Tag: 230511

Handheld tarts bursting with blueberries

It isn’t quite blueberry season in New Hampshire, but there’s no reason to delay planning. Never mind that you probably can find some decent berries that were grown elsewhere available in the produce department of your grocery store.

These tarts are easy to make; the cooking portion is done in under 20 minutes. The longest part of the recipe is chilling the finished product. You could eat them right away, but the chilling time allows both fillings to set up a bit more firmly. No judgment if you want to eat them as soon as they are done!

For the ingredients, there are three notes. First, you want phyllo tart shells, which I did have to search for. My local grocery store didn’t carry them, but my Walmart superstore did. Fresh blueberries are the ideal ingredient for this recipe. You can use frozen, but I would start with just one tablespoon of water when making the sauce. Finally, for cream cheese, be sure to use full fat. Do not buy Neufchâtel; it has a slightly grainy texture, which you’ll notice. You want these tarts to be ultra creamy.

Feel free to make these now, but keep the recipe handy for blueberry season. They make a perfect dessert to bring to a cookout this summer.

Handheld tarts bursting with blueberries
Makes 15 tarts

15 phyllo tart shells
⅓ cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3 Tablespoons water
½ Tablespoon lemon juice
1½ cups blueberries
4 ounces cream cheese
⅓ cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons whole milk

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Place tart shells in the cups of a mini muffin pan or on a rimmed baking sheet.
Bake for 4 minutes.
While shells bake, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, water and lemon juice in a small saucepan, whisking until smooth.
Stir in the blueberries, and bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to low, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the blueberries release some of their juices and the sauce thickens.
Remove the sauce from the heat, and allow to cool to room temperature.
Remove tart shells from the oven.
Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk in a small bowl.
Stir until smooth, adding the additional tablespoon of milk if needed.
Divide cream cheese mixture evenly among the cups.
Top with a layer of blueberry sauce.
Store tarts in a sealed container for at least 4 hours before serving.

Featured photo: Handheld tarts bursting with blueberries. Photo by Michele Pesula Kuegler.

In the kitchen with Maggie Josti

Maggie Josti is the owner of Maggie’s Munchies (magmunch.com), a business offering scratch-baked goods like whoopie pies, cupcakes and cookies that she runs with her husband, Trevor. Originally from Malden, Mass., Josti has been cooking and baking her whole life, and worked in the restaurant industry for more than a decade prior to starting Maggie’s Munchies. Since launching last August, Maggie’s Munchies has participated in fairs, festivals, shows and other events across the Granite State. Find them next at one of two events set to take place on Saturday, May 13 — one member of the couple will be serving their sweet treats during Kids Con New England at the Douglas N. Everett Arena (15 Loudon Road, Concord), while the other will be attending the Great New England Mother’s Day Craft & Artisan Show at the Merrimack Premium Outlets (80 Premium Outlets Blvd., Merrimack).

What is your must-have kitchen item?

A cookie scoop. I use it for the fillings, for the whoopie pies themselves [and] for the cookies.

What would you have for your last meal?

A boneless rib-eye steak, homemade mac and cheese and a coffee frappe.

What is your favorite local restaurant?

Parker’s Maple Barn in Mason is definitely my favorite place to go.

What celebrity would you like to see trying one of your products?

Duff Goldman from Charm City Cakes would be cool, because I’d love to get his feedback.

What is your favorite item that you offer?

Our cinnamon roll whoopies are the best. … It’s two homemade cinnamon rolls with the whoopie pie filling in the center, and then our cinnamon icing on top. We serve it with a fork and a knife because it gets a little messy.

What is the biggest food trend in New Hampshire right now?

What I absolutely love is when I go out to a restaurant and they offer something different that’s a unique take on a classic recipe.

What is your favorite thing to cook at home?

Homemade mac and cheese is always the go-to. I never love it any less when I make it, and my kids don’t either. I can switch up the cheeses for something new and add so many different toppings.

Second annual Vine & Hops at The Hil
From the kitchen of Maggie Josti of Maggie’s Munchies

3 medium overripe bananas, peeled and mashed
⅓ cup melted salted butter
¼ can pure pumpkin
Pinch of salt
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking soda
1½ cups all-purpose flour
Optional: chocolate chips, nuts, spices or dried fruits

In a bowl, add the bananas and butter and mix with a spoon or stand mixer until well combined. Add the pure pumpkin, salt, sugar, egg, vanilla extract, cinnamon and baking soda and mix until combined. Add the flour and mix until combined. Add any optional desired ingredients such as chocolate chips, nuts, spices or dried fruits. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes, depending on your oven. You should be able to stick a toothpick into the center and it will come out clean. If it’s browning too much but not done in the middle, place tin foil over the top loosely and bake until fully cooked. Let it cool for a few minutes in the pan, then flip upside down onto a wire rack and continue cooling.


Featured photo: Maggie Josti of Maggie’s Munchies. Courtesy photo.

Sips by the slopes

Vine & Hops at The Hill returns

Just before it reopens for a fourth season later this month, The Hill Bar & Grille at Manchester’s McIntyre Ski Area is inviting attendees ages 21 and up to partake in a night of food, beer and wine samples, along with live music and silent auction items to support local charities.

Vine & Hops at The Hill, happening on Thursday, May 18, is a joint partnership with Rock 101’s Greg & The Morning Buzz. Returning for a second year, the event will feature more than 300 craft beers and wines available to taste, alongside eats from local restaurants. Proceeds generated from the silent auction will go toward Lend a Helping Can, a nonprofit whose beneficiary organizations include 12 New England-area agencies combating hunger and homelessness.

“Last year was our inaugural event, and it was a good turnout, but we are definitely expecting a larger turnout this year,” McIntyre Ski Area marketing director Aly Coakley said. “We have a big tent scheduled to come in and be set up outside so we can utilize the indoor and outdoor space. We have such a great opportunity to use The Hill in the summertime now.”

The entry fee allows attendees to sample food and drinks from vendors that will be set up both inside the restaurant and out on its patio. A full list of participating breweries, along with the available selection of options they will be pouring, can be viewed online at the event’s website.

“One cool thing to note … is that we have a new partnership that we’re doing with 603 Brewery. They created The Hill Bar and Grille’s Down Hill IPA, which is an exclusive beer for us,” Coakley said. “We’re going to have samples of that available, and have that for purchase during the summer. … We’re also going to have five different tables of a variety of wines, from lower-end ones to some higher-end wines that are worth trying out.”

Passed hors d’oeuvres and a chef’s carving station from The Hill Bar & Grille will be featured at the event, while about half a dozen other local eateries are expected to serve options of their own, including barbecue from KC’s Rib Shack and seafood from Hooked Restaurant. During the evening, everyone will have a chance to bid on a variety of prized items, from tickets to an upcoming Boston Red Sox game to a tour with the Manchvegas Brew Bus for up to 10 people. McIntyre will also take bids on skis, a snowboard and a 2023-2024 season pass.

“Typically there’s a starting bid, based on the value of that item. By the end of the night, whoever has the highest bid wins, and then we would just cash them out from there,” Coakley said. “They take their item home and then that money would go directly to Lend a Helping Can.”

Since 1990, Lend a Helping Can has raised more than $2 million, including a record $382,000 raised in the year 2022. Beneficiaries include the New Hampshire Food Bank, Families in Transition, My Friend’s Place and multiple local and regional branches of the Salvation Army.

The Hill Bar & Grille, meanwhile, is expected to reopen for the season on May 30, Coakley said, with events scheduled throughout the summer before it closes for ski season around the end of October.

Second annual Vine & Hops at The Hill
When: Thursday, May 18, 5 to 8 p.m.
Where: The Hill Bar & Grille (McIntyre Ski Area), 50 Chalet Way, Manchester
Cost: $50 per person; ticket includes food, beer and wine samples, as well as access to bid on the featured silent auction items. Tickets are available in advance online and on the day of the event.
Visit: mcintyreskiarea.com/activities/vineandhops
Event is 21+ only.

Participating food and beverage vendors

  • 603 Brewery (Londonderry, 603brewery.com)
  • Able Ebenezer Brewing Co. (Merrimack, ableebenezer.com)
  • Backyard Brewery & Kitchen (Manchester, backyardbrewerynh.com)
  • Buena Gave Tequila Cocktails (buenagave.com)
  • Canteen Spirits (canteenspirits.com)
  • Chuck’s BARbershop (Concord, find them on Facebook @chucksbarbershopnh)
  • CodeX Books. Antiques. Rarities. (B.A.R.; Nashua, codexbar.com)
  • Contoocook Cider Co. (Contoocook, contoocookcider.com)
  • CrowBar Hardware Store (Claremont, find them on Facebook @crowbarhardware)
  • Downeast Cider (downeastcider.com)
  • Feathered Friend Brewing Co. (Concord, featheredfriendbrewing.com)
  • Great North Aleworks (Manchester, greatnorthaleworks.com)
  • The Hill Bar & Grille (Manchester, mcintyreskiarea.com/the-hill-bar-and-grille)
  • Hooked Seafood Restaurant and Ignite Bar & Grille (Manchester, hookedonignite.com)
  • Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers (jacksabby.com)
  • KC’s Rib Shack (Manchester, ribshack.net)
  • Lawson’s Finest Liquids (lawsonsfinest.com)
  • Mast Landing Brewing Co. (mastlandingbrewing.com)
  • Northwoods Brewing Co. (Northwood, northwoodsbrewingcompany.com)
  • Rockingham Brewing Co. (Derry, rockinghambrewing.com)
  • Samuel Adams (samueladams.com)
  • Schilling Beer Co. (Littleton, schillingbeer.com)
  • Sole’s Bar (Keene, find them on Facebook)
  • Tamworth Distilling (Tamworth, tamworthdistilling.com)
    Five tables of select wines will also be available for sampling. See the event website for the full list.

The Weekly Dish 23/05/11

News from the local food scene

• Prost! Join To Share Brewing Co. (720 Union St., Manchester) for its inaugural SpringFest, scheduled for Saturday, May 13, from 1 to 9 p.m. According to a press release, SpringFest — or Frühlingsfest, as it’s known in Germany — is an annual spring celebration in Munich. To Share Brewing Co. is holding its own festival in that spirit with a special release of its German festbier for the event, in addition to bratwursts, sauerkraut, pretzels from The Hop Knot and strudel from Bearded Baking Co. Stein-hoisting competitions will be at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m., and dressing in traditional lederhosen is encouraged. Reservations are not required, but parties of six or more can reserve now by emailing [email protected].

• A taste of Lithuania: Rodgers Memorial Library (194 Derry Road, Hudson) is welcoming back local chef Oonagh Williams, who will resume her popular Lithuanian cooking demonstrations on Saturday, May 13, from 10 a.m. to noon., followed by similar events at the library scheduled for June 10 and July 8. During each demonstration, Williams teaches attendees how to make new Lithuanian dishes and gives them the opportunity to sample them. Featured dishes during the May 13 event will include cold cherry soup and a garlicky farmer’s cheese spread with walnuts, and full recipes will be provided. Williams also brings along some of her Lithuanian cookbooks and scrapbooks from her time studying at Vilnius University. A regular guest on WMUR-TV’s Cook’s Corner, Williams is also known for her online blog of gluten-free recipes (glutenfreecookingwithoonagh.com) and has given talks on behalf of the National Celiac Association in Boston. Admission to her demonstrations is free, but registration is required. Visit rodgerslibrary.org.

• May the best cakes win: There’s still time to get your ticket to the second annual Franco Foods Fleur Délices challenge, an amateur bake-off and fundraiser for the Franco-American Centre happening at Anheuser-Busch Brewery (221 Daniel Webster Hwy., Merrimack) on Saturday, May 13, from 6 to 9 p.m. The theme this year, challenge organizer and FAC office manager Nathalie Hirte said, is French fairy tales. Contestants will be tasked with creating a cake that is decorated to represent the story of their chosen fairy tale in some way. There will be a panel of judges voting on each cake in a variety of criteria, but attendees can also vote for their own favorite cake based on appearance and have access to samples. The cost is $25 per person and $20 for FAC members. See facnh.com/fleur-delices-challenge, or check out our coverage of the event, which ran in the May 4 edition of the Hippo. The story is on page 25.

• Fresh catch: The Merrimack County Conservation District (10 Ferry St., Concord) is taking orders for a trout sale for fish lovers looking to restock their backyard ponds, offering New Hampshire-raised disease-free rainbow and brook trout in 6- to 8-inch or 10- to 12-inch sizes. Orders are due by Sunday, May 14 — bagged 6- to 8-inch trout can be picked up at the Conservation District’s Concord center on Sunday, May 21, from 1 to 1:30 p.m. The fish must then be released to your pond immediately. Visit merrimackccd.org to fill out an order form, or call the Conservation District at 223-6023 for more details.

On The Job – Lynne Duval

Licensed independent clinical social worker

Lynne Duval is a licensed independent clinical social worker who provides psychotherapy services through her private practice, Granite State Child & Family Counseling in Milford.

Explain your job and what it entails.

I am a psychotherapist providing mental health therapy services via telehealth to people age 9 and above. I work a lot with individuals and couples providing Emotionally Focused Therapy. … I access many modalities. … You are an active member of your treatment … and the length of treatment depends on the presenting issues and your process. … My job is to support you, determine your stressors and ways of coping and help you develop more appropriate ways to manage. I look at your relationships, both past and present, and how connected you are to key people in your life. We identify patterns for how you interact with others and determine more effective ways to connect. We look at coping strategies to manage anxiety, depression, ADHD and other difficulties. I help you determine any distortions you may have and reframe them so you can see the world in a more productive way.

How long have you had this job?

I have been in the field for 31 years and in private practice for 19 years.

What led you to this career field and your current job?

I worked in corporate America right after high school for five years and through that process realized what I really enjoyed was helping people and learning about how and why people behave the way they do. I was fascinated with what made people tick and how to help people feel better about themselves and their relationships.

What kind of education or training did you need?

I have an associate’s in human services, bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in social work, and a master’s in social work. I went to Castle College for my associate’s, Rivier University for my bachelor’s and Boston University for my master’s.

What is your typical at-work uniform or attire?

Business casual is what I typically wear.

What is the most challenging thing about your work, and how do you deal with it?

Right now one of the biggest challenges is not having enough space for everyone in need, and not having enough resources for clients to access within the community. I do offer a wait list for those who want to wait for my services, though that could take more than a year.

What do you wish you’d known at the beginning of your career?

I really can’t think of anything. I worked very hard to learn all I could about different trainings in mental health and settled on social work because it was the most marketable option.

What do you wish other people knew about your job?

There is great satisfaction in helping others. It is a great career with so many opportunities to work in various locations. I chose private practice because it gives me the autonomy to work within my scope of practice and according to my ethics without having to follow business models that contradict those goals.

What was the first job you ever had?

The first job I had was working at a restaurant in Nashua that my neighbor owned as a bus-girl.

What’s the best piece of work-related advice you’ve ever received?

Take care of yourself, too. In the helping professions, it can become easy to immerse yourself in taking care of others and neglecting your own needs. I learned early on that I had to take care of myself first in order to be available for others.

Five favorites

Favorite book: I read mostly educational books.
Favorite movie: Grease
Favorite music: Country
Favorite food: Anything delicious
Favorite thing about NH: The landscapes. It is a beautiful state, and I love the ocean and the mountains equally. I love the trees and green grass. I love the flowers.

Featured photo: Lynne Duval. Courtesy photo.

Kiddie Pool 23/05/11

Family fun for the weekend

Outdoor adventures

• Join the Beaver Brook Association at Maple Hill Farm (117 Ridge Road, Hollis) for Homesteading with Rivka on Thursday, May 11, at 6:30 p.m. This class is geared toward teens ages 14 and older and will teach how to make healthy snacks and treats from plants that can be foraged in and around the state. The session costs $30 and spots can be reserved at beaverbrook.org.

• The Goffstown Old Home Day is back on Saturday, May 13, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be live performances at Rotary Park and the Common, a cake and pie auction, vendor booths, food, activities and more. Visit facebook.com/GoffstownOldHomeDay for more information.

• Visit Derryfield Park (Highland Street in Manchester) on Saturday, May 13, for a Family Fun Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be activities and entertainment, music, food, fun and chances to win prizes like tickets to a Kidz Bop concert. There will also be vendors and booths for parents to shop. Visit wzid.com to learn more about the free event.

• The Turf Depot of Hooksett (39 Londonderry Turnpike) is hosting Cruising The Depot Car Show on Wednesday, May 17, from 5 to 8 p.m. The Depot is partnering with Nor’eastern Pontiac-GMC-Oakland Club to co-host this family-friendly event. In addition to the classic cars, there will be prizes, food, ice cream and music. Dogs are also welcome; visitors should bring their own chairs to sit on. The event is free. For more information, visit turfdepot.com.

Indoor fun

• Calling all princesses, mutant ninja turtles and superheroes: The annual Kids Con New England is on Saturday, May 13, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be cosplayers dressed up as beloved characters, children’s books writers and illustrators, comic book creators, crafts, food, a costume contest and more for everyone to enjoy. Tickets cost $15 per person, free for kids ages 5 and younger. Visit kidsconne.com and see the story in the May 4 issue of the Hippo. Go to hippopress.com and check out the e-edition, the story is on page 11.

• Symphony New Hampshire is putting on Peter and the Wolfon Saturday, May 13, at 11 a.m. at the Keefe Center for the Arts (117 Elm St., Nashua). The classic piece of music, composed by Sergei Prokofiev, has charming, thrilling and dramatic moments. This production has been made even more family-friendly with guest narrator Andrew Pinard. Tickets can be purchased at the door, and prices start at $10. Visit symphonynh.org for more information.

• The New Hampshire Reptile Expo is on Sunday, May 14, at the Courtyard By Marriott (70 Constitution Ave., Concord). Get up close and get to know the different reptiles, exotic animals and amphibians at the show. Kids ages 12 and younger are free, while tickets cost $10 to $15 for those over the age of 13. Visit showmesnakes.com for more information.

Farmyard celebrations

• Brookford Farm (250 West Road, Canterbury) is hosting a Heifer Parade on Sunday, May 13, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is to celebrate the cows moving to their springtime pastures. Visitors will have the option to buy a lunch made with the farm’s fresh ingredients. The fair costs $10 per person and the lunch’s price is yet to be determined. Visit brookfordfarm.com for more information.

• Celebrate all things sunflower with The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill (174 Joppa Hill Road, Bedford) at their Sunflower fun event on Monday, May 15, at 4 p.m. The interactive program is designed to teach children of all ages about the characteristics that sunflowers have. Kids will get to do a craft while they learn about the sunny plant. Spots are $15 and can be purchased at theeducationalfarm.org.

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