Is it just me, or does the light change in March? Subtle but uplifting. A whisper of what is to awaken.

Bring in the Spring:

To clean: freshen the home naturally

To grow: it is my first year growing vegetables from seed. I am shaking in my garden boots. My sole purpose is to grow the same green beans as my grandma &&&&&& guess what? I found a man who sells heirloom beans from appalachia. The pressure is on.

To cook:
Asparagus - up first, an asparagus goat cheese tart.
Rhubarb - a savory take? not sure yet. But, I'm so happy it's rhubarb season!

To visit: we can't wait for an enchanting weekend going to the AIPAD Show. And, dining uptown and downtown with friends.

Smoker Sundays

Holy smokes, we are using the smoker. And when I say "we" I mean "he". I am not partaking in the smoking experience outside of buying it as his Christmas present and making the side dish du jour.
This would be le beer-can chicken. All I know is the following: you make a gorgeous rub (cumin, paprika, salt, cayenne, chili powder, garlic) and apply, stick a beer into the chicken so it sits upright (like picture!) and you smoke it. Or, I believe you can do this on a grill at low heat. The beer evaporates making a very moist chicken. Party animals and party husbands unite!

{mr. boddington}

It's a winter wonderland in New England. Another flurry of snowflakes fell last night meaning another snow day. So, I'm planning ahead for February.

Make this:
Some new recipes from the Minimalist.

My first three to try:
Chicken Stir-fried with ketchup (and, I'll be using Barbara Lynch's spicy tomato jam)
Pernil
Mexican Chocolate Tofu Pudding

Take this:
With our upcoming trip to Italy, it never hurts to learn a little Italiano.


Get cozy and read this:
Dad's recommendation for the Italy trip.

Swiss Chard Soup

Two things inspired this soup and #3 is my rational re: 1 & 2:
1) I plan to make Range Restaurant's Cellini Bean Soup which calls for swiss chard
2) I listened to an interview with the writer of American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Half of their food and although I milk the most out of my food, we can always do a better job.
3) I went to the market; there was no white swiss chard to be found. I asked. Be careful for what you wish for: he swaggered out of the backroom with swiss chard on steroids (apparently,seemingly, organic). I WILL NOT waste the bounty.

Swiss Chard Soup
This is a delicate soup to be served as an aperitif or a light lunch. If you do not have mache - just add more chard. Again, the point of this is to use what you have- spinach, mesclun greens, more chard. I made this soup to freeze. It will be lovely with a toast point with goat cheese resting on top, or a tiny sip before a sauteed scallop dish. Just be aware of the color. It is as green as the day is long (summer day, that is).
Serves 4

3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 whole scallion (cut in half)
2 whole garlic cloves (peeled)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp. minced ginger
4-5 cups white swiss chard
1 cup mache
1 tbsp parsley
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp cornmeal
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cream

Simmer broth and next five ingredients in a heavy pot for 40 minutes. Pour through a sieve and place liquid in original pot. Add chard, mache, parsley and simmer for 10 minutes or until wilted. Place into blender and puree, add salt as needed. Place into soup pot.
Meanwhile, melt butter and whisk cornmeal into butter. Add milk. Heat until slightly warm and whisk until incorporated. Gently add to chard mixture. When fully incorporated, bring to a slight boil then reduce heat. The soup will mildly thicken.

Carrots roasted with horseradish & honey

Beyond bloody marys and cocktail sauce, I haven't really found a place for horseradish. It's a staple in my fridge - but, I hate condiments to sit so lonely on the shelf. The mustards come and go, the coveted cholula, soy sauce gone before I know it, but the silent soldier horseradish is pushed to the back of the line.
It seems an unlikely marriage of flavors. No one would ever know it is horseradish. It just tastes like it was meant to be. I served with a roast pork tenderloin and apples.

Carrots roasted with horseradish & honey

Bunch of organic carrots (6-8), stems cut and peeled, cut into quarters
1/4 cup prepared horseradish (currently, I have Gold's)
1/4 cup honey
**The horseradish and honey can be altered to taste. I like this recipe so much that I now use 1/2 cup horseradish to a 1/4 cup of honey. But, in the beginning, when I was scared to death of what this would taste like, I skimped on the horseradish.
Salt and Pepper to taste
Drizzle of olive oil

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place empty cookie sheet or roasting pan in oven. When oven heats to 450 degrees, leave pan in oven for another 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the carrots, whisk horseradish into honey, add salt and pepper. Toss carrots and sauce together, drizzle with olive oil and toss again.
Take pan out- add carrots and place back into oven. Roast for 25-30 minutes or to your liking!

cold winters + cozy kitchens = lots of cooking. I tend to make batches of chicken stock on winter Sundays. It's easy and the rewards are endless. But, photos of stock are muy boring. Hence, the picture of the Andes which has nothing to do with stock.
I'm not writing this about stock because there are a hundred million recipes for stock. This is for the dear chicken's sake and I hate losin a chicken.
I made stock as usual but took the chicken out when the chicken was cooked through but still moist. I shredded the meat, threw the bones,skin, and three whole cloves of garlic back into the stock pot. Simmered for another hour. It was perfect.

I used the shredded chicken for an oldie but a goodie: chicken-sour cream casserole. Casseroles are making a comeback.

1 whole chicken, boiled in stock and shredded (about 3 cups)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup of homemade chicken stock
2 cups of spinach (wilted and soaked of water = about a 1/2 cup of spinach)
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup of fresh diced chives

Mix shredded chicken, cream of mushroom soup, sour cream, and chicken stock and spinach together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Spread into a greased casserole dish.
Saute Ritz crackers, butter and chives. Sprinkle on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

one very snowy day in new england. Bundle up!