If you have frequented the Point Park or Marietta Marketplaces, you are sure to have run into my friend Juicy Jeff.  He serves amazing, healthy food options, as well as delicious juices and smoothies.  He always has a big smile and a warm greeting for everyone he meets, and I always look forward to trying anything on his menu.  Recently I had the chance to sit down with him and learn a little but more about the Juicy Jeff franchise, and what he sees in his future.

Growing up in the Mid-Ohio Valley, food was always a part of Jeff Adams life.  However, one day he realized that he was not living the best life he could live, and knew he had to make some changes.  That is when he began making healthier food choices, juicing, and regularly exercising.  He got his weight under control and had never felt better.  It is this life changing transformation that prompted him to finish his degree in Health and Nutrition, and Juicy Jeff was born!

Not only does Jeff have his delicious food stands, but he is also an advocate for teaching healthy living in the valley.  He holds workshops, and works with everyday people just like you and me on ways we lead healthier lives.  He is truly making a difference and I saw that firsthand the day I did my interview as a cancer survivor that he has been working with came up and began to rave about the difference his tutelage has made in her life!

So what does the future hold for Juicy Jeff?  He hopes to have permanent, store front facilities in both Marietta and Parkersburg, while also broaden his education work in the valley.  He truly is much more that a juice and a smile, but make no mistake!  He juices are out of this world, and was generous enough to share a couple of his recipes with us.

Green Smoothie:

• 1 Banana (Frozen)
• ½ Mango (Frozen)
• 1 c. Kale (Juiced)
• 1 c. Almond Milk

Orange Sunrise:

• 5 Carrots
• ½ Cucumber
• 2 Apples
• ½ Lemon

Simply blend and serve!

I tried the orange sunrise during my visit and it was delicious!  It was light, sweet, and had a delightful fresh finish.  I never would have guess that there were 5 carrots in it.  So the next time you find yourself hungry and wondering where to have lunch head on over to Juicy Jeff’s!  It could be a life changing experience.

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Spring has sprung in the Mid-Ohio Valley and that can only mean one thing, its ramp season! This robust little cousin to the green onion is native to West Virginia and its surrounding areas, and has been adorning our tables for centuries. In fact, April brings several ramp festivals to our great state. Ramps are so plentiful in this area, I would venture to say many of you could easily walk out into your back yard and harvest them yourself. However, if you’re not that adventurous, just head on over to West Virginia Foods and Things store located in the Point Park Marketplace, and pick some up.

One of the first questions people ask me about ramps is; “How do you make them?” It’s honestly as simple as sautéing them in a little olive oil with salt and pepper. They are packed full of flavor and do not require a lot of fuss. But, where’s the fun in that? So, for this article I decided to dress up this humble field green and transform it into a simple, but delicious Ramp Carbonara. Why carbonara you ask? Well, since ramps are native to our region, and the carbonara dish is affectionately known as “coal miner’s spaghetti,” I thought it was very fitting.

One thing is for sure. This recipe is simple, inexpensive, and I KNOW you are going to love it. I can’t wait to share it with you, so let’s get started.

RAMP CARBONARA

*Prep Time:  10 min.  *Cook Time:  30 min.  *Difficulty:  Easy *Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. of Linguini or Spaghetti Pasta
• 1 lb. of Ramps
• 8 strips of Bacon, cut into pieces
• 1 c. Grated Parmesan Cheese
• ½ tsp. Chili Flake (optional)
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Pepper

Directions:

1. Place a skillet on the stove top and add the bacon pieces.
2. Turn the flame to medium/high and let the bacon cook until crisp, rendering the fat in the process.
3. While the bacon is cooking bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
4. While the bacon is cooking, and the water is coming to a boil, you will need to rinse the ramps.
5. Peel of the outer membrane around the whites, and trim off the roots.
6. Once you have cleaned the ramps, you will remove the white section from the green section & slice them in half.
7. Next, cut the greens into the quarters.
8. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the instructions on the package.
9. When the bacon pieces have finished cooking and are crisp. After that, you will want to remove it from the pan and place on a paper towel to the side.
10. After that you will want to remove all, but two tablespoons of the bacon grease from the pan.
11. Add the ramps to the pan and cook until the whites are soft and translucent and the greens have wilted.
12. Now return the bacon to the pan and add the chili flakes.
13. Reserve one cup of the pasta water then drain the cooked pasta.
14. Add the cooked pasta to the pan.
15. Toss everything together and add the parmesan cheese and the pasta water.
16. Add the salt and pepper.
17. Bring to simmer and let the water reduce and thicken creating a luscious cheesy sauce. You may need to continue tossing during this process.
18. Top with a little more parmesan cheese, serve, and enjoy!

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Valentine’s Day is upon us, and if you are like most, you are scurrying about trying to figure out the perfect gesture of love for your special someone.  Often times our “go-to” is a nice restaurant.  Yes, you can see it all now.  Dim, romantic lighting, small candle flicking on the table, light reflecting in his/her eyes, mood setting music wafting through the air.  The whole world just melts away until nothing, but the two of you are left in it.  *sigh* How romantic.  But let’s get real.  You are not the only one with this idea.  The reality of the evening is 2+ hour wait in an undersized, over crowded area.  Loud and obnoxious patrons, who have no respect for the lovely evening you have planned.   Stressed wait staff who are trying to get as many people in and out of your table as possible.  And, I’m sorry to say, a cold tasteless meal, that you paid an arm and a leg for.  By the time you on your way home you are both frazzled and just want the evening to be over.  This is NOT what you had envisioned, I’m sure.

So this year, let’s shake it up a bit.  Let’s make this evening EVERYTHING you want it to be and then some.  Oh, and did I mention it will cost you under $20 for two people?  Yes, this Valentine’s you are going to have a stunning meal, at the best table in town, YOURS.  Because let’s face it, the simple act of preparing a meal is one of the greatest gestures of love you can make.  Now, if you have never cooked a meal in your life, or if you are not confident in the kitchen, don’t worry! I’m going to walk you through this every step of the way!  This is going to be a Valentine’s Day your special someone will never forget, so let’s get started!

In the Mid-Ohio Valley we have some wonderful steakhouses, we have some divine Italian restaurants, and we even have some great all-American food places, but this is not your everyday meal.  No, this meal is special.  Let’s really be brave and do something your special someone will never expect.  How about a BEAUTIFUL Mussels in a Spicy Red Sauce over Linguini?  I know what you are thinking.  It sounds extremely fancy and difficult, but it couldn’t be simpler.  And remember, you are going to do this at $20 for two people!

Here is what you will need:

• 1 lb. Frozen Black Mussels ($6 Wal-Mart)
• 1 15 oz. Can of Tomato Sauce (.69 Aldi)
• 6 cloves of Garlic, thinly sliced (.99 Aldi)
• 1 Red Onion, finely diced (.99 Wal-Mart)
• 1 Lemon, Juiced (.69 Wal-Mart)
• 1/2 lb. Linguini (.99 Wal-Mart)
• 1 c. Pinot Grigio ($5 Aldi)
• 1 tbsp. Red Chili Flake (.50 Wal-Mart)
• 1 loaf of Crusty Bread ($3 Wal-Mart)
• Fresh Parsley (.99 Wal-Mart)

1. To begin you are going to place a large pot of salted water (I recommend 1 tbsp. of salt) over a medium/high heat, and bring to a boil.
2. Add half of the box of linguini to the boiling water and cook according to the directions on box. (Approximately 8-10 minutes)
3. Once you have started cooking the pasta, you can begin your mussels.  This will literally be done in minutes.  Place a large skillet over medium/high heat and add 2-3 tbsp. of oil.
4. Then the oil is hot, you can add the onion to the pan.  Cook 2-3 minutes until they are soft and translucent.
5. Now add the garlic.  Cook until you smell the garlic coming from the pan, 1 minutes.
6. Add the wine and lemon juice.  If you want you can use bottled lemon juice.  Let it simmer until it has reduced by half.  That means that there will be half the amount of liquid in the pan that you started with.
7. Add the chili flake and tomato sauce to the skillet.
8. Bring to a simmer and taste for any seasoning.  When adding salt and pepper, add a little at a time, then taste again.  You can always add more.  You can’t take it out.
9. Now add the FROZEN mussels to the pan.  Cover, and let cook for 8 minutes until they open.
10. After 8 minutes if any of the mussels have failed to open, throw them out.
11. To the mussels and sauce, add the cooked linguini and gently toss.
12. Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley.
13. Serve and Enjoy!

This dish is absolutely STUNNING and is ready in minutes!  I like to serve it with some extra lemon wedges and a warm, crusty bread to dip in that luscious spicy red sauce!  Light a few candles, have some Nina Simone or Barry White playing in the background, maybe break out a nice table cloth and you have now created an intimate evening at home, just the two of you, with no stress, and NO interruptions.

And for dessert, how about picking up some Salted Caramel ice cream, brewing a strong pot of coffee, pouring it over a scoop in a mug (you can get nice, clear ones at The Dollar Tree for $1 apiece) for a lovely Italian Affogato!  You can cuddle up on the couch together, maybe watch a movie, maybe not.  The rest of the night is up to you!  The one thing I can guarantee is that dinner will be a Valentine’s Day they will never forget.

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With the holiday season upon us, we are all out and about shopping for the perfect gift.  One thing I love about the Mid-Ohio Valley is the wide variety of locally owned businesses that we have to choose from.  There are artisan food shops, clothing boutiques, trinket shops, antique malls, and much more.  As a passionate home cook and food blogger let me assure you that I have a very specific Christmas list this year all– all of which can be filled at our local kitchen store, The Cook’s Shop!  Owned by Ken and Dagmar Kupsche, The Cook’s Shop is the epitome of the mom & pop shop.  As stated on their website, “When the kids are home from college they are working in the store and the dogs can usually be found in the back room.” They purchased the 1912 built storefront on Front Street in downtown Marietta in 2007 and began renovations.  Since 2007 they have completely restored the dilapidated building to its former glory– when you walk in, it is as if you are stepping back to a simpler time.

Along with selling all of the top-of-the-line brands in kitchenware such as Le Creuset and Wusthof, they also provide a variety of cooking classes.  Working with a number of skilled chefs and culinary wizards in our area, they create a light-hearted, interactive, and fun learning environment.  Recently I had the pleasure of attending the Euro Bread making class taught by Matt Raposselli, the chef and owner of Hocking Hills Lodge.  During the class, Chef Raposselli taught us how to make a sour dough bread starter, what properly kneaded bread looks and feels like, and various baking techniques we can use in our home kitchens that will give us that beautiful artisan look we love.  Afterwards we all enjoyed some AMAZING bread complete with the locally bottled olive oils and vinegars that are sold by The Cook’s Shop.  Some of the upcoming class are Beef 101, Teen and College Student Cooking, Winter Soups, Solo Cooking, and Sushi.  These classes fill up fast so they recommend signing up as soon as possible!  Class prices range for $35-$50, and are usually about 2-3 hours long.

At the end of the class we were all issued a small discount and I won’t lie…I picked up a few new, bread making toys for myself.  So whether you are wanting to add to your kitchenware collection, grow your cooking skill, or are looking for a cool place for a date or a night out with your friends head on over to the Cook’s Shop and tell them Mandee from Clutch sent you!

And one more thing…

Remember to Shop Local this holiday season!

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There is no denying it, autumn has arrived to the Mid-Ohio Valley.

The air is a little cooler, a gentle, amber haze is starting to overtake the trees, and you can smell fall all around you.  And while many minds are moving towards all things pumpkin, I can’t help but to crave some delicious, fall apple goodness.  I didn’t want to simply go to the super market and buy my apples though.  I wanted a seasonal experience.  This began my search for an apple orchard, within a reasonable distance, to go apple picking.  I was thrilled to discover that we have a sensational apple orchard, right here in the valley. So I called a couple of friends as we decided to make a day of it.

Hidden Hills Orchard, previously known as Grimm’s Green Acres, has been located in Marietta, OH since 1998, and is much more than just a local farm– it’s a destination. As you turn off of Route 26 you are instantly taken back by the beauty of rolling hills, the shimmering pond, rows and rows of trees, quaint farm house, and the sweet waft of apple in the air.  It was instantly clear to me that this is not simply a source of income for these farmers, this is a love affair.  My suspicions were confirmed when I met Tom and Cathy, the current owners.  While they grew up in Ohio, they have spent most of their adult life in Houston, Texas where Tom was a geophysicist and Cathy was a full-time mom.  In talking with this couple Tom told me that he had always wanted to be an apple farmer and Cathy shared that she had always wanted to restore an old farm house.  So, in 2010, when they found Grimm’s for sale on the internet, Tom decided to take early retirement and return home to fulfill his & Cathy’s dream and Hidden Hills was born!

And while this is a great story, it is the quality of farm that Tom and Cathy have work to create that is truly noteworthy.  They are raising the standards at Hidden Hills by operating a completely sustainable farm.  Some examples of this include the 72 solar panels on the side of the cider house that provide the farm’s power, eliminating the use of organophosphates, and a drip system irrigation using the pond water located on the property– just to name a few.

All of this effort shines through in their product as well.  The apples I picked were some of the best I have ever tasted and the cider, which is made on site, is phenomenal.  As a food blogger I was so inspired that I immediately went home to create a delicious recipe using all of the produce I had purchased that day.  It’s a little nod to the “pork chop and applesauce” if you will, but worthy of the ingredients Hidden Hills gave me.

Apple Cider Roasted Pork Shoulder

*Prep-Time: 15 minutes *Cook Time:  4 hours *Difficulty:  Easy *Servings:  6-8

Ingredients:

• 1 3 lb. Pork Shoulder (I purchase at Point Place Market)
• 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 apples, peeled and sliced
• 1 large minced onion
• 2 cups apple cider
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons canola oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place oil in a Dutch oven or deep skillet and set over medium/high heat.
3. Rub the pork shoulder with rosemary, salt and pepper.
4. Place flour on plate and coat the pork shoulder, turning until completely coated.
5. Brown the pork shoulder on all sides.
6. Place the pork shoulder on a rack set into a roasting pan, and bake in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, add onions, apples and garlic to the pan you browned the pork in, cook until lightly colored and glassy.
8. Add the cider and chicken stock, and reduce by half.
9. Pour this mixture into the bottom of the roasting pan.
10. Place the roast into the 450 degree oven, uncovered.
11. Turn the oven down to 300 degrees and cook for about 3 1/2 hours.
12. Place pork on a serving platter to let it rest.
13. Place the roasting pan over a medium-high burner on the stove and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
14. Season the sauce with a pinch of salt and a drizzle of apple cider vinegar.
15. Slice the roast and serve with the pan juices spooned over.

Hidden Hills Orchard is located at 5680 State Route 26 Marietta, OH 45750

The hours of operation are Friday & Saturday 10am – 6pm and Sunday 12pm – 6pm

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