Goat Cheese Fresh from an Epic Procrastinator...

I am the ultimate procrastinator. Just ask my mother and my husbands unmatched sock pile. I spent most of my early twenties scorning myself for this trait and trying to work against my natural grain. Motherhood and a dose of some serious love taught me to just relax and enjoy myself. I have finally embraced that I'm really good at starting things but not so awesome at that finishing part. However, I have figured out that when the moment finally does strike, to just go for it!

I have been itching to make some homemade goat cheese for months. I had been researching some ways to curdle the milk without chemicals by using some lemon juice or vinegar for a while now. I had sourced the goats milk during a Maine winter which was probably the hardest part, yet I hadn't found the time...

Today I put Dahlia down for a nap, and saw the quart of goats milk in the fridge...judging me for my endless procrastination. I gathered the few ingredients and went to town... until the goats came home...

Ingredients

A. One quart of Goats Milk ( I used ultra-pasteurized as its easier to find this time of year but obviously I would have enjoyed some fresh local goats milk more)

B. Juice of two lemons (I used two and a half for the curdle process)

C. Salt and other fresh herbs and seasonings ( Dill and cracked pepper for this round)

Supplies

A. Colander with three layers of Cheese Cloth set over a deep mixing bowl

B. Thermometer (I used a candy thermometer but an instant would probably be best)

Instructions

1. Prepare your colander and juice your lemons; set aside

2. Heat the Goats Milk to 180 degrees and remove from heat

3. Stir in the lemon juice and let stand for 30 seconds (add more lemon juice if necessary to separate, it will look like there is a thin oil in the milk)

4. Pour the milk over the colander lined with cheese cloth

5. Drain for two minutes and then tie four corners around a wooden spoon

6. Hang to drip dry for about an hour or two; you are looking for the consistency of cottage cheese. I hung mine and waited until it looked and felt like a creamy goat cheese; about and hour and forty five minutes.



7. Place the cheese in bowl and spice it up!



Here are some Cheese making Resources via the World Wide Wonderful Web

Martha Goat Cheese

Vinegar Curdled Goat Cheese

"One" is the Happiest Number...

On a Saturday in February we welcomed Dahlia's first birthday with some family and friends. It was a whirl of pinkness, shiny cupcake printed gift bags, hearts, hats, and a birthday crown.

I made the cake from scratch and it was a heavy vanilla pound cake of sorts. Amazingness. I have included the cake's concoction plan at the bottom. It is a must have at your next soiree.

The presents were plentiful and the love was palpable. She made her rounds to all of her guests in her pink monkey birthday crown from a favorite Etsy Store of mine.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/drfeltgood
My mother found this crown and knew that Dahlia had to have it. It is a fantastic Etsy store that really can give you a fresh take on the "old girl scout craft material" AKA... Felt. I have another Etsy store that uses felt in new and awesome ways but I will save that for my Etsy Fav's post.




Amidst the plethora of gifts I had tucked in a hat that I had been working on for her. A friend of mine is a fiber artist (whatever that really means I'm not entirely sure) and had given me a small sample of her wares. I was quite pleased with the wild and fuzzy stripe of hand dyed and hand spun texture. It contrasted the polished fingerling weight yarn that the remainder of the beanie was comprised of nicely.

Here's the link to this super simple toddler sized hat... link is half way down the page, click next to pattern...I used this pattern for the detailed fit instructions but obviously did not choose a self striping yarn.
http://www.twistedknitter.prettyposies.com/2008/11/selfstriping_hat.html

Dahlia-Ahlia's-Magic Cake Concoction

(Quick!! Put that Betty Crocker Crap Down!)

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar the white and yummy kind
  
• 4 eggs Fresh room temp.
  
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk( Not skim...how dare you!)
  
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line two 9-inch (23-cm) round cake pans or one 9x13-inch (23 x 33 cm) rectangular baking pan with parchment paper. Grease the paper and the sides of the pan well.
2. In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, beat sugar and eggs together until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Add flour, milk, oil, baking powder, and vanilla and beat for another minute, just until the batter is smooth and creamy. Don't overbeat. Pour batter into the prepared baking pan(s).
3. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick poked into the center of the layer comes out clean. (A single rectangular pan will take longer to bake than two round ones.) Loosen the sides of the cake from the pan with a thin knife, then turn out onto a rack and peel off the paper. Let cool completely before covering with frosting, if desired.

Servings: Two 9-inch (23-cm) round layers, or one 9- x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) rectangular cake.

I doubled this recipe and had enough to make the double layered cake and 12 cupcakes. Choose your own favorite icing. I would recommend going with anything except a light whipped cream icing as it doesn't have enough body to stand up to the dense cake.

Avgolemono: A Hellaluva Good Soup Recipe...even if I can't pronounce it.

It seems like a life time ago that I was sitting in our tiny apartment nursing Dahlia, looking out the window at the snow, waiting for my far away friends to welcome the baby and bring me some much needed soup and conversation.

They came with paper 'Whole Foods' bags in tow; filled to the brim with beets, goat cheese, leeks, lemons...etc. I was blissfully exhausted in my new role as a Mamma but I will always recall those days as the sweetest days I had yet to taste. As sweet as it was, my body ached for sleep and nutrients. My friends were taking care of the later half of that last sentence. There were hugs, Oooo's and Ah's over Dahlia's most obvious talent at being the best looking infant ever, hand made gifts to unwrap and more Ooooo's and Ah's.

My kitchen was filled with the scent of sauteed leeks, mere poix, and lemon. I was being treated to their vegetarian version of the traditional Greek soup, Avgolemono. It is a delicious soup with lemon and a frothy egg tempered in among the leeks, carrots, and onion topped with a coarse chop of fresh mint and parsley. It fills a house and a belly with that wintery soup feeling.


This summer I was feeling a detrimental lack of inspiration and nutrition so I turned on NPR and opened the fridge. I saw all the ingredients for Avgolemono and a glass container of cooked wheat berries. Wheat berries are a hearty grain and I quickly realized that they had to fill the shoes of my non-existent pastine that the original recipe called for. The makeshift grain adds a more satisfying texture, protein, and fiber to the soup. However, you can use just about any small pasta or grain in this soup. The traditional Avgolemono has shredded chicken and uses Orzo, there are so many great renditions of this classic. Give this one a try...

2 tbsp Olive Oil
2 Leeks(white parts finely Chopped to equal 4 cups)
1 Onion (smallish)
2 Carrots diced
6 Cups Broth (veggie broth works well)
1/2 cup Wheat Berries
2 Big Eggs
3 tbsp Lemon Juice
1/4 cup chopped Parsley
1 tbsp chopped mint
1 tbsp chopped Oregano


1. In a small Pan Saute leeks, onions, carrots, and a pinch of salt. Cover and cook 5-7 minutes.


2. Stir in all of the Broth(chicken or Veggie, I don't judge). Season with the good old S and P. Simmer for 11 minutes. Add your wheat berries and simmer for five minutes and remove from heat.

3. Whisk eggs and lemon juice in medium bowl. Eggs should be room temp! Add three (non boiling) ladles from soup pot to the bowl with eggs and whisk very rigorously so the eggs do not cook. Whisk the egg mixture into the big Soup Pot and cook over VERY low heat for 2-3 minutes. If you boil the soup you will have a weird srambled egg soup....and nobody wants that. nobody.


4. Sprinkle the herbs over just before serving. Yes, I was reticent about the mint too, but Don't omit it thinking the soups taste will be the same or better off...it won't.



5. This is an optional step, for myself its essential. Feed a certain someone kale puffs so you can enjoy the lemony goodness in peace, fingers crossed.


Thanks Kara and Amanda for the recipe!

Cast Your Old Tea Bags Aside and Solar Infuse Olive Oil With Your New Loose Leaf Tea...

It's no secret, I love me some tea. Not that dust and catnip that comes in bags, but fresh and robust loose leaf tea.  Tea isn't just for sipping when you have a cold, you can do all sorts of things with it. As I was putting together a friends tea themed Holiday present, I came up with the idea to delve into the world of cooking with tea. Numerous devilish and delicious deserts call for green tea in their mascarpone or mallow.  In reality, I don't bake. Never have, never will. In fact,  I am diabolically opposed to a recipe telling me in absolute terms what I can and cannot do. I don't play that. So, I have decided to solar infuse olive oil with a few different types of tea for marinades and sauteing savory dinner entrees. 

   

Below there are three kinds of tea. 

The left is a lapsang suchong, or Pine Smoked black. It is a BOLD black tea with a smoky infusion. My friend calls it camp fire tea. 

The middle is a white Earl Grey. White tea is a light tea from the newest tea leaves. It is highest in antioxidants and it is crisp with a sharp bite. This white tea has a bergamot citrus essence as is traditional for Earl Grey teas.

The right tea is a lychee fruit essence black tea. Tea producers will infuse a tea with a flavor, like bergamot, during the drying or fermentation process of the leaves. Lychee is a strong citrus like fruit that will pair well with salmon or other types of fish. 

           DIRECTIONS

1. Gather the ingredients: 

A glass bottle with stopper. 

Mid-grade Olive Oil. 

Good organic loose leaf tea.

Later you will need a fine strainer.

2. Wash and dry glass bottle. Fill two inches from mouth with Olive Oil. BTW, I will never use the terms EVOO. Neither should you. 

3. Fill with approximately two tablespoons of the tea leaves. Use your judgement when utilizing smaller or larger containers. Note:container should be clear for solar infusion.

4. Cork container and place in moderate sunlight for a week and a half. Oil may become cloudy, don't worry, oil with preserve anything and cloudiness doesn't effect the flavor. 

5. Strain the oil with a fine strainer and return to container. 

Above is the Lapsang Suchong Oil

White Earl Grey Oil Above

My first inclination is to use the oil in a marinade for fish and tofu. When my oil is fully infused I will get in the kitchen and post a recipe that worked. In the meantime, I suggest googling some tea recipes to see what you can with your leftover tea. You can make a hell of an alcoholic punch!. Put your tea bags down, loose leaf is where it's at.