Homemade Dog Biscuits

Now don't get too excited, these aren't for you but for your pets (beloved in my Mom's and my case)! This recipe is truly loved by my dogs as well as our neighbors dogs.  In fact, our dog Maggie just waits by the oven when these are baking and somehow knows that they are her "cookies".

 For this recipe, you can use those soon to come turkey drippings or just any drippings you end up getting.  If you don't have time to make these biscuits, don't be afraid to freeze the drippings until you are ready to make them.  We recently got our drippings from a cooking class we went to sponsored by Slow Food Utah.  These biscuits are cheaper to make then buy at the store and even healthier for your furry family members and friends! They make great gifts for the holidays so I hope every dog in your life enjoys them!

Getting the biscuits ready to sell at the Holiday Boutique in some decorated, recycled cans!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup hot water or meat juices*
1/3 cup margarine
1/3 cup powdered milk
1 egg, beaten
3 cups whole wheat flour (we use freshly milled)

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. In large bowl, pour the hot water or meat juices over margarine.
3. Stir in powdered milk and egg.
4. Add flour and mix well. Knead for 3-4 minutes, adding more flour to make a very stiff dough.
5. Roll out to 1/4-1/2 inch thickness and cut out with desired cookie cutters (we use dog-bone cookie cutters).
6. Place on prepared cookie sheet and bake for 50 minutes or until hard to the touch and brown around the edges.

Makes approximately 1 1/4 pounds at cost of less than 25 cents!!

*Or just use some beef, pork, or chicken bouillon.

Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Anyone else getting cold! Wow! Winter is really coming fast as summer and the farmer's market start to fade off into the distance. But don't fear, we can still make it through the winter with delicious and nutritious food! For those who have froze your food you might be even better off.  As Jack Frost starts to nip at our nose, ears, and even my toes, a warm dish is never a bad idea.  This recipe is one of the delicious recipes that will warm you right back up.  I personally didn't like bell peppers even a couple of years of ago, but now I will eat them plain.  They are sweet and have just the right taste to compliment our local quinoa and cabbage.  I have taken these to school a couple times and every time my friends laugh and say I have a "luxury lunch." Hopefully, you will get this feeling too after you eat these delicious stuffed peppers!

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tbl. olive oil
1 tbl. ground cumin
2 gloves garlic, minced (Sandhill Farms)
1 small head green cabbage, chopped (Jacob's Cove)
2 cups diced fresh tomatoes or approx. one 28 oz. can prepared tomatoes
(reserve any liquid)
3/4 cup quinoa
3 large carrots, grated (Jacob's Cove)
1 cup grated cumin spiced cheddar cheese (Gold Creek Cheese)
4 large bell peppers, halved lengthwise, seeded and ribs removed

1. Heat oil in saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes or until soft. Add cumin and garlic and saute for one minute. Stir in cabbage and tomatoes and add about 1/4 cup water. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until most of liquid has evaporated.
2. Stir in cabbage, carrots and quinoa, and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Stir in 3/4 cup of the cheese. Season with ground pepper, if desired.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking dish by adding reserved tomato juice.
4. Fill each half pepper with quinoa mixture and place in baking dish. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle each pepper with remaining cheese. Bake 10 minutes more or until cheese has melted. Let stand for 5 minutes, then serve.
adapted from Weight Watchers recipes
Options:
--can't believe that peppers and tomatoes came in so late this year that we could still make this recipe. I did use some bell peppers that I had halved, blanched and then frozen to see if they would work in this recipe. You couldn't tell which ones were made from fresh peppers and which ones were made with the frozen ones.
--You could use any cheese on this recipe and weight-watchers called for low-fat cheese which my Mother NEVER buys! She thinks if you are going to eat cheese, eat the GOOD stuff! The cumin spiced cheddar cheese is really delicious and we just cut slices and eat it plain.
--Remember, we just use whatever we have in the house so for this recipe the cabbage replaced black beans in the original recipe and we still had fresh tomatoes so it replaced canned tomatoes.

Butternut Squash and Blue Cheese Galette

Wow, can't believe the Farmer's Market is over! Time really does fly by and now we are back to the snow and bitter chill of winter, but don't fear; good recipes don't stop with the warm weather.  Winter does end the growth of many vegetables and fruits that we love, but winter squash does begin to come in around this time.  This recipe uses one of these delicious squashes to make a warm and tasty recipe.  This recipe with the yeasty, pizza like dough, the squash and the blue cheese makes for a delicious mix of textures and tastes. The amount of blue cheese you put on is your choice, so put on as much or as little as you want (not too much for me). This recipe is great and I hope you enjoy it.  Try not to get to cold out there and get ready to enjoy the winter season!

Ingredients:

Yeast Dough-

1/3 cup lukewarm water (105-115 degrees F)
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1/2 tsp. honey
1 1/2 cups flour (we use freshly milled)
1/2 tsp. Redmond Sea Salt
1 large egg, at room temperature (Clifford Family Farms)
3 tbl softened butter (Winder Farms)

1. In a bowl, stir together the water, yeast and sugar. Let stand in a warm place until bubbly, about 10 minutes.
2. In another bowl, mix the flour and salt and make a well. Add the egg, butter and yeast mixture to the well and, using a wooden spoon,  incorporate the flour into the liquid ingredients to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead briefly until smooth.
3. Transfer the dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Punch down the dough and let it rest briefly before rolling out.

Filling-

2 1/2 lbs. butternut squash or other winter squash
Olive oil
1 small head garlic, cloves separated but not peeled
1 small onion, finely chopped
10 fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped (or 1 1/2 tsp. dried sage)
l/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2/3 crumbled Delano Peak Blue Cheese (Snowy Mountain Creamery)
1 large egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Halve the squash using a sharp knive, scrape out the sees and fibers. Lightly brush each cut side with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Please the garlic cloves in the cavities and turn the squash cut sides down on a baking sheet. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife or fork.  Garlic should also be soft and, if not, return to the oven a bake a little longer.  Scoop out the squash flesh into a bowl and squeeze the garlic out of it's skin into the same bowl. Mash with a fork until fairly smooth.
2. In a skillet, warm teaspoonfuls of olive oil over low heat. Add the oinion and sage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and beginning to color, about 5-7 minutes.  Add to the squash and garlic along with the Parmesan cheese and mix well. Fold in 1/3 cup of the Blue Cheese.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured baking sheet (we use a pizza peel), roll out the dough into a 14 inch round. Spread the squash filling over the dough leaving a 2-inch border. Sprinkle remaining blue cheese on top. Fold up and pleat the border of the dough. Brush with the beaten egg.
4. Bake until the crust in nicely browned, about 25 minutes. Serve hot or warm. Leftovers are great for lunch cold!
adapted from The Savory Way by Deborah Madison

Green Tomato Pie

When we picked up our last CSA of the season from Bell Organics he gave us these lovely green tomatoes and told us to check out his green tomato pie recipe.  In both of our minds we were thinking that sounds odd.  We then both assumed that it was savory like our previous heirloom tomato pie, but it was not. In all honesty this is probably the best way to use all those green tomatoes you have left. This pie is much like the apple pies you make around this time of year, but with tomatoes. The texture of the tomatoes isn't odd at all and it surprisingly delicious.  It is sweet and has just the right amount of cinnamon.  You should try this recipe just for the fun of it and enjoy some of the last vegetables of the season, even if they are green!

Filling:

4 cups peeled, cored, and sliced green tomatoes
3 tbl. butter (Winder Farms)
4 tbl. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 & 1/4 cup sugar
3 tbl. flour (freshly milled)
dash of salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves


Crust:

2 cups flour (freshly milled)
1/4 tsp. salt (Redmond Sea Salt)
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
3/4 cup butter or butter flavored shortening (Winder Farms)
1/2 cup cold water

For the crust:
1. Mix together the flour, salt, sugar and baking powder in the bowl. Cut butter/shortening into the flour mixture with a fork until it resembles cornmeal. Stir in water one tablespoonful at a time and mix until combined. Cover dough and let it rest in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
2. Divide dough in half.  On a lightly floured surface, pat each section into a small round then roll out each to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Place one round in pie pan and trim off excess dough and save second piece for top.
3. Saute the tomatoes in the butter and lemon juice until tender.  Combine tomatoes with sugar, flour, salt and spices. Pour filling into prepared pie crust and dot with butter. Cover with top crust. Pinch around sides and pierce top with a fork.
4. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes then reduce to 350 degrees and bake until crust is brown or about 35-40 more minutes.
5. Let rest 30-45 minutes to let it set before eating.
Options:
--some recipes call for 3 tbl. tapioca flour or quick tapioca. To keep it more local, we just used our freshly milled flour but it was a bit runny when hot out of the oven.

Eggplant and Tomato Sauce

My mom loves eggplant and I don't mind it because I like it too.  So when they told us we needed to bring a kind of sauce to share at the Eat Local Challenge Pasta Party we instantly thought of a eggplant and tomato spaghetti sauce.  We started to look for one and found one in Lidia's Family Table.  This recipe has the best of both vegetables and is really delicious.  It is perfect on Nu Nooz pasta or on your own homemade pasta, add a little cheese, and eat.  This recipe makes a lot of sauce so be prepared to use it!

Ingredients:
5 pounds ripe plum tomatoes (blanched, seeded and peeled)
3 & 1/2 pounds firm eggplants
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups chopped onions
2 tsp. Redmond Sea Salt
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried red hot pepper flakes
4 branches fresh basil with leaves

1. Process tomatoes through a food mill or sieve to remove the skin and seeds in a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Trim and peel the eggplants. Cut them into 3/4 inch chunks.
3. Put the oil in a large saucepan, add the onions and 1 teaspoonful of salt. Set over medium heat, stir well and cook until the onions are softened, about 7-10 minutes. Only cook until the onions are soft, stirring frequently and adjusting the heat to avoid browning.
4. When the onions are softened, push them to the sides of the pan and clear a space in the middle of the pan. Place the chopped garlic in the middle of the pan, stir within this middle to caramelize for about 1 minute. Stir the onions into the garlic and then add 2 tablespoonfuls of water into the pan and stir everything together. Cook until liquid has evaporated.
5. Add the eggplant chunks to the pan and add additional 1 teaspoonful of salt. Stir together with the onions and garlic until all chunks are coated. Cook over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes or until the eggplant is soft but still retains it shape. Add more water only if the pan gets dry and the eggplant begins to brown.
6. Pour in the tomatoes and their juice into the pan. Rinse the tomato bowl with 2-3 cups of water and add to the pan.  Sprinkle with the red hot pepper flakes and additional salt and pepper to taste.  Sink the basil branches into the liquid. Raise heat to medium and allow to come to a boil.
7. Lower heat to keep at a low simmer. Cover and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Uncover the pan and continue to cook at a low simmer until sauce is reduced. Stir occasionally to keep eggplant from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Cook uncovered for additional 1-2 hours or until at desired consistency (we like our sauce VERY reduced). Remove the basil branches and serve with your favorite pasta or ravioli.
adapted from Lidia's Family Table
options:
--add meatballs in step #5
--saute sausage along with the onions in step #3

Swiss Chard and Sausage Strata

Ingredients:

1 pound sausage (Red Wine from Colosimo)
2 shallots, finely chopped (Downtown Farmers Market)
1 bunch Swiss Chard (Bell Organic)
1/4 cup homemade chicken broth (or water if you don't have broth)
1 day old baguette, cut into 1/2-inch chunks (Crumb Brothers)
2 & 1/2 cups 2% milk (Winder Farms)
7 large eggs, lightly beaten (Clifford Family Farms)
1 cup shredded cheese (take your pick from all our local purveyors)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add sausage and break up meat with wooden spoon as it cooks. Transfer to a small bowl once cooked through.
3. Add 1 tsp. additional oil, if needed, to skillet. Add shallots and chard stems and cook, stirring frequently until shallots are translucent. Add chicken broth to pan, and cook, stirring up any browned bits from the skillet. Add chard leaves and cook, stirring frequently, until wilted. Add sausage back to the pan and season with salt and pepper if needed.
4. Sprinkle half the sausage and chard mixture in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with the bread, overlapping the pieces (save a few pieces of bread for the final layer). Top with remaining sausage and chard mixture. In large bowl, whisk together the milk and eggs, season with salt and pepper and pour over the top. Add additional slices of bread and press down firmly to make sure all the bread is submerged and the milk and egg mixture is distributed evenly. Cover dish tightly with foil and let sit at least 10 minutes or overnight (stratas are always better if they sit overnight and let the flavors blend together).
5. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes.
6. Uncover and sprinkle with shredded cheese and bake until the cheese melts or about 7-10 minutes.
7. Let cool for 10 minutes to allow the strata to set.
serves 6-8 as main meal
About $2/serving

Peppered Pear and Goat Cheese Scones

Hi, this is Bianca's Mom. We just want to thank all our friends and family for all their support over the past two weeks. It has been great for both of us to know how much love and support we have. One thing that has amused both Bianca and I is how concerned our friends are about bringing over "local" food to feed us. Although local is important to us, we are just thankful to have so many people so willing to help us. Many of our friends have been bringing over their own homegrown pears and one of our Italian friends (the real deal from Northern Italy) even brought us some homemade pear jam. Then one of our friends forwarded us this scone recipe. Since we also had a bunch of goat cheese that people had brought over and we love scones (how can you ever go wrong making something with an entire stick of butter), we decided to try this recipe. Bianca and I both loved this recipe but if you can't eat them all, make sure to refrigerate them since they seem to go bad fairly quickly. As Bianca would say, Enjoy!

2 C all-purpose flour (we used freshly milled whole wheat)

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

2 T honey (Knight Family Farms)

1 1/4 tsp salt (Redmond Sea Salt)

1 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter (cold, cut into 1/2 inch slices) Winder Farms

1 medium pear, peeled, cored and roughly chopped (I used 2 pears since they were fairly small)

4 ounces goat cheese, broken into walnut-sized pieces (Shepard's Farm herbed)

1/2 C whole milk/low fat yogurt (we used our homemade yogurt)

2 T whole milk or buttermilk (Winder Farms)

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.Combine four, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper, stir well.

add butter, blend into the four mix with your fingers - till there are pea-sized butter chunks.

Sprinkle pear chunks and goat cheese over the flour/butter mix, gently toss (try to not mash the pear or cheese).

3.Soften yogurt by mixing with the milk.  Pour over the flour mix, and fold together gently with a spatula (try to not break up the cheese pieces).

4.Divide dough into 8 pieces (I separated into 12, for 12 scones instead).  Place mounds of dough on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
5. Bake for 25 minutes, move to cooling rack, and enjoy.

adapted from Savory Baking by Mary Cech