspect we’ll be ready for another dozen by the end of the week.

I honestly haven’t noticed a significant difference in the taste of the Grout’s eggs compared with the Price Chopper branded Organic eggs I buy at the supermarket.  Then again, I haven’t done a side-by-side taste test.  Then again, I don’t have the most refined palate. I also haven’t tasted the eggs fresh, and that may make a difference in their flavor. I ate my first Grout egg, which I poached, a good five days after I bought them.  I consumed my second egg for lunch today, wrapped in a crepe and smothered with shredded Cabot Vermont cheddar cheese.

I will say that the yolks seem different. They appear to be a darker, deeper yellow than supermarket eggs. They also seem thicker.  They’d probably make an amazing lemon curd, yellow cake, brioche or challah.

I better get another dozen and start baking!

Pick Apples at Local Orchards, Support Local Causes

I received a delightful e-mail from Erin McEnaney last month, which I’ve been meaning to share with you. She wrote to tell me about two fundraisers taking place over the next two weekends (Oct. 4-5 and Oct. 11-12) that benefit the Arlington Arts Enrichment Committee (full disclosure: I have no idea what this committee does) and  Arlington’s Happy Days day care center. When you pick apples at the orchard on 7A in Shaftsbury (Harwood Hill) during those two weekends, all proceeds will go to the two organizations.

I love spending a crisp autumn afternoon in an orchard, plucking Cortlands for apple crisp and baked apples and filling my belly with cider donuts and candy apples. So I look forward to doing the same this weekend with Erin, all while supporting two important organizations in my community.  I encourage all local Southwestern Vermonters to do the same.  See you at the orchard!

And now, here’s Erin’s e-mail:

The 100 Foods Every Omnivore Should Try

I first read about this meme, The 100 Foods Every Omnivore Should Try, on digg, then saw it again on Suzanne Podhaizer’s food blog for Seven Days, Omnivore. Naturally, I feel compelled to put my stamp on this list, and you should, too.  Here are the rules for the meme:

1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue

Southwestern Vermont Eat Local Challenge: Day 4

What I ate on Saturday, September 20:

Breakfast: Poached egg from Someday Farm in Dorset Vermont, toast (Red Hen Bakery in Middlesex, VT) with Cabot butter and Cabot cottage cheese.

Lunch: Caprese panini with tomato from Clear Brook Farm, Al Ducci’s mozarella (made in Manchester, VT) and home-made pesto.

Snack: Granola (made in Manchester) and milk.

Dinner: Arugula salad with Green Mountain Smokehouse smoked turkey, pecans (not local) and a cinnamon vinaigrette (not local.) I thought I put something else in my salad, but I now can’t remember.  I remember it needed blue cheese, but I didn’t have any.

Snack: Milk chocolate non-pareils from the Village Peddler. Vermont Common Crackers.

Southwestern Vermont Eat Local Challenge: Day 3

Breakfast: 1/2 a banana crunch muffin. Trader Joe’s coffee

Mid-morning snack: cantaloupe from Clear Brook Farm, Castleton crackers and Cabot cottage cheese.

Lunch: Caprese sandwich with Al Ducci’s mozarella, home-made pesto, and a Clear Brook tomato on bread baked in Vermont.

Après déjeuner gourmandise: milk chocolate non-pareils.

Dinner: Prince spaghetti with Dale’s home-made spaghetti sauce (tomatoes, basil, oregano and carrots from her garden) and garlic bread.

Dessert: Wilcox ice cream and a maple cream cookie.

Summer Cold

I’ve been stricken with a most persistent, pernicious summer cold. I came down with it around 5 PM on Friday, May 30th and I spent that entire weekend in bed, dozing on and off between infomercials for the Shark Steam Mop and GT Express 101.  Sadly, I missed my college reunion at the University of Vermont that weekend.

11 days later, the stuffy head and scratchy throat linger.  I’m seeing a doctor today.  I think it’s about time. Don’t you?

Needless to say, I haven’t updated this blog because of this damn cold.  It’s a shame because I have an inspiring story to share with you. Two days before my nose started gushing like the Battenkill during mud season, I met with a couple, Karen and Stephen Trubitt, who gave up their high-powered jobs in the Twin Cities to move to Vermont and start an organic farm.  I will bring the Trubitt’s story to you soon.

A Forager’s Feast Starring Wild Turkey

Eric’s brother-in-law and nephew visited this past weekend. They’re both serious outdoorsmen so the three musketeers spent the entire weekend fishing and turkey hunting.

Gary, Eric’s brother-in-law, brought a turkey he shot opening day so we could all enjoy it for dinner Saturday night. He had plucked and boned it, and he asked me to prepare it. He suggested I season the turkey with salt and pepper and bake it in a covered casserole dish with lots of butter. Gary was worried the turkey would dry out if we cooked it uncovered. He also suggested I cook the turkey with the bunch of wild leeks he had picked Saturday morning while hunting with Eric and Jake (nephew). He figured the bird would take an hour to an hour-and-a-half to cook in a 350-degree oven.

I did as told and seasoned the bird with lots of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. I rubbed soft butter all over the meat. I scattered the wild leeks, whose heady aroma filled my kitchen, around, on top of and below the turkey. I poured some cheap white wine that had been aging in my fridge into the roasting pan, which I covered, and put it in the oven around 7 o’clock. I prepared garlic mashed potatoes to go with the turkey and a salad of dandelion greens that I had picked the night before.

The guys staggered into the house shortly after 8 PM after several hours of fishing. I didn’t think they’d be home until 8:30, but they were beat from having woken up at 4 in the morning to hunt turkeys. They were also famished. I checked the turkey as soon as their truck rolled into the driveway. It appeared to be done and it smelled wonderful.

Amazingly, the bird was perfectly cooked. When Gary sliced into it, the white meat was tender and juicy. When we tasted it, it was succulent and sweet, as if the turkey had been eating from sugar bushes while it was alive.

And the wild leeks: The hour in the oven rendered the ramps’ bite a rich tasting flavor.

How do you like to prepare wild turkey?