Zucchini Fritters with Chipotle Cream or Zucchini Explosion Part II

Last year, when I was drowning in zucchini, I tried making zucchini fritters.  I wasn't overly impressed with them.  I tried my hand at them twice.  The second time I added a little grated potato for body.  It was a slight improvement, but not blog worthy.  I've been thinking about those fritters...and then it came to me.  While I was searching for different appetizers from my favorite bloggers, I came across cornmeal cakes on Annie's Eats.  Cornmeal, that's it!  Cornmeal would be the perfect ingredient to give my fritters enough body without being bland.  Annie's recipe inspired me to try again.  This time, in my humble opinion,  I came up with a blog worthy recipe.

A Visit to the Winter Park Farmer's Market and Some Roasted Asparagus

My mother used to say, "You know it is spring when the grocery store has fresh asparagus again."  Every time I see asparagus, I can hear her words, whatever time of year it may be.  Nowadays, produce is flown in from all parts of the world and if you look hard enough, you can find whatever produce your heart desires any time of year.  Yes, fresh produce is always accessible in these parts, but local produce that is in season is still the best.

The past few weeks I have been reading, and planning, and reading some more and  planning some more; getting ready to plant my vegetable garden.  I am going to try a technique this year called "square foot gardening".  You'll be getting updates in the months to come.  Anyway, I was getting kind of antsy about wanting to get this project going, but the weather was not quite warm enough.  It's a good thing I had a trip to Florida planned to help take the edge off my need to rush the season.  The weather here has been GORGEOUS!  Long Island got snow this week.  I'm sorry Long Island.  I was in sunny Vero Beach thinking of all of you back home.  I guess I shouldn't mention that it has been 80 something degrees, breezy, and delightful every day since we arrived.  We got back to Winter Park Friday night, so I'd be sure to make it to the Winter Park Farmer's Market on Saturday morning.  How I love this market!

It's sensory overload.  Everything looks, smells, and tastes so good.  I have a tendency to overbuy when I visit this market.  I kept my head this time, but there are some things you just can't pass up.

Fresh picked strawberries for $6.00 a half flat...OMG!  What's not to love?

What's not to love?

Dijon Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Garlic Herb Potatoes

What can I say?  I love rack of lamb.  It's something I don't eat often.  As a matter of fact, I hardly ever cooked lamb because my kids and husband wouldn't eat it.  It all started one Easter when my children were very young.  I decided to make a leg of lamb for dinner.  Paul made it known that he wasn't a fan.  I was convinced that he did not like lamb based upon some bad lamb experience he had as a child.  I was going to change his mind.  As soon as the lamb hit the oven, and its aroma filled the house, Paul began making baby lamb noises.  Melissa began to cry, and Matt decided at that moment, he will never eat lamb.  Paul continued to make his baaaaaaa... baaaaaaa sounds, until the roast was done.  I ate alone that Easter,  like I was the monster that killed the lamb?  It really wasn't fair; no one ever made moooing, oinking, or clucking noises when I cooked their favorite meals!

Fast forward about 15 years.  Paul begins to open his mind to lamb...Matt still wouldn't eat it, Melissa hardly ate any meat.  I would occasionally order it when we would dine out; perhaps lamb in a Merlot reduction, grilled baby lamb chops or my favorite, rack of lamb.  Paul would taste it with an open mind.   A friend once served a grilled, marinated leg of lamb and Paul decided that lamb was not so bad after all.  Yes, I think he was traumatized by overcooked mutton before I met him.  Now that the kids are living on their own, I am free to cook what I please without fear of traumatizing anyone.  That's exactly what I did this past Sunday.

I knew Paul would be watching the Daytona 500.  I was feeling ever-so-slightly guilty because I kind of put the kibosh on taking a trip down to Daytona and Florida this week .  I wasn't quite ready for a vacation.  I'm also not a race fan.  I've humored Paul by going to a few races, I just can't share in his enthusiasm.  To make up for my selfishness, I decided to make Paul a special dinner, one that he wouldn't have had in Daytona.  Rack of Lamb, I decided.  I'm going to make him LOVE rack of lamb!  I figured if I encrusted the lamb in enough garlic, herbs, spices, and crunch...how could he resist?  As long as I was mincing up fresh herbs, I minced up a few more for some roasted potatoes.   A good bottle of red wine didn't hurt either.  You know what?  I think I have a full fledged convert on my hands!

Dreaming of Sunshine, Grilled Tuna Steaks with Pineapple Salsa

This weekend the Food Network featured shows that were healthy and on the lighter side for the New Year.  I tuned in for a few minutes and saw Paula Dean making smoothies, a fruit crisp and grilled fish.  Really???  No mayonnaise, no butter?  I couldn't believe my eyes.  At the very last minute, she broke down.  She couldn't do it.  She had to put a scoop ice cream on top of her fruit crisp...shame, shame.

Just because summer is a faded memory, doesn't mean that we've abandoned our grill either.  We grill all year long.  There are some things that I refuse to cook indoors.  Fish, with the exception of shellfish, is something that I prefer to grill outdoors, no smell and easy clean-up.  Just dig your grill out of the snow and remember to let it heat up a little longer.  After a "Season of Eating" it feels good to serve something fresh and simple.  It's something healthy, a reminder of summer or maybe a trip to someplace tropical?  Yes, it's January in New York.  I've spent a good part of the day reading about cruises and trips to the Bahamas....not to mention gardening blogs.  I think the mention of an impending "big" snow storm has me a little crazy.  Hurry and make this while you can still find the grill!

Spiced Cranberry and Cherry Compote

I intended to post several of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes all month long, but life got in the way,  and as you can see, it never happened.  I'm somewhat disappointed in myself, but I will chalk it up to a learning experience.  Next year, I will get an earlier start.  After all, this is my first year of blogging and I'm just getting the kinks out.

So not to be totally disappointed, I'd like to share a quick post with you, spiced cranberry and cherry compote.   I just whipped up a batch for Thursday's feast.  If you haven't decided on your cranberry sauce yet, you might give this one a try.  It has a fresh taste, a bit tart, with a nice zip of spice.  It's also great on a turkey sandwich and goes nicely with a holiday ham. 

Apple Sauce, Plain and Simple

Apples have arrived... fresh, crisp, juicy apples.  I've been getting some early crop apples at the farmer's market since the end of August.  A few days ago those giant wooden bins, straight from the orchard, arrived at my local supermarket.  They were brimming with Macintosh, Jonamacs, Gala, Rome and Golden Delicious apples.  The season is just getting started.  I am looking forward to Empire and my favorite of all apples,  Macouns.

Apples make me feel nostalgic.  I have one of those warm and fuzzy early childhood memories of flannel shirts, seeing my breath in the morning, and feeling the warm sunshine on the side of my face through the car window as my dad and I took a drive upstate in search of apple orchards.  I have no idea where we went, but I remember feeling rebellious eating apples off the tree without washing them.

I went to college upstate New York.  I was surrounded by apple orchards.  I became the apple pie queen of my dorm.  There was a huge kitchen in the basement of the dorm with 3ovens.  Our guy friends would sneak into the orchards at night with empty pillow cases, filling them with apples, that is until one of them got shot in the butt with buckshot!  Yes, they were stealing, but we justified it because we were poor college students and heck...it was the 70's!  My roomie and I  rolled out pie crusts by the dozen.  Occasionally, I'd throw in a dutch crumb.

When my kids were young, we created more apple memories.  Our family took annual apple picking trips with friends from my son's cub scout pack that continued even after the boys lost interest in scouting.  The kids ran wild in the orchards, picked way too many apples, took hayrides, drank cider, and ate apple donuts.  The day always ended with a picnic and a cut throat game of soccer.  Yes, apples make me feel nostalgic.

I thought I would kick off the season by putting up some jars of applesauce.  If you have not done any canning you can refer to one of my earlier posts for the specifics.

Start by sterilizing  your jars.  This big pot takes awhile to get boiling...even with 2 burners.