The following blogs were written by Baltimore-based award-winning cookbook author, cook, caterer, local seasonal food proponent, farmers market advocate and dear friend Kerry Dunnington. Kerry’s cookbooks can be found on www.amazon.com/kerrydunnington or by contacting Kerry at kerrydunnington@verizon.net, or via her website www.kerrydunnington.com. Kerry has a special offer in 2021, each of her cookbooks is on sale for $10.00.

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LUSCIOUS RHUBARB CAKE

My parents and grandparents ate according to the seasons, but today, since produce departments in most grocery stores look the same day after day, month after month, you would be hard pressed to even guess the season based on the produce available. Only a few foods have managed to stay out o fate year round mainstream because consumers haven’t demanded them. Rhubarb falls into this category – it is one of the few vegetables that grocery stores don’t sell 12 months of the year.

Rhubarb makes its brief debut in spring. To make it palatable, it needs sweetening, so aficionados of rhubarb make pies, cobblers, cakes, puddings, jams, and chutneys. I never fell into the “rhubarb aficionado” category. I couldn’t seem to reason with such a tart tasting vegetable that was treated as a fruit. But, I wanted to challenge my culinary skills.

Selecting, Storing, Preparing: Rhubarb looks like a large pinkish-red version of the pale green celery stalk, except it stands about a foot and a half high. Choose firm, crisp and plump stalks. Kept in a refrigerator in a vegetable bag, rhubarb will last for about a week. Both raw and cooked rhubarb freeze with great results. To prepare, remove the (poisonous!) leaves, wash and trim both ends of the stalks, prepare according to recipe directions. Rhubarb is high in fiber and low in calories (about 20 calories per cup, before sweetener added).

Recipe: I had to hid this cake from my husband after he went for a third helping. It is extraordinarily moist and if I hand’t been the person making it, I would never guess rhubarb was one of the primary ingredients. Cake ingredients: 2 cups white flour; 1 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/4 tsp cinnamon; 1/8 tsp salt; 1/2 (1 stick) butter; 1/2 cup white sugar; 1/2 brown sugar packed; 1 egg; 1 tsp vanilla; 1 cup buttermilk; and 2 cups (about 1 /2 pound) rhubarb stalks, finely diced. Topping ingredients: 1/2 cup walnuts; 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed; and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Take the following steps: Preheat oven to 350 deg. Lightly oil a 13×9 inch baking dish or pan with cooking spray. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, beat the butter with the white and brown sugars, and add the egg and vanilla and beat together until fluffy. Alternately, combine with the flour mixture, add buttermilk and beat until well combined. Fold in the rhubarb. Transfer to a baking pan, spreading evenly. In another bowl, toss the walnuts, brown sugar and cinnamon for the topping, and distribute evenly over the cake. Bake for approximately 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake come out clean. Serves 15 [foonote: unless you are having 3 servings each, in which case it serves 5].

From http://www.baltimoreeats.com, May 2008.

FESTIVE SIDES ADD VIBRANCE, COLOR – Make your holiday dinner extra special this year.

Christmas dinner varied between my grandparents. My father’s parents traditionally served oyster stew; the stew accompanied thin slices of salty country ham that were sandwiched between hot-from-the-oven beaten biscuits. To complete the meal, and as a tribute to their Southern roots, my grandmother served green beans that had been cooked for hours in the essence from the country ham. My mother’s parents served the customary Thanksgiving dinner menu for Christmas. When my parents hosted us five children and their parents, they served a Christmas menu that included variations on a few of the menu items that were traditionally served by their families with some “modern changes”. One year, mother served what became a family favorite – jumbo lumps of crab folded into a creamy homemade bisque, and blue cheese dressing topped wedges of head lettuce. Perfectly seasoned roast been accompanied creamy mashed potatoes, and colorful vegetable side dishes rounded out the meal.

I adopted portions of my grandparents’ and parents’ Christmas menus: seafood Newberg; baked or country ham; marinated beef tenderloin; rack of lamb; stuffed chicken breasts; Cornish game hens; and crown roast of pork. These are some of the menu items I have served over the years. I’ll serve our family favorite this year for Christmas dinner, including my recipes for orange marmalade tomatoes and spinach gratin. Whatever you decide to serve for your family holiday dinner, these colorful (red and green) and festive side dishes complement almost any main dish.

Orange Marmalade Tomatoes: 1 tbsp butter; 1 tsp curry powder; 1 cup onion, chopped; 1 cup tomato juice; 1/2 cup orange marmalade; 1 tsp cinnamon; 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes; salt and pepper to taste. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saute pan over moderate heat, melt butter and add curry powder, stir for a minute or so, add the onion and saute for 5 minutes or until translucent, stirring often. Add tomato juice, orange marmalade, cinnamon and tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat, add salt and pepper. Transfer to a baking dish and bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Serves six.

The above is from Cooking with Kerry Dunnington, examiner.com, December 21, 2007 edition.

SUMMER’S PROLIFIC VEGETABLE

Is there any vegetable that better defines the summer months than the prolific, tender delicate tasting squash? Now through October, Farmers Markets will be brimming with a variety of squash. Although squash has no outstanding nutritional virtues beyond being very low in calories (about 25 per cut), they are popular for their versatility.

Zucchini is the favored jewel of summer squashes. Other varieties include pattypan – shaped like a flying saucer, straight neck – a yellow version of the oblong green zucchini, and crooked neck – also a yellow version with a hooked neck. Also popular and relatively new is baby fingerling.

Selecting: All summer squash are delicate and thin-skinned. Look for those that are firm, with unblemished bright and glossy skins. Unless you are planning to stuff them, choose small squash, about 6-inches long, they tend to be more flavorful and tender.

Preparing: Young squash does not need to be pared and unless stuffed, keep seeds intact. Just wash and trim ends. If not using right away, store refrigerated and use within a week.

Worth Noting: Zucchini are also known as “courgettes,” a French name recently adopted by American chefs, and often seen on American restaurant menus.

Enjoying: Squash is the basis for all sorts of dishes. Raw or cooked, this versatile vegetable can be shredded, cubed, julienned, diced and sliced. It can be steamed, stuffed, broiled, fried, sautéed, grilled or baked. Generally, squash cooks very quickly, to avoid it from from turning mushy, cook until just fork tender.

• Julienne fresh zucchini and add to a raw vegetable platter.
• Saute slices and slightly brown squash in butter or olive oil, season with salt and pepper
• Shred and add to: tossed salads, spaghetti sauce; stews; casseroles; stir Frys; soups; quesadillas; scrambled eggs; meatloaf; and the ricotta mixture for manicotti
• Steam slices unti fork tender and season with butter, salt and pepper
• Cut lengthwise into thick slices and add to lasagna instead of noodles
• For extra moist cakes, muffins or savor or sweet pancakes and waffles, add shredded zucchini
• Season squash with Bragg liquid aminos – an all natural, all purpose seasoning made from soy protein – available from most health-oriented grocery stores.

For more recipes using the varieties of summer squash, as well as recipes that include some of the suggestions mentioned above, check out my cookbook, This Book Cooks.

ZUCCHINI “SLAW”:

The secret to this delicious dish is the warm dressing. The key is to prepare the hot dressing and toss with the salad ingredients at room temperature right before serving. Delicious accompaniments are seafood, pork, beef and/or chicken.

SLAW: 2 medium zucchini unpeeled – cut into thin julienne strips; 1 small red pepper – cut into think julienne strips; 2 medium shallots

DRESSING: 1/3 cup olive oil; 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped; 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar; 1 teaspoon sugar; salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, toss together zucchini, red pepper and shallots. In a saute pan over medium heat, heat oil and saute walnuts for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently so as not to burn the walnuts. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Pour over zucchini and toss, serve immediately. Serves 4 – 6.

From Baltimore eats – July 2007.

A ROOT WORTH ROOTING FOR!

When I was at the market buying seafood for an upcoming party, I overheard my Israeli friend Rafi, who runs a seafood wholesale business, talking on the telephone. In his commanding and boisterous voice, I heard him say, “You can’t have it! It’s out of season!” I closed my eyes and made my purchase of (in season) Shad Roe and said to myself, “Thank you Rafi, for helping to spread the word: YOU CAN’T HAVE IT, BECAUSE IT’S NOT IN SEASON! Maybe it’s a little easier for us to understand that an item like a soft crab (a molting crab that has just emerged from its hard shell) simply isn’t going to be available all year round, but just as you shouldn’t see soft crabs this time of year, you really shouldn’t see markets stocked with green tomatoes, watermelon or rhubarb in December, January and February! What is in season this month is the sprightly flavored radish, a root worth rooting for.

Selecting: Although there are many varieties of radish, the most popular and commonly known radish is the round and red, Cherry Bell. Also popular is the white radish (harvested in the winter months) known as daikon (meaning “great root”) used mostly in Japanese stir-fries. Relatively new is the Easter egg variety, a colorful combination of lavender, rose, reddish purple, pink, white and scarlet. I prefer buying radishes that have green tops intact, the greens should be fresh, bright green and crispy looking, bulbs should be firm and plump. For optimum flavor, choose small to medium radishes, larger radishes can be tough and woodsy tasting.

Preparing: If you serve radishes whole with leaves intact, as suggested below, wash well just before using. Otherwise, remove leaves and store whole radishes wrapped in plastic; they will keep for several days. To prepare, wash well, trim off stems and tips.

Worth Noting:

• About one cup of sliced radishes is 20 calories.
• Radishes’ peppery tastes stimulates the production of saliva and rouses the appetite.
• In Oaxaca, Mexico, on the 23rd of December, The Night of the Radishes (“La Noche de los Rabanos”) is celebrated. Radish growers provide artists with giant radishes that are used to carve elaborate sculptures.

Enjoying: For cocktail hour (and a twist on the ubiquitous vegetable platter), serve radishes with crispy, fresh looking leaves intact set in a clear glass bowl filled with ice cubes (makes the radishes extra crispy!). Have a ramekin of salt for dipping. Other creative ways to enjoy radishes: add slices radish to tossed salads or make tea sandwiches; combine 8-ounces cream cheese with 2 teaspoons dried tarragon and 1/2 teaspoon salt, slather slices of bread with cream cheese mixture, top with a thin slice of radish, season with salt and pepper and top with remaining slice of bread. Radish bunches make a colorful and unique centerpiece, especially the Easter Egg variety. Crispy, crunchy radishes make a tasty and colorful addition to this month’s recipe for Radish Rice, a twist on the usual lettuce salad.

Radish Rice: The rice can be cooked a day or two in advance and the salad ingredients can be prepared before your guests arrive. Assemble the ingredients and toss just before serving. Recipe: SALAD: 3 cups cooked white rice, room temperature; 1 1/4 cups frozen peas, thawed (place peas in tepid water, thaw for 15 minutes, drain); 1 cup radishes, cut in half and thinly sliced; 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes, cut in half*; 1/2 cup celery, thinly sliced on the diagonal; 1/2 cup sliced scallions; 1/2 cup orange pepper, chopped; 1/2 cup pitted black olives, chopped (preferably Kalamata); 1 tablespoon parsley, minced; salt and pepper to taste. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and toss with just enough dressing to coat, season with salt and pepper. Serves 6 – 8. DRESSING: 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar; 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil. In a 2-cup capacity jar with a tight fitting lid combine salt, pepper, Dijon mustard and vinegar, shake vigorously. Add olive oil 1/4 cup at a time, shaking after each addition. Keep dressing at room temperature until ready to toss with salad. Yields 1 cup.

* Warm temperatures produce sweet yellow cherry tomatoes, if they are not available, omit or use red cherry tomatoes.

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LEAVES OF GREEN: In keeping with the natural rhythm of our environment, Mother Nature is producing spinach now through May. This jade green, spade-shaped leaf provides more nutrients than any other food … what a gem! Spinach boasts an impressive nutritional profile that includes rich doses of vitamins C, K, A, folate, magnesium, iron, vitamin B2, calcium, potassium and vitamin B6. One cup of steamed spinach has 41 calories. No wonder Popeye declared “I’m strong to the finish, cause I eats my spinach!”

SELECTING: A few types of spinach are available. Popular, and what is known as baby salad spinach, is a smooth leaf variety usually sold in plastic bags or containers and comes conveniently washed and ready to eat. Curly leaf spinach is textured and commonly sold bunch, stem intact. Spinach that does not indicate that it is ready to eat should be washed well; the leaves tend to collect soil and land.

PREPARING: To loosen and remove soil and sand, fill a large bowl with tepid water, add spinach and swish the spinach around to loosen particles. To ensure that all particles are completely removed, complete this process three times. Spin dry leaves in a salad spinner or place leaves on absorbent kitchen towels to dry. If planning to prepare the curly leaf spinach for a salad, it is best to wash the leaves just before using [because] moisture will cause the leaves to spoil. Spinach will stay fresh for a few days stored in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic.

WORTH NOTING: It is best to buy organic spinach because it is one of twelve foods where pesticide residue is most frequently found:

• Organically produced food supports the health of our environment.

• Eating foods in their growing season provides the most nutrients.

• Buying locally grown food or food that is produced within a 150 mile radius supports our local farmer; “well-travelled” food loses its nutritional value.

ENOYING: What follows are two of my favorite ways to use spinach and this month’s recipe for Polenta Lasagna, a popular recipe from my cookbook, This Book Cooks: (1) Sautéed Spinach – Sauce garlic in olive oil, add spinach, cook until just wilted, sprinkle with salt, serve immediately; (2) The Classic Spinach Salad – Combine fresh spinach with chopped hard-boiled eggs (1 egg per person) cooked and crumbled pork or turkey bacon, sliced mushrooms, sliced red onion, toss with an oil and vinegar dressing.

POLENTA LASAGNA: A delicious, nutritional and colorful recipe, easy for weeknight, (Kids love it!) and impressive to serve for a casual supper. The bonus? It is so simple to prepare and requires nothing more to accompany, than company.

Ingredients: 1-1/4 cups low-fat ricotta cheese; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper; 1 teaspoon dried basil; salt and pepper to taste; 1 bunch fresh spinach, steamed, chopped and drained of any liquid; 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided use; one 16-ounce tube polenta cut into 16 slices; 1 cup marinara sauce.

Preheat oven to 350. In a medium bowl, combine ricotta cheese, red pepper, basil, salt, pepper, spinach and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Coat a 13×9 baking dish with cooking spray. Arrange eight of the polenta slices in the bottom on the baking dish, spoon 1/2 of the ricotta/spinach mixture over the polenta and top with 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce. Repeat with the polenta, ricotta/spinach and marinara sauce, top with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, cover and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover, place oven temperature to broil to allow top to brown. Serves 4.

From baltimoreeats.com; April 2007.

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I’ve often wondered if grocery store produce departments offered frequent flier miles for fruits and vegetables, what fruit or vegetables would collect the largest number of miles? I did some research and learned asparagus generally logs more miles in a week than commercial airline pilots! By the time this delicate vegetable find its way into your grocery store basket, it has traveled the globe.

Most of the asparagus we purchase [in USA] hails from far away places such as Peru (now the world’s leading asparagus exporter), China, and California. As the crow flies, Peru is 3,536 miles from Maryland, China 7,446 and California, 3,000.

In Hadley, Massachusetts (297 miles from Maryland), which until recently was the asparagus capital of the world, the bulk of their asparagus harvest is exported. Towns surrounding Hadley don’t even supply “Hadley Crown” asparagus at any local Farmers’ Markets!

This isn’t the way we intended to protect, preserve and honor our local agriculture. We need to reverse this trend and to lessen the “carbon footprint” resulting from moving food such distances to market. We need to buy food in its growing season here – and enjoying it when it’s at its peak flavor and offered the most nutrients.

SELECTING, STORING AND PREPARING: The asparagus season is brief and runs generally from April through May. Use asparagus within 1 to 2 days of purchasing. Asparagus stalks should be rounded, look for firm stems with deep green or purplish closed tips. The thickness of each spear is a matter of preference and will determine the cooking time. I find the most flavorful spears are medium sized. To store, remove the bands that bind the stalks and refrigerate with the ends wrapped in paper towel. Before cooking, remove the woody end (1-2 inches) of each stalk.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Asparagus can be served hot or cold. If you’re serving cold asparagus (although I think serving the spears cold mutes their flavor), plunging the stalks in cold water immediately after cooking. Once cold, remove the stalks and transfer to a kitchen towel. Many methods can be applied. Stalks can be steamed, boiled, broiled or grilled. I tested each method and discovered the most flavorful asparagus is boiled, it evokes a clean, mild flavor and preserves the bright green color.

CREAMY LEMON PASTA WITH ASPARAGUS: Lemon and asparagus complement each other perfectly. This recipe is simple to assemble, colorful, refreshing and so representative of spring. The dish stands on its own, but if you want to serve accompaniments, toss baby lettuce leaves with an oil and vinegar dressing and serve with slices of olive bread. For optimum results, the eggs and milk should be at room temperature when you begin. The ingredients are easier to incorporate if the pasta is broken in half before cooking. Be sure to great the lemon zest before you juice the lemon.

Creamy Lemon Pasta with Asparagus: 2 eggs; 1/4 cup low fat milk; 8-ounces angel hair pasta; a bunch of fresh asparagus trimmed of woody ends and cut into 1-inch pieces (cutting the asparagus on the diagonal adds to the presentation); 2 tablespoons butter; 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind; 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; 1/2 teaspoon salt; and fresh grated Parmesan cheese.

In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and milk until well combined. Cook pasta in salted boiling water for about 4 minutes, add asparagus and cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until asparagus is fork tender, drain. While the pasta and asparagus are cooking, melt butter in a medium skillet over moderate heat, add lemon rind, lemon juice and salt, cook for 1 minute. Pour lemon/butter mixture over pasta and asparagus and toss. Add egg/milk combination to pasta/asparagus mixture to cook over low heat for a few minutes or until mixture slightly thickens, stirring constantly, then serve immediately. Add grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 4 – 6.

From baltimoreeats.com; April 2008.

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I’m often asked how I come up with food combinations. I tell people I “design” food combinations the same way an architect designs a building, or the way an artist creates a work of art. And, as with many creatives, this often occurs when I’ve awakened in the middle of the night. It’s predictability a time when the creative side of the brain gets nudged and, for me, the when really unusual combinations come to mind. Indeed, it was in the middle of the night when the idea to make a cake using parsnips came to me.

After all, we’ve been adding carrots to cake batter and turning it into a moist, tasty cake for years. H-m-m-m, I wondered if parsnips were added to a cake batter would the result be as nice as the famous and popular Carrot Cake?

I was intrigued by the thought of creating a cake recipe using such an unlikely ingredient, so the following day, I folded shredded parsnips into a simple cake batter. The result was a delicious moist cake – one where this so under-appreciated vegetable became completely appreciated! I sampled the cake to my husband and neighbors who were flabbergasted when they learned parsnips were the predominant ingredient!

SELECT, STORING AND PREPARING

Parsnips are in season during the colder months of the year. The ivory colored root of the parsnip resembles the ship of a carrot. Choose small to medium size parsnips since larger parsnips tend to have a woodsy flavor. Parsnips will keep for 1-2 weeks wrapped and stored in the crisper section of the refrigerator.

To prepare, wash well, peel and trim ends. Parsnips will turn brown once they are peeled and cut, so prepare just before using. They can be steamed, boiled, sautéed or roasted. When steaming or boiling, parsnips tend to cook quickly and will turn mushy, so cook only until just fork tender. Sauteing and roasting them will bring out their sweetness.

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Simply season boiled or steamed parsnips with salt, pepper and butter. Add parsnips to pot roast, or to round out a hearty winter soup or stew. Include them in any assorted roasted vegetable medley. They are also great folded into mashed potatoes and they make a lovely base for a delicious tasting cream soup. Add shredded parsnips to muffins, waffles and pancake batter; the parsnips magically seem to dissolve and no one will ever know you’ve enriched the batter with beneficial fiber and nutrients! To really win your tasters over, serve these Parsnip Baby Cakes the next time you’re having a tea, serving dessert or simply want a decadent sweet treat.

PARSNIPS BABY CAKES WITH GINGER ICING

Cake: 1 cup white flour; 2/3 cup sugar; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1/4 cup plain yogurt; 3 tablespoons canola oil; 2 teaspoons grated orange rind; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; 1 egg; and 1 cup raw parsnips, peeled and shredded (about 2 medium).

Ginger Icing: 4 ounces (1/4 cup) light cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar; 1 tablespoon candied ginger; and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together yogurt, oil, orange rind, vanilla and egg. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, add liquid ingredients and combine until moistened. The batter is dense, not to worry. Fold in parsnips, distributing evenly. Lightly oil (or use eco-friendly baking cups) 8 muffin cups, spoon batter into cups and bake for 20 minutes or until cup cakes are light brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow cup cakes to cool for 10 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar, ginger and vanilla. Beat until mixture is smooth and creamy. Lather cup cakes with icing. Yields 8 muffins.

From http://www.baltimoreeats.com Dec. 2008.

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The following blogs were written by Baltimore-based award-winning cookbook author, cook, caterer, local seasonal food proponent, farmers market advocate and dear friend Kerry Dunnington. Kerry’s cookbooks can be found on www.amazon.com/kerrydunnington or by contacting Kerry at kerrydunnington@verizon.net, or via her website www.kerrydunnington.com. Kerry has a special offer in 2021, all of her cookbooks are on sale for $10.00 each.

February: I was so fortunate to have known all four grandparents until I was twenty-two years old. The year I turned thirty-three, my grandmother, the last of the four (and the one I most emulated) passed away. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t reflect upon the impact they had on my life.

My grandparents were farmers who harvested their own food. Sharing family meals was a big part of their way of life. The meals they prepared were simple, wholesome, balanced, and the food we ate was in season.

In the spring and summer months, when their trees and gardens were brimming with fruits and vegetables, we savored the bounty. During the winter months, we ate what my grandmothers, aunts and mother had preserved. Nearby farmers provided chicken, beef and pork. Milk and eggs were delivered. Food was respected and relished and the evening Blessing was a sincere token of gratitude.

As a tribute to my grandparents, this months I am featuring a recipe that has been in our family for many generations. We call it a Boiled Dinner. A simplistic combination of kale, potatoes, hard-boiled eggs and bacon. As children, we were thrilled when our mother told us, “We’re having a boiled dinner tonight.”

Kale is extremely nourishing, half a cup provides nearly the entire day’s recommended vitamin C intake and has only 22 calories! There are three types of kale to choose from, curly, dinosaur (kids love that name!) and red kale. Curly kale, the most common of the three, is deep green, has ruffled leaves and a fibrous stalk. Curly kale has a lively pungent flavor that some describe as slightly bitter and peppery. Dinosaur (my preference) has dark green leaves, a slightly sweeter flavor and a more delicate taste. Red kale, similar to dinosaur, has dark red running through the veins of its leaves.

Selecting, Storing, Preparing

When buying kale look for crisp, dark-colored leaves with hardy stems. Smaller-sized leaves have a milder flavor than those with larger leaves. Wrap kale in a tea-towel and store in the crisper section of the refrigeration. Kale is best eaten within one or two days after purchase since it has a tendency to turn bitter over time. Just before preparing, wash it well in cool water, being certain to remove any sand or dirt that tends to get caught in the leaves. The inner rib can be stringy. To remove it, fold the leaves in half lengthwise, hold the folded leaves where the stalk meets the leaves, and pull the leaves from the stalk.

Our Family’s Boiled Dinner

4 medium size potatoes, quartered; 8 eggs; 1 pound dinosaur kale, washed, inner rib removed; and 12 slices of bacon

Dressing: 1 cup apple cider vinegar; 4 tablespoons sugar; salt and pepper to taste.

Fill two large pots with water, bring water to a boil and cook the potatoes and eggs for about 15 minutes (potatoes should be fork tender). Cook the kale in the second pot until tender. Check after about 15 minutes. Meanwhile fry bacon until crispy. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Pour excess bacon fat from pan and while the pan is still warm, add apple cider vinegar and sugar, stir until mixture is combined and sugar has dissolved. Season with salt and pepper. When the eggs are cool enough to handle, peel shells from eggs. Drain the potatoes and transfer to a covered dish to keep warm. Drain the kale.

Shallow wide bowls (I warm them on the stovetop) are ideal for serving a boiled dinner. To assemble the dinner, divide kale among 4 serving bowls, top with 1 potato (4 quarters), 2 eggs and 3 slices of bacon. Serve dressing on the side. Serves 4.

From http://www.baltimoreeats.com Jan. 2008.

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January: I can’t think of any way I’d rather spend a cold winter evening than in front of a roaring fire partaking in a bowl of healthy, hearty soup and home-made hot rolls with my husband, family and friends. Just the aroma alone will have your guests clamoring to indulge. The recipes for my Christmas Lima Bean Supper and Quick-Cooking-Oatmeal Rolls perfectly complement each other and need nothing more than good company and robust wine.

Quick-Cooking-Oats: Oatmeal Rolls:

Helpful to know: Plan accordingly, the oats get soaked in the milk for 2 hours. These rolls are best eaten hot from the oven and slathered with butter. If they’re not devoured the day they’re baked, slice in half and toast lightly. I prefer using parchment paper to line my baking sheets but you can also lightly oil the sheets with canola oil or cooking spray.

2 cups quick cooking oats; 2 cups milk: In a large bowl, combine quick cooking oats and milk. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.

1 package active dry yeast; 3/4 cup warm water; 1 tsp. sugar; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 tsp. salt; 4 cups of white flour plus extra for work surface; canola oil for mixing bowl: In a small bowl dissolve yeast in water, add sugar and allow to proof. Add to milk/oatmeal mixture in a large bowl. Add olive oil and salt, stirring until well combined. Add flour 1 cup at a time. When dough begins to pull away from the sides of the bowl (after about the third cup), transfer to a floured surface. Adding flour as needed to keep from sticking, knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 7 – 10 minutes. Lightly cover a large bowl with oil, place dough into bowl and turn dough to coat all surfaces. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Punch dough down; transfer to lightly floured work surface. Roll to 1-inch thickness and cut into 32 rolls using a 2 1/4-inch biscuit cutter. Place onto 2 baking sheets that have been covered with parchment paper. Cover rolls with towel and let rise for about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and bake rolls for 18-20 minutes, switching position of baking sheets halfway through the baking time.

Yield = approx. 32 rolls

Kerry Dunnington – Winter 2010, http://www.baltimoreats.com