Dark Days #2: Refreshing solstic breakfast

this morning i was up at 5 am and out the door to a Winter Solstice celebration put on by a friend—108 Sun Salutations to clear out the cobwebs of negativity and move into the new year revitalized.

it was oh so heavenly.

i came home feeling so lovely and calm and bright.
and i thought, today is an 'only good stuff' day.

so today i nourished my body with homemade yogurt and granola with frozen raspberries.

the yogurt i made yesterday—in fact i pulled it from its incubation right before i left for yoga. the milk is from a dairy in touchet, which is only 15 minutes away and i used a starter my parents gave me. after all my intimidation, making yogurt was incredibly easy and i am so happy to have had a successful first go of it.

the raspberries came from my grandmother's backyard and we're frozen for future deliciousness.

the granola i made up specifically for dark days: bob's red mill oats (closest to local), homemade fruit butter and honey, and a smattering of spices (nutmeg, cinnamon). i used this recipe as an approximation (i left out the fruit and nuts, although i have a source for local walnuts for next time):

Fruit Butter Granola

• 5 cups rolled oats

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• ¾ tsp. salt

• ¾ cup brown sugar

• ¾ cup fruit butter (blueberry, pear)
• ¼ cup maple syrup
 (honey)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup dried fruit (cranberries, raisins)

• 1/2 cup sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 325° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine oats, spices, and salt. Mix well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, fruit butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into oat mixture and stir until the oats are evenly coated. They will be moist. Evenly spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove pan from the oven and stir. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until the granola is golden and crisp. Remove from the oven, stir in dried cranberries and almonds. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Happy Winter Solstice to Everyone! The days will only get longer now!

holy crap. it's almost that time.

seed starting time.
i'm a little excited.

of course, i have a lot of work ahead of me in my basement before i can really get set up.
baby steps. baby steps.

white elephant in a can

a typewriter provided a simple solution to labels

fabric scraps for the final touch

i agreed to help a friend put together some of my homemade gifts for her company white elephant exchange. it tickled me pink to put something together so fantastic from items around the house: fabric scraps from my napkin project, paper left over from last years christmas gifts.

to pull it all together i broke things down into themes, added simple suggestions for each item and typed them up:

SWEET
SAGE PEAR BUTTER: PAIR WITH BLUE CHEESE OR CRUSTY HEARTY BREAD
BLUEBERRY BUTTER: PERFECT FOR BREAKFAST ON BISCUITS OR TOAST
LAVENDER SUGAR: LAVENDER LEMONADE, USE IN MUFFIN RECIPES

SPICY
CURRIED ZEBRA RELISH: DELICIOUS WITH GRILLED CHEESE, SAUSAGE
PLUM CHUTNEY: CONDIMENT FOR ROASTED MEATS, TRIPLE CREAM CHEESES
FRESH CURRY SPICE: ADD TO A STIR-FRYS, LENTILS AND SOUPS

STRONG
CRANBERRY CLOVE COCKTAIL MIXER: WINTER CHAMPAGNE COCKTAILS
CLEMENTINE BROWN SUGAR COCKTAIL MIXER: SPICE UP OLD FASHIONEDS
NUTMEG INFUSED SIMPLE SYRUP: GREAT IN COFFEE, RUM COCKTAILS

it was a fun project for the weekend and i can't wait to hear how it was all received.

stocking up

thursday as i set out for the farm stands, it began to sleet, snow and slush. go figure. i remain undaunted and was handsomely rewarded: braeburn apples, bosc pears, cider, beautiful bountiful cabbage and a big ol' bag of beets.

i did a little snoopy dance to find so much local produce clear into december.
i am all set to hole up and cook my weekend away.

winter recipes

i did more than just watch the birds over the holiday break.

Roasted Parsnip Soup

• 2 pound(s) (small) parsnips, trimmed, peeled, and cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup(s) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) kosher salt
• 2/3 teaspoon(s) fresh-ground pepper
• 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into small pieces
• 1 stalk(s) celery, cut into small pieces
• 1  bay leaf
• 1 1/2 quart(s) vegetable broth

Toss the parsnips in olive oil and salt, and Roast in the oven at 350 degrees F. Shake the pan or occasionally to turn them, until tender and easily pierced with a fork — about 60 minutes.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook until translucent and softened — about 5 minutes. Stir in the parsnips, bay leaf, and broth, and increase the heat to medium high, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low, partially cover the pot and simmer until the parsnips fall apart easily — about 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.

Puree the mixture in a blender, in 2-cup batches, until smooth. Return the soup to the pot over low heat and stir occasionally until warmed through. You can use milk or water to thin it out. Soup may be cooled and stored refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Garlic Mashed Parsnip Potatoes
Boil peeled and chopped parsnips and potatoes (3 parsnips for every two potatoes) with 3 cloves of garlic until tender. Drain. Mash with 2 tbsps of butter and 1/4 tsp of salt.

Pumpkin Butter
3 ½ cups fresh pumpkin purée*
½ cup maple syrup
½ cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepot and bring to boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.

Reduce the heat to low and, stirring often, simmer until thickened and glossy, about 10 minutes if using canned pumpkin and 20 minutes if using fresh. Cool to room temperature. Store in airtight containers (see note) in the refrigerator.

*Now, when I made the puree, I drained it as per the instructions at local kitchen. So when I put everything together, it didn't look like anything that would 'boil'. Several times I added some of the pumpkin juice that I had drained off and if you don't have that handy, I would go for apple juice or cider. In the end I cooked it until it was nice and glossy and I liked the flavor (I added pinches of nutmeg, cloves and ginger).

winter birds

spent much of the long, wintery, weekend sitting at my kitchen table watching the birds. juncos, chickadees and finches: house, cassin and yellow.

it was a delightful way to spend the snowy days.

smells like thanksgiving

a variety of impediments did their job and prevented me from canning.

but as a small triumph, i discovered that the Cinderella pumpkin from last year was still good. so i did successfully turn out ten+ cups of pumpkin puree, so pumpkin butter (and so much more) is in my near future.

more impressively, i successfully harvested my celery and parsnips—only a few hours before it began snowing. so i may not have beets to pickle and apples to sauce, but i do have parsnips to roast and celery to saute in butter and turn into some delicious cream of celery soup.

we have a snowy, cold week ahead of us and i'm glad to have a reason to hole up in a toasty kitchen.

(but believe you me, there are apples and pears in my future.)

small town in the city

spending this week in new york.
i'll admit that i find it somewhat amusing that i am this very home/garden conscience girl that is now on my third visit to nyc. i may not be able to orient myself north but i know when subway stops look familiar and i know when i pass a restaurant i've been too. new york grows on me and everytime i come i envision how i might build the kind of life i love in this metropolis. i like what i imagine.

its amusing to hear my new york friends discuss making soup and minimizing their carbon footprint. two years ago when i was here that certainly wasn't on the plate. its heartening to hear about people wanting to cook for themselves.

today i wandered in a winterscaped highline park, a pale shadow of its spring self i am sure, but full of promise and still a unique look at the city. how often are you able to be above the hubbub, and surrounded by plants to boot? freshly made hazelnut hot chocolate, pastries, turkey gruyere sandwiches, americanos...small city treats were what i enjoyed today.

looking forward to a low-key, local-vibe visit to the city.
each time i come it gets better, starting to think i should live in chelsea.

if time allows, i'll come back (to the blog, before i return home).
otherwise, be sure that i will be kicking off my basement up-ending and seedling installing plan for the 2010 gardening season. a little late but still reasonable i am sure. this will be a big spring for me, its nice to have some concentrated urban-arts-people watching time before i end up elbows deep in dirt.

garden plotting

it is now january. the snow has dissipated, at least for now, and it is just grey, dreary, drizzly rain. not exactly the kind of weather you want to be going back to work to, but i guess the office keeps me out of it.

according to the wealth of gardening blogs that i read, it is time for me to sort through my garden seeds and begin making preparations for next year. i can say that this week especially i have missed the spring and summer days, so poking through the things-to-be and day dreaming about how beautiful the backyard will look in the summer sounded like a delightful way to spend an afternoon.

so i curled up on my bed and investigated every packet i owned. using this posting as a guide for what is still viable i sorted out what was too old to use, what was a mess and what was left.

what i found was that i almost everything i need for spring. holy crap.

it was quite a revelation, and a well timed one at that. this year i intend to buy seedling mats and make a concerted and well-planned effort in growing from seed. so my financial resources will be dedicated to that this year and less-so to seeds. it works out rather nice.

this year i will undoubtedly buy seed potatoes, it looks like i'll need beet seeds, and my splurge will be bean s for dried beans. but beyond that i will be doing pretty good. its going to be a very colorful spring and summer indeed.

Dark Days #8: Emmer Pancakes and Fried Eggs

welcome to my breakfast table.

Bluebird Farms emmer flour pancake mix, eggs from the backyard and homemade applesauce.

it was a delicious (and local!) way to start the morning, eating and looking out the window at the chickens and cats and the dreary rainy day.

christmas presents (in jars—!)

rosemary salt

nutmeg syrup, chili oil and lavender sugar

nutmeg syrup and applesauce

the spread

ice on the inside of my windows

its almost hitting the pre-teens. yikes.
(and yes, there is ice on the inside of my windows)

yesterday i remembered that the farmer's almanac predicted a bitterly cold winter and resigned myself to a very cold winter. its unlikely that this week is an aberration and so i took early precautions for my fluff and feathered friends.

after three years i finally caved and bought a heated watered for the chickens. i just can't justify watering them three times a day for the rest of winter. so i went all out and picked up another light, a bag of scratch grains and a bale of grass hay. i've got to say, the chicken yard is looking pretty luscious—it is now the greenest spot in my entire yard.

haven't fully set up the bunnies for the winter yet, not sure what to do about water. and i think the cats might need an outdoor haven, although they are wising up and have spent most of the week indoors.

as have i. with a fire in the fireplace and the kitchen in full swing.
in the last few days i've succeeded in making butternut squash manicotti, cream of broccoli soup and cleaned my kitchen and bathroom top to bottom. i have to say, i'm cold but i'm feeling good.

everyone is still happy and alive. just chilly!

homemade christmas season

each year i contemplate homemade christmas gifts.
three years ago i vowed to have canned jams for everyone. two years ago...same vow. wait—okay, i contemplate canning for christmas gifts, and have since i started canning about three years ago.

each time, the christmas season comes around and i (sorry to say) become intimidated by the thought that people will not love and cherish and coo and smile over my simple homemade gifts. and then i run off and participate in america's favorite past-time, shopping.

this year the contemplation started as early as this summer, and here we are on december 3rd, no jam gifts to show for it...yet.

yes. this is the year i follow through.
initially i thought i would move away from the jams that always vexed me, and was considering textile gifts—canvas bags and simple cotton napkins to be exact. sadly, i found textiles more overwhelming, bringing more and more questions to light: what would i stamp on them? does everyone use cloth napkins? does everyone use canvas bags? how many napkins are an appropriate gift? what materials do i need? will they be expensive?

so i returned to culinary treats and made up a list that sounded manageable.
while i cannot promise any sort of theme, perhaps as i continue creating, one will emerge.

so far i have set my sights on: strawberry jam, applesauce, rosemary salt.
additional items may include: candied citrus peel, flavored syrup, pear butter, onion marmalade.

oo, and paperwhites may be thrown in for good measure.

the weekend of the 11th will be my big christmas project weekend, so i will report back then. even just typing this list out now gives me ideas of more items and appropriate themes, so perhaps things will change.

i have to say, this year i am really excited about this and am not feeling any of the insecurity i had previously. perhaps because this year this sounds like the most excellent gift i can think of?

cooped up

the chickens are an unhappy bunch today.
i've cooped them up. literally. again, very unhappy.
and very loud. with lola leading the bunch.

when the snow melted i had been happy to allow them some freedoms. but now i am growing tired of it and so last night i shut them u p in their coop. they've destroyed the fava beans, shit on my patio and never seem to want to go to sleep.

i can't wait to see how they react when i finally line the fence with poultry wire and they can no longer crawl under it. when that will be may be a mystery, but alas, it will be enjoyable when it happens.

frozen chicken

in this weather, as long as the chickens stay alive i consider life to be a success. they don't do well below 15 degrees—its been as cold as 2.

i'm out there twice a day giving them scratch and melting their water, they have two lights and spend most of their time roosting.

surprisingly, they seem to be learning to bury their eggs in the pine shavings that is in their boxes. its a wonderful discovery since to date i think i have at least a dozen frozen, craacked eggs in my freezer, awaiting the opportunity to make some scrambled eggs or quiche.

so...as i say, so long as they stay alive, i'm at least pacified.

a day in my snowy life

sigh. snow.

didn't get my parsnips dug up in time!
and i'll be spending the evening trying to fix up the chickens a little better. i think i will be draping tarps across two of the sides to help with wind, and then put up another heat lamp. hopefully that will be enough.

not sure what to do about the water, wondering if a pet heater would keep it warm.

the snow is creating a lot of extra work for me...

out like a lion

well today my lack of progress was justified. its snowing.
snowing on march 30th, what the fuck?!

so really, anything i had planted right now could have died and i quite obviously couldn't be leveling and filling my beds today if i wasn't going to spokane. so, for the time being, its good that i haven't finished the beds and am out of town today.

but snow in march. crazy.

it looks like it will be sunny and warm this coming weekend. so maybe that is my window of opportunity. maybe level during the week and then fill over the weekend. fill and plant. sounds like a good plan.

oh march. you bitch.
no april fool's bbq for this girl.

the details

i'm not pleased with this weather.
i suppose its good seed-starting weather?
because there isn't much else its good for.

working on a system to sell eggs.
i'm getting between 5-7 a day right now.
its costing me $24/month to feed them i estimate.
i'll try to sell eggs at 2.50/dozen.
every other organic chicken farm is selling them at 4/dozen.
but i'm not looking to profit, just bread even.

plus i like getting my eggs out there to people. i've already decided i'd give family, farm girl, co-worker boy and neighbor free eggs. everyone else—even the receptionists, its going to be 2.50.

i posted on craigslist, we'll see what happens.
i'll be getting some new chicks tomorrow i think, from phinney.
two amerucanas (three?) and a black sex link.
i need to email ideal poultry too.

the working menagerie

so i have it down to a science.

play with the pups before work, at lunch, after work, and before bed.
they're in a room with a door, far away from my bedroom.

the chickens, the chickens remain neglected.
my plan is to hire someone to finish up the fence right. i am sick of dealing with it and am too easily frustrated with it. it just needs to be done and done well.

the cats. the cats are well. try and keep milo on a diet.

its twelve degrees outside. i hope the chickens are okay.