This is my 'hood.

Not really. That is super-swank Rittenhouse.

This is our 'hood:

With its litter and weeds and abandoned houses.

With its too-talkative men and tricked-out cars.

With its persistent ice cream truck, charming trolley and yippy Papillon.

With its always-full bus stop and never-full cafes.

With its precious children and tough-loving mamas.

With its ultra cool hip-hopsters.

With its view of the skyline.

It is beautiful. It steals my heart and breaks it every day. I have so much to be thankful for, including a safe little row house in this neighborhood.

With love.

Garbanzos Marinados

I always thought 'chickpea' sounded much daintier than 'garbanzo' so I am going to stop pretending to have a fancy tapas menu like Bar Ferdinand, where we discovered this delight. Mom and Dad treated us to tapas and sangria at the hip restaurant that features decor inspired in the most handsome, modern way by the children's book Ferdinand the Bull. Literature + tapas = a great dining experience.

When they brought the garbanzos marinados out, Mom jotted down the components so I could recreate it. It was delicious -- another salty, vinegary treat. Perhaps once the weather changes, I will stop craving these picnicky foods. But for now, I will enjoy some marinated chickpeas.

The poor tuna got left out of the ingredient photo, but I didn't forget it when it mattered. Please imagine that Kelsey is holding a large fish in the background.

Although the marinade plays a big role (it's in the name!), the red wine/olive oil is subtle enough to highlight the other flavors. I did stray from the Bar Ferdinand version, partly because I forgot to grab Mom's list, but I was pleased with how mine turned out.

I didn't miss the anchovy, but I wish I would have remembered the zucchini. I substituted really thin julienne carrots, sliced with a peeler this time. Shortly after I took this photo, I began eating carrot peels so I didn't have to chop as many. That was the process that took the most time. This recipe is great.

Grab a bowl with a lid (Tupperware) and whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the vegetables and rinsed chickpeas, and toss to coat.

Refrigerate for four hours, shaking the Tupperware every once in awhile. Then stir in the tuna and serve the marinated goodness atop baby spinach. Use another of the myriad Tupperware options to tote your picnicky meal to an actual picnic. These are two of my new roommates! Kelsey and I ate with them before a church book study on Flannery O'Connor. Literature + church = a great church experience.

Marinated Chickpeas
Serves 3-4

1 can chickpeas (or garbanzos)
2 carrots, julienned
1-2 T. red onion, minced
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can of tuna
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 T. red wine vinegar
1/4 c. olive oil
1 t. dried parsley
Salt and pepper
Spinach for serving

Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. Toss in the rinsed chickpeas and vegetables; refrigerate for four hours, shaking occasionally. Just before serving, stir in the tuna. Eat with fresh spinach.



With love.

sweet potato gnocchi + spinach pesto

We have had a string of gloomy days here in the Northeast. I have been whining about not being able to ride my bike, meanwhile the rain has been wreaking havoc on major parts of Philly and our state. I woke up with sun in my eyes yesterday to learn that the president declared a state of emergency for Pennsylvania. Counting my blessings, including that my worst problem is restlessness from being cooped up. One day, I had to read State of Wonder all afternoon.

Blessing two: Nicole's bus was able to make it here from New York. Kelsey worked with Nicole last summer, and I have gotten to know and love her too. She will live in Philly this year and hopefully come over to cook with us again. 

Which brings me to blessing number three (I could go on like this forever): sweet potato gnocchi and spinach pesto. That might count as two separate blessings. Or perhaps I should simply thank God for food and taste buds. Every day.

Sweet potato gnocchi is messy and time intensive, but very simple and very tasty. And when you're a food blogger cooking with company, you can pick up your camera and leave the dough hands to Nicole.

Ingredients: sweet potatoes (cooked and mashed), garlic (minced), cinnamon (sprinkled), salt (pinched), egg (beaten), flour (leveled). I used pumpkin pie spice last time I made this, which gave it a lovely and decidedly fall flavor. Either way, the sweetness is beautifully balanced by garlicky pesto. I didn't get photos of the ingredients because I was eating dark chocolate gelato (before dinner!) with a new friend named Jessica, and I arrived home just in time for the fun stuff.

Process: knead all ingredients into a silky, sticky dough, then roll it into sweet potato snakes on a floured surface. Cut into one-inch pieces and press a fork over each one to make them fancy and more capable of holding sauce.

Toss these bits into boiling water in small batches...roughly the amount that fit on a dinner plate. When they float to the top, cook for a minute or two more and remove to a flat surface with a slotted spoon. 

Once they have cooled enough, feel free to pop one in your mouth. That is the joy of cooking.

This is a good time to show you the bigger, behind-the-scenes picture. We had a mysterious electrical malfunction and the all-important outlets that give power to the fridge and oven went out. When the breaker box didn't help, we had to be resourceful. The food will not spoil and the dinner party will go on.

The pesto requires about one minute of work, so whip that up whenever you're comfortable doing so. You could even make it a day or two ahead. I love everything about this sauce: spinach, basil, garlic, parmesan. I have used it on pizza too. Oh, yes.

There was some discussion that we should have made a salad, but we decided that there were enough nutrients in the meal. Especially since Kelsey and Nicole had picked up a bottle of merlot at the wine and spirits shop around the corner. 

For good measure, we also had fruit for dessert...

Covered in chocolate and some decadent sugary oatmeal that Nicole maliciously introduced to our palates.

It was a massacre. And I'd argue that is the best way to have dessert. Even if it's your second dessert in three hours (whoops).

Blessing number five(?): the sun is out and I can pick up the wandering bike rides where I left off.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi

2 sweet potatoes

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. cinnamon

1 egg

2 c. flour

Cook the sweet potatoes either in the oven at 350 for 30 minutes or in the microwave for 8 minutes (be sure to poke them with a fork prior to cooking). Remove skins and mash them, then add all ingredients but the flour and mix well. Add flour a bit at a time to form the dough.

On a floured surface, roll into several ropes, then cut into one-inch pieces. Drop into boiling water; when they begin to float, cook for a minute more, then remove to a flat surface with a slotted spoon.

To serve, top with parmesan cheese and/or some delicious sauce, such as...

Spinach Pesto

4 c. fresh spinach leaves, stems removed

2 garlic cloves, halved

3 T. pine nuts or walnuts (optional)

1/2 t. dried basil

1/4 c. olive oil

1/3 c. grated parmesan

1/8 t. salt

Place one cup spinach with the next four ingredients into the food processor and process until smooth. Add the rest of the spinach and the olive oil gradually. At the end, ad the cheese and salt and process until combined.

Serve this on gnocchi, pasta, pizza, sandwiches, etc.

With love.

Kelsey and her pickles

This little peach needs no introduction, so I will add some things about Kelsey you may not know: She is the chief editor of this blog, alerting me to embarrassing typos or if I accidentally publish a post four times. She first came to Philly for a summer job with Center for Student Missions and (providentially) went on to endure the long Northeast winter as part of the full-time staff. Her leap of faith made mine much easier. I am really proud of her, and I love her a lot. Plus! She gardens like a pro and I wanted to showcase some of her domestic prowess here. This will not be the last you see of her.

I love all things pickled. Always have. So much so that for several years my grandma would give me a giant jar of pickled okra for Christmas. I was always thrilled. So when the cucumber plants that I started last spring as a project to fill my newfound free time flourished beyond expectation (I credit coffee grounds and this lady), I knew exactly what to do with the surplus. My Aunt Jana makes delicious homemade pickles, so I went straight to her for the recipe. It’s just a few simple ingredients (which I love, because I am terrible at grocery shopping) and really isn’t as hard as one might think. My setup was pretty amateur compared to some of the pickling kits out there. I didn’t scald myself with brine, but if I start gifting them at Christmas I might have to invest in some more professional tools.

So, without further ado, let’s pickle.

 First, you want to find wide mouth, quart-size canning jars. Little did I know in a city of 1.5 million people how hard this first task would be. If you are ever in Philly and on a wild goose chase for jars, as I was, forget about Lowe’s and head straight to Fante’s in the Italian Market. Friendly service and everything you could ever want for the kitchen. Make sure you sterilize the jars before using them (ie-wash them in the dishwasher).

Gather enough cucumbers to fill your jars. The recipe I will pass along to you is for seven jars. I did some division and started small with just two, but by all means—go for it! I found that about 2 or 3 cucumbers filled one jar. The cukes should be cold and washed.

 In each jar, put two cloves of garlic and one head of dill weed.

Stuff each jar with cucumbers. You can slice them or leave them whole.  Personally, I prefer a good spear.

For the brine, combine water, salt, and vinegar and bring to a boil. If you would like, you can also add 1 Tbs. mustard seeds to the brine after it is boiling and before pouring it over the cucumbers.

Cover cucumbers with the boiling brine, leaving about a half inch at the top. Put the caps on the jars, making sure to leave them loose enough to allow excess pressure to escape while they process but tight enough to get a good seal when cooling.

Process in a large pot (or a canner if you happen to have one on hand) in a boiling water bath for ten minutes. Remove jars (carefully!) and allow them to cool. Tighten the lids once they have popped down.

Now the hard part—Wait four weeks to eat them!

After the long wait, I was able to celebrate the finished pickles with Jim and Whitney during a Labor Day cookout. I must say, and I think my taste testers would agree, they were a delectable way to celebrate the summer. There’s nothing much better than a crisp, cold pickle, and even more so when you’re enjoying the fruits of your labor. 

Whitney's note: Truth be told, the three of us ate a full jar in two days. The pickles were delicious. And Kelsey used her cucumber bounty in other creative ways. I'll have her do a follow-up post with those details. It involves cocktails.

With love.

Manifesto

I have seen this on a few blogs recently and feel that it came into my life just when I needed the reminder. Can I get an amen.

http://shop.holstee.com/

With love.

Commuter

There is a reason I haven't posted in a few days. It's not for lack of time or fodder; I have plenty of those. It's because of this: 

This spectacular sangria-colored Jamis Coda Femme is my new vehicle and most prized possession. I do not have a car here (ever since that fateful day in July -- may the Mazda rest in peace) and I don't want to rely on Kelsey's car all the time, so I will instead rely on this little commuter to get me to work, Trader Joe's, church and virtually anywhere in this big, bike-friendly city. No limits!

There also are some lovely riding trails easily accessible from our house.

I have traded the Kansas River...

Photo credit Cody Edwards via Google Images.
I guess I never took the time to photograph my beloved levee trail.

...for the Schuylkill River. 

It's no wheat field, but I suppose it will do. Full disclosure: I love it and have spent a lot of time there already. People here sure don't smile at each other as often as they do in Kansas, and nowhere is that more apparent than on this trail. I am trying to start the movement, but I can't take it personally when it is not reciprocated. Some runners look like they couldn't smile through the pain if they tried.

I did get a warm welcome from the greater biking community. I was fortunate enough last night to happen upon a parade of naked cyclists (there are no photos on this link), who were making their way through downtown. I was stopped, waiting for the group to pass and enjoying their jubilant liberation. A few friendly riders invited me to join, which was a tempting offer -- varying levels of modesty were welcome, but I had to decline this time. I would have been late for church. 

In Lawrence I rode a 10-year-old mountain bike and a 40-year-old cruiser, and it is really fun to have a bike that rides well and fits me well. Plus, it is really cute. That matters! Ken and Jim helped a lot to narrow down my options. It's nice to have cyclists around to point out things like gear shifters, metal options and weight. Since Jim was in town, he was able to give this little Coda his approval.

I have begun to thoughtfully and prayerfully seek out job opportunities. I think I am in this city for a reason, and I am trying to keep my eyes open for it. I found my perfect bike, so now everything else can fall into place.


To all of you who have work or school to take a break from, happy Labor Day!

With love.

Salt and Vinegar Potato Salad

Having moved so many (10!) times in the last seven years, I put great importance on nesting. It's truly one of my favorite things about moving. The nostalgic part of me loves having familiar things in a new space; and the Type A part of me really enjoys fitting those familiar things in the new space. Otherwise I might still be living like this:

But this post is not about my bedroom. This is about the kitchen. My inaugural meal was a delicious team effort with Kelsey and Jim. I think I will like cooking here very much.

I purchased some Old Bay seasoning (because I'm costal now) and made some salt and vinegar potato salad, compliments of Joy the Baker, as usual.


Pickled onions! This was a good find.

Plus new potatoes and green beans. So simple and salty and wonderful.

Team work.

Meanwhile, Jim grilled some pork chops. I appreciated his ambition, knowing how high our standards are set. He gave them his own Philly twist though, with Old Bay. All sentimental bias aside, they were quite good. When in the Northeast...

The grilled bell peppers and corn on the cob turned out really tasty too. (It's probably best that I am behind the camera most often, if these are the photos I get in. Go Cal.)

But I am glad that Kels picked up photography duties where Mom left off. Familiar things in new places.

And I will say it again: I am especially thankful that I could move all the way out here and not have to give up family. Praise God for that comfort. Jim is great too. The kind of great that eats cookies before dinner.

Try this potato salad! It tastes even better the next day, especially if you're sitting on a beach towel in Ocean City, N.J. 


Salt and Vinegar Potato Salad


1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c. vinegar (I used mostly white and a bit of red wine)
1 t. salt
1/2 lb. fresh green beans, sliced into 1-inch bites
4 lbs. new potatoes, cleaned and quartered
1 T. Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 c. olive oil


In a medium bowl, combine sliced onions, 1/4 c. vinegar and salt. Toss to coat and let sit at room temperature for an hour, tossing occasionally.


Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with cold water. Add salt and bring to a boil, then simmer until cooked through. Add the green beans in the last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain both and let cool.


Chop the potatoes into bite-sized pieces and combine with the pickled onions, another 1/4 c. vinegar, Old Bay and salt. Add olive oil and toss to coat. {I think there must be a better way to get these spices distributed evenly. I just dumped it all together but it did not distribute well enough for this perfectionist. Next time, I might mix the Old Bay and salt into the extra vinegar before coating the potatoes.}


It tasted great warm and greater eaten cold the next day. 


Some beachy food for my dear Midwest friends.


P.S. Before Blogger changed their interface, I knew how to tweak the html to remove the double spacing. Much to my chagrin, it won't let me do that anymore. Do any of you fellow Blogspots know how to do this? These spaces and this lack of control over them are driving me nuts.




With love.