deb's pots

Slow Cooker “Pizza” Pulled Turkey

Posted on May 14, 2015 by debspots

Have you planted your herbs yet? You do plant herbs in the spring, don’t you? Oh, dear. Here I am being bossy, that’s no way to treat you. I’m sorry.

But seriously, one of the best ways to enjoy the warm months is to grow a few culinary herbs and to use them in your cooking. Herb seedlings are my Mother’s Day present every year; I plant them after brunch. This year, my folks were here and Meg drove up from Baltimore. Brian called to say Happy Mother’s Day while I was happily covered in dirt. We’ll be in DC for his graduation this weekend (I plan to shower before then)!

While I was planting, I was thinking about my new slow cooker. That’s me, thinking about cooking pretty much 24/7. Trust me, I’m no less sick of stews and braises than everyone else. I love fresh and vibrant spring cooking; something grilled, salads, abundance bowls, a quick saute’…but they require last minute attention. And in the nice weather, I want to be outside mowing, hiking, running, planting or reading. Right? Which means that the slow cooker has an important place in the spring and summer rotation. Especially for those of us who still don’t have a kitchen. Don’t even ask!

I developed this dish to showcase my new herbs and to allow me to cook while I am tending them. It is made with turkey thighs, a family favorite. If you’ve never cooked turkey thighs, I encourage you to try them. They take very well to long, slow cooking; the finished dish is meaty, succulent, and full of flavor.

Slow Cooker “Pizza” Pulled Turkey

Serves 2-4

Paleo folks: you may skip the cheese entirely or use your favorite substitute.

2 turkey thighs, skin removed
½ cabbage (savoy is nice, but any cabbage is fine), sliced
28 oz can crushed tomatoes (Muir Glen preferable)
1 piece of parm rind*
handful fresh herbs, minced**
pinch crushed red pepper
salt to taste
garnishes: grated mozzarella, parm, minced fresh herbs or salad greens

*I save them and keep them in the freezer. If you don’t have one, ask at the market…
**I used basil, thyme, tarragon and chives. Oregano and rosemary would be nice. If you don’t have fresh, dried thyme, oregano or fennel seeds would be nice.

Put all ingredients except garnishes in the slow cooker insert. Cook on high for 3-4 hours. Pull the meat off the bones with 2 forks. Discard the bones and parm rind (I munch the rind, shhhh).

You may serve this over pasta, rice, polenta, flatbread, cooked greens, raw greens and/or beans. I like to top with some grated mozzarella and run under the broiler for a “pizza” effect. Garnish with your favorite minced herbs.

Ummm….before you go plant and cook, I wonder if I might ask a quick favor? Would you vote for my recipe in the Feedfeed/Goop Pantry Month Contest? I’m a finalist and I think it would be fun to win a pantry contest even though I don’t have a pantry. Here’s the link: http://www.thefeedfeed.com/pantrycontest-voting

Posted in dinner, entree, supper, weeknight | Tagged easy, gluten free, herbs, low carb, paleo, poultry, slow cooker, turkey | Leave a comment

When Life Gives You Lemons

Posted on May 9, 2015 by debspots

How well do you handle it when things don’t go your way? In the face of life’s inevitable disappointments, are you good at deciding when to persist, when to change course, or when to let go?

As a psychologist, it is clear to me that these discernment skills are essential to a successful, satisfying life. Many people struggle with a disconnect between expectations and reality. It is important for our goals to be realistic. It is helpful to be able to tolerate expending effort and feeling discomfort to reach them, and it is essential to know when to change our plans.

I will never forget something a teacher said about me (to the whole class) in high school. I wish I could remember the context…but this was the message: If each person in this class broke their favorite thing, everyone else would be sitting on the floor crying, but Deb would be trying to figure out how to put it back together. To this day, I still can’t figure out whether she meant this as a compliment!

Now, please don’t get me wrong here, I am not about to make an argument that my current life is full of lemons. I have dealt with difficult health issues and terrible tragedy in the past. These experiences have taught me that I can make a plan and move forward, even if the process is scary and painful.

This blog is my way of “making lemonade” out of the “lemons” inherent in our construction process. While the inconveniences and hassles of demolition and building are in a different category from the tragedies I have faced in my life, they are tricky in their own way and certainly test my good cheer on a regular basis.

Before we started on the project, I vowed that I would find a way to feed us well, to continue to be creative with food, and to continue giving my blog readers something worth reading while we were renovating. I could not have anticipated how much this would help me to maintain my focus and my sanity when faced with the news that my house was collapsing. Or blowing fuses when I try to fire my kiln (right now, in fact), or being hit in the head by wires while I try to prepare a salad.

So, as much as I enjoy a glass of lemonade, I want to make you something a little more fun with my lemons today. How about some lemon curd? I adore lemon curd! I like everything about it except the name. Curd. Just doesn’t sound appealing, right? But let’s make some anyway; there are so many wonderful things you can do with it!

Lemon Curd

Make this about an hour before you want to serve it; you want to let it set up a bit.
This recipe is adapted slightly from Cook’s Illustrated.

1/3 cup lemon juice, from 2 lemons-ish
2 large eggs, plus one yolk
½ cup sugar (I use organic cane)
2 tbs. unsalted butter
1 tbs. heavy cream
¼ tsp vanilla extract
pinch sea salt

Heat the lemon juice in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until hot, not boiling. Whisk eggs and yolks in a bowl and add the lemon juice, whisking. Return the mixture to the pot and heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. It should coat the back of your wooden stirrer (see my picture). Don’t let it get thicker than this; it will set up when it cools.

Take the pot off the heat and stir in the butter, then the cream, vanilla and salt. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and chill.

Lemon curd is wonderful on top of ice cream or stirred into yogurt. It’s great on Mindfulness Bread, your favorite toast, or pound cake. I like to make little tarts with a cheesecake filling and then top them with lemon curd and fruit. But, I don’t have an oven, so, when life gives you lemons… Here, I have used wheat biscuits as a sort of crust, spread on some cream cheese, added the lemon curd, and topped with berries and violets.

I am going to serve these pretty little “tarts” to myself, my mother, and my daughter for Mother’s Day because we are all good at dealing with adversity!

I wish you all a wonderful Mother’s Day!

Posted in breakfast, dessert, snack, treats, vegetarian | Tagged berries, disappointment, edible flowers, fruit, gluten free, ice cream topping, learning, lemon curd, lemons, spread, tart | 7 Comments

Fern Pie

Posted on May 5, 2015 by debspots

This may be the most seasonal recipe you will ever see! Fiddleheads are just at the right stage for harvesting this week! So get out there, identify your specimens, and collect them right away…but fear not. I will give you alternatives and you can bookmark this post for next year if you’ve missed the fiddle harvest.

If you’ve been reading Deb’s Pots Blog, you know that I spend a lot of time outdoors. I run 7 miles a day, hike, swim, kayak and walk every chance I get. If I had to pick my favorite activity, it would be beachcombing. I look for shells to use as imprints on my pots and as supports for pots in the wood kiln. I could do this for days on end, looking up from time to time to spot a pod of dolphins or an osprey. Pure heaven.

A close second favorite is foraging. I can’t say I’m the most experienced edible plant identifier, but Meg and I have become experienced amateurs. I regularly harvest oyster mushrooms, morels, wild chives, mint, grape leaves, day lily buds, berries and greens. When the kids were in elementary school, I took the class on an expedition and we made a foraged soup. It wasn’t as much of a hit as the sushi rolling lesson or the annual latke frying…It was more successful than the time I nearly set the classroom on fire or performed a demo using a hotplate that blew all the fuses in the whole school…

But I digress. One of the best delicacies of spring is the fiddlehead. Fiddleheads are the unfurled fronds of ferns. There is some debate in the foraging community about the edibility of different kinds of ferns. As with all foraging, I prefer to keep completely safe and I only harvest Ostrich Ferns. And I always make sure to cook them properly. You should, too! Here is a good reference (with kind permission from the author, Sam) to help guide you so that you are well informed when you go fiddlehead hunting.

If you don’t want to forage, or don’t have access, or have missed the season for this year, you may simply leave them out of the recipe. Or, substitute asparagus or artichokes for the ferns. Artichokes should be prepped and trimmed and then you may follow the exact directions in the recipe. Asparagus should be trimmed and cut into bite size pieces. But don’t boil them. Just go ahead and saute’ them with the mushrooms.

Fern Pie

Serves 2 as a meal, 4 as an appetizer or lunch

This is a sort of cross between a frittata and a quiche. I use Mindfulness Bread to make crumbs, so my version is gluten free, but you may use any bread you like. Or, if you want it to be very low carb, skip the bread crumbs.

1 cup fiddleheads, cleaned
1 cup sliced cremini mushrooms
1 tbs. neutral cooking oil
4 eggs, preferably organic and free range
¼ cup milk
½ cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano
1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar
¼ minced chives (wild are fine)
salt and pepper, to taste
cooking spray (I use organic coconut oil)

Preheat the oven to 325°. Spray an 8 inch pie plate or shallow oven-safe dish with cooking spray.

Bring a small pot of water to boil and salt it generously. Boil the fiddleheads for 10 minutes and then rinse them under cold water. Put them in a kitchen towel to dry.

Saute’ the mushrooms in the oil in a heavy skillet until they begin to brown. Add the fiddleheads and give them a toss for a minute or two. Set aside to cool

Beat the eggs and milk, season with salt and pepper and add the chives.

Place the breadcrumbs in the bottom of the baking dish and sprinkle with the parm and the cheddar. Distribute the fiddles and mushrooms over the top of the cheese. Pour on the egg mixture.

Bake the pie for 25-30 minutes or until just set. The center might still be very slightly jiggly, but you don’t want it to be outright liquid. Let stand for 10 minutes and up to 2 hours before serving. Refrigerate if you make it more than 2 hours ahead. It’s good hot, at room temp, cold, or reheated.

Sadie says she loves you and hopes you will follow our blog!

Sadie says she loves you and she hopes you will follow our blog!

Check out Megan’s wonderful new blog post, also about foraging, on ChickPea and Rutabaga!

Posted in appetizer, lunch, supper, vegetarian | Tagged artichokes, asparagus, dairy, eggs, fiddleheads, gluten free, mushrooms, spring | 4 Comments

Tzatziki Platter

Posted on May 2, 2015 by debspots

What is your favorite time of year? Has it changed over time?

As a child, I loved summer, but now early spring, hands down, makes me happiest. I started feeling that way on May 2, 1993, 22 years ago today.

Our first born, Megan was just over 2 ½ years old. I loved her fiercely and couldn’t imagine finding room in my heart for a second child. It was 5 am. Bob had called our next door neighbor and my parents. Harriet sat with sleeping Meg until her grandparents arrived. We passed them on the road and waved. We were on our way to The Birthing Center (“A Nice Place to Be Born”). I was in very active labor.

It took a lot of concentration to stay calm and centered during that car ride. As we passed the reservoir, the sun came up behind the mountains, illuminating the tiny celadon leaves. Mother Earth and I were giving birth at the same time. My heart expanded to make room for this new life; I felt a joy I have carried with me since that morning. I knew that within a couple of hours my family would be complete.

Our son, Brian, was born just over an hour later; his birth was beautiful. He was, and still is, perfect. We were back home in Warwick by suppertime. And ever since that day, I have loved this time of year, when our Mother gives birth, the time that marks the anniversary of the day we became a family of four.

Today, Brian is studying for finals, so he won’t able to get home to share this birthday supper with us. I made something he loves, and I’ll make it again for him when he is back in Warwick. Before I get to the recipe, I want to tell you a few things about my son. I am struggling a bit here; I could go on for pages and pages and gush and embarrass myself because I am so madly in love with him. I will try to be rational.

My son is a tall, lean, strong man, with a huge heart and a substantial presence. He adores his friends and is loyal to a fault. His spent his childhood making us laugh and still takes great delight in causing us to howl until our stomachs hurt. He has an incredible intellect, a nuanced, analytical mind, and a very well developed sense both of justice and of the absurd. He is deeply thoughtful and responsible, and he knows how to have fun. I don’t just love him; I like him and I admire him.

In two weeks, Brian will graduate from The George Washington University with a BA in Political Science. He loves DC, and hopes to get a job there and live in the District this fall. He is going to Europe for the summer, and I am enormously excited for him! I hope you will join me in wishing him Happy Birthday and Happy Graduation!

Tzatziki Platter

I used foraged wild chives and mint. You can grow, pick, or shop for yours, just don’t substitute dried!

Many tzatziki recipes call for drained yogurt and/or sour cream. I have found that if you use Greek yogurt and pour off any pooled whey from both products, draining the dairy is unnecessary. Draining the cucumber is not optional.

Tzatziki

1 small cucumber, seeded, finely diced
¼ cup Greek yogurt
¼ cup sour cream
juice of half lemon
2 tbs. minced chives
2tbs. minced mint
salt and pepper, to taste (lots)

Place the minced cucumber in a sieve over a bowl and sprinkle generously with salt. Toss. Let stand 15 minutes. Then wrap the cucumber in a kitchen towel and wring it out. When you’re done, wring some more. You will be amazed how much salty cucumber water happens.

Combine the all the ingredients. Don’t do I what I did and leave the cucumber in the towel and then remember it later. Unless you find that amusing, in which case, have fun, it’s your tzatziki! You can make it a few hours ahead and refrigerate.

Grilled Stuff

I made kofta using ground turkey mixed with some lemon, cumin, a little olive oil, some slivered almonds, salt, and lots of cayenne pepper, mixed and formed into oval patties. They were grilled over medium high heat until they were just cooked through. Alternatively, you could use ground beef or lamb. Or seasoned, skewered, cubed meat. Or you could skip the meat altogether.

In addition, I grilled the following: haloumi, baby bell peppers, zucchini (we all know Brian loves zucchini), and japanese sweet potatoes. I just drizzled everything with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and chives and grilled until cooked. Then, I added tomatoes and avocado to the platter. You could add or substitute any of the following: asparagus, mushrooms, artichokes, sliced eggplant, onions, or leeks.

Feel free to accompany the platter with some lightly toasted pita, preferably homemade. That is, if you have an oven.

Serve the tzatziki surrounded by the vegetables. It’s very festive and communal.

Happy Birthday, Brian!!!

Posted in entertaining, entree, main course, party, supper | Tagged birth, birthday, cucumber, family, gluten free, Greek, kofta, love, low carb, Mediterranean, pottery, sauce, tzatziki, yogurt | 4 Comments

Deb’s Chicken Parm

Posted on April 25, 2015 by debspots

Progress is an odd concept, isn’t it? We all tend to think that we are moving forward when we can measure our successes in clearly defined steps. In fact, rather than in a straight line, progress tends to happen in fits and starts. This happens frequently in the dr deb office and I often warn my clients that when they begin to feel better, they need to expect and to integrate the inevitable setbacks. In reality, progress is rarely linear.

Spring arrived in Warwick last week in a flourish of tiny buds and bright daffodils. Yesterday, it disappeared again. The temperature dropped, the wind picked up and it began to snow, then to snow harder, and then, remarkably, to hail! This morning, I ran 5 miles in a light snow.

Here in the construction from hell, sometimes it feels we move more backward than forward! The soapstone countertops arrived from Vermont. They were the wrong size and never even made it off the truck. The lighting is delayed. A friend recommended a trustworthy painter, who seems to have dropped off the planet.

I’ve been wanting to give you my amazing recipe for Chicken Parm since I started Deb’sPotsBlog. Envisioning the photographs of cooking and serving in the new kitchen has served as a motivator during some of the more uncomfortable moments in the construction process. But a few days ago, in the middle of the most recent snafu (the stone cutter guys decided not to follow through with their promise to install the backsplash), I got an incredible craving. I really wanted Chicken Parm, could practically taste the crispy coating, the sweet/savory tomato sauce and the ooey gooey melty cheese.

The meaning of the craving became clear to me: I need to practice what I preach: Live in the moment. I don’t need to have my new kitchen or even to have made linear progress towards that goal. I can practice mindfulness. I will embrace what I have now. I went to the store and bought the ingredients to make and photograph this wonderful dish for you today. I hope you don’t mind that I’m still using the toaster to bake. I hope you don’t mind that there are still wires banging me in the head while I am cooking, and that guys are sanding, nailing and sawing while I work. And I hope you enjoy making Chicken Parm wherever you are cooking right now.

Deb’s Chicken Parm

Serves 4

This chicken parm is pretty healthy and low fat. You may make it gluten free, as I have done here, by substituting Mindfulness Bread crumbs* for the panko in the coating. I prefer the packaged, square mozzarella for this recipe. Good fresh mozz has too much moisture and makes everything too soggy.

1 recipe Crispy Chicken (don’t cut the breast halves into “fingers,” leave them whole)
1 cup warm marinara sauce (use your favorite or the meatless version here)
4 slices mozzarella
grated parm, for serving**

Preheat the broiler while you prep the chicken. Top each half breast with 2 tbs. sauce and 1 slice of mozz. Broil until the cheese is melty and brown. Serve with remaining sauce and parm.

*Toast a few slices of Mindfulness Bread. Tear into small pieces and pulse in the food processor until you have nice, small crumbs. Are you worried about the raisins? Don’t!

**I always use good Parmigiano Reggiano

PS I hope you are enjoying the blog! Please remember, if you haven’t already, follow. You will get an email when there’s a new post. Otherwise, WordPress won’t take advantage of having your email address, nor will I. And I LOVE comments! Many thanks!

Posted in entree, main course, poultry, supper | Tagged chicken, chicken parmesan, family, gluten free, healthy, Italian, mindfulness, mozzarella, parmesan, pizza | 6 Comments

Caramel Almond Ice Cream

Posted on April 18, 2015 by debspots

Weekends are heaven for the construction-weary and their cats. I am not going to bore you with details. Suffice it to say that it has been a difficult and frustrating week. And I couldn’t be happier to have a couple of days to recover and regain my good will.

Today is the first truly warm day in 5 months here in Warwick. The daffodils are blooming and the snow is almost all gone up on the mountain!

This morning, I went for a 6 mile trail run to the edge of Wickham Lake, one of my favorite places on earth. I was able to tie my long-sleeve top around my waist after about a mile…the sun felt like a blessing on my winter-white arms.

I can think of no more perfect occasion to whip up a new batch of ice cream! I made some Crack Bark (using some of my 5 lbs. of free Matzah) earlier this week. Now, we have sweets to celebrate the arrival of spring and a break from the weekday routine of power tools and disappointment.

Caramel Almond Ice Cream

This ice cream is wonderful plain. But it is also great with a drizzle of agave, some extra almonds, or hot fudge. And it is amazing with fruit-berries or peaches in particular.

1 pint heavy cream
1 cup slivered almonds
1 tsp. cane sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond extract
1 recipe caramel sauce
½ cup agave syrup
sea salt, to taste

Place the almonds in a microwave safe bowl and toss with the sugar and a sprinkle of salt. Microwave on high for 90 seconds, stirring once. Cool to room temp before making the ice cream. You can do the almonds up to a day ahead.

Beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add the extracts, salt and agave and beat to stiff peaks. Fold in the caramel sauce and the almonds. Freeze until firm, at least 6 hours.

Posted in dessert, kid friendly, treat | Tagged almond, caramel, caramel sauce, crack bark, gluten free, ice cream, salted caramel | 7 Comments

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Posted on April 17, 2015 by debspots

How much effort do you put into eating locally? How strongly do you prioritize eating local, organic, or seasonal? Or healthy? Perhaps you are following a special plan for your eating because of health or ethics, or religion.

If you follow me on Deb’sPotsBlog or social media, you probably know by now that I eat healthy almost all the time. I do make outrageous treats fairly often, but I rarely eat them myself. I taste, and that is enough. Bob is able to eat more treats than I am; he is a full foot taller and a lean runner man these days. I aspire to eat local, organic, and sustainable, but my behavior doesn’t always match my intention in that realm.

We must all decide how to feed ourselves. Our bodies are designed to hunt and to gather, and to gorge when there is opportunity. We are biologically wired to be attracted to things that are difficult to attain in the wild: fat, sweet, salty, and variety. And the food industry takes marketing advantage of that wiring. We, in the first world, live in unnatural abundance. And we must all make choices to limit our choices, lest we be overweight and sick.

So, I offer today’s recipe with a tiny apology. Brussels sprouts are not seasonal now, and I should be giving you tiny shoots and roots. But here in the northeast US, local eaters are still pretty much finishing up last year’s cabbages, parsnips, and potatoes. And I wanted something fresh and green because it is finally and truly spring. So, I promise that as soon as the farm market is open (it will be a while yet), I will stick to what is seasonal as much as possible. For now, I am still taking advantage of the food system in all its diabolical glory. So, I am enjoying brussels sprouts in April, shipped from California.

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Brussels Sprouts

Halve the sprouts if they are large; leave them whole if they’re small. I like to use these as a bed for a stew. They are also good served room temperature or even cold. Make them a couple hours ahead and let stand at room temp. Or cook them the day before and refrigerate; they reheat well.

2 9 oz packages fresh brussels sprouts, washed and trimmed
1 tbs. neutral cooking oil
2 tsp cane or coconut sugar
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
balsamic or white balsamic vinegar to taste, optional
Other optional additions: Parm shards or crumbled blue cheese, raisins and nuts.

Heat the sprouts in a heavy pan in the oil over high heat until the color begins to brighten, a few minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients except the vinegar. Keep stirring and shaking the pan for a few more minutes until some browning begins to happen. Add 2 tbs. water to the pan and cover tightly. Cook for 5 minutes and then stir; check to see that there is still a bit of water and if it’s all gone, add a little sprinkle.

Cook for another 5 minutes and stir and check for doneness: Use a paring knife to assess the texture of the center of a sprout. It should be firm, but not hard. You can take one out and cut in half and taste. Cook for a bit longer if they are still raw in the center. Serve.

Toss with a bit of vinegar if desired. Serve with desired garnishes.

Posted in braise, side dish, vegetable | Tagged brussels sprouts, glazed, gluten free, low carb, make ahead, paleo, spicy, spring, sweet, vegan, vegetarian | 9 Comments

Hot and Sour Soup with Shrimp

Posted on April 12, 2015 by debspots

Did you think this winter would never end? Have you ever been so sad, in pain, or discouraged, you couldn’t imagine ever feeling ok again?

Hot and sour soup always helps me to find the “silver lining” no matter how dark the cloud. There are a bunch of reasons for this. The first and biggest reason is that I learned to make it during a very hard time. So, whenever I assemble the ingredients, I think about how I have integrated my past and learned to be happy in the face of life’s overwhelming challenges.

Along the same lines, thinking about the person who taught me to make it always reminds me that nothing is all bad. This woman was a friend of my parents; her mother was Chinese and her father Italian; she was an incredible cook of both Asian and European food. She was one of the most angry people I’ve ever known, and she and was staggeringly cruel to me. It still stuns me to think about it more than 30 years later. However, from her, I learned not only to make this soup, but also Chinese dumplings. Worth it? I still can’t say, but I do love both delicious Asian specialties.

And finally, there are the flavors in the soup itself. Bitter and sour. They are taste sensations that were a signal to our hunter/gatherer ancestors that a food should be avoided or used only with great care. Yet, with the other elements in the bowl, most of us find the combination incredibly appealing.

Hot and sour soup is the source of my most memorable embarrassing culinary mishap. I had just met my husband Bob, my brother Steven was still alive, and our family got together at my parent’s house in Oakland for one of our famous Chinese Feasts. It was my job to make the soup. I was proud as I served it, aware that my new boyfriend was impressed by my cooking.

But the soup tasted oddly flat. It is supposed to be richly sour and peppery; it had none of its characteristic zing in spite of the fact that I’d added plenty of vinegar. So, Steven went to the kitchen and brought the bottle of rice wine vinegar into the dining room. He added a splash to his soup and it foamed like a tiny volcano. We all tried adding vinegar and we all had little Haleakalas in our bowls. We were mystified and until I realized I had reached for the yellow box of baking soda instead of the yellow box of cornstarch!!! I’ve never been allowed to forget it6. When we were all together for my Dad’s 80th birthday in February, we had a Chinese Feast, I made the soup, and the story was told again!

Hot and Sour Soup with Shrimp

Serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as a meal (along with a salad)

The classic version I learned years ago was made with strips of pork rather than with shrimp; you may certainly use pork if you prefer. Or leave out both and make it vegetarian. We also used tree fungus, tiger lily buds and bamboo shoots. I often do use these things, but packed them all away for the kitchen renovation. I like the simplicity of this recipe. Paleo eaters are welcome to skip the tofu.

1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
12 oz. cremini or shiitake mushrooms, or a combination, sliced
1 package firm or extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1 carrot, julienned
2 scallions, 1 sliced lengthwise, 1 crosswise for garnish
2 tbs. cornstarch
1 tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. black pepper
2 tbs. rice wine vinegar
2 tsp. asian sesame oil
1 egg
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined*
asian chili oil, to taste

Optional: Rehydrated wood ear (tree ear) mushrooms, and/or lily buds.

*Make sure you get shrimp that have not been soaked in salt or stp!

Reserve 1/3 cup stock in a cup. Bring the remaining stock to boil in a large pot. While that happens, beat the egg with ½ tsp. of the cornstarch. Mix the remaining cornstarch into the reserved stock.

When the stock is at a rolling boil, add the pepper, soy, mushrooms, carrots and scallion strips, and optional wood ear mushrooms and lily buds; adjust the heat to simmer and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Give the cornstarch slurry another good stir and add it to the pot. Bring back to boil, stirring; it will thicken. Take the pot off the heat; give the egg mixture another stir and pour into the pot in a thin stream. Add the tofu. Place the pot back on the heat and stir gently.

Now, add the shrimp and cook for a minute or so until they are done. Be careful not to overcook or the shrimp will be tough. Add the vinegar, sesame oil, and chili oil. Taste and adjust vinegar, soy, and chili oil; you want assertive hot and sour with a good snap of salt. Garnish with scallions.

Posted in appetizer, entree, main course, one pot meals, supper | Tagged appetizer, chinese, easy, gluten free, hot and sour, lunch, paleo, quick, shrimp, soup, supper, tofu, vegetarian | 6 Comments

Egg Salad and Asparagus

Posted on April 9, 2015 by debspots

Warning: I am preparing to go on another one of my little rants about gratitude. If you know my story, you know why gratitude is so important to me. Today, my gratitude is aimed at you, my blog readers and at social media and the wonderful people I have “met” from all over the world since I began this blog.

Sharing my pots and food with you here at Deb’s Pots Blog has been a wonderful experience for me. I have learned new things, gotten great ideas, and felt supported during a stressful time. Thank you!

Wood Fired Stoneware Cup by Ian Pemberton

Ian Pemberton cup (left), Troy Bungart cup and bowl

As you know, one of the people I’m grateful to have met via Deb’s Pots is Troy Bungart. And he has introduced me to a wonderfully talented young potter, Ian Pemberton. Today, I am featuring some of their beautiful wood fired pottery. And some of my own. Because, like I told you before, we potters secretly love our own pots. And I especially like to see my pots with food in or near them. And if they are next to beautiful pots made by potters I admire, and there is food, well, I am very happy. The wires are still hanging around my head and there’s not a countertop in sight, so for me to be happy is a very good thing!

Ian’s cup (left), Troy’s Wood Fired Cup (middle), Deb’s Pots Wood Fired cup (right), Deb’s white bowl (left), Troy’s Wood Fired Bowl, right.

I asked Troy and Ian what sort of food I should prepare to showcase their pieces. I wanted something that felt “springy.” By this I am referring to the season, not food that jumps. And I wanted something that would be like a bouquet in Ian’s upright cup. So, naturally, my favorite spring food, asparagus!

Asparagus and eggs are a classic and delicious pairing. And this week is an eggy time of year, what with the Easter Bunny and the Seder Plate and all. I know some people feel unhappy about egg salad. I believe this is because it is often prepared poorly. It is so easy to make, I think often it is not given the respect it deserves. Something so simple needs to be made with care and attention to detail to be really fine.

Most importantly, the eggs need to be cooked properly. No green ring on the yolk! And you need to use the correct amount of a decent mayo; sweet pickles are an abomination (sorry)…a little mustard and the right amount of seasoning. I like dill, but I completely respect you if you prefer to leave it out; dill is one of those herbs that upset a lot of people. I am a fan of dill, but only when it is used as a noun. It is not acceptable to try to turn it into an adjective, as in “dilly beans,” or worse, into a verb, as in “dilled carrots.”

Egg Salad and Asparagus

I like fat asparagus. I think they are more tender and tasty. They are also sturdier, which makes them better for dipping into the egg salad. But if all you can get are skinny asparagus, go for it!

Serves 2-4

2 lbs. asparagus, washed and trimmed
5 eggs, preferably organic, free range
¼ cup good mayo (I am a Hellman’s girl)
2 tsp. mustard (I like country dijon)
minced fresh dill, to taste (optional)
salt, cayenne and and fresh black pepper, to taste

Cook the asparagus: I like to soak them in cold water for a while before cooking. Put them in a big pot and pour off all but about ¼ cup water. Prepare an ice bath (a big pot or bowl with lots of ice and water). Place the pot, covered, over high heat. When you see steam, use tongs to move the asparagus around so they all get some heat. Re-cover the pot and cook for another 2-3 minutes. You want them all bright green. Don’t overcook! Immediately plunge them into the ice bath. This is often referred to as “shocking.” I like to think of it as a nice, refreshing bath.

Now, prepare a similar, but smaller bath for the eggs. Place the eggs in a pot that is just big enough to hold them all with an inch of water to cover. Put a lid on the pot and place over high heat. When you see steam, take the pot off the heat and set a timer for 10 minutes. The second that timer rings, give the eggs a nice, cold bath.

Peel the eggs. Start at the fatter end and try to get under the membrane. Running them under water can be helpful. Peeling eggs is not the funnest job, but try to cultivate mindfulness anyway. Cursing and mindfulness are incompatible. Just sayin’.

Mash the eggs with an egg masher. You don’t have an egg masher? Use a potato masher or a fork. I like my egg salad a bit chunky, but you can make it finer if you prefer. Add the mayo, mustard, dill, and salt and peppers. Pepperses?

Dry the asparagus on a nice, soft towel. You want to treat them gently after the bath. Serve the egg salad with the asparagus, encouraging everyone to dip. If you don’t like the dipping idea, you could cut up the asparagus and mix it into the egg salad. Or you could make an egg salad sandwich and munch your asparagus alongside!

Avocado goes great with this. But I think avocado goes great with almost everything!

I’m so grateful that you stopped by Deb’s Pots Blog! I hope you’ll follow so that you don’t miss a post. I promise neither WordPress nor I will do anything with your email address except to send you a quick message when a new post is ready. Oh, and leave me a comment. I love comments!!!

Posted in appetizer, entree, lunch, main course, supper | Tagged asparagus, egg salad, eggs, gluten free, gratitude, healthy, mindfulness, paleo, spring, vegetarian | 4 Comments

Smoothie Shots

Posted on April 2, 2015 by debspots

Let’s celebrate! Finally, we are seeing signs of spring here in the woods! I just got back from my first glove-less run in 5 months! The phoebes are here and there are snowdrops and crocuses in an undisclosed location a few miles from here. Well, I might have disclosed it on line somewhere…

For much of my life, celebration has meant champagne. Or cocktails. Or shots. But in addition to flowers and birds, I am also celebrating a rather sobering (I mean this literally) milestone. I have not swallowed a single drop of alcohol in ten years!

Last week, I accepted an invitation from Hannah, a brave young woman I “met” on Instagram; I wrote and shared a brief version of “my story,” for her new inspiring stories project. If you’re interested, you can find it here.

Right now, on to the celebration! I thought it would be fun to create something festive, a little indulgent, yet healthy to mark this occasion. It’s kinda holiday-ish too. You could whip up a little batch of these cuties to serve to drinkers and non-drinkers at your Easter or Passover gathering. It can be consumed by folks who are gluten free, vegetarian, vegan, or by paleo dieters. And it’s a snap to prepare! If you do make it, let me know by leaving me a comment belowl!

And make sure to follow the blog so you don’t miss a post!

Smoothie Shots

These taste like rich, silky, dense, liquid halvah. They are great with fruit. I often make a whole meal with fruit to dip or a big smoothie bowl with fruit, nuts and seeds. Strawberries are heaven! Try mango, banana, pineapple, apple, peach, or pear.

Makes 4 shots, plus a little extra for the “bartender;” Multiply easily for a crowd.

1 cup coconut milk (light is fine, organic is preferable)
¼ cup tahini
3 tbs. agave or honey

Optional Garnishes: sesame seeds, nuts (I used pistachios here), fruit, coconut flakes

Mix all ingredients, pour into shot glasses or little cups and garnish as desired.