Around Here (and a bit of news!)

Oh, hello there.  I've missed you.  Lots of time has gone by, I know, and I hope you know I've been thinking about you.  There have been lots of changes since the spring.  I know it's how the world works, and life will always shift and slide, this way and that, but sometimes it still takes me a while to process these changes.

I wasn't as enthusiastic about planting our vegetable garden this year as I was in years past.  I can't really explain why, but I think some of the disappointments and struggles we had last year with squash bugs and a few under performing tomato plants wore me down.  I don't know if it was luck or strong seedlings or the warm weather but our garden is really thriving this year.  We have a Black Prince heirloom tomato potted in a trash can on our patio that is finally beginning to ripen, as well as four other varieties of tomatoes in the garden bed.

The only things we've had a chance to taste were a few of the cherry tomatoes.  Tim popped them into his mouth straight out of the garden and proclaimed them the best cherry tomatoes he's ever tasted.

The tomato I'm most looking forward to is our heirloom Oxheart.  I chose this varietal because my grandmother, who passed away recently, told me her grandfather used to grow them, and she remembers eating them when she was a child.  A bulky, slicing tomato much like a beefsteak, this fruit starts in a shape similar to a strawberry until it fills out to an oblong fruit.  Every time I walk out to the garden and look at this plant, I think of her and how even though she's gone, we are going to be sharing an experience.  It means a lot to me.

Things are changing in our home and family as well.  It's largely the reason I've been absent from this blog for a few months.  I couldn't bear to cook anything with a strong  flavor, heavy aroma, or strange texture from March through June.  You can probably guess what was the culprit.  

Our little Nugget will be coming into the world in the fall, and I'm just starting to wrap my head around the idea of a baby (a baby!) being a part of our family.  Every time I feel the baby move inside my belly I can't believe how different things will be.  Tim and I have just recently started to prepare our house to make room for this little being which is starting to make the whole thing seem real.  Every time I walk past the office--err, the nursery--and see the crib sitting in there, I am reminded that we are bringing a new life to the universe.  It's equally strange and amazing.  


I have been back in the kitchen recently, though I can't say I'm particularly adventurous.  I've made some incredible buttermilk biscuits, Tim's favorite mint brownies, and an easy pork roast.  I know Tim is thankful that I've taken over some of the cooking responsibilities, and we have reduced the amount of take-out in our lives.  I will try not to disappear on you again, and I hope you will let me know what you've been up to lately as well.  


Oh, and not quite an announcement as much as a disclaimer:  we have had a bit of technology drama in our house and the computer that I was editing my digital photos on has given up on us.  Until we bite the bullet and buy a new computer, I will probably be posting photos from Instagram.  I am, however, excited to be attending a digital photography workshop next week and do hope to continue to work on my pictures for the site.  

Monday Links: Gluten Free Beers

Can I just say that 2012 has been my best year ever so far?  I feel healthy, I have so much love, and I am filling my life with wonderful moments.  In fact, just last week when the temperature topped at 65 degrees and the sun was warm on my face, Tim and I sat on our patio, listening to a Spotify playlist that I made for him, a cold beer in front of each of us, and chatted about our days.

Welcome back to my life, Beer.  You are most welcome to keep coming around.

If you are looking for a gluten free beer for yourself or if you'd like to buy something special for when a gluten free friend or family member comes over for dinner, I recommend any of these options.

My very favorite beer is Green's Gluten Free Amber Ale (pictured above).  I ordered it this past weekend at Brazenhead and even my husband agreed that it was a fantastic option as far as gluten free goes.  It really has a smooth, rich taste without being too heavy and no metallic aftertaste.  (Also, I'm so pleased that Brazenhead had several options for gluten free customers including a few gluten free beers and several ciders on tap.  Way to go, Brazenhead!)

I also tried Green's Gluten Free Dark Ale at Dilly Cafe, and I was impressed that it was just as dark and thick as a Guinness.  It had a strong chocolate and coffee flavor at the first taste but finished didn't leave a heavy or sticky mouthfeel.  I thought it was awesome to have the option of a serious dark beer, but I'd prefer it as an after dinner drink rather than something to pair with food.  

Also discovered at Dilly Cafe is DogFish Head Tweason'ale.  It's a seasonal gluten free beer that has a lovely scent of strawberries on the nose but is not overly sweet on the palate.  Also, the strawberry flavor doesn't last much after the first sip, and I appreciated that as I don't usually like my beers too fruity.  It's a medium bodied beer, very refreshing and would pair wonderfully with some simple roast chicken or a salad.  If you can find it, I'd definitely recommend seeking this out!

A big thank you to the Cincy Beer Festival for including New Planet Gluten Free Beer in their vendor list.  I discovered this beer there and all of the selections offered were wonderful.  I particularly liked their lightest beer, the Tread Lightly Ale.  It's the perfect backyard barbeque beer, and it's light enough that it would probably be unnoticeable to any non-gluten free beer drinks that it's missing the gluten!  Locally, it can be found at the Dorothy Lane Markets in Dayton, and trust me--it's worth the drive to check out DLM and get this beer!  (I picked up some on Saturday and it was stacked in front of the beer coolers.)

Lastly, I might as well tell you that in just about every well stocked Kroger that I've been into around Cincinnati, you can find Anheuser-Busch's gluten free beer offering, Redbridge.  It's not my favorite--just like Bud Light was never my favorite--but in a pinch, it's easy to find, not too expensive, and definitely drinkable.  I've picked some up when I just wanted a convenient choice.

I truly appreciate every single one of these companies for pioneering--or jumping on the bandwagon of--gluten free beers!  You all get a big thumbs up from me.

To my gluten free readers, am I missing any of your favorites?

February Culinary Smackdown: Madras Cabbage with Peas

Friends, welcome to this month's Culinary Smackdown: Battle Cabbage.  I decided I needed to make something special to prove that humble cabbage can be the star of a fantastic meal.  And so I made a dish that Tim and I have both been daydreaming about since we ate it last fall.

You may think that cabbage is simply a cruciferous vegetable only to be paired with vinegar (or cream), but I am going to stomp all over those assumptions and invite you down memory lane with me.  Tim and I ate dinner, pre-dietary restrictions, at New Krishna, our favorite Indian restaurant in Sharonville.  Since we dined in, we opted for the buffet, and each got a little scoop of just about everything.  To my surprise, Tim's favorite item was the Cabbage Masala.  It was a little spicy and aromatic and so different from the creamy curried tomato sauces that drenched most of the other options.  I loved it so much I would have been willing to loosen the top button of my jeans to eat a little more.  When else have I ever considered stuffing myself on cabbage?

I picked up some Madras Curry Powder last weekend at Colonel De and opted to use that instead of my usual garam masala.  The main difference in the two spice blends is that the Madras Curry Powder doesn't have cloves in it while the garam masala does.  Oh, and Madras Curry can be spicy--which we like very much.  Overall, it lightened up the aromatics of this dish, but the few whole cloves I threw into the hot oil were just enough for a hint of that flavor.

And so Madras Cabbage with Peas was reinvented for this home cook.  A skeptical Tim, who prefers a big slice of meat with the majority of his meals, was completely satisfied with my make-at-home version.  The beauty of this recipe is that you could use just about any vegetables you wanted.  If you decide to make this with potatoes, you will need to either pre-boil the potatoes or add some water to the pan and allow it to reduce.  I've done that before and you end up with a lovely sauce.  I also suggest chickpeas, cauliflower, or carrots to compliment the curry powder.

And in case you can't find Madras Curry Powder, you could always substitute Garam Masala (just don't add the whole cloves).  I've been able to find the latter at my local Indian grocery store.  Or, if you're inclined to make your own spice blends, the label of my Madras Curry Powder says that it contains (in the order of the label): coriander, cumin, peppercorns, black mustard seeds, chili, fenugreek, turmeric.  I am unsure of the amounts of each.

Madras Cabbage with Peas
serves 4 as main course, 6 as a side dish

Ingredients
2 tbsp canola oil

1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1/4 tsp whole cloves
2-3 small yellow onions, peeled and sliced about 1/8 inch thick

1 to 1.5 lbs green cabbage, cored and sliced into long thin strips about 1/4 inch thick
2 tsp Madras Curry Powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt & pepper

In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add mustard seeds and cloves until fragrant and slightly brown, about 3 minutes.  Add onion and cook until almost translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add cabbage to the pan and stir occasionally for 6-7 minutes, until cabbage has begun to wilt and even slightly brown.  Sprinkle curry powder, turmeric, and red pepper flakes over cabbage and stir.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes, until cabbage is just barely still firm yet easy to bite.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serve over rice or with flatbread.  (Maybe even gluten free naan?)

Please check out Grumpy Granny's Host Post for a round up of the entries and the announcement of the winner in a few days on her blog!