Blog — food & drink

There are a lot of recipes from my childhood that I continue to make as an adult. One of them is this delicious spinach pie. This recipe, which happens to be one that my aunt contributed to the More With Less cookbook, has always been a favorite. Growing up, I would ask my mom for spinach pie and corn for my birthday meal sometimes. While there's that stigma that kids hate spinach, I certainly had no qualms with this recipe that is packed full of deliciousness.

In the colder fall months, our farm share still seems to have a plethora of spinach. We love spinach, so this recipe has been on repeat. And the best part is that there are always leftovers for lunch!

What you'll need:

• 1 pie crust (I make my own, though I know some of you prefer not to)
• 2 quarts fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup swiss cheese, grated

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and saute the onion over medium heat. Add the chopped spinach and stir until wilted. Put the spinach and onions in a medium sized bowl, and mix in nutmeg, oregano, salt, eggs, and cheese. Spoon the mixture into an empty pie crust and press to fill out the crust. Bake in the oven uncovered for 35-40 minutes.

And as I requested as a child, I often serve the spinach pie with corn, but also will often add a salad to round out the meal. While fresh spinach makes this pie truly delicious, sometimes I use frozen spinach in a pinch, being sure to thaw and drain it first.

Do you still make recipes from your childhood? Are you a fan of spinach like me?

 

 

While taking a break in Philadelphia a few weekends ago, we ate dinner at Stateside in South Philly. They had amazing cocktails, one that featured a basil infused gin. In the summer, I love beer, but in the winter, I prefer wine and cocktails, preferably something gin based. With several stalks of fresh basil left in my garden, I decided to infuse my own gin with the hopes of capturing that summery flavor for the colder months ahead.

What you'll need:

• one pint sized canning jar with a lid
• enough fresh basil to lightly pack into the jar
• 1 1/2 cups gin of your choice (I used my old standby Tanqueray)

Pluck the whole leaves of basil from their stalks and place them in the canning jar, lightly packing them. Be careful not to muddle or tear the leaves, as this can result in the gin turning to a brown color. Pour the gin over the basil, seal the jar, and gently shake the jar a few times. Infuse the basil between 48 hours and a week, based on your preference, gently shaking once a day. After fully infused, remove the basil and enjoy!

Have you made any infused spirits? What is your favorite base for cocktail drinks?

We love our beer, and fall is another great beer season. We spent last Sunday at a neighborhood Oktoberfest that included a home brew competition in which Andrew entered his Belgian IPA. However, many a Sunday, we find ourselves at Max's Taphouse in Fells Point while watching football. We stumbled upon Max's when we first moved to Baltimore and continue to go back because of their insanely large and unique beer selection. Think 140 rotating draft selections and hundreds of different types of bottled beer. Yup, that'll be enough beer to make your head spin-- literally. With that said, here is a look at a few fall beers that I've been enjoying so far this season.

1 // Mahr's Brau's Mastodon - German Lager, 2 // Nebraska Brewing Company's Wick for Brains - Pumpking Ale, 3 // Flying Fish's Oktoberfish - Marzen/Oktoberfest, 4 // Sierra Nevada's Flipside - Red IPA, 5 // Schlafly's Pumpkin Ale

While I'm usually more of a fan of IPAs and beers that you more commonly find in the summer months, I've happily found a few that I've found satisfying. The Mastodon was probably my favorite as a quality spot on German lager, and the Flipside provides the fall flavors of an amber yet is hoppy enough to do the trick for an IPA girl like me.

Are you a craft beer fanatic? What sorts of craft beers do you enjoy during the fall season?