Yummy and easy

My niece is coming from Colorado, so the crock pot is the only way to go. My favorite ginger chicken, today served with roasted purple and red potatoes, carrots and beets.

Ginger Chicken

One family pack chicken thighs
soy sauce
Ginger preserves

Put it all in the crock pot on high for 4 hours and call it a day.

Roasted Vegetables

Any or all combination of
new potatoes
purple potatoes
fingerling potatoes
brussels sprouts
carrots
beets

Stir them around in some olive oil and salt, then bake at 350 for an hour. Stir every 15 minutes or so. Can get really adverturess and add rosemary.

Favorite bread

I found this recipe in Beth Hensperger's The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook. I've made it at least 6 times now, and this, toasted, with Peg's crabby apple jelly is a little slice of heaven.

Graham Bread

1 1/8 cups water
1 large egg
2 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces
2 1/4 cup bread flour (Swany flour from Hampton Park Co-op is terrific)
3/4 cup graham flour
1/3 cup nonfat dry milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp gluten
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp bread machine yeast

I set my (way old) bread machine on the dough cycle, let it rise once, then let it rise in a normal bread pan and bake it in the oven. I find that once the bread starts kneading in the machine, I usually add more graham flour as it's too wet otherwise. All that business about never opening the lid just isn't true.

Obama blend

I have been hanging out for one hour per morning at J & S Coffee in St. Paul. My daughter is taking a sewing class from the lovely and fabulous Sister Louise. Although good coffee with half and half is a morning ritual I've had for decades, I've never actually hung out - all by myself - at a coffee shop before. I see lots of regulars who seem to have made J & S a morning habit for years. They all know each other. I'm the interloper in the corner with her nose in a book. I've read Year and Wonders and am now starting on People of the Book. Both good.

I noticed a sign in the window of J & S that says, "First Americans For Obama." And on the listing of coffee bean flavors, an Obama blend. I got the beans, and was surprised by the price of $20.08, and didn't even make the connection right away. I had high hopes that went along with the high price, though.

It's good, but I have to say, my Full City Roast Sumatra from Dunn Bros. is better. The Obama blend is a little on the Italian roast side, I think, and not as smooth as Obama himself.

20.21

We had dinner with our friends Ed and Anne at the 20.21 restaurant at the Walker. Asian fusion, shared plates and delicious. I told Ed how the elk with blueberry reduction sauce re-inspired me to be a better home cook. It's a benchmark I'll never reach, but still, something to shoot for that's a little better than casseroles made with cream of mushroom soup.

Our block party was Sunday and I made a cole slaw using the red cabbage from our CSA farm. I don't have much experience working with red cabbage, and when I washed it in the salad spinner, it turned the water the most beautiful shade of blue. I used the CSA's recipe:

Turnip Rock Cole Slaw

Finely chop one small head of red cabbage.

Stir together 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1 Tbs sugar. Add enough dressing to the cabbage to moisten it and season with salt and black pepper to taste.

For variation and any of the following: fresh parsley, crumbled crisp bacon, grated carrots, fresh tarragon.

Nothing seasonal

Our CSA farm has been stocking us up with greens. But it's cold, so I decide instead to make a bean soup. It's the recipe from the back of the package, but I make it Italian-y by adding prosciutto and Parmesan.

Bean Soup
1 bag 15 bean soup (Hurst's HamBeens brand. Dumb name but good soup.)
1 ham hock
1/4 c frozen chopped onion
1 can diced tomatoes
1 tsp chili powder
minced garlic
prosciutto
Parmesan, shredded

Soak beans overnight. Drain. Add 2 quarts of water and ham hock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered 2.5 hours.
Add onion, tomatoes, chili powder and garlic. Simmer 30 minutes.
Add ham seasoning packet 1 to 2 minutes before finishing. Add prosciutto and top with Parmesan.

Makes 14-16 servings and freezes well.