Recipe: Homemade Ketchup

I will never buy bottled ketchup again. This was relatively easy and came out so yummy, this is exactly why I love doing the Nola Locavore Eat Local Challenge: new food discoveries.

Would I have ever thought to make my own ketchup on my own? Maybe eventually, but now I did it because I needed to and I won't ever look back!

I looked at a handful of recipes and got the idea: spice tomatoes, sweetener and just ran with it. I'm super happy with the end result. If you're not as lazy as I am, you would have done it right and removed the skins and seeds and extra water. I didn't feel like doing it and thought it was yummy and not so tedious and time consuming. A hand mixer/immersion blender makes the process super easy. Please excuse the vague amounts of ingredients--I just put stuff in the pot and made adjustments as needed.

All-local Nola Creole Tomato Ketchup

1-2 garlic cloves, diced
pecan oil
couple lbs of creole tomatoes, chopped
spicy oregano
salt
Steen's cane syrup
couple tablespoons of lemon juice

In a large sauce pan, heat the oil over medium heat and sautee the garlic for about 30 seconds or until golden brown. Add the oregano and tomatoes and use a stick blender to puree the mixture. Add salt and a couple tablespoons of cane syrup to taste. Add in lemon juice. Cook the mixture down, stirring often until it thickens (about 20 minutes or so depending on the amount of tomatoes). Make adjustments to taste as needed. I used the stick blender again at the end just to make sure to get a nice smooth consistency. The sauce will thicken more as it cools. Store in an air tight container in the refrigerator. The info I've read on the interwebs varies, but I'd guess it can last about 3 weeks in the fridge and obviously longer in the freezer.

Recipe: Shrimp and Grits

3 cups water
1 cup whole milk
2 tablespoons butter
Salt
1/2 cup grits
1/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tablespoon pecan oil
1 medium tomato
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/4 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup bell pepper, chopped
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup white wine
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves

In a saucepan, over medium heat, add the water, milk, butter and salt. Bring to a boil. Slowly stir in the grits. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to cook for about 1 hour or until the grits and tender and creamy, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent the grits from sticking. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese and heavy cream. Season with more salt if needed. Set aside and keep warm.
Puree the tomato in a food processor or with a hand blender. In a saute pan, over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic, bell pepper and mushrooms and saute for 30 seconds, then add tomato puree and wine and let cook for about 2-3 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt, then add to pan and saute for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and add in the butter. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 teaspoons of the parsley. To serve, spoon the grits in the center of a shallow bowl and spoon the shrimp mixture over the grits. Garnish with parsley. 

Eat Local Challenge 2012 & A Southern Garden Party

I had so much fun doing the Eat Local Challenge last year, but this year I am definitely more prepared for what I was getting into. I've been freezing plenty of lemon juice from my trees this year because that was one item that was just too difficult to go with out last year. And WHEAT!!! I'm so excited we have wheat this year. I haven't baked with it yet, but I'm pumped to see what kinds of goodies I can whip up.

It's day three and it's already been an eventful challenge so far. Our anniversary was Wednesday and in our house, that means its party time. Of course, when we first set aside June 2 as the party date, I didn't initially realize its JUNE...which means throwing an all locavore party was going to be a challenge I hadn't completely thought through. But I ran with it and made the theme A Southern Garden Party and it came off fabulously.

We served shrimp and grits, fried fish and shrimp, fiesta dip with squash chips and grape tomatoes, a yummy cheese and fruit spread, lemonade, southern peach punch, strawberry soda and mint juleps. Our guests ran with the theme too and we had some great additions including red beans and rice, pecan butter cookies, pralines and lots and lots of local wine and beer. I'll be posting some recipes from the day shortly!

Romantic Dinner Party

It's been so long my friend, but I was just too excited about tonight's Valentine's Dinner Party that I couldn't help but post a few pictures from the night. The tablescape was set in white and platinum for an elegant but classy night. Four course dinner menu included curry butternut squash soup, roasted butternut squash salad with Bergeron pecans, Applewood smoked bacon and red wine vinaigrette, coq au vin with braised onions and sauteed mushrooms, and mousse au chocolate.

Tablescape was scraped together from bits and pieces that I already have around the house, most of which are thrift and dollar store finds. I love grabbing silver serving pieces from the thrift store. Even if they aren't in perfect condition, they make great centerpieces. I use the pitcher as a vase all the time and I it only cost me $8. I don't even worry about polishing them that often because I like the semi tarnished vintagey feel . I also have a gravy boat that has seen better days for actually serving food but I use it all the time as a candle holder.  Vases and candles are all random Ikea, Dollar Tree and thrift finds, so the only things I purchased and didn't already have on hand already were flowers and the little $2 silver hearts I found in the wedding section at wally world. 

It was a great night spent breaking bread with the best of friends and I hope to do it again sometimes. I desperately miss our group's big potluck dinner nights and it was so comforting to enjoy sharing good food with great friends.

30 Days: Locavore Edition

My own 30 day experiment makes me think of Morgan Spurlock and all the crazy things he's documented. Now that I've done it myself as a locavore, it's amazing how much just 30 short days can really impact and change your perspective. As someone who loves food and loves to cook and delights in homemade things, I'm actually truly surprised how much this experience has changed how I look at food.

I feel this great sense of accomplishment and I'm really proud of where I spent my money these past 30 days--that's definitely something that will affect how I spend my money going forward. One of the biggest obstacles for me, was the convenience factor. I'm a 9 p.m. grocery shopper. I've gotten the chance to go home settle down, eat dinner and maybe watch some TV and make a grocery list and then head out to Rouses in that last hour when the store is quiet before they close. While this experience has made me appreciate Rouses even more for the sheer number of local products they carry--I couldn't survive on their local items for 30 days.

On a side note, I did stop at Winn-Dixie for a late night emergency baking supply stop when I ran out of ingredients for a cake I was making for a friend, and what I found was pretty depressing and reinforced why I don't like shopping there. I was completely shocked when I walked into the diary section and they didn't have any Kleinpeter products. Shame on you Winn-Dixie--that's all I have to say about that...

Anyway, while I understand Hollygrove's weekly box isn't for everyone, what I really loved was the convenience factor. I can go to the farmer's market and look and look and come out with only a handful of things. I like just walking up in Hollygrove and getting whatever is in the box and figuring out what to do with it later. Of anything in this experience, the box has really pushed me to be creative with items I never would have picked out myself. Patty pan squash? Fairy Tale eggplant?

I've learned a lot about food and about myself and what I think is important when it comes to the food we put in our body to sustain our lives. As much as I love food, I don't think I've ever felt so excited and invigorated. I cooked more meals this month than I think I've ever even come close to in any other month, but I don't feel exhausted or bored. I don't feel limited by what I can't have, but invigorated by the endless possibilities. It makes me want to share how delicious and fun this whole experience can be.

I love how much I've learned, how great I feel, how many delicious fruits and vegetables I've incorporated in my diet, how much weight I've lost, how much fun I've had, how much my perspective has changed in just 30 days, but ultimately the creativity that I have approached food with these past 30 days of anything has been the most valuable. Undoubtedly this experience has changed the norm in our house--I'll admit, it's nice to have chocolate and wheat and tea and coffee, but it also gives me a lot of satisfaction being connected to my food geographically speaking. All the locavores have proved that it can be done in our bountiful region and the imported goods we have come to enjoy in this global economy should be the exception, not the rule.

So...I'm kinda a Suzie Homemaker...picket white fence and all

So I've always taken pride in having homemade things--food or otherwise. I definitely attribute this to my family and having my grandmother's crafty craziness as inspiration. I don't think in my whole life I ever had a store bought pre-packaged costume for Halloween. Either my grandmother made it or it was pieced together with thrift store buys. I don't really remember having junk food in the house either and definitely not at grandmaw's house! I think her exact words were, "No Cheetos, Doritos, merdito's," which I guess roughly translates to something like: no chips or other pieces of shitty junk.

Now I will fully admit that my brother and sister and I most definitely would partake in the glories of junk food when we were at our besties house next door. But I've found that the most invaluable thing I got from home were the skills and passion that were always so abundant in our family. We were always out experiencing new things and learning about cool stuff. My mom was always a great teacher, even before she actually became a teacher. She's definitely not the best cook and I don't she's much of a sewer, but she always made sure we were learning something....even if we were dirt poor.

I'll fully admit I'm not the smartest of my siblings, or the best seamstress. I don't have the green thumb my sister has, or the kind heart my brother has. I laugh when people say "You're such a talented artist!" because my "art" pales in comparison to the mad skillz both my brother and sister have. I wouldn't consider myself the best cook either... But, I've learned to appreciate how soothing and fulfilling a hard day's work in the garden is. I'm crafty and creative and have tons of interests and hobbies. And I will say that I have always been fearless in the kitchen.

I think I must have been in maybe 4th grade or so when I took my first cooking class at summer camp--and I mean REAL cooking. We would all get on the bus with our paring knives and head over to the kitchens at Nunez and learn to cook with Ms. B. We did everything from knife handling 101 and how to crack and separate an egg to homemade onion rings and buttercream roses. I remember one day after we learned to make onion rings my best friend and I stayed home from camp so we could make them at my house. Hot stove...hot oil...sharp knives and I don't remember having any adult supervision. I do however remember when my mom called to check in and see how we were doing...I think shrieking would be how to describe what happened when I told her what we were up to. Followed by, "Yanna Maree, if you burn down the house, so help me god, I am going to scalp you." Mom was always worried I was going to burn down the house...that and ending up in gutters in the street. And what was up with the scalping? I don't know where that came from, but there sure were plenty of threats growing up...

Anyways, I digress. The point is, I love making things. There are few things in this world that are more exciting to me than having someone appreciate something I made with my own hands. I get all these crazy ideas in my head for costumes, and cakes, and crafts, and I love trying to figure out how to make the insanity in my head actually become something in reality.

Today I made mayonnaise for the first time. It was super easy and way tasty. I don't think I'll ever go back to the crap in the jar. I also brewed some tea using leaves from the fig tree in the backyard. Both experiments were a success and sooo much fun.

Projects for the weekend: I have to make Crawfest! version 2.0 for a friend's party. Make a hat to wear to Butterfly Tea at Windsor Court. Maybe make some ricotta cheese for a friend's housewarming/birthday/wine and cheese bash Saturday night. Make some kind of bib, toy or cute something or other for a baby shower Sunday...looks like a typical weekend!

Now if I had just learned how to pick up after myself too... Thank god my husband puts up with my crap and still loves me to boot! I guess that makes me just Susie Homebaker-esque, which is fine by me. I've always thought I'm too funky and bitchy anyway, but I'm still surprised every time someone thinks I'm so housewifey...

Recipe: Squash Fritters with Roasted Creole Tomato and Shiitake Mushrooms

As I've said before, I've really just been making things up as I go along this food adventure. Some meals are actually based on recipes...others I've just been making up depending on what I have on hand.

I didn't submit any recipes to the recipe contest because 1. I didn't really think I made anything of note of my own creation until well into the challenge. 2. I'm actually really bad at keeping track of what I use and the amounts when I'm just making things up on the fly. Even the amounts for this recipe below are a complete guestimation. At the time, I just did what looked right and then thought about how much I used of each ingredient after the fact and took a stab at it.

But this meal in particular was so yummy I wanted to share the recipe. I even shared it on ehow's Rachel Ray contest. So if you like it, go vote for it here: http://www.ehow.com/contest/rachael-ray/20400838/. I'll fully admit, I'm not a big Ray fan--I think I have a grand total of two of her recipes I've tried and liked--but I do like the concept of the contest: sharing meaningful meals. This whole Locavore experience has been educational and makes me feel more in touch with our community. This recipe in particular I was very excited about, so here it goes...

Squash Fritters with Roasted Creole Tomato and Shiitake MushroomsMakes 4-8 fritters
2 c. grated raw squash (I used patty pan and zucchini)
1/4 cup flour (I used corn flour)
2 eggs, beaten
3 oz. grated asiago cheese
salt to taste
2 large creole tomatoes, cut in thick slices
1 cup shiitake mushrooms

Pat the squash dry with a paper towel. Whisk together the eggs and flour. Add in cheese, squash and salt. Form fritter patties and drop into a greased griddle. (I made 4 really good sized fritters since it was a entree, but you could get more if you make them smaller.) Cook until delicate brown, turn and brown on other side.
While the fritters are cooking, place tomatoes on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Broil on high until the edges are crisp. Once the fritters are done, melt a tablespoon of butter in the pan and saute the mushrooms. Serve while hot with the fritter topped with tomato slices, sauteed mushrooms and a few sprinkles of cheese.