Thank YOU!

Tammy Donroe — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 13:12:29 -0600

alosha: Hope you enjoyed them. Your "no dessert" stance confirms what I always thought: that you are a force to be reckoned with!

Cathy: Yes, I love Brussels sprouts, too, preferably slathered in cream, but bacon fat will do.

Amber: The crumb cake was a big hit, even with the kids, which really surprised me.

RenaissanceTrophyWife: Yeah, that was a good batch of pictures. In the future, I should probably post them after lunch.

Thanks!

alosha7777 — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 19:54:13 -0600

I'm making these chops tonight - and Amy's site is great!

I'll likely do roasted sprouts too, but just on their own. And no dessert... I don't do dessert, even though that makes my husband a sad person. ;)

Great recipes!

shoalswriter — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 16:14:25 -0600

Eating seasonal in January is a challenge, but seems as if you've struck a good balance. And I'm all for brussels sprouts -- they are so delicious and nutritious and simple to cook -- really an unexplored treasure. Thanks for the reminder!

Cathy

cathylwood.wordpress.com

Mmmm...

AmberS — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 15:07:07 -0600

That crumb cake looks delicious. Thanks for sharing. :-)

~ Amber

www.strocel.com

oooh....

RenaissanceTrophyWife — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:28:55 -0600

I should not have read that. Now I'm starving with still over an hour to go until lunch!
And it's even worse because candied ginger is one of my favorite sweet treats...

Thanks for the yummy finds!

Renaissance Trophy Wife: the modern girl's guide to smart lifestyle investments

http://www.renaissancetrophywife.com

One Seasonal Meal: January

Tammy Donroe — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:08:27 -0600

I’m thinking of breaking the ice on this fricking frigid winter’s day with the first post on a recurring theme I just invented called One Seasonal Meal, where I cobble together some recipes from a few of my favorite blogs that star ingredients currently in season. Well, in season give or take a month or two. Finding ingredients that are seasonal to everyone might be tricky since we all live in different places, but maybe you could just humor me. I’ll probably only do this once a month so I don’t bore all of the people that don’t give a crap.

One of the hardest parts of cooking with the seasons is knowing what’s in season at any given moment. If you’ve spent some time tending your own garden, frequenting farmer’s markets, or participating in a farmshare, then you probably know the rhythm. If you’re new to cooking or only have access to the produce aisle of the supermarket, then it can be hard to tell. It’s always sunny in Stop & Shop, or so it would seem.

What’s in season at this time of year in subzero New England? Not much. Squash and maybe a few mealy apples. If you’re lucky enough to have a root cellar or be a part of a winter CSA, you might have storage carrots, turnips, potatoes, rutabagas, celery root, parsnips, and beets. You might have dried beans. And meat is always in season, thank god. I've noticed that supermarkets are making more of an effort these days to stock local, seasonal produce, so if you buy something that’s in season, there’s a chance you might be supporting a farm family in your area. Check the label/sign. They’ll definitely appreciate your purchase.

So what’s on the menu today?

Maple-black pepper pork chops from Eggs on Sunday:

I’m rather partial to pork, and the not-too-sweet, peppery sauce that accompanies it also marries well with the next recipe, where it will inevitably intermingle.

Roasted Brussels sprouts with apples and bacon from Seasonal Eats:

Are Brussels sprouts still in season? Probably not. Cut me some slack. It’s winter.

To add some delicious carbs to this meal, might I suggest roasting some potatoes in olive oil alongside the sprouts, or right in with them. I like carbs. And finally, to finish:

Pear crumb cake with candied ginger streusel from Ezra Pound Cake:

This is moist and lovely, though I might up the amount of candied ginger in the topping because I like it.

And there you have it. A delicious meal. But I’m still short on my word count. Way short, just like every single school essay I ever wrote.

Did you know that you can make your own candied ginger for the streusel? No, I’m not fucking with you. I mean, I’m not sure you’d want to, but just in case you find that you’ve eaten your entire package of candied ginger, because you can’t stop even though your mouth’s on fire, it’s a useful skill to know. And, now that I think about it, I didn't even check where that bag of candied ginger came from. China? China doesn’t have the greatest track record in terms of abstaining from the poisonous chemicals. And with ginger being quite porous.... God, I wish I didn’t eat that whole package. Maybe I should lie down for a little while.

And 496 words. Close enough. See you later!