According to the San Francisco Chronicle, a buckle is a one layer cake, very moist, with a streusel topping that buckles as it cooks. Recently they featured a glossary of fruit desserts, along with several recipes. I snipped the article, intending to bake a buckle, waiting for the right time. Well, that time came! Someone at work had a birthday and I thought this would be a nice treat to bring in and share. As you can see, it did not last long!

I went on a field trip to San Anselmo with Marsha yesterday to check out rockflowerpaper. They were having their annual warehouse sale and we stocked up on cute totes, gift bags, kitchen towels, espadrilles and hand crafted trays. Highly recommend a visit if you can get up there.

Our freezer is still a mess. Or freezers, rather. We have two fridges, one inside and one in the garage, plus a separate stand alone freezer. All are pretty full. Let’s continue to clean out the freezers and use what we already have.

BTW, I also have frozen bread and frozen deli meat for lunches. The bread is great frozen; totally defrosted by lunchtime. The deli meats I need to defrost before use, but that is not a big deal. Oh, and there are items in there set aside for snacks, mostly from Trader Joe’s and CostCo.

Husband is making dinner tonight, a Green Chili Potato Soup with Lamb, using a stash of Hatch New Mexican green chili from Albuquerque Tortilla Factory that we stored in the freezer, as well as frozen lamb from our last bulk purchase. We will go traditional Super-Bowl for the rest of the dinner, with chips and salsa, guacamole and crudites. And he is making leftovers, so we are going to forgo our usual Meatless Monday menu.

Here is the rest of my plan for the week of February 6:

Cookie of the Week: Brown Butter Toffee Blondies from Martha Stewart’s Cookies

Sunday: Green Chili Potato Stew, tortillas (maybe quesadillas), chips and salsa, guacamole and beer

Monday: Leftovers

Tuesday: Dinner out after marathon soccer practice

Wednesday: Slow Cooker Curried Chicken, Indian Cabbage with Crispy Chickpeas, brown rice, naan

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Trashy TV and Takeout

Note to Juliette, in case you are listening – that Green Chili Potato Soup can totally be made vegetarian. And, it does not need to be made in a slow cooker!

What is on your menu plan this week?

Photo courtesy of rockflowerpaper.

Last weekend Pim (of Chez Pim) taught a class on Marmalades at Love Apple Farms in Santa Cruz. This was my third Pim class (see also Macarons and Holiday Baking), and my fifth Love Apple Farms class (see Backyard Chickens and Cheese Making Basics). Each time I visit Love Apple Farms, I am again inspired to create in the kitchen.

Pim’s Marmalade class was centered around a basic technique with variations based on the type and sweetness of the chosen citrus. The three main things I learned from her class:

1. Use a pan to cook your jam that is wider than it is tall. I have been using a stock pot for ages, and my jam cooks unevenly (and slowly).
2. Use small plates, stored in the freezer, to test the consistency of your jam. I think I have been overcooking my jam all these years.
3. Making pectin from scratch, using citrus bits and a muslin bag. Oh, and loads of arm twisting strength.

I am now coveting a Baumalu copper preserving pan, as well as these cute Muji aprons that Pim wears. When I took her Macaron class, I added matcha tea from Mariage Freres and quatre e’pices. Sounds like a trip to Paris is in order!

If you are looking for fun cooking and homemaking classes, I highly recommend Love Apple Farms. Note: I am not being compensated for this recommendation, I have paid for all my classes myself and this is just a recommendation for a product I enjoy. I hear the tomato classes are great (you go home with something like 45 seedlings) and they even ofter beer making, soap making and artisanal yarn classes!

During the winter, when we don’t have our regular weekly CSA boxes, Mariquita Farms has a Mystery Box program to pick up the slack. Sort of like a CSA, but way more casual, interested folks signup for a box, delivered to a local spot, filled with whatever is ripe that week. In the middle of winter. Hence the mystery name.

Our box this week contained: Carrots, Daikon, Savoy Cabbage, White Turnips, Radishes, Peanuts, Baby Spinach, Spigariello, Limes, Lacinto Kale, and Cheddar Cauliflower. We also added on a wedge of Royal Oaks Damselfly Cheese, which was gobbled immediately.

Here is my menu plan for the week of January 29:

Cookie of the Week: Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies (repeat from last week, we really liked them)

Sunday: Grilled lamb chops, roasted root vegetables (last week’s farmer’s market purchases), kale chips, sautéed spinach

Monday: Spigariello saute with pasta, roasted cauliflower and turnips

Tuesday: Pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw (cabbage, carrots, oranges), whole wheat buns (maybe a margarita with fresh limes!)

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Roasted salmon, rice, steamed whatever-vegetable-we-have-left

Friday: Take out and Trashy TV

What is on your menu plan this week? 

Let’s focus on what I think is important (to me and my family; your priorities will probably be different):

• Eating dinner together each night
• Balanced plates of food, with vegetables, grains, proteins, fats and sugars
• Whole food cooking, avoiding processed foods

That’s it.

For this week’s menu, I am going to focus on daily plans that are easy to accomplish, building on what I already know how to do pretty well (saute, grill, boil, bake, roast). I am going to limit fancy recipes this week and stick to tried-and-true favorites. At the farmer’s market this morning, I picked up Celery, Leeks, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Turnips, Beets, Purple Orache (like spinach), Baby Bok Choy, Brussel Sprouts and Kabocha Squash.

Here is my menu plan for the week of January 22:

Sunday: Grilled lamb chops, roasted brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes and root vegetables, braised greens

(Meatless) Monday: White beans with roasted Kabocha squash, beet salad with quinoa, kale chips, bread (squash and beets roasted Sunday)

Tuesday: Roast salmon, brown rice, steamed bok choy, sliced oranges and kiwi

Wednesday: Mediterranean night – hummus, veggies and pita for dipping, kibbe or falafel (hummus might be purchased, might be homemade)

Thursday: Posole with pork, sliced radishes, avocado, cheese and whole grain tortillas   actually, we had waffles. They were yummy.

Friday: Leftovers (we are moving Take Out and Trashy TV to Saturday because of Friday night soccer practice)

What is on your menu plan this week? What kind of tips do you use to stay sane and healthy in your eating?

With a short week, soccer starting (both Spring and Indoor), a science fair project or two, and a volunteer recognition dinner, the week’s menu needs to be easy and designed with planned over (leftovers) in mind. We arrived at the airport tonight after a weekend away, and stopped by Whole Foods on the way home, where we found two roast chickens for $14.99. Tonight’s dinner was roast chicken, roasted brussel sprouts and Israeli couscous. Tomorrow night I am thinking an easy chicken noodle soup. And I am also thinking of a batch of Curry Chicken Salad for lunches.

Here is my menu plan for the week of January 16:

Monday: Roast chicken, roasted brussel sprouts, Israeli couscous (making the chicken stock for tomorrow overnight in the crock pot)

Tuesday: Chicken noodle soup, whole wheat bread (from last week’s pita breads), sliced veggies

Wednesday: Pumpkin chili with ground beef and black beans, cornbread, salad (I plan on using dried black beans and will prep those in the pressure cooker Tuesday night)

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Take Out and Trashy TV (although last week, we had a fried chicken sandwich from Pollo Fritto SF, a food truck that parks Friday nights on the Alameda between 5-7pm. Mighty tasty!)

What is on your menu plan this week? How do you handle short weeks and hectic schedules?

P.S. Inspired by Cindy’s 365 photo project, I started one of my own with iPhone photos. You can view my photo journal here on Kitchen Gadget Girl, or directly at 365.foodinthekitchen.com. Let me know what you think, and keep in mind that practice makes perfect!

P.P.S. The photo above is from one of the science fair projects, where the chief investigator was looking at how acids and alkalis react when mixed with red cabbage water ice cubes. Pretty and fun!

We needed a good, multi-generational family trip this December, one that would satisfy grandparents who want to hang out with their grandkids, parents who like to see interesting sites and eat good food, and a location that was easily accessible from the East and West coasts. As a rule, we also like to travel in the off-season, and Washington DC in December is definitely not the height of tourist season.

For our group of six, we rented an apartment on the Southwest side of the Mall, close to the Waterfront. The apartment was great for our family, with three bedrooms, a nice living room and functional kitchen. Plus, the owner really likes have guests, so there were all sorts of nice touches including Christmas decorations and a well-stocked pantry.

Highlights of our trip include:

Food – lunch at National Museum of the American Indian Mitsitam Cafe; Pain Quotidien for Belgian pastries and hot chocolate; Oyamel Cucina Mexicana; Tackle Box; Rasika especially Palak Chaat, Tandoori Salmon, Chicken Makhani and Paneer Chili Garlic. They also had an outstanding dessert menu. Pre-theater specials were a deal!

Tour of the Capitol Building, along with visits to the House and Senate Chambers. Book the Capitol tour ahead, through your congress person.

Spy Museum where the entire family participated in Operation Spy. Honestly though, while the kids really liked the operation, the adults would have preferred to stay in the museum longer. So many interesting artifacts!

National Portrait Gallery – I loved the presidential portraits, the Big Guy and I spent time in the contemporary art gallery enjoying neon and video pieces, and the Little Girl and her grandparents were down in the Education Center re-creating interesting pieces of art. There is also a nice outdoor area with a water installation which is a nice place to relax.

Evening walk to the Lincoln Memorial, WWII Memorial, and Washington Monument. The Washington Monument is still closed from the earthquake, but lit up at night, it is a beautiful site. The Mall is also undergoing a good bit of construction, so we did not have the experience of looking down the Mall from one place to another and enjoying the tranquility of the water. The kids had a great time collecting stamps for the National Park Passports, the Visitor’s Center at the Lincoln Memorial has about 9 stamps for local sites.

Eastern Market for breakfast and dinner shopping – we did this without kids and grandparents and had a nice walk through this open, European-style market. We also agreed that the Capitol Hill area would be a nice place to stay next time.

Ice Skating in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden – great!!

Air and Space Museum on New Year’s Eve was the best! Almost no crowds and they stayed open until 7:30pm. We learned how to make paper airplanes, saw a show at the Planetarium, watched a 3D movie of the Hubble in the IMAX theater, and the kids went on a simulator ride. Yes, the museum is free, but all these items cost extra. If your party is good sized, it makes sense to buy a Smithsonian Membership.

National Museum of Natural History for dinosaurs and the Hope diamond; and the National Museum of American History for Julia Child’s kitchen and First Ladies exhibit of gowns and china patterns.

Washington National Cathedral – we (without kids and grandparents) walked up from Dupont Circle on a gorgeous, and crisp, winter day. Beautiful cathedral with a tower which provides nice views of the city.

White House Visitor’s Center – we enjoyed the visitor’s center more than the White House tour, which IMHO, was a lot of fuss for just a little visit. Get there early, no handbags, no cameras, go through three security lines, walk through 6 rooms in the East Wing, out 15 minutes later. The kids hardly had time to finish their Jr Ranger books! The Visitor’s Center was more relaxed and had an interesting video that gave way more details. But hey, at least we can say we have been to the White House! The White House tour was also booked through our congress person’s office.

Old Post Office Tower – great, free, wonderful views of the city. Another Jr Ranger badge completed.

National Archives – before our trip, we watched the Nicholas Cage movie, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, so we were all interested in seeing the Archives. This was probably the place we experienced the most benefit from traveling off-season, as there were absolutely no lines. We were able to walk right up and view the Declaration, Constitution and Magna Carta. There was also an interesting exhibit on how our government influences food, and the main archives exhibit was very detailed and well done.

Our trip ended with a visit to Arlington Cemetery (administered by the Army) and Arlington House (administered by the National Park Service). We witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown, saw the JFK memorial, and spent time learning about Arlington House.

Wake up! Time to get started. We are already 8 days into the New Year and I feel behind. Well, not really behind, but there are definitely opportunities to take advantage of.

Did you make any resolutions this year? The article in the NY Times this morning suggested that we have space for one resolution, not many, since our self control and will power can only go so far. Are you thinking about a resolution around food? Lots of folks do, many diets are started in January, only be abandoned in early February.

I joined Once a Month Mom and a group of bloggers on a year-long journey back to whole foods called Get Real. In September, I will be sharing our experiences with Poultry (chickens), including our backyard chicken experience and sourcing local chicken for our table. We eat mostly whole foods here (although M&Ms are known to appear occasionally), and I look forward to learning more about how others integrate whole foods into their diets and how they made the switch.

For those of you wondering, whole foods are “foods that are unprocessed and unrefined” (Wikipedia) and do not contain added ingredients such as salt, sugars or fats. Many whole grains, beans, legumes, fruits and vegetables fall into this category, and eating a whole foods diet usually means you focus on making your food from scratch. I do cook that way most of the time, but like any working Mom, I need to have balance and sometimes I look for short cuts. Trader Joes usually supplies several of those short cuts.

So, anywho, if you are interested in bringing your diet back to whole foods, or want to know more about reducing the amount of processed food in your diet, check out Get Real and visit 100 Days of Real Food, the host for January, who is going to help us all clean our our pantries and freezers!

To that end, since my freezer is chock-a-block of protein (lamb, pork, beef and chicken) and my pantry has some interesting grains and beans, I will make this weeks menu based on what I have at home. There will be a trip to the store for milk, but I think I have enough of everything else on hand to get us through the week.

Cookie of the Week: Brownies (made by Big Guy as science experiment)

Sunday: Roast fresh ham, mashed potatoes, salad with watermelon radishes, apple fritter rings

(Meatless) Monday: Lentil and Bulgur Soup, cucumber and mint salad, fresh pita bread, hummous, fresh fruit

Tuesday: Slow cooker garlic chicken with couscous, salad with roasted beets (this chicken recipe would be better with chicken thighs, IMHO)

Wednesday: Leftovers

Thursday: Apple-Potato Latkes with cinnamon sour cream, grilled chicken sausages

Friday: Trashy TV and Takeout (although, I did make a really great Chicken Makahni-like dish last week that was pretty easy!)

What is on your menu plan this week?

The photos are random this week, since I did not have any bounty from the farmer’s market or veggie CSA to photograph. The glass pumpkins are from Cohn-Stone Studios in Richmond, California, which has a large sale every year. And the bread is a Pain d’Epices, which I learned to make from Chez Pim at Love Apple Farms.

Last week, while visiting Penzey’s, I picked up a fun recipe for Hot Chocolate Snowball Cookies, a variation on the Nutty Nuggets/Mexican Wedding Cake/Russian Tea Cake Cookie that is popular this time of year. The cookies were easy to make, and the whole family enjoys the addition to our holiday treat plate.

First off, did you know you can print any of the recipes on Kitchen Gadget Girl? That’s right! At the bottom of each post, click on the Print Friendly button. A new window will come up and you can edit out the bits of the post you don’t want (click on the text or photos you want to remove) and when it is just the way you want it, you can print it out. Useful for such holiday favorites such as Dehydrated Persimmons, Becky’s Mincemeat Cookies and Barbara’s Easy Clam Dip. Try it, tell me what you think!

Second, did you know that there is an archive of every menu I have posted? Click Menus in the top navigation bar and it will show you all the posts about menus. And, you can even search on specific seasons. All this brought to you by my genius friend and web developer Dena of Buttonwillow Six.

Which brings me to point number 3 of today’s post – Thursday, December 22 is the start of winter (even though the weather may indicate differently) and I will now be categorizing my menu plans as winter menus. If you are looking for inspiration this time of year, be sure to check the late fall menus as well as early winter, as there is a good deal of crossover.

On Wednesday we will pickup a box of veggies from Mariquita Farms (click here for the delivery options in Santa Cruz, Los Gatos and Menlo Park) and so I just need to get through the next few days with what is in the fridge and cupboards. I think I can, I think I can, I hope I can.

My menu plan for the week of December 18:

Cookie of the Week: Hot Chocolate Snowballs from Penzeys

Sunday: Lentil Soup with Escarole and Sausage, bread, salad

(Meatless) Monday: Pasta with hearty greens and beans (recipe TBD), bread, sliced fruit

Tuesday: Taco Night (lots of leftover salsa in the fridge) – ground meat, pot o’black beans, cheese, sour cream, tortillas

Wednesday: Oven BBQ’d chicken, mashed potatoes, green vegetable

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Takeout and Trashy TV (Chuck and Psych are two family favorites at the moment)

Saturday: Dungeness crab and potstickers (or pork buns), Zuppa Inglese

Sunday: Cinnamon rolls, eggs, grapefruit, braised lamb shanks, risotto, green vegetable, salad, persimmon pudding

What is on your menu plan this week? Are you cooking for Christmas? 

Most CDs purchased – 12 in 2004, everything from Mighty Mighty Bosstones Let’s Face It to Janet Jackson’s Damita Jo.

How many books have I bought? – 146, mostly cookbooks, child rearing and fiction.

First thing I ordered was Susan Susanka’s Not So Big House, still relevant today.

Latest thing I ordered was Green Bay Packer’s 2012 Calendar. Not here yet, fingers crossed.

I ordered two Dreamweaver books in 2002, but for the life of me, I cannot recall why I was learning that tool.

Lots of kids’ toys in 2003. Along with Positive Discipline books. I think I bought the entire series.

Mostly 5-9 orders a year, until I get to 2009 when I place 13 orders, and a whopping 23 orders in 2011. 2011 is also when I signed up for Amazon Prime.

In February 2008, I ordered the Witmer Company Peanut Butter Mixer, which was the start of my whole blogging life on Kitchen Gadget Girl. Wrote about it originally on the GOGUGO blog. Thought how much fun it would be to write about all my favorite kitchen gadgets.

The most interestingly named object I have purchased is the Black and Decker Bullseye Laser Level Stud Sensor (October 2003). Makes me giggle every time.

Biggest blast from the past? This little number:

Wanna run through your own order history? Visit www.amazon.com, and click on Your Account, then Your Orders. Then use the drop down menu on the side to go to the specific time period.

Tell me, what is your most interesting Amazon purchase? 

This morning I sliced up a dozen Hachiya persimmons from my neighbor Clay and ran them through the dehydrator, 135°F for 8 hours. For best results, wait until the persimmons are very orange, almost to the point where they start becoming soft and squishy (but before they become soft and squishy, which will make them hard to slice thin). Sprinkle with Chinese Five Spice or Garam Masala. Plain ‘ole cinnamon is good too!