November came and left....

I have no idea where November went.... It was a great month and I had some many things to blog about but I was out there living it and not finding the time to blog.... The end of October I spent a lot of time going to different farmers markets, the last Saturday of October I went to four markets in one day. I took lots of pictures and I had so much to say, but no time to blog about it. I think the second weekend in November I went to Cleveland for the weekend. The reason for the trip was to go to their big Food Show, this was the second time I went. It was pretty good. We got to see Guy from the Food Network do a food demo. We did wine and beer tastings. The beer tasting was amazing,it Belgium Beer and they give you pretty much the whole bottle for a tasting, needless to say I had a pretty good buzz. So this Food Show is a bunch of vendors selling their stuff- pretty much a revolving around food. A lot of rubs, hot sauces. The local grocery store had a potato leek soup and sweet potato pancake food demo. The soup was pretty good. They had a little farmers market as part of the show too, that was pretty good I bought some tea. The show is huge. So the really strange part is that... Cleveland has this really big food show every year in November and now they are going to have the show twice a year... one in Spring and one in Fall, but we couldn't find a good place to eat the entire time we were there. A friend of my told me that there were no good places to eat in Cleveland over the summer. Now this was my second time there and the as much as I wanted this friend to be wrong - he was right. I watched the Food Network one day a few weeks ago and they had a polish restaurant and a soul food place that they featured. Both places looked great-but we had no luck. We went to the polish restaurant and the line was out the door and there was not a seat to be found, so we tried the soul food place. Mind you, I did my research before I left Buffalo. We put the address in the GPS and Booth (GPS) took us through the ghetto to a place where the restaurant was closed and looked like it has been closed for sometime. I think it might be hard to please people from Buffalo when it comes to food- we have some many great places to eat. The best thing about this trip was a visit to the market place, wow this place was so cool... It reminded me of the Broadway market but 2000 times better.They a ton a vendors selling produce although none of the food was local. The really great part was the other section- they had a ton of meat butchers, homemade pasta, favored popcorn, ethnic food, olive oils, cheese and bakery's.We bought lots a great fresh and tasty beef jerky and Kishka ( a polish type of meat). The place made me think a of much larger and nicer Broadway Market. The market was located in the downtown area across the street from Penseys Spice ( which is going to be a topic of an upcoming blog posting).

So before the trip to Cleveland, I hosted a buy local wine and cheese event with a local farm family. So I am Pres. of this committee called Erie Niagara Nutrition Committee and we need to have a fall event, so I thought hey lets have a potluck night where everyone brings either local wine and or local cheese. We have so many winery's in Western New York- Finger Lakes, Lockport area and Fredonia area. I only know of two local cheese makers in the area- Yancey Cheese in Corfu and Blasdell Cheese in Blasdell. There are others but not as close.The guess speaker was one of the farmers from the Grider Street Market and the Clinton Bailey Market.

The Farmers had a great time speaking and brought some items to sell. I think it was fun night !

Just before the trip to Cleveland I received this phone call- to do a cooking demo with this other Kelly for 25 people at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, it sounded like a challenge but I was to eager to take it. So the flyer went out... Cooking Healthy with Kelly and Kelly ! So my caller bought me and Kelly a chef hat and it went from there. So the plan was to have 5 tables with five people at each table with all the cooking supplies and food to make four dishes. Everything the group made would go home with them. After they are finished cooking,we would serve the same dishes they made, but I made them the night before. This was a big project for me, I would wake up in the middle of the night on many occasions trying to think how I was going to make this work. I was working with a good group and that is why I think I took the challenge- or maybe I need my head examined...Friends and Family would say that I need my head examined ! So the dishes were :

Okra and Tomatoes

3 slices of turkey bacon- cut into small pieces

2 garlic cloves minced

1 small onion diced

2 cans of diced tomatoes 14 oz. cans

1/2 of water

1 teaspoon of salt

2 cups of frozen okra

1/2 teaspoon of red crushed pepper

1 tablespoon of sugar

Cook bacon,then add onions and garlic and cook until onions are translucent.Add tomatoes, sugar,water, salt and crushed pepper.Stir well and simmer for 20 minutes. Add okra and cook for 10 more minutes.

Serve over brown rice

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black eye peas and Kale Soup

INGREDIENTs

· 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

· 1 large onion, diced

· 1 large carrot, sliced

· 1 stalk celery, sliced

· 5 cloves garlic, (4 sliced and 1 whole), divided

· 1 teaspoon. thyme

· ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste

· 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth

· 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes

· 1 small bunch of kale leaves tough stems removed ( can use collards)

· 1 15-ounce can black-eyed peas, rinsed

· 2 slices cooked turkey bacon, finely chopped

·

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring, until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add sliced garlic, thyme and crushed red pepper and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add bacon and cook for about 5 minutes. Increase heat to high and add broth, tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in kale, reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the greens are tender, 5 to 10 minutes. .Stir in black-eyed peas and cook for 5 minutes longer.

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TWICE-ROASTED SWEET POTATOES WITH CHIPOTLE
Twice-baked sweet potatoes get mixed with a spicy-smoky chipotle butter that balances the sugar. Look for similar-sized sweet potatoes so they'll cook at an even rate. To make ahead, stuff the potato halves, cover, and refrigerate up to one day. Set out at room temperature as the oven preheats to take the chill off.

Ingredients
6 medium sweet potatoes, unpeeled (about 3 1/2 pounds)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 finely chopped chipotle chiles, - do not add the juice from the can
1 teaspoon adobo
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 small onions diced in very small pieces

1 teaspoon of salsa

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Pierce potatoes with a fork; place on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done. Cool slightly. Cut each potato in half lengthwise; scoop out pulp, leaving a \-inch-thick shell. Combine potato pulp, butter, chiles, adobo, salt and onions, salsa, paprika and mix well.. 3. Arrange potato shells on baking sheet. Spoon potato mixture into shells. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until hot.

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Winter Salad

( serves 4 People)

2 heads of romaine lettuce

¼ chopped walnuts

½ cup dried cranberries

1 small container of crumbled blue cheese

Blueberry balsamic vinegar

Clean, cut or tear apart lettuce. Put lettuce on four salad plates, sprinkle nuts and dried cranberries to each plate. Pour a small amount of vinegar in each plate. Sprinkle crumbled blue cheese on each plate and serve.

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For the most part everything turned out great... the only problem we had was we kept blowing fuses with all five electric frying pans, five crock pots, coffee maker, microwave and a speaker system. This event was the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I tried each recipe and made changes before the event. The Friday before I made all the dishes for 30 people and prepare the food for all the demos- such as opening cans of soup stocks, tomatoes, measuring out spices , cleaning produce. This was all after Thanksgiving ( Thank God , my mom only asked me to make a apple pie for Thanksgiving). and I did go to the Bonton at midnight for Black Friday. I have been shopping Black Friday for about 25 years ! ( wow I am getting old).

I think all the guests from the Cooking Demo-had a good time and enjoyed themselves and all the great food. I do know I am not going to answer my phone when a certain person calls me, at least until the year is finished ! After completing the class, a friend of mine asked me if I am an outcome person or the process person.At first I thought I was a process person- thinking about all the things that happens along the way with this challenged. The process is where all the lessons are learned- where we laugh cry and scream, but I think I am a outcome person, because the end product was the part that drove me to work through challenge and achieve the goal.

Earl's Diner

Earl's diner is a great place to find homemade pies, it is located on Rt.16 in a town called Chaffee about an hour outside of Buffalo. Take the 400 to the end, which will take you to Rt. 16. The first time there was about 8 years ago when I had my nephews in town from NYC, it was our half way place on the way to Rushford Lake. Earl's is a very different place where you drink out of canning jars and the tables are cowboy legs. Its a very county friendly place. I love their chicken wings... a wing with a nice breaded coating dipped in Franks Hot sauce and butter. It is our meeting place for the girls I use to work with at Head Start , once again a half way point.

When I go there on weekends in the fall , we often have to wait for a table. Earl's has also been on the Food Networks Diner and Dives. The last time I was there was in October and I went twice in one week. I went on a Monday to meet a friend and had some Chicken wings and then I went on the following Saturday and had the best ever coconut cream pie. I am not really a person who orders out pies, I am often disappointed because I know my mom and I often make pies taste better. I really need to try to duplicate this pie. I crust was just ok, but the cream and the topping was very good.

Pumpkin and Chicken Farm

The weekend before Halloween my friend and I go to the town of Concord to pick out pumpkins, buy maple syrup, chicken pot pies and wing dust. This is a great fall ride down the 219 looking at all the trees turning. We have been buying our pumpkins from Wendel's Chicken Farm for the last 6 years. I met the owner of the Farm when I served as a board member on the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Erie County, Marty Wendel served in the board with me for three years and then he continued to serve as the board president for the next three years. Not only is Marty a good board member he runs a great chicken farm and pumpkin patch. On weekends during the summer and fall you can buy chicken dinner and eat them there or take they home. The dinners are very good. What my friend and I love are the chicken pot pies. They are frozen and cost $4.00 and they are the whole meal. Marty always tell me that its a complete meal with the pot pie and a salad, but let me tell you the pot pie is about all you can eat, sometimes I have to the left overs in the fridge for another day. Its a great bargain a full meal for $4.00 and they are made locally. Marty is working on getting the pot pies in the stores, he mention the Lexington Co-op as being one of the store that will carry them. As for the wing dust, I really have no idea what it is, I guess it is some seasoning but my friend always buys it when we are there... After we go to the farm we stop at Earl's - its part of the tradition... So guess what Earls is going to be the next post.

Horsefeathers and Clinton Bailey Market

I am am still not current with my post but I hope to be by the end of this coming week... Last Saturday which seems so very very far away.... I started my day at the Clinton Bailey market.. I think I made it there around 7:50 AM- too late to buy at carrots- they were sold out already. I ended up buying two celery, two kale, cauliflower,green onions and parsley from my favorite farm stand. I had to buy apples - to make a pie for my parents who were celebrating 46 years of marriage. So I asked my friends who I should buy the apples from and they send me a few stands down... I ended spending half an hour talking to this farmer learning about Asian pears and apples. The asian pears where ok.. they were a bit expensive - I thought- $5.00 for a quart basket, he sold them to me for $4.00. I wasn't crazy about them at first but they tasted great in my applesauce. They kind of remind me of a cross between and apple and a pear. The apples I bought were out of this world...I went back this Saturday but he wasn't there when I got there. He had these huge jona golds and Cortlands. The courtlands were very good and were just perfect for pie making, I only need 7 apples to make this nice big pie. The more I talk to the farmers I learned how hard it is sell produce- everybody wants something for nothing... and these farmers take so much pride and time in growing and sharing their food and someone want them to sell all their hard work for nothing... Its crazy !

The second half of my day was at Horsefeathers... It is this place on Connecticut and Normal Streets on Buffalo's West Side. On October 22nd- Horsefeathers had their grand opening and celebrated Food Day. What is Food Day ? Food Day seeks to bring together Americans from all walks of life—parents, teachers, and students; health professionals, community organizers, and local officials; chefs, school lunch providers, and eaters of all stripes—to push for healthy, affordable food produced in a sustainable, humane way. We will work with people around the country to create thousands of events in homes, schools, churches, farmers markets, city halls, and state capitals.. Horsefeather plans are to have Lofts upstairs and on the main level to have an indoor market. Inside there were different vendors including wine tasting, Pasta Peddlers. Outside there were Lloyds and the Whole Hog Food Trucks. I bought a burrito from Lloyds Food Truck, it was very good. They reminded me of this great place in Albany on Lark Street called Bombers ! I was at this event because I am part of this committee called Erie Niagara County Nutrition Committee, we had a table with the Food Bank of WNY and we were trying to have people join . Overall it was a pretty good event. And My parents were very happy with their apple pie !

Pictures from Garden Harvest Party

Making Garlic ButterLittle bit of all the great Pot luck food.Some Ethiopian Food from one our garden famlies
All the crock pot, pot luck dishes, smoked green beans and potatoes, season chicken, squash and apples, and squash and chicken stew... Everything was very good.

Part of the spread!

Harvest Party of the Food Bank Garden

Its hard when you do not post events right away... I kind of lose my passion when I have to recall. I have been part of the garden project at the food bank for about 8 or so years. I remember being at a meeting and this two people Corrine from the State Health Department and Theresa from the food bank kept talking about the garden at the food bank....I didn't bite... Then year two- they kept talking about it... so I brought it to my book club at the time and we decided to adopt a bed, then we got there and adopted another bed.... and that is where it all started...... So last Wednesday we had our end of the garden year party. It was a good year.... lots of work, fun and friendships... We are out there every Saturday from 8:30 AM- 10:30 AM. I have to be honest I love have my Saturdays back... but like I fool I have not been sleeping in- I have been spending my time at the Farmers market....So the party was pretty good- it was pot luck and everyone make some really great food. We did a garlic butter demo.

Garlic butter

1 stick of butter at room temp.

1 garlic clove minced

2 heaping teaspoons of fresh parsley cut up in small pieces

Mixed together

This can be used on seafood, potatoes, popcorn

Kale chips and bartering

am still trying to catch up on posting for this week... it really was a busy one, who am I kidding I think they are all busy ones I guess that is why I haven't started a blog earlier, but I have been inspired this time with all the cool stuff going on around me. I am also learning that while I write this I have to hit save botton every three or four statements because it is so easy for me to loose the stuff I am writing about. Last Sunday I made some kale chips while watching the Buffalo Bills, the chips were a big hit. I have been hearing a lot them for a while, when I was working the market a few weeks ago people where buying kale to make chips. I have put kale in soup before and I really like that... I might make some soup later this week with kale. Anyhow every magazine that I have picked up in the last week has talked about the chips and how healthy kale is for you. Kale is rich in antioxidants, beta-carotene, vitamin C.K and A, calcium , iron and fiber. The picture of the kale is from the family farm that I always talk about. So these kale chips are crazy easy... clean and dry the kale. I think the salad spinner works best, because it dries the kale very well. Also keep in mind when you are working with organic and local you may find bugs in your vegetables, this is completely normal, so you always need to check out for little bugs. Once you have cleaned the kale , cut into small bite size pieces with out the stem. Put in a bowl and mix about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and some sea salt or kosher salt- be careful with the salt, the first time I made the chips I got a little to happy with the salt and put way to much. I would use about a pinch or two of salt. When I looked at the kale in the bowl I never thought that the oil and the salt will cover all the kale but it does.Then take some parchment paper on a cookie sheet and make one layer and spread out, you do not want them to overlap. Cook in the oven for 20 mins.on 350 degrees .When done they will be crispy.Very easy !

Kale Chips

I bunch of kale

1 tablespoon of olive

a few pinches of sea salt

Clean and dry kale. Mix with oil and salt in a bowl. Spread on cookie sheet with parchment paper and cook for 20 minutes on 350 degrees in the oven.

On Monday I did Food Stamp Outreach in Springville and Sardinia, I go out there once a month. This time on my way home I stopped at Earls on Route 16 and met a friend who lives about 30 minutes futher out. I have known this friend for about 17-18 years we met at a job in Buffalo and she is from the burbs and so is her husband, they moved to the next county and it is pretty rural. I was at their house a few years ago and they had goats ,rabbits, chickens and a big garden with lots of garlic and potatoes. They dug up garlic and potatoes and gave me some that day. They got a way from the goats, rabbits and the garden now they have cows and chickens. My friends brought pictures of the cows and they were beautiful, I can't wait to meet them. I have no idea when I started to think cows were beautiful- but I do.... when I go to their house I will take pictures and post them and I think you may think the same too! Anyhow my friend and I decided to barter- I brought her pickled garlic scrapes and a jar a pear jam and she brought me peach syrup that they made and eggs. I haven't tried the syrup yet, I am sure it great... and the eggs they are huge and beautiful.

Salata Aswad be Zabadi- Sudan Eggplant dish

It is has been a very busy week and so many great things have been happening that I want to write about... I am going to start this post with last Friday. We have been putting a garden cookbook together from our 2011 garden year. The garden is a project of the Food Bank of WNY, this is the about the 7th year that I have been running it with my very good friend Judy. She is a really great person to work with. Anyhow we have this cookbook where we have everyone contribute to it. We have two families from Sudan who have been gardening with is for the last three years. Last Friday I went to their house to learn to make an eggplant dish and to write the recipe down for our cookbook. The dish is called Salata Aswad be Zabadi. It was pretty good. I did really enjoying watching the ladies make the dish. This dish as many other of their dishes have peanut butter in it. I really enjoyed spending time with the girls learning about their life . They are best friends and their friendship is so special and so nice to be around. They met in Buffalo. Aquil came to the States with her parents and siblings about 8 or so years ago. A church adopted their family on North Carolina. Abok came to Buffalo with her husband about 7 years or so ago. They want to learn about to make potato salad so next time I am going to visit them and teach them about to make it. Cooking , Teaching and Food are great ways to share and learn and I just love being part of it all. The ladies are in their late 20's one has three children and the other has four. They are very inspirational, kind and giving. They are involved in so many different activities... The children play soccer have swim lessons, the moms take zumba classes- they are very active and passionate about learning new things for themselves and their children.

The dish really didn't taste to much like eggplant I think because of all the different flavors in it

Salata Aswad be Zabadi

By Abok Ngorvg and Aquil Dut

Sudan Eggplant dish

3 eggplant

6 garlic gloves

1 tsp salt

1 Tb Pepper

3 Tb. Lemon juice

1 cup or half a jar 16oz. peanut butter

2 cups of canola oil

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 can tomato paste (6oz)

2 cups of sour cream

1 tsp. cumin

Peel eggplant and cut into 2 inch chucks. Put about 2 cups of oil in a pan- when oil is hot add the eggplant. Cook for about 10 minutes where the eggplant looks golden brown. Once the eggplant is brown take and put in a new pot with water, cook until the eggplant is soft- this should take about 15 minutes. The water should be mostly gone and the eggplant should be soft. While you are cooking the eggplant in the water you can start the sauce. Take 6 garlic cloves and pepper mash with a mortar and pestle. Add this mixture to a pot and add tomato paste add a little oil to thin out, and then add peanut butter and cumin. Keep stirring and add two bouillon cubes. Then add two cups of sour cream. Add sauce to eggplant and add lemon juice. This can be a side dish you can eat it with bread.

Rain or Shine

Yesterday I started my day at 6:30 AM at the Clinton Bailey Market, I wanted to pick up a few things before I did my workshop for the World On Your Plate event. I also wanted to make sure I got there early so I could the things I wanted. The weather was terrible yesterday- the wind was blowing and it was raining cats and dogs, then it would stop for about 10 mins. and then it would start all over again. So I am driving thinking about how terrible the day was and the market still must go on. I got to the market and my friends were just setting up and it seemed like they were a bit behind. So I spend about an hour working with them unloading the truck and setting up, I also sold items when I was there. We are under two tents but the wind and the rain were so terrible my jeans were soaked and wet. The bottoms of my jeans were full of water not to mention my jacket and hair were also wet. So then you get funny customers who think you should sell your stuff cheaper because it's raining... I think the prices should go up when its raining... I mean who wants to stand outside in the rain just to sell. Not to mention that is was pouring rain the day before when everything was being picked. Then some people would run under our tent when it started to rain hard... they didn't buy anything and they wouldn't even look at you or even speak... I mean really. So you feel you can run into my tent and not speak.... It's not like the tents are public tents and the farmer isn't paying rent for the space. Each farmer brings their own tent and pays to have space at the market. So many times I think we forget about the person that grows our food, esp. small family farms.... or what about the many migrant workers that harvest most of our food.... and we treat them even worst because they are not Americans. Why are farmers and migrant workers treated so poorly ? It 's hard work harvest food. Next time you eat something think of the hands that brought it to you ! On a more positive note...Let me tell you what I bought this week from the market.... kale, cauliflower,carrots, celery and parsley. For dinner last night I was going to make stir fry but I didn't have soy sauce so I ended up making beef and barley soup. I pretty much used the same recipe as the harvest soup- but I used beef instead of chicken and I didn't add swiss chard. The more soups you make the more you will learn that most recipe are very similar and once you get the basics down you can free style. I also made tabouli with the last of the tomatoes and the parley I bought from the market.

They liked me they really really liked me.

Today I taught my class How to Eat Healthy on Budget at the 8th Annual World on your Plate event. The class was at 9:15 this morning, there were about 20 people on the class, maybe less. I was very nervous about the class and I spend a lot of time preparing for it, not really knowing what to tell people. Saving money, cooking and eating are all things that I love to and they all come pretty easy for me- and therefore I think these things come pretty easy for others too.Today I talked about buying fruits and vegetables at farmers markets, and CSA's or growing them in the backyard. Talked about getting to know your farmer and preserving. Each spring I buy a flat of strawberries for $25.00 and I am able to make freezer jam and freeze the rest so I can have local strawberries anytime I want. I also talk about using coupons, cooking from scratch etc. Since I did a workshop I was able to attend the conference for free, it was a very good event. I went to a workshop called How to Build a Better School Lunch Program, the speakers were from Aurora Waldorf School located in West Falls.Chef Heather made some amazing sausage endive soup and corn chowder they were a sample of the food that they give the kids at the school. They do not take any federal money for there school lunch and lunch cost $3.00. They cook everything from whole, organic, to local foods. The don't give the kids options, they can choose to buy or not.They have this belief that give the kinds what they need when they need it not what they want. I love that ! There are no free and reduced meals. The school does have a scholarship plan for low income families. They sell their left over food to the parents (I would buy it) and Chef Heather is the only person who is paid staff and she has some parent volunteers. She makes food for 80 -150 students each day. Chef Heather has a great promoter Lisabeth Abt Pierters . The school has won the grand prize Kiwi Crusader Award a magazine about growing families natural and organic ways. They have also been recognized by Jamie Oliver. I do think that is something interesting to note, that this program sounds great and it works at this school but I do not think that can happen everywhere. So many people complain about the school meals and I am not saying they are great or even healthy- but there are so many things in place that do not allow change to happen quickly- Unions, Teacher, Parents and Kids... there is this thing called supply and demand. I think most kids are not use to eating healthy foods it is something that takes time to introduce... yes I know if you ask people they are going to say yes my kids love veggies- but really lets be honest -unless it is cooked right most kids do not love them. If this wasn't the case do you think Seinfeld wife would of sold so many cook books on how to deceived kids by hiding veggies in their food. Just Saying..

The Keynote speaker was very good... Judy Wicks.. Local Living Economies: Green,Fair and Fun. She is an entrepreneur and activist. She owns her own business called White Dog Cafe which she started in 1983 on the first flour of her house in West Philly. She had some many great things to say... she is the process of writing a book which I am sure will be very good. It was great to be around so many people who have so much passion for the things they do.... Lunch was ok... nothing really special is was all local and organic food.. folks loved it, but I just thought it was ok. Oh yea I made bean and corn salsa for my class.. I promised a food sample. While I was at the event I also met the Tom Rivers a local author who wrote a book called Farm Hands- I bought the book, so I will tell you all about it. I also bought this very yummy tasty Fit-n-Fresh energy bar, they are made locally in Swormville.
Food For All was on the original planning committee of this event years ago- I worked with this group 3 or 4 years- I think the group has worked so hard to get this event to where it is 8 years later. This has been Eveline Hartz baby and she and June Licence have done such a great job...
By the way there is so much more to write about today- including my visit to the farmers market and what I made for dinner... but that will have to be in Sundays post.

Healthy Heating on a Budget

I am teaching a class called Healthy Eating on a Budget this Saturday for the World on Your Plate Conference. I tried to prepare for the class today and I keep hitting a brick wall. I think I am pretty good at this but I am still having a hard time preparing for the class. I guess because it depends on the people in the class.... to be honest there isn't any cookie cutter approach for saving money and eating healthy a lot of this depends on how much time and energy a person wants to put into this. I used to try to convince myself and others that cooking from scratch doesn't take anymore time then preparing processed food. About two weeks ago I had a an ahha moment..... cooking from scratch does take a long time.... but if you love doing it-the time really flies by quickly.

I do believe that.

I almost never pay full price for meat, I either buy whats on sale, buy the bulk meats or buy meat that has to the use or freeze today reduced price.

They say you should plan you menu out for the week before you go shopping, I have to be honest I have never done this. I thought about trying it for this class, but that never did happen. I believe there are some items you should always keep in the house...basic baking needs, meats, frozen, fresh and canned veggies and fruit. Also pasta, potatoes ( never instant) and rice. With this on hand you can always whip up a meal. I will think about what I am going to make the day before or the morning I wake up so I can take out the meat and start preparing. At that point I will also decide it I need to stop at the store to pick up something I forgot. Keeping that in mind I also have to review what I doing that day to decide if I have time to stop at the store and that store needs to be on my way home from work... If it can't be done on the way home from work then I will have to think of a different meal. I have to admit I can come up with a meal pretty quickly. So I am not sure if this is something that can be taught or if it is something I just do.. Maybe I like cooking so much this come natural... see my brick wall.

So far I have more time preparing for this class then I do most meals,and by the way my meals are pretty good. The class is only an hour long....I guess I will keep preparing and just be myself !

Apple Pies and more

I really had a great weekend on Sunday I stopped at the Food Bank Garden to check on how things were looking as we prepared for the winter. I was able to take some seed from a flower/weed called Kiss me over the gate. It is a very pretty pink flower. I did learn that is really is a weed, but I plan a growing it... and as long as I keep my eye on it, it should do just fine. I will keep you posted in the spring. I also made two apple pies on Sunday.... I was able to use the apples that I bought a few weeks ago from the grape festival I went to in Silver Creek. The pies turned out well. I was spend Two hours washing green tomatoes for NRC Food Pantry from the Food Bank Garden- so I could park in the garage. Then an hour working in one of my beds and preparing them for winter. I have so much work a head of me. I live near many greenhouses and I have to pass 6 of them on my way home from work -some of them are still open. Since I love sales there was no way I was pass by a buy one get one free sale. I have to admit most of the stuff looked terrible but I did end up buying an hibiscus plant for $2.00. Let me be honest by no means was this plant in great condition. They told me to keep in my basement until March and not to water it until then.Then I would gradually bring it outside after the last frost. I will keep you posted.

Pie Crust

( this is my mother's pie crust recipe, I am not sure where she got it from but we have been using it for years)

5 cups of flour

2 cups of crisco

4 tablespoons of sugar

1tsp. salt

1 egg

1/4 tsp baking powder

tsp. vinegar

Mix flour, sugar salt and baking powder. Cut crisco into mixture. Break 1 egg in measuing cup, add vinegar then fill with cold water until it reaches 3/4 cups. Add to mixture. Mix and then roll out with rolling pin and put in pie plate. This recipe should make 5 pie bottoms. I only get about three pie bottoms out of this. I think because my pie dish is pretty big and deep. I usually roll the dough in a ball ( enough to make one pie) and put in the freezer or refrigerator.

Apple Pie filling

12-15 apples

sugar

cinnamon

Crumb topping

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 cup butter at room temp

Apple Pie filling- I like to use Macintosh or Cortland Apples. Peel and cut into slices. I think I use about 12-15 apples depending on the size. After I slice them I add sugar and cinnamon to taste. Side bar almost all my spices are from Penzeys, we can talk more about them another day.

I mix everything up... and here is my secret... I let the apples sit for about 30 min. and then let all the juice come out. While I am waiting for my apples, I make a crumb topping.Mix the flour, sugar and butter with a fork in a small bowl and set a side. When the apples are done, take a handful and squeeze all the juice out and put the apples in the pie dish. Once you have filled the pie with all the apples, place the topping on top of the apples. Put pie in oven and cook until done in a preheated oven . Oven should be 350.

Clinton and Bailey Market

On Saturday, the plan was to get up at 6 AM to work a farm stand at the Clinton Bailey Market and arrive at 6:20 AM. Like I said that was the plan, but it didn't really happen that way . I did pack some snacks and ice tea the night before. I don't usually use an alarm clock to get up, I usually wake up between 6 or 7 each morning - but I was very nervous about oversleeping, so instead I would sleep for an hour look at the clock , sleep for another hour and so on. So guess what, I was late getting to the market.. I made it there around 6:45 AM, oh and in case you didn't know it is dark outside at that time during this time of year. So I wanted to work a farm stand with farmers at the market because I wanted to see what it was like... I had a great time. The family farm that I worked with is... a family of four and everyone was there. Dad and son got there around 6 AM to set up the tents and the display... when I got there I also helped set up too. Then a few hours later the mom and daughter show up with a truck of corn that the family picked the night before in the dark. So much effort goes into growing and selling food. This was the last week of the corn, I am so sad to see the corn go. I brought home a few ears and made fried corn with them. I did freeze some corn throughout the summer, But I am so going to miss corn on the cob until next year. I also brought home some carrots, swiss chard and celery... I knew I was going to make a pot roast when I got home.

I loved working the farm stand, it was kind of a long day 6:45 AM - about 1:30 PM, but I wasn't that tired when I got home. So what did I learn...... farmers... love to talk... Some customers have a relationship with their grower...I am not sure ... if it is just with this family or if the other farmers do it too... I think it might be the family, because I have been shopping the market for years- and half the time I do not know if I am buying from a huckster or the farmer--. hey isn't funny that the term huckster almost looks like hustler-- and well I my thoughts are the market is like a hustle...

So a farmer is a grower and a seller... a huckster -is someone who buys from a farmer and sell - often they are buying seconds from someone else.So what I am learning the more you talk to the person who is selling you the item you can tell if they are a farmer of a huckster. Pretty much at the Clinton market the first row are wholesalers (huckster) and the second row are farmers. All farmers at this market do not grow what they are selling. Maybe they grow garlic and buy tomatoes from a friend and they sell both. The farm family that I worked with grew everything that they sell. At this market I didn't see many people my age or younger shopping there. I think the average age of the shopper was 65 years old or they were immigrants. I also learned if you want to buy something you better get their early- we sold out of parsley, cauliflower, swiss chard, corn , carrots and celery. When I do shop the market I am usually there around 8:30 AM- after Saturday I would get there earlier, plus you get to miss the crowd. Well I think those are enough lessons for this posting. Oh and the pot roast I made was just great !!!

Pot Roast

Adapted out of Food Every Day Magazine, but I added and changed a few things

½ lbs bacon- cut into small slices

4 lbs beef chuck

1 large onion-diced

3 garlic cloves- diced

3 tablespoons of fresh rosemary or 1 ½ tablespoons of dried rosemary

1 cup of dry red wine

1 can 28 oz. of diced tomatoes

6 small carrots cut into 2 inches

3 -5 celery sticks cut into 2 inches

2 cups of pearl onions ( I used small onions and cut them into fours)

Montreal steak seasoning

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a Dutch oven pot fry the bacon, once the bacon is done take out and put a side. Make sure meat is dry and season both sides with Montreal streak seasoning. Take the meat and brown each side in the same pot then remove and put a side. Cook onions in same pot, you may need to add some olive oil, cook until the onions are truculent and then add garlic and cook for about 4 minutes. Add one cup of red wine, 1/2 cup of water and add tomatoes. Add rosemary then add meat and let simmer. Cover pot and cook in oven for 3 hours.

Take out of oven and place the vegetables around the meat and cover and place in oven for 1 more hour.

Thursday, I visited a family farm. I met the family working at the Grider Street Market. So last Thursday we went to visit the farm. It was very easy to find and I think we surprised the family that we came to stop by. On Friday I made Grider Market Harvest Soup 2011 made from leeks, carrots, celery, swiss chard,onions and parsley for the farm.

Grider Street Market Harvest Soup 2011

1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

4- 5 carrots- diced

4-5 celery stalks diced

1 sweet onion -diced

3-4 leeks white parts - cut into thin sliced

2 garlic cloves -diced

2 tsp. of dried thyme

small bunch of parsley cut into small pieces

2 chicken boneless skinless ( with all fat cut off) cut into small pieces

1 small bunch of Swiss chard-leaves only cut in pieces

1 cup of quick cooking medium barley

6 cups of chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

Cut all vegetables and chicken up and set aside before starting.

In a large pot heat oil and toss in onions, leeks and garlic, cook until the onions are translucent.Add to celery, carrots and thyme, cook for about 6-10 minutes. Add Chicken - cook until for about 4 minutes. Add 6 cups of chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the barley, cover , simmer and cook until the chicken and barley are done- about 10 minutes.Add swiss chard and cook until wilted. Serve.

Some tips- you do not have to use leeks, I had then some I added them. When I stored the soup over night the barley seem to take over the soup,you might need to add some more chicken stock.

Why a blog ? Why about Farms ?

So why a blog , why about farms ? I seem to have this obsession with buying local food and supporting our local farmers and friends. I have spend much of my time working in the Food Bank of WNY garden, doing cooking demo's at the Grider Street Farmers Market and canning and making jams this summer. As the growing season is coming to an end- I still have been super busy but I feel that there might be and of this busy season in sight. I have so many thoughts and ideas.

I have to be honest that all of this has been hard work.

The Garden Season at the Food Bank Garden has almost come to an end for the season. We have a few people who are stilling growing beans, lettuce and other things. Last week most folks came and pulled out most of their garden beds- and of course it was a rainy cold day.So much of the produce is was full of mud. I have been using some of the produce for many of our food demo's at the Grider Street Market and then I bring the rest to NRC Food Pantry. For the last two of three weeks Judy ( my garden, food and food stamps partner in crime) brought some of the food to her Food Shuttle run. Last week we harvested so many green tomatoes and hot peppers. I am thinking I have about 15 bags that I dropped off in the garage last Saturday. I am so thankful the tomatoes are green- so there is no big hurry- but I do miss being to park my car in the garage. Each day I bring up a bag and clean the veggies to wash and then bring to pantry. The funny part is my niece and three nephews call the FB garden the Farm and I use to laugh at that.but now I am beginning to think they are right ! I have met this really great farmer family from the Grider Street Market and on Thursday, Holly and I visited their farm and Saturday I worked with the family at their farm stand at the Clinton Bailey Market.l After spending so much time with family I am not so sure our community garden isn't really a farm. Although I am so jealous they have this really big kitchen sink that is outdoors and that is where they wash their vegetables and I have to bring the dirty vegetables up a flight a stairs and use my kitchen sink and dry each vegetables because I do not have the sun to to dry them in my apartment. The other problem is that I live in an apartment and I think I live in a very large house. The other problem is I hate to see food go to waste so I all the ugly tomatoes that are smashed or splitting try to make something out of it. So my Saturdays are usually pretty overwhelming cleaning and cooking- but I love it.