Tour of Fifty States: Washington's meal

This week’s meal was from Washington (state). Since we recently had salmon (for Oregon’s state meal,) I decided to go for a different seafood found in the Pacific Northwest – this time, Dungeness Crab. Growing up in South Carolina, I’m used to the lovely blue crabs found here. Petite and plentiful, they cook up quickly and are pretty good – although I don’t mind eating crab at all, I’ve never really cared for cleaning (or “picking”) it myself.  

 

A couple of weeks ago at Costco, they were having a “Seafood Event” at which we were able to find cooked Dungeness Crabs at a decent price, so I purchased 3 for our upcoming Crab Bisque. When we got home, we froze them and last week I defrosted them in the fridge in preparation for picking to make our soup. Little did I know, as they defrosted, the bag they were in leaked smelly crab juice out of the fridge, onto the floor, and under/behind our chest freezer! Sorry, Bill – and a big thank you for spotting the leak and cleaning everything up!!

 

Menu: Dungeness Crab Bisque, salad, warm bread, Aplets

Outcome: The kids were due to us on Friday evening, so on Thursday before chores (since it was 100+ degrees outside), I started right in on cleaning the crabs. Squeamish as I am about cleaning dead critters, this was not a fun task. Now with blue crabs, you don’t usually bother with the legs much other than the largest two pincers for the “claw” meat and you get the bulk of the meat from the body. Oh, no – not Dungeness crabs. Each leg is divided up into segments, kind of like our knuckles, and you crack open each segment for a bit of meat. Every joint of every leg has to be opened and picked – then the really ewww part – rip the back shell off of the front shell, discard the icky bits, and then pick out the rest of the tasty meat. Very surprising how much meat there was, compared to the amount you get from blue crabs. After we made the soup and tasted it, it was so, sooooo good. Totally worth the ick factor of dismantling the little guys. The soup was a hit and not one drop was left!  

As for the Aplets, I don’t know what happened; I followed the recipe to the letter, but when I rolled each square in powdered sugar, the Aplets absorbed it all and were just sticky. I was quite skeptical of serving them and wanted to redo the recipe next week. Well, I was talked into serving the Aplets for breakfast with apple turnovers (another nod to Washington’s apple crop.) To my surprise, the kids LOVED them. Ben described it as “solid applesauce” since they were kind of like gummies. The apple taste really came out, and after trying them myself, the only thing I would change would be to chop the walnuts a little smaller. We consider it a successful meal. :D

Next up: Ben’s turn! He chose Mississippi!

Tour of Fifty States: West Virginia's meal

This week’s meal was from West Virginia.  When I think of the state, I think of mountains and coal mines.  In fact, our lunch is Pepperoni Rolls -- they originated as a lunch option for the coal miners of north-central West Virginia in the first half of the 20th century.  Pepperoni rolls do not need to be refrigerated for storage and could readily be packed for lunch by miners. Pepperoni and other Italian foods became popular in north-central West Virginia in the early 20th century, when the booming mines and railroads attracted many immigrants from Italy. 

Our dinner is one of my favorite meals that I’ve had many, many times over the years.  It’s inexpensive, goes far, and fills you up.  YUM I love me some beans ‘n’ cornbread! 

The origin of our dessert, Chess Pie, may have come from the term "pie chest", another name for a pie safe.  Another theory is that when asked what was for dessert, the wife would say “just pie” and the name shifted over the years to “Chess Pie.”

“Take me home, country roads, to the place I belong, West Virginia, mountain Mama, take me home, down country roads…” – John Denver

Menu:  Pinto Beans and Cornbread, Pepperoni Rolls, Chess Pie

Outcome:   We had the Pepperoni Rolls for lunch and these were just the right size for a hot, quick bite.  We had some leftover red sauce that we spooned over our little mini calzones and we got to talking about other things we could stuff inside of biscuits – ham and cheese, chicken and rice, mushrooms and onions, etc.  (I think the last one would be wonderful smothered in brown gravy!)  

At dinner time, the kids were doubtful  -- “Just beans and cornbread???  And just what is a ham hock???  Oooookaaaay…”  Haha  -- then they took a bite of the creamy soft, pork-laden beans that were ladled over hot, crispy, buttery cornbread.  I think every one of them rolled their eyes at how GOOD it was!!!  They got seconds and thirds.  And yes, they said they’d love to have it again!  VICTORY.

We got busy playing Monopoly after dinner and kind of maybe forgot about dessert…but that’s okay, we had Chess Pie for breakfast!  It was super easy and fast to throw together, about as simple as you can get – but Bill said it’s the best pie he’s ever had.  Yay! 

Next up:  Bridget’s turn!  She chose Washington (state, not D.C.)!

 

Pinto beans and cornbread!

Visit to the Francis Beidler Forest

We had some nice (cooler) weather on Sunday, so we took a short drive over to the Francis Beidler Forest and walked the boardwalk.  Enjoy the pictures!

Tour of Fifty States: Oregon's meal

This week’s meal was from Oregon.  I knew we had to have salmon (I couldn’t find Pacific Salmon in our local store, so we used Atlantic instead.)  We made ice cream from our goat’s milk – unbelievably creamy and smooth!
 Menu:  Poached Salmon, Creamy Baked Asparagus with Aged Cheddar, Ice Cream (made from our own goat milk!)
 Outcome:  The salmon was very good and it cooked up very nicely in this poaching liquid.  The star of the meal was the asparagus in the cheese sauce!  Super good, and fast to make.  We’ll be making this again.
 Next up:  Paula’s turn!  She chose West Virginia!

Oregon's meal

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Adventures of Farming

Well, we have been farm owners for 3 weeks now.  It’s been a learning experience the entire time!  Bill and I have slowly been unpacking boxes and deciding where everything is going to go.  We’ve pretty much got the house squared away and are working on the finishing touches.  There is a lot to do but we are enjoying it.

 Click below to read more about our fun times.  

Tour of Fifty States: New York's meal

This week’s meal was from New York.  We were finally able to close on our new house/farm on May 27 and the kids came to see us (and our new home) on the weekend of May 29-31.  Friday evening we took it very easy and had an amended New York meal … Nathan’s hotdogs!  There are so many wonderful choices available for NY – but we talked about it and decided as a family to go ahead with the meal instead of postponing it for 3 weeks. (The kids will be with us for 2 weeks for summer vacation in June.)  Potato chips were created in NY too.  This was probably our easiest state meal ever but I completely forgot to take pictures!  Oops! 

More to come about our new home in the next post…

Menu:  Nathan’s hotdogs with chili and/or sauerkraut, potato chips

Outcome:  Yum! 

Next up:  Bill’s turn!  He chose Oregon!

No recipes to post this time.  

Memorial Day

This past Monday we observed Memorial Day by enjoying a day off from work and visiting Bill's parents.  We were able to arrive at just the right time for high tide, and they took us out on their boat for a nice ride (lots of dolphins were putting on a show for us) and later we had some burgers, dogs, and delicious sides.  What a nice break!

Remember our fallen servicemen, POWs, and MIAs! 

Tour of Fifty States: New Hampshire's meal

This week’s meal was from New Hampshire.  When I think of New Hampshire, I think of cold winters and maple syrup.  So I found a hearty, rib-sticking meal that would be great on a cold winter’s night.  And it’s May in South Carolina!  LOL!  We liked it anyway.  :)

Menu:  Corned Beef and Cabbage, Maple Orange Glazed Carrots, Apple Maple Bacon Cupcakes

Next day:  Corned Beef Hash for breakfast

Outcome:  Oh my, we just loved the corned beef.  I’m glad that I followed the pre-step of the recipe, which is to boil the meat in clean water twice to remove some of the salt.  It was still a little salty, but not too much.  The star of the show, surprisingly, was the cabbage!  The recipe I used is for sautéing the cabbage in a little oil (maybe a little bacon grease got in the pan, too, just maybe.)  We liked that the cabbage had browned bits and still a little al dente crunch to it.  In fact, Bridget went back for seconds … and at the end of the meal, she asked, “Does anyone mind if I finish the cabbage?”   OF COURSE NOT!  Hey, if kids ask for veggies, by all means, I’m not gonna stand in their way! 

The carrots were good, but the cupcakes were just “eh”.  I may have used the wrong kind of apple, but they weren’t appley or mapley tasting at all…and yes, I did get real maple syrup.  They tasted like they came from a box, really.  The icing was really good, and the little pieces of bacon on top were super.  I think I’ll use Granny Smith apples if I make these again, and dice the apples rather than grating them.  A little maple extract instead of maple syrup would kick these up a notch, too. 

Two weeks ago we had corned beef and cabbage (sauerkraut), when we had Reuben sandwiches…and when Brandi pulled the next slip from the bag, it was for Vermont.  Guess what?  Corned beef and cabbage again!  (New England Boiled Dinner.) So for the first time, we had a re-draw.  Not that we don’t like corned beef!  We just want to mix it up a little.

Also, the next morning I diced up the rest of the corned beef and added it to some fried taters...mmmm Red Flannel Hash!  

Next up:  Brandi’s turn!  She chose New York!

New Hampshire's meal

Tour of Fifty States: Nebraska's meal

This weekend’s meal was from the Great Plains state of Nebraska, a.k.a. the Cornhusker State.   I knew we needed to find something with corn, and the excellent Corn Chowder went very nicely with the Reuben sandwiches we also had. 

Why Reuben sandwiches??  Why, that’s a NY deli favorite!!  It is claimed that Reuben Kulakofsky, a Lithuanian-born grocer in Omaha, Nebraska, was the inventor, perhaps as part of a group effort by members of Kulakofsky's weekly poker game held in the Blackstone Hotel from around 1920 through 1935. The sandwich first gained local fame when the hotel owner put it on the Blackstone's lunch menu, and its fame spread when a former employee of the hotel won a national contest with the recipe.  There you go!   This weekend, in honor of the above-mentioned poker game, we taught the kids how to play poker, blackjack, and Texas Hold 'Em with our jars of loose change.  Wow, they were fast learners and they have already mastered the art of bluffing!  

Since we are in the process of moving, much of our cooking and serving dishes are packed up, so I wasn’t able to make the dessert I’d picked out for Nebraska, Sweet Corn Panna Cotta…I’ll be sure to do a revisit to Nebraska after we get settled into our new home.  Instead, we had “Birthday Cake” ice cream sandwiches…Bill’s birthday is May 5^th! 

Menu:  Reuben Sandwiches, Corn Chowder

Outcome:  The Corn Chowder was really good and everyone had a second bowl.  It was probably one of the best soups we’ve made!  Oh, and the Reuben Sandwiches – Bill said it had been way too long since he’d had one….mmmmm!  Toasty and melty and crispy.  Instead of the standard “sour” sauerkraut, I chose “Bavarian-style” sauerkraut for the Reubens – it’s sweet and sour and reminded us of the wonderful red cabbage we have at Christmas. 

Next up:  Paula’s turn!  She chose New Hampshire!

Nice Surprise!

I received an email from the folks at www.erecipe.com that my recipe for Kansas City Style Ribs was chosen as Recipe of the Day!

How cool!

Tour of Fifty States: Hawaii's meals

Aloha!  We are having a Hawaii-themed weekend of meals! Lotsa ono grinds, brah, ya? 

There are so many wonderful foods available in this beautiful state, and I couldn't decide…so we’re having food related to Hawaii at every meal! 

As I write this, there is a pork butt in the crock pot, cooking all day, to be pulled pork sandwiches for tonight’s dinner.  It can’t compare to being roasted with hot lava rocks in an imu wrapped in taro and banana leaves, but I don’t think the neighborhood would allow us to dig a large pit and put a pig in it for the day…so the crock pot it is.  ;)

For breakfast Saturday and Sunday we are having fresh tropical fruit that is normally grown in Hawaii…but sadly, due to costs of transportation, we can’t get anything grown in Hawaii – the only ones I can find have Guatemala stickers on them, but at least the kids will get to try some new things.  We’ll be having eggs with Spam, an island favorite.  I've always liked it…I don’t know if the kids will, but this is an adventure! 

When we talked about the Hawaii meal, my dad asked me if we would be making Loco Moco.  I told Bill what it is, and he said “No way!”  I bet he likes it. 

Aloha from SC!

Menu: 

Friday dinner: Kalua Pulled Pork, Mac Salad (purchased), Ahi Poke, Macadamia Nut Pie

Saturday breakfast:  Eggs scrambled with onions, cheese and Spam, toasted Hawaiian bread, chunks of pineapple, papaya, mango, and coconut

Saturday dinner:  Loco Moco, Lomi Lomi Salmon, Haupia

Saturday breakfast:  Eggs on English Muffins with Spam slices and cheese, chunks of pineapple, papaya, mango, and coconut

Sunday dinner:  Huli Huli Chicken, Corn on the Cob, Grilled Pineapple

Outcome:  This weekend was fun!  I greeted each of the kids with a lei when they entered the house, and we had Hawaiian music playing all evening.  The pulled pork was very, very tender and delicious.  Probably the easiest thing I've ever made.  The Ahi Poke (raw tuna, diced, with seasonings) was a hit.  I only got one tuna steak so we’d all have a little, but the flavor was outstanding.   We absolutely loved the Macadamia Nut Pie – kind of like Pecan Pie, but much better.  Breakfast included fresh fruit both days, and eggs with Spam.  Bill liked the jalapeno Spam!

Saturday evening we had Loco Moco.  The only one of us who was brave enough to try a runny egg on top was Ben, and he said he loved the way the yolk flavored the burger and the rice.  Dessert was Haupia, or coconut pudding.  It was super easy to make and it had a creamy richness to it.  I toasted some coconut for the top of the pudding, and the crunch added nicely to it.  I think the hit of the weekend was the Huli Huli chicken.  The marinade for the thighs was just perfect and we’re definitely making it again.  We had thunderstorms all day, so we weren't able to grill, so we baked the thighs, basting frequently, and we ended up broiling the pineapple slices.  Overall, we think that all of the kids truly enjoyed the weekend full of Aloha!

Next up:  Bill’s turn!  He chose Nebraska!

 

Tour of Fifty States: Massachusetts' meal

Massachusetts, chosen by Bridget is next!  I picked clam chowder for the commonwealth since we’ve already had Lobster Rolls for 2 previous New England states (see Connecticut and Maine,) and because I think it really represents the Cape Cod area. Say it in your head, “Lobstah” and “Clamdiggahs”, LOL. ;-)  I am including the “real” recipe for New England Clam Chowder; however, I am making changes.  I prefer not to use fresh clams (just me, I am squeamish at opening them,) so I am using canned clams and bottled clam juice.   

I’ve never been to Massachusetts, but one day we’ll all go.  Just think about how much history it’s seen:  the Pilgrims, the Puritans, the American Revolution, Salem Witch Trials, the Civil War…  There is even a tie to Charleston:  the African-American 54^th Infantry Regiment, which fought battles on James Island and Morris Island against the Confederates. 

The official state dessert of Massachusetts is Boston cream pie.  It is also quite noticeably a cake rather than a pie. Most Boston Cream Pies are made up of two round layers of cake, a layer of thick, creamy vanilla custard in the middle and a chocolate icing on the top. The Parker House Hotel opened in Boston in 1855. By 1856, as far as we know, Parker House Chocolate Cream Pie, what is now Boston Cream Pie, was on the menu.

Menu:  New England Clam Chowder with oyster crackers, Boston Baked Beans (served at breakfast), and Boston Cream Pie

Outcome:  We all loved the soup (not too clammy) and the cake was a hit!

Next up:  Ben’s turn!  He chose Hawaii! Get ready for a luau! 

New England Clam Chowder