Chicken Fra Diavolo over Quinoa

I don't know if it was the imminent snow, but I was in the mood for some spice this week and decided to make my own version of chicken fra diavolo. Fra diavolo (brother devil) sauce can be made a variety of ways so there is no "true" recipe for it. Most recipes call for a tomato base and some type of heat in the form of pepper, though even that can vary.

I still had some of the gorgeous tomatoes in my freezer that I bought at the farmers market a month or so ago. They were grown by Berry Patch Farms and picked last summer at the peak of their ripeness. Since they're frozen, they lose a bit of their firmness, so while not so good for raw tomato uses, they are excellent in sauces. Nothing beats their fresh flavor.

My chicken was raised by Wisdom's Natural Poultry and purchased at Rocky Plains Meats.

My recipe below fed two very well. You can simply double for four.

Ingredients:

.75 lb chicken breast (approximately 1 very large) cut into chunks
5-6 small frozen salad tomatoes, thawed, retaining juice for sauce. (if you do not have frozen tomatoes, you may simply substitute canned diced tomatoes)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 large yellow onion, chopped
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp hot sauce (I used Spice Guys Four Pepper Sauce- made in CO, purchased at farmers market)
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt and fresh ground pepper
2 c water
1 c dry quinoa
2 T shredded cheddar or mozzarella cheese (I used raw milk cheddar from Miller Farms, purchased at Rocky Plains)
*extra tomato juice or chicken broth for sauce, as needed

If you are using frozen tomatoes: make sure you begin by peeling off and discarding their skins. Freezing makes the skins tough and inedible. Roughly chop until you have approximately 3/4 c tomato chunks and 3/4 c liquid. If you need additional liquid, you may use tomato juice or chicken broth.
If you are using canned tomatoes: use the entire can, though ensure you have at least 3/4 c liquid. If you need more, you may add tomato juice or chicken broth.
Set tomatoes aside. Combine the paprika, garlic salt, and black pepper and toss with chicken. Heat olive oil over medium, then then add onions. Saute until they just start to turn translucent and then add garlic. Stir and cook about 30 seconds before adding chicken. While chicken is cooking, heat the water in a separate pan on high. Once the water is boiling, stir in quinoa, and bring to another boil. Then cover quinoa, reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 minutes. Once chicken is cooked through (no longer pink), add the tomatoes and liquid (juice or broth), hot sauce, Worcestershire, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and simmer on medium-high until quinoa is done and sauce has just started to reduce. Fluff quinoa with a fork and serve chicken and sauce over top. Sprinkle with cheese.

Rocky Plains

Most of our meat comes from Rocky Plains. They are Colorado bison farmers that formed partnerships with other local farms to be able to supply a wide variety of products. All of the meat they sell is free range, grass fed and chemical free. The animals are all treated humanely and with respect.

Because Rocky Plains is located in Dacono (about 25 minutes north of us), we generally make the trip about once a month. That way, going up there is a lot of fun (not a chore) and we just stock up on whatever we'll need.

We're always initially met by Sheba. She is the resident canine greeter and about the sweetest thing you'll ever meet. You can tell she has a great life on the farm.The store itself is simple and small but full of variety. Here you will find an assortment of different cuts of bison, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey, and beef. The prices are similar to what you might find at a grocery store, but the meat is much higher quality, fresher, and better for you. Everything is frozen immediately after butchering to preserve it and lock in the nutrients. This way preservatives are not necessary. The flavor also ends up being better than anything we've been able to purchase almost anywhere else.The store also carries fish, local cheese and eggs, raw milk shares, condiments and pet treats. Our dogs ADORE the Buff Bites liver treats.After we made our purchases (including an incredible rack of ribs that I cant wait to cook), we went outside to look around. The bison herd was out and close to the fence so we wanted to say hi. Sheba led the way:
Bison are incredible animals. Being this close to them is sort of awe inspiring. They are huge and imposing yet they appear gentle and majestic at the same time. I know it sounds crazy, but they also come off as incredibly wise. Drew and I have vast amounts of respect for them.I think one of the things that really attracts me to Rocky Plains is the obvious care and respect the farmers have for their animals. This is not a factory farm by any stretch of the imagination. These animals roam, graze, and have families. Drew and I are meat eaters. While I was a vegetarian for awhile, I don't think I was as healthy as I am now. And honestly, we enjoy the flavor of quality meat products. But we very much respect the lives of the animals that are providing our food. We want to know that every effort was made to ensure they lived happy, painless, natural lives, that they had access to sunshine and even joy. Speaking with the owner of Rocky Plains and meeting the animals convinces me we've made the best choice for us here. And look at the view the herd gets every day:Here is a short video I took before we thanked them (yes, I talked to the bison) and went home:

If you're looking for a new place to get high quality Colorado meat, this should be the first place you go. You wont be disappointed.

Rocky Plains, LLP
4022 WCR 11
Dacono, CO
http://www.rockyplains.com

making babies

I passionately believe in people's right to feed themselves. Especially those in urban areas who do not realize just how much growing power they wield. There is so much to be said for eating food that you have tended and cared for from seedling to plate. This can mean many things for many people- from having a few potted herbs on your windowsill to having a full neighborhood "farm". That being said, I have tried several years running to have a productive garden. While 2008 was a banner year for cherry tomatoes and basil, and last year brought me a few strawberries and peas, my efforts overall have been fairly disappointing. I am hoping that changes this year and I thought I'd document my progress.

Drew and I decided to build raised beds this year. I'm also trying out a different part of the yard and picking a bigger selection of vegetables. And for the first time ever, I am starting some seeds indoors prior to planting!

I am starting my indoor venture with two types of tomatoes (cherry and Rutgers), eggplant, and green bell pepper. I was originally going to plant the seeds in potting soil filled egg cartons covered with plastic wrap. I stopped at Ace Hardware for the soil though and found these great mini "greenhouses". They were only about $8 each and are re-usable so I thought I'd try them out. They come with dried peat "pods":
After adding warm water, the peat expands creating plantable peat "pots" filled with soil.
Each pot gets 2-3 seeds. This was more of a difficult (and time consuming) task than I anticipated. The seeds are REALLY small!
The seeds are then lightly covered with soil and the containers are closed up with their greenhouse lids. This keeps the soil moist while the seeds germinate. I also labeled the containers so I know which seedlings are which. The containers are already fogging up which I hope is a good thing!
So the containers just sit covered in front of the window for 7-21 days until the seeds sprout. After that the lid will come off so the plants can get ventilation. Until then I'll just check periodically for moisture. But here they are in their temporary home! My hope is that in a few weeks we'll have some babies!
In the next few weeks we'll be fixing up the yard and buying materials for the beds. I was hoping the beds could be built this weekend but I'm not counting on it with our impending freak snowstorm.

Our other big garden/ home grown food news is that the city of Edgewater has approved us to adopt chickens! They are apparently writing new legislation regarding urban chickens as we speak but my hope is that they are merely laws to ensure the chickens are treated properly rather than limiting their ability to be kept. We are moving forward with chicken plans though including researching proper coops and taking an urban chicken class. So maybe even MORE babies in the future! We're excited!

a take on shepherd's pie

Part of this blog will be recipes. I spend so much time talking about food that it seems like it would be too abstract without talking about the real application- how I eat those foods. I will be the first to admit, however, that I am no trained chef. I haven't gone to culinary school (though I wanted to), I didn't sit by my grandmother's side learning her craft (which is a shame, honestly. At least I can replicate her gravy!) But I do LOVE cooking. I adore it, actually. I hoard cookbooks, I search for new ingredients. I find peace in rhythmic chopping and peeling, I am happy when stirring. I think it's the creative side of me. I cant paint, so I cook. To me, there is beauty in the entire process. BUT the end result, obviously, is to eat. I am looking to nourish myself with something that tastes good. Sometimes I succeed, sometimes I fail. Miserably.

Tonight was not a failure night. I had some leftover mashed potatoes from another dinner and some beautiful ground bison from Rocky Plains. So shepherd's pie it was!

Ingredients:
1 lb. lean ground bison (you can also use beef!)
3 carrots, diced
1 green pepper, top & seeds removed, diced
1/2 large yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
apprx. 1.5 cups tomato sauce (I used Muir Glen)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried chives
1/2 tsp Spanish sweet paprika
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp garlic salt
a few grinds each of fresh sea salt and pepper
apprx. 2 c mashed potatoes (recipe follows)
1/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c roughly chopped feta cheese (I used some of the LazEwe 2 Bar herb goat feta from In Season Local Market)

Preheat oven to 375. In a large skillet, begin browning bison over medium heat. When about half way cooked, add carrots, green pepper, onion, and garlic. Stir occasionally until bison is completely brown and vegetables have softened slightly. Drain mixture in colander and return to pan. Add tomato sauce and spices. Cook over medium-high heat, approximately 5 minutes until everything is blended and just starting to simmer. Pour mixture into ungreased 2.5 qt baking dish. Smooth mashed potatoes over the top until casserole is evenly covered. Sprinkle with cheeses and bake for about 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbling. Let sit for at least 5 minutes. I served mine with a salad & some great rosemary asiago bread I bought from the farmer's market.
For the mashed potatoes:
3 large red skinned potatoes, skin on and roughly chopped (these were from In Season!)
1/4 c milk (I use Morning Fresh skim)
1/4 thinly sliced leek
1/2 tsp The Highlands Italian Cheese Sprinkle (from Savory Spice Shop)
sea salt

Add the potatoes, leeks and a grind or so of salt to a pot of water. Boil approximately 15 minutes or until potatoes are completely soft. Drain and return to pot. Add milk and seasoning. Mash and stir with a potato masher until they reach desired consistency.

Most of my spices come from Savory Spice shop. If you do not have access to the Highlands Italian Cheese Sprinkle, you can either add your own spices to taste or you can make your own cheese sprinkle!

In Season Local Market

We're having my parents over for dinner tonight and among other things, I needed some beautiful veggies for the big salad I'm making. The first place that came to mind was In Season Local Market. It's a relatively new grocer that opened up in the Potter's Highland neighborhood. I adore that area anyway (just a few minutes from where we live) so it's great having yet another reason to head over!
In Season is really unique in that every single thing in the store is local. The owners (very cool people, by the way) made the decision to only sell items from within a 250 mile radius. Their motto is "if its not from here, its not in here" and they mean it!Don't think that limits your options in this adorable shop though! They have everything from humanely raised meat to personal care products and so much more in between. They have personal relationships with their vendors and farmers and you can really see that in the quality of products that they are able to offer.

The photo below is part of their dry goods section. Here you can find things like pickled and preserved vegetables, flour, cider and apple sauce. (note the the fun stuffed "animals"! They have so much personality and are hand made by one of the employees! They're called Horndribbles !)


One of their vendors is a company called MM Local Foods. Last time I was in, I bought a jar of their western slope peaches with honey. Anyone that knows me has heard (ad nauseum) about how peach season in Colorado alone could have made me move out here. These peaches have captured every ounce of sunshine and sweetness that I love from them during the summer. I cant wait to try more of their products.I forgot to take a picture of the meat case, but trust me when I tell you that they have an amazing variety (all kinds of cuts from grass fed beef, pork, chicken etc) and the quality is phenomenal. I made the best turkey meatloaf EVER a few weeks ago with meat, veggies and eggs I bought right here!

In Season Local Market also offers Morning Fresh Dairy milk AND yoghurt! I just tried the yoghurt (called Noosa) for the first the first time last week and I will NEVER eat anything else. I mean it. It is thick and tart with a hint of fresh fruit flavor. Incredible. This week, however, I needed some feta cheese for that salad so I bought a round of the LazEwe 2 Bar Goat herb feta. Mmm. The best thing, at least to me, is the variety and quality of fresh produce that they are able to offer even during the winter! Yes, it's only enough to fill one refrigerator case, but in early March, that's a LOT! I bought some gorgeous greens, herbs and even a cucumber all grown by Osage Gardens. My lettuce was picked on Wednesday. :) But I was most impressed by these tomatoes:
Are they not the most gorgeous things you have ever seen? I seriously want to marry this tomato farmer. I'm sure Drew wont mind. I have a feeling they will be the stars of my salad tonight, but they're almost too pretty to eat.

The store itself is wonderful. It is thrilling to have access to such amazing food and know that it was all ethically grown right here in Colorado. But the owners should get credit for making every experience even better. They are so friendly, open and knowledgeable about what they sell, it makes you want to come back and visit them again and again. I'll be back next week. Maybe I'll see you there!

In Season Local Market
3210 Wyandot Street Denver, CO
http://www.inseasonlocalmarket.com/

Winter Farmer's Market

The Denver area has some amazing farmers markets during the spring and summer. They are great ways to find locally grown produce, locally raised meat, and other fresh and delicious items like dairy and baked goods. It is always sad when October rolls around and it seems like it will be EONS before you'll see a fresh cherry tomato or your local baker.

But now you don't have to wait!

Denver actually has a wonderful and diverse farmers market available even in the winter. Supported by Denver Urban Homesteading, the indoor market is open Saturdays from 9-2. I just happened upon it a few months ago and am so glad that I did. In this short time, I have been able to purchase things like goat's milk hand soap, fresh eggs, raw honey, tomatoes that were frozen at their peak of sweetness, even just picked cabbage, onions, potatoes and carrots! There is something for everyone here from grass fed beef to perfectly aged cheeses. They even supply my very favorite milk (Morning Fresh Dairy) and the best mushrooms in the entire world (Hazel Dell)! On top of that, everyone I encounter is warm, friendly, and passionate about their food!

We went back this morning to see what we could find. Today Wildfire Farms was there to sell baby chicks and starter kits in conjunction with Denver Urban Homesteading's basic chicken keeping class. Drew and I would love to have an egg laying hen or two but we still need to figure out our zoning situation (not to mention whether or not our dogs would put up with it). But look how sweet they are!
It seems like more and more people have been showing up each weekend which is wonderful. It makes me so hopeful to see all the people supporting their local farmers and figuring out how to feed their families with better quality ingredients! I feel like we're all in this together. In a sappy way, I feel like I have some sort of a bond with these people on Saturday mornings.
I buy bread every week here from Styria Bakery. Many times they have INCREDIBLE pretzel bread that Drew devours half of before we even make it home. This week I bought a loaf of asiago rosemary. I can't wait to try it. I also tasted some amazing local cheese:
And then I bought a salad kit complete with cherry tomatoes and snap peas! I'm so excited- it's like a sliver of summer while there are still hints of snow on the ground. The best part is that all of these veggies were picked just hours before by Native Greens, a hydroponic farm right here in Colorado!I'm eager to start my garden again this spring. After a few failed attempts, I have a new plan and I feel confident that this year will bring a bounty. I got excited when I found these heirloom seeds:I bought a package each of Rutgers tomato, Rocky Top lettuce mix, Sugar Baby watermelon, and Danvers carrot. I can hardly wait to plant them! (and I just love the old-style charm of their packages!)

The market has also started selling Jack Rabbit Hill wines. I have had them before so I was happy to see them here! These wines are biodynamic (a type of holistic organic farming) and produced right here in Hotchkiss, Colorado. I bought a bottle of the Barn Red. (don't mind if I do!)

It was yet another successful trip to the farmers market this winter. I hope that you'll stop by too- you'll be glad that you did.

Denver Urban Homesteading Indoor Farmers' Market
200 Santa Fe Dr. Denver, CO
every Saturday 9-2
http://www.denverurbanhomesteading.com/market.htm