Monthly Archives: May 2015

Swedish Meatballs

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Swedish Meatballs

Every year I plant a large garden. I usually order my seeds in February and when they come in, I sort them by those that will be directly sown into the soil and those that I’ll start in pots in the greenhouse for transplanting later. Of those seeds for transplanting, I sort by the number of weeks recommended to start before transplanting. It’s not real complicated; it just takes planning.

With the rainy weather, I’ve delayed transplanting and I’ve not planted any of the direct-sow seeds. My garden is too soggy to till by tractor or with the hand tiller, so last Saturday I used a broadfork to loosen the soil. (The joke is that a broadfork is a fork powered by a broad, budda-budda-ching – enough poorly executed slapstick.) It took about 30-45 minutes to turn up each row; another 30 minutes to further loosen the soil and remove weeds by hand; and finally prepare mounds for planting.

Although it is slow going, I have planted most of the tomatoes and the spaghetti squash started from seed. In fact, I had just planted the last squash when large rain drops started to fall. By the time I loaded the cart with tools, the rain was coming down hard. I felt a sense of accomplishment at having finally started planting. Hopefully those plants won’t drown and rot in the ground.

I still have more squash, eggplant, okra and peppers that need transplanting. I have even more to directly sow, but beginning feels good.

While the rain pounded down outside, I started dinner and was thankful to be safe, dry and warm inside. One of my husband’s favorite dinners is Swedish meatballs and it seemed to be the perfect comfort-food choice to end the day.

Swedish Meatballs
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 onion, small diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
3/4 c. breadcrumbs (I prefer Panko)
2 eggs
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 Tbsp. Kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper

Gravy:
5 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
5 c. beef broth
1 c. sour cream
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Cook onion and garlic until the onions become translucent. In a large bowl, combine beef, pork, breadcrumbs, eggs, allspice, nutmeg, cooked garlic and onion, salt and pepper. Mix well until all the ingredients are combined. Roll meatballs that are about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. I counted 28 meatballs rolled.

Add remaining olive oil to the skillet. Cook the meatballs in batches, allowing plenty of room to roll them around and brown all sides. Remove and let drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Drain the grease from the skillet and wipe clean with a paper towel. To make the gravy, melt butter in the skillet. Whisk flour into the butter and cook until lightly brown. Gradually stir in the beef broth continuing to whisk until slightly thickened. Reduce heat and add the meatballs.

Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes. During that time, cook egg noodles, rice or potatoes to serve with the meatballs and gravy. Check on the meatballs occasionally while they simmer and stir.

Turn off the heat and move the meatballs to the side of the skillet. Whisk in the sour cream and gently stir the contents to combine. Work carefully so the meatballs don’t fall apart. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.

I love fresh green peas, but frozen are a close second. I microwaved a bag of frozen peas and served them with the meatballs and gravy over egg noodles. We really enjoyed dinner and had leftovers for lunches. And the rain continued to fall.

Sunday on our way to church, we saw three men fishing for catfish on the bridge at Elm Creek. I’ve seen people fishing at the bridge on FM 514, but never far upstream on our little road. Fishing must have been pretty good too because they showed us a really large catfish they had just caught. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

Farm fare

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Egg Casserole

Both of my parents grew up on Texas farms. My dad’s family had a farm in the Abbott area. In fact, he went to school with Willie Nelson. Although Wilson is a few years older, my dad remembers him and his sister performing in school talent shows. He has other fond memories of the farm where he and his five brothers and sisters grew up.

One of the most surprising things to me is how he talks about having creamed turnips for dinner. He just loved them. What he leaves out is that at times, it was probably all they had. Yet he always smiles when he remembers how good they were. I like turnips, but I prefer them roasted with olive oil, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.

My mother grew up on a small farm in Westphalia, south of Waco. Her daddy died when she was 14, leaving her mother and four children to work the farm. Since my mom was the oldest and the youngest were very small, she remembers it as hard work in a harsh environment.

Meat on their table was a rarity. Vegetables from the garden, eggs and perhaps some milk from the cow were the common fare. In fact, during winter months, a scrambled egg was breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Growing up, I was taught to appreciate whatever my mother made for dinner. She is a terrific cook and I don’t remember refusing to eat anything she made. Although I never really liked it when she cooked liver, you can bet I ate it without a word of complaint.

Currently, children seem to gripe about what they are served and I have trouble understanding it. Sometimes I think they don’t know what it means to be hungry. Anyway, the next two recipes are tasty main dishes commonly found on a farm table. Since modern-day dinners usually include meat, they also make great side dishes.

Egg and Onion Casserole
1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
5 slices of leftover bread, 1” thick
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated cheese, Swiss or white cheddar
3 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. butter
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
6 hard boiled eggs, sliced

Sauté the onion in a Tbsp. of olive oil until soft and beginning to turn brown. Remove from the skillet. Make a white sauce by heating 2 Tbsp. of olive oil butter, flour, broth and milk. Stir until thickened and add salt and pepper. Set aside.

Fit bread slices into a 9×9″ baking dish. Brush with a little more olive oil. Spoon about 1/3 of the white sauce over the bread. Arrange the onions over the bread and then layer the eggs. Pour on the remaining sauce and spread evenly.

Mix the cheese with the bread crumbs and scatter over the top. Bake in a 350-degree oven until bubbly and the topping browns. Let sit for about 20 minutes before serving. It also reheats well.

Eggplant Casserole
1 eggplant, cubed
1/2 cup bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups crumbled cornbread
14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. each thyme and oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
8 oz. cheese, grated and divided
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup broth or water

Prepare a 2-1/2 quart casserole with cooking spray. Bring two quarts salted water to a boil. Add eggplant and simmer until soft. (Squash could be substituted for eggplant.) Drain well.

Sauté the next four ingredients in the olive oil until soft. Scatter the herbs over the crumbled cornbread. Toss in the sautéed vegetables. Add salt and pepper. Stir in eggplant, tomatoes and half the cheese. Stir eggs into the broth or water and pour over the mixture. Stir to combine. The casserole should be moist, but not soggy.

Place into the prepared dish and bake for 40 minutes in a 375-degree oven. Remove from the oven and scatter the remaining cheese on top. Return to the oven and heat until the cheese melts and is slightly brown.

Jelly and Jam

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Jalapeno Jelly

Last weekend I went to the Sulphur Springs Farmers’ Market looking for inspiration for this column. It seems that other farmers are struggling with their gardens this year too. The only produce I saw was a handful of salad greens in one booth. I have those in my own garden and didn’t feel moved to purchase them.

I spoke with one of the ladies selling canned fruits, salsa and pickled items. She usually has produce too and agreed that her garden just wasn’t making anything yet. I noticed her jalapeño jelly. I had been meaning to make some, but just hadn’t gotten around to it. I spoke with her about the recipe and I bought a jar.

While I didn’t find interesting fresh produce, I still found inspiration. I love that jelly on hot buttered cornbread and it’s also good poured over cream cheese and served with crackers or chips. The recipe is very simple. Be sure to wear gloves when working with the jalapeños or your hands will sting for hours afterward.

Jalapeño Jelly
1 lb. jalapeño peppers
2 c. cider vinegar, divided
6 c. sugar
1 pkg. liquid pectin
2 drops green food coloring (optional)

Clean peppers removing stems and most of the seeds. Process with 1 cup cider in a blender or food processor until jalapeños are less-than-pea-sized pieces.

Pour into a pot along with the rest of the vinegar and sugar. Bring to a boil and stir constantly for 10 minutes. Stir in liquid pectin and bring back to a hard boil for 1 minute continuing to stir.

Remove from heat and skim any foam off the top. Drop in food coloring if desired – it really makes the jelly pretty – and stir until distributed.
Ladle hot jelly into jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Place the lids and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

I volunteer with a woman who gave me a jar of her strawberry jam. She said she makes it every year when stores are selling strawberries at a good price. She recommends it on top of ice cream, but it sure is nice over buttered toast.

Strawberry Jam
2 quart containers strawberries
1/4 c. lemon juice
7 c. sugar
1 pkg. powdered pectin

Clean strawberries and remove the stems. Then crush them and combine with powdered pectin and lemon juice in a large pot. Bring to a boil and add sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Turn up the heat and bring to a hard boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off any foam.

Ladle into hot jars. Leave a 1/4-inch headspace. Place the lids and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Flat-iron Steak Kabobs – Quick French Onion Soup

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Grilled meat n veggies

This week, County Extension Agent Gowin writes about fungal diseases in plants. I have been fighting them in the vineyard, as well as on my roses and Indian Hawthorns. It seems I can’t get a break with the weather, and rain is in the forecast again.

However, I learned in a vineyard pest managment class that certain fungicides help heal disease injuries while others protect against fungal disease. In some cases, the two can be combined and sprayed together, healing the past and protecting for the future. As always, it is important to read and follow label instructions.

I have lots of grape clusters forming on the shoots that will soon bloom. Protecting them from fungal diseases at this point is critical. Once they flower, grapes are wind/gravity-pollinated and a successful harvest depends on healthy clusters, warm weather and less rain. Also at this time, the buds for next year’s crop will form. So conditions now impact next year too.

Obviously, I spend most of my time outdoors and I love to grill. Last week I marinated cubed flat-iron steaks, fruits and vegetables. Once skewered, I grilled them and served over rice.

Grilling Marinade
1/2 c. olive oil
1 lemon, juiced
2 Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together.

I prepared a fresh pineapple and cut it into chunks. I made several skewers of pineapple chunks and cherry tomatoes.

Then I cut other vegetables into 1″ cubes. I marinated the cubed flat-iron steaks and vegetables in separate bags for about an hour in the refrigerator.

Once the marinade had its chance to impart great flavors, I started up the grill. While it heated up, I skewered the meat on separate skewers from the vegetables so the meat could cook longer. I used red, yellow and green peppers, a large red onion and a dozen button mushrooms cut into halves.

While the skewers grilled, I started a pot of rice. I also brought the marinade and onion pieces too small to skewer to a boil on the stove top, making a sauce to serve over the rice. It’s just important to make sure the raw meat juices are cooked.

Friends of ours came into town and stayed for dinner. That dinner is great for serving many and everyone can find something they like.

Another dinner that is easy and feeds many is soup and sandwiches. I made a simple version of French Onion Soup and grilled Swiss cheese sandwiches.

French Onion Soup
1/2 c. butter
4 onions, julliene sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaves
1 tsp. dried thyme
3 Tbsp. Worchestershire sauce
3-4 Tbsp. flour
2 quarts beef broth
Salt and pepper, to taste

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves and thyme. Cook for 25 minutes or until the onions are soft and caramelized. Add the Worchestershier sauce and cook about 5 minutes more.

Discard the bay leaves. Stir in the flour, making a paste. Cook on low for about 10 minutes, cooking out the raw flour taste. Don’t let it burn.
Add the beef broth and stir while bringing the soup back to a simmer at medium heat. Taste and adjust seasonings. If the butter and broth were salted, you may not need to add more.

Flat-iron Steaks with Pan Sauce – Macaroni Bake

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Steak

I know the rain is a blessing and I truly hope the lakes will soon be full. However, the fierceness in some of the storms we’ve had lately has been amazing. My plants, and especially my grape vines, are taking a terrible beating. Over the last week, I’ve worked to tie and re-tie vines to the trellis so they won’t be beaten against it by the next set of gale-force winds. I think I’ll be happy when April showers are over.

Otherwise, life on my little farm goes along as usual. Wednesday’s dinner was Ben’s to cook. He made flat-iron steaks with a pan sauce. And served it with microwaved baked potatoes and salad. His homemade Caesar salad dressing was a hit.

Flat-iron Steaks in Pan Sauce
4 flat-iron steaks
2 tsp. Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 tsp. olive oil
1 c. dry red wine
2 Tbsp. cold butter

Ben started by seasoning the steaks with Monteal Steak Seasoning while a cast-iron skillet heated on the stove. He wiped it with a little olive oil and as soon as it was screaming hot, he added the steaks to the skillet. He seared each side for 5 minutes, removed the steak from the skillet and let them rest under a foil tent.

Reduce the heat to medium and add wine. Simmer while stirring and scraping the browned bits on the bottom of the pan for about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in pieces of cold butter until melted. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.

Once the steaks have rested 10 minutes, cut thin slices across the grain and serve with pan sauce drizzled on top.

Homemade Ceasar Salad Dressing
2 tsp. garlic cloves, minced
3 anchovy fillets
1/4 c. olive oil
4 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 c. Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

In a small sauce pan, heat olive oil and add anchovy fillets and garlic. Cook on low heat until the anchovies melt. The fishy taste will cook off and leave a rich nutty flavor.

Scrape the anchovy and garlic-flavored oil into a bowl and whisk in the rest of the ingredients. It makes a lot of dressing, but keeps for a week in the refrigerator.

On another evening, I made a macaroni bake with a few simple ingredients.

Macaroni Bake
1 pkg. Polska Kielbasa beef sausages, sliced
12 oz. elbow macaroni
10-oz. pkg. frozen mixed vegetables
2 c. chicken stock
1 lb. Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/2 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
drizzle of olive oil

Cook the elbow macaroni following the package directions until almost tender and then drain.

In the same pot, brown the sausages while microwave-cooking the frozen vegetables following the package directions. Add to the pot along with chicken stock. When it simmers, add the Velveeta and stir until the cubes melt.

Pour into a 9×13″ baking dish prepared with cooking spray. Sprinkle on bread crumbs and drizzle the top with olive oil. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until the sides bubble and the top is brown.

Serve with a salad and some of that wonderful Caesar dressing.