An odd way to say, "Thank you!"

My food story since surgery has been interesting.

• A "bounty!" of produce brought by Mom and Dad (B has a habit of singing this while raising her arms that compels me to shake my head at her).
• The night before surgery, the nummy pork from Cafe Rio that Ashlee gifted us with for Mom's birthday (made by me).
• The night after surgery (my first food in more than 24 hours), the hospital's beef with broccoli.
• The next day and part of the next--grilled cheese and tomato soup--Velveeta and Campbell's--totally childhood memories of feel-better comfort food (sorry, it is what I wanted).
• A beautiful Southern Season chocolate gift basket from the 3 Musketeers at work.
• Gorgeous, delicate, white bean soup while cheering for various Olympic sports with AP.
• Mashed potatoes.
• Pineapple, clemantines, oranges, bananas . . .
• German Pancakes from B.
• Cereal--as a non-cereal eater, I've been weirdly pro-cereal of late. Maybe because all of the drugs make my body uneasy about a lot of things, so cereal is simple enough not to throw it into a tailspin.
• A pasta salad bursting with so many intricate flavors, I am sure I haven't hit them all yet--maybe Rachel will share the recipe?
• Crepes, crepes, crepes. Brit's berry sauce recipe and Thells's lemon custard recipe, I may need. Though the standard Parmesan chicken with Boursin and raspberry jam is always delicious, spiced nuts with pear and goat cheese is pretty amazing.
• Crack cupcakes (really pumpkin, chocolate baby cupcakes that you can't stop eating) from the Major Baker.
• German Chocolate Cake Balls--mmm, mmm, mmm. CC, we need to have a tasting of various flavor combinations and then rate them all!
• Reheated sausage and egg, from A, mixed with golden pancakes for a delicious new take on pigs in a blanket.
• As a kid, I hated meatloaf, but when HK (doesn't that kind of feel like a combination of Harry Potter and JK Rowling?) stopped by with baked potatoes, green beans, and mini-meatloaves (almost a deconstructed shepherd's pie), both Miss B and I couldn't get enough! Long after there were exclamations of it's goodness.
  
• Pizza, Pizza.
• Oatmeal, pumpkin, chocolate chip cookies (another Major creation of doom--and by doom I mean I cannot stop eating them) and milk.
• Pineapple.
• Shakespearean in it's flavor pedigree, but simple in its ingredients--gorgeous, perfectly seasoned Asparagus with moist, flavorful chicken. And a berry pie. Perfectly, lusciously delicious and filling--not too fancy, but perfection in every bite.

So there you have it, a week and a half worth of food to fill the tummy and warm the soul of a recuperating, slightly vertigo-troubled individual who truly appreciates those who have brightened her recovery with their gifts. Thank you!

P.S. Please, if you can, post recipes--I think everyone deserves to revel in the splendor of this glorious "Bounty!"

Around the Web in Foodie Posts: Randomness

My favorites from the past few weeks:

• Pie Pops - brilliant!
• A menu plan for Sunday School
• Waffleizer - fabulous new blog I have stumbled across. This is genius!
• Ironman meets Ironchef - if you are into working out and cooking, do not miss this year's!
• Eating light for the new year
• An amazing way to reuse your lemon peel.
• A defense of crisco - it really does make the best pie crust!
• A conversation about school lunches.
• Gorgeous pictures of a Paris open-air market.
• Cocoa brownies to die for
• A restaurant in a tree!
• Bizarre Lady Gaga cookies
• Superbowl recipes! - just in time for this weekend!

ETA: Sorry, I have been MIA of late. I'm working on it.

Fire-roasted Tomato Vegetable Soup

From November's Dining In (but also perfect for right now):

Allyson's Fire-Roasted Tomato Vegetable Soup

1 medium onion, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

4 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

5 garlic cloves

2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans diced fire roasted tomatoes

1 (14 1/2 oz.) can fire roasted tomatoes, crushed

3 c. vegetable broth

1 T. oregano

1 tsp. rosemary, crushed between your fingers

4 roasted garlic cloves

1 T. minced parsley or chopped basil

salt and pepper

1 tsp. sugar (if needed)

Preheat oven to 350. In a shallow roasting pan, combine the celery, carrots, and garlic, sprinkle with salt, and lightly drizzle with olive oil. Cover the pan with foil and roast 45 minutes to hour, until the celery is almost tender, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent burning. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, sauté the onion over medium heat, until translucent. Add the roasted vegetables, tomatoes, broth, oregano, and rosemary; bring to a simmer. Simmer on very low heat for 10 minutes.

Use a blender to puree the soup to preferred level of consistency, then transfer back to the liquid. Add the parsley and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for about 10 more minutes to allow the flavors to blend. If it is too acidic, add a little sugar to taste. Serve with some chopped fresh basil and either a crusty baguette or rye chips.

Fresh from the farmers' market

B's birthday was on Saturday, and like almost every Saturday she started it at the farmers' market in Carrboro (I was at water aerobics)--the Farmers' Market is even listed as one of the main attractions on Carrboro's wikipedia page!.

That little square at the end of Weaver Street is one of my favorite, tiny pockets of North Carolina. A perfect Saturday activity for those who like to get up early (It opens at 7), or sleep in a little (it closes at noon). Three circuits around the square, and you know exactly what you want. Try some of the cheeses from Maple View Creamery (We love their mozzarella and pheta); get your own grass-fed beef or chicken; debate which flowers are happier looking; find the most gorgeous blueberries; or have a sip of freshly-squeezed lemonade--and whatever you do, do not miss out on the Sunshine Rolls from the Farmer's Daughter--the perfect bite to start off your Saturday.

On my way home from the pool, I called to find out B's farmers' market finds. This week, she picked up light, creamy mozzarella; luscious, plump tomatoes; and fresh, fragrant basil. As I drove home, I conceptualized lunch...

Using some leftover spaghetti (just the noodles) from the fridge, I tossed it with a little olive oil on medium until they were slightly warm. Then I added in the basil, slightly torn and just enough to make their sweet fragrance fill the air (with a pinch of salt and pepper). I removed that from the heat and, in a bowl, added chopped tomatoes and mozzarella. A refreshing glass of limeade, and we were set!

Sunday, we turned the same concept on it's head; and on multi-grain bread, we grilled the mozzarella with basil and tomato for a crunchy, cheesy, and delicious lunchtime treat before our Sabbath-day nap. Truly, the Carrboro Farmers' Market was created just for perfect birthday meals.

ETA: Vote for them as your favorite Farmers' Market here: http://www.care2.com/farmersmarket/

Carrboro Farmer's Market or CFM (that's for you, B.)

Last fall I read Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, and I will never be the same. I'm obsessed with it. I may even succumb to stalking Barbara Kingsolver--it's that great.

Read it.


After I read this book I decided I wanted to do what I could to support local farmers and produce. Because we all know that I have ample time at work, I started googling Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). A CSA lets you purchase in advance a share of the farm's produce, eggs, meat, etc. And then every week you pick up your box filled with whatever is in season. I decided to buy a share from one of the local farms that is at the Carrboro Farmer's Market. Lots of the farmers there offer CSAs, and you can read all about them via the links provided on this website. The CSA I chose was only $106 for 13 weeks and last Saturday was my first pick-up. I scored a pound of mild country sausage, a bag of mixed greens, and bunch of green garlic.

Awesome.

Can't wait to go again this Saturday.

No More Plain Green Beans

My family Easter gathering is quickly approaching and my Mom was making assignments. She said "why don't you bring a vegetable. Maybe green beans, you could even do the classic green bean casserole if you would like." Ever since Christmas and the unending leftovers I was not thrilled with the idea...to say the least. So here is a new twist on serving those green beans.

Roasted Green Beans with Peppers & Onion

1 lb. whole frozen or fresh green beans, ends trimmed
1 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 yellow pepper, cut into thin strips
1 large onion, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing
1/2 cup Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese

PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Toss vegetables with dressing in large roasting pan.
BAKE 30 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring after 15 min.
SPRINKLE with cheese. Bake an additional 2 to 3 min. or until cheese is melted.

I have made this recipe several times and always enjoy the delicious taste of all the onions, peppers and cheese intertwined with the green beans. ENJOY :)

Food Posts enjoyed recently

A list of the posts, I've read and enjoyed this week:

• A critique of one of Sara Foster's books (she of Foster's Market fame).
• A gorgeous post that just happens to touch on a restaurant experience.
• The Feminist Mormon Housewives take on bread again.
• The Food Storage Starter kit available for members.
• Chou's Caramel Rice Pudding sounds divine.
• The Carrboro Farmer's market (as well as other local farmers markets) have CSAs. Slate goes over one way to make it work.
• The Chatham County Buy Local guide.
• General Conference Cornbread. Though I keep meaning to try making his spaghetti pie.
• Mmmm. . . Grilled Cheese.

How to pick produce...

Picking produce can be difficult. If you don't have training (or a book) on the subject, it can be a close-your-eyes-and-point kind of activity. Why on earth did Mom pick one cantalope over the other? How do you know when fresh herbs are about to be not-so-fresh? Various cookbooks will note information about purchasing and storing produce (The Joy of Cooking has a great guide), but sometimes it is just picking what looks and smells the best.

Hopefully the following links will help.

• An A to Z guide to produce
• Video guides to picking good produce
• A little guide to storage of produce
• A summer fruit buying guide