If you want to LIVE and LOVE -- and be HAPPY and HEALTHY -- you need the best....

FOOD, Inc.

2009-11-20T13:28:00.006-06:00

Today I had the pleasure of interviewing Elise Perlstein, the Producer of the new documentary "FOOD, Inc."

This film has just come out on DVD, and it takes a look behind the walls that exists between the people who produce our food, the foods we eat, and ourselves -- the consumers.

I consider myself pretty informed on this subject, but I learned so much watching it, that I can't recommend it enough to everyone.

If you click on the title to the post, it will take you to my interview with Elise Perlstein. (Works best with Internet Explorer.)

Then get yourself a copy of "FOOD, Inc."

It's high time we knew the truth!

Video Podcast! Beef and Barley Soup in the Crock Pot

2009-10-26T08:09:00.004-05:00

There's nothing like ending the day with a wonderful dinner that you did not have to cook moments before. I love my crock pot and I've been using it a lot, lately. Did you know that you can assemble all the ingredients inside your crock pot insert and refrigerate it overnight? Then add an extra hour to the cooking time. I like to put my crock pot meal together while I'm making dinner. Then, the next night's meal is finished, too!

TCF has the meatiest soup bones I've ever seen, and they make the perfect Beef and Barley Soup.

This is so easy, you'll make enough to freeze!

Vegetable Beef and Barley Soup with Toasted Cheese Sandwiches

1-2 pkg. Timber Creek Black Angus Beef Soup Bones
1 can Whole Tomatoes, crushed, extra juice discarded
1/4 Whole Barley (not pearled) soaked overnight, drained and rinsed
5 Whole Peppercorns
2 Whole Cloves
1 large Onion, chopped
2 stalks Celery, chopped
1-2 Carrots, chopped
4 C (1 box) Beef Broth
4 C (1 box) Chicken Broth
Water, if necessary
Salt and Pepper

Put everything into the crockpot, cover and cook over low heat for 10 hours.
Remove the meat from the bones, chop or shred and return to the pot.

Dinnertime!

Podcast! An EASY, Frosty Summer Treat

2009-06-26T09:17:00.007-05:00

Oh My Goodness!! Is it ever HOT outside!! Let’s make something ICE COLD to eat. I have made Fruit Sorbet/Italian Ice/Granita since forever. When my children were young, I’d pour a bottle of natural juice into a bowl and set it in the freezer. Every few hours I’d take it out, break it into chunks and run it through the food processor. Then I’d put it back in the freezer and do it again two hours later. it was always ready at the end of the day.

Before I had a food processor, I’d just blend fresh fruits together in my blender, add simple syrup to taste, then pour the mixture into a shallow glass baking dish, and put that into the freezer. Every few hours I’d take it out and scrape it with a fork to keep it from freezing into a solid block.

I always served this as the fruit course with dinner when the weather was this hot. My children LOVED it!

You can make Fruit Sorbet out of almost anything. Don’t worry if TCF doesn’t have kumquats or white peaches – no worries! Substitute mangos, cherries, oranges, pineapple, lemons. Below I’ll share even more fruit ice ideas and tricks.

Alright, here are some things to consider:

Amounts don’t matter – proportions DO. So, after you’ve tasted the fruit mixture and you’re happy with the balance of flavors, add the simple syrup to taste, then freeze in the way that works best for you.

Don’t be afraid to add fresh herbs! Really! Lemon Ice with a little mint or rosemary is really, really good! Strawberry Ice is good with rosemary, too. Pineapple ice is good with basil, not kidding! Just don’t go crazy with the herbs – a little goes a long, long way.

Here’s another freezing trick: Make sure the fruit you’re using is chilled well. Put it into a blender with sugar to taste and ice cubes, and grind everything until the texture is like a slushie. Then put into the freezer and freeze overnight.

So – if you have fruit that really needs to be used up, or you haven’t gotten to drinking all the juices you received this week, pour them into your processor bowl, blender or right into the freezer in a glass pan – it’s SO EASY and your family will LOVE YOU FOR IT!

And finally - for the big kids - after you've put a serving of fruit ice into your ice cream dish, NOW is the time to add that vodka, Grand Marnier, or even a little rum on that pineapple. For an extra-special presentation, add herb leaves, zested lemon or orange or any other thinly sliced fruit to dress it up.

check out this post at www.dupagemamas.com

Podcast! Risotto 'Organico'

2009-05-31T05:06:00.007-05:00

Will it ever get warm outside? There’s just a little chill in the air every day, it seems, and a nice way to chase away the rain or the cold is with a hearty bowl of Risotto. This dinner takes about 30 minutes to make and is full of wonderful flavors!

You'll find the ingredients on sale on the Picky Produce Page

RISOTTO ORGANICO – serves 2-3

Olive Oil
1 Shallot or ½ sweet Yellow Onion + 1 medium clove Garlic
½ C Arborio Rice (regular rice won’t do)
1 C White Wine (not sweet – optional)
4 C Broth
1 Tb Butter
¾ C grated Parmesan Cheese

2 Broccoli Crown cut into bite-sized pieces
1 Red Pepper cut into bite-sized pieces

4 pieces of boneless, skinless Chicken Thighs (1/2 of a package from TCF)
1 Egg
Salt, Pepper
Flour to dredge

Heat 2 Tb olive oil in a large, shallow pan. Saute the shallot or onion + garlic until fragrant (do not brown). Add the rice to the pan and sauté over medium-high heat until the rice begins to smell nutty. Pour in the wine, turn the heat to high and stir constantly as the wine absorbs and evaporates. When the wine is well absorbed, begin adding the broth about 1 Cup at a time and stir constantly so the rice doesn’t stick. For this part, adjust the heat so that the rice is between a rapid boil and a good simmer.

Heat another sauté pan and add 2 Tb. olive oil over medium high heat. Add the broccoli and red pepper. Cook until al dente, then remove to a bowl.

Pound out the thighs a little bit. Salt and pepper them, put them into a bowl with the beaten egg, then dredge in flour and cook in a little olive oil over medium high heat.

Test the rice. It should be soft and flavorful. When it is, remove the pan from the heat, add 1 Tb butter and stir it in to melt. Sprinkle in the Parmesan and allow that to melt into the rice, stirring well.

To serve, spoon Risotto into a bowl. Garnish with veggies and chicken. MMMMMMmmmm!

A Note about Chicken Quantities: The 4 pieces of chicken thigh that I used in this recipe represent 1/2 a package bought from TCF. You won't get exactly 8 thigh pieces in a package, but you'll the the approximate equivalent in volume.

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel (TCFRita) and get the podcasts BEFORE they're published here!

Podcast! Italian Wedding Soup

2009-05-11T06:27:00.003-05:00

You might be wrong if you thought this would be a heavy soup…if you use turkey, it’s light, warming and sooo delicious! Escarole is bitter if eaten raw, but when you heat it, the bitterness softens a bit, and the flavor is wonderful.

Italian Wedding Soup

1 head Escarole washed, dried and chopped

Approx 1 lb. Ground Turkey, Beef, Pork or any combination

3 Tb. Parmesan Cheese

2 Tb. Parsley, chopped

1 Egg White

1 clove of Garlic, put through a press

2 tsp. Salt

Good grinding of Pepper

8 C Chicken Broth

1 can Canellini Beans, rinsed and drained.

Prepare escarole and set aside. Mix the next 7 ingredients well and make tiny meatballs. If the mixture starts sticking to your hands, dip your palms in cool water, and continue. Heat the broth on the stove, add the meatballs and the beans. Allow to heat at medium, covered for 5 minutes. Remove the top, add the escarole and cover again. Allow to heat for 10 min more. Check to see that escarole has wilted and will mix into the soup. The meatballs should be floating at the surface. Serve with a good grating of Parmesan cheese, and some good bread, toasted with olive oil and salt drizzled on top.

OTHER NOTES:

Make the meatballs ahead, freeze on cookie sheets, then drop into a zip top bag for an easier meal in the future. Set the meatballs out to thaw before you put them into the soup

Check out the ingredients for this recipe on sale on the Picky Produce Page!

Send me your comments, give me some stars,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhQHdMJ2SnE

The REAL Organic Idol !

2009-04-28T09:15:00.002-05:00

The Organic Food Industry is looking for a spokesperson -- and Tony from Timber Creek is up to the challenge! If you watch his videos, you'll be voting for him, so please take a look at these 2 - 30 second auditions for The Organic Idol Competition!

Thanks to all who helped!!

A Warm Lentil Salad from Spain

2009-04-12T06:13:00.007-05:00

It’s amazing what you can create using familiar ingredients if you add just one new flavor! Warm Lentil Salad uses items you may already have in the house. If you don’t have Sherry Vinegar, or Dry Sherry, don’t fret – you can leave them out and still have a wonderful dish.

WARM LENTIL SALAD FROM SPAIN

1# Dry Lentils
½ Onion, chopped
3 lg. cloves Garlic, sliced
3 Tb. Olive Oil
2 Tb Fresh Thyme or 1 Tb. dry Thyme
2 Tb Dry Sherry (optional)
1/3 C Olive Oil
Salt/pepper
1 Tb. Sherry Vinegar or Red Wine Vinegar
Cherry Tomatoes or Grape Tomatoes
Gorgonzola, Blue or Feta Cheese
Fresh Parsley for garnish
Plain Couscous (optional)

Put the lentils, onion, garlic and 3 Tb olive oil into a saucepan. Cover with 1-2 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil, then let simmer for about 30 minutes. Check the lentils for doneness: they should be completely soft, but not mushy.

Strain the lentils into a bowl and cover. If you are using dry thyme, add it now. If you have dry sherry, but not sherry vinegar, add it now. Reduce the cooking liquid by at least 1/3, until it is thick. Remove from heat, pour into a bowl and add sherry vinegar or wine vinegar, salt and pepper and whisk in 1/3 C olive oil.

If you wish to use couscous, while the cooking liquid is reducing, cook the couscous according to package directions, and then arrange it in a ring around the edge of a serving platter.

If you're using fresh Thyme, add it now to the cooking liquid. Stir the cooking liquid into the lentils, if using couscous, pour the lentils inside the couscous ring. Then garnish with cheese, tomatoes and parsley.

Many of the items here are on sale on the Picky Produce Page.

Subscribe to my YouTube Channel: click on any of my videos and then click on the "Subscribe" button, and check out all my videos -- give me lots of comments and stars!!

PODCAST! A BBQ to Start the Season

2009-02-28T15:18:00.004-06:00

We’re all getting anxious, aren’t we – for SUM~ SUM ~SUMMERTIME! But it’s still just a little bit too cold to hang out on the deck with your beverage of choice while dinner cooks on the grill. In fact, it’s downright COLD at night!

So here’s a recipe that will taste like summer, stick to your ribs and warm up the house, all at the same time.

This is my father’s recipe and I’ve adapted it for a braise. We like ours on pasta, but it’s absolutely GREAT over potatoes, either mashed, steamed, boiled or baked.

BRAISED BBQ BEEF SHORT RIBS

6-8 lb. Beef Short Ribs
Flour to coat
1 lg. Yellow Onion, chopped
2 Carrots, scraped and chopped
2 Celery stalks, chopped
2 Tb. Tomato Paste
1 15 oz. can of Whole Tomatoes with juice
1 C freshly-squeezed Lemon Juice (you can leave the seeds in) (about 4 Lemons)
Zest of 2 Lemons
1 C Brown Sugar
1 ½ C Ketchup
1 Tb. Dry Yellow Mustard
¾ tsp. Ground Cloves
1 ½ tsp. Allspice
6-12 chopped Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce or any other spicy flavor you like
4 C Beef Broth
12 sprigs Fresh Thyme

Optional additions: 2 lg. Bay Leaf, 6 Whole Peppercorns, 6-8 stalks Fresh Parsley

Preheat oven to 350. Chop veggies, zest and juice lemons. Flour ribs. In a hot Dutch oven, add olive oil and brown ribs on all 6 sides. Remove to a bowl. When all the ribs are browned, add the onion, carrot and celery and sauté on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and brown for about 2 minutes. Now add all the rest, except for the ribs.

Turn the heat to high, and mix all ingredients well. Put the ribs back into the pot. If they’re not completely covered with broth mixture you can either add more broth, tomatoes or plan to turn the ribs after they cook for 1.5 hrs.

When the pot begins to boil, cover it and put it into the oven for 3 hours. If it goes longer, say 30 min or so, you’ll be fine. After 3 hours, take the pot out of the oven and carefully remove all the ribs to a bowl. Cover with foil while you finish the dish.

Strain out all the broth ingredients into another pan and place it over high heat. Bring it to a rolling boil and allow it to reduce by at least 1/3. You can test it with a spoon to see if it’s reached a gravy-like consistency or not. When it’s ready, pour it over the ribs and pour the extra in a gravy boat.

Serve over potatoes or pasta, think of summer, and keep your house snug!

MAKE AHEAD:

You can make this ahead of time. Follow the recipe up to and including cooking the ribs in the oven for 2 hours. Then remove from the oven, cool completely and put in the fridge overnight. The next day you can scrape off a lot of the fat that will have solidified on top, put back in a 350 oven for 2 hours more.

Find the TCF Ingredients for this Podcast on sale here (And Don't Forget the Kitchen Toyz!)

*F\|Beef Broth 32oz, Each	3.79
	*F\|Beef Short Ribs, Pound	3.99
	*F\|Brown Sugar 1.5 lbs, Each	4.79
	*F\|Carrots Baby Peeled, Pound	1.49
	*F\|Carrots, Pound	.99
	*F\|Celery, Each	1.49
	*F\|Extra Virgin Olive Oil 12.7oz, Each	12.29
	*F\|Flour 5lbs.	5.95
	*F\|Ketchup 24oz, Each	4.29
	*F\|Lemons, Each	.49
	*F\|Onion Red, Pound	.99
	*F\|Onion Yellow, Pound	.69
	*F\|Potatoes-Idaho, Pound	.89
	*F\|Potatoes-Red Small, Pound	.99
	*F\|Potatoes-Yukon Gold, Pound	1.29
	*F\|Thyme, Bunch	1.79
	*F\|Tomato Paste 6oz, Each	1.99
	*F\|Tomatoes Peeled 14.5 oz, Each	2.59

Podcast!! Marinated Roasted Chicken and Spinach Salad

2009-02-05T13:52:00.003-06:00

Ohhhh...! I LOVE roasted chicken! But if you marinate it first, you've really got me. This is such an easy dinner. Marinate a Cornish Hen or chicken pieces in olive oil, lemon, herbs and spices in the morning (or even the night before) and while it's baking at dinnertime, put together one of the most decadent Spinach Salads evah!

Remember that Tony has put many of the items I'm using on sale on our Picky Produce Page and every week he's adding more and more of the "Kitchen Toyz" that I use all the time on that same page.

I really could not live without my squeeze bottle for olive oil. It really lets me control how much I'm using and makes measuring a snap! So watch the video and make a plan to order the items shown, make a great dinner and GET FREE SHIPPING TO BOOT!

Here is the recipe:

Marinated Chicken

1 Chicken cut in pieces - or 1 Cornish Hen cut in half - or any mixture of cut pieces of Chicken with skin on the bone, totaling 6-8 pieces
1 C Olive Oil
Zest and Juice of one Lemon (go ahead and leave the seeds in!)
1 lg. clove Garlic, minced
2-3 sprigs fresh Rosemary(or about 1 Tb. dried)
1 Tb. Salt
Freshly ground Pepper

Mix the marinating ingredients in a zip top bag until the salt dissolves. Add the washed and dried chicken. Close, toss well and marinate all day or overnight in the fridge. To bake, preheat oven to 450. Shake off all the marinade from the chicken pieces and place on a rack over a baking pan. Bake 20 min. Reduce heat to 375 and bake for 30-40 min more -- more time if you have big pieces, less time if the pieces are small. A half of a Cornish Hen will take 40 minutes more to bake. Allow to rest for 10 minutes after removing from the oven.

Old School Spinach Salad

1 - 2 bunches fresh Spinach, washed and dried with center veins removed
12 strips Bacon fried until crispy, drained and cooled
4 eggs, hard boiled
1 Shallot
1/4 C Olive Oil
6-8 White Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thinly (optional)

Dressing:

2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
2 tsp. Sugar
6 Tb. fresh Lemon Juice (remove the seeds)
2 tsp. Salt
freshly ground Pepper

Mix the dressing ingredients and allow to sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the Spinach, Bacon, Eggs and Mushrooms. Tear the Spinach into bite sized pieces in a serving bowl. Keep cold.

When Bacon grease has cooled a little, pour off all but 2 Tb. Chop the Shallot, and add Olive Oil. Begin to cook the Shallot, but not a lot. As soon as the Shallot begins to cook, add the dressing and mix well until heated through on medium heat.

Pour the dressing on the Spinach to wilt it. Add the Bacon and toss. Slice the eggs on top.

NOW CHECK OUT THE SALE ITEMS:

*E\|Bacon, Pound	6.99
	*E\|Cleaned Baby Spinach, Each	2.99
	*E\|Cornish Hen, Each	5.99
	*E\|Cut-Up Chicken, Pound	5.49
	*E\|Extra Virgin Olive Oil 12.7oz., Each	12.29
	*E\|Garlic, Bulb	.69
	*E\|Kosher Salt, Each	2.79
	*E\|Large Eggs, Dozen	3.69
	*E\|Lemon, Each	.59
	*E\|Rosemary, Each	1.49
	*E\|Shallot, Pound	4.99
	*E\|Spinach, Bunch	1.99
	*E\|Whole Chicken 2-3 Lbs Pound	3.79

It's SOOOoooo Easy! And Delicious, Too!!

SLOOOOW WINTER STIR FRY - Podcast Sale!!

2009-01-16T07:16:00.015-06:00

I am having a ball making podcasts for you!! Today's video is a slow, stove-top stir fry served on pasta. I will stick to your ribs!

You can make this dish with pork tenderloin, as I did in the video, but pork shoulder, boneless skinless chicken thighs or any other meat off the bone that you like will work just as well.

Cippoline onions are fickle and not available all the time. I got really lucky when I put in my order at TCF, but if they had not arrived, there are plenty of other options. You can use shallots, pearl onions or boiling onions, or even yellow onions. With yellow onions, cut them in large chunks, with the others, treat them like cippolines and boil for 5 or so minutes.

Purple cauliflower just happened to be available the week I shot this video, but any color or type of cauliflower will work just as well -- even Romanesco!

We are also beginning to carry Podcast Kitchen Toyz that I use in the videos, so if you're looking for any of the gadgets I use, check out our new section and see if it's there.

Below you'll find a list of items on sale, and the actual written recipe.

Would YOU like to make a podcast for TCF? It's really easy! If you're interested, email me and I'll send you some guidelines and tips.

SUBSCRIBE TO MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL! Leave a Comment and give me some STARS!!

Podcast Sale Items -- Sale goes for 3 weeks! (Look for the Prefix "D")

*D\|Angel Hair Pasta WW 16oz, Each	2.99
	*D\|Brussel Sprout, Pound	3.59
	*D\|Chicken Thigh Skinles Boneless, Pound	6.99
	*D\|Cippoline Onions if Available, Bunch	4.99
	*D\|Extra Virgin Olive Oil 12.7oz, Each	12.29
	*D\|Garlic Bulb, Each	.60
	*D\|Kosher Salt, Each	2.79
	*D\|Pork Shoulder Steaks, Pound	7.99
	*D\|Purple Cauliflower if Available, Each	3.59
	*D\|Sirloin Steak, Pound	9.99
	*D\|Z AND WINTER STIR FRY PODCAST LIST ENDS HERE.	.01
	Z\|PODCAST KITCHEN TOYZ USED BY RITA:	.01
	*Z\|Garlic Peeler, Each	3.39
	*Z\|Squeeze Bottle 8oz, Each	.99
	*Z\|Squeeze Bottle 12oz, Each	1.49
	*Z\|Squeeze Bottle 24oz, Each

___________________________________________________________
Slooooww Winter Stir-Fry - Serves 3-4

1 bag Cippoline Onions - or - 6 Shallots - or - 1 doz. Boiling or Pearl Onions - or - 1/2 Yellow Onion

Drop Cippoline Onions, Shallots, Boiling or Pears Onions into boiling water and cook for 5 min. Remove from heat, allow to cool, cut off the tops and the bottoms, peel and cut into quarters. If using Yellow Onions, slice 1/2 of a large yellow onion into chunks and set aside.

2 C Cauliflower cut into small florettes
12 or so Brussles Sprouts, outside leaves removed and cut into quarters
2 Garlic Cloves sliced thinly, or to taste
1/2 Pork Tenderloin - about 4 oz. - (or other meat off the bone) cut into strips
Salt, Pepper, Olive Oil

4-5 oz. Hodgson Mills Whole Wheat Angel Hair Pasta
1 C grated Pecorino Romano or cheese of your choice

Bring large saute pan up to med.high heat and add a few turns of olive oil. Add meat, garlic, brussles sprouts, cauliflower and onion. Stir and toss. Add a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Add a touch more olive oil if needed. When veggies begin to carmelize, cover pan, set heat to low and allow to cook for 5 min. Remove cover, stir and toss everything and leave the top off if the veggies are beginning to sweat to allow the moisture to evaporate. Cover and repeat until veggies are nicely carmelized.

In the meantime, put pasta into a pan of boiling water and cook to your preferred doneness. Drain, return the pasta to the pan and add a small pat of butter and toss. Then add the grated cheese and a pinch of salt. Toss again and cover to allow the cheese to melt.

Serve the veggies over the pasta.

PODCAST! How to Cook Kale

2008-12-31T08:17:00.010-06:00

Kale seems odd, but actually it's a lot like spinach -- packed with vitamins and especially minerals.

You don't have to cook greens forever (and leach out all the nutrients). Instead, you can cook them very quickly and easily.

Here's a little video to show you how:

Cooking By Rita
Camera Work and Dishes done by Richie =)

PODCAST SALE!!
You can find the items I used to make the kale On Sale !!

They're on the Picky Produce Page right at the top of the long shopping list, and right below our "Green Choices"

The prefix for these items is "C" and looks something like this:

C\|**RITA'S PODCAST SALE ON INGREDIENTS, ALWAYS!	.01
	*C\|Feta Cheese, 8oz.	3.99
	*C\|Garlic Bulb, Each	.99
	*C\|Green Kale, Bunch	1.89
	*C\|Lacinato Kale, Bunch	1.89
	*C\|Red Kale, Bunch	1.69
	*C\|Sweet Potatoes, Pound	1.49
	*C\|Z Now,compare prices below for your savings:	.01

Even the sweet potatoes are on sale, so go ahead, make a mineral-packed veggie dish next week following the podcast instructions.

EASY, EASY, EASY!! and On Sale, Too!
_______________________________________________________

Easy Kale 101

Clean and stem 1 Bunch of Kale
Peel and slice 1-4 cloves of Garlic, thinly
(if you don't like Garlic, chop up some Onion)
Heat a couple of tablespoons of Olive Oil in a pan.
Add Kale and Garlic and toss frequently using tongs over high heat. Salt and pepper to taste.
When Kale begins to brown slightly, pour in about 1/2 C Chicken Broth or water.
Keep heat on high, continue to toss Kale.
When Broth is almost completely evaporated, crumble 4 oz. of Feta Cheese (or your favorite cheese) on top.
Slide under the broiler, and heat until bubbly.

Free Shipping Forever!!

2008-12-29T07:26:00.008-06:00

Yes it's TRUE!

And you probably already qualify!!

How does it work?

Order a “Pre-Selected Produce Box” from our Brochure. These are the boxes where you get the most bang for your buck, because TCF decides what goes into it, and it’s a surprise when you open it.

We will always stay true to the theme of the box: i.e. a “juicing box” won’t contain potatoes, for example, and the price will always be the same.

Once you’ve selected your produce box, then go to our Picky Produce Page and select additional items worth $25 or more. You can add dairy, meat, frozen, bread, or Tony’s Special Picks. When your additional items total $25 or more, be sure to fill in the appropriate fields on that page: Name, email and phone number.

Put the numeral “1” in the very first box at the top of the shopping list: the one that says, “Remove Picky Produce Box from this Order!!” The reason for this is simple:

The Picky Produce Box and the Custom Box do not qualify for free shipping, and if you don’t want the Picky Produce Box items in addition to your Pre-Selected Produce Box, you will need to mark that box.

If your standing order is a Pre-Selected Produce Box, just hit "submit" at the bottom of the page.

If you don't have a standing Pre-Selected Produce Box on order with us, shoot us an email at sales@tcforganics.org and let us know which one you'd like.

So, how do you receive your free shipping? When your qualifying order is delivered, you will find a coupon attached to your invoice for free shipping. Mail it in to TCF, and you will receive a credit on your account for $5.78 applicable to your next delivery. Simple!

We also have a short instructional video for you to watch if you’d like. It will walk you through the steps as easy as 1-2-3!

Thank You.

Thank you for choosing Timber Creek, and deciding in favor of your family’s health and well-being. Besides free shipping, you’ll also notice that you now breeze through the grocery store because most of your shopping has been done already and delivered to your door.

Free Shipping

Free Time

“Healthy Insurance”

and the Satisfaction you've earned by being in Control of your family's choices!

A New Video to Help You Place a Custom Order!

2008-11-28T13:09:00.003-06:00

I hope you’re enjoying your deliveries from Timber Creek! I know that I always look forward to my delivery. I really love the surprises that come in my box, but sometimes, I need specific items.

Now, if you’re receiving our Fruit and Veggie Box or any box listed in our brochure, the contents of the box will be a surprise, but you can always add as many extra items as you need.

But, sometimes you just need to “Go Custom.” And there’s no extra charge for doing so!

So, how do you go about placing a Custom Order? There are two ways to do it -- with a semi-custom box called the Picky Produce Box, or by just ordering a totally custom box.

First of all, I strongly recommend that you write out a grocery list, just as if you were going to the store.

THE PICKY PRODUCE BOX

You can watch a short "How To" video here.

Or, you can go to our website: www.tcforganics.net and click on Picky Produce Box

The Picky Produce Box makes your shopping faster.

On the Picky Produce Box page in box #1, you will see a list of items that Tony, the owner of TCF has chosen for you. The total delivered price of those items is $22.63. If you like what he
has chosen for you, then proceed to fill out the fields provided in box #2.

If you wish to receive the Picky Produce box instead of your standing produce order, be sure to mark the box near the top of the Picky Produce shopping list that says,

"Replace Standing Order this Week with this One."

However -- the Picky Produce Box is not complete until YOU add a minimum of 4 different fresh produce items that your family enjoys. This is when you consult your pre-written grocery list.
You can add more than 4 fresh produce items to the box, but not less.

When you've added your fresh produce items, check the choices over once more. Be sure you have not chosen a "case" instead of a "pound" of any particular items unless that is what you really want.

Then you can continue to add any other items that we offer: dairy, bread, meat or frozen items.

If you have a standing dairy order, the dairy items you choose on the Picky Produce page will be delivered in addition to your standing dairy order, unless you tell us to cancel your standing dairy order that week, too.

Once you click on "Submit" you will not be given a chance to review your order.

We cannot provide you with a total amount due for your order as we weigh all items as they are put into your box. You can, however, estimate the cost by adding up the items you have chosen
and including a 1% tax to the added items and $4 if you have chosen any frozen items.

THE CUSTOM BOX

You can watch a short "How To" video here.

Simply go to the Picky Produce Page and click on the items you wish to order from your own personal grocery list. Fresh produce items must total $23.85. Add 1% sales tax and $5.78 shipping and handling (standard on every box we offer.) If you order any frozen items, there is a $4.00 dry ice charge.

We cannot provide you with a total amount due for your order as we weigh all items as they are put into your box. You can, however, estimate the cost by adding up the items you have chosen.

Be sure to click the field at the top of the Picky Produce shopping list that says

"Remove Picky Produce Box from this Order."

This way you will not receive the items selected for the Picky Produce Box -- you'll only receive the items you choose below that.

Also be sure to click the button that says,

"Replace Standing Order this Week with this One"

unless you wish to receive your standing produce order and the Custom Order you are creating.

If you have a standing dairy order, the dairy items you choose for this Custom Order will be delivered in addition to your standing dairy order, unless you tell us to cancel your standing dairy order that week, too.

That list of items to choose from includes everything Timber Creek offers: produce, dairy, bread, meats and frozen items.
As long as we receive your order by 6:00 a.m. Friday, you will receive it on your next delivery day.

Both Custom Boxes do not repeat unless you tell us to repeat them. The reason for this is that the prices fluctuate, and you may receive the same items each time, but not always at the same
price.

Go ahead and give the Picky Produce and Custom Box a try!

Shifting Gears -- BIG TIME

2008-11-17T13:24:00.004-06:00

Wow, things are changing rapidly here at TCF! We've invested in a couple of very cool new things to help all of our customers, newbies and seasoned professionals keep in the information flow.

The first thing we've done is set up a set of informational emails. We have a different set of emails depending on how you use Timber Creek. For instance, if your main interface with us is through your fundraiser group at your child's school, there is a set of informational emails on how to best maximize that experience for you.

If you're an existing customer, whether 'just signed up' or 'been here a while,' it's easy to get in a rut with TCF because so many other things are trying to get and keep our attention. So, for these customers there's a set of informational emails explaining how to make the most of your TCF experience -- some of it may be review, some of it may be new -- but we even have instructional videos on how to place custom orders, so it should be worth it just for the refresher.

We're NOT trying to inundate you with emails. This series consists of about 6-7 emails and then it's over. But it might be a good idea to make a folder for them in your email program, as each of them will have live links you can use to get to where you need to go to implement the suggestions offered in them.

Occasionally, we will send you an extra email having to do with any anouncements that need to be made such as a change in route delivery days, and so forth, but our aim is to bring you information you need and can use.

And of course you may "unsubscribe" at any point in time. Just scroll to the bottom of the email and click the link. YOU are in charge, here -- we're just trying to help you get the most for your money and the most satisfying experience you can with Timber Creek.

Thanks for allowing us to do that, and keep an eye open for even more new cool stuff!!

Make All the Difference in the World

2008-11-04T13:13:00.004-06:00

I’d like to tell you the story of Martha. Martha, a single mom with a small daughter, wanted more than anything to be a stay-at-home mom. She felt that it was her greatest priority to be the strongest influence in her young daughter Lily’s everyday life.

Because she was her child’s sole support, she knew this would not be easy. To be with her daughter, working outside the home was out of the question. So Martha started a small in-home business and worked tirelessly to make it successful.

Her daughter, home with her every day, received the love and attention that some miss. And she also learned by watching what love-in-action really is – Lily watched her mother work and learned about the necessity of having, keeping and working hard at a job to make her world go ‘round.

If you’ve ever started a business of your own, then you know that it’s not easy. It takes a long time to get established, and while you’re waiting, the bills keep coming. It’s a hard way to live, but Martha understood her reason for choosing this path – and her daughter reaped the rewards.

In 2007 the Feed A Family Foundation and sent out its annual letter asking for help for families in need.

Martha, who at one time had been a customer of Timber Creek, called right away and asked to be put on the waiting list. By now, she had begun to homeschool Lily and was evermore committed to the path they walked together. But keeping up with the financial strains was becoming even more difficult.

Martha and Lily were put on the Waiting List. They waited an entire year before getting a call from Timber Creek.

A wonderful family had personally pledged $3000.00 -- enough money to feed three families, each for a year. The donor family had two families in mind to help, but asked Timber Creek to find a suitable third family.

I went directly to the waiting list, and there at the top were Martha and Lily. All three families successfully completed the application process, and deliveries began right away.

Then, one morning, I opened an email from Martha, and this is what it said:

“…I have to say THANK YOU. I received the first shipment yesterday morning and was fine until I opened the box. Oh My God, the tears started flowing as I acknowledged the fact that I will be able to provide some of the best food and snacks imaginable thanks to you and the Feed a Family
program, the generosity of an anonymous family and TCF Organics! I immediately made a beautiful fruit salad for breakfast and served my daughter hers in bed as we were just getting ready to celebrate her birthday and I had only change in my wallet!...”
Of course, the email was immediately forwarded to the donor family, who replied:

“Life and blessings sure are wonderful huh? I am so proud to be helping out ALONG with you fine folks. Your hard work, encouragement, and leadership are what led to this woman having a wonderful day. Thanks so much for sharing this.

You and the company you work for are awesome people....”

When I spoke with Martha recently, she told me that she feels so blessed every time her delivery arrives, that she decided to teach Lily to “pay it forward.”

Every week they see the same homeless man standing outside the Post Office, and now every week they share a little of their fruit with him. And every week he says to them,

“Thank you – Thank God.”

You can use the Foundation to Adopt a Mom and feed her family. Whether you have a family in mind, or wish to help a family who is struggling quietly and alone, every dollar you give to the Foundation is used to delivery fresh, organic fruits and vegetables every week for a year, and your donation is tax deductable.

Please join with us this year to bring peace to our friends and neighbors – “Adopt a Mom” with us. You can feed her family by using the Foundation, and every single day you will know you are making a difference.

Contact me at rita@tcforganics.net and we'll start right away!

Love Letters and Happy Thoughts

2008-07-28T12:35:00.004-05:00

We get some really nice emails on a regular basis, and I want to start sharing them with you.

The first email comes from a family in Chicago. It's so sweet!
_________________________________________________________

We got our first box on Friday morning and the kids have been going crazy eating their veggies and fruits. They really loved the melon and the whole pineapple. The 1/2 gallon of milk is nearly gone - my 11 yr old is calling it the yummiest milk ever. We'll definitely be adding milk to our standing order. Our first Timber Creek delivery was a grand success at our house and we look forward to many more in the future.

A.M. Chicago, IL
__________________________________________________________
THANKS for the reminder; again excellent service & support.
N.H. Illinois
___________________________________________________________
This one was sent to Val, our Office Manager:

They should clone you. Thanks again!

D.B. Illnois
_________________________________________________________________________

Bouquets of "THANKS" to You ALL!

Last Chance for Stuffed Cabbage!

2008-04-04T14:12:00.006-05:00

It’s warming up out there, and soon the oven will get a much-needed rest as we round the seasonal corner to stir frys, grilling and cold meals. But it’s always nice to say goodbye to a really, really long winter with a slow-cooking, rib sticking, cold weather meal.

Let’s get started with our dinner of Stuffed Cabbage. The ingredient list couldn’t be more basic:

Cabbage (either Green or Red) (I used red so it would show up better in the pictures!)

1 ½ lb. Ground Chuck

1 C Rice

1 Egg

1 Tb. Salt

Pepper

1 lg. Onion

4 C Beef Broth

1 bottle Tomato Juice

Mix the meat, rice, egg, salt and pepper in a bowl. Bring a pan of water to a boil. You can use a deep pan if you like, I used a frying pan because it’s just as easy and doesn’t take as long to get to a boil. Preheat oven to 350.

Cut the core out of the cabbage and set it, core side down into the boiling water. In the meantime, you can slice up your onions, and pour a little tomato juice in the bottom of your roasting vessel. Now, roll the cabbage over and allow the hot water and steam to loosen the outer leaves. Using tongs, remove the outermost leaf and set it on your cutting board. Using a sharp knife, cut out the thick vein in the middle of the leaf.

Turn the leaf around so the outer ends are facing you and the cut is facing away from you. Form a handful of stuffing, make sure it’s firm, then set it at the edge of the leaf. Pull the sides up over the filling, then roll the whole thing away from you until you get a nice little bundle. Set that bundle, cut side down into your pot. Continue to roll up the stuffing and cabbage until your first layer is nice and integrated. Pull a few leaves off of the head of cabbage and chop them roughly on the cutting board. Sprinkle them over the rolled cabbage. Then sprinkle over half of the cut onion.

Return to stuffing the little packets and make another layer. Cover the second layer with chopped onion and cabbage. Now pour the broth and remaining tomato juice over all until it comes almost to the top of the roasting pan. Lay a few more cabbage leaves on top, and cover with a lid (NOT aluminum foil – it will dissolve into the dinner!). Set the whole thing in the oven, and cook for about 3 hours. You may have to add more liquid as time goes on, so check it once every hour or so. You can add broth, tomato juice or water.

When it’s ready, remove the lid of the pot and also remove the first layer of cabbage leaves. Using tongs, serve up some GREAT dinner!

Spanakopita -- Cooking Class

2008-03-17T08:14:00.007-05:00

Spring means Spinach. And Spinach means Spanakopita!! (aka: Greek Spinach Pie)

This is such a good dish! You can make it for breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can eat it hot, cold, room temperature or warmed up. You can put it together and bake it later. It is SO versatile! And, it’s vegetarian! So let’s get started!!

1 pkg. Fillo dough, thawed in the refrigerator overnight

2 lb. of fresh Spinach: washed, stemmed, steamed, dried and chopped

OR 3 boxes frozen Spinach: thawed, and squeezed through a towel until thoroughly dried

1 med. Onion, chopped

1 clove Garlic, minced

Olive Oil and Butter

Salt and Pepper

6 Eggs

½ lb. crumbled Feta Cheese

1 tsp. Oregano

1-2 sticks Butter, melted

First, the spinach. However you arrive at the destination described above, remember that you must-must-must put the spinach in a dish towel and twist it with all your might over the sink to dry it. Wet, soggy spinach will ruin this dish.

Bring a small frying pan up to medium high heat. Put in a Tb. of Butter and a Tb. of Olive Oil. Saute the onion and garlic. Add about 1/8 tsp. of salt and a nice grinding of fresh black pepper. When the onion is translucent, remove from heat and cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs. Add the cheese, oregano and chopped spinach. Mix well. Stir in the cooled onion/garlic mixture. Now your filling is ready.

Melt a stick of butter and pour it into a large shallow bowl. Butter a 10” x 15” jelly roll pan (cookie sheet with sides). You can use a larger pan, it will just make a thinner Spanakopita, and there’s nothing wrong with that!

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

This is the part where things get hairy. Read through these instructions before attempting this next part. Also, the pictures included here are of a “half-sheet” size pan, not the one noted above. Instead, I made two smaller ones and gave one as a gift.

Fillo dough is so thin, that it will dry out in no time. The object of the game is to get this next part done as quickly as possible. So, first set out your shallow bowl of melted butter, your jelly roll pan. Open up the box of Fillo and unfold it to lay it flat on the counter. Have a dishtowel ready to lay over it to help keep it from drying out. Cover the Fillo with the towel whenever you have a pause in this next assembly step.

Take 2 sheets of Fillo and arrange them in the pan with the edges hanging over the sides. Depending on the brand of Fillo (some are half sheets, some are whole sheets), you might have to use 4 sheets to start so that you get a good overhang. Now put the palm of your hand right into the butter. Pat a palm print twice – once pat on each quarter of the pan. Butter your hand again and pat a palm print on the two remaining quarters of the pan. Cover this with two (or 4) more sheets of Fillo. Repeat. Cover with more Fillo, Repeat. And do it once more. The object of the game is to get about 8 sheets of Fillo (buttered between every 2 sheets) into the pan. The top layer does not have to be buttered.

Now, grab your bowl of filling and use your fingers to get it evenly spread over the entire bottom of the pan. Dip your fingers into the butter and fold all of the overhanging Fillo onto the top of the filling. Make sure the now-exposed underside of the formerly overhanging border is well-buttered.

Grab two pieces of Fillo and lay them on top of the filling. Dip your palm in the butter and proceed with the palm prints as above. Set two more pieces of Fillo on top again, and continue until you have used up all the Fillo. Then tuck the overhanging edges into the inside of the pan edge, and slather LOTS of butter all over the top.

Now, using a very sharp paring knife, cut the Spanakopita into the size slices you want. You just have to cut the top Fillo layers, not all the way through to the bottom.

Place the pan in the oven and bake for 50 minutes. It will be a beautiful golden brown. Allow it to cool somewhat, and then using the cut marks you made earlier as a guideline, cut all the way through and serve. MMMMMMMmmmmmmm !!

Roasted Cream of Celeriac Soup

2008-02-11T08:01:00.002-06:00

It’s cold. I know it’s the understatement of the season, but February is the worst! Snow has been predicted for twice this week, and the total new snowfall will be over a foot. Everything in me is saying “Stay Warm” – and so I shall, with a fantastic soup I made this weekend. It adapts perfectly well to a vegetarian version, but you might want to leave out the cream….

Roasted Cream of Celeriac Soup

4 C (about 2) peeled and cubed Celeriac
2 Tb. Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
2 cloves of Garlic, chopped

2 stalks of Celery, chopped

1 Leek, chopped
1 Potato, peeled and chopped
4 C Chicken or Vegetable Stock
1 sm bunch fresh Thyme
3 Tb. fresh Italian Parsley
2 C Heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste
Homemade Croutons, if desired.

Preheat oven to 425. Toss celeriac with 1 Tb. oil and roast

for 30 min. stirring occasionally. In a large pot, heat oil and add onion, garlic, celery and leek. Saute for 4-5 min. or until onion is soft. Add potato, stock, thyme and parsley, then bring to a boil. Then reduce heat, partially cover and simmer for 20 min. Add celeriac and cook for 10-20 min. more. Remove from heat and cool slightly. (I just put mine outside the kitchen door. It was cooled in no time!) Make the croutons by tossing bread cubes in olive oil and salt until browned. Remove from heat. Back to the soup: strain the veggies well and puree the soup in batches using a food pr ocessor, until smooth. Return to sauce pan and add cream. Then slowly add the leftover stock until you like the consistency.

Season with 1 Tb. salt and LOTS of black pepper. When you serve this soup, make sure it’s very hot. Grind even more pepper on top as you serve it. The deal is, you get a nice hot spoonful of soup that warms you all the way down, followed by a warm feeling from the pepper. It’s DIVINE!

To warm this soup up the next day, spread the soup in a bread pan and cover with foil. Set the bread pan into a 9x13 pan with water poured into it. When the bread pan sits in the water, it should be about 1” deep. Set this into a 425 degree oven for 40 min. It will be piping hot!

A New Kind of Junk Food

2008-01-18T08:59:00.002-06:00

Fast food, boxed food, fried food, 100% “sugar-food”, foods made with hydrogenated oils, chemically-laced foods, foods so far removed from actual food that they’re causing an epidemic of obesity. What to do? What to do? Why, cut out the Junk Food, and eat Real Food, of course.

But what is Real Food? All of the fish on our planet are potentially contaminated, many of our most basic crops are genetically modified then irradiated, livestock is injected with hormones and antibiotics, the majority of our crops are sprayed and fertilized with harsh chemicals and stripped of vitamins and minerals, our water is “fortified”, and now – we have to deal with unlabeled, cloned meat and milk. Even if we never eat conventional “junk food” the food we do eat could easily qualify as a new kind of junk food. Junk Food disguised as Real Food that is causing an epidemic of diseases this planet has never encountered before.

What to do, indeed! I can tell you that as a population, we are faced with some mighty overwhelming obstacles. I feel like I’m part of a giant science experiment that couldn’t possibly have a good outcome…even vegetarians have to think about the sources of the food they eat. When I look down the road to the end of my personal science experiment, I wonder how I could possibly remain healthy if everything I eat is modified to this unheard-of degree. And the problem gets bigger every day.

What we can do about this predicament is to vote with our pocketbooks. I know that sounds like the long way ‘round to this goal, but when we consume clean, organic food we get an immediate benefit to our own bodies, and we begin to detoxify and strengthen our cells, muscles, tissues and so forth. We also give an immediate benefit to the planet: as more people insist on Real Food, the effect is to detoxify depleted farmland. Farmland that has been overworked and soaked with chemicals is allowed to transition to healthy, certified organic farmland producing clean, nutrition-packed food the way our parents and grandparents enjoyed it. Real Food, if you will.

If you eat Real Food, you can enjoy more of those foods we’ve been conditioned to avoid. And a prime example (no pun intended) is organic meat. Grass-fed organic meat is higher in CLAs than any conventional meat. CLAs are the beef-protein version of the Omega-3s found in fatty fish such as salmon. Even non-grass-fed organic meat is preferable to conventional meat because it is fed with organic hay, grains and legumes and corn – not the genetically modified, pesticide saturated feed that factory cattle are fed. Let’s not even mention the steroids they’re injected with to produce more muscle, and the antibiotics that follow the steroids because of the problems the steroids produce, and now the cloning for who-knows-what-reason...

I will probably never give up meat altogether. I love comfort food, and on these winter weekends I love to braise organic short ribs for hours in the oven, or get the slow cooker out for a great soup idea. And I love the reassurance I feel that the food I’m eating is REAL. Let’s take the “guilt” out of “guilty pleasure” with a recipe that makes a Real winner of a weekend dinner:

ITALIAN PEPPER STEAK

This recipe is very, very freeform. You cannot mess it up, ingredient-wise. This is one of my many, many versions, but feel free to go to the comments section with your ideas, too.

2# Sirloin or Round Steak cut in strips

Flour to coat

1 med. Yellow Onion, chopped

6 cloves Garlic, chopped

Olive Oil

2 Green Peppers cut in strips

1 lg. can Whole Tomatoes and maybe a smaller one, too

2 Tb. Tomato Paste

½ C Dry Sherry, Red Wine or Water

Salt and Pepper

Pasta

First, chop up the onion and garlic and slice up the meat. In a stockpot, heat a little olive oil and drop in the onion and garlic. Reduce the heat to med. high and stir fairly constantly. You do not want the onions or garlic to brown. If they’re starting to brown, turn the heat down. (I sound like Johnnie Cochran). While that’s cooking, toss the meat strips in flour and shake off the excess.

When the veggies have a nice sheen, remove them from the pan, add a little more oil and drop in the meat. Stir that meat constantly or it will stick, stick, stick – and then burn. While that’s cooking, grind up the tomatoes in your blender. When the meat is evenly browned (about 7 min.) remove it from the pan and pour in the sherry. Stir the sherry and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let it reduce to “almost invisible”. Now, pour in the ground tomatoes, the meat and the onions and garlic. Bring the pot up to a low simmer, partially cover and stir it occasionally for about an hour.

While that’s going on, cut up the green peppers in strips. After the hour has gone by, heat up a pan to very high, put in some olive oil and drop in the peppers. Sprinkle lightly with salt. Constantly stir them and let them get a bit browned, but don’t go overboard or they’ll disintegrate in the sauce later. Then add the tomato paste and keep that stirring action going until the peppers are coated and the paste is beginning to cook.

I’d like to stop here and make a note about tomato paste. I use it frequently. A little cooked tomato paste will thicken and enrich any dish, and it doesn’t have to be a tomato dish. I use it for beef sauces, chicken sauces and even vegetable sauces. So, rather than open a can of tomato paste and use a Tb. or two just to throw the rest out, I buy it in tubes. It’s a little more expensive, but I use all of it, so the cost works out for me.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled recipe method:

Time to add the peppers to the sauce. Just pop them in and stir well. It’s also time to start the pasta water (now that I have a free burner. I don’t consider the little burners on my stove as burners, actually, but more like holding areas). I was considering making homemade spaetzle for this dish last night because I had a taste for gnocchi (figure that one out!), but I was feeling kinda lazy (or maybe kinda crazy!), so I opted for the factory-made kind. Any kind of pasta will work here, but I prefer egg-y noodles, myself.

Now. Taste the sauce. What does it need? Salt? Pepper? Basil? Oregano? Parsley? How do you like your gravy to taste? Adjust the seasonings to make yourself smile, cook and drain the pasta, and get ready to serve. At the end of the process I grated Pecorino Romano on top instead of Parmesan. Why? Because it’s made from sheep’s’ milk and it has a more complex flavor than Parm.

A note about the pictures. We got a new camera for Christmas, and I can see that I need to start standing on a ladder to take pictures for this blog. Either that, or get a little taller, somehow. They all came out a little blurry, but they all still look yummy – to me, at least.

Send me your recipes. I’ll make them and blog them. Otherwise, you’re stuck with mine. =)

Feeding a Family

2007-11-20T11:11:00.000-06:00

It’s been an incredible year of growth for Timber Creek in 2007. We are helping so many organizations with fundraising, welcoming so many new people who are enjoying their home deliveries, and planning to branch out in ways you cannot imagine.

But there are many people who need our help, and this year the Feed a Family Foundation can help in another new way. The Feed a Family Foundation was begun last year by Tony, the owner of Timber Creek. His vision was to send fresh, organic fruits and vegetables to families in need for one year. This past year we fed 5 families thanks to the generosity of their friends and families who collected $1000.00 in their names. Tony matched their funds and began sending a weekly Goody Box to their doors. These donations were made without the benefit of a tax deduction being offered to the donors, and to them we say, “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!”

This year, we can offer that tax deduction. If you know a family in need, please contact me. I will help you get the ball rolling to feed a family that you know. The Foundation will verify that there is a need to be met, and then will match your $1000.00 donation to feed the family that you choose for one year. The gift of organic fruits and vegetables is a meaningful gift that will continue to arrive at their door over and over again. Please help if you can. So many are counting on us.

And this year, Your Donation is Tax Deductable.

Where's Rita?

2007-08-31T13:28:00.000-05:00

Hello, and sorry for the long lag between posts. In the beginning of August I wound up in the hospital quite unexpectedly for a week! I’ve never been overnight in a hospital in my life – it was quite an experience. I’ve been recovering at home for a couple of weeks, but I managed to celebrate my daughter's wedding. Now I’m climbing up onto the TCF saddle again, even if just for the mornings for now.

So, What’s New????

Metz Fresh in California is recalling their bagged spinach because of a possible salmonella outbreak. Metz Fresh does not grow organically so you’re OK if you stick with organics.

The Green City Market in Chicago begins their “Eat Locally” challenge today. This is a really interesting concept and is causing mountains of chatter. For a look at what Chicagoans think about the idea, check out one of my favorite message boards: www.lthforum.com and go to the subject: "Other Culinary Chat” and then to “How to Eat Local”. This discussion centers around a few broad subjects..such as: “What Exactly does ‘Local’ Mean?” , “What about Chocolate,Coffee and Beer – Do I have to Give them Up?”, “What about Packaged Foods?” and many other daring questions. One writer offered these reasons to eat locally:

Locally grown produce is fresher.
Local food just plain tastes better.
Locally grown fruits and vegetables have longer to ripen.
Buying local food keeps us in touch with the seasons.
Buying locally grown food is fodder for a wonderful story.
Local food translates to more variety.

Locally grown produce is not always fresher. Farmers have to sell as much of their crop as possible and this means sometimes rotating older produce in with newer produce. I’d argue that local food tastes better if it’s grown in clean, healthy soil. Those strawberries in the grocery store that taste like wood are local to somebody – and they don’t taste any better at the source. I’m assuming the third point is referring to ripening on the vine. This statement is usually true.

Buying local food keeps us in touch with the seasons in whatever definition of ‘local’ we have adopted. Planting a garden will do a better job of it. I’m not sure what the ‘wonderful story’ is; but I’m all ears if someone will tell it. If local food translates to ‘more variety’ we would have been eating only locally since forever. Let’s be honest -- the whole idea of this challenge is to limit your variety and see if your idea to eat locally really can line up with your actions.

There are other issues that are not addressed: what if the food is sprayed with herbicides, pesticides and fungicides? Is ‘local’ still better then? How about if you don’t live near a big city like Chicago where you can shop at a farmers’ market? How much gasoline is OK to burn in pursuit of eating locally? And what do you do in the dead of winter? There is an underlying, unspoken message in the ‘eat locally’ movement, and that is: “If we all do this together, we can break the distribution network that moves food from one coast to the other.” This will probably never happen. Millions of people rely on, are employed by or own aspects of the distribution network. The sheer complexity of it cannot be addressed by an ‘eat local’ movement.

You may have noticed in the grocery store that you can now buy locally grown melons or zucchini. Since grocery stores were born they have been buying locally for in-season produce because their shipping costs are lower. Now, since the buzz words ‘locally grown’ are in vogue, they have begun labeling them as such.

The idea is to ‘look before you leap”, but people often adopt buzz words without really thinking about what they mean when they say them.

Grilling Artichokes

2007-07-18T12:58:00.002-05:00

Right off the bat, you just have to face it: Artichokes are a lot of work. It doesn’t seem that way if you do a little today, and finish them tomorrow, tho. So here’s the plan: Prep them today, and amaze all your friends at the bar-b-que tomorrow!

I prepped these artichokes while I was making a pizza for dinner. You don't have to set aside the morning to do this!

You will need a grill. If you have smoking chips, use them, too. But that’s tomorrow. Today, we do the work.

Prepping and Marinating Artichokes

2 Artichokes
3-4 Lemons
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Large Pot of Boiling Water

Sharp Knife
Tablespoon
Vegetable Peeler

Have that pot of water boiling.

First, cut a lemon in about 6 slices. Pull off the 2-3 lowest tiers of outer leaves on each artichoke, then peel the stems with the vegetable peeler. Put a fresh cut at the bottom of the stem. Now quickly – right away – rub a slice of lemon over all the newly exposed surfaces. This is a recurring and very important theme. The cut surfaces of a raw artichoke will turn black in a few minutes. Working quickly is the key.

Now, cut one artichoke in half as shown. Immediately rub the newly cut surfaces with lemon. Using the tablespoon, remove the furry choke and any thin, spiky (usually purple) inner leaves. Rub the newly exposed surfaces with lemon. Repeat with the other half, and again with the other artichoke. All the cut pieces in these pix have been liberally rubbed with lemon. See the pic on the right for what you’ll have left over!

Plunge the prepped artichokes into the boiling water and hold them down with tongs to be sure that all the air between the leaves escapes and is replaced with boiling water. Do this several times. Turn them over now and then, too, to be sure they’re cooked completely. When not turning them, partially cover the pot. This step will take about 20 min. for very large artichokes.

In the meantime, juice up the remaining lemons. Ignore the seeds. Just leave them in the juice. They’ll fall off during the grilling. Pour the juice in a very large, non-reactive bowl. Now add about 2/3 as much olive oil as there is juice into the bowl. This is not a critical measurement. Sometimes I use more oil, sometimes more juice. Then put at least 1 Tb. or more of Kosher Salt into the bowl. Grind in a lot of fresh pepper and whisk it all together.

You’ll know when the artichokes are finished cooking because a paring knife will slip easily into the exposed artichoke bottom. Lift the artichokes out of the water and let them drain in a colander -- cut side down -- until they’re cool. Then set them into the marinade, spooning the mixture into all the little crevices. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight…or over 2 nights, whatever you like.

Cooking the Artichokes (Serves 4)

I forgot to photograph this part, so I’m using pix I took of other grilled artichokes – that’s why they look like they shrunk!

Remove the bowl of artichokes from the fridge and allow to sit at room temp while you prepare the coals. Get the grill going hot, use wood chips if you like. Now set the artichokes on the grate and allow the flames to surround them for a moment or two. Now cover the grill and keep all the vents open. You can also add anything else you’re going to grill at this point. Turn the artichokes after at least 5 minutes, then again after 5 more. The object here is to just get them warmed up, and charred too, if you like.

When you serve these guys, be sure to put a big bowl on the table for the leavings. The flavors will melt in your mouth!

To me, they’re worth every minute of prep.

(Clicky all the pix for a better look!)

The Timber Creek Bag Dryer

2007-07-10T07:45:00.000-05:00

So......now you’ve purchased some of our Evert-Fresh Bags and you see how wonderfully they work, but there’s a little problem……once you’ve rinsed them out, where do you put them to dry? My kitchen was wall-to-wall with drying Evert Fresh bags, but now we have the solution.

We hooked up with Kaj from Canada to bring you the only bag dryer of its kind. This little thing is so slick! When you’re ready to dry your bags, just slide the ring down the dowels and attach the base. You now have 8 handy hangers.

If you’re short on counter space, you can hang this little contraption from anywhere via the metal eyelet – and when you’re finished – just put the bags away, slide the ring back up the dowels, detach the base, and it will fit in your silverware drawer. The whole thing is 14” tall and weighs 6 ½ oz. Nifty, huh?

And the price can't be beat.....$16.99 each! Just call and add one to your order.

Thursday Afternoon Lunch Blogging

2007-06-28T10:43:00.002-05:00

It’s almost lunchtime. I’M HUNGRY!!! I have 2 perfect avocados from Timber Creek just waiting to be treated with lemon juice and salt – but WAIT – how about a “Midshipman’s Butter Sandwich”? You may have seen the recipe on our website. I made it today and only changed it a little. (Except for baking, I just cannot seem to stick to a recipe!) This is today’s version:

Midshipman’s Butter Sandwich (There's no butter in this sandwich--the Avocado is the "butter")

1 large piece of toasted Tuscan Bread
1 ripe Avocado
Mayo
3 very thin slices of Vidalia Onion
Or other sweet Onion
Lemon Juice
1 small Plum Tomato cut in strips
4 sprigs Cilantro (c’mon! Try it!)
Good Sea Salt

Spread some mayo on the toast, then sprinkle the onion rings over that. Peel and slice an avocado, then fan it over the toast. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the avocado, sprinkle with tomato shards, salt well with a good sea salt, then lay the cilantro sprigs over the top.

Yeaahhhh Baybay!!!!

clicky on pix for a more delicious view!

A Cool Dinner for a Hot Day

2007-06-21T13:48:00.002-05:00

Baby, it’s HOT outside! And hot days call for cool meals. Cooking on the stove is out of the question, but sometimes it's even too hot to grill. Guadalajara Gazpacho appears on one of the recipe pages at the website, but this version is just a little different. You can make this a day ahead of time and serve it really chilled, or keep all the ingredients in the fridge until the moment you put it together. Sometimes I even use frozen corn – just to keep it as cold as possible. Vegetarian-style or with shrimp, this dinner is coooool!

Guadalajara Gazpacho

1 46 oz. bottle of spicy Tomato Juice
3-4 ripe Plum Tomatoes cut in chunks
½ C thinly sliced Green Onions, or
½ C diced Vidalia Onion
2 ripe Avocadoes, cut in chunks
1 C diced Jicama (about ½ of a small one)
1 C fresh corn off the cobs (about 2 ears) or 1 C frozen corn
½ lb. cooked and cleaned large Shrimp, split lengthwise and cut crosswise (optional)
1 big handful Cilantro, roughly chopped (or you can substitute fresh Basil)
Salt
Hot sauce to taste (optional)
Juice of 2-4 fresh Limes

Pour the Tomato Juice in a large bowl. Add everything else and taste. It might need more salt, more lime juice, more hot sauce – suit yourself. If you don’t like cilantro (and you know who you are!), you can use fresh Basil….but I would dare you to put in just a tiny bit of cilantro, because nothing will brighten the taste of this dish like cilantro will. If you’re leaving out the shrimp, you can add more of each ingredient as a replacement. This will make 4 large bowls of “GG”, or a great appetizer for 6-8.

Risotto

2007-06-07T13:21:00.002-05:00

I know it’s almost officially summer, but you’d never know it here! The nights have been in the mid-40s and the days are barely hitting 80. This past week, it never went over 75, and some days were downright chilly – just right for a last hurrah of Risotto.

This version is done “restaurant style” so everything stays pretty and the flavors retain their distinctness. You will need Arborio Rice or, my favorite: Carnaroli Rice. The former is now available in most grocery stores, the latter in Italian Specialty or Grocery Stores. This rice releases a lot of starch while cooking – almost making a soup – and that’s what makes Risotto what it is.

For 2-4 people you’ll need:

1 Broccoli Crown cut in tiny florettes
1 small Onion, chopped small

1 medium Carrot, diced
1 C frozen Peas, thawed
4-6 cloves Garlic, chopped rough
1 C Arborio or Carnaroli Rice
5-6 C Chicken Broth
3 Tb. Butter
Zest of one Lemon, chopped
¼ C Parmesano Reggiano

10-12 medium or
8-10 jumbo Shrimp

Olive Oil

(Options: use Veg. Broth or water, and leave out the shrimp for a Vegetarian-Style version, or substitute Chicken for the shrimp.)

Clean an devein the shrimp, then cut them in half lengthwise and again crosswise. Start a pan for sauté and a saucepan for the rice. Saute the shrimp and half of the garlic in a little olive oil. Strive to slightly undercook, rather than overcook it. In the saucepan, heat some olive oil and add the veggies (but not the peas). Stir constantly over high heat so that they caramelize just a bit, and cook through – but just barely. Remove the shrimp to a plate, and the veggies to a bowl.

Heat a little more olive oil in the same saucepan you cooked the veggies in. Add the rice and cook until the grains begin to shine a bright white. Add a cup or two of chicken broth, and boil stirring constantly. The rice will begin to absorb the broth, so add some more. Keep adding and stirring until the rice won’t absorb anymore and the remainder of the liquid has cooked away save for a nice, hot starchy bath around the rice kernels. Taste a few grains to make sure they’re cooked.

Now, take the pan off the heat and add the butter. Stir well. Add the Parmesan and stir again. Pour in the veggies (this time the peas, too) and stir once. Now ladle the risotto into a serving bowl. Sprinkle the lemon zest on top, and maybe another grating of Parmesan. Then sprinkle some garlic shrimp on top of that. Ahhhh! It’s Italian comfort food!

Evert Fresh Bags

2007-05-24T09:31:00.000-05:00

OK, So I know you’re looking at that insert in your delivery this week wondering, “..is Timber Creek going in a new direction or something?” and the answer is YES and NO.

It’s really true that TCF Members have been calling me over the last several months singing the praises of EvertFresh Bags. They’ve all suggested that we sell them because what’s better than TCF Organic food? TCF Organic food that lasts longer, is the answer!

Since organic food isn’t sprayed with fungicides and other chemicals when it is harvested, it can go bad more quickly. Even though for the most part our produce comes directly from the grower and is barely a week old when you receive it, the life of organic produce will always be shorter than the life of conventional produce.

The solution IS the Evert Fresh Bag. I drove to Whole Foods and bought a package of 10 large bags for $7.99. I followed the directions, and even my husband could tell that the food was fresher! I was hooked, and Timber Creek jumped onboard.

So, here’s how to use them: Wash your produce and dry it well. Even though it’s been dried, it will still have a little water clinging to it, so wrap it all up in paper towels. Then, label the paper towel and put a mark on the top of the Evert Fresh Bag to count the uses. These bags have a special clay from remote caves in Japan worked into the plastic. This clay absorbs the ethylene gas that ripening food gives off, and this keeps the food fresher. However, the clay will reach its maximum absorption capacity after 6-8 uses, so it’s good to keep track. After the clay has been maxed-out, you can still use the bags as just….well….bags!

Now, expel as much air as possible, and store your produce. You can store items in the fridge, or in the case of bananas, for example, you can leave them on the counter. You can also use Evert Fresh Bags to keep your flowers fresher, longer. I treat flowers and herbs such as parsley and cilantro the same way: put a fresh cut on the bottom, set them in a glass of water, put an Evert Fresh Bag over the whole thing, and set it in the fridge. You will be amazed!

Now you don’t have to make it a point to eat up all the more delicate foods you receive such as lettuce, first. Lettuce and spinach last incredibly long in these bags, and you’ll be able to use them more spontaneously.

No one can beat our price, not even Home Shopping Network (!), so give them a try. Just add them to your next order.

Photo Friday

2007-05-15T15:15:00.000-05:00

On Tuesday. Because I'll be out of town for a few days. This is an Indigo Bunting I photographed in my front yard last week.

Kung Pao Chicken 101

2007-05-02T13:34:00.001-05:00

I LOVE Kung Pao Chicken! This is a dish for which you spend all your time in prep, and almost none actually cooking. And because all the ingredients can be delivered by Timber Creek, you won't spend any time shopping, either! (You can get the grocery items from our Wholesale Buying Club: Natural Farms.) Dishes like this are good because you can do the prep in short bursts throughout the day instead of all at once.

You’ll need 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts. From TCF, I usually get 1 package of split breasts on the bone and bone them myself – it’s less expensive, and not very difficult, but that’s another post.

If you have a wok, this recipe will go easily. If not, use your largest skillet and consider using two turning utensils instead of one to keep the food moving over the heat. My wok is 35 years old and made of spun steel. It’s developed a little patina over the years, so don’t let that throw you in the pictures.

You can refrigerate the leftover Kung Pao on top of the leftover rice, and it is a great chicken salad eaten cold or room temp…if it lasts that long! The usual caveats stand about using sherry. NEVER use “cooking sherry”. Always use something that is at least drinkable…and “cream sherry” is not for cooking. I use Christian Brothers Dry Sherry. Inexpensive and it does the trick.

The bottled ingredients are also available in almost any grocery store. (...and you can click all the pictures for a larger view...)

Kung Pao Chicken (or Shrimp)

In a bowl, mix:

1 Tb. each, dry sherry and cornstarch
½ tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper (white is preferred, but not necessary)

1 ½ lb. skinned, boned chicken breasts cut into bit-sized pieces (or 1 ½ lb. shelled & deveined medium shrimp)

Mix the ingredients in the bowl. Add the chicken and coat well. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 min.

4 Tb. peanut oil
1 C roasted, salted peanuts, shelled
1 ½ Tb. each: minced garlic and minced ginger
1 – 1 ½ bunches scallions, sliced

Cooking Sauce Recipe:

4 Tb. soy sauce
1 Tb. Thai chili sauce (or other hot sauce)
2 Tb. each: white wine vinegar or rice wine vinegar and dry sherry
6 Tb. chicken broth
4 Tb. sugar (optional)
3 Tb. cornstarch

While the chicken is marinating, shell the peanuts. I shell them on a dish towel. Then I gather up the towel and rub the outside well – that loosens the paper covers. I take a small handful over the sink and very lightly blow away any remaining paper, then put them into the measuring cup.

You can prepare the garlic, ginger and scallions just before you start cooking.

When it’s time for dinner:

Start the rice. I often use jasmine rice cooked in chicken stock – 2 C stock to 1 C rice. Bring the stock to a boil, add the rice and stir. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 min.

While the rice is cooking, heat your wok over high heat. When it’s hot, add 3 Tb. of the peanut oil. Add the peanuts and stir constantly. When they are just beginning to brown, start removing them from the pan to paper towels to drain. If any burn, throw them out. This step flavors the oil.

Remove the chicken from the fridge and add 1 Tb. of peanut oil – mix well. Add the ginger and garlic to the wok, stir twice, then add the chicken and stir constantly until it is no longer pink. Add ¾ of the scallions, allow them to cook about 2 min, and then pour in the cooking sauce. The dish will come together immediately. Remove the wok from the heat and stir in the peanuts. Spoon some rice into a bowl. Spoon the Kung Pao Chicken on top. Sprinkle with scallions. Dinner is served.

Some Things Cannot Be Improved Upon

2007-04-28T10:26:00.000-05:00

After two very, very long weeks I just wanted a very simple breakfast. Because I like to cook, there are times (like this one) when I realize that I can combine flavors, amplify or dampen flavors, but I cannot make a flavor. This lovely piece of fruit came in my delivery this week. What did the poet say? "...only God can make a grapefruit..."?

What We Had For Dinner Last Night

2007-04-24T09:59:00.001-05:00

This is a quick post for a quick dinner. My original plan was to make a type of Salad Nicoise: cold, steamed veggies, eggs and potatoes with cold tuna. It was a little cool outside when dinner time came around, so I decided to cook up some salmon, instead. Then I veered further offtrack and made a mayo/tamari/garlic dipping sauce…and, well….as often happens with me, dinner completely mutated into something else.

So: In the morning, I boiled 2 potatoes and 2 eggs together. I took the eggs out of the cooking water after 10 min. and ran cold water over them until they were cooled off. Then I set them in the fridge. I continued to cook the potatoes (jackets on) until they were tender, then gave them the same treatment as the eggs. In the meantime, in my large wok-steamer, I steamed the green beans for 5 min and the leeks (trimmed, but whole) for about 10. Then I set them on a plate to cool. Afterward, I put everything into the fridge to get it chilled.

I mixed up about 1 C mayo with 2 Tb. tamari (soy sauce) and, using the garlic press, added a very, very tiny clove of garlic. Then I let that sit in the fridge with everything else to let the flavors marry.

Come dinner time, I heated the oven to 325°, salted and peppered the salmon, and got a frying pan hot on the stove with a little olive oil in it. I cooked the fish flesh-side down first for less than a minute, then flipped it over to skin-side down for 30 sec. more. Then I put the whole pan into the oven for 10 min. more. In the meantime, I arranged the platter: cut the eggs and potatoes in quarters, split the leeks in half, drained and sliced some jarred roasted red peppers, and put it altogether. I drizzled a little extra virgin olive oil over the veggies, sprinkled some French sea salt over all – and WOW, what a GREAT DINNER! No leftovers. None.

The Official Start of Grillling Season

2007-04-18T13:18:00.001-05:00

Well, OK – I admit it, I never stop grilling. There’s no weather too cold to get a nice tenderloin roasting for dinner on that grill. I think I got that from my father who once grilled the Thanksgiving turkey in a heavy, wet snow storm – it was the best turkey I ever had.

But let’s talk about grill types. If you have a gas or propane grill, you know how to use it. It’s basically an outdoor stove and its uses are pretty straightforward. If you have a charcoal grill, you’re a step closer to my hickory chip-smoked heart. But if you grill using hardwood charcoal, you’re definitely hardcore – and I am hardcore.

There’s a little butcher shop right next to Timber Creek where I buy my hardwood charcoal. I pour it into my cylindrical charcoal starter and crumple a piece of newspaper underneath. Just light the paper with a match: no starter fluid required and in about 15-20 min. your charcoal is red hot. While it’s firing up, I soak some hickory chips to flavor the food. I usually pour that hot pot of flaming charcoal onto an equal amount of charcoal sitting inside the grill, let that sit about 10 min. more, and at that point it looks like this:

These coals are banked to one side because tonight we’re making pork tenderloin with grilled veggies. I simply sprinkle a generous amount of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper all over the tenderloin….I don’t put oil on the meat. I seem to get a better crust with less burning this way. Drain the hickory chips and sprinkle them over the coals. Reset the grate over the coals, and set the meat over the hottest part of the fire and allow each side to sear evenly.

Then I prepared the veggies. Today, I’ve been a little pressed for time, so I took the easy way out. I used a spray bottle of olive oil and sprayed the veggies all over – leeks and baby bok choy this time. I soaked the bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes, then ran the veggies through. A little more salt and pepper, and they’re ready to go. By now, the tenderloin has been nicely seared on all sides, so I moved it over to the cooler side of the gril, and moved the leeks right up over the fire. I positioned the bok choy about half way between the two. Then I covered the grill, closed the air holes on the top about half way, and went inside to the kitchen.

On the stove, I melted a couple of Tb. of butter and added a clove of garlic run through the press. I let it sit over very low heat while I went outside to move the veggies around and add a tomato to the grill, cut in half -- cut side up. The meat was cooked in about 15 min. and I took it off the grill to rest while the veggies finished up. Then I split the leeks and poured the garlic butter over them and poured a little inside the bok choy. I grated some Parmesano over the hot tomato, sliced the pork and arranged a sliced starkrimson pear alongside, and dinner was served.

Yes, yes, this dinner may sound kind of boring to some. But I told you I’m hardcore. I could eat breakfast lunch and dinner from the grill, and my philosophy is: never waste a good fire.

Tomorrow I’m grilling artichokes. Want to come over?

An Easy Holiday

2007-04-11T08:27:00.001-05:00

This past weekend we had a good showing of family for our holiday dinner. A total of 13 adults and two children – and that’s not even half of them! This time, I wanted to enjoy myself. I often spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and not very much time visiting during an occasion like this, so I changed my gameplan. I ordered the Raw Veggie Box from TCF and made in advance a huge tray of Radishes, English Peas, Zucchini, Yellow Bell Pepper, Scallions, Baby Carrots and a couple Sugar River Cheeses. I also had made a dip made of 1 part mayo, 1 part sour cream and a healthy dash of habanero sauce. It had a kick! I found a bottle of chardonnay I didn’t even know we had, so the day began very pleasantly, indeed.

Dinner was as simple as I could possibly make it. I bought a spiral cut ham and just brought it to room temperature – no cooking needed. I took 5 lb. of Russian Red Fingerling Potatoes and put them in a roasting pan with 5 large sliced Leeks, 5-6 large Garlic Cloves, chopped, a couple Tb. of Kosher Salt and a generous sprinkling of Fresh Rosemary Leaves. I tossed them together with some Extra Virgin Olive Oil, covered the pan and put them in a 400 degree oven for 45 min. Then I stirred them, lowered the heat to 350, and let them go another 45 min. Next, I lowered the heat to 300 and just let them sit in there another 15 min. or so while I finished setting up the buffet.

Before the guests arrived, I took 5 lb. of trimmed Asparagus and peeled the bottom half of each stalk. Then I dropped them in the steamer for 20 min. at serving time. I also melted a stick of butter in a measuring cup in the microwave to dress them (easier to pour that way).

My favorite part of the meal, tho, was the salad. I have a great time experimenting with salads. This one consisted of mainly Romaine, but I also added a little Escarole since I had some in the fridge. I tore and tossed the greens, then zested a few Lemons and minced an equal portion of Flat Leaf Parsley. These, I tossed with the greens to coat them and bring in a nice background flavor. Then I added the rest: chopped Scallions, Grape Tomatoes, and some jarred Roasted Red Peppers. Then I covered the bowl and set it in the fridge till dinner. Next, I made the croutons. Making your own croutons is an essential step to making a great salad. A salad doesn’t need croutons, but if you’re going to have them, make them yourself. Once you’ve made your own, you’ll never eat store bought croutons again. Consider them to be as important an ingredient as fresh lettuce is to your salad. To make them, I bought a loaf of Rudi’s Olive Oil and Rosemary Bread and let it sit out a few hours the day before the party. The morning of the party I cut up the bread in rather large cubes, and brought my wok up to high heat. I then added a generous amount of Olive Oil to the pan, and dropped in the bread cubes. Next, I turned the heat down to medium and began tossing the cubes so that they each got some oil on them, and they toasted evenly. Before they were finished, I sprinkled them generously with Kosher Salt, tasted a couple because I’m the cook, and let them cool on a cookie sheet. Now you can make them in the oven on a cookie sheet, but my oven was occupied, and they take longer that way.

When it was time to eat, I finished the salad. First, I drizzled some Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the salad and barely tossed it. Then I sprinkled some Balsamic Vinegar over it. Again, I barely tossed it. Then, with a vegetable peeler, I shaved huge tongues of fresh Parmesano Reggiano generously over the greens, and topped it all with the cooled croutons.

Then came the fun part: After everyone went through the buffet line, They noticed these little wine glasses on the table with strange colored granules in them. These are some of my salts. I got this idea from Willson, the chef in Madrid, Spain who I link to on the right (“Will’s Eats”). He had done a post about some of the specialty salts he uses, and, truth be told, I’m an incurable salt collector myself, so I took a cue from him. For the dinner I put out Celtic Sea Salt from France, pink Murray River Salt from Australia, and Black Salt from Hawaii. These are only 3 of the 15 or so salts I have in my kitchen, but the idea was to have some fun at dinner, so I kept it simple. The salad described above rises to incredible heights of flavor with the addition of a good specialty salt, and the Asparagus would play well with them, too – so we went for it…it’s amazing what a little very, very good salt can do for a dish. We drank a nice Rose` from Spain and chatted and ate for quite a while. We had wonderfully easy and enjoyable day, and at the end I gave a tip of my hat to Will for the inspiration.

THE ORGANIC REBELLION

2007-02-27T14:09:00.000-06:00

Don't teach me anything new --- because once I learn it, I just can't stop!!

If you haven't seen this, it's HILARIOUS!!!

If Mozart Came Back as a Cat....

2007-02-27T14:03:00.000-06:00

Ok, This is purely cute. That's why it's here.

Everyone needs a little smile now and then! =) (I heard she eats organic cat food!!)

Everybody Loves PIZZA !!

2007-02-13T10:21:00.000-06:00

Last night my sister, Laurel and her husband Jim joined me and my husband, Rich in a throwdown challenge set into motion last summer: Which one of us makes the best pizza? Last June, when we cooked up this idea, it was faaarrrrr tooo hot to bake pizzas all day, so we planned to have the ultimate Pizza Cook-Off some day in February. That day was yesterday.

We all gathered at the house to show what we had: and man-oh-man the competition was tough! First Laurel made her pizza: herbed crust, lots of meat and fresh veggies. Then I made mine: Naples-style with Timber Creek Mozzarella, basil, onion, garlic and store-bought pepperoni. In the meantime, I had baked a peach pie with white peaches that I got from TCF last summer. Last August when they were ripe, I just sliced them up, tossed them with a little sugar and lemon juice and froze them in a zip-lock bag for use on some cold, winter’s day. I also churned up some homemade vanilla ice cream made with Amish Whipping Cream and Amish Whole Milk. Whew! It was a daunting day, but somebody had to prove my pizza was best!!

We didn’t rush. We took our time and even had a “do over” to be sure that the very best representative pizzas would be offered up for the judges. In the end, over pie ala mode and coffee we declared it a “draw”, but we had a heck of a lot of fun getting there!

PSSSTT!! Click on pizza for an even more delicious view!!

Friday Morning Kitten Blogging

2007-02-02T09:33:00.000-06:00

Zinfandel discovers a new playmate. =)

How To Feed A Family

2007-01-02T15:21:00.000-06:00

This post is a long overdue “Thank You” to everyone who felt moved to respond to the letter they received from Timber Creek about the Feed a Family Foundation.

You are the most generous, selfless, caring people I know.

As most of you probably know, Tony’s idea to feed families organic food for a year was originally grounded in the simple concept that together, we all can do something to help one another. This first effort of Timber Creek matching funds with Member contributions was purely born; and was meant to give our combined dollars and shared concerns to others without the need to form a charitable trust to be overseen by the government.

By the second week of our call to the Members of Timber Creek, it had become clear that Tony should make the Feed a Family Foundation a formal, government-approved foundation that worked year ‘round to ‘feed a family’. Wheels were put into motion, forms were filed, and we’re well on our way to that worthy goal.

We have not yet reached it, tho. We did not receive our not-for-profit status in 2006. Our application is pending with the IRS, and during this time we are unable to accept any donations on behalf of the Foundation. While none of the members of our Board of Directors foresees a reason that we would not be granted tax-exempt status in early 2007, we must be patient and wait until the IRS makes their final determination. I hope that you understand our concerns and can appreciate that this policy has been adopted to protect the Foundation and help to ensure its long life.

Some of those who have given large contributions have asked that we send their checks back, and that is OK with us. We understand. Others, particularly those who wrote smaller checks, have asked that we keep the funds and use them to feed a family. They know that they cannot take a tax deduction from the Foundation, but that’s OK with them. Two groups of very motivated people did put together the funds to feed two families for the next year! This is what caring is all about, and I take off my hat to them.

We will keep you informed of our progress. The Feed a Family Foundation is a great cause, and soon we will be able to help many, many families with a year-long delivery of fresh, organic food, courtesy of you.

The REAL Stewards of the Earth -- an Opinion

2006-11-29T16:19:00.000-06:00

Have you been watching the ABC World News Tonight’s 3-part series on organic food? It’s been two days of broadcasts so far, and I’m seeing the usual distortions, but nothing new. I went to the Broadcast Plus section of their website to look a little further into the subject and I found myself in an interesting conversation.

ABC provided a few links to 'find organic food in your area', so I checked them out. One of the links was to an “online community” which can put you in touch with organics in your area, so naturally, I tried to find Timber Creek. But we weren’t there. I emailed the webmaster (in California where this group is based) and told him about TCF. I asked him if he could include us in his database. But he said “NO”. His reason was that his organization only promotes family farms “that sell to their local communities and the businesses that support them.” (Interestingly, I could purchase organic and 'natural' foods from this website, and have it shipped across the country to me.)

So, I asked him: “How come I can buy organic food from you online (you’re in California and I’m in Illinois)? Isn’t that the same thing that TCF does?”

I’ll quote his answer directly:

“Our goals are:

#1: Family farms
#2: Buy Local
#3: Organic food

...in that order.

90% of the work we do is though our directory, where people find local sources of family-farm grown foods. We have a catalog where we sell products from family farms via mail order, which is how we support the project.”

Now, I didn’t write back to him, but I’m hearing this unusual argument a lot lately. The argument goes something like this:

“The most important thing we can do is to support the ‘little guys’ {farms} who are struggling to stay afloat. We all wish that we could just go down to the corner farm and buy our fruits and veggies, but since we can’t, we have to protect these guys as best we can, from being absorbed into the giant factory farms. And, locally grown food is better for you, anyway. If the food is Organic, well, that’s just a plus.”

Fair enough, I guess……but to me, that's exactly backwards:

If I’m spending my money at your farm to help keep your business afloat, don’t I have a say in what quality of food I’m buying from you? Yes, family farms have a unique struggle, and eating locally grown food is the ideal, but if your food could be slowly poisoning me and my family, why is helping your farm so important? The terms “locally grown” and “organic” are not mutually exclusive.

There are a lot of seemingly unsolvable issues in the organic world. Transportation over long distances seems counterproductive, yet if the farms in my area are only growing food with the full compliment of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, antibiotics, recombinant growth hormones, and such, I’m going to look elsewhere. Plenty of us don’t even know where the nearest farm would be – but many of us know better than to read the words “locally grown” without asking the far more important question: “is it clean?” All food is locally grown to someone – that doesn’t make it better for you.

The way I see it, there is nothing wrong with helping a farmer who lives somewhere other than my neighborhood, if he’s the one who will bring me the clean, organic food that I want. That organic farmer's success makes it easier for my neighbor the farmer to transition to organic, if that's what he wants to do. These far-flung farmers who, year after year, demonstrate their commitment to the future of the planet and my family’s health; help other farmers in the long run, too -- they're the real stewards of the earth. Not everyone cares about the quality of the food that they eat, but if you do, there is a farmer out there who is upholding the organic standards for YOU.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

... P.S. The lovely family farm in the picture above is the storefront of Roseland Organic Farms -- the USDA Certified Organic Farm in Niles, Michigan where we get our grassfed beef.

90 Days of Purpose

2006-11-03T09:01:00.000-06:00

There is a church in Forest Park called “Living Word Christian Center” that is really unique. The pastor of the church is a doctor, so he has a passion to keep his congregation healthy. Some of our Members belong to the church, so they asked me to come up and speak to them about the benefits of eating organic foods. I was overwhelmed when I saw this group! There were over 100 people signed up for “90 Days of Pupose”. This is a 90-day re-orientation to one’s personal health, covering all aspects of body, mind and spirit, beginning with eating the right foods: organics. Timber Creek Members Mitze, Audrey and Louella (pictured above) had an incredibly organized presentation that touched on food combining, the low-glycemic index and many other cutting-edge concepts.

They asked us to develop a Timber Creek Basket for this group, specifically, and so we did. The 90 Days of Purpose Box ($36.81) will consist of a broad selection of greens, some root vegetables and fruits. Any time you eat an organic fruit or vegetable instead of a conventional one, you are signaling to your body that you are ready to detoxify. Detoxification begins with that first bite of organic food, and the more you substitute organics for conventional foods in your day, the more your body responds. You can change your diet to make healthier choices, but if your changes include detoxifying your body, you can surpass your original goals and enjoy an even more potent level of health.

These unique women and their group of fellow travelers already have an energy that you don’t see every day. We look forward to working with them more and more.

Monday Morning Kitten Blogging

2006-10-16T13:50:00.000-05:00

Merlin tries one last time to hide from Jack Frost

MILK IN GLASS BOTTLES! HOORAY!!

2006-10-13T14:55:00.001-05:00

IT’S FINALLY HERE!!

MILK IN GLASS BOTTLES

After much waiting and working with one of our dairies, Lamer’s, we are pleased and proud to announce the launch of Organic Milk and Hormone and Antibiotic-Free Milk and Orange Juice in Glass Bottles!!

Why all the fuss, you may ask?? Well, aside from the fact that the milk just tastes better and using glass is better for the environment, Timber Creek Farms is one of a small handful of companies in our delivery area able to bring you the real deal right to your door. There are other, larger companies who can deliver milk in glass, but what kind of milk? In the past, another home delivery service who specializes in milk in glass bottles offered a clean product. They could certify that their milk contained no antibiotics and no synthetic growth hormones. Over time, that certification eroded into a promise, and now their milk is the same as all the rest.

Enter: Lamer’s in Wisconsin. Lamer’s provides Timber Creek with two lines of milk; Dairyland’s Best and Wisconsin Organics. Although not organic, Dairyland’s best is certified to have no synthetic growth hormones or antibiotics in it. And now it’s available in glass! We have their affidavit on file, and we’ll send you a copy for the asking. Wisconsin Organics’ milk is USDA Certified Organic, of course, and now it’s also available in glass, too! Really, what more could you ask for?

Timber Creek now has a complete Dairy Brochure listing all of our dairy options. Look for it on our website at www.tcforganics.net or ask for one in your next delivery.

Now I have my milk in glass and produce delivered together, and they’re on my doorstep once a week.

I only wish I knew about Timber Creek when my children were little………

*******

(**Important announcement: Lamer's has stopped carrying "Grass Point Farms" milk from grass-fed cows.**)

SPINACH -- SPINACH -- SPINACH

2006-09-19T16:22:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I spoke with the Director of the LaSalle County Health Department, an official with Lakeside Organics (where our spinach comes from) and checked the websites of the Center for Disease Control and ABC News.

What I found out was that Illinois was at that moment reporting its first case of E. coli. I also found out that the company found to have produced the contaminated spinach was Natural Selections, LLC in California. It just so happens that this company has a “commercial side” and an “organic side”. This does NOT mean that products are co-mingled; in fact, it means quite the opposite. Organic products cannot be processed at commercial facilities. The commercial side of Natural Selections is the place that the contaminated spinach originated from. The organic side, named “Earthbound Organics” has been cleared of any suspicion.

The spinach the Timber Creek delivers to you is from Lakeside Organics – also in California. I spoke with them and asked them if the FDA or any other government agency had asked them to stop harvesting or to stop shipping their spinach. The said “NO”. So it appears that the government investigators have done their job, and the worry is over. The CDC isn’t quite that optimistic, however, so I have reproduced their latest announcement later in this post. And because the “all clear” has not been sounded by the government, Timber Creek has decided to pull all spinach from our deliveries until further notice.

What we know so far as of 9/18/06 from the Centers for Disease Control website:

As of 1 PM (ET) September 18, 2006, Monday, 114 persons infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported to CDC from 21 states.
Among the ill persons, 60 (53%) were hospitalized, 18 (16%) developed a type of kidney failure called hemolytic-uremic syndrome (HUS), and an adult in Wisconsin died. Eighty-five (75%) were female and 6 (5%) were children under 5 years old. Among ill persons who provided the date when their illnesses began, 92% became ill between August 19 and September 5.

The states that have reported cases are California (1 case), Connecticut (2), Idaho (4), Illinois (1), Indiana (8), Kentucky (6), Maine (2), Michigan (4), Minnesota (2), Nebraska (1), New Mexico (5), Nevada (1), New York (7), Ohio (10), Oregon (5), Pennsylvania (4), Utah (15), Virginia (1), Washington (2), Wisconsin (32), and Wyoming (1).

CDC Advice for Consumers

The following is advice for consumers about this outbreak:
• Currently, we are advising consumers to not eat any fresh spinach or salad blends containing fresh spinach that are consumed raw.

• E. coli O157:H7 in spinach can be killed by cooking at 160° Fahrenheit for 15 seconds. (Water boils at 212° Fahrenheit.) If spinach is cooked in a frying pan, and all parts do not reach 160° Fahrenheit, all bacteria may not be killed. If consumers choose to cook the spinach, they should not allow the raw spinach to contaminate other foods and food contact surfaces, and they should wash hands, utensils, and surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after handling the spinach.

• Persons who develop diarrhea after consuming fresh spinach or salad blends containing fresh spinach are urged to contact their health care provider and ask that their stool specimen be tested for E. coli O157.

• Persons who ate fresh spinach or salad blends and feel well do not need to see a health-care provider.

Milk

2006-09-07T14:43:00.001-05:00

Did you know that Timber Creek Farms sells two kinds of milk? They’re not all the same, and Members buy them for different reasons; so let’s take a closer look at each of them...and before we begin, let me point out that ALL of our milks can be frozen for later use!

The first milk in our Dairy Brochure is Dairyland’s Best.

Dairyland’s best is not organic, but the cattle that provide the milk are vegetarians. In fact all cattle associated with TCF products (including beef) are vegetarians, and that’s important because by only eating grains, legumes and grasses there’s no possibility of transmitting Mad Cow Disease through the herd or into the final products. One thing that Dairyland’s Best can certify is that there are no antibiotics or synthetic hormones given to the cattle. Dairyland’s Best is the ONLY large dairy in the Midwest that can make that claim! The milk comes in gallons and half pints (for the kids), and you can get Skim, 1%, 2% or Whole. They also provide us with our Half and Half which comes in ½ gallons or pints, and our Whipping Cream which comes in ½ gallons and ½ pints. Dairyland’s Best also offers ½ gallons of Orange Juice made from purified water.

The second milk in our Dairy Brochure is Wisconsin Organics.

Like it says in the title, it’s USDA Certified Organic. It’s also homogenized. That means that the fats in the milk have been evenly distributed throughout the liquid of the milk and will never separate. Just like regular milk in the store. Wisconsin Organics offers Skim, 2% or Whole in half gallons and gallons. This dairy also supplies us with our Organic Butter and cheese.

Timber Creek also offers a whole line of cheeses including the Specialty Line from Sugar River Cheese Company. Their flavors include: White Cheddar with Chipotle, or with Roasted Garlic and Green Onion; Monetery Jack with Roasted Garlic and Basil or with Jalapeno and Cilantro; or Prairie Jack with Parsley and Chive or with Green Peppercorns. We also carry soy milks, cottage cheesse and sour cream from Organic Valley, so be sure to check them out!

******

(**Important Announcement: Lamer's Dairy no longer carries milk from Grass Point Farms**)

The Cookbook Box

2006-08-11T14:30:00.000-05:00

You know that every time you browse through the Timber Creek brochure you see that "Cook-book Box" on page 16. And you know you think it would be cool to order, but you just don't know how it works...

Well, I'm happy to explain it to you.

First of all, what kind of cook are you? If you suddenly realize that it's almost dinnertime and you haven't given it a thought all day, there are 3 possible responses: Panic; order something; or put a pan on the stove, add some butter or olive oil and then start going through the fridge to find out what dinner is going to be.

Well, it's the third category of cook that would enjoy The Cookbook Box. It's for the experienced cook who is very comfortable in the kitchen, and likes a little bit of a challenge.

This is what you get: NOT recepie cards, but a beautiful, full-color, coffee-table type cookbook to whet your appetite. Then, Tony shops for you using produce items in the book that appear frequently throughout. For example, once he sent out a gorgeous cookbook of Greek cuisine. The box that was delivered with it had artichokes, eggplant, garlic, figs, basil, lemons, fennel and so on. When our Member received the box, she would go to the back of the book -- in the index -- and look up a given item such as eggplant. There were quite a few recepies, and then all she had to do was choose which one she wanted to make, and proceed. Other ingredients for that recepie may have also been delivered, so trips to the store are not always necessary. It really depends upon what's in your pantry, what you might be able to substitute, and which of the recepies your family would enjoy. Since we really don't know which recepies those might be, we give you the basics to choose which ones you'd like to try.

It's a popular box, but not for the faint of heart. If you have ever ordered a Cookbook Box, I welcome your feedback. Feel free to post a comment here.

Saturday Morning Kitten Blogging

2006-07-29T08:05:00.000-05:00

Piquad posing as an herb...with that look on her face!

Kitchen Tools

2006-07-24T13:45:00.000-05:00

Ever since I started doing Moo Cluckety-Cluck Parties for TCF, I've been singing the praises of the OXO Salad Spinner. If you don't have one, you might consider buying one. I got mine at the local box store and this thing is the best spinner I've ever owned. It takes a half-head of romaine at a time and it's really good for cleaning radishes, spinach and other items that tend to keep dirt clinging to them. You can fill up the bowl with the basket inside, swish and brush till they're clean, then dump the water in the sink (or on your plants) and spin them out.

The other thing I just recently bought and really love is a Jack LaLanne Juicer. I've never been into juicing, so it was an out of character purchase for me. On the other hand, I've wanted to get into juicing -- especially for lunch -- because I never seem to have time nor the inclination to prepare anything, and then by dinnertime, I'm famished. (Did I mention I work at home?) My son bought this juicer recently and said, "Mom, it's like having a power tool in the kitchen". He also said it had no problem with carrots. See, I think if you're going to juice, you're probably going to do a lot of carrots, and a juicer has to be able to stand up to that.

So -- my first juicing experience was: 1 ripe mango, 10 strawberries and 3 carrots.

It was HEAVEN!

My next juicing experience was: 15 bing cherries, 4 carrots and a 2" piece of ginger.

Again -- FANTASTIC!!

Tony has just developed 2 new juicing boxes for athletes: Juicing for Jocks ($43.48) and Juicing for Jockettes ($36.81). I ordered the Jockette Box -- not knowing what to expect. HOLY COW I'm going to have a BLAST juicing. I got about 6 pounds of huge carrots, a pineapple, a bag of red delicious apples, at least 3 pounds of baby spinach, a cucumber, 6 oranges, a head of romaine and a head of red leaf lettuce (...I know there was more in there, but I had the juicer running as I was putting things away!)

In our house, we're not big fruit eaters. We love fruit (especially TCFs) but we just dont eat a lot of it. Now I can see we may be running low by the end of the week...due to heavy juicing action. And something strange is happening....

We just got two kittens. I'm really allergic to them, but we live out in the country, and the word has gotten out amongst the chipmunks, squirrels, birds, 13-stripe squirrels, ground hogs, moles and so forth, that our older cat, Spike, passed away. We're overrun with critters!! So we got the kittens as a deterrent. The problem is, while I'm petting them and playing with them, I'm suffering. I've got the usual itchy eyes, runny nose and now a burning sensation in my chest. Well, it's kinda of strange, but my symptoms are going away. I'm still playing with the kittens, and I'm still juicing, but I'm not suffering. I can't say that juicing is fixing my allergies....or can I?

PS: can you spot the kitten checking out the pond?

Summer Parties

2006-07-22T10:34:00.001-05:00

Summertime is far from over and so summertime parties are far from over, too. I found that there is an even easier way to prepare munchies for the event than buying a veggie and dip tray at the grocery store:

Enter: The Raw Vegetable Box meets The Chop Chop Chef

Every time I get the Raw Vegetable Box, it's a HUGE amount of veggies that are great with dip! (you can cook them all, too, but that's another post.) Have the Chop Chop Chef cut them all up for you, and all you need to do is make a dip: how about:

2 C Mayo
2 Tb. Tamari or Soy Sauce
you can even add
1/2 tsp. hot sauce

When your delivery arrives, you just arrange the vegs on a tray and add the dip. It's just too simple.

This is my vegetarian granddaughter, Shiloh, who hails from Kodiak, Alaska -- and fresh veggies are her favorite!! She brought them to school on her birthday instead of cake (!!) There was some doubt that the kids would even try anything, but low and behold -- THEY ATE EVERYTHING! (they sure do make them smart in Kindergarten. =)

Saturn Peaches

2006-07-22T08:31:00.001-05:00

Did you get those little squashed peaches in your delivery this week? Aren't they strange looking? But have you tasted one? If they're hard, just let them sit out a couple of days. Check them often, because once they're ready -- they're ready! These little gems are the SWEETEST, PEACHIEST peaches you'll ever eat. They have a teeny-tiny pit inside, so they're great for juicing -- but it's difficult to keep them from going straight into your mouth. HOWEVER....the other night I was in the mood for a little cocktail. My latest fave is a Mojito -- and I had an idea: I took 6 large mint leaves (minced) and one sliced Saturn Peach and put them into the bottom of a waterglass. Then I added 2 Tb. of sugar, and using the back of a tablespoon, I ground the ingredients together. Then I added a little club soda and mixed it all up...added 2 shots of light spiced rum, ice cubes and enough soda water to fill the glass....gave it a little stir and WOW !!

*D\|Angel Hair Pasta WW 16oz, Each	2.99
	*D\|Brussel Sprout, Pound	3.59
	*D\|Chicken Thigh Skinles Boneless, Pound	6.99
	*D\|Cippoline Onions if Available, Bunch	4.99
	*D\|Extra Virgin Olive Oil 12.7oz, Each	12.29
	*D\|Garlic Bulb, Each	.60
	*D\|Kosher Salt, Each	2.79
	*D\|Pork Shoulder Steaks, Pound	7.99
	*D\|Purple Cauliflower if Available, Each	3.59
	*D\|Sirloin Steak, Pound	9.99
	*D\|Z AND WINTER STIR FRY PODCAST LIST ENDS HERE.	.01
	Z\|PODCAST KITCHEN TOYZ USED BY RITA:	.01
	*Z\|Garlic Peeler, Each	3.39
	*Z\|Squeeze Bottle 8oz, Each	.99
	*Z\|Squeeze Bottle 12oz, Each	1.49
	*Z\|Squeeze Bottle 24oz, Each