a lovely spring dip in my favorite stoneware and a giveaway link

At this time of year, with warm summer-like days and cold temperature nights, I feel torn between the substantial meals of winter and the fresh tastes of spring.  The BA Foodist delivered the perfect mix of substance and freshness, all the while writing about one of my favorite places to eat when I lived in Atlanta--Houston's restaurant.  My version of Andrew Knowlton's Spring Vegetable and Goat Cheese Dip (Bon Appetit April 2012) includes my almost spring offerings from my garden:  over wintered leeks and garlic chives:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Add 1/4 cup sliced leeks (which have been rinsed well to remove any sand) to 2 Tbsp butter in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium low until softened, approximately 5 minutes.
Add 2 Tbsp of white whole wheat flour (use AP flour if that's what you have on hand) to saucepan and whisk while the flour cooks for approximately one minute.
Add 1 1/4 cups of whole milk, 1 tsp sea salt, and cracked black pepper to taste to the saucepan and whisk while mixture simmers and thickens slightly.
Add one package of frozen, chopped spinach (which has been thawed, drained and squeezed to get most of the water out), one 14 ounce can or jar of chopped artichokes (drained), 1/2 grated sharp white cheddar, 1 tsp garlic chives and 2 ounces of goat cheese to the saucepan and stir well.
Place mixture in your favorite 4-5 cup baking dish (mine is stoneware) and dot with 2 ounces of goat cheese.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbly and slightly browned on top.
Sprinkle with an additional 1 tsp of garlic chives and let rest for 5 minutes.
Share with a friend.  Serves 4-6.

Rhonda is my source for my favorite stoneware and more benefits of cooking with stoneware can be found here.

I also want to share today a wonderful giveaway from HerbalRootZine.  Make sure that you visit their website for a chance to win the April 2012 issue!

How's does this Monday find you?

Soule Spile

Our first season of sugaring has begun.  My husband purchased a variety of spiles from our local hardware store and we spent a few hours over the weekend selecting, drilling and tapping our maples trees.

We are enjoying these books:

Maple Syrup Season by Ann Purmell

Sugartime: The Hidden Pleasures of Making Maple Syrup with a Primer for the Novice Sugarer by Susan Carol Hauser

And enjoying these online resources:

edible Grande Traverse  ~ this resource discusses the health benefits of maple syrup and has beautiful pictures.

www.eataweed.blogspot.com  ~ they have a lovely post on the Sap Moon.

My mother recently gave me her beautifully kept 7th edition of The Good Housekeeping Cookbook (circa 1942) and I was delighted to see many recipes that use maple sugar.

I like how Will Weaver describes maple sugaring in his forward to Sugartime:
"It is more than the work of one night or one week; its rhythms are measured in sunlight and shadow, in the tilt of the earth's axis and in the ancient memories of trees."

I think of his statement as my family adds a new venture to our path of living mindfully and enjoying these moments on our land.

Have you tried sugaring?  Do you have a favorite maple recipe to share?  I would love to read about it!

Uncommon Weather

I am usually not one to complain of mild temperatures.  I enjoy the winter daylight and being able to take photographs of objects that would be otherwise snow-covered.



Darth Vader and his hens.

 I am sure that the chickens enjoy free ranging during a time where normally, we do all we can to keep them warm.

Spares

We have done a lot to prepare for this winter, which was forecasted to be quite severe.

My concern, as I surveyed the fruit trees in our orchard and children's garden, was--do they think that Spring will soon arrive?

Bud

2011 planting in apple orchard.

How is winter treating you?