Why? Fresh Fork!

***A bit of blogkeeping: Have you entered to win 2 tickets to Band Aid Bash? Check it out! Remember, you can tweet daily for additional entries.***

Our winter Fresh Fork Market share rolls on.

What We Got:

1 whole chicken

1 package frozen green beans or frozen corn

1 package Luna Burgers (2 vegan burgers)

1 quart frozen melon mix – cantaloupe, watermelon

1 quart Velvet View Yogurt

1 block cheese – swiss

1 pint Roasted Heirloom Tomato Sauce

1 lb Whole Wheat Linguini

What We Made:

Potato-Ham Bake (click here for the recipe)

I don’t often make recipes I find on Pinterest (despite pinning a ton of them), so I was excited to try a Pinterest recipe with some of our leftover holiday ham. This was a tasty, easy weeknight casserole, plus I just love anything with asparagus. I substituted light garlic-herb Boursin cheese for the cream cheese called for in the recipe.

Ham, Apple, and Cheese Pie

This is a recipe that Matthew’s mom would make with leftover holiday ham (we had a lot of that this year). It’s simply chunks of ham, apples, and Swiss cheese, with a bit of flour for thickening, baked in pie crust. Easy, straightforward, salty and sweet: it was delicious!

Potato Kohlrabi Soup with Italian Sausage (click here for the recipe)

We often turn our Fresh Fork ingredients into soup and this one was pretty tasty, although I’d like to thicken the broth more next time. This soup has potatoes, kohlrabi, onions, garlic, red pepper, sausage (we used leftover kielbasi), and pancetta (more leftover ham).

Kathy’s Delicious Slow Cooker Chicken (click here for the recipe)

I love throwing a whole chicken in the slow cooker in the morning and coming home to a delicious dinner after work! This recipe seasoned the chicken with a lot of Asian flavors (soy sauce, sesame oil, etc.), so I served the chicken over saffron rice. I added some Fresh Fork carrots we had frozen to the slow cooker as well.

Now that spring is here, I’m looking forward to more vegetables and lightening up the meals a bit more. How about you?

Why? Fresh Fork!

***A bit of blogkeeping: Have you entered my giveaway to win 2 tickets to Market at the Foodbank? Check it out! Remember, you can tweet daily for more entries!***

Since the weather wants to stay winter-y, I’ve still been cooking up hearty comfort foods from our Fresh Fork Market winter share.

What We Got:

1 pint maple syrup
1.5 lbs whole wheat flour
1 lb breakfast sausage links
1 lb granola
1 package frozen vegetable
1 package frozen turkey stock parts
1 package chicken patties
1 lb carrots
5 lbs white kennebec potatoes
Quarter peck apples

What We Made:

Parmesan Sage Pork Chops (click here for the recipe)

These were some tasty pork chops! They were browned in the pan just enough to get crispy, then baked the rest of the cooking time. Our Fresh Fork pork chops were so thick, I had to nearly double the cooking time.

Apple and Onion Pork Loin (click here for the recipe)

So, this is a pork-themed post. That’s OK, right? I love slow cooker recipes because the meat gets so tender and the house smells great all day! I used our Fresh Fork pork loin and apples for this dish. I made my own rub, as suggested in the recipe, and also used prepared chicken broth instead of bouillon and water.

Savory Polenta (click here for the recipe)

We had Fresh Fork cornmeal, so I decided to try this recipe as a side dish for the pork loin. The flavors of the two dishes went together perfectly and I was happy with how creamy the polenta turned out.

Spicy Roasted Cauliflower (click here for the recipe)

This made an easy side dish for a weeknight dinner. The cumin and cayenne added a nice kick to plain old veggies. I served this with grilled Jamaican jerk chicken breasts.

Pumpkin Linguine (click here for the sauce recipe)

I had Ohio City Pasta pumpkin and black pepper linguine from a previous Fresh Fork delivery and needed a sauce to go with it. So, I took to the Internet and found the link above. I used the caramelized onion and balsamic sauce suggested in the first comment, but added garlic too and substituted balsamic glaze for balsamic vinegar.

We also did a yummy breakfast for dinner one night, with all Fresh Fork ingredients: breakfast sausage links, pan-fried potatoes, and scrambled eggs. How have you been using your Fresh Fork winter share? Are you as addicted to the granola we got as I am?

Why? Ice Wine Festival!

If you read this blog even sporadically, you know I love wine! So I was very excited when South River Vineyard invited me to come along on a limo-chauffeured winery tour with the Ice Wine Queen and her court to celebrate the Ice Wine Festival. The weather gave us a perfect day and beautiful scenery for ice wine.

Our day started at Red Eagle Distillery, with ice wine cocktails and martinis. Red Eagle’s small-batch bourbon will be available for purchase starting in April and I know Matthew is looking forward to trying it.

I met up with the Ice Wine Queen and her court, as well as Allison from Green Dog Wine. From Red Eagle, we headed out to our first winery stop: Chalet Debonne Vineyards.

We sampled not only ice wine, but ice wine martinis (equal parts ice wine and vodka, which really helps cut the sweetness), as well as doing a tasting of Debonne’s Cellar Rats Brewery beer. The beer tasting was $10 for 10 different beers, which is quite the deal! My personal favorite was the Black Rat Imperial Stout.

Back into the limo we went and off to Grand River Cellars. The wine cellar at Grand River was decked out in twinkle lights and snowflakes, fitting for an Ice Wine Festival.

At Grand River, we found one of our favorite ice wines of the day: a sparkling ice wine that was not cloyingly sweet and had the fun fizz of a bubbly. We definitely snagged a bottle to enjoy in the limo. Speaking of the limo, there were quite the shenanigans going on, from wine drinking to singing to, well, Queen problems…

Ana’s crown wouldn’t fit on her head in the limo!

Our next stop was Ferrante Winery, where I quickly found my direction to another favorite wine of the day.

The bubbly raspberry is definitely something I’d uncork for my next occasion warranting a bubbly celebration (or just your average Tuesday). We also got to nibble on peach ice wine breaded ravioli, which were delicious!

Our Ice Wine odyssey continued at Saint Joseph Vineyard, with samples of not only the ice wine but also their tasty late-harvest Riesling. There were also tasty nibbles here, with a pound cake with Ohio maple syrup being a nice compliment to the ice wine.

Our penultimate winery was Laurello Vineyards for more ice wine and a nibble of crostini with bacon, caramelized onions, and goat cheese and thyme mousse. It was nice to have something to balance all the sweetness!

On the way back to South River Vineyard, this was the scene in the limo:

Take a bunch of women, throw in wine and a limo, and it’s amazing how quickly bonding happens and how great a time a you can have! The Ice Wine Festival is definitely on my list of activities for next year.

You can check out events at this line-up of great wineries by going to each of their websites. There’s always a lot going on at the wineries, particularly in the warmer months!

Have you been out to the Ohio wineries? Which is your favorite?

***Disclosure: I was asked by South River Vineyard to attend the Ice Wine Festival in a limo with the Ice Wine Queen and her court. Most of our tastings at the various wineries were courtesy of South River Vineyard. As always, all opinions and tiara envy are 100% my own.***

Why? Fresh Fork!

It’s been awhile since I share some Fresh Fork Market-inspired recipes, so I have two weeks of winter share goodies to tell you about.

What We Got:

1 whole freedom ranger chicken

3 lbs rutabagas

3 lbs Yukon gold potatoes

1 lb carrots

0.5 lb dried dragon-tongue beans

2 bulbs kohlrabi

1/2 lb honey puffed spelt and corn cereal

1 lb beets

2 quarts frozen cauliflower

1 pint frozen peas

1 winter squash

1 package Berkshire pork chops

2 pint frozen green beans

1 half pint sorghum syrup

1.5 lbs rolled oats

3 lbs turnips

1 quart Velvet View yogurt

1 quart frozen strawberries

1 half pint fig roasted cherry tomatoes

2 pints blackberries

1 lb pumpkin and cracked black pepper linguini

1 lb carrots

What We Made:

Ham Pot Pie (click here for the recipe)

Pot Pie has to be one of the ultimate winter comfort foods. Matthew made this for dinner one Sunday and not only did the whole house smell good while it was cooking, it also tasted delicious! Packed with Fresh Fork veggies and topped with savory biscuits, this is one of my favorite recipes we’ve made this season. We substituted skim milk for the cream called for in the recipe to make this a bit healthier, too.

Chesapeake Crab and Gruyere Cheese Macaroni (click here for the recipe)

Matthew and I observe the tradition of not eating meat on Fridays during Lent. But that’s pretty easy to do with a tasty seafood dish like this one. With four different kinds of cheese and lots of crab meat, this was a decadent treat. Two substitutions: I used penne pasta instead of elbow macaroni and I used mozzarella instead of Swiss cheese.

Rutabaga and Carrot Puree (click here for the recipe)

The last time I made rutabaga puree, it had a ton of cheese and butter in it and, while delicious, didn’t taste a whole lot like rutabaga. This simple recipe allowed the natural sweetness of the carrot and rutabaga to really come through.

Honey Vanilla Blueberry Granola (click here for the recipe)

I love using the Fresh Fork rolled oats to make homemade granola. This recipe, with honey and agave syrup, made a sweet and crunchy addition to our Velvet View yogurt. I threw some of the fresh blackberries in too, for a taste of summer. I didn’t have any flax seed, so I used poppy seed instead.

How have you been using your Fresh Fork winter share?

Why? Ford Fusion!

Last week, I got to test drive a 2013 Ford Fusion, which I nicknamed Betty (I name my cars), for a couple days. Ford is showing off the Fusion and lots of other great cars at the Cleveland Auto Show, going on now through Sunday, March 3 at the I-X Center.

I like to think I look for the complete package in a car: something that not only drives well, but has a lot of fun and functional bells and whistles. When I first got into the Fusion, I was impressed at how intuitive I found the Sync system. I was quickly able to connect my phone to the hands-free system, set my radio presets, and head out on the road.

The Ford Fusion allows a lot of hands-free, eyes-on-the-road use of the car’s features. I was able to change radio stations or make phone calls by using controls on the steering wheel and I even had a mini display right at eye level, so I didn’t even have to glance at the large center display.

Of course, I didn’t always keep both hands on the wheel, but sometimes a girl has to car dance at a red light to “Dazzy Dukes.”

The touch-screen technology will feel familiar to us in the age of iPhones and Droids. And having radio, climate control, navigation, and phone at your fingertips is fabulous!

So, I’m focusing on just the bells and whistles. Being that it was winter in Cleveland, I got to drive the car in everything from sun glare to ice and snow.

The Fusion was a nice, smooth, surprisingly quiet ride. The front park assist and rear back-up camera were particularly helpful with navigating in a new, I-don’t-quite-know-this-car-yet vehicle. And Ford’s Drowsy Driver technology, which detects unintentional lane drift and audibly alerts the driver, is a truly great safety feature.

All in all, I really enjoyed driving the Fusion. I feel especially good recommending Ford to you on the heels of last week’s news that Ford is investing $200 million and adding 450 new jobs to its Cleveland engine plant, specifically focusing on building fuel-efficient “EcoBoost” engines. Also, the wholesale side of my Dad’s business, Tireman USA, has long sold tires to area Ford dealerships and I have seen firsthand how these businesses contribute to our local economy.

If you’re in the market for a sedan that is still fun, a bit sporty, and with lots of nice, high-tech features to make you feel comfortable, I would definitely drop by a Cleveland-area Ford dealership for a test drive.

Have you driven a Ford Fusion? What features do you look for first in a car?

***Disclosure: I was asked by Ford to test drive a Ford Fusion, with no obligation to share my test drive experience. My decision to post about the Fusion and, as always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? Upcoming Events!

Need a way to fight the winter blah’s? Get out and enjoy some of these great upcoming events!

Downtown Cleveland Restaurant Week

Friday, February 22 – Sunday, March 3

Downtown Cleveland

Image Source – downtowncleveland.com

From February 22 through March 3, restaurants throughout downtown Cleveland will be offering $30, 3-course dinner menus and $15 lunch specials. The theme of this year’s Restaurant Week sponsored by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance is Pierogi Power (be still my heart!) and each restaurant is encouraged to include a variety of one of Cleveland’s favorite foods on the menu. For more information, including participating restaurants, menus, and to make reservations, click here. Also, stop by East Fourth Street on Friday afternoon starting at 4:30pm for “Go Fourth and Polka,” a festive kickoff to Restaurant Week with DJ Kishka, polka music, pierogi photo ops, and more!

West Side Market Cash Mob

Saturday, February 23 at 8am

West Side Market

Image Source – westsidemarket.org

The West Side Market has re-opened after the unfortunate fire and Cash Mobs wants to show the vendors just how much Cleveland loves them. On Saturday, February 23, show up at the Market with $20 to spend, talk to three people you don’t know, and have fun. It’s that simple, but this collective action will mean a lot to the vendors at our beloved Market. For more information and to RSVP, click here.

Moet Hennessey Wine Tour of the World

Tuesday, February 26 at 6pm

Pier W

Image Source – selectrestaurants.com

Pier W, recently named one of the most romantic restaurants in the country, and Moet Hennessey are teaming up for an incredible 4-course wine-pairing dinner, with items like duck, sole, and lamb. For a complete menu for the event, click here. Cost to attend is $75 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Call 216-228-2250 for reservations.

Silver Spoon Awards Ticket Pre-Sale Party

Wednesday, March 6 at 5:30pm

Hodge’s Cleveland

Image Source – poiseinparma.com

The Cleveland Magazine Silver Spoon Awards Party is always one of the hottest foodie events in town! Join the Arthritis Foundation, Great Lakes Region for a ticket pre-sale party at Hodge’s Cleveland and be one of the first to get your tickets to this great event. At the pre-sale, general admission tickets will be $70 (a $15 savings) and VIP tickets will be $100 (a $35 savings). There will also be prizes, complimentary appetizers, and drink specials. Don’t miss this chance to save on your tickets for the fabulous Silver Spoon Awards Party!

Seafood Dinner

Friday, March 8 at 6:30pm

AMP 150

Image Source – amp150.com

Join Chef Jeff Jarrett for a mouthwatering five-course seafood dinner at AMP 150, perfect for a Friday in Lent. This isn’t your usual Friday fish fry. This is five courses of dishes such as seafood sausage, olive oil poached swordfish, and thyme-basted monkfish. Cost to attend is $55 per person. Call 216-706-8787 for reservations.

March Madness Kickoff Event

Tuesday, March 19 at 6pm

The Market Garden Brewery

Image Source – wementoryouth.org

Join Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cleveland for an evening of networking and March Madness fun at The Market Garden Brewery. There will be free food, drink specials, a 50/50 raffle and other prizes, and March Madness brackets available for $20. Come out and support this great organization!

What upcoming events are you most looking forward to?

***Disclosure: I was invited by the Downtown Cleveland Alliance to attend the Go Fourth and Polka kickoff for Restaurant Week. Also, I was asked by the Arthritis Foundation to help promote the Silver Spoon Awards Party. In exchange, I will receive 2 complimentary Silver Spoon VIP tickets for myself and 2 general admission tickets to give away (stay tuned). As always, all opinions are 100% my own.***

Why? Fresh Fork!

Our winter CSA rolls on, with lots more great recipes inspired by our Fresh Fork Market goodies.

What We Got:

3 containers frozen sweet corn

1 pint heirloon tomato sauce

1 package chicken brats

1 package smoked cheddar

1 package ground chicken

1 lb rosemary spelt linguine

1 bag corn chips

1 dozen eggs

1 bunch young bunching garlic

What We Made:

Chicken Sausage, Pepper and Onion Pasta Fake-Bake (click here for the recipe)

This made a great use for the chicken brats and the heirloom tomato sauce. Rather than using tomatoes and chicken broth, as the recipe called for, I substituted in Clark Pope‘s delicious sauce. We got a hearty dinner and a couple good lunches out of the recipe.

Taco Pizza

There’s not really a recipe for this. I used our Fresh Fork ground beef from a couple weeks ago, seasoned with cumin, garlic, and cayenne pepper. For the sauce, I used a taco/enchilada sauce. I topped the pizza with tomato, jalapeno pepper, Mexican cheese blend, and cilantro. Spicy and delicious!

Linguine with Shrimp and Lemon Oil (click here for the recipe)

I used the rosemary spelt linguine from Ohio City Pasta for this light, flavorful dish. I really enjoyed the bright, fresh taste the lemon zest and lemon juice added. A perfect dinner, especially on a Friday in Lent!

Stuffed Acorn Squash (click here for the recipe)

This used our ground chicken and squash from Fresh Fork. I substituted the ground chicken for the sausage called for in the recipe, but would suggest adding extra seasoning to the chicken. This made a nice filling dinner and was an interesting way to use the squash.

We’ve already signed up for our Fresh Fork summer share! How have you been using your Fresh Fork winter items? Are you doing the summer share?

Why? Upcoming Events!

***A bit of blogkeeping: Have you entered to win 2 tickets to the Great Big Home and Garden Show? Check it out! Remember, you can tweet daily for more entries.

Also, I’m starting as a monthly guest blogger for the Lake County Visitor’s Bureau. You can check out my first post today by clicking here.***

Where did January go? I can’t believe how fast this year has kicked off. Probably because there’s so much to keep busy with, like these great upcoming events:

16th Annual Red and White on Thursday Night

Thursday, January 31 at 5:30pm

Quaker Station at the Quaker Square Inn

Image Source – eventbrite.com

The Arthritis Foundation, Great Lakes Region is hosting this annual fundraiser. Stroll around while you sip wine and nibble delicious bites. There will also be raffles and silent and live auctions. Tickets are $85 in advance, $95 at the door, and $125 for VIP, which includes a special wine tasting. Click here to purchase tickets.

4th Annual Pancake Barkfeast

Saturday, February 2 at 8am

Pilgrim Congregational United Church of Christ

Image Source – secondhandmutts.org

Join Secondhand Mutts, a rescue and adoption organization, for a tasty breakfast and help raise money for treatment of heart worm-positive dogs. There will be buttermilk and chocolate chip pancakes, bacon and sausage, orange juice and coffee. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 10 and under. Click here for more information (at that link, you can also find out about the Smooches for Pooches Bowl-a-Thon on Friday, February 15).

Dinner in the Dark

Monday, February 4 at 6pm

The Q

Image Source – dinnerinthedarkcleveland.com

Dinner in the Dark is a way to tap into both your culinary adventurous side and your philanthropic side. A group of six local chefs create a meal and you only find out what’s being served as each course appears. It’s a chance for these chefs to have some fun and for you to taste some interesting dishes, all to benefit a local charity. Tickets are $87 and can be purchased by clicking here.

10th Annual Orchid Mania

Tuesday, February 5 – Sunday, March 10

Cleveland Botanical Garden

Image Source – cbgarden.org

If the grey and gloom are starting to get to you, then head over to the warmth and beauty of the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Orchid Mania will feature more than 100 varieties of orchids on display. New for this year, check out “Orchids After Dark” every Wednesday and Friday until 9pm, with cocktails, chocolates, and exclusive tours. Tickets for Orchid Mania are $9.50. Click here for more information.

Cupid’s Undie Run

Saturday, February 16 at 12pm

Tremont

Image Source – cupidsundierun.com

Cupid’s Undie Run is a one-mile-”ish” run in your skivvies, with a pre- and post-run party at The South Side. Registration is $25 and there are awesome incentives for fundraising levels, including VIP Open Bar access for raising $150. You think you’re brave? Brave enough to run for a mile through Tremont in February in your undies? Even if you’re that brave, you’ve got nothing on the children helped by The Children’s Tumor Foundation, the beneficiary of all funds raised by Cupid’s Undie Run.

Brite Winter 2013

Saturday, February 16, starting at 4pm

Ohio City Market District

Image Source – britewinter.com

It’s the fourth annual Brite Winter festival, combining art, music, games, snow and fun. 48 different bands are scheduled to perform on various outdoor stages throughout the Market District. This year’s theme centers around light and fire, so there will be amazingly-lit art installations to check out, as well as some fun games to let the kid in you come out to play in the snow. Admission is free.

Winter Warmer 2013

Saturday, February 23 at 2pm

Windows on the River

Image Source – eventbrite.com

Join the Ohio Craft Brewers Association for the 7th annual Winter Warmer event. There will be lots of Ohio craft breweries with samples of winter, limited-edition beers, as well as live blues music from Austin Walkin’ Cane. Tickets are $35 and include 20 tasting tickets and 1 deli lunch ticket. Click here to purchase tickets.

***Disclosure: I was asked by the Arthritis Foundation to help promote Red and White on Thursday Night. In exchange, I was offered 2 VIP tickets, but declined due to scheduling issues.***

Why? Fresh Fork!

***A bit of blogkeeping: Have you entered to win a $25 gift card to Piada? Click here to check out this great giveaway. Remember, you can tweet daily for more entries. Giveaway closes tonight at 11:59pm.***

As we get out of the holiday madness of eating out, eating too much, and eating everything in sight, it’s been nice to get back in the swing of using our Fresh Fork Market goodies. Even though we didn’t get a bag this past week (deliveries are every other week with the winter share), I have some tasty recipes to share from what was already stocked in our fridge from Fresh Fork.

What We Made:

Slow Cooker Honey Parmesan Pork Roast (click here for the recipe)

Using our Fresh Fork pork shoulder, I made this tasty roast with a sauce that was equally sweet and salty. The meat was fall-apart tender, too. I doubled the sauce due to the size of the pork shoulder. This was delicious with some honey butter biscuits to sop up the sauce.

Parsnip Puree (click here for the recipe)

This made a great side dish for the pork, instead of the suggested mashed potatoes. I substituted regular milk and some cream cheese for the heavy cream called for in the recipe. Any soft cheese would work, though, such as marscapone.

Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad (click here for the recipe)

A coworker of mine, who also gets Fresh Fork, suggested this recipe as a great way to use up two common Fresh Fork bag items. The lemon juice in the dressing helps soften the kale, so I suggest letting it sit at least overnight.

Roasted Beets with Feta (click here for the recipe)

This made a light and easy side dish, using one of Matthew’s favorite cheeses. For color, I used both red and golden beets. We served this with herbed chicken breasts for a great weeknight dinner.

How have you been using your Fresh Fork winter share?

Why? Fresh Fork!

***A bit of blogkeeping: I feel like Oprah today. You get Pure Barre! And YOU get Pure Barre! And YOU get Pure Barre! Thanks for the overwhelming response to the Pure Barre giveaway and congrats to the randomly-selected winners. If you are a winner, check your email and reply by the end of the day or a new winner will be selected.

Grand Prize Winner: tabitha (comment #103)

Second Prize Winner: Deanna (comment #23)

Third Prize Winners: Kat Houston (comment #29), Jacqueline (comment #71), and Smitten…in Cleveland (comment #136)

If you didn’t win, you can still sign up for classes to check out Pure Barre when the studio opens on February 1. Click here for more information.***

Speaking of being healthy in the new year, the healthy, natural eating continues for us thanks to our Fresh Fork Market winter share.

What We Got:

1 whole chicken

1/2 lb kale

2 acorn squash

1 lb brussel sprouts

1 lb watermelon radishes

2 lbs turnips

1 lb onions

1 lb carrots

1 lb beets

1 dz eggs

8 oz pepper havarti

Braising greens/salad mix

What We Made:

Note: many of these recipes were made with ingredients from previous week’s bags. Click here for what was in those bags.

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry (click here for the recipe)

This made a quick weeknight dinner. We substituted pork for the chicken, which worked out well. I served this over saffron rice. With the red pepper flakes and hoisin sauce, this recipe had a bit of a kick.

Restaurant-Style Filet Mignon (click here for the recipe)

Matthew and I stayed in and made a nice dinner at home to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Since it was so cold and snowy, I didn’t want to send him outside to make our steaks on the grill. So when I stumbled on this recipe on Pinterest, I figured I’d give it a try. The butter and garlic for the compound butter are from Fresh Fork. This recipe made some seriously tasty steaks. We also had Broiled Lobster Tails to complete our homemade surf ‘n turf.

Garlic Roasted Potatoes (click here for the recipe)

This simple recipe made a tasty side dish to go with our steak and lobster. Plus, the potatoes, steak, and lobster all get the same temperature oven, making cooking even easier.

Sauerkraut Casserole (click here for the recipe)

Image Source – dreamstime.com

We left out the sausage and served this sauerkraut recipe with the traditional New Year’s Day pork roast and dumplings. Really tasty, with a hint of sweetness.

How have you been using your Fresh Fork winter share?