Happy Easter Brunch

        Easter, to me has always been about coloring eggs and springtime…a new dress, Sears-photo-studio pictures for Grandma…and of course, good food.

        As a child, we went to church, (one of the three times we went each year). Afterwards, we would go out to neat, usually at a place like North’s Chuck Wagon. My first taste of fresh asparagus with hollandaise sauce was at an Easter buffet. So was my first shrimp omelet. I remember much more about the food than the church service.
        My husband and I have always celebrated Easter with our family and friends. A backyard egg hunt, followed by a lovely dinner, was an annual ritual until the kids outgrew Easter baskets. The dinners continued, but I missed the hunts. Now that we have young grandchildren, we’re hiding eggs again.
       I love to have an Easter brunch, but I don't want to spend the whole morning in the kitchen. The following is essentially a savory bread pudding that can be 
assembled the night before. Make a fresh fruit salad and muffins ahead of time, brew a pot of coffee, and let the entrée bake while the kids hunt for eggs.

 

Shrimp “Soufflé”
Serves 6-8

 

1 lb. cooked salad shrimp

1 - 8oz. package cream cheese

6-8 medium Crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced

6 slices English muffin bread, cut into cubes

2 tbsp. butter

6 eggs

½ - cup milk

½ tsp. dill

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. white pepper

2 ripe Roma tomatoes, seeded and thinly sliced

1 cup prepared hollandaise sauce

Heat oven to 325°. Beat the eggs, milk, dill, salt and pepper until well blended. Fold the bread cubes into the egg mixture. Cover and refrigerate 15 - 30 minutes until the bread is quite moist. 
Melt the butter in a small skillet and sauté mushrooms over medium heat until softened. Butter or spray a two- quart oblong casserole dish. Repeat layers of bread mixture, cream cheese slices, shrimp and mushrooms, finishing with a bread layer (5 total).  Arrange the tomato slices on top.
Cover and bake at 325° for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Serve topped with hollandaise sauce.

Jordan & Connor, Easter 2012

 

 

Rushing Spring

         Seeing the newly opened, seasonal, garden center at the local Thriftway made me think of our early years on Orcas.
         Coming from here in the Willamette Valley, and eager for Spring, I really didn’t appreciate the differences in climate. According to all the gardening books, the San Juans were still a solid “Zone 8”, just like Portland. Tax day was the last frost date I was used to, and often it was safe to plant hardy annuals even sooner. With that in mind, I started my first island garden.
         It was late February, the weekend of the annual salmon derby. Pat was out on the water with his fishing buddies, and I was left with a beautiful faux-spring day ahead of me. With visions of bluebells and petunias, I drove to the nursery in town. Instead of the row upon row of bedding plants that I expected to see, there were bare-root shrubs and not much else. I spoke to the lady in charge, and she patiently explained that there were no less than 18(!) separate microclimates on Orcas, and she didn’t stock annuals until the first week of May…but I was welcome to order anything I wanted.
         Undeterred, I went to the hardware store. They’re part of a chain, so they carry what the mainland suppliers send them. I bought a flat of primroses and one of violas. Turns out it was too early for petunias even by Ace Hardware standards. I rushed home to prep my flowerbeds. By the time the fishermen came home, I had everything planted, and protected from the deer. It really looked like spring had come early.
         Unfortunately, the beautiful day was followed by a night with a clear sky. As the sun went down, so did the temperature. In the morning, I was reminded that Violas are also known as “pansies”. Every one had succumbed to the frost. The primroses were wilted, but recovered as the day warmed up. Fair enough. I waited until May to buy more bedding plants.
         You would think that taught me a lesson, but no. The following year, I managed to hold out until the middle of March. Then a string of unseasonably warm days got the better of me. I’d been reading about cool weather crops, and decided it was time to set out the cabbage and broccoli. I had started these from seed, (too early) and they were already getting to big for their pots. The plants had been growing in the unheated utility room, so I didn’t think the temperature shock would be too great. After a day of hardening off, I planted my little treasures. They did beautifully…for eight days. Then on the day of the Vernal Equinox...laughingly known as the first day of spring…it froze hard, then it snowed. So much for cool weather crops.
         The late April night I found myself shivering in the dark garden, covering my tomato cages with plastic bags, I admitted defeat. I realized that spring in the islands just couldn’t be rushed.
         Now, back in the valley, I'm still in a hurry for spring, but it's not so hard to wait until mid-April. At least I'm relatively certain that it won't snow. 
 
 *****

        I like to make this recipe when the garden is in full production, but there’s really no reason to wait. You can use pretty much any vegetables, as long as you get varied textures and colors. It’s the salsa that’s important. The smokiness of the peppers is what makes this dish. I served these to my teenage sons, and neither noticed the absence of meat.

Chipotle Veggie Wraps         A vegetarian entrée

8 Whole wheat Tortillas
2 tbs. corn oil
1 ea. red, yellow & green bell pepper, sliced
1 med. onion, cut into thin wedges
Other veggies (mushrooms, zucchini, etc.) to equal 2 cups
1 lb. pkg. tofu, cut into strips
½ tsp. each cumin and chili powder
1½ cups Chipotle salsa
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Shredded lettuce
Sour cream for garnish

Heat oil to medium high in heavy skillet. Add peppers and onions. Cook until tender.
Add remaining vegetables and cook to desired tenderness.

Reduce heat to medium. Season tofu with chili powder and cumin. Add to skillet along with the salsa. Simmer until heated through.

Wrap in warmed tortillas and top with lettuce, cheese and sour cream.

 

What's-in-the-Garden Soup

    

There are two times each year when I find myself with tiny vegetables, or tiny amounts of vegetables. The first is early, when I’m getting impatient to harvest something. Some baby spinach, or fingerling carrots, or maybe the earliest snap peas. Then at the end of the summer, there may be some ripe tomatoes, a stray zucchini or crook neck squash, some green beans, and maybe a bell pepper, just turning color. Either way, there are small amounts of several wonderful varieties.

 

The main garden has only been in for a week or so. The plants that came in from Jordan's school fund raiser were healthy and strong, and have been growing rapidly. As always, I'm impatient for results. We moved the garden this year, from the planter boxes in the back to the un-used flower bed in front of the house. It's not a large space, but it will get all day southern exposure. Soon, there will be flowers on the tomatoes, peppers and squash.

 

The peas are growing, beginning to climb the string trellis, and the chard is starting to show color. The slugs have been enjoying some of Jimmy's beer, and have been staying out of the garden. Just a couple of days ago, I found myself harvesting the first of the broccoli florets. The kids were leaving for a week, and the broccoli was ready to bolt. There was barely a serving, but enough for Jordan and Connor to each have a few bites.

 

 "Those are out of your garden," I said to them, "What do you think?"

  "Dee-licious!" Connor declared. Broccoli has always been his favorite veggie, and everything tastes better when you grow it yourself.

 

When there is not enough of any one thing to use alone, combine them all to make a wonderful vegetable soup. I don’t think I’ve made this the same way twice, but it’s always gotten good reviews from my family. It’s very light, and appropriate even for a summer supper. The herb combination will depend on your taste. Be wary of too much cilantro or thyme. A little of either goes a long way. Basil, marjoram, parsley, or savory are milder. 

 

What's-in-the-Garden Soup 

Serves 4 to 6
1 quart chicken or vegetable broth

2 or 3 ripe tomatoes, diced or 1 can diced tomatoes in juice

1 small onion, minced

1 carrot, thinly sliced

1 stalk celery, diced

3 or 4 baby red potatoes, quartered if necessary

1 cup green and/or wax beans, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 small "summer" squash (zucchini, crookneck, etc.) thinly sliced

1 small sweet pepper, any variety, seeded and diced

1 small hot pepper, seeded and diced (optional)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. olive oil

¼ cup chopped, assorted fresh herbs or 1 tbsp. dried (parsley, basil and marjoram)

Salt, pepper

 

Heat oil and butter in a stock pot to medium high. Saute onion until golden brown. Add carrots, celery, peppers and garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add tomatoes, beans and broth. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well. Bring to nearly a boil. Add the squash. Lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in potatoes and summer squash and cook 15 minutes longer or until vegetables are all tender. Stir in herbs and adjust seasonings. 

 

Garden Fever

According to the calendar, yesterday was the first day of spring. The black clouds and pouring rain would argue with that. It just stands to remind me that it's really early yet. The sunny days of last week had me all ready to get the garden going. I should know better, from experience. The last frost date in our climate zone is mid-April. Unless you have a greenhouse or other plastic cover, the tender plants will get nipped.

Last year I helped my grandkids plant their first garden. Their new home came with two 1'x1'x6' planter boxes. They were empty, clean and ready for use. They were also in back of the house on the fenced in patio. Being fresh from the deer wars on Orcas, and having seen actual deer in the front yard, this seemed to be a bonus. What I didn't take into account was that the large oak trees lining the driveway would grow leaves. Jordan, 6 1/2 at the time, and Connor, 3, chose the crop. They requested a salad garden: lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and carrots. No problem. I explained about having to wait for things to grow and ripen. They were both very excited to get things planted. A field trip to Home Depot bought us the "three s's": seeds, starts and steer manure.

Under supervision, Jordan and Connor helped place the Early Girl and Sweet Million tomato plants into one box. The space in between held the carrots. Hard for small fingers to control, the seed packet  was mostly dumped and then spread around. Pretty much the same for the butter lettuce and Romaine. Oh, well, I thought. We can always thin. A lovely Marketmore cuke nestled in the corner next to the greens. A couple of wire cages over the tomatoes and we were done. Nothing left to do now but water and wait.

 Jordan lost interest first. Connor hung in there with me, faithfully following with his little orange watering can, being the first to notice the little green sprouts of carrot. Jordan got back on board when she saw the first tiny green tomato. After that it was a daily ritual, to check for ripeness. But I'm getting way ahead of myself.

We planted in late March, on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon. The plants we purchased were large, gallon pot size. Those should be tough enough to withstand a bit of cold, right? Nope. The tomatoes did all right, but the cucumber succumbed to frost bite rather quickly. I'd also forgotten about slugs. The unprotected lettuce was eaten as quickly as it grew. Not wanting to disappoint the children, I replaced the cuke with a zucchini plant, since the nursery was out of cucumbers. The plant flourished, but produced no fruit.

Both tomato plants produced large quantities of lovely green globes, but even in the lovely, sunny, rain-free days of last summer they were very slow to ripen. Those pesky leaves were blocking the sun for most of the day. Even so, the kids were thrilled to eat sweet cherry tomatoes warm from the bush, even if there were only two at a time. The carrots were sweet and tender, but no larger around than a pencil, and about an inch long at best. The lack of proper thinning was to blame. Connor in particular didn't care. It was all about the pickin' for him.

This winter, I noticed that the front flower bed has nothing in it, aside from some daffodil and tulip bulbs. With southern exposure, there is full sunlight about ten hours a day. So, the plan is to put the sun-loving crops, tomatoes, cucumbers and maybe a zucchini out there. The empty space around the rose bush can hold herbs. All I have to do is be patient enough to wait out the cold. That, and invest in some slug deterrent.

CAESAR SALAD
1 or 2 cloves of garlic, depending on strength
1 large, fresh egg
1 tbsp. anchovy paste
1 small lemon, juiced
Extra virgin olive oil

Croutons
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Romaine lettuce

Peel garlic and place in food chopper or blender. Add egg. Add anchovy paste and lemon juice.  Blend until smooth. Pour in olive oil to double the quantity. (About 1/2 cup) Blend again. Toss with lettuce. Top with parmesan cheese and croutons. Serve immediately in a chilled bowl.

The Hummingbird Lady

         The hummingbirds return to the Norhtwest every year on March 15th. My mother-in-law, Sally, taught me that. She also taught me how to make Swiss steak, tailor a blazer, and do bookkeeping the old-fashioned way, with a ledger. If I had a question about an old movie, odds were she would know the answer. She was my mentor, my surrogate mother, one of my best friends.            
         My fondest memories are of the times we spent alone together, working in her garden on Orcas. Mom held court in her garden, sitting on her campstool like a queen on a throne. (It was easier for her to reach the plants that way.) A pump-pot of coffee was always at her side. She would be wearing the faded Mariner’s jacket that had been Hal’s, her old hiking boots, and frayed jeans that were inches too short. Quite the contrast to the elegant woman she was in public. Sitting cross-legged amidst the lavender and crane’s bill geraniums, I’d pull weeds and listen to her stories. We’d talk and laugh, and not get as much done as we could.            
        Mom loved her critters, and kept most of her five acres virgin-wild. Her squirrel and bird feeders were always kept full, although she often complained about the mess they made. She delighted in the wildlife that visited her beach, martin, blue heron, even the occasional sea otter. Only the deer nearly drove her mad, eating her flowers.           
        Every year she would hang hummingbird feeders, four or five of the largest available. The tiny birds would swarm the deck, like a hive of iridescent bees. It’s hard to believe it’s been four years since Mom was taken from us, on March 15th. I like to believe that her soul had an escort of Hummingbirds to begin its journey. I think she would have liked that.

*****
Old Style Alphabet Soup

1 or 2 meaty beef soup bones

1 tbsp tomato paste

1 whole clove garlic, peeled

1 large whole chili pepper

¾ cup diced celery

¾ cup sliced carrots

¾ cup diced onion

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

8 cups beef broth, homemade or canned

1 large bay leaf

Salt, pepper and onion powder

A handful of alphabet pasta

Heat a little oil in a heavy Dutch oven to medium-high. Carefully place bones, fattiest side down in the oil. Season with salt, pepper and onion powder.Stir in the tomato paste. Brown well, turning the bones frequently.  Toss in the garlic and chili. Pour the broth over the bones, scraping to loosen the brown bits.

Add a bay leaf and ½ cup each or the carrots, celery and onions. Lower heat to simmer. Cover and simmer 2 hours or longer, until meat is falling from bones. When the meat is thoroughly cooked, remove from heat.

 

Strain into a chilled bowl, reserving the liquid. Chill the strained broth completely. This will allow the excess fat to rise to the top and harden. You can then easily de-fat your soup by simply lifting it off. 

When the bones are cool enough to handle, discard the bay leaf, garlic clove, chili and vegetables. Remove the meat and cut into bite size pieces.

Reheat the de-fatted broth. Stir in the meat and remaining vegetables. Add a little extra broth or water, if needed. Bring back almost to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until vegetables are cooked, about 20 minutes. 

Stir in the pasta. Cook another 10 minutes until the alphabets are cooked. Adjust seasonings as needed.