tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post254796562923470677..comments2024-03-29T04:09:19.120-04:00Comments on ben and birdy: Be(et) My ValentineBenBirdy1http://www.blogger.com/profile/13328557199418095755noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-80076752553351077042012-06-05T07:03:39.936-04:002012-06-05T07:03:39.936-04:00I "rediscovered" beets this year, and re...I "rediscovered" beets this year, and rediscovered you, too (thru Whole Living) after you disappeared from BabyCenter (I know, I know...)<br />My beet board might (p)interest you http://pinterest.com/haveda/rediscovering-beets/Havedanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-75458240687800130582012-02-13T20:29:02.356-05:002012-02-13T20:29:02.356-05:00Spent years cooking professionally, but there'...Spent years cooking professionally, but there's a certain intensity to a restaurant kitchen that brings out an unnecessarily angry side of my personality. And I really prefer to be a nicer person. So now I just cook for friends and loved ones. There's something about the kind of cooking/eating/recipes that Catherine posts that is really inspiring - fresh, healthy, delicious, lots of love. It's what cooking should always be.Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09924374508370217145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-66351226609637702912012-02-09T23:12:26.567-05:002012-02-09T23:12:26.567-05:00Thanks Cheryl! I am thinking you are a chef, no?Thanks Cheryl! I am thinking you are a chef, no?Erin Macfarlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02876330986382508644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-54320148665450600332012-02-08T20:50:37.385-05:002012-02-08T20:50:37.385-05:00Try blanching or steaming the potatoes just until ...Try blanching or steaming the potatoes just until they are cooked through, but not soft. They will weep some water if you don't let them air dry before putting them in the refrigerator, but they will still be fine when you finish cooking them. (A good way to get them nice and dry is to leave them in the strainer and then put it back into the hot, dry pan that they were cooked in.)<br /><br />You can toss them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and roast them at a really high temperature and get a decent crust on them (if they're dry enough to start with). You can also reheat or resteam them with butter, s/p, and herbs; or toss them into stews and soups; or resteam them and smash them. I use this trick all the time. It works for all of your root vegetabls and carrots. The trick is not cooking them too far in the beginning.Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09924374508370217145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-51472677020783270432012-02-08T20:47:44.513-05:002012-02-08T20:47:44.513-05:00Okay, Catherine, why do I love, for you, that you ...Okay, Catherine, why do I love, for you, that you have a reader in Uruguay?!! It never ceases to amaze me, oh, right, people from NOT just in USA can read blogs, hullo! Hooray for fans of wonderful Catherine all around the globe! xoxo (from 2kidslife)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-72426624908968091952012-02-08T10:57:34.906-05:002012-02-08T10:57:34.906-05:00Adriana: I loved this "turn plain cornmeal in...Adriana: I loved this "turn plain cornmeal into: "princess cornmeal" (clap, clap)"BenBirdy1https://www.blogger.com/profile/13328557199418095755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-4234047065088743082012-02-08T10:56:21.281-05:002012-02-08T10:56:21.281-05:00AnnRKey (love your name): whale breast-implant tur...AnnRKey (love your name): whale breast-implant turnips! I hear you. I dice the turnips, saute them in butter, then add a splash of water, soy, and seasoned rice vinegar and cook them with a lid until they're tender, adding more water if I need to. Ultimately you should have turnips that are cooked through and kind of glazed. Report back!BenBirdy1https://www.blogger.com/profile/13328557199418095755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-9365614251484749752012-02-08T10:54:43.420-05:002012-02-08T10:54:43.420-05:00Elizabeth, you maybe are missing the attraction, y...Elizabeth, you maybe are missing the attraction, yes. Because they are kind of leftovery, so you have to get in a loving-leftovers frame of mind. But also, it's lovely to warm pre-roasted veggies and drizzle them with a vinaigrette, sprinkle some herbs. That always feels very Italian to me!BenBirdy1https://www.blogger.com/profile/13328557199418095755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-10365695153127851242012-02-08T10:53:19.755-05:002012-02-08T10:53:19.755-05:00Cheryl, that recipe sounds INSANE! Thank you. I wi...Cheryl, that recipe sounds INSANE! Thank you. I will make it and report back.BenBirdy1https://www.blogger.com/profile/13328557199418095755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-20972606933446859192012-02-08T10:52:40.943-05:002012-02-08T10:52:40.943-05:00Erin, yes, potatoes are an exception. I don't ...Erin, yes, potatoes are an exception. I don't love leftover potatoes, unless they're mashed. I will look into this.BenBirdy1https://www.blogger.com/profile/13328557199418095755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-54273284226310961052012-02-03T20:56:21.379-05:002012-02-03T20:56:21.379-05:00been making (and loving) your pickled beets since ...been making (and loving) your pickled beets since you originally posted that recipe. but with sour cream and horseradish? You, madame, are a GENIUS!dale in denvernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-66311332910717062262012-02-03T12:40:06.685-05:002012-02-03T12:40:06.685-05:00I seriously laughed so hard at "daikon that d...I seriously laughed so hard at "daikon that dwarfs a whale’s dildo" that people came to see if I was okay.<br /><br />Thank you, i totally needed that today.Mamalanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00200657325831762553noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-88119453102257543302012-02-03T08:06:00.385-05:002012-02-03T08:06:00.385-05:00Beet! (That´s actually the word for "remolach...Beet! (That´s actually the word for "remolacha", thaks a lot for posting pictures). This is such an every day vegetable here in Uruguay (look south in South America, ok, a little more, there you are!). But we only boil them, I will surely try all these. Even though I´ve used them to turn plain cornmeal into: "princess cornmeal" (clap, clap)Just use a fine grater to grate the boiled beet and mixe it with the cornmeal, ja, ja. So much for this blogg, ja.<br />Cheers<br /><br />AdrianaAdriananoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-24596614308129033462012-02-02T21:37:27.231-05:002012-02-02T21:37:27.231-05:00Every Year! I don't even like beets, really, b...Every Year! I don't even like beets, really, but they are so gorgeous and pink and luscious in your photos and YOU love them so much that I think this year it will be different. One year I made a huge pot of borscht and ate it myself for at least a week because no one else cared how Valentiney it was, and I have never had borscht since. Now, I think I have to try beets again. I can't help it.Charity Hawkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00230228062151762222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-23315847402577062122012-02-02T13:50:56.651-05:002012-02-02T13:50:56.651-05:00I am seven weeks pregnant, and the delight of morn...I am seven weeks pregnant, and the delight of morning (and all the rest of the day) sickness is in full swing. I keep thinking of when you were pregnant with Birdy, and your comment about your neighbors having set an entire cow on fire, hehehe. Pickled beets sound oddly wonderful right now, though. And that salad is quite lovely.Sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15175574184082527493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-10506209565174227452012-02-02T12:24:23.693-05:002012-02-02T12:24:23.693-05:00Beets! I love them, but sadly I think I'm the ...Beets! I love them, but sadly I think I'm the only one in my family who does. Ah well, I have three sitting in the fridge and will promptly bake them up. My husband floated that idea of cooking up all the veggies straight away and, I'll admit, I laughed it off. Now that you suggest, though, maybe I'll give it a try!<br /><br />Oh, and the whale's dildo bit ... hilarious!Amy3noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-37500193191282043662012-02-02T12:00:23.251-05:002012-02-02T12:00:23.251-05:00When I read, "daikon that dwarfs a whale’s di...When I read, "daikon that dwarfs a whale’s dildo," I literally snorted Diet Pepsi through my nose and all over my computer monitor. Thank you! I needed that! :)ABanksnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-43596941039585624302012-02-02T09:24:56.839-05:002012-02-02T09:24:56.839-05:00Beat my Valentine- not bad advice on dealing with ...Beat my Valentine- not bad advice on dealing with a moody ass husband...and so timely! Oh wait. That was BEET my Valentine. Also good. Where can I get one of those enormous storage behemoths you speak of?Lauren A.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01385221893595410341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-18864050230233672562012-02-02T00:10:26.076-05:002012-02-02T00:10:26.076-05:00I'm all about cooking all the veg at once. Th...I'm all about cooking all the veg at once. Then at lunchtime when I decide I'd like some squash fries or roasted beets, I don't have to wait an hour to eat. Or if I'm making scrambled eggs and want to add some potatoes, they're already cooked and I can add them at the end.<br /><br />Catherine, I'd love a recipe for the braised turnips with butter and soy sauce. I've got two CSA turnips the size of whale breast implants that I don't know what to do with.AnnRKeynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-63461978588671632952012-02-01T21:30:20.573-05:002012-02-01T21:30:20.573-05:00I hope the Beet Council is looking for a good spok...I hope the Beet Council is looking for a good spokesperson, because you would WIN! I love your pickled beets recipe very much - why oh why does my CSA share not seem to have many this year? <br /><br />Question on the pre-cooking all your veggies thing: how do you store all of those things and do they not get soggy and weird quickly being pre-cooked? Maybe I'm a skeptic, but I tend to dislike eating "leftovers" more than I am intimidated by a fridge full of veggies. Am I missing the attraction?Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07927037010669310160noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-61374548384448243582012-02-01T20:30:10.659-05:002012-02-01T20:30:10.659-05:00I've made a tradition of entering the Scharffe...I've made a tradition of entering the Scharffenberger Chocolate Adventure contest every year - and although I've never won, we've ended up with a new family favorite recipe each year. Last year, beets were one of the "adventure ingredients" and since I share your dirty love of them, I played with them a lot. (yes, puns) I ended up making a Hazelnut-Orange Red Velvet Cupcake, with shredded beets instead of food coloring, a Hazelnut-Goat Cheese filling, and an Orange Blossom Buttercream Frosting. We get lots of requests - including a coworker who will babysit my toddlers in exchange for cupcakes.<br /><br />Anyways, you have to make Hazelnut-Orange Roasted Beets, which would add another level of dessert-y beetness to your pretty V-Day hearts. Scrub 1# of trimmed beets; put them in a small casserole or pyrex with 2 TBLE of sugar, the zest of 1 orange, and 1/2 a vanilla bean pod (it doesn't even need the seeds - just the leftover pod that you salvaged from another recipe). Add 2 TBLE of hazelnut oil and 1 TBLE of water. Cover with foil and slow roast at 300 degrees for about an hour. Let them cool and peel them. <br /><br />You will not believe how amazing your house will smell. And you will find yourself eating even more beets.Cherylhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09924374508370217145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-19349105494139045332012-02-01T19:35:13.970-05:002012-02-01T19:35:13.970-05:00and now I just realized I used than instead of the...and now I just realized I used than instead of then and I can't go back and edit....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-43320811359736725512012-02-01T19:33:43.803-05:002012-02-01T19:33:43.803-05:00I just lost it when I got to the daikon descriptio...I just lost it when I got to the daikon description. It's been a rough night with my little one having an allergic reaction from Ben & Jerry's, so I totally needed that laugh to release all this pent up worry (you know the kind of worry that you're afraid to stop because if you stop for a second than the whole world will fall apart?) So yeah, the daikon dildo comment made me drop my worry for a good 30 seconds & it seems we're all still here- so, thanks :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-2285216541028768062012-02-01T16:44:56.140-05:002012-02-01T16:44:56.140-05:00Lucky us, we get beans and flour (!) in our winter...Lucky us, we get beans and flour (!) in our winter CSA. Stupidly, I stored the giant bag of beautiful red potatoes we got in our last delivery in my canner, high up on a shelf, thinking that way they can't silently rot our other produce like so many times before. Then I take down the canner to actually can something, and the potatoes are there, sprouting and leaking, and smelling of the wet earth they are caked in. So sadly, they ended up in the trash. I just can't deal with all those potatoes and their starchiness, which my daughter loves, but which I loathe because they are part of the dreaded nightshade family, and therefore might give me *inflamation*!! No more storing veggies in the canner. I would love some suggestions about how to deal with potatoes in such a manner. I am thiking if I roast them right away they will just get soggy if I store them in the fridge after. Pickled potatoes?Erin Macfarlandhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02876330986382508644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31773345.post-75148422322591408442012-02-01T16:21:27.332-05:002012-02-01T16:21:27.332-05:00People are funny about beets, have you noticed? So...People are funny about beets, have you noticed? Sort of suspicious it seems, when really? Could there be a sweeter vegetable?<br /><br />We made and devoured the squash fries last night, which may be my all time fave recipe of yours (besides the zucchini dip, roasted tomato sauce, and birthday cake...)6512 and growinghttp://6512andgrowing.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.com