Demeter Made

Green Beans with Cashews

It all started with a rice cooker. . .my love of preparing Asian-inspired food that is.  David and I got an electric rice cooker as a wedding gift and if you don't have one, please do yourself a favor and go get one right now!  The rice is cooked perfectly every time, fluffy and delicious; no more guessing about the magic water to rice ratio or burning the rice on the bottom of the pan.  Of course, rice is the type of food that  doesn't like to be alone, it needs playmates, and the flavors of crisp vegetables, soy sauce, and sesame are a natural choice.  There is also the fact that many Asian dishes are very quick and easy to make, which is fabulous when you just don't feel like making a full-length, Broadway production out of dinner. 

Sweet Buttermilk Corn Muffins

When I was in elementary school, we had a big wind storm one winter that left us without power for a day or so.  This was an unusual occasion, because I grew up in the Northwest which is known for its mild weather, so anytime we had a major storm it was a big deal.  Anyway, being a kid, I thought that having no power was just the coolest thing, we got out the candles and my mom and I used our wood stove  to cook dinner.  It was like we were playing pioneers!  I don't remember what we had for the main meal, but I vividly remember baking corn bread in a dutch oven slid under the stove.  It is one of those  good food memories that I carry around with me and is probably the reason I still love making corn bread to go with any kind of hearty soup or stew. 

Adventures in Canning: Homemade Apple Butter

It's apple harvest time!  I love this time of year. . . the leaves are falling, the air is crisp, and the markets and farm stands are overflowing with fresh local apples. The other day I stopped off at the Riverside Farm Stand, in North Berwick, Maine and picked up a 10 lb. bag of MacIntosh apples.  I had just talked with my  good friend in Montana, and she had told me that she was making apple butter, which got me to thinking about how much I love apple butter.  My mom makes it almost every year and there is something about the texture and warm spiciness of the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves that is just delightful.  I called my mom and asked her to send me her recipe.  To which she answered, "I don't have a recipe, I just make it."  Well,  my crazy, "throw it all together and it will all work out" cooking style had to come from somewhere!

Homemade Whole Wheat Pita Bread

I'm new to this area of the country and I'm always looking for ways to meet new people, so last weekend I went to a ladies game night that was part of a local Meetup.  We were supposed to bring a snack to share and typically I'll whip up some brownies or cookies to take to this sort of thing, but a quick look at the list of what others were bringing indicated that there would be no shortage of sweets.  I decided instead to bring some pita bread and hummus to share.  I started making pita bread about six months ago as part of my new fascination with yeast breads.  Making bread from scratch is not as difficult as it might seem and although it is a longer process, the steps are simple, short, and easily fit into the routine of a multi-tasking kitchen or during commercial breaks during a favorite TV show.  Oh, and the smell and taste of the freshly baked bread is worth the extra effort.  The real trick is overcoming any hesitation with using yeast and pita — with its simple recipe and relatively short time commitment — is a great place to start experimenting with bread making.