onion jam? no sugar...this is a savory dish

it is mad stash week at fall fest...everyone else's posts will be about ways to use up the last bit of summer and/or fall produce...canning, freezing, drying etc. i have a bit of a different situation. i am opposite everyone today because all of our fruit trees ripen in fall and winter. and, since i use all of the produce in products for napa farmhouse 1885, i will be spending the next six months harvesting fruit and making preserves. figs are in season now...so the past month has been focused on picking, chopping and processing them into our fig & grand marnier jam. the minute figs are done, the persimmons are ready...they go into our persimmon jam, our persimmon & jalapeño jam and our farmhouse chutney. it seems like the day i pick the last persimmon, the oranges are at their peak and it is on to orange & ginger marmalade...need i go on? because meyer lemons and limes are next in the order.

so, while much of the country is taking a gardening break due to bad weather, my season continues year round. my "mad" stash...was not so mad...it was slow...easy. my csa boxes were delicious each week...but sometimes contained a bit too much for us to eat (and we ate a ton of veggies all summer). i froze some...canned some....gave some away. i decided to share with you today my favorite way to use extra onions...and we got a lot of onions, garlic and shallots all summer. how about onion jam, a wonderful, versatile condiment.?

we had friends over for dinner last saturday and i wanted to make a bunch of "cleanse friendly" dishes that tasted so good no one would know they were amazingly good for you. i noticed i had onions, garlic and shallots in the pantry that needed to be used immediately. onion jam with crackers (wheat free), bruschetta (not for me, unfortunately ,until this cleanse is over) and assorted crudités were the perfect selection of appetizers...

this jam lasts for a week or so in the fridge..and can be frozen for up to three months with good results. mad stash worthy? i think so...

spicy caramelized onion & garlic jam
2 large onions, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
sea salt
pepper

add 1/4 cup e.v.o.o. to large sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat until warm. add the onion, shallots and garlic. stir ingredients, cover pan and reduce heat to low. cook for 5 minutes. remove cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 2 hours, stirring frequently. the onions should be very soft, brown and caramelized when you are finished.

add the jalapeño, balsamic vinegar, a pinch of salt & pepper and continue cooking over very low heat for 20 minutes.

add onion jam to a food processor or blender and pulse 5-6 times. you want the jam to have some texture...not too smooth.

serve with bruschetta, crackers, crudités, on a roast beef or roast pork sandwich, added to a grilled cheese panini...you will find many uses for this delicious condiment

now it is your turn to participate in fall fest. simply leave your mad stash tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit the collaborators listed on the blog away to garden and do the same.

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

always...much thanks to margaret roach and deb puchalla for coordinating fall fest 2010. as always...its been a blast.

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™"live a green life of style™ "do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page& follow us on twitter
to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...

what else is there to do in napa besides wine tasting?

when you blog about living in the napa valley of california, potential visitors assume you are an expert on all things napa. i often receive emails, comments on posts, facebook and/or twitter messages all asking the same question. what else can we do except go wine tasting? a few years ago i would have suggested favorite restaurants, offered "secret" tips for nature drives, walks and hikes...maybe talked about an upcoming show at the opera house...but, to be honest, there was not a lot to talk about. fast forward to 2010 and i am thrilled to announce a change is coming...especially in the town of napa.

napa is now home to some pretty cool hotels....a number of amazing restaurants...an ever growing music scene with venues like the aforementioned opera house and the newly renovated uptown theater. we still have a ways to go regarding shopping....but i think i am most excited about the arts scene. yes...there is art in napa...really, really good art...and it is becoming increasingly easier to stay abreast of all the happenings in the valley. in my opinion, the best way is to view the arts council napa valley's website. currently, the website is promoting "napa valley arts 2010".
per the site:
"Arts Council Napa Valley and the Napa Valley Arts Coalition present, "Napa Valley ARTS 2010", a month-long, county-wide celebration of arts and culture from Friday, October 15 through Sunday, November 14, 2010. You are invited to "Celebrate Creativity" with Napa Valley arts organizations, venues, galleries, wineries and schools at over 100 arts and culture events."

i was honored to be invited to attend and blog about the kick off event, "meet the makers". the official description is as follows:

"this invitational exhibition features over 60 portraits of inspirational "makers" in Napa Valley, photographed by four artists: Suzanne Becker Bronk, Dona Kopol Bonick, Kristine Cummins, and Chick Harrity. The photographers were asked to shoot people whom they considered to be important, influential, master or emerging 'makers' in our community. They chose painters, musicians, actors, and beyond, including: Oscar Aguilar Olea; Layla Fanucci; Jakey Lee; and Robilee Frederick and many others. The exhibition will be on display at Mumm Napa from October 6th through 31st."
the photographers and the "makers" are all extremely creative individuals. i am privileged to be friends with many of the people involved and was curious as to what it felt like being chosen as a "maker". my friend ann trinca (fellow book club member) is a very talented photographer and craft artist. she was the curator and founder of napa nest and has been active in the napa arts scene as an editor of pearl necklace zine and a member of the fruit stand collective...she currently works at the di rosa preserve in napa. ann is probably the most creative person i know. when i asked her what it felt like to be recognized as a maker she replied, "i have long admired the photographers and the other makers...it is such an honor to be included. the whole thing seems a bit surreal...being chosen as a maker is a bit humbling. i am particularly happy to see the number of young people included...it is rewarding to see a new generation in napa being passionate about the arts"

speaking of the next generation, i was thrilled olivia everett was chosen to be a maker. olivia is in her early twenties and is a very talented graphic designer. she serves on the board of directors for arts council napa valley. most impressive, she is co-founder of wandering rose, an organization which encourages/promotes independent, experimental and pop art in napa. (check out their facebook page for more info). olivia told me that being asked to be a maker was "cool. i have always wanted to be an artist. the napa arts community is very strong and getting to know each other is so important. plus, having my mom and dad here to share this experience with me is very cool".
i could write glowing bios of each maker...and each photographer...but, instead of reading, i suggest you hurry and view the meet the makers exhibit yourself...ends 10.31.10. check out the napa valley arts website for the calendar of all events...as of today 117 arts & culture events are planned for the four week period. so yes, there are a lot of things to do in napa in addition to wine tasting...enjoy!
best,
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ " do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page & follow us on twitter

to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...

pear recipes, canadian t-day, a cleanse & jury duty...what?

it is pear week at fall fest...and once again i am a bit late with my post. it has been quite a week! sunday was our napa "canadian thanksgiving" dinner. ok...so i am not canadian...and the actual holiday was a week earlier...but hey...what can i say? we celebrated! long time readers know that this tradition started a few years ago. some friends moved to napa from canada for work and we all wanted to ensure they were not homesick during this holiday. canadian thanksgiving is very similar to ours...a celebration of harvest...but without the pilgrims. read three thanksgivings and a recipe for pb&j cookies to learn a bit more about this annual napa event.

this year we started with a book club meeting at laura and jay's for the eight book club members...then family and friends arrived for dinner growing the attendees to 30 people. the meal was superb...turkey, dressing and all the trimmings (i contributed marinated eggplant and a roasted green been & garlic dish...recipes another time), dessert and...being napa after all...massive quantities of amazing wine. this was also a bit of a "last supper" because many of us were starting a "cleanse" the next day.

so sunday: canadian thanksgiving. monday: the start of a thirty day "community cleanse". my friend laura (and the hostess for canadian thanksgiving) is a cancer survivor. she attributes part of her recovery to an extremely healthy diet. in her words: "In the end, hard-core nutrition, positive thinking, emotional corrections, and a new-found faith in myself and the unknown, resulted (finally) in the disappearance of two tumors from my chest. (I prefer the word tumor – it sounds less scary than the word cancer). " so laura started a blog called the healthy junkie where she launched a thirty day community cleanse. community because she felt it would be more fun, and the odds of success greater, if individuals had the support of other "cleansers". the cleanse involves eliminating white flour, alcohol, caffeine, sugar, dairy, white rice/grains and processed or hydrogenated foods from your diet. she purposely picked monday, the day after canadian t-day, to start because the four weeks end just in time for american thanksgiving and she knew everyone would fail if it continued through that week. read laura's blog for more info on this cleanse. of course i will be blogging about my experience during the next month of posts and it is never too late to join us. tell me in the comments section of this post if you decide to participate. i would love to hear your stories.

now i eat pretty healthily most of the time...so the components of the cleanse do not seem too hard with one exception. giving up coffee...this scares me to death. i drink coffee every day of my life...just in the morning...but numerous cups. we are allowed one cup of green tea each day on the cleanse...but, frankly, this has not made a difference. today is thursday...4 days into the cleanse...and i have had a massive headache each day. monday was the worst and to top off my week, i also started serving on jury duty on monday. of course i was picked...i ALWAYS get picked. so, to recap, monday morning at 8:00 am i reported to service without any coffee. see what i mean about having a tough week? the other side effect of the cleanse...which laura assures us is normal and means that it is working...is that i have been really tired. this means my body has started to "detox".

all of this leads me back to my original point (very long winded path, i know)...why my pear post is late...so here it is: i love pears...especially at this time of year. in honor of the cleanse, i am adding sliced pears to my salads and poaching pears in apple juice with lots of fresh ginger and cinnamon for a cleanse friendly dessert. i continue to produce our fresh pear & vanilla preserves and watch my husband eat some on toast each morning for breakfast...alas, there is organic sugar in the recipe so none for me. for my non-cleansing readers i am adding a recipe i originally published a couple of years ago fresh pear cupcakes with chocolate glaze, a favorite of my family & friends. and, because nothing about them is "cleanse friendly", please enjoy one for me. i have to count down the days until i can enjoy cupcakes. (but honestly...despite my whining...this cleanse is really worth it)

fresh pear cupcakes with chocolate glaze

(these taste even better if made with organic ingredients)
4 cups fresh pears (cored and roughly chopped)
1 cup walnuts (chopped)
1 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cup olive oil
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
chocolate glaze1 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp melted butter
3-4 tbsp boiling water
1/8 tsp instant coffee crystals
combine pear, white and brown sugar and walnuts in a medium sized bowl. let stand about an hour. (do not skip this step..this adds to the incredible moistness of these cupcakes).
preheat oven to 350 degrees. spray cupcake pan with a non toxic, organic cooking spray...add paper cupcake liners and spray again.

meanwhile, in a separate bowl, sift together the remaining dry ingredients. add to the pear

mixture and stir until just combined. add the eggs, oil, and vanilla and stir until combined. **note, i use a wooden spoon..not a mixer for the recipe..if you use a mixer, be careful not to over beat***
fill cupcake sections until even with the top. bake 30-35 minutes until tester inserted in center of cupcakes comes out clean. remove from pan and cool on rack. whisk together all chocolate glaze ingredients in small bowl until glaze is smooth and shiny. place a dollop of chocolate glaze on the top of each cupcake.

now it is your turn to participate in fall fest. simply leave your pear tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit the collaborators listed on the blog away to garden and do the same.

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

always...much thanks to margaret roach and deb puchalla for coordinating fall fest 2010. as always...its been a blast.

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page& follow us on twitterto receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...

it is winter squash week...want a recipe for stuffed acorn squash?

i love everything about winter squash. the taste, of course, but i also love the look...beautiful and so "fall like". every year i purchase a bushel of different types of winter squash and use as decorations throughout my home. then i, slowly but surely, use up this bounty in a number of different, delicious recipes. so it is with great pleasure that i announce it is winter squash week at fall fest.

winter squash is one of those magical foods that taste terrific AND is extremely good for you. it is an excellent source of vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene), a very good source of vitamin c, potassium, dietary fiber and manganese. in addition, winter squash is a good source of folate, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B1, copper, vitamin B6, niacin-vitamin B3 and pantothenic acid...but back to the taste...total yum!

i shared some of my favorite recipes a couple of years ago and they still emerge as popular searched topics on this blog....how about roasted red kuri squash? or acorn squash and pinto bean chili with chipotle? or fusilli pasta with roasted delicata squash & fresh sage brown butter sauce?

i thought i would share the fusilli pasta recipe again today...mainly because i made it yesterday after being inspired by this post...there is something about roasted squash paired with a sage & brown butter sauce that just makes me happy...and this is one of my favorite fall meals.

fusilli with roasted delicata squash & fresh sage brown butter
2 delicata squash
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
extra virgin olive oil
pinch freshly grated nutmeg
kosher salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 lb dried fusilli pasta
8 tbsp unsalted butter (1 stick)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup diced shallots
15-16 fresh sage leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
freshly shredded parmigiano-reggiano cheese


preheat oven to 400 degrees. peel and seed squash and cut into bite sized pieces. place on cookie sheet, add onions and drizzle with olive oil. add nutmeg, salt & pepper and, using your hands, toss the squash and onions with the oil to ensure evenly coated. place in oven and roast for 30 minutes stirring occasionally until squash is tender and onions are caramelized. remove from oven and set aside. meanwhile cook pasta in boiling, well salted water until al dente. drain well and set aside. melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. cook butter until foamy and slightly brown..do not burn! lower heat to simmer, add olive oil, sage leaves and shallots and cook until shallots are softened and translucent. add squash mixture (including the oil from the pan), pasta, and pine nuts , combine all ingredients and cook until pasta is hot..add additional salt and pepper..taste and adjust seasonings if needed. serve immediately with plenty of cheese.

so...it was 95 degrees in napa today...hard to think about fall menus...but i know in a minute the weather will turn cool and it will be time to think about fall and/or winter meals. stuffed acorn squash with wild rice, pecans and cranberries is one of those perfect-to-have-in-your-back-pocket dishes. it tastes delicious, is easy to make and looks absolutely spectacular with the yellow/orange squash, red cranberries, dark wild rice...the colors alone make this a winner. not to mention a perfect side dish for pork, beef or poultry...and a nice vegetarian main dish for the veggies in your life...leave out the cheese for your vegan friends.



stuffed acorn squash with wild rice, pecans and cranberries
3 cups vegetable broth or water
(1 tsp sea salt if using water)
1 cup wild rice
2 acorn squash, cut in half vertically
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 white onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 fresh sage leaves, minced
grey salt
freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup pecans
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
additional e.v.o.o.
balsamic reduction drizzle (recipe follows)

wash uncooked wild rice. place broth or water in a heavy saucepan and, if using water, add 1 tsp kosher salt. bring to a boil. add wild rice and bring back to a boil. reduce heat and simmer, covered, 50-60 minutes or just until kernels puff open. uncover and fluff with fork. replace cover and set aside (off heat) until ready to use in recipe.

preheat oven to 375 degrees. drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil onto a rimmed baking sheet. place acorn squash, cut side down, on pan. drizzle 1 tbsp additional oil over squash and sprinkle with sea salt. roast for 40 minutes or until squash can be pierced easily with a knife. remove from oven. when squash is cool enough to handle, scoop out pulp ensuring you do not damage shell. chop pulp into bite size pieces. set aside.

add remaining 2 tablespoons evoo to a large skillet. sauté onions in oil until translucent. add garlic, red pepper flakes, minced sage, pinch of sea salt and a pinch of black pepper and sauté for additional three minutes. add rice, squash pulp, cranberries, pecans and feta (if using) and stir just to combine. taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. mound squash/rice mixture equally between the 4 shells. heat in oven until hot, approx 20 minutes. serve hot, warm or at room temperature drizzled with balsamic reduction.
balsamic reduction
2 cups balsamic vinegar
1 tsp organic honey
1 tsp organic agave nectar


add ingredients to saucepan and cook over medium heat until liquid has reduced by half. allow to cool. i always keep this on hand, stored in a mason jar in my refrigerator....drizzle on cheese, fruit (esp strawberries), steak, roasted or poached chicken, steamed vegetables, pound cake....i use this on almost everything...

so there you go...some of my favorite winter squash recipes...and i didn't even mention pumpkins...will save that topic for a bit closer to thanksgiving. are you are winter squash fan? if so, please share your favorite way to prepare...

now it is your turn to participate in fall fest. simply leave your winter squash tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit the collaborators listed on the blog away to garden and do the same.

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

always...much thanks to margaret roach and deb puchalla for coordinating fall fest 2010. as always...its been a blast.

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "
do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page& follow us on twitter
to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...

have you ever roasted oranges? and a recipe for roasted beet, fig & orange salad

whoops! so it is winter salad week at fall fest. stories are supposed to be posted by wednesday mornings, but this week really got away from me. the figs are ripe...the figs are ripe! (in my 20 plus years of corporate life i never imagined that sentence being an excuse.) but i now plan my life around nature. when the figs ripen i begin making jam...cases and cases and cases of fig & grand marnier jam which is one of our best sellers. since we had a very cool summer, the figs are ripening later than usual...and all at once. i try to make enough of the jam to last the entire year...but we usually sell out by june. this year i am determined to use every single piece of fruit...and have a year round supply...but that means a daily focus on figs....


ok...enough of my babbling. since figs have been on my mind...and taking over my life...i thought my contribution to winter salad week would involve figs. my weekly csa box has included beets for the past few weeks...and i have oranges on hand...so fig, beet and orange sounded like a perfect combination.

regular readers know that i am addicted to roasting vegetables...and fruit. i roast everything, but i had not roasted oranges before. i thought the end result would be interesting so i roasted the oranges along with the figs and beets. you know what? they are delicious. roasting deepens and softens the citrus flavor. they caramelize just a bit and pair really nicely with the other ingredients. the salad looks and tastes delicious and is perfect for a fall lunch or as the first course of a harvest dinner. i added feta today...but goat cheese would be equally delicious....and maybe a sprinkling of hazelnuts? hmm...lots of possibilities with this one....what would you add?

roasted beet, fig and orange salad
6-8 small beets
extra virgin olive oil
6 fresh figs, washed and cut in half
1 orange, peeled and sectioned
3 cups baby spinach , washed and dried
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
grey sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper
honey mustard vinaigrette (recipe follows)
fig balsamic reduction (recipe follows) or excellent quality aged balsamic vinegar

preheat oven to 400 degrees. prepare beets for roasting by following the directions in the post want some pink lentils with roasted beets?
after beets have been roasting for approx. 40 minutes, remove from oven and add fig slices and orange sections directly to the same rimmed baking sheet...push the beet packets to one side of pan. drizzle figs and oranges with a couple passes of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt (about a tsp of salt). add back to oven and continue roasting for an additional 20 minutes or until figs and oranges have begun to caramelize and beets can be easily pierced with a knife. (be very careful when opening beet packets to allow the steam to escape). let cool and peel the beets. cut in half and then into wedges. set aside.
meanwhile add spinach to medium bowl. add a couple of tablespoons of honey mustard vinaigrette and toss. go light with the dressing, you don't want to drown the leaves...start with 1 tbsp, toss and add a little at a time of the second tbsp.you may not need all of the second tbsp. add feta and salt & pepper to taste. mound spinach on a serving platter. scatter the beets, figs and orange wedges on top on the spinach. drizzle the fig/balsamic reduction (or balsamic vinegar) over the top of the salad. drizzle a bit more honey mustard vinaigrette if desired. adjust seasonings to taste and serve immediately.

honey mustard vinaigrette1/8 cup champagne vinegar
pinch grey salt
pinch black pepper
1 tbsp honey mustard
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

make viniagrette... add vinegar, salt pepper and mustard to small bowl and whisk to incorporate. pour in e.v.o.o in a stream whisking constantly. taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. transfer to small mason jar with lid and set aside.

white on rice couple's fresh fig & balsamic reductionabout 1 cup ripe fig pulp
1 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp pure vanilla (i like tahitian)
1. scoop out fig pulp
2. in saucepan, add vinegar, fig pulp and simmer on low heat until mixture reduces down to about half. Stir occasionally (every 5-8 minutes). this will take 30-45 minutes.
3. allow fig/balsamic reduction to cool. place mixture in blender or food processor. blend thoroughly until mixture combines and becomes smooth. this step will also help release the seed from any pulp that has not cooked down. in separate bowl, strain out fig seeds. depending on your strainer, you might need to strain it at least two times to remove most of the seeds.
4. add 1 teaspoon vanilla to reduction, combine well
5. the reduction is very concentrated. use about 1 tsp at a time (or to taste) to your favorite marinades, sauces, dressings and drizzles.

now it is your turn to participate in fall fest. simply leave your fall salad tip or recipe or favorite links in the comments below, and then go visit the collaborators listed on the blog away to garden and do the same.

the cross-blog event idea works best when you leave your recipe or favorite links (whether to your own blog or someone else’s) at all the host blogs. yes, copy and paste them everywhere! that way, they are likely to be seen by the widest audience. everyone benefits, and some pretty great dialog starts simmering.

always...much thanks to margaret roach and deb puchalla for coordinating fall fest 2010. as always...its been a blast.

best and happy cooking!
diane

diane padoven
founder/president
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style™ "
do you like us? really like us? then please join our facebook fan page& follow us on twitter
to receive special offers only available to our preferred customers, please sign up for the mailing list on the right hand side of this post...