Stock Up for Spring! by Duck Momma

Stock pot with chicken and veggies

Warm weather is on its way. . . really. . . not that you can tell this week. But it is and when it gets warm, Goose and I will be busy enjoying it! After spending all day outside, finding the energy to fix dinner can be a big challenge. I am a huge fan of having plenty of rich homemade chicken stock in the freezer to make everything easier, from quick week night dinners to nursing early spring colds.

Stock is always a great way to use every bit of the items you buy. You pay for those chicken backs when you buy whole chickens. You pay for leek tops, celery leaves, and mushroom stalks. So use them! They are all still very flavorful, but might not be great served on a plate alone. In my stock pot you will find those chicken backs, leek tops, celery, carrots, red onions, fresh garlic, lemon zest, as well as some tougher chicken that I had in the freezer.

The lovely rainbow of herbs and spices in my stock pot

But it doesn't end there! I take great pride in my herb and spice cabinet and I love using them. Not sure what to use? Smell them. Do they smell like they would pair with a chicken dish? I typically use kosher salt (if you don't have sea salt this is an excellent substitute), black pepper, bay leaves, corriander, thyme, rosemary, lavender, garlic powder, oregano, and saffron. Its a wide array but they compliment eachother well and do a lot to make my large pot of stock even better.

So what can you do with all those odds and ends?Make life easier of course!
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Rueben Quesadillas by Tomato Mama

   

      Happy St. Patrick's Day! Here is my spin on an "Irish" meal to celebrate the day. Tomato Papa and I are big fans of Reuben sandwiches, but one day I decided to put a twist on the recipe. It's easy, quick and satisfying. Easy, quick and satisfying are good when I'm trying to cook and look after Pickle who is always into something these days!

     I used corned beef lunch meat for this recipe since it's fairly flat. Thicker meat would make for an unwieldy quesadilla in my opinion. I start by slicing up the lunch meat.

  
    Pile on some sauerkraut and swiss cheese slices (shredded would be fine) on a tortilla. Cover with the other tortilla and bake on a cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

     Use a pizza cutter to slice them up and use thousand island dressing as a dip. Tomato Papa and I have gone back and forth about putting the thousand island dressing in the quesadilla, but we prefer to dip them. Enjoy with some green beer!

Glazed Over by Duck Momma

Chicken is such a versatile thing. A meaty blank canvas. . . That can quickly become routine and boring if you aren't careful. It is one of my favorite things to experiment with and I believe I stumbled upon a tasty version. Now given that my experimenting isn't exactly scientifically exact, what I share with you is approximate, always go with your taste and intuition!

I love glazed carrots so I took my inspiration from there. In a sauce pan I combined:

• about half a stick of butter
• 1 cup of light brown sugar (dark brown would be great too)
• 2 or 3 cloves of garlic smashed but left whole
• Salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• yellow curry powder

I simmered everything together and then poured it all over a lovely whole chicken, being  very sure to get the inside cavity as well. (It really makes a huge difference if you season the inside chicken cavity.) I put the cloves of garlic in as well so they could keep giving. I baked the chicken covered at 400 degrees (basting about halfway through) and uncovered for about 20. (Just until juices run clear) It was so tasty and very moist! It went very well with savory salty sides.
This particular version lent itself very well to leftover chicken salad the next day. So pop that baby in the fridge over night and pick off all the meaty leftovers. The slightly sweet meat went well with a tangy mix of:

• mayo
• sour cream
• spicy brown mustard (just a touch)
• very thinly sliced celery
• shredded carrots

The quantities depend on how much is leftover and your taste. I served mine on honey whole wheat bread (see the blog post Stuck on Honey for my recipe!) Two delicious meals out of one bird, sounds good to me!

Kitchen Adventures: Serving up Carrots. . . by Duck Momma

I had some wonderful luck at the Farmers Market yesterday. These beautiful carrots were just begging to come home with me. I thought they would be perfect for Goose. They were bright and beautiful and full of all sorts of good things for growing babies. . . Turns out however I had some important lessons to learn.


First, pace yourself. I got so excited with my find I decided to cook a bunch all at once. I cannot tell you why, it seemed reasonable then. Second, have a plan if you make to much and baby doesn't go for it. Evidently this making your own baby food thing is slightly more difficult than I thought. I think its the texture I need to work on. Maybe then she won't look at me with that offended look and actually consume some. They certainly were very pretty but the flavors just weren't quite right. I added a touch of orange juice to brighten the heavier taste and smooth it out a bit, but that wasn't quite enough.

Lovely Heirloom Carrots from the Farmers Market



A less than impressed Goose. . .

Another lesson learned! Since we have a few servings I think I will try adding some new flavors and try for a silkier texture. Maybe a mix with apples or pears,  I have some fresh sweet potatoes that might be nice too. We are both trying new things, albeit one way more wiling and excited than the other. . . on to the next adventure!

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Our Farmers Market by Duck Momma

Duck Momma's favorite stop at the market, Sweet Street Spices

Goose taking the trip seriously. . . to be fair, she just woke up

Tomato Momma and Pickle stopping for cheese! Mmm

Yesterday was Farmers Market day. We love our Farmers Market, it is really great to support local business, farmers, and artisans. Plus its just a lot of fun. This time of year is sort of the limbo point, its not really any season so the produce is a little more sparse but spring is coming and everything will start popping up!
I love finding fresh local produce, it almost always tastes better and can sometimes save you a bit.

We had some lovely finds though. I visited one of my favorite places on earth, Sweet Street Spices. They have such variety and make it so affordable, which is good thing because I have trouble controlling myself there. This time garlic, majoram, onion powder, cayanne pepper, corriander, and caraway seeds came home with me. I also found some beautiful heriloom carrots (which turned into goodies for Goose and glazed carrots for Momma and Daddy) and leeks!
Tomato Momma found crisp apples and tasty cheeses. Yum!

Even though it was a little empty this time, the sights and smells were delicious and we can't wait for next time!

One of my purchases, Heirloom Carrots. . . More on these to come.  . .

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Squish Squash : Munchkin Food Grinder Review by Duck Momma

When I registered for baby stuff, I imagine I had an experience like many new moms. I registered just about everything. I wanted to make sure we were more than set and I was also subject to "New Mommy Clouded Head Syndrome". The Munchkin Food Grinder is one of the things I fell for. Don't do it! I wanted to make sure I fed my new little one the best and freshest. I still do, (see Kitchen Adventures: Rainbow Series of our blog) But this 'tool' is not the great idea it seems. It is so tempting, it is bright and cute and I am a sucker for that. The whole process of trying to put food into grind is an absolute mess, the design just doesn't work.You are suppose to turn it upside down and then plunge. . . Not good.  The grinding teeth themselves are also not effective, quite dull.  I started with a nice ripe banana. . . should have been super super easy. . . should have been. Just that was a disaster. The little handle crank pops off if its too loose and if its too tight won't turn. And the little mesh fresh food sucker thing. . . soooo messy and really hard to clean. Trust me parents, pass on this one.

Once I started to function on my 'New Mommy High' I realized I had all I needed to make food. Any food processor, blender, or Immersion blender (I love my immersion blender, all the attachments make it super multifunctional by the way)will work. *Sigh* That lesson is learned, so on to the next!

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Kitchen Adventures by Duck Momma

Here at our home on the pond, we eat at home most of the time. And Most of the time little Goose is with me in her little saucer watching me work. I show her what I am blending, mixing, or mashing. She watches things simmer, smells good things baking, and hears all the sounds. Some of my earliest and best memories are with my mom in the kitchen and I want to pass that to my little one.

So what do honey and chili powder have in common. . . well nothing right now but I'm sure she will dream up some lovely recipe for them in the future. I am collecting sturdy and standout items for her little kitchen someday. I used to make woods soup when I was little (and was always offended when no one would try my muddled mixture of bark, berries, leaves, etc.) I moved on to my Easy Bake  which turned out some interesting creations(I rarely used packaged mixes). And God bless my dad, he would bravely taste them and then enthusiastically ask me to make more of whatever it was for him to take to work the next day. I was so thrilled and proud. . . I can't imagine what his poor stomach went through.

The things I learned by experimenting and testing the limits of will with my family, did eventually turn me into the cook and foodie I am today. Its something I am really proud of and I love to share that. So now I look forward to sharing my love for food and all that it entails with Goose. Someday too soon, she will be big enough for her own little kitchen and it will be well stocked with tools for her imagination.

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Forget the Cake: Fast Fudge Frosting by Duck Momma

I'm about to share a family secret with you. Promise not to tell? You may never eat your cake again, all you'll need is this frosting. My mom use to make this for us, the extra frosting left over was the best part!( talk about licking the bowl)
Here is what you will need
• 1 1lb package of powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 c. Cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 c. Boiling water
• 1/3 c. Butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• will power to not eat it all in one sitting

Ok here is what you do:
Combine sugar, cocoa, and salt. Add water and butter. Blend. Add vanilla and mix well. This will frost top and sides of two 8 -9 inch layers. (As long as you don't sample too much of it... )

Enjoy! Your brownies will never be the same!

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Dinner Plans by Duck Momma

Its cold out, and it's so easy to get beat down by the winter blues. Its easy to get beat down by mid week" I don't know what to do for dinner" syndrome too, but hope is in sight!

Assuming you have some of the basics around, this meal comes in at around$8- $10 total (closer to$15 for a family of 3 or 4. ) Tonight we are having thick cut pork chops with a big hearty apple and onion saute, glazed carrots, and spinach with a little bacon!
First the pork chops: finding them in sale is the first key and it does happen so keep your eye out. Second is getting those chops in a brine. I made mine with kosher salt (key ingredient), black pepper, smoked paprika, onions, celery, apples, garlic, and carrots. This is all done the day before, so just chop, dump, fridge, and you're done!

Next lets work on carrots. I just wanted to use up the carrots I had, and they were a little small so my pieces aren't all identical, but the sizes are as similar as I could get.  This would be awesome if you had baby carrots. First chop up your carrots and pop them into water to blanch. You don't even need to peel them, which is really helpful if they are skinny carrots. Season your water with salt and we are just going to blanch. Cook til your desired tenderness, and into a salty ice bath to shock! After they have been schocked you can just rub the outside skin off with a dish towel. So easy and so fast! The carrots can hang out until close to dinner time. When you are ready melt and combile a couple tablespoons of buttter, garlic, about 1/4 or so cup of brown sugar and salt.  A splash of water will help things melt faster and you can cook it out. Toss in carrots and simmer to coat!

Now for those pork chops! They go right from the brine to a nice hot skillet with a touch of butter. Cook around 6 minutes on each side. Don't mess with them while they cook! After the 12 minutes let them rest on a plate while you work on your saucy saute!

Add long cut onins and thin apple slices to the same skillet you cooked your prok chops in. A pat of butter and about 1 cup white wine to deglaze. Let everything cook together and get saucy and wonderful. I added some salt, garlic, and smoked paprika (same seasoning I used on my chops!)
After everything is where you want it add the chops back in to heat through and smother with apples and onions. Yum!
Bacon and spinach are easy. Crisp your bacon and add spinach. I use frozen sppinach I thawed while cooking everything else.
Thats it! You are done! Its time to scoot up to the table and be super proud of yourself! Enjoy!

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Stuck on Honey by Duck Momma

Honey is just one of those things. You know what I'm talking about, that one thing you want to splurge on. You keep coming back to it. Not only is it absolutely delicious but it is totally fascinating. Its unbelievably versatile in its uses. It can range in taste, color, and texture.

I love the sweet simple clover honey. It makes an amazing honey mustard dressing. Just add :
•5 tablespoons of honey ( use your favorite variety)
•3 tablespoons dijon or spicy brown mustard ( I like spicy whole grain)
•2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar ( rice wine vinegar works too)
• whisk until completely combined and enjoy!
So easy! I was so proud! Its naturally fat free, no pesky gum thickeners, and really there is something about making your own dressing that makes salad night feel like such an accomplishment.

Not enough to satisfy your honey fix? Me neither! I discovered the world food section at the store the other day and stumbled on a amazingly dark German forest honey. I promise I'm not exaggerating when I say its perfect. It's intense and very deep flavored. It made me think of all the bees buzzing through a shady cool forest, seriously. I mentioned I'm a told foodie right? Anyway suffice to say it is rich and amazing and totally begs to be used. So I made honey wheat bread. I believe at my limit for using the word amazing but... it was. And again pretty easy. I can't say I will never buy bread again, but I will whip this up again soon. Got a pen? Here are your ingredients :

•2 1/2 cups warm water

•1 packet active yeast

•1/4 cup brown sugar
•1/4 cup honey (I really recommend a nice dark rich honey for this)
• 1 softened stick of butter
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups wheat flour
•1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 4 cups bread or all purpose flour

Got everything? Okay, here's what you do :

Combine all ingredients and knead til dough is smooth, about 7 minutes. Set aside and let it rise to double its size. ( for me this took an hour or so) Punch it down and form into loaves and place in 2 standard bread pans. Preheat your oven to 375° and let it rise to double again. You can do a light egg wash and sprinkle with more oats if you like but its not necessary. Bake until bread is crusty and brown. Every oven is different but it took about 40 minutes for me. Let them cool and enjoy! It is so great with eggs and bacon... or by itself with a pat of butter...

I hope I've created a buzz about honey for you (more puns!) I will have more recipes soon. Until then bee sweet and enjoy!

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Cupcakes and the Best Frosting Ever by Duck Momma

Cupcakes are everywhere these days, totally in food fashion. I have always been a fan, even before they were in style and everywhere. Who doesn't love a little hand held cake?

But alas this story actually begins with the frosting. Its like which came first the chicken or the egg? Well in this case it was the frosting.

You see, my husband hates buttercream. I know, I know. Go ahead and gasp. I personally love it but I'm not baking for just me so buttercream is out, as is the convenient frosting in tub. So what is a girl to do? Well I will skip the long boring part and skip to where we find something amazing.

It starts like whip cream:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2/3 to 1 cup confectioners sugar depending on your desired taste
1 teaspoon (approximately ) vanilla
Whip like crazy. Now here is the brilliant twist. Add 1 packet instant pudding. We started with vanilla and its the current favorite but there are so many options. And therein lies the danger. So many tasty options. Not only does the pudding add great flavor but it acts as a stabilizer. It will stay fluffy and wonderful. And I'm sure you assumed but to be safe I will say, it does need to stay cold.

With frosting like that it just begs for creative touches. So using my favorite cake mix( bread I can bake, but made from scratch cake is way intimidating. I promise I'll try someday. Just not today) I bake a batch of cupcakes. Hollow a crater inside, not all the way through mind you, and fill with homemade strawberry jam. I topped it all with a white chocolate frosting. Yum!

But what about the leftover frosting you ask? Well I toasted and tossed some crushed pecans with butter and mixed it together with that frosting to make little butter pecan parfaits. Yum again!

And so I travel down the sugar fueled pathway of cupcake madness, riding the bandwagon while dreaming up flavor combinations. Butter pecan. Lemon. Caramel filled with chocolate. Lavender (yes lavender ). Bananas foster...

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Confessions of Self Professed Foodie by Duck Momma

I am a self professed foodie. I love to cook. I love to explore different foods, both eating and preparing. Food and cuisine speak volumes about a culture or location and sometimes about a person. I learned so much from my mom, my grandmothers, aunts, and friends. I also never stop perusing FOOD NETWORK or the web. I am always so pleased and proud when a new dish comes together... but not every attempt does.

Failure is rarely funny in the moment but a few days later: low and behold a lesson is learned. For example, I cannot do Indian/ Middle Eastern food. Cinnamon and allspice in meatballs didn't go over so well. (Neither did my interpretation of a curry coconut sauce... ) Lesson: leave that culture alone, they are better at it than me.

Recent lesson number two, Alton Brown (food nerd crush:-) ) is a pro for a reason. Try not to alter recipes if it's brand new territory. Case in point: pork wellington (a healthier more affordable version of beef wellington ) Cresant rolls cannot be substituted for puff pastry. Adding way more filling also does not work. I fully intended to share pictures with you, but I will spare you. Think half cooked loin with gooey dough under a golden crust * pause for dramatic sigh* and we were so hungry too. Lessons learned.

So after a few nights of not so mouth watering eats, its time to lean on some old favorites and sure bets. Tonight, oven roasted rosemary chicken with bacon green beans and polenta. So tasty and the whole meal is less than $10.

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