Kitchen Update:

Chicken Thigh Stew 

(perfect for Winter Weather)

The best thing out of the kitchen this week is an adaption from Jamie Oliver. I make this several times over the Winter months and wish for it in the Summer. I took his suggestion in the book to use chicken thighs rather then rabbit. It's pretty easy:

• Take a dozen chicken thighs (I get naturally raised de-boned but you can use bone in).

• Either two medium onions cut in chunks about 1” or a big handful of boiling onions.

• A cup or so of Shitake mushrooms or any mushrooms if you can't find them. Chopped fine (if people don't like the texture of mushrooms chop them very very fine)

• Olive Oil

• Several sprigs of fresh Rosemary (couple tablespoons if you use dried)

• 4 slices of bacon (he uses a lot more). Chopped into about 1” pieces. You can use less but if you don't use any it will make a difference

• Small package of frozen peas (fresh if you have them!)

• A bottle of dark beer. (the alcohol will burn off. You can skip this but it won't be the same) I use Guinness. Any good English Ale is good too but use what you can or like.

• Chicken broth to cover. (a 16 oz carton is more then enough)

• A large stove top pan: I use a 14" pan with 3" sides. You can use a dutch oven or anything large and deep enough of similar size.

Dredge the chicken in a mixture of flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Sometimes I add dried Savory.

Put them aside.

Saute in a couple tablespoons of the oil; the onion until it “sweats” then add bacon and saute but don't let it get crispy just cooked through. 

Add mushrooms and Rosemary and saute a few minutes until cooked through.

Remove the above from the pan and put on a plate. Add more oil to the pan and in small batches brown both sides of the thighs. Place the cooked ones on a plate then cook the next batch, etc.

Add all the batches of thighs back into the pan.

Add the onion mixture and stir.

Add the beer.

Just barely cover with the broth.

Add the peas.

Cook on the stove top, covered on low, so that it keeps a low simmer; about 45 minutes to an hour or until the liquid is where you like it (not too soupy for me).

He suggested making dumplings for the top and bake the whole thing in the oven until they are done but I make lousy dumplings and they aren't that good for you. So I serve mine over brown rice.

Leftovers can be chopped up and made into a pot pie or pasties or just reheated and served again.

This is perfect for cold stormy weather. It's very warming and comforting.

Maitake Mushroom Kit update:

So far absolutely nothing has happened. In another week or so if this keeps up I'll email them to ask for advice. I've done everything the directions had told me to. I've had people read them for me to make sure I did. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Garden update:

The seed orders are out! I won't list them yet; I'll do that as I plant things. I should be starting some early seeds in March. I can't wait.

Trying to decide if I want to buy a seed starting shelving system or make one. Again. Had one once I made then I gave it away as I didn't think I'd ever use it again. Never assume anything :)

Last year it was a dilemma for me: whether to start plants or just buy them all as I had been for the last few years and so I only started a few of them. I realized this year how important it is to start the plants in the Winter; it helps you to stay positive and look forward to Spring. Keeps one busy and keeps away the Cabin Fever too.

I'll still buy some I think; I don't have that much room. But I'm lucky in I have several local sources for organic plants raised locally. (need I mention the tomato blight of '09 again? hehe)

So by the time the seeds have arrived I'll hopefully have my decision made about the growing shelves.

A belated Happy Imbolc, Candlemas and/or Groundhogs day to you all. We are half way to Spring now!

My Maitake Mushroom Kit came!

I bought my Maitake  mushroom kit from Fungi Perfecti  one of the best producers and suppliers of mushroom growing supplies, kits and extracts. Paul Staments is, in my opinion, one of the premier experts on anything Fungi related.

And it's here!

I'm very excited. I've wanted to grow my own mushrooms for years. I was never much of a fan for eating them to be honest. I was used to the usual canned mushrooms you find hiding in your food with the consistency of slime and a taste worse then dirt.

When I was first diagnosed with (non Uterine)  Leiomyosarcoma (LMS) 9 years ago, I knew one of the first things for my treatment was Medicinal Mushrooms. Some research turned up that Maitake was one of the most important for sarcoma with claims that studies have shown it actually shrinks tumors. So I made sure the formula I took had Maitake in them.

Friends of mine up in Vermont are Mushroom Hunters and when they heard of my issues they began to send me wild mushrooms they found for me to incorporate into my diet, along with the extract I was taking daily. I was a little unsure, due to my above mentioned culinary experiences with mushrooms, but I was willing to give it a try.

This fits in well with my belief that, while herbal and dietary supplements are an important part of our health care plans; but what we eat on a daily basis is the first step to optimal health.

One of the first mushrooms they sent me was Maitake. I was shocked how good it tasted and have been eating them whenever they can send me or, on very very rare occasions, the coop here has them fresh. And on occasion have bought them dried. I've since tried and now enjoy the more common and familiar Shiitake and Chanterelles.


Maitake is the Japanese name for this mushroom. Which means Jumping for Joy or similar in Japanese I'm told. Some say you jump for joy when you find them in the woods because you are so happy to find them; others say it's after you eat them that you do the jumping. Either way one is very happy one gets to have them.

It's Latin name is Grifola frondosa in the West it's common name is  Hen of the Woods.

Maitake, besides properties purported for cancer treatment are also purported to be anti-bacterial (I used this in my treatment for Lyme Disease), anti-candida,  anti-tumor, anti-viral... the list goes on and I'd suggest you go to Fungi Perfecti's chart to see the rest as well as many many other mushroom species properties listed.

Usually when the term "Magical Mushroom" is used it's referring to psychotropic mushrooms like Psilocybin; a subject I will not get into but in my opinion, all mushrooms are magical; They are one of our very most important natural allies in our quests for healthcare. And one of the most ignored in the United States.

I feel everyone should, at least, incorporate them into one's diet but if one can't they should be taken as extract or capsules. But I feel if I can learn to not just like them but love them; anyone can.

Above is a picture of the kit. It's not much to look at and not pretty, I'll admit. :)

 One simply takes it out of the box, puts it on a plate or pie pan in indirect light and wait three weeks. At that time you cut away the plastic around the top of growing material and mist it up to three times a day. I've put mine near my kitchen sink so I won't forget about it as easily.

After about three weeks you can start to see gray fungi forming.  I'll post pictures and updates as it grows; and once I get some mushrooms big enough to eat I'll post my experiences cooking and recipes.

I'm hoping that I'll have enough to dry them for future use and I'll report back on that too.

Did I say I'm excited? :)

(For educational purposes only. No parts of documents on this site are to be taken as diagnosis or prescription for any illness. See your Medical Care professional for any personal health concerns.)