Trip to Vermont

This July 4th Weekend my husband and I took a trip up to Vermont.  I was excited to see the green mountains, breathe in the fresh air and see the sights. 

We stopped at Hildene, in Manchester.  It is the home to the Lincoln family and was built by President Lincoln's son, Robert.  It has a restored home and gardens which overlook a meadow and beautiful mountains.  There are house tours, where the history of the Lincoln descendants is discussed.  The best part of the entire tour is an exhibit on the second floor where they are highlighting Lincoln's second inaugural address.  In that room, there is a mirror which was int eh White House the day Lincoln was assassinated as well as one of three remaining top hats.  To see the mirror and hat, and to know that he could have seen himself for the last time in that mirror is chilling.  The garden is designed to be seen from the upstairs bedroom and to resemble a stained glass window.  I highly recommend stopping at Hildene, even just to see the hat.

Here are some photos of Hildene's grounds and home:

We also visited the Billings-March Farm in Woodstock.  It is a working farm which raises dairy cows, chickens and sheep.  This farm has been continuously running since the early 1800s.  The farm house is still standing and it open for tours.  The farm is committed to education and has tours of the barns and exhibits which explain the history of the farm and the present day uses.  You can even go into the cow nursery and see the babies.  The farm was once part of a larger land holding which has been divided and the northerly portion is now owned by the National Park Service and there you can hike the trails and ski there in the winter.  If you are in Woodstock, do not miss this piece of history.

We also visited Lake Champlain up in Burlington, home to the University of Vermont.  We took a boat tour on the Spirit of Ethan Allen III and had a beautiful narrated tour.  The Church Street Marketplace was buzzing and we ate lunch at one of the restaurants serving outside.  We also went to a Farmers Market at City Hall where all local produce, meats, dairy and wares were being sold.  It is a great town and you should stop by if you are in the area.

We also went to Quechee Village.  There is an antique mall there but my favorite part was the Cabot Store.  We bought many different varieties of Cabot cheese because it was local and many varieties are not available here.  We had a cooler and were able to bring the local cheese home with us.  If you like things that are not available to in your locale, bring a cooler with you when you travel and bring them back with you.  We also bought local fruit wine from Putney Winery.  This is also a local winery in Vermont that sell wine made from local fruit, instead of grapes,  I bought a Rhubarb wine and a Cranberry wine.  The Cranberry wine is going to be served with my Thanksgiving dinner this year.  The winery had tastings available so we tasted 5 wines and bought 2.  This was a great way to see Vermont - through our taste buds.  Also at the Village is the Farmer's Diner.  They serve up great food made from all local ingredients.  It is praised in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.  If you are in the Quechee area, stop in here.

On the way to Burlington, we stopped in Waterbury to the Ben and Jerry's Factory.  We had a great tour, free ice cream samples and saw the flavor graveyard, where unsuccessful flavors are laid to rest.  They use local dairy and the farmers are prohibited from using hormones.  We also learned that when the company went public, it only sold its shares to Vermont residents.  Talk about a local company.  They have a playground outside for the kids as well as shirt tie dying, brick oven pizza and a picnic area.  They are a great company that gives back to its community and it much what Homemade on Long Island strives for - supporting your local farmers, communities and friends to help build and maintain what is great right outside your back door.

We also visited the King Arthur Flour Store.  This is the longest operating flour company in the US.  Since flour is not locally made here on Long Island, I was excited to be able to buy some flour right from the source and bring it home myself.  They have many different types of flour in their store and many things you cannot get here on Long Island.  I bought several items to bring home , including a dog biscuit mix.  One of my followers has asked for me to post about dog biscuits, so check back soon to see them.

Overall,. we had a great trip and I cannot wait to go back to see the leaves changes and the Wassail Festival in Woodstock at Christmas time. 

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Sandwich

Another great Ina recipe foryou.  I changed it to use store bought peppers instead of amikng myself.  This snadwich has the great flavors of pepper, salitness from the capers and the awesome tang of goat cheese.  If you want a great vegetarian sandwich to serve at a party this is it.  It was great for my Ladies Lucnch but also went over well for poker night with the guys. 

1 12 oz. jar sweet roasted red bell peppers
2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons kosher salt 

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons drained capers

1 large ciabatta bread, halved horizontally

1 (11-ounce) garlic-and-herb or plain goat cheese at room temperature

8 to 10 large basil leaves, cut into slivers (chiffonade) 

3 thin slices red onion 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Here's how:

Drain the jar of red peppers into a colander. 

Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.

Place the drained peppers into a small bowl.

Pour the oil and vinegar mixture over the peppers. Stir in the capers. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight to allow the flavors to blend.

This is before the fridge.

This is after sitting for a few hours.

 To assemble the sandwiches, spread the bottom half of the loaf with the goat cheese.

Add a layer of peppers and then a layer of basil leaves.

 Separate the onions into rings and spread out on top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover with the top half of the ciabatta and cut into individual servings.

Tabbouleh Salad

This is another Ina Garten recipe.  It is easy to make and is great for summer time parties.  It does not contain mayo so there is no worry of spoiling and is has great fresh flavors that will refresh you on a hot summer day.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups boiling water

1 cup Bulgar wheat

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

Olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 cup minced scallions, white and green parts (1 bunch)

1 cup chopped fresh mint leaves (2 bunches)

1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (1 bunch)

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and medium-diced

2 cups halved cherry tomatoes or 2 cups whole grape tomatoes 

Here's how:

In a heat-proof bowl, pour the boiling water over the Bulgar wheat. Add the lemon juice, 1/4 cup olive oil, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Stir. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow the Bulgar to stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.



This is how it looks once the liquid is added.

Add the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Season, to taste, and serve immediately or cover and refrigerate. The flavors will improve as it sits.

Finished salad

Caesar Club Sandwich

I am a huge fan of Ina Garten.  I can relate to her.  She lives on Long Island and is not a professional chef.  I find her recipes easy and the ingredients are very accessible.  I made this sandwich for a Garden Party and it was a huge hit.  I prepared the ingredients a day in advance and then assembled the sandwiches right before serving.  This allowed me to enjoy my guest and at the same time to give them a freshly prepared, delicious sandwich.  I substituted out Ina's arugula for spinach and I also made a paste of the sun dried tomatoes, instead of whole ones.  I find sun dried tomatoes to be chewy, so this way you get the flavor with a smooth texture.  You have to try this one.

Ingredients:

2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on

Good olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta

1 large garlic clove, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste

1 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup good mayonnaise

1 large ciabatta bread

2 ounces fresh spinach, washed and spun dry

12 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil

2 to 3 ounces Parmesan, shaved

Here's how:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan skin side up. Rub the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until cooked through. Cool slightly, discard the skin and bones, and slice the meat thickly. Set aside. If you are making this the day before, just heat up the chicken in the microwave before assembling.

Chicken oiled, salted and peppered.  Ready for the oven.

Meanwhile, place the pancetta on another sheet pan in a single layer. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to drain on paper towels.  You can use bacon if you cannot find pancetta.

Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until minced.

Parsley and garlic going in.

After processing

Add the anchovy paste, mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise and process again to make a smooth dressing. (Refrigerate the Caesar dressing if not using it immediately.)

Mayo on the left, anchovy paste on the right.

Dressing done.

Clean out the bowl and add the sun dried tomatoes and oil.  Process until you get a smooth paste.

This is what the tomatoes look like after going into the food processor.

Slice the ciabatta in half horizontally and separate the top from the bottom. Toast the bread in the oven, cut side up, for 5 to 7 minutes; cool slightly.

Spread the top side of the bread with the Caesar dressing.


Spread the bottom side with the sun dried tomatoes.


Place half the spinach on the bottom piece of bread and then layer the sliced chicken, rest of the spinach, and the shaved Parmesan


Sprinkle with salt and pepper.


Place the top slice of ciabatta on top and cut crosswise. I cut this into 8 pieces but you can go as large as thirds.

Serve at room temperature.

Mint Iced Green Tea

Iced Tea is a classic summertime drink.  I like to make my own.  This is a simple recipe that can be made in the time it takes to boil water.

Ingredients:

4 Green Tea Bags
4 Cups boiling water
Several springs of fresh mint

Here's how:

Place the tea bags, water and mint into a heat safe pitcher.  Allow the tea bags to steep for 30 minutes. 

Steeping

Remove the bags and leave the mint.  Refrigerate and serve cold over ice.

Pasta Pesto with Peas

I love to make recipes from Ina Garten.  This recipe is so simple and yet so delicious.  I have added the link to my pesto recipe for you to use here and removed the pine nuts from the salad itself.  Ina is local to Long Island so she fits in here at Homemade on Long Island.

Ingredients:

3/4 pound fusilli pasta

3/4 pound bow tie pasta

1/4 cup olive oil

1 1/2 cups pesto (packaged or http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2010/09/making-pesto.html)

1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/4 cups mayonnaise

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1 1/2 cups frozen peas, defrosted

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Here's how:

Cook the fusilli and bow ties separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and toss into a bowl with the olive oil. Cool to room temperature.

Pasta cooling

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice.

Pesto, mayo and lemon

Add the mayonnaise and puree.

Mayo added

Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, salt, and pepper.

Parmesan, peas, salt and pepper added

Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.

Pasta salad complete

June 13, 2011 Harvest and Planting

After a weekend away from home and no one to pick in the garden, there were some casualties.  I did pick 8 cups of strawberries and lost about 1-2 to bugs and over ripeness.  I was excited to be able to pick peas for the first time.  I was able to shell the peas and have 3/4 cup.  The vines are full of more, just not quite ready yet. 

8 cups of berries

Pea pods full of peas

The pods above yielded this 3/4 cup

I was not home this weekend because I was spending time on the North Fork of Long Island.  I was on omission to buy some vegetable plants for my garden.  I only wanted organically frown so I know of three a locations - Garden of Eve, Sang Lee and Garden Fusion.  I chose Sang Lee because it was close to where I was spending the weekend and I was very happy.  They have a great variety of organic tomatoes, peppers, eggplant., squash, herbs and so many more. If you are looking for great organic plants as well as organic produce, stop by Sang Lee. It is located on Route 48 in Cutchogue, on the south side of the road.

I also purchased rhubarb stalks and ended up with 18 cups of sliced rhubarb.  Once the strawberries are done on the plants, I am going t be making jams and pies with the berries and rhubarb.  I love that the rhubarb is available for such a short time along with the berries, that it is a truly special time.  Right now I have 28 cups of strawberries frozen so there is so much to make.

Peach Jam and Pretzel Crisps

If you want a simple appetizer that can sit out on a hot day then this one is for you.  I used jam from a friend but any store bought one will do.  The combination of salty and sweet it what really makes it.  This is a great snack to take with you a wine tasting trip on the East End of Long Island.

Ingredients:

1 small jar peach jam or preserves, preferably homemade
1 bag pretzel crisps (these are those flat pretzels that are just the outside of the pretzel)

Here's how:

Place the jam in a small bowl and stir to make a smooth mixture without any lumps.

Place the bowl in the middle of a plate with pretzel crisps.

Dip the pretzel crisps in the jam and be prepared to be blown away by this simple appetizer.

June 6, 2011 Garden Tale

Today I was in the garden and decided to plant some more cucumbers.  My seedlings did not transplant well.  Despite my efforts to acclimate them to the outdoors, I lost several plants, including cucumbers.  This year I have a new garden structure, lattice.  I am using the lattice to grow my cucumbers in an upright fashion.  Past efforts in growing them on tomato cages have been unsuccessful.  In addition to the four plants of Lemon Cucumber and Green Cucumber, I added 6 seeds of each directly sowed into the soil under the lattice.  The soil there is very rocky een after my amendments of compost and peat moss but, I am hoping the cukes will like it anyway.  There is full sun there so they should do well.  I have been never had a good cucumber harvest, so maybe this year will be the one for me.

I also used the lattice to plant Morning Glory seeds.  I got the seeds at a bridal shower as a favor and excited to plant them.  They are a blue variety that are supposed to grow 8-10 feet tall.  If all goes well, my lattice will be full of beautiful blue flowers and cucumbers.

On the other area of the garden, the strawberries are coming in so quickly.  I again picked 5 cups of strawberries.  I clean them and am freezing them for pies, jam or ice cream.  I have to stay on top of these fruit and pick each day because if I miss one day the fruit will rot on the plant.  Here is my pick for the day:

Asparagus and Mushroom Frittata

I love using seasonal and local ingredients when possible.  This recipe is made using local asparagus, cheese, eggs and milk.  I bough the asparagus from a farm stand as well as the eggs.  The cheese is from a farmers' market.  These items can also be found at Whole Foods and look for local items.  In the spring this an easy meal that can be eaten at any time of day, hot or room temperature.

Ingredients:

2 TBS Olive Oil
8 oz. package of sliced white mushrooms
1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces
12 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheese, preferably cheddar or other strong flavored cheese
1 TBS salt
1 tsp black pepper
nonstick spray

Here's how:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large, nonstick saute pan, add oil on medium heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and asparagus and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from the pan. 

In a large bowl combine eggs and milk.  Whisk to incorporate.

Add the cheese, salt and pepper.  Add the vegetables to the bowl.

Spray a large nonstick and oven safe pan with nonstick spray and place on a medium heat.  Add the egg and vegetable mixture to the pan and cook for one minutes, stirring constantly to prevent sticking.

Place the pan into the oven and bake for 25 minutes until the frittata puffs up and is lightly browned on top.

Remove from the pan and let cool for at least 10 minutes.  Use a rubber spatula to loosen the edges of the frittata from the pan and slide it out.  Serve now or refrigerate and re-heat later.

Ladies Lunch Garden Party

This weekend I had a gathering of 15 women for a lunch on my patio.  The weather was perfect and the company was great.  I wanted to make the items from as many local sources as I could find.  I even used local recipes, right from Ina Garten's cookbooks.  Some of the items are from my stash of preserved items, or those of friends.  Here is the menu.  Check back as I post the recipes for each.

Appetizer:

Peach Jam and Pretzels http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/06/peach-jam-and-pretzel-crisps.html
Key Lime Cheese Ball http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/07/key-lime-cheese-ball.html
Lobster and Endive http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/07/lobster-salad-in-endive.html
Wasabi Deviled Eggs http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/07/wasabi-deviled-eggs.html

Sandwiches

Salmon Tea Sandwiches http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/07/salmon-tea-sanwiches.html
Chicken Caesar Club http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/07/caesar-club-sandwich.html
Beef Tenderloin http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/07/beef-tenderloin-sandwich.html
Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/07/roasted-red-pepper-and-goat-cheese.html

Salads

Moroccan http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/07/couscous-salad.html
Tabbouleh http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/07/tabbouleh-salad.html
Cobb
Pasta Pesto with Peas http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/06/pasta-pesto-with-peas.html

Eggs

Asparagus and Mushroom Frittata http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/06/asparagus-and-mushroom-frittata.html

Drink
Mint Iced Green Tea http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/06/mint-iced-green-tea.html

Dessert

Frozen Key Lime Pie http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/07/frozen-key-lime-pie.html
Strawberry Rhubarb Ice Cream http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/05/homemade-strawberry-rhubarb-ice-cream.html
Banana Walnut Chip Ice Cream http://homemadeonli.blogspot.com/2011/06/banana-walnut-chip-ice-cream.html

Strawberries Keep On Coming

This weekend my strawberries took off.  I forgot how quickly they ripen.  The task of picking is a daily one.  I can really feel the daily work of the garden beginning.  The season always starts so slow with growing the seeds and waiting to set them out.  But then comes June and the strawberries remind me of the labors and fruits that are ahead for the summer.

Saturday yielded 4 cups of strawberries, here is a picture of half of them:

Sunday I then picked 5 cups more.

After picking, I hull, rinse and freeze the berries.  I place them in a Ziploc bag and indicate how many cups are inside.  Then, when I want to make ice cream or jam, I know how much is inside each bag.  Also, by freezing them, I can make a large batch of whatever I am going to make instead of several small batches, it saves time and clean up.

If you do not grow your own strawberries, you can use the same clean and freeze method for berries you buy at a farmer's market, farm stand or grocery store.  Strawberries are only available for a short season, so stock up on them now.

Garden Pictures

Allium Globemaster

Iris

Iris closeup

Columbine

Rosa Heritgate

Dianthus

Banana Walnut Chip Ice Cream

I bought an ice cream maker last summer and I love to make homemade ice cream.   I have the Cuisinart 1.5 quart maker and this recipe can be found in the recipe book that came with it.  I love it so much I had to share it here.  If you have extra bananas, try it.  It has a lot of steps but is not hard and tastes great.  The rum is a nice surprise.

Ingredients:

½ cup whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 whole vanilla bean, halved and seeds scraped
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¹∕³ cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large bananas, cut into 1-inch pieces
1½ tablespoons dark rum
¼ teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 ounces bittersweet chocolate (¹∕³ cup chips), roughly chopped
½ cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

Here's how:

Place the ice cream bowl in the freezer.

In a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat, bring the milk, cream, vanilla bean (including the pod), vanilla extract and the salt just to a boil. Remove from heat; let mixture steep for 30 minutes.

Steeping the vanilla bean in the cream and milk

While the milk/cream mixture is steeping, heat the sugar with water in a large skillet until it begins to sizzle.

Brown sugar and water heating up

Butter and sugar sizzling

Stir in the butter and heat until melted.

Butter added

Butter melted

Add the bananas; cook for about 2 minutes, or until fragrant and softened.

Bananas just added

Bananas after 2 minutes

Carefully stir in the rum and cook for an additional 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.

Rum added and mixture thickened

Using a slotted spoon, strain the banana/sugar mixture, reserving the sugar syrup and bananas in separate bowls.

Straining the mixture

Bananas on top and syrup on the bottom, separated

Remove the vanilla pod from the steeped milk/cream mixture; discard pod.

Remove the pod (see it on the right side of photo)

Stir the lemon juice into the bananas and then mix the bananas into the steeped milk/cream.

Bananas mixed into the milk mixture.  I put it into a pour-able container so it is easier to pour into the ice cream maker.

Cover and refrigerate mixture 1 to 2 hours, or overnight.

Turn on the Cuisinart® ice cream maker; pour the banana mixture into the frozen freezer bowl and let mix until thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Here is my Cuisinart ice cream maker

Mixture added in and churning

While ice cream is churning, melt the bittersweet chocolate in a bowl set over a pot of simmering water or in the microwave; reserve.

Melted chocolate

When the ice cream is almost fully churned, gradually add the sugar syrup; let mix until fully combined.

Syrup added

Once the sugar syrup has been mixed, add the walnuts through the top of the ice cream maker; let mix until combined.

Walnuts added

Right before the ice cream is done, drizzle the melted chocolate into the churning ice cream.

Slowly adding the chocolate

The ice cream will have a soft, creamy texture. If a firmer consistency is desired, transfer the ice cream to an airtight container and place in freezer for about 2 hours. Remove from freezer about 15 minutes before serving.

Strawberry Harvest 2011 Begins

As June begins and the garden continues to grow, so starts the process of my favorite June pastime - picking strawberries.  I have been eagerly watching the strawberry patch green up, then flower and finally, the small strawberries began to grow.  As they reddened I was forced to wait until they totally changed from green and white to a bright red.  If you pick too early they are bland and if you pick too late the ants make dinner out of them. But when they are picked at just the right time they are so sweet and full of flavor.  I was so excited to pick the stawberries today and know that the harvest will continue for the next three weeks and then, my garden will give up other things.  It makes me appreciate the strawberry to know that it is only fresh for this three week period and that I must enjoy this time before it passes.