Tradition

So it seems going to the market on Saturdays has now become a tradition

 We look at the water first, then make our way over to the booths--today was so cold and windy we got some Banana Nutella crepes (with cinnamon whipped cream) to warm up from Co-Town Crepes. They were amazing!

The boys gobbles these down in under three minutes I think!

Today I got my first bunch of turnips--when I asked how to cook them, they suggested making "chips" out of them...which I maybe should have done (would have been less mess in my kitchen) but instead I decided to make Creamed Turnips. I think anything would taste good in this cream sauce....I served it was a mustard glazed salmon (the best glaze I have ever made!) and wilted spinach with crispy shallots (and yes, the boys did eat it--at one point declaring "I like spinach"--my work is complete)

Creamed Turnips

from The Gourmet Cookbook

3 lbs turnips (two bunches, 8 medium) peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 C whole milk (I used 2 percent)

1/4 C heavy cream

1 1/2 TB unsalted butter

3/4 C chopped shallots

1 1/2 tsp loosely packed fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp salt

3 black peppercorns

peeled turnips, all shapes and sizes

3 whole cloves

1/2 bay leaf

1 1/2 TB all purpose flour

1/4 tsp white pepper

1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Cook turnips in a 5-quart pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, until tender (about 20 minutes). Drain.

Meanwhile, bring milk and cream to a simmer in a heavy saucepan, then reduce heat to low to keep hot. 

Melt butter in a  4 quart heavy saucepan over medium low heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring until softened, about five minutes. Add thyme, salt, peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaf and cook, stirring for 1 minute. Add flour and cook, stirring to make a roux. Whisk in hot milk mixture all at once and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat and simmer sauce, uncovered, whisking occasionally, for 15 minutes.

Pour sauce through a medium mesh sieve into a 5 quart heavy pot; discard solids. Stir in salt, white pepper, and nutmeg. Bring sauce to a simmer, add turnips, and cook until turnips are heated through (about 3 minutes).

Salmon with Brown Sugar-Mustard Glaze

from Everyday Food Light

1 TB extra-virgin olive oil

1 large shallot, minced

1/4 C red-wine vinegar

1/4 C whole-grain mustard

1/4 C packed dark brown sugar (I used light brown)

coarse salt and ground pepper

1 side salmon (3 lbs) skin removed, cut into 8 fillets (or use whatever fish, chicken, beef you have)

Heat broiler, with rack in top position. In a small saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Add shallot and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add vinegar and cook until almost evaporated, about 1 minute. Add mustard and brown sugar; stir until warm and combined, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. (To store, refrigerate cooled glaze in airtight container, for up to 1 day).

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Place salmon fillets on baking sheets and season with salt and pepper. Transfer 1/2 C glaze to a small dish and brush on top of salmon. Broil salmon until glaze is bubbling and fish is opaque throughout. 5-10 minutes, depending on thickness. Remove from broiler, brush remaining glaze over fillets.  

(I think this could be done poured over chicken breasts and baked at 350, or perhaps used in beef strips and served over rice)

Everyday Pot Roast

Okay, so I got a lot of carrots at the FM...so had to find more dinners with carrots--this is from my favorite cookbook right now "Sarah Foster's Southern Kitchen"--it seems like all the recipes are good! You can check her out online at Foster's Market and one of her first cookbooks is online here.

This was such a good recipe--I was even able to make it with kids running in and out of the house, so it did not take too much concentration. I changed the directions a little, and rather than cooking it in my oven after the initial browning, I put everything into a crock-pot and cooked for about 5 hours (until the meat fell apart)

everyday family pot roast
One 3 lb beef chuck roast (mine was actually two pounds)
salt and pepper
2 TB olive oil
1 large onion, cut into wedges
2 carrots, cut crosswise
1 C dry red wine
6 sprigs fresh thyme
6 sprigs fresh rosemary
4-6 C low-sodium beef broth

Preheat oven to 325 (or preheat crock-pot) and generously season the roast on all sides with the salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a large oven proof skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until sizzling hot. Add the roast and sear to a rich brown color, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Place the onion and carrots around the roast in the skillet and cook and stir while the roast is searing.
Add the wine, thyme, and rosemary and cook and stir for about 1 minute, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet. Add enough broth to cover 3/4ths of the roast. Reduce the heat to medium and bring the liquid to a low boil.

For the oven: cover the pot tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and roast in the oven, undisturbed for 2-2 1/2 hours, until the meat is fork tender. For the crock pot: place roast and all ingredients in crock pot. Cook on high until meat is fork tender 4-5 hours.

I served with mashed potatoes and fished out the carrots and onions. I made a brown gravy with the leftover 2 C broth and 2 TB cornstarch...another two toddler thumbs up.

yes, those are my Spode christmas plates that I have not gotten around to putting away...

Tomorrow I will put up what to do with the leftovers--it was an ambitious recipe, and I have no pictures because it was not pretty...but tasted really good!

Wheat Rolls

These rolls were wonderful--and have a surprise ingredient, orange juice! From Whole Grain Baking by King Arthur Flour.
Dough
1 C lukewarm water
1/4 C orange juice
4 TB unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
3 TB honey
2 C whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur White Whole Wheat)
1 C unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp salt
heaping 1/2 C dried potato flakes or 3 TB potato flour
1/4 C nonfat dry milk
2 1/4 instant yeast

Topping
2-3 TB unsalted butter, melted

To prepare the dough: Combine all the dough ingredients, and mix and knead them--by hand, mixer or bread machine--until you have a medium-soft, smooth dough. Cover and allow dough to rise until it's quite puffy, though probably not doubled in bulk, 1 to 2 hours.

To Shape the Rolls: Gently deflate the dough, and transfer it to a lightly greased work surface. Divide into 16 pieces (I also made some loaves). Shape each piece into a rough ball by pulling the dough into a very small knot at the bottom, then rolling it under the palm of your hand into a smooth ball.

Place the rolls in the prepared pan, spacing them evenly; they won't touch each other. Cover the pan with lightly greased plastic wrap. Allow to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. They will become very puffy and will touch. While the rolls are rising, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To Bake the Rolls: uncover and bake the rolls until they are brown on top but lighter on the sides, 23-25 minutes. Remove them from the over, and after 2 or 3 minutes, carefully transfer them to a rack. Brush the hot rolls with the melted butter. Serve warm, or at warm temperature.

Waffle Perfection

These waffles were so good the boys asked for them for breakfast and dinner today! I have been searching for weeks to find the perfect waffle recipe--and I think I finally have. 

Basic Waffles

adapted from Joy of Cooking

Whisk together in a large bowl:

1 3/4 C all-purpose flour

1 TB baking powder

1 TB sugar

1/2 tsp salt

Whisk together in another bowl:

3 large eggs, well beaten

4-16 TB unsalted butter, melted (I always use one stick)

1 1/2 C milk

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Gently whisk together with a few swift strokes--batter will be lumpy. Spoon onto hot iron, close and bake till golden brown. 

Other topping we also enjoy are peanut butter and syrup or bananas, chocolate chips and fresh whipped cream!

For the love of cheese...

I have been buying a block of white cheddar each week at the FM from Texas Cheese House's booth. I think I like the strong flavor (so you don't need much) and the texture (good sliced) I have been making vegetable sandwiches (tomato, cheese, avacado, and mayo) for lunch EVERYDAY. I should branch out and try another type sometime....

Winter Harvest

I was determined to be on time today to the Waco Farmer's Market. With husband and baby A and baby B in tow, we made it only two minutes after opening (pretty good with two three year olds!) Here are today's finds...it seems like I am always

Spinach

sweet carrots

broccoli

rushing to the World Hunger Relief booth first every Saturday--last week I missed the broccoli (that is what you get for arriving at 9:15). My goal has been to cook with whatever I buy at the Farmer's Market--no more finding recipes then shopping--I am buying what is in season, then finding something yummy to make.  I also got my favorite cheddar cheese from Texas Cheese House, more on that tomorrow! Here is tonight's dinner. (two toddler thumbs up)
BROCCOLI AND CHICKEN STIR-FRY
adapted from Everyday Food Light 
Serves 4
Total time: 25 minutes

1tsp grated orange zest plus 1/4c fresh orange juice
1/4 C soy sauce
1/4 C rice vinegar
1 TB cornstarch
2 tsp vegetable oil
1 lb of chicken (or pork) thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves minced
5 carrots (mine were really small) thinly sliced
1 head broccoli cut into bite size pieces
1/2 C water

1. In a medium bowl, combine orange zest and juice, soy sauce, vinegar, and cornstarch. In a large non-stick skillet, heat 1 tsp oil over medium. Working in two batches, cook chicken until browned. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add remaining oil, garlic and carrot to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Add broccoli and the water. Cover and cook until crisp tender and water has evaporated, 2-4 minutes.

3. Add chicken (and juices) and reserved sauce to skillet. Cook, stirring until sauce has thickened (happens quite quickly)

what a great way to cook vegetables!