In My Kitchen

In My Kitchen – May 2023
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In My Kitchen – May 2023

After a month out of my kitchen, I seem to be making up for lost time. And I have missed all of you.

So, what’s been cooking in my kitchen? Here are a few highlights from the month.

 

Thai influenced chopped cabbage and kale salad

Thai-influenced chopped cabbage and kale salad with Korean BBQ chicken (air-fryer)

 

 

 

This recipe for skirt steak and the cherry tomato salad came from a cookbook I received at Christmas from our daughter. She knows what I like and this one is filled with beautiful pictures and recipes for entertaining on the California coast. I will be posting this simple recipe, perfect for summer. It would be even more delicious with mixed color summer tomatoes. It was an appropriate dinner for our daughter’s visit this week, skirt steak is her favorite.

Malibu Farm Cookbook

Malibu Farm Cookbook

 

Grilled Spring Asparagus

Grilled Spring Asparagus

Because of the work on our decks, the BBQ grill has been rolled to the edge of the vegetable garden. But we still managed to set it up for our first grilled dinner of the season. Simply grilled fresh asparagus is my idea of spring. It only needs a slick of olive oil and salt, yum.

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you know of my passion for cookbooks. Our bookcases are stuffed to overflowing and you will find cookbooks piled on most surfaces. I read them like others would read memoirs. They are, after all, stories of a particular person’s relationship with food and eating. How do they approach textures, flavors, and scents? If there are pictures, what is their approach visually? How do they relate to their unique geographical place on the earth, to the environment, and sustainability? It’s all there between the lines. Sometimes it’s even right out there in front. The most fun is when there are personal elements. Some cookbooks, I’m thinking of M.F.K. Fisher, are essays with recipes. A more modern writer who does the same would be Ella Risbridger.

So, while I am on the subject of cookbooks…what are the new ones on my shelves (actually piled beside the bed)?

The Chicken Bible

The Chicken Bible

This one is from the folks at America’s Test Kitchen. We eat a LOT of chicken, I didn’t think there could be any new ways to fix it. I would be wrong about that. This is a true compendium of chicken recipes cooked in every way imaginable, including the slow cooker and air fryer. I do not have the best relationship with slow cookers, although I love the concept. For me, they are okay for soups, but not so much for other things. So, I tried one of the book’s slow cooker recipes which sounded very flavorful from the ingredients. I just have to say that I won’t be posting it and it did nothing to change my opinion of the slow cooker. However, I will be posting others that are more successful, so stay tuned…too many recipes and too little time.

Chi Spacca Cookbook by Nancy Silverton

Chi Spacca Cookbook by Nancy Silverton

I am an avid follower of Nancy Silverton and this is her newest. This is not a cookbook for novices. The recipes have many steps and are fairly complicated. I’m waiting for a day when I have nothing on the agenda (read no weeding), so it might have to be the first rainy day of fall. The book is also very meat-centric, certainly not one for vegetarians. You will have to make friends with your butcher.

Donna Hay the new classics

Donna Hay the new classics

Although the recipes in this book are simple, they are classics after all, the presentations are beautiful. I’m not one for drops of various sauces around the edge of the plate, I think that’s pretentious. But this is how my mother would present her food (she was cordon bleu trained and taught cooking classes for years). It’s also not one for beginners as there isn’t an excess of explanations, but they are not overly complicated either.

Six California Kitchens

Six California Kitchens

My friend, Sharon, recommended this one, knowing I would enjoy it. The line on the cover that included ‘stories’ got me into the bookstore to purchase it. The book follows Sally Kelsoe through six of her kitchens. Included are her mother’s, The Vintage Cafe in Yountville, The Chutney Kitchen in Yountville, The French Laundry also in Yountville, The Apple Farm in Philo, and finally The Elk Cottage in Elk where she retired.

New in my kitchen is this electric kettle. I think this is number 5 in the lineup. If you have not had experience with one, you are in for a wonderful surprise. They heat water very quickly. This kettle is number 5 because they are in constant use for tea or coffee in our household, therefore they poop out eventually. The manufacturer is a new one for us.

While we were in New Zealand I judged the comfort of our hotels by only a few criteria…clean, comfortable beds, electric towel warmer, and electric kettle. With one exception (no towel warmer), they all passed. The electric kettle allowed me to make a cup of tea while I was dressing and packing up for the day. The kettle is the first thing I reach for at home after I let the dogs out. It’s amazing to me that electric towel warmers haven’t caught on in the U.S. while they are fairly common in many parts of the world.

Mueller Electric Kettle

Mueller Electric Kettle

Several years ago, when I purchased an electric kettle number 4 and posted it on IMK, this brand was recommended in a comment. Your comments are remembered and important. So please pipe up and write in. I love comments, read them, and respond. I love being connected to my readers.

This month’s curve ball came off a coaster in a shop in New Zealand.

This post is part of the monthly blogging collection detailing what’s new in kitchens around the world. Come over to Sherry’s Pickings to read the blogs.

In My Kitchen – April 2023
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In My Kitchen – April 2023

There isn’t much that’s new in my kitchen, except that I am in it after three weeks away. It was the longest trip we’ve had in several years. Honestly, I think two weeks is long enough. We missed our home, family, friends, and dogs. Where were we? New Zealand on a hiking adventure around the South Island. It was amazing! And beautiful, and a lot of fun…just a little too long. Look for a couple of future posts with pictures.

Is there anything new going on in the kitchen here at home? Well, one of our guides introduced us to a local South Island chutney. She fixed our picnic lunches on several days and a tablespoon of one of these chutneys was usually included.

Barker's Chutney and Jelly

Barker’s Chutney and Jelly

I managed a trip to one of the local groceries to pick up several jars. The Red Pepper & Chilli Jelly is a gift.

In my kitchen, I also have some New Zealand chocolate. I picked these bars up at the airport on the way home.

We are not dark chocolate fans, preferring milk. Our daughter is a fan of white chocolate.

Whitman's Chocolate

Whitman’s Chocolate

In my kitchen, I have a small jar of kawa-kawa balm. The kawakawa leaves are medicinal, and one of our guides was quite knowledgeable about local plants. She made tea one night from kawakawa leaves, something we needed after a full day of hiking. This balm will be handy for those inevitable burns in the kitchen.

Kawa-kawa balm
Kawa-kawa balm

We didn’t have much room in our suitcases for much more.

Although there hasn’t been a lot of cooking going on, the kitchen has been busy. In a search of a jar of chili crisp, I ended up cleaning out the pantry. It was long overdue but not on my to-do list that particular afternoon. Educational it was though. I discovered several packages of outdated and stale crackers, three jars of Castelvetrano olives (I only need one), five jars of various salsas, a variety of gourmet this-and-that’s meant to be part of a cheese platter, and the missing jar of chili crisp next to the toasted oatmeal. In the course of the hunt, I reorganized the pantry. If true to history, it will slowly lose that organization over the next few months.

Above is just part of the pantry with its new organization. Since everything has been moved around, the new patterns are sure to frustrate searchers for the hot sauce or the ketchup.

Now let’s talk eggs…

I found the bright orange yolks of the eggs we had each morning in New Zealand surprising. When we kept chickens at our home in Oakland (yes, you can have backyard chickens in Oakland…we were quite the local stop for neighborhood children), the color of the yolks approached orange. I was told it was due to a diet rich in carotenoids, the natural yellow-orange pigment found in fruits and vegetables. But I haven’t seen that wonderful color in supermarket eggs in the U.S., even humanely-raised free-range ones.

I was a bit disappointed to find that synthetic carotenoids can be added to their feed to enhance the yolk color. The eggs were still delicious.

New Zealand poached eggs

New Zealand poached eggs

Next month there will be more pictures of food to tempt you with.

I’m sharing this post with Sherry’s blogging party on Sherry’s Pickings. Come on over for an international summary from kitchens around the world.

 

 

In My Kitchen – March 2023
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In My Kitchen – March 2023

There hasn’t been much that’s new in my kitchen this past month. But there have been some note-worthy meals. I’m sharing this post with Sherry’s blogging party on Sherry’s Pickings. Come on over for an international summary from kitchens around the world.

Friends visited for a few days around Valentine’s Day. I made a brown rice mushroom risotto in my electric pressure cooker with a citrus/fennel salad and almond cake for dessert.

 

Blood orange and citrus salad with fennel

Blood orange and citrus salad with fennel

The almond cake was delicious, gluten and dairy free, and not too sweet.

Almond Cake

Almond Cake

The combination of flavors was perfect.

The leftover cake was wonderful with a cup of coffee for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

My friend had brought the contents of her farm box with her and it contained a large head of cabbage. One night we made an easy sheet pan dinner with boneless chicken thighs baked on top of cabbage and onions.

Sheet Pan Dinner

Sheet Pan Dinner

During a rare break in the weather, we were able to hold a puppy-play-date dinner outside. During Covid, we only entertained out on the deck. It’s remained a ‘thing’, especially when we can supervise the young dogs while we are socializing. Multiple outside heaters and lap blankets have made it comfortable.

My starter that night was roasted sliced eggplant ‘pizza’. Just slices of toasty roasted eggplant with a spoonful of tomato sauce and a slice of mozzarella, then baked until melty. A carb-friendly option to regular pizza. Eggplant is a vegetable that is growing on me, it hasn’t been a favorite in the past.

Eggplant ''pizza'

Eggplant ”pizza’

Wandering through the grocery store in search of inspiration I came across ground duck in the freezer section. It made a memorable and different burger one night. I gave it a slightly Asian twist with some grated ginger, garlic, and soy sauce. Then we served it with hoisin sauce slathered on the bun. The duck was tender and moist, mild flavored. I recommend you try it if you can find it.

Duck burger

Duck burger

From my kitchen I watched the snow come down…

Snow 2023

Snow 2023

The last time it snowed here was 1989.

In My Kitchen – November 2022
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In My Kitchen – November 2022

Is it November already and time for In My Kitchen? This post is part of a compilation of records of kitchen events from the last month. Here’s the fun part, the kitchens are all over the world. Bloggers from both the northern and southern hemispheres take part. You can read the other posts at Sherry’s Pickings, the link is here. You will learn about new kitchen gadgets, recipes, unusual ingredients, wine, cheese, and chocolate…need I say more?

The holidays are approaching way too quickly. I am starting to think about my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner. It’s a day that celebrates friendship and family, one that has more meaning to me than Christmas these days. After the last three years, I value and appreciate my close connections to other people (and furry friends) even more. Thanksgiving is less commercialized (unless you count the frenzy of Black Friday). For years I hosted Thanksgiving, but as my friend’s families have grown with grandchildren and in-laws, I surrendered the honor. Now our little family is a happy participant.

This year I am planning to make sous vide turkey roulade, plus a large casserole of vegetarian raisin stuffing. Vegetarian sausage products have improved so much over the past few years that there is no compromise using it rather than regular sausage. I will post the recipe for the roulade, there are several on this site for turkey but I haven’t tried this particular one before. Sous vide has turned out to be the all-around best technique for turning out tender, moist turkey.

And, I am writing this post on election night in the U.S. because I am filled with anxiety. It’s a case of avoidance. I cannot bear to watch the minute-by-minute news programs. I cannot change things. I try to cultivate a long-range view, things have been this bad before. But, here and now, I despair.

But, on to what is new In My Kitchen over the past month.

I purchased this padded mat for the kitchen. It’s easy to clean and comfortable when I am standing in front of the sink and prep area.

Padded Kitchen Mat

Padded Kitchen Mat

I’ve been trying a lot of recipes from a new cookbook. I’ve found the fall recipe section especially inspiring.

salad freak

Salad Freak by Jess Damuck

So far I have made (all slightly adjusted to what I had in the fridge and on hand):

Shredded Kale and Brussels Sprouts with Roasted Squash and Walnuts

Health Food Salad

And a roasted vegetable salad (recipe to be posted soon).

Roasted Vegetable Salad

Roasted Vegetable Salad

A cookbook rarely inspires me this way.

It’s the season for soups and this one was welcome on a cool evening.

Friends have a dog (no longer a puppy) only a couple of days older than our Shanna. We have been scheduling ‘puppy play dates’ over the past 12 months, ever since they were fully vaccinated. Of course, it’s only an excuse for wine and snacks (sometimes a full dinner) on our deck as we laugh at puppy craziness. For our last meeting, we decided on a Greek tapas theme. I made this roasted eggplant with tomatoes and a miso-tahini sauce dish. It was a hit.

Eggplant is usually not one of my favorites, but this time it was roasted to a wonderfully charred deliciousness. It changed my mind.

And that is most of the notable events in the kitchen over the past month. We took a 4 day trip up the coast for a long weekend with hikes over to the lost coast and through the redwoods. It’s on my schedule to write a post detailing our adventures and some of the pictures. Walking through the redwoods feels like entering a cathedral. If you haven’t had an opportunity to visit, I highly recommend the experience. The burls look like creatures out of Lord of the Rings. Here is one:

Looks like a ghoul to me, pulling itself out of the tree.

I wish all of you in the U.S. a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with friendship and love. And, I love comments. Please let me know what’s new in your kitchen over the past month.

In My Kitchen – October 2022
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In My Kitchen – October 2022

September Dahlias
dahlias

In my kitchen I see flowers, armloads of flowers have been cut to sit in vases on the counter and the dining table. It’s dahlia season up here on the Northern California coast and they are simply gorgeous. As an added bonus, the gophers (and deer) leave them alone.

They come in the colors of the rainbow. If you can get to the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens in the late summer or early fall, the dahlia garden is a must see, a favorite spot for weddings.

Besides beautiful flowers, what’s new in my kitchen?

A good friend made this gorgeous cutting board for me.

Cutting board from Paul

Cutting board from Paul

He recently retired and has been spending time in his shop. It’s going to be perfect as a charcuterie board. I envision generous portions of cheese, fruit and cured meats displayed on it. Thank you Paul.

In My Kitchen are these cute wooden whale salad servers. They were a gift from my generous friend, Wendy. Aren’t they adorable?

Whale Salad Servers

Whale Salad Servers

And in my kitchen are new cookbooks. It’s my birthday month and I can’t imagine a more wonderful gift than kitchen inspiration. The one by Aran Goyoaga is filled with gluten free recipes. Since I have several gluten intolerant friends, I expect it to be especially useful.

This new cookbook if full on new ideas, and I am excited to try them.

We eat a lot of salads in this household, frequently as the center of the meal, if not the entire meal. salad freak has already inspired me. Look for posts from it very soon. My mother used to say a cookbook was worth the purchase if you got one great recipe. I’ve already earmarked more than a dozen from this one.

In My Kitchen I have some new spice mixes. These are from the Oaktown Spice Shop. It’s a favorite place to browse when I am in the Lake Merritt area of Oakland. Just walking into the store and taking a deep breath transports me to exotic places. They also have an on-line shop and are very efficient about prompt mailings if you are too far away to visit. .

New Spice Mixes

New Spice Mixes

I haven’t tried this salsa yet, the recipe is on the back of the package.

We are in a shoulder season right now, the time between late summer and early fall. Our evenings have turned crisp and cool, but the mid afternoon sun is still warm. I adore the earthy smell of early autumn, it’s my favorite time of year. We are still using the BBQ most nights and also enjoying tomato season. It will be over soon and my thoughts will turn to winter squashes and greens.

We have been lucky that an unexpected mid-September storm rolled through and ‘mostly’ put an end to the worries of fire season.

We used the Traeger Grill to smoke some pork chops, they were delightfully juicy and flavorful.

Smoked pork chops

And enjoyed fresh tomatoes on crisp bread with mozzarella with them.

Our meals are still simple, I haven’t pulled out the slow cooker, casseroles, or the instant pot yet. It will soon be the season of soups and braised dishes, but not yet.

And here is my surprise. A picture of a dragonfly in my pollinator garden, I’ve never seen one before with this particular coloring. After doing some research, I discovered that this is a male 12-spotted skimmer. He let me get quite close to take a photo. Isn’t he beautiful?

Male 12-Spotted Skimmer

Male 12-Spotted Skimmer

In My Kitchen is a virtual party of bloggers from all over the world. It’s a collection of posts about what is new in their kitchens, a summary of the last month bounty.  It’s hosted by Sherry, from  Sherry’s Pickings. Click on the link to read those posts.