Kids Dish

The first episode of Food Network Canada’s 100 Mile Challenge starts April 5th. Based on "The 100-Mile Diet” by Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon and hosted by the authors, the show challenges the citizens of Mission, BC to live for 100 days eating only foods that originate within 100 miles of their home.

Episodes will be available online the day after they air in Canada (which is good for me because 1. we don’t have cable and 2. even if we did, I don’t think Food TV Canada airs in Philadelphia). I’m curious to see how the show plays out and if the network shows that eating locally is not only possible, but pleasurable. Because it is reality television, not reality, the six families that sign on for the challenge are forbidden from eating household staples like beer, coffee, tea, chocolate, olive oil, pepper and most spices. (Notice where my priorities are- no beer!)

While that makes for great television, I hope that at some point it’s made clear that eating locally isn’t an all or nothing proposition. Supporting the local economy and local farmers is ideal, but it is not necessary to deprive your family of coffee or bananas simply because they don’t grow in a 100-mile radius of your home. We eat locally as often as possible. Aside from the occasional tropical fruit, just about all of our produce is local from May through November. The majority of our milk, yogurt and eggs (and beer!) are local and I only buy locally pastured meat.

But the rest? I buy locally when it makes sense. Olive oil is a pantry staple and while the shore is definitely within 100 miles I have no intention of harvesting my own sea salt. It would be a fun challenge, but with two small children and very little patience when it comes to shopping with them, I’m not ready to fully participate any time soon. We still do more to support the environment and local economy than most families and I’m proud of our level of participation even if we’re not 100% locavores.

In addition to bits about the 100 Mile Challenge show, the show’s blog features recipes and tips as well as information about different vegetables.

This is one of the only bread recipes I’ve used that is impossible to screw up. Whether I knead by hand or with the stand mixer, whether I use all whole wheat flour or a mix of white and wheat, whether I forget ingredients, let it rise too long, don’t let it rise long enough, or put the kids to bed while it’s in the oven and miss hearing the oven timer so it overbakes by a good fifteen minutes the bread always turns out okay. But for the record, I recommend not letting it bake for 20 minutes too long. The color isn’t nearly as attractive and the crust is a bit crunchier than a sandwich bread should be.

This recipe makes two loaves. Freeze one or give it to a friend. The bread toasts well and is great for sandwiches, especially peanut butter and jelly. It’s a kid favorite. You’ll need two loaf pans.

Oatmeal Wheat Bread
adapted from Gourmet
* 2 cups milk- whole milk is best but 2% or skim are fine too
* 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats plus additional for topping
* 1/2 cup warm water
* 2 tablespoons active dry yeast (3 packages)
* 1/2 cup mild honey
* 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus additional for buttering pans
* 3 cups whole-wheat flour
* About 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (you can use white whole wheat flour instead if you want an all whole wheat loaf)
* 1 tablespoon salt
* Vegetable oil for oiling bowl
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water (to brush the tops of the loaves- you can omit this and brush with milk or melted butter instead)

Heat milk in a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan over low heat until hot but not boiling, then remove pan from heat and stir in oats. Let stand, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until cooled to warm.

Stir together water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon honey in a small bowl; let stand until foamy, 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t foam, discard and start over with new yeast.) Stir yeast mixture, melted butter, and remaining honey into cooled oatmeal.

Stir together whole-wheat flour, 1 1/2 cups unbleached (or white whole wheat) flour, and salt in a large bowl. Add oat mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms.

Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead with floured hands, adding just enough of remaining unbleached flour to keep from sticking, until dough is smooth, soft, and elastic, about 10 minutes. Dough will be slightly sticky.

(If you want to use a stand mixer, stir all the ingredients together in the mixer bowl on low, then knead with a dough hook on medium for 5-10 minutes. Don’t add too much of the additional flour.)

Form dough into a ball and transfer to an oiled large bowl, turning to coat. I just use the bowl I mixed the dough in. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel; let rise at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Lightly butter loaf pans. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times to remove air. Divide dough in half and shape each half into a loaf, then place 1 loaf in each buttered pan, seam side down, tucking ends gently to fit. Cover loaf pans loosely with a kitchen towel and let dough rise in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly brush tops of loaves with some of egg wash (or milk or butter)and sprinkle with oats, then bake until bread is golden and loaves sound hollow when tapped on bottom, 35 to 40 minutes. (Remove 1 loaf from pan to test for doneness. Run a knife around edge of pan to loosen.)

Remove bread from pans and transfer to a rack to cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.

There are many reasons to shun anything made with high fructose corn syrup but the newest study shows it contains Mercury. From the Washinton Post:

Study Finds High-Fructose Corn Syrup Contains Mercury

And in the second study, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP), a non-profit watchdog group, found that nearly one in three of 55 brand-name foods contained mercury. The chemical was found most commonly in HFCS-containing dairy products, dressings and condiments.

You can read the rest of the article at the Washington Post.

This is an oldie, but someone linked to it today and I couldn’t help but post this list of The 11 Best Foods You Aren’t Eating from the New York Times. The list is theirs, but my comments are in italics.

1 Beets: Think of beets as red spinach, Dr. Bowden said, because they are a rich source of folate as well as natural red pigments that may be cancer fighters.

How to eat: Fresh, raw and grated to make a salad. Heating decreases the antioxidant power. I’ve never tried them raw, but cooked they are delicious. Try beet and beet greens risotto to ease your way in, or bake a chocolate cake with beets to please the kids.

2 Cabbage: Loaded with nutrients like sulforaphane, a chemical said to boost cancer-fighting enzymes.

How to eat: Asian-style slaw or as a crunchy topping on burgers and sandwiches. I throw it in soup.

3 Swiss chard: A leafy green vegetable packed with carotenoids that protect aging eyes.

How to eat it: Chop and saute in olive oil. We are chard lovers in this house, thanks to my CSA. Use it as you would spinach. I like this recipe for a leek and swiss chard tart

4 Cinnamon: May help control blood sugar and cholesterol.
How to eat it: Sprinkle on coffee or oatmeal. Toast with butter and cinnamon sugar is always a winner if you don’t have it in you to bake fresh cinnamon muffins.

5 Pomegranate juice: Appears to lower blood pressure and loaded with antioxidants.

How to eat: Just drink it. Delicious with vodka. Give it to the kids straight.

6 Dried plums: Okay, so they are really prunes, but they are packed with antioxidants.

How to eat: Wrapped in prosciutto and baked. If you’re thrown by the idea of prunes chop them and add them to your granola or bake them in muffins along with some chopped raisins and other dried fruit.

7 Pumpkin seeds: The most nutritious part of the pumpkin and packed with magnesium; high levels of the mineral are associated with lower risk for early death.

How to eat: Roasted as a snack, or sprinkled on salad. They’re great as a crunchy topping on soups too.

8 Sardines: Dr. Bowden calls them “health food in a can.” They are high in omega-3’s, contain virtually no mercury and are loaded with calcium. They also contain iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese as well as a full complement of B vitamins.

How to eat: Choose sardines packed in olive or sardine oil. Eat plain, mixed with salad, on toast, or mashed with dijon mustard and onions as a spread. Sorry. I’ve got nothing on this one. We don’t eat sardines.

9 Turmeric: The “superstar of spices,” it may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties.

How to eat: Mix with scrambled eggs or in any vegetable dish. I use it most often in curries

10 Frozen blueberries: Even though freezing can degrade some of the nutrients in fruits and vegetables, frozen blueberries are available year-round and don’t spoil; associated with better memory in animal studies.

How to eat: Blended with yogurt or chocolate soy milk and sprinkled with crushed almonds. Sam just eats them frozen. I thaw them and add them to granola.

11 Canned pumpkin: A low-calorie vegetable that is high in fiber and immune-stimulating vitamin A; fills you up on very few calories.
How to eat: Mix with a little butter, cinnamon and nutmeg. A great base for cakes, cookies, muffins, and soups.

I made graham crackers today. They were much crispier than the store bought variety and the next time I make them I may use a bit more butter and sugar (I know, all the stuff I shouldn’t add more of) but they were still pretty good. I made a few impromptu s’mores with some chocolate chips and mini marshmallows and the crispness of the graham crackers worked pretty well. If you’re looking for a healthier alternative to the store bought variety with the high fructose corn syrup and partially hydrogenated oils this recipe is worth a try.

1 cup (4 ounces) Whole Wheat Flour or Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg
1/4 cup (1 3/4 ounces) butter, melted
1/4 cup (3 ounces) honey
2 to 3 tablespoons (1 to 1 1/2 ounces) milk (approx.)

Cut dough into 3-inch squares, prick each square several times with a fork, and place on parchment covered cookie sheets. 15 to 20 minutes, or until crackers are lightly browned. Remove crackers from oven, transfer to a wire cooling rack, and cool completely. Makes about 2 dozen graham crackers.

By the way, I am an idiot, and in writing out the directions I realized that I baked the graham crackers five to ten minutes too long. That probably accounts for the crispness.

It’s national delurking day! Leave a comment and say hi.

This was one of those recipes that I sort of thought was beneath me. But then it was late and I had a meeting to go to and I wanted to cook something healthy and easy and I needed to cook the chicken legs in the fridge and even though I didn’t like the idea of it I went for it. And honestly? It tasted pretty good. And even though the leftovers aren’t the prettiest it didn’t look too bad either. Even the almost three year old who is too picky to eat pizza these days ate it.

Basically, you brown some chicken parts in a dutch oven, remove the chicken and cook some onions in the leftover fat, add rice, liquid and the chicken and simmer until it’s all cooked. Then you add vegetables and cheese and maybe beans and cook some more until it’s all heated through. There’s plenty of room to mess with the recipe and omit what you don’t have and add what you do.

2 tablespoons oil
2 split skin on chicken breasts
1 1/2 cups long grain rice
1/2 cup white wine
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves minced garlic
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
2 cups frozen (or fresh) vegetables (I used green beans and carrots)
1 can beans, rinsed and drained

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven. Add the chicken skin side down and cook for about five minutes until brown. Remove the chicken to a plate and add the onions to the fat in the pan along with some salt and pepper. Cook until browned, about five minutes more. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about thirty seconds. Add the rice and stir until the edges are translucent, about 3 minutes more. Add the liquids and chicken (skin side up) to the pot, bring to a simmer, cover and turn the heat to low. Cook for about 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and add the vegetables to the rice. Cook until heated through then stir in the cheese. You can either remove the skin, shred the chicken and mix it into the pot or serve the chicken breasts on top of the rice.

In honor of my father’s birthday I baked a flourless chocolate cake. After a catastrophic experience with a sourdough chocolate cake just a few days earlier (this story is for a later date) I wanted, no needed, to bake something easy. Something that didn’t require a trip to the store, a stand mixer, a sourdough starter, powdered sugar or icing of any sort.

Flourless chocolate cake fit the bill. Made from just chocolate, cocoa powder, butter, eggs and sugar, the whole thing took less than an hour from start to finish. I love this recipe. And so did everyone else. Even the toddler who tends to take one bite and forget about most cakes ate two whole slices.

Because I’ve been baking so much I couldn’t resist adding both vanilla extract and espresso powder to the cake. They don’t drastically change the taste of the cake but they do enhance the chocolate and make it taste more chocolaty.

Flourless Chocolate Cake adapted from epicurious.com
* 4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips)
* 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
* 3/4 cup sugar
* 3 large eggs
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (optional)
* 1 teaspoon espresso powder dissolved in a tablespoon of hot water (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8-inch round baking pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper and butter paper.

Chop chocolate into small pieces (or use chips and skip chopping!). In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs, vanilla and espresso if using and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

For the last week I’ve been baking bread like crazy. After buying 20 pounds of flour I decided that there was no excuse for me to spend $3 or more on a loaf of bread (I could buy the cheap stuff, but I just don’t like it) when I’m perfectly capable of baking it myself.

The problem is that either my house is just too cold for bread to rise properly, I’m picking bad recipes, or I just suck at baking whole wheat bread. Every loaf of wheat bread I’ve baked has either been too dry, too dense, too tasteless, or just plain too small for sandwiches.

The one bread recipe I’ve been successful with is a bit too sweet for every day and the ratio of white flour to whole wheat flour is too high. I found a similar recipe that called for a higher ratio of wheat flour. But again, it didn’t rise enough and it was so dense it tasted like it hadn’t quite been cooked all the way.

I browsed the King Arthur Flour site and found a recipe for white bread that only had a few ingredients. It seemed easy enough and since it called for all white flour I figured I had a better chance of making it work. I also decided to knead it myself instead of mixing it in my stand mixer. I love my Kitchenaid, but if I’m really going to learn how to bake bread properly I figured I needed to get a feel for how dough should feel. It worked. The bread rose and it was fluffy and not too dry or dense. But as it cooled it sunk in the middle. For once it seemed I over-proofed it instead of under-proofing it. And it was white. For the most part I just don’t have a taste for white bread. It reminds me of paste.

Back to square one.

Sometimes adults are pickier than the children. Apparently my cousin refuses to eat most vegetables, most fruits, and all red meat excluding filet mignon. So when I made sweet potato and black bean enchiladas for a small dinner party the other night I was instructed to refer to them as “Vegetable enchiladas,” so he wouldn’t get suspicious and automatically refuse to eat them because they contain sweet potatoes.

I served everyone and their children, except of course for mine who as always wasn’t hungry, and made it a point to omit the mention of sweet potatoes. I made the dish casserole style for ease, rolling two enchilada style and omitting the cheese to bake separately for my cousin’s wife who is currently dairy-free for her nursing baby. Everyone ate it and most everyone, including my picky cousin, went back for more.

This dish takes a little time because you have to roast the sweet potatoes but it’s easy to assemble and modify.

3 cups enchilada sauce (from a can or homemade)
3 large sweet potatoes, cut into bite sized cubes and roasted
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and drained.
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
6 large tortillas (or 12 small) slightly charred*
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or more)
sour cream for serving

Heat the beans in a medium sauce pan with cumin and chili powder (add more to taste). Combine beans, sweet potatoes and spinach in a large bowl. Pour a 1/3 cup enchilada sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Cover the sauce with two tortillas (or more if you’re using small ones.) Cover with a layer of the sweet potato mixture. Top with more enchilada sauce then another layer of sweet potato mixture etc. Cover the third layer of tortillas with the remaining enchilada sauce, top with cheese and bake covered for 15 minutes. Uncover and cook for 10 minutes more or until cheese is lightly browned. Serve with sour cream.

*If you have a gas range I recommend charriing the tortillas directly over a burner. It takes just a few seconds on each side and gives a nice smoky flavor. (I don’t know how to do it if you have an electric cook top.)

I’ve been trying to eliminate unnecessary spending. Our December budget is the tightest it’s ever been and the winter ahead, even with lower gas costs (for both car and home), will bring higher bills. One of the ways I’ve been trying to cut back on expenses is through groceries. There are some staples that are easy to find coupons for. I don’t think I’ve spent more than $2 on a box of cereal in months. But other things, like cheese, milk and crackers are harder. I’ve pretty much given up on the idea of finding coupons for organic milk on a regular basis. We only go through about a half gallon a week so it doesn’t make sense to stock up when there are sales on milk. Cheese I’ve been stocking up on when it’s on sale. Crackers are a different story.

In the few months I’ve been scouring the circulars to plan my trips and clipping coupons from the paper and magazines I’ve only come across one coupon for crackers. Just one. And it’s not even a brand we like. Looking at the ingredients on crackers, though they aren’t as terrible as they could be, they aren’t that great either so I’ve pretty much eliminated them from my shopping trips and I’ve cut back on feeding them to Sam so he gets used to not having a steady supply of crackers in his diet.

But over Thanksgiving my mother-in-law brought crackers and cheese to the house to munch on and left the half filled boxes behind. The crackers, with peanut butter, have unfortunately become Sam’s lunch and dinner the past few days. I like having crackers around the house but I don’t particularly like buying them. The question is, where can you find a good cracker recipe online? I’ve found one but I need more. If you have any ideas please post in the comments.

Today I am thankful for:

I’m thankful that Sam, overtired from sleeping at grandmom’s last night, and overexcited from all of the activity today wanted me, and only me, to put him to bed tonight. At first I was annoyed that I had to stop cleaning and leave my guests but later when I was cuddled up in his bed with him rubbing his forehead and he sighed and rolled over still holding my hand, I appreciated how fleeting it is, and how I will be so sad when he stops saying, “Hold me, mommy,” when he’s trying to fall asleep, and I was thankful for my children and my husband and our lives together.

And the wine. I’m thankful for the wine.

One turkey is roasted and the gravy is made. A batch of stuffing is ready to be baked tomorrow. Green beans are trimmed and blanched and wrapped in towels in a plastic bag so they’ll stay crisp. Onions and celery are chopped for stuffing tomorrow. I’ve still got about six or seven cups of chicken stock ready to use and giblets are in a pot ready to be simmered for another batch of gravy tomorrow. The other turkey is brining over night.

I need to make mashed potatoes tomorrow. I’m trying a “make ahead” mashed potato recipe that uses cream cheese and sour cream. The very idea of it chills me to my core, but I just want to be able to cook potatoes all day in a crock pot instead of mashing them at the last minute while trying to make more gravy with half a dozen people in the kitchen asking if they can help. So cream cheese and sour cream it is.

Tomorrow I also have to stuff and roast the second turkey, caramelize shallots for the green beans, and finish up the cleaning. The table is set, but I need to pull out and label the serving dishes.

I have to vacuum the few rooms I missed, spot mop the kitchen floor, clean the glass doors upstairs. The laundry (done! and folded thanks to my husband) needs to be put away. Chairs need to come up from the basement.

Earlier I was feeling like I should have gotten more done, but right now it doesn’t seem as daunting.

Happy Thanksgiving!

With nine people for dinner, two who might come for dinner depending on what time they leave their first engagement, and two more for dessert, I’ve completely slacked on the planning and the list making for Thanksgiving. Usually by this time I’ve written and rewritten at least half a dozen lists, crossing things off as I go. But now, finally, with two days to go, I got my Thanksgiving lists together.

My first list is the food I’m serving. Compared to previous years the list is pretty stark. I’m going minimalist with just turkey, stuffing, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, dinner rolls, and cranberry sauce.

The second list is the food prep list- what I need to do tomorrow and Thursday morning. I need to:
chop onions, carrots, celery, and herbs, clean and trim the green beans, and dry the bread for stuffing. While the bread is drying in the oven I need to rinse and pat dry the turkey that’s brining right now. Then I’ll stuff and roast the turkey. While the turkey is roasting I have to move on to list number three.

List three is the stuff around the house; I have to vacuum and dust the downstairs, vacuum the stairs, clean the glass and mirrors, put away the clothes in the bedrooms, do the laundry, refill the hand soap containers, mop the floors downstairs, straighten up the laundry room, take out the serving dishes and label them, sweep up the front porch, and bring up the extra table and chairs from the basement.

At some point I’ll have to prepare the brine for the second turkey and squeeze in taking care of the children. I’m just glad I have lists to guide me now.

I saw this on the baby 411 blog today:

The latest study on peanut allergies found something very revealing: Israeli children who got their first taste of peanuts between 8—14 months of age were LESS likely to have a peanut allergy than their British peers who didn’t start eating peanut products until after 14 months of age. In fact, the British kids were 10 times more likely to have peanut allergies!!! This study was reported in this month’s Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

For the time being, please do not give your four month old a PB&J.

I haven’t read the actual report but it reminded me of something I wrote last year:

I was at a friend’s wedding this weekend and saw, Dave, an old friend I haven’t seen or spoken to in more than 10 years. We were seated at the same table and when the salads came around he asked the waiter if the dressing contained any peanut products. I’d forgotten that Dave was allergic to peanuts. He’d had a reaction once when we were together but it wasn’t a severe one so it didn’t really stick out in my memory. But he was the only person I knew with a peanut allergy until recently, when it seems like the rate of food allergies has more than doubled.

Remembering Dave’s love for conspiracy theories I asked Dave if he knew anyone else with a peanut allergy when he was a kid, knowing he’d probably launch into an elaborate speech about the rise in peanut allergies and his theories about what causes them. And he did.

His theory? Genetically modified foods. He says that because the peanut is a hardy crop scientists have taken peanut genes and spliced them into others. The result is an abundance of the proteins in peanuts in a variety of unlikely foods. The proteins in allergenic foods are what cause the allergy. Since so many of the foods we eat contain peanut genes without actually containing peanuts, exposure to the allergens has increased exponentially, increasing the number of babies who eventually develop allergies.