I heard someone say recently, “you can do anything, but not everything.” I tend to agree. Keeping that at heart this weekend, I had to pass up an opportunity to spend Sunday in Hillsborough at the annual Farm to Form Picnic with my friends from Massey Creek Farm and Lucky 32. But, I hear they had a great time without me – and represented Greensboro well. Hopefully next year I can make it – and other Greensboro farms and restaurants can add to our crew.

In lieu of my day with friends, I put together some sliders using their signature ingredients for my Dining for Friends Lunch. I used the same recipe as my Cuban Pork Loin but replaced the red wine vinegar for apple cider vinegar and added red pepper flakes instead of black peppercorn. It worked perfectly (thanks for the advice Mom!) and was really simple. I made this the day before and heated the pork right before assembling.

Pick up these local treats and enjoy them this Memorial Day weekend!

BBQ Pork Sliders with Lucky 32 Voodoo Sauce

• Massey Creek Pork Roast
• 2 tablespoons, olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup, apple cider vinegar
• 2 big pinches, red pepper flakes
• Lucky 32 Voodoo Sauce
• Loaf Rolls – or Anna Mae Rolls
• your favorite coleslaw

Using a dutch oven, heat olive oil. Season pork generously with salt and pepper. Sear on all sides in olive oil until brown. Add an inch of apple cider vinegar and red pepper flakes (don’t inhale when you do this!). Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for about an hour – or more until falling apart. Add voodoo sauce to taste. Serve on rolls with your favorite coleslaw recipe.

Walking up the path to Cheryl Barnett’s home in the Kirkwood neighborhood feels like magically traveling over four state lines where railroad crossings are for Whistle Stop Cafes and mayonnaise is more a ‘way of life’ than a sandwich spread. Cheryl Barnett is an Alabama raised ‘momtrepreneur,’ with big Southern dreams and a healthy obsession of pimento cheese. And she is the force by the suddenly popular MyThreeSons Gourmet.

I got to know Cheryl while sitting in her traditional living room, walled with oil paintings of her three sons, as she took me back to the place where her pimento cheese obsession began many years ago, in Tallassee, Alabama. It was there that she met her best friend on the first day of fourth grade and was welcomed into the Emfinger home as an extended family member. She frequented their home throughout grade school for many reasons – friendship, family – and Mrs. E’s pimento cheese – the so-called condiment that would turn out to be her destiny.

Mrs. E made everything look easy and Cheryl grew up with the domestic dream of being just like her. After finishing her undergraduate degree at the University of Alabama, Cheryl moved to North Carolina to attend dental school and Mrs. E sent her “recipe” north. Throughout the next 10 years Cheryl followed Mrs.E’s recipe – she became an orthodontist, started a family and a practice, created a home in Greensboro – and made pimento cheese in her kitchen for her three sons.

But just as in cooking, Cheryl ran into challenges. Ten years ago she was forced to retire due to chronic back injury. Determined to set an example for her sons, she started the pimento cheese factory she always dreamed of. She recognized an teachable moment – when faced with challenges she decided to pursue her lifelong passion. MyThreesSons Gourmet Pimento Cheese was born.

MyThreeSons Pimento Cheese tastes like home – like the good summer days of running through rainstorms barefoot and homemade bagged lunches packed for school. It is made just like your mother’s with sharp cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, pimentos and special spices just up the street in the Nussbaum Center for Entrepreneurship.

MyThreeSons’ growth has been tremendously fast – from a few local Fresh Market stores to covering the state (and most of the South) in four major grocers. You can find Cheryl’s Pimento Cheese in Whole Foods, Fresh Market, Harris Teeter and Lowe’s Foods Grocery Stores.

In celebrating mother’s day this past weekend, I was taken by Cheryl’s story – that the recipe for being the perfect mother isn’t only about making the best pimento cheese - it’s about being a dreamer and a doer. I’m sure Mrs. E would agree.

After a dinner discussion with many pimento cheese experts – I found that everyone is a pimento cheese expert! “There are as many varieties of pimento cheese as the people who make it,” says my new friend Emily. From traditionalists to those who brave new twists, there are few that don’t find memory on this Southern treat.

With summer in mind, I created a different version of nachos on the grill using MyThreeSon’s newest pimento cheese – Spicy White Cheddar. While Martha Pearl
in “My Mother’s Southern Kitchen” might call my grilled pimento cheese nachos a sacrilege – I’m a risk taker and think this recipe is delicious twist on an Alabama turned Greensboro treat.

Grilled Spicy and Smoky Pimento Cheese Nachos

• 16 ounces blue corn chips
• 2 ears fresh corn, husked
• 1 sweet onion, cut into large slices
• 1 red pepper, cut into large pieces
• 1 container, My Three Sons Spicy White Cheddar Pimento Cheese
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 3 radishes, julianned
• 1 small tomato, chopped
• 1 avocado, chopped
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• hot sauce or pickled jalapeno, to taste

Preheat your grill to medium heat. Husk corn and cut onion and red pepper into large slices. Toss corn cobs, onion and red pepper in olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill vegetable trio until charred. Allow to cool to touch, chop onions and pepper, and remove corn kernels from the corn cobs.

Create a tray for the nachos by overlapping two sheets of aluminum foil. You can use cookie sheet as a mold if you need a guide. Place the aluminum foil tray directly on the grill and top with a layer of corn chips. Add a third of the Spicy White Cheddar Pimento Cheese on top of the chips, then the grilled vegetables and top with the remaining Pimento Cheese. Close the grill and allow the cheese to melt and warm the nachos.

Once the cheese is melted, carefully pick up the tray and transfer the nachos to a large platter. Top the nachos with scallions, tomato, radishes, avocado and hot sauce. Feel free to add any other toppings you may enjoy – local chorizo, bacon or seasoned grilled beef would make an excellent addition!

Before we dove into giant burgers topped with gruyère cheese and bacon, balsamic and onion jam on Saturday night, I mentioned to my friends that my dining room table would look the same on May 9th as it did on May 5th. I’m reporting that it still remains the same – ready for many parties ahead with the same laugher, joy and love. Despite last night’s embarrassing and heart-breaking news, everyone is still accepted and loved in my quaint North Carolina neighborhood. Greensboro voted against the Amendment – and for that we should be proud. And, as my friend Larry says, “we shall rise another day and look fabulous doing it.”

I made these sky-high burgers filled with local goodies from the Greensboro Curb Market. Garlic scapes, local beef and bacon! If you haven’t played in the kitchen with garlic scapes from Cornerstone Garlic – you need to! And, you really can taste the difference when you make burgers from local farms and it costs just the same! Check them out this Saturday when you come down for Strawberry Day!

Gruyère Burgers with Bacon, Balsamic and Onion Jam

• 1 1/2 pounds Meadows Family Farm ground beef
• 1/2 cup garlic scapes, minced
• 2 splashes worchestire sauce
• 1 cup gruyere cheese
• salt and pepper

Bacon, Balsamic and Onion Jam

• 4 thick slices bacon, chopped into ½-inch pieces
• 1 large  onion, thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
•  ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
• salt and pepper

To make the jam, cook the bacon and transfer to a plate. Cook the onions with salt and pepper on medium in the bacon fat until caremelized.Once brown, add balsamic vinegar and reduce – then return the bacon. Taste for seasoning. This will take some time – be patient!

Make the burgers by combining beef, minced garlic scapes, worchestire sauce, salt and pepper. Cook on the grill until medium and top with cheese. Serve with jam and any other toppings you like!

Friends! It’s been too long, I know. After a week’s worth of Biscuitville programming, I’m slowing peaking out from my biscuit-coma. After many hours in the office, dress suits, sneakers, students and sweat – I took several naps and a couple of trips to the gym to work off all the hard work. Sunday night I was able to find the energy to get back into the kitchen and the creativity to cook. And, it sure felt good.

Sunday night I treated myself to my favorite spring vegetable – a fresh artichoke! While I usually tend to steam them and dunk them in lemon butter, I challenged myself to do something a bit more creative. I cleaned my fresh artichoke and sautéed them to add to pasta with fresh shrimp, arugula and lemon. It was the perfect non-biscuit treat after my long and hectic week into weekend.

Hopefully I’ll have more time on my hands this coming month to experiment in the kitchen and report back to all of you. I’m looking forward to it.

Fettuccine with Fresh Artichoke, Shrimp, Arugula and Lemon, serves two 

• 1 fresh whole artichoke
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 and 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 6 peels and divined shrimp – or more if you prefer
• 2 handfuls baby arugula
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper
• pinch (or to your liking) red pepper flakes
• 1/2 pound fettuccine
• 1 small handful of freshly grated peccorino romano

Clean the artichoke. This is a pretty good tutorial on cleaning artichokes. It can be a little intimidating but its pretty easy once you understand the artichoke anatomy and have a good pairing knife (although, the surgeon in my cooking classes says I’m great with knives!). Once the artichoke is clean and the choke (purple part) removed, slice into 1/4 inch pieces and soak in water with half of lemon juiced (to prevent from browning).

Melt butter and olive oil in a large saute pan. Once melted, turn the stove to medium heat and add dried artichoke slices. Saute for about 10 minutes or until tender. Season with salt, pepper and lemon juice (of 1 lemon). Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Meanwhile, start a pot of boiling water.

While the pasta is boiling, add the shrimp to the saute pan and allow to cook. If the pan seams dry, add a bit more olive oil or a splash of white wine (you know it’s handy).

Once the pasta is al dente, transfer the pasta into the saute pan and stir together. Add the arugula and allow to wilt for a moment. Top with cheese. Taste for seasoning and serve!

This weekend I made a roast spring chicken with lots of herbs and paired it with a seasonal side dish from Sara Foster’s cookbook. Recently, I’ve really started trying to mix up recipes for my everyday eating, but when it comes to comfort food, nothing beats a simple roasted chicken with rice. I relied on Sara’s book to help mix it up a bit and she provided the perfect solution with her “Rice Pilaf for All Seasons.” I swapped peas for green beans and added the chicken stock straight from the bottom of my roast chicken pan. You can make your own edits too. I love the addition of coconut milk (I used the reduced fat version) and crunch from toasted almonds. Try this next time you’re trying to mix things up in your kitchen!

A variation with your comfort foods can be a fun experiment!

Looking for an easy Roast Chicken recipe? Try this – and leave out the taters and mushrooms if you’re making the rice! 

Spring Rice Pilaf with Green Beans, Chives, Lemon Zest and Toasted Almonds from Sara Foster’s Fresh Every Day

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 and 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup fresh peas or beans (cut)
• 1/2 cup chives
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced

Melt the butter and olive oil. Saute the onion until translucent, over medium heat. Add the rice and coat with mixture. Add coconut milk, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Add the peas and cover (I like mine still crunchy – you could add earlier if desired). Remove from pan into serving dish, add chives, almonds and lemon juice and zest. Season to taste!

If you’ve been wondering where I’ve moseyed off to – I’m still here on Mendenhall Street counting each minute until I can take my next allergy pill. This spring has been brutal! It’s showing in my jungle-like backyard full of wilted and confused tulips and in my energy level and spastic coughing attacks. I’m keeping cover and trying to medicate myself until the pollen has taken it’s toll.

On a happier note, I spent my weekend celebrating the 15th anniversary of the Guilford Green Foundation. It’s been almost 7 years since I moved to Greensboro to take on an unknown quest to help keep the pieces of an emerging nonprofit together and simultaneously push them along a path towards sustainability. And, now I couldn’t be happier to see how strong they are organizationally thanks to their new leadership. GGF continues to make strides and make our community more fair and radiant through it’s diversity. My dear friend Andrew was also celebrated for the countless hours he’s spent working at the State Legislature battling Amendment 1 (even before it was called Amendment 1). A lovely evening all together…

We celebrated and caught up (gossiped) on Sunday night outside of our black tie get-up and in the comfort of jeans and lace up shoes. I promised a simple meal of Spring produce and gathered some odds-and-ends for a fun and casual menu – including a surprise duo of pink sorbets in sugar cones for dessert!

Spring Sunday Supper Menu 

• Grilled Spring Sweet Onions and Rustic Bread
• Radish, Cucumber and Green Salad with Lemon Vinegrette
• Roasted New Potatoes with Sweet and Spicy Papirika
• Grilled Lemon Chicken with Tarragon and Oregano Pesto
• Raspberry and Blackberry Sorbet in Sugar Cones

As Spring approaches early this year and produce seems more unseasonably awkward than expected, let’s embrace the entrance of sprouting greens and lighter wear during Saturday morning farmer’s market visits.

This weather was hard to predict last month when I was invited to nosh on local treats and converse with regional farmers and food producers at the Piedmont Grown conference held at the Proximity Hotel. My new pal, Jay Pierce, Chef at Lucky 32 and Chair of Piedmont Grown’s board, invited me to sit in on their conversations and planning for the newly formed nonprofit.

After indulging in a glass of Homemade Creamery chocolate milk and meeting farmers from due east and west of our area, I gained an immediate interest in their endeavors.

Not long ago a group of farmers, chefs, academics and economic developers convened around an anthropological study produced by UNC Chapel Hill. The findings of the study confirmed to the group that consumers were generally confused about where their food was coming from and what “local” really meant.

It seems we’ve lost our sense of place. Perhaps our screens have given us a false reality that food can move as quickly as our messages. But when we look up, we must realize that geography plays a dynamic role in our diets.

The folks at Piedmont Grown believe that geography has as much to do with our physical health as economic heath. Eating primarily from our region gives us diversity in our diets through the seasons and creates a ripple effect in our local economy. Plus, fresh, local foods just taste better!

Yet, “Local” is more relative than we might guess. Some large grocers advertise “locally grown” produce yet define “local” as “traveled 6 or fewer hours from the farm.” It’s confusing and challenging for consumers.

That’s where Piedmont Grown has stepped in to make it easier for us. They have created a nonprofit to promote local food through the certification of farms and food products grown or raised in 37 counties in our Piedmont Region. This provides consistency and clarity to what “local” means to us as consumers. Every time we see the logo, we know that the produce was grown from seed to growth, meats were either born or lived 2/3rds of their life and products include 50% local ingredients from the Piedmont.

Not only does it make shopping easier, it’s a huge benefit to the folks growing, raising and producing food from Mecklenburg to Wilson County. Soon enough, the collective voice of members will not only have a recognizable brand but will have a consolidated marketing plan to better educate all hungry shoppers.

For those of you stuck to your screens, Piedmont Grown has a fantastic directory of members on their website, piedmontgrown.org.  Pretty soon you’ll start seeing the Piedmont Grown logo pop up in retail stores. In the meantime, look for their logo on member’s stands at the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market.

As Jay Piece says, “things ripen every day.” Let’s make sure we take a chance to look up and take advantage of everything ripening in our region this Spring.

I challenged myself to prepare a brunch with using strictly Piedmont Grown members and easily came up with a brunch full of healthy, decadent and delicious treats. Challenge yourself this weekend at the market to do the same – or use my guide below!

Piedmont Grown Baked Eggs with Sausage, Mushrooms, Green Garlic and Goat Cheese

• 1 pound Massey Creek Farm Hot Extra Sage Sausage
• 1 bag Faucette Farms Mushrooms, torn into bite sized pieces
• 1 round, Goat Lady Dairy Smoked Goat Cheese
• 1 bunch Cornerstone Farm Green Garlic, minced
• 4 handfuls, Faucette Farms baby spinach
• 4 large Massey Creek Farm Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Homeland Creamery Butter
• salt and pepper

In a large cast-iron skillet, saute sausage until browned. Set sausage aside and add 2 tablespoons of butter into the pan. Saute mushrooms in butter until tender, season with salt and pepper. Set mushrooms aside and add another tablespoon of butter. Saute green garlic and baby spinach until wilted. Season with salt and pepper.

Place four ovenproof ramekins on a cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Layer the ramekins with spinach and garlic mixture topped with mushrooms and sausage. Crack a whole egg on top – making sure to keep the yolk whole. Top with crumbled goat cheese. Bake at 450 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the egg whites have cooked and yolk is still runny. Enjoy with a nice piece of local toast!

I was inspired by another great blog – Eat, Live Run – to make Sweet and Spicy Salmon Sandwiches with Homemade Pretzel Rolls for my Friday evening guests last weekend. Sometimes there is nothing more fitting than a casual night at home with great homemade sandwiches and fries to kick off the weekend. We stepped up the spices with a trip to Friendly Center’s new Savory Spice Shop and Midtown Olive Press picking up Hungarian Sweet and Spicy Paprika and Chipotle Olive Oil. To accompany the sandwiches we made homemade oven fries dusted with our special paprika and a final toss with Chipotle Olive Oil when they came out of the oven. Super spicy but great dipped in leftover lemon and basil mayo from the sandwiches!

I love Eat, Live Run’s simple recipe for Sweet and Spicy Salmon – not only does it taste great but it is really simple to make. I’d make this again and eat on it’s own with a salad or fresh veggies. I used Savory Spice Hungarian Sweet and Spicy Paprika instead of a standard paprika. It certainly kicked up the spice blend making these sandwiches super spicy! We loved the kick (a great cleanse to the sinuses during allergy season!) but be mindful when your putting your spice run together. I made a lemon and basil mayo to go along with the Sweet and Spicy Salmon – it added another fresh layer of flavor to the the sandwich.

These sandwiches are huge – so you may want to consider making fewer or splitting them between those who have lighter appetites. They are also great the next day for leftovers right out of the fridge.

This is a great treat for a casual evening with family or a fun night with guests! Go for it – tomorrow is FRIDAY!

Sweet & Spicy Glazed Salmon from Eat, Live Run

• 2 4-5 oz wild Atlantic salmon
• 2 tsp Savory Spice Hungarian sweet and spicy paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1-2 tbsp honey
• 1/2 lemon, juiced

To complete the sandwich: 

• homemade pretzel rolls (or regular rolls)
• mayonnaise with lemon juice, zest, minced basil, salt and pepper
• lettuce

Directions:

Preheat broiler on high.

Mix together the chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, paprika and cayenne pepper.

Make the Lemon Basil Mayo by mixing a cup of Mayo with the zest and juice of one large lemon, a handful of minced basil and salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside for sandwich assembly!

Rub the salt on the salmon fillets, followed by the spice mixture. Lay fillets in a pie dish or on a tin foil-lined sheet tray and drizzle the honey over top. Broil fish for 5-8 minutes, until flaky but still pink. Remove from oven and drizzle lemon juice over top.

Prepare sandwiches by smearing lemon basil mayonnaise on one side of the pretzel roll, then topping with a salmon fillet. Top with lettuce followed by other half of roll. Serve warm.

My mom and her best friend Debbie are visiting Mendenhall Street this weekend. They arrived yesterday from Florida right in time for some really dreary weather! Luckily, my mom brought all the ingredients to throw together an easy comforting pasta dish for dinner last night. She wanted to attempt to recreate her favorite dish on the menu at Leonardo’s 706 in Gainesville, Fl – the Chicken Gorgonzola Pasta. Leonardo’s is a favorite of mine in Gainesville – and is now run by my childhood friend, Aaron! Check it out next time you’re visiting the swamp.

We recreated this dish using half-n-half instead of heavy cream, roasted chicken breast, blue cheese, broccoli and bow tie pasta. I don’t remember the exact measurements – and really they don’t matter too much. Really, you just want to reduce the cream and add a touch of white wine and enough gorgonzola cheese for a nice bite.

Recreated Chicken Gorgonzola Bowtie Pasta with Broccoli and Pecans serves 4 to 6

• 2 whole chicken breasts with the skin on
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 pound bowtie pasta
• 2 cups half and half
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 pound (or more) gorgonzola cheese
• 1 head broccoli, cut into florets
• 1/2 cup pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Roast the chicken breasts on a cookie sheet – drizzled with a touch of olive oil, salt and pepper – for about 30 minutes or until browned. Allow to cool, remove skin and discard and chop chicken into bite sized pieces.

Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet, add about a cup or so of half-and-half. On medium heat, bring to a slow simmer. Add crumbled gorgonzola cheese and a splash of white wine. Reduce until thick. Meanwhile boil pasta – and throw in the broccoli during the last 5 or so minutes to cook too. Drain pasta and broccoli and throw into cream sauce. Add chicken and pecans. Taste for seasoning – the cheese is super salty so wait until the end to add salt and pepper to your liking.

It was a slow weekend on Mendenhall Street. We had a puppy visitor, Jake, that kept things interesting and me on my toes! It was a nice time to recharge and clean up for the week ahead. It feels great to have clean floors and Spring tulips on my dining room table. Isn’t it amazing how such small things can make you feel so good?

Saturday morning, I picked up a couple treats at the Farmer’s Market to make a nice dinner on Saturday night. If you haven’t done this before, I highly recommend challenging yourself to go to the market without any idea of what you want to cook. Find one thing that interests you and start from there. I fell in love with the tender baby broccoli at Mindenhall Farms. It looked like (the sometimes bitter) broccoli rabe but was sweet and tender. It paired really well with Massey Creek Farm Sweet Italian Sausage, Smoked Sun Dried Tomatoes and pasta.

I made this dish up but used inspiration from a very similar dish my Dad used to make at home. The trick to this dish is finishing the pasta cooking with the sun dried tomatoes and garlic in chicken broth! This makes enough for 4 people – but I’ll be eating it for dinner throughout the week!

Here’s to a rested – and clean – start of the week!

Smoked Sun Dried Tomato, Sausage and Baby Broccoli Penne

• 1 pound, penne pasta
• 1 pound, Massey Creek Farm Sweet Italian Sausage
• 1 bag, Mindenhall Farm Baby Broccoli
• 2 ounces, Smoked Sun Dried Tomatoes, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
• 1 can chicken broth
• olive oil
• salt
• crush red pepper flakes
• fresh basil, torn
• pecorino romano, shredded

In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook sausages in a tiny amount of olive oil (to prevent from sticking). Cook until browned on each side.  Remove from the pan and add a tablespoon of olive oil.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta until undercooked or with a nice bite to it (you’ll finish the cooking in the chicken broth!).

Add the baby broccoli and saute until bright green and tender. Season with salt and red pepper flakes – to taste! Remove the broccoli and set aside (if you are using broccoli florets you can leave them in the pan – the trick is to not over cook the veggie). Add the garlic and sun dried tomatoes. Saute until fragrant and then add chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Add the undercooked pasta and stir together. Slice the sausage and add it to the pasta – then add the broccoli. Cook until pasta finishes – about 3 or 5 minutes. At this point, taste the pasta – you may want to add a touch more salt.

Serve in a big pasta bowl with torn basil and shredded pecorino romano cheese on top!