Join the Locavore Challenge

This September, NOFA-NY will be running its 3rd Locavore Challenge. I'm participating - are you? It's not so much a challenge as a guide to adding more local foods to your diet throughout September with a big potluck celebration at the end of the month. Here's an example of some of the "challenges."

While this challenge is geared towards New Yorkers (the state, not the city, though NYC is included of course!), anyone could easily join in on the fun. For more details, click here, and sign-up right over here. I'll be sharing tips for a locavore diet throughout September, and I hope you'll add a comment on your tips, too!

Tomato-Braised Short Ribs and Creamy Parmesan Polenta... And A Giveaway!

Here in Upstate New York, fall has certainly arrived. The leaves are stunning this year (some of the most vibrant reds and oranges I have seen in years) and when the sun goes down, the house begs for the warmth of a wood stove. Autumn is also the time when slow cookers come out of the cupboard and the smells of stews and braised meat waft through the house (I'm getting hungry just thinking about it). How about some delicious braised short ribs? I posted my Tomato-Braised Short Ribs and Creamy Parmesan Polenta recipe over on the Eat Local blog... I hope you'll check it out. While the meat cooks away in the oven for a few hours, this dish really only takes about 15 minutes of hands-on time, perfect for a lazy Sunday or casual dinner with friends (you can watch a movie or take the dog for a walk while it hangs out in the oven). 

But wait! There's more!

I've entered this recipe in the Calling All Cooks recipe contest, and I've been selected as a semi-finalist! But I need your help to make it to the finals. If you could, please head over to Facebook and vote for my recipe by "liking" it. The top five make it to the finals. Voting ends Wednesday, October 19th at 1pm, so you don't have long! I'd really appreciate your help.

As a thank you for your vote, please let me know in this post's comments that you voted for me, and you will be entered to win a gift basket full of tasty treats from Silly Goose Farm! Just leave a way to contact you, as well (like your email address). Already voted? That's okay. Get your friends to vote and leave me a note in the comments telling me you voted. A winner will be announced on Friday!

Thanks again for your help! PS - While you are on Facebook, stop over and "like" Silly Goose Farm, too!

Thanks everyone for your support. I was the runner-up in the competition (but I still netted some great prizes and amazing exposure). As a thank you, all three commenters (Tara, Christine, and Becky) will be receiving a special gift from Silly Goose Farm -- thanks for your sweet notes, ladies!

Sustainable Snippets

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Happy Friday! Man, can you believe March is more than half-over? 2011 seems to be flying by. Another week nearly done. I trust you have recovered from your St. Patty's Day hangover by now (depends on if you were drinking green beer or Irish Whiskey, one supposes!).

I thought I'd use Fridays to share some articles from around the web about issues related (in some way) to sustainability. So, here's round one. Happy reading!

A few simple ideas for DIY foodstuffs (this is SO the Silly Goose Farm lifestyle!)

Good thing growing season is right around the corner!

One must really like pigs to give-up vacations (did you know some breeds of pigs are smarter than dogs?)

Where was this when I was single? (I met my husband in a restaurant)

Get your Chicory Stout while the getting's good (yay craft beer!)

I've got to get that garden planned

What Does Artisanal Really Mean?

Just wanted to drop in quick to give you a heads-up about a post I just added to my other blog. It's about the meaning of artisanal. You might be surprised. If you would like to check it out, click here.

Sorry for my silence as of late. More on that soon. In the meantime, we just received another FOURTEEN INCHES of snow at Silly Goose Farm, and we're all going crazy. Even the dogs. As soon as they saw the snow, the tried to climb back inside the house and howled and wimpered like they were being toutured.

Hope the weather is to your liking where you live. And thanks for stopping by :-)

Turkey Burgers and Oven Fries

What better way to celebrate the potato than with fries! While I could definitely just eat fries alone, I thought a spin on the classic combination of "burgers and fries" would be more apropos (bonus - did you know potatoes are naturally fat free? AWESOME!).

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Turkey Burgers with Honey Mustard Dressing

Makes 4 burgers

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds ground turkey

1 egg, beaten

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium stalk celery, minced

1/2 apple, peeled and diced small

2 shallots, minced

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes OR 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1/2 teaspoon pepper (or to taste)

1/4 teaspoon Bell's Seasoning

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/4 cup honey

4 poppy seed kaiser rolls (or bread of choice)

2 cups spring mix or other baby lettuce

4 slices American cheese

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add olive oil.

2. In a large bowl, mix together turkey, egg, garlic, celery, apple, shallot, salt, pepper, parsley and Bell's Seasoning. Mix until all ingredients are incorporated. The turkey mixture will be very wet. Form into four patties and place in skillet.

3. Cook burgers for 4-5 minutes. Turn, and cook for an additional 4 minutes.

4. In the meantime, split and lightly toast kaiser rolls. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard and honey.

5. Spread 2 tablespoons of honey mustard dressing on one half of toasted kaiser roll. Layer spring mix on bottom half of kaiser roll, top with one turkey burger patty, American cheese (if desired) and top half of kaiser roll.* Enjoy!

*On second tasting, I substituted honey mustard dressing with Silly Goose Farm ginger-peach chutney (available for purchase soon!) and the American cheese for bleu cheese - it was equally delicious!

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Oven Fries with Spicy Ketchup

Serves 4*

4 large potatoes, peeled**

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons coarse salt

1 tablespoon cracked pepper

2 teaspoons paprika

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1 cup ketchup

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with aluminium foil.

2. Cut potatoes into "sticks" as uniformly as possible. Place in a large pot and with enough cold water to just cover. Boil over high heat until potatoes are just pierced with a folk.

3. Remove potatoes from boiling water and place on baking sheet. Coat with olive oil. Top with garlic, salt, pepper, paprika and allspice. Toss to coat.

4. Bake potatoes on top shelf in the oven for 10 minutes. Turn and bake for another 10 minutes (or until desired "browning" is reached).

5. In the meantime, combine ketchup, cumin and chili powder in a small bowl. Mix to combine.

6. Serve oven fries with spicy ketchup. Enjoy!

*This recipe can easily be increased or decreased.

**I used Red Chieftain potatoes from this year's crop, but the potato gold standard (Yukon Gold, that is) is a wise choice.

What Does "Silly Goose Farm" Mean?

I’ve been thinking about what exactly “Silly Goose Farm” is.

Well, Silly Goose Farm is, of course, where I live, but beyond that, I feel it’s a way of life. To sum it up, Silly Goose Farm is a guide for a stylish, sustainable lifestyle. Living “green,” eco-friendly or socially responsible seems to be more popular than ever, and have certainly become buzzwords. I feel a lot of the resources out there on the subject don’t really make this lifestyle as accessible as it should be. Many come across as elitist and pretentious. Blame it on my extensive schooling in History and Political Science, but I think the only way things ever change is when they become accessible to the masses. Egalitarians unite!

I aim to make Silly Goose Farm a place where anyone can come and find inspiration on stylish, sustainable living. Whether you live on 20 acres or in a mid-city apartment, have the time, energy and experience to grow all of your own produce or just a windowsill pot for basil, make oodles of buckaroos or just enough to eek by, I hope this blog becomes a repository of ideas for all who are dedicated to living a little closer to the earth (without losing personal style).

I am working on regular features that showcase tips on gardening, cooking, personal style and décor, and companies that uphold the tenets of the Silly Goose Farm lifestyle. Also, because I believe good, safe and healthy food should be accessible for everyone, I’ll occasionally post information about organizations dedicated to this cause and related food issues. I promise I’ll try not to be too preachy! What a turnoff, right?

Finally, this blog is a place where you can comment as you see fit. If there is something posted here you definitely don’t agree with or support, share it! One-sided conversations don’t really affect change, in my opinion. If you find something in a post that is factually incorrect, call me out on it. Just please don’t be harsh towards other commenters. Name calling is not allowed, and try to limit the snarky quips. Let’s all bring each other up, not knock each other down.

So, stay tuned for more fun posts and exciting announcements, and if there is anything you’d love to see here, leave me a comment or email me at sillygoosefarm@gmail.com!

National Potato Lovers and Sweet Potato Month

Did you know that February is National Sweet Potato Month and National Potato Lovers Month? To commemorate, I thought I'd provide you with some fun tidbits about potatoes and sweet potatoes, as well as recipes to help praise the spud. September is National Potato Month, so I'll be back with more factoids and recipes then.

The Potato Eaters, Vincent Van Gogh, 1885

The potato chip was invented in 1853 in a restaurant in Saratoga Springs, NY (a city not far from Silly Goose Farm!). A patron complained the french fried potatoes were too thick, and sent them back to the chef in complaint. The disgruntled chef then sliced new potatoes as thinly as possible before frying and added salt. Instead of insulting the customer, the "potato chip" ended up being a huge success and changed our snacking habits forever.

The average American eats 132.7 pounds of potatoes (or approximately 365 potatoes) a year.

The potato is the second most consumed food in the United States - trailing only after milk products.

The sweet potato is the 6th principal world food crop, and approximately 90 percent of the worlds' crop is grown in Asia.


Sweet potatoes have been grown in the Americas as early as 750 BC.

George Washington Carver developed 118 different products from sweet potatoes, including a mucilage for postal stamps, sizing for cotton fabrics, and an alternative to corn syrup.

During World War I, when supplies for wheat flour were low, the USDA used sweet potato flour to stretch out the wheat in baked goods.

Stay tuned for yummy recipes!

I Broke My Nose...

And this is the culprit:

Nothing like a head-butt to the nose and a good dose of radiation to start off a new year. 2011 has already proven to be interesting.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Happy Sunday everybody! Just wanted to mention that my chocolate chip cookies were featured over on the A-MAZ-ING blog, A Friendly Brown. I hope you'll go pay the wonderfully sweet, charming, and down-right hilarious Kelly a visit. She's very crafty and creates breathtaking photos, as well.

Here's another way to enjoy my Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend. I hope if you're not up to your neck in holiday baking, you're in bed with the Sunday paper and a nice pot of coffee!