Southern (California) Fried Red Tomatoes

This is a fun variation on that Southern standard, using fresh red tomatoes instead of green. Serves 2.

Filling:

• 3 or 4 oz. very firm cream cheese (we like Sierra Nevada cream cheese, sold in a tub; if using the block type like Philly, use 50% more parmesan)
• 1 C. finely grated parmesan-reggiano cheese
• 2 tsp. Herbes de Provence
• 1 tsp. Aleppo pepper
• Salt/pepper/garlic powder to taste

Tomato:

• 1 very large or 2 medium tomatoes, sliced into four 1/2 inch thick slices

Panko Breading:

• Panko bread crumbs (about 1 C. in a flat bowl)
• 1 egg, whisked in a flat bowl with 2 TBL Half-and-Half or milk
• Flour (about 1 C. in a flat bowl)

Prep:

Form the cheeses and seasonings into two patties about 1/2 inch thick, with the same diameter as the tomatoes.  Put the cheese filling between 2 slices tomato; set aside. 

Heat extra virgin olive oil and butter in a nonstick pan (about 6 TBL oil and 2 TBL butter), being careful not to burn.  Bread the tomatoes by dipping first in flour (shake off excess), then in the egg, then press gently into the panko on both sides. 

Saute over low heat until golden on both sides.  You want the cheese inside to be warm but not too melty.  Remove from heat and let rest for a minute or two. 

Serve with a knife and fork, expect it to be messy; and enjoy!

H2 Uh-Oh!

When we think about local food, we tend to think about...well... food.  But in a Homer Simpson slap-to-the-forehead "DOH!" moment, we realized that good ol' tap water also needs to be on our radar screen.  Last year, we made the decision to buy BPA-free water bottles to use with our filtered tap water in an attempt to (a) drink more water by keeping track of it, (b) stop purchasing an appalling number of plastic bottles, and (c) save money in the process.  Mission accomplished on all three fronts, but more importantly, we've learned that we are also drinking cleaner, healthier water in the process. 

Most communities in the U.S. have strict monitoring requirements for tap water; it turns out that  bottled water is actually subject to less testing than tap water in the U.S.  For example, while there are regulatory standards limiting phthalates in tap water, there are no legal limits for phthalates in bottled water because of the bottled water industry's successful campaign to stop the FDA from setting a legal limit. 

Environmentally, the billions of single-use plastic bottles contribute to global warming on the production and distribution side, and they clog landfills and even the ocean on the disposal side. Most bottles aren't recycled, and even those that are require additional fossil fuel in the process.  And here's a really crazy stat for you: according to The Pacific Institute, it takes 3 liters of water to produce 1 liter of bottled water.

There are many environmental and food choices that are complicated and difficult to implement, but this one is pretty much a no-brainer.  Obviously, there are many situations when we can't avoid disposables; but for the most part, you'll find us hauling around our snazzy REI waterbottles, feeling healthy, virtuous, and frugal.   

For a very thorough discussion of this issue, go to Mother Nature Network.

Organic Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Posted by the Teenager:  These are the most delicious chocolate chip cookies on earth.  That says it all.

1 ¾ C. organic all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

½ Lb (2 sticks) organic unsalted butter (we like Straus Family Creamery), softened

¾ C. organic brown sugar

¾ C. organic granulated sugar

1 tsp. Tahitian Vanilla extract

2 organic free-range eggs

½ C. rolled oats, ground in a mill or mini-food processer

½ C. rolled oats

3 pkgs (3.5 oz. each) high quality organic milk chocolate (we like Green & Black’s), coarsely chopped into random sized chunks

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.  In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, sugars, and vanilla until fluffy.  Mix in the eggs; beat well.  Gradually add the flour mixture and beat well.  Stir in the oats and chocolate.

Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets and bake in preheated 375 degree oven until the edges start to brown , about 9 minutes.  (To keep the cookies chewy, the middles should not quite be firm yet when you remove them.  As they sit, the cookies will continue to cook and firm up).  Let stand on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes and then place on wire racks to cool completely.

Note:  This dough freezes extremely well, so we like to bake up only as many cookies as we need for the next day.  We scoop the remaining batter onto a baking sheet and place in the freezer for a few hours until firm, then put them into a freezer bag.  You can then remove as many as you need and bake straight from the freezer (they will need a minute or two longer in the oven).  Mmmm….freshly baked cookies on demand!

Food, Farms, the Feds, and You

As comfortable residents of a sprawling suburbia, what on earth does the US Farm Bill have to do with us?  More than you can imagine, as it turns out.  The Government's food policies are far-reaching and directly affect the food choices that are available to us.  The Farm Bill, which Congress votes on roughly every 5 years, is coming up for a vote in 2012.  You can be certain that lobbyists are hard at work making sure that policies and subsidies continue to benefit their multi-billion dollar agribusiness clients for whom the value of food is just another commodity to be measured on a financial statement. 

What's needed is a counterbalance in support of local/sustainable/organic/small-scale farming.  We can make our voices heard by demanding farm policies that help those farmers who engage in sustainable farming practices.  These methods produce tastier, healthier food while protecting our water, air and land.  It's also good for local economies and jobs.  Here's a concise description of the Farm Bill.

A simple way to get involved is to go to the Union of Concerned Scientists webpage and tell your Congress members to support farmer's markets and local food initiatives.