Bits Of Dust

Archive for 2008

As I said in my previous post, last night we fired up the fondue pot for the first time. The strawberries and bananas were delicious.

It worked so well, we figured we could get the kids to eat more fruit tonight, and served up more fondue (this time with chocolate and peanut butter) along with strawberries, bananas, nectarines, and upon the advice of an astute reader, apples.

Yes, it was delicious. This weekend we are planning on a tempura night. I envision the kids eating more vegetables too. Woot!

Tonight was a fun night. After our very busy weekend, I figured it was time to let the 7 year-old help plan the evening meal.

He chose “pigs in a blanket” as we call them, although the blanket never really covers the pig entirely, there is cheese thrown in there somewhere, and we use all-beef hot dogs because, well, we just love our piggies. Anyway… He also picked baked beans, which he never eats, and broccoli.

As he set the table for dinner, which I must say, he is very good at doing, he asked if we could use our new fondue pot for the first time. I got the fondue pot as a “reward” of sorts for taking a bajillion online surveys. He helped me find the fondue booklet and we mixed together a delicious chocolate sauce, and then we sliced bananas, washed strawberries, and got some ‘Nilla wafers and marshmallows out too.

Needless to say, this was one dinner where they all ate their dinners, with no questions asked. I hope you had a good weekend!

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It’s been one heck of a long day. We woke up at the crack of dawn to head on over to the local county farmer’s market. If it didn’t involve getting up at the crack of dawn every Saturday morning, I think we would go every week.

I finally fell asleep around 5 this morning, and we were up and out the door by 8. Okay, so it wasn’t qctually the crack of dawn, but when you’ve only had 3 hours sleep and you can hardly see out of your eyeballs, it sure feels like it.

This week we bought some fresh blueberries (so the wife can make blueberry jam for kid #3, it’s one of his favorites), some tomatoes (since ours are not doing too well this year), some wildflower and tupelo honey, and my personal favorite, fresh garlic.

Not just any garlic either. It’s some of the best tasting fresh garlic around these parts, and I only buy it from the folks at Red Hott Tomatoes Farm. As a garlic lover, I have tried all of the different garlic for sale at the market, but the bulbs that come from Red Hott Tomatoes is definitely the best in the area.

Within minutes of getting home, I had the oven pre-heating and had trimmed three large heads of garlic for roasting. If there is one thing I love more than garlic, it’s roasted garlic. In fact, after it was done roasting, I made some more of my delicious guacamole, but this time I added roasted garlic.

It.Was.To.Die.For. I ate the whole bowl. Here is that easy gucamole recipe (with the roasted garlic change):

Ingredients:

One Haas avocado
Two spring onions
One Roma tomato
1-2 cloves roasted garlic
salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

Dice onions and tomatoes. The smaller the better.
Use the flat of a knife to make a paste out of the roasted garlic.
Remove skin and seed from avocado, any way you want, just toss the avocado (in big chunks if you want) into the bowl.
Add roasted garlic paste, salt, and pepper.

Smash the avocado with the spoon as you mix it. If you want a chunkier guacamole, don’t mash so much, if you want it smooth and mushy, smash the heck out of the thing.
Serve with chips, taquitos, or whatever else you want to serve it with.

Now, I am off to relax for the evening. I think I will have a nice hot cup of tea with some tupelo honey.

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You’ve heard of “Rich Man, Poor Man”. Well, this is “Big Bread, Little Bread”.

Holy smoke that thing was big.

On the left we have a normal “whitewheat” loaf of bread, on the right we have a delicious apple cinnamon bread.

Sadly, the apple cinnamon loaf did not survive the day. It sure was delicious though.

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So, I spent the last several weeks watching “Hell’s Kitchen”. I love that show. Gordon Ramsay is a genius, and I would do just about anything to get the chance to meet him. I don’t think I would appear on Hell’s Kitchen though.

Tonight was the season finale, and no, don’t worry, I am not going to post about the results yet, just in case you haven’t had a chance to watch it.

I do have to say though, that was disappointed with the end. I really was. I expected more from the finalists, and I just didn’t feel the same “electricity” I felt in previous seasons.

So now what am I supposed to do now that Hell’s Kitchen is over for the season? Crap. When does “Kitchen Nightmares” come back anyway?

Why not both, sort of?

My wife made the most delicious Chicken and Dumplings tonight, but the camera battery was charging because I was busy making a time lapse video of the clouds floating by the house again today.

Anyway, because of my flub, you didn;t get a chance to see it. You’ll just have to settle for an oldie but a goodie from Chef John at Food Wishes. I haven’t made this one yet, but since I am posting it here, I will see it all this week and remember to make it on the weekend.

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We are fortunate to live in an area that is abundant with wild blackberry bushes. There is a little bit of work involved, but the reward is worth it. There is nothing like the taste of homemade blackberry jam.

Enjoy this quick video that demonstrates how to make this delicious (and almost free) treat.

Have a great Fourth Of July!

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I’m working on a video that I think you are going to like. It’s going to take a bit to get it done tonight, but as soon as it’s done I’ll be posting it.

Until then, go visit Chef Tom or Chef John. You’ll learn something from them.

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The blackberries are starting to ripen.

We’ll have enough this year to make about 18 pints of blackberry jam. DELICIOUS!!!!

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I know, still no food, but here’s the window seat I was talking about.

For dinner, we took the easy way out tonight. We had scrambled eggs, hash browns and some yummy biscuits the wife made.

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