South Dakota Magazine Recap

It is that time of year when things start to get a little cray-cray. Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and then there is no stopping Christmas and all of the many holiday events. Throw in a little year-end business and a few bouts of bad weather, and before we know it 2014 will be done.

Before I get caught up in that whirlwind, maybe I should do another South Dakota Magazine Recap. I have shared several recipes (and a few stories) online with South Dakota Magazine since my last update in early April.

For Easter, I considered a new tradition of layering asparagus, ham, and pasta with cheese and a creamy sauce. Ham and Asparagus Lasagna is a perfectly elegant comfort food worthy of a Spring holiday table.

Cinco de Mayo was observed with simple Sausage and Feta Tacos. The day is a celebration of a Mexican military victory and more than just party with "2 for 1" margarita deals.

My husband was fearful that I would give up his prime asparagus hunting ground when I shared some of his wild asparagus secrets. If you are lucky enough to receive a bouquet of freshly cut wild asparagus, I recommend trying Asparagus Ravioli in Parmesan Broth.

I am happy to report that as summer dawned, the snakes in my backyard seemed to move on. Harvest of strawberries and rhubarb for Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Bars was uneventful...and the bars were delicious.

Nilla is still living in town with us, and before the snow, I noticed a new hole in my cleared-for-fall garden. She must still be digging for worms. I should have taken her fishing for some walleye to make Lemon Butter Fish.

Avocado Toast with Radish Salad pulls from produce both local, and not. Sourcing my food from whatever origins are available for the tastiest options is my "diet" plan.

I didn't get a great spinach harvest from the garden this year, but did manage enough for a few Spinach and Garlic Vinaigrette Salads.

Keeping cool was easy this summer with the Asian influenced Peanut and Cucumber Salad.

If I want to kiss my husband, I need keep my toothbrush handy whenever Bleu Cheese and Bacon Potato Salad is on the menu.

Scrambled Eggs with Pesto and White Beans is a powerhouse for breakfast and an excellent place to start while working toward those big dreams for the day.

In September, I guided Laura from the South Dakota Magazine offices through a south-central South Dakota adventure and made time for some Pho-ish Soup.

Homecoming revealed a little background of a long ago spontaneous pancake party in Colome, and I shared the story with the puffed pancake of a Dutch Baby with Caramel Sauce and Bananas.

As the winter allows Hubs more time at home in the evenings, I can't wait for movie night and Pomegranate and Popcorn.

Pumpkin Black Bean Soup is a perfect fall bowl of comfort. Topping this rich, savory soup with crumbled queso and sliced green onions enhance the earthy flavors.

And, finally, I have the tart jewel of your Thanksgiving table: Homemade Cranberry Sauce, even though I kinda miss the nostalgia of those perfect rings on the log of sauce from the can.

Whew. What a list of amazing recipes! I hope you have had the opportunity to enjoy a few, and I can't wait to share more On My Plate and with South Dakota Magazine.

Tales from the Wildlife Refuge of My Backyard (part 1)

We may live in the middle of a small town, surrounded by other homes, an apartment building, a church, asphalt streets, and all the power lines and other accoutrements that we all believe we need for the city life, but I seem to have a wildlife refuge in my backyard. There aren't monkeys and lions and tigers and bears, but there might as well be.

The large, towering cottonwood had always housed one or more families of squirrels during our residence here. The bushy-tailed critters have stolen my strawberries, chattered at all of our pups, and basically been another part of our family. This past spring, I was surprised to see 7 (SEVEN!) baby squirrels running up and down the tree and jumping from branch to branch. That seems like a huge litter for one tiny mama squirrel, so I can only assume the our backyard tree housed a commune of squirrels. Those babies quickly caught Jenn's attention, and many days were spent with her holding point on the trees. She was extremely disappointed when they seemed to abandon our tree in early summer.

However, the hollow of the tree wasn't vacant for long. A swarm of bees buzzed in and started building a hive...just mere feet from my backdoor. I plan to blog soon about this experience, but needless to say, regardless of what the status is for honey bees in North America, I was extremely relieved when they moved on.

Shortly after the bee adventure, I was at the kitchen counter one evening starting dinner preparations when I glanced out the windows overlooking the backyard. There at the far back of the lots was a paint turtle creeping along the railroad ties lining the fence. It should be noted that it is a chain-link fence and it wouldn't exactly be easy for a turtle to gain access. We have tightened every spot that the girls could possibly stick their noses through in an attempt to rein in escape episodes. Still, that determined turtle thought our lush yard with green grass, gardens, flowers, and usually a sprinkler or soaker hose in action was the place to be. I let the girls play with her for awhile before turning her loose outside of the confines of our fence.

Fences have never been an issue for the garter snakes that call our backyard home. I suspect the old cistern and the nooks and crannies between the railroad tie borders for my planting beds are great habitat for them. Flourishing herbs and garden plants create abundant shade in the damp of the beds. Usually, there are multiples slithering around and eating the bugs, and we have an unspoken agreement. I leave them alone, and they do the same for me. Of course, I am startled when one glides away while I am picking strawberries, but at least they are moving away.  Until a week or so ago...

A week or so ago, I went out to pick strawberries and discovered that I had lost just as many half-eaten red berries to the birds as I was able to pick. In frustration, I quickly draped netting over the plants to help ward off the birds' advances. A day or so later, I leisurely strolled to the strawberry beds to check on the success of the netting only to find a garter snake had wound his way back and forth through the crumpled up net at the base of the bed. He was stuck much like those images of the birds and fish caught in the plastic 6-pack rings on the beach.

Snakes don't make me scream, but I wanted to. Knowing that Hubs was in the hay field and hours away from returning home, I watched anxiously for one of our manly neighbors to return and save me and the snake. It wasn't happening. I had to do it myself. I had to cut the snake out of the netting.

Garden shears in hand, I pulled the netting away from the plants and tried my best to keep the snake at full arms length away from me. At one point, I did have to touch him to pull some of the imbedded net out of his skin as I clipped. He also kept trying to slither back into the net as I released him. Finally, I found a way to keep his head buried in the strawberry plants as I pulled and clipped his way to freedom. I don't know if it was the "head in the sand" effect of him not being face to face with me or if it was me hissing, "Knock it off; I am trying to help you." that calmed him and made my job a little easier. Ultimately, he was free to slide into the recesses of the railroad ties and my netting had been clipped to the point that the birds had several points of easy access to the ripe strawberries.

I must have been in shock throughout this garter snake ordeal. I didn't take any pics. No before. No after. Certainly no during. My snap happy habit with my cell phone was totally forgotten. The only evidence of the trauma and drama is my clipped to pieces netting. You are probably glad. Nobody wants to see snake photos on a food blog. You are welcome.
  

We do like to see strawberry photos on a food blog, though, and I have a lot. I made this Strawberry Almond Tart on a gray day this spring with some of the first berries available at the market.

It was much easier than I anticipated, and I wish that I would have snapped some photos with the tart tin removed, as the crust was a gorgeous match for the crown of berries that topped the creamy, almond filling.

I am hoping for another strawberry harvest from the garden (snake-free, please) to make this again with my own berries. Strawberry Almond Tart is a deliciously civilized refuge from the wildlife that surrounds me.

Strawberry Almond Tart

(adapted from Cooking Light)

9 sheets honey graham crackers

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons butter, melted

4 teaspoons water

5 ounces cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

6 cups strawberries, hulled (divided)

2/3 cup sugar

1 tablespoon corn starch

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 350F.
For crust, process graham crackers in a food processor until crumbly.
Add 2 tablespoons sugar, butter and water.
Pulse just until moist.
Press crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-inch tart pan.
Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool completely.
For filling, combine cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and extracts until smooth.
Spread evenly over the cooled crust.
For topping, place 2 cups of strawberries in food processor and process until smooth.
Combine puree with 2/3 cup sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan over medium heat.
Bring to a boil, whisking constantly.
Reduce heat to low; cook 1 minute.
Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Toss the remaining 4 cups of strawberries with lemon juice to coat. 
Arrange berries over filling.
Spoon half of the glaze evenly over the berries. (Save remaining glaze for use over ice cream or in strawberry shakes.)
Sprinkle nuts around the edge of tart.
Chill 3 hours. (Serves 10)

Devo That Cream

If you grew up in the 80s, there is no doubt that Devo's "Whip It" was on at least one of your homemade mixtapes. (Bonus points for holding your cassette recorder up to the radio/stereo speaker to record and praying that the DJ didn't talk over the intro.)

I am a child of the 80s. I am also a dork that gets bonus points for humming the synthesized beats of "Whip It" every time I add whipping cream to my Kitchenaid's mixing bowl and beat it into fluffy peaks of whipped cream.

Easter Sunday was no exception. I had baked pretty little phyllo nests brushed with butter and dusted with powdered sugar on Saturday. To make a type of modified strawberry shortcake, on Sunday morning I sliced strawberries, warmed honey, and whipped heavy whipping cream. I whipped it. I whipped it good.

Layered with drizzles of honey over the flaky phyllo dough, over the strawberries, and on top of the whipping cream, these individual desserts were a delicious and impressive final addition to my Easter dinner menu.

 

Strawberry Shortcake Nests

(adapted from Gourmet)

1 roll of phyllo dough (there are 2 in each box), defrosted

4-6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

4 tablespoons powdered sugar

2 cups whipping cream

2 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons honey

2 cups strawberries, sliced

Defrost the frozen phyllo dough on counter top for 2 hours (or overnight in the fridge).

Preheat oven to 375degrees.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Carefully unroll the dough and remove the plastic wrapping.

Reroll the phyllo log and slice into 8 slices, approximately 1/2-inch each.

Unfurl the ribbons of dough from one of the slices onto a cutting board and arrange in parallel rows.

Brush the phyllo ribbons with melted butter and dust with powdered sugar.

Loosely gather together into a coil that resembles a nest. (be careful not to bunch too many layers in the middle, the nest will be tough instead of flaky)

Flip over and arrange on the parchment lined baking sheet.

Brush nest with additional butter as needed, and dust with again with powdered sugar.

Repeat with the ribbons of each of the remaining 7 slices of phyllo dough. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until phyllo is golden and crispy.

Cool completely. (Can be done to this point the day before.)

Beat heavy cream with sugar in electric mixer until it forms soft peaks.  (Whip it good.)

To serve, drizzle each phyllo nest with honey, top with generous dollop of whipped cream, drizzle again with honey, arrange strawberries on top of whipped cream, drizzle again with honey, and finish with small flourish of whipped cream and another drizzle of honey. (Can also layer strawberries on top of the phyllo nest for more strawberry punch.) Serves 8.

And...so you can also be a dork and hum "Whip It" while making your Strawberry Shortcake Nests...

Devo - Whip It

South Dakota Magazine

So...in case you didn't know, I have been contributing semimonthly at South Dakota Magazine for almost a year. However, in poor blogger form, I have neglected the updates here On My Plate.

Let's do a quick catch-up with a rundown of my columns from last summer and so far this fall...

In June, we had The War for the Strawberries with Ace and I trying in vain to protect my precious berries from the squirrels. We did manage to save enough for Strawberry Mousse.

I also waxed poetically about the beautiful corn crops that later were destroyed by the drought. Thankfully, there was still some sweet corn for Fresh Corn and Radish Salad.

July brought my dilemma regarding what to take to the Antiques Roadshow and a Strawberry Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake.

Later, I cried for cucumbers to be made into Refrigerator Pickles...which led to a friend gifting me with more cucumbers than I knew what to do with in August. I now have refrigerator pickles as well as several other versions canned on my food storage shelves.

Zucchini was loud and proud in August with a rich and creamy Zucchini Alfredo

...AND sweet and delicious Zucchini Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies making the pages of the South Dakota Magazine website.

I whined about the difficulty of finding some ingredients here on the prairie and shared the recipe for the ever spicy Andouille Sausage and Shrimp Skewers in September.

Maintaining that level of heat with the kick of my Basic Salsa for Canning was easy.

I admitted to not really loving crock pot cooking, but making a concession for Chipotle Pork earlier this month. 

And, just this past week, I started looking ahead to the holidays and meal planning with Green Beans in Mushroom Sauce.




There you have it...a round-up of what I have been sharing through South Dakota Magazine. Hopefully, I can be a bit more faithful with updates in the future.

Berry Ironic

I don't think that I know anyone in our local area that actually serves Strawberry Shortcake with real shortcake. Instead of the sweet biscuit-like base for our strawberries and cream, we usually swap out angel food cake, pound cake, sponge cake, and even just plain white cake. In fact, I don't know that I have ever had a true Strawberry Shortcake. 

That is why it is berry (I know, bad pun. Sorry.) ironic that my first foray into the realm of combining biscuits and strawberries would be with a cookie, and not a cake at all. One of my father-in-law's favorite desserts is the cake version of Strawberry Shortcake. With just a few ripe, red berries floating around in my fridge, I decided to try a Martha Stewart recipe for Strawberry Shortcake Cookies as a treat for him. They are tender and flaky, just as a baking powder biscuit would be be, with dots of fresh strawberry strewn within. A dusting of sugar adds just the right sweetness for the cookies. I don't mind a little berry irony as long as I have Strawberry Shortcake Cookies On My Plate.

Strawberry Shortcake Cookies

2 cups strawberries, hulled and cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup, plus 1 tablespoon sugar

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

2/3 cup heavy cream

sugar, for sprinkling

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
Combine strawberries, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons sugar. 
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 7 tablespoons granulated sugar in a large bowl. 
Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or rub in with your fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 
Stir in cream until dough starts to come together (I needed a couple tablespoons more cream to form a dough.), then stir in strawberry mixture. 
Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing evenly apart. (I used fresh parchment for each batch, as the sugar caramelized a bit and wanted to burn around the cookies.)
Sprinkle with additional sugar, and bake until golden brown, 24 to 25 minutes. (Mine were done in 20-22 minutes...watch the bottoms the sugar burns easily.)
Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool. 
Cookies are best served immediately, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. (I KNOW! A cookie recipe that says you have to eat them all in one day! Awesome sauce!) (About 3 dozen cookies)

Over and Over Again

Recently, I heard a parent singing the praises of her children for choosing strawberries over ice cream for dessert. Good for them; I did, too. However, I don't think that my Roasted Strawberries OVER Vanilla Bean Ice Cream was quite what she had in mind when congratulating her children for their healthy food choice. While her children enjoyed the simple, solo sweetness of juicy, red berries, I was spooning creamy and rich ice cream topped with warm and luscious red berries into my mouth. Score one for the kids and their dietary sensibilities. Score one for my decadent and effortless dessert. (Ignore my spreading hips, please.)

Roasting can be a lifesaver for strawberries that are a little less than perfect. Drizzle with Grand Marnier and sprinkle with a bit of sugar, then toss into a searing hot oven just long enough to soften the fruit and release the juices. I think they are even better than the usual macerated method for strawberries and syrup. The contrast of the warm, still slightly tart berries over the creamy sweetness of the ice cream is heaven in my mouth. The only thing that would make it better would be chocolate.

Wait a minute. There WAS chocolate. Those kids would have definitely chosen my Roasted Strawberries over Vanilla Bean Ice Cream if they would have known that they could have Fudge Cookies on the side. Dense, little brownie-like bites of cookie make even a non-baker like me give in to the baking sheets and cooling racks. Made with staples from the pantry and no eggs, they can usually be whipped up anytime...just make them small because they certainly are rich.

I will choose Roasted Strawberries over Vanilla Bean Ice Cream with Fudge Cookies on the side over and over again to land On My Plate.

Roasted Strawberries

1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled
drizzle Grand Marnier
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Arrange cleaned strawberries on a sheet pan (use parchment paper, if you wish, for easier cleanup).
Drizzle with Grand Marnier.
Sprinkle with sugar and toss to coat.
Roast in oven for 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes.
Serve warm with juices over ice cream. (Serves 4-6)

Fudge Cookies

1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 stick margarine (butter doesn't work as well)
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla

Heat sweetened condensed milk, margarine, and chocolate chips in the microwave just until the chips have softened enough to combine well with other ingredients. Do not over heat, as the chocolate will separate. Combine mixture with vanilla, flour, and chopped pecans.
Mix well.
Drop onto cookie sheet by small teaspoonfuls.
Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.
Store in a tightly covered container. These are rich & fudgy, but can easily turn to charcoal briquettes. (6-8 dozen cookies)

Strawberry Whine

Fresh spring strawberries are surfacing in every grocery store. Ripe, plump, juicy, red sweetness. What is there to whine about? How about whining about the fact that with fresh strawberries, I can eat an entire baguette in one sitting? all by myself? without even thinking about it? Spread a little (or a lot) of a cream cheese mixture on a toasted, but still chewy baguette, top with slices of fresh strawberries and a drizzle of strawberry sauce, and I inhale it. I am a pig for Strawberry Bruschetta On My Plate, and don't like how much treadmill time I have to log to make up for it. *whine*

Strawberry Bruschetta

1 French baguette
1 (8 ounce) container spreadable cream cheese
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup sugar-free strawberry jelly

Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Slice bread about 1/4-inch thick.
Place in a single layer on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake about 10 minutes or until lightly brown, turning once.
Stir together cream cheese and honey; spread on one side of each toasted baguette slice.
Arrange strawberry slices on the cream cheese.
Heat jelly in a custard cup in a microwave oven on high power for 30 seconds; stir (or heat and stir in a small saucepan until melted).
Drizzle over strawberries. (Serves about 24 slices...enough for at least 12, but maybe only one piggy person like me)

Odds and Ends

One lonesome button, a lighter, a nail file, a small allen wrench, a tiny light bulb from the Christmas lights, an expired credit card, and a AA battery are rolling around in the corner of my desk drawer were odds and ends come to rest. In a Mason jar on top of the dryer, I have a collection of nuts and bolts, screws, springs, fuses, coins, an old pocket knife, and even a few business cards that have made their way through the laundry but have no real home. The console of my car has tins of Altoids cinnamon gum, lipbalm, a granola bar, change from McDonald's, a rock, and the charger for the cell phone I had before my current one. Odds and ends collect everywhere, if we let them.

One morning, someone woke up to find a few strawberries, an orange, some grapes, and an avocado staring at them. They were inspired to throw together a quick salad, season with salt and pepper, and post the recipe online. I am grateful. It is beyond delicious. The contrast of the crisp flavors of the fruits and the creamy avocado is brilliant. Of course, I am happy when odds and ends become Odds and Ends Fruit Breakfast Salad On My Plate.

Odds and Ends Fruit Breakfast Salad

1 medium navel orange
6 strawberries
12 green seedless grapes
1 avocado
kosher salt
fresh ground black pepper

Peel and segment the orange, slice the strawberries, grapes and avocado.
Toss together.
Season with salt and top with fresh ground black pepper. (Serves 2)