Thanksgiving and Brown Bread

I've been neglecting this blog but I swear it's for good reason. I just launched KNG Sommers Photography (my new and improved photography business) mailed out two weddings and two baby sessions, photographed two family sessions, (um, is two the magic number?) went to a beer canning for the Heavy Table and hung out with some cattle down in Cannon Falls, MN for Simple, Good and Tasty (I'll make sure to post a link when that article publishes) and all of that normal other day life stuff too. Sound like I have a problem saying no?

The other big news is that as of December 1st this blog will be moving to a new domain! I'm keeping it under wraps until then, but will go live on Tuesday with a month of fun culinary giveaways and much more frequent blog posts. Until then I'll keep you occupied with a delicious stuffing recipe and tempt you with the experimental purchase I made this week.

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I was so looking forward to this holiday weekend. With very few obligations and nothing immediately on the chopping block Kyle and I spent all day on Wednesday doing nothing. Yesterday while I was working from home Kyle prepared "2nd Thanksgiving" which is a fun excuse to cook and drink two days in a row.

I don't care much for Turkey. It's fine I suppose, but I certainly don't obsess over it and Thanksgiving without turkey would be fine with me. What I really look forward to is the stuffing. And let me be clear, I really don't like most stuffing either. That mushy stuff that looks like baby food? Keep it away from me. I like southern cornbread and sausage stuffing. And no, my cornbread did not come in the form of dehydrated croutons (that is sacrilegious if you ask me). For my stuffing you make a good, hearty and savory cornbread. Mix it with onions, sausage, heavy cream and sherry and you have a little dish of heavy worth being thankful for.



It is also the best leftover because it is SO good for breakfast. Just fry an egg or two, put them on top of your reheated stuffing and voila, instant southern breakfast! Being a "stovetop" stuffing, you can really make it as a side dish any day of the week with the roasted bird being entirely optional.

Cornbread Stuffing From Time Life Foods of the World: American Cooking

• 8 T butter
• 1 1⁄2 c finely chopped onion
• 1 lb sausage meat
• 1⁄2 t salt
• freshly ground pepper
• 2 t fresh thyme leaves
• 1⁄4 c finely chopped parsley
• 1⁄4 c dry madiera or sherry
• 1⁄4 c heavy cream

Instructions

Cornbread for stuffing

1 ½ C. yellow cornmeal
1 C. all-purpose flour
1 t. salt
1 T. baking powder
2 eggs
½ C. melted butter
1 ½ C. milk
Preheat the oven to 400º. Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl. Beat the eggs lightly, stir in the milk and add the melted butter. Pour into the bowl of dry ingredients and beat together for about a minute, or until smooth. Do not overbeat. Lightly butter an 8-by-12 inch shallow baking pan and pour in the batter. Bake in the center of the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the bread comes slightly away from the edge of the pan and is golden brown.

While your cornbread is baking:
Melt the butter in a large, heavy skillet, add the chopped onions and cook over moderate heat for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they color lightly. Scrape them in into a large mixing bowl. Add the sausage to the skillet, now set over medium heat, and break the meat up with a fork as it cools. When the meat is lightly browned, transfer it to a sieve set over a small bowl and let the fat drain through. Combine the drained sausage meat, cornbread crumbs, salt a few grindings of pepper, the thyme and parsley. With a large spoon, gently stir the ingredients together, then moisten with the sherry and cream. Taste for seasoning.

(The original recipes calls to brown the turkey liver in butter, then to chop and add it as well, but my mom always puts it in the gravy. I on the other hand usually end up with a Kosher Bird which doesn't include the innards)


Then there was dessert. We made a normal pumpkin pie, which is great and all. But then we all had to try this New England delicacy I found at Byerly's this week




Apparently brown bread was created when most people New England didn't have ovens and cooked everything in a fireplace. The bread is essentially steamed rather than baked. I found a recipe so you can try it at home here, or you can go to the baked beans section of your grocery store and keep your fingers crossed that they too carry brown bread.

Taste profile: Well, it reminded me of eating really bland gingersnap cookie dough. It's definitely sticky and was pretty challenging to slice. I followed the recommended serving methods of toasting and microwaving along with serving it in its' raw state and I followed the suggestion of putting cream cheese on it. In summary, I wouldn't buy it again for any reason, but I might be inclined to try making it as a novelty if I had a lot of spare molasses on hand for some reason.

Pressing the reset button

Everyone once in a while it's really good to sit back and take a good look at the way your life works. Reflection (as some cheesier than me might call it) is really important when major life changes happen. Like you get a new job and your husband starts school full time. WHAT A GREAT TIME TO REFLECT. Clearly things have been different in my life since I started my new job.

Like the fact that I have a social life. I honestly can't remember the last time this was really true. Fall of 2005? That sounds about right. Since then I was inundated with overcommitment (not that I'm not overly committed now, because trust me, I am!) a brief stint at returning to school, working 2 jobs, starting a business, planning a wedding, getting married, buying a really old house and preventing the fixer-upper work that surrounds me everyday. But now I actually work normal hours (for the most part) and have more time to do things like edit during the week so that I can see people on the weekend.


Additionally, I have a normal sleeping and eating schedule. This has actually been the most difficult transition I've had to make. I have to plan my meals, and I actually have time to cook. When I was working at Trader Joe's, sometimes I would just eat one meal during the day, and stuff my face with sliced mango and candy cane Joe-joe's during my work hours. I would sometimes go to sleep hungry because I was just too tired to eat. I often had things people would consider dinner foods for breakfast because I had my lunch break at 9am.

Ultimately I think this has made my cooking extravaganzas less interesting, which is probably why this blog is suffering. I also work for a prepackaged food company so for product knowledge sake (and the 25% discount helps too) I was eating a lot of frozen foods.

Then something just switched in me and realized I felt like crap. My clothes didn't fit the right way anymore. I didn't like ANYTHING I owned. I KNEW I had gained weight, and even though training for a 10 mile run this fall, I really wasn't in very good shape. At Trader Joe's I was on my feel 10 hours a day and lifting 40 pound boxes fairly frequently. Now, the heaviest thing I lift is my messenger bag. Pathetic.

So I re-upped at the gym (I took off the summer months because I don't like to lie to myself and pretend I would go) and I'm purging my body of my sugar cravings. I know that I am very sensitive to sugar and it's nearly impossible to control unless I start from scratch. One of my least favorite words in the English language is "carbs" but yes, I am for all intents and purposes denying myself of SIMPLE carbohydrates for two weeks. That doesn't sound so bad, but then when you realize wine, all forms of bread, pasta and cookies fall into that category, well shit.

It's actually been remarkably easy this time around. I did have a bit of a "holiday" from my cleanse (as I like to call it) last Saturday. I also cheated last night because I attended the March of Dimes Signature Chef Auction last night thanks to the lovely Crystal of Café Cyan, and you just can't attend those things without a glass of wine and a bite of potato. But otherwise it's been great. I have more energy, I'm happier and I'm way more productive. Weird how eating healthy has more than just physical side affects. Now, to get back to my pre-married weight... hmm

For lunch today I thought I'd share. I pretty much ate entire bunch of rainbow chard. No, not JUST chard, but chard with butter and leeks, salt and pepper. Unlike spinach which can sometimes get chalky when sauteed, chard retains its crunch and is SO good for you not to mention delicious and gorgeous. According to the iPhone locavore app we have two more MONTHS of chard season in Minnesota (I'm pretty sure mine came from California... what's the deal Wedge? Where is my local chard supply when I want it?). I'm not sure where these leafy greens are going to be coming from in the middle of January, but I do know the Kale hanging out in my garden has survived quite a few frosts up until this point.




That's about all I have for today. I'll keep you posted on my healthy goals and think I just poured about a months worth of words into this post, so I'll conclude it by saying "Hi" to my newest connection, Summer from Summer Harsh Botanical Artistry. Check out the centerpieces she donated to the March of Dimes Dinner last night



I just love the whisk!

And make sure you check out Crystal's blog over at Café Cyan. She's always coming up with great ideas in her kitchen. And she's also very awesome... even if she lives in the suburbs.

Week of Eating: NYC Day 1

The only significant meal I ate my 1st day in New York was at Jean George. I woke up incredibly early for my flight in, had breakfast at the airport around 5:45am central, and had 2:30 reservations at Jean George for lunch in NYC. After a very humid and warm trip from JFK to UWS (Yeah, for all of you non locals? uh, the Upper West Side, like, duh.) I was ready to be treated well. Jean George has a $30 lunch special: any two entrees for $30.


Foie Gras Brulee with Pistachio and Dried Cherry


Sautee of sweetbreads with arugula and pickled peaches

If you order Foie Gras and Sweetbreads and you order a glass of chardonnay you might as well just write "asshole" on your forehead. I ordered a lovely Alsatian Riesling to compliment my dishes. And dessert? Oh no... I'm sure I don't... what's that? you have a cheese CART?



Done and Done. And a glass of Côtes du Rhône to compliment. Great. Thanks!



My very reasonably priced meal all of a sudden became a $100 lunch for one (including tip, thank god).


Now I know what you're thinking. I took pictures in this place? Well I certainly wasn't going to, but then EVERYONE ELSE was. It turns out fabulous cameras are as common as hot dogs in NYC, so while I VERY quickly (and sneakily I might add) took the pictures of my entrees (I hadn't yet worked up the courage to shoot my lovely assortment of amuse bouche) I flat out said "screw it" when they wheeled out the cheese cart. It was gorgeous, and honestly? Everyone is a tourist.

My server was lovely. A Florida native (and FOUR years younger than me. What would I do if I had a gig like that at the age of 23? I'd think I was the shit. That's for sure) we chatted about the service industry for a while before he had to depart (oh wait, split shifts DO suck and I'm very happy to have bid "adieu" to waiting tables).

Oh and the food. Was. AMAZING. Just do yourself a favor, get a glass of ice water and enjoy this place for $30 next time you're in Manhattan.

But be aware. I made reservations 3 week in advance for lunch, and they only had an 11am and a 2:30, so it apparently fills up pretty quickly.

Back to the basics

Let me preface this post by saying I know all you fabulous foodies have been blogging about your CSAs for weeks now. Just think of it as "reliving" your first delivery all over again, with the fabulous bounty that mid-summer brings...

Once upon a time Kate and Kyle lived on three different organic farms in Italy.



Along the way they learned about the language, culture, and cooking associated with living on a working farm. Kyle continued on for another 3 weeks on an organic (and nudist {this was not mentioned in the WWOOF description of the farm}) farm in Wales. It was then that they caught the farming bug. And it's one of those bugs you live with for the rest of your life. Always there being tamed by nothing but"rational" thoughts of friends, families, mortgages and student loan payments...

After much deliberation Kyle and I painfully decided not to join a CSA earlier this year. We wasted so much (well, our compost appreciated it) last year because of our busy lives, and with Kyle in school and my work load getting nothing if not larger, we knew we'd be kidding ourselves trying it again this year. We planted a garden. And then that damn sun just didn't shine. We've harvested a couple of small treats, but only enough to constitute a meal once or twice. And the poor little farmers that live inside of us were sad.

Then, tada! I got a new job. And it just so happens that job thing occurred simultaneously with a Simple Good and Tasty post by Lee about Jackson Hollow expanding their CSA and accepting mid-season shares. Uh... Duh? Where do I sign?

Yesterday was our first pick up and just look at all the beautiful stuff we got!



Oh, and how I love that basket!














We got some gorgeous green beans too, but I didn't realize Kyle had snatched them up for snacking while I was taking these pictures.


On my way home from picking up our share I was inspired to make Broccoli and Gavadeals (Cavatelli for the non New Jersey readers out there) though had a sneaking suspicion the Eastside Co-op didn't carry Cavatelli (named after small hollow sea shells). No matter, I bought chiocciole (named after snail shells). At least I was in the same genus. I also grabbed some Pastures a Plenty Spicy Italian Sausage and went home to whip up our first veggie CSA dinner of 2009.

There is no tried and true Broccoli and Cavatelli recipe I can give you. Kyle's dad makes it the absolute best I have ever had it but if I told you how much fat he adds to it, it would flat line you then and there. Instead, as I love to do, I'll give you approximates. Let it be known I cooked the entirety of the bag of pasta and didn't really need all of it. Fortunately I made pesto earlier in the week, so once we pick out all of the broccoli and sausage, we'll have a whole new meal out of the leftovers.



Ingredients:

Broccoli, cut into slightly larger than bite sized pieces
1 pkg Italian Sausage, sliced on the bias (I prefer spicy, but you can always use sweet)
Cavatelli (substitue any tubular medium sized pasta if you can't find Cavatelli)
Garlic, smashed with a knife, skin removed
Red Pepper for spice
Your favorite italian style grating cheese

Set water to boil in large pot

Saute the sausage in a heavy bottomed until well browned





Remove sausage from pan and set aside leaving browned bits and fat in the pan

Add pasta to pot and cook according to package. Drain, reserving 1/4 to 1/2 cup cooking water

Add broccoli and garlic to sausage pan and cover. Stir every 3-4 minutes until broccoli is tender but not over cooked.



Toss it all together and season according to taste.



Drizzle with olive oil and cooking water if desired. Sprinkle with cheese. Eat it up!




Tomorrow: My cat eats Kale and I've got pictures to prove it

Simple, Good and Tasty: A Meal

A month or two ago I was fortunate enough to be invited to a meetup with other local food bloggers, hosted by Jim Norton of The Heavy Table. It's always fun to meet others in the blogosphere (especially when it comes to food) and get their advice on where to eat, what to order, who to talk to, what's in the works, who is closing shop. One of the individuals I met was Lee Zukor, "Instigator" for Simple, Good, and Tasty. Lee is diving into the world of local, organic, and responsible eating and wants you to come with him. In addition to his garden, CSA and farmer's market extravaganzas, he's started organizing meals at restaurants that focus on using local ingredients.





I was a little late in the game on finding out about his first meal (I read too many blogs and therefore often end up skimming even my favorites) but made sure to get my name on the list to his second, scheduled to take place at Heartland Restaurant in St Paul.






Lee invited me to come a bit early to tour the kitchen, which I gladly obliged. I enjoyed a nice glass of Cremant Rose in the bar while discussing what it takes to quit your job and become an organic farmer with one of Lee's previous co-workers. Then we were whisked off the the dinning room which was reserved solely for Simple Good and Tasty dinner participants.










While I didn't cook anything "new" this week, I did experience a first. It was a challenge to pass up the vegetarian menu that was featuring duck-egg pasta ravioli with local sheep's milk ricotta (oh god my mouth is watering just typing that) but I had to dive into the house made headcheese, which I had never officially previously consumed (I am certain I had one version or another during my time in Italy, but never knowingly called it headcheese).

head⋅cheese [hed-cheez]

–noun

a seasoned loaf made of the head meat, sometimes including the tongue or brains, of a calf or pig and molded in the natural aspic of the head.

Hey, I'm always up for a challenge

I was dining solo (shocking, right?! Kyle started Grad School two weeks ago, so the occasional dinner without him is inevitable) and had a great time getting to know my dining neighbors, Steve and Ben, a couple of dads from Lee's neighborhood and Joan and her sister, from A Backyard Farm. Fortunately, Joan ordered the Flora option, so I was able to take pictures for both meal options.


Before the meal Lee talked a little bit about his mantra, announced that Simple, Good and Tasty is officially a business according to the State of MN, and thanked everyone involved for being a part of the evening.





Next up was Chef Lenny Russo who also talked about his local food mantra, explained a bit about his business practices (like the fact that they purchase and utilize a whole pig, hence the headcheese portion of the evening)






This led to an amuse bouche (I'm not sure there are any other two words in the world that I love more... especially when I'm not expecting to hear them... or maybe foie gras) of Walleye Mousse on Kohlrabi slaw with a chervil aioli. Yums.




For us omnivores the 1st course was the much awaited headcheese. If you like ham, you'd love headcheese. It's creamy and rich, and the idea of internal organs being in there is the farthest thing from your mind when it hits your tongue. I was immediately brought back to the time Kyle and I spent on the pig farm in Italy. There is an undeniable earthy character to properly raised pork. I have to admit I kind of missed the concept of the chrysanthemum salad while eating it but the dish was delicious.





The vegetarian eaters got a very brightly colored fruit soup that looked incredibly refreshing (a good thing on any 90 degree day).





Next up was the Poussin (which may or may not just be a young chicken)
It was incredibly tender, rich, and in sum, delicious. Additionally, I could eat about 20 of those wild rice-pumpkin seed cakes and ANYTHING that has been drizzled with bit of Glace de Viande (fancy pants description for boiled down meat juice) gets two thumbs up from this girl. Well done Chef!









I already talked about how great the vegetarian option sounded. This picture makes me seriously hungry.




The dessert was delicious, and I love love love pepper with my chocolate. It's my new obsession. Last winter I was making chipotle hot chocolate for my crew in the cold blustery mornings. Sadly since this is Minnesota only a few appreciated the heat in their belly's from the spicy pepper addition. I'm not always a chocolate and cherry fan, but the cherries were mild, and are definitely in season so it works in my book.



I would have really liked to try the veg option, but probably didn't need a 2nd dessert. Damn it looks good though.



All in all, I highly recommend you go to one of Lee's up and coming dinners. Next month is at (my all time favorite, and impeccably close to me) Red Stag Supper Club. The price is right, the company is light hearted and good natured, and hey, it's local! Email Lee if you're interested in learning about future events!