tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39182358992477486082024-03-14T03:07:22.258-05:00annie fargofoodventures in the twin cities and beyondanniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-17040595528048948752014-05-22T10:36:00.000-05:002014-05-22T10:36:34.871-05:00New Blog! <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thanks for visiting AnnieFargo! I've started a new blog and would love for you to follow along on my adventures there... visit <a href="http://www.fallsannie.com/">www.fallsannie.com</a>! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-72127876364753002552013-08-13T14:41:00.000-05:002013-08-13T14:43:07.027-05:00Sign #246 You're Disconnected from Your Food<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I recently bought a copy of <a href="http://www.kinfolk.com/" target="_blank">Kinfolk Magazine</a>, for the first time. I'd never seen or read it, but you know, all the cool kids are reading/contributing to/talking about it, so I figured I should see what all the fuss is about. I bought Volume 8, the spring issue. Turns out, the issue is largely dedicated to ice cream! My favorite. See also: <a href="http://instagram.com/p/Y82hgpu6sb/" target="_blank">faux fried ice cream</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I flipped the page to the first of the multiple-page ice cream article, only to find a large picture of a patch of grass. I was slightly puzzled, that is, until I turned to the next page with a photo of a cow and realized, right - ice cream comes from grass by way of cows.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thank you, Kinfolk, for bringing it all back, for reminding me where ice cream comes from, and how wonderful are the gifts of summer.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">*<i>Thanks, also, to my friend Jenna, for bringing the Kinfolk craze back home. Upon leafing through it at the lake over 4th of July weekend, she remarked "What kind of magazine is this?? I thought it was supposed to be about entertaining! And who the heck puts flowers in their ice cream cones?!" </i></span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-14622796961705820202013-05-07T14:18:00.000-05:002013-05-07T14:20:19.746-05:00Waitstaff-less Cafes - Love it or Lump it? <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What do you think of cafes that don't have waitstaff? I'm talking about cafes, delis or restaurants where you order at the counter and seat yourself with a table-flag in hand. You grab your own water, maybe your silverware and napkins, etc., then someone comes and brings you your food a bit later. Maybe you even have to bus your dishes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There are a number of really great establishments in Minneapolis that fit this bill. <a href="http://birchwoodcafe.com/" target="_blank">Birchwood Cafe</a> in Seward, <a href="http://www.mosaiccafemn.com/" target="_blank">Mosaic Cafe</a> at Midtown, and <a href="http://www.frenchmeadowcafe.com/" target="_blank">French Meadow Bakery</a> in Uptown come to mind. I can personally attest to the fact that all three of these places have fantastic, local, homemade, delicious, vegetarian-friendly, health-conscious, as well as pleasantly indulgent food. However, a recent visit to Mosaic Cafe for dinner one evening got me thinking.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For one, some people bristle at the idea of going out to a restaurant and not being waited on (ahem, husband and his grandmother). Let's create jobs and hire some waitstaff, right? If I'm going to go out to eat and pay good money for my food, shouldn't I enjoy the opportunity to have someone refill my water for me and take away my dirty dishes?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now, I know that at French Meadow, once dinner service starts, they utilize waitstaff. And my recent visit to Mosaic confirmed that they follow the same practice. However, by the end of the evening at Mosaic I wondered if our waiter had much experience in that role. When he brought our drinks, he carried them over by the rim, blissfully ignorant (I guess?) of the fact that he was pawing all over the area on which I was just about to clamp my lips. If I wanted to kiss your fingers, I'd ask, thank you. *Lady bartender at Northbound Smokehouse and Brewpub, are you also reading this? When he came to bus our dishes at the end of our meal, he dropped silverware on the floor and table, and knocked a pickle across our table. Granted, these are fairly innocent mishaps, but I got to thinking, maybe we'd rather just do the self-service thing?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Aside from the benign jumbles of our Mosaic waiter, who was otherwise friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable, I got to thinking, perhaps the self-serve deli model is what enables these establishments work in the way they do? In other words, maybe by bypassing waitstaff, they're better able to deliver the quality offerings they do at their fair prices and desirable locations? I don't have enough experience in the biz to know, but regardless, I'm going back for more.</span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-20687439856859809182013-03-22T09:25:00.005-05:002013-03-22T09:25:43.897-05:00Hello, Weekend<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Happy Friday, y'all. Is there anything better than a weekend? I hope you're planning for good times and relaxation. This weekend J and I will be busy packing. We are moving. Not far, but into another, bigger, new house. It is exciting and overwhelming all at the same time, and involves lots of hard work packing, planning and cleaning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Thankfully we have a break planned for a family dinner at the new <a href="http://unionmpls.com/" target="_blank">Union </a>restaurant downtown. I must admit I have read <a href="http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/taste/197860771.html?refer=y" target="_blank">mixed</a> <a href="http://heavytable.com/union-in-downtown-minneapolis/" target="_blank">reviews</a>, but am trying to keep an open mind! Looking forward to getting downtown and trying a new place. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On the cooking front, things have been a bit sparse around my house (see above re: moving). Thankfully I've been able to tap into some pantry reserves and scrounge together some homemade grub, supplemented by birthday <a href="http://www.tedcooks19thholebbq.com/" target="_blank">take-out</a> earlier this week (a.mazing.bbq, by the way). Last night I made a riff on these <a href="http://www.ahouseinthehills.com/ahouseinthehills/2013/2/15/crispy-quinoa-and-mole-sweet-potato-tacos-from-naturally-ell.html" target="_blank">sweet potato mole tacos</a>, which definitely did the trick. Next time I'd add a bit of salt into the mole spice mix. Here's to the weekend! </span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-17210533306764418592013-03-20T10:57:00.000-05:002013-03-20T10:57:45.601-05:00Easy Sesame Noodles<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This past Saturday, I went to my regular mid-morning yoga class, then headed home for a little lunch. I love the luxury of being home to make lunch on the weekends. So, I pulled out what has become an old standard recipe for me - though I haven't made it since the warmer months last summer. It's quick, easy, and very adaptable. The ingredients and directions are more guidelines than anything. Feel free to adjust the recipe to your taste and whatever ingredients you have on hand. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">First, prepare your vegetables. I peeled a couple of carrots before slicing into matchsticks. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Gather some bell peppers - mine ended up equaling about a half a pepper. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Whisk together a quick sauce.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Boil your noodles, add the veggies in the last couple of minutes of boiling, drain, rinse, and toss it all together!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Easy Sesame Noodles</span></b><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Serves 2 as a main, 4 as a side. Keeps well for leftovers. </span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ingredients: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4-5 oz. buckwheat soba noodles</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 small carrots, cut into matchsticks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">variety of bell peppers, cut similar in size to the carrot matchsticks</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 green onions, sliced</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">sesame seeds, to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Sauce:</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 Tbsp neutral-tasting oil, such as canola or grapeseed</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2-3 tsp soy sauce</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">a splash of fish sauce, to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">dash ground ginger</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">juice of 1/2 lime</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">honey or sugar, to taste</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Directions: </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Boil the noodles according to the package directions - this ended up being about 8 minutes for me. In the last 2 minutes, add the vegetables (minus the green onion). I actually forgot this step, so instead, just stir-fried the veggies in the same pot after the noodles were done. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Drain the noodles and veggies, rinse with cold water.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While the noodles are boiling, whisk the sauce ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasonings to your taste. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Toss the the noodles and veggies with the sauce. Add the green onion and sprinkle sesame seeds throughout. Mix together and add more sesame seeds to garnish, as desired. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This salad can be enjoyed warm, room temperature, or cold. I think this would also be great with some edamame thrown in, or with your choice of protein (chicken, tofu, shrimp, etc.). Enjoy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Inspired by <a href="http://www.ahouseinthehills.com/ahouseinthehills/2012/6/19/sesame-noodle-bowl.html" target="_blank">this </a>recipe, and the Otsu recipes in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Heidi-Swanson/e/B001JS2UWI" target="_blank">Heidi Swanson's cookbooks</a>. </span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-29669148004925411642013-03-03T09:01:00.001-06:002013-03-03T09:01:22.921-06:00Stuffed Shells<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I got it in my head the other day that I wanted to make stuffed shells. I have vague memories of my mother making pasta shells stuffed with ricotta and covered in tomato sauce when I was young, but hadn't eaten them probably since that time. After a little Pinterest fun, I found a number of vegetarian stuffed shells recipes and got to work. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm now inspired to create a version stuffed with squash (since I seem to have a never-ending supply of it!), but this time around I was happy with the spinach/artichoke classic recipe I made, courtesy of <a href="http://www.pinkbasil.com/" target="_blank">Pink Basil</a>. You (ahem, my husband) might think this recipe is complicated, what with it's multiple steps of boiling, mixing, stuffing, and baking, but I assure you, it's actually quite simple. You can mix together the filling while the shells are boiling, and stuffing the shells is easy if you squeeze them open gently like one of those old-school rubber coin purses. I love that this recipe required only a few pantry staples: pasta, jarred sauce, ricotta, parm, spinach and artichoke hearts - weeknight win! You could really speed up this recipe by pre-boiling the shells - then all you'd have to do is stir together the filling and stuff them. Recommended beverage: boxed red wine. A real Italian feast, I tell you!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The only changes I would make next time around would be to add a bit more "zip." I didn't notice any addition of salt and pepper or other spices in the recipe, so I didn't think to add them. (I was trying to follow the recipe closely, which I don't often do!) I would probably salt and pepper the filling mixture, and maybe even stir in some lemon zest or Italian seasoning. I would also probably sprinkle red pepper flakes over the top before baking. I definitely think I'll be trying this again! Recipe <a href="http://www.pinkbasil.com/spinach-and-artichoke-stuffed-shells/" target="_blank">here</a>. </span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-82087435734325632442013-02-14T08:29:00.003-06:002013-02-14T08:29:52.464-06:00Happy Valentine's Day! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope you have a wonderful Valentine's Day. I love Valentine's Day, I can't help it! I realized it can be overly commercial, like any holiday, but I love the reminder to express your love and affection for those in your life! I also happen to love red, hearts, chocolate, and mail, which really seals the deal for me. I have fond memories of making and distributing valentines and valentine boxes as a kid, and still get a kick out of sending valentines today. Me and my man are spending the night in, making lobster and drinking wine, dining by candlelight. Maybe we'll watch the latest Woody Allen flick, too. A wintry night in snuggling up with my guy and my pup makes me happy. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Valentine postcards from <a href="http://riflepaperco.com/" target="_blank">Rifle Paper Co.</a>, homemade heart-shaped Oreos from <a href="http://www.shutterbean.com/" target="_blank">Shutterbean</a></span></div>
<br />anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-58892719894940450232013-02-09T10:00:00.003-06:002013-02-09T10:00:55.944-06:00Soft Polenta with Roasted Vegetables<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Are you on Pinterest? Lately I've been feeling rather obsessed. I, like all others that fall into Pinterest's target demographic, love it for the recipes, beautiful pictures, inspiring home and fashion ideas, and crafts. Whenever I start feeling particularly obsessive, though, I just look at the number of items other users have pinned. I'm nowhere near those there, so I breathe a little sigh of relief. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This recipe is one I pinned. It's originally from the soon-to-be defunct Martha Stewart Whole Living Magazine, which has caught my interest in the past. While I've had varying success making recipes gathered from Pinterest, I loved this one because it was a great way to use up some vegetables I've had lying around for awhile, and it gave me an excuse to make polenta. Polenta is one of those foods that I love, and that's simple to make, yet I continually forget about it and go through long spans of time between making it. I made it on another dark, cold evening, and it proved to be just the thing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Soft Polenta with Roasted Vegetables</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.wholeliving.com/131617/roasted-vegetable-ragout?center=0&gallery=136380&slide=131618" target="_blank">this</a> recipe from Whole Living </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ingredients: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6 baby red potatoes, quartered</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 whole carrots, coarsely sliced into coins or half-moons</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 whole parsnips, peeled and coarsely sliced into coins or half-moons</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 stalks of celery, coarsely sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 C diced butternut squash</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">* feel free to sub whatever other hearty winter vegetables you have lying around</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6 C vegetable broth, divided</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes, drained</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">dried rosemary and thyme leaves, to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 C polenta</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 C parmesan cheese</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 oz. softened cream cheese</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">salt + pepper to taste</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Directions: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Prep the vegetables and toss all together </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(minus the tomatoes) w</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ith a glug of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place vegetables in a metal roasting pan. (I used a metal 9 x 13 cake pan - just be sure it's something with taller sides that you can transfer to the stovetop later). </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Roast vegetables 20-30 minutes, until mostly tender, tossing halfway through roasting. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While the vegetables are roasting, start polenta. In a dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan with a lid, bring 4 C broth to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and slowly </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">whisk </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in polenta, whisking constantly. Turn heat down to low, cover, and cook 20 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Once the vegetables are finished roasting, transfer the pan to the stovetop and place over medium-high heat. Sprinkle herbs over vegetables, add drained tomatoes and 2 C broth. Simmer veggies in broth for about 15 minutes, until mixture has thickened slightly and flavors have melded. Season with salt and pepper. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When the polenta is done, the liquid should be absorbed and the texture should be creamy rather than crunchy. Stir in parmesan cheese and cream cheese, until fully incorporated. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Spoon polenta into wide, shallow bowls and ladle vegetables and broth over the top. Garnish with additional parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, to taste. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This recipe makes for good leftovers!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-62588043695509063602013-02-01T15:00:00.000-06:002013-02-02T12:43:09.280-06:00Better Than it Looks<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This was my lunch yesterday - leftovers from dinner the night before. I play this card a lot because I find that something hot is much more satisfying for a workday lunch than a cold sandwich, or the like. But I'm telling you, it's better than it looks. Especially if you don't drizzle <a href="https://annies.alice.com/products/1276081" target="_blank">tahini salad dressing</a> on top (it's just <b>so </b>delicious). I like to think of it as an uber-flexible, use-what-you-already-have-in-the-pantry delicious Indian spiced lentil stew. For those of you squeamish about foods with this curious yellow-green glow, fear not. It may look like something unmentionable, but it tastes amazing. It's just the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turmeric" target="_blank">turmeric</a> giving it that glow, and <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/curcumin/AN01741" target="_blank">turmeric is good for you</a>. Deliciously spiced and hearty, yet quick and easy - all the while making you feel like you just sidestepped Indian takeout.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Indian Spiced Lentil Stew</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Adapted from <a href="http://souvlakiforthesoul.com/lentil-soup-with-chickpeas-and-quinoa" target="_blank">this</a> recipe on Souvlakiforthesoul.com</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Serves 4-6</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 red or yellow onion, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 Tbsp olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 clove garlic, pressed</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 Tbsp diced fresh ginger</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 tsp cumin</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 tsp turmeric</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/4 tsp ground cloves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">chili pepper flakes to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 tsp coriander seeds, smashed (optional)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 C red lentils</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 C vegetable stock</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 C water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 C diced red potatoes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">salt and pepper to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">squeeze of fresh lime</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Place the lentils in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse. Set aside. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat (I use my dutch oven). Add the onions and saute until starting to soften. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Add the cumin, turmeric, cloves, pepper flakes and coriander and stir to coat the onions. Toast for a minute or two until spices become very aromatic. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the garlic and ginger and stir another couple of minutes. Add the lentils and potatoes and stir to coat. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pour the stock and water into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer 10-15 minutes, until lentils and potatoes are tender. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Stir in the rinsed and drained chickpeas. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If desired, use a potato masher (in the pot) to mash up some of the potatoes. Alternatively, use an immersion blender, food processor, or regular blender to make a smoother soup. I used the potato masher method because I don't have an immersion blender and was too lazy to transfer the soup to my food processor. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and garnish with sour cream and cilantro, if desired. This soup keeps well and makes great leftovers. I imagine it would also freeze well! </span><br />
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<br />anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-7126765886844229692013-01-29T07:00:00.000-06:002013-01-29T08:31:08.902-06:00Cooking for the Long Winter, Part II: French Onion Soup<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Do you like French Onion Soup? My sister-in-law loves it, and I have a hunch that most people wouldn't turn up their noses to it on any given day. It stands up in the cannon of soups you find at old-timey supper clubs and sandwich delis alike. However, I find french onion soup to fall into that category of foods that can be either <i>really</i> bad, or <i>really</i><b style="font-style: italic;"> </b>good. Like cantaloupe. Cantaloupe at its worst can be dry, translucent blocks of filler in a bad side of fruit. At its best, cantaloupe can be a fragrant, peachy, dripping-with-juices gem of a fruit devoured in the summer sunshine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Although I'm often tempted to order french onion soup at the aforementioned supper clubs and delis, lured by the memory of melty swiss cheese floating in rich beefy broth with velvety slips of onion, I often find it to be a super salty, gloppy mess with weird croutons and clumps of cheese. (I would know - </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">in another life</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> I helped serve it at an old-timey summer resort dining room.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The recipe below is one I discovered from Cooks Illustrated, who illuminated the proper method of producing an amazing pot of french onion soup. I made it a long time ago and again on a recent lazy Sunday. The key to this recipe is basically cooking the hell out of the onions. In a dutch oven, in a hot oven, for a LONG TIME. Then on the stove top for a bit. The beauty of this recipe, though, (once you get over the sting of slicing all the onions), is that the oven does most all the work, so you're free to watch marathons of your favorite TV show or get moving on those winter projects on your list. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>French Onion Soup</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adapted from <a href="http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/login.asp?docid=11811" target="_blank">Cook's Illustrated</a>. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Serves 4-6</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ingredients: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 Tbsp butter</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">about 3.5 lbs yellow onions, cut pole to pole and sliced 1/4 in. thick (I used a mandoline)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4 C beef broth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 C water, divided</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 C cooking sherry</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 bay leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3 sage leaves</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 baguette, sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">about 4 oz. swiss cheese, grated</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Directions: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In a dutch oven, spray cooking spray or add a bit of oil and rub it around. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Place sliced onions in dutch oven, separating the rings within the slices. Scatter 2 Tbsp of diced cold butter over the onions. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Place the lid on the dutch oven and place in the oven. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After 1 hour, remove dutch oven and carefully remove the lid. Stir the onions and scrape down the sides.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Return the lid to the pot but leave it ajar this time. Place in the oven for another hour. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Remove the dutch oven, stir and scrape down the sides again. The onions should be getting quite brown now. Place in the oven (again, lid ajar) for another 45 minutes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Remove the dutch oven and place it on the stove top over medium-high heat. Stir the onions and scrape down the sides again. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let the onions cook, undisturbed, for 15 minutes. Dark crusty bits will be forming on the bottom of the pot - this is good and what gives the soup amazing flavor. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Add 1/4 cup of water to the pot and scrape up the crusty bits stuck to the bottom. Repeat this process of letting the onions sit for 15 minutes, then adding 1/4 cup water and deglazing the pot a total of 4 times (so you have added 1 C water total). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let the onions sit another 15 minutes, then add the sherry and scrape the bottom of the pot. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pour in the beef broth, 1 C water, the bay leaves and sage. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Adjust the heat so the soup comes to a boil, then reduce to low and simmer the soup for 10-15 minutes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile, slice the baguette and place slices on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle cheese on top. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Remove bay leaves and sage from the soup. Add salt/pepper to taste.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Place the pan of bread and cheese under the broiler and broil for a few minutes, until the cheese is melted and starting to bubble (watch closely!) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">To serve, ladle the soup onto bowls and float cheese baguette slices at the top.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Add additional slices mid-way through your bowl, because you made this at home and you can.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>*If you have fancy soup crocks, by all means place toasted bread in the bowl, sprinkle with cheese and place the bowls under the broiler. I do not have such crocks, so made do with this method (which worked well for eating the soup over multiple meals). </i></span><br />
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anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-4230530494978286172013-01-27T15:52:00.001-06:002013-01-27T15:52:29.766-06:00Cooking for the Long Winter, Part I: Pumpkin Gnocchi<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's funny, you know, to think of how our schedules, situations and climate affect how and what we cook. Now that the holidays are over, we're staring out ahead into the long winter. And this has lead me, of late, to cook warming meals that take a longer time to make. My schedule has been more varied the last couple of weeks and I have found myself interested in tackling some bigger - not to mention delicious - meals that I don't make often. This is the first of two.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Pumpkin Gnocchi with Mushrooms and Sage</b></span><br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">J and I opted to stay in on New Year's Eve again this year. Knowing that we would have the whole evening ahead anticipating the ball drop, I took the opportunity to make pumpkin gnocchi. I have made this dish about once a year for the past few years, in the fall, and enjoyed every bit of it. I don't have the exact source of the recipe, but it was likely provided by the good folks at <a href="http://www.harmonyvalleyfarm.com/" target="_blank">Harmony Valley Farms</a>, the CSA I participated in a few years back. Also, this <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/315126/pumpkin-gnocchi-with-mushrooms" target="_blank">Martha Stewart</a> recipe is pretty similar.</span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ingredients:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 1/4 C pumpkin puree, divided</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2 C bread flour</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 tsp salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 tsp nutmeg</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/4 C unsalted butter (half a stick)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 onion, </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">diced</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">8 oz. mini portabella mushrooms, sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">10 sage leaves, roughly chopped</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 C chicken or vegetable broth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 C heavy cream</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">scant 1 C grated Parmesan cheese, divided, plus more for garnish. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Directions:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Place the flour in a bowl and add the salt and nutmeg. Whisk to combine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dump flour onto a clean work surface and make a well in the center. Place the pumpkin puree and 1/2 C parmesan in the well and begin incorporating the flour into the pumpkin. Once the dough is starting to come together, knead a few times. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Divide dough into six equal sized pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a cylinder, about 1 inch in diameter. Cut into pieces, about 1/2 inch long (doesn't have to be exact, just think of it as making gnocchi the size you want to eat - keep in mind the will expand a bit in cooking). Cover the dough you're not using and any cut gnocchi pieces with a clean towel to prevent anything from drying out. You can further mold the pieces or press with the tines of a fork to make lines - none of this is necessary, unless you're trying to make the gnocchi look prettier. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Fill a large stock pot with water (about 6 qts), add salt and bring to a boil. Drop in the gnocchi and stir once so they don't all stick to the bottom. When they float to the top (after about 2 min), use a slotted spoon to remove them and place them in a colander over a bowl.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile, melt the butter in a wide skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for a few minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the mushrooms and sage and cook a few more minutes, until mushrooms are starting to release liquid and cook a bit. Add the remaining 1/4 C pumpkin puree, broth, cream and 1/4 C Parmesan cheese. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Add the cooked gnocchi to the skillet and stir to coat. Spoon onto plates or bowls and finish with extra Parmesan salt, pepper, nutmeg and sage. </span><br />
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<br />anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-1399048337209081382012-09-01T13:37:00.000-05:002012-09-03T20:27:06.213-05:00Garden Explosion + Tomato Pie<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This summer has been a strange one. Strange in that it has been SO. HOT. And DRY. Although Minnesota summers can definitely get hot and humid, this one has topped the charts. We planted our usual gardens this year and although I had believed think that the heat is good for tomatoes, this year I am not so sure. This year it seems our garden harvest has gone from summer squash explosion directly to winter squash explosion, fast-forward style. What are we missing from this equation? Tomato explosion! We do have a large cherry tomato plant that is taller than I am and cock-full of tomatoes, but they are taking their sweet time turning red.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I actually resorted to buying tomatoes at the farmer's market this week because I couldn't get visions of tomato pie, enchilada sauce, bruschetta and oven-roasted tomatoes out of my head. Last night I made my mother's delicious tomato pie. All the squash have been relegated to the refrigerator and the counter. Our current stock includes 3 acorn squash, 6 large patty pan, 3 zucchini, 3 large summer squash and 3 large butternut squash. I do enjoy squash and have many good recipes, but...help! </span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t9vMqTNzdn8/UEEDAcEvelI/AAAAAAAAAqo/RfzWtiV47bo/s1600/IMG_20120831_132919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-t9vMqTNzdn8/UEEDAcEvelI/AAAAAAAAAqo/RfzWtiV47bo/s320/IMG_20120831_132919.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Tomato Pie</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>A real summer treat. So easy, I'd say you could enlist the help of a young child. </i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ingredients:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 pie crust (prepared, like refrigerated Pillsbury pie crusts, or make your own)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">approx. 3 large tomatoes, sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1 C shredded cheddar cheese</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/2 C mayonnaise</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1/3 C chopped fresh basil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Salt + Pepper to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Italian Seasoning</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Preheat the oven to 375 degrees</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Roll the crust onto a pie plate and prick with a fork. Par-bake the crust for 6 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- While you are waiting, stir together the cheese, mayonnaise, and basil in a medium-sized bowl.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Remove crust from the oven and layer tomatoes on top. Remember the tomatoes will shrink down a bit in cooking, so don't be shy about piling them in. I like to cut some of the smaller slices to fit in the gaps.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Season the tomatoes with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning to taste.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Dollop the mayo/cheese mixture on top of the tomatoes. Spread evenly over the tomatoes. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until the juice from the tomatoes is bubbling and the top is turning golden brown.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">- Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before cutting into 6 slices. (If you're impatient and cut into it right away, the slices won't hold together very well and you may end up with a sloppy mess.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Makes: 6 slices</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Best served right away, but will still be good for a couple of days if kept covered in the fridge. </span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-1841832914256224072012-08-31T13:25:00.001-05:002012-08-31T13:25:36.470-05:00Fridge Cleanout<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today at my office, the semi-regular memo went around saying it was time to clean the refrigerators again. Building staff would be coming through and throwing away any food not marked with someone's name/date. I decided to take it upon myself to do my part in helping in this operation. Not that I keep much food in the refrigerators for long. For the past week I have been watching leftover soup catered from Kowalski's languish in the fridge after being delivered to a meeting with the higher-ups. I had only brought a light lunch today, so helped myself to a bit of creamy chicken tortellini soup. A few days ago I enjoyed the beef-barley. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Next I moved on to the freezer, where I noticed a few days ago two boxes of Dairy Queen Dilly Bars with post-it notes attached that read "FINANCE." If I worked in the finance department, I would need dilly bars, too. Today, however, the post-its were gone and a couple of dilly bars were left. I think I see desert in my future. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Is this strange behavior? Am I crazy for trolling for extra, unwanted food in the work refrigerator? I take some credit in the fact that after college I spent a year in a volunteer program where made $7,000 that year. Total. So my philosophy was one of "take what you can get, when you can get it!" One of my housemates and fellow volunteers worked at a food shelf and would come home Friday afternoons with a stash of food shelf remnants from the week (the food shelf was not open on the weekends). She would practically die before wasting food, so would pull any number of things from her "magic backpack" (or so we dubbed it): a bag of softening key limes she would make into lemonade, <a href="http://www.frenchmeadow.com/products/breads-rolls/hemp-bread" target="_blank">fancy hemp bread</a>, spelt English muffins, or a crate of bruised peaches for crisp. I did enjoy the remains of that food shelf - is the office refrigerator so different? </span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-55137615814902265872012-02-10T09:03:00.000-06:002012-02-10T09:03:20.099-06:00Weekend Italiano: Mozza Mia<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I'd like to think that I don't eat out a lot, but recent habit seems to be proving otherwise. Last weekend I went out to eat three times. That's right, three times in three days. Two of these three outings were at twin cities Italian restaurants: Mozza Mia and Scuzi. Both were good in their own right. A few impressions about Mozza Mia: </span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mozza Mia</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0bbBPooCSOc/TzUxCaLmMeI/AAAAAAAAAm4/l90YlrzX8T4/s1600/mozz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0bbBPooCSOc/TzUxCaLmMeI/AAAAAAAAAm4/l90YlrzX8T4/s640/mozz.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image via <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/q-DX6vTz1JSbHYwtZWazIg?select=4igsm6ItWZoWfmFnHS37SA" target="_blank">Yelp</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A few college friends wanted to get together for dinner Friday night, and one suggested the relatively new Mozza Mia at 50th and France. None of the eight of us in our party had been there, but I had read mixed reviews some time ago and was still intrigued by their house-made mozzarella. We learned, delightedly, that they take reservations. Anyone who has tried to go out to eat in the twin cities on a weekend night and had to wait some length can appreciate a reservation! We got right in and decided to see what all this homemade mozzarella fuss is all about. My husband and I ordered the cheese sampler to start and were excited to get a generous plate of homemade mozzarella, ricotta, rolled mozzarella (with procuitto), smoked mozzarella, and burrata - not to mention the exceptionally tasty pear-mustard chutney, chick peas, grilled baguette slices and quartered tomatoes that accompanied the cheese. I'd never had burrata before, and it was one of my favorites. The smoked mozz was also a treat. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My unwitting friends decided to start with the Scilian salad, advertised as "<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">fresh fennel, orange, arugula, pine nut, citrus vinaigrette". They were not pleased, as it were, to receive a giant plate of frisee along with all of the above</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">. I can appreciate a small sprig of frisee in a mixed-greens salad, certainly, but as Adam Roberts </span><a href="http://www.amateurgourmet.com/2012/01/i-declare-war-on-frisee.html#more-7337" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;" target="_blank">suggests</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">, a whole plateful is a "blight on our culinary landscape." My friends, who assert they never send food back, sent their salad back and opted for the panzanella instead. It was much better.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">As for my husband and I, we moved on to the Fig and Proscuitto wood-fired pizza. It was great! A good size for two, particularly after devouring our cheese sampler, and with just the right amount of fig, onion, and thin, salty proscuitto. Other pizzas enjoyed at our table included one with squash and chicken and one with ham and sausage. All in all, it was a pleasant dining experience, convenient for our group, and with good food. </span></span></div>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-54585223831706982132012-01-25T15:05:00.000-06:002012-01-25T15:05:52.561-06:00North Coast Nosh III<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Friday night my husband and I attended the <a href="http://heavytable.com/north-coast-nosh-iii-at-open-arms-the-recap/">North Coast Nosh</a> in Minneapolis. A loyal Heavy Table reader, I've considered attending these events in the past, and finally took the plunge. This sip-and-sample tasting soiree turned out to be a great way to spend a Friday night. We got there close to the time it began (5:30), and were glad for it. We could get some Gai Gai Thai without waiting in line and perused all the vendors without bumping elbows. By the time we sampled all the offerings (some twice-over), the place had gotten considerably more busy. However, by all standards for these kinds of events, the crowd was definitely doable. Let's just say it wasn't Firkin Fest. Or the MN state fair. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There we are! Guy in the blue plaid shirt, center, and gal to his left:</span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LST8aNbN9V0/TyBtc4QYDaI/AAAAAAAAAlw/ChQ8vbPWbAo/s1600/nosh.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="419" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LST8aNbN9V0/TyBtc4QYDaI/AAAAAAAAAlw/ChQ8vbPWbAo/s640/nosh.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">photo by Becca Dilley via <a href="http://heavytable.com/north-coast-nosh-iii-at-open-arms-the-recap/">Heavy Table</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some tips if you are considering attending the next Nosh, which I highly recommend:</span><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Arrive early/at the start time</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ensure that your purse/man bag situation enables you to be hands-free but that the bag is large enough to hold any free pins, business cards, programs, and/or menus that may come your way. Or to store your sweet low-ball tasting glass once you leave.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Keep your fork. Along with our complimentary tasting glasses came forks. My husband threw his away at some point because many of the vendors had their own forks/toothpicks/eating tools. But many of them did not, which left him to borrow my fork or inappropriately eat with his hands. He's lucky I'm nice. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Other general impressions:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Bogart Loves doughnuts were amazing. Note to self: head to Fulton or Kingfield farmer's market come spring for more.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We need more beer mustard in this town. Natedogs slathered homemade Surly Bender Mustard on his dogs and said he hopes to have it available in stores soon. Today, please? The one variety of beer mustard once found at Cub is now missing form shelves.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How ill must a person be to get food from Open Arms? After sampling their chicken and black bean creation, I asked "is this really what Open Arms makes for their clients??" I was told yes. I think I might be feeling a little under the weather already...</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For the frugal at heart, fear not - I think you can definitely get your money's worth at this event. Particularly if you get there early and stay late.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Good work, Nosh organizers, on staging Bogart Loves and Patiserrie 46 next to Peace Coffee. How thoughtful for those of us good Minnesotans who need coffee with our treats.</span></li>
</ul>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-47394876741296900082012-01-24T12:29:00.000-06:002012-01-27T12:42:00.209-06:00beef barley soup<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've blogged about this <a href="http://anniefargo.blogspot.com/2010/07/summer-grill-lovin.html" target="_blank">before</a>, but I still don't often cook with meat. I should also mention that my husband and I recently watched <a href="http://www.forksoverknives.com/" target="_blank">Forks Over Knives</a>, at the suggestion of my parents. Have you seen it? You should. I've watched Food Inc., read Omnivore's Dilemma, poured over <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Animal-Vegetable-Miracle-Year-Food/dp/0060852569/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1327688165&sr=1-1" target="_blank">Animal, Vegetable, Miracle</a>, and read just about everything <a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/" target="_blank">Heidi Swanson</a> has written, but this movie took it to the next level. Advocating for a very plant-centric, as vegan-as-possible diet?? I used to think vegans were crazy. Maybe I still do. But now my love for cheese is tainted by a small fear of dairy. And we started buying almond milk. Eggs, though? Although I had a delicious egg-like tofu scramble at <a href="http://www.spoonriver.com/" target="_blank">Spoonriver </a>once, I still don't know if I can give up eggs.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since my parents watched Forks Over Knives, they decided to start trying to eat a more plant-centered diet, which translated into them emptying their freezer of beef and giving it all to us. All the beef comes from my uncle's farm, so knowing that it's not from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Concentrated_Animal_Feeding_Operations" target="_blank">CAFO</a> cows makes me feel a little better. However, I still feel a bit like we have an unwanted house guest when I think of all that beef sitting in our freezer. Last night I made peace with the package of stew meat and concocted this soup.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">Leftovers for lunch: picture taken via my dinosaur phone at work...sorry about that.*</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Beef Barley Soup</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 package stew meat (1 lb? 1/2 lb? I really have no idea)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 Tbsp oil (I used olive) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 leek, cut lengthwise, washed, and sliced into half-moons</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2 carrots, sliced into coins</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 pkg mushrooms, sliced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4 C chicken broth</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1 1/2 tsp each dried rosemary & thyme</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/4 C cooking sherry</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">salt and pepper to taste</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1/2 C quick-cooking barley</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">water, as needed</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Place dutch oven or other pot with lid over medium heat. I used a cast iron dutch oven, so didn't need to add oil first - use your discretion. Add the stew meat pieces and brown, turning once, to sear the meat. After turning, once you've got some good browning happening, remove meat from pot and set aside on a plate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If necessary, drain any liquid/fat from the pot. Add oil. Once the oil is hot, add the leeks, carrots, and mushrooms. Saute for a few minutes, until the veggies have softened a bit. Pour in the broth. Stir and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any meat bits stuck to the bottom. Add the rosemary, thyme, and cooking sherry. Stir again and increase heat so that the soup starts to simmer. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Add the beef back to the pot and add the barley. Cover for 10-12 minutes. Remove lid and check barley for doneness. If not fully cooked, return lid for another few minutes. If done, add salt and pepper to taste. If the soup looks too thick (the barley has absorbed too much of the liquid), add water and adjust seasonings. Serve very warm with some crusty bread! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You could very easily make this soup vegetarian/vegan by nixing the beef and using vegetable broth. I think it would be just as delicious (double the mushrooms?), but I had beef lurking in my freezer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">* One plus - you can see part of my great re-usable sandwich wrap and napkin combo, which you can buy on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/91529777/1-wrap-plus-1-nap-choose-your-set-cloth" target="_blank">Etsy </a>from a local shop!</span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-72847153632711674922011-02-26T09:33:00.003-06:002013-02-14T08:30:18.933-06:00Valentine chocolate love/(hate)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tHjiKg1ffug/TWkct4w4JGI/AAAAAAAAAkY/zbmpqTcPWpo/s1600/n40400095_30789312_6983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tHjiKg1ffug/TWkct4w4JGI/AAAAAAAAAkY/zbmpqTcPWpo/s400/n40400095_30789312_6983.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’m usually inspired to make the foods I want to eat. Makes sense, right? Either that or sounds selfish. Case in point – I love chocolate soufflé, so made it for Valentine’s Day. Nope, I didn’t make my sweetheart’s favorite dessert, I made one of mine. Perhaps not surprisingly, my little soufflés didn’t really turn out – thanks karma. Not that they were terrible – I mean, warm chocolate stuff is hard to hate, but they were certainly not the specifically soufflé-ish consistency that was my goal. In my mind there’s a texture continuum for this kind of dessert, and it goes something like this:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Chocolate sauce–Chocolate pudding–Chocolate mousse–chocolate soufflé–chocolate torte-chocolate cake</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My valentine’s dessert fell somewhere in between chocolate pudding and mousse. Not the same as soufflé! I used Mark Bittman’s recipe, from my How to Cook Everything cookbook, but I think the failure lay in my technique. I tried to be so careful in beating the egg whites – not under or over-beating. I brought the whites to room temperature, as I remember being advised at one time (although Bittman didn’t specify this). I think I may have strayed into the realm of over-beaten, but not by much. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The real kicker, I think, was in the baking. They were supposed to bake at 350 degrees for 15-25 minutes. However, the oven had been at 500 degrees prior to that, baking smashed potatoes. I think in my effort to lower the temperature quickly and change the oven rack’s position, the oven dipped to 300-325 and never really made it to 350. I left them in there for close to 25 minutes, but it just didn’t cut it. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Also, it threw me off that Bittman didn’t make mention of a water bath. Any time I have made a soufflé/custard dish, I have always baked it in a water bath. It just didn’t seem right to me to put the soufflés in the oven without one, so I put them in the bath. I don’t think this factored into my ruin, but hey, I can’t say for sure. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What really gets me is that a few years ago, I had the same chocolate soufflé inspiration on Christmas Eve. That time, I baked it in one large dish rather than individual ramekins. It was a great success! It puffed up in the oven beautifully and had that great soufflé texture that evaded me this time. Was it the oven temperature? Something else? All I can do is try again, I guess, and hope someday I get it right! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(my sweetheart said he was more than willing to help by taste-testing.)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">* the picture doesn't have much to do with chocolate, or soufflé. However, it is a sweet valentine plant with heart-shaped leaves. </span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-26556740872341270262011-02-03T20:20:00.001-06:002011-02-03T20:21:25.991-06:00Happy Birthday, Mom<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">You may be wondering, what is a “happy birthday, Mom” post doing on this food blog? To that I would ask: don’t we all learn something about eating and cooking from our mothers? I certainly have learned a lot in this regard from mine. My mother was always the primary food preparer and supplier in my house growing up. Night after night she whipped up a home cooked meal for us all to eat together at the table that included most, if not all, food groups. She loves to cook and taught me to love it, too. She also passed on her habit of showing love to others through feeding them. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So this post is for you, Ma, for teaching me to love food and cooking and feeding people. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/TUthz5ESrMI/AAAAAAAAAkU/Pr-gM7JZq2w/s1600/IMG_2251.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/TUthz5ESrMI/AAAAAAAAAkU/Pr-gM7JZq2w/s400/IMG_2251.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-72839709381818862462011-01-10T20:37:00.001-06:002011-01-10T20:46:18.890-06:00So Many Things<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">.</span>..to write about. I've obviously eaten and cooked a lot of things since my last post, and I certainly didn't realize how my life would soon change when I wrote it! One food question I never thought I'd consider is: what do you eat when you're engaged? Yep, since my last post, the boyfriend popped the question and we are officially to be wed. So, although one might not think that being engaged changes your eating patterns, I'm here to tell you that it does (at least temporarily). Here's a list of things I have eaten since becoming engaged:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <b>engagement cupcakes</b>! (below). A former colleague and friend of mine who can always be counted on for her enthusiasm (espcailly when it comes to weddings) surprised me with these little cakes at a ladies' wine and cheese night. They were as delicious as they look! And, I think the others enjoyed sporting the bling while eating them...</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/TQKZ_aKKnQI/AAAAAAAAAkA/2hTy_BsZH7Y/s1600/cupcakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/TQKZ_aKKnQI/AAAAAAAAAkA/2hTy_BsZH7Y/s400/cupcakes.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <b>beer flights</b> and <b>scallops</b> at one of you favorite dining establishments, <a href="http://busterson28th.com/">Buster's on 28th</a>. Because after you get engaged, what else should you do?? After jumping up and down, yelling, and calling the family, we found ourselves at a bit of a standstill - "now what do we do??" So we went out for dunch. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <b>dark chocolate M&</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>Ms</b>, <b>raspberries</b>, and <b>champagne</b>. Because when getting together with your girlfriends soon after the engagement, they want to celebrate with treats! My old college roommate knows I love raspberries and chocolate and think almost anything is a good excuse to imbibe in champagne, so we had them all in one night.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">- <b>Halloween cupcakes.</b> (I'm sensing a trend, here.) We got engaged on October 30th, so spent the evening carving pumpkins, drinking cider, and eating halloween cupcakes. One was a caramel apple cupcake and one was Surly & chocolate - both from <a href="http://www.saltytart.com/">Salty Tart</a>. They were fantastic. And so is the ring. </span><br />
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</span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-11717965352350559352010-10-27T21:01:00.002-05:002012-01-24T12:29:44.468-06:00Fall Rain Food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/TMjXHPw60VI/AAAAAAAAAj4/XOCYfvg-jRA/s1600/IMG_3188.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/TMjXHPw60VI/AAAAAAAAAj4/XOCYfvg-jRA/s400/IMG_3188.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I will say that aside from the impending doom of cold snow, and darkness, one thing that I love about fall is the food. I must have a thing for beta-carotene because I can't get enough of those dark-hued vegetables. Squash, pumpkin, beets, yams, you name it - I want to eat it. I've already been enjoying the spoils of these root/gourd items in the form of pumpkin gnocchi, pumpkin pie, sweet potato soup, oatmeal sweet potato muffins and squash soup.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The last couple of days have brought a whole slew of wind, sudden cold and rain, all of which seem to point to one dish: biscuits and gravy. I never thought of myself as a biscuits and gravy type of gal, until I got to thinking about a little dish called "chicken a 'la king". Growing up I always enjoyed this dinnertime staple, what with it's shredded, saucy poultry, peas, and mushrooms (two of my favorite vegetables). Good thing I have a Romsdahl (my maternal namesake) Kokebok (that's Norsk for cookbook, duh) on hand! My adaptation of Adele Romsdahl Umhoefer's recipe found therein was pretty damn good, if I do say for myself.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Chicken a' la King</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">6 Tbsp unsalted butter</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1 can mushrooms (or fresh, sliced, to taste)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">1/2 - 3/4 C flour</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">3 C low sodium chicken broth</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">2 C milk</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">6 T peas (I used frozen)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">4 C chicken, cooked and chopped</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">pepper</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Saute pepper and mushrooms (if fresh) in butter until just softened. Blend in flour, stirring to make a roux. Slowly stir in broth and milk. Add mushrooms (if canned), peas, and chicken. Stir constantly until thickened. Pepper liberally (to taste). Serve over baking powder biscuits fresh out of the oven. Makes approx. 5 servings. </span></span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-7864617867818309602010-09-25T14:29:00.000-05:002013-02-14T08:31:03.918-06:00Gingered Up<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/TJ5MwoDzMvI/AAAAAAAAAjc/Y1LZS69gHpQ/s1600/n40400095_30649941_290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/TJ5MwoDzMvI/AAAAAAAAAjc/Y1LZS69gHpQ/s400/n40400095_30649941_290.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
I<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">'ve always loved ginger-y food and drinks, and I think the world is catching on. Ginger is refreshing and zesty - sometimes even spicy. Ginger ale is an in-flight favorite, and gingersnap cookies (or, molasses crinkles, if you rather) have been putting smiles on the faces of grandmas and grandkids for ages. I'm still developing a taste for the pickled slices that accompany sushi, but when I was in college, we occasionally concocted an elementary potion of gin and ginger ale. We dubbed it "gin & gin" or "the double gin" or something like that. Whatever we called it, it was delicious. Like a lot of college-kid cocktails, the sweet ginger ale cloaked the booze flavor, increasing its drinkability. Maybe we were before our time, because lately ginger is making a big statement in cocktails all over the place, it seems.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Take for example the </span></span><a href="http://www.the-local.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Local's</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> signature cocktail, "</span></span><a href="http://www.the-local.com/docs/menu/The_Local_Lunch_Drinks_Revision_050510.pdf"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Big Ginger</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">". I recently enjoyed this drink at happy hour and was very pleased - it had a just-right mix of warm whiskey flavor and ginger beer fizz. I especially liked having wedges of both lime and lemon to squeeze into it. They also offer a diet version dubbed "The Skinny Ginger". </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Then, I learned of the Pimm's Cup, thanks to </span></span><a href="http://orangette.blogspot.com/2010/07/thats-spirit.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Orangette</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. After following Molly's blog and reading her book </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Homemade-Life-Stories-Recipes-Kitchen/dp/1416551050"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A Homemade Life</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, I have come to trust her recommendations. When she said the Pimm's Cup was a gin-based drink, I was definitely intrigued. When I </span></span><a href="http://anniefargo.blogspot.com/2010/09/dark-side-of-craftsman.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">went to the Craftsman</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> and saw it on the menu, I took a chance. It was delicious! Sort of strange and different - darker than I thought it would be, and with floating bits of cucumber in the glass. I really liked it. I thought it seemed easy enough to make at home, and like a good summer cocktail. Once I got a hold of a bottle of Pimms No. 1, though, I was a bit confused - the liquid was dark and smelled a bit like Jagermeister - not like gin at all. And the label described it as a liqueur, which although surprising seemed fitting, considering its sweet-ish and syrupy quality. But whatever it is or was expected to be, it was great mixed with quality ginger beer (also a new experience) and a bit of garden-fresh cucumber, over ice. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The Longfellow Grill, one of my longtime favorite happy hour spots, recently featured a cocktail with a piece of candied ginger speared over the top of the glass. I never did order the drink (it has since been removed from the menu), but my bartender friend once slipped me a piece to taste. I loved it! Perhaps candied ginger will pave the way to the next phase of ginger love. </span></span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-32122247325858362132010-09-05T10:11:00.000-05:002012-01-24T12:41:08.494-06:00The Dark Side of the Craftsman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/THxj8Fn6BOI/AAAAAAAAAjI/Js-JKSbUXno/s1600/IMG_1020.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/THxj8Fn6BOI/AAAAAAAAAjI/Js-JKSbUXno/s400/IMG_1020.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I was excited to go to the </span></span><a href="http://www.craftsmanrestaurant.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Craftsman</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">. Really, I was. The boyfriend and I were celebrating our two-year anniversary and chose the Craftsman as our fancy restaurant of choice. I'd never been to the Craftsman, and always wanted to go, considering all the great things I'd heard about their delicious, local fare. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">It was a beautiful night, so we gladly took a table out on the patio. I heard their patio was great, but I still wasn't expecting the secluded deck with a pergola and vining greens everywhere. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">We started with drinks - a Pimm's Cup for me (more on that later) and a Surly Furious for him. Then we ordered a cheese plate, which was delicious. I had the pancetta-wrapped trout with cauliflower puree and broccoli, and he had the salmon special with a shock-purple beet vinaigrette and mixed summer veggies. Both were fantastic (once I got over the fact my fish still had it's head and was staring at me). </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">At one point during the dinner I heard a nearby table chat up the waitress. I caught bits and pieces, including "so cute" and "Stuart Little". I didn't recall who Stuart Little was at that moment, and thought perhaps they were complimenting the waitress on her chic wire-rimmed eyeglasses. Not much later, I thought I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye, and saw the boyfriend's eyes follow it, too. When I asked him if he saw something, he said no. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">The evening grew dark and we left the Craftsman after filling our bellies with all the great food. Then, I got the news. The boyfriend told me there was a MOUSE in our company on the Craftsman's patio. It apparently frolicked under the table behind us and <u>was</u> in fact the dark figure darting near ours. And, the idiot diners nearby actually told the waitress they thought it was cute that a little, vile, disease-carrying mouse was sharing their dining space. The waitress laughed awkwardly and said "Oh, I'm glad you think it's cute." I was shocked/livid. I have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to mice. I can handle snakes and bugs and other gross stuff, but not mice. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">I do understand that animals inhabit the outdoors, and that mice happen. Believe you me, I have lived in enough old houses and apartments to know that they are everywhere you don't want them to be. And, I did consider the fact that a gas station with requisite dumpsters is very close to the Craftsman. But a mouse in a restaurant?! In a dining area?! This is not <a href="http://www.ratatouillemovie.net/">Ratatouille</a>, ladies and gentleman. This is a good, quality, </span></span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/07/AR2009100703241.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">respected</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, expensive meal at a Minneapolis restaurant. And I believe it goes without saying these days that mice can have a <a href="http://www.startribune.com/local/101817588.html?elr=KArksUUUoDEy3LGDiO7aiU">devastating effect</a> on food and food production. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect to dine out of doors at a restaurant with no more than humans and perhaps a couple of bugs. </span></span><br />
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</span></span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-7376057129244875442010-08-30T20:50:00.000-05:002012-01-24T12:40:47.585-06:00it all starts with breakfast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I must have a thing with breakfast. I mean, I'm a believer in eating breakfast, and I really enjoy it, and I do it daily. The other day I had a dentist appointment in the morning, giving me more time to make and relish in a "special" breakfast (a.k.a. something that takes more than .5 minutes to prepare and would be difficult to eat at my desk at work). Two words: breakfast tacos. I love that tacos are really easy to make, highly adaptable, and also delicious. These breakfast tacos featured scrambled eggs with green onions whipped in, cheese, salsa, sour cream, and chopped spicy lettuce from the farmers' market.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When vacationing in Mexico last spring, I had the great pleasure of enjoying a great leisurely breakfast every day. One of my favorites was this great plate of juevos rancheros. This could be easily replicated at home with some good tortilla chips, scrambled eggs, queso fresco, cilantro, salsa and refried beans. My only complaint was that the coffee refills with this desayuno were hard to come</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">by.</span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/THl6v6eqoSI/AAAAAAAAAjA/qGMVlV0ze4k/s1600/IMG_2904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/THl6v6eqoSI/AAAAAAAAAjA/qGMVlV0ze4k/s400/IMG_2904.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-85084162782950422432010-07-23T10:07:00.000-05:002012-01-24T12:30:31.330-06:00summer (grill) lovin'<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I eat vegetarian much of the time, mostly because I'm too cheap and lazy to cook meat. However, the summer grilling season seems to provide a lot more opportunities to enjoy delicious meat prepared by others! Last month the boyfriend treated me to probably the most delicious kabobs I've ever eaten (thanks to his sister, who gave him Weber's Charcoal Grilling <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Webers-Charcoal-Grilling-Cooking-Live/dp/0376020474/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1278983668&sr=1-5">cookbook</a> for his birthday.) These kabobs consisted of pork and mango with a glaze made of orange juice, lime zest, honey and mint. It was amazing! Perfect fuel for <a href="http://www.facebook.com/RockTheGarden">Rock the Garden</a> later that evening.</span> </span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/TDvAgK_8eiI/AAAAAAAAAio/dYrkif4kCQ4/s1600/IMG_3035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/TDvAgK_8eiI/AAAAAAAAAio/dYrkif4kCQ4/s400/IMG_3035.JPG" width="400" /></a>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3918235899247748608.post-55138083912944306332010-07-12T20:07:00.000-05:002010-07-12T20:07:54.788-05:00Jackpot!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/TCLI3reyLcI/AAAAAAAAAiY/V762ozWDyEY/s1600/IMG_3048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_8331zpGjYq4/TCLI3reyLcI/AAAAAAAAAiY/V762ozWDyEY/s400/IMG_3048.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As I moved into my apartment last November, I am continually discovering new and changing vegetation around the building. I had a lilac bush outside my front window? Didn't know until they were blooming. A peony by the back stairs? No idea until the blooms flopped onto the step. And best of all - a mystery bush on the passenger side of my parking space. All these months I disregarded it, until one day this summer I noticed little red berries. I figured they were probably your run-of-the-mill, wilderness (bear food) variety, until I looked closer: RASPBERRIES! Food of the gods. I couldn't believe my luck. Now, I realize that perhaps someone feels ownership over said raspberry bush. My neighbor across the hall does maintain many of the plants growing on the property, making them, in my mind, hers. Not to mention the fact that the bush is bordered on the other side by the next door neighbor's garage. Perhaps the raspberries are rightly theirs! All this being said, I couldn't help but to head back there the other night with an old strawberry container and pluck away. I looked over my shoulders a couple of times, half expecting to see the cross raspberry bush possessor looking stern with arms crossed, but I didn't. And let me tell you: they taste like heaven!</span></span>anniefargohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12828750420505256313noreply@blogger.com0