In My Kitchen

In My Kitchen – September 2022
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In My Kitchen – September 2022

It’s been a few months since my last In My Kitchen post and I am happy to rejoin the group. In My Kitchen is hosted by Sherry of Sherry’s Pickings. It’s a collection of posts from bloggers around the world, a fascinating look at what’s new in their kitchens. It’s not so much a collection of recipes, although you may find an occasional one, but more a diary of the past month’s events in the kitchen. In my case it will be several months. Click on the In My Kitchen link to read them all.

Here in my Northern California kitchen it is almost fall, my favorite season of the year. In the past few years it has also been the beginning of the dreaded fire season, which is not so good. We already have some big ones going in parts of the state. The coast is blessed with cool and foggy weather but winter rain fall has still been below normal. Our fingers are crossed that we have an early rainy season and escape the fires.

Food wise there hasn’t been much to write about these past few months. We eat a lot of very simple meals when the weather is warm, grills and simple salads are stars of the menu. We have been using our new Traeger Grill quite a lot for glorious smoked and grilled foods.

Smoked and Grilled Chicken Thighs

Smoked and Grilled Chicken Thighs

I do have an ode to cauliflower, which has been a star of the vegetable world for several years as well as a star in my own kitchen this past month. I find it amazingly versatile. Here are a few ways I have recently prepared it…

Mashed Cauliflower

Mashed Cauliflower

I think it’s even more flavorful than mashed potatoes.

Fried Riced Cauliflower

Stir Fried Riced Cauliflower with spinach and pine nuts

This was a quick and easy way to use the pre-riced cauliflower you find in many grocery stores.

Riced Cauliflower Salad with Chick Peas, Dates, and Herbs

Riced Cauliflower Salad with Chick Peas, Dates, and Herbs

A perfect salad to take to a potluck. You can make it ahead, and it’s both dairy and gluten free (as well as vegetarian).

Lastly here is a simple side dish to toss in the oven when you are baking a chicken. Sheet pan roast riced cauliflower with peppers and spinach.

Sheet Pan Riced Cauliflower

Sheet Pan Riced Cauliflower

I have found that the packages of pre-riced cauliflower at Trader Joe’s and other stores are best for roasting as a riced vegetable. Since many stores sell the florets, the stems are used for the riced cauliflower. If you are making mashed cauliflower, the florets are best as they are tender. Or, purchase an entire head, use the florets for mashed cauliflower and pulse the stems in your food processor to the consistency of rice.

Sheet Pan Riced Cauliflower

Sheet Pan Riced Cauliflower with a roast chicken breast

Our friend Marylinn suggested this contraption for making scrambled eggs in the microwave. It’s from the Pampered Chef. Now there are no morning discussions in our house about how the eggs should be cooked. My husband can make his own preferred scrambled eggs (he isn’t a cook but has mastered the technique with the ceramic egg cooker) and I soft cook my own in the air fryer (11 minutes at 270 degrees F). We are both happy.

Pampered Chef

Pampered Chef – ceramic pot for scrambled eggs in the microwave

In My Kitchen I have flowers from the garden. It’s dahlia season and I planted some new varieties last spring.

dahlias

dahlias

I adore having cut flowers in the house.

Lastly I have, what looks like, a new dog in the house. Casey, our eldest, has a lot of fur with a think undercoat. She has been miserable in the warmer weather. So we had her trimmed. What looked like an overweight dog is now slim and trim. It was an amazing transformation.

Casey, puppy Shanna, and Quinn

Casey, puppy Shanna, and Quinn

Casey, after

Casey, after

I is difficult to believe she is the same dog. And she is so much happier and energetic. I know that trimming their fur is not good for it overall, but at almost 14 it seemed more important that she be comfortable.

Shanna is doing well, we’ve had a lot of company this summer…many of them with their own pups. Shanna has been in heaven.

Heather, Shanna, Casey and Quinn with the conductor

I hope you have enjoyed this quick look at what’s new in my kitchen.

 

In My Kitchen – July 2022
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In My Kitchen – July 2022

It’s been several months since my last IMK post. In My Kitchen is part of a collection of posts from bloggers around the world, hosted by Sherry of Sherrys pickings. The posts detail what’s new in kitchens over the past month (or several months as the case may be). Click on the link to read them or join us. What’s new in your kitchen?

In My Kitchen, or rather on the back deck, is a new smoker/BBQ. It was a very generous gift from a house guest and we have just started using it. Last night we had the juiciest and most delicious pork chops I have had in my entire life. First smoked and then quickly seared. Unfortunately I don’t have any pictures because we gobbled up every last scrap and chewed on the bones as well. I apologize to any vegetarians reading this post.

Traeger Grill

Traeger Grill

In my kitchen I have some new whole wheat grains from Community Grains.

Community Grains
Community Grains

They are a California company dedicated to restoring the full meaning of “whole grain” to commercially available products.

From a study on their website:

“This study investigates whether current systems of whole wheat production and labeling meet consumer expectations for “whole wheat”:  a reasonable belief that 100% or certainly most of the kernel (“whole”) is contained in the output of any whole wheat mill and therefore any product made from it.  Dr. David Killilea developed a procedure for accurately determining levels of whole wheat in products labeled “whole grain” or “whole wheat,” taking measurements of a biomarker protein (wheat germ agglutinin—WGA) present in the germ of the wheat kernel.”

The results were fairly shocking in that many products labeled whole wheat are actually not.

In my kitchen I have some imported pumpkin torchio pasta which was delicious with a sauce of roasted butternut squash and fried sage leaves.

In my kitchen I have flowers, early summer is when Northern California gardens are in their prime. I love having freshly cut flowers in the house.

Flowers from the garden

Flowers from the garden

In my kitchen I have a new cookbook by Ali Slagle, I Dream of Dinner. She is a contributor to the NY Times food section.

I haven’t had a chance to cook from it yet although I am enjoying reading it. Have any of you tried anything?

The summer brings fairly simple meals around here, grilled chicken and sliced seasonal tomatoes being a favorite.

Chicken thighs on the Traeger grill

Leftovers make great tacos.

Lime Garlic Chicken Tacos

Lime Garlic Chicken Tacos

The garden has also been able to provide us with fresh zucchini and greens.

Zucchini from the garden

Zucchini from the garden

Because of the current uptick in Covid cases, I have been limiting how often I go to the grocery store for supplies. So occasionally the larder is somewhat bare. But I have found even a simple meal of roast asparagus and french toast eggs can be delicious. This meal reminded me of ‘toads in a hole’ as the eggs were baked in a hole in the bread.

A chilled glass of wine can make any meal memorable, even a simple one.

 

In my kitchen I always have dogs underfoot. My friend’s dog Heather was visiting and hanging out.

Casey, Quinn, Heather and Shanna

Casey, Quinn, Heather and Shanna

And here is Casey looking somewhat like a stuffed dog in her ‘thunder shirt’ which is supposed to calm her from anxiety.

Casey

Casey

Sadly she has been having a doggie version of night terrors. We are hoping that medication will calm her, so far it is having only limited effectiveness.

And that’s my update. I’d love to hear from you if you leave a comment.

 

 

In My Kitchen – April 2022
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In My Kitchen – April 2022

This post is part of a compendium of posts from kitchens around the world. It’s especially wonderful to drool over the tomatoes and other vegetables harvested by bloggers in the Southern Hemisphere this time of year, when we in the North are struggling to find a creative way to use yet another head of cabbage or bunch of kale. Use the link to Sherrys Pickings to find them and drool away.

My kitchen is not particularly creative these days as I would much rather be outside in the garden. Meals have been on the simple side.

A roast chicken serves us for several meals, it’s a favorite and there are several versions from simple to fancy on this blog. If you have time, do rub a couple of teaspoons of kosher salt over the skin and let the chicken rest, breast side up and uncovered, in the fridge for at least an hour (I’ve left it for 48 hours). Then bring it to room temperature before roasting, about an hour is plenty of time depending on the temperature of your home. Leave the salt on when roasting, the skin will be crackly crisp and the meat tender. That short dry brine makes a huge difference to the final juiciness.

This quick mid-week’s version was coated with a mixture of peach jam and Dijon mustard (1:1) before being popped in the oven. To speed the cooking time, use a smaller roasting dish and open the legs out. It’s usually the inner part of the thigh that takes longer to cook when a chicken is traditionally trussed.

Midweek Roast Chicken with Carrots and Parsnips

Midweek Roast Chicken with Carrots, Onions and Parsnips

There were a few noteworthy dishes though…

For a more robust take on my roast cabbage with cream and parmesan, I made Melissa Clark’s streamlined stuffed cabbage. Ms. Clark is one of my favorite food writers and I find her recipes are frequent winners.

Roast Cabbage Steaks with Cream and Parmesan

Roast Cabbage Steaks with Cream and Parmesan

Her recipe (published in the NY Times) had a paste of garlic, anchovies, parmesan rubbed between the leaves before roasting. A sprinkling of chopped walnuts for the last 10 minutes, and a garnish of more grated parmesan and chopped parsley completed the dish.

Roast Cabbage

Roast Cabbage with Provincial Flavors

It definitely had a ‘South of France’ vibe and was delicious.

In my kitchen I have some new containers to keep my fridge organized. These were a gift from a houseguest who swore by them. They do keep produce fresh much longer.

Fridge organizers

Fridge organizers

But just every bit as valuable, they allow me to see whats in the fridge rather than produce languishing in the back of the vegetable drawer.

In My Kitchen I prepared a Moroccan inspired dinner for friends who are finally departing on a much delayed vacation trip. On the menu was a salad of roasted cauliflower, carrots, couscous, garbanzo beans, currents, almonds and green olives.

Moroccan Salad

Moroccan Salad

As well as an eggplant and tomato spread, feta, stuffed grape leaves, and olives.

Eggplant spread

Eggplant spread

It was a beautiful spring day and we ate outside in the sunshine.

And lastly, our puppy Shanna has yet to meet a vegetable she doesn’t like. Here she is begging for a piece of broccoli stem. Which she promptly ate, and requested more.

In My Kitchen – February 2022
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In My Kitchen – February 2022

If I had to choose my least favorite months of the year they would be February and August. February because it can be a very grey, cold and damp month…winter has dragged on too long for me at this point. August because I am tired of watering, weeding, deadheading and worrying about fire. On the coast August is often grey and foggy and crowded with visitors escaping the inland heat. Those crowds are a mixed blessing. At least most things are empty in February and you can get a seat outside at a restaurant, silver lining.

This post is part of a collection detailing events from kitchens around the world. You can find the others by using this link to Sherry’s Pickings.

So, what’s been happening in my kitchen. I have been going through a cooking slump. After two years of pandemic stay-at-home meals I am bored. What’s the solution? New cookbooks! I started with the title recipe from Midnight Chicken, by Ella Risbridger. Roast chicken has been my own signature dish for years and I always enjoy a new twist. I would say it was a big success judging by the moist flavorful meat and crisp skin. Before roasting the chicken was rubbed with chopped garlic, fresh chilis, rosemary, thyme, grainy mustard, lemon juice and olive oil.

Midnight Chicken

Midnight Chicken

 

Midnight Chicken

Midnight Chicken

The following week I tried the same spiced rub on boneless chicken thighs before quickly grilling them.

Midnight Chicken

Midnight Chicken

I will post the recipe for you, the book is a fun read with some great recipes.

From Eating Out Loud by Eden Grinshpan, I made Fennel, Celery and Mint Salad.

Eating Out Loud

Eating Out Loud

 

Thinly shaved fennel and celery are combined with toasted pine nuts, grated pecorino, fresh mint leaves, and lemon. This is a wonderful salad because it can be made several hours ahead.

Shaved Fennel, Celery and Mint Salad

Shaved Fennel, Celery and Mint Salad

Shaved Fennel, Celery and Mint Salad

Shaved Fennel, Celery and Mint Salad

My other new cookbooks include Grains for Every Season by Joshua McFadden (I love his other cookbook Six Seasons), big little recipes by Emma Laperruque from the group at Food52, and No-Recipe Recipes by Sam Sifton at New York Times Cooking.

Grains for Every Season
Big Little Recipes
No-Recipe Recipes

I’m still exploring the new books and marking pages with dishes I want to try.

While looking through a tall stack of recipe clippings for inspiration, I rediscovered a handwritten recipe called simply MARINADE in my mother’s handwriting. It was almost like she had given me an unexpected hug. It was on her refrigerator for years and I had forgotten about it. I used it as a marinade for a flank steak, which can sometime be a tough cut of meat. You will find the recipe here.

Marinade

Marinade

Marinated and grilled Flank Steak

My Electric Pressure Cooker got a workout for chicken with white beans.

And a dreary cold day called for a simple chicken soup with the surprising addition of hot pickled cherry peppers.

And that’s it for my kitchen. Let me know if you have tried any of the recipes from these cookbooks and have recommendations.

I hope you are all staying well and safe.

In My Kitchen – January 2022
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In My Kitchen – January 2022

Happy New Year everyone!

And here we are…again.

How are you?

I missed posting on IMK last month, the month just got away from me. It was lovely gathering with friends and family for the Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations. I was grateful for every minute we spent together. Our gatherings were small, all of us who were eligible were vaccinated and boosted, and they felt safe. We were careful, so careful. It paid off, everyone is still healthy. What a horrible thing we have to worry about, that you might accidentally infect someone you love!

Hopefully you were able to enjoy the holidays with your loved ones.

We hosted a chili party on New Year’s Day to toast the start of 2022. I meant to take pictures of the chili but we were having way too much fun. Even though it was the coldest day of the season, to date, we managed to have a good time. Our tummies were warmed by chili, our outsides by a fire pit, heat lamps, good friends, and warm winter coats.

Woefully the only pictures I have is of the kitchen the next morning…

New Year’s the morning after
The morning after

The second run of the dishwasher swept them all away. Sadly for us there were very few leftovers.

So, what’s new in my kitchen?

New is this amazing warming tray that kept the various versions of chili hot. I has a large surface so it can hold several large pots. It will be useful for future parties. I am optimistic.

Warming Tray

Warming Tray – Quinn looking on: “what you doing…gonna give me any leftovers?”

I kept the tray just inside the door to the outside deck. Party goers could pop in and fill their bowls with hot chili (get warm for a minute), then add all the trimmings from bowls on a table outside.

In My Kitchen I have some new Christmas cookbooks. I haven’t had a chance to peruse them yet but am looking forward to it. I need inspiration. After two years I have lapsed into a rut as far as meals. We used to have or attend dinner parties once a week, there has been big change these last two years. Hopefully you, kind readers, will see some of the meals in future posts.

Christmas Cookbooks

Christmas Cookbooks

In my kitchen I have this lovely woven bowl in a gorgeous pink color. It was a gift from a long time friend in Florida. My minds eye can see how breathtaking a half dozen lemons will be in it. It came with a molded cloth that is intended to support a bowl in the microwave, and keep your hands from being burned. My friend knows that Paris is my very favorite city in the whole world. They both were made by an artist local to her who is a designer of art and functional objects, named Linda Livingston. Linda can be reached at livingstonlin@icloud.com if you would like to see or learn more about her art.

Woven Bowl
Microwave bowl holder

In my kitchen I have some new flour sack botanical napkins.

Flour Sack Napkins

Flour Sack Napkins

These are from a company called June & December. I really love the simplicity of the botanical embroidery. I crave minimalism in January after all the bling.

In fact, in my kitchen I have lots of napkins of all types and varieties. We use cloth instead of paper napkins and I love having a selection I can match to the food and my mood. These are freshly laundered as we used them for the party. They were given to me by the same thoughtful friend in Florida.

Cloth Napkins

Cloth Napkins

In my kitchen I always have dogs underfoot. Casey at thirteen is endlessly patient with Shanna, the puppy, who wants to cuddle with her. But Casey knows that Shanna is just looking for an opportunity to be naughty.

Casey and Shanna

Casey and Shanna

Shanna is also funny, she has yet to meet a fruit of vegetable she doesn’t adore and she loves ice. These photos were not exactly ‘in’ my kitchen but taken through the French doors of the kitchen looking out into the yard.

Oh Goodie! Ice!
Yum!
Mine, all mine!

She clearly thought the other dogs were about to steal her stash.

The ice had been dumped from ice chests that held the drinks at the party. It was so cold that night that the ice was still on the ground in the morning.

So, here we are again. 2022 feels like an endless rerun.

I know that you may be tired, and anxious, and worried, and perhaps angry. I have been all of those. I think we need to be gentle with ourselves and each other this year. We are fragile.

This quote comes from a newsletter Sarah Bessey wrote, I think it is appropriate for this year.

Be…”Gentle with your words to yourself. Gentle with your expectations. Gentle with your demands. Gentle with your soul. Gentle with your plans, your time, your hours, your sleep. Gentle with your partner, your kids, your people. Gentle with your needs, your wants, your desires. Gentle with your mind and your body.”

I wish you a safe, healthy and happy New Year filled with love.