Fathers Day 2013

The Delicious Fritata 

   Of Course today is a very very special day to celebrate our Dads. For our celebration of our Father, we made a Bacon Frittata. A Frittata is an egg dish that can be made with meat or it can be a vegatarian dish. You can also add a variety of different herbs to the Frittata to produce some very wonderful bites. On the side of the Frittata we had a fruit plate consisting of red grapes and strawberries. Also on the side we had a plate of different kinds of pastries from Lucia's bakery in Uptown, Minneapolis. This meal was really good. To cap it off my dad, brother, and I had a glass of orange juice. 
     The recipe for the Frittata is further on in this post. We made a couple of modifications to the recipe. One was that we did not incorporate the potatoes and second was we used Gouda cheese in place Provolone. One thing that I love to do for my Dad, to show him how much I love him, is to cook a special meal for him. 

                     Bacon and Potato Frittata

yield: Makes 4 servings

active time: 35 minutes

total time: 35 minutes

8 large eggs

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil, parsley, or tarragon
• 3 tablespoons grated parmesan
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 slices bacon, chopped
• 1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 small onion, or more to taste, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, or more to taste, chopped
• 2 to 3 cups spinach or arugula, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted peppers, or to taste
• 3 ounces sliced Provolone (5 to 6 slices), optional

• Special equipment: 10-inch heavy ovenproof skillet, preferably nonstick or cast-iron; heat-proof rubber spatula

print a shopping list for this recipe

preparation

Preheat broiler.

Whisk together eggs, basil, parmesan, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl.

Cook bacon in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until crisp. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a large bowl then pour off all but 2 tablespoons fat.

Add potatoes and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper to skillet, and sauté over medium-high heat until golden, about 3 minutes. Cover skillet and continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring a few times, until potatoes are just tender, about 3 minutes more. Transfer the potatoes with a slotted spoon to bowl containing the bacon.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet and sauté onion and garlic over medium-high heat until pale golden, about 4 minutes, then add spinach and sauté until just wilted.

Gently add the potatoes and bacon, the roasted peppers, and remaining tablespoon oil into onion mixture, spreading it evenly.

Pour egg mixture evenly over vegetables and cook over medium-high heat, lifting up cooked egg around edges with a heat-proof rubber spatula to let uncooked egg flow underneath, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until it appears mostly set, with a moist top and center, 3 to 5 minutes more.

Remove lid. If using Provolone, broil frittata 5 to 7 inches from heat until set, but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes, then top with an even layer of cheese and continue to broil until browned and bubbling, 1 to 3 minutes (watch carefully).

If skipping the cheese, broil frittata until the top is lightly browned, 1 to 3 minutes (making sure it doesn't burn).

If using a nonstick skillet, slide the frittata onto a serving plate. If using a cast-iron skillet, cut and serve wedges directly from the skillet.

Spring 2013

           I am so sorry that I haven't been posting  on my blog that much lately. School just ended and I have been trying to get into the summer life mood. During school I was really busy which prevented me from posting on my blog. Thank you for your patience and still wanting to follow my blog. I really appreciate it.
          The State of Minnesota has had a very wet spring. Almost every day we have had at least a small sprinkle of rain or a slight shower. The ground in Minnesota is very wet. Many people and farmers have been effected by this very wet spring. Our CSA farmer has his season delayed about 5 weeks because the ground is so wet. All of the rain has been flooding his land. Most of the vegetables he his growing today are in the green house or in a plant tunnel. The rain has helped our own family's prairie garden start to grow and get full. The good thing is that last year at this time we were in a very severe drought. Tons of rain is better than being in a severe drought for half of the summer. With the drought almost all 10,000 lakes that are in Minnesota were reaching record low water levels. The rain has helped replenish those lakes to where they are as full as can be.
          This summer I am hoping to post more frequently on my blog. I want to post more about the meals our family makes and good healthy summer recipes that you can try. I want to post more grilling recipes - focusing on a variety of meat options. I have become a really good griller. A lot of times people will ask me "What is your favorite meat to grill"? I like to grill a variety of meat. I like to use a different rub or marinade depending on what type of meat I am grilling

. I have even considered entering different grilling contests. If I  do you will definitely see a post on my blog about the contest and my experience.
           

First time Grilling a meal 2013

Recently we had some friends over for dinner on a brisk spring night. We had the idea that maybe since spring had just come we could take our grill out of it's hibernation spot (the garage) and fire it up for the first time in 2013.

We went to our good old friends at Clancey's Meat and Fish market to help us pick something out for this very exciting night. In the end we came home with 3 very beautiful  looking Ribeye's. My dad treated these cuts of steak with a Rosemary, Olive Oil, and Garlic rub. This rub is the one that you can use on any type of meat that you want to grill. The rub brings out an incredible flavor in the meat.

With the meal my mom made this wonderful Parmesan Bread Pudding. It was full of wonderful tastes that combined great with the Ribeye Steak. With the Parmesan Bread Pudding we served  a Caprese Salad which made it feel like Spring outside even though it was 35 degrees and overcast. A Caprese Salad if you don't already know (I would be very surprised if you don't know) is Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella, Salt and Pepper to Taste, and a drizzle of Balsamic and Olive Oil . Further on in the post you will see the recipe for the Parmesan Bread Pudding and the Caprese Salad.

It was nice to finally take the grill out again. Here in Minnesota the word Spring and what we think of it has not hit us yet. We have half an inch of snow on the ground. When we were grilling all we had were brown gardens and black snow surrounding us. People living here in Minnesota are not the only ones that feel the pain. Up north near Lake Superior they get the treat of April Gales and snow blizzards. A Gale is a marine term for a vicious storm.

I am really getting excited to be posting more on my blog. It has been really hard for me to keep up with posting this year  since I have started my first year of Junior High. Once school ends I am hoping to post something every week since I will have the time during the summer.

The Caprese Salad

The Bread Pudding

yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings

active time: 15 minutes

total time: 1 hour

Parmesan Bread Pudding with Broccoli Rabe and Pancetta
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 medium bunch broccoli rabe (rapini), trimmed, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper plus more
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 pound country-style white bread, cut into 1" pieces (about 8 cups)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan
6 thin slices pancetta (Italian bacon)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes. Stir until garlic is softened, about 30 seconds. Add broccoli rabe; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing, until wilted, about 2 minutes; let cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs, milk, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl to blend. Add broccoli rabe mixture, bread, and 1/2 cup Parmesan; toss to combine. Transfer to a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Top with pancetta and remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan.

Bake pudding until puffed, browned in spots, and set in the center, 45-55 minutes.
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Stacked Caprese Salad

• Serves 4
• Prep time: 10 minutes

• 2 large balls fresh mozzarella
• Salt and pepper
• 2 large tomatoes, such as red brandywine
• 12 leaves fresh basil
• Olive oil, for drizzling

1. Evenly cut each tomato and mozzarella ball into six thick slices. Lightly salt one slice of mozzarella, and stack a tomato slice on top. Lightly salt it, then stack a basil leaf on top of that. Continue stacking until you have used 3 slices each of mozzarella and tomato and 3 basil leaves. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make four stacks.

Blood Orange Upside-Down Cake

A close up of the Cake

The cake with the dressed table

Recently my parents hosted their monthly neighborhood supper club. It was a cold  Saturday in February and while I was skating on Lake of the Isles, my parents were cooking up a storm. Part of that efforts included my dad's famous pork roast. My mom decided to make something new - which was a Blood Orange Upside-Down Cake. I tried it and it was mouth watering. What made this cake a hint better was a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It was a perfect winter dessert The blood oranges makes the cake have a tropical taste, which is a treat to have during a cold Minnesota winter. She found the recipe
as she discovered a  blog she had not read before. It is called The Bojon Gourmet. You should check it out and tell me what you think. I really like how she lays out the steps of her recipes in her amazing photographs. I am so excited to make more recipe's from this women's food blog.
In the winter time if you are missing the red hot summer sun, one idea is to just make this cake because when it is all done the top looks like that red hot summer sun.

The link to the blog is: http://www.bojongourmet.com
This link will bring you to the main page of the
blog

To see even more beautiful pictures of the cake
visit this link: http://www.bojongourmet.com/2012/02/blood-orange-upside-down-cake.html

Makes one 9" cake, 8-10 servings

The topping:
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, in a few pieces
1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) soft light-brown sugar
1 1/2 pounds blood oranges (about 5 medium)

The cake:
4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2/3 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated zest from 1-2 blood oranges or tangerines.
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger root (from 3/4 ounce ginger, peeled)

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (3 ounces) crème fraîche
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) blood orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the topping:
Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat to 350º.

As the oven preheats, place the butter in a 9" round cake pan and put it in the oven to melt. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the butter and return the pan to the oven for about 5 minutes until the sugar is moistened and distributed evenly over the bottom of the pan.

Meanwhile, use a sharp paring knife to slice the top and bottom from the blood oranges. Place a cut-side down, and, following the curve of the orange, cut away the peel and white pith. Cut the orange cross-wise into 3/8" rounds. Repeat with the remaining oranges. Reserve any juices to use in the cake (I like to squeeze the butts and peels to get every last bit of juice).

Lay the orange rounds over the buttery sugar in the pan in a single layer using the fattest pieces and starting with the outer ring, and filling in the center with the smaller pieces. Set aside while you make the cake batter.

Make the cake batter:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar, zest and ginger until fluffy and lightened in color, about 5 minutes on medium speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.

In a measuring cup, stir together the crème fraîche, blood orange juice and vanilla extract.

With the mixer on low, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, let stir to incorporate, then scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add half of the crème fraîche mixture, let incorporate, then scrape. Repeat, adding another 1/3 of the dries, half of the crème fraîche, and the rest of the dries. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold the batter with a rubber spatula to make sure the batter is completely homogeneous.

Dollop the batter over the orange slices, which may have released some juices and that's a-ok, and spread it evenly.

Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-45 minutes. Let the cake cool for 10 minutes. (If the cake cools too much, the orange goo may stick the pan; no worries, just return the cake to a hot oven for 5 minutes or so to re-melt it.)

Loosen the edges of the cake with a thin knife or offset spatula, invert a large plate over the top of the cake. Wearing oven mitts, grasp the cake and plate together and bravely flip them both over. Rap the plate on the counter a few times to dislodge, then remove the cake pan. Let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour – the cake is still baking from residual heat, so try to resist cutting into it too soon.

For the cleanest slices, use a serrated bread knife to gently saw through the orange slices, which can be a bit messy. Serve slices with extra crème fraîche, or crème anglaise (see headnote).

The cake is best served shortly after cooling, but will keep for up to 3 days at room temperature.

Homemade Bolognese Pasta

The very delicious Bolognese

My uncle stirring the Bolognese

My Uncle enjoying his time while cooking the Bolognese

Recently my uncle was in town from New Jersey. In fact the weekend he was here was the weekend when I had an overnight hockey tournament in Northern Minnesota. We didn't get to see him that much. On the last night he was here he made a very delicious dinner. He made a Pasta Bolognese with a side of sauteed Kale and some garlic bread.  I have had two kinds of Bolognese in my life. One kind was at one of my favorite restaurants in Duluth named Belisio's. My Uncle Peter's Bolognese was the second version I have tasted and it did compete with Belisio's Bolognese. It was a perfect meal after coming home from this tiring but well rewarding hockey tournament. It was nice to have some good food after going to pubs and buffets for all of our meals up North.

CSA Season Reflection for 2012

         

A close-up view of the One Hand of Tomatoes

I Can't handle all of those tomatoes

           













         Joining a CSA farm would be a great thing to do. Not only do you get the freshest food you also have the the chance to help the world. For us we got food all the way from June to December. Nobody would have thought that you would get fresh and local produce in December. But there are multiple ways to do that using Environment friendly methods. For instance using green houses and plant tunnels to grow crops later and earlier into the seasons, allows our CSA farmer to harvest until December. Overall we had a very rewarding year with Earth Dance Farms and then we also had fun in the kitchen making different dishes with the large variety of crops we received. 

             Ever year our CSA Farmer Norm hosts a fall harvest where his members are allowed to come up for half of a day and wander around the farm, take a hay ride to the pumpkin patch, have some nice hot chili, meet some new people, and then get to talk with Norm and ask him questions like he is a celebrity. Our family did not go last year but we did go this year. We had a really fun time. It was a typical fall day in Southern Minnesota, windy, cloudy, and then at the end a little sun which was nice. At the end of the day our whole family came home with 4 very nice pumpkins that we used for Halloween pumpkin carving. Norm’s farm is in a part of Minnesota that is really beautiful every single season of the year. The whole area is very hilly. One thing that I always notice when we go up to Norm’s farm is that there are always many great different skylines. You could be up there for a whole day just studying the skylines and you would not get bored.

With the very warm spring some of Norm’s crops did not grow as much as they have in other years. One crop that did not do as well was his apple crop. The crop was harmed when there was about a week of nice warm weather and all of the beautiful blossoms had come out and then one night a frost landed on his land and all of the blossoms died. Only some of the blossoms survived. Since that frost happened he only had so many apples to give out to his customers. One other crop that did not do as well as he planned were the strawberries. One night an evil group of raccoons decided to come along and eat every single strawberry plant. Not even one plant was left behind. Norm’s wife Laurie found one lucky strawberry but she decided that since all the other strawberry plants were eaten she would enjoy that strawberry all by herself. Hopefully next year that group of evil raccoons will not come back and we will all get to enjoy the strawberries.

 One cool thing that Norm added to his farm where two goats that are really amazing. We got to see them and when we did my brother and I wondered if they like to eat carrot tops, so we gave the carrot tops to them and they were pleased. One other thing that Norm added to his farm is a plant tunnel that allows him to grow plants late into the fall and then he can start growing earlier in the spring. This structure is almost like a greenhouse but instead of planting plants in little cells he can actually plant plants in the ground. 

At one point during the summer, farmer Norm said that he had extra tomatoes and people could purchase an extra hand of tomatoes. My mom did purchase an extra hand of tomatoes thinking that she would be able to handle the amount of tomatoes that came. My mom did not exactly know what an extra hand of tomatoes meant so when the extra hand came she was really surprised. What Norm meant by an “Extra Hand” is that he will send you a whole produce box of tomatoes. With all of these extra tomatoes my mom and I made many tomato sauces, tomato salsas, and a couple of tomato soups. I think that in the future my mom and I will be a little more prepared so when we get a whole produce box of tomatoes. To picture how big the produce boxes are they are about 1-½ feet by 1-½ feet. That’s a lot of tomatoes.

I am so excited for next year and seeing what kinds of new foods we will make with our CSA produce. I will be thinking of Norm as he plans for a new season. I Wonder what our boxes will be full of during 2013. As a family we are committed to support local farmers and eating a healthy diet.

Christmas 2012

Our Christmas Tree for 2012

A sugar coated ginger bread house

My family drove out to Grand Rapids, Michigan to join our extended family for this Christmas Holiday.We have been doing this since I was a little baby. I had a wonderful Christmas this year.  There were so many things that made it just perfect.   I had a really nice time meeting with relatives and getting to know the newest members of the family better.

Of course I had some delicious food. I personally think Christmas would not be what it is now without good food. I had some new dishes and also the foods that have become a tradition in our family. Like the Ice Cream Dessie and the Candy Cane Cookies. We created new traditions that I hope will be followed over the coming Christmas's. One new tradition that was created was the annual Ping Pong tournament. Sadly I did not win the tournament.

For Christmas Eve we went out to dinner with the family at a restaurant named the "Green Well". I had their burger which was one of the best burgers I have had in my life. It had toppings like bacon, cheese,  carmelised, onions, and pickles. It was cooked perfectly with love. One thing that made it one of my favorites was it was so juicy but not too juicy. It of course had a side of well seasoned french fries that for a change were good.

I had other very satisfying meals during our trip. Home cooked and out at restaurants. During two meals that were stews which were very delicious. On the last night we had a chicken curry with coconut rice topped with toasted coconut, peanuts, and cilantro. The chefs in the kitchen decided to cook soups and stew because they are easy to fix for a crowd. We decided to have chili, a mediterranean stew, and the curry during our week together. A fabulous addition to each meal was a fresh loaf of bread or a homemade maple honey corn bread.