Lighter-Than-Air Potato Rolls

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Here is another recipe from 101 Farmhouse Favorites.
These rolls are super tasty and a cinch to whip up. They would be great for breakfast or the perfect roll for dinner.

Start by mixing together the potato flakes, sugar, butter and hot water.

Add cold water and biscuit mix and still till dough forms.

Make into a ball.

Knead 8 to 10 times.

Roll out and cut into 12 pieces.

Bake and enjoy with butter, jam or apple butter!



Lighter-Than-Air Potato Rolls:1/2 cup instant mashed potatoes1 teaspoon sugar2 Tablespoons butter, softened1/2 cup hot water1/3 cup cold water2 cups biscuit baking mix
In a bowl, mix together potato flakes, sugar, butter and hot water. Add the cold water and biscuit mix and stir until a soft dough forms. Gently form dough into a ball on a floured surface. Knead 8 to 10 times. Roll out into a 10-inch by 6-inch rectangle. Cut into 12 squares and arrange on an un greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 for about 10 - 12 minutes or until golden. Makes one dozen.




President's Day School Project

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A few weeks ago Miss Bug came home and informed us that she had 2 weeks to complete her 3rd grade President's Day project! She was to choose a President, do some research, write a report, make a puppet and give an oral report to the class --- pretty big assignment if you ask me!!

Anyway, we have had some GREAT conversations over the past few weeks about past Presidents in our house! Since my hub absolutely LOVES this type of thing - he was all about discussing numerous Presidents with her - strategies, votes, decisions, politics, parties... And we also decided to check out a few books from the library including:

Three Presidents Died on the Fourth of July ---- Great book for elementary students! It is full of interesting and quirky facts about our first 25 Presidents!! Do you know which 3 died on July 4th??




So, long story short - Miss Bug decided that she wanted to do her project on President Martin Van Buren. Who???? Yes, he was the 8th President of the United States and in Miss Bug's own words "He did something special for our family!"


We learned that President Van Buren was the first President born in the US - the seven before him were born before the US was separate from Great Britian. He was born in Kinderhook, NY and many of his friends called him "Old Kinderhook." Over time, they formed an "OK" club (for Old Kinderhook) which is where the term OK came from. He served as a US Senator from New York, Governor of New York and then as Vice President with Andrew Jackson. Later he served as President from 1837-1841.

So, you may be wondering what he did for our family that was so special! Here is Miss Bug's last paragraph from her written report:

In the early yearsof the United States, people moved west because if they farmed land they couldown it. The land was given to them from the government.  My ancestors moved to our farm and President VanBuren land granted us 80 acres of land in 1837 that we still farm today. I amthe 7^th generation on our Kelsay family dairy farm. I think he was agood President because he made good decisions and helped to start our farm. Ithink President Martin Van Buren was OK! 

 There you have it! Although many people don't know much about President Van Buren - he was very important to our family and what an awesome experience this school project has been with our 3rd grader!!

Oh, and the answer to the question above... The 3 Presidents that died on July 4th were Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Monroe!

Happy President's Day!!

Valentine's Day Catering

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NYC Couples: Valentine's Day is just over a month away. It's time to start considering where you will make your reservation for a restaurant where you will be seated mere inches from the next couple over, where the server's job will be to push you out as fast as possible to get the next couple down, and the food will be overpriced because it's a "special day."

OR you can contact me and spend the night in the comfort of your own home, without the madness, with a delicious meal that you will only have to do minimal work to get on the table. Three courses (appetizer, entree with side, dessert) and wine, all of the prep work done, with detailed instructions on how to finish off the dinner in your kitchen. Perfect to impress a date or for those that want a home cooked meal but have to work all day.
Here's the details:
You will choose between the meat version and the vegetarian version. This time around I will only be offering these two meal choices, but in the future will be able to work on menus for those with allergy/diet restrictions. You will choose either a red, white or sparkling wine. I will purchase all of the ingredients needed, then do all of the prep work for you. I will deliver the food and wine to you on Valentine's Day. The appetizer and dessert for both meals will be fully prepared save for the plating. For the entree you will need to do a little bit of work to cook, but I will give you step-by-step instructions to get through the process. The cooking of the meal should take you no more than 15 minutes tops. You will serve the meal to your date, who will obviously be impressed by your kitchen prowess, meaning you will definitely get some action. You will call the next morning and thank me for the best Valentine's Day ever.

The Meat Option: $110 (will feed 2)

-Crostini with Whipped Ricotta and Olive-Tomato Tapenade

-Lamb Rib Chops with Pistou
Sauteed White Beans with Vegetables

-Salted Chocolate Mousse

-Red, White or Sparkling Wine

The Vegetarian Option: $100 (will feed 2)

-Crostini with Whipped Ricotta and Olive-Tomato Tapenade

-Pumpkin Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Kale Salad with Cranberries and Orange Vinaigrette

-Salted Chocolate Mousse

-Red, White or Sparkling Wine

If interested, please contact me at sarahbodeclark at gmail dot com. 

Vin D'Orange

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It's that time of year when New Yorkers can't help but dream of far-away places. The cold feels like it will never end, the wind whipping off the rivers is relentless. We are tired of being cooped up in our tiny apartments but the weather is too rough for a stroll around the neighborhood or a trip to the park.

There are a few ways to deal with this restlessness. One of the cheapest is to whip up some dishes from the locale you'd prefer to escape to. The fact that citrus fruits are in season right now on the west coast helps to conjure thoughts of warm, beach-side trips. I used a batch of particularly gorgeous oranges to make Vin D'Orange: a light, citrusy aperitif that hails from France. I used gin instead of vodka in my version to add some more floral notes. Unfortunately I won't get to try the result for a few more weeks. Luckily this does give me something to look forward to through the cold weeks to come.

Another way to deal with the winter blues? Plan an actual trip to get out of town. Joe and I have decided it has been far too long since we have taken a true vacation and therefore are off to Paris come spring. So I would love any suggestions you can offer up: places to see, things to do, and most importantly: things/places to eat! We are planning on spending most of the time in Paris but may spend a couple of days in a smaller town--perhaps in the Loire? Any advice here would be great, too. Thanks for any guidance you can give me!


Vin D'Orange
recipe adapted from Gourmantine's Blog
3 large oranges
7/8 c. sugar
3/4 c. gin
1/2 vanilla bean
1 bottle white or rose wine

Make sure the oranges are very clean and then slice and place into a large pitcher. Sprinkle with the sugar and then pour over the gin. Split the vanilla bean in half and add it to the pitcher along with the bottle of wine. Stir the whole mixture together and then cover and refrigerate. Allow to macerate for about 40 days, stirring every few days or so.

After the mixture has soaked for weeks, you want to strain it through a coffee filter or 3 layers of cheese cloth and re-bottle. Allow this to age for another few weeks before serving.

This Year's Top 25 Cookbooks

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The Daily Meal has compiled it's list of this year's top 25 cookbooks.  I have several already, and there are quite a few more on the list that I plan to add to my collection.  Honestly, I don't need any more cookbooks, but I do love them, and I know I'm not alone here.  You can get a sneak peek inside most of the books listed by clicking on the corresponding photo.   Okay, here's we go.

#25 Gluten-Free Baking for the Holidays
by Jeanne Sauvage 

#24 Flavor Exposed
by Angelo Sosa
#23 Slow Fire: The Beginner's Guide to Lip-Smacking Barbecue
by Ray "DR. BBQ" Lampe
#22 Roots
by Diane Morgan
#21 Morocco: A Culinary Journey with Recipes from the Spice-Scented Markets of Marrakech to the Date-Filled Oasis of Zagora
by Jeff Koehler
#20 SPQR: Modern Italian Food and Wine
by Shelley Lindgren, Matthew Accarrino, and Kate Leahy
#19 Grains Mains: 101 Surprising and Satisfying Whole Grain Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough
#18 Modern Sauces: More than 150 Recipes for Every Cook, Every Day
by Martha Holmberg
#17 The Country Cooking of Greece
by Diane Kochilas
#16 Japanese Farm Food
by Nancy Singelton Hachisu 
#15 Nick Malgieri's Bread: Over 60 Breads, Rolls, and Cakes plus Delicious Recipes Using Them
by Nick Malgieri
#14 The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook
by Deb Perleman
#13 Modernist Cuisine at Home
by Nathan Myhrvold and Maxime Bilet
#12 The Barefoot Contessa Foolproof: Recipes You Can Trust
by Ina Garten
#11 Come In, We're Closed: An Invitation to Staff Meals at the World's Best Restaurants
by Christine Carroll and Jody Eddy
#10 Dirty Candy: A Cookbook
by Amanda Cohen, Ryan Dunlavey, and Grady Hendricks 
#9 Canal House Cooks Every Day
by Christpher Hirsheimer and Melissa Hamilton
#8 Great Meat Book
by Bruce Aidells
#7 Food and Wine: Best of the Best Cookbook Recipes
by the Editors of Food and Wine
#6 The Salt Lick Cookbook: A Story of Land, Family, and Love
by Scott Roberts and Jessica Dupuy
#5 The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making
 by Alana Chernila
#4 Bouchon Bakery
by Thomas Kellar and Sebastien Rouxel
#3 Kicking Cancer in the Kitchen: The Girlfriend's Cookbook and Guide to Using Real Food to Fight Cancer
by Annette Ramke and Kendal Scott
#2 The Food 52 Cookbook, Volume 2: Seasonal Recipes from Our Kitchens to Yours
by Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs
#1 Secrets of the Best Chefs: Recipes, Techniques, and Tricks from America's Greatest Cooks
by Adam Roberts