In My Garden – January 2024
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In My Garden – January 2024

I am still getting used to writing 2024, it doesn’t seem real that another year has passed. Looking at our current political scene, this one fills me with potential dread. My garden is my sanctuary.

Unfortunately, January is not particularly cheerful in the garden. There are, though, some blooms to share with you.

First Azalea to Bloom

First Azalea to Bloom

This one looks like a little rose. When we built the addition to the house it was moved and it is thriving.

Heath

Heath

Another pink bloom, a heath. Both heaths and heathers do very well in our climate.

The Hellebores are starting to bloom, they are one of my favorite flowers. These days there are so many different varieties and colors.

The Cupeas bloom almost 12 months of the year. They are a big favorite of the hummingbirds.

The flowering current next to the garage is full of buds. Signs of spring.

Flowering Current

Flowering Currant

In the vegetable garden, the fava beans are quite tall. This afternoon I cut them down and dug them into the soil. It’s the same bed where I will plant zucchini this summer.

Fava Beans

Fava Beans

Parsley

Parsley

The parsley plant has enjoyed the proximity to the favas.

Chives

Chives

The chives are starting to burst. They were transplanted from another site last summer and seem to have survived.

On a clear but cloudy day this past weekend, I was able to plant sweet pea flowers in a half wine barrel.

Sweet Pea Flowers

Sweet Pea Flowers

Most of the garden looks a bid sad and sodden from the rain though.

We haven’t experienced the same extent of winter storm damage as many parts of the U.S. At least not yet. But the rains have washed out the road to Laguna Point in MacKerricher State Park which is just down the road from us.

Lake Cleone is to the left of the road, there is (or rather was) a culvert from the lake out to the beach. You can see some of the pipe under the remainder of the road.

I think the rest of the road will go when this next storms hit tomorrow and Friday. It’s already dangerously undercut.

Quinn and I took a walk to check out the damage.

In My Kitchen – December 2023 and January 2024
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In My Kitchen – December 2023 and January 2024

In My Kitchen this month I have lists, lots of lists.  I bet you have them as well. For the first time in many years we are hosting Christmas dinner up in Fort Bragg. We usually have Christmas Eve dinner with good friends in Oakland, then travel back up the coast on Christmas Day. This year is different. Don’t worry, those friends are still the very best, but this year we are hosting them to our condo in Oakland prior to the big day. A simple casserole of chicken with sweet potatoes and dates was on the menu.

Braised Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Dates

Braised Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Dates

I’ve been playing with puff pastry lately. This recipe from Tara Bench (known as Tara Teaspoon) came from the cookbook Delicious Gatherings. It’s titled spinach and artichoke tarte soleil and it does look like the sun. It was absolutely delicious and wonderful way to start Christmas dinner.

spinach and artichoke tarte soleil

spinach and artichoke tarte soleil

spinach and artichoke tarte soleil

spinach and artichoke tarte soleil

The rest of the meal was simple. Baked chicken, a shaved Brussels sprout salad, and baked butternut squash.

In My Kitchen I have some new cookbooks, they are always under the tree for me on Christmas morning.

Christmas Dinner 2023

Christmas Dinner 2023

Salad Freak is not new but one of my most frequently opened books for ideas.

This dish of roasted spareribs with tomato-wine sauce from Super Tuscan was a big hit. Slowly braised they turned succulent and the kitchen smelled like heaven. This is definitely a postable recipe and perfect for blustery winter evenings.

Roasted Spareribs with Tomato-Wine Sauce

Roasted Spareribs with Tomato-Wine Sauce

New Year’s Eve was quiet, just the two of us. I made Melissa Clark’s recipe for crispy potato and sour cream tart. That, plus a simple salad and a bottle of sparkling wine, made for a feast.

Our usual New Year’s Day chili party had been canceled due to a water leak in the house.

The Friday before the New Year’s weekend we woke to see a steady stream of water coming down the wall of our bedroom. It turns out there was a broken water pipe. The insulation between the house siding and the wall had finally become saturated with water, causing it to overflow at the intersection of the ceiling and the wall. Oh my! Our angel of a contractor sent over one of his best workers to fix the problem. He was able to isolate the leaky part until it could be repaired. We lost water to one bathroom but thankfully the rest of the house was okay. However, the water had to be turned off for a large part of the weekend while repairs were underway and I was not able to do any cooking. Hence the cancellation of my favorite way to start the new year.

We were able to join in on our annual New Year’s Day hike. Here is the group in front of the waterfall in Russian Gulch State Park.

New Year's Day Hiking Group

New Year’s Day Hiking Group

 

I’m not in this one as I was the photgrapher.

In My Kitchen is a collection of posts from around the world describing what’s new in all our kitchens. It’s hosted by Sherry of Sherry’s Pickings. You can read all of the amazing blogging stories here.

It’s been stormy here and the waves are huge. I often walk the dogs along the coast and saw this amazing pod of brown pelicans a couple of days ago. There must have been a thousand of them perched on the rocks just off shore. It was an amazing sight and heartening environmentally.

Pod of Pelicans

Pod of Pelicans

This was only one of the rocky outcroppings. They were crowded on several more.

 

December – Braised Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes and Dates
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December – Braised Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potatoes and Dates

This is another recipe from Melissa Clark, a frequent contributor to the NY Times cooking section as well as an author of many glorious cookbooks. It’s a one pot braise, finished in the oven. Only a simple green salad and some crusty bread are needed to round out the meal. Pop it into your preheated oven when the guests arrive and enjoy a cocktail while it simmers away.

This dish is based on an Ashkenazi dish of sweet potatoes, carrots, dried fruit and brisket and is traditionally served at Jewish holidays. She used dates but you could also use dried prunes, apricots, cranberries or cherries. Cumin and coriander are added to the cinnamon and ginger, which are traditional, to give it a more savory flavor rather than sweet. A pinch of cayenne or red pepper flakes give it some heat. Dark meat chicken is a better choice her because they get soft and tender with the long braising that is needed to soften the root vegetables. Chicken breasts would be dry with the long cooking.

I gave the dish a generous topping of chopped fresh herbs, a mix of parsley, mint, and cilantro before serving. Ms. Clark suggests dill but that herb is not a favorite of mine.

Braised Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Dates

Braised Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Dates

I used boneless thighs, but bone in thighs with the skin removed would also work. Remove the skin otherwise the dish will be too greasy.

Ingredients for 6 to 8 servings:

  • 2-1/2 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (fat trimmed and each cut into 2 or 3 pieces)
  • 2 teaspoons of kosher salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons of ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
  • 1-1/4 pounds of sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 pound of carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch thick coins
  • 1 cup of dates or other fruit, diced
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 (2 inch long) cinnamon stick
  • 1 large pinch of cayenne or red-pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 1 large leek, trimmed, halved lengthwise and cut into half-moons
  • 1/2 cup of orange juice
  • 1 cup of chopped fresh herbs (cilantro, dill, parsley, mint – or a combination)

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl combine the chicken with 1 teaspoons of salt, cumin, coriander, and pepper. Toss to combine and let the chicken marinate while you prepare the other ingredients.
  2. In another bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, carrots, dates, lemon zest, grated ginger, cinnamon stick, and red pepper (or cayenne) with 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir to combine.
  3. In a 5 to 7 quart Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add as many pieces of chicken to comfortably fit in the bottom of the pan without crowding. Brown the chicken on each side, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate as they brown. Repeat with the remaining chicken, adding more oil if it is needed.
  4. Add the leeks to the pan with a pinch of salt and more olive oil if the pan is dry. Saute the leeks until golden and tender.
  5. Place half the chicken over the leeks. Top with half the vegetable mixture, spreading it evenly over the chicken. Repeat the layering with the remaining chicken and sweet potato mixture. Pour the orange juice over into the pan.
  6. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook, covered, until the chicken and vegetables are tender, 55 to 70 minutes. Stir the mixture once after 30 minutes.
  7. Remove from the oven and uncover, sprinkle with the fresh herbs and serve.
Braised Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Dates

Braised Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Dates

Braised Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Dates

Braised Chicken with Sweet Potatoes and Dates

November – Kimchi Fried Riced Cauliflower
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November – Kimchi Fried Riced Cauliflower

Fried Riced Cauliflower with Kimchi

Fried Riced Cauliflower with Kimchi

The New York Times has many interesting recipes. I especially like the ones from Melissa Clark and Sam Sifton. This one from Grace Lee (adapted by Francis Lam…and further by me) caught my eye. It was titled Kimchi Fried Rice and suggested the option of adding Spam, which would reflect many Koreans’ love of food that was introduced by the American military. It would not be my personal choice but I haven’t tried it. You could certainly add leftover turkey to the dish.

The comments after each recipe are always entertaining and often useful. They suggest further modifications to the recipe according to the commenters personal dietary needs and taste. Several caught my eye, especially one person who said they used this with riced cauliflower instead of rice. If you are a regular reader you know I am a big fan of riced cauliflower. Quite a few have been written on this blog over the years. BTW, if you are looking for a particular recipe or ingredient, click on categories on the right side. Cauliflower has one all to itself. The categories only show up on the computer version of the blog, unfortunately it won’t work on the mobile app.

The pictures do not do this dish justice, it was delicious even though mostly brown. For extra protein I would recommend putting a fried egg on top. Maybe a garnish of parsley or cilantro for color??? Or, as the NYT recommended crumbled or slivered nori and sesame seeds on top of your fried egg. None of those were immediately available but I will post more pictures when I make this again.

My holiday week included two birthdays as well as Thanksgiving. I am looking for ways to lighten our meals for a few days.

Ingredients:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/2 small onion, diced
  • 1 cup of roughly chopped kimchi
  • 2 tablespoons of kimchi juice
  • 1 package of pre-riced cauliflower or 1 small cauliflower, trimmed and riced in your food processor to rice like consistency
  • 2 teaspoons of soy sauce, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil, or to taste
  • 1 tablespoon of gojuchang
  • Fried shallots for garnish.

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and spread the cauliflower out evenly. Place the sheet pan on the lowest shelf of your oven and roast for 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower on the edges is starting to brown. Remove and let cool a bit while you prepare the rest.
  3. Mix the soy sauce, sesame oil and gojuchang together in a small bowl. Put the sauce beside the stove. The cauliflower rice will quickly overcook so you will need to move quickly once you add it to the skillet.
  4. In a non-stick or well-seasoned skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions. Cook until the onions start to sizzle, about 2 minutes. Add the kimchi and the kimchi juice and bring to a boil.
  5. Add the cauliflower rice to the skillet, mix quickly, then add the sauce. Toss it all together and taste to see if you need to add any further seasoning.
  6. Turn out into a serving dish and add the shallots on top.

 

November – Russet and Sweet Potato Mash
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November – Russet and Sweet Potato Mash

Mashed Russet and Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Russet and Sweet Potatoes

Are you looking for ways to use up that leftover turkey? What about making a minced turkey shepherd’s pie? I made this one from scratch but I could definitely see mixed chopped leftover turkey, stuffing, chopped leftover veggies moistened with a little gravy and all topped with mashed potatoes…dot it all with a dabs of butter and some parmesan.

If you need to extend the mashed potatoes, mix them up with mashed sweet potatoes for extra color, flavour, and nutrition.

In this dish white potatoes and sweet potatoes are cooked separately and mashed, then swirled together to make a tasty and savory side dish.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 lbs of russet or other white potatoes – peeled and diced into 2 inch pieces
  • 1 2/2 lbs of orange sweet potatoes – peeled and diced into 2 inch pieces
  • 2 teaspoons of kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 6 tablespoons of butter – divided in half
  • 2/3 cup of milk, warmed
  • chopped fresh chives
  • salt and freshly ground pepper as needed
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
  • Optional parsley garnish

Method:

  1. Place the white potatoes in a saucepan, cover them with cool water and add a teaspoon of salt. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender but not falling apart. Drain the potatoes in a colander in the sink and let them dry.
  2. Place the sweet potatoes in the same saucepan, cover with cool water with a teaspoon of salt. Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until fork tender. Drain them.
  3. While the potatoes are cooking, warm the milk in a small saucepan and cut the butter into pieces.
  4. Mash the white potatoes your favorite way, I used a ricer, putting them back into the hot saucepan. Add a few tablespoons of the warm milk and 3 tablespoons of butter until you have your desired consistency. Add more milk if needed.
  5. Repeat step 4 with the sweet potatoes, placing them in a separate bowl. Add the chopped chives.
  6. Taste both to see if they need any additional salt and pepper.
  7. Add the sweet potatoes into the saucepan with the white potatoes. Make a couple of folds with a spoon to barely mix. Move them into a serving dish (or on top of your turkey shepherds pie) and sprinkle with parmesan.
  8. Bake at 350 degrees F until hot and the parmesan is melted. This will take about 30 minutes.
Potato Ricer

Potato Ricer

If you were serving this as a side dish and the potatoes were hot, you could serve them immediately. As a casserole or a topping to a pie you could make this ahead, refrigerate, and heat for about 45 minutes.

Mashed Russet and Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Russet and Sweet Potatoes, unbaked

Mashed Russet and Sweet Potatoes

Mashed Russet and Sweet Potatoes

I am taking this to Fiesta Friday #512 where I am the co-host this week. Fiesta Friday is a regular gathering of bloggers from all over, hosted by Angie. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday if you celebrate here in the U.S.