Holiday Greetings from Seattle

I'm sitting in a Starbucks at Pioneer Square in Seattle. I’m looking out the huge windows onto First Ave. and it’s packed with 6 or so inches of snow. The snow is absolutely beautiful but because of all the snow it has shut the city down. The streets are full of people and while I was walking I passed a guy cross country skiing! - Which I thought was a bit over the top, but it is Seattle. When I attempted to go to downtown Seattle yesterday, I walked a mile to the bus stop where I waited one and a half hours for a bus that never came. I walked back home in the freezing weather. After I played blissfully in the snow I decided to make Orange Cranberry Totties. The snow has reached almost eight inches at my parents place in South Seattle. More snow is expected and I’ve heard this is the worst snow storm in twelve years. Lucky me! Thank god I made it when I did!

My plan today is to hit up the Pike Place Market to pick up some salmon and crab for tonight’s dinner. I’m going to the fish bar for lunch and get a halibut sandwich. After my lunch I am going to head over to Uwajimaya Market and get lost in the most fantastic food market in the city!

Christmas is coming up fast and I want to share my Tottie recipe with you for a little warm holiday cheer! This is a great beverage served just like it is or with a splash of your favorite libation!

Wishing all my Oklahoma friends a Wonderful, Warm and Loving Holiday Season! Even though I am 2026.33 miles away, my heart is right there in Oklahoma with you!






Orange and Cranberry Hot Tottie
1 lb Fresh Cranberries
4 ea Satsuma or Tangerines Pealed (discard peal)
½ cup Honey
1teapoon Nutmeg
2 ea Cinnamon sticks
½ gallon Water

In a large sauce pot combine all ingredients and slowly bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until cranberries become very soft (15 minutes) strain into another pot to keep warm on your stove. Yum. If you so choose you can also add a splash of your favorite whiskey, rum, or brandy just to thaw the ice off your family ;) (use as needed)

How ‘bout…

A BIG hello from winter!

I have written a little poem in honor of my Carhartt overalls:

Winter may bring wind, snow and rain,
Freezing mornings, evenings of ice and even freezing rain.
Cold chills up and down the prairie grass fields,
And little chickens and goats huddle up behind the barn shields.
But lucky for me I frolic as I wish,
Bringing good cheer putting hay and feed in their dish.
I Take care of my babies like a good mother,
I can stay out for hours and feel cozy all over.
Bringing out buckets of water, and loading wood in my two wheel cart,
I do what I need happily, as long as I have on my trusty Carhartts

That’s all I have so far, but I must say the amount of gratitude I have for my Carhartts is humongous!

What I need when I come out of the cold is food that will warm me to the bone and make me feel good inside and out. Here are two recipes that…. If I don’t say so myself, KICK BUTT!
Chicken and herbed dumplings are wonderful, not to mention very easy and fast. The Cornish game hens with sweet potatoes are fabulous! From start to finish it only takes 45 minutes max - that included me checking the computer regularly for weather updates!

I just know you’ll enjoy these!
So please, stay warm, safe, and go outside and play!

Chicken and Herbed Dumplings

1 pound boneless, skinless, chicken breast, cut into large cubes
2 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons olive or canola oil
8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 ribs of celery, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 red potatoes, diced small (not peeled)
3 ½ cups low-sodium chicken stock
2/3 cup dry sherry (not cooking wine from the grocery store)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry rubbed sage
⅛ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven 425º. Toss the chicken in the flour coating well. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large cast iron skillet. Brown chicken, add the mushrooms, onion, celery and carrots cooking on medium high carefully scraping bottom of pan; add the herbs, spices, and salt; mix well. Add the sherry and chicken stock. Let this come to a heavy simmer while making the dumpling mix.

1 cup flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup corn meal
1 tablespoon baking powder
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
2 green onions, sliced very thin.

Mix the flour, corn meal, baking powder, and herbs together. Add the oil and mix until crumbly; add the chicken stock making a batter. With a spoon, drop batter into the hot chicken mixture. (about 12 dumplings) place chicken and dumplings in the oven for 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Serves: 5 Calories: 450 Protein: 32g Carbohydrates: 50g Total fat: 12g
Saturated fat: 2.5g Cholesterol: 55mg Fiber: 6g Sodium: 490mg Total time 45 minutes.

Seretean Wellness Center at Oklahoma State University

Chef: Lisa Becklund

Roasted Cornish Game Hens with Sweet Potatoes

2 Cornish game hens, cut in half and skin removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
3 carrots peeled and sliced on the bias
½ pound green beans, cleaned and stemmed
2/3 cup dry sherry (not cooking wine from the grocery store)
1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon black pepper

Toss the game hens in the following marinade while preparing the vegetables:
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon dill
2 teaspoons olive oil

In large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil; add the hens and sear briefly to brown. Remove hens from skillet; add the vegetables, the garlic, salt and pepper. Mix the spices evenly with the vegetables. Add the sherry and stock to the vegetables; next place the hens on top of the vegetables. Bake at 400⁰ for 20 minutes.
Serves: 4 Calories: 330 Protein: 18g Carbohydrates: 31g Total fat: 12g
Saturated fat: 2g Cholesterol: 65mg Fiber: 6g Sodium: 170mg

Seretean Wellness Center at Oklahoma State University
Chef: Lisa Becklund

The Cast Iron Pan

It’s been cloudy days with some sleet, snow, and ice in the forecast. It’s also the anniversary of the ice storm which thankfully for me left Stillwater virtually untouched. During that time the Seretean Wellness Center became my refuge, a place for a hot shower and a place where the sense of community touched us all. I was without power at the farm for 11 days, but luckily with a great stove and lots of wood to burn I stayed warm and even cooked several excellent meals on the top of my wood burning stove. What I came to appreciate was the simplicity of ingredients I used and the limited amount of dishes I would dirty because running water had become a valuable resource I didn’t have the luxury of taking for granted. My cast iron pan and I bonded very deeply and I came to love and honor that pan like it was a religious deity. This week’s recipe I honor my cast Iron pan by sharing with you some one-pan wonders. Even if you are able to use electricity I’m sure it will still taste wonderful and get in the mood to at least eat by candle light.

Five-Star Lentil Chili

1 tablespoon vegetable oil (canola or light olive)
1 large onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic, peeled
3 ribs celery, quartered
2 carrots, peeled and quartered
1 eggplant, peeled and diced small
1 cup lentils
½ cup brown rice
1 -28 ounce can tomatoes, crushed
1 tablespoon chili pepper flakes (or to taste)
2 tablespoons chili powder (or to taste)
4 cups water

In a food processor with the blade attachment, combine onion, carrots, celery and garlic and chop until quite fine but not liquefied. You can also finely dice by hand if you don’t have a food processor. Dice the eggplant by hand in small dice and set aside

In large sauce pot or cast iron skillet, heat oil; add the chopped vegetables, including the eggplant and brown well. Add the chili powder, chili flakes, and salt. Let cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently.

Add the crushed tomatoes, water, lentils and brown rice. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Turn heat to medium and simmer for about an hour or until lentils and rice are tender.

Serves 6. Calories: 260 Protein: 13 g Carbohydrates: 48 g Total fat: 4 g
Saturated fat: 0.5 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Fiber: 16 g Sodium: 140 mg

Green Chile Cornsticks

¾ cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
¼ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup low-fat milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces frozen corn, thawed
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained

Preheat oven to 400º. Coat cast-iron cornstick pans heavily with cooking spray; place in oven for 10 minutes. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt; make a well in the center. Combine milk, oil, and egg; add to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in corn and green chiles.

Spoon batter evenly into preheated pans. Bake at 400º for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove cornsticks from pans immediately; serve warm.

*This batter can also be made into muffins.

Yield: 14 -16 Calories: 100 Protein: 2 g Carbohydrate: 16 g Total fat: 3 g
Saturated fat: .5 g Cholesterol: 15 mg Fiber: 1 g Sodium: 150 mg

Welcome to Cowboy Bites!

After a fabulous Thanksgiving of perfect weather it looks like winter is gracefully showing herself with the promise of very cold nights and some possible wet and cold days. What a perfect time to dust off those pots and pans and that crock pot that has been tucked away neatly for the past eight years or so. It’s time to explore some new and exciting recipes!

On that note a WELCOME is in order!

This blog is designed to help you do just that, I (Chef Lisa) will be creating healthy and quick recipes designed for overcoming the weeknight “what’s-for-dinner” blues. All of my recipes are carefully analyzed by our Seretean Wellness Center dietitian, Elizabeth Lohrman and her wonderful staff ensuring you get just what you need; delicious and nutrient dense food that will make you want to get up do a little dance after dinner (I’ll be two stepping thank you very much!).

Check in with us once a week to receive the latest and greatest in recipes, Kitchen Tips, “Green” Tips. Sign up as a follower and please leave your comments! Let us know you are out there and part of our community of good eating in the blog-sphere of COWBOY BITES!

Brrrrrrr!

November is here! Aside from being 70 degrees today the rest of the week promises to be COLD! Saturday the nighttime temps will drop into the upper 20's, yikes! But if you're like me you look at this as another cooking opportunity. This time, Soups!!!

This cold winter-like weather has me in denial so I've started working on the spring cooking demos for the Seretean Wellness Center. I'm thinking about the farmers' market already! I know I'm a sad case, someone help me!

Recipes of the Week

All About SOUPS!

Soup #1
Chard Soup with Lemon and Parmesan Croutons

Chard Soup
1 bunch chard, chopped or spinach cleaned and drained
1 Tablespoon light olive oil
1 medium onion diced small
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 ribs celery, diced small
1 large Russet potato, peeled and diced
1 zest and Juice of one lemon
6 cups water or vegetable stock
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
½ teaspoon pepper
In medium soup pot, heat oil. Add onions, garlic and celery, and cook until tender. Add the chard or spinach and cook until wilted. Add potato, water and salt. Let come to a gentle simmer until potatoes are tender. Add lemon juice, zest and thyme. Simmer for an additional 10-15 minutes. Add the pepper at the end.
Served with a garlic crouton on top

Parmesan Croutons
6 -1 inch thick slices of rustic French bread
6 teaspoons Olive oil
6 teaspoons parmesan cheese

Brush each piece of bread lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and toast in the oven until golden brown.

Serves: 6 Calories: 210 Protein: 5g Carbohydrates: 29g
Total fat: 9g Saturated fat: 0g Cholesterol: 0mg Fiber: 2g Sodium: 430 mg

Soup #2
Butternut Soup with Coconut and Curry served with Apple Slaw

Butternut Soup with Coconut Curry
1 small butternut squash
1 Tablespoon light olive oil
1 small onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and diced
8 cups cool water
1 can light coconut milk
2 Tablespoons curry powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon per serving of Apple Slaw

In a large sauce pot heat oil and sauté onions until tender, add carrots, garlic, squash and curry powder. Let cook, stirring until curry begins to stick on the bottom of the pot. Add the coconut, milk, water, and salt. Let simmer until all the vegetables are fork tender and can be easily mashed.

Turn heat off and let soup rest for about 10 minutes. Puree soup using a hand held or kitchen blender until smooth and silky.

Apple Slaw
1 apple
2 teaspoons fine minced red onion
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Pinch of salt
1 Tablespoon honey

Shred apple using a hand held cheese grater or food processor. Combine all the above ingredients and mix well. Serve 1 Tablespoon of the slaw in the center of the soup.

Serves 6 Calories: 160 Protein: 2 g Carbohydrates: 28 g
Fat: 5g Saturated fat: 2.5 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Fiber: 6 g Sodium: 210 mg

Fall is Here!

Monday night was the first freeze of the season here at the farm. I spent the day making sure my cold frames of lettuce, spinach and beets would be protected and I picked all I could of the last green tomatoes off the vine. Winter is coming fast and the leaves on the trees have now only just begun to make their transition from greens to browns, reds and yellows, mustard and pinks. I love Oklahoma!

Well, I thought I better take advantage of all the fall recipes. I have come to love pumpkin bread with pear compote or roasted butternut squash with candied pecans, so Monday evening I did a little baking. While I was waiting for my pumpkin bread to bake I went outside to inspect the cold night. (I like to do a little walkabout in the evening after the sun has made a complete exit from the day.) The stars were so bright it seemed ridiculous. The air was crisp and the chickens were snuggled up tight against each other in their hen house. All was well. What was even better was the aroma of the baking pumpkin bread in the oven. The warm smells of cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom found its way outside.

My grandmother used to use cardamom like crazy and it was a long time after she passed before I was able to appreciate its unique flavor again. I love it in this bread and I can’t help to have intense memories of my grandmother cooking and the smells of fermenting cabbage in the barrel. Halloween is upon us, hopefully the weather will hold out. There is a chance for thunderstorms. I’ll let the goats know.

Recipes of the Week

Pumpkin Espresso Bread with Pear Compote

Makes 2 loaves/ 32 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup Canola oil
2 ½ cups sugar
4 eggs
I teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup Espresso or very strong coffee
1 teaspoon Ginger
1 tablespoon Cinnamon
½ teaspoon Nutmeg
½ teaspoon Cardamom
¼ teaspoon Black pepper
3 cups flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 15 oz can pumpkin
1 cup walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. In an electric mixer beat the oil and the sugar together. Add eggs one at a time, add vanilla. Beat well. Add the coffee. Combine the dry mixture together (flour, spices). Add one cup at a time to the sugar/egg mixture, add pumpkin and walnuts and mix well. Pour into 2 lightly oiled bread pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack for at least one hour

Hint: If you are in a hurry you can also bake this on a lightly oiled cookie sheet bake for only 30 minutes.

Serves: 32 Calories: 230 Protein: 3g Carbohydrates: 33g Total fat: 10g saturated fat: 1g Cholesterol: 25mg Fiber: 2g Sodium: 10mg

Pear Compote

4 pears, peeled, cored and diced
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup water
1 juice of lemon
In a small sauce pan add all ingredients and slowly simmer until pears are tender

Kitchen Tip

Keeping Food Fresh –FIFO
There is a term frequently used in restaurants to remind workers of the importance of keeping foods fresh. It’s called “FIFO” first in -first out. Using this system, of course, preserves food quality and safety but also saves money. If you are anything like me you spend time once every few months tossing out the “science projects” that have accumulated in the fridge. Restaurants found out a long time ago those things we throw away cost us our hard earned money, not to mention our time.

My solution is this: First, plan a menu for the week using what is in your fridge already. Second, try to incorporate left-over's in the first two days. Third, make smaller quantities and cross utilize products. (Meaning, if I have a recipe that calls for 2 ribs of celery. Find a couple more recipes that can use some of the same ingredients like a soup that can be frozen.)

Little changes can make a huge difference.

Journal entry 6:00 am.

It's 50 degrees in this old farm house I live in, but it is probably 10 degrees warmer outside. What to do? Make a fire in the stove, the first fire of the season or open the windows (thank goodness for logic)? A fire it is!

Even though it's 6 am I’m thinking about what I’m going to eat for dinner. I’m craving fresh baked bread and a hearty soup. A bread warm out of the oven with rosemary, garlic and feta cheese baked in, something I can cuddle up with and get warm. I am also thinking of a hot, rich, brothy soup packed with vegetables that I could swim in. I need something that will be quick and easy but delicious enough to fill my craving and be substantial enough for dinner. I’ve got it!

Recipes of the Week

Hearty Vegetable soup -Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon of cumin
1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon rosemary
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, sliced thin
2 red potatoes, diced
1 sweet potato, peeled and diced
12 ounce can of diced tomatoes
16 oz chicken or vegetable stock

In a medium pot, heat olive oil. Add onions and cook on medium until onions begin to turn golden brown, add the spices and the garlic. Let this cook until you can start smelling the garlic and the spices. What’s happening is the oil from the spices are staring to activate, this will give a better flavor than if you just added in later. Tricky! Add all of your vegetables, the can of diced tomatoes and the stock. Cook on medium high a nice simmer but try not to boil. Cover and let cook for about 20 minutes. The potatoes should be soft by then. Also, this is a great soup to freeze!

Simple Mini loaf with rosemary and garlic
Prep time is about 10 min, total rising time 45 minutes baking 15 minutes
1 ½ teaspoon active dry yeast
½ teaspoon honey
¾ cup warm water
In a small bowl combine and let yeast “bloom” (this means get foamy, it usually takes about 10 minutes). While you are waiting for the yeast mixture to bloom, in a large mixing bowl add:
½ cup whole wheat flour
2 cups all purpose flour
1/8 cup olive oil
1/8 red wine (the one you are drinking….yes pour it in!)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 Tablespoons chopped feta cheese

After the yeast has done its thing add it to the flour mixture, combine first with a spatula or wooden spoon and use your hands to work the dough. Dump it out onto a clean work surface so you can really get into it. The end result you are looking for is a smooth, soft as a baby’s butt, perfect little ball. Really this takes about 2-3 minutes of wrist forearm work out. (it all counts, OK!) After you have this perfect little dough ball, place it in a bowl that you have “kissed” with olive oil. (this means the oil is rubbed on the bowl preventing the rising dough to stick). Now the dough is in the bowl, rising in a warm place and you are free to do something else for about 30 minutes.

Kitchen tip of the week

Mise en Place {MEEZ ahn plahs}
is a French culinary term meaning "everything in its place".

For busy people, cooking can become a challenge and often a second thought, but too many nights out to eat end up being hard on the body as well as the pocket book. The term "Mise en place" is what culinary students are taught in their first semester of cooking school. It means "everything in its place". It’s one of the first things students are asked to commit to. Cooking meals at home can be made a lot easier by using this simple term. There are two things to consider; one is gathering all your ingredients for the recipe you are going to make. The second is an organized kitchen, they both go hand in hand when it comes to making meal time a more enjoyable task.

I always recommend that even in the smallest of kitchens, counter space is made clear and one large area dedicated completely to cutting and chopping with no obstacles in the way. Unless you bake on a regular basis, find a place in your cupboard for those ol’ flour and sugar canisters. All knick, knacks need to go too. In my opinion there is nothing worse than a cute kitchen that you can’t cook in. Even the smallest kitchen can be the center of the home with these easy suggestions.