I Love To Sit Outside On A Crisp Autumn Morning
I love shopping at autumn farm markets and am currently planning the Thanksgiving meal. I love shopping for local and seasonal produce. God Bless local farmers!
I like to bake all year long, but baking season is officially here!
Tiny New York Kitchen Wishes You A Very Happy Halloween!
Pumpkins range in size from small, creamy white specimens to giant orange globes. Ever so useful as autumnal décor, pumpkins are a versatile and vital source of healthy nutrition.
This festive fall fruit offers a rich source of vitamin C and potassium, both of which may be effective at lowering the risk of heart disease, as well as normalizing blood pressure. The brilliant orange hue of many pumpkin varieties is the result of an abundance of beta-carotene, an antioxidant that transforms into vitamin A in the body. This vitamin may have an effect on boosting the efficiency of immune systems, as well as helping to repair free radical damage to cells.
Pumpkin adds a fabulous, smooth, silky texture and unique flavor to risotto, soup, muffins, cakes, breads, stews, chili, pasta, shakes and so much more. Fresh pumpkin is delightfully delicious and contains an added bonus; pumpkin seeds! Also known as pepitas, roasted pumpkin seeds are lightly crunchy, little gems that are a potent source of zinc, which may be helpful in promoting prostate health.
Pumpkin seeds also offer a significant amount of magnesium, phosphorous, copper, iron, manganese, and omega-3 fatty acids, which may help relieve symptoms of high cholesterol, depression, high blood pressure, and arthritis.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved
On fall evenings I often like to sit by the fire and sip a nice glass of wine or a sweet & tart cocktail.
Fall has always been my favorite season because it’s full of lush abundance. I get to return to roasting, baking and slow simmering. My kitchen is full of foods that are slightly heavier with rich, robust flavor. Beautiful orange pumpkins, dark green winter squash, juicy, crisp apples, and luscious, ripe pears usher in savory creations.
Pears are particularly beautiful with their undulating curves and unique shades of pale green, ivory and deeper buckskin tan. When perfectly ripe, the creamy flesh is succinctly sweet and supremely satisfying. On their own pears may be considered rather a simple ingredient. But they become quite sophisticated when roasted and caramelized and served with maple mascarpone or honey cinnamon ice cream. Those same roasted pears may be laid upon a bed of frisee or baby kale leaves, drizzled with fig balsamic vinegar and showered with shards of blue cheese for an arresting autumn salad.
For a refreshing change from applesauce, prepare pear sauce, combining the cooked down pears with plump raisins and chunks of walnuts. Sauté pears in butter, a bit of rum and plenty of cinnamon and ginger and serve atop steel cut oatmeal, or tucked into tender crepes. Pears love to be combined with all the traditional cold weather spices such as nutmeg and cloves that make a home smell so wonderful.
Add pears to apple crisp, or try them in cakes, cobblers, pancakes or tea breads. Pears poached in red wine are a healthy and simply gorgeous ending to a holiday meal. Combine pears with hot peppers, cinnamon, allspice, onion, and garlic for an emphatic accompaniment to roast pork or chicken.
The perfect pear offers many health benefits. They are an excellent source of fiber, which is a boon to the intestines and may be effective in lowering cholesterol levels. Foods high in fiber may also be cancer preventative and reduce the risk of heart disease. Pears provide vitamins B2, C, E, as well as copper and potassium. Pear juice may provide relief from inflammation and soothe and nourish sore throats. Pear juice may also be tremendously effective in relieving a fever.
Enjoy the beauty of pears as you prepare your delicious life!
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved
I like to eat seasonal fruits and vegetables. Brussels sprouts are a hearty winter vegetable and are sweetest and most tender after a hard frost. They are a good source of fiber, antioxidants, and vitamin C. Look for young, small green sprouts that have tightly formed buds. Avoid any yellowing, which means that the sprouts will be bitter, sulfurous, and tough. Use fresh sprouts within a few days after purchasing. Sprouts sold on the stalk tend to keep longer. Brussels sprouts can be boiled, braised, or steamed. Cut an X at the base of each sprout to allow for a more even cooking. Add a bit of butter, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic, onions, or herbs of your choice. Brussels sprouts also make a nice addition to stir fry, noodles, and other dishes. As always, be creative and “work with what you got!”
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved
Steaming eggs is the secret to hard-boiled eggs that are consistently perfect.
Don’t place an egg in boiling water. That lowers the temperature of the water and makes it hard to nail down a precise cooking time.
Do steam in a steamer basket. The eggs don’t touch the water, which means they don’t lower the water temperature, so you get consistently perfect results.
Bring 1 inch water to rolling boil in medium-size saucepan over a high heat. Place eggs in steamer basket. Transfer basket to saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to a medium-low and cook eggs for 13 minutes. When eggs are almost finished cooking, combine 2 cups ice cubes and 2 cups cold water in medium-size bowl. Use tongs or spoon to transfer eggs to ice bath. Let sit for 15 minutes. Peel before using.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved
We’re coming to the end of the last wave of beautiful warm weather. It’s a perfect time to take advantage of wonderful days and delicious late summer crops. Farmers’ markets are bursting with baskets of delectable produce that can be preserved in many ways. If you have plenty of peppers they can be roasted in the oven or grilled to get that fabulous smokiness to both sweet and hot varieties. Whichever method of heat you choose, continually turn peppers until they are blackened on all sides. Place the charred peppers into a paper bag and let them steam for at least thirty minutes. When cooked, remove the skins with a gentle rubbing motion, slice the peppers into strips, remove the ribs and seeds, and place the strips in small freezer containers. To each container add several peeled garlic cloves, fresh basil, oregano, and thyme. Cover with olive oil. Cover containers and let the peppers infuse on your countertop for a day. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week or place in the freezer to use over the winter months. Use the smoky, sweet strips to enliven a winter antipasto, add rich flavor to sandwiches or crostini or a vibrant soup that will remind you of summer.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved
