This past Sunday we enjoyed a leisurely day at home; a break from our normal hectic schedule. I used this downtime to make a roast for dinner. As the roast simmered throughout the day and the smell filled the house, I thought back to the days of having S
unday dinners in the afternoon and then a light meal later, usually breakfast for dinner. Now though, we are all so busy and our weekends are booked; filled with running from one event to the next and the Sunday dinner is a rare event. And while I am mournful of the lost Sunday dinner, we thankfully have not lost breakfast for dinner. In fact, for me breakfast for dinner has become a welcome reprieve for the mid-week hustle and bustle…and the boys love it! Aside from the ease of preparing the meal it is also a night that I never hear things like “ugh, I don’t like this” or “how many bites do I need to eat?”…a real win-win.
Good food is good food, so it really shouldn’t matter what time of day you eat it, right? In last week’s blog I mentioned cake for breakfast; it has eggs and milk in it so it’s breakfast food. My baked blueberry french toast typically does not see left-over status; it is eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the same day. Eggs, french toast, pancakes, oatmeal, cereal, etc…they are all so easy to whip up and always hit the spot. It can also be a way to use up some ingredients; throwing a mix of veggies and cooked meat into the eggs for an omelette or quiche and maybe cooking up garlic roasted potatoes as a nice side (a recently added recipe). Sometimes the not planning and using what you have available can produce some yummy new recipes. And if it can be nutritious and appease the kids with the illusion that it is breakfast for dinner, all the better.
While the boys were home this morning due to a snow delay, breakfast expectations for my youngest changed from that of the weekday menu to that of a holiday; cereal would have been such a disappointment. This reminded me of the skit that Bill Cosby used to do (prior to his fall from fame) when he explained his kids asking for cake for breakfast. His rationalizing this by looking at the ingredients…all good solid breakfast foods, so why not? That said, for those wondering, cake was not served for breakfast…today anyways.
And as most
are making those resolutions to eat better, get in shape and shed some pounds; isn’t life to short to forgo the cake? I know, we just got over the holiday binge, but come on, it’s been weeks! There is such a warmth that the smell of a cake in the oven that can fill a home in the dredges of winter. Happiness is, in fact, knowing that there is a cake in the oven. It can be a coffee cake, a loaf or a delicious layer cake…we do not discriminate; cake is good.
Recently, I believe I finally accurately captured my mother’s rum cake recipe and wow, did the aroma and then the taste bring me back. YUM!!! As it baked, my oldest son appeared in the kitchen to inquire as to the “what smelled so good” and then anxiously awaited so he could have some. He had never had it before and I questioned if he would even like it; he did and slice by slice ate almost all it…which was great for me so that I didn’t. He like it so much that as I embarked to try a new recipe, a Kentucky Butter cake, he again appeared to inquire and subsequently hovered anticipating another cake to delve into. So many cakes, so little time.
I will always remember the days of walking into the house growing up and the aromas from the kitchen hitting you right when you opened the door; absolutely nothing can beat that in the dead of winter.
Count the memories, not the calories.
You have gotta love New England; absolutely frigid the past few days and then practically balmy today and looking pleasant for the foreseeable future. But with the flux in temps there has to be some agility in dealing with it…freezing, thawing and then freezing again, long down coat or light jacket..and for the boys the dreaded “can I wear shorts?”
This morning, afte
r enjoying getting outside for a run in the mild temps, it was great to walk into Starbucks to have the barista make me an iced tea vs. a hot tea without even asking…he just knew. If only planning for meals as the weather takes such dramatic swings were just that simple. While I was whipping up batches of chili, onion soup and other warm comfort foods over the weekend, I am now faced with the on-going dilemma of “what’s for dinner”.
The snow is now gone from the deck, so it’s easy enough to start grilling… do I want to? I love the variations in seasonal cooking and it’s not that I can’t make a soup or stew to simmer in the dutch oven on the stove; when it is so nice out and not cold enough for a fire…well, I guess it loses the appeal. And the quandary begins; do I swing by the butcher or fish market to get something for the grill? Do I make pasta and salad? Ugh…what to make! But, as fate would have it, I received a text from my dear friend Erin this afternoon to meet for dinner…perfect; I get to visit, catch up a bit and get an order of a year-round comfort food…chicken wings; grilled protein and a salad!
So while tonight’s dinner was taken care of, there is still the forecast and meal prep for the week ahead that I need to contend with. Luckily, while I may fall back on some grilling, there are root veggies to help mix things up so winter meals are not feeling so summer-like. A nice grilled medley, perhaps in a risotto or winter salad…there are options to lighten up the comfort food. And while it will be too warm to fire up the bee-hive oven, flatbread pizza can be grilled too! I also do not see the slow-cooker collecting dust; pulled pork and roasted chicken are good all year round.
Embrace the variations in the weather and the opportunity to expand your menu utilizing seasonal foods to create new dishes.
2017 has started like most new years…the gym is full of new faces, journals are flying off the shelves in the bookstore, vision boards are created, meditation apps are downloaded and resolutions have been made. And while I, like so many, am hopefully for this new year and this clean slate to create a great year full of happiness and new memories, I take pause as to what has and will what will bring more joy.
Julia Childs was not only a pioneer as a cook, author and television host, she was so far ahead of the happiness curve. The Joy of Cooking…such insight. Cooking and baking can be taxing and painful for some, but can be a delight to others. And one of the greatest elements of joy that cooking affords is sharing the food with friends and loved ones.
With winter upon us, I made a batch of onion soup this past weekend. As the aroma began to fill the house, the boys one by one would inquire as to what smelled so good. Yet, as they peered into the dutch oven on the stove and initially saw the pot full of onions and then red wine and then brown soup…well, you can imagine the reactions. But as I explained that this would be put into bowls with sliced baguette on top of the soup and cheese melted over it, the visual in their heads married with the smell regained their interest. When the soup was done and the bowls constructed and placed in the oven under the broiler, the curiosity began to build. They watched as it came out of the oven and the melted cheese over the bread that sat in the soup was definitely worth trying. Each sat at the counter and guardedly pierced the cheese to taste the soup. It was a hit…well for 2 of them anyways. Although my youngest tried to share in his bother’s enthusiasm for the soup, he divulged that he couldn’t eat it, “this tastes like a paper bag.” You can decide if you dare try the recipe after this review by a 7 year old.
In the end, I am thankful that he gave it a try. And while you can’t please everyone, two out of three isn’t half bad. The warmth of the soup and sharing it with the boys was great and makes the effort put into it beyond worth while.
As we near the end of 2016 I don’t think I am alone in wanting to wash this year from the books. There has been tremendous loss; personal, local, national and global. Then there was the presidential election… regardless of your political affiliation, we all endured the tumultuous campaign, the all-nighter election and now the post-election transition; painful! Yet as difficult as this year has been, there are choices that you make to help you thru. One of my choices every day is my coffee. To face the day and the challenges it will present, I take 
it upon myself to be sure I get my coffee. And not just any coffee; I will make time to get my Breaking New Grounds coffee in Portsmouth. I will leave early, skip stopping for gas, drive out of my way, call in to a meeting I may not make it to in time, or just plain be late; if I have to face the day, I will face it having had a great cup of coffee. And while this is not meant to be the highlight of the day, it will give me a positive note to kick the day off and prepare to what is in my wake.
Food and drinks can make or break a day or event. When you go out for dinner and you forget to specify the vodka you would like in your drink…ruined! That drink can enhance or destroy your whole dining experience. And not only in your cocktail, but in your food. If you are making vodka sauce for example, which I am tonight, I use my favorite vodka. Some may buy cheap liquor for cooking or baking, but I truly standby the idea that it is a key ingredient and should be the best or it can ruin your recipe just as it does your cocktail. My mother made an intoxicating rum cake (no pun intended) and she used top shelf rum, not the cheap stuff…and the quality does present itself in your first bite. Unfortunately, I do not have her recipe…yet another loss of this year; my sister and I have been working from memory to re-create it. So stay tuned; once we nail it down, I will be sure to share it. But in the meantime, please don’t skimp on your ingredients when cooking…the food can help create and enhance such great memories.
So as I gladly bid farewell to 2016, there is the realization that with every end comes a new beginning and I relish in the hopefulness for what will come in 2017 and ready to face it head-on, but first…coffee.
Last night I was visited by the Ghost of Christmas Past. My brother posted a picture on FB of signs near my grandmother’s house. This brought me back to Christmas Past and our then “Griffin Christmas” with our family and my aunt’s family. With 10 children in our family and 11 in hers…it was a full and loud house. But
what immediately came to mind was my grandmother’s ambrosia that she would make every year. It wasn’t that I particularly loved it, but it was a staple that was there year after year as we gathered together to celebrate the holiday. The only beverage was a classic punch with ingredients of Hawaiian Punch and ginger ale, topped with balls of rainbow sherbet served in a fancy punch bowl with matching glasses. And what fun the “feast” was each year…seriously, I loved it!
Yet after years of this gathering, the passing of our grandmother and the growth of our own families, specifically the addition of “The Outlaws” (mine and my siblings spouses) and subsequently the next generation of Griffin’s, our Christmas Present Griffin Family gathering emerged. The Christmas Present is large and loud, not unlike that of Christmas Past but, I will say the food and drink has evolved…Thank God! Nothing against ambrosia and fruit punch, but I believe the only sign of marshmallow’s in Christmas Present is in hot chocolate or atop cookies and the punch has been changed to a specialty cocktail…chosen by the host.
Christmas Present blesses us with a bounty of fabulous food; core recipes such as lasagna made with mom’s sauce recipe, mac and cheese which is just as popular with the adults as it is with the kids, Mary’s cheesecake, craft beer often brought by my husband and his partner in crime, my brother-in-law Jesse, and a variety of spirits for mixing. And I would be remiss if I failed to mention the addition of an occasional round of quarters or beer pong…
So as times
and menus have changed and the family continues to grow with a new generation of “Outlaws” and their off-spring…I am hopeful for Christmas Future. As we continue to grow in number we are infused with new recipes, both food and drink, that become new traditional elements of our menu and time together.
So a toast to Christmas Past and the memories we have shared; merriment for Christmas Present and the memories we will create, and cheers to Christmas Future and the hope for what is to come.
Wow, is it cold…and getting colder! But there is nothing better than being nestled in by the fire with a cocktail to warm you. And while every year I question why we live here in Maine as the temperature drops and the snow and ice can paralyze, I must say, I would miss the blazing fires and the coziness of it warming the house while it is so frigid outside. And to that end, the beer, wine and/or cocktails and the comforting snacks that accompany the days trapped indoors. In fact, as we watch the forecast each week, my husband and I plan for brewery trips…almost too many to choose from to purchase a growler. And then to 
local grocers to gather ingredients for the yummy recipes I will make to pair with our beverages of choice. And finally, once the food and drink are checked off our list we may think to ensure we have gas for the generator should we lose power…but we have our priorities; beer, food and then gasoline.
Pictured here is a classic snack/appetizer I have shared in the app section of the site; beer bread, boursin cheese and prosciutto…another reason beer should be first on your list of bad weather provisions! And let’s not forget the hot-chocolate with butterscotch schnapps; an essential for the post-sledding or shoveling trip outdoors.
So, while I may ponder the thoughts of moving to a warmer climate, I know I could never leave the bliss that the winter does bring. So as summer is still 29 weeks away, I will enjoy the warmth of the fires and libations.
Be sure to check the continuing additions of recipes to get you too thru these chilly months.
While bright cooper kettles and warm woolen mittens are among the list of a few of my favorite things, I would be remiss if I did not include the warmth and scents of the house from the holiday baking that is well underway. As the temperature drops, and the first snow has now fallen, it is feeling even more like Ch
ristmas. Plugging along in baking cookies and preparing dough for cookies to be made in the coming weeks, I continue to sample new recipes that I may add to my mix. There are my staples, the cookies I make every year; the orange clouds, the chocolate marshmallow and Mary’s chocolate caramel treasures…but there is the struggle to choose which others to make and more importantly, which to share. Fortunately, I have my three sons, aka my own personal taste-testers, in-house to give me very direct and un-filtered feedback…which is sometimes given only by way of making a face and walking directly over to the to the garbage. But the true sign of a winner is not simply how quickly the cookies disappear but the battle that ensues over who gets the bowl and spatula.
This year one of my sons has shown an interest in baking with me and while I was pleased and tried to patiently endure the mess he was making while adding flour to the mixer, I quickly realized that it was not the baking itself he was interested in, but it was the first dibs at the finished product…smart boy. And once we completed his two favorite cookies and stored them in the freezer, the enthusiasm for baking ceased. But regardless of his motives or his untidy manner in “helping”, it enhanced the already enjoyable experience for me. And who knows, maybe he will make these cookies one day on his own?!?!? But for now, I will continue to enjoy making my regulars and testing out new ones…and share only the recipes on Mainely Martha that pass the test of my critics.
Still on a high from Thanksgiving; having so enjoyed the food, drink and most of all the company… has made me almost giddy in anticipation for Christmas! Yes, stay calm, we are almost at December 1st and the fun has already begun. The shopping has started, packages are arriving daily, but more importantly… the cookie baking is well underway, with a couple of favorites already tucked away in the freezer and dough for another settled in the fridge. But it is not all about the baking, there are also so many different holiday gatherings leading up to and including the big day itself.
This season brings about so many of my favorite things…eating, drinking and being merry with my family and friends. While I have shared a couple of recipes to date, I will be sure to have a vast amount added over the next few weeks to hopefully help inspire you in preparing for your holiday events. This will include recipes for cookies and cakes to share with friends, appetizers and cocktails for the get-togethers and festive parties as well as brunch and dinner ideas for the main event. And while we sprinkle in some shopping and wrapping of gifts over the next few weeks, it is the time spent with family and friends that is the true magic of the season.
I have the fondest memories of this time of year growing up, with the aromas from the kitchen filling the house and always celebrating the holiday surrounded by family. Over the years, the family has grown; in-laws, children, nieces, nephews, great-nephews , and my enjoyment for the season has grown as well, which I attribute to this/them. Our family holiday is full of delicious food, created by the many great cooks and bakers in the family, strong drinks and maybe even some drinking games and last but not least, joyful merriment. Take time during this hurried season to enjoy; eat, drink & be merry!
The final preparation for Thanksgiving was in full gear today. The groceries, wine and liquor have been purchased, the turkey awaits pick-up at the local butcher and the dining room lays peacefully for one more day before being filled with family, food, drink and laughter.
Tomorrow the kitchen will come alive with the baking and food prep for the big meal. Following the prep, a trip to a few local micro-breweries will take place to ensure we have a variety of craft beers; the biggest challenge will be selecting which 2 or maybe 3 breweries to go to…it’s a chore…but someone has to do it! But, in all honesty it is a nice wind-down from what will be a busy day and a little peace for my husband and I before the the mayhem commences. And then as we near the end of the day, the table will be set, the serving plates, bowls and utensils will be laid out in preparation for the big meal.
