tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61293729335447122502024-03-13T13:35:23.835-07:00Tora's real foodTora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-60717231974970766932016-08-15T12:36:00.002-07:002016-08-15T13:16:22.543-07:00Adventures in Running: Ragnar Trail Appalachians-WV<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GVBK597gfHk/V7IKMr97DII/AAAAAAAACAo/InA6PAjjt9Q9g32C-EZPLqhomr-lGFZGgCEw/s1600/IMG_3786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GVBK597gfHk/V7IKMr97DII/AAAAAAAACAo/InA6PAjjt9Q9g32C-EZPLqhomr-lGFZGgCEw/s320/IMG_3786.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Mary Beth</td></tr>
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About 48 hours ago I thought "never again." Now I'm not so sure...<br />
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This is a long post. And it's not about food. It's about a crazy, scary, amazing adventure.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L0RFP0B4-do/V7HqecBewqI/AAAAAAAAB-M/9PLWL2f9EqgKGDVGjHynnOAUFPphvM0KACLcB/s1600/IMG_3778.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-L0RFP0B4-do/V7HqecBewqI/AAAAAAAAB-M/9PLWL2f9EqgKGDVGjHynnOAUFPphvM0KACLcB/s320/IMG_3778.JPG" title="My Running Girlfriends" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team My Running Girlfriends with our finisher medals</td></tr>
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Several months ago, my friend <a href="http://runcookeatrepeat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Clythie</a> convinced me to sign up for the <a href="https://www.runragnar.com/event-detail/trail/appalachians_wv" target="_blank">Ragnar Trail Appalachians-WV Relay Race.</a> It would be her, her husband, her running partner, and several members of our online running group. It sounded like a great fun idea at the time, so I signed up. (What is it? The Ragnar Trail Relay race consists of 4-8 people running 24 loops over 24 hours. This race had three loops: the green "easy" loop of 3.5 miles, the yellow medium-hard loop of 4.6 miles, and the hard red loop of 6.5 miles, for a total of 14.6 miles per person for a regular eight-person team.)<br />
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Then I started training for it, about 14 weeks ago. And Clythie, her husband, and her running partner dropped out, because she got the opportunity to move to California. So now I was going to camp and run a relay race with seven other women, one of whom I had worked with many years ago, one of whom I had met for a beer after the Cherry Blossom 10 Miler in DC, and six of whom I had never met at all (although we belonged to the same online running group). I think somewhere around week 8 or 9 of training, I came very close to dropping out because the whole thing just seemed too scary, too difficult, too crazy to do--and probably less because of the running and more because I'm socially awkward. But I felt we had already lost team members by then, and I couldn't place that burden on them, so I hung in there and decided to do this thing.<br />
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The week of the race rolled around. A few days before the race was supposed to start, one of our team members had to drop out because of a family emergency. Three of our team mates volunteered to take over one each of her legs, so even if we couldn't find a replacement, we would be able to cover our loops. Then the day before we were supposed to head to West Virginia, our team captain, Kristi, reported that she was ill. Now I was definitely worried and felt I had to be prepared to step up for an extra loop in case she wasn't well enough to run.<br />
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The day before the race, Mike and Sebastian drove me to West Virginia (the other team member from my area wasn't driving up until Friday morning, but I was starting us off at 10 a.m. and didn't feel comfortable driving up that early). Unfortunately, I was foolish enough to trust the directions on my phone, so the last few miles before we got to the campsite we were driving on a really rough gravel back road with huge craters. We don't have an SUV. We survived the road (although it was very tense) and finally made it to the camp site. Mike looked around to make sure everything seemed OK, unloaded my stuff, said hello to the team mates who had arrived, and headed back to Northern Virginia.<br />
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So now here I was with a bunch of people I barely knew (or didn't know at all), feeling awkward and extremely tense about the race and from coming off the road. Another team mate, Becky, who was en route, had car trouble along the way and was thinking about bailing out. That problem was eventually solved, but I was definitely feeling like a malevolent force in the universe was stacking the deck against us. I proceeded to drink a couple of beers, try unsuccessfully to be helpful about setting things up, and aimlessly move crates and sleeping bags hither and thither. Eventually I shacked up for the night with Mary Beth.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spectacular sunset our first night</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me (left) and Mary Beth (right)</td></tr>
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I think I got about five hours of pretty uncomfortable sleep that night, sleeping more or less directly on the ground. I was the first to get up, at around 5, because I had to go to the bathroom and was starting to feel antsy and excited about the race. I made some coffee on my camp stove and watched the morning sky grow brighter. Meanwhile, behind me the clouds were moving in, and I saw some people pointing at the sky behind me. I turned to see this:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's a beautiful morning for Ragnar?</td></tr>
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Everyone was awake by now, and our last two team mates were on their way. Sometime between six and seven the storm hit. Intense driving rain washed away tents and formed rivers in roads and ruts. When we had to go and watch the safety video, we were soaked to the bone in seconds, and the rain was hard and stung the skin. Still, after the initial shock of soaking through, I started enjoying how insane all this really was.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rSu_c30t0Gs/V7Hy3G8YmEI/AAAAAAAAB-s/9hqtfUlHS6Y8ZgM9ZlqIFtjbGKfwwaimACLcB/s1600/IMG_3704.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rSu_c30t0Gs/V7Hy3G8YmEI/AAAAAAAAB-s/9hqtfUlHS6Y8ZgM9ZlqIFtjbGKfwwaimACLcB/s320/IMG_3704.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Waiting to watch the safety video</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What road?</td></tr>
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In fact, I was almost disappointed that the rain stopped by the time I was supposed to head out on the first run of our 24-hour odyssey (I was runner #1). I went out on the green loop (3.5 mile "easy" run) carrying the team mascot Tatania had found, the Naughty Ninja or NN, at 10 a.m., and we were on our way.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And I'm off!</td></tr>
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I quickly found myself in a fairy forest full of deep green moss, thigh-high ferns, and mushrooms. The trail itself was rocky and wet, and I worried that my shoes wouldn't be grippy enough, but they held up OK. Also, my phone was giving me trouble, so I was worried I wouldn't be able to complete my first mission, which was to get a photo of NN, but I finally got my first pic of him:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naughty Ninja on green loop #1</td></tr>
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The first run ended up being surprisingly hard. Not too much in terms of hills, but the run was very technical. It was discouraging that it felt so hard after all the training I had put in, and I worried about how the yellow and red loops were going to feel if this was the "easy" run. The heat had already started to rise again after the rain storm (it reached a heat index over 100), and I soaked my clothes for the second (but not last) time that day. </div>
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Near the end of the run, the three loops converged and traveled through part of the Ragnar camp site. Here runners yelled encouragement and rattled noisemakers, which was incredibly encouraging. I ran past Kevin, an unsettling clown-ghost-zombie thing hung in a tree near the transition area and reached the bridge across the road, which I would come to hate. The bridge was a narrow girder bridge that rose high above the road, with a steep incline and decline on either side and little protection on the sides. Two guys who were chasing each other passed me on the bridge, forcing me to the edge, where I stared through giant gaps, strongly activating my fear of heights. On the other side, the steep decline made my thighs scream. All in all, my first run was pretty terrible and made me terribly nervous about the next loops, which would be the hard and medium loops. But I made it back, transferred the belt, the bib, and the ninja to Kristen, the next runner on deck. </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kevin, photo courtesy of Ragnar Trail Relays</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dreaded bridge, photo courtesy of Tatania (in foreground)</td></tr>
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The rest of the day passed in a heat-soaked daydream. Mary Beth made me a sandwich. Runners came and went. I stretched, I tried to nap (but couldn't). One of our strongest runners, Tatania, injured her back badly while out on her red loop, throwing yet another kink into the wheel. As the day passed, I realized that my night run would be the red loop, and that I would probably run the yellow after dawn. So, late in the afternoon, I started to prepare for my red loop, eating, estimating my time, getting my gear (including head lamp) ready. Greg, Kristi's husband, our volunteer, our amazingly helpful and thoughtful sherpa, and eventually our honorary running girlfriend, gave me GUs and instructions on when to take them. I also prepared mentally for a much longer loop than was billed, because many who came back had measured distances of 7.5 and even 8 miles (rather than 6.5) and decided not to worry about speed but to focus on staying safe, even if that meant having to walk long stretches of the loop. I headed out sometime after 7 in the evening, taking over the belt and the ninja from Kristen (another hero of our troop who ran at least one extra loop).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kristen, badass runner</td></tr>
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Maybe it was the mental preparation, maybe I just made it much worse in my mind, but the red loop ended up being my best loop. Long stretches were relatively smooth downhill, so I was able to maintain a nice running rhythm in some areas. Under some spectacular outcroppings of rocks, the trail became a wonderful, ridiculous soup of big rocks and mud, requiring you to climb, scramble, and scoot down on your butt (basically the fun stuff). The light in the woods as the sun was setting was a glorious golden honey, and at one point I stopped and looked up to see a young deer close by. We stared at each other for several moments, and it wandered off and I continued on my way.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My deer friend</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naughty Ninja, red loop</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Under the rock outcropping, shortly before dark</td></tr>
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I got to the first water station (about mile 2.6), feeling pretty good. I had taken the first of the GUs Greg gave me, and it worked well. Between the first and second water station, it got dark and I hit the two-mile hill. Because of the hill and that my head lamp had much weaker light than I had noticed during a training run in suburban Virginia, I walked nearly all of the hill. I took my second GU, which kept me going, but that stretch got very hard. The trail markers in spots were few and far between, so I got nervous that I had wandered off the trail a few times. Just beyond the pool of light, I could hear crickets and cicadas, and sometimes I wondered if I heard something much larger. I decided to ignore that, assuming that all these people had scared away the bears, and if they hadn't, well, there wasn't much I could do about it. I had to keep telling myself to keep putting one foot in front of the other and eventually I would get there.<br />
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Lots of people passed me on the trail. Many were encouraging, several checked in with me to make sure I was safe and healthy (runners are generally such a generous, caring bunch). One woman fell on the path just ahead of me, but assured me she was OK and then got up and kept running. Finally, I got to the one-mile mark, to the quarter-mile mark, and I was running through the camp (someone joked about how fast I was going, which was not fast). A light flared in my eyes, and I almost tripped on a rock. Suddenly a pair of red glowing eyes leered out of the darkness. I nearly screamed. I realized it was Kevin and laughed. Then I was climbing the hated bridge and passing through tiki torches to the other side. I passed the bib and the ninja to Kristen, and Amanda and Kristi met me with plates of food from the complimentary dinner. The salad was miraculously delicious.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Kristen</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Tatania</td></tr>
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I intended to drink a few beers that night, but I was just too tired. Instead, I slept a few hours. In the meantime, My Running Girlfriends were running through the night.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m77HqjmsKS0/V7IG0LFTPII/AAAAAAAACAI/3dDahwSvxZ8FWMyqk8svzbP5dHXAOYC6wCLcB/s1600/IMG_3775.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m77HqjmsKS0/V7IG0LFTPII/AAAAAAAACAI/3dDahwSvxZ8FWMyqk8svzbP5dHXAOYC6wCLcB/s320/IMG_3775.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amanda, badass Running Girlfriend</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xih-WCsqO14/V7IG0N1-8zI/AAAAAAAACAM/xQvWCybN9qgP5Gu_ZwwPS-fSOeGlKt7aQCLcB/s1600/IMG_3784.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xih-WCsqO14/V7IG0N1-8zI/AAAAAAAACAM/xQvWCybN9qgP5Gu_ZwwPS-fSOeGlKt7aQCLcB/s320/IMG_3784.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tatania and Mary Beth, badass Running Girlfriends</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oni6UIIrg7o/V7IG0MtmsZI/AAAAAAAACAQ/htGh-bcoa9gck9lokR7F_jrq5kCHNG7eQCLcB/s1600/IMG_3812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oni6UIIrg7o/V7IG0MtmsZI/AAAAAAAACAQ/htGh-bcoa9gck9lokR7F_jrq5kCHNG7eQCLcB/s320/IMG_3812.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rocky section of the red loop</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3kIRISsxaOc/V7IG0WD3ADI/AAAAAAAACAU/CiOMtleypyAQLaRw-zbxJKMNXpIzbr71gCLcB/s1600/IMG_3815.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3kIRISsxaOc/V7IG0WD3ADI/AAAAAAAACAU/CiOMtleypyAQLaRw-zbxJKMNXpIzbr71gCLcB/s320/IMG_3815.JPG" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The village at night</td></tr>
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I woke up about 3:50 in the morning. I told myself I had some more time to sleep and to go back to sleep. At 4:20 I gave up and got up because I had to hike to the bathroom. On the way back, I got a big cup of coffee and watched the Perseids falling for nearly an hour. I saw several dozen fall. Despite her injury, Tatania headed out for her run, which was just before mine. I had a biscuit, but didn't think I had enough time to eat much more before I was up for my yellow loop. At the last minute, I grabbed a GU, and I headed to the village to wait for Tania to come in. I waited by the bonfire for a long time, watching the monitors that told us when runners passed the half-mile mark.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ikO87jq8sJk/V7IJVUSYCwI/AAAAAAAACAc/kT6xQg4DisgswzZj0r4FD11To-hG2EYkQCLcB/s1600/IMG_3738.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ikO87jq8sJk/V7IJVUSYCwI/AAAAAAAACAc/kT6xQg4DisgswzZj0r4FD11To-hG2EYkQCLcB/s320/IMG_3738.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bonfire in the village, about 5:30 a.m.</td></tr>
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Because of her injury, it took longer than expected to finish the green run, so I started at least an hour later than I had anticipated. About a mile into my yellow loop, I felt hungry. I took my GU, which sustained me for a couple more spectacular miles through a planted pine forest that felt like a cathedral and along a ridge with a view over a forested valley.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Kristi</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo courtesy of Kristi</td></tr>
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About three miles into that last loop, I began to struggle. I forced myself to keep going. I reeled and stumbled. I got giddy. I stepped on a rock wrong and almost fell, which woke me up for a few minutes. I reached the place where the yellow and red trails converged and thought "it can't be far now," but it seemed so much farther in the daylight. A few runners passed too close, and I almost snapped. Then I got to the one-mile mark, and I nearly cried because I still had so far to go (that last mile is always so long). I got to the quarter-mile marker, and I was determined to run, so I ran. Not fast. But I ran. Then I was climbing the ramp of that godawful bridge, I was going down the other side, and I put everything I had left into accelerating the last few feet into the transition area and handed off to Kristen. Amanda was waiting for me and smiling and congratulating me, and I burst into tears. For several minutes, I cried uncontrollably; it was a crazy mish-mash of joy, relief, pain, hunger, exhaustion, and a dam-burst of arrested fears. (Poor Amanda, she was so kind to me.) I went back to camp in a daze and spaced out for a long time. Eventually I was able to take a shower, and I realized I had sunburn, blistered toes, and chafing injuries on my arms and legs. The bottoms of my feet burned and felt like they had been beaten with sticks.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GvuYOEApmkY/V7IOhP3VXZI/AAAAAAAACA8/iRS5chHawnIA_DBleWIs7V09ByoVq7MugCEw/s1600/IMG_3740.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GvuYOEApmkY/V7IOhP3VXZI/AAAAAAAACA8/iRS5chHawnIA_DBleWIs7V09ByoVq7MugCEw/s320/IMG_3740.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Naughty Ninja, yellow and last loop (of mine)</td></tr>
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But my excitement grew through the day, as runner after runner completed their loops, and we approached our goal. The last two runners to go out were Greg and Becky. We waited for them just before the dreaded bridge so that we could all run in together as a team (except Tania, who was too hurt to run over the bridge). And then we were going over the bridge, and somehow I didn't hate it anymore.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greg and Becky head out on the last loop </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team My Running Girlfriends on the bridge (photo courtesy of Tatania)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finishing team photo with our giant medals</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team photo showing off our fake tattoos</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Winner of the best Naughty Ninja photo (courtesy of Becky)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Naughty Ninja and our incredible metal medal</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Greg entering the transition area</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening sets in</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kristi (fabulous team captain) and her great sport of a husband, Greg</td></tr>
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After my last loop, I was sure I would never want to do this again. It was awkward, scary, painful, uncomfortable, sometimes boring, and grueling. But it was also fun, hilarious, majestic, amazing, and life changing. So maybe I will. But first I have to let my feet rest a bit.<br />
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Some final thoughts:<br />
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<ul>
<li>I am really proud of myself for finishing this race at 45 years old and at least 30 pounds overweight. It was incredibly hard, but it felt like a real achievement. </li>
<li>I am proud and amazed by my wonderful team mates, including our honorary Running Girlfriend, Greg, who stepped in without really having trained so that we could finish without killing ourselves and helped us all so much. </li>
<li>I want to thank and mention everyone on our team individually:</li>
<ul>
<li>Kristi, thanks for organizing and coordinating everything and keeping us going. Thanks for sticking it out even though you felt awful for much of it. Thanks for sharing Greg for a few days, he was an incredibly good sport and so helpful. </li>
<li>Tatania, thanks for the ride home. You amaze me with your toughness. I hope you heal quickly and completely. </li>
<li>Kristen, you are so incredibly energetic and fun. I wish I had seen more of your dancing. Thanks for taking an extra leg.</li>
<li>Becky, thanks for the yoga and stretching and being such a bright spark of light. </li>
<li>Amanda, thanks for letting me bawl all over you when I finished and for having such a wonderful smile. It brightened everything at a couple of times when I felt pretty low. </li>
<li>Mary Beth, thanks for the beer, for being our "mom," for making sandwiches, and making us laugh.</li>
<li>Greg, thanks for putting up tents and carrying stuff, helping us take care of our nutrition, and jumping in to run.</li>
<li>Thank you Clythie, for starting My Running Girlfriends, and for convincing me to do crazy-ass stuff I would probably never do otherwise. I am going to miss you. </li>
<li>And I almost forgot, but thank you Mike and Sebastian for supporting my running and allowing me to go off to West Virginia and do something insane. I love you both. </li>
</ul>
</ul>
<br />Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-78118194891486628172015-11-10T10:21:00.000-08:002015-11-10T10:45:08.717-08:00Sweet potato shepherd's pieAll right, I guess I'm just going to break a bunch of the "rules" of blogging and just sally forth in any way I can. I won't be predictable. I won't always include a nice photo of the dish (as will be the case with this shepherd's pie because we simply ate it too fast). And I won't do any of these things out of some sort of rebellion against the establishment or whatever, but simply because I'm at times unmotivated, tired, too busy, and just plain lazy.<br />
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That said, I've improvised several meals lately that I'm so happy with I simply must write down the recipes so that I remember how. This sweet potato shepherd's pie is one of those. In fact, I just ate the tiny bit of leftover pie for lunch, and I wish I had some more, but it will simply have to wait (because right now I am braising some pork with apples and we will see how that turns out). </div>
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One of the nice things about this and another recent delightful meal (that I hope to post about soon) is that it's all made in my beloved cast-iron skillet. I make the meat filling in the skillet first, then spread the mashed sweet potatoes over the top, and pop it all in the oven. You could make it in a separate baking dish, but why? Why would you do that when it comes out of the oven all nice and rustic and in a heavy pan and great? </div>
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Ingredients </h3>
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<ul>
<li>2 Tbsp olive oil</li>
<li>1 onion, diced (see photos for how to dice onions)</li>
<li>2 medium carrots, chopped finely </li>
<li>1 lb ground beef</li>
<li>1 16 oz. can diced tomatoes (I like Muir Glen organic)</li>
<li>1 cup water</li>
<li>1 tsp beef bullion</li>
<li>thyme</li>
<li>Generous splash of red wine (optional, but delicious)</li>
<li>1 tsp brown sugar</li>
<li>4-5 medium sweet potatoes, cut into pieces (whatever will get you to about 4 heaping cups of sweet potato cubes) </li>
<li>1 Tbsp butter</li>
<li>1/4 cup half and half (or cream)</li>
<li>salt and pepper</li>
<li>Panko bread crumbs (optional)</li>
<li>Grated Parmegiano Reggiano (optional)</li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GHfRXAZ4lxE/VkI6LlnwHzI/AAAAAAAABqk/e6WE8PzfW6s/s1600/100_5549.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tora's real food" border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GHfRXAZ4lxE/VkI6LlnwHzI/AAAAAAAABqk/e6WE8PzfW6s/s400/100_5549.JPG" title="Dicing onions" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1eSva_M_zQ/VkI6NARmKJI/AAAAAAAABq8/P6VhDcqwpNs/s1600/100_5557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img alt="Tora's real food" border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Q1eSva_M_zQ/VkI6NARmKJI/AAAAAAAABq8/P6VhDcqwpNs/s400/100_5557.JPG" title="Diced onions" width="400" /></a></div>
<h3>
Instructions</h3>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Start by peeling the sweet potatoes and cutting them into roughly 2-in. cubes (the size isn't all that important; it will just speed cooking). Add them to salted water and bring to a boil. When they are soft (depending on the size of your pieces, between 15-20 minutes), take them off the heat and set them aside for the time being. </li>
<li>In the meantime, turn the oven on 425 degrees (F). In your skillet, heat the olive oil until it shimmers. Add your chopped onions and carrots. Let them cook at low heat for about 5-10 minutes. </li>
<li>Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the ground beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon or some such utensil. Cook it until it is no longer pink anywhere.</li>
<li>Add the tomatoes, a cup of water, big splash of red wine, bullion, brown sugar, and thyme to the pan. Stir everything together and turn up the heat. Keep cooking and stirring the meat mixture at high heat until about half the liquid evaporates. Taste the mixture, add a small amount of salt and some pepper, and then let it keep cooking (careful not to add a lot of salt at this point because more of the liquid will evaporate). Let the liquid in the pan continue to evaporate. The meat mixture is done when it is loose but not watery. Taste the mixture and add as much salt and pepper as you want/need. (And of course, feel free to add herbs or hot sauce if you like that kind of thing.)</li>
<li>Flatten the meat mixture in the pan with the back of your spoon or a spatula or some such. Set it aside. </li>
<li>For the mashed sweet potatoes, drain the cooking water, and either put them through a ricer (recommended) or mash them with the back of a spoon. Add butter, half and half, a generous pinch of salt, and a little pepper. Taste the sweet potatoes and adjust the seasonings as you like. </li>
<li>Next, spoon mashed sweet potatoes over top of the meat, spreading them around somewhat evenly. When you've got all the mashed potatoes on there, use the back of a spoon (the back of a spoon is such a useful kitchen tool, don't you think?) to cover the meat completely. Then, if you like, add some handfuls of panko bread crumbs and grate some cheese over the top and slide it all into a hot oven for about 20-30 minutes until the top is slightly browned and the edges bubble. Then eat it. You'll enjoy it. And the sweet potatoes are supposed to be good for you. Maybe add a green salad if you are feeling ambitious. </li>
</ol>
</div>
<div>
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</div>
Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-62557372844270939972015-05-29T11:40:00.000-07:002015-05-29T11:40:27.359-07:00Chicken with mustard cream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2VYLa-ciIF8/VWinixEc5SI/AAAAAAAABlY/f7JJ6eWFK6s/s1600/IMG_9887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tora's real food" border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2VYLa-ciIF8/VWinixEc5SI/AAAAAAAABlY/f7JJ6eWFK6s/s640/IMG_9887.JPG" title="Chicken with mustard cream" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
Best laid plans and whatnot.<br />
<br />
I had every intention to post much more than I have so far this year. But I haven't. Sometime in March (I think, my memory of the past several months has hazed over), I suddenly came down with a massive amount of work. Which is generally good for a freelance editor/writer, but it did become a bit overwhelming when I genuinely lost track of the last time I had had a weekend off or didn't work until 11 at night (or all night in a couple of cases). I missed most of spring, although I tried very hard to pay attention to it while driving to pick up my guys from school and work. But generally I was stressed and overwhelmed. After the biggest projects had been completed, I naturally got sick.<br />
<br />
But things have settled down a bit, and I've had some time to reflect on the last few months and recognize that I must change my life (to paraphrase <a href="http://www.writing.upenn.edu/bernstein/syllabi/readings/Rilke-Archaic.html" target="_blank">Rilke</a>). Writing, creating, reading, learning--these are the things that mean the most to me (other than family and friends, of course, but they come automatically first; perhaps too much so, I don't consciously recognize their importance as often as I ought to). That includes this blog, this thing that I started (and stopped and tripped over and left lying in a corner and then moved into the spare room and forgot about). So here's a little dish that I have cooked many times over the last few months because it's good (note the plate that has been licked clean below), it's quick, and when you're frustrated, it can be good therapy because of the pounding (see step 2).<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e8dfmdtJXeI/VWint4LFlCI/AAAAAAAABlk/gvF5dx8QVUI/s1600/IMG_9894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e8dfmdtJXeI/VWint4LFlCI/AAAAAAAABlk/gvF5dx8QVUI/s640/IMG_9894.JPG" title="Tora's real food" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 lb (ish) chicken breast halves</li>
<li>salt, lemon pepper blend</li>
<li>2 Tbsp olive oil</li>
<li>1 cup chicken stock or broth</li>
<li>1-2 tsp Dijon mustard (to taste)</li>
<li>1-2 tsp maple syrup (to taste)</li>
<li>1 cup half and half</li>
<li>parsley (fresh if you've got it, but dried will be fine)</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Steps</h3>
<br />
<ol>
<li>Place a large frying pan on the stove and turn it to medium-high heat to let it heat up. </li>
<li>Blot the chicken breast halves with paper towels. Then place them between two sheets of wax paper. Pound them thin with the implement of your choosing. (My rolling pin is perfect for this job; you can also use a frying pan, or an actual meat tenderizing device that looks a lot like a hammer. This activity always draws lots of attention from the family, who wonder why I am making so much noise, am I angry, what did the chicken ever do to me, etc. In any case, it can be somewhat cathartic.)</li>
<li>Remove the top sheet of wax paper and sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts liberally with salt and lemon pepper. I've been using <a href="https://www.penzeys.com/online-catalog/sunny-spain-seasoning/c-24/p-281/pd-s" target="_blank">Sunny Spain Seasoning</a> from Penzey's Spices, which is pretty fantastic.</li>
<li>While you are hammering away, you've allowed your pan to heat up (right?), now add about 2 Tbsp olive oil to the pan and let it heat up until it shimmers. It should only take a minute or two. </li>
<li>Place your chicken breast halves in the pan and allow them to cook for about 4 minutes per side.</li>
<li>When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pan and allow it to rest on a plate that is tented with aluminum foil. (Tented: Means kind of covered with the foil, but bunched up so that the foil doesn't touch the chicken.)</li>
<li>Add stock, mustard, and maple syrup to the pan. Using a whisk, scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan, whisk, and allow the liquid in the pan to reduce to about half. Then add the half and half and season with more lemon pepper, salt (if needed), and parsley. Don't forget to taste it! </li>
<li>Serve the chicken with the mustard cream and ideally with a blend of roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes that have slightly caramelized, but it's good with just about anything that will soak up the sauce (see figure of plate licked clean).</li>
</ol>
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Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-70259793770366877892015-01-15T10:05:00.000-08:002015-01-15T10:05:47.970-08:00Procrastination pie: A lesson in avoiding the really hard work<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hgLQPcIikuM/VLfuR-iVXdI/AAAAAAAABfc/yLFhgZvaS_c/s1600/IMG_8291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hgLQPcIikuM/VLfuR-iVXdI/AAAAAAAABfc/yLFhgZvaS_c/s1600/IMG_8291.JPG" height="400" title="Little Bird by Tora Estep" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Bird. My most recently completed painting, from September 2014.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I got angry at my son yesterday.<br />
<br />
He was supposed to be practicing piano, but he was crying and upset because the piece was difficult. This was not the first time he has experienced this level of frustration with working through something hard. We've tried to coach him through the difficulty, explaining that when something is hard, you just have to work harder. Hardness is not a reflection on intelligence or value; it simply means that something is difficult and requires more work.<br />
<br />
I tried going that route first. I told him to take a deep breath and try to slowly work through the lines note by note. Calmly, persistently. He responded with more frustration and tears. I tried again. And then I'm ashamed to say I totally lost it. I yelled. I told him he needed to pull himself together and get over being so emotional about struggling. It went on from there. It wasn't pretty, and I didn't feel good about it afterward.<br />
<br />
Thinking about the incident while doing dishes later, I recognized my hypocrisy. I had spent much of an unexpected snow day avoiding my own hard things. Instead of painting or writing or even working on a project for a client, I cooked and cleaned and ran 4 miles and folded laundry, frittering away precious time on easy things. Not easy in terms of the amount of work required, I was exhausted when the day was over, but easy in terms of emotional, mental, and creative effort. Like my son, I constantly struggle with and get anxious about doing certain kinds of work; the difference is that I am a lot better at hiding it from myself and others by doing prodigious amounts of other stuff.<br />
<br />
I try to tell myself that being creative is not supposed to be that hard, that I shouldn't get frustrated, that I should take a breath and slowly and persistently push through the difficulty, and perhaps that I should even relax and enjoy it, but the truth is every time I start putting paint to canvas or trying to write a story is a moment of stress, anxiety, and fear. And even when it goes well (which is actually pretty frequent), the terror returns and remains because the next addition of color, the next creative choice could screw it all to hell. I tell myself I shouldn't care. It should be about the process, not the product, but at heart I don't believe that. I tell myself that if I really loved to paint as much as I think I do, it should be easy to get up and do it. But it's not. Just because you love something doesn't make it easy. So painting starts sit for months and sometimes years before I finish them because mustering the courage to push them through the next step is so hard and requires so much emotional energy. (For example, I started Little Bird, the painting at the beginning of this post, five or six years ago and only finally got around to finishing it last September.)<br />
<br />
Starting this year, I plan to do better. (I also plan to be more understanding toward my boy.) I've figured out ways to trick myself into running even when it's cold or hot as hell, I'm sore and tired, and I really don't feel like it. Surely I can trick myself into painting and writing more?<br />
<br />
In the meantime, while I was avoiding the hard work, I made this shepherd's pie, which turned out to be a huge hit. Inspired by my friend Jeff, who made a shepherd's pie using cauliflower mash instead of mashed potatoes a few weeks ago, I decided to try replacing some of the mashed potatoes with cauliflower. The cauliflower adds a nice, light sweetness to the mash, but is a bit more watery than potatoes are. I may try replacing the potatoes with cauliflower altogether sometime soon, but if/when I do, I will probably need at least two heads of cauliflower and less half and half. I also used a combination of ground beef and loose pork sausage, but you can use any combination you like. And even though I made this meal in part to avoid work, don't be fooled: It's a somewhat time- and labor-intensive recipe, so don't plan to make it on a weeknight. (Unless you have a snow day.)<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r8seyqfMvy4/VLf9KWJzaPI/AAAAAAAABfs/Cz_cIMuQCbo/s1600/IMG_9442.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r8seyqfMvy4/VLf9KWJzaPI/AAAAAAAABfs/Cz_cIMuQCbo/s1600/IMG_9442.JPG" height="325" title="Shepherd's pie from Tora's real food" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<h3>
Shepherd's pie, ingredients</h3>
<div>
<ul>
<li>1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets</li>
<li>6 medium yellow potatoes (use any potatoes you like; I just like yellows better)</li>
<li>1/4 cup half and half</li>
<li>1 Tbsp butter</li>
<li>2 Tbsp olive oil</li>
<li>1 lb ground beef</li>
<li>1 lb loose pork sausage</li>
<li>1 large onion, chopped</li>
<li>2-3 cloves garlic, crushed</li>
<li>1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes, fire roasted is nice but not necessary</li>
<li>2 Tbsp tomato paste</li>
<li>2 cups water</li>
<li>1/4 cup ketchup</li>
<li>1 tsp Dijon mustard</li>
<li>smoked paprika, salt, and pepper to taste</li>
<li>bread crumbs (optional)</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Instructions</h3>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Peel the potatoes and boil them in salted water until tender, about 30 minutes.</li>
<li>Steam the cauliflower until tender, about 15-20 minutes depending on your steamer (test the cauliflower with a fork).</li>
<li>Using a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato_ricer" target="_blank">ricer </a>(which will make your life easier, I promise), rice the cauliflower and the potatoes into a bowl. Add the half and half and butter and some salt and pepper and stir together until you have a nice even(ish) mash. Taste the mash to make sure you've added enough salt and pepper. Set the mashed potato-cauliflower mixture aside.</li>
<li>In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil. Toss in a sliver of onion to test the heat. When it sizzles, add the rest of the onion and cook it for about two minutes. Then add the sausage and the ground beef. </li>
<li>Cook the meat and onions until the meat is no longer pink. If the meat has some brown bits, bonus! Drain most of the fat from the pan. </li>
<li>Add the garlic to the pan and let it cook for about a minute (do NOT let it burn). </li>
<li>Add the tomatoes, water, tomato paste, ketchup, mustard, and perhaps a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper and smoked paprika to the meat in the pan. Stir everything together. Over medium-high heat, let the mixture cook down to a loose mass (the pan should contain some liquid, but the mixture should not be watery). Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper until you like it.</li>
<li>Next, assemble the pie. Pour the meat mixture into a large, oven-safe baking dish (mine is about 13 in. by 9 in.). Shake the dish gently to make sure the meat is somewhat evenly distributed. Then place big spoonfuls of the potato-cauliflower mash over the meat mixture and using the back of a spoon spread it out somewhat evenly. (It's a "rustic" dish; it doesn't have to look perfect.) If you want, spread some bread crumbs or Panko over top of the mashed potatoes. (At this point, you can set aside the pie for a few days and bake it another day.)</li>
<li>Bake the pie for 50-55 minutes in a 450-degree (F) oven. Eat. Enjoy. Try to do the hard things. </li>
</ol>
</div>
Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-69476495877103226852014-01-26T11:46:00.000-08:002014-01-26T11:46:10.382-08:00Winter's journey and braised beef shanks <div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nEhCNeBIMbg/UuVV72XMUtI/AAAAAAAABVQ/u0WnJNIH5T0/s1600/photo-9.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tora's real food" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nEhCNeBIMbg/UuVV72XMUtI/AAAAAAAABVQ/u0WnJNIH5T0/s1600/photo-9.JPG" height="640" title="Braised beef shanks " width="480" /></a> </div>
<br />
Virginia in winter is subtly beautiful. Delicate, blackened bone trees. Raw, sweeping curves of hills. A colorbox of strange halftones: olive green, bleached orange, gray-brown, salt white. Sometimes hard to perceive, the beauty is always there if you look for it: the eerie, lonely noise of geese ringing through cold, bell-clear air; the hazy bluish-purple of a certain kind of shrub; a splendid sunset. <br />
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Virginia's winter beauty wasn't really on my mind yesterday when I set off on a little trip to <a href="http://www.thewholeox.com/" target="_blank">The Whole Ox,</a> a wonderful artisanal butcher shop in an old railway station in the Plains. I just needed a respite from being stuck at home for a week, first because of school closings due to snow and bitter cold and then due to sickness. I also wanted to find an excuse to have the oven running all day to dispel some of the chill. But as I sailed along the roads, rising and falling with the curves, that beauty took hold of me again and reminded me why I love Virginia.<br />
<br />
Coming back, stocked with a meaty pair of beef shanks and some other odds and ends (The Whole Ox is a lot like a treasure cave; I can never leave with just what's on the list), I passed a pair of foxes in a field. Their red bodies echoed the reddish-orange grasses that stuck up through the snow. Robin's egg sky and tumbledown wooden fence framed the scene. The foxes ignored me as I slowed to watch them--a pair of teenagers getting into trouble: one the instigator and the other slightly hesitant, hanging back. I longed to take a picture of them, but the stretch of road was too dangerous to stop for long. And so I've turned the image over and over in mind like a smooth stone, polishing and holding on to it. Maybe it was just as well I didn't get the picture. It wouldn't have been as good as the one in my mind. <br />
<br />
Once home with my goodies, I quickly started the braise. After three hours of slow cooking in the oven, we had a gorgeous meal of braised beef shanks (so tender the meat fell off the bones), mashed potatoes, and Brussels sprouts slaw. A wonderful meal that made a cold and ordinary Saturday into a special occasion.<br />
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<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<ul>
<li>3 lbs (or thereabouts) beef shanks (preferably big meaty ones with big bones)</li>
<li>1-1 1/2 cups orange juice</li>
<li>1/2-1 cup soy sauce</li>
<li>3 Tbsps vegetable oil (for searing)</li>
<li>3-4 Tbsps flour (for dredging)</li>
<li>salt, pepper</li>
<li>smoked paprika (optional but oh so nice)</li>
<li>1 tsp ground cumin </li>
<li>1 tsp ground coriander</li>
<li>1 whole head of garlic, individual cloves peeled</li>
<li>5-6 whole medium carrots, peeled and ends trimmed</li>
</ul>
<br />
<h3>
Instructions</h3>
<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 350 F.</li>
<li>Pat the beef shanks dry with paper towels and very liberally sprinkle salt, pepper, and smoked paprika all over them. Rub the seasonings into the meat. Then dredge the meat with flour. </li>
<li>Heat the vegetable oil to medium-high heat in a frying pan. Sear the meat on all sides, for about 1-2 minutes per side. (You should have a nice golden brown crust on the meat.)</li>
<li>Transfer the meat to a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dutch-Ovens-Cookware-Baking-Kitchen/b?ie=UTF8&node=289818" target="_blank">Dutch oven.</a> Arrange the garlic cloves and carrots around the meat. </li>
<li>Add the orange juice, soy sauce, cumin, and coriander to the hot frying pan. Scrape at the browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pan. Let the mixture cook for a minute or two, just enough to bring all the ingredients together. Taste the braising liquid. It should be quite strong. Make any tweaks you like at this point (such as add a touch of honey, a splash of vinegar, more spice) and then pour the braising liquid over the meat and vegetables. Then slide it into the oven for about 3 hours. </li>
<li>Take the meat out of the oven about 20-30 minutes before serving to let it cool down a little before eating. Use the braising liquid as a sauce over mashed potatoes or something that will soak up the juices. And do not forget to suck the marrow out of the bones, for that is truly one of life's pleasures (if you're an omnivore, at least). </li>
</ol>
Now, I also promised my friend Clythie at <a href="http://runcookeatrepeat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Run Cook Eat Repeat</a> to share the recipe for the Brussels sprouts slaw, so here it is:<br />
<br />
<h3>
Brussels Sprouts Slaw</h3>
<ul>
<li>Rinse and grate 1 to 1 1/2 lbs Brussels sprouts that are brilliant green without brown blemishes on a coarse grater. Use the hard whitish ends to hold onto the sprout and then discard that part. I <i>highly</i> recommend getting a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Microplane-34007-Kitchen-Cut-Protection-Glove/dp/B001QXZORE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1390763780&sr=8-1&keywords=protective+kitchen+gloves" target="_blank">protective glove</a> for doing this job. Alternatively, you could shred the sprouts in a food processor. If you do it this way, trim the hard white stem ends first. Add the shredded Brussels sprouts to a medium salad bowl.</li>
<li>Coarsely grate about 1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Mix with the shredded sprouts. </li>
<li>In another bowl, whisk together</li>
<ul>
<li>6 Tbsps good quality oil (I used avocado oil, but a good quality extra virgin olive oil or walnut oil would be wonderful too)</li>
<li>4 Tbsps red wine vinegar</li>
<li>1 tsp honey (ish, more or less to taste)</li>
<li>1/4 tsp (or so) salt</li>
<li>pinch of pepper</li>
<li>2 cloves garlic, crushed</li>
</ul>
<li>Taste the vinaigrette for seasoning and adjust according to your taste. </li>
<li>Pour the vinaigrette over the sprouts and cheese and mix it all together. Eat! </li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xZMHT1LneyA/UuVh0A3omfI/AAAAAAAABV0/nCmz_y4QM6E/s1600/photo-6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xZMHT1LneyA/UuVh0A3omfI/AAAAAAAABV0/nCmz_y4QM6E/s1600/photo-6.JPG" height="640" title="Tora's real food" width="480" /></a> </div>
Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-22470011158658859622014-01-22T07:53:00.000-08:002014-01-22T07:53:00.138-08:00Snow day chili with beans and a hint of cocoa<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday it snowed--the first significant snow in a few years here in Northern Virginia. On the tail of the snowstorm came the polar vortex--a mass of cold, hard air as inexorable and weighty as a glacier. Warmth flees before it. And the cold wind blows snow devils into the air, glittering in the sun. It's beautiful, stark, and harsh.<br />
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Cold days are good days to make chili. Filling chili, with a touch of warming spice (or a lot, depending on your taste) that satisfies hunger and banishes the cold. Serve it on rice with sour cream, a sprinkling of cheese, and some chopped onion (or any combination that you like).<br />
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What's a little different about this chili is the addition of unsweetened cocoa powder. Not to worry, it doesn't make the chili taste like chocolate, but it adds depth to the flavor and a beautiful dark color. And yes, this chili has beans, which I know is sacrilege in some food circles, but I will gladly offend in this case, ha ha. Beans are incredibly nutritious, full of protein and fiber that will make you feel full for a long time. In this recipe I've used canned beans (organic, of course) for convenience (I know, I'm slipping), but if you are in the mood to cook your own beans, use this <a href="https://www.pick-a-pepper.com/readarticle.php?itemid=196" target="_blank">no-soak method,</a> which works well for me.<br />
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Another nice thing about this chili is that you can switch up the protein: Use ground pork, ground beef, ground turkey, or ground lamb, whatever you have handy. The same is true of the beans. I like a two-to-one combination of white and pinto beans, but you can use any combination of beans.<br />
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<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<ul>
<li>1 lb ground beef or pork or turkey or lamb (or a combination?)</li>
<li>3 Tbsps extra virgin olive oil</li>
<li>1 large yellow onion, diced</li>
<li>2 15-oz cans of white beans (such as cannelini or Great Northern), rinsed and drained</li>
<li>1 15-oz can of pinto beans, rinsed and drained</li>
<li>1 28-oz can of ground tomatoes</li>
<li>2-3 cloves garlic, crushed </li>
<li>1-3 Tbsps chili powder</li>
<li>2 tsps unsweetened cocoa powder</li>
<li>1 tsp brown sugar</li>
<li>1 Tbsp salt (or to taste)</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Instructions</h3>
<ol>
<li>Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat (or other large-ish, heavy pot with a thick bottom). Add the onions and cook them until they are soft and slightly brown, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and adjust the heat as needed so that the onions don't burn. </li>
<li>Add the ground beef/pork/turkey/lamb and cook through.</li>
<li>Add crushed garlic and stir until you can smell it, about a minute. </li>
<li>Add tomatoes, beans, chili powder, cocoa powder, brown sugar, and about half of the salt. Stir everything together and let it simmer for at least 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Longer is fine if you want to start it early in the day and just let it stew. If so, keep the heat on the lowest setting, keep the lid on, and stir from time to time.</li>
<li>Before it's time to serve, have a taste and add salt as needed. Then sever it over rice and with any additions that you like. I prefer sour cream and sometimes some chopped onion. Also, if you like it hot, you could always add some sliced jalapenos. </li>
</ol>
Now enjoy the cold weather and keep warm. <br />
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Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-91636933839087522332013-12-28T07:58:00.000-08:002013-12-28T07:58:20.581-08:00Lemon sweetie pies, or an exercise in turning a kitchen disaster into pop art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I know, I know. I am totally off schedule. Right now I should be posting healthy, fresh recipes for getting back into shape for the new year. Instead I am writing about this delicious, lemony cookie. But I made a promise to my friend Clythie (who recently started her own blog about running and cooking called <a href="http://runcookeatrepeat.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Run Cook Eat Repeat</a>), and dammit I will keep my promises, even though it may take a while.<br />
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I made a batch of these cookies for a cookie exchange a few weeks ago. When I had finished the lemon curd to fill in the center of the cookies, I was so enamored of the glorious yellow and the sweet, tart, and fresh scent of lemon, I decided I<i> had </i>to get a picture of the stuff to spiff up a blog post and to brag on. Of course, this happened:<br />
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Argh! Catastrophe!<br />
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But then I had to admire the rather pleasing effect of the splatter pattern. And that lemon, placed just so! (It really landed just like that.) When I posted the photo on Facebook, a friend commented that the white sock disturbed the composition, and I agreed. For better effect next time, I need to coordinate my clothes to amp up the contrast (perhaps a blue sock?). Anyway, I had to laugh because the vanity of trying to get a good picture of this glorious lemon curd ended up in a big mess.<br />
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About 24 hours later, I had more lemons, made another batch of curd, and baked the cookies. And I finally got a good picture of the curd, which is like sunshine in a bowl, perfect to light up deepest, darkest winter. And the cookie tastes that way: the sweet, sour, fresh bite of curd paired with sweet, crispy cookie. <br />
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The recipe for these cookies comes from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/All-American-Cookie-Book-Nancy-Baggett/dp/0395915376" target="_blank"><i>The All-American Cookie Book </i></a>by Nancy Baggett. I gave the book to my husband for Christmas in 2001 (I wrote an inscription on the inside cover). I've made a lot of the cookies in this book, but this one may be my favorite.<br />
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<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
For the curd:<br />
<ul>
<li>2 large whole eggs</li>
<li>2 large egg yolks</li>
<li>finely grated zest of 2 large lemons</li>
<li>1/2 cup lemon juice</li>
<li>1 cup sugar</li>
<li>1/4 cup (2 oz) unsalted butter, cut into chunks</li>
</ul>
For the cookie dough:<br />
<ul>
<li>2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1/4 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>1/4 tsp teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1/4 tsp salt</li>
<li>1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter, softened</li>
<li>2/3 cup sugar</li>
<li>1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest</li>
<li>1 large egg</li>
<li>2 1/2 tsps vanilla extract</li>
<li>2 Tbsps fresh lemon juice</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Instructions</h3>
<b>For the curd:</b> In a heavy, nonreactive (non-aluminum, typically) pot, combine the curd ingredients. Whisk continuously while bringing the curd to a boil. Let it boil for a minute (keep whisking). Then remove the pot from the heat and keep whisking for another 30 seconds. Strain the curd (you may need to help it along through the strainer with the back of a wooden spoon) and let it cool completely. The curd can be made up to 4 days ahead of time.<br />
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<b>For the cookies:</b><br />
<ul>
<li>Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.</li>
<li>Prepare baking sheets (grease or cover with parchment paper or <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/silpat-silicone-cookie-sheet-liner/" target="_blank">silpats</a>).</li>
<li>Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make sure everything is evenly mixed together. </li>
<li>In a stand mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, and lemon zest until it's very light and fluffy. </li>
<li>Add the egg, 1 tablespoon water, vanilla, and lemon juice to the sugar-butter mixture. Keep beating until these are thoroughly mixed in. </li>
<li>Reduce the speed to slow and mix in about half the flour mixture. Then slowly add the rest of the flour mixture until evenly incorporated. </li>
<li>Shape the dough into a little ball (about 1 1/4 in) by rolling a piece of it in the palms of your hands. (Using a small scoop would be useful here to keep the balls evenly sized and the right size; I always make these too big!)</li>
<li>Place the ball of cookie dough on the cookie sheet. With your thumb, press into the center of the ball until a well is formed and the dough sort of flattens out into a cookie-like shape. Don't push all the way through the dough.</li>
<li>Place about 3/4 tsp of the lemon curd in the well.</li>
<li>Repeat until you have used all the dough. (You may have some curd left over. Like I said, I always make these too big, so I end up with a lot of leftover curd. But you could put that on toast, or cake, or something. Or eat it with a spoon. Whatever makes you happy.)</li>
<li>Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for 10-13 minutes. Turn the baking sheet about halfway through the baking time so that the cookies bake evenly. Let them cool on wire racks. </li>
<li>Nancy Baggett warns that these cookies should be eaten fairly quickly because they grow softer after a few days. So far that hasn't been too much of a problem. </li>
</ul>
Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-37979736939216939322013-11-12T18:09:00.000-08:002013-11-12T18:09:19.117-08:00Two-potato hash with ham: Fall comfort food<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I try to plan meals. I really do. But I end up improvising dinner far more often than I'd like to admit. And some nights, I have a plan to try something new and perhaps a little healthier, but find myself craving something comforting. Especially on a cold night like tonight.<br />
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Hash is the perfect food for cold nights. It's the food equivalent of your oldest, most comfortable sweats; a soft blanket; and a good book. And I've almost always got something I can use to improvise a decent hash.<br />
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The key to a good hash is balance. It should have a bit of this and a bit of that. A little bitter or mild to play against something sweet. Some salt from bacon or ham. The vegetables should be cut pretty small, but not so small that they lose their individual characteristics altogether. And of course, a good hash is incomplete without a fried egg or two with runny yolks to break and bring all those nicely roasted vegetables together into the perfect bite. I've just had a bowl and am still craving more, but I have to leave some for my sweetheart (<i>oh the agony!</i>).<br />
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This particular version of hash includes sweet and regular potatoes and ham. However, hash can have lots of different things, and it's a great way to clean out any root vegetables that are slightly past their prime (at the end of the post, I have some suggestions for variations).<br />
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I like to start the hash off on the stove top while I dice the vegetables and then finish it in the oven, and my beloved cast iron skillet lets me do that. Make sure that whatever pan you use is safe to use in the oven.<br />
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<br />
<ul>
<li>2 Tbsps vegetable oil (whatever your preference, lately I've taken to using avocado oil)</li>
<li>1 onion, diced finely</li>
<li>2-3 medium potatoes (my preference is yellow, but any potato on hand will work fine), cut into 1/2 inch dice (peeled or not, your call)</li>
<li>1-2 small, medium sweet potato, cut into 1/2 inch dice (peeled, generally, sweet potato skins are very thick)</li>
<li>1/2 lb ham steak, cut into 1/2 inch dice</li>
<li>smoked paprika</li>
<li>thyme</li>
<li>salt and pepper </li>
</ul>
<h3>
Instructions</h3>
<div>
The nice thing about making hash is that you can cut vegetables as you go, and that's usually what I do. (In other words, you don't need to dice everything before you get started.)</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (F).</li>
<li>Heat the oil in the skillet over medium low heat. </li>
<li>Chop the onions and add them to the pan. Stir a few times and let them cook slowly until they are slightly shiny, about 5-10 minutes. </li>
<li>Meanwhile, cube the ham and add it to the skillet. </li>
<li>Next, cube the potatoes and sweet potatoes and add them to the skillet. Start with the potatoes because they need just a little longer to cook. </li>
<li>Let everything get a little brown around the edges, about 5 minutes. Then season with smoked paprika (about 1/2 tsp or to taste), a generous sprinkling of thyme, and some pepper.</li>
<li>Slide the pan in the oven and let the vegetables roast for 30-40 minutes. Stir at least once about halfway through the cook time. </li>
<li>When the vegetables are cooked through and a little brown and crispy around the edges, the hash is ready. Season with salt and more pepper and serve with a sunny-side up egg (or two).</li>
</ol>
<h3>
Variations</h3>
I almost always include a few potatoes, but feel free to switch up the rest of the vegetables (or add more). The quantities are whatever fits somewhat comfortably in the pan. I like having a distinctly sweet vegetable matched with a more bitter one, here are some examples:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>sweet potatoes</li>
<li>golden beets (red ones will work, but they will make a red mess of your hash)</li>
<li>brussels sprouts</li>
<li>kale, chopped (add at the last minute before sliding into the oven)</li>
<li>turnips</li>
<li>carrots</li>
<li>parsnips.</li>
</ul>
You can also mix up the protein. I love bacon in hash and let the fat melt into the onions before I add any vegetables. Other options are to add some leftover turkey (Thanksgiving is coming up soon) or chicken.<br />
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The quantities don't matter, and the hash isn't always perfect, but it's almost always deeply satisfying. I love the improvisational character of it, the add a bit of this, and some of that, and see how it turns out. </div>
Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-84644270676868135422013-10-15T16:33:00.001-07:002013-10-15T16:33:28.508-07:00Autumn Comfort: Cream of Cauliflower Soup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I haven't posted in an age. And the longer the time stretches out since that last post, months and months ago, the harder it gets to start writing again. Blogging is chock full of do's and don'ts. Experts all around explain the importance of SEO, of building community, of being consistent, of being yourself, of strategy, and on and on and on. All the rules overwhelmed me. Every post turned into a challenge to do something different, something that stood out from the pack, or really expressed who I am deep down as a person, or showed my marvelously quirky personality. As though I really know myself all that well and can express it in pretty pictures and words or am all that quirky and visionary and unique.<br />
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But I want to write. I want to think about things that I care about and express ideas about them, whether they be food, art, literature, nature, or the thousand other things that <i>are </i>dreamt of in my philosophy. I think I need to get away from the do's and don'ts and start over. I need to post imperfect pictures, meander to and from my topic, and simply enjoy this blog again. It won't be perfect. It won't always be about food (perhaps it will rarely be about food). Hopefully it will be fun, thought provoking, funny, informative, and interesting for me and for you, dear reader.<br />
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I am starting back with a recipe today. This one is for homemade cream of cauliflower soup, a rich, creamy dish that still warms the air here after dinner. When I was a child, my favorite soup was cream of cauliflower soup made with a powdered soup mix from the store in Sweden. I've never found that kind of soup here in the United States, and even if I had, I rarely make anything packaged now. But I wanted my son to try this soup because I always loved it so, and I thought he might as well. I've tried a few different recipes, but I think this one is perfect. It makes a rich, smooth soup that's warm and mild, as pleasing as a warm bed on a cold morning. It is also surprisingly simple for how good it is. The recipe derives from a recipe in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Joy-Cooking-Irma-S-Rombauer/dp/0743246268/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1381878325&sr=8-11&keywords=cookbooks+best+sellers" target="_blank"><i>The Joy of Cooking</i>,</a> the old classic cookbook (incidentally one of the first Christmas gifts my husband ever gave me; that first copy disintegrated about a decade ago).<br />
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<h2>
Ingredients</h2>
<br />
<ul>
<li>2 Tbsp unsalted butter</li>
<li>1/4 cup water</li>
<li>1 large onion, diced</li>
<li>2-3 garlic cloves, crushed</li>
<li>2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into coins</li>
<li>1 large head cauliflower, cut into about 1-inch pieces (trim off any leaves and the woodiest part of the stem)</li>
<li>4 to 4 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (or broth)</li>
<li>1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream or half and half</li>
<li>dried or fresh finely chopped parsley</li>
<li>salt and white pepper </li>
</ul>
<h2>
Instructions</h2>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Melt the butter with the water in a large soup pot. (By the way, the water is there to help keep the onion and garlic from burning or turning too brown, which will affect the appearance of your soup.)</li>
<li>Cook the onion and the garlic in the butter-water mixture over medium-low heat until the onions are very soft (but not burnt or browned), about 10 minutes. </li>
<li>Add the carrots, cauliflower, and stock or broth to the pot. </li>
<li>Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Let the vegetables simmer until soft, about 15-20 minutes. </li>
<li>If you have a stick blender, now is the time to use it. Blend the soup until very smooth. (If you don't have a stick blender, you can use a blender or a food processor just as well. Just be careful to blend the soup in batches so it doesn't overflow or explode. Hot soup can hurt. When you have blended the soup to a smooth consistency, return it all to the pot and return the pot to the stove.) </li>
<li>Add the cream and parsley to the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste. </li>
<li>Serve the soup hot with toasted bread and cheese for a nice winter meal. Also, if you have any leftovers, this is a good soup to pack for a school lunch with some crackers. </li>
</ol>
</div>
Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-33060304761403207862013-02-01T08:36:00.001-08:002013-02-01T08:36:54.966-08:00Reflections on winter and a bowl of beef stew with Guinness and bacon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Who, if I cried out, would hear me among the angels'</div>
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hierarchies? and even if one of them pressed me</div>
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suddenly against his heart: I would be consumed</div>
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in that overwhelming existence. For beauty is nothing</div>
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but the beginning of terror, which we still are just able to endure,</div>
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and we are so awed because it serenely disdains</div>
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to annihilate us. Every angel is terrifying.</div>
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- Rainer Maria Rilke, The Duino Elegies (1)</div>
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Snow came down last night, leaving pretty patterns on the brick patio in the back yard. A cold, raking wind also scoured the world, now alternately lit too brightly to bear or cast in gray gloom, under scudding clouds. A winter day to burrow into the soul and reflect.</div>
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Rilke's poem calls beauty the beginning of terror that we are just able to bear; this terrible beauty is like winter. Winter is the country of sorrow and cold, silent magic. Winter flays us bare as it does the trees. Cold winds scour the soul, exposing rock, snapped branches, the bones of our architecture. </div>
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A deep, cold, and savage beauty exists only in winter, but we must have courage to stop and look at it, to let the blinding light fill up the cavities of our eyes and brains, to take in the bleak landscape,
stripped to its wild, naked, indifferent truth. We can only bear to look at it for a short time, to allow the terror of beauty to howl over us like a wild windstorm, until it's time to come inside, into the warmth of home and family, and have a bowl of stew.</div>
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Beef stew with Guinness and bacon</h2>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">This stew is perfect for a cold winter day. I've slightly adapted the recipe from <i>The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook</i>'s (2) recipe for carbonnades a la flamande. It is rich and hearty and exactly what you want when you are cold and hungry. I served it with some kale-mashed potatoes, but you can serve it over rice, or with noodles, as long as it's something that can soak up the incrediblly rich and delicious gravy. I definitely recommend using grass-fed beef. To find sources, check out <a href="http://www.eatwild.com/" target="_blank">Eat Wild</a>, a fantastic source for information about grass-fed meats all over the country. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Ingredients</span></h3>
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<ul>
<li>4 slices bacon, sliced thinly</li>
<li>3 large onions, sliced thinly</li>
<li>3 pounds stew beef, preferably grass fed, cut into 2-inch cubes</li>
<li>2 Tbsps flour</li>
<li>olive oil as needed</li>
<li>16 oz. Guinness beer (most of one large bottle, either drink the rest or save it for another day)</li>
<li>1/2 cup water</li>
<li>1 teaspoon beef bouillon</li>
<li>1 bay leaf</li>
<li>2 tsps sugar</li>
<li>3/4 tsps salt</li>
<li>1 tsp dried thyme leaves</li>
<li>1/2 tsp ground pepper</li>
<li>2 Tbsps red wine vinegar </li>
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<h3>
Instructions</h3>
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Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit). In a large frying pan, cook the bacon until it's crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and put it in a Dutch oven.</div>
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<span style="text-align: justify;">Add the thinly sliced onions to the pan and let them cook until they are softened and a bit browned. Add the onions to the Dutch oven. Add some olive oil to the pan and brown the beef cubes in batches. (Be sure to give the beef plenty of room to brown all the way around. Add more olive oil to the pan as needed.) Add the browned beef cubes to the onions and bacon in the Dutch oven. </span></div>
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Add two tablespoons olive oil and two tablespoons flour to the pan. Let the mix cook until a bit brown. Slowly add beer, water, bouillon, bay leaf, sugar, salt, thyme, and pepper to the pan. Let the mixture cook until it thickens slightly. Add it to the meat and onions in the Dutch oven. Stir it all together, cover, and let it cook for 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally. After removing it from the oven, stir in two tablespoons red wine vinegar. Taste for seasoning and serve. </div>
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(1) Rilke, Rainer Maria. (1989). "The First Elegy." <i>The Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke.</i> Edited and translated by Stephen Mitchell. New York: Vintage International. </div>
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(2) Carter, John Mack, Minda W. Mulvey, and Mary E. Powers, eds. (1989). <i>The Good Housekeeping Illustrated Cookbook, </i>revised edition. New York: Hearst Books. <i> </i></div>
Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-83147591439473324762012-12-23T01:00:00.000-08:002012-12-23T07:01:08.734-08:00Chicken liver paté: #SundaySupper is home for the holidays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Every family has its own holiday traditions. For example, my husband and I have had a fake banana on our Christmas tree since we first started living together more than 20 years ago. It's a little cracked now, but it still goes up on the tree every year. Another tradition we have is to buy one new ornament per family member per year. As time has passed, we have collected lots of fun things, which we love to unpack every year and exclaim, "Oh yeah, I remember that one! And this is one of my favorites. And so is this!" The tree gets more and more crowded every year, and that's just how I like it.<br />
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Of course, many of those traditions revolve around special foods. As a child, one of the holiday foods I looked forward more to anything else was my mother's chicken liver paté. It is still one of the best things I have ever tasted, even though it's hideous to look at. The first time I saw my mother making the stuff, I said it looked yucky. She told me, "Sometimes the best-tasting food is the ugliest. Try it before you make any judgments." So, with great trepidation, I did. And loved it.<br />
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Unfortunately, this post is not about her recipe, which is a secret process and recipe she invented and guards as though it could topple regimes. I have made attempts to duplicate it, trying several recipes that require baking in the oven in a pan of water (which is how my mother's recipe is made), but, although good, they just aren't worth the effort. In the last few years, I have turned instead to this much simpler recipe, which was adapted from a recipe in <a href="http://www.alltommat.se/" target="_blank"><i>Allt om Mat</i>,</a> a Swedish food magazine. It's delicious, easily doubled (or even tripled), and easy to freeze. I always make a huge batch of the stuff and freeze about half. It never lasts long enough. It's especially good served with some sweet gherkins, but simply slathered on bread or crackers works just fine. Some of the butter may separate out during cooling, but you can mix it right back in to the paté. (Note that you will need a food processor or blender to make this.)<br />
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<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
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<ul>
<li>1 lb frozen chicken livers, partially defrosted</li>
<li>5 slices smoked bacon, diced</li>
<li>1 stick butter (4 oz)</li>
<li>1 onion, diced</li>
<li>1 tsp salt</li>
<li>1/2 Tbsp dried parsley</li>
<li>1/2 Tbsp dried thyme</li>
<li>1-2 Tbsp brandy (optional)</li>
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</h3>
<h3>
Directions</h3>
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<ol>
<li>Melt the butter in a deep pan or a large pot over medium-low heat. </li>
<li>Add the diced bacon and onions and let the onions soften in the butter for about 10 minutes. (Keep the heat low to medium. You don't want the onions or the bacon to brown.)</li>
<li>Roughly cut the partially defrosted chicken livers into pieces that are about an inch in size. Add the livers to the onions, butter, and bacon in the pan. Add salt, herbs, and brandy (if using). </li>
<li>Bring the mixture to a slow simmer and then let it simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally. </li>
<li>Let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes. Then blend it until very smooth in a food processor or blender. (Let the machine run for a good, long time so that the mix is evenly smooth.)</li>
<li>Taste the paté for seasoning. Add salt if needed while the mix is still hot and liquid. </li>
<li>Pour the mixture into containers to chill. It will set up on cooling. Spread the paté on bread or crackers and enjoy. </li>
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This week, #SundaySupper is sharing all kinds of special family treats for the holidays. Check out all the goodies and don't forget to participate in the chat on Twitter by following the hashtag #SundaySupper at 7 p.m. Eastern time on Sunday, 12/23/12. Also feel free to share your favorite holiday recipe on the <a href="http://pinterest.com/thesundaysupper/sundaysupper/" target="_blank">#SundaySupper Pinterest board.</a> </div>
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Breakfast</h3>
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<ul>
<li>Eggs Benedict by <a href="http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/eggs-benedict-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Cindy’s Recipes and Writings</a></li>
<li>Holiday Cream Cheese Tea Ring by <a href="http://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com/2012/12/holiday-cream-cheese-tea-ring-sundaysupper-homefortheholidays.html" target="_blank">That Skinny Chick Can Bake</a></li>
<li>Orange Refrigerator Rolls by <a href="http://thewimpyvegetarian.com/2012/12/sundaysupper-mammas-refrigerator-orange-rolls/" target="_blank">The Wimpy Vegetarian</a></li>
<li>Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake by<a href="http://www.smallwalletbigappetite.com/2012/12/cinnamon-streusel-coffeecake-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank"> Small Wallet Big Appetite</a></li>
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Appetizers & Snacks</h3>
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<ul>
<li>Chicken Liver Paté by <a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2012/12/chicken-liver-pate-sundaysupper-is-home.html" target="_blank">Tora’s Real Food</a></li>
<li>Bindaetteok {Mung Bean Pancakes} by <a href="http://www.kimchimom.com/2012/12/bindaetteok-mung-bean-pancakes-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Kimchi Mom</a></li>
<li>Crab and Asparagus Soup by <a href="http://theurbanmrs.com/2012/12/23/sundaysupper-i-whisk-you-crab-and-asparagus-soup/" target="_blank">The Urban Mrs.</a></li>
</ul>
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Sides</h3>
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<li>Potato Salad {Schwaebischer Kartoffelsalat} by <a href="http://galactopdx.blogspot.com/2012/12/potato-salad-schwaebischer.html" target="_blank">Galactopdx</a></li>
<li>Italian Orange Salad by <a href="http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/italian-orange-salad-for-christmas-eve-and-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Shockingly Delicious</a></li>
<li>Sweet Potato Casserole by <a href="http://magnoliadays.com/2012/sweet-potato-casserole-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Magnolia Days</a></li>
<li>Carrots au gratin by <a href="http://jcocina.com/carrots-au-gratin-sundaysupper-home-for-the-holidays/" target="_blank">Juanitas Cocina</a></li>
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Main Dishes</h3>
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<li>Char Siu Bao – Chinese Roast Pork Buns by <a href="http://girlinthelittleredkitchen.com/2012/12/char-siu-bao-roast-pork-buns-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">The Girl In The Little Red Kitchen</a></li>
<li>Savory Crepe Cake by <a href="http://www.vintagekitchennotes.blogspot.com/2012/12/savory-crepe-cake-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Vintage Kitchen</a></li>
<li>West Indian Curried Goat by <a href="http://theroxxbox.com/2012/12/23/west-indian-curried-goat-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">The ROXX Box</a></li>
<li>Pot Cheese and Potato Cheese Pierogies by <a href="http://cupcakesandkalechips.com/2012/12/23/pot-cheese-potato-cheese-pierogies-for-christmas-eve-and-sundaysupper-home-for-the-holidays/" target="_blank">Cupcakes and Kale Chips</a></li>
<li>Seafood Gumbo and Grilled Oysters: A Louisiana
Christmas Tradition by the <a href="http://catholicfoodie.com/seafood-gumbo-and-grilled-oysters-a-louisiana-christmas-tradition-for-sundaysupper" target="_blank">Catholic Foodie</a></li>
<li>Mom’s Paella by <a href="http://yummysmells.blogspot.com/2012/12/moms-paella-for-home-for-holidays.html" target="_blank">What Smells So Good?</a></li>
<li>Portuguese-Inspired Chorizo Crown Pork Roast by <a href="http://familyfoodie.com/portuguese-crown-pork-roast/" target="_blank">Family
Foodie</a></li>
<li>Dorie’s Chicken in a Pot by <a href="http://gottagetbaked.com/2012/12/23/dories-chicken-in-a-pot-for-sundaysupper-home-for-the-holidays/" target="_blank">Gotta Get Baked</a></li>
<li>New Year’s Eve Buckwheat Noodles with Mochi by <a href="http://ninjabaking.com/news/new-years-eve-buckwheat-noodles-mochi-home-holidays-sundaysupper" target="_blank">The Ninja Baker</a></li>
<li>Mile High Lasagna by <a href="http://www.cravingsofalunatic.com/2012/12/mile-high-lasagna-sundaysupper-home-for-the-holidays-event.html" target="_blank">Cravings of a Lunatic</a></li>
<li>Crab Cakes for Christmas Eve by <a href="http://daddyknowsless.blogspot.com/2012/12/sundaysupper-christmas-eve-crab-cakes.html" target="_blank">Daddy Knows Less</a></li>
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Desserts</h3>
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<ul>
<li>Pizzelles {Italian Wafer Cookies} by <a href="http://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2012/12/23/pizzelles-italian-wafer-cookies-for-sunday-supper-holiday-traditions/" target="_blank">Chocolate Moosey</a></li>
<li>Fudge by <a href="http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/fudge-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Dinner
Dishes and Desserts</a></li>
<li>Crescent Cookies by <a href="http://www.cookistry.com/2012/12/crescent-cookies-for-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Cookistry</a></li>
<li>Christmas Stollen by<a href="http://hezzi-dsbooksandcooks.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-stollen-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank"> Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks</a></li>
<li>Pfeffernussen by <a href="http://thefoodiearmywife.com/2012/12/22/pfeffernussen-a-home-for-the-holidays-sundaysupper-event/" target="_blank">The Foodie Army Wife</a></li>
<li>Creme De Menthe Cake by <a href="http://www.irunforwine.net/2012/12/creme-de-menthe-cake-for-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">I Run for Wine</a></li>
<li>Panettone Bread Pudding by the <a href="http://countrygirlinthevillage.blogspot.com/2012/12/panettone-bread-pudding-home-grown.html" target="_blank">Country Girl in the Village</a></li>
<li>Spiced Gingerbread Gooey Butter Cake | A twist on a St.
Louis Favorite by <a href="http://dailydishrecipes.com/spiced-gingerbread-gooey-butter-cake-a-twist-on-a-favorite-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Daily Dish Recipes</a></li>
<li>Chocolate Gingerbread Cake with Eggnog Cream Cheese Frosting
by <a href="http://crispybitsnburntends.com/chocolate-gingerbread-cake-with-eggnog-frosting-home-for-the-holidays-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Crispy Bits and Burnt Ends</a></li>
<li>Jamaican Christmas Pudding by <a href="http://lovelypantry.com/2012/12/jamaican-christmas-pudding-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Lovely Pantry</a></li>
<li>White Chocolate Cranberry Santa Cookies by <a href="http://mooshujenne.com/?p=1707" target="_blank">Mooshu Jenne</a></li>
<li>Christmas Tree Cookies by <a href="http://damndelicious.tumblr.com/post/38613281573/christmas-tree-cookies-sundaysupper" target="_blank">Damn Delicious</a></li>
<li>Old Fashioned Lady Fingers {Creamhorns} by <a href="http://www.themeltaways.com/2012/12/23/old-fashioned-lady-fingers-creamhorns-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">The Meltaways</a></li>
<li>Rose Milk Almond Falooda {Indian Dessert Drink} by <a href="http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/2012/12/23/rose-milk-almond-falooda-indian-dessert-drink-with-chia-seeds-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Sue’s Nutrition Buzz</a></li>
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Drinks</h3>
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<ul>
<li>Wine Pairings by <a href="http://enofylzwineblog.com/2012/12/23/wine-pairings-for-home-for-the-holidays-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">ENOFYLZ Wine Blog</a></li>
<li>Cinnamon Infused Hot Chocolate with Southern Comfort
Whipped Cream by <a href="http://mamamommymom.com/cinnamon-infused-hot-chocolate-w-southern-comfort-whipped-cream-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Mama Mommy Mom</a></li>
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The posts are more than recipes. They are also
wonderful stories of holidays and traditions. Please take the time to visit and
read each heartwarming one.</div>
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Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-26587052042190929052012-12-02T01:00:00.000-08:002012-12-02T15:59:12.439-08:00Pork and beans with Alton Brown's pickled pork for #SundaySupper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7eUN-WMsyds/ULq9RPakjlI/AAAAAAAABGI/TxWXHbIRDMo/s1600/100_7649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7eUN-WMsyds/ULq9RPakjlI/AAAAAAAABGI/TxWXHbIRDMo/s400/100_7649.JPG" title="Pork and beans with Alton Brown's pickled pork" width="400" /></a></div>
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I hadn't intended to participate in this week's Sunday Supper, which is all about favorite chef-inspired dishes. I was busy, overwhelmed, and trying to keep up with the regular day to day. I just couldn't think of a chef's recipe that I would want to do. The research seemed daunting. And then I got the reminder email about posting #SundaySupper recipe titles to the group. And I smacked myself on the forehead. Just that morning, I had started pickling some pork, using Alton Brown's recipe. Uh, oh yeah, duh. Silly me. Serendipity strikes again. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YDHXGVeIGJk/ULq-TUE8WhI/AAAAAAAABGQ/o4tGxFJFHdk/s1600/100_7652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YDHXGVeIGJk/ULq-TUE8WhI/AAAAAAAABGQ/o4tGxFJFHdk/s400/100_7652.JPG" title="Pork and beans with Alton Brown's pickled pork" width="400" /></a></div>
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I haven't cooked that many celebrity chef recipes even though you could call me a cooking show addict. I especially enjoy the shows where they pit chefs head to head: Top Chef, Iron Chef, Next Iron Chef, Chopped, The Next Food Network Star. Love 'em. My husband and I try to come up with ideas for the mystery basket. Ideas that we have never tried, unfortunately.<br />
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One food show that was particularly important to us was Alton Brown's Good Eats. It taught us so much about the precise methods of cooking just about anything you could think of and make it good. The show also covered food history, culture, and science. For geeks like us, it was irresistible. And it was funny. AB was such a goof on that show, so much so that we were surprised to learn about his extraordinary skill and professionalism as a producer (which we discovered on The Next Food Network Star). (And I also enjoy his natty Southern gentleman style.)<br />
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However, more important than the specific lessons in cooking various items of food or the history and science was the insight that to cook really well requires precision, knowledge of the ingredients, knowledge of the techniques. This may seem obvious, but it isn't. In some ways it was a revelation: To get superior results, you have to understand how different kinds of pans heat food differently, that some foods need to be cooked at low temperatures for a long time and some need high heat for just a few seconds, and so much more. Understanding the differences and learning to apply patience or be careful about timing <i>really does make a difference.</i> It was exciting because there was room for growth. It's still exciting because the only way to go is toward continual improvement if you are willing to learn.<br />
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Another key to learning as a cook is to take risks and experiment, to try things that don't sound good or to try new methods. This dish is a perfect example. The first time I heard of pickled pork, I had doubts. It didn't sound good to me at all. Sounded kind of scary actually, like those giant jars of pickled eggs you see sometimes. Thankfully, my husband went ahead and tried it about a year ago (I am in no way to be commended for my kitchen courage in this story, but the mad scientist definitely is); cooked long and slow with some beans, tomatoes, onions, and herbs, the pork transformed into a rich, filling dish perfect to take the edge of a cold night's chill. You won't believe the rich smell that rises when you remove the lid from your Dutch oven.<br />
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This dish is not difficult or labor-intensive to make but it takes a lot of time. The initial pickling of the pork takes three days, then the dish itself needs to simmer 2 to 2 1/2 hours. But it's worth it. You will divide the pickled pork in half and freeze the unused half for another day. The pork and beans, served over white rice, last a few days (unless of course, you go back for seconds and thirds, as we did last night). <br />
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For the pickled pork recipe, head over to the Food Network's website for <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pickled-pork-recipe/index.html" target="_blank">Alton Brown's recipe.</a> I followed this nearly exactly (skipped the celery seed; didn't have it, didn't want it). For the rest of the recipe, read on:<br />
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<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
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<ul>
<li>1/2 batch of Alton Brown's pickled pork, drained (drain and freeze the other half for another use)</li>
<li>2 1/2 - 3 cups cooked beans (1/2 lb dried beans, cooked); I used cranberry beans, you can use pintos, white navy beans, cannelini beans.</li>
<li>1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes, briefly chopped in a food processor</li>
<li>1 large onion, chopped</li>
<li>2 Tbsps olive oil</li>
<li>1/4 cup maple syrup</li>
<li>1 1/2 Tbsp salt (or more to taste, but add near the end of the cook time to avoid oversalting)</li>
<li>1/4 tsp black peppercorns</li>
<li>1 Tbsp dried thyme</li>
<li>1 Tbsp whole-grain mustard </li>
</ul>
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<h3>
Directions</h3>
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<ol>
<li>If you use dried beans, Pick-A-Pepper just turned me on to a great, <a href="http://www.pick-a-pepper.com/readarticle.php?itemid=196" target="_blank">no-soak method of cooking beans</a> that cuts cooking time to 2 hours (at most) and leaves you with soft, creamy beans. I went ahead and cooked a whole pound at once and froze the second half in leftover cooking liquid.</li>
<li>Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. </li>
<li>Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven until it shimmers. Add the chopped onions, cook until they are soft and just starting to brown a bit. </li>
<li>Add the rest of the ingredients. Stir them together gently until evenly distributed. Cover the Dutch oven and place it in the oven. </li>
<li>Leave it in the oven for 2 hours. Taste to test the seasoning (careful, it will be very hot). Add salt to taste. Remove from the oven. </li>
<li>Let it cool while you cook some white rice to serve it over. Then eat it and love it. And try to avoid going back for seconds. I dare you. </li>
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Please check out all the other great chef-inspired dishes on offer from #SundaySupper. Lots of tasty dishes and inspiration are on offer:<br />
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Starters or Snacks:</h3>
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<li>Martin at<a href="http://enofylzwineblog.com/2012/12/02/oyster-and-brie-soup-and-wine-pairings-for-celebrity-chef-sundaysupper/" target="_blank"> ENOFYLZ Wine Blog </a>- Oyster and Brie Soup
and Wine Pairings for Celebrity Chef #SundaySupper</li>
<li>Linda at <a href="http://theurbanmrs.com/2012/12/01/sundaysupper-lobster-chowder-with-corn-salsa/" target="_blank">The Urban Mrs.</a> - Inspired by Bobby Flay, Lobster
Chowder with Roasted Corn Salsa</li>
<li>Erin from <a href="http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/rachael-rays-cinnamon-popcorn/" target="_blank">Dinners, Dishes and Desserts</a> - Rachael Ray’s
Cinnamon Popcorn</li>
<li>Cindy over at <a href="http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/jamie-olivers-bread-and-tomato-soup-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Cindy’s Recipes and Writings </a>- Jamie Oliver’s
Bread and Tomato Soup</li>
<li>Jeff at <a href="http://catholicfoodie.com/drop-biscuits-breakfast-with-chef-john-besh-sundaysupper" target="_blank">The Catholic Foodie</a> - Drop Biscuits – Breakfast
with Chef John Besh</li>
<li>Renee over at<a href="http://kudoskitchenbyrenee.blogspot.com/2012/12/garlic-toasts-with-red-pepper-aioli.html" target="_blank"> Kudos Kitchen By Renee</a> - Giada De
Laurentiis’s Garlic Toasts with Red Pepper Aioli</li>
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The Main Dish:</h3>
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<li>Sheila at <a href="http://www.cookingunderwriter.com/2012/12/glutenfree-chicken-on-bed-of-sauerkraut.html" target="_blank">Cooking Underwriter</a> – Paula Deen’s Chicken
in a Crock Pot w/ Sauerkraut and Apples</li>
<li>Laura over at<a href="http://www.smallwalletbigappetite.com/2012/12/martin-yans-beef-chow-fun-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank"> Small Wallet Big Appetite</a> – Martin Yan’s Beef
Chow Fun</li>
<li>Sarah over at <a href="http://crispybitsnburntends.com/lola-burger-with-crab-tater-tots-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends</a> - Michael Symon’s
Lola burger with crab tater tots</li>
<li>Susan at <a href="http://girlinthelittleredkitchen.com/2012/12/baked-shrimp-scampi-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen</a> - Ina Garten’s
Baked Shrimp Scampi</li>
<li>Tammi at <a href="http://www.mommasmeals.org/sloppy-joes-for-chef-inspired-dishes-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Momma’s Meals</a> – Ree Drummond’s Sloppy Joes</li>
<li>Lane over at <a href="http://www.supperforasteal.com/bobby-flays-rosemary-bricked-chicken-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Supper for a Steal</a> - Bobby Flay’s Rosemary
Bricked Chicken</li>
<li>Tara from <a href="http://noshingwiththenolands.com/12-days-of-christmas-michael-symons-pork-and-apple-scallopini-for-favorite-celebrity-chef-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Noshing with the Nolands</a> - Michael Symon’s Pork
and Apple Scallopini</li>
<li>Shannon at <a href="http://countrygirlinthevillage.blogspot.com/2012/12/sundaysupper-celebrity-chef.html" target="_blank">Country Girl in the Village</a> – Simple Red Sauce over
Rigatoni. Inspired by Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos</li>
<li>Kris over at<a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithaudrey.com/" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithaudrey.com/2012/12/rachael-rays-muffin-tin-meatloaf.html#.ULtm1IM1mD8" target="_blank">In the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene</a> - Rachael
Ray’s Muffin Tin Meatloaf</li>
<li>Nicole from <a href="http://dailydishrecipes.com/paula-deens-slow-cooker-pulled-pickled-pork-sandwiches/" target="_blank">The Daily Dish Recipes</a> - Paula Deen’s Slow Cooker
Pulled Pickled Pork Sandwiches</li>
<li>Becca from <a href="http://www.itsyummi.com/ina-gartens-grown-up-bacon-mac-cheese/" target="_blank">It’s Yummilicious</a> - Ina Garten’s Grown-Up Bacon
Mac & Cheese</li>
<li>Alice at <a href="http://hipfoodiemom.com/2012/12/02/sunday-pot-roast-with-risotto-cakes-from-kelsey-nixon-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank"> Hip Foodie Mom</a> - Sunday Pot Roast with
Risotto Cakes from Kelsey Nixon</li>
<li>Jen over at <a href="http://jcocina.com/the-neelys-white-turkey-chili-celebrity-chef-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Juanita’s Cocina </a>- The Neely’s White Turkey Chili</li>
<li>Brianne from<a href="http://cupcakesandkalechips.com/" target="_blank"> </a><a href="http://cupcakesandkalechips.com/2012/12/02/slow-cooker-beef-pot-roast-with-mushrooms-inspired-by-giada-delaurentiis-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Cupcakes & Kale Chips</a> - Crockpot Beef Pot
Roast with Mushrooms inspired by Giada DeLaurentiis</li>
<li>Isabel at <a href="http://familyfoodie.com/cheesy-polenta-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Family
Foodie </a>- Polenta with Garlicky Shrimp inspired by Chef Todd
English</li>
<li>Wendy from <a href="http://www.wendyweekendgourmet.com/2012/12/favorite-celebrity-chef.html" target="_blank">The Weekend Gourmet</a> - Shrimp Penne in Pesto Cream
Sauce from Emeril Lagasse</li>
<li>Bobbi over at <a href="http://bobbiskozykitchen.blogspot.com/2012/12/cheesy-poblano-chicken-for-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen</a> - Cheesy Poblano Chicken</li>
<li>Patti at <a href="http://patti-comfycuisine.blogspot.com/2012/12/favorite-chef-dishes-for-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Comfy Cuisine</a><a href="http://patti-comfycuisine.blogspot.com/2012/12/favorite-chef-dishes-for-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank"> </a>- Tyler Florence’s Chicken Francese</li>
<li>Roxanne over at <a href="http://theroxxbox.com/2012/12/02/emerils-jambalaya-pasta-with-penne-chicken-shrimp-and-andouille-sausage-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">The Roxx Box</a> - Jambalaya Pasta with Penne,
Chicken, Shrimp, and Andouille</li>
<li>Sue from <a href="http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/2012/12/02/wholegrain-corn-chowdah-mac-n-cheese/" target="_blank">Sue’s Nutrition Buzz </a>– Rachael Ray’s Spicy Corn
Chowdah Mac ‘n’ Cheese</li>
<li>Jamie at <a href="http://mamamommymom.com/penne-asparagus-procuitto-smoked-gouda/" target="_blank">Mama Mommy Mom</a> - Penne with Asparagus, Smoked
Gouda, and Prosciutto. Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis</li>
<li>Tora over at <a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2012/12/pork-and-beans-with-alton-browns.html" target="_blank">Tora’s Real Food</a> – Pork and beans with Alton Brown’s
pickled pork</li>
<li>Elisabeth over at <a href="http://thehandthatrockstheladle.wordpress.com/2012/12/02/sundaysupper-emerils-new-orleans-style-red-beans-rice/" target="_blank">The Hand That Rocks The Ladle</a> - Emeril’s New
Orleans Style Red Beans & Rice</li>
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<h3>
Amazing Sides:</h3>
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<li>Megan from <a href="http://www.irunforwine.net/2012/12/curtis-stones-acorn-squash-roasted-with.html" target="_blank">I Run For Wine</a> - Curtis Stone’s Acorn Squash
Roasted with Thyme</li>
<li>Sandi over at <a href="http://midliferoadtrip.tv/extra-virgin/" target="_blank">Midlife Road
Trip </a>- Gabriele Corcos’s Gnocchi di Patate</li>
<li>Shelby at<a href="http://www.diabeticfoodie.com/2012/12/orange-pecan-black-rice-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank"> Diabetic Foodie</a> - Orange Pecan Black
Rice, adapted from Ina Garten</li>
<li>Katie from <a href="http://rufflesandtruffles.com/2012/12/spinach-artichoke-risotto/" target="_blank">She likes Ruffles, He likes Truffles </a>- Chef Fabio
Viviani’s Spinach and Artichoke Risotto </li>
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Sweet Endings:</h3>
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<li>Renee over at<a href="http://magnoliadays.com/2012/brownie-tart/" target="_blank"> Magnolia
Days</a> – Brownie Tart</li>
<li>Conni at <a href="http://thefoodiearmywife.com/2012/12/01/scrumptious-apple-coffee-cake-inspired-by-ree-drummond-sundaysupper-2/" target="_blank">The Foodie Army Wife</a> - Inspired by Ree Drummond –
Scrumptious Apple Coffee Cake</li>
<li>Paula over at <a href="http://www.vintagekitchennotes.blogspot.com/2012/12/bill-grangers-fresh-cherry-tart.html" target="_blank">Vintage Kitchen Notes</a> - Bill Granger´s Cherry
Tart</li>
<li>Pam from <a href="http://www.themeltaways.com/2012/12/02/savannah-sheet-cake-for-a-favorite-celebrity-chef-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">The Meltaways</a> – Savannah Sheet Cake</li>
<li>Katy over at<a href="http://www.themeltaways.com/2012/12/02/savannah-sheet-cake-for-a-favorite-celebrity-chef-sundaysupper/" target="_blank"> Happy Baking Days</a> - Mary Berry’s Treacle
Tart</li>
<li>Jaime over at <a href="http://www.momstestkitchen.com/2012/12/southern-tea-cakes-sundaysupper_2.html" target="_blank">Mom’s Test Kitchen</a> - Southern Tea Cakes</li>
<li>Amy over at<a href="http://www.kimchimom.com/2012/12/crack-pie-i-cant-quit-you-sundaysupper/" target="_blank"> Kimchi MOM </a>- Crack Pie, I Can’t Quit You</li>
<li>Lyn from <a href="http://lovelypantry.com/2012/12/sweet-potato-chocolate-chip-squares/" target="_blank">The Lovely Pantry </a>- Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip
Squares</li>
<li>Melanie at <a href="http://www.fastfood2freshfood.com/2012/12/paula-deens-sand-tarts-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">From Fast Food to Fresh Food</a> – Sand Tarts</li>
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Wine Pairings: </h3>
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<ul>
<li>Martin at <a href="http://enofylzwineblog.com/2012/12/02/oyster-and-brie-soup-and-wine-pairings-for-celebrity-chef-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">ENOFYLZ Wine Blog</a></li>
</ul>
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Please join the Sunday Supper group via Twitter for #SundaySupper throughout the day on December 2, 2012. In the evening, Sunday Supper members will meet at 7 PM EST for the weekly #SundaySupper live chat. All you have to do is follow the <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/search/?q=%23SundaySupper&src=savs"><span style="color: #ae413d;">#SundaySupper</span></a> hashtag, or you can follow
us through<a href="http://tweetchat.com/room/sundaysupper"><span style="color: #ae413d;"> TweetChat</span></a>. Also check out and pin to the <a href="http://pinterest.com/thesundaysupper/sundaysupper/" target="_blank">#SundaySupper Pinterest board,</a> which has more than 1,600 pins with all kinds of tasty dishes. <o:p></o:p></div>
Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-85239396208500605912012-11-11T01:00:00.000-08:002012-11-11T08:13:30.098-08:00Pancake mix with apple cider syrup and candied walnuts: A gift from the kitchen for #SundaySupper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br />
A friend mentioned that Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away (at least here in the United States). I was shocked. And perturbed. Really perturbed. Not panicked. No, not yet, but I won't deny that I am a little annoyed that the holidays crept up on me like that. Again. Every year, I think, "Next year will be different. I will be organized, on top of things, efficient, effective, and stress-free." Ha! Yeah right.<br />
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Oh well. Time to start thinking and planning and making it all happen. But I've grown sick and heartweary of <i>stuff</i>. I've hit the mall a few times recently and found myself overwhelmed (and a little depressed) by the choices, the glitter, the tack, the endless push for a more wonderful holiday than anyone else or ever before. Every year, I find myself in a spiral of anxiety in which I seek the perfect holidays, beautifully and completely decorated, with an abundance of perfect gifts. And every year, I wind myself up more and more and spend more, far more, than we should, ending up with a lot of stuff and a lot of regret. I am ready to get off that ride. It's making me a little sick.<br />
<br />
One way to make the holidays more meaningful is to make gifts. Homemade gifts may not be as pristine and glittering and cool as storebought gifts, they may be a bit clunky and lumpy, but they feel good to make. Of all the gifts we can make and give, gifts from the kitchen are often most appreciated. The receiver can enjoy them immediately, and they leave little to no clutter. (Speaking of <a href="http://copperfieldreview.com/?p=1283" target="_blank">clutter, </a>here's a lovely poem on that topic from Saideh Pakravan, a member of my freelance networking group.) <br />
<br />
One of my favorite gifts to give is a special breakfast, in this case homemade pancake mix with apple cider syrup and candied walnuts. None of the components is hard to make (although the apple cider syrup does take a lot of time); the most difficult task will be figuring out a nice way to present them. Here are the ingredients you will need, the instructions, and the instructions you will write down so the recipient can make the pancakes.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c24mQv2YmOw/UJ_Le9dycGI/AAAAAAAABEc/MiHlYaZMH0U/s1600/photo+(4).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-c24mQv2YmOw/UJ_Le9dycGI/AAAAAAAABEc/MiHlYaZMH0U/s640/photo+(4).JPG" title="Pancake mix with apple cider syrup and candied walnuts" width="480" /></a></div>
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<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
FOR THE PANCAKE MIX*<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>2 cups white whole wheat flour (you can substitute with all-purpose flour if you like)</li>
<li>1 cup oat flour</li>
<li>1 cup corn meal</li>
<li>2 Tbsps granulated sugar</li>
<li>2 tsps baking powder</li>
<li>1 tsp coarse salt</li>
</ul>
<div>
<br /></div>
FOR THE APPLE CIDER SYRUP<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>1 gallon fresh apple cider (preferably from the farmers market; I am a big fan of <a href="http://www.localharvest.org/beechwood-orchards-M21540" target="_blank">Beechwood Orchards' </a>cider because they use a blend of apples, which means the cider isn't too sweet)</li>
</ul>
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<div>
FOR THE CANDIED WALNUTS<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped</li>
<li>1/2 cup maple syrup</li>
<li>1/4 tsp salt</li>
<li>1/4 tsp ground cinnamon</li>
</ul>
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</h3>
<h3>
<br /></h3>
<h3>
Instructions</h3>
FOR THE PANCAKE MIX<br />
<br />
Part 1: Combine the ingredients in a lidded box. Close the lid and shake the box vigorously. (By the way, you can double, triple, or quadruple this recipe and keep it stashed in your freezer for your own pancake breakfasts.)<br />
<br />
Part 2: Write these preparation instructions down for the recipient of your gift:<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>For 3-4 servings, combine 1 cup pancake mix with 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 egg. </li>
<li>Pour about 1/4 cup of batter on a hot, buttered griddle and cook each side until golden brown. </li>
<li>Serve with apple cider syrup and candied walnuts. </li>
</ol>
<div>
<br /></div>
FOR THE APPLE CIDER SYRUP**<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Pour 2 and 1/2 cups apple cider into a large stockpot. Measure the depth of the liquid with a spoon or something similar. </li>
<li>Add the rest of the apple cider to the pot. Bring it to a boil and then reduce the temperature to a slow simmer. Let it simmer and reduce for 5-7 hours. </li>
<li>In the last hour, start checking on it more frequently, because it's quicker to overreduce when it gets closer to the end. When you've reached the depth you measured, the syrup is done. Let it cool and pour it into jars. It will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator. </li>
</ol>
<br />
FOR THE CANDIED WALNUTS<br />
<br />
<ol>
<li>Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat (I could use some of those for Christmas, hint, hint).</li>
<li>Lightly chop the walnuts, if they aren't chopped already. </li>
<li>Combine the maple syrup, salt, and cinnamon in a thick-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Stir frequently so that the syrup doesn't burn. Let it thicken a bit (about 5-10 minutes). </li>
<li>Add the chopped walnuts to the syrup mixture. Stir until the nuts are completely coated and heated through. </li>
<li>Spread the nuts out on the baking sheet and break them apart if needed. Let them cool. Don't worry if they don't harden completely, or are a little sticky; they will still make a terrific pancake topping. (These would be a great topping for almost any dessert, actually.)</li>
</ol>
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This week's Sunday Supper is all about gifts from the kitchen. Almost 50 gift ideas are on offer from breads to sweets to soups, so please go ahead and check these out for more ideas for homemade holiday gifts. Also, don't forget to join in the Sunday Supper Twitter chat by following the hashtag #SundaySupper at 7 p.m. EST.<br />
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<h3>
Breads and Breakfast</h3>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Pumpkin Biscoff Bread – </span><a href="http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Dinners, Dishes, and Dessert</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">All-in-One Beer Bread Kit – </span><a href="http://www.girlichef.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">girlichef</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Carrot Cake Cinnamon Rolls with Pineapple Cream Cheese
Frosting – </span><a href="http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">La Cocina de Leslie</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Banana Coconut Coffee Cake with Macadamia Nut Streusel
– </span><a href="http://lovelypantry.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">The Lovely Pantry</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Pancake Mix With Apple Cider Syrup and Candied Walnuts
– </span><a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Tora’s Real Food</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Cranberry Hootycreeks – </span><a href="http://bakerstreet.tv/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Baker
Street </span></a></li>
</ul>
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<h3>
<br /></h3>
<h3>
Condiments and Ingredients</h3>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Apple Butter – </span><a href="http://hezzi-dsbooksandcooks.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Cranberry Strawberry Jam – </span><a href="http://www.themeltaways.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">The
Meltaways</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Herb Vinegars – </span><a href="http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Cindy’s Recipes and Writings</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Harissa – </span><a href="http://thewimpyvegetarian.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">The Wimpy Vegetarian</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Homemade Vanilla Extract – </span><a href="http://www.flouronmyface.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Flour
on my Face</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Homemade Cherry Extract – </span><a href="http://www.cravingsofalunatic.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Cravings of a Lunatic</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Nutella Powder – </span><a href="http://www.irunforwine.net/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">I
Run For Wine</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Orange BBQ Sauce – </span><a href="http://midliferoadtrip.tv/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Midlife
Road Trip</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Apricot Pineapple Sauce – </span><a href="http://www.vintagekitchennotes.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Vintage Kitchen Notes</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Spiced Cranberry Apricot Almond Chutney – </span><a href="http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Sue’s Nutrition Buzz</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Pumpkin Butter – </span><a href="http://familyfoodie.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Family
Foodie</span></a></li>
</ul>
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<h3>
<br /></h3>
<h3>
Soup and Snacks</h3>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">A Soup For You – </span><a href="http://www.mommasmeals.org/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Momma’s
Meals</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Maple Nut Granola - </span><a href="http://girlinthelittleredkitchen.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Girl in the Little Red Kitchen</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Spicy Dill Pickles – </span><a href="http://sustainabledad.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Sustainable
Dad</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Sweet and Spicy Curried Nuts – </span><a href="http://www.sonisfood.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Soni’s
Food for Thought</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Roasted Spiced Nuts – </span><a href="http://mrsmamahen.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Mrs
Mama Hen </span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Sweet and Spicy Pecans – </span><a href="http://www.supperforasteal.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Supper
For a Steal</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Maple Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars – </span><a href="http://cupcakesandkalechips.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Cupcakes and Kale Chips</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Orange Spiced Chickpeas – </span><a href="http://homecookingmemories.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Home
Cooking Memories</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Turtle Pretzels – </span><a href="http://themessybakerblog.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">The
Messy Baker</span></a></li>
</ul>
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<h3>
<br /></h3>
<h3>
Sweets</h3>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Rocky Road Candy – </span><a href="http://magnoliadays.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Magnolia
Days</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Dairyfree Vegan Caramels – </span><a href="http://galactopdx.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Galactosemia
in PDX</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Peanut Butter Cookies in a Jar – </span><a href="http://www.mamasblissfulbites.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Mama’s Blissful Bites</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Cookies in a Jar – </span><a href="http://damndelicious.tumblr.com/:/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Damn Delicious</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Monster Cookie Mix in a Jar – </span><a href="http://yummysmells.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">What Smells So Good?</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Chocolate Chip Cookie Biscotti – </span><a href="http://www.mealplanningmagic.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Meal Planning Magic</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Snickerdoodle Snack Mix – </span><a href="http://pippisinthekitchenagain.wordpress.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Butter and Jam Thumbprint Cookies – </span><a href="http://crispybitsnburntends.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Peppermint Stick Cookie Truffles - </span><a href="http://www.wendyweekendgourmet.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">The Weekend Gourmet</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Nutella Truffles – </span><a href="http://www.smallwalletbigappetite.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Small Wallet Big Appetite</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Peanut Cajetas (Peanut Fudge) – </span><a href="http://www.basicndelicious.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Basic and Delicious</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Cookie Cutter Fudge – </span><a href="http://www.chocolatemoosey.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Chocolate
Moosey</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Pumpkin Roll – </span><a href="http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Shockingly Delicious</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Homemade Chocolates – </span><a href="http://mytrialsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">My Trials in the Kitchen</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Hot Chocolate on a Stick – </span><a href="http://jcocina.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Juanita’s
Cocina</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Chocolate Toffee “Crack” – </span><a href="http://rufflesandtruffles.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Ruffles
and Truffles</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Holiday Tree Cake – </span><a href="http://noshingwiththenolands.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Noshing with the Nolands</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Salted Caramel Cookies – </span><a href="http://www.mamamommymom.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Mama
Mommy Mom</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Fruit and Nut Cookies – </span><a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithaudrey.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">In the Kitchen with Audrey</span></a></li>
</ul>
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<h3>
Drinks</h3>
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<ul>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Applepie Moonshine - </span><a href="http://www.mycatholickitchen.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">My Catholic Kitchen</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Holiday Spiced Mocha - </span><a href="http://www.dailydishrecipes.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Daily Dish Recipes</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Holiday “Spirits” and Some Bottles to Boot - </span><a href="http://www.kudoskitchenbyrenee.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Kudos Kitchen by Renee</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Homemade Peppermint Mocha Mix - </span><a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithkp.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">In the Kitchen with KP</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">Homemade Kahlua - </span><a href="http://thatskinnychickcanbake.com/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #1982d1; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">That Skinny Chick Can Bake</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: #373737;">StoliDolskis - </span><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: #1982d1; padding: 0in;"><a href="http://www.thecookieadaychallenge.com/" target="_blank">The Cookie-A-Day Challenge</a></span></li>
</ul>
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Don't forget to share your own recipes for Gifts from the Kitchen on our <a href="http://pinterest.com/thesundaysupper/sundaysupper/" target="_blank">#SundaySupper Pinterest board.</a><br />
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<span style="color: #373737; font-family: inherit, serif;">* The pancake mix recipe is slightly adapted from <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Harvest-Eating-Cookbook-Ingredients/dp/B004MPRWNC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352603205&sr=8-1&keywords=harvest+eating+cookbook" target="_blank">The Harvest Eating Cookbook</a> </i>by Keith Snow. Do not forget to check out <a href="http://www.harvesteating.com/" target="_blank">his Harvest Eating website</a> for lots of seasonal eating ideas and recipes. </span><br />
<span style="color: #373737; font-family: inherit, serif;">** For more ideas for what to use apple cider syrup with and a recipe for boiled cider baked beans, check out the <a href="http://projects.washingtonpost.com/recipes/2011/09/14/boiled-cider/" target="_blank">Washington Post recipe. </a></span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-46Vs9qx538k/UJ_L7XqqTXI/AAAAAAAABEo/UIxtqsTAAVA/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-46Vs9qx538k/UJ_L7XqqTXI/AAAAAAAABEo/UIxtqsTAAVA/s640/photo+(3).JPG" title="Pancake mix with apple cider syrup and candied walnuts" width="480" /></a></div>
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Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-83166222563819402052012-10-25T08:18:00.001-07:002012-10-25T08:43:42.850-07:00Pink lemon cupcakes: The trouble with color (and a heartbreaking baby story)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UJnkb7C42Wo/UIlIpZtRswI/AAAAAAAABBY/D2Ew7lRIaP4/s1600/100_7578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UJnkb7C42Wo/UIlIpZtRswI/AAAAAAAABBY/D2Ew7lRIaP4/s400/100_7578.JPG" title="Pink lemon cupcakes" width="400" /></a></div>
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My little boy turned six this week. It's hard to believe so much time has passed since those first terrifying days when he was a helpless floppy thing with a neck too weak to keep his head upright, soft spots in his skull, and an appetite I could barely keep up with. Now he's his own person, becoming more himself and more independent every day, which is great, but sometimes I miss him wanting to be with us. Other times I sigh with relief that I can just sit back and watch him be himself.<br />
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No. I must stop here. Pretending that the terror of those first days was solely because he was a helpless baby and I didn't know how to take care of helpless little babies is nowhere near the whole truth. There's more to the story. </div>
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The Boo (nicknamed for scaring us so) was born with <a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/898437-overview#a1" target="_blank">Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension of the Newborn (PPHN)</a>. It means his blood didn't flow the right direction, and he was at imminent risk of death from lack of oxygen from the moment he was born.</div>
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We were not prepared for trouble. My pregnancy had been just about perfect. Every test had gone well. So when the doctors and nurses lifted him over to the warming table, and I could hear him struggling and the quiet, concerned, <i>intense</i> murmur, I could tell something wasn't right, but I was too exhausted and torn up to understand. I was just waiting to see my boy. Instead, they whisked him away to the NICU, and I didn't get to see him at all. </div>
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I don't remember much else about that day. I was stitched up. They tried to get me in a wheelchair to go and see the Boo in the NICU, but I passed out cold (blood loss or meds? I have no idea). Mike went back and forth between me and the NICU, watching over us both, doing his best to take care of us, understand what was happening, and translate medical speak into English for us laypeople. </div>
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I think a day passed like this. I spent time learning how to pump milk, trying to eat well, and receiving lots of visitors, and Mike went back and forth, back and forth, relaying information, keeping us together. He brought me a picture of the Boo's ear; it was all he could see among the tubes and wires, and it was perfect.</div>
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A little over 24 hours after the Boo was born, I was finally able to sit upright in the wheelchair and make it to the NICU to see my baby. He was beautiful and heartbreaking. We weren't allowed to touch him or speak loudly around him. Any stimulation at all meant that his blood oxygen level would go down, so we had to keep our distance and pour love onto him through air and glass. </div>
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By the second night, Mike had been awake for more than 48 hours. At two in the morning, it seemed as though the Boo was finally beginning to stabilize, so Mike lay down on the couch in my recovery room and fell asleep. Two hours later, I was still semi-awake when the doctors came in quietly to tell us that things were no longer going well. The Boo would have to be transferred to another hospital with more advanced equipment, specifically the ability to provide treatment with inhaled nitric oxide and an ECMO machine (a kind of bypass machine that takes blood out of the body, oxygenates it, and then passes it back into the body). I was wheeled down to the NICU with Mike, and we sat and watched as a team of medical personnel prepared to move our little baby into a plastic box on a gurney (a device they called the "Spaceship") and transfer him to Georgetown Hospital in Washington, DC.</div>
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I will never adequately describe the grief of sitting in that wheelchair, in that dark, night-quiet hospital corridor watching skilled, concerned, caring people preparing to take my son away. A cold, black pit had opened in my chest and would never close. I could not stop weeping. When I heard the siren as the ambulance left, I wept more. I wept every time I heard an ambulance for a few years. </div>
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I couldn't go to Georgetown that night, but we decided Mike had to go while I stayed and prepared to leave Manassas Hospital the next day. I spent the day pumping milk, eating, and trying to get on my feet long enough to shuffle down the hall, a prerequisite for release. In late afternoon, I was released, and my parents drove me downtown.</div>
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What followed was a desperate search for food and a cold, miserable night in a guest room at Georgetown. By the time I got to the hospital, the cafeteria was closed, so we had to order Chinese to be delivered to the emergency room. We slept on a bare mattress on the floor. Mike's glasses broke during the night. The next morning, we decided this was no place for me to stay and recover and gave up the guest room. Our plan was that I would visit during the day, and my brother (who had immediately booked a ticket from Sweden on hearing of our troubles) would drive me home to rest every afternoon, while Mike stayed until late in the evening.</div>
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And so the next few weeks passed. Mike sat and watched our boy's saturation rate like a hawk for 10 days. For him, every dip in the numbers was a slash to the heart, a threat that our son would die. The one night I wasn't there because I was too sick and weak to make it, the doctors wheeled out the ECMO machine (an invasive procedure that can leave permanent scars) and then decided against it. I was dazed, in shock, and on pain medication, trying to maintain a schedule of pumping milk and stacking up bags of it in the hospital refrigerator until the day when the Boo would be able to start drinking. </div>
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Then came a turning point. One night, while I was doing my two a.m. pump, and Mike was calling the hospital to check on our boy, the nurse told Mike that the little guy had extubated himself. (She had a hilarious way of saying this, which left us laughing in hysterics.) The boy was done. Annoyed with the stuff stuck down his throat, he just spit it right up. As my sister-in-law commented later, "Only two weeks old, and already rebellious and addicted to drugs." (To save his life, the doctors had had to administer a lot of drugs to keep him sedated and ensure his blood flowed in the right direction. We had to wean him from the addiction by administering opium for several weeks, but that's another story.)</div>
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After 29 days, we finally got to bring our boy home. Those 29 days of fear and grief were the worst of my life, and they left damage that took a long time to undo. But he survived. And now the earth has traveled around the sun six times since the day when he first arrived, so it's time for a treat.</div>
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This post was supposed to be about the cupcakes I made for his birthday celebration at school, but obviously, I got a little off track. My original idea was to make cupcakes that look like toadstools, a fun thing to celebrate both his birthday and Halloween. Sadly, the natural food dyes I purchased were not up to the task of turning my lemony frosting red, just pink. Even though I added ALL the dyes, red, blue, and yellow, the frosting remained stubbornly pink. It's a pretty pink, but I still feel a little funny about showing up with pink cupcakes to my boy's birthday party. At least the taste made up for it (and I gussied them up with some sprinkles, although my decorating skills are seriously lacking). </div>
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So now, finally, here is the recipe for pink lemon cupcakes and some tips for coloring foods. This batch was enough for 24 mini cupcakes and 12 regular cupcakes, so it would probably be enough for 24 regular cupcakes or 48 minis (if you have two pans, which I didn't, thus the mixed sizes). </div>
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Ingredients</h3>
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FOR THE CUPCAKES*</div>
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<ul>
<li>1 and 1/3 cup PLUS 3/4 cup all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1 and 1/4 tsp baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 tsp baking soda</li>
<li>1/4 tsp salt</li>
<li>1 and 2/3 cup sugar</li>
<li>1/3 cup canola or other mild vegetable oil </li>
<li>2 large eggs</li>
<li>1/3 cup whole milk</li>
<li>2 teaspoons vanilla extract</li>
<li>zest from one lemon (don't forget to wash the lemon carefully)</li>
<li>1 cup boiling water</li>
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FOR THE FROSTING**</div>
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<ul>
<li>12 Tbsps (1 and 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature</li>
<li>3 cups powdered sugar</li>
<li>4 Tbsps lemon juice (make sure to strain out any seeds)</li>
<li>zest from one lemon</li>
<li>1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract</li>
<li>red food coloring (optional)</li>
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Directions</h3>
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FOR THE CUPCAKES</div>
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<li>Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place bake cups in the wells of your cupcake pan(s). </li>
<li>In a large bowl (your stand mixer bowl if you have one; it will make this recipe so much easier), mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and lemon zest. Use the paddle attachment at low speed to mix it all together evenly. Then add the sugar and mix at low speed until evenly distributed. </li>
<li>Add the oil and mix at low speed until the mixture is crumbly, sort of like sand. </li>
<li>In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until blended. Add the egg mixture to the flour-oil mixture at low speed until blended. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides if needed. </li>
<li>Finally, with the mixer at slow speed, add the boiling water in a slow, even flow until the batter is just mixed and smooth. Once again, scrape down the sides as needed. </li>
<li>Fill the bake cups about 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes for regular cupcakes and 30-35 cupcakes for mini cupcakes. They should be lightly golden-brown on top when they are done. Let them cool in the cupcake pans. (Putting the pans on a rack would probably aid cooling.)</li>
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FOR THE FROSTING</div>
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<li>Sift the powdered sugar into a stand mixer bowl if it has lumps.</li>
<li>Add the remaining ingredients (softened butter, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract) to the bowl. Start mixing slowly with the paddle attachment until the powdered sugar is just incorporated into the butter to avoid getting a cloud of sugar. Then beat on high speed until the frosting is white and fluffy.</li>
<li>Beat in drops of red food coloring until you get the shade of pink you want. </li>
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After making this recipe, I asked my friend Cheryll of <a href="http://www.facebook.com/deckerated.delights" target="_blank">Decker'ated Delights</a> who makes beautiful cakes and cookies how to get a good shade of red. She shared these tips:</div>
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<li>Don't use food coloring. </li>
<li>Use the paste. Apparently <a href="http://www.americolorcorp.com/" target="_blank">AmeriColor </a>works well and doesn't leave a funny aftertaste. (Obviously, this doesn't quite fit with my real food ideals, so I will probably have to live with pinks and <a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2012/07/purple-blueberry-cake-baking-with-my.html" target="_blank">lavenders</a> for now, but I wanted to pass on the information in case you want to try it.) </li>
<li>Tint with a light pink first for a vibrant red. (Or light brown if you want a deeper red.)</li>
<li>Then tint with red. </li>
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* Adapted from the Devilishly Moist Chocolate Cake recipe in Tish Boyle's <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cake-Book-Tish-Boyle/dp/0471469335" target="_blank">The Cake Book</a>.</i></div>
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** Adapted from the Creamy Frosting recipe in Williams-Sonoma's <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kids-Cookbook-Great-Book-Love/dp/0737020415/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1351172185&sr=1-1&keywords=the+kid%27s+cookbook" target="_blank">The Kid's Cookbook.</a> </i></div>
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Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-38802893778531773512012-10-11T18:52:00.000-07:002012-10-11T18:52:21.895-07:00Fall market soup with bacon, beans, sweet potatoes, and kale<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Some of the best soups are happy accidents. This is especially true when you get most of your produce and meats from farmers markets: Ingredients available one week may be gone the next, and the chances of that perfect convergence of vegetables and fruits ever happening again are slim. That's the case with this soup, which is a rich, warm, filling, and nutritious concoction that is just what you want on a chilly fall evening (in fact, I'll be going back for seconds soon), but it may be a long time before I can replicate it precisely because I probably won't have all these ingredients again at the same time.<br />
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But that's OK. Making this soup was an act of discovery, an exploration of flavors and textures. It was also an act of building something, adding component to component until it all came together with a toss of chopped kale at the end. Kind of fun to make, really. Furthermore, I experienced that moment when I had added just enough salt and pepper, the vegetables had mellowed and released their sweetness and savor to the stock, and the test spoonful exploded into my mouth, forcing me to do a happy dance and to shamelessly proclaim how good I am. It was a great soup.<br />
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I make a lot of these soups, the ones where I add this and that until it's done, but they don't always succeed. In fact, I've made some real disasters (beets and pumpkin do not, I repeat, do NOT go together). But most of them are pretty good, some are outstanding. There are a few lessons I've learned from building soups like this:<br />
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<li>Always use a good stock, preferably homemade.</li>
<li>Give the onions that you will start almost every soup with plenty of time to mellow, at least 10 minutes. Don't rush soup.</li>
<li>The stock should slightly cover the vegetables, not drown them. If you have too much stock, your soup will be watery. If don't have enough stock, the soup could be mushy, more like a vegetable stew or porridge. </li>
<li>Aim for balance of flavors: sweet vegetables combined with bitter ones. (Like sweet potato with parsnips.) </li>
<li>If you include a lot of root vegetables, like sweet potatoes, potatoes, parsnips, and so forth, try dicing an apple and adding it to the soup. You'll be surprised. In a good way. </li>
<li>If you have some greens on hand, try chopping them up and adding them in the last few minutes of cook time. </li>
<li>Add salt and pepper at the end of the cook time to avoid oversalting. (The stock will cook down a little, which will concentrate the salt if you add it too early.)</li>
<li>Above all: Have fun, be inspired, see what you find at the farmers market, and taste, taste, taste. </li>
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Now, even though the ingredients for this particular soup may not be easy to come by, here's the recipe anyway because you can use it as a starting point and replace or drop ingredients as you like. If you don't have fresh Dragon Tongue beans, which you probably don't (beautiful things, I wish I had thought to photograph them), you can replace them with cooked pinto beans. (If you use cooked pinto beans, drop the overall cook time by 20 minutes.) If you don't eat bacon or meat, you can use olive oil to soften the onions and replace the chicken stock with vegetable stock. Try different kinds of greens. And if you don't have butternut squash puree just hanging around the refrigerator (which I did), you can either eliminate it or use some plain pumpkin puree from a can (just go for the good quality stuff though).<br />
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Ingredients</h3>
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<li>6 slices bacon, chopped finely</li>
<li>1 onion, chopped finely</li>
<li>2 cups fresh (shelled) Dragon Tongue beans</li>
<li>4 cups chicken stock</li>
<li>2 small potatoes (yellow or white), peeled and diced</li>
<li>1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled and diced</li>
<li>1 apple, cored, peeled, and diced</li>
<li>1 cup butternut squash puree</li>
<li>2-3 cups chopped kale</li>
<li>salt (to taste)</li>
<li>white pepper (to taste)</li>
<li>1 tsp thyme</li>
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Directions</h3>
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<li>Cook the bacon in a large soup pot over medium heat until crispy. Remove the bacon from the pot and let it drain on paper towels.</li>
<li>Lower the heat to medium-low and add the onions. Let them cook slowly until they are soft and shiny. Give the onions a good 10 minutes to mellow. </li>
<li>Add the beans, the stock, and the thyme to the pot. Bring the stock to a boil, and then lower the temperature to a simmer. Let the beans and stock simmer for 20 minutes (if you are using cooked beans, skip to the next step). </li>
<li>Add the potatoes and the apples to the stock. Let them cook for 10 minutes. </li>
<li>Add the sweet potatoes to the stock (sweet potatoes cook faster than regular potatoes). Let them cook for another 10-15 minutes (check that they are soft). </li>
<li>Add the chopped kale and the bacon. Taste the soup, add salt and pepper to taste. </li>
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Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-83992120370945199082012-10-07T01:00:00.000-07:002012-10-07T10:19:41.093-07:00Butternut squash and tomato soup: Celebrating all things orange for #SundaySupper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've left the windows open for a few weeks now. I wanted to be done with the air conditioning (although a few days of lingering heat did cause me to doubt my decision). But tonight chill air creeps in through the window, curls up around the house, and goes to sleep like the fog in <a href="http://www.bartleby.com/198/1.html" target="_blank">T.S. Eliot's poem "The Lovesong of J. Alfred Prufrock."</a> The mornings and evenings are getting darker, and a quiet, interior life is starting to settle in, a life of reading, dreaming, knitting, sewing, and, of course, cooking.<br />
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Fall is my favorite time of year, for many reasons. The trees dress in their brightest finery, their last party of the season, the world dances with liquid light and reflected color, and streams and rivers run dark with leaf tea. And when the rains come, the chilly air carries the smells of fire and dry leaves, and the urge to bake with rich spices or slowly braise a stew takes hold. And of course, this is the season for soups: warm, satisfying soups that take advantage of a harvest of winter squashes, root vegetables, and the last of the summer vegetables.<br />
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This butternut squash and tomato soup is one of my favorite fall soups, which I've adapted slightly from Crescent Dragonwagon's <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dairy-Hollow-House-Bread-Cookbook/dp/089480751X" target="_blank">Dairy Hollow House Soup and Bread Cookbook</a>, </i>the first cookbook I ever fell completely heads over heels in love with. Warm and filling, the soup is sweetened with some maple syrup. Serve it with a piece of crusty bread for dipping and perhaps with a glass of cider for a simple fall meal. Or it could be a perfect starter later in the season for Thanksgiving.<br />
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<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
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<ul>
<li>2 large butternut squashes (alternatively, you can use 4 cups of canned pumpkin instead, just make sure it's good quality)</li>
<li>3-4 Tbsps olive oil or butter</li>
<li>1 large onion, finely chopped</li>
<li>4 cups homemade chicken stock (or for a vegetarian soup, use a well-flavored vegetable stock)</li>
<li>1 28-oz can of whole or diced tomatoes</li>
<li>2-3 Tbsps maple syrup plus extra for drizzling</li>
<li>salt and pepper</li>
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<h3>
Instructions</h3>
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FOR BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE</div>
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<ol>
<li>Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.</li>
<li>Wash the butternut squashes and split them in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and discard (or you can clean them off and roast them like you'd roast pumpkin seeds). </li>
<li>Drizzle the cut sides with a little maple syrup and place the halves cut side down on the parchment paper.</li>
<li>Bake the halves in the oven for 50 minutes to an hour. Poke them with a fork to make sure they are soft and cooked through. </li>
<li>Let them cool enough to handle and to reabsorb some of the liquid that will leak out.</li>
<li>Scoop out the flesh and mash it with a big spoon. (Note: If you double the number of butternut squashes, you can make a lot of extra puree to freeze for other uses. You can use butternut squash puree as a replacement in just about any recipe that calls for pumpkin.) </li>
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FOR THE SOUP</div>
<ol>
<li>In a large soup pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook slowly until they are soft and shiny, about 10 minutes. Try to avoid browning the onions. (Take your time with this step.)</li>
<li>Add the stock to the onions, bring it to a boil, lower it to a simmer, and then let it simmer for about 15 minutes. </li>
<li>Add the tomatoes and their juices, 4 cups of butternut squash puree, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup to the stock. Let the mix heat up again. Then use a hand blender to puree the whole mixture until it's very smooth. (Alternatively, you can use a blender, but you will have to do that in batches.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle a little more maple syrup on top to serve. </li>
</ol>
<br />
This is just one of many recipes celebrating fall and one of the most prominent colors of fall, orange (also my favorite color), in this week's All Things Orange Sunday Supper event. Here are all the wonderful recipes and don't forget to join in the Twitter chat using the hashtag #SundaySupper at 7 p.m. Eastern (U.S.) time.<br />
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<h3>
Sunrise (Breakfast and Brunch)</h3>
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<li>Paula from Vintage Kitchen Notes is bringing her <a href="http://www.vintagekitchennotes.blogspot.com/2012/10/orange-ricotta-pancakes-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Orange Ricotta Pancakes</a></li>
<li>Erin from Dinners Dishes and Desserts is baking up
some <a href="http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/?p=3185" target="_blank">Pumpkin
Chocolate Chip Muffins</a></li>
<li>Heather from Girlichef is bringing <a href="http://www.girlichef.com/2012/10/PumpkinDoughnutsSpicedButtermilkGlaze.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin Doughnuts with Spiced Buttermilk Glaze</a></li>
<li>Nicole from Daily Dish Recipes is making <a href="http://dailydishrecipes.com/pumpkin-donut-puffs-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Pumpkin Donut Puffs</a></li>
<li>Patti from Comfy Cuisine is bringing <a href="http://www.patti-comfycuisine.blogspot.com/2012/10/all-things-orange-sundaysupper-classic.html" target="_blank"> Classic Orange Marmalade</a></li>
<li>Sunithi from Sue’s Nutrition Buzz is making <a href="http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/2012/10/07/spiced-pumpkin-ricotta-oat-muffins-with-craisins-walnuts-sundaysupper-glutenfree/" target="_blank">Spiced Pumpkin Ricotta Muffins with Craisins and Walnuts</a></li>
<li>Wendy from The Weekend Gourmet is cooking up some <a href="http://www.wendyweekendgourmet.com/2012/10/all-things-orange-sundaysupperfeaturing.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin Maple Oatmeal</a></li>
<li>Jamie from Mama Mommy Mom is bringing <a href="http://www.mamamommymom.com/2012/10/butternut-squash-butter-you-wont.html" target="_blank">Butternut Squash Butter</a></li>
<li>Chelsea from Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence is
bringing <a href="http://www.chelseasculinaryindulgence.com/2012/10/pumpkin-spiced-donuts-with-chai-icing.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin Spiced Donuts with Chai Icing</a></li>
<li>Kris from In The Kitchen With Audrey and Maureen made <a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithaudrey.com/2012/10/sweet-potato-pancakes-sundaysupper.html#.UHGcKE1ZWSo" target="_blank">Sweet Potato Pancakes </a></li>
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<h3>
High Noon (Soups, Salads, and Sandwiches)</h3>
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<ul>
<li>Renee from Magnolia Days is serving up some <a href="http://magnoliadays.com/2012/butternut-squash-soup-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Butternut Squash Soup</a></li>
<li>Beate from Galactopdx is bringing her <a href="http://galactopdx.blogspot.com/2012/10/carrot-ginger-soup-for-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Carrot Ginger Soup</a></li>
<li>Jen from Juanita’s Cocina is making some <a href="http://jcocina.com/curried-sweet-potato-salad-with-cranberries-and-pecans-all-things-orange-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Curried Sweet Potato Salad With Cranberries and Pecans</a></li>
<li>Megan from I Run For Wine is making <a href="http://www.irunforwine.net/2012/10/skinny-roasted-butternut-squash-italian.html" target="_blank">Skinny Roasted Butternut Squash and
Italian Sausage Soup</a></li>
<li>Sarah from What Smells So Good is filling our
bowls with some <a href="http://yummysmells.blogspot.com/2012/10/spicy-sweet-potato-and-coconut-soup-for.html" target="_blank">Spicy Sweet Potato and Coconut Soup</a></li>
<li>Alice from Hip Foodie Mom is coming with her <a href="http://hipfoodiemom.com/2012/10/07/roasted-carrot-and-red-quinoa-salad-for-sundaysupper/#comment-1905" target="_blank">Roasted Carrot and Red Quinoa Salad</a></li>
<li>Susan from The Wimpy Vegetarian is making <a href="http://thewimpyvegetarian.com/2012/10/sundaysupper-cider-spiced-sweet-potato-soup/" target="_blank">Cider – Spiced Sweet Potato Soup</a></li>
<li>Tora from Tora’s Real Food is bringing <a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2012/10/butternut-squash-and-tomato-soup.html" target="_blank">Butternut Squash and Tomato Soup</a></li>
<li>Melanie from From Fast Food to Fresh Food is
making <a href="http://www.fastfood2freshfood.com/2012/10/montys-pumpkin-soup-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Monty’s Pumpkin Soup</a></li>
<li>Lyn from The Lovely Pantry is bringing <a href="http://lovelypantry.com/2012/10/roasted-pumpkin-coconut-soup-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Roasted Pumpkin & Coconut Soup</a></li>
<li>Kim from Cravings of a Lunatic is whipping up some <a href="http://www.cravingsofalunatic.com/2012/10/mandarin-orange-chicken-salad-for-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Mandarin Chicken Salad</a></li>
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<h3>
Sunset (Dinner and Main Dishes)</h3>
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<ul>
<li>Sarah from Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends is
offering up some <a href="http://crispybitsnburntends.com/pumpkin-ravioli-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Pumpkin Ravioli</a></li>
<li>Shelia from Pippis In The Kitchen Again is serving
her <a href="http://pippisinthekitchenagain.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/sundaysupper-roasted-squash-with-ricotta-and-honey/" target="_blank">Roasted Squash and Ricotta with Honey</a></li>
<li>Pam from The Meltaways is making <a href="http://www.themeltaways.com/2012/10/07/spooky-stuffed-peppers-for-an-all-things-orange-sundaysupper/" target="_blank" title="Spooky Stuffed Peppers for an All Things Orange #SundaySupper">Spooky
Stuffed Peppers</a></li>
<li>Patsy from Famfriendsfood is bringing her <a href="http://www.famfriendsfood.com/2012/10/carrot-souffle-family-recipe.html" target="_blank">Carrot Souffle</a></li>
<li>Laura from Small Wallet Big Appetite is bringing <a href="http://www.smallwalletbigappetite.com/2012/10/chicken-and-sweet-potato-fritters-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Chicken and Sweet Potato Fritters</a></li>
<li>Mehereen from Chattering Kitchen is making <a href="http://chatteringkitchen.com/2012/10/07/celebrating-orange-with-sundaysupper-sichuan-style-orange-glazed-chicken-with-toasted-sesame-seeds/" target="_blank">Sichuan Orange Glazed Chicken with
Toasted Sesame Seeds</a></li>
<li>Tammi from Momma’s Meals is making <a href="http://mommasmeals.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/hearty-pork-stew-for-sunday-supper/" target="_blank">Hearty Pork Stew</a></li>
<li>Kristin from Kwistin’s Favorites is making <a href="http://kwistinsfavorites.wordpress.com/2012/10/06/sundaysupper-orange-chicken-dinner/" target="_blank">Orange Chicken</a></li>
<li>Soni from Soni’s Food For Thought is cooking up
some <a href="http://sonisfoodforthought.blogspot.com/2012/10/rigatoni-with-pumpkin-ricotta-sauce-all.html" target="_blank">Rigatoni with Pumpkin Ricotta Sauce</a></li>
<li>Shelby from Diabetic Foodie is cooking up some <a href="http://www.diabeticfoodie.com/2012/10/moroccan-vegetable-stew-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Moroccan Vegetable Stew</a></li>
<li>Dara from Generation Y
Foodie is bringing <a href="http://www.generationyfoodie.com/2012/10/butternut-squash-mac-and-cheese-sundaysupper.html">Butternut
Squash Mac and Cheese</a></li>
<li>Brandie from Home Cooking Memories is sharing a <a href="http://homecookingmemories.com/diy-baked-sweet-potato-bar/" target="_blank">DIY Baked Sweet Potato Bar</a></li>
<li>Amber from Mama’s Blissful Bites is bringing <a href="http://www.mamasblissfulbites.com/2012/10/07/sundaysupper-rice-and-fig-mini-pumpkins/" target="_blank">Rice and Fig Stuffed Mini Pumpkins</a></li>
<li>Valerie from Val’s Food and Or Art made <a href="http://artc1heartnsoul.blogspot.com/2012/10/so-i-like-squash-double-stuffed-roasted.html" target="_blank">Double Stuffed Roasted Acorn Squash</a></li>
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<h3>
By the Bonfire (Sweets, Snacks, and Sips)</h3>
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<ul>
<li>Brie from Brie’s Bites is making <a href="http://dailydishrecipes.com/briesbites/peanut-butter-pumpkin-bites-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Peanut Butter Pumpkin Bites</a></li>
<li>Carla from Chocolate Moosey is making <a href="http://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2012/10/07/pumpkin-tiramisu-with-pumpkin-butter-caramel-sauce-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Pumpkin Tiramisu with Pumpkin Butter Caramel Sauce</a></li>
<li>Heather from Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks is offering
up some <a href="http://hezzi-dsbooksandcooks.blogspot.com/2012/10/pumpkin-cake-truffles-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin Cake Truffles</a></li>
<li>Shelia from Cooking Underwriter is bringing <a href="http://www.cookingunderwriter.com/2012/10/glutenfree-sweet-potato-bacon-beet.html" target="_blank">Sweet Potato Bacon Beet Salsa</a></li>
<li>Anne from Webicurean is making some <a href="http://blog.webicurean.com/2012/10/07/drunken-pumpkin-bread-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Drunken Pumpkin Bread</a></li>
<li>Karen from In The Kitchen With KP is making <a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithkp.com/recipe/oven-baked-sweet-potato-crisps-sundaysupper" target="_blank">Oven Baked Sweet Potato Chips</a></li>
<li>Leslie La Cocina De Leslie is making <a href="http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2012/10/atole-de-camote-sweet-potato-atole.html" target="_blank">Sweet Potato Atole</a></li>
<li>Seet Fei from My Trials in The Kitchen is bringing <a href="http://mytrialsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/10/sweet-potatoes-mini-balls-for.html" target="_blank">Sweet Potatoes Mini Balls</a></li>
<li>Tara from Noshing With The Nolands is bringing <a href="http://noshingwiththenolands.com/oranges-en-surprise-for-all-things-orange-at-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Oranges En Suprise</a></li>
<li>Susan from The Girl in The Red Kitchen is making <a href="http://girlinthelittleredkitchen.com/2012/10/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-scones-with-pumpkin-glaze-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Scone with Pumpkin Glaze</a></li>
<li>Conni from Mrs. Mama Hen is making <a href="http://mrsmamahen.blogspot.com/2012/10/orange-glazed-pound-cake-for-all-things.html" target="_blank">Orange Glazed Poundcake</a></li>
<li>Isabel from Family Foodie is baking up <a href="http://familyfoodie.com/moist-pumpkin-bread-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Moist
Pumpkin Bread</a></li>
<li>Cindy from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings is baking
up a <a href="http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/vegan-pumpkin-orange-cake-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Vegan Pumpkin Orange Cake</a></li>
<li>Brenda from Meal Planning Magic is whipping up
some <a href="http://www.mealplanningmagic.com/2012/10/creamy-pumpkin-dip-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Creamy Pumpkin Dip</a></li>
<li>Laura from Family Spice is making some <a href="http://familyspice.com/unprocessed-gluten-free-pumpkin-bread/" target="_blank">Unprocessed and Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread</a></li>
<li>Kathya from Basic and Delicious is baking up <a href="http://www.basicndelicious.blogspot.com/2012/10/butternut-squash-and-carrot-bread.html" target="_blank">Butternut Squash and Carrot Bread</a></li>
<li>Liz from That Skinny Chick Can Bake is serving up <a href="http://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com/2012/10/pumpkin-rollsunday-supper-all-things.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin Roll with Cream Cheese Filling</a></li>
<li>Stephanie from The Cookie A Day Challenge is
whipping up some <a href="http://www.thecookieadaychallenge.com/2012/10/day-87-pumpkin-ice-cream-sandwiches-for.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin Ice Cream Sandwiches</a></li>
<li>Katie from She Like Ruffles, He Likes Truffles is
bringing <a href="http://rufflesandtruffles.com/2012/10/pumpkin-harvest-cookies/" target="_blank">Pumpkin Harvest Cookies</a></li>
<li>Nancy from Gotta Get Baked is baking up some <a href="http://gottagetbaked.com/2012/10/07/orange-macadamia-dark-chocolate-cookies-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Orange Macadamia Dark Chocolate Cookies</a></li>
<li>Angie from Big Bear’s Wife is bringing<a href="http://www.bigbearswife.com/2012/10/orange-soda-pumpkin-patch-cupcakes_7.html" target="_blank"> Orange Soda Pumpkin Patch Cupcakes</a></li>
<li>Katy from Happy Baking Days is bringing <a href="http://www.happybakingdays.com/2012/10/07/carrot-cake-with-orange-glaze-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Carrot Cake with Orange Glaze</a></li>
<li>Sandra from Midlife Road Trip is bringing <a href="http://midliferoadtrip.tv/hungarian-apricotwalnut-pastries-recipe/" target="_blank">Orange ya glad it’s fall! Hungarian Apricot/Walnut pastries</a></li>
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Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-80392899462098097612012-09-23T01:00:00.000-07:002012-09-23T07:39:38.671-07:00Apple gingersnap cookies: Welcome to the #SundaySupper Autumn Apple Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Fall. My favorite time of year. Rustling leaves. Rich colors. Sunlight that breaks in at an angle. Time to turn slowly inward, to the home, to the hearth, to reading books and poetry. <br />
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And of course fall serves up some of my favorite foods: rich stews, soups, roasts, made from and with squashes, pumpkins, root vegetables, brussels sprouts, and of course apples.<br />
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Summer apples start to appear in farmers markets in mid-summer, but they don't really start to show in large quantities in the markets with their great variety until mid to late August and then there's a flood of them and apple cider for weeks. So many different varieties, names, colors, textures. So much fun to try different varieties and find new favorites.<br />
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Apples are not native to the Americas--they originated around the area of Iran--but they have taken hold well here both agriculturally and culturally. One interesting fact about apples is that they are not true breeding. In other words, you could plant the seeds of an apple you love, and not one of the trees that came from that apple would produce apples like it. Most of the apples produced would, in fact, probably be inedible. <br />
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Sadly the vast variety of apples that used to exist is declining, in part because there are very few commercially grown varieties of apples. I hate to see the many varieties of apples and their wonderful names disappearing. So I say, get thee to a farmers market and try some new varieties of apples. Or find a farm where you can spend a day picking apples. Then come home and read Robert Frost's poem, <a href="http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/after-apple-picking/" target="_blank">"After Apple Picking"</a> and enjoy the satisfaction of a day in the orchard.<br />
<br />
This week's Sunday Supper is all about apples. I wanted to try making a cookie that I imagined a few months ago at the height of summer when I absolutely did not wish to bake: Apple gingersnap cookies. Apple and ginger are fantastic flavors together, and this cookie is no exception. <br />
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The cookie dough is easy to make, but you need to plan ahead. The dough should chill for at least 12 hours to let the flavors meld. I used <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/boiled-cider-captures-the-essence-of-apples-in-syrup-form/2011/09/07/gIQALOs2PK_story.html" target="_blank">boiled apple cider syrup</a> in this recipe, which I discovered last fall, but you can use maple syrup, molasses, or even honey if you prefer, although doing so will change the flavor and the texture of the cookie a bit. For this cookie, I give the ingredients in milliliters and grams because I started with a gingersnap cookie from my favorite Swedish cookbook, <i>Bonniers Stora Kokbok</i>, and modified the recipe from there. Just about every measuring cup will give you the option of using milliliters, just be aware of the difference.<br />
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<h3>
Ingredients </h3>
<div>
<ul>
<li>100 ml water</li>
<li>400 ml sugar</li>
<li>300 grams unsalted butter</li>
<li>100 ml apple cider syrup</li>
<li>1 Tbsp ground cloves</li>
<li>1 Tbsp ground dried ginger</li>
<li>1 Tbsp ground cinnamon</li>
<li>250 ml coarsely grated apple (from about 1 peeled, cored apple)</li>
<li>1,200 ml flour (plus more for flouring the board)</li>
<li>2 tsps baking soda</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Directions</h3>
</div>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Mix half of the flour (600 ml) with the baking soda and set aside.</li>
<li>Heat water, sugar, butter, apple cider syrup, and spices in a pan on medium heat on the stove until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Then add the grated apples.</li>
<li>In a large bowl, combine the butter-sugar-spice-apple mixture with the flour-baking soda mixture. Then mix in the rest of the flour in bunches. (It's helpful to use a sturdy silicone spatula for this job.) If the dough starts to get too heavy to stir, feel free to get your hands in there and knead like you would a bread dough. (Your hands will smell amazing afterward, by the way.)</li>
<li>When the flour has been completely incorporated into the dough, sprinkle some flour on top, cover the bowl with plastic, and refrigerate the dough for 12 hours. </li>
<li>On the day you plan to bake the cookies, pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees (F). Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper (or use silicone mats if you have them). </li>
<li>Liberally flour a baking board and roll out slightly less than a quarter of the dough very thinly. Using cookie cutters, cut out shapes and fill one baking sheet.</li>
<li>Working on one baking sheet at a time, bake the cookies for 7 minutes. (Feel free to try to vary the time a few minutes up or down to get the consistency you want.)</li>
<li>Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the sheet, then transfer them to a cooling rack and re-use the baking sheet for another batch. You will probably end making about 100 cookies, depending on the size of the cookie cutters you are using.</li>
</ol>
Sunday Supper wouldn't be complete without all the wonderful contributions from the rest of the group. This week's batch of apple goodness is particularly wonderful. Check all these out! </div>
<div>
<br />
<br />
<h3>
Soups, Salads, Starters, and Breads</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cinnamon Apple Chips- <a href="http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/cinnamon-apple-chips-for-sundaysupper/">Shockingly
Delicious</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Celery Salad- <a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithaudrey.com/2012/09/apple-celery-salad-sundaysupper.html">In
the Kitchen with Audrey and Maurene</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Mini Apple Pumpkin Pancakes – <a href="http://dailydishrecipes.com/apple-pumpkin-pancakes/">The Daily Dish
Recipes</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Overnight Apple Cinnamon French Toast- <a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithkp.com/recipe/overnight-apple-cinnamon-french-toast-sundaysupper">In
the Kitchen with KP</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Curried Apple and Leek Soup-<a href="http://sonisfoodforthought.blogspot.com/2012/09/curried-apple-and-leek-soup-autumn.html">Soni’s
Food for Thought</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Endive Spears Topped With Apple, Blue Cheese and Hazelnut
Salad- <a href="http://thehandthatrockstheladle.wordpress.com/2012/09/23/sundaysupper-endive-spears-topped-with-apple-blue-cheese-and-hazelnut-salad/">The
Hand That Rocks the Ladle</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Homemade Apple Jam – <a href="http://mytrialsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/09/homemade-apple-jam-sundaysupper.html">My
Trials in the Kitchen</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Caramel Apple Butter Cheesecake Dip- <a href="http://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2012/09/23/caramel-apple-butter-cheesecake-dip-for-sundaysupper-autumn-apple-party/">Chocolate
Moosey</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Caramel Apple Bread – <a href="http://www.famfriendsfood.com/2012/09/caramel-apple-bread-recipe-sundaysupper.html">famfriendsfood</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Pie Bread <a href="http://bakerstreet.tv/2012/09/apple-pie-bread/">Baker Street</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple, Bacon & Brie Popovers- <a href="http://www.irunforwine.net/2012/09/apple-brie-and-bacon-popovers-recipe.html">I
Run for Wine</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple and Almond Brie Puff Pastry- <a href="http://familyfoodie.com/apple-and-almond-brie-puff-pastry-sundaysupper/">Family
Foodie</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple, Leek and Gruyere Tarts- <a href="http://lindaathompson.blogspot.com/2012/09/leek-apple-and-gruyere-tarts-for.html">There
and Back Again</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Main Meals</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Slow Cooker Honey Apple Pork Loin- <a href="http://www.themeltaways.com/2012/09/23/slow-cooker-honey-apple-pork-loin-for-an-autumn-apple-party-sundaysupper/">The
Meltaways</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple-Glazed Meatballs- <a href="http://themessybakerblog.com/2012/09/23/apple-cider-glazed-meatballs/">The
Messy Baker</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apples & Buttons (Ham, Apples and Dumplings)- <a href="http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/?p=2582">Cindy’s Recipes and
Writings</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Skillet Pork with Sweet Spiced Apples- <a href="http://www.mamamommymom.com/2012/09/skillet-pork-with-sweet-spiced-apples.html">Mama
Mommy Mom</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chicken Apple Meatloaf with Tarragon Tomato Sauce – <a href="http://www.diabeticfoodie.com/2012/09/chicken-apple-meatloaf-with-tarragon-tomato-sauce-for-sundaysupper/">Diabetic
Foodie</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Baked Tilapia Apple Crisp- <a href="http://daddyknowsless.blogspot.com/2012/09/baked-tilapia-apple-crisp-for.html">Daddy
Knows Less</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Pork Tenderloin with Calvados Cream Sauce <a href="http://sustainabledad.com/?p=1357">Sustainable Dad</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
#SundaySupper Pulled Pork Sandwich With Pickled Red Onions <a href="http://kwistinsfavorites.wordpress.com/2012/09/23/sundaysupper-apple-pulled-pork-sandwich-with-pickled-onions/">Kwistin’s
Favorites</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Sides</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Harvest Rice- <a href="http://blog.webicurean.com/2012/09/23/harvest-rice-with-apples-and-pecans/">Webicurean</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Wild Rice with Apples, Dried Cranberries, and Walnuts – <a href="http://rufflesandtruffles.com/2012/09/wild-rice-with-apples/">Ruffles and
Truffles</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Topped Sweet Potato Mash- <a href="http://mommasmeals.wordpress.com/2012/09/23/apples-apples-and-more-apples-for-sundaysupper/">Momma’s
Meals</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Warm Spice Pecan Raisin Apple Chutney- <a href="http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/2012/09/23/warm-spice-pecan-raisin-apple-chutney-sundaysupper/">Sue’s
Nutrition Buzz</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Desserts</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Double Apple Pot Pie- <a href="http://yummysmells.blogspot.com/2012/09/double-apple-pot-pie-for-sundaysupper.html">What
Smells So Good?</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Walnut Coffee Cake- <a href="http://girlinthelittleredkitchen.com/2012/09/apple-walnut-coffe-cake-sundaysupper/">The
Girl in the Little Red Kitchen</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Streusel Cobbler-<a href="http://www.bigbearswife.com/2012/09/apple-streusel-cobbler-sundaysupper.html"> Big
Bear’s Wife</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple & Moroccan Cinnamon Gooey Sticky Buns- <a href="http://crispybitsnburntends.com/apple-moroccan-cinnamon-gooey-sticky-buns-sundaysupper/">Crispy
Bits & Burnt Ends</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Spiced Caramel Apple Pie-<a href="http://www.chelseasculinaryindulgence.com/2012/09/spiced-caramel-apple-pie-for.html">Chelsea’s
Culinary Indulgence</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Pear Kuchen for #SundaySupper (Apfel Birnen Kuchen)-<a href="http://galactopdx.blogspot.com/2012/09/apple-pear-kuchen-for-sundaysupper.html"> Galactosemia
in PDX</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Strudel -<a href="http://magnoliadays.com/2012/apple-strudel-for-sundaysupper/"> Magnolia
Days</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Old Fashioned Apple Crisp with Caramel Sauce-<a href="http://noshingwiththenolands.com/old-fashioned-apple-crisp-with-caramel-sauce-for-autumn-apple-party-for-sundaysupper/">Noshing
with the Nolands</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Cheesecake-<a href="http://www.vintagekitchennotes.blogspot.com/2012/09/apple-cheesecake-sundaysupper.html"> Vintage
Kitchen</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Caramel Apple Crumble Bars-<a href="http://hezzi-dsbooksandcooks.blogspot.com/2012/09/caramel-apple-crumble-bars-sundaysupper.html"> Hezzi
D’s Books and Cooks</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting- <a href="http://www.fastfood2freshfood.com/2012/09/apple-cake-with-cream-cheese-frosting.html">From
Fast Food to Fresh Food</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Cinnamon Apple Dessert Chimichangas-<a href="http://jcocina.com/apple-cinnamon-dessert-chimichangas-autumn-apple-party-for-sundaysupper/"> Juanita’s
Cocina</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nutella Apple Quesadilla- <a href="http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/?p=3091">Dinners, Dishes, and
Desserts</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Crisp Ice Cream- <a href="http://www.cravingsofalunatic.com/2012/09/apple-crisp-ice-cream-for-our-autumn-apple-party-sundaysupper.html">Cravings
of a Lunatic</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Bavarian Apple Torte- <a href="http://lovelypantry.com/2012/09/bavarian-apple-torte-for-sundaysupper/">The
Lovely Pantry</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Streusel Apple Crumb Pie + Pie Freezer Kits- <a href="http://www.mealplanningmagic.com/2012/09/apple-streusel-crumb-pie-recipe-freezer-kits-sundaysupper.html">Meal
Planning Magic</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
French Apple Cobbler with Cinnamon-Maple Whipped Cream <a href="http://www.wendyweekendgourmet.com/2012/09/autumn-apple-party-for.html">Weekend
Gourmet</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Chunky Apple-Apricot Bread Pudding- <a href="http://www.patti-comfycuisine.blogspot.com/2012/09/chunky-apple-apricot-bread-pudding.html">Comfy
Cuisine</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Butter Spice Cake – <a href="http://homecookingmemories.com/apple-butter-spice-cake/">Home Cooking
Memories</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Pie and Custard- <a href="http://www.happybakingdays.com/2012/09/23/apple-pie/">Happy Baking Days</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
#GlutenFree Deep Dish Carmel Apple Pie-<a href="http://www.cookingunderwriter.com/2012/09/glutenfree-deep-dish-carmel-apple-pie.html"> Cooking
Underwriter</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Brownies <a href="http://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com/2012/09/apple-browniessundaysupper.html">That
Skinny Chick Can Bake</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Country Apple Dumplings- <a href="http://momstestkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/09/a-sundaysupper-autumn-apple-party.html">Mom’s
Test Kitchen</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple-Gingersnap Cookies- <a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2012/09/apple-gingersnap-cookies-welcome-to.html">Tora’s
Real Food</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple and Cranberry Turnovers- <a href="http://www.flouronmyface.com/2012/09/apple-and-cranberry-turnovers-sundaysupper.html">Flour
on my Face</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Applesauce Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake with Caramel Glaze-<a href="http://hipfoodiemom.com/2012/09/23/applesauce-chocolate-chip-bundt-cake-with-caramel-glaze-for-sundaysupper/"> Hip
Foodie Mom</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Caramel Frosted Apple Cookies- <a href="http://tcrumbley.blogspot.com/2012/09/sundaysupper-weekend-apple-party.html">No
One Likes Crumbley Cookies</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple and Pecans Cake- <a href="http://www.basicndelicious.blogspot.com/2012/09/apple-and-pecans-cake-for-sundaysupper.html">Basic
N Delicious</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Pull Apart Monkey Bread- <a href="http://gottagetbaked.com/2012/09/23/apple-pull-apart-monkey-bread-for-a-sundaysupper-autumn-apple-party/">Gotta
Get Baked</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<h3>
Beverages</h3>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Spiced Apple Ale <a href="http://www.smallwalletbigappetite.com/2012/09/spiced-apple-ale-sundaysupper.html">Small
Wallet Big Appetite</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Apple Chia Tea- <a href="http://pippisinthekitchenagain.wordpress.com/2012/09/23/sundaysupper-apple-chai-tea/">Pippi’s
in the Kitchen Again</a><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Please be sure you join us on Twitter throughout the day
during #SundaySupper. We’ll be meeting up at 7:00 pm (Eastern) for
our weekly #SundaySupper live chat where we’ll talk about our favorite apple
recipes! All you have to do is follow the <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/search/?q=%23SundaySupper&src=savs" target="_blank">#SundaySupper hashtag</a>, or you can follow us through TweetChat!
We’d also love to feature your apple recipes on our <a href="http://pinterest.com/thesundaysupper/sundaysupper/" target="_blank">#SundaySupper
Pinterest board</a> and share them with all of our followers!</div>
Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-1858717804784526442012-09-16T01:00:00.000-07:002012-09-16T14:14:28.779-07:00Pork tacos for Mexican Independence Day and #SundaySupper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9vguqSPJwNo/UFUer_X6tzI/AAAAAAAAA6U/-3NuUJ_yOFY/s1600/photo+(45).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9vguqSPJwNo/UFUer_X6tzI/AAAAAAAAA6U/-3NuUJ_yOFY/s640/photo+(45).JPG" title="Pork tacos" width="480" /></a></div>
<br />
I must confess: Until a few weeks ago when the idea of a fiesta for Sunday Supper was first suggested, I had no idea today is Mexican Independence Day, the day when the <i>Grito de Dolores</i> (Cry of Dolores) was first sounded on September 16, 1810. Now the day is commemorated throughout Mexico with the ringing of bells, singing of the national anthem, and reading of the names of the heroes of the Mexican War of Independence.<br />
<br />
My knowledge of Mexico is pretty weird and spotty. I love the great modern painters of Mexico, such as Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, and Rufino Tamayo. As an anthropology major in college, one of my favorite teachers specialized in Mexico, so I learned a lot about <i>mestizo </i>and <i>indio </i>cultures, as well as a rather detailed ethnography of a fishing village on the Gulf coast.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of firsthand experience of the rich culture of Mexico. I spent half a day in Juarez nearly 20 years ago. What do I have an inkling of is the richness of Mexican culinary heritage. Mexican food culture runs deep. Take something as simple and profound as a corn tortilla, which represents a legacy of transforming a simple wild grass (<i>teosinte</i>) into domestic corn over about ten thousand years. But that's not the whole story of corn, consider also the discovery of using slaked lime to make the nutrients of the corn available for human consumption. Another example of the brilliant, extraordinary food heritage that belongs to all humans. Because of this brilliance and the complex flavors that corn tortillas give to food, I've used corn tortillas here, but feel free to use flour tortillas if you prefer them.<br />
<br />
Another nod this recipe makes to the deep and complex history of Mexico (and the Americas in general) is in the use of pork (and well, I just like pork). In some ways, pigs could be the poster child of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbian_Exchange" target="_blank">Columbian Exchange</a>, which Charles C. Mann describes in his fascinating book, <i><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/books/review/1493-uncovering-the-new-world-columbus-created-by-charles-c-mann-book-review.html?pagewanted=all" target="_blank">1493: Uncovering the New World Columbus Created.</a> </i>Pigs were first brought to the Americas by Columbus himself, who had eight pigs on his ship (just in case). However, Hernando de Soto really introduced the pig into the Americas. His original 13 pigs became 700 in just a few years, not counting the escapees that became the feral pigs we still see today.* Sadly, the pigs were probably also one of the most important vectors for the diseases that decimated the Americas and distorted our perception of the level of New World civilization and the number of people who lived here before the arrival of Europeans.<br />
<br />
I could probably go on and on about the origins, history, and heritage of the ingredients in this dish, but it would likely get tedious for anyone but the biggest food and history geeks out there. Suffice it to say that just about every food we eat has roots and history and meaning, has a story. It's easy to forget when faced with brightly colored plastic packages in the grocery store that shout "New! New! New!" and sport long lists of unpronouncable words, but not so easy to forget when faced with the dignity and simplicity of a warm tortilla, or the complexity of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mole_(sauce)" target="_blank"><i>mole</i> </a>sauce. At any rate, this recipe is a nod to Mexico and to the Columbian Exchange. I hope you enjoy it.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fg1KPNGEb8Q/UFU27MvS5oI/AAAAAAAAA7A/egRnHOP4P5M/s1600/photo+(46).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fg1KPNGEb8Q/UFU27MvS5oI/AAAAAAAAA7A/egRnHOP4P5M/s640/photo+(46).JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<div>
For the pork:</div>
<br />
<ul>
<li>pork shoulder (also known as a pork butt), about five pounds</li>
<li>2 cups orange juice</li>
<li>1/2 cup soy sauce</li>
<li>juice from two limes</li>
<li>2-3 large cloves garlic, peeled and smashed</li>
<li>1 onion, thinly sliced</li>
<li>1 tsp ground cumin</li>
<li>1 tsp ground coriander</li>
<li>1 Tbsp dried oregano</li>
<li>1/2 tsp dried and ground chipotle pepper (you could also use some chopped, canned chipotles, about a Tbsp)</li>
<li>10 black peppercorns</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt</li>
</ul>
For the tacos:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>shredded pork, drizzled with some of the juice from cooking</li>
<li>corn tortillas, warmed in a cast-iron pan</li>
<li>fresh tomato salsa (or just chop some good tomatoes, a little onion, a little bell pepper, and a little cilantro)</li>
<li>sour cream mixed with some milk so that you can drizzle it</li>
<li>shredded cheese, if desired</li>
</ul>
<h3>
Directions</h3>
<div>
<ol>
<li>Combine all the ingredients for the pork in a Dutch oven, or other heavy cast-iron pot with a lid. Place it in a 300-degree oven for three to four hours (turn over the meat at least once). This would probably also work well in a slow cooker.</li>
<li>Let the meat cool a little and then pull it off the bone and shred it using forks. Drizzle the meat with some of the cooking liquid. (Strain the liquid and set it aside for another use.)</li>
<li>Heat the tortillas and serve with the shredded pork, salsa, sour cream, and shredded cheese.</li>
</ol>
And now that you have some delicious, tasty tacos (if you have any leftover meat, consider making some quesadillas tomorrow, or top a salad), why don't you check out all the wonderful recipes that the Sunday Supper crew is serving up for a Mexican Independence Day fiesta. Also, please share your favorite Mexican and Mexican-inspired recipes during the #SundaySupper chat on Twitter at 7 p.m. Eastern time.<br />
<h3>
Sopas (Soups), Ensaladas (Salads), and Entremeses (Starters)</h3>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://girlinthelittleredkitchen.com/2012/09/chicken-tortilla-soup-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Chicken Tortilla Soup</a> - The Girl in the Little Red
Kitchen </li>
<li><a href="http://crispybitsnburntends.com/mexican-paint-soup-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Mexican Paint Soup</a> - Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends </li>
<li><a href="http://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2012/09/16/jalapeno-popper-dip-for-sundaysupper-mexican-fiesta/" target="_blank">Jalapeño Popper Dip</a> - Chocolate Moosey</li>
<li><a href="http://galactopdx.blogspot.com/2012/09/vegan-tortilla-soup-for-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Vegan Tortilla Soup</a> - Galactosemia in PDX</li>
<li><a href="http://rufflesandtruffles.com/2012/09/texas-caviar/" target="_blank">Texas Caviar</a> - Ruffles and Truffles</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mamasblissfulbites.com/2012/09/16/sundaysupper-stuffed-cheese-jalapenos-w-a-tequila-sunrise/" target="_blank">Cheese-Stuffed Jalapeños w/ a Tequila Sunrise</a> - Mama's
Blissful Bites</li>
<li><a href="http://dailydishrecipes.com/7-layer-dip-for-mexican-fiesta-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Mexican 7 Layer Dip & Chips</a> - The Daily Dish
Recipes </li>
<li><a href="http://familyfoodie.com/stop-light-salsa-mexican-fiesta-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Stoplight Salsa Recipe</a> - Family Foodie</li>
<li><a href="http://www.diabeticfoodie.com/2012/09/tortilla-soup-with-roasted-vegetables-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Tortilla Soup with Roasted Vegetables</a> - Diabetic
Foodie</li>
<li><a href="http://www.bigbearswife.com/2012/09/mini-taco-salads-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Mini Taco Salads</a> - Big Bear's Wife</li>
</ul>
<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<h3>
La Comida (the Food)</h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://thehandthatrockstheladle.wordpress.com/2012/09/16/chicken-and-white-bean-enchilada/" target="_blank">Fiesta en tu Boca Enchiladas (Chicken & White Bean
Enchiladas w/ Salsa Verde)</a> - The Hand That Rocks the Ladle </li>
<li><a href="http://www.cookingunderwriter.com/2012/09/glutefree-chicken-spinach-artichoke.html" target="_blank">Gluten-Free Chicken Spinach Artichoke Enchiladas for
#SundaySupper</a> - Cooking Underwriter </li>
<li><a href="http://chatteringkitchen.com/2012/09/16/mexican-fiesta-for-sundaysupper-chipotle-chicken-3-bean-quesadillas-with-wasabi-guacamole-and-mango-salsa/" target="_blank">Mexican Fiesta for #SundaySupper: Chipotle Chicken & 3 Bean
Quesadillas w/ Wasabi Guacamole and Mango Salsa</a> - Chattering Kitchen </li>
<li><a href="http://www.mycatholickitchen.com/2012/09/carnitas-for-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Carnitas</a> - My Catholic Kitchen </li>
<li><a href="http://noshingwiththenolands.com/tamale-pie-for-mexican-feista-at-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Tamale Pie</a> - Noshing with the Nolands </li>
<li><a href="http://www.themeltaways.com/2012/09/16/huevos-motulenos-for-a-mexican-fiesta-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Eggs Motuleños</a> - The Meltaways</li>
<li><a href="http://www.smallwalletbigappetite.com/2012/09/grilled-fish-tacos-with-black-bean-and-corn-salsa-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Grilled Fish Tacos with Black Bean and Corn Salsa</a> -
Small Wallet Big Appetite</li>
<li><a href="http://magnoliadays.com/2012/carne-asada-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Carne Asada</a> - Magnolia Days</li>
<li><a href="http://damndelicious.tumblr.com/post/31646833847/carnitas-avocado-pizza-with-chipotle-avocado-mayonnaise" target="_blank">Carnitas Avocado Pizza with Chipotle Avocado Mayonnaise Drizzle</a> -
Damn Delicious</li>
<li><a href="http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2012/09/frijoles-charros-rancheros-cowboy-beans.html" target="_blank">Frijoles Charros (Cowboy Beans)</a> - La Cocina de Leslie</li>
<li><a href="http://www.girlichef.com/2012/09/PuercoPibilCochinitaPibil.html" target="_blank">Puerco Pibil</a> - girlichef</li>
<li><a href="http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/blt-quesadilla-with-avocado-mayo-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">BLT Quesadillas with Avocado Mayo</a> - Cindy's Recipes
and Writings </li>
<li><a href="http://bobbiskozykitchen.blogspot.com/2012/09/chili-rellenos-with-roasted-tomato.html" target="_blank">Chile Rellenos with Roasted Tomato Sauce</a> - Bobbi's
Kozy Kitchen </li>
<li><a href="http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/?p=3039" target="_blank">Tamales with Green Chili Sauce</a> - Dinners, Dishes, and
Desserts</li>
<li><a href="http://hezzi-dsbooksandcooks.blogspot.com/2012/09/beef-and-vegetable-enchiladas.html" target="_blank">Beef and Vegetable Enchiladas</a> - Hezzi D's Books and
Cooks</li>
<li><a href="http://mommasmeals.wordpress.com/2012/09/16/chicken-con-queso-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Chicken Con Queso</a> - Momma's Meals</li>
<li><a href="http://homecookingmemories.com/baked-flautas/" target="_blank">Baked Flautas</a> - Home Cooking Memories</li>
<li><a href="http://yummysmells.blogspot.com/2012/09/chunky-aztec-chocolate-granola-for.html" target="_blank">Chunky Aztec Chocolate Granola</a> - What Smells So
Good? </li>
<li><a href="http://sustainabledad.com/?p=1330" target="_blank">Street
Tacos Al Pastor</a> - Sustainable Dad</li>
<li><a href="http://pippisinthekitchenagain.wordpress.com/2012/09/16/sundaysupper-shrimp-tacos/" target="_blank">Shrimp Tacos</a> - Pippi's in the Kitchen Again </li>
<li><a href="http://littleferrarokitchen.com/2012/09/chile-relleno-with-ranchero-sauce-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Chile Relleno with Ranchero Sauce</a> - The Little Ferraro
Kitchen </li>
<li><a href="http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/2012/09/16/zippy-high-fiber-chipotle-shrimp-mango-tostadas-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Zippy Chipotle Shrimp & Mango Tostadas</a> - Sue's
Nutrition Buzz </li>
<li><a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2012/09/pork-tacos-for-mexican-independence-day.html" target="_blank">Pork Tacos</a> - Tora's Real Food</li>
<li><a href="http://jcocina.com/stuffed-sopapillas-mexican-fiesta-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Stuffed Sopapillas</a> - Juanita's Cocina</li>
<li><a href="http://www.cravingsofalunatic.com/2012/09/chicken-fajitas-for-sundaysupper-mexican-fiesta.html" target="_blank">Chicken Fajitas</a> - Cravings of a Lunatic</li>
<li><a href="http://www.pescetarianjournal.com/2012/09/blue-crab-tacos-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Blue Crab Tacos</a> - Pescetarian Journal</li>
<li><a href="http://www.patti-comfycuisine.blogspot.com/2012/09/huevos-rancheros-mexican-fiesta.html" target="_blank">Huevos Rancheros</a> - Comfy Cuisine</li>
</ul>
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<h3>
Postres (Desserts)</h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.vintagekitchennotes.blogspot.com/2012/09/chocolate-cinnamon-flan-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Chocolate Cinnamon Flan</a> - Vintage Kitchen Notes </li>
<li><a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithkp.com/recipe/caramel-apple-enchiladas-for-a-mexican-fiesta-sundaysupper" target="_blank">Caramel Apple Enchiladas for a Mexican Fiesta #SundaySupper</a> -
In the Kitchen with KP</li>
<li><a href="http://www.happybakingdays.com/2012/09/16/mexican-chilli-chocolate-truffles-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Chilli Chocolate Truffles</a> - Happy Baking Days</li>
<li><a href="http://kwistinsfavorites.wordpress.com/2012/09/15/sundaysupper-horchata-ice-cream-con-churro-brownies-mexicanfiesta/" target="_blank">Horchata Ice Cream & Churro Brownies</a> - Kwistin's
Favorites</li>
<li><a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithaudrey.com/2012/09/strawberry-empanadas-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Strawberry Empanadas</a> - In the Kitchen with Audrey and
Maureen </li>
<li><a href="http://www.fastfood2freshfood.com/2012/09/plantain-fritters-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Plantain Fritters</a> - From Fast Food to Fresh Food</li>
<li><a href="http://thewateringmouth.com/fried-cinnamon-sugar-tortillas-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Fried Cinnamon Sugar Tortillas</a> - The Watering Mouth</li>
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Bebidas (Beverages)</h3>
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<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com/2012/09/beer-margaritassundaysupper-mexianfiesta.html" target="_blank">Beer Margaritas</a> - That Skinny Chick can bake </li>
<li><a href="http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/hatch-chile-margarita-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Hatch Chile Margarita</a> - Shockingly Delicious</li>
<li><a href="http://www.irunforwine.net/2012/09/skinny-and-spicy-watermelon-margarita.html" target="_blank">Skinny & Spicy Watermelon Margaritas</a> - I Run for
Wine</li>
<li><a href="http://www.mamamommymom.com/2012/09/refreshing-kiwi-lime-margarita.html" target="_blank">Refreshing Kiwi Lime Margarita</a> - Mama Mommy Mom</li>
<li><a href="http://enofylzwineblog.com/2012/09/16/mexican-fiesta-ss/" target="_blank">Wine
Pairings for a Mexican Fiesta #SundaySupper</a> - ENOFYLZ</li>
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* <a href="http://www.austinchronicle.com/food/2009-04-10/764573/" target="_blank">"A History of Pigs in America"</a> by Mick Vann, <i>The Austin Chronicle,</i> April 10, 2009.Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-86726229678642875392012-09-02T04:43:00.000-07:002012-09-02T05:58:05.871-07:00Potato salad with Stilton and bacon for a Labor Day Cookout and #SundaySupper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7WmIMbUzM7w/UEKnfsZGTAI/AAAAAAAAA5I/dP59Sv_NBRY/s1600/100_7379.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7WmIMbUzM7w/UEKnfsZGTAI/AAAAAAAAA5I/dP59Sv_NBRY/s400/100_7379.JPG" title="Potato salad with Stilton and bacon" width="400" /></a></div>
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Labor Day weekend. The last big hurrah of summer. Parties, trips to the beach, barbecues, a whole host of last-minute summer fun jam-packed into a few short days before school starts and work settles in for the long haul of fall.<br />
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For me this year, it's a final wild sprint at the end of a somewhat exhausting summer. This is the first time I've been home with my son all day since he was a newborn, while at the same time maintaining a pretty full schedule as a freelance editor and writer on weekends and evenings. I am a little worn out.<br />
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If I think about it, the end of summer is always a little tough for me. I key in to the waning of the light, my energy drags, my tolerance for the heat reaches its end, and the fun parts of summer just don't seem that fun anymore.<br />
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But in a few weeks, I will start to perk up again. The temperature will slowly come down. The angle and quality of the light will change, mellowing, growing richer, gilding nature while the leaves turn color. And I will crank up the tunes while I fly down highways, exulting in the light and adventure that fall always seems to promise. And there will be fall food: rich stews, apples, hot cider, warm soup, pumpkin caramels, cookies.<br />
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For now, though, there's Labor Day, and it is still hot here in Northern Virginia and is likely to be for several more weeks. Which is why a nice cool potato salad seems a great choice to bring to a cookout, like the one that #SundaySupper is having this week. This potato salad is salty with crunchy bacon and smooth Stilton (by far my favorite blue cheese), acidic with the tang of apple cider vinegar, and mellow with the earthiness of potatoes. I like to use a mix of small potatoes, blues, reds, yellows, but you can use any type you've got. Just make sure to cut up the potatoes into nice bite size pieces. This recipe was inspired by <a href="http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2000/08/potato_and_blue_cheese_salad" target="_blank">a recipe I read in Bon Appetit magazine</a> about 12 years ago, which I have simplified a little. Both versions taste fantastic and really turn a simple potato salad into something special. <br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>3 lbs of potatoes (mixed colors if possible), cut into bite-size pieces</li>
<li>6 Tbsps olive oil</li>
<li>4 Tbsps apple cider vinegar</li>
<li>1 shallot, minced</li>
<li>1 Tbsp grainy Dijon mustard</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt</li>
<li>1/4 tsp ground white pepper</li>
<li>1 small bunch of chives, chopped finely</li>
<li>1 cup Stilton, crumbled (you can use another blue cheese if you prefer, but make sure it's a very good quality cheese)</li>
<li>6 slices bacon, cooked until crispy, crumbled</li>
</ul>
<b>Directions</b><br />
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<ol>
<li>Whisk olive oil, apple cider vinegar, minced shallots, mustard, salt, white pepper, and chives in a large bowl. </li>
<li>Cook bacon until it's crispy, drain it on paper towels, and crumble it. </li>
<li>Boil potatoes for 10-15 minutes until they are tender when you poke them with a fork, but still hold their shape.</li>
<li>Drain the potatoes. While they are still hot, add them to the vinaigrette and combine thoroughly. Allow the potatoes to cool to room temperature. </li>
<li>Just before serving the potato salad, add the bacon and the Stilton to the potatoes and combine thoroughly.</li>
</ol>
To find out what the rest of the #SundaySupper group is bringing to the Labor Day Cookout, check out all these great recipes, which we will be sharing all day long on Twitter. Also, don't forget to join the #SundaySupper live chat at7 pm ET and tweet your own cookout recipes.<br />
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<b>Starters and Snacks</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<ul>
<li>Lobster Salad with Avocado, Corn, and Tomatoes by <a href="http://girlinthelittleredkitchen.com/2012/09/lobster-salad-with-avocado-corn-and-tomatoes-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen</a></li>
<li>Grilled Vegetable Spread by <a href="http://magnoliadays.com/2012/grilled-vegetable-spread-for-laborday-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Magnolia Days</a></li>
<li>Toast Topper #8: Tomato Confit for #SundaySupper by <a href="http://yummysmells.blogspot.com/2012/09/toast-topper-8-tomato-confit-for.html" target="_blank">Yummy Smells</a></li>
<li>Honey BBQ Wings and Cool Ranch by<a href="http://www.bigbearswife.com/2012/09/honey-bbq-wings-and-cool-ranch.html" target="_blank"> Big Bears Wife</a></li>
<li>Finger Lickin’ Chicken Drumettes by <a href="http://noshingwiththenolands.com/finger-lickin-chicken-drumetteslabour-day-cookout-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Noshing with the Nolands </a></li>
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<ul>
<li>Baked Shrimp and Pasta Caprese by <a href="http://www.mamasblissfulbites.com/2012/09/02/sundaysupper-baked-shrimp-and-pasta-caprese/" target="_blank">Mama’s Blissful Bites</a></li>
<li>Korean chili by <a href="http://crispybitsnburntends.com/korean-kimchi-chili-and-sundaysupper-labor-day-cook-out/" target="_blank">Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends</a></li>
<li>Newfangled Cowtown White Chicken Chili by <a href="http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/newfangled-cowtown-white-chicken-chili-for-labor-day-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Shockingly Delicious</a></li>
<li>Strawberry BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches by <a href="http://www.wendyweekendgourmet.com/2012/09/sundaysupper-labor-day-cookoutfeaturing.html" target="_blank">The Weekend Gourmet</a></li>
<li>Spicy Seoulful Pulled Pork Sandwiches by <a href="http://www.kimchimom.com/2012/09/spicy-seoulful-pulled-pork-sandwiches-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Kimchi Mom</a></li>
<li>Soy Glazed Chicken Thighs by <a href="http://themessybakerblog.com/2012/09/02/sundaysupper-soy-glazed-chicken/" target="_blank">The Messy Baker Blog</a></li>
<li>Stuffed Green Chili con Queso Cheeseburger Sliders by <a href="http://damndelicious.tumblr.com/post/30710403723/stuffed-green-chili-con-queso-cheeseburger-sliders" target="_blank">Damn Delicious</a></li>
<li>Adana kebab by <a href="http://www.smallwalletbigappetite.com/2012/09/adana-kebab-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Small Wallet, Big Appetite</a></li>
<li>Portabello Paninis by <a href="http://thehandthatrockstheladle.wordpress.com/2012/09/02/sundaysupper-portabello-paninis/" target="_blank">The Hand That Rocks the Ladle</a></li>
<li>Bloody Mary Skirt Steak by <a href="http://www.fastfood2freshfood.com/2012/09/bloody-mary-skirt-steak-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">From Fast Food to Fresh Food</a></li>
<li>Tuna and Roasted Pepper Packets by <a href="http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/tuna-and-roasted-red-pepper-packets-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Cindy’s Recipes & Writings</a></li>
<li>Mint Marinated Beef Kabobs with Garlic Sauce by <a href="http://sustainabledad.com/?p=1284" target="_blank">Sustainable Dad</a></li>
<li>Creamy Latin Style Pasta by <a href="http://bobbiskozykitchen.blogspot.com/2012/09/creamy-latin-style-pasta-salad-for.html" target="_blank">Bobbi’s Kozy Kitchen</a></li>
<li>Spicy Portuguese Style Sliders by<a href="http://dailydishrecipes.com/spicy-portuguese-style-chorizo-sliders-sundaysupper/" target="_blank"> Daily Dish Recipes</a></li>
<li>Aromatic Glazed Salmon by<a href="http://www.happybakingdays.com/2012/09/02/aromatic-glazed-salmon/" target="_blank"> Happy Baking Days</a></li>
<li>Pork sliders by<a href="http://www.basicndelicious.blogspot.com/2012/09/pork-sliders-sundaysupper-cookout.html" target="_blank"> Basic ‘N Delicious</a></li>
<li>Foil Packet Chicken by <a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithaudrey.com/2012/09/foil-packet-chicken-sundaysupper.html#.UENEEY1lT8Y" target="_blank">In the Kitchen with Audrey</a></li>
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<b>Salads and Sides</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<ul>
<li>Mom’s Savory Pork’n’Beans by <a href="http://blog.webicurean.com/2012/09/02/moms-savory-pork-n-beans/" target="_blank">Webicurean</a></li>
<li>Ranch Potato Salad by <a href="http://www.mycatholickitchen.com/2012/09/ranch-potato-salad-sunday-supper.html" target="_blank">My Catholic Kitchen</a></li>
<li>Gluten Free Penne hot salad with basil, asparagus, cherry
tomatoes fresh mozzarella and chicken with a mustard vineagarete for
#SundaySupper by <a href="http://www.cookingunderwriter.com/2012/09/gluten-free-penne-hot-salad-with-basil.html" target="_blank">Cooking Underwriter</a></li>
<li>Southern Surprise Potato Salad by <a href="http://www.grannyssoutherncooking.blogspot.com/2012/09/sundaysupper-labordaycookout-southern.html" target="_blank">Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking</a></li>
<li>#SundaySupper Marinated Ginger Chicken & Spinach Salad
by<a href="http://kwistinsfavorites.wordpress.com/2012/09/02/sundaysupper-marinated-ginger-chicken-spinach-salad/" target="_blank"> Kwistin’s Favorites</a></li>
<li>Roasted Potato & Corn Salad w/ Bacon by<a href="http://www.girlichef.com/2012/09/RoastedPotatoCornSaladBacon.html" target="_blank"> GirliChef</a></li>
<li>Vegan Caprese Salad by <a href="http://galactopdx.blogspot.com/2012/09/vegan-caprese-salad-for-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Galactosemia in PDX</a></li>
<li>Picnic Friendly Grilled Vegetable Salad by <a href="http://www.mamamommymom.com/2012/09/picnic-friendly-grilled-vegetable-salad.html" target="_blank">Mama Mommy Mom</a></li>
<li>Smokin Hot Caribbean Spiced Corn-On-The-Cob by <a href="http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/2012/09/02/smokin-hot-caribbean-spiced-corn-on-the-cob-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Sue’s Nutrition Buzz</a></li>
<li>Tomato Feta Orzo Salad by <a href="http://familyfoodie.com/tomato-orzo-feta-salad-labor-day-cookout-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Family Foodie </a></li>
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<ul>
<li>Frozen Sangria by <a href="http://www.supperforasteal.com/frozen-sangria-for-labor-day-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Supper For a Steal</a></li>
<li>Persian mint & cucumber cooler (sekanjabeen) by <a href="http://familyspice.com/persian-mint-cucumber-cooler-sekanjabin/" target="_blank">Family Spice</a></li>
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<ul>
<li>Lightened lemon pound cake by<a href="http://www.themeltaways.com/2012/09/02/lightened-lemon-pound-cake-for-a-labor-day-sundaysupper/" target="_blank"> The Meltaways</a></li>
<li>Root Beer Float Cupcakes by <a href="http://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2012/09/02/root-beer-float-cupcakes-for-laborday-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Chocolate Moosey</a></li>
<li>Strawberry Cream Squares by <a href="http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/?p=2920" target="_blank">Dinners,
Dishes and Desserts</a></li>
<li>Fresh Mango Pie by <a href="http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2012/09/fresh-mango-pie-w-maseca-crumb-topping.html" target="_blank">La Cocina De Leslie</a></li>
<li>Brown Butter M&M Cookies by <a href="http://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com/2012/09/brown-butter-m-cookiessundaysupper.html" target="_blank">That Skinny Chick Can Bake</a></li>
<li>Gluten Free Lemon Blondies by <a href="http://tcrumbley.blogspot.com/2012/09/sundaysupper-gluten-free-lemon-blondies.html" target="_blank">No One Likes Crumbley Cookies</a></li>
<li>Blueberry Lemon Cream Cheese Coffee Cake by <a href="http://bakerstreet.tv/2012/09/blueberry-lemon-cream-cheese-coffee-cake/" target="_blank">Baker Street</a></li>
<li>Strawberry Pie + White Sangria by <a href="http://www.vintagekitchennotes.blogspot.com/2012/09/strawberry-tart-white-sangria.html" target="_blank">Vintage Kitchen Notes</a></li>
<li>Grilled Banana Splits by <a href="http://www.diabeticfoodie.com/2012/09/grilled-banana-splits-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Diabetic Foodie</a></li>
<li>Easy Desserts: Frozen Chocolate Bananas by <a href="http://homecookingmemories.com/easy-desserts-frozen-chocolate-bananas/" target="_blank">Home Cooking Memories </a></li>
<li>Ice Cream Sandwich Cake by <a href="http://www.patti-comfycuisine.blogspot.com/2012/09/ice-cream-sandwich-cake-sundaysuper.html" target="_blank">Comfy Cuisine</a></li>
<li>Blueberry Lemon Whoopie Pies for a Holiday Cookout
#SundaySupper by <a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithkp.com/recipe/blueberry-lemon-whoopie-pies-for-a-holiday-cookout-sundaysupper" target="_blank">In the Kitchen with KP</a></li>
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<b>Wine Pairings</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<ul>
<li>Labor Day Cookout Food And Wine Pairings by <a href="http://enofylzwineblog.com/2012/09/01/labor-day-cookout-food-and-wine-pairings-2/" target="_blank">ENOFYLZ</a></li>
</ul>
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Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-4620119552285194672012-08-28T19:09:00.000-07:002012-08-28T19:09:34.869-07:00Tarragon-lemon roasted chicken<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've got a thriving tarragon plant in the garden. It's become a bit of a mess, as tarragon tends to do. So, I thought I would switch up my <a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2011/04/so-what-am-i-doing-with-this-blog.html" target="_blank">usual roast chicken routine</a> and add a bit of tarragon to the mix. If you've never had tarragon, it's an intense herb with a slight licorice-y flavor and a bit of a tingle on the tongue. But even if you don't like licorice, try it anyway, something magical happens when you combine it into a savory dish. Tarragon is the herb used to flavor bearnaise sauce, which is my all-time favorite sauce. I plan to try to harvest the rest of my tarragon in a few weeks, chop it up, and freeze in cubes. (Or I may just make an enormous batch of <a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2012/06/grilled-pork-chops-with-tarragon-butter.html" target="_blank">tarragon butter</a> and freeze that. That's if I don't just eat it all at once, of course.)<br />
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Roasting a whole chicken is definitely a time-consuming task, but it's well worth it, and you'll be able to get at least two to four or more meals out of it (meal 1: eat chicken with roasted potatoes; meal 2: make chicken sandwiches; meal 3: pick most of the chicken off the bones and make chicken salad for sandwiches; meal 4: save the carcass in the freezer to make stock another time).<br />
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Here's how to do it.<br />
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<b>Step 1: </b>Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees (Fahrenheit). Butter a deep baking dish. Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water and pat it dry with paper towels.<br />
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<b>Step 2: </b>Remove leaves from about three sprigs of tarragon and chop them finely. Blend the chopped leaves into about half a cup of softened, salted butter.<br />
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<b>Step 3: </b>Salt and pepper the chicken liberally, on both sides and inside the cavity of the chicken.<br />
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<b>Step 4: </b>Wash a lemon well. Squeeze out the juice and set it aside. Stuff the remaining lemon halves inside the chicken.<br />
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<b>Step 5: </b>Use 2-3 tablespoons of tarragon butter (set the rest aside for another use) and smear it under the skin of the chicken. (To loosen the skin, gently push fingers underneath and detach it from the meat. By the way, this is also a great technique for flavoring your Thanksgiving turkey.)<br />
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<b>Step 6:</b> Place the chicken in the buttered baking dish and add about two cups of water to the bottom of the dish to keep the chicken from drying out. (Feel free to pat a little more butter on top of the chicken if you are so inclined.) Slide the pan into the oven and set your timer for 30 minutes.<br />
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<b>Step 7: </b>After 30 minutes, take the chicken out of the oven. Sprinkle half of the reserved lemon juice over the top of the chicken. Then turn the chicken over and sprinkle the remaining lemon juice over the other side. (My only advice for turning the chicken? Use two large spoons or spatulas and be careful. It's not an elegant operation.)<br />
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<b>Step 8: </b>From this point on, turn the chicken every 20 minutes or so. Make sure to spend 2-3 minutes spooning the liquid in the baking dish over both sides of the chicken. The chicken will be done in about 2 hours and 15 minutes (to check for doneness, use either a thermometer or stick a fork or knife into the thickest part of the thigh, if the juices run clear, the chicken is fully cooked).<br />
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<b>Step 9:</b> When the chicken is fully cooked, remove it from the oven and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before serving it. In the meantime, you can make gravy with the pan drippings if you so desire.<br />
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<b>Simple pan gravy:</b><br />
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<ol>
<li>Pour the pan drippings into a separator cup and let the drippings divide into two layers. (The top layer will be the fat layer.) Spoon off about 3 Tbsps of the fat and add it to a pan. </li>
<li>Add 3 Tbsps flour to the hot fat. Let the mixture cook for a couple of minutes. </li>
<li>Whisking continuously, add the liquid part of the pan drippings (should be about 1 to 1.5 cups) to the fat-flour mixture in the pan. Let the gravy thicken over medium heat. If the gravy is too salty, add a little cream or half-and-half. </li>
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Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-5068687784807518012012-08-26T04:00:00.000-07:002012-08-26T06:01:38.871-07:00Pasta with sausage and cherry tomatoes: A quick back-to-school dinner for #SundaySupper<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Just a few days ago, it seemed, long months of summer stretched out before me. And now I find myself a week from the first day of school, preparing to shift into the high gear of fall, planning meals, schedules, days. How does time get away like that?<br />
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This week, Sunday Supper is about fast and easy back-to-school meals to help you get a tasty meal on the table fast. I've made one of my favorite go-to dishes: pasta with sausage and cherry tomatoes, which takes advantage of the tomato bounty that's still to be found at the farmers market. But the nice thing about this dish is how incredibly easy it is to vary, using what's in season and at the height of flavor and nutrition. I've provided a few suggestions for variations at the end of the recipe. And don't forget to check out what else is cooking for Sunday Supper this week. This group of bloggers has really served up a bounty of recipes that should help you (and me) get a delicious dinner on the table fast. <br />
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<h3>
Ingredients</h3>
<ul>
<li>1 lb pork sausage (sweet or hot Italian-style as you prefer, casings removed)</li>
<li>1 lb dried pasta (I used rombi in this recipe, but most shapes will do fine)</li>
<li>1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved</li>
<li>1-2 cloves garlic, crushed</li>
<li>1 cup half and half or heavy cream (+ more as needed)</li>
<li>1 packed cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano</li>
<li>1 tsp dried thyme</li>
<li>1/4 tsp ground white pepper</li>
<li>1 pinch red pepper flakes (optional)</li>
</ul>
<h3>
<b>Instructions</b></h3>
<ol>
<li>Start a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. When it comes to a rolling boil, cook the pasta according to package instructions and drain.</li>
<li>While the water starts to boil and the pasta cooks, start cooking the sausage in a wide, deep pan over medium heat (to render out some of the fat), breaking it up into crumbles as it cooks. (If you use turkey sausage, add some oil to the pan before cooking so that it doesn't dry out.) Cook the sausage until fully cooked and nicely browned. Keep the sausage warm on low heat until you've got about 5 minutes left of pasta cooking time. </li>
<li>Raise the heat of the pan with the sausage to medium high. Add the crushed garlic to the pan and cook for a minute, stirring frequently. Don't let it burn; burnt garlic is awful. </li>
<li>Add the tomatoes to the pan. Let them cook for about a minute. </li>
<li>Add the cheese and the half and half or cream to the pan. Cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 1-2 minutes. (Add more half and half or cream if the sauce seems too scanty.)</li>
<li>Season the sauce with thyme, white pepper, and red pepper flakes if using. </li>
<li>Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sausage, tomatoes, and sauce. Mix in the pasta and let it soak in the sauce for about a minute or two. Taste it to make sure the seasoning is to your liking. Serve and enjoy. </li>
</ol>
<h3>
<b>Variations</b></h3>
<ul>
<li>When the sausage is cooked, add thinly sliced half-moons of two leeks to the pan and let them soften before adding the tomatoes. </li>
<li>Add a sliced bell pepper at about the same time you add the tomatoes. </li>
<li>Add a cup of frozen peas about a minute before you add the garlic. </li>
<li>Instead of using tomatoes, add bite size pieces of broccoli or cauliflower early in the cook time. </li>
<li>Replace the tomatoes with sliced leeks and sugar snap peas. </li>
<li>Add a cup of steamed, cubed butternut squash and a handful of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepita" target="_blank">pepitas</a> after cooking the sauce. </li>
</ul>
<h3>
<b>The Sunday Supper Lineup</b></h3>
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Here's the whole lineup of quick back-to-school meals from the Sunday Supper group. Don't forget to tune into the chat on Twitter at 7 EST using the hashtag #SundaySupper<br />
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<ul>
<li>Greek Dogs by <a href="http://www.supperforasteal.com/greek-dogs-for-back-to-school-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Supper For a Steal</a></li>
<li>Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad by <a href="http://magnoliadays.com/2012/grilled-chicken-caesar-salad-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Magnolia Days</a></li>
<li>Double Duty Fajita Chicken: Nachos Supreme and Enchiladas
by <a href="http://www.doggieatthedinnertable.blogspot.com/2012/08/double-duty-chicken-fajitas-for-sunday.html" target="_blank">Doggie at the Dinner Table </a></li>
<li>Zucchini, Corn and Bacon Crepes by <a href="http://vintagekitchennotes.blogspot.com/2012/08/zucchini-corn-and-bacon-crepes.html" target="_blank"> Vintage Kitchen</a></li>
<li>Oregon Shrimp Quesadillas by <a href="http://www.pescetarianjournal.com/2012/08/oregon-shrimp-quesadillas-backtoschool.html" target="_blank">Pescetarian Journal </a></li>
<li>Korean omelet rice by <a href="http://crispybitsnburntends.com/korean-omelet-rice-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends</a></li>
<li>Lemon Dillled Salmon Croquette Burgers by <a href="http://grannyssoutherncooking.blogspot.com/2012/08/back-to-school-sundaysupper-lemon.html" target="_blank">Granny’s Down Home Southern Cooking</a></li>
<li>Gluten Free Pepper Steak with Rice by <a href="http://tcrumbley.blogspot.com/2012/08/sundaysupper-gluten-free-pepper-steak.html" target="_blank">No One Likes Crumbley Cookies</a></li>
<li>Crispy Ravioli in Cherry Tomato Sauce by <a href="http://www.shockinglydelicious.com/crispy-ravioli-in-cherry-tomato-sauce-for-back-to-school-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Shockingly Delicious</a></li>
<li>BLT Soup by <a href="http://www.mealplanningmagic.com/2012/08/blt-soup-recipe-sundaysupper-backtoschool.html" target="_blank">Meal Planning Magic</a></li>
<li>Korean Pan-Fried Fish by <a href="http://www.kimchimom.com/2012/08/korean-pan-fried-fish-saeng-sun-jun-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Kimchi Mom</a></li>
<li>Stove top mac ‘n cheese by<a href="http://gottagetbaked.com/2012/08/25/quick-easy-back-to-school-meals-from-sundaysupper/" target="_blank"> Gotta Get Baked</a></li>
<li>Deconstructed Enchiladas by <a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithkp.com/recipe/deconstructed-enchiladas-sundaysupper" target="_blank">In the Kitchen with KP</a></li>
<li>Croque Monsieurs by <a href="http://jcocina.com/croque-monsieurs-back-to-school-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Juanita’s Cocina</a></li>
<li>Summer Squash and Mushroom Quesadillas by <a href="http://www.chocolatemoosey.com/2012/08/26/summer-squash-and-mushroom-quesadillas-for-quick-and-easy-back-to-school-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Chocolate Moosey</a></li>
<li>Seared Lamb on a bed of Mashed potatoes with Artichoke
Hearts by <a href="http://www.cookingunderwriter.com/2012/08/seared-lamb-on-bed-of-mashed-potatoes.html" target="_blank">Cooking Underwriter </a></li>
<li>Pasta with Creamy Kale Pesto by <a href="http://blog.webicurean.com/2012/08/26/pasta-with-creamy-kale-pesto-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Webicurean </a></li>
<li>Baked Spanish Tortilla by <a href="http://www.happybakingdays.com/2012/08/26/baked-spanish-tortilla-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Happy Baking Days</a></li>
<li>Grilled Chicken Caesar Pizza by <a href="http://www.inthekitchenwithaudrey.com/2012/08/grilled-chicken-caesar-salad-pizza.html#.UDoPWtZlQXE" target="_blank">In the Kitchen with Audrey</a></li>
<li>Chicken Pasta with Spinach and Beans by <a href="http://thelemonbowl.com/2012/08/garlicky-pasta-with-swiss-chard-and-beans-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">The Lemon Bowl</a></li>
<li>Tomato Pie by <a href="http://www.mycatholickitchen.com/2012/08/tomato-pie-sunday-supper.html" target="_blank">My Catholic Kitchen</a></li>
<li>Shredded Chicken in Peanut Sauce Tacos w/ Corn &
Zucchini Sauté by <a href="http://www.girlichef.com/2012/08/ChickenInPeanutSauceZucchiniCornSaute.html" target="_blank">GirliChef</a></li>
<li>Tomatillo Chicken Stew by <a href="http://www.smallwalletbigappetite.com/2012/08/tomatillo-chicken-stew-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">Small Wallet, Big Appetite</a></li>
<li>Pollo a la Crema by <a href="http://www.lacocinadeleslie.com/2012/08/pollo-la-crema-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">La Cocina de Leslie</a></li>
<li>Baked Tilapia Fish Tacos by <a href="http://homecookingmemories.com/baked-tilapia-fish-tacos/" target="_blank">Home
Cooking Memories</a></li>
<li>Grilled Lemon Pepper Chicken with a Yogurt Dill sauce and a
Greek Salad by <a href="http://noshingwiththenolands.com/grilled-lemon-pepper-chicken-with-a-yogurt-dill-sauce-and-a-greek-saladback-to-school-meals-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Noshing with the Nolands</a></li>
<li>Wagon Wheel Pasta with Pancetta & Peas by <a href="http://www.chelseasculinaryindulgence.com/2012/08/wagon-wheel-pasta-with-pancetta-peas_26.html" target="_blank">Chelsea’s Culinary Indulgence</a></li>
<li>Lemon & Dill Shrimp Pasta w/ Oven Roast Corn by <a href="http://www.mamamommymom.com/2012/08/lemon-dill-shrimp-pasta-w-oven-roast.html" target="_blank">Mama, Mommy, Mom</a></li>
<li>Ricotta – Tofu Tomato Toasts by <a href="http://yummysmells.blogspot.com/2012/08/ricotta-tofu-tomato-toasts-for.html" target="_blank">Yummy Smells</a></li>
<li>One Pot Spicy Asian Chicken and Rice by <a href="http://hezzi-dsbooksandcooks.blogspot.com/2012/08/one-pot-spicy-asian-chicken-and-rice.html" target="_blank">Hezzi D</a></li>
<li>Turkey Italian Brown Rice Casserole by <a href="http://mommasmeals.wordpress.com/2012/08/26/turkey-italian-brown-rice-casserole-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Momma’s Meals</a></li>
<li>Flatbread Pizza with Cilantro Garlic Sauce by <a href="http://momstestkitchen.blogspot.com/2012/08/flatbread-pizza-with-cilantro-garlic.html" target="_blank">Mom’s Test Kitchen</a></li>
<li>Cashew Chicken Stir-fry by <a href="http://www.diabeticfoodie.com/2012/08/chicken-cashew-stir-fry-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Diabetic Foodie</a></li>
<li>Chicken Bacon Avocado Quesadillas by <a href="http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/?p=2853" target="_blank">Dinners,
Dishes and Desserts</a></li>
<li>Roasted Butternut Lo Mein by <a href="http://www.themeltaways.com/2012/08/26/roasted-butternut-lo-mein-for-a-back-to-school-sunday-supper/" target="_blank">The Meltaways</a></li>
<li>Potluck Casserole with Cornbread Stuffing by <a href="http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/potluck-casserole-with-cornbread-stuffing-for-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Cindy’s Recipes & Writings</a></li>
<li>Jerk Chicken Chili by <a href="http://mrsmamahen.blogspot.com/2012/08/jerk-chicken-chili-for-back-to-school.html" target="_blank">Mrs. Mama Hen</a></li>
<li>Loaded Chicken and Steak Stuffed Potatoes by <a href="http://www.bigbearswife.com/2012/08/loaded-chicken-steak-stuffed-potatoes.html" target="_blank">Big Bears Wife</a></li>
<li>Steamed Tofu Serve with Fried Mix Vegetables by <a href="http://mytrialsinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/08/steamed-tofu-serve-with-fried-mix.html" target="_blank">My Trials in the Kitchen</a></li>
<li>Pasta with sausage and cherry tomatoes by <a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2012/08/pasta-with-sausage-and-cherry-tomatoes.html" target="_blank">Tora’s Real Food</a></li>
<li>Chicken Ravioli with Peas and Bacon by <a href="http://daddyknowsless.blogspot.com/2012/08/easy-chicken-ravioli-with-peas-and.html" target="_blank">Daddy Knows Less</a></li>
<li>Quick N Easy Thai Coconut Shrimp Stir Fry by <a href="http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/2012/08/26/quick-n-easy-thai-coconut-shrimp-stir-fry-loaded-with-veggies-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Sue’s Nutrition Buzz</a></li>
<li>Whole Wheat Pizza with Hummus & Fresh Greens by <a href="http://familyspice.com/whole-wheat-pizza-with-hummus-greens/" target="_blank">Family Spice</a></li>
<li>Speedy ‘n Spicy Shrimp Pasta. Will be dinner this Friday
by <a href="http://www.wendyweekendgourmet.com/2012/08/back-to-school-sundaysupperfeaturing.html" target="_blank">The Weekend Gourmet</a></li>
<li>End of Summer Grilled Peach and Chicken Salad by <a href="http://sustainabledad.com/?p=1220" target="_blank">Sustainable Dad</a></li>
<li>Teriyaki Tuna Bowl by <a href="http://familyfoodie.com/teriyaki-tuna-rice-bowl-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Family Foodie</a></li>
<li>Weeknight Stir Fry by <a href="http://www.fastfood2freshfood.com/2012/08/weeknight-stir-fry-sundaysupper.html" target="_blank">From Fast Food to Fresh Food</a></li>
<li>Baked Egg with Mushrooms and Bacon by <a href="http://pippisinthekitchenagain.wordpress.com/2012/08/26/sundaysupper-baked-egg-with-mushrooms-and-bacon/" target="_blank">Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again</a></li>
<li>Taco Bake by <a href="http://dailydishrecipes.com/back-to-school-meals-taco-bake-sundaysupper/" target="_blank" title="Taco Bake">Daily Dish Recipes</a></li>
<li>Fried Rice and Black Beans by <a href="http://www.mamasblissfulbites.com/2012/08/26/sundaysupper-fried-rice-and-black-beans/" target="_blank">Mama’s Blissful Bites</a></li>
<li>Chicken with Broccoli, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Bow Ties
by <a href="http://www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com/2012/08/chicken-with-broccoli-sun-dried.html" target="_blank">That Skinny Chick Can Bake</a></li>
<li>Pasta in Tomato sauce and turkey meatballs by <a href="http://www.basicndelicious.blogspot.com/2012/08/pasta-in-tomato-sauce-with-turkey.html" target="_blank">Basic & Delicious</a></li>
<li>Pasta Primavera by <a href="http://midliferoadtrip.tv/from-pasta-primavera-to-a-pasta-bar-with-all-the-fixins-in-under-30-minutes-sundaysupper/" target="_blank">Midlife Road Trip</a></li>
<li>Tots Your Tots Will Love by <a href="http://thehandthatrockstheladle.wordpress.com/2012/08/26/sundaysupper-backtoschool-your-tots-will-love-these-tots/" target="_blank">The Hand that Rocks the Ladle</a></li>
</ul>
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Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-5005113373568009982012-08-19T05:02:00.000-07:002012-08-19T12:53:02.379-07:00Shrimp Skagen salad in avocado halves: A special treat for a special #SundaySupper wine event<br />
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It's Saturday night as I write this. It's been a busy week: I've been buried in a project that has gone on for nearly a year, which I finally completed on Friday night. On top of that, I spent much of last week in a daze (or an amped-out crazy fit) because I injured my shoulder rather severely last week and have had to take painkillers and steroids to cope with the pain and inflammation. It's been a long time since things were going in the right direction. </div>
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Even this week's #SundaySupper event seemed daunting. This week is a special wine event, in which we are working with <a href="http://www.schlossadler.com/theclub/index.html" target="_blank">Schlossadler International Wines</a>, a wine distributor with a popular international wine club that sends you a selection of wines right to your home. I was one of the members of the #SundaySupper group who was chosen to get wines sent right to my door as part of this week's event. Me. Getting a free box of wine to blog about. Sounds fantastic, doesn't it? And to be honest, I was incredibly flattered and excited when I was chosen. But then the reality of the week set in, and I realized I had made this commitment, and I was damn well going to do it, but I wasn't looking forward to it, and I was tired and hurting, and wa, wa, wa. </div>
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Then things began to turn around a bit. On Wednesday, I got the box with three lovely bottles nested inside and a fun little logo on the inside cover. Just getting the box was exciting. A happy, special treat in the middle of a tough and dreary week. </div>
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Then came Thursday. I churned through more work, trying to hit some milestones before quitting for the day, taking my little boy to the park for a while, and dealing with shoulder pain and meds crazies, and trying to look forward to making the food I had committed to make for dinner, because we had invited one of our best friends, Dave, over to join our dinner and our wine tasting that evening. By five, I felt awful and miserably exhausted, again. It was ridiculous. But I kept going. I was going to power through this and have fun dammit! I cleaned the shrimp, made the <a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2011/05/making-food-from-scratch-mayonnaise-and.html" target="_blank">mayo</a>, made the Skagen salad, halved the avocados, and tried to get some decent pictures of my dish. But the salad slid off the top of the avocado halves, while I grumbled about my bad pictures, and Mike joked about me complaining that my food wasn't photogenic enough. (I suspect there's a lot of kind of thing in food-blogging households.) </div>
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Then we popped open the first bottle of wine, the <a href="http://www.schlossadler.com/item/Sauvignon-Blanc-2010-90" target="_blank">2010 Kotuku Sauvignon Blanc</a>, poured some glasses (a small one for me; I didn't want to mess around much with mixing wine and strong medication), and dug into our avocado halves with shrimp Skagen salad and relaxed. Settled into a pleasant evening with great friends, some terrific food, and a great wine, and started to slough off some hard days and enjoy some of the best things about living. What had been a very tough week turned around and became a genuinely pleasant experience. The wine was crisp and refreshing and went well with the shrimp Skagen salad and avocado.</div>
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After dinner, we decided to try one of the other wines, the <a href="http://www.schlossadler.com/item/Kerner--Auslese-2006-13" target="_blank">2006 H.O. Becker, Kerner Auslese</a>, which comes in a rather wildly pinkish-red bottle, but turns out to be white. According to the flier that came with the wines, it's a cross between a Riesling and a grape named Trollinger. (Also according to the flier, it's a "Jacuzzi" wine, a phrase that makes me shudder.) I typically love Rieslings, but most I have had are on the dry side. This particular wine had a beautiful flavor, but was a bit too sweet for my taste (I could easily imagine reducing it to a syrup to drizzle on something). The flier suggested pairing it with mixed greens, balsamic strawberry vinaigrette, and Stilton cheese, so I got some Stilton out of the refrigerator (which I had purchased with just this eventuality in mind), and we had a post-dinner snack of Stilton and wine. The salt of the cheese was just what was needed for the sweetness of the wine. </div>
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And now we come to tonight, when I felt obligated to try that last bottle of wine, <a href="http://www.schlossadler.com/item/Blaufrnkisch--Kabinett-2010-52" target="_blank">the 2010 Ernst Holler, Blaufrankisch</a>, with a dinner of turkey breast sauteed with smoked paprika and a side of <a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2012/07/creamed-corn-easy-delicious-side-dish.html" target="_blank">creamed corn,</a> both fresh from this morning's farmers market, and I was delighted. This was definitely my favorite of the group: The color is extraordinarily deep, dark, and beautiful (I am sure I have mentioned I've got a thing for color before, right?), and the flavor is just a little spicy and a little smoky and gets better and more complex as it stands in your glass.</div>
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And so in the end, this box of wines turned a crummy week into a week of trying new things, of pairing foods with wines, of elevating the everyday (and certainly the lousy day) and making life a little more special. And this may be the lesson I have to learn from this week: You may have to go above and beyond to make life special and worthwhile, but if you don't, what's the point? It's all just drudgery if you don't. At any rate, I want to thank the people at Schlossadler for turning my week around. </div>
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The recipe for Shrimp Skagen salad is incredibly easy and very festive. It's a typical Swedish party dish and can be served on toast, in a baked potato, or in an avocado half as I did here (the creaminess of the avocado is especially rich and wonderful with the creaminess of this salad). (Like the <a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2012/06/skagen-inspired-shrimp-toasts-special.html" target="_blank">Skagen toast </a>recipe I made for Swedish midsummer a few months ago, you can find most of the ingredients at IKEA; I know it's not local, but in this case, it seems kind of necessary.) The recipe for the dish follows, but don't forget to skip to the end of this post to find the whole list of great food and wine slated for this week's #SundaySupper. Also, there's a special discount for free shipping for anyone who wants to join Schlossadler's wine club.</div>
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<b>Shrimp Skagen salad in avocado halves</b><br />
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<li><span style="color: #2c2b2b; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px;">1 500-gram bag of frozen northern shrimp, defrosted, peeled, chopped (set a few whole ones aside as a garnish)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #2c2b2b; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px;">1 cup </span><a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2011/05/making-food-from-scratch-mayonnaise-and.html" style="font-family: arial; line-height: 18px;" target="_blank">mayonnaise</a></li>
<li><span style="color: #2c2b2b; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px;">1 cup sour cream, or creme fraiche</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #2c2b2b; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px;">1-2 Tbsps herring roe, to taste</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #2c2b2b; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px;">1 Tbsp fresh chopped dill (or 1 tsp dried), to taste </span></li>
<li><span style="color: #2c2b2b; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px;">2 ripe avocados, halved</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #2c2b2b; font-family: arial; line-height: 18px;">thin lemon slices, halved</span></li>
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Mix the shrimp, mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, and herring roe in a bowl. Chill for an hour to let the flavors come together. Top the avocado halves with a tablespoon or two of the mixture and garnish with thin lemon slices. </div>
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Now, grab a glass of wine and join this week’s special #SundaySupper wine event. Here are some of the great recipes featured during this event, and don't forget to follow the hashtag #SundaySupper on Twitter at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time. </div>
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<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">A Midsummer’s Picnic w/ Wine by</span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://www.girlichef.com/2012/08/PicnicWithSchlossadlerInternationalWines.html" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> GirliChef</a></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">Shrimp Scampi with Homemade Garlic Toast by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://www.bigbearswife.com/2012/08/shrimp-scampi-with-homemade-garlic-toast.html" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Big Bears Wife</a></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">Jerk Turkey Burgers with Mango Slaw by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://enofylzwineblog.com/2012/08/18/jerk-turkey-burgers-with-mango-slaw/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">ENOFYLZ</a></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">Wine & Dine with Schlossadler International Wine Club by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://wineeveryday.net/2012/08/19/wine-dine-with-schlossadler-international-wine-club-and-sundaysupper/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Wine Everyday</a></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">Elegant Pot Roast by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://dailydishrecipes.com/elegant-pot-roast-with-a-glass-of-wine-sundaysupper/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Daily Dish Recipes</a></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">Chicken with Feta and Sundried Tomatoes + Apple Crisp by</span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://hezzi-dsbooksandcooks.blogspot.com/2012/08/chicken-with-feta-and-sundried-tomatoes.html" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks</a></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">Shepherd’s Pie with Red Wine Mushroom Gravy by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://jcocina.com/shepherds-pie-with-red-wine-mushroom-gravy-sundaysupper-with-schlossiwines/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Juanita’s Cocina</a></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">Pork Piccatta by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://familyfoodie.com/pork-piccata-and-schlossiwines-the-perfect-sundaysupper/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Family Foodie</a></li>
<li style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">Shrimp Skagen Salad in Avocado Halves by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2012/08/shrimp-skagen-salad-in-avocado-halves.html" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Tora’s Real Food</a></li>
</ul>
<span style="background-color: white;">But the fabulous recipes don’t stop there, there are more amazing recipes to pair with these fabulous wines:</span><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div>
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<li><span style="background-color: white;">Shrimp Salad With Lemon Tarragon Dressing by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://magnoliadays.com/2012/shrimp-salad-with-lemon-tarragon-dressing-for-sundaysupper/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Magnolia Days</a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Red, White and Cordon Bleu by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://www.cindysrecipesandwritings.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Cindy’s Recipes and Writings</a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Chicken Florentine by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://lindaathompson.blogspot.com/2012/08/sundaysupper-chicken-florentine.html" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">There and Back</a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Penne Rigate with a White Ragu Sauce by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://mommasmeals.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/cooking-with-wine-for-sundaysupper-schlossiwines/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Momma’s Meals</a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Moules a la Provencale by</span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://girlinthelittleredkitchen.com/2012/08/moules-a-la-provencale-sundaysupper/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen </a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Delicious BBQ Ribs by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://pippisinthekitchenagain.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/sunday-supper-delicious-bbq-ribs/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again</a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Chicken and Mushroom Chicken Piccata by</span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://www.smallwalletbigappetite.com/2012/08/chicken-and-mushroom-chicken-piccata-sundaysupper-2.html" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Small Wallet Big Appetite</a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Ginger Roast Chicken with Red Wine Plum Sauce by</span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://www.suesnutritionbuzz.com/2012/08/19/ginger-roasted-chicken-with-red-wine-plum-sauce-sundaysupper/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Sue’s Nutrition Buzz</a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Beef Stroganoff by</span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://www.fastfood2freshfood.com/2012/08/beef-stroganoff-for-sundaysupper.html" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> From Fast Food to Fresh Food</a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Strawberry-Pink Champagne Sorbet by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://themessybakerblog.com/2012/08/19/strawberry-pink-champagne-sorbet/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> The Messy Baker Blog</a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Italian Style Baby Back Ribs by</span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://www.cookingunderwriter.com/2012/08/italian-style-baby-back-ribs.html" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> Cooking Underwriter </a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Muscat and Raspberry Cake by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://www.happybakingdays.com/2012/08/19/muscat-and-raspberry-cake-for-sundaysupper/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Happy Baking Days</a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Pretty in Pink Champagne Macarons by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://crispybitsnburntends.com/pretty-in-pink-champagne-macaron/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends</a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Late Harvest Citrus Cake by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://www.vintagekitchennotes.blogspot.com/2012/08/late-harvest-citrus-cake-sundaysupper.html" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Vintage Kitchen Note</a></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Roasted Sausages with Grapes by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://patti-comfycuisine.blogspot.com/2012/08/roasted-sausages-with-grapes-perfectly.html" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Comfy Cuisine</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Wine Pairings by </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://enofylzwineblog.com/2012/08/18/jerk-turkey-burgers-with-mango-slaw/" style="background-color: white; color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">ENOFYLZ</a></div>
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Join us at 7pm ET for our #SundaySupper Chat with @schlossiwines. Follow along on twitter by using hashtag #Sundaysupper or using <a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://tweetchat.com/room/sundaysuper" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Tweetchat</a>. We love to feature your recipes on our<a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://pinterest.com/thesundaysupper/sundaysupper/" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"> #sundaysupper pinterest board</a> and share them with all our followers.</div>
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We have a special discount for all participants: Free Shipping when you join <a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="http://www.schlossadler.com/theclub/index.html" style="color: #841a1e; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Wine Club by Schlossadler Wines</a> use code FFSS1.</div>
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Next Shipment is October 2012 ~ Halloween Day Ghostly Whites, Haunted Red for all friendly spirits everywhere.</div>
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Follow Schlossadler Wines:</div>
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Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-1644273471915251852012-08-05T02:00:00.000-07:002012-08-05T06:25:26.606-07:00Bacon and Cheese Quiche for #SundaySupper and #CookForJulia<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Who doesn't love Julia Child? Her crazy high-pitched voice, her fondness for butter and wine, and above all her enthusiasm for life and food. She was a great light and a great inspiration, especially for people who love food and for late bloomers.<br />
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Because I am so fond of her, I knew I had to participate in this week's #SundaySupper event, despite a nasty flu-like bug that has left me aching and feverish. This week's #SundaySupper is all about honoring Julia Child, who would have turned 100 years on August 15, by cooking some of her recipes. The last words of her introduction to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Way-Cook-Julia-Child/dp/0394532643" style="font-style: italic;" target="_blank">The Way to Cook</a> express some of the ideals of the #SundaySupper group: "The pleasures of the table--that lovely old-fashioned phrase--depict food as an art form, as a delightful part of civilized life. In spite of food fads, fitness programs, and health concerns, we must never lose sight of a beautifully conceived meal."</div>
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After flipping through my copy of <i>The Way to Cook</i>, I decided to make a bacon and cheese quiche with a scratch-made crust, which may have been a little ambitious given the fever I've had all day, but hey, it's Julia, you know? How could I possibly just go and <i>buy </i>a crust?</div>
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This is the first pastry crust I have ever made, and I am happy to have finally tried it. I feel capable of making more pies, tarts, and quiches now (honestly, if I didn't have a bunch of book chapters to clean up for a client, I'd do it again tomorrow). Let me be clear, this wasn't easy. Making a good pie or tart crust is a difficult, fiddly business. But it's remarkably satisfying. And it tastes good and buttery, and it's nice, crisp, and flaky. The base recipe is also easy to repurpose for savory or sweet uses, so if you learn to make this one crust, you can make a lot of different tasty treats. </div>
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For the quiche shells, I deviated only in one respect from Julia's recipe. In place of the vegetable shortening required in the recipe (which I don't feel comfortable using because it's a mystery ingredient to me), I used lard. (I was so excited to find <a href="http://www.valentinescountrymeats.com/" target="_blank">a source for local, grass-fed pork lard</a> at the farmers market this morning; I know, call me a food nerd, it'll make me happy.) Let me explain a little about lard. Before the invention of hydrogenation, "shortening" was equivalent to "lard," which is white pork fat. Lard doesn't taste porky at all, it is a clean fat that is solid at room temperature (and very easy <a href="http://www.thenewhomemaker.com/makeyourownlard" target="_blank">to make yourself</a>). It prevents the formation of long strings of gluten, which means that your dough will be tender, not chewy like bread. If you don't want to use lard, just swap it out with vegetable shortening.</div>
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OK, so let's get to work. (And don't forget to skip to the end of this post and check out all the other tasty recipes and blog posts that are part of today's #SundaySupper #CookForJulia event!)</div>
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<b>Ingredients for the Quiche Shells (Butter Dough)</b></div>
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<li>1 1/2 cups (7.5 ounces) all-purpose flour</li>
<li>1/2 cup (2.5 ounces) cake flour</li>
<li>1 tsp salt (for savory tarts) OR 1/4 tsp salt and 2 Tbsps sugar (for sweet tarts)</li>
<li>6 ounces chilled, unsalted butter, diced</li>
<li>2 ounces chilled lard (or vegetable shortening, if you must)</li>
<li>1/2 cup ice water (plus a few extra drops as needed)</li>
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You will also need two <a href="http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/gobel-standard-traditional-finish-round-tart-pans/?pkey=cpie-pans-tart-pans" target="_blank">9-inch tart pans</a> (or you can use two 9-inch pie pans), plastic wrap, tin foil, pie weights (or dried beans), and extra butter.</div>
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<b>Instructions for the Quiche Shells</b></div>
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I recommend making the shells at least a day before you plan to make the quiche. You can also shape the crust in the tart pan and freeze it for another day.</div>
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First, mix together the dry ingredients: the flours and the salt (or the flours, the salt, and the sugar).</div>
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Then, add the flour mixture and the diced cold butter to a food processor. Pulse the flour and the butter about 5 to 6 times (don't overwork this). Next, with the food processor running, add the lard (or shortening). Then add the ice water and pulse again about 5 to 6 times. The mass in the bowl should be loose and clumpy.</div>
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If you pick up a fist-sized clump of the dough, it should just come together. If it's too dry, add a few more drops of water. </div>
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Turn the loose, clumpy mass out onto a baking board (if you have a marble board, now's the time to use it). Just barely mash it all together and make two flat discs. (Keep in mind that you want to work this dough as little as possible.) Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least two hours and up to two days to let the gluten relax.</div>
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After you've let the dough chill, roll it out on a floured board. (Keep the dough cold. If it gets too soft to work with, just chill the dough again for 20-30 minutes and start over.) Roll it out to a diameter of about 12 inches (about an inch larger than the tart pan). Then roll the dough onto the rolling pin. Butter the tart pan. </div>
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Gently roll the dough on top of the buttered tart pan. </div>
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Push down the extra dough to thicken the side walls of the tarts. Cut off any excess dough by rolling the rolling pin over the top of the tart pan. Use any extra dough to fill holes as needed. Prick the dough all over and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Here's where you can freeze the dough to bake it another time.)</div>
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When it's time to bake the shells, preheat the oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a sheet of tinfoil and place it butter side down on top of the raw dough. Place either dried beans or pie weights on top of the foil, filling the pan. Slide the pan into the oven. </div>
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After 15 minutes, take the pan out of the oven (be very careful if you have a pan with a bottom that separates from the ring). Remove the pie weights or beans and the tinfoil. Prick the dough again and slide back into the oven for another 4 to 5 minutes to get some nice color. </div>
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After you take the shells out of the oven, let them cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then remove the pan and let them cool completely. </div>
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<b>Ingredients for the Bacon and Cheese Quiche Filling</b></div>
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(This is enough for one shell. Feel free to use the second shell for another filling, or wrap it carefully and freeze it.)</div>
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<ul>
<li>6 slices bacon, sliced into pieces (of course, I used the <a href="http://www.haskinsfamilyfarm.com/pasture-raised-pork" target="_blank">Haskins' incomparable bacon</a>) </li>
<li>1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese (cheddar would be good too)</li>
<li>salt, pepper, grated nutmeg</li>
<li>3 large eggs plus enough heavy cream, half and half, or milk to get 1 1/2 cups</li>
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<b>Instructions for Assembling and Baking the Bacon and Cheese Quiche</b><br />
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Place the shell back into the tart ring or pan for stability. </div>
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Cook the bacon until it's crispy and let it drain a bit on paper towels. Line the bottom of the quiche shell with the pieces of bacon. </div>
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Sprinkle all but a tablespoon of the cheese on top of the bacon. </div>
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Mix the eggs with the cream, half and half, or milk (just enough to break up the yolks and disperse them evenly throughout the custard). Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. I also added some fresh thyme from the garden. Pour the eggs into the shell and sprinkle the reserved cheese on top. Slide into the oven for 30-35 minutes until the eggs have puffed and browned. </div>
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Let the cooked quiche cool on a rack for a little while, slice, and enjoy.</div>
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You can find other quiche fillings and lots of other great Julia Child recipes at these #SundaySupper blogs:</div>
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</div>Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-75794574382422893002012-07-19T18:02:00.000-07:002012-07-19T18:02:43.231-07:00Creamed corn: An easy, delicious side dish<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I'm really not trying to post every day, but I made some creamed corn for dinner that was so delicious, I just have to share how incredibly easy it is to make from scratch. You should do it. Why get the stuff in a can when you can make your own with fresh corn from the farmer's market? So grab a few ears and try this. You won't regret it. (Sorry there's no pic of the dish itself, but it just disappeared too fast.)<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">And if you happen to have <a href="http://torasrealfood.blogspot.com/2011/04/so-what-am-i-doing-with-this-blog.html" target="_blank">a roast chicken</a> with some pan drippings, you know, just </span><i style="background-color: white;">around</i><span style="background-color: white;">, in your kitchen, drizzle some of the drippings on the creamed corn. You will swoon with happiness. And you'll ask whomever else is at the kitchen table with you if he or she is going to finish that, and you are going to swipe the rest of the corn. I just know it. DO IT! It's going to be great. </span><br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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<ul>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">2 Tbsps butter</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1 large shallot, minced</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">corn kernels from four ears of corn</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1/2 cup water</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1/2 tsp sugar</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1/2 cup heavy cream (or half and half, if that's what you've got)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">salt and pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">a pinch of nutmeg (preferably freshly grated)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">1/4 tsp smoked paprika</span></li>
</ul>
<b style="background-color: white;"><b style="background-color: white;"><br /></b><br />
Instructions</b><br />
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<ol>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Add the shallots to the butter. Cook them until they are soft and slightly browned. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Add the corn kernels to the shallots and the butter. Stir and add the water and the sugar to the corn. Let it cook for about 7-10 minutes. (The corn should be cooked, but it's nice if it still has a little crunch.)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Add the cream and let it cook with the corn for 3-5 minutes, enough to thicken the cream. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and smoked paprika. Enjoy! </span></li>
</ol>Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6129372933544712250.post-48903599795902870172012-07-18T18:06:00.000-07:002012-07-18T18:06:35.153-07:00Salmon with leek-mustard sauce and pistachio topping<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Surely it can't have escaped you by now that I love color. I go to an art supply store, and the tubes of paint and their glorious colors are as seductive as candy to a child. When I paint, I build up layer upon layer, trying to create a deep, jewel-like finish that gleams and contains mysteries, like the clear surface of a pond.<br />
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Food often seduces me with its color too. Take the Copper River sockeye salmon I got yesterday. The gleaming, translucent flesh with that beautiful pink-orange color. I wish I could paint it, or capture it in a tube. Barring that, I suppose I have to eat it. I was seduced into buying it, even though I had not originally planned to eat so much seafood this week.<br />
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That glorious pink-orange color pairs especially well with the pale green of leeks and pistachios. That's not why the flavors of this dish work so well (and boy do they), but it does make a pretty dish. As for flavor, how do I describe it? The mellow cream and sweet leeks temper the assertiveness of the mustard, which works especially well with the fattiness of the salmon. Then there's the crunch of the nuts to provide a little texture. It's just a glorious bite. Simply take my word for it and try it.<br />
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It's a simple dish, but attend carefully to the fish so that you don't overcook it. Watch the times.<br />
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<b>Ingredients</b><br />
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<ul>
<li>2 8-oz fillets of Copper River sockeye salmon (you will probably get great results with any kind of salmon that's in season, but that's what was available to me)</li>
<li>2-3 Tbsps unsalted butter</li>
<li>3 leeks, cleaned,* sliced thinly</li>
<li>2 teaspoons whole-grain Dijon mustard (or more to taste)</li>
<li>1 to 1 1/2 cups heavy cream</li>
<li>salt and <span style="background-color: white;">ground white pepper</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">a large handful of salted pistachios, chopped (if you have the time and inclination, toast them in a hot pan for a few minutes before chopping them)</span></li>
</ul>
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<b>Instructions</b></div>
<div>
<ol>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Basically any fast-cooking recipe requires that you prepare all your ingredients in advance, and this is definitely a fast-cooking recipe. (With slower foods, like soups and stews, you can keep cutting vegetables while the onions are softening or the meat is browning.) So, the first step is to prepare all your ingredients. Surprise! Bet you didn't see that coming. </span></li>
<li>Liberally salt and pepper both sides of the salmon fillets. </li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Melt butter in a pan (I used my beloved cast-iron skillet) over medium heat. Let it foam plenty and just start to brown. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Place the salmon fillets in the pan, flesh side down (because they are going into a clean pan, they will look nicer that way). Let them cook without any fussing around for 3 minutes. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Turn the fillets over and let them cook skin-side down for 2 minutes. Spoon some of the hot butter over the top of the fillets a few times. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Remove the fillets from the pan, place them on a plate, and tent the plate with tinfoil to keep the fish warm. Set it aside for now. </span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Add the leeks to the pan. Let them cook until they are soft, about 5-10 minutes. Do not let them burn. (Don't let anything burn, really.)</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">Add the heavy cream and the mustard to the pan. Combine the leeks, mustard, and cream. Let the cream thicken up a bit (this should only take a minute or two). Salt and pepper to taste. Taste the sauce. Add a little more mustard if you think the sauce lacks bite (but do it in small increments so you don't ruin it). Also, if you have any juices on the salmon plate, add those back into the sauce.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white;">To serve, place a fillet on a plate, spoon the leek-mustard sauce over the salmon, and sprinkle the chopped pistachios over the top. Serve it with something simple like boiled potatoes or rice that you can use to absorb extra sauce. </span></li>
</ol>
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* Because of the way that leeks grow, they often have a lot of dirt and grit in them. To clean them properly, strip off the outer leaf or two of the leek and cut the bottom and the top off (leave about an inch of green). You will end up with a long, mostly whitish cylinder. Cut the cylinder down its entire length. Then rinse all the inside layers of the leek thoroughly under cold running water. Finally, slice the half cylinders into little half moons.<br />
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<br />Tora Estephttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01239766198463329634noreply@blogger.com