Tomato Basil Squares

I recently made this recipe after a 10 year hiatus. I can't remember why since it is so fantastic and delicious!! It was originally a Pampered Chef recipe that I made my own with a few tweaks. Hope you enjoy as tomato season is nearly upon us!

TOMATO BASIL SQUARES

1 batch your favorite pizza crust (my recipe is below)
2 cups shredded fresh mozzarella cheese (I used Four Corners Creamery, it takes 1 1/2 mozzarella balls)
¼ cup Parmigianno-Reggiano cheese, grated
2/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp snipped fresh basil leaves
1 garlic clove, minced
4 fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 425°F
Roll out pizza crust on to flat baking sheet to 1 inch of edge. Bake 18-22 minutes until golden brown.
Top crust with 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese; let stand 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Combine Parm cheese, remaining mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise, basil and minced garlic and
mix well.
Slice tomatoes and arrange evenly over crust. Scoop cheese mixture over tomatoes; spread evenly. Bake 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted. Let cool 10 minutes and slice into squares.

(FYI I'm going to try making this with smoked fresh mozzarella next time...hence the photo!)

Pizza Crust
1 cup hot tap water
1 Tablespoon INSTANT yeast (adjust accordingly for active dry)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2-3 cups flour

Throw all of the ingredients together into your mixer with a dough hook attached and mix until dough is smooth and shiny. Let rise 15 minutes and roll out.

Fresh Mozzarella and Arugula Crostini

Why is a simple always the tastiest?

When I remember some of our travels, I always seem to remember the simple pleasures of food versus the fancy restaurants. Case in point, Fresh Mozzarella and Arugula Crostini. The baguette was toasted to perfection, the olive oil was fruity and golden, the arugula was peppery and bitter and the Fresh Mozzarella was milky and warm.....it was my "ah-ha" Italian moment. This is a recipe that requires GREAT quality ingredients, use the best you can afford. Because the simplicity of the ingredients, each component is actually tasted and you want them to be amazing. I also use only coarse sea salt for these, I want the crunch and they need a good bit of salt to bring out the flavors.

Spring is here and the allure of fresh garden arugula was calling me. So simple to make, so lovely before dinner, so fresh.

FRESH MOZZARELLA AND ARUGULA CROSTINI

10 slices of fresh baguette
1 ball Fresh Mozzarella (of course I used Four Corners Creamery)
1 handful of fresh Arugula, cleaned and torn to 2 inch pieces
Best Quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brush baguette slices with a bit of olive oil and bake 7 minutes. In the meantime, slice 1/2 ball of fresh mozzarella into 10 slices.

Assemble by layering a small amount of arugula and slice of fresh mozzarella on top of each baguette slice. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle (give it a healthy bit as it really brings out the flavors!) with sea salt. Eat immediately!

Another business...really?

I don't usually write too much about our business' as this blog is a more personal space for me.  However, this week brought a new business into our lives and I thought you might enjoy experiencing it from day one!
Shall we play a guessing game?  "NAME THAT BUSINESS!"  These photos will help!

And here are the companies that we currently own/operate;

This is The Boulevard Market in downtown Tecumseh.  We are a cheese shop that also sells lots of boutique wines and specialty foods. 
Our second floor was converted from studio apartments to overnight accommodations 2 years ago and goes by the name Inn On Evans.  I've had so much fun creating a European apartment feel and hosting guests from all over the world.  The Inn overlooks the downtown and is especially charming during the holidays and winter months when the city trees are bursting with white twinkle lights and the snow is gently falling.  Our building is the center of the downtown, so it's fantastic to be able to shop the boutiques, enjoy cafes and dining or just people watch from the upper floor!

Peppalo Stone Ground Chocolate is our most recent company, launched just this spring.  We create chocolate from the cacao bean to the finished bar, completely by hand.  Created in a 13-15th century Spanish style chocolate with a bit of sugary grittiness and rustic texture, our Peppalo bars are unique and delicious. 

Four Corners Creamery is our cheese making company with production at about 1000 lbs per week of both goat and cows milk cheeses.  We  frequent several Farmers Markets throughout our area and supply to many spectacular restaurants.  John currently makes about 9 different cheeses as well as kefir, butter (if cream is available) and Greek style yogurt. 

While seeing it all at once seems overwhelming, I love my life and welcome the challenges of business and food production!  I can't imagine being happier anywhere but here. 

My newest personal project is a self-published cookbook!  I'm plugging away at it and hopefully it will be finished soon!  I'm sure you'll be the first to know!

The Ladies Love John!

For some reason, this photograph did not get uploaded with the rest of the Lutz Farm pictures!  As you can see, ALL the ladies love a cheesemaker!

Farmers Market Etiquette

Enfant Rouge Farmers Market Paris France

Tables of fresh lettuce all in a beautiful, towering stack, bundles of radishes still damp from their morning under the faucet, wooden quart boxes overflowing with ripe, red, fragrant strawberries, globes of fresh mozzarella cheese and jars or jewel colored jams are just a hint of what we find at the Farmers Market each week.  It's also a large part of Four Corners Creamery and Prochaska Farms weekly work load. 

Les Halles Farmers Market, Paris France

There is something special about the Farmers Market, a way to connect a person to the food we eat, a sense of community, the anticipation and surprise of what we might find to take home this week and for me personally, a bit of mystery as to what we will be eating fresh this week!

Saline Tuesday Evening Farmers Market Saline Michigan

I thought I'd share a few insider tips on how to make the Farmers Market vendors your very best friends and get the best selections for the week!

• TRUST; trust that your vendor is bring the very freshest, ripest,  finest product he has to offer!  Look for the busiest vendors, they usually have a good reputation that you can build on.  Ask them to pick the "best" of the selection for your and they gladly will! 
• KNOWLEDGE; know approximately what should be in season and what to expect this week.  All climates are different and unlike the grocery store, farmers will have only what they have grown and is ripe that week.  

• QUESTIONS; Be clear when asking questions about pesticide use, production, handling etc, and be conscience of the farmer's time as Farmers Market hours are usually limited.  Often you can ask to visit the farm or facility if you'd like more information. 

• BAGS; I always bring at least 2 bags; one for dry stuff and one for wet stuff.  I never take the wooden or plastic boxes on display, they are too bulky and cost the farmer.
• TOUCHING; I just don't do it!  This is not the grocery store that has product and produce sitting on the shelves for weeks.  Fruits and vegetables are picked ripe and sold in a short time from the farmer.  Customers handling them for 6 hours will ruin tomatoes, berries, lettuce etc.  Cheeses and breads are also fragile, not to mention, do I want to purchase food that 100 people have had their hands on that morning?  I expect the best and if I don't get it, I won't buy from that particular farmer again.
• NEGOTIATING;  I have read many articles in magazines encouraging negotiating/asking for a price break with farmers and am always flabbergasted at this notion.  I feel as the value for the asking price is always very fair, if not downright cheap.  The cost involved in getting a farmer to market is quite extensive; labor to pick and wash, cost of space at the market, gas in driving large trucks full of product, time and extras like bags, signs, etc. Also, depending on the availability of produce, the farmer is competing with everything from backyard gardeners to huge stores like sams club.  There is no level playing field in farming.  If I come across the last head of napa cabbage, I am giddy that I got there before it was gone for the week!  I don't ask for a discount.  I'm not sure where people got the idea that it's acceptable to bargain with a farmer over a 50 cent pepper or $3 watermelon....Would your employer ask you for a discount on or negotiate your paycheck?  It's the same concept.  Walking 10 feet in a farmer's shoes has me gladly paying $3 for a quart of fresh strawberries.
• ENJOY YOURSELF; The Farmers Market is the one place you can really have fun with food, enjoy the weather & your community.  You can bring your dog (check out this gal dressed up) and your  children, ride your bike and have a coffee and a multitude of tasty treats!  You can feel great about shopping locally and bring home a beautiful bouquet!      

We really love bringing Four Corners Creamery cheeses to many farmers markets in the area and have met so many lovely people, we feel very grateful that they purchase from us each week and enjoy what we make for them!  I think it's particularly special that they have chosen our cheese for their supper table.  It's being there in spirit!

Main Street Farmers Market loot! Blissfield Michigan

Rose Petal Jam

Rose Petal Jam...it sounds so romantic, so European and so quaint.

For 2 years I've held onto this recipe and finally took the time to make it!  I feel like this is an autumn recipe with the apple jelly being the base of the jam, but all of my reddest roses are blooming now!  I only have some pale roses that bloom through the fall and I really wanted this jam to be red in color. 

I used an English rose which is quite fragrant and prolific, just what the recipe called for.  I didn't spray them this Spring, for this recipe and the fact that it has been too rainy or cold to spray effectively.  In fact, I hand picked worms off of my David Austin...how repulsive is that?! (I wore gloves!)  According to the recipe, I chose fresh blooms that were fully open and nearly ready to fall.

When removing the tough white ends, I found it easiest to grip and pull off the entire blossom and use a very sharp knife to slice off the ends.  I then but the petals into a colander and shook it a bit to remove any bits of icky. 

ROSE PETAL JAM
{Gelee de Pommes et Petales de Rose; recipe from Anne Willan}

Apple Jelly
3 lbs very tart apples, I used granny smith 
1 1/2 cups sugar


Scrub apples and quarter, only removing the stems.  Put in large, heavy pot, just cover with water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer and cook an hour or so until apples are very soft and falling apart.  Let cool about 5 minutes.  Transfer to a cheesecloth lined mesh sieve or colander set over a bowl.  Let drain without pressing on fruit or jelly will be cloudy.  Leave undisturbed about an hour.

Rose Petals


6 cups rose petals, with white tips removed
3 cups water, boiling
1 cup sugar
juice of  1 lemon


Put the petal in a large bowl and cover with boiling water just to cover.  Cover and let steep until cool.

Measure out 2 cups of the apple juice and add 1 1/2 cups sugar in large pot.  Bring the juice to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves.  Boil over high heat until jelly reaches 220 degrees on a candy thermometer.  Should take about 20 minutes.  Skim any foam off as you go.  Let cool about 5 minutes then add the rose petals and their liquid aslong with 1 cup sugar and the lemon juice.  


Heat mixture to boiling over high heat and boil until reaching 220 degrees on candy thermometer.  Let cool about 5 minutes and fill sterilized jars and seal.  Can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to a year.

 Yes, this was a bit of work.  I let my apples drain and rose petals steep and cool overnight, since I did not have a full day to put this together directly.  Yes, it is fabulous and tasty, beautiful and delicate!  SO worth the time and energy!  I love it paired with Four Corners Creamery Fresh Chevre!

New Cookbooks and Recipes! Radicchio Salad

I'm sure you've gathered that I might have a slight addiction to purchasing cookbooks.  Borders sends out these 50% off coupons that I HAVE to use...really.  Lately, I have been obsessed with books published by Phaidon.  The photography is incredible, the food, fresh and simply prepared, seasonal cooking and small stories about locations and traditions of the area. 

The Aylward family was in need of a new propane grill, badly.  This week amongst the mosquitos and 90 degree heat, I purchased a lovely 5 burner Brinkman and here we are.  (PS: It's worth the $20 bucks they charge to put this baby together....who writes these instructions????)

Last evening, I was hankering for a grilled salad with our Italian Sausage...and radicchio fit the bill.  Not everyone is as fond of this slightly bitter vegetable as I am.  My brother, the farmer, wouldn't even try it and John pretended to like it because I didn't make any other side dishes except a baguette. 

I personally thought it was delicious!!  The recipe from the book just called to grill the radicchio with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper.  I threw in my own twist which really gave a bit of dimension to this dish and served it warm...which is fun and different!

RADICCHIO SALAD

1 head fresh radicchio, cut in 6 wedges leaving a bit of core on bottom of each to hold together on grill
3 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper
1 ripe peach, sliced thinly
1/4 pound aged goat cheese, I used Four Corners Creamery aged goat log, you can also use Bucheron

Preheat grill on high and let get up to temperature.  Cut up radicchio and toss with oil, salt and pepper liberally.  Grill each piece about 3 minutes per side until slightly browned and barely crunchy.

Place in shallow bowl and top with slices of peaches and crumbles of goat cheese.  Add another drizzle of your best quality extra virgin olive oil, additional salt & pepper to taste and toss lightly!  The sweet and bitter, the salty and sweet, the tang and creamy of goat cheese.  I'm so glad I didn't have to share much of it!!!

Queso Blanco with Chipotle, courtesy of Four Corners Creamery

Four Corners Creamery Queso Blanco with ground Chipotle.

With a cheese maker for a husband, occasionally I ask John to make me cheese and we barter and bargain for them....you don't want to know what I have to do to get Ricotta!

Lately, I've been on a Queso Blanco kick.  Queso Blanco at Four Corners Creamery is made with cultures and rennet versus just drained & pressed curd, so it has a bit of time to stay fresh, yet acts just like the fresh version.
Pure cows milk is gently pasteurized, inoculated and separated by rennet and then drained and pressed.  We occasionally make plain, but I really like when John adds ground Chipotle peppers.  The chipotle gives the mellow Queso Blanco a smokey flavor without too much heat.

Queso Blanco is a bit odd when used for cooking, it doesn't truly met, but softens and becomes a bit goopy (for lack of a better description) yet, doesn't spread.  This is so miraculous when making enchiladas as the cheese stays right in the tortilla!  I only cut the cheese into long slices and fill the tortilla...no grating of cheese required!

  I usually add refried pinto beans to the cheese filling as well.  I prefer canned pinto beans, rinsed and tossed into a saute pan with a bit of olive oil and chopped onion & salt.  I mash them as they warm and taste so much better than the already mashed canned refried beans.

I put about 2 Tablespoons of beans and a slice of cheese in the corn tortilla that has been flash fried in vegetable oil, roll it up and lay them side by side in a baking dish.

I mix a jar of crushed tomatoes(drained) with a can of diced chilis (drained) and pour over the top.  Top with a bit of cheese and bake 375 degrees for about 30 minutes!  Topped with some shredded lettuce and sour cream is fantastic!

Don't despair if you cannot find Queso Blanco with Chipotles in your area, simply use plain cheese and add a bit of chipotle powder to your refried beans!

The Art of Saying Nothing....

Some of the best advice I've ever received was simple..."you don't need to say anything".  About anyone, for their own good, because they should know how you feel, just to be honest, etc.  It's advice that goes against every psychiatrist, Oprah guest guru and best friends around the globe, but it works for me. 

This is not about repressing my feelings (maybe it is?) it's about not saying anything until I have a chance to calm down.  "CD" as it's known in my house full of; 4 women, 2 cats, a puppy, 1 man, in-laws that live 4 miles away, parents that live 3 miles away and running 4 businesses with your husband.  "CD" is stressed on a daily basis (even if it's NOT said out loud) for us. 

I can guarantee that I drive John crazy.  We are polar opposites on so many things, yet have been married 22 years.  We often practice the art of saying nothing,( usually because we are too dang tired to argue)...but because we respect each other and don't need to bring up negative finger pointing.  Ugh, there is nothing worse than having to admit your own shortcomings, out loud no less.  This makes our marriage happier because it's without all those nasty comments dangling around. 

We are beginning the process of remodeling our Four Corners Creamery kitchen at The Boulevard Market.  We are getting lots of practice in "The Art of Saying Nothing".  I am saying lots of prayers to make it quick!  

Asian Noodle Soup

The cold winter turned to a cold spring and here we have stayed.  Noodle soup is necessary for me to keep a positive attitude at this point. Add remodeling Four Corners Creamery kitchen to our plates and noodle soup becomes medicinal.  It's hard to be stressed out when you are eating this soup.

One of my very favorite celebrity chef/cookbook author is Nigella Lawson.  I think her sense of adventure and creativity in the kitchen is inspiring and her humor makes reading her recipes great fun! 
I am always looking for ways to up our vegetable intake during the cold months and the bright green of the baby bok choy and sugar snap peas really looks spring like! 

I hope Nigella doesn't mind that I changed her "Noodle Soup for Needy People" recipe to fit my tastes, but if you'd like the original, it can be found in Nigella Express, page 167.  

This recipe goes together QUICK!!!  Really less than 10 minutes to eating.  We always seem to have a loaf of bread and a few bites of cheese (big surprise) along side the soup bowls.

6 ounces Udon Noodles, I've also successfully used Soba, Rice and plain ol' chinese noodles
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 cup sugar snap peas, cut in half
1 cup shitake mushrooms, sliced  I've used button, cremini, shitake even portobella
1 cup baby bok choy, chopped

In a small saucepan, cook noodles according to directions.  Drain and fill bottom of bowls.
In a large sauce pan, bring stock, soy sauce and ginger to a boil then add vegetables.  It shouldn't take more than 2-3 minutes to cook through.  Pour broth and vegetables over noodles and enjoy!

Love that bright green of the peas and bok choy!

Steamy Soup!!

Winter Farmers Market & Ricotta

Cheese production doesn't stop at Four Corners Creamery (aka John and I's home away from home!) just because it's winter!  Our goat milk production has slowed a bit this month as all the girls are awaiting kids, they are keepin' that milk!   So, we make a few different cheeses that are great seasonal additions to our line up. 

The first is whole milk ricotta.  Folks, this is not the stuff from the cooler section of the grocery.  This is warm, milky, rich, eat off the spoon cheese.  I am not Italian and just didn't get the "ri-coat" love affair that my customers had.  Until a visit to Italia in 2009.

A perfectly blue sky, a crisp, Sicilian morning in April rocked my world.  I watched a farmer deliver his Fresh Ricotta and by the time I made it to the dining room of the restaurant, it was dished up with a tiny cup of fresh fruit chutney, waiting for me.  The most passionate love affair ensued.  John is aware of this affair and feeds it weekly, right here in Tecumseh.  A spoon and the honey jar are waiting patiently for this week's batch.  Any leftovers are headed into crepes.

We learned more than just cheese making in Italy and Sicily.  We took pleasure in the smallest handmade/handpicked foods.  Simple meals created with joy and the fresh, fresh, freshest ingredients!  In fact, with all of the simple meals, it made restaurant meals seem less special, less flavorful, less personal. 

My favorite part of farmers markets and producing cheese is the personal aspect.  A farmer/producer "nourishes".  The actual food itself is nourishing, the connection to the earth nourishes our souls, the market itself nourishes our "primitive gatherer" and the relationships created nourish our community.