Winter

It's winter and time for preserving all the glorious citrus fruit while it's at its peak in the market and I'm lucky to have Seville oranges. I've read about Seville oranges but never have seen them in my market until last week. Well, you imagine my excitement as I  tore endless plastic bags from the roll, filling them quickly as the display of oranges disappeared. A Seville orange isn't the nicest looking orange I've every seen but a little sugar and a little heat and I guarantee I will transform them into the prettiest jars in my pantry!

I love making marmalade especially in the quiet month of January here in Maine. Life slows down as snow and ice covers the vista and I spend a lot less time outdoors and more time in my kitchen. Is marmalade difficult you ask? If you are a patient person, the answer is no but if you don't have lots of patience, pick something else to make.

The process of peeling the rind and only the rind with no white pith is an involved task that takes a fair amount of skill and time but it is the most important part of marmalade making because this is what make it unpleasantly bitter. So, take your time in the beginning and you'll reap the rewards when you open that first jar-I promise!

I’m calling it…the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers that is. This was truly the end of my turkey…those last two cups of shredded meat. It is December, time to wrap up this turkey thing and move on to the next holiday. However, I do know lots of you also make a gobbler for Christmas, so this recipe might come in handy at the end of the month. You’re welcome:).

I have to say I thought long and hard on how I was going to use up these last bits of the Thanksgiving bird. For me it’s a challenge, there’s no way I’m going to serve it with gravy like the regular holiday meal. I want to make something completely different.

Since it was lunchtime and after I fiddled through the spice cabinet, I decided on this A-M-A-Z-I-N-G sandwich. I added everything I possibly could because texture in a sandwich like this is key. Is has to have crunch.

My husband had it for lunch and requested more for dinner…it was that good. This is definitely a nice way to send off the bird for another year. (Okay I’m lying, I’ve stockpiled two turkeys in my deep freeze. I know I’ll be breaking them out over the winter.)

A Pink Princess
Pomegranate Martini
CosPompolitan

Pomegranate, Gouda and Pear Quesadilla with POM Salsa
Holiday Guacamole
POM and Brie Bruschetta
Chickpea Dip with Toasted Cumin and Pomegranate
Pomegranate Salsa

POM Seared Scallop Salad
Beet and Apple Salad with Honey Dressing and Pomegranate Seeds
Arugula Salad with Persimmons & Pomegranate Seeds

Pomegranate Broiled Salmon with Garlic-Smashed Potatoes
Moroccan Grilled Lambchops with Pomegranate Relish
POM-Glazed Pork Chops with Red Cabbage and Mashed Potatoes
Pan Seared Duck Breast with a POM Thyme Reduction Sauce

Pomegranate and Pistachio Ice Cream | White Chocolate Mousse with Pomegranate Sauce | POM Oatmeal Drops
POM Velvet Cupcakes with POM Cream Cheese Frosting | POM Spicy Baked Pears

I love soups, stews, chilies – one pot wonders that will fill you up and feed you for days! Often when I’ve been writing about food, having a food photoshoot for a book or magazine or discussing menus with clients, the last thing I want to do is go home and cook. Yet, cooking is my therapy too – being a foodie is a tangled web indeed.

My chicken noodle soup is simple. I think it is delicious (toot toot goes my own horn) and it cooks up fast and will feed pharaoh’s army – a highly desirable trait for a dish in my family! I also like that this recipe is basic enough to appeal to year round flavors. Of course, during the winter, I crave this warm soup with some leafy kale and carrots, but I’ve found that basil or lemon thyme are delightful additions in the summertime as are sage and rosemary in the fall and chervil in the spring.

 There are two ways to make this soup – neither of which are right or wrong. There is the homemade version where you stew a hen, make your own stock, cut the kale and herbs from your garden etc etc etc and then there’s the quick and easy version – the latter I find myself preparing more often than the former! PTL (Praise The Lord for those not brought up in the Bible Belt) for store bought rotisserie chickens!

Farmer’s Note: This “recipe” is more of a read through, thus you can cook to your liking. Enjoy y’all!