Monthly Archives: April 2010

Snippets

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Whew, it’s been quite a week in our nest. The little birdie has discovered the joys of mobility and it’s been thrilling and exhausting. She doesn’t “crawl,” but she certainly gets herself around in an efficient way. Chris said yesterday that Wren reminds him of an ant because of her strength to size ratio. (Remember, folks, he’s an engineer.) I have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of Wren as an ant, but it’s fun to try. Try it!

I was telling a friend yesterday that  having a newly mobile baby is like having an entirely new person in the house. She’s lovely and amazing, but I have to rethink my whole *system* because she’s into everything. “Didn’t you know this was coming, Ash?” Yeah, but I really had NO IDEA. Again, I mean well, but what do I know?! Needless to say with these kind of shenanigans, I haven’t been spending much time in Cyberspace this week… but I wanted to give you a little visual snippet of what’s been going on around here. I promise that these snippets will lead to future posts so here’s a snack to whet your appetite. Happy Friday!

Still leeking.

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Back to that leek.

A friend and fellow locavore sent me this article, which made me question harvesting the wild leeks. Seems as though the increased popularity of wild-harvested foods like mushrooms, leeks and fiddleheads comes at a cost. And not just to your pocketbook at your local market. To our favorite lady, Mother Nature. Commercialization could easily lead to extinction the article posits. Ouch.

According to the article,

(All) this attention isn’t good news for the leek, says Gérald Le Gal, president of the Quebec-based Association for the Commercialization of Forest Mushrooms and owner of Gourmet Sauvage, a company that sells prepared wild fruits and vegetables.

He doesn’t think anyone should be selling ramps.

“Don’t touch the stuff. It’s just too vulnerable,” he says. When you pick a ramp, you take the entire plant, including the bulb. Once the bulb is gone, there is nothing left of the plant; it will not grow back the next year. The Toronto and Region Conservation Authority considers it to be “a species of conservation concern.” And eating a nice sized bulb could be the equivalent of dining on an old-growth cedar. “It’s a really, really, slow-growth plant. A bulb could be 18 to 20 years old,” Mr. Le Gal says.

Ouch. Now I’ve got a bad case of green guilt. You? Anyone know of a way to sustainably harvest the wild leeks, like the article briefly mentions? Perhaps if we just pick a couple handfuls for our own personal use and resist the temptation to bring a car load to the farmer’s market? What’s your opinion, dear readers?

Yummy new quest!

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I’m excited to give you the inside scoop on my yummy new adventure. The Dairy Lodge Diet!

I admit it. My favorite food is ice cream. My passion for the cool, sweet, creamy stuff has led me to be employed with several different ice cream joints; it turns out this is not good for a gal’s waistline. I even went so far as to own and manage an ice cream joint one year. I think I gained about ten pounds every time I was involved in the operations of an ice cream establishment. It took me three times to learn the lesson. Oof. Finally I decided it’s best for me to be a loyal ice cream customer instead. When our local ice cream stand, The Dairy Lodge, opened for the season this year, I could hardly wait to scurry our family on down there for a vanilla cone with colored sprinkles. While waiting in line and looking at all the possible offerings, I wondered, “who eats gummi bear flurries & marshmallow shakes?” Someone’s got to because they’re still on the menu, right? Why not me? Why not branch out and try everything they have to offer? It always comes from a smiling face so it must taste good… so goes my reasoning.

Please join in and follow along on my quest to try everything on the menu at The Dairy Lodge. What are your favorites? I’d like to hear about them!

In full disclosure, this is my own silly, fun, tasty idea. The Dairy Lodge is not paying me to take this adventure. I’m simply a loyal customer who conveniently lives within walking distance. Dangerous!

Check out my new blog and let me know what you think. mmmmmmm.

Man the pumps! We’ve sprung a leek.

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That’s right, folks, we’ve sprung a leek. Millions of them. They’re springing up and making the nearby woods smell earthy and oniony. Spring has sprung! No morel sightings yet, but the leeks are here in a big way. (They’re also known as “ramps” in other parts of the country. Maybe in your neck of the woods?)

Check them out in this photo. See all that lovely green stuff popping through last fall’s leaves? That’s them! I wish this could be a “scratch and sniff” photo, but technology hasn’t gotten there quite yet…

These yummies are great with fresh asparagus and morels, but we’re not that far into spring in these parts. So how ’bout these ideas?

Spaghetti with wild leeks

Wild leek and sausage risotto

Roasted chicken with wild leeks and potatoes

Wild leek & potato soup

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According to Traverse Magazine, here are some helpful wild leek tips:

  • Do preserve leeks by pickling, drying or freezing. Just blanch first for 2-3 minutes.
  • Do use both the bulb and milder leaves
  • Do use a tool like a long knife or dandelion digger to help loosen the root hairs that grow from the tip of the bulb
  • Do store, unwashed, in refrigerator for up to one week.
  • Don’t leave piles of leeks on the kitchen counter too long or your kitchen will smell like a bus in Rome on a midsummer day

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If you don’t have time to pick your own or can’t find them near you, consider ordering some Pickled Wild Leeks from Food for Thought.

Isn’t that a lovely photo? I can almost taste them. Enjoy!

Cyber news!

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Thanks for your patience this week, dear readers! Not too much posting from this Mamma, but I’m excited to report that you can now find us in Cyberspace at a much simpler URL: www.besquirrely.com. Yahoo! I’m also excited to report that I’ve been working on another blog idea, which I think you’ll find fun AND tasty. Coming soon to a Web site near you…

Oh! Before I forget, if you enjoy what you read and see here at besquirrely.com, will you please sign up to follow me on the right hand side? I usually post on Facebook when I’ve posted something you might like to read or see, but I’d like to get away from using that platform for promotion of this blog. Another reason is that sometimes I forget to post on FB that I’ve posted to the blog. (How many times can you use “post” in one paragraph?) Ha!

Another question. Is it worth it to use Twitter? What value would there be in that to you, folks?

Any big weekend plans? It’s spring again here–almost 60. Yes!

Best!

Waffle day!

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Happy Friday to you dear readers. True early spring in northern Michigan has made her appearance; the rooftops are white. Good thing I didn’t take the snow tires off yet. I’d like to send a big shout out to my inherent procrastination! Woot woot! What’s it like in your neck of the woods? If it’s 75 and sunny, just keep it to yourself.

When I wake up early (and STAY up), I’m usually motivated to make a nice “from scratch” breakfast instead of the usual stand-bys, which consist of some kind of egg & toast, peanut butter on toast or Grape Nuts with fruit. I was inspired by the “Healthy Start” yogurt waffles in this month’s Everyday Food magazine. (Don’t you love that publication? I always get something out of it.)

I don’t put the words waffles and healthy in the same category so maybe that’s why I was drawn to this recipe? Plus, we have some fresh maple syrup from Grandpa Jon’s 2010 tap so what better reason to wake up to freshly-baked waffles, right?

Yogurt Waffles

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
(Note: I used a mix of spelt flours and threw in a generous amount of flax seed meal instead of the flours listed)
1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick cooking)
3/4 t coarse salt
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 T melted unsalted butter, plus a bit more for the waffle iron
3 large eggs (farm fresh, if you’ve got ’em!)
1.5 cups plain, low-fat yogurt

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, oats, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In another bowl, whisk together brown sugar, butter, eggs, and yogurt until smooth.

2. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture and mix well to combine. Let batter sit 15 minutes.

3. Heat waffle iron according to its directions; brush with melted butter. Pour 1/2 cup batter onto iron and close; cook until waffle is golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes. Repeat. Makes about 6 waffles. We like to make a big batch of waffles and freeze for another day.

They looked pretty, but did these “healthy waffles” taste any good? Let’s go and ask the expert, shall we?

On a scale of 1-10, Wren would give them about a 4. I gave them about a 6. When I slathered on a generous serving of peanut butter and a drizzle of pure maple syrup, they bumped up to maybe an 8. Go figure… They were pretty good, but I prefer a much crispier waffle. I believe it takes a lot of butter (like at least another stick+) to make a crispier waffle and “healthy waffle” would really be a silly notion. Sigh. “A” for effort!

Happy weekend to you! Any fun brunch or spring cleaning plans? Whatever you do, wherever you are, enjoy yourself.

Confessions. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?

  • I’ve been thinking A LOT about spring cleaning, but the first word that comes to mind is drudgery. I’m working first on changing my attitude toward cleaning in general and hoping this attitude change will propel me into–at the very least– a more content cleaner. More about this in a future post…
  • Orange is still my favorite color. A friend told me that she heard on NPR that orange is the new black. Uh oh! Is it time for me to find a new favorite color?
  • My running and yoga have been going pretty well lately. Turns out carrying less weight on a midget frame does indeed help one to move and twist more happily and easily. Revelation!
  • Sunday night we’re going out for the first time sans Wren. All week I’ve been stressed out about it. Will she starve to death without the boob? No. Will she be unhappy? Possibly. Will she survive without me for an evening? Yes. But I still worry. Will I enjoy myself? Probably not a lot. Sigh. Will this get easier? Yes. So I know I have to do it, but I’m not feeling very good about it. Geesh.

Best!


cyber-break!

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Just wanted to let you know that I’ll be posting lightly for the next few days so I can catch up on some work for the real world.

Just a few things I feel compelled to share with you in the meantime…

  • We harvested the microgreens I planted a little while ago. Success! We had a delicious salad, which accompanied some easy (but rich!) baked scotch eggs. I think scotch eggs are the perfect use for leftover hard-boiled eggs from the Easter dye-fest. What’s your favorite use?
  • Planted some thumbelina zinnia seeds yesterday. A colorful mini jump-start to summer on our window sill, yahoo!
  • I’ve never been to Ireland, but the last few misty, foggy, ultra green days transport me to my imaginary Ireland. It’s really nice there. What’s it like in your neck of the woods?

Best!

toad in a hole squirrel-style

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I’m on an egg kick. Last week, Grape Nuts. This week, eggs. I was up early this morning so I thought it’d be fun to do a quick version of “toad in a hole” eggs for breakfast rather than just a fried egg and toast. But remember, be squirrely, right?! So here they are, toad in the hole squirrel-style eggs. Can you help me with a better name for these, geesh?

Happy Tuesday to you! What kind of squirrely things will you be up to today, dear readers?

A real Fun Guy.

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We’re soaking up the sun while we can because a bunch of wet stuff is coming our way. Or so “they” say. Honestly, dear readers, I’m looking forward to it. One word. Morels! I’m actually not a huge fan of eating morels, but the hunt is awfully fun. It’s just a great excuse to get lost in the woods for a few hours. And there’s so much mystery surrounding where you might happen to find them. Every year this seems to get even more confusing with new advice from just about everyone in northern Michigan. But NO ONE shares where they actually find morels, but they might share clues with you. If you’re lucky.

Supposedly helpful clues I’ve heard. Ground that’s been disturbed by a wild fire. Sandy soil. Near rivers, but not near a bog, silly. Six weeks after the ground thaws, but not if it’s been too dry. Never in clay unless there’s organic material nearby. Not near pines, but hardwoods, but not maples. Mostly oak and poplar. Right after a warm rain, but don’t wait too long. And be careful of those false morels! Are you confused yet? Whew. Last year, we found some right in our yard amongst some rocks at 605. And a friend found some in mulch that had just been delivered to her driveway. Boy that Mother Nature does love to keep us on our toes, doesn’t she? Crazy lady.

Maybe this weekend we’ll get out and look in our favorite spots. Chris likes to say, “Ash, you can always look!” He likes to say this throughout the year just to be funny and it always makes me laugh.

In the meantime, isn’t this illustration of a morel just lovely? You can order it through Etsy here.

Still got the Bunny on the brain? I think I’ve got the Bunny on the butt, if you know what I mean. Better get out for a run to burn off some of those mini Cadbury Eggs. Oof.

Happy Monday to you! Speaking of Monday, has the “meatless Monday” trend caught on in your nest? Thinking about it a lot. More on that in a future “ponderings of a wanabee vegetarian” post.

Best!

Happy Easter! And a bribe.

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Happy Easter to you!

I was inspired by this lovely photo and rushed to dye some eggs in a crunchy way before the Easter bunny arrived. Aren’t these colors divine?

So I followed these directions…

How To Make Vegetable-Dyed Eggs

Keep in mind the effect of the dyes varies depending on how concentrated the dye is, what color egg you use, and how long the eggs are immersed in the dye. I used half a purple cabbage, shredded, to dye four eggs. Err on the side of more rather than less when creating your dye.

Hard boiled eggs at room temperature, or white and brown eggs, preferably not super-fresh
Purple cabbage (makes blue on white eggs, green on brown eggs)
Red onion skins (makes lavender or red)
Yellow onion skins (makes orange on white eggs, rusty red on brown eggs)
Ground turmeric (makes yellow)
Red Zinger tea bags (makes lavender)
Beets (makes pink on white eggs, maroon on brown eggs)
Oil (canola or olive)
White vinegar

Clean the eggs so there are no particles sticking to their shells.

To prepare a colored dye, first chop the cabbage, chip or peel away the dry skins from the onions, or shred the beets. In a stainless steel saucepan, boil enough water to generously cover the number of eggs you’ll be dyeing. Add the dye matter and bring to a boil, turn heat down to low and simmer, covered, for 15-30 minutes. Dye is ready when it reaches a hue a few shades darker than you want for your egg. Examine a sample in a white dish. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (I put the pot on my fire escape and it cooled off in about 20 minutes).

Pour mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into another stainless saucepan, or into a bowl then back into the original pan if that’s all you have. Stir in the vinegar. For the dyeing, it’s best to use a pan with a flat bottom, like a Dutch oven. Arrange the room-temperature eggs in the pan in one layer and carefully pour the cooled dye over them.

Place in refrigerator until desired color is reached. Massage in a little oil to each, then polish with a paper towel. Keep in refrigerator until time to eat (or hide.)

And of course I tweaked these directions and used what natural things I had around – some green tea, some other fruity herbal tea, a bit of raspberry juice and some turmeric. Looks pretty good so far, right?

Well, here they are. I’m a bit disappointed because they don’t quite look like the inspirational photo, but they’re growing on me. It’s just that I’m not really a pastel kind of a girl. Sigh. There’s always Photoshop!

So for a bit of fun after a bit of disappointment, I decided to start a new Easter tradition. I had the ingredients already, but I just hadn’t quite gotten around to making them. But I needed a good chuckle and I guess I needed a few chemicals too after the crunchy egg dyeing experiment sooooo..

Voila! An orange squirrel on a stick! How’s that for a new Easter tradition?

So here’s the bribe you’ve been waiting for, dear readers. Nothing like a bribe on Easter, eh? The first six people to comment on this post AND let me know what topics you’d like me to explore in future blog posts… that’s right, you guessed it! I’ll send you an orange squirrel on a stick. Note: you WILL be chastised if you ask me what the ingredients are. This is an orange squirrel on a stick; this is not a health food.

Have a wonderful Easter or fun pagan ritual, whatever you choose. Enjoy!