Cozy Comfort Food

Today marks the first day of comfort food season, a.k.a. autumn. What better time to share one my favorite comfort food recipes, mac and cheese!
Surely you’ve heard it said that a cooking recipe is just a guideline. That statement lends itself perfectly to macaroni and cheese. The goodness of this classic is as unique and creative as the cook who prepares it.

Feel free to use the recipe below exactly as is or mix it up a little and substitute all your favorite ingredients (or whatever ingredients you happen to have in the pantry) to make it uniquely and expressly your own. Go ahead, play with your food! ~~Joy Bell

Need some help getting those creative juices flowing? Here are some suggested opportunities for personalizing:

Cheese-You don’t have to use the cheeses listed in my recipe, I find it’s best to stick with the cheeses you normally buy.
Pasta-Any pasta that will grab the gooey goodness of the cheese is fair game.
Seasoning-Add your favorite spices and seasonings. If spicy is your thing, add some cayenne!
Topping-While the buttered fresh breadcrumbs are a deal breaker in my household (almost more important than the cheese), you don’t have to follow my lead, I’ve seen folks crumble potato chips on top of their macaroni and cheese and it’s really quite tasty!
Add-Ins-This is a great place to get creative with your recipe. Throw in some stewed tomatoes, ham, chicken or veggies.

Basic Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients:

• 1 pound campanelle pasta shells, cooked according to package directions
• 3 cups milk, warmed (not boiled)
• 8 tablespoons butter, separated
• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 ounces light havarti cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces Gouda cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1-tablespoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 ½ cups fresh breadcrumbs

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Melt 6 tablespoons of butter in large pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. While stirring, add warm milk and cook for a couple minutes longer (until thick and smooth).
• Remove mixture from heat and add cheeses, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add cooked pasta and stir well. Pour into a baking dish.
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and combine with fresh breadcrumbs. Once breadcrumbs are thoroughly coated with butter, sprinkle on top of macaroni and cheese and bake in oven for approximately 30 minutes (until browned and bubbly).

In A Pickle

As the days get shorter and the nights longer I find myself clinging to the dwindling days of summer. Tomato plants are ready for their last harvest and squash of every variety pour out of baskets at the farmer's market.

As much as I look forward to the crisp air and deep hues of autumn, I feel compelled to enjoy the few days of summer that West Virginia has left to offer.

We'd like to help you enjoy them too! In the true spirit of summer, here is a quick and delicious recipe that will serve up perfectly along side whatever it is you’re cooking on the grill tonight.

One bite of these crisp, sweet and tart pickles will remind you that it is, in fact, still summer. ~Joy Bell

It’s Still Summer Refrigerator Pickles

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vinegar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 Tablespoon pickling spices
• 6-7 Kirby Cukes, sliced

Directions:

• Place vinegar, sugar, salt, garlic and 1 tablespoon pickling spices in a saucepan and cook on medium-low heat until sugar and salt dissolves.
• Place cucumbers in a jar, pour vinegar mixture over top of cucumbers and place lid on jar.
• Store in refrigerator at least 4 hours before enjoying.

Cooks Note: Can be stored in the refrigerator up to 48 hours. A variety of seedless cucumbers can be substituted if you cannot find Kirby cucumbers.

Fresh Tomato Soup

If you're in a region of the state that didn't get inundated with rain this season, those green orbs that you've been patiently watching all summer are probably starting to slowly turn from subtle orange to bright red. A sure sign that you're soon to be up to your ears in tomatoes. If you're like me, the first week of tomatoes is an absolute delight, tomato sandwiches, tomato salads, tomato sauce, my husband even eats the tomatoes right off the vine, like an apple. Then the plants seem to go into overdrive and we can't keep up with them! Although I only grow a few tomato plants each year it seems they alway produce more than we can consume and a lot of them end up rotting before we can eat them. That won't be the case this year.

We recently visited one of my good friends and her husband who served this incredibly delicious tomato soup for lunch. After polishing off my second bowl, I asked for the recipe. My friends husband George, who is from Czechoslovakia, proudly produced the recipe. There was only one problem, it was in Czech! After a good laugh his wife translated it for me and also informed me that she harvests many of her tomatoes each year just for this soup and then freezes it to enjoy during the winter months.

I immediately thought of the readers of WV Living Food and wanted to share this recipe. How nice will it be to pull a delicious tomato soup out of the freezer on a cold winter night and enjoy a little bit of summer along side a piping hot grilled cheese sandwich? Once you taste this soup, you'll never eat tomato soup from a can again! But don't save it all for winter, enjoy some now along side a great summer salad. ~~ Joy Bell

George's Tomato Soup

Ingredients:

• 6 large tomatoes
• 1/2 cup water
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 large onion/finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 small cube chicken or vegetable bouillon
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• salt, pepper and brown sugar to taste
• parsley/finely chopped

Directions:

• Place tomatoes in boiling water for 5 - 10 minutes, remove from water, remove skin, puree in blender. Add 1/2 cup of water to the mixture and set aside (should produce approximately 8 cups of tomato mix).

• In a large pot, melt butter, add onion and cook until translucent. Add flour to the cooked onion and cook while stirring for an additional 1 - 2 minutes.Add the tomato mixture continuing to stir to avoid the creation of lumps.

• Season with soy sauce, salt, pepper and brown sugar to taste. Boil for 20 minutes, during the last minute of boiling, add the finely chopped parsley.

Cobb Salad

Ingredients:

• 4 cups romaine lettuce/chopped
• 2 grilled boneless chicken breasts/chopped
• 1/4 cup crumbly blue cheese
• 5 slices crisp bacon/crumbled
• 3 hard cooked eggs/chopped
• 1 medium tomato/diced
• 1 avocado/diced
• 1/2 red onion/diced

Directions:

• Place lettuce on a serving platter.
• Layer remaining ingredients on top of lettuce.
• Serve with your favorite dressing.

Green With Envy

Other than those that are green, the array of the colorful produce available for my gastronomic enjoyment is surely gaining an inferiority complex.   It seems every time I reach for my apron, I am getting ready to prepare something green!

Before I move on to the rest of the colors that the summer has to offer, I wanted to share with you the recipes that have gotten all the other vegetables so riled up.  

I have a very small garden outside my kitchen door where each year I grow tomatoes, various herbs, mint and basil.  My basil plants are so full and bushy that I took the opportunity to make pesto.  In my opinion, there is nothing more tasty,  versatile and screams summer like bright green basil pesto.   Toss with pasta or drizzle over slices of toasted baguette to nibble on while you enjoy a refreshing glass of wine on a warm summer evening.  

Basil Pesto

Ingredients:

• 4 cups basil leaves/washed
• 1/2 cup pine nuts/toasted
• 1/2 cup parmesan/grated
• 2 garlic cloves/minced
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil

Directions:

• Puree all ingredients in a food processor, add more olive oil as needed to reach desired consistency.
  
• Serve immediately or freeze for later use.

Peas...every kids nemesis come dinner time.  Unless of course they've had them fresh out of the garden. Fresh from the garden and prepared properly these emerald gems are hard for anyone to refuse.  Thankfully Chef Dale Hawkins reminded me of my love for fresh peas when he sent me a bag full of them on a recent CSA delivery.  After I spent a bit of time coaxing all of them from their delightful pods, I enjoyed them in Chef Hawkins recipe for Fresh Pea Salad.

Fresh Pea Salad

Ingredients Mint Dressing:

• 1 cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 cup dried dates, pitted
• 1/2 small serrano chile, stem removed
• juice and zest of one lemon

Directions Mint Dressing:

• Puree mint, dates, chilies, and lemon jusice and zest in a food processor or blender.  You can thin this out to desired consistency by adding water a little at a time.  

Ingredients Salad:

• 1 1/2 cup fresh peas
• 1 small head romaine or mixed lettuces cut into shreds
• 1/2 cup toasted pumpkin seeds
• fine grain sea salt

Directions Salad:

• Cook peas in salted boiling water for approximately 20 seconds, the key is to not overcook them.  Immediately after cooking, submerge them in an ice bath.  When ready to serve, toss the peas, lettuce and pumpkin seeds together with 1/2 of the mint dressing and salt to taste.
  

Anyone who grows mint in their garden is undoubtedly left scratching their head each summer wondering what they are going to make with the abundance of mint that has threatened to take over their garden.  Wonder no more!  Try this refreshing mint tea recipe I recently found in Gourmet magazine.  It's a little work, but well worth it!

Mint Tea

Ingredients:

2 quarts of water

10 mint sprigs, leaves pulled off and cleaned

1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

Bring water, mind, and sugar to a boil in a large saucepan, stirring until the sugar has dissolved, then simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.  Cool completely, about 1 hour.  Strain through a sieve into a large pitcher, pressing on and then discarding mint.

~~Joy Bell

Firefighter's Breakfast Feeds 1200

On the second Sunday of each month Kingwood's Volunteer Fire Department serves buckwheat cakes (and don't call them pancakes!), scrambled eggs, biscuits, gravy, sausage and bacon to folks who travel from near to far to enjoy the all-you-can-eat feast. Each month 1200 people on average come to the Community Center to enjoy the good food. Can't wait until the annual Buckwheat Festival to get your buckwheat cake fix? Then mosey on over to Kingwood on the second Sunday of each month--you'll want to make it an annual outing!

Personally, I like having firemen serve me breakfast, but if you want try your hand at the cakes that put Kingwood on the map, then enjoy this delicious recipe! -- Nikki Bowman

Recipe for Preston County Raised Buckwheat Cakes

(Recipe makes 8-12 cakes)

In a large bowl, mix 1/2 cake household yeast (or 1 cake Fleishman's Yeast or 1 envelope dry yeast) and 1 teaspoon salt into one quart lukewarm water.

Let stand a few minutes and then add 3 cups, or enough buckwheat flour to make a stiff batter. Cover and let stand overnight (or at least 4 or 5 hours).

When ready to bake the cakes, dissolve 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 2 teaspoons sugar in 1 cup hot water. Stir into batter, then add about 1 cup or enough warm water to make a thin batter. Bake on a hot griddle.

Save at least 1 cup of the batter for the next baking. (It will keep in the refrigerator for about a week) To renew, add 1 pint lukewarm water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and enough buckwheat flour to make a stiff batter. Cover and let stand overnight (or at least 4 - 5 hours)

Chef Heath Finnell's Ribeye Perfection

While interviewing Chef Heath Finnell of Cafe' Bacchus in Morgantown for a story in the summer issue of WV Living Magazine, I asked him where he liked to eat when he wasn't turning out fantastic dishes for his patrons.  Expecting him to want someone else to do the cooking for once, his answer surprised me,  "I love to hang out in the backyard and grill," says Heath.   

With summer just around the corner (and fathers day too) I asked Heath if he would share some of his grilling techniques with the readers of WV Living and I'm so glad he said yes, I think you will be too.  

~~Joy Bell

Myla Bowman's Perfect Pie Crust

In less than 2 weeks the summer issue of WV Living goes to print and in it, we will be bringing you pages of recipe ideas for your summer berries. When editor Nikki Bowman assigned the berry article to me she said, “You have to include my mother-in-law’s piecrust recipe, it’s the best I’ve ever tasted!” And that got me thinking. Piecrust, in my opinion is an art. It’s not simply the recipe that is key to a flaky, melt in your mouth pastry, but the technique.  

A flaky piecrust is a lost art that I’ve never been able to master. “Do you think your mother in law would allow me to video her technique so we could share it with the readers of WV Living?” I asked. And the rest, as they say, is history!

In this video, Myla Bowman shares with the readers of WV Living her tried and true techniques for the perfect piecrust. I think you’ll also enjoy the stories she weaves into the lesson. Myla is like a cup of hot chocolate on a cold winter day (with homemade marshmallows)!

After you’ve watched the video, you'll see the secret ingredient to Myla’s perfect piecrust is really no secret at all, but instead a light hand mixed with a dash of patience.

Myla Bowman's Perfect Pie Crust from Joy Bell on Vimeo.

What's Old Is New

My very thoughtful, and wonderful neighbors brought me over a container of soup today. Red Pottage…a soup that is so old it can be traced back to the bible (Genesis 25:30), now that’s old!

Up until a couple of years ago, I had never even had a beet. I remember when I was a little girl my grandfather used to eat them and always tried to get me to have a taste, “try them,” he’d say, “they taste like candied apples.” I didn’t bite, ever! I just crinkled up my nose, and went to see what my grandmother had baking in the kitchen. Today, I look forward to discovering the different ways in which I can enjoy them!

When my neighbor left, I started to think of my grandfather, then instinctively of the vegetables that seem to be so sought after these days, and the lifestyle that is once again gaining popularity. Heirloom vegetables, and a newfound focus on locally grown produce seem to be the order of the day.  It seems as if we have come full circle in my lifetime.  Having gone from a life of modest simplicity to one where there is access to abundance.  But today, I am seeing a subtle change where seemingly many are leaning toward simplicity once again.    It makes sense, in the complexity, and challenges of our world, that old, is once again new, that we are embracing the simplicity of our parents and grandparents.

I really enjoyed the pottage and the memories that came with it.   The texture was similar to split pea soup, and it had a rich, sweet, earthy taste that paid tribute to both beet, and bean.

 
Red Pottage ala Therese and Eric
Adapted from Sundays At Moosewood Restaurant

Ingredients:
1-½ cups dried kidney beans
½ cup dried black beans
7 cups water
2 medium beets, peeled and cubed

1 cup chopped onions

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 cup chopped celery
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne
2 ½ cups un-drained canned whole tomatoes (28-ounce can)
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Directions:

• Sort and rinse the beans. In a medium saucepan, bring the water, and the beans to a boil.
  
• Cover and simmer gently for 1-½ hours. Add the chopped beets, and continue simmer for another ½ hour or until both the beets, and beans are tender.
  
• Add more water if needed, to keep the beans covered in liquid.
  
• Meanwhile, sauté’ the onions in the oil until translucent, add the celery, salt, black pepper, and cayenne, and continue cooking until the celery is tender.
  
• Add the tomato, and lemon juice. Lower the heat and gently simmer until the tomatoes are well stewed.
  
• Stir the stewed vegetables into the beans. In a blender or food processor, puree soup, stirring frequently. Adjust the salt, and pepper to taste.
  
• Serve garnished with a mint leaf, and a dollop of sour cream or with croutons.
  

On Top Of Spaghetti

Some of my very good, and longtime friends, the Grassi’s and the Perfetti’s, come from some serious Italian heritage. When I say serious, I mean serious! I’m talking, macaroni and gravy every Friday kind of serious. Homemade, award-winning wine, out of the custom wine cellar, kind of serious.  

Why they decided to let me into their tight knit group is beyond me, but let me tell you, I’ll never complain. They feed me well, they are as loyal as can be, and always greet me with a kiss on the cheek and a glass of wine!  

Through the years, they’ve taught me a lot about love as well as a thing or two about Italian cuisine, as if you can separate the two. 

Here is a recipe for some serious, melt in your mouth, make your mama proud meatballs.  

Ingredients:
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (try not to use curly parsley, it is not as flavorful as flat leaf)
4 slices of white bread, crusts removed and processed in the blender
½ cup milk
1 pound ground beef
½ pound ground pork or lamb
1 egg
¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, fresh is always best
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 jars good quality jarred sauce (you don’t have to use jarred, if you prefer, you can make it from scratch)

Directions:

• Heat a couple passes of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and parsley and cook approximately 5 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Set pan aside to cool.

• Place processed fresh bread crumbs in a bowl and pour milk over them and set aside. I realize this sounds a bit different, but think about the concept of adding dried breadcrumbs to something, it can’t help but suck all the moisture out of it, rather than ADD moisture…and you just had an “aha moment.” You’re welcome.

• Combine beef, pork (or lamb), egg, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese then season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the bread cubes to get rid of excess milk and add to the meat mixture along with the cooled onions. Combine all ingredients and shape into 15 meatballs (this is gauged by my hands, if you have smaller or larger hands, of course you will have more or less meatballs).

• Add the meatballs to the sauce (uncooked) and simmer for approximately 40 minutes, until cooked through.

• Serve however you would like. You can eat them alone, make a meatball sub or serve over nice thick homemade spaghetti, my personal favorite!!!  

Tasty Tidbit: Following the logic that everyone is Irish on St. Patricks Day, I think everyone who cooks Italian food while listening to old “blue eyes” cooks better. Well, it can’t hurt! Download some of these classic Frank Sinatra songs to accompany you in the kitchen for this meal:

Come Fly With Me
I Get a Kick Out of You
I’ve Got The World On a String
Witchcraft
My Funny Valentine
From Here To Eternity
Young at Heart

MANGIA!

Never Judge a Book By Its Cover

Weeks 2 and 3 of my CSA from Fish Hawk Acres were chocked full of curious culinary delights. My boxes included items like golden, bull’s blood, and champagne ice beets, Asian greens, pea tendrils, white carrots, micro herbs, celery root, and a plethora of beautiful, tender, and flavorful lettuces. I even received dried black turtle beans, and a gorgeous focaccia from Jeff’s Breads that I used to make some tasty croutons.

I created all the recipes that Chef Hawkins included with my package, and while all of them were brilliant, I have decided to share with you the recipes that surprised me the most. Why surprising you say? Surprising because they turned out to be my favorite even though they were made from the UGLIEST produce I have ever laid my eyes upon; beets and the celery root. I’ve already shared my thoughts on beets, but have you ever seen a celery root?

Never in a million years would I have ever sought out this stumpy looking outcast but thanks to Chef Hawkins, I’m a believer! The next time you find yourself at a farmers market or grocery store and you stumble upon one of these guys, don’t hide your eyes and run away scared, grab it. It really is one of the most delightful roots with which you’ll ever cook.

Whole Roasted Beet Salad                     By Chef Dale Hawkins

Ingredients:
2 medium red beets, peeled and halved
2 medium yellow beets, peeled and halved
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
4 cups Asian greens, washed and spun
4 tablespoons chopped walnuts
4 tablespoons crumbed chevre’ goat cheese
Orange Vinaigrette (recipe to follow)

Directions:
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
• Toss the beets in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper and wrap individually in foil
• Roast beets for 40 to 45 minutes, until caramelized and tender
Note: you can roast the beets up to two days in advance
• Heat remaining olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat
• Saute’ shallots for 5 minutes, until tender
• Chop roasted beets into bite size chunks
• Add beets to the hot oil and shallots, sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until just cooked through
• Toss beets with half of the orange vinaigrette
• Place greens in a large serving bowl and top with beets
• Drizzle remaining dressing over greens
• Top with chopped walnuts and chevre cheese

Orange Vinaigrette
By Chef Dale Hawkins 

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice*
2/3 cup olive oil
½ clove garlic, crushed and finely chopped
1 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
2 teaspoons parsley, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh chives, finely chopped

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a jar and shake until the dressing is well blended. Alternately, you can vigorously whisk the ingredients in a small bowl until they are incorporated together.
*Blood oranges are wonderful in this recipe, but difficult to find this time of year. If you are lucky enough to have access, I recommend using one.

Celery Root and Potato Puree
By Alice Waters (The Art of Simple Food)

Ingredients:
3 medium potatoes (preferably yellow fleshed) cut into large pieces
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1 celery root, peeled and sliced thin
Salt
Milk

Directions:
• Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender, Drain, and pass through a ricer or a food mill, return to the pot, stir in two tablespoons of butter, set aside
• Melt remaining 3 tablespoons of butter over medium low in a heavy bottomed pan
• Add celery root, season with salt
• Cover pan tightly and cook until soft, 12 to 15 minutes (lower heat if celery root begins to turn brown)
• Puree in a blender
• Stir into the potatoes
• If the puree is too thick, thin with milk
• Season with salt and pepper if needed

Tasty Tidbits:

• The celery root and beets can be easily peeled with a potato peeler or paring knife
  
• Add a little milk to celery root to make pureeing in the blender smoother
• A nice piece of grilled halibut perched upon the celery root puree would make an insanely delicious combination

Beets Me

I received my second CSA from Fish Hawk Acres on Friday, just before I went out of town for the weekend.  So while I haven't yet gotten to the recipes from Chef Hawkins,  I'm especially excited about this delivery and it's recipes.   In addition to the wonderful salad greens, Asian greens, baby radishes, and pea tendrils, it includes a variety of colorful beets;golden, bull's blood and champagne ice.  The reason that I am particularly excited about the beets is because until last year, I had never tasted a beet. It always seemed like an odd vegetable to me, and no matter how much beet advocates insisted on their natural, earthy sweetness,  I could never get past their ugly exterior (In their natural state, I think they resemble the tail of a rodent).  

Thankfully last year, while out to dinner with some friends in Lenox, Massachusetts, I decided to put my preconceptions aside, and try this less than beautiful root vegetable. I was absolutely amazed at how much I liked them, so much so that I made a promise to myself that I would learn how to prepare them at home. Now, with the guidance of Chef Hawkin's Whole Roasted Beet Salad recipe, I'll be able to fulfill that promise this week, stay tuned for the results.

In the meantime, here is one last recipe from week 1 of my Fish Hawk Acres CSA, which is far too delicious to keep to myself. Wilted Spinach Salad with Bacon Ramp Dressing, courtesy of Chef Hawkins.

Ingredients:

2-3 cups fresh spinach, stemmed, washed and spun
1/4 cup ramps, minced
2 hard cooked eggs, chopped
4 slices bacon
1 Tbsp. bacon drippings
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. vinegar
1 Tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper

Directions:

• Place prepared spinach in a large bowl.  Refigerate, tightly covered
  
• Fry bacon until crisp, remove to paper towel and set aside
  
• Saute' he minced ramps in the bacon drippings for about 5 minutes over low heat
  
• Add sugar, vinegar, water, salt and pepper
  
• Toss the chpped egg with the greens then pour the hot dressing over the greens, toss again lightly
  
• Top with crumbled bacon
  

Note for vegetarians: Bacon can easily be omitted.  Use Olive Oil in place of bacon drippings.

Cooks note: I was out of bacon so I substituted some ham that I had leftover from Easter dinner.

P.S.  This is a recipe that I will surely repeat many times, it was so simple to make and really tasty.  It also was a perfect salad to pair the last piece of my Whole Wheat Country Sourdough bread from Jeff's Breads in Renick.  

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

I’m a novice runner and when I hit the pavement, I’m usually slow but rarely steady (more like a “run/walker” than a runner). While I haven’t yet mastered the art of running the perfect race, I have mastered how to turn out a pretty tasty piece of chicken. The key is a little preparation, low heat and slow cookin’; it’s a winner every time.  

Preparation Part 1=Brining
If you don’t brine, you really must start. It is the difference between a dry, tasteless piece of chicken and a moist, succulent one with flavor that travels right down to the bone.
There are all sorts of brine recipes that you can play around with that utilize fruits, herbs, and even maple syrup.  Here is a basic brine recipe that is great for chicken breasts.

Brine Recipe:

Ingredients:
• 1-quart cold water
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons Morton kosher salt
• ½ cup of sugar
Directions:
• Mix water, salt and sugar in a large bowl, stir to dissolve
• Put one pound of chicken in the brine (I use Ziploc bags, you can also use a large pan with a lid) and refrigerate for one hour
• Remove from the water and rinse REALLY well (at least 1 minute under cold water)
• Pat dry

Preparation Part 2=Dry Rub
You can go crazy with dry rubs, make your own, buy them in the store, it’s completely up to you. I personally like to play around with dry rubs that I find in the spice isle of the grocery store. Chef Heath Finnell of Café Bacchus is going to be sharing a few dry rub recipes with WV Living Food within the next couple of weeks that you may want to try out, stay tuned.

I like to mix a little bit of oil into the dry rub to ensure it sticks to the chicken. I’m told this technically makes it a wet rub, so if you’re a purist, leave the oil out.   As for me, I think it’s helpful AND it helps the chicken skin crisp up at the end of the cooking process.  Dry rub/wet rub, run/walk...such technicalities.

The slow and the steady 
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees
• Transfer the brined and rubbed chicken to a baking sheet
• Bake 2 hours (internal temperature should reach 165 degrees)
• Remove chicken from oven

The strong finish

My running partner tells me, "no matter how slow your race, always finish strong!"

• Adjust oven rack so it is close to the broiler
• Set oven to broil
• Broil chicken 5-10 minutes, until skin is crispy brown

We want to know, what is your favorite side dish for chicken?  Better yet, we want the recipe!  Feel free to post a comment to this post or send an email to joy@wvlivingmagazine.com 

Food, Fun and Friends-West Virginia Style

If a tree falls down in the woods and no one is around to hear it- does it make a sound? If you have the most breathtaking scenery and mouthwatering food but not your best friends to share it with, is there any joy in having it?

My childhood girlfriends came from New York to visit me in West Virginia this weekend. After spending a few days in our wonderful state, wild and wonderful became so much more to them than adjectives painted on a welcome sign.  

Fortunately, when they arrived on Friday, I had just received my CSA from Fish Hawk Acres and was able to incorporate some of Chef Hawkins dishes into my welcome dinner. His Bean Soup with Spinach and Ramps was a hit. The recipe was really simple to prepare and allowed all the ingredients to compliment one another while maintaining their distinct flavors. It was also a nice way to introduce my friends to the famous West Virginia ramp.

The second item I prepared from my CSA was a gorgeous Simple Spring Salad suggested by Chef Hawkins. The flavor of the freshly harvested lettuces was the perfect precursor to my main course, “slow and steady” barbequed chicken.
 

A good meal was what we needed to gain sustenance and courage for our Saturday morning adventure, a rafting trip down the spectacular Cheat Canyon. Our trip began at Cheat River Outfitters in Albright, WV and ended thirteen miles (and several class 5 rapids) later at the Jenkinsburg Bridge. It was one of the most exhilarating adventures I have ever experienced in my life. Besides being an absolute blast, the beauty throughout the canyon was breathtaking, truly a majesty that could never be experienced from a car window. Our guides, Mike and Travis, were wonderful! They were superior rafters with a keen sense of the river, not to mention a whole lot of fun to spend the day with. Our entire group concurred that even though the river was a wild ride, we felt safe under the direction and guidance of the folks at Cheat River Outfitters.

The weather for our rafting trip was cold and rainy, and staying warm was a bit of a challenge.  (Don't let this deter you, this is when the rapids are at their best and from my perspective, as long as you dress properly, it is manageable.) I did learn a food related tip from our raft boat guide, Travis Cobb, that I thought was a great tip to share with readers. In the cold, your body burns up more food in order to keep warm. When we stopped for lunch, he suggested that we eat some of the peanut butter that was provided, since it’s high in fat it would help keep us warm. I looked it up after our trip to confirm that it was in fact true and found several articles confirming his advice. So the next time you’re preparing to go out in the cold, eat peanut butter (as long as you aren't allergic)!

It brought me much joy to share West Virginia with friends that I love this weekend. Our trip down the Cheat River was such a memorable day; we’re considering a trip to Fayetteville in September to experience another of West Virginia’s rafting rivers, the Gauley. Look for Jessica Schueler's upcoming article on white water rafting and the town of Fayetteville in WV Living’s Summer 2009 issue.  

Chef Hawkins Recipes:

Bean Soup with Spinach and Ramps

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup ramps, chopped
2 cups chopped raw spinach
3 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup cooked cranberry beans
1 can (14 ounce) diced tomatoes
2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
In a large pot, heat olive oil. Add garlic and ramps; sauté until soft. Add spinach and sauté, stirring, until wilted. Add broth, cooked beans, the tomato, herbs, salt and pepper. Simmer 20 minutes. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with freshly grated Romano Cheese if desired.

Simple Spring Salad

Ingredients:
Salad greens, washed and spun (or dried)
1 ½ oranges, (1/2 juiced, 1 segmented)
½ lemon, juice only
½ small red onion, chopped
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/8 teaspoon sea salt and fresh ground pepper
½ cup walnut halves, toasted
1/3 cup black olives (the wrinkly, oily ones), pitted

Directions:
In a medium bowl whisk together the juice of 1/2 orange, lemon juice, most of the red onion, olive oil, and salt. Whisk together until emulsified, taste and adjust with more salt or lemon juice if needed. Peel the remaining orange and cut into segments, removing any seeds you might encounter. Set aside.

When you're ready to serve, place the salad greens in a large bowl. Toss very gently with a generous splash of the dressing. Add the orange segments and walnuts. Give another toss. Taste and decide if you need to add more dressing, if needed, add a bit more at a time, giving a good toss between additions. Make sure the nuts and citrus haven't all gone to the bottom; help them back up to the top if needed. Serve salad topped with the remaining red onion and olives.

Got Ramps?

Today was an extremely exciting day for me. My husband and I had just gotten off of Exit 132 on I-79, otherwise known as the South Fairmont exit. We were traveling 250 North when suddenly, just before Muriale’s restaurant, a sign with the handwritten word RAMPS appeared. “Stop the car,” I shouted, like a woman possessed. He looked at me, confused. “Ramps,” I said. “They are selling ramps!!!”

Rewind a few months to a meeting with WV Living magazine editor and publisher, Nikki Bowman. We were discussing the editorial calendar for our Spring issue when she assigned me a story on ramps. “On what?” I had absolutely no idea what a ramp was, somewhere in my mind I was wondering how skateboarding had anything to do with West Virginia culture.

Check out my travel story on ramps in the heritage section of WV Living’s spring issue,  you’ll see that this appalachia newcomer became very well acquainted with the highly celebrated delicacy. Of course, since the story was written in the winter months, I had yet to have the opportunity to taste what these little stinkers were all about. So today, I brought home my treasure and got to work cleaning them.   Which by the way is no easy task. Once they were all nice and clean it was time to put my kitchen prowess to the test! I have to admit that I wasn't brave enough to eat the ramp as a main ingredient, so I decided to prepare them the way that had been most commonly suggested from the native West Virginian's I interviewed while writing the story; fried with a little bit of bacon and potatoes. Let me tell you, after my first bite, West Virginia owns a bigger piece of my heart.

Ramp Fried Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup ramps, coursley chopped
  
• 3 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
  
• 3 large boiled potatoes, chopped into bite sized chunks
  

Directions:

• over medium heat, cook bacon until the fat begins to render
  
• add ramps and cook over medium heat for approximately 2-3 minutes
  
• add potatoes and cook until golden brown
  
• salt and pepper to taste
  
  Tell us your favorite ramp recipe by posting a comment to WV Food or by emailing me at joy@wvlivingmagazine.com.