Archive for October, 2006

Holiday Crispy Treats

October 30, 2006 · Filed under Kitchen

I love crispy treats, but can’t eat the store-bought kind because they’re made with real butter (a no-no in a lactose-intolerant household). Fortunately, they’re super easy to make and tasty, and you can rest easy about eating a few if you use natural/organic ingredients.

Ingredients
1 box of crispy rice cereal
1 bag of mini marshmallows
1 stick of margarine
Food coloring
Large cookie cutters

Instructions
Put the marshmallows and half of the stick of margarine (cut into pieces) into a very large microwaveable bowl. Microwave for one minute, stir the marshmallows and then microwave for another minute. Add the food coloring until you get the color you want. Pour the cereal into the marshmallows and stir until pretty much combined. Using the other half of the stick of margarine, rub a generous amount onto your hands so the marshmallow won’t stick. Using your greased hands, finish mixing the cereal into the marshmallow. Re-grease your hands, and then spread the treats out onto a shallow baking pan, about and inch thick. Let the treats set up and cool for about an hour. Using the cookie cutters, cut shapes out of the treats. Some easy shapes to do are orange pumpkins, green holly leaves, red hearts, or yellow flowers. If you’d like to give them as gift treats, wrap them in cellophane and tie with a ribbon.

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Christmas Craft: Pinecone Package Ties

October 30, 2006 · Filed under Crafting

My mom showed my sister and I how to make pinecone package ties when we were kids, and we used them as Christmas tree ornaments. I think they make a nice substitute for a bow on a gift, and the recipient can reuse them as decoration.

Materials
Small pinecones
Ribbon
Hot glue

Instructions
It’s easy—just cut a length of ribbon about 6 inches long, and hot glue a pinecone to each end. Using another couple of lengths of ribbon, tie two small bows. Hot glue the bows over the spot where the ribbon and pinecone are glued together for a finished look. There you have it—they look great on packages, bottles of wines, or the Christmas tree!

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A Family-Style Thanksgiving Feast

October 29, 2006 · Filed under Kitchen

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and it’s never to early to start planning. Being newly married, our Thanksgiving get-togethers a still quite small– just four or five guests maximum (which is all we can fit in our apartment anyway). I like to keep Thanksgiving classic and simple. I set the table (two small tables pushed together) by covering both with a classic white tablecloth. I like to add a table runner (this year I’d like to use one in a cranberry color) to unify the table. This year for the centerpiece I will be using tea lights in milk glass custard cups and gourds, along with two small carved pilgrim figurines I recieved as a gift. I’ll set the table with my Blue Willow dishes and wine glasses. Very simple and elegant. But what everyone cares most about is the food, and I like to keep that classic and simple as well. Our menu this year will be:

Turkey breast with turkey gravy

Honey ham

Garlic mashed potatoes

Wilted kale with bacon

Home made cranberry sauce (see recipe below)

Home made egg noodles in a chicken sauce

Chestnut stuffing

Green beans

Croissants

Red wine, white wine, apple cider

Pumpkin pie

Chocolate graham cracker parfaits

Applesauce spice cake muffins

We’re not big football watchers, so after the meal we usually sit and enjoy each other’s company, and may do a photo slide show (vacation photos are great). I also like to send each guest home with gift. This year it will be some of the applesauce spice cake muffins with the recipe and mulling spices for cider. I’m going to package them in brown paper lunch bags, with the tops cut in a decorative pattern with craft scissors, and stamped with a Thanksgiving stamp. I’ll also use cranberry-colored ribbon to secure each bag closed. Thanksgiving at my house is simple, but always a good time.

And cranberry sauce should never come from a can! It’s one of the most simple dishes on the holiday menu to prepare, and can even be made a day or two ahead. And it’s a dish that always impresses your guests, as it’s the clearly home made element since we all grew up eating the canned stuff. Here’s how you can pull it off (just don’t tell your guests how simple it is!)–

Home Made Cranberry Sauce

1 bag of fresh cranberries (about 1 pound)

1 cup of white sugar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Toss it all in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Don’t worry about being delicate with the stirring– some of the cranberries with get mashed and jelly and some will stay whole, and that’s the consistency you want. After it’s boiled for a few minutes, turn the heat down and let the cranberries simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occassionaly to ensure they don’t stick and burn. When it looks like jelly with some whole cranberries in it, it’s done! It’s that simple. I like to serve it warm, but of course you can serve it cold. If you make it a day or two ahead and stick it in the refrigerator the consistency will be a bit thicker than if served warm. So, there you have it– no more excuses to buy the can!

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Garden Craft: Photo Plant Tags

October 29, 2006 · Filed under Crafting, Farming

Cool weather is a great time to make stuff to spiffy up the garden. Plant tags are a great way to add some character to your containers or plots and are a lot more useful and interesting than names scrawled on a popsicle stick with black permanent marker.

Materials
–4×6 plant/vegetable photos (I like the artistic quality of black-and-white, but of course you can do color or sepia tones. These can be photos you’ve taken yourself, from the internet, or out of seed catalogs.)
–Self-stick laminating sheets
–Scissors
–Popsicle sticks
–Hot glue

Instructions
1.) It’s optional to do this, but I like to write or type some of the plant info on the back of the photo, so it’s handy during the growing season. You’ll want to leave a one-inch margin on one side of the photo.
2.) Cut the laminate sheets about a half inch wider on all sides than your photo. Sandwich your photo between two laminate sheets and rub together to seal.
3.) If you have plant info written on the back of the photo, hot glue your popsicle stick to one side of the photo (in the margin you left; the tag will look like a flag) so the info is still readable. If you didn’t write info on the back, you can hot glue it in the center.

It’s a simple as that! In an hour you can have fantastic, unique plant tags to make your garden look extra-special. You can customize these in various ways by hand-coloring black and white photos, pixelating the photos (done on the computer) or even making mini collages for each tag.

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A Chilly Farmer’s Market

October 14, 2006 · Filed under Farming

Farmer’s market had a decidely different feel this morning– with temperatures hovering in the upper thirties, everybody was bundled up in hats and scarves and stating the obvious– “Good morning! It’s a cold one!” So early in the season, the cold is still somewhat of a novelty. The sun shades and canopies are also gone, so the fall sunlight highlights the oranges and burgundies and muted greens of the pumpkins, apples and kales piled in abundance in the open air. The aromas are overwhelming– the powerful scent of leeks and cider mingling on the breeze. Only the hardy– both produce and people– are in attendance today. No more heat-loving cherry tomatoes or delicate lettuce mixes or tourists. It’s the season for pumpkins and nuts, apples, pears, winter squash, kales, leeks and garlic. And the regulars who have been to every market, rain or shine, are not scared off by the cold. In fact, the cold instills in the farmer’s market shopper a need– a need to buy a little more, put up another batch of jam, get some of the last of whatever to put in the freezer. We know we will miss it dearly in January. This first hint of cold in our noses instills a desire to squirrel away a little extra for the winter, which is not that far off.

Naturally, I made off like a bandit at this farmer’s market. This may be the last one this season that I get to go to, so I made the most of it just in case. I picked up some “Fire Stix” which are fantastically spicy pickled asparagus spears (which will give a delightfully warming kick to cocktails this winter), Red Cherry Jam, Red Raspberry Jam, and Raw Blossom Honey from Stovers Farm (www.stoversupic.com — yes you can order online!). I also got 2 pie pumpkins, leeks, heirloom red onions, black kale (I love it sauteed with shallots and bacon), a hardy heirloom red lettuce, a dozen sweet corn for $3 (for the freezer), chestnuts, giant red sweet peppers (to serve roasted with bratwurst), a bunch of enormous carrots, a gallon of cider, and a pint of cider (to take to work and I’m not sharing!).

What will I do with all this bounty? Well, the corn will be blanched and frozen. I’m going to use the pumpkins to make pumpkin pie filling. We’ll likely save the chestnuts for stuffing at Thanksgiving. Some of the cider will go into a batch of apple cider doughnuts. The rest of the goods will be for fresh eating. We also still have a bunch of apples from last farmer’s market, so today I’m making some apple butter and an apple galette. So lots of baking today, but that will help take the chill off this afternoon.

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The Haunted Home

October 14, 2006 · Filed under Crafting

You don’t need to throw a party to have an excuse to add some spooky touches to your place; the time of year alone warrants it. So be creative and haunt your house for the holidays! Some suggestions below to get you started:

– Blood Curdled Candles: tint corn syrup with red food coloring and pour a little into the bottom of a clear votive candle holder. Place a tealight inside and voila.

– Spider/Cockroach Infestation: affix plastic spiders and/or cockroaches running up the wall, along the baseboards or up the fireplace with removeable poster putty.

– Life-like crows or vultures perched on bookcases or at the top of the stairs.

– Moth-eaten Curtains: stain cheesecloth by dipping it into black tea, cut it to fit your window and add some random rips and tears.

– Cover furniture with white sheets.

– Cover mirrors/clocks with sheer white cloth (a custom in some parts of the country to honor a death in the household).

– Replace houseplants/bouquets with dead (i.e. dried) flower arrangements.

– Clear out clutter. Spare surroundings imply abandoned, which implys haunted.

– Replace everyday objects with their seasonal equivilent. For example, replace the fruit bowl on your kitchen table with a witch’s cauldron and fill it with apples.

– Sounds contribute to ambiance. For something subtle, I like the “thunderstorm” relaxation cds– spooky in the right context, but not over the top.

Picking a theme for a room can be a fun way to decorate as well– mad scientist’s lab, witch’s coven, funeral parlor, seance room, graveyard, etc. Pick a few key larger decorative pieces to make the statement, then smaller touches to pull it all together. And remember, you don’t have to spend a ton of money at a props or party store to pull it off– use your imagination and be creative!

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Cold Snap!

October 14, 2006 · Filed under Farming

Well, one good thing about having an indoor container garden is that I don’t have to worry about what’s going on outdoors when the weather takes a turn. The rest of you however, might not be so lucky. With the weather hovering in the lower thirties and with snow flying just to the north (already!) it’s gotten me to thinking about all of my fellow outdoor gardeners, and what to do to protect the last few plants they’re trying to get a harvest from or overwinter. Here are a few suggestions to help weather the season:

– 5 Gallon Buckets: can be upturned over delicate plants when there’s chance of an early frost. A brick on top will prevent it from being carried off in a wind.

– Burlap secured with Twine: will help protect newly planted trees and shrubs

– Cold frames/Mini Root Cellars: if you want one, dig it in now before the ground freezes. Also get a bale or two of straw/hay for insulating.

– Coil up the watering hose and put an insulating cover over the faucet.

– Pick up loose odds and ends (you don’t want it blowing away or getting damaged in winter storms).

– Compost the dead plants and such.

– Aerate, fertilizer and otherwise prepare your planting beds for spring. Consider planting a cover crop that can overwinter.

– Put out a bird feeder and/or suet cake for the birds.

– Make any necessary repairs or replacements to containers, raised beds and garden equipment before putting it away for the season (and make sure you put it away clean and ready to use in the spring).

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Rustic Apple Galette

October 14, 2006 · Filed under Kitchen

There’s nothing better than pies, except maybe the galette. The galette is the rustic French version of pie, and it’s superior in several ways. One, it’s not fussy– it’s free form and doesn’t require a special dish or a pie bird or one of those crust-shield thingies. Two, it’s versatile– you can make small individual serving size galettes or one big family-style tart that the family can slice up right at the table. And three, galettes are just good. There’s really no recipe to follow in making one– just mix up a double batch (in other words dough for a two-crust pie) of your favorite pie crust mix. Yes, you can (and I do) use the Jiffy mix… On a baking sheet roll out the dough free form into circle. To prepare the apples, peel, core and slice them. Lay them on top of the dough with about 2 inches of space around the edges. Put several generously-sized pats of butter on top. Sprinkle on a cup or so of sugar, some cinnamon and nutmeg on top of the apples. Fold the two-inch edge loosely over the edge of the apples, free form. Slide the whole affair in the oven for 45 minutes or so at 350 degrees and then dessert will be served! If you like your galettes/pies with a little more syrup, you can always prepare the butter, sugar and spices with a little water in a saucepan to form a more syrup-y concotion and pour it on top before putting in the oven. Either way you go, it’s sure to be delicious!

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White Bean & Sausage Stew in Pumpkins

October 14, 2006 · Filed under Kitchen

This is a fantastic stew to serve for a meal like Thanksgiving or another rustic, but celebratory dinner. There are many versions of this recipe in existence, but this is a recipe customized from the one in the October 2006 issue of Martha Stewart Living.

Ingredients

4 cans of navy beans, drained

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoons thyme

5 cups of chicken stock

1 onion, diced

4  2-pound-each sugar pumpkins

1/2 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

3 tablespoons butter

1 pound uncased mild Italian sausage, chopped

5-6 potatoes, diced

4 carrots, diced

2 leeks, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons sage

Instructions

1.) Prepare the pumpkins. Cut out the tops and remove the seeds and excess pulp. Rub insides with oil, salt and pepper. Place pumpkins and tops right side up on an oiled baking sheet right side up and bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove tops from the oven and let cool on a wire rack. Turn pumpkins upside down on the baking sheet and bake an additional 25 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

2.) While the pumpkins are baking, prepare the stew. Brown the sausage in 1 tablespoon of the butter. Then add remaining butter, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, and potatoes and cook another 10-15 minutes.

3.) Stir in flour to form a roux. Slowly add in chicken stock. Add beans, sage, thyme and bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until thickened, about 30 minutes.

4.) Divide stew among the pumpkin shells. Bake in the 350 degree oven the pumpkins are just soft, about 15 minutes. Garnish with tops.

This stew makes a great first course to a Thanksgiving meal of an herb-crusted turkey or turkey breast, chestnut stuffing, green beans with garlic and bacon, crusty French bread, creamy mashed potatoes and home made egg noodles. Don’t forget the pumpkin pie and cider for dessert!

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Halloween Craft: Craft Stick Scarecrows

October 14, 2006 · Filed under Crafting

This craft is easy to make in an afternoon and has several uses– these cute scarecrows can dress up a container of mums on the front porch, make an appearance on the fridge or in the window or tag along on a gift bottle of wine or apple pie. They’re easy to make from items you likely have an hand, and are a perfect way to occupy a blustery Saturday afternoon.

Materials

Popsicle craft sticks

Plaid flannel fabric (old shirts from the thrift store/closet can be cheaper than purchased fabric)

Denim fabric (same as above, cut up old jeans)

Straw (if you can’t get it at the farmer’s market, you can find mini bales at the craft store)

Small rounds magnets and/or small suction cups and/or bamboo skewers

Hot glue gun with glue sticks

Fabric scissors

Cardboard, ruler and pen

Stiffy Fabric Stiffener

Instructions

1.) Using the ruler and pen, trace the shape of pants and a shirt (with straight sleeves that will line up with a popsicle stick along the top) on the cardboard. Cut the shirt and pants out of the cardboard. This will serve as your template to cut the fabric.

2.) Lay the shirt template on the wrong side of the plaid flannel and the pants on the wrong side of the denim and trace with a pen and then cut out one set for each scarecrow.

3.) Spray the shirt and pants with the Stiffy and let dry.

4.) While the shirt and pants are drying, assemble the form for the scarecrow. Hot glue one craft stick 2/3 of the way up another craft stick so they are perpendicular (so it forms a cross shape). If you would like your scarecrow to be a magnet, hot glue a magnet on the back. If you’d like it to stick to a smooth surface like a window or mirror, hot glue a small suction cup to the back. If you’d like it to serve as a plant stake, hot glue a bamboo skewer to the back.

5.) When the fabric is dry, hot glue the shirt and pants to the front of the scarecrow form (with the right side of the fabric facing out). Turn the scarecrow over, and carefully hot glue several short strands of straw to the pant cuffs and shirt sleeves so they will be visible from the front.

This is the basic form, and I like the simplicity of the look. If headless scarecrows bother you, you can find things like mini foam pumpkins at crafts stores and impale it on the top of the craft stick. A mini straw hat on top of this would look cute. You could draw a Jack-o-Lantern face on the pumpkin with a yellow paint pen. And you can embellish your scarecrow as you wish– you can draw details on the jeans with a black fabric pen, glue a row of mini buttons down the shirt, perch a tiny crow on it’s shoulder– the possibilities are endless when you raid the dollhouse accessories at the crafts store! But like I said, the “basic model” is rustic and cute as well.

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