Summer has finally arrived!

Welcome back Summer, you have been really missed!! The Kitchen is once again open for business and if last year taught me anything, it is that life is never exactly what we expect. Right now I have so many ideas and thoughts racing through my head that it is a little difficult to figure out where a good starting point might be.

These are my giant Roma Tomato Plants!
I began growing these back in late May and never
truly thought this garden would work.
I am now a believer in my own skills!

I turned the light switch off on the my dining room desk last fall because it was time for me to concentrate on the most important job in my life, that would be me being a dad. Many people don't know this about me but I am a full time stay-at-home father of three great children!! I used to try and hide that fact or kind of pass over the things I did at home. It hasn't been very easy for me to go from being in charge of full kitchens, preparing meals for hundreds, launching big parties...to diaper duty and homework. Three children and a whole house to look after was never something I learned in school and the 'family' support network is not an option for me to turn towards when I need advice. It is also not easy to watch as my better half works some long hours and brings home our only real paycheck. She is amazing and I probably don't say "Thanks" nearly enough, especially for all she does for the kids and myself.

Paraphrasing just a bit here..."but a funny thing happened on the way to the market"...Realizing that I have strengths that go along with my weaknesses was and still is hard for me to come to terms with. I have learned that not only was I pretty damn good at being a Chef, it just so happens that I am even better at being the man of the house!! Certainly was a shock to me...apparently however, not to most people around me. One of these days I will stop doubting myself and listen more.

Right about now, you may be asking yourself what any of this has to do with food, recipes or even being healthy. I am getting back to that sort of thing in a minute. Before I do though, it is important for me to let people know that writing, cooking and coming up with new recipes is really fun for me and is also therapeutic in many ways. I also have a bit of green thumb and spent somewhere around 6-8 weeks working on my yard, making a huge vegetable garden and generally feeling good about what I wanted in life.

So the book got placed on the shelf until I had free time to bring her back to the table. I dusted off the notebook which was covered in my daughters artwork, grabbed out my recipe files and started to get back into working on book creation 2.0

Sweet Onions are growing and coming along great!

I have missed writing and creating these past months and am looking forward to a fun filled summer of exploring different Farmers Markets, coming up with new ideas, playing in the
kitchen and making dreams come true. I may have even convinced the before mentioned other half that we need to invite people over to see my new garden oasis and to also try some of these recipes. Sangria anyone?

I plan on doing things different this summer as well. Recipes are important and they go along with all the stories which come from the people and farms that are such an inspiration when I am creating things in the kitchen or writing. I am going to cut out the marathon recipe weekends and concentrate on quality over quantity. This summer is also going to be about taking a stand and being much more vocal about the food community and culture around all of us.

This brings me to the reason why I felt the urge to get things rolling again and why I am going to be an advocate for doing things the right way when it comes to food.

The other day I was at our local supermarket and needed strawberries, so I grabbed a container and for some reason never really looked at the package. In my head it was berry season and naturally anything in the produce area would be fresh, local and packed with flavor. The strawberries weren't exactly bad but they were far from what I expected. These little guys were picked somewhere down in Georgia, then trucked to some shipping facility, then transported to another facility where they were divided up and shipped to us here in MA...now that they are here though, they get loaded into yet another truck for drop off at the supermarket, where they are then placed in a cooler until they make it out onto into the produce area. They have been handled by countless pairs of hands, sprayed with who knows what, washed, left to dry, brought in and out of a cooler, washed again and then finally they get put out on display for everyone to grab at.

These are the strawberries I mentioned.
They were gigantic and packed with flavor!

Or....as I did this morning...you can go the local farmers market and buy your strawberries that were picked a few hours ago (while most of us were sleeping). You can pay the same person who picked them and drive home with the entire car smelling of fresh picked goodness. In a nutshell, you get better quality produce, a cheaper price, you help out the local economy and you have the feeling of doing something better when it comes to the food in your life.

These markets are literally everywhere!! I have taken the whole family to different markets, some close to home and others further away. Each one of them has something different, a new vendor or an interesting way of presenting themselves. Live music, activities for the kids, gardening resources, fantastic local south coast wines and so much more.

Did you know that many markets will match dollar for dollar what you receive in the way of SNAP benefits as well! Seriously, there is no excuse when it comes to the food we eat!

Here is a great way to see where you can find a local market here on the South Shore of MA.

Edible South Shore and South Coast is a member of Edible Communities and has some great ideas when it comes to food, farms and living the good life. Clicking the name will bring you to the main website and by clicking on this one, you will be taken directly to the page where they list all of the current farmers markets in the area.

Squash is growing well in the garden. Next season it is
time to flex the muscles a bit more and try
for some more variety

I also want to give a special shout out to both the Hingham Farmers Market and the Weymouth Farmers Markets today. I visited both and had a great time with the family. The people were fantastic and the markets were hopping. My heart holds a special place for the market in Hingham after doing some food demos late last summer. The people I met made a very lasting impression and I owe them a huge thank you for all the support!!

I'll see everyone here on the blog page and over on Facebook during the weeks to come. Feels great to back doing what I love surrounded by the people, friends and family who support my efforts. I love all of you!


-Sean

Learning To Cook...With A Side Of Fun!

It is always with a bit of wonder and even some angst, that I watch time go by so quickly. Days turn into weeks and weeks turn into, well you get the point and can follow where this is going. Seems like only yesterday I sat down and decided to make positive and lasting changes inside my life. I created Kitchen Time to share my love of food and all the things that go along with it. The best way which I believed that this could be accomplished was through writing and going to peoples homes, teaching them the skills that have made my career possible. It has been a roller coaster of a ride with some pretty wild times tossed into the mix. I have been on the radio, traveled around my home state, visited farms, Farmers Markets and now I find myself on the doorstep to another adventure. This weekend, thanks to the great people at the Hingham Farmers Market, I will be conducting the first of three 'Live Demonstrations'

I have never in my career done something quite like this and seeing as how I have done MANY MANY things in my career...that's saying a lot! To make it interesting, we decided that instead of showing basic knife skills, the event needed to be more. So I came up with a knife skill demonstration which shows people how to make specific dishes. This comes along with giving people the opportunity to talk about recipes and ask for cooking advice/tips. Excitement is running fairly high along with my nerves. The week has been all about preparing to put my best foot forward and showing to everyone just what Kitchen Time is all about. We also prepared a second Dinner In A Bag Menu to go along with the day. Once again it focuses on the food items being predominately available inside of the market. This idea lets people know, that with a little planning...You are able to purchase almost all of your foods in one spot. Farmers Markets are more than just fruits and vegetables, they are places where communities come together to share ideas and ideals. Sustainable living, organic produce, hard work, REAL food, REAL people, family and friends...It is all right there and waiting!! Please stop by and see me or make some plans to visit a local market wherever you might be.

I have followed my dreams and will continue to follow them, through the rabbit hole and into galaxies far far away if I must. This Saturday though, it is all about The Hingham Farmers Market!!
So stop by and see what we have to offer! Below is this weeks menu along with the recipes. Enjoy and as always...THANKS TO EVERYONE!!

Hingham Farmers Market

Dinner In A Bag Menu-

Soup: 

Butternut Squash Bisque

Salad:

Zucchini Slaw

Entrée:

Seared Scallops over Fresh Pasta with Garlic Cream Sauce

Dessert:

Baked Apples

 

RECIPES:

Butternut Squash Bisque-

5 Cups Butternut Squash, peeled and chopped

1 Cups Carrot, chopped

1 Cup Sweet Onion, peeled and chopped

4 Cups Vegetable or Chicken Stock

½ Cup Heavy Cream

1 Tbs Olive Oil

1 Tbs Butter

1 Tbs Maple Syrup

2 tsp Nutmeg

2 tsp Cinnamon

Salt, as needed

Pepper, as needed 

In a good sized sauce or soup pot, combine the butter and oil over a medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they begin to brown. Add in the maple syrup, nutmeg and cinnamon. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Next add in the squash and carrots. Pour in the stock. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to a simmer. When vegetables are tender remove from heat and pour into a food processor. Pulse the soup until smooth. You can also use an immersion blender to puree the soup. When it is finished put it back on a low heat and add in the cream. Stirring gently until the soup has is warmed through.

Zucchini Slaw-

3 Each Zucchini, medium sized, grated
1 Each Medium Sweet Vidalia Onion, peeled and sliced thin
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 Each Red Pepper, seeded and diced
1 Each Green Pepper, seeded and diced
1/3 Cup Cider Vinegar
3 Tbs Honey
2 Tbs Fresh Basil, chopped
Salt and Pepper, as needed

Take the grated zucchini and the onion and place them into a colander. Toss this with the sea salt and allow to sit for about 20-25 minutes, Rinse under cold water and then squeeze dry with paper towels. Try to remove as much moisture as possible. When finished add into a large plastic or glass bowl. Add in all the other ingredients and mix together well. Chill for an hour or so and serve!Zucchini Slaw-

3 Each Zucchini, medium sized, grated

1 Each Medium Sweet Vidalia Onion, peeled and sliced thin
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 Each Red Pepper, seeded and diced
1 Each Green Pepper, seeded and diced
1/3 Cup Cider Vinegar
3 Tbs Honey
2 Tbs Fresh Basil, chopped
Salt and Pepper, as needed

Take the grated zucchini and the onion and place them into a colander. Toss this with the sea salt and allow to sit for about 20-25 minutes, Rinse under cold water and then squeeze dry with paper towels. Try to remove as much moisture as possible. When finished add into a large plastic or glass bowl. Add in all the other ingredients and mix together well. Chill for an hour or so and serve!

Pan Seared Scallops With Fresh Pasta and Garlic Cream Sauce-

1 Pound Large Sea Scallops

½ Cup White Wine
¼ Cup Heavy Cream
¼ Cup Shallots, chopped
5 Tbs Garlic, chopped
2-3 Tbs Garlic Fromage Blanc (see Melissa from Foxboro Cheese)
2 Tbs Butter
½ Tbs Olive Oil
1 Tbs Thyme, fresh chopped
Salt, as needed
Pepper, as needed

You will need a pot of boiling water for whichever pasta you choose to use as part of the dish. I suggest using any of the fresh pasta’s available from Nella Pasta, Leigh makes some outstanding Linguine which would be perfect for this dish. Once the water is boiled it only takes a few minutes for it to be fully cooked. So wait until you are just about done with the scallops before serving.

Take the scallops and rinse them under cold water. Place them on a paper towel and pat them as dry as possible. Sprinkle the tops and bottoms with a light coating of the salt and pepper and allow them to sit for a few minutes to dry out.

In a skillet pan, heat the butter over medium heat. As it melts, make sure to spread it about the pan. Add in the garlic and shallots. Allow this to cook for about 2 minutes then add in the scallops. Place them in gently and don’t allow them to touch. WITHOUT moving them, cook for about 2 minutes then carefully flip them over for an additional 2 minutes. Remove the scallops from the pan and set aside. While the pan is still hot you want to add in the white wine and thyme. This will deglaze the pan and bring even more flavor to your sauce. Allow this to continue for about a minute and then pour in the cream and Fromage Blanc. Stir it for an additional 2 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken. Turn off the heat and add in the scallops. Gently toss scallops in the sauce. Remove pasta from the water and top with sauce and scallops. Grab a fork and enjoy!

 

Baked Stuffed Apples-

6 Each Apples, use your favorite baking apples fresh picked

¾ Cup Apple Cider
½ Cup Snickers Bar, finely chopped
½ Cup Heath Bar, finely chopped
2 Tbs Butter
1 Tbs Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

Ice Cream served on the side can be purchased from the great folks over at Evergreen Ice Cream and with all the amazing flavors available…have a great time choosing!

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cut the top ¼ inch off the top of each apple. Don’t peel the apples. Use a spoon or similar device to remove the cores of each apple, make sure to get all the seeds and do not cut all the way through to the bottom. Place the apples into a baking dish, the cut side should be facing up. Combine the chopped candy into a bowl and mix it together well. Add in the vanilla and then add in a tablespoon of the mix into the apples. Top the candy with ½ tablespoon of butter. Divide the remaining candy over the top. In a separate bowl, combine the cider and sugar. Pour this over and around the apples. Place in the oven for approx. 45 minutes to an hour. Apples will be soft but with a small amount of firmness left. Over cooking, makes them turn to baby food!! Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream along the side and enjoy warm.

Menu Notes-

Scallops can be purchased at Jordan Bros. Seafood. Leigh, from Nella Pasta has a wide variety of fresh pasta available for this dish and many more. With the fall season arriving in style, you will be able to find Butternut Squash, apples and even  apple  cider  without any problems! The carrots and onions are also available from many vendors including Freitas Farms, Weir River, Oakdale and Second Nature. Fromage Blanc is found over with Melissa at Foxboro Cheese.