Sunday, April 28, 2013

Spring Planting

We have been getting alot of things planted and seeded in the last two weeks. Onions, leeks, lettuce, spinach, pak choi, beets, carrots, turnips, chard, snap peas, kohlrabi, radicchio (new addition to the lineup). We have broccoli, cabbage, napa cabbage transplants that are almost ready to plant in the field. Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants are starting to pop up in the soil blocks. Should be a good year!

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Thought I would try posting a few recipes to see how it works. Wish me luck!
Mostly snack foods as a trial and error effort.

Pepper Nut Cookies
Recipe Courtesy of Kurt Bestor
 1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 1/3 scant cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 tsp. anise extract
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
1 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. salt
 Directions:
1.) You Cream together the butter, sugar, and molasses.  Add eggs and mix.  Add all dry ingredients and mix together well.
2.) Roll dough into tiny balls (about the size of a medium marble).
3.) Bake 300 degrees for 9-11 minutes.  When cool dust with powdered sugar


Peanut Butter Cookies With Milk Chocolate Chunks
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
    2 teaspoons baking soda
    1 teaspoon salt
    1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch pieces
    1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
    1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
    2 large eggs
    1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
    1 cup creamy peanut butter
    6 ounces good milk chocolate, coarsely chopped
Instructions
Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.
    In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars together until fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. The mixture will look light and fluffy. Add vanilla and peanut butter and beat until just incorporated.
    Add half of the flour mixture and mix for 15 seconds. Add remaining flour mixture and mix until incorporated.
    Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in chocolate. Cover bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
    Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
    Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart. With palm of your hand, very gently press each cookie down so it forms a very tall disk shape. Do not press too hard and do not press it flat.
    Sprinkle tops of cookies with granulated sugar and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time, until tops of cookies just begin to brown.
    Remove pan from oven and cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to transfer individual cookies to the rack to cook completely (although they are also delicious warm).
    The cookies can be stored, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days.