Sadie was still snuggled into her quilt.
There was about an hour to slow stitch before I needed to leave for my monthly pedicure. While I was out, I stopped off at Wholly Too Expensive Foods to see if I could score some chanterelle mushrooms. Chanterelles are a wild mushroom, and so they are only available at certain times of the year. It's possible to go hunting for them in our area, but it's a long drive. They're expensive in the stores, but no more costly than paying for the gas it takes to drive where we might find some. Also, I can get them without getting my shoes muddy.
When I picked up our CSA on Tuesday, there was the most beautiful bundle of red chard included. And here's the thing about chard: We are pretty lukewarm on greens of any kind. Except lettuce. Would you call lettuce a green? We like lettuce. As for the rest...and I'm talking kale, chard, bok choy, collards...we try very hard to like them. I've found a way to use chard in meatloaf that's pretty darned good. (You can find the link to the recipe right here, if you're interested.) The only other way we've found to like it a lot is in Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto. In that, it is divine. So all of that to say that Wholly Too Expensive Foods did not let me down yesterday. After the sewing machine debacle of the day before, the chanterelles were a real day brightener.
When I got home, I roasted those puppies along with some red onion. The recipe calls for shallots, but I'm overrun by red onions from the CSA. So, red onion it was. Risotto is a dish that makes a lot of dirty pans, and it takes a while to make it. It isn't hard, but it takes time. It's best to roast the chanterelles ahead of time and that makes dinner time prep a whole lot easier. So, feast your eyes:
It's hard not to eat them right away after taking them out of the oven. Mine sat through the afternoon, and I gazed lovingly at them every time I walked by. And as long as I was at it, I boiled a bag of CSA beets for pickling this weekend. Now that they're boiled and skinned, it'll be pretty quick to can them.
I've admitted to a few of you that I was a little bummed yesterday about the sewing machine. Ordinarily, it's not a big deal, but yesterday I was pretty darned tired of crawling around on my hands and knees to unplug the thing and switch it out for The Little Sewing Machine that Could. And Big Bertha is a heavy sucker. When Mike is home, he can help me. Yesterday, I hefted it into its carrying case on my own. I briefly considered using it to do some Bicep Curls, but nah. I figure if I can lift it, I'm probably strong enough. I'll leave the weight-lifting to the weaklings. Who's with me on that?
So anyway, I dragged my feet for about an hour, but then decided sewing was preferable to moping and I got 'er done. Then I sewed together the black and white strips I need for the Rainbow Jubilee blocks, trimmed them, and cut them into halves.
By that time, it was getting close to dinner, and so I laid them out on my work table and called it a sewing day.
And then I got to work on the risotto. Oh, my. It is so tasty. I only make this every couple of years...when my supply of CSA red chard coincides with chanterelle mushroom season. It is the tastiest stuff.
When I made this way back in my earlier years of blogging, I wrote a little tutorial about how to make it and included the recipe originally found in Sunset magazine. You can see that post right here. It makes a pile of risotto. We had it for dinner last night, and we'll have leftovers on Friday. Mike took some for his lunch today.
So that brings me to this morning. I'm going nowhere today, but I do have more housekeeping to do. I really need to rework my schedule so that I don't have weeks of feast and famine. Anyway...when that's done, I'll finish sewing those Rainbow blocks together and then I'll gird up my loins to get a start on quilting Wind in the Whiskers. I'll try not to drag my feet today.
11 comments:
so if the new "mother board" does not fix the ol Big Bertha, you get a new machine?
I am so totally with you on the weights thing...no way. Sad about your machine...I hate when things go ka-flooey and don't work--especially when you've had them (what they like to call) fixed!! that's why my Pfaff Variamatic is sitting wrapped up in our cellar--THREE times I brought her in and after every time she stalled on me!! Aaaaargh....
I like your blocks--very pretty setting on them....hugs and good luck with Bernice the Bernina...julierose
Oh that risotto looks delish! I will try to remember this one. The rainbow blocks are so cute that quilt is going to be a good one. So sorry about your big Bertha. Knock on wood mine has been my trusty friend for many years. I have a friend that had an 830 that gave her trouble too. Raining here again in Texas tonight, I don.’t mind but my dog gets all worked up when it rains. Wish I could convince her nothing is going to happen to her. I have tried everything. Anyway keep on sewing I do want to see your quilting on the Wind in the whiskers quilt, bet it will be amazing as usual.
So sorry you are having problems with your machine. That is very, very frustrating. Hopefully it will get fixed this time. Hope you got all the necessary house upkeep stuff done so you can sew a lot this weekend.
Your Chanterelle Mushroom Risotto looks wonderful! I've never had risotto before but I could dig in right now. I love beets, but fresh ones just boiled or in beet soup or borscht. I would love to try roasting them as they are supposed to be very tasty that way too. Your string blocks look good too. Good selection of black and whites. And your photos make everything look fantastic!
Like you, I love chanterelles. I do buy mine at Costco as it is half the price and a huge box. I hope they are there this year. I use them for a stuffing for Thanksgiving as well as other mushroom-y things. I will have to try this risotto recipe. I used your links and Paprika downloaded them perfectly.
I had a lemon Bernina. It was fine for quite a few years before it developed problems. I had it shipped around for months trying to get it fixed. Little did I know at the time that the dealer had lost his franchise when the trouble began and could not contact Bernina directly. He shipped it to different repair shops. Regardless, it eventually came home and worked -mostly. I went back to the dealer, never knowing he lost his franchise and now had regained it. (This was over a 2 year period or so. How clueless was I! I didn’t swing by often.). After a few months of haggling I traded that one in to him for a 730 at a hugely discounted price. I was half afraid it would be a problem child. It has turned out to be my dream machine. You seem to have a reputable dealer. Bernina should return you a well working dream machine.
Oh, that risotto looks absolutely delicious! Every day I read your post, it makes me smile. You always give me something to snicker over -- like your Wholly Expensive food store. Hahahaha! It does beat muddy shoes though! We had snow last night, and this dose may stick around a bit. I suppose it has that right, huh? I have to go out and about today, but not until a bit later. Then I'm home sewing, as a reward for going out in the nippy temps!
I would be interested in seeing what your housekeeping schedule looks like. Did you find it online or make up your own? Here in the Midwest we don't have chanterelles, but lots of people hunt morels in the springtime. They are sooo good! I'm sure yours must be similar. Looking forward to seeing your Wind in the Whiskers. Have a great weekend!
The kitties look happy and comfy!
With all the trouble you have had with your sewing machine it seems like they should be replacing it with a new one.
Your risotto looks delicious. That is something I have never made myself but I find to be very tasty. I have learned to love greens after my son took a trip to the south and sent me photos of some of the things he was eating. After that I started cooking a meal of barbecued ribs, cheese grits and collard greens and it has become one of our favorites.
Those roasted shrooms do look tasty. I commend you for not eating them all right away! And mmmm, fresh beets! Roasted sounds good for those too.
The bosses made lunch today for Melinda's work anniversary. We had low carb pasts with organic red sauce with ground turkey & Italian sausage, garlic bread and salad. Leslie threw some cauliflower in her blender (totally freaking out her hubby!), then made a sort of casserole with it, deep fried shrimpy shrimps, cheese & (unfortunately for me) pecans. Everyone else said it was delicious. I had some leftover pasta for dinner here in the college basement. Yum.
The RSC blocks look just dandy!
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