Ice, Lemon Ice

The ice and snow of winter seem to be long gone. Tulips are blooming, trees are budding, and as the grass flourishes, I think I will probably have to face the mower for the first time this weekend. While I know that we can still be hit by another cold snap, I am sure that no bad weather will hang around for long. Instead of fussing over icy roads and snowed over satellite dishes, I can turn my mind to the warming temperatures of spring.

With the warm days comes a desire for cool treats. A recent jaunt to The Big City allowed me to satisfy a craving for ice that doesn't leave me shivering and running for cover, Lemon Ice. I discovered the Lemon Ice treats at Culver's a few years ago. Instantly, I was in love. Add the blueberry sauce, and I would trade you my car for a sample. During the spring and summer, I always make time to at least hit the drive-thru of this fast food establishment whenever I am near. Thankfully, I am at least 120 miles from the closest Culver's. I can't abuse my diet by indulging too often in this sugary treasure...or can I?

Lemon Ice is easy to make at home. While it might not hold the thrill of sneaking a sweet treat in the middle of the long drive to the eastern side of the state, it is still satisfying and refreshing. It's sweet, yet tart flavors would be an excellent ending for a great spring or summer meal. Make some blueberry sauce to drizzle over it, and don't forget to invite me. :~) Ice, Lemon Ice, is for me to enjoy On My Plate anytime.

Lemon Ice (Granita)

3 cups water
1cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 cup fresh lemon juice (juice of about 6 lemons)
1 ½ teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
2 teaspoons lemon extract

Combine 2 cups of the water with the sugar in a medium nonreactive saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add the salt, stir, and remove the pan from the heat.
Stir in the remaining water and let cool to room temperature.
Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour.
Meanwhile, place a shallow metal 2 1/2 qt container (such as a large cake pan) in the freezer to chill.
Add the lemon juice, lemon peel, and extract to the chilled sugar mixture; stir until well blended. Pour into the chilled metal pan.
Place the pan in the freezer for 30-60 minutes, or until ice crystals form around the edges.
Stir the ice crystals into the center of the pan and return to the freezer.
Repeat every 30 minutes, or until all the liquid is crystallized but not frozen solid, about 3 hours. To serve, scoop the granita into chilled dessert bowls or goblets.
(If the granita has become too hard, scrape it with a large metal spoon to break up the ice crystals.) Serve at once.
Advance Preparation: The granita can be stored, covered, for up to four days in the freezer, but it will have become frozen solid.
To serve, either allow the granita to thaw in the refrigerator until you can scrape the crystals, or break it up into chunks and process with on/off motions in a food processor fitted with the knife blade until fairly smooth. (Serves 4-6)

RED

RED is my obsession. It started with my RED Kitchenaid Mixer. Hubby had told me that he wanted to make the purchase for my birthday a few years ago. Some women might be insulted with a kitchen item as a gift, but I was thrilled. A Kitchenaid Mixer had been on my wish list for ages (and more of necessity after an unfortunate incident involving wedding mints left my old mixer out of service). However, at the time of my birthday, I couldn't decide what color I wanted. The pink was so cute; the gunmetal so serious; the tangerine so fun; the cobalt so cool; the white so predictable and boring. RED kept popping into my mind and finally, 3 months after my birthday, I placed the order for the spanking new, RED, bad boy of a mixer. When it arrived, I was in love and the seed of RED obsession was planted.

Fast forward a couple of years, and I determine that an iPod would be a great accessory for my workouts. I debated features and storage capacity. I checked out various sources for purchasing, but when the Apple website unveiled the RED Nano, my mind was made up. I needed a RED iPod; I wanted a RED iPod; I would have a RED iPod.

Jump to the next Christmas, and Hubby once again thinks that the best gift is to knock an item off of my kitchen wish list. He decides to purchase a LeCreuset pot for me. What color do I want the enamel coating on this cast iron French pot to be? Of course, it has to be RED. It has to match my Kitchenaid, after all. ;~)

In keeping with the true nature of an obsession, I have also collected RED shoes, handbags, scarves, kitchen towels, plates with red trim, mixing bowls, spatulas, and drawer organizers. RED has wormed its way into every bit of my life. I am awash with color...or rather a color, RED.

Now...here I am ready for an upgrade of my cell phone. I am happy with my current plain jane phone, but it is showing a bit of age (and...oops...misuse). A new phone would be a good investment. I don't have anything in mind as I check out the Verizon Wireless website, but the instant I see the RED Krzr, I know it must be mine. I need that RED phone to balance everything else red in my life. I truly am obsessed.

RED is a good obsession to have when it leads you to Red Onion Dip. Red onions are sweeter and more mild than their yellow or white contemporaries. Baking them with balsamic vinegar and honey only makes them sweeter while the mustard provides just the right amount of tangy bite. I love this spread over toasted rounds of baguette, but it could easily be served as a condiment with pork, chicken, or beef as part of a main meal. I am obsessed with Red Onion Dip On My Plate.

Red Onion Dip

1 red onion, finely chopped
½ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup honey
½ cup olive oil
½ cup grainy mustard

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all ingredients and put into a small baking dish.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.
Increase oven temp to 420, bake for an additional 15-20 minutes.
Serve with toasted baguette slices. (Serves 8, as an appetizer)

Earthy Goodness

Sunday, April 22, is Earth Day. Countless sources have provided us with information about recycling, reducing pollutants, and other ways for minimizing our effect on the Earth. Some of it is just common sense, but other ideas are more innovative and creative. It is refreshing to know that people are paying attention and making an effort to protect our resources.

Hubby and I may not make as much of an effort as we should. Recycling processes out here on the prairie just aren't as simple as curbside pickup. We have to consciously work to reduce, reuse, and recycle, and honestly don't always do as well as we should. However, I have become addicted to many of the environmentally friendly cleaning products in the Method line. I have also changed out several of our light bulbs to more energy efficient options. With an eye to the future, I am gathering information about improved appliance options. I want to be ready for that someday kitchen make-over with ideas based on energy efficiency as well as performance and appearance. I know that our household could do better to be more energy efficient and aware of our environment. Earth Day is a good time to start fresh with new habits. It is a good time to make a change for green.

In the food realm, being green brings to mind vegetables. Two options that are the ultimate in earthy goodness, in my opinion, are potatoes and asparagus. Pairing them together to be roasted is so easy and delicious. It is a great way for Earthy Goodness to fall On My Plate.

Roasted Red Potatoes and Asparagus

1 pound new potatoes, cut in half or quarters
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 pound asparagus, trimmed

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Place the potatoes in a roasting pan.
Drizzle with the oil. Season with 3/4 tsp salt and pepper, garlic and toss.
Roast for 30 minutes, shaking the pan once.
Add the asparagus to the pan with the potatoes; season with the remaining salt, and toss.
Roast until the asparagus is tender, 12-15 minutes. (Serves 4)

Wings and a Prayer

Prayer and Potlucks are common events in church circles. I decided to borrow the potluck idea and use it for a get-together with our friends. Of course, I couldn't just do any plain old potluck. I needed a theme. Pizza and wings were our cravings, and I felt that combo would make a great potluck party. We kept the "rules" simple. Bring pizza OR wings, what ever you wanted to drink, and the attitude to have a good time. I prayed for the best and vowed to go with the flow of whatever came through my door.

I thought that pizza offered so many options: supreme, pepperoni, gourmet pizzas, veggie pizzas created on crescent rolls, dessert pizzas with cookie crusts, take-out, or frozen, just to name a few. A friend makes combustible hot wings, and with me making Hubby's favorite Teriyaki ones, we would have variety there, too. We aren't that fussy, though. Anything makes us happy when we can get together with friends and have a good time. I hoped that people would feel comfortable to bring their favorites and that everyone would just enjoy the evening.

As the host, I broke the rules just a bit and prepared more than just 1 pizza or wings. I felt that I needed to provide a little "seed" to start the food rolling in. After much debate and searching through my recipe options, I went with some tried and true options and whipped up a Buffalo Chicken Pizza, a Garlic Chicken Pizza, and the Teriyaki Wings. As people arrived, there was a strong showing of dessert pizzas on our potluck buffet. Several brought sweet offerings that were a great ending for our meal (and a balance to extinguish the heat on our palates after the hot wings). I had hoped that someone would seize the moment and bring a cardboard Totino's to share, but I guess that I will have to satisfy that guilty craving with my next trip to the grocery store. Hubby was hoping for supreme take-out pizza from a little place a couple of towns over. That didn't materialize, either. We didn't go hungry, though. In addition to my pizzas and wings, we filled out plates with veggie pizzas, mini pizzas and a couple of varieties of hot wings. It was a great potluck spread and a really fun evening.

Several claimed to enjoy my wings. I am not a Teriyaki fan, but Hubby loves them. I find it too sweet and prefer hot wings. Still, I think that the milder flavor of the Teriyaki Wings was a good balance to the heat of the Inferno Wings. The sweet marinade helped to answer the prayers of those wishing to extinguish the fire burning in their mouths from the hot, hot wings.

Teriyaki Wings

1 cup water
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup sugar
½ cup pineapple juice
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ginger
3-4 pounds cleaned chicken wings

Mix all marinade ingredients together.
Pour over wings in a Ziploc bag. (I have even done this with frozen wings and let them marinate as they defrosted.)
Refrigerate overnight.
Arrange wings on foil-lined baking sheets.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Pulling My Weight

Hubby's business requires long hours and hard physical labor. He works hard, and is usually exhausted by the time that he gets home. I am far from a princess, but I couldn't do it. I couldn't keep up with the schedule that he maintains. If I had to work in his shoes for just one day, I would be a worn out, blubbering mess. I do try to help out by keeping up-to-date with the bookwork and office issues. I also try to pull my own weight by providing some of the meals when extra crews come in for special projects.

This past week, we had sheep shearers at the farm. This means serving meals for an extra 10 or so guys, in addition to the normal crew. Guys that work hard need a hearty meal. I felt that Pulled Pork fit those needs perfectly. It easily serves lots of people, and is satisfying without being so filling that work after lunch is impossible. Of course, baked beans and coleslaw make a full meal with the pork, and in the spring, a strawberry angel food dessert is a must. A well-fed crew is a happy crew, and the lambs are soon shorn to perfection when I pull my weight with Pulled Pork.

Ultimate Pulled Pork
1 whole pork butt
Pork Rub
½ cup black pepper
½ cup paprika
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon cayenne
Molasses Barbecue Sauce
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup molasses
¼ cup chopped plum tomatoes
3 tablespoons shallots (or onions), minced
2 tablespoons pitted dates, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced

For rub: mix all ingredients in a bowl.
For sauce: Combine in nonreactive saucepan, bring to boil and simmer until it reduces to 1 1/2 cups.
For pork: Rub pork with rub.
Place in Plastic bag and refrigerate overnight.
Take out pork and re-rub.
Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours.
Roast on rack uncovered in oven at 250-275 degrees until falling apart tender.
It will take 7-8 hours, the internal temperature of the pork when done should be between 195 and 200 degrees.
Pull pork into pieces, toss with sauce.
Serve with extra sauce.

April Fool!

What does someone who is obsessed with food, recipes and fun do on April Fools Day? They pull a food prank, what else? :~)

Get up before your Hubby, fry up a couple of eggs (for the authentic aroma), make some toast, and brew some coffee. Then, get ready for the prank. Create a special "egg" on his plate and have it waiting when he meanders down the stairs. Having a spouse that doesn't fully wake up until the second cup of coffee does help to pull off the surprise. Enjoy the laughs and have a great day!

Peachy Eggs for April Fool's Day
1/3 -1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
½ peach (canned halves in light syrup work well)

Spread yogurt into circle on plate, using the back of a spoon.
Place peach half, flat side down, in the center of the yogurt.