food – Page 4 – Growth By the Season

The Pizza Crust Chronicles: Cauliflower Crust

Written by Tricia on March 8, 2013. Posted in Food, Recipes.

I love Pizza, I mean who doesn’t. Its certainly delicious, but its also diverse and I love that in any mood, I can usually find the right combination of toppings to satisfy my cravings (and lift my spirits!). A dear friend of my mom’s asked me recently to seek out a top-notch pizza crust recipe. Obviously, I was immediately excited and ready to take on the task. After searching through recipes and experimenting with the options however, I really couldn’t settle on ONE. And so, the ‘Pizza Crust Chronicles’ were born. From Yeast to No Yeast, Gluten-Free, Veggie, or Vegan I plan to organize this ode’ to the pizza pie as an easy reference for your next homemade ‘za.

First up, is The Cauliflower Crust. Unorthodox I know, but I’ve seen a rise in recipes touting the veggie and couldn’t help but experiment with it myself. Cauliflower is low in fat and low in carbohydrates but high in fiber which make it the perfect healthy alternative to your typical greasy pizza crust. Not only is it healthy, but truly easy to make. Bonus!

Cauliflower Pizza Crust:

Preheat Oven: 400 degrees

2 cups cauliflower, grated or food processed into rice size pieces

1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1 egg, beaten

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp. oregano

1. Coat a cookie sheet with a thin layer of olive oil.

2. Spread grated cauliflower across oil-glazed cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes.

3. In a bowl, mix cauliflower, cheese, egg, garlic and oregano until well combined and dough-like in texture.

4. Spread mixture onto a parchment paper-covered pizza pan and create a circular crust. Bake for 25 minutes.

I topped my Cauliflower crust with Sweet potato mash, feta cheese, caramelized onion and collard greens. It was both savory and a little sweet, but all together delicious. I love reminding myself that this pizza is “healthy” and therefore eating 6 pieces is totally acceptable.

Sweet Potato, Feta Cheese and Collard Green Pizza:

1 sweet potato, medium-sized

2 cups collard greens, chopped

1 cup chopped onion

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbs feta cheese, crumbled

2 garlic cloves, minced or smashed and chopped

pinch of salt

1. Bake sweet potato in oven at 400 degrees for 1 hour, or until well done.

2. Heat 1 tbs. of olive oil in frying pan and saute onion until tender

3. Add collard greens and lemon juice into pan and saute until wilted, about 5 minutes. Set aside.

4. Remove sweet potato from skin and mix in a bowl with salt.

5. Spread sweet potato mash onto pizza crust and top with garlic.

6. Sprinkle feta cheese and greens on top of potato layer.

7. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 10-15 minutes.

8. Let cool for 5 minutes. Slice, serve and enjoy.

I’ll be posting periodically in the ‘Pizza Crust Chronicles’ as I come across delicious crusts and experiment with new recipes . I hope you’ll stay tuned and feel free to share any “must-try” crusted creations you can’t live without.

Hail to the ‘za, in every top and crusted form

love,

tricia

Farm Fête 2013: Suttons Bay, MI

Written by Tricia on March 4, 2013. Posted in Community, Events, Food.

I’ve been a part of the Farm Fête Gala Committee for the past few months; planning, organizing and collecting auction items to raise money for the Great Lakes Children’s Museum in Traverse City. The fundraising event is held annually with a different theme to each Gala and this year, the local farm-to-table emphasis caught my eye. I was able to connect with the Museum and meet a new group of passionate individuals who support and make this incredible facility possible, all for the children of our community.

The day of the event, as everything came together, I was able to support the Museum in my own way by offering to be the Gala’s roaming photographer and capture the night, the setting, and the incredible people who made it all possible.

There were numerous silent auction packages, each carefully selected by the Gala planning committee and donated by generous members of the community. By numerous, I mean at least 5 long banquet tables piled high with anything from books and dresses for toddlers, to CSA shares, composting services and SUP paddle board rentals.

After mingling, with delicious Black Star Farms wines and hors d’oeuvres like fresh radishes stuffed with herbed cream cheese, the sold out gala of about 140 people made their way to the dinning room for dinner and live auctions. Guests were able to continue and monitor their must-have silent auction items in the other room, but as soon as dinner was served very few people chose to leave their seat.

The evening’s menu was developed by Chefs Jonathan Dayton and Stephanie Wiitala with local and seasonal produce in mind. The chefs gather greens from farmers in the area like Nic Welty, owner of 9 bean rows, whose produce storage facilities are housed right onsite at Black Star Farms. The Inn, which regularly serves an incredible morning breakfast, can also pick farm fresh eggs from the Black Star Farms’ chickens just outside in the barns.

As a gal who regularly eats with my eyes before taking my first bite I snapped a picture of the delectable fare served throughout the course of the evening, so “dig in” as you scroll thru!

Roasted beet and pear salad, candied marcona almonds, goat cheese, spring greens, verjus vinaigrette

Vegetarian entrée: Grilled potato and Autumn vegetable napolean , tomato confit, parsley oil

Coffee and red wine braised beef short ribs, fromage blanc baked polenta, wilted arugula, crisp leeks

Warm Apple Pie tart, Vanilla Bean whippecrème, Riesling caramel and spun sugar

As the courses kept coming, Executive Director, John Noonan and Board President, Ellen Fred stepped up to the podium to address the Gala attendees. Ellen began the live bidding for the night by raising funds for the +Plus Membership that I spoke of in my previous post. Bidding began with the announcement that a $3,000 match was pledged by many of the generous former board members of the museum before the Gala began that night. As I mentioned before, the +Plus Membership ranked high in importance for me that night and I, along with many others, was incredibly awestruck and encouraged when nearly $4,000 was raised immediately for the Membership Program in addition to the match of $3,000. Ultimately, over $6,900 was raised for Museum scholarships to those of our community in need.

At the end of the night, after a series of incredible Live Auction packages were auctioned off and the numerous silent auction items were given to the highest bidder, the Gala raised over $35,000 for the Great Lakes Children’s Museum!

The event was fantastic; both successful in raising funds for the Museum and in gathering passionate, generous members of the community around the table to share a delicious farm fresh meal. I spent the night savoring the flavors of the feast made by the talented staff at Black Star Farms and roaming around with my camera in hand snapping photos of the smiling faces all around me. You can check out the selection of photos from the night here, and for those who attended the event you may notice some familiar faces pictured in the upcoming issue of Bay LIFE North Magazine.

Cheese!

love,

tricia

Suttons Bay on Dwellable

Carrot and Roasted Garlic Hummus

Written by Tricia on February 27, 2013. Posted in Community, Food, Friends & Family, Recipes.

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If you’ve been to a Northern Michigan Farmers Market lately, you’re likely to see fewer greens. There will be plenty of baked goods, jelly & jams, meats & cheeses, but greens are harder to come by in February. Even with advancements in farming infrastructure like hoophouses and greenhouses, the beautiful and at times frustrating reality about growing food from the earth is that mother nature makes the rules.

At the farmers market I attend every Saturday, the majority of fresh produce you’ll find this time of year is carrots. You’ll see me walking through the market selecting my goods from the stalls and chomping on these fresh, local deliciously sweet carrots. Other than the raw form, carrots can be made into incredible soups, heart-warming roasted side dishes and salads. Recently however, I was curious to find a recipe that used carrots in a way I’d never used them before. As soon as I saw the color of this rich & flavorful carrot hummus I knew I had to try it, so I brought it along with me to a friends house last night for dinner.

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Let me just say, I LOVE having friends that enjoy cooking and food as much as I do. Last night, was an incredible feast with three women I really enjoy spending time with. Our objective was simply to gather together around food and so we did, lots of food I might add. The carrot hummus turned out smashingly with cucumber slices and pita bread for dipping. My main dish on the other hand, a concoction of beet gnocchi with lemon pesto, while equally delicious was far less ‘picture perfect.’ It was my first time making both dishes and while putting them together I realized I had created a theme unknowingly of colorful and hearty root vegetables in an uncommon form. Perhaps its because of this long cold winter, stirring up a desire for change and the color that arrives with spring.

Our collection of small plate dishes for the night included:

The ‘Life-Changing Loaf of Bread’ from Sarah B at My New Roots! (pictured above)

Beet Gnocchi with Lemon Pesto

Jeweled Rice Salad with Red Grapes, Scallions & Pecans

Guacamole with Sweet Potato Chips

Butternut Squash & Roasted Apple Quinoa

Homemade “Fig Newtons”

Carrot & Roasted Garlic Hummus with sliced cucumber and pita

Citrus Salad

Raw Cocoa Walnut Bars

The dishes paired together incredibly and though I packed my plate full of the colorful food, there was nothing but a gleaming white plate left when I had finished.

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Carrot and Roasted Garlic Hummus

Makes 1 cup of hummus

Prep time: 25 minutes

Preheat: 400 degrees

Ingredients:

1 cup roughly chopped carrots
6 cloves garlic
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
3/4 cup cooked garbanzo beans
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tbls lemon juice

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Directions:

Line baking sheet with foil or parchment, then place chopped carrots in a bowl and coat in 1 tbsp of olive oil. Spread them in one layer on the lined baking sheet and place in the oven.

Wrap the cloves of garlic in foil and place in the oven as well.

Roast for 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender with a fork. Remove from the oven, unwrap garlic and let cool.

In your food processor combine all ingredients including extra salt or lemon juice to your taste.

Dinner with family and friends or Potlucks of any kind are some of my favorite gatherings. I love having small ‘tastes’ of everything dish and I often find myself experimenting with recipes in these occasions, enjoying the immediate honest feedback from the people closest to me. The dishes I made last night really made me realize how much I’m looking forward to warmer weather and all that comes with spring. The change is in the air and March is just around the corner!

What are some of your favorite, colorful springtime dishes?

love,

tricia

The Great Lakes Children’s Museum: Traverse City, MI

Written by Tricia on February 18, 2013. Posted in Community, Events.

Children are explorers, they’re creators, dreamers and learners. In a place like the Great Lakes Children’s Museum these qualities are not only encouraged but strongly developed. From InterActive StoryTime to Food Art & Tie Dye, The Museum creates fun activities with the opportunity for children to build skills adaptable to their lives today and the future ahead of them.

The Great Lakes Children’s Museum annual fundraiser Farm Fête, will be held this upcoming Saturday, February 23rd. In order to make the event accesible to more couples and guests the price was reduced this year to $50 for a complete farm-to-table dinner and access to a group of incredible live & silent auction items benefitting the Museum.

The farm-to-table dinner will take place at the beautiful Inn at Black Star Farms in Suttons Bay, celebrating our grand agricultural region while honoring the Museum as a special place here in Traverse City that is devoted to our community’s future, the children.

As a part of the Gala planning committee I’ll be attending Farm Fête this year and I’m thrilled to be involved in an event that is not only for a great cause but celebrates the local food and agriculture of our region. The menu, an ode to the incredible offerings in Northwest Michigan even at the heart of winter, will consist of the following courses:

The Menu

Focaccia with whipped butter

Roasted beet and pear salad, candied marcona almonds, goat cheese, spring greens, verjus vinaigrette

Coffee and red wine braised beef short ribs, fromage blanc baked polenta, wilted arugula, crisp leeks

Vegetarian entrée: Grilled potato and Autumn vegetable napolean , tomato confit, parsley oil

Warm Apple Pie tart, Vanilla Bean whippecrème, Riesling caramel and spun sugar

Each course paired with Black Star Farms wine

My involvement with the event has allowed me to help in the development of this local food celebration as well as gain insight into programs the Children’s Museum offers the community that the public might not be fully aware of. One specifically, that truly interests me the most is the +Plus Program. The program “assists children, families and educators for whom admission costs pose a significant obstacle to attending the museum.” In addition to raising funds for the general operations of the Museum, the Farm Fête event will strive to raise money for the +Plus Program, ultimately providing more museum scholarships to those of our community in need.

I’m looking forward to a successful event on Saturday and I encourage those of you who are interested in attending to register for the Farm Fête event here, tickets are still available but we’re filling up quickly!

You can make a donation to the +Plus Program even if you’re unable to attend the event by calling the Museum at 231-932-4526

Ride among the ‘Waves of Wonder’

love,

tricia

Traverse City on Dwellable

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Written by Tricia on February 15, 2013. Posted in Food, Recipes.

There is nothing that heals a cold, chills, or the winter blues better than homemade chicken noodle soup. The first time I tasted a cup of homemade chicken noodle, I couldn’t believe I’d ever eaten it out of a can. However, I also assumed that my boyfriend’s mother has slaved over the stove for days to prepare something so delicious. The secret?… Homemade chicken noodle soup is both supremely delicious AND easy.

ingredients:

8 cups Chicken broth

Bite-sized, cooked Chicken (breasts or shredded rotisserie)

Uncooked Egg Noodles (any noodle works, these are just traditional)

2 Medium Carrots, diced

Diced Mushrooms

Chopped Medium Onion

3 cloves Garlic

2-3 tsp Salt, additional to taste

Pepper

2 tsp Thyme

2 tsp Rosemary

Chopped Swiss Chard (any green, spinach, kale)- optional

The measurements here are lacking, because the contents of this soup are up to you. If you like a soup with lots of broth then don’t use as many veggies. If you prefer a hearty, thick soup then amp up the number of vegetables you include. Its all up to you!

directions:

First, throw a tab of butter or a drizzle of olive oil in the bottom of your soup pot, saute garlic on low-medium heat (don’t let it burn) and then add chopped onion and cook until tender. Next, Add in the diced carrots and mushrooms and season with a little salt and pepper.

Pour in the Chicken Broth on top of the veggies. *Note: The carrots and mushrooms do not need to be tender, they will cook in the broth and soak up that delicious flavor!

Add in rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper and then bring soup to a boil. Once boiling bring heat back down to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

If the chicken is cooked already then after the 20 minutes are up you can toss in the chicken and the “uncooked” noodles. If chicken is not cooked, just saute diced chicken breast in a pan with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Simmer soup for another 15-20 minutes until noodles are tender. Throw in greens at the last minute and let them soak in the flavor for another 3-5 minutes. Then serve!

It’s February and if you’re like me, winter blues can be a bit overwhelming this time of year. The excitement of that first snowfall back in December is lost in February compared with the intense desire for sunshine and warmer temperatures. Just remember, Homemade Chicken Noodle is soup for the soul. Make a pot of this soup, smile and soak in its warmth and soon.. the sunshine will find you.

love,

tricia

NMCs Festival of Foods: Traverse City, MI

Written by Tricia on February 11, 2013. Posted in Community, Cooking Classes, Events.

Once on campus at Northwest Michigan College, a winding wooded path led me to the Oleson Center. It was there, tucked away in the snow covered trees, that I attended NMC’s Fifth Annual Festival of Foods. Last week prior to the event, I posted here about my conversations with Julie Doyal who plans the Festival of Foods on behalf of NMC’s Extended Education Program. She was absolutely right, when she spoke of the vibrant personalities she chose to lead the individual sessions. I found myself laughing out loud at the jokes and insightful witty comments the chefs would make, while totally enthralled in their demonstrations and engaging conversation.

Each session I attended was completely different than the one prior, but the common thread was a passionate friendly chef leading the demonstration and the variety of helpful tips & tricks I learned along the way. There is no way I could transpose all the details; the smells, tastes and incredible inviting atmosphere of the Festival of Foods, because experiencing it yourself is the only way you’ll truly understand. However, I kept track of the numerous CHEFS TIPS that were shared throughout the four sessions I attended and now I’d like to share them with you.

Session 1: ‘Breakfast on the Farm’ with Jonathan Dayton & Stephanie Wiitala

These two demonstrators are both from The Inn at Black Star Farms. Jon is the Executive Chef and Stephanie is a Pastry Chef, with her own “bun in the oven” as she put it. Their chemistry in life and in the kitchen is both obvious and entirely endearing. As the Inn is a year-round bed & breakfast, these two were the perfect pair to lead my first morning session.

Tips:

-Nothing compares to a Farm Fresh Egg! (SO true)

-How can you tell the difference between an old & new egg?

An old egg will float in water, while a newer egg will sink.

-Take all your ingredients out before you start to cook, that way you have everything at your fingertips while you’re preparing the ingredients and you know you’re not missing any important components.

Stephanie’s Easy & “Forgivable” Quiche Dough:

4 c flour, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 lb butter chopped into fine bits, 1 egg, 3/4 cream

Combine & roll out to desired thickness

Session 2: ‘The Secret of Fresh Salsa’ with Fresia Granados

Fresia is a fiery passionate chef from Costa Rica who studied at NMC and fell in love with Northern Michigan. She works as a personal chef and its evident that she excels in all avenues of cooking in addition to holding a deep appreciation for fresh flavorful ingredients.

Tips:

-the acids in lime juice are better than lemon juice, so let your diced tomatoes “marinate” in a fresh-squeezed lime juice

-adding a sweet component like plantains or pineapple will really add depth to your salsa

-How do you keep cilantro fresh in the refrigerator?

wash the cilantro and divide a “bunch” into three separate sections, wrap each section in paper towel and put into an air tight plastic bag. The cilantro should stay just as fresh as the day you bought it, for a little over a week.

-after combining all your ingredients you’ll have juice pooling at the bottom of the bowl, strain your salsa and pour this strained juice into a container. Then, use it to make the most fresh and delicious Bloody Mary you’ll ever have.

Session 3: ‘Vegetarian Tarts’ with Cheryl Janz

Cheryl is new to Traverse City, but she and I have already connected because of her delicious baked goods she sells at local area Farmers Markets. She teaches quite a few culinary classes through the NMC Extended Education program and actually has one coming up shortly on February 20th about Gluten Free Cooking. This will be a fabulous resource for those who may be interested in making the Gluten-free change in their diet, or simply learning more.

Tips:

-If you eat something that is too spicy for you, drinking a glass of milk (any dairy) will eliminate the spice

-The same rule applies with making a balanced dish, if you have eggplant with a lot of spice, pair it with a ricotta cheese filling to balance the flavors

-How do you pick the perfect eggplant?

Find one that is both firm and a similar size throughout, rather than skinny up top and wide on the bottom.

Session 4: ‘Cooking without a Recipe’ with Eric Patterson & Jen Blakeslee

Eric and Jen are co-owners of The Cook’s House in Traverse City, a restaurant praised throughout the region with an incredible commitment to fresh & local ingredients. They’ve also co-authored their own cookbook called Cook’s House: The Art & Soul of Sustainable Cuisine. The two chef’s are obviously an incredible pair in the kitchen and our session, the last of the afternoon, was full of laughs and a trio of incredible eats.

Tips:

-The most important ingredient in the kitchen is salt, the second is an onion

-Learn to cook without a recipe by picking up random produce and forcing yourself to use those ingredients in a dish

-Make every ingredient justify itself, don’t just add it, the ingredient needs to make the dish better

-“Mouthfeel” is crucial in every dish; the contrast between sweet & spicy, hot & cold, crunchy & soft adds depth and balance to the dish

-Should I grill a fish with the skin on or off?

Generally, with a round fish you should keep the skin on and with a flat fish you shouldn’t eat the skin.

Within an hour, the chefs prepared this delicious collection of dishes and endless helpful tips about cooking without a recipe

Parsnip Soup with Fromage Blanc

Whitefish with a Radish Garnish and Seared Romaine

Grand Mariner Parfait with Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Seed Brittle and a Vanilla Bean Foam

I truly enjoyed this past Saturday I spent at the Festival of Foods. The sessions were informative and fun, and the food… incredible.

I’ve already found myself remembering the tips I learned as I’m cooking something new, and I hope they’ll be helpful for you too.

Do you have any quick kitchen tips? Please share!

Thank you chefs, Julie Doyal & Northern Michigan College, you made this event one to remember!

love,

tricia

Traverse City on Dwellable

A “Pear” of Winter Salads

Written by Tricia on February 7, 2013. Posted in Food, Grow, Hoophouses, Recipes.

Winter is infamous for warm soups, hearty meat & potatoes and any kind of meal that sticks to your bones. Those dishes are certainly welcomed and savored on these seasonally cold days, but this is a reminder (to myself and to you!) never forget your greens! As snow piles up in many regions across the world, a majority of us inherently become less active. Of course there are people that provide an exception to this idea, but if you’re honest warm weather pulls you out the door, while colder weather keeps you curled up by the fire.

(a season-extending hoophouse at Birch Point Farm)

Local greens, at least in Michigan, are harder to come by in the winter for obvious reasons, but as the infrastructure for winter growing develops in our region we’re likely to see an increase in the availability of hearty greens throughout the colder months. In the past few years the number of hoophouses and greenhouses in Northwest Michigan has increased dramatically. This is in large part due to programs like the Hoophouses for Health Loan Program made possible by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and administered by Michigan State University and The Michigan Farmers Market Association.

Programs like this reduce the upfront cost for the Farmer and thereby increase availability for fresh local produce to our communities. If you’re unfamiliar with hoophouses, let me explain it here briefly. A hoophouse, like a greenhouse, is a method of extending the growing season; however a hoophouse is typically shaped like a semi-circular tunnel and wrapped with polyethylene (common plastic). The hoophouse traps warmth from the sun and soil allowing hearty greens (think: kale, collards, mustard greens, swiss chard, etc. ) to grow well into the cold depths of winter.

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Some of my favorite salads are filled with hearty greens & root veggies, the harvest of a Michigan Winter. I thought I’d share with you a few of my go-to salad combinations and a couple delicious homemade vinaigrettes to keep you thinking “greens” even in the heart of winter.

Kale Salad with Sliced Pears, Gorgonzola, Pistachios & Dried Cranberries:

1 bunch Kale

1/2 medium red onion, diced

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup roasted pistachios

1 ripe pear, sliced

Gorgonzola cheese

Homemade Honey Cumin Vinaigrette:

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 olive oil

2 tsp cumin

2 tsp garlic salt

2 tbsp Dijon Mustard

2 tsp honey

Carrot & Beet Salad with Roasted Pumpkin Seeds & Garbanzo Beans:

3 medium-sized beets, peeled and cut into 1/2″ wedges

3 medium-sized carrots, quartered length-wise

1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds

1/3 cup cooked, drained garbanzo beans

2 tsp honey

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 bunch lettuce greens

Melt butter and olive oil in a covered skillet over medium heat and add beets, stirring occasionally. After ten minutes, add carrots and cook until tender (about 6 minutes). Add honey and white wine vinegar, until tender and lightly glazed, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a large bowl to cool.

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Homemade Tahini Citrus Vinaigrette:

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp tahini

whisk together in skillet over low heat, toss greens and garbanzo beans lightly.

top with beets, carrots, and pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

Winter Salads help to keep those of us chilly-weathered homebodies weighing lighter on the scale, but their nutrients also increase energy and help us from feeling lethargic. We can look forward to the days of bountiful winter produce in Michigan with season-extending infrastructure like hoophouses and greenhouses. Personally I’m grateful for the ingenuity of our local farmers and organizations who’ve made it their mission to increase winter vegetable production and support farmers in need. Without them, our available local produce from December-March would equate to nothing more than seedlings under snowdrifts.

Go Green(s)!

love,

tricia

Interested in Cooking Classes?

Written by Tricia on February 1, 2013. Posted in Community, Cooking Classes, Events.

There’s only about a week left before the Festival of Foods, an event led by Northwest Michigan College in Traverse City. It’s a day of “demonstrations & food discovery” where NMC’s Culinary School, local area chefs, artisans & business owners host workshops to engage, educate and instruct interested foodies. The day is organized in such a way that you can design your own Festival of Foods experience. With 16 seminars available, you get to choose four that are the most interesting to you. This year’s workshops range from knife skills & kitchen gadgets to cooking without a recipe or making your own fresh pasta. All sessions are demonstration-based immersing participants in the subject at hand and involving all of your senses. The sessions can be as small as 10 people and as large as 40 depending on the size of the space & interest in the specific session. I spoke with Julie Doyal, who organizes the event to find out more about how the Festival began and what goes into planning each individual workshop.

Next Saturday February 9th, will be the Festival of Food’s 5th Annual event. NMC’s Culinary Program used to be housed in the Oleson Center, where the the festival takes place and after they moved to the Hagerty Center six years ago that space was renovated for the Extended Education Classes. Festival of Foods is an event that provides culinary instruction and resources itself, but is also a way to introduce participants to the type of learning offered in the year-round Extended Education Culinary Class. The difference is that Festival of Foods is demonstration based where as the year-round culinary classes are hands on 3 hour sessions limited to a group of 16 people. The Festival of Foods event allows participants to get a taste of the sessions, sampling four of the 16 workshops for just $69. The full day (10 AM – 3 PM) involves 4 hours of demonstration workshops and endless opportunities for mingling with other foodies. Julie says its the personal touch, the relationships built during that day that make the event so great. While you’re engaging in sessions with skilled teachers your also getting to hear the story of the person behind the food. Julie looks for session leaders that certainly have a passion for food, but that also have an engaging personality and a excitement for what they cook and eat.

The hardest part, Julie says, is that people love the event so much, she has to top it year after year! She keeps things interesting by offering different sessions, and the public response continues to be both positive and supportive. Pre-registrations for the event were well received this year and there is only one week left to register! I for one will be attending the Festival of Foods and I’m simply giddy to learn more about the sessions I chose. Of course I’ll spill the details of my experience and share it with you all after the event, but if you want to enjoy it first hand sign up here to attend!

Never stop learning!

love,

tricia

2013 Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference: Grayling, MI

Written by Tricia on January 28, 2013. Posted in Community, Events, Farm, Grow.

This past Saturday was the 14th Annual Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference. A gathering with the mission to build and foster a local vibrant agricultural community. The conference is an educational forum with the opportunity for sharing ideas, developing a local network, and empowering participants with the tools necessary to be successful. The day includes a series of educational sessions and speaking seminars, with a well-balanced lunch allowing for the chance to stretch your legs, recharge, or casually build relationships with 1 or more of the 800 attendees.

I was involved in the conference not as an attendee this year, but rather in the kitchen with Michael Everts of Blackbird Gardens and his team of farmers, foodies, & friends. We spent the morning baking apple crisps, muffins & scones. We layered lasagnas, chopped produce for salads and roasted squash in the oven. Blackbird Gardens’s catering company Real Food Dream Kitchen, sourced fresh local produce, breads & ciders in the heart of winter. With Saturday’s dream team, we prepped, cooked, and fed about 800 conference goers. The people I had the pleasure of working with were great. We were a “well-oiled machine” of a team, with most of us never having worked together in the past. The synergy was incredible; people helping people, “Farmers Feeding Farmers.”

The Menu:

Mike Everts and Real Food Dream Kitchen have been catering The Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference for several years now. What better way to celebrate Northern Michigan Agriculture and the people whose hard work make it available to us, than a fresh and local culinary display of the very produce we’re celebrating. This alone makes it a tribute of the heart, but to have access to this type of bounty in January, makes it a grateful tribute of ingenuity & excellence as well.

After smelling the aromas all day and working hard in and out of the kitchen to serve the 800 attendees we sat down and enjoyed the fruits of our labor as a team. Congratulating one another on a swift, problem-free and more than enjoyable afternoon of Real Food catering.

Thank you to all those who made the Northern Michigan Small Farms Conference possible as well as the food community that supports and attends it. Here in Northern Michigan, we have an access to fresh local produce that is invaluable. I love knowing, meeting, and working with the people that make it all possible.

No Farms, No Food.

love,

tricia

Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

Written by Tricia on January 22, 2013. Posted in Food, Recipes.

These cookies make me weak in the knees. Just the smell of them in the oven and I buckle. One bite and I’m reminded of a time in my life when apple cinnamon oatmeal was the breakfast of elementary school champions. Except this cookie is better. Its made with fresh apples, ground cinnamon and a little lemon juice. This cookie isn’t made to walk you through a 7 hour school day, this cookie is made for breakfast, lunch AND dinner. Its cinnfully delicious and without a doubt a must try.

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Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Preheat oven to: 350 degrees

ingredients:

1/2 cup of butter softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 1/4 cup oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
generous pinch of nutmeg
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 medium apple peeled and diced
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Peel and dice the apple, toss it in lemon juice and set aside. Beat the sugars and butter in a bowl until smooth. Add 1 egg and beat for a minute. Add vanilla extract and beat until blended.

In a separate bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, oats, spices and salt. Slowly add to the sugar and butter mix until just incorporated. Stir in your apple chunks and chopped walnuts last.

Line baking sheets with parchment paper, place in the oven at 350 and bake for 10 minutes. Enjoy!

adapted recipe from Joy the Baker.

A few people asked me recently about baking substitutes for vegan diets so I thought I’d add my favorite substitutes for this recipe here. For butter, vegan shortening is really the perfect consistency to substitute in these cookies and of course there is always margarine if you’re after the buttery flavor. As for the eggs, they could be substituted with applesauce and truthfully in this recipe theres no other substitution. Not only will it adjust the recipe to be vegan and add an additional apple flavor to your cookie body, but it also completely eliminates the added cholesterol of an egg.

Whether you are vegan or not these substitutions can be helpful if the situation arises where you are baking in your pajamas and just realized you are out of eggs. You don’t have to clean up and walk to your neighbors or drive to the grocery store, you don’t even need to put on a hat over your unwashed hair. You just grab the applesauce and keep on baking.

keep on, keepin’ on

love,

tricia

Tag: food

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