if it's not one thing...oh and a recipe for potato salad?

how's that for a title? but it totally relates to this post. it is friday...the start of the memorial day holiday weekend....and i am frantically cancelling all of our plans. you see...we started a "three week, tops" landscaping remodel 4 weeks ago...stop!...those of you familiar with remodeling projects already know where this story is going...right? we have completed a lot of restoring/remodeling projects since we purchased our farmhouse 6 years ago...and we live by the mantra..."double the time/double the cost" of whatever we are quoted in a contractor's bid....but this time i really thought it was going to be different....and, since i thought i had a week to spare...planned a bunch of get-togethers for the three day weekend...when we purchased our home it came with a pool. surprisingly, because i am originally from southern california, i had never coveted a pool...i was always more of a beach girl...i mean, sure...a wonderful vacation at a posh resort lounging by the pool is one thing...but owning one? was never a goal. but, as i said..the pool was already here and after the first HOT napa summer i quickly appreciated the benefit of jumping in whenever i wanted...and swimming laps beats the gym any day! but the real pool lover in the family is mose, my golden retriever. he pretty much spends the summer sitting on the steps of the pool..and taking a few laps periodically throughout the day...the pool area design was not lovely...and it was always a goal to redo...but the priorities were the inside of the house...and the front and side yards...

mose and allie

fast forward to last summer...the white picket fencing surrounding the pool area was so old and rotted out that the fence started falling down...this is the fence that protects the pool area from the street...and is there for security and privacy. a couple of times when mose would jump on the fence sections actually fell down. we did some quick repairs but knew it would not last another year...so...this year became the "let's redo the pool fence and decking" project.

my husband peter and i collaborate really well regarding home and garden design...and our first set of ideas were presented to the contractor only to receive a bid that was higher than the net worth of some small countries!! o.k., so those plans were scrapped...not in the budget!! but my life keeps proving that problems really do lead to opportunities...because our revised plans ended up being simpler and more beautiful....eco-friendly...and better suited to our not-grand farmhouse.

so we started the project...and the first two weeks went amazingly well...so well that i continued with my plans for this weekend...pretty much a bunch of people coming over every day...swimming, drinking the limoncello, cooking, barbecuing, talking, laughing, dancing....you know, the perfect parties we always imagine hosting...but...delays, delays, delays....some unexpected like finding wood rot in some of the fencing that was staying....some, contractor's error in accurately project scoping...and some our fault because...like many projects...once you see the demo'd space you think of additional items to add. (contractors love this because it equals "materials and labor" costs above the estimate)...and then...once the pool was drained to do the decking, we realized it needed to be replastered....and on and on and on...my twitter friend the food geek (i am not being mean..that is his twitter name) sent me the following tweet when i was complaining about this yesterday "You've just run across Hofstadter's Law. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hofstadter" ...pretty funny...

now...our "three week project" looks like it will take about 2 months to complete...ha! but i decided to look at all the positives...

1. when it is finished it will be amazing!

2. i am incredibly fortunate to be able to complete a remodel in the first place

3. i am grateful to all the construction workers who are doing a beautiful job..and working really hard.

4. my friend david... the furniture designer for my company...and i are collaborating on a collection of home and garden items...furniture and accessories, crafted from the old white picket fencing...reuse, recycle, repurpose, reimagine!!!

5. because i need to replant a portion of my herb garden, i have the opportunity to experiment with many new herbs...and..since our our bath and body collection is inspired from our farmhouse garden...this gives me an opportunity to expand our product offering while staying authentic to the brand...

o.k...so to ensure this post is not the longest story in history... i have told you many times that being "pithy" is not one of my strengths...i will end the remodel story for now...and provide updates during the balance of construction....but at least now you have the background...and for those of you who have emailed me asking why i haven't been writing much...now you know...even now the sound of the compressor is ringing in my ears...the non-stop buzzing noise it makes drives me batty...but, again i digress...

i decided to experiment with a new potato salad recipe last week (when i was still naive enough to think the holiday parties would occur). i was creating in my mind a recipe that would incorporate the ingredients in a salade niçoise...minus the tuna...and instead become a potato salad. but, in another instance of the "best laid plans" saga, when i was at the farmer's market i pointed at string beans only to find...once i got home...that they bagged up pea pods...so the theme of this post seems to be how problems lead to creative solutions...because i adapted and made an easy breezy potato and peas salad in a honey mustard vinaigrette that we fell in love with...

currently, my entire yard looks like a disaster zone...the pool, deck and back porch...torn up. all the furniture, pots, accessories, construction equipment and supplies are spread out in the side yard and on the front and side porch...the sawdust, concrete and plaster dust seems to permeate the house...no matter how often i dust and sweep...and so the parties have been postponed....keep your fingers crossed that 4th of july can be the new dates....but, until then we have to eat....so potato salad for two?napa farmhouse potato salad

4 medium red skinned potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs)

1/2 lb fresh pea pods, washed

3 green onions, chopped

1/4 c diced red onion

18 kalamata olives, pitted

grey salt

freshly cracked black pepper

honey mustard vinaigrette

1/4 cup sherry vinegar

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp stone ground mustard

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

grey salt

freshly cracked black pepper

cut potatoes into 2 inch pieces. place in a med saucepan add add water to cover by about 2 inches. add a large pinch of salt and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer until fork tender...12-15 minutes....begin checking at 10 minutes and ensure you do not overcook. add pea pods to the potatoes after the first 10-12 minutes...fresh peas only need a minute or two in the simmering water to cook. i like them al dente...not mushy. when the potatoes are done, drain into a colander and set aside. remove the pea pods, shell and add to a large bowl. add the potatoes, green onions, red onions and olives.

make the vinaigrette by adding the vinegar, honey, mustard and olive oil to a mason jar. screw on lid and shake vigorously until thoroughly combined. add salt and pepper to taste.

add a couple of tablespoons of the dressing to the potato salad mixture while the potatoes are still warm and stir gently to combine (you will have extra dressing...delicious on green salads and coleslaw). taste and add additional salt and pepper as needed. you may need to add a bit more dressing because the potatoes will soak up some of the vinaigrette. add enough to ensure the salad is moist...but not so much that it becomes soggy....but , this part is totally your call...

serve warm, room temperature or cold...

hope your holiday weekend is restful, relaxing and a respite from the daily grind...and please take some time to honor those who gave their lives for our country....the true meaning of the holiday...

"...gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime....let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation's gratitude,--the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan." --General John Logan, General Order No. 11, 5 May 1868

and...if you have a moment...please share your remodeling horror stories...misery loves company...and just to keep the post theme going...your favorite potato salad recipe!

mose as a puppy

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

at long last...the limoncello is finished!!!

so the memorial day holiday weekend begins in 9 days. the weather is supposed to be warm...we have nothing we absolutely have to do...and many of our friends have talked about coming to visit...by now, you know how much i love summer...so i am like a kid waiting for the last day of school. and... guess what?...the limoncello is finished and in the freezer. it just doesn't get better than that.

for first time readers of my blog, here is the limoncello background. i first wrote about my love of this liqueur...and shared my recipe...back in february. my meyer lemon tree gives us tons of fruit each year...and limoncello is one of our favorite ways to use up the bounty. i explained that the recipe requires 80 days of infusing...and invited readers to make a batch with me...kind of a world-wide group lesson. read the first post want some ice cold limoncello this summer? for the complete story and the first step.

the first step involves 40 days of infusing. now, i should say that the recipe is easy...just requires patience...and i was very happy to hear that a large group of people signed up to make the limoncello...some posted in the comments section...many more emailed me to share their recipes...or tweaks to my version. we had a hot debate over using 100 proof vodka (my way) or using everclear...which actually scares me a bit :)... and then, 40 days later, i posted the second set of steps in limoncello, part 2.

limoncello, step 1

the second round of 40 days officially ended last week...and we completed the final steps of straining and bottling...and stashing in the freezer. we ended up with 2 large bottles...and 8 smaller ones...that should last a while...except many of our friends read my blog...and have been not-so-patiently waiting for the limoncello to be finished. why do i have a sneaking suspicion we will have loads of "just happened to be dropping by" visits memorial day weekend? if you know me you know that nothing could make me happier...

limoncello, step 2

so, for all my limoncello making readers...the last set of instructions are as follows...

limoncello, finished product!!

meyer lemon limoncello, part 3

pour limoncello through a cheesecloth covered large pitcher. (if you doubled the recipe like i did, this may require a couple of steps). divide among glass bottles and... because this needs to be stored in the freezer... i use rubber stoppers vs cork...

that's it...for those of you who made the limoncello with me...please let me know what you think of the final result...for first time readers...it is never too late to start...try to find meyer lemons...i think it makes a big difference in the taste...but if they are not available in your area, regular lemons work well also...the hardest part is waiting the 80 days...so start today..and you will have limoncello the first week of august!!!

yeah, summer!!

salute! (cheers! in italian)

diane

diane padoven

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

follow me on twitter

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do you love asparagus? let's do a recipe roundup

it seems as if i have been eating asparagus non-stop for the past month. i have noticed ...now that i have the opportunity cook almost every day in my "post corporate" life...that seasonal eating just comes naturally. i eat mostly local in-season food and...because once the season is over i have to wait another year...i prepare my favorites over and over again. there appears to be the perfect nature based cut-off...because just as i am starting to get the tiniest bit tired of the fruit or vegetable...the season is over...and it is time for my next favorite!

asparagus is a perfect example. i adore this vegetable and can eat it constantly during the season...then i am perfectly content to wait until the next year because canned or frozen versions are just wrong...and the "flown in from around the world" options just do not taste good...but it is early may...and here in california asparagus are in season...so favorite asparagus recipes...here we come...

asparagus was first planted in california during the 1850's. i like to imagine the original owners of my farmhouse (which was built in 1885) eating the same foods that i enjoy today. did you know that asparagus is a member of the lily family? according to the california asparagus commission, california leads the nation in asparagus production with more than 50,000 metric tons harvested annually.....so we have a lot of asparagus available...and i think i personally put a dent in the 50,000 metric tons statistic...

my favorite way to prepare asparagus is one of the simplest....roasting. roasted asparagus as a side dish is really good...but served on grilled bruschetta, with a wedge of parmigiano-reggiano cheese, a small salad and a glass of wine makes an amazing dinner on a hot day...my trick is salting the asparagus with coarse grey salt prior to roasting in olive oil. something about the crunchy salt, the excellent extra virgin olive oil and perfectly roasted asparagus just rocks...

i also love asparagus with eggs. last year i shared a recipe for poached eggs with asparagus and truffle oil which i make all the time during spring...or pasta with sauteed asparagus, pine nuts, spring onions and garlic..in extra virgin olive oil, white wine and seasonings is out of this world...

i have tried many different versions of asparagus soup throughout the years...but they always called for chicken or vegetable stock. i wanted a really "asparagusy" (totally made up word) soup so this year i developed one which calls for an asparagus stock...this recipe is fast, easy and really good. i named it asparagus, asparagus soup to emphasize the clean asparagus taste...this version is just thickened with a potato..so while it is thick and creamy...no cream...so a really healthy and low cal version...let me know what you think...

roasted asparagus

2 bunches fresh asparagus

extra virgin olive oil

coarse grey salt

preheat oven to 400 degrees. drizzle olive oil over bottom of baking sheet (with sides)...approx 3 tbsp. prepare asparagus by snapping off ends and peeling stalks. roll the asparagus in the oil to coat. sprinkle with grey salt. roast in oven 10-15 minutes (depends on how thick your stalks are) until asparagus has just begun to caramelize. serve immediately.

this soup can be served hot, warm or even cold...so a good versatile choice depending on the unpredictable spring weather...

asparagus, asparagus soup

2 lbs fresh asparagus

6 cups water

2 yellow onions, peeled and diced

2 green onions, diced, green and white parts separated

1 clove garlic peeled and minced

1 russet potato, diced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

sea salt

freshly cracked black pepper

peel the asparagus and snap off the ends. place the asparagus peel and ends, 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper in a large stockpot and add the water. cook over high heat until water reaches soft boil...boil for 20 minutes. strain asparagus broth into large bowl and discard solids. set aside.

roughly chop the asparagus reserving a few tips for garnish. meanwhile, add approx 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil to stockpot and heat over medium flame. add yellow onions, white part of green onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped asparagus and potatoes and saute until onions are just translucent (do not let brown).

pour asparagus broth into very large measuring cup and add water to ensure you have 6 cups. add broth/water mixture to stockpot and bring to soft boil. reduce heat to simmer and cook until potatoes and asparagus are very soft (20-30 minutes)

at this point you need to puree the soup. you can pour into a blender/food processor to accomplish but i have an aversion to pouring boiling hot liquids into a machine. years ago i bought an immersion blender...one of my favorite tools...and i use this to effortlessly, easily and...safely... puree my soup. i like my soup with a bit of texture so i just puree, but if you want a very smooth soup you can then pour it through a fine sieve into a bowl to strain out the remaining solids. pour back into stockpot and season to taste with sea salt and pepper. serve hot, warm or cold garnished with chopped green onion and asparagus tips.

what are your favorite asparagus recipes? let's do a roundup of terrific ways to prepare asparagus so we can all share...you can either list your recipe here...or link to your blog...please share in the comments section of this post....

happy may!

best,

diane

diane padoven

founder/president

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

follow me on twitter

what can you do with meyer lemons?

answer....everything. i just noticed that i have been posting a lot of recipes/stories about meyer lemons...pasta...limoncello...cake... you name it. i was a bit worried that this was overkill...i mean. ..what if readers don't like lemons? but i have realized that i am writing the way i try to cook...using fresh, seasonal, local, organic/sustainably grown ingredients...and i cannot get more local than fruit grown in my garden! my lemon tree has been fruiting since december...and i continue to look for ways to use up the bounty.

i use lemons in everything...a bit of lemon juice and zest amps up the flavor in baking, vegetable dishes, fish, chicken, pasta, salads, fresh fruit, tea...i keep a pitcher of water with sliced lemons in the fridge...you name it...i use it.

our good friends richard and caitlin came to dinner on wednesday. i had tons of work to do that day, so i wanted an extremely easy menu...i made a simple pasta with almonds, garlic and peas (will give recipe in another post), roasted asparagus...and a meyer lemon marmalade cake with a strawberry/balsamic sauce for dessert....the pasta and asparagus were hits...and the cake won rave reviews. as i told you last time...my family and friends all "grade" my recipes by using the word bloggable...they are so used to me writing about everything we eat that it has become their shorthand...one bite of cake and they all said..."bloggable!" richard went for seconds...and asked if he could take some home. (for me, this is the ultimate compliment...think it goes back to my italian mom....i feel really, really happy when my friends and family enjoy my food....fyi...caitlin emailed me the following day letting me know the cake was just as good the next morning with coffee for breakfast :)

so...here is the recipe for the cake...full disclosure as to how it was developed...i make meyer lemon marmalade all the time...i have an easy (but really labor intensive) recipe that is usually foolproof. i made multiple batches one day and...for some unknown reason...one batch did not set. now i make it exactly the same way every time...the recipe only uses lemons and sugar...nothing else...so i am baffled as to what happened. but, since i love experimenting, i decided i wanted to create recipes using the unset marmalade (is that even a term?). i thought a vanilla bundt cake drizzled with the marmalade would be nice...well, it rocks. .but since i cannot give you a recipe for that, i substituted a meyer lemon simple syrup with a few spoonfuls of correctly made marmalade...works just as well...but..if you happen to be making jam and screw it up...here is an option for your creation....and a new expression"when life gives you runny marmalade...make cake?"

i wrote about my vegan chocolate cake earlier this year and it has become one of the most popular sites from a search engine perspective...i love this cake which i adapted from one published in the moosewood cookbook. i used the same basic recipe for this vanilla cake...just tweaked the ingredients around to remove the chocolate. i love the way it turned out...think it will become my go-to summer cake used with many different types of summer fruit...and, best of all...it is super simple...can be mixed with a wooden spoon, so no mixer to clean...and the extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar used makes it a bit healthier...so a bit more guilt free...please let me know what you think...

meyer lemon marmalade cake (just happens to be vegan)

(with strawberry/balsamic sauce)

for the cake

3 2/3 cups organic unbleached flour

2 cups sugar (organic will really make a difference)

1 tsp salt

2 tsp alum free baking powder

2 cups cold water

1/2 cup plus 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp pure vanilla extract (i use tahitian vanilla)

meyer lemon marmalade syrup

2 cups organic sugar
zest from 1 meyer lemon, plus 3/4 cup fresh meyer lemon juice
2 cups water

2 tbsp meyer lemon marmalade

combine sugar, zest, and 2 cups water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, until sugar has completely dissolved. bring to a boil. turn off heat and allow syrup to come to room temperature (keep in saucepan). when completely cool, pour though strainer into small bowl(throw away strainer contents) . stir in meyer lemon juice and marmalade.

strawberry/balsamic sauce

2 1/2 cups fresh strawberries

1 1/2 tbsp organic brown sugar

1 tsp orange zest

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 tbsp balsamic vinegar

handful of fresh mint for garnish, rough chop

(i use this sauce all summer on cakes, pancakes, waffles, ice cream, fresh fruit. .etc. feel free to substitute other berries..whatever you like)

wash, stem and puree 2 cups of the strawberries in a blender or food processor. add the brown sugar, orange zest, pepper and balsamic vinegar and puree until almost smooth. pour into serving bowl. slice the remaining 1/2 cup berries and add to bowl. taste and add a bit more sugar if needed...total amount will depend on how sweet your berries are..

step 1...make cake

preheat oven to 350 degrees. oil and flour a bundt pan and set aside. combine the water, e.v.o.o., vinegar and vanilla in a large bowl. in a separate bowl, sift together the dry ingredients...do not skip the sifting, you want all the small lumps removed... add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir with a wooden spoon until combined. (do not over-mix). bake in preheated oven approx. 45 min-1 hour. start checking at 45 minutes...when a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean...the cake is finished. remove from oven and place on rack. let cool for 10 minutes.

step 2

turnout cake from bundt pan onto serving plate. using a toothpick, poke a number of holes in cake top. using a large spoon, drizzle meyer lemon marmalade syrup onto cake top, about 1 to 1 1/2 cups in total. cake should look really moist...not soggy. allow to cool completely. garnish cake with large pieces of lemon peel from the marmalade (i just use a fork to strain out from the syrup mixture)

step 3

to serve, slice cake and plate...either spoon strawberry/balsamic sauce around cake...or serve plain and pass sauce separately. top serving with sprinkle of mint...as my friend richard says.."the mint is key...it wakes up the entire mouth"

today, the lemon trees are covered with blossoms...and the entire yard is perfumed with the beautiful scent...so i am going to spend some time outdoors relaxing and enjoying the flowers...because...in mere moments (just a slight exaggeration)...those flowers will become meyer lemons...and the cooking, baking, juicing will begin... again....

do you have favorite lemon recipes?...please send them my way...either as a direct email or posted in the comments section of this story...

best,

diane

diane padoven

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

and follow me on twitter

fresh or canned?

regular readers of this blog are probably thinking..."of course she is going to say fresh. she is a broken record regarding fresh, organic or sustainably farmed, local when possible, best quality ingredients. canned, i don't think so". most of the time you would be correct. canned vegetables?...no way. canned fruit?...never. i just do not like the taste, texture, color or additives. but i do make an exception when it comes to canned beans.now, i admit, i find a big pot of fresh beans simmering away on the store very comforting...soaking the dried beans, rinsing, draining and then cooking with vegetables and seasonings is pretty easy...but can take a lot of time....when i am looking for a fast, easy and delicious menu option, canned beans is a perfect solution.

how about canned white beans whirled in the food processor with lots of garlic, sea salt, extra virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice spread on hot bruschetta? or canned kidney beans tossed in a romaine salad with chopped red onions, chopped tomatoes, sliced kalamata olives, cheddar cheese and crumbled tortilla chips for a fast taco salad...for this i use half vinaigrette and half prepared salsa for my salad dressing. maybe white beans sauteed with onions, garlic, fresh rosemary, sea salt and e.v.o.o. mixed into hot pasta, served with plenty of freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano? i cannot tell you how often i heat up canned refried beans, add grated cheese, chopped onions and salsa and wrap up in a tortilla for a fast burrito....i could go on and on...and i often post recipes using beans...sometimes calling for the homemade version..but almost always canned beans work as the fast, easy substitute.happily, organic canned beans are available everywhere...from whole foods, to trader joe's, to the everyday supermarket...and i find the organic versions really do taste better...so today... in honor of canned beans...i thought i would share one of my favorite recipes...just in time for the start of barbecue season...although they are delicious year round...so...introducing...baked beans, my waythe framework for this recipe originally came from the moosewood cafe...i made it for years. then one day i wanted to make the regular recipe but did not have many of the ingredients on hand...and was too lazy to go to the store...i experimented with what i had in my pantry with a "mole" sauce as inspiration. the recipe went from kind of a jamaican jerk...to a mexican barbecue mole...."what??"" trust me...this is delicious...and i only make "my" version these days...we spent easter last sunday at my friend ann's home for an afternoon barbecue. i was asked to make a vegetarian side dish...my bean recipe seemed to be the perfect choice. happily, everyone at the party agreed...they told me the recipe was so good that it was "bloggable"...so...blog...here ya go...(one last thing...i am addicted to chipotle peppers packed in adobo sauce...so one more canned item to add to the list!!) baked beans, my way

(do not be put off by the long list of ingredients...once you chop and measure everything, the dish goes together quickly & easily..and, if you can...organic/suistainably grown local ingredients really do make the difference)

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
3 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp dried cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp sea salt

1 cup light manzanilla sherry

2 tsp dijon mustard

1/4 cup smokey barbecue sauce (homemade or best quality bottled)

1 chipotle chile, finely chopped

1 tbsp adobo sauce (from the canned chipotles)

1 tbsp best quality unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup water

1/4 cup smooth peanut butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

4 15 oz cans organic beans (or 6 cups homemade cooked beans) rinsed and drained **see note

preheat oven to 325 degrees. add olive oil to large pot. add onions and ginger and cook over medium flame until onions are soft and translucent..approx 4-5 minutes. add the garlic, cumin, oregano, cinnamon and sea salt. stir to combine. cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.

uncover and add sherry, mustard, barbecue sauce, chipotle, adobo sauce, cocoa powder and water. stir to combine, cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

add peanut butter and brown sugar to pot, stir well and cook uncovered over low heat for 5 minutes. at this point the sauce is ready. if you like sauce with texture, skip this next step. if you want a smooth sauce you can either transfer to a blender and puree or run through the smallest holes of a food mill...or do what i do and use an immersion blender. (i strongly vote for the immersion blender choice as i am not a fan of pouring hot liquids in blenders...to me, a disaster waiting to happen!!)

place the beans in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. pour all the sauce over the beans. cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. remove from the oven and let sit (covered) for 20 minutes. serve immediately...

**note, you can use any combination of canned beans...i usually use 2 cans kidney and two cans either small red or white...but pick your favorites..as long as you use whole beans you are good to go...**

where do you stand on the canned food debate? do you use canned items? which ones? why or why not? please share your thoughts in the comments section of this post...and your favorite bean recipes...fresh or canned!!

have a good week!

best,

diane

diane padoven

founder/president

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™
please sign up for our company mailing list on the sidebar of this blog

napa mustard madness? roasted rosemary-mustard chicken with potatoes anyone?

i had the best weekend. my two sisters and two lifelong girlfriends came to visit from southern california...this has become an annual event...the girls weekend in napa. when i say "lifelong" i mean it literally. the girlfriends are sisters and grew up 2 houses from my childhood home. their parents and mine were best friends...still are...and when we moved into our house one of the girls was a few months old...the other was born a few years later...they seem more like sisters than friends...and when the five of us get together it is magic....lots of laughing, giggling, story telling, memory sharing...coupled with eating, shopping and...it being napa after all...massive quantities of wine consumed.we had a blast...i love driving around napa...showing off our beautiful terrain...and this past weekend really cooperated...the weather was perfect. it is march...so the mustard is still in bloom...and i made sure there were plenty of opportunities for picture taking...

if you have visited napa at this time of year, you have seen the amazing sight of mustard blanketing the hillsides...and the vineyards. i thought i would share a bit of history regarding the mustard. i pulled this from the internet...the exact words were listed a number of times under many resources, so not sure where to give credit...but the story is worth telling...

"A bit of history behind the mustard flower that blankets the Napa valley in a rich yellow carpet is worth mentioning. Father Junipero Serra had come from Spain to Mexico in the 1800's to spread his faith. He was told of a beautiful land to the north full of wildlife, grand trees and verdant valleys. Serra decided he must see this land and with the aid of some Native American guides, set out to explore the country to the north. Father Serra had brought with him Spanish Mustard seeds and scattered them all along the path of his travels. The following year they returned south and followed a golden ribbon of bright mustard flowers that had sprung from the northern trek."

how cool is that? of course, i am always thinking about blog story topics...and mustard has been playing a big role in my life lately (what an odd thing to say...only in napa, right?). the napa annual mustard festival is just drawing to a close, there is mustard growing wherever i look, i started making an organic mustard bath for my bath and body collection that immediately became a best seller (caught me a bit off guard) and i am experimenting with making prepared mustard...that warrants a story of its own,recipe and all..but it takes 6-8 weeks to cure and i want to ensure it tastes good before i post...so please give me a couple more weeks...then mustard making recipes...here we come...

in the interim, i thought i would post an easy and delicious recipe for roasted chicken and potatoes...this one features mustard and rosemary...one of my favorite combinations. the ingredients (sans chicken and potatoes) actually started as a salad dressing...and i thought the flavors would be amazing prepared this way. my friends and family love it...so of course i want to share it with all of you. as always, i recommend using the best quality, locally grown organic or sustainably grown if you can, ingredients possible...better for you..and just tastes better....

rosemary mustard chicken with roasted potatoes

2 packs chicken legs (10-12 legs)

2 tbsp honey-dijon mustard

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling

1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary, divided in half

1 tsp minced lemon zest

1/2 tsp red chili flakes

2 cloves garlic, minced and divided in half

4 baking potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces

1 yellow onion, cut into bite sized pieces

grey salt

freshly ground black pepper

preheat oven to 425 degrees. line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil. add potatoes, onions, half of the rosemary and half of the garlic to baking sheet. drizzle with olive oil, season well with salt and pepper and stir to combine. (note, i just use my hands for this step..to ensure potatoes are completely covered in oil). place in hot oven.

meanwhile, combine mustard, balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp olive oil, remaining rosemary, lemon zest, chili flakes and second half of the garlic in a small bowl. rinse chicken legs, pat dry and brush one side with half the mustard mixture. season legs with salt and pepper and place coated side down in large skillet over med heat. cook for 2-3 minutes. brush non-coated side of legs with remaining mustard mixture, turn legs and cook another 2-3 minutes until both sides are golden brown.

remove baking sheet from oven..the potatoes should have been cooking about 20 minutes and have turned light brown..if not, let them cook a bit longer, about 20 minutes total...when ready, stir the potatoes and push them back to about 1/4 of the sheet.

this is what the chicken should look like before roasting in the oven

place the chicken legs on the open part of the sheet and put back in oven. roast 15-20 minutes. chicken is ready when clear juices run when pricked with a knife...and potatoes are dark golden brown...

serve immediately

so here's to sisters...and old friends...may you never take either for granted! (and mustard is pretty good too)

have a good week everyone....

best,

diane

diane padoven

founder/president

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

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limoncello, part 2

buon giorno! i am feeling very italian today as i post the second set of steps for making limoncello. i first wrote about limoncello forty days ago in my post want some ice cold limoncello this summer? i told you the story of the first time i visited italy with my husband...and our discovery of the magic of ice cold limoncello on a very hot italian summer day. we loved this liqueur so much that i decided to make it myself...we get tons of meyer lemons every year from our tree, we grow rosemary year round...and our summers here in napa are very similar to italian weather. i experimented with many recipes, but landed on this one...originally from sunset magazine...a few years ago as our favorite. it is easy and delicious...the only glitch...it takes 80 days!!!

(this is what the limoncello looks like after infusing for the first 40 days)
i invited readers to make this year's batch with me....kind of an interactive approach by only posting the steps as i go...and have received a lot of emails/comments from people letting me know they are following along and have limoncello infusing in their own homes...how cool is that? i have this image of people all over the world sipping this lovely drink at the same time one day in may with a virtual toast to summer, italy...and limoncello...

so, for all of you ready for step two...here you go...don't be afraid of the large quantity of sugar required (9 cups!!)...remember, if you are making the full recipe you will get 20 8.5 oz bottles. again, this recipe is easily reduced by half....but i wouldn't...it goes really fast once friends and family get their first sip...

and, if you have not started yet...it is never too late...just go to the first post for the directions to get started...you are always only 80 days away...good news for us...the meyer lemon tree we planted 4 years ago appears to be fruiting year round...it is march and the tree is still full of fruit, with lots of blossoms...so i will be making limoncello all year....it really, really goes fast in my home...
(a jar after second step and a jar before second step)

limoncello, part 2

10 cups water

9 cups sugar

2 bottles (750 ml. each) 100 proof vodka, such as stolichnaya or smirnoff

bring the water to a boil in a large pot. add the sugar and stir until completely dissolved. let the sugar syrup cool to room temperature.

divide the syrup in half and pour first half into one of your lemon-vodka mixture 1 gallon glass jars and the second half into the other gallon jar. pour 1 full bottle vodka into each jar. stir well. seal container and let sit undisturbed in a cool, dark place for another 40 days...

(note, i zest half my lemons with a sharp knife and half with a microplane zester...so combination of large peel and finely shredded peel... the peel will separate as the limoncello sits...no worries, the entire batch will be beautifully infused)

see you in 40 days for the third...and final!...step....

happy spring everyone...

ciao!

diane

diane padoven

founder/president

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

follow me on twitter

how about a recipe for pasta & peas??

my twitter friend dianne (dianne with two "n"s....i am a one "n" girl) asked me to guest blog this week...she was off for a well deserved holiday. dianne's blog...dianne's dishes...focuses on "fresh, food, fun"...and she lists a different recipe each day. i decided to post my recipe for pasta & peas...pasta, peas, onions, really good extra virgin olive oil, garlic, a bit of red pepper flakes... one of my go-to dishes...fast, easy, ingredients always on hand..and delicious... i thought it was perfect for dianne's blog...please let me know what you think of the recipe...either here or in the comments section of my guest post...

check out dianne's blog..it is really cool...and let me know what you think of my version of pasta & peas, my way ...
so...that is it for today...a short and sweet post...but for regular readers...no worries...my usual long, rambling style post is available over at dianne's dishes...you didn't think i would actually be pithy for once, did you???
have a good week everyone!
best,
diane
diane padoven
napa farmhouse 1885™
"live a green life of style"™

follow me on twitter

pancakes, my way??

i am incapable of following a recipe...i read tons of food and wine magazines, love cooking shows, devour cookbooks like some people read fiction best sellers...yet the simple act of faithfully executing the directions is impossible. i am always thinking about tweaking, adding, switching, changing...just a pinch of this...or a lot of that...and before you know it... a brand new dish.

the beauty of cooking is that experimenting is encouraged...you have "permission" to make it your way...to use the ingredients you love...and to create your own favorites...

take pancakes. there are probably a zillion good options...but i felt the need to make up my own twist...and i have a number of options depending on what i feel like that day. last year i posted my cornmeal pancake recipe, "how about cornmeal pancakes with fresh blueberries?" and i still get emails from readers telling me how much they enjoyed the story.

today, it is sunday...the first day of daylight savings (yeah!!), the sun is shining, i spent all day yesterday gardening...pruning, edging, trimming...getting ready for spring (my camellias are in bloom!)....and pancakes are the perfect way to start a lazy, late sunday. i thought i would post my "just pancakes" pancakes recipe...a bit traditional, a bit different...always a hit with family and friends....and ask all of you to share your favorite breakfast (although we frequently eat them for dinner) pancake ideas...

i love the idea of combining white flour with whole wheat...gives a nice texture...and i thought using maple syrup instead of sugar would add some depth...white flour/white sugar sometimes can just seem bland....and, of course... regular readers know i almost always use extra virgin olive oil in my recipes....here you go...pancakes, my way....

**note on ingredients..since i started my organic dog treat business, i always have organic unbleached flour and organic whole wheat flour, finely ground on hand. i find there really is a difference in the taste when using organic ingredients...so...if you can...go organic!

napa farmhouse 1885™ pancakes

2 eggs

1 1/2 c milk

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 c. organic unbleached white flour

1 c. organic whole wheat flour-fine

2 scant tbsp baking powder

1 tsp sea salt

beat eggs with a whisk in a medium bowl. add milk, olive oil and maple syrup and whisk until well mixed. sift together flours, baking powder and salt and add to egg mixture. stir until just mixed...a few tiny lumps will remain..do not over mix. pour batter into a large liquid measuring pitcher (or other pitcher). pour about 3 tbsp pancake batter per pancake onto hot griddle or large skillet. cook until bubbles form and tops of pancakes look a bit dry. flip and cook until second side is golden brown. serve immediately.

this recipe makes a ton of pancakes...enough to serve 4-6...you can easily cut this recipe in half...

hope you enjoy the pancakes...and are as happy as i am with daylight savings time....i am so, so ready for spring and warm weather...how about you?

best,

diane

diane padoven

napa farmhouse 1885™

"live a green life of style"™

please sign up for our mailing list on the sidebar of this blog

follow me on twitter