How to Preserve Salsa {Summer in a Jar} + Canning Tips from a Home-Cook

Chop 65 onions, 300 cloves of garlic, 457 hot peppers and then imagine the heat that permeates into the skin and will. not. leave. your hands. However! Fear not, friends - my hands have finally returned to a normal state of being after burning for a full six hours straight and now salsa is put up for the Winter (super score). Beware! Canning is not for the faint of heart. It's hot. It's steamy. Water bubbles over. Hot peppers burn into your skin. Eyes water. EVERYTHING is hot. Fingertips are deadened by the time you're done boiling the salsa, pouring the boiling salsa into jars that just came out of the dishwasher scalding hot, tightening caps, then dipping those burning hot jars into a cauldron of water dangerously close to bubbling over. Not to mention the temperature outside is probably about mid-80's when you're undertaking a canning sesh. Glass busts. The sweat that pores from the brow. Dam - no wonder more people buy salsa at the store - except that salsa from the store sucks! There, I said it. And I mean it. Not. Taking. It. Back. 

CSA {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 15

OK, OK, I feel as if I may have been moaning and groaning about the state of my crisper drawer, but my parents taught me when the going gets tough the tough get going. Yes, being part of CSA challenges even the most inventive and adventurous home cook to be just that - inventive and adventurous, but when else will you be challenged to do so? Let's welcome the challenge. Bring it on. My competitive spirit has officially risen to the top. As they say in the homesteader circles - Let's put it up!

Farm 2 Table: A Buffalo Community Education Class {In Pictures}

I've officially led my very own community ed class! That feels so great to say because I've been to a handful of classes in the past - always walking away prodding myself: you should've/could've/all those udd've's taught that. You know, the time I signed up for the "Make Your Own Baby Food" class under the pretense of getting my baby spat on self out of the house wearing matching shoes even though I very well knew how to puree all sorts of squash. Or the time I signed up for a Gluten Free class without even the slightest intention of ever cutting gluten out of my diet, but I just love cooking so much I wanted to share the joy with someone besides the three people I serve every night at dinner. And now, my very own class, Farm 2 Table. It was so fun! 

CSA {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 14

If you happen to run into me within the next weeks know that I will be spreading the vegetable love. Between being a parent, wife, sister, yogini and friend I'm trying to keep up with blanching, preserving and sneaking vegetables into my children's diet, but there is only so much one woman can do when the other adult in the house calls uncle to another green pepper on his plate. Harumph. 

CSA {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 13

The only way to arrive at the complete realization my family does not love vegetables as fully as I do is to be in week 13 of your CSA bushel. Open my fridge door to the largest head of bok choy you've ever seen falling to the floor, the crisper drawer will reveal (I'm serious) 17 peppers, 4 eggplants, 3 heads of celery, a bag of lettuce, a bread bag of rainbow chard, some random loose kale, 2 heads of cabbage, and...uh...I think you get the point. All of these vegetables are either eaten by me, preserved, frozen, or somehow begged onto the husband and kids. Yes, begged. You should hear the groans when a simple veggie tray of sliced green pepper and kohlrabi graces the table. Apparently, I'm told, "other people" can't eat raw vegetables like a machine. Pah-shaw! Eat up! Your gut will adjust. 

Basil Chive Compound Butter

Why doesn't the 'you're not having any dessert if you don't finish your dinner' threat ever work with my children? The other moms at the bus stop claim their children never get dessert if plates aren't crystal clean. My kids seem to have leftover pieces of ham or the stray pile of vegetables sticking to their plates after they are long gone from the table, rice krispie treat in hand. Hash tag am I doing this right? Hash tag how much therapy will my children need? Hash tag hand over the bowl of noodles with a gigantic dollop of basil chive compound butter. Hash tag I'm done. 

On My Bookshelf Now

This book has made me an emotional wreck! I cannot stop thinking about Will Traynor since I finished this fantastic, memorable book. The first chapter wraps you around its little finger so tight you'll be consumed and think of nothing else until you've read the last page. Will Traynor is a demigod - handsome, rich, powerful, a real man's man - and then suddenly in a wheelchair, a quadripaligic, due to an accident. The book is about the relationship between Will and his care-taker. About life's relationships. About choices. About pushing yourself into awkward places and maybe opening your mind a little bit. The characters are richly written. The writer must be English because the slang took awhile to get used to, but I warmed up and felt myself wanting to use the word bugger and I was calling sweaters by the British name: pullovers. I laughed out loud several times and cried even, too! Actually, I ended this book in tears and still haven't gotten over the ending. I won't give away anymore. Just read this damn book!

Roasting an Organic Free-Range Chicken {Fancy Roast Chicken}

The tag-line is fancy chicken which as a child I would've never dared to dream calling the way I grew up around fancy chickens fancy because I was privy to seeing Dad pulling out the Rubbermaid garbage can, filling it with scalding hot water (how did he logistically do that?), dipping the chicken that was just running around with its head cut off (literally - wow, that sounds cruel, but I remember it being a moment of hilarity) into the hot water, holding onto its chicken feet running the carcass over the rubber-knobbed machine that knocked the feathers out then ... oh, so many more gross things to remember about processing chickens that I won't put into words. Really. Fancy? Yet this chicken is fancy in my book. Why? Because the damn price tag, that's why! The things I'll sacrifice to feed my family wholesome, untarnished food. Later I'll be blessed, right? Are you on the organic, free-range, happy bird, but soooo very expensive compared to what you've been buying at Cub Foods chicken band wagon yet? Jump on the bandwagon and pick yourself up a fancy bird here. I'll admit, this is my first go at Fancy Chicken. I turned to Nourished Kitchen to guide me in my Fancy Chicken Roasting. Who else knows about unfettered, wholesome farm food better? I love her recipes! They are always just that - nourishing.

Farm 2 Table: A Buffalo Community Education Class

I seem to be talking about vegetables in abundance lately and why not? Minnesota local harvest is in full swing, let's embrace the harvesting by not jumping forward into Fall yet because we are still  gloriously in Summer. Summer Bounty. Amen. Won't you celebrate Summer Bounty with me by joining me in the garden? Not just any garden, a blooming, colorful - FULL being the optimum word  - garden full of deliciously organic vegetables that I have the exciting privilege of walking you through, identifying and *most importantly* cooking! We'll walk through the garden plots, identify plants in their full glory, pick something to cook and head into the kitchen to make a light dinner. Register Here! But first! Let me take you on a vegetable photo bomb extravaganza that was bestowed upon me by the sweetest photograph expert EVER. Seriously beautiful photography here, people. And you should see the vegetables in person - even better. And then you get to eat them. Unreal. Just unreal. 

CSA {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 12

Hello, Friends! I can only hope these posts detailing my CSA work-share adventures are inspiring you to sign-up for your local CSA farm share next year or heck, even for the remainder of this year, why not?! The harvest is in full force, throttle wide open, in your face, bright, delicious, never been better, only getting better, did I say delicious, so fresh, so colorful, ohmigoshitssogoodyouaretotallymissingout. Or... you can come to my community ed class I'm teaching next week and help me cook all this stuff! Won't you say yes? What's that? You live in Pennsylvania? Too bad! Hop a plane. Just come. 

Pumpkin Cranberry Cake Donuts

First day of school! Sob! How are you dealing? Me? I'm... breathing. And scheduling lots of busyness so I don't have to think about my baby trying to get through the lunch line alone. Watching my babies do life is sometimes harder for me than it is for them - guaranteed. Fly little birdies. Fly. And then come home and eat donuts. Mmmmhmmm. The pumpkin cranberry variety. It's time for pumpkin things, people! Hooray. 

CSA {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 10 & 11

Hello! Have you been following my CSA adventures? I hope so, because look at how amazing things are becoming!! Totally Amazing. Out of this world amazing! AH-MAZE-ING. This week I needed to bundle week 10 & 11 into one week, but don't misunderstand, this is only one week's box - not two weeks. I'm bundling because I was Up North, fishing with my one true love and sweet little babies. We chartered a boat and caught our limits of walleye. Um, yum? We cooked up our catch in the cabin and we were so pleased when the kiddos literally wanted third helpings! More walleye. More walleye. More walleye. I didn't cook enough. Now it's back to reality and back to the farm! For more vegetable love. 

Broccoli Party Bread

Aren't parties fabulous? I want to throw a party every weekend if it weren't for my introverted husband I would be stocking plastic cutlery and tea lights as high as my laundry room shelving would allow which is probably a good thing because the other people in my life may be neglected in the food budget category if I were shopping for a parties all week long. When I do get to throw a party I usually like to have some nibbles immediately available upon guests arrival, like olives, nuts and something chocolatey and/or minty. This recipe is a great make ahead, inexpensive and feeds a crowd. A big crusty loaf of French bread is slathered with butter (I know, you're sold, right?), baked until supremely crispy, then a creamy, cheesy broccoli mixture is topped onto the bread, baked again, then sliced for noshing. Broccoli Party Bread will be so perfect at your next party, promise. Nosh on.

CSA {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 9

Being a part-time wanna-be farmer is so much fun! It's hard work that has you believing you're an 86 year old grandma - bending over 10 bazziollion times, loading cratefuls of the heaviest cabbage on the planet, mucking through mud, swapping at bugs all over your face, using sharp blades that could pierce through your skin at any moment - it's death defying. But! Just take a gander at a morning on the farm and you'll be hoping to jump into the green lusciousness that is this land! 

Fresh Greens Pasta Pie

When the people in my life have birthdays I serve them pie. Not pie of the traditional type, you know, filled with apples or berries, but with fresh greens sautéed until wilted then tossed with nutmeg and mozzarella atop a crunchy pasta base. That kinda pie. No one missed the fruit pie, promise. 

CSA {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 7 & 8

I'll blame the last two going on three weeks I haven't posted on this blog or my Facebook page on the Dog Days of Summer. Hot days can be blamed for my lack of motivation forgetfulness to post on the blog and week 7 becomes neglected turning into a combo week 7 & 8. Forgive me. I'm back. With the CUTEST. PHOTOS. EVER.  In a garden. The COOLEST garden ever!

CSA {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 6

Life is short and then you die. Those were the words on my mind today as I swept the millionth, no bazillionth graham cracker crumb from my floor into my dustpan. So, what are we doing with the short time we have here on Earth, friends? Anything truly great? Anything worth while? Anything... better than sweeping graham cracker crumbs? Share with me your greatness, so as to help change my attitude because after tonight's Dinner Debacle I think I may never. cook. again. Everything was going swell until these turkey burgers hit, rather, fell through the barbecue grates. Disgusting Jenni-O Turkey - I hate you! Waste. What an utter waste. Turkey doesn't stick together so much, does it? I'm sticking with beef. And vegetables. 

Swedish Meatballs

I'm not going to be all uber-Minnesotan and talk about the ridiculous weather that inspired me to roll a cookie sheet of meatballs in the middle of July. No. I'm going to talk about meatballs and how yummy and creamy and easy and lovely and delicious and creamy and creamy they are. Inspired by this pin and based off this recipe from the blog, Damn Delicious, you'll be 25% more Swedish after eating these moist, flavorful meatballs. Swedish things are rather new to me, growing up in a German/Irish/Czech family, I was introduced to almond extract (never once! used when growing up), lefse, and kromkake through my husband's family who is Scandinavian. All things Swedish and Norwegian are an absolute joy to me! I'd like to pretend I'm actually Swedish with things like: Swedish Pancakes, or Swedish Rye Limpa Bread, or an Ikea copy-cat recipe. Am I fooling you? 

CSA {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 5

Have you ever seen a cardboard box fuller of life than this box? No! Never, ever, ever, ever in your life will you open a more wonderful looking cardboard box, unless you are opening a cardboard box full of cold hard cash, that could be kinda wonderful. You are looking at week 5 harvest from my CSA farmshare and I think that is just wonderful. Did I say wonderful enough yet? Read on for vegetable identification and recipe suggestions. Wonderful.

Quick & Easy Raspberry Brûlée

I'm beginning to feel like I start many a blog posts with me begging you to make something because the deliciousness of my newest creation has my tastebuds singing. Oh, how to plead with you to make this Raspberry Brûlée? Actually, I have a funny feeling this won't take much begging because the ingredients speak for themselves. Raspberries? Fresh Whipped Cream? Crunchy, Carmelized Sugar Topping? Oh, and this takes literally 10 minutes to throw together and you'll really, really impress people - No, I mean really - like everybody wanted thirds and the serving dish was utterly licked dry when the party ended. Why wouldn't you be prioritizing a trip to your nearest raspberry patch for some picking?!

Breakfast Cookies {Gluten-Free}

These cookies! You MUST make these cookies! I'll be honest and confess that I cannot remember a gluten-free recipe that I've ever loved as much as this cookie. If I see a cookie recipe with no flour, no eggs, no sugar I immediately become skeptical. My typical go-to is full-fat, caramel drenched in chocolate,  or creaminess.  I've found the flavor and/or texture of gluten-free almost always a let down, there is something about full-fat creaminess that cannot be beat - if you have recipes that are guaranteed to please, feel free to post in the comments below. To waste my time and, more importantly the (expensive gluten-free) ingredients on something gluten-free, I rarely make the effort because my family doesn't have a sensitivity to gluten. However! I have converted ever since Shauna Niequist from the book Bread & Wine inspired me into making these hearty, breakfast-worthy gems. Everyone approved and you will, too!

CSA {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 4

Hi, guys! My favorite summer vegetable is in this box, can you guess which one? I'll never tell, you have to navigate to the link to find out. Want to know more about the farm I volunteer on in Watertown, MN? Click here! Have a passion for local food and have some ideas on how to co-create in the Wright County area? Click here! Read on for vegetable identification and recipe suggestions! Be Well. 

Snow Pea, Fennel, & Apple Salad

My house is really quiet. Too quiet. No, it's not that my children have found magic markers and a blank wall. No, they are at Grandma & Grandpa's making joyful noise with two new kitties who are being terrorized to all hell and back, permanently lodging dirt underneath their fingernails, drinking red-5 kool-aid, eating mac n' cheese at every meal, but that's the way childhood should be, right? And I think salad should be this way - crunchy, tangy, a 'lil sweet, creamy, vinegary. I'm fairly certain I'm repeating myself saying all those things right here not too long ago, but I claim short-term memory loss and want you to try this salad for yourself!

Rhubarb Herb Sangria

Hello, Beauty. Isn't that pink color ever so lovely??? I know! I KNOW! A sangria so simple to make, tastes sensational, and impresses all those friends and family gathering around the table during these hot summer months. The light pink color pleases the eye, while the freshly squeezed lime gives zing to the tongue. A refreshing, seasonal, light drink to serve at your next get together that uses up those ever-bearing herbs and the frozen rhubarb you've squirreled away. So, get to it, people!

CSA {Community Supported Agriculture} Week 3

Weeks go by too fast, we're on week 3 of my CSA basket already! Check out the first and second week, too, if you're interested - it's been really fun experimenting with things I wouldn't have otherwise ventured to try before. For example, this week I'm drying all those fennel fronds to use for licorice flavored tea I'll be sure to steep all winter long. This week I'm going to give you some recipe examples that might accompany this basket.