Local Krumkake and Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip

Y'all know I celebrate my Norwegian heritage when making something for holiday dinners- this year I made Krumkake- a Norwegian/Scandinavian cookie that is baked on a krumkake iron and rolled like an ice cream cone. This year with a little difference- all my ingredients, except sugar, are local- the wheat for the flour is from Winthrop, about 190 miles east of here (that is stretching the 100 mile diet a tad bit) the eggs are from Yelm- about 60 miles to the south, the creme is from Kent, about 15 miles south of here. That's pretty much it, minus the sugar. I used my favorite recipe to make them, one from my mom's hometown of Edmore, ND, as it is the only one that doesn't call for butter or oil. The flour made a thicker batter than I am use to, but that's all right. I also made a cranberry-creme cheese dip- I made my own creme cheese following Ms. Chicken's Instructions as found in Mother Earth News

Then I make a fresh cranberry sauce (okay, I know cranberries aren't necessarily local- we do have cranberry bogs in Washington out by the ocean) Anyway I made a cranberry sauce following this recipe:



The I simply blend about 1/2 cup to 1 cup of Cream Cheese (I use the food processor for this). Rechill. Then I top it with the remaining cranberry sauce, or about 1/4 cup of sauce and rechill- serve with crakers. I am using locally made Oat biscuits from EAT LOCAL . Very tasty slightly sweet dip with a bit of twang! Combine that with local cheeses and crackers, that is how I am celebrating the local thanksgiving!

Ya gotta love your mother~

I was trying to explain the 100 mile diet, and the locovore movement to my mom, and the fact I found local flour from Winthrop, WA. Then I told her I needed to get some local bacon. She asked if I could use prosciutto or pancetta in making the Parmesan bacon wrapped breadsticks. I told her it was possible but had no idea where to find them locally. She replied Oh- just go to Trader Joe's- they're only a mile away! Looks like I have more work ahead of me. Mom just doesn't get the 100 mile concept. But she tries. She is surprisingly supportive of Meat free Monday, as long as I am the one who doesn't eat meat on Mondays. Of course I mentioned that in regards to MFM, I don't need to eat TVP Chicken, I am happy with cheese and fruit, but she likes to see it as a challenge for her to make lunches using TVP products.

SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO ASK… (DUHHH!)

I was lamenting that what I planned on bringing to Thanksgiving dinner could not be made local. Well I have proven myself wrong again. I had resigned myself to trying to buy as close as I could to home- for example: Parmesan cheese - I figured that I could buy Beehive Asiago an american Parmesan- it is made in Uintah, Utah 800 miles away from here. Breadsticks can come from Gai’s or rather Franz Bakery, a local Seattle Mega-Bakery.
I was talking to Greg, the owner of Eat Local about my dilemma, he said they plan on stocking local cheese , including parmesan, in their dairy case (when they get one), and he could bring it down from the Queen Anne store. It is made up north about 100 miles away Plus while I was there, I found they had flour in the store from Winthrop, WA- that is 225 miles!
As I was talking with Greg, the subject of CSA’s came up. I said I knew that his Queen Anne store was a drop off for a CSA. And I asked him if he planned to do the same at the Burien store. He said Eat local Burien will be the drop off for not one but two CSA’s- Tiny’s Organic and Boistfort Valley Farm . Imagine two CSA’s! Now my only dilemma will be deciding which CSA to join!!! Glad I stopped in to talk to Greg.

High Five!

High Five Flipside


Pie is the perfect edible and one that I love. My favorite dessert. But Pie for lunch - absurd!

Well call me a convert- Burien Press, my favorite espresso/ coffee shop features little pie turnovers called flip sides from a local company called High Five pie company. They are tasty little treats, made from scratch. And not just for dessert! They have a Savory pie, with little potatoes, carrots, peas herbs. And my new favorite lunch pie- Mac and Cheese. Along with seasonal offerings like sweet potato, pumpkin and of course the best Carmel Pecan I have ever tasted. They also have something called "Pie Jars" a new take on Cake in a Jar- Something I might experiment with for Christmas.

UPDATE: Here are instructions from scoochmaroo@ Instructables for making your Pie in a Jar

Local Thanksgiving- can it be done?

A lot has been blogged about 100-Mile Thanksgiving, so I am going to add my 2 pennies. This year, I am going to my Aunt and Uncles house. I just have to bring snacks. Ordinarily I bring a cheese tray and something like bacon wrapped/parmesan bread sticks. This will be a challenge for me this year, as after watching the Planet Green show 100 mile challenge, I realized that the bread sticks, while made in Seattle, I have no guarantee that everything in them is within 100 miles- the flour could be from anywhere, the bacon probably from the Midwest. The dip I make for the bread sticks - a mayo- honey mustard dip probably doesn’t come local. The bacon I can get local, but the Parmesan cheese most likely isn’t. There is a cheese monger/maker at the Pike Place market but I don't recall seeing parmesan or a reasonable substitute there. So what to do? I could make a veggie platter with tzatziki- but is the yogurt local? Are the cows that donated to the yogurt from here? Of course I realize that anything I make would be a challenge- local flour, yeast is not local; So maybe I will go up to the “Eat Local store" and see if I can get any Ideas- Mayo can be made at home, I have local eggs, but no local oil? Maybe I am being to hard on myself and maybe I should relax on some of the rules like flour and oil. I already have those things. Maybe I could mill my own flour? I don’t have a lot of those answers.

Have you done the 100 mile diet or tried it for Thanksgiving? What do you do for the problems like local flour or oil?

Shop Local, Eat Local

Eat Local

The Burien branch of Buy Local is now open at 810 SW 151st. Very cool store. The sell premade frozen meals made on the premise and from local ingredients. I bought the "Coq Au Vin" for dinner tonight, along with some local Apple Cider to make some of Abbie's Apple Cider jelly. They also sell their items in reusable glass containers- You simply make a deposit, like glass milk bottles, and return it. Larger Items some in a foil pan with a cardboard top, smaller ones like 1 serving items come in the plastic tray, unfortunately*. Speaking of milk, they sell milk in glass bottles, And as I pointed out to the owner he should play that up as no supermarket in the Burien area does- although I think I will stick with my Milk Man, as it took so long to find him. Anyway take out you cook at home, sustainably packed. They also have local meats and plan on adding cheeses later. Who could ask for more?

*Upon further review, the single serving lasagne and other dishes are in a cardboard microwave container, with a plastic film on top! Sorry about that, folks!

"Scuse me- you look just like my Milk Man"

I haven't heard that since I was a little kid.

Since the city muthas (my term for The City Council) wont let me keep a goat or two or a cow in my back yard, I have resorted to Milk Delivery. Locally produced hormone free milk from local happy cows. You see the Smith Brothers Dairy, a local milk dairy, delivers milk to my doorstep, along with other products that I use and like. Saves me those last minute trips out the door as well. And I figure since Marty, my milk man is going down the road anyway (he delivers to the school up the street) He may as well stop in here on the way. Along with milk I can get get Tillamook Cheddar Cheese(Made in Tillamook Oregon), butter, local free range organic eggs, Coffee (Tully’s, another local company), yogurt and butter. I was raised on Smith Brothers Milk Delivery as a kid- glad to see they deliver to my address.
Now, if I could get my morning coffee delivered to me, with a danish...Hmmmm....

Do they still have Milk Delivery in your Area? Do you use it?

Viva La Toast Francais

I love french toast. It is perfect for a meal late at night when I get home. And now I have discovered Stuffed French Toast. In addition to Banana And Peanut Butter Stuffed French Toast, I have added Mascarpone and Blackberry Stuffed French Toast along with PB & J Stuffed French Toast to my french toast repertoire, both excellent ways to use fresh picked berries and jam made right in my kitchen. IHOP? I got your IHOP right here!

MARSCAPONE & BERRY STUFFED FRENCH TOAST
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 dash vanilla extract
1/2 cup Marscopone cheese
1/2 cup of berries (any berry- I used blackberries)
2 slices bread (I prefer to use store bought sliced french)
2 tablespoons butter
1 tsp. Rum extract or 2 oz. of rum

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg, milk,vanilla rum extract/rum together.In another bowl mix the marscapone and berries together.
Spread generous amount of cheese/berry mixture on top of each slice of bread. Place the other slice of bread on top of the first, to make a "sandwich".
In a skillet or frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Dip the sandwich into the egg mixture and place in the heated skillet. Cook until brown on both sides. Serve hot. If you can't find marscapone cheese, you can use ricotta or just make your own marscapone, following the crunchy ones recipe- very easy to make and you will love it.


P.B. & J STUFFED FRENCH TOAST
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 dash vanilla extract
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 Tablespoon Jam Or Jelly
2 slices bread
2 tablespoons butter
1 tsp. Rum extract or 2 oz. of rum

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg, milk,vanilla rum extract/rum together.
Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter on top of one slice of bread. Spread the jam on the other slice of bread- Place the other slice of bread on top of the first, to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
In a skillet or frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Dip the sandwich into the egg mixture and place in the heated skillet. Cook until brown on both sides. Serve hot.

Eat Local

Eat Local

I was at the Farmer's Market today, and one of my favorite vendors Eat Local, was there and she told me they are opening a store here in Burien! So now when localvores want some take out that's made from local and organic food, they don't have to wait for the Farmers' Market or go to Queen Anne Hill. Eat Local has an impressive menu of tasty things, from Coq au Vin to Buffalo Stew, and cookies to crackers that rival my beloved Ak-Mak. they are opening next month! Can't Wait.

Plum Turnovers

Well the barrage of plums has started on my Golden plum tree. I don't know if plum trees are self pollinating or not, but I have 1 plum tree loaded with tons of fruit. Well maybe not tons but a lot. But you know you are about to be inundated with recipes for plums.
I have taken my first donation to the food bank, and came up with an easy recipe for plum turn overs. Alas I have no pictures, cause they went fast, but they were good... a little tart but sweet.

Rob's Plum Turnovers

1 sheet of Puff Pastry, thawed
about 1 pound of plums, sliced and pitted
3/4 cups of sugar or splenda
1 tbsp. flour
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 egg mixed with 1 tbsp. water, for egg wash

Preheat oven to 400
Mix the plums, sugar/splenda, flour and lemon juice well. Spoon onto puff pastry that has been sliced to about 3" X 6" rectangles. Fold over plum mix to make a triangle. Brush the turnovers with the egg wash. Seal the puff pastry with a fork or pie crimper or use your fingers. Make sure you slice a vent on the top of the crust. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool, serve. Really good with Ice Cream.