baked falafel with kale, shallots, and sumac tahini sauce

the farm is entirely too far away from a grocery store. 

i probably have a really low tolerance for this since i've always lived within spitting distance of a grocery store, or at least a bodega. 

but i get it. it's a farm, we're supposed to grow our own food? we can't only eat sugar beets though. and what do we do while our chickies are still growing, and same for our rhubarb?

(should i learn how to can?)

...my produce section of choice, the super target, is about half an episode of prairie home companion away, which isn't so bad when prairie home companion is actually on, but when it isn't, going there is such a chore. even when i know that skyr and a casual stroll by the bakeware section await me at the other end.

so i've started to make a mental list of things that can be prepared with ingredients i usually have on hand. i discovered that falafel was one of those things when i was inspired by whitney's baked falafel recipe to make batches and batches of the stuff, each with their own variations. eventually i realized that you can basically grind up chickpeas with anything, add a lot cumin, some coriander, and have some type of falafel. 

so i made a recipe that has some simple ingredients that i pretty much always keep in the kitchen: kale, shallots, a butt ton of garlic, a simple can of chickpeas, and lots of spices. and i wrote about it for molly on the range! if you are more of a spinach or chard person than a kale person, or don't have shallots but do have some onions, you can for sure make those substitutions. you can serve these puppies with any type of salad, in a pita, or just eat them straight!

get the recipe here.

-yeh!

rye challah

we've been carefully noting our "firsts" in our new home. 

first movie watched: star wars

first supper: frozen pizza

first freak-out: where the f*** are my boyfriend jeans?

this morning we went on our first run, down a gravel road where farm land on either side of us stretched as far as the eye could see. topped with some perfectly crisp weather and a sunny as can be sunrise, it felt surreal. 

today is eggboy's first day back to farm work and his commute time of approximately eight seconds has so far allowed him to stop in for a wrench, a smooch (!!!!), and another reason, I can't remember. I'm expecting him back soon because it's been like an entire hour since he ate last and that is very long for him to go. maybe i should start some quinoa.

i know we didn't live in our temporary home in town for too long, but it was still weird and nostalgic to clear everything out and have a bunch of lasts. last episode of game of thrones, last chance to order pizza delivery*, last photo taken at my photo station. a lot happened in that little home and i am forever grateful for it.

*have i mentioned that we now live so much in the middle of nowhere that no restaurants will deliver? i'm trying to deal with it by not thinking about it. but... ohmygod. i literally cannot.

one of the last things i baked in town was challah. a nice little loaf, all bursting with glee and caraway seeds. it's a rye challah and i used rye flour from the little organic market in town. i really love rye flour for its yummy and healthy qualities, and i mean the color! it's just begging for some home-cured pastrami, which by the way tops my list of things to do once i've finally unpacked.

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rye challah

makes one loaf

ingredients

2 1/4 tsp (or 1 packet) dry active yeast

3/4 c warm water

2 tb + 1 tsp sugar

2 c all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1 c rye flour

1 tsp kosher salt

2 tb caraway seeds

3 large eggs

1/3 c canola or vegetable oil

3 tb honey

clues

Pour warm water into a bowl with 1 teaspoon of sugar and sprinkle the yeast on top. Let it sit and proof for 5 minutes, until it becomes foamy. (If it doesn’t foam, start again)

While the yeast mixture is proofing, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, both flours, the salt, and the caraway seeds in a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 2 of the eggs, the oil, and 2 tablespoons of honey.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients and the yeast mixture. Stir with a spoon or paddle attachment until just combined and then let the mixture sit for 20 minutes uncovered.

If kneading by hand, transfer to a floured work surface and knead. If using a stand mixer, switch to a dough hook and knead. Knead for 7-10 minutes, adding more flour as necessary, until you have a smooth dough.

Transfer to a large oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel, and let rise for 2-3 hours, or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 375.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, divide into 3 equal logs, and braid them, tucking the ends under. Place the loaf on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Cover with a damp towel and let rise for 30 more minutes.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg and tablespoon of honey. Brush it evenly over the loaf and bake for 25-35 minutes, until browned and cooked through. You can test if it’s done by thumping the bottom of the loaf and listening for a hollow sound. Let cool slightly and serve.

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-yeh!

red velvet coconut macaroon cake

we started packing last night. i'm currently sitting in a sea of boxes filled with books i've been meaning to read and clothes i haven't worn since my city days and we're about to tape them up and bring them down the road to the farm because by the end of the month, i'll officially not have to write an apartment number after my address and i'll officially *really* live in the middle of nowhere.

eggboy and i have conversations these days that center around things like garbage disposals as birthday presents, who is going to mow the lawn (the goats), and do we really want such a dark stain for our floors (do we??), it's real live grown-up stuff.

well, in my mind, it's pretty much the same thing as building those lego houses that i used to be so good at, only this is going to be better because we actually get to put that hard work to use and live in the thing. is it a terrible idea to want to paint one of the bathrooms the pantone color of the year and plan on repainting it for each new color of the year? if not, what is a good color for a bathroom?

i'm sort of daunted by the task of packing up all of the jars and containers in my refrigerator and moving them quickly enough so that they don't go bad, and i'm a little bit worried about what unintended science experiments i'll find in the back... other than that though, these next few weeks will be a delightful time of packing and cleaning and hooking up the plumbing to our sink and trying to decide if i'm ever going to need my blazers and high heeled ankle boots out on the farm or if i should just give them away to make room for the new overalls that i plan on acquiring.

in other news: i made a red velvet coconut macaroon cake for the latest installment of molly on the range. it's basically one big ass coconut macaroon that you decorate like a cake, because any excuse for a cake, right? right. it's based on the macaroon recipe that i swear by, danny's, and if you are in need of ways to liven up your passover dessert table, this is the recipe for you!

-yeh!

braised brisket with quinoa risotto

hey check out all this meat, you guys! i had to be kind of a bitch to get it. correction: i didn't have to be, i just sort of was when i realized how difficult it'd be to find. after searching at way too many groceries around here and asking all too many meat counter men, i found a very very large one at the town butcher that was frozen solid. it was entirely too big, so i had the man go back into the walk-in freezer and dig out another while i cringed at the thought of how long it had been in that freezer. despite jake dickson's voice in my mind advising me never to buy vacuum packed meat and to leave the deckle on and to make sure it is grain fed, i bought it. i had no choice. a tear came as memories of briskettown flashed before my eyes.

but i bought it and then i went to target and browsed the dollar section because what else are you supposed to do while your brisket defrosts? and in the dollar section i, for the first time since moving to this tiny town, ran into someone i knew. one of eggboy's friends. i stood there unshowered with brisket on my mind and grump in my system, trying to figure out where i had met her and when it came to me, i still had brisket on my mind, and she asked how i was and i said, i'm waiting for my brisket to defrost. 

i don't know if i was more embarrassed from telling a near stranger about my brisket defrosting or having not showered in a week, but i didn't even think to ask her how the small human growing in her belly was.

such a bitch i am. 

anyway, i got it home, i hurled it onto my counter, i tweeted about it, i said you better defrost by tomorrow goddammit, i frowned. i thought about raising a cow for this very reason. 

in the end it worked out. i made some good smells and a yummy quinoa accompaniment. there were leftover sandwiches for a very long time. one day, i will make a good bubbe. 

the recipe for this brisket, and its delightful quinoa risotto that uses the brisket's cooking liquids, may be found in my latest edition of molly on the range. passover's a comin! i can't hardly wait!

-yeh!