Merry Christmas!

Happy day after Christmas to everyone out there, and a very Happy Boxing Day to my Brit friends and family! I hope you all had a terrific holiday full of great friends, family, food, and faith. I know we certainly did. Some of our family decided to drive down from Arkansas to enjoy a nice, mild Georgia Christmas. We shared some quality time and tried some new things in the kitchen. We even scored some great culinary loot from under the Christmas tree!

For Christmas Eve dinner we roasted a whole duck and served it with raspberry sauce, Parmesan herb mashed potatoes, green beans with almonds, and fruit salad for dessert.  This was my first time roasting a duck, but I was able to follow some very helpful prepping instructions from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. While not perfect, I will say that it certainly wasn't my worst culinary "maiden voyage."  What I learned first and foremost is to know your bird! I purchased all the ingredients to prepare a duckling, and when it arrived via generous guests, it was labelled "matured" or "stewing duck." These are very different, and I would have prepped a very different recipe had I thought to check. Regardless, it was too late to turn back.  A stewing duck is predictably tougher, but still very edible, roasted.  Unlike a chicken or turkey, a deep roasting pan and a rack are an absolute must for domestic duck. It is unbelievable the amount of fat that will come off of these birds. I didn't have a combination of pan and rack that would work, but I rigged one out of an aluminum pie pan and a baking dish. The rack meant that I couldn't use a roasting bag, but I made a nice foil tent instead.  I removed the tent for the last few minutes to brown the skin. It ended up looking perfect, but this part was still tough.  I don't know if that was the age of the bird or if I need to try a different technique for finishing it. Suggestions are welcome on this topic. A raspberry sauce may sound overwhelming, but the taste and texture of duck really needs to be balanced by something strong.  This was a great sauce that came, unchanged, from the above mentioned BHG Cook Book.  All and all it was a great meal and a great first for my family.  I knew that I loved wild duck (see November 2010 "A Quick Entry" for my favorite recipe), but domestic duck is a totally different experience.  I also saved the rendered fat from this attempt and plan to experiment with that...so stay tuned!


The Christmas Day dinner was a bit more classic and even more delicious than the night before.  My grill-master husband seared a medium rare beef tenderloin section, and I matched it with an herb butter, twice-baked potato casserole, asparagus bundles, and bread pudding with Jack Daniels whiskey sauce.  My butter was a slightly modified recipe from Flavored Butters: nuts, dairy, herbs, fruit by Offerico Maoz, and the casserole was a halved recipe from Southern Living: Easy Entertaining. The bread pudding and whiskey sauce were modified from a recipe in Southern Living: Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen.  For my version of the "Breading Pudding with Whiskey Sauce", I exchange pecans for raisins, because I don't like raisins cooked into things.  I do, however, like bread pudding with a traditional flavor.  For that reason, I also keep the apples, ditch the pineapple, add a touch of cinnamon and allspice, and use Jack Daniels where it calls for whiskey.  If you have any trouble with the egg in your sauce cooking a bit and leaving white streaks in the otherwise caramel-colored goodness, just strain it and move on! My asparagus bundles are my own creation and an easy family favorite. I make these year-round, and they are great with any kind of beef or chicken. I don't typically serve them with pork, because it can be too much.

Asparagus Bundles
1/2 lb bacon, thin to moderately sliced (no fancy flavors!)
1 bundle of asparagus
1 lemon
salt, crushed black pepper, garlic powder

Cut your bacon strips into half length pieces and precook them in a deep skillet. Remove the bacon from the heat when it has just begun to change color (the fat should be firm, but the protein does not have to be completely cooked). Set the bacon aside and allow to cool. Save the fat in the pan and set that aside as well. Wash the asparagus and trim the cut ends. (The amount you need to remove will depend on the age and size of the asparagus. Remember that larger pieces will be tougher and should be shortened more to get to the good stuff.)  Wrap 3-4 stems in 1 cooked bacon piece. Secure with a tooth pick. Add water to the bacon drippings, place the mixture over medium heat, and deglaze slightly.  When hot, add the bundled asparagus to the pan. Half the lemon and squeeze it over the bundles. Sprinkle the bundles with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Cover the pan and cook approximately 1-2 minutes. Turn the bundles over carefully, recover, and cook until the asparagus has a bright green, "steamed" appearance.  Test the cut ends with a fork. (They should be tender but not soft. There will be some carry-over, and you don't want them to end up mushy. The line between cooked and mushy asparagus is very thin....) Remove the bundles from the pan with tongs and serve hot.

Lastly, I'm pretty excited about all of the cooking stuff my husband and I were given by our darling family and friends.  From my favorite brand, Lodge Cast Iron, we got a new flat top griddle, two silicon brushes, and a lid for one of our skillets.  My husband also got some great stuff for the grill like an Emile Henry cooking stone and some Fire Wire flexible kabob skewers.  We're planning to try grilling pizza soon, and we'd love suggestions! We also got some great sauces and marinades, but the last food related item was a total surprise: reusable produce bags. They are made by 3B Bags.com, and they are semi-transparent, washable, and light weight. The point being that you can place produce in them and keep it there at the register. As most of you know, the only thing I like better than cooking is sustainable living, and these are terrific. They'll go great with my collection of Chico bags, another reusable shopping must-have (http://www.chicobag.com/).

Speaking of sustainability, I was very sad to read recently that, on average, household waste production goes up by 25% between Thanksgiving and New Years. With that in mind, I'll end this little article with a friendly reminder to compost your organics, buy products with minimal packaging, recycle what you can (reuse what you can't), support local food, and if you're buying wrapping paper at the day-after sales, look for recycled or high-fiber/low gloss papers that can be recycled next year!

All photos by Jenn Ballard

References:
1.   Darling, Jennifer Dorland (ed). 2005. Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, Twelfth Edition. Better Homes and Gardens Books, Des Moines, Iowa. p 446. (Roast Duckling with Raspberry Sauce)
2.   Gentry, Jane E. (ed). 2005. Southern Living Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen. Oxmoor House, Inc., Birmingham, Alabama. p. 141. (Bread Pudding and Whiskey Sauce)
3.   Offerico, Maoz. 2005. Flavored Butters: nuts, dairy, herbs, fruit. Ten Speed Press, Berkeley, California. p 24. (Garlic-Herb Butter)
4.   Wyatt, Nancy Fitzpatrick (ed). 2004. Southern Living Easy Entertaining. Oxmoor House, Inc, Birmingham, Alabama. p 112. (Twice-baked Potato Casserole)

Thanksgiving in the Deep South

One of my pet peeves is watching stores and communities bypass Thanksgiving, going straight for the glamour and glitz of Christmas.  Grocery stores seem to be the only retail establishments that cling tightly to the proper chronology of the holidays, and for good reason.  For my part, I simply refuse to belittle this glorious day for friends, family, and food!

Last year was my first redneck foodie Thanksgiving blog. As you may recall, I had a few bumps in the road while preparing a larger than normal meal to make my newly extended family feel welcome. I hope someone out there learned from those mistakes, because they were plenty humbling at the time. It seems that I too must have learned something.  This year, while not perfect, went much more smoothly.  Having been raised in the south, displaced to the Midwest for the last four years, and recently moving back to the DEEP south, I wanted to make this year’s meal a really special homecoming celebration.  I tried to do this by creating a fusion of old traditions with a few of last year’s new additions and a couple of health conscious twists.

The final menu included roasted turkey, herb and cornbread dressing, sweet potato casserole, gravy (both plain and giblet), green bean casserole, cheese grits (see my September 2010 “Legends of a Redneck Foodie” blog for this recipe), pan-seared Brussels sprouts, cranberry sauce, yeast rolls, pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and apple cranberry crisp.

Photos by John King and Jenn Ballard

A few notable changes included my mom making her traditional stuffing in a Crock-Pot. I was a little worried that the top wouldn't get browned, but it turned out perfectly without having to be finished in the oven. This is a good tip for anyone who runs short on oven space around this time of year, but unlike preparing it in the oven, be sure you stir it a couple of times in the Crock-Pot to prevent the bottom from burning.  Second, we dropped the customary mashed potatoes and whole kernel corn. As you may recall from last year's blog, no one in my family even touched the corn, and a quick poll revealed that the mashed potatoes had become a habitat rather than a family favorite.  In lean economic times and the wake of a national obesity epidemic, this was a perfect example of how studying our holiday choices and opting for a few well made favorites may prove just as satisfying as our habitual bulk. I can honestly say that these two extra starches were not missed in the least. A small serving of Brussels sprouts was added in their place. I've just started experimenting with this veggie in the last year, and I like mine pan-seared on the stove top or the grill with bits of bacon or balsamic vinegar. Lastly, we replaced the traditional apple pie and Italian creme cake with a health conscious, dutch oven, apple and cranberry crisp....big hit.

Naturally, I can't just talk about what we ate without sharing a couple of recipes (that feels rude and unhelpful). With all the healthy changes this year, something I simply couldn't forgo were my grandmother's pies.  These are historic recipes in my family, and they have remained largely unchanged in my lifetime.  The slight exception to that is the addition of maple syrup to the pecan pie.  This change came about when I ran ever so slightly short on dark corn syrup while making multiple pies about five years ago. I had to finish the last one with the only thing I had in the pantry with a similar cooking consistency: pancake syrup. At the time, I was hoping the dark syrup would cover the flavor, but instead, I found that people preferred the slightly more complex version.  I’ve made it that way ever since.

Pecan Pie

3 eggs
1 - 1 1/2 cups pecans (fresh chopped or halved depending on preference)
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
7/8 cup dark syrup (Karo blue label)
1/8 cup maple syrup
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract (REAL VANILLA!!!)
1/4 cup melted butter
1 pie crust

Preheat oven to 275 F. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl, add granulated sugar, salt, vanilla, and melted butter. Place the pie crust in a shallow, glass pie dish. Prepare the edges as desired. Spread the pecans out in a layer on the bottom of the crust. Pour the liquid mixture over the top. The pecan will float up. Cover the edges of your pie crust with a silicon ring or folded foil. Bake the pie for 50-65 minutes, removing the ring/foil to brown the crust for the last 15 minutes.  The biggest risk with this pie is a runny filling.  It always takes longer to firm up than you think. It should have a fairly firm consistency when you shake the pan slightly or it isn't ready to come out of the oven. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cup cooked pumpkin (equal to one can of prepared pumpkin)
1 1/2 cup hot milk (Warm slowly on stove top. Stir constantly until steaming but not boiling)
1/2 tsp ginger

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 pie crust

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix the dry ingredients (sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt). Add the pumpkin and mix thoroughly.  Stir in the beaten eggs, and add the hot milk slowly, stirring as you go.  Place the pie crust in a deep, glass pie dish. Prepare the edges as desired and pour the liquid mixture in. Cook for 45 min to 1 hour. When the tip of a butter knife placed in the center comes out clean, the pie is ready. I like to garnish mine with fall leaves the way I saw on the cover of a Southern Living about 8 years ago. To do this, prepare another pie crust. Cut out the leaves with small cookie cutters, and place them on a cookie sheet.  Brush the tops with egg white, and dust them with cinnamon and sugar if desired. Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Place them on the pie after it has baked and cooled thoroughly.

I hope everyone had a stupendous Thanksgiving, and maybe these tips will come in handy for Christmas or even next year. I'd love to hear about your holiday recipes or tips. Please feel free to post them here. Don't forget about last year's "More turkey than you know what to do with?" December 2010 blog for great leftover ideas.

Taking Notes for the Kitchen

One of my favorite traditions in the kitchen is something that seems to have gone a bit by the way side: recipe cards.  Some people prefer cookbooks, either printed or with blank pages for adding their own, and I have to admit that I have my fair share of these. But I always end up with magazine clippings stuffed into the covers, and I can never find the recipe I need. For me, in terms of organization, space management, and convenience, nothing beats a box of recipe cards. You can fit a ton of cards into one box, and you never have to worry about running out of pages. If you’re writing in a bound book and you mess up, you have to make scribbles, use globs of whiteout, or discard the page. If you’re writing on an index card, starting over is much easier.  To top it off, you can pull out multiple cards, set them side by side and plan whole meals without flipping pages or leaving smudges.  

I guess the thing that made me want to start a box of my own was the memory I have of my grandmother’s box. It was a plain, green, metal, index card filer filled with recipes written in her own handwriting.  It was very practical (like her), but when she pulled it out, I knew a special meal was on her mind.  She only needed it when she made something that she didn't know by heart. When I started shopping for my own box, I found plenty of plain, plastic boxes in the office supply section and a few cheaply made/over-priced wooden versions online.  It was slim pickin’s to say the least. Finally, I found couple of box and card sets by Better Homes and Gardens.  They weren’t exactly my style per se, but I'm not exactly known for my patience. Mostly, I was tired of looking and ready to start my project.

I personalized my box with a few stickers and made categories to keep things organized (drinks, breakfast foods, appetizers, soups, sides, entrees, desserts, and breads).  I wrote down my favorite recipes and a few solid foundation items on the matching cards. I also grabbed some plain 4X6 index cards to copying longer recipes or ones I wasn’t sure I would keep.  Next, I bought one of those books of recipe cards that you find by the grocery store register. I thought it would be a good way to bulk up my stocks quickly. Unfortunately, I found most of these recipes were boring, redundant, and generally unhelpful. I can't really suggest this approach to anyone else.

After a couple of weeks, I had my box mostly stocked with my favorites, but it still felt a little bare. From there, I kept my eyes peeled for recipes on television that I wanted to try. I bought some card stock for my printer and used the handy-dandy “recipe card” printer function on foodnetwork.com.  I also used the card stock to print out recipes typed or copied into a word processor.  This is super convenient, but having said that, I do suggest writing a few recipes in your own handwriting, especially if you're giving them away. It may seem tedious, but I can honestly say that I still treasure small things like recipes and Christmas package labels that were handwritten by loved ones who aren’t with me anymore. It may seem sad or far off, but you never know who might feel that way about you someday.  (I think this applies to friends and family who move far away as much as to those who have gone farther.)

There are a couple more fun sources for recipe cards that I highly recommend. First, I have started cutting out recipes, instructions, and pictures (when size appropriate) from magazines. Forget about copying all that down! I just glue them to a card (see the pictures to the left). It’s quick, easy, semi-recyclingish, and I really like having a picture of a dish when I'm making it.  Second, I was in a little kitchen supply store the other day when I saw a birthday card the size of a recipe card. The front was a picture of a dish, and the inside cover was the recipe. The greeting was on the opposite page, but it came apart from the front….best birthday card ever!!

Last, I've heard about this terrific idea called a recipe party.  I’ve always wanted to throw one, but I’ve never had the right opportunity.  The party is usually a wedding shower but could easily be for other occasions. Everyone comes prepared with multiple cards baring one favorite recipe. They get a plain box to decorate, and each person trades their cards so that everyone gets a copy of each recipe.  Ideally, people would use decorative cards that represent their style.  The result would be mismatched, but all the the better for it! I've always thought that this would be a great idea for brides who don’t want or need a lot of presents but still want to celebrate their special day. Of course, it could be worked into a regular bridal shower by simply including a recipe card with each invitation so that it’s returned, filled in, on the day of the party.

With the holiday season coming up, maybe it's a good time to think about recipe card boxes as gifts too.  If you’ve got a crafty, redneck-foodie in your life (or a young adult learning to live and cook on their own), a decorate-your-own box and some matching cards could be just the ticket.

Happy Thanksgiving!

All Photographs in this blog by Jenn Ballard

Sonnet XVII By Pablo Neruda

I don't love you as if you were the salt-rose, topaz
or arrow of carnations that propagate fire:
I love you as certain dark things are loved,
secretly, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that doesn't bloom and carries
hidden within itself the light of those flowers,
and thanks to your love, darkly in my body
lives the dense fragrance that rises from the earth.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where,
I love you simply, without problems or pride:
I love you in this way because I don't know any other way of loving

but this, in which there is no I or you,
so intimate that your hand upon my chest is my hand,
so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your eyes that close.

Fall in the Smoky Mountains

Anyone who knows me knows that fall is my very favorite time of year.  I love the changing leaves, the cool weather, soft sweaters, hot teas, and the sound of migrating geese as they turn their V’s back to the south.  Last weekend, I had the opportunity to celebrate the coming of autumn by drive north into Cherokee County, North Carolina to visit a friend. The two of us travelled through the foothills of the Smoky Mountains on Saturday and spent the better part of Sunday at the John C. Campbell Folk School’s annual Fall Festival (http://www.folkschool.org).  The event reminded me of being a kid and spending time with my family at a similar place, the Ozark Folk Center near Mountain View, Arkansas (http://www.ozarkfolkcenter.com).  The Folk School’s Fall Festival had a really nice selection of beautiful art and handmade crafts. There was also mountain music to listen to and traditional foods like meat pies, hot beans, and apple turnovers to try.  It was everything that the first weekend of fall should be.


In honor of this glorious time of year, I thought that I would write about my favorite fall foods, but to be honest, the list is way too long. There are so many things that I love to cook that, like my favorite sweaters, I leave packed away through the warmer months.  My mom’s famous beef stew is a perfect example. In fact, I just finished making my first batch of the year this week (substituting fresh deer for stew beef of course…sorry mom).  But mom’s stew is in good company with my homemade chili, ham and beans, and pot roast with root vegetables. I decided that instead of trying to cover such a wide spread, I would dedicate this fall food blog to a single ingredient that epitomizes the season for so many people: the apple.  I really came to appreciate apples as an icon of fall when I lived in Missouri, where the arrival of apples, pecans, pumpkins, and alpaca fiber to the local farmer’s market marked the bitter sweet culmination of the year’s harvest.  My first apple recipe is actually something I made for the first time just recently, and it was an absolute hit!

Apples and Pork Chops
4 bone-in pork chops
2 Tsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp brown sugar
Salt, pepper & cloves
1/8 Tsp cinnamon (heaping slightly)
1/8 Tsp nutmeg (heaping slightly)
3 Tbsp butter
2 Tart green apples (washed, cored, and sliced thin)
4 Tbsp pecans (halved or roughly chopped)

Preheat oven to 200°F and place a medium sized baking dish with lid in the oven to warm. Heat a large cast-iron skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Brush the pork chops with the vegetable oil and place in the hot skillet. (You may have to add a little more oil depending on how well your skillet is seasoned.) Salt and pepper the pork chops lightly on each side as they cook and turn them occasionally for even browning. Cook the pork chops for 5-10 minutes, or until they are just cooked through. Remove the chops from the skillet and place them in the covered dish for continued warming. In a separate bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg along with a dash of salt, pepper, and cloves.  When the pork chops have been removed from the skillet, reduce the heat to medium and add the butter, dry mixture, and sliced apples.  Cover and cook, stir occasionally, until the apples are tender.  Then, remove the apples with a slotted spoon (leaving the juice) and place them in the baking dish on top of the pork chops. Leave the lid off the skillet and add the pecans. Continue to cook the liquid and pecans, stir constantly, until the mixture has reduced to a moderately thick sauce and pecans appear slightly caramelized.  Pour the entire combination over the apples and pork chops and serve immediately.

When I made this recipe, I realized that I didn’t have a tight fitting lid for my cast iron skillet, and I ended up needing to add liquid back to have enough sauce and to keep the apples from burning.  I didn’t want to use apple juice because I was afraid it would be too sweet. Likewise, oil would probably lend a greasy flavor.  Butter cooks off too quickly, and water would dilute the spices. My solution: apple cider vinegar. It worked like a dream, adding moisture and tanginess without being too sweet or too strong.  In the end, the pork chop and apple dinner was perfect.  It would be great for low key entertaining, and it didn’t even take that long to make (~45 min).

My next recipe is something that I modified from an item on the menu at Café Berlin in Columbia, Missouri (or as my husband likes to call it, “that hippy place.”) I mention this nickname freely because I think the people who run this local food, whole grain, part organic, vegetarian friendly-type joint would take it as a compliment, and well they should.  It was one of my favorite places for breakfast in Columbia, and this is my take on one of their best dishes:

Apples and Sausage

1 tart apple (washed, cored, and sliced)
1 smoked sausage link (approximately 12")
2 Tbs vegetable oil
3 Tbsp maple syrup
¼ cup apple juice OR ¼ cup apple cider vinegar + 2 Tbsp brown sugar
Cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper

Slice the smoked sausage on a diagonal into ¼ to ½ inch thick medallions. Heat the oil in a medium cast-iron skillet and add the sausage medallions. Cook on medium-high heat until browned on both sides. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Soak-up any excess oil in the pan. Add the apple slices and juice (or vinegar).  Season the dish to taste with cinnamon, cloves, and pepper.  Cover and cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are soften. Remove the lid and allow the liquid to reduced to a runny syrup. Serve in a bowl or on top of pancakes or waffles

My last recipe is one of my all time favorites, but I will admit that it’s more of a Christmas apple dish than a fall one. None the less, I just can’t write about apples and leave it out. I’ll try to tie it back to fall by pointing out that in the time before refrigerators, a person would have had to plan ahead in the fall for recipes like this by drying fresh apples for later use.  I picked this recipe out of a copy of Southern Living a long time ago. To be honest, I don’t even remember exactly when, but it has been the envy of Christmas parties ever since.

Appalachian Apple Stack Cake (My name for it, not the published name)
Cake:
1/3 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco type product not vegetable oil)
½ cup sugar
1 large egg
4 cups all purpose flour
1 Tsp baking powder
1 Tsp baking soda
½ Tsp salt
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup molasses
2 ½ Tsp sugar

Beat shortening at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or until creamy. Add ½ cup sugar gradually, beating for 5 to 7 minutes.  Add the egg and beat until the yellow disappears.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Combine the buttermilk and molasses in a large measuring cup.  Gradually add the flour combination to the shortening, alternating with the molasses and buttermilk.  You should begin and end with the flour mixture. Beat until well blended.  Divide the dough into 5 equal parts.  Place each portion into a greased and floured 9-inch round cake pan or a similarly sized cast-iron skillet.  Firmly press the dough into the pan with clean, floured fingers.  Use a fork to prick the surface of the cake and sprinkle the top with the remaining sugar.  Bake the cake for 10 minutes at 400°F. 

Filling:
3 (6 oz) packages dried apple slices
6 Cups water
1 Cup packed brown sugar
1 Tsp ground ginger
1 Tsp ground cinnamon
½ Tsp ground allspice
½ Tsp ground nutmeg

Stir together apples and water in a large sauce pan or dutch oven.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes or until the apples are tender/rehydrated.  Stir in the sugar and spices, return the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.  Cool the filling completely.

Layer the cakes and filling, starting and ending with cake.  I’ve served the final product within a few hours of making it, and it was delicious.  But the original recipe claims that it should sit for a minimum of two days for the best flavor.  I’ll be honest: I just don’t have that much patience.

I hope ya'll enjoy the recipes.  Please send me some of yours and have a very happy fall!!

Photos by Jenn Ballard

Cutting to the Chase

I want to dedicate this blog to five very special people.  They will know who they are, but for discretion’s sake, their names will not be listed.  I want to dedicate this little article to these very special people because they have inspired me. They have shown courage, persistence, and grace in the face of unbelievable circumstances. These five people, my friends and family, have inspired me because they have all suffered from, battled against, and beaten a common enemy: cancer.  The exact types have varied, as have the symptoms and struggles, but they are all an inspiration to me.  Like most people I have made donations from time to time and walked in a race or two, but it never seemed like I could do much that would really make a difference.  For quite some time I have wanted to do more, but, with my extremely limited time and fiscal resources, I didn’t know what more I could do. 

It was in hearing a story about one of these five people that I found a new way to show my support.  I have known this beautiful woman my whole life.  For as long as I can remember she has worn her long blonde hair most of the way down her back.   When she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer not so long ago, she decided to cut her hair before her treatments began.  So many people I know, possibly myself included, would have made a braid and kept it in a box to remember the “before.” Some people might have bitterly left it all on the salon floor.  But in the most graceful gesture I have ever heard of, she donated her hair for wigs for other cancer patients. Today, I am overjoyed to say that she has recovered nicely from her treatments.

It took a few months for this story to sink in and become an actual course of action for me.  It was sometime last fall when it finally occurred to me that if she could make such a beautiful gesture, the least I could do would be to put my vanity aside for a few months to match it.  I started growing my hair out about nine months ago.  My plan had been to keep growing it so that my own hair would remain somewhat long after I made the donation, but somehow, last week just felt right. I made an appointment at the Republic Salon (http://www.republicsalon.com/) here in Athens, Georgia, and they gladly obliged.  Here is the finished product....The person holding it was the very talented stylist who helped with this project. I only cut her face out for privacy sake.

The last thing I want is to make this blog about me. I did this to praise the people who have inspired me.  After all, hair grows back. However, I did manage to get a cute new short "do" out of it, and I would recommend Republic to anyone in the Athens area. They were very helpful with the whole donation process, and I promised to include a picture of myself for curious friends and family.

There are actually several groups that take donations like this.  You can choose the one that is closest to your heart, the one your salon is familar with, or the one meets your needs in terms of hair length.  For more information, you can read the article "How to Donate Your Hair to Cancer Patients" at  http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20411427,00.html. It pretty much runs through the how-to's of everything you need to know.

I'm really excited to have been able to do this as a show of support for my brave friends and family. Actually, I'm really hoping that they like it since it was meant to be a surprise. But the truth is that people make donations like this everyday. In talking about my plans, I found out that several of my friends are on their second and third donation cycles.  It's something that almost anyone can do, and when people ask you about the change, you can tell them about the brave people in your life.

Think about it...maybe today is your day to do a little something more.

Selling a House, Moving, and What Not....

I’ve clearly fallen behind in writing my blog, a fact that I’m sure my readers have noticed (Hi Mom!).  This has been a summer full of changes and excitement, not to mention stress and acid reducers. Most of you guys know that I just finished school this spring and accepted a job in Georgia. I’m excited to be going back to the South, although I did enjoy spreading a little “southern comfort” around the Midwest for the last four years. This endeavor has meant trying to “finish” our Missouri fixer-upper (in as much as such projects are ever really complete). It has also meant putting that same house up for sale on a rather dismal housing market, packing our things, and moving some 12+ hours away. In the mean time and because I have vowed to use this blog to share information and insight rather than to blather on about my own feelings (27 is too young to write one’s memoirs), I thought I would share the valuable list of “must do’s” that my realtor ran me through to prepare our house for the market.

1. Keep everything clean. This one is something of a given, but that’s because it’s actually the most important thing you can do. Pick up your underwear, clean AND put away your dishes, dust and polish ‘til it hurts. In my realtor’s words…”it should look like a catalog.”

2. In keeping with the “catalog” theme, the next advice I received was to declutter. This one was a hard pill for me to swallow because one realtor’s clutter may be another person’s prized antique glass collection. Pride swallowed and chased with a shot, I decided not to take any of this personally. Taking down a few decorations (even ones you love) makes your house look bigger. Bigger is good.

3. Shed some light on the subject….One of the more surprising pieces of advice I got was to replace all of the compact fluorescent bulbs (CFB’s) in my house with the old-school incandescent types. These, it turns out, are actually brighter than the more eco-friendly CFB’s , and good lighting is a big selling point. Being the eco-nut/cheapskate that I am, I freely admit that I packed up all the CFB’s and brought them with me to the next house.

4. The other side of the lighting argument is that some realtors don’t even turn on the lights when they walk into your house. Therefore, keeping all the window treatments open full tilt will provide natural lighting and make the house look larger without the flip of a switch.

5. When my realtor asked me if there was “something I could do” about my dogs, I was tempted to ask if there was something he could “do” about his kids….I refrained. Understandably, leaving your pets at home intimidates some people and will keep them from spending much time (if any) in your house. It’s best if you can take them for a walk or drive during planned showings.

6. As scary as it is to invite total strangers to come “check out” your house AND turn off your security system, it’s actually recommended that such systems get temporarily shut down to prevent accidental set offs and to stop constant chirping on the part of the alarm. Realtors and buyers alike tend to find constant alarm-type sounds disconcerting, and they are more likely to rush through the showing.

7. Keep the lawn and gardens tidy because your curb appeal is half the battle.

8. Make sure the house is well marked with the address so that it is easy to locate.

I hope that these tips will be useful to anyone planning to sell their house now or in the future. As for my husband and I, we have gone on to settle in a slightly larger rental near Winder, Georgia. It’s been a mixed bag of extra space, great views, and renters’ remorse, but that’s a blog for another day. I guess that’s it for now, but it goes without saying that if anyone out there is looking for a tidy little three bedroom in central Missouri, I know one that is priced to sell!

You Will Never Be Alone

Written and performed by: Cosimo

Didn't I tell you when I met your eye
that I never need to look away from who you are inside
Didn't I show you when I held your hand
that my heart would always linger even when my body can't

What happens next when all the little things
that make you second guess come back
Take a step away to the truths you know
The sun will always shine, and you will never be alone

Didn't I convince you when I touched your hair
that our love would always flourish even when the land is bare
Didn't I reach you when I kissed you right
that the moment would continue even when I'm gone from sight

What happens next we'll never know for sure,
but if you second guess, come back
Take a step away to the truths you know
The birds will always sing, and you will never be alone

What happens next we'll never know for sure
But if you second guess come back
Take a step away to the truths you know
The sun will always shine, and you will never be alone
The birds will always sing, and you will never be alone
The sun will always shine, and you will never be alone

Available on iTunes

The Devil Inside Them...

My mom and aunt were recently sorting through some of my grandmother's things. In the process, they passed along to me something I consider very special: my grandmother's deviled egg dish. The deviled egg dish probably violates all of Alton Brown's rules about kitchen items needing to multitask. It's pretty much a one trick pony, but it was considered a kitchen essential for southern women in my grandmother's generation. The deviled egg was considered the quintessential finger food for showers, barbeques, and parties of almost any kind. I'd like to think this dish still holds a very important place in the heart of southern culture. To honor my latest kitchen treasure, I'm going to share my recipe for deviled eggs.



Everyone has probably had the stereotypical deviled egg...yolks mashed with pickle relish, mayonnaise, and mustard with a little salt, pepper, and a garnish of paprika. This standard arrangement is probably the reason I came around to liking deviled eggs later in life...I don't really like pickle relish. I tried a friend's version once that had all the usual ingredients except the relish. That was good but a little bland. Finally, I did my own research and discovered that Joy of Cooking (my default guide for everything food) doesn't even call for pickle relish! According to this reference the deviled egg is actually a southern variation on the stuffed egg. The "deviled" part comes from hot sauce and paprika...ironic since I'm not sure I'd ever seen anyone use hot sauce in their recipe. After playing with all this for a bit...I landed on a version that I really like.

No matter what recipe you use, it's hard to disagree that good deviled eggs start with one key ingredient: good boiled eggs. My friend Maria (who will get a good laugh at being mentioned here) informed me several months ago that there is actually a proper way to boil eggs. Returning to my Joy of Cooking, I discovered that she is totally right. To boil an egg correctly, you bring a small pot of water to a simmer (not an actual boil). Add the eggs gently, making sure the water covers them all completely. When the water returns to a simmer, start the clock. You'll need 14 minutes for your average large egg (12 min for medium or small eggs and 15 min for jumbo eggs). Keep the water simmering but not boiling for the duration. When the timer goes off, plunge the eggs immediately into ice water to stop the cooking. You'll find that this process actually makes perfectly cooked, fluffy eggs with yolks that aren't chalky or hard. Despite my deep love for fresh, free range eggs, it turns out that eggs that are too fresh won't peel very well when they're boiled. Store bought is the way to go for this or at least letting your farmer's market eggs sit in the fridge for a week.

After you peel your eggs, cut them in half parallel to their long axis (so they look like an avocado). Place the yolks in a mixing bowl and the whites on your deviled egg dish. I like to chill the whites while I make the filling because I think it makes them firmer and less likely to tear. With the yolks, mix the following ingredients:

Jenn's Deviled Egg Filling  (a slight variation on "Deviled Eggs" Page 126 in The All New Joy of Cooking)

4 yolks removed from hard boiled eggs and mashed
2 tablespoons of mayonnaise or miracle whip
2 teaspoons freshly minced chives
1/2-1 teaspoon spicy dijon mustard
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon vinegar (any type)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
pinch of curry powder (optional)
hot sauce to taste



Be sure you mash your yolks first or you'll never get the filling smooth. When it says "any type" in regards to the vinegar, I have found that regular white vinegar will give a more classic "pickle relish" taste. Apple cider vinegar adds a hint of sweetness, and balsamic vinegar adds a really interesting tanginess. Once the filling is smoothly mixed, spoon it into a ziplock bag. Cut off a small piece from one of the lower corners of the bag and leave at least part of the zip top open for air to escape. Use the whole thing like a pastry bag to pipe the filling into the egg whites. Garnish with ground red pepper or paprika and serve chilled.
References:
Rombauer IS, Becker MR, and Becker E, 1997. The All New, All Purpose Joy of Cooking. Scribner Publishing. Pages 125-126.

Landscaping You Can Eat...

Photos by Jenn Ballard

I've spent the past two springs enjoying the way my herb garden has not only survived the harsh Midwest winter but has started coming back with a moxie that never ceases to impress. It may be a little out of the ordinary to landscape with herbs, but I do it for a couple of reasons. Reason number one, herbs are extremely attractive once they've gotten established (see pictures for proof). Second, they're low maintenance perennials, and who doesn't love that? Lastly, my ecofriendly, practical side tells me that if I'm going to grow something, it should be something useful...old school victory garden style. Most people in my generation don't even know what an actual victory garden is. It is not just a show on PBS. A victory garden was a vegetable or herb garden planted at a private residence or public park in the US, Britain, Canada, or Germany during either of the world wars. The idea was for people to eat more of their own food and lower the demand on foods that were in short supply due to the war. It's an interesting concept to bring back in this day and age when we use tons of gas (literally) shipping out of season fruit from California to Timbuktu because people think they need fresh strawberries in January despite being in a war, an ecological disaster, and an era of rising gas prices. If more people would grow their own foods, eat seasonally (or freeze), and buy locally, we could drastically reduce our nation's need for foreign oil without drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge...Sorry Sarah P, but it's the truth.

So what does my tiny slice of hand-pickable heaven include? This year it's English thyme, lemon thyme, sage, chives, oregano, lemon balm, lavender, and sweet woodruff as well as fresh peppermint in a flowerpot nearby. Mint is strictly a container garden species to me for reasons obvious to anyone who has ever tried to grow (or control) it. Many of my more unique additions came from the local farmers' market. The farmers' market in my area is a particularly great example of what this piece of modern Americana can be: reconnecting people with their food, their communities, and their own health. For my part, the farmers' market is an important part of my efforts to buy and cook locally, organically, and relatively inexpensively. More to the point, the farmers' market is a great source for unique herbs and heirloom vegetables.

So what can I do with all of these eatable marvels? Oregano and chives are familiar to most people. Oregano can be used fresh or dried and added to sauces or meat dishes with a slightly Italian flare. Chives are great on baked potatoes, soups, or salads. I recently added some in place of onion to my Easter deviled eggs (a southern tradition not a contradiction in terms) with great results. Thyme is a little trickier or maybe just a little less thought of. Traditional thyme is good on lamb, poultry, and venison dishes. Lemon thyme is lighter and great on fish, poultry, or shellfish. Incidentally, thyme was used in Victorian bridal bouquets to represent courage, and still makes a really attractive garnish. Sage is a pretty strong herb that is best if cooked into things like soups, stews, dips, and savory baked goods. It's rumored to improve digestion. Lemon balm is a tall, beautiful herb with a fairly strong lemon smell that is supposed to deter mosquitoes. I like planting things like lemon grass and lemon balm around the porch and front door to take advantage of this. It can also be cooked into pastries or added to teas for a lemon taste. Lavender is a really attractive plant that a lot of people like to make wreaths out of. It's used in a lot of bath products like homemade soap. You can cook with it by infusing oils. Sweet woodruff is a less common herb. It's doesn't have a taste or smell until it is picked and dried. It's apparently a key ingredient in something called May wine, but honestly, I don't know what that is. I like it because it looks great in the garden. Lastly, mint is fun to have in your garden and easy to grow. You make simple teas with it that sooth a sour stomach. You make your own mint juleps of course or candy it on desserts.

I guess that's the long and short of my garden this year. As always, I'm happy to answer questions and even more exciting to get recipes and suggestions.

References:
Tolley E and Mead C, 1985. Herbs: Gardens, Decorations, and Recipes. Clarkson N Potter, Inc Publishers.

Bremness L, 1988. The Complete Book of Herbs: A Practical Guide to Growing & Using Herbs. Viking Studio Books.

Catching Up...

I hate to say it, but I've gotten behind in writing lately. To be honest, my education has been holding me hostage, but that will soon come to an end. I hope everyone out there has been doing well (and eating well) in my absence. Today's blog is going to be short and sweet. I thought I'd just share with you a couple of things that have been going on in my kitchen lately.

First, I have discovered homemade Alfredo sauce. For those of you who already do this, I'm sure you're wondering what I have been waiting for all these years. It's so simple. You start by sauteing some garlic in a pan (add mushrooms if you like those). You use a 2:1 ratio of heavy cream and whole milk. You add 1 - 2 cups of shredded Parmesan cheese depending on the amount of liquid you used. Season this with salt, pepper, and garlic to taste. Simmer the combination on low, stirring frequently until it has reduced to the desired consistency. I don't suggest pouring this on top of your pasta the way Americans tend to do. Instead pour it in with the pasta, mix thoroughly and serve as a more homogeneous mix. I promise, you'll never even look at another bottle of Alfredo sauce in the store again! Naturally, if anyone more experienced than myself has a tip for improving on this technique, please let me know. For an interesting twist, check out the Cajun pasta recipe my hubby and I whipped up the other night:

Smokin' Dave's Cafe's Fiery Cajun Shrimp Alfredo
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
6 tablespoons Cajun Seasoning of your choice, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
10 ounces andouille sausage, chopped
1/2 medium onion, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 shakes Worcestershire sauce
1 pound linguine
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon hot chili powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced
1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Place the shrimp and 3 tablespoons of Cajun seasoning in a large resealable plastic bag and shake.  Place the bag in the refrigerator while you prepare the sauce.  Heat a deep 3-quart skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the andouille sausage. Saute sausage for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add onions and saute for 2 minutes. Add crushed red pepper flakes and garlic and cook 1 minute. Add Worcestershire sauce.  Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to package instructions.  To the skillet, add cream, milk, remaining Cajun Seasoning, black pepper, chili powder, and salt. Stir to a consistent color. Add butter and stir until melted. Stir in cheese until melted. Lower heat to a simmer.  Heat the remaining olive oil in another large skillet over high heat and add the shrimp. Saute shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until they just start to turn pink. Add the shrimp and cooked, drained pasta to the first skillet. Stir to combine and blend flavors, about 1 minute.

This recipe can be found at http://www.foodnetwork.com/ because it was featured on Emeril Live. The original recipe calls for Essence of Emeril as the Cajun seasoning. There's a recipe available for making this mixture, and I think you can buy it in the store. I'm a huge fan of Emeril's, but I used a different Cajun mix that I happened to have already prepared. No offense to the Big E, but it worked just fine.

Second, I discovered that I am no longer afraid of Brussels sprouts! My husband surprised me with this tasty little vegetable the other day. He bought them fresh, cut them in half vertically (long ways) and cooked them in a pan with butter and bacon. YUM! If anyone has other recipes for my newly discovered friends, pass them this way!

I guess that's all for now. As always, please share your recipes and ideas with me. Hopefully we'll get to do some travelling soon with school coming to an end, and I'll be able to post something other than recipes.

Indian Tacos

The subject of this blog is not one that I'm terribly comfortable writing about, but it was requested that I write as much as I can. I am a member of the Osage Nation of Oklahoma, and as long as I can remember, I have wanted to know more about that part of my heritage, including its traditional foods.  I was able to spend some time working on the reservation this past summer (see August 2010 "On the Osage"), and I have been teaching myself to speak Wah-Zha-Zhi I'E (literally translated to Osage Words). I have read nearly everything I can get my hands on about the tribe, but the truth is, books can't really paint a fair picture of any culture. I wish I could say that I was one of those lucky individuals raised in the "old ways," but my family moved off the reservation with my grandmother's generation. Despite my admitted ignorance, my interest, loyalty, and respect for the Nation, and Native American culture in general, could not be more sincere. Having put myself into an appropriate context, I present the following information as a person who is primarily self-taught and certainly not an expert. I was specifically asked to write about making Indian tacos. As I said, this is a recipe that I have worked out for myself, not something handed down through the generations or anything like that.  Below is what I have learned about this particular dish, but I welcome corrections and additions from anyone who knows more.

I first tried "Indian tacos" at an intertribal powwow. They're pretty standard fare for these events, though neither powwows nor Indian tacos are what you would call "authentic" to Native American culture. That's not to say they aren't tasty or fun. The word "powwow" comes from an Algonquian word for a specific religious experience. Powwows, as most people think of them, developed around the time that tribes were moved to reservations.  On reservations, tribes were often placed in close proximity to others with whom they had not historically interacted. Some of these tribes already had dance events as part of their culture. After the moves, ceremonial songs and dances were shared and, in some cases, modified by the receiving tribes. This was the case of the Osage dances known as the "In Lon Schka." These were shared with the Osage by other tribes, and continue to be important tribal events. They are not powwows. Some say modern intertribal powwows developed because the tribes were forced to dance as a public spectacle. Others say the events were intended to solidify good relations and share culture between newly introduced neighbors. In their modern form, these dances allow a tribe or multiple tribes to come together to celebrate their heritage, special events, or to honor or raise funds for worthy causes. As fun as they can be, modern powwows can also become disrespectful when they are not organized by appropriate people with genuine intentions and knowledge.

As far as the food goes, powwows often involve a feast at one point or another and a range of concessions throughout. So called "Indian tacos" are an extremely popular concession item. They consist of a piece of Indian fry bread topped with taco meat and various condiments. The recipe I have for fry bread comes from an old Osage cook book printed in 1955 by Sylvester and Alice Tinker.

"Costue (Squaw Bread)
1 pt sour milk
1 tbs shortening
1/2 tsp soda
3 heaping tsps Baking Powder
1 tsp salt

Flour enough to make dough easily handled. Knead smooth, roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Divide in portions equal to a medium sized biscuit, cut 2 or 3 slits in this and cook in a kettle of deep fat as doughnuts. This should make a piece about the size of a saucer."

This is probably a fairly traditional version, but there are easier ones available online. I have to admit that when I make fry bread at home, I usually use a really good mix I picked up over the summer. It's the "Authentic Fry Bread Mix" from Red Corn Native Foods out of Pawhuska, OK (http://redcorn.com/).

As far as toppings go, most taco recipes include a meat (beef, bison, or venison all work well) cooked in various ways. I've seen everything from browned with chopped onion to chili. I like to use a combination of taco and chili seasonings, onion, red beans, and a tiny bit of tomato sauce for moisture. Layer this on top of the fry bread with lettuce, diced tomato, onion, black olives, and cheddar cheese or a combination there of. I've also seen avocado, salsa, and sour cream used. I hope this gets everyone started on the road to great Indian tacos.

Let me just end by saying that the best thing about making Indian tacos is having fry bread left over for dessert...all you need is a little powdered sugar!

References:
Tinker, Sylvester and Alice, 1955. Authenticated American Indian Recipes.