Halloween Scene:All Fun And Games?

This looks like fun, right? For Izzy it was and I am glad of that. Friends, play, cupcakes, Pin-the Nose On the Witch, candy, more candy...What could possibly be wrong?

Well a whole lot if you are me, somehow having envisioned a party for adults too, with eating, laughing drinking...I guess that was last year's party, with my friends and their kids. This year's party was more of Izzy's friends and their parents. Some of whom may be my friends but others of whom are simply acquaintances, seen in passing on the way to school. To me the mixture spells undeniable awkwardness. Just a disparate bunch of grown-ups thrown together for the sake of their children's friendships. But hey, I could give it a try.

It was my intent for it to be a party for all. Which meant booze and plenty of food made to appeal to adults and kids alike. But my hopes were squashed when, after cupcake decorating and Pin-the-Nose-On-The-Witch, a few of the party goers decided to up and leave just as I was about to serve dinner. I looked at the heaping platters of food in dismay, wondering what had gone wrong? Izzy seem confused as well. Most people like to eat at my house. What was it? The lure of trick-or-treating was too strong?

Those who did stay were rewarded with some of my favorite Mexican-inspired dishes and were sufficiently appreciative. There was a dish I have been making since college, introduced to me by friend Alyse (I wonder where she is today.). I like to call it Tortilla Pie but she called it Green Enchilada Casserole. It is essentially a lasagna made by layering tomato/green chilies/onion/cheese and sour cream mixture between tortillas and baking it. It is a good foil for my spicy beef tacos which were also on hand. My friend D. made her famous Mango Rice Salad (will need that recipe one day) and one sweet mom tried her hand at Refried Beans, which she had never attempted before. On top of that I received wine, beer and a lovely bouquet of flowers which graced the table.


It was a lovely spread if I do say so myself. I even managed to have everything ready in advance, with barely any last minute scrambling and A. home in time to help with decorations and front yard sweeping.

The party didn't fizzle out but when it did end, Izzy ran out onto to front stoop with the big basket of candy which had sat, neglected by the front door (our chocolate and lollipops managed to arrive at the very last minute). He was disappointed that he didn't have much time to hand it out to the trick-or-treaters and we agreed that next year's Halloween would be all about sitting out on the stoop and greeting all of the neighborhood's witches, ghosts and goblins..Who needs parties anyway (sniff, pout)?

Handling Halloween: A Piece of... Candy?

Past Halloweens were so simple...

When Izzy was six months old, he wore a wizard hat and I wandered around with him in a sling. When he was 18 months old, he was happily clad as The Cat in The Hat, and he and some friends took turns being wheeled about in a red wagon . At two and a half, he was quite the willing chef, passing out treats to all on our street (I led him to believe that Halloween was all about giving out candy and the belief has stuck). He stood outside our house yelling to trick-or-treaters.."Come get candy". He was enchanted with the whole idea of doling out treats to masked visitors.


Last year it was time for more festivities so I hosted our First Annual Halloween party. Izzy chose a witch costume, with sparkly hat and wand. We invited just a small group of friends and had a simple celebration. I made Macaroni and Cheese, a big batch of broccoli and a few other things. The kids decorated cupcakes and I read a scary story. A great time was had by all. Throughout the party, trick-or-treaters came to the door and Izzy ran to greet them. We handed out some of my old favorites like Kit Kats and M&M's and that was Izzy's first taste of ordinary candy.



This Halloween is going to be just a little different, at least in the candy department. I have decided to forgo the sweets of my youth in favor of some Organic Fair Trade Chocolates and Yummy Organic Lollipops. If only they show up on time. As it is October 30th, I am beginning to worry. If not, at least we will still be having our Second Annual Halloween Party and I can support New Jersey's own local chocolatier, Birnn's with chocolate pumpkin lollys for the party goers.



Here I am, deep in the midst of party preparations and completely in the weeds yet while the cupcakes bake, I am stuck pondering over party politics. This party is for Izzy and I allowed him to invite whomever he chose. Unfortunately this meant that some moms I would like to have invited (and their kids too), were left off of the list. I did try to gently encourage but I was none too successful. Izzy seems to know exactly who he would like at his party. Is this wrong? Should I have invited whomever I wanted? Probably not since I don't really have room for so many guests anyway. I only hope that those who weren't invited are not offended. And according to Izzy, he may invite different friends to his birthday party. I shall wait and wonder.

In the meantime, I must frost the Halloween cupcakes...more on those to come!

Curdle Rhymes With Turtle: Homemade Yogurt Trials and Tribulations

Since my last posting about yogurt, I had been making it weekly with no incident, until the other day. I followed the same process I always do but this time something was amiss and I have no idea why.

Several hours after having turned the machine on, I went to check to see if the milk was firming up and it didn't look quite right. There was too much liquid floating at the top. So I increased the time on the machine and figured I was just being impatient. I went to sleep and hoped it would still miraculously morph intocreamy, smooth yogurt.

I awoke to find this rancid-looking creation which I sniffed, examined and promptly dumped down the drain. Izzy wanted to know what had happened and I said that the yogurt had curdled. Which then of course prompted, "Curdle rhymes with turtle, mama." Yes indeed!

If you have any clues as to why this may have occurred, do enlighten me. In the meantime, I will prepare for my next yogurt experiment..raw goat milk yogurt. Unfortunately that might have to wait a few days because my dear friend D. doesn't know a goat from a sheep (animal dyslexia?), but that is another story...

Kabanos, Beans and Chard Soup ( or Kielbasa and Greens Soup)

Europa Meat and Provisions, a small polish deli and market, is a Jersey City gem.

It is there that I discovered the world of kielbasa. Little did I know that there were infinite varieties to be had, all homemade right here, just a few minutes walk from my house. Kabonos was the first type I tried and it has since become my favorite. Long and thin, these smoky sausages can just be sliced and eaten as is or added to flavor soups, salads and other dishes.

Tonight I concocted a soup to use up some leftover Rainbow Chard. It turned out to be perfect as the weather started to turn chillier this afternoon, while Izzy (the dragon) and I were out at the local Halloween parade.
This is another incredibly simple thing to whip up, mainly with things you may have around the house.

Recipe: Kabonos, Beans and Chard Soup

1 Large onion, diced
1-2 carrots, sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
6 small potatoes cut in small chunks
2 cans beans..I used pink
few tablespoons par-cel, minced (parsley will do)
1/2 cup alphabet pasta or stars
2 cups or so of shredded chard
2 cups of chicken or beef broth
salt/pepper

1. Sautee onion, carrots, celery til slightly browned.
2. Add potatoes, parcel, then broth plus 5 cups water
3. Simmer til potatoes are almost tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Add pasta and cook 5 minutes more.
5. Add beans and chard, simmer for about 7 minutes more or until greens are tender.
6, Stir in kabanos and season liberally with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 large servings with leftovers

Dabbling in Raw Milk: Riding The Railroad

What to do now? I really wanted the milk but I was worried. When I received word that it was time to place another order (if I were so inclined), I looked over the product list again. The pull of the unknown was irresistible so I cautiously decided to order a few items this week, ultimately deciding that the likelihood was slim that this farmer would have tainted products.

I eagerly awaited my first delivery, my excitement tempered by a twinge of nervousness. We were at home with friends when there was a knock at the door. It had arrived. I ferried my booty into the kitchen to survey it (because of a mix-up, not everything was there but this was resolved by the next day). In the end, I received 1/2 lb. cream cheese, 1/2 gallon of goat milk, 1 lb. of cultured butter and a pint of sour cream. All of these items were packaged in basically unlabeled (save for black magic marker) plastic containers, giving the appearance of a homegrown, clandestine operation.

I had to open everything and sniff it all. To what end? I couldn't say, but everything seemed to be fresh. Izzy insisted on sampling the goat milk right away so we both did. It didn't taste significantly different from the non-homogenized cow's milk we have been drinking lately but I don't think that my palate is yet accustomed to the subtle nuance. I need to conduct a taste taste in the near future...any takers?

Meanwhile, I am still left pondering how it is that all of these women (and now me) put their blind faith into this farmer. I suppose it is as X (the woman who spearheaded this group) said, "We put our faith into the big companies which supply the dairy we buy at the supermarkets, so why is this any different?" And she has a point because the reality is that milk which undergoes pasteurization is likely to be contaminated with more filth than one would care to imagine. I know that when I start to think about contaminated foods, the stories that resonate are those which involve large corporations with wide distribution, not local businesses or farms.

Have I made the right decision? How do these products compare to what we usually eat? Stay-tuned for more raw milk raves and rants.

Dabbling in Raw Milk: On The Trail of Forbidden Dairy

Ever since reading Nina Planck's, Real Food, I have been hankering for a taste of raw milk. I nosed around Union Square, thinking I might turn up a source for it there but came up empty. Turns out this is because although it is legal to sell raw milk, it must be purchased at the farm. I conducted an Internet search as well but, without a car, my options seemed limited.

Then I heard rumors that a neighborhood woman had organized some type of raw-milk railroad, supplying farm-fresh milk and other dairy products to a small group, on a bi-monthly basis. Since it is legal to purchase raw milk products from farms in Pennsylvania, NJ residents travel there and then bring it back home (or so I thought). Now this seemed like a distinct possibility. I contacted her and received a product list. I pored over it and then for several reasons, couldn't decide if I really wanted to go through with it. That was several weeks ago.

Once the possibility became a reality, I became gripped by fear. What did I actually know about this farm? I didn't know the farmer personally, nor had anyone attested to the state of cleanliness there. Would I be endangering my family (mainly Izzy and myself since A. doesn't really drink milk)?
So I skipped the first order and figured I would see what I could glean from the other participants. I felt for sure that one of them would have answers.
Instead I found that the only thing they seemed to have was blind faith.

to be continued...meanwhile, muse over this.

Rainbow Risotto

Naturally colorful foods are inherently appealing to children and adults alike. When Izzy arrived home to find this bunch of rainbow carrots on the table he was drawn to them. He picked a different color to snack on, each day this week, starting with a purple one.

These carrots were not the only rainbow-colored foods to find their way into our vegetable drawer this week. We also had some rainbow chard from this week's CSA delivery. I had planned to use the chard as a side dish with some beans but decided we needed to celebrate the colors instead.

I made a Rainbow Chard and Carrot Risotto. Make sure to have ample cheese on hand, to make this colorful feast.

Risotto is a very forgiving recipe. Add or subtract ingredients to suit your taste.

5 cups chicken or vegetable broth or bouillon cubes with water

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

4 cups (packed) coarsely chopped Rainbow chard leaves and stems (about 1 bunch). Parboil the stems first.

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Additional grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Bring broth to simmer in medium saucepan. Cover and keep warm. Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice and chard and stir until chard begins to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add 4 1/2 cups hot broth. Simmer until rice is just tender and risotto is creamy, stirring frequently and adding remaining 1/2 cup broth by 1/4 cupfuls if mixture is dry, about 20 minutes. Mix in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese; season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer risotto to medium bowl. Serve, passing additional Parmesan separately.