Black Friday/Cyber Monday Weekend Sale!

To kick off the holiday shopping season, I am offering free worldwide shipping all weekend long in my Etsy shop! Beginning on Friday, November 27 through Monday, November 30, all orders will be shipped for free. Happy Holidays everyone!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you're all enjoying a day with family and friends and great food! We're having a quiet, yet festive (champagne always helps), day of thanks for two.
Cheers,
Nicole

Local meat and cheese from Old Pine Farm CSA

I've been very busy lately visiting some great farms and chefs for Edible WOW. I don't go into too much detail here on the blog, because I want you to support the magazine if you're in the area (if you're not, but are in the U.S., look for the local Edible publication in your area). But at the same time, I do want those of you living in Southeast Michigan to know about the great food sources right at our doorstep. So today I'm going to tell you all about our Old Pine Farm CSA membership.

Beautifully colorful eggs from Old Pine Farm

The boy and I bought a half share in the Old Pine Farm meat CSA. Owner Kris Hirth raises locally grown grass-fed and certified organic grain-fed animals in Manchester. The new season started this month and we picked up our first share on Monday. It included a dozen eggs, a whole chicken, spareribs, fresh pork sausage, ground beef and a round roast. We also had the opportunity to purchase some extras, which we took full advantage. We got a turkey (just in time for Thanksgiving!), fresh rainbow trout fillets and a whole range of incredible local handcrafted artisan cheeses.

Some of the cheeses are from Evergreen Lane Farm, a small-scale organic goat dairy in Fennville, Michigan. We ordered the Fresh Chevre, Fresh Chevre with Garden Herbs (Parsley, Lovage and Chives) and Pyramid Pointe. So far, I've only tried the Chevre with herbs and it is remarkable. So tangy and fresh tasting. I can't wait to try the rest.

We also got cream cheese and feta from Greystone Farm and Creamery, a sheep dairy in Chelsea. I had the cream cheese this morning and I can't get over the rich flavor. I will definitely be ordering more cheese in the future.

The fresh rainbow trout was from Indianbrook Farm in Jackson and we had it for dinner Monday night. So fresh and tasty with a bit of sweet tang from white wine vinegar:

Tuscan Grilled Trout
Adapted from Food and Wine
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, cut into thin slices
• 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
• 8 trout fillets (about 2 pounds in all)

Light the grill or heat the broiler. In a small stainless-steel saucepan, combine the oil, garlic, sage, and rosemary. Cook over moderately low heat until the garlic just starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and immediately stir in the vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and the pepper.

Put the trout fillets in a medium glass dish or stainless-steel pan. Sprinkle the fish with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Add half of the oil-and-vinegar mixture and turn to coat. Grill or broil the fish skin-side down for 2 minutes. Turn and cook until just done, about 2 minutes longer for 1/4-inch-thick fillets. To serve,whisk the remaining oil-and-vinegar mixture and pour it over the hot fish.

Note: I cut the recipe in half and it worked beautifully.

Stay tuned for more recipes with our CSA gems. I feel so lucky — and thankful — that we have this resource so near by. Do you think smearing the turkey all over with goat cheese is too much?!?!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Let the DIY HOLIDAY Season Begin: Especially in Detroit & Chicago!

Cheery new gift tags now available in the shop.

I have never been one to break into the holiday cheer business until well after Thanksgiving — it usually hits me about a week or so before Christmas and then I scurry around like a madwoman. But this year, being so much more involved with the online world of making stuff and with craft shows and all, I have been fully caught up in the business of holiday cheer since the very beginning of November.

This is where the world of online shopping is blessed: no dang Christmas music even if you do start your shopping early — the best! It's easy to get so caught up in it all that you think you are behind. I have to keep reminding myself, that, no, I'm actually ahead of the curve; it really is still a week before Thanksgiving. AND, I am so pleased to admit that I LOVE it. I love the whole kit and kaboodle of dwelling on gingerbread and candy canes, holly and ornaments way too early. So, as I said in the title of this post, "Let the Holiday Season Begin!!" Bring on the snow! And better still, bring on the shopping! I have two holiday oriented shows coming up right around the corner — come on out and be merry!

The first is this Saturday, November 21 in Detroit. It is the utterly fantastic Detroit Urban Craft Fair at the Majestic Theater from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. I was new to the area last year and went as a shopper to this fair and it blew me away. An amazing roster of vendors, delicious food — and beer, what more could a giddy holiday shopper want?!?! So come on down this year and see what it's all about! More details and directions here: www.detroiturbancraftfair.com.

The second show is the Renegade Craft Fair Holiday Sale in Chicago, December 5 and 6. It's from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days at the Pulaski Park Fieldhouse. To me, this is the mother of all craft fairs. Hundreds of tremendously talented vendors from near and far with such a wide variety of handmade items to share. I'll be sharing a table with the lovely, talented Michelle of Elevated Press who makes beautiful letter-pressed stationary.

Hope you are starting to feel the cheer, too!

From the kitchen: Shrimp and Andouille Pot Pie

Perfect end to a crisp fall day: Shrimp and Andouille Pot Pie with puff pastry crust. I've never cooked with Andouille before and liked the bit of spice it adds. (I suppose I could have added it to my "Now I can Say I've Tried it" series!) The recipe is designed to make four mini pot pies, but I threw it all together in one dish. If you do this, cut the dough larger than the dish — I didn't and it gets quite a bit smaller when cooked, so I had big gaps around the edge of the dish. Delicious nonetheless! I'd estimate about one inch larger all around. I used some homemade shrimp stock I had in the freezer, but I'm sure you could even get away with chicken or vegetable stock instead of the seafood stock or clam juice.

Shrimp and Andouille Pot Pie
Adapted from Bob Appetit, March 2009/epicurious.com

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 1/2 cups sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; from 3 large)
• 1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into scant 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 1.5-ounce package concentrated classic seafood stock (such as Glace de Fruits de Mer Gold) mixed with 2 cups water; or 2 cups bottled clam juice
  
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 8-ounce red-skinned potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 pounds deveined peeled uncooked jumbo shrimp, cut into 1-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll out pastry on floured surface to 12-inch square. Cut out four 5 1/2-inch rounds. Place on parchment-lined baking sheet; bake until golden, about 15 minutes. Cool on sheet. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap airtight and store at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk cream and flour in small bowl. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add leeks and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add andouille and garlic and sauté 4 minutes. Add vermouth; simmer until liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add seafood stock mixture and thyme. Bring to simmer. Add potato and cook uncovered until tender, about 10 minutes.

Add cream mixture to skillet; stir. Simmer until sauce thickens and boils, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat. Add shrimp; simmer until just opaque in center, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide hot filling among four 1 1/4-cup baking dishes. Top each with pastry round. Bake until filling bubbles, about 5 minutes.

Yum! I'm hoping to try a slow cooker recipe or two this week… stay tuned!!

Quick update: Grand Rapids and new prints

I've just come from doing battle with scale on my rosemary plant — boooo! We brought a bunch of the herbs inside for the winter and very quickly both aphids and scale emerged. Of course, I didn't notice until it reached infestation proportions. So I spent way too much time this morning swabbing every surface of the rosemary with rubbing alcohol. Argh. Not an easy task. And now I feel like I'm crawling with scales.

Anyway… back from Grand Rapids. Lots of fun! I loved exploring Wealthy Street — it has so many great little places to explore and feels very urban. I also had a chance to run out to Grand Haven (above photo) and see a piece of Lake Michigan — gorgeous! It really is like looking out at the ocean, though without the saltiness in the air and on your lips. The show there was lots of fun, too, and I had some request for more colors for my Wellington boot, so here they are… my favorite is the polka dots. All to be added to the shop soon, soon!

Now I Can Say I've Tried It: Pea Shoots

Fresh pea shoots! These were sitting right next to the Jerusalem artichokes that started this whole "let's try something new" thing last week. Having never tried them, into my shopping basket they went. Tender and organically grown by the local Gardenworks farm, these greens are remarkable. Perfect in a salad, they are sweet and delicate. So tasty.


Here's my loosy-goosey recipe:

Pea Shoot Salad
Handful of pea shoots
Handful of mixed greens
Chickpeas
Cucumber, peeled and chopped
Scallions, sliced

For the dressing, whisk together:
Juice of 1/2 lime or lemon
1 Tb honey
1/2-1 tsp sesame oil
Splash of olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Some toasted sesame seeds on top would be excellent, not to mention pretty. But the taste of the pea shoots are center stage and brilliant!

From the kitchen: Browned Butter Apple Muffins

After the rave reviews for the Joy the Baker Browned Butter Blueberry Muffins from this summer, I've been getting requests for more muffins. I thought Apple Muffins would be great for fall, so I combined the browned butter recipe with one from Cully's Kitchen. Delish!

Apple Muffins
Makes 16 muffins.

1 1/4 c. flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 c. buttermilk (Or substitute 1 tsp vinegar plus milk to make one cup. Let stand for 5 minutes.)
1/2 c. butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
2 c. peeled, cored and diced apples

For the topping:
3 Tb. cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3 1/2 Tb. brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375º. Fill muffin pan with liners.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Keep an eye on the butter. Melt and cook down the butter until little brown bits appear in the pan. The crackling will subside and butter will begin to brown fairly quickly after that. Keep a close eye. Remove from heat.

Whisk together egg, buttermilk, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in sugar.
Mix together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and apples. Add to wet ingredients and stir just until combined.

Spoon into muffin cups-about ¾ full. {If you end up with more than one pan's worth of muffins, fill halfway any empty openings with water so that everything cooks evenly.}

Combine topping ingredients with fingertips and sprinkle generously onto each muffin. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until firm to the touch.

Happy Halloween! Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

OK, are roasted pumpkin seeds really worth writing a blog post about? Such a simple thing. And yet… every single time I make them, I am wowed by how good they are. Somehow I forget, and then I taste one hot from the oven. I taste them and think, goodness these things are awesome. Plus, it's fall. They're essential. So here it is. A post for the humble roasted pumpkin seed. On Halloween no less.

I bought a pie pumpkin thinking I would be good and roast it up for a pumpkin pie or muffins rather than use good old Libby's canned. But after just a couple of days decorating the table, I noticed that it had already started to rot and realized it had to be roasted immediately. I sliced it open, but found that it had just too many areas of full-on mold. So I salvaged the seeds to roast on their own.

Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Preheat the oven to 325º. Rinse the seeds under cold water immediately after scooping them out so that the fibers don't have time to dry out and permanently attach themselves. Remove as much of the fibers and strings as possible and shake them out to dry them. (I don't recommend using a paper towel to blot them. Every single one will stick to said paper towel. Damn. I learned that the hard way. Scatter them on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and spread into even layer. Roast until browned and crisp, about 25 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container — or scarf them down while still warm from the oven!!

Shop Update: Stanley Thermos

It's been quite some time since I've had a new print in the shop, but here you go: Stanley Thermos for your warm, toasty beverage of choice. (Mine being coffee, of course!) It's a new piece for what I think of as my "Favorite Things" series. A nice compliment to the French Press, also part of the series, since the two are part of my morning coffee rituals. I've also almost completed updating my inventory with the gift tags and variety of sizes of each print I now offer — almost! I hope to be on a roll with some more new pieces soon.

Beneath the Wreath

The holiday season is coming on all too quickly and the first of several shows I'll be participating in is less than two weeks. Beneath the Wreath is hosted by the Junior League of Grand Rapids and runs from November 6 to 8. It is a juried show that raises money for local charities. I'm excited to be a part of it and can't wait to do some shopping while there.

First Born by Richard Lamson

I am particularly looking forward to seeing the work of Richard Lamson of Birdville Art. I love what I've seen of his sculptures online. They are colorful, playful and fun. I can't wait to see them in person!

Bob Bear Canoe by Linda Chamberlain

I'm also interested in seeing the paintings of Linda Chamberlain. I have a special thing for bears and this image just charms the heck out of me.

For the complete list of vendors, check out the Junior League of Grand Rapids web site.

Now I Can Say I've Tried It: Jerusalem Artichokes

As mentioned yesterday, I've been trying out some new ingredients in the kitchen and will be telling you about them as I go. Today: Jerusalem Artichokes, or the sunchoke.

1. Purchase unusual ingredient.
I didn't even know what Jerusalem artichokes looked like. But I saw a sign for them at the store saying they were from a local farm and felt compelled to try them after hearing about them for years. The sign was surrounded by a variety of vegetables and I wasn't sure which item it referred to. By process of elimination, I picked up two small knobs that looked like a cross between ginger and a potato. When I went to check out, the clerk asked me what they were. I had to laugh and say that I thought they were Jerusalem artichokes but wasn't really sure. The man behind me in line confirmed for us that they were indeed. Whew.

2. Prepare unusual ingredient.
After a little internet research, I found that some people peel them, others don't bother. Having just two little sunchokes to work with, I peeled one and left the other with skin. There was general agreement that simple roasting is a fine way to enjoy the flavor for a newbie. So, I preheated the oven to 375º, chopped them into bite-sized pieces, coated with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted away. I waited until they got nice and browned — ten minutes or so.

3. Taste unusual ingredient.
I tasted my lovely roasted Jerusalem artichokes and came to this conclusion: Tasty? Yes. Mild but distinct flavor. Good texture. I preferred those with the skin to without. It gave them an earthier, stronger flavor. Would I go out of my way to hunt these babies down? No, not really. Given the fanaticism with which I've heard people talk about them, I guess I expected them to rock my world. I think they would be a great addition to stews or pot pie. Maybe mixed together with some potatoes for mashing.

Hey, that's just my two cents. At least now I can say I've tried a Jerusalem artichoke. Aha! The title of a new regular feature here on SGF!

More comfort food: Beer-Braised Chicken Stew

As you might have guessed from this blog, I am not an unadventurous eater. When it comes to cooking at home though, I tend to pick recipes that are new to me but that have familiar ingredients. Maybe it's because these are the recipes I can imagine the flavor of when reading them. Whatever the reason, while at the store yesterday I got the urge to pick up some ingredients I've never tried. I'll be sharing my experiments with you over the course of the week.

In the meantime, today's recipe. It starts with an ingredient I certainly know and love, beer, but the predominant spice is one I have never used before: anise. I knew it had a licorice flavor, but didn't know how it would play out with the rest of the mix. I was really happy with the end result and it certainly has a blend of flavors that were fresh and delicious to me. It's a surprisingly delicate spice blend that really doesn't taste like licorice by the time the anise has melded with everything else. I think next time I might kick up the cayenne.


Beer-Braised Chicken Stew with Fava Beans and Peas
Adapted from Food & Wine, May 2006
2 tablespoons anise seeds
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon loosely packed saffron threads
2 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure olive oil
8 skinless chicken thighs
Salt
1 cup shelled fava beans
1/2 cup fresh peas, preferably English peas
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound button mushrooms, halved
8 scallions, thinly sliced
2 thyme sprigs
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
One 12-ounce bottle Belgian beer
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. In a small skillet, toast the anise seeds over moderate heat, shaking the skillet, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let the anise seeds cool slightly, then crush with the side of a knife.
2. In a mini food processor, combine the toasted anise seeds with the chopped garlic, saffron, paprika and cayenne. Add the lemon juice and puree. Transfer the mixture to a large, shallow bowl and stir in 1/2 cup of the olive oil. Add the chicken thighs and turn to coat with the marinade. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add salt and the fava beans and cook for 1 minute; using a slotted spoon, transfer the fava beans to a small bowl and let cool slightly. Add the peas to the boiling water and cook until tender, 5 to 6 minutes; drain. Peel the fava beans and add to the peas.
4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large enameled cast-iron casserole. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade, scraping off the excess. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper and cook over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken thighs to a platter.
5. Wipe out the casserole, add the butter and heat until melted. Add the halved mushrooms, sliced scallions and thyme and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until any liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are browned, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the beer and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the casserole.
6. Return the chicken thighs to the casserole and season with salt and black pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 25 minutes. Add the cream, fava beans and peas, increase the heat to moderate and cook uncovered until the sauce has reduced slightly, about 5 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs. Serve the chicken stew in shallow soup bowls, sprinkled with the parsley.

Notes:
1. I couldn't find frozen favas anywhere, so I substituted soybeans/shelled edamame and really liked the mix. I used frozen peas as well. You could really use just about any vegetable you'd like though: carrots, green beans, corn might be nice (Hmm, why didn't I think of that one sooner?). You get the idea.
2. I used boneless skinless things and threw in a couple extra just 'cuz I had 'em.
3. I used Grolsch becasue that's what we had, but something more caramely or nutty would be great.
3. Obviously saffron is very expensive, and I cringed at using it in the marinade since it gets scraped off before cooking. I did though and while it was beautiful, I think it's certainly optional.

I'm sure this could be served on its own, but I went whole hog and served it on top of orzo — a really good combo. I definitely plan to make this again and try some experimenting. And for those of you have never tried fava beans, I love them and urge you to seek them out. Since they are likely out of season where you are now, frozen is a decent substitute. Let me know how it goes!

Comfort food at its best: Macaroni and Cheese

For years I've had my mother's macaroni and cheese recipe. The incredibly mild creaminess with crispy, buttery bread crumbs in every bite are still vivid in my mind and yet — I suppose because I was often cooking for one — I hadn't made it for myself until recently. Well let me tell you, now that I have, it has become a regular feature on our table and I realize that it's a really easy recipe to boot. Here it is with a little ham added for extra comfort:

Mom's Mac 'n' Cheese
Serves 4 to 6
2 Tb butter
3 Tb flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
2 1/2 c. milk
2 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz.)
2 thick slices ham, cut into cubes
8 oz. macaroni
1/4 c. buttered bread crumbs

In saucepan, melt butter. Remove from heat and blend in flour, salt and mustard.
Add milk, return to low-medium heat, stirring constantly until sauce thickens a little and is smooth. Add 1 1/2 c. cheese; heat until melted, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed, drain. Combine with sauce and ham in a 2-quart casserole. Top with remaining cheese, bread crumbs and paprika. Bake at 375º for approximately 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned and bubbly.

Pure comfort!

A walk through the neighborhood: Autumn flowers

I've been trying to fit in as many walks in our neighborhood before the weather turns and thought I'd share with you a few photos. My focus, as usual, has been the flowers, though I'm sure in the coming week it will turn to pumpkin displays. I hope you enjoy these pictures as much as I enjoy my walks.

Last of the Cosmos

Japanese maple

Trumpet flower

Delphinium

From the kitchen: homemade tortillas

There's nothing that compares to a homemade tortilla. I spent a wonderful evening with a friend a while back learning to make authentic Mexican-style tortillas flecked with fragrant fresh oregano. But every time I try that recipe on my own, it's been a big flop. So here's an foolproof Texas-style recipe:

Texas Flour Tortillas
Makes eight tortillas
• 2 c of all-purpose flour (can make them whole wheat by substituting one cup of whole-wheat flour for white flour)
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 3/4 c warm milk

1. Mix together flour, baking powder, salt and oil. Slowly add the warm milk. Stir until a loose, sticky ball is formed.
2. Knead for two minutes on a floured surface. Dough should be firm and soft. Place in bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap for 20 minutes.
3. After the dough has rested, break off eight sections, roll them into balls in your hands, place on a plate (make sure they aren’t touching) and then cover with damp cloth or plastic wrap for 10 minutes. (It’s very important to let the dough rest, otherwise it will be like elastic and won’t roll out to a proper thickness and shape.)
4. After dough has rested, one at a time place a dough ball on a floured surface, pat it out into a four-inch circle, and then roll with a rolling pin from the center until it’s thin and about eight inches in diameter. Don’t over work the dough, or it’ll be stiff. Keep rolled-out tortillas covered until ready to cook.

Dough should be rolled out quite thin.

5. In a dry iron skillet heated on high, cook the tortilla about thirty seconds on each side. It should start to puff a bit when it’s done.

They get nice and spotted in the pan.

6. Keep cooked tortillas covered wrapped in a napkin until ready to eat. Can be reheated in a dry iron skillet, over your gas-burner flame or in the oven wrapped in foil. You can store in the fridge tightly wrapped in foil or plastic for a day or so.

Yummiest taco night ever!

Win a free "Balloon Animals" print from Sloe Gin Fizz and Spearmint Baby

Lucky you! I've teamed up with the charming Spearmint Baby blog for a contest to win one lovely "Balloon Animals" print to spruce up that nursery or blank wall just crying out for attention. There are three easy ways to enter and the deadline is midnight, Wednesday, October 14th, so don't delay! ENTER HERE NOW!

Thanks to the ever-hard-working Brittni over at papernstitch for organizing this extravaganza!

Hearty dinner salad

We eat a lot of salads around here — they're quick and easy, and there's usually something in the house to throw in there. To celebrate the change in weather, I decided to mix it up a bit and go for a fall-inspired salad. I combined a couple of different recipes to get this tasty treat:

Hearty Potato, Chicken and Beet Salad

For dressing
• 2 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 Tb plus 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp sugar
• 6 Tb olive oil
• 2-3 Tb minced dill
• 1 1/2 tsp caraway seeds crushed in mortar & pestle

For salad
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 3-4 cups chicken broth
• 3 medium beets, stems trimmed to 2 inches
• 1 lb. small red potatoes
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Dash of salt

• 4 oz. baby spinach
• 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, quartered and sliced
• 1 scallion, sliced

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.
Wrap beets individually in foil and roast on a baking sheet in upper third of oven until tender, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Once beets have roasted for 30 minutes, toss potatoes with oil and salt in a small baking pan and roast in lower third of oven, shaking pan occasionally, until potatoes are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully unwrap beets and cool slightly, then slip off and discard skins.

Meanwhile, bring chicken broth to boil in medium saucepan. Add chicken breast, reduce heat and simmer until chicken cooked through, 18-20 minutes. Remove and let cool. Shred with two forks.

Make the dressing:
Mix together white wine vinegar, dijon mustard and sugar. Whisk in olive oil in steady stream and then add dill and caraway seeds.

Assemble salad:
Cut beets into 1/3-inch dice and put in a large salad bowl. Cut potatoes into 1/3-inch-thick slices and add to beets along with chicken. Add enough vinaigrette to coat evenly. In a separate bowl, combine the spinach, cucumber and scallions and toss with remaining vinaigrette. Serve greens topped with potato, chicken and beet combo.

Autumn's best dinner: Chicken Pot Pie

After we had our first frost on September 30, the boy started whispering dreamily about chicken pot pie and he didn't have to ask twice. We scarfed down a few generous helpings of this cold-weather classic last weekend… I'm not gonna lie: it is time-consuming. But, if you make a full recipe and put half away for the freezer (see notes), it's all worth it knowing you have this socked away for another blustery day!

Chicken and Fall Vegetable Pot Pie
Adapted from epicurious.com/Bob Appetit Oct 1999
Serves 8.

• 4 pounds chicken breasts with skin and bones
• 4 to 6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth

• 3 large carrots, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 large bunch spinach or bunch of green beans

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
• 3 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only), sliced
• 2 large shallots, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• (Herb crust recipe follow)
  

Butter 4-quart oval baking dish. Place chicken breasts in heavy large pot. Add just enough broth to cover chicken. Bring broth to boil; reduce heat to low. Cover pot and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, skimming surface occasionally, about 20 minutes. Using tongs, transfer chicken to plate and cool.

Add carrots and potatoes to chicken broth in pot. Simmer uncovered until vegetables are just tender, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to prepared baking dish. Add greens/beans to broth and cook just until wilted, about 1 minute. Using slotted spoon, transfer greens to colander; drain well. Add to vegetables in baking dish.

Strain broth; reserve 4 cups. Remove skin and bones from chicken. Cut meat into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces. Add chicken to vegetables in baking dish.

Melt butter in same pot over medium heat. Add leeks, shallots and thyme. Sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Stir in 4 cups broth and white wine. Increase heat to high and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Add cream and boil until sauce thickens enough to coat spoon, whisking frequently, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour gravy over mixture in dish. Stir to blend. Cool 45 minutes. (Filling can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Position 1 rack in top third of oven and place baking sheet on bottom rack in oven; preheat to 400deg;F. Roll out crust dough on parchment paper to 15x10 1/2-inch rectangle. Using paper as aid, turn dough over onto filling. Trim dough overhang; tuck dough edge inside dish. Roll out dough scraps to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out leaf shapes. Brush bottom of cutouts with water and place on crust; cut slits in crust to allow steam to escape.

Place pot pie on top rack and bake until crust is golden and gravy is bubbling, about 50 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Filling before crust is put on

Herb Crust

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 6 1/2 tablespoons (about) ice water

Blend first 5 ingredients in processor until herbs are very finely chopped. Add butter and shortening. Blend until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Using fork, mix enough ice water into flour mixture to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball; flatten into rectangle. Cover and chill 30 minutes. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly before rolling out.)

Notes:
• This recipe really does take quite a bit of time, but is well worth it, especially if you…
• I make the full recipe and use a 1 1/2 - 2 quart casserole, fill with half ingredients and cover with half of crust recipe. The remainder goes in the freezer for later.
• I had bones left over from a roasted chicken earlier in the week. I simmered them with boneless chicken breasts
• Cooling the filling keeps the crust from getting gooey. (My mom called while I was waiting for things to cool and she explained why this is necessary — thanks, Mom!)
• Original recipe calls for turnips and turnip greens. I'm not a huge fan, but feel free to try it.

Enjoy!

A whale of an update…

Well, not really, but I wnated to work the whale into the post title… Hello people! This was my submission for the Shadow Art Fair poster design contest. I'd been wanting to do a design with a whale for a while and this is what happened. If you're not familiar, Shadow Art is a local crafty fair day held in Ypsi at the Corner Brewery. I haven't ever been to it, but have heard terrific things. I'm hoping to be a vendor at the holiday one in December.

In other news: I found out last week that I will be a vendor at the staggeringly awesome Detroit Urban Craft Fair at the Majestic Theater on November 21. Much to do before then! I'm working on a 2010 calendar as well as new holiday items, so stay tuned for shop and blog updates… I'm hoping to be a more frequent visitor to the blog in the coming days!

AND, in sad, sad news, I just heard that Gourmet magazine is shutting its doors. I'm a big fan and was shocked to hear it. Boo. Waiting to hear what will happen at gourmet.com and Ruth Reichl's next move…

Fall soups and harvest

With the weather turning cooler and the leaves starting to change, I've been happy to have on hand a number of soups tucked away in the freezer from spring. It's so nice to be able to warm up a quick bowl of soup for lunch — particularly when you are fighting off a cold from all the wacky weather shifts. I've shared a couple of the recipes with you already, like this one for cauliflower soup. But surprisingly, I haven't posted one of my favorites — the Witches' Brew Soup from Southern Living circa 2001. It was one of the first soups I cooked that made it into my regular rotation.

Witches' Brew Soup
Adapted from Southern Living, October 2001

• 1 tablespoon butter
  
• 4 skinned and boned chicken breast halves, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 (14-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 3 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed, drained, and divided
• 1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Toppings: shredded Cheddar cheese, sour cream, sliced green onions, cooked and crumbled bacon

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add chicken and next 3 ingredients, and saute 10 minutes. Stir in broth and next 3 ingredients.

Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 20 minutes. Stir in 2 cans of beans and chiles.

Mash remaining can of beans in a small bowl. Whisk together flour and milk, and stir into beans. Gradually add bean mixture to soup mixture, stirring constantly. Cook 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat, and stir in cilantro. Serve with desired toppings.

In garden balcony news, we harvested our little corns this past weekend. Here is the boy cradling two of our youngins like a proud new papa. Unfortunately, they weren't youngins enough. I think we picked them about three weeks too late. We had two baskets growing and decided to sample one ear from each to compare since the plants in each had progressed quite differently. Well, we each took a bite of our respective samples, quickly spat them out and passed on sampling the second ear. Pure starch and really hard. They looked so much like real, yummy corns that we let them keep growing hoping they would reach a fuller size. Ah well, it just goes to show that size doesn't matter. The experiment continues and notes have been taken.

I also decided to pull out all the carrots. After months and months, here they are. True baby carrots. Again, note taken. Common sense: it is difficult to grow a good-sized root vegetable in a shallow box.

Hope you all are enjoying the crisp air. It's making me want to bake and knit, so stay tuned for more updates!