something simple...

i love goat cheese...i love figs...this seems like a good spring recipe that can follow you into summer...

Fig and Goat Cheese Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions

 

Ingredients:

·    8 slices of wheat & barley bread
·    1 large yellow onion, sliced
·    10 ounces soft goat cheese (not crumbled)
·    14 large fresh figs, ends removed and thinly sliced
·    1 tablespoon olive oil
·    4 tablespoons unsalted butter
·    Salt to taste

Makes 4 sandwiches

Warm 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sized sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and pinch of salt. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions have softened and turned light brown in color. Remove from heat and set aside (or store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to two days).

To assemble the sandwiches: layer slices of goat cheese, caramelized onions and fig slices, making sure that goat cheese is the first and last layer for each sandwich (it should be touching the bread).

To grill sandwiches: In a large sauté pan or on a griddle, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Place the assembled sandwich in the butter and grill for 2-3 minutes per side, until the bread turns golden brown and crisp. Serve immediately.

http://kveller.com/activities/food/tu-bishvat-recipes.shtml

breaking more than eggs...

well spring sprang!...fell and broke my leg and at my age (57) it is far graver than when i was younger...the world is a different place as well...no more casts and crutches...surgery and a fitted boot, and $100,000 later and am still in pain...this happened march 6 so i'm still catching up...hope everyone has a better tale to tell...

easter and spring...

About Oestara

a guide to the Sabbat’s symbolism
by Arwynn MacFeylynnd
Date: March 21–23 (usually, the date of the calendar spring equinox).
Alternative names: Spring Equinox, Vernal Equinox, Alban Eiler, Mean Erraigh, Eostre.
Primary meanings: Oestara is light and dark balanced, with light gaining power. It’s the turning point from winter to spring. It is a beginning of the agricultural year, and its rites ensure fertility of crops and flocks; it is a time of planting, nurturing and growth. The God and Goddess begin their courtship now. Oestara was not originally a part of the Celtic year but was named for a Teutonic goddess of spring and new life, Eostre. The holiday was probably brought to prominence in the Celtic world by the Saxons.
Symbols: The hare or rabbit, eggs, seeds, potted plants, the New Moon, butterflies and cocoons.
Colors: Lemon yellow, pale green and pale pink, all pastels, robin’s-egg blue and white.
Gemstones: Aquamarine, rose quartz and moonstone.
Herbs: Crocuses, daffodils, ginger, jasmine, Irish moss and snowdrops.
Gods and goddesses: All youthful and virile gods and goddesses, sun gods, mother goddesses, love goddesses, moon gods and goddesses and all fertility deities. Goddesses include Persephone, Blodeuwedd, Eostre, Aphrodite, Athena, Cybele, Gaia, Hera, Isis, Ishtar, Minerva and Venus. Gods include Robin of the Woods, the Green Man, Cernunnos, the Dagda, Attis, Mithras, Odin, Thoth, Osiris and Pan.
Customs and myths: Spell-work for improving communication and group interaction is recommended, as well as for fertility and abundance. Oestara is a good time to start putting those plans and preparations you made at Imbolc into action. Plan a celebratory walk (or ride) through gardens, a park, woodlands, forest or other green places. A popular Oestara activity is decorating and coloring or dying hard-boiled eggs, or other eggs such as those made of wooden or papier-mâché. Use gold and silver paint pens to draw pagan designs and magickal symbols all over your eggs, or use other color combinations. Try interconnected triangles, symbolizing the Triple Goddess, pentagrams and other God and Goddess symbols, or words written in magickal scripts. Other traditional activities include gardening and practicing all forms of herbal work — magickal, artistic, medicinal, culinary and cosmetic.

Liebkuchen (Honey Cakes)

1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup honey
1 cup sour milk* (see below)
2 Tablespoons vinegar
6 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon mace**
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon

Prepare sour milk and mix dry ingredients. Set both aside. Cream margarine and sugar, add egg, beat until light. Add honey, sour milk and vinegar. Mix thoroughly. Chill one hour. Roll out to 1/4" thickness. Cut into 2"x3" rectangles and place on buttered cookie sheets. Bake at 375° for 6 minutes. Frost with plain vanilla frosting.

* For sour milk, add 1 T. vinegar to 1 c. milk and let stand for 10 minutes.

** Ground Mace - Mace is a spice made from the membrane that covers the nutmeg seed. Tastes like a stronger, more aromatic version of nutmeg.

herbs du provence...

one of my favorite food blogs is '101 cookbooks', it's a simple, beautiful site with excellent recipes...
for the holidays she mentioned 'a few of her favorite things', including 'herbs du provence' which no kitchen should be without...

Favorites List (Fall 2010) - 101 Cookbooks

www.101cookbooks.com

herbs du provence recipe...why buy old, dusty herbs when you can make it fresh...and whether you're in sandy eggo or the edge of the world you can by on-line where i buy my herbs...jody is the owner, this is her baby...herbs are impeccably fresh and reasonably priced, mostly organic or wild...check it out...

http://www.inharmonyherbs.com/


i like this recipe because i love lavender in everything including this...teas, breads, cookies, jams, sachets...everything...dream pillows...lavender... in iced tea with lemon and mint...ooh so good...

http://www.wowyouarereallylucky.com/tv-show-recipes/lavender-recipes-herbs-de-provence.htm

sweet potato biscuits with chorizo gravy...

http://homesicktexan.blogspot.com/2010/11/sweet-potato-biscuits-chorizo-gravy.html

boozey mushroom pasta...

one of our favorite fall-back dishes is a simple mushroom cream sauce...you can add or delete items, but a little butter, carmelized onions, mushrooms and cream are the stars of this recipe...and of course, your favorite alcohol...

ingredients are according to taste;


butter ~ sweet, 1/4 c. or half stick

onions ~ one or two large, depending on your love of the onions...
               i prefer sweet browns, maui, vidalia...
               sliced thinly...

garlic ~ 1 tsp, minced, cheat!...i buy the BIG jars from smart&final, on the spice shelf, refridge after opening...

mushrooms ~ lots!...i want to have at least one mushroom in every bite...not a fan of button, but do your thing, i prefer crimini, or their big brother portobello, again, cheat, trader joe's has crimini pre-sliced in the bag, oh no my friend, too easy... 


booze ~ depends on the alcohol...we use marsala, brown and nutty, it gives great flavor aand color, but hey, vodka, whisky, tequila will do, as well as, any wine, white, red, brandy, sherry or port...i love port...at least 1/2 cup...


half&half or cream ~ cream is preferred, no waiting for the sauce to reduce...your taste, but again at least 1/2 cup...


pasta? ~ your choice...too many to name...


melt butter, add onions and a small amount of water, aides in softening onions, low heat or watch carefully...when water evaps onions will start to brown and carmelize, don't burn...

add garlic, always after the onions are cooked or it becomes bitter...

add mushrooms, toss to absorb all the delicious flavor...

add booze, cook to burn off some of the alcohol, not all, but the more you cook, (alcohol gone, sugar remains)the sweeter it gets...

add cream, low, low, low heat...sauce will thicken, if you are very naughty add a pat more of butter...

salt and pepper to taste...


serve over cooked pasta...

now...if you prefer a thinner sauce, and i ask myself 'why?'...add some of the pasta cooking water...so hold back a little for that use...

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
now...
 
add shrimp, scallops, mussels...


use it on chicken, pork~chops, tofu...


you can add spinach...yum!...peas...broccoli...water chestnuts...