Rock Your Palate

Chester County, Pennsylvania host a Mushroom Festival as Kennett Square State Street turns into Mushroom Boulevard with over 200 vendors. So it should not be a surprise that 60% of all mushrooms consumed in the United States are grown in Southern Chester County.

This is a very simple method of cooking a delicious prime rib dinner that you would typically find served in any five star restaurant. The key is simple… keep an eye on the temperature. Serve with a nice horseradish sauce and don’t be afraid to add lots of fresh horseradish.

Native Americans are credited with the planting of three main native crops. These plants were squash, maize (corn) and beans. They were planted together, with the cornstalk providing support for the climbing beans, and shade for the squash. The squash vines provided ground cover to limit weeds. No one likes weeds including squash! The beans provided a nitrogen fix for all three crops.

Winter squashes (such as butternut, Hubbard, buttercup, acorn, spaghetti squash and pumpkin) are harvested at maturity, generally the end of summer.

This year I tried a new recipe from butternut squash harvest. So, I peeled, cubed and boiled until tender and then after cooling separated into 2 cup portions and froze. This is the exact amount needed for two loaves of my new Maple Butternut Squash Bread.
Enjoy!

Oh what to do with leftover rotisserie chicken? In the summertime my choice is chicken salad. There are so many variations and this is one of my favorites. Many complimentary favors… moist chicken, tart Gorgonzola, sweet berries, toasted walnuts and crunchy celery. Its like an explosion in your mouth.

Saturated fat when consumed at high levels for long periods of time can cause serious health risks. Coconut oil has the highest level but it is also found in meats and dairy products. An easy way to see if an oil or food contains satfat is in its hardness at room temperature. For an example… [...]

Fennel, one of the oldest cultivated herbs was valued greatly by the Ancient Romans but found throughout the Mediterranean region. In Medieval times it was considered a sacred herb that was hung from the ceiling to bring good luck, and put in keyholes to keep out evil spirits. And in the early days of America’s settlement the Puritans would use this flavorful herb as an appetite suppressant during fasting periods.
The combination of pork and fennel is very common in Italian cooking, the hint of orange adds a little zest. The fusion of all these ingredients blended together creates a bountiful burst of flavor in every bite!