Mangoes for Dinner

My favorite part of cooking is coming up with awesome meals with whatever you've got. Yeah, I could probably plan out even better meals, but where's the fun in that? Last night I had two mangoes that were going to spoil if I didn't use them that second. Okay, Mangoes, you're coming with me.

It was a sweaty 90° lawn mowing day so limited cooking was key. I already had grilled chicken waiting in the fridge, so a cool crisp mango chicken salad would hit the spot. I made a vinaigrette from...

• 4 tablespoons of avocado oil
• 4 tablespoons of fresh orange ( about the juice of one orange)
• 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon of honey

Here's a Tip! If you haven't done anything to clean your garbage disposal recently, cut up some leftover citrus rinds and toss them in with some coarse salt and ice cubes. Run hot water and let the ice and salt scour, and the citrusy rinds clean and freshen.

This avocado oil must be amazing in your hair, gotta try that sometime...

Assemble the salad: just picked lettuce from the garden, sliced chicken, diced mangoes, canned sweet corn, black beans, and crumbled queso fresco. The dressing is sweet and tangy. Usually I'm not a huge fan of fruit in salads, but this was a winner.

I also made coconut mango paletas (fancy mexican ice pops) right away so they could freeze in time for dessert. I highly recommend investing in a popsicle mold for healthy refreshing treats. I could easily eat a gallon of a salted caramel ice cream in one sitting, but when there's nothing but fruity popsicles in the fridge, it helps slake my indulgent ice cream tooth. These were made from...

• One and a half mangoes
• A 1/4 cup of coconut cream, not milk. You can buy in it in a teeny carton, or just scrape the creamy top off a can of coconut milk, then you're left with low fat coconut milk for later.
• About a tablespoon of agave for extra sweetness
• Juice from two limes

Blend away and pop them in the molds! (Best enjoyed with an accompanying margarita.)

Ooo look at that newly mowed lawn!

Freshly Made Dressing

Penzey's Spices is my favorite place to stock up on spice essentials. Penzey's has top of line spices common and uncommon, whole or ground, as well as a plethora of mixes. These dressing mixes are a flavorful and much more frugal (and sustainable) option to store bought bottled dressings. And if you eat salads with any frequency a fresh dressing is the perfect pairing. These spice mixes are also helpful because you can tweak them to your liking and easily substitute ingredients.

The Creamy Peppercorn is hand-mixed from: Tellicherry cracked black pepper, coarse salt, garlic, sugar, thyme, parsley. I prepare mine a little different than suggested...

• 1 tablespoon of spice mixed with 2 tablespoons of water, let the spices re hydrate for 5 minutes
• Mix in 1/2 cup of plain greek yogurt and 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
• Mix in 2 tablespoons of white vinegar

I also broke down the calories, for science. This recipe will make about 8 servings at 45 calories and 4g of fat. Compared to the store bought dressings I usually get, I'd say this is actually healthier. Now to make something to put it on...

Our lettuce has steadily been growing. I planted them from seed in a sort of careless manner, and the result was them growing on top of one another. I've been thinning them every so often and feeding them to the chickens, so not a total waste. But now the leaves are big enough for human consumption, yum!

I marinated and grilled some butterflied chicken breasts with plenty for leftovers. For the salad I sliced cucumbers and the chicken, then sprinkled some canned corn on top. (Those are some pickled brussel sprouts on the side.) 

Now bring on the dressing, so fresh! Even Chris enjoys a giant green salad covered in this.

Recommended Listening: Fitz and The Tantrums

In 2011, Fitz and The Tantrums won me over with one of their debut singles, Breaking the Chains of Love, saucey lyrics and an old school Motown beat. They're back now with their sophomore album, More Than A Dream. And they have definitely shown that they're not just a retro thowback, crafting a sound of their own. The group is led by Micheal "Fitz" Fitzpatrick whose vocals are similar to Daryl Hall (and looks an awful lot like Michael Keaton with a swatch of grey hair) and Noelle Scaggs, a soulful songtress. I was lucky enough to catch these guys at last years Firefly Festival. They were definitely one of my favorite acts, so dynamic and vibrant on stage. Noelle and Fitz had such an energy, they had the whole crowd dancing and singing along.

So far my favorite song from the new album is, 6AM, a slower, dancey, lover's lament. But it showcases the vocal duality between Fitz and Noelle. They perform it live for the World Cafe with David Dye, along with some others tracks; I've got a link below!

Listen to their interview with David Dye on WXPN

Watch their session on Live From Daryl's House

Hiking in Valley Green

Fairmount Park in Philadelphia can boast of over 4,000 acres of river, forest, trails, and historic monuments.  Some vitamin D and some fresh air was exactly what we needed after a weekend of eating, drinking, bonfires, and extreme volleyball.

Bring Out Your Grills!

The past few days in Philly have felt like summer, muggy temperatures in the 80's. And it also happens to be Memorial Day Weekend, the time to respectfully remember those who died in military service. And like all American holidays it's also centralized around food, fine by me. It's time to bring out the grill if you haven't already. Hot dogs and hamburgers are the favorite, I know, but my favorite is America's "other white meat", pork. So tender and juicy, it's hard to mess it up. The other day, I grilled a pork loin and some vegetables. We've also been holding onto a bottle of homemade beet wine from our friend, and Chris's bandmate, Preston. I thought it would compliment our meal nicely.

For Perfectly Grilled Pork loin:

For the Pork loin, I marinated it in some Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce, always a winner. I fired up the gas grill and let it get to about 450°. I seared both sides of the pork, about 5 minutes on each side, then placed the pork over indirect heat and lowered the temperature to 400°. At this time close the grill and prepare the veggies.

For the Veggies:

I sliced two yellow squash in to quarter inch rounds, as well as some mixed radishes, an onion, and threw in some garlic bulbs. I also added a rosemary branch, and liberally doused it all with olive oil, salt and cracked pepper. I've never used the grill basket before so I was a little unsure how they were going to cook...

The grill basket turned out the be a superstar. I didn't lose anything down the grates! The all cooked safely inside the basket. I put the veggies on 15 minutes in over the flame, and then grilled everything another 15 with the pork. I tossed them only a few times to get them a little charred. This was also the first time grilling radishes, and they turned out to be a fantastic addition with the squash. After about a half hour I took the pork off and let it rest for 10 minutes before slicing it up. While the meat was resting, I got out some crusty homemade bread, drizzled it with a basil infused olive oil and grilled it. A grilled feast!

Preston's wine was also delicious! I'd say it had a close flavor to a rosé, with a hint of beet in the aftertaste. We were jokingly calling it "Shrute's Choice". I'll have to learn how to make it, or at least make sure to get a steady supply for him. A lovely meal for a muggy evening.

So go grill something, and enjoy the three day weekend!

Welcome Home, Stormegeddon

I'm going to tell tale of how an innocent family outing ended in thievery and deception...

Last year Chris and I went out for dinner with brothers, sisters and significant others. We were the only table seated outside the restaurant huddled by the blazing chiminea, amongst a multitude of tchotchkes, and drinking multiple pitchers of Margaritas despite the March chill. After much discussion about the amount of garden accessories that surrounded us, somehow, we ended up taking a giant wooden rooster that was seated near us. (I know, I know). That night there were heated arguments about who would get to keep the pilfered item. Since we were at Jeff and Kelly's apartment they proudly displayed it on their mantle. I don't really remember who stole it first, but since then it's been a sort of a "game" to steal it from each others homes. 

The only rules are...

1. He needs to be openly displayed and attainable 
2. If you are caught red handed you have to put him back. 

This is now our second possession of Stormegeddon, yes it is a Doctor Who reference, well done! Chris was thinking on his feet last night at Emily and Chrissy's as we left and put it in an empty tote bag on our way out. And they had only just recently stolen it from Jeff and Kelly's at Jeff's birthday party. So now we must keep constant vigilance over him! But secretly it's fun to scheme how to steal it back again. And it's nice to have family traditions, especially if it requires plotting and a good amount of tom foolery!

Stormy wanted to check out the coop this morning.

Keep those hens in line, Stormegeddon!

Tiny Terra Ferma

Last night we attended Tiny Terra Ferma's launch party celebrating the farmer's market in Pretzel Park, Manayunk. Yay for buying local! They provided delicious fresh food, live music, and a raffle (no winners here, though). We discovered this garden and landscaping supplier this past weekend, and I've already purchased a fig plant, and some Irish moss for our walkway. Check them out! Or chat with their super friendly staff in person at 4324 Main Street, Philadelphia.

The storefront on Main Street.

Some jazzy tunes.

BYO and they were selling some tremendous homemade cider.

Some pretty flowers for sale.

The canal and a view of the Manayunk Bridge.

DIY Detox Mask

Last week I shared a toning facial steam recipe, and today I've got an oil banishing, moisturizing, make you look like a green monster so even your dog won't recognize you, mask. Whew.

A year back when I started going all natural for my skin routine I bought a one pound bag of French green clay. It cost me $17, and I've been doing at least one mask per week. So that works out to about 30 cents per mask. All natural and thrifty!

This sort of clay literally sucks the impurities out of your pores, so it's really good for acne prone skin. It's okay for everyone else, you just don't need to use it as often. It also works well with a bunch of other things: apple cider vinegar, aloe vera, Greek yogurt, or just plain water works too. I use it with apple cider vinegar as spot treatment. Mix a little in your hand to make a paste, dab it on any unsightly blemish, and let it dry. I promise it will reduce the size and redness and shorten it's time on your face. For more frequent whole face detoxing, I mix it with Thayer's Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera. Alone it's a moisturizing toner, but with this mask it brings a moisturizing balance to the clay's detoxifying properties. 

If you want to get fancy with this mask, start with a about half a tablespoon of clay in a small ramekin. Start adding squirts of the Witch Hazel and mix it with a clean paint brush (preferably and facial dedicated brush). Mix till you get a nice smooth paste and just paint it on, avoiding sensitive areas. The paintbrush truly is an upgrade from just fingertips, the brush feels really nice on your skin, spa-worthy!

Let it dry for 15 or so minutes, so that it's all dry and crackly. I always make sure to give Chris some warning when I put on a mask , I have startled him more than a few times... Behold, the Green Monster!

I added this photo by request! Not my best look.

A Doggy Weekend

Dante was picking up all the ladies of Phoenixville Friday night.

Dante and Carl at Jeff's Birthday Party.

Cousin Colin

Where does Colin end and the blanket begin?

Eggs!

More adventures in chicken keeping... Last weekend we acquired more chickens from a small animal auction near Lancaster, PA. We said goodbye to our roos and got 8 eight week old Americaunas. Chris' parents live nearby and have also joined the backyard chicken bandwagon, so there's a whole lot of chicken swapping going on...

Mellen bought two beautiful egg laying hens, a lavender Orpington and a white Silkie. 

We've been calling them "Fozzy" and "Babette"  for their time with us.

Because they don't have a coop built yet their hens have been bunking with ours for the past week. The girls earn their keep by giving us eggs! 

They haven't been using the nesting boxes, so maybe we'll tweak the design.

Which is fun because our hens won't start laying for a couple of weeks. The little Silkie is a very consistent layer, she gives us one small and slightly shiny egg every afternoon. The larger Orpington has only given us one large egg, more matte looking, and we've eaten them all! Mmmm, can't wait for our own hens to do their thing.

Orpington egg on top, two Silkie eggs on the bottom

So the other eight Americaunas have been living with Chris' parents until they're ready to go outside, probably another week. We'll split them up with Chris' parents. Those girls will bring our flock count up to around seven. And soon enough we'll have more eggs than we can eat ourselves!

Bacon and egg burger

Tiny Silkie egg and goat cheese on homemade toasted bread; breakfast of champions!

An Herbal Skin Pick Me Up

It's been a particularly stressful work week for me, so last night I decided to give my face a little pampering. Steams are wonderfully refreshing; they are good for your skin and breathing in the herby goodness helps me to unwind. For this steam I used...

• juice of a fresh lemon
• two sprigs of rosemary 
• two drops of tea tree oil 

These are all good for oily and acne prone skin, like mine. *sigh* But you can use other things like lavender oil for normal skin, or rose oil for dry skin. Pour boiling water in a large bowl, add your ingredients, and sit with your face over the bowl and a large towel over your head. It's like a little sauna for your face! Steam away for as long add you like, and just towel off when you're done. You face will feel soft and tight. This would be a great time for a detoxifying clay mask, but I'll post that another day!

NOTE: If you're wondering where to get essential oils from, Whole Foods always has a great selection, but the best resource for botanicals great and small is Mountain Rose Herbs.

Homemade Bread: Just Make It Already

I'm a terrible baker. I just am. But I can make some darn good bread. I had never even humored the idea of bread baking because my lack of skills until my father in law started making these divine crusty loaves and convinced me that the recipe he uses is really easy. OK fine, twist my arm.

I actually ended up starting with this recipe from Makes and Takes. It took a batch or two to actually get comfortable with the process. Because a lot of factors affect bread dough, it's essential to know what each step is supposed to look like, and not necessarily follow a strict amount of ingredients. I'd wager the temperature and amount of water has the largest bearing on the dough. So here's my bread steps. Again I'm an awful baker, so don't be afraid!

Ready for the extensive list of ingredients?

• 3 cups lukewarm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1 1/2 tablespoons kosher or other coarse salt
• 6 1/2 cups bread flour (I use King Arthur)
• cornmeal (for dusting the pizza stone)

In a large bowl add the flour, yeast and salt.

Use a candy thermometer to get 3 cups of water to 100-110° F. I think that this is actually an important factor. Too cold and the yeast takes forever to activate and too hot the yeast will die. Dead yeast!!

Add the water one cup at a time while you stir. Yes, you could use a stand mixer. I have my mom's hand-me-down Kitchen Aid that's older than me, but I hand stir the bread. Why? A few reasons, 1. The original recipe told me so 2. My mom claims that the mixer would take out the airy bubbles this bread gets 3. I'm lazy. Your move. Stir with some elbow grease and a sturdy wooden spoon. All the flour should be incorporated. Add more water or flour depending on the consistency. It shouldn't look wet, but it should still be sticky.

Dampen a tea towel with warm water and cover the bowl. Put it in a warm area.  On top of the dryer. On top of the oven that's already on. Or outside on a sunny day. Let the dough rise.

Rise time will vary 1-8 hours. SO just know that the dough must double in size.

Once risen, preheat your oven to 450°. Prepare a pizza stone with a dusting of cornmeal. Sprinkle some flour on a surface for kneading. (I use regular flour instead of bread flour just because it's a little cheaper, and you don't knead to be wasting your precious bread flour. Pun?) Also dust your hands with some flour while you're at it, otherwise your fingers become a useless doughy mess.

Carefully pull the dough out of the bowl and give it a few kneads. Doesn't require too much. Divide the dough. I make two loaves. Shape them and place them on the stone. Score the tops for presentation. Then let them rest just like that for a half hour. While they rest put a rimmed baking sheet in the bottom rack of the oven. When you put the bread in fill that heated pan with water. The steam helps put a golden crust on the bread.

Bake for 30-35 minutes. Again, bake times will vary. Keep an eye on them. They'll be ready when the top is golden, and sounds hollow when you tap it.

As much as you want to, don't slice up the bread just yet. Let them cool on a baking rack first, the middle still will be a little doughy. And that's it! This bread can be sliced thin for sandwiches or thick for slabs of butter and honey. It also makes great croutons.

The hands on process takes 5 minutes.

I rarely bought sliced bread, just the occasional baguette or rolls when needed. Now, I've gotten into the routine of preparing the dough Friday night or Saturday morning and baking Saturday. One batch of dough will usually last us a week or so. Additionally this bread freezes nicely. One loaf stays out, and the other gets frozen and pulled to defrost when needed. You could alternatively divide the dough and keep it in the fridge for a week to bake on demand. So many options! Just try it and see what works best for you.