Butternut Blue Crab Chowder and GF Bread

As another Lenten Friday rolled over on the calendar I decided to change things up a bit and revisit an old favorite that Paul and I enjoyed "back in the day," and "before kids," - the Blue Crab. 

The Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States located between and a part of Maryland and Virginia is known for, among many things,  the Blue Crab.  We lived in southern Virginia, where the Elizabeth River, a tidal estuary approximately six miles long and deep enough to host the Tall Ships branches off to the Lafayette River, also approximately six miles long, not so deep and located entirely in the City of Norfolk. 

It was in the Lafayette, the estuary off the estuary off the Bay estuary, not a tall ship in sight, where we would put in to crab.  We had two crab pots- only amount permitted and to not upset watermen.  Now, a crab pot typically, and the kind we used, is about 2'x2'x2' - weighs maybe 14 or 15 pounds with bait (a turkey neck or chicken leg).  Full of crabs, it weighs a bit more, naturally - heavier the better! -sorry, greed showing there-   Pots are heavier than traps, therefore requiring a bit of physical ability to maneuver. Lowering the pot into the water it is important to try and keep the pot upright- it is attached to a nylon rope long enough to let the pot sit on the bottom, and then marked with a buoy up top.  Watermen have their distinct colored buoys and private crabbers need to be sure not to infringe on the colored markers or you can lose the pot.  Actually, if they are having a bad day, you can lose your pot anyway. Tricky business, crabbing.

~oh,  and our canoe ~ thus explaining why the shallow and calmer waterway!

We'd row out, drop the pots.  Pots need to be checked daily or you need to bring them in until you can check them daily.  We'd row back to our pots next day, sometimes in very early morning, sometimes in dusk to near darkness.  Next to our buoy, Paul would yell "lean," I would lean to one side and Paul would heft the pots in from the other side, empty crabs into the canoe, and we'd row off with the bounty.  Crazy.  But oh so worth it. 

Now, that we are landlocked we dearly miss the days on the water and the fresh seafood and shellfish.  Bringing it back, in a small way,  to our home in the mountains~

Butternut Blue Crab Chowder. 

Ingredients and how to:

1 butternut squash
Old Bay Seasoning
thyme
3 cups chicken broth - homemade best but can be substituted.  Use low sodium.
butter
1 lb crab meat * it takes approximately 12 blue crabs to pick a pound of crab. Lot of work. Canned    runs around $11.*
1/2 cup whole cream or Half and Half- optional
Sherry- optional

I use no salt or pepper except what is in the broth.  Crab has a saltiness to it all on its own and Old Bay gives it the peppery touch.

Dutch oven onto stovetop with a tablespoon butter or olive oil
Peel and chop butternut squash.

 

Toss into Dutch oven, coat with butter and heat through about five minutes.  Add enough water just to cover.  Bring to boil, let simmer with lid on for about 25 minutes to soften squash.  Test to be sure squash is "mash soft."  Turn off heat. Using potato masher go to work if you like a thicker texture, or use an immersion blender for a smoother texture.

 

Place squash back over heat, add in broth, 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay, 1/2 teaspoon dried Thyme and 1lb crab meat.  Simmer, not boiling, for about 30 minutes to fuse flavor.

 

 

 

 

While chowder is heating - time for Quick Gluten Free Bread

I simplified this recipe from one I found a year or so ago in "Gluten Free Living"

Ingredients and How to:

Oven to 400

Parchment paper on baking sheet

 

1 1/2 cups gluten free flour (not with baking soda in it!)

2 tablespoons ground flax

1/2 cup almond flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup water

1 egg

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil (or canola or vegetable).

 

Combine dry ingredients - sift with whisk is fine.

Combine wet ingredients

Add wet into dry and mix just until combined. 

 

Rinse hands in cold water.  With wet hands divide dough in half and form in two small loaves placed about four inches or more apart onto parchment paper.  With sharp knife cut cross onto the top. 

 

 

 

Place in oven for about 25 minutes.  Every oven is different. These should be browned and you should be able to tap on them as you would a biscuit for doneness.

 

 

Back to Chowder:

 

About 10 minutes before serving, stir in  1/2 cup of cream and sherry.

these liquid measures are great!

 

Allow chowder to come back to temperature (don't boil) and serve with bread!  Makes six good sized servings and this chowder is very filling.

 

 

Blue crab wineglasses made for us by Creighton's Creations

 

 

Back to the Bay.  When we left the Chesapeake area there were several proposed programs for preserving the Bay and the way of life it provides for watermen and their families.  The Lafayette after we left had some pretty severe pollutant issues.  However, I am happy to report that due to tremendous efforts it is recovering.  Reef Balls, which are large concrete chunks filled with oyster larvae have been dropped and these Reef Balls are homes and potential homes to several species of shellfish.  Another fantastic sign- a good luck omen really - is a seahorse was discovered in the River September 2012.  Now, the Lined Seahorses do call the Chesapeake Bay home, but the great sign here is that Seahorses are choosy in their habitats - they like them clean!

                                                           
                                                                     Always HOPE!

Stuffed Peppers - GF

Nursery Rhymes and Fairy Tales date far back as a way of teaching a lesson or telling a story in a fun or maybe not so fun way.  Depends on if you go for these sort of things or no?


Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked
If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers
How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?


Well, now, apparently this question has been much in debate for some time.  First, there are those who wish to have "a peck" defined.  The peck has been a unit of measurement dating back to the early 14th century, used as measurement for flour only.  In Great Britain the peck can be a liquid 57.75 cubic inches or dry measurement 67.2 cubic inches.  In the United States, just the dry peck measure. 

And then there are those who do not believe Peter Piper could pick pickled peppers.  After all, pickled peppers are not grown that way and if he did indeed pick said pickled peppers then it must have been by picking pockets of pickled peppers.  No good. 

What then are pickled peppers?

A quick history run into the the spice trade.  Spices were referrred to by the common name of "peppers." Spices were expensive.  To keep supply low and demand high, the companies controlling the spice trade would rub the seeds with lime before selling them.  Lime prevented the seeds from germinating when planted and the process was called "pickling."


There are those of the mind set that Peter Piper is none other than a French pirate and horticulturist named Pierre Poivre (1719 - 1786).  Anglicized Peter Piper.  I know what you may be thinking- but a pirate can be a horticulturist or a writer or a great many things.  Anyway- back to the narrative:  Pierre was known for raiding spice stores so he could grow them in his garden and have them be more accessible for the average European.  He is remembered in history by most as a "noble French botanist."  On occasion, Pierre the Pirate would have picked a peck of pickled peppers and the rotten luck to not have them germinate. Yes?

PEPPERS - very nearly a super food.  Loaded with vitamins, antioxidants, and even the anitoxidant lycopene, as with tomatoes and much in debate as to being a cancer preventative.  A green bell pepper has 200% vitamin C and 11% vitamin A per one raw cup serving and if that doesn't wow you enough, a red pepper rings in at 317% vitamin C and 93% vitamin A.  As I say, very nearly a super food. 

Stuffed Green Peppers are one of those really simple, comforting and naturally gluten free meals.  My grandmother on my mother's side made these.  My mother made these.  I make them the same way and my family loves them.

Ingredients and how to:

Three large peppers halved with seeds and ribs removed.
1 pepper - chopped
1 large onion - chopped
1 cup Jasmine rice
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
olive oil
1 1/2 lbs ground sirloin.
1/4 lb or more grated cheddar cheese

In Dutch oven brown beef and remove from pan to drain. Chop onions. In same pan drizzle olive oil and add chopped onions and peppers. Salt and pepper to taste.  I like these to soften quite a bit, that is a preference thing.  When they are the consistency preferred, add browned beef back into pan, stir in one cup of rice.  Add the broth.

Place pepper halves cut side down onto mixure.  Bring to boil. 

Seal tightly and let simmer for 25 miinutes. 

Warm oven to 375. Butter a casserole dish or 9x13 pan.  When time is up, remove peppers and invert them into prepared pan.  Stir 2 tablespoons butter into mixure and then spoon into peppers.  I always have some to do in a smaller dish for anyone not fond of so much pepper.  Cover with grated cheese

 and place in oven until melted.  DONE! 

pimientos dulces

bell peppers

Bell peppers are native to Mexico, Central America, and northern South America.  Seeds travelled to Spain in the late 1400's or early 1500's (maybe by route of pirate before Poivre?).  From Spain to all of Europe and into Asia.  Today, China is leading in pepper production with Mexico at a close second. 

A certain young fellow named Beebee

Wished to marry a lady named Phoebe

"But," he said,"I must see

What the minister's fee be

Before Phoebe be Phoebe Beebee." 

AAARRRRRGGGHHH!  We'll not be discussing that one~

Stop Cookbook Abuse

three words:  stop  cookbook  abuse 

Don't let this happen to your cookbooks.  If your stovetop cooking is starting to smell funky, maybe you are cooking the wrong thing, eh?  I confess I did this. 

So, threee words: stop  cookbook  abuse
I know and you may know or not know that there are several uses of the word "stop."  It's a verb in two classes, a noun and an adjective. 

I am not brave enough to look into all the definitions and uses of "abuse".  That must be a scary place.

Yet, "cookbook", according to Merriam-Webster dictionary,a noun first used in 1809 has one meaning - "a book of cooking directions and recipes."  Why I love it so, really. There is no need to be more here.  Merriam-Webster went one more, the dictionary has listed rhymes with cookbook.  Examples are:  checkbook, bankbook, billhook, -hook, - hook, .... oh, and my favorite, Chinook.  WhaaaaT? Stop cookbook abuse.

A cookbook: complicated, mysterious, and beautiful on the inside.  No rhymes.  Keep them off the stove.

 

 

Lemon Bars GF

Many credit Dale Carnegie (Nov 1888 - Nov 1955), American writer, with the phrase: When life hands you lemons, make lemonade.  I would say rightly so, he did make this idea take flight as Mr. Carnegie is most known for his self improvement books and lectures inspiring personal strengths and corporate confidence and communication skills.  In Dale Carnegie's book - published in 1948, there is a chapter titled "If You Have a Lemon, Make a Lemonade."  The book title, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.   

   

 However, the power of positive lemon thoughts may have it's origins from a Men's Wear pamphlet or periodical from 1910.  There inside is printed a New Year's message: "In business turn obstacles into conveniences.  When handed a lemon - make lemonade of it."

 

Whichever source, IF even one of these, the expression has stood the test of time and with good reason. 

 

Lately, we've had a few lemons handed our way.  We had a horse injured, a husband injured and a truck break down in blizzard-like conditions.   

 

Yes, some lemons.  SO!  When handed a lemon - make LEMON BARS! 

 

Ingredients and How to:

 

Oven to 350.  Foil and oil (or butter)  9x13 pan

 

into food processor or mixing bowl with paddle attachment:

1 1/2 cups of Gluten Free flour

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter cut into small cubes

1/2 cup granulated sugar

dash of salt

 

Mix until crumbly and press into prepared pan.  Bake for 20 minutes.

 

 

I use different gluten free flours for different purposes. I really like this one for doing a pressed kind of crust.

 

While crust bakes:

 

4 lemons - zest one into small bowl.  juice all four or until reaching 1/2 cup lemon juice.

1 stick unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tablespoons sugar

 

 

Place lemon juice, sugar and butter into top of double boiler.

 

 

As butter melts, beat two eggs in a small bowl with 2 tablespoons of sugar. Whisk melted butter, juice and sugar until dissolved.  Remove from heat. Spoon some warm juice mixture into the eggs, whisk whisk.  Add more of the hot liquid.  Then pour egg mixture back into the juice mixture in the pan.  Place over low heat, whisk whisk to thicken only slightly.  Add in zest.  Pull hot crust from oven

 

 

 

and pour lemon filling onto the crust.  Will seem very thin and liquid- y.  Place back in oven for 20 minutes. 

 

I bake until edges begin to brown just a little. Trim those off when cutting the bars. My group all still want the chewy edges~

 

side view

I inverted one bar to show the crust. 

 

These bars have a lot of flavor and plenty sweet.  I opt not to sprinkle with powdered sugar. 

 

For some amazing lemon bars - definitely NOT gluten free,

 

 

 go for Ina Garten's lemon bars.  Obviously, these have more juice, sugar, eggs and flour.

 

 

With time, family, good friends,

 

 and lemon bars - life is good - again!

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                           

Chicken Stock - Meow

 

 

 

 

                                                                "Kitty in the Basket."  I am not sure when this song was written - by Bob Merrill - but it became better known to the public at large in 1954 when it was sung by Diana Decker

                                                              

The song became known to my sister and I when my mother used to sing it to us.  We used to have a calico cat that had been a stray.  My family now has a calico and our kitty has a runny nose.  Kitty, runny nose, snow storm, song lyrics:

                                         Wrap the kitty warm, you never know about a storm
                                          And I don't want a little kitty with the sneazies,
                                          I'll hug her and I'll squeaze her, and never never tease her
                                          Want a little kitty in the basket. 

Introduce chicken stock.

 I truly believe there is something medicinal in made at home chicken stock, and our kitty needs some!  I did one version safe for her, and one version for us. 

Ingredients and how to for two-leggeds:

Large stock pot
1 onion- quartered
4 cloves garlic- smashed
4 carrots
2 celery sticks or even better is the celery leafy center
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 bay leaf
black pepper
10 cups of water
4 organic chicken legs

                 Leave skins on the vegetables. 

Place all ingredients into stock pot.  Place on stove, bring to boil, then simmer for 2 hours. 

 

After two hours, let stock cool (near) completely in pot. Even placing in frige over night is fine.

 

When broth is cool, strain through a collander into another container. 

 

 

This is so easy to do and much healthier than the store bought brands.  I know nearly every cooking show I watch just pops open a box or can of stock. That is easy, but I don't feel it's as beneficial to our health. One popular store brand lists cane sugar in the ingredients.  Onion powder.  "Chicken flavor".  What is that all about?! Yeast.  Anyway - you just need simple chicken stock.

 

Now, for chicken stock for pets, do not use the above version.  Animals can NOT have onions or garlic.  To make the kitty version today I used two organic chicken legs, 6 cups of water and a large saucepan.  Everything else I did the same.  And animals can eat the cooked chicken.  It's far to mushy for something that we would enjoy. 

 

 

 

Setting outside to freeze to use later.

 

 

                     If there's someone in the city doesn't want a little kitty
                     Tell them put the little kitty in a basket
                     Leave the little basket outside my door
                     And I'll love the little kitty for evermore!

                                                             ... don't want a little kitty with the sneazies ~

Snow Day Cake GF with Caramel Frosting

I grew up in the Northwest.  At the slightest hint of snow in the air my sister and I hoped and prayed for a snow day.  If the flakes began to fall before we went to bed then we could hardly sleep for hoping.  Snow days were party days.  Hot cocoa WITH marshmallows, board games, and hot soup lunches. Sledding with sparks flying off the runners as they made contact with asphalt or rocks, the snow shallow and wet.    Most of the time, however, there was a two hour delay to school - which still not bad on that score - or no snow but black ice.  That - no fun for anyone. 

Now that I have kids of my own I am still every bit as excited for the potential snow day.  I really need to stop it too as I get the kids all excited as well, and -  well -  and where we currently live snow days are a rare thing, mostly only called on account of a power outage.  Last night as we drove home from night activities the snow was sticking on the road ways and beginning to build upon itself.  We got excited for a snow day.  A snow day that did not come.  When we all awoke this morning with snow day anticipation, we realized it was another cold (11 degrees) blowy school and work day. 

The way a crow                                              
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
               Robert Frost  Dust of Snow.

I determined to make my own dust of snow to cheer my crew:  A snow day cake!

 

Ingredients and How To:

 

Room temperature:  eggs, milk, buttermilk, butter

 

Oven to 350.  Spray or butter and parchment to 8" round cake pans

 

1 cup old fashioned oats - course ground to equal 1/2 cup

 

 

1 1/4 cups gluten free flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

 - whisk dry ingredients together and set aside.

 

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 eggs

1 cup honey

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup milk - I use fat free

1 cup mashed ripened bananas - 3

In mixing bowl with paddle attachment blend butter and honey, then add eggs and vanilla. Scrape down bowl and add milk and bananas. 

Scrape down bowl.  Add half of the dry ingredients,

then 1/2 cup buttermilk

then the rest of dry ingredients. 

Equally distribute - I use a measure cup to be sure they are equal.

 

Place on center rack in oven and bake for 20 - 25 minutes.  You can smell when the cake is done, so check to be sure not to overbake.  Check with toothpick.  Let cool in pans for 5 minutes.  Then invert onto cooling racks to cool completely.

 

 

These cakes would be great with a dab of butter, clotted cream, cream cheese~  to make it more of an event I frosted with caramel frosting.  (SWEET!)

 

Caramel Frosting

Ingredients and how to:

 

 

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup evaporated milk.

Place these into small saucepan and heat until sugar dissolves.  Cool slightly.

 

While cooling sift 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar into a bowl and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt.

Place cooled butter mixture into mixing bowl with whisk attachment.  Whisk a couple of minutes to add some air then add in the powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla.  Whip up and spread on cake!

 

 

The right dust of cheer to share~

 

 

 

a happier no-snow day.