Link Love! Gifts In Jars

My 300-ish square foot apartment is currently overflowing with jars of things. Three types of jam, tomato sauce, two types of liqueur, pickles, pears, and on and on. My general motivation here is not only to have beautiful summer produce throughout the year, but also to have a perfect stash of last minute gifts and treats to share with friends and loved ones during the holiday season. It isn't too late for handmade gifts by any means- and the perks of gifting something that can be both stored, and later eaten once the house is cleared of other holiday sweet things is truly hard to argue. I've also tried to include primarily recipes that don't require any special canning equipment.

- Despite the fact that Washington doesn't actually have a citrus season- it still is citrus season. I'm enamored with the idea of this Chili Mandarin Marmalade with a Spritz of Ginger from Mandolin the Mirthful. She notes its intensity and that it would pair beautifully with crackers and chevre. My kind of lady.

- On that note- this idea of gifting Marinated Goat Cheese is unarguably simple, and absolutely gorgeous. This would make a phenomenal host/ess gift, even when rushed for time.

- Homemade Coffee Liqueur from Food In Jars makes for another well received gift that uses a few straight-forward ingredients. The original recipe notes that it's best when allowed to sit anywhere from three to six weeks- but I've given gifts like this in the past that included a note one when it's best to open. No one has complained.

- Okay, I'm totally cheating on this one. It doesn't come in a jar, it's merely just being served in one. But I cannot get over how obscenely delicious this sounds. I cannot. Jen Altman's Black Spiced Rum Eggnog will be my first attempt at eggnog ever. I will drink it out of a jar, and I will probably not share. You should go ahead and make your own.

-  Bacon Jam. I know. Bacon is played out, and this recipe takes hours to make, and if you want to store it out of the fridge you need a pressure cooker. But I don't care about any of those things. It's bacon, and onions, and maple syrup. And I just don't care.

- I accidentally made myself a big beautiful jar of ginger syrup last year- it was the byproduct of candied ginger, and it was probably one of the best accidents I've had in some time. It makes for some of the best ginger ale I've ever had, and has stored perfectly in my pantry without any issues. Joy the Baker shares her recipe for Homemade Ginger Syrup for Ginger Ale and includes a perfectly simple recipe for ginger ale to tack on as part of a gift.

Are you making any of your gifts this year? What are your favorite homemade treats to give and receive?

Link Love!

I'm almost certain that once upon a time I used to post links to things that weren't just related to food and eating. I'm glad that I've moved on from that place. My heart has only one real love. (That's a lie.)

-  I actually made an audible squealing noise when I came across this recipe. That's normal, yeah? Apple Fennel Sauerkraut with Caraway from The Bitten Word is just so... glorious. I still haven't experimented with sauerkraut or kimchee, and I'm finding myself a little antsy. My CSA this week came with a big beautiful head of fennel. It's a sign, clearly.

- My biggest struggle with cutting back on gluten hasn't had anything to do with pasta or toast. It's shortbread. Shortbread relies so much on the simplicity of its ingredients, that when one thing is slightly off they verge on inedible. I experimented with a GF shortbread recipe this past spring- and while my co-workers humored me and ate the tiny heart shaped gritty lumps, I haven't gone back to trying to recreate them. Serious Eats hosts Gluten Free Tuesday every week, and amongst their recipes they have a simple and beautiful recipe for Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies. They also have a recipe for Allergen Free Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cake, which does admittedly sound a bit clinical, but looks (and reads) to be delicious. I can usually get pretty excited about anything combining chocolate and pumpkin.

- Absolutely not gluten free, but when Molly from Orangette refers to something as "some of the best cookies I will ever eat" - I'm probably going to pop some acidophilus and make a batch. Plus- these are actually Autumn Martin's infamous peanut butter cookies. Yes. These Salted Peanut Butter Cookies. Yes, again. Yes. There is Theo Chocolate in there.

- I've been eating so much winter squash lately. And while Zucchini Stuffed with Sausage, Mushrooms, and Sage from The Kitchn  uses a zucchini (obviously)- I'm likely going to re-utilize the stuffing recipe and cook it with a lovely little butternut or spaghetti squash. Forever.

- Maple Buttermilk Pie from 101 Cookbooks is so perfectly timed for fall. She uses rye flour in her crust, and nearly a cup of maple syrup in the filling. Perfection.

The Canning Queen & A Tale of Three Seasides

Two really wonderful videos showed up on my Google Reader this morning:

The first is from Etsy on a delightful woman named Classie Parker- The Canning Queen of the Desert. "I teach people how to put the love in their food- by canning!"


The Canning Queen of the Desert from Etsy on Vimeo.

I love her!

The second is from The Perennial Plate on foraging wild foods along the West Coast, and features one of my favorite bloggers and wild food enthusiasts Langdon Cook.


The Perennial Plate Episode 68: A Tale of Three Seasides from Daniel Klein on Vimeo.

Link Love!

- The photos on Honey and Jam alone are enough to completely suck you in- and paired with the recipes her blog is completely irresistible. This recipe for Tomato Cobbler is a beautiful savory take on a traditional fruit cobbler that would be the perfect use for gorgeous summer tomatoes.

- The comments on this recipe had me laughing. Earlier today Michael tweeted "See the comments; what do y'all think, too far or am I allowed a little sap once in awhile?" And I guess the funny part is that I absolutely loved his writing in this post. Peach and Sour Cream Buckle is a simple recipe with just the right amount of mush. I love it.

- I have no idea how I managed to wait so long to link to this recipe. Grits with Corn, Goat Cheese, and Roasted Tomatoes from The Kitchn was one of those recipes that I made the same day that I discovered it. It tastes like eating summer. I used a beautiful vegetable ash chevre in mine and kind of wanted to cry it was so good. Please make this.

- Another recipe from The Kitchn that I should have shared some time ago- Velvety Broccoli and Feta Pasta has been a major stand-by for me the past few months. I generally end up eating half of the pesto out of my food processor bowl with a fork and my fingers. No shame.

What have you been loving lately?

Link Love, and A Little Life Explaining

Okay, it's official. I have been trying to avoid making a dreaded "sorry I haven't been posting much" post- but I think I finally have to do it. So, you guys. I'm sorry I haven't been posting much. Believe me when I say that I think about it all the time. I miss my blog (weird, maybe) and I miss sitting down and writing out real posts and taking the time to edit photos and get excited about new upcoming adventures and projects. There is a lot (!) going on in my life right now- so much of it is so awesome- it's been a summer full of non-stop adventures so far. But it means that I'm not home much, and not really spending much time sitting down to think. I also totally scrapped my marathon training and feel kind of awful about it. So, it's not you. It's me. And I really do promise that I'm going to get better about posting- because I miss it more than I can explain without sounding like I'm talking about a past lover. Which is weird. So, for the sake of not being weird- let's just start here- with some of my favorite things that some of my favorite people have been doing.

- I will never get tired of Smitten Kitchen recipes. Ever. Flatbreads with Honey, Thyme, and Sea Salt sound like something that should only be served with fresh fromage blanc and local honey. That sounds like dinner tomorrow night.

- I have never made rice pudding. I really want to make it, though. I really want to make Risotto Rice Pudding with Brown Sugar and Vanilla from Joy the Baker. Like really, really badly. Really.

- Food In Jars has a seriously great recipe for Refrigerator Dill Pickles which are really great if you're intimidated by the full-blown canning process. These guys aren't intended to be shelf stable, so you don't need to worry about breaking jars or giving your friends botulism.

- Is it cheating to say that my favorite blog right now is my mamas? Her and my step-dad left just over three weeks ago and their years-long sailing trip! Check out their adventures as they cruise out of Alaska and down to Mexico (for now). They'll be stopping through Seattle in August, and I get to spend a week in La Paz with them come November!

- Excuse my language- but holy shit. Do you know what those are? No? Didn't think so. Those are Cinnamon Sugar Radish Chips from Pinch of Yum and my mind nearly exploded when I first saw them. I still haven't quite wrapped my mind around these- but I know that I need to make and eat them very, very soon.


What have you been doing and loving lately?

Link Love!

- Seattle Eats Local Neighborhood Poster from Drywell.

- I've been putting pea vines in my morning smoothies lately and can't seem to get enough of them. This Simple Mint Pea Dip from My New Roots can be made using frozen peas as well, if you are having the kind of spring that we are in Seattle. I have the feeling that fresh peas are going to be a little while still.

- When I found this set of Charley Harper + Todd Oldham plates for Fish's Eddy I announced to Brittany that we were going to have to get married immediately, just so we can put them on our registry.

- I have been doing a fairly awesome job the past few weeks of avoiding gluten. I figured out a while ago that I have an intolerance, but hadn't really dealt with it. It's been getting worse lately, so I've been experimenting with gluten free bread and pasta and have found a few that I really like. The above cupcake is from the recently opened Bouteloua Bakery in my neighborhood. It's actually a vegan bakery, but they have at least one gluten free item per day as well, and I'm totally crazy in love with their cupcakes.

 

- I think it might actually finally be summer in Seattle. I have a sunburn to prove it. This means it's time to start eating frozen things. Fudge Popsicles from Smitten Kitchen are very, very high on my list.

Link Love! Canning and Putting Things in Jars

Despite our slow turning Seattle spring- asparagus is in full force at the farmers markets, and thanks to my mama and Lizzie I have a giant bag of wild fiddleheads in my fridge, straight outta Southeast Alaska! Take that, TSA. I've been putting my own stash of fiddleheads into pasta, and pretty much anything that goes well with butter. I'm excited now to finally have enough to pickle and can.

And although we still have a little while to go before berries start showing up- it's really never too early to start planning for jam. Never ever. And even then? There are still a million other things that do so well in jars.

Canning Across America and Food in Jars are without a doubt my two favorite canning resources. I'm totally totally smitten with Baked Eggs in Half Pint Jars. I've been dreaming about them since Tuesday.

- Strawberry, Balsamic, and Black Pepper Jam from Melissa Made is really for real. I've never been a huge fan of strawberry jam (too many chunks!) but I'm all sorts of excited about this one.

- Sticking with the pepper theme- Salt and Pepper Cashew Butter from Edible Perspective sounds kind of perfect. I made my own almond butter a few months ago and really loved it. Cashews are kind of dreamy.

 

 - Langdon Cook blogs about Christina's recipe for Pickled Fiddleheads, which is likely the recipe that I'll use for my own. Christina has lots of dishes with fiddleheads happening at Nettletown right now, so if you're curious and in Seattle- get your butt in there!

- I've been wanting to experiment with preserving lemons for a while now. Food in Jars has a short and sweet write up. Lemons and salt, loves. That's all.

I've been meeting so many people lately who are getting into canning. It's so inspiring and I love hearing about it. What are you excited about canning this spring and summer?

Pro-Soup and Pro-Soap

One of my very favorite people, and fellow Alaskan moved South- Brittany of Pro-Soup Propaganda just recently started up a sweet little shop on Etsy- Pro-Soap Propaganda! Many of her soaps are Alaska themed- North Star, Chinook, Fireweed, and my favorite- Rain-Dogg! (That's Rainier Beer for the Alaskan challenged).

Cafe Au Lait

For the month of April- Brittany is donating 5% of all sales to the Ketchikan Volunteer Rescue Squad in Ketchikan, Alaska. In Brittany's words: "They are a volunteer-based organization in my hometown who provide search and rescue services, most recently for a friend who went out snowboarding and never came back. :o( They did the best they could and I'm happy to be donating to them this month because we need services like this in our community. Thank you for your support!"

Dwarf Star Lemon Poppyseed

Brittany is currently hosting a giveaway for a bar of her North Star. Click here to check it out- and you have until Monday, April 4th to enter! Good luck!

Edit! Holy smokes. I just came home and what do I see, but a link to a brand-new soap- Renai's Pinecone! Seriously serious. 

Link Love: Sourdough!

 Sourdough Starter by Madichan

Sourdough is a glorious, lively beast. I bought myself a 100 plus year old Alaskan sourdough starter a little while back, then spent a few weeks moving the packet around my counter- hoping its presence would either inspire or terrify me into re-hydrating it.

Once I started it- I knew I was doomed. I have since become obsessed with everything sourdough. I made pancakes last weekend, and ate 9. I usually can stomach 2-3 before I find them boring and heavy. Sourdough pancakes are like little tart and fluffy pancakes of love. Paired with real maple syrup and fatty salty smokey pepper bacon- there aren't too many things in life that can compare.

If you don't have a sourdough starter and would like to grow your own- this is a great resource- he also includes instructions on feeding and maintaining your sourdough as well as a basic sourdough bread recipe to get you started.

- Basic Whole Wheat Sourdough Tortillas from GNOWFGLINS seem delicate and simple- they'd make a good homemade substitute for crêpes.

- King Arthur Flour seems to have the go-to recipe for Sourdough English Muffins. This recipe makes a lot- but the leftovers can be frozen.

- Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls have been on my radar from day one. I'm obsessed with them- I just need to find time to make them! Dog Island Farm has a simple and well written recipe.

- Sourdough Pancakes from Joy the Baker result in a bit of a thin batter- but reading through the comments should instill nothing but confidence. I'm going to try these this weekend, for a little change of pace (I said little).

- Finally- Sourdough Oatmeal Cookies are simple and don't require much work ahead of time. I really love this idea.


Have you ever worked with sourdough? What are your favorite recipes?

Link Love!

Despite the fact that I'm currently supposed to be following an elimination diet- focusing on cutting out gluten and dairy- I am failing miserably.  I am truly guilty of only wanting what I'm not supposed to have.  This is no help:

- Perfect Cinnamon Buns from Chloe of Shoplifting in a Ghost Town make me want to weep a little.  Chloe has a really hilarious yet informative way of writing that I've always really admired (back in the days of Livejournal!)  Plus her kitchen tutorials include lots of food with faces.

- I feel a little like Patrice's groupie at times- but I totally can't help it.  Woman blows my mind!  Check out her recipe for Mid-Winter's Day Chai over at The Fantastic Mr. Feedbag.

- Both from Serious Eats:  Lemon Salt with Fennel and Chili- the prettiest herb salt I've ever seen. And Quick Homemade Hard Cider- using fresh apple cider and a few homebrewing essentials.  Kind of fantastic.


And a few non-food related goodies:

- Without Words (A Tiny Love Story) from Resurrection Fern is my kind of love.

 - Beating the Winter Blahs #5 at Painted Fish Studio has some great, simple wisdom, and a link to some really gorgeous coloring pages.  There's no such thing as being too old to color.

- My favorite, favorite, favorite blog as of late is Yum and Yuk.  I want her to post 300 times a day.  "A blog on books, running, the law, & design I can't afford. "There are only two mantras, yum and yuck, mine is yum." - Tom Robbins"

Link Love!

I never find it surprising that so many people are looking to change their eating once December wraps up.  I have an early January birthday and so the rich foods and sugar binges still carry on a bit further.  All I've wanted to eat the past few days have been light, simple foods that are lovely and quick to make.

 

- Earlier this week I made a soup that was a combination of Chicken Soup with Jasmine Rice and Ginger from Serious Eats, and Miso Soup with Rice & A Poached Egg from The Kitchn.  Mine was a miso broth with garlic and ginger, served over rice and topped with a poached egg and some leftover sockeye salmon.  Served with a huge salad- it was perfect.

- When I did a cleanse last year- almond butter was one of my staples.  To be honest- I really don't like the stuff available commercaially- but this simple recipe for Homemade Maple Almond Butter from Food In Jars is another beast entirely.

- Perfect Little Ginger Cakes from Tales of a Food Forager are just that.  Perfect.  While theirs is a recipe made for the summer months- the lightness of them makes it ideal for simplified eating.  I love ginger sweets, but right now the last thing I want is a dense molasses cake.  These are made with honey and fresh ginger and would serve up beautifully with frozen summer berries or jam.  Scroll down about halfway for the recipe.

- While these Individual Buttermilk Spoonbreads from Herbivoracious sound quite rich on their own- I can't imagine a more perfect compliment to a pot of simple vegetarian chili. 

- If you're still craving homebaked sweets, but don't have the energy to venture into the kitchen (it also helps if you live in Seattle)- There is always The Piecycle.  Via Go Means Go:

"It’s simple.  You text your order to 425.923.6655 and it gets delivered to your door Friday and Saturday from 6pm-3am.  It doesn’t cost much, especially when you consider that these are homemade pies.  $3 gets you a slice or $20 buys you a whole pie."

Amazing.

Snow Soup

Hi loves! 

On Wednesday I got a little crazy in the kitchen with the gorgeous and talented Patrice of The Fantastic Mr. Feedbag.  I am normally not the easiest person to share a kitchen with- but we did great together, and turned out a killer meal.  Patrice may or may not have tried to kill me with an immersion blender and hot soup.  I'm not one to say.  Check out our recipes with gorgeous photos for Potato Leek Soup, Kale with White Beans and Bleu Cheese, and Pink Grapefruit in Agave/Ginger/White Wine.  Make them all together.  You won't regret it for a second.


I was supposed to be meeting friends for a beer tonight, but instead I'm draped across the couch watching Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs and gorging myself on snickerdoodles.  We went on a bit of an epic adventure this morning out to Blue Mussle Cabin, and all I've wanted to do since is move as little as possible.  Lazy bones! 

 

There is going to be some major photo uploading happening when I'm back in Seattle.  For now I'm off to bed!

Eat Your Love

Just a quick roundup of some edible gift ideas!  I'll be making a number of these today and the rest of the week, as I get ready to head home to Alaska for Christmas.

 

- DIY Salt Caramels from The Kitchn are ridiculous and amazing. I know this because I made them last weekend to bring in to work.  My co-workers flipped, and the few that I had left at home have been devoured since. 

- Candied Ginger from Put Up With Me uses three ingredients and a few basic steps.  It would look lovely piled into a canning jar.

- Cranberry Liqueur from Sidewalk Shoes needs about three weeks to sit and really come together- but I can still imagine gifting this with the cranberry bits inside the bottle.

- Cranberry Marmalade with Dried Apricots from Food In Jars is just one of her gorgeous gift ideas.  Homemade Vanilla Extract (I made this last year!), Little Loaves of Cranberry Bread, and Rosy Quince Jelly would all be much loved.

- I happen to think that this is the coolest thing ever.  The gorgeous Patrice of The Fantastic Mr. Feedbag made Patchop's Red Hot Saveur Sauce and blew me away.  The spicy food lovers in my life (myself) would go crazy over this.

- Lastly- iVillage has a roundup of 23 Homemade Gift Ideas from Your Kitchen featuring some really creative recipes from food bloggers. 

What are you making this year?