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I like to keep a tin of cookies on my counter for my husband and I to nibble on. Instead of baking off an entire batch, I’ll bake nine cookies at a time to slow down our sweet snacking. In one of our recent Dreyer Farms CSA boxes, we received a half gallon of Melick’s Town Farm Apple Cider just as I received a catalogue from King Arthur Flour containing a recipe for Apple Cider Snickerdoodle Cookies. I had everything on hand except boiled cider. On their website they gave a recipe on how to make it. A gallon of cider takes six hours to boil down to approximately two cups. As the recipe called for just two tablespoons of boiled cider, I placed a half gallon of cider in a heavy bottom saucepan, brought it to a boil then simmered for three hours. At this point the liquid had a syrup like consistency. 
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My husband says that you could probably eat breakfast, lunch and dinner at a different restaurant in Monmouth County for one year and not eat at the same place twice. With that said, I got my husband to recently expand his dining choices in Monmouth County by visiting Skratch Kitchen in Bradley Beach and Mabel at Bell Works in Holmdel.
 
We heard good things about Skratch. Skratch occupies the former space of Citrico’s. My husband and I used to frequent this restaurant when Michael was the owner. The cuisine featured “heavy” Italian dishes sprinkled in with some delicious seafood options.
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Poof, summer is just about over. This week, I popped over to Matts Farm Market in Belmar and picked up a few ears of sweet white corn to prepare Sautéed Chicken Breasts with Corn and Shallots, from Pierre Franey’s “60-Minute Gourmet” column in The New York Times from August 1985. You’ll also need skinless and boneless chicken breasts, salt, freshly ground black pepper, butter, finely chopped shallots, dry white wine, Dijon mustard, heavy cream and either fresh chervil or parsley.
 
The recipe begins by seasoning both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. The kernels of corn are removed from the cob and set aside.
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​Well, I’m near the finish line of getting my blog posts up to date. As I mentioned in my last blog, earlier in the week, I’ll be covering Mini Chocolate Chip-Ins, White Wine Lobster Ravioli Sauce, Sheet-Pan Miso Chicken with Radishes and Lime and, finally, Wild Mushroom and Thyme Frittata.
 
My oldest granddaughter is an avid reader. She loves to read, one recently being “Act,” by Kayla Miller. In the back of the book, there was a recipe for Mint Chocolate Chip-Ins and she suggested we bake a batch. For the recipe, you’ll need a stick of butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, an egg, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, green food coloring, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, chocolate chips and sprinkles. The recipe begins by creaming the butter and sugars either in a stand mixer or by hand with a wooden spoon. Next, you’ll add the egg, extracts, and food coloring and mix again. The dry ingredients are sifted together, then added to the wet ingredients. Lastly, the chocolate chips and sprinkles are added. The dough is formed into 1-1/2 tablespoon balls, then rolled in the sprinkles (separate bowl). They’re placed 2 inches apart on a baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes in a 350° oven. 
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Can you believe it, it’s already September. Forget pumpkins, I was at Costco and they have their holiday lawn decorations out. That said, what did I cook those last few weeks of August.
 
I had a few stalks of leeks left from another recipe I prepared. In the cook book “5 Ingredient Fix,” by Claire Robinson, I found a recipe for Potato Bar Soup. I’ve made a few of her recipes and they have been quite good. For this recipe you’ll need strips of smoky bacon, leeks, Yukon Gold potatoes, chicken stock, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper and cheddar cheese for garnishing.
 
The bacon is cooked in a large Dutch oven until crispy; it’s removed to a paper towel lined dish to drain. Sliced leeks are added to the bacon fat and cooked until softened and golden. They too are removed and set aside. ​
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I am very behind in posting my recipe reviews of the meals I’ve prepared so that I can share them with you. Before blogging about recipes, however,  I am going to start with two recent dining experiences while they’re fresh in my memory.
 
Last Friday evening my husband and I had the most wonderful time at the Autumn Harvest dinner held at Beach Plum Farm in West Cape May, New Jersey. The farm was started in 2007  by Curtis Bashaw and Will Riccio. The farm uses regenerative agricultural practices and grows over 100 kinds of fruits and vegetables along with chickens, eggs and Berkshire hogs. Besides a market store, they have a kitchen that prepares a menu of breakfast and lunch items. However, there’s much more to this farm such as cottages to rent and a variety of experiences all year long whether at the farm or through the Cape Resorts, of which they are a part.
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Thank goodness this summer's heatwaves have been short lived, several days at most. Last week's weather was delightful as we were able to open the windows and enjoy the gentle summer breeze and cool nights.
 
Recently in our CSA box, we were given long hot peppers. I briefly worked in a butcher shop where they were stuffed with Italian sausage and garnished with shredded cheese. Expanding on this idea, I found a recipe for Stuffed Long Hots on a website called "Mangia with Michele." Her recipe calls for 8-10 long hot peppers (approximately 3/4 to 1 pound), Pecorino Romano cheese, plain breadcrumbs, chopped fresh parsley or basil, ground black pepper, Italian sausage (hot or sweet, your choice), shredded mozzarella, sun dried tomatoes (oil-packed), extra virgin olive oil and marinara or pesto sauce.
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​Last week’s quote on the art of eating brought my next thought, the art of cooking. After reading some of the quotes, one says it requires passion and practice. Another, talks about cooking being about people, how it brings us together or an art, but requiring knowing something about techniques and materials. The best one I found which would describe my love of cooking is “Cooking is the gift you give yourself and those you love.”
 
I have an audience of one 98% of the time, my husband. If I make something we adore but don’t want to have the leftovers in our house, I share with our neighbors. They, like my husband, are most appreciative of what I’ve prepared. As another quote stated “Cooking is an opportunity to learn and grow, to try new things and take risks.” What we receive in our CSA box has helped us to try new things. While some people are recipe book collectors and the internet provides access to a myriad of sources in which to cultivate new and exciting 
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“To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art.”― François de la Rochefoucauld
 
This is an interesting statement. When I look at the ingredients contained in my weekly CSA share, I focus on one or two  ingredients and find a recipe that will highlight its flavor.
 
Last week we hosted a dinner for the priest who married my son and daughter-in-law and baptized our grandson. Our son and his family and my daughter and granddaughters were also here. As I’m still watching my granddaughters on Thursday, the menu had to be easy to prepare and could be done ahead. Also, taking full advantage of the season’s  produce, I began to construct my menu relying on tried-and-true recipes.
 
For a starter, I made tomatoes and mozzarella purchasing tomatoes from Matt’s Farm Market & Garden Center in West Belmar and mozzarella from Antonio’s Gourmet Salumeria in Wanamassa. I selected large, Jersey beefsteak tomatoes paired with luscious, milky mozzarella dressed with Nocellara olive oil and fresh basil from my garden. 
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The weather so far this summer can be summed up as hot and steamy. What this weather does do is inspire me to find recipes that are either no cook, stove top cooked or can be grilled.
 
If you have not discovered them yet, you must find your way to Jersey Artisan Company whose retail store is located in East Hanover, NJ. Owned by Salvatore Pisani, he creates cheeses and dairy products using milk from Spring Run Dairy Farm and sour dough breads with grains from River Valley Community Grains. The assorted variety of cheeses are created in Whippany, NJ. If you can’t make your way to East Hanover this summer, you can find Sal and his products at farmers markets in Jersey City, Weehawken, Monroe Township, Parsippany, Sparta, West Windsor, Scotch Plains, Blairstown, Summit and Asbury Park. The hyperlink will direct to the specific markets for days, times and which months the markets operate. Although Sal brings a variety of cheese and baked goods to the AsburyFresh market, so far I’ve only tried his semolina and ciabatta breads, fresh burrata and mozzarella. ​


​meet donna

A former teacher, shop-a-holic, empty-nester redefining quick, family approved dinners.

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