A Kitchen Garden Symposium at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

This weekend April 25th and 26th Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay is hosting a Kitchen Garden Symposium. The speakers are William Alexander, author of The $64 Tomato; Jennifer R. Bartley, author of Designing the New Kitchen Garden; cookbook author Cynthia Finnemore Simonds,(that's me!) with a demo and tasting; and Russ Cohen, an expert on edible native plants and wildflowers. Amanda Beal, president of the Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association (MOFGA) will provide opening remarks. It should be a day filled with humor, education and entertainment.
For me, spring is a time filled with inspiration. Everything is greening. Ideas also blossom when I imagine what to do with the little herbs poking up out of the garden soil. I have a kitchen garden filled with both perennials and annuals and try to alternate what I plant but some herbs are the same every year. Here are three recipes using fresh herbs. They are Delicious!

Cheese in Herbed Oil
This herb oil will strengthen as it sits and cheese will be more infused with the flavors.
2 cups olive oil
2 cloves garlic
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 bay leaf
1 t red pepper flakes or 1 dried chili pepper
6 black peppercorns
6 coriander seeds
2 whole allspice
1 lb feta or other fresh soft cheese, chopped into bite size pieces
Put all ingredients in wide mouth jar with a lid. Keep refrigerated for 1-2 months. Delicious in salads or as an appetizer.

Kitchen Garden Herbed Cheese Spread
This creamy spread is wonderful on bagels, crusty bread, or on top of a warm piece of grilled steak. Herbed cheese is especially good when you pick the herbs fresh from your garden or from your local farm stand. One of the freshest cheeses we have here in Maine comes from the delectable chevre producers. Using this in combination with Neufchatel cheese produces a delicious lower fat spread- you’ll never miss those calories!
8 oz Neufchatel cheese or regular cream cheese
8 oz plain chevre- I love Appleton Creamery
1T chopped fresh rosemary
1⁄4 c fresh minced parsley
1⁄4 c fresh minced chives
1⁄2 t garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic minced
1⁄2 t white pepper
1⁄2 t salt
Blend all together until smooth. Chill. This is better the day after it’s made so the flavors can dance around a bit. If you have an herb garden and want to add oregano, thyme, marjoram, or sage, supplement the herbs to your taste.
Pack along a bottle of Winterport Winery’s Spring Fever or Dry Pear wine to whet your whistle.

Summer Herb Dressing
This dressing offers bright flavors that take you out to the garden. Use the freshest herbs you can find.
2 T Raye’s stone ground mustard
3⁄4 c white vinegar
1 shallot- minced
2 cloves garlic- use roasted garlic here if you have it
1 T sugar
1⁄2 t salt
1⁄2 t fresh ground black pepper
1⁄4 c chopped fresh basil
2 T chopped fresh sage
2 T chopped fresh thyme
3 T chopped fresh parsley
1 1⁄2 c olive oil
Whisk all of the ingredients but the oil together. Slowly drizzle the oil into the dressing, whisking constantly.
Serve chilled with your choice of greens.
Savor. Linger. Enjoy!
Cynthia Finnemore Simonds

savorlingerenjoy@gmail.com

Roasted Eggplant with Garlic and Olive Oil

This is delicious as a spread on crusty bread. You can scoop it up with a slice, spoon some on like bruschetta or mash it up a bit and spread it on thick.
1 large eggplant
juice of 1 lemon
2 medium garnet sweet potatoes
2 large carrots
5 cloves garlic or more if you like
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon thick sweet soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Braggs Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Peel the eggplant and chop into 1 inch chunks. Place in a bowl, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt, and the drizzle with the lemon juice. Fill the bowl with water to cover the eggplant. Drape a paper towel over the top. Press the paper towel down into the water to completely soak it. Let eggplant sit while you prepare the sweet potatoes.
Peel and chop the sweet potatoes and carrots into 1 inch pieces. Place the chopped sweet potatoes and carrots into a large zip top plastic bag. Pour 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil over the veggies and squish it around inside the bag to coat all of the pieces. Peel and chop the garlic coarsely and add to the bag. Massage it into the oil to disperse.
Drain the eggplant and squeeze it a bit to remove as much of the liquid as possible. Add the eggplant to the carrot bag along with the remaining olive oil, salt, pepper, thick soy, Bragg's or soy sauce and garlic powder. Move all of the vegetables around in the bag together to coat completely. Pour out onto a greased sheet pan. Roast in a preheated 350 degree oven for about an hour or until the eggplant is a deep golden brown. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt and serve warm.

Hummus with a Twist

This Saturday we'll be at the Camden Farmer's Market from 9:30 to 11:30. Fresh Maine Salads will be available and I'll have some tasty samples to share. Hope to see you there!
We're always looking for easy, healthy snacks for summer gatherings. Here is a Hummus recipe that will keep your guests coming back for more. If you prefer another bean- this is a great way to use your imagination. Adzuki or black beans also fit this recipe. Experiment and dazzle your taste buds.
Hummus with a Twist
2 cups cooked chick peas (garbanzo beans)
2 cloves garlic- roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup lime juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 cup tahini
2 teaspoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
olive oil
1/4 cup roasted red peppers roughly chopped

Pour the chick peas (If you are using canned chick peas pour in the liquid as well) into a blender or food processor bowl. Pulse until mashed. Add the garlic, salt, lime juice and lemon juice and blend. Add the tahini, cumin, cayenne, and fresh parsley or cilantro and blend until smooth. If you need additional liquid to make it the consistency you like, add a drizzle of olive oil while you blend or process. If you want to keep the fat content low you can add a drizzle of water instead.
Place the hummus into a shallow bowl. Garnish with the roasted red pepper pieces and serve with carrot sticks, pita bread triangles, celery or your favorite dip vehicle.
You can save out a half cup or so and turn that into a salad dressing for tomorrow's supper. This recipe is even better the next day.
Savor. Linger. Enjoy!

BBQ and Lindy-Hop in Beantown

I'm giving you several recipes today as I will be off to Beantown Camp this weekend. The Lindy Hop workshops will feature instructors from across the globe. We'll be dancing our feet off!
Hope your weekend is filled with cook-outs and frisbee!

Hot Onion Barbecue Sauce
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup tomato puree
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
1 Tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard

In a food processor, puree the onion and 1/4 cup water until completely smooth.
Melt butter in saucepan. Cook onion mixture and garlic 4 minutes. Add remaining
ingredients and bring to boil. Store in a tightly sealed container. Chill until ready to use

Bruschetta and Wedding Plans

Darrin and Serafina are in the thick of it planning their wedding. We were chatting about appetizers and they had decided on bruschetta. This recipe is an easy version that can be adapted to your tongues delight.
Bruschetta
Serve this light and delicious concoction atop bread rounds with a side of garlic oil marinated mozzarella balls. If you are feeling adventurous slice a few large cloves of garlic in half. Toast your bread rounds lightly and rub each one with the moist cut side of a garlic clove. Top with the bruschetta mixture and you've got a taste sensation!

Bruschetta
1 28oz can diced tomatoes
1 T sugar
1 t salt
1 t pepper
1 T dried oregano
2 T dried parsley
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 T olive oil
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/3 c finely chopped vidalia onion
Mix all ingredients together. Chill 2 hours or overnight. Serve cold or let come to room temperature. If you are making this in the summer substitute triple the amount of fresh herbs for the dried. This is also delicious with the addition of fresh basil and chives.

Do What Makes You Happy- and eat some lovely Herb Roasted Lamb

"To dance is to be out of yourself. Larger, more beautiful, more powerful. This is power, it is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking." ~Agnes De Mille
Just found this quote in a contra dance email and loved it. Because I'm feeling that fullness of being, that happiness that brings the I've-got-the-power-to-do-anything feeling with it, I've decided to have business cards made up. They are in a font I like (Harrington), with words that describe ME, and pictures of my books on the back. It's the first time that I've made up something like this for "business" that is all about me. You know, we almost always analyze things like that to death. What will be appropriate? What makes sense? What will be a good representation? This time I threw it all into the wind. Convention- gone. Seriousness- gone. I just did what I wanted. The words on my new card make me smile. It says Cynthia Finnemore Simonds, Culinary Adventurer, Paradigm Specialist, Author, Swing Dancer. How cool is that! It's me on a little piece of paper.
I know that I am FAR from perfect.; never tried to be perfect. Did you know that the Latin root for the word perfect is ...finished... I am certainly not finished yet. I am however, trying to do my best. On this quest I shall remain until the day when I'm through. I intend to move forward, and all along the way I'm doing the things that make me smile... like dancing. There is a swing dance this Friday (that's one of those MakeMeSmile things) at the North Deering Grange in Portland, Maine. Come on down and kick up your heels. It just might make you smile too.
As for today's recipe, How about a spring lamb dish. I've got one marinating in the fridge. Rebecca's mom Susan just sent me a note about her Graduation party preparations. Congrats Doctor Katz!! They were having lamb too. It certainly is the season.
Boneless Leg of Lamb with Fresh Herbs
1 boneless leg of lamb (mine was about a pound and a quarter)
marinade ingredients:
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar or fresh squeezed lemon juice
10 twists fresh cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 Tablespoons fresh Mint (IF you would prefer you can use fresh rosemary for the mint in both the marinade and the gravy)
If you'd like to make gravy you'll need some bouillon paste or powder, cornstarch and a little more fresh mint.
In a large ziploc bag place all of the marinade ingredients and the lamb. Seal the bag halfway. Press all of the air out of the bag and close completely. Massage the ingredients into the meat. Place the bag into a bowl and chill until ready to cook. You can grill the lamb or roast in a pan. For oven roasting: Remove the lamb from the bag and place on a low rack in the roasting pan. Pour 2 cups of water under the lamb before you place it in the oven. Roast the lamb at 325 degrees for 30 minutes per pound. When it's done you'll have all of the drippings ready to make into gravy. Remove the lamb to a platter. Cover with foil and let it rest 15 minutes. Remove the rack from the pan. Use a whisk to stir all of the lamb bits together in the roasting pan. Pour all of the juice into a sauce pan. Add enough water to make about 2 cups of liquid. Heat over medium until the mixture comes to a boil. While you're waiting mix together 1 heaping Tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 Tablespoons of cold water until it becomes a smooth slurry. Taste your broth and add a Tablespoon or so of vegetable or beef bouillon paste or powder to enhance the flavor. Pour in the cornstarch slurry and whisk until the gravy is thick and the cornstarch cloudiness has disappeared. It won't be completely clear but it should look like gravy. If your gravy is too thick, add a bit of hot water. If it is too thin, make up some more cornstarch slurry and add it to the gravy. Strain the gravy into a bowl and stir in some freshly minced mint- about 2 Tablespoons will be enough. Carve the lamb at a gentle angle and place slices on a platter. Pour any juice that has accumulated on the resting platter over the sliced meat. Pour or ladle your gravy into a gravy boat or small pitcher. Serve the lamb and gravy and listen for the yummy noises. MMM

Wasabi Oil and Wasabi Ginger Marinade

Oh my goodness, what an amazing dance. We watched Dancing with the Stars tonight and the Jive that Joey and Kym performed was outstanding! I actually clapped spontaneously in my living room like they could actually hear me. What fun! I think I even picked up a couple of steps to add to our repertoire. We had sushi yesterday so, being the frugal gal that I am, I couldn't just toss the remaining pickled ginger, soy sauce packets and wasabi. Wasabi is a great element of flavor for many recipes. Here are two for you to try.
Wasabi Oil
Wasabi—that electric green pyramid that goes along for the ride with your sushi has the capability of detonating a small nuclear internal head rush if eaten too quickly. My friend Marita could bathe in it and not get enough- though I think a wasabi bath would make for too many overly tingly fingers and toes. This wasabi oil gives you the wasabi flavor while keeping your gray matter basically intact. Keep the extra wasabi from your sushi and use it to add that special spicy something to your next dish.
2 Tablespoon wasabi paste or more to your taste
1 Tablespoon mirin or sake
2 teaspoons sugar
4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive or grapeseed oil
In a medium stainless non-reactive (steel or glass bowl), combine the mirin and sugar. Stir well to dissolve the sugar. Add the wasabi and whisk well to blend. Whisk in the oil. Let the oil stand for 10 minutes before using. Be sure to whisk it up just before serving.

Wasabi Marinade
1 Tablespoon prepared wasabi paste
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons roughly chopped pickled ginger
2 cloves garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil or wasabi oil
In a medium stainless non-reactive (steel or glass bowl), combine all of the ingredients and whisk to combine. Pour into a large ziploc baggie with the steak, chicken, tofu or other meat you are preparing for dinner. Seal the bag most of the way across and press out all of the air. Seal the bag completely and massage the marinade into the meat for a minute or so. Place the bag in a bowl in the refrigerator. Chill until ready to cook. You can even freeze the meat in the marinade and thaw when you need it. Grill or roast the meat to your satisfaction. It's sooo good.

Cottage Cheese Dip for Veggies

Buzz’s Healthy Dip

My friend Buzz is one of the most extraordinary men I know. Not only is he a genius in business, he writes poetry, is a brilliant cook and has a great sense of humor. This is his own invention- a dip that is unusual, delicious and actually good for you.

1 lb cottage cheese
3 oz katsup
6 drops Tabasco or Cholula sauce- or more to taste
1 t garlic powder or 1 clove fresh garlic minced
the juice and zest from 1 large lemon
5 twists of fresh ground pepper
1 t dried oregano
1⁄2 t celery salt or Beau Monde seasoning
1 T dried parsley

12 celery stalks- washed, and cut into 3’ sticks

In a medium bowl combine the cottage cheese, katsup, lemon juice and zest. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve with celery sticks for scooping. If you want a smoother dip, you can make this in a food processor and puree the cottage cheese before adding the other ingredients.
Savor. Linger. Enjoy!
-Cynthia

Asparagus and Tomatoes with Lemon and Garlic

There are just so many wonderful things about pairing vegetables. Tonight we enjoyed dinner with the Schusters, Cam and Serafina and Darin. We celebrated both Raechel and Mike's birthday with Rack of Lamb, Pork Tenderloin, Lamb Riblets, Asparagus and Tomatoes with Lemon and Garlic, Three Cheese Souffle and Dark Chocolate Pots de Creme with Maple Highlighted Greek Yogurt. It was wonderful. The lamb was accented with the traditional rosemary and garlic. The riblets were seasoned with Adobo and Cholula sauce. This time of year the asparagus is especially tender. I wanted to have that spring-y flavor alongside the lamb. Here is a simple recipe for your asparagus...
Asparagus with Tomatoes, Garlic and Lemon
Yes. indeedy- tomatoes and lemon in the same dish. I don't usually combine the flavors- but somehow here they work.
1 lb asparagus- washed and trimmed- cut into 2 inch segments
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
juice of half a lemon
zest of half a lemon
2 cups chopped fresh or canned tomatoes with juice
a sprinkle of salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Place the asparagus in a baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, fresh garlic and garlic powder, juice and zest of the lemon. Toss to coat.
Cover with the tomatoes. Sprinkle with the additional salt, pepper and garlic powder. Cover the whole dish with foil or it's own top.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes- {I did this because I had the lamb cooking and had to finish dessert on the top of the stove- You could certainly saute this on the stove top.}
Toss before serving. Top with a garnish of lemon zest and the juice of the other half of the lemon.

White Garlic Chili

We're getting ready for a day of swing dancing tomorrow. Steve and Rebecca Drzewiczewski
are coming for some lindy hop workshops. A bunch of us are getting together for soup after the workshops and before the evening dance. I'm in the process of making stock right now. The brownies for dessert just came out of the oven. I was thinking about making some white chili too. Here is one version I like...
White Chili
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup diced sweet onion
3 ribs celery, diced small
4 cloves garlic, minced or put through a garlic press
In a large sauce pan, saute the onion, celery and garlic in the oil over medium heat until they are transluscent.
Add: 4 cups cooked shredded or diced meat (pork, ham, chicken or turkey or a combination)
2 cups (one can) cooked Great Northern Beans- drained
2 cups (one can) cooked baby butter beans- drained
3 to 4 cups hearty chicken broth depending on how thick you want it to be
2 cups (1 can) refried beans
1 Tablespoon chicken bouillon paste or powder
2 cups white corn
4 oz. can diced chilies
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoons Cholula hot pepper sauce
Simmer on low 20 to 30 minutes, stirring often.
When you serve sprinkle each bowl with shredded Monterey Jack Cheese and top with a dollop of sour cream.
If you want to add a little color to your chili, add 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro just before serving. You can also top with slices of fresh avocado, a few dashes of Cholula sauce and a little salsa.

mmmm...

Herbs from the Kitchen Garden

This time of year it's great to pick up a pot or two of herbs from your local greenhouse or market. You can enjoy sprigs if fresh flavor in your recipes and once June first comes around they can go out into the garden. This fall you can re-pot them and enjoy them in your kitchen window. This recipe is perfect all year round. It saves you from purchasing premade herb cheeses. Make it yourself and use the herbs you love.

Kitchen Garden Herbed Cheese Spread
This creamy spread is wonderful on bagels, paninni, or on top of a warm piece of grilled steak. Herbed cheese is especially good when you purchase the herbs fresh from from your local farm stand or pick them from your own garden. One of the freshest cheeses we have here in Maine comes from the delectable chevre producers. Using this in combination with Neufchatel cheese produces a delicious lower fat spread- you’ll never miss those calories!
• 8 oz Neufchatel cheese or regular cream cheese
• 1T chopped fresh rosemary
• 8 oz plain chevre
• 1/4 c fresh minced parsley
• 1/4 c fresh minced chives
• 1/2 t garlic powder or 1 love fresh garlic very finely minced
• 1/2 t white pepper
• 1/2 t salt
Blend all together until smooth. Chill. This is better the day after it’s made so the flavors can dance around a bit.
If you have a type of herb that you particularly love and want to add some, ie; oregano, thyme, marjoram, or sage, add some to your taste.

Chicken Teriyaki and San Tung Dreams

Our family loves Asian food. We go to San Tung in San Francisco whenever we're there. It's our absolute favorite restaurant on the west coast. I programmed their phone number into my cel phone the last time we visited my brother. Some nights I just want to have them deliver to my doorstep- on the coast of Maine- someone, please invent a teleporter!! They make the most delicious dry-fried chicken. It is a combination of Korean and Chinese crispy chicken with a thick, spicy sauce. It's sooo good!
Elizabeth's favorite is teriyaki anything. Since she has been under the weather (her fever actually reached 106.7 about 10 minutes ago- The doc just started her on antibiotics tonight. We're hoping it's not appendicitis!) I wanted to make something special for her. I cooked up some chicken teriyaki, and broccoli. Sherwood made brown rice. Usually a dinner she will gobble up! Unfortunately, she didn't eat a thing. The rest of us enjoyed this healthy dinner. If you'd like to try Elizabeth's favorite teriyaki marinade for yourself this is how you make it.
Teriyaki Marinade for Chicken
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 Tablespoons Hoisin sauce
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons pickled ginger, minced- I like the pink kind
2 Tablespoons fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sambal oelek (chili paste)-optional, or more if you like it spicy
2 Tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 Tablespoon thick sweet soy -(you can find this in most asian grocery stores- It is a wonderful ingredient for lomein as well)
Whisk all of the ingredients together. Pour over chicken. One of the best ways I've found to marinate meats is to place the meat in a large ziploc bag, pour the marinade over the meat, press all of the air out of the bag and zip it up. Massage the marinade into the meat and place the bag in a bowl. Place the bowl in the refrigerator. Let the meat sit at least 30 minutes. I love to get this step done the day before and let the meat soak up all of the flavor overnight. I've even been known to freeze the meat in the marinade. All you have to do is thaw out the meat and cook as you like. This teriyaki is great on steak, pork, chicken and shrimp. It is also a good mix to toss with lo mein noodles and veggies. Use just enough for your taste.

Roasted Eggplant with Garlic and Olive Oil

This seemed like a wonderful night for roast chicken. We will often pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and pair it with a salad for a busy weeknight dinner. Elizabeth was sick again today, so, I was home and could take the time to roast a chicken here. It came out so succulent and delicious! The market had some beautiful garnet sweet potatoes the other day and the eggplant looked fantastic. I wanted something to combine the two for a new side dish. The product was a scrumptuous roasted vegetable trio. The eggplant roasted just long enough that the coating ingredients had just begun to carmellize. Oh my! What a glorious combination of textures and flavors. The house smelled like home. All I need is a dance around the kitchen to make it perfect!
HomeStyle Roast Chicken
5 lb chicken- rinsed
Place the chicken in a roasting pan.
Sprinkle over the entire top of the chicken: garlic powder, salt, pepper, and paprika.
Give it a little spritz with Bragg's Liquid Aminos- this tastes like a light soy sauce.
Roast at 350 degrees for about an hour and a half.

Oven Roasted Eggplant and Sweet Potatoes with Garlic and Olive Oil
1 large eggplant
juice of 1 lemon
3 medium garnet sweet potatoes
2 large carrots
4 cloves garlic or more if you like
1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1 Tablespoon thick sweet soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Braggs Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Peel the eggplant and chop into 1 inch chunks. Place in a bowl with 1 teaspoon salt, lemon juice and fill with water to cover the eggplant. Cover with a papertowel. Press the paper towel down into the water to completely soak it. Let eggplant sit while you prepare the sweet potatoes.
Peel and chop the sweet potatoes and carrots into 1 inch pieces. Place the chopped sweet potatoes and carrots into a large ziploc bag. Pour 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil over the top and squish it around to coat all of the pieces. Peel and chop the garlic coarsely and add to the bag. Moosh it around to disperse.
Drain the eggplant and press a bit to remove as much of the liquid as possible. Add the eggplant to the bag along with the remaining olive oil, salt, pepper, thick soy and Bragg's or soy sauce. Move all of the vegetables around together to coat completely. Pour out onto a greased sheet pan. Roast in a 325 or 350 degree oven- depending on what you are cooking with it- for about an hour. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt and serve warm. You can mash it a bit and add a little more olive oil to make a thick dip/spread for bread.

Thinking of Spring...and herbs for the garden

It's time to start thinking about spring. I may relapse into my love of winter again but it's fun to think about the possibilities for planting my kitchen garden. I have a delightful little rock bordered garden that rests just beside my deck. It is the perfect place for flowers, herbs and fresh garnishes for our table. This spring I'll be going up to Moose Crossing Herbs in Waldoboro to find some hardy new perennials to add this year. Oregano is on the list. I'll be adding another type of thyme and some pineapple sage. I'll have to set in some annuals as well. Of course there will be parsley, sage, rosemary and cilantro. Last year the cilantro reseeded from 2005. I love when that happens!
We went to dinner at Cam's tonight before attending the swing dance at Bowdoin College in Brunswick. It was great to see all of the college kids learning the steps to the shim-sham, jitterbug stroll and two hand slide variations. It is always a joy to see young men willing to learn how to swing. I always try to participate in the lesson so the leads will have a follow who can do what they tell them to do.
I am so proud to be a swing dancer!
Here is a recipe for an herb rub to get you thinking about spring- I've used fresh herbs here but have included options for dried just in case you need to resort to the winter option. Let's be the early bird- and look toward a beautiful, warm, green Springtime!

Herb Rub recipe

3 Tablespoons fresh chopped thyme or 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
3 Tablespoons fresh chopped oregano or 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 Tablespoon fresh chopped basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
3 Tablespoons fresh chopped parsley or 1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Combine all ingredients; store in an airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days if fresh or up to two weeks if dried.
Rub on chicken, fish, or pork chops before grilling. It is especially nice if you mix the entire batch with 1/2 cup of olive oil and rub it on chicken breasts or two long narrow pork tenderloins. Let them sit, covered in the refrigerator for a day. Wipe most of the mixture off, discard the used herbs and grill the meat. Delicious!
Instead of using on meat: The fresh herb and olive oil mixture is also wonderful tossed with freshly cooked pasta and a handful of parmesan cheese or as a dip for crusty bread.

Pork Roast and Apple Sauce

The recipe for today is Pork Roast with Maple Glaze. Our dear friends the Olivers had a house fire last night. We've all been working together to find ways to help them get back on their feet. Tonight's meal was quick and easy.
Pork Loin with Maple Glaze: use the kind or pork loin/roast you like- I just got what was on sale today. Rinse it. Pat it dry. Season with salt, pepper and some minced garlic. Rub a Tablespoon or two of dijon or honey mustard over the top. Place it in a roasting pan and drizzle with pure maple syrup. Roast it at 350 degrees 20 minutes per pound. When it's done, remove it from the oven, cover with foil and let it sit 10 to 15 minutes. Swing dance around the kitchen to some Louis Armstrong while you wait. Slice it across the grain and serve with rice pilaf and sweet baby peas. A dollop of chunky applesauce on the side completes your meal. Drizzle some of the pan juices over the top of the sliced meat just before you serve. Yum!
Remember to count your blessings before you go to sleep tonight. I hope you are safe, warm, fed, content and grateful. We are all so lucky- there are always blessings to count. I'm so glad that Ernie, Molly, Sean, Gavin and Sawyer are alright. A fire can take belongings. People are the magic that make a house a home. Thank goodness we've still got the magic. We'll help them work out the rest.

Boiga Belly and Everything Bagels

Who invented Everything Bagels? If it were me, I would have had all the ingredients separated nicely into lovely storage containers- until I spilled a bunch of them when making one type. I couldn't waste all those delicious tidbits, so, since I had spilled them into a clean, bagel-filled tote, I would just say- I meant to do it that way. Which, indeed, is what I often do in the kitchen. When something comes out different than I intended- I just pretend that I meant to do it that way. Culinary accidents don't have to be wrong- they can be considered new flavor combinations just realizing their time has come. We had everything bagel burgers tonight. I had some nice ground beef that practically made itself into patties. While they cooked (in a frying pan because 2 degrees above zero is not the grilling weather I wanted to wander into tonight) I sprinkled them with a generous amount of garlic powder, a pinch of sea salt and several grinds of black pepper. They cooked up nicely to a warm pink-centered medium. I baked up some everything bagels and drizzled the cut halves with garlic oil. The burgers were slid onto the bagel and topped with everyone's choice of condiment. I made a "special sauce" for my burger- not the most heart healthy- but certainly delicious. Take 1 part sweet relish, add 2 parts mayonnaise, 2 parts katsup and 3 parts crumbled feta cheese. A pinch of cayenne spices it up if you want your tongue to tingle and I love it when my tongue tingles! That ought to be a whole episode of my up and coming cooking show- temptations to tingle your tongue.
When we were little my brother, fondly referred to as "bruver" Todd had a Tshirt that he wore until the picture was almost worn off the front. In those days he ate rice, corn, potatoes, peas(under duress), plain chicken, hamburgers, butter and butter sandwiches(bread and butter alone) and steak. Desserts were the exception to the rule of course. It made sense that this shirt, his favorite at the time, depicted a large hamburger with the words Burger Belly underneath. Somehow it morphed into Boiga Belly and stuck. It always brings back fond memories.
There are some things that always evoke the feelings of being young and safe and happy. Many cause an automatic response. I know wherever we are if one of us says, "Ma na Ma na" (remember the little aliens on Sesame Street) the other will echo, "Doodoodoodoodoo" or when asked "Whoooo is it?" the answer will always be, "Its the plumber. I've come to fix the sink!" Now our kids say the same things. Ahh, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Life is good!

Fresh Bread and Garlic Oil Post Blizzard

The snow stopped falling sometime before midnight after it's evoluton to freezing rain. When Ginger went out this morning she had to crunch through a good 2 inches of ice on the surface of about 8 inches of snow. I was in the mood for some fresh baked bread with garlic oil and pasta with sauce for dinner. I absolutely love the smell of baking bread. Sherwood made some fettucini and red sauce with mushrooms. We had some fresh broccoli and carrots as well. I popped a loaf of wholegrain bread in the oven and as it filled the house with aroma, Sherwood readied a bowl of garlic oil. The recipe for garlic oil is quite simple. for every 1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil, mash up or mince or press 2 good sized cloves of fresh garlic. Pour the oil into a bowl, add the garlic and stir. If you are making this for friends and want them to be impressed and curious about how you got that much flavor into olive oil- heat it gently on the stove with a few peppercorns. This will infuse the oil with a peppery garlic flavor. Let it cool and remove the solids by pouring through a fine mesh strainer. Use the oil within a day or two. Another way to make it is just to stir the garlic and oil together. Let it sit for 15 minutes or so. Either way you make it- when you're ready to serve, pour a glistening puddle onto a bread plate or shallow bowl. Grind a few twists of black pepper on the top and sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Dip the edge of a crusty piece of bread into the oil and delight in its flavor. Delicious! I could eat only fresh (wholegrain) bread and garlic oil for an entire meal.
To top the meal off we all shared some dark chocolate m&m's. The little things in life sure make it great!