Get to Pickin' While the Pickin' is Good

Wilson county has a number of orchards and farms where you can pick your own produce. This is a wonderful family activity for this fall. Pick-it-yourself farms in our area include:

Breeden's Orchard - apples - UPDATE October 10, 2007: A visitor reports: "Upon visiting Breeden's this fall we found a sign informing the public that due to the poor crops this year, Breeden's would not be open until next season (2008)"phone: 449-2880 - red and yellow delicious apple picking. 631 Beckwith Road off Lebanon Road in Mt. Juliet, open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. You also can pick on Sunday from noon to 4:30 p.m. In business since 1974.

Bubba Pratts Farm - Corn, Tomatoes.5000 Trousdale Ferry Pike, Lebanon. Phone: (615) 444-0282. Call for Directions.

Circle S Farms - corn (sweet), cucumbers, melons, peppers, pumpkins, summer squash, strawberries, tomatoes, prepicked produce1627 East Old Laguardo Road, Lebanon. Phone: 615-210-8145. Email us at: ptsmith12@hotmail.com Crops are usually available in April, May, July, August, September, October. Open: Strawberries Monday thru Friday 3p.m. til Dark Saturdays 8a.m. till 5p.m. Sun 12p.m. til 5p.m. All other produce by reservation Strawberries May 1st thru June 1st. Other crops as the summer progresses. Payment: Cash, Check.

Dewey Acres - Pollenless Sunflowers and Zinnias.365A N. Greenhill Rd. , Mt. Juliet. Phone: 615 758-8846. Email us at: deweyacres@comcast.net Directions: 40 E or W to Hermitage Exit. R on Andrew Jackson Pkwy. R on Lebanon Rd. L on N. Greenhill Rd. 3/10 mile on Left. Second house in drive. Crops are usually available in July, August, but the 2007 sunflower crop is a bit late and will be available from late August into October. Open: Call for hours and crop availability. Closed on Sundays. Payment: Cash, only. Email to request available colors of flowers!

Kelley's Berry Farm - Blackberries, Blueberries, Raspberries, Strawberries.50 Riverview Lane, Castalian Springs. Phone: (615) 633-1426 or (615) 374-3050. Call for directions.

S & S Berry Farm - Blackberries.4515 Central Pike, Hermitage. Phone: (615) 758-9041. Call for directions.

The Perfect Autumn Salad: Baby Spinach Salad with Caramelized Onions and Apples

This is *the* perfect salad for autumn. I added grilled chicken, marinated in Dijon and balsamic vinegar, for a satisfying dinner and had a rosemary roll on the side.

BABY SPINACH SALAD WITH CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND APPLES
From Whole Gourmet Natural Cooking
Yield: 4 Servings

CURRIED APPLES AND ONIONS
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, sliced thin
1 apple, sliced thin
1/2 teaspoon mild curry powder

DRESSING
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch salt
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons walnut oil (or use more olive oil)

CANDIED PECANS OR WALNUTS
1 cup pecans or walnuts
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup

SALAD
4 handfuls of baby spinach
2 ounces goat feta


Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and apple. Saute for 2-3 minutes, turn down the heat to medium-low and cover. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 35-45 minutes, until the onions have released their natural sugars and begun to caramelize. They should be a nice caramel color.

In the meantime, prepare the dressing and candied pecans. For the dressing, whisk all of the ingredients together in a small dish. Let the dressing sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.

For the pecans, heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Place the pecans in the pan, stirring and flipping constantly, until the pecans are lightly toasted, about 8 minutes—watch out, they burn fast at the end.

Add the spices and salt; mix about 30 seconds to toast the spices. Turn the heat to low and add the maple syrup. Stir constantly, cooking until the mixture has thickened and is very sticky, about two minutes. Remove to a plate and cool completely.

Place a handful of spinach onto four salad plates. Drizzle with the dressing. Place 1/4 of the warmed caramelized onions over each of the plates of spinach and top with the candied pecans and feta. Give each a grinding of fresh black pepper. Serve while the onions are still warm.
©2006 Copyright Alison Anton - All rights reserved. Whole Gourmet Natural Cooking

Wine and Food Pairing

Not sure what type of wine to pair with your dinner? Check out this food and wine pairing chart on The Food Network.

photo: flickr

Roasted Red Peppers

You too can have the smell of fresh roasted peppers wafting through your own kitchen. Roasting peppers at home is easy, and takes less than ten minutes. They can be roasted on a gas stovetop flame, under a broiler or on a barbecue.



Instructions:

Turn the heat source to high. Wash and dry the peppers.

With a pair of tongs or long fork, place the whole peppers directly on or under the heat source and gently turn them until they are blackened and blistered. This takes several minutes on each side. Try to get all the nooks and crannies to blacken.

Place the peppers in a bowl and cover for about 30 minutes, or until cool enough to handle. With your fingers, gently peel off the blackened skins. If they are hot peppers, use plastic gloves and be very careful not to get any of the pepper juices on your hands or in your eyes. Resist the temptation to peel the peppers under water or rinse them off, as you will lose the flavorful juices.

Slice them in half and remove the seeds. Slice thin for salads and appetizers, mince for a garnish, or puree for dips and dollops.

Instructions from Alison Anton's Whole Gourmet Natural Cooking blog.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Goodies

Happy autumn! Got pumpkins on your mind? Try these two recipes!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients:
4 eggs
2 cups white sugar
1 (15 ounce) can of pumpkin
1 1/2 cups canola oil
3 cups all-purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
2 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. salt
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips



Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease muffin tins or use paper liners.
2. Beat the eggs in a large bowl, and mix in sugar, pumpkin, and oil.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Blend in the egg and pumpkin mixture. Fold in the chocolate chips. Transfer to the muffin pans.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pans, and cool on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

Cowboy Caviar

This recipe is great because it's simple, visually pleasing, and fairly healthy. To reduce sodium, try rinsing all of the canned ingredients; using FF Italian dressing could also make it more figure friendly. Dip into cowboy caviar with tortilla chips or multi-grain crackers, or spoon on top of fish or tacos for a kick.

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (15.5 ounce) can black-eyed peas, drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can Rotel diced tomatoes with chilies, drained
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 cup Italian salad dressing
3/4 cup chopped cilantro

Couscous Salad

Well we had a Fritz family reunion this summer here in Tennessee! As usual,we did a lot of eating and this salad was enjoyed by all, so I wanted to share with you. It is quick and easy. Also, it is very versatile, you can add or delete whatever sounds right for you.

1 box of Parmesan Couscous
Arugula
Tomatoes (slice or use whole grape tomatoes)
Cucumbers (slice)
Feta Cheese (fresh mozzarella is great too)
Kalamata olives
Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing (I use Newman's Own Light Balsamic Dressing)

Other things to add in can be red onion, pine nuts, chick peas, fresh herbs

Cook the Couscous and when done place in center of a platter.
Surround by Arugula and then layer the rest of the ingredients on top of the Arugula.
Finish off with a light sprinkling of the dressing over the Arugula mixture.

Roast Pork Tenderloin Dinner

1 pork tenderloin (1-1/2 lb.) 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard 2 tsp. dried thyme leaves (or ground thyme)1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken 1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth 4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, cubed 1 lb. fresh green beans (about 3 cups), steamed

PREHEAT oven to 400ºF. Heat large nonstick skillet on medium heat. Use a little olive oil if you like. Add meat; cook 5 min. or until browned on all sides, turning occasionally. Remove meat from skillet, reserving meat drippings in skillet. Place meat in 13x9-inch baking dish. Combine mustard and thyme; spread evenly onto meat.
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until cooked through (157ºF)—my oven took 28 min.. Transfer to carving board; tent with foil. Let stand 5 min. Meanwhile, prepare stuffing as directed on package.

ADD broth to same skillet. Bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add Neufchatel cheese; cook 2 min. or until Neufchatel cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring constantly.

CUT meat into thin slices. Serve topped with the Neufchatel cheese sauce along with the stuffing and beans.

www.Kraftfoods.com

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball

Contrary to my frequent declarations, I can cook. Well, let me amend that-- I can make a cheese ball.

It was such a surprise to win the August LNO dessert contest. This chocolate chip cheese ball was one treat amongst gooey brownies, tangy lemon meringue and citrus flavored treats, banana pudding, oh-so-creamy chocolate pie, fabulous pineapple upside down cake, a red pepper eggplant dip (Big, big yum!), and more!

INGREDIENTS:
1 (8 ounce) package cream
cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup miniature semisweet
chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans


1. In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in confectioners' sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

2. Shape chilled cream cheese mixture into a ball. Wrap with plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

3. Roll the cheese ball in finely chopped pecans before serving.

Serve with your favorite graham cracker sticks (try honey, cinnamon, or chocolate).

Carrot Cake

While visiting my mother-in-law in Rhode Island we were making dinner plans and I wanted to make this carrot cake for her but of course I didn't have the recipe. I made a promise to post it here so that it would be available anytime I wanted!!! LOVE the convenience of this site!!

2 cups sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
4 eggs
3 cups grated carrots (can buy pre-packaged to save time, but may not be as moist)
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese
1/4 cup heavey whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 9- or 10-inch tube pan.
2. Combine the sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and oil. With an electric mixer on medium, beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the carrots and walnuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
4. With an electric mixer on high speed, blend the cream cheese and cream. Stir in the vanilla and confectioners' sugar. (Frosting can be spread on a warm cake.)
Yield: 12 servings

Source: All-Recipes.com Easy Everyday Favorites magazine
Calories 596; Total Fat 34.5 g; Cholesterol: 73 mg; Sodium 303 mg; Total Carbs 68.8 g; Dietary Fibers 19g; Protein 57g