Fresh Pantry eBook Series launches today!

Posted on January 16, 2013 by amyp

Hello Food Lovers!

I’m so excited about my new ebook series!! Through 2013 – one a month! – I will write and release a seasonal cookbook online that promises to highlight a bounty of vegetables and fruits. It’s called Fresh Pantry. Check it out here.

My first book, Urban Pantry: Tips & Recipes for a Thrifty, Sustainable & Seasonal Kitchen, introduced you to clever cooking concepts and ingredients, provided experienced cooks with organizational inspiration, and helped cooks of all skill levels create sustainable and thrifty kitchens. But its approach and ingredients reflect shelf-stable, dried, or preserved goods. For anyone trying to eat a seasonal diet, fresh vegetables and fruits are pantry musts as well, albeit ones that rotate constantly over the year and have more limited shelf lives. The Fresh Pantry series picks up where Urban Pantry leaves off—by continuing the conversation about sustainable foods and how eating locally and seasonally is a healthy act that everyone can get behind. It is a tool for anyone committed to eating locally (!) and helps combat seasonal doldrums. You can do a LOT with a winter squash!

THANK YOU SO MUCH for checking it out ~ ox amyp

How to Download Fresh Pantry on Your eReader

Posted on January 15, 2013 by amyp

Here is some great information on how to download my book series to your e-Reader! You may purchase two different types of files from my site – an ePub file and a Kindle file.

ePub = Flowing digital file, capable of changing to fit the screen size of your device. Before you download your file, please download Adobe Digital Editions and create an account. When you download your purchased book, a small file ending in .acsm will be saved to your computer. Open this file in Adobe Digital Editions or simply double click on the file. Your eBook will open in your ADE reader application. Once your file has opened in your ADE reader software, you will be able to bookmark, print, copy, read, and fully enjoy your new eBook purchase. To read on a iOS or Android smart phone or tablet, please download the free app, BlueFire Reader and read detailed transfer instructions here.

Kindle = A DRM free mobi file downloaded first to your computer, and then transfered to your Kindle via your Kindle USB cord. See instructions for adding mobi files to your particular Kindle here.

Can I read my eBook on a Nook?

eBooks managed with the Adobe Digital Editions software may also be installed on popular eReaders such as the Barnes & Noble Nook. For more information about installing your eBook on your eReader, please watch this nookTalk video.

Can I read my eBook on an Apple iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch or Android smart phone?

To read Mountaineers Books eBooks on your iOS or Android device, download the free app, BlueFire Reader. Once the app is installed you will be able to read any of our DRM protected eBooks—including books from other publishers, most online book stores, and leading libraries around the world. For those who have a free Dropbox account (file sharing software) you can easily move our PDF ebooks from your home computer to your Dropbox account, and then open them in iBooks on your iPad. Read the instructions here.For detailed instructions regarding transferring your eBook to your iOS or Android device, please read the excellent write-up with step-by-step instructions about transferring files to Bluefire Reader at the Dear Author website.

DIY Gift Giving – Urban Farm Handbook Challenge

Posted on December 8, 2012 by amyp

Skipstone Books published my first book, Urban Pantry, and continues to put out awesome books that support and encourage a self-sustaining lifestyle. Last fall, they published The Urban Farm Handbook to be used as “City-Slicker Resources for Growing, Raising, Sourcing, Trading, and Preparing What You Eat.” Annette Cottrell and Joshua McNichols penned the book and recently asked me to join their Urban Farm Handbook Challenge.

With that, here is a great recipe for getting farm-y in the city. It’s an awesome and easy way to stock your pantry and a super easy and affordable option for Christmas gift giving – Preserved Lemons.

What’s even more fantastic is Meyer Lemons are just coming into season. They are thin-skinned lemons that cure in the salt quickly, so you can still start this project this week and pass them on for holiday gift giving. I was at the grocery yesterday and found gorgeous Meyer Lemons, 2 for $1. HALF of one lemon fits perfectly in a small 1/4 pint jar. That means for $1 + cost of a jar, you can make FOUR gifts that people will love. Not to mention, you’ll be turning them on to a new ingredient that may just inspire them to get creative in the kitchen. Do it! (ALSO – if you dig those adorable & perfectly-fitting canning labels, check out my store. I designed these! I love them, and so will you. Finally a canning labels that worksAND looks amazing on the jar.)

PRESERVED LEMONS

To make preserved lemons yourself, you can use regular lemons or Meyer lemons when they are in season (in winter). Cut off the blossom end of the lemon. Slice the lemons in quarters, leaving the end intact so they are split open into fours, but still “whole” lemons. Rub each lemon in salt (about 1 tablespoon per lemon), making sure to press salt into the flesh and cover the rinds. Place the lemons in a clean glass jar, and press down to expel some juices. Cover and store on the counter to monitor progress for three days. Over the next several days, the jar should fill, covering the lemons in their own juice. If after three days the lemons are not submerged in their juices, add some fresh squeezed lemon juice to cover fully. Store in a cool, dark cupboard for three to four weeks before using. After the lemons are completely soft and preserved, store them in the fridge and use within six months.

Rinse preserved lemons thoroughly in cold water before using. You must rinse off the salt, leaving behind only the sweet skin. You can scrape out the pulp and pith and finely chop or thinly slice the skins. It is also safe to use the entire lemon, but that is best used in stews or roasts. Be sure to adjust the salt in your recipe accordingly, as the preserved fruits will give off some salt.

A NOTE ABOUT PRESERVED LEMONS:

To make, lemons are sliced and rubbed with coarse salt, the juice and salt acting as the preservative. Over a few weeks the lemon rinds, pulp, and pith become soft and velvety and can be chopped and sliced for salads, relishes, stews, and more. They are delicious.

Salt has long been a means of food preservation. When this concept is applied to simple lemons, the outcome is an intensely flavored pantry ingredient that is simple to make and stores well. Preserved lemons are a staple of Moroccan cuisine but can be used in most savory dishes calling for lemon. Tasting of muted lemon, with none of the sour tang, they add a subtle undertone to dishes. Replace the fresh zest in Gremolata with preserved lemon, and you’ll instantly change the dish. Preserved lemons have a flavor unto themselves, at once clean yet rich. They can be added to a compound butter or used in long braises. They also add a nice flavor note to room-temperature salads, like Apricot– Chickpea Salad and can be used as a quick garnish to simply steamed vegetables.

Onion Thyme Tart

Posted on October 10, 2012 by amyp

Fall is HERE, and I have the wool sweaters to prove it. Makes me crave fall-food – anything cozy and warm, like this quick and simple Onion Thyme Tart from Urban Pantry as published in Leite’s Culinaria.

Puff pastry is a delicate, flaky pastry made by folding layers of butter between layers of dough. Puff is an excellent staple to keep in your frozen pantry, as it can be used for both sweet and savory dishes. I made it once (a very laborious process!), then decided that I’d rather save time and buy it from the freezer section of my local grocer. I consider it my lazy food: it’s quick-baking, takes little effort to embellish, and is a great shortcut for serving a crowd. I serve this Onion Thyme Tart recipe as a complement to soup or salad or for an easy pre-dinner nibble.–Amy Pennington

from Leite’s Culinaria Pretty as a Picture: We have a thing for simplicity. At least when it takes the shape of this stunning, conversation-stopping tart strewn with sweetly burnished onions and traces of fresh thyme. That’s not to say you can’t embellish this five-ingredient phenomenon from Amy Pennington, whether with a crumbling of feta or goat or blue cheese, a splash of balsamic, maybe even…well, we’ll let you fill in the blank. Although speaking of perfection, why is it that the photos we snap of our dinner or other random moments of the day never turn out as lovely as the one above, taken by the talented Della Chen?

Hands-on time: 20 minutes | Total time: 1 hour, 40 minutes

Onion Thyme Tart Recipe

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 whopping big yellow onions, cut into thin half moons
1 teaspoon salt
5 to 7 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and chopped
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted but kept cool (Editor’s Note: Splurge on the all-butter puff pastry from Dufour. Pepperidge Farm has too many ingredients–none of them butter–for us to feel good about.)

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and stir continuously until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the salt and continue stirring until the onions release their moisture and the pan becomes more and more dry. When this happens, add half of the thyme and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and golden, 30 to 40 minutes or so. (If the onions start to brown, reduce the heat as low as your stove goes.) Remove from the heat and set aside
2. Preheat the oven to 350°F (176° C). Adjust the oven rack to the center position.
3. Unfold the sheet of defrosted puff pastry on a parchment-lined baking sheet. You may wish to run a rolling pin over it a couple times just to even the dough. Scatter the top evenly with the onions.
4. Bake the tart for 25 to 35 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and flaky. Remove it from the oven, sprinkle the remaining thyme over the top, and let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing into small squares for serving. (Any leftover tart can be kept at room temperature, lightly covered with parchment. Best to crisp it in an oven or toaster oven prior to nibbling.)

Holiday Meals from Urban Pantry

Posted on December 4, 2011 by amyp

The holiday season is upon us and it seems every magazine, website and book is pimping out some serious recipe advice on how to roast the best turkey, how to cook Christmas table standards like rib roast and offering cookies ideas galore. While I am often asked to weigh in on what I serve (Rutabaga Gratin, of course!) I find it more strategic and interesting to talk about what ELSE we should be eating during the holidays. While we gather out over cocktails and linger over meals with friends, it is breakfast and lunch that often get ignored during this season. My personal strategy is to eat light and eat healthy, never missing a meal. This cuts down on late night indulgence, but also fuels me through the long days without bonking.

soft-boiled-eggs-and-toast

As a kid, soft eggs were one of my most favorite meals and my mom made it perfectly, complete with a large cut of butter. I was reminded of the recipe recently when Leite’s Culinaria asked if they could reprint it. I read everyones comments after the post and loved them; they affirmed to me that this recipe is golden. I hope this year you’ll remember to eat well (!), drink water (!), take care of yourself (!) and give my Mom’s Soft Boiled Eggs ‘n Toast a go.

Mom’s Soft-Boiled Eggs-n-Toast – excerpted from Urban Pantry, photo by Della Chen

2 eggs, per person
unsalted butter
Salt and pepper
Toast, if desired

Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. For a medium-set egg in which the yolk will be runny and the whites a bit loose, cook for 1 minute (yes, just 1 minute!). If you prefer a firmer white, leave it for another 20 to 30 seconds, then remove immediately. Run the egg under cold water until cool enough to handle.

Using the back of a knife, gently crack the egg’s shell. Once the shell is cracked, use a knife to slice through and cut the egg in half. Scoop out the egg using a small spoon and serve in a bowl with a hunk of butter and a generous dose of salt and pepper. Toast is a nice partner for these eggs.

Water Bath Canning 101

Posted on November 21, 2011 by amyp

Water-Bath Canning 101

This is a step-by-step guide to water-bath canning at home. There are a few options to choose from, but all work well. Be sure to set up your jars and workspace beforehand so you can establish a rhythm. Also, be mindful of the processing times given in each recipe.

CLEANING JARS. Wash your jars and lids in hot soapy water and set them to dry completely on a rack or on a clean dish towel.

PREPARING JARS. Glass jars and lids do not need to be sterilized before use if your foodstuffs will be processed more than 10 minutes in a boiling water bath or pressure canner. If jar-processing time is 10 minutes or less, jars must be sterilized before filling. Do this by placing jars in a canning pot, filling with water, and bringing water to simmer. Hold jars in water until ready to use. Conversely, I always hold just-washed jars in a 225-degree oven until ready to use. This is not recommended by the USDA, but I’m still alive to give you the option.

FILLING THE JARS. All canned goods will need headspace to allow for expansion of the food and to create a vacuum in cooling jars. As a general rule, leave . inch of headspace on all jams and jellies and . inch of headspace on all whole fruits. When using whole fruits, release air bubbles in just-filled jars by tapping the jar on the counter or by inserting a wooden chopstick or skewer into the jar and gently stirring the fruit. When placing lids and rings on canning jars, do not overtighten the rings. Secure just until rings have tension and feel snug. Overtightening will not allow air to vent from the jars—a crucial step in canning.

HEATING THE CANNING POT. Fill your canning pot or a deep stockpot half full of water and heat to a low boil. Hold the liquid on a very low boil until ready to use.

FILLING THE CANNING POT. If using a canning pot, place prepared jars of food on the rack in the canner. Do not stack, as you need to allow for circulation of water for proper sealing. Lower jars into the canning pot, and add enough water to cover the jar tops by an inch or more. Cover the pot and return to a boil. Processing times begin once the canning-pot water is brought back up to a boil. This can take as long as 15 minutes, so be sure to keep an eye on your pot and a timer nearby. You may also use a deep stockpot (best only in small-batch preserving) by lining the bottom of the pot with a dish towel and placing jars on top. This helps keep jars from clanging around on the bottom of the pot or tumbling over onto their sides. This form of canning is not universally recommended or endorsed by the USDA. I have seen plenty of farmers and European country folk use this old-school technique, and I’ve adapted their laissez-faire ways.

REMOVING SEALED JARS. Using a jar lifter, or a set of kitchen tongs, remove jars from the canner when the processing time has elapsed. (Remember, processing times begin once the canning-pot water is brought back up to a boil.) Set jars aside on a folded towel to cool. Make sure you do not press on the tops and create an artificial seal.

KNOWING WHEN JARS ARE SEALED. You’ll hear the sound of can tops popping shortly—a sign that a secure seal has been made. Once the jars are cool, check the seal by removing the outer ring and lifting the jar by holding only the lid. If it stays intact, you have successfully canned your food. If the seal is loose or broken, you may reprocess in the water bath within twenty-four hours. (Be sure to replace the lid and check the jar rim for cracks or nicks and replace if necessary.) Conversely, you can refrigerate the jar immediately and use within three weeks.

LABELING AND STORAGE. Once cool, label all jars with date and contents. Successfully sealed jars should be stored in a cool dark place, such as a cupboard. Officially, canned goods keep for up to a year, but I have let them go a bit longer with little effect.

EXCERPTED FROM URBAN PANTRY (SKIPSTONE 2010)

Amazon.com Best Cookbooks of the Year

Posted on November 5, 2011 by amyp

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I am visiting my family on the east coast for two weeks – Halloween with my nieces and nephews, tea with gram, a visit to my dads in Pennsylvania. All pretty average of a NY visit. Earlier this week, I took the LIRR from Long Island to the Port Authority to hop on a bus that drove me out to Honesdale, PA where my brother and father were waiting to pick me up. My brother went out a day ahead for hunting season – no bucks. My dad lives in the country. Deep country. No cell service, no internet. Just a rushing stream through his

backyard, a loud goose, a crowing rooster and a handful of ducklings criss-crossing the yard each day. On my third day there, I drove twenty minutes in to town for some internet and to touch base with the world.

As soon as I entered cell phone service again, my phone exploded. I had 15 texts by the time I drove a quarter-mile. Many of which exclaimed “Congratuations!”, “So proud!” and so on. I knew something had happened – I just didn’t know what. I parked in front of the Honesdale Library (after buying a shitty drip coffee and an awesome crumb cake from the

bakery across the street), went inside, found a spot in the big old house, turned on my computer and found this:

BEST OF 2010: TOP TEN COOKBOOKS on Amazon.com.

And guess what lil-book-that-could was on that list? Urban Pantry. Can you say, THRILLED????!!!

I’m still in shock over it. Thank you to everyone for your support!

TreeHugger Best of Green 2011

Posted on April 6, 2011 by amyp

Um……I’m not sure how this keeps happening, but I’m so so so so thrilled and amazed that TreeHugger.com has given a nod to Urban Pantry as one of the Best of Green 2011 Awards.ThankyouThankyouThankyou to anyone reading this for your support. It has moved mountains.

Love, Amy

TreeHugger says:

Every day, TreeHugger scours the planet looking for the people, ideas, projects, and memes that are pushing green into the mainstream. There are no shortage of great examples, for sure, but, once a year, we like to round up the best of the best, to present our Best of Green Awards.

In 2011, we’re presenting our third annual awards, and this year promises to be the biggest and best yet. The full complement of awards will be presented the week of April 4 – 8, but we kicked things off this year with the Best of Green Readers’ Choice Awards.

It’s a great time for green, and we’re excited to share the best of it with you. Welcome to the 2011 Best of Green!

2011 Heart of Green Awards

Posted on April 4, 2011 by amyp

HOG-winner-badge2

Today, Urban Pantry, along with 17 other “inspiring people, places, ideas and companies that are helping green go mainstream” was awarded the 2011 Heart of Green Award. For me, this is HUGE because ‘green’ is so often misused and confused as a fad. A trend. But for me, being green is a way of life. I make conscious choices every day to live as ‘green’ of a life as I can (no paper towels or plastic wrap in this kitchen!) and it is such an honor to be considered for this award.

AND………..I’m on the same list as Jane Goodall? That is bananas. Read more here.

Learning to Cook

Posted on February 17, 2011 by amyp

I just received the best email from a young Seattle mom.

“I have only just now decided I’m a good cook ………… But only because of you and your AMAZING cookbook!!! I know of you from my dear friend Gretchen, and now my mom is using Urban Garden Share…but I bought your cookbook when I saw you listed as a speaker at Elliott Bay (though, sadly I had to miss it because I’m a busy mama). I have made 4 or 5 things from Urban Pantry and I love love love them all! I have never considered myself a good cook and always fret about not feeding my family wholesome enough food, but that has changed now! I am sitting here at my desk enjoying my Quinoa Vanilla Pudding and I feel totally nourished and smug thank you!!!”

My favorite quote is “I feel totally nourished and smug.” THAT is awesome.