Welcome to the colorful and vibrant world of oil and pallette-knife painter, Leonid Afremov.
“I enjoy creating inspired and beautiful paintings from the bottom of my soul.”
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click on image above for Schleeh products available through The Picket Fence
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Pumpkin-Ginger Waffles – from Country Living.
Serves: 5 Yields: Five 5-inch round waffles Total Time: 30 min
Ingredients
Directions
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Do you enjoy creative crafts made with your own two hands? Then you will love this original wire artwork by entrepreneur Jennifer Yarbrough!
Visit her at The Funky Shack Art Studio.
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Today I’d like to share a wonderful blog post from BlueberryMoon about how to make your own cupcake liners… Thank you Keithena Kibbe for allowing us to pass on your cute and clever idea!
Hey Cupcake……..
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There really is no place like home. The Sawtooth Mountain range, renowned for its amazing and unique summits, is right outside our front doors here in Sun Valley, Idaho. These beautiful peaks provide many great places to hike, backpack, rock climb, mountain bike and go horseback riding. Breathe in the crisp mountain air.
Photo by Victoria Porter. Visit her blog here.
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The Picket Fence is pleased to announce our new line of luxurious robes and precious baby blankets made by My Blankee. Utilizing only the highest quality fabrics and outstanding craftsmanship, their fabrics are chosen for their plush, soft, and silky texture and classic design.
Hypoallergenic and 100% Polyester. Made in the USA.
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HERB-CRUSTED PORK BREAST
Cook’s Illustrated provides wonderful recipes, taste test results & kitchen tips. I highly recommend signing up for their online membership. Today’s recipe is a delicious herb-crusted pork breast from their website… Lets just say this recipe is as mouth watering in appearance as it tastes!
Serves 4 – 6.
If only “enhanced” pork is available (the label will state that the pork was injected with a water-salt solution), do not brine the roast. Instead, simply season the stuffed and tied roast with salt before browning. Note that you should not trim the pork of its layer of fat. While it is possible to substitute dried rosemary for fresh, do not substitute dried thyme for fresh or the herb crust will be dry and dusty tasting. The roasting time will vary widely depending on the thickness of the meat. The roast can be brined, stuffed, and tied a day ahead, but don’t prepare the bread crumb topping until you are ready to cook.
Ingredients
2 1/2 – 3 pound boneless center-cut pork loin roast (see note above)
Table salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 large slice hearty white sandwich bread , torn into pieces
1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese , or pecorino cheese, (about 1/2 cup)
1 medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
4 tablespoons olive oil , plus an additional 2 teaspoons
Ground black pepper
1/3 cup packed fresh parsley or basil leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 large clove garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
Instructions
1. Following illustration 1 below, lightly score fat cap on pork, making 1/4-inch crosshatch pattern. Following illustrations 2 and 3, cut pocket in roast. Dissolve 1/2 cup salt and sugar in 2 quarts water in large container; submerge roast, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour. Rinse roast under cold water and dry thoroughly with paper towels.
2. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pulse bread in food processor until coarsely ground, about sixteen 1-second pulses (you should have 1 cup crumbs). Transfer crumbs to medium bowl (do not wash food processor workbowl) and add 2 tablespoons Parmesan, shallot, 1 tablespoon oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Using fork, toss mixture until crumbs are evenly coated with oil.
3. Add parsley or basil, thyme, rosemary, garlic, remaining 6 tablespoons Parmesan, 3 tablespoons oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to now-empty food processor workbowl and process until smooth, about twelve 1-second pulses. Transfer herb paste to small bowl.
4. Following illustrations 4 and 5, spread 1/4 cup herb paste inside roast and tie. Season roast with pepper (and salt, if using enhanced pork).
5. Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add roast, fat side down, and brown on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes, lowering heat if fat begins to smoke. Transfer roast to wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
6. Using scissors, snip and remove twine from roast; discard twine. Following photos below, spread remaining herb paste over roast and top with bread crumb mixture. Transfer baking sheet with roast to oven and cook until thickest part of roast registers 145 degrees on instant-read thermometer, 50 to 75 minutes. Remove roast from oven and let rest 10 minutes. Internal temperature should rise to 150 degrees. Using spatula and meat fork, transfer roast to carving board, taking care not to squeeze juices out of pocket in roast. Cut roast into 1/2-inch slices and serve immediately.
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Brought to you by The Kitchn “inspiring cooks. nourishing homes.”
Ever get coriander confused with cumin? Or wonder if saffron is really essential to the flavor of a dish? As much for our benefit as for yours, The Kitchn has put together this quick reference guide to all the most common (and some uncommon) herbs and spices!
For any herb or spice listed below, click on the name to read the full description.
DRIED HERBS AND SPICES
• Allspice – Similar to cloves, but more pungent and deeply flavored. Best used in spice mixes.
• Bay Leaf - (also: Indian Bay Leaf) Adds a woodsy background note to soups and sauces.
• Cayenne Pepper - Made from dried and ground red chili peppers. Adds a sweet heat to soups, braises, and spice mixes.
• Cloves - Sweet and warming spice. Used most often in baking, but also good with braised meat.
• Coriander - Earthy, lemony flavor. Used in a lot of Mexican and Indian dishes.
• Cumin - Smoky and earthy. Used in a lot of Southwestern US and Mexican cuisine, as well as North African, Middle Eastern, and Indian.
• Mace - From the same plant as nutmeg, but tastes more subtle and delicate. Great in savory dishes, especially stews and homemade sausages.
• Nutmeg - Sweet and pungent. Great in baked goods, but also adds a warm note to savory dishes.
• Oregano – Robust, somewhat lemony flavor. Used in a lot of Mexican and Mediterranean dishes.
• Paprika – (also: Smoked Paprika) Adds a sweet note and a red color. Used in stews and spice blends.
• Rosemary – Strong and piney. Great with eggs, beans, and potatoes, as well as grilled meats.
• Saffron – Subtle floral flavor. Used mostly as a coloring agent.
• Sage – Pine-like flavor, with more lemony and eucalyptus notes than rosemary. Found in a lot of northern Italian cooking.
• Smoked Paprika – (also: Paprika) Adds sweet smokiness to dishes, as well as a red color.
• Turmeric – Used more for its yellow color than its flavor. Can be used in place of saffron.
• Thyme – Adds a pungent, woodsy flavor. Great as an all-purpose seasoning.
• Vietnamese Cassia Cinnamon – Sweet and spicy. Can be used in both sweet baked goods and to add depth to savory dishes.
FRESH HERBS
• Chervil – Delicate anise flavor. Great raw in salads or as a finishing garnish.
• Marjoram – Floral and woodsy. Try it in sauces, vinaigrettes, and marinades.
• Oregano – Robust, somewhat lemony flavor. Used in a lot of Mexican and Mediterranean dishes.
• Rosemary – Strong and piney. Great with eggs, beans, and potatoes, as well as grilled meats.
• Sage – Pine-like flavor, with more lemony and eucalyptus notes than rosemary. Found in a lot of northern Italian cooking.
• Tarragon – Strong anise flavor. Can be eaten raw in salads or used to flavor tomato dishes, seafood, or eggs.
• Thyme – Adds a pungent, woodsy flavor. Great as an all-purpose seasoning.
SPICE BLENDS, RUBS, AND MIXES
• Baharat – Black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, and cloves. Used to flavor soups, tomato sauces, lentils, rice pilafs, and couscous, and can be a rub for meats. (Middle Eastern)
• Bouquet Garni – Thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. Used to flavor broths and soups. (Classic French)
• Chinese Five Spice Powder – Star anise, Szechuan peppercorns, fennel, cassia, and clove. Adds sweetness and depth to savory dishes, especially beef, duck, and pork. (Chinese)
• Curry Powder – Typically includes tumeric, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, and red pepper, but mixes can vary. Used primarily to quickly flavor curry sauces. (Indian)
• Dukkah – Includes nuts (most often hazelnuts), sesame seeds, coriander, and cumin. Great spice rub for lamb, chicken, and fish. (Egyptian)
• Garam Masala – Typcially includes cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, cumin, coriander, nutmeg, and pepper. Sweeter than curry powder. Also used to season curry sauces. (Indian)
• Herbes de Provence – Usually savory, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, and sometimes lavender. Use as a marinade or dry rub for roast chicken, fish, and vegetables.
• Pickling Spice – Most often, bay leaf, yellow mustard seeds, black peppercorns, allspice, coriander. Used for pickling vegetables in vinegar.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix – Cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Used for seasoning pumpkin pie, but also great in other spiced baked goods.
• Ras el Hanout – Cardamom, clove, cinnamon, paprika, coriander, cumin, mace, nutmeg, peppercorn, and turmeric. Use as a spice rub on meat or a simple condiment. (North African/Moroccan)
• Za’atar Seasoning Blend – Thyme, sumac, and sesame seeds. All-purpose seasoning for many Middle Eastern dishes like grilled meats, grilled vegetables, flatbread and hummus. (Middle Eastern)
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John Matouk & Co. has been told their 100,000-watt alternative energy project is the largest solar panel display in southeastern Massachusetts. President and CEO George Matouk Jr. said the idea behind the solar panels came about in May when he realized the steep expense of resurfacing the roof of one of his buildings, and began looking into creative ways to help cover the cost. His research led him to learn about Commonwealth Solar, a program that funds alternative energy plans and leverages available for federal tax credits. Matouk & Co. not only secured a tax credit to help pay for 28 percent of the project’s full cost of $650,000, but the state’s solar rebate program pitched in another 40 percent, leaving $175,000 for his company to pay for. With nearly 500 solar panels ready to be sparked to life within the next few weeks, they will not only be producing electricity using just the light of the sun itself, but the National Grid will buy back all the excess energy captured from the panels; a return expected to be reimburse the entire cost of their solar project within just five years! Thanks for your resourceful “green” contribution, Matouk!
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