Fluffed up French Onion Soup

ERMEGHERD!  You know how sometimes just a simple idea becomes a project that results in something
wonderful and unexpected?  Well, that is exactly what happened here last week!

It all began when my friend Mike brought me a big bag filled with ox tail bones...
He promised that they would provide a delicious bone broth, after several simple steps....
I followed his directions and roasted them on high heat for 2 hours to render a very thick fat. This was not easy to clean, by the way, but well worth the end result.
The next day the bones spent 11-12 hours in the largest crock pot I own, along with carrots from the garden (stems and all) celery slices (leaves and all) and an entire onion (skin and all).
I let the crock pot cool and placed it in the fridge overnight.  The next day I scraped the fat from the top and heated it back up long enough to strain the bones and veggies from the rich broth.
I can tell you now that our dog has never ever been happier at meal time.  The bones are soft enough to eat fairly quickly. She seems to have a deepened devotion to me this week.  I can't blame her :)

Now, if you intend to make this soup or any other that calls for beef broth, I encourage you to make your own.  Bones can be found via your local butcher, and will provide you with a much more nutritious stock, and much less sodium than bouillon or canned broth.  Adding just a bit of vinegar, during the simmering process,  will aid in the release of
the many minerals gained from a bone broth.  Here is an interesting read on the health benefits of bone broth:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/337123-bone-soup-nutrition/
At the time I made this soup I was fighting a cold, and I am sure this broth was part of the reason I was able to win!

Once the broth was strained and ready for a job I remembered the delicious french onion soup we served at My π  pizza, and this made me drool.  The food there was memorable enough that it makes me melancholy.
Next step was a quick search online for basics, which are readily available.  Facebook friends graciously chimed in with their preferences.  It seems to really boil down to two things...good broth and well caramelized onions.  The cheese and croutons and other ingredients can be altered with positive results.  This is my augmentation:

I wanted the soup to be a bit more hearty, as it was to be our dinner.  A quick visit to the local store included some rather lean cubed beef, and fresh button mushrooms.  A quick visit to the garden provided some tender broccoli spears and a very small carrot.  This photo was just the second portion of onions browned for the soup.  The trick is to really caramelize them, in lots of real BUTTER! which brings out that deeply sweet and pungent flavor.  I used a very large onion per quart of stock. Half a stick of butter was used, although many recipes called for more...this turned out to be enough, for me. Add well browned veggies to your stock while completing the next step, allowing it to simmer on low.  Flavors will meld and marry during this time.
Next I browned the beef cubes, first quickly on high heat to add flavor, and then slowly, with some of the broth, to tenderize.  The beef is completely optional, as are the broccoli/carrots.  The beef was simmered, on low,  for an hour or more, sliced mushrooms added toward the end of the process to soften and flavor.

To assemble the finished product, a couple of cubes of the beef were added to each oven proof bowl, followed by a ladle or two of the rich broth and onion/veggie mix, then a section of dark rye bread (which had been toasted with butter in the oven).  Topping it all off was a slice of mozzarella, which is what we had on hand.  I truly believe any good melting gooey cheese will take one back to the experience of french onion soup at their favorite old haunt.  Memory in a bowl!

Please let me know if you try this, or if you go in your own experimental direction!  I'd love to hear your results.  Bon appetit and happy planting!
P.S.  In this case, this was a 3 day process, however if you make your own bone broth from something other than ox tails (which are quite fatty) it might be doable in one single day with dinner as the goal.  The ox-tail demi glace I began with was quite gelatinous, so I thinned it with water to cut down on calories.  After all, the flavor comes so much from the onion/butter combination and caramelization. I didn't want someone to try this all in one day.  You'd be eating at midnight!

Salads as Art

We eat with our eyes as well as our taste buds, and beautiful food just tastes better! Naturally colorful foods are often the most healthful for us, and so fetching in designing an artful plate.
Our garden is providing fresh lettuce even in these winter months.  Check out some of the variety we offer at www.dustbowlseed.com.
Creating beautiful salads has become a creative outlet for me, which is evidenced by my photo album named 'salads as art' :)
This is not meant to be a recipe post, as much as
a suggestion of possible ingredients and a mind set.

Begin with whatever lettuce, or greens you have.
In this salad pictured, to the right, I used 3 types of
lettuce currently sprouting in our garden.  Romaine,
mottistone (a lovely green, speckled with red 'freckles') red cross (a lovely red leaf lettuce)and some small leaves of kale.
I like tearing them into bite sized pieces.
Next, I added some cooked cold quinoa, which is
an amazing food that offers complete protein (containing all nine amino acids).
Here is a great link on the subject of quinoa benefits:
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4994/7-Benefits-of-Quinoa-The-Supergrain-of-the-Future.html

Here is where you have the opportunity to get creative!  What do you have on hand, in your fridge, pantry or freezer, that would add beauty, nutrition and flavor to your salad? Think outside the bowl!
 I opted for some  cranberries and blueberries.  Both berries are considered super foods and I am constantly looking for new ways to add them to any meal.  I also had some thawed boiled shrimp, but this could very easily be a vegan salad.
Next, some shaved parmesan, sliced red onion, whole black olives and a few avocado slices.

You can buy salad dressing, but it's very simple to make your own.  You can control the ingredients, know what you are eating (and not eating) and it just takes a few minutes, and keeps for days when refrigerated. If you don't have another salad within that length of time, try using it as a marinade for meats, fish or veggies. Each dressing around here is unique and today was no exception.
I did not measure, but here is the list of ingredients in order of most to least:
Grapeseed oil
Sesame oil
Red Wine vinegar
Tahini

Dressing Prep, Citrus honey on bottom right

finely chopped roasted garlic                                                
cranberry juice
citrus infused honey
sundried tomatoes
smidgen anchovy paste
dried parsley
fresh cuban oregano
salt and pepper to taste
If you have a food processor, feel free to juize this up, but it's really not necessary.  I simply use a recycled glass jar, and shake well with the lid firmly screwed down.  This can be stored in the fridge and shaken as needed. Experiment with different vinegars and oils.

Bon Appetit!

Adding a new salad photo that was made yesterday, based on
a recipe I saw for garbanzo bean pasta salad.
I used canned beans, cooked quinoa, artichoke hearts, blueberries, hard boiled egg, anchovie, feta cheese, sundried tomatoes, flaz meal and 3 lettuces from our garden.  Quick semi sweet vinagrette...ripe greek olives on the side.

It's a salad I will try to re-create!
03/09/2013

Power Brunch

 'Breakfast is the most important meal of the day'. We've all heard it said, and for those of us with blood sugar issues, we know that this is true!  We wake up hungry! Over time it's become clear that this first meal hugely impacts my mood, energy level and ability to think clearly.  Protein,slow burning carbs and good sources of fat are key, and meat is not something I eat at every meal, so it has taken some experimenting to find options that work for these food requirements.  This post is meant to be a template for ideas, rather than a recipe...try your own ingredients and see what happens.

We garden year round.  One of the items that grows quite willingly all year is various greens.  I didn't grow up eating many greens, other than spinach, which I happen to love.I love it canned, raw and fresh, or sauteed with garlic and oil... no matter!  Pass it over here!  So, at some point I began adding unusual vegetables to my eggs in the morning, just in attempt to eat more from the garden.  It began with okra I think, but soon I was trying just about anything.  It's not a technique I have ever seen before, so it seemed worth sharing.  Think frittata, but without the oven, and without the whisk.

'Oatmeal' Eggs

The brunch plate in the photo above, is a large meal.   First, a corn tortilla covered with cooked beans (of choice) and a bit of cheese (also  your choice) and chopped nuts (I prefer walnuts, but eat what you like).  There is also a small patty of sausage.  Sweetie brought home some 'blue and gold' sausage, which is a delicious fund raiser purchase often found in these parts.  This was a special ingredient and not often found on my plate.  The eggs were cooked with butter, coconut oil, sage, greens and roasted garlic.  There are many option for this technique.  I have also used sliced okra, sliced radishes (yes, you heard me...they are DELICIOUS cooked and take on a sweet roasted yumminess that you will remember) diced sweet pepper, onion,  mushrooms, cabbage, oatmeal (one of our favorites).  One day I had made too much oatmeal and, after searching for ideas, tried this and loved it!

Here is how I make these eggs if you wish to try them:
You really need a non stick pan.  This pan is a 'Green" Pan, which is ceramic coating and very nicely non-stick!  I love my green pans!

Start with one small pat of butter and cut it into thirds if you plan to make three eggs (that is how many this pan holds comfortably, but if your pan is smaller or larger, adjust your plan accordingly).
Place a piece of sage atop each butter pat.
Begin heating at medium heat.
Add a small dollop of coconut oil in the center of your pan.
While that is heating, chop your greens.  Pictured above are a bok choy, chard and purple mustard.  Also use kale, spinach, or whatever green you have on hand.  I also might add some garlic here with the greens.
Allow these items to wilt just a bit and add oatmeal if you have some already cooked.  If not, add any other veggies that make sense to you.
Now, just crack an egg over each sage butter center, and cooking over a medium heat.
I usually turn down the heat just a bit here, to a low medium.  Season to taste.  I use salt and pepper, a lot of parsley, sea kelp flakes, pinch cayenne.
Flip your eggs, when ready to flip and cook to desired done-ness!  We happen to like ours nice and toasty, caramelized, and cooked through!

Serve with salsa, avocado, yogurt or other condiment of choice.
Bon appetit!

Auditory Palate Cleanser?

Dirty Dancing aired this past weekend, and now I have the Kellermans end of season song stuck on re-loop!

'visitors, staff and guests'!

Help!

Do you know of a sure fire auditory palate cleanser?

Coffee beans work well for the olfactory sense, by the way!

Sorbet for the tongue!

But, WHAT, OH what do I do to stop this song?!

'join hands and hearts and voices, voices, hearts and hands'

Help!


'OH Sylvia!"

Thinking outside the heart shaped chocolate box: Green gifts of love, for St. Valentine’s Day and beyond

previously published in The Current

A recent study showed that ¾ of those surveyed prefer 'eco-minded' mates.  With this in mind and Mother Earth relying upon us, we go off in search of green gift ideas for your honey bunny.  I had fun asking people for their ideas and memories of great gifts that did not come from a factory.

It’s always best to begin locally, when looking for eco-friendly merchandise, because it also supports our local economy and that is a win-win.  Base your search on the interests of your beloved and of course, the spending budget, if any.  Some of these ideas cost nothing, but perhaps your time.

If your sweetie likes music, check out the wares of local musicians, who might sell online or in local establishments.  Seek out local music stores for lessons or instruments if you have a bit more to spend.  I feel that it’s never passé to make a mixed tape for someone, assuming they still own a machine that will play the music!  Concert tickets would also be a thoughtful present for someone who really loves a live show. Classes/lessons in other interests such as pottery, belly dancing, yoga, burlesque, ballroom dancing, ethnic or gourmet cooking, etc.-could be a great way to spice up your lives.

For many of us, our wish list includes the gift of massage, which is a healthy option and one that will please almost anyone.   If massage is out of your price range, but your honey needs pampering, consider packing up a basket with goodies like aromatherapy, herbal teas, good dark chocolate, and whole bean coffee from your local health food store. 

Your area thrift store/antique mall/flea market/consignment shop is a great place to find collectibles, old records or books, hobby items which might be of interest to the object of your affection, or for a family member with whom you wish to share holiday love.

If you need some time away, for rejuvenation, check out a bed and breakfast in your area, and your weekend might also include spa services or shopping.  Local art studios would be a great place to visit together, to seek out that special something to hang, or display, creating a memory.  Local artists and jewelers may also be able to create a one of kind piece for your sweetie, even made from old recycled jewelry.  Steampunk creations or commissioned tie dyes are another way to give a completely unique gift.

If your beloved has a sweet tooth, try your local bakery rather than a commercial box of chocolates, or make your own treats.  Who wouldn’t appreciate a dozen of their favorite cookies in a pretty tin or box? Local gift shops and clothing boutiques offer a much better selection of cards and unique gifts, including the never wrong gift certificate at one’s favorite place to shop, even if D.I.Y. is your thing and your card comes from the hardware store. 
 

If you are not already members, consider a membership to your local Food Cooperative.  This decision can change the way you shop, providing  your family with locally produced foods and products to enrich your lives.  Another very green option is to buy seeds for the spring vegetable garden.  Our website, dustbowlseed.com is ready for your orders now, and available 24/7. 

  

If you can find a potted herb, many of them do quite well through the summer months and can add flavor and minerals to your meals. A fruit tree or two, would also be a very green and timely purchase, planting roots into a more healthful tomorrow.  Do a bit of research on this purchase, as some fruit trees require a second tree that pollinates at the same time, in order to bear fruit.  It is also important that the tree is planted correctly and taken care of until it can fend for itself.  Make sure the tree you choose is right for your weather zone.

Another sweet, but long term present might include rescuing a pet from the local shelter.  This is a gift that should be discussed first and well considered.  Pet ownership is a long term commitment you will be making to another living being and it should be a promise you can keep; a forever home.  If you cannot afford proper health care for the pet as well as spaying or neutering, then perhaps a trip to the Zoo would be more appropriate, or a stuffed animal.

photo by Lucinda Roberts

If you are looking for something that requires no spending at all, the following might be up your alley.  Take your sweetie hiking on a warm day and look for heart shaped rocks together, or rocks shaped like frogs or rocks shaped like the state of Oklahoma.  The time you spend together will create a special memory, and the rock you find a treasured memento.  Write a lovely compliment about your beloved on the back of 52 playing cards, illustrating just how much  they mean to you.  Clean their car or house (unless this person has OCD and then perhaps another option is best).  Make a handmade present, such as a candle, drawing, or write a poem or short story illustrating your feelings.  Cook up a special romantic meal.

Any of these ideas can be used for any day of the year and not just on the one day set aside to recognize love.  Reach out to those in your life who are not in a coupled relationship on a day like this, so they know they are not alone.  You know what they say, what goes around comes around, so spread love.

Herbs for health and Vitality

previously published in The Current

Beautiful Borage

People have relied on herbs since before records were kept, for medicine, first-aid relief, food and seasoning, dyes and skin care, as well as ceremony.  Toxic herbs have even been used in warfare.  We are surrounded by wild growing plants that have a myriad of uses, especially in more rural areas, but often found in urban settings as well.  If we look down, we might be surprised at what useful lowly herb is often growing just beneath our feet. “The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.” John Muir                 

The American Herb Society offers this declaration to ‘define’ the word herb “any plant that can be used for pleasure, fragrance or physic.”  Mother Earth News says that one of every four drugs sold over the counter had an origin in plant life. The list of herbs is long and many books can be found on the subject.  We can also seek the advice of herbalists, who have expertise in this field and can steer us to the right herb at the right time.  I have just such a new friend.  Pier Jones ordered some seeds from us, at dustbowlseed.com, recently and we began an email conversation about plants and herbs, which eventually led around to me hunting for chickweed in my yard.  It just so happens, that our yard is overflowing with chickweed, only surpassed by henbit.  Pier knew that chickweed, also known to some as starweed, would be growing now in this area.  Dr. Oz did a feature recently with a tea made from the dried leaves of chickweed, which is a mild diuretic, high in potassium, magnesium and said to be a cleansing tonic that will flush excess water and fat from the system.  The tea should be enjoyed in the afternoon, according to Dr. Oz and only one cup per day.  From what I’ve read, those with sensitivities to daisies should steer clear of this herb. Please consult your medical provider before adding any herb to your diet, especially if you are on other medications with which an herb may interfere.  You can find photos of chickweed online or in a field book that covers your region.  

I also recently identified another weed herb that Pier recommended called plantain, which is good for skin ailments.  Veteran wild food forager, Steve Brill, recommends eating the leaves of plantain, which are rich in calcium, in soup or as a salad,  while others tend to find the leaf bitter.  Plantain can also be steeped as a tea.  Many have heard by now of the health benefits of dandelion leaf, a good source of vitamins A, B complex, C and D, as well as minerals including iron, potassium, magnesium, calcium and zinc. Adding the greens to your recipes is thought to be good for the liver, kidneys and gallbladder. 

Chef Emeril Lagasse is said to be a fan of dandelion greens sauteed in olive oil with onion, garlic and a pinch of hot pepper flakes, and bacon would be a good addition according to many Southern or French chefs.  I tend to just add the greens to soups, especially a nice Tuscan broth-based soup with beans.

Another friend recently pointed out wild mullein growing all around my neighborhood in the vacant wooded lots and utility easement areas.  Mullein is a distinctively pretty plant with many names, such as Adam’s flannel, and velvet plant, for the soft leaves.  Mullein tea is commonly used for coughs and respiratory ailments, and also noted in tradition with uses, such as anti-inflammatory, antihistaminic,  anticancer, antioxidant, antiviral, bacteristat, cardio-depressant. It is easy to dry the leaves and the flowers, which are also often used as a dye for their nice yellow color.  Harvest the entire plant, when in bloom, in late summer, and dry for later use.  

Wild Mullein, young plant

Herbs in general can be found in several forms.  Liquid extracts and tinctures are found at your local health food store.  The active ingredient of the herb is extracted in an alcohol solution and stored in a small bottle with an eye dropper.  The drops can be taken by mouth directly or added to your beverage of choice to dilute.  Consult each herb label for guidance.  Herbs can be purchased in dried loose form and then steeped as tea, or the dried powder can be packed into capsules to swallow, but these often have a shorter shelf life than other forms.  Syrups and elixirs are made from herbal extracts and many find the sweetened version of the herb easier to swallow.  Pun intended.  The sweet syrups are often the most expensive form in which to purchase herbs.  As mentioned earlier, many herbs are free for the taking and grow wild, but do be careful to correctly identify a plant before ingesting and be aware of the surroundings. It is important that the area has not been treated with pesticide or herbicide for at least 3 years.

Sage leaves and blooms

We grow many herbs.  As luck would have it, they were the first plants I tried to garden and my confidence soared as typically, herbs are quite easy to grow, with few insect pests and few diseases compared to other summer garden items.  Lately, I have been craving sage, and have learned it is an anti-inflammatory, helps with hot flashes and night sweats if taken as a tea before bed.  Sage is high in vitamin A, calcium, iron and potassium, good for digestion, and is thought helpful to quell symptoms of seasonal allergies, but like many good things, best used in moderation.  Sage can be grown year round here in our zone and it is one tough plant, drought, heat and cold tolerant!  

Purple Coneflower aka Echinacea

Echinacea, also known as cone flower, is another commonly grown medicinal herb, which is said to stimulate the immune system, and aid in fighting cancer cells.  Patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation often use this herb to strengthen their own immune systems and increase white blood cells, with no toxic side effects.  People also traditionally take this herb to thwart viruses, bacteria and to regenerate cell connecting tissues damaged during an infection It is best to use organic products here,  of liquid extract form or powder from fresh plants, not dried roots leaves or flowers.  Doses recommended in my reading suggest 150 drops daily during flu, or one dropper full 3 times a day, and for prevention 10-25 drops daily. Please plant and grow your own Echinacea, as it is over-harvested in the wild and considered endangered.  Purple cone flowers are lovely and attract butterflies in the summer and finches in the fall, who dine on the seed heads.                

If you are looking for more information on herbal remedies, please seek out trusted websites, or books from the Library or your favorite book dealer.  One of the first books I encountered on herbs is Back to Eden, The Classical Guide to Herbal Medicine, Natural Foods, and Home Remedies written by Jethro Kloss.  Considered the herb Bible by many, this book was initially published in 1939 and has since been updated and expanded by his family, and is an extensive collection of knowledge and research.

For buying herbal extracts, teas and powders, try your local health food store or online trusted sources, and do email my friend Pier Jones who will send you a link to her pdf file of Potions by Pier, including a wide selection of Handmade herbals, herbal oils and salves, as well as tea blends, and Herbal syrups. You can email our friend Pier Jones at this address:  pier@simplynet.net. If you are a facebook user, also follow Pier's page A Year of Traditional Living.  Pier intends to soon offer classes on herbal identification, preparation, and application.

  I also highly recommend picking up a book for your own identification purposes, such as Peterson Field Guides, by Steven Foster and James A. Duke, for your region, so you can traipse around in the woods and your own yard, seeking out the herbal gifts that surround us. Gesundheit!

Ready, Set, Garden! To plant early or not to plant early, that is the question.

'Legend' seeds available at dustbowlseed.com

If you look forward to soon having a homegrown tomato to pick and slice and top with salt and pepper, now is the time to begin planning and perhaps even planting!  We are blessed in this area (zone 6B) with a relatively long growing season, however, some plants still benefit from a head start because of the often intense heat of the summer months.  Last year was a challenging one for most area gardeners, between the spring flooding, then the summer heat and drought, it was ‘slim picking’ in most veggie patches.  Our garden produced throughout the spring and summer and well into the fall and I know there was one main factor that made all the difference.  We started many seeds inside in late winter, and the seedlings were ready to plant in the spring and they had time to become more established before the more adverse conditions of summer began.

Step One: 

Decide what to grow.  Your local County extension office can be a great source of information on this and many other topics in the garden, and otherwise.  They offer free resources including a list of vegetable plants that grow well in our region.  There is also free information, on all aspects of gardening, available in your local Library and online.  Garden site size is an important consideration, as well as the time available to commit to the garden throughout the growing seasons.  Will you plant in the ground or in large potting containers?   If you intend to plant in the ground, consider testing your soil and augment as needed.  Also consider how you plan to protect your crops from local critters, whether neighborhood cats and dogs, or deer and raccoons.  Do you need a small fence?  Do you have the proper structures to support your plants.  For instance, tomatoes require some type of support, so they do not fall over which leads to disease and rot for the plants and the fruits themselves.

 Keep in mind other sources of the vegetables you like to eat, such as the farmers market,  and consider growing only those that are right for you particular needs, site, and time, and the ones you dream of watering and picking even on the hottest of summer days.  Choose vegetables that you will be content to share or store, should you be lucky enough to have that sought after bumper crop.

Step Two:  Acquire Seeds!

Seed Catalogs arrive in the winter, for more than our dreams, but also for our plans.  If you do not currently receive a seed catalog, find many options online by searching for the types of seeds you seek.  I’ll mention here, our own seed website,  WWW.Dustbowlseed.com  which specializes in seeds for adverse conditions.

Step Three:  Plant seeds inside a heated environment

Not all seedlings need this head start, so choose only those who will benefit and those you have room for in an indoor growing space.  Start with good soil and a seed tray or small pots, depending upon your number of plants. Soil can be purchased at home improvement stores or local farm supply, and can be augmented with compost, which is highly recommended.  If you don’t have seed trays, or want to buy them, I have recently seen folks using toilet paper rolls as seed starting material.   There are several websites that show this technique, if you are interested in checking it out.  One of the benefits of this technique is that they can go right into the ground when it is time to transplant.  The cardboard will break down into your soil and also be a good barrier against cut worms, which often kill young seedlings. As Martha would say, it’s a good thing.

Ideally, one uses a grow light, hanging down a couple of feet from the seed tray, as the plants will grow more compact. It is important to use the grow light correctly, if you do have one, so as not to overheat the plants, so do your research online, in your local Library or through the services of your County Extension office. .  If you do not have a grow light or other lighting to add, a west or south facing window will do.  The plants will be reaching more for the light on these short winter days, so will tend to become what we call leggy, which is term meaning long and tall and thin, which might be good for basketball players and models, but for vegetable plants not so much.  Read a bit on how to fertilize and water your particular seedlings, as they progress. 

Step Four: Transplant

Many folks swear by the Farmer’s Almanac as a guide for dates like planting and harvesting, or they tend to listen to the friend with the greenest thumb.  The directions that come with your particular seeds can help, but keep in mind, direct sun in the Northeastern United States is not the same as direct sun in the Mid South.  Transplanting is a gentle process.  You will want to take care of your little babies after bringing them this far.  If you do not use the toilet paper roll technique, consider using other methods to protect from cut worms.

I hope this helps you on your way to that first ripe red tomato slice.  My goal, for this treasure is late June!

seeds available at dustbowlseed.com, varied