Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Take a Cooking Class AT: https://abundantkitchen.shop


Cooking Class Schedule —>>> https://abundantkitchen.shop/

Friday, January 20, 2017

Making Bone Broth with Grass Fed Cattle Co.

Grass Fed Cattle Co. Beef Bone Broth
Has bone broth bleeped across your radar lately? Actually, bone broth has been bubbling in kitchens for many generations past. Considered a traditional food, making bone broth can be a satisfying way to decrease kitchen waste while increasing your health and immunity. You may have recently come across articles purporting why bone broth is so nutritious, giving us more incentive to consume all the goodness of bone broth. Making your own broth is simple, once you take the mystery out of it, plus, so many benefits for yourself, your family, and even your pets!

Friday, January 6, 2017

Food Memories — What is a Food Memory? And how can we make them?

Fresh Pasta Making Day
What is a food memory? A food memory is a moment in life which you vividly remember an experience around food. The experience could be positive or negative. Delicious or disgusting. Maybe it was your Father making you finish all your peas at the dinner table (peas are gross). Or something you ate every single time visiting Grandma. What are your food memories?

Today I'm sharing fantastic photos shot by my friend, Mary Sue Stevens. Mary Sue makes an effort in making food memories with her children by an annual special homemade birthday dinner. Plus, you'll want to read on for one of my favorite personal food memories.

Friday, December 9, 2016

Farm Eggs Vs. Commercially Produced Eggs + A Simple French Omelette

Farm Egg Vs. Mass Produced Egg
It's FARM EGG VS. COMMERCIAL EGG TODAY!! Let the battle begin… 

Do you see any differences? One fresh from a local, holistic farm. One commercially raised for a large grocery store chain. You guess which one is the farm egg!

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Making Lefse {Buffalo Community Education Class}

Lefse - A Norwegian Flatbread
Today I am so grateful for holiday traditions! My mother-in-law, Sharon, and I have been making lefse together since my husband I were first married, now 12 years strong. Lefse is a Norwegian flatbread made from potatoes, flour, buttermilk and butter. It's rolled flat on a special lefse rolling board, slapped unto a 500º griddle, then eaten slathered with butter and a dusting of sugar. At Sharon's chagrin, my lefse was sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon.  
Teaching How To Make Lefse


Everyone has their own traditional holiday foods, events, places to visit, treats to make, people to see. What gets you most excited this holiday season? I'm madly in love with food, so cooking events really fill my happiness cup. Like this Community Education class I was privileged to teach at the local community kitchen. 

Take a look at the class snapshots! 


Monday, November 21, 2016

Accepting Feelings of Hunger… My Bone Broth Fast Experience

No Make-up. No Filter. 
Today started as any other day, with a time of meditation and prayer, moving into my children's rooms waking them for school. Feeding them breakfast and choosing for myself a simple yogurt smoothie, which ignites a chain reaction. Was it due to the brief conversation on Sunday with a friend on her Keto Diet? Turning my own eating and exercising habits into a petri dish whose microscope is magnifying my ego. See, I've never been one for consistency - exercising when I feel like it, with no regularity. Resentfully dialing down my inclination to fried food, sweets, and other crappy food choices when my chin starts to resemble a game of connect the dots. The chain reaction started with the conversation which exploded on Monday morning, the morning of best intentions, starting with a healthy smoothie and an inspiring jog, and then, explosions: the idea of a Bone Broth Cleanse began to form. Unexpectedly, I  decide to replace lunch with a cup of bone broth and meditation. 

Wednesday, November 9, 2016

New Journey… Taking Stock Foods // Brand Ambassador

In the Valley
Standing in the Valley, Ready to Make the Climb to Victory! 

Are you the best version of yourself today? Asking myself the same question, I answer "Nope, I'm not yet where I want to be," but because I know God isn't done with me yet and He is full grace and mercy I'm being propelled to a path of personal transformation which I feel strongly compelled to share because maybe you, too, are going through struggles and want victory!!

Are you with me? Seeking Abundance… 

Seeking abundance through self-love, mercy, grace, motivation, positivity, less noise, more meaningful relationships, spirituality, career contentment (no matter the path - especially SAHM!), consistency in eating and exercising and fill-in-the-blank-blank-blank-it-blank-blank??

Are you giving me a big fat OH, YEAZZZZZ! 

Well, jump aboard this choo-choo train and read on because I'm writing a new exciting chapter!

Monday, September 12, 2016

2016 Community Education Classes

At the finish line of our 10k race at 10k feet!! We did it! Timed in at 1:23. And now I feel invincible!! Running races is so inspiring! This was my first 10k + first mountain race. Nothing could've prepared me for the elevation and steep climb, but I did
When 10K training blogging is neglected. Rabbit Ears Pass in Steamboat, CO.
Hello, Foodie Friends!

I've been very, very neglectful of my recipe writing adventures here at Foodie in Minnesota because I've been travelling, running, being a mom, being a wife, cooking at Whole Foods, running, traveling, gardening, preserving, and so so so many other things! You'll have to forgive me, but I have to tell you about opportunities to hang out in person! While learning about food. And cooking! And food. And eating! YES. Don't miss out!

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Cold Buckwheat Sesame Noodles & CSA Veg with Carrot Ginger Dressing

Would describing noodles as slippery be strange? Slithery and slippery noodles with toothsome bite absolutely perfect for slurping. A buckwheat noodle with 100% buckwheat. Did you know that's kinda hard to find? Not anymore.

Give a hearty welcome to one of Minneapolis' newest local food creators, Dumpling & Strand creators of freshly made noodles and pasta available at three Minneapolis area Farmer's Markets.

After meeting the proprietors of Dumpling & Strand at the Midwest Pantry Local Food Trade Show Kelly and Jeff were kind enough to send over samples of their locally made carb delights for me to try and gush about. It's pretty safe to say I ended on the delicious side of the bargain. Toasted Basmati Pasta (topped with rainbow chard and an egg!), Sprouted Whole Wheat Levain Fettucine (lovely sourdough flavor!), Ramen (oh, the slurping!), Egg Fettuccine (butter and parmesan for days!). Dumpling & Strand is all things carblicious and you need to get yourself some!

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Rhubarb Compote with Lemon Verbena

Rhubarb Compote with Lemon Verbena
It's possible you've asked yourself since my return from Ireland: "What has Becki been busy with since  her epic Irish cookery adventure?" Naturally, I've been happily cooking whenever the occasion may arise (Friday night backyard BBQ's! Birthday dinners for parents! Cupcakes for birthdays!) and, unfortunately, haven't found time to blog Ballymaloe inspired recipes, but Rhubarb Compote was just gorgeous enough to push me back into the blogger saddle, giving you a deserved update + a sumptuous way to eat the early summer staple rhubarb. Now, who doesn't love that?

Monday, April 4, 2016

Ballymaloe Sourdough Bread + Beginning a Sourdough Starter

Ballymaloe Sourdough
Life After Ballymaloe is a life phase all past students will absolutely experience after leaving The Bubble. Darina and Rory forewarned their voices would fill our thoughts as we went about our lives. Which I had a hard time believing, but they knew better. 

Darina's voice fills my head when waste occurs in the kitchen. Imagine, Darina shouting across kitchen two, her hands waving wildly over her head holding the thrown out lemon destined to the hens "This thrown out lemon is the difference between your vacation in the Canaries or not!!" 

As I peruse Rory's recipes, creating menus for dinner parties and family meals, his suave elegance resonates through his writing. There are so many Ballymaloe recipes I want to share with you, so I'm going to start writing about some of my favorites. One recipe that easily can be a mainstay in every home kitchen is the maintaining of a sourdough starter and baking of Sourdough Bread. 

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Not Goodbye Ballymaloe But Only Cheerio, Until Next Time...

Shanagarry
Sitting down to write this Ballymaloe goodbye feels like that means it's all over. No more Buttermaloe, Doiliemaloe, or any other spoof on the cookery school on a mission to save the world from having the lights turned on when no one is around. Or does it? Maybe, it means I've only just started the journey chasing my true passion to cook, create, and inspire people in the kitchen? Surely, it means I'll embark on my own mission to save the world from the next horrible food fad, one forgotten culinary skill at a time! Yes, of course it does. Now, before I allow myself to accept Life After Ballymaloe, I'd like to draw out the honeymoon phase with a couple more reminders of my time in Ireland. 

Monday, December 7, 2015

Culinary Industry Advice From Ballymaloe {that I don't want to forget}

Darina Allen's Dining Room Table
Darina Allen invited the students for dinner in her home.

The students of the September 2015 12-Week Cookery Course have cooked their final exam meals for Darina's tasting, sat for four separate two hour written exams, we've finished up last goodbyes at The Blackbird, and knives are packed-up ready to head home destined for a new adventure. The ending, of course, is bittersweet but exciting to be headed into the unknown because, You can't start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading the last one. With that, I'd like to write out some learning points I don't want to forget (not that I'd be re-reading, or anything).

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Afternoon Tea at Ballymaloe House

Afternoon tea at Ballymaloe House
The students of the 12 week cookery course were invited to afternoon tea at Ballymaloe House as part of our culinary learning experience. We enjoyed a lovely afternoon walking the grounds, touring the wine cellar, meeting the on-premise coffee bean roaster, viewing two of the sumptuous guest suites, visiting the event center, named The Grainstore, and finally, sat down for afternoon tea. As we sipped from elegant fine bone china teacups and nibbled an array of sugary biscuits, Tim Allen told the magical story of how the home became his parent's, what it was like growing up in the large country manor, and how his mother started the empire it is now. The afternoon was a refreshing change of pace for all the students and some (me) almost forgot we needed to get home and start writing up our order of work for the next day's cookings!

Saturday, November 21, 2015

Final Exam Time at Ballymaloe Cookery School

Walled Gardens at Ballymaloe Cookery School turning brown in the fall.
Hello!! How is everyone? I miss home so bad. My bed! My car! Running on an actual path! Running! My friends! My Mom! My Dad! Sleep! Babysitters (you know who you are)! So much to say, I'm not sure where to begin. The 12 Week Cookery Course students are heading into week 10 at Ballymaloe Cookery School. Last week, some of the highlights were poaching a ray wing (basically a huge sting ray with massively sharp spikes all over it and slime. So much slime.), saucing up some spicy pork ribs (going to use that recipe again!), Christmas demonstration day (Pam sure knows her Christmas Cakes!), tasting Lustau sherry with the actual makers from the Jerez growing region in Cadiz, Spain, an olive and olive oil tasting (my belly hurt so bad that night — too many olives!), butchering a pig and helping the Nomad Food Company throw a pop-up dinner at school, making of puff pastry, a tapas demonstration, and most loomingly, preparing for our final exams!!! Daunt, Daunt, DAAAA!!!

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Week Eight at Ballymaloe Cookery School

How Julia Child would've sealed a classic French Paté Terrine, with fluting paste, not tinfoil.

I'm never going to be the same again. Without sounding like an egotistical culinary snob, at this point in the Ballymaloe 12 Week Cookery Course my culinary prowess has been elevated to such heights the universe's destiny to utilize me as a scepter of cooking knowledge is certain. So much has been covered, to actually attempt processing the knowledge while still enduring the process of learning is entirely overwhelming in itself, but let me try.

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Midterm Exams at Ballymaloe Cookery School

Tim and Darina Allen in the Fruit Garden at Ballymaloe Cookery School.
We're heading into week eight at school which means almost four weeks have past since the last update on the lightening-fast-paced cookery adventures. If silence is any indicator of lacking mental energy remaining for these at the end of my day then let this be clear — I am tired. So. Tired. A teensy, weensy part of me wants the course over to allow a time of processing all I've cooked/read/learned/seen/heard/experienced. But, the other mostly large part of me says: bring it on! more. more! More! MORE!!! What else can I learn? Cook? Do? See? 

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Week Four at Ballymaloe Cookery School

Marzipan Stuffed Dates in Kitchen 3 at Ballymaloe Cookery School.
Things are getting real as week four has been completed at Ballymaloe Cookery School because I've scheduled myself a sit down with Darina Allen in hopes of contemplating my future in the food biz and a couple resumes are in potential employers' inboxes. One resume to Travail Kitchen & Amusements, a fine dining restaurant in Robbinsdale, MN doing a unique chef tasting menu, small plates and seriously whacky behavior during service including drinking beer from a boot. Another resume to Scripps Network in Chicago, the mother network to Food Network, for a peon sales position job. The prior submission has me refreshing my inbox with fleeting hope they've emailed me a return message. Alas, trying to stay present and not worry too much about the future, knowing it will all work out, but I'm only human and I need to worry a little bit or what else would I worry about? In two weeks we'll be tested on our knowledge thus far, so I guess I could worry about an exam about identifying twenty types of lettuces and herbs. A more productive worry.

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Week Three at Ballymaloe Cookery School

Sunrise over Ballymaloe Cookery School
Sunrise over Ballymaloe Cookery School in Shanagarry, Co. Cork, Ireland.
On my way into school Friday morning the sunrise over the Ballymaloe Cookery School fields takes the breath away. As the third week of chef school ends and I head into week four, sitting down to write out some thoughts, I find myself needing to unbutton my jeans so I can breathe. Bread and butter in abundance (the school makes their own and it's divine), so much dairy (Irish cows make the best cream!), dessert after every meal (yes, I'll have seconds! and thirds! and fourths!). Eating comes with the culinary territory, I know, I know, and we're heading into sweater season, so I'm going to continue to eat with abandon. Because I'm probably here only once in my lifetime and if I miss one Orange Creme Scone or Smoked Haddock Fish Cake I may have missed a great opportunity to learn more about Irish culture (ahem). 

Sunday, September 27, 2015

Week Two at Ballymaloe Cookery School

Another week down in the Ballymaloe Cookery School Book has me falling into the groove of this place. Some of the highlights of the past week were breaking down a whole chicken, filleting a fish, and learning how to butcher half a lamb. It's so empowering to know I can now go to my local butcher, buy half a lamb and I'll know how to process and make it into cuts of meat.  

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Week One at Ballymaloe Cookery School

Farmer's Market in Midleton, Co. Cork, Ireland

Monday, September 14, 2015

First Day at Ballymaloe


Ballymaloe Cookery School, Shanagarry, Co. Cork, Ireland
Reception lobby of Ballymaloe. 

Exxxxxxxxhale. First day of school, check and done. Where to start describing this surreal experience (I still don't believe this is my real life, pretty sure I'm actually in a really, really long dream)? Ok, so,  at this point I'm adoring living in a European country. Spaces, cars, bathrooms, roads, everything is smaller. People don't waste like Americans do, paper cups, paper towels, paper everything is not a thing here. When you leave a room, the lights are turned off. Water is treated as gold. Europeans talk about issues. And they are quiet. So fucking quiet. Dam, I can easily feel like an elephant in a china shop because, first, I suffer from tinnutis making me deaf as a bat, so, I can't hear what the fuck you said anyways and second, people fucking mumble here. They are, like, mysterious and stuff. Well, hot dam, I can be mysterious, too! Back to the adoring part. So. 

Sunday, September 13, 2015

The calm before the storm // Exploring surroundings of Ballymaloe

Penn Castle, Shanagarry, Co. Cork, Ireland.
Penn Castle in Shanagarry, Co. Cork, Ireland. Birthplace of William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania State.
It's Sunday so naturally (ha!) we went to church. Liam is getting used to walking everywhere, it was weird for him walking to church, but he did and sat through Catholic mass. Big exhale. After a little lunch and rest, tonight I (nervously/excitedly/scaredly) make the five minute walk to meet all my classmates and have enough social lubrication to quell the butterflies a brick oven pizza. It's so unbelievable to have had this Mental Checklist of things I'd be doing before actually cooking in their kitchen, but here I am, completing the list and rockin' it! Like a MAD WOMAN! Let's keep the confidence. Yes? Yes. YES. YES!!! 

Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Making my way to Ballymaloe // A morning in Dublin


Regency Hotel Dublin, Ireland
Good morning from Ireland! It's surreal to be drinking coffee in a Dublin hotel restaurant, about to write a blog about my travels, amidst din of other travelers, foreign language utterances floating around me, soaking it all in before it's work, work, work. What was a night of trying to sleep into the correct time zone, read: my eyes were brightly open after a measly two hours of sleep, staying that way for about four more hours, but thankfully fell back asleep and woke up at 8:00 am local time and *hopefully* will be on the regular sleep schedule tonight. 

Sunday, September 6, 2015

Chocolate Beet Cake + Preflight Musings

Chocolate Beet Cake Tomorrow I leave! Goodbye house, goodbye stuff, goodbye roads appropriate for two cars, goodbye family and friends, goodbye moon, goodbye chair, goodbye noises everywhere.