Easter Thoughts, a.k.a. Ramblings

March came in and went out fairly mild in my neck of the woods but others haven't quite been so lucky. I wish them,and all of us Better Days ahead.










Gardens are cleaned; some starting, some ending. Here it is spring and is the time to prepare the path of new beginnings. To fertilize them with our hopes, dreams and intentions. A time to give flight to spirits, hearts and minds.






For others, it is a time to hold close the comforts of home , family and friends . To fortify thier lives with with love and promise of the lights return. To fill thier hearts with what they reap and to hope and dream of they might sow in the new season of growth to come.






But for all, it is a time to make new friends












and to greet and embrace old ones












to let our hearts bloom with love and light










to determine, prepare and take the steps to achieving our goals













to reach out to the light and to each other







to sprout forth on our plotted courses











to brighten






to warm








To be light hearted and gay

Placed on Front door.












Placed on back door . April 1st. ( aka.. April Fool's Day ) Not original maybe, but it got us and others a few laughs which was the whole point right?









to ponder and reflect in order to find the path most direct









to that which makes us happy










and to be filled by that which nourishes us and makes us whole.








So no mater the direction the wheel of your year is turning, may you find in its coming months all that you need, sprinkled with a bit o' what you may want.

Blessings of the light and fertility of life be upon you !
Ma Fey

Damn-Dande-Dumplins (a dandelion greens recipe)

Yup! This is another photo heavy post! Please be patient while it loads and I Thank you for stopping by today ;) . ( There is dairy but no eggs in these noodles)

I am so sorry I didn't get this posted yesterday. Time just simply got away from me.


To me and excluding the baked fruit dumpling ,

a "Dumpling" is something made with a store bought baking mix and dropped into liquid to be "steamed" on top by way of putting a lid on it.
~ and ~

a "Dumplin' " is something mixed from scratch as "by hand as possible" and hand rolled with wood infused and infusing them with love and nurturing , folded in friendship and all the good spice of life all divided into a multitude of blessings.

Yes, that sounds like I prefer one over the other, and I confess that to some extent I do. But, the Dumpling is also a well loved family comfort food and I am not bashing it at all!


These dumplin's are Great! In a good pot of ham and bean soup, in a good, hearty, vegetable soup, and yes, in traditional chicken and dumplin's. This recipe is an adaptation of My Grandma Clara's hand rolled dumpling recipe. As a child I was always intrigued by the things she would do to make such wonderful foods! I was always asking her for recipes and techniques. She really was a magickal cook! I remember her making noodles and watching her strategically tie string to points on the upper doors of her Hooser Kitchen, that had been chosen long ago. I can close my eyes and still see her in her apron, hanging the noodles on the strings and the sun light dancing on her and them from the winda there to her left.

I hope you try them and enjoy them . And you can leave out the dandelion greens and thyme if you choose. They are just as awesome.


I use heavy cream and lemon juice in place of buttermilk. The buttermilk currently sold in the market just doesn't do any thing for the flavor or texture of these dumplins. Short of getting my hands on true buttermilk , this is the closest i have ever gotten to the way these noodles where meant to taste.


You will need:

optionals:
1 heaping cup firmly but not tightly packed spring dandelion greens.
3 to 5 stems of fresh English (common) garden thyme
Konriko's brand Creole Seasoning ( or your favorite brand)

Must haves:
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt ( or standered table salt)
3 tablespoons frozen butter ( or lard or vegetable shortening)
1 and 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
Heavy cream , enough to make 3/4 of a cup including the lemon juice. ( milk is fine too)


Wash and prepare the fresh dandelion greens and fresh thyme as suggested in Dande'Met or a a Lion's Teeth omelet.

Dumplings arn't just about flavor, they are about texture. Don't over work the dough or you will have a tough, flat dumplin!

Blanch the dandelions by putting them in boiling water for 10 second then plunging them into a bowl of ice cold water for 15 seconds . ( Like you would for fresh spinach )

Remove them from the water and place on a clean white towel .










Strip the leaves from the thyme and place on top of the blanched dandelion greens.









Then roll them up in the cloth together and
give 'em a good twist( and maybe a gentle squeeze) in that cloth to remove excess moisture.






open the towel and with a spoon scoop them together and roll them up ( click on the photo for a better view)


Then





Chop the whopschnoddle out of 'em !

Or you can pulse a time or 2 in a food grinder/processor , but I find that it makes them a bit to mushy/liquidy for my tastes.

Let them sit, uncovered, while you prepare the rest of the recipe, so that they dry out just a bit more. ( no one like a slimy dumpling)




Mix together the flour, salt and baking soda with a fork or whisk.

Your butter is best worked with when it has been placed in the freezer about 3 hours. You don't want to handle it to much.
Also, it helps to flour your knife between chops to help keep it from sticking to the blade.

Chop the butter to help incorporate it better.



Using a pastry cutter, or 2 butter knives, or even a few pulses in the food processor if you choose..

Cut the butter into the flour,salt,baking soda mixture.

the size and amount of lil' bit's of butter and flour are what give your dumplin's thier texture. The more uniform the bits - about the diameter of a dried lentil- the lighter and flakyer the dumplin. Larger bits will help you achieve a denser dumplin. A smaller diameter will give you some doughyness to the texture.


Add the dandelion greens-n-thyme to the flour and with a fork, mix them together well, breaking up the bits-o-greens as much as possible with the fork.

Let this rest in the refrigerator about 5 min. in the mean time mix the the cream and lemon juice together and let sit on the counter to sour.




After about 5 minutes use the fork to mix the cream mixture to the flour-greens mixture.

Mix Just until they come together and are sticky.

Flour your well washed hands and form this into a smooth ball






Dump the ball from the bowel onto a well floured, non porous surface.








Roll the dough some place between a hefty 1/8 inch thick and a scat 1/4 inch thick. ( we prefer the scant 1/8th inch thickness).
The use of a long, heavy rolling pin will help achieve the desired thickness in fewer passes.
Don't flip the dough. Instead, run a long flat knife, like a large cake frosting knife, under the dough. Then slightly lift to toss a little flour under it if it starts to stick.






Sprinkle the Creole Seasoning on the dough ( I go light but , you can always add more that photoed here.)






fold 1/3 of the doughs length over on it's self















then fold the opposite 1/3 over on top of that to form a rectangular shape.












sprinkle the top with a bit more of the Creole Seasoning on top of the last fold over








then roll the dough into a log from bottom up. And give it a gentle firming press.


let the dough rest, seam side down, a minute or 3 to let the Creole Seasoning and dough "come together."




Normally I would say to use string or thread to cut this rolled dough, but this time I am going to suggest that you use a sharp knife. The pressure of the slicing will help the dough and the Creole Seasoning make enough contact that they stick to each other.

you can either unroll the noodles and leave them long or slice them in to uniform length pieces.


~ Or ~





Slice each noodle roll into 3 equal portions, which will give a variety of bite sized pieces. Regardless of which way you choose, separate the dumplin' noodles before adding to the pot and dust the noodles lightly with flour to keep them from sticking together.

Now that is the perfect dumplin' thickness (before cooked obviously).










Bring the soup/broth to a rolling boil and drop the noodles in a few at a time, but quickly, stirring in between additions if needed to get them fully into the liquid.

When they are all in reduce the heat to medium- low . Don't cover the pot.

Like I said to night we had them in a vegetable-n-navy bean soup. Just make your best pot of navy beans with some carrots, celery, potatoes, green beans, corn, winter squash, okra, zucchini or any combination of vegetables you have on hand or prefer( mine also has ham in it ). You may want it a bit brothier than you usualy like it as the noodles will absorb moister. This is also an excelent way to thicken up a soup that is a bit to brothy for your current desire.


They usually only take about 8 to 10 minuets.. some times depending on weather and humidity, or weather or not they where prepared a head and dried or frozen for later use, they can take up to about 12 to 15 minutes.
At the 8 minute mark , check you noodles for doneness. ( Some times it may take oh, 2 or 3 to be sure ;P )

and check freequently at this point so you don't over cook them





A hearty dumplin' soup needs a hearty bowl.

I topped ours with a bit more of the Creole Seasoning.





SO, how was it???

Like I said, I hope you will try these Damn-Dande-Dumplin's in something. And maybe, if you have time, you will come back and tell me what you had them in and how they were.






Warm spring memories and blessing every one !
Ma Fey

Dande'Met or a Lion's Teeth omelet

About this post: It is photo heavy, contains photos of raw eggs, and suggest the usage of a meat product. . the 22 photos are small for the post but you should be able to click on the photos to see a larger view. ( if i did things right)

a Dande'Met or an omelet with Lion's Teeth

No silly not teeth from an actual lion ....


The name Dande'Met comes from when my sister and I were kids. Dande is obvious ... dandelion. the 'met is how we use to say omelet. Yup, in our house a cheez'met was our way of saying cheese omelet for a long while.

The Lions Teeth Omelet name again refers to the dandelion's leaves. Taraxacum officinale -Dandelion - means "lion's teeth" which, when turned sideways, you can see how the leaves could look like the toothy smile of a lion.

I love having kids look to see if they can see the lion's teeth in a dandelion leaf and it's amazing how something so simple can hold thier imagination and memories for years . It makes me smile thinking of my own daughter and hot summer days when the dandelions have turned to puffballs ( another common/folk name) and her looking in the back yard for the leaves.

ahh, but I digress.


IF you want some really good info on the properties and health benefits of dandelion Check out Fae Kieran's blog Stories From A Witches Cabinet 3- 2010 Herb of the week: Dandelion article.



Some times it's fun to incorporate some of the old folk, Local lore, or geographic names into recipe names you create or are un-named family recipes. It's a wonderful way to teach them so they are not lost. Now, you could simply call this omelet a Dandelion Omelet, but what's the fun in that? Besides , you may have more luck tempting the kids to try it ....a, or not ... o.k. never mind.

Over the next few weeks as the dandelions are about right to harvest for the flavor wanted, I will post some other recipes to use them in .

They will include but not be limited to the following subjects/titles:

An infusion ( or 2) for bouillabaisse , beverages of the brewed type, a Bundt Cake, teas, a quick bread, salads, meat dishes, a green butter , Priest's Crown Noodles - an ol' hand rolled pasta, ( Priest's Crown is another common/folk name for Dandelion), and more all with the common ingredient , dandelion . Now i don't proclaim to have alll the recipes , nor that there arn't better and worse out there... this is just my collections and i will tell you what i use and what I've not tried (yet).

now that you've been warned,

lets make this 'Met shall we?


Note: Some Heath food stores which carry fresh organic produce carry fresh - sometimes organic- dandelion greens. And when I can lay my hands on them I love to use free range chicken eggs, Gorgonzola-Goat (some prefer cow milk), ricotta, brie, and lots of other cheeses. But usually I just use what I have on hand that day.

let me give you a few notes about harvesting the dandelion and 2 other herb parts you will need for this recipe :

First ,the dandelion leaves:
Really you shouldn't need scissors to harvest dandelion greens tender and light enough for this recipe. At this stage they are still tender and you won't hurt the root, or even the bloom .

The mildest flavor will be found in the "bottom" leaves before it has set it's bloom. look again at the first photo in this post, the bloom has set but isn't open . at this point the flavor starts to pick up a bit and will continue to do so as the plant ages. Some pinch the first blooms back to make the roots larger and the tops fuller for the next harvest season . Others who grow them in the herb and vegetable garden leave the blooms to make dandelion wine.


grab hold of the leave and give them a gentle tug on the first sunny morning after a good rain ( or water the day before harvesting)







You'll want a good hand full ( about a dozen or so ) 3 to 5 inch stems with unblemished leaves.







Second, the Garlic chives


Normally I would tell you to harvest the longer fatter leaves of the garlic chive, but not for this recipe .







You want those tender young fleshy new spring shoots , about 3 or 4 (or more) that are about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in length . Thier flavor will be a bit brighter and not so over powering as the larger shoots.





Third,The Sage

The sage leaves you want for this dish are those little ones on the tips - not the larger ones. You'll want say 5 to 9 depending on how strong you like the flavor of sage in eggs. we us 5 or 6 .












Just "pluck it"
keep hold of them .. they arn't very big....





Ingredients: ( all herbs and greens should be fresh harvested if possible )
Serve 3 - 2 egg servings or 6 - 1 egg servings

Dandelion leaves - 12 to 15 - 3 to 5 inch stems of unblemished
Garlic chives - 3 or 4 greens (or more) that are about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in length
Chives- 7 to 10 greens 3 to 5 inches long ( the tender young greens)
Lemon Thyme- 3 to 7 4 to 5 inch stems
Greek Oregano- 2 leaf heavy stems about 3 to 4 inches long
Sage- 5 to 9 tip leaves
Sweet Basil- 1 large leaf or 1/2 teaspoon dried
Cumin-1/4 teaspoon ground
Saffron- scant pinch
your best 6 egg omelet batter ( i will give you mine further down)
about 3 tablespoons chopped sweet red bell pepper
1 large strip bacon, cooked and chunky- ground in the food processor , or broken up

Washing the greens and herbs .


You will want to wash the dandelion greens and the herbs before you use them.

Do this as you would leeks. But on a smaller scale.

Soak them in a bowl of good COLD water with 3 teaspoons lemon juice added to it . "Swish" them about gently in this water with your fingers to help loosen any dirt that will be stuck to the leaves.


you'll see it in the bottom of the bowl. ( sorry the photo is dark, I forgot to change my settings again )







Remove the herbs and greens from the water ( don't forget those tiny little sage leaves)
and place them on a clean white towel or paper towel to drain. use this time to pick out any blemished leaves or such you may have missed.







Roll the herbs and greens up in the towel and set aside till you are ready for them.





When you have all your ingredients assembled, Begin by prepping the dandelion greens. This is another opportunity to remove any damaged leaves.
For this recipe you only want the leaves not the heavy stem in the center. This can be hard on some one with digestive problems... think celery strings .



The leaves are easily pulled from the stem centers with your fingers or
you can use the point of a sharp knife and slice the leaves of each side.. I
use my fingers.






Place the dandelion leaves in one pile.
Remove the thyme leaves from the stems and start another "herb pile".
Remove the oregano leaves from the stems and give them a ruff chop.
Give both the chives a ruff chop.
If using fresh basil ,chop it or tear it to small pieces that fit uniformly with the size of the other herbs .
To the "herb pile" add the saffron, cumin and any other dry herbs .

Now prep your best omelet recipe.

I use the 6 eggs, about 3 to 4 tablespoons sour cream and about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of heavy cream. ( the measurements are approximate, because I eyeball this part)

Whip the egg mixture well.

whisk in the Herb mix. Then ruff chop about 2/3rds of the dandelion greens and whisk those in .

add fresh cracked black pepper (amount of which is to your usual liking)

whisk this all together well.



In a non stick skillet sprayed with either canola , grape or extra virgin olive oil that has been brought just to smoking over medium heat, pour your omelet batter.

sprinkle in the chopped sweet red pepper and prep as you would normally for an omelet.





Then sprinkle the bacon pieces over the top of the omelet.

wait a bit longer till the omelet is almost set and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. ( fresh grated is best... I was out so I used grated in a jar today)



Now,I am not a fan of raw egg in the middle of my omelet so I flip them to finish them.. of course today, it broke ... at least it all landed in the pan..

You can do this easily enough by loosening the omelet from the pan and sliding it out cooked side down onto a large plate which you hold from the bottom, then turning the skillet over on top of the plated omelet and holding them together flip the whole thing over and place the omelet in the skillet back on the heat and remove the plate. If you don't want to flip your omelet, then skip this step and move on the to next.


Ruffly chop the remaining dandelion leaf and sprinkle over the top of the omelet.

Then top with your chosen cheeses..


If you want you can flip the omelet in half, western style not , instead of the rolled style . OR leave it open like a pie to cut into the desired portion sizes. ( we fold it )

This is awesome to serve for a champagne brunch .. and the mellowness of the flavors is perfect for some one who has never had dandelions and wants to try them for the first time.
using more of the herbs and spices or other ingredients can help to hid the flavor of the dandelion greens if some one wasnt to include them in thier diet with out "tasting them" , just as using less of the other herbs and spices will allow more of those wonderful greens to delight your taste buds...
MMMM so good



I wanted to post 2 dandelion recipes to night but bloger was being buggersome this evening .. sorry .. Hopefully tomarrow will be a better day for blogging..LOL

Happy tummy Blessings every one ..
Ma Fey
Oh, and if you haven't already, please Don't forget to enter my gaarooooovey giveaway!