turkeys and apples

We were going to have a big Thanksgiving, like last year. It is, after all my favorite holiday, and I can't think of anything better cooking for it.  We invited a few folks and more were thinking about it.  We do it up around here.
And then, I changed my mind.  This is a rare thing for me, that I actually see that that something is a bad idea ahead of time.  I've got my hands full elsewhere, and I can't just do Thanksgiving half way.  Next year, it's going to be wicked.  And this year, I canceled Thanksgiving.  Except not really, because we'll go over to the farm with my parents and we'll still get a chance to be thankful for all sorts of things.  Like potatoes, and pie, and cranberry sauce.  And we've promised the girls that they can watch Star Wars for the very first time.
So now it's Tuesday and people are asking me for Thanksgiving recipes, and I'm not on top of it.  But yesterday after school Sadie came into the kitchen, and she said, "even though we're not having people over, can we decorate anyway?"
Yes!  And the girls started shuffling around secretly and grabbing the tape roll and other random things, and I didn't pay attention.  I was just happy that they weren't screaming at each other or screaming at me, which has been the norm recently.  Joey got home and we had dinner and I got ready for my selectboard meeting.  And then I went into the living room to say goodbye before the meeting, and I saw them.  Turkeys.

And apples.

  

Oh yeah.  Martha, eat your heart out.

Thankful!  Thankful!  Thankful!

You all know what you're cooking this week, right?  I'm far to late to the table to be helpful, I'm sure, but I'm here anyway, and so I thought I'd at least bring up a few of my favorite things to eat on this day of all days.  So if you've got a whole in the menu and you need a little push, I might not be cooking this year, but I'm still here!  Here we go...

salads and sides:

leeks vinaigrette

warm cabbage and apple slaw

delicata chips

whipped mashed potatoes with celery root

red wine and maple glazed carrots

potatoes with horseradish and cream

cranberry sauce

desserts:

quince poached in cardamom vanilla syrup

buttermilk spice cake

damp gingerbread with pears

indian pudding

pear pie

I hope you're right where you want to be this week, and cooking and/or eating the things that make you happy.  

    

                                                                                                                                                             Fall Fest is coming to a close this week.  It's been quite a party, but we're out with a bang with lots of fabulous bounty and things to be so thankful for.  Here's the line up around here, but yes!  pipe in with what you're cooking, or just what's making you happy....

Food Network:  Thanksgiving Bounty We’re Grateful For

Caron of San Diego Foodstuff: Bounty to Be Grateful For in the Form of Community (And Pecan Pie)

Paige at The Sister Project: A Thanksgiving Surprise

Caroline at the Wright Recipes: Butternut Squash Biscuits

Gilded Fork: On Gratitude

Todd and Diane at White on Rice Couple: The Hungry Travelers Video

brussels sprouts gratin

I love how so many of the fall fest cooks are writing about brussels sprouts.
They have a reputation, those tiny wee cabbages, and somewhere along the line they became something that people thought they didn't like.
We all know that's just a big fat lie.
Brussels sprouts are so, so good. We all know that, right?
When I started making Heidi's golden brussels sprouts, I stopped looking for new recipes. Those babies never make it to the table--I eat them out of the pan as if they were peanut m&ms. Only I can eat more and not feel gross--just vaguely brussels sprout-y, which I appreciate. But I've hit that point in the fall, that moment where everything calls for butter and breadcrumbs and heavy cream. It's cold, and I don't know about you, but my heart (and by my heart I mean soul) needs extra fat. And breadcrumbs too.

By the way, anyone else's kids freaking out this week? Daylight savings transitions seem to get into their cells and make them scream. Anyone else? Tell me I'm not alone.

I'm just going to keep piling on the breadcrumbs and hope for the best.

Brussels Sprouts Gratin
loosely adapted from Alice Waters, the art of simple food

1 pound brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed and stems trimmed
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/2 cup half and half
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the brussels sprouts in the water for 10 minutes, then drain. Chop them roughly, and transfer to a small casserole or gratin dish. Pour the cream over the brussels sprouts, then the parmesan, then the breadcrumbs, and then a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Dab bits of butter here and there, and bake for 20 minutes.



It's brassicas this week, but brussels sprouts are king. Kales, cabbages, broccoli? What are you steaming up this week? Here's the party line up around here...

Todd and Diane: Spicy Brussels Sprouts with Mint

Paige at The Sister Project: Solving the Too-Sweet Potatoes Thanksgiving Problem

Liz at Healthy Eats: Kale 5 Ways (Including Kale Chips!)

Alison at Food2: All About Broccoli and Cauliflower

Michelle at Cooking Channel: Cauliflower with Sweet Potatoes

Kirsten at Food Network: Cheesy Brussels Sprouts

on the chest freezer

No fall musings here--I'm all business today. It's seventy degrees out, and I've got that uncomfortable sweaty feeling when it's supposed to be colder. It might be warm today, but it will be winter very very soon. It's mad stash week for Fall Fest and so we're going to get right to the point.

Still thinking about that chest freezer? You know, that one that you eye at Sears every September when you just packed your freezer with so much tomato sauce that it's all going to fall on you the next time you need an ice cube?

Perhaps you have never thought about that chest freezer. Perhaps you're living space is filled with couches and beds and other nonessential furniture. "I have no space!" you say. "How can I get a chest freezer!" You have space, I tell you. Your children don't need a bedroom--they will gladly sleep on the couch in exchange for the fifty pounds of frozen strawberries they get to eat all winter. Do you put your cars in the garage? Let them rust. Make way for the freezer.

Okay, so the chest freezer isn't for everyone. But if you've been contemplating the purchase of one, I thought I'd get a little conversation going over here, a little dialogue on the freezer, if you will. House tours around here always end up in basement in front of our great white, and so I'll take this moment to answer some commonly asked questions.

What kind of freezer do you have?
I'm pretty sure that this is the one.

Wow! That's really big!
Yes, we share it with our friends Jen and Pete. They're farmers, and they fill their side up with frozen corn and spinach, and we fill up our side with lots and lots of meat. They're vegetarians, but it works out okay.

What about the energy use?
It uses about 500 kwh per year, which costs us about 50 bucks.

And why chest instead of upright?
To each her own. Chest freezers are more efficient, whereas upright freezers are easier to organize.

Speaking of organization, how does that work?
Joey made a beautiful diagram with all the different compartments of the freezer so that we could keep track of what was in there. Jen uses it--I never do. My side is a mess, but I still seem to be able to find what I'm looking for.

Why would I want a chest freezer?
Well, if you're a meat eater, start here. And vegetarian? How about here? Or here?

So, yes, defrosting takes a bit of foresight. But a bit of menu planning is good for us all, right? And should the world collapse around you, can feel sure that there will always be food in the house for dinner.

Yes! It's fall fest, so let's get talking! Anyone want to weigh in on the freezer question? How are you preserving all these fabulous foods for the long, cold, winter ahead?

Here's the line up....I'll add as the breaking mad stash news comes in!

Alison at Food2: Break Out the Stash

Kirsten at Food Network: Roasting Pumpkin Seeds


Liz at Healthy Eats: Mad Squash Stash


Michelle at Cooking Channel: Save Em' While You Can

pear and cheese

I'm not cooking today.
I've been thinking about damp gingerbread with pears all week, thinking that that would be the dish I brought to fall fest. I made it last year just about this time, but some things just bear talking about twice, don't you think?

All week, I keep coming across the most beautiful pears. At the store and the farmer's market. On the counter and windowsill of every house. Curved like the shape of a woman who enjoys life. In fact, I don't think I saw one ugly pear.


The other day, I got to can with the ladies. It was an applesauce day, and we couldn't keep it simple no matter how much we tried. Saffron applesauce, mint applesauce, plum applesauce, grape applesauce. My shelf is a testament to the ever possible adaptability of applesauce. Golden, fuschia, purple. And there were pears, a dainty 1/2 bushel. We turned them all into juice, melded in the steam juicer with ginger. Ginger pear juice.

All but one. The last pear we sliced thin. Naomi had brought the most exquisite tiny and precious wedge of aged gouda, the kind with a bit of crunch to it. We sat in the midst of our many hued applesauces, and we ate that snack like queens.

Every time I eat a pear with cheese, I think,
"How did I forget that this is the most wonderful thing?"

Although I didn't get my oven going, my fall fest compatriots managed to give me some fabulous ideas as to what to do when I get around to it. Oh, lovely pear, you are a lucky one this week.


Caroline at the Wright Recipes: Three Favorite Pear Recipes

Caron at San Diego Foodstuff: Pear, Pecan, Parmesan Scones

Paige at The Sister Project: A Gingery Pear Crisp

Nicole at Pinch My Salt: Sour Cream Pear Cake/

Todd and Diane at White on Rice Couple: Making Pear Galette

Gilded Fork: Harvest Risotto with Caramelized Pears

Margaret at A Way to Garden: Of Pears and Cookbooks, a Delicious Giveaway

Roberto at Food2: 5 Ways to Warm Up to Pears

Michelle at Cooking Channel: What to Pair With Pears

Kirsten at Food Network: Baking Up Pear Desserts

Liz at Healthy Eats: Vanilla Poached Pears, With Variations

And you? How are you paying tribute to the pear this week?

fall vegetable chicken pot pie

This might be my favorite dinner to bring to people who need it.
Birthed a child lately? Dealing with illness? The world just conspiring in a way that could be fixed by a warm dinner whisked into your kitchen?

I'm bringing you chicken pot pie.

I have a lovely friend who's husband is dealing with a serious illness. She's parenting her girls and keeping it all together. Everyone wants to help, and so a friend created a dinner schedule to feed them into next year.
Food trees saved us after both the girls were born. Whenever someone asks me what to get for a friend about to have a baby, I say get on the phone and make a dinner schedule. Four weeks of dinners every other night might be thing that saves a family from post baby overwhelm. These are amazing for new parents, but sometimes even more helpful for families who are dealing with illness or stressful transitions. Sometimes just taking the question of what's for dinner out of the equation makes all the difference.
Yesterday, it was my time to cook. I structured the day around this chicken pot pie. The girls were home for the holiday and I was determined to get that dinner out the door by 5:30.
Then we went canoeing.
We have, recently, come into temporary inheritance of a perfect family canoe. It was one of those days yesterday--blue sky, orange leaves, sweater. Joey looked at me with big eyes, like a man who was raised in the high desert of Colorado. "Family canoe ride!" That was all it took.
Cider in the thermos, crackers and cheese. We paddled our way around that lake, directed all the while by the girls in the middle, grabbing lily pads and pointing us toward the tiny and uninhibited islands in the center of the lake. When we finally got home it was almost 4, and near tears, I handed Joey a knife and a nubby globe of celeriac.

I ran out the door at 6:15, ashamed of my inability to do anything on time. I swore to myself that I would get more organized, that I would stop rushing yet still do everything peacefully and exactly when I should. I swore that I would be more perfect.

It takes about 15 minutes to get to Tonya's house. The light was just petering out, and the gold and red of the trees gave the image of the loveliest flame lining the road. The chill had come in, and as I got into the car I could smell someone's wood stove. I turned on the tail end of All things Considered on NPR, and I drove at a rational speed. I hoped that the bubbling chicken pot pie wouldn't melt my rubber floor mat, and the scent of that pie filled every inch of the car.

It was an amazing drive.

When I got there, Tonya and her girls were already dancing around in their pjs. This woman is amazing--I had called to say I would be late, and still profusely apologizing as I walked in, I got laughs and hugs and nearly dropped the pan on the floor. Tonya shoved some of yesterday's leftovers in my arms--her refrigerator is overflowing with friends' generosity, and I was back off into the coming blue night, heading towards my own little plate of pot pie.

Someday, I will be better. I'll get dinner out on time, and that will be good for us all. I'll be a calm center of speed without a moment of rush or panic--I'll think back on this time when I was always late, always attempting too much in too little time.

Someday.

Until then, I'm still bringing you chicken pot pie. Just have a snack first...I'll be there soon.


Fall Vegetable Chicken Pot Pie
(with thanks to Joey for vegetable cutting and for peaceful and loving response to panicked requests of "will you photograph this? And well? It will be dark when I get back!")

1 whole chicken, 4-5 pounds
2 bay leaves
1 onion, diced
3 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 leek, trimmed and cut into 1-inch slices
1 small celeriac root, peeled and cut into chunks (cut into discs first, then cut off peel)
2 cups cubed winter squash (anything will do!)
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper to taste

For the biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, cubed
1 egg
2/3 cup buttermilk

Put the chicken and the bay leaves in a stock pot. Just cover with water, cover, and bring to a boil. Skim off any foam on the surface. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Then, add the all of the vegetables except for the winter squash. Cook for 20 minutes more, then add the squash. Cook the mixture until the chicken is cooked through and beginning to fall apart a bit. Remove the chicken and let it cool on a plate.
Uncover the broth a vegetables and cook for 30 minutes, or until reduced by about a quarter. Meanwhile, when the chicken is cool enough to touch, pick off all of the meat and shred into bite-sized pieces. Set aside for a moment.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Skim off 1/4 cup of chicken fat from the top of your broth and whisk into the butter. Add the flour and continue to whisk until it starts to go slightly golden. Dip a measuring cup into your broth and scoop 3 1/2 cups of broth into the pot. Keep whisking until the sauce begins to thicken and it is not lumpy. Add the chicken and stir in the sauce to coat. Strain the vegetables out of the broth with a slotted spoon and add those as well. Stir in the parsley and thyme and a bit of salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Turn off the heat.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or your fingers. Beat the buttermilk and egg together in a liquid measure or small bowl. Stir wet into dry with a few strokes. The mixture will be wet and sticky.
Pour the chicken vegetable mixture into a 9x13 casserole dish. Scoop the biscuit mixture onto the chicken in eight rounds (imagine biscuit on each piece). Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden.

Serves 8

And yes! It's fall fest day! This week we're cooking up pumpkin and winter squash, and it looks like it will be a warm and toasty table. Squashes lining up on your counter? Here are a few things to do with 'em...

• Gilded Fork: Butternut Squash Bisque with Nutmeg Crème Fraîche



• Caroline at the Wright Recipes: Roasted Pumpkin and Winter Squash with Labneh and Skhug



• Alison at Food2: Pumpkin Donuts



• Toby at Healthy Eats: Pumpkin 5 Ways (Including Seed-Studded Pumpkin Bread)



• Kirsten at Food Network: Best Pumpkin Recipes



• Michelle at Cooking Channel: Pumpkin and Squash Recipes



• Food Network UK: Praise the Gourd



• Cate at Sweetnicks: Baked Acorn Squash with Brown Sugar and Butter



• Caron at San Diego Foodstuff: Clay Pot Winter Squash



• Paige at The Sister Project: Pumpkin, Roasted, Stuffed and All Grown Up
  

god and apple pie

Here I go, looking for religion again.
I don't know why--maybe it's Sadie who sends me that way, asking her questions. I want someone else to write the answers and to tell me the rules. I want us to sit and take a moment before dinner to thank someone, anyone! for what's in front of us. Sometimes I'm envious of my neighbor (see? that would make me a bad Christian already) because God intervenes in her parenting so often. Her children are so polite--they have been raised to be good Christians and they are! And then my girls run around them in a little two-girl swarm, telling fart jokes and asking questions about evolution. They say, "we're Jewish! like Anne Frank!"

We're working on it, always working on it.
We haven't yet found the book that gives us the answers. Unless you count this one.

Last year it was pear pie, but this year it had to be apple. We have a a tree that gave us thirteen apples, and they were just holy (and holey) enough for our equinox pie. We don't seem to be able to find our place with the Jews or the Christians or the Muslims or the Hindus or the Buddhists, but we keep coming back to pie and and the 14 Forest mice when the season turns.

This year it was warm and we ate outside. It rained on our table just enough to cool the pie, misting in the way that my grandmother used to call "God's spit" and then the sun set with oranges and pinks. It was a real true Harvest moon, and we hopped in the little car and drove around the block twice with our necks craned out the easterly window, searching for the glow of the moon through the hill. Unlike the mice in the book, we didn't find it. The clouds and hills were working against us. Only Joey ended up seeing the moon rise a few hours later- he perched on the crest of the roof and me grumpy at the window, ashamedly afraid of heights.

And what are we celebrating? Well, this one shouldn't be too hard. There is the sunset and the spitty rain, and the one year older. There is the now Kindergarten and 2nd graders, the now real writer, the new kids in Joey's classroom who squeeze his leg. There is the little car, and neighbors, and health, and the house almost finished with all its building. There are friends, and there are things we try to do and do well, and there is town, and all of the world lit up with orange leaves. I could go on, but I'll cut to it. What are we celebrating? Well, of course there is the pie itself.

This is our apple pie. It usually made in haste, and it won't win any beauty contests. But on these days when the white pie dish comes out of the cupboard, we are celebrating everything.

I don't go for a sticky apple pie- I want all fruit and lemon and cinnamon. The balance has continued to change over the years and I assume that it will continue to do so. That's the thing about balance--it continues to change. I think these front yard apples made the best pie pie yet though If you have those, use them, but otherwise find someone else's front yard apples. Those will work too. But the celebrating's good for the flavor too--that and vanilla ice cream.

This Year's Apple Pie

1 recipe pie crust
3 1/2 pounds apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 tablespoon rum
juice of one lemon
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
4 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Roll out your pie crust and place one half of it in a buttered and floured 9-inch pie dish. Combine the remaining ingredients in a mixing bowl and toss until thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into pie shell. Roll out the other half of the crust recipe and place it on top of the filling. Cut four vents in the top. Bake for 15 minutes- then turn down the heat to 375 degrees and bake for another hour, or until filling is bubbly and the crust is beginning to brown.

I feel like I've been waiting for apple week forever, and here we are. This week's apples can be found bubbling a crunching and spreading joy all over the internet. Here's a start, from the fall fest family:

• Todd and Diane at White on Rice Couple: Apple picking, and Broiled Leeks with Apple Vinaigrette


• Marilyn at Simmer Till Done: Louisa May Alcott's Apple Slump


• Caron at San Diego Foodstuff: Remaking The Silver Palate Cookbook's Medieval Apple Tart


• Alison at Food2: 22 Awesome Ways to Use Your Apples


• Michelle at Cooking Channel: Apple Dessert Recipes


• Dana at Healthy Eats: 31 Days of Apple Recipes


• Liz at Food Network: Pick the Perfect Apple


• Caroline at The Wright Recipes: Apple Stack Cake and Dark Caramel Apples


• Food Network UK: Five English apples you should know and love


• Gilded Fork: Apples—Sweet Seduction


• Paige at The Sister Project: Third-Prize Apple Pie


• Nicole at Pinch My Salt: Favorite Apple Recipes

Indian lentil soup with spinach, and a flatbread from my favorite food blogger

Don't you just love a party that never stops?
From one season into another, we just can't give it a rest. As that little chill pricks around your as of yet unscarved neck, summer fest is slowly shifting into fall fest. If this all keeps up, I predict we'll be searching for winter fest topics too...
"What is that green frozen cube in the back of my freezer?" week, or "Good thing citrus season is coming because I think my kids are going to get rickets soon" week, or better yet, "Let's make stew again since we can't get out of the door!" week
Ah winter. In time, in time. But, I'm happy to be celebrating the fall for now.

Happy Autumn, friends. Wrap your sweater around you and let's have a little chat about spinach.

On second thought, (as I do have my own ways of dancing around the issue) and although yes, yes, spinach is entirely conversation worthy on these crisp cuspy equinitox-ical days, really I'm just thinking about Laurie Colwin.

Oh Laurie Colwin, the voice that whispers between my heart and my belly. She's made her appearances here before of course, especially in those weeks after my heroic friend Janet handed me her beat up copy with tight lipped inhale and an excited squeak, but she's been coming back a lot lately. I'm so glad her books are little paperbacks that I can carry in my apron pocket. I'm not sure what I'd do without her.
I'd have to say that Laurie Colwin is my very favorite food blogger.

Of course, Laurie Colwin has not put hands to a keyboard since her death in 1992, and so she has no food blog nor ever has had a food blog that we can google or tweet about. There are no daily updates, no accounts of what she made for her daughter for dinner last night, and this is truly our loss. What we do have are two books, books that speak and sing and feed--her voice is so present, so real, so "come in to my kitchen and go sit at the counter with this bottle of wine while I cook a little something for us," that this...THIS...is why I write here- only so I can extend the same sort of invitation. Thank whoever might be looking out for me for these little books that never fail to remind me why I even try.

There are, I think at this point, as many food blogs out there as there are people who have both a kitchen and a computer. In my opinion, this is nothing short of wonderful. I can only imagine that most people wrote that scary and exhilarating first post that put them out there into the world out of desire to invite someone into their kitchen, and I think each one of those invitations is a move towards where we want to be. I myself like to have a bit of company in the kitchen, and unless one is relishing their (rarely found but often sought!) alone time in the kitchen, then I also think a a full kitchen is a happy one, even if the guests are eating their fill from the other side of the computer screen.
I am happy to be one of millions. I think that if we all invite each other into our kitchens, if we all talk about what we're going to make...then there might just be one hum of invitation- one open door...that's right friends, world peace through food blogging! (or at least many people with a clearer idea of what they'd like to make for dinner)

This invitation has been on my mind--this hum and whir of it all. Sometimes I forget where I fit in, and I need a little shove. I'll say it one more time, because sometimes gratitude bears repeating...Thank whoever might be looking out for me for these little books that never fail to remind me why I even try.

Today, I made Laurie Colwin's flatbread. And soup. Soup with lentils and coconut and spinach. The girls sit on that side of the table, although Rosie's not going to touch that soup. Joey's over there on that side, but there are two chairs in the corner and another over by the computer in the living room, and just bring those in. Oh, and there's a stool in the laundry room too, if you don't mind a chair without a back. Squeeze in the corner there- I'll get you a spoon.

Oh, and before I forget, (no no go ahead and eat!) I'm keeping my little giveaway open for a few more days. The conversation over there is just too lovely- I can't bear to end it. So feel free to chime in--at least go read the comments! I'll keep it open till Friday.

Look- new logo! Fall is really here. Soup and bread for everyone.

Indian Lentil Soup with Spinach
adapted from Padma Lakshmi, Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet

1 cup orange lentils
1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
4 cups spinach, steamed, chopped, and squeezed of excess water
2 dried ancho chiles
2 tablespoons yellow lentils (I couldn't find these and so used yellow split peas, which worked fine)
1 cup grated unsweetened coconut
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon brown mustard seeds

Soak orange lentils for 3 hours in tepid water. Drain and rinse until the water runs clear. Boil the orange lentils with the salt in about 4 cups of water- then reduce heat and cook on medium low for 40 minutes, or until they are tender. Once the lentils are soft, mash them in the pot so that they become more of a sauce-like consistency.
Add the spinach, mix well, and adjust the salt to taste.
In a small skillet, dry roast the chilis with the yellow lentils. The chilis will give off some heat, so make sure that your kids aren't in the room. Toast until slightly brown, moving the skillet frequently. This will take about two minutes.
In a blender or food processor, grind the toasted chilis and yellow lentils--add the coconut and blend some more. Add this mixture to the soup and cook it all together for a few minutes.
Heat up your little skillet again. Heat the canola oil, then add the cumin and mustard seeds. When the seeds start to pop and smell good, pour the little mixture into the soup. Serve immediately, with flatbread.


Just because I want to, I'm going to give this one to you verbatim. With apologies and gratitude to Harper Perennial--you know we food bloggers are always breaking the rules. I am so so sorry, but my words just won't do here. And so, from "The Case of the Mysterious Flatbread":

(Laurie Colwin's Flatbread, from More Home Cooking)

"Here then, for anyone who wants to make a delicious, exotic, and really easy bread (or an attractive pile of biscuits) is the method for Flatbread.
Stir together 2 tablespoons of warm water with a teaspoon of yeast and 2 tablespoons of yogurt. Mix in 1/3 cup of flour and 2 teaspoons of sugar. Leave overnight, or all morning, or for 3 hours in an unlit oven. The mix will bubble nicely until you are ready for it.
In a bowl combine 2 cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of sea salt and 1 tablespoon of black onions seed (these are called kalaunji) [also Nigella! that's me chiming in]. Add the yogurt starter and 1 cup of warm water. Knead the dough on a floured board, kneading in an additional 3/4 cup flour, and leave it to rise for 2 hours.
When the dough has doubled in bulk, divide it in half. Heat the griddle until it is hot. Flatten the dough as for pizza or roll it out and turn it onto the griddle. You want the bread to toast but not to burn. When it is brown and speckled on both sides (this takes about 5 minutes), reduce the heat to low and continue to cook it for about 10 minutes. Tap it to see if it sounds hollow.
The bread is flat and spongy and goes with anything you can think of. And it takes less than a half hour of hands-on work to produce. Furthermore, flatbread proves that we are all brothers and sisters. It is a cross between a Scottish griddle scone, and English muffin, a Russian bialy, an Italian focaccia and a Navajo fry bread--a whole United Nations in one loaf, and cheap and delicious besides."

Thank you Laurie.

And we are not alone today--the spinach is flying around here. What a group to share the kitchen!

• Gilded Fork: Spicy Artichoke Spinach Dip, and a Dossier on Spinach
• Caroline at the Wright Recipes: Spinach Rotolo, a rolled ricotta and pasta extravaganza
• Alison at Food2: Spinach Artichoke Dip
• Michelle at Cooking Channel: Paneer With Spinach
• Kirsten at FN Dish: Everyday Spinach Dishes with Giada
• Liz at Healthy Eats: Mini Spinach-Mushroom Quiche
• Food Network UK: Eggs florentine, brunch of champions
• Cate at Sweetnicks: Spinach Egg Breakfast Cups
• Caron at San Diego Foodstuff: Mixed Mushroom Ragout with Herb-Polenta Cake
• Marilyn at Simmer Till Done: Spanakopita Scones
• Todd and Diane at White on Rice Couple: Tuna and Spinach Bruschetta

And you? I'm feeling pretty hungry if you've got an extra seat in your kitchen.

What's cooking?