What Matters Most Now: May 2013 entries

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May 2013 entries

05/30/2013

State Fair Award-Winning Chive Biscuits

Wow, I must really like you, readers, because I am sharing my most top-secret recipe that won a blue ribbon at a State Fair baking competition in the 1980s!

State Fair Award-Winning Chive Biscuits

Are you looking for a unique but truly outstanding biscuit? Look no further than this State Fair Award-Winning Chive Biscuit recipe. This little recipe, in the original version, won me a blue ribbon in the county fair and moved on to the State Fair with the same success.

Thank you to my mom for the recipe inspiration and to 4-H Foods in the fifth grade for the opportunity to submit a recipe/baked good to the fair all those years ago.

Since all those years, I have tried to steer away from using Crisco shortening and now substitute that ingredient with coconut oil. In this recipe, you can taste a hint of coconut flavor but I think it adds to the deliciousness! (But feel free to use Crisco or shortening, if you would like.)

Hand-written Chive Biscuit Recipe by a 5th grader

The original hand-written Chive Biscuit recipe written in "5th grade puffy handwriting", complete with honey stains and scribbles.

Pre-baked State Fair Award Winning Chive Biscuits

Fresh chives picked from the herb garden.

State Fair Award-Winning Chive Biscuits

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

6 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup baking powder (yes, that is a cup!)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups coconut oil (or Crisco, as per the original winning biscuits)

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

Instructions:

1. Mix the first six ingredients with a fork.

2. Cut coconut oil in and continue to mix with a pastry blender or fork.

3. Stir in buttermilk and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

4. Knead 8-10 times. Roll into a 14"x 10" rectangle, about 1/2" thick and cut into rectangles (or two-inch squares.

5. Bake at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes just until they start to turn a golden brown. Do not overbake as they will dry out.

Makes about 3 dozen.

The chive biscuits freeze really well.

05/30/2013 | Permalink | Comments (0)

05/26/2013

Connor's Red Potato Homefries + Planting Potatoes

My parents shared their love of gardening with my kids from a very young age. As a result, the kids anxiously await the annual digging of the potatoes. The excitement gleaned from a dug potato, discovered by digging in dirt is a joy I wish every child could experience.

For the past few years, we've been blessed with a potato garden planted next to our home by the kids, with the guidance (and lots of prep and help) from grandparents, Poppy and Gram. In the spring (a few weeks ago), the kids planted cut potatoes in trenches and mounded them with dirt. As the plants begin to sprout and grow, the kids will continue to mound dirt over the plants. This fall, or late summer, the kids will start their hunt for freshly dug potatoes.

Last summer, Connor could have lived on his Red Potato Homefries for days. I loved the independence that this breakfast created for Mr. C during summer days that I tried balancing work and kids at home. He loved whipping up this breakfast and even shared it with the siblings.

Planting potatoes

red potato homefries whatmattersmostnow.typepad.com

Red potatoes fresh from the garden!

Freshly dug potatoes.

Connor's Red Potato Homefries

Ingredients:

5-8 baked red potatoes

1 Tablespoon of olive oil, or enough to coat the bottom of your pan

kosher salt, to taste

freshly ground pepper, to taste

Optional Toppings:

Grated cheddar cheese, grated pepper jack cheese, cooked and crumbled bacon, ham bites or sausage crumbles, salsa, sour cream, chopped green onions

Instructions:

1. Coat the bottom of a frying pan or skillet with a thin layer of olive oil. Heat oil to medium high heat.

2. Cut baked red potatoes into bite-sized chunks. Place into heated pan and fry until brown and crispy, tossing every few minutes.

3. Salt and pepper to taste. Mound potatoes on plate and add optional toppings.

Connor's version doesn't include chopped sweet onions like my own version. I add one chopped onion with the oil and saute' prior to adding the potatoes for several minutes until the onions sweat.

I like to keep a bag of pre-baked potatoes in the refrigerator so this recipe can be made at a moment's notice so I bake a large batch all at once. I pre-cut the baked potatoes and toss them in a baggie with the oil prior to camping trips and they taste even more amazing while eating out in the wild.

Baked red potatles, kosher salt, olive oil and freshly ground black pepper.

05/26/2013 | Permalink | Comments (0)

05/22/2013

Everyone's Favorite Salad: Strawberry Spinach Salad

More often than not, I am asked to bring salad when gathering with friends or family. Perhaps this salad recipe is the reason for this request. I am not exagerrating that this Strawberry Spinach Salad is the most requested recipe amongst friends and family.

I have tweaked and adjusted it varying fruits and vegetable add-ins over the years so much that people assume it is a different recipe each time it appears! I even switch out the greens from spinach to lettuce varieties and blends.

Everyone's Favorite Spinach Strawberry Salad Ingredients with lemon infused grapeseed oil and rice wine vinegar.

Last week, I made this salad for a Teacher Appreciation Luncheon and again, was asked for the recipe by the teaching staff. I couldn't believe that I had not shared it here yet!

Strawberry Spinach Salad for a "Red Night-Themed Dinner" with pink breadsticks!

Everyone's Favorite Salad: Spinach Strawberry Salad

Recipe Adapted from Pampered Chef

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

Dressing:

1 lemon or lime, zested and juiced

1/3 cup sugar, granulated or brown

1 Tablespoon grapeseed oil or olive oil (Wildtree's lemon-infused grapeseed oil is wonderful)

2 Tablespoons rice vinegar, white vinegar, or balsamic vinegar

Optional: 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Salad:

1 cucumber, peeled, sliced and halved (I've substituted chopped celery here)

1/4 red onion, sliced (I have also used chopped green scallions/onions here successfully)

4 large cups baby spinach or one store-purchased bag (You can use any variation of salad greens here. Feel free to throw in fresh basil as well.)

8 ounces fresh, sliced strawberries (I have also used fresh raspberries, marion berries, mandarin oranges)

1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted (I also use candied almonds, sunflower seeds, and pine nuts as substitutes)

Optional: 1/4 - 1/2 cup of feta, blue cheese or gorgonzola cheese

Instructions:

1. Zest and juice your lemon or lime. I use all the juice and zest, regardless of the amount but if you want to be specific, use at least 2 Tablespoons of the juiced citrus and 1/2 - 1 teaspoon zest into a small jar with lid or a small bowl.

2. Add the sugar, vinegar and oil. Whisk to combine or if using a jar, shake vigorously several times. Personally, I love using a jar-like container so I can prepare the dressing in advance, refrigerate then dress the salad just prior to serving.

3. In a large serving bowl, mix the salad greens/spinach, vegetables and fruit. Just before serving add the dressing and cheese, if using. Toss and then add the nuts or seeds.

The salad serves at least 10 and can easily be doubled.

I love the combo of the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar with the strawberries paired with blue cheese.

Everyone's Favorite Salad, Sweet and Sour Spinach, Fruit Salad

This version of the favorite salad used candied almonds, oranges, celery and feta cheese.

Salad greens, fresh spinach, chive flowers

Homegrown salad greens with chive flowers.

05/22/2013 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

05/20/2013

Irresistible Sourdough Cheese Pull-Apart Bread

This Irresistible Sourdough Cheese Pull-Apart Bread gets devoured so quickly after emerging from the oven. The smell wafts through the home, drawing in the tasters and it becomes love at first bite. The bread becomes one of those addicting dishes that you can't stop with just one piece!

sourdough cheese pull apart bread Image from: WhatMattersMostNow blog

Irrestible Sourdough Pull Apart Cheese Bread

You must try this for yourself.

This recipe comes from my Godmother, Linda DePianto, my mom's best friend from childhood, who shared numerous delicious family recipes with my mom over the years. She had great taste in both food and life, and her memory lives on in my kitchen regularly. I was tickled to find this recipe on the web of her famous Apricot Horns. We have loved this recipe for years!

(L-R) The recipe originator, Linda, my mom and I in the nineties.

Cheese Pull-Apart Bread

Recipe Adapted from Linda DePianto

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 round loaf of Sourdough and French bread

Approximately 20 slices of Sharp Cheddar Cheese or Pepper Jack Cheese (I used Tillamook Vintage Sharp White Cheddar for the photo)

Sauce:

1 cup Smart Balance margarine or 1 cup butter (I have used 1/2 cup before and it works fine)

2 Tablespoons green onion

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Tablespoon prepared mustard

2 teaspoons Beau Monde seasoning (you can find it with other spices in most grocery stores)

Instructions:

1. Melt the butter and mix in the other remaining sauce ingredients.

2. Score the bread by cutting deep scores throughout as shown on this recipe diagram below (written by someone else, thus the spelling mistakes). Smother the sauce all over the bread. put cheese slices in each scored slice. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

05/20/2013 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

05/17/2013

A Few of My Favorite Things...

Miss Bella and I have been belting out the Sound of Music's Favorite Things song, "Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens..." since she was three and I love the concept of sharing a few of my favorite things with my readers, thus the introduction of "A Few of My Favorite Things" - a monthly assortment of 10 items (or websites or apps) I love.

1. A Microplane Zester - this tool is something we use at least every other day in our kitchen. I can't imagine zesting lemons, limes, nutmeg or grating fresh ginger or hard cheeses such as parmesan, without it. Every kitchen must have this tool!

The Trader Joe's blend of dried cherries, blueberries and strawberries can't be beat for a great oatmeal stir-in or scone/muffin addition.

2. Who doesn't love s'mores and fire pits? I fell in love with this cute idea for a s'more kit along with a recipe for homemade marshmallows and this inspiration for a rustic bonfire.

3. M.A.C. lipsticks are my all-time favorite and the M.A.C. lip glass makes my lips shimmer with just the right amount of nourishment (and very little stickiness). Friends always inquire about what I'm wearing when I have it on. Did you know that if you recycle and return 6 empty lipstick tubes M.A.C. will give you a new lipstick! Just another reason I love this brand and their green philosophy!

4. I am really toying with the idea in purchasing Aperture as it takes iPhoto for Mac users to a whole new level! I'm thrilled that iPhoto and Aperture "speak" the same language and one can move easily between each photo tool. Do any of you readers use this photo tool and have any feedback to share?

5. Tutor for iMovie will hopefully take our home video splicing and movie making to an actual creation! It teaches how to add pictures, to add voiceovers, to organize clips and share projects!

6. I learned so much from this article on Cooking One Day a Week:

Boil eggs; bake potatoes and bread; braise meat; saute onions and mushrooms; prep veggies; make mock sour cream with low-fat cottage cheese and enjoy as sour cream; make a lentil stew. My addition to the article is to make pizza dough and cookie dough and "hide it" in the freezer. The cookie dough must be "hidden" in our house as we are all tempted by the delicious dough.

7. Annie's Eats has the best pizza crust as well as a terrific spaghetti sauce, pot pie, meatball sliders and an enchilada recipe - all perfect "freezer meals". She also put together a great"how-to" on stocking the freezer with meals.

8. I love this Living Well article providing you with 10 secret cooking timesavers for better cooking. My favorite suggestion is to prepare large batches of quinoa, healthy rice, soups, and sauces for the freezer. I also love the idea of grating fresh ginger and put it into freezer trays. I use fresh ginger for morning green smoothies and this would really help cut the time down. Using a cheese grater to grate cold butter for recipes like scones or pie crusts is a brilliant timesaver as well.

My mom is famous for her amazing pie crusts and her Marion Berry Pie!

9. Several years ago, a Sunday paper ran James Patterson's note to his 9-year old son that inspires me to want to help my kids continue to devour books and reading like Chunky Monkey ice cream.

10. Common Sense Media is a website that I am constantly referring to for guidance with movies, television, and video game ratings for my kids. I highly recommend the site as it breaks down why a movie or show is rated the way it is and for what specific age is appropriate.

What are a few of your favorite things?

05/17/2013 | Permalink | Comments (0)