A Hand for Haiti : Recipe Book.

Reprinted from Raising Itty Bitty Bookworms ...

Since the earthquake in Haiti, Lauren at Celiac Teen has been working hard to gather recipes from contributing food bloggers all over the world in an effort to help. She has diligently put these recipes together in an e-book, available for purchase on her blog. All donations received for the e-book will be sent to the Canadian Red Cross (Lauren is Canadian) for purposes of helping victims of the Haiti earthquake. The e-book has many wonderful recipes, and many of them are gluten-free or easily gluten-free adaptable. Read more about how to obtain this e-book and contribute here.

What an amazing teen! Please support her in her efforts!

(Thank you Tara - for letting me know about this).

Love,
Jodi

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Pesto!

If I were living on a stranded island and could eat only one food ... I would request Pesto. Seriously. Yes, it is that strange colored green stuff shown in the above photo. And yes, I have been known to eat it by the spoonful.

My favorite part of the harvest season is making up batches and batches of this sauce. Sadly, my husband doesn't share the same affinity for it ... frankly, he thinks it stinks something awful (this coming from a guy who hates the smell of cinnamon too - I mean - can he even be trusted?). I on the other hand think the smell is heavenly.

So - for those of you who have yet to try this sauce I am going to give you the basics so that you can whip a batch this week and let me know what you think. Here is the thing ... there is a "recipe" for Pesto sauce but I never use it. Making Pesto is all about personal taste. And I have not met two seasoned pesto makers who make it alike. So, for those wanting a recipe from which to start, here it is:

Fresh Basil Pesto Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup pine nuts or walnuts
3 medium sized garlic cloves, minced

Special equipment needed:

A food processor

Method:

1 Combine the basil in with the pine nuts, pulse a few times in a food processor. (If you are using walnuts instead of pine nuts and they are not already chopped, pulse them a few times first, before adding the basil.) Add the garlic, pulse a few times more.

2 Slowly add the olive oil in a constant stream while the food processor is on. Stop to scrape down the sides of the food processor with a rubber spatula. Add the grated cheese and pulse again until blended. Add a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

Makes 1 cup.

OK --- Now that you know the recipe --- here is what I do --- I take huge bunches of fresh basil (sometimes mixed with parsley and/or spinach leaves), handfuls of walnuts, freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, spoonfuls of garlic, and as much olive oil as seems necessary --- and then I just stuff that all into my food processor and give it a whirl for as long as it takes to make sauce (adding additional olive oil as needed). I then take a taste every once in a while and see what I may want more of in order for it to be to my liking.

And that's it. It comes out different every time. And I love it every time. Holy Yum.

I use pesto sauce on pasta, toast, vegetables, pizza, etc.

So, let me know how you make it --- or whether you love or hate it --- etc. Would love to hear some new uses for Pesto and/or different ways of making it.

ENJOY!

Love,

Jodi

P.S. By the way --- it keeps for a long while in the fridge and can also be frozen to enjoy during the months leading up to next harvest season.

P.P.S. The winner of our Toy Story Giveaway is Tara Rison! Congrats. And thank you all for the great Toy Story movie lines. I will be hosting another giveaway soon.

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Farmers Markets Are Yummy.

Oh the joys of our local Farmers Market. It is just 5 min. down the road ... and hosts some of the yummiest, freshest, and most beautiful veggies from around the state. It is a feast for the eyes and the stomach.

I love that Isaac and I get to meet the people who lovingly and painstakingly create our food. These people are passionate about their work. And I am happy to support them -- as I know that it is good for our bodies, our state, our country, our planet ... and especially our children. If they don't create an alternative to mass market, pesticide rich, second rate veggies and meats ... then we will all be the worse for it.

Have you ever tasted a carrot that was pulled fresh from the ground that very morning? Have you ever eaten beef that was completely grass fed? Or tasted goats milk that has not been pasteurized? How about a juicy cherry tomato that came from an heirloom variety seed?

Well, all I can say is YUM, YUM, YUM! Oh, and another thing I can say is ... run, don't walk, to your nearest farmers market. And here is how: click on this link to learn more about these markets ... and then click here to find your own local farmers markets (within the US). They are everywhere. You likely won't believe how many there are around you.

I promise that you won't be disappointed. In fact, make it a weekly outing for your family. Ours is like a weekly community event ... lots of chatting and exchanging knowledge ... seeing friends, etc. And what a great learning experience for the kids. Farmers always seem so willing to take the time to share their knowledge with the next generation. Some even have our friend Meaghan do a little money math in order to receive her change.

I'd love to hear about your own local markets. Especially readers outside of the US. And if this post has inspired you to search out your own local market ... please let me know about your experience.

Here's hoping that you are enjoying some crunchy fresh veggies and some free-range organic meats ...

Love,

Jodi

P.S. And while you are at it, pick up some fresh basil to make some delicious PESTO. I made the dreamiest pesto last night ... and it is as simple as this recipe.

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Day 1: Jodi Day Camp: STRAWBERRIES

I am happy to say that the first day of "Jodi Day Camp" was a success. We collectively made some excellent "Banana-Strawberry-Blueberry-Chocolate Chip Cake":

We used a Banana Nut Bread recipe (doubled) ... excluded the nuts ... and simply added chopped up fresh strawberries, frozen blueberries, and chocolate chips. Then we mixed some brown sugar with some melted butter and sprinkled that over the top. YUM! It was heavenly.

With our leftover strawberries, we made some very satisfying strawberry lemonade and scrumptious strawberry milkshakes (though I forgot to take photos - they were too delicious to wait for). Then, as planned, we made some all-natural strawberry paint in order to create some rich and delicious artwork (just mash up some strawberries, grab some paper and paintbrushes and start creating).

Throw in some dress-up play and a few board games ... and it all made for a very good day.
Thanks kids :)

Love,
Jodi

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Annual Strawberry Picking.

Call me crazy, but I have started a free summer day camp in my home for the kids in my life. It's not like I don't have enough to do this summer (namely, sell my old house) ... but in truth, I am so looking forward to having these little balls of energy, laughter and curiosity share some exciting summer projects, crafts and outings with Isaac and me. And "Jodi Camp" (as my niece calls it) starts tomorrow.

In preparation for the big "opening day", Isaac, Daddy and I went strawberry picking --- because my first camp day will focus on strawberries and all their wonderful uses. We will cook with them, make juice with them and even create a strawberry paint concoction for painting some gorgeous artwork :)

In Maine, strawberry picking is an annual ritual for most families, and that is true for us as well. After fiddleheads, strawberries are the first crop of summer. That is a big deal in a state where our growing season is so limited. Mainers seem to relish every single rite of each season ... hoping to savor every moment ... as everything is so temporary ... so fleeting. I don't remember that kind of living when we grew up in Southern NH. I think we took more for granted when we lived life "in the fast lane". Here, we have learned to appreciate every nuance of the seasons ... participating in them as fully as possible. I am so thankful for that kind of living ... participating in the seasonal rituals that celebrate our connections to the earth ... and to each other.

So, in a nutshell, we picked strawberries ... it felt good ... tasted great ... and tomorrow we will savor them in every possible way. Stay tuned for the results :)

Love,

Jodi

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Strawberry Season!

Yum, yum, yum. Strawberry season is open in Maine and the pickin' is good. We went to opening day at the Adam's Strawberry Acres in Corinth. And let me tell you, it pays to pick on the first day of the season. We picked the most delicious and juicy berries that you could ever imagine. Halis ate so many of them while he picked, that he wondered if the farmer would charge him extra based on how red his tongue was.

Isaac was fairly unimpressed by the berries, and preferred to play in the weeds instead. That is my boy though. Wherever we go, he is playing with rocks, plants, and dirt. And that makes him quite happy.

We were able to pick 20 pints before Isaac decided he was ready to leave. And that is more than enough to make all sorts of delicious treats. Though we still have about 10 pints in the fridge, we have already made some canned jam and surprisingly delicious strawberry bread.

Over the weekend, Halis and I were talking about how good it feels to grow, pick, can, and freeze enough fresh, local food to feed our family for the year. Though I will certainly spare you any photos, we also spent the weekend culling and processing our meat chickens. We now have 40 chickens in the freezer ... and it just feels so good to know that we are providing healthy foods for Isaac and ourselves.

There are many more seasons and opportunities to collect food in Maine and we plan to participate in every one of them: blueberry picking, raspberry picking, fishing, deer hunting, pick-your-own corn, turkey hunting, etc... Should be a busy year :)

Love,

Jodi

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