As You Can See, Sometimes Black Ice is Good and a Really Good Lenten Spinach Pie

Not waves, yet. Lake ice is turning black as it begins to melt
into slush before breaking up. This is the south shore.
Off City Park, the lake looks close to opening back
up although the aerators were pulled during the January thaw.

March 27, 2019.  66 degrees at three in the afternoon.  The month may indeed actually be going out like a lamb. True, we do still have four more days to go... and it is Iowa where weather can turn on a dime. Earlier in the week predictions called for six inches of snow. Not any more. Just a bit of rain... well, and some snow flurries on the 31st.

I'm seeing a band of slush at the shore. 

Geese have been flying over and some have stopped by in the marsh. I saw three pair the other day each staking out an icy corner. This morning there was a bit of water for them to paddle about in.

It will be some time before we can work in our gardens. Still, most of our piles of winter-packed leaves have been raked up and delivered to the Clear Lake yard waste. A huge flock of robins--40 or 50-- swooped in to then peck about in the softened ground. Nuthatches have been hopping up and down the tree trunks. The vegetable seeds have arrived in the mail. I'm thinking of starting some in pots. Lettuce and spinach "bowls" sound like they might be a useful, early way to get crops going.

I know I do have a favorite recipe for spinach that uses frozen chopped spinach. Tasty as a side dish, or even a main dish for meat-free meals.

"Shakespearian" Spinach Pie

I found the inspiration for this spinach tart in a recipe book from England during the 1600s--the era of the first Queen Elizabeth and William Shakespeare. I've updated it, but the combination of currants and seasonings elevate ordinary greens into an unusually tasty delight.

1/3 cup dried currants
1/4 cup brandy or orange juice
30 ounces frozen chopped spinach
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons peach juice, rosewater, or orange juice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 8- or 9-inch unbaked pie crusts
Walnut halves for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, F. Combine the currants and brandy in a glass measuring cup or other container. Microwave for 1 to 2 minutes on medium until the currants have absorbed the liquid. Set aside to cool. thaw spinach, and press out ALL the water. Put eggs in a medium mixing bowl, add juice and seasonings. Beat well. Add the melted butter, spinach, and currants. Mix thoroughly, making sure the spinach clumps break up, and then divide mixture between the pie crusts. Bake at 425 degrees F. for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F. and continue baking until filling is puffed and set so that a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Tart is good hot, warm or cold. Store uneaten tart in the refrigerator for up to two days, or freeze for up to two weeks. NOTE: You may use frozen leaf spinach, but chop well for much easier slices and serving of the finished pie.

Disappearing ... Icicles, Snow, and Irish Soda Bread

March 11, 2019 sunrise hits the monumental icicles

Two days after I took this picture the ice dam shelf of icicles slid off and crashed to the ground. Today, not quite a week later, the icicles are gone all over, even from the homes where they reached the ground in a kind of ice-cave way. The snow is melting and nearly gone from lawns and streets, except for where the wind and snow plow had piled up mountains. If we're lucky, we won't get the early spring blizzards as we did last year--three in March and April.  But for all the progress no one is likely to plant potatoes as is the St. Patrick's Day tradition.

In the kitchen, I have another tradition simmering away--corned beef and cabbage!

I've made my favorite Irish Soda Bread, too. It is an easy recipe. Makes a single loaf with a great chewy texture -- perfect for the leftover corned been sandwiches.

Irish Soda Bread

1 tablespoon vinegar
1 cup milk, any kind will do
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt, optional
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Put the vinegar in a glass measuring cup and add milk to make one cup. Stir, and set aside for a couple of minutes to sour. In a medium mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar. Pour in about 3/4 cup of the soured milk and mix quickly with a fork. Then begin to knead gently to form a rough, slightly damp, dough. You may need to add a bit more milk, a tablespoon at a time. DO NOT OVER KNEAD.  You don't want a smooth and elastic dough as you have for yeast bread. This is a roughly textured dough. If you over knead, the bread will be tough. Form the dough into a circle about 6-inches in diameter. Flatten to about an inch and a half thick. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. With a serrated knife make an "x" cut almost halfway through the dough. Bake until the bread is browned and sounds hollow when you tap it. Cool before slicing.  Best eaten in one or two days after baking... if you can wait that long!

Copyright 2019, Rae Katherine Eighmey, all rights reserved

In a Winter Pickle

The recent blizzard and cold temperatures have restored the
lake to fine conditions for a snowmobile highway.

Well, it is winter, again.  Snow....snow...snow and cold! Days and nights near (or below) zero! Hard to believe that a good portion of the main lake out from City Beach was open water about a month ago. Froze up beautifully for the Jack snowmobile race and the Color the Sky kite festival. 

The huge blizzard on February 23-24 brought about a foot of snow--36 hours of fifty mile per hour winds rearranged it, blowing it across the lake surface, unobstructed until it reached the South Shore.  It took about two days for the hard working city and county crews to clear the roads throughout the region. Here's a bit of the scene from our journey along South Shore Drive on March 2, 2019. 

Well, this is all dandy, but the kitchen conundrum concerns the Empty Pickle Jars!!!!

I thought I had put up enough pickles from our garden cucumbers this summer.. Clearly I was wrong.  It will be MONTHS before I have cucumbers hanging productively from the vines. A little less time until the Clear Lake Farmer's Market vendors will have some.  What's a pickle-craving family to do?  Well.... there are those lovely, long, hydroponic "English" cucumbers in the stores. Six of them fell into the cart at Fareway.  And Presto! Bingo! 5 jars of Bread & Butter Pickles are in the fridge.

Winter Bread & Butter Pickles to keep in refrigerator
adapted from the 1967 Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book 

6 long "hydroponic English-style" cucumbers -- or 8-9 regular with unwaxed peels
6-10 small sweet red, yellow, orange peppers
1/3 cup pickling salt
ice
5 cups sugar
3 cups white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed
2 tablespoons mustard seed

Thinly slice the cucumbers into disks, peel and all. Seed and slice the peppers into very, very thin strips. Put both into a large bowl, sprinkle with the salt and toss gently, Cover with cracked ice or small ice cubes. Let stand at room temperature for 3-4 hours. Drain well.  Sanitize the jars in dishwasher or wash in hot water. Wash the lids and cover with boiling water. In a large stockpot combine sugar, vinegar, turmeric, celery and mustard seeds. Bring to a simmer, stirring to assure the sugar is dissolved. Carefully add the drained cucumbers and peppers. Stir and cook until the mixture comes to a boil and the cucumbers begin to turn slightly yellow.  Fill hot jars with pickles and top with juice. Let cool and store in the refrigerator.