100 Mile Anniversary.......

I am enjoying our local eating! I find it hard to believe that it has been about a month since we started down this path. I am pleasantly surprised at how many things we did not have to "do without". I guess having our little list of exceptions has made it easier, although we really do not have too many things on that list! With a little bit of research and a great store to shop at has made this a very enjoyable venture. I think we may just continue this challenge and adapt it as our everyday. The number one thing that has made this 100 Mile Challenge so easy is the knowledge and willingness to help that I have received from our local Co-op store. Everyone there is so eager to tell you where the products come from and you can see the delight in their faces when they say "This is from a farm right here in town" or "This farm is only a few miles from here". I love how happy they are to have someone just as excited to buy those items as they are to offer them! I could not get that kind of service in my local big grocery store, even if the tag said "local". I had a hard time believing it - what local meant to them was not the same as it meant to me!! And to top it off they actually said that they sometimes stick a "local" sign there because customers seem to prefer it. Hmmmm......does that seem right to you?? I am a firm believer that the further you get from the source, the further you get from the true story! I like to hear the story of my food from the person who wrote it, thank you very much! I like the connection I have with the person who has put so much time and effort into it. So I reach this month long Anniversary of sorts with a sense of accomplishment and appreciation for everything and everyone who has made me see that this such a reachable goal and that EVERYONE should attempt to at least try to incorporate one local item into their food world each week, you will be amazed at what you can find!!! I have added the recipes to go along with the photos in this post, they are so simple but so good and all ingrediants are local!

Birdsong Farm Potato's

These fingerling potatoes are my children's favorite thing for dinner. There have been many a night when they took center stage for dinner!

About 4 cups of fingerling potatoes cut into 1" pieces

2 chopped crimini onions

2 medium cloves of garlic chopped

2 tablespoons butter

Fresh cracked pepper & salt - to taste

Melt the butter in a cast iron pan. Add garlic & onions and saute for 3 - 4 minutes. Stir potatoes into the onions and garlic, cover and cook until potatoes are tender stirring occasionally. These potatoes cook so quickly when they are fresh and local, they have such a sweet buttery flavor. I sometimes will add hamburg or sausage to make a one pot meal - YUM!! Play with this recipe and add peppers, tomatoes or even summer squash or zucchini.

Hurricane Farm Sausage & Kale

I have to admit this is the first year I have cooked with Kale! I am so sad that I have missed so many years of this yummy food... My family loves spinach so they were happy to gobble this down - no complaints!

1 pound of Hurricane Farms Sausage

1 bunch of Kale

2 cloves of garlic

Saute garlic & sausage in a cast iron pan until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove stems from the kale and discard (or set aside and use to make stock) chop leaves and toss with the sausage & garlic. Cover and let the kale cook for about 15 - 20 minutes. Kale takes a little longer to wilt but is well worth the extra time. I serve this with some homemade bread and call it a meal. I have been know to make a soup out of this, I just add homemade chicken stock and some Israeli Couscous.... it is just the best.

During this journey we actually celebrated our 10Th wedding anniversary, a milestone in many ways! That will be my next post, because it will be FULL of photos!