Maggie’s Dinner, II

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Sunday we made Baked Chicken for Maggie and Trish. (See below) I asked her what she was hungry for4 and she said, "Liver and onions and a Stella Artois and/or a Chiant." Well, her is what we made for Trish and Maggie: Liver and Onions Green Salad Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes Trish is a friend of Maggie's that is staying with her a lot of the time and cooking for her. Three of us decided that Trish does enough. We can make some dinners. We love doing this for those two!

Sunday we made Baked Chicken for Maggie and Trish. (See below) I asked her what she was hungry for and she said, “Liver and onions and a Stella Artois and/or a Chianti.” Well, here is what we made for Trish and Maggie:

Liver and Onions with Bacon
Green Salad with Fresh Tomato Cubes
Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Trish is a friend of Maggie’s that is staying with her a lot of the time and cooking for her. Three of us decided that Trish does enough. We can make some dinners. We love doing this for those two! And yes, she was resupplied with Stella and some new Chianti.

Maggie’s Dinner

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Miss Mggie's Dinner Baked Chicken Thighs with Fresh Sage and Fresh Thyme Roasted Potatoes and Onion

Miss Mggie’s Dinner

Baked Chicken Thighs
with
fresh sage and fresh thyme
Roasted Potatoes and Onion

Miss Maggie is a dear, sweet friend of our who is very sick. So we, and others, are doing some cooking for her and Trish, her friend who stays with her most of the time. This dish we made today. Hope she enjoys it. Sure did make the house smell wonderful. Cheers! Left-Click the photo to see enlarged.

Chicken Tagine and Mushrooms with Moroccan Green Olives Revisited

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28July2013_1d_Captains-Shack_Chix-Tagine_EnlargedYup! Here it is. We tweaked it a little. Added some carrots and green beans. But that is all. The recipe was adjusted a little too, from the original, but only a little more turmeric and ginger. See what you think.
To the left, is the plated tagine. As you can see, we served it on a bed of lemon infused rice. Probably not traditional, but it added another dimension. We really liked it this way. Overall – We would grade it probably a 4 out of 5. But I think with the additional turmeric, it will be better, possible that 5 out of 5 elusive rating. Also, there is a lot of garlic in here, but it seems to be hidden. Just some of our comments. Try it and see what you think and please let us know. Just remember if you use Spanish olives, rinse them well to remove the vinegar. The preserved lemon may also need to be rinsed. There is a lot of salt in both of these ingredients. Left-Click any of these photos to see enlarged. Cheers.

Chermoula - Marinade

Chermoula – Marinade. See recipe below.

Ready for the oven.

Ready for the oven.

Adding the mushrooms and the preserved lemon. See recipe below.

Adding the mushrooms and the preserved lemon. See recipe below.

The completed chicken tagine.

The completed chicken tagine.

Here is the adjusted recipe. Thank you Roni Spilios-Kinane for the recipe. Enjoy. This could be used as a basic taagine recipe. Try it, for instance, with lamb shanks.

Chicken Tagine with Mushrooms and Moroccan Green Olives

Source: Roni Spilios-Kinane, Morocco
Oven Temp: 325°F
Cooking Time: 2+ hour
Serves: 3
Note: It really is good! It is my Moroccan Mother-in-Law’s recipe..

Ingredients:
1 lemon cut into wedges
Kosher Salt
¾ c Olive Oil
1 T White Pepper
5 cloves Garlic, chopped
1 preserved lemon, sliced
1½ t ground Ginger
2 t Turmeric
2 T Parsley, chopped
2 T Cilantro, chopped
5 Chicken Thighs, or any chicken parts you want to use
3 med Red Onion
Moroccan Green Olives
Mushrooms

Directions:
First you make your chermoula (marinade) olive oil, salt, white pepper, garlic (to your liking) 3-5 cloves, cilantro, parsley, ground ginger, and turmeric. Mix that all together.

Place your cleaned (with lemon wedges and salt) chicken and let it absorb the chermoula as you massage it into and under the skin (some people use smin (ghee, clarified butter) I sometimes do)

Chop finely about 3 medium onions (or more if you have a lot of chicken pieces or a large chicken) let the onions sweat a bit and then add your chermoula drenched chicken and pour any remaining chermoula over the top. Place the tagine cover.

After about 30 minutes, add some preserved lemon slices and the mushrooms.
When you have about 10 minutes left to cook, add the green olives and let all the flavors incorporate.

You CAN!
a) remove the chicken from the tagine and place it in the oven to get crispy if you like!
b) and/or
c) stuff your chicken with a stuffing of chopped mushrooms, cilantro, parley and vermicelli! This is absolutely delicious!

Activism At The New Boise Farmer’s Market

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27July2013_1f_New-Farmers-Market_Sign_Cut-CarbonWell it’s about time! Considering that Idaho imports 95% of the farm products sold statewide, it’s time that we look seriously on the support of our local farmers and control the carbon footprint that we leave. That’s what this gathering was today at the New Boise Farmer’s Market. It was good too, to see some of the political dignitaries, market dignitaries and Idaho farmers who participated in the event. Below are some photos from the morning and from the New Boise Farmer’s Market. Enjoy the following photos. Cheers!

The New Boise Farmer's Market

The New Boise Farmer’s Market this morning.

All living creatures love the market and the products that are available here.

All creatures great and small love the market and the products that are available here.

Live music with Ned Evett, world reknown glass guitar player and performer. Check out the neck on his guitar. It is glass and there are no frets.

Live music with Ned Evett, world reknown glass guitar player and performer. Check out the neck on his guitar. It is glass and there are no frets. Boise is so lucky to have such talent!!!

Former Senator, Brian Cronin on the left, was one of the organizers of this event. Thanks, Brian! Another fantastic job!

Former Senator, Brian Cronin on the left, was one of the organizers of this event. Thanks, Brian! Another fantastic job!

Some of the speakers are chatting among themselves before they take the stage.

Some of the speakers are chatting among themselves before they take the stage.

Janie Burns, Meadow Lark Farms, and Greg Koenig, Koenig Vineyards and Distillery, are discussing problems with the carbon footprints.

Janie Burns, Meadow Lark Farms, and Greg Koenig, Koenig Vineyards and Distillery, are discussing problems with the carbon footprints.

New Boise Farmer's Market President, Karen Ellis, introduces the speakers.

New Boise Farmer’s Market President, Karen Ellis, introduces the speakers.

Chance Requa owner of Requa Farms in Twin Falls, Idaho, speakers to the crowd.  He emphasized the fact that he produces a product, we buy the product and he must then produce more product. It's an endless cycle.

Chance Requa owner of Requa Farms in Twin Falls, Idaho, speaks to the crowd. He emphasized the fact that he produces a product, we buy the product and he must then produce more product. It’s an endless cycle.

Greg Koenig, Koenig Vineyards and Distillery, discusses the changing growing seasons and weather conditions that effect grape growing. "Wine is bottled sunshine" is one of his credos.

Greg Koenig, Koenig Vineyards and Distillery, discusses the changing growing seasons and weather conditions that effect grape growing. “Wine is bottled sunshine” is one of his credos.

Janie Burns, owner of Meadow Lark Farms in Nampa, Idaho, and on the Bord of Directors of the market, addresses the crowd. She states that, "95% of the produce sold statewide is shipped in." Let's change that .... let's support the Saturday Farmer's Markets that are sprouting up (pun intended!) statewide and nationwide. Think Local

Janie Burns, owner of Meadow Lark Farms in Nampa, Idaho, and on the Board of Directors of the market, addresses the crowd. She states that, “95% of the produce sold statewide is shipped in.” Let’s change that …. let’s support the Saturday Farmer’s Markets that are sprouting up (pun intended!) statewide and nationwide and our local farmers. Think Local – Buy Local

Dave Krick, Red Feather Lounge and Bitter Creek Ale House owner. All local products are used at his eaterys.

Dave Krick, Red Feather Lounge and Bitter Creek Ale House owner. All local products are used at his eatery’s.

Cheri Buckner-Webb, District 19 Senator, addresses the crowd on the effects of climate change on agriculture within the state. She is on the State Agriculture Committee.

Cheri Buckner-Webb, District 19 Senator, addresses the crowd on the effects of climate change on agriculture within the state. She is on the State Agriculture Committee.

So there you have a little different post about the New Boise Farmer’s Market. Robin and I are avid supporters of Think Local – Buy Local, as I have stated many times in the past. Everyone, regardless of where you live or what city or state you reside in, need to put more emphasis on local farmers and purchasing their products. Food is essential to everyone of us, so whenever possible, support your local farmer! Buy local in the summer when vegetable products are available and then can them or freeze them and eat your local products year around. Local meats – beef, elk, lamb, chicken, pork – are usually available all year, as are local eggs. Use that local resource. Support your local agriculture industry. No need to go “out-of-country” to stay nourished. And when you go out for a meal, choose those restaurants that use only local products. Here are some suggestions: Red Feather Lounge, Bitter Creek Ale House, The Buzz, Le Cafe de Paris, 10 Barrel Brew Pub or The Orchard House are just a few. There are more. Search them out and enjoy some great local food. Look in the Sidebar. There are many businesses there that buy, sell or produce products locally. Cheers!!

Chicken Tagine with Mushrooms and Moroccan Green Olives

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The completed chicken tagine.

The completed chicken tagine.

This Chicken Tagine with Mushrooms and Moroccan Green Olives just looks so good! We do like the tagine style of cooking as it concentrates flavors and makes items so very tender. I got this from a Facebook group, Moroccan Cooking. Now I need the recipe. I have requested it, and we’ll see if I get it. At the very least, we can “wing it”. (No pun intended!) There is also a well recommended cookbook on Moroccan food called The Food of Morocco by Paula Wolfert. It is available on Amazon for about $39.00. You can also find it on her webpage at Paula Wolfert. Can’t wait to try this!! Enjoy!!

Apple Uses

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Apple-PosterHere is a good poster and suggestions of how to use apples. The poster, though, is missing Courtland and Ruby Red, good eating apples, and Criterion which, in my opinion, makes some really great cider. Have fun.

Garlic Explained

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Graphic-Garlic-TypesHere is some great information about some of the different garlic varieties that are available at the New Boise Farmer’s Market. There are many, many varieties. This is but a small sampling that is available here in Boise. Enjoy!

Edible Garlic

Note: All of these garlic types are available at the New Boise Farmer’s Market, 10th and Grove. The following information was produced by Glenn’s Farm.
“Hardneck and Softneck garlic are described as some are mild and others are Hot. It is hard to describe the slight differences.”

This information is from organic gardening at about.com.
“Hardneck garlic varieties are generally hardier than softneck varieties. They are the best option for northern gardeners. They are also the best option if you want to enjoy garlic scapes in early summer, since hardnecks are the only type that send up a strong central stalk in spring (this is the scape.) Hardneck varieties tend to form fewer cloves per bulb than softneck varieties, but they also are usually a bit larger.

Within the hardneck family, there are nine sub-types of garlics: Purple Stripe, Marbled Purple Stripe, Asiatic, Glazed Purple Stripe, Creole, Middle Eastern, Turban, Rocambole, and Porcelain. The Purple Stripe and Rocambole types are the hardiest, best for gardeners who live in the northeastern U.S. and Canada. Gardeners who live in mild climates will have good luck with Porcelain varieties.

Softneck Garlic Varieties (Allium sativum var.sativum)
Softneck garlic varieties are the best ones to grow if you live in a milder climate. They don’t form scapes, and generally form several small cloves per head. They mature quicker than hardneck varieties. Softneck varieties tend to store better than hardneck varieties, so this is the type to grow for long-term storage. Sub-types within the softneck family include Silverskin and Artichoke varieties.”

Chinese Pink: The first garlic of the season. Mellow with a pleasing after taste.

Asian Tempest: Asian hardneck. When eaten raw it is breath taking. When baked, the flavor is sweet.

Chesnok Red: Hardneck. All around good for cooking. Full bodied flavor with a delightful aroma. When baked, it holds it’s shape and has a creamy texture.

German Red: (One of my favorites) Hardneck rocambole. Strong, hot and spicy.

German Porcelain: Hardneck. Good, all purpose garlic.

Zemo: Hardneck. Smooth and hot flavor and aftertaste.

Northern: Hardneck. A very pungent and one of the best for baking.

Music: Hardneck. Medium hot with flavor that lasts a long time.

Romaine Red: Porcelain hardneck. Hot with a long lasting bite.

Georgia Crystal: A hot garlic.

Metechi: Very hot when eaten raw.

Siberian: (Another of my favorites) Hardneck with a medium-strong heat. Rich earthy taste. Has a high allicin content. Allicin supports normal cholesterol levels and helps boost the immune system.

Spanish Rojo: Hardneck Rocambole. Rich flavor. Also called Greek Garlic or True Garlic.

Polish Jenn: A medium strength garlic.

Italian: (Another favorite of mine.) Softneck with a great taste and a good cooking garlic. Great to roast.

Silverskin: Softneck with a strong flavor and another great cooking garlic.

Inchillium Red: Softneck garlic with a mild flavor. Great baked and the blended with mashed potatoes.

I hope this clears up some of the mystery of garlic. Or does it just add to the question? Cheers.

Tilapia and Garlic Asparagus For Dinner

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19July2013_1_Captains-Shack_Tilapia_PlatedTilapia. A very mild white fish must be cooked slowly and completely. But not to the point of drying out. Take your time. The tilapia here was cooked about 3 minutes on each side over moderate heat. The fish was cooked in a butter/olive oil/lemon bath. Then the liquid was finished off with whole milk – I didn’t have any cream – a small amount of corn starch and lime zest. Whisk constantly until thickened – about 2 minutes. pour over the fish as pictured here.
The asparagus is steamed in a garlic butter mixture over low heat. Serve on the plate with the tilapia. A glass, or two, of 2011 Canoe Ridge The Expedition Chardonnay goes very well with this dinner. Cheers and enjoy!

William Sonoma Class -Italian

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20June2013_1_Willaims-Sonoma-Class_LogoAnother good class at the Boise William Sonoma store. This one was about Italian cooking, specifically recipes adapted from Giada deLaurentiis’ book, Giada’s Family Dinners. Good things like Italian Caesar Salad with Polenta Croutons – now there’s a switch and a good one! – or Marinated Zucchini and Summer Squash or Linguine with Chicken Ragu. And to top it all off, a Chocolate Pizza. Yup! That’s right. A chocolate pizza! And it was delicious and very rich. There are photos below. Left-Click any of these photos to see enlarged. Cheers and enjoy!
There were some questions posed by the class and one was, “What is a ragu?” Basically, it is a meat based dish with some type of pasta, traditionally linguine. But a ragu can vary from county to county, city to city or family to family much like the American stew or a Basque paella. Here is what Wikipedia says about ragu.

In Italian cuisine, a ragù (pronounced [raˈɡuː]) is a meat-based sauce, which is commonly served with pasta. The Italian gastronomic society l’Accademia Italiana Della Cucina has documented 14 ragùs.
The commonalities among the recipes are all meat-based and all are to be used as sauces for pasta. Typical Italian ragùs include ragù alla bolognese (Bolognese sauce), ragù alla napoletana (Neapolitan ragù), and ragù alla Barese (sometimes made with horse meat).
In the northern Italian regions, a ragù is typically a sauce of meat, often minced, chopped or ground, and cooked with sauteed vegetables in a liquid. The meats are varied and may include separately or in mixtures of beef, chicken, pork, duck, goose, lamb, mutton, veal, or game, as well as offal from any of the same. The liquids can be broth, stock, water, wine, milk, cream, or tomato, and often includes combinations of these. If tomatoes are included, they are typically limited in quantity relative to the meat. Characteristically, a ragù is a sauce of braised or stewed meat that may be flavoured with tomato, to distinguish it from a tomato sauce that is flavoured with the addition of meat.
In southern Italian regions, especially Campania, ragùs are often prepared from substantial quantities of large, whole cuts of beef and pork, and possibly regional sausages, cooked with vegetables and tomatoes. After a long braise (or simmer), the meats are then removed and may be served as a separate course without pasta. Examples of these styles of ragùs are the well-known ragù alla Napoletana (Neapolitan ragù) and carne a ragù.

Grilled Romaine lettuce for the Caesar Salad.

Grilled Romaine lettuce for the Caesar Salad.

18July2013_1a_William-Sonoma-Class_Giada_Lettuce-Awesome

Italian Caesar Salad with Polenta Croutons Delicious, but I probably would have put more anchovies in it and a little more garlic. Just a personal preference.

Italian Caesar Salad with Polenta Croutons

Delicious, but I probably would have put more anchovies in it and a little more garlic. Just a personal preference.

Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash I do like like grilled vegetables, especially squash. But not done mushy. It has to have a little crunch to it. This was done perfectly, Chef Chad!

Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash

I do like like grilled vegetables, especially squash. But not done mushy. It has to have a little crunch to it. This was done perfectly, Chef Chad!

Linguine with Chicken Ragu This was a super dish.

Linguine with Chicken Ragu

This was a super dish.

Linguine with Chicken Ragu Grilled Zucchine and Summer Squash What a delightful, and filling, entree.

Linguine with Chicken Ragu
Grilled Zucchine and Summer Squash

What a delightful, and filling, entree.

Chocolate Pizza with hazelnut spread, semisweet5 chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and toasted hazlenuts

Chocolate Pizza
with
hazelnut spread, semisweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and toasted hazlenuts

Chocolate Pizza plated. YUM!!!

Chocolate Pizza plated. YUM!!!

So there is how I spent my evening. Robin wants to go to the next class and I have her name on the waiting list. She may go in my place, but it would be fun to do together. Hope you liked this post. Chef Chad Poznick asked if we had any suggestions for these classes to please let him know. I suggested a class using rabbit. Cooking with wine might be another good one.

Idaho Hotel, Silver City, Event!!

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Dscn0988Take a hard look at this. A great opportunity. I just received this from Jerri Nelson, Owner of the Idaho Hotel in Silver City, Idaho. If you have never been to Silver, this is a great opportunity. Contact Jerri directly if you are interested. Cheers! The photo here is of the outside of the Idaho Hotel in Silver City, Idaho.

Bob – I know this is extremely short notice, but thought I’d send it anyway. We had several cancellations so I still have room, if you know anyone who might be interested in joining us this Saturday. Here’s the info…

Idaho Hotel – Wine Dinner July 20, 2013 $35.00
A midsummer night’s feast…
Culinary delights matched with wonderful wines.
Enjoy the simple moments of life…

Course 1: Aperitif Wine: Zonin Prosecco – Italy (14.70)
Melon wrapped with prosciutto
Beet humus and chips

Course 2: Wine: Domaine Bila-Haut Rose – France (17.70)
Chilled Red Bell Pepper Shooter
Pistachio Salad with feta, dried cherries, beets raspberry vinaigrette
Bread basket with compound butter cheese

Course 3: Palette refresher – Lemon-basil sorbet

Course 4 – Main Course:
Walldeaux Smithie NV – Forgeron Winery – Walla Walla, WA (19.50) Marinated Flank Steak
Roasted rosemary smashed parsnips
Fresh garlic green beans

Course 5 – Dessert: Wine: Quinta do Noval Ruby Port – Portugal (17.70)
Macadamia Crusted Chocolate Tart with Raspberries

Special thanks to:
Tim Smith, wine educator and Kathy Dutt for presenting and pouring wines!
And
The best staff – Michelle, Richard, Tanya, Christina, Kirstin, Jan and Roger!

Jerri Nelson
ph.208.375.8240 Ext. 1013
jerrin@stapley.net

Inside the Idaho Hotel. Your visit will be a delightful "step back in time"! Be sure to take a camera. Cell phone is limited.

Inside the Idaho Hotel. Your visit will be a delightful “step back in time”! Be sure to take a camera. Cell phone is limited.

A part of Silver City. Great hiking and "exploring".

A part of Silver City. Great hiking and “exploring”.