Don't Hate Your Veggies!

I just started my first week of school, and everyone knows that the first week is "germs" week. I came home from school one day and immediately passed my germs to my baby brother, Everett. Well, what should we do, stuff him full of  Advil and Tylenol, or fruits and veggies? We, of course chose fruits and veggies. Only problem is, Everett doesn't like them much. Then, we came up with a solution: we juiced kale, apples, and carrots! We all drink it like there's no tomorrow. We got our electric juicer hand-me-down, but you can get them at secondary stores for $20 and at other stores for $50-$100, too. We usually put 1 apple in each cup, 1 carrot, and 1 bunch of kale. Try it. It's delicious!

Dillicious Cheese

We went to the farmer's market today, and we picked out a cheese from a company called Three Graces Dairy. The cheese was called 'Dillicious,' and it was a goat cheese with dill. The cheese was made by Roberta Ferguson. It was very good! The reason the company is called Three Graces Dairy is because of the three dairy-producing animals: cow, sheep, and goat. 

Their cheeses are made locally in WNC (Western North Carolina), and things like that reduce carbon footprint, which is very good for the earth. In fact, this cheese is a farmstead cheese. According to the company's web site, ..."In order for a cheese to be classified as "farmstead," as defined by the American Cheese Society, the cheese must be made with milk from the farmer's own herd, or flock, on the farm where the animals are raised." Also, I like that Three Graces Dairy's animals "... are spoiled rotten on a diet of healthful grain, supplements and free range pastures managed without the use of herbicides or pesticides."

I give this cheese 4 stars. If you want to try it, just stop by the Asheville City Market on on a Saturday morning. Good cheese to you!

Delish-cuits

Do you like biscuits? I know I do. If you read my first post, I said that I have a magic touch for biscuits--it's true. I've constantly been told in my family that no one makes them better. But I don't think it's me. I think it's just natural.  They can be served with pasta dishes, soups and can be a great base for desserts (strawberry shortcake is a great example.) Butter and jam make them even better. Maybe try them for breakfast with honey. I got the recipe that has been passed down for a few generations. Try them. They're really good! 

Baking Powder Biscuits

PREHEAT OVEN TO 450 DEGREES (F)

sift together into mixing bowl:
4 cups flour (always sift)
2 heaping tbsp baking powder
1tsp salt

With fingers or pastry blender:
work in 1/2 cup shortening

With a fork:
quickly work in just a little more than 1 and 1/3 cup milk. Add more milk little by little until dough is soft and light.

turn out onto floured cloth

fold cloth up over dough to cover dough and pat down until smooth.

roll out using only the weight of the rolling pin to about 3/4" to 1" thick

shape with a biscuit cutter (or use a glass dipped in flour)

place on an ungreased cookie sheet so they are touching each other

prick each biscuit once lightly with a fork

Bake at 450 degrees (F) for 12-15 minutes (just golden on top)

**DO NOT WORK DOUGH TOO MUCH!**

Hot and Delicious

I love bread. Especially fresh baked bread. I'm in San Francisco right now, and bread is one of their specialties. Fresh baked bread. This bakery is called Boudin Sourdough, although it is much more than just that. It is also a restraunt. It has delicious clam chowder. They make alligator bread (bread in the shape of an alligator) and teddy bear bread (bread in the shape of a teddy bear)! You could smell the bread out in the street BLOCKS before you got there! Delicious! 5 stars! I highly recommend going here. If you like bread, you're going to love this. 

Delectible Ghirardelli

The city by the bay (San Francisco, California) is awesome! So far I've been to Alcatraz, the Ghirardelli chocolate factory/cafe, Fisherman's Wharf, and Pier 39. But back to Ghirardelli chocolate. A chocoholic's paradise! At least fifteen flavors, not to mention their sundaes. Alot of the flavors are great, but in my opinion, some flavors are just not good, like dark chocolate sea salt. Some of their other flavors are:

• white chocolate/vanilla
• milk chocolate
• dark chocolate
• milk chocolate/caramel
• dark chocolate/caramel

I give this place 9 stars on a 10-star scale. I'll throw in half a star for the free sample they give you when you walk in. Next time you're in San Francisco, come here. You'll love it!

Ghirardelli sundaes

Ghirardelli chocolate covered strawberries

Ghirardelli chocolate manufactory/cafe

Guilt-Free Chocolate

Everyone loves chocolate, but unless it's very dark chocolate with no added sugar, chocolate isn't very healthy for your body. One way to solve this problem is to melt chocolate and dip strawberries into it. This way, you get your fruit and enjoy a small amount of delicious chocolate at the same time. MMMMMMmmmmm. A lot of people know about this treat since it is common now, but not a lot of people   know that you can get dipping chocolate in a microwavable container at the grocery store. This dessert is quick, easy, healthy (ish) and delicious. I give it 7 stars on a 5-star scale. So the next time you have a sweet tooth, make this. You know you'll love it!  

Twice Baked...Avocados?

I went to the library yesterday and checked out a cookbook on cold foods. The book is Best of Cold Foods published by HPBooks. There's a recipe in this cookbook called Avocado-Crabmeat Cocktail. It is an appetizer made by scooping out the flesh of the avocado and mixing it with crabmeat, mushrooms, lemon juice, sour cream, horseradish and a few seasonings and herbs, including fresh dill from my garden. It is served chilled in an avocado shell much like a twice baked potato, but with the obvious substitution. I liked it best on crackers. I give it 5 stars. It was delicious! I also recommend trying this in different ways, such as on bread, chips, pita or crostini. If this tastes or even looks good to you, great! If not, no need to worry. Not everyone likes avocado. But it's worth trying, because avocado is a brain food.