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.

Pretty Peas

Warm spring weather has me thinking about gardening. I always plant the same things: tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, acorn and/or butternut squash, cucumbers, radishes, some lettuce and spinach, and my herbs. Last year, I added strawberries to my garden, and I am in love with the asparagus patch. I have tried my hand at Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower, but am not fond of the never ending battle to keep the little green worms at bay.

Basically, I am a lazy gardener. I think that is why I haven't planted green beans. I have memories of what seemed like hours and hours spent picking green beans from my mother's garden as a child. (Followed by hours and hours of sweating in a hot kitchen over a pressure cooker to can said green beans in mason jars as a store for winter.) I love green beans, but those hours and hours are lost forever...not that I probably had anything better to do.

This spring, this lazy gardener has a desire for green beans and peas. I am not sure that my small garden space can handle enough rows to be worthwhile (while still limited to few enough rows to hold my interest without seeming taxing). Pretty peas of fresh sweetness. Crisp, but tender green beans. I am thinking about it. We will see what I plant...

Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Mushrooms and Snow Peas

(adapted from Food Network Magazine)

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

flour, for dredging

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/2 small yellow onion, chopped 

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 cups snow peas, stemmed and sliced

Preheat oven to 200F.
Butterfly the chicken breast.
Place chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound with a meat mallet until uniform thickness.
Cut each chicken breast into 2 pieces (making 4 portions).
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
Dredge the cutlets in flour, shaking off any excess.
Cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side.
Transfer to a baking dish; cover loosely with foil; keep warm in the oven.
Add the butter to the hot skillet.
Add the onions and saute until tender.
Add the mushrooms and brown.
Pour in the broth and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
Cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 minutes.
Add the cream and boil until sauce thickens slightly, about 3 additional minutes.
Stir in the snow peas and heat through.
Season with salt and pepper.
Serve the chicken topped with the creamy vegetables. (Garlic mashed potatoes are a great comfort on the side.) (Serves 4)