Amidst the slowly falling faerie snow today, our usual Tuesday endeavor involves baking and picking out goods (jams and secret pickles, caramelized onions and fresh ricotta). New and exciting breads go out today; we hope you like them as much as us!
We’re talking about the new studio plans (that room has been the last to be ripped down and rebuilt; it’s blue and gold paneling with black seams is losing its kitsch charm). Josh will build a big table for D and I to ‘art/work’, and we’ll fill the inner wall with shelves for my skool books and our art supplies.
My seeds and other Pinetree Seeds goods come today (hopefully my wonderful Fedco order will come soon, too) and I can start planning flower gardens and baskets in earnest – our first year here we rolled out large kraft paper and made a ‘map’ of our land. Every Winter since, we roll it back out and make changes, update plans, consider new; we haven’t done it yet, I think this week is the week (as next week we begin tapping and pruning).
I ordered yarn from Pinetree, too – grown from sheep on Navajo reservations and hand-dyed; I needed something to go with a lovely local yarn D got me for Solstice (I’m thinking a nice new neckwarmer for me in the deep brown she found and the butter yellow I got), and a I got a few skeins for a present for her – it’s likely I won’t finish it until next Solstice, but sometimes that’s the way it goes. I’d tell you what I’m going to make her but I think she’s starting to read the blog! ha!
The child is losing teeth like crazy lately (I don’t remember the rush of the 10 yr molars popping out all over the place for me – maybe because it happens all at once?) so she’s cranky and tired and sensitive to all foods. The tooth faerie is running out of ideas for small gifts…
It’s a lovely quiet day here, full of possibilities.
The title of this recipe day should be ‘Really Obscene Salads’ but I liked the Seinfeld reference (who doesn’t? rewatching it occasionally is interesting; it is so culturally referential that when it is good, it’s good, and when it’s bad, it’s a real groaner – or shall we say, ‘no longer with the times’). What makes them big and obscene is that we say, ‘hey, let’s have a nice salad for dinner tonite’ and then all the ‘toppings’ make it a whopper of a meal.
For example, one of my favorite salad meals we make is a bed of greens, with sliced pork tenderloin, roasted golden beet wedges, goat or bleu or feta cheese, and toasted pumpkin seeds or pecans, dressed with a rice wine/olive or avocado oil vinaigrette. If we really want to send it over the top, we cut up some sourdough bread (which we always have around) into cubes and bake with a little olive oil/S&P/dried herb like thyme/sage/rosemary, and have croutons.
Like tonite. Tonight we are likely (I haven’t made it yet so I’m speculating based on what’s in the fridge) to have little salmon filets with roasted cauliflower, over a bed of CSA young salad greens and sprouts, local feta, and toasted pine nuts – the kid will likely refuse the cauliflower and have cucumber (she’s not a cooked vegetable kind of gal, that time will come, we don’t push it, as long as she gets a veg in), served with thick toasted slices of parmesan bread (it needs to get eaten up!). The salad dressed with some sort of sexy vinaigrette (I came across some honey balsamic vinegar this past Summer, mmmmm).
Not too long ago we also make a House Cobb Salad – avocado, bacon, Backyard cocktail tomatoes, local jack cheese (I like to keep my vegetables close/clean, and my dairy closer/cleaner), thawed shredded Thanksgiving turkey, salad greens (they keep coming every week in the CSA – and it’s a food sin to waste them) with pea shoots & arugula, and medium boiled eggs (truly our yolks stun us every time – so lovely) and red wine vinaigrette.
See? Our salads are always over the top. They are meals on greens. Built to satisfy a guy who works really hard and a little gal that is growing. Don’t get us wrong, we are not afraid of vegetable only salads, either. Many times I cube up our local Heiwa tofu (it has the most amazing texture), soak in a little olive oil/amino acids/diced garlic for a bit, then roll in brown rice flour, then bake until crispy (sometimes drizzling a little more oil over top for ensured crispiness) or just saute naked until the edges are yum and golden. Or we add roasted spaghetti squash and green olives with feta over salad greens (I like the hot to cold ratio in my dinner salads, apparently). Small roasted potatoes and green beans with kalamata olives and fried capers over greens sounds amazing to me right now (with or with feta, but likely with…).
We rarely have a ‘side salad’ with just a few veg and none of us are really fond of iceberg lettuce (unless it’s summer, then a refreshing wedge with some lime and sea salt is nice), so a salad-meal it is! A couple of seasons ago now, we went to our lovely neighbor’s for dinner and I realized what an alien our child is to many things (like, she just had saltines for the first time yesterday – because I found organic ones finally) – they put the usual myriad of salad dressings in bottles on the table and her eyes widened – she had no idea that there was really anything other than vinaigrette (in fact, when we used to live in Portland and went to restaurants, she would order ‘her favorite salad dressing’ confusing the servers – I had to explain it was just vinaigrette). It was a whole new world, for a day.
But a nice salad is adaptable, you can personalize your ingredients, your dressing, etc and if you call it a salad, it’s healthy, right?
Happy Midwinter! Our Imbolc holiday was nice – we put away our Winter celebratory stuffs (take down the tree, put away the lights, stockings, and decorations of which I try and keep to 2-3 medium boxes, no more), we cleaned (it’s so important to take the holidays to clean out the old, encourage the new), and we had our traditional dinner of our version of Clapshot/Colcannon (we vary, sometimes just making a classic version with cabbage, onion, and mashed potatoes, this year we made it with kale chopped fine/mashed potatoes/cheddar cheese, served with lovely sausages) – which Duende likes to imagine as the Farmer’s meal in ‘Shawn the Sheep’ (he makes his as a big pile of mashed potatoes with sausages poking out of it in all directions).
They said we were in for a big storm, and the weather was certainly crappy but we only got a couple of inches of crusty cold snow (as much as I would’ve preferred wonderfully fluffy mounds of snow, I hope everyone who was hit harder is safe and sound). But since today is markedly warmer (at a whopping “feels like” temperature of 27 degrees) and sunny, the kid is already out and about in the snow building things while Josh shovels.
Duende has taken on the chicken-business apparently. She has to get up earlier now and let the girls out, water and feed them, gather eggs, clean nesting boxes and check on them during the day. Josh still does the heavy lifting and helps out (cleaning the regular coop litter every couple of weeks, rolling/unrolling weather tarps for their run, etc) but it’s mostly her show. And she can reap the monetary rewards if she sells them (which means I don’t have to sort or clean them anymore either, though I do, because I like to check them out). She’s pretty excited – I’m sure she thinks all this ‘money’ will get her closer to getting a new puppy but the agreement is still ‘when she’s 12’ (so far, it’s likely at this point I’m open to it, sorta, with reservations).
Here’s some lovely stuff she’s been doing – snowman/snowdog building (from the last snow), last Duendesday’s amazing dinner of Pork Tenderloin and Mash Gratin with Appelpaj, and her incredible mid-week bake of Orange zest/Chocolate Shortbread (thank you, Jamie Oliver!), and some cardboard creations (dog flip-flops, and a chihuahua in a paper purse, cause y’know, why not?).
We have stepped into Kid Twilight Zone…hear the music? She’s officially gone off the deep end. It’s all cardboard, all the time. This past week she made cardboard and cloth flip-flop’s for the dog and when he didn’t want to wear them, she made him cardboard ‘boots’. He didn’t like those either.
Then she worked on a new ‘arcade’, though I’m not entirely sure what it is arcading…marbles? (like Pachinko?) Not sure but it is constructed, painted, with a sheer window, some tubes, and a coin slot.
Then there’s the gnome she made me – with multiple hats, his and hers Royal crowns, a sombrero with pancho, a beret. She got the idea because of the cone from my crochet yarn (she’s impatiently waiting for me to make a mess of dishcloths so she can get the next cone).
And then her recent Atlas crate featured Sweden and there were more gnomes (well, rather Tomte) that she crafted from felt. They were already planned in their ‘activity’ (one had skis and ski poles and the other held the Swedish flag) so she built them scenic structures – she made the first guy a working ski lift and a little ski slope and the second guy, she made him a snow covered mountain to stand on top of with a decorative tree and his climbing rope.
Then for the heck of it she made a cardboard spinning wheel – because, y’know, why not?
This all goes along with her new game she’s making, and the new fashions she’s been drawing, her Spanish lessons, and the book reports she’s been working on (one for Captain Underpants, and the other for a new book she’s loving Unusual Chickens for the Exceptional Poultry Farmer). She’s also making a full-on Duendesday meal of Pork Tenderloin with a Potato Gratin today and Appelpaj (from her Swedish crate).
And it snowed! Nice fresh snow to play in – wonderful! Happy Duendesday to you!
“Every act of perception, is to some degree an act of creation, and every act of memory is to some degree an act of imagination.”
“Music, uniquely among the arts, is both completely abstract and profoundly emotional. It has no power to represent anything particular or external, but it has a unique power to express inner states or feelings. Music can pierce the heart directly; it needs no mediation.”
“At the end of our visit, Fleisher agreed to play something on my piano, a beautiful old 1894 Bechstein concert grand that I had grown up with, my father’s piano. Fleisher sat at the piano and carefully, tenderly, stretched each finger in turn, and then, with arms and hands almost flat, he started to play. He played a piano transcription of Bach’s “Sheep May Safely Graze,” as arranged for piano by Egon Petri. Never in its 112 years, I thought, had this piano been played by such a master-I had the feeling that Fleisher has sized up the piano’s character and perhaps its idiosyncrasies within seconds, that he had matched his playing to the instrument, to bring out its greatest potential, its particularity. Fleisher seemed to distill the beauty, drop by drop, like an alchemist, into flowing notes of an almost unbearable beauty-and, after this, there was nothing more to be said.” ~ Oliver Sacks, Musicophilia: Tales of Musicand the Brain (2007)
Peas porridge hot, peas porridge cold, peas porridge in the pot, nine days old! Ok, well maybe not nine days but there are dishes we make that we make big and then eat leftovers for a day or so, then maybe turn into something else, and then maybe still freeze some. Some weeks are like that – when we know we have a lot of other things to do (like home repairs, or dissertation deadlines), then we make a vat of something and live off of that for a few days. On big baking days, we have a hard time negotiating meals for ourselves – so something that doesn’t rely on the oven (and even sometimes the stovetop). Marvelous cooking vessels such as a Slow Cooker or Crockpot come in handy, or the Electric Roaster (which we generally use for celebratory events), and sometimes even the Rice Cooker with Steamer, along with our Toaster Oven (so handy).
It’s funny because I have always been annoyed by small appliances. I dislike the idea of tiny mechanisms all over my kitchen (requiring their own storage and for many, only performing one task that with a few extra minutes, I could do better myself – this obviously not meaning my darling Kitchenaid Mixer named Sasha). But after gutting our kitchen a couple of years ago and needing to make dinner in the living room with just a chair for a counter and an outlet, I became adept and admiring of a few handy items (like those above). As we expanded our homesteading preservation we also found that others made it into the modern kitchen (like the dehydrator, yogurt maker, and Food Processor – of which I have in various sizes; a coffee grinder, a spice grinder, a Bullet for smoothies, a small processor for home hummus and pesto, etc). I’ll never own a microwave but our brief love affair with our Bread Maker will probably someday be rekindled. Some of these have entered our life so that our little pea can add more to her kitchen repertoire, many have initially come free from our Transfer Station’s Swap Shop (community free stuff), or yard sales, and a couple we broke down and purchased for the homestead (we are officially a ‘Homestead Starter Kit’ with all of our little systems in place).
This dish was great to do in the Electric Roaster but in order to make it work best, I had to make a vat (you could do this in a slow cooker but it won’t get the crust that roasting will give that makes it extra special). Be prepared: This is a long roast. It was a great way to pull out that roast we’ve been saving for a special occasion (though ours was twice this size!) – the special occasion decided to be life in general (and what a lovely thing to celebrate every day!), and it had a reincarnation or two. This roast could work with a full chicken or duck, a lamb shoulder, any kind of substantial pork roast, or even a beef roast. It’s pretty adaptable to substitutions and amounts (my favorite kind of recipe) and only has a few ingredients (loosely based on a simple Jamie Oliver dish). I have never been able to cook dried chickpeas successfully and this recipe finally satisfied that for me. After an evening and another lunch of leftovers (resplendent with crusty Sourdough slices), we then added halved brussels sprouts, chopped carrots, parsnip, green pepper, and sweet potatoes, a generous handful of raisins and some chili pepper and a pinch of saffron (and water, to cook all together) and served with classic couscous as a Moroccan Couscous dish. Came out amazing. After we ate that for another dinner and lunch, we froze the rest for a quick dinner later in the month (just reheat and serve!). Nine days, indeed.
Roasted Pork with Chickpeas, Tomatoes, & Preserved Lemons Serves 8
1 lb dried Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans (yes, dried), rinsed 4-4 1/2 lbs Roast of choice (we used a bone-in Pork Shoulder) 2 1/2 lbs Plum Tomatoes (or 2 small cans of Whole Tomatoes, or frozen), quartered 2 whole Preserved Lemons 1 Tbsp Garlic (or 2 Large cloves) diced 1 cup Pearl Onions, or 1 Large Onion, peeled & chopped 2 heaping tsp Ras El Hanout spice mix 4-5 sprigs of fresh Thyme (or 1-2 tsp dried) 2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil Sea Salt & Fresh Cracked Black Pepper 4 cups of Water
Pour the dried Chickpeas into a large roasting pan (16×12 or so). Scoop out the flesh and seeds from the Preserved Lemons, pulling away the stringy ‘veins’ and discard (in most preserved lemon recipes I will then rinse, but in this recipe I find that it is unnecessary and you may even want to use a glug of the brining liquid in the bean/tomato mix), slice into strips and add to Chickpeas. Add the Tomatoes, Garlic, Onions to the pan. Stir in with a Tablespoon (a glug) of Olive Oil, some S&P and then ‘bury’ the Thyme Sprigs in the mix.
If your roast has a substantial ‘fat cap’ – score this in a crosshatch style and make 1″ cuts occasionally all over the muscle. Rub with a glug of Olive Oil, S&P, and the Ras El Hanout getting into all the nooks & crannies. Nestle the roast a bit into the center of the Chickpea/Tomato mix then pour the 4 cups of Water around on the beans. Cover with Foil or lid and put into a cold oven at 325 degrees. Roast about 6 hours until the Chickpeas are tender and the meat pulls easily away from the bone, checking about halfway through to add more water if necessary.
When the roast is done and the Chickpeas are tender – plate up the lovely Chickpeas/Tomatoes, and it is here you could shred the meat a bit if you like or slice and serve over the vegetables. We also like to serve it ‘Family Style’ on a platter we share together. Drizzle with Olive Oil and Enjoy! If you need a ‘grain’ or starch to make this more substantial, it is great with bread or Fregola. This dish keeps well and the flavors meld even more after a day or two. Freezes and reconstitutes well.
Duende Bloo is always planning something. A tea party, a wedding, a birth of puppies, and this week a soiree (she’s been trying out dresses and dances and considering punch). She plans tiny Lincoln Log villages with protective dogs trolling about, and mounts dolls on mighty steeds (some horses, some giant ceramic cats), she plans surprises (and tricks! she’s such a trickster, hiding boxes of love notes or stealing our pillows, etc). She plans witchy potions (she cut and sewed her own witchery foraging bag this week, too, so she could go to the thawing creek to get supplies), writes movie scripts and comic books, and recently designed (and copied) hand drawn coloring books that she would like to mail out to her favorite people. This week’s cardboard creations are a ‘car seat’ for her baby doll and I think at this very moment she is building some sort of ‘arcade’ – she was mumbling something about a coin slot just a few minutes ago.
She’s so good to help around the house, too (not always with a smile, definitely sometimes with a whine but most of the time, she’s more helpful than not) – she gets the mail, checks on the chickens and gets eggs (and is a big help in vaseline-ing the chickens), feeds the animals, cleans the litter box, and helps with food-making for us. She does laundry, cleans windows and appliances, and sweeps when necessary. She’s always one to assist with a crazy project (like planting seeds or caring for plants, ice cream or pesto making) and is adept with many tools (knives, small saws, some power tools with supervision, the food processor/kitchenaid mixer/dehydrator). She surprises me sometimes with her ability to solve problems and create what is satisfactory to her crazy little mind.
Duende is growing into a lovely young person. She’s still part kid but is also part animal/part teenager (same thing). Her body is developing along with her brilliant mind – she still retains a lot of her child wonder and imagination but has the attitude of someone very serious at work. Last week she was still trying to figure out who the tooth-fairy was; she made us all write so she could compare our handwriting. When that was still inconclusive she mapped out the possibilities. I think she decided it was the dog. Ha!
Rock Bottom Homestead 