Mothers Day

This just about sums it up!  I hope you all had a happy mother's day, and I'll be back tomorrow with some food and recipes.

It's In the Bag!

I'm raising the white flag and surrendering!  I promised Cinco de Mayo yesterday, but never delivered...I'm sure by now you've drowned your sorrows in Margaritas.
My life is a bit complicated right now; having just finished my manuscript, I'm now technically "unemployed" but life goes on here at Chez Phillips and Dr. C and I are leaving for a month in Italy on Wednesday....I'm just a bit behind.

 Today, I taught the Farmer's Market Bag class at Great News; again Specialty Produce has put together an amazing bag full of fresh produce from local farms.  Today we had Freckles lettuce (yes, it does have freckles) arugula, baby gold turnips, baby rainbow carrots, Oro Bianco grapefruit, baby purple artichokes, cremini mushrooms, and Be Wise Farms strawberries.  If you bought a bag this week, I've got a few nice recipes for you to try with the produce; if you were in class, these recipes will enhance the recipes that you received in class.

Here's a peak at the dishes we made in class:

Salad with arugula, freckles lettuce, carrots, garlic, pondhopper cheese, and cashews.

Individual Strawberry Rhubarb Crumbles

The Strawberries we had today would make an amazing parfait for Mother's Day.  This recipe is really almost too simple, but the results are spectacular (I love that!)

Balsamic Strawberries with Ricotta Creme
Serves 4
2 cups whole milk ricotta 
3 tablespoons orange blossom honey
2 tablespoons heavy cream


2 cups strawberries, hulled, and quartered
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoons good quality Balsamic vinegar (no $5 bottles for this please)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the ricotta, honey and the cream.  
2. Spoon the mixture into 4 parfait or martini glasses.  
3. In another bowl toss together the sugar and the strawberries.  
4. Spoon over the ricotta and drizzle with the balsamic vinegar and serve chilled.   

Brulee Grapefruit
Serves 4
Two Oro Blanco grapefruit, halved
1/2 cup raw sugar
Preheat the broiler for 10 minutes.  Arrange the grapefruit on a baking sheet, cut side up and sprinkle each 
evenly with the sugar.  Broil until the sugar is bubbling, and golden brown. Allow the grapefruit to rest for 5 minutes before serving.  

 
Baby Artichoke Salad with Lemon and Parmigiano Reggiano
Serves 4

4 baby artichokes, stems trimmed, and tough leaves removed from the bottom
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
ground black pepper
1/2 cup shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

 Quarter the artichokes, and dip into 1/4 cup of lemon juice mixed with 4 cups of water to retard discoloration.  Steam the artichokes for 5 minutes, until tender.  Drain the artichokes, and cool. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon, oil and pepper.  Toss the artichokes with the dressing, add the Parmigiano and toss again.  Serve the salad at room temperature.  

 I hope you all have a great weekend, and if you are celebrating Mother's Day, Happy Mothers' Day to you all.  

 I'll be back on Monday with an update on whether we are packed and ready to go.  I'm hoping we come back from this trip and decide to buy flat in Spello.

 

Making it Special

This Sunday is Mother's Day; OK, so you were surprised, too!  As a mom, my preference for these type holidays would be everyone in the same room and I had that at Easter.  Since our kids don't live here, I can't expect them to pick up and come for a weekend (although that would be nice)  But if your mom lives in your town and you want to make the day special, why not cook her a beautiful brunch?  I've got all the tools for you, and we can start with the perfect cocktail to start the day off.  I'll give you a few recipes this week for making a great do-ahead brunch that you will all enjoy.

Mojito
No, you don't need a mint muddler; this recipe is super simple, and I use the mint simple syrup for all kinds of homemade drinks, like lemonade, and ice tea.  

2 cups water

2 cups superfine sugar

2 cups packed fresh mint leaves, plus 1 bunch for garnish

Ice cubes

2 1/2 cups light rum

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1 liter Club soda  or sparkling water

Sprigs fresh mint for garnish

1.  In a 2-quart saucepan, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the mint leaves and let steep for 1 hour. 
2. Strain the syrup and discard the mint leaves.
3. Do-Ahead: At this point, you can let cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
4. When ready to serve, fill each glass with ice, and add 1/4 cup of rum, 1/4 cup of mint syrup, 2 teaspoons of lime juice, and enough club soda to fill the glass. Garnish with mint sprigs and serve. 
5. Mojitos by the Pitcher: If you would like to make these to have ready in a pitcher, fill a pitcher with the simple syrup, rum, and lime juice. Fill glasses with ice cubes, fill halfway with mojito mixture, then fill the rest of the way with club soda and garnish.   

A word to the wise; don't ever plant mint in your garden...if you want to grow your own, plant it in a pot, otherwise it will take over the garden.  

The Main  Course for this Brunch are spectacular stuffed puffed pastry with savory egg fillings.  I did these as an Easter brunch and they are a hit!  You can even make them ahead of time, and that just makes everything so much simpler!

Baked Easter Baskets

 Serves 6 to 8

Spinach and Bacon Filling

 4 strips bacon, cooked crisp, drained, cooled and crumbled

One 10-ounce package baby spinach

Salt and pepper

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

One 5.2-ounce package Boursin Cheese

¼ cup finely shredded Gruyere or Jarlsberg cheese

1.                  Drain all the fat from the pan used to fry the bacon, and sauté the spinach in the same pan, until wilted. Season with salt and pepper and remove the spinach to a bowl to cool.

2.                  In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, mustard, and Boursin beating until the Boursin is broken up. Add the shredded cheese, and the cooled spinach and bacon. 

3.                  Ladle 1/3 to ¼ cup of the mixture into the puff pastry cups. Bake as directed.

Artichoke Prosciutto and Goat Cheese Filling

 2 tablespoons butter

One small shallot (about 2 tablespoons) finely chopped

5 slices prosciutto, finely diced

One 10-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted, drained and coarsely chopped

Salt and pepper

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

One 5-ounce package goat cheese

¼ cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

1.                  In a sauté pan, melt the butter, and add the shallot and prosciutto, sautéing until the shallot is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the artichoke hearts, season with salt and pepper, and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the liquid in the pan has evaporated. Transfer to a bowl, and cool.

2.                  In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, mustard, goat cheese, cooled artichoke mixture and the cheese. 

3.                  Ladle 1/3 cup into the puff pastry cups. Bake as directed.

 

Assembly

One 17-ounce package Puff Pastry

Filling (above)

Finely grated cheese (see note)

For Muffins:

1. Roll the puff pastry out into a 16-inch square. 
2. Cut the square into 4-inch squares. 
3. Coat the inside of muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
4. Lay the puff pastry into the muffin tins, pulling the points of the square outside the cup. 
5. Ladle in the filling and bake for 17 to 25 minutes, until the filling is set and the puff pastry is golden brown. 
6. Allow the pastries to rest for 5 minutes, and serve warm or at room temperature. 

For individual 4-ounce (1 cup) ramekins

1. Roll the puff pastry into an 18-inch square, and cut the pastry into 6-inch squares. 
2. Coat the inside of the ramekins with non-stick cooking spray and preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
3. Lay the pastry into the ramekins, pulling the point outside the cup. 
4. Ladle in the filling (about ½-cup) and bake for 35 to 30 minutes, until the filling is set and the pastry is golden brown. 
5. Allow the pastries to rest for 5 minutes, and serve warm or at room temperature. 

Rolling out the dough: 

To Make These ahead:

• The filling can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 2 days; the puff pastry can be rolled and patted into the tins the night before, so that all you have to do is fill and bake. 
• If you want to freeze these, you will have to bake them first, but don’t bake them for the entire time.   
• Back off and bake them until they begin to firm (usually about 5 minutes less with the muffins and 10 minutes less for the ramekins) 
• Remove them from the oven, and allow them to cool completely.   
• Store in airtight containers in the freezer for up to 4 weeks, defrost overnight in the refrigerator and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, until heated through.  (by initially baking for less time, the eggs will still be cooked, but you are leaving some moisture in the egg mixture so that when they are reheated, they won’t be dry)  Most egg dishes can be handled this way for freezing. 

I'll be back tomorrow with a great menu for Cinco de Mayo, until then enjoy your day. 

Mother’s Day in the United States is said to have originated when Julia Ward Howe who wrote the lyrics to The Battle Hymn of the Republic suggested an International Mother’s day to celebrate motherhood and peace in 1872. Most celebrations were religious gatherings to celebrate mothers, but in the late 1800’s a mother in West Virginia urged her Methodist congregation to celebrate Mother’s day and her daughter Anna Jarvis made it her mission in life to have Mother’s Day declared a national holiday.  President Woodrow Wilson signed the declaration in 1914. 

Remembering

Early on Sunday night our son sent us a text that a friend at CNN had told him that the President would announce that Osama Bin Laden was dead.  I have to admit, death is one of those things that hits me pretty hard; I've lost parents, good friends, and other relatives way before their times.
I really can't celebrate this man's death; the glee that others seemed to feel at the news was so foreign to me, I'm not sure what to make of that.
Our daughter lived through 9/11 in Manhattan and I thank God everyday that she and her family are safe.  I guess I want to concentrate on honoring the memory of those who were lost that day....their families, their loved ones, and friends are the people that should be remembered here, not one man whose hate was more than anyone could control.

The Reverend Martin Luther King, has been mis-quoted all day long on Facebook and Twitter--if you posted that eloquent, but mis-quoted phrase, check out the Christian Science Monitor for the real thing.  This quote is from Dr. King, and feels so much better to me than saying I'm glad this man is dead.

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

As you go through the week, remember that people are still mourning for those they lost on September 11th; mourning for the innocence we lost, and the sense of fear that we took on after that day.  Also remember to tell those you love how much they mean to you.  I'll be back later with some food things to talk about.  Until then, remember those you love.

The World Needs More Pie meets the Diva of Do-Ahead

I have to admit that I'm pretty particular about the blogs I read; there are a lot of women out there who whine about their very full lives---get a grip---OK?  I had lunch today with Beth Howard who lost her husband 2 years ago, and has endured the grieving process all the while thinking about how she could share with others...to make a long story short, this city girl moved into the American Gothic House in Eldon, Iowa (no we don't have Peace Corp reps there) and started the Pitchfork Pie Stand, selling apple pies to tourists who pull up out of curiosity to see what all the commotion is about and to visit the American Gothic house.  Here's Beth at the Art Institute in Chicago with the former owners!

  Beth's premise is that pies bring people together; sharing makes things happen, and telling your story, in her case, grief beyond imagination, might inspire or encourage others.  She's just as nice in person as she is in the blog---I reached out and sent her an e-mail and told her I couldn't wait till her book came out, because I knew it would be terrific--she just happened to be in San Diego today and we had a lovely leisurely lunch sharing our stories.

When you are on vacation this summer, you need to stop by and meet her; or if you can't get to Iowa, go to her blog and read about all her adventures.  She'll be heading back to Iowa in a few weeks and the pie stand will open on May 20th. If you are looking for pie tips, this article in Midwest Living is terrific. 
The best tip I got today, after admitting that I'm a total flake (sorry) at pie making is that pies aren't meant to be perfect, and that isn't what pie is all about---so take that Martha Stewart!

This looks pretty darned perfect to me, and it's one of her own!  It just needs a little vanilla ice cream melting over it and I'd be a very happy girl!
I hope you had a great weekend, I'll be back tomorrow with some food adventures, until then enjoy your evening.  American Gothic, c.1930 Finest LAMINATED Print Grant Wood 12x15