More Fabric Shopping

Just How Many Ways Can You Eat Asparagus, #4

Asparagus with Vinaigrette and Toasted Almonds

Oooh, this was good.... I had fresh cream on hand, so this was tonight's asparagus recipe.

Just How Many Ways Can You Eat Asparagus, #3

Mushroom and Asparagus Risotto

I added some steamed asparagus to my favorite risotto recipe, and voila, a new asparagus recipe!

(Sorry about the lousy picture, but it's been rainy or cloudy the last two days and I couldn't get decent picture!)

Growing....

Daffodil Bouquet

A friend gifted me with a lovely assortment of daffodils from her garden today....

 

Just How Many Ways Can You Eat Asparagus, #2

Sesame Asparagus

This is simply a variation on the roasted asparagus recipe from yesterday.  The sesame seeds add some interest, both to the eyes and the tastebuds!

Click on the link above for the recipe.

Spring Beauty

Just How Many Ways Can You Eat Asparagus, #1

Roasted Asparagus

The easiest, quickest and simplest method, not to mention tasty (at least I think so!)

Here's the link to the recipe that I posted on my In Season blog last spring:
http://andreainseason.blogspot.com/2010/04/roasted-asparagus.html

First Asparagus of the Season

Today, some gardening friends were generous enough to share a whole bunch of fresh asparagus with me.  That in itself is special enough, but after eating seasonally for the past year, the first fresh produce of the season is worthy of declaring a holiday unto itself!!!  I felt like I had been gifted with gold, and happily took my treasure home.

So, just how many ways can you eat asparagus?!   Journey with me, and we'll count the ways!

Vintage Repair

A customer had me repair this lovely vintage coverlet.  Typically I try to discourage people from repairing quilts, etc. since it often ruins their integrity, but in this case it made sense to replace the edging so that it could be used and enjoyed.

 

The binding had frayed ....

  

Actually, it looked like the edging had been some type of a ruffle at one time.



I was able to find some matching fabric - a little tricky since the colors from that era aren't always readily available.  I trimmed off the old edging and replaced it with a simple bias binding.  I typically do a straight-of-grain binding on my quilts, but since the coverlet had rounded edges, I needed to use the bias so it would lay smoothly on the rounded corners.  A few months ago, I found these helpful directions on how to quickly cut bias strips on one of the quilt blogs I follow; this was my first chance to try it out.  Ingenious!  It worked like a charm!

Here's the finished product.  Stitching it felt like a return to my childhood and a visit with my great aunts.  :)

Worth Contemplating

"...art - be it poetry, storytelling, painting, sculpture or music - enables people to transcend any barrier man has yet devised."
- Mary Ann Shaffer in The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Airport Activities

My old standby ...

And, one of the most delightful books I've read in a long, long time!

Fabric Shopping

Fabulous Amy Butler fabric...

... for backing a quilt out of her fabulous fabrics.

Beginnings

My first attempt at starting seeds indoors - so satisfying!

Terrain at Styer's

A dear friend introduced me to this lovely greenhouse/store/restaurant in Glen Mills, not far from Longwood Gardens today.  It was a cold, rainy, blustery day, but the weather couldn't dampen the pure joy that resulted from being with a long-time friend in such a picturesque setting.  Here's a glimpse of the beauty we saw at every glance:

Quotes Worth Contemplating

"The hen is the wisest of all the animal creation because she never cackles until after the egg has been laid."
- Abraham Lincoln, January 1863, as quoted on WITF

What a Beautiful Day!

It's Planting Time...

Indoors...

... and out!

Peter Reinhart's Corn Bread

My neighbors were together for dinner last evening, so it was the perfect opportunity to try out this recipe.  I've been searching for a good corn bread recipe, and finally found one I like.  It's no surprise that it's a Peter Reinhart recipe - I've been extremely pleased with every single bread recipe I've tried of his; they're fail proof and delicious.  It's certainly not a healthy recipe, but some occasions warrant simple comfort food!  I could make it a bit healthier by substituting pasture-raised chicken skins for the bacon and using raw milk buttermilk, but didn't think about those options in time for last night. 

I didn't snap a picture before I served it, so here's the "after" shot:

  I loved the fact that I could serve it in my mom's cast iron skillet.  :)

Corn Bread

(from Peter Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice)

1 c. (6 oz.) coarse cornmeal (also packaged as "polenta")

2 c. (16 oz.) buttermilk

8 oz. bacon (approximately 10 slices)

1 3/4 c. (8 oz.) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 1/2 T. baking powder

1/4 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1/4 c. sugar

1/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar

3 large eggs

2 T. honey

2 T. unsalted butter, melted

2 1/2 c. (16 oz.) fresh or frozen corn kernels

2 T. bacon fat or vegetable oil

The night before baking the corn bread, soak the cornmeal in the buttermilk.  Cover and leave at room temperature overnight.

The next day, to prepare the bacon, preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Lay out the bacon on 2 sheet pans.  Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until the bacon is crisp.  Using tongs or a fork, remove the pieces to a pan lined with paper towels to cool.  Drain off the fat into a can or stainless-steel bowl and save for greasing the corn bread pan.  When the bacon has cooled, crumble it into coarse pieces.

Lower the oven setting to 350 degrees.  Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl.  Stir in the granulated sugar and brown sugar.  In another bowl, lightly beat the eggs.  Dissolve the honey in the melted butter and then stir the warm honey-butter mixture into the eggs.  Add this to the soaked corneal mixture.   Add the wet mixture to the flour mixture and stir with a large spoon or whisk until all the ingredients are evenly distributed and the batter is blended and smooth.  It should be the consistency of thick pancake batter.  Stir in the corn kernels until they are evenly distributed.

Place 2 T. of the rendered bacon fat into a 10" round cake pan, 9x13" baking pan or 12" square pan.  Place pan in the oven for 5-7 minutes, or until the fat gets very hot. Remove the pan, tilt it to grease the corners and sides, and pour in the batter, spreading it from the center of the pan to the edges.  Sprinkle the crumbled bacon pieces evenly over the top, gently pressing them into the batter.

Bake for about 30 min., or until the corn bread is firm and springy (the baking time will depend on the size of the pan) and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  The top will be a medium golden brown.  The internal temperature at the center of the corn bread should register at least 185 degrees.

Allow the bread to cool in the pan for at least 15 min. before slicing it into squares or wedges.  Serve warm.

Keeping up with the Neighbors

Several weeks ago, my neighbors built two beautiful raised beds out of cedar for vegetable gardening.  I was so impressed, and.... somewhat (OK, very!) jealous....  But, not so jealous of all the time and hard work they invested!

Ever since last summer, I have been racking my brain, trying to figure out how to come up with more space for growing vegetables without sacrificing the beauty of my backyard.  I am more and more committed to eating locally and growing as much of  my own food as possible, and was desperately in need of more space.  I just couldn't come up with a solution, so I resigned myself to the plan of tucking vegetable plants in with my flower beds.  That might work, but it still wasn't ideal, and it certainly wouldn't afford me enough of the space I've been needing.  Can you understand my envy??

Then, last week a co-worker showed me a picture of a raised bed that she had just had installed by Your Garden Solution, located in Mechanicsburg.  I was so impressed.  I couldn't believe that there was a local company that specializes in installing raised beds - what an ingenious idea!  And, one that embraces Mel Bartholomew's Square Food Gardening method - the very method I've been using ever since I started gardening almost 15 years ago as a result of stumbling across his best selling book on the subject.  It's THE way to garden!  My co-worker was very pleased with their work and said the guys were very, very helpful.  So, I contacted Joe and Seppi and asked them for some suggestions.  They came out and took a look at my backyard and recommended a 4 x 10' bed on the opposite site of the yard where it would get good sun exposure and allow space for a trellis.  Why hadn't that dawned on me??  Duh!

So, today, in the cold drizzle, these guys cheerfully installed my new raised bed and trellis, filled it with their glorious soil mix, and happily answered my numerous questions.  It will give me the space I've needed, and it looks wonderful, even before I mulch around it and tie it into the existing landscaping.   I am so excited!!! 

Yes, I know I need to get a life, but I am perfectly happy with this little life of mine.  :) 

Joe and Seppi also suggested some raised beds along my driveway in the front yard since the sun exposure is perfect there, and it would help introduce raised bed gardening to the neighborhood.  And, they encouraged me to turn every bit of my yard into an edible landscape - replacing shrubs with berry bushes, etc. as time goes on.  I LOVE their thinking! 

Thanks guys!!

(I AM jealous that you get to do something so very cool for a living!!)

P.S.  I just ordered asparagus and sweet potato plants as well as some gooseberry bushes.  :)

April Fool's Day Snow!