Phat Freddy Day

Every so often I feel like Fred doesn't get enough of the blogging love. He is an incredible man, friend, partner, and kitchen bitch. Kitchen bitch is a term of endearment I think it is cute, but sometimes Fred thinks it takes away from his studliness. Pishaw! That said Fred still gets to keep his man card, because he refuses to wear a frilly apron and nothing else. He doesn't usually read the blog, so hopefully I am safe. Otherwise I may get some serious payback when I least expect it. Honey if you're reading...I will be sleeping with one eye open.

This week Fred has been working feverishly in the garden to clear the crazy burmuda grass that seems to take over everywhere else but where it is supposed to grow. The roots are like a giant octopus trying to sqeeze the life out of our veggies. It's in the triple digits here, so the poor plants need all the help they can get. Even though we planted a little late, we are starting to get a few goodies. We've gotten a couple of stripped zuchs, a few jalepenos, cherry tomatoes, and a lone cucumber. But for me the most exciting take was the first gorgeous large tomato! Now, I wouldn't wish this on anyone, but Fred was really sick with a nasty cold this week. He had no appetite and that lone tomato was just sitting there getting more ripe. Yes, selfishly I scarfed that bad boy right down. It was so incredible. There is nothing like eating the fruits (or in this case the vegetables) of your labor (or in this case Fred's labor). It was so juicy and flavorful; it almost tasted like a midwestern tomato. I sure hope we get more before the AZ sun boils them on the vine.

On top of being the master gardener, Fred occasionally takes his kitchen bitch role seriously. After he started feeling better this week, he mustered up the energy to cook for me. A couple of Christmases ago my mom got Fred Robin Robertson's Vegan Fire and Spice. He made a few recipes out of it when he first got it and then like so many of our cook books it ended up back on the shelf collecting dust while recipe testing commenced. I'm very happy we've rediscovered it. With his cold, I thought he needed lots of ginger and garlic to boost his immune system. I suggested he make her Garlic Soup recipe. It is chock full of garlicky goodness. As a bonus it is a recipe that hails from Spain...a country that has a special place in my heart. The soup is a lucious indulgence in garlicky stinky pleasure. Do not eat this before a date, unless your date is also having some. The broth is rich and flavorful. The garlic takes on a very savory and deep flavor. Fred used a whole grain baquette. The bread soaks up the broth and mellow the garlic just a bit. It is a wonderful combination.

I've been very pleased with the recipes from Vegan Fire and Spice. This week I also made her Red-Hot White Bean Chili. It calls for 3 tablespoons of chili powder. Amazingly there was only 1 tablespoon left in the container! This never usually happens as we have an arsenal of spices. Luckily there was some chipotle and ancho powder in the spice cabinet. I used one tablespoon of each along with the chili powder. Some kitchen mishaps turn out to be the best. I will make it this way from here on out. It added such a great smoky depth to the hearty beans. NOM!

I'm going to not so subliminally keep laying out recipes and cook books in the hopes that my studly kitchen bitch may suddenly have the urge to whip me up some tasty treats!

Mediterranean Mix Salad

We have been getting some good stuff from the garden. The first bed is producing some great greens. Today Fred put in the 2nd bed. We can hardly wait to see how this one does. My brother send us some great heirloom tomato seeds. We are starting those inside to transplant in a couple of weeks when it gets a little bit warmer. We are learning how and when to plant things in the desert. We're total amateurs. So far, we are having pretty good results. Here are the greens we planted at the end of October in Bed #1.

 

Bed #2 going in.

We had a dinner party to go to tonight and I volunteered to make salad. I must admit, I wanted to show off some of the goodies from the garden. I picked green leaf lettuce, arugula, and baby purple kale. Man, I just love veggies fresh out of the garden! Nothing tastes better! I used the greens as a base for this very flavorful and colorful salad. This one is definitely one to serve to a crowd and it should get a thumbs up!

Mediterranean Mix Salad

8-10 servings

14.5 ounce can of quartered artichoke hearts
14.5 ounce can of hearts of palm (sliced into medallions)
5 ounces of pitted Kalamata olives
16 oz jar roasted red peppers (or 5 fresh red peppers roasted and peeled) sliced into strips
1/2 red onion halved and thinly sliced
1 large cucumber, halved and thinly sliced
3 medium tomatoes sliced into thin wedges
1 cup arugula
5 cups mixed greens
1 recipe pesto-oregano vinaigrette

Pesto-Oregano Vinaigrette

makes 3/4 cup

1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons vegan pesto
1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh oregano (or 3/4 teaspoon dried)

Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until well combined. 

Toss all salad ingredients together. Gently toss with dressing. Serve immediately.

Season's Eatings!

Merry Christmas to my bloggernaughts. If you are reading this today, step away from your computer and enjoy your family, friends, furry friends and come back later. If that isn't your thing, go cook something :) I'm working a 12 hour shift today, so I have an excuse to be sitting at the computer. LOL.

I wasn't overly optimistic about getting any cooking done today, but we had a little mini-harvest last night and I felt compelled to use it in something today. Here is the take from the garden late last Eve. Arugula and more radishes. It frosted the night before last before we could cover the garden. I'm hoping most stuff will make it. The tomatoes and beans are toast.


I got up a bit early this morning and prepped my goodies so I could throw a nice lunch together for me and my co-worker today. I bring you Christmas Pasta (to be re-named later when I'm feeling a bit more creative).



Makes 2 large portions

1/4 lb dried spaghetti/fettuccini/angel hair
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 cippollini onions
2 teaspoon white balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons dry white wine and drink the rest of the bottle.
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I use Penzey's)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
8 sun dried tomatoes (not in oil) rehydrated, julienned
1 medium red bell pepper, julienned
2 cups loosely packed arugula
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts (for garnish)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (measured after chopping, for garnish)
red pepper flakes to taste (optional)

Cook pasta according to package direction (al dente). Run under cold water to cool. Toss with a bit of olive oil to prevent sticking. Pasta can be prepared a day or two ahead of time and stored in a tightly covered bowl in the fridge.

Heat oil in very large saute pan over medium high heat. Add garlic and saute until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add onions and saute until just starting to soften. Add vinegar and wine and reduce slightly. Add dried seasonings and saute for about 1 more minute. Add sun dried tomatoes and red peppers. Saute for about 3-5 minutes until peppers just start to soften. Add arugula and saute for another minute until it just starts to wilt. Add cooled pasta and cook until just heated through. Make sure to toss so that all of the ingredients are well combined. Add more salt and pepper to taste if needed. Dish out onto two plates. Garnish with toasted pine nuts, fresh parsley, and red pepper flakes if desired.

I hope that all of you have a love filled Christmas. Keep the kitchen fires burning!

Vegan MOFO - Day 4 - The Garden

More and more people are jumping on the buy local band wagon. I'm all for that because I like to support the local small farms. I still have no idea how they are actually growing their goods, because I don't actually visit their farms. There are a couple of people at our farmers market that bring absolutely perfect produce week after week. This makes me more than a little suspicious. I love buying from the farms that have dirty, odd shaped, and real looking veggies and fruit. They are the ones I visit week after week.


I wanted to get even more local...like back yard local. Fred and I were both raised in places where people always had gardens. We spent much of our childhood summers picking and weeding. There is nothing better than eating something fresh off of your own vines. Both our mom's canned and froze the goodies so that we could have home grown vegetables all winter long. Everyone on my dad's side of the family have magical green thumbs. My brother's garden is a wonder with all of his heirloom seeds and beautiful soil. Since moving to Arizona almost 20 years ago, I have never once planted a vegetable garden. I had a condo once where I had a small herb garden, but that doesn't count as the real deal in my book.

The soil here is very alkaline. This makes the task a little bit more challenging. Fred was up to the challenge this week. He dug out a 4 foot x 12 foot plot. He has spent the last couple of days preparing the soil with organic mulch, organic peat moss, and vermiculite for water retention and to keep the soil from compacting in to the hard clay that is so common here. The soil was ready to go last night. He is planning on transplanting the herbs from the pots today. He also bought some great organic plants to put in. My brother is sending us some of his coveted heirloom seeds this week. He has a couple of varieties that are supposed to do well in the desert heat. We are going to start them in the house and plunk them in early in the spring. We can usually put the tomatoes in by the end of February or early March here.



My poor little basil plant has been struggling for over a year in it's pot. Hopefully it will love it's new home and get big and beautiful.

If this planting goes well, we are going to add more to it in the spring or next fall. I'm so excited about having a garden again, I could just about pee! Fred is taking pictures while I'm at work. I'll post them when I get home so you can all see the before pictures.