1/24/12 Creamy Lasagna, Fresh homemade garlic french bread, and Romanesco

I would like to say that dinner tonight was absolutely amazing!
I haven't made lasagna in quite a while because it is fairly time consuming but it sounded so good. I figured I might as well put my heart and soul into and go for the gusto so I made my own noodles. I also used to buy pre-shredded mozzarella but decided to buy the roll instead. Maybe it's all in my head but I think it made it taste that much better. I'm also not a huge fan of ricotta so I choose to use cream cheese.
Here is my recipe:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 14 1/2 oz can diced tomatoes
1 6oz can tomato paste
1/3 cup water
1 garlic clove minced
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper
1 8oz package of cream cheese
1/4 cup of milk
cooked lasagna noodles
lots of mozzarella cheese
plenty of Parmesan cheese

Brown meat and then add onions and cook until tender. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, garlic, and seasonings. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Combine cream cheese and milk in saucepan, stir over low heat until smooth. In 13x9 baking pan layer noodles, meat mixture, cream cheese mixtures, mozzarella and Parmesan. Repeat layers and end with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Romanesco is a vegetable that we have never tried before. We received it in our "Box of Good" from Klesick Farms. It basically resembles an alien cross between broccoli and cauliflower. It takes more like broccoli. I tossed with some oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. I then sprinkled on some Parmesan cheese and baked at 350 for 20 minutes.

 

This homemade meal would not be complete without some fresh french bread. I found an recipe on allrecipes.com for french bread rolls. I followed it without dividing the bread into rolls and baked as a loaf.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/french-bread-rolls-to-die-for/detail.aspx

We received garlic in our "Box of Good" as well so it was perfect to make our own roasted garlic spread. 
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-garlic-bread/detail.aspx

I hope you have the chance to try some of these recipes!

Where did I find the ingredients?
Ground Beef - Silvana Meats
Cheese - If I can't get local then I look for cheese without RBST
Romanesco and garlic - Klesick Farms organic produce delivery
Tomatoes for sauce - canned from last year
French bread - made from scratch

1/23/12 Burgers and Homefries

Just because you are craving a hamburger doesn't mean it has to come from the drive-thru. Our homemade burgers are awesome!
The best way to make a hearty burger is to mix the ground beef with an egg, some bread crumbs, BBQ sauce, and spices of your choice. The egg and breadcrumbs help to hold it together so it doesn't crumble.
My plan included homemade buns but sadly it didn't work out. My pride was hurt when they never rose. I think I killed the yeast because my recipe called for warm milk and mine was fairly hot. I'll know better for next time I  guess.
We have a Fry Daddy which gets very little use. However, there's nothing wrong with a little deep fry every once in a while. Caution - when you plug it in you must remove the plastic lid or it will melt, which is what happened to me. I wasn't paying attention and when I turned around the oil was a black mixture including what once was the lid. Luckily once it cooled we were able to clean everything out and put in some fresh oil.
Where did I find the ingredients?
Ground Beef - Silvana Meats
Onions, lettuce, tomato, and potatoes - Sno-isle Co-op (the onions and potatoes are local but unfortunately it is the wrong time of year for the other items so I at least buy organic)

You know your burger making skills are successful when your 7 year old says they would rather have a burger at home then from the drive-thru! Mickie D's ain't got nothin' on me!

Super Fast Honey Whole Wheat Bread

It snowed all day yesterday and while cooped up in the house it was the perfect opportunity to bake lots of bread!
When the school year started Griffen asked if he could only have homemade bread for his school lunches. I thought it was a fantastic idea and started using my bread machine on a weekly basis. The only issue was that the bread from the machine always seemed to have a hard exterior crust and I didn't really like that. I was given this recipe last week when I went to a RS meeting. We learned to bake bread from scratch. When I say scratch I mean using hard wheat grain and then grinding it into flour in the mill. Absolutely from scratch!
 I'm on the hunt for a mill right now but they are fairly expensive. Hard wheat bought in bulk is very cost effective though and can be stored for up to 50 years so it is a great food storage item.
For now I am using store bought wheat flour. I chose the Bob's Red Mill whole wheat because I felt it would be the best quality for my bread. This recipe also calls for gluten so I bought Bob's Red Mill as well. If your curious as to where this can be found, it is in most grocery stores and if not near the regular baking items it would be in the natural or organic section of the store.
You do need a loaf pan or a few. I just picked up 2 more pans yesterday so that I can bake 3 loaves at a time.
There are 2 recipe options listed below depending on how much bread you would like to bake. I have tried baking 2 at a time and 5 at a time. I figured I could make the bread less often and just freeze it if I did the bigger batch. The 5 loaf recipe also provides bigger loaves. I think it is the variation in the ingredients. Either way the bread is fantastic!

2 loaves:
2 c. warm water (not hot....you don't want to kill your yeast)
1 tbs. yeast (1 packet is equivalent)
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. oil
2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. flax seed (this is optional and I haven't tried it yet)
1 tbs. wheat gluten
2 c. then 2-3 more of Wheat flour

5 loaves:
6 c. warm water
3 tbs. yeast (or 3 packets)
2/3 c. honey
2/3 c. oil
2 tbs. salt
1 c. flax seed (optional)
3 tbs. wheat gluten
5 c. then 8-9 more of Wheat flour

Mix water, yeast, and honey in a bowl to start yeast. Let it set for about 10 minutes until it looks bubbly. Add all other ingredients (for the flour only add the initial amount) until you have a cake batter consistency. I use a whisk for this part.

Add additional flour 1 c. at a time. Mix in a mixer 7-9 min. or you can mix by hand and then knead the dough by hand for about 20 minutes (until gluten is released and dough becomes elasticized). If you use your kitchenaid only set it on "2". The kitchenaid can be used for the 2 loaf batch. For the 5 loaf batch you can start mixing with your kitchenaid but will have to finish by hand because it won't all fit. Once complete divide into equal parts, either 2 or 5.

You will then roll out the dough into a long oblong shape and try to make it no more than 1/2 in. thick. Then roll it into a tube like you would do if you were making cinnamon rolls. Once rolled you will need to tuck the ends under. Make sure the loaf isn't longer than your loaf pan. Also pinch the underside of the roll to make sure the seam is sealed. Place in greased pans. I like to cut 3 diagonal slits in the top of the bread because it looks pretty and I can also tell that it is rising. Then spray the tops of the bread with oil so they don't get crunchy. Set your loaf pans in the oven without turning it on. You can watch them and leave them for about 10 min. to make sure they are rising.

Turn the oven on to 350 and leave the pans in the oven while it pre-heats. Once it is heated to 350 set your timer for 28 min. These loaves take 28-30 min. When you check the bread just gently squeeze the side and make sure it doesn't feel doughy. I have a gas oven and my small loaves take 28 min. and the large loaves took 30 min. It can vary.

Brush the tops of your loaves with butter to give them the same golden color as the rest of the bread when they come out.

FYI - After baking the first 2 loaves they were gone in a day and a 1/2 so beware that your family may inhale it!

What's in your "syrup"?

I believe that most people would think that syrup comes from a maple tree and would assume that this is a trick question.
The purpose of this blog is to show you how you can can easily eat local healthy foods. However, the journey to feed yourself and your family higher quality foods not only includes whole foods. Let's face it, we all use extras. There are items that we need as ingredients in homemade foods, condiments, etc. that are not purchased through a local farmer. When you do purchase items at the grocery store I encourage you to read the label so that you can really see what you are consuming.
Syrup isn't really syrup. Confused? If you look at the back of a typical syrup bottle you will see a whole variety of ingredients. Not one ingredient is maple syrup!
Here is an example of ingredients from Mrs. Butterworth's:
High fructose corn syrup, Corn syrup, Water, Salt, Cellulose gum, molasses, natural and artificial flavor, Sodium Haxametaphosphate, Preservative, Caramel color, and citric acid.
You really get a bang for your buck with 2 doses of corn syrup!

The smaller bottle pictured is Maple Syrup purchased at Trader Joe's. You can get maple syrup at most grocery stores. It is usually on the top shelf or in the natural foods section. Who knew......you have to go to a natural food section to find real syrup.
Here are the ingredients in the Trader Joe's Maple Syrup:
100% Pure Maple Syrup U.S. grade A Medium Amber

Shocking! There is only 1 ingredient and you know exactly what it is!

Cost Comparison:
Mrs. Butterworth's double pack at Costco is about $5.99 for 2 64 oz bottles
Trader Joe's Maple Syrup is $5.99 for 8oz

I've said it before and I'll say it again.....you get what you pay for!
I've noticed that we do use less maple syrup because it has a richer taste and you don't have to drown your waffles with it. Another point of interest would be that you can buy syrup in bulk and just refill your container. The last time I was at the Everett Co-op I saw syrup, honey, vinegar, etc. in their bulk section. You just bring in your bottle and they charge by the pound.

Start looking at the labels before you buy products. You can pay for quality healthy items now or you can pay for medication for high blood pressure, diabetes, and other food related health problems later.

I will try to do a food comparison post on a regular basis.

1/13/12 Meatloaf, Butternut Squash, Corn, and Potatoes

Another American classic.....Meatloaf! Matt always comments on how much he loves my meatloaf but it isn't anything special. I guess I shouldn't question the reason and just be happy that he likes it.
This recipe never fails!
Meatloaf:
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1 packet lipton onion soup mix
Mix all ingredients and pour into loaf pan.
Topping:
3 Tbsp brown sugar
3 Tbsp catsup
1 Tbsp mustard
Mix the topping and spread over the meatloaf
Bake at 350 for 1 hour

Butternut Squash:
Cut squash in 1/2 lengthwise, scoop out seeds, and place face down in a baking sheet. Add about 1/2 in. of water. Bake at 350 for 1 hour.
The squash will be soft and that is how you will know it is done. Scoop out the squash and place in a bowl. Add butter and brown sugar to taste.

Where did I find the ingredients?
Ground Beef - Silvana Meats, Silvana
Butternut Squash and Potatoes - Everett Co-op (local farmers)
Corn - Costco frozen organic ( We already had it and I'm trying to use the last little bit.

Sorry, I have neglected to take photos lately. I will get back on track.

1/12/12 French Dips

On the menu for Thursday night were French Dips. These are pretty darn easy and fast.
You can do French Dips 1 of 2 ways. Either buy sliced roast beef and a packet of au jus or you can buy a roast (rib, rump, or sirloin) and use the drippings for your au jus. Either way it is a home cooked meal that you didn't get from a drive thru.
This meal was semi-homemade. I purchased sliced roast beef but I made my own rolls. Next time I will buy the roast! It actually works out to be a savings. The roast beef was $9/lb. and I needed 1 1/2 lbs. because we had the missionaries over for dinner. I ended up spending about $13 for the roast beef when I'm sure I could have gotten a roast for less than that.
If you choose to cook a roast here is a wonderful recipe from Bobby Flay.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/roast-prime-rib-with-thyme-au-jus-recipe/index.html

I love to make my own hoagies for sandwiches. Below is the recipe that I use. Making your own breads really doesn't take that much time and you know exactly what ingredients are being put into what you are eating.
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2008/09/french-bread-hoagies-and-buns/

Where did I find the ingredients?
Cheese - Samish Bay Cheese Bow, WA (bought at the U District Farmers Market)
Hoagies - Baked in my kitchen

1/11/12 Chuck Roast with carrots, parsnips, fingerling potatoes, and onions

It was a crockpot kind of a day. On average I prepare a crockpot meal once a week. It is a great way to create some hearty fall/winter meals and doesn't take much time. I hear people say all of the time, "trying to make a home cooked meal takes too much time". I beg to differ. It only took me about 15 minutes to throw everything together. Once complete it took me another 5 to make the gravy.
There's not much spectacular about pot roast in the crock pot. The point of this blog isn't to show off a bunch of over the top meals, it is to show that an everyday family can make everyday wholesome foods with local products.
Everyone does their roast a little bit differently. I choose to sear my roast in a hot cast iron pan with a little bit of oil to brown on each side. I've never used parsnips as part of my mix before but since they are in season I thought I would throw them in. Another change for me was to use fingerling potatoes. They are a great local find and the best part is that I can throw them in whole because they are such small potatoes. After I fill the bottom of the crock pot with my veggie mix including: potatoes, carrots, onions, and parsnips I set my roast on top. I then sprinkle 1 packet of onion soup mix over all of the ingredients and then set the crockpot on low for 10 hours.
Wa Lah! A wonderful home cooked meal.
Where did I find the ingredients?
Chuck Roast - Silvana Meats, Silvana
Fingerling Potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and onions - Everett Coop, Everett (all local farms)
Sourdough Bread - Homemade by me

1/10/12 Curried Butternut Squash and Pear Soup

1 word - Delicious!
I had the opportunity to try this soup a few months ago at a Relief Society (women of the church) meeting and I thought soup would be ideal for the cold winter days we have been having. Plus, the ingredients are currently in season.
The recipe is from allrecipes.com but there were a few additions to the original recipe.
Here is the link: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/curried-butternut-squash-and-pear-soup/detail.aspx
Additions:
1. A sprinkle of cloves at the same time you add the curry powder
2. chopped basil for garnish and taste
3. Cinnamon and brown sugar apples - I peeled, cored, and chopped 2 apples. They were added to a pan with a little bit of water and sprinkled with brown sugar and cinnamon. Covered and cooked on medium heat until soft.
The sweetness of the apples gave the soup a wonderful flavor.

Where did I find the ingredients?
Butternut squash, apples, onion and pears - All items are in-season and were picked up at the Everett Co-op from local farmers
1/2 and 1/2 - Twin Brook Creamery ( featured in a previous post) also makes 1/2 and 1/2 which can be found at Haggen
Basil and spices - Everett Co-op

1/9/12 Chicken Marinara with Homemade Pasta and Roasted Green Beans

Tonight called for homemade pasta! After this evening I decided that there is no reason for us to buy dry pasta again. Other than the nutritional reasons, maybe it is all in my head, but the dish just tastes so much better when it is homemade. Even better, it is a fun way for Griffen to help in the Kitchen!

Making pasta is fairly easy. It takes 2-5 ingredients depending on the recipe that you use.
Here are some great tutorials on youtube.com to help you get started.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9LHk0AJI7U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY-GL5FINOA

I prefer using Semolina Flour, specifically Bob's Red Mill. This can be found at most grocery stores in the specialty or organic section. I just use the recipe on the back of the package which calls for flour, salt, eggs, water, and olive oil. Pretty simple! You can even choose to do 50% Semolina and 50% all purpose flour.
I have a Kitchenaid paster roller attachment but if you don't you can always pick up a hand crank pasta roller from craigslist, amazon, or even Bed Bath and Beyond. Although I have the pasta roller attachment I don't have a cutter so after rolling my pasta I used a pizza cutter to create my "spaghetti" noodles. As you can see they aren't exactly thin. The nice thing is that you can make spaghetti, fettucine, ravioli, tortellini, or lasagna. Whatever type of pasta you need you can make!

Once you have cut your pasta it only takes about 3 minutes to cook. I added a bit of olive oil to my boiling water.

In a previous post I spoke about tomatoes not being local this time of year. This is the best reason to find a local farmstand where you can buy a box of tomatoes in the summer. Many farmers do this. We have a bulk buy program through church and I am notified when the different produce items are available. For example, I am able to purchase a 25 lb. box of tomatoes at a price of about $12. I water bath can the tomatoes by the quart without adding anything additional to them. This gives me the option to doctor them up any way that I please depending on the meal that I am making. Don't worry if you don't can, you can also freeze tomatoes to be used later in the year. Either way you are saving by buying in bulk and you are also supporting your local farmer!
I combined canned  tomotoes, garlic, seasonings, and a little Trader Joes Alfredo to make my sauce. Instead of ground beef I chose to use chicken tonight.
I roasted the green beans in the oven with a little bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Where did the ingredients come from?
Pasta - Shannon's Kitchen! Again, you can use all purpose flour or you can pick up some Semolina flour.
Sauce - Canned tomatoes - Tonnemaker Farms, Royal City
Green Beans - Frozen organic from Costco (This summer I will be freezing beans to use for next year)
Don't forget the Cream Top Milk!

1/7/12 Pan Seared Sirloin, Roasted Brussel Sprouts, and Quinoa

Tonight we brought to the table something new to try....Brussel Sprouts! I was reluctant but thought I should give them a fair chance.
We used a cast iron skillet to pan sear the sirloin. After heating the skillet in the oven at 500 degrees Matt moved it to the stove top and added some olive oil. When cooking like this the steaks retain so much flavor that only a little bit of salt and pepper are necessary for seasoning. Sear each side of the steak for about 30 seconds and then put it in the oven. Cook on each side for about 3 minutes. The thicker the cut the longer you would want to cook on each side and of course you want to take into account your preference of how you like your steak cooked, rare through well done. If the steaks are thin you can always leave them on the stove top without putting them into the oven.
Matt sliced the brussel sprouts in half and then tossed them with a little bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper. He then spread them out on a baking sheet. We baked them for 30 minutes at 350. We chose smaller brussel sprouts so if yours are larger you will want to cook a bit longer. Surprisingly they were very good. Even Griffen, who turned his nose up at them initially, really like the brussel sprouts!
Quinoa is a healthy side dish that is quick and easy to prepare....just follow the directions on the bag. I usually throw in a chicken bullion cube to give it a little bit of flavor.
Where did we find the ingredients?
Sirloin - Silvana Meats, Silvana
Brussel Sprouts - Nash's Organic Produce, Clallam ( Purchased at the U District Farmers Market)
Quinoa - Costco - This isn't necessarily a local item. However it is Organic. Not all items can be local so when possible we try to use other Organic items.

1/6/12 Grilled Gouda and Cheddar

Tonight I brought to the table an amazing Grilled cheese sandwich! This, however, was not just any grilled cheese. I used a Sharp Aged Gouda and Medium Cheddar.....you can never have enough cheese. We picked up the cheese at the U District Farmers Market last weekend. It is Samish Bay Cheese from Bow, WA. There are a handful of cheese vendors at the Market so it is hard to make a choice. We also grabbed a Special Reserve Aged Sharp Cheddar which we have been snacking on. Unfortunately they don't have product in any local grocery stores so you have to go to the market to find them.

I used thick sliced homemade white bread to complete my mouthwatering masterpiece. Making homemade bread is a snap if you have a bread machine. Check out craigslist to pick one up for a bargain price. You can find some very easy recipes online as well. My favorites are sourdough and cinnamon raisin. You just dump everything in and when you return in about 4 hours you have wonderful fresh bread. Plus your house smells amazing!
Tonight Matt is on shift so it is just Knox and I. It's OK to have a low key night.

Not your average milk.....

When Knox turned 11 months in our attempt to switch him to whole milk we found that his system just wouldn't tolerate it. I did my research and wanting to find an alternative that wasn't soy we chose raw milk. There are some local dairies and we were able to pick it up at the Everett Co-op. The cost runs between $9 and $13 per gallon. After 2 months we tried giving Knox pasteurized milk again and he did fine. I think his system just needed for time to develop.

I didn't just want to grab an organic gallon of milk from the store and call it good. I wanted to find something local that they don't boil the heck out of. I remember that a few years ago I tried milk from Twin Brook Creamery and it was amazing! It was the glass bottle that intrigued me...I'm a sucker for packaging I guess.
We don't have to drive to the farm to pick it up because it is carried at a variety of local grocery retailers. Haggen, Top Foods, QFC, Whole Foods, PCC, and most natural markets carry Cream top milk. The cost is around $3/half gallon depending on where you buy it. There is a bottle deposit for the glass bottles but you only pay that the first time and you just bring your bottles back with you each time you buy more milk. It doesn't matter which store you go to, you will find the same exchange process.
Here is snippet of information about Twin Brook Creamery.

"All our milk and cream is produced from our own Jersey cows, raised right here on the farm. They provide milk that is higher in protein and fat content than the commonplace black-and-white Holsteins, resulting in an enhanced flavor experience.
The milk's rich flavor is preserved by bottling in glass bottles and by not over-processing. Our fresh cow's milk is gently pasteurized at a low temperature, killing harmful bacteria, but we do not homogenize our milk. Homogenization is a process which alters its natural state by forcing it through small openings at high pressure. Without homogenization, the cream is free to float to the top of the container. We currently offer Whole, 2%, 1% and Fat Free milk, Half & Half, Heavy Whipping Cream, Chocolate, and Eggnog (seasonally). Whatever your preference, enjoy fresh wholesome milk: from our family to yours!"

http://twinbrookcreamery.com/about.php

1/5/12 Roasted Rack of Lamb and Braised Greens

Brought to the Table - Braised Greens with bacon, onion, and garlic along with Roasted rack of lamb. Braising Greens are from Willie Greens, Monroe WA
Rack of lamb is from Olsen Farms, Stevens WA
Both of these farms are respresented at the U District Farmers Market and that is where we picked up our items.
The bacon is from Silvana Meats, Silvana WA
Below are the recipes used for this meal.

 http://allrecipes.com/recipe/roasted-rack-of-lamb/detail.aspx
 http://www.seasonalchef.com/greens.htm

2012 Brings a new year of Good Food!

In the last year Matt and I have improved the way we feed ourselves and our family. This year we are working even harder to bring GREAT food to the table! It isn't about cutting out fat or eating low calorie. It is about knowing where our food comes from and how it is prepared. Our big push is to eat local and in season - This means buying directly from our local farmers and eating produce that is currently in season (FYI you won't find any tomatoes this time of year in case you didn't know) LOL. Each evening moving forward I would like to share what we are "Bringing to the Table". The purpose is to share how wonderful it is to eat whole foods and maybe entice others to try something new!