Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Icing

I am not a good baker but Mark has been taking such good care of me during the recovery period for my broken ankle that I wanted to do a little something special for his birthday last week. This carrot cake is really moist and delicious with just the right amount of spice and sweetness. I love the idea of making a birthday cake with local ingredients…carrots are available in abundant supply at all of the winter farmers’ markets and with maple season upon us, the use of maple syrup for an added touch of flavor in the icing seemed just about right.

For the cake:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups canola oil
• 4 large eggs
• 3 cups grated peeled carrots
• 1 1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger

For the icing:

• 10 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Directions for the cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Butter and flour paper; tap out excess flour. Whisk flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in medium bowl to blend. Whisk sugar and oil in large bowl until well blended. Whisk in eggs 1 at a time. Add flour mixture and stir until blended. Stir in carrots, walnuts and ginger. Divide batter between prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks. Peel off waxed paper; cool cakes completely.

Directions for the icing:

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat at low speed until well blended. Beat in maple syrup. Chill until just firm enough to spread, 30 minutes.

Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 3/4 cup icing. Top with second layer. Spread remaining icing over entire cake.

Recipe from Bon Appetit

Sources:

• Flour – Wild Hive Farm 
• Eggs – Feather Ridge Farm
• Carrots – Norwich Meadows Farm
• Butter – Ronnybrook Farm
• Maple Syrup – Lyonsville Sugarhouse

Smash Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Cippolini Onions

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Fingerling Potatoes
• 8 Cippolini Onions – Peeled and left whole
• 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper
• Dried Thyme

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450°

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fingerling potatoes and cook until fork tender. Drain them and set aside. Brush some of the olive oil on a baking sheet and spread the potatoes out. Gently smash each potato with a potato masher. Scatter the cippolini onions in between the potatoes and then drizzle olive oil over each onion and potato. Sprinkle salt, pepper and dried thyme over the top.

Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until the potatoes and onions have browned.

Adapted from Crash Hot Potatoes by The Pioneer Woman

Sources:

• Fingerling Potatoes – Norwich Meadows Farm
• Cippolini Onions – Stannard Farm 
• Dried Thyme – My garden

Cornmeal Pancakes with Butter & Maple Syrup

These pancakes are filling! The stone ground cornmeal makes for a hearty pancake with a nice crunchy texture. Once you smear on the butter and drizzle the maple syrup over the top, they are just about perfect.

If you prefer a more delicate pancake, you can substitute corn flour for the stone ground cornmeal.

Ingredients:

• 1 Cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 1 Cup Stone Ground Cornmeal
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1 Tbsp Maple Sugar or Maple Syrup
• 1 Cup Whole Milk
• 3 Tbsp Canola Oil
• Butter
• Pure Maple Syrup (I use Grade B for its deeper flavor)

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pastry flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and blend in the maple sugar. Stir in the milk and oil to incorporate.

Pour the wet mixture over the dry mixture and stir until just combined.

Ladle the mixture onto a non-stick skillet and allow to set until bubbles form on the surface, then turn the pancake and cook the other side until golden brown.

Serve with a smear of butter and a good drizzle of maple syrup.

Makes 4 Large Pancakes

Sources:

• Soft White Winter Wheat Pastry Flour – Wild Hive Farm 
• Stone Ground Cornmeal – Wild Hive Farm
• Eggs – Gift from Megan R from her chickens
• Milk – Hudson Valley Fresh
• Butter – Ronnybrook Farm
• Maple Syrup – Oliverea Schoolhouse Maple 

Dark Days Challenge: Shredded Pork Tacos

Tacos are in heavy rotation at our house since they are one of Mark’s all time favorite meals. We alternate between chicken, refried black beans, fish, shrimp and ground turkey but since it’s been so cold lately, a nice slow-cooked pork shoulder seemed just about right. The pork takes about 4 hours to cook making this an ideal choice for a casual winter weekend meal. Everyone loves to create their own taco masterpiece, piling on their favorite combination of toppings.

Ingredients for the Pork:

• 2 1/2 Lbs Pork Shoulder
• 2 Ancho Chiles – Soaked in 2 Cups of Hot Water
• 1 Medium Onion – Chopped
• 4 Garlic Cloves – Chopped
• 1 Tbsp Chipotle in Adobo
• 1 Tbsp Paprika
• 1 Tbsp Dried Cumin
• 1 Tbsp Maple Sugar or Maple Syrup
• 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 Tbsp Canola Oil
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper

Ingredients for the Tacos:

• 12 Corn Tortillas
• 1 Cup Queso Blanco - Grated
• 1 Handful Cilantro Leaves
• 1 Lime – Cut into Wedges
• 1/4 Head of Cabbage – Finely Shredded

* Optional additional toppings: Sour Cream, Guacamole, Hot Sauce, Pico de Gallo, Pickled Jalapenos or Pickled Red Onions.

Directions for the Pork:

Preheat the oven to 300°. Place the pork shoulder in a Dutch oven or casserole dish. Remove the Ancho chiles from the water, reserving the soaking water, coarsely chop them and place them in a food processor along with the onion, garlic, chipotle in adobo, paprika, cumin, maple sugar, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper. Process into a puree adding a little of the soaking water if needed.

Thoroughly coat the pork shoulder with the puree. Then pour the reserved chile soaking water over the pork. Cover and place in the oven for 4 hours, turning the pork every hour.

Transfer the pork to a large bowl and pull it into shreds using 2 forks. Discard any fatty pieces and bones. Return the shredded pork to the pot and return to the oven for 20 minutes while you char the tortillas.

Heat a cast iron skillet over med-high heat. One at a time, place each tortilla into the dry skillet for 1-2 minutes per side or until speckled with black char marks. Keep the charred tortillas warm on a plate with a clean dishcloth over them.

Remove the pork from the oven and transfer to a serving bowl, spooning the sauce over the top.

To serve, place a spoonful of the shredded pork in the center of a tortilla, squeeze a little lime juice over the pork and sprinkle with a few cilantro leaves. Top with some Queso Blanco and shredded cabbage.

Makes 12 tacos but can easily be doubled.

Sources:

• Pork Shoulder – Stannard Farm
• Onion – Esopus Creek Farm
• Garlic – Hearty Roots Farm
• Paprika – Bradley Farm 
• Ancho Chiles – Home Dried Poblano Peppers from Brittany Hollow Farm
• Maple Sugar – Adirondack Maple Farms, Fonda, NY
• Queso Blanco – Amazing Real Live Food Co.
• Cabbage – Norwich Meadows Farm 
• Pickled Red Onions – Homemade Gift from my Dad <3

* I had planned on making the corn tortillas from scratch using Wild Hive Farm Corn Flour but after some investigation, I realized that Masa Harina was really necessary for making proper corn tortillas. Masa Harina is made from Posole not corn, so the substitution of corn flour wasn’t going to work. So, we resorted to store bought corn tortillas instead.

Easy Weeknight Chicken & Rice Soup with Dill

This soup was inspired by the Second Avenue Deli in New York City which was one of my favorite neighborhood lunch spots. After I moved Upstate I wanted to find a way to satisfy my craving for this warm and comforting soup, so I created a version that can be put together easily for a weeknight dinner. I love the simplicity of ingredients, most of which are always on hand, and how the dill adds a perfect touch of brightness.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp Canola Oil
• 2 Onions – Peeled & Chopped
• 4 Carrots – Peeled & Chopped
• 2 Quarts Chicken Broth
• 1 Lb Chicken Breast – Skinned, Boned & Trimmed of Fat
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1/4 Cup White Rice
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Dill - Chopped
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat, add the onions along with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper, saute until soft and golden. Stir in the carrots, toss to coat. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Add the chicken breast and bay leaf, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken breast from the pot and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into bite sized pieces and return to the soup pot. Add the rice and dill, cover and simmer for 20 more minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Taste the soup and season with salt and pepper.

Sources:

• Onions – Esopus Creek Farm 
• Carrots – Norwich Meadows Farm  
• Chicken - Campanelli’s Poultry Farm, Kenoza Lake, NY

…and the winner is

Meri P is the winner of the At the Farmers’ Market Eat Local Challenge for the month of January. Meri wins a bottle of Private Reserve Red Wine from Cascade Mt Winery.

Congratulations Meri and thanks for playing.

Dark Days Challenge: Baked Macaroni & Cheese

This Mac & Cheese is dear to my heart. The recipe comes from my sister and is my all time favorite comfort food dish. It’s perfect for those days when you need a little something to make you feel like everything is going to be alright.

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups of Dry Penne Pasta
• 3 Tbsp Butter
• 3 Tbsp Flour
• 2 Cups Whole Milk
• Salt & Pepper
• 1 lb Sharp Cheddar Cheese - grated

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Bring a big pot of water to boil and add 1 Tbsp Salt. Stir in the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and transfer to a casserole dish. 8” round or 8 x 8 square works well.

Place a saucepan over medium heat and melt the butter. Then whisk in the flour to make a roux. Continue whisking the roux for a couple of minutes until the flour turns golden. Slowly add the milk, half a cup at a time whisking constantly so that each addition blends in smoothly. Continue stirring until the milk thickens and leaves a thick coating on the back of a spoon. Stir in some salt and pepper and begin adding the cheese a little at a time stirring as it melts. Pour the cheese sauce over the pasta in the casserole dish and toss together.

Place in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour uncovered until it gets nice and brown on top.

Serve with a side of Garlicky Kale

Sources:

• Butter – Ronnybrook Farm
• Flour – Wild Hive Farm 
• Milk – Hudson Valley Fresh
• NY State Cheddar Cheese

At the Farmers’ Market Eat Local Challenge

Meri P kicks this week’s challenge off again with some Feather Ridge Farm Breaded Chicken Cutlets, Brooklyn Style.

Neal & Emily received 2 pounds of Cheddar Cheese as a gift from a friend’s farm. Neal wanted to make Broccoli-Cheddar Soup, but his daughter, Emily was pushing for Homemade Mac & Cheese. Emily won, daughters always win, don’t they? But she cooked, so I guess Neal won too.

Lucie P roasted a Feather Ridge Farm chicken and got a little creative with her preparation, stuffing some of her home-grown garlic into the cavity and draping a few slices of Feather Ridge Farm bacon over the bird as it roasted. The crisp bacon was then crumbled over the last of the potatoes from her garden and the softened garlic was smeared it all over the skin of the chicken. Yum! The next day she used the leftover chicken to to make Egg Foo Yung with eggs from her chickens.

Thanks for playing everyone. You can join in anytime. Participants are invited to post their locally sourced meal info in the comments below, on our Facebook page or email them each week to atthefarmersmarket [at] gmail [dot] com. There will be a prize awarded at the end of each month to a randomly selected participant. You can join in at any time, details are here. (scroll to the bottom of the post)

The prize for the month of January is a bottle of Cascade Mt Winery Private Reserve Red Wine. The winner will be announced on Monday, February, 1st.